I grunted as I raised my fingers to touch my lip. I always knew how dangerous was to work with Rumple, but I guess now that we couldn't use magic it was more hard. And I guess I hadn't realized that before.
"You okay, dear?" Mr. Gold asked.
"Ugh, yeah," I said, looking at my fingers. A delicate line of bright red blood was scattered on my hand. I grunted again, cursing softly. Now I'll have to explain to Mrs. Grace why I came home from my job with my lip like this...
Mr. Gold turned to the man in front of us. The man was knocked unconscious, but I had a bad feeling about him. Even knocked down he looked pretty dangerous. He was bulky and big. Extremely big. If he woke up we'll have no chance against him. Not without magic.
"What did he do, again?" I asked as I stood by Mr. Gold's side. He was glancing down at the man too. When I asked him, he glanced up at me and gave a sour smile.
"He remembers," was all Mr. Gold said.
I looked at the man again. "He remembers?"
Mr. Gold nodded. I frowned. Every once in a while someone like him appeared, someone that remembered, but usually, the Evil Queen—
"No!" I said, turning to Mr. Gold. "This is not your work, it's Regina's!"
"Yes," Mr. Gold admitted softly. "Regina asked me to take care of this man—"
"And you asked me to come with you!" I said incredulously. A horrible bubbling sensation of anger burning in my stomach. I tried to stay calm, but when I talked my voice sounded as hard as iron. "Rumple. You know I don't work for her. You know that."
Mr. Gold sighed. "Still not over him, dearie?—"
"No," I said. "Just as you're still not over Belle."
That was a low blow, and I knew it. His eyes darkened, and he looked at me deadly serious. For a moment, I though he might hit me with his cane, but he simply just looked away after a moment.
"I'm sorry," I said after a while. He missed Belle probably as much as I missed Jefferson. And just as I hate to be reminded of him, he must hate to remind Belle, and what could have been between them.
He simply nodded.
I glanced down at the man on the floor. Now that I knew what he was going to be hit for, I didn't really wanted to help Mr. Gold with it.
"I'm sorry, Rumple, but this time I won't be helping you."
I started to move to the door, but his voice interrupted me.
"You're going soft."
I instinctively pursed my lips. That was a bad idea, I grimaced as I tasted my blood, and my lip ached even more. I opened my mouth, and faced Rumple again. He was looking up at me as he knelt over the man with the help of his cane. "All those years as Melanie started to make impact on you?" He said it as an statement, but I could read the question on his eyes. I felt a little bit hurt that he didn't understand my motive. He, from all people, should understand.
I smiled without humour. "No. There's a big difference between going soft, and doing the woman I loath a favour. I'm not helping her. I don't work for her. I work for you. So, when you find something in which I can help, and that it doesn't has anything to do with the Queen...Call me, okay?"
With that, I left Rumple alone with the man.
A couple of hours later, a man entered the local hospital with sings of, what the doctors would call it later after lots of studies of the man, amnesia. Looks like Rumple did the Evil Queen another favour.
...
I went back home rather quickly. I tried to hide the blood from my lips from Mrs. Grace, but she saw it the second I entered our little porch. Her eyes widened widely and she looked like she might faint.
"Oh, dear!" she said, running up to me. I winced as she moved to touch my face.
"Don't touch me, please," I said, raising my hands. Then I saw the hurt starting to build on her eyes, and I quickly fixed it. "It aches a lot."
She softened her expression. Her hand clasped mine and she dragged me to our kitchen, where she proceeded to open the First Aid Kit.
"What happened?" she asked me as she forced me to sit down on one of our chairs.
I sighed. The man, even when we drugged him to capture him, put on a good fight. One of his punches hit me in the face. My lip broke. Thats what happened.
Though, I doubt I could tell that to Mrs. Grace. "You don't wanna know."
She placed a wet moth on with alcohol and other healing things on my lip. I hissed and backed away slowly. Mrs. Grace looked at me apprehensly.
