Title: Slithering Revenge pt. 2

Author's Note: here you go everyone. The one you've all been waiting for. I started writing this before I even posted the first part, but I never finished it to the point that I felt like it was worthy of posting. But after seeing your comments about Jack never really sticking up for Kim/defending her, I knew this collection of one-shots deserved something where Jack loses his cool and goes off on somebody who has hurt Kim. I hope this is somewhat satisfying for you all.

Also, shameless plug, I finished my other story, If It Had to Be. I am working on posting the last couple of chapters but its one of my more recent works so the writing is much higher quality. It's based off of my first story (What is Going on!), but the writing, plot, and character development is better. Basically, if you like these stories, I highly recommend giving the other one a try (and a review?). Also, it's a story, about 60k words in total, so you can get more invested in it.

By the way, if you're bored, the Somebody To Love dance scene in Ella Enchanted is the best scene in cinematic history. No lie.

Also, again, this is a pt. 2 so you should read pt. 1 before this.

Jack's 'plan' was a load of crap.

He knew it too.

There was no way he could just go home and sleep in his bed, pretending like nothing had happened-like nothing was bothering him. Every time he blinked, all he saw was Kim and that cruel snake forever etched into her skin.

He was driving on autopilot when he parked in front of the Black Dragon dojo.

It was empty, of course, but that didn't stop Jack.

It wasn't difficult to find the key under a pot out front.

One second Jack was roughly tugging the door open and the next second he was looking down at a shattered bo staff. The dummy in front of him had lost a head and a chunk of its shoulder. There were a few small splinters from when the wooden bo staff had snapped. Trophies were torn from their homes on display cases and thrown to the middle of the floor in a big heap.

Jack wanted to burn it. All of it.

He hated that dojo. He hated everything about it. Everything it stood for.

He hated the way they always seemed to get in his and his friends' way. He hated the way they couldn't handle losing. He hated the way they thought they were inherently better. He hated the way Kim used to train there, the way they made her think anything they were doing was okay. Mostly, he hated the way their very existence was a threat to his friends. To Kim. He hated it.

Jack was level-headed.

Not mostly, not usually—completely; Jack was a level-headed person.

He didn't overreact, he didn't get involved in drama. He knew how to have a good time and joke around, but he always knew when to pull back, when things were going too far.

This stability meant Jack did not often experience strong emotions. There were things he disliked. Things he thoroughly disliked. Blue cheese, getting stuck in school traffic, thieves, dishonesty, boys that looked the wrong way at Kim.

To say Jack hated something was saying a lot. There was almost nothing Jack hated. The list was short and Jack never expected it to grow.

Murderers.

Serial Killers.

Rapists.

Human Traffickers.

And now, the Black Dragon dojo.

Jack looked around the dojo again, at the mess he had made. He could do far worse. He could throw his bo staff, now resembling a javelin, to the wall. He could smash the windows and scatter the glass shards. He could snap every last piece of furniture and break every last post.

But he didn't. He threw the staff to the ground and walked out.

When he returned home he didn't go to his room. He couldn't. He couldn't go somewhere so normal. Somewhere so regular and casual like the things that happened were regular and casual and fine.

Jack found himself in the guest room turned home gym. He paced, punched, and kicked until at some point his legs gave out and he fell into a dreamless sleep.

When Jack woke up the sun was only beginning to peak above the horizon but it was enough for Jack. He couldn't go back to sleep now.

The plan had been to go to Ty, but the plan was already thrown to crap. Jack needed to see Kim.

But then, what would Mrs. Crawford think? Surely after a long night worrying over her daughter, she would realize Jack and the others were bad influences. She would forbid Kim from seeing them again because it was their fault she was hurt.

Jack realized quickly that he really didn't care what anybody thought, he just wanted to see Kim. He would deal with the consequences later, whatever they might be.

He waited as long as he could, drove as slow as he could, and waited in the car as long as he could. When he couldn't restrain himself any longer, Jack walked up to the door and knocked quietly.

He wasn't sure if he had knocked loud enough for somebody to hear and the longer he waited, the more he worried nobody was going to answer, even if it was heard.

But a moment later the door creaked open and Mrs. Crawford filled the space.

"Jack," she greeted softly, understanding and sympathy filling her eyes. "Good morning, hun."

"Hi," Jack greeted. "Can…" Jack trailed off, suddenly unable to ask, afraid he was being too clingy.

