The Puppeteer

The Gang's All Here

Just a quick author intrusion: sorry I kinda dropped off the map, I've been working at the elementary summer school, followed by band practice, then tennis. I know it's just a bunch of crap you guys don't care about, but I wanted to make sure you guys knew that I didn't just get bored and leave. Anyway, here's the chapter! Sorry it's a bit shorter than usual.

Jack could smell the Hawaiian pizza waiting for him before he even reached the doorway of the kitchen, his mouth watering at the scent wafting towards him.

Mark was already sitting down at the table with a slice of cheese pizza on his paper plate. He would occasionally take a bite, but more often than not he would stare off into space deep in thought.

Robin was happily munching on a couple slices of Hawaiian pizza beside Mark, trying to make conversation with him.

Signe handed Jack a plate before she served herself, shooting a concerned glance at Mark. He hadn't been acting the same since the incident with the voodoo doll. Jack followed her gaze to him before he grabbed a couple slices of Hawaiian pizza, choosing to sit on the other side of Mark while Signe flanked him.

"Not a fan of cheese pizza?" Jack  gestured at Mark's barely touched pizza. Mark only shrugged in response before taking a small bite as if to satisfy Jack.

"What's up?" Jack prompted casually.

Mark opened his mouth to speak, but promptly closed his mouth when he remembered that Robin was sitting by him.

"I'll be back." Mark excused himself, abruptly walking over to the trash can by the doorway of the kitchen before dumping the rest of his pizza into the trash and hastily leaving the kitchen.

Jack didn't hesitate to follow him, but was surprised to see Mark sitting on the floor of Jack's recording room, his arms wrapped around his knees so they were tucked underneath his chin.

"What's up?" Jack repeated the question he asked Mark as he knelt down by him.

"It's just-I can't stop thinking that I almost died. I should've been scared, but I wasn't....all I could think of was Amy-" Mark broke off, tears glimmering in his chocolate brown eyes, his gaze downcast at his shoes.

"I kept thinking of what Amy, Tyler, Ethan, and Kathryn would do knowing that I died in Ireland by some kind of possessed doll." Mark shook his head, rubbing his face with his hands in exasperation as he willed the tears in his eyes to go away to no avail.

Jack remained silent for a moment, contemplating what he could say to comfort him.

"But you're not dead, you're alive. I found a way to get rid of the voodoo dolls so this will be nothing but I distant nightmare." Jack assured Mark with a small smile.

"I guess you're right." Mark admitted with a small sigh, absent mindlessly running a finger across the black thread that held his right arm in place.

"Here, I'll help you get new bandages so the cuts don't get infected." Jack stood up, offering Mark a hand to help him stand.

"Aw, so I can't have a septic eye like you?" Mark teased as he gladly accepted Jack's help up before following him to the bathroom.

"You didn't even get a cut on your eye!" Jack pointed out with a chuckle as he opened the window and started taking everything out until he found the roll of bandages.

Jack carefully peeled off the bandage wrapped around Mark's torso that covered the bite marks on his chest and back, gagging and nearly vomiting his pizza up at the sight.

Brown dried up blood caked the area around the wounds, the wounds themselves oozing pale yellow pus.

"It looks bad, doesn't it?" Mark sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Jack debated on telling him the truth or not, but before he could answer, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Jack told Mark, walking out of the bathroom toward the door. Mark followed behind him cautiously, as if expecting an attacker on the other side of the door.

Instead when Jack opened the door, he was face to face with Tyler, Amy, Ethan, Kathryn, Bob, and Wade.