Actor hummed, tapping his fingers on the table, "Do you think they'll come soon? I'm getting tired of waiting for her."

Through the mirror, Dark scoffed, "You won't get her to do what you want. You don't know a damn thing about her"

"Oh really?" he snickered, "You think so?" he motioned to Jackie's corpse laying on the bed, "She knows where I am. She knows I have this one and her guilt will bring her here."

"She won't. She knows you're just manipulating her! Anti knows it, too"

"You've been talking a lot about that ignorant glitch lately. Boasting about him. Even though he wasn't even a match for me OR you."

"That's not why I trust him" Dark looked away, "But why would I tell you that?"

Actor rolled his eyes, "Doesn't matter. She'll come! I know she will" he tapped his foot impatiently, "Perhaps she just needs one more good push"

Dark didn't like where Actor's mind was going. He could only just hope Mia and Anti had a plan this time before just fighting this monster.

'I can't help them. I can't help any of them. How the hell did I end up in this situation . . . this is all my fault'

He couldn't even contact any of the other Ipliers but by what Actor had said, they had lost trust in him. Even they had seen past his manipulations and illusions.

Not that it did any good.

'Come on, Mia .. . . You're our only hope. There's more he's after than just killing Celine himself. You've come so far, Mia . . . don't let your anger get the better of you this round coming'

Suddenly without a word, Actor left the cabin, leaving Dark alone . . . . sort of.

"Yeah, he better run" his new companion peeked from behind him at the mirror with a growl, "He doesn't know how lucky he is I'm not free from this . . this hell prison!"

Dark turned, making Jackie back off, "It's just the void. He controls it now which makes things eerie. Not that you can do anything against him, you know. Not without Mia's abilities."

Jackie snorted and crossed his arms, "Oh yeah? Put me in a ring with him without HIS powers and we'll see who's the victor"

"You're impossible"

"YOU'RE impossible." Jackie grumbled, "I mean seriously? Have you always been this mopey and depressed? So Actor locked you up in this dingy mirror! Big deal! That doesn't mean we're stuck here FOREVER"

"They might be hope for me" Dark conceded, "But I doubt . . unfortunately . . . that you'll ever leave this place. Not unless Mia wins against him, that is"

"Oh she will"

Dark sighed, "How can you be so certain? Yes, she's really our only hope but-"

"Dark . . . " Jackie stopped him, "Mia's got the Septics, Dark Chica AND Anti on her side. They have all the means to win and they will"

"You're pretty confident for someone's who's dead" Dark glanced over out the mirror like a window at Jackie's corpse on the bed. He looked like he hadn't rotted a day, the void was preserving him nicely, "I'm sorry Jackie but even if Mia wins . . . . there's no way to bring you back to life. Actor was just lying to her"

"Oh yeah? Well what about Celine, then? He's so confident she can bring HER back"

"That's because Celine is a different case . . .. she's always been more in-tune with her spiritual side which grants her more mobility. You don't. It's more complicated than that but I figured I'd give you the dumbed down version"

"Hey!"

Dark ignored him and went back to staring out the mirror.

Jackie knew Dark had lost hope. He doubted that Dark had any real belief that Mia would stand a chance against Actor. Maybe if someone ELSE died and she snapped again.

To be honest, Jackie had a little doubt, himself. Could she really master her own power enough before Actor baited her again?

'Maybe though . . .. maybe there could be a way to reach out to them first'

Mia wasn't looking forward to today. After yesterday, she didn't know if she could go through with anything today. It was just all too much.

She knew Anti was trying to tell her something. It was probably obvious but she didn't want to acknowledge it. If she did then . . . .

Wait

She felt a headache coming on.

"I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you"

'No, Jackie . . . ' she thought to herself, 'I think I always knew how you really felt but . . . I put it al on the back burner . . ignoring it. Funny enough . . I'm the one that caused YOU pain by never confronting those feelings. By never actually . . .talking to you'

Realization was crushing her. But there wasn't anything she could do about Jackie's feelings now. Too little too late.

Anti's words went through her head, too, though.

"I promised Jackie I'd look after you. He told me to look after you . . . even if you didn't want it"

Mia covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stop herself from crying. That WAS his blessing. Jackie's way of letting them both know he had come to terms with his and their emotions. His way of letting them know. . . .

Stacey's voice rapped in her mind, "Girl, you blind as all hell!"

Mia jolted up, a sudden wave of courage flowing through her making her run out of her room.

She had to find Anti right NOW.

