Encouraged
Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown
Ship: Chase/Jack. OC/OC
Word Count: 7,824
Warnings: None
Zach sighed as he struggled to hold a ball of energy in his hands. The green light between his palms began to flicker, but he managed to keep it glowing. He had the natural ability, but Chase had told him that he would need more than a little practice to control it. It had been weeks, and he was still working on it with little results. He was starting to have stronger reactions when he got emotional, however. He could at least count on a burst of energy flying from his body when he felt threatened. He'd found this out when he started doing it to Chase. Every time he felt that he was staring at him suspiciously a huge wave of energy shot from his body, much to Chase's annoyance. Right now he was practicing in his room on his own. He made more progress that way - without Chase looming over his shoulder. He had even started neglecting his mechanical teachings with Jack to improve his skills in magic.
He still hadn't gone back down to the Xiaolin Temple, though Wuya had shown up a few times in attempts to urge him along. He wanted to get the hang of a few of the basics before he tried to use magic in a battle. He didn't want to risk looking like an idiot in front of Kyoji. He had already made a fool of himself enough during the first battle. He cringed at the thought of being hit in the face with the stone drawer he had thrown up at Kyoji. That had to be the dumbest thing he had ever done. His energy flickered again, and he took his mind off the embarrassing moment. As he concentrated it strengthen and even grew a little. Zach smiled happily. He was finally getting the hang of it!
"What are you doing now, boy?" an annoyed voice asked from behind him.
The energy in his hands disappeared as he jerked away from the sound. He tripped on a stray shoe as he tried to turn and fell to his butt. Wuya grinned down at him, and he frowned. She always popped up and surprised him like that. He should have expected her today since Chase was gone again. Zach didn't know what his father was doing lately, but he was putting so much work into it that he didn't think he had to worry about being discovered too much anymore. Wuya offered him a hand after her laughter subsided, but he knocked it away, choosing to save some of his dignity by standing on his own.
"What do you want?" he demanded.
"My Shen-Gong-Wu, of course," she responded with a serious look, "It's been weeks since you failed."
"I'm trying to make sure I don't fail again," Zach shot back, "I'm learning as fast as I can."
"Please, how hard can it be? It's just basic magic." Wuya scoffed, waving a hand at the very idea of magic being difficult.
"It's very hard for me, okay?" Zach whispered, looking away, "I just don't get it..."
"There's that Spicer blood again." Wuya sighed, crossing her arms.
"Are you saying Jack's my real father, then?" Zach asked, walking right up to her, "Cause with you saying that so much I don't think I need to steal Wu for you now."
"Don't be ridiculous, boy," Wuya hissed, leaning down to stare into his face, "I could be saying it so you don't find out Chase is your real father."
Zach couldn't meet her gaze and took a step back after a moment which made Wuya smirk. It was a lot like trying to keep eye contact with his Father without faltering. It must have been a Heylin thing. He wondered if he could do it if he wanted to. Maybe it came with age. Zach turned his back to her and tried to recreate the energy she had caused him to lose. Before he could get so much as a spark, Wuya swept in front of him, and he jerked back again. He hated how swiftly and silently she moved.
"I will not be ignored today, Zach," she growled, fangs bared, "Get down there tonight and get my Shen-Gong-Wu or the deal is off!"
Zach gasped and stepped back as her hand came at his face. She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him back to her chest. He was sure she was going to bite his face off, but as she was glaring at him there was a knock at his door. She dropped him and turned to stare at the door with a look of disgust as Jack's voice wafted through. Of course it was Jack. Zach knew Chase would never bother with knocking even if he had been home. Wuya turned back to him as the doorknob jiggled and grabbed his shirt. She mouthed a threat to him that he barely caught – something about ripping his head off - before disappearing in her usual flash of green. Zach rubbed his face as Jack opened the door.
"Zach?" Jack asked, catching the flash of green, "What are you doing?"
"Working on my magic." he replied, quickly.
"I thought you hated magic." Jack pondered aloud as he closed the door behind him.
"I do! But...Father wants me to learn it, right?" Zach lied, looking at his feet, "If I get better it'll make him happy."
Jack smiled at his son's desire to please Chase. It reminded him of himself a little at that age. Always wanting to find something to do that would make him useful to the powerful Heylin. Jack used to cause more trouble for Chase than anything in the beginning, but all Jack wanted was to be useful. Of course, he never did find much that Chase needed him for until Zach came along. Then he needed him to be a housewife! The jerk! Jack poked his lip out at this thought, and Zach looked up at him, wondering what was wrong.
