Thank you so much for the reviews on the first chapter of this fic! It means a lot, I really appreciate your feedback.
Time for another chapter... more will be revealed about the past, the present and certain beginnings. Flashbacks will be in italics.
Enjoy!
Chapter 2: Waking Up
Wendy reached out and took Peter's hand before they both fell asleep. There was a great whooshing sound and a fog of thick smoke covered the land. The darkness was everywhere.
Suddenly she woke up in a daze. The bright morning light shone through the wide windows in the white-walled room. Soft white sheets covered her and she had a needle and a tube sticking out of her hand. She went to rip it out, but a hand stopped her.
"There there, dear," said a kind yet sharp voice. She looked up to see a woman with short dark hair and a smart gray suit on.
"Who are you?" the girl asked, confused. Her mind stretched for a name for that face. A face that wore dark lipstick and a frown.
"I'm Regina Mills, the Mayor," said the woman.
"Oh, yes, sorry," she replied, a cog turning in her brain and answering her previous question. She must have hit her head pretty hard when she... now, what had she done?
"Wendy!" a boy yelled, bursting through the door.
Regina frowned in confusion at this.
"Who..." the girl stammered, "Who's Wendy?"
"I-" the boy began. He had short brown hair and the brightest green eyes. He was tall and lean and wore a dark green sweater and scruffy blue jeans. "I don't know," he muttered, eyes hazing over as his memories returned, "Sorry, Kellie."
Kellie... wait- she was Kellie, yes, that's right.
"It's OK," Kellie said, wondering what he was sorry for. Suddenly she experienced the feeling of being smacked in the head.
A flash of pictures and memories flooded through her head like a movie.
Playing on the swings in the park when she was five.
Wondering why she didn't have parents like the other children.
Being an only child.
Arriving in Storybrooke to be fostered.
Her foster mother, Ingrid.
And... that boy, his name was Ryder.
That morning, tripping and falling off the pier, hitting her head on a rock at the bottom.
"Oh," she said in realization, "Do I have concussion? Because I just, like, forgot everything, then remembered everything..."
"Yes, that's right, Kellie," said Regina, "But you're all better now."
Ryder came and sat on the edge of her bed. Regina got up and left.
"I really am sorry, you know," he said sincerely.
"Shut up, Ryder," Kellie said irritably, "I was your fault."
"I didn't know you'd go head first off the pier!" he exclaimed, standing up.
"You were the one who stuck out your foot," Kellie said, "to trip me up."
"Well, I'm sorry!" he said sarcastically.
"Well, I'm telling Ingrid."
"Well, I'm telling her it wasn't my fault."
"Well, I'm telling her it was."
"Shut up, Kellie."
"Shut up, Ryder."
"What's going on here?" said a small sweet voice. In had walked a woman with very short back hair and a kind smile. She looked like the sort of person you would find in a fairytale story, talking to fairies. It was Miss Blanchard, who taught at the school.
"Ryder tripped me up," Kellie said indignantly, "And I fell into the sea!"
"It wasn't my fault," Ryder said, beginning to well up.
"Now, now," said Miss Blanchard, "If it wasn't for Ryder, you wouldn't be here now, in the hospital, getting better."
"If it wasn't for him-"
"Don't talk like a child, Kellie," she chided, "It will all be fine. Ingrid will be here soon and you can go home tomorrow."
"OK," Kellie sighed, scowling at Ryder, who bravely scowled back at her. The pair of them, they were in their teens now, but still squabbled like little kids. But they loved every minute of it.
Kellie Perkins stomped down the sidewalk, arms folded in front of her. She just wanted to get home and lock herself in her room to read her books.
"Hey, Kellie!"
"Go away, Wayne." Kellie didn't even have to turn around to guess who it was. That same whining voice that lived down the street and followed her around.
A tall lanky boy with pale blond hair caught up with her. He slung an arm about her shoulders and acted like her best friend. She irritably shrugged him off.
"What do you want, Wayne?" she muttered, trying to walk faster and leave him behind.
"I need help with my Algebra, Kellie," he said meaningfully.
"What?" she snapped.
"I need your help, Kellie," he said.
"Why should I help you, Wayne?" she asked, "I said I'm done helping you."
"I don't seem to remember-"
"It was back in the fifth grade, I said I wouldn't take your crap anymore. You have nothing on me."
