Chapter 4

An Old Friend

Ever since the curse had broken, Daniel Hyde spent weeks penetrating the town of Storybrooke for Rachel Bates, but had no such luck. She vacated her apartment and never appeared at her dance studio since their most recent date. He knew very well she was quite skilled at hiding. She has always been. However, this time was different. With all the citizens of Storybrooke trapped within the town boarder, she could not leave. Daniel marched the town with determination. She will not get away, not this time.

Hyde's plan began with Jefferson, the Mad Hatter. He knew his daughter, Grace (known as Paige in this world), took dance classes with Rachel. Back in the Enchanted Forest, he would sometimes travel with the Mad Hatter through his hat to other worlds. He found Jefferson sitting on a park bench, while his daughter played out in the fields.

"Jefferson," Hyde greeted, calmly, as he approached the bench.

"Dr. Hyde," Jefferson replied with a brief smile, "or would you prefer me to call you Jekyll as you went by at home? I seriously doubt you would want me to call you by your original name before all your magical madness. I suppose you're still hunting down the same girl, now that you have your memories back."

"She goes by Rachel Bates in this world," Daniel Hyde said with a sigh. "I believe your daughter took classes at her dance school."

Jefferson shrugged and stood up. "That was back when she didn't know she was my daughter. I'm afraid I can't help you."

Daniel let out an impatient huff. "Have you tried taking Grace to her studio since the curse broke?"

"Once," Jefferson replied, "But we didn't find anything. The place appeared completely deserted. I have no idea where she could be."

"Damn," Hyde muttered under his breath.

Again, Jefferson shrugged and started to walk away, but then turned around and made a face. "Why don't you just let it go?" he asked, holding his arms out. "You know, move on. Maybe try to find a new hobby?"

"I can't," Daniel Hyde said, darkly, clenching his blackened hand. "I just can't."

"Right," Jefferson muttered, nodding towards the pharmacist's ash burnt arm. "You turned yourself into this, you know. First, you take meds from Dr. Frankenstein in the Land With No Color that completely changes your personality and then you take on a curse from Rumplestilskin. It's madness!"

Daniel looked down and sighed but did not say anything.

"You know, some people see the queen's curse as a chance to begin a new life," Jefferson went on. "Maybe you can try to see it that way also and start over. Perhaps try to find the man you once were if he's still in there."

Dr. Daniel Hyde shook his head and let out another deep breath. "That man is gone."

xXx

Rachel spent the next several months moving from place to place in Storybrooke. Over time, she had learned that the key to not being found was not lingering in the same location for too long. She spent some time towards the outer edge of the town where less people lived.

Recently, she had moved in back towards inner part of Storybrooke, close to where the mayor lived. She had thought about going to Regina for assistance. Now that magic was back in this little town, the queen would be a powerful ally. She had learned that Regina was trying to change. However, the queen's moods have always been unpredictable. She may, at first, act as though she is helping and then double-cross her or simply change her mind. Rachel had too much to lose to depend on that.

She remembered after the curse broke, she caught Regina standing in front of her studio just before Rachel herself made a run for it. She had no idea what could have possibly been going through the former mayor's mind at that moment. Rachel sighed as she would likely never know.

Rachel figured Dr. Hyde already searched this part of town in detail so she stayed a little longer. She overheard Gold telling Dr. Whale, in his shop, that Dr. Hyde currently searched for her towards the town border. Her timing was flawless.

As Rachel wondered around the side of the hospital, she thought of the one person who might just help her now. However, she has not seen any sign of him in Storybrooke before or after the curse. By this point she had lost all hope that he was even here.

Letting out a deep sigh, Rachel kicked a pebble towards the hospital wall. Part of her wished Regina would somehow find a way to wipe away everyone's memories again so she would not have to spend the rest of her life running and hiding. Although after all the years in the Enchanted Forest, she had grown pretty used to it.

The night was so silent Rachel felt as though if she made a sound glass would shatter. That silence, however, was soon interrupted by a clatter of urgent voices. To see the commotion, Rachel peered out from the side of the hospital to see two men on stretchers being rolled in to the front of the building. The first man, Rachel did not recognize, but the second…

It's him! Rachel thought, her heart pounding. He is here!

After they all went in, Rachel tiptoed in behind them and lingered off to the side, unnoticed. She followed the stretcher to the small patient room and crouched down outside behind a cart full of used smocks, waiting for everyone to leave. The moment Emma Swan left and locked the door, she stood up and went to that door. She pulled a bobby pen out of her hair and used it to pick the lock open.

She found her old friend asleep and chained to the bed. She considered using her bobby pen to pick his lock open, but he did not appear to be in good enough condition to walk out. Rachel could not afford to leave any evidence that she had been here.

She sat on the bed beside him and gently stroked his forehead.

"Killian?" Rachel spoke, gently, briefly swinging her head behind to make sure no one was there. "Killian, please wake up. I don't have much time."

He began to stir. Rachel could tell by the way he moved, he was in a lot of pain. After a few moments passed, he slowly lifted his eyelids. The cut near his right eye began to crinkle.

"Killian?" Rachel repeated. "Do you remember me?"

Killian let out a brief chuckle before replying, "How could I forget the woman who had such a vast impact on my life? It sure is nice to see you again…" he let out a hollow cough before finishing with, "Odile."

A/N: In case you are not familiar with 'Swan Lake,' Odile is Odette's evil twin in the story. So yes, this whole time you have been getting the perspective of the Black Swan. So you do you think Dr. Hyde is now (aside from the Jekyll/Hyde reference)? What happened to Odette? Your questions will be answered soon. Thank you for reading and please review!