New Enchanted Forest, Four Years Ago
When the light settled back in, Alena found herself back in her room.
She glanced around and found the tarot card lying on her pillow. The pillow that laid beside her on the ground.
She sighed as her eyes caught sight of the cotton spilling from the seams. Her gaze then roamed the rest of the room.
The upside-down rug, the upturned loveseat, the cracked window, and the remains of the wooden bed frame and mattress.
With a flick of her wrist, she returned the room to normal. And yet, the way her hands shook reminded her these nightmares were anything but – and her own personal hell just ignited another flame.
Alena then started to pace along the rug as she ran her fingers through her hair, her frustration mounting.
"What in the bloody hell does he want? And what makes him think he can just show up?"
She then plopped down on the bed and sighed. The magic still tingled in her hands. If she had any chance of relaxing, she needed the one thing that always calmed her - hot chocolate.
And knowing her brother, he had a fair amount stored away. She then rose from the bed and headed toward the kitchen.
As she trekked along, she noticed the lantern she held kept going in and out. As it went dark, she tripped over her bare feet.
"Bloody hell," she hissed – only to realize she made the problem worse.
She stopped and took a deep breath. She slowly felt her senses return to normal.
The now lit lantern guided her toward the kitchen. When she pushed open the wooden door, she tilted her head.
"Jack," she whispered, "What are you doing here?"
He jumped. "Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you," she apologized.
"It's okay," he assured her with a smile. She smiled back at him.
Once she shuffled over to the wooden table, she plopped down in a chair. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped. Jack furrowed his eyebrows.
His brown eyes then filled with worry. "Are you alright? You look…pale. And you seem frazzled."
"I'm-I'm fi-fine," Alena stammered as she rubbed her arms, glancing away from him.
Jack peered at her. He then walked over to her and rubbed his hand along her back.
He kissed her forehead before he reassured her, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want - I'll be here for you either way."
He squeezed her arm before he padded back over back over to the remainder of his bread-and-cheese snack.
He ate the last couple bites. He then leaned on the table beside his girlfriend.
"Do you need anything before I head back to bed?"
Alena sighed once more, staring down at her trembling hands. She then whimpered, "How about a hug?"
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. They stayed embraced, neither saying a word.
When they pulled away, Alena rested her hands on his arms.
"Thanks. I-I needed that."
"I can tell," Jack sympathized before he kissed the top of her head.
She nodded. "Yeah. I'll be okay once I have some hot chocolate."
"You sure, Blondie?"
She couldn't help but smile at the nickname. "Yeah, I'm sure," she reassured him.
He nodded before he pecked her cheek. He then walked toward the door.
"Jack, wait," Alena then called out as she grabbed his hand.
He faced her, a question in his brown eyes. She then took his other hand in hers and squeezed them.
"You mean so much to me, Jack – and I want to share this with you. I want you to know."
"Okay – I can tell this is important to you," Jack said as he squeezed her hands. He then ran his fingers through her hair.
He gestured behind her and offered, "I'll make the hot chocolate and then you can share."
He crossed the kitchen and grabbed a cup as Alena giggled. "Do you even know how to make it?"
With a shrug, he posed, "How hard can it be?" She rolled her eyes while he chuckled.
He then told her, "Henry makes it for Lucy - and himself - so yeah, we're good."
He turned his back to her as he grabbed a pot. Once he filled it with water, he fired up the wood-burning oven and began heating the water.
Jack then turned back to his girlfriend and leaned against the side of the stove. She tilted her head as she peered at him.
"You sure that's safe? I wouldn't want your nightshirt to catch on fire."
He bit his lip to keep from laughing. "It's not an open flame – and I'm barely touching it."
She couldn't help but roll her eyes. She then sighed.
He slumped his shoulders as he bemused, "I wasn't trying to distract you – but I was hoping to get a smile."
She sighed once more and ran her fingers through her hair. "I know – I'm just still shaken up."
Jack hummed, a crease forming between his eyebrows. He then questioned, "Are you ready to talk?"
"It'd be better if you were sitting down."
Worry flashed in his brown eyes. Out of the corner of them, he noticed the water boiling.
He poured it in the cup before he grabbed the hot chocolate and mixed it in. He reached for the cinnamon and placed her drink in front of her.
"Thank you." Alena then sipped on the cocoa, her eyes closing as the warm liquid slid down her throat.
When she opened them, she spied her boyfriend sitting next to her. He ran his hand up and down her arm.
"I'm here whenever you're ready."
She nodded. She took a deep breath before she began, "I guess I'll start with this – I'm, well, shaken up because of a nightmare."
Her voice shook as she added, "A terrifyingly real nightmare."
Jack kissed the side of her head. He wrapped his hands around hers. "I can imagine that…darkness. It leaves you…empty."
He ran his fingers through his hair. "Sorry – this isn't about me."
"No, it's okay," she assured him. "You do understand this. Probably better than anyone."
He offered her a small smile. He let out a breath before he questioned, "When did they start?"
"I was a kid - 12 actually. Neither me or my parents knew what was happening – other than me being more scared than I ever had been, and my magic going haywire."
"And you still have them all these years later?"
