It has come to my attention that last chapter I wrote prostate instead of prosthetic, I'm sure you all had a good laugh xD
0o0
Every shiver that racks her body makes him frown in worry. They haven't been walking for long but because it was dark and they were in a forest it was getting cold, so Regina decided to be a good Samaritan and give her cloak to some child, as sweet at the gesture was it really did come back to bite her in the ass, cold ass to be specific.
Because Jack could see that she was freezing, and rightfully so for she was only wearing a black corset and sinfully tight leather trousers. He decided to make the move knowing that she would never admit that she was getting cold.
"You cold?" he asks for what felt like the millionth time, and for the millionth time her answer was a tight lipped no. Jack rolled his eyes at her, she won't tell him that she's cold, her pride won't allow her.
He sighs muttering damn stubborn woman under his breath and unbuckling his belt that held the large leather coat close to his body, he then took off the large thick leather coat off his broad shoulders and wrapping her around it, "Well I'm overheating," he says with a pointed look.
She smiles gratefully at him, putting the coat on properly and looking down at how tiny she looks. Jack's large leather coat went to his ankle, it was just perfect for him and usually he would place a belt around his waist to keep it from flailing about when he's moving. The large coat on Regina makes her look like she's a toddler in her father's clothes. The thing has practically eaten her up; you can't see her delicate figure and the coat has shoulder pads which go way off on her, it's dragging behind her a good couple of inches, and on top of that, the sleeves are way too long for her, they're practically reach past her knees. Somehow she still looked scary and intimidating, the thought made Jack smile and pull her into his side, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she, in turn, wrapped her arm around his back.
Words cannot describe how much she had missed him. Although she had barely had a break since the last time she saw him she knew that now that he was back and she wasn't alone, she wouldn't let him stray too far from her.
0o0
She didn't know what to expect when she got to the camp, Jack's camp was actually a palace hidden in the woods; Robin Hood's was a literal camp with tents and poorness. Regina cringed at the thought of sleeping in a tent. She wasn't a fan of bugs and tight spaces, especially because her mother thought that tight spaces was the appropriate place she should put her daughter for punishments.
"Don't worry, it'll just be me and you in a tent," Jack smiled behind her, placing a soft kiss to her cheek when she sighed out a little.
Regina frowned, "I don't think everyone will fit," she motioned to the few tents about the small clearing, "Not for all my people," she took a side way glance to the group of people still making their way into the camp.
"Snow," Jack called, the princess turned around, "Come here," he demanded softly.
The princess walked over with the Sheep herder and Thief.
"How did you expect these people to fit here?" asked Regina.
Snow looked like a deer caught in the headlights, "Well, I," she nibbled on her lip.
Regina sighed, "There's only so many tents that we can make appear. Jack," she rose her brow.
Jack took his cue and snapped his fingers making more tents appear, most of them small enough to fit two to three people. One was out secluded from the others, it black, a stark contrast form the ugly yellow that the others were, it was small and close to the trees.
"That's not nearly enough for all these people," Snow said.
"Yes, well, the tents are only for those of higher priority, anyone with a child, anyone who's sick or in more need for comfort, Jack here is missing a leg so naturally he needs somewhere more comfortable to sleep," Regina said with a tone of authority that made Snow look at her feet.
"And I suppose you'll go with him," the stupid Thief asked.
"We're a package deal," Jack answered with a glare.
"Come, let's put up a protection spell," Regina dragged him off before he could throw any punches.
They both went to opposite sides of the camp, a little way into the trees and started creating the dome that would protect the people from a possible simian attack, they made sure to leave a small doorway for the remainder of the people to enter through. Once they were sure the spell would hold out Jack went to find them some none magical food (magical food never tastes the same a real food), while Regina went to their tent.
On his way Jack was stopped by a woman with black hair and a young boy on her hip, "Hello," she greeted, "I'm Marian, Robin's wife, I know you made the tents appear for some of the people, I was wondering if you could get some blankets and pillows for those sleeping outside?" she smiled softly.
Jack nodded, "Of course," he made a little notepad appear with a pen, "Just write down what you want and then put the paper on the floor, it will make whatever you wrote on it appear," he pulled it out to her, before she could take it he pulled it back, "This is specific for blankets and pillows and first aid, if you write something else on it, it won't work," he rose a brow.
She nodded her head softly, "I understand, thank you," she smiled politely.
