Chapter One:
Hook
One fat rain drop hit the windshield, closely followed by another. I leaned forward, glancing up at the dark clouds rumbling above, and hoping the weather was cooperating better tomorrow. Settling back into the driver's seat, I focused on the yellow food truck in front of me on the interstate.
It's sides and back proclaimed it's name was Rollin' Bayou.
Tiana made the most mouthwatering beignets. Absolute perfection, really. It's no wonder that she was selected for this festival competition we were currently on our way to.
Sabine, I reminded myself. Sabine is what we would call her on this little outing from the United Realms. It wasn't just her that had chosen to go by her cursed name. We all did. Instead of my given name of Killian Jones, I would be Detective Rogers. My daughter wouldn't be Alice, but Tilly. Robin, the woman who'd stolen my daughter's heart, would be Margot once more. Even Robin's mother, wicked witch Zelena, would be going by Kelly.
I knew Zelena's reason for tagging along mimicked my own. Our daughters were leaving our safe haven, a place they had been hidden, along with all of the other realms, when Queen Regina cast her last spell.
They called me an overprotective father.
It didn't bother me.
Since the festival was Halloween themed, we would all go in costume as the patrons were invited to do the same. At least I could wear my hook and not look terribly out of place while my daughter served samples.
I guess that was the little ironic bit of this trip.
Tilting my head to the side, I cracked my stiff neck.
Beside me, Alice stirred from her slumber.
"Where are we, Papa?" She asked, sleep clouding her voice.
"Not much farther now, Starfish." I assured her, nodding at an interstate sign that informed us Boston was 20 miles out.
She sat up straighter, excitement lighting her face as she glanced out of the rear window of my '70 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport.
I smiled. "They're right behind us, love."
"It's going to be a bit of fun, innit?" She grinned. "Calling each other our cursed names while dressing up as ourselves?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm. "Aye."
She blanched suddenly. "What if Mr. Jones had come along?"
She was referring to my almost-identical counterpart of the same name from a different realm.
"I suppose we would have two Captain Hooks on our hands, then."
After pondering it, she frowned. "That wouldn't be any fun."
With another chuckle, I hit the gas a little harder to keep up with the yellow truck in front of me.
After checking into the hotel, I once again followed behind the food truck through Boston. Alice had decided to stay with Robin and Zelena, so I was alone now. At least until we dropped off the truck and Naveen and Tiana joined me.
We kept pace, arriving at the Brockton Fair Grounds just south of Boston.
Tiana checked in at the office while Naveen and I shot the breeze. When she returned, I once more followed the truck to its designated spot for the competition. Once everything was locked up and secured, we returned to the hotel.
All I wanted was to fall into bed and catch up on some much-needed sleep. Of course, Alice has other plans, and talked everyone into going out for dinner. Then, she wanted to go to the Skywalk Observatory. After that, Naveen and Tiana called it a night and took Zelena's car back to the hotel.
After almost two hours of walking a local mall, I stepped up to my daughter and told her, "We should probably think about heading back."
"But we're having fun, Papa."
"He's right though," Zelena said, eyeing something shiny through the window of a boutique. "Early morning. He and I, we're not as you as you and Margot. We need sleep. Especially if we're to be on our feet all afternoon tomorrow."
Robin laughed, rolling her eyes at her mother, "Heaven forbid."
"Listen here you," but Zelena was smiling. She wrapped an arm around Robin. "How about we pick up some ice cream on the way back? Yeah?" Our daughters nodded, and she glanced over at me. "Nook can pay."
I frowned and held the door open for them. When Zelena walked through, I asked, "I thought we were past all that Nook business?"
"You'll always be the New Hook to me." When I didn't smile, she waved a hand, "Oh alright, alright. Detective Rogers can pay."
Accepting it, I nodded.
She smirked. "See, I can play nice."