"Did...you want something, Dad?"
"Oh, right." Jack said with a grin, "I've got a surprise for you."
"What kind of surprise?" Zach asked, smiling widely.
"I've been talking to Chase," Jack said, putting his hands behind his back, "And he's decided to let you do something he's never let you do before."
"What?!" Zach asked, growing so excited he was practically bouncing.
"Guess!" Jack insisted, balling his fists in front of his face.
"Well, that'd be hard since he never lets me do anything." Zach pouted, crossing his arms.
"Come on, Zach," Jack urged, "It's something he'd never let you do in a million years."
"There's no way he's letting me off the mountain..." Zach thought out loud.
"He is!" Jack exclaimed.
"You've gotta be kidding!" Zach gasped, "Really?"
"Yeah. He said I could take you down to my old house to see my lair," Jack said with a hint of pride as he inspected his fingernails, nonchalantly, "And I'm not telling him, but afterwards we can go out to do some normal stuff."
Jack was surprised at the sound of a small gasp and looked up to find tears in Zach's eyes. He was about to ask what was wrong, but as he was reaching a hand out for his shoulder Zach lunged at him. Jack smiled as his son hugged him, burying his face in his chest as a few tears escaped his eyes. Zach had already been off the mountain, but the fact that Jack had risked arguing with Chase to let him have a chance at experiencing at least one normal day in his life made Zach appreciate the evil genius all the more.
"Thanks, Dad." Zach sniffled.
"Alright, don't get all weepy on me," Jack sighed, petting his hair, "Besides, you better thank Chase later. If you do he might let us go out more often. Let's go before it gets too late."
Zach grinned and wiped his eyes with a nod. He followed Jack down to his lab with quicker steps than usual. He knew that he would have to go down to the Xiaolin Temple as well, but he wouldn't miss the chance to spend the day with his Dad for all the Shen-Gong-Wu in the world. If he lost due to fatigue there wasn't much Wuya could do about it. After all, if she killed him who would get her Shen-Gong-Wu? Zach hopped into the passenger side of one of Jack's jets and buckled up, making sure to pull his seatbelt tight. He'd been in jets with Jack before during prototype tests, so he knew to make sure it was securely fastened.
Zach smiled and watched the clouds pass them by as they made their way to Jack's old house. He was eager to see his father's childhood home, but what he was looking forward to most was going out among other people. He could study how others his age acted, and for once in his life he would be able to feel normal. He could feel himself overwhelmed with joy at the thought of being normal. When they arrived at the large mansion Jack landed his jet in the yard. Zach hopped out and landed next to his father, but as they headed for the door a thought suddenly ran through his mind. A thought he should have had the minute he was told their destination.
"Dad..." Zach whispered, trotting at his dad's side to keep up with his excited steps.
"Yeah?" Jack asked, smiling.
"Do your...parents still live here?"
"Of course." he replied with a laugh.
Zach stopped with a gasp and Jack turned to face him. He watched his son's face become the picture of sorrow. He approached him slowly and placed a hand on Zach's shoulder as the tears welled up in his eyes. He hadn't thought about how the realization that he had grandparents would affect Zach. Jack could only imagine how he felt now: betrayed, deceived, hurt. He probably wondered why no one had ever told him. He knew he would be hurt if he were in the same situation.
"I'm sorry, Zach," Jack whispered, "I thought it would be better if you just never knew."
"Because Father wasn't going to let me meet them anyways. Right?" Zach replied, lowering his eyes, "He never lets me do anything."
"He just wants you to be safe." Jack stated, petting his hair, "We both do, ya know?"
"Yeah. I know, Dad."
"Come on." Jack says with a smile as he takes his arm, "Let's go see your Grandma. She'll be pretty surprised."
Zach smiled as he was pulled towards the door, but he still felt hurt that his father had never intended him to meet his own grandparents. How could he be so heartless? Or did he think it was unnecessary because they weren't really his grandparents at all? Where were Chase's parents? Were they still living? Did he ever see them? He had barely even entered the house of Jack's parents, and so many questions about Chase's were filling his mind. There was so much neither had told him of their past and it hurt a little to only be finding out now.
"Mom!" Jack cried, slamming the door behind him, "Moooom!"
"Jack!" a woman's voice echoed in response, "Is that my little Jackie?!"
