With a sigh, Willow looked at Jack's door, contemplating if 9 was too early for him, especially considering she did have a nightmare that even woke her early. Taking a bath had calmed her down, but she couldn't wait for the nightmares to stop.
He had said they had a important thing early this morning, so was he late? should she take the chance of trying to wake him? Nervously, she headed towards her own door deciding to leave him alone, cause if he's still sleeping he probably needed it and the meeting probably was yet to begin.
But then the door burst open and Jack bolted out, his eyes missing Willow down the hallway as he swiftly pulled a black t-shirt over his head, a stream of curses escaping his lips. Before she could tell after him, he disappeared around the corner. Just then, another figure emerged from Jack's room, stretching and yawning. As he scratched his bare stomach, he turned to glance in the direction Jack had gone, inadvertently revealing a birthmark on the right side of his lower back.
Ian noticed Willow standing there. With an amiable smile, he made his way over to her. "Good morning, Willow. Is everything alright? You seem a bit taken aback."
Looking dumbfounded at him she wondered if she should say what she thought or he already read it, but he acted like he hadn't, if he had, so instead she focused on something else.
"You have a tattoo?" she gestured towards the clock tattoo on his left shoulder, the same design she had noticed on the island's crest. He glanced down at it casually and then shrugged.
"Every reaper has one, it's what holds our soul in our body and show what we are," He smiled when he noticed her attempting to avoid looking directly at his fit upper body and grey sweatpants. Not to mention his gloves making her wonder if he slept with them on or something. "And Willow if you ever see this mark and it's broken, you run like you have a hellhound on your tail. Only rogue reapers have those and they are not to be trifled with." His tone was serious just like his eyes, making her nod without thinking.
So rogue reapers exist? How is that even possible she she wondered, just as Jack suddenly materialized beside them, causing her to release a startled shriek and jump back.
"Here you are! By Death, in my hurry I just assumed you where in the kitchen eating instead of actually checking where you at," he groaned looking from Willow to Ian with a raised brow and she could now clearly see that Ian was only two inches or so shorter than Jack. "What are you two doing?"
"Willow just asked into the tattoo and I told her if she sees one where the clock is broken she needs to run." Ian slid his gloved fingers through his tousled bed hair.
Jack nodded enthusiastically, but his expression was serious.
"Yeah, if you ever see one with one of those and I'm not around you scream for me and run like a hellhound is on your ass." Willow raised a brow by his choice of word but nodded at his arm. He pulled up his left sleeve and sure enough had one too. "Anyway you gonna have to eat when we get there as we already close to being late." He reached out his hand to her while telling Ian they will be back later. Taking his hand, they seconds after stood outside a fairly large two-floor cottage compared to the others she had seen in the village with a white picket fence and herbal garden.
"Who are we meeting with?" She frowned as they headed up the path to the veranda. Not even ringing the doorbell he just walked right in, yelling he was there while Willow nervously followed. "We can't just invade someone's house!" In a hushed voice, she extended her hand to grab his arm, intending to guide him out, but her plan were interrupted as a tall woman with a short dark blonde bob and soft features entered the hallway. She appeared to be in her early forties and emerged from what seemed to be the kitchen.
Instead of screaming at the top of her lungs as Willow expected she just smiled and waved at them to follow.
Is this a reaper and BustyrÃa thing? that reaper's just show up unannounced? and if they were here to pick someone up she seemed way too calm even if she knew about Heaven and Hell.
Seated at a small kid's table in a corner of the living room was a little girl, the spitting image of the woman but with a dark pixie cut. She couldn't have been much older than seven, engrossed in her drawings amidst a sea of sloth plushies that surrounded her play area. Willow's eyes widened, and she instinctively gripped Jack's arm.
A rush of concern prompted her to whisper urgently, "We are-We are not here to reap her right? She's so young!" Willow was ready to fight for her cause, since her mom clearly wasn't going to. Both of them started to laugh, catching the attention of the girl who lit up in a smile.
Excitedly, the girl called out to Jack, tugging him towards her artwork-laden table. "Jack! Draw me a sloth!"
Jack sat down beside her with a smile, taking a piece of paper and a brown color pencil and Willow guessed drew the girl a sloth, leaving Willow dumbfounded.
"I think you misunderstood something, Jack is here on a play-date so I can go grocery shopping," The woman smiled, her dark eyes glistening with curiosity as she reached out a hand. "My name is Caroline and that is my daughter Mia. I was Jack's BustyrÃa until we learned Mia's needed to have my undivided attention on her." She eyed the collar around Willow's neck.
A smile crept onto Willows face of surprise, she had heard her name before but she had been his BustyrÃa? It did make sense that Jack would have had one before Jane though.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Willow, Jack's pet- I mean companion."
Caroline arched a brow slightly, her attention drawn to Jack as he was already working on a second drawing. The girl gazed at the artwork with a monotone expression, accompanied by a stream of what seemed to be sloth-related facts.
