A Change of Heart or Mind?

[Jack Rendel S5]

((This is closed to all others. It's just for Jack and possibly Padme. Not sure yet...))

The letter came at exactly noon. It was long and neat which made Jack think it was one of Rogers' partners. He ignored it, only opening the window so the owl could fly in. As it swooped past him, Jack realized it as Cleigg, Padme's owl. He scrambled away from the window and went after the owl, who wasn't stopping for some reason. Usually owls stop at the people the letters to....Jack chased after it, knocking over several chairs and a lamp in the process. He heard Roger shriek from the stairs above; the direction the owl was going. Jack outstretched his arms and tried to snatch it but it managed to evade him. Knitting his eyebrows together angrily, Jack made another swipe and missed completely. He was about to try again when he ran into something very solid. He bounced away from it and fell to the floor on his bottom, which didn't take well to the pain. Roger loomed above him, leering.

"Hello Jack. Nice of you to drop by." he scowled before picking up the owl that had stopped at his feet.

"That's mine Father," Jack said and attempted to reach up to get the owl but Roger was too quick. He examined the letter before looking at the name of who it was for. He narrowed his eyes to slits as he ripped off the letter. He then shook his arm roughly so that the owl flew off. Jack wrinkled his nose in confusion. What was going on. "Who it from Daddy?" he asked slowly, looking at his father's face. It was sporting more confusion then Jack's even. He shook his head and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"It's for me. Unless your name is Roger Rendel. And it's from somebody named....Padme....Rendel?" Roger huffed and muttered a random curse under his breath. "She must have the wrong address. We are not related to this girl. My side has no one named Padme in it." Jack swallowed hard. Since Roger knew nothing of Padme he could only guess that she was a different Rendel with the wrong address. Jack shook his head and tried to speak but his father interrupted him. "But then...how would she know my name? There can't be two Roger Rendels. And this girl has to be a witch and there are no other Rendels in the magical world besides us." Roger's eyes widened slightly as he stopped stroking his chin and put the letter hastily in his pocket. When he saw his sons face he shook his head. "It's definitely for me." he then sauntered off to his bedroom, carefully shutting the door behind him.

Soon after, Jack received a letter of his own from Padme. He ripped it open eagerly and read it through quickly. When he was done, he read it again and again. It made no sense. What was happening? His mouth opened in horror as he realized that Padme had gone to the extreme. He scribbled a note back to her before sitting back down in the nearest chair. Rogers door remained closed. It would be a long time before Jack saw his fathers' lean figure again.

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack rapped on his father's door for the fiftieth time. I that had been five days since he had last made an appearance. Leaning foreword, he placed his ear at the crack of the door but no sounds greeted him. Jack cursed and hit the door angrily, as if he could knock it down on his own. Pain erupted from his ankles to his toes and he hobbled away from the door, cursing loudly enough so that Roger could hear. He had been hoping to draw his father out with his rude behavior but his form didn't appear at the top of the stairs. Jack sighed and flopped down in a cushioned armchair, accepting what was happening. Not that it was any good. His mind itched for something to do and the sunshine that was shining through the window looked so wonderful. The fact that he hadn't been outside for a long time sunk in. He shook his head making his hair shake around his head. Would anyone have the decency to tell him what was happening. He jumped when someone knocked on the door. Creeping silently toward the door Jack looked through the small hole. It was Jake Renew, Roger's best buddy. Opening the door with sweaty fingers, Jack looked up at the haughty face with what was fear. Jake was always the one that encouraged Roger to hurt Jack in front of company. He was in Jack's worse nightmares and even in day-dreams. The man shoved past him and looked around with disgust.

"It's a pig-sty in here. Get to work now and make it look worthy of a pureblood home." he snarled at Jack without looking at him. Jack glared back although it wasn't as bad a glare as he could send others. This man was clearly dangerous.

"It's not my fault. Father's locked himself up ever since something occurred. He won't come out and clean his share - "

"What do you think people have children for boy? You're our slaves! Now, get to work!" he screamed, shunting to the left and hitting the wall. It was clear the he had no children. It was also clear that he was drunk. He sauntered off to the directions of Roger's bedroom and knocked on the door. Jack grimaced and sat down, hugging his knees to his chest. What was happening to him? Or, should he say, his Father? It just didn't make sense. Jake seemed to agree for the next moment he heard a yell and then a huge blasting sound. Jack looked up curiously and took the chance to walk to the foot of the stairs. Roger, it seemed, had finally been awaken from his sleep. His screaming still echoed in Jack's ears as he beckoned a good-bye to a stunned Jake. Drunk or no, the man could tell when someone was not to be messed with. Jack couldn't help but satisfy himself with a smirk. He rushed upstairs, hoping to see his father but instead saw the door, shut fast once more, locked in place. Jack shook his head and put his fore-finger to his temples. Why did he have to have a head-ache now? His lips trembled slightly as he walked slowly up the stairs and into his room. It wasn't right. Jack wanted a complete explanation. Instead, he got silence. Mack helped some in her letters but it still didn't quench his thirst. He was determined to get into that bedroom and see what he was doing in there. Sometime soon, he would risk it.

