Summary: Cruella can't face losing Ursula.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of OUAT
Rating: T
Pairing: Cruella and Ursula
THE FIRST HAPPY ENDING:
Cruella sat on a bench overlooking the water, a scowl fixed upon her face as she huddled into her fur coat. Ursula had gotten her voice back, had gotten her happy ending without the aid of the 'Author.' That cut Cruella deeper than she thought it would. The thought of losing someone she cherished weighed on her. She tried to keep her eyes from filling with tears of grief. "This isn't fair," she muttered wiping at her cheeks when the tears fell against her wishes. Just as she thought the weight upon her chest would crush her with sorrow, a voice surrounded her, took her sadness, and filled her with bliss. Rising from the bench, she turned, "Ursula…."
Ursula ceased her singing, "I wanted to come and explain things to you, and you alone." She said taking a step up on the dock so she could stand before the one person she'd grown close to, shared personal pains with, and forged a friendship with. Cruella had become so important to her, so essential to her daily life that her happiness, that the thought of gaining it before Cruella was killing her. And now, here she was, with all that she wanted returned to her. Ursula never thought it would take her so far from Cruella's side. "I gave into my greatest desire but lost the one person who…." Her voice quivered, she couldn't continue on, not yet.
"Your voice was your happy ending." Cruella stated. Now, it felt as if she knew nothing about Ursula at all. They had spent countless nights together laughing, talking, making plans, and dreaming about what it would be like to have the endings they desired. It turns out, Ursula already knew how she would feel. "Why did you never tell me, darling?" Cruella questioned while trying to keep her emotions in check.
"I did… Sorta," Ursula shrugged and closed the distance between them. "I told you that I would have what was stolen from me, what Hook stole." She stopped talking, took a deep breath to calm her nerves, and then continued to make her explanation. "When I was young, my father turned my voice into a weapon to punish those of the same ilk that took my mother's life. I was sick of it. I stole a talisman that would give me legs, and I met Hook in a tavern, asked him to take me away. Then, like how all these stories end, he betrayed me back to the man who would make me a murderer. This I told you long ago, but, today when that pirate came to me offering my voice back I thought only of myself. In my one moment of weakness, I forgot who mattered most to me."
Cruella didn't dare believe in what she was hearing, in what Ursula was saying. She'd been fooled one too many times to just take a leap of faith like this. "So, I suppose you're leaving now. You're just going to jump in the ocean and swim away with daddy dearest, is that it?" She had to keep up the coldness flowing through her, battling back the warmth that Ursula made her feel. If she wasn't careful then she would fall back into that feeling and forgive her Sea Witch anything.
Ursula lowered her head. Of course, what else could Cruella think now that she had her voice returned, had her father with her again. "No," she shook her head. "I'm not leaving you." Lifting her head, Ursula linked her gaze to her companion. "How can I go home with the knowledge that you have yet to get that which will make you happy in this life? I swore to help you get the author to re-write your tale, and I plan to do just that." Ursula reached out placing her hand against Cruella's. "How can I leave you?"
"That's what everyone does, darling, they leave." Cruella answered sharply, coldly. She hated how attached she'd gotten to Ursula, to the way her aquatic friend could make her feel. Every morning in this god forsaken place was only made bearable because of Ursula, of the companionship they had. Now, the possibility of losing that stung, made Cruella feel rotten, and forced her to lash out.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere until that Author gives you, and Maleficent, whatever you want for your happy ending." Ursula vowed. She started this with Cruella, had done things that only a villain could do, and she was still standing by the one person who made it all worthwhile. Bringing her hand up, Ursula carefully cupped Cruella's cheek. "Don't you know I would never betray you?" She asked rubbed her thumb of her companions pale cheek.
"Then why tell Captain Leather Pants what we were up to?" Cruella wanted to step away, to break the contact between her and Ursula, but her body wouldn't obey, it kept her rooted to the spot. "He's playing for Team Hero, and by should not be trusted, nor one to make deals with." She was grasping at minor things. When all was said and done, Ursula had let slip elements of their plan to one of the enemy. How was that to be forgiven, even when all that Cruella was screamed for her to do just that. Forgive.
"I didn't tell him all that we were up to." Ursula replied quickly. "I merely informed of what the Dark One intended to do. He knows nothing of what's really going on." She brought her other hand up to cup the other side of her companions face. "He knows nothing of importance. I swear it to you and you alone." Even with her voice returned, she was still the Sea Witch, she still had her tentacles, and her nasty zeal for revenge. Being reunited with her father for a mere handful of hours wasn't enough to change her back into the innocent mermaid she used to be. "I would never risk you, or you happy ending, in such a way."
"How do I believe that?" Cruella challenged. She brought her hands up with the intention of pushing Ursula away, and yet like her body, her hands had other ideas. They in turn cupped her face, thumbs stroking slowly. "Tell me how I believe you, darling, and all is forgiven." She promised.
"Hook only wanted to know what Rumple was up to, not us." Ursula said. "I gave them nothing that they didn't already know. Cruella, they knew about the Author already. If anything I only validated some of their suspicions. That's all."
"I believe you." Cruella said. She could hear the truth radiating through Ursula and bleeding into her. In that moment, she knew without a doubt that she would always believe Ursula no matter what. "So, what're we going to do now?" She asked, all the tension, the anger, and the hurt fled from her.
"Well, I would suggest taking a seat back on the bench, and letting me sing for you." Ursula replied. "That's all I really wanted to do since the first moment I met you."
"What? Like a date?" Cruella remarked. "Is that what we're doing now?" She couldn't help but have some small tinge of sass to her voice, or the warm rush of happiness that followed.
