The Tunnels of Confession

"C'Mon Jack,"  I whispered, my voice emotionless as I pressed a firm hand against his shoulder and led him out into a side tunnel, Duchess at his heels.  The two of us walked in silence, the only audible sound created by Jack's soft cries that seemed to be echoing from his chest with every step he took.  I tightened my hold on him, trying to keep the hot tears from streaming down my face.  Soon, I stopped, Duchess collecting herself at Jack's feet and staring up at me with her big, chocolate puppy dog eyes that seemed to be as sad as their new master's.  "C'Mon,"  I whispered to her helplessly.  "You need to be alright through all of this.  My Jack's going to need you…"

I gave the dog a quick pat on the head, turning my attention to Jack, who had at least calmed down a reasonable degree.  "Jack,"  I started, placing both of my hands on his shoulders and stepping closer to him.  He gazed into my eyes with a watery smile.

"Yeah, Damien?"

Oh goddess! I cringed mentally.  His voice was as watery and flushed as his face was, and I knew that if I looked at him too closely and for too long of a time, I would end up breaking down.  And that, certainly, would do nothing of good significance for either of us.

"Jack, listen… You cannot accompany us to the House of Night."  I was expecting a huge outburst of whimpers and cries that would eventually lead to his famous Jack Twist tears, but nothing happened.  He just stood there, like a mirror; His reflection was never changing.

After a few minutes, he replied in a tight, constricted voice, "Why, Why not?"

Swallowing hard, I answered, being sure to choose the correct words, "Because, well, it is too dangerous.  Even with Zoey's ability to manifest each of the elements, it would mean-"

"It's because I don't have an affinity for an element, right?"  Jack interrupted, looking as though Christmas had been cancelled.
  "It's okay, Damien, you can just say it aloud.  I won't be offended by the truth."

"No!  It's not that!  It's just that it's too dangerous; I don't even want to go, and-"

"Then don't."  Jack replied simply, flashing me a trace of his cute little smile.  "Don't leave.  Stay with Stevie Rae and Heath and Erik and me.  At least you'll have some eye candy that way."  His smile grew a few sizes, reminding me of the Grinch's heart in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.  

"I wish I could, Jack.   I so wish I could."  I wrapped my arms tightly around him, bringing his shaking body against mine and squeezing so hard that I feared of cracking a rib or two.  "But Zoey needs me.  Do you know how horrible I would feel if I wasn't there to protect her, and suddenly she ended up dead because of me?"  I paused dramatically, hoping that the words would sink into Jack's mind.  When he didn't reply, I continued.  "I need you to know that I'm not leaving you.  I wouldn't never dream of such a thing, my darling."  My lips pressed against his earlobe quickly before I pulled away, pulling a thin, golden chain from around my neck.
"Jack, I'd like you to have this."  I mumbled, dropping the gold chain into his outstretched palm.  "It's quite a nifty little device.   Do you know what it is?"

He shook his head, patting Duch with a small movement.  

"It's a pocket watch.   Sorta."  I shrugged, taking the watch head in my hand and turning it to the proper time and the exact location of where I was.  "I rigged this from a book I found in the library, along with putting a small spell on it.  

         Whenever you press this to your heart, it will automatically alert you to where I am and what state I'm in, physical and emotional.  Pretty neat, huh?"

Suddenly jack burst into happy little tears, hugging my quickly and tightly and waving a hand across his face to smudge his tears.  "Damien, you're so sweet! Th-Thanks so-so m-much!"  That's when he pressed his soft lips to mine, soft yet hard, innocent yet devious, and quietly yet loudly.  I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss to a stage that we had not yet reached.  I was only idly wondering if I had gone a little too far when Jack pulled away smoothly, smiling up at me with a little kid grin that clearly said he would obey whatever I told him.

"You do realize that I would never, ever leave you, right, Jack?"  I muttered in a husky voice, pressing him close to my chest so that he could hear my heartbeat.
"Yes, of course, Damien."  Jack whispered, then grabbed my hand and squeezed it as we walked slowly together back to Stevie Rae's room, enjoying the little time we had in our own, private, intimate world.