Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Pumpkin Comes Back to the Patch

Syphron:

Watching her dance with Cobalt in her black lace ball gown felt wrong, my wife having been dead yesterday. Our intimate time had me balling like a baby at her being alive, her apologies never ceasing to this day. Annoyed by both things, my old man leaning on my shoulder stole me out of my downward spiral. Smiling warmly in his direction, he watched the kids while I fought the stragglers back. That work wasn't hard but tears wouldn't stop for those two months, a quiet smile curling on his lips. His wisdom never failed me in the past, so let's hear what he had to say. 

"I know it is weird to have her back but she has said that she was sorry. I want to yell at her but she sacrificed everything to get your brother back. That being said, she knew that she wasn't going to come back. Accept her apology and embrace her like you won't see her tomorrow. I loved your mother, and still wish that she was by my side." He growled under his breath through a bright smile, waving to the guests. "Go dance with her. You two will be back into the same rhythm in no time."  Miffed by his advice, it didn't quite help in the way I thought it would.Pushing me into the crowd, times stopped at her sad smile meeting mine. The sea of silk and suits faded away, only the two of us remaining. The light from the chandelier bathed her, her beauty stealing all my breath away. Walking up to me, her presence caused silent tears to stream down my cheeks. Resting her head on my chest, her hand rested on my shoulder. Sliding my hand down to her waist, her apologies wouldn't stop.  Was this real? Struggling with the fact that I was holding her, my free hand covered her mouth. My words needed to be heard before we buried them into a deeper trauma like we tended to do. 

"Your apologies are making me feel worse. Tell me one thing." I queried bitterly, her eyes averting to the floor. "Did you know you were going to die? If you did, I need to understand why." Stepping back, she clutched her hand to her chest. Fighting the urge to run, violent sobs wracked her body. Guilt ate at me but I needed to know. The reason might soften the blow, my heart aching for her to stop crying. 

"I knew it but I needed to save the kingdom. All of you would have died and I promised to get your brother back. He needed to see the birth of his child." She sniffled dejectedly, turning her back to me. "I am so sorry but I was always going to lose against her. Your safety was all that mattered. I understand your frustration and if you never want to love me a-" Hugging her from behind, my chin rested on her head. She didn't need to feel that way, not ever.  Her actions had a valid reason, the alternative reality matching close to what she said. Turning on my best husband mode, her comfort came first. 

"Stop apologizing then." I laughed lightly through a wall of tears, her reason being enough. "You did bring him back after all." Her loving gaze fell on me, my hand spinning her around. Dragging her away, my eyes fell on my father holding the girls. Stealing her away to the vineyards, I placed her on my back. Her silky lace skirt swallowed my matching suit, her laughter twinkling in the air. Walking into the forest where I had spent the last two months, I laid her down on the giant rock. Gazing upon her, the way her hair spread out was a wonder to behold. The blue moonlight bathed her scars, each one making her look prettier. The fighter lay underneath the moonlight, her energy bringing us to this point. Laying down next to her, stars sparkled like diamonds in the inky sky. Taking off her eye patch, so many colors swirled around the milky cloud. Rolling over to face me, her thumb traced my cheek. This moment felt like the stolen moments of our teenage years, her real smile dimming her features. For the first time ever, it showed how she felt on the inside. Silent tears stained her cheeks, her hand reaching for mine. Was this real? Did she just show me her true self?

"I always fail." She fretted visibly, her entire body shaking like a leaf. "No matter what I do, it hurts everyone else. You should hate me for what I did. I don't deserve you!" Yanking her into a desperate embrace, this was the moment I was waiting for. The wall had come down, her bright smile hiding all of the raw brokenness from dying. No more distractions blocked her, my lips brushing against the top of her head. Clutching her like she wasn't coming back, my heart ached for her to be okay. None of the past two months mattered if she was in my arms again, her emotional dam erupting. Lifting up her chin with my finger, her wet eyes met my loving gaze. Stunned by how magical she looked in her brokenness, her future was only going to get brighter. 

