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"She's evil," Jacob said, staring the floor. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, rocking back and
forth, cradling his cast.
"She's& ignorant," Jake said. He sighed and added, "And a mean old bitch."
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Chris Owen
"You going to make me apologize?" Jacob asked dully.
"I probably should, but no. I told her to get out."
Jacob looked up at him, his eyes damp with angry tears. "She said she was going to take me!"
"Not going to happen," Jake said with every ounce of conviction he had.
"She said that Aunt Cath would need help raising me and she was going to take me. That she was
sure Uncle James would help, too. I said I was going where my mom wanted, and that you and Tor
would do fine by me. She said--" He stopped suddenly and threw himself back on the bed.
"I can imagine." Jake walked to him and sank down on his heels, kneeling by the bed. "Forget her,
Jacob," he pleaded. He wanted to ask about Jacob and Arkansas, and if that meant he was willing to
come with him and Tor, but he didn't know if that would add to the stress or not. He left it alone
and reached out, put his hand on Jacob's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I won't let her say any-
thing more to you."
Jacob nodded and closed his eyes tight, sniffling a little bit. He was trembling under Jake's hand,
obviously trying to keep himself together; anger and hurt radiated from him and he opened his
eyes, looking up at the ceiling.
"Can I have a horse?" he asked, tears starting to flow, running down the side of his face and into his
ear.
"After you learn to take care of one," Jake said, his voice suddenly tight. The weight on his chest
was back.
"Okay." Jacob shook and Jake moved to the bed, gathering the boy up in his arms, his own tears
forcing their way out again. "God, I miss her," Jacob gasped, sobs wracking him.
"I know." Jake held on, let Jacob cry in his arms until they were both shaking with it. His face was
wet, his own tears going almost unnoticed as Jacob finally let go and cried for his mother, and for
himself.
It was a start, and an end, and Jake hoped he had the strength to carry them both through to the
other side.
45
Natural Disaster
The Dark
Chapter Twelve
There wasn't any light in the room when Jake woke up, just a lighter shade of black around the
window to let him know that night had fallen. He was stiff and sore, his eyes gritty in the aftermath
of his sorrow, and his arm was asleep where Jacob lay across it. It took a moment for Jake to figure
out what had woken him up, other than the discomfort of sleeping with his body curled protectively
around Jacob's.
A sound from the hallway came, a soft murmur of voices and quiet steps which reminded him of
the guests in 'Lissa's home. Most would be long gone, even those who hadn't fled in the wake of the
scene with Jess, and Jake assumed that only Tor and Cath and a very few others still remained.
Carefully, slowly, he untangled himself from Jacob and pulled a blanket over his nephew's sleeping
body, ignoring the way the nerves in his arm zinged as circulation was restored. Numb to the point
of calmness, he kissed Jacob's forehead and made his way to the door, braced for the light in the
rest of the house after the dark of the room.
Squinting, he shut Jacob's door behind him and turned to the living room, only to bump right into
Tor. "Hey," he said softly, automatically, wrapping his arms around Tor and leaning into his body,
soaking up the warmth.
"Hey, you," Tor whispered. "Okay?"
"Okay. Everyone gone?"
"Just about. Hungry?" Tor's hand rubbed on Jake's back, slow and soothing.
Jake shook his head. "What time is it?"
"About nine. Do you think he'll sleep through the night?"
"No idea," Jake said with a sigh. "He's exhausted, though. Cried for a long time."
Tor nodded. "You?"
"Yeah." Jake sighed again and moved a little closer to Tor, his head resting on Tor's shoulder. "Can
we& ? Do you think& ?"
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Chris Owen
Wordlessly, Tor moved them down the hall and into their borrowed bedroom.
"We should help clean up," Jake protested weakly, not in the least bit interested in being anywhere
other than where he was going. Still, though. He had to offer, even had to go out in the kitchen and
help if that's what was necessary.
"We will. Later." Tor's voice was low and steady, and every move he made only put them closer to
the bed.
"I just& " Jake paused and tried to find a few words to describe what he was feeling, what he
needed.
"I know," Tor told him, easing them both down onto the bed. "You're tired, you're sad, and you just
need to forget for a little while. I know."
"Do you?" Jake asked, rolling away only far enough to unbutton his shirt and peel it off. "Need to
forget?"
"Some things." Tor kissed him, helped with Jake's shirt, and then tugged his own off. "But mostly I
just hate the thought of leaving. Leaving you here, hurting."
Jake nodded. "I'm not thinking about that yet." He undid his trousers and sat up, pushing them off
awkwardly.
"Don't," Tor told him, his hands skimming over Jake's body. "Waste of time, thinking about it.
Talking about it."
Jake nodded, not really able to do anything else. He felt like he was under a mountain of blankets,
everything distant and unable to reach him. Even Tor's touch felt muted, like it was a memory al-
ready and not an experience. "Be here," he whispered. "I need you to be here. Now."
"I've got you," Tor told him, sounding sure and strong and dependable. "I'll take care of you, Jake."
"You always do." Jake closed his eyes and opened his mouth, taking Tor's kisses and his words,
sure that Tor would do exactly as he promised. With mouth and hands and words, Tor took charge
and made Jake forget for a while, made anything not there in the room with them fade away until
Jake thought he himself would float away and not come back. He was anchored, though, tied to Tor
in an infinite number of ways, and when Tor finally slid into his body, Jake was right there with
him, holding onto life and hope and joy.
47
Natural Disaster
Chapter Thirteen
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