"Can you see her?" Mrs. Crawford finished for him.

Jack nodded quickly. "Yeah," he breathed out.

"I was surprised you lasted this long," she admitted.

Jack gave her a tight-lipped smile, not wanting to be rude but also not a fan of the small talk. He loved Mrs. Crawford but he really just wanted to see Kim. Kim was all that mattered to him right now.

"You can come in, but I should warn you, she isn't herself right now. She didn't sleep all that well last night," Mrs. Crawford explained.

Jack wasn't sure what she meant by it, but he had expected as much. That's partly why he needed to see her—to assess just how much damage the Black Dragons had done, physical and mental.

When Jack nodded, Mrs. Crawford stepped aside to let him in.

"She's on the couch," she said, softly nodding towards the living room.

Jack thanked Mrs. Crawford quietly and walked over, spotting Kim's somewhat messy hair first.

At the sound of his footsteps, Kim turned slightly to watch Jack.

"Hey," Jack greeted, sitting down on the edge of the couch where Kim's feet lay.

"Hey," she greeted softly, her voice cracking from lack of use. Jack wondered if she had spoken at all since last night.

"Did you get some sleep last night?" Jack asked, not knowing what else to say. Obviously, she wasn't okay so there was no point in even asking.

Kim shrugged. She had not slept much at all.

"Me neither," Jack admitted.

He studied Kim's expression or lack thereof. Mrs. Crawford had been right, she wasn't herself. She was tired, detached, and hurt. It hurt Jack to see the pain Kim was going through. That not only had she been hurt physically, but she was struggling mentally as well. He could bandage her injuries all he wanted, but he couldn't do the same for her heart or mind.

"Are you hungry?" Jack asked, feeling stupid.

Kim shook her head.

"Want some water?" Jack asked, feeling helpless and like he just wanted to make it all better.

Kim shook her head again.

"Did you take some medicine this morning?"

"Can we not talk about it?" Kim asked quietly. "Please?"

The pain in her voice made Jack pause. "I- Okay. We don't have to talk about it."

Kim nodded gratefully. "Thanks."

Jack wracked his mind for something else to say. All that was on his mind was what happened. About Kim and about the Black Dragons and about stupid snakes.

Kim seemed oblivious to Jack's struggle, staring blankly at the blanket she was picking at.

"Did… Did you finish that math assignment?" Jack asked.

Kim shrugged.

"The packet? That's due on Monday?" Jack added, clarifying what he was talking about because it was the only thing he could think of besides…

"No," Kim mumbled. "I forgot."

"Do you want help with it?" Jack offered.

Kim shrugged again. "Sure," she mumbled.

Kim retrieved her backpack slowly. Jack watched her soft steps and the way she awkwardly bent her legs as if she had forgotten how to walk for a moment. Jack realized then that she probably hadn't moved much since last night. The way she sucked in a breath told him part of that was because of the pain.

As Jack helped her through the problems, he tried not to let his concern for Kim's well-being become too obvious. He wanted to abide by her request as best he could, but it was hard.

When she finished another side of the paper, Jack excused himself to the kitchen to get a drink of water.

Mrs. Crawford was still there, watching the pair carefully. "Thank you," she said, nodding to Jack.

"I'm really not that good a math, either," Jack responded sheepishly.

"Not that," she said. "With distracting her. She needed that. She is so headstrong that sometimes I just worry she won't admit when something is wrong. She doesn't know how to handle being hurt."

Before Jack could respond, the sound of the garage door opening sounded quietly through the door by the fridge.

"That would be her father," Mrs. Crawford sighed. "He was away on a trip."

Just as she had guessed, a moment later Mr. Crawford walked through the door. He set his bag down before giving his wife a quick hug and a kiss.

"Where is she?" he asked, seeming to know something about last night.

"The couch," Mrs. Crawford replied. "She'll be happy to see you."

Mr. Crawford nodded gravely, giving Jack a small nod of acknowledgment before making his way to his daughter.

Jack watched as Mr. Crawford crouched down in front of the couch and offered Kim a hug. They began talking quietly and Jack looked away, not wanting to intrude.

"I should go," Jack sighed.

"Be safe, Jack," Mrs. Crawford said. "Thank you for taking care of Kim. You don't know how much of a help you've been to her over the years."

Jack responded politely, but the comment had stuck in his mind long after he had quietly walked out the front door.

