Heath just stared at a sheepish Jackson. His mouth open as tears flowed down his face, closing his eyes then opening them slowly. He walked over grabbing Jackson by the arm slowly taking him in. "Hey Cuz," Jackson said softly making Heath pull him in a giant hug crushing Jackson.
"Don't you ever…" Heath cried out hiding his face in his cousin's shoulder, "Don't you ever leave me like that. I don't know what I would have done if you never came back…or worst."
"It's been three days," Jackson said chuckling uncomfortably, not really knowing how to deal with Heath's reaction to him.
Flaring up Heath held Jackson at arm's length glaring at him, "you didn't say anything to me for those three days!"
"But-"
"There are no buts!" He yelled shaking Jackson as he looked on the verge of hysteria, "Don't ever! Ever! Do that!"
"I won't Heath…" Jackson said in a worried tone trying to get out of his cousin's grip.
"Good," He said smacking Jackson on the arm, "That is for thinking about killing yourself!"
Jackson was taken aback…how did Heath know that? "Heath…I-I…" Jackson looked at the ground, "How did you know tha-"
"Holt was in the school bathroom…I heard him yell it to the mirror." Heath said rubbing the back of his neck, "I kinda said some things…I need to apologize to him."
Jackson looked confused surprised that Heath would even think about insulting Holt, "What did you say to him?"
Heath gave Jackson a sheepish smile, "I told him that I might have…hated him."
"Heath!" Jackson yelled, "Why would you tell him that?" Jackson ran his hands through his hair, "That explains why he went to our mother!"
"Holt went to your mother?" His uncle asked from the stairs.
Jackson shrugged looking at the floor again when he saw his aunt's smile at him and his uncle's stern but happy gaze. "Yeah…she kind of forced me to listen."
"By kind of you mean she took the headphones and pushed you in a corner so you couldn't leave?" His aunt asked laughing when Jackson nodded, "Well that was better then what we were thinking of doing."
Jackson gave her a scared look when she laughed going to hug him, "It is good to have you back."
"It's good to be back I guess." Jackson said getting Heath to touch his arm; it was almost like he was afraid of him leaving.
"So I take Holt is doing better?" His uncle asked walking down to hug his nephew as well.
"Well…he is more tried then anything…" Jackson said trying to hear if Holt was still there…but like normal nothing came to him, "I can try to talk to him through our heads again…I doubt he will listen, he never does unless it is important." Jackson shrugged, "I don't think there will be any lasting effects to me locking myself in my head for three days." He got a relieved looked from his uncle who didn't want to let Jackson go just as much as Heath.
"Good," was all he said as he pulled Jackson into one more hug, "You aren't alone…like we told Holt you are family."
Jackson smiled awkwardly as they lead him to the living room, "I know I am."
Heath still holding on the Jackson sat right on top of him, "Good cuz you need to get ready for Scream!"
Jackson grumbled pushing Heath off him giving him one good kick in the butt making him turn and go to jump on Jackson, but caught his father's eye. He grumbled over to a sit and sat down.
"We need to get ready for Scream Heath…" Jackson said sighing…it was still hard to focus on them. "Holt will be ready no matter what even if he is still a little tired."
Heath practically bounced in his seat, "They will have the track open tomorrow after school… it will be a practice track with nothing too dangerous on it, but it will be as close as we get to the real thing! Then the real trial starts!"
Jackson groaned rubbing his eyes, "Why does it have to be so close." He whined, "I really hoped it was more like a week away."
"Well if you didn't leave us for like ever! You would have had more time on the track." Heath teased his cousin who looked at the ground ashamed.
Heath's uncle gave him a look before looking at Jackson, "And there is nothing wrong with that. We are just happy you are back."
Chuckling softly at both of them, "I'm not that fragile…plus I am scared of Holt would try next if I went back in my mind."
Heath made a disbelieving noise making his mother smack him. Jackson yawned and stretched making Heath poke him. "Come on cuz! It is only nine!" Jackson laughed at Heath's poke making him get a goofy grin on his face, "Oh…I now can get Holt back!"
Jackson gave him a scared look pushing him away, "I don't even want to know."
Getting up making Heath grab onto his arm, "Heath I am going to bed…I swear I'll be down for breakfast." Heath looked like he wanted to argue…but let go anyway as his parents went back up stairs.
Heading to his bed room Jackson opened his door slowly groaning at the mess. "Come on Holt…you were out three days and you wreck our room." He bed was a mess with no sheets on it as the laid on the floor and half out the window. "How did you even?" There was paint on the ceiling from where Holt thought the wall would be a good canvas for a large piece of artwork. "Okay…that is good…but why on the wall?" Shaking his head he saw that every mirror was broken. How was his knuckles not broken? He looked at his right hand seeing the bruising and cuts healing nicely. "Thanks…" Rubbing his face he walked the bathroom that seemed to survive for the most part with only minor damage to the mirror and only the shampoo lay outside the shower and on the floor.
