For a time, Jack saw nothing, then Jack let go of Jack, and Suit saw Everything. His whole experience was one endless moment of Now. Minutes, days, years, millennia, eons, it was all Now. Pasts, Presents, Futures, all of it in one constant singular moment. Suit’s mind and body felt like a force had just ripped apart his molecules while forcing them back together in an impossible mass of insane density.

What the fuck is that, what the fuck are molecules or density? What the Hell is happening? How do I know any of this? Why does all of this make sense? Why am I Suit? Oh, that’s right some Atlantean or Goddess or whatever gave me that nickname. Dumb nickname, why can’t I be Superman or something?

The Universe is kind yet unforgiving, in being a Witness you must not interfere in events. You are given this privilege Suit, because you are ill-tempered, foul, vulgar, and know a depth of despair many humans will come to know. You will see Tobias, Jane and many others but never touch or speak to them.

Great now I have a voice in my head that complains at me worse than I already do. Well Fuck You, and Thank you. No sarcasm on the last bit. Not at all, I should be dead, but Nooooooo, whatever is in my head bitching at me decided it just can’t do without me. Got to have me as a Witness. Now I see strangers and giant snakes, cavemen and walking puddles of black stuff. I would say I am going to have nightmares but I’m already in one and I’m being told, Look but don’t Touch. Whatever is speaking in my noodle may be the universe but it certainly has an ego at least twice that size.

Universes don’t tend to make mistakes Suit, but even this one questions about this choice. Look for your son Suit, Watch him and never know the pain and infirmity of old age. Look and see the creation and death of stars. You can even be inside one, nothing can harm you, you will not hunger or need sleep. After all, for you, no time is passing. which means you’ll never sober up completely either. So be a good drunk and do as this universe says and watch.

Got to say I hit the nail on the head with arrogance. Refer to an earlier statement of mine. Fuck You. I would flip you off but I can’t feel my body… or anything really. Oh Fuck, I can’t feel my dick.

I know you’re interested in Freyja, even if there is no way in any hell she would like you, in any form back, why not peep in on her like the pervert we all know you are. She may even let you see her, this universe strongly doubts it would go further than that, but this universe is not perfect, you came from things this universe began in this cycle, if that doesn’t prove that this universe makes mistakes this universe doesn’t know what will.

This universe this, this universe that, why not the simple I or we or whatever else. I don’t know many people who do the third person thing, and none of them do it well, that includes you. You seem to wish to bicker and bitch through eternity rather than just do anything helpful like shutting the hell up. Fucking Christ, if I am doomed to an eternity of you in my head I’m going to kill myself. Wait, that won’t work anymore, Fuck.

Fine, have it your way, I don’t know why I chose humans to be Witnesses, most of you are violent, vulgar or both. There is a reason, however, that I chose you. Look for yourself. Humor me for once rather than another tiring tirade of fuck you’s and so forth. My patience is infinite but that doesn’t make you any less of an ass. I mean the animal by that, just so you know, I equate you with a beast of burden. Never mind that. I clearly have much less practice insulting others than you do.

Suit huffed, a miracle being he couldn’t feel any kind of body, and figured why not give the poor universe a break. He focused all his thoughts onto himself, and found only himself. There were literally infinite versions of the universe to examine but he saw only a reflection of the space around where he guessed his presence was. He didn’t have a body after all.

Why am I the only one? Shouldn’t there be billions of me? Something along those lines.

You are not confined to the concept of time. Look at the traces of yourself and all those lives, track them from beginning to end and see why I chose you, why I stopped you from dying.

Suit did so, in every single life he was either pushed to suicide or murdered there was the occasional accidental death but those were the outliers that proved the artificial nature of his extermination. He couldn’t see what was behind it but he could see its effect on those around him. A growing anger, resentment, or vindictiveness, all supported by the promise of fortune and comfort. Greed is an evil he was familiar with but this went far beyond simple greed. It was a place burning hot and icy cold yet absent of any form of life giving light. Suit stared at Darkness and one of it stared back considering, and hungrily. Somehow Suit knew this was the one behind it all, the suicides, the murders, everything. His own little demon chasing him across realities.

