ZEDD - A MONTH LATER

I storm out of my office, completely pissed off. Thanks to a recently incompetent lackey, I nearly missed a deadline - my first ever. Fortunately, he was never one of my best people, but still good enough that I kept him after the culling that we all did years ago. Lately though, it almost seems like he either doesn't care about the job anymore or he's no longer afraid of me and that's a situation that cannot be allowed to continue. I stalk through the living room on my way to the kitchen, paying no mind to anyone I pass. After all, they all know to stay out of my way until I've calmed down.

"Lord Zedd?"

"WHAT!?" Turning toward the voice that dared address me, I realize far too late that it's Jacob's boy and I have just scared the holy hell out of him as he drops to the floor, cowering and shaking and instantly begging for forgiveness for bothering me. I do not need this today. "Oh, Hunter, I'm sorry."

Wondering why in the hell he's alone in the living room not even watching anything, I'm about to crouch down and calm him when out of nowhere I'm suddenly launched across the room, crashing into an end table. I shake my head to clear it, trying to figure out what just happened. I look up to see Jacob holding Hunter tightly and talking to him soothingly. "It's all right, Hunter. You're safe. Nobody is going to hurt you." My son turns angry eyes on me. "What the hell did you do?!"

I can't even answer him as it dawns on me that Jacob, my mild mannered, easy going son, just took me out with one hit. Not only took me out, but knocked me across the damn room. Thomas rushes into the room just then and swiftly crosses over to me. "Zedd, are you okay?"

"Not really." He helps me to my feet as Jacob coaxes Hunter to do the same. I answer Jacob's question as well as the inquiry in my mate's eyes. "I accidentally scared the hell out of Hunter but before I could calm him down, Jacob showed up and-"

"Knocked you on your ass" Thomas finishes. "Why, Jacob?"

"I-I don't know. I just was coming back with a couple of movies for us to watch and I just - knew I had to get to Hunter." His confusion makes my heart sink.

Softly, Thomas asks, "Still don't think they're bonded?"

"But they can't be!"

"Why not? Remember what you said to me all those years ago after you and the others caught the Earth flu from Jason? 'I am thousands of your years old and have had hundreds of relationships, including being married to the witch. In all those relationships - intimate and not - the bond never connected to another being and yet, a teenage human that I barely had actual contact with - the bond found something in him that made him worthy to be my future companion and potential mate and connected with him.' Why couldn't it be the same for them? Especially with as much time as they spend together." Fuck me.

"How are you so calm about all of this?"

"For one thing, I've had more time to think about it than you have, mate. For another, well, look at them - really look at them. They're us decades ago. Don't you remember how often you had to calm me much the same way?"

"I-" Shit. He's right. Watching Jacob holding the still trembling boy, stroking his hair and speaking to him in English, I can't argue with his logic. "What do we do now?"

"The same things we've been doing. Take care of him, teach him that things are different now. It's just going to take time, mate. Now, how did you scare him?" Quickly I give him a rundown of the problem and he frowns. "Let me see if I can get any information from my people. There may be a reason for his distraction."

"Well, it better be a damn good one." I shake my head. "This has not been a good day."