A Long Needed Catch Up (Jake)

To say that Scarlett had been isolated for quite a while was an understatement. She'd been so bogged down with work and extra patrols, that she hadn't paid nearly enough attention to those around her, and rather neglected her relationships. And so, when she had the slightest break in work, she had no clue what to do with herself.

So she sat at her desk, a fresh cup of hot tea in her hand, trying to unwind. She reflected that she had chosen probably one of the most stressful jobs there were, but there were aspects about it that she loved so much, it surpassed the stress. She enjoyed the adrenaline, the problem solving, the physical fitness and all that in between. But as of now, until she was needed again, it was her relax time. She sipped her tea slowly and just took some tome for herself.

Scarlett looked up as Jake sat down near her and gave him a small, tired smile, and pushed some stray bits of hair back from her face.

"You alright?"

She nodded "Yeah, I'm alright… Tired but alright. And you?" she asked. He looked even more exhausted than she felt. And she supposed he would be. He had a much, much more hectic life than she did.

"Break til..?"

She shrugged "Don't know really… I guess until they need us back. Let's just enjoy doing nothing for now…" she sipped her tea "So, how's being a father?" she asked, smiling. She was more than eager to talk about anything other than work. With it being so busy trying to find the leader of the Basilisks, and the leads seeming to fade, it got overwhelming at times. She couldn't imagine having the extra responsibilities that Jake handled. She practically lived at work these days.

Scarlett felt a warm feeling rush over her when she saw the change on Jake's face when bringing up fatherhood. She couldn't help but smile a bit too, just for pure happiness for him.

She listened with a soft smile on her face as he spoke of his family, sleeping patterns and the sorts. And with the way he spoke, she couldn't help but feel like she was missing out on something. Ever since she had left school, she'd focussed purely on her career, living alone and dedicating her free time to herself, rather than dating or the likes. She couldn't help but feel slightly envious. Not jealous, she was ecstatic for him, but envious.

"You'll have to come over to see him, some time. I can't have my partner not knowing my family now, can I?"

"Of course, I'll definitely pop over sometime," she smiled and looked down at the photo "Oh, isn't he adorable?" she beamed and looked up to Jake "He looks just like you," she said "And Veronika looks lovely. Very happy," she handed him back the picture "How old is he now?"

"He has a bit of both of us in him... But, most people say he looks more like me, poor little guy."

To that, she chuckled "Trust me, there's no need to worry. With your genetics, and Veronika's, he'll grow up to be one of those unbelievably superior looking people. So, no need to fret."

"Well, it's only natural," she replied to his comments about Veronika "Give it a few months and regardless of which parent spends more time with him, he'll settle… And four months already? Time flies by doesn't it…" she added.

And then, Jake asked the question that both he and Veronika had clearly put a lot of thought into. It was quite a shock, but a good sort of shock where she could feel the grin spreading across her face as her joy seemed to bubble in her stomach.

"Oh of course I accept!" she beamed. She'd never had the honour of being a godparent before. This would be the first. It flattered her greatly that Jake seemed to think so much of her as both a colleague and a friend that he would ask something like this of her. And she was ready to take on such a responsibility, if in the unfortunate scenario something would happen to either Jake or Veronika. "I- well, thank you I suppose," she grinned.

"He's gonna be eighteen and leaving home quicker than we realise."

She nodded "That's what my mum said happened to me and Lucy." she said "We grew too quickly… It's so strange. Make the most of it." she said, she sipped her tea.

Her excitement only grew with Jake's enthusiasm. It was a truly wonderful feeling, to be included in something like being a god parent. In fact, it made her reflect. Yes, time had slipped by so quickly, she barely remembered how long she had been out of school for. And she had thrown herself into her career, much to the pleasure of her employers, but her social life dwindled.

"And you don't need to thank me, thank you, for agreeing. It means a lot."

She grinned "You have no idea how much it means to me to even be asked," she said "Truly, thank you."