"Shut up." Ursula chuckled as she leaned in and pressed her lips to Cruella's. The kiss was just a touch of lips, neither one wanted to apply pressure. For a moment more her companion stayed frozen, then just as Ursula was going to pull away, Cruella leaned in, pressing their lips harder together.
A few more seconds, that's all Cruella wanted before the need for air forced her back from Ursula. "I had no idea…" She drew in a shuddering breath. The one time she was truly settled in her life, in her role of villain, was when she was side by side with the Sea Witch. Ursula had made any life worthwhile when they were together. As time wore on, Cruella didn't know how she would cope with the loss of someone so important to her. Not until today. But now it seemed as if that was not yet to happen. Ursula was staying.
"Yes, you did, but neither one of us wanted to say anything lest we ruin what we already had." Ursula smiled gently. "Now, come, sit on the bench with me." She took Cruella's hand, pulling her back over to where she'd found her companion earlier. Ursula lowered herself down and waited for the one person in the human world, or the enchanted forest, to sit beside her.
Cruella knew this moment was her moment of truth. She could run or she could take that step and sit. Ursula smiled up at her as she lounged back on the bench she had abandoned earlier when anger and pain had been riding her. Now, this was her turning point, this was her step towards happiness. Cruella took that step; she sat down, curling into Ursula's side. She rested her cheek against smooth leather, stretched her arm out across her companion's abdomen, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Ursula rested her cheek atop Cruella's black and white hair that she loved so much feeling the softness of it against her skin. Taking in as deep of a breath as she could, she tasted the salty sea air. It reminded her that she could go home, but that she made the better choice in remaining where she was. Idly, and without much thought she started to sing.
Say something I'm giving up on you
I'll be the one if you want me to
Anywhere I would've follow you
Say something I'm giving up on you.
Cruella smiled, snuggling closer to Ursula while she continued to be lulled by the melodic mermaid song being sung to her. All the churning feelings or pain, of doubt, sorrow, and anger washed away only to be replaced by warmth, by contentment, and by happiness. In this moment, she would live. She would let this perfect span of time be her life for as long as she could make it last.
And I am feeling so small
It was over my head
I know nothing at all
And I will stumble and fall
I'm still learning to love
Just starting to crawl
Ursula continued to sing, her arm coming across Cruella's shoulder to hold her close. It felt so good to have her voice back, to be able to affect the moods of others with the tone of her singing. For far too long she and Cruella had been on the cusp of saying the right thing to each other, and always circumstances got in the way. The latest was her in New York City and she being in Long Island with no idea the other was so close. Now that she had her, Ursula was going to fight tooth and nail to keep Cruella with her.
Say something I'm giving up on you
I'm sorry I couldn't get to you
Anywhere I would've followed you
Say something I'm giving up on you
And I will swallow my pride
You're the one that I love
And I'm saying goodbye
Cruella wasn't listening to the words so much as she was listening to the melody. She must've heard this exact song on the radio, played a dozen different ways, but listening to Ursula now, it sounded new and full of hope for them. If she wasn't careful, she might find herself falling asleep under the blanket of contentment. Not that she would mind doing such a thing. Ursula wasn't going to leave her, and she wasn't going to turn her back on the Sea Witch. Cruella, for the first time since coming to this small town, felt her happy ending was closer than it was yesterday.
Say something I'm giving up on you
And I'm sorry I couldn't get to you
And anywhere I would have followed you
Oh-oh-oh-oh say something I'm giving up on you
Say something, I'm giving up on you
Say something….
Ursula ended the song, but she continued to hum, to poor her emotions into the tune. It had been far too long since last she had last sang so sweetly for another living being. She was not about to let this end too soon, not while she had Cruella where she finally have her arms around her. The melody turned again, just note strong together in a tune she couldn't believe she still remembered. Her mother used to hum it when she thought she was alone. It was only a few lines repeated over and over, still it was the one thing she remember with utter clarity about her mother from her younger days.
"That's beautiful, darling." Cruella mumbled, sleep clawing at her. She was comfortable, she was content, and she was warm in the arms of someone who cared about her more than anything else.
"So are you," Ursula replied picking her head up so she could place a light kiss to the top of Cruella's head. "I could sit here forever listening to the way you breathe in time with the lapping waves against the shore."
Cruella sat up, a playful pout on her lips, "Why'd you stop? Your singing is beautiful." She asked. Though, she didn't give Ursula time to answer. The moment was still surging through her. Being the one to take charge, she pulled Ursula in for kiss as sweet as the melody that had surrounded them a few minutes ago. It was wildly invigorating to have such freedom, to be able to kiss the woman who moved her heart more than anyone else she'd been with. Their lips danced lazily together, neither one wanted to assert any sort of dominance over the other, not yet at least.
Ursula could barely keep a hold of her fluttering heart. She was in Cruella's arms, sitting on a bench, and kissing the woman she had unknowingly given her heart to many years ago. This was more of a homecoming than returning to the sea would be. She pulled back in need of vital oxygen. Taking in small shuddering breaths, she rested her brow against Cruella's where she whispered. "I could spend forever in moments like these, and they would never be enough."
"But we have the rest of our lives, and our happy endings, to try." Cruella replied. "Listen to us, would you, we sound like those heroes spouting hope." She snickered, but it was true. There they say talking about an uncertain future together when the ground they stood upon could crumble at a moment's notice taking everything from them.
"Even villains can love." Ursula said, "And however long we get, I will spend it showing you just how much you mean to me." Like Cruella had done, Ursula didn't give her a chance to reply. She leaned in and claimed her perfectly red lips in another kiss that this time held the first edges of promised passion. They kissed while the sun began to set. Neither one of them noticed, even if they had, they wouldn't have cared. All that mattered was being with the other.
THE END