Chapter Text
Jake rolled over and punched the snooze button on his alarm one final time. He knew that he needed to get up, but he just wasn’t ready to face the day.
It was Monday morning, and normally by this time he would be in the annex, enjoying his morning coffee while getting lost in various art history books and portfolios. Cassandra would be there with him, listening patiently as he explained everything he loved about whatever artist he was studying that day.
Cassandra. Jake couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her, even though she was the reason he couldn’t bear to get out of bed that morning. He hadn’t seen her since late Friday night, after they had successfully reunited the unicorn colt with its mama. When they had returned to the annex Jake had finally come clean with her, admitting his true feelings, but somehow still keeping her at arms’ length. How could he be so stupid?
His alarm went off again, and this time Jake had no choice but to turn it off and drag himself out of bed. He had left himself just barely enough time to get ready and get to the annex on time. Jake hated to be rushed in the morning, but at least now he had a distraction from his thoughts.
It only took him a few minutes to get ready and fill his travel mug. He wouldn’t have time to stop at his favourite coffee shop that morning so he would have to settle for the stuff from home. Before long he was driving down the road in his old pick up truck, the local country station playing loud enough to tune his brain out.
Jake arrived at the annex ten minutes later than he should have, but he didn’t really care. To be honest, he wasn’t sure who had originally come up with this set schedule since the cases had a tendency to pop up randomly, no matter what day or time it was. Jake had a feeling their schedule had more to do with Baird wanting to have an excuse to make sure Jones showed up every day. And besides, after months of practically living in the annex, showing up hours earlier than expected and staying hours later, Jake knew that Baird wouldn’t hold it against him if he was late just this once.
A part of Jake wanted to linger in his truck for a bit, he wanted to avoid going into the annex and seeing Cassandra again. He wasn’t sure if things would be awkward between them now. Would she treat him differently after he had all but confessed his love for her before casting her aside again? At the time it seemed like she felt the same way. She had said she would wait for him, that she would wait until he felt ready for a relationship, until he felt like he deserved her. But what if she had just been caught up in the moment? Maybe she had changed her mind after having some time to think about it. Jake certainly wouldn’t blame her if she had.
Knowing he couldn’t put things off any longer, Jake sighed and climbed out of his truck. The walk to the annex doors, through the hallway and into the main room seemed to take forever, but in reality only a minute had passed since he first parked his truck.
“I just don’t see the case here,” the first thing Jake heard when he entered the room was Ezekiel, arguing with the rest of the team. That seemed about right.
“Mr. Stone, so happy you could join us,” Jenkins was the first to spot him. Everyone was gathered around the clippings book, confused looks on their faces as they tried to make sense of whatever had appeared that morning. At the sound of Jenkins’ greeting Jake noticed Cassandra glance up and offer him a shy smile. He smiled back as he joined them.
“Sorry, I uh, I slept in,” Jake mumbled as he reached them. A small part of him wanted to avoid Cassandra, to pretend that he hadn’t poured his heart out to her the other night. But the part of him that wanted to be there to catch her if she fell won over and he took a spot behind her, his chin almost resting on her shoulder as he leaned in to read the clippings book. “New case? What is it this time?”
“It’s nothing,” Ezekiel assured. “I don’t understand what the big deal is.”
“The big deal is that it appeared in the clippings book,” Baird argued. “The Library obviously thinks there’s something here, therefore we check it out.”
Jake quickly skimmed over the articles that had appeared, his eyes growing more wide has he read. He was too distracted to notice Cassandra watching him out of the corner of her eye, smiling as she tried to make sense of the look on his face.
Finally Jake backed away a step and looked at Jenkins, hoping the older man could provide some insight. “I’m sorry...what?” he motioned at the book.
“It’s the phantom clowns,” Jenkins spoke dryly and shrugged, as if everyone should have known that this was going to happen. “They’re back.”
“Back?” Jake asked in shock. “This has happened before?” Jenkins nodded.
