Chapter Twenty A Nightmare Remembered

~In which Eve gets too close for comfort~

The three simple words burned into Jack's heart, weighing it down upon his soul. Benjamin was here. That was all and Eve took a deep breath, surely, suddenly realizing where she was and what she had been doing. She turned around hastily and gave Jack an incredulous look. Her lips trembled and Jack wished to kiss them to keep them still. He did not want Eve to have a battle waging within her the way he did. She searched his expression.

"Y-you won't say anything about this, will you?" she asked, shame evident in her voice. Jack blinked and shook his head.

"Not if you don't wish me to." He said gently. Eve didn't look at him, but rather looked right past him and sighed deeply.

"I- I don't know what to say." Eve mumbled. Don't say anything, my dearest Eve, just let me kiss you again, Jack thought, unable to help himself. Eve looked at Jack suddenly as if she had heard his words. "I have to go. Don't follow me. Wait a few minutes, play it off as if you were using the bathroom." She said and left him there without another word. Jack waited a moment and peaked from behind the curtains covering the hallway, to see what Eve was doing to stir Benjamin off the scent of what had just occurred between them. Eve ran up to Benjamin, grinning and bouncing as she did so and he placed a big kiss on her lips, the same lips Jack ravaged just moments earlier. Eve hugged Benjamin and laid her head upon his chest.

"What took you so long?" Jack saw her mouth say. Jack tore his vision away from the heart shattering image and wandered into the bathroom. It was a one person bathroom, he was alone and so he locked the door. He grasped the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. He couldn't understand what was happening. His heart pounded, he felt sweat fall from his brow and he knew what he saw staring back at him was not real. This was not who he was anymore, this was a lie that he was letting himself get lost in and it was a lie that Eve was not buying. Jack sneered at his reflection, anger searing within him, getting hotter and hotter.

"DAMN THIS MORTAL FORM!" he screamed and threw a punch into the wall, breaking through it as he did so. He let out a cry of frustration and fell against in the wall, pulling his hand from it, and crumpling to the floor. He whimpered and felt something wet hit his arm. It was a tear, the very thing that had been denied him for over a hundred years. He sniffed and threw back his hair, sighing deeply. Suddenly a knock came from the other side of the door. Jack struggled to compose himself quickly and proceeded to unlock the door, finding complete disappointment as to who was knocking. Benjamin grinned at Jack as he threw open the door.

"Oh, hey Jack. I heard you were going to be here." He said happily. Jack grunted.

"I'm just leaving actually." He said quickly. Benjamin put a hand on his shoulder as he attempted to push past him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, genuine concern covered his expression. Jack sighed. It might have been easier to win Eve back had Benjamin been a man of little honor or dwindling kindness, but Benjamin was almost as true a gentlemen as Jack and this tore at his conscience. He groaned.

"I'm actually…not feeling quite well at the moment, Benjamin. I think I shall ring my ride." Jack said thrusting his hand into his pocket and fumbling with his phone. Benjamin looked at Jack with genuine concern.

"Do you need some water of something? Oh my god…" muttered Benjamin as he looked at Jack's hand. "Ar-are you bleeding? What did you do to your hand?" he asked concernedly. Jack looked at his fist and realized it was dripping blood. He realized this must have been from when he punched the wall in the bathroom. As soon as he saw this, he realized it hurt. He grimaced.

"Ermmmm…..I'm okay. I think I just need to bandage it." He stuttered. Benjamin nodded and to Jack's disdain, led him to the bar to ask for bandages to wrap up his hand. Jack hated every moment of this and found himself more and more frustrated with his situation as Benjamin helped him wrap his hand. Jack looked away and his eyes locked with Eve as she looked over at the two men, highly concerned with what was going on with them. She caught sight of Jack's bloodied hand and also of Benjamin helping Jack to wrap it. Jack gave her a helpless look. Eve stared for a while and then forcibly tore her eyes away from Jack, going back to talk with Myra. Jack felt the heat of frustration and anger well up within him. Jack looked at his injured hand and pulled it away from Benjamin.

"If you don't mind…" Jack implied. Benjamin grinned.

"Sorry about that. You know I can give you a ride home if you want. I'm sure Eve won't be too pleased, because I just got here, but if you really need to go home…"

"It's fine. I can ring my ride and you can spend your evening with Eve. I know she has been….." Jack hesitated. "….anxious for you to arrive." Benjamin smiled and nodded. Suddenly his smile faded. Jack turned to see what he was looking at. Eve was getting into a very heated conversation with a man Jack didn't recognize. Before Benjamin could move, Jack was already making his way towards them to find out what the problem was.