Knowing Kim was safe at home, Jack's mind had begun to clear.

Clear-headed as he was, Jack already knew his destination the second he walked out the door.

A few minutes later, his phone rang. At the stop sign, Jack looked over and saw Rudy's name cross the screen. Answering, he turned on the speaker.

"Yeah?" Jack asked.

"I think you know why I'm calling, Jack," Rudy sighed. "Ty called me this morning. The dojo is a wreck."

Jack debated denying his involvement. He didn't care one lick about getting in trouble though. In fact, he wanted to take responsibility for it. He wanted everyone to know he had done it. And why he did it.

"Jack, I know it was you. Ty had already suspected it but he looked at the cameras."

"Okay," Jack responded. He wasn't denying anything. Everything Rudy said was fair.

"We need to talk. Ty's pretty upset and frankly, so am I."

"Good. I am too."

"I think it's best if you get over here," Rudy finally finished.

"I'm already on my way," Jack answered truthfully. "I'll be there in three minutes."

Jack didn't wait for a response before ending the call. Anything more Rudy wanted to ask or hear would be better in person.

When Jack pulled up and walked into the dojo, the scene was a painful reminder of last night. It brought back some of the emotion Jack had felt after leaving Kim and he had to take a large, audible breath to calm down.

Rudy and Ty were standing there, facing each other when Jack walked in. Both turned their attention to him and Rudy was the first to speak.

"Jack, did you do this?" Rudy asked, giving Jack the chance to defend himself like he hoped, but doubted, Jack would.

"Yes."

Rudy sighed, bringing a hand to his face. He wasn't sure what had gotten into Jack, but it was a serious offensive to have vandalized their rival's dojo.

"Jack…" Rudy started. Jack knew what Rudy was thinking and he knew how Rudy was feeling. But he was not going to sit there and act like he had done anything remotely wrong compared to what the others had done. Because what they had done was disgusting.

"They hurt Kim," Jack choked out. It was all he could manage to say while he tried not to imagine the pain Kim went through.

"That's no excuse, Jack-" Rudy fought back. He was upset with Jack. He was cool-headed and reasonable, he knew the consequences of doing something like this and he knew what it would cost the dojo. Rudy just didn't understand.

"Rudy, they hurt her," Jack said, his voice cracking with emotion as he tried not to let the anger and despair creep over.

"'They' who, Jack?" Rudy asked.

"The Black Dragons," Jack said, looking at Ty for any sign of recognition. Had Ty known what was going to happen? Had he helped? Had he offered the idea? Jack gave Ty a harsh glare as he studied his face closely. Ty seemed clueless.

"When?" Rudy asked.

"Yesterday."

"And you got into a fight?" Rudy asked, trying desperately to understand what he was missing.

"We didn't get into anything. Rudy, they attacked us. They assaulted Kim. They hurt her bad. Really bad," Jack said, looking away as he wiped his angry tears away.

Both Ty and Rudy paused, seeing Jack cry was new for both of them. And his words were the last thing either of them had expected. Rudy took a small step back, glancing at Ty.

"You mean… they didn't…" Rudy swallowed, not sure he could even speak the words he hoped weren't true about his female student. "The Black Dragons… they- what did they do Jack?"

"You're not saying…" Ty said, trailing off. Sure, he was rivals with the Bobby Wasabi dojo, and sure, that rivalry ran through all of his students too. But it was just karate. It wasn't that deep. His students held it against Kim sometimes for their failures, but Ty knew that wasn't fair of them. He should have put a stop to his student's deep sense of betrayal. Somehow, Ty knew it was partially his fault for not correcting the way his student's viewed Kim.

"They didn't rape her," Jack said, feeling like that was the first thing he needed to say aloud. What happened wasn't much better, but the spoken assurance that that hadn't happened was necessary. "They…" Jack stopped himself, not sure how he could share what had happened to their innocent Kim. She didn't deserve what happened, not even a little.

"Jack, what did they do?" Ty asked firmly. Now wasn't the time to dwell on emotions.

"Frank came over, picking a fight. I thought he just wanted to release some pent-up frustrations or something. But they planned the whole thing. While we were all distracted they pulled Kim aside and gagged her and threw her on the dirty concrete and they branded her with a metal rod."

