The council has considered all possible options and decided that this was the best one to ensure your safety. You may believe that you are capable of taking care of yourself but the council is unwilling to take such a risk, especially with the special day arriving soon. It is imperative to trust the council's decisions on these matters as in the past, the council has always ensured your protection. The council expects you to arrive at your new home by the end of the week or there will be consequences. You have dealt with such consequences in the past and as you are now older, the council will not show any leniency. Be on your best behavior and keep that temper under control.
Riley scowled at the same message printed on five separate pieces of parchment. She crumpled up the parchment into one giant ball and chucked it into a trash bin by her dresser. Her bedroom was a complete mess, as though it had been struck by a tornado. Several suitcases laid open on her bed, hastily packed with clothes, shoes, and other essentials. Most of her belongings were strewn about the floor, piled high like small mountains. Stuffing her boots in one of the suitcases, she held a piece of toast in her mouth. Ever since her return from the Enchanted Forest, she had been dreading the day that she was given a new guardian. She rarely accepted the latest choice, finding them to either be morons, exceedingly arrogant, hopeless, or a combination of the three.
The council claimed that their decisions were best but it did not take long for her to find that the guardians were in over their heads, unable to handle the responsibilities of the job. Many of them never knew that from the moment they received their letter, a binding contract was enacted, the only way out being death. As soon as she received the name of her newest guardian and their location, she spent days collecting all kinds of information on them. The research helped her to prepare for the inevitable disappointment.
Picking up a pile of jackets, she heard a soft clatter. A golden, dove-shaped locket was on the floor. Inside the locket was an inscription: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.
"Seriously? Do you find this stuff in fortune cookies? When you come back, I'll—"
A tear trickled down her cheek. She quickly wiped away the tear and snapped her leather bracelet against her wrist a dozen times. Words began to appear on the mirror of her vanity table, with the message Quit dawdling, child. You should already have arrived days ago.
"I'm not a child," she hissed, clenching her fists.
After she finished packing, she threw the suitcases in the trunk of her car. The drive took longer than expected, thanks to the town not being on any map or GPS. She stifled a laugh as she passed a Welcome to Storybrooke sign. The town seemed nice and quaint, a stark contrast to the big cities she had lived in over the years. While many would appreciate the quiet, she found it suspicious that the streets were practically empty, except for bits of debris and fallen telephone poles. She parked at a place called Granny's Bed and Breakfast. Seeing no one at the front desk, she grabbed a book from the back office that contained the list of residents. A smirk tugged at her lips as she glanced over the name Ethan Burke. She wrote her name in the book and left money on the desk. Taking one of the keys, she brought her suitcases up to the room then decided to explore the town.
Passing by a diner, she overheard two women complain about the damage done to their houses. A wraith had wreaked havoc on the town, causing much destruction.
"We could at least mention it to the sheriff."
"Not now. She's at the cemetery. I hope she deals with that wicked woman once and for all."
Riley walked towards the cemetery, absentmindedly playing with her locket. A small crowd of people were gathered around a grave. Leaning against a tree, she listened as a woman in her late twenties, her short dark hair covered by a beret, gave the eulogy. Archibald Hopper was written across the tombstone. She typed the name into her phone. A man with thinning red hair and glasses popped up on the screen, information written across the bottom of the picture.
"Cricket turned therapist. I doubt that's the weirdest thing here."
Scanning the crowd, she spotted a blonde woman with her arm around a young boy, no older than ten. Riley did not take her eyes off the woman as she consoled him. She tapped her phone again, bringing up an image of the woman.
"Emma Swan. Foster kid, bailbondsperson, gave birth at 18 and gave him up for adoption, moved here after her son Henry found her, and broke the curse over the town. Also known as the savior. These names get dumber every time."
After far too much hugging, at least in her opinion, the group left for a gathering at Mary Margaret's apartment. "I never liked funerals. Too depressing."
Recognition and shock flashed through both women's eyes. Henry looked at her curiously, keeping a tight grip on the dog leash around his hand.
"I'm sorry. Have we met?" asked the man with them, his arm around the dark-haired woman's shoulders.
"If we had, I doubt you'd forget it."
Emma moved Henry behind her, acting like a protective mother. "Whatever you think you're doing here, don't. Storybrooke isn't part of whatever problem you have and this town has plenty enough to deal with already besides people like you."
"People like me?"
"Someone willing to kill people or send them to their deaths through a portal."
Riley remembered her last day in the Enchanted Forest. Her plan to retrieve a certain item hit a little snag, leading to her being captured by the men who killed her friend, and she needed to get creative with her escape. When she was toying with her captors, she thought that someone had been watching her behind the trees.
"I thought I heard someone there that day. I'm guessing you didn't like the show. Everyone has different tastes. I'm glad you actually made it back. I thought you'd be stuck in that shithole for much longer, Emma."
"How do you know my name?" she asked, warily.
"A little birdie told me in a note."
"A note?"
"Our condolences for your loss…blah, blah, blah…your newest guardian is Emma Swan," she said in a deep, gruff voice.
"You haven't been in Storybrooke all this time. You drove into town," said the man.
"Well, it's obvious you didn't marry him for his brains," she said to the dark-haired woman, who looked affronted by her remark.
