~Little Tooth~

Chapter 31:

A guardian

-...-

Baby Tooth sat in her seat, unsure of what to do or say. The court room was just about cleared out. The only people in there were her, Oliver, maybe a few of the Little Apple children, Mr. Finch, and Mrs. Olaf. Her hand was shaking, and she didn't know if she should go after Jackson. She didn't even know where he was! Oliver sat in his seat, silent and looking at his lap. In his lap was his hands, tangled together and his thumbs fiddling. Baby Tooth looked around the room, only for her eyes to land on Jill, who sat in her Jury seat with her head in her lap. Maybe...it would be a good place to start.

Standing up, Baby Tooth walked over to the woman. Oliver watched, still silent. Baby Tooth took a deep breath before walking up so that she was in front of the woman, but not in the Jury booth.

"Um..." Baby Tooth searched for words. "Are you...okay?"

Jill froze up at the sound of her voice. Slowly, the woman lifted her head and looking into the eyes of Baby Tooth. Her face was red and wet from the tears. She wasn't okay. Baby Tooth thought to try again.

"My name's Toothiana Time, but you can call me Baby Tooth." She smiled. "It sounds silly, I know, but It's what I prefer."

Jill paused. She readjusted herself in her seat.

"I'm sorry that what happened happened. It was informal to scream at her and it's improper for me to be crying like this." Jill said, but her voice was broken and hoarse.

"You don't need to say that." Baby Tooth told her. "If you hold up your feelings, it'll only get worse."

Jill sighed before gazing around the room, then back at Baby Tooth. She let a small smile escape her mouth.

"Jill Hoover." Jill introduced herself. Then her smile faded. "You probably have some questions for me, huh?"

Baby Tooth paused. She kind of did. She nodded her head. "But I'm sure others do as well. You don't have to speak if you don't want too."

"No no." Jill shook her head. "I should clear out any confusion before it only gets worse."

Baby Tooth smirked.

"Well you know my name. What else?"

Baby Tooth sighed. "Well...what happened on your side of the story? What do you remember of your family?"

Jill hesitated, but then remembered her words.

"I don't have any memories with my mother or brother. I was too young at the time. However, my father had raised me for along time after their divorce. He complained about my mother often, and oddly sometimes my brother, so I knew I had blood family other then him. I went through high school, however he got into some trouble with drinking and I had to drop out to help him at home.

"I got a boyfriend during high school, and what would have been my last year of high school, my father got dangerously ill and was taken by the hospital and local retirement home. But I was happy, because he got really mad at me. He hated my boyfriend and threatened to disown me. I couldn't pay for the house and had to sell it, but my boyfriend let me stay with him and his elderly mother.

"When I was about 18 I had my daughter. I know it sounds bad, and at first it was, for she was a mistake, but he and his mother accepted her and would help care for her so I went with it. I don't regret it, and I adore her more then anything else. Me and my boyfriend got married, and his mother passed, and we moved into a small house just a few blocks away. But then he had to leave for the war, for he was part of the army, and I kept in touch with him for a year. We used skype to call him and sent him and his team supplies and things."

Baby Tooth didn't know what to say. It was sad...but something still seemed off about Jill.

"Anything...else?" Baby Tooth asked.

"Just yesterday...I got a call ..." Jill tried not to fall into tears again. Baby Tooth could tell she was getting worse. "He died. I haven't told her yet and I have no idea what to do now!"

Baby Tooth wished she could feel the sorrow Jill did...she didn't know what it was like to be her. She didn't wish to find out from own experience either. She looked back at the woman.

"Would you like to go back home?" Baby Tooth asked.

Jill didn't answer that moment. She sniffled.

"Where else to go?" Jill sighed.

"Well...I mean, if you'd like to stay with us. Maybe you could see Jackson...?"

Jill shook her head. "I don't really think he'd want to see me right now."

"It's Mrs. Overland that he's upset about. You have no idea how long he's been talking about finding his family, including his sister. I don't know what made him think they were still alive, considering he'd grown up in an orphanage." Baby Tooth informed. "So...Give him a few hours and I'm sure he'd be over the roof to meet you."

"You sure?" Jill asked.

"Positive."

Suddenly little feet were heard running down the wooden flooring of the room. Finally noticing them, the two turned to see a little girl with a teddy bear. Sissi Hoover.

"Momma!" Sissi smiled, running into the jury booth and sitting on her mother's lap. Sissi turned to see Baby Tooth. "Oh, hello Ms. Time!"

"Oh, hello Sissi." Baby Tooth said back, facts clicking inside her head. Sissi was Jill's daughter!? Sissi was Jackson's niece! Sissi was the granddaughter of Mrs. Overland.

