Chapter 10

A/N: I own Lizzie, Lena, and Damien. And believe me, that's enough! Lena 's always blowing things up.

This chapter might suck worse than the others. School started unbearably early in my state (To have more time to prepare for some crap-ass, ignoramus, standardized test) and…well…it's depressing me. Plus, I've been working on an original story, and it's very time consuming, so sorry for the wait. I'd like to thank my new reviewers, as well and my regulars, and of course, my beta.

But whatever. Its cheap entertainment and that is all.

Now…the chapter!

Damien rattled the cage with his canine claws fiercely. Terrified, Lizzie began to question the constitution of the metal bars. She turned away, and slammed into an oak near the stage.

SMASH!

Lizzie looked back, trying to keep from vomiting at the sight before her. Damien had broken out. The cage lay in shambles at his feet. His hunger for her was great; it echoed in his eyes, and in his loud growls.

Robotically, without any thought, only instinct, she climbed the tree. Damien lunged for her. She let a screech escape.

"No!" She cried, steadying herself on a branch.

The townsfolk had heard the noise; she could hear them making loud commotion, safe inside their houses. Faintly, Lizzie envied them.

Damien jumped at her, swiping at the branch. Lizzie shrieked. The clamoring rose to a fever pitch.

The monster had begun to pace. Every other second his back was turned. Lizzie looked from him, to the antidote in her hands. Inhaling sharply, she positioned it in front of her chest, and furrowed her brows.

"C'mon…before he jumps again."

He snarled, and turned. She watched his muscles clench. It was now or never.

Wielding the syringe, Lizzie sprang from the branch, and latched onto Damien's back. She plunged the needle into him, while he shook wildly; trying to claw her off. He howled in pain from the shot of the antidote. Lizzie pressed down hard, and watched the liquid leave the tube.

With a yowl, Damien began to shrink. The transformation was reversing. Lizzie jumped off his back, and landed on the ground.

"Look! Look! Oh God…"

"The stroke isn't even over!"

Puzzled, and dazed, Lizzie looked around. On the hill were several angry villagers, armed with weapons, among them, silver steaks. They must have heard her scream, and grabbed their weapons, as was a procedure of the organized hunter. Several of them were hunt members, including Wolfman, and the Mayor in absurd pajamas.

Her mother and father were standing at the front. Even Sally wielded a gun. But now they all watched Damien change. He stood dumbfounded. He looked down at his hands, and arms in disbelief. He scanned his Herculean body, breathing sharply.

Lizzie watched the townsfolk. Her enemies. They stood awestruck, exchanging looks, and exclamations.

The clock struck. The stroke of midnight was over. Damien had changed five seconds before he was supposed to. The curse was broken.

The crowd rushed towards the fallen couple. Damien reached over his shoulder, and plucked the needle out of his back. He looked over at Lizzie. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears of joy. A smile broke out across his immaculate face. It made Lizzie's heart sputter hyperactively.

Damien scooped her up in his burly arms, and held her head to his collarbone. Lizzie was taken aback, but ultimately screaming with joy. The harrowing ordeal came flooding back to her in a torrent. The voices in her head mingled with the screams of the townspeople. Overcome by emotion, she began to sob into Damien's rock hard chest.

"Shh…Lizzie…It's okay…Everything's fine now. We're free." Damien tried to soothe her, but his voice was breaking. Lizzie was inconsolable.

"You saved me. For that, I'll love you forever." He whispered, pressing soft kisses, and sighs into her matted hair.

"She found it! She found the antidote!"

Lizzie's head shot up. The mob was sprinting towards her, cheering.

Cheering. They had done this before. They had cheered for the royal family. Something grand she had been born into. Her father had worked for his title. Her mother worked to maintain grace in her position. Lizzie had done nothing to earn these approbations.

But now she had. She worked against the odds, and developed a cure. A cure that no adult had the gonads to find. Though this was trivial to her, and Damien's welfare was all that truly mattered, it elated her.

She spotted her mother, crying hysterically, trying to smile. If the beloved Queen had been the picture of grace before, she sure wasn't now. She was the definition of 'wreck' if ever there were one. Damien released Lizzie gently, but kept his arm around her shoulder.

She took a deep breath. Here it comes…

"Lizzie!" Sally cried. She ran to her daughter, with Jack at her heels, and took her into an embrace made to crush intestines.

"Mama…" Lizzie squeaked.

Sally swayed. "Oh…my baby…I was so worried! And the Doctor…"

Shit she found out.

"I'm so sorry mom." Lizzie croaked.

"You didn't know. Because I didn't tell you. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

She kissed the crown of Lizzie's head. Jack put his arms around both of them. Lizzie titled her chin, and looked up at her father.

"Daddy…I'm sorry I ran off. Are you angry?" Lizzie asked timidly.

Jack furrowed his brows.

"Am I angry? You deliberately disobeyed me, ran off to live with an old psychotic man, and jumped onto a werewolf, that we forbade you to see...am I mad? Elizabeth Christine Skellington, I am furious!" (A/N I don't remember giving her middle name. If the continuity is wrong…don't pay any attention.)