Zach looked up in surprise as a woman came running down the long hall. She wore her grey hair in an elegant style that almost seemed to be piled on top of her head, and she dressed in a sophisticated evening gown. He was almost worried she'd trip and hurt herself because of her thin frame. However, she seemed to be in quite the good shape for her age and slammed into Jack like a brick wall. Zach took a step back and smiled as he watched the tearful reunion of mother and son. He listened as she explained that Jack's father was away on business, but she stopped in the middle of her explanation as she caught sight of the young boy that resembled her "little Jackie" so.
"Jack...who is this?" she asked with a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"Mom," Jack grinned, putting his arms around Zach's shoulders, "This is Zach. He's my son."
"Oh my god!" the woman screamed and Zach gasped as she lunged at him, "He's so adorable. Why didn't you write me?! Who's the mother?! More importantly, where is she?!"
"She's back home," Jack laughed, trying to pry her off Zach, "She's been busy with work lately, but I thought it was about time to check on you so she let me leave without her."
"And she didn't let you before?" Mrs. Spicer asked, crossing her arms.
"Well...she's a very...aggressive woman, Mom." Jack sighed. "Really, really aggressive, right Zach?"
Zach laughed and nodded his head but couldn't seem to find it in himself to speak. Every time his grandmother would embrace him or speak to him he found a blush on his cheek and lost all ability to form coherent sentences. He simply nodded his head quietly and shrank into the corner as best as he could. He was coming to find that he was actually shy. He never would have known this had he stayed atop his mountain home for the rest of his life. After Mrs. Spicer had finished catching up with his dad and the tea was gone Jack decided to take him down to the basement. Mrs. Spicer promised that she hadn't even been down there since Jack left so he was certain it would still be in the same messy condition he had left it.
"Dad, do you think Father will let us come back and see Grandma? That way I might get to meet Grandpa, too."
"Now that we've been down once he'll probably be less strict from now on," Jack replied with a reassuring smile, "Anyways, here it is: The birthplace of the greatest genius to ever ally himself with evil!"
Zach snickered a little when Jack threw his arm out to direct his attention at the small room. It was nowhere near as good as the lab back home, but then again Jack had been young when he'd stayed here. He watched as Jack's smile turned a little sad. Zach could only guess at the memories that were flowing through his dad's mind at this moment. Jack walked over to a broken robot and dusted its head off. He turned and grinned at Zach before pushing himself up to sit on a table that had a map of the world on its surface.
"You can look around. I don't think anything should still be active." he said, as he kicked a mini-fridge, "Hey, a pudding cup!"
Zach laughed as Jack watched a pudding cup roll out of the abused refrigerator with a look of surprise. Zach was shocked he didn't descend on it, truth be told. He wouldn't put it passed him. He decided to take a look at the many different robots that laid scattered about the place. It looked like Jack had just up and left without even bothering to take anything with him. A large metal cabinet stood with its doors ajar against a wall, and a fluttering piece of paper caught Zach's attention. He smiled as he picked it up. It read "Shen-Gong-Wu Cheat Sheet" across the top. All around it were doodles of a strange, ghost-like creature with insults jotted over them. He folded the sheet gently and stuck it in his pocket. It would come in handy later.
He turned from the cabinet and wandered over to a somewhat closed off area. The entrance into this section of the lab was blocked off by some sort of debris. As Zach picked his way passed it he could see that most of it was machinery and wondered if there had been a fight here when Jack left. Maybe that was why he hadn't taken anything with him. He sighed when he finally managed to make his way into the area and wiped his hands on his pants. As he looked up he yelped in surprise at what his eyes landed upon. Surely he was hallucinating.
"What?!" Jack asked, stumbling and tripping as he tried to get passed the rubble, "What happened?!"
He stopped and let out a sigh of relief when he saw what had frightened his son so. It lay upon a metal slab with its eyes wide open, but it wasn't activated. He couldn't even remember having left this one here. Zach gaped at what seemed to be a corpse; a corpse with an eerily familiar pale face and spiked, red hair. He looked up to Jack with his mouth hanging open and then back at the corpse.
"What is it?" he whispered.
"A robot, of course. Pretty life-like, huh?" Jack boasted, "It's supposed to be me, actually. I made a lot of them when I was a kid. They were stronger and faster than me. They got a lot more done. They just had a bit of a rebellious streak I couldn't program out."
"Did you use them to get Shen-Gong-Wu?" Zach asked as he approached the robot.
Jack didn't answer but watched as Zach put his hands on the arm of the robot that looked so much like he once had. He watched with a strange sadness in his eyes as his son inspected it. Zach was showing far too much of an interest in Shen-Gong-Wu lately. He didn't want him to get caught up in that futile race for Wu after Wu.; the never-ending battles against the monks. Zach was stronger than Jack had been, but he still wasn't a match for the Xiaolin Dragons. Zach gasped and looked up as Jack placed an arm around his shoulders. He smiled, but his eyes were soft and sad as he pulled the goggles off the robot's head.
