You promise me heaven, then put me through hell (Jackson)

There were very few things that could get beneath Victoria Newbury's skin. The lawyer was insanely competent at keeping her head in situations that were not always good. The calmness that she could portray in a boardroom when they were being offered a sum of money that would keep a family surviving in the country for a vast number of years, in the space of only one would have had most people excitedly grabbing for the money.

But Victoria had not done so, instead asking for time to discuss the matter with Jackson.

A matter the witch had believed she needn't have asked Jackson as to what he was going to do.

Being wrong did not sit well with Victoria. It was an uncharted realm that the witch was not comfortable finding herself in. Not to mention, the fact Jackson was considering a pay out, and the perks that came with it was making the witch's blood boil. Why were they writing legislation on such a heavy topic if the man beside her didn't truly believe in it? How could he even consider selling people out in such a way? Jackson had been fortunate that Mac had walked in when she had, saving Jackson from the verbal tongue lashing that he deserved in that moment.

Victoria was unable to give it, though, instead being ushered in to the meeting with the chemists that arrived slightly ahead of time. There, the witch had to push all of the anger at Jackson down, focus on the chemists instead, and write up detailed notes of everything they were saying, despite the fact it was all being recorded so that they could listen to it all over and again if they needed to. The information was only strengthening their cause, showing that those working at the compounding pharmacies were not nearly capable enough in the medical field to be doing what they were doing. They had known that, of course, but the additional information of what the Purdue Pharma officials were telling them only proved that they were almost purposefully negligent in all they were doing, to ensure the profits stayed high.

If Victoria thought that they would be able to get some respite after that, in which the witch could corner the man who needed to be told that there was no way in this world that he was accepting that offer in good faith, she was once again wrong. The moment they had bid the chemists farewell, Victoria had been dragged across to Sloan's desk to go over the new numbers. There were still two people missing according to the financial analyst, two that were driving her insane as she went through list upon list. Calculations littered her desk, and a copy of the signed documents Victoria had been presented no more than two hours ago had been scribbled all over with the total amount that Purdue were actually looking to pay Jackson given the current growth, and suggested 'expenses' he could help himself to.

The figure at the bottom of the page, if only a conservative guess at Jackson's money he could earn made the witch feel sick to the stomach.

Insisting that Sloan not show her workings to Jackson -- something that made the witch look thoroughly insulted -- Victoria had been about ready to round on the man anew when Maggie intercepted her halfway across the room. The blonde required her help with another matter pertaining to the mornings meetings, wayleighing Victoria's progress. Maggie's questions were good ones, of course, pointing out things she'd noticed from the meeting with the chemists, and asking permission to look in to matters that had been raised further. Victoria had agreed, sending Maggie off with a determined look that would not be extinguished until she found exactly what she wanted.

And, once again, Jackson was saved.

The members arriving from the FDA had cut Victoria off once more, frustrating the witch despite her smiley appearance to the rest of the world. The meeting had been positive enough, reiterating the standards that would usually be required for drugs in the US, the sanctions usually imposed on those who didn't follow the standards set, and how they would go about implementing such measures. The main spokesmen for the FDA had been quite clear on the 'if you are successful' line of thought, which showed he did not have the faintest amount of belief in their cause. He didn't have to, though, that was Victoria's role.

That meeting had overrun massively, and the clocks were well passed seven o'clock before the group had left once more. Victoria had hung back, rubbing her temples slightly as she tried to digest everything that had been spoken about that day, and where this left them. If only Mr Kushner hadn't forced his presence on them this morning, Victoria would have felt in much better spirits, but now... the witch was going to have to win Jackson back around from the offer he'd been given.

Rising from the meeting room table, Victoria turned back to the main room of workers. Most of the office had already left for the day, which would allow the witch to corner Jackson now.

"Victoria," Sloan's voice came out of no where, making Victoria jump slightly in that moment. "Sorry! Jackson asked me to get you home. He's got an errand to run, so he said he couldn't give you a lift home this evening. He said sorry, but he hightailed it out of here before he could explain." The financial analyst explained, giving a shrug because she clearly hadn't caught on that Jackson was avoiding her.

