THE LAND WITHOUT COLOR
Victor Frankenstein hadn't left his laboratory in weeks. Igor left meals outside the door, though whether the good doctor or the mice were eating them was anyone's guess. The newest scullery maid didn't believe there was a Dr. Frankenstein, and the sullen housekeeper wished she was right.
Regardless of the confusion he bred among his staff, Victor worked on. His arms were covered in electrical burns and dried blood was caked beneath his nails. His eyes were hollow but bright, and he was so near success.
One sunny afternoon, the household was terrified to hear cracks as of thunder and lightning from the laboratory. Igor barked an order for the others to stay where they were and ran toward the sounds. He reached the great double-barred doors as Victor shouted triumphantly. "I've done it!"
On the other side of the doors, a ragged young woman with stitched joints and a wide, crooked mouth opened her pale eyes. Victor composed himself and, with the air of a perfect gentleman despite his haggard appearance, loosed the leather straps holding her to the table. He held out a hand to help her sit. "How do you feel, my dear?" She didn't speak, or couldn't, but stared at him in bemusement. "I'm sure this is a shock." Still no reply. He sat opposite her. "My name is Victor Frankenstein. I believe you knew my brother Gerhardt." She started and gave a hoarse little cry. "That's better. Your vocal cords will take time to warm up. Do you need anything?" Her hand flickered to her throat. "Water?" She nodded. "At once."
He opened the door to call for the housekeeper and knocked Igor sprawling into the corridor. Ignoring his assistant's eavesdropping, he said, "Igor, send Mrs. Goetsch to the laboratory at once with a glass of water." He thought. "And a roast chicken. I'm starved."
He continued to make one-sided small talk, and by the time Mrs. Goetsch arrived, he had nearly got the young lady to relax.
Mrs. Goetsch's first sight was the pallid lady in the bloodstained shift sitting on the operating table. Her eyes flicked between her and Victor with shirt untucked and hair awry, looking like he hadn't slept in days. "Master Frankenstein, I shouldn't be here. Excuse me for intruding."
"Of course you should be here, I ordered food and water."
As she drew closer, she saw the lady's ashen skin and the rows of stitches holding her limbs together. She screamed. "God in heaven, what have you done?"
Victor took the glass and plate before she dropped them. "Sarah, this Mrs. Goetsch, my housekeeper. She'll be caring for you. Mrs. Goetsch, my creation."
"Haven't I told you again and again to bring the dead into this house is evil?" said Mrs. Goetsch, gearing up for hysterics. "As if it wasn't bad enough butchering your own flesh and blood and keeping him in a cell like a dog, and it being the death of your poor father! Now you go digging up some girl and disturbing her rest, turning her into another freak for your menagerie! Have you no shame?"
"Enough." Victor's voice was low and sharp as a razor blade. "Am I master in this house or are you?" He took a breath and ran his hands over his hair. "I will not have my methods questioned by a low-minded creature who cannot comprehend how great my endeavors are. Everything I do is for my brother."
"You say that, you do," muttered Mrs. Goetsch, cowed by her master's temper, "and yet you haven't the common decency to let him die in peace."
"Unnecessary. I have noticed Gerhardt's spirits are lower of late. You aren't the only person in this household who cares for him. Instead of grumbling about it, I took action." Here he stepped back so Mrs. Goetsch could see the lady. "As the Lord says, it is not good for man to be alone," he said with a smile.
Mrs. Goetsch rose slowly, her lips curled. "The Lord had nothing to do with this. Dämonenkind." She paused at the door. "I resign."
Once she left, Victor sighed and returned his attentions to Sarah, who had retreated into herself again and looked at him with fear. "I'm sorry. She is weak-minded. We'll find a replacement shortly." She flinched as he reached out to her. "I'm being inconsiderate. Forgive me."
He opened a small carved cabinet near the door and unfolded a black silk dress. "This belonged to my mother. It's the only thing suitable in the house." She took it gingerly, but as her fingers touched the fine fabric her tense figure relaxed. "Oh," she murmured, her voice cracking. She held the dress at arm's length, then closer, running her hands across it and letting it sway against her legs. "Oh."
"She should be quite satisfactory," said the doctor to himself.
STORYBROOKE
Victoria yawned for the fourth time in as many minutes and swirled the tea leaves in the bottom of her cup.
"Mind if I refill that for you?" Dr. Whale had an inviting smile that left her cold.
"I'm alright, thanks," she said.
"No, please, I insist." He sat across from her and waved to Ruby to bring another pot of tea.
Victoria tried to return his smile. "Victoria Shelley," she said, offering her hand. She flushed and corrected herself. "But you know that. You've been so good to our residents."
"It's my pleasure," he said casually.
"Really!" she said, pulling her chair closer. "I do what I can, but sometimes it's just beyond me."
"It is my job."
"I didn't know you made house calls."
"I don't." Ruby brought the tea over. Whale's eyes flicked to her rather exposed figure, but he quickly returned his attention to Victoria. "I mean, I don't except for special cases."
"Oh. If it's that, you don't need to bother so often. I've been calling just for coughs and things and—"
"Victoria," he said, closing his calloused hand over hers. "I was thinking more that the special case was you calling."
She stammered, "Wh-what's so special about me?" as she pulled her hand back, but she immediately regretted it. Stupid, he'd think she was fishing for compliments.
"Don't get me started!" he said incredulously. "It'd take all night." Her hair fell in her face as she glanced at the clock. Her break didn't end for another fifteen minutes. "In fact, I've got to imagine you need a night off with how hard you work."
She hummed noncommittally. The bell over the door rang.
"Do you have plans tonight?"
"There he is!" she said, stumbling to her feet. Her prosthetic caught the table leg, making a godawful noise that attracted everyone's attention. "It was good...talking to you, Doctor." She grabbed Jack's arm as he tried to sit at the counter. "I was waiting to meet Jack so we could leave. Suddenly." He glanced between her and Whale several times without registering what was going on.
Finally it clicked. "Yeah, we were meeting to go...to go..."
They couldn't figure out where they were going, so they just went.