A/N: I don't own Jack, Valkyrie or Skulduggery.
There was no way I could carry Jack home and I thanked my lucky stars the family had stayed together. One call and two large forms were landing smoothly on the rooftop, our father crooning over Jack and our uncle shooing us back. His face went grim. "Valkyrie, I think you know how much magic it will take to counteract this. The poison is magical. It's up to you."
I knew instantly what Jack needed and knelt beside him. I couldn't loose him, not Jack. I put my hands on his chest and willed the magic into him, willingly gave up my strongest source of magic to counteract the poison. Jack gasped and sighed, then our uncle nodded, pleased. "We have to get him back to America, the whole family should go. Can you two do it?" He asked looking at me and Skulduggery who had silently joined us.
"Yes." We both said at once and soon the entire family our beloved son included had been shadow-walked back to the cabin. Both Skulduggery and I were weary and I tumbled into bed beside Jack to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. When I awoke he was still asleep, but his colour looked better. I looked at our uncle who'd kept vigil.
"He'll live, but only because of you. You realize you gave up your humanity as well?" He asked gently and I nodded watching as the baby slept peacefully in his sheltering arms.
"Then welcome to adulthood, Valkyrie Cain, and I do not say that unkindly, my dear. You've become the wife, the mate he needs at last. I think the ladies have food for you, go on then, you can nest with Jack later." I nodded, reluctant to leave him warmth.
Mum and Sarah looked delighted to see me up. "Hello, love. Tea?" Mum asked, bundling me into a hug and I nodded.
"Tea would be lovely. Sarah, how's Skulduggery?" I asked and she smiled.
"Still meditating, but we have a surprise. We wanted to come back. For the baby." Mum and I gasped and squealed in joy, then we were both fussing over her as women will do. "Will it hurt much?" She asked us. Mum and I exchanged glances.
"Yes, it'll hurt, but it will be worth it, you'll see." Mum said cheerfully. And once Sarah convinced us that she'd told uncle and he was caring for her mum put a proper English breakfast fry up on as well. Dad joined us and took over the cooking.
"Hello, Valkyrie. Didn't think we'd ever get you away from Jack, been cuddled into him, you have, for the last two days."
"Two days!" I gasped. He turned with a gentle smile.
"Your uncle told us what you did, love. I knew Jack had chosen well, but not that well. All couples have a settlin' in period, it's only natural. I knew you'd be the one, I knew it." His said, his voice soft.
"Dad, what is it?" I asked but he just smiled and waved a hand and mum looked away, close to tears. Sarah sighed.
"Mum feels guilty, she thinks this is all her fault." I got up and took mum in a hug.
"Never, mum. You were right, you know. I wasn't Jack's true mate, not until I grew up and acted like it. We won't hold back now, either one of us." I sat back down still weary and my family shooed me back to Jack's side. I'd just settled in when he blinked open his eyes to smile at me weakly.
"Hello, poppet." He whispered and gave me his gentlest smile.
"Jack!" I whispered back, then kissed him gently as his eyes closed again. I settled into his warmth, but sat up when dad brought a tray in. The smell of food roused Jack and I fed him, dad going for another tray, singing to himself since his son was up.
Jack gave me a shy smile as he ate. "Weak as a kitten, I am. What happened to me, Valkyrie?"
"You were stabbed and poisoned, Jack." Our uncle said. "Valkyrie gave up being Darquesse, gave up even being human forever, just to save you. The poison they gave you was that strong." Jack looked at me in utter awe and I just smiled at him.
"We're in a cabin, Jack. Like the first time and you need to heal up, just like then." He giggled softly, still weak, but happily ate the rest of his food then shut his eyes and went back to sleep. Uncle shooed me out as Skulduggery came in and I joined the rest of the family at the table.
Dad happily patted the chair beside him. "Come on then, love. You must be famished, givin' up your food like that for Jack."
"I don't mind, honestly, dad." I said as I sat, but he was right I was starved. I tried to mind my manners but my food had soon vanished and dad was up and cooking again for all of us. I looked at him. "I can do that dad, you all look tired and starved."
"No, it does me good, to cook for my family, it does. We thought we'd lost you three. Skulduggery was up first and your uncle told us you two would be fine, but you all scared us."
"When did any of you eat or sleep last?" I asked, turning to mum.
"In shifts, my dear. We've eaten a little, but we couldn't eat much. Not without the three of you healthy and strong." She wiped tears from her eyes and I felt terrible. My family had done nothing but love and accept me and Skulduggery from the moment they'd met us. But I'd judged them, felt better than them and now I realized just how immature I had been. Sarah caught me in a hug.
"Hey, no worries now. We're all fine and fettle, right? Jack'll be up soon if I know my brother. Skulduggery's well and we'll all take it easy for a week or so. Cheer up." I smiled at her.
"You're the best sister ever, Sarah, I mean that." I said as mum helped dad put food down for all of us. Extra had been left on the stove and at last Uncle joined us, handing me the baby.
