Chapter 18
Despite living with a set of parents who struggled with the concept of knocking for almost 20 years, I had actually managed to entirely avoid being walked in on while with someone else, cockblocked, or otherwise interrupted while romantically entangled, by my mom and dad. That is, save for the one time I'd been forced to stuff Fletcher into my closet when my parents had come home early from the grocery store.
Either way, I was entirely unprepared for the situation I was now faced with.
I had been kissing Ruby goodbye in the front hallway, the conversation we had had as we'd gotten redress about how neither of us really wanted a serious relationship at the moment still fresh in my mind, when the door behind her had opened, and Regina had walked in. She froze, her eyes meeting mine as Ruby and I quickly separated from each other, the taller brunette's cheeks turning dark red.
The imposing silence that descended stretched on for several long moments, before Ruby announced that she was needed at the diner, patted my shoulder awkwardly, and rushed out of the still open door, slamming it behind her. My mother's gaze followed Ruby as she beat a hasty retreat.
"So." Regina said, eyes still on the now closed door. "Ruby?" I shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back against the banister behind me.
"Yeah." I responded tightly, watching my mother for any sort of reaction, good or bad. She glanced over at me.
"Is that- I mean, are you…?" she waved her hands awkwardly, clearing her throat. "I mean to say, the people you involve yourself in, that is romantically, are they…" She trailed off, face now beet red and after a charged moment of silence, I took pity on her, crossing my arms and shrugging lightly.
"I like women." Regina's eyebrows shot up. "I also like men, and everyone in between. Does that answer your question?"
She paused for a long moment, before nodding. "Thank you for telling me." Regina said, sending me a soft smile. I grinned in return, something deep inside relaxing slightly. "Now, do you have any plans for the rest of this evening? I thought we might cook something together? Maybe you could teach me an Irish recipe from your...other family?" I winced slightly at her hopeful expression, hating to disappoint.
"I would love that, but I already promised Neal I'd meet his fiancée over dinner, sorry. Will you be alright alone tonight?" I asked in a concerned tone that Regina quickly waved off.
"Of course darling." She responded, making her way towards the kitchen. "Go, have fun. I'll see you in the morning. We can do dinner tomorrow." I grinned back at her.
"Sounds good mom."
Neal had picked a little Italian place a few blocks over from Granny's, and I decided to walk, not wanting to have to pick up my bike in the morning if I had a drink or two. The entire way there, my stomach was filled with nervous butterflies, and as I pushed the door to the restaurant open, I distantly wondered what it would have been like to meet Alice's girlfriend or boyfriend like this.
Pushing those thoughts down as I was led over to a table, I found myself mildly surprised as I set my eyes on Neal, a pretty woman who looked a few years older than me (who I assumed was his fiancée), and Henry. Neal got up as I approached, pulling me in for a tight embrace when I was within reach.
"Hope you don't mind," He muttered in my ear as he hugged me. "Henry's been bouncing off of the walls to talk more with you." I shook my head as he pulled back, flashing a grin towards my nephew.
"Not an issue Neal, don't worry about it." I murmured back, before turning towards the boy in question. "Nice to see you again Henry." He grinned, launching himself at me in a hug, which I didn't hesitate to return. I glanced over at the woman who had stood to greet me.
She was pretty, with long brown hair and smooth dark skin. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she sent a welcoming smile my way, and I responded in kind, releasing Henry with a pat, and taking a few steps over to shake her hand.
"Tamara I presume? Lovely to meet you." I said, taking note of the nervous look that passed over her eyes as she took my hand in hers. "Valkyrie Cain, this idiot's younger sister."
"Hey!" Neal exclaimed in mock outrage. I ignored him, grinning teasingly towards Tamara as I released her warm hand from mine.
"How on earth does a woman as beautiful as you end up with a man like him anyhow?" I asked jokingly, moving to sit in the seat across from her and next to Henry. Amusement colored her eyes.
"You should be asking how I ended up with a man as wonderful as him." She said sweetly, exchanging a loving glance with Neal. He smiled back down at her.
"We both got lucky I suppose." He murmured, planting a soft kiss on her cheek. Neal glanced back over to Henry and I with a grin, but I kept my eyes on Tamara for a moment longer.
There was something in the way Tamara watched Neal as he glanced away that raised every single hair on the back of my neck, but I forced down any outward reaction that I might have had, raising a glass of water towards her.
"Well cheers to that, and congratulations to both of you." My eyes cut over to Neal, who looked relieved at the casual tone of our conversation. "How have you been enjoying Storybrooke? From what Neal's said, I've only been here a few days longer than you two, but maybe our resident expert can give us some insight." I said, nudging Henry gently as I took a sip of water.
That apparently was all the encouragement the young boy needed, and within seconds he was off on a tangent about the origins of the town, and the curse that had created it. I picked up a menu, glancing down at it, and trying to surreptitiously puzzle out Tamara. I didn't know what was sending up red flags with her, but I was bound and determined to figure out what it was.
We had dropped Tamara off at Granny's first, after she'd claimed that she could feel a migraine coming on. As we pulled up to David and Mary-Margaret's apartment building, (where Emma and Henry were surprisingly also staying), I glanced into the back of the car to be met with the image of my sleeping nephew. I grinned slightly, nudging Neal and nodding towards the sight. He smiled a soft little smile, getting quietly out of the car, and hoisting the sleeping boy over his shoulder. He leaned down towards my window, whispering, "I'll be right back."
