Alena paced near the edge of the woods that were situated near the palace, running a shaky hand through her blonde hair.
"Where the hell is he?" she mumbled, her pace quickening.
She stopped when she heard footsteps. She spun around and saw her boyfriend walking toward her.
"Jack!" she called out. She then ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck, breathing out a sigh of relief.
His arms came around her, and he kissed the top of her head. They stayed embraced for several long moments as they relished the feeling of being in each other's arms.
When they pulled away, Alena's wits had returned. She furrowed her eyebrows as realizations washed over her.
She gestured between the palace and his hands as she questioned, "Why were you in the palace and why do you have my bags? And where have you been?"
"One question at a time, Blondie," Jack began as he placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. He took a deep breath before he continued, "I'm sorry I worried you - but I had to find a way to get you home."
Alena's eyes welled with tears as she hung her head. She then tried to deflect, "You could have at least told me - instead of leaving a vague note."
Though his own eyes welled with tears, he couldn't help but smile and shake his head. He then told her, "You don't particularly like being woken up, and I also knew that you would be doing everything you could to help your family."
Her eyes fluttered closed as reality set in. She sighed before she lamented, "There's only so much I can do since we can't stop this curse from coming."
Jack kissed her cheek before he rested his forehead against hers. He then assured her, "But it can be stopped thanks to you. I bet everyone is so amazed and proud - just like I am," brushing a hair off her forehead.
Alena couldn't help but blush as she pointed out, "I haven't done anything yet," twirling her hair around her finger.
He chuckled before he teased, "Since when are you so shy and nervous?"
She smiled and shook her head. She then offered, "I know what you're doing, Jack," raising an eyebrow at him.
With a lopsided grin, he asked, "Is it working?"
"A little," she answered with a giggle. Once she sobered, she let out another sigh as her shoulders sagged.
She blinked back tears as she said, "I don't know if I can do this. I know I need to, but that doesn't make it any easier."
"Trust me, I know. Falling in love wasn't even in the cards for me - but now I can't even picture my life without you," Jack told her - his voice cracking with every word.
Alena's voice broke as she said, "And you won't even know who I am." She then groaned and complained, "Ugh! This is so bloody unfair."
She then began pacing once more - although it resembled stomping. Jack placed her bags aside before he stopped in front of her.
He gripped her shoulders and told her, "That is the kind of fight you hold onto with everything you have - that is what's gonna help you break this damn thing."
Alena threw her arms around him once more - holding him as though he was everything precious in her world. Because he was.
When they pulled away, she took his face in her hands. With a deep breath, she told him, "Cursed or not, I'm fighting for you, and I'm fighting for us. And I'm fighting for the rest of our family."
At the mention of them, her blue eyes welled with tears. She furiously shook her head as she cried, "I can't even say goodbye, can I?"
Jack wordlessly pulled her into his arms and began running his fingers through her hair. After several moments, he let out a shaky breath.
"But that might be a good thing. Because this might be the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
Alena held him tighter as she nodded against his chest. His voice continued to shake as he admitted, "I don't even know if I can do it - I'm...I'm just not like you - but I...I need to be strong for you…"
Her eyes shot up to his. She took his face in her hands and reassured him, "We are in this together - we are here for each other no matter what. Don't you for one second
think that you are anything less than I need you to be." Her blue eyes welled with tears and her hands trembled as she finished, "I love every part of you, Jack."
He covered her hands with his and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, too. Alena. So incredibly much."
She brushed her thumb over his jaw as she bemused, "I can't believe we have to do this - but I know we don't have a choice."
"If there was any other way to keep you and everyone else safe, we'd find it," Jack told her as he squeezed her waist. He let out a breath before he said, "And I could go with you."
Alena shook her head as she chided, "Don't tempt me. Part of me is considering dragging you along anyway."
He couldn't help but chuckle as he conceded, "Believe me, I've considered the same." His brown eyes then clouded over as he said, "But Drizella would stop at nothing to tear us apart."
With a quiet voice, Alena simply said, "I know," her hands gripping the collar of his shirt.
She then sank her head against his chest and complained, "And now we have to find a way for me to even get out of here."
Jack kissed her head before he surmised, "Which is why I left this morning before you woke up - I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I couldn't do nothing."
A small smile appeared on her face at his words. She then looked up and told him, "And that's one of the reasons why I love you."
Jack ran his fingers through her hair as he replied, "And it's because I love you that I found this."
Alena looked at him curiously as he reached into his pants pocket. Her eyes widened when he pulled out a magic bean.
She gestured wildly as she asked, "Where...how...did you get thi-this?"
Jack rubbed the back of his head. He took a deep breath before he explained, "Uh, well, I think you know there's a beanstalk not too far from here. I knew a magic bean would get you home - so I found it."
