Chapter 25
Sally was sat on the curb outside her house staring out in front of her. Her eyes were glazed over with a haunted expression on her face, her small frame trembling. She was vaguely aware of the people around her but she couldn't hear them, she didn't want to hear them.
A body covered in a white sheet was wheeled out of the house and past her. As it hit the curb it jolted and an arm dropped out from under the cover. The noise of the wheels juddering off the curb had stirred her and she watched as her father's bloodied hand dangled in front of her. Her eyes widened and she immediately felt the sick rising up her throat. Turning to face the lawn she threw up loudly, gagging forcefully when there was nothing more to come up.
'Oh sweetheart.' Ruby said sympathetically as she rushed to her side. She sat down next to her and gently began to rub her back. Sally used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. The daze she was in disappeared and all of a sudden she became acutely aware of what was going on.
'Oh God.' She choked out. Ruby pulled her into a tight hug and Sally clung to her for dear life, sobs racking through her body. Ruby stroked her hair while she cried, not knowing what to say that could comfort her.
Ruby was at least thankful Sally was too beside herself to notice the second body being wheeled out. They were much more careful with the second body after witnessing the poor girl's reaction to the first one and it was carefully loaded into the back of the ambulance. Ruby solemnly watched as it drove off silently with no urgent need to get back to the hospital. The whole street was full of bystanders, everyone wanting to know what had happened.
Although he'd made no noise to draw attention to himself, Sally jerked her head up as Peter exited her house. Ruby sighed as s
he witnessed the torn expression on Sally's face.
Emma had hold of him, his hands handcuffed tightly behind his back.
The neighbours all whispered around them as Peter was escorted into the back of Emma's car and driven away.
Yesterday
'I've figured something out.' Henry announced sitting down in the booth opposite Peter. They were in Granny's in the far left hand corner of the café. Henry smiled excitedly waiting for Peter to acknowledge him.
'I assume this is where you tell me?' Peter said a moment later, amused when he realised Henry was waiting for him to say something.
'Mary Margaret is innocent,' Henry started. 'Because Snow White isn't capable of murdering an innocent woman.'
Peter leant forwards and took a long sip of his lemonade through his straw. Savouring the taste he eyed Henry curiously.
'Mary Margaret isn't Snow White.' He stated.
'But she is.' Henry exclaimed. 'The curse erased her memories and gave her false ones but it didn't change who is she.'
'So because Snow White wouldn't kill someone, Mary Margaret wouldn't either? Not even under the right circumstances?' Peter asked.
'No.' Henry replied bluntly. 'She's a hero, not a killer.'
'There's not much difference.' Peter pointed out. 'How many bad people has she killed in the name of being a hero?'
'She hasn't killed anyone.' Henry shouted, drawing attention to them. Ruby took it as her cue to bring Henry his usual hot chocolate.
'Everything alright?' She asked placing the mug in front of Henry.
'Yeah, Henry is just upset over Mary Margaret being charged with murder.' Peter replied cooly. Ruby gave Henry a sympathetic nod.
'She's gonna be alright Henry. Your Mom is going to prove Mary Margaret is innocent.' Ruby said reassuringly.
'Yeah while his other Mom tries to condemn her.' Peter muttered. Ruby punched his arm furiously.
'Peter!' She hissed.
'What? I'm right aren't I?' Peter scowled rubbing his injured arm. Ruby gave a light growl and narrowed her eyes.
'It's ok Ruby,' Henry said giving her a small smile. 'Peter's right.'
'Yeah well he doesn't have to go pointing it out.' Ruby huffed. She stalked off annoyed. Peter watched her leave. He mused at how easy it was to wind her up.
The café door opened and Peter watched as Sally and her mother entered. They went straight to the counter and ordered drinks to go. Feelings his eyes on her Sally looked over to him and smiled shyly. Her mother followed Sally's eye line and seeing Peter gave him a toothy grin. Peter gave her a curt nod and turned his attention back to Henry.
Peter noticed the defeated slump in Henry's posture. He was staring at his mug with a zoned out expression on his face. Feeling guilty Peter shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.
'So you can't be a bad person unless you were before the curse?' Peter asked slowly. Henry snapped his head up, his deflated look gone in an instant.
'Exactly.' Henry said.
'Alright so say she is innocent, it's not exactly evidence you can give in court.' Peter mused. 'But it's certainly an interesting theory.' He fiddled with his straw absentmindedly as he glanced back to Sally's mother.
'It's more than a theory, I can prove it.' Henry said arrogantly.
'OK I believe you. I've got to go but don't worry about it Henry, focus on breaking the curse. No curse, no trial right?' Peter said getting up out of the booth.
'Right.' Henry said.
Peter gave Mrs Sparrow a charming smile as he past her, a plan forming in his mind.