"Here, Zach," he sighed, placing them in his hands, "In case you ever take a break from magic and get back around to working on something."
"Thanks, Dad." Zach grinned, putting them on.
Jack seemed to cheer up at the sight and laughed. They didn't look quite as appealing on Zach's head as they did on his own, but Jack was glad to see him wear them. It made him feel like he was passing the torch on to the next generation. He suggested they leave the lair and find something fun to do in town. Zach was quick to agree, and they hurried back upstairs to say good-bye to Mrs. Spicer. This took more than an hour as the elderly woman smothered the both of them to death in her embrace. She made Jack promise to visit again soon, and Zach hoped they would be allowed. He was sure it would break Mrs. Spicer's heart if they didn't return.
They finally made it back to the jet, and Zach's smile faded as they lifted off. Jack noticed this and tried to come up with something that would cheer him up. He decided to stop in town, and the two wandered the streets in search of entertainment. The first thing they did was watch a movie. Zach seemed to enjoy the new experience greatly. He begged Jack to build him a television when they got home, but Jack wasn't sure they would be able to pick anything up in the Land of Nowhere. However, he promised to try. After the movie, they stopped at a cafe to have lunch. Zach insisted on sitting outside so he could watch the people as they passed them by on their way to their everyday, normal lives.
Unfortunately for them, two pairs of not so normal eyes were watching the two as they ate. A smile spread over the face of the woman as she turned to face her colleague, letting the binoculars hang around her neck. The red-head at her side returned the mischievous grin as she flipped her blond hair over her shoulder. He didn't need to be told who his target would be today for he was fashioned after this man. She turned her eyes back to their prey and motioned with her hand slightly. Her mechanical partner of fifteen years shot out of their cover like a flash and knocked passersby aside as he closed in on the two evil geniuses.
Jack was sipping from his teacup daintily - pinky finger extended - when he noticed the movement. He stared over his son's head in utter shock and dropped his tea. The cup crashed to the table, shattering as Jack gasped. Zach turned to see what he was gawking at, and his face mirrored his dad's as he caught sight of the red-head. The stranger launched off the railing around the cafe and landed on the table between them. Both Spicers shot to their feet as the table was crushed beneath the robot's weight.
"Dad, it's your robot!" Zach exclaimed.
"That's not mine," Jack whispered, somewhat afraid to even move, "It's...different."
"It's yours alright," a voice hissed from behind, "But better. I splurged on an upgrade."
"Katnappe!" Jack shouted.
Zach turned slowly to see who this woman was. He may not have had much experience with women, but she had the most attractive figure he'd seen by far. It was clad in leather from head to toe and long, blond hair fell from beneath her mask. The eyes within were blue and the ears atop twitched as though they were real. Unfortunately, as he turned his back to inspect her, the Robo-Jack lunged at him. He fell under the robot's weight as it wrapped its arms around his neck. Zach cried out in pain as his slender frame was slammed into the sidewalk. He gasped as he saw Katnappe's legs flash by his face. She was after his dad! The thought of his dad in danger caused him to panic, and a wave of energy exploded from his back. Robo-Jack was knocked aside. He stood quickly and ran at Katnappe's back. He could tell he wasn't going to make it before those claws were wrapped around Jack's neck. He dropped to his knees, and his momentum carried him between Katnappe's legs. She gasped as she struck flesh with her claws, but it wasn't her intended target they sunk into. Zach felt them rip through his shirt and pierce his skin. He only wrapped his arms around his dad tightly as his face screwed up in pain.
"Zach!" Jack exclaimed.
"You little brat!" Katnappe cursed, "Stay out of my way!"
She reared a hand back to smack him aside, but he turned too quickly for her to follow. Zach grabbed her wrist out of the air, frowning at her seriously. She screamed in frustration and kicked him in the stomach, sending both he and Jack to the ground. This seemed to catch the immobile robot's attention. Its head shot up, but its eyes were flickering back and forth. It was sparking with the green energy that Zach had emitted, however it still seemed to be functional.
Robo-Jack grabbed its head to prevent its spinning eyes from flying right out of their sockets. It glared at Zach and ran by Katnappe. She smirked, lowering her claws slowly. She would let Robo-Jack have the kid, but the evil doofus was hers once his son had been taken out of the picture. Zach shot to his feet and turned to face the mechanical version of his dad. He blocked its first punch easily, but the second made contact with his chest. Zach stumbled but regained his footing quickly.