"I can get an Uber-"

"No, you won't. Besides, I'm heading that way." Sloan said with the finality that showed you just didn't want to argue in that moment.

The two women traversed down to Sloan's car, the younger of the two sitting quietly in the passenger seat as Sloan bemoaned once again how she could not find the last two people. It had been irking her for hours, and as much as she had willed herself to find the difference, Sloan really couldn't. She would start again in the morning, Sloan explained, before once again going back around in a circle about how she couldn't understand where the final two came from.

Victoria had switched off after the third cycle, as much as she loved Sloan, she couldn't concentrate on that problem right now. Not when all of this could be for nothing if she couldn't get Jackson to see the right way. Especially when she knew the man not to be stupid, and even if he didn't get close to Sloan's remuneration figure, even basic math told you that you most certainly would be better off not being in the politics industry.

Sloan dropped the witch outside her apartment only twenty five minutes later, Victoria thanked her before moving to the building, greeting George with little and less gusto before going up to her apartment. The witch barely noticed herself opening the door and closing it behind her. The lock in place, Victoria moved to the bathroom, opting for a shower and the comfort of her fluffiest pyjama set. But not even the hot jet of water could rid her of the dirty feeling that came with the amount of money Purdue was offering them to keep quiet about what they knew. Half an hour passed and still the witch couldn't get rid of the feeling.

Giving in, the witch changed in to the oversized, fluffy pyjamas, and checked her phone.

Nothing from Jackson.

Scowling, the witch turned to the kitchen, opening the fridge door and talking out the sausages she'd chosen for the hot pot that evening. The hob turned on with the faintest of touch, the pan coming down almost too hard against the glass only a moment later. How was she going to make the number seem uninteresting? The witch pondered as she poured oil in to the pan, waiting for it to warm through before putting each sausage in to the pan to fry off.

Surely there was a way to make the idea of being a millionaire unfavourable?

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The day had gone by in a whirl of meetings and if Jackson was honest with himself, he hand't understood half of what had been said in them. Oh, the senator had gotten the gist. If Purdue's offer hadn't given away the game already, the meeting further confirmed they were on the right track with the drafting of legislation for compounding pharmacies. Everyone who had agreed to talk to them on record had spoken of the derelict conditions of the CPs and the abysmal qualification of the people who worked there. Over the course of the day, Sloan too had worked out why her numbers weren't adding up.

the financial analyst had been perhaps the most anxious individual in the entire office after the Purdue Pharma flock had left, her worries however were of a different nature entirely. the fact that she had missed a few individuals was driving Sloan Sabbith up the wall and by the end of the day, she emerged from ehr own cubicle as if returning from a war zone.

"Those.." the Asian American woman breathed heavily, holding up a piece of paper like a victory flag. "Two deaths, out of state." Jackson had hurriedly congratulated the analyst and asked to ehr please take Victoria home since he would be busy. Having avoided the pixie-like lawyer all day, the man now grabbed a copy of the Purdue offer and hightailed it out of his office before anyone could stop him.

The plan was to go home and read it carefully, look for loopholes that suggested the offer couldn't possibly be as good as it sounded. Heck they had read it so far, maybe they had subconsciously added a few zeroes to the figure. On the drive back to the big house, Jackson had done his best to think up ways in which the contract was flawed yet when he finally reached home and sat down o read, the fear that it was faulty gripped him close around the throat, making him read each line more attentively than he ever had before.

The need to get a drink was almost overpowering but the an sat on his couch, scrutinizing each line. The expense count was including of the company jet privileges... and so much more. Of course there was no mention of a Quid Pro Quo for the offer but a clause hidden in the company policy would no doubt state that no employee was supposed to lead an investigation against the firm or partake in legislative drafts that would directly affect the company. The potential for conflict of interest would be too great.

And that was the Quid Pro Quo.

All those riches, in exchange for letting this bill die before it had even had chance to see daylight.

