VIII

Norm was confused. Jack had said before that he liked the genie, but did that turn to love so quickly? Norm found himself happy at the thought but refused to acknowledge it. He thought he only cared for his master as a friend. Well, if nothing else, a pretty decent guy. Jack liked Norm, in that way. But, did the genie feel the same? He wasn't sure. Why was it so hard to figure out?

"Norm… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Jack murmured.

The genie cleared his throat. "It's fine. Don't worry about it, Red…"

"Hey, Jack! Are you here?" A female voice called.

Norm growled in annoyance. He recognized the voice as Wuya, Jack's former associate and companion. If she was here, Chase Young might be, too. And Norm was almost certain that if he saw Chase again, there would be blood. He really hated the Heylin warlord for what he did to Jack.

Jack sighed and called back, "Downstairs, as usual, Wuya. Why you don't just pop in here anymore is beyond me. I'm always down here."

Wuya appeared in a cloud of gray smoke. "I was trying to be polite since you have a new 'friend'…" She replied. Norm could hear the spite in her voice. "Anyway, I need to talk to you. It's about Chase…"

Norm glared at the witch, not trying to hide his anger. "What about him? Jack's not going."

The witch took a step back, obviously startled by Norm's outburst. When she had first met him, he had seemed so calm and uninterested in his surroundings. But now, he was acting like something akin to a mother hen when it came to Jack and Chase. Did the genie find out about what happened to the boy? If so, why did he care? He was just a tool for others to use. Why should the genie even care?

"He needs to. No getting around it, pretty boy," Wuya glared. "Why the sudden need to look out for Jack's well-being?"

The genie scoffed and crossed his arms. "Because I know what happened. It's as simple as that." Truthfully, Norm wasn't sure himself. Why was he protective? How could he respond when he himself didn't understand?

Wuya waved a dismissive hand. "Whatever. I still need Jack to come with me. You are more than welcome to tag along, genie." She walked over and grabbed Jack's arm. "Come on, then."

Jack jerked his arm away. "Don't touch me. I'll go with you, but I'm getting there my way. You can use your magic all you want. I'll stick with my jet." He stood and walked over to his computer. He pressed the button that opened his jet hanger and turned to Wuya. "We'll be there, so you can leave now." He said.

Norm smirked. There's the sardonic Jack he liked. I was starting to think he wouldn't come out again… Norm thought with amusement.

"Well, you're in an unpleasant mood…" Wuya glared. "Fine, I'll go on ahead. Don't take too long." She said and vanished.

Jack glared at the spot Wuya had disappeared from. "I hate her…" He growled. He glanced over at Norm. "You coming?"

The genie nodded and stood, walking over to Jack. "Yeah, I'm coming."

Jack's driving was terrifying, to say the least. It was probably because he was angry with Wuya for interrupting his conversation with Norm. He was usually a decent driver. And Norm was more than a little intimidated by this display. The genie was clinging to the arms of his seat, doing all he could do move as little as possible.

"Hey, Red! Take it easy! My life is in danger here, too!" Norm complained to his master, who had seemed to throw his common sense out the window. "Okay, Red, seriously! Slow down!"

Jack slowed the speed of his jet and exhaled, as if he had been holding his breathe since they got in the jet about half an hour ago. "Sorry… Driving fast helps me relax…" He murmured.

Norm released his death grip on the seat and crossed his arms, glaring at Jack. "Well, it's not working for me. I don't have nerves of steel, Red. Keep that in mind."

The albino smiled at Norm. "Okay, I'll be more careful. For the sake of your nerves."

"That's all I ask." Norm replied, leaning back in the chair. He glanced out the window. "So… How much longer till we get there?"

Jack pressed the Auto-Pilot button and looked down sheepishly. "Actually… We took a few detours… If we hadn't, we'd be there already."

Norm raised an eyebrow at the boy and shrugged. "Makes no difference to me. Longer we take, less time we have to be around Elf-Boy." He saw Jack smile and watched as the mechanic punched in a set of numbers.