A green glow erupted around the boy, and the Robo-Jack stepped back. The wave of energy hit it, knocking the mock Jack to the ground. Zach jumped into the air and aimed a flying punch at the robot. It rolled out of the way and Zach's fist hit the pavement. Cracks formed where the young Heylin's fist had landed. The Robo-Jack jumped to its feet and tried to kick Zach in the head. Jack sighed in relief as Zach ducked just in time. He did an agile back flip as the robot took a swing at him.
Robo-Jack seemed to become frustrated. It raised an arm and aimed its fist at Jack. Zach gasped as its fist exploded from its arm, heading straight at Jack. No one was going to hurt his dad! He jumped in the line of fire and placed both hands in front of him, He tried to concentrate all his energy into his palms without losing the emotional surge that made it so strong. Tendrils of green energy flickered around his fingers for a moment before bursting from his outstretched hands. It hit the robot's missile, disintegrating it in the process, but it didn't stop there. It hit Robo-Jack as well and when he fell he didn't get up again. Zach turned his eyes on Katnappe, and she gasped. He ran at her, but she jumped over his head, flipping through the air before landing beside the Robo-Jack. Zach stood in front of Jack protectively, glaring at the two angrily.
"Touch my dad," Zach stated simply, "And you die."
"Please! You're just as big a mama's boy as the dork behind you!" Katnappe responded, "Get 'im, Robo-Jack!"
"Yes, ma'm," it laughed, hopping to its feet immediately.
Jack watched in curiosity as a new hand shot from his sleeve. It reached up and pushed a button on the side of its goggles. This was new. There was a whirring sound and lines lit up on Robo-Jack's face. Its eyes burned a sudden red as the lights hit them. A similar glow from his arms and legs could be seen through the fabric of his clothes. Jack couldn't be sure what kind of program the robot had initiated, but he could bet it was some kind of power up. Zach just clenched his fists tightly and tried to keep the image of his father in his mind. He watched the way he moved during practice, the ferocity in his eyes as he threw punches at invisible enemies. Jack saw that look spill over onto Zach's face and he frowned slightly.
"Focus, Zachary," Chase's voice whispered into his ear, "Failure is not an option."
"Failure…is not an option." Zach repeated aloud, raising his head.
Robo-Jack shot from Katnappe's side, but Zach pushed off the ground first. He hit the robot head on as it approached, and the two went rolling across the ground. The heavier robot landed on top of him, but he managed to get his feet beneath it. He kicked up with all his strength and Robo-Jack lifted into the air long enough for him to roll out of the way. It hit the sidewalk hard and cursed at Zach. It stood from the crater it had made, glaring at him angrily.
Zach's eyes widened as it ran at him once more. Fists began to fly at his face, almost too fast to see. He dodged them by instinct alone. Luck was on his side because not one swing made contact. He dropped to his knees, and Robo-Jack's fist flew over his head, barely touching his spikes. He fell backwards, supporting himself with his hands as his feet shot out from under him, landing in Robo-Jack's stomach. The robot grabbed his ankles with a smirk, and he gasped. Jack screamed his name as he flew through the air. Zach hit the concrete hard and slid into a lamppost. It bent from the impact, and glass rained down on him from above.
Zach didn't have time to cradle his wounds as Robo-Jack fell upon him with a glowing fist. He rolled aside and it hit the ground instead. He didn't check to see what damage it had done to the sidewalk because it was aiming it at his face again. He dodged the wild punches with a look of shock. It's too fast! A fist slammed into his right cheek, then the left. He hopped backwards and landed on a parked car in an attempt to escape the barrage, but it was useless. Robo-Jack followed. Zach tripped on his pants leg and fell to his back. Robo-Jack's fists made dents in the roof of the car as Zach dodged them. I can't win!,he thought, I can't- I can't….
"I can't do it!" Zach cried, hands rising to protected himself as best as he could, "Why can't I do it?!"
Robo-Jack looked surprised at his outburst, but that didn't mean his fists would stop. Zach waited, eyes closed, for the impact of those metallic knuckles. He could practically feel them slamming into his face, but when nothing happened he opened his eyes slowly to look. Robo-Jack's fists were certainly still flying at him, a look of fury on its face. However, they fell just short of hitting him, sending ripples through the air.
"A shield," Jack gasped, "Zach, you made a shield!"
"What?" Zach gaped, looking over to him, "I, what?"
"I've had enough of this!" Katnappe growled, running at Jack once more, "This loser dies, now!"
