Jack scooted into the corner of the couch, feeling completely startled by this turn of events. Mark's mom rushed to Jason to check on him, while talking to Trey in a breathless voice that was torn up with worry. The dogs hovered around Mark's mom with soft whines. Jack took a few shaky breaths, until a thought made him launch up to his feet. Rushing to the bedroom with the babies, Jack stumbled into the doorway. He was worried that Mark would hurt the babies. Instead, Mark was rocking Samantha in his arms and making a toy dance over Barry to calm him down. Jack grabbed the doorframe, asking Mark nervously. "Mark? What the happened?" Mark looked at him, giving him a shrug as he said. "I don't know. It was weird... I felt like you were-" Mark was cut off by the doorbell. Mark's mom called out from the living room. "I've got it!" They heard the door open, and Mark's mom tell someone shakily. "He's over here." Jack glanced out of the room to see Trey rush after Mark's mom to check on Jason. Exhaling shakily, Jack turned back to Mark, asking softly. "Mark... I'm scared." Mark set Sam down in her crib, then walked over to hug Jack.

Jack hugged him back, burying his face in Mark's chest. Mark was bleeding and winced from bruises that would likely show up later. After a few minutes, Trey made his way over to them. Beckoning them to come out to the living, he told them to sit and explain what had happened. Mark's mom shakily cleaned up the broken table, letting Jack inform Trey as honestly as he could. "I'm not sure. Mark and I were on this couch. We were fine one minute and then I... I started feeling..." Jack blushed, unable to look at Trey. It was too embarrassing to say. Trey raised an eyebrow, questioning him lightly. "Turned on?" Jack nodded reluctantly, finishing softly. "Before I knew it... Everything got fuzzy. It was like all I wanted was to be closer to Mark. So, we started... touching." Trey looked between them without revealing any emotions. Pointing to Mark, he asked him coolly. "And what did you feel?" Mark hefted a heavy sigh, answering truthfully. "I wasn't against being with him... but then Jason attacked me, and I felt like... Like my family was in danger. And after that... It's a blur. I just remember feeling a need to keep him from Jack and my kids."

Jack swallowed, leaning forward as he mumbled out anxiously. "What's happening? You didn't say that I'd be attacked... Is Jason alright?" Mark's mom brought a washcloth over to put on Jason's head. Jason was still laying on the ground, but he had a pillow under his head and bandages on him now. Trey glanced from Jason to Jack before telling him bluntly. "Jason will be fine. He's just knocked out with a few bruises. But whatever happened... shouldn't have happened." Jack grabbed a pillow to hug against his chest. Trey pulled a notebook from his bag to check some notes, upon informing them. "I told you that this potion might trigger deep primal emotions because the baby isn't old enough to desire those things... Giving the potion a free pass to do whatever it wants to get what it wants in the 'sex' department. However... I get why it targeted Mark... but why his brother? He wasn't present when you started the spell, was he?" Jack shook his head, stating out seriously. "No! Of course not! Mark and I were alone."

Trey wrote down a few notes, then questioned Mark's mom gently. "Ma'am? Just to help clear things up. Jason and Mark share the same parents, right?" She nodded, shooting back. "Yes. Why do you ask?" Trey pointed between her sons, answering a bit distracted as he read over some notes. "Because that means they share some common genes in their blood. Which means that being pregnant might have had a side effect after all... Expanding to blood relatives similar to the father. But... I don't know... The potion works only through contact and blood. So, why it targeted Jason has me confused..." Jack looked at Mark who seemed lost with all this potion talk. Then bowing his head in shame, he slipped out curiously to Trey. "Doc... Is it possible that a kiss could have... effected Jason?" All at once, everyone's eyes looked at him in shock. Jack swallowed nervously, waiting for an answer. Trey looked back over his notes, sighing out honestly. "It is possible..." Jack waited to see if he'd say more when Mark blurted out in his shock. "When did you kiss my brother?!" Facing Mark, Jack told him with firm honestly. "I didn't! He kissed me!"

