"What do you mean the portal is gone?" Carter growled in the darkness of the Forest.

"I mean, the fucken thing is gone. It's not here, boss," Jake said, throwing his arms up in the air with frustration. "This isn't possible."

"FUCK," Carter bellowed loudly, making me jump. "How can a portal disappear?"

"Someone is using the same dark shady magic here, boss. I don't even know. how but they are." Jake looked around nervously. "This is not a good sign."

"Leon," I whispered in complete fear.

"You think Leon did this?" Carter said, looking back at me. "Even he is not that powerful."

"The Leon from this time no, but the Leon from my time is." the ground began to shake beneath our feet suddenly. "Shit, this is bad." I looked around frantically and swallowed the lump in my throat. "This is bad."

"Boss, we have to get out of here. Something is not right," Jake said, suddenly walking towards me. "We need to get her out of here. It's not safe."

The air around us suddenly turned cold, and the wind started to blow so hard the trees were swaying to the ground like they were made of rubber.

"Boss," Jake yelled to Carter, who was standing still like he was waiting for something.

"Get Ebony away from here," Carter growled as he sniffed at the air. "This is my fight now."

"Carter, no," I screamed to him. "You have no idea what he is capable of. Please, don't do this, we can get help."

"I will handle this," Carter turned back to look at me. "This is my fight. " his eyes turned blood red as he turned back towards the non-existent portal.

"CARTER, NO!" I screamed as Jake pulled me back against the wind.

"Go, Ebony," Carter bellowed into the wind. My heart almost stopped when I heard a wolf howl loudly from the shadows.

"Jake, we can't leave him here. He will die," I pleaded struggling against his arms around me. "Please,"

"I know Eb," he said calmly. "That's why I'm here," he said in my ear.

"No, you don't understand. If we leave him here, he will die." Wait, what did he just call me? You called me Eb?"

"That's your name, right? I'm pretty sure I know the name of my bestie." He spun me around and smiled at me. "Surprise!"

"Wait, what? Jake?" I stared into his big glistening blue eyes as he waved jazz hands in my face. "Jake, it's you. It's really you." I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly. "When did you get here? How did you get here?"

"Um, first of all, I'm fucken magnificent that's how and I'm insulted that that was not your first thought. Shame on you, and second of all, your lover sent me through the portal just before it shut down on our timeline. Vinnie totally caved and told us everything and when we figured out what was happening, I volunteered to save you like the hero I am." He shrugged. "Whole fucken package, baby," he winked.

"But what about this time, Jake? Where is he? You can't be here if he is here."

He scoffed, "That dude is a moron. Callan kidnapped him mafia style. It was awesome. He is unconscious and locked up back in our world. I'm here to help you end this bullshit so we can go home and watch a marathon of The Kardashians and feel better about ourselves."

"I missed you," I kissed his cheek. "Do we know what is happening here and how to stop this?"

"Carter thinks Leon has shipped his troops here, and he plans to attack this Carter as he is an easier target. He plans to take over this timeline and kill off Carter here. The plan is to shut down the timeline and stop this war from ever starting. We know Leon is here at the portal, as he has no idea I made it through before he shut it down and locked us all in. Leon's army is stuck on the other side and has no idea what is happening." Jake frantically looked around for someone or something. "Damn it, where is he?" he said looking a bit worried.

"I know you are there, brother. Show yourself to me, and we can fight like men, or I hunt you and kill you like an animal," Carter yelled towards the shadows. There was a loud howl again from the darkness, and then my heart pounded as I saw two yellow eyes staring at us from the shadows of the trees in front of us. "Show yourself brother, or I will have no choice but to hunt you. I know what you want, but it just can't happen, Leon. You cannot do this."

There was silence.

"Right, you leave me no choice. I don't want to do this," Carter bellowed as he took a step forward.

"Fuck," Jake whispered. "Stay here. Something is not right." he suddenly took off towards the shadows without another word.

"Hey there, Mr old boss, man, howdy, hello," Jake said awkwardly in front of Carter suddenly. "So how are you?" He grinned, holding his hand up in front of him.

