Hyperion Heights, Present Day
Alena had just put the finishing touches on her makeup for the ball. She was wearing a smoky eye with a dark red lipstick.
Her eyes then wandered down to the necklace around her neck. As she ran her fingers over the "A," along with the diamonds and sapphires, she couldn't help but feel feelings of nostalgia coupled with amusement, happiness, and heartache.
"One day soon. You won't be separated from him forever," Alena assured herself.
It wasn't as though she didn't think about Jack as it was - it was hard not to when she constantly saw him in Emma and Lily. But it seemed that this masquerade ball had him and their first little adventure on her mind.
She then shook her head. Tonight was her chance to just truly enjoy herself without any of the worries that always seemed to plague her.
She then let out a breath and let herself smile. She really was looking forward to a great night out.
Alena stood up from her vanity and turned toward her full-length mirror. She smoothed down the front of her dress before looking up at her reflection.
She felt even more beautiful than she did when she tried on the dress in the store. Along with the makeup, her look was complemented by an elegant curled updo courtesy of the hair dresser that Natalie had suggested. Two loose blonde curls framed the sides of Alena's face.
She then grabbed her silver clutch bag off the bed and placed her wallet and invitation inside. She made one last call to check on the twins before placing the phone in her bag.
She grabbed her mask and keys from the table before she headed out of her apartment and down to her car.
About 15 minutes later, Alena pulled up to the Hyperion Heights Multipurpose Building. It was two stories covered in gray brick, and two white columns stood at the arched entry. The many windows were arched as well.
When she had gotten out of the bug and placed her keys in the clutch, she heard a familiar voice behind her. She turned around to see her brother walking toward her.
"Hey, Henry," the blonde greeted with a smile. "Hey, Alena," he responded with a smile of his own.
He then told her, "I see you got an invitation to this masquerade ball."
Alena nodded before she elaborated, "Thanks to Natalie. She owns the daycare where I take Emma and Lily."
She then teasingly added, "And you got an invitation for Jacinda," with a grin.
"I think you're taking the annoying little sister thing a little too seriously," Henry matter-of-factly replied, but he couldn't help the smile that appeared a moment later.
Alena smiled back as she told him, "Well, it is kind of fun," with a shrug. Henry shook his head at her in response.
She couldn't help but chuckle at that before she happened to glance around, where she then saw two familiar faces.
She then turned back to Henry and suggested, "Hey, let's go see Jacinda and Sabine." He nodded in response before he and Alena began walking toward their friends.
The blonde then greeted, "Hey, you guys. You both look amazing."
Jacinda and Sabine both smiled in response before the latter spoke, "And you look just as amazing, too, Alena."
Alena smiled in response as well before Jacinda addressed Henry, "You look great, Henry."
It took a few moments for it to register that she was talking to him because he had been staring at her. He then replied, "Oh! Uh, thanks."
He then proceeded to fumble through a compliment, "And you look, uh, wow. Um, what I mean is, that you look really, uh, stunning."
Alena and Sabine couldn't help but grin while Jacinda smiled and responded, "Thank you, Henry."
She then paused and added, "And thank you, again, for getting us the invitations."
"It was no problem," Henry reassured her with a smile. Jacinda smiled back in response.
Just then, she glanced around and lamented, "Speaking of our invitations, here comes Ivy now. I'm sure she can't wait to gloat."
"If our conversation at work yesterday morning was any indication, she's just going to pretend that I don't exist. I'm sure it's the same for you guys," Alena pointed out.
She couldn't help but take note of Ivy's purple dress with silver embellishments on the bodice and down the side. That way, she'd be sure to avoid the brunette.
"Especially since whatever her aim was in getting me an invitation didn't exactly pan out," Henry added.
The group nodded before Sabine suggested, "With all that considered, I say we just head inside and enjoy this ball."
The four of them then began walking toward the entrance of the building. Alena ushered her friends ahead of her when she saw Natalie waving at her.
The two ladies greeted each other before Alena complimented, "You look really amazing," as she took in her friend's dress.
Natalie was wearing a red strapless dress. The bodice was covered with gold embellishments while the skirt was a full chiffon style. The top of the skirt had gold embellishments as well.
"Thanks, Alena. You look amazing as well," Natalie responded with a smile. She then knowingly continued, "How were Emma and Lily when you called?"
