Dead Reckoning
Chapter Three
Once Regina left the room, Violet turned back to Henry and spoke up again saying, "I'm sorry for interrupting you from finishing our school work. But I was hoping we can talk, so that I can try to explain why I've been avoiding you, which I honestly didn't mean to do by the way. I just didn't know how to tell you. I've been struggling with it myself."
Henry guided her into the living room and sat on the couch beside her, then he replied, "I was hoping you would. You can tell me whatever it is, Violet. If this is about us, and about how you might want to begin seeing someone else…"
"Oh… no, Henry," she responded before he could continue. "There isn't anyone else here I like more than I like you. You were the first one to make me feel welcome here in this strange new world when we first came over from Camelot. And while we were there, you cared about me and we danced to music that I had never heard before. It was amazing. And much better than anything we ever had there. I like you, Henry. I could never think anyone else that goes to our school, or otherwise, is sweeter than you."
"Okay, so what's bothering you then?" he asked her with concern.
Violet gave a long sigh and then she finally answered, "It's my father. He wants to move back to his old home, in Connecticut. I told him I didn't want to leave, but he seems adamant about it."
Henry shook his head while he struggled to understand, then replied, "I thought he was okay with staying here in Storybrooke. I mean, he didn't want to return to Camelot when everyone else went through the doorway Zelena opened to send them all home because he never felt he belonged there. I thought he was happier here and you're happy here. Aren't you?"
"Of course I am, Henry," the sixteen year old responded. "I told you I didn't want to leave. And my father does like it here, but I think it's because there's still magic here in this land that's really bothering him. He told me that he misses how things were back when he lived out there, in the country where there is no magic and no dangers he had to worry about other than what normal people worry about. Whatever that really means. I don't really know. I think he just worries that he'll lose me to magic, like he lost my mother."
"But the dangers are in the past now," he answered again, feeling more confused than before. "My mom fought the final battle and she won. The Black Fairy is gone and there are no more villains. Our town is perfectly safe again. It's a little boring to be honest, but it's still our home."
Violet groaned in frustration and stood up, then she turned back around to look down at him as she replied, "No, it's your home. My home was Camelot. And you don't know that the Black Fairy is the last villain who will ever come here to try to destroy us. I'm not saying I agree with my father's decision to leave Storybrooke, but I do understand why he feels the way he does. It isn't definite that we are leaving just yet. I just hope that you'll be able to understand why we have to if the time comes. I think maybe this was a mistake, at least to come here tonight. I shouldn't have told you until we knew for sure. I'm going to go now."
As soon as she turned to leave the house, Henry immediately stood up and grabbed her arm to stop her, then he responded, "Please wait… Don't go. I'm sorry, Violet. I didn't mean to sound so inconsiderate. You're right. Just because the final battle is over, it doesn't mean there aren't more villains out there. I just don't want to see you go. I'd miss you."
"Why do you think it was so hard for me to talk to you about this?" she asked him with a smile on her face and then leaned in to kiss him. "I would miss you too, Henry. I would miss our friends, school… especially your grandmother's class, and I would even miss magic too. It can be so beautiful."
"It certainly can be," he answered as he walked her to the door, then called out to his mother to tell her that he was going to walk Violet home before they began to walk down the driveway. "Look, tomorrow Killian's taking me out on the Jolly Roger. Not only has he been showing me how to sail and to navigate using maps and the stars over the years, but lately I've been introducing him little by little to more of our world's technology and entertainment like movies and the few games he's actually able to play with one hand. Oh, and he's also been training me in swordfighting. Grandpa's been showing me as well, but Killian's more fun. Don't tell my grandfather I said that. I know you might find all that boring, but… How would you like to come with us?"
She nodded and then replied, "I'd love to. That all sounds like fun. It's not often that I've been out on the ocean on a ship. In fact, I don't think I've ever really been. Are you sure he would be all right with me tagging along tomorrow?"
Henry smiled as he responded, "He'd love it. How about you and your father meet us and Mom at Granny's for breakfast in the morning and then we can go from there? Is eight o'clock too early for you?"
"Eight o'clock sounds perfect," Violet answered. "I have to make sure that my father's okay with me going out with you, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it. After all, you go out with Hook all the time. I can't imagine my father would think that sailing with a man who used to be a pirate would be all that dangerous."
"I guess it's good your father never knew Hook before when he was a pirate," the seventeen year old replied when they arrived outside of the apartment building where Violet lived with her father, Sir Morgan. "I mean, if he did he might not trust Killian to take good care of you. Things were different years ago when Killian first came here to Storybrooke, like I've told you. Not many people believed Killian could be anything more than a pirate, for a really long time, except for my mom. But he proved everyone wrong. I'm just really glad you and your father has gotten to know us all now and not before."
She leaned over again to kiss his cheek and responded, "Me too. Good night, Henry. I'll see you in the morning."
When his girlfriend started to walk inside, he smiled again as he answered quietly, "See you in the morning. Good night, Violet."