I.

He walked past them. His mother and grandfather; His sister and brother plus his old best friends and a few of his other friends from the magical world - Fred Nerk, Cara and Sara. They were all there because Jake's father had been struck by a bus, and it was all because he had found out what Jake had been doing for the past two months. Now, all eyes glued to him, Jake walked past their prejudice and self - righteous eyes and went to his mother.

Susan Long didn't raise her eyes to meet her eldest son's. "Around nine last night, Jake."

"Who told you?" His voice grew hard.

"Who'd ya think, kid?" Fu Dog spoke up in annoyance.

"Naturally," She peered up in tears; Jake felt his chest tighten. "Your father was going to do everything in his power to get you home, Jake." her hands enveloped her face and she started to sob. "But what was he going to do? You're not a boy anymore. Your dad, he -,"

"I'm sorry." the teenager cut her plainly.

"And that makes it all okay, Jake?" His former Animal Guardian confronted him.

He turned on his heel to glare at the Sharpe. "Never said it did."

"You wanna know how much John was willin' to sacrifice for you?"

"No." Jake clenched his hands into fists.

"You wanna know how much you let your own father down?" Fu's voice broke a bit.

"That's it!" the dragon exercised out his hands into claws. "You've overstepped your -,"

"Enough!"

All eyes turned as Lao Shi stood from the far side of the waiting room and came over.

The man's stern black orbs turned to his best friend. "Enough." he reprimanded him.

Fu Dog wrinkled his muzzle in distaste and hunched away in defeat.

"G?" Jake claimed more consideration for his grandfather.

"Jake." he replied calmly.

Tears filled his eyes at the betrayal he believed he'd committed.

"You know why we called you here."

The younger dragon averted his gaze as a few drops escaped.

"You all hate me now."

"Jake!" Susan exclaimed and went to encircle her son in her arms.

"I let you… all down." He cried quietly.

"You let yourself down, kid." Fu Dog told him averagely. "You should've gotten help."

"Right!" His tear - brimmed eyes connected with Fu's, then to Trixie's and Spud's.

"We only did what we thought was right, baby." Trixie said.

"No," He jerked away from his mother's hold, pointing angrily. "You - all three of you - should have minded your own business." Jake turned to his family. "I'm sorry guys," he met Haley's confused face. "I'm sorry, Haley. I love you… all of you." Jake turned now.

II.

His father lay on his back with a ventilator hooked up by the window. Clouds cast their faint gray light as the young man gathered all the courage that he could and approached his father's sheet - wrapped form. The man's left arm bulged from underneath his cover from an apparent cast and the rest of his body bared cuts and bruises. Jake realized as he watched his father in comatose that the reason that his family and friends were upset was not only because of what had happened to the forty - five - year - old man. He saw now; to his horror; that it was the events that led up to this travesty and that he hadn't said a word.

If only Jake had said something, if only he had sought help and understanding.

Then maybe, just maybe, he could have saved his future. But now most of his friendships were compromised, his family was hurt and divided, his American Dragon career was all over and everyone now knew of his wrongful affair with a woman twice his age. In both the magic world and the human world, people were going to find out. But worst of all, it was the people closest to him in these two worlds that felt deceived and cheated by Jake.

Once and for all, it was too hard for Jake to love.

To be continued…

~Lavenderpaw~