"Dear, is Mr. Gold..." she stopped herself, regained her posture, and continued. "Are you and Mr. Gold..."
I looked at her. "Yes?..."
"Are you and Mr. Gold in a sexual relationship?" she blurted out. "Is he hitting you, dear?"
I didn't know if I should laught or cry or feel weird.
I chose to laugh.
I laughed so hard Mrs. Grace looked even more worried.
"Sure!" I giggled. "He fucks me everyday! You should see how he grabs me by the throat and pushed me in the bed—" Mrs. Grace nearly fainted, and I laughed louder. "I'm kidding, mom! He's just my boss."
Slowly, the colour returned to her face. She breathed in relief, and finished cleaning the blood from my face, to the proceed to gave me a look. "Good," she said. "He's too old for you."
I smiled softly. I though of Jefferson, and our age difference. It wasn't that much, but I'm sure this Mrs. Grace wouldn't approve. I say this one, because the Mrs. Grace back in the Enchanted Forest loved to see Jefferson and me together.
"We don't see each other like that," I said.
"Mmm," she said.
"Are you done?" I asked, yearning to go up my room. I only wanted to throw myself on my bed and sleep, or watch some Netflix.
"Yes," she said, but the way she looked at me made me stay still. She was going to say something. "Is there a boy in your life, Melanie?"
I blinked. Over the last 28 years, she'd never asked me that.
This was something new.
"I don't mean to be nosey, you're a grown up woman already..." Mrs. Grace said. "I just...I realized I don't really know much about you. Ever since we adopted Paige, and you came along..." that sounded bad, even for me.
It was true that since I was already an adult, and Paige was a little girl, we were gonna be separated, (or that's what our curse memories implied) And when that was gonna happen Mr. And Mrs. Grace appeared and they adopted us both...
They didn't needed to "adopt" me too, but they did. And I was grateful for that. Well, my cursed self was grateful for that.
"—All we've know are some little things," Mrs. Grace continued. "But I don't know many things about you, dear, and I'll like to know."
No one, except from Jefferson, had ever taken such interest on me. And that made me feel...weird. I swallowed the weird feeling in my throat.
"What do you want to know?" I asked softly.
"Well, for starters...Do you have a boyfriend, or a love interest?" Mrs. Grace smiled in a way that reminded me to the smile I give at Grace when she hangs out with Henry Mills.
A long silence followed.
How could I explain my love life?
There was one word that could describe it perfectly, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. Instead, I marvelled in the flashbacks. My cursed self didn't had a love life, as pathetic as it sounded. But the real me did.
Did that counted as one?
Can you count a love that you shouldn't be able to remember?
"I had one," I said after a while.
Mrs. Grace grabbed my hand.
I looked down to our intertwined fingers.
"What happened?"
I felt a horrible knot on my throat. I realized it was the first time I was going to talk about Jefferson to someone else besides from Rumple. And with Rumple I didn't really talked about it. I just sort of mentioned him. Back in the Enchanted Forest Grace and I had made a silent vow not to talk about him if we could. We both had hope to see him again, but it was so painful the wait that we decided not to talk about him.
Now? Now I was actually bringing myself to talk about him.
"He died," I said, unable to invent some other shitty thing to say. Jefferson was more important than whatever Mrs. Grace could think. I couldn't bring myself to say anything bad about him, or to even invent some shitty story about us breaking up.
"Oh...oh, dear, I'm sorry," Mrs. Grace said, squeezing my hand and looking up at me with pity and sadness. "I'm so sorry."
I swallowed the knot that was my throat. "Well, yeah, that happens," I tried to smile. "But that's just how life works, isn't it?"
"Was he young?" she asked.
I nodded. "Only a couple of years older than me."
"How long is a couple?"
"Dunno," I said, not wanting to remember anymore. "He was in his early thirties."