A part of Jackson could easily justify the buyout. Al that money from Purdue meant he would never be beholden to anyone for campaign funding again. He could win and win multiple campaigns with the money he had earned. And if their team had come up with one good legislation idea - good enough to have pharma suites crawling all over trying to shut it down - who was to say they wouldn't have better ideas in future. And they would be in a better position to execute such ideas with a more stable, financial backing. If they chased the CP idea.. they were going to bring the whole big pharma industry down on them, a fight they were ill equipped for at best.

But with a few years, a a few more victories, substantially well funded...

Yes, Victoria was just not thinking straight. Not that he blamed the princess, she was a bleeding heart the moment you put dead people in front of her. But she was also contaminated by British thinking, she didn't understand that you had to do a lot wrong to do a little right... If they let a few hundred people slide now... they could save a lot mero in future.

The decision was made, he would call Jared Kushner personally tomorrow and tell the jew bastard how much he looked forwards to joining the team at Purdue. And the princess.. well, she would just have to understand that to normal people like him, two million was a lot of money. Her brother might be used to throwing cash around like it was nothing but in Green Lake, no one had ever made it that big. If nothing else, Jackson owed it to his town to put them on he map somehow.

Leaving the file on the kitchen table, Jackson prepped his usual smoothie, deciding to forgo dinner in its place. the urge to drive to the nearest liquor store to celebrate was still present so the man did what he always did. Going through to the bedroom, he stripped of his suit, stepped under a shower and twenty minutes later merged in his running ensemble. The grounds behind the large home had been cultivated with proper running tracks now and Jackson ran all the way to the edge of the lake, wondering if a swimming regiment needed to be added to the routine. It was getting dark however and the man decided a run back to the house would be enough.

The feeling of unease however did not go away, so even after he'd changed for bed, Jackson found himself awake and alert, staring between his phone and the file beside him. The politician sighed, murmuring a soft expletive before picking up his phone and speed dialing the first person he could think of.

"Hello Jackson,"

"Hey babe, how was your day?" A brief recount of Tessa's day followed before the question was repeated his way. And Jackson took the time to tell her everything. From the ambush by Purdue to Victoria's immediate refusal to even consider the offer. The man had hoped that Tessa would tell him what was right and wrong in this case, yet the answered he received from the mother of his child left him surprised.

"Oh but Jackson, two million is such a small amount to tie yourself in knots over. It's even lesser than the change you'd find behind someone's couch. Why don't you try thinking about the whole situation without the money and see how it makes you feel?"

"I... guess I never thought of it like that."

"Money isn't important," the Fox executive coo-d from the other side. 'What's important is us, and our baby on the way. You have to do what you think is right."

"I..."

"Let's be honest, whatever Purdue is offering isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference to us in the long run, so why let it worry you now?"

The man signed "I guess you're right." A few moments later, he hung up, even more conflicted than before the call.
It didn't bother him that he had been wrong, more that Tessa had been absolutely right. In the grand scheme of things that was her privileged life, two million meant nothing.

Anything he contributed from his own hard work meant nothing.

Before he knew it, the tall, raven haired man was out of bed and pulling on a jacket over his lanky frame. His phone had shown close to midnight when he had tossed it over the bed after hanging up but when had that ever stopped him. His wand up his sleeve, his running shoes on and apparition at the ready, Jackson had disappeared from his own front door in the blink of an eye.

Only to appear outside the princess's building block, seemingly out of nowhere. Jackson jogged the last few paces to the gate, all but ignoring George who touched his cap in greeting and making a beeline for Victoria's door. Only when he reached his destination did he stop to steady his breathing.

And reach out to ring the doorbell, announcing his presence to the witch.

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You promise me heaven, then put me through hell (Jackson) Rsz_mi10

You promise me heaven, then put me through hell (Jackson) Rsz_ja12

You promise me heaven, then put me through hell (Jackson) Rsz_rs13

The evening had gone slowly -- most likely because the young witch kept checking her phone every couple of moments -- despite no ping coming from her phone to denote a message from Jackson -- to see if there was anything new. WhatsApp showed that Jackson hadn't been online for some time, and no texts came through. A text from Sloan had brought an unparrelled level of excitement that had sent Victoria across the room, discarding the fresh bread that had just come from the over and the butter knife to quickly open the phone.