'Ladies.' He greeted them but continued to walk out of the café.
Peter had devised a plan and had decided to share his genius idea with Jefferson. When he reached the house however he noticed unfamiliar tyre tracks in the mudded path. Bending down to examine the tracks Peter frowned, there was no reason for anyone to want to visit the Hatter. Straightening up Peter began to cautiously make his way into the house. The front door was unlocked and as he entered nothing immediately looked out of place. Peter walked further into the house looking for Jefferson. Entering the main living room Peter stopped dead.
The Mad Hatter was hovering over Emma Swan with a roll of gaffer tape.
'What the hell are you doing?' Peter hissed. Jefferson kept his back to him, unconcerned by his presence.
'Help me tie her legs.' Jefferson said gently putting Emma's hands together and started wrapping the tape round her wrists.
'No.' Peter said in disbelief. 'Seriously Hatter what are you doing?'
'She can get it to work.' Jefferson muttered. Peter stepped into the room.
'She doesn't believe Jefferson, it won't work until after she breaks the curse.' Peter told him edging closer. He eyed the pair of scissors on top of the piano. Slowly he tried to walk over to them.
'Don't even think about it.' Jefferson hissed as if he could read Peter's thoughts. He spun round and pointed a gun at Peter. Peter raised his hands in the air as a surrender.
'Think about what? You asked me to get her legs.' Peter said calmly. He walked cautiously over to the sofa, careful not to startle Jefferson and knelt down gently next to Emma's feet.
'I'm just here to help you alright?' Peter said gently pushing Emma's feet together. Jefferson seemed to take that as a suitable answer and handed Peter the tape.
Peter wrapped the tape round her boots, keeping an eye on Jefferson behind him. The hatter had picked up the scissors and began walking to the door. When Peter was finished, Jefferson waved him to follow him. Seeing a cup on the floor Peter discreetly moved it forward positioning it under Emma. Unable to help her further Peter got up and followed Jefferson out of the room, gently closing the door to but without closing it fully.
'What if she refuses to help you?' Peter asked. Jefferson started to sharpen his scissors.
'She won't.' He replied.
'But what if she does.' Peter pressed. Jefferson grinned.
'I have her mother.' He whispered. Peter moaned. Smacking his hand to his forehand Peter began pacing.
'But she's in jail!' He said.
'Not anymore.' Jefferson's smile widened. 'I found her out in the woods.'
'Of course you did.' Peter muttered. He ran his fingers through his hair frustrated.
'Your crazy.' Peter said.'You've actually lost the plot.' Jefferson threw his sharpening block on the floor in anger and pointed the scissors at Peter.
'I am not crazy.' He shouted. Peter raised an eyebrow. Picking up a hat off one of the shelves he examined it carelessly.
'You're a little crazy.' Peter told him spinning the hat in his hands and then placing it on his head as if to make a point. Jefferson swiped his block off the floor and grumpily started to sharpen his scissors again.
'You realise how stupid this idea is?' Peter asked.
'Not if it works.' Jefferson answered. 'You know it's getting awfully tempting to shove these down your throat.' He waved the scissors about dangerously.
'Fine.' Peter said defeated. 'I can't be here when Emma wakes up anyway. I've got my own crimes to commit before I join you in a prison cell.'
'Good luck.' Jefferson said wryly.
'Yeah yeah.' Peter dismissed him. 'You need more than luck to pull this off.' Peter moved to the window and opened it. He would have to climb down if he wanted to avoid walking past Emma's room. Swinging one leg out of the window Peter sat on the ledge. Looking back at Jefferson Peter opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind. Slipping out quietly he left the hatter to his fate.
As he walked into the woods Peter realised he was still wearing one of Hatter's hats. Taking it off Peter looked at it, thinking of the man who had become the closest thing Peter had to a friend. Sighing Peter turned round and started walking back to the house. Feeling conflicted Peter stopped. He didn't really care what happened to the old man. Turning back round he decided to go home only to change his mind again a few minutes later. Growling he finally decided to go make sure Jefferson hadn't got himself shot or something.
The house had just come back into view when Jefferson came crashing out of the window. Peter watched as the hat that came flying out of the window with him lit up and sucked Jefferson inside as it landed on the ground.
Keeping out of sight Peter made his way closer. He saw Emma and Mary Margaret lean out of the window confused by Jefferson's disappearance. Peter waited for them to disappear before going over to the hat. Thinking on his feet Peter switched the hat with the one in his hand, hoping Emma hadn't been paying enough attention to notice the subtle differences.
'You're a moron.' He said peering into the inside of the hat. Hearing Emma's voice Peter dove back into the woods. He watched as the two women examined the hat hesitantly, a creeped out expression on Emma's face.