"Whoa…it looks like a twister came through here!" Heath said walking in slowly.
"Like yours doesn't?" Jackson joked as Heath gave him a hurt look.
"It is my organized mess! I know where everything is!"
"Yeah like the two week old pizza box that you still haven't thrown away?"
"How do you know I haven't thrown it away?" Heath bickered right back making Jackson laugh raising an eyebrow.
"Alright Heath now you are just insulting me."
He made a face and walked right out of the room heading to his room to no doubt throw away the pizza box. Jackson couldn't help but laugh a little. As hard as it is to smile…it was good when it didn't have to try. Heath has always made him smile…even when he was being a huge ass. Groaning again as he looked back at his room. His aunt and uncle must have given Holt as much rains as possible to keep him happy and from breaking down. So little by little Jackson tidied up their room. Cleaning all the glass of the floor, finding a rather large piece he sat on his bed and studied it. Closing his eyes as he tried to hold back the guilty feeling, like nothing was going to get better, Yeah, he was out again, but…it was still hard. Life should never be this hard. Running his finger across the edge testing its sharpness…maybe he could hide it. He didn't know about his knuckles until he saw the mirrors…maybe he could do his leg…Holt won't look there right away. By the time he does…he would think he done it. Chewing his lip trying to resist the urge that was growing the longer he looked at it, when the door opened again to his room. Does anyone in this house knock?
"Jackson?" His aunt asked as he threw the glass in the bag of trash.
"Yes?" He said gathering more of the broken glass to throw away.
She took one look around the room shaking her head as grabbed a bag to help him, "Heath was grumbling about some pizza box and how he would show you clean…so I thought I would check on how things were."
Jackson forced out a laugh…why couldn't they leave him alone? "Yeah…Holt knows how to make a mess."
"Well at least this explains why he needed paint." She said studying the wall, "Who knew he would be able to draw people and scenery like that.
Jackson moved next to his aunt and tilted his head. The wall had a beautifully drawn sun set with trees around a little park. There were two people sitting at a picnic watching the sun. You couldn't see their faces but you knew they were happy with how close they were sitting. How they held each other's hands. The women had pure black hair that reminded him of his mother…and the man…he had bright red hair that looked liked it was on fire. Then it clicked, "I remember that day! I fell asleep right before sun set so I didn't get to see it," He explained as he placed his hand over the man, "That was the last picnic I went on with my father before he died…Holt must have woken up to them like this."
Jackson felt his heart swell at looking at the painting. His aunt placed her hand on his shoulder, but didn't say anything as Jackson held back tears. Holt knew Jackson would like this. Even if he did it for his own self…Maybe he was hoping for something to click. To try to bring Jackson back by just reliving happy memories. "I will be fine." Jackson said taking his eyes off his new wall art to look at his aunt who nodded at him. "I just need to get things ready for school." Thinking for a second, "I don't know if Holt will want to stay out…or well….Second thought…I will sleep tonight." She giggled at his train of thought before heading out of his room with both bags of glass and trash left by Holt. "Don't worry about the mirrors we will fix them soon."
Jackson nodded as he traded out his sheets for new before climbing into bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. When he alarm went off he heard someone grumbling from the floor. Jackson shot up thinking Holt somehow came free or his life was just a sick joke. When he looked over he saw Heath sleeping on the floor. Jackson chuckled…how did he sleep through his snoring? But it did touch Jackson's heart to know Heath missed him.
"Heath?" Jackson said poking Heath with his foot. "Heath time for school."
"No…." He mumbled snuggling back with the pillow.
Rolling his eyes he got out of bed and shook Heath roughly, making him push Jackson away, "No…school!"
"You have to go to school!" Jackson said before yanking the blankets off him, only making him turn his back to Jackson.
"Oh for the love of…" Jackson yelled before he sat down next to his sleeping cousin before slapping his head.
"Breakfast is ready." Jackson said in Heath's ear making him wake up fully, "Food?" He asked sleepily.
"Yes down in the kitchen," Jackson said trying to hold back laughter when Heath found out Jackson was sitting next to him.
"Aw…I was hoping to wake up before you." He said looking very much embarrassed for being caught sleeping on Jackson's floor.
"You should have known that I would catch you," Jackson said getting up to get ready for school. "So why were you sleeping on my floor…you haven't done that since the nightmares you had when you were eight."
Heath looked at the floor shifting as Jackson watching him, "I was afraid that…somehow…you coming home was just…" Heath got up and hugged Jackson again.
"Heath…I am fine!" Jackson said a little harshly earning a hurt look from Heath.
"Come on…I am here aren't I?" He said leading Heath to the bed, "I am talking to you…I already promised I wouldn't do it again…so please…let's get ready for school and mentally prepare ourselves for Scream." Jackson teased at the last part getting a goofy grin from Heath as his hair flared up, "Oh yeah! I forgot about that!" Heath ran out the room to go get breakfast leaving Jackson alone. Shaking his head he couldn't be happier with his short attention span cousin.