Meanwhile, Anti was getting ready for the day.

'I hope she's okay. I shouldn't have done that last night. I put my emotions out before hers. Maybe I misunderstood what Celine was saying . . . '

He put on a shirt and rubbed his palm over his scar, 'She doesn't love me, though. Not really. She can't. . . . . no one should, really'

"I got a lot of regrets"

Something stung in Anti's heart. He remembered that final conversation with Jackie like it was just yesterday.

'Regrets. . . . regrets of what? Not telling Mia sooner? Treating me like shit even before I was even fully developed?'

'Yes'

Anti held his head and sat on his bed, biting his lip, 'I don't want to make the same regrets . . . not telling her . .. but if I do . . . .. I don't want to be like him and-'

The feeling of her lips on his cheek still haunted him.

'But . . . . Jackie and I . . .. we're not the same . . . .'

He stood up sharply, 'I should . . . . I . . . I don't want to have the regret of not telling her! Because what if she DOES-'

Without a second thought, he stomped to the door and nearly ripped it off its hinges.

Tensions high, neither of them realized they had started to run to the other at the same time and met each other in the hallway.

"Anti! I have to tell you something!"

"I have to tell you something, too, Mia"

"Anti . . . I-"

Suddenly there was screaming and shouting downstairs and all their previous actions forgotten, Anti and Mia wasted no time in rushing down to see what was happening.

"NO!"

Anti glitched the rest of the way down to attack the intruder but he was already inside the house.

The Septics were caught off guard and Dark Chica was thrown against the wall, unconscious.

Actor laughed maniacally, gripping Jameson by the throat. His aura was throwing all of them all balance and out of whack but Anti was used to this sort of feeling with his glitching and knocked the bastard away. He grabbed Jameson and one by one he grabbed everyone else and Mia last.

In a sudden bout of exhaustion, Anti fell forwards onto a blushing Mia, breathing hard, "S-sorry . . . sorry"

He tried to pick himself up but Henrik helped him.

"Uh . . . dudes" Chase looked around sort of mystified, "Where the hell are we?"

"MY realm" Anti groaned, "Dammit . . . I wasn't able to grab Dark Chica. So stupid"

"Don't worry about it, Anti" Sean pat his shoulder, "You did good"

"Yeah" Marvin looked around the static and colors in awe, "But . . . someone wanna tell me how he got past my wards? He couldn't before, right?"

"Or maybe he could" Henrik suggested, "Perhaps he was just waiting for the right opportunity. Which seems to have been just zhen. James, are you alright?"

Jameson nodded, rubbing his throat, 'I'm alright. Thought he was gonna snap my neck, though'

"Probably might have given the chance" Anti snorted, "But look . . . we won't last long here. If he can get us at the Septic house, he can get us anywhere and he's already gotten the drop on me before here. I don't think we have anymore time to prepare ourselves"

Mia nodded, "You're right . . .. . I think . . ."

Anti and the others watched her carefully and he stepped towards her, "Mia . . . can you do this?"

She looked up at him but this time, she knew something was definitely different between them. Something was stronger. Out in the open sort of.

She nodded her head up and down, "I can. . . . ." she turned to look Sean in the eyes, "I . . . . I'll protect everyone this time, Sean. I swear it"

"I know you will. But this time, we'll all be with you by your side."

Anti swallowed, "I can get us to Dark's void. Maybe he won't count on us going there right away and we can think of a more detailed plan once there"

She agreed.

This was it.

Anti was tired but Marvin with Mia's help, was able to help him recover from glitching them all there.

They'd all need to be ready.

"The cabin" Mia stared at it, astonished that it seemed to be intact again. The last time she was there, the cabin was on fire and had a huge hole in one side of the wall.

'Actor must have fixed it somehow'

Cautiously, they all walked inside to get out of the harsh bite of the cold. The fire was going and there was light but suddenly Mia felt sick.

She dropped to her knees and felt like she'd puke. The others didn't understand until they saw it too.

Chase breathed out weakly, "Oh god"

"It's him" Marvin teared up.

Henrik rushed over to the bed and felt for his pulse but shook his head.

Sean clenched his fists tight, "Guys . . . maybe we can figure this out but right now we have to . . .." he faltered a little, "We have to take down Actor first and somehow free Dark. Okay?"

Jameson leaned down to sit next to his fallen brother and took his hand in his, 'He's cold . . . . Mia . . . . maybe you could try first? Actor and Celine BOTH said that-"

He stopped signing, seeing the look in Mia's eyes.