Suddenly a world snapped into crystalline clarity around him, even his body, wearing the same suit. He knew it was his home reality. The year was different but somehow felt the same.

It was night time in a small town just outside of Grafenwoehr, Germany. How Suit knew this he had no idea. He scratched at his head idly, reveling in the simplicity of the physical sensation. Suit froze seeing motion in the street. Impossibly it was Freyja, strolling on without a care in the world while someone followed her and trying very hard to appear otherwise. Fat chance of that when no other soul was present, excluding himself of course. Still Freyja didn’t seem to notice the follower. Everything seemed to vibrate and was beginning to fall apart into randomness but Suit Felt he had to stay and bent all his will power to that effect and managed to stabilize himself in the reality he was in. Freyja was mere steps away now, and Suit knew this would be his opportunity to speak to her one last time.

Freyja, thank you. Oh, there is a shifty mother fucker behind you and considering your figure, I doubt it would end with just a mugging.

Freyja stopped just short of walking right through Suit with a look of astonishment on her face. She hadn’t aged a day in however long it had been. She snorted harshly and began a rich laugh, only to stop to speak. “Suit. Dear Suit. It has been, what, sixty years since I saw you last. Not that I see you now mind you. Should I say you look thin? Is that the joke? Anyways, I would say you look good but that would be a lie. As for the fucker behind me, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed that it isn’t human. Guess I kill it now. Though you being here tells me I Saw true, I will die here. You are my Witness.” Freyja said the last sentence like a gentle caress, reserved for intimates and close confidants.

Suit looked more closely at the stalker and felt ice in veins that no longer functioned. It was the same one. The piece of Darkness that had been responsible for all his deaths. It was wearing human skin like clothing with clothing just being extra layers. It reacted to his fear by looking directly at him as it slowly closed the distance on Freyja. What should have been a face was instead a sagging parody, like someone had removed the bones and filled it only part of the way with sand. Mouth hung agape as if waiting to either feed or scream and eyes drooped disconcertingly uneven. Something clicked in Suit’s brain, he knew this skin that Darkness was wearing. It was of his former boss at the Sun Times. The face attempted to shiver into an approximation of a smile. It knew he would recognize it. This thing had a vendetta that even time couldn’t set aside.

Freyja, run, you can’t fight that thing. Yeah, it ain’t human and well technically you ain’t either but I think you’re outclassed here. Hell, I’m outclassed here, I want to shit myself even though I’m certain it can’t do anything to me.

Freyja just smiled, sadly, but a smile all the same. “If I run, I will lead it to where it will do harm to one whom I love as a daughter, I was hoping to see her and have her know me before the end. It seems that it is not to be. Watch over her, and not as you are watching me, be her guardian and warn her as you have me when it comes time for her to face this thing or one like it. Suit,“ Freyja grew very still, a calming breath flowed in and out and everything grew still as if trapped in ice. “You don’t remember the first night we met, you were drunk of course, it was within a day of you getting back from the second world war. I loved you then, and love you now. I wish fate hadn’t been so cruel as to show me that same night what would happen if I followed my heart. Let’s just say the world gets the shit end of the deal, but we die happy and in love. Your son is never born, nor does the daughter I cared for survive infancy. The world becomes dark because I was selfish. My anger the night you became a Witness was never at you. It was at this indifferent and callous world we cling to for dear life.

Suit, no, Jack, I ask you as the man you were, on the brink of despair and death, make the world better, make it brighter. You are one of the few who can make that a reality. Now, I die, but not without a fight and not without causing a fuck load of pain.” Freyja turned to face the Darkness, alone.

