Author Note: This story is somewhat of a companion piece to 'Strings Attached'. It includes some things I originally planned to mention, but didn't make the final draft. Specifically, a certain pairing and the offspring of another character were planned, but didn't quite get a mention at the end of 'Strings Attached' like I'd wanted. And for those who are American (like myself), the legal age of consent in England is sixteen.

--- --- ---

Frayed Along the Edges

[June 2015]

"Dad, you are being so unfair!" Jessica whined as she stood by her father's desk, where he was trying to design the prototype of one of his lame inventions. There had once been a point where she thought his joke products were the greatest thing in the world, but that was before she became a mature woman of sixteen and realized just how uncool parents really were. Like now. "I don't see why you won't let me go out and catch up on what all I missed at school!"

Fred Weasley sighed and rubbed his temples. "Jess, your mother wants us all to sit down as a family and enjoy a nice family dinner. We haven't seen you in months, and we'd like the chance to catch up and find out how your year went."

"Then ask Kyle!" she protested. "He was there, too, and I'm sure he'd be more than willing to rat out all the things everyone did! I just want to go out and catch a movie, maybe check the record stores to see what's cool and what sucks, and talk to Karin about fighting demons."

"And that's why I don't want you wandering the streets on your own," her father tried to reason, although she thought he was being most unreasonable. "If you were caught by some demon--"

"I would blast their arse back to whatever sewer they crawled out from," Jessica interrupted. "I've been using my spirit energy since I was in diapers, dad. I don't know how many times you've told me the story about how you ended up in St. Mungo's with first degree burns on your buttocks after you decided to dress up as Santa and I got scared of the 'big bad intruder'. I can take care of myself, and I'm not stupid enough to look for a fight. I just want to talk to Karin about maybe becoming the Underworld Detective. You did it when you were my age."

"No, I didn't," Fred denied. "I was a good four years older than you are when I worked for them."

"Come on, dad," she pleaded. "I won't be out that late, and I didn't do anything worth being grounded over. And you guys never did anything to celebrate me becoming captain of the Quidditch team, but gave Kyle a toad when he made prefect."

"We gave you the new broom you asked for," he replied. "And what was this I heard about you trying to get his toad to hatch a chicken egg?"

Jessica shrugged. "Chloe thought we should hatch a basilisk. We'd heard about the one that had been there in your time. We wouldn't set it out on anyone who didn't deserve it, though. Just a bunch of know-it-all Hufflepuffs that've been bugging us. Please, dad? I heard you were cool once. Prove it and let me go out tonight?"

Fred sighed, and it was obvious he relented when he nodded his head. "When do you plan to be back?"

"Four in the morning sounds good," Jessica said, trying to stop herself from smiling over getting her way.

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "That is way too late for a girl your age to be out. Nine."

"Nine?!" she shrieked. "I'm not eight, dad! Other kids my age get to stay out way later than that, and nothing interesting even happens until after dark anyway!"

"I don't want you out after dark, and I really don't care how late other kids get to stay out," he said. "I don't want you out any time after midnight, and--"

"Midnight it is," Jessica said, quickly moving to the door. "Thanks, dad!"

Fred blinked. "Now, wait a minute! That's not what I--"

Jessica let the door close behind her as she joyfully skipped out of her father's study. She wondered if Chloe would be able to escape from her wardens, but figured that was highly unlikely. Chloe's sexual experimentation with Logan Montague had exploded on them in a big way, and now they dealing with the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy. Chloe was due next month, and to say that Uncle George and Aunt Tracy were not happy with their oldest daughter was a massive understatement. Jessica wouldn't be surprised if they pulled her out of Hogwarts and shipped her off to a nunnery.

Jessica chuckled to herself. 'Nunnery' was such a funny word. She'd have to use it more often. Not around Chloe, though, as she hadn't been happy about being replaced by some talentless second year on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Jessica wasn't too happy, either, as they'd suffered one of their most humiliating losses in years after Burke had hit a Bludger and knocked out their Keeper. And then the little berk flew into their Seeker, which left their goal posts wide open and no one to catch the Snitch. The snooty Hufflepuffs were still on about their 'illustrious victory over the moronic Gryffindors'. She was just glad her parents didn't know just how bad she'd hexed some of them on the train home, because they never would let her leave the house if they knew.

"Bye, mum!" she called as she bounded downstairs toward the front door. "I'll see you later!"

"Where do you think you're going?" her mother called back from where she was trying to set the kitchen on fire. Jessica was glad that she was going out instead of being forced to endure her mum's sorry attempt at cooking.

"Out," Jessica called back. "Dad said it's all right! Love you!" She didn't even give her mother time to protest before making her exit. She wanted to get out of there before Kyle had the chance to open his big mouth and get her into trouble. Ever since he was appointed prefect, he strutted around like a pompous jackass. She'd heard stories about how Uncle Percy used to act when he was that age, but doubted that even he acted as uptight as Kyle. Not when Uncle Percy egged their house every Halloween, at least. Her parents didn't seem to realize it was him, but she'd helped him string toilet paper up in the trees when she was ten and saw what he was doing. He also egged Uncle George's house every Halloween, and she was pretty sure he was the one responsible for leaving a flaming bag of dog poo on Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry's doorstep that one time. She couldn't picture Kyle doing something like that. Ever.

She quickly ran down the street, not wanting to give her parents time to chase after her. They didn't live all that far away from Diagon Alley, which she had no intention of going to, but that also meant they didn't live that far away from more interesting places. She figured that she could always check out the stores later, because she really did want to talk to Karin about becoming the Underworld Detective.

Professor Longbottom had tried to explain that 'Underworld Detective' wasn't a very good career choice when they went over her options before taking her OWLs. Fighting demons was what she was born to do, and she tried to explain it to him. Her parents would never have gotten together if her father hadn't been the Underworld Detective. Primarily because he was dead, and working for the Underworld was a condition for him coming back to life. It wasn't like she never faced demons before, either, as some would sneak into Hogsmeade every now and then. She was doing really well in Ryou's class, where they learned how to use their spirit energy and to recognize various kinds of demons. It was one of the few classes where she bothered to pay attention, and she was actually learning things she hadn't already known, which was a rather pleasant surprise. That it was funny to drop sneezing powder around Ryou was just an added bonus.

She slowed her gait down to a walk after turning the corner. She was safe enough from her parents, and had all night to get her business done. There was no point in running around like she was being chased. Cops took notice of things like that, and she'd rather not be arrested for something she didn't do. Misunderstanding or not, that would likely get her grounded for the rest of the summer.

It only took her about a half hour or so before she arrived at the Tantei Detective Agency. She'd received an invitation to the upcoming wedding between Uncle Percy and Karin, and was glad they were holding it over the winter holidays, but hoped they would not expect her to wear some ghastly dress robes that seemed to be customary at such functions. She didn't mind wearing skirts -- she was wearing a short black skirt that really made her legs look quite shapely in her opinion -- but seeing what some people wore at weddings made her shudder.

When she walked in, Karin was packing the contents of one of her desk drawers while Lucy was leafing through the pages of a bridal magazine and Molly was doing an impression of a gruff television detective over the phone. Karin glanced up at her and smiled weakly before turning back to her packing. "Can I help you?" Karin asked.

Jessica walked up to her desk and sat down in a free chair. "I want to be the Underworld Detective. I know you promised my parents you wouldn't try to recruit me, but I'm ready."

Karin sighed and closed the drawer. "As I told you last summer when you asked, the Underworld already has a detective."

"Still?" Jessica sighed and slumped down unladylike in her chair. "What are you doing, anyway?"

"Packing," Karin said. "Lord Koenma wanted me to go back to the Underworld. I told him I'd rather stay here. So I have to clear my things out before my replacement gets here."

Jessica nodded thoughtfully. It sounded like she was in the same boat of having other people unfairly telling her what to do. "So I should speak with your replacement whenever they get here?"

"I'm still the official liaison with the Underworld for now," Karin said shortly. "Until the current detective quits or vacates the position for whatever reason, there simply isn't a need for another."

"I just want the facts, lady," Molly said gruffly over the phone. "Where was your dog when the tree ate it? I know you're a man, lady! I'm asking the questions here!"

Jessica glanced to Molly briefly before turning back to Karin. "Percy at work?"

Karin nodded. "Having them here with me during the day works out for all of us. It gives me time to spend time with them and get to know them, and it's better than dropping them off at a babysitter."

"Do you think I can marry Truckasaurus when I grow up?" Lucy asked, glancing up.

Karin made a thoughtful face before shaking her head. "Probably not. Truckasaurus is a modified semi-truck that spits fire, and exists solely to wreak carnage on other vehicles. I just don't think it would work out."

"You could fire the current detective, right?" Jessica asked. "And then I could become the Underworld Detective."

Karin shook her head. "Jude does a really good job at what he does. His attitude may leave a lot to be desired, but there's no grounds to fire him. You'll either have to wait until he quits, or if you really want to fight demons, I suppose you could always ask him about a partnership." Her wristwatch beeped and she glanced down at it. "It's almost time to meet your dad at work, girls. Shall we get ready to go?"

"Can we go out to eat tonight?" Lucy asked excitedly.

"No more pizza!" Molly protested, hanging up the phone mid-conversation. "I have to watch what I eat if I'm going to get in shape enough to make the Quidditch team when I go to Hogwarts!" She looked to Jessica. "If I'm in your house, will you let me on the team?"

