The first thing Marjorie truly became aware of, as she slowly began to awaken from a drug induced slumber, was the voice. Tinny and distant, faint enough that she had to truly focus to make out what was being said. And with that focus, more awareness seeped into her, Marjorie becoming alert to more than just the words.
It was Mr. Gold who was speaking. Mr. Gold whose voice was soft with unspoken pain and puzzling emotions. Marjorie didn't understand why he was so overcome, or what could affect him so strongly. But she felt as well as heard his grief, the hands gripping hers trembling badly.
Marjorie didn't immediately open her eyes, content to lay there and drift in and out of consciousness. The drugs she had been given, had dulled her pain quite well, and Marjorie no longer felt certain she was going to die. And with that fear gone, the woman felt she could finally, truly relax.
Mr. Gold kept right on talking, the sound of his voice oddly calming to her. She never quite fully went back to sleep, lingering in that in between state of dreams and realty. But no pictures formed in her mind, not even the fanciful ones that might have been brought on by Mr. Gold's voice. By what he was saying, the man talking of things right out of a story book.
Marjorie didn't understand what he was talking about, or why. She didn't even hear all of it, existing as a passenger arrived at a story already half told. Something about a princess, her courage and love strong enough to change a beast.
"That beast still needs you, Belle. I need you..." And those were perhaps the strangest of all the words Mr. Gold had been saying, the man squeezing her hand tighter in his grasp. "I can't do it without you, Belle. I can't be that good person, not without you to stand and support me. Not without you believing in me."
Her hand still gripped by both of his, Marjorie heard movement. She started to flutter her eyes open, at the exact instant Gold let out a plea.
"Come back to me, my beloved."
Her eyes snapped open, Marjorie finding Mr. Gold's face entirely too near. His eyes were intent on her, but already a mask was slipping into place. He was hiding from her, both the grief, and that flicker of guilt she HAD managed to see. Marjorie wondered if that guilt had anything to do with the fact she was sure he had been about to kiss her, Mr. Gold lingering closer than was appropriate to her.
"You're awake." Gold stated, and slowly eased back from her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better than I should, for a woman who thought she was dying." Marjorie managed, sure her smile would make her look loopy. "I never thought I would say this, but drugs can be a wonderful thing." At least when they were helping her to manage her pain, and not sapping her fighting will and energy away.
"Are you in any pain?" Gold asked solicitously. "Shall I summon the doctor?"
"I don't think there's any need." Marjorie told him. "At least not at the moment." Curiosity in her eyes, she gazed at him. "What was that story you were telling me? I don't think I'm familiar with that particular fairy tale."
Abruptly the warmth around her hand was gone, Gold having let go of her. It was alarming how much she missed that touch, that warm, anchoring presence. Just as alarming was how much more of his expression closed up, Gold definitely hiding something from her.
"Mr. Gold?"
"You'll be happy to know not only were they able to remove the bullet, it didn't do extensive damage." Just like that, it was made obvious he would speak no more about fairytales. "With some care and therapy, you'll make a full recovery. It shouldn't take more than a few weeks before you have full use of that shoulder and arm."
"I see. That IS a relief." Now Marjorie turned her attention to her bandaged right arm, noting it was feeling numb in comparison to the rest of her. "How long was I asleep?"
"Just a few hours." Was Gold's answer.
She looked at him, now noting his clothing was the same as it had been earlier. His dark coat made it difficult to see the blood, but Marjorie was sure it had more blood on it than she remembered seeing before.
"Is all that blood from me?"
"It's nothing you need to worry about." Gold assured her. "I was ready to get rid of this ratty old thing anyway."
The coat hardly looked ratty, well made, and obviously expensive. Marjorie couldn't begin to imagine how she could hope to ever repay him for the ruin of it, and yet she found herself speaking on it anyway.
"I'll replace it." Gold looked surprised, Marjorie hesitantly nibbling at her bottom lip. "Just as soon as I'm better, and can look for a job."
"Don't worry about it." Gold quickly said. "Don't worry about anything but getting better."
"But..."
"The coat is replaceable, you are not." Gold told her.
"Was I really that close to being lost?" For one all too brief second, she glimpsed some deep pain in his eyes. But it was quickly swallowed up by that guarded mask of his. "What happened?" She prodded, once it was apparent she had asked another question Gold wasn't going to answer. "Why would anyone want to shoot me?"
"That's a question I'd like the answer to as well."
Marjorie nearly gasped, not having noticed sooner the woman standing in the room's open doorway. She was tall, with long, blonde hair. Her generous curves was accentuated by the jeans, and the form fitting jacket she wore. On the red leather of the jacket, some kind of badge had been pinned, a silver sheriff's star reflecting the bright lights of the room.
"Ms. Swan." Gold's voice practically hissed with his displeasure, the man not quite rising. "As you can see, she is no condition to answer any of your questions."
"Let me be the judge of that." Ms. Swan said, her own tone calm in spite of the visual displeasure Gold was showing her.