The message had just been a query on why Purdue Pharma would include two people outside of their constituency, and Victoria had let out a frustrated sigh. Leave it to Sloan to simply not let something go! Victoria had neglected to reply for a good forty minutes before telling Sloan that they were only currently interested in Milwuakee, and that they would branch out when they were ready.

If, they were ready, Victoria corrected herself, as she bit in to the sausage from the hot pot a little too angrily as she watched a rerun of Suits on the television, trying not to tell Harvey Specter to get on and see Donna as his girl!

Dinner was finished with little and less interest, despite the recipe from her mom doing its best to comfort the witch, she still felt completely put out with Jackson's behaviour. She needed him to talk to her, but she was not going to push the man, if he didn't want to give her the time of day, then she would not chase him. She would just stay quietly mad at him until he came around.

And then...

The witch didn't know what she was going to say to the man once he appeared from wherever it was he was hiding. It was a lot of money, there was no denying that, but money wasn't everything. Contrary to what everyone thought about it, you really could make it without all the money they were being offered.

But what if Jackson couldn't see that?

The witch sighed as she put the last of the plates on the drying rack, trying to think of something... anything else in that moment, but it was no good. How could you put something like that out of your mind?!

Huffing to herself, Victoria returned to the lounge, pulling her pink, fluffy dressing gown back to in to place, and hiding beneath the blanket on the sofa once more, picking up yet another rerun of Suits whilst she tried not to think about the offer they'd been given.

At some point, the witch must have shut off from it all, sleep must have come, for the sound of the doorbell chiming brought the witch back awake with a sudden start. Her back ached a little from the odd position she'd fallen asleep in, and protested quite magnificently when she moved to get up, reaching for her wand in the process before moving to the door. The peephole was of no use to the witch, being too high for her to see out of, so Victoria applied the latch, and opened the door marginally.

There, at Merlin only knew what hour this was, stood Jackson.

Pushing the door back slightly, the witch released the latch from its place, before opening the door fully.

"I was just heading to bed," the witch informed the man, still trying to hold on to the feeling of being mad at the man, but failing upon seeing him. He'd come to her, no matter the hour, because he needed her, it was something that went without saying, and the witch was ready for the discussion that was about to come. "Sloan said you were running errands, so I missed you earlier. Tessa is okay?" Victoria asked, genuine concern touching her features because Jackson's behaviour had not been normal in that moment.

"Have you eaten?" Victoria added, because Merlin knew the man didn't look after himself in that respect, and there was plenty of food left over from her own meal if he needed it.

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It hand't occurred to Jackson that Victoria might be asleep, or that she would express the need for sleep when he was there. She had just always opened the door at.. any hour really. And since when had the princess felt the need to announce that she was heading to bed. If Victoria wanted to sleep, she just curled up against him and did so.

Perhaps the kid was just having an off night.

"She's good,' the man replied on autopilot, moving towards the couch and sinking down heavily on top of the blankets, belatedly realizing she was doing some kind of movie marathon. "Just talked to her a while ago." At the question of food, the man shook his head honestly, his stomach grumbling slightly for effect.

"Actually, do you have any leftovers?" Victoria simply gave a him a resigned look before retreating tot eh kitchen, leaving him to once again unseeingly assess the living room. It was warm here, cozy as always./ The blanket felt nice against him and no doubt if the politician stayed here long, he would fall asleep, somehow more comfortable in this tiny flat than the humongous house that was a symbol of his status and power.

Unsure how to begin the conversation, the man decided not to wait until Victoria returned with the food. It would be easy to say what he had to say when she wasn't looking directly at him.

"Tessa's pregnant."

