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A/N: Okay so... remember time works different in the Hollows. That is all.

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Briggs walked toward the little apartment near the woods. The light was on in the kitchen, and he could just see her light blonde hair trailing behind her as she moved about. It had been a while since he had paid her an actual visit, and he didn't want to come on these terms. But, with each passing month Wang had become restless. He was actively seeking out people who were trying to protect the creatures of the hollows. The ones of the light were being smothered in darkness with no means to escape. There was once balance, but the darkness crept further into the people. Fairies disappeared every day, they left little trinkets when they vanished. He was snuffing them out.

The keeper of the fairies was at wits end and couldn't guarantee their safety anymore. So, he let them leave on their own accord. The only one to remain was a little one named Tilly. She refused to leave his side no matter how much he pleaded with her.

Shadow bunnies appeared trying to convince people to give them their light. Most people could fight them off. But, the children... the children vanished too. Parents scoured the wood lines as the hungry electric blue eyes watched them.

Wang wanted them all to be consumed by it. Said the power was far greater. When before he would have tried to keep the balance. The many years of trying to maintain power over all beings made him vulnerable to the darkness, and it was consuming him. The lily attached to his lapel was gradually turning black.

Briggs sighed as he knocked on the oak door. After a minute or so the door swung open. There she stood in her purple apron, and white dress with her white blonde hair falling in waves beside her. Her light blue eyes smiling happily at him. "James..." she welcomed him with a hug. He breathed in deeply as he held her there, she smelled so good, a mixture of honey and cherries. Releasing her, he followed her into the kitchen slumping down into the small wooden chair. Staring down at the scratch on the table.

"I know why you are here." She said in a hushed tone. Eyeing the door near the stove.

He followed her gaze to Jungkook's room. The door was ajar, but the quiet sound of him breathing let them know he was asleep.

"When did it happen?" She asked not looking up from the tea kettle. He looked at her confused not exactly understanding what she was talking about. "What?"

She pointed to Jungkook's door. "Whatever made him cry for the first time in his life. I can't tell what it is he was feeling because when he looked through that damn book. He couldn't find it." Her voice was strained.

"Wait... he felt something?" He sat up excited, but his face dropped when he saw her glare at him.

"He can't figure it out!" She snapped then broke down crying. "And... what's worse... is... he won't talk to me." She held her face in her hands.

"Has he felt anything since then?" He asked. She just shook her head. Briggs sighed heavily reaching out to take her hands in his. "He will be okay. You should feel happy that he had that experience. Maybe if we figure out what caused it. We can make it more...permanent?"

She looked at him then frowned. "You want him to be sad or whatever that was..." she asked dejected. He squeezed her hand and spoke from the heart. "No, I don't want him to be sad. I want him to experience every emotion. To be able to feel love and be loved. To understand the feelings that people feel around him. I want him to feel the love for someone like...." He stopped; her eyes widened. "Like?"

Instead of finishing the statement he pulled her to him and kissed her. Then he whispered against her lips looking longingly into her eyes and said, "like the love I feel for you." She melted into him. "James..."

He listened for more. But there wasn't anything else. When he looked down her eyes were fixed on Jungkook's door. No... not the door. But the pair of dark brown eyes that peeked from behind it. They were red and puffy, but the tears had dried long ago. He had a blank stare, but it looked like he understood something.

"Kookie..." she hesitated. He looked at her his expression blank. "Mom..."

"Are you okay baby?" He didn't understand the question. So, she rephrased it taking another step towards him.

"What are you doing?"

"Standing here."

Briggs frowned at the boy. He seemed just like he had before. Perhaps someone gave him a glimpse of what emotions felt like. But he clearly wasn't grasping any of it. Even with his journal.

"Yes... but what happened to you."

He looked down at his hands. Remembering them threading through Taehyung's hair. The way his heart felt when he had pressed his lips against his. How every part of his body warmed up. His chest still fluttered all weird when he thought about it. Which brought tears to his eyes. Which only made him more confused.

She watched his face turn a slight pink again, and then the tears fall. Before he could say anything, she had pulled him into a hug. Then looked back at Briggs worried.