"When you say branded…" Rudy trailed off. Surely they hadn't…

"They used a red hot metal stamp and burned Kim's skin to the point of permanent scarring," Jack said stoically. Ty had one thing right. Now was not the time for emotion. Expect maybe anger. But Jack was better able to control that than fear or guilt.

Rudy's hand flew to his mouth as he closed his eyes, trying to process what had gone down. What Kim's peers had done to her. What it must have been like to witness that. How his student, who he viewed much like a daughter, had been hurt.

Ty went through much of the same processing. He couldn't believe that his students had gone so far. He couldn't believe they had hurt their old friend like that. And Kim, Ty understood the way her friends cared about her. Ty himself had once been her mentor, he had given her her black belt. He had taught her for years. To imagine her hurt like that… "I-" Ty said, not knowing what to say. "Jack-"

"Don't," Jack said, cutting him off. "Now you know. What are you going to do about it?"

"Is she okay?" Ty asked, ignoring Jack's question and first seeking Kim's condition. "I mean I know that's not… How is she?"

Jack frowned, not expecting such sympathy from Ty, of all people. "She's at home. She- She hasn't eaten. She hasn't spoken much. It's all in her mind still. She's hurt but… she'll be okay. Eventually." Ty nodded, glad that Kim wasn't in the hospital or anything worse. "Now answer my question. What are you going to do about this?"

"This was Frank?" Ty asked, stepping up to his role.

Jack went back through the details again, this time with exactly who did what, as far as he knew. Ty led Jack and Rudy back to his office to talk, writing down names and details that he would need. After, Ty promised to talk with all the students involved and make sure they faced appropriate consequences. It was hard, they had a tournament coming up, but Ty promised to do what was right. Jack wasn't exactly satisfied that Ty hadn't immediately kicked out all the students involved, but Rudy was there to remind him that Ty had things under control for now. Jack was still having a hard time accepting it, and Rudy sent him out to clean the mess he made while he stayed to talk with Ty.

It was later in the day when Rudy and Jack had both gone back to their dojo when Milton and Jerry showed up. They wanted to hear any updates Jack had on Kim, as well as check on Jack, who seemed to take it the hardest.

It was a solemn gathering, rightfully so, but after a while, Jerry couldn't bear it anymore. In an effort to lift everyone's spirits, he started to pester Milton until there was a full-out wrestling match. Rudy and Jack found it amusing enough and when Jerry mentioned wanting to try something out of one of Bobby Wasabi's movies, everyone reluctantly helped him.

Jack knew what Jerry was doing, but he didn't say anything, just offered him a grateful smile as the group of guys did stupid stunts for the next hour. They finished off with some good old-fashioned greasy fast food and the group was better off for it.

When Monday came, Jack wasn't sure what Kim was feeling. He had texted her, and her mom, and she was going to school. At least, trying to. Mrs. Crawford had been worried about sending Kim, but she felt much better knowing Jack was well-aware of how difficult it would be. Jack assured her that there would always be one of the guys with her in case she got tired or needed medicine or just a pick-me-up.

Mrs. Crawford dropped Kim off in front of the school that morning. Jack was right there, where he had been for twenty minutes, waiting for her.

When Kim stepped out of the car, Jack saw her say goodbye to her mom before turning around. She was much better than the day before, she was walking now, but it was obvious something was still wrong. She didn't smile, her clothes were simple, and she moved slowly. Even when she saw Jack, she only offered him the smallest, tight-lip upturn.

"Hey," Jack greeted softly.

"Hey," Kim said, somewhat awkwardly. She didn't know how her relationship with Jack had changed now.

He had seen her at her very worst. She had practically thrown up on him. He went to her home when she could hardly sit up.

Jack didn't seem to have that same awkwardness. Instead, he gently draped his arm around Kim's back and shoulders and tucked her into him.

"Ready?" he asked, looking at the school entrance.

Kim wasn't ready. This was a mistake. But she was here. She wouldn't admit that she was more hurt than she let out.

"Yeah," her voice cracked.

Jack could sense her fear, perhaps the only one who would have been able to pick it out. "I've got you," he promised.

Together, they braved the halls of Seaford High.

When they walked in Jack could feel Kim's hand tighten around his. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to, she just needed reassurance that Jack was there. She could handle it as long as she wasn't alone. Jack squeezed her hand back and led her to their lockers, where they always started their day.

After Kim's first class of the day, things were looking good. Nothing had happened, Kim had managed not to completely freak out. Jack was able to sit with her the whole time.

