Home at last.

Chase lumbered off to retrieve her proof and Jack did what she could to get a grip on her own thoughts and her sanity. She could not fully explain why this was difficult for her. Perhaps it was because she had sort of named herself Chase's savior and protector, as she had done with so many others since that first promise to Chase, but it had taken leaving Jack's care for Chase to feel better and feel more sane. It was a reminder of failure- Jack could not help the people she wanted to.

Chase brought the album out and let Jack view it. Jack leaned on the counter and flipped through the album, scanning all the pictures to glean what she could of Chase's absence. She stopped to read some of the little notes that Chase had handwritten. There were a few pictures of animals much more elusive, ones Jack had studied but not always handled. "You mind?" She tapped the pictures and made a copy, an obvious copy since Jack was terrible with crafty spells.

"I'm glad you got that time to yourself," Jack said. She motioned to the table and pulled out a chair. "Here, your me-time hasn't ended. Relax." She went back to where the food was finishing itself up. She poured the tea as the kettle began to whistle and Jack set the mug in front of her tired-looking friend. She prepared Chase a bowl of macaroni and cheese and slid it over to her. "So, are things better then?" Or... well... how are things, and how is everyone?"

Chase watched Jack make a copy of the pictures with a small smile on her face. Chase leaned back in her chair and watched her friend, her best friend, another person she had let down, upset, done horrible things to without meaning to. Because it was her fault. It was always Chase's fault, she could never help her friends, never be there for them, when they had needed her the most she had run off without a clue, to help herself, she was a jerk, a monster, she deserved to be put down.. and yet here was Jack, in her apartment, minutes after she had arrived, to make sure she was okay, she was a true friend, and her very presence made Chase happier.

Chase smiled as Jack got her food, and set it in front of her. "Thank you.." She said softly and picked up the cup of tea, sipping it before taking a bite of the normal macaroni and cheese, such familiar scents and tastes, it relaxed her greatly. "I'm.. alright.. I feel rested, I'm going to see Calvin later.." She said smiling at Jack and taking another bite of the deliciously simple food.

Jack carefully watched Chase taste the food and drink, sure that either Jack had messed it up, or Chase somehow had some illness Jack was unaware of and would not be able to eat her cooking. But she seemed fine, so Jack turned and made herself a bowl. She found some salt and dumped a good few sprinklings into her bowl, mixing it with a fork and sniffing the food- hey, it did not small half bad. Then again, it was sort of hard to mess up macaroni and cheese- though, Jack had found her way to do it before. She poured herself some tea- she had learned to handle the stuff, though caffeinated-syrup-y beverages were still her poison of choice. She carried her bowl and mug to the table and sat across from her friend.

"How is Calvin?" Jack had heard word that Calvin had been sick or something and went to St. Mungo's, but Jack and Calvin did not know each other well really. "Where is he? I wanted to check on him but didn't know where to get ahold of him."

Chase ate in silence for a few moments as Jack got herself some food and settled in as well. Chase felt what could have been described as happiness to some, well up inside her, having Jack sitting across from her, eating such a comforting food, and drinking such warm, delicious tea, it was almost like all other cares in the world could go away. Who cared about her adventures, she could spend some lovely time with her friend, and talk of nothing and everything. But Chase's bubble was popped with a single question from Jack.

"How is Calvin? Where is he? I wanted to check on him but didn't know where to get ahold of him."

Chase nearly dropped her drink, and she stared at the table, her hands shaking slightly, her whole body having gone tense with anticipation. "He's at St. Mungos.." She said with a small curt smile. "He erm.. was taken there after.. the situation in this household became to much for him to bear.." Chase's voice could have resembled Professor McGonagall in it's curtness. "He's in the mentally disabled ward for the time being.. until he can.. remember that certain people aren't around.. anymore.." She said, her voice breaking as she slowly set her cup of tea down on the table, her hand shaking hard.

Jack had only taken a few bites of her meal before Chase answered, in a very controlled, clipped manner. Jack had been hoping for good news- Calvin had stayed in touch and had done his own thing to take care of plaguing problems, or that he had thrown himself into work and was doing incredibly well, or something. Jack had figured he was a little sick- there was that mysterious flu-thing going around after all. But she had not imagined... how could she... if she had known... but she hadn't tried... hadn't done her best.

