Chapter 10: The Best Loving Family

Coraline woke up with a scream, tears running down her face as she was shaking in fear. She sat up, hugging herself as she sniffled. Moments later, her door opened and Jack stood there in his pajamas. If it had been a lighter mood, the girl would have giggled at the sight of her father wearing pajamas, but she just reached for him now.

Jack, seeing his daughter was in distress, went up to her at once and picked her up, holding her protectively. "Shh, Daddy's here, pumpkin," he said softly.

She clung to him. "Daddy?" She said softly.

"Yes?" He replied.

Coraline looked up at him. "She's really gone, right?" She asked. "She...can't come back, right?"

"She's gone for good, pumpkin," Jack said reassuringly. "She was destroyed when Wybie took that blow for you."

"Yes," came another voice and they saw it was Black Cat, who was smiling. "Remember what I had said before?" He continued gently. "She has love with conditions...,"

"But if unconditional love is shown, it would be her downfall," Coraline finished and then it hit her. "When Wybie took that blow meant for me, it was to protect me."

"An act of unconditional love," Jack said with a smile.

The child looked at her father. "Is he really going to be okay, Dad?" She asked in worry.

"He will be," he soothed. "Your grandparents are good doctors."

"I also came by from there and he is doing much better," Black Cat said with a smile. "In fact, the doctor is working on repairing the boy's voice so that he can speak."

Coraline perked up. "Really?" She asked, her eyes shining.

He smiled. "Yes," he said. "The boy still wants to use sign language since he's used it for so long, but I think he'll be glad to have his voice back."

The girl reached out and the cat went up to her, purring as she petted him. She then looked up at her father. "Dad, I know I'm a little too old for this, but...can I stay with you and Mom for tonight?" She asked.

"Of course, pumpkin," he said with a smile before looking at Black Cat. "You're welcome to stay too, if you'd like."

"Thank you," the cat said. "I believe I'll take you up on that offer."

Jack smiled and carried Coraline to his and Sally's room. The ragdoll woke up and sat up. "Is everything alright?" She asked in worry.

"Yes. Our little one just had a bad dream," the skeleton said.

Wordlessly, Sally patted the bed beside her and the family was soon tucked in with Coraline laying between her parents, feeling safer now. A blue hand gently stroked her head while a skeletal hand rubbed her back, making her very sleepy and she was soon sound asleep. Black Cat curled himself at the end of the bed and was soon asleep too.

Jack looked at his daughter and then at his wife. "Hopefully with time, the nightmares about the Beldam will stop," he said.

Sally nodded. "And hopefully Wybie can come home tomorrow," she said. "Knowing my folks, they'll do everything they can to allow him to come home."

He nodded and they fell back asleep. Zero came in and curled up on the other side of the bed. Black Cat opened one eye and nodded, closing it and going back to sleep.

The next morning...

Coraline was very frazzled when she woke up and begged her parents to allow her to go visit her brother. "Please?" She begged. "I just have to know if he's really okay."

"Calm down, sweetie," Sally said gently.

Jack nodded. "Take a few deep breaths, pumpkin," he said.

The girl did as she was told, but still looked at them pleadingly. The Pumpkin King had to chuckle a little, proud that his daughter was loyal to her brother. "Tell you what, Sally and I have a meeting with the Mayor today, but you can go to the witches' shop and ask them if your grandparents ordered any more healing potions. If they have, you can pick them up and take them over to your grandparents and see your brother too," the skeleton said.

Coraline lit up at that. "Okay," she said before looking contrite. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Wybie." She paused. "My nightmare last night was that she had hurt him to the point that he was really gone."

Ah, that explained it. "He's still alive, sweetie," Sally said to her daughter, hugging her. "Now, we best get going."

They parted ways in the town square and Coraline went to see the witches. Shock was at the counter and smiled at her. "Welcome," she said. "What can we get for you?"

"I was wondering if my grandparents had ordered any more potions," Coraline said.

"I think Mom's just finishing them up. I'll go check."

Shock came back moments later. "Mom will be out with them in a moment."

"Thanks," Coraline said with a smile.

Helga soon came out. "Here they are," she said with a smile. "Your grandmother was in this morning and she said the boy is doing much better. He should be able to come home tonight."