Kim still wasn't talking much, but the fact that she was there was more than Jack had expected. He could tell she was in pain. Medicine could only do so much, but the constant rubbing of her clothes on the burn, even through the bandage, was painful. Jack saw the way she would wince nearly every time she moved.

They had made it through one full class and were in the hall, Jack walking Kim to her next class. He wasn't actually in the class with her, but he was going anyways. The teacher was usually chill and the class was not very structured. He could slip in and he was not about to leave Kim alone.

Before they were halfway there, Kim suddenly froze. Her body went entirely rigid and the hand that was holding Jack's hand tightened and her other hand clung to his arm.

"Kim? What's wrong?" Jack looked down at Kim and the wide eyes that were staring at something before quickly averting to Jack's shoes.

"I thought they were suspended," Kim whispered, hating the way she was terrified–because she was terrified.

"Who?" Jack asked, looking around the jungle of bodies. There were students everywhere.

"The Black Dragons."

Jack looked around again, confused. They were suspended. That's what Ty said, that's what Rudy told him. Ty had talked with the school and the parents who had hurt her. They were supposed to be suspended for two weeks, facing possible expulsion. That's what they were promised. So far, Jack hadn't seen any of the Black Dragons and he had just assumed Rudy and Ty were right.

"They were," Jack said, still scanning the area.

When his eyes landed on a head across the hall, he suddenly understood. There Frank was, walking around with a smug look on his face, not a care in the world. He was completely oblivious that Jack and Kim had spotted him.

All the anger that Jack had felt for what happened to Kim rose back up in his throat, threatening to spill out at that very moment.

"What is he doing here?" Jack spat.

He looked around again as if everyone else would be as appalled as he was. He stopped, remembering nobody else knew what had even happened. It had just happened over the weekend and it wasn't like Kim or anybody else was eager to announce what happened.

With every intention of calling Rudy, Jack gripped Kim's shoulders and spun her around, walking her to their next class. They sat in the back where Kim was able to sit without all eyes on her. She could slump down in her seat to a more comfortable position and Jack could talk with her quietly.

At the end of that class, Jack and Kim had to go their own separate ways. Jerry was supposed to meet them before to walk with Kim, so the pair waited patiently by the door for Jerry to find them.

"Jack? Can I talk to you for a second?"

Kim was startled at the sudden voice, turning with Jack to face their teacher, Mrs. Hunter.

Jack looked between Kim and Mrs. Hunter, conflicted.

Kim nodded and dropped Jack's hand. "I'll wait for Jerry," Kim whispered, nodding to Jack.

Jack, against his better judgment, didn't reach out for Kim's hand and followed Mrs. Hunter back into the classroom.

He wasn't sure if Mrs. Hunter had noticed he was not supposed to be there, but he wasn't going to mention it if it wasn't.

"I wanted to talk to you about one of your assignments, Jack," Mrs. Hunter started as she made her way to her desk chair.

Jack wracked his brain for what mistake he had made recently. He had been so occupied last weekend, had he forgotten something?

"The project you turned in last week was very interesting, Jack," Mrs. Hunter said. "The paper you wrote comparing premodern Japan and Korea with the old Chinese Tang Dynasty."

"Oh," Jack said, vaguely recalling the paper as his mind still swarmed with other thoughts.

"I was impressed, Jack," Mrs. Hunter said, catching Jack's eye. She could tell he wasn't following what she was trying to say. "It was one of the best papers I've ever had a student turn in."

"I'm sure it wasn't," Jack said, feeling like he didn't quite deserve the praise. "I suck at grammar."

"Maybe," Mrs. Hunter agreed. "But this isn't English. You got your point across and it was well articulated. The topic is something I've never had a student write about and I think you introduced a really interesting perspective."

"Well… thanks."

"I was hoping you'd be okay if I shared your work. I would love to show future students and use it as an example, but I also think there is merit in sharing it with other educators. You could remain totally anonymous if you want."

"Oh, uh, sure?" Jack said, not used to the praise that Milton was usually the recipient of.

Mrs. Hunter smiled. "That's great to hear, Jack. I, uh, also wanted to ask you something else…"

Jack could tell from the shift in Mrs. Hunter's tone that this was going to be more personal.

"I was watching you and Kim today. I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't sure it would be appropriate but, is she okay? She's never been so quiet before. Is something going on?"

Jack bit the inside of his cheek as he looked away. He was feeling emotional for some reason and he wasn't sure why.

