Hello all, I am back with another chapter (a little bit of a short one). I'm sorry I have been so dormant as of late. I have been having trouble getting this chapter finished just couldn't get motivated or the right angle on it. Now I do, so here it is! So as I said before, my posting will be a lot less frequent now that I am a lot busier, but I will finish these stories eventually! Thank you for everyone who is still reading and let me know how you think (or may want) this story to end. I may use some of your ideas.
Anyway, I'll let you get to it, enjoy this chapter!
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
Jack stood, almost crouched, behind a dying bush, looking out toward the village beyond the forest. His eyes sparkled, it felt like a lifetime ago that he was here.
Chaya stood beside him, her hands held behind her back, her face relaxed but her eyes dark. She stared directly ahead, looking over the little world that she had grown up in. Everything felt so different, in so little time everything had changed.
"Yes," Chaya's voice was hoarse.
Jack flinched, his excitement dwindling. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Had she lost her voice?
He was still itching to know what had happened between her and Pitch. Chaya had seemed so excited to talk to her father again, insisting that they were close now, all the hurt from the past forgot. He would help her learn to use her powers, there had been no doubt in her mind.
But something had happened.
She had been sullen, beaten down, defeated when she returned. What had Pitch said to her? Jack had longed to ask, longed to know how to comfort Chaya, but she hadn't answered any of his questions on their journey out of the forest. He had eventually let it go, but his curiosity did not dull.
Chaya was hurting. Pitch had hurt her.
Jack took a small side step closer to her. He straightened up, holding his staff against his chest.
"You've been gone for a long time. They've been looking for you; they'll want to know what's happened to you,"
Chaya nodded her head, slowly and robotically. Jack frowned, resting a hand gently on her shoulder as he leaned in closer.
"Chaya, what will you tell them?" Jack's voice was a whisper.
The girl ducked her head, her dark hair blocking Jack's view of her face. He gripped her shoulder, hoping to comfort her. Chaya shivered under his touch, seeming to notice the icy chill running down her arms. But she did not pull away; instead, she moved a tiny bit closer to him.
"I don't know," Her voice was soft, but it was breaking.
Jack felt something pull within him. He wanted so desperately to help Chaya, but he didn't know how. Slowly, Jack let his staff fall to the ground, turning Chaya around to face him, laying his hand on her other shoulder, looking down at her face, still partially covered by her hair.
"They'll want to know,"
Chaya was still looking down, her eyes shrouded. She was shaking, quaking under his touch. But she did not pull away and after a moment she reached her arms around his chest and buried her face in his sweater. Jack gasped, the sudden contact catching him by surprise.
"I need them, Jack. I need my family," Chaya's voice choked with tears.
Jack pulled her closer to him, concern flooding through him. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, knowing he wasn't helping to warm her up, but hoping she would appreciate the sentiment. He let his nose rest on her head, squeezing his eyes shut as he tried to will warmth into Chaya. He could feel her shivers vibrate through him. The wind was mild but biting and Jack did his best to block the brunt of it. Eventually, Chaya quieted and pulled away from him, her eyes red from tears.
Jack held onto her arms, unwilling to let her go. He swallowed nervously.
"Chaya... what happened to you?" His own voice sounded ragged now, but he couldn't help it. He had to know, he had to be able to help.
Chaya closed her eyes, shaking her head as she tensed against the wind. Jack held his breath, hoping that she wouldn't brush him off.
"He's angry Jack," Chaya's voice was gentle again, the gruffiness gone.
Jack pulled her to him, his hand wrapped around her head. This was the most he had heard of the incident so far. He would have to be patient if he wanted the rest.
Chaya brought a hand to her face, rubbing away the tears as she leaned against him. Jack waited, holding his breath to keep himself from demanding answers.
Chaya squeezed her eyes shut again, halting any more tears.
"He doesn't want me to be a Guardian, he won't accept it. He told me... He told me...," Chaya's voice faltered and Jack waited, running his fingers through her hair, tightening his grip around her waist.