"Ahhh come on girl, just one dance…don't act like you don't dance dirty…" the man said winking at Eve, his words slurred. Eve rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

"Back off jack ass, you're reaching too high if you think I'd dance with you." She said angrily. The man didn't like this response.

"Listen, bitch, I'm doing you a favor by dancing with you. Fuck, whatever….guess you don't get any of this D then." He said smirking and high fiving a few of his friends that were behind him. As he turned he came face to face with Jack, who was fuming. However his words were steady.

"I think it would be a good idea for you to apologize to the young lady." Jack said in a threatening tone. The man rolled his eyes.

"The fuck are you man? Back off bro!" he yelled at him, but Jack didn't budge.

"I'll say it again, sir, apologize to the young lady." Jack said his voice dark.

"No. Now you better back the fuck up before I mess up that pretty face of yours." The man spat back. Suddenly a chill filled the building and the curtain began to sway. At first it was subtle, but within minutes the curtain began to swing violently and the room filled with a harsh, cold wind. The lights then began to flicker and lamps dangling from the ceiling began to pull from their chains. Glass shattered somewhere nearby. Eve ducked and turned to notice that Jack's eyes had glazed over completely white and a dark gray aura had descended upon him. He resonated with it, as if he was controlling what was now occurring within the club. Suddenly, just when it seemed it couldn't get any scarier, shrill screams filled the room and images of hellish ghosts and ghouls swung through the building.

"Jack!" Eve shouted, trying to get through to him.

"APOLOGIZE TO HER NOW!" Jack screamed at the top of his lungs. Eve was shocked and speechless. She turned to the man, who was now toppled over on the floor in front of Jack, almost bowing to him. Jack's hair waved about around his face and his muscles flexed and Eve couldn't help but feel a bit entranced by what she was witnessing.

"I-I'm s-sorry!" the man turned to Eve. "I'm sorry! Make him stop!" he cried. Eve looked back at Jack who was still gleaming with dark rage. She stood up from behind the table where she was crouched and ran up to Jack, throwing herself over him.

"Jack, stop!" she yelled against the howling wind. Suddenly Eve felt Jack relax a bit. The lights turned back on, the wind died down almost instantly, and there wasn't a ghost left in sight. As soon as the man saw his chance he ran from Jack, tripping over himself as he did so. Jack stood for a while; his aura was gone and his eyes back to their normal midnight black. He swayed on the spot and then suddenly collapsed into Eve's arms. Seeing this, Benjamin rushed over to help lift him.

"Oh my god…." Eve breathed as she struggled to lift him. Benjamin groaned as he helped Eve hold Jack up.

"What the hell just happened?!" he asked wildly. Eve's eyes were large from the shock and she remained there speechless with an unconscious Jack lingering in her arms, his head resting on her shoulder. Myra had been a quiet and humble spectator through the whole ordeal, but now chose to speak up.

"Someone needs to take him home. He must have passed out from being drunk." She said bluntly, looking directly at Eve as she finished. Eve shook her head slightly and gave Myra a dubious look. Benjamin looked a bit annoyed.

"Ugh….I've been driving all day….I did offer earlier to take him home, but now that I think on it….and after that…I'm just too…" he began. Eve shook her head again, this time more forcibly.

"I'll call his ride and accompany him home, just to make sure he is okay. Ben, would you be able to pick me up later after you've rested a bit? Or maybe you Myra?" Eve asked innocently. Benjamin looked doubtful at first, but then his expression softened.

"You're a sweetie….alright, go on and take him home. Here, set him down while you call his ride." Benjamin said offering her a chair to place Jack in. Eve smiled graciously at Benjamin, though guilt filled her heart. She opened Jack's phone and found an emergency contact. She pressed it and it started to ring. Whoever answered seemed to be in a very busy place.

"Helloooooo?" the voice on the other end sang.

"Yes, uh, hi this is Jack's friend, Eve. I saw you listed on his emergency contacts…are you able to come pick him up? He kinda…." Eve looked at Jack for a moment and hesitated. "Well, he's passed out." The voice on the other chuckled a bit and Eve made a face.

"Bring him outside…we'll see what the damage is." The voice said in an amused tone. The line went dead and Eve looked indignantly at the phone.

"Alright, I guess I need to bring him outside. Do you want to help me Benjamin or should Nick?" Eve asked. Benjamin was about to reply when Myra cut him off.

"You go out with her and help, Nick. After all, you're the one who got him drunk." She said reproachfully. Nicholas didn't argue, but simply grabbed one of Jack's arms and helped Eve outside with him. As soon as they made their way outside they were met with a huge crowd all huddle around one person.

