Jack gawked at the dragons surrounding them from all sides. He had never seen so many in one location. Hot breath puffed over his back, making Jack jump in surprise. Behind him a large red dragon sniffed them, then snorted before saying aloud. "I expected... Someone else. He's so... small." Jack crossed his arms and Nate chuckled to himself. Paarthurnax let out a throaty chuckle with a few others. Turning to face Paarthurnax, Jack changed the subject. "Mark?! Where is he?!" Paarthurnax pointed with his wing. Laying across the snow a few feet away was a young female dragon with her wing over something. Jack rushed over, calling Mark's name. He should have been back! He pulled him through the portal! The female raised his wing, quickly shuffling away. Beside Mark's body, Jack dropped to his knees to look him over. He didn't appear to be alive. Jack touched Mark's warm cheeks, whispering desperately. "Mark...? Are you with me...?" Jack started to heal him, but nothing was happening.

Jack shook his head, mumbling out to himself. "No... Not again... Mark!" Nate moved closer, dropping down on the other side of Mark. Jack looked up at him, tears rolling down his face as he said. "I don't understand... We brought him back! Why isn't he awake?!" Nate shushed Jack calmly, placing a hand on Mark's forehead. Jack saw Nate's hand start to glow with a strange blue light and after a minute Nate told him. "I can't hear a heartbeat... His body is dead, but his soul is here... We'll have to restart the heart." Jack tensed up, asking Nate seriously. "You can feel him? What do I have to do?! Name it!" Nate drifted his hand over Mark's eyes, telling him seriously. "This won't be easy... To restart the body, we'll be awakening the wolf in his blood. Give me your hand and touch him. We're going to have to combine our efforts for this to hold the wolf. The wolf in him is quite strong though..." Jack took Nate's cold hand, placing his free hand on Mark's chest. Nate softly muttered a necromantic spell that caused some of Nate's vampiric features to show. Nate's nails grew out, his ears grew out like a bat, and his eyes turned red.

After a minute, Jack gasped to see a ghostly wolf rise from Mark's body. The wolf thrashed and snapped its jaws, trying to fight against Nate's spell. Nate's grip on his hand tightened and Nate nodded with strained effort. Jack took the hint and used a necromantic spell of his own to restart Mark's heart with a strong pulse. The ghostly wolf snarled as Mark's body jerked. Nate shook his head, still chanting to himself. Jack gritted his teeth, trying again. Sending the pulse through again, Mark's body surged, causing claws to grow from his fingers to claw into the snow aggressively. Jack felt that was a good sign, but Nate was draining a lot of his magic now to keep the ghostly wolf under control. Jack quickly checked Mark's neck for a heartbeat and his heart leapt as he blurted out. "He's alive!" Nate suddenly stopped chanting to breathlessly utter out in fear. "Oh shit..." Jack looked to Nate, briefly seeing the ghostly wolf fall back into Mark. Mark's eyes shot open to reveal his wolf eyes as a loud growl burst from him. Jack barely processed Mark's body changing rapidly. All he saw was Mark's hand rising for him, only to have Nate shoved him away with enough force to knock him a few feet away.

The dragons around the mountain grunted with both fascination and worry. While Mark completely turned and attacked Nate! Jack rose to his feet, listening to Nate scream as Mark sank his canine's into Nate's shoulder! Mark pinned Nate back into the snow, his aggressive snarls echoing over the mountain. Jack didn't want to hurt them, so he scooped up snow and threw it at Mark's wolf form. The snowball nailed Mark in the face, causing him to release Nate's shoulder. Nate stayed down, whining in agony as his shoulder bled out. Mark bared his teeth, turning slowly to face him. Jack swallowed, watching Mark's eyes dart to look at all the dragons. Jack raised his hands, coolly telling him. "Mark? It's ok. Your safe now... You're home." Mark stopped baring his teeth, letting out soft whines. Did he remember being in Sovngarde? Or did he only remember the fight with the Blades? Mark looked so confused and scared. Jack inched closer, lovingly cooing out him. "It's ok. It's over... We can go home. Mark?"

