It felt like forever.
He kept running and running until his lungs couldn't bare it, until his legs gave out. Everyday was the same. Darkness, a beacon of light and more running. From what? Towards what? He did not know but he kept running until his entire body ached, until his mind had gone silent —It was always silent, and any recollection of who he was had disappeared. There was something waiting for him, somewhere, someone was waiting for him. He couldn't tell what or who exactly but he needed to arrive to his destination, no matter how long the journey, no matter how perilous it is. There was some place in space and time that he needed to be in, a void he needed to fill and he wasn't afraid of what was to come. He had been surrounded by darkness for this long, fear did not stopped him from going to the one place he belongs.
Fear was just another motivation to keep on moving.
|Hyperion Heights|
How was she convinced to do this? She absolutely hates hospitals, like absolutely loathes them. They had that alcohol smell, not the one she loves thanks to her bar, but the one that reminds her of white coats, latex gloves and overly judgy eyes of nurses. The last time she had been in hospital room was… Well, she doesn't quite remember, all the memories had been hazy from a time back, but she didn't mind it.
To be perfectly honest, not remembering her past was a curse disguised as a blessing.
Roni walked down the hallway that lead to main offices her booted heels echoing, reminding her of a time she can vaguely recall. "Lucy, why are here again?" Roni asked, looking from side to side until her gaze fell on the girl in question a few paces away, holding a bouquet of flowers. They were blue. A blue that reminded her of the ocean and open sky, a blue she had loved so much a very long time ago, though she doesn't quite remember why she stopped liking it. She supposed it was because black had always had a special place in her heart.
The girl in front of her pulled into a stop and Roni followed suite, arching a brow almost like a spring when the little brunette girl looked at her with a tilted head, brows creasing together like the question was obvious but Roni was failing to see it. "Because, it is nice to bring people flowers." The older brunette's brow kept its angle, waiting for the rest of that sentence that was to come, and sure enough it came. "And because you need to meet your true love."
Roni tried, really she did, to not laugh bitterly but it left her mouth faster than she could down a shot, speaking of which she needed one at the very moment if only to erase the crawling feeling over her skin at being in a hospital. "True love?" She crossed her arms, the leather of her jacket smoothing out thanks to the tension in her arms. Lucy nodded, a smile on her lips and Roni had half a mind to turn around and leave. Love was a notion she had never entertained. She had it and lose it in a car accident. She was there right beside him, singing silly songs in the car and their fingers laced together. A drunk driver came from the side and hit the side of the car. He died instantly and Roni was spared, well physically, her heart had died then and there. She sometimes dreams about him. Dream of his endless blue eyes, maybe that's why she used to like that color? Regardless, she barely remembers his face, only his eyes and the words he constantly tells her in that dream land 'Don't stop believing in yourself, in all the love your heart is capable of give, endless, without measure.' But she always wake up when she was to speak. Roni had stopped trying to make sense of that dream, she stopped believing that those words were true. Everytime she loved, something horrible happened.
She was cursed. The worse part? She accepted that curse like part of herself. So no, she can't afford to go down a fools errand but she can't shattered a little girl's illusion, right? Right.
"Lucy, as much as I appreciate this, I'm good the way I am. I'm content." Words carefully chosen, Roni gives her a tight lip smile, ready to turn and burst out of the dreadful white walls.
The girl shook her head, and Roni saw it in her eyes that she did not believe a single word she uttered. "Content, not happy." It sounded like a question, only that it wasn't, Roni was sure. Lucy picked one of the flowers and gave it to Roni. "Just indulge me. If nothing happens we'll leave and I'll never make come to the hospital."
Roni thought about it long and hard. She could refuse and leave but Lucy wouldn't give up. If she did this, just once, then the girl will be satisfied (Somehow Roni doesn't believe that) and won't ever ask her again to come back. She'll take that bet. "Alright." Roni accepted the flower. For some reason accepting it felt like she was accepting whatever her fate had in store for her but she brushed the feeling away and stared at the blue, strange, bud. "But you said it yourself, once and I don't return. I really don't like hospitals."