“You’re telling me that there are clowns out there, that they’re targeting kids, that only kids can see these clowns…” Jake gestured wildly. “And that this isn’t even news to you!?”
“The first known sighting of these clowns was in Boston back in 1981,” Jenkins sighed, sounding slightly annoyed that no one was able to keep up with him. “Police had responded to several complaints. Many of these clowns were driving black vans and trying to lure children to them with candy. Some of the reports described the clowns as naked from the waist down.”
“Well this isn’t remotely creepy,” Jones interrupted sarcastically. “How do we know they weren’t just some weirdo freaks with a perverted fetish?”
“Because, Mr. Jones,” Jenkins continued. “these complaints soon spread throughout the country. Remember this was the early 80’s, long before your little interconnected web thing made sharing news like this possible. And each time, children were the only ones who could see both the clowns or the black vans.”
“And like Baird said,” Cassandra cut in. “It’s in the clippings book. The Library obviously senses that something is up here.”
“Why clowns, though?” Jake asked, more to himself than to anyone in the room. “Why does it have to be clowns?”
“Funny you should mention that, Mr. Stone, because there were actually a few reports of other costumed phantoms as well. Someone in a gorilla suit for one. One child even reported trying to be lured away by Spiderman. But clowns were much more common.”
“Well my childhood is officially ruined,” Ezekiel huffed.
“The clowns have never actually hurt anyone, though,” Cassandra mentioned, turning to Jenkins. “What is it that they want exactly?” The older man just shrugged.
“So you expect us to fight off a bunch of...clowns. Whose intentions are unknown to us. And that none of us can see?” Baird clarified, her voice a mixture of amusement and annoyance. Jenkins nodded at that. “And how do you expect us to do that?”
“Well I suppose you can start by doing research on the first time the clowns attacked, assuming you can do that quietly,” Jenkins started. “And you can head to the town where the attacks have started happening and ask around, see what people are saying. I’m a big fan of that plan, or really anything that gets you guys out of my annex.”
“No, research sounds good,” Baird said. “We should try and find some concrete information about what we’re up against.”
The colonel headed over to her desk and sat down with her laptop in front of her. The LiTs looked from her to each other, realizing that this meant they were to hit the books. Without a word Ezekiel headed off upstairs (Jake was pretty sure that the thief wasn’t actually planning to do any actual research). Jake was about to follow him when Cassandra spoke up.
“Hey, are you okay?” she asked.
“What? Yeah...o-of course I’m okay Cassie,” Jake was caught off guard by the question. He hoped she wasn’t planning on bringing up their previous conversation.
“Are you sure? Because I saw your face when you were reading the clippings book,” she eyed him cautiously. “You got a little tense there.”
“Oh, that?” Jake smiled, realizing what Cassie was getting at. “Yeah, that. Uh...I guess you could say I’m not the biggest fan of uh, clowns.”
Cassandra giggled. “I’m sorry, Jake. I just never expected you to be afraid of clowns. I mean, you went head to head with a minotaur of all things, but clowns are what freak you out?”
“Hey!” Jake spoke with mock annoyance. “Keep your voice down, I don’t want Jones to find out. And I’m not afraid of clowns. I just don’t like ‘em!”
“Sure thing, cowboy,” Cassandra was still laughing. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” She then headed off in the same direction Ezekiel had gone a few minutes earlier. Jake watched her walk away for a second before following her up the stairs, an overwhelming mixture of feelings going through his head.
On the one hand, he realized he had agonized over seeing Cassie again for nothing. Jake should have realized that no matter what happened between them, Cassandra would always be there for him, just as he would always be there for her. The two of them were connected, and no matter what happened between them, no matter how confusing or complicated it was, that connection would always be there. Jake knew that now.
But on the other hand, their latest case dealt with clowns. Phantom clowns. And even though he was determined not to fully admit it, especially not to Cassandra and Ezekiel, Jake was deathly afraid of clowns.