Do You Really Need Me?

Zack was woken suddenly by a loud banging on the front door. His eyes snapped open and he froze. What was that? He felt Alex start to stir in his arms and he quietly untangled himself from his owner as the banging continued. He pulled on some sweatpants before running to the front door.

He opened the door and was met with a distraught Jack. He had tears running down his face and he looked terribly sick. Zack quickly pulled him inside and shut the door before Jack collapsed into his arms, tears streaming down his face.
"Shh Jack" whispered Zack hugging the pet tightly and Jack just whimpered

They stayed that way for a while. Zack holding Jack while he cried until Alex walked into the room, he was rubbing his eyes and was wearing nothing but the boxers he had slept in.
'"Zack?" he mumbled "What's going on?"
"I have no idea" said Zack "I heard someone banding on the front door this morning and found Jack like this on the other side."

Alex immediately looked concerned "Has he said anything?"
Zack just shook his head. "Well Why don't you two move onto the couch and I'll make some tea?" suggested Alex but this only spurred the tears to fall harder down Jack's face "Or not" said Alex walking over to them.

Alex walked over to the two pets slowly and gently touched Jack's hair, causing Jack to whimper.
"Jack sweetie" said Alex stroking the dog's hair "You need to tell us what's going on so we can help you ok?"
Jack just shook his head frantically and Alex took a deep breath "If you don't talk to us then I'll have to call Rian" he said "I'm guessing he doesn't know where you are?"
Jack pulled away from Zack long enough to look up at Alex with pleading eyes.

"You need to talk to us" whispered Zack. Jack buried his head in Zack's neck once more and mumbled something.
"He wants to wait a little while before he says anything" said Zack and Alex just nodded "He's so scared 'Lex"
Alex just looked at the two pets with a thoughtful look on his face before nodding "Ok Jack" he said "You can stay here for a while ok? But if you don't tell us what's going on by tomorrow I'm going to Rian ok? He's probably so worried about you"

Jack just shook his head and mumbled something
"That's not true!" said Zack alarmed "Of course he cares about you!"
Alex just held his hands up in surrender "Ok. I have no idea what's going on but I'm going to get dressed and then go out ok? So you two can talk about this"
Zack shot Alex a pleading look not wanting to be separated from his owner and Alex touched his cheek "I'll be back in a few hours ok?" he whispered to his pet "It's just so that Jack can talk ok?"

Zack nodded as Alex left the room to change.

#

Half an hour later and Jack and Zack were sitting opposite each other on the floor in Zack and Alex's lounge room.
"Ok so tell me what's going on" said Zack
"I think he hates me" whispered Jack
"He doesn't hate you Jack" said the Cat "Why on earth would you think that?"

"Because he wants to get rid of me that's why" said Jack "He wants to 'break up' with me and never see me again. He wants me to leave him alone. He has no idea how I feel at all or that that I love him or that I'd do anything for him. All he does is think that I'm annoying and useless and stupid and-"
"Ok slow down" said Zack "You love him?"

Jack just looked at Zack in disbelief "That's all you heard?! Were you not listening? HE WANTS TO GET RID OF ME!" Jack yelled
"He won't if he knows how you feel" said Zack "Have you told him?"
"Of course not" said Jack "That would just make the whole thing worse!"
"And how do you know that?"
"Well it's not going to make anything better now is it?"
"It might but you don't know until you try"

Jack looked down at his hands and whispered "You didn't hear him Zack. The anger in his voice as he spoke on the phone. This isn't even the first time he's spoken about it! You know that. I just -" he trailed off
"You just what Jack?" asked Zack gently
"I just don't know how I'm supposed to cope if he decides to get rid of me" said Jack eventually "I've become so attached to him already and I've already spent too many years of my life in that blasted 'Pet shop'"

Zack stayed quiet before he asked "Have you bonded with him?"
"I think I have" said Jack "What does it feel like?"
Zack felt a small smile appear on his face as he thought of his owner "Every time you see them your heart skips a beat" he said thoughtfully, planning out his words "You'd do anything for them, be anything for them. You don't ever want to see them get hurt"

Jack burst into tears once more "Oh Zack" he said "What do I do when he leaves me?"
"He won't leave you" said Zack determinedly
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because Rian never left Alex, not even in his darkest days. Did you know that Rian saved Alex's life? he could have easily just walked away but he didn't. If he never left someone who was as broken as Alex was then he certainly won't leave you"

Jack just locked eyes with Zack and prayed that he was right.