ZEDD - ONE YEAR LATER

I shake my head in fond exasperation as I go to fetch my husband from his lab. Having finally found himself again, he has rediscovered his love for experimenting. Lately, more often than not, I have to come and pry him away from whatever he's playing with this time to eat and such. Sometimes I find Grace with him, our youngest daughter having definitely inherited his love of reading and science, but more often than not, he's alone.

To my pleased surprise, he's just leaving his lab as I turn down the hall. He grins widely at me. "Made it without being reminded today."

I smile back. "At a good spot to stop, are you?"

"Something like that."

We turn and head back in the direction of the main areas of the house. "Good. I miss being able to see you whenever I want to."

He smirks knowingly. "You miss being able to play whenever you want."

"That too."

"Well if it makes you feel better I have to let what I'm working on now sit for a while so as long as nothing major happens in the next few hours I'd say it's a safe bet that I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

"I like the sound of that."

We head toward the dining room, but are stopped by Jacob hollering. "Dad! Papa! Aunt Pina!"

"That's my fault, isn't it" Thomas jests, even as we hurry toward the source of our son's voice.

"You know the universe."

"Jacob? What is it?" Making it to the front hall in record time we stop short at the sight before us. Jacob is helping, no - half dragging, a young man into the house. He kicks the door shut with one foot, the dead weight of his companion nearly dragging them both to the floor. The blond male is barely conscious, words slurring together, but clearly apologizing and begging for forgiveness.

Thomas recovering before myself he hurries to them and carefully relieves Jacob of his burden, gently laying the figure on the floor. "Zedd, go get Pina and a stretcher. I felt his ribs shift and I don't want to take a chance on a punctured lung."

I hurry away, returning a few short minutes later. Pina quickly runs her scanner over the prone figure. "Tommy's right. He has several broken ribs on both sides. We need to move him carefully."

With all of us working together, we get him moved to the infirmary as quickly and carefully as possible. While Pina, Thomas and Jacob start to work on the boy, I fetch a damp cloth and gently start to clean his beaten and bloody face, trying to keep the blood from staining his pale locks any more than it already has. In spite of the swelling and bruises, he looks familiar although I cannot seem to place him. I notice something odd about his scalp. Upon closer inspection, I realize it's the remains of temporary hair dye - black if I'm not mistaken. He's still apologizing.

"Hush, young one. It's all right. You're safe here."

Suddenly, I hear Pina suck in her breath. "Guys, I'm going to need you to hold him down in a minute or so. There's something inside him and it really needs to come out. Jacob, go stand where Zedd is and hold his shoulders. Zedd, Tommy - I need you on either side of him. Hook your arms under his knees and pull them back not quite to his chest and pin his arms." Quickly we all do as we're told. Gently, Pina works his pants from underneath him but only enough to give her the access she needs.

Suddenly the abused young man speaks, panicked. "No! You have to leave that there! I'm already going to be in enough trouble for leaving the grounds during the hunt! He'll kill me if I take it out!"

"I'm sorry, but it has to come out." Before the boy can protest again, she yanks something out of him, he screams in pain and passes out.

"What in all the hells is that?" Thomas asks, clearly sickened by the device. Seven spheres of graduated sizes connected by string, I know he knows what it is as we've played with them before. What is unfamiliar, even to me, is the fact that said spheres seem to be covered with sharp little points. Judging from the amount of blood on them, I would guess that every movement was slowly shredding his insides. Now I'm sickened as well. I knew that some didn't treat their pets well, but this goes beyond the bounds of sanity.

Pina does what she can to staunch the blood flow before returning his pants to their prior position and allowing us to lower his body back to the table. Jacob has made a point of not looking down past the boy's shoulders during this and I'm relieved beyond words as I'm not ready to have this conversation about the use of toys during mating just yet. The basics have been covered, to be sure, and by Thomas, but the more advanced techniques haven't actually been dealt with yet. Never mind having to deal with the sickness that comes with this version.

"Jacob, where did you find him? What happened?"

My son's intense gaze doesn't leave the unconscious figure on the table. "I was coming home from Toille's house and I found him collapsed in a ditch not far from Jax's house."

"I'm going to kill him."

Thomas speaks up, stopping me before I can get any further worked up. "First things first, Zedd. Pina can you heal him?"

I've never seen the warrior look so hopeless. "I can try, but even with the machine it's going to take days. There's so much damage..." She shakes her head. "Not to mention, with the way he's protesting and fighting us, I'm either going to have to restrain him or sedate him."

Before either Thomas or I can speak, Jacob does, firmly. "No restraints. Sedate him or whatever but no more restraints. Not ever."

