After searching for months, Jack finally had the lead he was in desperate need of. Wandering around the Gaol for three days straight without sleep, he stumbled upon a group of revenants who were discussing matters surrounding them and their human cattle back at their base.

Hearing the word "human," Jack emerges from his hiding spot with his sword gripped tightly in his hand. He was immediately spotted and attacked, but none of the revenants were able to stand a chance against him. Only one man was left conscious, who was forced to face Jack's fearsome persona. He demanded to know where the base was and had no trouble receiving an answer from the frightened revenant.

Once receiving what he desired, Jack tossed the revenant aside and headed back to home base. There, he asked Echo to help him, knowing she would provide the help he would need in his endeavor.

The golden-eyed girl raised a brow as she sat next to Jack at the bar, curious as to what his motive was behind his request. "What is this about, Jack?"

He pulled out a picture from his pocket and showed it to the girl. "Her name's (Y/n). I've been searching for her ever since I woke up as a revenant. I may have a lead as to where she is." He went on to explain what he overheard on his exploration and how he had a hunch (Y/n) was one of their human cattle.

Echo, who had only recently become friends with Jack, questioned his hunch. "Are you sure about this? What if you're wrong?"

"This is the only lead I've gotten in the past couple months. I'm taking it no matter what dangers lie ahead. Now, are you with me or not?"

The female revenant was used to Jack's snappy behavior, especially if it deals with someone he cares about. She nodded and stood up. "Of course. Let's go."

"Good," Jack replies, pushing himself out of the seat. "Because you're going to cause a diversion."

Jack and Echo traveled through the obliterated city, slaying any Lost that tried to ambush them from the encroaching darkness of the rising moon. The only light guiding them through the night radiated from the solar powered street lamps that still remained intact after the Great Collapse.

They traveled deep into the city for hours until stumbling across an area that was fenced off. Jack stepped up to the wiring and laced his fingers through the gaps between the metal strands. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed what was beyond the sturdy fence. What he spotted sickened him.

Humans, who were clearly tired and weak by their sluggish movements, were being imprisoned. Their mouths were muzzled and their hands were bound with chains. Searching the group of humans, he spotted one laying on their side in the dirt. He circled around the fence to get a better look at the human while avoiding the gazes of the revenants who were guarding them.

When Jack, followed by Echo, got a closer look at the human, his eyes widened when he recognized who it was. "(Y/n)..."

Echo eyed the (h/c)-haired girl who appeared to be an empty shell. "Are you certain it's her?"

"I know that bracelet from anywhere," Jack answered, staring at the charm bracelet on the girl's left wrist. It was peaking through the chains binding her wrists together and he saw the last charm he bought her before the Great Collapse. He refused to show his true emotions once recognizing her, but he desperately wanted to slash through the fence to save her from the hell she was living.

Jack called out to (Y/n), but she didn't budge an inch. Her eyes were closed and she remained seemingly lifeless as she lied in the dirt. He glared at the revenants on guard before turning to face Echo. "I'll be needing that distraction now."

"All right. Let's get this over with," she said, raising her halberd and rushing off.

Jack, becoming impatient as seconds ticked by, was relieved when he heard a loud 'bang' in the distance and smoke rising in the air. His relief was short-lived when the revenants guarding their human cattle rounded them up. He hoped the revenants would leave the pen unguarded and allow him to slice through the fence to secure (Y/n), but his plan was already in need of tweaks. What did shock him was when she opened her eyes and they locked with his own.

The girl still didn't move as she stared at him. In her mind, she convinced herself she was seeing a ghost of her lover and accepted the fact he was gone many months ago before she was captured. In her frail and death-like state, she wasn't shocked her mind manifested an image of him.

When one of the revenants became furious with (Y/n) because she didn't move from her collapsed position, he stormed over and pulled her to her feet by yanking on her (h/c) locks. A whimper of pain escaped her throat, but it was muffled by the muzzle. She was shoved in the direction of the other humans, who were being escorted out of the pen by the other revenant on duty.

Acting quickly and carefully, Jack sliced through the fence and followed behind the group at a safe distance to prevent detection. He used the shadows of the collapsed buildings to hide his presence until it was time for him to act.

When he was granted an opportunity, he used his sword to knock the revenant guarding the rear of the group unconscious. Fortunately, his job was easier than he expected when the he noticed (Y/n) was the human last in line. Without skipping a beat, Jack grabbed and pulled her away from the other humans.

(Y/n) fought against Jack with what little strength she had, but she was too weak to break free from him. She kept struggling as she was dragged into an alleyway, but she stopped when he turned her around and placed his hands on her cheeks. His fingers caressed her skin just above the edge of the metal muzzle, but she still wasn't convinced he was real. She stared into his eyes, wondering why her mind decided to bombard her with images of Jack now of all times. Even if she could speak, she wouldn't.

Jack could tell (Y/n) was still in denial and didn't blame her. He moved one of his hands down to her neck, his fingertips skimming across the numerous of scars left from the fangs of revenants who feasted on her blood on a daily basis. He glared at the small, permanent marks before lifting his gaze and staring into her dull (e/c) eyes. He wasn't sure what to say now that he was standing face-to-face with his beloved, but there were three things to deal with before having a proper reunion with her-head to a safer location, remove the muzzle, and free her from the chains binding her wrists.

