Jakoul smiled.
"Well, without Jamie I'll eventually break him down." He flew towards the North Pole with Gale in tow.
"Alright, act normal for a minute okay? Make them comfortable, when they put down their guard we'll unleash the fun.
"Act normal? How am I supposed to do that? Play innocent?" Gale seemed confused. He'd never done this before. Heck... there was a LOT he hadn't done before...
"It's easy, just say hello or say you hurt your throat. They won't know the difference. Just try to blend in, ignore all the questions." Jakoul laughed.
"Watch me." He flew into the area.
"Hello guys." He imitated Jack's voice.
"What's going on?" Gale nodded... he could do that. He mimicked Jakoul, smiling a little when he saw the four Guardians looking up at the globe.
"Jack! Iz not good news. Several towns have been hit lately." North looked at Jack accusingly. Bunny frowned as he eyed the pair of them. Something was different, but he didn't say anything. Tooth was flitting about the globe, worrying over the darkening lights while Sandy seemed troubled as he floated near North. Jakoul only smiled.
"Nothing happened, North. What do you mean? I was with Jamie the entire time, you know there are other winters besides me right?" North frowned at that.
"Yes, but has been long time since any winters besides you have entered Burgess." The others glanced at North, obviously this was news to them and they looked at Jack. Not seeming to have noticed Gale's eye color change, the only real change appearance wise.
"Yeah, but it it definitely wasn't me, now if you'll excuse me, me and Jamie are gonna go upstairs." Jakoul gave Gale the hint to head upstairs. Gale just nodded and headed up the stairs, wondering how long Jakoul wanted him to play this ploy until they struck. The group watched the two suspiciously. Jakoul closed and locked the door.
"We need to wait at least a day or two keeping our act up or else they'll suspect us."
"A day or two? Well... I can try. I guess I won't have to talk too much... I can play the grief-stricken boy." Gale grinned. Meanwhile, downstairs, not everyone had bought the act.
"Something's up." Bunny said and the others looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Tooth asked.
"I donno exactly. Didn't that seem a little strange to you? Not Jack, but Jamie... He seemed... different."
"Vhat do you expect? Boy lost sister, iz going to be hard on him." Bunny frowned at North.
"Yeah... but it's not that... it's like... I can't put me paw on it exactly, but there's just something that doesn't smell right."
"Bunny, you worry too much." North replied and the group went back to discussing a possible culprit besides Jack.
Jakoul snickered.
"You're learning well my young apprentice." He chuckled.
"Sorry, Jack's a nerd for Star Wars." Meanwhile, Jack was raging over the bond.
"YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS! THE GUARDIANS WILL STOP YOU!" Gale grins.
"Ya don't say? I think the kid was too at some point. It seems familiar anyway. He rolled his eyes at Jack's cries.
"Put a cork in it Frost, besides, after we ice 'em what will they do? Not like they can handle us both..." Gale snickers. Jack growls out in response.
"As soon as I gain control Gale I'm gonna-" Jakoul cut him off.
"What? Ice him? He's a winter and you'll never gain control." He snickered. Gale snickered as well.
"Face it Jack, you've lost. You couldn't even be a proper friend... what ever made you think you could manage being a brother or more to your little light?"
"S-shut up!" Jack's voice came out weaker and smaller.
"And you just stood there while Jamie kills his sister, what kind of a lover are you?" Jakoul put in, causing Gale to snicker.
"Do you even know the meaning of the word Jack? You never even bothered with technology... you've always been so selfish. Why would you be able to know what it means to be a friend if you can't even think of anyone else? You're the exact opposite of what a lover should be..." The guilt was eating at Jack like acid, he was weakening and Jakoul knew it.
"Awww... don't feel bad though, Jamie would want you to give up after all. Just give in Jack and you won't feel pain ever again." Jack started to succumb to Jakoul's darkness.
"Maybe if I sleep I won't wake up..." Gale's eyes sparkled at Jack's words.
"You might as well. After all... wouldn't he have been better off without you? If it weren't for you... his sister would still be alive."
