Found Family

Jack talk's some of his own stuff

This takes place the same night as the last chapter.

___________________________________________

Scarecrow and Tinman were in the palace library hoping to find books to help with Dorothy's problem. Scarecrow was on a platform with the higher up books while the Tinman was on the ground.

"Found anything Nick?" Scarecrow loudly asked the question.

"Sadly not yet, friend" Nick replied.

Scarecrow hit his head against the bookshelf. He fell to his knees and turned his back to the bookshelf. Nick felt something was off and he went up the stairs to the platform. Scarecrow was hugging his knees and humming his little song. Nick went to sit beside him and put an arm around his shoulders.

"Everything is going to be fine Scarecrow. She's going to be fine hopefully" Nick said in a comforting tone.

"I know, it's hard to see someone you care about having bad dreams and you can't help much" Scarecrow sadly said.

"I know that feeling all too well. It breaks my heart" Nick sadly said.

Scarecrow sadly looked up at the Tinman. The two sat there calming down till they heard the door open.

"Uncle Crow, Uncle Nick are you in here?" They heard the voice of Jack calling for them.

Scarecrow and Nick got up quickly and went down the stairs with Scarecrow almost falling many times. Nick made sure Scarecrow didn't really fall.

"Need anything Jack?" Nick asked Jack when he and his friend got down the stairs.

"Oh yeah, I was wondering if I could hang out with you guys since everyone else is asleep and Tiktok is doing his own thing" Jack replied nervously.

Jack was messing with his hands out of nervousness, something he picked up from Scarecrow.

"Sure kid" Scarecrow and Nick said at the same time.

"Are you ok?" Nick asked Jack, picking up on how nervous he seemed.

"Well" Jack started as he sat down on a couch in the middle of the room.

The other two went to sit across from him.

"It's about the Nome king. He-He was just scary" Jack continued. "I often worry if he will pop out of nowhere to eat me or you guys or my moms" Jack fearfully said.

Scarecrow put his head in his hands again. Nick put a hand on Scarecrow's shoulder to comfort him.

"Are you ok Uncle Crow?" Jack asked. "I didn't mean to make you upset"

"No no Jack, it's not your fault. It's that Dorothy had a nightmare earlier about something similar" Scarecrow replied to Jack while he lifted his head from his hands.

"Really? Is she ok?" Jack asked in a panic.

"Yes kid, she is" Nick calmly said to Jack.

"Thank goodness" Jack sighed.

Scarecrow stood up again and went to the bookshelves to look for more books to deal with trauma. Jack tilted his head in curiosity and worry.

"Jack, may you try to describe the worried feeling more please so I can try to find a book that might help" Scarecrow said in a worried tone to Jack.

"Well, I often look over my shoulders and always check rocks to make sure they don't have faces" Jack started. "Most of the day I spend with Billina because I feel protected in a way and don't get me started on the almost being eaten part" Jack ended with a slight shiver of fear.

Nick stood up and went to Jack to hug him. Jack hugged back. Scarecrow put his head on the bookshelf after remembering that. Scarecrow started to mess with his hands while quietly humming to himself. Nick looked over to Scarecrow still in the hug with Jack.

"Scarecrow, come here" Nick called out to the Scarecrow.

Scarecrow turned and walked to Nick and Jack. He had dark streams under his eyes, where tears were absorbed into his burlap face. Nick started to get tears in the corners of his eyes.

"Oh no, please don't cry. I'm so sorry if I made you guys cry" Jack tried to apologize for something he didn't do.

"No Jack, it's not your fault" Scarecrow sadly replied as he hugged Jack. "You're too good of a kid, Jack"

Scarecrow used one hand to try to wipe away Nick's tears.

"Thank you" Jack whispered to Scarecrow. "Whatever you're trying to do right now, you're doing great"

Scarecrow smiled up at Jack as a thank you. Scarecrow then had an idea that came to mind.

"Hey Jack, what makes you feel better or more calm and not think about the Nome king all that much?" Scarecrow asked.

"I don't know really. I guess hanging out with some of you. Even then I still sometimes think about him" Jack replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, if we find ways for you and Dorothy to deal with the bad memories, the memories won't be such a big problem" Scarecrow happily said. "Of course you two will still remember them but you may be less scared of them"

"Like what?" Nick asked confused.

"Like talking about it" Scarecrow replied. "It seems to help out Dorothy some and with Jack here"

The small group pulled out of the hug. Scarecrow started to find some paper and something to write with. Nick and Jack were a bit confused but helped in finding some papers. When they found the stuff, Scarecrow started to write. Nick and Jack looked over Scarecrow's shoulders to see what he was writing. He was writing idea after idea.

"Do you think some of these ideas would help you out, Jack?" Scarecrow happily asked Jack.

"Some of these maybe could" Jack responded, trying to read Scarecrow's hand writing.

With the next few hours till morning, Jack with Scarecrow and Nick tried some ideas. They stopped when the sun rose and staff of the Palace started to walk around doing their jobs.

"Ok, it will take some time with this whole thing" Scarecrow started. "During breakfast we will pick some with Dorothy that will work for her"

"Sounds like a wonderful idea" Nick happily stated.

___________________________________________

I hope you enjoy this mess of a chapter. Bye bye.