Jessica shrugged. "Well, you'll be a firstie when I'm in my seventh year, so wouldn't be allowed your own broom. That won't stop you from trying out, though. Just make sure you're in Gryffindor, because that's the best house. Ravenclaws are a bunch of pretentious emos, Slytherins are a bunch of weirdoes, and Hufflepuffs are jerks. Isabel Hopkins is the worst of the lot, but they've all got this one-mind mentality. Like the Borg on Star Trek."

"Resistance is futile!" Molly giggled.

"I think we've let her watch a bit too much television," Karin said apologetically as she ushered the girls to the doorway. "We can talk more about this tomorrow if you want, but we really do need to be heading out now."

Jessica nodded. "Sure. No problem." She watched Karin leave with her future stepdaughters, and walked over to the file cabinet after the door closed behind them. It was doubtful that Karin would be taking any files on the personnel of the agency with her, as her replacement would surely need them. But like most other businesses, there should be a personnel file.

It wasn't that hard to pick the lock of the filing cabinet. Her search would be easier if she knew the last name of the current Underworld Detective, but it should be found easily enough on old case files he might have solved.

It didn't take long before she found the full name of the current detective, and then it was just a matter of finding where the personnel files were kept. She glanced at the door warily every now and then, but nobody came in to interrupt her search. After about fifteen minutes, she located the personnel files in the bottom drawer.

Jessica smiled to herself as she drew out the file of Jude Clarke. Walking to Karin's desk, she grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen to begin copying down the information.

--- --- ---

As she approached the apartment complex that Jude the Usurper lived in, she couldn't help but feel that the building should be condemned. The walls were heavily graffitied, and she could even see a few broken windows. The inside wasn't much better. The paint was peeling on the walls, and more inscriptions were scrawled on them. There place also reeked of stale beer and cigarettes, and she was pretty sure she saw a rat or something scurry into a hole by one corner.

Jessica scrunched her nose in distaste as she knocked on the door to Jude's flat. She didn't understand why anyone would choose to live in a place like this. Surely there would be better housing for those on low incomes, if that was even the reason why he lived there. Whatever his financial status was, however, she was told enough stories about how her father grew up poor to know not to turn her nose up at those less fortunate. She refused to pity Jude's living conditions, though, as he had stolen her rightful position from her.

The door opened, and she drew in a breath as she saw Jude for the first time. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and a stained white t-shirt. His dyed purple hair and eyebrow piercing gave him a rather unconventional appearance, but she supposed that if one ignored the strangeness, he was rather attractive. His muscular frame was certainly attractive. "Yeah?" he answered, leaning against the doorframe and raising the beer bottle he held to take a drink. "What d'ya want?"

"Are you Jude?" Jessica asked, bringing herself back to reality. It didn't matter what he looked like, he was her rival for her rightful position as Underworld Detective.

He stared at her with eyes far too blue to be legal. After a few seconds, he leaned past her to peer down the hallway. "Look, if Amanda sent you, just scarper on home. I don't got no money, and even if I did I wouldn't give any to her. There's absolutely no way I'm the father of that ugly baby of hers. You can tell her that I'll take a paternity test if she pays for it, but I'm not supporting a kid that's not mine. Oh, and I'll laugh in her face when the test tells her the same thing I've been saying all along."

"Who's Amanda?" Jessica asked before shaking her head. "Never mind. That's not why I'm here. We need to talk. Can I come in?"

Jude shrugged and moved aside enough to let her in. "Yeah, sure." Jessica walked into his sparsely decorated flat, and he closed the door behind her. "You want a beer?" he asked, walking over to a small kitchen.

"Sure," Jessica accepted. Nobody had ever offered her a beer before, which was hardly surprising since she was only sixteen. Her mother would ground her for the rest of summer if she ever found out she'd been drinking, but she didn't plan to let her mother find out. She caught the bottle he tossed her, using her Reiki to fortify her thumb as she flicked off the bottle cap. It landed on top of the overflowing garbage bin by the kitchen.

"Nice shot," Jude complimented. "You're a user too, I take it."

"A user?" she questioned, taking a sip of the beer. She almost choked at the bitter taste, but was determined not to show any outward reaction.

He smirked. "Of the whole spirit power whatnot. You scan clean, so I'm guessing you're like me and not one of the norms out there."

Jessica nodded. "I'm going to get right to the point. My father was the Underworld Detective before you. I should be the Underworld Detective right now, but I'm not. When I asked about it, I was told that you stole the position from me. I want you to quit."

He looked at her with amusement before walking over to a rundown-looking armchair; the only furniture in the living room (unless the stand the television was on counted, which it didn't). "Why should I quit?"

"Because I said so," she replied, inwardly cringing at how stupid that sounded. It was what her parents said to her and her siblings when trying to get them to do something they themselves didn't want to do, like eating her mother's cooking.

Jude shook his head. "Not really compelled, no. Why don't you sit down?"

Jessica glanced around the room, trying to see if there was anywhere else to sit. The floor was covered with litter and other debris, not to mention some odd stains. Unless she sat on top of the television set, there wasn't anywhere to sit. "Where?"

He smirked and took a swig of his beer. "I've been told my lap's quite comfortable." At her shocked look, he chuckled. "I don't bite unless you want me to."

Jessica contemplated him for a few moments before smirking. She couldn't tell whether he was bluffing or not, but in any case he had issued out a challenge. She hadn't gained her position as captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team by refusing challenges. She hadn't earned her own filing cabinet in Filch's office by backing down from challenges. She hadn't single-handedly broken the record of her father and Uncle George for 'most detentions in one term' by declining challenges. "What, you don't have a couch?" she asked as she walked over to him, following his suggestion of sitting down in his lap.

Jude looked surprised as she sat down, but chuckled and wrapped an arm around her waist to help her keep her balance easier. "Sure I do," he replied. "It's in the bedroom. Got tired of sleeping on the floor, and it is one of those hide-a-beds. Wanting to see it, are you?"

She smiled enigmatically and took another drink of her beer. It didn't go down as bad as her first sip did, but she knew she wouldn't be drinking the beverage much in the future. "I've been using my spirit energy since I was a kid," she said. "I've already faced a couple of demons." She decided it was best not to mention that she was related to a few demons, as that probably wouldn't help her case any.

"I've faced more'n a couple," he countered. "Still not quitting."

She scowled at him. "Why not? If you quit and let me become the Underworld Detective, you can go back to a normal life! Or whatever passes as normal for you."

He shook his head, smirking. "I like working as the Underworld Detective. Gives me the chance to meet interesting folk. Not to mention how grateful the birds are when you save their life. I've gotten into more knickers saving lives than I ever have playing gigs at some godforsaken club somewhere. Groupies just don't put out like they used to."

Jessica glared sullenly at him for a few moments. It was time for a change of tactics. Maybe if she challenged him to a fight, she could prove that she was worthier of the position. "If you think for one moment that I'm going to just let you steal the position that should be mine, you have another thing coming. I didn't want to resort to this, but I'll fight you if I have to. Whichever one of us wins takes the title of Underworld Detective."

Jude quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not gonna fight you. You might not be one of them norms, but you're still a bird. And I don't fight birds, I fuck them."

Jessica just shook her head and downed more of her beer. "And I suppose that if I let you fuck me, you'd quit so I could be the Underworld Detective?" she asked sarcastically.

Jude shook his head and finished the rest of his beer. "Doesn't work like that, sweets. I like my work, and I'm not quitting on account of just one bird. I don't care if you're the best lay I'll ever have. It's bloody extortion, it is." He dropped his empty beer bottle to the floor, where it made a clinking sound before rolling under the chair.

She frowned. "What will it take?" she asked. "I know you can't be completely unreasonable, so what will it take to convince you to quit?"

He looked at her for a few moments before shaking his head. "I was chosen for this. I'd say I'm sorry that you weren't, but I'm really not. Take it up with the Underworld."

"I already have," she grumbled. "I was told to talk to you."

"Don't know what to tell you then," he said. "Look, er… What's your name?"

"Jessica," she replied.

"Look, Jessica, fighting demons is something I like doing. This town's not so small that we can't both fight demons. It'd just be that I'd be the official Underworld Detective, and you'd be unofficial," he tried to reason. "I don't see why you'd want to work for the Underworld, anyway. Too many rules to follow, like 'not fraternizing with the enemy' or some rot like that. Just because I might have caused one little incident by sleeping with one demon lord's wife…"

She sighed, hanging her head in defeat. It was obvious that he wasn't about to quit. She remained silent in thought for a minute, trying to think. When no ideas came to mind, she drank a bit more of her beer. She wouldn't say that she was feeling quite light-headed, but the alcohol was making her feel a bit less heavy than usual. Even though that made little sense in her mind.

She had finished more than half her beer by the time the idea came to her. "What about partners? Maybe I could work as your partner."

He looked at her skeptically. "I work best alone. 'Sides, if I go to a pub with some bird, other birds aren't as likely to want to go home with me, now are they? 'Course, some are into the whole threesome deal, but I don't think that's quite what you have in mind."

"Can you get your mind out of the gutter for just five minutes?" she demanded. She set her beer bottle on the floor and turned back to face him. "I'm being serious!"

"So am I," he responded. "I'm not interested in someone who's just going to end up cramping my style."

She glowered at him for a few moments. "'Cramping your style'?" she muttered. "What makes you think I'd be 'cramping your style'?"

"Told you already," he said. "Would you go home with a bloke who already had a bird with him? And all your squirming's causing a bit of a reaction, if you catch my drift."

Jessica paused, not realizing that she had been squirming in his lap. She supposed that her moving around constituted as squirming, though. She blushed as she realized just what kind of reaction she was getting. "Maybe we can work something out," she said as an idea popped into her mind.

"Yeah?" Jude quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "Like what?"

