one-

Even with the curse semi-lifted Jefferson was lonely, his hermit like nature and violent mood swings meant he had very little contact with other people in town. Even Grace, his daughter, he felt was safer with the family that had been raising her so well until now. He never knew when his mind might slip on him again, when he might react unexpectedly and perhaps hurt her. He did get to see her, outside, in public where he was less likely to go into an episode. But his visits were limited, the twice a week event that was the soul purpose for which he existed.

The majority of his time he spent at home in his mansion, alone and talking to himself, a past time he was now quite good at. He'd had almost a lifetime of practice under his hat. Other time was spent trying to resist the temptation to watch the town through his telescope, the telescope that was once his only window to the outside world.

Tonight is no different, he feels the curious need to see what others lives are like, the need to see whats normal. He paces in the dim light of the early evening before finally giving in, swinging the telescope around to the woods edge. With his last bit of willpower melting away he looks through the lens, enjoying the chill of the metal eye piece against his skin. The thrill of looking but remaining unseen buzzing in his head as he stops on a unusual scene.

#~~~

Ellisidy had one hell of a flash of lucid brilliance this morning when the usual men in white coats came in to check up on her sanity, a list they'd finally gotten far enough through to have reached her door. They didn't have a choice, the director had decided to reevaluate every patient in the sanatarium. After all in the past few weeks the definition of sanity had changed quite a bit and after all she'd only been in here a few short months. Though to her it had seemed an eternity lost in a delusional fog, a torturous existence she would never have chosen for herself, or anyone.

Not but a few short months ago she'd been just some strange woman in a volkswagon bus who hung around at the edge of the woods, avoiding the town filled with people and spent most of her time camped out under the stars. That was until the night that the,then, Mayors adopted son ran off and she rounded up all the 'loonies' the next morning. An overprotective response from a woman without feelings that stopped the lives of four residents.

None of that mattered anymore though, she was finally out of that place. They'd proclaimed her competent, slapping her keys in her hands as they rushed her out of the door. When she had stopped to question why, the only answer she got was something about how magic was back. They'd apologized, thrown in some gossip, tried to make her feel normal, but to no avail. Magic. It was the only thing she could latch onto in her half alert, semi drugged state. Though two names caught in her mind as the white coated men continued to gossip, the Queen and Rumplestiltskin.

Even now as she sits under a thick tree, her side back doors open to the woods as the sun sets, she could hardly believe it. Magic in this place. She kicks off her shoes and springs out of the rear side door, reveling in the smell of the forest around her as she spins around, a wide smile on her face. The leaves fall like rain around her as she giggles and falls back into the small pile formed there. The static of a radio clicking on silences her giggles, the soft timeless melody of The Moody Blues, Nights in White Satin.

Ghost wisps of smoke dance before her eyes along with the hypnotic tune, swaying about her like dancers to the melody. As she stands to join them, the song builds and she softly sings along, "Beauty I'd always missed...With these eyes before,

Just what the truth is...I can't say anymore...cause I love you...yes I love you...O-O-Oh how I love you..."

Her voice cutting off just as the music suddenly stops. Her eyes drawn to the sky above as her body stills. The moon peaks out over the tree tops, reflecting in her strange polychromatic eyes, eyes that earlier that morning had been nothing but a dull blackish gray hue clouded over with anti-psychotics and tranquilizers.

#~~~~

Jefferson pulled away from the telescope amused at what he'd seen, but still cursing himself for giving in to temptation. Had that young woman in the woods truly just used magic as if it were no big deal? His eyes had to be playing tricks on him, there was no way such a person would be out here in his woods. She couldn't have been more than a hypnotic delusion created by his impoverished mind. One he wouldn't mind having again later sometime.

His stomach let free a growl that made him laugh, he was starving. Granny's wouldn't be too bad this evening and he really didn't feel up to cooking. His hands shook and he began to wonder if he'd eaten today. With a quick glance in the mirror, adjusting his scarf, he heads out locking the door.

#~~~~

"What? You let her out?" Regina snaps into her phone causing everyone in Granny's to glance up from their meals. "Do you realize who's daughter that girl is?"

