(* Author's Note: Hi everyone, thank you for being so patient! I've been very busy, but I have finally made some time to continue on with this story. I feel bad about the wait I put you all through, so I made this chapter extra-long and extra juicy. A lot of things get accomplished in this chapter, so be ready! Also, a mature content warning for those of you who may not be too keen on sexual content. Thank you, everyone!*)

~Chapter Twenty-Three~

The Lifting of the Veil

Jack lay upon his bed, stroking Zero between his ears. The ghostly pouch panted happily as his master slide his fingers to and fro, across his head, but the sadness he could feel emanating from his master prevented him from truly enjoying his company. After a while, Zero began to whimper and Jack removed his hand from his head.

"I'm sorry, Zero...my mind is a million miles away…" he said with a sigh. He stared at the ceiling of his room and allowed his troubled thoughts to overcome him, having grown quite tired of fighting them. He thought of his subjects in Halloween Town; their faces fading from existence, their forms scattering to the winds. He thought of how it was when he first became Pumpkin King and how he feared he was not worthy of the job. It didn't help now that he knew he had been destined to be king, that royalty flooded through his veins; that only made it all the more pitiful in his mind that he was not able to uphold Halloween, not able to save everyone, not able to save Eve. Even though thoughts of the most troublesome nature buzzed furiously around his mind, he didn't feel exactly as he had during the past couple days. Somehow his complete helplessness and self-pity had melted away, replaced now with frustration and anger, and a determination to fix what he let fall apart.

As he traced invisible patterns on the ceiling, he felt his eyelids lower and sleep seeped into his eyes. Voices entered his mind and he entered the place between wakefulness and sleep, letting the answers come to him.

Stop lying to yourself…..

He has my heart in his hands….

I haven't decided…..if I'm going to let him keep it…..

Jack felt as if he was stuck in a swirling tornado of color, smells, and voices he was unfamiliar with. His eyes were blurred, or maybe it was just his environment, but where was he? He couldn't figure out if things swirled within him or simply around him. It wasn't until he heard the sounds of horses plodding their way on cobblestone and laughter echoing through the air, did he have a feeling of comfort, of somehow realizing where he now was. He paused and took a deep breath, allowing his demeanor and his mind to settle. All at once it seemed the swirling colors and noises took form, taking their rightful positions into a world that was of another time. The buildings that surrounded him were of brick make and stood firm and new, not a sign of crumbling decay upon them; horses and carriages trodden along the road, clattering loudly, men and women wearing starchy coats and cotton dresses. Jack looked at his own attire of a black V-neck and pj bottoms and was slightly embarrassed until he realized that no one here could see him. But he could see them, and he could feel everything; the sweet, summer wind upon his cheek and rushing through his hair, the smell of blooming flowers filling the air and just as he thought he knew where he was, he heard a familiar voice.

"Jack!"

He turned around, from where the voice came from and to his great shock he saw a very familiar looking woman, though he felt as if he had not seen her in a long time. She was adorned in a dark red, silk dress which trailed behind her as she moved; around her neck were pearls of black, and within her hair was barrette decorated lavishly with rubies. And even though her appearance was regal in nature, her demeanor was kind and warm; it invited and melted the heart of even the most stubborn soul. Jack could feel his eyes well up as he beheld her. By the sound of her call, a young man ran up to her and took her in his arms. It was him. He looked after himself almost jealously, as he saw himself embrace his mother and give her a parting good bye kiss on the cheek.

"M-Mother?" Jack whispered to himself. The woman looked up as if she had heard him. Jack froze until he realized that the woman wasn't looking at him, but rather someone coming up from behind him. The woman smiled as Jack felt as though something was moving through him, pushing past his intangible form to get to this woman, his mother. It was Eve. She laughed and waved in return to Mrs. Skellington, eventually greeting her with a hug as she reached her. Jack moved a little closer, becoming increasingly interested in the scene that was taking place.

"I'm sure you both must be very excited, being able to court each other without the stress of your parents being around." Mrs. Skellington said, beaming. Eve blushed.

"And my parents seemed okay with this? When you met with them? They weren't-" Eve began.

"Charles and I were more than able to persuade them. This is a great thing for you both to do. You must know each other around people and not around people, so that way nothing comes as a shock." she paused as she caught her son staring lovingly in Eve's direction. "However, I do not think that will be a problem. I've never seen my son so happy or sure of himself." Eve raised an eyebrow and threw a look at Jack, who quickly went back to arranging the carriage.

"Funny...he always seems so sure of himself." she said, admiringly. Jack saw himself release a tiny grin out of the corner of his mouth, but no one else saw. As Eve approached the carriage, Jack looked at his mother and she winked at him. He nodded and pulled from his coat pocket a very beautiful, very petite necklace. Inside the pendant was a petrified, Forget-Me-Not flower. Eve gasped with delight as Jack stood behind her and hung it gingerly around her neck. As the necklace clasped, a whisper rang on the breeze.

