Mr. L slowly blinked his eyes, taking a moment, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. All he could see were a few old coats hanging up.

Everything hurt. His body felt sore, but hey, at least he wasn't dead.

He stumbled forward a few feet in the dark until he found the doorknob, and then began to try to open the door.

Locked. Of course.

Mr. L: "Hey... HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE YOU DERANGED LUNATIC!!!"

He began to scream, remembering what happened, frantically banging on the door.

There was the sound of a few light footsteps outside the door, then he heard whoever was walking stop.

Dio: ".... Mr. Jacques? I think your closet's mad at you."

Mr. L's face suddenly went pale. He recognized that voice.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no no no no no no no no no.

There was a rush of heavier footsteps as if someone was running over.

Jacq: "Oh don't worry about that! J-just stay away from that door, okay?"

Dio: "Why is it all boarded up? Is there a monster in there or something?"

Jacq: "Yes. So it's important we STAY AWAY from the door. Got it?"

Dio: "Oh, okay!"

Mr. L felt a panic arise in him, as the footsteps retreated.

Mr. L: "N-NO! DIO, GET OUT! RUN! GET OUT!"

There was the sound of another door shutting.

Mr. L: "DIO! NO NO NO!"

He slowly melted down to the ground, head against the door.

Mr. L: "No...."

______

He waits a few hours in the complete utter darkness when he heard footsteps again. He listened as someone walked up to the door and leaned against it.

Jacq: "You're my brother's nerd boyfriend, right?"

His voice still sounded somewhat empty. 

Mr. L: "Uhh... I guess?"

Jacq: "Cool.... cool...."

Mr. L: "What.... what are you doing with Dio?"

There was a pause from the other side of the door, the moment of silence sending chills down L's spine.

Jacq: "... I wouldn't worry. I'm not planning on hurting the kid. I'd be more concerned about what I'm going to do to you."

Mr. L: "And what would that be, exactly?"

Jacq: "I don't know yet."

Mr. L: "Hmm, so, you're Dimentio's brother, right? The blonde kid from the Underwhere."

Another pause. 

Jacq: "Yes."

Mr. L: "Okay, so why exactly are you doing this?"

Jacq: "Doing what?"

Mr. L: "ALL THIS! WHY?! You didn't seem.... like someone who'd do this."

Jacq: "Well, when someone takes away the one person you have, you tend to change a little."

His voice was calm, but there was a slight edge to it which Mr. L found painfully familiar.

Mr. L: "Didn't you tell him to go with us?"

Jacq: "He was all I had until you came down there and took him away."

Mr. L: "I-"

He stopped himself.

Mr. L: "I.... didn't know he had someone. I just..... missed him so much... the years I had to spend without him were just so hard. I couldn't handle it."

Jacq: "SHUT UP! YOU HAD PEOPLE! I HAD NO ONE! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAITED DOWN THERE, ALONE FOR HIM?!"

Mr. L: "Just listen! Doing this isn't gonna-"

Jacq: "NO, YOU LISTEN! HE WASN'T GONNA LEAVE ME! HE WASN'T GONNA GO! I FINALLY HAD SOMEONE, AND THEN YOU SHOWED UP AND TOOK HIM AWAY!"

Mr. L flinched when he heard Jacq take a few steps away from the door.

Mr. L: "What... what are you planning on doing?"

No response.

Mr. L: "Listen, you can do whatever you want to me. But it won't change anything."

Again, no response. Mr. L let out a defeated sigh and turned so his back was to the door away.

Mr. L: "Just please, leave Dio out of this. Don't hurt him. He's just a kid. A little kid who doesn't wanna hurt anybody!"

There was silence for what seemed like forever, then the sound of Jacq's footsteps retreating.

______

Jacq quietly sat alone in his old room and grabbed ahold of his head, shaking slightly.

Shadoo: "Doubting yourself, are you?"

Shadoo chuckled, as Jacq shook his head.

