Love Isn't Lost Yet (OUAT)

Prologue

Laughter always could be heard coming out of the Nolan house no matter the day. As the joyous sounds reached the ears of any passerby, a smile never failed to cross their features. To any outsider, the lovely Nolan house was that of a joyous one. One that was always happy. One that was always bright. That beautiful, white ranch style home on the corner of Main St. Princess Abigail, daughter of Midas, and her lovely husband Frederick, had the perfect home, the perfect marriage, the perfect life. 

Floating through the facade, like a soft breeze, was an almost inaudible whimper. It was almost like a wrong note played in an almost flawless symphony. It's always overlooked and forgotten in between the beautiful melody. 

In the Nolan house, past all the holiday decorations, past the pictures of one of the loveliest couples in town, past all of the facade was the home of charlatans. Behind closed doors, away from prying eyes, the mask comes off revealing the wolves under sheep's clothing. 

Up the stairs, down the hall, in the last room on the right, the door stood slightly ajar, revealing a teenager. A shiver escaped the boy's lips as he hugged himself tighter. The darkness in the room, perfectly shielding him from any prying eyes. 

As he heard the cacophony of drunken and slurred laughter making its way from downstairs, he only had one hope. 'Please leave me alone. Just for tonight,' he begged inwardly. All hope was lost as he heard the heavy footsteps stumble up the steps slowly.

"Drew," he heard the inebriated voice call out from down the hall. The teen's cerulean blue eyes shoot open as his head shooting towards the door at a neck-breaking speed. Crawling into his bed quickly and throwing his tattered blanket over his body, the teen squeezed his eyes closed harshly as if he could make all his problems disappear.

"James," the man shouts, this time forgoing the teen's real name. Drew suppressed the urge to jump at the sound of the door crashing open. As the footsteps neared the dirtied twin bed on the other side of the barren room, Drew held his breath. 'Please go away,' he hoped again inwardly. 

"Boy, I know you heard me," he hisses, grabbing the boys arm and yanking him harshly out the bed. Drew bites back a hiss as his arm was held in Frederick's vice-like grip. "Answer me."

"I am sorry, sir. I hadn't heard. I had just fallen asleep," the boy pled softly, almost under a whisper, scared that the slightest change in tone nor volume might set the man off.

Drew holds back a cringe as a scowl sets into the man's features. As Drew sees the incoming fist hurdle towards his face, he knows that there is no such thing as hope. 

~~~

As the boisterous laughter continues to greet people on the street, causing their heart to swell with happiness, a soft breeze floats out carrying a cry for help from a young prince. A cry no one will hear.