"J-jamie... I'm sorry." Tears glistened as Jack fell back into the dark lake in his mind.
"You're right... it's all my fault..." It was the last words the two heard before there was nothing more. Jakoul smirked.
"Well, we probably won't hear from him for a while." Gale smirked.
"Less trouble for us." Gale said, but that wasn't right. A soft whisper echoed over the bond...
"No..." Gale's eye widened and he stumbled back in painful shock.
"T-this ... c-can't be!" Gale cried out in pain, Jamie wasn't just fighting back; it was the light of his heart... of his love for Jack. It was flooding the bond. Gale clutched his head, falling to his knees.
"Oh hell no!" Jakou snarled, using Jack's anger on Jamie, to harm him; he pushed Jamie back, giving Gale more power. Jamie wasn't having any of it though; determination fuling him and Gale let out one last cry before Jamie re-emerged. His eyes sparkling with the fire of his love and belief in Jack.
"I won't let the likes of you control me again Jakoul. You caught me off guard once... but you can't do it again." He lunged at Jakoul, but not to attack like the other might expect; he wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug, reaching out to Jack over the bond and whispering lovingly.
"It's not your fault... it never was... I need you Jack, no matter what that monster says." Jack tried to reach for Jamie in return but Jakoul's influence was strong and the other snarled at Jamie.
"You're too late Bennett, he's gone." Jakoul struggled to get out of Jamie's grip.
"GET OFF ME!" He struggled fruitlessly as Jamie just clung tighter.
"You can't take him from me... I won't let you have him." Jamie whispered fiercely, focusing only on Jack... reaching to him over the bond even as he pressed his lips to Jakoul's. Intending to shock the other and reinforce his love for Jack. Jakoul hissed at Jamie's light, which began to pull Jack back from his slumber.
"J-jamie..." Jakoul pulled and pushed at Jamie, biting him as he tried to stop what Jamie was trying to do. Jamie didn't give up, tightening his hold as he pressed against him; ignoring the bite to his lip despite how it stung. Jamie slid his tongue along the cool lips, something he'd only read about someone doing once... Jaloul struggled while Jack, in his mind, awoke to see a bright light that was like the moon he remembered seeing when he'd first awoken. He shifted to swim to the surface of the lake and towards the light; Jakoul began to weaken while Jack was coming back into control.
"J-jamie..." Jack murmured as he tried to fight the sucking pull of the darkness. Jamie took the opening he'd been hoping for; boldly sliding his tongue into Jack's mouth to slide his tongue along the coolness that was like his own but different in its own way. Jack's love was beating hard against Jakoul's power, the other swearing and him and Jamie. Jack groaned into the kiss, the dark waters faded and as Jack emerged he could see Jakoul fall into the lake, the top freezing over for now as Jack regained control. He wrapped his arms around Jamie.
"J-jamie... I'm so sorry."
"Stop apologizing." Jamie murmured, kissing Jack gently; nothing but love flowing over the bond. Tears fell as Jack hugged Jamie close.
"Oh God Jamie... I missed you. I was so scared." Jack shook, falling into him, but he weighed almost nothing. Jamie hugged Jack close, sighing a little.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you." Jack whimpered, hugging Jamie tightly; he couldn't stand anymore; fighting Jakoul had taken its toll on him.
"I'll always be here for you. I love you Jack." He murmured, his voice quiet from exhaustion. It had taken almost everything he'd had to get rid of both at once. He didn't mind Jack's weight on top of him, if he were honest, it felt nice. Just like everything about Jack... There was no doubt about it. Jamie was hopelessly devoted and in love with Jack. Jack kissed Jamie before pulling them both onto the bed, him on top of Jamie as he fell asleep. Jamie returned the kiss before sighing a bit happily and falling asleep as he curled against Jack; he never wanted to be apart from Jack ever again. The morning sun filtered through the window as Jack awoke, he stirred a little; feeling his body weighed down slightly he felt a moment of panic and struggled a bit to open his eyes though he relaxed instantly the moment he realized it was just Jamie; the two of them having shifted in the night so that Jamie's head was now pillowed on Jack's chest.