Message In A Bottle ↬Markson

Chapter 19

"What do you mean he isn't here?" Mark asks astonished.

"I'm so sorry loves, but he isn't here. He didn't board the plane." The old lady at the information point says.

Jackson's heartbeat races, he feels it beating in his chest heavily. His eyes become red, tears piling up in his eyes, slowly they are spilling. Some across his cheeks, dripping to the ground once they reach the end of his chin. Some rolling all the way down at his neck to be absorbed by his clothing. Mark pulls him in, hugging him tightly, his hand laying on Jackson's head supporting it, his arms wrapped around his precious boyfriend. His heart aches seeing Jackson like this. Jackson clutches his hands to Mark's sweater, breathing heavily and crying.

"Where is he Mark?" Jackson whispers. "He can't be gone right? He isn't gone right? He can't be." Jackson rambles on. Mark shushes him, swaying Jackson back and forth while still hugging him tightly. "We will find him babe, I promise."

"I don't know if that will happen Mark. This is so unlike my uncle. The always answers my calls and if he misses a call he always calls back, I can't believe it. Where is he? He can't just be gone. What happened to him? Did he get into an accident on the way to the airport? Oh my god Mark should I check my phone, maybe I can find something about an accident. May-"

"Jackson," Mark interrupts him, "baby, please, calm down. You're overthinking it right now. Your mind is in overdrive. Let's get home first okay? It's getting late. You need to rest and calm down, your health is important, okay? I will do anything to find him, okay? But let's get home first."

Jackson nods against the fabric of his sweater, not wanting to let Mark go. He can't handle the feeling of losing Mark too now, he needs to be hugged and protected from this. He needs that personal warmth from his boyfriend to feel safe. He feels violated, attacked by what just happened. He has so many worries right now, his head starts to ache from it. What the hell happened to his uncle?

"Come on baby, let's move. We're going to grab a taxi and get home." Mark says softly. It makes Jackson even cry more to hear how much his boyfriend cares right now. Everything is aching and he can't seem to stop crying. His throat is closed off, his breathing getting a little irregular, his eyes are hurting from crying, his head aches from thinking. It's all too much.

Mark notices Jackson isn't going to move at all, he is crying more than before. Mark decides to pick him up. Mark isn't that strong but he can carry Jackson for a while, atleast until they get to the taxi.

"Jump on my back babe, I will carry you." he says. Jackson obeys and walks around Mark and with a little help of Mark himself he jumps on his boyfriend's back. He buries his head in the crook of Mark's neck and puts his arms around his shoulders, still crying softly. The tears keep on falling but he isn't as noisy as he was when he just started crying. He has become silent, all numb from the pain and the aching.

Mark walks them to the parking lot and a taxi arrives just in front of him. Mark sinks down to put Jackson on the ground so they can get in. Jackson gets in first and Mark gets in after, telling the driver the address of Jackson's apartment.

They drive in silence. Or well, not completely. Jackson is cuddled into Mark's side. Mark still shushing him and rocking him back and forth as much as he can. Mark gives him a peck on his forehead or in his hair once in a while, showing he is here for Jackson.

Jackson appreciates it but can't put it in to words right now. He is too emotional and everything aches too much to even talk. He has stopped crying, his eyes burning and hurting, his throat dry and his body trembling a little. His insides just hurt, everything hurts, aches and his feelings are all over the place. The whole ride he thinks about what possibly could have happened to his uncle. He keeps his phone clutched in his hand, because what if he calls but Jackson doesn't answer. Unfortunately his phone doesn't even ring once, he keeps checking it just to be sure, but no missed calls.