"Chase..." Jack said, carefully setting down her fork. She tried to figure out what to say next, but she had never had this issue before... Finally, she managed to say, "I had no idea. If I had... I mean, I probably wouldn't have been able to help or do anything, but I could have told you or let you know. It's not your fault. Is he going to get better?"

Chase stared into her cup of tea silently, willing away the horrible feelings that were eating her away inside. She had left him.. just left him all alone, one day without any warning, she had been gone.. again, it was her fault he was like that, but she couldn't have done any better, there was no way she could have. It was her fault he was a mess, and she hadn't seen him in seven months, she was a monster, and nothing anyone could say could convince her otherwise, because she knew it was true, she was a horrible excuse for a human being.

"I don't know Jack.. I haven't spoken to him in seven months.. I ran away.. and I didn't look back.. I let myself be selfish when he needed me.. and I ran.. and he... I don't know what to do.. he's there, and I'm here, and I want to visit him, but I'm going to make the house nice for him, because then I can bring him home, and he can get better.. I don't know how he is.. only that he's there.. and even then.. I don't know if he even remembers me.." Chase slowly looked up at Jack, her mouth set in a hard line, willing herself not to cry. "I'm visiting him in the morning.."

Chase had always been a victim; it the ways that she had been a magnet for trouble and had often been attacked more often than the normal human, and when she was not the victim, her mind somehow worked it out that she was the monster in the situation, and this was Chase's form of becoming the victim. Making herself into the well-intention monster that could not do anything to the contrary, did not have the ability to fix anything, and was still somehow at fault.

"Chase, everyone has to think of their own survival before they can help anyone. That's the nature of the beast, the way of like." Chase continued on, expressing her reasons and her worries. "Making the house nice is good, very good. It'll comfort him. All you can do is watch out for him and make sure you are okay too. If you are not okay, you cannot help him. Just be there- let him know you are there, struggling too, so you guys can work it out together." Jack was really just shooting in the dark- how would she know what to do in a marriage or even a relationship?

Chase listened to Jack silently, shaking her head the whole time, but Jack went on before she could respond and than she just sat there and shakily took a sip of her tea. "Jack.. I just left.. without him.. I just ran.. he woke up and I was gone.. what kind of person does that.." She said softly, staring at her hands, unable to even look up at Jack. "I have to be strong for him, but being back here.. staring at that door.." she pointed in the general direction of Katie's room, her chin trembling with the force of holding back tears.

"I just hope he remembers me Jack.. what if I get there and he's so far gone he doesn't even know who I am.. what if he doesn't remember what we did.. or.. Katie.. or Reed, what if he's like I was when I was there.. a hollow empty shell of who I was.. without feeling or thoughts.. what if he turned to that?! I don't think I can bare it Jack.. I don't think I can!" She looked up at Jack, tears gathering, but still she held them back, forcing herself to look stronger than she felt.

It was a terrible thought to think, and yet Jack found that she could not keep a certain prying thought from twisting into her mind: Now, THIS is the Chase that I know. As terrible as Jack knew this was to think, she could not help but think she was a little relieved to have her friend back to a place Jack understood and was used to. She knew how to comfort Chase when she was like that; and it reassured her that Chase had not changed, that her friend was still there.

Chase was working herself up and Jack let her express all of her feelings before Jack leaned forward and grabbed Chase’s shoulder. “Make it up to him then. Be strong for him now. You could not do it then, but you can do it now. Make sure he is okay, make sure he remembers you, make sure everything is on the right path. Be there for him. Be strong for him. Make it up to him.”

Chase was nearly about to lose it when Jack's hands were suddenly on her shoulders, forcing her to look up at her best friend, staring into the eyes of a girl who still brought the memory of fresh baked brownies to Chase's nose. Chase looked at her and then nodded slowly, her eyes watering with the force it was taking her to not break down and sob outright. "I will try Jack.." She whispered and wiped her face on her sleeve, before looking around the kitchen.

She had an idea..

Chase stood up carefully, pulling herself away from Jack, and she went to her cupboard, with a flick of her wand stuff started to come out of the pantry, two boxes, a bowl, eggs, vegetable oil.. everything lined up on the counter and Chase waved her wand once more, there was a huge movement and things started to go into the bowls, a whisk mixed it up, and a cookie sheet was sprayed with grease, just before the mixture landed in it and smoothed out perfectly. Within seconds the dark mixture was in the oven and was cooking, though it barely took two seconds before it was out, and cooling on the counter.

And the familiar scent of fresh baked brownies filled the air once more.