"How was he?" Mrs. Grace asked me softly, running circles on my knuckles. Her eyes giving me encouragement to speak. "You know, it'll help the pain if you talk about it with someone..."
"I hardly doubt it" I asked, feeling my eyes ache with tears. I didn't wanted to cry. Not again. Not in front of anyone.
But yet...
"I loved him so much," I blurted out, before Mrs. Grace could say anything. "But he's gone. He's gone and he's not coming back." I swallowed a sob. "Why should I talk about him? It will only make me sadder."
"Dear...—" started Mrs. Grace.
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, mom, please, just...don't."
"Dear—"
"I'm tired," I said, forcing my lips up in a smile. "I'm going to my room."
"Dear—" she sighed. "Just...know I'm here for you, okay?"
I nodded, and left as fast as I could.
In my room, as the door closed, I broke down crying. I cried for Jefferson. And for myself. I cried for Grace too, our little bundle of joys that now was a grown up teen with no memories of us.
I cried until my eyes were dry.
I cried as I heard Paige coming back from school. She sounded so happy as she entered her room, all while talking to mom about her day.
When my foster parents knocked on my door, I feigned to be asleep so they would leave.
I cried until it hurt to cry.
Then I continued crying.
I cried until I fell asleep.
And even in my sleep, nightmares of the past followed me.
...
Artemis gritted her teeth as she tried to walk in that maze that was the forest.
Rumplestiltskin had ordered her to bring Jefferson to his castle. Of course, he forgot to specify the Hatter was in another realm, in a forest full of ugly creatures. So it was up to the young lady to travel to the other realm and search for the stupid man in a stupid forest as big as the Enchanted Forest itself. Artemis was far from angry. She was furious.
A small white cottage appeared in her line of view just a few steps from where she was. She narrowed her eyes.
"He had to ask me to search for him," she was saying in whispers. "Like I don't have better things to do," she scoffed as she approached the house slowly. "Why couldn't he just, like, snap his fingers and poof Jefferson to the Dark Castle, or something like that—" she stopped when a tree branch behind her creaked.
Her muscles tensed. Her neck tickled.
She was being watched.
Another creak.
Artemis dig her hand under her hood slowly, not wanting whoever was there to see her movement. She felt the cold metal under her fingers, and she dragged her dagger out slowly.
"Artemis?"
She spun around, and nearly cut the man's throat. The man was faster, and he clasped the hand. Artemis' dagger fell to the ground with a startling sound."Whoa! Blondie, it's me."
Artemis looked up. "Oh, sorry," her tone sounded everything but sorry.
"Nice to see you, too," Jefferson said sarcastically, removing his hands from hers. "What are you doing here?"
Artemis glared at him as she lowered to retrieve her dragger. As she hide it under her hood again, she looked up at him. "Rumple wants to see you."
Jefferson's face denoted annoyance. "Why didn't he called me himself, then?"
"Do I look like I know?" snapped Artemis, losing her patience. "Just move it, Hatter, I don't have all damn day."
Jefferson glared at her. "Give me a moment."
"No," snapped Artemis. "We're going now."
Jefferson's eyes darkened dangerously. He looked down at the young girl in front of him. He forced himself to stay calm, but it was so hard. Everything about that woman made him lose his temper. "I have something to do. Very important. Now, wait."
He moved, but Artemis grabbed his arm roughly. "I've been hit. I've been nearly raped. I've been humiliated. I am not waiting anymore. We are going. Now."
Jefferson glared at her again. The effect was immediate. He was a head taller than her, and much more strong. He tried not to lose his patience much more, since he'd never hurt a woman, and he certainly wasn't going to anytime soon. He broke from her grasp, and opened his mouth to say something hurtful, probably, but Artemis may never know what he was going to say.
A loud cry filled the air. Artemis froze, and Jefferson gritted his teeth. He didn't wanted Artemis to know...
"What's that?" she asked immediately. "Is that...is that a baby, Jefferson?"
