Author's Notes: Just so we're clear, this is an AU. It involves a modern, human Jack (around age 8 in this fic) and two OCs (Jana AKA Jay and August, her brother).Some of you might know the OCs mentioned in this fic, some of you might not, but you don't necessarily need to know them to read this. Just saying. And for future reference, this is part of what I call the Highschool AU. Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. More to come later. c:

I felt like I hadn't seen her in forever. I told my mom, even, that she never came over anymore and she must've been mad at me.

"What did I do wrong?" I asked her. Before she could even answer me, I got frustrated, complaining, "I hate girls! Nothing ever makes them happy!"

Mom started to glare. I shut up.

"It's only been a week, Jack." She said, her tone soft and calm. Mom always knew just what to say to cheer me up. I guess it wasn't really what she said, but how she said it. She made me feel better about the whole thing, but…I was still worried. Even August hadn't come to play, and he was my only other friend! We'd been in this stupid neighborhood for two whole years, and it was always so quiet and boring! "Jay will come to play soon. I know she misses you, too."

My cheeks burned hot. "I never said I missed her!" Even though I tried not to, I knew I had started pouting. Before mom could point it out, I stomped over to the front door, putting on my shoes and tying them quickly. Mom always said I did it sloppy, and that my laces were going to come undone and trip me. "I'm going to her house!" I said.

For the first time, mom didn't nag me about my shoelaces. All she said was, "Be home before dark. I love you."

I managed to mumble a "Love you," before I left, all but running from my embarrassment. Jay would have laughed so hard if she saw me right now. At least there was enough time between her house and mine that I could calm down before she saw me. Or…well, there should've been enough time. I barely got two houses down before I saw her, sitting in the overgrown grass that blanketed our street's empty lot. She was so small that it almost hid her entirely, but I recognized her choppy black hair, and…I heard her crying.

Jay didn't look up when I walked towards her. She didn't even seem to hear me. She just sobbed with her head down on her arms, which were propped up on her legs, just shy of her skinned and bloody knees. Her pale white skin poked out of her dark blue jeans, and I could tell both the scrapes and tears were new. More scrapes and bruises seemed to cover her arms, but they were all so fresh, and they looked so painful…

She always said her training could be tough. Her dad was hard on her, but only because he wanted her to be the best, to be better than everyone else. At least…that's what she always told me. Right now, though, she didn't look like she was the best…she just looked scared, and hurt and…sad…

I sat down next to her in the dirt. I tried to be quiet so I wouldn't scare her, but she flinched away from me anyway. It reminded me of this dog in my old neighborhood. He was a stray, and I always played with him, and he was nice. He was a good dog. One day, I saw him walking around, but he was different. Somebody had hurt him real bad, and he growled at anything that got too close to him. Mom wouldn't let me go play with him anymore. I hoped she wouldn't say that about Jay, too. I liked playing with her.

"G-go away…" She whimpered. Her whole body shook, and it seemed like she was crying even harder now. "I kn-know you think I'm w-weird now, so just…just go." I don't know how long we sat there, with her crying and me just…sitting. Eventually, I reached over and put my arm around her shoulders, just like other boys did in movies. This was different, though. The girls in the movies smiled and laughed, but Jay just cried. After a moment, though, she relaxed and her head fell onto my shoulder and she fit against me like we were two puzzle pieces that had finally found their way back into the same box.

She stopped crying after a few minutes. Her head still lay against my shoulder, and her legs were still bundled in close to her, but she didn't seem so scared anymore. Just sad.

"I missed you." I told her, and I meant it.

There was a pause, and then she said, "I missed you, too." And I know she meant it.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, even though I knew she wasn't. She hesitated again.

"…I'm okay now." She said.

I didn't want to push her. I thought she would tell me when she was ready. So, while I waited, I told her how bored and lonely I'd been, and I told her all the stories about how I spent all that time without her. She never interrupted me, just listened, and when she finally lifted her head and looked at me…she was smiling.

"Can we go watch Sleeping Beauty?" She asked, wiping a tear from her black eye. I knew mom would want to help her, and give her lots of silly Band-Aids like she always gave me, but…we could still watch her movie after that.

"Only if I get to be Prince Phillip." I said. She laughed, and I grinned.

"But you'd be such a pretty princess!" Jay said, pushing me and laughing again. I laughed with her and got to my feet, pulling her up with me.

"I wanna be Prince Phillip! Promise me I can!" I started to pout, and she smiled such a pretty smile that I couldn't even pretend to be upset.

"You can always be my prince, Jack. I promise." Then, she kissed my cheek, and I felt a fire start under my skin and spread through me, all the way into my fingers and toes.

We walked back home, hand in hand, and mom fussed over her for a little bit. When Jay started to look like she might cry again, mom stopped bugging her, and we watched Sleeping Beauty three times in a row. Well…almost three times. When the three good fairies were putting the kingdom to sleep, I realized Jay had fallen asleep, and mom let us curl up on the couch together all night

I was just glad Jay was smiling again.

A few years later, she told me about her father, and the "training" he put her through. I was so mad that I swear I saw red, but Jay acted like she didn't notice. She kissed my cheek at the end of her story, and I felt like I was eight years old and she was perfect and nothing could ever go wrong.

I swore that day that no matter what happened, I would always protect her. She was my princess…and I was her loyal prince.