[M] Kindling Love {Karma & NotWhoIWas}

[.Karma.]

As he slumped to the ground weak hands gripped onto him. Using all of her strength, she caught him up in her arms. Elena had almost collapsed herself, and almost thought she was imagining his voice calling for her. But no, he was there, she had caught sight of him in the rain and caught him in her arms just in time.

God it felt good to feel his touch, but he was weak. Was she too late? Lowering him to the ground slowly, she cupped his face in her hands. Stroking gently. "I'm not going anywhere." She sobbed, her fingers stroking the side of his face and through his hair. "You can't make me. I'm not going anywhere, Jackson! You can yell and scream, say anything you want! I can't live without you." The sobs were pleading as she held his weak form in the pouring down rain.

Elena wasn't even sure he could hear her, his eyes were fluttering, and the thunder was booming around them. "I LOVE YOU, JACKSON!" Her heart was racing and she was staring deeply into his eyes. "Can you hear me?! I love you!" With that proclamation, she wrapped one hand around the back of his head, putting the other hand on his heart, she pulled his lips up to hers and kissed him with everything she had.

The rain could pour down on them, the thunder could roll, but she loved this man. She didn't care. The only thing that mattered right now was his lips on hers, the love that she felt in her heart, her hand feeling the slow thumping in his chest that seemed to only slow, causing hers to beat faster.

Tears mingled with the rain. Don't let this be their last. Breaking the kiss for just a moment. "I love you, Jackson. Please don't go. I love you." She kissed him hard again as sobs shook through her entire weak body, but her lips did not again leave his.

[Notty]

Jackson let out a soft groan as he fell to the ground, but much to his surprise, he didn't hit the ground. Instead, his body slumped into Elena's arms, and he lowered him to the ground gently and carefully. He shifted slightly in her arms, trying his best to focus his eyes, blurred from the rain and weariness, on her. No. It couldn't be her. This must be some cruel trick that the curse was playing on him.

You can't make me. I'm not going anywhere, Jackson! You can yell and scream, say anything you want! I can't live without you, a weak smile came across his face as she spoke, and his hand lifted, reaching to gently cup her cheek as she looked down at him. He could feel his heart slowing in his chest as he watched her, tears rolling down his own cheeks, mingled with the rain.

As Elena kissed him, Jackson tried to kiss back, his lips cold against hers, his fingers brushing across her cheek one last time before his hand fell to the ground, splashing in the mud.

I love you.

The words rang in his ears as he took in a final breath, his body going limp beneath her.

For several moments, he lay there, lifeless before her. The rain continued to beat down on them, seemingly unaffected by what had just happened. Then, a spark hit the ground near Elena, then another, and another. Soon, the rain had changed into falling sparks of light, surrounding them. A larger spark dropped, landing on Jackson's chest and he took in a sharp breath, his eyes fluttering open.

Blinking several times, he took in another sharp breath, as though he had been holding his breath for a long time. Slowly, the color came back to his cheeks, and his eyes cleared, focusing on the only thing that matter to him. Elena. "You....you came back...." Jackson whispered, his eyes meeting hers.

[.Karma.]

When his hand fell from her face she tried to grab it back up and place it back, then she felt his heart stop. It stopped. Heart wrenching sobs escaped her mouth as Elena wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. She tried to shake him awake at first, but he was gone.

Shivering and shaking. Loud sobs escaping her lips, she laid down beside him in the mud still holding him close. Softly she mumbled a tune. The sobs breaking up the words.

"Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"

It was from the first song she had sang to him. She shouldn't stay here, but she couldn't let go, she couldn't leave him. As she continued to sob a spark of light surprised her. Must be her imagination. But then another...

and another...

and another...

Until it was pouring down on them instead of the rain. Pushing herself up on her elbow she looked all around her, her heart was racing. What was happening? Then those beautiful green eyes. The ones with all the secrets. They fluttered open and she immediately grabbed his face stroking gently, looking into those eyes. This couldn't be real. Sobs of heartbreak and sorrow turned into sobs of incomparable joy and relief.

