The Hatter

Chapter 1

I hid behind a wooden telephone pole, my hands in my jacket pockets, and watched her get off of the school bus with a group of friends. A pink and gray backpack hung off of one of her shoulders.

She wore her school uniform: a dark shirt with a white collared one underneath, a dark plaid skirt, knee-high socks, and dark shoes. Her long, wavy, dark blonde hair flowed behind her as she walked.

My daughter. My Grace.

I dreaded talking to her, because I had left her, so long ago, in our home, the Enchanted Forest.

When the Evil Queen cursed us to live in this land, Grace lost her memories, and got false ones in return, while I didn't. I had had to be alone, every single day, watching my daughter, watching her be with her fake, curse-memory parents. Not being able to tell her how sorry I was, how much I regretted that day, so long ago.

Knowing was my torture. And now that the curse on Storybrooke was broken, my daughter had her memories back. All of them.

I stepped forward into the middle of the sidewalk, my eyes red from tears.

"Grace," I called out, my voice croaking a bit from crying. I swallowed nervously.

She stopped in her tracks as her friends continued walking. When she turned, her brown eyes fell on me.

My eyebrows were furrowed as I gazed into her eyes and she gazed back. I wondered if she would forgive me, and desperately wanted her to, with all my being.

I relive the day I left her almost every night.

"Papa!" She exclaimed, running towards me, a smile on her beautiful face.

A huge weight lifted off of my heart to see that after everything, she didn't hate me. But why didn't she?

I crouched down and hugged her as she hugged me back, her small arms wrapped around me tightly. My lips stretched into a smile.

I never wanted to let go.

Being this close to her, finally, warmed my heart. She was my life, always had been, and was all I had left. I needed her back.

"You found me! I knew you would!" She said happily, and I lowered myself into a kneeling position.

My hands stroked her silky hair, and her head rested on my shoulder.

She doesn't hate me. She forgave me, after everything. She still loves me.

Blinking the tears out of my eyes, I picked her up, and started walking towards home, unable to end the embrace.