A/N: Ah, so yes, I do have an explanation for why this chapter took so long. Holidays! I was in England for two and a half weeks and I didn't have internet so I couldn't upload it, sadly. But I can now, and here I am! :D
A special thanks to Donnamour1969 for beta-ing not only this chapter but the entire story. Thank you!
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. Sadly. Otherwise the hug in 4x24 would have been longer, and it would be followed by a long and passionate kiss.
Patrick couldn't turn around because of Teresa, so he just kept looking at her, afraid to lose her if he turned his head.
"Who are you? Present yourself."
He heard footsteps; the person was moving to stand in front of him.
He pulled Teresa even closer against him then he looked up.
A woman was standing in front of him, not that much younger than him. She had brown hair, the same brown hair as Teresa, only not as beautiful.
The woman smiled.
"So close to the castle. It would be a shame if all your hard work would be wasted, right, Patrick?"
"Who are you?" Patrick demanded.
The woman smiled again.
"Lorelei. I know you won't know me, lover."
"I'm not your lover."
"Of course not. No, I wouldn't dare compete with this beautiful princess in your arms, Your Majesty."
Patrick swallowed, looked down at Teresa, who was still sleeping, and then at Lorelei again.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm sure you already know, dear Patrick. Think about it for a second. Who is the only man who always knows where you are?" Lorelei asked, and Patrick cursed internally. Why did Red John have to send somebody now, when he was weak and vulnerable?
"Red John." Lorelei smiled, and waved her hand toward a tree, before someone stepped next to her. A big, muscular man, middle-aged. The shudders ran over Patrick's back now.
"Very good, lover. Now, do you have any idea what I'm planning now?"
"I have my suspicions, yes. Might I ask for a favor, though?"
Lorelei seemed to be caught off guard by this, but regained her composure almost immediately. Red John must've taught her, Patrick thought.
"Ask away, Patrick."
"You can kill me, but you have to let Teresa return to the castle."
Lorelei smiled at the man next to her.
"Red John already expected you might say that. Let me answer that for you: Red John wants you to suffer. The ultimate way to suffer is a slow and painful death for you, right?"
Patrick slowly nodded. He knew this day would come. He knew he wouldn't die a natural death. Red John wouldn't grant him the peaceful death in his sleep.
"Fine, wake her up," Lorelei said, and placed her hands on her hips.
Patrick closed his eyes, but then looked down at Teresa. He kissed her nose, and she awoke.
"Teresa, I want you stay calm, all right? There are two people here, and they want to talk to me. It may take a while, though, so I want you to walk forward to the castle. I'll catch up with you in a few minutes," Patrick whispered. Teresa frowned, but nodded. She stood up, and it broke Patrick's heart to see her so weak that he wanted to grab her and carry her away from these evil people, put her in his bed. He'd hold her in his arms, whisper soothing words in her ear, and make love to her. He'd never let her go.
Unfortunately, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lorelei losing her patience, so he helped Teresa to stand on her feet.
He cupped her face and joined their lips, just a small reminder of her before he wouldn't be there anymore.
"I love you Teresa. See you soon," he whispered, and released her. She frowned again, but walked away.
Patrick stared after her; he was never going to see her again. He turned toward Lorelei.
"Do it fast, please, because I just broke my promise to her."
"How sweet. The prince made a promise? What was it? That you would never leave her side again? You still have time to call her back and let her die instead of you, then we'll-"
"No! No, kill me," Patrick said, and stepped toward them. "How will you do it?"
Lorelei smiled.
"I'm not going to do it, he's going to. His name is Guy."
"Nice to meet you, Guy. How do you plan to kill me?"
Guy shrugged.
"Whatever comes to my mind first. I ain't gonna give ye mercy though, despite how hard ye beg for it. I think it's far too much fun to let it be over so fast," Guy said, his voice calm and serious. He grabbed a knife out of his unrefined belt, and looked at it with sheer admiration.
Patrick inhaled a deep breath.
"Just do it, then," Patrick said, and approached Guy.
-YulianaHenderson-
Teresa stumbled through the woods. In the far distance, she could see Bertram castle, and that was her heading.
Her legs felt weak. It was like she had to learn to walk all over again since she hadn't for more than two days now.
Her legs weren't reacting as she wanted them to, but it would do. She could move toward the castle, which was all she need do. A bothersome feeling crept upon her. These people... who were they? Why would they want to talk to Patrick? Why did they let her go?