"He told me that I am no longer his daughter. He won't have me if I am to be a Guardian,"
Jack's felt his blood begin to boil, the desperation of before turning into anger.
Pitch had abandoned her? Again?
"Chaya...," Jack swallowed, he couldn't help her, he couldn't fix this. He leaned his head on hers again, placing a very gentle, very small kiss on her head. "You will always have a family. We're you're family now. You'll never be alone, I promise,"
He knew that the promise did not give Chaya back her father, but it was all he could say for her. Chaya seemed to calm down a bit and she backed away from him. Jack allowed her to take a step back, not wanting to smother her.
Chaya held onto Jack's sweater with her hand, her eyes closed, her other hand covering the lower half of her face.
"Thank you, Jack," Her voice was drained.
Jack bent down to pick up his staff, taking Chaya's hand in his as he pulled her out of the trees. She looked up at him and he smiled gently, a sparkle in his eyes.
"Let's go see your family, "
Soon after Chaya left the safety of the forest and stepped into the little village, she began to realize she was not as ready as she had thought.
The familiarity of it all, the solidness of the cement under her feet, the soft yellow glow of the lamps above her. The little red brick school building Joey went to, even the tiny fabric store window front of her old job made her sick to her stomach.
It seemed like so long ago that she had been here, walking these streets and living this life. It had all been so normal, every little thing mundane compared to all she knew and had seen.
Could she really go back? If only for a moment?
Jack walked beside her, his arm hanging loose a few inches from her own. His other hand gripped his staff and he walked very nonchalantly. Chaya understood that Jack was most likely invisible to the people of the town. They would only be able to see her, walking alone by herself. It suddenly made her feel very small and she wished that she could disappear. The people of this town knew her, she was not afraid of them, but would they recognize her? Chaya had hardly slept in last week of this crazy new life, she must look ghastly. Her hair was tangled in knots, her clothes were sticking to her thin frame from sweat and tears. She must look like a lost child returning home.
In some ways, she was.
They passed by all the stores and work buildings, soon coming into between the houses and small cottages where the people lived. They were getting closer to Chaya's house and she was beginning to feel very nervous. Jack walked closer to her, but not too close, making sure he did not walk too far ahead or too far behind her. He did not look at her, his blue eyes were focused ahead of him, but Chaya could tell that he was keeping close tabs on her.
Chaya took a deep breath, trying to control the raging in her stomach.
This was her family, what was she afraid of?
Rejection. More abandonment.
She swallowed heavily and moved closer to Jack without thinking.
The familiar sights around her began to increase and Chaya felt her heart flutter in her chest when she spotted her house, it's crooked walls looking even more weathered than before as if her departure had affected more than just her family.
The windows were dark, the fading light around them only increased the dismal atmosphere; the house looked deserted. Chaya, unconsciously, reached out to take Jack's hand, holding onto his forearm with the other hand as she looked up at the house. Jack stopped, surprised at her action, turning around to look at her.
A small smile crossed his face when he saw the frightened look in her eyes.
"It looks different when you come back, huh?"
Chaya nodded, her eyes fixed on the house. The door was closed and no doubt locked. Joey would be in bed, her dad no doubt in the same position. She had no idea if Stoke had an evening shift tonight.
She had grown so out of touch with the mundane schedule of her old life. She felt a prickle of guilt run through her.
Jack squeezed her hand gently and Chaya turned back to him, chewing on her lip gently.
"Did you want me to come with you?" Jack's smile was soft, he wanted to help.
Chaya, still holding onto Jack, swallowed hard.
"I... I don't think they'll be able to see you,"
Jack's eyes flickered slightly, the blue fire dimmed just a touch, but he nodded understandingly, the smile never leaving his face.
"I guess I won't be much help then,"
Chaya bit her lip. Stepping closer to him, Chaya wrapped her arms around his chest, pressing her face into his shoulder. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him.
