*cries* Yeah. When I first started writing this, I had no idea that it would take me so long to get around to part 2. But my life has been hectic, and I was kind of floundering around, trying to figure out what the heck to do with this, since I had a few bits I knew I wanted to include, but I wasn't sure how to string them together.

Well, without further ado… the second and final chapter of Tangled Webs. I had fun letting Jack fly off the handle.

Tangled Webs

Chapter 2

The cream colored silk was like water against her skin as it was laced up around her body, the skirt heavy as it cascaded in ripples and folds from the end bodice. The maids helping her get ready – lacing up the dress, applying her make-up – told her she looked beautiful. But she barely heard him. One of the girls giggled, talking about how handsome Jack was. Katherine couldn't deny that.

But she didn't care.

Somewhere, probably in the next room, Nightlight was no doubt counting down the minutes, wordless as usual, his green eyes dark and somber.

She hadn't seen Toothiana since the ball, save for a few glimpses as the woman went around the palace, tracking down anyone she had business with. Aster seemed especially interested in avoiding her, though Katherine didn't bother to ask why. Punjam Hy Loo and Warren were close trade partners, but there were a million small things that could need addressing even between close allies.

She'd seen Jack only a few times since they'd talked in the garden. He'd been kind and civil as usual, asking her opinions, introducing her to people around the palace. They'd agreed to be friends, and under any other circumstances, she would have been glad of his friendship. Not, though…

The door opened.

"It's time."

The sanctuary in the palace was filled with courtiers, visiting dignitaries, all in their best attire, filling the rows of pews she had to walk between to reach the altar at the front, where Jack already waited, standing in front of the priest that would officiate the ceremony.

Her eyes searched the room, over the faces of the people who watched her progression down the aisle. She saw Toothiana, her gown dark green with a gold sheen where the light touched it. Her dark hair elegantly twisted into a jeweled diadem, though Katherine recognized in the woman's expression that she wanted to be anywhere else.

Nightlight was in one corner, hands behind his back as he stood guard. His last day as her bodyguard. On one hand it was a blessing that she wouldn't be forced to see him every day once she was married to Jack. On the other, she knew she would miss him as though a part of her heart had been torn out.

Their eyes met briefly, but his expression was carefully schooled so she couldn't read anything more than a flash of pain.

She reached the front too soon, accepting the hand Jack held out to her because it was expected of her. It was what she was supposed to do.

And she was a princess. She had to do what was expected of her. Never stray. Never break the rules. Never try to shirk her duty.

Why would anyone want to be royalty?

Jack led her the last few feet to where the priest stood, and they turned to face each other as the man cleared his throat and started to recite the ceremony.

She couldn't meet Jack's eyes, instead looking over his shoulder, at the balcony where lower officials were seated. Liveried guards stood at attention along the railing, all standing still as they watched… except for one.

One of the guards, directly behind Jack, reached to his belt and pulled out something that glinted in the light of the chandelier overhead. He pulled his hand back to throw it.

Grabbing Jack's shoulders, she pushed him down just as the guard drew the knife, and it sailed over their heads with a sharp hiss, to wedge itself in the wall behind her.

The room exploded into chaos.

Katherine could barely hear herself think over the screams of the assembled as they all scrambled over each other in their rush to get out. By the time she looked back at the balcony, she couldn't see the guard who had thrown the knife. But she saw several other guards, and some civilians in the balcony and throughout the crowd, throwing off armor and cloaks to reveal an all too familiar black uniform that made her shudder.

One of the men in black pushed through the crowd, running toward them. Jack grabbed her arm, twisting her so she was shielded by his body as he spun on his heel and kicked the man hard in the stomach. The nightmare stumbled back from the force of the blow.

"Pitch," Jack muttered, his moth close enough to her ear she could hear him even over the noise. His blue eyes darted around the room. "Nightlight!"

"Right here."

The both looked over to see Nightlight pushing through the crowd toward him. He held a hand out to her, and Katherine took it without thinking, lacing her fingers through his and squeezing.

"Get her out of here," Jack said, meeting Nightlight's eyes with something Katherine couldn't read. "There's a door over there."

#

Jack watched Nightlight lead Katherine through the door hidden behind one of the banners hung on the wall, before turning back to the throng that had erupted into a full scale battle in the minute or two he hadn't been watching. His guards had surged around him, keeping Pitche's nightmares at bay.

