Odette stood by the edge of the ship as she looked out at the dock below it while Killian maneuvered it to a safe landing. People cheered from below, all crowding together. Odette could see Belle, and Ruby, standing among the dwarves with Granny and Archie not far behind, all looking up at the ship as it descended with happy smiles.
They were back home again.
And the joy of that feeling had the majority of the group climbing down from the ship as soon as they could. Henry, of course went first, crowded, and swarmed with hugs as soon as people could reach him. And after him, one by one the rest of their group joined in on the celebration.
"Move it. You're blocking the way." Odette grumbled at the Dark One as he paused on the gangway to stare down at Belle, keeping the rest of them from continuing down to the docks. She wasn't going to stop them from their happy reunion, they just needed to get a move on so she could get to her own.
And when she finally made it down to the dock, it wasn't long before they began. The moment her feet were on solid ground, Odette was pulled into a familiar bone crushing hug, laughing as she returned Ruby's hold with equal measure. "It's so good to have you back! I was worried." The woman admitted, making Odette give out a small laugh. When Ruby admits she was worried, then you know it was bad.
"Well, I wasn't. Not even for a second." Another voice joined in, Archie moving over to hug Odette right after Ruby finally let go of her. "I knew you'd succeed." His words made a big smile spread over Odette's face as she hugged him back.
"It's good to see you both." Odette smiled at them happily before looking around the dock and at all of the familiar faces. "And it's good to be home." She added. She was happy to be back in Storybrooke, and she couldn't wait to actually get to her apartment. A bed was seriously calling her name. One not made on the ground out of blankets full of leaves.
"It's good to have you home." Belle's voice had Odette spinning on her heel, throwing her arms around the woman before Belle could do it herself to her.
"Oh, you too! I'm sorry we didn't get to properly celebrate your memories coming back." Odette said happily as the two friends embraced each other.
"Nonsense, you needed to go." Belle reassured her, giving Odette's shoulders one last squeeze before pulling away and starting to look over her. "You're alright, right? Rumple said everyone came back fine and..." Belle started to ramble as she checked her friend over, eyes scanning her until they fell on her neck and notes the absence of its usual accessories.
"Belle, are you alright?" Archie asked, noticing the way in which the expression on her face shifted from one of joy to one of shock instead as she gaped at a laughing Odette. The blonde herself didn't have as hard of a time figuring out the cause in Belle's change of demeanour.
"You... How did... When did... Who?!" Belle barely got two words out for each question on her mind before another one occurred and had her changing directions.
Odette couldn't stop her laughter at her reactions, eyes glancing over Belle's shoulder to the pirate who stood talking to some of the Lost Boys, his own eyes glancing in her direction as he sent her a small smile. However, he didn't approach, unsure of if it was wise since the people Odette was reuniting with mainly consisted of the ones he'd hurt when he first arrived in Storybrooke.
"Okay, Belle, breathe." Odette instructed simply, eyes returning to her friend as she rubbed her shoulders. "Breathe and remember our rules. I don't judge who you date, you don't judge who I hate."
"What does that have to do with it?" Belle finally managed to get a proper question out when Odette's words made her more confused than anything else.
"Well, now it can be applied in reverse, I suppose." Odette muttered out. She couldn't deny that she herself was a tad bit nervous when it came to it, but she knew soon enough everyone would catch on to the fact that her curse was broken. And so she simply looked back to Killian, giving him a small nod of reassurance.
"What are you-" Belle, noticing that her friend seemed to be communicating with someone behind her back, turned her head to search through the sea of boys to try and figure it out who it was. And then she noticed the pirate approaching them. "Hook..." She greeted as he came to stand next to Odette, his hand instinctively wrapping around her waist and pulling her close, unable to keep back a smile knowing that he could now do so.
"Belle..." He greeted much in the same tone. For a few long moments a tense silence hung over the three while Ruby and Archie exchanged confused glances between each other before sending it to the trio as well. And it was only then that one of them realized the cause of the situation.
"You broke your curse." Archie breathed out; his voice surprised but the smile which spread over his face showed just how thrilled he was with the news. And Ruby showed it by pulling Odette into yet another of her strong hugs. "I'm so happy for you."
"Thank you." Odette couldn't hold back the big smile from her face as she returned Ruby's hug. Only once they parted again, did her eyes turn back to Belle curiously, still waiting for her to say something once the initial shock passed. "Belle?" She asked somewhat hesitantly, hoping her friend wouldn't be too mad with her.