Jefferson didn't answered, instead, he ran to the house. Artemis blinked, and followed him. When she entered she found the hatter with a beautiful baby on his arms. He was talking softly to the baby as he moved from side to side, hugging the baby as he did so. After a while, the baby stopped crying. The baby girl moved slightly, and Artemis could see she wasn't exactly a baby, she could be 2 or 3 years already. The girl had bright blonde hair, beautiful big brown eyes, and nearly had all of her teeth.
Artemis felt a weird sensation on her stomach. Jefferson looked with so much love at that baby...
"She's your daughter?" the words left her mouth without she could stop herself.
Jefferson and the little girl looked at him. The girl seemed to see her for the first time, and she hugged herself to her father, clearly afraid. Jefferson said something on the girl's ear, and the girl nodded. She ran to the other room, leaving Artemis and Jefferson alone.
"Yes," he said a bit to harshly. "She's my daughter."
Artemis swallowed the lump on her throat. She didn't know what she was feeling, but it made her feel confused. "She's very pretty."
Jefferson smiled. The first real smile Artemis ever saw on the Hatter's face. Not the half smirk he always did around Rumple and her, it was a big goofy smile that made his eyes twinkle and his face look ever more handsome.
Artemis swallowed again.
Slowly, Jefferson sighed.
"I can't leave her alone," he said softly, looking into Artemis' eyes. "You understand that, do you?"
"How old is she?"
"Two years old."
It was clear from Jefferson's tone that he hated to tell her all of that. He didn't trusted Artemis. And Artemis certainly didn't trusted Jefferson either. But yet, she kept asking.
"What about the girl's mother?" she asked.
Jefferson pursed his lips. He glanced back, as if to check the little girl wasn't listening. He looked at Artemis again, this time, there was no smile on his face. "She's gone."
Artemis opened her mouth to speak, to then promptly close it. "I'm sorry," she said at last.
"I am too," Jefferson said.
For a moment, they were both silent.
Artemis glanced back at the little girl.
"Is she quiet?" she asked.
Jefferson looked confused for a second. "Uh, Grace? Yes. She's very quiet and nice," he narrowed his eyes. "Why?"
Artemis sighed, and closed her arms. "Go with Rumple, he'll get mad if you don't, and if you're raising a child on your own you'll need the gold. Go. I'll stay with the girl...Grace, right?"
Jefferson crossed his arms too. "What?"
Artemis rolled her eyes, and put her hands on her hips. "Do I need to repeat myself? Beacuse I don't like to."
"I'm not going to left my daughter with a woman—"
"A woman you know for years now," interrupted Artemis raising her eyebrows.
"—A woman I don't trust. A woman who has made horrible things," he continues as if Artemis hadn't talked.
"Should I be offended?" Artemis said.
Jefferson looked dead serious. "Would you trust a woman like you with your only family?"
"No," Artemis said slowly. "I wouldn't."
"Then you got my answer—"
"I'll never hurt a child," Artemis interrupted. "You have my word. I won't hurt the girl. But please, go to Rumple's Castle, it's important."
Jefferson looked at Grace, still inmerse on her game. "Really important?"
Artemis nodded. "That's what he said. And you know how much he pays for those "important" works."
"I don't trust you," Jefferson repeated. "But I need the gold. For Grace. I need to found a proper house for us."
"I know," Artemis said. "I swear I will behave."
It took a while, but Jefferson accepted. He went to the kitchen, said something to his daughter, and went back to where Artemis was.
"You touch her, and I'll kill you." he said.
Artemis just nodded, rolling her eyes. "Just go, Hatter, before I change my mind."
...
Artemis saw the Hatter use his hat to go back to Rumple's castle. She sighed tiredly and turned around. The little girl, Grace, looked at her without blinking. She was hugging her TeddyBear to her chest.
Artemis blinked awkwardly. "Hi, Grace..."
