Hello everyone :) so this is a little sequel to my previous story, the Mad Hatter and the She-bear. I was in the mood to write something and I always loved the character of Jefferson, so I thought it was time to go back to him for a bit. This is an AU, as it doesn't exactly follow the storyline of Once Upon a Time. Hope you enjoy :)
Jefferson closes the final cardboard box, almost having to sit on it because it was so full. How many dish towels does one family need? Well, actually a lot with a growing thirteen year old and a messy child. Said children are in bed upstairs, Fiona is sitting on the foot of Grace's bed, talking softly. He smiles as he hears her quiet voice and Grace's giggles.
Jefferson stands up, stretching his sore muscles and then begins walking upstairs, but something stops him in his path. It's their Irish wolfhound, Finn. The dog was abandoned and Jefferson found him on a cold, snowy night. He was driving home from Grannie's, four hot chocolates and a bag of apple turnovers in the passenger's seat. He had seen this dog before, rummaging in a garbage can but before Jefferson could go to it, it ran off. But now there he is again, limping on the side of the road. Jefferson stops the car, hops out and carefully walks over to him. The dog gets startled and tries to run, but his paw is too hurt and his body too tired to run fast. So, Jefferson reaches him and holds his hand out. The dog is hesitant at first, but the snow and cold is so intense that he eventually gives in. Jefferson scoops the huge, but alarmingly skinny, dog into his arms and carries him back to his car. Needless to say, when he arrived home with a dog as well as the treats from Grannie's, Fiona was surprised.
But then they took him upstairs, washed him in a bath and then wrapped his paw in a bandage and fed him. He fell asleep beside the fire and has been in the family ever since. Jefferson kneels down and strokes the huge dogs, who licks his hand before standing up and following Jefferson upstairs. The reason he has been packing all day is because he and Fiona have decided it's time to leave. Now that they can leave Storybrooke, and with the danger that's now coming to the small town, it will be safer for the family to leave and move to Boston. So, most of their belongings are packed and they're ready to leave tomorrow.
Jefferson walks into his bedroom, where only a few pairs of clothes and an alarm clock remain. Fiona is lying on the bed, wearing a loose white shirt and silky pyjama bottoms. Her hair is up in a messy topknot, and she's reading a book. She glances up at him quickly and smiles in acknowledgement, but quickly turns back to her book. A moment later, the giant dog jumps up on her and lands on her ribs.
"Oof, get off you great mutt." She groans and tires to shove the dog off, but Finn refuses and instead curls up right on top of her. Fiona simply chuckles and closes her book, tossing it to the other side of the bed so Jefferson can put it on the bedside table.
He slides into bed beside her, and pets the dog before kissing Fiona on the forehead. "Are you almost done packing?" Fiona asks him.
"Just about. Do you want to pick up the kids tomorrow?" He asks her as he turns over and flicks off the lamp and curls up into his pillow.
"Of course. I need to go into town to say goodbye to Mary Margaret and David before we leave," she says. She glances over to Jefferson and chews her lip before asking the next question. "What about Regina?"
He opens an eye and shakes his head quickly. "I don't owe Regina anything, especially not a goodbye." He mumbles before turning back. He still hasn't forgiven Regina for all the horrible things she's done, like leaving him in Wonderland and then coursing his world. It's not easy to forgive that.
Fiona waits quietly outside the big elementary school, shivering slightly as the cold wind blows over her. Fall is almost over and the first breath of winter is in the air. She made sure Grace and Violet were dressed in their warmest clothes before heading out the door.
The loud bell rings, and the doors open to a stream of children. She smiles as she spots Grace's tall frame and French braid fly as she comes skipping down the stairs, with little Violet in toe. Violet is now four, turning five in a few months, and Grace is nearly fourteen. She's growing up far too quickly for her parents liking, but they cannot stop it.
"Hi, mama!" Grace squeals and comes to sit beside her, while Violet waddles behind her; trying to keep up with her long strides.
"Hello, sweetie," she responds and hugs her tightly, breathing in her familiar scent. Strawberry shampoo and honey perfume. "Alright girls, before we go home we have a few stops to make. We need to say goodbye to Mary Margaret and David, and then we'll go to Grannie's for a last hot chocolate. Does that sound okay?" She asks them.