"Of course, I'm happy for you." Realizing Odette's nervousness, Belle quickly took hold of her friend's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "I should know how hard it is to control who you fall for. And you deserve this. To be happy and free." The two friends shared fond smiles, but before Odette could say anything, all their eyes turned to David and Snow as they approached their group.
"How do you feel?" They could hear Snow's voice as only a few steps separated them all.
"Pretty good, actually. I think the water must be working." David announced with a smile, tightening his arm around his wife's shoulder and pulling her closer into his side as they bridged the gap and joined Odette and the rest of her group.
"Aye, it is." Killian spoke up in a reassuring voice. "Dreamshade overtook my brother the moment we left Neverland." His words made Odette reach over and take his hand into hers in a silent sign of comfort.
"Gold will find a cure. You'll be okay." Snow announced happily, believing it now more than ever before. They'd all get to stay together, and everything would be fine. The knowledge made Odette send a happy smile to the Lost Boys who continued to remain close by her and Killian as the townspeople continuously came up to meet them and introduce themselves.
"I have to admit, there was a minute there I didn't believe we were all going to make it out of that place." Emma announced, finally comfortable enough to share the thought now that the danger had passed.
Only, it earned her a very sharp glare from her godmother. "No, no, no. You and I have joined the optimism squad, don't abandon me now." Odette scolded, making everyone around her laugh in amusement. Yes, her optimism was another rather shocking twist that came from their trip to Neverland. Hopefully, it would last...
"Well, we did make it out, and that's what matters." David said in a calm voice, choosing to focus on what was most important. They had all the time in the world ahead of them thanks to their success.
"And we owe a lot of it to her." Snow added on to her husband's words, eyes focused on Regina who'd so far been standing on her own by the ship, no one greeting her with the same welcoming joy as the rest of them. "Regina helped save us all."
Surprised murmurs passed through the crowd at the revelation, and even Regina herself looked somewhat surprised by the credit she was given. She looked around their whole group, eyes soon falling on Odette and catching as the blonde motioned her over to join them. And, while somewhat hesitantly, soon enough, Regina did do so.
"You're all invited to a celebration at Granny's, of course, since you're the guests of honour." Ruby announced soon after as the whole group now stood together. "Granny and I have been preparing in advance as we waited for your return."
"That sounds great, but later. Right now, what I'm most looking forward to is a hot shower." Emma announced. It was impossible to keep from thinking about all the lovely things from this world that they'd missed during their time in Neverland.
"And a proper bed." Regina added on.
"And coffee."
"So... What now?" For a moment, Odette was unsure what it was that Snow was asking her, at least until she followed where her friend was looking and caught sight of Killian and Neal sitting together at the counter in Granny's, the celebration in full swing around them as they talked.
"Honestly, I never really thought about... after." Odette admitted. She hadn't thought about it until today at least. Since the initial exhilaration over their return passed and all of them went to their homes to get some proper rest, it was somewhat all that she could think of.
"Well, there's no need to rush anything. Take it one step at a time." David suggested, making both women turn to him with unimpressed looks on their faces. While he didn't outright say it, the message of his words was rather clear: 'The slower the better.'
"You're sure you're feeling fine? No Dreamshade effects or symptoms?" Odette questioned, at first seeming like she was trying to change the topic, but only once David shook his head in denial did the husband and wife realize that was far from the case. "Good, then we can have a serious conversation about you butting in and sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
"What do you-?" David tried to question innocently only to receive a smack on the back of the head from his friend.
"You think I didn't notice? All the mocking and taunting and jabbing and blocking you tried to do? Interfering and trying to get him to back off?" David struggled to meet Odette's eyes as she spoke. "I get you're protective, but this is my life, my heart, and I'm the one who chooses who I want to get involved with, who I like and who I... all the other stuff." That pause certainly earned her some curious looks as both Snow and David had clearly expected something else to follow it.
"Wait..." Snow was the first to start realizing what it might've meant. "Do you-" Whatever she was about to ask, Odette didn't give her a chance to. The blonde was rather done with this conversation now that she'd said what she needed to.
"Okay, enough about me let's talk about..." She trailed off for a second, eyes looking around for an idea on a new topic and soon enough she caught sight of one. "Emma. Emma and her love life."
