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A/N:

I know it took me forever to even update this story but I am here to finally say that it is completed! This is the final chapter and I wanted to give a shout-out to everyone that's read, reviewed, favorited and alerted this story. Thank you very much! It's always appreciated and I say it a lot because I want all of you to know just how much, which is lots xD A future thanks to anyone who checks this completed story out in the future. NOW, please… enjoy the last chapter of this tale.

Much love,

CreativeWritingSoul

WARNING(s): Coarse language, possible fatality. You have been warned.

Fire Within

Chapter Ten

"Good afternoon ghouls... and guys!" Spectra Vondergiest floated towards the cafeteria table where the majority of the ghouls and mansters were having lunch. Frankie Stein, Lagoona Blue, Clawdeen Wolf and Draculaura were seated along one side while some of the guys were seated on the other side. Those guys being Clawd Wolf and Gil. "The table seems to be missing some students..." She mumbled in thought.

"Spectra," Clawdeen rolled her eyes and shielded her lunch from Draculaura, she had a couple meat snacks on her tray and didn't want the peppy, vegan vampire to faint... again this week. "if you're looking for some gossip, this ain't the right table."

"Not gossip per se," she interjected. "have any of you seen Holt? Or Jackson? Or Heath come to think of it..." She wanted to catch him, now that he was officially separated from Jackson Jekyll. Maybe do an interview? He seemed to have gone... ghost. "Think of it as... one student concerned for another's well-being and progress."

Lagoona shared a glance with Gil and they were both skeptical. "Not really sure what you're fishing for, love... but we don't know anything. Haven't seen either one of 'em."

Frankie stared at her iCoffin mercilessly. "He hasn't called me... I asked him to call me nights ago." Not once had he called her when she asked him to. Despite the fact that he chased her with flirtatious compliments, he respected her privacy enough to not ask around for her cellular number from another student. He easily could have and right now she wouldn't care if he did... she had this feeling maybe, just maybe he wasn't okay? If only she could convince him to talk to her.

"How many nights ago was this?" Spectra questioned, clutching her notepad, prepared to write down all the details.

Clawd bit down on his lip and looked at his ghoulfriend Draculaura. She seemed just as annoyed with Spectra as he did. She opened her mouth briefly but shut it again. "Look Spectra," Clawd had more insight on the whole swap of the dual natures than any of them. "how Holt or Jackson are doing, isn't any of your concern, or anyone else's for that matter. You should respect their privacy at this time."

She peered into his soul... or so it felt like. "You know more than you're letting on. I can see it."

Spectra was a very keen observer indeed but it only made Clawd more determined to keep the witch-doctor visit on the down-low. "You're right, I do. I know a lot more than anyone here."

Gillington raised a curious brow, though he wouldn't dare interrupt.

Frankie looked to Clawd as her eyes desperately searched his face for clues. "Is he okay?" She inquired softly. "I mean, are they okay?" The idea of the two of them separated still hadn't hit any of them yet.

Clawd wouldn't give details to Frankie or Spectra. Especially when it wasn't his place to give any to begin with. "Look, I'm not saying anything. Why? It's not my place that's why." He stood up from the table and put his big hands down, glaring specifically at Spectra. "Keep your damn self out of everyone's business... got it? Good."

Clawdeen could feel the intesity from where she sat - which was directly across from her brother. "Yeah. Get lost, Spectra." She added, letting her brother know that she supported his reason to keep them out of the loop.

Spectra heaved a sigh, knowing that she was defeated in this matter. "You don't have to be so rude about it!" She pouted and floated off quickly.

Clawd shared a look with Clawdeen and gave a smile. "Thanks."

Clawdeen gave a curt nod. "Anytime." She cleared her throat, "and whatever is going on... I hope if it's not okay... it will be soon."

The ghouls nodded eagerly. They only had the best intentions after all.

He lightly sighed, gathering the used wrappers and juice container on his tray. Clawd knew he had to get out of there before he felt guilty keeping sensitive information from them. "Me too. Later, ghouls!"