[Jack Rendel S5]

Jack woke up earlier then he would have liked to the next morning. For a moment, all he could remember was the last thing he remembered before dropping off to sleep. He had dropped off the groceries they had needed before collapsing on the couch and falling asleep. Jack rubbed his eyes. The sun had awaken him, apparently, for it shined through the tainted glass windows, landing on his once closed eyes. He blinked and curled up again - after shutting the blinds - and attempted to get some sleep. It was short-lived, however. A thudding on the stairs made Jack jump and straighten up, blinking and listening hard. Who was in the house? Another thump on the stairs and he was up and inching toward the stairway, his hand reaching for his wand in his pocket.... The sight that meet Jack as he peered around the corner made him gasp and back away into the wall. A man, skinny and raving mad, stood on the stairs, leaning against the wall and breathing heavy. It had been month, since Roger locked himself up and it showed. His once combed hair was matted down, greasy and messy. His brown eyes, much like Padme's, showed no resemblance to the once strong, well influenced man. They were blank, no emotions, nothing. He looked stark mad, his breathing so heavy it seemed like he had been running five miles straight. He collapsed on the stairs, trembling and saying things Jack couldn't catch. The young boy bit his lower lip and watched his father before rushing foreword to help him down the stairs. The main was helpless and that was something Jack didn't intend to watch. Roger was like a small child - light and heavy. Jack walked him into the room and sat him down on the stool. He watched anxiously for a moment as Rogers' head shifted to the side and came to rest on the counter. Jack glanced at him before turning and getting the an apple out. Green apples were on of Father's favorites. Handing it to him, he frowned when Roger made no movement to take it. His gibberish became clearer. Clear enough for Jack to catch, "Tessa" and "all the wrongs." He sighed and lifted Roger's hand, which didn't resist. He put it over the apple and suddenly the hand strengthened, Roger quieted and looked up, a new look in his dead eyes. The apple was devoured in a minute, so quick that Jack could barely see. Roger was then looking around for more, Jack's signal to go get something. He knew that Father must not be strong enough to walk around himself so for now, he would feed Roger.

Apples were gone in the next five minutes. He then began on the cereal, which was also gone. Roger Rendel ate like he'd never eaten before. The food he could manage to jam into his mouth was incredible. It was raving for food. It was almost as if the only thought in his mind was to chew. He did nothing else except reach, bite, chew, swallow. It made Jack dizzy and nauseous just watching him. The man was down right disgusting and yet, in Jack's heart, he felt pity. Some would say that he had a heart of marshmallow but Roger did have some things that Jack was thankful for. He had taken him in, cared for him.... or at least given him a home. Jack remembered the softer Roger, the one that remained home when he could have gone to the bar with his wild friends. The Roger who had taken Jack out for a rare ice-cream bar or the Roger who had laughed when Jack would ask some question about why sticks of wood were powerful. There was also the Roger that would scream hysterically when he was too drunk to know right from wrong; the Roger who hit Jack and laughed heartily while doing it; the Roger who had lost control and had kicked out his wife. This Roger, however, was new to Jack and it scared him. It scared him so bad he was afraid to go too close to him. Even the angry Roger wasn't like this. Jack wasn't sure why his Father had lost control but he was keen to stay out of arms length. Father didn't seem to notice, instead he continued to shovel down the food as though it was light snack. Jack took a deep breath and walked over to the cabinets. He opened one which he found was....empty. He gazed around, felt the corners, but no droppings of food could be found. He reached for the lower cabinet but nothing. He searched them all, thoroughly, until finally giving in to the fact that there was nothing left for him to eat. Sighing, he listened as he stomach growled for the food that wasn't their. He hadn't even had his breakfast and by now, it was nearing lunch. He edged toward Roger, skirting him and sitting down three stools away from him. The stench clogged Jack's nose and made his dinner come up. He swallowed and kept his disgusting thoughts away from the disgusting creature in front of him. He cleared his throat and Roger turned slowly on the spot to survey him. He had to narrow his eyes to see properly but once he found out who it was, he glared. Jack ignored it and gave him a hesitant smile that Father didn't return. He gave something, but it looked more like a sneer then anything else.

"How did you survive?" Jack asked finally. He had been wondering it for some time now. He had even found himself hoping that Roger had locked himself in, starving himself, killing himself ultimately. He knew it was a sin to think such a thing but if Roger had kicked the bucket, Jack would be with his Mother and Padme, who needed his help direly. After all, Roger didn't look like he was in a state to help. Father looked at him in a new light, his eyes blank once more.