"We'll be there soon. Maybe another fifteen minutes or so…" Jack said, placing an arm on the armrest and leaning on his palm. He closed his eyes and seemed to drift off to sleep.

Norm watched as the scenery progressively became lusher with trees and other forms of forestry. He shot a glance at Jack, whose breathing had slowed. Is he really asleep? Norm thought in surprise. Jack did that a lot: surprise him. Norm was never one to be so easily surprised. But, Jack had managed to do so since they met.

Norm stood outside the jet, leaning back against it. He looked around at the mountain he was on. It wasn't one of those famous mountains one sees on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel, though its appearance would have allowed it to be so. The mountain was more of ledge. Norm was considered it a mountain because of its size. At the far end of the ledge was a large cave mouth, with jagged stalactites hanging down, make it resemble the jaws of a large lizard, which, according to Jack, Chase Young was.

The genie looked up as Jack climbed out of the jet and jumped down, landing next to Norm. The albino smiled at him. "What do you think? Creepy, right?" He asked.

"I guess so. To be honest, after meeting Crocker, nothing will ever be creepier," Norm replied, looking around again. He paused when he saw Chase Young and Wuya approaching.

Wuya stormed up to Jack. "What took you so long?! You've never taken this long to get here!"

Jack shrugged and looked away. "We were sight-seeing." He stated simply. Wuya clearly didn't believe him but kept her mouth shut. She grabbed his arm and started walking away.

"Whoa, hold on there, Witch. Where are you going?" Norm said, grasping Wuya's shoulder.

"To talk with Jack. That's all." She glared at the genie and dusted his hand off of her shoulder.

Jack looked at Norm and smiled uncertainly. "It'll be okay. Just stay here with Chase and I'll be back shortly."

Recognizing the words as an order, Norm nodded and backed off, though his instincts screamed at him not to. He crossed his arms as Wuya and Jack disappeared into the cave mouth, leaving the genie alone with a man he really didn't want to be alone with.

"Well, it seems you follow orders well."

Norm glared at Chase, taking the words as an insult. "So? He's my master."

Chase smirked and closed his eyes. "Your master? Spicer is the master of nothing but fools…" He opened his eyes in annoyance when he felt Norm grab the collar of his shirt. "Wuya said you know about the scar. How did you feel when you saw it?" Chase saw a flame of anger burning in the genie's violet eyes. What did Spicer see in those eyes? What made this genie so special? How was Chase Young, the boy's idol and evil hero, less important than this… servant?

"I was angry," Norm growled. "And it made me hate you. You had no right to lay a hand on him."

Chase raised an eyebrow in amusement. "That flicker in your eyes suggests that you are somewhat hypocritical, genie. Is there a child you have tried to harm?"

Norm dropped his gaze for a brief second before glaring at Chase again. "Yes," he admitted. "But he had hurt me before. It was a vengeance thing. You hurt Jack because you were annoyed with him. That doesn't make it okay!"

"And your excuse does?"

"No, it doesn't make it okay to hurt a child. But, I had a better reason than you did!"

Chase narrowed his eyes at Norm. "What difference does it make to you? Spicer is your master. How do you know he doesn't see you as what you really are?"

Norm growled. "And that would be?"

The Heylin lord smirked. "A slave."

Norm felt a sharp pain in his chest. He knew he was a servant to anyone who released him; Chase didn't need to remind him. He already knew. "Shut up. Jack's not like that."

"I don't mean to question your intelligence, but," Chase pushed Norm's hands away from his collar. "Spicer is evil. Annoying, but evil nonetheless. You cannot trust him. You clearly don't trust me. But, I can see it in your eyes. The doubt. The pain of knowing that I am right. You don't want to accept it, do you?"

Norm turned away from Chase. He couldn't deny it; he knew the other man's words were true. He didn't want to believe it. He refused to believe it. But, Jack was human… And Norm had always convinced himself to never trust a human. But, he had trusted Jack. And what Chase was saying hurt. The sort of hurt you get from one of those tear-jerker movies. Only it was about ten times worse. Movies definitely play down massively what it's like to suffer heartbreak. Norm kept trying to ignore Chase's voice as it echoed in his mind, but he couldn't. If he did, the genie would be lying to himself.

