Chapter 10

"Hey Ruby!" Eleanore yelled as Ruby was making her way to the stairs that led to the upstairs apartment she shared with her grandmother.

"What's up, Elle?" she asked, subconsciously checking her watch as she waited for Eleanore to approach.

"Can you do me a favor?" Eleanore asked as soon as she caught up with the taller brunette.

"What's up?" Ruby asked.

"Cover for me again tonight?"

"Oh yeah, of course. Another 'girls night'?" she asked, winking at Eleanore.

"Yeah…" she said, blushing.

"I got your back!" Ruby said, nudging Eleanore.

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Call me in the morning. I want to hear all about it." Eleanore smiled and nodded, even though she wasn't sure she was ready to let Ruby into that part of her life just yet. Plus, she didn't even fully understand what was going on between her and Gina. Ruby disappeared upstairs and Eleanore turned back to the diner, jotting down her dinner order onto her order pad, slipping it to Louis in the kitchen. She hurried around to collect the rest of the provisions she needed for this meal while she waited for her order, asking Louis to double wrap everything in tin foil to ensure it stayed warm this time.

The sun was already starting to set by the time the food was ready. She paid and packed everything quickly, thanking Louis for the quick service. She rushed out, saying a quick goodbye to Ana, making her way toward the beach as fast as she could. The days were starting to get warmer, but once the sun went down, the air grew cold again. She rushed to the cave as the setting sun hit the horizon. She tried to set up the cave as quickly as possible and was just beginning to arrange the wood for the small fire when she heard Gina approach.

"Eleanore?" she asked, popping her head into the dark cave.

"Hey, I'm here,." Eleanore said, flicking the lighter and holding it under the kindling for a few seconds, waiting for the dry wood to catch. The fire sprang to life a few moments later, lighting up the small cave, the warmth pushing out the chilly evening air. Gina's smile widened when she could finally see Eleanore, who was still crouched down fanning the fire to life.

"Sorry, I had to work today and we had a surprise rush in the late afternoon so I'm running a little behind," Eleanore said, standing to greet Gina. As always, Gina was soaking wet. Without question, Eleanore handed her a towel, as well as a fresh set of dry clothes.

"That's okay." Gina smiled, taking the clothes and towel, drying herself off as quickly as possible. Eleanore turned around to give her privacy as she changed out of her wet clothes.

"I'm good," she said a few minutes later, taking a seat on the blankets in front of the fire. "How was work?"

"It was alright. Waitressing is hard work sometimes, but I don't mind. It's starting to get warmer, so we should be back out on the water soon. I'm looking forward to that." Eleanore smiled, reaching for the food she brought. "One of the good things about running late is warm food. I hope you're hungry," she said, reaching in and pulling out the food.

"This looks different," Gina said when Eleanore opened the containers, revealing an unusual side dish.

"These are called hashbrowns, and these are homefries. Tonight's dinner has a theme." Eleanore laughed, handing Gina a sandwich wrapped in tin foil.

"What's the theme?" Gina asked, slowly unwrapping the sandwich.

"Tonight's theme is breakfast! That's called a baconeggandcheese sandwich." Eleanore explained, talking really fast.

"A what?" Gina asked, not catching the sandwich name.

"A bacon egg and cheese. Someone from New York came into the diner once and ordered it like that and laughed when I didn't understand. She said in New York, they pronounce the sandwich as one word for some reason." Eleanore laughed.

Gina giggled. "Well, that sounds silly."

"Besides the silly name, it's a really good sandwich. And to pair it, I brought us each a cup of coffee. Decaf, of course. It's late after all." Eleanore handed Gina a cup of coffee. "I didn't know how you would like it, so I brought some milk and sugar for you to try," Eleanore said, pointing to the small cup of cream and a few packets of sugar. Gina smelled the coffee and looked over at Eleanore, who was already sipping from her own cup. She took a small sip, her face scrunching immediately.

"Oh, that's bitter," she said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.

"Here, try it with a little cream and sugar," Eleanore said, pouring some cream into the cup and ripping open a few packets of sugar, dumping the white crystals into the hot liquid, stirring it a little before handing it back to Gina. She took another small sip, making another small face.

"I still don't like it. I'm sorry," Gina said sadly, placing the hot cup on the ground.

"It's okay, don't worry about it. I'll drink it." Eleanore smiled, moving the cup out of the way. "Try the sandwich before it gets cold," she said, unwrapping her own sandwich. Gina took a small bite, her face brightening up.

"Oh, I like that. It's very salty," she said, causing Eleanore to smile. She liked these moments when she introduced Gina to new foods.

