Jim's Folly

*gasp* Rejoice again, Abby! Another chapter ALL ABOUT JIM! (And I didn't NEED to know that tidbit of information, thanks…)

Chapter Eighteen

You left without saying goodbye

Although I'm sure you tried

You call the house from time to time

To make sure we're alive

But you weren't there

Right when I needed you the most

And now I dream about it

How it's so bad, it's so bad

Jim was having a nightmare. In it, he could see the face of his father. Though Jim never had nightmares in his own bed, he was having a fit of a time in his own bed that night.

His father's face haunted him. In his dream, he saw, over and over, his father storming out of the house, leaving his mother in tears. Each time Jim saw that, he tried to make his tiny legs run as fast as they could. They just had to catch up to him! Each time he re-dreamed the scenario of the past, he got closer and closer.

Sweat poured down his face as he dreamed it a fourth time. This time, he came so close he could smell the leather of his father's jacket. But his father stepped onto the ship and sailed off.

Father's hands are lined with guilt

For tearing us apart

Guess it turned out in the end

Just look at where we are

We Made it out, we still got clothing on our backs

And now I scream about it

How it's so bad, it's so bad, so bad, so bad

The fifth time was different. Jim touched his father's jacket. His father, however, ignored the touch of his pre-adolescent son and stepped on to the ship. Jim reached out and dove for his father but the ship had taken off. Jim missed the ship and fell meters below. Just as he was about to hit the rocks that approached, he woke up with a start, screaming.

Father's hands are lined with guilt

For tearing us apart…

Jim brought his knees to his chest, ignoring the complaint in his middle. He buried his face in his knees, hiding from all the world as the tears began to flow. He was terrified. Why was the memory of his father haunting him so badly?

Jim decided it would be best if he went back to sleep. Outside, it was dark and in Montressor, for the first time in ages, the sky was clear. Crescentia space port loomed in the sky ahead, casting light in through the window.

Wiping the tears from his cheeks, Jim rose, deciding it would be best if he got himself a drink before he went to bed.

Stepping down the stairs quietly, he waded through the boxes and pieces of lumber in the kitchen. The fridge was up and running, at least. The Inn was nearly finished, but there were still many things to fix and attach, but that wouldn't take long.

Sighing, Jim drank from the carton of purp juice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a sleepy pink blob approach. Jim held out his hands. "Hey, Morph! Can't sleep either?"

Morph purred and nuzzled Jim's cheek. He felt warmth in his heart. Morph had a way of doing that to him.

"Want some juice?" Jim offered. Morph grinned and Jim got the little shape shifter a cup.

While Morph drank, Jim went into the bathroom down the hall to look at himself.

The light was bright in his eyes, but he didn't care. Once they'd adjusted, he was astounded at what he saw looking back at him. Through his months of rehab, he'd not had the time to look himself over too often.

In the mirror was a boy. The face was beginning to fill out again, and the stubble was now gone. His eyes weren't dressed with black circles, and he was gaining some weight. Jim lifted up his shirt and looked at the bandage. Sooner or later, he'd be able to get the bandage off and show off the scar. He grinned. Amy would hate it. He couldn't wait to show her.

Jim noticed that his youthful beauty was returning. Though he was turning nineteen in a few months, he still looked young and handsome. His hair was getting long, but he'd had it cut recently. It wasn't as short as it had been in the academy, but that was fine with him. Once he was a graduate, he'd grow out his ponytail again.

His hair was mushroom style as usual, but not as long as it had been in his past days with Silver. He missed that hair style. It made him look rebellious. He smirked at himself in the mirror and noticed a tiny dimple in his cheek. It made him smile more.

Morph, now finished his juice, ventured into the bathroom and studied what Jim was doing before turning into a tiny Jim on the counter, running his mini-hands through his mini-hair and cocking a smug grin.

Jim laughed. "Hey, that's not what I look like," he protested. Morph turned back into Morph and nuzzled Jim again. He turned into mini Jim and Sarah and the two miniatures hugged each other. Big Jim nodded. "I know…Mom's really happy I've gotten my act together."
Morph looked down at Jim's bare arms and Jim was disgusted at the scars he bore. Though his arms were smooth, they still bore the scars that would forever tell his story.

He shrugged it off, ignoring the pain in his stomach.

He needed to go back to bed. Looking at Morph, he asked the blob if he wanted to sleep in his room for the rest of the night. Morph licked Jim's cheek and sped up the stairs before Jim could even react. He smiled and turned out the light. Time to go back to bed.

Guess it turned out in the end

Just look at where we are…

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Lyrics to Nickelback's "Too Bad" from Letssingit.com.