"Nah, I wouldn't be with anyone else. I didn't follow you for all those years for a heroic death to come in between us." I joked blithely, a fit of laughter bursting from her lips. The warmth returned to her real smile, her hand cupping mine. Simply happy to see her smiling again, my new goal was to get her to smile and laugh more. Kissing me sweetly, my heart skipped a beat. Oh boy, I missed her kisses. Yawning groggily, she hadn't had a chance to sleep. Letting sweet slumber steal her away, her snores were like bells in the early morning. Smiling softly to myself, we needed to get home. Scooping her up, the quietness of the forest had done its job. Carrying her back to the ball, Renkin was waiting with my old man and Ivory. The girls all smiled in my direction, Cobalt leaping onto my back. Opening the portal back home, Batty pattered up to us. Kissing the top of her head, the two of us had become friends with our matching grief. Draken called for us to stop, a box resting in his palm. 

"I have another one of those necklaces for you. I infused it with the wish to shut down the negative effects of her eye and to heal her instantly. Cobalt and I worked hard last night. Thank you for coming. I look forward to meeting my respected majesty soon." Bowing in my direction, Renkin smiled for the first time since he came back. Tossing him a black pocket watch, wonder brightened Draken's eyes. 

"Push the button on the top and you can visit anytime. I look forward to hanging out with my friend." He remarked with glittering eyes, hoping that he would visit. "Most people fear you but she saw through that. I must trust our majesty. I think she would be disappointed if you didn't visit. Don't let our Alice down." Hugging the watch close to his chest, he spun back into his castle. Stepping through, a welcome home banner rested in the hands of the citizens of the capital. Cheers erupted into the air, my uncle waving at us from the balcony. Waving back at him, my tail began to wag. Happy to be home, this all belonged to us. Home, this place was my home. Pumpkin had built it from the ground up, my eyes falling on her slumbering form. Excusing myself, I carried her to our bedroom.  Laying her down, serenity was written on her face. Staring at the moonlit walls, she needed to wear this new necklace.  Knowing how her personality was, any protection would be an improvement. Cobalt bounced in, his sparkling eyes watching me place the red pumpkin around her neck. Sliding earrings into place, a white light glowed around her. A milky white devoured the red on the jewelry, Cobalt attempting to remove it. Unable to do it, his hands crossed. What little secret was hiding underneath his nervous grin?

"I cursed it so it had to stay around her neck. I didn't want to lose her again." He admitted coyly, shifting uncomfortably. "Please don't p-" Ruffling the top of his head, his hands cupped mine. Grinning ear to ear, he didn't need to worry. In fact, he made my night that much better. Now she can't get killed again if we had anything to do with it. 

"You did the right thing. You are a really special son." I proclaimed with a hearty pride, his future was going to be bright. "I can't wait to have good memories with you. Aren't you tired?" Playing with his silky navy suit, his eyes kept flitting between the bed and me. Motioning for him to climb on up, his tiny body was soon underneath her arm. Grinning with pure innocence, he looked so lost in the warmth of her embrace. Staying with them until they were both sleeping, I ran out to get the girls. Running into Renkin, a pregnant pause hung between us. He had been silent since coming back, his throat clearing as he bowed in my direction. He really needed to calm down, my anger would never be directed towards him. 

"Your m-" He began, my arms yanking him into a brotherly embrace. Refusing to let go, he needed to know that he was allowed to feel joy again. Crying into my shoulder, my heroic brother had broken down. Ever since I was a little boy, he was the person I always looked up to. This needed to stop, none of this being his fault.  Apologizing profusely, he needed to stop. Our family was back together, my hands holding his slumped shoulders. 