With this necklace, may you never forget me...

Suddenly it felt as though it was all coming back to him now; this exact situation and the slightest inkling of what was to come next. Jack felt himself being pulled away from this scene. He began to feel as if he was in a tunnel as the image began to grow smaller and smaller. From behind he could feel a dim light beginning to apparate and from it he could feel a sense of tender curiosity and deep desire. This sense was all too familiar to him, but not as though it was something recent, but rather something that he hadn't experienced in many years. He turned and was greeted by a scene that he first recognized from his dreams, but suddenly remembered that this had all once been very real.

He remembered this. He remembered meeting Eve in one of the many intricate hallways of that old Louisiana mansion that his parents had owned for a time. He remembered the sheer darkness and the tiny flickers of amber light that revealed them to anyone or anything that might be watching. He remembered how they coveted and thanked the darkness as they assumed their positions against each other. The deep kisses in the abyss, the passionate, fleeting groans of pure pleasure that forced its way from them. He saw them; he saw himself and her. Against the wall again, pushing, thrusting. He could feel himself fill with desire and resentment at seeing the shadow of his past self-indulging in what he so thirsted for now. It all increased as they moved from the wall to the nearest open door and shoved their way past it. A bed; perfect. He gently lowered her upon it and quickly began to undo his vest. The lacey ties of the corset were the next things to be undone and so they were with ease. Jack could feel himself brim with anger and jealousy and just as past Jack began to reveal Eve's bare form; Jack turned from the scene and wandered into the vast abyss that was the rest of this nightmare.

"Why do you keep doing this to me?! What do you want from me? What can I do?!" he yelled into the darkness. Suddenly a thought entered his skull. That chest that Wallace had showed him...it had been Eve's. Inside it, it held all the beauty of her life; everything she had held dear. Even the chest itself was quite pretty. It had been decorated with tiny embroidered blue roses…..Jack thought about this for a moment. Roses…...blue? No….., he mused. They must have been Forget-Me-Nots!

"That's it!" he said aloud, at long last feeling hope course through him. Suddenly he heard a loud Ding! He looked around confused and was not able to see where this could have come from. Ding! he heard again. Ding! Ding! Ding!

Ding!

Jack felt his eyes burst open and all of the sudden he was filled with energy. He knew what he had to do, finally. He jumped from his bed, Zero hot on his heels, however confused he was. He rushed past Wallace, who was making his way towards the staircase.

"Jack! The door! I'm almost positive it's for you!" he yelled after him, but by this time Jack was up the staircase leading to the attic and could no longer hear him. He pushed past the creaky door of the attic and slid over to the chest, which almost looked as though it had been waiting for him this whole time. Excitedly he opened it and began to rummage through it. Hope teetered tenderly within his heart as he looked under books and in boxes. Finally, at the furthermost corner of the chest was a very plain looking wooden box. Fishing it out, Jack held his breath as he began to lift the tiny lid, finally revealing the very thing he was sure he needed to help Eve remember everything, remember him. He lifted a hand to pull it out, but suddenly stopped. No, he thought and he set it back into the chest and closed the lid. He stood up, straightened his black V-neck shirt and donned a very determined look. He carefully checked himself out in a dusty mirror that lay propped up against a wall.

"Time for the return of the Pumpkin King." he said, confidently and exited the attic. As he made his way downstairs, he saw Wallace waiting for him by the banister. The look on his face was unreadable.

"You-you have a visitor." he mumbled, pointing toward Jack's room. Jack nodded, not at all surprised; he knew exactly who it was. He opened the door and saw Eve standing in the middle of the room. As soon as Zero saw her, he gave a small yip and rushed out of the room, through the wall. Jack figured that Zero didn't want to frighten her, so he didn't question it. Eve was adorned in a dark gray lace spring dress with black stockings covering her legs. Jack looked at her admiringly and she noticed him as he walked through the door.

"Jack...hey." she said, searching for what she exactly wanted to say. Jack walked straight up to her, which seemed to make her feel a bit uncomfortable. As he approached, she shied away a bit. "Look, I'm not here to…." she began.

"Why are you here, Eve?" Jack interrupted, such confidence and firmness echoed in his tone and she was caught off guard by this.

"I...I wanted to…it's about last night….I-I don't know what came over me. I mean, well, when I'm around you, Jack...it's like..."she tried to continue, but was stopped as Jack reached out took her by the hand.