"Jack?" Mrs. Hunter asked softly. "Is she okay?"

Jack shook his head.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" Mrs. Hunter asked sincerely. "Is somebody hurting her?"

Jack sighed as he relayed an abbreviated version of what had happened. He didn't say exactly what the Black Dragons had done, just that it was cruel and painful and completely uncalled for. Then how some of the students involved were still at school today.

Mrs. Hunter listened intently, appalled at the actions of other students at the school.

While Mrs. Hunter was still asking questions and trying to comfort Jack as best she could, the warning bell rang.

With a 3rd bell planning period and no students coming into the classroom, Mrs. Hunter had lost track of time.

"I should probably let you go," Mrs. Hunter said. "I will speak with the principal about this, Jack. What happened is not okay. If you or Kim need anything, please come talk to me. If she needs to just come in here and rest instead of class, tell her my door is always open, okay?"

Jack nodded, glad to have spoken with Mrs. Hunter and glad she was so willing to help Kim.

The momentary peace he felt completely disappeared the moment he stepped into the hall and heard Kim's familiar voice around the corner.

"Leave me alone!" she said in a firm, but quiet voice.

"Come on, won't you show me your pretty new scar?"

Jack also knew that voice.

"I said don't touch me, Frank!"

"Don't be like that."

Jack heard the beginnings of a scream from Kim before the sound was muffled and a loud rip was heard.

"That's more like-"

"Let go now," Jack hissed, his body shaking from rage.

Frank looked up at their company, offering Jack a small wave with the hand that had just ripped Kim's bandages off her torso. He was pinning her to the wall and held a hand to her mouth.

"Hey, Jack. Did you see Kim's new mark?" Frank asked, turning back to Kim as he lifted her shirt high and exposed her skin from waist to mid-chest. The burn was still red and blistering now and Frank seemed to get pleasure at the sight. "It's so-"

Jack grabbed the back of Frank's shirt, yanking him back so hard the fabric ripped at the seams. Without a moment's hesitation, Jack slammed his balled fist into Frank's temple. Hard. He didn't care it wasn't proper karate form. He wasn't doing karate, he was giving Frank what he deserved.

If Jack's hand hurt from the impact, he didn't notice or show it. He reeled back, punching Frank again. Frank's nose throbbed and after two punches he had stepped back enough and was prepared for a fight. He lunged for Jack, but Jack was angry. Jack dodged Frank and hit him in the stomach as he did so. Frank folded at the waist.

When Frank stood up again, he could see something in Jack he hadn't seen before. Jack was not going to let him off easy. He didn't care about being the bigger person this time. This time, he wanted the fight.

Frank was more than happy to oblige. He pounced on Jack and soon the pair was all over each other. When Jack kicked Frank's torso, Frank coughed, wheezing as he tried to step back. Jack didn't give him much time to recover before he was on him again.

Kim wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, she was grateful for Jack and how he pulled Frank away. After he cornered her, she fought him off. She had kicked him when he got too close but the action hurt her skin and Frank was hardly deterred. Jack had saved her from further injuring herself and from a situation she possibly wouldn't be able to get out of on her own.

But, on the other hand, she had never seen Jack so mad before. He was showing Frank no mercy and Kim wasn't sure she could morally let Jack continue his attack on Frank, even if she was terrified of him at the moment.

"Don't you dare show your face around her again!" Jack spat, punching Frank again.

"She got what she deserved," Frank retaliated, wiping the blood from his face as it dripped down his chin.

"You're sick!"

"You're a wimp!"

"What is going-" Mrs. Hunter stopped short, her voice gone unheard by all three students as she took in the scene. After dismissing Jack, she heard a quiet round of sounds that was a little too suspicious. She had not been expecting to find Jack in a blown-out brawl with another student while Kim stood flat against the wall, watching with wide eyes.

"Kim, I got stuck with Mr. Preston, somebody framed me and I got held up. I came as fast-" Jerry trailed off as he approached Kim, seeing that she wasn't okay and hurrying toward her to come to the same realization as Mrs. hunter.

"Jerry," Kim said, turning to him. "He- You have to-" Kim couldn't quite get out the words she wanted to say. She wasn't even sure what she wanted to say.

Jerry was able to figure out what happened pretty quickly, even without Kim's explanation. Only he didn't make a move to stop Jack.

