Chapter two: for better?

As Raimundo got Jack his supper he looked back to when it had happened, the showdown was simple, to say on a platform of ice for the longest. Jack's ice skating skills had given him the edge but Raimundo had stayed on it, however at one point Raimundo had slipped and was perched at the edge as it tilted threatening to throw him into the icy depths. Jack was in the same position Raimundo smirked and held out his hand. Calling forth a blast of wind that sent Jack plunging into the water.

What Raimundo hadn't counted on was that after the showdown the ice would seal back up, trapping Jack under water! Omi laughed as Jack tried to bash the ice away to get to the air but to no effect. Raimundo cried out as Jack began to sink.

"He's drowning!" he had cried but the others were already heading back to Dojo, he grabbed the Star Harnabi and blasted a hole in the ice and dived in after Jack. Jack was limp like a doll and his lips were blue, Raimundo dragged him up and pulled him onto the ice.

"Rai what are you doing?" Kimiko demanded.

"He's not breathing!" he muttered and started to resuscitate him Jack coughed up water and hacked as he tried to get air to go into his water logged lungs. He collapsed shivering and Raimundo dragged him to his feet.

"Any of you got a blanket?" he demanded and Clay got one out but Kimiko stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"He's just a kid like us we can't just leave him!"

"Oh yes we can!" Omi said "If we take him back to the temple he'll steal our wu!"

"In his condition?" Raimundo demanded "Look I say we take him back I'll keep an eye on him"

"Fine" Kimiko grumbled.

While on the way home Raimundo held Jack close in an attempt to get him warm every now and again a little choked sob would have shuddered from Jack and Raimundo felt sorry for the poor kid.

When Jack was sleeping in his bed Raimundo checked up on him to find Jack sobbing in his sleep and whimpering things in his sleep.

"I'm worthless…a tool…a…a slave" he had whispered and Raimundo wondered what Jack was dreaming about.

Raimundo came back with Jack's supper only to find an empty bed, he looked around and came to find Omi running up to him.

"Raimundo you won't believe it"

"I know Jack…"

"…is doing all the chores!" Omi cried.

"Huh?"

"Come see!" Omi laughed and he followed to see Jack finishing doing the washing up and was starting to do the drying up.

"What on earth?"

"Yeah isn't it brilliant?" Kimiko said as she sat at the table watching it all "He just came in and asked if he could do it!"

"I'd be plumbed if I was gonna say no" Clay chuckled; Raimundo looked at Jack and sighed.

"The healer said that Jack needed to recover from his ordeal, doing the dishes won't help!" Raimundo said.

"Yeah yeah but come on Rai, Jack doing all our chores!" Kimiko smiled "It'll be like that time Jack tried to become a monk"

"Only last time Jack hadn't nearly drown and suffered from hypothermia!" Raimundo said.

"Rai don't let being a leader go to your head, look at this your own personal servant and he is willing to do it!"

"Is that right Jack?" Raimundo demanded and Jack nodded without looking up and began to put the plates away. Raimundo went over to him as Jack continued to work.

"Jack? I got you some supper; the healer said you should rest up a little"

"I'm fine" he whispered "thank you"

And so it went on like that Jack did all the work and for a while Raimundo thought it was okay until two days later.

Jack was cleaning the floors in the meditation hall when Raimundo came in holding a glass full of water, he slipped and the glass went flying and smashed onto the floor next to Jack. The flying shards had slashed Jack's exposed arm and he looked down at it.

"Oh cripes Jack you okay?"

"Oh no…" he muttered as he watched as the blood trickled onto the floor.

"I know it looks bad doesn't it" Raimundo said as he knelt down picking up the broken glass.

"I've got blood all over the floor" he mumbled and began to clean up the spilt blood, Raimundo stopped and stared at him.

"Jack that's your blood!"

"I know it's making a mess sorry!" he said dully, Raimundo got Jack's arm.

"Let's get you to the healer"

Jack looked up at him and Raimundo couldn't help but stare into his eyes, there was no shine of life they were just as dull as stone. Then he finally realised…

Jack had given up living; he had lost all will to carry on…

Jack sat on the bench as the healer worked on his arm, he didn't flinch or anything just sat there staring blankly at the wounds. The healer couldn't help but noticed that Jack had scars all over his arms like slash wounds.

"Jack? How did you get these?" she asked.

"An accident" he muttered.

"With one of your Jack-bots?"

"Yes" Jack whispered softly, Raimundo could see Jack was lying because he wouldn't look the healer in the eyes and was looking away from her.

"Jack what happened?"

"Nothing its okay the healer's finished and I really should get back to cleaning the floor!" Jack said and walked out of the room. Once he had left the healer went over to Raimundo and looked at him seriously.

"I've seen those sorts of wounds before, they look self inflicted"

"You mean Jack did that himself?" Raimundo asked "But why until now Jack's been all cocky and confident, he never seemed sad"

"Maybe Jack feels different inside" the healer mused.

Jack had gone out and finished the floor, the blood stained the cloth and the water in the bucket and he looked at it. It reminded him of the one time he tried to end it all by slashing his wrists in the bath tub, however his Jack-bot's programming had kicked in and they stopped him.

"Damn robots" he muttered. Omi walked over to Jack grinning like a hyena with a weak baby lamb.

"Oh Jack" he smirked and Jack looked up at her. "Can you do something for me?"

"Okay" he muttered and Omi pulled out Kimiko's PDA and showed it to Jack.

"Can you hack into this please?"

"But that's Kimiko's?"

"Well then if you won't follow orders then perhaps we should discuss your worthiness to be here…" Omi said turning away, Jack panicked.

I've got no where to go! They can't kick me out! He thought quickly and he heard the other voice snicker.

"Okay I'll do it" Jack said and Omi spun around and handed it to him, it took him about three seconds to hack it.

"…that was quick…" Omi said just then Kimiko walked in as she was looking for her PDA.

"Hey Omi have you seen…My PDA!" she shrieked as she saw Jack hack it, he looked up and then saw her.

"But…Omi…he told me to" he said but Kimiko didn't hear him, she threw a punch at him and then swung around and landed a kick into his chest. He slumped forward his chest felt like it had a lit match in it, he coughed and blood speckled the floor. He tried to get up but Kimiko just blasted him away with a fire ball.

"Jack!" Raimundo cried as he saw him crash through the wall, he struggled to get up but could only managed to curl up into a ball.

"What are you doing?" Raimundo yelled.

"He hacked into my PDA" Kimiko declared.

"That's no reason to fry him" Raimundo said and knelt down next to Jack "Can you hear me Jack"

"I deserved it" Jack muttered "I was bad so I deserve it" he whispered.

"Kimiko come over here and say sorry" Raimundo growled and Jack looked at her as she stormed up; he hugged himself and shivered as Kimiko glared at him.

"I'm not saying!" she declared. "He hacked into my PDA"

"You should have let him explain himself"

"He's evil why should I?" she yelled.

"Kimiko…" Raimundo growled

"I'm sorry" came the whimper and Raimundo looked at Jack as he got up "I shouldn't have hacked into your PDA I'm sorry"

"Jack…" Raimundo began

"It's my fault, it's always my fault" he murmured and got up and left.