"She was shot just a few hours ago." Gold argued, now standing. "She needs her rest."
"I don't doubt that she does." Swan agreed. "But I can't help but feel you are stalling."
"And why would I do that?"
"To get the time needed to have her go along with whatever story you'll come up with." The blonde woman retorted. Marjorie lay quietly in her bed, looking back and forth between the woman and Mr. Gold. She felt very much like a witness to a spectator sport, wondering who would win and get their way in this.
"I don't need to make up stories." Gold sniffed haughtily. "Just as you don't need to be harassing Belle."
Again that Belle name, Marjorie frowning to hear it.
"You should do at least one of your jobs right, and arrest Hook." Gold continued.
"Before I make any arrests, I'd like to get her statement. Maybe then it'll make more sense why Hook would do this."
"Hook?" Marjorie said out loud, her voice gaining their attention. "Is that who shot me?"
"She can't tell you anything, because she doesn't know anything." Gold seemed infuriated. "Her memories..."
"Are confused." Marjorie admitted. "I'm afraid Mr. Gold is right. I...I can't recall much of anything that did happen."
"Let's start then with what you do know." The woman said, ignoring Gold's protest, to come closer to Marjorie's bed. "You're name is?"
"Marjorie..." She whispered. But as hard as she tried, a last name wasn't forth coming, Marjorie frowning. "I'm sorry. It's feels like it's been years since anyone has asked me something so simple as what my name is..."
"Well, Marjorie, I am Sheriff Emma Swan." The woman gave her a kind smile. "I only want to do what's best for you."
"What's best is putting down that rabid dog Hook, so that you can focus on finding and dealing with Cora."
But Gold was ignored, the sheriff focused on what Marjorie had to say.
"Does that include...putting away the people that hurt me?" She was rewarded with Swan's determined nod, Marjorie wondering if she had it in her to trust the sheriff. To truly trust anyone, after all she had been through.
She had trusted Mr. Gold, at least in the matter of him protecting her. So far that protection hadn't amounted to very much, Marjorie shot and hurt. But, and this was important, she hadn't been returned to that awful place, to that cell hidden away in darkness.
"I don't know who did it or why..." Marjorie softly, hesitantly spoke. "But...I've been locked up for a very long time. Tortured even." A glance at Mr. Gold saw the tightening of his expression, the man's anger different from the anger he had shown when arguing with the sheriff. "I've forgotten so many things...and that's provided I even knew them in the first place."
"It's all right." soothed Sheriff Swan. "I'll do everything I can to help you."
"Somehow I doubt your help is what she really needs." Gold grumbled. That earned him a withering glare from the Sheriff, the woman challenging as she spoke.
"And you've got that great a track record in helping her? It's because of you she was caught up in Hook's revenge. A revenge that has more to it, than anything either one of you are willing to share with me."
"I wasn't aware you were so...intimately associated with that pirate."
Swan kept her gaze level with Mr. Gold's. "I thought you knew everything."
"Hardly everything."
"Then you're either good at guessing, or possess a talent for seeing the future." Swan retorted.
Marjorie was feeling very lost, finding what the Sheriff and Mr. Gold were saying was very cryptic and confusing. She was definitely missing something important, some key knowledge that would have made things easier to understand.
"I'm just very good at preparing for every outcome and eventuality." Gold smiled, but it held none of the warmth and pleasantry he had shown Marjorie. The smile he gave Emma Swan was cold, more sneer than anything. "A fact you and yours have been reaping the benefits of."
"What?!"
"You DID get my note after all." Gold said pointedly.
"You mean to tell me you used up the very ink that could have freed you, on the off chance I would end up in that place, and need it's magic?" Swan asked, then scoffed. "To believe something that absurd, I'd have to also be willing to believe you wanted to remain in that cell. That you wanted the curse to happen."
"Believe what you like, sheriff." Gold's voice had the chill of ice in it. "My reasons for doing things remain my own."
Marjorie could see how much that frustrated the sheriff. Just as she could tell it pleased Gold to annoy the blonde haired woman. She wondered if either person even cared how much they were confusing her, Marjorie not understanding anything about curses and magic. But she did pick up on one word in particular, Marjorie looking at Mr. Gold.
"You were once imprisoned too?"
Out the corner of her eye, Marjorie saw the sheriff startle, as though the woman had forgotten all about her. Gold however, didn't look at all upset that Marjorie had been privy to such talk, and that made her wonder why.
"It was a long time ago."
"Is that why you helped me?" Marjorie asked. "Because you know what it's like to be held against your will?"
"There's deeper meaning to it than that." Gold answered.
"But for now, you're just going to leave her to wonder?" Swan asked, than practically threw her hands up in exasperation. "Great, wonderful. If we're through with arguing, and thoroughly confusing her, can I get on with my inquiries?"
