Over the next two months, I didn't really leave the Sanctuary too much. I temporarily moved back into my old bedroom and only stopped at the Treehouse to re-stock the food for Aldebaran and Ain. I'd had to explain things to them, and I'd stopped by Santoff Claussen once in that time span to explain things to Ombric as well. I ended up catching all three of them at once - since I hadn't shown up to take the twins home that first night. About an hour after Sam had gotten there, I'd used one of the snow globes in my pocket to quickly stop by the village deep in Siberia. Well - I'd intended it to be quick. I'd stepped out of the portal into the middle of Big Root and had almost immediately been swarmed by the two of them.

"Where have you been?!"

"What took you so long?!"

"We've been waiting here for hours!"

"You didn't even send one of your notes to let us know you'd be late!"

"Story!"

I glanced frantically between them with wide eyes, trying to figure out which was speaking which sentence, but eventually - when they spoke my name in unison - I managed to hold my hands up and stop their inquisition. "Whoa, give me a second to breathe." And to grieve. I used the temporary silence to search for Ombric. I spotted him hunched over a Tome in the corner. From his posture, I could tell he was paying more attention to my arrival than the book, even though he hadn't looked away from the book. I looked at the twins in front of me, trying to find a way to explain things. "Um... " They looked at me expectantly, Aldebaran more irritated than expectant and Ain more concerned.

Aldebaran crossed his arms and stared me down. "Look if this is a sort of punishment for my actions the other night, I apologize but making us wait with no word is not -"

"This has nothing to do with you." I was starting to get a little sick of him thinking he could butt in and be one of us. I know that I come off the same way - Sunny had said as much more than once - but Aldebaran was getting on my last nerve. Empathy for Sunny... that's a new thing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ombric close the book slowly. I had a gut feeling that he already knew what had happened. I sighed and gave the two of them an apologetic look. "Sorry, it's just..." I ran a hand through my hair. "Something came up, and I'm gonna be out of the house for a while. I'll drop food off and I'll show you guys how to use the snow globes, but you're probably not gonna see me a lot..." Ombric had by now stood up slowly and, once he'd turned around and I could see his face, I knew that he definitely knew what had happened. "Um... it's a little bit of a long story if you want a full explanation and it sort of has to deal with other things I don't want to get into right now - but it's important."

Ombric walked over, and when he interjected, his tone was somber. "I have told them of what transpired with the film." He sort of nodded at me like it was okay to tell them.

I swallowed at looked at the baffled beings in front of me. "Did Pitch do something?" Ain sounded like she wanted to show more worry but they knew that I had sympathy for the Nightmare King. I caught Aldebaran's eye and I think he was realizing it wasn't anything world-threatening.

"No, nothing to do with Pitch Black." I glanced at Ombric again, relieved at least that I didn't have to break the news to him. After all, he'd lost family too. I took a breath. "Uh... You know when he managed to wipe belief off the face of the planet?" They nodded. "Well, there was one kid left - in the whole world - who still believed... and he was Jack's first believer. Ever. This all happened a few years before I became immortal but there was a movie made that told the story... which is what made me believe again." I sort of shrugged a little in wonder, never having really noticed that before. "Well, Jamie - the kid - virtually brought belief in any of us back single-handedly. He's also the reason the Guardians managed to take Pitch down back then. He sort of picked up the moniker of 'the Last Light' after that, and - um... Well..." I looked down at my feet, blinking hard. I took another breath. "He died yesterday."

Ain gasped softly. I knew they didn't really know Jamie's significance to all of us, but I think they grasped the situation. "Jack isn't... he isn't taking it very well, and if I'm being honest, I'm not taking it very well either. I met Jamie, I knew him. He believed in me and losing him hurt more than any believer I've ever lost, so I can't imagine how bad it is for Jack. Even worse is that Jamie is his however many time's great-nephew... and he only just recently found out." I shrugged and took a deep breath. "So I'm going to be doing my duty as his best friend and I'm going to try and cheer him up in time for Northern Winter because - unlike me - he has a seasonal job." I rummaged in my pockets and pulled out the last two globes I had on me, one I handed to Ain. "You, uh, whisper where you want to go into the globe and toss it in front of you. The others are in my room, I'll come and show you where later - or move them for you, or something." I waved it off.

She took it from me, holding it like a priceless artifact. "H- how long until Northern Winter starts?"