He paused before he finished, "And I climbed it."
"What?" Alena gasped. She paced once more as she fretted, "Are you crazy? That's - that's dangerous! You could've been hurt…or I don't even know. Why would you do that?"
She then planted her hands on her hips and faced him. He moved her hair off her forehead as he told her, "Do you even have to ask?"
His brown eyes showed love and sincerity, and she couldn't help but smile. "Of course I do. But that doesn't mean I'm okay with you scaring the hell out of me."
Jack couldn't help but chuckle. He then took a deep breath and held the magic bean up between them.
"You wanna throw this or should I?"
Alena glanced between the bean and those brown eyes. She then let out several slow deep breaths.
She covered his hand and held it tightly. Her voice wavered as she said, "I can't - can't say goodbye. Not - not yet."
She sniffled as she continued, "I'm just not ready. I feel like our lives together are just getting started."
Jack caressed her cheek as he attempted to reassure her, "And we'll get the chance to have an amazing life together," though the sentiment didn't quite meet his eyes.
"But when?" Alena begged the question. She then shook her head and lamented, "Forget it - I'm not sure anyone could answer that even if they wanted."
She then sighed and suggested, "Let's just enjoy what we have…" She trailed off as she couldn't bear to say it. She then wrung her hands and said, "We should enjoy our time - Henry's already taking Lucy to safety."
Jack's brows furrowed in worry as he asked, "She'll be alright, won't she? I mean, she's a hell of a kid, but she's still a kid."
Alena couldn't help but smile warmly. With a deep breath, she then explained, "Tiger Lily is gonna help - suffice to say, she'll be in good hands."
He nodded as relief washed over him. He then surmised, "I know Henry's pretty much my best friend, and has been since we met - but now it feels different. Because of you, we're a family."
She smiled once more before she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. When they pulled away, she said, "Which only makes this that much harder."
Jack only nodded before he rested his forehead against hers. They stayed like that for several moments before he squeezed her shoulders.
He looked up and said, "You were saying something about enjoying ourselves? Any ideas?"
Alena shook her head as she told him, "I was hoping you would have some?"
Jack couldn't help but chuckle. He then kissed her head and honestly offered, "I'm not sure I'm much help - a million different things are swirling in my head."
Her shoulders sank as she let out a sigh. With blue eyes cast down, she ran her foot back and forth over the dirt and grass.
She looked up as her love's fingers caressed her cheek. He then grinned and suggested, "I could always annoy you like when we first met."
Alena quirked an eyebrow as she challenged, "You mean how you basically cursed my stubbornness and constantly questioned what I was doing?"
Jack let out a laugh before he spoke, "And there's that fire I fell in love with." He then grinned once more and added, "I still have the bruise to prove it."
"No, you don't. It faded," she argued with a roll of her eyes. She then placated, "Besides, I didn't hit you that hard."
"Mm-hmm," he teased as he grinned once more. She shook her head at him.
Her blue eyes then clouded over as all their memories flooded through her mind. She sniffled and wiped at falling tears.
She gripped her boyfriend's arms and told him, "It is those memories - our memories - that will keep me going. From the moment I realized your eyes were brown, to the moments I thought I couldn't stand you, and to me falling hopelessly in love with you - we've made a lifetime of memories, and they will never be far from my mind as I learn to live with-without you. It'll get me through until I see you again."
Jack tilted his head back in a futile attempt to stop the tears. "Gods, this really feels like goodbye," he lamented as he rested his forehead against hers.
He then encircled her waist and squeezed it. With a deep breath, he then said, "Even though I will be cursed, I don't think I'd forget you. Somehow I think I'll be just as crazy about a stubborn, blue-eyed blonde who has to look up at me."
Despite the tears that still stained her cheeks, Alena let out a chuckle. She then told him, "You know, I really believe you would. And you'd find a way to be irritating and attractive at the same time."
"Well, that is part of my charm," he replied as he grinned at her. She couldn't help but giggle, and he found himself chuckling as well.
When they sobered, Jack took another deep breath. He then cupped her face and assured her, "Look, Alena, you are the strongest person I know, and you're the reason I believe anything is possible. You are going to break this damned curse, and we'll get that happy ending. I don't know how or when, but I believe in you."
Alena threw her arms around him as her eyes watered once more - in truth, they never stopped. While still embraced, she told him, "And I believe in you. Whatever fresh hell awaits on the other side of this curse, it won't defeat you - or our family."
Jack only squeezed her tighter before he ran both his hands up and down her back and along her sides. He then whispered, "I know it won't. I know it won't."
They stayed embraced for several long moments - just holding each other as though nothing else mattered in the world.
When they finally managed to pull away, Jack said, "I have something for you. To take with you."