Emma refused to believe that Riley was the subject of the note she received in the Enchanted Forest, mostly due to her age. She had been expecting someone much younger or at least a helpless, innocent person. When she questioned how Riley left the Enchanted Forest, Riley muttered a vague answer about knowing a man with magic beans. The other woman and the man seemed unnerved that Riley knew their true identities and about the curse that brought the town to this land while they knew nothing about her, not even her name.
"Trust me, I didn't want you either but it's not my decision."
"Then whose is it? You can just tell them that I don't want the job and you can handle yourself."
"You didn't read the fine print at the bottom, did you? It's a binding contract. If you refuse the job, you die."
Henry tugged on Emma's coat sleeve, panicking at the idea of losing her. "Emma."
"She's bluffing, kid."
"Am I? Go ahead and try. It'll either end up with you being right and I'll leave or your family will be planning your funeral for tomorrow…maybe in about an hour if they just want to toss you in a shallow grave. Not sure how attached they are to you yet…"
"Fine. Let's say I believe you. Why am I protecting you if you can use magic? You were able to defend yourself just fine that day."
"I'm not supposed to use it. Little spells are fine but the more power I use, it's like a giant sign in the sky that says 'Come get me'. You should know that all spells leave a magical trace."
"And what am I protecting you from?"
"That's not your concern. I'll tell you when you deserve to know but you probably won't last more than a week so the details don't matter."
Only Henry was willing to give her a chance. The three adults were suspicious of Riley, especially her magical abilities outside of Storybrooke. Magic had not worked in the town itself until the day Emma broke the curse. She listened to them argue over letting her stay in the town. Only Henry and Mary Margaret defended her, though for different reasons. Mary Margaret did not want to risk Emma's life while Henry pleaded with Emma that as the savior, it was part of her job to help people in trouble. Though Riley was not part of the curse that brought the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke, he considered her to be like them.
Emma let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, I'll…help you out. We should get a few things out of the way first. Your name?"
"Riley."
"Riley what?"
"Renato. Should I spell it for you so you remember it when you do that background check?"
"I don't trust you one bit."
"That's the first smart thing you've said."
"I'm the sheriff in this town."
"Sheriff? What is this, the old west?"
"You won't hurt anyone. I know what you're capable of so—"
"You really don't but okay. I swear to be a good little girl, except in the privacy of my bedroom," she said, winking at David.
"Don't do that."
"I'll follow your stupid rules. By the way, you should fix the barrier by the town line. It's pretty weak if I didn't even need to lift a finger to drive past it. I'd do a little more than a basic barrier though…to make sure that you're being a good guardian and protecting me."
Riley sensed a bit of unease from her and grabbed her wrist. Delving into her mind, she learned that Emma only discovered her magical abilities a couple days ago, shortly before returning to Storybrooke. Emma had practically no experience, besides using a dreamcatcher to see memories. In the past, Riley's guardians all possessed magic but she was never given one that was a complete amateur.
"You can't even do magic."
"I can do it. I just found out awhile ago and I'm not an expert yet but—wait, how did you know that?"
"Forget it. I'll put up the barrier myself."
Riley nodded, only half-listening, when Mary Margaret gave her the address to her apartment. She walked down to the town line, muttering to herself. Her anger over Emma being her guardian was slowly reaching a boiling point. The council insisted that she was the best option but Riley thought it was a sign of them giving up on her. If they wanted to show that they had little faith in her surviving, they could have given her a knife and a note that said We wish you the best.
"You can't be serious. She's not even—that's the savior? I've seen babies with more talent. Is that why you picked her? You think it's pointless? You want me to just accept the inevitable."
"Do you talk to yourself a lot?"
Henry was standing behind her, the dalmation by his side. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't want you to walk around alone. Pongo didn't either. With Archie dead, who knows who my mom could attack next?"
"You think Emma killed him?"
"No, I meant Regina. She adopted me after—"
"I don't need your life story. Just stay there."
Riley found it difficult to concentrate on the spell with Henry constantly asking her questions. He wanted to know everything about her, from the origin of her magical abilities to her home. A beam of the golden light rose from the road and disappeared into the cloudy sky. The light passed over the entire town, covering it like a dome. His questions continued all the way to Mary Margaret's apartment. In between the constant questions, he told her little things about the town.
He followed her down the street like an eager puppy wagging its tail. "Were you born with magic or did someone teach it to you? If they taught you, how? I always thought magic couldn't work here but then Mr. Gold brought it to the town so I thought it only worked—"
"Stop with the questions."
"S—sorry. Talking a lot keeps me distracted. I don't like to think about what happened to Archie," he replied, looking near tears.
"Don't start crying. It makes you look weak and no matter how old you are, the weak get picked off first."
"You must be used to losing people by now. Emma told me about the note. She said the person who used to protect you…is gone and that's why she got the job. Don't you miss him?"
"No," she said, stopping herself from snapping her leather bracelet.
"Not even a little?"
They were standing outside an apartment building. "There's no point in missing him. Death is part of life. We live, we die, we rot in the ground while creepy crawlies eat us up…and missing someone doesn't bring them back. It's best to just forget about them and move on with your life."
