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Jim realized what he just did. Strickler didn’t burst into a million dust particles like the previous changeling he had vanquished, he remained human - though a cold and expired one - probably because all other changelings he had encountered were in their troll forms, but Strickler was not. Jim moved the body to the backseat, consequently smudging some of the bloodstain to his armor, and tried to drive his car away from his mother’s house as far as he could. Afterwards, he called on the gang to report what he did and they came as fast as they could. They all met behind a closed warehouse building down the street.
As the team met up, Jim stepped out of the car, his hands were shaking, his face was pale and he was sweating ever so slightly. Claire gasped as she peered through the backseat window of the car, finding her former history teacher pale and not moving - beyond asleep. His turtleneck and jacket was stained from a large cut through his chest.
“You actually did it?” Toby asked, his voice was soft and calming.
Jim didn’t answer, still a bit shaken from earlier’s events. Blinky saw the grief in Jim’s eyes and softly rested his lower hands on his shoulders. Tears were threatening to come from Jim, he didn’t know why. Strickler tried to kill him on multiple occasions, yes, but before he even became that person, he was first the father figure he never thought he’d have, someone who guided, someone who cared. But now, Strickler is only another changeling who died in the hands of the Trollhunter,
Claire was still staring at what the changeling has become. “Sh-should we get him out of there?”
“Hide the body?” Toby asked.
“Give him a proper burial…” Jim muttered to himself.
They opened the door. The smell of blood was different but it was strong, purple ooze all over the ex-teacher. Aaarrrgghh was pulling him out as the phone from his back pocket lit up and began to ring. Jim, Claire and Toby stared at each other before Toby finally decided to take the phone and look at the caller ID.
“Jimbo… it’s your mom.”
Jim fell in silence as attempted to glare at Strickler, though his face only emitted a soft sorrowful expression when he looked at the changeling. They waited for the call to get cancelled before they proceeded but a voice message came in
“Walt? are you home yet? I was worried because you said you’d call or text when you get home… but I’m sorry if this is a bad time… I just- Jim isn’t home yet and he wasn’t answering my calls so I thought I’d call you if you, well, knew where he might be…
I know you said that you saw his combat skills firsthand and he would be a great Trollfighter - or something like that –”
Jim’s eyes widened as he softly spoke, “She knows…”
“– but as a mother I’m scared that what if ‘he doesn’t make it’. I just need reassurance, sorry. Call me if you’re not too busy anymore, please.”
Jim’s heart dropped, he fell to the floor, breathing heavily as he clenched his hair. “She knows… that means…”
“Strickler told her,” Toby supplied.
“He was telling the truth.” Jim could no longer fight the tears that were threatening to come out. “And I killed him!” He buried his face in his arms that rested on his knees as he sat down on the cold, damp cement.
"I'm only trying to protect you, Jim!"
"Liar!"
And there he stayed.
“I received information from Angor that Young Atlas has set a journey to get one of the triumbric stones from Gatto.”
Barbara was confused, mainly because none of that made sense to her. “Erm…”
Walter couldn’t help but smile, Barbara was obviously trying to keep up with all the trollish things that Walter just casually throw at her. “Gatto is a mountain troll, love. He is the leader of the volcanic trolls. It is said that one of the triumbric stones–”
“The one that can help defeat Gunmar.”
“yes - is hidden within Gatto’s keep.” Barbara nodded with interest as Walter finished.
She bit her lip as she looked up at Walter. “Do you think Jim can…?”
“Well, if I’m being honest, Gatto is a formidable opponent,” Walter said, hiding nothing from Barbara. It hurts less as the truth that to be kept as a lie and hurt much more later, he learned that the hard way.
Barbara became restless and she walked around the living room, waiting for Jim, for a call, anything. They just came back from a lunch date in which Angor later informed Strickler about Jim and his activities, and Walter informed Barbara about this and now… this. Walter went to the kitchen to make tea in hopes that it will calm Barbara down, it did - slightly, but still.
