❝ I've been tryna call

I've been on my own for long enough

Maybe you can show me how to love, maybe

I'm going through withdrawals

You don't even have to do too much

You can turn me on with just a touch, baby ❞

♛

Killing James was easy. Especially since Jo had the Cullens there helping her. She had no personal vendetta against James, she was simply there to protect a fellow innocent human and so, Jo was okay with being absolutely remorseless.

On the other hand, getting into it with Victoria may have been a bad idea now that she looked back on it from the discomfort of a hospital bed, about two days later. Turns out she really had broken a few bones.

Strangely enough, even though Jo had had no problem killing James, when she'd woken up to the steady beeping of a heart monitor, Jo's dumb ass really thought she was dead. And she hated to admit it but a part of her felt relieved. And then she opened her eyes and, unfortunately, she was still alive.

Jo blinked, the bright hospital lights blinding her. She groaned, suddenly feeling the ache in her body every time she breathed.

"I wouldn't try to move if I were you," a familiar voice piped up from the corner of the room.

Jo's eyes darted towards the voice, catching sight of Grams standing with her arms crossed, looking unimpressed. Sleeping beside her in an uncomfortable plastic chair — in a rather awkward position might I add — was Harper, a line of drool trailing down the side of her face. Damn, she must've been really tired.

"Three broken ribs, a broken leg a collapsed lung and a sever concussion," Grams listed furiously, "You're lucky your powers helped Carlisle and I fix most of that because the damage done was severe. That said, is there anything you have to say for yourself?"

"You should see the other guy?" Jo joked.

Grams face remained stony and for a second, Jo feared that she was really, genuinely mad. But a smile cut through her mask of anger and Grams let out a relieved laugh, moving to sit in the other chair beside Jo's bed.

"Goodness me, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," Grams laughed tiredly.

Jo smiled.

"Maybe not tell my dad?" Jo suggested hopefully.

Grams rolled her eyes.

"I'm old, not dumb, Johara," Grams deadpanned, giving her a look.

Jo wanted to laugh but her aching bones prevented her from doing so. Just then, the door clicked open, startling Harper back into the land of the conscious.

"Wha—!" She screamed, bolting upright and consequently tumbling out of the chair.

Harper groaned and pushed herself off the floor, rubbing her head.

Jo chuckled lightly, unable to help herself, before looking over to the door where Carlisle Cullen stood with a smile on his face.

"Hello, Johara," He greeted politely, nodding to Grams and Harper, "How are you feeling?"

"Like hammered crap," she stated, "But I'm good."

Jo glanced at Grams and Harper and smiled. And I mean really smiled.

"I'm really really good."

♛

"She's looking good," Harper stated as she inspected Rosita, "You've been making progress."

Jo shrugged.

"What can I say? I'm just awesome like that," she remarked with a smug smirk.

Harper rolled her eyes.

"God, I think I literally just saw your head grow three sizes."

"Harper!" Grams hollered from inside the house, "It's time to leave!"

Jo sighed. It had been weeks since the whole incident with James and Victoria and Jo was having the best time having Harper around again but, alas, the time had come for her to return to New York. Which meant that Jo would have to say goodbye yet again.

"You promise you'll be okay here?" Harper asked, studying Jo.

Jo nodded.

"I'm a big girl, Harp. I can take care of myself," she said.

"One: no you can't. And two: I mean it. Promise me," she insisted.

Jo chuckled fondly and rolled her eyes.

"I solemnly swear not to do anything stupid until you get back," she promised.

Harper nodded, satisfied.

"Now, there's just one more thing we need to take care of before I go..."

And that thing was tormenting Jacob.

Don't worry, it was nothing huge and extravagant. They just filled all his Oreos with toothpaste and covered his beloved Volkswagen Rabbit in bright, lumo pink post-its — as well as most of the interior of his garage. I think it's safe to say that his reaction was totally worth the grounding Jo got from her dad the next day.

Unlike the last time Johara had to bid her best friend farewell, this time Jo felt far more secure. Maybe it was the fact that Harper had actually come back or maybe it was that Jo was actually different. She'd come to terms with the kind of person she was and Harper had chosen to be her friend anyway. Harper believed that Jo was worthy of a second chance. So, for that reason, Jo could believe in herself too.

By that same afternoon, as Jo drove home in Grams' rusty old Jeep, rain poured down on the town of Forks but Jo chose to slightly roll down the window and let that crisp, rain-scented air fill her corrupted lungs. Jo felt good. She felt... clean, in a way.