Mary Margaret's small, rustic apartment was packed with people from the funeral. The purpose of the gathering was to remember the deceased but they were more concerned with the stranger at Henry's side. Sensing their confusion, David made up a terrible cover story that Emma and Mary Margaret brought her back with them from the Enchanted Forest. He explained her sudden appearance as Riley needing time to adapt to the differences between the two lands. She expected at least one person to question such a flimsy lie but their friends either blindly believed every word out of their mouths or were brainless sheep incapable of much thought. Emma gave her a subtle look that said play along or else. A group of boys, closer to her age, offered to help Riley with adjusting to Storybrooke.
"I think she's got it pretty much figured out," said Emma.
Riley bit her bottom lip. "Actually, I wouldn't mind the help. I'm a bit uncomfortable with some things…like the clothes. They're very different here. Is this skirt supposed to be shorter?" she asked, pulling up on her houndstooth printed skirt that stopped far above her knees.
Beneath Emma's fake laugh, a fire was burning in her eyes. "It takes awhile to get used to the clothes but trust me, you look great," said a boy with well-coiffed dark brown hair and a sweet smile.
"Thank you…"
"I'm Ethan."
"I need a minute alone with Riley."
"We'll be over there. We can tell you everything you need to know about Storybrooke," offered Alec, a blonde-haired boy who reminded her very much of David, pointing towards one of the couches.
As the boys walked away, Emma's smile fell from her face. "What are you doing?" she hissed.
"I'm supposed to be clueless about this world."
"You did that on purpose."
"You really think the worst of me, Emma. I was just making sure they believed David's story. If anything, it was more believable because of my acting."
"I'm not taking my eyes off you for a second. No one can know how you really got here. They're already panicking enough over Archie's death. I bet you'd love to spook them but don't."
"Been here barely a day and you already know one of my favorite hobbies. Doesn't make up for your lack of talent but it is impressive."
Keeping up her act, she pretended to be amazed by the simplest things about this world. She learned that the boys were all highly skilled knights. Most of them allied themselves with David and Mary Margaret back in the Enchanted Forest. The others, including Ethan, were members of Regina's guard, though they were forced into her service by their own fathers, men far more willing to do her bidding. After the curse broke over Storybrooke, they struggled with their two identities and the lack of a need for a knight in a world where guns were preferred over swords. With Regina in hiding after the murder of Archie, David suggested for them to train in woods, to prepare themselves if she attacked the town.
"It's hard when swords aren't as abundant as they were back home but I don't think we need to worry about Regina," said Ethan.
"Speak for yourself. At least you were part of her guard…she trusts you. She'd char the rest of us until we were nothing but a pile of ash. Don't sugarcoat it for her, Ethan. Riley knows what a monster she is," replied Alec.
She shook her head. " Never met her."
"Lucky for you. I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories."
"Yea, an old friend told me about her when we were hanging out in my place in Salem."
The boys looked at her, confused. "Salem? That's a town in this land," said Charles, a very muscular boy the same age as her and the youngest of the knights.
"Someone knows their geography. I'll let you in on a little secret. I didn't get here by some portal in a well. I just drove right past that town line."
"Wh—"
"Shh, don't talk. Don't even move a muscle."
All of them were sitting on the couches, completely still and as if their mouths were glued shut. "Good. You heard me right. David just made up that story. I'm not some charity case that Emma and her mother that's weirdly the same age brought back with them. Emma wanted me to keep that quiet but I think it's useful, for me, if you know the truth. You're going to forget everything I just told you until I want you to remember it again. Nod so I know you understand."
A glazed over look in their eyes, they nodded simultaneously. She smiled at Charles.
"It was a joke. You almost believed me for a second."
He snapped out of his daze. "Guess we're a little paranoid lately. When the curse broke, we thought we'd either go back home or we could at least leave Storybrooke. That won't happen unless we want to lose our old memories."
"All magic comes with a price," said Alec, putting on an accent and making a flamboyant gesture with his hands.
The boys sniggered under their breath. On the other side of the room, Emma was attempting to comfort Henry, who was moping on a bed and staring out the window. Leroy, who was one of the seven dwarves, questioned her and Mary Margaret about returning to the Enchanted Forest. He was not the only one curious about journeying back to their home, not out of fear of Regina but of outsiders discovering the truth about the town. Ruby shared his concerns, pointing out that people would not react well to magic or a werewolf like herself.
"Let's not worry about what-ifs. No one is here," assured Emma.
"Yet. Maybe they come, maybe they don't. That doesn't change the fact that while we might enjoy things like penicillin, we're a bit homesick."
"I agree with him, Emma. What would you do if someone who wasn't from here drove past that town line? It could have happened already," said Riley, feigning concern.
Her right eye twitched slightly, holding back a glare. "You shouldn't be worried about something like that, Riley. It won't happen. We're all safe. "
"It doesn't seem very safe, to be honest. Between a wraith, you being sucked through a portal, Ruby getting framed for that murder and almost being killed by an angry mob, and Regina killing Archie..."
"You can trust me. There's no reason to get paranoid over some crazy idea."
Mary Margaret diffused the tension by taking a tray of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. Emma walked towards Riley, looking like she was about to give a lecture like an angry parent. Riley looped her arm through Ethan's and batted her eyelashes.
"Ethan, I'm feeling a little tired. Could you walk with me back to the inn? You mentioned that you had a room there too and I'm nervous about walking around this strange place by myself."