"Hi," said the little girl.
An awkward silence followed.
...
I woke up when Paige jumped on me. I gasped, my eyes snapping open and my heart beating madly. Paige laughed loudly. I had to glance around a couple of times to realise where I was.
I was still on my room.
Still on StoryBrooke.
It was only a dream.
"Ugh, move over!" I yelled as I tried to push Paige off me. "You are too heavy!"
Paige laughed louder. I pushed her, and she jumped to the other side of the bed. She giggled and cuddled up close to me. I turned to the side so we were facing each other. Her beautiful smile seemed to light up the whole room. I smiled, rolling my eyes. "Why so happy, sis?"
I ruffled her hair, causing her to push my hand away. "I'm not happy."
"Yes you are," I said grinning at her happy face. "What happened?"
"Nothing," she tried again, but I simply smirked at her, to which she rolled her eyes and ended giggling again. "Well...I...I kind of have...a date," she admitted.
"Oh, my god!" I exclaimed, looking at Grace with shock. "Oh, my god!"
"I know!" she giggled, clapping excitedly. We sort of giggled together again. I was sensing this was a good day already.
"With who? No! Let me guess," I started to smirk. "Henry Mills!"
Paige's smile disappeared. "No," she said.
I frowned, "Then who's your date?"
She fidgeted with her hands. "His name's Mark, and he's a boy from my class..."
"Why hadn't I heard from him before?" I asked.
"Because we've only started talking some days ago," Paige said. "But he asked me out this morning and...I said yes."
"Mom and dad know?" I asked frowning.
"Uh...kind of...no?" Paige stammered, her cheeks going a delicate shade pink. "That's why I was going you could walk me to the cinema and...I don't know, just, like, stick around, in case I need you..."
"Of course," I said slowly. "When are you supposed to be there?"
"Uh...now?" She smiled at me sheepishly.
I groaned, burring my head on my pillow. "Paige!"
"That's why I woke you up!" she said quickly, still smiling sheepishly. "So you could go with me and...help me."
"Paige, I'm 26 years old and still single," I said. "How am I going to help you?"
"I don't know, I just need you with me," she said. "I'll feel better if you're there...Please?"
"How can I say no to that?" I sighed. "Just let me get dressed."
...
Mark turned out to be a very handsome young man. He was very polite and always smiled at me and talked to me even when I tried to stay away for most of the time. I wanted to give them space.
We walked nearly all StoryBrooke. Paige and Mark talked and laughed while I stayed a couple of steps ahead of them, listening to music as I kept an eye of them.
The sight of the two made me smile. Two 11 years old kids laughing and eating ice cream as they walked around talking and bonding. I seriously couldn't believe my eyes. I was sure if Jefferson was alive, and with us, he'd be jealous and probably followed Mark around until the boy would understand how much he loved his daughter.
That made me sad.
I was able to assist Paige on her first date, but her father wasn't.
The smile disappeared from my face.
"Hey, Melanie!" called Paige.
I looked at her. "Yeah?"
"Can we go to the movies now?"
"Yeah," I said. "C'mon,"
"Wait," Mark said. "I'm waiting for my brother."
"You're brother?" I asked confusedly.
"Yeah, he's late, but he's coming now," Mark said.
"I didn't know...—"
"Oops," said Paige smirking.
Suddenly, I understood. I turned to Paige with a small glare, my hands on my hips. "Paige Grace, you did not just dragged me into a double date!"
"C'mon, Mel! it'll be fun!" Paige said, smiling at me.
I closed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes.
"You have to forget him—" Paige started to say.
I froze, and looked at her. Did she remembered? But her eyes still had that look of easiness. So no, she didn't remembered her real father.
"You eavesdropped," I said. "You heard Mom and me talking last night, did you?"
