Chapter Text
As his eyes fluttered open Jack took a couple the moments to let the sleep drain from his mind. Looking over at his alarm clock, he quickly reached over and switched it off. 3:59 AM, as usual. As the young man stood up out of bed and started stretching, he thought to himself. "Old habits die hard I guess. Still, I wonder if I'll ever actually need that thing? I mean it's been almost four years and I don't think that alarm's gone off once."
Putting these thoughts aside he walked over and unhooked his phone from the charger on his dresser. A moment later he had a timer set for an hour, when his mom would get up. After that, he went back to his bed and spent a few minutes checking on the contents he had stored underneath. Satisfied, Jack put everything back in its place. Used to be a simple look over like that wouldn't suffice at all but some things have started to slip with time, despite his stubborn internal clock. Jack spent the hour doing a quick sweep of his room to make sure that everything was in its place, then did a regiment of simple exercises until the timer went off.
Silencing his phone, he went to the closet and threw on a pair of shorts and a shirt before heading out his door to the kitchen. After turning the coffee pot on, he got out a few pans and started making the usual breakfast fair. Scrambled eggs, bacon, a couple of small steaks and some hash browns.
While cooking Jack couldn't help but chuckled to himself as he remembered a few years ago when his mom got on a fitness Kik. She had wanted to start making low calorie, low-fat healthier meals for both of them. They had gone back and forth on the subject for days until Jack had sat down, written out the math and shown her that his body just wouldn't run on "health food". His good humor quickly turned sour however, when he remembered his mother's retort. "But this diet should be fine for a boy your age."
What followed after could only be described as a painfully awkward silence, as both of their minds registered what his mother had said and both where at a complete loss for what to say or do next. Just like that, an issue that had been there for months was suddenly and unexpectedly brought front and center. As simple and mundane as it would seem, a casual discussion about dietary choices had painfully cut through the illusion of normalcy the small family had entertained.
The sound of steps coming down the hallway derailed his thoughts as he greeted his mother without taking his eyes off the food. "Morning mom."
"Good morning, sweetie." June Darby replied through a yawn.
"Coffee should be about done and I'll have the table set in a minute."
"Thank you Jack." June said with a smile in her voice as she made her way to the coffee. As she began to pour herself a cup, she commented jokingly "I swear, it's like mother's day every day with you isn't it? Are you ever gonna let me do anything around here?"
Jack chuckled while he put the food on the table, "Can't help it, I'm naturally responsible. That, and I get bored easily. And besides, is there a law somewhere that says that I can't take care of my mom?"
June just smirked and shook her head while she took a seat with her coffee at the kitchen table. "First of all, High school and a job isn't enough for you? And second, there is a law against it when your poor mother starts putting on pounds she doesn't need." she said with a fake pout.
Jack rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Right and I'm sure your nice relaxing dull completely inactive job in an emergency room does absolutely nothing to help you with all the calories."
After that, conversation lulled as both of them were digging into their breakfast. As usual, Jack finished eating much faster than his mother and got up to get himself a glass of orange juice.
Seeing where her son was going, June commented between bites, "I still don't know how you can just eat all that food and not drink anything.".
Jack shrugged while pulling the juice carton out of the fridge and replied with a bit of humor in his tone. "Sitdown meals are still kinda new to me I guess, not use to getting my food and drink all at once."
While Jack was getting a glass from the cabinet he almost didn't hear his mother's tone change as she sighed. Jack mentally kicked himself. Wow, nice going Jack! Better change the subject before this conversation goes downhill.
After filling the glass, he returned the carton to the fridge while saying, "Hey mom, what's up with the weird shift today? I thought you went to the hospital before I got back from work.".
"Usually but I'm covering for Sam today." June replied, as she continued eating albeit much slower then she had been before Jack had accidentally opened a particular can of worms.
Seeing his chance, Jack sat back down at the table with his orange juice and did his best to keep the conversation going. "Really, what's going on with her?"
June shrugged and continued with a bit more energy, much to her son's relief. "I didn't understand everything she said when she asked me to take her shift but apparently she's stranded at a bachelorette party on the other side of the country. Something about hangovers, broken alarm clocks and stoned taxi drivers. And now she can't get another flight back until this afternoon."
Jack almost choked on his orange juice and struggled to contain a coughing fit. "Wow um, okay. That's a new one." He said once he could speak again.
"Ya, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised." June said with an edge to her voice.
Jack raised his eyebrow. "Mom? What's wrong, are you that mad at Sam? I thought you two did favors for each other all the time."
June let out a slow huff. "It's not Sam, it's just, I'm always spending so much time at the hospital and with your job and school I don't hardly get to see you. And on top of that, some days it feels like you've always been here and nothing happened. Other days, it's like I just got you back yesterday."
Jack inwardly cringed. Well crap, so much for changing the subject. Shouldn't have made that comment about sitdown meals.
"Mom relax, it's just one extra shift." Jack tried to reassure his mother.
June cut him off. "I know but I just wish that we could be bonding and making up for lost time together instead of running around each other all day."
Jack smiled and said. "Calm down mom it's like I said, it's just one extra shift. Then if something crazy doesn't happen, we'll have all weekend to do whatever we want. And we'll keep making up for lost time, just like we've been doing for four years now. One extra shift isn't going to be the end of the world. Okay?"
Taking a moment to collect herself, June took a deep breath and lightly chuckled. "Remind me again, which one of us is supposed to be the parent? I'm sorry its just that I had that damned dream again last night. I have to watch you being taken away again, then I'll see you in a jungle or desert somewhere beaten bloody and alone."
His mom sounded like she was close to tears. So Jack jumped in as quickly as he could with a bit of humor. "Okay first off, I don't think I was ever alone. And second, would it be too cliche to say you should have seen the other guys?"
Despite herself, June couldn't keep from busting out laughing. "Oh jeez, thanks Jack. I really needed that."
Jack smiled as he got up from the table. "I could tell. Now sorry but I have to finish getting ready for school and you have to get to work."
"Yes dad." June replied sarcastically as she downed the rest of her coffee.
Jack just rolled his eyes good naturedly as he made his way out of the kitchen. "Oh and leave the dishes, I'll clean up on my way out."
"Jackson Darby! Are you ever going to let me do anything around here?" June cried in fake desperation.
"Not today mom!" Jack called back laughingly.
Jack chuckled to himself the whole way to his bathroom. He made quick work of the rest of his morning routine, turning the shower on to warm up, brushing his teeth, emptying his bladder and stripping the rest of his clothes off. Before he stepped into the shower he took a look at himself in the full length mirror on the wall. He saw the usual patchwork of scar tissue, that if he was being honest probably made up almost a solid one percent of his body weight, over extremely overdeveloped muscles for someone his size and age that would put the best soldiers and athletes on Earth to shame. He also caught sight of the familiar tattoo on his shoulder. A blood red shield with a Tanto knife and a Kay-Bar crossed over it, with a steel grey fractured skull missing it's jaw sitting on the top center of the symbol.
Nope, never alone. Jack thought to himself as he was reminded of his childhood friend. And he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever see her again, now that they had been separated by the world's largest ocean for four years.
Wanting to get his mind on something less depressing, Jack thought ahead to the rest of the day as he stepped into the shower. Hopefully just another boring day of school and work. And if nothing crazy happens, then he and his mom would have plenty of bonding time. And if he keeps this up long enough, hopefully he'll learn how to be a normal sixteen year old.