"Stop saying that you are sorry. I am happy to have you back." I comforted him with my real smile, his nerves fraying slightly. "You are my brother and will always be my hero. You took down hundreds of them by yourself. That is an impressive feat." Rolling his eyes, a long sigh poured from his lips. Brushing my hands off of his shoulders, his sudden bear hug surprised me. An awkwardness hung between us, he decided to play it cool.  Letting me go, he placed his hands on his hips. A fit of hearty laughter burst from his lips, his hand running through his hair. 

"Of course I did. My job was to protect our queen." He bragged playfully, winking in my direction. "You have bragging rights as well, you are the king of Hell. Your title couldn't get any higher. Tell her, she has the day off and that I look forward to working with her." Pausing for a second, his expression softened. 

"Her words on the roof helped me more than she probably thought. She made me want to live again and I owe my life for her. I meant it when I said that she is shit at listening in meetings but she is an angel when it comes down to it." He breathed serenely, placing his hands into his ivory silk jacket. "Tell her that I will always be there to write down the notes. You always had my respect for never sticking to what society demands. Only the brave stand tall." Walking back towards his room, his words left a lasting effect on me. My old man walked up to me with the girls, their pigtails stealing my heart away. Scooping them up, they laughed with every kiss I smothered them with. Wishing me goodnight, it was just us three. Kicking off my boots as I entered my bedroom, I crashed onto the bed. Resting their heads on my chest, pure tears of joy flooded from my eyes. Life was better than I had expected it to ever be, the happiness allowing me to fall into my first peaceful slumber. 

Jerking awake, the orange moon painted the walls. The bed was empty, panic widening my eyes. Changing into a simple onyx blouse and pants, my bare feet pounded downstairs. Looking everywhere for her, a servant pointed to the kitchen. Skidding in, relief crashed over me. Renkin and her were cooking pancakes for everyone, her leather corset dress hugging her hourglass figure. The hem of the skirt floated by her knees, Ivory laughed with Vixen on her lap. Cobalt was struggling to help them, her lips brushing the top of his head. Their bond had to be one of the most special things that I had ever seen. The girls played on the floor in a pen with new toys, their eyes lighting up at the sight of me. Pumpkin looked up from her task, her loving gaze met mine. Her new eye stole my breath away, her eyes picking up where I was staring. Shame dimmed her eyes, Cobalt shutting that down with a hug around her legs. Waving me over, she slid me a plate of pancakes. Taking my seat next to Ivory, this felt like Heaven to me. Working in the kitchen next to my brother, another relationship had grown in a fantastic manner. 

"I was thinking about visiting the town today to see how they are doing. Would you care to join?" She offered sincerely, giving Cobalt a cooled down pancake. "I bet they all would be happy to see us." Cobalt chewed on his pancake, his thumbs up pleasing her. Preparing plates of their own, a familiar warmth came over me as she plopped onto my lap. Eating her pancakes with the rest of us, they really did melt in your mouth. Setting the dishes aside, she spun off of my lap. Dancing around the room, true happiness showed in her eyes. Draping a couple of slings over her shoulders, she dropped our girls into the slings. Smiling at how close they were to their mother, her eyes fell on me once more. Offering me her hand, my fingers curled around them with ease. Dragging me into town, everyone perked up at the sight of her. Waving at them, my heart skipped a beat at how she would stop at each stand. Chatting with them pleasantly, my love for her only swelled. Taking a break at the fountain, the children ran up to her. Complimenting her eye, scarlet colored her cheeks. One of them presented a story, her hands taking the book. Reading it to them, her laughter twinkled like bells as Cobalt leapt onto her shoulders. Keeping them all entranced with different voices, she began to make up stories. Settling into a lovely afternoon with the children, the parents looked on with admiration. The parents called out the word dinner, her face fell. Wishing them a good evening, her elbow hooked into mine. Spinning on her heels, adventure twinkled in her eyes. Taking a step back, her hands rested on her hips. Draken appeared out of nowhere, his arms taking the girls. Calling for Cobalt to come with him, they both winked at me. Why did they just look the same? Shuddering for a second, her elbow hooked around mine as a milky portal glistened to life. Guiding me through, all the breath left my body. Standing where our journey began, the same scene reminded me of how far we had come. Taking me to a new bench, she sat me down. Flashing me her real smile, my ears pinned back as my tail began to wag. Returning her smile with mine, her hand waited for me. Cupping her hand, a tender blush rose to her cheeks. 

