Nevermoor Fanfiction

Nightmares

AN: This idea was suggested by @Potter83lost who asked for an abuse story with Jack. I thought it was a pretty cool idea so I decided to do it. So yes, this story does involve abuse, so if you don't like that, you are welcome to leave for this story. On a side note, Jupiter's sister's name is Sidero which actually means "evil nymph" or "evil monster". Anyways, I hope you enjoy :)

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The cool air crept under Jupiter's clothes as he walked down the street. He pulled his jacket tighter to his body, hoping to warm up. It was early in the night, around six-thirty. Jupiter had been invited by his sister to her house for dinner at seven. He knew he would be early, but he was sure she wouldn't mind.

He was excited to see his family after it had been a while since he had last seen them. Jupiter had taken a long journey away from Nevermoor and he was relieved to be back home.

As he got closer to the house, something felt...off. There was screaming coming from nearby. Jupiter passed it off as one of the neighbours, but he soon realised that the loud ruckus was coming from his sister's home.

He ran up the stairs to the house barging in through the front door. He didn't know what he expected, but it surely wasn't this.

Jack was hiding in the corner, his eyepatch sitting askew across his face. His mother looked enraged. She had her hand raised as if she were going to hit him. By the expression on the poor boy's face, it looked as if she already had.

Jupiter hastily looked for his brother-in-law, but he was unfortunately nowhere to be found. Jupiter jumped into action, placing himself between the woman and the boy.

"Uncle Jove." Jupiter could hear the broken whisper of his nephew behind him. His options ran through his head but he concluded that there was only one that he would follow through with. He needed to get Jack out of here.

"Jupiter! What a lovely surprise!" Sidero's face flushed, not in anger, but in embarrassment.

Jupiter stared at her. His face had crumpled. What happened to the girl he grew up with? "Why?"

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Why'd you do it?" screamed Jupiter. "He is a child! How dare you?"

"What are you suggesting, Jupiter?"

"Oh, you know damn well what I'm talking about! I walk in here after being invited to my family's house for a meal, and I see you abusing your son?" Jupiter was seeing red. The only thing keeping him from attacking the woman in front of him, was the small shaking hand that had a death grip on his jacket. "That is unacceptable!"

"Come on. You know me. I'm your sister! I wouldn't hurt Jack."

Jupiter solemnly shook his head. "No, Sid. You're no sister of mine. I don't know you." After a final glare at Sidero, Jupiter swiftly gathered the trembling young boy in his arms before exiting the house, slamming the door behind him.

It was only until they were five minutes away from the house, that Jupiter spoke.

"How long, buddy? How long has she been doing this to you?"

Jack shook his head, hiding his face in Jupiter's neck.

"Hey, hey, hey. She can't hurt you again. I'm going to always protect you. I promise."

"She said if I told anyone I'd be in big trouble."

"No, Jack. She only said that so she wouldn't get into big trouble."

"Is she going to?"

Jupiter thought about the question for a moment before answering. "I don't know yet. I'd assume so. So, Jack, how long?"

"A year."

Jupiter had to bite his lip to keep himself from screaming the city down. Of course. How could he not notice? The lack of presents under the Korrapati Christmas tree. The smaller meals Jack was being told to eat. The red marks Jack got from 'boys at school'. It all added up. How could Jupiter have been so stupid? So naïve to the fact his nephew was getting abused right in front of him?

"I'm sorry, Jack. This isn't your fault. There is no way anything that you have done could have justified your mother's actions." Jupiter sighed. "Alright, let's go to the Hotel. We'll work this out in the morning."

Once they got to the Hotel Deucalion, Martha prepared them dinner and they both went to bed early. Jupiter was awoken late in the night by screams coming from his side. He had made Jack sleep with him that night and he was glad that he did. He helped the boy through his nightmare and didn't close his eyes until he was sure Jack had gone back to sleep. But even then, Jupiter didn't rest. He was too scared for what was to come. He now had to look after Jack. What if he couldn't? What if Jack was taken away from him? What if Jack wanted to go back home? The questions ran through Jupiter's mind keeping him up until the morning.

In the coming months, the nightmares continued. Each night Jupiter would wake up to the same scream. That scream started to haunt Jupiter himself, working its way into his own nightmares.

A couple of years later, even though Jack had gotten better, Jupiter hadn't. His own sister, someone he had trusted, had turned on his family. That was not okay with him. His trust in his friends, the Deucalion workers, everyone around him had faltered. He didn't know how he could put that faith in somebody if they could turn around and shred it to pieces right in front of him. He needed a distraction. That's where Mog came in.

896 words