The two words left his lips, hovering in the air around the little apartment, growing bigger and bigger the longer they stayed out in the open. Jackson had been waiting to tell Victoria though waiting fro what, he couldn't say now. Perhaps this, the decision that had the potential to change his life forever. Perhaps... the Princess would understand why Purdue's offer was as tempting as it was given that he was about to be a dad, a dad who needed to provide for the child who would never grew up a Green Lake loser.

"No one knows yet, except the doctors, it's only eight weeks or so. I... We didn't wan to jump he gun."

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The obvious try to get an apology from the man for disturbing her at the late hour went amiss, and Victoria couldn't help but feel annoyed now. Being mad was not something she did well, Merlin knew she really couldn't stay mad at Jackson for too long, especially when he was in her presence, but he could at least have looked a little bit sorry in that moment. As it was, the politician didn't look that way, nor did he wait on the doorstep for long, instead moving to the couch and getting himself comfortable.

The reply in regards to Tessa made her feel better, though. Nothing was wrong, nothing needed to be fixed by her any time soon. So why, then, did the man rush off? Victoria would have asked in the next moment, but Jackson's reply to her question of food was quickly answered, showing he had not been looking after himself.

And that, was all that it took to shake off the anger at the man, instead replacing it with worry, and the innate feeling that always came with wanting to make sure the man was well looked after.

Resigning herself to the fact that Jackson was not going to apologise, and that she couldn't hold a grudge against him, Victoria moved towards the kitchen. "It's sausage hot pot," the witch told him, bouncing back to normal frighteningly quick. "With some freshly baked fresh baguettes." She added, not wanting to miss the most important part. Plating up a more than generous helping of the home cooking, Victoria placed it in to the microwave for Jackson and turned it on for five minutes to ensure that the food was thoroughly reheated, before turning her attention to the bread she'd previously mentioned.

"You really do need to remember to eat, Jack-"

"Tessa's pregnant."

The bread knife in her hand stilled halfway through the baguette. No, the small voice in her head replied to the statement. No, she can't be. It argued, willing those words to go away, to not have been heard, to not be true.

"No one knows yet, except the doctors, it's only eight weeks or so. I... We didn't want to jump the gun."

And now me, Victoria added, gently placing the baguette back down on the plate, the knife being laid down beside it. The kitchen counter gently propped the witch up as she took a moment to compose herself, try to get the harsh thudding of her heart to quieten down, and the knot in her stomach to not be so sickeningly tight.

"Congratulations..." The word didn't come out from the witch's lips the first time she spoke it. They moved in the shape of the word, but they were not spoken aloud. The humming of the microwave continued on behind the witch, and she could almost will herself to lie, and pretend the microwave had been too loud, and that she hadn't heard Jackson's words.

She could pretend...

But then she would have to see Jackson say those words.

Victoria would have to congratulate him face to face, and her eyes... her eyes would not show the happy delight of a friend who really did want this to be true. It would tell a story much too honest, and Victoria couldn't do that to her best friend. She wouldn't do that to her best friend.

"Congratulations, Jackson!" Victoria replied, the spring in her voice clearly that of someone who truly meant those words even as the witch stared blindly down at the bread before her. "So... the baby will be due in... July?" Victoria asked, just as the microwave announced its job was finished.

It made sense now.

Two million to a man who was about to become a father.

Jackson wasn't thinking in his normal manner, because everything was changing. Reaching for the plate with the tea towel, Victoria placed the half cut bread on the side of the plate, before picking up a knife and fork and returning to the lounge where Jackson still sat, nestled in the blankets she had been occupying before.

"Careful, it'll be really hot." The witch advised, placing the plate in his lap upon the tea towel before retreating to the other side of the sofa where she gently curled in on herself, wanting to make herself as small as possible in that moment.

"Are you excited?" The witch asked, not able to help herself from wanting to know the answer to that question.

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Jackson wasn't sure what he had expected, but the silence was definitely... expected. In the awkward moment between his admission and her doing something in the kitchen, his mind returned to the night of the campaign. The certainty with which he had reached for the little witch, kissing ehr fully as if it was the most natural thing to do. It had been instinctive, it had been... the only thing he had wanted to do back then. Even if it was an accident and something they hadn't talked about after.