"I wanted to bring you back to where it all began. I talked to my former friends, they are busy fixing Ginger's part of Hell. Do you think that they can manage it? I promised to visit my little brother while I am here. First, I wanted to reminisce with you. I remember this Goth teenager pushing me to enter Halloween Street, his sweet kindness always keeping my will to live up. Now a man with an alluring beard sits next to me. Who knew the kid who wouldn't leave my side would be my king?" She expressed serenely, resting her elbows on her knees. "I love you more than the moon, Sy." Leaning back, her eyes watched the gray crescent moon surrounded by the diamonds in the sky. Wishing that this moment would never end, her loving gaze met mine. Laying her head down on my lap, the teenage me would have relished this moment. The current me appreciated that it meant her level of comfort with me was at an all time high. 

"You like my beard, huh?" I joked jovially, her dainty features curling into a crooked grin. "I suppose I could keep it but you have to stick around." Playing annoyed, her laughter felt like music to my ears. Sticking out her tongue, my heart fluttered. Happy to see her back to a grown version of her old self, I couldn't help but to play with her hair. 

"Of course I do. I happen to like everything else about you as well." She teased playfully, laughing heartily. "Damn, we have gone through so much. You know what though, I wouldn't have done it with anyone else."  Getting on her hands and knees, her lips pressed against mine hungrily. Sinking into the warmth of the moment, my strong arms clutched her close to my chest. No one was ever going to hurt my wife again, Sammy's voice perking her up. Running up to him, confusion dawned on his face at her sudden embrace. Hugging her back warmly, the two of them left me to ponder on my own. Watching them walk away, my fingers traced my lips. She had really kissed me, her lack of a presence feeling like a ghost. Time stopped for a second, my fingers tracing my palm, her voice snapping me out of my train of lost thoughts. Smashing into my arms, her head was buried into my neck. Refusing to let go, crimson painted my cheeks. Letting her hold me, her tears of joy made this moment worth it. How long had it been since I had hoped for such a moment. Sure, we had all those moments before but this felt the realest it had ever been. Lifting her chin with my finger, my lips kissed hers gently. Her company was all I needed, her brother calling for her. Leaping off of my lap, her hand hovered in front of my face. Stunned by her serene expression, it was hard not to feel the same way. 

"I can't do this thing called life without you." She sang adorably, her hair sliding off of her shoulders. "Come along and taste what life has to offer." Taking her hand once more, she dragged me after Sammy. Running up to the funeral home, Sammy gave us a moment. Fixing my outfit, she pecked me on my cheek. Struggling to keep it together, her wise eyes picked up on it. 

"As someone who suffered through my life, I have learned one lesson. Take your wins and work past the losses." She uttered warmly, checking her own outfit. "Shall we join our friends? Come in when you are ready." Joining Sammy inside, I leaned on the nearest tree. Taking a walk towards her home, the burned rubble spoke of a purged past. Memories of us played out, my four year old hand pressing against hers through the glass. Time sped up, her gentle smile always carrying me through to the next day. Pausing on my favorite day, her fourteen year old self waved at me. Standing next to me, my fourteen year old self ran towards her with a bright smile. Dancing in the falling snow, her loving gaze never left mine. A hand took mine, snowflakes drifting aimlessly caused me to focus on Pumpkin. The image faded away, her hand sliding my hand down to her waist. Placing her hand in the proper spot, her feet guided me through the tender moment. Happy tears flooded from my eyes, her own tears staining her cheeks. Spinning through the night, I knew everything was going to be okay. Swinging her underneath me, her real smile confirmed her true happiness. May our future be as bright as her smile.