Day two – "With my dying breath"
Notes:
More plot holes! Hurray!
Let just considered that Pongo spent most of the time sleeping. I don't trust that dog.
Impressive. How did happened? I have to deal with Hopper now. I hope he doesn't medicate her with something that may harm her. He seems to be a nice man. A lot less crazy than three quarters of this town. For her…
They almost arrived at the same time to their destiny. They jumped for a greeting hug.
"Good morning Miss Lucas"
"Good morning but don't call me that. Ruby or red would be better."
"Well my name is Victor, it isn't doctor. But you can call me whatever it is you please."
"Good morning sardine" sardine? I ask for that one didn't I "Let's go"
As they went in, Regina comes out. Dr. Hopper usually doesn't allow his sessions to go to close to each other for the confidentiality factor. For some reason this time that didn't happened. Regina is difficult case she has to take her time. But she looked really shy about the fact she has been having sessions with the cricket even if the whole town knew (maybe not David) and she knew they knew. As she passed them, she said to the doctor. "We sure need to exchange some words about your little experiment. Some damages were made and surely you will have to pay but thank you. I missed him. After all you could do it. Well almost."
"Regina, I warned you. And I am out of that business. And I think my payment is more than done. You send me here alone and give a hospital to run by myself so let's call it even"
Regina turned to Ruby and realize her characteristic sassy smile "Alone. Really?" and leaves.
"She didn't release a curse on us. Archie is doing her good. Shall we?" said Ruby while as she knocks at Archie's door. He opened.
"Good morning Ruby. Are you ready for your session? And Doctor Whale?"
"Morning Archie. Would mind if he stays during the session?"
"Good morning Dr. Hopper and I must apologize for my interruption of your session…"
"Of course he can stay. Whatever you think it is better. And it was very inappropriate of you. I would appreciate that you wouldn't repeat that again: My sessions are private and the same applies to this session. Sure you are used to this policies."
"Sure, sure I can do that"
"Welcome to both. Please come in and take a seat"
They both sit side by side on the couch while Archie sit down on his own.
"The nights are coming again. Do they feel any different from the ones at the Enchanted Forest?" Archie started.
"The feeling is the same. The place doesn't change a thing to the process. Less forest to run around. Also less hunters. But the town line confines this place. Running away would be a great solution to avoid damage. Here is not possible. I am a bit rusty in terms of controlling the wolf. 28 years of course did their damages even if you didn't feel them. I have my cloak until King George steal it again"
"Last time went well"
"Billy died. And half of town went after me."
"You didn't cause any of it. No harm was done by the wolf. The king did it and now is hiding."
"Tell that to the fridge… But next time it could be me that does that. I need to go back to my old form. "
Whale was listening to all this not removing his eyes and thoughts from Ruby. He never understood how cloak function and he sure was not going to experiment on it. Enchanted Forest was not a place that make much sense to him. The werewolf. He knew some myths and some stories about it but he still hasn't seen one even if he knows he is right next to one. Does it hurt to change? Changing your body morphology must be extremely painful. Especially without any anesthetic. She is strong. She was to be.
"I need to relax a bit. Feel the wolf and the woman at the same time and let the human take control during the full moon. I have to make them be in harmony during the moments of trouble. It is easy to let the wolf take control which just makes easier for everything to go wrong."
"Ok. You are in the right place and so is your mind. There is no evil in you and that will be transmitted to the wolf. It is part of you so it will learn. Meanwhile you have a lot of people in this town that will help you during the times you need them to be there. Me, your grandmother, Snow, surely Dr. Whale. But especially your grandmother. "
"I used to feel nervous about what she could do with that crossbow but now I am just used to her walking around with it that I think I would be more worried because something must be wrong"
Is Archie sure he is a psychiatrist. This sure looks more like psychology consultation. No funny medicines will be involved.
"Can you feel the wolf right now?" Archie asked.
"I can always feel it and the regret…" Whale almost cried. He knew felling. Regret. Sure if she needs to calm down it isn't this memories that are going to. Unconsciously he took his in hand to meet hers and hold it tight and didn't let go. Archie started to be see that he had another patient in the room, not just a friend to help. But a friend that needed help.
"The wolf doesn't care about who is its prey. If it feels threaten it attacks. If hungry, it hunts. The cloak avoids everything because I don't transform. When I can't control the wolf I have that take the responsibility for what I don't remember and it is never good. But if I can control it. The feeling… The wolf loves to be free. To be in is true furry form not in this human body where it is encapsulated in. But it can't let him. I can't hurt someone I care again or anybody in general."