"Jack!" Toothiana pushed through the guards, elbowing one in the side when he tried to stop her. She held three swords – two of her preferred double blades, one a black sword that looked as though she'd pulled it off a nightmare. She threw the latter toward him, and he caught it deftly.

"Protect the civilians!" he called to his guards, less concerned about his own safety now he had a way to defend himself.

One of the guards nodded, calling orders to his companions, barking orders.

"You brought your swords to my wedding?" he asked, as Toothiana stood with her back to his.

"Are you really going to complain?" she asked.

Jack wasn't sure a smile was appropriate for this situation, but the corner of his mouth still quirked in amusement. "Well, I guess this is a better alternative than the scheduled entertainment."

"Oh, absolutely," Toothiana said, her tone completely serious. "Instead of dying spiritually, I might die physically. This is much better."

"I thought so too," he said, taking a deep breath.

One of the nightmare broke through the guards, coming toward him. He swung his sword up just in time to block the attack, and after that there was no more space for talking – his effort was focus on the fight.

#

By the time it was all over the sun was coming through the windows on the opposite side of the room as it had been when the attack started, and the sky outside was beginning to shift colors as the sun dipped closer to the horizon.

The sanctuary was a mess – splintered wood, broken glass and patches of ripped fabric. Bodies of the wounded and deceased had been carried out, and anyone not involved in the fight had gotten out long before.

Katherine and Nightlight picked their way carefully over the destruction, toward the front of the sanctuary. It was empty, save for Jack and Toothiana. Jack sat on the carpeted floor, leaning back against the mostly undamaged altar, Toothiana sat between his legs, leaning back against his chest. Her green gown was tattered and bloodstained, her dark hair a disarray, strands sticking to the sweat on her temples and forehead.

"Are you two all right?" Jack asked, opening his eyes with obvious effort.

"We're fine," Katherine said. "What about you?"

"I think we'll survive," Toothiana said quietly, not opening her eyes or lifting her head from Jack's chest.

Kathrine saw Jack's arms tighten around the queen's shoulder, leaning his head down to bury his face in the curve of her neck before he took a deep breath and looked up.

"Now what?" Nightlight asked. His hand still interlaced with Katherine's tightened.

"Now—"

"Your Majesty."

Jack let out an annoyed breath and looked over at the side door, where several members of his council were coming into the sanctuary.

Kathrine saw them glanced between her hand in Nightlight's, to the way Jack was holding Toothiana to his chest. It was hardly appropriate, considering she and Jack should have been married by now. But she hardly cared, and instead leaned closer to Nightlight.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, looking at the men.

"Your Majesty, now that things have settled, the wedding—"

"Is not going to happen," Jack said.

"But—"

"Shut up." Jack finally let go of Toothiana and eased himself to a standing position, bracing on hand on the altar to steady himself. "I almost died today, in more ways than one. And I'm finally seeing sense – possibly for the first time in my life."

"A distinct possibility," Toothiana said, still sitting on the floor, her lips quirked in a small, tired smile.

"Not now," Jack muttered, before turning back to his advisors. "I'm the king – but I've let you people run my life for as long as I can remember. But not this time. I'm not marrying Katherine. No offense." The last was with a small glance over at her.

Katherine felt her heart skip a beat, and she squeezed Nightlight's hand, hoping for the first time in months.

"But, sir, the traty with Santoff Claussen—"

"Is now dependent on Katherine's marriage to Nightlight," Jack said. "They want our help so badly, I don't see how that's a loss in any way."

"Your Majesty, it doesn't—"

Jack groaned in frustration. "Just… shut up. Please. Katherine marries Nightlight, we still have our treaty, and I marry Toothiana. I'm not seeing how this causes trouble for anyone." He looked between the council members. "And, if you don't agree, I'll abstain the throne. No, wait – I'll do one better. I'll disband the council."

"You can't—"

"Actually, I can," he said. "As king, it's within my right to do whatever I'd like. It goes against everything my father taught me, but I like to think it's in everyone's best interests at the moment. I get a wife I can actually love, Katherine gets the Prince Consort she wants. And we all have a treaty so when Pitch declares war – yes, when, stop trying to tell me he won't – we have allies."

Katherine looked at Nightlight, the counselors expressions telling her they didn't know how to fight back, though they wanted to.

She met his green eyes, and felt her chest squeeze as her eyes burned with tears.