"Sure. Let me grab my coat."
He retrieved his coat from the closet. "Riley, can we talk?" asked Emma, struggling to maintain a polite tone.
"I was about to leave with Ethan. It's been a long day. Can it wait?"
"No."
"Well, anything you need to say? I'm sure you can say it in front of him."
"Everything okay?" he asked.
Emma nodded. "Just wanted to make sure that she was okay. She was a little shaken up by what Leroy was saying."
She tensed up as Riley hugged her. "I'm sorry about that. My paranoia gets the better of me sometimes but if you think the town is safe, I believe you."
"One little slip up from me and they all go into a panic. Remember that," she whispered in Emma's ear.
Riley left the apartment with Ethan, feeling three pairs of eyes burning into the back of her skull…
~Killian~
Killian was standing on a roof across from Rumplestiltskin's shop. It was only a matter of time before the second part of his plan was complete. He peered through the front windows with his spyglass, enjoying the sight of the shop in shambles. Smee had left quite the mess, with broken glass and objects scattering the floor. Moments latter, he arrived with his precious Belle. Killian smirked, watching him open the safe behind a portrait on the wall and the slow realization dawning on his face that something important was missing from the shop. Hearing footsteps behind him, he lowered the spyglass. Smee, his usual red cap resting lopsided on his head, was holding a tattered shawl.
"You have it, Mr. Smee?"
"What is it, cap'n?"
Placing the spyglass down on a ledge, he grabbed the shawl. An aching sensation tugged at his heart as his fingers brushed over each tiny stitch. He pushed aside any sentimental feelings, reminding himself that he retrieved the shawl for his revenge against Rumplestiltskin, not for a token of the past.
"It's the end of the crocodile's hope. Now he's trapped here…if what you told me is true," he told Smee, smugly.
"I wouldn't lie. He took me to the town line, poured a potion over my hat, and when he pushed me over, I still remembered my past self. It seemed important that the hat was something special to me. Perhaps he's hoping to leave town, now that the curse is broken."
"Much more than that, I gather. He—"
Killian heard a familiar giggle. Glancing down below, he spotted a girl passing by the bakery. In an instant, he recognized her face and like an instinct, his hand clenched into a tight fist. He would not soon forget such an infuriating person: her childish way of mocking him and an arrogance that rivaled his own. He disregarded his anger as a single thought crept up in the back of his mind. The girl was no longer in the Enchanted Forest, but walking around this town. Her attire was similar to what other women wore in this land, her scandalously short skirt and low-cut blouse enough to make the least modest woman in the Enchanted Forest faint from shock.
"Mr. Smee, do you recognize that lass?"
He peered over the roof. "Can't say I do, which is strange. She isn't someone who would blend into a crowd."
"Quite right."
"Why do you ask? Do you know her, cap'n?"
"She reminded me of someone but I was mistaken."
His eyes did not leave the girl as she walked down the cobblestone path, sipping a drink. A thin boy with short dark brown hair chased after her, panting heavily. He explained to her that payment was required to purchase items. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a stack of colored papers with markings.
"Sorry. I'm still getting used to all this," she said, her tone reminiscent of when she was toying with her captors in the Enchanted Forest.
"It's okay. For someone who just showed up here a few days ago, you knew a lot about lattes. I guess it's a girl thing. N—not that I meant that as…I was just—forget all of that, Riley. Coming back here through a portal with Emma and Mary Margaret was hard enough and I'm not helping with my terrible attempts at conversation."
Learning her name only raised Killian's suspicions. If she had been brought to this town by the dark curse and given new memories, it would be understandable but according to the boy, she was a recent visitor. He knew for a fact that she did not travel back through the portal at the lake. As the boy rambled on, she flicked her wrist. He stopped outside a dress shop, blinking several times. His smile was replaced with a baffled expression.
"Wait, what do you mean you drove into town? Why would Emma lie?"
"Because if you knew the truth, you'd all freak out about someone accidentally showing up here."
"But why would you come to Storybrooke?"
"It's a long, boring story."
"Well, we need to tell everyone. They were right to worry about—why are you laughing?"
Riley giggled, looking amused by his worrisome babbling. "It's just ironic. You two couldn't be more opposite."
"Who?"
"Not important. You're no fun when you're a nag. You can forget again," she said, once again flicking her wrist.
The boy blinked and pointed at the dress shop. "So that's—sorry, what was I saying?"
Riley had clearly put him under a spell. With a simple flick of her wrist, she could make him remember anything she told him and then forget it all at her command.
"You were telling me how everyone hangs out at the pub on weekends. I really like these…what do you call them again?" she asked, putting on an innocent tone.
"Lattes."
"This land is so strange. I don't know how I'll ever get used to it."
"Cap'n, did you see that? She used magic," said Smee, surprised.
"Aye, that she did. A young little witch isn't our concern," replied Killian, his eyes following her until she disappeared around the corner.
"What do we do now?"
"We will do nothing. I, on the other hand, will be waiting to skin my crocodile. If I require your services, I'll find you, Mr. Smee. Go about your business as though it's any other day."
"A—apologies but what if the Dark One learns that I was involved in this plan? It wouldn't take him long to put the pieces together."
"You say you're able to leave because of your enchanted cap. Go if you wish. I have unfinished business."