They continued to eat, sharing the hashbrowns and homefries as Eleanore drank the rest of the coffee.

"And now, to continue with the breakfast theme, I present our dessert. Donuts!" she said, opening a white paper bag, containing two large donuts. "These are my favorite. They're called bear claws. Granny makes them fresh every morning." Eleanore offered one of the pastries to Gina who took a bite without even questioning it.

"I definitely know why these are your favorite. They aren't as sweet as the cupcakes though, just sweet enough." She smiled, taking another bite.

They ate the rest of their donuts in silence, savoring the delectably sweet flavor. Once they were finished eating, Eleanore threw some more wood on the fire and tossed in any garbage that could be burned before settling next to Gina, wrapping a large blanket around them.

"Your hoodie smells like you again," Gina said, burying her nose into the warm fabric.

"I may have worn it to bed last night so it smelled like me again," Eleanore said, a sly smile on her face.

"Thank you for that." Gina smiled, taking another smell of the sweatshirt, inhaling the scent that was all Eleanore.

"You can take that hoodie with you if you want and bring it back next month." Eleanore smiled.

"Oh no, that's okay. I can't let you part with your clothing," Gina said, slightly nervous.

"It's fine. I have plenty. And you seem to like it so much. You can borrow it for a month," Eleanore said.

"I…I don't want anything to happen to it. I better not," Gina said, clearly starting to panic.

"No worries, I understand. I'll just have to bring it with me next month so you can wear it again," Eleanore said. She knew why Gina didn't want to take her hoodie, and that made her smile even more. Gina shifted closer and wrapped her arms around Eleanore's neck, pulling the blonde in for a sweet kiss, pulling away after a few seconds.

"Mmmm…" she moaned. "I may not like the taste of coffee while I'm drinking it, but I really like the way it tastes on your lips." Gina smiled.

"Well, I'm going to have to make sure to drink more coffee then." Eleanore smiled, pulling Gina into another kiss. Somehow, they ended up laying down, Eleanore's body on top of Gina's, her hand resting on Gina's hip.

Their kisses quickly grew deeper and more passionate as Eleanore's hand began to move on its own, finding its way under Gina's shirt and caressing the soft skin of Gina's abdomen. Her skin was warm, but not from the warmth of the fire or the hoodie. But from the heat that was forming between the two of them. Just as Eleanore's hand began to gently cup Gina's left breast, Gina pulled away suddenly, startling Eleanore.

"I…uhhh…I think maybe we should stop," Gina said, fear and hesitation in her voice.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry, Gina! I'm so sorry. I didn't…I would never…I just got so wrapped up I guess I didn't realize what I was doing. I'm so sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. Oh god, did I hurt you?" Eleanore said, ripping her hand out from under Gina's hoodie, climbing off the woman underneath her.

"No No! No you didn't hurt me at all," Gina said, reaching up to cup Elenore's face, pulling her back toward her slightly. "It's just…I think things were just moving a little too fast and I got scared."

"Gina, we don't have to do anything you don't want to. Don't ever feel like you have to do something just for my sake," Eleanore said, concern still in her voice. "We can take this as fast or as slow as you want, okay?"

"Okay," Gina said, her face turning red. "I want to, I definitely do. Just maybe take baby steps tonight."

"Whatever you're comfortable with." Eleanore smiled, gently cupping Gina's face.

"Maybe we just keep things up here for now?" Gina asked shyly.

"Whatever you like," Eleanore said, smiling.

"And maybe I could…touch you…too?" Gina asked, her voice sounding very nervous. Eleanore smiled down at Gina as she sat up for a few seconds, reaching underneath her own hoodie and quickly removing her bra. She gently grabbed the brunette's hand and guided it under her hoodie toward her own breast.

"You can touch me whenever you want. You never have to ask." Eleanore smiled. Gina found a little courage and cupped Eleanore's bare breast gently, running her thumb over her nipple, feeling it begin to harden under her touch. Eleanore closed her eyes and moaned slightly at Gina's soft and sensual touch, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Is this okay?" Gina asked, nervousness still evident in her voice.

"It's more than okay," Eleanore whispered, her eyes fluttering open to meet Gina's. "It's perfect. You're perfect."

"You can touch me too…if you want," Gina whispered shyly.

"Are you sure?" Eleanore asked, making sure that Gina was okay with the intimate touch.

