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Christmas Day, 2008.

Jazz sighed and glared at the outfit Edmund had made her wear. "For Christmas Spirit, Jazzabelle."

After she left Nicolae, she camped out in Barton Boutique with Ian for a few months. She only left after a drunken night that left her naked in his bed. She liked Damian, but he was too gentle for her. She couldn't live with herself if she broke him. She had walked into Barton Jewelers, and stared heatedly at Agatha, her hand on her gun.

"Get your foul hands out of my shop." the old hag snapped

"As soon as you help me get to Durem, I leave you and your precious shop alone, woman." She glanced over at Mirai, who stood there by her mother, speechless for once in her pitiful existence.

"Leave my daughter be, Elf." Jazz looked back at the old woman and grinned sardonically.

"It's nice to know that race is still something foul to the old ones who don't know better." she said. "And coming from someone who is 300 years old, you know that it's bad, babe. Get me the hell out of Barton. I know you've been relaying messages to Edmund."

Agatha glared at her and beckoned at Jazz to follow her. They walked down stairs to the basement. Agatha lifted up a trapdoor, pointing to several flights of stairs below.

"Go all the way to the bottom. It's ten flights. Then follow the tunnel and you'll find yourself in Edmund's shop."

Jazz nodded at her and went down the stairs, slamming the trapdoor behind her. She ran a thumb over the ring on her index finger and kept her hand on her gun. Thankfully, she could see perfectly in the dark, so she was fine.

After several hours, she finally reached the end of the tunnel. Instead of stairs there was a ladder, a long one. She climbed up it and pushed aside the trapdoor at the top.

She walked quietly up the stairs into the interior of H & R Wesley.

Edmund was at the cash register, most likely checking his receipts and counting the drawer.

She walked over to him quietly. He turned and looked at her, a bemused smile on his face.

"Ahh, the hotheaded Mercenary has graced me with her presence. Tell me, what measly sum were you paid for my head? By the by, if you were trying to sneak up on me, you did an awful job of it." he said

Jazz grinned at him and slapped him on the back.

"I've missed you Edmund."

"I've missed seeing you chase off the silly girls who stick around and don't buy anything. Still can't do anything about that Tomoe girl, though." he muttered, rolling his eyes. Jazz's eyes twinkled. She knew he had a soft spot for his biggest fangirl, he just refused to admit it.

"Maybe I'll just shoot her for ya, how bout that?"

"You'll do no such thing. What are you doing here anyhow? I thought you were living the life of wedded bliss out in the countryside with that blasted gypsy." Her face fell.

"I was." she said stonily. Edmund looked at her worriedly "Until I found him in bed with your ex flame." His face contorted in rage.

"Did you kill him?"

"No." she said. She blinked back tears stubbornly. Edmund patted her back awkwardly.

"I'm sorry." he said.

"Forget about it." she replied "He's dead to me."

"Yes, but you're supposed to be hiding from the Kuro Gang, are you not? Either that, or killed by the Orcs as the telling goes. What do you intend on doing now that you're back on their home turf, Jazzabelle?" He asked.

She sighed.

"Mind if I stay here for awhile? I'll help out in the shop..." Edmund smiled kindly.

"You know you don't even need to ask." She hugged him happily.

"Thanks Ed. By the way, what's up with you and Hagatha? She's vile."

"She wasn't always so vile. Plus, she's my best friend's ex wife."

"I'm sorry."

"Well, get all settled in, Jazzabelle, and don't keep me waiting. I expect you to have these fangirls promptly out of my shop when they come around."

Jazz grinned.