"Depending on how much blood he's lost though, constant sedation might be a problem, I might be able to keep him still with just a few bands around-"

"No." Cutting my friend off quickly, the near murderous look on his face is one I've never seen him use outside of a battle before. "If I have to, I'll stay with him until he's all right to move again, and keep him still myself, but you will not restrain him."

Thomas and I exchange looks even as Pina seems rather taken back herself by this clear order. "Jacob, son, let's go talk for a minute."

He lightly strokes the unconscious head. "I want to stay with him."

"You'll be back soon. Pina will take care of him, you know that."

"We can talk here."

"If he wakes and hears us discussing him, it's likely going to put him in a panic" Thomas reasons, thankfully before my own frustration leads me to start snapping back at my second born.

He sighs heavily. "Fine, but can we please make this fast?"

"We'll be back soon." Casting one more look at the boy on the table, Thomas frowns in puzzlement. "You know, he looks a bit familiar."

I nod. "I thought so too, but I can't place him. Jacob-"

"I don't know him, but that doesn't mean I want him waking up alone and afraid I've abandoned him. He's been through enough, he doesn't need that on top of it."

Watching him stalk out of the room, I exchange another look with Thomas only getting a small headshake and rather concerned expression of his own. "You know how much he cares about creatures being hurt."

"It's not as if he's never seen or actually done damage to a person before though."

"Those were battle situations, Zedd and he was doing so to protect us and his siblings, never mind the creatures and power of Dulcea's world. It's different."

"I suppose."

"He's just upset, he's never seen this kind of cruelty before."

A sudden new wave of concern hitting me, I wrap an arm around my mate, pulling him against me. "Neither have you."

"Annywl."

"That was different."

"Yeah, that bastard deserved it, he same as Jax does."

In a few minutes the three of us are in the kitchen, drinks in hand. Thomas quickly puts together a sandwich and slides it in front of his son. "Since you're probably going to be down there for the next several hours, at least eat something."

Jacob pushes the plate away. "Not hungry."

"I know. Eat it anyway."

He picks up the sandwich and eats a few bites before I ask, "Okay so what do you know?"

"I was walking home, like I said, when I heard what sounded like dogs barking. I didn't really think anything of it since I'd heard it near Jax's house before and it's never come anywhere near the road. I kept walking and I suddenly smelled blood and heard a faint whimper. I thought it was a hurt animal so I started looking for it and I found him. I tried to talk to him but all he would say was something about a hunt. I thought he was delirious with pain so I gave him a quick once over. Since his legs weren't broken or really damaged that I could tell, I got him up and moving toward here. He needed help and the dog sounds were coming closer. It didn't matter if I carried him or helped him walk, it was still pretty slow going. Finally, we got away from Jax's property and the sounds finally started to fade and I brought him back here."

I sigh, unhappy with what I have to tell him. "Jacob, son, that boy - he's Jax's pet."

My husband and son both look at me, surprised. I know Thomas was near certain my brother was responsible for the damage done once hearing about where he was found, however I also know he hadn't been expecting that to be the reason. "How do you know?" Thomas asks.

Not about to tell him in front of Jacob, I shake my head. "A number of things, actually."

"Papa, please - we have to help him. This is no way to treat any living being, never mind another humanoid. Please."

Reluctantly, as I don't want to raise his hopes, I nod. "I'll see what I can do."

He swiftly finishes his sandwich and heads back to the boy. Thomas raises his eyebrow at me. "You'll see?"

Unhappily, I answer, "Technically, he's property, Thomas. If we were to keep him, Jax is well within his rights to demand reinbursement - and that's if he were to agree to take the easy route and hand him over instead of demand him back."

"You've got to be kidding me. Even if he is a pet, for hell's sake there has be some laws protecting him from this kind of abuse. Even on Earth, as undeveloped as it is people can't openly abuse their pets in such a manner without punishment and having the animals taken away for their protection."

"I understand that, and yes, there are a few laws here that offer pets a bit of protection as well, but.."

"But?"

Heaving a sigh, I continue unhappily. "But, it would have to be proven that Jax actually did the damage to him and that he didn't like it and consent to it, which brings about its own set of problems as I've no doubt that boy is terrified of him and will say what Jax tells him to say should I actually bother to get the authorities involved. Never mind that might not even result in the boy being legally taken away from him, worst case, he'd probably end up paying a fine."

"A fine?"

"Not a very big one either I'd wager as this would be his first recorded offense for these particular charges. Truthfully the best bet would be to handle it ourselves I suppose, but again I can't promise Jax is going to surrender him willingly."

Thomas stands. "We'll get some back up then. I'll take a few pictures of the boy and then I'm calling your mother."

"She won't have a problem with Jax having pets."

"Maybe not, but I think she'll have a serious problem with how he's treating him though."