"Positive," Gina said, her face turning a slight red. Eleanore smiled as her hand began to move under Gina's shirt slowly, making her way back to Gina's breast. She cupped it softly, gently massaging it, rubbing her thumb over the slowly growing nub. She looked deep into Gina's eyes to make sure she was still alright and found nothing but passion in her brown eyes. Gina surged forward suddenly, capturing her lips in a deep and passionate kiss, one that eventually left them both breathless.

A few hours later, as the last of the firewood was being consumed by their small fire, they found themselves laying side by side under their blanket, each of their hands rubbing the other's back under their shirts, their eyes locked.

"Can I see you more than once a month?" Eleanore asked, breaking their silence.

"I can't," Gina said sadly. "I can only come here once a month."

"Then can we go somewhere else while you're here? Like a restaurant or something? Or maybe somewhere more private? There's a cute little Bed and Breakfast in town that's part of the diner I work at. I know Granny would give me a break on the room for the night. Not that I don't love our little love nook," Eleanore suggested.

"I…uhhh…I…it's just that…well…" Gina started to stutter, searching for the right thing to say, panic rising in her voice.

"Hey, it's okay. Don't worry about it, really. Everything is perfect the way it is." Eleanore smiled, clearly sensing Gina's fear.

"Really?" Gina asked.

"Yeah, really. Don't worry." She smiled, kissing her softly. "It was just a thought, that's all."

"Are you sure?" Gina asked, not convinced.

Eleanore smiled. "I'm more than sure. I don't care when or where we are, as long as I get to see you." Gina didn't say anything as tears began to fill in her eyes. Eleanore just wiped them away without another word, kissing her softly once again.

They kissed for a little while longer until the both eventually dozed off. Eleanore woke up once again when she felt Gina's body missing beside her. She laid perfectly still as she watched Gina reluctantly walk toward the water, naked once again with her tattered old clothes tucked under her arm. Eleanore watched as Gina took a deep and sad breath before taking a step into the water. After a few moments, Gina dove under a wave, surfacing a minute later. Turning around in the water, Gina looked back across the beach and watched Eleanore sleep for a few minutes before disappearing once again under the water, the familiar purple tail surfacing a second later before disappearing under the water with Gina. Eleanore smiled when she saw it. She now knows for certain.

Gina was a Mermaid.


Hey Imaginary Friend, how the hell are you? Now I KNOW I'm going crazy, if I'm asking a book how they are doing. At least I'm not crazy for believing in fairytales. Okay, enough pleasantries, it's time to get down to business.

Gina. Gina freaking Mills. The mysterious woman on the beach. Gina, the Mermaid. I didn't think I would EVER say that word, Mermaid, and mean to imply they were real. But I'm now almost 100% sure they are real. Yes, Ruby told me all about the sea stories of sailors encountering Mermaids off the coast of Storybrooke for generations. It's one thing to hear a story, but it's another to actually MEET one! And here I am, your friendly neighborhood amnesiac, forming a romantic attachment to a Mermaid. If anyone ever saw this notebook, they would toss me into a padded room and throw away the key. But I swear to you, I have proof!

First of all, she has never eaten "human food". I mean, who grows up in America and has NEVER had a grilled cheese, or a burger or a baconeggandcheese? Even with parents who hold strict culinary rules, surely you have tried at least ONE french fry or onion ring at some point in your life. But Gina Mills has never had any of it. And her clothes? They are old and tattered and are ripped almost to shreds. It's as if she doesn't own any other clothes. And being submerged under water every moment of every day, except a few hours once a month, would make the fabric weaker, and more prone to rips and tears. To be honest, those clothes were probably old to begin with before she started wearing them. If she's not a Mermaid, then that means she is likely homeless, which is even worse.

I read somewhere in my research that, in certain Mermaid legends, Mermaids can walk on land with legs instead of their tail during the full moon. Sailors have sworn to seeing them walk out of the ocean and onto the beach. I've never seen Gina arriving, but she is always soaking wet when we meet, as if she had just come out of the water. Even in the freezing cold winter, she was still soaking wet. And although I've never seen her arrive, I've seen her leave, and she always disappears into the water. If she's not a Mermaid, then she lives on an island somewhere close by, which I guess could be plausible.

The thing is, last night was the second night of the full moon. And every other time we have met and every time I have seen her on the beach before we met, it has always been during the full moon. I swear to you, I'm not crazy. If Gina isn't a Mermaid, then what's up with that purple tail I see right before she swims away? That beautiful purple tail that catches the light in just the right way that it seems to sparkle as if made out of glitter.

Then again, if I am crazy, what a wonderful delusion to have.

