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"Christmas is the best time of the year you know," Jack said laughing, as he hung the lights on his fake, pine Christmas tree that he placed up. Sitting on the couch as I watched him, I nodded, though my mind was elsewhere. True, it was Christmas Eve, and the cheerful joy of the word Christmas ignited warmth in the pit of my belly, but I couldn't concentrate on any of that kind of joy at all.
The other kind that scratched my mind over and over again was the joy that Jack brought me. Last night was amazing, more than amazing, life-changing, because it had made my mind up about staying or going. I told Jack that my choice was to stay with him earlier after we woke up, and I still can't get that smile out of my head. He was so happy to hear the news, he couldn't keep his lips off me eventually.
"I'm really glad you're staying, Charlotte," he said again, making me look back to him as he stopped working on the tree. "But do understand you can go anytime you want. Not that I want you to, but I'm not going to force you to stay against your will," he ended, making me get up from the couch to walk over to him.
"Jack, I've waited fifteen years to be with you, I'm not leaving," I whispered, entwining my hand in his that rested at his side. Smiling down at our hands, Jack nodded.
"I know, and neither am I," he whispered back, pulling up our hands to kiss mine and pull me in closer to him. "Are you going to see your family tomorrow though? For Christmas?" he wondered, making me ponder on the question a bit. Of course, it being a holiday and all, I wanted to at least give them a hello, but I really didn't know what awaited me...
"Could you go with me? It won't be long," I asked Jack, his arms still encased around my small body as I rested my head against his chest. The heat that he gave off was relaxing, considering how cold I usually was.
"Of course, if something goes wrong we can always come down here. No one knows where the elevator is in the house except the scientists, so we would be safe no matter who follows us," he responded with assurance.
"Okay, thank you," I whispered into his chest, closing my eyes and becoming tired from the comfort of Jack around me. I was extremely grateful that Jack was coming up with me tomorrow for Christmas to visit my family. I knew that there would be problems, hopefully not with the police, but having him there always calmed me down. Luke, on the other hand, usually made things worse and I was lucky if some random stranger calmed me down in any situation better than my own, now, ex-husband.
"You aren't falling asleep on me here are you?" Jack laughed, rubbing my back while I shook my head, even though I pretty much was. "Come here," he whispered, barely being able to hear it myself, as he picked me up in his arms and carried me over to the bedroom. Placing me gently down onto the bed, I yearned for him to sleep with me again and without any hesitation he stayed. Holding me with the utmost care, his hands caressed my back in soft motions as I fell asleep in his arms...
The light hit my eyes sharply as I woke up, the world spinning it seemed as a terrible headache fell upon me. Reaching to my right for Jack, instead I felt an empty bed, making my eyes dart to find I was correct in the assumption that he wasn't there. I pushed the covers off my body; my side of the bed a mess while his was neatly done. Pushing my way down the hallway, I stumbled down the stairs to the living room.
"Jack?" I wondered, a cold feeling sinking into my chest as I raced to the kitchen to find no trace of him. Oh God no, oh God where did he go? I asked myself, my anxiety kicking in way worse than usual while I checked every other inch of the house. Jack never left anywhere without telling me, that had been how it always was for as long as we knew each other. Stammering to the phone, I knew something wasn't right, and shook while my hands dialed the police.
"911 what is your emergency?" I heard on the other end, making me open my mouth but not say a word. "Hello?" the woman on the other end spoke once more, making me take a deep breath and spit out what I wanted to say.
"My husban-boyfriend, is missing. I woke up and he isn't here, somethings wrong," I cried, the woman on the other end seeming to take her time with what I was telling her.
"How long ago did you wake up to realize he wasn't there, ma'am?" she asked, making me immediately respond back with not any more than ten minutes ago. "I'm sorry, ma'am, a missing person's report can only be filed after 24 hours of their disappearance. I'm sure he just left for a while-"
"No!" I screamed, slamming my fist into the wall of the kitchen where I spoke. "No, you send an officer right now miss, I know my Jack's gone and I will not be treated like an idiot and wait a day!" I yelled, before ending the call all within the second and leaning into the wall; my face drenched in tears. It seemed like a century until I saw those flashing lights fill up my neighborhood, but thankfully the woman on the other end had listened and indeed did bring an officer to me.
