Stockholm Syndrome

Chapter Twenty Six- Hello, darkness.

**Jack's POV**
Anti appeared inside my head. Our head. He stumbled across the darkness, body hunched over, eyes tired. He was drained, just as I was. He took another step forward, and collapsed. I ran over to him, and dropped to my knees, catching him before his head slammed into the ground. I rested his head on my lap, brushing the green fringe out of his eyes. He looked up at me, green pupil small. Fading.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I couldn't let you die."

"Anti, you did the right thing. Thank you for everything you have done."

"I did not serve my purpose," Anti whispered sadly.

"Yes you did. You made me strong, Anti. You showed me that there is still light in the darkness. I just have to fight for it."

"You have to take control, Jack."

"Okay."

"You have to let me go."

He stared at me with sad eyes. After a moment, I realized why he didn't want to exist inside me any longer. He would see me living, happily, and want that for himself. He would take control, and he didn't want that for me. No matter how dark he was, he only wanted what was best for me. For Mark.

"Thank you, Anti."

"Thank you, Sean," Anti whispered, and closed his eyes.

The darkness around me shifted, bending into fog that faded lighter and lighter. Anti faded in my arms, until all that remained was the blinding white light of my mind. Something inside me felt cold. Absent. But also, I felt more alive than ever.

I blinked, and sat up, rubbing the tiredness from my eyes. I could feel a cool hand on my back, and someone talking, but everything was mumbled and blurred, as my senses slowly refocused. I looked to my right, into the eyes of darkness. The eyes that once terrified me, now seemed strangely normal. Dark tilted his head, curious. Thinking.

"Hello, darkness," I whispered.

Dark chuckled, a small smile on his lips. "Hello, Sean."

I smiled, surprised by his gentle reaction. I had expected him to clamp his hand around my throat and beat me for releasing my inner demons out on him. Instead, he gave me a sad look and stood up. He groaned, and buckled down to a kneel, holding his bloody side. I shifted, so I sat on my knees in front of him, running my hands over his injury. He shuddered under my touch, grabbing my wrists gently.

"Jack-"

"I won't hurt you."

"But I'm afraid I'll hurt you. Just let it be."

"I need to stitch it up. Remember, you aren't the only one bleeding out, here," I said, referring to the beautiful man in his head.

Dark huffed, but smiled. I wrapped my arm around his waist gently, and he draped a strong arm over my shoulders, allowing me to help him on his feet. He groaned, resting his head in the nook of my neck. My cheeks warmed, but I brushed the feelings aside, helping Dark walk up the cellar steps.

We made it to my bedroom, where I laid Dark down on the bed. I ran off upstairs to grab the surgical suture packets from the first aid kit. He had used the ones from the first aid kit down in the cellar all on me.

"Dark, this will hurt," I said, opening up one of the packets.

"I know," he sighed, staring deep into my eyes.

I pressed the needle into his skin, and he immediately began to growl. "Dark."

"I'm sorry," he said through gritted teeth, as I laced the needle through his skin.

After a few more painful minutes, I dropped to my knees, rubbing my bruising wrists. With each new pierce through his skin, Dark would grab my wrists and squeeze them hard. He then would apologize immediately afterwards. He stared at me from the bed, a layer of sweat on his forehead.

"All better?" I joked.

He broke into a smile, and sighed, "Yes. All better."

He reached his hand out, brushing my cheek gently. His eyes were sad. Distant. He looked down at the floor, then up into my eyes. Even though they were all black, I could see Mark in the marbly sadness of his eyes. It pained me knowing Mark was still fighting the darkness, and I had let mine go. Although, his fight with the dark had been going on for... I had no idea.

"Is he gone?"

"What?" I asked, snapping out of my thoughts.

"Is Anti gone? Forever?"

"Yes," I answered quietly.

"He was strong. Brave. Someone that I am not. It's because he had you."

I blushed, and looked away. "You have Mark."

"What Mark and I share is not strength. It is hatred. Our hatred for each other is strong enough to keep us both alive," Dark said, in a tone of disappointment.

"So he's still in there?"

"He will always still be in here. He'll never give up fighting."

"Will you? Give up fighting?" I asked, looking longingly into his eyes.

I could feel tears welling in my eyes. I missed the warmth of Mark's arms around me. His earthy smell. His bright smile, and deep laughter. I missed the way he would look at me. I missed seeing his dark brown eyes steal glances at me from across the room. I missed the way I felt when he kissed me. The butterflies in my stomach. I wanted him so badly. I needed him.

"Maybe."