"Come with me." was all he said. She followed him, her gaze fixed on him as if in a trance. He led her carefully up the stairs and into the attic, directly in front of the chest. They both looked at it and before Jack could say anything, Eve fell upon her knees and began to run her hand over the chest. She let her hand fall over the clasp and gently removed it, then lifting the chest open. Jack watched in anticipation as Eve reached for the tiny wooden box. She picked it up and studied it. She stood back up and looked at Jack.

"I-I know this…" she said, her tone slightly changing. Jack placed his hands on hers, covering the box. He placed his forehead against hers and as he did so, tears fell from Eve's eyes.

"Time for you to come back to me…" he whispered. Together, they lifted the box's lid and slowly Eve let her fingers fall upon it. All was silent and still for a brief moment before tree branches began to tap and shake violently against the glass of the windows. Strong gusts of wind forced the bolted windows open, and leaves and foliage flew and circled the couple. Finally, after the wind increased and increased in its velocity, Jack was thrown from the tiny tornado and only Eve was left within it.

"Eve!" Jack yelled, but he could hardly even hear himself over the roar of the wind.

Eve could feel herself trapped and yet somehow she felt as though a heavy veil was being lifted from her. Her breathing felt easier, as though it had been laborious. Her eyesight felt clearer, images more vivid and a great weight lifted from her, a hideous possession banished from her. It was now, finally, that she could see. She began to remember as images and memories poured into her mind relentlessly. The past, the present...all was knowledge to her once more. And as the intrusive wind reached its climax, she fell limp upon the ground, and suddenly all was still and silent.

Jack felt his heart skip a beat as he dashed over to where Eve lay. He turned her over to face him, and lightly shook her, attempting to wake her up.

"Eve? Eve?!" he called out to her as he lifted her into his arms. To his immense relief she stirred and moaned and finally her eyes began to flicker open. She looked up at him and this time her eyes knew his face.

"Jack…" she whispered. Jack looked into her eyes and knew at once that this was the same Eve who had come to Halloween Town four years ago, and the same Eve he had shared another lifetime with. She stood up suddenly and studied him for a bit.

"You-you're human again?" she asked. He grinned and nodded. Her eyes busily scanned him. "What? How? How is this possible? I remember just seeing you as a skeleton! But...but that was…"

"Four years ago, Eve." Jack finished. Eve stared at the floorboards with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"I left….no, I had passed out? And you? You saved me...you brought me back here...to save my life…." Eve mumbled. She looked back at Jack. "Oh my god, so much has happened since then...have we really been apart that long?" But before Jack could respond, Eve wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"Oh god, Jack, I remember...being without you, without something to complete me. Alone and unknowing, yet still feeling the pain of being away from you. Oh god, Jack…." she cried into his shirt. Jack began to pet the back of her head gently.

"Shhhhh…." he cooed. "It's alright, Eve, we're together now...finally." he sighed, breathlessly, half still in disbelief.

oOo

"I wonder where he went." Jack said, as he and Eve walked hand and hand throughout the mansion.

"Well, we were up there for a while….so he's my great nephew and my great uncle? Is that right? I'm still a bit confused." Eve asked. Jack grinned.

"Something like that…"

Eve looked around at the house and walked through it with him as though she had known it all her life; in her hand she still clasped to the necklace.

"I remember this house as if it were yesterday and…." she paused and looked behind them and instantly darted for Jack's room.

"Eve?" Jack called after her as he followed. She burst through his room and grinned.

"This was your room." she said happily.

"Is. I've been here for a while, trying to bring you back to me." he said a bit wistfully. Eve nodded.

"And now I'm back! God, I remember everything….and…" she stopped.

"What?" Jack asked. She made her way over to the curtain and slowly closed them, allowing the room to grow completely dark.

"I remember a room...a lot like this one….a long time ago." she began to grow quiet. Jack eyed her, confused. "It was dark, really dark, but it wasn't this house….and it was just you and me, no one else." she continued. Jack thought about what she was saying and a suspicion grew over him that Eve might be referencing the mansion his parents owned in New Orleans; the one he had just seen in his dream. Jack suddenly felt his breath become trapped in his chest as Eve took a seat on the bed. She noticed Jack's disposition and quickly tried to put him at ease.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I know this is really fast….but with all these memories that are flooding back to me, all these emotions are right there with it. Memories and feelings from our past life together...from my time in Halloween Town, and our time here and now. And all this time, we've been fighting these feelings and emotions, but now with all my memories returning…I can't think of a single reason of why we shouldn't give in to our desires." she explained. Jack couldn't deny that he had been fighting off his desires for Eve ever since he got there and had it not been for Benjamin, he would have seized his first opportunity. Yet, as he saw her there, sitting willingly upon his bed, he couldn't help but feel that animal desire again. Even as he pondered his position in this matter, the deepest, darkest urge began to surge within him. All at once, Jack set aside his reservations and made his way over to his one true love, who sat anxiously, waiting for him upon the bed. He noticed the necklace still gripped in her hand. He grinned and attempted to take it from her. She held fast.