"Really?" The woman sent her godmother an unamused look, clearly catching how easily she'd been thrown under the bus. And if her little innocent shrug was anything to go by, Odette didn't feel too guilty. Even after both caught the look Emma's parents were giving her. "Don't say it."
"Say what?" Snow played clueless.
"That I owe it to Neal to go on a date with him." Emma said what she was expecting to hear from her parents.
"You don't." Snow surprised not only Emma, but Odette too, with her answer. Emma's suspicions was definitely something that would have been expected from her. But soon, she rectified it. "You owe it to yourself." Odette couldn't help but shake her head at the words, knowing it was much easier said than done.
And Emma was proof of it if her words were anything to go by. "I can't think about myself right now; not after what Henry just went through." The blonde announced, leaving no room for further conversation about is as she walked off and joined another group of townspeople at the counter while requesting another drink.
And not wanting their attention to turn back on her, Odette looked back at her two friends as she spoke quickly after. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get some air." She announced, walking away as well, but unlike Emma she did head for the door.
Stepping out into the cold night air, Odette let her eyes roam around the empty street in front of Granny's. The silence surrounding her let Odette's thoughts wander to the questions Snow had asked her; to the answers that she did not know... To the pause... It was all somewhat... Confusing. And so mundane...
"Odette." The sound of a familiar voice calling out her name as the door to Granny's opened behind her had the blonde turning around. She smiled at the sight of David approaching her, carrying over the jacket she'd left inside when she went out into the street; one that he soon wrapped around her shoulders once he reached her. "Everything okay? You've been out here a bit long?"
"Yes, yes, everything's fine." She tried to brush off the question, but the dubious look on his face made it clear he didn't quite believe her. "Really, it's all... kind of perfect even." She said, brows furrowing as she thought some more of it.
"And yet you make it sound like that's a problem?" David pointed out in a curious tone, placing a hand on her shoulder as he led her over to sit at one of the outside tables that was still set up.
"My whole life, even at times when things seemed good... it never lasted for long." Odette revealed, eyes looking down at her hands as she tangled her fingers together nervously. "And right now... You're going to be fine, Henry's safe, everyone's together and... Killian... my curse..." She wasn't sure how to even say what all was going through her mind. "I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop."
David could remembered back on the island when he overheard Odette and Killian as they spoke of losing hope; when she'd claimed she'd gotten some of hers back, but in that moment it seemed rather untrue. "Pan's stuck in Gold's box, safely stored away, he can't get out. And there's no one else threatening the town. There is no other shoe. Not right now." He reminded her.
"Not right now..." Odette echoed his words.
"You can't spend the good time worried about whatever bad thing may happen next. Especially when there might not be one at all." David pointed out.
"So, you're saying I should enjoy it while it lasts?" Odette looked back up at him with a raised eyebrow, knowing she should have expected nothing else from Prince Charming himself.
"You deserve to be happy. And right now, the only person standing in the way of that is you yourself." David pointed out. "The whole family is in there celebrating the good things; you're a part of that family. And no matter what happens next, that's not changing."
"You're not letting me stay out here if it's the last thing you do, huh?" Odette couldn't help but laugh as she realized what he was trying to do, David soon joining her in the amusement as he nodded his head.
"You'll catch a cold." He pointed out, making her laughter only increase.
"At least it'd give me a chance to say 'I told you so' as I lay bedridden and feeling like death." Odette seemed to think over whether the perk was worth it, making David roll his eyes before he rose to his feet, hand extending towards her as he waited for her to accept it and follow him inside.
And she did wait a few moments longer, thinking of all he'd said. Just this morning, she'd been talking about the newfound optimism she'd been experiencing. Maybe he was right, and she should focus on it. At least until she was sure there was something new to worry about. And so, with that thought on her mind, Odette finally accepted his hand, letting him pull her not only back to her feet but also all the way back into Granny's.
As they re-joined the crowd, Odette soon felt a hand settle on her back, eyes turning to the pirate who'd appeared at her side as soon as he saw her coming back inside. "Everything alright, love?" He asked, brows somewhat furrowed as he wondered what might've happened to have her gone for so long.
The question made Odette send him a reassuring smile as she answered. "Everything's perfect." She said, surer in the words this time around. Because it was. They were all together and happy, and Odette let a small trickle of hope slip through as she wished for it to remain that way for a long time to come.
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What can I say, creating a new cover (with Camilla's help) inspires me to create new chapters
The part of the cover made by Camilla: