A\N – Hey, everyone! Thank you all who checked the story out, hopefully it won't disappoint you. I've got some twists and turns planned and I want to go according with the show. So expect some new characters, intervening with the present ones and a least some explaining as to how Esme is connected to it all before Pan's actual entrance. Though I might think of throwing couple interactions here and there. Enjoy. And please tell me what you think, what you expect, flames,sure as well ! xx
Storybrook
2012
"Why aren't you in bed?" Henry's thin voice rang through the darkness of the kitchen, reverting the girl near the window from her thoughts.
"You scared me, half-pint." She turned to him, her skin even more pale in the moonlight.
"Sorry. I came for a glass of milk..." But the small boy didn't make any steps to the fridge.
"I don't really sleep much." Esme answered knowing that he was still waiting for to.
Henry moved a little closer but not close enough to invade his friend's personal space.
"Is that because of the nightmares?"
"No." She retorted too quickly though her voice was still soft. "I don't have nightmares."
"You know, you don't have to lie to me." Henry searched her eyes. "I believe you, I believed you all along."
Esme cocked her head to the side, eyes exhausted, being the only thing that betrayed how she really felt. She shook her head slightly, her rich dark brown hair cascading on her shoulders and reaching below her shoulder blades like a silky waterfall.
"I really don't know what you're talking about, H."
The boy took a deep breath as if slightly disappointed. Not in her but the situation:
"If you say you saw a shadow then I know you did." He patted her skinny shoulder ever so slightly, letting her know he meant every single ward.
She didn't answer. Just smiled mostly to herself and proceeded to concentrate on something through the window.
"I'm glad you're going to be living with us now." Henry said and giving the young girl's shoulder the last squeeze turned to take off back to his room, stopping at the door for a moment. "He believed you too."
Esme averted her gaze from the night street and looked at Henry, question in her doe eyes.
"Sheriff Graham." He clarified.
"He was a good man." She only said. "You forgot your milk."
"I'm...not exactly thirsty anymore." Henry shifted slightly on his feet making Esme chuckle.
"Sure sure."
Storybrook
2009
"Let me make myself very clear clear, Dr. Hopper, I'm not really interested in your professional opinion. The girl must be put under supervision." The mare's voice thundered through the flawlessness of her office.
Archie Hopper for a second closed his eyes in defeat.
"Regi...Miss Mare, why would you want the young girl to spend any amount of time in the institution. She's only fourteen...both, me and her mother..."
"She's her adoptive mother," Regina corrected, not intending to hear the therapist. "She's been like this for two years now. She's delusional. She just can't let go of some kind of stupid nightmare!"
"Well, this is what it is! A nightmare, a fantasy...what are you so hard on her?"
"Because she is in constant contact with Henry! And other children! What kind of example does she exhibits? I want to help her as much as you do. But your methods are clearly not working." The Evil Queen crossed her legs under the table and taking a breath to calm herself continued. "We will try this new approach whether you want it or not. Prepare the papers for the hospital, Dr. Hopper."
The man in front of her used on of his hands to massage his temple anticipating the impending headache. He knew it wouldn't help though. Guilt was already starting to eat up his insides: one more battle lost to the heartless woman.
The ringing of Regina's phone interrupted his self-loathing and receiving an unwavering glance from the mare, Archie took his leave, giving her one last look.
"Yes, Dr. Frollo," putting the receiver to her ear Regina's lips quirked up. "Thank you for answering on such a short notice but I'm afraid we have a situation on our hands. The situation you would like to deal on your own."
Enchanted Forest
before the curse
Snow White was running. Again. Her legs hurt, her heart racing, skin flushed. But she knew she could not stop. Stopping meant Regina would win, stopping meant she would never see Charming again. She had to fight. But right at the moment apple cyder and hut in the forest sounded like heaven.
What she didn't expect was to be exposed...
The clearing...No time to make it back to the forest...Snow spotted some horses, hand-made shelters and camp-fires.
The Evil Queen's soldiers' horses did not rest. The young princess could hear them approaching. There wasn't actually a choice to make: to risk nearing the people on the clearing or turn back and be trapped in the soldiers' arms.
Quickly sprinting to the first shelter she could reach, the dark head dove into it, hoping no one was inside.
It seemed unoccupied though the voices outside told her that there were at least three men and one woman behind the reddish curtains.
"Are they here for me?" A small voice made Snow stop in her trucks.
She turned her head a child, a girl not older than thirteen or even less, sitting in the corner of the hand-built sanctuary. Her eyes reminded the refuge princess of a stormy grey skies, they were looking back at her with frightful acceptance. The girls long dark locks were covering a good half of her body as she was hugging her knees to her chest. Snow could pin point the coloured skirt (ornaments never seen by the princess before but heard of in the stories her mother had told her when she was still little) the child was wearing and a furred vast. She stumbled upon gypsies.
"No, sweetie. They are not here for you." Snow crawled a bit closer but didn't want to scare the girl. "They are here for me."
"Does King George want to kill you too?"
The question made Snow's mouth flow open, for a second she couldn't even blink. Why would the King want this little girl dead? What could she ever possibly do to him?
"No...not King. The Evil Queen is very angry with me." She answered finally.
That made the girl smile and her eyes sparkled a tiny bit:
"Then you must stay! Amara will take care of you and won't let them hurt you!"
The little girl got excited and grabbed the young woman's hands.
"Shhhh, sweetie!" Snow i tern squeezed her hands. "We don't want the guards to come..."
"They won't find you here. Amara will make sure they won't!"
Snow was confused. But something about the way the beautiful little gypsy spoke and how contagious her excitement was made her...more at ease than she'd felt for days, days spent on the constant run.
"I'm Snow." She finally said, smiling to her new companion.
"I'm Esmeralda." The girl's bright eyes smiled in return.
Suddenly the entrance cover was lifted and the chill wind hit Snow's back:
"Come out, Princess, it is polite to introduce yourself first before barging into somebody's shelter."