Mark tensed beside him, heatedly stating aloud. "Why did you let it happen? Why didn't you tell me?!" Jack hesitated to answer. He was trying to remember why he hadn't told him. Before he could give him an answer, Mark jumped to his feet and stormed off to the door. Getting to his feet, Jack followed him to ask aloud. "Where are you going?" Mark pulled on his jacket and grabbed the dog leashes as he snapped back over his shoulder. "I'm going for a walk." Jack grabbed his arm to stop him, telling him quickly. "Mark, it meant nothing. I swear! I love you!" Mark hooked up the dogs, then looked up at him with hurt eyes. Pointing to him, Mark informed him swiftly. "I love you too. That's why this hurts. You want me to be open and honest with you... but that goes both ways." Mark yanked open the door, yelling out to his mother bluntly. "I'm taking the dogs with me. I'll be back when I've calmed down." Mark's mom looked to Trey for advice, but he was distracted. So, she nodded to him. As Mark stormed out, Mark's mom told Jack openly. "You should go after him. Clear this up."

Trey pulled out his phone, interjecting as he got up to leave the room. "I'm going to call Rosemary. We may need to do some damage control. I don't think you should let them be alone together until we can figure this out more." Mark's mom sighed, starting to tell Jack grimly. "I guess, you'll have to wait... Come and sit. Jack? JACK!" Jack slipped on his shoes and snatched his jacket before going after Mark. The falling snow was icy against his skin, but the cold wind was the worst. Jogging after Mark, he caught up to him and blurted out honestly. "I should have told you. But I didn't because I didn't want you to do THIS! Every time we get close to each other, you push me away!" Mark stopped, letting Jack walk up next to him before asking him in a hurt voice. "Did you like it...?" Jack looked Mark in the eyes as he told him without flinching. "I love YOU, Mark. I have always picked you over everyone!" Mark shuffled his feet, bowing his head as he told him in a broken voice. "I wanna believe that..."

Jack shrugged, asking him hopefully. "What can I do to prove it to you?" Mark slowly looked up as he stepped in closer to kiss him. Jack accepted the kiss, putting all his love into it. When Mark pulled away, he whispered to him. "If you love me... You'll finish what we started." Jack blinked a bit, startled by his words. Mark gently pushed him up against the lamp post, his eyes flickering with hues of purple as he leaned in to whisper over his lips. "Prove to me that you don't love him. By sleeping with me." Licking his lips, Jack's hands gripped the pole behind him and he whispered back to him. "Mark... ask me to marry you." Mark hesitated, telling him softly as the purple hue started to fade. "I tried. You said no." Jack released the pole, bringing his hands up to Mark's chest as he told him more openly. "Ask me again." Mark gestured back toward the house absently as the purple hue tried to creep back into his eyes. "I don't have the rings on me. Jack, please? Don't you want to be with me?"

Cupping Mark's neck in his loving hands, he asked again in a voice that was firm but longed to hear him say it. "Mark. Ask. Me. Again." The purple hue faded as Mark looked deep into his eyes. With it gone, Mark asked in an innocent loving voice. "But you said..." Jack pulled Mark closer, sweetly replying. "I didn't say no. I said that I wanted you to make a real proposal to me. You want me to prove my love for you? Ask me the one question you want to hear my answer to." Mark gestured to the light blizzard around them, grumbling out. "But this isn't romantic... and if you want me to do it right..." Jack kissed Mark's lips lightly to silence him, before whispering to him lovingly. "I don't need it to be perfect. I just want you to say it like you mean it." Jack put a hand to Mark's cheek, watching to see if the potion would try to take advantage of this... but it didn't. Instead, Mark took his hand and took a knee on the snowy sidewalk beneath the lamp. The dogs licked Mark's face not understanding why he was kneeling at their level for anything other than to give them attention.