Her legs began to move faster almost automatically; she couldn't stop them. She needed to get help back to that spot in the woods. These people were probably not who they seemed, and she feared they might do Patrick harm.
-YulianaHenderson-
"Be careful, all right," Wayne said as he helped Grace onto her horse. She nodded absently.
"Don't be sad, Grace, please," Wayne pleaded, then grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Wayne," she whispered, and looked at Thomas. He nodded, and they left.
Kimball and Wayne waved at them, and went back into the castle again.
-YulianaHenderson-
"What do you think happened with Patrick and Teresa?" Grace asked, and Thomas sighed.
"I don't know Grace, I really don't."
Grace groaned, and looked in front of her again. The wind was blowing her hair out of her face, but it didn't help to drive away her thoughts.
She had been thinking about Teresa. What could have happened with her? Where was she? Her butchered body haunted her dreams, and Grace was more tired than ever.
She heard a rustling in the bushes. Reflexively, she looked at Thomas.
"Did you hear that?"
"What?" Thomas asked, looking around, but he saw nothing.
"I thought I heard something," Grace said, and jumped off her horse.
"No, Grace, you can't-!"
"Tom, there's something in the bushes!" Grace exclaimed, and approached them. Thomas groaned, and stepped down to the ground too.
"Grace, watch yourself."
Grace walked into the bushes, and Thomas sighed. That girl was stubborn-too stubborn.
Thomas heard Grace gasping, and as soon as Grace had walked into the bushes, she ran out of them, and went to Thomas, grabbing his arm.
"Come!" Grace exclaimed, and pulled him with her.
When Thomas saw what Grace had seen in the bushes, his heart stopped beating for a second.
There was his big sister, dressed in only a masculine shirt and one layer of her favorite dress, heavily wounded and weak. He was with her in an instant, and his arms were around her before he could think.
"Tessie, are you okay?" he asked, and she nodded weakly. He pulled back to look at her.
"What happened? Where is Prince Patrick?" Thomas asked. Teresa raised one of her arms and pointed. Thomas looked in that direction but he didn't see anything. He turned a bit to look at Grace, and she nodded.
He placed his arms under her legs and her upper body, lifting her up.
He walked back to the horses, carefully placed Teresa on his and then climbed up on it also. He let Teresa rest against him, and when Grace had stepped on her horse too, they headed back to Bertram castle. They would send people to find Patrick, but they had Teresa back, at least.
-YulianaHenderson-
King Bertram sat in his room, looking out of the window. If Patrick were really dead, the king was all alone.
He sighed.
But then he was pulled out of his reverie by Madeleine running into his room.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but Prince Thomas and Grace are back, and it looks like they brought someone with them," she said, hurriedly, and King Bertram immediately jumped up.
When Bertram got outside, he almost fainted; against Thomas' body lay the young Princess Teresa, wounded and weak. For a moment, King Bertram forgot he was a king and had men to do his bidding. He ran to the two and grabbed Teresa, pulling her down from the horse.
He hugged her to him. Thomas stepped off his horse, and approached the maids who had also gathered outside the castle.
"Are you well, Teresa?" Bertram asked, and she nodded. The king pulled back.
"I'm sorry, but I have to ask this. Do you know where my son is?"
She closed her eyes.
"I... He... and then... he's there, somewhere," she whispered, and pointed at the woods. King Bertram nodded, and motioned to Wayne and Kimball to look for the prince. Thomas supported Teresa while they walked into the castle.
Teresa looked around and saw how Wayne, Kimball and Grace rode into the forests. She hoped they were in time, because she couldn't live without Patrick.
-YulianaHenderson-
"What are you feeling now, Patrick? Now that you're on the edge of dying? Now that you broke your promise to your princess and Red John has won?"
Patrick worked to let his eyes stay open. He saw stars, but remained conscious.
He felt his blood leaving his body faster with every breath he took, with every move he made. A severely cut dressed his neck, but not had not his an artery. It would be a slow and painful death for him.
He tried his best to look up, and saw Lorelei kneeling beside him.
"It was a pleasure to have met you, lover," she said, placing a kiss on his forehead. She left with Guy.
Patrick sank to the ground, losing consciousness…
"No, Charlotte, don't do that, you know I don't like that. And where's Angela?" Teresa exclaimed, while she picked up Charlotte and ran to Grace. Her life was a mess, in chaos.