Smee suggested that both of them could leave the town since Killian never suffered the effects of the curse. Killian refused to abandon his sole mission for traveling to this new land, his need for revenge outweighing any doubts. Clutching the shawl, he headed back towards his ship…
~Riley~
Ethan had just left her apartment, receiving a text from David about a training session in the woods. He promised to visit her after the training session, wanting to introduce her to other people their age and the local hangouts. With the snap of her fingers, her once empty room soon filled with her belongings. Around Ethan, she pretended to have nothing, except clothes supposedly given to her by Emma and Mary Margaret.
Riley cast a spell on a full-length mirror hanging on the wall. The reflection of her bed was replaced with an image of a burning manor. Dark smoke rose from the charred remains of the top floor. A dark-haired boy, only a couple years older than herself, with a X-shaped scar on his left cheek was standing outside the manor. Anger flickered in his emerald green eyes. Waving his hand, he attempted to douse the flames but his spells only worsened the fire. A girl in her twenties appeared beside the motorcycle behind him. She was one of those types who tried too hard to look tough, with the pink streaks in her platinum blonde hair and clothes straight out of a 'rocker chick' cliché. Her eyebrow piercing was a new, ridiculous addition.
"I'm sorry this had to happen, Seth," she said, her high-pitched, childlike voice clashing with her 'tough' persona.
He turned around, his nostrils flaring at the mere sight of her. "This was all a trap. You tricked me."
"I'll admit that I did a little but…I'm just doing what you taught me. You told me to look out for myself."
"I swore that I would protect you from any of their threats!"
"And you lied! You only care about one thing…well, I should say two since you usually only care about yourself. You'll do anything to protect your stupid sister. You should be thanking me. If I didn't tell them about what was in there, you would've gotten it and then have a huge target on your back."
"This had nothing to do with you, Elena."
"I was protecting you. I thought you were finally beginning to see how pointless it is to protect her when you saved me that day…but I was wrong. It'll always be you, her, Sebastian, or any other siblings you have left. Being on her side will only lead to your own end. If you were smart, you'd reach out to one of his contacts and tell him where to find her. End this now before he decides to take out his anger on you. If you're too much of a coward to do it, then I will. It won't be too hard to—"
He threw her against the motorcycle, his hand wrapped tightly around her throat. "S—Seth."
"Don't ever threaten her! You're right. It will always be me or them. Family above all, especially pathetic girls who try too hard for a guy's attention. I only showed interest in you because I wanted something from you…and I already got it. I am no coward. The true coward is the man you're all so fearful of but let me be clear. In any world, the only person you should fear is me. I may have lost what was inside that house but I have plenty of time to come up with a new plan. You won't be around to tell anyone about it, I'm afraid."
Seth banged her head against the seat of the motorcycle, knocking her unconscious. Taking out his phone, he dialed a number. Her own phone began to vibrate on the dresser. Declining the call, she opened the top drawer, which contained a wooden black chest with runic markings etched along the sides. She pricked her finger with a hair pin and as drops of blood fell onto the chest, it emitted a faint silver glow. The chest popped open, revealing four thin black daggers. Each of the handles bore a marking of a snake eating its tail. One of the daggers was different from the rest, its tip with a reddish tint. She picked up the dagger as Seth left voicemail after voicemail.
A shrill caw snapped her out of her own thoughts. Closing the chest, she looked at a raven on the windowsill. The raven nipped her finger.
"I thought I'd find you here, old friend. You must have plenty to say after all these years. Give me something good."
She listened to its series of caws. "Really? That's certainly interesting. Show me."
Riley followed the raven down to the docks. Though it only appeared to have several fishing boats, she noticed seagulls were perching on nothing but air. She stepped closer to the edge of the docks, her boot tapping against something hard.
"He's not clever enough for this. He's got a partner…one who's handy with a cloaking spell. I'm sure someone else would love to know about this. Why don't you go tell him too?"
Riley carefully walked up the invisible steps. Seconds later, she was on the deck of a pirate ship. She explored every part of the ship, hiding when a suspiciously alive Archie hurried past her. He was whispering to himself about finding Mr. Gold. Opening a door at the end of the corridor, she walked into the most extravagant room, filled with books and other trinkets. Mermaid statues adorned the walls. She flipped through an old, leather-bound book about the sea. Between two pages was a tiny wooden whistle. She picked up the whistle, her fingers shaking. Her thumb brushed against an etching of a dove along the bottom. As she was about to blow into it, she heard a scuffle above deck. She hid the whistle in her pocket and placed the book back on the shelf. To keep her thoughts elsewhere, she opened a cabinet, finding enough bottles of rum to supply a bar. She grabbed one of the bottles and cast a spell on a mirror by the bed.
The mirror showed the one-handed man from the Enchanted Forest confronting a girl, who was holding a tattered shawl. He told her to give him the shawl, a slight threatening tone in his voice. Another man, middle-aged with greying brunette hair, walked onto the ship, dressed in a crisp black suit. He limped along, leaning on a cane. Riley was not fooled by his weak appearance. The bottle in her hand shattered into pieces. Fixing the bottle with a quick spell, she ignored the shallow cuts across her palm, her eyes on him as he beat the dark-haired man with his cane. She snapped her bracelet enough times that her wrist was redder than a tomato.