Jack took the food and wine he found to his tent, it was small, the whole thing filled with just blankets, fur and pillows, "I come bearing food," he declared and he crawled in.
Regina was sitting on the bed with a book she probably magiced to her, she had her hair down and was wearing a shirt that looked very similar to one of his.
"What took you so long?" she asked, not looking up at him.
"I was stopped by the thief's wife, she wanted me to make some blankets appear for the peasants sleeping outside," he said as he took the leather pants off as well as his shirt and laid down beside her, he put the food in front of them, it had been a while since they last ate and the sun was already down. They could see that the fire was already burning in the centre of the camp, they could also hear people singing and talking, "What were you doing?" he asked softly, pillowing his head on his muscular arm and looked at Regina.
"I'm reading mother's spell book, see if I can find what that witched used around my castle," Regina said distractedly.
"I think it might have been the one where you burn a fire in the centre of the thing you want protected."
Regina put the book down and grabbed a cube of cheese to throw into her mouth, "That spell, it only protects the land, right?"
"Yeah," Jack said around a mouthful of meat.
"Well, what if we get in through the bottom? I mean, I know all the secret entrances to the castle and if the spell is only protecting the land above, we could get in through the tunnels below," she smiled brightly at him.
"Regina Mills, you are brilliant," he beamed at her, pulling her to his chest and kissing her, "We should get some sleep first before we go, you look exhausted."
Regina nodded, picking at her food, cuddled close to Jack who told her one of his stories.
0o0
Jack glanced out of the window again, the storm was picking up, he could feel the magic coming from it, it was powerful, made from love and something twisted, he should be worried but he had more important things to deal with.
Regina rubbed her large pregnant belly, she was at Jack's camp, a safe house until their baby was born. Charlotte was pretending to be her, she played the loyal Queen to Leopold and when he called for her at nights she made a spell go and entertain him.
She felt a light kick under her palm and sighed, her back ached and she felt jolts go through her, from her belly and then spread throughout, with each new one it was getting more and more painful and closer.
Regina sipped on her tea, Jack sat opposite her. She felt a jolt, her hands flying to her stomach, no time to actually set her cup down, her breathing shallowed. Just as quickly as it came it was gone.
Jack was by her side, his hand holding onto hers and the other on her belly, "Are you okay? What was that?" he asked, eyebrows crinkled in worry.
"Jack, that was a contraction," she said slowly, her hand caressing her stomach.
Jack just looked at her with wide unblinking eyes, he didn't say anything just stared at her with a blank expression.
"Jack!" she shouted, he didn't even blink, "I'll go get the midwife," she hauled herself up and started making her way to the room where the midwife had been staying in for the past week.
A couple hours later
Her waters had broken about an hour ago, Jack had been wrestles, he hadn't moved away from her, stood right by her side and listened to her calling him names. He took it all, let her dig her nails into the skin of his hand and let her cuddle close to his chest, he comforted her the best way he could, telling her how amazing she was and anything that he thought about her.
Regina had been screaming in agony, the midwife between her legs telling her that it was still too soon to push, all she received were the Queen's rude comments; Jack would have chuckled if he wasn't so nervous.
Her contractions were getting closer together and longer, the nurse was saying something about her being ready or almost ready, Jack wasn't sure, he couldn't hear anything over the ringing in his ears, couldn't hear anything over Regina's screams. Her hand was crushing his, her teeth bared down as her whole body tensed and she convulsed, she leaned down and grunted through her clenched teeth. Her face turned red, the vain in her forehead becoming more prominent and sweat matted her hairline.
The contraction must have stopped because she fell back into Jack's arms with hard panted breaths, she was down for only a second before tensing up again, the nurse shouting her encouragement as Regina bared down again.
It had been a long agonising process for her, all Jack could do was encourage and comfort her with his words and soft kisses. Each push she forced through her made more sweat bead down her body and more tears pore out of her tired eyes, but it was all worth it. Because as the midwife dealt with Regina and the afterbirth, Jack could look down at his son, his precious baby boy, with a head of fluffy black hair and wide inquisitive eyes that saw nothing yet. It didn't matter, this was Jack's most memorable moment of his life and he couldn't stop tears falling, couldn't stop the protectiveness he felt over his son, his child.
Once Magda was done she left both the little family alone, let them bask in their new born.
Jack and Regina each lay on either side of the infant and gazed at him, both with blurry teary eyes.