Alena couldn't help but smile as she answered, "They're fine. And they're having a great time - especially since Lucy is staying, too. She's the daughter of one of my friends."
Natalie nodded before she spoke, "Kimberly told me about that. I think she'll have a great time as well. She adores kids - that's why I knew she'd be perfect for the daycare."
"So I've seen. That's why I knew the twins would be alright with her," Alena replied with a smile. Natalie smiled back in response.
The black-haired woman then spoke, "I think I'm gonna go find my friends. I hope you enjoy the ball, Alena."
The blonde smiled as she responded, "Thanks, I hope you enjoy it as well." Natalie nodded before she headed inside.
Alena then put on her blue and silver mask before she headed inside. She presented her invitation at a table before she headed through some double doors.
The ballroom space was lit only by string lights hanging close to the ceiling. Red, black, and gold decorations filled the space; there were black and gold tablecloths covering the round tables spread throughout the room, as well as the rectangular refreshment table. A bouquet of red roses sat in the middle of the tables.
"Wow. This place is gorgeous - it's perfect for a ball," Alena thought. She couldn't help but smile at her surroundings.
Just then, the music started, and couples began filling in the dance floor. Alena decided to head over to the refreshment table.
She fixed herself a glass of the red punch before she turned her attention to the dance floor.
Toward the back of the floor that was closest to the door, the blonde noticed a couple swaying along to the music. She couldn't help but see that the guy was hopelessly awkward, and the girl was trying her best to help him along.
Alena chuckled despite herself, mainly because she understood the girl's feelings all too well. Her mind then drifted once more to the search for her necklace, and to the moments where she and Jack first began to truly fall for each other.
The New Enchanted Forest, 4 Years Ago
"Well, I guess it's time for plan… c? I think that's right," Alena spoke when she had stood up.
Jack chuckled lightly before he told her, "You really don't give up, do you?" standing up as well.
Alena shrugged as she replied, "You're the one who said I was, what was it again? Oh, infuriatingly stubborn."
"That's because you are," Jack matter-of-factly began. The blonde rolled her eyes before he continued, "But you're not so bad. I think maybe you're starting to grow on me," with a grin.
Alena couldn't help but smile as she replied, "Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself."
She then started to giggle, and Jack smiled at the sound. When she had sobered, she told him, "I think maybe we should start searching on the path back to the palace. We didn't get a good look on our way up here."
Just as she had turned around, she felt Jack grab her arm. When she turned to face him, he told her, "Don't you think we could use a break? We have been searching all day, and we've also fell down a well and faced an ogre."
Alena sighed as she planted her hands on her hips. She then ran her fingers through her hair and conceded, "I guess you're right."
She then admitted, "I am kind of hungry."
Jack nodded before he spoke, "I saw a whole bunch of berries while looking for the necklace. I'll go grab some."
"Okay. I'll just be by the lake," Alena responded. "I think it's more of a pond than a lake," he teased.
She rolled her eyes before she watched him walk away. She then turned on her heel and walked toward the body of water.
She sat down at the edge and peered over at her reflection, touching her chest where the necklace should lay. While she would never give up, it was hard not to get discouraged.
She let out a big sigh as she noticed Jack sitting down beside her. He seemed to have read her mind as he reassured her, "Hey, we're not going back without that necklace. We'll find it."
Alena turned to look at him with a slightly confused expression. She then told him, "That's surprisingly helpful. Thanks, Jack."
"No problem," he responded. He then pointed out, "Besides, we did agree to stop yelling at each other," with a shrug.
"Yeah, we did," Alena conceded. She then paused and admitted, "Which I'm honestly surprised is actually working," before she popped a berry in her mouth.
Jack couldn't help but chuckle before he told her, "Well, I'd rather be on your good side than on the receiving end of your temper."
Alena ran one of her hands through her hair before she acknowledged, "I do have a bit of a temper." She then paused and added, "Well, more than just a bit."
"Well, in the spirit of admitting things, I can be on the sarcastic side," Jack replied.
"Was that so hard?" Alena teased with a smirk, using his words from earlier in the day. He shook his head at her in response, but he couldn't help the smile that appeared a moment later.
They then settled into a comfortable silence as they ate the berries.