I bundled him into the crook of my arm, admiring him since he was the cutest baby ever, then put him in his bassinet that dad had thoughtfully wheeled in. He blinked his small eyes sleepily, eyes that were as stunning as Jack's were then went to sleep. We ate, and I knew we were all relieved to be a family again. It hadn't went well when we'd tried to be independent units in London, rarely seeing one another. We needed to be a tightly knit family or we didn't work.
Sarah took me for a moonlit walk after we ate, happy to stretch her legs for a bit, then resume her chair. "I always wanted a sister, you know." She said as she wheeled along lazily. "It'll be good to have women around to so I know what to do, how did you handle it?"
"I had you and mum, that helped, a lot. Sarah, I can never pay any of you back for taking me in like you did or keeping watch over me." She waved a dismissive hand.
"We're family, that's what we do. Oh, look, Valkyrie. " She pointed to a nest high about us where a mother owl had just arrived with dinner for her fluffy owlets. We watched in joy and I managed to catch two owl feathers that floated down and tucked one in her hair.
"One for you, one for Jack when he wakes up." I said softly and she smiled as we turned and went back.
Jack was delighted with his owl feather and had me tell him the story countless times. He got his own basket to go by my old one and soon I was bringing him back treasures with tales of the adventures Sarah and I had had. Since our uncle felt the walks did Sarah good she sometimes went with Skulduggery and I'd roam even amongst the treetops looking for treasures to take back to Jack. "So many treasures, poppet." Jack said happily. "That's what made me all better. Uncle says I can have meals with the family now and maybe a walk with you later." He said and I was delighted.
We took it easy and I didn't need to ask Jack if it reminded him of our first meeting at a cabin. He smiled gently at me as we walked along. "It's good to be back here, poppet. I like it more than the city, room to roam and our little Jack will be safe, so will Sarah's baby. And I like the sights and smells better than a city, the book said we belonged here, didn't it?" He asked and I nodded.
"We do, I found a stream and uncle tested the water, we can drink there, teach the children to swim when they are old enough." Jack just stared at me.
"Swim? When they can climb and leap?"
"We're near a lake, Jack. What if they fall in?" He looked away and I realized he couldn't swim. "Jack, I'll teach you too. Nothing to it. Like jumping, only easier once you get the hang of it." He smiled uncertainly then grinned good naturedly. Jack, true to his nature, was willing to do anything to please me.
And he proved to be a quick study once he was strong enough, taking to the water like it was his natural element. Being so strong and large he was swifter in the water than I was, and soon we were chasing one another back and forth as easily as we did through the air.
We kept up with racing through the treetops as well, and Jack continued my training. It was amazing to watch how he could twist and leap through the air, his utter grace as he swooped from one perch to the next beguiling me into following him, and Jack was pleased with my progress and the baby's. Young Jack was almost seven months old now and crawling. He tried walking as well, seemingly eager to be on his way. "Mama." He'd squeal happily and crawl towards me. I looked at Jack and he shrugged.
"He's clever, I'll give him that. No idea when he should talk, but he's clearly ready." The baby pulled himself up and holding on to me tottered over to Jack who scooped him up happily. "You are a clever young Jack, aren't you? We'll have you walkin' soon, then jumpin' before you know it."
"How young were you when you started?" I asked and mum answered from her place near the fire.
"About that age. Young Jack will do the same. He'll be walking strong then his first jumps. Glad we have sturdy furniture, he'll be a handful until he learns to control himself. But don't worry, you're his mum, you'll be catching him one-handed in midair in no time."
"He won't do anything crazy, like try the stairs, will he?" I asked and she shook her head.
"He'll be fine. You just know if you can make a jump or not, don't you? So will he." Sarah smiled over at me reassuringly, I think to reassure herself as well.
"I'll need your help, Valkyrie." She said and I joined her on the couch.
"I can catch babies just fine." Skulduggery grumbled as he carried in coffee for all of us and dad just smiled.
"Woman's work, son. They just have a knack for it we don't. Comes from carrying the baby for so long. " He had barely finished when young Jack decided to not only walk towards me all on his own, but give a tiny leap. I caught him easily and he snuggled up on my lap, content. "See? That's why we search so hard for our mates. The right one is just a natural with our children."
Jack came over and settled in, handing me the paper he'd been reading and we were all content. I hadn't bothered with my revenge, needing to be with him far more than I wanted vengeance. But if anyone followed us ever, I planned on making them pay for it. All I wanted was to live with my family in peace and as Jack put a sheltering arm around me I knew he wanted the same.
Yeah, not the most dramatic ending ever, but it is what it is. Originally Valkyrie was supposed to have her revenge, but it seemed more likely the need to be with her husband and child when they were vulnerable would outweigh the need for vengeance. It was meant to go on just about forever and Ghastly and Tanith were going to move in, but I think my readers have had their fill of cute and cuddly babies. Hope you liked it.