“Where is Gatto and his keep anyway?” Barbara finally broke the silence after settling down and taking a sip of the tea Walter had made.
Walter leaned on the counter as he stood on the other side. “Ojos del Salado, Argentina–”
Barbara choked on her tea, slightly spilling some in the process. “Argentina?!” Walter quickly took a napkin and gave it to her. “You mean to tell me that my son isn’t even in the same continent as me anymore?!”
“I- uh…” Walter visibly swallowed as he stood in the face of Barbara who was now looking like the first and last time she found her secret. “You never asked?”
“Walter!”
“I’m sorry… I-I should have told you but I saw how frustrated you already are and…”
Barbara calmed down and stared at the half-empty teacup. “I’m sorry, Walter…”
“Don’t be!” he abruptly countered. “don’t be, please… If I never shattered the fragile trust that Young Atlas has given me with the things I’ve done-” He looked at her with pure guilt, guilt that he never felt until now. “-I could be joining him right now, protecting him… protecting both of you without hiding behind a lie. None of this is you… I’m sorry, truly.”
Barbara stood up and went to the other side where Walter stood with his head down and shoulders hanging. She rested a hand on his shoulder and gave a sympathetic smile when he looked at her. “Granted, I still don’t like that you plotted to kill my son behind my back… but I know you’ve changed and I know you’re trying to make up for everything you’ve done. And, honestly, thank you… for everything.”
Strickler gave a ghost of a smile and wrapped his arms around Barbara. What she had done to him was beyond anything his years learning both humans and magic could explain, but he doesn’t want to do anything to change that… to him, it was perfect. He gave a soft kiss on the crown of her head as she rested comfortably on his chest.
“Thank you for staying, Walt,” Barbara spoke low and soft. “Thank you for telling me about Jim, about yourself… I could be blindly worrying about Jim, but you were there to shed light on everything.”
“Love, I never could have done any of this without you and your deathly broom-wielding skills,” he joked causing Barbara to hit him slightly on the shoulder. He chuckled as he cupped her cheek with a hand. “Thank-” He kissed her forehead, “-you-” He kissed her nose, “-my love.” He gave one final passionate kiss on her lips, and she gladly accepted.
Things became quiet after a while, they were now only anxiously waiting for Jim to return from his voyage. Angor contacted Strickler that he saw Jim and company successfully return from their mission, Strickler was relieved that the Trollhunter (and his friends) managed to get back to Arcadia in one piece although a side of him wished that they weren’t successful in getting the triumbric stone. The stone was only one step closer to Jim’s suicide mission, and if he had spent more than enough time with Barbara - which he has - he knows that if anything happens to Jim, she’ll be heartbroken beyond anything. And if he had spent more than enough time in the Darklands - in which, he also has - he knows that Gunmar will not hesitate to remove Jim’s head from his shoulders.
“Barbara, love?”
“Yes, Walt?”
He peered through the window, “Jim’s back and he’s safe, and I think I need to go…”
“Oh.” Barbara gave him a halfhearted nod and he saw the ghost of a dismay that displayed on her expression. He wanted to stay with her, but if he did, Jim would catch them and… it wont go so well, at least, that’s what he assumed considering their bumpy past.
He approached her and caressed her cheek. “I promise I’ll call when I get home,” he assured her as he gave a sympathetic smile.
“And if you don’t?” Barbara looked at him, looking for certainty.
He could only chuckle. “You know I never miss a call, not from you.”
At that, she was reassured, she stepped on her tiptoes and gave him a chaste kiss, unlike before, this was quick and simple. “Stay safe,” she whispered as their lips departed. He gave her a nod. She escorted him out to the hallway and he exited the Lake Residence, she gave him a small wave before she saying once more, “Call me when you get home!”
He gave a genuine and content smile. “Promise!”
But he never did.