Jade appeared and waved at Jack. "Come with me," she said, already turning to leave the room.
"No."
"What?"
"I said, no."
"No?"
"No. I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers and make up my OWN mind as to what I want to do."
Jade turned to Sam, who held up his hands and said, "Hey, don't look at me."
"How is this my cat?"
"That's your first question? How is that your cat?"
Jack nodded, holding the cat in his arms."
"The cat has been with you the entire time. I dropped her off when I traded you for the human baby."
"I never saw her."
"You weren't supposed to see her. She was there to protect you, not be a pet."
"So that feeling of always being watched was real and my father was coughing, rubbing his eyes, and getting allergy shots for years because he was allergic to cats, and he didn't know he had one?"
"I guess," she said.
"No wonder he got better after I moved out."
"Juice anyone?" asked Sam. Everyone said yes, including the cat.
"Look, I know you have no idea what's going on but you don't have a choice in this matter. Come with me now."
"There are always choices," said Jack.
Sam shook his head. "Your choices seem to be limited to being a prince in fairy, or being dead."
"Still a choice," said Jack.
Jade started pacing. "Remember Julie Smith, the girl who sat next to you in third grade? Or Marcy Lin, in fourth?"
"Yes."
"They were fairies, watching over you. Fairies have ALWAYS watched over you, to keep you safe. Are you going to throw all of that away and die, instead of accepting your birthright?"
"My parents are Judy Karn and Jerry Jons. I'm their son. My life and birthright is in the human world. You made sure of that. I might be a fairy, but my life has been human."
"Sam," said Jade. "Say something. Make him understand."
Same poured everyone more juice and said, "I've been watching over this shop for three hundred years. I didn't choose to do it, still don't want to, but I guess it's my job. It's not so bad, you know. I meet interesting beings and I get to read all the time. Now and then we just have to do things we haven't chosen for ourselves."
"Three hundred years?" said Jack, horrified. "You've been doing something you never wanted to do, for three hundred years?"
"Our lot lives a long time," he said.
"Unlike humans, who last a few years and then fall apart, rot, or just drop dead," added Jade. "Weaklings. Bad design, if you ask me."
"Sam," said Jack. "You need to quit this job and have the life you always wanted."
"Maybe. One day.""
"Just walk away," said Jack. "Don't wait. Do it now."
"Fairies rode dinosaurs. We've been here forever and we practically live forever too," said Jade, still pacing. "You are going to live a very long time, Jack. When was the last time you were sick?"
"I've never been sick."
"And you never will be. You aren't one of them."
"There's more to being someone than genetics, Jade. I'm one of them because it's all I know and I'm happy."
"We won't be able to protect you, if you walk away."
"I know."
"Do you want to die, Jack?" she asked.
"No. But I also don't want to live a life I didn't choose for myself."
"You don't even know what fairy is."
Suddenly, the most beautiful woman Jack had ever seen was kneeling in front of him. Tears were running down her face.
"My son," she said. "At last."
"You shouldn't be here Rose," said Jade, quickly moving to her side. "They'll know you're out of the castle."
"I had to see my son. I've waited long enough."
"What about the son who took my place?" asked Jack.
"You're my son," she said, holding his hands.
"I'm not," he said. "I don't even know who you are."
"Juice, anyone?"
No one answered.
"Humans may not be that bright," said Jack, "They lie a lot, not just to others, but to themselves. They're violent, crazy, mean, beautiful, kind, loving and a lot of other things as well, but I like that world. I know that world. I can be whatever I want to be in that world. I have friends and family there. I love what I do.
"No!" said his mother. "You can't do this. You have to come home. I did what I had to do to protect you."
"I'm sure you did what you thought was right. But I'm leaving now. I'm going home. Sam, will you take care of my cat?"
"I will," he said, taking Baby from him.
The cat struggled and hissed, but Sam held onto her.
"I'm not afraid to die," he said, smiling at them. "I am afraid to live a life I don't want to live."
His mother was sobbing as she watched him walked through the crowded bookstore, toward the front door.
"I just wanted to buy a magic trick for my nephew," said Jack. "Funny how things work out, isn't it?" Then he stepped outside.
He never reached the street. They were waiting for him, just as Jade said they would be.
The cat tore from Sam's arms, ran through the open door and laid on top of Jack. She licked his face and purred. When anyone came near him, she snarled, her red eyes vicious, her claws out. She snuggled under his chin and told him stories about a cat who loved a boy. An arrow flew through the air and the cat stopped purring. She stopped telling stories.
Sam came out of the shop and looked at Jack and Baby, bloody, and dead on the sidewalk, arrows piercing their bodies. Then he looked toward the rooftops across the street. Fairy archers stood there, bows at rest. They did what they came to do. The prince was dead.
"I quit," said Sam, wiping at his eyes, as he walked away.
While everyone stood in silent horror, Jack and Baby's spirits were running down the street, laughing, as they headed for the Light.
Some happily ever afters aren't what people expect them to be. Humans know that, even if fairies don't.
Finis
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