Wake of the Dead | Three

Chapter Forty-Three | Jasper

There were only two more days left of their journey until they'd reach the canyon, hopefully where Jackson and Aubrey were currently residing. They'd rode Takeo and walked for one day and one night straight after leaving Biter's Cove. Jasper was relieved he'd managed to wash Phoenix's clothes before they began their next adventure. His were still filthy, but that fine. As long as she was clean, fed, happy and safe he was satisfied.

"...and she said something really mean about me, so I bit her and everybody called me weird." Phoenix said. Jasper had zoned out while she'd been telling him a story, but he could get the gist of it just from the ending.

"Well, it isn't good to bite people." Jasper shuddered as he glanced at his arm, remembering the exact spot Cohen had taken a big chunk out of him. Luckily it hadn't scarred. "Especially now. People can get really hurt from that."

"I know," Phoenix mumbled. Looking down at the small girl sitting in front of him, he wasn't exactly sure what to say. The poor thing had seen her father—or what had been left of him—being shot in the face. How could he console a child who'd been through that? The nightmare she'd had the previous night had nearly given her some sort of anxiety attack. He'd held her in his arms and comforted her as best as he could.

Even if the trauma of seeing it wore off, the grief wouldn't. No child should ever have to grieve the loss of a parent at her age. Maybe Darren can help with that. He thought. Not only had his best friend been a licensed therapist before everything happen, but he'd gone through almost the same thing—though, at the time, he and Jasper had been in high school.

It was painful—Jasper had known Darren ever since he could remember, his father's friend had been like a second parent to him. Watching John waste away slowly from leukemia had been torturous. Perhaps it wasn't the exact same. But Darren could help him explain those feelings to Phoenix, help her process them in healthier ways than she came up with herself, she wouldn't know any better but to lash out if she was upset. Jasper had.

"Jasper?"

"Hm?"

"What's your boyfriend like?" She asked. Her legs kicked back and forth playfully as she made her stuffed bear do a little dance. He barely held back an amused chuckle, watching her play with her new toy brought him a deeper satisfaction than he thought it would have. "If you're going to be my dad now, he will too, right?" Shit. I didn't think of that. Killian might not be happy with this. Even if he is he might not be in a good enough condition to parent her.

Jasper quickly made up his mind. If he doesn't like it, we'll have to work something out. If he isn't ready or healthy enough, the rest of the group can help too. I'll need it regardless. "Killian," he said out loud, trying to find the words to describe him. There weren't many, it was hard to pinpoint any definitions for a person like him. "He can be mean sometimes, but I think he'll like you, so you don't have to worry about that part. He's strong and clever, he knows how to hunt well so we won't ever go hungry."

At the thought of food, both his and Phoenix's stomachs growled. They ignored them. "The person we're going to see next is his cousin. Me and him don't get along well, but sometimes you've got to work with people you don't like to get what you want or do what you need to get done."

"What's his name?"

"Jackson," there was a clear distaste in Jasper's voice. He could have sworn he heard a quiet giggle from Phoenix, who'd no doubt picked up on it. "Me and him fought a few times. The first time he almost killed me." Phoenix gasped, she turned around on Takeo's saddle with wide eyes to stare at him.

"You're okay though! And he won't hurt you again will he? I don't want anybody to hurt you, I'll hurt them first!" Phoenix's angry squeaks caught Jasper off guard, but his resolve finally cracked and his lips spread into a wide grin. She's adorable. "I'll fight em,' you'll see. Show him who's the real scary person!"