Jungkook was sitting on the floor of his cell, kicking around a stray rock that was sitting by his foot. Anything to pass the agonizing time between being pulp on the stone and getting roughed up by Tao. He had barely healed from the last round of 'Let's use Jungkook as a punching bag' and it seemed like the beatings were becoming more frequent, up to two a day now... It was getting harder to hold on, he was so, so tired.

     The door squeaked open and he bolted upright, straining to see who it was coming into the darkened room. Please, not Tao...

     "Jungkook?" Nari called out.

     "Mom?" Jungkook called back.

     He felt her arms wrap around him in a tight hug. He was instantly brought back to when he was a young child, safe and comfortable in his mother's loving embrace. He'd forgotten how that felt, it was so foreign to him.

     "Are you hurt?" She asked, checking him over, worry echoing in her voice.

     "I heal fast," Jungkook assured her as she stared into his eyes. He seemed broken, like he was seconds away from succumbing to the torment and giving up. Her heart ached, after all this time to be reunited with him just to watch him be tortured by the very thing she wanted to protect him from. 

     "I am so sorry, my son, I did not want any of this to happen," She cried and hugged him again.

     "I know, it's fine, please don't be sad." Jungkook wasn't sure what to say to comfort her, she was familiar but still like a stranger too. The only person who had hugged him lately was Seokjin, so he felt a bit odd in his Mother's arms.

     "You have grown so much," She brushed the hair from his face, "My handsome man."

      "If I had known you were still alive, I would have found you-" He started, but she put her finger to his lips.

     "You couldn't have known," Nari leaned up, the realization of the situation was all too real, "I understand now why he kept me alive for so long. I know he plans to use me as leverage when Seokjin comes here, to make you choose your loyalty."

     "I can't let him kill you," Jungkook exclaimed, there was no way he would lose her again.

     "Jacker is going to kill me anyway, all of us if he gets the chance." Nari sighed, "You must fight alongside Seokjin and not worry about my fate."

     "How can I not?" Jungkook was beside himself, how could she expect him to watch her die?

     "I will stand with you the best I can, but I am an old woman now, I have lived my life. You cannot worry about me Jungkook,"  Nari was adamant, "Do not let Jacker use me."

     "I don't understand any of this," Jungkook bellowed, annoyed.

     Nari sighed, she knew it was time to explain some things to him, things she should have told him so many years ago.

     "I knew Seokjin when he was a child-"

     Jungkook's eyes widened, surprised. "You did?"

     "Yes, he was always exceptional. On the few occasions I was around him, it was obvious that he wasn't like the rest of our kind," She smiled, "Most Hybrid Onyx struggle with control as a child, not always able to turn it on and off, even as adults some still do, but Seokjin knew how to use his gifts to help him."

     "Yeah, he's incredible at fighting." Jungkook beamed.

     "It had a lot to do with why your Father chose Namjoon's pack for you as well, he was hoping that Seokjin would teach you how to control your anger."

     "I think Noni erased more than my memory-" Jungkook hadn't recalled ever losing his temper, he'd felt anger, yes, but fully losing it to the point he could hurt someone? Did she take that away from him too?

     "The decision to place you in a pack was made a few days after you nearly killed another child," She took a deep breath, the pain of the memory haunted her. "Your best friend Rory, the two of you used to play in a tree fort in the woods behind our backyard, the two of you loved that thing."

     "I think I remember that place," Jungkook thought aloud.

     "I guess the two of you had a disagreement and out of anger, you attacked him, mauled him pretty good. We were able to convince everyone that it was an animal attack, but your father and I realized the danger in not controlling your anger."

     Jungkook looked down, he didn't remember attacking his best friend. The only memories he had of Rory were sleepovers and playing superheroes in the backyard, annoying his big brother by following him around and teasing him when he was trying to make out with his girlfriend, and catching bugs to scare his little sister. Normal stuff.

     "I wish I could remember-"

     "You didn't need that guilt on you, Jungkook," Nari insisted, "It was better for you to have a fresh start, remember your childhood as positive."

     "But why not just raise me yourself? You're the same as me-"

     "Your father always had someone after him, always had someone threatening your life... and with the realization of what you are, there would be too many questions. It was better this way."

     "But, why Seokjin?" Jungkook questioned, feeling a bit guilty. As much as he wished he had been with his parents, he was glad that he had met Seokjin... if they hadn't let him go, he'd never had met the love of his life.

     "Your father had a bit of a soft spot for Seokjin, he helped save his life when he was just a young man. Had it been any other person, he would have let nature take its course, walked away, and let him die, one less evil in the world." She smiled, "He felt like Seokjin was going to be important one day. He always had a sixth sense when it came to this stuff."

     "He is important!" Jungkook's eyes turned a brilliant blue, Nari wasn't surprised, she knew how close they'd grown just by his demeanor, it was very apparent. His love for Seokjin flowed off of him like a perfume.

     "You're special Jungkook, very unique... It's beyond rare that one of our kind has a blue aura."

     "Everyone keeps saying that," Jungkook was unimpressed, he felt that made him weak.

     "No, don't be ashamed of that, it is a gift," She her son's hair, "One day you will understand."

     "I don't want to understand one day, I want to understand now." He yammered, "I don't wanna be this ing weak."

     "Jungkook, you are not weak!" She asserted, "Don't you ever believe that." She pulled him to her chest in an embrace, "You don't realize that on the spectrum, you and Seokjin are opposite, but you even each other out, that is important for the balance of nature. That is why I was so happy to know that you had bonded with him, you need each other."

     "But what if I need you too?" Jungkook looked up at her.

     "I will always be with you, but my time here is done, I cannot let you risk your life or Seokjin's life for me, not when it is imperative that Seokjin kill him," She looked deep into his eyes, "Jacker is st