New Beginning

Sand storm.

Jason was not a petty man. Well... not anymore. He had been once of course when he was the villain of the story but he had been young then.

Foolish.

He was no longer part of the Royal Court. No longer so full of anger and idiocy he wanted to rule a kingdom, enslave a Princess and make a deal for power. His magic, though brimming under the surface was rarely used. He was happy to go about his time on earth without using it again.

And then Jay came.

His son... he had a son.

A son who hid his fear under fake bravado. Who only understood violence not kindness. Who was covered in scars and bruises and and...

Jason had never expected to have a son. It was a dream but never a reality. He didn't understand how people could turn into monsters to protect their young until it was his own. This boy connected to him by blood and magic. His son. Now he felt it. The overwhelming need to protect the boy. To fight tooth and nail for his survival and most of all to destroy anything that could endanger him.

His magic crackled under the surface and for the first time since entering Storybrooke he let it. Let it wash across his skin and feel the power grow within him, finally released after all this time. He had forgotten how the power of a Genie felt, always pushing it away but now he let it dance.

As the small group neared the next destination and the smell of burning flesh left them behind he could tell the children could sense his growing ire. Jay stiffened and seemed to unconsciously move closer to the children who all stepped closer together. The girls were now holding hands and he saw the purple one, Mal, glance at him quickly pulling Evie closer whilst flickering her eyes over the boys.

How long had it been that any power meant pain here?

He could sense others watching them now as they walked, leaving the fire behind them and he almost wished they would warn his counterpart. He wanted him to be ready so he could last slightly longer than the other two had. He wanted Jafar to suffer.

"So what's your plan?" Mallory asked and Jason felt a sinister grin fall into place.

"I have some ideas."

For what was better than the classics?

It turned out someone had warned Jafar and Jason saw the pathetic excuse of a man waiting for them. He looked angry, blindly angry and was holding his staff. But Jason could feel no power, no strength. Did he really expect to just hit them with that?

Jason was slightly disgusted by the man he saw. Not by his appearance though the man clearly ate more than Jay had in his life, but more by his eyes.

Jafar had the eyes of a liar.

"Welcome my friends!" He called to them as they approached and Jason felt his eyebrow twitch.

He was obviously trying to to for a warm greeting but the anger on his face was not helping there.

"Dad..." Jay's words were so quiet that only the children heard. They moved closer, ready to protect him. Ready to fight. Back on home turf where they knew every side street and shortcut like the back of their hands.

Jay was no coward. He fought dirty. Did anything and everything to survive. He was the protector of his family and would do so against any foe. He'd broke Gastons nose, stabbed Hans in the shoulder and beat the Big Bad Wolf into a coma.

But he was scared now.

Jafar stood before them and he could feel himself shaking, trembling in front of his tormentor. His hands clenched and unclenched but he could do nothing to make himself feel at ease. That god awful staff, one filled with no magic but still brought pain, was the one thing he couldnt take his eyes off.