"What shall we name him?" Regina asked after a while.
"Can- Can we call him Sebastian?" Jack asked with wide eyes, looking at the woman he loved, she was laying on her side, her hand on their son's little chest, as he was sprawled out on their bed.
Regina looked up at him with surprise, "But you hate your father?"
Jack shook his head, "He was my father, and I have wonderful memories with him, it was after we left with mother that things with him were strained."
"Sebastian Mills, seems quite formidable," she smiled softly at her beautiful cooing baby, yes, she thought, Sebastian Mills was a fitting name for him.
0o0
Regina huffed and flopped onto her back, she gave up on trying to get back to sleep, she had, after all, been sleeping for a while now and the sun was brightening up the tent, although it was black some sunlight had filtered through.
The Queen sat up to stretch her back as best she could in the confined space, she wiped her hands down her face and stopped, there was no way she was going to be able to get dressed into one of her Evil Queen outfits and then leave the tent without making a fool out of herself.
Regina waved her hand and purple smoke enveloped her, the smell of cinnamon and apples filling her senses and the warmth of her magic tickling her skin. As she was being put back together out in the middle of the camp she felt the tightness of a corset, the bounds of leather over her thighs, she felt the high heel of her boots lifting her up and the tightness of her hair being pulled back. The smoke cleared and she could see people staring at her, she raised an eyebrow.
"You were just in the tent?" Snow said judgmentally.
Regina scoffed, "I wasn't going to crawl out," and strutted off in search of food.
Once she had eaten something Regina decided to find her estranged husband, with a huff she heaved herself up only to be stopped by a tugging on her leg, she glanced down to see a cute little boy gazing up at her in wonder through a messy mop of hair, "Hello?" she hesitated looking around to see if his parents were looking for him.
"Hi," he beamed at her.
Regina cleared her throat, "How may I help you fine sir?"
His eyes widened and briefly Regina remembered that cat from the ogre movie that Henry had loved to watch, "I'm Roland."
"Hello there, Sir Roland," she smirked at him.
"Are you really the Queen?" he asked.
"Oh," she kneeled down, "Yes, I am," she smiled softly at his amazed look.
"Do you have a King?" he asked.
Regina chuckled, "I do, I can't actually find him at the moment," she looked thoughtfully at Roland, "Roland, do you think you could help me?"
He grinned and started nodding his head fiercely, Regina worried that it would fall off, "HOW?"
"Well, my husband seemed to have walked off somewhere and I can't find him, he's tall, with long hair and an accent," little Roland seemed thoughtful for a moment, "He also has one leg, his other one is metal," she hoped that the little boy would know who she was talking about, there was no one in the Enchanted Forest that had a metal leg, most had a wooden stump.
Roland's eyes widened in realisation, "I met him yesterday," then he frowned, "I don't know where he is now, I sawed him earlier with my Papa."
"What was your papa talking to him about?"
He frowned, little brows pinching together and lips pouting, it all reminded her painfully of her own children, "Water!" he exclaimed happily.
Regina though for a moment, there must be a steam somewhere close otherwise Jack wouldn't have left without waking her up.
Just as she thanked the little cutie for help, the Sheep Herder came running full speed towards her screaming about Jack being attacked by the lake. The Queen's whole being froze, Jack was in trouble, she knew that he was more than capable of defending himself but that didn't reassure her of anything. Regina grabbed David's hand and used the fact that he knew where this Lake was to take them to it via her magic.
Right at the edge of the water there was a crowd watching in silence as Jack walked further and further into a lake following a woman that looked eerily similar to Regina. It was a siren, Regina's jaw tensed.
There were more men in the water but the only one Regina was focused on was Jack, the way he kept walking closer to the Siren, the way he seemed to stop every couple steps and shake his head. Regina could feel that the spell on him was stronger than that of the other men's, it brought her some comfort to know that Jack knew the difference between her and some Queen wanna be.
Snow stood beside her with a wide eyed look, "Well at least we know he's faithful," Regina remarked, her head tilted to the side, "I really look like that?" there was pride in her voice, Sirens show what their targets want to see, Jack had always seen her as what she was and he never said she should change anything about herself, that Siren was a replica of herself, Regina couldn't help but be a little pleased that the siren was looking well.
She could see some of the other women looking pissed off as their husbands walked to someone who didn't look like them.