How? She was in such disbelief, but then he gasped for air, her lips immediately started kissing the cheeks that had gained their color, and all over his face, when he took in another sharp breath, she couldn't help but kiss his lips, her weeping in pure elation continued as she heard his voice. That voice of perfection that she thought she would never hear again.

"Of course I did. Life is nothing, without you." Her eyes met his with true sincerity, and without any other words, she gripped onto his face and kissed him hard, with desperation that only someone who had thought there love was dead could have.

[Notty]

Jackson smiled weakly as he felt Elena's lips pressing against his cheek, listening to her sob as she realized that he wasn't in fact dead, that he was alive. More alive than he had ever felt. His hand raised again, cupping her cheek as she looked at him, brushing some mud and tears away before she leaned down and kissed him.

It was a kiss unlike any other they had shared before. It wasn't out of passion, or raw desire for one another. It wasn't out of need, or want. It was out of love. Pure, desperate, deep love for one another. Jackson kissed her back tenderly, his hand moving to the back of her neck, tangling in her hair.

When the kiss finally ended, he smiled against her lips, kissing them briefly before speaking. "I love you, Elena..." he whispered, his voice still somewhat weak. "I love you, I couldn't have....I was afraid that you..." he shifted slightly and closed his eyes. "It doesn't matter now," Jackson murmured, kissing Elena gently several times. "What matters now is you are here, and I love you..."

Mrs. Emerson had been watching the whole thing from the front door, her eyes full of tears and her cheeks wet from crying. She had feared that it was too late, that Elena had gotten to Jackson too late, but then he leaned up. Then he kissed her. A sob of joy and relief escaped her lips and she jumped for joy, running out through the mud and light rain to the couple. "Jackson! You're alright! And Elena, you're back! It worked! It worked! Thank heavens!"

Jackson looked up at Elena as Mrs. Emerson cried and then ran back towards the house, yelling for everyone else to come outside, that Jackson was alright and Elena had come back. "I love you, Elena.." Jackson said softly, his thumb brushing the back of her neck as he closed his eyes. "I love you."

[.Karma.]

"Shhh Shhh." She whispered when he started to tell her how scared he was. He was right. None of that mattered now. They were here together, and they loved one another. That is what mattered. Elena kissed him one last time as the rest of the 'family' came outside. There was not a dry eye around. Despite his anger, Jackson was truly cared about.

Elena tiredly raised herself up from the mud and helped Jackson up as well. She stumbled a few times, she had ran almost six miles today, but they all made it back inside the house.

After they got cleaned up, everyone together opened up a bottle of wine and celebrated the end of the curse and just spent some good quality time together, realizing what they almost had lost, until Elena fell fast asleep in Jacksons arms.

---------------------------------

Elena's eyes fluttered open to see Jackson sleeping softly beside her. It had been a week since the nearly tragic incident, but she still counted herself so grateful that they were here together. Elena couldn't resist reaching a hand up and stroking his face gently before giving him a soft kiss. They were in a huge king sized bed, full of soft pillows. A room that before a week ago, she had never seen for herself. Jacksons room.

Well, it was not just Jackson's room anymore. It was their room. The study was decorated in roses, to help remind both of them of the curse and what was important in this life they were starting together. Jackson still got angry sometimes, but he was learning to control it on his own. Things were not perfect, he was not perfect. That was the beauty and the struggle of it. They were still learning, learning to live with one another, learning how to properly love one another. It was a new adventure that had it's ups and downs.

This was an adventure that they were both determined to push their way to though. Their love for one another was evident, even in the hardest moments. They had their odd little family to help them learn and progress through this life together. This life full of love, happiness, and hardship.

This new life that she couldn't wait to start with the man that had secrets in his eyes.