"Okay, so, mah first question is, why did I find ya like I did?" Aster asked pointedly.

Jack shrugged his shoulders, "I don't remember what happened." his eyes glanced towards the creature staring at him in the kitchen.

"Hm, well, I don't believe ya on that subject but, we can get back ta that." Aster pointed a finger that was holding his cup of coffee at Jack, "What was that though, your eyes looking in the kitchen?" Aster looked behind him to the kitchen. As he was turning his head, he thought he saw something near the island but, as his attention focused it was gone.

Jack shrugged again, "Just checkin' out your apartment. Somethin' wrong with that?" Jack started to feel defensive as he felt the weight of the beast's grim stare. I don't really even know this man. What if they hurt him more.

"Well," Aster started, "I can't imagine what 'bout my home would make ya give that expression," Jack gave Aster a confused look, "a scared one, mate."

Jack shook his head slightly, "I'm not scared of your home, Aster."

Aster held a skeptical look, "Right, well," Aster started to stand, "I'm gonna go get more coff-"

Jack cut Aster off without thinking, "No!"

Aster stood all the way up now and looked to Jack with a smirk, "No? And why is that?"

Jack fidgeted for an answer, coming up with a lame one quickly, "It's not polite to leave your guest all alone."

Aster crossed his arms, shooting Jack another skeptical look, "Really? Well, ya didn't have a problem with it earlier."

"Uhh," Jack thought, "Well, I'll at least go with you."

Aster began walking to the kitchen, "Its all one giant room. I'm not leavin' ya' anywhere alone."

Jack stood quickly, "Well, it's the principle."

Unseen by Jack, Aster rolled his eyes, "Right."

Jack stared at the creature at counter. He saw Aster start to walk towards it and cut in front of him. Putting space between the two. Aster huffed and opened one of the cabinets. As Aster's back was to Jack, he looked at the creature, mouthing the words, 'please leave'.

The creature opened its mouth, "No, Jack."

Aster turned around with a can of coffee grounds in hand, "Ya say somethin'?"

Jack shook his head, "Nope, just waiting for you to make that coffee already."

Aster turned and shook his head, "So," Aster began, "How'd your hand heal so quick?"

Jack hadn't thought about his hand since it had healed, "Oh, that? Well, I guess you could say it runs in the family. We're all kind of fast healers."

Aster smirked as he turned the coffee pot to brew more, "Oh, that's intresting, where is this family of yours?"

Jack looked everywhere except Aster, "I'm not sure anymore to be completely honest with you." Jack really wasn't sure anymore. He'd seen where the creatures of horror reside, He'd seen more than enough of their dark, cave-like home to plant a seed of doubt for the afterlife. His real mother was gone forever, hopefully somewhere safe. He hadn't talked to his foster family after the incident. He still thought about them every now and again though.

Aster nodded his head in belief, "I see. Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

Jack shrugged, "It's cool, its been a quite a few years since I talked to either of my families."

Aster tilted his head, "'Either'? Whatchya mean?"

Jack turned to look at the creature, playing it off like he was going to sit on the counter, "Well," he hoisted himself on the counter, sitting with his legs spread leaning back, "My mother died when I was fourteen. So from then, I was moved to foster care. After two years of moving around, I found a family that wanted to adopt me. After I turned eighteen and moved out here, I got my job at CIC FOX. And here I am now," Jack gestured his arms to his body, "sitting on an attractive Australian's countertop."

Aster turned around and grabbed the finished coffee, "Wow, quite the story ya got there."

Aster turned back to Jack and reached a hand for his cup of coffee, noticing how he was sitting. So he's gonna play it like that in mah own home. I can play too. Aster poured Jack his coffee and handed him the creamer.

Jack smiled when he saw Aster notice how he was positioned, "Yeah, well, you know…" Jack trailed off.

Aster leaned his back against the counter next to Jack, "Yeah, I do," Aster thought briefly before speaking, "I lost mah own ma' when I was young too. Its rough." Aster glanced behind Jack's form, trying to figure out a way to make the next move. He noticed a sugar cup to Jack's other side.

Aster moved and shifted his torso between Jack's legs as he reached slightly around Jack to grab the sugar. He kept his eye contact on Jack as his hand gripped the cup.

Jack caught Aster by surprise by wrapping his legs tightly around him. Aster let go of the cup of sugar and righted himself. He placed his hands firmly on Jack's thighs.

They started to lean towards each other when Jack looked behind Aster. He gasped as he saw a slick black hand grip Aster's shoulder.

Aster halted in his advance as a weight settled on his right shoulder. He looked to Jack confused as to why he looked scared again. Aster tried to advance once more, hoping that it would at least make him not feel scared but, He found he couldn't move. He attempted to lift his arms to push away from Jack. His arms wouldn't listen, they were unmoving.

An emotion Aster hadn't felt in many years, fear, began to creep up his spine. His shoulder started to feel that odd pressure in his bones.

With an odd sense of fear, Aster spoke, "Jack, why can't I move?"

Jack just stared at the beast behind Aster with disbelief in his eyes, "They don't want you to." Jack said without thought and matter-of-factly.

Aster had attempted to fight the fear that was washing over him but, Jack's words had shoved his will to be fearless down. They? He's said that before. It dawned on Aster that Jack was afraid of something that he couldn't touch. As Aster stared into Jack's frightened eyes, he came to a firm resolve.

"Jack," Jack stopped staring behind him and looked into his eyes, "I'll stay by your side."

Jack gave a weak smile, "No, I don't want you hurt," He glanced to the beast then back to Aster, "and we haven't known each other very long."

Aster was about to speak when the pain in his shoulder started to increase, causing him to wince. Jack watched as the beast's grip on Aster's shoulder got tighter. The monstrosity's muscles were flexed so tight they started to tear the skin as if they were building mass. Its black skin tore open on the top of its hand, the muscles were bleeding a black syrupy liquid onto Aster's shirt.

Jack watched in horror as The creature's claws dug themselves into Aster's skin. Aster let out a silent yell as he was tossed to the side as if he was weightless, sliding ruthlessly into the wall.
Aster lifted himself up onto his hands, pain shooting through his back and looked to Jack as if asking what's happening. Jack hopped off the counter and started to run to Aster's hurt form. The creature threw one of its misshapen arms in front of Jack, stopping him abruptly.

Jack reached his arm past the beast's, trying to touch Aster. Aster instinctively reached his hand to the other's.
They were mere inches apart when Jack's footing slipped, sending him over the grotesque arm like a railing. Allowing Jack to quickly grasp Aster's hand before he was ripped away with a scratch.

Aster froze with a devastatingly large amount of fear as he caught just a small glimpse of a horrifying atrocity standing in his kitchen. Then Jack's hand left his violently and it was gone.

So I had Jack explain Some of his Life. Not much. Again, this is Alot of dialogue. I'll admit...I like Dialogue. You guys Don't realize How Hard it Is for me To not Capitalize almost Every word I write. I just Like to do it. But It just Would never Be Grammatically correct. I've Held back A lot in these Author Notes, But, Right now I just Don't wanna Stop. So Ain't Gonna! I hope you Enjoyed the Chapter! If you think I should Change Aster's Dialogue 'your' to 'yer' As I have Seen done before, Let me Know in A review. OKAY! HAVE A GREAT TIME OF DAY WHERE EVER THE HELL YOU ARE!