pilot; ❛ TREACHEROUS ❜
❝ exactly like in a movie! ❞
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THE ENCHANTED FOREST
Once upon a time, Princess Anastasia lost everything. Then, she gained a new family and lost that too. All because of Killian Jones and his thirst for revenge.
She fled from her capturer's dungeon and into the forest that surrounded his house. The brunette did not remember the last time she even walked because she had spent the last couple of months strapped to a table or in chains. She stumbled a little and held onto a nearby tree for balance.
A shaky breath left her and she threw a wary glance over her shoulder. Nicholas was still asleep and he was supposed to stay that way at least for another half an hour. So, Anastasia had enough time to make a run for it. And she did just that.
She sprinted through the forest barefoot. Her throat hurt from the screams of agony that escaped her lips just a couple of hours prior, and her feet hurt from the rocks and branches that she stepped on while running.
By the time the stars were covering the sky, replacing the Sun, she was exhausted. The possibility of him finding her now was low but not zero. She was still wary which was the result of the darkness and silence around her that was making her even more paranoid. Something could jump out and grab her at any moment.
Anastasia was not usually afraid of the darkness. On the contrary, on the night of the full moon, she almost became one with it. But after many months of being locked up, these woods felt very unfamiliar to her.
There were no words to explain the relief that she felt when she finally came across a cave. It was not the best shelter but it was something. She let out a shaky breath and slowly walked inside. Just like she expected, it was dark and she hoped that the wood she gathered along the way was enough to help her make a fire.
The brunette sat down on the ground and started making a fire, her hands visibly shaking from the cold as she did so.
"What the hell are you doing?" A sharp male voice echoed through the cave. "This is my cave."
Anastasia turned around with wide eyes to see a blond man staring at her with his blue eyes narrowed into a glare on his face. Her eyebrows raised at his tone while his anger slowly melted into confusion at the sight of her face.
The figure in the hood turned out to be a beautiful woman and the prince was more than surprised.
"I'm looking for shelter." Anastasia simply said, her voice hoarse. "It's cold outside."
Judging by the wood in his hands, he was planning on making a fire himself. He scanned her figure and let out a sigh of defeat. "That fire is terrible. You will freeze to death. I will make us a new one."
Surprised at his sudden change of heart, Anastasia's shoulders relaxed and she gave him a curt nod. "Alright." She cleared her throat. "My name is Anastasia."
"I'm James."
Her features softened. He did not look like he was planning to harm her so her lips tugged into a friendly smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you James."
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THREE YEARS LATER
Watching Charming and Snow White get married was bittersweet.
They got their happy ending. It was the least they deserved after everything they went through to be together. But Anastasia's heart burned at the sight of David looking at Snow with his blue eyes full of admiration and love. It was the exact same way her former lover once looked at her.
She never held any romantic feelings towards David but the resemblance between him and James often made her sick to the stomach.
Anastasia was happy too. She stopped caring about revenge and love and focused on her family instead. The lesson that family were not always the people you share your blood with was a tough one to learn. But she realized she needed to stop dwelling on the past and focus on the future.
The Evil Queen was the only real threat to her happiness. Her thirst for revenge against Snow White was a threat to the entire kingdom. So, Anastasia was not that surprised when the bitch ruined her stepdaughter's wedding when she barged into the castle right after they became husband and wife.
"I shall destroy your happiness." Regina promised the couple. "Even if it is the last thing I do."
She gracefully walked back toward the doors while everyone watched in complete silence. The tension in the air was thick.
"Hey!" David exclaimed, which made the former queen stop and turn around. He threw his sword straight at her from across the room and just as it was about to pierce her chest, she vanished and a cloud of smoke took her place.
Anastasia let out a shaky breath and looked away from the place where Regina used to be to look at the couple. David wrapped his arms around his wife in a comforting manner while giving her a worried look over her shoulder.
If Regina promised something, it was safe to say that it was probably going to come true. She let no obstacle stop her when it came to ruining Snow White's life.
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STORYBROOKE
Audrey felt like time in Storybrooke stood still.
Maybe she only felt that way because she was so alone. She was a widow with only one real friend who spent more time in the sheriff's station than in her own house. That fact alone was ridiculous because she could name all the criminals in that town on one hand.