"Oh, really," he said in an evil way, "Then I don't suppose you would want me telling Ryder about your little crush you had on him in the third grade?"
"That was the third grade, like, way before he sent me head first off the pier," Kellie retorted, "I'm pretty sure that crush ended years ago."
"What if I tell him about the crush you have on him now?"
"I don't-" she caught his eye. "I hate that boy."
"It won't matter if I tell him, then." When this didn't work, Wayne resorted to bribery. "I'll pay you."
Kellie brightened. "No, paying seems too... dishonest. But there's this new book I want..."
"I'll buy it for you," he offered.
"OK," she said, getting out a scrap of paper from her pocket and writing down the title and author of the book. "Try the local bookshop."
"So, shall I give you it now-"
"Drop your exercise book round later when you come to see Ryder," she said, "Put it under the plant pot in the hallway."
She glanced at him.
"Be discreet," she added.
"Please," he muttered, before turning and walking off down the street to where they lived. Kellie continued down the main street, to Granny's Diner.
"Hey, Ruby," she greeted the young woman on her way in.
"Kellie," said Ruby, pleased to see her friend. Ruby was in her early twenties, but was good friends with Kellie, despite her still being in school.
"I'll have a hot cocoa, please, Ruby," Kellie said, sitting down at the bar. She glanced to her left, and Leroy, a short man with an equally short temper, sat there.
"Kellie," he scoffed, taking a swig of beer.
"Hello, Leroy," Kellie said nervously. "Actually, Ruby, I'll find somewhere else to sit."
"Sure, Kellie," she said with a smile, "Do you want cinnamon with that?"
"Um, no thanks," said Kellie, "Henry's the only one who takes cinnamon with his cocoa.
Kellie turned and saw Henry sitting alone in one of the booths, reading that same old story book. She went over to sit opposite him.
"Oh, hi, Wendy," he said, smiling widely. He had a mug of hot cocoa, topped with cinnamon, which he had drunk about half of.
"Hi, Henry," Kellie laughed. Kellie had known Henry since he was seven, and he was ten years old now. The two had bonded over being orphans and never having met their parents. Kellie often talked to him at Granny's when he was there. But she knew he was the Mayor's son, so didn't want to get too friendly, only because she didn't want Henry to get in trouble for hanging out with kids like her. "Still reading that book?"
"This is more than just a book," he said, finishing his cocoa.
The door swung open and the bell tinkled. Kellie looked up to see Regina Mills walk in.
"Oh, watch out," Kellie whispered, "Evil Queen at your six o'clock."
Henry jumped, turning to see his mom come up behind him.
"Oh, hey, mom," he said.
"Henry, it's time to come home for dinner," she said. She then noticed Kellie. "Oh, Kellie, isn't it?" she asked.
"Um, yes," Kellie stammered, smiling awkwardly.
"I didn't know you were a friend of Henry's," Regina said. "I'm sorry if I injured you this morning."
"Oh, no, I'm just fine, Madame Mayor," Kellie said.
"Oh, good," said Regina, a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Come along, Henry, perhaps Kellie could come to visit another time."
"Oh, yes, that would be cool," said Henry, getting up and tucking his book under one arm.
"Bye, Henry," said Kellie, watching him walk out of the diner.
"She gives me the chills," said Ruby, placing Kellie's coffee in front of her.
"I know what you mean," said Kellie, wrapping her hands around her hot cocoa.
Ruby flicked her long dark hair to one side. She was wearing thick black eyeliner and had red streaks in her hair. She wore high heels and a short red skirt with the rest of her work uniform.
"It so sucks that you're still in school, Kellie," she said, leaning on the back of the bench. "We should really hand out more."
"I know," said Kellie, still thinking about dinner with the Mayor. "I'm stuck in school for another year."
"If you wanted some extra cash," Ruby said, "You could always work here, Granny would sure hire you."
"Really?" Kellie marveled, "Thanks, Ruby." She gave her friend a hug. Ruby went back behind the counter to take another order and left Kellie thinking about her future.
Hope y'all liked. Hope you enjoyed the insight into Peter and Wendy's "past memories" of each other, and what did Felix/Wayne used to have on Wendy/Kellie? Next chapter will be up soon.
Cheers xx
