(no subject)

[frabjuous]

I always meant to go back.

Comments

Sorry I'm late.

[havehatwilltravel]

So why didn't you?

No problem!

[frabjuous]

[ oh... alice falters, turning around at the familiar voice. ]

I couldn't.

[havehatwilltravel]

What happened?

[frabjuous]

A rabbit hole, I - couldn't find a way in.

[ she lets her shoulders slump, unable to look jefferson in the eye. ] Every entrance I'd ever known was locked.

[havehatwilltravel]

I thought we'd lost you because of my work with the hat.

[ooc: We're having some internet issues here, so I may have a hard time posting.]

[frabjuous]

[ ooc: okay! got it. hope it'll be okay. ]

Oh, goodness, I hadn't meant to stay for long. I wish I'd said something - I'd spent all this time thinking of things I should have said because I ...

[ she drops her head too. ] I thought I'd never see you both again.

[havehatwilltravel]

[ooc: And I can't even post from my phone because I can't use captcha on it.]

We never thought we'd see you again either.

How did you end up here?

[frabjuous]

[ ooc: :c hopefully it will fix itself soon. ]

I -- drove. That's all. I was just in Providence before and -

[ alice kicks a little at the dirt under her laced-up boot. ] I never expected to see you. In Maine.

[havehatwilltravel]

[ooc: Hopefully, but I have a feeling I'm going to have to call them tomorrow.]

We didn't expect to come here. Regina cursed everybody, and we ended up here.

[frabjuous]

[ she covers her face and lets her hands slide down her cheeks. ]

And Grace? What of our Grace?

[havehatwilltravel]

She's here too. Most people didn't know about the curse, or who they really were. They had false identities. She had one too. She had different parents and didn't know who I was.

[frabjuous]

But - you remembered.

[havehatwilltravel]

Yes. I was one of the very few who did. For twenty-eight years, I watched her with her other parents. Made sure she was happy and well taken care of.

[frabjuous]

It would be most helpful if time could coordinate itself from one realm to the next. I have enough trouble keeping time zones apart, let alone the passage of time -

Ah, something like that. It doesn't matter - anywhere I go, it always seems like I've missed everything else.

[havehatwilltravel]

It was twenty-eight years, but time was frozen. It was basically the same day over and over again. Except no one knew that.

So you're here for awhile, then? [Baby steps. They have a lot they have to talk about, but they'll take it at their own pace and get there when they get there.]

[frabjuous]

It is an open-ended stay. I've impending business, but --

[ she half smiles, hands in the pockets of her skirt. ] Do you both live here? [ alice gestures at the quiet main street where she stands. ]

[havehatwilltravel]

We live in the big house on the hill on the edge of town. She knows who she is now, and who I am.

[frabjuous]

Can - could I possibly see her?

I'd understand if you - she must be with friends at the moment. If that isn't too much to ask. [ all she can think of is, i wish i could have helped you. ]

[havehatwilltravel]

Of course. She's been asking about you.

She's with Henry. The sheriff's son. She'll be home later.

[frabjuous]

Jefferson, I -

[ deep breaths now as she tilts her head back, as if this will stop her from crying. ] I'm so sorry. I realize these were circumstances beyond my control, but the way - if only I'd stayed. With you.

[havehatwilltravel]

Certain things wouldn't have happened. Grace would have had both parents, and here in Storybrooke she might have been with me instead of with someone else.

[frabjuous]

Was this because - of the queen?

[havehatwilltravel]

Because of Regina, yes.

[frabjuous]

Like chess pieces in her little game. A familiar situation, certainly.

( she folds her arms over her chest, then unfolds them slowly. ) What else have I missed? With you and Grace?

[havehatwilltravel]

Too much to explain in just a couple of minutes. I should start from the beginning.

But not here.

[frabjuous]

Anywhere. I'll - I will follow your lead.

[ alice nods and wonders if she can reach for his arm. but decides against pursuing closeness for now. ]

[havehatwilltravel]

Let's go to my house then. It's that way, up the hill.

[frabjuous]

Certainly.

[ she starts up in that direction, leaving her car behind, parked in front of a small boutique. ]

[havehatwilltravel]

[His house turns out to be quite large. He shows her into a room with a fireplace. There's currently no fire in it; it's plenty warm without one.]

Where should I start?

[frabjuous]

[ it is beautiful. alice follows him in and takes a seat near the fireplace, unlit. she isn't entirely comfortable, her shoulders tense, her ankles crossed. ]

Why did she do this to us?

[havehatwilltravel]

[He remains standing by the fireplace, for the moment, and slips his hands into his pockets.] It wasn't just us. She cursed everybody. Though mostly they got to keep their families.

[frabjuous]

[ alice folds her hands, looking away from jefferson. she blinks rapidly, forcing a few tears to fall from her lashes, her stomach feeling tight. ]

A curse on everyone? For what reason? How was it broken?

[havehatwilltravel]

She has a grudge against Snow White. She blames Snow White for the loss of her happy ending. She wanted to take away everyone's happy ending except her own.

The curse was broken by the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.

[frabjuous]

Cruel. But ending happily, I presume.

But -- [ she turns and looks up at him, rubbing under her eyes. ] There is almost always a catch, is there not?

[havehatwilltravel]

She's not particularly happy now, I wouldn't imagine.

She adopted a son. He turned out to be the son of Snow White's daughter. She came to town because he brought her here. She broke the curse because of him.

[frabjuous]

All this time - I could have been here with you.

[havehatwilltravel]

And the ten years before. I don't know what happened with that, why you left and why you couldn't get back.

[frabjuous]

I don't know - it hardly seems as if time hasn't passed at all, yet I feel so much older than I am.

( She brushes a big curl from her face. ) I had left in a huff and as soon as I'd reached the surface, I felt regret, the portal had closed. Just like that.

[havehatwilltravel]

In a huff? Were you angry?