"Yeah – and they're not gonna stop until I face the evil that these villains are supposed to help me conquer."
Jack furrowed his eyebrows, a confused expression settling in across his features.
"Sorry – I'm getting ahead of myself," Alena said, her voice still a bit shaky.
She took a deep breath before she explained, "These nightmares – I live in them. I travel through this grove that has these domains of all the villains my family defeated. The Evil Queen, The Wicked Witch…"
"Wait," he interrupted as he put his hand up, "Regina and Zelena? But they're you and Henry's family. They're not evil anymore."
"But they were," Alena pointed out - her voice breaking. She summoned the strength to continue: "Their essence - and that of every other villain - fuels these nightmares. Voices and shadows and images follow me – and I just have to deal with all of it until I wake up."
Her trembles stopped and were replaced with the balling of her fists. Her shoulders squared and her eyes blazed.
The corners of Jack's mouth quirked upward. He then squeezed her hand and told her, "And you're awake now. You're not facing anything right now – you're okay."
Alena breathed in and out slowly. "I know – but I do have to be strong to face the hell these nightmares are helping me face."
"I have no doubt you will," he conceded, his mouth quirking upward once again.
His expression grew serious as he asked, "How do you wake up? I mean, you said you couldn't until you've faced everything."
"A blue wisp leads me through the grove."
She deflated as she bemused, "It's the only thing that gives me peace."
She then buried her face in her hands. "I should know how to get past all of this by now."
Jack gently pulled her hands down from her face. He kissed her forehead before he reassured her, "You don't have to be so strong all the time. Especially given these…demons you're facing. Demons you thought were in your family's past."
Alena sighed. "I guess you're right."
He tilted his head. "Why do I feel a but coming on?"
"Because it was worse this time."
"How in the hell can it get any worse?"
"Believe me, I wondered the same thing," Alena said before she took a hearty sip of cocoa.
She then continued, "It's bad enough that these villains taunt me and make me question if I can even face this-this darkness – but then he shows up."
"Who?"
"Dr. Facilier."
Just at the mention of his name, Alena's fist balled - again.
Jack took a calming breath. "You mean that voodoo witch doctor? The one Tiana dealt with?"
At her nod, he then questioned, "What does he want?"
Still annoyed, she explained, "To make some sort of deal."
"You said 'no', didn't you? He's dangerous."
His brown eyes then filled with worry. She squeezed his hand and assured him, "I would never dream of taking him up on it."
He breathed a sigh of relief. However, he soon frowned when he noticed Alena fidgeting as her eyes wandered all around the room.
He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Alena, what are you going to do?"
She twirled her hair around her fingers as she feigned, "Nothing. What makes you think that?"
He raised an eyebrow. He pointed out, "I know you, Alena. I know you can't sit around and do nothing."
She peered at him. She then sighed.
"Fine. But it's not what you think – I have no idea what these nightmares are supposed to help me face. And I can't bloody take it anymore."
"What?" Jack began as his eyebrows shot up, "I thought you already knew – or at least knew something."
Once she shook her head, he posed, "Then why do you keep suffering through this? And what does Facilier have to do with any of it?"
"He says nightmares and the other side, as he calls it, are connected, but I don't even know," Alena groaned. She then squared her shoulders, a resolute expression crossing her features.
"But I have to find out," she stated as she gestured with her cup.
Her voice softened as she continued, "The only thing Regina could see is that these nightmares meant that I'd battle darkness."
"That couldn't be more unhelpful," Jack quipped. He then raked his hands through his hair and offered, "Sorry – I know she did all she could to help."
"She did," Alena confirmed. With a sigh, she bemused, "But that doesn't mean she didn't beat herself up about it."
She then sipped on her cocoa – only to turn the cup up and finish it in a few gulps.
"I'm really glad that wasn't rum," Jack teased, a grin spreading across his features.
He then ran his thumb along her knuckles. "I wish you didn't have to deal with all of this. The villains, the voices, the darkness – it doesn't seem fair."
"I know," she conceded as she entwined their fingers. With a deep breath, she said, "But if it means I'll one day help my family, I'll keep fighting. And I won't give up."
Jack smiled. "You sound like Henry – you two really are related."
She giggled. A yawn then slipped from her mouth.
"Mmm – I think I might head back to bed."
"Are you sure you want to go back to sleep?"
"I'll be fine," she reassured him as she squeezed his hand. "Opening up to you helped me relax – and I know I won't have another nightmare tonight."
Jack peered at her. He then kissed her forehead.
"As long as you're sure you'll be okay."
"You're sweet to worry," she told him as she ran her hand along his jaw.
With a deep breath, she then said, "I have traveled through Wonderland, Neverland, the Infinite Forest, Oz, and the rest of it more than anyone should have to – but I always come out okay – if a little shaken up. I'm still the same Alena – I'm still your girlfriend."
"My stubborn, willful, pain of a Blondie."
Jack couldn't help but grin while she rolled her eyes. His then filled with concern.
He sighed. "Look, whatever you decide to do to find out more, please be careful. And just make sure you can get out of trouble."
Alena raised an eyebrow. "No telling me to avoid trouble?"