Before I can protest, he's gone. If the boy is as bad as Pina's implied, he might not even live after all - and it might be for the best. My brother has a cruel streak that I wouldn't have expected. For so long he seemed like Father, cold, distant, disapproving. But it's becoming more and more clear that he's done a hell of a job of hiding his true nature for centuries. It's just become more and more pronounced since I returned to the family's good graces, as it were.

What to do? Call Jax? Call his wife? Just show up on his doorstep in all my evil glory and demand he release the boy to us? Before I can debate things further, Mara Jane comes in and gives me a peck on the cheek. "Hi, Papa. What's wrong?"

Without thinking, I answer, "Jacob rescued a pet from Jax and the boy is badly hurt."

Snapping around, Mara Jane gasps, "Jacob's hurt?"

"Sorry, honey, no, I meant the boy he rescued."

She exhales in relief at her brother's safety before refocusing. "Good because I swear he lays one hand on Jacob or any of us and I'll-"

"I know." Seeing her power briefly flare up before she quickly cools it back down, I can't help the small smile at her skill and control of it, despite the current situation I'm now in. "Believe me, you wouldn't be the only one decimating his entire property."

"You'd have to beat me to it, though."

"Sounds like a challenge."

"Considering how old you're getting I hardly thinks it's that much of a challenge. I mean I suppose I could give you a ten minute head start, but then I wouldn't want you wearing yourself down and lord knows Daddy would not be happy to know I let your frail elderly self go off alone on some mission of revenge."

Looking completely offended I'm sure, I fix my eldest with a dangerous look. "You better watch it little girl. Your grandmother and aunt may be planning your coming out party but I'm still the one presenting you and it would take all of nothing to 'accidently' knock you into a punchbowl."

"Daddy would kill you, and that's assuming Grandma and Aunt Serena don't get to you first." Smiling and shaking her head, she retrieves a drink from the fridge before refocusing. "So, how badly is the boy injured?"

"Pina says that - even with the machine - it's going to take days. Never mind that's if he actually makes it."

She looks sickened by this before anger takes over. "Maybe it's time that we deal with him instead of letting Grandma and Grandpa do it then."

It is very tempting. "I'm sure Daddy will suggest it when he calls Grandma. He's doing that right now." Suddenly, I feel shock and upset from him. "Something's wrong. Stay here."

I hurry to my husband, feeling his upset turn to nausea. I enter the room in time to hear Thomas ask, "Are you sure, Mara?"

Mother is on the screen, looking as ill as my mate feels. "I know my own son, Tommy, and this boy looks just like Zeddic did when he was young."

I skid to a halt, stunned. The boy isn't my mirror image, but now it makes sense why he looked familiar. I almost miss what Thomas says next. "That's why he's beaten all to hell. Jax has been taking his rage at Zedd out on the boy."

And now I've had enough. "Mother, I know that you and Father have tried to curtail him, but this-"

Mother nods. "He's gone too far this time. We'll - deal with him."

I shake my head. "No, now he's involved me for who knows how long. It's our turn."

Thomas nods. "We just need to figure out what the best way will be. We definitely don't want him getting the boy back."

"Tommy, Zeddic - you both know that we have tried, don't you?"

Thomas works quickly to calm my mother's pleading. "Mara, of course we do. But sometimes, well, a slap on the wrist isn't enough. Sometimes someone else has to step in to make a point very clear. It happens and, as Jax is an adult, you aren't in control of him and haven't been in some time. You are a good mother and Kerch is a good father. You just need a little help, that's all."

Abruptly, I realize what's going on in her head. "Mother - you and Father have not failed as parents. I'm proof of that."

She sighs miserably. "No, you're not. Tommy has brought about the changes in you."

Thomas shakes his head, chuckling. "Mara, remember - he'd already chosen to leave the evil life before he came for me. If he was still evil and unredeemable, he'd have never bothered to save me, much less care for me and help me get better. Did he use his reputation to start and bolster his new business? Sure, but it would have been foolish not to use every advantage he had. Not to mention, I have no doubt that Kerch's lessons in business and how to handle such things helped make him successful at it. He just had to find his own path."

I nod. "Dulcea told me once that Jax has lost his way. Maybe - just maybe - this confrontation will help him find it again."

"Now you're just saying that to make me feel better."

I put on the most offended face I have. "Mother, I have not lied to you since I left to join the Alliance. I have not been with them for decades and have no reason to lie now. You don't trust me? Your first born son?"

She cracks a smile at my dramatics. "You have a point, Zeddic. Let me know if you need help."

She disconnects the call and Thomas turns to me. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

"Hell no. No message from me is going to make Jax turn his life around. But maybe he'll finally listen to my parents or his mate or children on the matter."

"Oh hell. I broke you." I shoot him a puzzled look as he tries to hide a smile. "You've become an optimist."

"Or not. But you have taught me that things aren't always as bad as they appear."