Eleanore stopped writing for a moment to look up at the horizon. The air was getting warmer each day, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she would be back on the water. Killian had gone to the warehouse to check on the status of the boats and the equipment in preparation of the spring season opening, giving Eleanore the afternoon to herself. Which meant only one thing—she would be at the beach.

What if Gina isn't actually real? What if she really is just a delusion? No one else has ever seen her before, and whenever we meet it's just the two of us. What if there's no one there, and it's just me sitting in a cave alone, eating two dinners? What if I'm so desperate to remember something that I'm starting to make up visions of a beautiful woman who just so happens to possibly be a Mermaid. I hope Doctor Hopper never reads this. He will CERTAINLY throw my ass in the looney bin.

She sighed as she checked the time, realizing that Killian would be home soon, which meant she needed to head back to start cooking dinner. Killian has been on her case for a while about her lack of cooking ability, so she knew she needed to cook something decent that didn't involve just pasta. She packed up and headed back home to start making dinner. As soon as she threw the chicken into the oven she took a quick shower, knowing her skin likely smelled like the ocean air, and she didn't want to hear Killian's mouth about spending the day at the beach.

"Well, something smells good," Killian announced when he walked back into the house. "It's about time you cooked something decent." He laughed as he peeked into the oven.

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes as she pushed him out of the way so she could drop the boil-in-the-bag rice into the pot of boiling water.

"I know you did not just disrespect me, woman," Killian warned. Eleanore ignored him, going back to her task of heating up some frozen vegetables. Killian smacked her ass posessively as he passed by her, grabbing a beer out of the fridge, tossing the cap into the sink as he passed again. Eleanore rolled her eyes so hard they nearly rolled out of her head.

They ate in uncomfortable silence, Eleanore disgusted by the way Killian shoveled his food like an animal, a stark contrast from the delicate and polite way Gina ate. That night she sat on the couch next to Killian while he continued to drink, her mind wandering to the beautiful woman she had spent the night before kissing, exploring each other's bodies until they were both left breathless. She started to wonder where Gina was, and what she was doing at that very moment, wondering if Gina was thinking about her as well. She eventually went to bed early, hoping Killian would pass out drunk on the couch instead of bothering her in the middle of the night.


She felt happy and content as she laid there, a wide smile spreading across her face as she slowly dozed off. She was laying in the comfort of her bed. Her body felt happy and warm. She was safe and content. She shifted slightly, feeling the familiar weight next to her, their arms wrapped around each other. Life felt perfect.

"Are you awake, my love?" the familiar voice rang in her ears.

"Of course," she whispered, not opening her eyes.

"Can I ask you something?" the voice asked.

"You just did." She giggled, receiving a poke in the ribs for her silly comment. "You can ask me anything," she retorted.

"I love you so much," the woman said, tightening her grip on her.

"I love you too. What's going on?" she asked, her eyes flying open to look at the woman in her arms.

"There's something I need to ask you," the woman said, her voice filled with nervous energy.

"What's up? Are you okay?" she asked, panic rising in her blood.

"Everything is perfect, my love" the woman said, her voice soft. "But I do have something I need to ask you." The woman reached to cup her face gently.

"What is it, my love?" she asked, tightening her grip on the woman next to her as she waited for her to collect her thoughts.

"Will you marry me?"

Eleanore shot straight up in bed, the early morning light already flooding into the room. Her chest burned as she hyperventilated, her heart pounding so hard she could swear she felt it burst through her chest. Killian was snoring next to her, clearly having passed out after going to bed, his heavy arm draped across her lap. She threw it off suddenly and rushed out of bed, tripping slightly as she ran into the living room. "We were going to get married! We were going to be together," she repeated to herself as she paced the room violently, wearing tracks in the faded carpet. Suddenly, she rushed over to her bag and pulled out her journal. She flopped down in a corner and threw open the book to a fresh page, frantically writing the words that ran through her mind, afraid that if she didn't write them down, she would lose them.

We were going to get married. We were going to be together. She asked me to marry her. She asked me, but I woke up before I could give her the answer. My heart tells me that I was going to say yes. I was going to accept her proposal and we were going to live happily ever after. Until…until something happened and she left me alone on the beach and never came back.

Who is she? Where is she? What happened to rip us apart? And why, after all this time, hasn't she come looking for me? What made her stop loving me?

A splash of water startled her. This time, she didn't have to check to know she was crying. She was crying for a lost love she can't remember having.

A/N: How cute is Gina and Eleanore? But more importantly, who is this mysterious woman that Eleanore keeps dreaming about? Why did she leave Eleanore on the beach and not come looking for her after all this time? Keep reading to find out more!