Whale saw her mood changing. The feeling she couldn't feel because she was afraid of the consequences of failing the connection. She may not saying it but using the cloak after knowing how it feels to be yourself. She loves the wolf but hates what it does on its own. The regret. I can stop my experiments but she can't stop the moon. He placed his arms around her and let a tear fall away from his eye. She hold his arm.
"Ruby you are not here because you need to control the wolf are you?" Archie wondered.
"Like you said to me. We have a chance to start again. You are the wolf. Please be the wolf if it makes you feel good. Forget the past. You can't change it. Red…"
"Victor are you crying?" she says as she turns towards him.
"I am worried. It doesn't matter what you did… please. Red…" he started to lose himself. He did even realized he called by her real name "I will protect you. I am not scared of the big bad wolf. I almost drowned myself and guess you saved me?"
"Excuse me but drowned yourself?" Archie's voice interrupted. They didn't take their eyes of each other. "That is a serious issue. Dr. Whale are you considering this type of alternative to your problem"
"Past, Dr. Hopper. Past. And he must be over it."
"I am here for you as you were for me. We are not murderers. We just have to carry the guilt"
"I know. Monster to monster" Red smiled. It was there little thing. Their little saying.
"You know what I am doing a terrible job here." Archie admitted "You are doing all the work by yourselves. And I thought keeping Regina away from dark magic for a day was difficult. I always blame myself for my parents' fate, but I got through it. I don't know your story, Doctor but sure you both need those memories of death affect more than they should. If I could, so could you. And I think you may prefer to stay together here for a while. I am doing nothing here. I am going to take Pongo for a well-deserved walk. Pongo, come here boy"
Archie left. He trusted them him the apartment and he knows the arrangement of the room was great for calming hard issue holders.
The Monsters hugged again. And it felt so good. They barely noticed the cricket leaving.
As they left each other's bodies, Victor throw the cutest smile in Red's direction. But they didn't went far.
"A little change of subject, but how is your land?" She has been intrigued with that for a while.
"Quite different from the enchanted forest. Quite different from this. No magic. Just my beloved science. And bloody war. It's always storming. If not is raining. Sunny days are a rare preciosity. And the lack of color. You would be a paradox in there" Why would she be there? She would have hated that place. No color and no life.
"I am used to be one"
"Rumple went there with this red vestment and it was a little shock for my eyes but well I also had an intruder in my lab and my mind was so lost in my work and in the possibility of losing it that I didn't pay attention. It all made sense when I went to your land. It was something new. Something very beautiful…
Red had lost herself in his voice. He has such a beautiful voice… She knew exactly what she was feeling. She was falling for him. She no longer saw Whale. She saw Victor. The man she didn't kill instead she had pulled him away from death. That was a nice change. Poor girl… She wanted to kiss him but that would shut him up… Small price to pay so she had no choice… So she gave up and lean into him.
He received her unexpected short kiss but so full of emotion that "asdfadf" was his next word.
"I'm sorry" Ruby said still each other's arms.
"Not a problem. Not at all."
And he kissed her, but this time she had all the time to kiss him back placing her arms around his neck to be closer I knew there was something about you. Even Whale knew. As they left each other's lips no thoughts of death consumed them. The session worked.
"Red I might be falling for you…"
"Oh Victor… I am all over the floor"
Suddenly Pongo storms through the door and headed to the little monsters.
"HEY!" they said in unison as they petted the dog.
"Miss Lucas…"
"Not again…"
"Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? With a little twist… without granny because this time I cook?"
"Can you cook!?"
"Yes… I think… It can't be harder than surgery."
"Tonight is the first full moon of the month…"
"Bring the cloak then… My house?"
"Fine. Just don't poison me…"
"If that happens the physician will be near, nothing to worry. I will protect you with my dying breath if I have to"
"The Charmings are going to be alarmed and granny will have a crossbow aimed at you"
"I can deal with Rumple, I can deal with Regina… I can managed the rest of the family…"
"Shall we leave? Poor Archie is at the door. I can smell him…" Archie was happy with the results.
"Sure… bye Pongo…"
They stood up. Victor gave his arm to her and she hold it closed to her. And left.
"See you tonight… Monster to Monster"
"Monster to Monster"
They shared a quick kiss at outside. They had separate paths to take now. He needed to go to the hospital and she needed to help granny.
Oh mother help me make this right.