Song: Hello by Adele (THIS SONG IS SO SAD AND GOOD UGHHHHHH)
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Jordan's p.o.v.

"What do you mean it's empty?!" I shrieked at Phil, who was pacing back and forth like a madman and sweating like crazy.

"I mean exactly that! The town is empty! Tiff and Lola aren't there, neither are Sonja or Tucker or Martha or James! No one is in the town! It's been completely abandoned! I-I don't know if Botan took them or killed them or- I don't know! They just aren't there!"

"But we've been monitoring the town for weeks!" Matt exclaimed. "We never saw or felt him go near it, he couldn't have took them! We would have sensed him!"

"Woah woah, everyone calm the hell down. Did you check their houses to see if anything was missing? Like clothes and food?" Tom asked the two panicking wizards.

"I-I may have seen a few things that were missing but-"

"Then they probably just left somewhere," Tom interrupted. "Did you check the underground houses?"

"Underground h-houses?" Phil asked severely confused.

"You know, where half the towns population lives? You didn't check them?" I knew the people he was referring to, the Dianitees and the doctors. Though Dec doesn't live underground, but his house is pretty far away from the other ones. Phil might not have seen it.

"I-I didn't know there were p-people who lived underground. I can go back and check?" Poor Phil was shaking so badly he could've been mistaken for having a seizure. His lips were blue and his nose runny and red. I thought wizards were immune to cold temperature, but apparently not. He can't go back in that snow storm, it might make him sick...

"No, it's fine. I'm sure wherever everyone is, they're okay. I don't wanna risk you guys getting sick or something." It's already so cold in here. I can't imagine how cold it is outside.

"I-It's not that cold! I can go out again, it won't be any trouble at-"

"Philly, if you're worried about Sonja, I am positive she's safe somewhere. You don't have enough mana to heat yourself through that weather anyways. Let's just stay here and when the weather clears up, we can go look for everyone."

"The weather isn't that bad..." Phil murmured.

"The temperature outside is -67 degrees. You get sickly when it's springtime Phil. I absolutely refuse to let you out of the compound."

Phil bit his bottom lip in deep thought, finally sighing after a moment or two of thinking. "Okay...I won't go. But what are we to do here while we wait?"

"We protect the people living here, just like we have been doing for two months. Let's go get some more blankets and firewood. It's getting quite cold in here and the last thing we need is another sick person." Matt playfully ruffled Phil's hair, and Phil rolled his eyes at the teasing.

"I am not sick. Its only allergies. I'm sure of it." He sniffled and pulled his coat tighter around his body.

He's definitely sick.
~
The storm hasn't let up yet. It's been four hours since it started and the temperature keeps dropping lower and lower. Matt says everything is freezing and some of the windows on the nearby houses are shattering. That's a scary thought. I'm really worried about keeping Rosie warm. Well she has like ten blankets wrapped around herself and she's practically sandwiched between Tom and I, but still...she might be cold.

"Stop worrying. I can see you doing it from here," Tom whispered sternly. I sighed and pulled the tenth layer of covers up further on Rosie's shoulders. She was asleep, resting soundly underneath her cocoon of blankets. She's such a sweet little angel.

"I can't help it," I whispered back. I brushed a few dark curls from her face, and she smiled sleepily. I wonder what she dreams about. Or does she have even dreams? I don't know. She's never told us.

"Sparklez I threw her in a snow bank the other day. She didn't shiver once. I'm 99% sure she doesn't feel temperature."

"But what if she does, and she doesn't say anything because she doesn't want us to worry?"

"She's two months old."

"I know that!" I said in a louder tone.

Rosie stirred and squirmed slightly at my words, making me feel instant guilt for talking above a whisper. I've disrupted her sleep enough, I need to stop.

"Go to sleep. Stop worrying." I could see brown eyes narrowed at me in the dark.

"I can't just flick a switch and make it go off."

"Yeah but you can close your eyes and get some damn sleep."

"Don't curse in front of her!" I whispered yelled.

"She asleep, damnit! I can say what I want!"

"She still might hear you! I told you before no more swearing!

"You can't force me not to swear! It's part of who I am!"

"And you can't force me not to worry! It's part of who I am!"

"You're a dick!"

"You're a child!"

"You're a snob!"

"You're a-...a butt!"

"I'm a butt? Are you serious?"

"Shut up! I should hit you right now..."

"Really? You wanna use your foot like you did last time?"

So he's bringing up past memories huh? Well two can play at that game. "You wanna play that game, huh? You know I still haven't forgotten about the time you knocked me into a coma with a mailbox!"

"You know I only did that to save your life! That taint shit was possessing you and you kicked me in the face first!"

"Maybe I wouldn't have been possessed if you hadn't abandoned me with Alister!"

"That had nothing to do with it! You fell into the damn puddle of taint, I didn't push you into it!"

"I was trying to run after you, you idiot!"

"...really?"

"Yes. I was going to apologize and leave with you but...I fell into it."

"Oh...well."

There was a long awkward silence. I know it's weird to say and it probably isn't healthy at all but...I think I kinda enjoy arguing with Tom about petty things. It's like the old times, when we used to fight almost everyday over something completely stupid. I know I promised not to argue with him anymore, but this isn't really arguing. The argument we had the other day was heated and negative. This is sort of...playful and teasing. It's bickering. I like bickering with Tom.

"I'm still pissed about that time you snooped through my phone."

I smiled. He likes it too. He must, or else he wouldn't have brought up such an old topic. "Snooped? I was trying to get to know you!"

"Getting to know me by violating my privacy? Sure, that's what all people do in the world to try and get to know someone, they violate their privacy!" His tone was oozing sarcasm.

