Jack waited for a response, then raised his hand and knocked louder.

"Mom?" he called, putting his face closer to the bedroom door. "It's me, Jack. Can we talk?"

He sighed when only silence followed. It had been this way for a while now; his mother would go to work, come home, and instantly disappear into her room, not to be seen until the next morning when she left. She didn't even bother talking to them anymore. Jack awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, then reached over and tried the doorknob. It was locked.

"Mom, can you please open the door?" he called again. "I know you're tired, but it's sorta important."

He had yet to talk to her about his dream, about how his father no longer appeared drowned, and about the cloud-dragon that was plaguing him instead. He figured it was some sort of sign, and his mother was pretty good at interpretting things. If anything, he just wanted her to know.

He raised his hand to knock again, then paused. Why was he even bothering? This was all too familiar. Like the time he had won first place in the fourth grade science fair, and had raced home and knocked and knocked...and knocked...for hours on end. His mom had gone out to a restaurant with a client, and hadn't left a note. When she got home Jack greeted her with a torn blue ribbon and tears. Wasn't this the same thing? Wouldn't he just end up the same way he always did?

"Well, we're probably going to get called out for a Wu hunt," Jack forced himself to say. "Unless you want us to stay home instead..."

Silence. Now his face just reddened with anger.

"I guess I'll talk to you later then," he growled. "Don't wait up for us!"

He swiveled and stormed downstairs, wiping his sleeve across his eyes before he got to the basement. Everyone was busy as usual; Stryker was tinkering with a Jack-bot voice modifier, saying words into it and snickering when he voice came out two octives higher or lower. Entropy and Cinder were measuring Zephyr for the final fitting of his outfit, since he was the only one who hadn't acquired one.

Jack stomped passed all of them and flopped facedown onto the couch, grabbing one of the pillows and screaming into it. Everyone froze and looked over at him. There was a silent messsage of understanding, and in a moment they were all around him. Cinder took her seat on her knees near his head, Entropy knelt near the arm of the sofa and tapped on his goggles, Stryker took a rickety position on the back of the couch while Zephyr moved Jack's boots and sat on the other end.

"What's up, Jackie boo?" Entropy asked, more gently than she usually did.

Jack's response was to give a muffled groan, wrapping his arms tighter around the pillow.

"Somethin' happen with your mom?" Stryker asked.

Jack shook his head a little, but still didn't lift it.

"Anything we can help with?" Cinder asked as Zephyr and Stryker exchanged nervous glances.

Jack shook his head again. Entropy rolled her eyes and started stroking the back of his neck.

"C'mon, Jack Jack, spit it out already," she ordered as the other boy shivered and tried to bat her hand away.

"Stop..." Jack groaned.

His friends suddenly looked at each other, then grinned mischievously.

"Are you suuure we can't help with anything?" Cinder cooed as she and Stryker reached over and started tweaking his sides.

Jack shifted and they heard a little squeak. He shot up when he felt Zeph grab his ankle.

"Don't you dare!" he shrieked.

He realized his mistake as Stryker slid down and started tickling his sides. Entropy and Cinder joined in, poking and prodding his ribs, while Zephyr held his legs in place. Jack's squeaky laugh echoed off the walls as he tried to get away.

"Okay! Okay stop!" he yelped as his eyes welled up. "I'll talk I'll talk I'll talk!"

He toppled off the couch as soon as his friends released him; they burst into their own laughs, except Cinder, who was red as a rose when she realized Jack's head was resting on her knee. Jack quickly realized this too and bolted up, fixing his shirt and shooting glares at the others.

"You guys really are evil..." he mumbled; there was more teasing in his voice than anger.

"Now now!" Stryker scolded mockingly. "If we were truly evil, would we have let you go?"

Jack considered that silently, then jumped a foot when everyone flinched towards him. He joined them when they started snickering again, happy that they weren't serious.

"So, what's up?" Zephyr asked when they all recovered. "You looked bummed when you came down."

"POed is more like it," Entropy said as Jack's face fell.

"Lula's not home again, huh?" Stryker guessed.

"Yeah..." Jack sighed, poking at the rug with a grimace.

"Well, maybe she's at work," Cinder suggested.

"She doesn't work Saturdays."

"Maybe she's just tired," Entropy put in. "It has been crazy lately."

"But she's usually out here," Jack mumbled, resting his head on his knees with a sigh. "She probably just...lost interest and went back to the way things were before."