When Jack got closer to the Siren Regina started taking her shoes off, and the black coat, leaving her in her black leather pants and red corset, she started walking into the water and towards her soulmate.
"Jack," she called, "Jacky," it was soft, with each step she took to him she could feel the power of the Siren's hold. Once she stood behind him she placed her hand on his back, his muscles were all tense, they were all working under her palm, like he wanted to turn around but physically couldn't, "Boo?" her voice shook slightly.
"Regina?" he asked, but didn't turn wound.
"Jack, you know that that is not me," she pressed her body to his back feeling the way his breath hitched, "You need to wake up, Jacky."
The Siren chuckled breathily, "Don't you listen to her, you know I'm the one that loves you, she's just a fake," the siren insisted, taking a step towards Jack and holding her hand out to him.
Jack flinched away from the hand, Regina used the motion to turn him around and look at her, she caressed his prickly cheek and gazed deep into his dazed eyed, "Jack, don't listen to your head, you don't have to listen to what either of us have to say, just,- " she cringed at what she was about to say, "Follow your heart," she almost choked on the words, it wasn't that she didn't want her love to wake up, it was the fact that the words tasted sour on her tongue as she said them, she shouldn't be going down to the Charming standard to get her Husband to wake up form a spell.
He stopped for a second and looked at her, then a wide smirk erupted on his face, "Did you just tell me to follow my heart," he teased, "What's next you're going to start telling me you'll always find me."
Regina huffed, "Glad to see you're back," she rolled her eyes and splashed some water on him.
Jack pulled her close, "Didn't really go very far," he kissed her softly.
It was quick and a promise a reassurance that he was okay and he would always find his way back to her, as cheesy as it sounded for them it brought Regina comfort. Once they pulled away, The Queen tilted herself to the side and looked at the, now, red head siren and another one standing next to her with her head bowed down.
"It is my greatest regret that we let her come and threaten your life, my leash," the blonde siren said.
Jack also turned around, Regina tucked securely to his side, as they listened to what the Sirens had to say.
"She's new, she didn't quite know what she was doing, but we both will take any punishment from you," she said.
Jack went to do something but Regina stopped him, "Actually, you can travel to any place that has water, yes?"
They both nodded.
"Someone had taken my castle, I need you to get in and try find my children, make sure that they're okay, you are in our debt; I trust that you can do that?"
"Well, yes, but how would we let you know?"
Regina reached her hand to the side, hovering them over the water, two shells popped out and into her hold, magical hue glowed from them signalling that the spell worked, the Queen handed one over to the blonde siren, "Give this to my son, his name is Sebastian, he will know how it works, but in case you don't find him, just speak into it, I'll hear," she nodded her head once and then used her magic to get herself and Jack out of the water.
Once on land they stood tall and dry, Regina turned to him with an unamused expression and wacked him on the shoulder, "What is wrong with you?" she hissed.
Jack rubbed his shoulder, "What?"
"Falling for one of those things," her voice was slightly higher and her forehead crinkled with a frown.
Jack rolled his eyes, "She was selling it good," he smirked.
"You were a pirate, haven't you learnt not to fall for that?"
Jack shrugged, "It happened more times than I'd like to admit," she cocked her head to the side, "I always got myself out of it," he said as if it was the greatest thing in the world.
Regina just shook her head, "I married an idiot," she muttered as she walked away.
0o0
The group had decided on leaving in an hour, it was still early and the castle was only a couple miles away, it didn't really matter what time they left as long as it was before midday, Regina wasn't really keen on having her children around the witch for so long.
She chewed her broth, the meat was like rubber the whole thing was watered down and under seasoned, it also had these… lumps. She turned to her husband who was eagerly shoving spoonfuls of it into his mouth, her nose crinkled in disgust.
"How can you eat that?" she asked with distain.
Jack smirked, without saying a word he pulled out his flask from the inside pocket of his leather coat, smugly he poured enough into her bowl to make the liquid rise. Regina tentatively tried it again, the meat was still chewy and the lumps were still there but at least it tasted more like bitter alcohol rather than poverty.
Still, after two more bites she gave up on it, it made her stomach feel funny, like she had eaten too much chocolate and was about to be sick.
"You have rich people stomach, not used to the crap peasants eat," Jack commented, "Here," he said pulling an apple out of his pocket.
Regina smiled as she bit into it, her head leaned onto his shoulder as she ate.
