"Man I really don't envy you there, Z."
Zarek Jones sighed and ran a hand through his thick nearly black hair. His apartment was empty finally, his fiancé having just left to get some food before the storm hit their New York abode.
"Any suggestions? Brother to brother? Anything?"
Henry laughed on the other end of the line. Zarek heard the high pitch laughter of his niece, little Paige, in the background and someone else yelling.
"One sec, Z. Alice check on your sister! Mary-Alice Mills go and check on Paige! God, Z you sure you want to get yourself into this stuff? I let you take the girls for the weekend and I think you'll regret your decision."
Zarek laughed at his older brother. "Still not the same. Besides I've babysat those two enough times already. Ship them over to Liam."
Henry snorted. "Liam? Please, I wouldn't leave my goldfish with him."
"Understatement. But really Henry. I'm bringing her home this weekend and I have no idea how to break it to her. I mean how the hell do I explain our family? It's bad enough I can claim Captain Hook is my father and my mother is the daughter of Snow White and good old Prince Charming but throw in your half of the mix with the six parents and the same age thing and magic. God magic…How the hell am I going to break it to her?"
Henry sighed on the other side. He wanted to help his brother, he really did. All along Henry had tried to guide and protect his younger siblings and being nearly fifteen years older than them all didn't help either. He almost felt like the in-between parent that they all ran to for help.
"I really can't offer you any advice, Z. Honestly. I thought it was bad enough trying to bring Grace in with just how nuts our family is on a regular basis but throw in not knowing anything about our world…"
"I know, I know." He paused and glanced over at a photograph of himself and his fiancé, Sarah, at a local pub. God how he tried to not fall for her but he failed in the end. She had wormed her way into his heart in the end. As much as he didn't want to get attached to someone on the outside it was a part of what attracted him to her. She didn't understand magic, she didn't realise the costs and balances that made the world go round. She didn't know how to fight with a sword or shoot a gun. She didn't understand politics and didn't have to worry about 'the people'. Sarah Grey was a perfectly ordinary woman. She had plain brown hair and eyes, medium height and came from a simple family of civil servants, a simple nuclear family of her parents, herself and a brother. God just how plain and simple and easy it was being with her. Just the two of them. School took up most of their days, himself in his last year of pre-med at NYU and she in a Literature major, then coming home to cheap and simple meals, curling up on the couch to watch pirated movies and tv shows because they were too poor to afford cable for their basement apartment.
Simple, plain, ordinary…and totally fake.
He wasn't the typical twenty-three year old pre-med student from a family of six that he always went by. He was related to some of their world's most well-known heroes and villains. He had learnt to sail, navigate and survive from Captain Hook, learnt archery from Robin Hood and sword play from Prince Charming. He had learnt to control his innate magic by the 'Evil Queen' and Rumplestiltskin and politics/ public speaking from Snow White (as well as helping control his nervous stutter) and many tips and tricks along with a healthy respect for books from the Lady Belle. Hell even after choosing to peruse medicine for the sake of helping others, he had accepted guidance and the knowledge passed down from Dr. Frankenstein himself. He had been groomed from early on to be a leader, both he and his uncle James.
Early on it had been worked out that once the portal to the Forest would be able to be held open between the two worlds, the adults would plan out the reorganization of the kingdoms. Most royalty had gone back to their own kingdoms, swearing a treaty of peace between all those that had been effected by the curse, most of them having ties that now crossed kingdoms and a bond that had been formed from years together. One problem though was left on the hands of David and Snow. Two kingdoms to rule between them, too far apart to be ruled under one monarch. Both knew that Regina would have to step down after all that had happened, most people even disputed her maintaining her own family's titles and wealth but she remained a Lady under the kingdom of the new Queen Snow and thus protected. But what to do with the Kingdom once held by King George?
The solution before the curse would have been quite easy. As most monarchs, they would have left the one kingdom to one of their children to co-rule as a family. Zarek's mother turned that down in a heartbeat. Henry too, turned down the title. Having lived most of his life in the other realm, he did not feel comfortable taking such a leadership role and by that time he had already become entrenched in what would later become his own career and family. Now it would be left to the next generation. James and Eva had been brought up as young children to know that they would one day step into a leadership role. Zarek and his siblings too had been gently guided into leadership from a young age. Both Emma and Killian had agreed to allow their children the choice of becoming the ruler should the opportunity arrive. All three had been prepared should it ever arise and for Zarek-as eldest-, it had.
