Lock tightened his tail around her vines in solidarity.

"Jack," he said, "it's--"

Not what it looks like? More than it seems? Lock glanced to the staring monsters on either side of him and Carver. Like any of [i]them[/i] would believe him. He looked back up to Jack and met the Pumpkin King's eye sockets.

"...It's complicated," he said quietly as he held Carver close to him. "She didn't--!"

Lock paused again before he could tell an obvious lie. Carver meant every word, and every witness around them knew it. He took a careful step back, though his legs trembled with the threat to run for it. His tail released Carver's vines to weave through the bars of her cage and make it more difficult to pry her away from him.

"Please, Jack!"

Jack's expression softened.

"I know," he said, in an attempt to assuage the both of them. "That's why she's going to stay with me tonight, so we can sort it out."

He got down on one knee to be more at Lock and Carver's level.

"Okay?" he asked.