I shrugged one-sidedly. "About three months give or take, probably less. If you guys need anything you can send me a note or use a portal to go see Sandy or North - or any of the Guardians for that matter."

Aldebaran uncrossed his arm finally. "What about Tsar Lunar?"

I stared at him for a second like he was spontaneously growing about twelve new limbs. I seriously had to resist the urge to snort at him indignantly. I gaped at him for a second after that because I didn't really know how to respond to that. "Manny... Y-You won't... get any help from him."

They both looked like they were about to object when Ombric stepped in and saved my ass. "Tsar Lunar prefers to rule by allowing his Immortals to use their own judgment and only intercedes when absolutely necessary." He gestured between the two of them, an apologetic look on his face. "Two new arrivals to our world with questions isn't quite an outstanding circumstance in his eyes, I'm afraid." He spread his arms out. "Besides, that is what I am here for. To answer any and all of your questions, and to help you in any way that I can." To anyone who didn't know how to look, Ombric seemed to be only a little tired, of he wasn't his normal self at all.

I smiled a little, awkwardly. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that I wanted to talk to him and he excused the twins. They left using the portal and Ain looked back at me before they did, coming and giving me a hug. "Tell Jack for me that I am sorry for his loss." She'd whispered it to me so the others wouldn't hear, and I smiled at her gratefully.

After the two of them had stepped through the portal, Ombric turned to me, the worry finally showing on his face. "How is he doing?" He gestured me to a nearby table and chairs and we sat down.

As I did I felt like everything turned into a weight that settled through my body. Like I'd gained a hundred pounds with everything that had happened the past day. "Not good. I'm worried about him, honestly." I took a breath, trying to figure out any possible way to help him. "I just - Jamie was like his brother, almost - and now he knows they were actually related and-and -" I held my hands up, trying to find the words, tears starting to form again. I ended up pulling them to my face and blinking hard, taking a breath and trying to compose myself for a second. "I just... I hate seeing him not being happy. He's Jack Frost, Guardian of Fun - he shouldn't ever be brought so low that he loses his smile. It's not fair."

I looked over at Ombric to see him rubbing at his eyes lightly. "It is never easy." He said it under his breath, but I caught it. He moved his hand and put his glasses back down. "It is going to be very difficult for Jack to bounce back from this and it may not be quick. I have faith that he will be himself again, but I, too, am worried about the timing."

We held each other's gaze for a minute or two. "He still wants to meet you. He was going to set it up after he told Jamie, but..."

Ombric drew his eyebrows together in concern. "Jack didn't tell him? I thought for sure he would have flown straight for Burgess once he knew."

I shook my head. "He did. Jamie was already in the hospital and Jack couldn't stay there with him - he was home when it happened and I think he's beating himself up over that. It might be worse on him than losing Jamie is." I bit my lip.

He sighed. "I see." He looked at one of his many globes sitting around Big Root, seeming to contemplate something. I didn't really notice until he took a breath a few moments later. "Do you think... now would be as good time of a time as any?"

I blinked in surprise. "To meet him?" He nodded and I looked away. I thought about it for a minute, about how he was starting to look numb. He needed to get it out - I knew he was mad about Ombric staying hidden for a long time and about not having a chance to tell Jamie. I had to believe that he probably had a lot that he had wanted to tell Jamie that he'd never had a chance to or had never felt like he could face to face... I know that from first-hand experience. I didn't realize how much I had held against Caeden until I'd vented to his tombstone. Maybe Jack doesn't either. It'd probably be good for him to get it out, but it wasn't fair to take it all out on Ombric. "He's probably going to tear you a new one."

He sort of shrugged lightly. "I deserve anything he has to say to me. But he is family and I did not have a chance to grieve with him over Emily, I did not have a chance to grieve him either and have spent the last four hundred years waiting to meet my great-grandson." He pushed himself up creakily. I sort of kept forgetting he was a few thousand years old. "And never having met the Last Light, I would love to hear first-hand accounts of his bravery and exceptional uniqueness from the one person alive who knew him best." He smiled at me kindly. "If everything I have heard about Jack holds true then he would benefit greatly from re-telling the antics that he and Jamie have gotten up to over the years." His smile took on a faintly mischevious glint. "And if he is anything like his grandmother then he'll feel far better once he manages to smile. Everything that Katherine went through as a young Guardian made her a very strong woman but much of the time I worried that she would be forever marred by the events she had seen and participated in." He chuckled lightly. "She always managed to bounce back, though." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I believe that Jack will manage the same." His smile was open and trusting and somehow, it made me believe that everything was going to be okay.