"What are you doing here, Sissi?" Jill asked, surprised.

"I was playing outside about a block away when I saw people walk out of the court. You said it should end about then when I asked you that morning so I decided to look for you when I didn't see you walk out. I asked the man in the lobby what room you were in and he showed me." Sissi smiled.

Jill slowly looked at Baby Tooth.

"And you also know Ms. Time?" Jill asked.

Sissi smiled wide and nodded her head. "She was the substitute for class the week school let out for break! She was really kind to me."

"Oh, well then that's sweet." Jill smiled.

Baby Tooth yawned lightly and stretched her arms.

"So, I know it's a bit early to make plans, but would tomorrow night sound good for meeting up?" She asked.

"Sure." Jill said.

"Great." Baby Tooth began to turn away. "See you later then?"

"Oh, wait!" Jill scrambled to write something down on a small piece of paper ripped from a note page that the Jury left behind. It was her number. "It's important, right?"

"Thanks!" Baby Toot smiled, taking it and putting it in her pocket.

"You're welcome!"

Baby Tooth waved goodbye as she walked away. Everyone else was gone, however Oliver had stayed to wait for her by the door. Baby Tooth caught up with him.

"Tomorrow night were getting Jackson to meet his sister and niece. Maybe out for dinner. I have her number so we can talk about it later." Baby Tooth said.

"Really...? Alright." Oliver sighed.

"You can go back to the house, okay?" Baby Tooth stopped outside the door, just as they were closing. "I'm going to look for Jackson."

"I'm betting he's at his apartment, nowhere here. You're gonna need a ride." Oliver said.

"Oh, you're right."

-...-

Baby Tooth, standing alone outside Jackson' apartment, knocked on the door. No one answered. She knocked again and waited again, staying out there for a full minute. A cold wind blew and Baby Tooth shoved her hands in her pocket on instinct. Sighing, her breath visible in the cold, she took her hand out of the pocket to open the door. At first, it was jammed, so she thought it was locked. But then she pushed really hard on the door and it opened suddenly, causing her to fall threw and onto the carpeted floor.

Getting up, huffing to herself, she closed the open door and turned on the lights to the small front room. It seemed abandoned, not an organism in the room. The only other place he could be was in his bed room. The door was closed, though Baby Tooth walked up to it. She knocked on it.

"Jackson? You in there?" She called out, but there was no reply.

Baby Tooth's eyes narrowed. He had to be in there. If not then she didn't know. At the Park? Maybe he locked himself in the courtroom bathroom. Oliver hadn't waited for her in the parking lot, so if he wasn't here, she'd have to call him to pick her up, or maybe Have Felix or Cry take her home if they were even at their apartment yet. Grabbing the door handle, she twisted it. Unlocked, she walked into the room quietly.

And there he was. On his bed, not even under the covers. His head rested on his arms and pillow, and he didn't seem to react when she came in. His back was also turned to her. His window was open and cold air spilled into the room. Baby Tooth noticed for the first time how messy his room was and that the only bathroom was attached to his bedroom.

"Jackson..."

Baby Tooth walked over to the other side of the bed and stood next to it, Looking down at Jackson. He wasn't asleep. She knew it. As she walked over, he was shoved his head under the pillow to avoid her eye contact. Baby Tooth wasn't sure if she should address this like an annoyed mother or give him some space. But either way, she wanted to say something.

"Please stop it..." She tilted her head. "It bothers me to see you like this..."

"Then don't come in here." Jackson mumbled threw the pillow, rolling over.

Baby Tooth shook her head, sitting on the side of the bed.

"I'm sure you didn't ask for this...But all we can do is accept it...and I want to see you happy...not sad."

"..."

Baby Tooth sighed and placed her hand on his head, her fingers going threw his hair. She could feel his body shaking. He was still in shock.

"I don't know what to do now..."

Baby Tooth looked over at Jackson.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

Jackson moved a bit in the bed. His face still under the pillow.

"The case is over and now the want to find my family has been torn apart."

Baby Tooth remembered the conversation at the Tooth Palace.

"You could, maybe, attend college...find a better job...I don't know, think about having a family of your own? I can only guess." She told him. "I mean...you said it yourself."

Jackson groaned before throwing the pillow on top of him at the wall and sitting up against the bed frame. He didn't look at her. He looked at himself and the covers on the light blue bed.

"I'm not sure I really want to do anything..." Jackson spoke. "I'll have to go back to work next week, but other then that, what else to look forward too."

Baby Tooth frowned. "Now you sound suicidal."

Jackson tensed up, turning to her with hate in his eyes.

"I just found out the woman who's murdered my friends and the one I hate with pure passion is my real mother! How the fuck am I supposed to sound!?" He yelled.

