My Light

The Other Side

~Mark

"Jack, are you okay?" Amy knelt down by his prone form and gently shook his shoulder. He sat up with a gasp, wildly glancing around at his surroundings until he saw Amy.

"What happened?" Jack grunted as he pushed himself off of the ground.

"You don't remember?" I frowned.

"You don't remember?" Amy repeated without even acknowledging me.

"Hello? Amy? Jack?" I waved at them as Jack shook his head.

"I remember talking to Mark..." He trailed off, looking around again.

"Where is he?" He added.

"I'm right here!" I shouted at them, reaching out to touch his shoulder, only to have my hand pass through him. He shivered a little, but otherwise didn't notice me.

"Aw, can't find your little boy toy?" Dark sneered as he materialized by Amy.

"What did you do to him?" Amy demanded.

"Oh I did nothing to him, other than make him a spirit since he no longer has power from the ring." He held up his hand where two black rings glittered on his finger.

"Give me the ring." Amy commanded in a deadly calm tone.

"Sure." Black tendrils rose around Dark as he levitated off of the ground.

"If you can get it." He challenged, throwing a parked car at Amy. She used her wings to cut it in half, the burning halves skidding down the road into a building, creating a large explosion.

"Mark, if you're here, do ye have any ideas of how to beat him?" Jack ducked as a chunk of the road was thrown at him.

"C'mon, think, you can get their attention." I ran a hand through my hair, an idea coming to mind. I walked over to one of the nearby cars and breathed on the window, fogging it up before using my finger to write a message that Amy and Jack would hopefully see.

"He says that if he gets his ring back he can send him back to Hell!" Amy shouted over the sound of crackling fire and innocent screams.

"Distract him, I got this!" Jack told Amy as he charged towards Dark, Amy following suite. Dark easily swatted Jack aside into the side of a building like a fly, stunning him temporarily. Amy fought him head on, but was quickly losing. I could hear the distant wail of sirens as Jack stood back up, blood from a gash in the back of his head matting his hair to his head, sweat beading his forehead. I stood by him, trying my very best to make myself visible for a brief second. Jack's eyes met mine for a moment before he looked back at Dark, expression filled with determination.

"I am not throwing away my shot." He whispered as he calmly walked towards Dark. I walked beside him every step of the way, distracting Dark by passing through him. He shivered involuntarily, giving Jack just enough time to slip a ring off of his finger. Suddenly he inhaled sharply, looking down at his chest. Piercing through it was a black tendril coated in blood. As it retracted back, he stumbled before falling forward face first on the ground, gasping for air. "T-take it." He choked out, coughing up drops of blood as he shakily held out his closed hand, opening it to reveal the ring he took.

"Just one more miracle." I prayed, closing my eyes as I reached for the ring. I opened my eyes to find my black wings returned, the black jewel fiery red once again. I closed my eyes once more, bracing myself to see Jack one last time. He smiled when I appeared, his blue eyes filled with genuine joy, something I hadn't seen in awhile.

"You did it." I smiled sadly, feeling tears well up in my eyes as I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"We did it." He corrected, stepping closer towards me.

"I-I can't take you, maybe if I refuse to, then you'll be alive again and-and-" I broke off, sinking to my knees as I hung my head, tears streaking down my cheeks.

"You know that won't work, I'd just be stuck as a ghost, which to me is worse than death." Jack knelt down in front of me.

"I just can't seem to die can I? First my family, then my fans, and now you..." I trailed off.

"Yet here I am." I chuckled bitterly, my own voice sounding cold and mirthless.

"My fans are on the other side, my friends are on the other side, my family is watching me from the other side. I'm gonna teach you how to say goodbye." Jack wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder as my tears stained his shirt.

"Signe. My love, take your time." Jack added, a single tear sliding down his cheek. I held him in my arms for a couple of moments, relishing it before I chose fate, watching him high five me one last time before he faded away in a white light.

"I'll see you on the other side." I promised Jack as I stood up, facing Amy. She nodded as I marched up to Dark, touching his forehead so I could send him back to Hell.

"Thanks for the vessel." He winked as he disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.

"Vessel?" Amy frowned in confusion, glancing back at where Dark previously stood.

"When I died, instead of going to Heaven like I should've, I was stupid and foolish. I chose to become the new Death, making me a powerful spirit, but a spirit nonetheless. The Devil took my body and used it as his vessel, or "meat suit" as he calls it." I sighed.

"Now what?" Amy asks softly, examining the damage done. Police had finally arrived, helping clear up the debris and saving those hurt. I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could speak, we were somehow brought to Jack's house.

"Hello?" I instinctively called out. A moment later, Jack poked his head out of one of the doorways, his face lighting up in a grin as he hugged me again.

"I told ya." I smirked as I stepped back, noticing Signe standing behind him.

"How did-"

"This woman that called herself a Reaper took care of me as soon as I ran away, sending me up here." She interrupted me.

"Reaper?" Jack echoed in confusion.

"I can't be everywhere at once, so I have Reapers help me out." I explained hastily.

"So does that mean we're in Heaven?" Amy looked around her.

"Yep!" Jack beamed, practically dragging me into his recording room to play games with me. Signe and Amy rolled their eyes as they sat down on the couch and talked, occasionally laughing.

"Mark? Jack?" I heard a young girl's voice behind us gasp in shock. I turned around to find a sea of people of various ages, sizes, and colors standing in the doorway, each one smiling with tears in their eyes.

Now I know this is Heaven, I thought as I gave the girl who said my name a hug, finally feeling something I hadn't felt in a long time. Love.