One of the things she loved most about taking long drives by herself all the way down to the reservation was the fact that she could relax. She could let loose and let the music playing through the crappy stereo just fill the space and she could finally take a breath.

Today, Jo's drive was interrupted by a fickle little thing known as her own moral compass. Amidst her journey, Jo caught sight of a lone vehicle on the side of the road, two young — rather anxious looking — boys pacing in front of it in the pouring rain. Internally debating whether or not she should stop and help or just keep driving, Jo's good mood made her opt for the former. So, she pulled up in front of the broken down car on the side of the road and climbed out into the pouring rain.

"I'm telling you dude, if my mom yells at me for this you're so—"

"Hey!" She called out, approaching the pair, "You boys need some help?"

"Oh, thank god," the one with shorter, curlier hair breathed with relief before turning to face her, "Yes please we—"

The boy paused, his face falling as soon as he recognised Jo.

"Oh you've gotta be shitting me," he groaned.

"Quil! What's taking so l—" The boy with the long hair stepped around, cutting himself off as he, too, took notice of Jo, "Johara?"

Great. Just her luck. The one time she decides to be a good person and help some people out and those people turn out to be Quil and Embry — two people that weren't exactly always her biggest fans.

Jo threw her head back and groaned. Was she seriously being punished for good intentions right now?

"Hello, boys," she greeted reluctantly, "Car trouble?"

Quil narrowed his eyes.

"If you're here to make fun of us, leave," the boy spat through chattering teeth and lips tinted blue from the cold.

Jo rolled her eyes.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" She cut to the chase, getting impatient, "'Cause I could always launch your sorry asses here to freeze to death."

Quil stepped forward to say something snarky about how they didn't need her help but, in a more reasonable state of mind than his friend, Embry held out a hand to stop him.

"Come on, man. You know we gotta get outta here quick," Embry pleaded with Quil, "We need help."

Quil huffed indignantly but conceded.

With a smug smirk, Jo walked past the boys — lightly shoulder-checking Quil in the process — and made her way over to the front of the car. The girl popped open the hood and leaned over, expecting the engine.

Embry chewed anxiously at his nails, waiting for the verdict.

"Well..." Jo started, "you'll need to get your alternator fixed when you take it into the shop but for now..."

The girl jogged over to Grams' Jeep and grabbed the jumper cables she had stashed in the back in case of emergencies. In no time, Embry's car was up and running again.

"Thank goodness," the boy animatedly sighed with relief before turning to Jo, "Thank you, Johara," he said sincerely.

Her vision may have been warped by the thick blankets of rain that poured down on them but Jo could hear the sincerity in his voice. It warmed her heart and made her smile — it felt good to know she'd done something good.

"No problemo," she replied playfully with a salute, "You boys be careful now. Wouldn't want your mom worrying about you or something."

"Right, so... just my mom would be worried about us then?" Embry teased, "Nobody else?"

"If you mean me then you're damn right, Call," Jo stated, "If you boys were to just mysteriously disappear, I'm the police's first suspect!"

Quil looked mildly disturbed, as though he didn't know if that was a threat or a joke. However, Embry seemed to catch on just fine and played along.

"Right... sure."

Jo and Embry shared a smile, their gazes lingering for a few seconds longer than would usually be deemed necessary for acquaintances. Thankfully, Quil, the most clueless person out there, was the only one around to witness this.

"Well, this has not been fun," Quil stated, interrupting their moment, "Johara, I hope we never do this again," he bid, climbing into Embry's car and slamming the door shut behind him.

Jo raised an eyebrow.

"He's just such a people person, isn't he?" Jo remarked.

Embry chuckled.

"Oh, yeah. That's Mr Congeniality right there. Didn't you know?" He joked.

Jo scoffed.

"Coulda fooled me," she mumbled, "I guess I'll see you around, Call."

Embry gave her salute and a smile, mirroring her action from before.

"Later, Jo."

As they parted ways, Jo drove home with a smile on her face and strange fluttering feeling in her heart.

She'd come a long way this past year and that thought alone instilled a newfound hope within Johara Black that she so wished was there to stay.

As the sun set on one of the most peaceful days of Johara's life, the girl rested easy knowing that things were finally looking up. But unbeknownst to her, a beaten and bloodied redhead, watched on with a primal sort of anger pulsating through her icy veins and a deep desire for revenge blazing in her blood red eyes.

♛