She offered a quizzical expression as he bent down next to her bags. Her heart warmed as he grabbed something off the top.
He handed her one of his shirts as he explained, "I just wanted you to have something to remember me by. Something you can actually hold and see."
He couldn't help but chuckle as he added, "And wear since you started sleeping in it anyway. You were always cold."
Alena couldn't help but giggle. She then held the shirt close to her and ran her fingers over the fabric.
After a few moments, she began, "Thank you, Jack." She then tilted her head as an idea fluttered in her head.
She bent down and began fumbling through her bags. After a few moments, she stood up, her keys jingling in her hand.
Her hand shook as she unclipped one of her keychains. She then covered his hand with hers as she placed the blue and silver item.
A small smile lit up her features as she explained, "My family has always been my anchor when things got tough - they held me in place and held me together as I navigated all the changes - both good and bad - that happened in my life.
"And now, you're my family, too. I know I've said so, but it doesn't lessen the fact that you're the man I'm spending my forever with - you're the one I want to build a future, a life, and a home with - and one day, a family of our own. I know you won't remember - and that very fact kills me inside - but I want you to know that someone is looking out for you - that somewhere out there, you have an anchor."
Alena's voice cracked as she finished. Tears streamed down both their faces, and they soon found it hard to breathe.
As Jack gripped the keychain in one hand, he became acutely aware of the magic bean in the other.
He then ran his fingers through her hair and surmised, "This isn't going to get any easier - and I can't bear the thought of you being in any danger or getting caught in the crossfire."
Alena simply nodded. She then took a deep breath and spoke, "Just one more thing."
She then brought his lips to hers. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss and pulled her closer and closer until no room was left between their bodies. She wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his hair.
Every bit of love and passion they shared went into the kiss. Along with their hopes and dreams for the future. They anchored themselves to each other as they knew this would be their last kiss.
When they pulled away, they were panting and breathing heavily. Their lips tingled with the taste of the other, and it would likely still linger long after they said goodbye.
Their gazes stayed locked even as Alena grabbed her things. When she stood up straight, Jack delicately moved the magic bean and held it between two fingers.
He and Alena both took a deep breath before he threw the magic bean. They waited with bated breath as the portal began to appear.
They watched the swirling vortex for a few moments. When they turned back to each other, they wrapped each other in a fierce hug.
"I love you, Alena. More than anything in the world."
She nodded against his chest, just soaking in the moment. She then let out a deep, shaky breath.
"I love you, Jack - with all of my heart. And I will find you - I will always find you."
He smiled as he whispered in her ear: "I know you will, White Doe."
They held each other a few moments longer before they reluctantly pulled away. Alena looked back and forth between the portal and her love.
She adjusted her bags on her shoulders before she pulled him in for one final hug. When they pulled back, he cupped her face and kissed her one last time.
Tears flowed freely as they finally found the strength to let go. Alena then began making her way toward the waiting portal.
She and Jack exchanged one more look before she stepped through - leaving a piece of her heart behind. And taking a piece of his with her.
The portal then disappeared. An emptiness rose in Jack's chest - he didn't know he could hurt this much.
His brown eyes then wandered to the keychain in his hand. She was his anchor, and she was the reason he would keep fighting.
And he - and their family - would do all they could to keep fighting before and after this curse was cast.
None of them would give up or give in.
He let out a deep breath and gripped the keychain. He then set off to find the others.
Moments later, Jack began walking in the courtyard where Ella, Tiana, and Hook stood waiting for some sort of news. They all looked at the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Jack, there you are! You had Alena worried sick," Ella told him as she planted her hands on her hips.
Before he could say anything, Tiana interjected, "Where is Alena? Last we saw, she was looking for you."
He let out a shaky breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He managed to keep his voice even as he explained, "She's safe - she's back home."
Ella and Tiana - as well as Hook - offered him sympathetic looks and nods. He offered an appreciative nod before he took a deep breath, trying to keep his heart from breaking in two.
Lucy then rushed into the courtyard, with Tiger Lily following close behind. "Mother!" the little girl exclaimed.
"Lucy," Ella began as she hugged her. She then pulled back and took her daughter's face in her hands before she continued, "What are you doing back here?"
"They got him…the witches. The got Father!" she agonized.
"Then we have to get him back," Jack matter-of-factly stated, desperately trying to keep his emotions in check.
Tiana then told them, "Go," gesturing with her hands, "I'll stay with Lucy. Nothing will happen to her."
Everyone then rushed off when Ella stated, "Wait," causing everyone to stop. "This is exactly what Drizella wants," she continued as she gestured, "To distract us from this curse. And if we don't work together…"
Everyone gathered back around the table as she finished, "Nothing will matter. Not even Henry."