Suit could feel the air grow chill and then downright frigid. While it didn’t affect him personally, he could see the hesitation in the creature. It was easily subzero temperatures now and the thing under his boss’ skin writhed as if in extreme discomfort. That didn’t stop it from closing the last few paces. It was obvious that it at least felt the discomfort of the cold if not pain. Suit wished it could feel pain. He wanted it to hurt, not just for all the versions of him that died because of it, but for what Freyja knew would be the outcome. She moved, and lightning couldn’t have been faster, closing on the Darkness. Clothes and skin went flying as Darkness expanded itself into a sheet, abandoning its human disguise, to try to engulf or wrap Freyja in a deadly embrace. Freyja evaded the Darkness with ease as she slipped to the side. Darkness writhed and began to flow after her, taking a human like appearance except for the overly long whip like arms that dragged on the ground as its body shifted forward continuing its pursuit. Freyja smiled broadly and closed the distance herself. The whip arms reached out to bind Freyja but she snatched them with her hands in mid motion and yanked on them brutally, bringing Darkness to her, as she delivered a vicious kick to, on a person, its midsection as she released the arms of Darkness.

It was flung back, but it seemed a small distance for such a powerful kick. Suit had felt just the faintest portion of Freyja’s strength, and she had handled him like a gorilla handling a gerbil. Whatever Darkness was made of, it was heavy. Darkness shuddered in what appeared to be agony or intense pleasure. Undaunted it closed again somehow moving without using its legs in an effortless glide across asphalt. Freyja stood waiting a cast of calmness over her features. Suit’s heart pounded in a chest that didn’t really function.

So, this is the moment, she will have her life extinguished and there is nothing to be done. Seeress and Reader of Fates, doomed to abandon a love to save a world. To raise a daughter who will never know her. Remembered by history as a myth that was never real. Fate has been calloused toward her, even if it was also kind.

Freyja stood passively watching it come, and come it did. It stopped just beyond the reach of Freyja’s legs. A striking Snake would have been jealous of the speed with which it wrapped its arms about her shoulders and legs, keeping her still. Darkness stretched its neck forward. Keeping its body away as its head floated forward on an elongating neck to pause in front of her passive face. Suit guessed it was feeling confident as its body slid forward to stop almost chest to chest. The neck was still elongated and bent at a sickening level and the head opened up, wrapping itself around Freyja’s head. It was almost intimate in a vomit inducing way. Which only made Suit’s blood boil. Suit discovered he loved her too, her biting and caustic anger, her calm devotion, her fiery passion, the selflessness. They could have made each other great, at the expense of the world, Jack didn’t care, but Suit did.

Freyja’s fists lashed up suddenly, ramming themselves inside Darkness. It heaved in agony, writhing in an attempt to pull itself away from Freyja’s impaling limbs. Its head still enclosed Freyja’s own, as it refused to lose its prey entirely. It was clearly banking on the belief it could kill her before she killed it. Jack felt an indescribable pull to action, the part of him that was still thinking like Suit was trying to warn him off.

Jack didn’t listen. Rage flooded his entire body and for a time he became as Nature. Moving quickly, he stepped behind Darkness and rammed his own fists into it, seeking Freyja’s hands. Jack held Freyja’s hands while a shriek pierced realities, heedless of any danger. It didn’t occur to Jack that if he touched it, it touched him. Blinding agony spread from his arms to his whole body in a flash of incandescent pain.

Sight fled Jack for a brief moment before he saw again, through Darkness’ vision. A ship in the stars made of glass, dim and dark, filled with bodies. Endless repetitions of Darkness hunting and killing Jack. Feeding on Freyja. Consuming Jack’s boss. Hunting a man in a cave and chewing off his hand. Visions of grizzly deaths and worse continued to flood his brain, then came the worst. Jack saved Freyja, Jack saved Tobias, Jack saved Elisa, Jack became Darkness. Horror supplanted pain in that one instant of realization. Darkness were Witnesses that got involved and corrupted themselves. He didn’t know how this was possible but the evidence was clear. This one of Darkness was the version of him that saved people, only to Fall.

