Suddenly the remaining door opened, revealing the same interior. Yohannon stepped out, apparently unchanged, and beaming.
"Ah, perfect, I love it when a plan comes together. Oh, Jeff, let's get you out of there."
He snapped his fingers and the cage disappeared. Jeff bolted from the chair and stood, back to the wall.
"Why did you do that?!"
"Protection for you," Yohannon said matter of factly. "Peri, especially young and untrained Peri, are considered a...delicacy, by certain infernal beings. You couldn't get out, but they couldn't get in."
Jeff blanched as Yohannon continued.
"The odds of a div or similar appearing in the few seconds - er, it was only a few seconds, yes?"
"What? Oh, uh, yeah, I guess."
"Good, good. Now the odds of anything happening in the few seconds I and your father weren't here to protect you were perishingly slim, but I didn't want to take the risk however small. Sorry if it was abrupt."
Jeff seemed to calm a bit as he nodded.
"Okay...wait, where's Da-"
Mike burst through the door, which closed and vanished. The last part Jeff didn't notice because he was trapped in a bear hug by his suddenly very affectionate father.
"Jeff! Jeff! Oh, God, I'm so glad to see you, it's been so long, oh my precious-"
"Ack! Can't! BREATHE!"
Mike relaxed his grip but didn't fully release his blushing son.
"Oh, aheh, sorry...and I guess it hasn't been so long for you, has it, Jeff?"
"Uh, no, it's only been about a minute."
"Gosh...good to know I got the timing right. It's been about 500 years for me."
Jeff's eyes bugged out.
"Five HUNDRED *YEARS*?!"
"Indeed!" Yohannon explained. "Messing with the timeline is generally off limits...but ones own personal time flow can be altered considerably. Your father now has a reasonably solid education in Djinn life - and more importantly, PATIENCE, which any parent needs, Djinn or not."
Mike looked down at Jeff, teary eyed.
"It took that long for the novelty to wear off, and then I remembered...I realized...oh, for a horrible moment, Jeff, I thought I'd abandoned you, I thought I was the worst father, but now I know I haven't missed anything, I can be there for my little girl as she grows into a fine young Peri. I love you, Jeff, more than you will ever know until you have children of your own."
"Aww, Dad, I love you too, I'm glad-"
Jeff had gotten very caught up in the sentimentality of the moment and suddenly shook himself.
"Wait, little girl?? SHE?!"
Yohannon coughed and looked at the ceiling. Mike winced, and smiled apologetically.
"Did...did we forget to mention Perian are all female?"