Grace approached Teresa.
"Angela is in your room. Let me help you," Grace said, reaching out her arms to take Charlotte.
"No! No, I can do this on my own, believe me," she said, and left the Throne Hall to look for Angela.
Two years old and the twins were already creating a fuss and a mess everywhere they went. She stopped at the big portrait of Patrick. She always did that when she walked past it. She touched his lips, remembering how they felt on hers that moment when he sent her back to the castle, the last kiss they'd ever shared.
"I miss you, Patrick. But it's going to be just fine. I love you. Patrick. Patrick!"
"Patrick," a woman's voice said from a considerable distance. Or, so it seemed.
Patrick opened his eyes, just enough to see Grace, and smiled faintly.
"It's going to be just fine, Patrick; stay with us," she whispered, and he nodded weakly before closing his eyes again.
-YulianaHenderson-
Teresa was staring at the ceiling. What a nice ceiling.
She sighed. How could they order her to lay here in bed, get some sleep while Patrick was somewhere in the woods, probably dying.
She sat up straight, the cuts hurting as she did so. She'd procured a dress from one of the maids, since there was no princess in this castle and they didn't have a royal dress. It didn't matter to her, though. She was glad she was released from her dirty rags The dress went all the way to her feet, just like her dresses, but it only had one layer, which felt strange to her.
She got out of bed, not bothering with shoes.
She walked through the castle, and for some reason, the dungeon seemed very attractive. It illustrated her miserable life up until now; maybe she could talk with somebody there who would understand.
But as soon as she entered the dungeons, she stopped dead in her tracks; because there, in one of the cells, was he. Red John.
He smiled when he saw her.
"Ah, Teresa, I see you've came out of it well. How are you doing, my dear?" he asked. Teresa turned around, ready to leave.
"No, wait, love."
Teresa turned around, approached him and came to stand just in front of him, their faces only inches apart.
"I am not your love. If you thought I would become weak by all of this, you're wrong. I have always been strong, and this will only make me stronger. I will come out of this. You're the one who's going to be locked away for the rest of your life. When Patrick comes back, I will be happy," she hissed. He smiled.
"Of course. Are you certain that he will come back?" he asked. She frowned and nodded.
"Of course I am."
He touched her arm, and she jumped away from him.
"Why do you do this? Cause Patrick so much pain? What has he done to you?"
Red John shrugged.
"I don't think I like his face."
Teresa's eyes showed more anger than before, and she hadn't known she could ever be this angry.
"That's not the only reason."
"Of course not. He told everyone bad things about me. Before I killed his family, I was feared by everybody. Patrick changed everything when he told the kingdom that they didn't have to worry about me, and that I was nothing."
Teresa closed her eyes. Not a smart move.
"He didn't mean it."
I feel sorry to disagree with you, my fair lady. Mark my words, Teresa, he will not come back."
Without thinking about it, Teresa raised her hand and hit the man's face. He fell back, and she just shook her hand. That had felt good, actually.
"You will regret that, Teresa!" Red John exclaimed after her. Of course she wouldn't regret it. He made her and Patrick's lives a hell; she would do everything to make him suffer the same way she had.
She looked around one more time, smiled at what she'd done – the man's nose was bleeding – and left the dungeon.
-YulianaHenderson-
Teresa found Summer in the kitchens. It was one of the few times she'd ever been in a kitchen.
Summer smiled at her, then ran over to her and flung her arms around Teresa.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, Teresa. I've known him for a while now and I know that he is strong. Just like you. You survived too, remember? He will too."
Teresa smiled.
"Let's go outside to walk a bit," Summer offered, and Teresa happily complied.
-YulianaHenderson-
"May I ask what you did in these days? Were you with him all this time?" Summer asked. They were sitting on the steps leading to the castle.
When Teresa didn't answer, Summer looked at her and saw the princess was blushing.
"Are you serious?" Summer exclaimed, and Teresa laughed.
"What was it like," Summer asked, turning to Teresa and folding her legs beneath her body. Teresa chuckled, but didn't say anything.
"Tell me!" Summer insisted, and Teresa awkwardly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Was it that good?" Summer teased, and Teresa smiled.
"I can say that I love him. That's all I'm going to say," she said, and saw the disappointed look in Summer's eyes. Teresa grabbed her hands, and squeezed them.
"Someday I will tell you, believe me. Not now, not when he is missing and may be dead."
Summer nodded.
