"Shhh.I'll do what I can Ethen,okay?" he said gently,holding his hand gently and stroking the little boys knuckles with a thumb. "Try and keep warm,I'll see what I can do little buddy.Old scaley hide is on the job,and going for it." He gave a smile with those fangs,flirty and kind.

Ethan smiled back, hope shining in his eyes. "He should stay here," Puck murmured, peering through a crack in the door. "Man, it looks like the whole house is iced over. Ash is here, all right." He turned to talk to the small boy. "You wait here," Puck told him, smoothing down his curly hair. "Stay in your room until I come to get you. Close the door and dont come out, no matter what, okay?"

He sniffled and nodded.

If Jason was set on edge that it was Ash he sure didn't show it as he stroked the boys cheek before standing. "We will come back,trust me." He then looked to Puck with eyes mixed with worry for the little boy and determination to help and get this over with. "Let's do this."

Puck crept down the stairs, clinging to the railing because the stairs were slick and treacherous. The house was eerily silent, an unfamiliar palace of sparkling crystal, the cold so sharp that it cut into his lungs and burned his fingers as they gripped the railing.

They reached the living room, cloaked in shadow except for the light that came from the open door and the flickering static of the television. Silhouetted against the screen, two heads were visible over the top of the couch. Leaning together, as if asleep, they were frozen solid, encased in ice like everything else.

Jason took in a sharp breath,remembering what robo Kimi had said and realizing where they where. "Puck...that's..." He couldn't speak,shaking not only from the cold as he looked at the two. He shook his head a few times,walking over to them and brushing a hand to the couples frozen cheeks. He walked around and knelt in front of them and put his head to one of the persons laps as he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry....I should've just been sent to Juvie before you got dragged in." he said softly,before standing and lighting soft fire,hoping to try and melt the ice a bit.

Puck grabbed my arm, pulling Jason back to the base of the stairs. His eyes were hard, his jaw set as he pulled Jason behind him, a dagger appearing in his hand.

The flame flickered out and he looked up at Puck then to where he looked,body stiff and frills spreading as a show he was getting ready for a fight.

Ash melted out of the shadows on the far wall, drawing his sword as he did. In the harsh blue light, he looked awful, his skin split open along his cheekbones and his eyes sunk into his face. There were new wounds over his arms and hands, where the skin had blackened along the openings, looking burned and dead. His silver eyes were bright with pain and madness as he stared at them, every inch a killer. If Jason wanted to save these people, either Puck or Jason would have to kill Ash. Tonight. Right here in this living room.

"Kill me." Ash stood rock still, the muscles working in his jaw, as if he was struggling to speak. "I...cant fight this," he gritted out, closing his eyes in concentration. His arms shook, and his grip on the sword tightened. "You have to...kill me, Jason. I...cant stop myself..."

Jason felt like he'd taken a blow to the chest as Ash spoke against the bug,tail shivering for a moment before he spread his wings and frills and let his claws shift. "Then I can stop you,you don't have to die. If I knock you out I could help." He said softly,markings lighting brightly but his eyes where sad and it was clear he knew that Ash most likely would have to die.

His eyes opened, glazed over once more. "Get away from me, now!"


Puck shoved Jason away as Ash leaped across the room, his sword coming down in a sapphire blur. Puck and Ash battled in the middle of the living room. Ash was lost to Jason now, and worse, one of them was going to die. If Puck won, Ash would be killed. But if Ash emerged victorious, Jason would lose everything, including his own life. As Ash whirled away from a vicious upward slash, something glittered beneath his hair at the base of his skull. A tiny spark of cold, iron glamour glimmered at the top of Ash's spine. That was it! The bug, the thing that was controlling him and, ultimately, killing him.