Roger Rendel's Anticipated Heir

[Jack Rendel S5]

((Just for me))

The shadows were threatening to eat Bobby as he stood there, waiting for his master. The place was rather empty and dull, but Bobby knew that the place was highly significant to several others. He shifted uneasily at the very thought, waiting for Mr. Jack Rendel to hurry up with whatever it was he was doing. Sometimes, Jack let Bobby in on his fun, but those days were scarce now. Now that Jack was back for a good two months or so, he was depressed and angry, sometimes violent. A creak signified Jack's presence. Bobby looked up quickly in time to see his master. Jack's features had changed dramatically since he had been home: there were dark shadows under his eyes, the same eyes that were usually bright with light were now dull. His walk still held the normal swagger, but he wouldn't stand straight, his shoulders were slumped at weird angels. Bobby knew his master would never do such a thing to himself unless he was utterly hopeless. Sighing resignation, Bobby followed Jack out to the deserted street outside the building. Jack looked around rather quickly, his matted brown hair shaking, then, with an odd jerk, he pulled his cloak over himself and walked away, leaving Bobby to follow.

The dirty street led to a dead end, in which Jack sat down against the brick wall, his eyes closed. How could summer be so brutal to him? Was it his new found relation with Mack? Was it the thought that he had almost no chance of seeing her this summer because of their fathers? Jack sometimes wondered why family always got in the way and he had soon found a conclusion to his problem. It was because family cared about their children. The conclusion could be false in some ways, however. Jack's life had not been great. It had not been filled with wonderful memories of loving parents, but of his beatings and talking-to memories. Nothing exceptionally horrid, but still.... Jack leaned against the cold hard wall, wanting to see a friendly face come to comfort him, to make his summer worth-while. No one came to his rescue. No one ever would. The only one who could help him was himself. Mack had always told him the same thing, over and over again, but had Jack ever thought about it? No, he had never given it a chance. That was before summer vacation, and since then things had changed. Not drastically, but enough to make Jack want to go back to school, to see familiar faces, to see Mack... even Padme would be welcomed heartily. The fact that he hadn't seen his sister for a week was still fresh in his mind. Jack found that he cared very much about his little sister, and he had been wanting to see her more often. "Sir?" Jack didn't open his eyes, the voice was far to familiar so he had no need to look. Bobby must have been standing near by, probably looking rather uncomfortable. Jack didn't answer him, instead he let his mind wonder to the girl he had met a few days ago, Trinity, who had said that he was good looking.... "Sir? Shall we got going?" The hesitant voice cracked feebly. Jack opened an eye to look at Bobby. The servant slid in and out of focus, making his head hurt horribly. Peering at Bobby with one eye was not easy, especially because of the dark alley they were in. He could feel his pants becoming wet from the dampness of the lane, but Jack didn't budge.

"No." Jack said, his voice muffled by his cloak that was around him. He heard Bobby make a snort of frustration before trying again. "But, sir, your father was expecting you-" Bobby started but was interrupted by Jack."Yes, I know that full well." Jack closed his eye again, abandoning the use of it. He knew what Bobby looked like, so why look at him? "Sir, your father-" Jack made an irritable jerk that made Bobby's voice break off into muttering. Jack didn't bother to listen, it wasn't of importance anymore. "No." He told Bobby for the last time. He knew that he was taking a personal risk, but he was use to being hurt physically and mentally. It didn't bother him like it use to; his father was losing control over his son. Jack made a small noise to indicate that he wasn't going anywhere, before letting his feet slid out under him. Bobby seemed to be struggling with what was right and what was easy, but his decision was to plop down beside a very rumpled, sprawled figure that was Jack. Darkness fell, making the alley darker than ever. Bobby felt his eyelids droop, his elbow was cutting into his thigh on which it was propped, but he didn't move. Jack appeared to be asleep, but, as it got darker, Bobby knew that Jack would be in even worse shape in a few days time.

[Jack Rendel S5]