Victoria would know he didn't mean it, she would probably forgive the moment. There was no need to talk about it, especially not now that they were in a whole new situation.

When had Jackson started thinking of himself in terms of "they"? And why was that other half not the other of his child but...

"Congratulations, Jackson!"

Her words broke the spell, snapping the man from his reverie. Something delicious snaked over to his nose and involuntarily, Jackson took in a deep breath. "Thanks," he mumbled, not specifying if he was grateful for her wishes or the food. Jackson had suspected that he might not want to be congratulated and this had just proven his hunch right. He wasn't ready to be congratulated for having a child he had not agreed to have, and it made him feel even worse.

"So... the baby will be due in... July?"

"Fuck if I know,' the man signed, taking the plate from her and putting it down. Despite how good the offering on display undoubtedly was, the man was starting to lose his appetite. "I mean, we didn't really plan it... Tessa just..." What was he supposed to say, she just fell pregnant without his permission? As if he wasn't enough of an asshole already for not being happy about the kid. "I mean, you're better prepped to be a mom than me a dad, I can barely eat meals most days. " There, that felt better, at least now someone knew how unfitted he was to the role of parent.

"I don't know how to turn Purdue Pharma down in good conscious. If the kid comes... When the kid comes, It's going to need stuff..." Probably more stuff because his father was a dick but that didn't really merit saying out laud.

"You know how we live, every other year we're scrambling for funding. The only other way I can think of to give the kid a proper future is if I drop out of the politics game... Take up that position with Fox and.. and move to LA." Even the idea of giving up the career he had worked so hard to build left him with a bad taste in his mouth.

Resignedly reaching for the baguette, Jackson bit into the soft doughy treat, swallowing without tasting. Now the goblin had the full story, and she could judge away. Like Tessa, the money would mean nothing to the Newbury Princess either but at least Jackson trusted her not to be so blase about it.

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The point of the baby not being planned didn't... come as a shock to Victoria. The witch knew Jackson was head over heels for Tessa Greene, he had been with her with a long enough period now, but not quite long enough that children would come in to the equation. Or, at least, Victoria had always thought Jackson would want to do things the 'right' way. Perhaps not for his own sake, but for Merida's, and seeing as Jackson hadn't proposed to Tessa yet, she doubted he had even thought of children.

The confirmation of all of this didn't settle well with Victoria, but she wouldn't pry in to the details of the situation.

Jackson always told her what he wanted to, and she knew he would do just the same today.

"If only being a parent was quite so easy as just feeding." Victoria replied softly, joking with the man to show that she didn't really think she was ready for such things yet, either. She might be almost twenty nine, but the witch was still trying to work out when she would be ready for children of her own. Not yet, that much was for sure, but there would definitely be children in her life.

But it was the next part that hurt, making the witch's hands move to her stomach to try to ease the sharp pain that had just settled in her stomach at the thought of Jackson moving away. If he left Wiscousin, if he moved to LA, their whole office would be disbanded, there would be nothing left of their team, everyone would move on to pastures new. Jackson wouldn't be here, where she needed him to be. He wouldn't be her safety blanket...

But all of this...

Jackson had said all of this with no excitement, no true desire.

"You don't have to move to LA, or take the job there. Lots of people bring up children on salaries like ours. Yes, they might not get the fanciest of things in life, but they would know much more about the world than those kids who are brought up with money not even being a consideration." Victoria supplied, watching Jackson tear in to the baguette with a little too much force in that moment. "Your mom managed, and you're earning more than she did when she brought you up. Not to mention the whole office would be there to help you with your baby, look after him or her, buy them presents."

"What has Tessa said on the matter? Would she consider moving here?" Victoria asked, before coming back to the main point.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, because I know a child puts everything in to a very different context... but, do you really want to raise your children with dirty money, Jackson? They have killed more than two hundred people in this constituency already, they have no plans to change that, either. Yes, the money could clothe, feed, and look after your child, but... it could be killing people you love. The girls at the office... their families... Merida... Me...