"What the fuck are you doing, Jacob? Get the hell out of here. Where is Ebony?" Carter grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards his chest. "You better have an answer, son, or so help me."

"Fuck," Jake yelled. "Where the fuck are you, you son of a bitch?" Jake yelled into the forest.

"Who are you talking to? Where is she?" Carter growled, lifting Jake off the ground like he was nothing. "You have two seconds to explain yourself before I rip out your fangs and shove them up your ass sideways."

"Seriously, it's not funny anymore," Jake yelled, looking around. "Ha Ha, you are so funny but enough is enough. now."

"ONE," Carter yelled in his face.

"Ok, old boss man. I know you think you know me but, I have a funny story for you." Jake gave a fake laugh looking around anxiously.

"TWO."

"Holy shit balls. I fucken hate you," Jake yelled, struggling under Carter's grip. "Boss, seriously, it's not funny anymore. He's not joking, and my ass is very delicate and sensitive to things being shoved up it. Please." Jake threw his head back and closed his eyes.

"THREE," Carter yelled, throwing Jake to the ground and pouncing on him like a tiger. "I'll show you what it feels like to double-cross me," he grabbed Jake by the throat with his hand.

I heard Jake cry out as Carter tried to pry open his mouth.

"No," I yelled, running over to them. "Carter, stop. It's not what you think ..." I couldn't finish that sentence as I was pushed back by a sudden force in front of me. I landed with a thump on the ground and hit my head on the tree behind me. I groaned out in pain as I rubbed the back of my throbbing head. "What the hell was that?" I tried to open my eyes, but they couldn't quite focus.

I could hear the sound of someone fighting in front of me. I could hear some voices, but I couldn't make out who it was. I tried to stand up, but my legs felt like jelly, and I was filled with the sudden urge to be sick. I fell to the ground and closed my eyes tightly as I took deep breaths.

"Ebony."

I heard my name.

"Ebony, where are you?"

I tried to call out, but only a whisper left my lips.

"Ebony," the voice was closer this time. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry you were hurt. I never meant to hurt you." I felt a hand on my back. "Baby, I've missed you so much," I felt a kiss on the top of my head.

My heart raced inside my chest.

"I was so worried about you," the deep voice said in my ear. I knew who it was instantly.

"Carter?" I whispered. "My Carter?" I opened my eyes to see his handsome face and glistening silver eyes looking down at me on the ground. "Is that really you?"

"Of course, baby. I will always come for you. I will never let you suffer again. I told you that." he smiled and pushed my hair behind my ears. "I will always be there for you, even if it kills me."

I reached my hand up towards his face. "How are you here?"

He smiled. "As I've always told you, it's not what you know but who you know. I was able to work with my mother and her coven, and we opened the portal to this timeline. I knew that if we had any chance of winning this war, I had to be here in this time with you. It's our only and best shot of taking Leon out as he thinks he is fighting the old me. I was very different back here, and he knows he would easily win a fight with that Carter. This is the perfect way to beat him at his own game."

"This is dangerous, Carter. We are messing with things we shouldn't be. What if the world ends because there are two Carter's here?"

"The Carter of this timeline is unconscious and on his way to a safe place. I will admit that the plan did not go ahead like we had hoped as the portal shutdown right before I was about to enter, and if it wasn't for Jake and his not-so-convincing stalling tactics, well, I might not be here, but all's well that ends well. It was quite funny seeing Jake pinned to the ground as I entered this world. I do apologize for pushing you. I didn't see you, and by the time I did it was too late."

"It's ok. I'm a big girl. So who was that howling in the shadows?"

He laughed. "That, unfortunately, was my son and his terrible impression of a wolf. I do apologize for that."

"Callan is here?"

"Oh, yes, and Henry. They all came through with Jake. Unfortunately, that weakened the portal, and I was delayed. The only way I could get through was to use this portal and redirect it, hence why it has been shut down. Thank you for listening to me and trusting me when you heard me. I didn't want to scare you, but I knew he would follow if you insisted that you come here. I knew he would defend you in case anything went wrong," he kissed my cheek softly.

"You promise we will be able to get home?"

"Even if it kills me," he whispered, kissing me softly.