Mark's hackles lowered, his tail and ears falling. Reaching him, Jack ran a hand up Mark's furry forehead. Mark felt warm but his body trembled. Jack wrapped his arms around Mark's neck, snuggling and petting him. After a minute, Mark's body turned back with painful creaking bones that Jack did his best to heal to help make it easier. Once Mark had fully turned back, Jack fell to his knees to hug Mark tighter. Mark hugged him back, whispering to him in a strained voice. "Oh Jack... Are you ok? I had the worst nightmare..." Jack chuckled as tears rolled down his face. Tiidgein poked his head out from Jack's hood to finally look around with a tiny yawn. All around them the dragons blinked and leaned closer to see him. Which caused Tiidgein to shrink back into Jack's hood slowly with wide eyes. Mark even blinked seeing Tiidgein, asking Jack uneasily. "Jack...? It was just a nightmare... right?" Farther from them, Nate answered sourly as he approached. "No. And you aren't in Kansas either!" Mark rose to his knees, turning to ask Nate something with a confused face... But Nate punched him with his good arm.

Mark fell into the snow dazed as his nose began to drip blood. Jack shot up to his feet to yell at Nate... until he saw how hurt Nate was. Nate's shoulder was still bleeding heavily. Nate was barely able to stand upright without swaying and his left arm was hanging limply. Nate glared at him, clearly expecting a fight as he defensively told him in a soft voice. "What? He bit me and it hurt!" Jack moved closer, asking him with concern. "Nate? Why aren't you healing?" Nate pointed to the sun, answering in a wispy voice. "It's morning..." Nate's eyes rolled back, and he fell backward into the snow. Jack dropped beside him, quickly healing his wounds for him to keep him from losing more blood. Behind him, Paarthurnax told him calmly. "You sure do make some interesting friends, Mal Dovah." The other dragons shared throaty chuckles of their own. Then they stopped as Jack started to ask Paarthurnax. "Will Nate die?" Paarthurnax shook his head with a warm smile.

A gold dragon sitting by Paarthurnax answered him with a deep humorous tone. "As a vampire he can not die so easily. He can lose all his blood and still live... but he will be very hungry when he awakens. It's probably the reason that he chose to save your life." Jack bit his lip feeling guilty. If Nate hadn't pushed him away... would Mark have killed him by accident? From the ground, Nate answered sarcastically without opening his eyes or moving. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm not suicidal. I just didn't move fast enough to do two things at once. I won't do it again. I learned my lesson." Jack chuckled, patting Nate's shoulder and looking up at Mark. Mark held his bleeding nose, honestly mumbling out. "I won't hold it against him." Standing up, Jack finally moved up to Paarthurnax, chuckling out. "Sorry... It's been crazy. How are you doing?" Paarthurnax lowered his head to nuzzle Jack, purring out. "I am better now that you are back. For I was worried that you would not return..."

A white dragon with a deep female voice, asked curiously. "Is it true? Is Alduin slain?" Jack stepped back from Paarthurnax's nose, grimly admitting. "Yes. Alduin is dead." The dragons all around lifted their heads in shock. Glancing around at one another with slightly concerned looks. Paarthurnax raised his own head, announcing with the others in a thundering voice of unison. "Alduin Malaan." When both Nate and Mark gave him weird looks, Jack translated with a blush. "Alduin has fallen." Paarthurnax smirked down at him, then announced to the others in the same powerful voice. "Sahrot thur qahnaraan! Dovahkiin los ok dovahkriid." Paarthurnax paused, tilting his head with a grin to see if Jack could translate it. Jack chuckled, turning to the others to say with burning cheeks. "The mighty overlord is vanquished. The Dragonborn slew him." Paarthurnax nodded with approval, then continued on proudly. "Thu'umii Los Nahlot!" In unison all the dragon's raised their wings high and shouted with proud into the dawn of the new day. "MU LOS VOMIR!"

Jack felt goosebumps spring down his arms as he told the others with a smile. "His voice is silenced. We are free of fealty." The dragons let out roars of glee and took off into the sky to soar happily around the mountain. Jack watched a few dragons nuzzle others lovingly, before swooping around the mountain like giddy children. Jack almost wanted wings to join them in their celebration. Soon only Paarthurnax was the only dragon still on the mountain. Jack looked at him with soft eyes, letting Paarthurnax tell him a bit saddened. "So, it is done. Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more. He who came before all others... and has always been." Jack moved closer to him, asking him with a heavy heart. "You don't sound very happy about it..." Paarthurnax crawled down carefully from the word wall to lay down in the snow around Jack. Curling up like his belly hurt, Paarthurnax admitted sadly. "No, I am not happy. Zeymahi Lost Ont Du'ul Bormahu. Alduin... My brother was once the crown of our father Akatosh's creations. I cannot celebrate his fall... Zu'u tiiraaz ahst ok mah. He was my brother once. For me, this world will never be the same without him."

