The Hatter

Chapter 8

Grace bled uncontrollably onto my white porch. I tried to stop the bleeding, but the red liquid seeped through my fingers anyways. My knees felt wet, and I looked down to see that I was in a pool of blood. Grace's blood.

"Oh, Grace," I whispered. A tear rolled down my cheek. In a flash, the face I was looking down at wasn't my daughter's, it was the werewolf's. As I frantically got to my feet, he laughed. Blood spurted out of his mouth.

I heard his voice in my head, saying: "I didn't think you had it in you." I couldn't take it anymore. I ran. But he was still in my head, laughing, taunting me. A girl's scream echoed from in the woods.

I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder, and jolted upright, breathing hard. A woman with carmel-colored hair and brown eyes looked down at me. It was Paige's mom. Not Grace's, Paige's.

"Are you alright?" she asked, seeming worried. Her dark haired husband stared at me from behind her, his eyes puffy and red.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered a little harshly, jealousy filling my mind because of their presences.

"You're Jefferson, right?"

"Yes." I stood up, annoyed at being looked down at.

"I don't know if you remember us, but we were your neighbors..."

"In the Enchanted Forest, yes. I remember." How could I not? They were the ones Grace stayed with when I left. Oddly enough, I couldn't remember their names. "And you were Paige's... parents."

"Paige's?" She seemed confused. "Well actually it's Grace-"

"You think I don't know her name! You were her family during the curse, back when she was Paige. But now that she's regained her memories, she's Grace, and I am her father."

"And I understand that you want her to live with you," the man said bitterly.

"Yes, because he's my daughter."

"But you left her, and we had to watch over her all of those years; because you weren't there-"

"You think I was gone from her life by choice!" I yelled angrily. People were watching us, but I didn't care. "I left to do some business so that I could provide for Grace, and I got captured. I couldn't go back, but I tried, every single day. So don't tell me that I don't deserve to be with her! You don't know what I've been through!" Anger surged through me like a wildfire. The couple seemed caught off guard by my rant, the mouths struggling to find the right words to say. The husband pulled his wife aside, and they had a whispered argument as I tried to cool down.

Approaching me, the woman said, "I'm sorry if my husband offended you. It's just that we've grown very fond of Pai- Grace, I mean. And the reason she left for your home last night because we had told her that we didn't want her to live with you, and she got angry." The woman sniffed. "It's our fault that she's hurt, and... I'm sorry." There were tears glistening in her eyes. "We'll do everything we can so that you two can be together again."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"You're welcome. I just hope she's okay, though. If not, I'll never forgive myself." All I could do in answer was nod. Looking over her shoulder, I saw her husband glaring at me through tears. For a moment, I actually felt bad for him.

Suddenly, a female doctor walked in, coming straight towards us.

"Are you Grace's parents?"

"Yes," the three of us said together.

"I'm her real father-" I added.

"But we were her parents during the curse," the man interrupted, "and we are her emergency contacts.

"Alright..." the doctor answered, confusion visible in her expression. "Well, We did stitched up all of her injuries, and did a blood transfusion. No major arteries or anything were damaged, and she's doing as to be expected. She's sleeping right now, but the three of you can come she her if you'd like."

We nodded in agreement, and the doctor led us through the hallway, slowing next to a particular room. I could see Grace through the window, a breathing aid and an IV attached to her. The doctor motioned for us to go in, but she stayed outside.

"Wait," the woman said to her husband, grabbing his arm, "let Jefferson go first." He looked angry, but obliged.

"Thanks," I said, and went to Grace's side, looking down at her pale face. A monitor beeped next to her bed. I released the breath I'd been holding in, and reached out to stroke my daughter's hair. My hand was shaking.

"Grace," I whispered heart-brokenly. "I'm so sorry I didn't get to you sooner." My mind flashed to the werewolf, holding her down with his paw. "I'm so sorry..." Choking back tears, I grasped her abnormally cold hand. "I spoke to..." It dawned on me that I didn't even know the couple's names. "To your curse-parents," I continued, "and once you're better, you can come live with me. We can be a family again." I was crying now, hit by the wave of pain and anguish that came from having your child wounded. Worry filled my mind. "I-I love you, Grace. Don't you ever forget that."

I released her hand and stood up, wiping my eyes. Walking out of the room, I nodded to the couple, giving them a chance to visit her.