The girl felt relieved to hear that. "Thanks, Auntie Helga," she said, surprising the tall witch, who smiled again.

"You're welcome, dearie," she said.

The young girl quickly headed over to her grandparents' home, going through it and finding Hanging Tree there. "Hi, Hanging Tree," she said.

"Hello, Coraline," he said with a smile. "One of my hanging men just said that Wybie is awake and learning how to use his new voice."

Coraline grinned. "That's awesome!" She said, relief filling her.

He chuckled. "Looks like the townspeople weren't the only ones worried about Wybie," he said.

"Really?" She asked in surprise.

He nodded. "He is the Pumpkin Prince after all, plus he saved you," he said. "The boy is one of us as you are, little one."

Smiling, she hugged him and saw her grandmother come out. "Grandma!" She called out, running over to her.

Jewel smiled at seeing her. "Hello, dear," she said, catching her granddaughter in a hug, gently rubbing her head. "Your brother is alright. He's fully recovered and can now speak."

Coraline looked up at her. "Can I go see him? Please?" She asked.

Smiling again, Jewel took her inside and Coraline was soon in her grandfather's lab, hugging her brother tightly and he returned the hug, happy she was okay. Dr. Finklestein smiled.

"Wybie, you still will have to take the potions for a week," he said. "And don't strain your voice too much. It wouldn't do good if you got laryngitis after we just fixed your voice."

"Yes, sir," the boy said before looking at his sister. "Coraline, are you okay?"

She nodded. "I was so worried about you," she said. "Thank you."

He nodded, hugging her again.

About an hour later, Jack and Sally arrived, smiling as they saw their children playing a card game. "How is he, Doctor?" Jack asked.

"He's well enough to go home, but make sure he drinks two potions a day for a week," Dr. Finklestein said. "Jewel and I already ordered them from the witches, so you can go pick them up."

"Thank you," the skeleton said.

"Thank you, Father," Sally said, hugging her father, who smiled and hugged her back.

A week passed and Wybie's voice was fully back and he had fully recovered, to which the town celebrated joyfully. Before the parade and the party, Black Cat arrived with Helga and both smiled as they saw Coraline. "Coraline," the cat said. "I have something for you."

Reaching into his fur, he pulled out a blue heart-shaped locket. "It was your mother's," he said. "I found it one day while I was scavenging and something told me to hold onto it."

The girl accepted it and carefully opened it, seeing a picture of her folks and herself when she was four years old. "I remember this," she said softly.

Helga smiled, seeing the other side was blank. "Hmm, something's missing," she said before taking a picture of Jack, Sally, Wybie, and Coraline all together and used her magic to re-size it before slipping it into the locket. "There," she said with a nod. "Now you have both your families in your heart, my dear."

Coraline had tears in her eyes as she hugged the witch. "Thank you," she said.

"I should thank you, my dear," she said. "If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have gained a daughter."

Shock then came in. "The parade's about to start," she said. "And Barrel and Lock are trying to get to the buffet table already."

Helga laughed in amusement, as did Jack as he came in. "Then let's get this celebration underway," he said.

Coraline had thought that the parade for her had been big, but this parade was even bigger and the party was amazing. She looked at her birth mother's locket again and gently squeezed it, taking a deep breath. Skeletal arms surrounded her and she looked to see her father was behind her and smiling.

"Are you alright, pumpkin?" He asked.

She nodded. "Dad, if you could go back in time to when you found me, would you have still adopted me?" She asked.

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "Because I had chosen to adopt you the moment I saw you and heard that you had escaped that horrible being."

She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, Daddy. Love you," she said.

"I love you too, pumpkin," he said. "Now come. Let's go enjoy the party."

Wybie came up to them. "Dance with me, sis," he said.

She smirked. "Try to keep up," she said teasingly.

Jack chuckled as he watched his children dance around in a silly manner before feeling a hand take his hand and he turned to see his wife beside him. "Come on, Jack," she said with a smile. "Dance with me."

"But of course, my love," he said, guiding her onto the dance floor.

Black Cat watched with a smile, nodding as he saw the children were safe. While the other world would still exist, he'd keep a careful eye on it.

After all, a guardian always guarded.

And that concludes "Protective Arms Of A New Family". I want to thank everyone who faved, reviewed, followed, and read this story. You guys are awesome! :)

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