Jessica hesitated for a moment before answering his question him by leaning into him for a kiss. While she was angry that he was refusing to listen to reason, he was rather attractive and she was rather curious about a number of things. From the way her cousin Chloe spoke, sex was something even more incredible than getting a free double chocolate chip ice cream sundae from the ice cream shop on Diagon Alley. Not that she expected things to go that far, but if he wanted to go that far, she was willing to go all the way. Especially if there was a chance he might listen to reason if she did so.

Jude kissed well. She wasn't used to kissing with tongues, but he wasn't as sloppy as the boys she'd kissed previously. Even the way he groped her breasts wasn't the clumsy and painful effort she was used to. She felt her face heat up as she boldly moved one of her hands down to grab his crotch.

Jude pulled back. "What are you doing?" he asked huskily.

"Obvious, isn't it?" she retorted, gathering her courage to massage his balls through the fabric of his boxer shorts. "Becoming partners works to both our benefits." She could feel his cock twitch under her hand, and she smiled sweetly at him. "Don't you think?"

He took in a deep breath. "I think you better be serious about this."

Jessica smiled and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Show me your bedroom."

He looked at her for a few moments, but nodded and led her down a short hall into another sparsely furnished room. This one was a lot cleaner, although the sheets on the hide-a-bed's mattress were rather rumpled.

Jessica felt her heart pounding in her rib cage as they kissed again. He was supposed to be the enemy, but he was really a good kisser. She felt a bit self-conscious as he undressed her, knowing he'd probably been with girls much prettier than her. He didn't say anything of the sort, though, helping with her self-consciousness by lavishing both of her breasts with plenty of attention. She moaned with pleasure as he fingered her. It felt so much better to have someone else's fingers inside her rather than her own, but it left her wanting more.

After she peeled his boxer shorts off him, she moved her hand along the length of his penis. She'd never seen one in person before (younger brothers and cousins did not count), and had certainly never felt one. The texture was a bit odd, but not unpleasant. She wondered just how much it would hurt to have him in her, as his cock was much larger than her fingers, both in length and girth.

She had come this far, though, and was not backing down now. "Please," she begged, stroking him more rapidly. She enjoyed hearing the sounds he made as she stimulated him. It made her feel like she wasn't some inexperienced child playing at being a grown-up.

He pulled his fingers out of her and grabbed her wrist. "You'll need to stop if you want me to continue," he murmured. He gently shifted them so she was lying down on the bed, legs spread apart. He moved so he was on top of her, aligning the head of his penis with her opening. "You ready?" he asked.

Jessica nodded, and he thrust forward. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly at the pain of the intrusion. So much for not being an inexperienced child. It felt like she was being split in two, and he wasn't even halfway in her. She bit her lip to try to stop herself from crying out, but was unable to prevent herself from doing so.

Jude paused, looking at her questioningly. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It hurts," she somehow managed to say through the pain.

"You're a cherry?" After she nodded, he asked, "Do you want to stop?"

Jessica shook her head. She knew it would hurt just as much the next time she tried this, and she was determined to go through with it now that she'd come this far. "Don't stop," she whispered.

She was surprised at how gentle Jude was after that. He gave her time to adjust to the feel of him inside her, only proceeding when she let him know she was ready. He made sure to stimulate her clitoris with one hand as he slowly thrust within her. The pleasure she felt from that helped to block out the majority of the receding pain, and eventually she felt only pleasure. Chloe had told her that it was rare for girls to orgasm during their first time having sex, but Jude seemed determined to prove her wrong.

Jessica wasn't sure of how much time had passed since he first entered her, but the combination of him hitting just the right spot inside her as well as his stimulation of her sensitive nub caused her to cry out as a wave of intense pleasure washed over her. She held onto him tightly, feeling her toes curl as she experienced her very first orgasm. Jude chuckled and kissed her as he continued to thrust inside her. It didn't take long after that for him to follow her into his own orgasm, filling her with his seed.

Afterwards, she sat next to him in bed, her mind still reeling over just what happened. When she'd gone to his flat, she never expected that she would end up having sex with Jude. She didn't regret it, although she did worry a bit over their lack of any form of protection. Her cousin Chloe was due to deliver her baby next month, so she felt she had every right to be worried.

"Smoke?" Jude offered, holding out a pack of cigarettes.

Jessica shook her head. It was bad enough she'd been drinking, but she didn't want to tempt fate by smoking as well. "My parents would smell it on me."

Jude paused from pulling out a cigarette and glanced to her. "Your parents?" He looked her over with a scrutinizing expression on his face. "How old are you?" he asked cautiously.

"Sixteen," she answered.

"Sixteen?" he repeated, glancing to her. "Fuck, you're just a kid. I thought you was older than that. You look like you're nineteen or something. Should have figured something was off with you being a cherry and all."

"I'm legal," Jessica protested. "And I'm not a kid."

"Maybe so, but I doubt your parents would be pleased if they found out I popped your cherry. They'd have something to say to me, like how a bloke of twenty-one should know better than to defile their little girl."

"I'm not going to tell them!" she exclaimed, and she truthfully had no plans to do so. If her parents ever found out she'd gone out and had sex with someone, she would never be allowed out of the house. "I just… Are you sure you won't reconsider the 'partners' thing?"

He contemplated her for a few long moments before pulling out a cigarette. "You're one of them spell casters, right? Picked it up on the scan."

"I can't use magic outside of school until I'm seventeen, but I am a witch," she said.

Jude nodded and lit up the cigarette, taking a deep drag off it. "I haven't slept with no sixteen year olds since I was 'round that age," he mused out loud.

Jessica watched him for a few moments before reaching over and taking the cigarette from him. He looked at her in surprise as she took a drag off it. She had expected to cough and choke at her first attempt at smoking, but surprisingly did not. After taking a couple more drags off it, she handed it back to him and shifted so she was closer to him. "So what do you say? Partners?"

Jude's eyes widened slightly as she placed a hand on his thigh. "Insatiable, are you? I suppose I could let you. Just don't cramp by style."

Jessica smiled as he put his cigarette out in the ashtray next to the bed. She climbed on top of him, kissing him once more. Things might not have worked out like she initially wanted, but maybe they might have worked out in a way that was better.

--- --- ---

[August 2015]

Jessica wished the summer didn't have to end. She'd had a lot of fun fighting demons and fussing over Chloe's adorable baby girl Bethany. While Uncle George and Aunt Tracy were not happy to become grandparents quite so soon, they still welcomed the newest addition with open arms, and planned to raise little Bethany while Chloe got her act together by finishing school and finding herself a job. There were demons in Hogsmeade, though, and she knew Uncle George or Aunt Tracy would come by Hogwarts with Bethany every now and then for a visit. That wasn't all she would miss, though.

"Will you write to me?" she asked as she laid next to Jude in bed, draping an arm over him. They had celebrated their successful capture of a demon wanted for arson by going back to his flat and having mind-blowing sex, as had become their custom since he agreed to take her on as his partner.

"No," he replied honestly, puffing on his cigarette. "Don't expect me to remain faithful, either."

She looked over to him, trying to keep the hurt out of her eyes. "What? Why?"

"Demons won't take a break and be on their best behavior just 'cause you're in school," he stated. "After dealing with demons, I like a good shag to get rid of the excess energy."

Jessica bit her lip to prevent it from quivering. "So… What is this we have?" she asked, unable to keep her voice from cracking a little.

Jude opened his eyes and looked to her. "Sex, mainly. A bit of the good-ole joint kicking of demon arse while we're at it." He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and moved to place an arm around her, drawing her closer to him. "You knew from the get go that's all this was. No point in tearing up about it, sweets."

Jessica sniffed, trying to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes. "I just… I don't know… I guess I was hoping I was something more than just a fling."

Jude contemplated her for a few moments before kissing her on the forehead. "I'm not the kind of bloke you want to be with, sweets. I can't blame you for being with me, because I am bloody fantastic in bed. I'm not a one-woman kind of bloke, though, so you might as well find someone else if that's what you're after."

"But what about all those times you came back here with me instead of someone else?" she whined.

"Just means you were right there and wanting it," he replied. "Didn't have to put out no effort to get into your knickers. Doesn't mean I haven't dipped my wick in no one else when you wasn't around. Just last week, there was this brunette I met at the pub who wanted it hard and fast up against the alley wall."

Jessica shook her head, not wanting to hear it. She knew before ever sleeping with him that he wasn't a prince charming kind of guy. He openly talked of past conquests, which made her wonder now if he would talk about her the same way. 'There was this red-haired bird, bit on the young side but very eager…' But even knowing his shortcomings didn't make it hurt any less. "I don't want you to, though," she muttered sullenly.

"You'll be gone 'till next June, yeah?" he asked. "That's a long time to ask a bloke to go without getting any."

Jessica just shook her head again. Sniffing, she got up and started to gather her clothes to dress. "You're such a bastard," she exclaimed.

"Oi," he got up and wrapped his strong arms around her. "You can't expect a bloke to change who he is just because you want him to. You're a sweet girl, Jessica. You could do much better than a bloke like me. Don't waste your time trying to change me into someone I'm not."

Jessica turned around to glare at him. She hated how he had no qualms about sleeping around, even if she already figured he would probably be doing that. She wanted more from him, because she was supposed to be his partner. He didn't need to be with any other slags when he could be with her. A partner was someone that one was supposed to rely on and put their trust in, or at least that was how it was supposed to work. Instead of saying anything, as no words would come out, she kissed him fiercely, abandoning her search for clothes.