"I understand."
"And I appreciate that you want me to forget about it all, if only for a moment, but every little thing reminds me of him. The cuts on my body, even if he didn't make them. Looking at the woods. This castle. King Bertram. My bed," she said, the last two words deadpan, and Summer chuckled. She reached out and hugged Teresa, and Teresa returned it.
When they pulled back, the two turned to look in front of them again.
It felt wonderful to talk with Summer about these things. She wouldn't tell most people, for it was nobody's business. And Teresa was quite sure Grace wouldn't want to know about it either. But Summer seemed to be genuinely interested in what had happened.
When Teresa could make out the outlines of three horses, she jumped up and was off quickly, despite her wounds.
Grace and Kimball were both sitting on their own horses, but Patrick was lying against Wayne, the same way she had lain against her brother. He was awake, but barely. When he turned his head around to look at Grace, Teresa saw why he was so weak: an enormous slash covered his graceful neck. Teresa felt like collapsing then and there, with the desire to give up her heart and blood so that Patrick might live.
Everything began to happen very quickly. Before Teresa knew it, everyone was doing their best to help Prince Patrick survive. She quickly stole a kiss from him, before it became too overwhelming and she went back inside the castle.
-YulianaHenderson-
Patrick came back from a dreamless slumber, but didn't open his eyes, felt too tired to do so. He felt around himself and found he was in a soft, comfortable bed.
He felt delicate fingers tickling his, soft lips on his own, and he immediately knew whose they were. It was as if he'd suddenly gotten his life back, as if he wasn't tired at all, as if he could breathe and face the whole world again. He cupped her face, pulled her against him, and deepened the kiss.
He felt Teresa's tears on his face and pulled back.
"Don't cry; I'm here," he whispered. She laughed faintly.
"That's the thing. I've never been so happy to seeing someone again," she replied, whispering against his mouth. He wiped away her tears and kissed her nose.
"I'm happy to see you too, my love," he whispered. He grabbed her arms gently and rolled them over so her was laying on top of her. They were both suffering from their wounds, but suddenly neither of them minded so much.
She couldn't seem to stop crying though, all the adrenaline and emotions of the past days leaving her in the form of tears, so he rolled to his side and gathered her in his arms.
"I'm here, Teresa. I've got you, and I'm never letting you go," he whispered against the top of her head.
-YulianaHenderson-
Patrick looked into Teresa's eyes. Those eyes. He would never get tired of them. A whole story was told by them.
She smiled, and he melted.
"Prince Patrick, Princess Teresa, you can enter the Throne Hall now," Madeleine said, and they did. When they entered, everybody went silent for a moment before standing up and applauding for them.
Teresa grabbed hold of Patrick hand. He smiled.
"I'm not going anywhere, Teresa, I promise," he whispered.
The two sat down at the table where the two royal families had gathered, Teresa on one side, Patrick on the other. This way they could look at each other.
Patrick felt a probing finger in his side. He moved to the person who'd done it – his father – but never left Teresa's eyes.
"When do you want to have the wedding?" King Bertram asked, and Patrick's eyes widened.
He rose and went to the other side of the table. There, he knelt down before Teresa.
"Because of all this commotion I haven't had the chance to do this. I've forgotten the ring, but my hands will serve that purpose," he said, taking her hands.
"I want you to be with me for the rest of my life, Teresa. You are everything to me. I didn't know I would feel like this before I met you, but you stole my heart, and I still haven't figured where you've hidden it. You calmed the storm in my head and heart, the storm that wouldn't stop raging and destroying everything happy in my life. You are the woman I want to be with until death and beyond. I will love you, forever and ever. Will you please be my wife, Teresa?"
Teresa stared at him. While Patrick was quite sure she loved him back, her hesitation to answer him made him very nervous. Then she flung her arms around his neck. She could only nod in reply.
Patrick lifted her, and everybody clapped. All he could see was Teresa, the most beautiful woman in the world who was going to be his wife and his queen.
He had finally found peace with Angela and Charlotte's deaths. Even they had told him that Teresa was his purpose now, and that he needed to move on.
And so he would, with this beautiful woman, for the rest of his happy life.
A/N: Ah, a happy sappy ending, but there's more, my friends! There's an epilogue to this amazing story! (Ahum) Just a wrap-up, with Patrick and Teresa being together and having kids and all. Hope you want to read it!
Let me know what you think in a REVIEW, thank you!