Zach's eyes widened, and the shield around him seemed to burst outward. The energy sent Robo-Jack flying into the air. Zach rolled off the car, running for his dad almost before his feet even touched to ground. Robo-Jack fell from the sky and crushed the car under its weight, but Zach didn't seem to take notice. He was halfway there, but Katnappe was closer than him. He just knew she would reach Jack first.
She took a swipe at Jack with her claws and caught the side of his arm as he tried to jump out of the way. He fell to his side, holding the bloody mess with a cry of pain. She raised her hand to attack once more as Jack stumbled along, trying to get to his feet. Zach reached Jack the moment Katnappe's claws fell through the air. She gasped as he stopped in front of her again, fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist once more. He stared at her with a look of intense rage, the likes of which Katnappe had never seen. Tears gathered in her wide eyes, but Zach didn't seem to take notice. He rammed his knee into her stomach, and she fell to her knees. Before she could recover he placed his boot firmly into her face. Unfortunately for Katnappe, his etiquette regarding hitting women had been discarded at the discovery of Wuya. She fell - face down, hair splayed out in front of her, and her butt in the air. Had she not been unconscious she would have screamed at the humiliation.
Robo-Jack didn't seem to care that its mistress had fallen. It stood slowly - the circuits in its eyes sparking - and faced Zach once more. Its steps seemed to be slowed, and the lights on its face died out suddenly. It looked surprised at this, but that didn't stop it from attacking again. It was slower now, and Zach didn't have any problem dodging its attacks. He stepped to the side as the robot's fists flew by his face harmlessly. He smirked at this discovery. It resembled Chase's expression so much that Jack had to stop himself from smiling even in such a serious situation. Zach decided to take the offense.
Robo-Jack was pelted with punches that hit its chest and face. Zach was fairly certain he had actually dented the replicas paper white cheek as it retreated a few feet. Zach continued to smirk at it, victory nearly a certainty now. He was caught off guard, however, as it smirked back. It raised its arm, placing it in the other hand. Zach followed its path as the robot aimed its missile again. Robo-Jack fired. Zach's face fell as he ran at the missile, but he was too late. He'd grown too cocky. The missile hit the ground in front of Jack, and rubble erupted around him as he fell to the ground. Zach stared in shock.
"Dad…"
Robo-Jack laughed as Jack rolled over, holding himself and groaning in pain. He was probably in severe pain, but he hadn't been fatally injured. Relief should have flooded Zach's veins, but he was suddenly enraged. He had failed to protect his dad. He had failed. Failure was not an option. Robo-Jack's laughter stopped as Zach began to glow. He clenched his fists tightly as his eye turned red. Bolts of energy shot from the green aura that was surrounding him. One hit the ground at Robo-Jack's feet. He jumped back with a cry of surprise, but it was drowned out by Zach's scream of rage.
Jack was sitting up when he heard a loud crack of thunder, but when he looked there was only his son. He stood, the ground around him smoking, as he stared out at what was once a normal street corner. There was nothing but rubble left. Zach fell to his knees, and landed in a heap on the broken street. Robo-Jack laid a good ten feet away, Katnappe atop it. They were both lying inside the decimated café on a pile of broken tables.
Jack struggled to his feet and limped over to his son's prone form. He wasn't sure how bad his injuries actually were – if he had any at all – but Zach was more important. He dropped to his knees with a grimace and rolled Zach over. He was still breathing, Jack discovered with a sigh of relief. He grabbed the boy under both arms and began to drag him back to the jet. He struggled to pull his son along. He still wasn't the strongest guy in the world, and his injuries weren't helping matters. He wished he hadn't parked the jet so far away.
When he reached the empty parking lot at last, he pushed Zach up into the passenger side and buckled him up tightly. Jack pushed his Zach's limp head back against the seat, observing the cuts and bruises that covered his face. Jack winced to see such painful marks on his precious son's face. The fact that Chase was going to kill him when they got home didn't make him feel any better. He hopped into the pilot's seat and took off, glancing now and then at Zach when his head lolled to the side.
Jack groaned as he came in for a landing. Chase was standing on the hangar, waiting for them. Great, that meant he had already been expecting the worst. Chase stood, arms crossed, watching as Jack fiddled with Zach's seatbelt. He hadn't done any more work today – obviously concerned with Zach's safe return – because he was wearing his more comfortable blue outfit. Jack groaned some more as he opened the door and jumped down. He didn't give Chase a single glance, afraid the slightest look would put him in a world of pain. The fact that he had ignored him already warned Chase that the outcome of their little outing hadn't been so good. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as Jack circled to the other side. He came around the jet just as Jack jerked the passenger side door open. Zach practically fell into Jack's arms, moaning slightly as his legs hit the ground. Chase's eyes widened and fangs showed in his clenched teeth.