The blue-teen heaved up all the contents of his stomach in the garbage bin just inside the doors of Monster High. During normal circumstances he might be trembling, but he did not have the energy to… was it energy he didn't have? Or the will? Holt knew that his feet were moving, he wasn't sure where he was going though. Everything felt foggy… he felt so out of it.

He walked right past his locker… he was headed upstairs?

"Holt!" Jackson turned around to follow him but he was gone just as quickly as he appeared. "What the hell?" He questioned, though no one could answer him.

The fresh air hit Holt suddenly, did he leave the school? He looked down and almost instantly got vertigo. He was on the roof of Monster High. One of the taller ones, it had multiple layers after all.

'Jump… you're only holding him back.' Holt knew it was true, he wouldn't dare bring Jackson down. If he… did this, he would never hurt him again.

"Holt Hyde!" The sudden shout made him falter near the edge to which he was pulled from.

"Jackson?!" He was equally startled. He didn't know that he came all the way up here. "Just go!" The last thing he wanted to do was physically see Jackson.

"Holt… what the hell are you thinking?!" It was Jackson's turn to yell at… essentially himself. A part of himself, really.

"I wasn't… I haven't been… for days. I can't think… I can't eat..." He stopped himself, he didn't want Jackson's pity.

Jackson took a couple steps towards Holt. "Listen… Holt, we can get help. Together..."

"Don't come any further!" He yelled out, "Don't… Jackson, you have to leave."

"I will never leave you!" Why did this feel like he was arguing with himself? "I will never leave you alone again. Come with me, please… I'll fix everything..."

"You can't do that, Jay! You can't keep doing this... fucking fixing everything. Stop!" Holt was frustrated, he burst into flame for a moment, shortly after a tear rolled down his cheek. "I was so wrong, Jackson… god, I was wrong about everything! I was wrong to ignore you and Deuce, I-I took you for granted. Your beautiful, smart brain, I took it all for granted. I didn't mean to, you thought I hated you? Fuck, I admired you, I always have… look, Jackson… Jay… there are so many good things that have happened to you since we separated..." He swallowed what seemed to be a lump in his throat.

Jackson shook his head, he wanted to prove Holt wrong… but he couldn't. In a strange way, Holt was right. He was able to further his relationship, he could listen to and appreciate music at any volume… but he still felt empty. "Holt, please..."

Holt rested his hand on Jackson's shoulder. "Let me go, Jay… you don't need me." He wiped away a tear that Jackson let fall. "I appreciate you so much more now… and let's face it, I'll need you far sooner than you'll ever need me."

"Holt, I need you too!" he blurted out. He knew that Holt would challenge him… he needed to think of reasons that he would need Holt in 3... 2... 1-

"Why would you need me, Jackson?" Holt looked to his other half with pure disbelief. "You're grasping at nothing, face it. Please… I'm so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired." He begged Jackson, "Please… just let me end me. You're the better half, you always have been… you don't need me anymore."

He stepped away from Jackson and headed back towards the ledge. "Wait!"

Holt heaved a sigh. Why couldn't Jackson see this as clear as he could? "What?" He growled.

"I'll make you a deal!" Jackson was slowly losing this hostage situation. Logically, he knew this. But his heart couldn't let Holt go through with it. With his… their suicide.

Holt turned to face Jackson, he looked tired. "Make your attempt. You got two minutes."

This was not the time for Jackson to freeze, albeit that was exactly what he did. "H-Holt!" He said finally. "Let's get back together!"

"What the fuck?" Holt replied dryly. He had a feeling he knew what Jackson said but the way he delivered it made him feel uncomfortable.

"We'll go back to the witch doctor… join me, again. Please… I… I miss you Holt. I haven't felt complete since you left, either." He hoped that his vague plea worked. Judging by his face, it hadn't. "Holt..."

Holt shook his head lightly. "Jay, I'm gonna need more to go on than vague words. That's not enough."

"If! If – by chance – we switch back to being one-and-the-same and you are still… feeling like this," Jackson swallowed a hard lump in his throat. "you can end… you. Or us. Whatever. You gotta try coming back to me first."

