A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I really, really, really appreciate them all. Every one I get encourages me to keep writing. So if you don't want me to give up on this story, please tell other people about my story! And for all you lurkers…please show your support for a writer who isn't making any money off of this!

The Royal wedding took place almost immediately. Jake received an invitation from Cinderella; he doubted that the Prince even remembered him anymore.

Dearest Jakob,

I'm sorry for the things I said the other day. I really didn't mean any of them. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day.

I'm inviting you to our wedding on the 2nd of May. I hope you can attend – it would be nice to see your face again.

Yours truly,

Cinderella

Jake found it very hard to forgive. If you really were sorry, he thought bitterly, you wouldn't be having a wedding with that Prince of yours.

But even if Jake had wanted to go to the wedding, what happened next, made it impossible.

……

When Jake returned to the inn, he found the room empty except for a lump under the covers of the bed. Cavaldi was gone.

He went to Will's bedside. The older brother was deathly pale, his breathing rattling his weak chest, his eyes closed. Jake sucked in his breath. If it hadn't been for the faint clatter in Will's chest when he breathed, Jake would have no idea that he was alive.

The old fear rose, clawing, bubbling, in his stomach. Dead. "Don't think of that word," he whispered to himself. And yet, his brother looked…dead. Dead. Dead…! "No, no, no," he moaned, "Don't think! Don't think of that word!" But he's going to die…he's going to die…

The thundering in Jake's head was unbearable. He drew his jacket over his head and rocked back and forth in a huddle on the floor.

Tears poured down his dirty cheeks. He hadn't cried when he faced the Mirror Queen. He hadn't cried when Anjelika said good-bye. He hadn't even cried when Cinderella left him. But now…it was as if the pressure of everything that had happened squeezed upon his heart, squeezing until tears started gushing out and wouldn't stop.

If only he hadn't been gone for so long. What did Cavaldi know about taking care of sick brothers for more than a month? I hate you Cinderella, Jake thought bitterly as tears dripped into his mouth. I wish I never met you! Who was Cinderella but a girl that he had danced with for only a couple of hours? Who was Will but a brother who had danced by his side all his life? I should have stood up to that brainless Prince.

"Jakob?" Cavaldi had come in. Jake jumped up and used tremendous strength to tackle the taller man to the floor.

"What the - ?" Cavaldi gasped as Jake's fist came flying out of nowhere.

"What did you do to Will? What did you do to him!"

"Nothing," Cavaldi panted, as he finally managed to pull Jake off. "Nothing! For God sakes Jake, get a grip on yourself. He's fine! See? He's just sleeping!"

Jake was ready to jump on him again. "Just sleeping? Are you kidding me? When was the last time he was awake?"

"Uh…" Cavaldi was starting to look a little uncomfortable as he scratched his chin. "Oh maybe…3 or 4 days ago…but you know – " he added hastily as Jake was ready to make an angry response, "He does drift in and out of consciousness so does that count?"

Jake didn't answer. Tears kept flowing freely down his cheeks and he looked down so that Cavaldi couldn't see them. Cavaldi looked away as well.

"Look, I'm glad you're back," he attempted awkwardly, "I don't know how to take care of your brother as well as you do."

"Too right you can't." Jake's voice trembled and quaked. He walked over to Will's side.

His brother opened one eye blearily. "Jake?"

Jake almost jumped. "Will?"

"Jake…" Will's breathing was growing short and his chest was heaving up and down to grab the small amount of air he was taking in. Jake grabbed his hand.

"Will, hang in there. I'll go get a doctor. Hang in there!"

But Will shook his head. "It's…no…use Jake…" He looked at the tears that his brother was furiously trying to wipe away.

"Don't cry…I'm – "

"Will! Stay in there! For me, for everyone – for Anjelika. WILL!" Jake screeched as Will shook his head again, more feebly this time.

"Jake…stop…wasting time…I…have something…to-"

"Just hang in there, I'm leaving. I'm going to get a doctor." Jake slung his backpack over his shoulder, spilling contents out onto the floor.

"Cavaldi!" he barked, "Take care of him. Make him hang in there. I'm going to get a doctor. Don't let him give up!"

But Cavaldi was picking stuff up from the floor curiously.

"Cavaldi!"

"What's this?" he asked, showing Jake the Queen's dagger. Jake groaned.

"It's hard to explain. Did you hear what I told you? Take care of –"

"Yes, yes, I heard you," Cavaldi said dismissively. "But what is this?"

"It's just something of the Queen's. She uses it to bring people back to life, but it's evil – oh, I can't explain right now…can't you see I'm in a hurry?" and with that, he pushed past the French torturer and ran into the streets.

……

It was pouring rain in the streets. Jake sloshed through muck and mud, yelling for help.

"Doctor!" he cried into the frenzy of people trying to find shelter. "I need a doctor!" He stumbled blindly into carriages, with horses neighing in shock, his heart pounded as his feet pounded down the streets. Both in rhythm, both sounding out a death beat – DUN DUN, DUN DUN…

"Doctor! Anybody know a doctor? I need a doctor!"

But nobody seemed keen to help the crazy man screaming and stumbling around in the rain. They all seemed intent on getting to their own destination.

Jake staggered on.

The wind screeched around him as it played cruelly with his bare flesh – his eyes watered, his cheeks were red and raw, his ears were frozen and stiff, his hands were ready to fall off…

And yet he stumbled on.

"Doctor! I need a damn Doctor!"

After what seemed like years, a strong hand gripped Jake's shoulders and steered him into a well-lit cottage. Jake was so grateful that he allowed himself to be steered in.

"You want a doc'or yer say?" a friendly, gruff voice greeted him. Jake didn't know what he said, but all he knew was that next, that thick voice replied,

"Well I'm the best doc'or in town." There was a scraping as the man stood up.

"Name o' McGruffin. Nice ter meet yer."

The next thing he knew, Jake was being led to a warm carriage, and he trundled back onto the road, this time dry, and with a doctor at his side.

……

By the time they got to the inn, Jake felt that there was something terribly wrong. But it wasn't until he got to the door of their room that his fears were confirmed. Cavaldi was standing with his back to the door. His face was cakey and sweaty, and his breathing was panicked.

"What's wrong Cavaldi?" Jake asked when they neared. Cavaldi gulped and shook his head vigorously, unable to speak.

"What's wrong?" Jake was starting to get impatient. He reached to the doorknob, but Cavaldi lunged for it. Jake was bewildered.

"Come on, whatever you're playing at – it isn't funny." But Cavaldi's face looked so horrified, that Jake didn't forced entry into the room.

"He – h-he's…" Cavaldi gulped. "He – h-h…"

"Is he dead?"

Cavaldi shook his head but for some reason, his face didn't seem to relax, in fact it seemed to tense at the mention of Will's state of health. There was an odd smashing noise from behind the door, as if a monster was raging to get out.

"If you can't tell me, let me in! I've got a doctor with me." Jake was starting to get panicked himself. What if whatever was raging in the room was harming Will? What if a creature was killing his brother?

"He – h-he w-won't need a d-doctor…" the French torturer was able to get that part out. Jake was starting to get frustrated.

"I'm coming Will!" he yelled, and seized the doorknob.

He pushed, and went in.

……

The banging and smashing had stopped right when Jake yelled. When Jake stepped in, all was silent. Eerily silent. At first, it seemed as if nobody was there. An abandoned room with nothing but creeping shadows.

And then, Jake saw him.

Facing the wall, standing up, as alive as ever.

Will turned around, and a broad smile spread across his face.

"I must serve my Queen…"