The next day, Mark and Jack were back at the mafia base. Jack had spoke to his father the night before, and Mark had convinced him not to put on makeup. They made the drive in silence, and as soon as they entered the base, Felix took Jack into his office, leaving Mark alone with Steph, Mat, and Jess at the table.

Mark joined them with a nervous smile. "No Signe today?"

The three others looked between themselves. "She's... not in the mafia anymore." Mat explained. Mark made an 'oh' shape with his mouth, looking at a small stain in the table.

Steph smiled at Mark. "You and Jack make a lovely couple, Mark. It's like watching magic happen when I see you two together."

Mark smiled back, unsure. "Really?"

"Really. You two are really in love. I'm really happy for you."

Jess was smirking. "But even then, I'm almost positive he still hasn't told you everything about him." She turned to the other three. "Hey, guys. Remember Arin and Danny?"

Mat grinned. "Oh, man, those two were a riot."

"And when they were with Jack, they were inseparable." Steph was laughing. "Remember when they almost set the old base on fire?"

"Or when they drove those cars off the bridge?" Jess added.

"Or when they crashed into that abandoned building when they got drunk?" Mat chimed in.

Mark was confused. "He never told me about any of that."

"Probably because Arin and Danny are gone." Jess told him. "Not gone as in dead, but they left a couple years ago to take on a job in Europe. They haven't came back, though, and we all think they took a tour there, like they always said they would with their band. We haven't heard anything from them, though."

Mat slammed his palm on the table. "Oh, shit, guys, remember Anti?"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "Anti?"

Steph spoke up, ignoring him. "Oh, God, now that is scary. Never be in the same room with him. I was afraid he'd kill me."

"Who's Anti?" Mark asked again.

"Anti is Jack." Jess answered him. "Or... a side of Jack. We think he has multiple personalities, but we're not sure. We named him Anti, or Antisepticeye, in honor of Jack's high school nickname, because he's pretty much the opposite of Jack."

Mat nodded. "He kinda showed up after... high school, was it?" He looked at Steph for confirmation, and she nodded. "High school. About the time Ryan started abusing the poor kid. Every now and then he'd just appear and wreck everything. You think of Jack as this innocent person, right? Wouldn't hurt a fly?" Mark nodded. "Think of Anti as the complete opposite. Whenever Anti comes out, he pretty much attacks anyone he can see. He never kills, though. That's the one thing that's constant between the two- neither of them like to kill."

"The only ones who can break through to him and stop him are people Jack cares about." Jess added. "That's why Felix is so important to him. And Signe, for a time. When they were dating. They helped him snap out of it and bring him back to reality."

Steph sighed. "It gets worse for him whenever it happens and he's at his apartment. You saw the cuts on his face, right? Especially the one on his nose?" Mark nodded. "Most of them are from himself. From Anti. If there's no one around for him to harm or help calm him down, he hurts himself. It's... it his own form of self-harming."

Mark was silent for a moment, taking this all in. "How did they calm him down? And are there any triggers?"

Mat shrugged. "They pretty much just talked to him and touched him gently. I know he likes it when people play with his hair, so that might help if it ever happens around you. And for triggers, I have no clue. I mean, he carries a lot of stress with him- from Ryan, college, and his internship with you. I think he just gets to some sort of breaking point, and Anti shows up."

Steph smiled. "But, if we have to be honest, none of this has happened for a while. Six months, I think. That's how long you two have been together, right?" Mark nodded. "That's no coincidence- you're helping him be sane. I think he'd lose it if he lost you. He's lost a lot of people lately- Alec, Signe, Ryan, Arin, Danny... I think if you're added to the list, he'd go insane."

Jess was nodding. "I think so, too. Ever since his first day with you, he's been coming to every class with this glow that follows him around everywhere. I've been trying to get him to talk, but he won't say anything about it. It's because of you, Mark. You're really making a difference to him." The door to Felix's office opened, and Jack and Felix came out, laughing. Now looking back on it, Mark could immediately identify the difference in Jack's demeanor from the first day and now.

"Take care of him." Steph said softly. "We all watched him grow up. He's like a son to all of us. We'd hate to see him hurt again."

Mark nodded. "I promise I'll do everything I can."

Jack sat down next to Mark, and Felix sat next to Mat. "What's going on out here?" Jack asked, holding Mark's hand under the table.

Jess smirked. "Just reminiscing about the good times. And talking about you."

Jack looked worried. "Oh God, what did you say?"

Steph waved it off. "Nothing big. No need to worry." Jack let out a relieved sigh.

"So," Felix spoke up. "What's the plan for today?"

Mat started to speak, and Mark ignored him, turning to whisper to Jack. "We need to talk later."

"Oh God, about what?" Jack whispered back.

"I think you know." Mark turned back to the conversation.

The two stayed in the base for another hour before departing. When they entered the car, Jack spoke up. "I'm guessing they told you something?"

Mark nodded, starting the car. "Yeah, they did."

Jack swallowed. "Are... are you mad?"

"No, I'm not mad." Jack breathed a sigh of relief, letting the tension out of his posture. "I'm just... worried. You have another personality?"

Jack hesitated for a brief second. "They told you about Anti?" Mark nodded. "Mark, that stuff hasn't happened for a while-"

"But it could happen again." Mark pointed out. "I'm not saying you get a therapist, or anything. I know you don't want one." Jack nodded. "I just want to know what I should do. They said talking and gentle touching helps, and that it could be linked to stress. Is there anything else I can do, or I should know about?"

Jack nodded. "It's... actually not related to stress at all. Anti only comes out when someone I really care about gets hurt in any way. Remember the night when Mat and Ryan brought you to the base?" Mark nodded. "When I got home, I lost it. I..." He lost the words.

"Is that how you got the cut on your nose?" Mark offered.

"Yeah. I... thought it would be gone by now, like the other ones, but... it hasn't, and I don't know why." Jack looked at Mark, his eyes pleading. "Please don't take me to a therapist, or a psychologist, or anything."

"I won't, Jack, I promise."

Jack was silent for a minute. "Sean."

Mark glanced at him, startled. "What?"

"Sean." Jack repeated. "My name is Sean."

A smile slowly appeared on Mark's face. "Sean."