ZEDD - THE NEXT MORNING

It's quiet in the house this morning, although at this hour it's not entirely unexpected. Thomas had another nightmare last night and, unfortunately, I'm not really surprised after what he told me when he came to bed. Unfortunately, the quiet in the house means that I have far too much time to think. I remember a conversation I'd had with Pina while the boy was still in the infirmary.

"Well?" Looking at Scorpina expectantly, I mentally prepare myself for the pain Jacob's going to be in if the boy is past the point of saving, and knowing Jax as I do that's actually very likely.

"He wouldn't have survived had Jacob not got him when he did." Looking equal parts disgusted and enraged, she shakes her head before going down the list of injuries the mixed breed has sustained. "The worst was the internal bleeding, he had three broken ribs, one of which had punctured his lung, that along with the damage to his kidneys and liver, I'm honestly amazed he didn't bleed out on the way here."

"He'll live though?"

"I think so. I'll have to keep a close eye on him for the next few days, but with any luck and if we can keep him from getting any infections he should survive and recover well enough."

"Well enough?" Looking concerned as he joins us with Thomas, Jacob is clearly not aware of the damage such abuse can do to non power holding individuals.

"You have to remember, honey, he's not a power holder, he's just, from what my scans show, a mixed breed from a few different species. He doesn't have the added healing factor that your fathers or you and your siblings do" Scorpina explains gently, while moving to give him a reassuring touch to his back. "If it makes you feel better, you very likely saved his life by getting him out of there when you did."

"Should have got him sooner" the soft growl taking me by slight surprise, as he suddenly sounds far more like me than Thomas I watch as his expression turns hateful. "Gonna kill that son of a bitch."

"Jacob" clearly surprised himself, Thomas however seems to recover somewhat faster than myself.

"What? Don't say such things? Don't do them? And why not? Why shouldn't I after what he did?"

Shaking his head, Thomas tries to reason him back down, however I'm suddenly doubtful that will happen. "We'll handle Jax, I promise."

"He should have been handled before now!" Fists clenched at his sides and I swear eyes tinting to a much darker color, he suddenly has all of us on alert.

"Son-"

"No! You both are always looking the other way where he and his kind are concerned and why?! Because he's family?" The word thrown at us in disgust, he continues before I can even manage a word of protest. "I don't give a fuck what part of our bloodline he is, he is not, nor should he be family! For god sakes he only picked him because he looks like you! Does that bother you in the least? Do you even care that he's laying in there near death because that bastard wanted a version of you to beat the hell out of and couldn't get to any of us?!"

"Jacob, breathe." Suddenly falling into long since buried habits I learned when dealing with Mara Jane's bouts of rage, I make certain to keep my voice calm even as I lock eyes with my second born. "You need to calm down and breathe, son. The boy is okay, he's going to be okay and we will keep him safe, but you have to calm down."

"He needs to suffer." Still caught in his rage and no doubt still focused on how to make my brother suffer as much as possible, I relent slightly with a nod.

"And he will. I give you my word I will make him pay for what he's done. But not you, just like with Mara Jane I will not have you take that first step into my world when I can prevent it." Slowly laying my hands on his arms I give a light squeeze, trying to keep him grounded and with me. "Focus on the boy, Jacob. Help him recover and I swear on my honor I will see that Jax is punished."

Taking several breaths and far longer than I like, he slowly seems to come back to me, eyes fading back to their normal brown, rather than the near black they had almost settled on.

"Good boy, that's it, stay with us."

"If he comes anywhere near him again-"

"I'll make certain it doesn't happen."

Looking as if he's about to press the matter, a pained and panicked noise from behind us quickly puts a momentary halt to it. Hurrying over to the medical bed and beginning to reassure our waking guest, Jacob is fast to remind him where he is and that all is well.

"Zedd" Looking at me with concern of his own now, I already know what's on my mate's mind.

