"I..." My attempt to give him an indifferent answer was robbed by my dry throat, making me sound like my voice was broken.
Embarrassing, argh!

I quickly pushed down some saliva to bring back life to my throat before making a second attempt.
"Did you have fun?"

He chuckled and ran a hand through the length of his fine hair. "I didn't think you're the type to get jealous so easily. Clingy as well."

My frown intensified. Too bad he couldn't see it.
"Do you like her?"

"Who? Lilith?"

I didn't answer. Of course I was talking about her. Why was he trying to act dumb with me?
Jack sighed, sounding disappointed as he turned slightly to face the balcony doors. He lifted his head and shut his eyes as if meditating.
"I don't want to talk about what happened, not yet. It's too painful to relive those cursed memories. But... I'm glad I found my way back to you."

A silence so thick one could cut through it with a knife descended into the room. The naked man just stood there, holding his posture for about three minutes while I just stared at him, my mind and soul conflicted.
I knew too well that an encounter with WSG was ever unpleasant, so I did understand him to some degree.

But no amount of pain should have made him feel like a different person. The Jack I had grown to love would never have tolerated another woman touching him, especially in front of me. He never cared whether the person I didn't like was stronger or more influential, he would simply shove them away from him like a plagued doll.

I looked away, and judged myself in the quietness of the bedroom.
Was I being too demanding?
Was I too possessive?
Too petty?
Maybe Lilith had something on Jack and that was why he couldn't stand against her directly.
But...what could that be?

When my gaze rested on Jack once more, I saw the serenity on his face which was angled to the moon outside. He seemed at peace.
With that observation, I quietly got up from the chair, abandoning the plan I had had earlier about cuffing him to the chain and pumping out details of his recent past.

I'd wait for him.

"Where are you going?" He asked, just as my hand was reaching out for the doorknob.

"Outside...for some air," I answered and finally grasped the cold knob.
The click came before the door swung inside to my gentle pull.

I expected him to ask me to stay or rush over and pull me back inside. But, I got no reaction from him, not even a sigh.
Sadness and gladness entwined in my heart, making my feet feel heavier than ever and my mind blank.

I began walking without any particular destination.
Walked without paying attention to anything around me.
And before I could get a grip on my emotions, I was already in Zack's cell.

"Which wind has blown you here so late?" He asked, mockery staining his voice.

I pushed shut the heavy door, and then leaned on it.
Why had I ended up there?
Why did the air feel so relaxing in that cell?
And why, why was I ignoring Zack's presence?

"Has your dreamy Prince hurt you again? Women! Why can't you find yourself another man? How about enjoying your last days before I send you to the other side?"

He sounded genuine. Like the words of a friend to a friend, yet his carried with them a pending death note.
At least he wasn't hiding his intention. Not like the Jack I had brought back.

Using the moonlight from above the bed he was lying on, I advanced till I got to him.
"What do I have to do to make you talk?"

He didn't make a single movement. Not even opening his eyes. "Mmm... let's see. For some reason, I seem to have this familiar feeling whenever I get close to you. The last time we kissed-"

"I never kissed you!" I corrected sharply.

"Right... The last time I kissed you, a memory almost popped up. Maybe we could try that again. If you're lucky, I will tell you what I remember."

"You pervert!" I hissed grabbing him by the neck of his t-shirt. Only then did he lazily split open his eyes. But it was impossible to see what emotion fogged them due to the weak moonlight. "Do you seriously think that I would believe such a stupid thing?"

He smirked. "Pervert huh? This is what a pervert would-" a hand from nowhere suddenly cupped my left boob, "-do." I gasped releasing his t-shirt to dash away, but he skillfully managed to tackle me till I was under him.

The one-cuffed hand didn't seem as effective as whoever had done it had thought.
And there I was paying the price for both their mistake and my ignorance.

I did not have enough energy to fight him due to the recent body and mind fatigue. And if he wanted to kill me, then that was his best chance. But, I wasn't scared of such an outcome. Nor was I concerned that he was the enemy. At that moment, Zack felt more like Jack than Jack did.

"Do you like seeing me in pain?" I heard myself ask, my eyes closed to avoid facing my death if it was coming.

"I'm not sure. But I do like the sound of it."

Silence.
"The furthest memory I have is from about two months ago. I woke up in their hospital. They said I had an accident during a mission. Can't remember anything past that."

I turned my head to face the wall while forcing my eyes open. His wrist was still hanging from the cuff connecting him to the bed, and the rest of his arm was under my head.
He seemed careful not to exert all of his body weight on me, but keen not to have my legs between his. That would put me in an advantage of having the chance to knee his balls so hard that they'd turn purple.

But having him nestled between my thighs brought back bad memories that I had forced myself to forget.

"What kind of an accident?" I asked in a soft tone to avoid provoking him. He was starting to open up. It was a good chance for me to wring out every bit of information he had in his damaged brain.

"They never told me."

"What happened afterward?"

A light chuckle from him made me face the ceiling. Face him.
"Do you agree to the condition I have presented you?" Zack asked.

Why didn't his voice possess the same evilness as when he had abducted me?
Why had they changed him?

"Why would I agree to another man kissing me when I have a-"

He shamelessly used the arm under my neck to push my head up while he dived down to smother his lips on mine. He took advantage of my open mouth to suck my lower lip into his mouth before deepening the kiss.

I tried to push him back, but there was no space between our bodies to slide my hands into. It all had me end up squirming like a worm beneath him while he had his way with my lips.

He withdrew for a moment, letting the both of us catch some air.
"Annie!!" He groaned into my ear, and my body froze up in an instant.
The way he had called my name. It sounded as if Jack was the one with me.
And the way he was kissing me, was no different from how Jack used to kiss me. I could never forget it. Not after having shared countless kisses with him.