Aww. This is the scene I felt was missing from your other story. I loved that one so much, and I liked the way you focused on Joss, but John had been through a lot too and he definitely needed to deal with it. Thanks for writing this.

Beautiful. What a lovely follow up to a gut wrenching and harrowing experience they all had to endure. I love your work. Keep writing please!

That was such a lovely spin on a classic story. Pretty ironic that Jessica seemed the most capable of getting into John's thick head.

Thank you for a very emotionally pure and heartfelt chapter. These two are forever growing and evolving and its so beautiful. Thanks for bringing us along for the ride.
I hope you had a Very Merry CHRISTmas and I wish you a Most Happy New Year!

Wonderful fics. J loves Jessica words. I have never understood why she had not said no to her mother that she was with John (she no longer had 15 years). John loved two women in his life: Jessica and Joss. Jessica before the CIA and Joss after. The love that he feels for Joss is exactly what you have written. This is what Careesers feel. It is clear that without the CIA and the death of Jess, John would never watched Joss sentimentally. But all these trials, the attention of Joss during their first meeting, her kindness and her personality made that he fell deeply in love with her even if she did not fit the physical type of women that he liked. Color and physical less spectacular than Jess and Zoe (although super sexy when she puts tight dresses) had no importance. He was sexually attracted by Zoe who is very beautiful and sexy but she has never touched his heart and soul like Joss. It is what, we, the Careesers saw.

Fantastic, a superb piece to accompany your other amazing stories! Huge fan of your work #Careeseiseternal!

Good look into their PTSD. Glad they deceided they could make it with each other. Thanks for this and all of your other great stories story!

AAwwww lovely addition to a crazy wonderful series.

A great story of love and forgiveness. Guilt can kill dreams, lives, families, and relationships. If you let it. I felt like I was inside, its a wonderful life. With Jessica taking the place of Clarence. It was so vital for jessica to show john, just what life would have been like if he hadn't been there to care. All looks through that mirror got to john. But when he saw how his actions changed taylor's life, leaving him to become a sad and bitter old man. John knew that he had to let go of the guilt for himself, joss, and Taylor. What happen to john and joss was horrible. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. John and joss can have a great life, be a loving family. Show taylor that there's such a thing as true love. Help taylor to become a caring and loving man. Thanks for a great story.

Awesome! And, incredibly touching. This was like "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol" all rolled up into one. This fits right in to "Catalyst" and "Redemption" as one of those wonderful interludes that you write, dark though it was. But with a beautiful light at the end of it. I absolutely love how you paint John and Joss' beautiful and ever evolving relationship in your stories. It ain't always pretty. But it is real. So real. And rich. And deeply satisfying. It's the real deal. That rare, rare relationship where one finds their true soulmate in each other.

Jessica was the angel here, who came to John and got him to see the light. To save his relationship with Joss. To let go of his guilt. And I agreed with Jess. She and John likely would have ended up in divorce, for all the reasons that she stated.

The images you depicted: Taylor, growing up to be an embittered old man, never finding true love. All because John couldn't keep his relationship together with Joss. Joss becoming an alcoholic and eventually dying because he couldn't save Taylor from Elias' thugs. Or, Joss dying at the hands of Bottlecap before then, depriving Taylor of his mother, and leaving him to be raised by Paul (which in your stories would have been a great tragedy indeed).

...He'd fallen to his knees in that formless fog, eyes closed, barely feeling the hot tears on his face. Didn't even know where he was until he felt a gentle cool hand on his cheek, looked into Jessica's eyes. "That's what could have happened, John. And what might still happen if you don't let go of your guilt and pain and bring yourself to accept what happened."...

..."I will," he promised, staring into Jessica's eyes. There was an echo of love in him for her, but now it was merely a bittersweet memory; someone else held his heart now, had captured his soul and wound her love around him in a safety net, a cocoon of warmth and love. He could unravel that net, could free himself from it if he chose, but that was the only thing between him and darkness. And he didn't want that darkness. "I want Joss." Three simple words, but they were spoken from his heart, from the depths of his soul; a gut-deep expression of love and longing and need that nothing and no one would ever assuage except this one incredible woman...

Happy Holidays to you and your family, lady! ';D

Blackberry wine certainly agrees with you-and your writing. I loved this! What a wonderful holiday treat! Thanks so much.

I watch 'A Christmas Carol' every year. I'll always think of this story the next time I watch it. Thanks for the Christmas gift.

Good story, you need to drink blackberry wine more often!

I'm glad Jon finally let go of the guilt, he tends to wallow in it as we well know. He deserves a happy life and you gave that to him. I'm glad Jessica was to the one to make him see since he had some unresolved issues for their relationship too. I think she owed one.

Cute ending with Joss chasing him around, they deserve their happiness!