Baby Tooth turned away. Oh yes...what was she to expect. He was telling the truth though...but it still hurt. Jackson noticed this and looked the other way. He felt bad, but he also knew he was right too. There was a long silence before Baby Tooth turned back to look at him.

"I talked to Jill...Your...um, Sister." She began. Jackson listened carefully. "She said she'd like to finally meet you...Y-your niece too...Sissi. I'm sure she'd like to meet you as well."

Jackson let out a sigh. He slightly nodded his head. "It's another thing I could look forward to, I guess."

"We made plans for tomorrow night...if that's okay with you." Baby Tooth sort of asked.

"No no, that's fine." Jackson replied.

Jackson leaned back more, looking at the ceiling fan that turned not at all. A small smile appeared on his face.

"So...I have a niece?" He asked.

Baby Tooth smirked. "Her name is Sissi. I had actually met her when I went to sub for the 3rd grade class and she was one of the students. How funny."

"How is she?"

"She's very kind. She doesn't have many friends, but I'm sure we can change that tomorrow night."

Jackson paused.

"You think she'll like me?"

Baby Tooth chuckled.

"She'll adore you."

Jackson huffed, but with a smile. He leaned back further until he was laying back down on the bed.

"You know, you're very family oriented." Baby Tooth said.

"Really...?" Jackson looked over at her.

"You want to hang out with us at Oliver's house tonight for dinner?" Baby Tooth suddenly asked.

"You don't seem to want me to have alone time, huh?"

"I want you to get over it." Baby Tooth poked him on the shoulder. "Or at least realize that we, though not blood related, are your family too. More of a family then Mrs. Overland ever was."

"Okay." Jackson said. "But one more thing."

"What?"

Suddenly Jackson lunged out and attacked Baby Tooth with tickles. Baby Tooth really should have expected that.

"Jackson!" She laughed.

"Your punishment for making me feel guilty!"

-...-

It was 7 PM at Jackson, Oliver, Baby Tooth, Jamie, and Sophie were at Oliver's house, having dinner and talking. They were in the living room and crowded around the couch, sitting in front of the TV. They had home made pizza and water, tea, whatever drink they wanted. It was like the court case had never happened the afternoon before.

But then, nearing 7:23, a banging sound came from the door. Baby Tooth, being nearest to the door, sitting on the floor, looked confused at the others. She then set her pizza plate and drink down on the side table and got up to open the door. She turned the door nob and pulled the door open, only to see Jill. It confused her about how Jill found Oliver's house, but it was probably from someone who worked with the case. However, What bothered Baby Tooth was that Jill was in tears, shaking greatly and hardly able to contain herself. Baby Tooth left the woman lean on her as she came in.

"J-Jill!" Baby Tooth gasped. "What's wrong!? What happened?"

Jill's shaking hand gripped Baby Tooth's arm. Jill looked into Baby Tooth's eyes, fear and sorrow showing within her amber orbs. Baby Tooth felt a shiver go down her spin.

"IT'S SISSI! I-I-I TOLD HER WHAT HAPPENED TO HER FATHER AND SHE JUST RAN AWAY! I COULDN'T CATCH HER IN TIME AND NOW I CAN'T FIND HER!" Jill cried. "I called the police and they said they'd help, but I- I..."

Baby Tooth's eyes widen. This was bad. "W-We can help! Just sit down a-and we'll go out to look for her as well!"

Baby Tooth walked Jill over to the couch were room was made. Jill sat down and huddeled herself up into a ball.

"What if she's hurt!? What if something goes wrong!? I won't live with myself if something bad happens to her!" Jill cried aloud.

Baby Tooth turned to Oliver. His eyes showed horror. He was remembering the horror he went through when Baby Tooth went missing. It was just like this.

"Oliver. Call the others. Felix, Cry, I donno! We need to go out and look for her!"

Oliver nodded his head and walked over to the phone. A missing child was no small problem, and it was dangerous in Savannah at night. The police wouldn't do it alone, and there were not tons of them to do the job at this time at night. Jamie and Sophie were already getting their shoes and coat on to go outside to help. Jackson wasn't sure what to do.

"Jackson." Baby Tooth looked over at him. "Go get ready. We can go look with the others too."

Jackson nodded his head and walked off. Baby Tooth turned to Jill.

"Do you want to stay here with Oliver? You seem unfit to be out there." She said, worried.

"No! No! I need to look for her!" Jill wiped her tears away. "But Thank you!"

Jill smiled at Baby Tooth.

"You're like a guardian angel."

Unknowingly, something sparked in Baby Tooth.

A guardian, she was not...but a guardian, she could act. She could just be...

-...-