"Well what about that time you tried to pressure me into intimacy?"

"Oh well excuse me for wanting to get intimate with the guy I love! And I was pretty mad you were so uptight about labels and shit. You couldn't even say I love you without acting completely constipated."

I had to giggle. And once I started giggling, Tom started giggling, and then we were both trying to muffle our giggles to keep from waking up Rosie. "I love you Tom."

"I love you too. Do we both seriously have a thing for arguing now?"

"No, not arguing. I think we just like to bicker."

"So that's okay? To bicker?"

"Of course. It's just like teasing, except its meaner." I giggled again, and he snorted.

"Well...I'm still salty about you stealing namo."

"Oh shush, I'm getting tired. We can bicker in the morning..."
~
I had odd dreams that night.

Tom and I were walking down an ally, an ally I'd been through before but I couldn't really remember where. He was wearing his leather jacket and his aviator sunglasses, and he just kept flashing me that cute little grin every few seconds. We weren't talking, that was the weird part. We were talking silently though, through glances and winks and small little laughs.

And then we were somewhere else. We were on a balcony, watching the sun set behind a city. The city looked so familiar, but I couldn't place the name. I was too busy to even try to remember anyways. Tom was keeping me busy with his looks. He was wearing a plaid shirt now and some blue jeans, with his purple hair all ruffled and messy. How could anyone be so perfect?

"They're here. If that's what you wanted to know," he murmured quietly. I furrowed my brows in confusion. What's he talking about? Had we been talking about something before and I hadn't noticed it?

"Who's here?" I asked him.

"Our friends. You were worried about them. They're here." He was talking weird, not like himself. Does he mean our friends are in this city? But what is this city? Where is this place?

"Where are we?" I looked over the city again, trying to remember a name for it. Nothing. But I know this place! I've seen it, I've been here. Why can't I remember?

He only rolled his eyes at my question. "I can't tell you everything. I've told you enough already. You just have to connect the dots."

"But I can't remember. And why are you talking so weirdly? I-I don't understand."

"It's a dream, Jordan. I'm trying to help you, but you're not being very cooperative."

He called me Jordan. He never calls me Jordan, not unless he's mad at me or he's being emotional.

But before I could even ask about it, he sighed and pulled away from the railing, backing away with a frown on his face. "I have to go. I would stay longer but it isn't my decision to make. But...be good for me, okay? I worry about you often. I wish I could have explained things better before I left. That wasn't fair to you, all of that responsibility piled on your shoulders all at once. I tried to ration it with the others but-...oh I must go. Goodbye Jordan. Sweet dreams." He kissed my forehead gently and went back inside the door behind us. I was still majorly confused. What was he talking about? Responsibilities?

"Tom wait-" I tried to follow him, but there wasn't a room. It was just darkness and suddenly I was alone. What happened to the sunset? What happened to Tom? Why am I all alone?

Color exploded in the dark so quickly it scared me. I was in the ally way again. But Tom wasn't there. I was walking alone in the dark, not a single light shining inside of it. I was scared. What am I doing all the way out here in the middle of the night? I could get killed!

I heard a chuckle come from behind me. "Chill out, you aren't alone."

A hand intertwined with mine, and I recognized it immediately. Tom. He was wearing his original attire, the sunglasses and jacket. He kissed me right on the lips when he got close enough, catching me by surprise. The other Tom seemed weirdly graceful, and I didn't really like that. This Tom was my Tom. My funny sarcastic childish husband.

"I'll always be here to share the bad luck with you. I love you." His arms wrapped loosely around my waist and his lips pressed against my forehead.

"But...don't you ever get tired of it? Of me?"

He shook his head, his brown eyes entrancing mine as he brushed a thumb over my cheek."No. Never. I could never get tired of you. You're the love of my life. I will always love you no matter what happens to us."

I smiled and blushed at his little comment. I was about to respond back with an equally cute comment, but then I saw the shadows. Tall bulky figures were walking towards us, all carrying objects I couldn't see in their hands. They were staring at us though. They were walking towards us.

"Tom, should we go?" He didn't seem to care about the approaching figures. He was kissing me slowly on the cheeks and the side of my neck. I wouldn't have cared, if it hadn't been for the threatening looking guys walking towards us. Were they gonna hurt us? They wouldn't, would they?

"Tom?" I asked a little more panicked. They we're getting closer. They weren't even a foot away from Tom. I could see the main guy in the front grinning widely at us. This is bad.

"Till death tears us apart," he whispered.

They tore him out of my arms before I could even react. None of them went after me, they only focused on Tom. He screamed as they drug him by the hair into the dark, the shadows seeming to wrap around his body and pull him deeper into it. I couldn't do anything. I was frozen in my spot, forced to watch them through my tears as they threw my husband into the shadows. Why did they take him? Why not me? I did everything. I'm choosing to fight Botan, I'm resisting against him, I have all of the god quintessence.

Why did they take Tom?
~~~~~
I really didn't wanna post this chapter cuz I don't like it, but I haven't posted anything in like three days so...

I don't think I put enough details and that kinda bugs me. I like describing things and feelings and emotions when I'm writing, but I think the day I wrote this I was sick or something and that's why it's so rushed. Sorry guys :(

I think I should also explain why the whole writing schedules been kinda off for the past week or so. I'm trying to write like five books at once, and two of them are Syndisparkles ones so...hehe. Anyway, it's been hard to update when I'm trying to write other things too. Hope y'all understand :3

If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave me a favorite or a comment! I appreciate it <3 thanks!

- Lee