"You can't tell me that you're willing to risk that, Jax..."

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Victoria's comment about parenting being more than feeding was appreciated by her midnight visitor. He also knew it was utter bullshit, said simply to console him and his bruised ego. Victoria was a fucking fantastic aunt to Ivan and Adrienne, the very fact that Jackson remembered the little munchkins names spoke of how often she mentioned her niece and nephew in conversation. Everyone they knew through work and otherwise would readily agree the Goblin would make a phenomenal mom but that was a thought for the very, very distant future. The kid was still probably 19 or something.

And the idea of her priorities changing from him to someone else was not one Jackson wanted to ponder for even a second.

"That's the thing, I don't want my kid to grow up like me, scourging fro shirts in the laundry every week because I didn't have enough. If I can make a choice... to earn more, give him a better life, then how can I be a good parent when I say no to all that?"

This was the part where she threw Tessa's money in his face, reminding him that no matter what he chose, their child would never grow up scrounging for shirts in the school laundry. That's hat the older witch had said anyway even if in nicer words. That his decision made no difference whether he chose one way or the other.

It also showed that once again, while Tessa was willing to support him, she had very little faith in all he did. Not once had the witch mentioned that he would have better opportunities in future and that this was just the beginning. Everyone, including those assholes at Purdue Pharma, were sure this was the best he could do, that this was all Jackson Blake was worth.

Did the princess think this way too?

"What has Tessa said on the matter? Would she consider moving here?"

Reaching for the bread once more, Jackson took another bite, giving himself time to phrase the answer. "She thinks I'm overthinking it," he supplied once the bread was down. "Two million is a wholly negligible amount for her to even consider worrying over.... And she has a point I suppose," he added, feeling the need to defend her despite Victoria's lack of an attack. No, it wasn't Victoria who had been hurt by that statement, it was him. And now he had to compensate.

"She grew up... well, you know, you two come from the same sort of families I guess. Money isn't really a concern. She just doesn't want me to worry over something so minor." It hadn't occurred to Jackson until now that Tessa hadn't eve bothered with the moral aspect fo the deal. It hand't interested her in the slightest that people had died to get him this potential settlement.

"You can't tell me that you're willing to risk that, Jax..."

Jackson slowly shook his head. no, he would never risk that. And in that slight action, the decision as made. He had been a fool to think it was his to make in the first place.

But he had to know one thing before he called up the Purdue guys and told them they were not going to kill this bill.

"Do you think... that if I let this go, I'll ever be able to make decent money in a legitimate way? And please don't spare me, I want to hear an honest answer." The man raised his gaze directly to Victoria's piercing black eyes boring into hers.

"Is this the best shot I'm ever going to get?"

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The point about having to find shirts out from the laundry was one that Victoria shook her head gently at. "Of course they won't, I will make sure they have enough shirts to never have to do that." The witch offered, a small smile playing on her lips. "I already have to look after their father's wardrobe, so another one really won't hurt." The teasing was aimed to try to lighten Jackson's mood, because he was completely on the wrong tracks. His own salary was a decent amount, the kid wouldn't need anything, really. And, well, the child's mother was Tessa Greene, a billionairess who wouldn't see her child in such a manner.

Right now, though, Victoria knew pointing out the mother's wealth would be ill advised, and so she didn't.

It was the next point that made Victoria frown, though, Tessa's point that two million was nothing was... well, it was incomprehensible. Two million a year was a vast fortune to any normal person in the world, but it just showed that Tessa Greene was much too well off to understand the problem. Speaking ill of the witch, however, was not something Victoria was going to choose to do, instead trying to think of something that would make a difference.

But Jackson threw a spanner in the works with the notion that she was just like Tessa. The frown touched her features even deeper in that moment, and the witch shook her head. "I don't know anything about that kind of life, Jackson. Tessa has... a lot more money than my family ever will. We were comfortable, though, when I was growing up. Just enough to live comfortably, given the money needed to look after me." The witch explained, but Jackson didn't need to fully appreciate that right now.