"This isn't the right time. I have to wait…stay in control. He can't know yet. No, I know he wouldn't remem—it doesn't matter. Shut up. We can't stray from the plan," she whispered to herself.
He was preparing to rip out the man's heart. Riley silently scoffed, watching the girl plead with him to not harm the dark-haired man. The girl needed a hard smack upside the head if she believed that he had any good left inside him. She did not expect him to listen to the girl, settling for a slap across the face and threatening the man to sail away from Storybrooke. Holding his hand, the girl led him off the ship. Riley blew softly into her hand. In the mirror, a faint mist struck the girl's back.
She gagged as she tasted the rum. The door opened and the dark-haired man stumbled into the room, clutching his side in pain.
"That looks like it hurt."
His head snapped up at the sound of her voice. "What are you doing on my ship?" he snarled.
"Enjoying the show. You can pinpoint the exact moment that he wants to fuck you up. Right…there," she replied, pointing at the mirror that was replaying the events that happened moments ago above deck.
"You snuck into my quarters and drank my rum—"
"Terrible rum. Seriously, how old is this? Like 200 years old?"
"To watch my fight with the Dark One? Get off my ship."
She gasped. "Is the dastardly Captain Hook going to make me? Don't look so surprised. Of course I know who you are…I knew from the moment I saw you. Threatening me with the hook gave it away. You've got quite the reputation. Not sure it's deserved. Think the name's scarier than the actual person. Killian Jones doesn't sound as menacing. Personally, I like Captain Coat Hanger."
"How do you know my real name?"
"Oh I know more than that, darling," she said, imitating his accent.
Riley tapped a button on her phone. A picture of him popped up on the screen, information written across the bottom of the picture, similar to what she had for the other residents of Storybrooke. He looked more and more disturbed as she rattled off things about his past, even the tiniest details.
"What magic gave you this information on me?"
"Maybe I found it all out from other people or I got it from inside your own head by simply looking at you. Which would make you more paranoid? Definitely the second option. Whether you believe that or not is up to you. Does the mere thought scare you? With just one look, I could possibly see every tiny thought in your head."
He grabbed her hand roughly before her fingers touched a single hair on his head. "Do not attempt magic on me, witch."
"I knew you were watching that day. I could smell your desperation. It stinks more than the rum on your breath. Were you impressed?"
"You killed those men to impress me?"
"Just like a man, to think anything a woman does is to stroke his ego. Ask me."
"Get off my ship!"
She giggled. "Was that meant to scare me? Not that, silly. You've been wanting to ask since you saw what I did to those men. You've been secretly hoping to see me again so you could ask me."
"For what?"
"My help, of course. Do you honestly think that you can kill the Dark One? So many have tried and failed, even with magic. That pointy little hook won't so much as scratch him. You're out of your mind if you think you can finish the job by yourself."
"I have no need for your assistance. You may have fooled the naïve people in this town but not me. You did not travel with Swan through a portal. I remember that she received a note about protecting a girl who would find her. I assume the note was referring to you."
"Pretty and smart. What a catch," she teased.
"If you wish for me to keep it a secret, I'd like my ring back."
Riley conjured a silver ring, runic markings etched into the silver. Before he could grab it, she held it out of his reach.
"Why is this piece of junk important to you?"
"If it's such a piece of junk, why steal it?"
"I'm a girl who likes jewelry. Here," she said, tossing it over to him.
As he caught the ring, she twisted his arm behind his back and pinned him against the bed. His head was buried into the pillow, muffling a slew of curses.
"It's poor manners to grab a lady like that or threaten her. You should be nicer."
"Apologies. When I encounter a lady, I'll remember that. Do you see one around?"
"When you change your mind and decide to ask for my help…"
"I'd sooner become allies with the Dark One."
"I'm going to make you beg like a dog for scraps. All you need to do is say my name three times. Riley, Riley, Riley. I'll come quicker if you sound truly desperate."
"That name shall never leave my lips."
Vanishing from the shop, Riley returned to her room at the inn. A thread of golden light crept along the wall, taking the shape of a door. As the light reached the floor, an actual door appeared. The door led to another closet, containing various books and potion ingredients. Standing on her tiptoes, she grabbed a jar that contained a silver ring identical to Hook's. The ring was covered in glittery black powder that seemed to move back and forth. She smirked when another runic marking was erased from the ring, leaving only the polished silver color. Hearing a loud knock at the door, she placed a cloaking spell over the closet.
Ethan invited her out with him and his friends to The Rabbit Hole, a popular bar in Storybrooke. She maintained her act as the innocent newcomer who was amazed by something as simple as a phone. The girls greeted her warmly, offering to take her shopping for new clothes during the week. Their jobs in town varied from waitresses at Granny's to nurses at the hospital. The only topic of conversation was Archie's mysterious return and the arrival of a woman named Cora, who was a very powerful sorceress and Regina's mother. Ethan mentioned that Cora was one of the people left behind by the dark curse and many hoped that she would remain in that land. Archie also warned them about Hook, his formidable reputation only making them more fearful.
"So now we have to deal with both her and Regina? Maybe that portal in the well can open up again," said Alec.
"We just found out that Regina didn't kill Archie. She's not the problem," defended Ethan.
"How long do you think it will take for that lunatic to convince her equally deluded daughter that they should team up? If that happens, we're all screwed."