Paige nodded, "I'm sorry, Melanie, I really am. But you're young, you need to get over him—"
I crunched down to be at Paige's height. I put my hands on her shoulder and give a little squeeze. "Sweetie, I appreciate your concern, but if I hadn't dated, it's not because...it's not because I'm not over him. It's just that I hadn't found the correct guy yet."
"This may be your lucky day, then," said a new voice behind us.
We turned. A handsome young man, maybe my age, was grinning at us. His golden curls shined with the sun, his dark blue eyes twinkled at us. He was built like a surfer, even had a perfect tan.
"This is my brother," said Mark. "James, this is Melanie. Melanie, James."
I rose again, and tried to smile at the man. He came forwards and shook my hand.
"Its a pleasure to meet you, Melanie," James said.
"Likewise," I said.
Mark and Paige quickly chatted excitedly over the movie they wanted to see. I glanced back at James, only to find him still watching me.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, pursing my lips.
"Because you're beautiful," James said. "Nearly as beautiful as Paige described."
I blinked, my mouth opening and then closing. I snorted, more than surprised.
I certainly didn't looked beautiful. That day I had my hair up in a messy bun, and my sweater was bigger than me by a significative difference.
But yet, what made me made snort was the fact that in more than 28 years, no one had ever complimented me.
"What?" James smiled.
"Nothing," I said, smiling back. "Shall we go?"
"Yes, of course, let's go."
On the way to StoryBrooke's Cinema James and I talked a lot. He told me he worked as the life guard at the shore.
When he asked, I told him I worked at Mr. Gold's pawnshop. That always shooed people away, but not James. He sort of shrugged it off, which made me feel frustrated.
I told him I loved reading and watching Netflix all day. He told me he loved reading too, and asked me what my favourite book was.
And guess what? His favourite book was my favourite too.
The questions continued, and every time our answers were more alike than before.
We had so much in common it was frustrating.
...
At the Cinema, I let Paige and Mark choose the movie they wanted to see, and I paid for the tickets. (Yes, I paid. And Mark was the one that "invited" Paige to the movies) As we entered the room, Paige and Mike took seats close to the stairs. I sat two files of seats behind them. James sat by my side.
"So tell me, Melanie," James whispered as the lights started to flicker. "Will you go on a proper date with me this Saturday?"
I looked up from my popcorn at James. "What?"
"Well, I couldn't help but overheard you talking to Paige. You didn't knew it was a double date. So I want to ask you out properly," his smile was so charming it made my heart flutter for a second. He looked so nice and so sincere...
I swallowed the lump on my throat. "Yes."
Before the lights went out an ether movie started, I saw James big grin.
...
Artemis was about to fall asleep when she heard the door opening slowly. She raised quickly from the couch, but it was just Jefferson. He looked worn out and tired.
He entered the room, and saw Artemis. "Hey," she said.
"Hey, where's Grace?" Jefferson asked, throwing his hat on the table.
Artemis signalled to the other small room. "She fell asleep a while ago."
Jefferson went to check her, and all while Artemis stretched and took her hood in hopes of going back to her "house". As she was tying the laces of the hood together, Jefferson came back.
"Thank you for looking after her," he said, offering a small smile. "She looks fine."
"She is fine," Artemis said a bit offended. "I told you I'll never hurt a child."
Jefferson just nodded, looking down at the floor. When he looked up, he saw Artemis heading for the door. "I must go—"
"Are you mad?" frowned Jefferson.
"What is it with you calling me that?" frowned Artemis, turning back.
Jefferson was looking at her with his arms crossed over his strong chest.
"It's midnight already, are you going to travel through realms now?" he ironised. "You know you have to cross this forest all over again, then took a boat, and—"
"I know all I have to do!" she snapped, "I did all of that this morning."
"Okay!" Jefferson raised his hand up. "Go on, but I'll tell you, that's suicide."
Artemis pursed her lips. "Then what do you want me to do? Stay here?" she gestured to the cottage.
