Sandy hugged Jack and the other Guardians gathered around to do the same, none of them said anything though as they embraced him.
"Oh God... ROXAS!" He yelled and ran into the panic room.
"Roxas... baby..." He called down to his precious child, the only thing he had of Jamie and was partly Jamie and him in this world.
"Dada!" Roxas ran to Jack, hugging him. Jack picked him up, hugging him close.
"Oh God Roxas, daddy's sorry. Daddy's so sorry, I left you in here." Roxas snuggled against Jack, seemingly unaware of Jamie's fate.
Meanwhile, Jamie rolled across the ground, the demon having let go of him. He scrambled to his feet and took off. He didn't want to stick around for the demon's inevitable temper.
Jack sniffled, shaking as he had been very cautious around the Guardians since the incident. He was afraid, afraid of Jamie being dead.
"Roxas, lay down, ok? For dada." Roxas kept asking where Jamie was but Jack simply told him.
"He's on vacation."
"That vewy far vacation." Roxas said as he lay down with a yawn.
"Yeah it is." He nearly choked, tearing up then.
"Just sleep ok? Daddy's gonna be right back."
"Otay dada." Roxas closed his eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep. It was then, once he'd closed the door that he started to sob loudly. Roxas had sweet dreams, but only thanks to Sandy who had been watching out for both Jack and Roxas there. Keeping away any possible bad dreams... though sometimes it meant putting Jack into a deeper sleep...
Jamie hid behind a large cage near the castle, four demons behind him, but they weren't looking to hurt him; they're helping...
Jack whined, trying to fight off his sweet dreams; he felt no need for them, he didn't want them. Sandy finally relented to Jack's fighting and just put him into a deeper sleep this night to keep him from having any ill-dreams. He winced as even with the deeper sleep he couldn't hide from his memories. His mind crying out for the love who could no longer answer him...
"Is this really necessary? I mean, couldn't we just ask him?" One of the demons with him asked.
"Yes, Andrew. This is. We could just ask, but I unless I destroy the stone I doubt Malfor is going to just let him create my ticket home... that demon more than just hates my guts."
Jack groaned, waking up the next morning to a crying Roxas.
"I'm coming, I'm coming sweetie." Roxas was crying for his breakfast, once he saw Jack though the crying subsided a little to more of a whimper and hiccups.
"Let's get you some food hmm." He looked at the cabinets of food Jamie had mashed for Roxas before being sucked into the basic hell. Jack sniffed, trying not to cry in front of Roxas, but it was hard; he sniffled and made a bowl of mashed peas and carrots.
"Don' cwy dada." Roxas said after a moment.
"Hmm?" Jack didn't even realize he was crying much until he saw his face in a reflective surface; quickly rubbing his eyes, he sat Roxas in his high chair and started to feed him.
"It otay. Papa come back fwom..." Roxas stumbled over the word, he wasn't used to using the native language outside his demon form, but he managed the name... sort of. He then took his next bite.
"Yes, he will... yes he will come back." Jack said, tears of joy slipping down his face for Roxas.
"You just don't think about it ok?" He said, shivering within. God ... if Roxas ever finds out...
"Papa said he would. Twod me before." Roxas said happily as he took another bite.
"W-When did papa say this?" Jack did not wanting to alarm him or scare him. Roxas scrunched up his face, as he thought about it before he answered.
"Two night ago." Jack nodded.
"Two nights ago... Alright then." He fed him some more and then changed his diaper since he made a mess.
"Roxas, wanna read a story sweetie?" Roxas finished his meal and nodded.
"I wead to you."
"Alright and what would you like to read?" Roxas thought a moment before picking up his dinosaur book and climbed into Jack's lap to read to him, remembering what Jamie had said about being good for his dada.
"Good book." Jack sniffled again but calmed down. Jamie's fine... he's probably alive trying to to find a way out. Roxas opened the book and began reading.
"You weren't kidding when you said he more than hated your guts..." Andrew knelt next to Jamie, wrapping up his arm.
"Yeah... told you."
"Oh, what a mean looking dinosaur." Jack said, pointing to the velociraptors. Roxas giggled, reading aloud the name with almost perfect clarity.