The girl before her grinned, and turned again to move down the corridor. For a moment Roni just watched her walked. Her mind was particularly rowdy for once. Thoughts of how weird she must looked standing in the middle of the hall holding a flower. Roni took a deep breath, and pressed on walking, catching up to Lucy a few moments later. For someone so little, the girl did move fast. "So you come to the hospital to volunteer? I find it hard to believe Belfrey allows you to do such thing."
Lucy shrugged, half turning her head to look at Roni, "My grandma thinks it is good for colleges." She muttered and Roni snorted a laugh.
"You are what, nine or ten? You have a long way to go before thinking about colleges." Roni replied back in that bitter way that came naturally when it came to Victoria Belfrey. That woman had a unique ability of getting under Roni's skin, hard task but she did it effortlessly. The girl came to a stop and Roni almost slam into her. The brunette waited for Lucy to say something about Victoria, about what they were talking but instead she turned with a grin.
"We are here."
Roni looked at the door, white, a two digits on it in silver, 23.
The number made her shiver. It was the same as the date her love had died. That couldn't be a good sign. "Whose room is this?" Roni asked tearing her eyes from the number. Lucy chewed on her lip and shrugged.
"We don't know." She then moved away from the door, giving Roni access to enter. "He was found on the side of the road with a bullet wound. He is in a comma though. So you'll have to wake him up."
Roni's brow popped up. "Me? I'm sorry but do I look like a doctor?"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "True love, Roni."
"Yeah, right. Fairytales." She simply replied, inching closer to the door. Her body moved involuntarily, free hand covering the door knob. Roni couldn't quite understand why, but her whole body felt attracted to the insides of the room almost like a magnet. A shuddering breath left her, and she blamed it on the air conditioner.
Yeah, sure.
"What are you waiting for, I'm not getting any younger and neither are you." Lucy said and Roni had to look at her with amusement.
"Did you just call me old?" Roni inquired, halting from turning the knob. The girl, who reminded her of Henry for some reason, looked at her with a mischievous grin and nodded. "I'm like fine wine, dear. I get better with age." That wasn't something appropriate to say but she motion a vow with her head and finally opened the door.
The first thing that assaulted her upon entering the room was the many machines beeping this way and that. It triggered something in her head, a far off memory buried beneath her mind, a gloomy feeling that ran bone deep. Roni released another shuddering breath, clutching her hand tight at her side.
"Roni?" Lucy called and Roni had to shake her head.
No weakness.
She ignored the girl for a moment and walked to the bed where the man was laying down. Her eyes glanced quickly, not getting a good look at him. She placed the single flower on the small base on top of the nightstand and between that action and the second after Lucy was standing at her side, looking at the man. "Do you recognize him?" The girl asked and this time Roni did take the time to look at him.
The first thing that stood out to her was how handsome he was. The scruff, the dirty blonde hair on top of his head, the barely noticeable crinkles at the side of his eyes — no doubt the deepen when he smile, and she could tell that accompanying those crinkles were some dimples. She wanted to see him smile, she needed to see that she was right. There was something in that man, a sense of familiarity she couldn't place but she knows that they've never crossed paths before. That face would be impossible to forget. Roni shook her head from side to side, "No." Leaving her lips a moment later. "I wouldn't forget a face like that." Her hands itched to touch him but she refrained from doing so.
"I don't understand." Lucy muttered to herself and Roni looked at her with a inquisitive look.
"What?" The girl looked up, "Something isn't right. Soulmates should be able to recognize each other. Why can't you?"