"That's not a bad idea," Jefferson said shrugging. Artemis bitch-faced him. He moved to his kitchen, and he came back with a bottle of wine, and two cups. "Cause now I have someone to share this."
"Shouldn't you be sharing it with your girlfriends?" Artemis ironised. The hatter was such a womaniser, Artemis wasn't sure why she had been surprised he had a daughter.
"Nah," he said, sitting down on the couch and pouring wine on the cups. "I want to share it with you."
Artemis sighed, frustrated. But deep down, she knew he was right. It would be suicide if she decided to cross the forest at midnight. What else could she do?
"C'mon, I don't bite...unless you want me to," Jefferson said, finishing with a flirty smirk.
Artemis rolled her eyes, but sat with Jefferson, accepting the glass of wine. Jefferson smirked at her again, moving his hands towards her tight. She slapped his hand away. Jefferson just smirked, this time lowering his lips to his glass of wine.
Artemis took a sip of the wine and coughed. It was a very strong one. She calculated that soon, both of them would be drunk. That, if they continued drinking.
"If you're trying to make me drunk to take advantage of me, I swear I will cut your balls off and feed them to the wolves."
Jefferson choked on his wine.
Artemis smirked, taking another small sip of wine.
"Yeah, no, thank you," he said, grimacing. "I'm not trying to make a move on you..."
Artemis nodded.
"...I'm not that desperate." he finished, smirking.
Artemis felt a pang of anger building on her stomach. She knew the Hatter was just messing with her. Oh, we'll, if he wanted to play...
"Then you must be very desperate," she said. "Have you forgotten what happened in Wonderland?"
The smirk disappeared from his face. Of course he remembered. Some weeks before that day, both Artemis and Jefferson were searching for something on Wonderland when Jefferson accidentally ate a poisonous fruit. He got sick immediately. He was feverish and ill. Artemis took care of him, hiding them both on a cave until the Queen's guards stopped searching for them. One night, as Jefferson's fever increased, he started talking incoherently, in one of his talks he told Artemis she was the most beautiful woman he'd seen in all the realms. He even tried to kiss her...But that was another story.
"I hate Wonderland," Jefferson said sourly.
Artemis laughed. "I know you do."
For a moment, both of them were in silence.
Soon, the first glass was of wine was over. Jefferson refilled their glasses with more wine, and soon Artemis was feeling more easygoing than before.
"Tell me about Grace," Artemis said softly.
Jefferson looked up, a small smile on his face. "She's the light of my life."
Artemis smiled. Then she though about the scared little girl she saw that morning when her father left her with a strange girl.
"Does she...misses her mother?" she dared to ask.
Jefferson's face changed the moment Artemis mentioned Grace's mother. He looked sourly at his boots. Artemis felt and for asking. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked..."
"No, its okay," he said. "Grace didn't met her mother."
"What exactly happened to her?" Artemis said softly. The alcohol was taking its effect on her. She slowly reached for Jefferson's hand. Sober, she'd never even care about the girl, nor Jefferson's feelings.
The Hatter pursed his lips again. He definitely didn't trusted Artemis, but what she said that morning was swimming on his head. He know her years ago. He'd worked with her more times that he could count. They'd saved each others life million times. Why exactly didn't he trusted her? He doesn't know.
Not yet, at least.
"She left us," he said at last. Glaring down at his glass. "She said she didn't wanted to be with a Portal Jumper, much less have to raise a child with him. When Grace was born she only stayed a couple of days with us. She left as soon as she could. Hadn't seem her again."
"You two loved each other?" she asked.
Jefferson sipped his drink. "Yeah. I loved her with all my heart. But I guess she didn't loved me enough."
Artemis swallowed. "I used to think I was heartless, but this woman...she won the prize."
Jefferson half snorted. "You're not heartless," he said, the alcohol speaking for him. "You're cold, and dark...but you're not heartless. If you were, you wouldn't had done half the things you've done for me."
"You think so?" Artemis said softly.