When they were finished, Jack got up before he offered a hand to Alena. She looked at it for a moment before she accepted his help.
When they were both standing, Jack teased her, "Along with being stubborn and temperamental, you're also extremely independent."
"Well, I couldn't have you thinking I was some kind of damsel in distress, now could I?" Alena challenged with a smirk.
He grinned as he told her, "I don't think anyone would ever mistake you for that."
"I guess they wouldn't," Alena couldn't help but agree. She then acknowledged, "I was being rather difficult."
"Yeah, you were. But I egged it on - I kind of liked getting under your skin," Jack admitted. He then said, "I don't think I expected you to fight back quite as much, though."
The blonde chuckled at that before she told him, "Well, I'm not exactly one to back down."
"I noticed," Jack replied. He then took a breath and continued, "I think I like that about you, though."
Alena smiled at that as she spoke, "Why didn't we try this to begin with?"
Jack smiled back in response. He then added, "It may have been easier, but it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting."
"Can't argue with that," she resigned, and the smile she had been wearing grew. She then suggested, "How about we resume looking for the necklace?"
He nodded in response, and the two of them then began heading back toward the palace, stopping and looking for the necklace as they did so.
She was currently bent down at the base of the tree while he was looking through some bushes. When he didn't find the necklace, he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
He then stood up to head to another spot. He glanced over to see that Alena had the same idea.
Just as she was walking to another spot, an arrow was heading straight for her. Alena's back was to the flying projectile.
Jack's eyes widened, and he immediately sprang to action. He ran over to her before pushing her out of the way, and they both fell on the ground.
They rolled a bit before they settled with a thump. Alena landed on top of Jack, where her lips accidentally brushed against his.
Before Alena could even register what was happening, Jack was kissing her. And she didn't pull away. She rested a hand on his chest while he wound his in her blonde locks.
The kiss was sweet and tender, and they found themselves lost in the moment. When they pulled back, Alena's eyes widened. Her first instinct was to run.
She quickly rolled off of Jack before she got up and rushed away to put some distance between her and that kiss.
She stopped in a small clearing, where she found herself breathing hard. Not from the exertion, but from the emotions bubbling up inside of her.
She couldn't feel anything for Jack. It was a ridiculous notion, wasn't it? As much as she tried to convince herself that it was, she couldn't quite do it.
Just then, Jack came running into the clearing. He walked over to Alena and told her, "We have to talk about what happened."
She then looked up at him. She couldn't quite describe the emotion in those brown eyes of his, but it made her weak in the knees.
Alena took a breath before she simply stated, "You kissed me."
"But you didn't pull away. You kissed me back," Jack pointed out. He couldn't help but grin as he continued, "And as I recall, your lips were on mine first."
"That was an accident," Alena stubbornly pointed out with crossed arms.
"Yeah, it was," he conceded. He then took a breath and told her, "But that kiss wasn't. I don't think either one of us can deny that."
Alena ran her fingers through her hair in response. She then took a breath and asked the question that was burning a hole in her brain: "Why… why did you kiss me, Jack?"
He looked down at the ground and fumbled with the hilt of his sword. He then took a deep breath before he looked up and admitted, "Because I like you, Alena. I really like you. There was something between us from the moment we met, but we got off on the wrong foot. Until... "
"Until we realized that we actually work really well together. And we started getting along. The kiss, uh, sort of showed that is there is something between us. This something that has been there from the start," Alena supplied.
Jack nodded his agreement. He then ran his fingers through his hair before he asked, "So, what do we do now?"
Alena took one of his hands in hers before she told him, "I think we still have to figure out exactly what this is, and I say we figure it out together."
"I like the sound of that," he replied with a smile. She smiled back in response.
She then took a breath and spoke, "And thank you, Jack, for saving me from the arrow."
"You're welcome," he sincerely responded. He then grinned and teased, "You are my best friend's sister."
She grinned back as she said, "And we both know that's your only reason."
Alena then started to laugh, and Jack joined in. The necklace was momentarily forgotten.
That is, until Jack saw something shiny out of the corner of his eye. He let go of Alena's hand and walked over to the spot.
As he picked up the item, he smiled. He then turned around to face Alena with her necklace dangling off the end of his finger.