Jacq: "No. I just.... what are we even doing?! I don't even have a plan. I... what if he's right. What if this doesn't help..."

Shadoo: "Shhh, shhh, you worry too much. Maybe if you let me take over, you could rest."

Jacq: "No. I don't want that. I wanna be in control. I just-"

He held in a sniffle, then looked at his reflection in the glass window.

Jacq: "I just.... don't feel like myself. A part of me is really afraid right now. I miss Dimentio. I miss Rose. I-"

There was a soft knock on the door.

Dio: "Mr. Jacques? Can I come in?"

Jacq rolled his eyes and leaned back on his old bed.

Jacq: "Not now, kid. I'm Kinda dealing with something."

Dio opened the door and walked in anyway, completely disregarding what Jacques had just said.

Jacq: "Kid, I told you I-"

He looked down at the kid's hands, to see a few of the notes from Rose, along with the photo of them from school. He felt his face go pale and immediately sat up.

Jacq: "Dio.... w-why do you have that?"

Dio: "While you were talking to the closet monster, I was exploring. I-I'm sorry. I walked into your flower room and read some of your friend's sad letters. I can't read very well, and couldn't understand the big words, but still read some of it."

Jacq: "What.... what did you read?"

Dio let out a sad sigh.

Dio: "I read that your friend got sick.... and that she was going to see you? Did you travel somewhere or something? I didn't really understand."

Jacq let out a small sad sigh before lying back down.

Jacq: "Well, yes. She certainly did say that."

Dio: "Well, is she coming back?"

Jacq: "No.... she's not. I'll never see her again."

Dio: "Oh...."

Jacq turned away and shut his eyes when he felt the kid crawl up next to him.

Jacq: "What are you doing now?"

Dio: "Well, you seem sad about your friend leaving. So I'm trying to make you feel better. Is it working?"

Jacq: "No."

The kid waited a minute, before slowly leaning his head onto Jacq's back and wrapping his little arms around him.

Dio: "How about now?"

Jacq: "What are you doing?!"

Dio: "Hugging you."

Jacq: "Listen, kid. There's nothing you can do. There's no way to make me feel better. She's gone forever. Everything's just.... dark right now."

Dio waited a minute, before smiling and hugging tighter.

Dio: "It won't always be."

- Music Start -

Dio slowly let go and sat up, looking out the window. It was fairly cloudy outside, and softly raining. 

Then he looked down at the old photo he found of Jacq and his friend dancing and softly smiled. He's never seen Jacq look that happy during his time here. Maybe someday he'll get to see him look that happy again. He really hoped so.

Dio: "The sun will come out tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow
There'll be sun...."

Jacq slowly turned his head, giving the small child a confused glance.

Dio: "Just thinkin' about tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow
'til there's none...."

He slowly stood up and smiled back at Jacq.

Dio: "When I'm stuck a with a day that's gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin and grin, and say, oh...

The sun will come out tomorrow
So you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow
Come what may...."

He turned and looked back out the window, holding his arms out and smiling.

Dio: "Tomorrow, tomorrow
I love ya tomorrow
You're always a day away."

He quickly grabbed Jacq's hand and hoisted him upwards, pulling him away from the bed, and leading him to the window, where there was a small break of sunlight in the clouds.

Jacq lightly smiled down at the little kid, wiping another tear away. Dio giggled and hugged him again, smiling as always.

It actually was rather nice to see a small beam of sunlight shining through the grey sky. It shone down into the forest, reflecting off the trees' leaves. It was almost as bright as Dio's smile. Almost, but not quite.

Dio: "When I'm stuck a with a day that's gray and lonely
I just stick out my chin and grin, and say, oh,"

He let go and gave the picture to Jacq.

Dio: "The sun will come out tomorrow
So you gotta hang on 'til tomorrow
Come what may...

Tomorrow, tomorrow
I love ya tomorrow!
You're always a day away.

Tomorrow, tomorrow
I love ya tomorrow
You're always a day... away..."