With a gentle tone, Caroline addressed Willow, her words laced with a touch of warmth. "Please take good care of him Willow, he's a nice guy even though he can have a foul mouth." she smiled softly as she walked over to the table. "Mom is going to the store sweetie, but Jack and Willow will be here to look after you." She leaned down to plant a kiss on the child's head, yet Mia remained absorbed in her own world, engrossed in sharing her sloth-related info about sloths only pooping once a week, while gently rocking back and forth.
Something about this girl reminded Willow of Peters friend Oliver, but she wasn't sure why until she tried to remove one of the sloths to sit down.
"No!" She exclaimed jumping up gesturing frantic with her brown eyes widening. "It needs to sit there, you can't sit there."
"Sorry, I will sit somewhere else," Willow smiled, quickly putting the big sloth back on its spot. The second it was back Mia sat back down to finish her drawing, holding the pencil with her whole hand.
Don't move her things, every one of them has their specific spot around the table. Jack said in her head as she sat down a little closer than she wanted to him. She is just like Oliver as you thought.
Wait how does he know Oliver? Willow wondered confused since Oliver was still very much alive.
He was in the house when his great grandfather passed away, so when I reaped him I saw Oliver. Plus I saw him in Peters memories. While answering her through thoughts his attention didn't waver from Mia, who had walked off and come back with a book.
"I'm hungry," Mia stated matter-of-factly as she skimmed through a book. Willow offered to prepare something, but Mia shook her head. "Jack does it."
"Willow can help me, but let me get you some yogurt, banana or strawberry my little pup?" he waved for Willow to follow him into the kitchen.
"Strawberry!" She yelled loudly not even looking their way.
They walked into a small cozy white kitchen. Leaning against the counter she observed Jack finding the spoons and yogurts.
"So Caroline was your BustyrÃa?"
"Yeah until she got pregnant, usually that doesn't stop a personal BustyrÃa from their duties but since Mia's dad passed away and she has extra needs it was decided it was for the best and Jane took over when Mia was two," he shrugged handing her a banana yogurt. "I am here for a hour or two some weeks to help Caroline out as Mia isn't that good with loud noises and crowds so taking her shopping can at times become too much for her."
Willow nodded following him back into the small simple living room, remembering how Oliver would at times cover his ears cause he got to much stimulation too when he was out playing with Peter.
As Mia engrossed herself in her drawing, Willow found herself quietly observing the young girl's focused concentration.
About half an hour later, Caroline came back with her arms full of grocery bags. Jack quickly got up to help her with the bags, and minutes later, Caroline returned to the living room, trailed by Jack.
"Do you two like to stay for lunch? I was just about to start preparing."
The invitation caught Willow off guard, "Sure" she smiled.
Caroline clapped her hands together. "Great!"
As Jack settled into a seat, Willow got up and asked. "Is there any way I can help?"
"You can cut up some sausages while I prepare the sauce." With a warm smile, she motioned for Willow to join her in the kitchen.
As she stole occasional glances at Caroline while cutting up the sausages, Caroline seemed to sense Willow's curiosity and chuckled softly.
"I'm guessing you have a lot of questions." She said cutting up some tomatoes. "By the way, sorry for the food. But it is one of Mia's safe foods."
Willow gave a small nod, her knife deftly slicing through the sausages.
"Just a few hundred," Willow mumbled before adding. "And it's cool, I can be picky too." She looked down at the cutting board before finally asking. "How did you become Jack's BustyrÃa?"
Caroline's expression turned thoughtful as she worked on preparing the pasta.
"I was a apprentice for another reaper's BustyrÃa"Â she began, her voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. "But that reaper decided to leave the island and it just so happened that Jack needed a BustyrÃa. Becoming a personal BustyrÃa is higher status than a normal one so we are trained for it due to the needs we have to fill for our reapers. Especially a new reaper. Jack is the youngest reaper on the island and he was the first new reaper I met, so we both had a lot to learn." She chuckled, her hands expertly working the ingredients.
Willow curiosity grew as she couldn't help but ask.
"What are some of the challenges you faced when Jack was a new reaper?" She knew it couldn't compare to being a pet, but it must have been even more confusing to him.
Caroline got a thoughtful expression.
"New reapers often struggle with adjusting to their responsibilities, the duality of their nature, and the reality of their role in the balance between life and death. It takes time for them to come to terms with these aspects and learn to harness their abilities effectively. Not to mention the rest that comes with it. It is a scary time the first years for a new reaper."
"And what was it like for you?"
"As a BustyrÃa, our role is not only to in some cases guide our reapers with the knowledge we grow up with due to being born amongst them. But also to support and understand them on a personal level. With Jack, it was about helping him find that balance between his duties and his own new identity. I watched him evolve into the reaper he is today, and I couldn't be prouder." She could only imagine how scared Jack must have felt, being a reaper certainly didn't look easy. "Jack is a good guy Willow, you will find a way to be happy with your choice at his side." She smiled warmly.
As they finished preparing the meal, Caroline turned off the stove and set the pot aside, having made a plate only with sausages, pasta and ketchup.
Willow followed Caroline back to the living room, where Jack and Mia were engrossed in their activities, as they set the table.