"Jerry, you have to…" Kim's voice died in her throat. Jerry was watching with a look much too similar to Jack's.

"Frank is the reason you got hurt, Kim," Jerry coughed out. "He planned it all and got the others suspended because he wasn't the one physically hurting you. He lied and got off easy because he didn't touch you. The school couldn't do anything."

Kim swallowed, realizing Jerry was right. Frank hadn't actually hurt her. He easily could have feigned ignorance and there would be no proof that he was behind the attack.

"I had a bad feeling, I knew something was up- Oh," Milton said as he joined the scene, coming to a stop by Kim and Jerry. He made no move toward Jack or Frank.

"Jerry, Milton!" Mrs. Hunter called, approaching the pair off to the side. "Jack is going to get in trouble for this. Don't let Frank drag Jack down with him," Mrs. Hunter said, watching the wrestling pair warily.

Jerry sighed, listening only for Jack's sake as he began to break the pair up with Milton's help. Mrs. Hunter came to stand by Kim, seeing the ripped bandage on the ground. Jerry and Milton had just barely separated the pair when another teacher came out, helping split up the group. Frank didn't dare pounce on Jack with so many witnesses this time. Jack, for one, didn't care. Jerry and Milton kept a firm grip on his arms, not even trying to talk him down because deep down, they knew Jack was justified.

When Milton saw Kim clutching her stomach he left Jack with Jerry and pulled a cloth out of his dropped bag. He dampened it with the drinking fountain and approached Kim carefully, offering the cool cloth. Mrs. Hunter watched curiously as Kim accepted the odd gift. But when Milton and Kim lifted her shirt and revealed the source of her pain, Mrs. Hunter couldn't help but gasp, revolted. It was obvious by the blisters and red, charred skin, that Kim had been burned. Suddenly Mrs. Hunter understood.

"Somebody better start talking!" Mr. Laughlin shouted at the small crowd that had assembled now.

"Frank attacked Jack," Jerry said without hesitation, despite Jack still clearly very upset at Frank and ready to hit him again.

Frank took a step around Mr. Laughlin. "Jack is the one who attacked me!" Frank tried to say.

"Sarah?" Mr. Laughlin asked, trusting the other teacher more than one student.

"Frank attacked Jack, Mike," Mrs. Hunter said. "Kim was caught in the crossfire. These boys acted in self-defense."

"Well then," Mr. Laughlin said. "Frank, the principal will be waiting for you in his office. The rest of you," he continued, turning to Jerry and Jack standing together and Milton and Kim y the lockers. "I suggest you try to stay out of trouble."

"I can take care of it, Mike," Mrs. Hunter said. "You've got a class to get to."

Mr. Laughlin looked between the students, deciding Mrs. Hunter would be alright now that Frank had been taken care of and nodding.

Everyone stayed quiet as Frank and Mr. Laughlin retreated and left the group to themselves.

"Why did you help us?" Milton asked Mrs. Hunter, knowing she had not been completely truthful about what happened.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mrs. Hunter said. "I said what I saw."

"You could get in a lot of trouble," Milton pointed out. "But you knew that. Why don't you care?"

"I saw what they did," Mrs. Hunter choked out, eyeing Kim. "Have you told anyone?"

Milton nodded.

"The others were suspended. Apparently not Frank," Jerry added.

Mrs. Hunter nodded, somewhat glad there were other adults aware of the situation and were helping them take care of it. "That's good. I will make sure Frank receives his rightful consequences. Kim… do you need… Why don't you go sit in my room? You can sit wherever you like for as long as you need."

"Kim smiled gratefully but glanced toward the rest of the guys.

"All of you can," Mrs. Hunter added. "Don't worry about your classes right now. I'll take care of it."

Jerry was the first to agree, wrapping a gentle arm around Kim and giving her a hug. "Thank you," he said. "Jack?"

Jack turned towards Jerry, Milton, and Kim, watching his friends. He was still lightly panting, but he felt better. Refreshed. Relieved. Kim was safe in their friends' arms. Frank was getting the consequences he deserved. It was going to be okay. "Let's go," he finally said, nodding towards Mrs. Hunter's room.

Mrs. Hunter nodded approvingly as the friends walked with each other down the hall. Jack put his hand on Kim's back, rubbing lightly.

"Thank you," Kim whispered quietly into Jack's chest.

"Always," Jack said. "I will always be there for you, Kim."

better?