'I heard him talking to someone, man.' Mary Margaret said. Peter practically slapped himself in the face for being so stupid.
'Did you recognise him?' Emma asked. Mary Margaret shook her head.
'No their voices were too muffled, I couldn't even tell what they were saying.' She said disheartened. Peter exhaled in relief. Deciding to make his escape he sunk back into the wood silently, the hat tightly clasped in his hand.
Sally hadn't turned up to school.
Peter's thoughts were scattered during his lesson. He couldn't concentrate for worrying over what had happened to her. His class were happy to be ignored, a mixture of practising their assignment and chatting took place while Peter just sat there, his feet up on his desk. He mulled over his plan, carefully laying it out in his head searching for flaws. If Sally hadn't come to school then it implied she'd been hurt and if she had as much as a scratch on her then Peter was going to make sure her parents suffered the consequences. As a dark mood settled over him. Peter didn't notice when the bell rang and his students began to pack up and leave.
'Mr Young, could I have a word with you in private please?' Lilly's voice pulled him back to reality.
'What?' He said realising Lilly was the only person left in the room.
'I asked if I could speak to you.' Lilly said fluttering her eyelashes.
'Sure.' Peter said moving his feet off the desk. 'What about?'
'About us.' Lilly said lightly, her tone was flirty and she boldly walked round the desk and sat in his lap, her arms twisted around his neck.
'I can't stop thinking about you.' She whispered pretending to be shy.
'Lilly we've been through this.' Peter replied tiredly. 'I'm not interested.'
'But you are interested in Sally.' Lilly said, her voice hardening before softening again. 'I'm so much prettier than her.'
'I don't know what your talking about.' Peter muttered trying to de-tangle himself out of her arms.
'Peter, I'm giving you a chance to pick me.' Lilly told him. Peter grabbed her wrists and pulled them from him.
'Otherwise who knows what will happen if anyone found out you like underage girls.' She said sweetly. She saw his eyes darken immediately and his whole posture changed. In one swift move he had picked her up and dumped her on his desk. .
'Are you threatening me Princess?' He said coldly, his hands on either side of her pinning her in place. 'Think about your next choice of words, I don't take kindly to threats.'
'I'm just offering you a deal. I'll keep your secret if you agree to date me instead of Sally.' Lilly said.
'What makes you think I care about keeping it a secret?' Peter sighed. He leant back in his chair and narrowed his eyes at her.
'You would go to prison for dating a minor.' Lilly said.
'There's no proof.' Peter shrugged his shoulders.
'I'm a convincing witness.' Lilly smiled. Peter let out a light growl.
'You don't wanna play this game with me Princess.' Peter's voice lowered, the warning clear in his tone. Lilly smiled victoriously.
'Oh but I do. I'll give you some time to think about it.' With that she blew him a kiss and skipped out of the room. Peter groaned and whacked his head against the desk.
'I swear Tigerlilly was never this annoying.' He muttered to himself.
Pouring himself another glass of whiskey Peter wandered over to Jefferson's hat on his coffee table. Falling onto the sofa dramatically, Peter huffed. He stared at the hat as if it held all the answers. He'd already tried to spin it but the hat wouldn't work for him.
'I don't know the rules for this stupid thing.' He muttered. Peter placed his glass down and picked up the hat and tilted it so he could view it at a different angle. Closing one eye he moved the hat slightly, trying to get a better look but all he saw was the red fabric that lined the inside of the hat.
'Are you stuck in there?' He asked. Giving up he threw the hat back on the table, trading it for his whiskey. Taking a sip he regarded the hat thoughtfully.
'You know your plan sucks.' He told the hat. 'I don't know why you thought this was a good idea, what are you gonna do now? Stay in the hat? You in some other world right now?' Peter sighed.
'If you are another world then I'm sat here talking to a stupid hat.' Peter grumbled. His ring tone made him jump as his phone went off next to him. Scowling he picked it and looked at the name that flashed across the screen.
'Finally, I was one step away from going round to your house and knocking your front door down.' He said down the phone.
'Peter.' Her voice shook. 'Peter please help me.' Sally cried. Peter stood up bolt right. Immediately he was searching for his shoes.
'Sally what's happened?' He asked.
'My parents, they were yelling and he, oh God Peter please hurry.' He could hear the fear in her voice. There was a loud banging noise and Peter had to move the phone from his ear at the sudden loudness.
'Sally open this door.' Mr Sparrow yelled. He heard more banging.
'Sally, Sally?' Peter shouted urgently.
'Hurry.' Was all the reply he got before the line went dead.
Author's Notes:
Hey guys, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it's taking me ages to update, been suffering from writer's block. Please let me know what you think, your reviews keep me going.
Thank you to everyone who reviews I love you all. It's so nice to hear what people think of each chapter. I shall try not to leave you hanging with this one for too long x