"You could just let me go, you know?" Olivia asked from inside of one of the two cells that they had. "I could go home to my kid and you could go home and sleep."
Audrey always felt just a little bit guilty whenever she would arrest Olivia. The woman had an amazing daughter who she personally adored but her mother was one reckless bitch. She was caught shoplifting at least once a week and would always stay in jail until her daughter would pick her up.
Poor girl.
Graham walked into the room just as Audrey was about to open her mouth and give the woman a response. He gave Olivia an unimpressed look and said, "You will go home when Camilla comes to get you. She always does."
Audrey narrowed her eyes on Olivia. "If you won't stop doing this for yourself, at least do it for her. No child should be at the sheriff's station this often."
"What?" Olivia smirked and tilted her head in a mocking manner. "Are you going to give me parenting tips? You don't know what being a single mother is like."
She was right. Their list of similarities stopped at them both being widows.
"You're right." Audrey nodded and went back to paper work. "You and I are nothing alike. I don't know anything about you, really."
"I'm glad that we can at least agree on something, Shepherd." Olivia snickered to herself and Graham gave her a weird look. Sometimes, that woman scared him.
He sat down next to his co-worker and gave her a sympathetic smile, noting the dark circles underneath her eyes. Audrey had the tendency of working too much and barely going home to sleep. He did not blame her, though. Her house was empty and quiet. It was depressing. Which was why he always made an effort to come and visit her when he could get the Mayor's claws out of him long enough.
Audrey smiled back. Graham was her only friend which was kind of sad because he worked with her so he practically had no choice but to spend time with her. Still, she was always grateful for the company.
"Please, tell me that she is here." Camilla Forbes was heard from the entrance of the building, making all three adults perk up. The young brunette entered the room with a pissed off look on her face. Her eyes immediately fell on the sheriff and deputy who watched her with curious looks in their eyes. Then, she looked over their shoulders and looked at her mother. She scoffed, "Unbelievable."
Audrey huffed and stood up, grabbing the keys to the cell in the process. "Hey, kid. I would say 'long time no see' but that would be a lie."
Olivia rolled her eyes but said nothing as she stepped out of the cell and accepted her jacket and bag from Graham. All sarcasm and attitude seemed to disappear whenever her daughter was around. It made Audrey wonder who was raising who in that house.
"How much is the bail?"
"Don't worry about it." Graham told Camilla kindly. He gave her a warm smile and squeezed her shoulder. He looked at Olivia and his gaze hardened. "Don't let this happen again. For your sake and hers."
Olivia swallowed and stayed silent. Like a child ready to get scolded, she stood behind her daughter with her head bowed.
Camilla smiled up at the sheriff gratefully, "Thanks."
"Any time." Graham smiled back and watched as the Forbes women walked out of the room. He met Audrey's eyes and sighed, "This has to stop."
The brunette leaned against the table and shrugged, "Hey, we would be out of a job if it wasn't for her. Nothing bad ever happens in Storybrooke. I don't remember ever using a gun on anyone. It's sad."
"So, you want a murder mystery to happen?" Graham raised an amused eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like in a movie."
"Exactly like in a movie!" Audrey exclaimed with a small smile. "Nothing exciting ever happens in this town. A couple of people go missing and they are never found again. That's it. There is no big mastermind behind that kind of stuff. There are just people like Olivia Forbes who steal so they could fend for their children and themselves. I feel like a bad person when I arrest them for doing that."
Graham nodded and stood in front of her so they were face to face. "Me too. When I am trying to make a difference I feel like I am only making things worse by locking up the people who actually have a bad life." He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "We should be locking up those assholes with money and diamonds. But they always get away with everything."
Audrey gave him a knowing look despite how close they were standing to each other. "Like your girlfriend?"
"She is hardly my girlfriend." Graham grimaced at her words.
Audrey let out a breathy chuckle. "So, your booty call?"
Graham barked out a laugh and stepped back, "Shut up." He ran a hand over his face as he tried to hold back another laugh. "You are terrible."
"Yet I'm your only friend." Audrey grinned and lifted her chin up.
He scratched his beard, trying to hide his smile. "I'm your only friend, too."
"Damn, right you are."