Holt tried to think about what Jackson was saying, but his brain felt so fuzzy. "A-alright… Ja-ay..." He was finding it hard to breathe…

Jackson watched as Holt fainted after their negotiation, luckily he caught him before he hit the ground of the roof-top and took a sigh of relief. Never in his life/unlife or whatever had he thought he'd talk himself out of suicide.

Eleanor heaved a sigh as she read the pill bottle Heath brought. "I cannot believe how quick those normie-doctors are to push medications. Instead of 'fixing' the way he felt… it pushed him to commit suicide."

Holt hadn't really 'come-to' just yet. He was still out of it from fainting on the roof-top. Though Jackson was the nervous one this time. "Please Eleanor… he's fading… I don't know if it's for good or not."

Heath didn't realize that Holt may have taken more than his one dose daily. He was clearly determined to end himself if that were the case…

"Holt? Holt… can you hear me dear?" She asked him, shining a small light into one eye, then the other. Only this time, he didn't respond very well. "You, big lug." She pointed to Deuce, whom had driven them here. "Bring him to the room, quickly."

Deuce picked up an unconscious Holt bridal-style and set him down on the surface Eleanor asked him to. "Will he be-"

"I don't know but you must leave." She ordered him and Deuce did as he was told. He came out of the room to a teary-eyed Jackson, hugging Heath.

"She took over… I tried to ask if he would be okay but," Deuce looked down. "she told me to leave."

They would just have to wait. Oh the waiting game could be so cruel.

Once Holt opened eyes next he saw the familiar witch doctor hovering above him. She seemed pleased. "Hello." She greeted.

"With all due respect ma'am..." Holt began. "kill me."

Her jaw-dropped. "I will do no such thing!" She folded her arms over her chest. "As a matter of fact, I spent the last half hour trying to save your life, you foolish imbecile."

Holt gulped and decided it was best to wallow in silence.

"Now, you're going to drink this potion and it will bring you two back together – with modifications. Better ones than you had before." She urged him.

He looked at her wearily. "You're sure it'll be better?"

Her features softened. "Yes, dear. You have my honest word." Holt nodded and downed the potion right there. It was quite refreshing… until he felt his head throb. "You kept going on about wanting to take most of the pain for him this time, while you were out."

Holt didn't remember rambling, but it's possible he did. So many thoughts were swirling around at once.

"You will take the brunt of this, for him." She hoped he was ready to brace himself for the whirlwind of pain he was about to experience.

No one was prepared for the amount of screaming, cursing and crying that came from Holt before he finally passed out and re-became one with Jackson. "H-holy fuck," he breathed, adjusting his glasses. "Holt, oh man… ouch."

Eleanor was glad to see that Jackson hadn't been affected much, that's exactly how Holt wanted it. "There's a few adjustments that have been made. Think of this as… a 'You 2.0' if you will. You have one hundred percent communication with one another by mind-link. You will be able to warn one another or ask one another to come out and transform on the spot… no more musical trigger, so you both can enjoy listening to music and upon transition, you will feel less horrible."

Jackson was astonished. "That's wonderful, thank you so much."

Deuce brushed the blonde peek-a-boo bangs out of Jackson's face. "How do you feel, babe?"

Jackson gave a so-so gesture. "I'm alright, I mean… I think Holt took most of the pain in that round. I… I don't feel empty anymore." He cleared his throat. "Thank you Eleanor, none of this would be possible without you. And without your help, Holt might've been a goner."

She gave him a warm smile. "He would've been, you're right. But he's alright, because his other half cared about him, even though you were doing better without him."

Jackson held up a hand in protest. "No. Without Holt, there's no Jackson. And without Jackson, there's no Holt. We're a package deal, always have been and always will be."

'Jay?' The brunette was startled by the perfectly clear mind-link. It was as if Holt was speaking directly to him.

'I'm here, Holt.' All he had to do was think his response, as if he were to say it out loud and it worked!

'Home, sweet home. I have newly gained respect for you, my better half. I love you as my brother. Can you accept this... truce?'

'Of course I can Holt, together forever. Okay?'

'Together forever – YEEAAAHH!'

Jackson winced from Holt's yelling via mind-link, however, he couldn't remember a time he felt better in his existence.

THE END