A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, Springheeled Jack, Cleavers, Black Annis, Sabine or Darquesse.

I was exhausted but happy. Our uncle had tended to me gently and our son was with us at last. He squirmed softly in my arms then opened his eyes to look at me for the first time. They were golden and almost seemed to glow as they looked deep into mine, seeking love and comfort. We bonded in that moment, mother and son and I vowed no one would ever hurt my child, ever.

Jack was allowed in to see us at last and he took his hat off as he approached. Jack kissed me softly then looked at our son. "He's beautiful isn't he, poppet? Just look at those eyes. He'll have a mate of his own one day, a true love, you'll see." He said, picking our son up tenderly. "Hello, young Jack. Welcome to the world. You got the best mum ever, you have. And I've the best wife ever." Jack returned him to my arms and came to sit on the edge of the bed to gaze at us both adoringly.

Mum and Sarah had helped make the bedroom presentable after the birth and now our family streamed in, anxious to see our son. The baby was exclaimed over, then tenderly laid in a bassinet. Jack looked at me tenderly. He clearly wanted to stay by my side but our uncle was urging him to let me rest. But I couldn't rest knowing Jack was lonely. "Please, uncle, I love Jack, I'll sleep better with him here. Please?" I begged and he sighed and nodded.

I imagined as they all left that it was hard on him seeing a woman in the family willingly deliver a child when his own wife and chosen mate had rejected him, but he'd been nothing but a good doctor during the delivery, keeping me supplied with leaves for the pain. Jack cuddled into me and soon my weariness overtook me and I fell asleep in his sheltering arms.

I woke up and Jack was still with me. He showered me with kisses, giggling happily. "The baby Jack's with the family, poppet. You're to have two weeks bed rest to heal up. It was a hard birth. We almost lost you, uncle said." Jack shivered and tears misted both our eyes. The only thing either of us feared was being separated. He made his soft keening sound then kissed me, being even more gentle than usual.

I was glad for his tenderness. Even with the leaves I felt like I'd been beaten with a hammer. The door opened and mum came in carrying a tray. "Can you sit up, love? Your uncle wants some good broth in you. Beef marrow this is. Will fix you right up." Jack helped me up kissing me again tenderly, then insisted on feeding me as I was really too weary to do nit myself. I accepted him tender care, thanking God for having given me such a good man.

There were pieces of bread as well and Jack soaked these then fed me tenderly. "I love you, Jack. You're a wonderful husband. Thank you. For our son, and for this. Taking care of me like this. I don't deserve a man as good as you." Jack shook his head, crooning and singing as he continued to feed me. When I was finished he helped me lay back down and laid down beside me, refusing to leave my side. I smiled at him and took his hand just before sleep claimed me again.

I awoke and it was dinner time. I felt better and of course found Jack seated beside me, our son slumbering in his arms. Jack didn't seem to realize I was up and I watched him speak to young Jack as our baby was now called. "Your mother is somethin', she is. Marryin' somethin' as ugly as me." Tears started to stream down his face. "Hideous, I am. And God didn't do you no favors, makin' you look like me."

"Jack!" I scolded and he looked over at me, bewildered. "You are my handsome Jack, my chosen mate, my beloved husband. And our baby is the most beautiful baby in the world." I looked at our son. "Your daddy is just going into shock and saying strange things right now, just ignore him." I said as Jack put him in my arms.

Mum and Sarah had seen to it he got formula and he looked well fed. I was scared my milk wouldn't be good enough, since I'd changed and not been born the way Jack was, but I knew eventually my baby would need my milk at least once. He cooed at me and reached for me, nuzzling in and I realized he was hungry. I let him drink then and he gazed up at me adoringly then fell to sleep curled in a tight little ball as Jack often had on the rooftops when he slept under his beloved moon.

It turned out we had babysitters when my visits with my son were through, and I didn't mind as tired as was. Although I was feeling better Jack had fed me my dinner as well, making pleased sounds and I realized we'd never fed one another before. Truth was I'd been afraid to loose a finger to those razor sharp teeth, but Jack accepted a tender bit of roast beef, his expression blissful. "Nobody's fed me before, poppet. But it's a bit of a sweetheart thing and Jack had no sweethearts before you. Never so much as kissed a girl." He blushed and looked at me shyly from under his top hat.

Jack loved the battered old thing and even wore it indoors at times, but it was part of his outfit of tails. He was a gentleman so far as he knew how to be, and he always had some compliment to pay me or now, a steady stream of trinkets he brought in from the woods for me so I'd get better faster. I smiled at Jack, his need to help me get better melting my heart. He'd brought enough gifts to fill a basket and it was comforting to be able to smell a bit of the woods so close by and to touch the pine cones and know we'd be walking in the lovely moonlit forest soon.

I looked at Jack, coming back to the present. "Well, we're sweethearts now, Jack, and if I remember correctly, we are supposed to kiss, aren't we?" Jack nodded and grinned happily, taking me into his arms, careful not to hurt me, then he was pressing his sweet lips to mine and the warmth of his body was as delicious as it always was. Jack trembled slightly as his hands started to roam and I realized he was afraid to hurt me.

"Jack, it's all right. I feel much better, and I need you in my arms right now." I soothed when he pulled back, his eyes wild and frightened. He nodded and let me pull him close again, his lips even more gentle if it were possible as they met mine. I stroked his shaggy black hair, touched his handsome face tenderly as we continued to kiss, gently, reverently. It still made no sense that we were in love and maybe that's why we never took one another for granted.

Jack tucked me into him, murmuring softly to me. He started to sing softly, a soothing lullaby that soon had me drowsy. I smiled when Jack yawned sleepily himself and we fell into a deep restorative sleep in each other's arms.