"Candy bars." he admitted. Jack coughed and when Roger said nothing more, he raised an eyebrow.

"Pardon?"

"I said that I survived off candy bars."

"Candy bars?" Jack found this all hard to believe. It was so...un-Roger-ish.

"Yes. Well, not really candy bars. Just those fruit bars that I eat. I found some in my closet while I looked for...stuff." his eyes were nearly popping out of his head as he neared the part about the 'stuff.' Jack knew better then to think of it as just random stuff. Roger had been looking at stuff up in the closet. What it was though, Jack didn't know, but he had a certain thirst to find out. Roger shook his head. "Where's the food? Give me more." he demanded like a young child. Jack would have chuckled if he had been in a different situation.

"There's no more. It's all gone. I got groceries last night. Not a lot though. Just enough for me because...I..." he sighed and Roger gave no desire for him to finish the statement. Instead he rose and knocked over the chair in the process. Cursing, he picked it back up and lumbered off to the stairs. Jack hurried after him weary of a collapse. It happened sooner then he expected. Roger came tumbling down, snoring loudly and his face screwed up in pain. Jack grabbed him under the arms and dragged him through the other room and another until they reached the long couch he had slept on last night. Once Father was sleeping contentedly on the couch, Jack rushed upstairs to fetch him a pillow. On the way back down, he paused at Roger's door. It was dark and for once silent. Jack had walked by and heard the crumpling of paper but now it probably lay on his desk. Just waiting for someone to read it....All the secrets and why Roger had locked himself in his room.....What he had been looking at this whole time......

[Jack Rendel S5]

The pillow lay forgotten on the floor as Jack looked at all the things laid out on Roger's messy bed. It seemed like five letters, not one. All of them crinkled and folded. Some seemed so old that they had cracks in them. Jack hesitated for a moment. Was he doing the right thing? What if Father woke up and found him in his room? He shuddered at the thought but couldn't kill his curiosity. His hand reached out and touched the paper, bringing it to him. It was from Tessa about....five to six years ago. He read it over quickly before grabbing up another. They all had the same things in it. A plead for help and certain threats. There was also a picture of.....So, he did know. Jack's face had lost all the blood and he looked ghastly in the dark room. He read through all the letters before looking up at the table to see if he had left any out. Instead, he found a picture of Tessa looking back at him, cheery and smiling. She was actually waving. She looked to be about eighteen. Jack gazed at it with wide eyes; it must have been the only picture to survive from Father's wrath. He picked it up slowly and looked at the eyes he had inherited and and hair. He smiled briefly before laying it back on the counter. He then grabbed up the photo and one letter before hurrying out of the room. Roger was still asleep, thank goodness. Jack grabbed a quill, ink bottle and parchment quickly before sitting down and focusing on the letter to Mack.

[Jack Rendel S5]

"Stop that." Roger said as he massaged his temples. "My head hurts." he leaned over on the couch and buried his face in his pillow. He didn't look like Roger any more. He took on a different look that had a gentler side to it. But not a different smell. Jack had been plugging his nose for a while now but he couldn't help but let it get to his nerves. Roger still had his face in the pillow. Jack made a mental note to wash the couch when he got off it. Stepping foreword, he squeezed his hands together anxiously.

"Father?" Jack asked after clearing his throat to get attention. "Father?" Roger shifted but didn't look up. Jack thought he heard a mumbled response but the pillow made it impossible to hear anything. He didn't feel much like touching him so Jack cleared his throat again but louder. Roger looked up angrily before rolling over.

"What?"

"Don't you think you should....take a shower before you go outside? Your friends would want to see you in the height of your success." Jack added, seeing his father's face. He relaxed as Roger gave a small, tight smile. He didn't get up, however. Instead, he rolled over once again and closed his eyes like a stubborn child. Jack rolled his eyes, frustration boiling, but didn't do anything about it. He would come around. Eventually. He sighed before walking out of the room quickly, anxious to get away from the horrible stench. Once in the hallway, Jack breathed in the fresh air with happiness. How good it was to breathe like this without having to worry about the smells! He rubbed his eyes, realizing exactly how tired he was too. All this excitement and confusion had scared him so much he hadn't even noticed his growling stomach or his burning eyes. Giving in, he walked up the stair case and past Roger's room. He absolutely refused to go any closer to it. The secrets that filtered through that air was even worse then any stench Roger could procure. Jack's eyes began to droop as he reached his bedroom. It was a large one, with a king bed and much furniture. Jack collapsed in the bed, his pillow pulled over his head. One would have thought that he could get to sleep easily with all the things racing through his mind but Jack wouldn't fall into the merciful slumber for quite a while.