Jack counted the days, he'd been here for over 56 days, 1 month and 26 days. It was now August. To take what Ashley had asked of him, he began to pretend the Heylin-Xiaolin world didn't exist. Doctor Hong had believed him. Jack had been glad he had as the doctor was thinking of using an old and primitive way of treatment.

Electroconvulsive therapy.

Where they strap you to a gurney and placed pads to your forehead and arms, forcing a certain amount of electricity into your body. It was often used during the 1940's and 50's. While it is a last resort, Jack was lucky that that he escaped that route. Pretending helped him.

Be he still clung to Chase. Nothing could pull him from Chase. Jack still drew his face, his many stances and his cat warriors he fought with. He was given a desk, so he would have a sturdier surface to lean on while drawing. He was always drawing, most of all, he often drew those extraordinary golden eyes. Those eyes that made Jack fall for every time. Doctor Hong and the other members of staff tried to make him stop drawing these pictures, but Jack wasn't having any of this.

Having giving up on the drawings, they changed their sights and goals to the fairy tale book. The book that Jack had clung to when he wanted to remember Chase, to read or to simply look at when he couldn't sleep. Or just cuddled to his chest, for comfort. Jack refused to give it back, he had already given up on the Heylin-Xiaolin conflict, for the sake of not having the last resort. Doctor Hong was stern and refused to back down.

"No, don't take that!" Jack cried, dropping his pencils and snatching the book back from the doctor. Hong sighed.

"Jack, you've done well so far. It's time for Chase to go, too." Jack shook his head, clutching the book to his chest.

"If you want me to be better then let me keep this one thing out of everything. Chase may be a fairy tale to you, but his legend is real to me. It's all I have left." Jack muttered but the doctor heard clearly, tears dropping onto the cover of the book.

Hong looked around the room taking in the many pictures of the dragon warlord. All in such magnificent detail. Hong's eyes softened when he looked back at the almost broken boy at his desk.

Hong sighed.

"Jack, I will let you keep the book. But you must accept that Chase is and always has been a legend. He may have been real years ago, but not now. That is impossible, there is no such thing as magic. Just tricks and slight of hand." Jack looked away and stared as his latest drawing of Chase. His features were drawn in a proud sexy smirk. Eyes half closed in seduction yet confidence. Arms crossed at his chest. The angle looking up at him as if you were very much below him. Jack was very imaginative but he couldn't make up a person. Not that real.

Chase was totally real. Jack couldn't have made him up.

"Please, Doctor Hong." Jack pleaded as he then turned back to look at the man. Hong's softened eyes looked Jack in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Jack. But it's protocol and the next step in your treatment. You are taking your medication and being a good sport about it. The next step, is Chase."

Jack shook his head.

"You took everything from me. My dreams, my hobby, my smarts, my life. But the one thing I can't let you take, is Chase. I am only human, Doctor Hong. What if I told you that your life isn't real, that your wife is a figment of your imagination or perhaps died, you created a happy illusion to keep her memory alive, your children and grandchildren don't exist because you feel guilty for losing her so soon or something." Jack said looking up at Hong and in the eye.

"Tell me, Doctor, what would you do?" Hong sighed again and closed his eyes.

"I'd hold onto her memory." Jack nodded and placed the book on the table. His white hand picked up a pencil and continued back to his drawing. Jack didn't have to look to know what Hong was doing.

The man had took his words and respected them.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Jack." Jack heard the man open and close the door, his footsteps echoing in the hallway. Getting quieter and quieter.

Jack looked back at the book, then wiped his eyes and face on his sleeve to dry up his tears.

"Chase is real. That I do know."

Jack's eyes cast back to the drawing.

"Right?"

IT'S BACK!

Next chapter will be a turning point... but please don't get riled up when it comes, will you? Everything will make sense later on in the story, I promise!

Poor Jack, and good observation! You tell that Doctor Hong!

Xiaolin Showdown (c) Christy Hui

Story (c) Me

Please R&R

Kit x