Janet had been wandering rather aimlessly around town before she finally stopped to gain her bearings. She hadn't been paying much attention to where she was headed, or what turns she had made. She didn't even know if the tavern was behind her or to her left or right or what. Great, she thought bitterly. This is all Jason's fault. If he weren't such a jackass my mind wouldn't be all over the place and I could watch where I was going. She glanced at her surroundings.

She had managed to wander herself along the wall of the town. The large structure rose up on her right and continued on both behind and in front of her. She could just barely make out the turn in the wall ahead of her as it cornered and continued around the town. Great. I'm in one of the four corners of town. She sighed and moved her gaze away from the wall. To her left the side of a large building loomed up, giving her a strange enclosed and uneasy feeling. She didn't like the idea of being lost in this town, and quickly turned to try and back track her way to the tavern when a voice from behind stopped her.

"Need some help?"

Janet let out a startled gasp. She hadn't seen anyone else nearby when she was looking around. Turning her head to glance over her shoulder, she spotted a forestclan man with grey fur, clad in jeans, a loose green shirt, and some simple boots staring at her. He must have thought Janet didn't hear him the first time because he repeated his offer.

"Ya look a bit lost, like me to take you somewhere?" He had been leaning casually against the city wall, but he stood up and started to approach Janet calmly now.

Something doesn't seem right. Janet shook her head lightly at his offer. I mean... he seems okay... but there's something about him...

"You sure?" He continued his approach, his eyes studying Janet as they drifted over her. "I can tell yer lost though. Not many people end up back here." He shrugged. "Lots of these buildin's haven't been used in a while, and people don't come 'round here often."

Now Janet was really beginning to feel uneasy, and she especially didn't like the look this stranger was giving her. She took a few careful steps back. "That's alright. I'm here with a lot of people, and just needed to get out someplace away for a bit. Kind of to get some air." She shrugged. "I'll be going back now." She did a quick turn and started briskly off again.

"Whoa, wait a sec." Janet froze as she felt a strong hand clamp down on her shoulder. "Don't leave just yet, I'm not done talking to ya."

There was something in his voice, Janet could sense it but she wasn't sure what exactly it was as she turned to face the forestclan man again. She was amazed that he had managed to catch up to her as fast as he did. "I really shouldn't be out here, I need to get back..." Janet could hear a shakiness in her voice and it caught her off guard. The stranger heard it too, and it caused him to smirk.

"Yer not really with a large group, are you." He offered her a grin, baring his muzzle full of sharp teeth to her. Janet saw a flash of something in his eyes and she could just see his tail waving a bit with amusement.

How wonderful, he takes joy in torturing girls who wander themselves into places they shouldn't be in. Janet prayed silently that that was all the forestclan man was aiming to do. "I am here with people," she started again, "and I'm going to get back to them now." She tried to brush off his hand but let out a startled cry as she felt its grip tightening.

"Yer not goin' anywhere just yet." His grin widened. "Not until I'm done with you."

Oh... shit... Janet felt herself tremble as she tried once again in vain to struggle from the firm grip on her shoulder. Her efforts were cut short when her attacker reached up and shoved her against the hard wall of the city, banging her head roughly on it. Janet let out a groan and felt tears welling up in her eyes from the pain in her head. She tried again to free herself.

"Let go of me!"

"Stop struggling and be a good lil' girl..." Her attacker growled, his ears laying back threateningly as he pressed himself closer to Janet. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, and it made her shudder.

"NO! Get away from me!" She tried feebly to fight back, doing her best to worm her way from his grip, but it was no good. He had her pinned between himself and the solid wall of the city. Janet seemed to shrink back against the wall as she squeezed her eyes close, the feeling of helplessness over taking her. This is all a dream. I'll wake up somewhere else. This can't be happening, this is all a dream...

A loud cracking sound followed by a sharp yelp, and the feeling of the attacker's grip being pulled off of her suddenly forced Janet to open her eyes again. Still trembling, she glanced over to where the forestclan man was stumbling to regain his balance, holding is jaw and whining slightly. A second later and Jason placed himself between Janet and her attacker, his dangerous glare fixed on the man in front of him. "Don't you fucking know what it means when a chick says 'No?'"

"Get out of here little boy before I tear you to ribbons." The wolfman bared his glistening fangs as he growled at Jason.

"I've got a glowing hand and a crossbow. You do not want to fuck with me." Jason brought up his right hand. It was clenched into a fist, and laces of magical energy, tinted red from its fire element, trailed along his arm and hand like flames, licking the windian's skin lightly before arching up and fading away. This always happened when Jason was ready to fight. It wasn't so much a spell he'd cast on himself, although it closely resembled the Fire Punch spell that Jason had learned, but it was more of an unconscious release of energy that the windian had begun doing a long time ago. Jason sometimes found it hard to control his magic when his temper flared, and his glowing right hand was often the result.

But it wasn't just a look. It hurt like hell too. The forestclan man rubbed his aching jaw again as his eyes shifted from the crossbow on Jason's back to his raised fist. He felt his ears twitch uneasily as he considered the outcome of the fight. Even if he did win, it wouldn't be worth the hurt. With a final enraged growl the attacker turned and hurried away from the two windians.