The older woman looked from Lucy to the John Doe and released a mirthless laugh. "I thought this was about true love, not soulmates." A bit of silence followed, "Lucy, sweetie. Soulmates don't exist. They are a myth to give people faith that there's someone out there for them. I've loved and I lost and it is better than nothing, I suppose." Roni took a deep breath and grabbed the man's hand. Something like spark came at the contact and the machines went crazy. Roni let go of his hand but the sound continued on. She saw how his fingers twitched, and how his body convulse. Nurses came in pushing Lucy and Roni to the side as they worked on stabilizing the man. Her heart picked up speed, the same rhythm at one of the screens.
It was a wild feeling. Like she had been running and running nonstop. Even her body temperature seemed to rise and her hands became sweaty. "Lucy I — I have to go."
Roni didn't even wait for the girl to respond or follow. Roni was out of there as fast as she could. The walls seemed to cave in on her, robbing her lungs of air and her mind of sanity. What the hell just happened? One minute everything was eerily calm and the next even the alarms in her head were ringing.
It was almost like her heart and soul were calling back to life whoever was laying on that bed. Once she was outside, Roni stopped running. Hands over her knees as she hunched over to breath, actually breath. She was still shaking, her skin clammy and her hands sweaty. This was just another reason more to hate hospitals and she vowed then and there to never again return and she will abide by that vow. There was no way she will ever return.
She really did not like that feeling.
|xXx|
"Don't lose faith, please." A male voice said from behind her and Roni quickly turned, ready to see a stranger behind her but nothing. There was void there. A familiar emptiness that had kept her company for years and years. A darkness like no other, a darkness that lives between existence and nothingness. She had moved through life carrying that void within her chest. Feelings of giving up, and hopelessness ever present. A phantom limb she can't seem to brush away. Time passed but it never disappeared, no matter how much she will it to leave.
"You are my only hope…" Again that voice and she turned to it. This time the stranger was there, surrounded by black smoke, slowly disappearing. "Wait!" She exclaimed, extending her hand to reach for him, to no avail. Hand went through the smoke, her lungs quickly filling up with the obsidian air. Roni coughed loudly, falling onto her knees in the process. Whatever that smoke was made off, was gradually poisoning her. Veins turned black like coal against her olive skin, cold making her shiver violently. "Wait…" She muttered again, hands on her neck as if that would open up the airways to fresh air. Sweat coated her forehead, falling down hot like lava. Burning up, going cold, Roni couldn't discern what was happening. All she knew was that she was losing herself in an alarming speed.
"You need to remember…" The voice said, and in that moment a blinding light made Roni closed her eyes tight and…
Roni sat up fast. Gasping for air, hand clutching her chest tight. That dream, felt different from all the other ones she had been having lately. Someone was calling for her, someone needed her but she couldn't quite tell if it was true or product of her imagination. The brunette swung her legs, dangling them on the edge of bed. Eyes closed, silence surrounding her. "What the hell…" She muttered, looking at the widow. The sun was about to come up. It was too early for her to be up. Shaking her head, Roni stood up and headed to the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror, wincing at the sight. Her curls were sticking to her skin thanks to the sweat, and apparently she forgot to wash her face the night before seeing as her make up was runny. Then again after what happened in the hospital and at least four glasses of whiskey, the last thing she had on her find is the aesthetic of herself. Roni opened the faucet, gathering water in her hands to wash her face. "Might as well get on with my morning routine."
And that she did.
By the time the sun was coming fully out, Roni was at the bar, cleaning. The front door opened. She continued with her task, "Bar's closed." The brunette muttered without even looking up.
"Maybe you can make an exception." At that Roni looked up and there stood Lucy holding that Once Upon A Time book Henry Mills wrote. The brunette frowned upon seeing the girl. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Roni asked, crossing her arms. "I'm sure Belfrey won't be thrilled know you are here."
Lucy shook her head and moved forward taking one of the stools on the bar. Roni had the slight feeling that this girl wasn't about to give up on the whole True love, soulmate thing, and as commendable her actions were, it was a stupid notion. The woman wasn't interested in any of those things. She just wanted to move on with her life and bar in peace. It has worked so far, why change the recipe?
