We're All Mad Here (Jefferson x OC)

Chapter Thirty-Three

"Your highness." The Huntsman announced, walking over to where Serena was sitting on a bench in the garden, admiring a flower that was in her hand. A blue orchid. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course, I'm just a little worried about Jefferson." She gave him a soft smile, looking up from the flower. "I know time works differently in every realm, but it doesn't stop the worrying."

"It needs to." The Huntsman told her, sitting down next to her. "It won't be good for the baby if you stress yourself out."

"I know." She sighed, setting down the orchid. "I just want to make sure he's okay. I have no idea where he went, so I don't know the time difference between here and wherever he is."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." He tried to assure her, but he wasn't familiar with traveling the realms, so he wasn't sure how to comfort her. "It just might take some time."

"Thank you, Huntsman." She gave him a smile, even though the nerves were just worsening. "I hope you're right. I also hope I didn't freak him out when I talked about the future. I've imagined a whole life with him, I just never thought that he wasn't thinking the same thing."

"He'd be a fool if he wouldn't want to be with you." The Huntsman said with a sigh. "I've seen your love. It's true, unconditional. Anyone would be lucky to have something even remotely similar to what you have."

She smiled genuinely as dust gathered around them, forming a purple cloud in front of the bench. Through the portal, Jefferson appeared, landing on his feet as he caught his breath. He looked around until he saw Serena, a huge smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, beautiful." She jumped up, rushing into his open arms. "I missed you." Her face nuzzled into his neck, inhaling his scent.

"I missed you too."

"I brought you something." He said, pulling away from her and pulling the ring box out of his pocket. He took a deep breath and bent down on one knee, opening the ring box. A soft gasp escaped Serena, her hand moving to cover her mouth. "I also have something to say. Something I wasn't expecting to do in front of The Huntsman, but that's okay."

"Jefferson..." Her voice was quiet as tears filled her eyes. "What? Are you? Are you doing what I think, or am I just misreading the entire situation?"

"If you're thinking I'm about to propose to you, then you are thinking correctly." He smiled, opening the box to show her the ring. "I want to marry you, Serena. I want you to be my wife, and I want us to be a family. I want to wake up every morning with you at my side, to see you wake up with that perfect smile on your face. And every time I look at you, I know everything's gonna be okay. Because I have you at my side."

Serena let out a breathy laugh, tears dripping from her eyes. She wiped them away, keeping her eyes on Jefferson the whole time.

"If someone told me a year ago that I would change everything for one person, I would've said that was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard." He chuckled, making her laugh. "I want to spend every moment with you, and raise our baby together. I just have one question: Will you marry me?"

"Took you long enough to ask." She joked as he stood up. She threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her up, his arms tightening around her. "When you said you had business to attend to, this is not what I thought you meant."

"Well, I didn't want you to ruin the surprise." He said with a smile. "I love you, princess, and I never want to leave your side."

"I love you too, and I want to be your wife more and more every day." He cupped her face, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes. Regina watched from her balcony, a scowl etched across her face. She couldn't believe that Serena was actually going to marry him.