Rushing out in my nightgown and uncombed hair from waking up not any longer than an hour ago, I met with the officer in the driveway, begging him to help me find my Jack...
"Jack!" I screeched, as I awoke from my terrible nightmare, which had indeed happened fifteen years ago. Jack's disappearance would haunt me every night for days, weeks, even months, until I finally found relief by moving into my mom and dad's house. Even then, though, flashbacks would always show up in my dreams, and now I don't even have to be asleep for them to happen.
"Jack, I had a bad dream," I said, looking over to my left for comfort from him, to notice an empty bed. Heart stammering once again, I could barely contain my emotions, as I threw the covers off my body like I had when he first disappeared, and stumbled my way to his bedroom.
Turning on the light, and checking the clock that read 5 A.M., the empty bed gave me chills, as I didn't know where he had gone. Rushing to check everywhere else in the apartment, there was still no sight of him and I immediately become more anxious than usual. Oh God, oh God. I said to myself, as my head throbbed in aches.. I couldn't lose him again, oh not again.
Waving my hand to open up the apartment doors, I rushed out into the hallway frantically to find him; the white dress that I had worn the day prior flinging in the wind. It was almost as if my mind was being controlled by someone else, and my actions were possessed for I had no poise while I ran down the hallways. I didn't care who or what saw me.
"Woah there, woah," I heard someone say from behind, not being able to catch who's voice it was, but making me stop dead in my tracks in hopes that somehow it was Jack. Turning, I realized it wasn't Jack at all, yet a large, older man wearing a black suit and white lab coat. He looked tired, from the age marks around his eyes and forehead creased far worse than I knew them normally to. "How did you get up here?" he wondered, trying to reach for me but failing as I dodged him and continued running down the hall. Now I was worried not only about where Jack was, but about myself as well.
"Get her!" I heard him yell in a scratchy voice loudly from behind, his loud stomps becoming faster. Looking back while I ran, I saw him and a few others come rushing down the hall towards me, making me gulp down quick. What was I going to do now? I thought to myself, before turning around to quicken up my pace. Right as I did, however, my eyes hadn't processed anything in front of me and I ran smack dab into someone.
I was expecting to scream out in pain, to feel the impact blow through me while I hit the floor and everyone gathered around to pick me up and bring me back to wherever they thought I belonged, but instead, something much better happened.
"It's okay, I'm here, I'm here," I heard the person who I ran into whisper, enclosing me in their arms as I become dizzy from the impact. "Charlotte, it's okay," I heard the person say again, making me realize it was Jack.
"Jack?" I whispered, pulling myself away a bit and looking to notice it really was him! Smiling, I was so happy to see him, and fell back into him crying from joy. I thought I had lost him, I thought he was gone forever...
"Dr. Nethers, hand her over. I'll make sure she learns her lesson about being up in the scientist's quarters without permission again," the older man chasing after me said, as he reached Jack and I with the others I presumed. Turning to face them, I tried wiping away my tears best I could while Jack held me tightly in his arms.
"No, Dr. Barns, everything's okay. There's no need for that tonight, especially since it being Christmas. I'll bring her back, it'll be fine," Jack responded, rubbing his thumb against my arm and making me relax back into his arms. I hadn't realize I was tensing, but he must have noticed.
"Dr. Nethers, you know this is a major problem up here. If we have even one reckloose running around without permission the whole system could fall apart. We need order, and I'm the only one who seems to be able to give it around here!" Dr. Barns, as Jack called him, said angrily, the other scientists behind him nodding, but seeming much smaller in opinion in the moment.
"Dr. Barns, enough, you're making this a much bigger deal than I know it to be. I understand your point, but you're scaring the girl much more than needed right now. Just let me deal with it," Jack replied, loosening his grip around me and grabbing onto my hand instead.
"Wait a minute, what's this? You're not in love with this girl are you, Jack?" Barns questioned, making me look down to our hands entwined, which I'm not sure if Jack even knew he had done. Looking down as well, Jack didn't falter before walking away from the conversation completely; bringing me with him. "I would love to see those kids!" Barns laughed from behind us, letting Jack and I go then without another word...