Mistakes and Magic (Book 1)

Chapter 8 - A Dad's Worries Grow Bigger

A/N: we're going back in time a little on this one! (I've had bad writing block on this chapter so sorry for such a sudden change in ... everything.)

Chase's POV (woah)

"And that concludes this episode of Bro Average! Tune in next time when we go over the best stunts of the year and react to your submissions! Later!" I cover the camera with my hand then shut it off. My head swivels at the sound of the door opening. Two small kids come running at me and I hurriedly bend down to scoop them up before they get too close to the camera. Stacey's voice chimes from the hallway a quick "thank you" before she comes into view as well.

"Oh good, you're finished." She walks in, phone in hand. "Sorry we're early. I-"

"Be as early as you want, I've told you we don't mind."

"Right. Anyway, I've got a last minute nail appointment in like ten minutes. [Redacted] has been coughing today and {Omitted} is grounded from electronics. I know how you guys like your video games so please try to remember? Thanks." Stacey's phone rings and she puts up a finger as signal to hold on, answering the call. "Hello? ... Yes, I'll be there in about three minutes. ... Sign me in, I won't be long. ... Alright, love you too babe."

My smile falls hearing her address her boyfriend but I brighten up as she looks back to me.

"Don't want you to be late." Tears well up in my eyes and I pray she doesn't notice.

"I won't. Thanks again, Chase." Stacey turns on her heel and walks back out the door she came.

"Of course." A tear slides down my cheek and {Omitted} wipes it away with their tiny finger.

[Redacted] turns their head towards me. "Why are you crying, daddy?"

"N-no reason. Umm, Jason!" I set the kids down on the floor and place my hands on their heads, rubbing my face against my sleeve. Jason walks over, nodding his head along to the music in his headphones. "Uhh, you have kids. Could you watch mine for a moment? I've just gotta go take a leak."

"Take a leak?!" Both the kids yell out, howling with laughter, the expression amusing them. Jason smiles warmly and the kids immediately give him their hands, giggling quietly as I thank him and head out the door and rush down the hall to the bathroom, turning my phone on and checking for any important messages.

Nothing.

At all?

Usually I'd have something, whether it be social media or work related, but nothing. "Huh."

I close the stall door and lock it as I sit on the toilet to cool down a little and think some stuff over. "She wasn't supposed to be this early ... I-I was supposed to be able to record another video. Now what am I supposed or do?!" My head rests in my hands and I give a deep sigh before standing back up a minute later. "Guess I should make the most of the extra time I have."

I get to unlock the door, but as I reach for my phone on top of the toilet paper dispenser, I feel a tingly numbness take over my body and fall to my hands and knees on the floor. I hear a thunk and splash from behind me and realize my phone fell into the toilet. "Wh-" I blink my eyes closed at a blinding light.

...

Next thing I see when I open my eyes isn't the floor of the office washroom, but instead a slightly less recognizable carpeted floor; the one in a certain someone's recording room.

*skip to after Marvin and Jack leave*

"No, no, no, no! Jack?" I place a hand on his shoulder and shake him lightly as he finally slips away, Marvin taking the two of them wherever. "Jack, c'mon bro." No response. His skin chills over and I scream out in fright at the speed in which it does, tearing my hand away from him. "No, no, no. Goddammit!" I pound a fist against the floor. "MARVIN, YOU ASSHOLE!" I stand up from my crouching position and pace back and forth.

"Fuck, uh, shit! What do I do?!" I think hard about it, hoping it won't have to come down to what Marvin said. I look back down at Jack, his skin paling more by the second. "Take ... take over the body." I breathe. "HOW DO I TAKE OVER THE BODY?!" I panic, screaming out in the padded room Jack uses for his videos. I take another quick look around.

"He wouldn't happen to have a note of how to do what I need to do, right? Was this planned and I just, I dunno, forgot, or something?" Three quick steps is all it takes to reach Jack's desk. I raid it for anything that might tell me what I need to do. "If that's the case, I'm going fucking crazy. No recollection," I duck down and look under the table, "whatsoever of this."

"No, no. They've gotta be pranking me." As I go to come back up from looking under the desk, my head hits against the edge. "Ow, fuck." I rub it and sit my ass on the floor, noticing a paper taped to the bottom of the desk. My other hand reaches out to grab it as I shoo away the oncoming headache, opening it and reading the neat handwriting.

'Chase,

Hey buddy. I realize how sudden this was and that you're most probably terrified out of your mind, but I promise it'll add up to a good reason. I will be back to collect you soon.

Marvin*

P.S. he has ice packs for that headache you're likely to have :)

P.P.S. its all in your head...'

"You have got to be kidding me." I deadpan, pain in my head bursting. "What's all in my head? The situation? This fucking migraine?" I turn back around and stare at Jack, a million different thoughts running through my head. A sigh, "Jack, bro, tell me what I'm supposed to do." I flip to my hands and knees and crawl over to his cold and still, but breathing, body. I raise my hand to set against his cheek. "C'mon, buddy. I know I need to get in there, I just don't know how." I close my eyes and rest my forehead against his, the icy chill of his skin soothing my headache. "Tell me ..."

...

I jump as the sensation of something in front of me disappears, but something behind me becomes apparent. I open my eyes, Jack not being where he was anymore and me not being in front of him.

"I ... I did it?" I say surprised, looking at Jack's hands on me. "Okay, cool. How? Ah, it's all in my head," I repeat, finally clueing in. "Right, because that's so obvious." I put my hand near my butt and push myself to a standing position. The note now sits on the floor where I was previously and I grab it, crumple it, and toss it in the bin, my anger towards Marvin becoming a lot more apparent.

"He is so going to get it when I get back-"

When I get back? When am I gonna go back? I can't get back on my own! I-I left my kids there! Fuck, I hope Jason knows what he's doing but I am fucking d e a d whenever I get back.

"GODDAMMIT MARVIN."

...

"Guess I should figure out this whole Jack thing."

****

A/N: so yeah. This is more a filler chapter than anything ... but it was neat writing in Chase's point of view so yay? Still, hope you liked it :)

(To clears up any confusion, Jason is now Chase's coworker/cameraman!)