"What have you done to my son?!" he cried, rage filling his eyes.
"Katnappe attacked us." Jack responded with a grunt.
He was still trying to drag Zach to his room. Chase noted the blood spilling down Jack's arm and the limp in his step. His eyes softened and the anger left his face. He seemed frozen in time as he watched Jack struggling with the weight of their injured child. He was uncertain as to what action he should take now. Anger had been his first choice, but Jack's injury made that impossible. He didn't know how to express concern in any other way. He walked over slowly, and Jack stopped. As those cold, golden eyes landed on Zach's pain filled face they grew concerned. Jack watched as Chase pushed a strand of his long, red hair aside gently. He would never let Zach see him acting so loving if he were awake. Jack wished he wasn't so guarded when it came to his emotions. Chase scooped the boy into his arms, cradling him as he had done when Zach was no more than a toddler. Jack smiled slightly as he remembered those days gone by.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
"Careful!" Jack cried arms in the air. "Careful! You'll drop him!
Chase just smirked as he caught Zach in his arms easily. He tossed the laughing tot into the air once more. Zach waved his pudgy arms as he flew through the dark clouds that surrounded their lair. He almost touched the next cliff this time, and Jack gasped, chewing on his fingernails as he watched the child stop just before slamming his fragile head into the mountain. Chase caught him as he fell and Jack sighed in relief. He grabbed Chase's arm as he began to toss him again.
"Don't! Are you trying to give me a heart attack over here?!" the red-head exclaimed. "Geez."
Chase gave him a frown and grunted in agreement. Jack released his arm and watched as Chase cradled Zach in his arms gently. The child's laughter and cries of "Again, again!" made the Heylin laugh softly. Jack smiled as Chase explained that mommy didn't think it was safe. He never thought he would see the day Chase Young held a child. Well, not without eating one, anyways. He laughed at this thought, and both Chase and Zach gave him identical looks of curiosity.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
"What was Katnappe doing at your mothers?" Chase demanded, voice lowered.
Jack's smile faded. He sighed heavily as he answered, flinching already.
"I took him to get something to eat," Jack admitted sheepishly, "After, ya know, seeing Mom."
"What's wrong with you, Spicer?!" Chase exploded, turning on him with blazing eyes, "I told you to go straight to your mother's and come straight back! Can't you obey a simple order?!"
"I wasn't aware you still considered me a lackey!" Jack raged back, "I wasn't aware I had no rights to my own son!"
"When it comes to his safety-"
Chase was interrupted by a painful moan, and both sets of eyes snapped down to Zach as he placed a hand on his side. He laid his head against Chase's chest as he opened his eyes slowly. Jack was at his side immediately. He took Zach's hand in his own and tried to smile at his son.
"Dad?"
"I'm right here, Zach," Jack whispered softly, "We're home now."
"Did I win?" Zach coughed.
"Yeah," Jack smiled, looking up to Chase, "He won."
Jack thought he could see the ghost of a smile on his cantankerous lover's face but he hid it well. Chase turned suddenly and walked away, heading for Zach's room. Jack sighed and turned to stare down at the clouds below. He frowned as he thought of the situation. Now Katnappe knew he had a son, but would she be able to guess that Zach also belonged to Chase? If she did, and word got out, Zach could truly be in danger. He'd never be able to take him off the mountain again. Jack hung his head as his heart filled with sympathy for the isolated boy. His entire life was nothing but a prison. His little bird needed to be set free soon or he would destroy himself in his desire to fly. He wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do. If safety meant Zach was miserable, was that really for the best?
Chase laid Zach down on his bed gently, and Zach groaned. He expected him to leave, but he just stood there. Chase loomed over Zach with his arms crossed. He tried to avoid his father's stare, afraid he was in trouble. He looked around his room, wondering when he would leave. He shifted in his bed nervously and pain shot up his side. He couldn't contain the wince of pain that crossed his face. He grabbed at his side, but Chase grabbed his arm before it could reach its destination. Zach looked up into Chase's stern face with a worried expression spreading across his own.
"Where do you hurt?" Chase asked after a moment of tension.
Zach looked surprised at his concern. He didn't know how to respond so he looked away after a moment. He didn't want him to worry – though it felt nice to know he did – or, worse, bring shame to him somehow. What if this was a test? How was he supposed to answer? If he said yes, would that be a sign of weakness to Chase? If he said no, would he be failing some sort of trust test? He sighed at the conundrum even the simplest question became when it left his father's mouth.