Dio smiled, and slowly began to leave the room.

Dio: "I hope you feel better soon, Mr. Jacques."

The door slowly shut, leaving Jacq alone.

Well, not completely alone. He always had Shadoo there with him. But, mostly alone. He slowly looked down at the photo. How happy he had felt when it was taken. How happy he was, even though he couldn't walk. Even though he couldn't run.

He was happy because he thought he was loved. Maybe he was loved. She just didn't realize until it was too late.

Even though she left him, he missed her. He really missed her. He wished he could see her. Just one more time, so he could properly say goodbye at least.

But.... this kid. He didn't have to come in here and try to cheer him up. He didn't have to give him a smile. He didn't have to care. But he did.

Oh, Grambi, what am I doing?!

He began shaking, then set the photo down and started for the door.

Shadoo: "Hey, hey! Friend, snap out of it! What are you doing-"

Jacq: "I can't do this."

Shadoo: "What?! What do you mean-"

Jacq: "I CAN'T DO THIS! SHADOO, WE'RE PUTTING THE KID BACK! AND MR. L! I'M GOING BACK TO THE UNDERWHERE! I SAW DIMENTIO THE OTHER NIGHT! HE WAS HAPPY! THEY'RE ALL HAPPY! AND I'M HERE, ABOUT TO RUIN IT!"

Shadoo: "No, friend. That's what they want you to think! Stop!"

Jacq: "Make me. I'm gonna take the kid home."

He reached for the handle when his body froze. It really froze. No matter how hard he tried to move it, he couldn't.

Jacq: "Agh... w-what's happening?!"

Shadoo: "Are you seriously letting a CHILD manipulate you like this, friend?"

Jacq: "Shadoo, w-why can't I move?!"

Shadoo: "Friend, friend, friend, friend, friend. I'm not gonna let you give up on this. You're so close. You aren't gonna let Mr. L win, are you?"

Jacq: "Why do you care so much?!"

Shadoo: "BECAUSE THEY'RE MANIPULATING YOU!"

Jacq: "WHY WON'T YOU LET ME MOVE?! WHY DO YOU-"

He suddenly felt his blood run cold.

Jacq: "Shadoo.... you aren't my friend.... are you?"

Shadoo: "Blondie, what are you talking about."

Jacq: "Y-you.... allowed me to attack my brother, you told me to steal a child, you encouraged me when I was threatening Mr. L, that's not something a friend would do!"

Shadoo: "I'm only being supportive-"

Jacq: "No! Y-you're using me! Why are you here?! What's the real reason?! Huh?!"

Shadoo: "Friend-"

Jacq: "NO! DON'T CALL ME THAT! I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT LITTLE KID BACK HOME, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE PROPERLY JUDGED AND SENT TO WHERE WE BELONG."

He tried moving his hand when he felt a sharp pain in his head. He immediately fell backward and grabbed ahold of it, quietly whimpering.

Shadoo: "Oh, Jacques. Poor, naïve, innocent little Jacques. Looks like someone FINALLY got smart."

She began to make a clicking noise as he continued writhing around in pain.

Jacq: "W-what are you doing?! Shadoo?! What's going on?!"

Shadoo: "I think it's time I took control. Since you're clearly not strong enough to finish the job."

Jacq: "N-no. Stop. I-I won't let you! W-we're going back to the Underwhere!"

Shadoo: "Oh don't worry. You'll be back down there soon enough. Just as soon as I use that kid to get your brother back and take the heart, finally becoming powerful enough to destroy those who've defeated me before ONCE and for all!"

Jacq: "W-what?! Who even are you?! What are you talking about?!"

Shadoo: "Now, Blondie. I don't have time to explain THAT whole story to you."

Jacq began to shake more, as he kept losing more and more control to her.

Jacq: "D-don't you dare hurt that kid. Please, he's just a kid! Please!"

Shadoo: "Hmmm, no promises, friend."