She rode him hard, taking a vindictive pleasure in making him cry out a few times. Whether it was from pleasure or pain didn't matter. Rough as she tried to be with him, he had no problem with matching her roughness. It wasn't long before she was calling out his name as she rode the wave of her orgasm. While she would have preferred not to lose that control, that he chanted her name as he spilled into her was something she considered a slight victory. He rarely seemed to truly lose control while they had sex, so seeing him lose some of his normal restraint was something.

"Bloody hell," Jude muttered after he had collapsed back onto the bed and she'd dismounted. "I should cheese you off more often."

Jessica didn't even spare him a glance as she quickly pulled her clothes back on. "I'm sure you'll have no problem finding some bimbo to oblige you." Willing herself not to cry, she made sure she hadn't forgotten any of her clothes before getting up and walking to the door. "Asshole." She slammed the door behind her as she left.

She couldn't even remember much about her walk home. She must have lost herself in her thoughts somewhere along the way to her house, because she was standing on her front porch before it even registered in her mind. She was back earlier than usual, as it was only dusk. Nowhere near her midnight curfew. She still didn't want to deal with her parents or nosy siblings.

"Jessica?" her mother asked with concern as she noticed her return. "Are you all right?"

Jessica just shook her head and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. It wasn't until she entered her room, slamming the door behind her, that she finally allowed the tears to come. Throwing herself facedown on her bed, she let her pillow muffle the sounds of her sobbing.

--- --- ---

[September 2015]

Jessica didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed when she started her period. She knew she should feel relieved, because it meant she wasn't pregnant. She'd never used any form of protection when sleeping with Jude, even though she knew that was an incredibly reckless thing to do. She and many other members of her family had been conceived due to a lack of using protection. On the other hand, she felt a bit disappointed at the same time, as a pregnancy -- no matter how ill timed and poorly planned -- would have been something to give Jude pause at least. Or she hoped it would. She vaguely remembered when they first met and how he accused her of being sent by a slag named Amanda for something having to do with a baby he may or may not have fathered. She wondered whether he would deny paternity if she had been pregnant.

Every day she waited in anticipation as the owls delivered the morning post during breakfast in the Great Hall. Even though Jude said he wouldn't write to her, she still held out hope that maybe he had changed his mind. But every day that passed without word from him just drove it in further that he was probably enjoying himself with shagging some slag while she clung onto false hope for something that would never be.

"Jessica?" her uncle Charlie interrupted her thoughts toward the end Charms class one day in late September. She admittedly should have been paying more attention, but she didn't think she was capable of focusing on much of anything. Jude still weighed heavily on her mind, and the menstrual cramps she was experiencing was just the icing on the poison cake. "Can we talk after class?"

Jessica nodded mutely. She didn't really feel like talking to anyone, because nobody would understand. Not even Chloe. The only boy Chloe had ever been with was Logan, who was obviously in love with her and would do anything she asked. At least, Jessica was sure that he was the only boy she'd ever been with. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Chloe. In any case, Chloe spent most of her time in detention or working extra hard on sorting out the mess she'd made her life into.

No, Jessica didn't think Uncle Charlie would understand at all. As far as uncles went, he was pretty cool, but he was still her father's older brother, and the idea of anyone around her father's age knowing anything about sex was just gross. She liked to delude herself into believing that she was the result of an immaculate conception.

She waited behind after the rest of the class was dismissed for the day, not saying a word. He was probably going to tell her that he was disappointed in her declining marks and general apathy towards her schoolwork. Or maybe he was going to ask her what was wrong, as far too many nosy people had since Jude broke her heart.

"Who is he?" Charlie asked, starting a pot of tea brewing.

"Who is who?" she responded.

"I've seen that look often enough to know you're upset over some boy," he replied. "Hell, I've probably caused that look enough times. So who is he?"

Jessica shook her head. She couldn't tell him, because he would tell her parents. She would rather suffer in silence than have them know that she wasn't the innocent little girl they thought she was. Well, they hardly thought of her as 'innocent', but she still didn't want to face their disappointment that would follow if they knew she'd been going out to have sex practically all summer long. She was disappointed in herself, as she should have known better than to involve herself with a man like Jude.

Charlie sighed. "Nothing you say will shock me, and it's obvious you have something to say."

"You'll tell them," she muttered softly.

"Nothing leaves this room," he replied. "Whatever happened, I won't repeat a word to anyone."

She contemplated him for a few moments, trying to gauge his seriousness. For most of her life, he worked on a dragon reservation, only really being there at birthdays or other major events. From what she remembered, he was always fun to hang around, and was more inclined to help with a prank than to stop it. Even as a teacher, he was still more likely to look the other way when he saw students up to no good. She'd probably be in detention until she was as old as the headmistress if it weren't for him pretending he never saw her roaming the halls late at night. There was one time when she and Chloe had been carrying a crate marked 'dynamite' down to the third floor. She knew he saw them, but he never said anything, even after they tried to make their own secret passage and ended up destroying a good chunk of the corridor. She supposed he was trustworthy.

"I've been working as the partner for the current Underworld Detective," she started, folding her hands on top of her desk. "He wouldn't quit, so I became his partner. We, er-- We've been sleeping together all summer."

Charlie hid his surprise well as he checked on the tea. "I've heard about him," he said in a neutral tone, not betraying any opinion he might have about Jude.

Jessica nodded. "He said he planned to sleep around while I was here in school, and how he's been sleeping with other slags when I wasn't around." She broke down into tears, setting her head on her desk between her arms. "It's so unfair!"

Charlie walked over to her and set a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Jude Clarke is an unrepentant womanizer, if that's who you're talking about." Jessica nodded, and he sighed. "I used to be like that, so maybe I can help you figure out what's going through his piggish brain."

The corner of Jessica's mouth twitched and she looked up. Piggish certainly described Jude well. Maybe talking to Uncle Charlie was a good idea. "Why would he sleep around when he has me? Am I not good enough for him?" she asked.

Charlie sighed and poured a couple cups of tea. He brought one over to her. "That has nothing to do with it. Speaking from personal experience, I would sleep around and cheat on women because I didn't want to be tied down in a relationship. That's not the only reason, but it was a big part of it. Nobody really interested me enough to want to change. I was having fun, and saw no reason to stop. It wasn't anything personal. I just didn't really connect with anyone. Jude's reasons might be different, but I think it probably boils down to him having fun and not wanting to stop without good reason."

"But you stopped," Jessica pointed out, wiping away a few stray tears.

"That I did," Charlie agreed. "As I got on in years, it became less fun. And then I found someone who I wanted to better myself and change for."

"Ryou," Jessica stated sagely, blowing at her cup of tea to cool it.

He shook his head. "Janice," he said. "It's possible that things might have worked between us if I hadn't fallen in love with Ryou. But she was the one who really opened my eyes. Maybe it was because part of me realized I'd been sleeping around since she was in diapers herself, but I think a bigger part was how we actually connected. If Ryou wasn't in the picture, I could have fallen in love with her eventually, I think. 'Course, her pregnancy came as a huge eye opener. If it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have been able to become the man I am now. I know that Ryou certainly wouldn't have shown the patience he has with me if I was still out there philandering and thinking of nobody but myself."

She took a tentative sip of her tea. It was still quite hot, but drinkable. "It still isn't fair."

"Can I ask you something?" Charlie asked as he took a sip of his own tea. "I don't mean any offense, but why have you been sleeping with him?"

Jessica shrugged. "I dunno. Things just led there, and I wanted to find out what the big deal was. He wouldn't quit as Underworld Detective, so I thought that maybe if I gave him a good reason to let me be his partner…"

Charlie looked at her for a few moments before sighing. "If he wasn't the Underworld Detective, would you even bother with him?"

Jessica paused before shaking her head. "Probably not. I don't really know him all that well, except for him being a stupid pig. I hope his dick falls off."

Charlie nodded. "It sounds like you don't really care about him, either. What he said to you may be a bit cruel, but it was honest. You can't expect someone to care about you if you don't care about them, because that's just as bad. I'm not going to tell your parents any of this, but I would suggest you tell them that you've been sexually active."

She shot him a horrified look. "I can't!"

"Why not?" he replied. "I won't have to worry about it for a number of years, but I know there'll come a time when Sophia will grow up and start experimenting with boys. I'd rather she be upfront about it so I can help her with staying safe from pregnancy or disease. Even if you don't tell your parents, I would suggest getting tested to make sure you don't have any diseases. Jude has a bit of a reputation, and I've been diagnosed and treated for a number of diseases in my time. Even if your parents find out, it's better than letting something go untreated."

Jessica hadn't really thought of that. She had been more worried about pregnancy than any kind of disease. With the way Jude slept around, however, there was a strong chance that he could have caught something and passed it on to her. As much as she didn't want to do anything that had a chance of getting back to her parents, she knew Uncle Charlie was right about that. "I'll keep that in mind," she thanked him before finishing the rest of her tea and getting up.

She was still angry and upset at the way Jude had treated her. It hurt that he didn't have the decency to wait for her and be faithful. But remembering what Uncle Charlie had told her, she wondered if she was holding him to an unfair expectation. She was the one to initiate their liaisons, mainly because she had been afraid he wouldn't want her to be his partner if she didn't somehow show him why he should keep her around. He never claimed to love her or anything, and she didn't love him. She was using him just as much as he was using her. Maybe that was what people were talking about when they said the truth hurts.

She decided it was for the best if she put all thoughts of Jude out of her mind. She was tired of wasting her time and energy crying over him.

--- --- ---

[June 2016]

Jessica didn't care much for Sera, the ferry girl who had become Karin's replacement as liaison to the Underworld. While Karin had a tendency to be a bit high-strung and uptight at times, she was a consummate professional. Sera, however, was an airhead.