Another girl, a few years younger than Riley, with shoulder-length, wavy ebony hair, chocolate brown eyes, and olive skin sat on the other side of Ethan. "That's assuming that Cora can find her. She's completely vanished," she said, having an accent similar to Hook's.
"Riley, this is Vivienne. She's Regina's assistant in Storybrooke."
"It's not as grand as it sounds. I used to be one of her servants and now I basically have the same job…except I get yelled at twice as much. It's nice to meet you."
"You too. You must know a lot about her."
"Oh, I know secrets about people in this town that could make your hair curl."
"You probably knew Cora was around before anyone else," said Amelia, an outspoken girl who worked in the dress shop.
"Maybe, maybe not. I only divulge secrets for the right price."
"Our impending deaths at the hands of a psychotic witch aren't enough? Good to know," said Ethan, sarcastically.
A burly man, who seemed tall enough to be part giant, entered the bar. His eyes on their table, he gave a simple nod. She was confused by Ethan leaving to meet with him until Alec explained that the man was his father, one of Regina's most prized knights. He heavily supported her despite initially serving under her husband, the king and Mary Margaret's father. On the battlefield, his height and muscle worked to his advantage, making him a force to be reckoned with in a duel. There were stories of him leaving the heads of those he killed outside the doors of his enemies. Though they looked very similar, Ethan and his father could not be more opposite in personality. During their conversation, she noticed his father glance over at her several times, nothing but mistrust in his eyes. Alec was about to buy another round of beers until he received a call from David. Under the table, she felt a hand rest over hers and suppressed a smile.
"Was it a bad accident?"
"Cora?" asked Charles, dreading the worst.
Alec shook his head, covering the end of the phone. "There was an accident by the town line. Gold and Belle were there for some reason and Hook shot her. She fell over the line…can't remember anything. Hook got run over by a car too. He's alive but he's in bad shape."
"Poor Belle. I hope they can get her memories back. Whose car was it?"asked Celeste, concerned.
"Someone who drove into town. Sorry, David. I was just telling the others. Do you need us to—sure, we'll search the area. I can ask him when he gets back. Yea, she's right here."
He handed the phone to Riley. "Emma wanted to talk to you."
She stood in a corner of the bar for privacy. "What do you want?" she asked, dropping her innocent tone.
"David, Mary Margaret, and I have to go to the hospital. I need you to watch Henry while we're gone."
"I'm not a babysitter."
"First time for everything, especially after what you said to him today. Granny will be there too to make sure both of you don't sneak out. I'll call every hour to check on him. Don't let anyone into that apartment. I don't want to risk Cora showing up there in a disguise. The guy didn't look too banged up so we should be back by midnight. When I do get back, we're going to have a serious talk."
Riley was the not the only one who needed to leave the bar. David wanted Ethan to search for Regina by himself, doubting that she would harm one of her own guards. If Ethan delivered the apology, it would likely soften her anger towards the rest of the town for their accusations. The rest of the boys would be busy with their own search through every building in hopes of finding Cora.
"I could babysit Henry with you. Taking care of children is boring," offered Vivienne.
"You've known her barely five minutes and already making a move? Down, girl," whispered Charles, earning a playful glare from her.
"I can handle it by himself. He's eleven. How much trouble can he be?" said Riley.
Once she was outside the bar, she transported herself to Mary Margaret's apartment building with a flick of her wrist. She contemplated refusing Emma's request but did not want to deal with the council getting involved over such a trivial matter. Opening the door, she came face to face with a crossbow.
"Granny, it's okay. It's Riley." said Henry, rushing down the staircase.
"We can't be too sure."
"Wait. Let me ask her something that only she would know."
He leaned close to her ear. "What did we do at the town line today?" he whispered very quietly.
"I fixed the barrier," she whispered back.
"She's not Cora. You can pick which game we play, Riley. I have tons. Let me get them."
Henry headed back up to his room. Granny had not lowered the crossbow. She seemed hesitant to believe that one question proved that Riley was not Cora in disguise. Riley played up the innocent girl routine, acting anxious.
"D—didn't you hear Henry? I'm not Cora."
"I've been around a long time and raised two generations of kids, dear. Do you think I've never seen this act?"
"What act?"
"The big doe eyes, innocent voice, and nervous stuttering. There's something off about you."
"I don't know what you mean. It's not an act. This land is so strange and I don't know anyone else. I'm nervous because I want to make a good impression and try to adjust to all the new things here. I can barely understand ice cream."
Returning with a stack of video games, Henry pulled her over to the couch in the living room. She chose a zombie shooting game. Sitting on the couch with bags of chips, bowls of ice cream, and cups of hot chocolate topped with cinnamon, they began to play the game, Riley only pretending to be confused by the controller when Granny had her eyes on her. In the middle of slicing a zombie in half with a chainsaw, she received a call from Emma. Granny was busy baking cookies.
"I'm sorry. The person you are trying to reach is unavailable right now. Please leave a message after the beep. Beep," said Riley in a robotic voice.
"Hilarious. How's Henry?"
"He's fine. He just shot a zombie in the head while stuffing his face with chips."
"Good to know. We won't be back from the hospital anytime soon."
"Oh no. Why?" she asked, slicing through a horde of zombies.