"I'm sorry to say, those are really going to have to wait." Yet another new arrival to her room, Marjorie seeing a fair haired man, dress in green colored scrubs. A white doctor's jacket had been hastily thrown over them, hiding most of the blood staining his scrubs.
"Doctor Whales, what is it?" Sheriff Swan asked, a concerned look on her face as she moved to approach the doctor. "Is it Archie?"
"Doctor Hopper is fine." Whales answered. "Aside from some lacerations and bruising, the worst he is suffering is a mild case of dehydration."
"Thank goodness." breathed the sheriff in relief.
"It's about one of the men brought in." Doctor Whales did a brief nervous glance at Gold.
"Hook." growled Mr. Gold.
"What about Hook?" Swan asked, putting out her arm to stop Gold's advance forward.
"He's awake and..."
"That bilge rat survived?!" Gold demanded sounding almost in disbelief.
"Well yes and..."
"He's got more lives than a cat!" Gold grumbled. "And is far trickier to skin."
"Um...eww." Swan said, giving Gold a disgusted look. "I did not need to hear that." She then turned her attention back to Doctor Whales. "How bad off is he?"
"He was quite bruised and battered BEFORE the car hit him." Again a look at Mr. Gold, the man just giving them a disarming smile. "Frankly, I'm amazed he's not worse off than he really is."
"That can easily be fixed." Gold muttered darkly.
"You are not going to go all vigilante and exact any more of your own brand of justice on Hook." The sheriff warned him. Gold just gave her a look, making no promises on that.
"It'll be some time before you can move him." Whales continued. "He'll need additional care, the kind the county jail can't give. And that's provided you'll still want to arrest him..."
"IF she'll want to arrest him?" Gold interrupted. "What's to change her mind about that?!"
"As much as I hate to agree with Gold on anything..." Swan began. "What would change my mind on that front?"
"I've been trying to get to that." Whales said, his impatience at last showing. "With all that's been done to him..."
"All deserved, I can assure you!"
"With all that's been done..." Whales said, voice getting loud with his annoyance. "It's really no surprise to me, that the head trauma would cause such a condition."
"Head trauma?" Swan questioned sharply.
"Condition?" Gold asked at the same Swan spoke.
"His memory." Whales said. "It's gone. He doesn't know who he is, or what he's done."
There was a moment of silence, both Gold and Swan just staring in disbelief at the doctor. And then Gold let out a sliver of angry laughter, hissing about how perfectly fooled Hook had the doctor.
Whales looked insulted. "I can tell when a patient is faking."
"Oh, of course you can." Gold said, his tone mocking. "I'm supposed to believe in your abilities as a mind reader, just as I am supposed to believe Hook suddenly, conveniently lost all his memories?"
"Did he ever come close to crossing the boundary?" Swan asked.
"He never came close enough to be affected by the curse's power." Gold answered with a sneer. "You're as big a fool as Whales is, if you're willing to believe Hook's lies."
"Only one way to find out." Swan said. She then turned to look at Marjorie, who had sat quiet and enrapt of the conversation the trio had been having. "Marjorie, I'm sorry. My inquiries will have to wait."
"It's all right." Marjorie assured her. "Go. Do what you need too."
Swan smiled at her, then gestured at Whales. "Take me to him, Doctor."
"And just what do you hope to do?" Gold asked. "Beat the truth out of him?" The man looked like he relished the thought of that.
"You're forgetting something. I can ALWAYS tell when someone is lying."
"That is an unproven magic you speak of." Gold said.
"Unproven, but not unheard of?" Swan asked sharply.
"I'm sorry...WHY do you all keep talking about magic?" Marjorie interrupted pointedly.
Swan gave Gold a look. "You want to field this one too? I have a pirate to question."
"Not without me, you don't." Gold looked at Marjorie, his expression softening towards her and her
alone. "This shouldn't take long." He was saying. "I'll be back before you know it. Until then, rest."
"But..."
Gold had already turned away, gesturing impatiently for Emma and Whales to precede him out of the room. Marjorie could only sit there and watch, as both her current and potential protectors, walked out on her.
Feeling abandoned, Marjorie sighed, collapsing back against the bed's pillows. She had no idea of even half of what was going on, and what she had heard was making her question her reality, her sanity. After all for words like curses and magic to be bandied about so naturally, so normally, well, it spoke of a reality that was anything but normal.
To Be Continued...
Ah...I wasn't sure how to start this chapter. Wasn't sure I could maintain a Belle/Marjorie POV for all of it...glad I had enough content though even if it still ended up being kinda a short chapter. Now I'm debating if it will be Hook or Gold, whose voice is telling the story in the next chapter...something for me to ponder.
Not exactly thrilled with my ending paragraph. -_- But otherwise, I like my chapter. So yay!
-Michelle
Belegwen, thank you! I am trying my best not to disappoint! Hope you like the new development with Hook in my story. And so happy to hear (well read) that you liked the confrontation between Emma and Gold. I'm pretty pleased with it myself. It really was a moment that flowed easily in the writing of it for me! :D