Neal turned and disappeared into the building with Henry, and I got out to lean against his car, enjoying the cool evening air as it swirled around me. It was moments like these, with the feeling of imminent rain in the air, that I truly began to miss being an Elemental. I tilted my head to the sky. Nothing beats the feeling of watching a Necromancer or an Adept struggle to stay dry while you hold the power to redirect raindrops before they can come anywhere close to hitting you.
Faster than I would have thought, my brother reappeared, a puzzled look on his face as he approached.
"You alright?" I called out, moving to get back in the front seat as he got closer. He nodded, glancing back at the apartment building.
"Yeah, just something Emma said." He muttered, sliding into the car. His hand hesitated on the keys in the ignition, and, after a moment, he turned to me. "Would you ever want to go back?" I frowned.
"Back where?"
"The Enchanted forest." At my surprised look, Neal sighed. "From what Emma was saying, it seems like they've found a way back, and are planning on going back. How soon, I can't say but…" He trailed off, watching my blank face for a reaction.
I opened and closed my mouth several times, trying to put into words the way I was feeling at his news. "It's not that… I certainly want to go back, for a visit or to just see what the Enchanted Forest is like now, but…" I bit my lip, looking up at my sibling. "My friends are here, my family, I've built my entire life here, I can't just…" Neal grabbed my hand, nodding along as I spoke.
"I get it." He murmured, clutching my hand tightly. "Earth is my home too. But if Emma decides to take Henry back, I…" Neal rubbed his free hand over the nape of his neck. "I refuse to abandon my son like... like how he abandoned us. Just, just think about it, will you?" I gave a small nod, and he sighed, letting go of my hand to turn the keys in the ignition. "Alright, enough serious talk, let's get you home, ok?"
I smiled back with uncertainty. "Ok." And as we drove off, I let my mind wander to the life I might have in the world I'd been born into.
Hook had had absolutely no interest or intention of ever coming back to the town of Storybrooke. The crocodile was dead, there was nothing for him there.
But, of course, sometimes these things aren't up to me, he had mused some time earlier, as the back of the van that he had been in was pulled open, the bright light from a flashlight blinding him momentarily. The two idiots who had apparently kidnapped him had been standing there, talking mildly about him as if he hadn't even been there. He grunted through the gag in his mouth, trying for the hundredth time to wiggle out of his bonds before a heavy object flashed across his face, and he was knocked out cold.
Now, he found himself waking up strapped to an uncomfortable wooden chair, ropes pulling tightly against his chest and feet as he shifted. A hood obscured his vision, but Hook could still hear the slight creaking of the floor around him as someone else in the room shifted their weight.
"Actually," Hook called out irritably, hoping his captors were within hearing range. "I prefer it with the lights on." The hood was immediately ripped off of his head, and the man winced at the sudden light, ducking his head slightly. "I've spent enough time below deck to not be afraid of the dark, so if this is your idea of torture, well…" he trailed off, clicking his tongue, taking note of the giant, broken clock face that sat across from him, spilling moonlight across the small room. "You're just gonna have to try a little harder." Hook turned his head, meeting the sharp brown eyes of the woman who had taken him from the closet he had been locked in in New York and stuffed him into the van that had taken him back to Storybrooke.
The other man in the room, a pale fellow with bright blue eyes, piped up, and Hook's eyes snapped to him. "Torture you? No, we just wanna offer you a job." Hook scoffed at that.
"Oh. And then you're gonna let me go?" He laughed mockingly, looking between the two. "Oh, I'm sorry. I already did that last job. I killed Rumpelstiltskin. I'm sated. Replete. My life's purpose met." The woman tilted her head in thought.
"I wish I could've been there, to see you stab the Dark One." She grinned slightly.
"Well," Hook responded, pleased that word had apparently spread, and others had heard of what he'd done. "Look who's up to speed."
"I'm a quick learner."
"Well, then you know my work is done." The man, who had been pacing up until this point pivoted, came in close, grabbing the back of the chair.
"Yeah, I don't think so." He said, dragging the chair up to the empty clock face with the help of the woman, and pointing out onto the street below. "Take a look." The woman pulled out a telescope, which Hook reluctantly grabbed, and used to look out onto the town. The sight that met Hook as he glanced out onto the shitty little town enraged him.
"No." he whispered furiously as he watched the Dark One and his pretty little love exit a bar together, laughing inconsequentially. "No!" The telescope was ripped out of his grip by the woman.
"He's alive, Hook." The pair dragged him back towards the banister, the man leaning in towards him.
"He beat you. Now this guy has some powerful magic, mate." The man spat out. "He's untouchable. You'll never get another chance to take him down." Hook sneered at that.
"Oh, I will. I will indeed."
"Not unless we help you." The woman cut in.
"How can you help me?" Hook said, glaring at the two. The woman sighed.
"We know how to kill magical creatures." A long beat of silence passed before Hook exhaled deeply.
"And the price?"
"I need you to help me find someone." The man said with quiet determination. "My father—he was taken in this town a long time ago." Hook frowned at that.
"Why the bloody hell do you think I'd be able to help you find your father?"
"Because you know the woman that took him." The other man spat out. "Regina." The two men regarded each other for a moment before the nameless man reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver hook, waving it in front of Hook. "Do we have a deal?"
Hook nodded reluctantly, and as the woman reached down and began untying him, he smirked internally. Perhaps he'd make time to track down Miss Cain for another round.