"No – it wouldn't do any good. Trouble seems to find you. I mean, we nearly died multiple times looking for your necklace."
"That is an over exaggeration – we just had a few…mishaps."
She then laughed, covering her mouth so as to not be too loud.
When she sobered, she tilted her head at her boyfriend's grin. She then realized, "You were trying to make me laugh – I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
"You really shouldn't," he offered with a chuckle. She smiled and shook her head.
He then asked, "Want me to walk you back to your room?" "I'd like that," she answered with a smile.
The pair then walked hand-in-hand out of the kitchen. As they wandered the halls, he complimented, "You're pretty brave, you know."
"For the nightmares? It's not like I have a choice in it."
"Maybe not – but you don't let them completely stop you. You don't let them change you. And you're still willing to fight whatever comes next to help yourself – and your family, if it comes to it. And I'm just happy you wanted to tell me."
"Thank you, Jack. it means a lot coming from you," Alena began as she smiled. She squeezed his hand as she continued, "And it's like I said earlier. You mean so much to me – I…care about you. I wanted to share this important part of myself with you."
Jack kissed her head, running his thumb over hers. She snuggled into his side.
They finished the walk in comfortable silence. When they arrived at her door, he kissed her forehead. "I hope you're able to get some real sleep – a little more peaceful at least."
She gave him a sweet smile. "I think we can both count on that."
"Good."
He then yawned, stretching his arms behind his head. "And I think that's my cue to head back to my room. Good night, Alena."
"Good night, Jack". She then rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
He couldn't help but smile into the kiss before he tilted his head and slipped his arms around her waist.
When they pulled away, they rested their foreheads together. They wished each other one final "good night" before he released her and walked back to his room.
Alena watched him until he disappeared behind the door. She then opened hers and slipped inside.
With her back against the frame, she let out a deep breath.
She didn't know what in the bloody hell to even think about Facilier – much less why he would appear in her nightmare. She was even less sure what to do to find out more about everything.
A smile then bloomed on her face. She felt a little more at ease knowing she shared with Jack. And that he understood her better than he already did.
Their feelings only grew stronger every day – and she knew he'd always be there for her.
Hyperion Heights, Present Day
Roni lugged in a keg perched on a dolly. Henry jogged over to her and Kelly.
"Hey. You guys need any help?"
"I think we got this handled. Thanks, Henry," Roni offered as she set down the keg.
Kelly then quipped, "Does he sleep here? He's in this pub more often than you are. Have you not got a home? Is that it?"
She then took the keg and wheeled it to the back as Henry returned, "Yeah, yeah. I got a place."
He then turned to Roni, rubbing his hands together as a smile made its way on his face.
"And, actually, I should be heading out. Got somewhere to be, and I don't want to be late."
Curiosity - and a little excitement - settled over her features. "Oh, where are you going? Sounds important."
"Yeah, yeah. It's, uh... it's nothing big. Just a lead on a writing assignment. Tell you about it if it works out. I don't want to jinx it," he covered.
Roni then told him, "Okay, well, good luck, then."
"Thank you," he replied with a nod. He then started, "Um, yeah, and before I go," as he reached into his jacket pocket, "there was a guy in earlier. Um…a little strange. Alena thought so, too."
He gestured with the business card as he explained, "Said he was an investor, and he could help you fix the lights," glancing around.
Roni took the card. "What's wrong with the lights?"
"Nothing, actually, until he walked in. They seem fine now," Henry told her before he looked back at them.
He then smiled. "Anyway, just thought I'd tell you." He then headed out of the bar.
Roni stared down at the card, a worried expression settling across her features. A cell phone then rang.
Kelly sighed and fretted, "Oh, God. It's Chad. He keeps leaving messages. What am I supposed to tell him?" She stood behind the bar, clutching her phone in her hand.
Roni glanced back and forth between the card and off into space. She told her sister, "Don't pick up."
"Yeah, right," she agreed before she ignored the call. She then placed the phone aside.
Roni then turned to her. She tried to clarify: "Oh, no, that's... that's not what I meant. I... I meant that, um…"
She then sighed and sat at the bar. "We have bigger problems than your fiancé right now. Look." She presented the card to Kelly – she took it in her hands.
The red-head quipped, ""Baron Samdi"." Who's that? Sounds like a colonial dictator." She then tossed the card aside.
A mixture of frustration and worry crossed Roni's features. "No, try Dr. Facilier."
"The voodoo doctor with that ridiculous hat?" Kelly pointed to her head before she questioned, "You know him"?
"Our paths have crossed," Roni ventured. She then complained, "What are the chances he'd show up just days after we discover there's a coven forming?"
"You think he's awake, too? I mean, it's not like the curse is broken. Otherwise, Henry would…" Kelly mused – only for Roni to remind her: "I know that would mean for Henry."
She then stated, "And we won't let that happen – but who knows what Victoria did before she died or who she woke. He could be up."
Her determination waned – but only because she knew the road ahead would be far from easy.
She sighed. "And if he is…" as she shook her head, "We got to find out." Realization then flashed in her brown eyes.
"And I think I know how."
Kelly only regarded her sister – a question appearing in her eyes.