"I think the Underworld already has a detective…" Sera said in her slow drawl, making a face of supreme concentration. Like she had every summer, Jessica had asked if she could become the Underworld's official detective. No sooner had the question come out of her mouth than she regretted it. She could swear she smelled something burning as Sera tried to think. "I'm pretty sure I sent some guy out to arrest some gross looking demon that Lord Koenma said was doing bad things. I forget what the demon was doing exactly, but I could probably look it up for you…"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Don't bother," she said shortly. "Where did you send him?"

Sera's face scrunched up in concentration. "I don't quite remember… I hope that the guy I sent out was the Underworld Detective and not some poor pizza delivery boy. A few nights ago, I think I might have sent out a delivery boy to face a vicious gorilla demon. I never did get my pizza…"

Jessica shook her head and turned to walk out of the office. Even though she quit working for the Underworld, she hoped that Karin would be allowed to return to man the office of the Tantei Detective Agency. She swore that she could feel herself grow stupider just by being in Sera's presence.

She knew where Jude lived. Over the course of her sixth year, she came to terms with what had happened. She didn't really want to be with him, and it was unfair for her to expect anything from him that she herself couldn't give. That didn't make it any easier.

There was no answer when she knocked on his door, although she could hear noises from inside. Regardless of how rude (or illegal) it might have been, she was enjoying being able to practice magic outside of school, so magically unlocked the door and walked inside. She could see that his television was on, airing some popular cooking show called 'Cooking with Master Chef D'. An annoying first year boy from Hufflepuff named David Dursley liked to brag how his father was the famous chef with his own television show. Not that anyone really liked to listen to him brag. Hufflepuffs were annoying.

If it hadn't been for the fact that the television was on -- and the sounds coming from the bedroom -- Jessica might think nobody was home. She could hear soft moaning coming from the bedroom, though. While she wanted to delude herself into believing that Jude was simply wanking off or something, the moaning sounded feminine in nature. Even though she already knew what she would find, she still walked toward the bedroom.

Jessica stoically stood in the doorway as Jude pumped into some busty blonde bimbo with obvious tan lines. The way the furniture of his bedroom was arranged allowed Jude to glance up and make eye contact with her as he continued to thrust into his current conquest. He stared at Jessica for a few moments before turning his attention to the woman writing beneath him, pumping furiously into her before releasing with a grunt.

Jessica folded her arms across her chest as Jude withdrew from the woman. "I didn't expect you back so soon," he said, reaching over to his nightstand for a pack of cigarettes. "Didn't really expect you back at all."

The woman looked to him in confusion. "What?" She glanced behind her and noticed Jessica. She let out a startled shriek before grabbing for her clothes while trying to cover herself with the sheet. "Who is this?!" she demanded.

Jude shrugged. "My partner," he said as he pulled out a cigarette. "I take it there's an assignment?"

"I'm guessing you weren't sent out to arrest anyone?" Jessica asked.

"Taking my time," Jude replied. "Figured I'd kill some time before you got here." He glanced to the blonde woman. "You can sod off, now."

The woman looked to him in shock. "What? You can't just--"

"I can do whatever I damn well please," Jude interrupted, taking a drag off his cigarette. "My flat, my rules. You've worn out your welcome, so sod off."

The blonde just stared at him in shock for a few moments before putting her clothes on. "You're an unbelievable bastard, you know that?!"

"So I've been told," he muttered. He looked over to Jessica. "While Silicone Barbie over there gets dressed up, would you be a doll and grab me a beer from the cooler? I'm a bit parched."

"You can get it yourself," Jessica replied coolly, not taking her eyes off him. "You might want to get dressed yourself, as there are a number of laws against public nudity."

Jude smirked. "Yeah, I've been arrested for breaking a few of those laws." He set his cigarette down in the ashtray before getting up and walking over to her. "Indecent exposure, lewd conduct… We could break a few of them sometime, I think." He wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull her into a kiss. Jessica turned away from him before their lips met. "What's wrong, sweets?"

Jessica shook her head. "Don't call me that," she said softly. She might have come to terms with how her heart had been broken by him, but that didn't mean she wanted to go over it all over again. She had to be stronger than that.

Jude placed a hand on her cheek and tenderly stroked her face with his thumb. "You're not still mad at me, are you, sweets?"

"We can't do this," she said, closing her eyes. She couldn't look at him, because she didn't want to lose what resolve she had. She didn't care about him, and he didn't really care about her. It was difficult to remember that when he was standing naked right in front of her, their bodies close together and his growing erection pressed up against her stomach. There were just so many memories of having wild and passionate sex in that very room… She had to resist, though. She couldn't let herself be hurt again.

"I thought about writing you," he said, releasing her from his embrace and crossing the room to the ashtray on the nightstand. "Didn't know what to say, and figured you wouldn't want to hear it anyway, so I didn't."

The blonde woman, finished with getting dressed, glared at him before storming to the door. "Fucking asshole," she muttered angrily, rudely pushing past Jessica in her haste to leave.

"Yeah?" he called after her. "Well I've been with blow-up dolls more responsive than you! Made up of less plastic, too!" He shook his head and muttered under his breath, "Stupid bint." He turned to Jessica as the front door opened and slammed shut. "I suppose there's no point in apologizing, right?"

"Not unless you really are sorry," Jessica replied. She glanced him over. "You really might want to get dressed."

Jude smirked and took a drag off his cigarette. "If I said I'm sorry, would you ride me again like last time?"

Jessica took a deep breath. "Sleeping with you was a mistake that I don't want to repeat. You don't care about me, I don't care about you. Let's just keep things at that and work together as partners, all right?"

Jude quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever you say, sweets." He took one last drag off his cigarette before putting it out and grabbing his boxer shorts. "Just one more year of that school of yours to go, yeah?" he asked conversationally as he started to get dressed.

Jessica nodded. "I'm allowed to use magic outside of it now."

He smirked. "I might want to be careful with you, then. You might turn me into a frog or pull a rabbit out of my arse or something."

"Or something…" she replied enigmatically. "If you knew I was coming, why did you have her here?"

He shrugged. "Didn't quite know you were coming. I had a feeling you'd still be on about the whole Underworld Detective thing, and would probably want to go out on this assignment. Just didn't expect you to show up while she was still here. Wasn't sure you'd want to come here at all. I'm not sorry, though. For what I said. I could've said it better, but eloquence isn't who I am."

"It was honest," Jessica said, deciding to leave it at that. She didn't quite forgive him, but she left it unspoken that she would rather put it behind them and start fresh. "Since speaking with the new flake Sera gave me a headache, I didn't bother asking for specifics on the assignment. What will we be doing exactly?"

--- --- ---

Jessica winced as more quills hit the upturned table she and Jude were hiding behind, lodging into the thick oak with a twang. She learned firsthand how nasty it would be to get hit by one of those things, as a quill had grazed her thigh earlier, and she was trying desperately to heal it with her Reiki. She wished she'd paid more attention when she was taught about healing techniques, but wishing wouldn't do her much good now.

"Fuck!" Jude swore. "Can't get close enough to the bugger when he's shooting those things off at us like that!"

Jessica nodded in agreement. The espin demon they were facing was bad news. It was fast, and its quills served both as an excellent defense and offense. "We need a plan," she said, stating the obvious. "What if I were to draw his attention while you sneak up on him and slap the cuffs on him?"

"Bugger that," Jude said, shaking his head. "You've got a bum leg, and he'd make short work of you. I'll draw his attention."

"I can use a long ranged attack," she pointed out. "I'm also pretty handy with shielding spells. Bum leg or no, I can hold my own. Shotgun!" She stood up, firing a barrage of spirit energy that disintegrated the incoming quills. She quickly limped away to try to get the espin demon's attention on her, casting a quick Shield Charm to protect her while firing more Reiki blasts at the demon. So long as the demon didn't notice Jude sneaking up on him…

Jessica screaming in pain, stumbling as a quill pierced into the calf of her other leg. She tried to concentrate on putting more power into her Shield Charm, hoping it would hold out as her movements were effectively ceased. She wished she hadn't failed her Apparition exam. If she could Apparate, she would at least be able to move around and get out of the line of fire.

The espin demon shrieked in pain as its back was sliced open by Jude's Spirit Sword. A few quills automatically shot out of its back, causing Jude to cry out as he was hit by them. Gritting his teeth, Jude maneuvered one end of the Spirit Cuffs on the demon's wrist. He swung at the attacking demon once more, getting hit by a few more painful looking quills. Through the pain, though, he was somehow able to twist his body enough to slap the other end of the spectral handcuffs onto the demon's other wrist. The cuffs glowed briefly and a soft white light surrounded the demon before it vanished to the Underworld.

Jude sank down to his knees, breathing heavily as he tried to pull out one of the quills lodged in his stomach. Jessica tried to crawl over to him, hissing at the pain in her legs. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more," she said apologetically.

Jude shouted out with pain as he pulled out the first quill sticking out of him. "I'd likely be dead if you wasn't here," he said. "Bloody wanker was tougher than I thought. So're you, for that matter."

Jessica blushed slightly at the compliment. Deciding it would be easier to move if she didn't have a quill embedded in her calf, she grabbed hold of it and yanked it out, shrieking at the resulting pain.

"Careful there," Jude said, pulling out another quill with a grimace. "You know, sod this all." He reached into his pocket, pulling out something resembling a mobile phone. He pressed a few buttons and waited for an answer on the other end. "We're at 326 Industry Way and need a couple of those magic healing beans. Demon's dealt with, but me and my partner are injured and can't really move." He paused. "'Course we're staying put, you bint! What part of 'can't really move' don't you understand?" He rolled his eyes and hung up, putting the phone back in his pocket. "I miss the old bird I used to work for. Whatever happened to her?"