The kingdom once belonging to King George needed a leader. David and Snow had tried for years to leave others in charge with little success, the kingdom –just as all the others- still recovering from the curse and needed a firm guiding hand. Instead, the pair jumped back and forth and separated at times in attempt to rule but it put a strain on the two. James had been named heir to Snow's kingdom where his parents ruled but the other remained open. Eventually, while Zarek was still in his early teens, his grandfather had sat him down and explained. Explained that he was a Prince by birth- he had known his already- and that sometimes it meant stepping up and taking that responsibility. He had been told the risks and challenges he would face as a young leader but Zarek had agreed. After his schooling was finished, in less than one year, he was to return and accept the position of King.
Before leaving Storybrooke, Zarek had been proud that everyone thought that he would become a great king, always being told of his level head and knack for understanding the people. He knew his role and place in life and was looking forward to the day that he could serve the kingdom, one day ruling side by side with his best friend and uncle, James. He had gone into medicine thinking he would then be able to serve on the lines during the tail end battles with the ogres, his magic giving him quite an edge to save those who otherwise would have been lost (bring back from the dead, no but saving those very close to it he had been able to do).
But now…after these wonderfully simple three years with Sarah in New York things had changed. Zarek still knew he wanted to be King but he faltered. Now he had more to think about than himself, he had to think about his fiancé.
"Have you tried to tell her anything?"
His brother's voice on the other end jolted Zarek from thought. He rubbed at his face. "No. Well, kind of. I got her to read the books you and Grace wrote. We talked about them and even that didn't go over well…"
"Wait? She didn't like our books?"
Zarek's lip tugged up at the corner. If there was one thing Henry defended more than his family, it was his books. "Yeah, she liked Grace's well enough, said that she had read them to her nephew but your novels…said they were a little unbelievable."
A rather undignified snort came through the phone. "Unbelievable my ass. It happened!"
And it had. Henry had done his best to write the tales since their mother arrived in Storybrooke, changing names and the like but maintaining the basic tales. Telling his own story on Neverland and the battles thereafter. For the masses, it was a huge hit. Grace had taken a similar approach but rather chose to write for the children. She took the classic tales and wrote in the development which made villains less villainess and seeing the flaws and mistakes made by the heroes. Making them all human again.
"Yeah well the two of you can have that discussion when we get home."
"Home? Z, it's is in the Forest this year. I thought Mom told you?"
God, nothing could go right, could it? "Well at least it'll make her have to believe it after jumping through a magic portal and all."
"Always looking on the bright side aren't you…"
"It's my gift."
The doorknob giggled loudly and a muffled sound came through the door. Sarah was back.
"Hey Henry, I'm going to have to let you go but I'll see you this weekend."
He hung up as Sarah walked through the door. Together they moved in the synchronized pattern that living together had caused them to develop. Putting away groceries morphed into preparing dinner, eating dinner then settling in together before the tv.
Zarek sighed and ran his hand through her hair as she laid against his chest with their legs stretched out on the couch. This is what he had become used to. This was what he had always wanted. Someone who he could have these simple moments with, someone with who the silence was comforting as just their presence was enough. It was what he had grown up around. His own parents were a True Love pair, his grandparents, his aunt and uncle…all of them had their one who felt this good. They had all seen it, he and all his siblings and aunts/uncles/cousins…seen the small simple smiles and the comforting touches that made their parents just happy inside and out. He had always wanted that for himself and he had found it in Sarah.
"What are you thinking?" she asked. Brown eyes turned from the tv to him, scanning his face and reached up to smooth out the lines in his brow then lightly ran her thumb over his trimmed beard.
"Just thinking about introducing you to my family."
She smiled at him and rested her chin on his chest. "It'll be fine. I met your mother for coffee the last time she came by and it went well."
"Yeah well…she's the most normal of the lot."
Sarah pushed herself up and placed a light kiss. "They raised a smart, beautiful and downright perfect man like you. How weird could they possibly be?"
The week had gone well enough. Eventually the inevitable had come and the pair packed up their car and Zarek headed home. The drive had been pleasant enough but all too soon he found himself near the edge of the boundary. The energy from it surged through him, sending all nerves on end. Even after all these years it still remained, still protected the town at the same time as holding back most of its residence. Of course, as it always had been, those who were not placed directly under the curse were able to move freely over it. Before, that had left a very few handful of people with whom he generally was related it but now after so many years and a good number of people choosing to remain the small town a new group of people had been born into the town and- just as Henry had shown years before-they were able to leave. Not all had the same reaction he did when crossing the boundary, no, it was because of the old magic surging through him, stronger than even his mother's from the compounding purity of True Love, a second generation of it. His magic, like that of his brother and sister was far stronger than any could have imaged and had to be worked with carefully from a young age with both Aunt Regina and Mr. Gold (as everyone was too terrified to call him Uncle Rumple, Aunt Belle kept insisting though…) to learn to control it.