I watched him for a minute, and the longer I looked, the more I thought that he was right. Finally, I stood up, pulling the last snow globe I had out of my pocket. "Let's go, then." I grinned at him.

He waved at the portal device, slightly grimacing. "No need to waste that, dear. I can manage a portal quite fine on my own." He smiled again and gestured with his staff, mumbling a few words under his breath that I assumed were a spell. After a moment he looked at me and gestured me to step forward to the large ring of branches that Big Root had formed in front of us. "Just speak the name of our destination as you would with Nicholas' snow globes." I did as he'd instructed and what appeared inside the branch ring was a dead ringer for the portal that appeared when I tossed a globe out. At my impressed and questioning look, he elaborated. "I was North's teacher, after all. I taught him almost everything he knows." He stepped up next to me. "And yet, somehow, he manages to know more." He raised his eyebrows and stepped through the portal with me following.

We were in the library when we stepped out. I'd had us land there because it was always warmer so the books weren't harmed, so there'd also be less of a chance of Ombric freezing to death right away. His eyes were wide and shining, taking in all the books. "They're something, aren't they?" After another second of looking, he turned to me and smiled silently, nodding. I smiled automatically in response, but then I realized that Jack was still in the middle of a breakdown and that I might be making it worse by bringing Ombric. But then again, it might make things better. My smile fell. "I'm gonna go check on Jack. Make yourself at home." I gestured at the layout of lazy boys. After I turned and started to walk away, I hesitated and glanced back over my shoulder, noting that the wizard was inspecting some of the books. "If he doesn't want to see you yet, how long can you stay?"

He gazed at me for a moment before looking up to his right. "I must be home before the children's morning lessons. If I may have time to sleep it would be lovely, but I can manage to stay awake for a bit more than twenty-four hours if the need persists." He looked back at me. "In short, I can stay for seven hours and then I must leave." His kind smile was a little bittersweet this time. "I can always return tomorrow night if need be. The children come first, they always have and they always will. I'm sure Jack will understand that. After all, 'they are all that we have, all that we are, and all that we will ever be'." The bittersweet quality disappeared from his smile and instead, he looked a bit nostalgic.

I smiled in return as I nodded and left. I took the walkway around to the bedroom hallway and spied Sel in her bedroom, looking like she just fell asleep. I made sure to be as quiet as I could while I made my way down the hall. When I got to Jack's door, I heard Sam inside softly trying to cheer Jack up. He was talking like he normally did, and almost didn't even sound like he was trying to cheer Jack up. Almost. Under his nonchalant tone, I could hear the creeping desperation to make Jack be himself again. I lifted my hand to the door to knock and it liquified in front of me. I blinked in surprise for a second before rolling with it and stepping into the room.

I looked over to see that the two of them were sitting near Jack's bed - well, Jack was on his bed and Sam was on the floor next to it. Sam looked over at me in mild interest upon my entry. Jack, however, was still as lifeless as he had been when I'd left. He wasn't curled in on himself anymore but he didn't look any less numb. Jamie's drawing was laying in his lap, faintly crumpled around the edges. Sam raised his eyebrows at me. "Where've you been?"

I pointed over my shoulder. "I needed to give the twins a heads up about the situation." I dropped my voice a little. "And to let them know how I wasn't gonna be home a lot for the next while." I glanced at Jack who wasn't making eye contact with either of us. "I just got back. Ain sends her condolences..." I looked at Sam, trying to convey with my eyes that something major was about to happen, one way or another. "Um... Jack?" He still didn't meet my eyes but he seemed like he was listening. "There's someone here to see you."

After a second where we were all silent, he blinked and it looked like he sort of woke up. The light came back to his eyes and they focused for the first time in hours. "What?" He blinked again and looked at me, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

Despite the current situation, my spirit lifted a little upon seeing a real expression on his face. You know, other than utter sadness. "They're waiting for you in the library. I can go with you if you want."

He just sat there looking confused for a minute. "Who is it?"