"She married my uncle," Jessica said, hovering her hand over the worse of her injuries, which at the moment was the bleeding wound in her calf. "She would've stayed, but her boss had her replaced after she resigned from her job in the Underworld."

Jude looked over to her. "You're not having me on, are you?" He started to chuckle, but quickly stopped as he grimaced in pain. "Your old man was detective before me, yeah? Was he the bloke that knocked up the bird who came before him?"

Jessica shook her head. "No, that was my uncle Charlie. My dad worked for the Underworld after the Battle of Hogwarts."

"Sorry, the what?"

Realizing he had no idea what she was talking about -- as Muggles generally weren't taught about wizarding history -- she shook her head. "A battle that happened in the magical world. An evil wizard was defeated then. But my dad started working as their detective just a bit before I was born. He went into semi-retirement when me and my brother were born. He still went on cases for years after that, but only if his expertise was truly needed."

Jude let out a low whistle. "Your whole family's involved with the Underworld, huh?"

"Not all of them," Jessica said. "My uncle Bill and aunt Ginny aren't. Neither's my uncle Ron, although he was once held hostage by a bunch of demons and an Underworld Detective that went psycho. I always figured that I'd work for the Underworld when I got old enough."

"Do you really want to?" Jude asked. "No offense, sweets, but you just strike me as someone far too used to living comfortably to deal with the harsh reality of demon fighting."

She glared at him, pouting slightly. "And what would you know?" she asked defensively.

"When I was your age, I'd been living on the streets for three years," he replied. "Before then, when I wasn't getting beat up by the wanker my mum stupidly married after he knocked her up -- the same man who pushed her down a flight of stairs and caused her to miscarry, I might add -- I was getting yelled at by my mum for being a 'no-good layabout'. After I took off, I proved the old bird right by wasting away in a gutter, doped up on whatever drug I could get my hands on. Anything to take my mind of the strange shit I saw. Been seeing demons and spirits since I was a tyke. Didn't understand what I was seeing, but… I didn't even want to straighten out my act until I met the foreman of my first gig. He helped me out when I didn't even realize I needed help. The money was good and it got me off the streets. Even found me a pretty little girlfriend once I'd cleaned myself up some. More than that, I finally had hope that I might be able to amount to something more than becoming just another statistic."

Jessica was silent. Her life had been more comfortable and easy in comparison -- she was never lacking in the love or security she craved -- but she didn't want to admit to it. "So what happened to your girlfriend? Did she dump your arse after she found out you'd been sleeping around?"

Jude shook his head. "I dumped her arse after she found out she was pregnant."

Jessica looked at him, aghast. "That's a horrible thing to do!"

"Why? Because she proved herself to be nothing more than a filthy whore?!" he responded bitterly. "See, the difference between me and her is that at least I'm upfront about what I do with other birds. I didn't want to give you no false illusions that you were the only bird I was with. She, however, kept insisting the baby was mine."

"Maybe it was!" Jessica protested. Just when she thought there was some hope for him, he had to prove just how big a pig he really was.

"I'm fucking sterile!" he shot back. "Found that out when I was seventeen. I've got a greater chance at getting struck by lightning than fathering a child. Probably caused by all the drugs I did, but I could be buggered all to care why."

Jessica drew back slightly. "You're sterile?" she repeated softly.

Jude nodded. "Not exactly something a bloke likes to admit, but yes, I'm shooting blanks. If she'd been honest with me about how she'd been screwing other blokes, I might've been able to deal with it. See, it's not the infidelity that bothered me, but the lies. If you have any respect for someone, the least you can do is be honest with them."

Jessica nodded silently. She was beginning to understand why he said the things he had the previous summer, even if she didn't like it.

"I am sorry," he said quietly. "Not for what I said, because it was the truth. But for hurting you. I could've said it better." He paused and smiled. "Still, it led to some bloody incredible sex, so it can't be all bad."

Jessica chuckled, smiling slightly. "How much longer do you think it'll be before someone gets here?"

"Bugger if I know," he said. "My company that bad?"

She paused before shaking her head. "Not at all."

--- --- ---

The 'magic healing beans' given by the Underworld helped to speed the healing process along, even if they didn't heal them completely. Jessica was sure that there was probably a more proper name for the beans, but she didn't really care to ask. It still hurt for her to try to walk, which was why she spent the night at Jude's flat where Sera had taken them. She doubted that she could walk all the way home, and Sera had disappeared before she could request to be taken home.

She knew it was a bad idea after the way he'd hurt her last summer, but falling back into familiar habits was something she found too hard to break. She understood more about why he acted like a wanker, and hoped that maybe he understood her more a bit as well.

"You're still going to sleep around, aren't you?" Jessica asked as she cuddled up to Jude in his bed. It had been a bit difficult finding a position that didn't pain one or both of them, but they had managed, and were now enjoying the moments of after-sex bliss.

"Probably," he said, carefully taking a drag off his cigarette as he laid next to her. "I meant what I said about how you'd be better off with some other bloke. You deserve someone who'll treat you right."

"Maybe," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't have fun while it lasts, right?"

Jude was silent for a while, taking the occasional drag off his cigarette. When he'd smoked half of it, he reached over to grab the ashtray and extinguished the cigarette. "We can't do this anymore," he said so quietly that she almost didn't hear him.

It took Jessica a few seconds to register what he'd said. "What? Why not?"

"I've always had a rule that I don't sleep with birds I respect," he replied. "Keeps things from getting confusing." He glanced to her. "You don't have to sleep with me to stay on as my partner, you know. I know that's the only reason why you did it before, but… I don't want to take advantage of you like that. You're too good for that."

Jessica looked at him in shock for a few moments. "You're breaking up with me?"

"That's the thing," Jude said. "We're not together. What we have is just sex. You're using me, I'm using you, and I don't want to keep using you."

"Then don't," she protested.

Jude sighed and shook his head. "I don't want to be used, either." He picked his boxer shorts up from where they were discarded on the nightstand, and sat up to put them on. He hissed as the motion aggravated his stomach injury.

"You think I'm using you?" Jessica asked, sitting up and holding the sheet up to cover herself.

"You don't care about me," he stated. "You've only been sleeping with me because you thought that was the only way I'd keep you on as my partner. If I wasn't the Underworld Detective, you'd want nothing to do with me. You can still be my partner if you want, but don't expect more'n that."

Jessica blinked at the utter bizarreness of the situation. He wasn't supposed to be the one to end whatever it was they had. Especially not after she thought they had reached some sort of understanding. "So that's it?" she asked, trying to stop her lower lip from quivering. "You've had your fun, now you're off to have fun with someone else?"

"I never bloody said that," he muttered, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I like sex, yeah, but maybe I want to try to make better of myself. When we were waiting for that bint to show up to get us out of there, I started thinking of a number of things Dennehey told me when he gave me a chance. I could waste away in a gutter, or I could try to make something of myself. Just 'cause I got a job and my own flat don't mean I'm not still wasting away. 'Sides, do you really want me to treat you like the other slags I bring home?"

"Then don't!" she exclaimed. "If you really do respect me, you don't have to treat me like them!"

He sighed. "Once more. You don't care about me. You can't ask someone to give you respect that you don't give them. I respect you enough not to want to treat you like dirt, and all I ask is that you do the same."

Jessica just shook her head, trying to blink back a few tears that she refused to shed in front of him. She should have known that it was a mistake to go to bed with him after the way he'd hurt her.

Jude pulled on his boxers and stood up. He grabbed a blanket that had fallen onto the floor and walked to the door. "I've got a mobile in the drawer of the nightstand. Not sure if it's got any minutes, but you can use it to call someone to pick you up if you want. We'll probably be asked to debrief in the morning. I can do that alone if you'd rather. 'Night."

Jessica was silent as he walked out. Only once he had closed the door behind him did she allow herself to cry.

--- --- ---

Jessica sat cross-legged on Chloe's bed, watching on as her best friend sang and rocked her eleven-month-old daughter to sleep. Her legs injuries had healed, which meant that she was allowed out of the house again. She figured that since Chloe was still under house arrest, she might as well use her newfound freedom to pay her a visit and stay the night with her parents' blessings. Of course, she also had a feeling that they were getting tired of her whining for them to wait on her hand and foot because it 'hurt too much to move'. She'd noticed that the meals they brought her were prepared by her mother, so figured that wasn't too far off an assessment.

Chloe kissed little Bethany on the forehead before setting the sleepy infant down in her crib. "I'm going to try my best, little one," she promised, smiling softly. She turned to face Jessica. "And here I thought you forgot all about me. We never hang out anymore, buttface."

Jessica chuckled. "We've both been a bit preoccupied. I'm guessing you've got a battle plan, fart-breath?"

Chloe nodded and walked over to sit next to Jessica on the bed. "It might be a bit ambitious, but I was thinking of maybe going through Healer training. I don't like how long it takes, but…" She sighed. "I think Aunt Janice probably could have lived if the Healers knew what they were doing and listened to what they were told. Aunt Ginny tried, but… I'm wondering what combining Reiki healing methods and magical healing methods would do. Maybe more lives would be saved."

Jessica nodded mutely. It sounded like Chloe had a plan for after she was done with school. "You'll need a load of NEWTs to get into the program."

Chloe nodded. "I'll study." She brightened up and smiled. "You'll never guess what!"

Jessica tilted her head. "What?"

Chloe practically bounced up and down on her bed. "Logan asked me to marry him!" she squealed. She suddenly clapped her hand over her mouth and glanced toward her daughter. "I should probably be quieter," she said in a much lower tone.