"Yes," Jefferson said.
Slowly, Jefferson and Artemis were getting closer to each other. Jefferson's arm rested on the couch, while Artemis was curled up to look at him. He looked up at her face. He saw her hazel eyes, her blonde hair, her delicate face, her freckles...She looked at his bright blue eyes, his dark hair, his handsome face...
"Have I told you how much I like you, Artemis?" Jefferson breathed. He lowered his hand and moving a curl of her hair away from his line of view. "You are so beautiful,"
Artemis swallowed, her mind totally blank. "Yeah," she said. "You told me once, in Wonderland..."
"You're beautiful," he repeated. "So, so beautiful..."
As he talked, he was lowering his head. His head touched Artemis', and she blinked, fighting the alcohol. "Hatter, what are you—"
He kissed her. Nothing special. Not a long kiss. Not passionate. Not lovely. His lips touched hers for a fraction of second before pulling away. She looked at him wide eyed, her lips burning.
"Really beautiful..." he said.
Artemis swallowed again, "Jefferson...you are drunk."
The hatter blinked. "Yes...I think I am."
"Go to bed," Artemis said.
"Come with me," he said.
Artemis sighed. "Hatter..."
"No," he shook his head. "Not like that...just...sleep with me. Cuddling, hugging..."
"Jefferson..." Artemis said in a warning tone. "You are drunk. We are drunk...stop talking, you're going to regrets everything you've said in the morning..."
"I know," he said, seriously, to then drink what was left of wine on his glass in one big large sip. "But its not the morning yet, and you can't sleep in the couch. There's only one bed, Artemis...Sleep with me..."
Artemis looked at him. "No funny business, okay?"
"Promise," he said. "I just want to sleep with you..."
...
In the morning, when Artemis woke up, she groaned. She had a horrible headache. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She groaned. Great. She tried to move, but a found put she couldn't. With a start, she realized it was Jefferson's arm what stopped her. His head was resting on her shoulder, his breath meeting her cheek. His arms tightly around her wait. She moved, trying to break away from his grip, but the Hatter was deeply asleep. "Jefferson!" she yelled, losing her patience. "GET OFF ME."
The hatter jumped and his eyes flew open. He groaned, blinking a couple of times to adjust his eyes to the light. Then he seemed to realize he was hugging Artemis. He separated from her like if she had just electrocuted him. "What the hell, woman! What are you doing in my bed?"
"You invited me to sleep with you!" she said, feeling her cheeks burn.
He blinked a couple of times, then he seemed relieved to see both of them were fully dressed. He blinked again, memories from last night coming back.
"Oh," he said.
Artemis nodded at him, watching him warily.
"Wait, did I...did I kissed you?" he frowned.
Artemis glared at him. "Shut up,"
"Wait but, did I—"
"Not one word, hatter, not one word," Artemis warned. She rose from the bed and hurried to the door as fast as she could.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Jefferson said confused.
"It's daytime already, I'm going home."
She left, leaving a confused Jefferson behind.
"Ugh, I'm never drinking again..." he said.
...
James and Mark walked us both back home. I was feeling more and more awkward every passing second. James was too smiley for my liking. There was something about him I didn't liked. Maybe it wa she fact that I actually liked him a bit.
In our porch, Paige kissed Mark's cheek and she hurried back inside. Mark sighed smiling. I rolled my eyes at that.
James smiled at me.
"I'm not kissing you," I warned, crossing my arms.
He laughed.
"I imagined it," he said. He kissed my cheek softly. "Good night, Melanie."
I blinked, feeling my cheek heating. "Uh...good night, James."
"See you on Saturday," he winked, and left.
I waited until both brothers were out of view. As I was opening the door, I felt my neck tingle.
I was being watched.
I turned around, but there was no one, not even close to me. I narrowed my eyes, and waited.
Nothing, just silence and blackness.
"I'm being paranoid," I said, shaking my head.
I entered the house.