"You should rest up, before we attempt this. I want you in good shape too Marko." The other nodded, his own wounds being tended to at the temporary base.
Jack was worried for Jamie.
"It should have been me." Jack sat at the table with the other Guardians, being told by them to calm down; it was a basic intervention as Jack wouldn't do anything as of late.
"He never woulda allowed that mate. We all know it." Bunny said, the others nodded.
"Iz no doubt here. He was not be letting you go."
"IT'S STILL MY FUCKING FAULT! I WAS A PORTAL TO THAT FUCKING PLACE!" He screamed, wings flaring out. Tooth gently touched Jack's shoulder.
"We know, sweet tooth. We all knew, but we don't blame you for what happened and you shouldn't blame yourself either."
"Da. He make choice on own. Brave boy." North commented, Bunny nodded in agreement but Sandy had fallen asleep.
"Sandy... Sandy? Wake up!" Sandy started from his sleep and smiled a little. A picture of a letter appears over his head... he had a message... Jack sniffled and look at Sandy and what he had to say of this message. Sandy sent out a strand of his sand towards the middle of the table so everyone could see it. A miniature figure of Jamie popped up and quietly spoke, like a hologram recording.
"I've found a possible way out Sandy... but I don't know how long it will take me. If you see him, give Jack my regards and let him know I've made a few friends while here. It's not the hell I thought it might be, but it's no paradise. Hopefully the next time I speak to you it will be face-to-face." The image dissolved then.
"Jamie..." He wanted to hold onto the image of him but it dissolved, his wings drooped as his soul and heart seemed to break a little. Tooth hugged Jack, she knew how much Jamie meant to him.
"It will be okay." Jack sniffled, he couldn't cry as Roxas started to himself.
"Urgh, Roxas. It's ok, daddy's coming." Roxas sniffled as Jack came into the room where he'd been playing with some elves and yetis with toys when Jack had left him in the room. Now he just sniffled, the elves look confused and the yetis worried. He hadn't hurt himself or anything, he just missed his papa.
"Sweetheart what's wrong?" He leaned down to him worried and checked him for any owies or pain.
"Miss papa, dada." He sniffled. Jack winced, then sighed.
"Papa will be back soon, I promise; just wait for him ok?" He wished Jamie was there with them. Roxas nodded, sniffling. He got up and toddled the few steps over to Jack, hugging him tightly. Jack hugged him close and tight.
"I love you sweetie and I don't want anything to ever happen to you."
"Love you too, dada."
"I love you more." He picked Roxas up and took him to the table. Roxas nuzzled against Jack, sucking on his thumb; Jack rocked Roxas as he sat in the chair. He watched Bunny as he seemed to be glaring at Jack for reasons unknown. North nudged Bunny and he glanced away; he hadn't been meaning to glare at Jack.
"He okay?" Tooth asked, concerned. Jack glared at the wall for reasons unknown as well.
"That fucking bastard..." He whispered, but not loud enough for Roxas to hear him, but everyone else did.
"Jack?" Tooth murmured worriedly.
Jamie sighed a little, leaning back against the wall of the small "outpost" he, and those he'd befriended, had made away from the castle.
"I can't take it anymore." He sighed, before they could ask what he meant, Jack left Roxas there in Tooth's arms; leaving a note that explained he was going into the demon's world to get Jamie back and how to feed and care for Roxas. He didn't go far though, picking a spot a mile or so from the workshop.
"Dada!" Roxas called out. Sandy shook his head at the sudden departure and the note. Jack winced in pain, shaking as he tried in vain to reopen the portal; it was hard, having to break the seal.
"Please let me see Jamie..."
After what seemed like an hour Jamie dropped off into a light doze only to be woken again by the sound of footsteps. It's Marko.
"You ready?" Jamie nodded. It was going to take a lot out of him... but by pooling their energy together they were going to make a different kind of portal than the one that had brought him to this place.
"Thanks, for everything Jamie."
"It's been my pleasure. I hope that you can free more of your comrades." Marko nodded.
"I'm sure we'll be able to. You've helped us, it cannot be that hard to help our brothers and sisters do the same."
