Jack was working hard to loose himself in the warmth of Chica's fur, but kept listening to Rosemary messing around with bottles in her kitchen and asking Nico to fetch fresher herbs from her garden. Mark picked a bottle off her kitchen counter, holding it up to say. "You have that herb here? Why make Nico go to the garden"? Rosemary pulled out her mortar and pestle, answering a bit distracted. "The fresher the herb the stronger the potion works. In Jack's case, he's going to need the strongest stuff I can make". Jack peeked up from Chica's fur to see Mark set the bottle back on the counter. Mark looked shaken up. Maybe even numb to everything happening around him. Nico came back with the fresh herbs, hopping up onto the counter to sit. 

Rosemary worked diligently, checking her journal repeatedly and mixing the ingredients with care. When she finished, she patted the ground up herbs into a small bag. Then quickly moved to put on some hot water as she told Mark seriously. "I'll need you to keep me updated on his condition. If it changes in anyway, I need to know. I'll make you some of these to go. He'll need to drink this once a day until the bleeding stops. Do you understand"? Mark nodded, watching her pour the hot water into a glass and dip the bag in like a tea bag. As Rosemary stirred the drink, she added in. "I know a witch close by that comes from a much longer line of witches than me. His spell book might know an antidote to this. If not... Than I'll have to make one. But that may take more time than we have".

Mark took a deep breath, asking very anxiously. "Rosemary... What happens if we don't get this done in time"? Rosemary blew on the tea, before locking eyes with him to say. "I honestly don't know. The worst that I can think of is that he's going to give birth. For a man... That will be no walk in the park. It will be painful. Like kicked in the balls with steel tipped shoes painful. Without a womb to delivery, a C-section is his only option". Rosemary took the cup over to Jack, kneeling on the ground and coaxing Jack to drink it. Jack shook his head, trying to bury his head in Chica's fur as tears brimmed his eyes. Rosemary rubbed his back comfortingly, telling him sweetly. "It just tastes like green tea with a hint of lemon for flavor. I promise. No lizard guts here". Rosemary flashed him a warm smile and Jack couldn't help smiling back.

He wasn't really thinking about the ingredients she might have used. Taking the cup, he smelled it and felt his tension ease up a bit. It did smell like tea. Putting the cup to his lips, he carefully sipped some. She didn't lie to him. He could taste the hint of lemon against the sweet taste of the green tea leaves. He could feel it warming its way down his throat to his stomach. Rosemary continued to rub his back, saying sweetly. "See? Not so bad". Mark leaned back against the counter, feeling guilty. He had done this to Jack and that was the worst kind of pain to him. Anything that happened to Jack would be on him. Prying his eyes away, he looked over a Nico. Nico's feet tapped the counter in irritation, his eyes locked on Jack with a stern expression.

Mark glanced from Nico to Jack and back. He wasn't sure what Nico's problem was with Jack, but he wasn't sure he trusted him. A tiny flame began to burn in his gut at the very thought that Nico might have switched the glasses on purpose. Gripping the counter until his knuckles turned white, Mark tried to retrain himself from yanking Nico off the counter. Nico's eyes flicked over to look at him through his peripheral vision, before slipping off the counter to calmly walk away. If he noticed Mark's darkening expression, he didn't show it. Nico was calm. A little too calm for someone who was innocent. Nico moved to the fridge, pulling out a small carton of milk. As Nico opened it, he strolled back outside, telling Rosemary over his shoulder. "Well, I'm off to prowl around. You need something, make the dog do it".

Rosemary gave Nico a stern look, taking Jack's empty cup back to the kitchen. Mark waited to see Nico leave out the door, before asking Rosemary in a low voice. "How long have you known Nico"? Rosemary began to grind up more of the same herbs to prepare more little tea bags, while she answered casually. "I few years now. I rescued him from a water pipe at a construction sight. Poor guy had been stuck down there for three whole days. Why"? Mark turned away to check for Nico outside the window. Nico wasn't on the porch. So, he told her still in a low voice but with a hint of concern. "I think Nico might have something against Jack". Rosemary stopped what she was doing to look at him uneasily.

Mark thought he had over stepped a line, when she told him neutrally. "Nico has been off since I... kidnapped Jack. He's been sulking a lot, but he refuses to tell me why. I thought it was just his nature. He's not a kitten anymore... Still. I've never known Nico to hurt anyone. He's normally very shy around others". Mark shrugged, trying to be nice and polite when he stated. "I just get this weird feeling around him". Rosemary sighed lightly, telling him gently. "I'll keep a closer eye on him. If he does have something against him, than I'll deal with him. He's already been through so much". Mark leaned in to say a bit more sternly than he had intended. "If he did this to Jack on purpose... and I find out. He'll go through a lot more".

Rosemary turned to face him, looking him in the eyes as she told him bluntly. "You know the whole eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth thing... It only leaves the world blind and toothless in the end. I get that you want to protect Jack, but what is done is done. Everything doesn't have to end in violence. Sometimes things are simply accidents. Is a mistake worth the lives you take for revenge? To error is human. To forgive is divine". Rosemary turned back to filling little bags, adding in sweetly. "A persons life is made up by their scars. Some wear them like tattoos. Battle scars to be proud of. While others choose to hide them. Praying that with time they will go away and they can forget about them. I don't judge people for how they got their scars. I simply help them heal from them".

Mark backed up as she turned to give him a paper bag filled with the herb bags, staring him down with bright soft eyes, then she leaned in closer to again add in. "Don't let your fear and anger guide your actions. Conquer them by learning to understand the thing that unsettles you. Knowledge is power and a gift people take for granted. Love and understanding make a person stronger, Mark. Hate just strengthens a persons fears and gives a purpose to fuel their hatred. Try giving them a reason to trust you and eventually they come around". Rosemary patted his cheek, whispering to him. "Nico was pushed into a water tunnel and left to starve and drown... All because someone's dog chased him down there. Would you kill the dog for chasing him? Or the construction workers because they couldn't hear him calling out? Life isn't black and white. A person shouldn't have to be beaten over an honest mistake".

Mark removed her hand, telling her just as sweetly. "That is 'IF' he made an honest mistake. If he did it on purpose to deliberately hurt him... Besides, he's human, isn't he"? Rosemary turned her eyes away to stare at the front door, saying. "Not all the time. He's my familiar. And until I know all sides of the story. I don't point blame. I'll take your concern seriously though and I will talk to him. Right now my biggest concern is for Jack's well being". To Be Continued...