Jessica stared at her in shock. "He asked you to marry him? Aren't you a bit young for that?"

Chloe snorted. "It's not like we're getting married tomorrow or anything," she said dismissively. "We're going to wait until we've finished school. We want at least one of us to have a steady job before we do it. Part time jobs cleaning up owl droppings at the pet shop on Diagon Alley does not count, because it's very gross and doesn't pay much. He's looking into a career in journalism. He's sent off a few freelance reports to the Daily Prophet as part of his portfolio, but they haven't gotten back to him yet."

Jessica was silent. She hadn't really given much thought to what she wanted to do after leaving Hogwarts. Professor Longbottom, her head of house, had tried to talk more to her about possible career choices throughout her sixth year, but she still hadn't figured out what she wanted to do other than work as the Underworld Detective. But there was already an Underworld Detective, and she could only be his partner. After the way he had practically told her 'so long, been fun, there's the door', she hadn't gone back to see if there were any new assignments. Well, and she had been under a form of house arrest also known as 'if you hurt that bad, you're not to leave the house to go wandering around'.

"How do you know he's the one for you?" Jessica asked. "I mean, you've never been with anyone else, and you always used to deny that you were going out even though you were fooling around…"

Chloe smiled and shrugged. "I never wanted to be with anyone else. And I think things were always more complex between us to stick on a simple label like boyfriend or girlfriend. We were friends, but there was always something more. And I'm not just talking about all the fooling around. I couldn't picture my life without him any more than I could picture it without you. I can even see myself as an old lady sitting next to him on our front porch, complaining about all the 'young whippersnappers'. You live across the street from us, by the way. You and your million cats. You're the crazy old cat lady."

"I don't even like cats," Jessica said, wrinkling her nose. "Can't I have a million armadillos? The climate's all wrong, but those things are just so cute, and the word 'armadillo' is rather nifty."

Chloe laughed. "Whatever you want, so long as there's a million of them. Maybe you could be running an illegal moose smuggling ring."

Jessica chuckled before lying back on the bed. "I've been sleeping with this guy since last summer," she said melancholically. "He's a total prick and told me that he has 'too much respect for me to continue sleeping with me, but no problem sleeping with other women', but I want him to want to be with me."

Chloe stared at her in silence for a few moments. "I'm only now hearing about this? Who is this guy?"

"You had other problems," Jessica said, glancing to Bethany in her crib. "His name's Jude. He's the current Underworld Detective, and he's, well… I already called him a total prick, didn't I?"

Chloe nodded. "You said he dumped you? Do we need to exact vengeance on him? I think we still have that vat of rancid pudding somewhere…"

Jessica shook her head. "I just want him to want me again. Not some nameless slag that he's just going to tell to get lost."

"You're probably better off without him if he'd rather sleep around," Chloe said sagely. "He honestly tried to pull that whole 'I have to much respect for you' bit?"

"He doesn't think I care about him," Jessica said. "I'm not even sure if I care about him myself. He's a total pig, but at least he's honest about it. He knows who he is and what he wants. He was always saying that I could do better than him, and I know I could. I tried going out with a couple of guys last year, but they just didn't interest me. They weren't him." She chuckled humorlessly. "How twisted is it that I'm not interested in the good guys out there, but I can't stop thinking about the one guy who is so completely wrong for me? Maybe he was right to end things."

Chloe watched her thoughtfully for a few moments. "You're still growing up. You're trying to figure out what you want in life. So am I, for that matter. And bad boys are kinda hot, and it sounds like you found one. You're better off without him, though."

Jessica nodded, knowing her friend was right.

--- --- ---

[August 2016]

Even though Jude had made it clear that he wasn't about to invite Jessica into his bed, he was still gracious enough to allow her to use his shower when she needed to clean off any demon guts that clung to her after an assignment. They were partners, he had explained, and he didn't want to be accused of not taking care of his partner by having her walk home covered in gore.

Jessica was fairly certain she'd cleaned most of the ick off her hair and body. Her clothes were completely ruined, but she hoped a good cleaning charm would work for the worst of it before she could get home and change into her pajamas. Cleaning charms were one thing she was good at, which made sense since she seemed to make enough messes.

She glanced over at Jude, who was sitting in his armchair, smoking a cigarette as he stared at the blank television. He looked deep in thought about something, although she wasn't about to disrupt his concentration to ask what.

They'd fallen into habit of treating one another in a professional manner. He didn't regale her with any tales of women he had met at some pub -- which she was grateful for -- and she didn't try to convince him to let her back into his bed.

As if sensing she was watching him, Jude glanced to where she was sitting on the floor, trying to clean her clothes.

"I'm almost done," Jessica said as turned back to waving her wand over her shirt. Jude had let her borrow a bathrobe of his to wear while she tried to make her clothes presentable.

Jude nodded and looked away from her. He took a deep drag off his cigarette. "I'm quitting," he said, exhaling the acrid smoke.

She looked over to him. "Quitting what?"

"The whole Underworld Detective gig," he clarified. "I can't work for the bint working there now. Gives me a bloody headache talking to her. Figure I'll go freelance, so I guess you're official."

She stared at him in shock. "You can't quit," she protested.

"I can and I am," he said. "I know what all these things I see are now, and I know how to deal with them, so there's no point in staying. 'Sides, you get your chance at being Underworld Detective now. You won't have to deal with me no more."

Jessica looked down. It was true that she had once asked him to quit so she could become the Underworld Detective, but she really was fine working as his partner. She didn't want him to quit, although she didn't quite know the reason why. "I've still got one more year of school," she muttered. "Demons won't take a vacation just because I'm gone."

"Then you might want to talk to that bint first so she don't find someone else," Jude said.

"Can you wait?" she asked, turning to him again. "Just until I'm out of school?"

He shook his head. "I'm trying to get my band to take off. Pete, our drummer, he says his uncle knows someone. Working for the Underworld'll just take up the time we need to practice. I'll still fight, but it'll be all freelance, and on my own time when it's convenient to me."

"But I'll have no reason to see you again!" she blurted out.

He watched her oddly as he took one last drag off his cigarette before putting it out. "Why would you want to?" he asked. "You got what you want."

Jessica wasn't even sure she knew the answer to his question. She hadn't meant to say the last thing she'd blurted out, and wasn't quite sure where it had come from. She picked up her clothes and stood up. They were clean enough. "I'll just go into the other room to change. I've bothered you long enough." She began to walk to the door of Jude's bedroom, but stopped when he stood up and walked behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You'll miss me, won't you?" he asked, breathing against her neck. Jessica wiggled her bum against him, smiling slightly at the reaction it got from his growing erection. "That's why you don't want me to quit. But what do you want from me, I wonder?"

"I'm not using you," she said. "I thought you didn't want to do this anymore?"

Jude pressed against her, gently rocking against her. "We never did have a proper 'goodbye' shag, and I am feeling a bit randy. Haven't had any since the last time we were together. If you want to, that is."

"Well, of course we haven't had sex since the last time we--"

"With anyone," he interrupted, trailing kisses along the side of her neck. "Not just you. Trying that whole bettering myself thing. I've been damn lucky not to have caught nothing, and I want to keep it that way. Now what do you say?"

Jessica closed her eyes and let her clothes fall to the floor. "I don't want a 'goodbye' shag, but I do want you to fuck me hard and make me scream."

Jude chuckled, but was more than willing to oblige her once they entered his bedroom. Jessica wasn't sure of just how many times he brought her to orgasm, but her throat was raw from shouting out his name by the time they were done. She was also pretty sure she heard the neighbor's pounding on the wall a few times while Jude had pounded into her.

"I don't want this to be goodbye," Jessica said when it was all over. She wondered if she would be able to walk home, as her legs felt like jelly.

"'Sup to you," Jude replied. "You deserve someone better'n me."

Jessica moaned noncommittally. "What's the real reason you changed your mind about doing this?" she asked. "I know it has to be more than just 'you were horny'."

Jude was silent for a few moments. "I'll tell you someday," he said softly. "'Til then, just accept it for what I said."

Jessica closed her eyes. She probably wouldn't be going home that night, as not only were her legs jelly, but she was feeling rather worn out. "If your band takes off, you're not going to move away, are you?"

"I'll make sure you know where to find me if I do," he murmured in reply, wrapping an arm around her to pull her closer.

Jessica smiled as she used him as a nice warm pillow. "I'll see you next June, then."

"If you're not seeing some other bloke," he said.

"I won't," she murmured before drifting off to sleep.

--- --- ---

[June 2017]

It felt weird to get off the Hogwarts Express for the last time, knowing she would never ride it again. It wasn't that Jessica would miss going to school, because she wouldn't, but it was more of a nostalgic feeling of knowing that her childhood was behind her.

She still wasn't any closer to figuring out what she wanted to do with her life than she had been when she first stepped onto the Hogwarts Express to take her to her first year. In a way, she envied her classmates that had their futures mapped out, or at least had a general idea of what they were going to do. Even after continuous meetings with Professor Longbottom, her head of house, she was still at a loss. She had even been called into a meeting with some Unspeakables from the Ministry, who were impressed with her marks and ability to 'think outside the box'. She wasn't sure if they were looking at the same marks as her, as she certainly wasn't at the top of her class by any means. Maybe if she bothered to open her books or do her homework, but if she was passing without any effort, what would be the point of studying? Since they refused to say just what they were trying to recruit her for, she passed on their offer for the time being.

