"Jack?" Lily's voice was quiet and cautious.

She felt that if she spoke any louder, he would scare like a small animal and run away to hide. There was no response. She took a tentative step forward and Jack looked down at the ground, his ashy hair shrouding his eyes in shadow. Lily continued forward, closing the distance between them until she was only a step away.

"Jack…" Not a word was returned.

Slowly, she raised her hands up to his face. Her fingertips brushed his cheeks and her eyes widened at the heat radiating from his skin. She gently cupped his face and lifted his head. Sadness tore through her like a serrated blade as his eyes met her gaze. Their color was not the only difference. There was not a shred of joy left in the eyes of the guardian of fun. Jack shook his head out of Lily's hands and look back to the ground.

Through clenched teeth, he said, "You should go back." He balled his fists in restraint, desperately trying to keep his true feelings locked away.

STAY WITH ME! The internal plea echoed around his skull while his fingernails dug into his palms. "Go… back."

Lily didn't know what to do. She wanted to refuse, but it would be a lie to say she wasn't scared of what the consequences might be. This was still Jack, though… right?

Yeah… what if I just… talk to him like I normally do? Lily quickly came to a final decision. "Nah, I think I'll stay here. Just promise you won't barbecue me like this poor tree."

Though she tried her best to keep her tone calm and even, her voice was strung with tension and she waited nervously for his response.

Jack ground his teeth. "Lily, please… please just…"

Before he had the chance to finish his sentence, Lily rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. She inhaled sharply as she pressed her body against Jack's, the heat radiating throughout her like a shockwave of electricity. Though it burned, she locked her hands around him and buried her head into his chest.

"Toasty," she whispered.

Jack looked up as his eyes began to well with tears. His head told him to push her away but his heart told him to hold her close. He fought the urge to return her embrace as he warred with himself.

"Jack," he heard Lily say. "It's okay. It's going to be okay. You're okay." His mind slowly quieted as Lily began to sway with him in her arms.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey…"

I can't believe she's singing to me right now… what is she? My mom? The corners of Jack's mouth lifted into a small smile as he listened to the sweet melody drifting from Lily's lips.

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."

A/N: Hey, all! I'd completely forgotten about this story until I got an email saying someone new had favorited it! Here's another chapter. Even if this takes me twenty years, I am going to finish this fanfiction. I hope my readers, old and new, will continue to enjoy it with me :)