The tables had turned.
For too long, the universe had mocked me. Belittled me.
But look who's laughing now, World!
Sure, it could only be described as a hysterical fit of utter despair, but at least it wasn't at my expense this time.
In the face of my mirth, Alex lost his temper, face rapidly turning bright pink.
"Shut up!"
I cackled harder, collapsing to my knees as my entire body lost its composure.
The small child swore teeth clenched hard as he growled out. "This is not funny."
My only argument was to point at him, clutching my ribs as I roared with laughter.
"You're going to get us killed!" He fumed, and I swore I saw a hint of tears in his frustrated gaze.
I tried to say something to defend myself. All that came out was this strange noise. Some sort of unintelligible cross between a giggle and a fan-girl scream.
Not even Alex's personality stood a chance against the cuteness of this situation.
And he was cute. Even beaten up, exhausted and thin as a twig, the child in front of me was too peevish to be considered anything less than adorable.
The little guy's eyes narrowed in a haughty glare, biting his lip as he fought back humiliation and- Oh God.
What little self-control I had left me as I fell to lay on the floor of my cage.
For the first time since I had woken up, the music wavered.
I didn't really mind... Too busy rolling around the floor of my cage in a wild fit of laughter.
I was laughing so hard it hurt.
With heaving breaths, I tried to stop, my body trembling uncontrollably.
My insides are killing me for this...
But it was adorable.
And, well... terrifying.
"Alex? " I gasped, rolling up onto my hands and knees.
"What?" The boy demanded flatly, obviously miffed. I peered at him seriously.
"....Alex?"
He grunted angrily, turning his body away as he continued to play his instrument... A little harder than necessary.
Waddling forward on my knees until my body was pressed up against the bars, I sang out.
"... Aleeeeeexaaaanderrr... "
The boy swore harshly, finally losing his temper to yell at me from across the room.
"What the Hell do you want you ungrateful Brat?! God knows I should have just left you..."
Alex's threats trailed off as I sagged against the bars, shaking silently as I tried to breathe.
"... Maddison...?"
".... That's my name. " I said shakily, trying to reassure him with a quick smile
He just glared at me sceptically, not fooled in the least.
I laughed a little.
"Just wasn't sure..." I explained softly, barely loud enough to be heard over the music."...If the reset had affected your head as well..."
If you remembered me.
Alex stayed quiet for a long moment, expression grim as he mulled over my concerns.
"Well... I can't say that is completely untrue..." He admitted grumpily, grimacing slightly at my sudden look of panic. "But it's more a change in chemistry than anything else... "
I looked up at him warily.
"What do you mean."
He shifted uncomfortably, the frown on his face clearly stating he would rather not be having this conversation.
"... I have less control over my impulses... Mood swings... " he averted his gaze, as if ashamed to admit any vulnerability.
I raised an eyebrow.
That much had been obvious from the way he had been fighting back tears earlier... But something told me it wouldn't be a good idea to push the issue when he was already stressed and emotionally compromised.
I might enjoy his misfortune to some extent, but there was no way I was going to kick him while he was down...
... Maybe just poke him a little bit.
"So basically....the only difference is you're shorter."
The small boy flinched, but almost seemed relieved when he glanced back up at me.
"Oh, Haha." Alex sent me a dead-pan look, completely unamused. "Bite me."
I returned the look with a charming smile.
"The first step in achieving that goal would be to let me out of this cage, munchkin."
Alex rolled his eyes at me. "Save the short jokes for when you're taller than me Tramph."
My smile twitched, actually starting to feel a little bit real.
Whatever you say, Sassy Sue.
"Like I said in the first place." He continued tersely. "I can't stop playing. Otherwise, Jack's going to pay us another visit. "
He had a point there.
"So what do we do?"
"... Survive until help arrives. "
Back to plan A.
"Oh, yea... " I mused, hand on chin."There was like... five other competent human beings, plus Nigel, with us at the start of all this. I wonder whatever happened to those guys... "
I settled back down, taking a seat as Alex continued to play.
"Ten bucks says they're lost. "
"My money's on them getting distracted by shiny things."
"You're on."
Most likely, something had gone incredibly wrong.
But neither of us wanted to voice that possibility....or even think about it.
Conversation rolled to a stop as there was nothing left to do but wait for help, leaving us in awkward... Silence I guess... but with creepy music...
Speaking of which...
"This might seem like a dumb question, but since when was that..." I gestured to the Violin. "... A thing you could do?"
Alex raised a wry eyebrow at me...you could even call it a...
Wry-brow...
... And did me the favour of not commenting when I suddenly slapped myself in the face.
After a moment, when it was clear the strange convulsions had passed, he answered my question with a shrug.