"Not important." The girl replied and Roni brow popped up almost like a spring. "Really important." The brunette shot back. "But I have a feeling you won't leave until you give me another task." And sure enough she was proven right when the girl nodded. "Alright. What do you want me to do now." Roni served the girl a glass of water while she waited for Lucy to make up her mind — though she was pretty sure Lucy had blueprints for her plans and everything. It was rare to see such a determined person, maybe it was because of her innocence, of not being touched by this cruel world that had Lucy wanting to better everyone's life, or least the people living in Hyperion Heights. Roni doesn't have the heart to cut her wings shut, though she felt like someone should. Things was, the girl was stubborn, and in some it reminded her of herself.
"I want you to go and read to that John Doe."
Okay, she was not expecting that.
"Why? He is in a comma and I doubt he will want to listen to fairy tales." She pointed to the book she was carrying.
"Oh you aren't reading him this…" Lucy placed the book on top of the bar and began looking into the book bag she was carrying. She found what she was looking for and placed it right beside the white book. "You are reading him this."
The brunette looked over the new book, one she hasn't seen before and frowned. "Soulmates. The true story of Robin Hood and the Evil Queen?" Roni eyed the girl, "Seriously?" Lucy's proud grin was ever present as she said 'Yup.' The older woman looked back at the book, frowning. "I've never heard of this. I didn't think Robin Hood and The Evil Queen were in the same world to begin with." Picking up the book, Roni felt her heart picked up speed. It was strange, but she wanted to read it. Mainly because the pairing between those was rather strange. Roni placed the book back down and leaned forward closer to Lucy. "What I don't understand, why read him, why me?"
Lucy huffed, as if the answer was obvious and Roni was missing it completely. "Because you are the Evil Queen and he's Robin Hood and you both need to remember."
At that Roni laughed. Out of all the characters in Lucy's fantasy, she was a queen, an evil one at that and she couldn't quite believe it. "Come again?" The bartender said after her fit of laughter died down. "I've always know I'm a queen." Because lets be real, she had all the makings of one even if she was stuck being a bartender. She is the queen of her own realm inside these walls but evil? Not even close. "But evil? Isn't that a little bit extreme?" Okay maybe not. Victoria could be considered evil seeing as she is hellbent in destroying their community. But she wasn't about to express just that to her granddaughter.
"Redeemed." Lucy supplied and Roni well nodded because she did not know what else she should say. This whole situation was insane. "Tell you what." The bartender said, reaching for an empty glass and filling it with water for herself. "I'll go today and read to him but if nothing happens I won't go back. I really do hate hospital."
The girl seemed to be satisfied with that, and sat up straight, taking her glass and drinking it halfway. She jumped from her stool, picked up the white book and grin. "That's all I'm asking for." Roni had to give the girl credit for knowing how to do things to get what she wants. Or maybe Roni was a pushover when it came to her? Regardless, the girl was happily skipping out of her bar and Roni was stuck with a promise and a strange book she never, ever heard off before.
|xXx|
Two hours passed by quickly and Roni was already done prepping the bar. Her eyes caught the sight of the book and she remembered the mission Lucy gave her. Reluctantly, Roni picked up the book and headed out. The faster she was done with this, the faster she could get on with her life.
As Roni made her way to the hospital, she got to thinking. Ever since her boyfriend died all those years ago, she never entertained the idea of having someone new. Not because she wasn't able to find someone, in her line of work she certainly have met interesting people but because she wasn't capable of giving herself out to someone new. She couldn't help the aching in her chest of missing someone that will never return and burdening someone with false hope was something Roni wouldn't, couldn't do. So she kept to herself and if there was one night stand here and there well could you blame her? She was still human, she still had necessities to take care off. The only thing is that she kept those night stands out of her bar. She had strict rules of sleeping with patrons. They flirt and all but that was pretty much it. Less hassle if she keep things like that. Entertaining the idea that this comatose man was her soulmate was absurd, so the faster she disapproves the girl's theory, the faster she can just forget all of this. Maybe, just maybe, stop having those weird dreams that had been plaguing her for such a long time.
