I feel that the last chapter was kinda a downgrade and I'm scared that I lost a lot of you guys. I really hope I didn't. If I can improve something please let me know. I'm already trying to make them as long as possible and I'm planning on working solely on this story instead of all of my stories at once so that I can update more frequently.

Anyway, as always; I do not own Now You See Me.

Galvanized

Since birth, J. Daniel Atlas was a control freak. He had to know what was going on constantly and when Jack's father showed up in the audience, he was in hysterics. He paced the hotel floor while the rest of the horsemen sat on the bed, following him with their eyes. He had not spoken a word since the show. The team presumed he was trying to solve the magic trick that was not at all planned. Jack, though, he was simply twiddling his thumbs. It was as if almost dying was a totally normal occurrence for him.

"Jack, ithinkyourfatherisback," Daniel spoke without a breath between words.

"What?" Jack whispered, although he knew exactly what Atlas said.

"I think your father is back." He lowered his voice a few octaves and Henley's eyes widened while Merritt just looked down-right confused. They had never told him the story of the twelve year old they had lost only three years ago. And now, that fifteen year old looked quite irritated.

"I know. I saw." Jack rolled his eyes and Merritt thumped him on the back of the head.

"They're gonna get stuck that way." Merritt warned and the other three horsemen ignored his comment.

"Aren't you...afraid?" Daniel was treading dangerous water and he realized this. He tried to speak as softly and as carefully as possible. Henley seemed to be taking deep gulps of air, trying to keep out of a conversation that probably should have been made a bit more private. Strike 1.

"What does it matter?" Jack's voice was raising slightly and had Merritt of known what was going on maybe he wouldn't have nudged the radioactive boy in the shoulder. Strike 2.

"I know what he did to you, Jack..." Strike 3.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING!" The boy screamed, running from the group, and slamming the door on the way out.

"Damn, kids now-a-days. Am I right?" Merritt chuckled, but it slowly died down when he realized no one else was laughing.

Daniel ran from the room and Henley was left with a very confused and annoyed Merritt.


Jack was sitting on a park bench when Daniel found him. The boy looked so small as he sat scrunched up in a ball on that cold bench.

"You know, I was worried sick for three years. I was so scared that you were dead. When you showed up with that tarot card, something changed in me. You were so different, better. And I felt good." Daniel took a seat next to the shaking boy. He couldn't tell if the trembling was from the shaky laughter or the tears sliding down the kid's face when he looked up.

"You let him take me." It was like a punch in the gut. In fact it felt like Daniel had been stabbed through the chest.

"What?" He said breathlessly.

"You were 'the world's best magician' you could have done something, but you let him take me." The boy was sobbing now and Daniel's heart was cracking.

"I was only twenty two, Jack. I could hardly take care of myself, much less a twelve year old." Atlas laughed sadly as if he was talking to himself.

"I hate you." Jack stood from the bench in a hurry and Daniel did the same. He could feel moisture gathering in his eyes and it was something he hadn't felt in quite a while.

"No." The older boy whispered shaking his head solemnly.

Jack didn't reply, but simply stared at the ground in front of him.

"Jack." Danny reached forward and the boy flinched backwards, and his knees gave out from under him. He fell into the rocky ground, sobbing and digging his hands into the dirt as if it could save him.

It was a sad sight. A boy in his late twenties pulling a muddy fifteen year old up until the teary face was nestled into a warm neck. Daniel shushed the boy softly and rubbed his back as he made his way towards the hotel. Some people stopped what they were doing to watch the odd scene in front of them, but Daniel paid no mind.

When the two got back to the hotel, Jack was no longer being held by Daniel, but standing next to him. He had dirt in his fingernails, rocks and cuts on his knees, and the saddest look on his face. Henley and Merritt were sitting exactly where they were before, but now Merritt had a look of sympathy on his face and it made Jack feel sick. He knew. Everyone knew.

The boy trudged to the bathroom, his sneakers squeaking across the floor. At the slam of the door, Daniel was galvanized into searching for ways the mend the heart of the boy in the other room.