"It'll be okay, I didn't feel it like with Mara Jane. There's not enough there that we have to worry."

Looking only slightly relieved, Thomas gives a nod before turning back to Pina. "He will live though?"

"I'm going to keep him in here for a few days, just so I can keep a better eye on him, after that we can move him to a room. Right now though the best thing for him is to rest."

"We can make the spare room by ours into a bedroom for him I suppose. That way if he panics he can find us easily."

"No." Both myself and Thomas taken back by Jacob's sudden and firm refusal, our son continues before I can question it. "No offense Papa but you and Daddy can be just a bit intimidating even when you don't mean to, the same as Uncle Dar. There's a spare room between me and Grace, put him in there, as Gracie won't appear as a threat should he get confused and go to the wrong room and I'll be able to hear him if he becomes distressed."

"Jacob-"

Laying a hand on my arm, Thomas shakes his head. "Let him try, if it keeps him from going after Jax's blood, and gives him something to focus on, let him. Besides, he has a point to a degree, Grace appearance-wise is likely the least intimidating of us, followed by Jacob."

"I know, but what if he lapses into a panic? True Grace should be able to take him down by skill and strength alone right now, but I don't want her scared or hurt because of it."

"I don't think that's going to be an issue, Zedd."

Following his gaze back to the boy, I see what he's referring to, as even while clearly hurt beyond reason the mutt is desperately trying to apologize for causing some nonexistent trouble to us as well as for getting blood on my son's clothes. "This is going to be far worse then when I saved you isn't it."

"I'd say that's a safe bet. However we at least have one advantage this time."

"Which is?"

"Your parents." At my look of surprise he continues seriously. "I know we can't go kill him Zedd, as much as both of us would love to, however given what he holds dear I think it's a safe bet that your parents can find at least a suitable punishment to dish out until we come up with one of our own."

"And we will come up with one of our own" I agree.

While it still sends me into a rage to hear anything about what was done to the boy, I'd still love to know as I think making my brother live through the same things would certainly be a fitting punishment. I snap to attention as I hear someone sneaking through the house. I stand quickly and push the kitchen door open, accidentally startling the boy on my mind. He yelps and instantly drops to the floor. His posture is all too familiar and I react reflexively, crouching and holding out a hand as I talk softly. "Easy, young one. I'll not hurt you."

Seeing this isn't helping, I switch to English and repeat myself, silently cursing as I've already forgotten Thomas' advice from last night. He calms quite quickly after that, thankfully, looking more than curious at the odd sounding language. Softly he says, "I'm sorry, my lord. Should I have stayed in the room until I had permission to leave it?"

Sighing to myself, I reply, "You don't need permission, child. You are free to go almost anywhere in the house that you want. Until you know where is not safe, though, please stick to the rooms you're familiar with."

"Yes, my lord."

I stand and gesture for the boy to do the same. "Are you hungry?" He hesitates before nodding. "Come on then."

I take him to the kitchen and make him some toast - one of the few things I'm allowed to make myself. He inhales it in much the same manner as he did his dinner last night and I realize with growing certainty that Goldar's quip to Thomas concerning the use of utensils was very likely quite accurate. At the very least we're definitely going to have to give him a few lessons in basic table manners before taking him out to eat anywhere. Before I can offer him any more or even suggest he try some cereal, curious to see if he will use a spoon or not, Jacob suddenly pops into the room looking more than a little worried. Eyes falling on Hunter however he sighs in clear relief at having found his guest. "There you are" he greets the boy.

Hunter visibly shrinks on his stool. "I'm sorry. I should have asked if I could leave the room."

Before Jacob can say anything, I speak up. "I told you that you don't need permission to leave the room. Jacob will show you the rooms that you are not to be in or in alone later." At my son's questioning look, I elaborate. "The labs, the workout room, the weapons room, Kira's wing - that sort of thing."

"Oh, right. No problem, Papa." Jacob quickly starts some toast for himself. "Do you want some, Hunter?"