Emma completely missed the sarcasm in her voice, leading to a long explanation of the events at the hospital. She had interrogated an injured Hook for information on Cora but he was clueless about her whereabouts. The other man involved in the accident, the one who drove into the town, appeared to be an average person named Greg Mendell. They expected Dr. Whale to patch him up quickly so he could leave town as soon as possible but he had heavy internal bleeding. Gold refused to fix him with magic, too distraught over Belle's memory loss.
"And Gold says that the guy might've seen him use magic. Now we don't know whether to—"
"Emma, I really don't care."
"You have magic. It would take you seconds to heal him."
"True but a spell like that could draw attention. You want me to risk my own life for some stranger? That's funny."
"Riley, he could die."
"Maybe that's for the best."
"Why do I even bother?"
"It's not your fault. You'll learn soon enough that I rarely care about other people's problems. If you do need my help to bury the body, that's fine. I have plenty of experience with—"
"Stop talking. I'll call you again in an hour."
"I'll be waiting with bated breath."
Riley and Henry spent several hours playing video games. Emma continued to call every hour with pointless updates on the stranger. Henry wanted to know what was happening at the hospital but Riley only teased him about the possibility of another funeral. Around midnight, Granny sent him up to bed. Riley tensed up when he hugged her.
"Thanks for playing with me, Riley."
As he disappeared up the staircase, Granny handed her a cup of tea. "They're still at the hospital, waiting on that surgery. Let's talk about you."
"What about me?"
"You said you knew no one in town. I find that hard to believe."
"My family was in the Enchanted Forest with me. After the curse broke, the ogres returned and…I'm the only one of us who survived."
"No friends?"
"My father was very overprotective. He rarely let me leave to get food in the village."
"You know, Ruby was there when Emma and Mary Margaret returned through the portal. She never saw you pop out of it. Isn't that strange?"
Riley flicked her wrist. Granny was frozen in place, holding her cup of tea to her lips. After altering her memories, she left the apartment and walked over to the hospital. Mary Margaret was pacing back and forth, panicking over Dr. Whale's disappearance. David assured her that Ruby would track him down in the town. With their backs turned, Riley sneaked up the stairs…
~Killian~
Killian stared at the bluish blob on the tray. Swan told him that it was some kind of food and when he showed reluctance, an elderly woman, one of the nurses, claimed that he would feel better if he ate the strange food called jell-o. He assumed that it had medicinal properties for healing injuries. Simply shifting in his bed caused him a great deal of pain. He attempted to unlock the shackle around his wrist. His main priorities were leaving this hospital and finding his hook. As he moved the pin around with his teeth, he heard the door open. He spit out the pin onto the blanket.
"No need for alarm. I was merely stretching. I tend to grow restless when I stay in one place for too long."
"You should get used to it. With three cracked ribs, you'll be stuck here for awhile."
Recognizing that voice, he turned his head towards the door. Riley was standing beside the bed, reading a piece of parchment. It appeared to be a list of his injuries.
"How did you get in this room?"
"Through the door. You can relax. I'm your nurse."
"You're not a nurse. If you were, I'd rather receive care from an ogre."
"Aren't a much better sight than that old crone who looks like she'll keel over any minute?"
She untied the belt around her coat and let it fall to the floor. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of her attire. It was similar to the attire of the other nurses though far more revealing. He refused to let his eyes wander away from her face, quite the difficult task.
"Has Swan sent you to interrogate me? I already told her that I've no idea where Cora's hiding."
"Emma thinks I'm babysitting Henry. She has no idea that I'm here."
"Then what is the reason for your visit? To torment me?"
"To make you feel better. I heard about that accident. It's not fun to get hit by a car."
"Get out."
"See, you say that but your eyes say different. Too bad you don't have your hook to threaten me with right now."
"I don't need my hook. Everything else remains intact."
"I can see that."
Her eyes flickered to a raised lump under the blanket. He was taken aback by her straddling him on the bed. She leaned closer to him, her breath on his neck making him shiver.
"I like my men tied up."
Grinding her hips against his, she left a trail of kisses down his neck. The shackle prevented him from moving his hand.
"Your little pirate definitely wants to play now but he has to wait his turn."
She placed her hands on either side of his head. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain. He groaned, the pain worsening with each passing second. His eyes popped open and he found himself alone in the room. The elderly nurse hurried into the room.
"Feeling alright, dear?"
"Yes. I was asleep."
"Your blood pressure was skyrocketing. You must've been having a very good dream."
As she left the room, he wondered if it was truly a dream...
~Riley~
Riley was standing by the trunk of her car. She held up a tiny vial filled with a silver mist. Brief images flashed through the mist. The last image was of a young dark-haired boy in an ill-fitted naval uniform sailing a ship, an older boy in a similar uniform at his side. Stashing the vial in the pocket of her coat, she opened the trunk. A young girl with pink streaks in her platinum blonde hair had her arms and legs tied together with rope and a gag in her mouth. Seeing Riley, she muttered curses and struggled to break the ropes.
"Good to see you too, Ellie. It's been so long. Don't look so dour. We're going to have a fun girl's night. Pillow fights, gossiping about boys, torturing information out of you…I personally can't wait."
Grabbing her by her ponytail, she dragged her into the inn. A raven flew in after her through the window…