"You found it!" she exclaimed. She then rushed to close the short distance between them and grabbed the necklace.
She dusted the dirt off before she unclasped the chain. She then held it up to Jack and asked, "Can you put this on?"
He nodded in response, and she handed him the necklace. She then turned around and moved her hair out of the way. He then placed the necklace around her and clasped it in place.
When she had turned around, she told him, "Thank you for finding it, Jack." "It was a team effort," he reminded her with a smile.
She smiled back as she agreed, "Yeah, it was." She then paused and suggested, "What do you say we head back to the palace."
"I think that sounds great," Jack responded. She nodded before the two of them began walking back.
As they strolled along, Jack noticed that Alena's hand rarely left her necklace. With genuine curiosity, he asked her, "Why didn't you notice your necklace was missing sooner?"
Alena took a breath before she answered, "Well, I'm sure I would have noticed it at some point, but it never dawned on me until Ella told me about the ball. That's when I realized that I didn't have my necklace to wear to the ball."
She then smiled and continued, "And now, I can just focus on doing what I can to help Tiana get ready for the ball…"
"Even though she and everyone insisted that you're simply a guest," Jack interjected.
She lightly elbowed him before she finished, "And enjoying the ball itself. I'm really looking forward to it."
"I'm sure you'll have a great time," Jack told her with a smile.
"I think you mean "we." I was kind of hoping you'd save me a dance," Alena spoke, shyly pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Oh, uh, well," Jack nervously began as he ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm not going to the ball. It's not really my thing."
The blonde couldn't help but feel disappointed, but she understood. She then told him, "I think you're missing out, but I totally get it. Getting all dressed up and such isn't meant for everyone."
"Uh, yeah," Jack responded, but he couldn't quite look at her.
Alena tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as she perceived, "There's more to this, isn't there?"
The lack of both a response and eye contact let Alena knew that there was more to story. But, she wouldn't force him.
"Hey, it's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
If anything, her response made him seem more conflicted. He seemed to be contemplating something before he took a breath and finally looked at her.
"It's not as bad as you're thinking. The reason I'm not going is because I… I can't, uh, dance."
The blonde actually seemed a bit relieved. She then told him, "Is that all? I can teach you to dance, Jack."
"You can?" he asked, a bit of surprise in his tone.
"Of course! It's a pretty funny story actually - when my dad started teaching me to sword fight, my grandpa also insisted that I should learn to dance as well. And so it went," Alena explained with a chuckle.
Jack couldn't help but chuckle as well. His expression then became more serious as he pointed out, "You sure you want to teach me? I'm not gonna be very good."
"That's why I want to teach you," she assured him with a smile.
He couldn't help but smile back before he told her, "Since I know you won't give this up, I suppose it couldn't hurt."
"Really?" Alena questioned. Jack nodded before he elaborated, "Yeah. It might be sort of fun."
She beamed at him before she took him by the hand and pulled him toward a small clearing. She turned to face him before she instructed, "First things first, the stance. Lift your hand up."
He obliged, and she then clasped their fingers together. She then continued, "I'll put my hand on your shoulder, and you'll place yours on my waist."
He nodded, and a moment later, they were in position. Goosebumps started to rise on Alena's skin at the feeling of being in Jack's arms. If the look in those brown eyes of his were any indication, he was feeling the same.
"Focus," she reminded herself. She then took a quick but calming breath before she told him, "Follow my lead."
He nodded in response before they began. The first few steps went smoothly, save for the fact that Jack kept looking at his feet.
Then, to his chagrin, he stepped on Alena's foot. She winced in pain as she let go of him, and he apologized, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"
Alena shook out her foot before she told him, "I'm fine. Really, I am."
"If you're sure," Jack replied. She nodded, and he continued, "I guess we'll try again," with uncertainty in his tone.
Alena narrowed her eyes at him before her expression became one of understanding. She then reassured him, "You'll get it, Jack. It just takes practice."
Jack sighed before he told her, "I know you're right. Let's try that again."
Alena smiled and nodded at him before they resumed their position. She then told him, "This time, you need to try looking at me instead of your feet."
"I think I can manage that."
Alena nodded at him once more before she started to hum. He gave her an odd look, and she explained, "We have to have music."
"Ah," he replied in understanding. The two of them then began to dance.