"No thank you."

"You need to eat."

"Your father already fed me."

Suddenly looking less than pleased, my son's response makes me roll my eyes at his dramatics. "Oh god what did he give you? He's not the best cook."

"Like you should talk, son. You cook about as well as I do. And just so you know, I gave him some toast, so you can stop looking at him as if he's going to suddenly keel over." One of the few ways that Jacob does take after me, I'm thankful that at least his elder sister can cook and quite well too.

"I just don't want you giving him something that'll make him sick. He's not used to your - experiments like we are."

Chuckling at the light teasing, I say, "I'll give him a while."

We chat lightly for a while, Jacob gradually drawing Hunter out of his shell a bit to participate in the conversation. It's only when we're finally joined by first Thomas and then Mara Jane, that he seems to fall into silence once more.

"Morning." Heading to the fridge and retrieving the orange juice, I watch as Mara Jane quickly downs a glass before snatching a piece of toast Thomas has just made for himself and heading for the door.

"In a hurry, are you?"

"Running late, supposed to go look at dress designs with Aunt Serena." Knowing that's not her sole reason for hurrying through as I can feel the small flare up of power from her, I however let it be, for the most part at least.

"When you're done with your aunt, why don't we spar a bit?"

Pausing and glancing back at me, she finally gives a nod. "Power?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, but don't expect me to take it easy on you."

Smirking at the teasing challenge, I keep my own response light. "Don't get cocky little girl, I'll remind you I have many years experience on you."

"Oh yes, so much experience." The mocking tone is quickly followed by her grabbing a broom and holding it much like I would my staff. Next putting on a 'menacing' expression she quickly goes in for the kill. "Grr, I'm Lord Zedd and I'm going to eat you up."

"As I told you when you were seven, I do not say that."

"He's right, if you want to be accurate you have to threaten to make a fifty story tall gerbil" Thomas pipes in, a far too amused smile on his face.

"I never did that with a gerbil."

Rolling her eyes, but at least smiling now, my daughter tosses the broom aside before pulling up one of her power orbs, "Gerbil or no, you're going down, grandpa."

"Tough talk for someone who's about to spend five hours looking at fabric samples."

"We'll see. Later."

Watching the exchange silently, and thankfully not bolting for the door at our dramatics, when Hunter finally speaks up once more the awed tone is definitely not what I was expecting to hear. "She has power?"

"Yes, she holds dark power, like I do."

Looking to Jacob expectantly, I can see the slight bit of disappointment in his expression as my son shakes his head. "Sorry, I can't do what they do. Only Mara Jane and Papa have access to that much of that kind of power."

Frowning and looking to be thinking something over, the boy shakes his head slowly. "You could learn."

"It's not something that's easy learned, or something I was really interested in, like Mara Jane," Jacob explains, before I have to. "I've always been more focused on nature, just like Grace is with her studies and science, and Sullivan with his martial arts and weapons skills."

"You seem interested though. If you like you can watch them spar later." Sitting down at the island with his coffee and a new piece of toast, Thomas' offer takes me back a bit as the last thing I want is the child to see me or Mara Jane as a danger to his life.

"Really?" Seeming to perk up at this however, he looks to me and Jacob, with what might be actual happiness.

"I suppose that would be all right." Frowning as I realize what is bothering me, I can't help the next words that come out of my mouth. "I'm honestly surprised Jax hasn't scared you to death with stories concerning my power though."

"He talked a little bit about you having power, but I think it was more he was mad he doesn't have any and you do, but it's hard to remember, he was mad about a lot of things."

"He talked a little bit about you having power, but I think it was more he was mad he doesn't have any and you do, but it's hard to remember, he was mad about a lot of things."

"Considering how his whole life is in the dump, that doesn't surprise me much" Thomas remarks calmly.

"And it's just going to get worse from here" I answer with grim satisfaction.