She was crying but also . . . there was that familiar rage burning within her. It was so visible, it was like her own light. And she wasn't even glowing yet.

'I think . . . . I don't know but . . .' she glanced to Anti who didn't say anything but he didn't have to. That look in his eyes. He'd support her whatever she chose to do.

'These emotions . . . Anti . . . I think I finally . . . .' she sighed, breathing out and they all awed as her body started to glow but this time . . not out of anger.

It was beautiful and graceful. Like an angel or fairy, she glowed white, so peacefully.

Her steps were more confident and when she finally reached Jackie's side, she leaned her hand down over his face, her fingers in his hair on his forehead.

"Jackie . . . ." she whispered, "I don't know what I'm doing . . . I don't know if this'll work . . . but I hope it does. Maybe then I can finally tell you in person that I forgive you. I don't think you heard me before . . . . . . Jackie, please come back to us . . . . ." she teared up again, glowing but something was strange.

Sher certainly felt different.

And in that next instant, so did Jackie's body.

Henrik felt his pulse again and stared at them all bewildered, "I . . I do not understand . . . his pulse . . . tis back"

But something was wrong.

"He's not waking up, though" Chase stated, "What's up with that?"

Anti suddenly slapped Jackie across the face, "WAKE UP!"

"Anti!" Sean dragged him off of the bed, scolding him but the glitch wasn't listening. Mia knew that he was just scared, though. He wanted Jackie back just as much as the rest of them.

'Ting! Ting!'

"The fuck?" Marvin glanced around, "Please don't tell me that's Actor playing a weird trick on us?"

'TING! TING!' It sounded a bit more aggressive this time.

Jameson was starting at the mirror in the corner of the room with great interest and Henrik noticed, "Vhat is it, James?"

Jameson motioned to the mirror, 'I think the noise is coming from there!'

Mia took the lead and walked up to it but couldn't really believe what she was seeing, "Dark!? Is that you!?"

Her friend seemed so small and helpless in the mirror but he also looked scared . . worried for them all. He was trying to shout something to them but they could barely hear what he was saying. It was like he was on an opposite end of a large house.

'Won't work! Trapped!'

"Won't work?" Mia asked.

Dark nodded frantically and moved aside so they could see.

They all collectively gasped and Marvin nodded, "Ah! Okay, yeah. I see now. Jackie's body is alive now but Actor trapped your guy's souls in the mirror? That's bullshit"

Dark nodded and Jackie almost looked terrified to see them all.

But he heard what Mia had said and broke away from Dark, rushing to press his hands against the glass mirror on the other side, tears down his face.

Mia stuttered her breathe, "Jackie . . . we're gonna get you back, you hear me!? We're not leaving you behind! Not again! You're family, Jackie!"

Anti looked out the window and walked up to them, "Guys . . . we might want to think of something quick then because we're not the only ones here anymore. He's here"

Mia, without a second thought, just did the first thing that came into her head and smashed the mirror with her fist.

"MIA!" Marvin screeched, "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!?"

"It . . .it felt right. . . I don't know"

The door to the cabin opened and Actor was there at the doorway with a big smirk on his face, "Did it now? Well even I don't know the consequences of that action but it doesn't look to me like it paid off. . . . "

The Septics all stood in front of Mia as if to protect her and Sean took her hand like a concerned father would, shielding her from view.

Actor laughed, "It's time, Mia . . . . seems you've learned a thing or two about your power since the last time you were here . . . care to bring Celine back yet?"

This time, though, Mia wasn't going to hide behind them scared and shivering.

She snapped out of Sean's grasp and broke through them to stand in front of THEM.

"No . . . but I DO care to kick your ass and free my friends"

She lit up again, bright and glowing like a deity on fire.

Actor snickered, "Looks like someone got a handle on their emotions . . . good for you. I guess that'll just give me more fun when I kill the rest of them"

"I won't let you" she felt calm for some reason. She shouldn't feel this way but with everyone behind her, there was a confidence she didn't know she had.

"WE won't let you"

Mia stilled.

Sean, Anti, Henrik, Marvin and Chase and Jameson . . .

Even Actor seemed confused at the new voice he wasn't used to hearing in the same room as him.

He turned.

Dark had a rage in his eyes like a demon, his eyes pitch like tar and frightening.

It looks like Mia's gamble on smashing the mirror paid off.

But what about Jackie?

Oh no! Another cliffhanger! Whatever will happen!? Guess you'll just have to stay tuned 😈