Jack kissed Mark with all the love he could put into it. He needed Mark to understand how much he missed him. How much he needed to feel his affection. The way Mark kissed him back was a bit stiff, but Jack ignored that. He was resisting the spell and that hurt a little. In the background the babies cried and cried. There just was no damn end to it. Mark groaned, breaking the kiss to tell him through gritted teeth. "Jack, stop this. They need-" Jack kissed his lips to silence him, saying gently. "They'll be fine. Mark, we need this." Mark shook his head, his bangs falling over his eyes as he strained out. "No. We don't." Jack shushed him, wrapping his arms around him to keep him close to him. Jack kissed his neck, moaning as Mark was compelled to make love to him. Jack enjoyed every second of it, but Mark only seemed to enjoy parts of it. Jack tried his best to get Mark to enjoy it. He cupped Mark's face when he kissed him. He rubbed his shoulders and back. He moaned and begged him for more. Mark's kiss had some passion in it the longer they were together... but the rest was just him going through the motions of it.

When Mark finally came inside him, the candle blew out. Sending them into complete darkness. Still over him though, Mark panted out to him sternly. "Are you happy now?" Jack's heart felt like thorns had wrapped around it. This isn't what he wanted. It was supposed to make Mark happy. Mark crawled off him and Jack quickly sat up to turn on the lamp. Mark flinched at the sudden bright light and Jack gasped. Mark was dripping with sweat and looked like he was going to pass out. Reaching out for him, Jack asked him with concern. "Mark? Do you feel alright?" Mark swatted his hand away, making Jack jump. Glaring at him, Mark panted out breathlessly. "No. I feel used." Jack brought his throbbing hand to his chest, struggling to get out. "Mark, I... I just... I wanted to make you happy. I thought..." Mark's expression was stony as he growled out. "What made you think that THIS would make me happy?" Jack felt his words like a knife to the heart. Was he unhappy being with him? Mark dropped across the bed, before he could ask him.

Panic shot through Jack as he touched Mark's back and asked frantically. "Mark?! Mark!" When Mark didn't answer, Jack leapt off the bed to find his phone. Pulling out his phone, he dialed Rosemary. The first few rings were left unanswered, but Jack kept calling her. Eventually, she picked up, sounding groggy from sleep. He began rushing out what had happened when Rosemary interrupted to say loud and serious. "Whoa! Calm down. What happened?" Jack paced beside Mark's side of the bed, explaining what he could. Afterward, Rosemary sighed but walked him through a checklist. She asked if he was breathing. He was. She asked if his skin was normal or red in color. It was hard to tell but he looked normal. She asked him about the candle. There was still half of it left but he felt like it went out too early. She shushed him, her voice becoming calm as she explained to him. "Jack, breathe. He's fine. If the candle went out like that. It means he's out of energy. That he was too tired to keep going. He's ok. He just needs to rest." Jack sat down on the edge of the bed, panting as his heart rate slowed down.

On the other line, Rosemary let out a sigh of her own, before telling him coolly. "Scaring me like that..." Jack put a hand on Mark's back, before telling Rosemary a little distraught. "Rosemary... It didn't work like I wanted." Rosemary's voice was soft when she answered. "I told you that magic is not a cure all. Sometimes you have to do things on your own." Jack sniffled, reluctantly asking her. "I don't know how to fix this..." Rosemary exhaled lightly, then told him nicely. "Jack... Are you sure you're trying to make him happy?" Jack stiffened, retorting a bit defensively. "Yes! Who else would I be trying to...?" Jack drifted off as he realized where she was going with this. Over the speaker, Rosemary sweetly told him. "Talk to Mark, Jack. Tell him how you feel. He loves you. Just stop trying to force it out of him." Jack sniffled, his throat tightening up as he told her weakly. "I... I don't want to fight with him." Rosemary's soothing voice replied. "No one wants to fight. But it will happen. Just try to see things from his side. Work it out little by little. You ignore it and it will only get worse." Jack nodded, whispering out to her. "Ok. Thank you."

Rosemary wished him a goodnight, then hung up. Putting his phone on Mark's side table, he climbed over him to lay behind him. For a minute he listened to Mark snore, rubbing his back and brushing his hair from his eyes. Scooting closer to him, he laid his cheek on Mark's arm and tried to fall asleep. He hadn't realized the house was quiet... until the babies began to cry again. Lifting his head, he looked at Mark. Mark was out cold. Biting his lip, he slipped from the bed and made his way down the hallway to investigate the problem. Chica peeked out of the open room door to see him, her tail wagging before practically leading him inside the room. Stepping in, he asked the crying kids softly. "Alright. Alright. What's wrong?" Sally was wide awake, sucking on her thumb and reaching up at her still mobile. Walking to her, he winded up the mobile to play a gentle tune. Her eyes were brimmed with tears and as he brushed them away, he noticed her pacifier had fallen out of her mouth and her blanket was pushed off.

Picking up her pacifier, he pulled her thumb from her mouth and slipped the pacifier in. She took it easily and he pulled the blanket up to cover her again. With misty eyes, she stared up at the stars and planets mobile as it played. Barry was crying loudly and thrashing in his crib. As Jack moved to him, he winced with disgust. Barry had removed his diaper and smeared crap everywhere. Seeing the changing stand in the corner, Jack reached in and cradled Barry's head as he carefully lifted him out. Barry was much heavier and bigger than Sally. Laying him gently across the changing table, he reached for the baby wipes on a shelf. Cleaning Barry's dirty legs, he tried to sooth him as he put a fresh diaper on him. Barry refused to settle down though. Crying and crying. Jack felt like a horrible parent as he tried to give Barry a pacifier, but Barry rejected it. He tried to give him a toy, but Barry swatted it away. Pulling a warm blanket off a heated rack, Jack wrapped him up thinking he was cold. He didn't know where Mark kept the baby clothes for Barry.