"Where do you think Jack got it from."
Yikes.
"...Next, you will be telling me the magician ambition came from Alan. " I half-laughed to myself.
Alex didn't laugh.
"Trust me, Maddison."
There was no humour in his expression at all.
"Some things are better left unspoken of."
Right. That topic is off-limits. Good to know...
Though I had been trying not to think about it, speaking of Jack had reminded me of all that I had learned about the strange creature in the last couple of hours.
From the moment I met him, I knew he was crazy, but I had always figured it was the regular sort of crazy. A combination of a tough past, bad social skills, and some seriously creepy kinks.
And yea, that was all still true... But even so, Jack was far more complicated... And unstable than I could have ever imagined...
The blank smile he used to hide behind was slipping more and more...He wasn't holding back, pretending to be human or following the rules.
And. It. Was. SCARY.... So utterly disturbing...
But at the same time, it felt I was starting to see the real Jack.
I frowned slightly.
.... Weird as it was... I actually kind of liked Jack better this way.
The whole trying to murder me thing aside anyway.
"Maddison...?"
I blinked, realising that Alex had been trying to speak to me. Looking up, I noticed he was watching me with a frustrated frown.
Alexander's concern at its finest.... focused intensely on the blood staining my dress.
He suddenly grimaced, gaze turning away as he silently berated himself.
"Nevermind."
I watched the emotions flicker over his face, uncomfortable with all of it.
"It doesn't really hurt anymore," I told him plainly, head rested in hand. "All healed and whatnot."
I'd keep the hunger thing to myself until we get out of this.
Never know who might be watching.
"I know that. " Alex answered surly, frowning down at the floor.
"... It's okay to want to hear it." I mumbled, trying not to remember the gory details of my last encounter with Jack.
Going stiff, Alex actually turned his back to me, hiding his expression the only way he seemed able.
"...This wasn't the first time."
I blinked at him, suddenly sitting straighter.
"That you've died." He clarified.
It took all my self-control to speak normally.
"You mean the drowning thing...? "
"That." He looked over his shoulder at me, expression grim. "And also the Jack killing you thing."
I stared at him.
"You didn't even have a concussion, Maddison." He spoke softly, barely audible over the music.
"That time he hit you off of Vain's shoulder at school. I arrived in time to catch you, but the blunt trauma was enough to...."He laughed humourlessly. "You woke up with a headache. "
I stared at him, hardly able to wrap my head around the new information.
"... You healed me."
"Yea."
"But how...."
"I gave you blood, Alan jumped out of a window. "
"... Isn't that a little extreme...."
"Didn't have much time."
I shook my head in disbelief.
"And my supervisor...I mean Oliver just believed..."
Alex snorted. "Hell no. Sly old man ambushed me the moment I stepped foot out of the building."
Again. This was news to me.
"You fought Oliver?"
He half-turned back to me, enough that he could see me, but not quite trusting himself to face me.
"More like let him chase me halfway across the school." He admitted sourly. "Just long enough for Mother to get bored and intervene, wiping his memory of me before it got too far. "
I stared at him silently, not quite sure why I was so surprised.
Seeing this, a slight smirk twitched his lips.
"You didn't seriously think I went to check up on Alan, did you?"
That had been Apollo's excuse to separate Alex from me... Which he knew about all along, so of course he must have been...
"... I kinda assumed you were bludging."
Alex did a double-take, eyes widening in a mildly offended look. "Kid, the only time I skipped work was when I was babysitting you."
I ruffled up in indignation, pointing an accusing finger in his direction.
"Bullshit! You were smoking behind the shed the first day I met you."
"I was on one of my legally required breaks."
"You say that like you actually get paid to torment innocent youths!"
He grinned widely.
"Only if fun counts as currency these days. "
My hand shot to my mouth as I gasped in outrage.
"You-!"
A noise came from the doorway.
Alex's music cut off in shock, and we both spun to face the new threat.
But it was too late.
The redhead immediately started swearing, shouting demands to be put down as he was suddenly swung up into the air and spun around.
"You're okay! "
"No thanks to you!"
"You're adorable. "
"I'm not!"
"You never told me you could play an instrument!"
"That's-"
"You know what that means?! "
"There's no way..."
"We can start a band."
"Nigel!"
As I watched Alex try to escape over six feet of over-affectionate enthusiasm, I silently thanked Jack for putting me in a cage.
Where it was safe.
Another giggle came from the doorway, and I turned to see Robin and Vain standing back, not interfering with... Nigel's display of relief.
Robin was openly laughing at the scene and Vain...
Was staring at me.
At my blood-stained dress.
Looking furious.
I suddenly didn't feel so safe in the cage anymore.