Though still a little stiff, Jack was much better this go around. It probably had something to do with the fact that Alena was counting out the steps for him.
"I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be counting," Jack pointed out.
Alena couldn't help but chuckle before she told him, "Not usually, but it's helping you, isn't it?"
"Well, I didn't step on you this time, so I'd say that's a good thing," Jack jokingly replied. The blonde rolled her eyes in response.
She then suggested, "How about I count on the steps one more time and then you'll take over from there?"
"Sounds like a plan," Jack conceded. Alena nodded in response.
They then began dancing once again with Alena repeating, "1, 2, 3…". After a spin around the small clearing, Jack took over. To the blonde's surprise, he had actually loosened up.
As they moved to a halt, Alena smiled and reassured him, "See, I told you that you'd get the hang of it."
"I'm pretty sure most of that has to do with you," Jack sincerely told her before he moved a piece of hair behind her ear.
Alena couldn't help but blush before she spoke, "Don't sell yourself short. You seem to be a natural."
He smiled at her as he responded, "Thanks, Alena." She smiled back in response.
She then asked him, "You ready to do this for real?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so," Jack answered with a bit of uncertainty in his tone once more.
Alena tilted her head as she perceived, "You don't exactly sound ready."
He nervously ran his fingers through his hair before he admitted, "It's just that, well, you've been the one leading all this time."
She smiled softly at him before she reassured him, "We'll get there. You just have to have patience."
A smile made its way on his face before he nodded. The two of them then adjusted their stance once more before they continued to dance.
Though Alena was still leading, and Jack was still a bit awkward, the lesson seemed to be going well. The blonde couldn't help but feel pride when her partner stopped mouthing the steps.
As they continued moving, they became more and more in sync. They couldn't quite keep the smiles from their faces.
Jack then stopped their movement and told her, "I think I might try leading this time." Alena simply nodded in response before he began to lead the dancing.
Their steps were seamless, and they both moved gracefully across the grass. Unfortunately, Jack found that he had missed a step and over corrected. His shin slammed into Alena's.
He apologized profusely - again - before he bemused, "I'm just really bad at this, aren't I?"
Alena shook her head before she assured him, "No, you're not. You're problem has nothing to do with your ability to dance."
Jack raised an eyebrow at her as he questioned, "What else could it be?"
"We became perfectly in sync that first time we stopped counting the steps. It was amazing. But, when you started to lead, you started thinking too much - I saw it all over your face," Alena explained.
He tilted his head in confusion for a moment. But, he then slowly started to realize that she was right.
"And just how am I supposed to dance without injuring you?"
She nervously bit her lip before she smiled and told him, "You know the steps, Jack. Instead of focusing so hard on that, just think about me. Am I wrong in saying that I'm the reason you changed your mind about the ball?"
He ran his fingers through his brown hair before he admitted, "I did like the idea of dancing with you."
"And you will. You just have to lead," Alena told him as though it was the easiest thing in the world.
He couldn't help but smile at her. She really didn't give up, but he found that he actually liked that about her.
"I think I really do have it this time. Let's go," he then told her. "I know you do," she assured him.
He smiled at her once more before he slipped his arm around her waist and took her hand in his. She squeezed his hand before placing her free hand on his shoulder.
Alena started to hum, and Jack began leading them to the sound of her voice. This time, it was as though the forest and the rest of the world faded away as they danced together.
They seemed to glide across the clearing, and they truly seemed at home in each other's arms. In short, it was perfect.
When they had come to a stop, Alena threw both arms around him in a hug. Jack couldn't help but smile as he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back.
When they pulled away, she proudly told him, "You did it!" "We did it. I couldn't have done it without you," he reminded her.
"Well, we do make a pretty good team," Alena spoke with a smile. A blush rose to her cheeks as she thought about what she wanted to say next.
She then moved her hand to cup his cheek. She took a deep breath before she told him, "I know we said we have some stuff to figure out about us, but I really like whatever we have growing between us."
Jack smiled as he responded, "I really like it, too, Alena," as he ran his fingers through her hair, earning a bright smile from her.
He then planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. He rested his forehead against hers as she wrapped her arms tighter around him.
This quest started out as a search for a necklace, but Jack and Alena ended up with the beginning of something that was so much more.