A/N Here is a double update to make up for my delay! School gets out for good soon so hopefully I will be able to update more frequently. I am feeling much more confident and comfortable with writing! Keep it up with the constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan Adventures. All characters you recognize belong to the creators of the show. I am only associated with Macey and any other OCs- and my idea for this story. Nor do I own any song lyrics captioned prior to each chapter.

"Well, we made a promise we swore

We'd always remember

No retreat, baby, no surrender

Like soldiers in the winter's night

With a vow to defend

No retreat, baby

No surrender"-

Bruce Springsteen, "No Surrender."

Chapter Eleven - Queen of the Shadowkhan (season 2, episode 6, part 1)

Whoever said researching was easy was dead wrong. Or incredibly stupid. Or both. I was half-asleep, but I knew Uncle would probably yell at me if I even thought about drifting off to sleep. I licked my thumb and flicked aimlessly through the book I'd pulled off the shelf in an attempt to help at least a little.

Jackie was standing on a ladder, hovering near the bookshelf and thumbing through several large, dusty books. We were in Chinatown's library, searching frantically for books that Uncle claimed would close the demon portals for good.

I stifled a yawn and tossed the book aside. It cluttered to the floor noisily, but I didn't bother to retrieve it. The insomnia was returning- no dreams, thankfully- but the fact that I kept stirring every other hour during the night was irritating. Harmless, but pesky all the same. It was odd, considering practicing martial arts- and exercising in general- was supposed to make you tired. I didn't tell Jackie about my insomnia- he already had a whole list of things to worry about and I wasn't gonna add worrying about me to that list.

"Find anything yet?" I said through a yawn, which I attempted to hide again.

"No." Jackie sounded frustrated. "How about you?"

"Nada," I replied sullenly, allowing my chin to rest against the edge of the table.

Jackie sighed and wiped his face, turning to me. Dark circles had formed under his eyes, and he looked more tired than I did, if that was a possibility. I know, being tired isn't a competition, but I was completely whipped. Apparently that was two of us. I don't mean to sound like a sulky teenager or anything, but research is exhausting- couldn't we just use Google? Then again you probably couldn't find demon portal closing spells on Wikipedia.

"Jackie, you look so tired," I noted as he shelved the book he'd been flipping through. "Maybe you should take a break."

He looked at me with something akin to annoyance. "A demon's portal doesn't close on its own."

"Good point," I said, standing up and stretching, "but I'm starved. You want me to grab you something?"

He shook his head and turned back to research, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand. "I'll eat later."

I frowned, hooking my thumb in my jeans loop and cocking my hip to one side. "Jaaackie-" I sounded like Jackie scolding Jade. "If you don't eat-"

"I know, I know." He gave me a grim smile. "Something small, I suppose."

"Okay." I smiled in relief and turned to go to the next sandwich shop.

Jackie's sudden gasp caused me to do a 180.

I whipped around to see- you guessed it- the Dark Hand had gathered in the library and were attempting to tip over Jackie's ladder.

Now would be a great time to use my new skills, I guess. I sighed and side-stepped Finn as he tried to swing a punch in my direction.

"Missed me, missed me-" I taunted, then looked at Finn and scowled. "But I so wouldn't want you to kiss me," I sang.

Finn looked hurt, letting out a small squeak of embarrassment, and ducked his head. I grinned in triumph. Macey, 10, Finn, 0. I guess me wounding his pride was enough to get him to surrender.

Meanwhile, Jackie was engaging with the rest of the Dark Hand, taking the scuffle to the next level: outside. He'd landed on the roof, tangled up, somehow, in a curtain.

"Jackie!" I ran to the window, kicking Chow in the face, and clamored out onto the side of the roof. I'd never climbed on roofs until I'd met Jackie. I hadn't done a lot of things until I met Jackie.

He'd folded the curtain into a makeshift parachute and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Jackie?" My heart pounded in my ears.

He climbed out from underneath the curtain and gave me a tired thumbs up.

I breathed a sigh of relief and let out a little laugh. "I'll meet you downstairs. But I'll take the easy way- the stairs."

I had no desire to make a trip to the emergency room because of a broken bone.

*JCA*

I was lounging on the red velvet arm chair, idly flicking through some action book I'd long since forgotten the plot of that I'd rented at the library on my way down.

Jackie was doing stretching exercises nearby, dressed in a black tank top and khaki shorts.

"Hi, Macey!" I looked up to see that Jade had entered the room, still sidling her school bag over her shoulder. "Hey, Jackie, how was your trip? Have you lost weight? Can I get a tattoo?" She spoke in such a rapid-fire manner that I barely caught the last end of the sentence.

Jackie chuckled. "My trip was- A TATTOO?!" His eyes widened in shock at her request.

Jade made her own eyes big and innocent. "Please, Jackie? All the kids at school are-" she reasoned doggedly.

"No," Jackie cut her off, looking tired.

"But-"

"No."

"But-"

"No tattoos for Jade. Period!" Jackie remained firm. I almost felt sorry for Jade, but stayed out of it. This was between Jackie and Jade.

Jade's face crumpled, and her shoulders slumped.

I smiled thinly, shutting my book. "Maybe when you're older. You can do a lot when you're older."

"Do you have a tattoo, Macey?" Jade looked up, the hopeful light returning to her youthful face.

I shook my head. "No, but I've always wanted one." Truth is, I have a low pain threshold. I'd made an appointment to get a tattoo when I turned eighteen, but chickened out and cancelled at the last minute. I wouldn't admit that to Jade, though. Maybe martial arts would strengthen my pain tolerance.

You can do a lot of things when you're Jade's age, but getting a tattoo isn't one of them, among many other things that aren't brought into your life until much, much later.