Stryker grunted in agreement as the other's looked concerned. They only knew Lula as the Dragon of the Wind who wanted to keep Jack safe from all the chaos Wu brought. To hear that she could lose interest in that was something they couldn't quite grasp.

"Who knows?" Stryker said, swinging off the couch and sitting in front of Jack. "Maybe she's on a secret mission for the CIA."

"If only," Jack said with an eye roll.

"Well, either way, cheer up. Things can only get better from here."

Everyone flinched when Jack's Shen Gong Wu tracker started shrieking.

"There, see?" Stryker laughed when his heart rate returned to normal. "Only better."

"Ooh!" Entropy cried. "Now Zephy can try his new outfit on."

"Yippee for me," Zephyr snorted.

"You guys need any help?" Cinder asked as everyone stood.

"Uh, no, I think we're fine," Entropy said with a grin. "Why don't you stay down and help Jack?"

Jack gave her a confused look as the other boys smirked.

"Help me with wha-oof!"

Jack clutched his side and felt his face redden when Stryker winked at him. Now he knew what was going on.

"Guys..." he growled as they started towards the stairs.

"What?" the three asked.

They bolted upstairs before he could say anything. Cinder felt her face warm, but she ignored it and hopped over the couch.

"What do you think we'll need?" she asked as Jack followed suit.

Jack felt his stomach lurch as his foot stuck on the couch and he started to faceplant. He put his hands up at the last minute and sighed. Cinder heard him and giggled.

"Maybe I should stop showing off if you're going to copy me," she teased as she came over and started helping him up.

"Hey, it's like they say," Jack started as he accepted her arm and pulling his leg free. "Copying is the best form of flatter-ee!"

His ankle tilted and he stumbled into Cinder, knocking them both to the ground. He twisted at the last minute so he hit the floor instead of her, absorbing most of the pain. Cinder's face was burning red when she bolted up.

"A-Are you okay Jack?" she stammered as the redhead groaned and sat up.

"Maybe I should stop copying people," he said with a weak snicker. "I'm not very good at it."

Cinder sighed, glad he was okay. Jack tested his ankle, then stood and offered his hand to her. She took it and let him help her up; their eyes locked for a moment, then she pulled away.

"Uh, thanks," she said quickly, pointing to an obscure part of the room. "I-I'm gonna grab the stuff now..."

Jack nodded, but grimaced when she sped away. He watched her fidget with some of the Wu, throwing them into his pack, then walked over and grabbed the Monkey Staff.

"Sorry about...you know," he said, causing her to halt. "I know you don't like it when I catch you so much."

Cinder's brow rose and he dipped his head as he realized how wrong that could sound.

"Not...n-not that I don't want to...I mean..." he stammered. "...I-I won't ever...not catch you, I just..."

He looked up when Cinder giggled. Their eyes locked again, then Cinder reached over and squeezed his arm.

"I'll be there to catch you too, Jack," she said quietly.

A goofy grin flew across Jack's face and he dipped his head to hide it. Cinder smiled too and zipped up his pack, handing it over as the others came down the stairs.

"What do you think?" Entropy asked as she gestured to Zephyr's outfit.

Zephyr stuck his hands in the pockets of the tight black pants he wore; there were two holsters near his Lindstrand boots that strapped the Notus Hammer, back in its normal axe form, to his leg. His coat was similar to Jack's, but only reached his waist and had no sleeves. The straps around his torso were Jack's as well, except in the center was a yellow spiral instead of the skull. That was on his armband. His dreads were pulled back in a low ponytail. Jack had to admit, he looked ready for battle.

"Well, I feel cool," Zephyr admitted, surveying the get-up again. "Guess this explains why you guys never take your stuff off."

"It's cause we can't get them off," Cinder laughed as she went to the jet.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to sleeping in it," Entropy added. "Now the only one needing an outfit is Stryker."

"What are you talking about?" Stryker asked even as Entropy left. "I stole one of Jack's shirts ages ago."

Jack's jaw dropped when he unzipped his jacket and flashed the red t-shirt with Frankenstein on it.

"Hey!" he cried, rushing towards him.

"What?" Stryker laughed, dodging and racing for the deck. "You've got dozen's of them!"

"But that's my favorite one!"

******JP******

I need comments on possible JackxCinder. Please tell me what you guys think of them, since no one has yet. If you don't like, let me know, if you have other suggestions, let me know. If you want Jack and Stryker together...too bad, they are besties that's it. Thanks! -Stryker