The only thing she could really see herself doing for a living was working as an Underworld Detective, even though she knew her conviction there wasn't all that strong, either. It was more an interesting hobby than anything, and didn't really pay much at all. She didn't really want to fight for a living, and she didn't want to let it be the focus of her life as it had been for her Aunt Janice.

It wasn't until she'd been out of school for over a week that she finally had the chance to get out of the seemingly endless celebrations for completing Hogwarts. Chloe's Healer training would be starting in a week, and her wedding was tentatively scheduled for the next summer. Kyle planned to study abroad at a wizarding university in America as he 'considered all his options'. Her cousin Victoire had been accepted as a junior photographer for some fashion magazine that wasn't quite as well known or prestigious as Witch Weekly, but would still help to boost her blossoming career. Jessica would find herself working as a delivery girl for the Golden Dragon, a job she'd applied to out of boredom and knowing she had to find something to do.

Knocking on his door, she hoped that Jude hadn't moved without telling her. She didn't know if his band was any good or not, but if they had somehow broken into the music industry, he would surely have found a better place to live. The walls of the apartment complex were even more heavily graffitied than ever, and she was sure she saw some cockroaches scurrying around.

Jude practically threw open the door after just one knock. Jessica didn't even have time to lower her fist from how it was poised to knock again before he wrapped her into an embrace.

"I need you," Jude murmured, pressing his body against hers. "Please…"

Jessica blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected quite this sort of reaction from him. Deciding it was better for them to head inside his flat rather than have him grind against her partially in the hall, she nodded and had him lead her inside.

She was a bit overwhelmed by his desire. She let him take her to his bed, and she was soon screaming out as her body succumbed to the extreme pleasure of having him inside her. She had almost forgotten how good it felt to merge their bodies together. She must have had two or three orgasms before he found his release.

Jude breathed heavily from the exertion after he'd pulled out of her and laid next to her. "Much better than a wank and cold shower," he muttered. When she looked at him curiously, he clarified. "Can't say I didn't stumble a couple times, but… I tried."

"Not saying I'm complaining, but what brought this on?" Jessica asked.

"You came back," he said placing an arm around her to pull her closer. "Bugger all if I know why, but you keep coming back, even though I keep hurting you and pushing you away."

"I said I would, didn't I?" She smiled contentedly as she cuddled against him.

He chuckled before leaning over to grab his cigarettes off the nightstand. "You probably know that I can figure out what something is by scanning it, right?" He pulled out a cigarette, offering her one (which she declined) before lighting up. "Sometimes I get feelings about things I can't really explain. Like my ex. I got the feeling that I shouldn't tell her I was sterile. And I was right. Wasn't long after I found that out that she told me she was up the duff. If I'd said something, she probably would've gotten rid of the kid and I never would've known she was screwing around with other blokes."

She looked at him in confusion. "Yeah, but… I think you lost me somewhere."

"I got a feeling about you," he said, taking a drag off his cigarette. "Not sure what, exactly. Whatever it is, I feel like I can trust you with stuff I don't trust with anyone." He glanced to her. "You're the first bird I've ever really told about how I shoot blanks. I'd rather get dragged to court in a paternity suit than admit to it. 'Course, maybe that's just me being a sadist, because there's nothing funnier than the looks on the faces of these slags when they find out that not only didn't I father their brats, but neither did the five other blokes they drug along to get tested as well. Been held in contempt of court for laughing my arse off a few times. I don't know just what we're supposed to be, but… I don't want to use you."

"Then what do you want to do?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Get to know you. You're not like all the other slags out there when you're being yourself. I felt like shite when I saw just how much I hurt you. You're someone who I can respect, and treating you like you was one of those common tramps I couldn't bugger all to care about… Somewhere along the way I think I just said 'good enough' and stopped trying to better myself. You helped me realize I'm not done with that yet."

"I thought you said you weren't changing for anyone else," she said.

"I'm not," he replied, taking a drag off his cigarette. "I'm going to try to better myself for me." He glanced down at her. "I've always been a physical bloke. Sex is how I connect with a bird, which is why we seem to end up in bed a lot. I decided to try and see if I have what it takes to go without for a while. Only made it a few months at a time."

Jessica looked away from him. "At least you weren't fucking some bimbo when I got here this time."

"Don't make excuses for me," Jude said. "You and me… We're not in a relationship right now. I don't know what we've got, but neither of us are under any commitment to be faithful. I'm not quite ready for a relationship, and I don't think you are, either."

She shot him a disbelieving look. "What makes you say that?"

"You keep compromising yourself to try and please me," he said, exhaling a bit of smoke. "I don't want to be with a doormat who constantly changes who she is to suit who she's with. I want to learn about the real you and see where things take us."

"Good luck," she muttered. "I'm not entirely sure of that myself."

"Then it's time to let the real you shine through, and to stop molding yourself into who you think others want you to be," he said, putting out his cigarette. "Conformity can jump off a sodding bridge. Think any of the greats would be so great if they conformed to what people wanted? Bugger that."

Jessica watched him for a few moments. "Why do you want to get to know me, though? If we're not in a relationship, why does it matter?"

"It's a feeling I got," he said softly. "Don't know if things'll quite pan out, but I got a feeling that you're the girl I'll someday marry."

Jessica's eyes widened as she stared at him speechlessly.

"When you tried to convince me to stay on as Underworld Detective, I think that's when I realized that maybe there was a chance you weren't just using me. That maybe there was something real there," he continued. "But even if things don't work out that way, I don't want to be living the bachelor's life forever. I'm not ready for that sort of commitment with you or anyone right now. So I'm going to see about becoming a better man in the meantime. It'd be better if you'd followed my advice and sown some of your wild oats with other blokes, but I can understand how none of them can really compare to me. So yeah, I want to get to know you better. You probably know more about me than I know about you."

"I find myself learning something new about you every time I'm with you," she said.

He smiled. "That's a start, then." He glanced down at her. "So if we give this whole 'learning about one another' a go, do you want to go out somewhere Friday?"

Jessica bit her lip. "My parents are throwing a 'farewell' dinner on Friday for my brother before he leaves for America. He wants an early start so he doesn't miss any 'important orientation meetings'. I can't get out of it. Although…" She paused and took a deep breath. "Maybe you could go with me?"

--- --- ---

[June 2020]

"…And do you, Jessica Leigh Weasley, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, in sickness and in health?" the pastor asked, officiating before Jessica and the man who was to be her husband in but a few short minutes.

Jessica didn't take her eyes off her husband-to-be, beaming happily. "I do," she said without hesitation.

The pastor cleared his throat. "Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

They had talked about it before the ceremony, and she had specifically told him no tongues. Their friends and family did not need to see them play tonsil hockey, especially since there were children present. Not that she expected that to stop him from putting on a show. He always had been a bit of a snarky git.

To his credit, Jude did not try to stick his tongue in her mouth, although he tried to keep the kiss lingering longer than necessary. Jessica found herself not minding one bit.

"I love you," Jude whispered to her as they pulled apart to face the clapping congregation.

"I love you, too," she smiled at him as she went with her new husband to the reception waiting for them.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact moment when she realized she was in love with him. In retrospect, she didn't think it was in the early stages of their courtship when she was still an adolescent of sixteen, going through all the usual teenage angst of first boyfriends and first heartbreaks. There was something there, yes, but not love. Even when she was seventeen, she didn't think she'd been quite ready to love him as she did now. But as she grew to know him and to know herself, there was no question in her mind or heart that he was the man she wanted to spend her life with.

He had supported her as she struggled to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. There were times when she could tell he was frustrated by her lack of focus, but sometimes their arguments were just the kind of wake up call she needed. After one such row where he accused her of just wanting to be a 'professional drifter', she opted to meet with the Unspeakables that had been attempting to recruit her since she was in Hogwarts. Afterwards, she wondered why she'd put off the meeting for so long. Working in the Department of Mysteries was interesting, not to mention it sounded just plain cool when saying she worked as an Unspeakable.

"I knew you said you came from a large family, but damn," Jude commented once they finally had the chance to sit down from all the obligatory dancing. He had washed most of the dye out of his hair for the occasion, although his naturally dark blond hair still had a decidedly green hue to it. "Maybe we should've insisted on name tags."

Jessica chuckled. "Now you know why I said that even if we kept our guest list restricted to just family and close friends, we'd still have quite a number of guests." She paused. "Is that your drummer trying to chat up my sister?"

Jude glanced over to where she was looking. "Nah. Matt's our bassist. Probably half-drunk by now, too, the sot. See? He's already throwing up on her shoes."

"Lovely," Jessica deadpanned. She chuckled to herself as she saw her sister storming off in disgust.

"You're not going to have any second thoughts, are you?" Jude asked. When she glanced to him, she saw him looking to where the younger kids were corralled into a kids' play area. "You know I can't give you that," he continued in a wistful tone.

"We've been through this before," Jessica said softly, taking his hand in hers. "I didn't marry you because I wanted loads of foul-mouthed red-haired babies. I married you because I love you. If we want kids, we can adopt. Besides, I don't think the world needs me to put my genetic material out there for a future generation. I lost count of just how many siblings and cousins I have. More than name tags, we need a bloody score card to keep up with everyone. Let them swarm the world with their offspring."

"Just making sure. Doesn't mean we can't do a dry run," Jude answered, smirking.

"Oh, there'll be plenty of that," Jessica agreed, leaning forward to kiss her new husband.

And even though she didn't possess a sixth sense herself, she had a feeling that they would be getting plenty of practice at baby making, even if they never had children of their own. She wasn't the motherly type, and it wasn't like there would ever be a shortage of little ones in her family to dote on. She was perfectly content just being blissfully in love with her husband.

She was really glad he hadn't quit as Underworld Detective when she'd asked him to.