Jack moved closer to hug Paarthurnax, sniffling out. "I'm so sorry, Paarthurnax... If I had any other choice..." Paarthurnax turned his head to hug Jack to him, purring out in a loving voice. "Ah, Mal Dovah... Alduin Wahlaan Daanii. His doom was written when he claimed for himself the lordship that properly belongs to Bormahu – Our Father Akatosh. You have won a mighty victory. Sahrot Krongrah – One that will echo through all the ages of this world for those who have eyes to see it. Savor your triumph, Dovahkiin. This is not the last of what you will write upon the currents of time. Because of you, this world will continue to exist. Grik Los Lein. And, as you told me once... The next world will have to take care of itself. Ful Nii Los. Even I cannot see past times ending." Jack hugged Paarthurnax tighter, sniffling out. "Will you be ok?" Paarthurnax lifted his head to look at Jack with one bright blue eye, answering in a soft voice. "So Los Mid Fahdon. Melancholy is an easy trap for a Dovah to fall into. Only time will heal my loss." Jack kissed Paarthurnax's nose, staying close to him.

Paarthurnax purred for a bit, then told him more collected. "Don't worry, Mal Dovah. As the Eldest Dovah... I must live to pass my knowledge on. Many of the Dovahhe are now scattered across Keizaal. Without Alduin's lordship, they may yet bow to the vahzen... The rightness of my Thu'um." Jack stepped back, asking a little worried. "Will I ever see you again?" Paarthurnax nodded, chuckling out sweetly. "Certainly, Mal Dovah. You have given me hope for a new future. While you celebrate your victory. I must seek the Dovahhe. My ways will take time... but willing or no, they will hear it. Then... just maybe... We can bring the Dovahhe and the Jul together once again in a new world." From the sky, a dragon hovered close to say. "Paarthurnax! Come! We must shout this news to the far reaches of Keizaal! You must join us!" Jack stepped away to let Paarthurnax straighten up and reply. "I shall. Just one moment." The dragon soared away, and Jack shuffled his feet. He didn't want to say goodbye to Paarthurnax.

Paarthurnax lowered his nose to Jack, purring out lovingly. "Thank you, Mal Dovah. I am so proud of you and your courage." Jack began to cry, causing Paarthurnax to coo out sweetly. "Don't cry. I will be back before this year has ended. When I return... I will be here. Waiting to tell you all about MY adventures." Jack petted Paarthurnax's nose, sniffling out. "You better be. I still have so much to tell you. Please be safe and call for me if you need me." Paarthurnax purred loudly, nuzzling him before saying warmly. "I shall. Wing beneath your wings, Mal Dovah. Stay safe and raise the little one well." Tiidgein popped up with wide eyes at the mention of him. Sniffing Paarthurnax's nose timidly, before Paarthurnax pulled away. Spreading his wings, Jack watched how they glittered like fresh fallen snow. Paarthurnax hopped up onto the word wall like cat, then stared out at the dawn with an excited and longing look. Glancing back, Paarthurnax grinned as brightly as the dawn and told him giddily. "I feel younger than I have in many an age! Fare thee well, Mal Dovah!" Jack chuckled, tears still falling as he watched Paarthurnax roar and launch off into the sky. For the first time, he saw Paarthurnax fly out toward the horizon and his heart went with him.

Jack hugged himself, until Mark moved close enough for him to hug him instead. Mark rubbed his back, soothingly telling him. "He'll be back. He just wants to stretch his wings. The dragons soaring around all changed course to follow Paarthurnax... but one landed. Jack jerked his head up as the ground shook. He recognized this dragon. Odahviing. Mark tightened his grip, but Jack pulled away to greet the dragon. Odahviing nodded to him, casually stating out. "Pruzah Wundunne Wah Wuth Gein. I wish the old one luck in his... quest. But I doubt many will wish to exchange Alduin's lordship for the tyranny of Paarthurnax's 'Way Of The Voice'. As for myself, you've proven your mastery twice over. Thuri, Dovahkiin. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um. Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can." Jack acknowledged Odahviing's words with a bow of respect, telling him with an open heart. "People doubted me and my ways too. Sometimes... You've just got to give them your best try. This will be a learning process for all of us." Odahviing nodded with a small smile, answering lightly before he took to the skies. "Only time will tell. Fare well, Dovahkiin."