When we awoke the next morning I could sit up and feed myself easily, but our uncle forbid anything more strenuous that a shower. He had Jack give us a moment alone to examine me and looked at me. "You very nearly died, Valkyrie. I think you did die, only being Darquesse you came back to us. No doubt you'll be angry, but your body saw to it that there will be no babies ever again. Treasure your son." He said, taking my hand in his and squeezing it gently. "And before you ask, six weeks before you two can make love again. Jack already knows of course. So long as you two can listen he can stay." I nodded and smiled tiredly. Six weeks it would be and I'd most likely sleep through most of them.

Young Jack was a happy baby and as I was up and about after two weeks. I got to watch the family, Skulduggery included, fuss over him. Skulduggery's features softened as he held the baby and he smiled over at me proudly. "He's a fine son, Valkyrie. Very handsome, like his father." He said and Jack puffed up proudly. Jack was handsome to all of us, and he was slowly learning that.

Skulduggery handed Jack over to Sarah who looked at her nephew proudly. "Hey there, young Jack. You're going to be spoiled, having a mum like yours. She fought like a lioness to have you." She and mum smiled proudly at me and I only hoped Sarah would have her own child some day.

We had a wonderful pot roast for supper that night then all sat around the fire reading and relaxing. Jack was cuddled into me, holding our son in the crook of one arm. He was tender with our baby. Always mindful of his nails and sweetly attentive although I knew he worried he'd frighten the baby. "You make a wonderful father, Jack. Just think of it, when he's old enough you'll teach him like your father taught you." Jack smiled proudly and nodded.

"And you'll be as strong as anything by then, and by your Jack's side. Sorry." He said, wiping away sudden tears with the back of his hand.

"Jack, son what is it?" His father asked and Jack shook his head. I sighed, the family had a right to know.

"It's about when we used to fight, isn't it?" I asked and he nodded sadly.

"What if we go back to it, poppet? What if we wake up one day and we hate each other again? I couldn't bear it, loosin' my beloved mate and wife that way. Your my lovely, you are, my beloved moon." The family stared at us and I realized we hadn't thought to lower our voices. I sighed and turned to them and explained how near a thing it had been and on how many occasions Jack had tried to kill me or I'd nearly killed him.

They were all silent and Mum spoke up at last. "We knew the two of you had fought, but never that often or with such hatred in your hearts." We both started to protest but fell silent. "We all knew you'd fought, but honestly not to that degree. Oh, Jack." She said sadly. She looked at me, tears glimmering in her eyes and asked for the exact story of the cabin we'd met at and we both told her everything.

Mum fell silent for a long time after and Jack and I exchanged worried glances. "We are meant to be, aren't we, mum?" I begged. "Please tell me we're meant to be. I love Jack right now more that I ever have. Please. What aren't you telling us?"

Jack made his frightening keening sound and settled into miserable whimpering. It would be too much for both of us to bear if we were a mistake. But our uncle had chosen poorly, hadn't he? "Mum? Please?" Jack begged. "What aren't you telling us?" She just shook her head sadly and wouldn't answer. Dad looked as frightened as we both did.

"Sweetheart, what aren't you tellin' us? What do you know about those two the rest of us don't?" He asked worriedly and she told him everything, told us all everything with one look.

She had tears in her eyes as she looked at me. "Sweetheart, you and Jack, well you've both always been unsure, haven't you? We've seen this before. With Jack's uncle. Only you had the child because you have a kind heart. You stayed because you have a kind heart, but there's been a dreadful mistake. You aren't meant to be his mate. Sabine was." She said and I felt like I'd been hit with a sledgehammer.

It was my worst nightmare come true. Sabine was dead and she still won, didn't she? I sighed and knew what I had to do. I willed my darkness over me and shadow-walked finding Black Annis and Scrannel easily. When I told them what I wanted they both gasped in pity, but Scrannel agreed to try. Black Annis, no longer seeing me as the enemy and truly happy with Scrannel looked at me in tender pity. "Had his pup and everything, I'll be. I'm sorry, for what its worth. Maybe if I hadn't interfered?"

I shook my head sadly. "Jack belongs with his true chosen mate, Annis. We know that. Lord, he isn't even human, not in the way most people are. I don't know if Sabine will ever love him, but he had a right to try and be truly happy. I always thought I sensed something missing. Even with the baby, even being lovers. I knew it wouldn't last that we'd go back to being enemies." I said dully.

Scrannel gave me an awkward hug. "I'll bring her back then, just like I did for Annis and Jack. It doesn't matter how much time has passed or where she is. But are you certain? You'll never have Jack again once he sees her alive again." I nodded then shifted back reclaiming my humanity, reclaiming being Darquesse just that easily because I was Darquesse and I had no one like me in the Universe.

Scrannel closed his eyes and concentrated, then opened them and smiled sadly at me. "She's back. We'll take her to Jack. She'll see him differently now, I think. But where will you go, being hunted like you are?"

"I'm returning to Ireland, Scrannel. If they want to kill me, so be it. I'm too tired to run anymore, and I've got no reason to live. I may have been a mistake for Jack, but he was never one for me. I loved him but I took so much from him he can never give Sabine. She should have been the one he courted and loved, not me. He should have been found be her that night at the cabin, not me. He- He settled for me and that is all there is to it." I said, then shadow-walked and was in Ireland.

It took too much out of me, so I started to heal myself, then shrugged. Dying of exhaustion was more likely a kinder fate than what the Sanctuary had in store for me. I felt coldness enter my body and I slipped into darkness as the first van of Cleavers arrived.

So did not see that ending coming.