Lizzie swallowed. Jack's toothy grin slowly moved into his features.

"But I've never been prouder."

Lizzie sighed in relief, as her father hugged her tightly.

"Oh Lizzie…Thank Goodness you paid attention in Chemistry of all things!"

Lizzie giggled. Her parents smiled warmly at her, as they pulled away to fight off the mob, trying to question Lizzie and Damien.

She dried her tears, her knees knocking together. God, she was tired.

Robust arms encircled her from behind. She knew at once who it was.

"Damien." She said, turning into his chest. He lifted her weary body, and cradled her against him.

"You look like hell." He commented, chuckling. "No offense."

"None taken."

"If you even try to leave your bed in the next three days, I'll sedate you."

"Mmhmm…" Lizzie mumbled. "Don't think I won't do it anyway. Get the darts out."

"This isn't funny. You've been through purgatory at my expense."

Lizzie gazed at him, here eyes welling up again. "I know."

Damien pressed her to him, nuzzling her head, and kissing her.

"Don't cry anymore. It's over. And now, I never want to see you cry again."

"ATTENTION LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"

Damien about-faced towards the stage, where the mayor had spoken. He was holding a big, obnoxious megaphone, and waving his stubby little hands.

"It appears that Princess Elizabeth Skellington has developed an antidote."

Roaring applause.

"Yes… but what if, my good people, the cure is obsolete? That it only provides temporary-"

He was cut short by booing, and catcalls from the townsfolk. More had come from their homes to see what all the hoopla was about.

"Now, now…" he tried to quell the crowd.

"Excuse me sir…."

Jack stepped forward, his hand over his chest, his posture statuesque and proud. He laid his free hand on Lizzie's shoulder.

"Are you questioning the ability of my child?"

Lizzie was shocked. Her fragile, worn form was awash with pleasure, and joy. Her father had stood up for her. Against the mayor.

The asshole paled. "No, no…of course not Jack…I'm just taking every precaution necessary."

Lizzie felt sorry for the poor bastard. She cleared her throat.

"Honestly, I think he may be right." She announced. This seemed to calm the villagers a bit.

The mayor cast a grateful look. "There you have it. I suggest that Damien is to be kept on the stage for one more day…but he will be fed, and anyone who is caught beating, or mocking him will be severely punished. We will not keep him in a cage, but rather by a shackle, and if, by midnight, he is still human, we will know if the antidote worked."

Lizzie still felt uneasy.

"Damien? Can you do it?"

He nodded. "Don't' worry about me, my angel. If only to prove your right, I will."

The mayor gestured towards him. "Young man, where do you reside? Do you have guardians of any sort to go back to?"

Damien looked downcast. Lizzie tightened her grip on him. He never mentioned family, or his home, other than living somewhere west.

He shook his head.

"No sir. I live in a cave, in the west forest."

"A cave?" Lizzie rasped. Damien shushed her.

"Save your breath."

Quiet chatter ensued. The mayor spoke again.

"Well unless you choose to live there, who will take you in when this is over?"

"I will."

Lizzie could have fainted. It was Jack who had spoken. Her father continued to surprise her. She stared at him over her shoulder.

Sally tapped him on the shoulder.

"Jack, are you sure? This is a bit spur-of-the-moment..."

Jack nodded firmly. "Yes indeed, my queen. Don't you see it? He's brought Lizzie happiness. He's set her heart aflame. He didn't ask to have this curse bestowed upon him. He brought our beautiful little girl back, and we owe him this much."

More applause. Damien spun, swinging Lizzie around, both laughing a sobbing. The whole of Halloweentown stood, just screaming, and laughing, and dancing, not conscious of their actions. Lizzie clung tightly to her lover, crying happy tears, until, even amidst the chaos, she let her battered self give way, and fell asleep in Damien's arms.

TNBCTNBCTNBCTNBCTNBCTNBNCTNBCTNBCTNBCTNBC

The next night…

Lizzie squirmed anxiously under her bed sheets, letting the book on her lap; fall over her knees, and onto the floor. The clock ticking in the corner seemed louder than usual. Two minutes until midnight.

She was trapped inside her manor, all the doors locked with chains only opened from the outside. She wanted badly to be out there, with Damien, supporting him.

She had overheard her father discuss the plans for the night. The hunt members would stand armed on the hill, watching Damien, with the villagers safely behind them.

She had also heard her parents discuss a grand ball to be held when Lizzie recovered, if her antidote worked. She smiled wryly, only comforted by the fact that her bed rest had been shortened from three days to two.

She was still tired. She hadn't been able to sleep all day, in anticipation, but to even think about sleep was impossible.

Brong…Brong…

Lizzie's heart raced. Outside the clock tower struck midnight. She closed her eyes, and pulled the covers over her head, waiting to hear the response. The verdict.

The next sound she heard was the now familiar sound of thunderous clapping, and hysterical cheers.