Janet didn't know if she wanted to hug Jason for saving her, or punch him for being a jerk to her, or just do both. All she could do, however, was stand there shakily and thank Landon that someone had come to help.

Jason watched the stranger leave, the magical glow around his hand slowly fading out. "What the hell are you doing all the way out here?" Jason whirled around and grabbed a hold of one of Janet's arms, yanking her away from the wall. She let out a painful cry as the jerky movement caused her head to pound even harder and she squeezed her eyes shut, a swell of tears rising up in them as she did. Almost immediately Jason's grip on her arm loosened up a little, and she could feel him taking a hold of her other arm to help steady her. A feeling of gratitude rose up in her again. She didn't think her shaky legs could support her on her own.

You're a jerk, Jason, but you have your moments. Janet groaned again and attempted to open her eyes, blinking a few tears from her lashes as she did.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No... just hit my head on the wall, that's all." Janet shook Jason's hand off of her right arm and rubbed the back of her head lightly. It was then that she noticed something different in his voice. It had softened suddenly. Wow, guess he's trying to actually not give me a headache right now... "What the hell are you doing out here anyway, Jason?" Janet jerked her other arm free and leaned up against the city wall once more, brushing the tears away from her eyes and sniffing before crossing her arms in front of her chest and turning to gaze up to study his face.

"I came to find you! What do you think you're doing, running off like that?" Jason took a step back from Janet and gave her a sharp glare. His voice was full of annoyance once more, and Janet wondered if she had imagined the change.

"The only reason I'm out here," Janet snapped back, "is because you've been the biggest jackass to me lately!" She wiped away another tear. Shit, she thought. Now I'm crying. The thought of Jason seeing her crying like this wasn't very appealing.

"What? Geez, are you still hung up on what I said to you last night?" Jason threw his arms up in annoyance. "Come on! I thought you were used to me doing that by now!"

"Well last night was different, Jason!" She was crying even harder now, and she didn't feel like trying to hold it back anymore. Hands clenched into fists at her side, Janet pushed herself up from where she was leaning against the wall and stepped up to Jason, glaring up at him. "What you said was different!"

"I was only saying that stuff to be mean!" Jason's voice had raised into a shout. "I always say stuff to be mean! I'm always fucking trying to be mean to you! What was different? It's not like I meant any of that stuff!" Jason shook his head in bewilderment at Janet. "Did you take me seriously? I was just fucking with you, Janet!"

"You don't get it do you?" Janet was shaking as she just about screamed her reply back at Jason. "It doesn't matter if you meant it or not-"

"Then what fucking matters about what I said?"

"It's because you said anything about it at all!" Janet couldn't help herself. She fell to her knees crying right then and there, and she didn't care if Jason was there watching her or not. She didn't care if he just left her there either. In fact, she was hoping he would. She was hoping he'd just turn and leave, and not come back. But he didn't.

"That doesn't make any sense..." Jason's voice quieted again to its normal talking tone as he dropped down in a crouch beside Janet. He stared in wonder at the shaky mess in front of him. I've never seen her like this... He could feel the guilt from last night return to him in full force as he watched the crumpled windian in front of him.

"I know it doesn't..." Janet's shaky voice was just barely heard through her tears. "It's just that... well... what you said... I wouldn't be surprised if it was true." Janet sniffed loudly, but didn't make any effort to look up. Jason just sat and waited quietly as Janet slowly continued.

"I've been thinking a lot about Justin since we left... I know why he didn't come with us... come with me." She brought her face up just enough to wipe more tears off on her sleeve, but she didn't look up at Jason. After a moment she continued talking once more.

"I don't know why Justin and I have been together for as long as we have. I guess it's just because we have nothing better to do. Sometimes I want to pretend that he actually cares about me but..." she shrugged. "But..." her voice trailed off again as she started to cry harder this time.

Jason chewed his lower lip, suddenly feeling very uneasy as he pieced together what Janet was saying. "So you think he's actually doing those things huh? What I said about Candi..."

"I don't think he is, I know he is!" Janet snapped at Jason and wiped her eyes again, sniffing as she did. "He doesn't care anything about me..."

"Then why are you still going out with him?" Jason shook his head in wonder at Janet.

"I don't know..." Janet shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "I don't know what else I would do... can we go back to the tavern now?" Janet lowered her gaze to the ground again. She didn't feel like talking about any of this right now, and especially not to Jason of all people.

"Yea, fine. Guess I'll just have to take you back there seeing as how you've gotten yourself lost out here anyway." Jason stood up and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. He watched as Janet slowly pulled herself up on her shaky legs before he started heading back to the tavern.

"How did you find me out here anyway?" Janet asked as she followed behind him.

Jason shrugged. "I was nearby and I heard your voice."

"You were looking for me?"

"I..." Jason gritted his teeth together as he forced the words out. "I came to apologize... for what I said."

"Well you fucked that up horribly." Janet muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hey!" Jason turned to face her. "I just fucking saved your ass back there! Mind showing a little gratitude?"

"I didn't ask you to come save me!" Janet uncrossed her arms and brought them down quickly to her sides. "I could have handled myself!"

"I'm sure you could have." Jason rolled his eyes. "You had the situation all under control, it was so obvious. Oh, but don't worry, I don't plan on making it a habit of saving you all the time."

"Good." Janet muttered. "Or else I'd rather not be saved at all."