He was Jack.

He was inhuman.

He was insane.

He was even a freaking bird monster at the moment.

And more importantly, he was...

"Naked. " I squeaked.

Jack blinked for the first time since his change, seeming to snap out of his disturbed thoughts long enough to give me a puzzled look.

"What...?"

"You. Are. NAKED." I near screamed the words, pure frustrated fury, making the words soar through the octaves. "On top of everything you've done to me, now you've stolen my innocence!"

My hands fluttered anxiously about my head, unable to choose whether to clutch my hair or cover my eyes.

It was too late.

All too late.

"I was saving it for my wedding night." I grieved, real, humiliated tears springing to my eyes. The saddest part was that I was that it was true.

I wanted my first experience to be with... My one true love.

And/or a hot billionaire.

Red in the face and beside myself with distress, I crouched down into a little ball of despair. "Not only has the image of Jack's lily-white buttock been seared permanently into my brain..." Not words I ever expected to say. "...my chances of ever becoming a bride have gone down considerably..."

No. Calm down Maddison, There's still hope.

A profile look can't be counted as full-blown adultery, right?

Surely the love of your life will be a kind man...

Or at least understanding...

So what if you have to endure cold glares and passive-aggressive silences for a while...

He will forgive you... eventually.... if you beg?

...maybe you can become a nun instead.

"Give me back my eyeball virginity!" I screamed, finally losing my mind.

I was back up on my feet and taking the first few steps towards him when I realised!

Killing Jack to bring back my maidenhood probably wasn't going to work out quite how I intended.

Mostly because, when it came to us wanting to kill each other, Jack was already waaaaay ahead of me.

A fact the was quickly punctuated when I was immediately slammed into the floor by a giant hand.

"Damn it!" I gasped out painfully, feeling my head throb where it had connected sharply with the cold metal floor.

"If it was your intention to slowly bludgeon my brain with repeated head meet floor encounters," I said, glaring at Jack furiously. "Then I'm afraid to say the only thing you're in for is disappointment."

Can't damage what isn't there Jacky.

"I've never really appreciated your ability to talk nonsense during the most inappropriate of moments." Jack stared down at me, eyes wide and face devoid of expression.

Not in the mood for light-hearted conversation, huh?

No peaceful, gentle, I'm going to kill you at my leisure smile to be seen.

Yep.

He was pissed.

Even so, I grinned up at him viciously.

Then again, so was I.

"Fine, Jack," I spoke roughly, meeting his eyes with heated determination. "Now that you're back to your usual insane self let's get real with each other."

Jack grimaced slightly, looking about as excited about a heart to heart as I was.

"Anyone can see that you're having an even worse day than I am," I said.

Might as well start this off with something profound.

"Your problems seriously take the cake, and the last thing you want to hear is some idiot making fun of the situation. I get that."

It was kind of hard to sound kind and sympathetic, pinned down by his hand, crushing my chest.

So much so, I didn't bother to even try, instead choosing to shove at his fingers and glare up at him in frustration.

"Don't think that I don't care. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy." I winced. "Which happens to be you by the way."

"Ironic." He agreed flatly, anything but amused.

I sighed, striving for nonchalance. I had to convince him not to kill me here.

"The bottom line is that having a sob story doesn't justify taking it out on everyone else. More importantly, on me."

He shifted a finger, bringing one claw-like nail to press against my neck in a clear threat.

"I don't believe that justice was ever something that weighed heavily in my decision making Maddison."

Yea, that and logic.

"Right." I glared at him. "So don't expect me to feel sorry for you, or forgive you, cause it's going to take more than excuses to change anything between us."

His eyes narrowed, his expression shifting into a snarl as leaning down closer.

"Why do you always threaten me with redemption? Let it occur to you that my actions don't stem from self-pity and that I don't actually expect or want your sympathy. "

I blinked at him.

Blinked again.

That was oddly not narcissistic... For Jack. After all the ranting...

Before I could consider his point, he chose to press down harder, His warm smile returned in full glory.

My eyes widened as I received the official letter of complaint from my ribs, informing me that if I didn't do something to fix the issue soon, my ass would be sued.

"And you will no longer feel obliged to offer me your forgiveness."

"JACK."

Saved by the loony bell.

The moment she called his name Jack pulled away from me, his giant form shifting above me.

Feather and claws scratched on metal as he crawled away, ignoring me to curl himself up beside her chair.

Obedience from fear rather than loyalty.

Just like that, the fire I had awoken in, Jack vanished, and he sat with a vacant look on his face.

"NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT YOU STILL HATE EACH OTHER, WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS TO ADDRESS, "Cassandra said.

With a shift of her skeletal hand, the monitors behind the doctor flickered, changing into greyscale camera footage.

So.

Sitting up, I rubbed gingerly at my ribs.

I don't even get to watch our demise in Colour?

On the screen, a figure ran down a corridor, the camera angle instantly shifting the moment he turned the corner.

The moment I realised who it was, the person on the screen abruptly stopped. Phone pressed to ear, Alex looked up, directly at the camera.

He knew we were watching.

Peri was obviously on the line, keeping Alex updated as he came to rescue me.

And if he was giving a running commentary about the loss of my eye virginity.... they're both dead.

"MY SON WILL BE HERE SOON. "

Cassandra smiled fondly, not bothering to look back at the screen.

"THOUGH THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE GROWN OUT, OF SUCH THINGS, MY BOYS STILL LOVE TO CHALLENGE THEIR MOTHER."

She looks at me, the slight warmth in her expression vanishing.

"OF COURSE, I COULD JUST KILL YOU, AND THAT WOULD BE THE END OF THAT. FORTUNATELY FOR THEM, I WILL ALWAYS BE WILLING TO PLAY WITH MY CHILDREN. "

She reached hand down to pat Jack's curls at her side.

"SO, DO WE ALL WANT TO PLAY A GAME TOGETHER?"

Game.

Of all the words to ever come out of Dr Floid's mouth, can't say there's one that sent more shivers down my spine.

With a lazy tilt of his head, Jack looked up at his maker.

"It's what I was made for."