When the hospital came into view, her hold on the book tighten. Her phobia with hospitals had grown over night and looking at the looming building had Roni cursing inwardly. "Why did I agree to this?" She questioned herself before taking a deep breath and heading right inside. Roni followed the path she had taken the day before. Eyes focused on nothing more than the familiar door with the twenty three on the door. She found it quickly, and as she stood in front of it, Roni had half a mind of turning back. She could tell Lucy that it didn't work. Lie and get out of this. But Roni wouldn't. Promises were more precious than any currency, and Lucy was a nice kid.
Shaking herself awake, the brunette placed a hand on the door handle and twisted it slowly. "Here it goes." Roni pushed the door open, and like yesterday her eyes swept the room first before settling on the sleeping man. Like the day before, the beeping sounds filled the empty spaces of the room, and the air around seemed colder somehow. She shuddered closing the door behind her before taking a step towards the man. The brunette gave him a more appreciative glance, noticing his muscle arms, and the slow rise and fall of his chest. Handsome indeed.
"Not the time for that Roni." She chastised herself, settling on the edge of the bed looking at him. "I know this might be strange." She opened the book on the first page. "But I was told to read to you for a while so sorry if fairytales aren't your thing. I'm just following orders." The brunette waited for a moment, whether waiting for something to happen or drawing this out? She didn't know.
"Once Upon A Time there was a queen whose battered heart was in need of healing." Roni read on and on to the man. Oddly interested in the story herself. It was a beautiful story if she was honest. Two broken soul finding their way to one another, repairing the cracks that time and life had left behind. They were made for one another. Full of understanding and providing strength for one another. It was an odd pairing, Roni still thought that but they worked. The queen had been slowly breaking since she was a little girl, but lose had made though little fractures expand even more and the Hoodlum constantly running to do the right things, even though in a moment he lost his way thanks to lose as well, had managed to reach a point in his life to feel content. If they met when they were supposed to, their lives wouldn't have been the same, they wouldn't have learned what it meant to be parents, what it meant to lose ourselves and finally find who you truly are. They were so imperfectly perfect together and it made Roni's heart ache with longing.
She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes as she turned the page. The moment it fell upon an image her lungs almost gave out. She assumed it was the queen and the thief but the more she stared at it, the more she tried to not see the resemblance she couldn't put it away. "What the…" She began looking from the image on the page to the man peacefully sleeping on the bed. They were the same from what she could tell from the profile side in the image. The woman kissing him looked like her only with longer hair and certain air of innocence that she no longer possess. Roni closed the book with a rather loud slam. Maybe she had been too into the story that she imaged the whole thing.
Yes that was it.
Roni took a deep breath and looked at the man. Nothing was happening! "I should go." The woman finally said, grabbing the book with one hand while the other grabbed his hand. "Sorry for wasting your time." Squeezing his hand softly, the brunette was ready to go when that shock of electricity happened again. She wanted to let go of his hand but he held it tighter. The machines when crazy like the day before and the nurses swarm into the room again.
"You have to let go of him so we can help him." One of the nurses said.
"I wish I could but he is holding on to me." The nurse looked at Roni with a raised brow and when she rose her hand to prove her point, in that very moment the man sat up with a gasp, almost like he was drowning.
"Regina…" he whispered, falling back and letting go of her hand. Something in her chest cracked. It was like feelings that've been locked inside began to pour out. The familiarity of his face, his eyes, his voice had the brunette feeling lost. She didn't want to leave her side but the moment the nurse noticed that he finally had let go of her hand, the woman ushered Roni out of the room.
It must have been a coincidence that he'd woken up. That she was there and that she was reading this absurd book with an image of her inside it. She made a mental note to talk to Henry, not Lucy, about it. He could enlighten her more about the author of this book that for a moment had her believing in fairy tales.