Jack winced as he only was able to form a tiny portal.
"NO! NO!" He cried as he realized he couldn't make the portal grow any bigger... There's a bright light from in front of the cavern, blue electricity crackled and formed a portal. Five demons flew out of it and behind them Jamie stepped out, blinking in the sunlight; they all blink, trying to adjust to the new light. Jack jolted, feeling Jamie again.
"J-Jamie..." He shuttered, he couldn't open the portal. Feeling the bond snap into place again, Jamie sighed in pure and utter relief.
Jack...
"JAMIE!" He cried, he flew back to the workshop, grabbed Roxas from Sandy; ignoring everyone's glares and anger that he'd do such a move like that and just take off.
Jamie... sweetie... where are you? We miss you, Roxas most of all. The others are a bit too surprised at the hastiness to truly be angry though.
I'm home... and I brought some friends with me. The portal that had been created sputtered out. Jamie swayed and Marko moved over to him, wrapping an arm around him so he didn't fall. Gosh... that really did take a lot... Jamie thought, thoroughly exhausted. He smiled at the red-headed young man, whose hazel eyes smiled back. Marko glanced over at the others who slowly returned from demon forms to take on the appearance of human.
Friends? He asked, unsure about that.
Please tell me where you are.
I didn't get here on my own... I'm at the cavern sweetheart. His tone was weary now; Jack worried at that.
"Dada?" Roxas asked around sucking his thumb. Jack smiled, nodding.
"We're gonna go see your papa." He smiled as he flew with the boy in his arms. Roxas grinned around his thumb. When Jack arrived, Jamie was sitting next to Marko, leaning against him tiredly while the others consisted of two girls... one blonde with amber eyes and a brunette with green eyes. Another male, who looked to be a lanky teenager, had dusty blonde hair and brown eyes. Sitting next to teen male was a young demon who hadn't changed into a human form, it was hard to tell if the demon was male or female, but the demon child seemed rather young... not quite a teenager and was trying to hide behind the other when Jack came into view... not that it was easy since it was red-skinned with bronzed wings and horns. Electric amber eyes peering from beneath bark brown hair. Jack smiled, he knew these demons well; they were like litter mates to him.
"Hey guys!" They gasped.
"JACK!" They tackled him, but not before he handed Roxas off to a tired Jamie, knowing this would happen. Jamie held Roxas, who hugged him tightly, watching the reunion with a tired smile. The youngest of them, who hadn't taken human form, was shy still... but a little less so.
"Elisa who's this?" He asked the amber eyed demon girl, looking at the young bronzed demon.
"We don't know, ask Jamie. He's the only one to be able to get him to talk." Elisa replied, looking at the one who is still hiding behind Jake, the other male. Jack looked at Jamie.
"Hey Jamie who's the little one?"
"His name is Janis."
"Janis?" He looked at him, smiling back at the boy.
"Hi, I'm Jack." He said, introducing himself.
"I'm sure you've met Jamie and that little troublemaker there is Roxas." Jack said as he motioned to the boy who clung to Jamie. Janis gave Jack a shy smile, but said nothing.
"So how old are you Janis?" Janis shrugged, he didn't know.
"Well you wanna come visit us? Maybe I can help you with what's going on here if you like." He told him how to take human form. He nodded and, after a moment, shifted into what looked like an eight year old boy.
"Well aren't you a fast learner." Janis only nodded, hiding a little behind Jake.
"I'm the one who found him... we think Malfor did a number on him before we did. It's why he doesn't talk." Jake said quietly. Jack growled.
"That name is forbidden when spoken to me." He hissed, everyone knew Malfor was a sore spot; being his creator and about half of them were made by interbreeding. Jack had came straight form the monstrous demon himself. Jake winced.
"Sorry. Forgot."
"Sorry guys, it's not you; it's never been you." He walked towards the cavern, saying over one shoulder.
"Jamie, can we talk alone for a moment?" Roxas was getting to know the others as he peered over at the newcomers. Jamie nodded, he handed Roxas over to Jake who smiled at the boy. Jamie followed Jack, the tiredness was slowly catching up to him, but he pushed it away. Watching Jack move before him. God but he'd missed him...