"Jack, how could you just sleep outside like some filthy homeless person, let the police find you and then expect me to forgive you!?" Roger Rendel roared at his son, who was sitting on the sofa, looking rather out of place. His clothes were dirty from sitting on the ground and he could swear that the couch was not as white as it had once looked. Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, Jack drew his knees up to his chest, looking anywhere but at his father. Roger didn't seem to like this answer, his slammed his fist down on the armchair he was sitting in. Bobby, who was standing behind Jack, grimaced. The worst was about to come, it was inevitable. For the first time, however, Bobby couldn't feel the fear radiating through Jack like it use to. No, the boy was sitting there, curled on the couch, watching his father as though he was some circus animal. Bobby knew that he was probably looking fearful, he wished to get out of the room for good. "Tea?" said Bobby, his hands clenched on the top of the sofa. Roger didn't pay the slightest attention. "I am very disappointed in you Jack." Roger said heatedly. "You have made the respected Rendel name look like dirt. Look at the state of you! What were you doing, just sitting there, sleeping in a deserted alley?" Jack sat up straighter, letting his legs fall to the floor. He could hear Bobby shift nervously on the spot, but he tried to ignore this notion. "I was... I wanted to get away." He said, not daring to look at his father. It was true, he wanted to get away from the wretched house, go somewhere he was welcome. Jack felt very out of place in the silence that followed his words. Why had Roger not exploded like he would usually do. Raising his brilliant eyes, Jack found that his father was staring at him with an odd expression. Was that caring or loathing? He didn't let his confusion betray in his eyes, but waited to see what his father would say.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Roger finally said, in a much kinder voice than ever before. He must have saw the disbelieve in Jack's eyes, for he raised an eyebrow. "Do you think I'm lying to you? I still want you to call this place home. You belong here, you need this place. The streets are no place for a boy like you. But yet, you go there. You go to a place that doesn't fit you while trying to get away from the place that does. I have realized now that physical pain doesn't seem to affect you. That means I will have to give up on that approach. I've never met someone so stubborn as yourself. You can change Jack, I can help you become the person you were meant to be." he finished strongly, his brown eyes never leaving Jack. Jack felt as though his was being sold out, like he was trying to be persuaded to continue. The thought of his father changing him was not particularly pleasant, but what else could he do? If this meant that his summer would be better... "I don't understand." he finally said, his eyes lingering on his father's face. Roger snorted but rearranged his face into what would be a fatherly sort of expression.

"I thought you would say that. Let me explain. I will train you to become the son I have always wanted. I will train you to become a better heir to follow in my footsteps. You are more like me than you realize, Jack. Yes, perhaps you don't want to admit it, but you know. We are so alike that it tortures you, but that can change. I can make you become better, I can make you become....great. You can become a true son, my true son. The one you were supposed to be. Something changed you and I'm going to resort to all measures to change you back. I can help you Jack. If only you let me." Roger finished his speech with a smile on his face, a satisfied smile in fact. That intrigued Jack the most: since when had his father smiled? Jack opened his mouth to say something but Roger held up a hand. "It's late, go to bed. Think about it. I will await for your answer tomorrow morning." and with that, Jack was dismissed.

[Jack Rendel S5]

"Honestly, what does he think about me? That I'm a puppet in his show?! I will not do this, I refuse!" Jack pummeled his pillow. "I will not be some circus animal that has to get itself approved! I will not be put on show!" The door creaked open, stopping his angry tides of misfortune. Jack's weary eyes looked up to find that Bobby was standing in the doorway looking oddly flushed. "Sir, Master wishes for you to cease your yelling, for he is trying to sleep." Bobby's eyes widened when Jack's face became distorted horribly in anger. Jack noticed this, for he laid back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling resolutely. He heard Bobby give a sigh of relief and the door closed with a snap. The alarm clock on Jack's bed reached 11, but Jack took no notice of the time. It didn't matter, considering his world was topsy-turvy all ready. Giving his pillow one last desperate punch, Jack pulled the cover up to his chin and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.

"What do you think then?" The blinds had opened and was letting the sun pour into the room, making Jack's eyes open. He was disoriented, but he knew that lean figure that was standing at the edge of his bed. Closing his eyes, Jack blocked out Roger Rendel from view, but that didn't stop his voice reaching his ears. He could even see the smirk developing on his lips as he looked down at him. Under the cover, Jack's fists clenched into balls. His father didn't seem to notice, so he just sat there, oblivious to the rolling contempt coming off of his son. When Jack opened his eyes again to face his fear, the sun no longer seemed very bright. It was as if it was dimmed, dying. Just like Jack, from the inside. "What do you mean?" Jack asked, deciding to play stupid at the moment. What other choices did he have? His answer was most definitely no. He wouldn't let his father baby-sit him. But, even now, Jack knew that his opinion didn't matter. That Roger would teach him what he wanted, even if he had to drag Jack screaming and kicking. The young boy bit his lip and was irritated when it started bleeding. He wiped it on his shirt, ignoring Roger's grimace which then turned into a sneer. "Now, Jack. Don't do this. I already now that you act rashly around others, but don't act stupid around me." Roger sat down at the end of Jack's bed, not noticing that Jack had his eyes closed and was trying to block out everything. "I have realized over the past few years that you have become even more like myself. You see, that made my heart swell with pride," Yeah, right, like I could ever make you proud, Jack was itching to say, but he didn't dare. "But, much to my disgust, you were abusing this. This natural talent to be like your mentor. I must put an end to this." With that, Jack felt the bed wail as Roger stood up and walked out of the room. Jack didn't open his eyes, but he was a little disturbed that the door hadn't closed yet. Opening one eye reproachfully, he saw that Roger had paused at the door. "Come down in one hour fully dressed and ready to cooperate." Roger said and then the door closed with a loud thud, or maybe, the door hadn't really made a noise, just Jack's heart.