I opened my mouth ready to respond but I hesitated. "If you don't want to see him I can tell him to come back later..." He locked eyes with me and I saw something in them that told me he had some inkling of who it was. "He followed me here, Jack. He was worried about you and when I told him what was going on he sort of... well, decided he was going to come along."

"Who are you talking about?" Sam was honestly confused, not having met or known what all had been going on with Ombric.

I glanced at him for a second before turning my gaze back on Jack. "Ombric."

Jack glanced at the wall for a moment - the one with all the drawings he'd been gifted over the years. Then, without saying anything, he stood up and started walking towards the door. Sam and I stared after him, Sam in surprise and me in resignation. There was no backing out of this now. Sam scrambled up and stared at me, trying to reign in his frustration. "What is going on? Who's Ombric and why does he want to see Jack?" He looked towards the back of our retreating friend, his unspoken third question coming across even without him having voiced it. Why is Jack so intent on seeing him and why are you letting this happen now?

"Ombric was one of the original Guardians. His adopted daughter was another one but she grew up and married the other child Guardian. They're Jack's grandparents." I looked hard at Sam.

To his credit, he understood what I was getting at fairly quickly. "So Ombric is Jack's great-grandfather." It wasn't a question. Sam had a way of grasping a situation instinctively.

I nodded. "I found out a little over a week ago and Jack found out a few days ago. At the same time, he found out that Jamie was his nephew - which I didn't realize until he pointed it out."

"That's why this is so hard for him." Sam glanced at the pictures, his eyes moving to the one that Jack had left on his bed.

"It's part of it, but that's not why this was so hard. Jamie meant more to him than either of us did. I can say that honestly even knowing that he calls me his best friend and that you've been his friend the longest. I saw the way he and Jamie were together, they knew, deep down, that they were family way before Ombric ever confirmed it." I gestured him to follow me and headed towards the walkway. "I enlisted Ombric's help with initiating the twins on the ways of our world and he's been gracious enough to do it without asking anything in return. You know, except for asking me to introduce him to Jack." I glanced back at Sam and screwed my mouth to the side. "I didn't know him before that and I stumbled onto all of this and I think this is the worst possible time for it to all have happened." I paused at the top of the stairs and Sam almost passed me by before he realized that I'd stopped.

He watched me for a moment and true to form, he got right to the root of everything. "Do you think Ombric can help him?"

I took a breath and glanced down the hall to where I could see the overlook of the library just barely. "He's the only family Jack has left." I looked at Sam, wanting a little sympathy myself, right then. "He needs this to work out whether he wants it to or not. Ombric does too." I started down the hallway again. "I know because I felt the same way when Jack and I were on our way to meet you for the first time."

I heard Sam pause behind me and I turned to see him looking surprised. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "Halloween's been my favorite holiday as long as I can remember. When Jack told me that he knew the immortal who held claim to it I knew that I needed to be friends with you. If not, then my favorite holiday would be ruined. A part of me would be ruined. And I didn't want that." I shrugged again and gestured towards the room our friend was hiding in. "That's why I hope to god this works out."

We didn't say much more as we made our way to the overlook for the library. I figured it'd give them a little more privacy, but if Jack needed someone to intervene we'd be able to get there ASAP. I looked down to see Ombric pacing and muttering to himself while Jack watched silently from just outside the doorway. From my vantage point, I could see Jack, but I don't think Ombric did, or if he could then he hadn't noticed yet. I caught a few wisps of his muttered words and it seemed like he was rehearsing what he'd say to Jack - changing the inflection in his words and switching the order around. He kept coming back to how he wanted to say that he was sorry. For what I wasn't sure, but every variation of his rehearsal had the phrase 'I'm sorry' in it.

After a few minutes of watching this, Jack took a deep breath and stepped around the corner. He made as much noise as he usually did - which is little to none - so it was no surprise when Ombric jumped upon noticing him halfway into the room. "Oh! Oh..." Ombric's eyes focused on Jack and his entire demeanor completely changed. He relaxed and almost looked mesmerized. "Oh, my." He shook his head lightly. "You look just like him." He looked at Jack for a second and then bowed his head. "I apologize for barging in on you without warning but..." He looked up at Jack again. "Four hundred years is a long enough wait. Say whatever you wish, hate me even, but I could not let you suffer alone... again."