"Tessa is just used to having a lot of money, she has Fox after all, and two million to a billion dollar industry is not much. To her. For us... it's a lot of money, and if it was coming from almost anywhere else, I wouldn't be telling you not to take it, Jackson. I know how life changing that money would be for you, and your family, but..." The witch slowed in the statement. How could she tell a man who was about to become a father not to take that much money, no matter who the mother was, and what she had? If nothing else, Jackson could give the money to Merida, so that she could buy things she needed, or even wanted.

The seriousness only grew on the situation, though, and as Jackson's eyes moved to meet hers, with all the need resting upon her as he asked the question, Victoria knew that she couldn't lie to the man.

"Is this the best shot I'm ever going to get?"

Was it?

Slowly, very slowly, Victoria's head started to shake. "No." The witch replied, not taking her eyes off the man as her hand came to rest on his forearm. "You're worth so much more than this offer, we will find you another option, there will be another option. This is our first major legislation piece, and we've already got Purdue begging us to let it go. If we go on... if we beat them, or bring them to their knees here, we will have a record, a record that shows you can't be bought off. Next time... they'll offer you ten million dollars as an opening, and perhaps next time, we'll be able to let them win and take it.

"But not this one, Jackson. You'll never forgive yourself if you concede on this one."

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~ Profile ~ Vickson Playlist ~
~ Slender ~ 30 ~ Bookworm ~ 5' ~ American ~

When most people downplayed their money, they were usually being coy. With the Goblin however, Jackson genuinely believed she was modest in her statement. "Comfortable" was not what her brother was, "comfortable" was what Jackson was just starting to be, and even that more so because of the never ending fountain of dollars from Fox. But there was no point arguing over who was the richer person here because Jackson would always be the loser in that fight.

By accepting Purdue's offer, he would have evened up the playing field a little but now that too was not an option.

So his hypothetical children would never go to private school, or vacation at elite destinations. They would always wonder what was it that made their parents so much poorer than everyone else's... Except they wouldn't. His children weren't hypothetical, he had a child on the way. With Tessa freaking Greene. His children would buy out entire private schools and vacation destinations.

And somehow that thought wasn't comforting either.

He could say why Tessa would want him to not worry. His career was little more than a passing hobby in the face of her fortune. Perhaps that was why it never phased her?

But no, he was being unfair. His girlfriend had been nothing but supportive in everything he had chosen to do. Tessa had never tried to impose her will on him, she had been extremely considerate of his needs all the time. It just wasn't her fault that she wasn't as passionate about politics as he was. She had grown up valued for her beauty, her position, her power and her talent. Jackson had had to make himself worth something and it had been an uphill battle every inch of the way.

The chip on hi shoulder wasn't her fault.

But then again, it wasn't Victoria's either, yet the tiny witch understood it so much better.

"You're worth so much more than this offer,"

And she believed in him.

Even as the lawyer contineud to sepak, Jackson could feel a great burden leave his soul, causing his tall rame to sag back into the couch in utmost relief.

His princess believed he could do better. Just like last year, in the final moments of the campaign, she had held faith when no one else had.

Alarmingly, the urge to kiss her in gratitude was back, but this time Jackson handled himself well, turning his face away from Victoria's to further sink into the couch. The relief was palpable in his face. If she thought he could do better... than he probably could.

"We'll call Purdue in the morning and tell them to go fuck themselves," teh man conceded, eye closed to the world as he took in the sudden lightness inside him. She had done that. The goblin and her dark magic had worked.

"Also, can I sleep on the couch tonight. I don't want to go back to the big house." the question was accompanied by a faint hint of the teasing smile he usually wore, showing that they were heading towards better waters.

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Come Plot With Me <3

» Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned ( Jackson)
» A Promise is a Promise (Amethyst & TJ)
» Hell Hath No Fury Like a Clement Scorned (One Shot)
» And they all went to heaven in a lil' row boat (Vickson)
» Taste of Heaven Pair 4 [Invite Only]