God just another thing to tell her…
"Why did you stop?"
Zarek shook out of his thoughts and looked over at Sarah who stared at him, eyebrow raised in confusion. He had indeed, stopped on the road, bumper just nudging up against the barrier. The grip on the steering wheel had turned his knuckled white. Without replying he continued driving into Storybrooke, an intense wave rushed over him as he now was in a land of magic. His powers returned in a heartbeat, instant head rush. As he breathed out he felt the energy within him once again. God how he missed it.
"Nearly there," he commented nervously.
"Are you sure? There doesn't seem to be anything out here. I mean how remote is this place? It's not even on a map."
He chuckled...oh and it better stay that way. "I'm sure."
Soon the small cozy town peaked out behind the forest and Sarah took his hand in hers. Driving down the streets, mindlessly turning the corners until eventually Zarek found himself parking in his parent's driveway, in his childhood home.
"Is anyone here?" Sarah asked. She grabbed her one bag from the back seat and peered into the window. "I mean, cars are here but there doesn't seem to be anyone in."
Zarek sighed. Oh he knew what that meant. It meant that Henry was right and apparently he had picked the worst year to bring someone new in.
"Yeah, my brother called this week and said that they were going to be in the Forest for this Thanksgiving."
"The forest?"
He shrugged and headed inside. Indeed the house was empty but left as tidy as it always was. The quaint three bedroom home of his childhood was beautifully decorated as well. His grandmother and father must have spent hours on it.
"So where am I putting my bags?" Sarah shouldered her purse and closed the door behind her and stared at awe in the foyer.
"Just leave them in the car. We're not staying here. I just had to stop by and drab a few things I'll be needing." He ducked upstairs, taking them two at a time and quickly opened his old room. Sword, dagger, Forest clothing…he changed as quickly as he could, might as well do it now because as soon as they arrived he'd be dragged somewhere.
"So are we camping out in the middle of the fall then?"
Zarek looked up from adjusting his belt and scabbard. The clothing still fit as well as before, the high quality leather and fabric made for a Prince.
"What the hell is that?" she looked him up and down.
"I'll explain later?" he tried, sheathing his sword and dagger.
"Why do you look like someone from a convention?"
He laughed and pulled her in close. "I'll explain later."
She puffed out and blew at her bangs. "What's with this later stuff?"
He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Just…just trust me ok?"
"Fine."
"This is impossible."
Zarek sighed and wrapped his arms around Sarah. It had taken an hour to talk her into following him into Regina's crypt and another two to try and calm her down after he opened the private portal of his family
"Not impossible, just….unusual?"
She shot him an exasperated look. "It's impossible"
He shook his head and unwrapped the bindings he had placed on the open wound. This portal required a specific code…fresh blood from a small select number of people, namely his family. As Regina had explained, having the ability to open a portal at will between the two worlds required a price and this seemed to be the easiest compromise. The other portal, the larger one which the citizens could use, only opened once a month during the hour of the highest moon…the strongest time for it.
"You should keep that covered," Sarah reached again for the binding he had taken off, the wound opened by his dagger.
"No I want you to see this." Zarek held out his palm, still bleeding quite freely and waved his other hand over it. The wound sealed, the skin knitted together perfectly and no trace of the deep cut remained. He heard her gasp and he grabbed for her hand with his now healed one.
"It's not impossible. Just different. This is the world I came from, Sarah. And you have become my world now. I don't want to lose either of you."
Sarah traced his unmarked hand then looked up. Her brown eyes wide, deer caught in a headlight but soon she nodded.
"Okay. Okay, Show me your world."
Hello! I am NOT dead! Whoo hoo! But I am just finished up my FINAL final of my undergrad! Yippie! So here is pt1 of Zarek's chapter and I am also posting a chapter for 'Kiss it Better' in a few short minutes. So again thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this and any of my other OUAT shots and I beg you to continue. Also!If anyone has any better ideas for a title of these collections please shoot me a PM or in the comments. So again thank you so much to everyone and wish me luck on my final final!