Jack stared at him for a moment, flabbergasted. While Ombric had spoken, Jack was stoic. He didn't reveal anything but that last sentence stirred something in him. "Alone?" I could see anger cloud his face, but I didn't care. He woke up, he was Jack again and I was over the moon about it. "I haven't been alone for a long time. I have friends, I have the Guardians, I have Jamie -" He broke off and I could see him sort of resetting himself. "Had Jamie." He blinked and looked away for a second. "You have no right to invite yourself in on my suffering. You don't know me." He was getting fired up again. "You had centuries to reach out to me, why now?!"

The guilt on Ombric's face was visible even at this distance. "I have no excuse for waiting this long other than fear of how you would react." He started wringing his hands. "I wasn't happy when Tsar Lunar asked me to leave you be until your memories returned, but I did as he asked anyway. I had faith that it was in your best interests -"

Jack cut him off. "I am so sick of other people deciding what's in my 'best interests'! I'm a person and I can decide things for myself! I'm not a child that people have to tiptoe around!"

Ombric watched him for a second before nodding. "I understand that now." He bowed his head again. "After having met your friend and speaking with her she warned me that you had to decide whether you wanted to know me or not on your own." He looked up again. "I believe that Manny and I have misjudged your character. That is another thing I want to apologize for." He shrugged with his arms. "In any case... I knew what happened last night. One of the moonbeams that frequents Santoff Claussen told me what had transpired and I knew that you would be taking it the hardest of everyone. I was worried about you and I thought that... maybe... misery loves company enough that you'd meet with me."

Jack just stared at him for a few minutes, breathing hard. After a little while, he stood up a little straighter and shot Ombric a curious glance. "When I first walked in," Ombric looked up, barely masking his joy that Jack was no longer angry with him. "You said I looked like 'him'. Who did you mean?"

Ombric smiled a small smile. "Your grandfather. We all knew him as Nightlight, but he began going by Johnathan Overland after he became mortal. Katherine thought it would be funny to give him a name like that when we only ever saw him flying before." He chuckled lightly and to my ever growing happiness, Jack smiled along with him. "I'm sure that Manny thought you resembled him too as he has seemed to resurrect his best friend in you." He gestured to Jack's obviously white hair. "However, having heard stories about you from your friend, I do believe you resemble Katherine's personality more." He laughed again. "Mischevious and smart, stronger than one would think at first glance. A fierce friend and someone who cares deeply for anyone they consider family in any way, shape, or form."

Jack's anger and desolation over Jamie slowly melted as he and Ombric spoke more. Sam and I watched for a little while before we were assured that Jack wouldn't need any backup anytime soon. We walked away as quiet as we could, trying not to disturb them. He had to go home and continue his preparations for Halloween which was just over two months away. He was still working on his costume and had to start unearthing his decorations which got buried in the costume tomb every year on November first. He started decorating on September first ritually every year. Only the kids and immortals could see it but he always insisted that it felt like blasphemy if he had nothing up for his day.

I went back to the Treehouse for a little while and explained things a bit further to the twins. I pulled out the snow globes and stashed them in their mini living room. I sent a letter to North asking him to send enough globes to the Treehouse for the next two months, just so they wouldn't get stranded while I was away. I showed them how to send me planes so they could get a hold of me if they needed to, and told them about the North Pole if they had to ask North for help at all. After I was satisfied that they wouldn't burn my house down or flip their respective shits without someone there, I made a little detour with one of the globes. I'd have flown but I only had so many hours before Ombric had to go home and I did not want to leave Jack alone right now.

I grabbed a paper off of a newsstand in Burgess as I headed for the woods. I looked for Jamie's obituary for the date of his funeral so I could tell Jack if he wanted to go. Then I slipped down the rabbit hole into the Lair and gave Pitch the lowdown on what was going on. He no doubt knew that Jamie had died, his light having been the brightest on all globes for most of his life. And despite what you'd think, Pitch had a grudging respect for Jamie, the child who defeated him. And he also liked Jack a lot, him being one of the few people in the world who faced him without total fear breaking them down into sniveling babies. His words, not mine.

He sat on his throne, thoughtfully watching the globe. "And you say that Frost is out of commission for a time?"

I shrugged. "Yes and no. It's gotta be hard on him, but he's not anywhere near as bad as I was." I saw his eyes twinkle for a second. "That does not mean you can go after him or Burgess while he's away. Do you understand me?" It was a threat, plain and simple. He could tell instantly which is why he frowned like a chastised child. "If you so much as make a single person worriedly glance over their shoulder while Jack's AWOL I will beat your ass myself, am I clear?"