With the dragons gone, the silence felt weird. For the first time in months, Jack didn't know what to do. Turning to Mark, he asked him uncertainty. "So... What do we do now?" Mark laughed, pulling Jack into a warm hug. Meanwhile, Nate stretched and chuckled out. "Fancy a drink at the local tavern?" With a shared laugh, they ventured down the mountain together. In High Hrothgar, they were bombard with questions by Arngeir and touched by other Greybeards seeking their praise. Klipper by far was the most excited to see them. Bursting into tears, Klipper hugged Mark's leg and uttered words no one understood through his emotional voice. By the time they gathered Tim, Jack and Nate winced. Both Agro and Walter were in Whiterun. Which meant a long walk home. For the next few months, all anyone could talk about was the dragonborn. Rumors of him being the next Emperor, then started to rise next. However, Jack refused to be yanked into another political war. No matter how many summons he got, Jack tossed them aside. He wasn't interested in being the next emperor right now.

Within a year, everything just fell into place. Mark had kept true to his word. Building him a manor by a huge lake in the dense forest of Falkreath. Place that was peaceful and beautiful. Mark took up his trade of a blacksmith again, selling his wares in the nearby town, but keeping his Lycanthropy a secret. Nate had stuck around to help them build the house and soon became the new right hand to the Archmage. Allowing him to bring his entertaining magic to the halls of the College up in Winterhold. Nate spent most of his time at the College settling issues on Jack's behalf, but today he was visiting. Leaning on the rail to their porch, Jack watched Mark chase their two adopted children around the yard. Three boys and a little girl. The boys practiced fighting with wooden swords against Mark, while their little girl practiced fireballs against Tiidgein. Tiidgein had grown fast. Reaching the size of the horses in just a years' time. While watching them, Nate asked him curiously. "Well, is this everything you dreamed it would be?"

Jack smiled, glancing at the lake to see Paarthurnax swimming to clean his scales. Nodding to Nate, he told him happily. "No. It's better. For the first time... I actually feel relaxed." Nate chuckled, watching Tiidgein tackle Mark to the dirt. Jack then nudged Nate's arm, asking him with concern. "Do you really have to leave? I thought you were doing great at the collage?" Nate hefted a sigh, telling him nicely. "I am. I love it... but I have to finish something. My quest isn't over. I was sent a warning at the College..." Jack stiffened up, asking scarcely. "What kind of warning?" Nate shook his head, chuckling out. "Don't worry. No one got hurt. It was a private matter. But it reminded me that I... I have to go for a bit." Jack shrugged, openly saying. "Fill me in and we can help." Nate shook his head, gesturing to everyone and saying discreetly. "No, Jack. You earned this. Enjoy it. Trust me. I... I can handle it." Nate patted Jack's shoulder, telling him sweetly. "Tell you what though. If I need you, I'll drop by." Jack patted Nate's back, wishing him luck. Nate said goodbye to the rest of them, then swung up on Walter and rode off.

As the sun went down, Jack called out to the others. "Barry! Tim! Grayson! Sam! Time to come inside!" The kids groaned until Mark chased them, yelling about wolves coming out at night. Jack rolled his eyes. Wolves were the least of their problems. Paarthurnax took Tiidgein on his nightly hunt, leaving Jack to stand on the porch to look at the bright stars. The sounds of crickets and the rustling leaves were so soothing to him. Even the chill of the night felt good on his skin. A goblet of wine moved in front of him as Mark purred into his ear from behind him. "Klipper is getting the kids to bed... What do you wanna do now?" Jack took the wine, blushing out. "I don't know... Doesn't your pack in Whiterun want you?" Mark looked up at the rising moon, before kissing Jack's neck through a playful growl. "The night is young... and my mate comes first." Jack leaned back into Mark's warm embrace, moaning softly as he drank the warm wine. Then setting the cup down on the railing, Jack glanced at the lake and chuckled out devilishly. "Wanna go for a swim? Paarthurnax told me the water is warm."

Mark nipped Jack's earlobe, playfully growling out. "I'll give you a head start." Jack dashed away from Mark, running down the steps toward the lake. Reaching the lake, Jack quickly stripped himself down, then yelped as Mark slammed into him. Tackling him into the water, Jack wrapped his arms and legs around Mark's naked body. Mark had become quite the runner over the last few months. Surfacing, Jack kissed Mark passionately before prying his lips away to ask softly. "Mark? Are you happy living like this... with me?" Mark hugged Jack's hips closer, telling him in a deep buttery voice. "There is no where else that I would rather be. I love you, Jack." Jack grinned, leaning in to passionately kiss him once again. Jack never imagined that his life would turn out like this... but he didn't want to have it any other way. The End?