I love that video. 

   I have promised myself that 2024 will be a good year. I will make it a good year, no matter what.  What about all of you?  Please, enjoy.  Also, feel free to vote, share, and comment. I love feedback aslmost as much as I love you 😉😉😉😏.  

Please tell me! Do y'all like pictures at the top, or a music video to fit the chapter? I am incrediby indecisive, so pls help me!!! 

   Oh my gosh returning to activities after the holidays has been tough, uuugh. This chapter is dedicated to  @NickteAckerman  

                                              One year ago

   Rain pattered on the window.

   Darci, sitting at the window seat in fuzzy, comfortable clothes sat staring mesmerised at the water pouring down outside. She loved it. So refreshing after that long, hot summer they'd had in Arcadia. Reaching up and twirling her curly hair around her finger, Darci became lost in thought until a shadowy, short figure stood near the window, watching her.

   The loud "Boo!" was muffled, but she jumped anyway at the sound.

   Darci rolled her eyes, and the person visibly laughed and came up closer, blowing a kiss at her.

   He pointed at the front door, then trudged away towards it, the hood of his rain coat covering his face as he turned to the side.

   Sliding off of the cushioned seat, Darci padded in her slippers to the door. The sound of the rain was muffled, and when she turned the handle and brought it toward her, the sound magnified tenfold.

   Toby gave her a huge smile, his freckled face seeming to light up the wet, cold afternoon.

   "Hi! I didn't think you'd come. How's Jim doing?" Darci smiled, then helped him yank off his wet coat.

    "Oh, he's doing pretty good. Better than I would have, anyway." He replied, and hung up his coat on one of the hooks by the tall door. "Ugh, I think the rain went right through the jacket! Or maybe it's like phantom pain; you can feel it but it's not there."
"You don't look too... Okay, you are a little soaked. Want some hot cocoa?"

   "Some hot choc would be great, babe," Toby said, in the most macho way possible, causing her to snort. He looked slightly hurt, but she knew he was faking it.

   "Okay..." Darci said, walking backwards. She took his hand and led him to the kitchen, obviously noticing the gooey smile on his face. "So, the real question."

   "Uh why– Is it an important question? Like, do I love you something? Because I do." Toby slightly rambled, then turned beet red.

   His girlfriend blushed, too. "I... love you, too." She chuckled softly.  "But that isn't really the question, TP."

   Toby's eyes flickered, almost like his brain was glitching. "Oh. What's the question?"

   "Hot chocolate from the mix, or homemade?"

   "Homemade please?" 

   She grinned and went to grab ingredients.

  "Do you want me to help with that.. Or something?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

   "Just turn on a burner on the stove, then could you get one of those small, mini pots?"

   "Yep!"

   The two of them chatted as they poured in the ingredients: milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, a tiny hint of salt, and a small dash of cinnamon.

   "This looks so good, Darci."

   "I know. I love making hot chocolate."

   "You should see Jim when he makes this stuff. He makes it look so fancy, sometimes with whip cream and crushed candy canes, too."

   "Whoa. Does he usually use marshmallows?"

   "Yessir. And he likes to add some peppermint extract to it."

   "Jim is really good with food,"

   "Yeah..." Toby checked to see if it was warm enough, then announced, "I think it's done, Babe."

   Darci rushed to the cabinets above the counter and opened the one in the center, grabbing two large mugs and bringing them over to Toby, who poured the steaming hot chocolate, half in one mug, half in the other.

   Sitting together in the dining room, they laughed and chatted with each other for a while, peacefully enjoying each other's presence.

                                      Present day

   After a sleepover, which consisted of watching a movie as quietly as humanly possible so Jim's mom could sleep soundly and chatting well into the morning, Toby and Jim biked to the Tarrons' house, meeting Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!!! And Claire there to hang out.

   Blinky frowned at the turn of events when Jim explained the problem and the – maybe – possible solution, then asked Jim to show him and the others his new armour.

   And he did.

   "Glorious!" Varvatos exclaimed, raising a huge, dangerous fist. Krel subtly backed away from him with a smile at Jim.

   "Beautiful craftsmanship!" Blinky said, examining the magic armour. He used his fist to knock on it a few times, then nodded like he approved. AAARRRGGHH!!! grinned, standing with Toby.

   They spent the rest of the day chilling (it wasn't all that chill. Got pretty loud a few times), and when it was time to go Jim waved goodbye to everyone and biked home.

   When Jim got home, Strickler was there with his mom talking and sipping tea in the living room. Jim made dinner for the three of them, and they ate soon after.

     The town of Arcadia, a constellation of lights nestled in darkness, quietly and slowly slipped into sleep.

   Only one or two lights were still turned on on Jim's street, the living room lamp light that streamed through the swung-open front door onto the grass and pavement one of them.

   The air smelled crisp and cold. Refreshing.

   Taking out the trash, Jim's smile faded as he suddenly thought about Draal. He wasn't sure where that thought had come from, but it made Jim feel grief-stricken.

   He gulped and dropped the bag into the bin, then turned around, but what faced him suddenly drove all other thoughts from his mind.

   A large man, covered head-to-toe in black, stood silently in front of him.

   Before he could do anything, the man's hand shot out and grabbed his arm. Jim wrenched it free and stumbled away from him, but noticed two other men standing on Jim's opposite side.

   The three men rushed at him at the same time, one tackling him to the ground as the others watched, fists raised.

   Jim managed to punch the guy in the face. It connected with a thump against the attacker's jaw.

   The dude retaliated, punching him right back square in the face.

   "We don't have time for this," One of the standing men said, armas crossed and Jim continued to hit and struggle.

   "Yeah." The man next to him muttered. "C'mon, Lance. We don't have time for this!" he repeated.

   "Stop repeating what I say, idiot!" came the reply. The man pinning Jim to the ground groaned frustratedly at the two of them, then refocused on Jim.

   Grabbing his arms so he couldn't punch anymore, the guy looked up at the others. Jim swallowed, and opened his mouth to shout for help, but the dude who was apparently a copycat, raced to cover Jim's mouth.

   Jim glared at him, but didn't have much time to; the man pinning him down yanked him to his feet, the other still covering Jim's mouth with his hands, and the last man swung something that was hard to see in the dim light coming from inside his house.

   The thing the man swung hit Jim's head, and the world sank away as he blacked out.

   The world was replaced by pain.

   The pain was both there and not there.