"Don't worry, nothing is going to happen…" he said, and gently pulled the chain from her grip. She paused for a moment and after realizing he was right, she grinned and placed her now free hand in his.

He stood there, letting the tension between them grow as he let Eve make the next move. Graciously, she stood up, letting their faces drift from each other, lips only inches apart. He could feel her breath, hot and quick, escaping her in deep anticipation. How could they ignore the urge when only their brains told them it was wrong, but their hearts insisted it was right? Jack could see the love in Eve's eyes; the same love and tender devotion she had shown him in Halloween Town. And as he breathed in her intoxicating scent, he found he could take no more, and quickly and once again, closed the painful gap between them. Lips thrust upon lips and Jack could feel the ache beginning to ease and the desire beginning to overcome his very being. Eve threw her hands over Jack's broad shoulders and around his neck, pulling him closer and closer into her. The taste of her poured memories of their time spent together, four years ago; but there was a difference this time around. This time there was tension, apprehension, a hunger for flesh that now they both shared.

Jack felt his passion drive his actions and soon he was lowering the zipper on Eve's dress, just as she began to yank his shirt off him. She wrapped his shirt around him, forcing him onto her and both of them onto the bed. Their movements escalated; dress off, pants tossed away into an endless void for all they cared. Jack gingerly pulled Eve's stockings from her legs, one by one, revealing her black lacy panties and it was this image that forced the sensation of the utmost urgency between his own legs. Tossing the stockings aside, he began to drag his mouth, hot and wet, up Eve's legs, around her knee and up her thigh, causing her to sigh with pleasure. His mouth venture further, up her stomach, and at her chest, where he found himself thwarted by her bra. In a swift motion, Jack unclasped the bra, revealing Eve's supple, tender breasts, untouched by man, but indulged by beast. Jack began to lick and tease them, and Eve groaned in pure pleasure, sending chills through him. Jack moved towards Eve's neck, allowing himself to nibble and suck upon her flesh, drawing her attention there as his hands moved to remove her panties. Off they went and in return, Eve removed Jack's boxer-briefs, revealing his manhood to her womanhood. Jack breathed furiously, his erection growing harder and harder against Eve's inner thigh.

"E-Eve...are you sure?" he gasped in between breaths. In response, Eve threw her legs on either side of Jack, positioning his throbbing member at her opening.

"I told you yes over a hundred years ago, I told you yes again four years before now...my answer will never change, Jack." she breathed into his ear. Jack lifted himself from the crease of Eve's neck and looked deeply into her eyes. She was right; her answer had not changed, and never would. He dove in for one final kiss and in a passionate twist of hips and tossing of legs, Jack drove himself into Eve's tender, wet, willing flesh. It was unlike anything either of them could remember feeling before. Jack roared with pure pleasure and Eve moaned in returned, grasping at Jack's long, dark hair. Jack threw his mouth back towards Eve's neck and breasts, kissing and biting them as he began to thrust back and forth, allowing pleasure to surge from him and into her. He moved his hands down to Eve's waist and held them fast to gain better motion. With her hips pinned, Eve threw her legs around Jack, allowing him even easier access and more pleasurable thrusts. With this new found ease, his speed increased, causing both of them to scream in pleasure.

"Ohhhhhhhh Jack!" Eve yelled. Jack panted and moaned, his voice breaking between puffs of air. Eve moaned and whined, and suddenly Jack felt himself stop.

"J-Jack?" Eve asked, her voice trembling. He leaned down towards her.

"Turn over." he said firmly. Quickly, Eve obeyed, for the tone in his voice demanded it. As Eve dawned on all fours, Jack grabbed hold of her hips yet again, drove himself back into her, with such a force that cause her to tremble unyieldingly. He leaned himself over her, his chest, drenched in sweat, lightly brushing against her back. His head rested upon her shoulder as his thrusts came faster and harder. He groaned into Eve's ear, feeling as though pure liquid fire was running through his veins now. He could feel her tremble beneath him, quivering and moaning in pure ecstasy. Suddenly he felt Eve's walls tighten around his pulsing member and she began to quake violently, a guttural yell escaped her, filling the whole room and perhaps even the whole mansion. The feeling of her climax vibrated against him, sending waves throughout his body and soon he found an overwhelming feeling rising up from deep within him. It built and built, tearing at his insides, until finally he let it release. Pleasure burst from him and he felt himself release inside Eve. The overwhelming power of his orgasm shook him and he and Eve both fell upon the bed, completely exhausted, but still entwined.