"How come nobody knew that you had married?" Ruby asked, her gaze fixed on the couple.
Regina shrugged, "Nobody cared," she answered simply, it wasn't as if she had declared the news throughout all the realms, she hadn't even let her mother know, it was just her and Jack and the inner circle, it didn't bother her that no one would know she was taken.
"But, didn't anyone notice?" she insisted.
Regina sighed, "We weren't making it our mission to keep it from anyone," she said, eyes rolling skyward. As she rolled her eyes she noticed that there was something hovering over them. Regina sat up straight and looked up at the sky, it only took a moment for her to see that the thing that had attacked her the previous day was circling the camp, "Jack," she nudged her husband, he looked at her, "Look," she said pointing to the sky.
Jack stood up once he saw it, "Oh, my God!" He exclaimed in a childlike delight, "It's a monkey," he bit his bottom lip in excitement, "With wings!" he exclaimed in delight.
"That's the thing that attacked me and it must be the thing that the peasants were telling you about," Regina remarked.
"Probably," Jack muttered, he was distracted, too interested at the thing circling them. Jack's head cocked to the side, "That's interesting," he stood up and walked around the camp, his head facing the sky as he walked.
Regina rolled her eyes, he was being weird again. She stood up and started walking towards their tent, until Jack shouted at her to stop.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Don't move," Jack took large strides to get to her, in mere moments he was standing right next to her, she could feel the heat of his body, his large hands griping her shoulders to move her. Regina frowned but yield to his motions, following him wherever he directed her to go, "That's interesting."
"What?" she asked again.
"It wants you," he whispered into her ear, his hot breath hitting her exposed neck making a shiver run down her spine, her eyes closed on their own accord and she leaned into his comforting touch.
Then his words registered into her head and she turned around to look at him, "Jack," The Queen started sternly, "No."
"You won't get hurt," he said.
"Jack," she whined.
"You just need to stand," he patted her shoulders, "And look pretty," he gripped her arms, "Which you already have in the bag," he smirked at her.
"Flattery won't get you that far," she hissed at him.
"Come on Regina, it really requires no effort from you, just stand."
She huffed, "Can't you use a banana or something?"
"It's half monkey and half bird, it might like bugs," he gave her a pointed look.
"Jack," she stomped her foot.
"Regina."
They proceeded to do a stare off until one of them would heel.
"Kitty," Jack tried after a moment.
She glared at him, "I am your wife not your bait."
"And a lovely wife you are," he smiled that charming smile at her and Regina cursed herself, cursed him too, him and his charming smile and her for loving him so.
She let out a sigh, "I will stand here for three minutes, Jack. If you don't have the monkey by then I'm going to walk away."
"Three minutes, yep, got it," he kissed her forehead, "Love you."
With that said and done Jack moved her a little closer to a tree, it was his luck that the simian beast was an idiot and decided to fly lower and circle the tree. It took Jack moments to climb up until he was level with the animal and then he pounced at it. It let out a screech shocked by its apparent new passenger, the beast started descending to the ground, not being able to carry the weight of both itself and Jack, who was by no means a small man.
Jack was just as tall as David, maybe an inch taller, but Jack was also bulkier, more muscular, wider than the Prince, so it was really no wonder that both Jack and the simian beast came tumbling to the ground.
"Jack!" Regina exclaimed dashing over to him.
"I'm okay," he said, letting his wife aid him, she quickly healed the small cut on his brow and the bruise forming on his face, she fixed his tatted clothes from when the monkey was trying to free itself from the him.
Jack walked over to the beast and threw the thing over his shoulder, "Do you mind?" he asked his wife softly.
Regina turned away from him and made a box shape with her hands making a light beam a couple meters away from her where the lines were drawn, then a door appeared.
Jack stepped through and returned a few minutes later, "I threw it in a cage," he said.
Regina nodded.
The Pumpkin King turned to the wide eyed peasants, "Shall we leave now?" he asked with a smirk.
0o0
So, I hope I didn't disappoint anyone with how long it's taking me to post chapters, since last time I posted I graduated secondary school and now go to college, which I killing me XD
Also: I am in the process of writing another story, it's called Long Lost and I'll probably be posting it soon, I already have like 10 chapters ready so keep your eyes open for it.
Again I'm really sorry that it had taken this long for me to post and I hope no one is quite as done with me as I am XD