Jack let go of the rage and calmed himself. He became Suit once again. Somehow nothing had occurred while he had been incapacitated by the pain and visions. Darkness shivered and still shrieked but then seemed to melt to the ground forming a puddle that oozed away to a storm drain to flee what it assumed was imminent death. Freyja and Suit collapsed as one and Suit passed cleanly through Freyja on the way down. They formed an X where they lay on the road. Suit spoke up after a time. “I guess X marks the spot after all.”

Freyja laughed weakly, gasping for breath before responding. “It’s the one and only time it ever will, and I don’t even feel anything.”

Suit laughed as well. Her time was ending, even he couldn’t avert her fate in this reality. “Liar, you know it feels good.” Suit abandoned joviality for seriousness. “I love you Freyja, to see you go should mark my death as well.” Suit turned his head to see Freyja staring at him. “What, do I got something on my face?”

Freyja looked at Suit thoughtfully. “You know, you are an ugly beautiful. I can see the tears you have for me but you will never shed them. You will keep them locked in your heart and shut everyone away becoming a cold and dispassionate Witness as death and Darkness consume all around you. You don’t need to suffer Suit. Let it go, cry, rail, and find your heart before you lose it.”

Suit couldn’t keep back the pain of seeing a woman he loved die. He couldn’t hold back on her last request. Tears flowed freely down his face. He hated crying, he was mocked by his father and his friends as a child. Crying was for girls and women who didn’t know their place in the world. That’s how they saw it and how he saw it the same way as he grew into a man in the shadow of a world war. Only to fight in another one a short time later.

Freyja smiled weakly. “You are a beautiful crier Suit; your honesty and feelings paint your face when you cry.”

“I only do this for you, I didn’t cry when my mother died and certainly didn’t when my father died. I cry now for you and for a love never realized. Talk about star crossed huh?” Suit sighed and sniffled a bit, wishing he had a handkerchief.

“Suit, this body dies, but I don’t. I will be around forever, always going forward. I can’t experience what you do, I just Live. Eventually my energy will coalesce into a semi physical spirit body.” A grin spread over Freyja’s face. “I made you cry, you vulgar little prick.”

Suit knew she was playing with him but it still hurt that he had treated her poorly when he usually prided himself on being a gentleman. Then he felt the shame of all the times he had beaten Jane after coming home drunk, especially the time he had beaten Tobias for standing up to him for his mother. He would be a great man. Hell, probably is one considering it was a sixty years difference from when I was last here. “My shame goes deep Freyja. I was a good man, War killed him and put me in his place. A broken man, and a sad one.”

Freyja’s expression was filled with sympathy as she smiled. “Pussy, where is the vulgar ass I knew? You aren’t broken, just scuffed up and bent at the edges.” Freyja’s hair shifted colors from a golden moonlight shade to a fiery red which would make burnish copper seem dim. “Shit, there goes my hair. I know how you love blondes. It astounded me when you got with a brunette. Look how a girl changes herself to chase after a man. You guys don’t do shit and assume women will fawn after you all the same.”

“I love your hair, and the blond thing was a phase. The whole supposed master race thing ruined that for me. How long have you been watching me? Stalker. Got to say though, a Superwoman who was blond and we are in Germany, there has to be a certain bit of irony there.” Suit felt energy come back to him flooding into impermanent limbs. He reached out and tried to caress Freyja’s face but he felt nothing and neither did she even though she tried to lean her face into his touch, she was blushing.

A light burst forth furiously from Freyja’s body and she vanished. Suit could hear a whisper of “I Love You” but he felt it was just his imagination. Tears fell freely once more and he heard “pussy”, that wasn’t his head. Suit smiled, a guardian angel has a guardian angel or a guardian bitch it seems. The world collapsed around him, losing it crystalline clarity, into a white singularity. The space where Everything happens.

Suit made a decision, he couldn’t act or risk becoming Darkness, but he could speak. Time was nothing to him, he needed to learn to be as present and focused as he was with Freyja and somehow not cut himself off from events as a whole. Impossible tasks, here we go.

OH, Shit, I got to find other Witnesses too, I would say where would I find the time but that’s not really my problem is it?

No, it certainly isn’t, Suit. Welcome back.