Examining the muzzle, Jack tried to see how he could take it off. He wrapped his fingers around the edges and yanked, but the muzzle didn't budge. "Dammit..."

"Jack," someone called out to him as they leapt down from a ledge above. It was Echo. "We must hurry."

"Understood," he nodded. Taking note of (Y/n)'s feeble state and her shaky legs, he turned his back to her and kneeled down. He looked over his shoulder and said, "Hop on. I'll carry you."

Cautiously, (Y/n) mounted Jack's back and placed her bound arms around his neck. When she wrapped her legs around his waist, he cupped his hands under the back of her knees and stood up. He told Echo to follow him and led her to the hole he created in the fence. They left the same way they arrived and headed back to home base.

Jack carried (Y/n) all the way back to the church while Echo dealt with any Lost that blocked their path. They safely arrived and he delivered the girl to Murasame.

The redhead took (Y/n) and escorted her into the vault behind the counter. "Let's see..." The merchant examined the muzzle and chains before realizing how she could get them off. She walked over to a table, grabbed a few tools, and returned to her. "All right. Hold still for me, okay?" (Y/n) nodded, giving Murasame permission to begin.

After a few minutes, Murasame freed (Y/n) from the chains and muzzle. "There you go!" She smiled at the human, but it turned into a frown when she saw the red marks and bruises on her wrists. "I'm not surprised. Those chains were tight, but don't worry. It'll heal soon."

"Th-Thank you," (Y/n) managed to squeak out in a raspy, weak tone. It's been months since she used her voice and was happy to be able to speak again. Now, she could finally address Jack's reappearance in her life. Walking out of the vault, it didn't take her long to locate him. He was pacing back and forth eagerly in front of the counter. She didn't say a word to him until she found her way around the counter and stood a few feet from him. "U-Um..."

Hearing (Y/n)'s frail voice, Jack stopped pacing and looked over at her. Carefully, he approached her. He wondered what he could say, but he couldn't think of anything. Deciding to choose action over words, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

After a long silence between the two, (Y/n) was the first to speak up as her hands crept up his back and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. "I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"No," Jack responded, nuzzling his nose into her hair. "You're not."

"This entire time... You were alive?" She asked just above a whisper.

"You really were difficult to find," he teased, a rare smile appearing on his face. "For now, you should get some rest. You look awful."

(Y/n) couldn't help but giggle lightly. "Guess you still don't know how to compliment someone."

Jack huffed out a barely audible chuckle. "C'mon, I'll take you to a room."

Once falling into a deep sleep, (Y/n) was soon plagued with a nightmare. Eva, who was watching her per Jack's request so he could get some sleep himself, noticed the girl's twitchy movements as she slept. She slowly walked over to the bed and sat beside the human, singing gently to soothe the fidgety girl.

Seeing (Y/n) was no longer twisting and turning in her sleep, Eva smiled down at her. Then, her attention was redirected to the doorway when she heard footsteps coming from the hallway. She greeted the owner of the footsteps as they entered. "I'm glad to see you were able to sleep, Jack."

"Didn't realize how exhausted I was until you told me to get some rest," Jack confesses. He looks at Eva before glancing at (Y/n). "How is she?"

"Sleeping soundly. Although she seems to be experiencing nightmares, I have been able to keep her asleep."

"Anyone who went through what she did would have nightmares."

"I can't even imagine the things they did to her," Eva said.

Suddenly, the two revenants were startled when (Y/n)'s eyes flew open and her body raised from the mattress with a sharp intake of air. Sweat beaded along her forehead and the sides of her face as her (e/c) eyes bounced around the room frantically. Eva stood up and allowed Jack to handle the girl, who seemed to be in a strange trance and unable to comprehend where she was. He sat on the edge of the bed beside (Y/n) and placed one of his hands against her cheek. He stroked his thumb across her cheekbone, basking in the softness of her skin before calming her down with soothing words.

Once (Y/n)'s breathing was steady and Eva wipes the sweat from her forehead with a raggedy cloth, she closed her eyes and placed her hand over Jack's as he continued to stroke her cheek. "It was just a nightmare... I hope I didn't disturb anyone."

"It's all right, (Y/n)," Eva reassures the human, smiling from ear-to-ear. "You didn't disturb anyone. How're you feeling?"

"Better than before." She glanced between the two revenants, worry gleaming in her eyes. "Isn't it risky to have a human in a base full of revenants? I know the scent of my blood can result in frenzy."

"Just make sure to avoid injuring yourself," Jack said, moving his hand from her cheek to the top of her head. (Y/n) nodded in understanding. She leaned in closer to him, enjoying his touch as his fingers slowly began combing through her (h/c) locks. Her eyes were slowly closing, an exhausted sigh escaping her throat.

Seeing she was still weary and his touch was lulling her to sleep, Jack continued his ministrations. "Get some rest."

(Y/n) laid down in the bed while Jack continued to stroke her hair. It only took mere seconds for her to delve into a deep, peaceful slumber.