"Isn't that a riot?!" Wallace laughed from the middle of the circle, obviously engaged in a story of some sort. Everyone in the crowd laughed and Eve and Nicholas looked at him dubiously. Wallace caught sight of them and the jovial look on his face turned to an amused one. He began to wave away the throng that crowded him.

"All right kids, fun's over! Gotta take my friend here home! Seems the poor fella can't hold his liquor!" he boomed, causing the crowd to laugh. Wallace took hold of Jack from where Eve was carrying him and helped Nicholas place him in the car. Once Jack was settled in the back seat, Wallace turned to Eve and Nick, all happiness gone from his expression and replaced with a grave demeanor.

"What happened?" he asked shortly. Eve and Nick looked at each other, neither wanting to tell Wallace what they had just witnessed. Wallace shook his head.

"Alright look, something is going on because a minute ago some huge, hulking guy came running out of the building screaming, about ready to wet himself! And now Jack is unconscious?! One of you had better tell me what's going on." Wallace said in a scolding tone. Eve pushed back her bangs.

"Look, I'll tell you on the way back, okay? But right now isn't the time or place." Eve said throwing a glance at the crowd behind her. Wallace looked too and nodded. He opened the driver's side door and proceeded to start the car. Eve turned to Nicholas.

"Tell Benjamin I'm sorry?" she asked him. Nick nodded.

"But for what?" he asked. Eve shot Nicholas a threatening look as she entered the back seat next to Jack.

"Don't get cute, Nick. Let Myra know I need to talk with her. See you." She said and waved him good-bye.

oOo

"He did what?!" Wallace asked exasperatedly as he sped down the highway.

"I don't really know exactly, to be honest. But it was…..alarming? I can't honestly think of the right word now….I'm still too rattled by it." Eve said, looking at Wallace's reflection in the rear view mirror. Wallace hesitated.

"Well….I can't really say I'm surprised by what happened…..I'm just surprised it, well, actually did happen." He said uneasily. Eve threw him a dubious look. Before she could find the words to form the question that was tugging on her mind, they pulled into the driveway of the manor.

"All right." said Wallace as he turned the car off. "Let's get him up to his room and into bed." Eve rushed to help him carry a still very unconscious Jack through the foyer and up the stairs. When they managed to get Jack safely into bed, Eve asked where the bathroom was and Wallace took this opportunity to help Jack out of his dress clothes and into pajamas. Eve returned to find Wallace folding Jack's dress clothes.

"That's good." She said. "It should make him more comfortable." She said soothingly. Wallace turned to her and saw her looking at Jack with genuine concern. He turned back around and couldn't help grinning to himself.

"Eve, right?" Wallace said as he place Jack's shoes in the closet.

"Yes?" she said.

"I'm afraid we hadn't been properly introduced….I'm Wallace Ailey. Jack's…." he paused for a brief moment. "Erm…uncle." He said unconvincingly. Eve nodded and grinned.

"Nice to meet you." She said kindly and went back to her vigil on Jack, now taking a seat next him on the bed. Her gaze upon him was undisturbed, concern filling her face. Wallace smiled.

"Well I'm going to make some tea, would you care for any?" he asked. She smiled gratefully.

"Tea would actually be most welcome…." She chuckled. Wallace nodded.

"Keep an eye on him, will ya?" he said as he left the room. Eve sighed. She gazed upon the man that she had just been dancing with. Whose lips she touched and felt as though she couldn't get enough of. And yet there he was, sleeping. Gently breathing in and out, his handsome face illuminated by the faint moonlight trailing in from the window. Eve felt her heart skip a beat. Who was this man? She began to move her hand up the sheets to meet his, her breath being caught within her chest. Her fingertips grazed his and she felt a chill, a tingle run up her arm and down her spine. Suddenly, to her amazement, Jack eyelids fluttered and he awoke gently. Eve held her breath.

"Jack?" she whispered. Jack looked at her and his eyes suddenly became wide.

"Eve?!" he said in shock, sitting up quickly, and then falling back slightly from sitting up too fast. Eve grabbed his shoulders to help steady him.

"Be careful. You're probably still woozy from all the beer." She said her hands still on him. He looked into her eyes and smiled.

"You brought me home?"

"Well Wallace did. I only helped him." She said. Jack took her hand, still looking into her eyes.

"Why?" he asked gently. She trembled.

"I-I dunno…I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I guess." She said taking her eyes away from his. He grasped her other hand, causing her to look back at him. No words were needed now. They gazed at each other and Jack cupped her cheek.

"Eve." He whispered.

The next thing either of them knew, their lips were upon each other once more and before they could realize what was happening their kisses grew more and more passionate and Eve was now lying on the bed, Jack hovering over her.