He rolled his eyes at me, somehow managing to make snorting seemed dignified. "As crystal." He side-eyed me from where he sat. "Does that mean you will be staying with him for the time being?"

I rolled my eyes a little. Nosy bastard. "How'd you guess?"

"Well," He stood up and walked closer to the Globe, inspecting it as he did. "You're his best friend aren't you?" His words were laced with sarcasm as they usually were when Jack or the Guardians period came up.

"Yes, I am, which is why I'm not gonna let you thrive on his suffering. If I see even a hint of a fearling tailing Jack I will smear them on a wall like graffiti." He harrumphed at me and went back to watching the globe. He did that a lot. I rolled my eyes at him again. "Anyway, I have to get back. I just came by to give you the lowdown on the surface world."

"And to threaten me, don't forget that." Again, sarcasm-laced words.

I grinned towards him, already walking towards the exit. "The usual."

I sped out of the tunnel and into the air above Burgess. Looking down at it, it almost looked like the same old town. It wasn't, not anymore. Neither Jack nor I would ever have a chat with our favorite mortal again, never see him walking down the sidewalk. I'm sure everyone who lived down there felt similarly as Jamie had been an amazing person to anyone he met. The world was a darker place without him, literally. I pulled the second globe out of my pocket and threw it in front of me. When I stepped through, I was in the kitchen. I walked across the hall to see that Ombric hadn't left yet. They were sitting on the chairs and it almost looked like they were having a normal conversation. Jack was smiling again and I realized he was telling Ombric a story of one of the times he and Jamie had gotten into trouble for something or another and the both of them laughed loudly when he told about how while Jamie had been grounded. He'd snuck in through his window and had taken the punishment with him - as it had really been his fault. I almost cried out of hapiness at seeing him that way.

It took another hour before Ombric finally had to admit that he had to go home. It was a couple of hours before sunrise in Santoff Claussen and he needed a bit of sleep before the lessons were to start for the day. Jack understood and Ombric disappeared through his own portal, but not before promising to return the following night. Jack smiled as he said goodbye. When he turned to leave the library he saw me standing there and his smile fell a little. I could see in his eyes that he was worn out. He'd been forcing himself to be happy. He wasn't fixed yet and he wouldn't be for a good while, but today and yesterday had helped him more than I expected them to. "Where'd you go this time?"

"I stopped at the Treehouse and made sure Ain and Aldebaran didn't plan on throwing any wild house parties while I was gone." I gave him a crooked smile. He returned a weak and tired one, but it was a smile, nonetheless, and it was genuine. "I also stopped to pick this up." I handed him the paper I'd grabbed in Burgess. He looked at it with wide eyes and hesitating before gingerly taking it from me. He knew why I'd grabbed it. "Page seven, third one down on the second column." He opened the newspaper and scanned the page. I knew when he found it because the sadness came back to his eyes and they misted over. "I'll go with you if you want to go."

He stared at the page for a second, his jaw clenched, before he weakly shook his head. "I don't think I deserve to."

"Of course you do. You're his family." Don't miss out, I did and I regret it. I didn't get a chance to see Caeden one last time not hooked up to a million machines and I kinda hated that my last memory of him was like that.

"I ran away even though I knew what was happening. I can't face him." He looked down at his bare feet, the paper hanging limply by his side.

"That's why you should. Tell him to his face that you guys were related. You wanted to before, I believe that he'll hear it if you tell him." What I didn't mention was how I knew that we hung around after death. Well, maybe not everyone does, but we did. "Whether you think you deserve to or not, do you think you need to go?"

After a few moments, he looked up at me, seeming incredibly unsure of his answer. And, even though he had that look on his face, he nodded anyway. "Yeah. I need to tell him sorry for running away if anything else."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

He held the paper up again, handing it back to me. "I don't know. Maybe." I took the paper from him. "If you come with me, will you leave me alone if I ask you too?"

"Of course, I will."

He nodded again. "Then can you, please?"

A little desperation had crept into his voice and I gave him another hug. He squeezed me so tight I could feel my lungs trying to freeze over. I didn't mention it though. "Absolutely. I'd do anything for you, Jack. That's what best friends are for."