The blanket helped to calm some of Barry's tantrum, but he still cried. Picking him back up, Jack cradled him to his chest and rocked him. Still Barry whimpered and cried. Walking him from the room, Jack rocked him in the hopes that movement would help. Still Barry wouldn't settle down. Jack was about to start crying, when Barry stopped crying long enough that Jack heard and felt his stomach rumble. Feeling relief, Jack carried him into the kitchen and froze. Mark hadn't told him how to do this part. Trying not to panic, Jack picked up the formula package and read it over as he bounced Barry. Doing his best to do everything one handed, he filled the bottle and microwaved it like he had seen Mark do. A second before the microwave beeped, he opened the door to pull it out. Screwing on the nipple, he shook it against his arm to test it like Mark had done. It didn't feel too hot. It was warm. Leaning back against the counter, Jack tilted the bottle toward Barry to see if he'd take it. Instantly, Barry stopped crying and began to drink. Jack exhaled at the blissful silence.

Barry's little hands touched his hand as he held the bottle, guzzling it down like he had never been fed before. Walking over to Mark's recliner, he laid back with Barry to save his arm from Barry's weight. Barry drank and drank. Jack couldn't believe how hungry he was. He wanted to lay him down, but his crib needed to be cleaned... and he couldn't do that and feed Barry. Just as the bottle emptied, Barry turned his head sleepily to the side to sleep against his chest. Setting the bottle aside, Jack gently patted Barry's back. Barry burped in his sleep, his fingers petting his chest as his mouth moved. It was as if the kid dreamed of eating more. Slipping Barry's pacifier into his mouth, Jack let himself relax in the silence. After a bit of watching Barry sleep, he found himself dozing off himself with Chica at his feet. He only awoke when something fell from his chair and Chica yelped. Jerking upright, he gasped. Barry wasn't in his arms. His arms shook as the horror that he'd dropped him locked up his body. Leaning forward though, he saw Chica pick up the empty baby bottle.

Jack looked around the chair in a panic. He had Barry's blanket, but Barry was gone! He was just about to scream for Mark, when he saw Mark step slowly into sight in the hallway. Jack lifted the blanket, but Mark uncrossed his folded arms to say warmly. "He's playing in his crib." Jack gawked at Mark a little. He looked so much better. He didn't look tired anymore. His eyes were clear and bright again. He even looked refreshed like he had taken a shower for the first time in days. Slowly, Mark walked into the room and Jack tensed. Was he still mad at him? Mark pulled a foot stool closer, taking a seat in front of Jack. Jack straightened up in the seat, a little scared of what he was going to say. Mark put a hand on Jack's leg, his thumb brushing across the fabric of his pajama pants. Jack still felt uneasy. Was this the calm before the storm? In a deep loving voice, Mark told him with a sad look. "Jack, about last night. I'm sorry... If I said something to hurt you. I didn't mean it. You know that I love you, don't you?"

Jack felt tears brim his eyes as he replied. "Then... why do things feel so... different now?" Mark huffed, bowing his head as he told him gently. "I've got so much going on in my life, Jack. I'm... I'm struggling to balance it all. I know you want my attention. But so do my fans. So do my friends. So do the kids. The dogs. My parents. I can't remember what it's like to be ME anymore. All I can focus on is keeping everything going. I don't like asking for help. I know if I push myself hard enough... I can do it." Jack put a hand on Mark's, sniffling out. "Mark... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have... I just feel like I'm losing you." Mark looked up into his eyes, telling him sweetly. "Why would you think that?" Jack gestured to the front door, telling him with teary eyes. "You didn't kiss me. You barely touch me. You said I was..." Jack couldn't finish his sentence. Mark scooted closer, putting a warm hand to Jack's cheek. Leaning in, he pressed his forehead to his and told him in a deep loving voice. "That wasn't because I don't love you. I... I just didn't want you to notice how bad I smelled... and I was just so exhausted. Maybe even a little depressed. I've been feeling run down and running on fumes."

Mark's thumb brushed a tear away from Jack's cheek, whispering to him sweetly. "I hate what you did to me... but I have to admit... Waking up to see that you tried to help me. THAT meant something to me." Jack blinked, sniffling out as he asked confused. "Tried to help you? What do you mean? I took care of-" Mark grinned for the first time, stopping Jack short as he listened to Mark cut in with a chuckle. "You made a mess everywhere. There was formula all over my counter. Barry's crib...? What the hell happened there?" Jack chuckled back. "That wasn't me. He took it off somehow and I... cleaned him up." Mark nodded, telling him with a smirk. "You put him in a diaper... but couldn't see the dresser drawer labeled with his name? And that is not a blanket... that is a warm towel that I use for drying them off after a basin bath." Jack rolled his eyes, tossing the fuzzy towel to the couch as he mumbled out guiltily. "So, maybe I was a bit overwhelmed and distracted. It worked, didn't it?"

Mark chuckled to himself, purring out softly. "Ya. It did." Jack leaned into Mark's hand, before his heart skipped at how Mark leaned in slow to kiss his lips tenderly. The kiss was more powerful than any Mark had given him last night. Jack returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around Mark's neck. Mark's hands ran up his bare back, kissing him with a gentle passion. Jack even chuckled when he realized that Mark must have brushed his teeth this morning too. Pulling back, Mark whispered over his lips. "Thank you, Sweetheart." Jack thought he'd cry with joy as he hugged Mark tightly. While in the hug, Mark muffled out against his bare shoulder. "You wanna help me? I need to walk the dogs. Think you're brave enough to help me with the kids?" Jack nodded, kissing Mark's neck. He didn't want to miss their first family outing together. To Be Continued...