"Maybe you're right. But you didn't have to remind me! I was enjoying my denial!" Norm shouted angrily at the other man, crossing his arms.

Chase watched the genie calmly. "Be that as it may, you need to accept the truth. Feel free to discuss this matter with him yourself." As he spoke, he motioned behind Norm, who turned to see Jack and Wuya returning.

Wuya strolled by Norm and stood beside Chase. Chase watched Norm carefully. "Well, farewell, slave," he said smugly. He turned and walked inside his lair, Wuya close behind him.

"Norm? Are you okay?" Jack asked as he approached the genie.

Norm didn't reply. He didn't even attempt to look at Jack. He was trying to ignore Jack's presence.

Jack placed a hand on Norm's shoulder. "Norm," He said more firmly.

The genie turned and glared at his master. "How do you see me?" He asked coldly.

The albino blinked in confusion at the sudden question. "What?"

"How do you see me?" Norm repeated. "What do you see me as?"

Jack was very confused. "What do you mean 'what do I see you as'? You're a genie." The red head paused, suddenly realizing that he had probably just stepped on a landmine. In a sense, he wouldn't have been wrong.

"A genie…" Norm echoed. "And is that all?"

The mechanic groaned. "I don't understand… You are a genie. I don't know what you want me to say… What's with you? You were fine and then I left you with Chase. What did he say to you?" Jack had a growing sense of dread that Chase had done something to hurt Norm. If he did, Jack would have a few 'words' with his former idol.

Norm's glared darkened. "Nothing I didn't already know. Just something I forgot." He unfolded his arms and walked towards Jack. "I had forgotten that I made one specific rule. A rule that I was supposed to follow, no matter what."

Jack felt slightly intimidated by Norm's current behavior and took a step back. "Which is?"

"Never trust anyone who releases me from my lamp. Anyone," Norm answered. "Why should I? All they do is use me."

Jack now realized what Norm had meant. Now, he was upset. "Have I shown any sign of using you, Norm? Because I don't think I have. The only wish I made was for you to have legs. That's it. You think I plan on using you? Because of something Chase said?! You don't like him! Why would you listen----"

"Let me stop you right there, Red. I may not like him, but I can't deny that he's right."

Jack glared at the ground. "Don't you trust me?"

"No."

What Jack hated most was the lack of hesitation. If Norm had been silent for even a few seconds before answering, it wouldn't have been that bad. The fact that Norm didn't have to think about his response was what really hurt. Did Norm hate him now? Jack was heartbroken. Heartbroken that Norm believed someone he hated.

"Now, hurry up and make your other wishes so I can go back to my lamp and enjoy the rest of my immortal life in peace," Norm said in annoyance.

Jack looked at Norm, a hurt look in his eyes. "You don't want anything more to do with me? Fine." Norm could hear the anger in Jack's voice. "I wish you were free."

Norm gave Jack a very surprised look. "What?"

"You heard me. I wish you were free. Now, you have no reason to be around me anymore. You can go off and do whatever you want and I can forget you ever existed," Jack said, very hurt by what was happening. He had always been sensitive and this situation really wasn't helping that fact. He turned away from the genie and started to walk towards his jet.

A rumbling sound caused Norm to look up. The sky had darkened. He felt the beginnings of rain hitting his skin. Norm walked over to Jack and grabbed the boy's arm. "We aren't done talking yet!"

Jack turned on Norm and punched him. "Yes, we are. Now, leave me alone." He turned away again and continued walking to the jet.

Norm was shocked. Jack hit him. Jack had actually hit him. He growled. "Fine! Good bye and good riddance!" He watched as Jack climbed into the jet and flew off just as the rain became heavier. Norm growled again and smacked his forehead. "Way to go, Norm… You just drove away the one person who actually cared about you…"