[Otto's POV]
"Has everyone gathered?" Alex asked. "It's time to go home!"
To his words Otto noticed Jack stiffen.
"We're sleeping here one more night," Otto said as she put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "What will you do?"
"M-me?" he stuttered as he glanced over to Alex who was loading in the little girls into the horse cart, providing all of them with warm blankets. "I- I don't know, I've been here for so long and I've kind of taken to the role of guardian to this place. Besides, he doesn't need me in the world of the living. I'd only be a bother to the both of you."
"You wouldn't be," Otto said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'd love to have you there. Alex too. I know so."
"Thank you," he said, voice trembling and shoulders shaking. "I needed to hear those words."
Otto hugged Jack and noticed that Alex had been watching them.
"Come on, let's get this parade on the road," Otto said, Jack nodded as he wiped his nose on his sleeve and followed her to the cart.
The cart was quite the sight to see, the four canoes tied to the sides, the girls and Annabelle loaded into the back, two strong horses strapped to the front of the cart, and Alex holding the reins.
"What was that?" Alex asked her as he nodded his head towards Jack.
"He's afraid we'll leave him behind," Otto said as she climbed into the front seat with Alex.
"He is?!" Alex asked, sounding perplexed. "I promised him I wouldn't, though."
"Well, I don't blame him for doubting you," Otto said. "You did leave him stranded here for the past four thousand years."
"That-!" Alex started, but then flushed bright red and continued more quietly. "That wasn't me, I swear. And it couldn't be helped either."
"Well, however much I love to hear you fight over me," Jack's voice came from right behind them startling the both of them. "I want a cozy blanket too."
Alex laughed, but immediately magicked one more blanket into existence.
"Oh, and one last thing," Jack asked already turning around to sit next to Annabelle. "Do you actually know how to drive a horse carriage?"
"Of course I do," Alex said with a mad-man grin spreading over his face. "I could race this thing back home, but that would be one hell of a bumpy ride."
"Then I'll leave the rest to you," Jack said as he made himself comfortable and Alex spurred the horses on to get going.
"You can ride a horse?" Otto asked incredulously.
"That too, but riding a horse is very different from driving a carriage," Alex said. "One of my passed lives was a horse breeder and everything from riding horses, to taking care of them, was just a part of the job."
"Aha," Otto said in a conspiratorial way. "And none of your past lives was a photographer?"
"Hush you," Alex said, as a disarming smile bloomed on his face. "First of all, mobile phones, certainly those with built-in cameras, were only invented in the past twenty years, and second. Can't you just be amazed by all the things that I can do, instead of pointing out the things I can't?"
"Of course I can, and I am proud of you, but someone has to keep both of your feet on the ground," Otto said and noticed Jack was laughing out loud. It was clear he'd been listening in on their conversation.
"Hmm, you're right," Alex hummed in thought. "You're allowed to keep my head from inflating."
"While your at it," Jack interjected. "Keep him from lording over people, will you?"
Otto nodded determinedly.
"Ok, ok. Sensibility, ego, modesty, ... Does anyone else want to add a flaw to the list?" Alex complained, even though he was still smiling.
"You might want to consider a haircut," Annabelle interjected nonplussed. Alex looked rather shell-shocked.
"Wowa!" Jack and Otto hollered in perfect synch and doubled over laughing.
"Not you too, Annabelle!" Alex complained and Annabelle gave him an apologetic smile.
"It's not that funny! Stop laughing!" Alex said as he glared at Jack and Otto, but only succeeded in adding oil to the fire. Soon, Annabelle started giggling too.
Only when one of the little girls hushed them, because all of the little girls were slowly falling asleep, did they manage to stop laughing for an instant. But as soon as the little girl turned away and put her thumb inside her mouth, they all doubled over once more. Even Alex was laughing this time.
They arrived at the inn barely twenty minutes later, but all twelve of the little girls were fast asleep. Careful not to wake them, Alex, Annabelle, Jack and Otto had all worked together to put the little ones to bed. So now that the sun had set, and all the "kids" were put to bed, all the "adults" were sitting around the hearth.
"You know what would make this day even more perfect?" Otto broke the comfortable silence as they had all been staring into the flames and soaking in their warmth.
"What?" Alex asked. He looked very tired.
"Hot chocolate?" Otto said, pitching the words as a question.
"You can't be serious," Alex said as he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Please?" Otto begged.
"Ok! Ok! Just don't look at me with those big kicked-puppy-dog eyes!" Alex said, as a cup of hot chocolate appeared in Otto's hands.
"Thank you," Otto said chipper as she pressed a soft kiss to Alex's lips.
"That smells amazing!" Jack remarked. "What is it and how can I get my hands on it?"
"Kicked-puppy-dog eyes," Otto whispered to Jack as she pointed towards Alex. Jack had caught the hint, and was ready to show his best puppy-dog eyes when Alex interrupted him.
"No! Don't! That only works for Otto," he said, but a cup of hot chocolate appeared in Jack's hands anyway.
"Would you like one too?" Alex asked Annabelle, but she merely pulled up her nose.
"Honestly, I have such wonderful memories of hot chocolate, but I can hardly stand the smell right now," she said. "Usually, I think it's a blessing that we don't have to eat here, but in moments like these, it sure feels like a curse."
"Oh, this is sublime!" Jack gasped as he'd taken his first big gulp of hot chocolate. "I sure hope the shabti-dolls will be able to recreate this!"
"They won't," Alex said regretfully. "One of the ingredients is milk."
"Well, then. That's another argument to follow you back to the world of the living," Jack said thoughtfully.
"Wait, does that mean you might not come with us?" Otto asked alarmed.
"It does," Jack said as he stared into his cup of hot chocolate as if it held all the answers. "I told you earlier. I came to see myself as the guardian of The Field Of Reeds. There are a few things I still need to do here. I would never forgive myself if I didn't."
Otto was going to argue his point, but Alex stopped her. She looked at him questioningly, but he just shook his head.
"I had a feeling that that would be your answer. Finish your business here, and follow us when you're done," Alex said with no room to argue. "I was going to give you this when we leave, but since we touched upon the subject, I guess I can give it now."
A book manifested into his hands, and he handed it to Jack. Jack took it with trembling hands. The cover said "Book Of The Living".
"I promised I wouldn't leave you stranded this time," Alex said, seemingly content with Jack's reaction. Otto looked between Jack and Alex in confusion, as she hadn't been able to read the book's cover, but froze when she saw tears stream down Jack's cheeks.
"Damn, I'm going to miss the two of you SO much," he said with a trembling voice.
"Amen!" Annabelle agreed. Now Otto choked up too.
"I'll miss you too!" she wailed as she flew Jack around the neck in a smothering embrace. Alex just smiled a kind hearted smile and joined the hug wordlessly, closely followed by Annabelle, and they only let go when it was time to go to bed.