"I'm fine." Zach replied at last.
"How did you win?" Chase went on.
"I used magic."
Zach looked away as he said this, nonchalantly, but not before he saw the smile that crossed Chase's face. He tried not to return the expression, but it was no use. Zach grinned widely, thoroughly satisfied with the fact that his father was proud of him. He never would have thought he would get the chance to prove to him what he could do in a real battle. He was glad Chase would never know of his first battle at the Xiaolin Temple. He would rather the Heylin warrior keep thinking that he had done well on his first fight ever. Chase patted his head softly and exited the room to find one of his warriors that could heal, leaving Zach with his thoughts.
He hurried back to the hanger to find Jack still staring out over the edge. Chase watched Jack's back for a while, the wind blowing their hair as it roared through the hanger. Jack looked up suddenly, and turned to face him. He must have felt his presence at last. He may not have been the most perceptive person in the world, but no matter how stealthy he tried to be Jack always sensed him eventually.
Jack tried to smile as Chase approached him, but it was nowhere near his usual enthusiastic grin. It was sad and made it obvious Jack was preoccupied with some inner conflict. Chase placed a hand on his cheek softly as he stopped in front of him. As Chase's thumb brushed across his pale skin soothingly Jack's smile grew warm. Jack smiled at the affectionate touch, but his heart was still troubled. He didn't know if it would be wise to say anything to Chase or not. He seemed to be in a good mood now, and Jack didn't want to risk ruining that. He placed his hands on Chase's arm softly, fingers pushing back his sleeve gently. He was glad Chase had decided to wear something more casual than his armor today. His fingers slid over his skin and the smile on his face grew. His eyes became distant as he was distracted by the beauty of Chase's perfect skin.
"Are you hurt?" Chase asked, bringing him back to reality.
"Not too bad, I guess," Jack shrugged, smile fading, "How's Zach?"
"I sent Sauda to attend to him. Do you need healing?"
"I dunno. Maybe later. It's not important," he sighed, leaning into Chase's arms.
Chase would have Sauda see to him later. He smiled as he wrapped Jack up in a tight embrace, face hidden behind his hair so no one would ever know. He felt Jack's fingers curling in the back of his shirt as he breathed in heavily. It was different from the breath he took in order to inhale Chase's sent. Chase could hear the disappointment in that deep sigh, but he would say nothing about it. He knew it would be about Zach and there would be another argument. He knew Jack didn't want that anymore than he did.
Zach sat up slowly, back still aching, as Sauda turned from him. She was the one who knew how to heal and Zach had seen her in human form – outside of battle - more often than any of the other warriors. Her skin was dark, her hair short, and her eyes full of compassion. He had no idea how she had come to be under his father's control, but he had always felt it would be rude to ask. The long legs and arms that hung at her side began to grow black fur. She was going to return to her panther form.
"Wait, Sauda!" Zach called.
She turned and stared at him silently. He wondered if he could trust her. She may have called him master, but her true master was Chase Young. If it was a matter of power Chase outranked him by far. He owned this woman. Yet, she was the kindest of all his warriors. Did that mean he could trust her with his secret? Or would he be hanging himself?
"Yes, Master Zachary?" she whispered after a moment.
"Would you do something for me?"
"Yes."
"And not tell my father?"
This gave the woman pause. She looked away from the young boy. She had been summoned to heal his childhood injuries obtained from Chase's rough training often enough. However, she could not disobey Chase even if she wanted to. Zach knew this, and she knew this. She shook her head slowly.
"If he asks of me, I must obey."
"But if he doesn't ask…" Zach began.
"I will do what I can for you Master Zachary. If he asks, I can not be blamed."
"I know." Zach smiled. "I just need you to bring me something."
He held up what appeared to be a Shen-Gong-Wu. Zach grinned at his ingenuity. He knew he would need a Wu for battling the Xiaolin Dragons, but he couldn't keep stealing the Monkey Staff. And what if he lost it again? He had worried about this ever since his last battle, but this would be the solution to all his problems. He would have Sauda switch the real Wu with this replica he had made. He would just have to hope Jack didn't take it out anytime soon. He was sure his dad would recognize the feel of metal quickly enough. She gave him a slight smile as he explained what she was to do and took the staff from him. She gave him a quick nod before exiting the room. Zach sighed and fell back into his covers. He would take a nap for now. He'd certainly need his energy later.