"Yes!" Violet agrees and jumps up and down at the prospect of hot chocolate. Grace nods quickly too, a smile blossoming on her face.
She ushers them over to the black car, which was waiting patiently in the parking spot. Grace hops into the back and Fiona takes Violet and buckles her into the car seat. Unfortunately, Violet inherited Fiona's small frame so she still needs the car seat and probably will for another year or two. As Fiona closes the door, she glances up and sees Henry. He's sitting on the bench outside the school, waving to Grace. Grace and Henry had become good friends, and have promised to stay in touch. His smiling looks forced, sad. She feels sorry for the boy.
She gets in the car and starts it, smiling when she hears Grace and Violet belting out their favorite song in the back seat. She pulls out of the driveway of the school, for the last time.
It's nearly five PM when Fiona eventually comes back to the house. The large moving van, driven by Happy and Bashful, the two dwarves. They have made a little business for themselves with their moving van and are doing fairly well.
Jefferson is waiting for them on the front lawn. He's more than ready to leave, after having just dealt with Alice, Grace's biological mother. She was furious when Jefferson told her that they were leaving, but eventually gave up her fight when he eventually lost his patience and roared at her about the dangers in Storybrooke and how he was not subjecting his daughters to it. They came to the conclusion that she would visit Boston in a month to see Grace again.
He hears the door slam and looks up to see Violet and Grace running out of the car and both throw themselves at him. He catches them and holds them close before sending them to get changed and ready for their long road trip to Boston. Fiona is leaning against the car door, waiting for him to come down. Though they are parents, they occasionally act like lovesick teenagers, stealing heated kisses in private places when they can. Jefferson saunters down, smirking. He grabs her by the hips, pulling her forward until they touch his. His smirk never once leaving his face.
"Ready to go, love?" she asks quietly.
He smiles and nods, while she reaches up and entwines her hand in his hair. His lips meet hers a second later. The kiss is short and quick because they both hear the front door close. Violet, Grace and Finn all come bolting out. The girls are dressed in cozy sweaters and rubber boots with thick socks, and even Finn has one of Jefferson's scarves wrapped around his neck.
"Wait, where did you two find that?" Jefferson asks with a sigh when he sees the ridiculous dog barrelling down the pathway with his black scarf on.
"Daddy, he would be cold without it!" Violet whines and hugs Finn. Jefferson can't help but snort and nod his head as he ushers the kids and dog to the car. Fiona leads Finn to the back of the car, where the trunk has just enough room for him, and a fluffy blanket. He hops in and curls up, looking utterly content on the soft blanket. Fiona kisses him on the head before closing the door, careful not to shut it on his snout. Jefferson has Violet in her car seat and Grace is already picking out a song to play. She recently discovered a certain red headed British singer who she plays constantly and it is no surprise to anyone when the first lines of a song start playing from the speakers.
"White lips, pale face. Breathing in snowflakes…"
Fiona goes into the house one last time to make sure nothing was forgotten. Her piece of wood is safely packed away in her purse, wrapped in an old plaid scarf. The large mansion is empty.
"Ready, Fi?" Jefferson asks. She didn't even notice him in the doorway. She nods and turns around, taking her last possession from the house. A little potted plant. Jefferson smiles at the sight of her. Hair in a braid, wrapped in a large red knitted sweater, clutching her potted plant. He extends his hand and she takes it instantly.
Ten minutes later, the mansion is locked up. Jefferson drives away, looking at the house for the last time. For a long time it was his prison, a lifeless, grand prison. Leaving behind that part of his life is bittersweet. While he did late it for so long, once he got his family it wasn't as bad. But leaving the bitterness, anger and hate behind is almost relieving for him.
The girls are still singing in the back and Fiona is looking down the street, where her old house was. The pain that it brought is still hard for her to bear. Remembering her father and what happened almost makes her ache, but she'll never have to look upon that house or the street again. Jefferson's hand reaches over and he places it on her knee, letting her know that he is here, which makes her smile again.
They're leaving Storybrooke behind, and they both know that no matter what trials their new life brings, they can always come through it together.