Jack was too shocked to speak and Chaya spoke for him.
"That will change, one day. I promise,"
Jack let his body relax, wrapping his arms around Chaya tightly, holding her close. He didn't say anything, but Chaya could tell he was grateful.
After a moment, he let her go, pushing her toward the house with a gentle nudge.
"You better get in there. It's getting late," Jack nodded toward the darkening clouds.
Chaya somehow felt colder without Jack's touch. Shaking her head, she nodded slowly and turned toward her house.
It was so strange, walking up the tiny pathway to her old home as if it were just another day. A day where she had lost track of time at the fabric shop and worked past her shift. Dinner would have been made and eaten already and Stoke no doubt had left some for her before taking off for his evening shift at the paper mill. She would eat the meal, warmed only slightly over the little, unreliable stove and then cleaned up after herself. She would make sure that all the dishes used that day were put away and make a mental list of what would need to be bought for the next day's meals. Then she would have turned off all the lights and climbed into the bed beside her little brother. If he wasn't asleep, as he should be at that hour, Chaya would have told him a story.
A story of the Guardians. Those make belief characters who she never would have dreamed would mean so much to her.
How had life changed so much in so little time?
Chaya was dizzy by the time she stepped onto the doorstep and she reached out her hand to steady herself. The rough, scratchy wood felt so familiar under her fingers and a heavy weight pressed into Chaya, a tear prickled her cheek.
A touch of wind passed over her and gentle words reached out to her like a warm embrace.
"They still love you, Chaya, they will always love you,"
Then it was gone, quiet once again. Chaya looked up into the sky, wondering who had spoken to her. She turned to look behind her, but Jack was gone, no doubt wanting to give her some privacy.
The world seemed colder without him.
Taking a deep breath, Chaya turned back and straightened herself. Her hand was shaking as she lifted it to knock on the door, every thud sending vibrations through her body.
There was no going back now.
Silence followed her knocks and it dragged on. Chaya's heart dropped; was she too late? Was everyone asleep? Blissfully unaware that she was outside, waiting for them, longing for them. She had been dreaming of this reunion since she had been ripped away from her family, she didn't know if she could wait any longer.
Noises echoed inside the house. Chaya stiffened, stilling her movements to listen for more.
A door creaked open and was left to hang on its hinges, its pitiful squeak left unanswered. Dull, heavy footsteps made their way through the house. Chaya felt the nervousness return to her, filling up her lungs and throat, threatening to choke her.
The footsteps stopped in front of the door. Someone was on the other side, opening up the lock, fumbling in the darkness.
Chaya held her breath, her hands clasped to her chest.
The door opened, the darkness within spilling out to meet her. A tall, lanky figure peered out of the gloom, his face white and drawn. Dark circles underlined his eyes, bloodshot and widened, full of despair and fear.
It was Stoke.
Chaya gasped, taking a tiny step closer.
"Stoke? It's me... Chaya," Her voice was a whisper as she stared at her brother, so ghostly and thin. What happened to him?
Stoke's eyes flickered, recognition giving them life like a light bulb being reconnected once more. He sucked in a breath, ragged against his dry throat.
"Chaya?"
Chaya reached out her hands to him, pain for her brother overtake her nervousness.
"Stoke, what- ?"
Stoke covered his mouth, his fingers wrapping around his jaw as a strangled sob escaped his lips. He reached out to his adoptive sister, nearly falling on top of her, his strength seeming to have left him. Chaya stumbled under his weight, falling back from the door. Stoke clung to her, his body racked with sobs, tearing at his throat.
Chaya felt panic well up inside her, struggling to hold her brother up; his legs were limp underneath him. The cold of the winter wind grazed over them mercilessly.
What had happened to her family?
So this has a bit of a darker twist than I originally meant it and the next chapter will be even more so. So I will warn you now that there will be some discussion of depression and coping methods in the next chapter, but it will all get better.
Thank you for reading!