Charming shoots her a scowl from the table he and Henry occupy. This wasn't the place for her to be acting up, not right after the town had decided to put up with her. Regina hurriedly hangs up the phone and sits down across from the two, so very glad to able to see Henry.

"Whats wrong?" Henry asks with a crooked smile.

Regina sighs, nothing would be lost by letting them know. "The town decided to re-evaluate some of the patients at the sanatarium...and because of that someone dangerous may have been set loose."

"Dangerous how?" Charming suddenly stiffens, determined to not see the town suffer more. "Who?"

"It's not who she is, but more that your daughter killed her mother that is the problem here." Regina says shaking her head. "Or that I imprisoned them both, though I didn't know who the girl was at the time. She'd seemed like no one important at the time."

A shudder from the table behind them alerts Henry to Jeffersons presence, neither Charming or Regina seem to notice as he makes no attempt to hide his eavesdropping. Henry just smiles at the strange Hatter and continues to listen.

"Regina." Charming tries to sound stern. "Who is she?"

Regina's eyes lower as she sighs. "Maleficent's one and only daughter...Her name is Ellisidy, in our world she was known as a witch to many people, though a few thought better of her. All I know is she was a wanderer, before and here. She was picked up and judged mentally unsound a few months ago, she's been in the sanatarium ever since...James, if this girl is anything like her mother we are all in danger..."

Charming shudders at the thought, remembering the dragon woman he'd had to deal with long ago in order to find Snow. "As acting Sheriff, I guess I should go check it out, but where would she have gone after release?"

They sit in silence form a few minutes while the two think where someone like that may go, neither coming up with an answer.

Jefferson clears his throat,setting down his fork as he finishes his meal,causing the two adults to jump and Henry to laugh. With a grin on his face he tilts his head to the side. "I know..."

Charming eyes Jefferson suspiciously, not fully trusting the man who had at one point kidnapped his wife and daughter only to force his daughter into hat making. Noting the intense hatred in Regina's eyes for the man, Charming decides it best to leave Henry here and join him, even if it was a dead end lead, he couldn't have Regina freaking out. "Fine, Henry stay with Regina for a few hours, I'll be back after I've checked it out."

#~~~~~~~

The two men parked in the drive of Jefferson's mansion, getting out in silence. The darkness surrounds them as the headlights from Charming's truck finally turn themselves off and an awkwardness passes between them.

"This way," Jefferson begins to walk around the side of the massive home. "I saw a girl in the woods behind my home earlier this evening."

Charming follows behind the man at a safe distance, doubting until he hears the hum of music in the distance. As they round the mansion he can see light from a fire deep in the woods, flickering and flashing against what seemed to be a black and green 1970 Volkswagon bus parked under a large fir tree. Though no one is in site the two head into the woods and towards the crackling oranges and reds, towards the fuzzy old radio sounds that seem to be coming from the woods.

"Sympathy for the Devil..." Jefferson comments as they get closer, still not seeing anyone, the van doors now closed. "Do we even have a station that plays this?"

A chill breeze stirs up cinders from around the small fire pit. The bus creaks as Charming begins to circle the site at a slow pace, Jefferson staring into the fire listening to the song.

"Hello?" Charming shouts after only another verse, kicking up leaves in his path. "Anyone out here?"

The radio clicks off and the noise of the crackling fire replace it, the light shifting from yellows, oranges and reds to a pale green with darker tinges. The two men look at each other, both silently agreeing that it probably was a witch they were dealing with and that they may have doomed themselves by coming unarmed.

"Come on out, we just want to talk..." Charming's eyes dart around at the shadows cast by the fire. "We need to ask you a few things..."

"No one just ever wants to talk..." A soft voice speaks from the dark woods. "What do you want, sheriff?"

" Oh, so you do know who I am?"

Jeffersons eyes come to rest on the bus as the prince continued to chat with a voice he couldn't see.

"I know..." The voice answers, a feminine sound only slightly above a whisper. "Just because I was locked away you take me for stupid, I at least got the paper you know."

"Okay..." Charming shakes his head with a look of confusion. "Come out, so we can talk face to face then."

The fire roars as if in defiant answer, the radio clicking on to static. Charming turns to the fire while Jefferson steps towards the dated bus.

"What are you afraid of?" Charming shouts, his voice echoing through the woods.