A/N: This chapter features the song Seventeen from the musical. The lyrics will be in italics to imply singing, even though I have not done this for any of the other songs. The reason behind this is because it was easier to turn the other songs into written scenes, but it was slightly more difficult to do so for Seventeen.

3rd Person P.O.V

A few days had passed, and a funeral had been held for Ram and Kurt. Surprising revelations had been made at the funeral, including the fact that Kurt and Ram's fathers had had an affair with each other in the summer of 1983. After the funeral, Jasmine and Veronica were at Veronica's house. Veronica's parents were currently out, so the two girls had the house to themselves.

"Well, there's certainly a new scent in the air after that funeral. Could it possibly be tolerance? Inclusion? Love? How often can you say that it's a good day to live in Sherwood, Ohio? You're welcome, town." Jasmine remarked.

"You don't have to be so smug about it." Veronica muttered, still unhappy about what had happened in the cemetery.

"Your love keeps me humble. So, who next? What about Heather Duke? I found out she was the one who started that rumour about you. Hmm, we could underline meaningful passages in her copy of Moby Dick." Jasmine said. Of course, she didn't actually have any real intention to go after Duke, since Ram and Kurt had been the main perpetrators of the rumour.

"No! Two people are dead. This ends here." Veronica said.

"Or what?" Jasmine questioned.

"Or I'm breaking up with you." Veronica answered. That answer definitely made Jasmine reconsider what she had been about to say next.

"Any war has casualties. Doesn't mean it's not worth fighting. So, you'd rather give a free pass to the cannibals? Is that it? The assholes who make the world so unbearable, that you can't stand to go on living?" Jasmine asked.

"JD, how did your mother die?" Veronica asked, figuring out that this was most likely where Jasmine's hatred of the world stemmed from.

"You really want to know? Fine. My dad says it was an accident, but my mom knew what she was doing. My brother and I were nine. Our father had been hired to blow up this condemned library in Texas. A Norwegian in the boiler room, the usual. That day, my mom drove out to the demolition site with my brother and I in the backseat. She got out of the car and walked into the building two minutes before my dad blew it up. She waved at us through the window, and then.... Kaboom! She left us....." Jasmine answered.

"I'm really sorry." Veronica said, but Jasmine shook her head.

"Don't be. The pain gives me clarity. You and I are special, and we have a lot of work to do to make the world a decent place for people who are decent." Jasmine said.

"And when does it end?" Veronica asked.

"When every asshole is dead!" Jasmine answered. Veronica had a momentary burst of anger and pushed Jasmine away, causing the black-clad teen to fall to the ground.

"Fine! We're damaged. Really damaged, but that does not make us wise. We're not special, we're not different, we don't choose who lives or dies. Let's be normal, see bad movies, sneak a beer and watch TV. We'll bake brownies or go bowling, don't you want a life with me? Can't we be seventeen? That's all I want to do. If you could let me in, I could be good with you. People hurt us." Veronica kept her gaze on Jasmine, hoping to get through to the other girl.

"Or they vanish." Jasmine spoke softly, but she didn't look at Veronica

"And you're right, it really blows. But we let go." Veronica continued.

"Take a deep breath." Jasmine added.

"Then go buy some summer clothes. We'll go camping." Veronica suggested.

"Play some poker." Jasmine got to her feet, finally turning to face Veronica.

"And we'll eat some chilli fries. Maybe prom night." Veronica said.

"Maybe dancing." Jasmine added after some slight hesitation.

"Don't stop looking in my eyes." Veronica said, with Jasmine echoing the last two words

"Can't we be seventeen. Is that so hard to do? If you could let me in. I could be good with you. Let us be seventeen. If we've still got the right." Veronica had held out her hand to Jasmine during this, but the other girl had hesitated for a while before finally walking over, and then had taken both of Veronica's hands into her own, the two looking into each other's eyes the entire time.

"So what's it gonna be? I wanna be with you." Veronica knew this was what she wanted more than anything.

"I wanna be with you." Jasmine really did want to be with Veronica, but she still had a hard time trusting people after everything she'd been through in her life. Veronica echoed the statement once more, confirming it for the both of them.

"Tonight!" The distance between the two had slowly closed the entire time, until Veronica closed the rest of the distance between them, pulling Jasmine into a kiss, which the dark-haired girl quickly returned, before they both pulled away moments later.

"Yeah we're damaged." Veronica knew they couldn't deny this.

"Badly damaged." Jasmine confirmed

"But your love's too good to lose." Neither of them were willing to lose the other, which is why they were both hoping they'd be able to work things out.

"Hold me tighter." Veronica held Jasmine's arm around her, an action which seemed to surprise the other girl.

"Even closer." Jasmine wasn't about to question what Veronica was doing.

"I'll stay if I'm what you choose." Veronica really didn't want to have to make Jasmine choose between being with her or continuing on with what she seemed to have planned."

"Can we be seventeen?" Jasmine was quietly musing to herself, since being a normal teenager was not something she'd thought about for the longest time.

"If I am what you choose." Veronica had to work to keep control of the thoughts in her head, not wanting to think of any worse case scenarios.

"If we've still got the right." Jasmine wasn't entirely sure about what might happen. But she did know that she didn't want to lose Veronica.

"'Cause you're the one I choose." Veronica confirmed and finalised what she was hoping.

"You're the one I choose." Jasmine moved so that she could look Veronica in the eyes as she said this, showing her sincerity in her decision.

"You're the one I choose." Veronica moved back into Jasmine's arms and stayed there, unwilling to move from the feeling of security it still gave her, despite the recent events. All she could do was hope it lasted.