Staring up at him, Mark took a deep breath and asked him in a genuine loving voice over the heavy icy wind. "Jack... I'm not perfect. I'll never be perfect. But I will never stop loving you. I want us to be together. To get through this...storm together. I'm tired of worrying about you when you leave. I'm tired of pretending like I'm ok when I need you... Jack, I want us to be a family. I need to know that is what you want too. Because if it's not..." Mark bowed his head, unable to finish. Jack squeezed his hand, sinking into a crouch in front of him as he said in a gentle voice. "Ask me." Mark inhaled deeply, lifting his head like he was afraid to hear the answer. Squeezing his hand in return, Mark said in a beautiful tone of voice. "Will you marry me?" Jack put his forehead to Mark's, giving him a warm smile in return as he told him sweetly. "Yes, I will." Mark blinked a bit stunned, asking curiously. "Are you serious?" Jack nodded, telling him wholeheartedly. "There is no one else that I want as much as you. Flaws and all." Mark pulled him into a hug and Jack shivered. The cold was starting to bother him.

Trying not to ruin the moment, Jack pleaded with him hopefully. "Now can we put this whole issue behind us and go back? I'm getting so cold." Mark jumped to his feet, taking Jack's hand as he said happily. "Ya. Come on. You two shouldn't be out here." Mark stroked Jack's stomach, then pulled the dogs back toward the house. Jack followed behind to keep from getting tripped up by the dogs. Part of him wondered if this warped potion had a way to be broken or if it was only getting stronger because it was weakening. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. He wanted the holiday to go smoothly, but if the potion had become warped... did that mean that its time was longer or shorter? There was so much he didn't know. A few feet from the house, Jack slowed to a stop. Placing a hand to his stomach, he felt a sudden jabbing pain. Sinking to his knees, he started to pant heavily. Pressing a finger to his neck, he felt his own pulse racing. Putting the dogs inside, Mark stepped out and called out with worry. "Jack? What's wrong?" Jack took deep breaths trying to calm himself, but something was wrong. Holding up a hand, Jack called out to Mark. "Get Trey!"

Rushing back inside, Mark came out with Trey. Jack shivered and winced in pain as his sides felt like he was being kicked. Dropping in front of him, Trey started touching him in different places. Jack explained what he felt as best he could, when Trey promptly picked him up and told Mark. "Take my keys. Open the trailer. Right now." Mark snatched the keys and ran to Trey's vehicle that was parked in the dual driveway. While being carried, Jack asked Trey nervously. "What's happening?" Trey took him into the trailer, laying him across the padded chair. Closing and locking the others out. Trey put his hands on Jack's stomach and told him very calmly. "You're stressing the baby out. You need to relax. Or you're going to induce labor..." Jack tensed, causing Trey to tell him seriously. "Jack, you are fine. Lay back and look up at the ceiling. Tell me ten things you see at random." Jack stared up at the poster that had a beautiful sunset over a field. Hidden in the tall grass were the peeking heads of animals. Jack didn't think this would help, but he started listing things without counting. The more he said, the more he got really distracted with finding more to say.

After a minute or two, Trey told him light heartedly. "That's good. Now close your eyes and inhale slowly as you count to five and then exhale as you count to five. Nice deep breaths." Jack started to do it, briefly watching as Trey listened to the baby's heart with his stethoscope. He didn't know about the baby, but he was feeling a lot calmer. He kept going until Trey told him that he could stop. Rubbing Jack's stomach, Trey informed him in a soft calm voice. "That was close... I think we might have to isolate you from Mark. Limit your contact for a bit. Just until we know the baby has settled down. Ok?" Jack swallowed, telling Trey nervously. "Mark is not going to like that..." Trey huffed, bluntly stating out. "Frankly, I don't care. My job is to help you deliver as easily as possible. And as your doctor... recent events are putting you at risk. We need to be careful... or you could lose the baby." To Be Continued...