AN- I've decided if I get any readers that I should post the second chapter before loose them. Sorry for grammar errors, I'm typing and posting this as quickly as I can before I have to go for a run, which should be fun, seeing as it just snowed a few inches.

Chapter 2

"Jack opened his mouth, about to ask Will a question as they walked down the beach. Making revelation, he quickly shut it. Ellen lived with Will now, he couldn't stay there. No, Ellen didn't need to know about his episodes.

"Ummm, Will, you want to camp out here tonight?" he asked, thinking it as the only alternative.

"I don't know Jack; It's starting to get colder at night. Wouldn't you rather be inside?"

Jack exhaled a large breath, hoping his troubles would leave along with it. "I need to get out of my house, Will. I need to!....My mom us starting to worry, and I don't want Ellen to know, and it's killing me, Will! It's killing me!"

"Okay." Will answered, saying the only thing he knew would please his friend. "I'll bring the tent."

"Thanks." Jack sighed, and they continued walking.

He tried as long as he could not to, but Jack had fallen asleep, his sleeping bag unzipped, letting in an uncomfortable stream of air.

Will awoke when he felt something hit his side. Rubbing his eyes, he rolled over and saw a site he never wanted to see. His best friend was thrashing around in a cold sweat, muttering to himself. Although Will knew bad sleep was better than no sleep at all, he had promised Jack to wake him.

"Jack." He said, reaching over to his arm and shaking it. "Jack Swift wake UP!" It took a few more tries but eventually he came to his senses. "Jack-" Will started.

"I don't want to talk about it." He interrupted.

Will wished this was like television, when two people talked about their problems so easily. Like it was routine to have care-and-share moments. But honestly, he wasn't any god at stuff like that. Swallowing hard, Will figured he'd try. "But Jack, you really should……It would probably help." He said lamely.

"No, you wouldn't understand. It's nothing really, just something stupid."

"It doesn't seem like nothing."

"But that's the thing. " Jack said, staring at the top of the tent, "It is nothing. All that tournament stuff is over, done with!"…And I keep having these nightmares, which isn't helping with my mom. She keeps asking questions I can't answer."

After a short pause in the conversation Will replied, "Maybe you should talk to Nick about this."

"Maybe." Jack answered, rolling back over and shutting his eyes.

Will smiled to himself. All in all, that went well.

Jack walked into the house not long before lunchtime the next day. Will had promised his mother that he would help pull weeds in the garden, so they had parted ways.

Pouring himself a glass of water he quickly turned off the faucet when he heard footsteps upstairs. Becka had work, she wasn't home. Cursing himself for ever separating himself from his sword, he grabbed a knife from the drawer.

Stealthily he ascended the stairs, knife held in a ready position. What if the lurker was trying to steal Shadow Slayer, it wasn't that hard to find. Under his bed wasn't the most secure hiding place. As he reached the top step he whipped himself around the corner, ready for the attack.

That's when he saw the intruder, her small, slender frame and red-gold hair. "Aunt Linda?" he said as he lowered his weapon.

"Jack! I was just looking for you. I thought you might have slept in." She answered as she spotted her nephew. When their gazes locked she knew her assumption wasn't true. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes Jack wasn't getting much sleep at all.

Linda covered the distance between them in a few strides and quickly pulled Jack into a hug as he let his weapon slip from his hand. He was tense at first, but quickly relaxed and clung to his aunt like a lifeline.

"How've you been Jack?" Linda asked when they parted as she held him at arms' length, scanning him.

"Alright." He lied, "You?"

"Alright." She smiled. Things were still very unsure in the Wierworld and she had escaped a few tight spots in her travels.

The two sat at the kitchen table, glasses of lemonade clutched in their hands. Jack stared into his, wanting to drown himself in it rather than sit through the upcoming conversation.

"Your mom called me." Linda started, waiting for his reaction. There was none. "She said you've been having nightmares… She's worried about you Jack." Still no response came. "She said you wake up screaming."

"She exasperates." Jack shrugged.

"I'm not so sure."

"What do you expect?!" Jack yelled, snapping. "Me to go back to living like before you dropped this bomb on me?! Because as much as I wish I could, it's not gana' happen."

Jack sat for a few moments, his breath coming in quick gasps as he tried to catch it. "I'm sorry." He whispered, when he had calmed down.

"You shouldn't be. You exceeded more than I ever expected you to, and I'm proud of you. I just wish you would have come to me with your problems, not worried your mother."

"I've dumped enough of my problems on you. I can handle this."

"Jack, you're not alone. You've never been, and you never should be." Linda answered softly.

AN- And this is where I got stuck and stopped writing. Maybe if I get a review I'll be inspired to write more. Thanks.