Jackson drove Heath to school that day getting a lot of people to stop and wave at them as he pulled into the parking lot.
"When did you become so popular?" Jackson asked Heath who laughed putting his arm around Jackson's shoulders.
"It isn't my cuz," He said happily, "Our family isn't the only that missed you. Or knew you were gone."
Jackson hung his head as more people gave him an excited hello. "Jackson!" A girl voice sounded behind them as they walked into school. Heath chuckled letting go of Jackson before he was tackled hugged by Frankie.
"Jackson…it so good to see you!" She placed her hand on his chest smiling her normal big smile.
"It's good to see you too." He said pulling her close to breath in her scent…how could he hate life with her next to him? "Sorry I was so selfish," He mumbled into her hair.
"Selfish?" She asked pulling away from him so she could see his face, "You weren't selfish…I would have reacted the same way you did." She reasoned with Jackson. When he opened his mouth she covered it with her hand, "Jackson before you go off on one of your little rants about this, let's just try enjoying us being together again okay?"
He slowly took her hand off his mouth, "Sorry…"
She giggled and kissed his check as he smiled a goofy grin. "So are you going to still try out for the Scream team?" She asked when he shrugged, "Holt is looking forward to it…so I guess I am."
"Oh! I can cheer you on!" She said as she told him about her making the Fearleading team even after a few hiccups with Cleo.
"Let me get on the team first." He said with a little laugh in his voice, "Don't want it to jinx me."
"I seen you skate you will be great!" Frankie encouraged.
"Well it looks like the lost little kitty found its way home." A purr sounded behind them.
"Aw come on Toralei not today!" Frankie whined at the were cat who purred.
"I am not here for you!" She spat at Frankie who sunk back a little, "I am here for the lost little Jackson."
She ran her finger across his jaw making him back away. "I-I am not lost!" He stammered out making her giggle and purr louder.
"Well…sure you aren't…I mean," She walked around him like he was stalking prey, "You did come back from your mind…How was it? Nice I suppose since you stayed in for so long."
Jackson hung his head not wanting to look at the cat as she laughed in his ear.
"Leave him alone!" Frankie said pushing Toralei away, "You have no idea what you are talking about!"
"Frankie don't." Jackson said grabbing Frankie's arm to keep her from shocking the cat. Frankie glared at Jackson who shrugged sadly… "She isn't worth you getting detention. Let's just leave."
"Aw…leaving so soon…" She taunted, "To bad you will never amount to anything but insanity."
Jackson stopped closing his eyes as he tried to let what she said run over him, but he didn't get a chance to calm down when Frankie was already tackling Toralei punching her in the face. "TAKE. IT. BACK." She yelled hitting her with each word.
Jackson dragged off a heavy breathing Frankie back as Toralei growled getting her claws ready to swipe at Frankie's face when Clawdeen came running.
"Don't even think about it ghoul friend! Jackson has Frankie so you can leave now!" Toralei hissed at Frankie and Jackson before running off.
"Th-that darn…JERK!" Frankie shouted wiggling out of Jackson's grip. "How could she even?"
"Its fine Frankie it really is." Jackson tried to reason with his over emotionally ghoulfriend who turned and stared daggers at him.
"NO! It isn't!" She growled making Clawdeen take a step back.
"You really need to calm down," Clawdeen said before Frankie lost any limbs.
Taking a deep breath she straightened her hair, "Fine…" She grumbled as she fixed her stitches. "But if she comes back I-I don't know what I will do but it will be something big!"
Jackson tried to not laugh at the part, "You don't have to do anything."
"She was cruel for no reason!"
"But it doesn't mean you have to beat her down…" Jackson sighed again rubbing his head as a headache started to form….Great…now Holt will want to know what got Jackson all stressed out.
"She was-"
"Just being mean…I mean come on Frankie she was right." He yelled throwing his hands up giving them his truth. Jackson turned his back on Frankie's and Clawdeen's shocked looks as he marched to his first class. He couldn't let her get to him….He couldn't let her hurt him. Toralei just wanted to cause trouble. She didn't really know anything about him or Holt. Laying his head down on the desk when he heard a little voice telling him to let him deal with the disrespecting cat.
"No Holt…" Jackson said a little louder then he thought he did getting a strange look from the teacher.
"Difficulties Mr. Jekyll?"
Clearing his throat trying not to look to embarrassed, "No…everything is fine!"
She gave him a concerned look before returning back to her work. Jackson sighed in relief to know that this teacher really didn't care about his alter ego…or him randomly talking to himself. He heard laughter in the back of his head. Scowling, he mentally shouted for Holt to go away making the laughter grow louder. This was going to be a rough day…and it just started.