storybrooke ➳ one week later
Last night I was tossing and turning in my sleep, I kept squeezing my eyes tighter and hugging my quilt. My mom told me this morning she heard me mumbling stuff from next door. Truth is, I probably was. I was trying to get the silhouette and the voice out of my dream. The thing that's been annoying me the most ever since then is that the person remains anonymous because I couldn't actually see who it was.
But it kept saying in its strong British accent that I'm lost and I can't deny the fact that one day I'll join them. The voice kept telling me that I'm heartbroken and that I'm lost without Henry... which is true, but how could this random person turn up in my dream and tell me of this crap I already know and don't want to be reminded of? Storybrooke, man.
For the past week, I've done everything I possibly could to avoid Henry. I've ran into Belle and Regina a couple of times, but luckily, Henry wasn't with Regina whenever I saw her.
When I ran into Belle she warned me to stay safe because Hook's now The Dark One as well as Emma. She explained everything to me and warned my mom to stay safe too - she's the one person I'm happy to be around.
The day I woke up in hospital I saw my mom, smiling with tears in her eyes, down at me. But her tears definitely weren't happy tears. Nevertheless, she was smiling. Doctor Whale then came in and was happy to see I was awake. He told my mom I'd have to stay one more night just in case, then I can go home.
I was happy I was alive because I didn't intend on killing myself... I just wanted to hurt myself... to feel something.
I also found out that Henry heard about what happened to me and that he was in fact waiting in reception with Regina to see me. But I denied both of them, I couldn't bare to see the boy that made me end up in hospital.
When I ran into Regina on the streets for the first time, I was alone. I was walking down the streets of Storybrooke with my headphones in. Someone then tapped me on shoulder. I turned around and saw Regina. I took out my headphones and before I could say anything, she hugged me. This was the last thing I expected from her. I hugged Regina back but pulled away quickly. "H-hey," I said. "Long time no see." I joked.
"Why would you do that?!" She almost yelled. "You could've died!"
I chuckled. "I didn't know you cared-"
"Of course I cared! You were the best girl for my son and I understand how you must've felt once you found out about Henry and that Violet girl but you shouldn't have done that to yourself. You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"
I smiled softly. "Thanks, I guess."
"I know you don't want to talk to Henry, but I need to tell you this."
"I don't really want to know-" I answered.
"No," Regina said, cutting me off. "Please."
I sighed. "Okay."
"For the past week, Henry's been in pieces. He hardly ever leaves the house at risk of seeing you and having to see the horrid look on your face that you'd give him. When you denied his request to see you in the hospital, his expression dropped and I've never seen him so sad in my life. It breaks my heart to see my son like this. I know a lot of things are happening right now and all of us have a lot on our plates, including Henry, but if you see each-other, talk to him. I'm not forcing you too - it's your decision and yours only."
I paused for a moment before nodding, flashing her a small smile. "Okay." I lied.
Regina hugged me once more before saying goodbye and carried on walking.
I haven't seen Henry, though. Probably because I've been trying to avoid him so much. I sighed and put my hands in my pockets, walking towards Granny's. I quickly looked through the glass to see if Henry was there.
Shit. There he was. Regina said he hardly left the house! I looked at Henry. He was sat on one of the high chairs with his hands cupping his drink. He looked like he was in deep despair. I've never seen him so look so sad before. You almost died because of him. My thoughts spoke. You can't possibly be pitying him! I shook my head. No, I can't pity him! Henry then looked in my direction and he stared at me in shock. He immediately hopped off his chair and began to walk towards the door. No! Walk away, Brooke, quick!
Shit, he's gonna catch me up. I looked behind me and saw that he was no longer in Granny's and was jogging behind me. I rolled my eyes. I never thought I'd see myself running away from Henry. I then picked up my pace until I was in a full sprint. I took in deeps breaths as I ran so I wouldn't get tired out so quickly.
"Brooke, wait up for fuck's sake!" I heard him shout. That's the first time I've ever heard Henry swear. I ignored him and carried on running.
Soon enough I found myself in the middle of the woods with Henry still following me. Damn, I never knew the boy could run so far. Then again, I never knew I could run so far. I looked behind me again and panicked once I saw Henry was literally about two metres away from me. "Brooke, just wait! We need to talk!"
"If you see each-other, talk to him. I'm not forcing you too - it's your decision and yours only."
Perhaps I should stop... Regina said it's my choice and I'm starting to think that perhaps I should talk to him. No. Why should I? I lied to Regina in the end and I'm not going to change that and suddenly start speaking to Henry. I told myself.
The one thing I didn't realise was that whilst all of that was running through my mind, was that I was slowing down.
I only realise that once Henry took hold of both my arms with his hands and roughly pulled me to halt. I tried to fight myself free of his tight grip but I couldn't. "Let go!" I demanded.
Henry ignored me and spun me round so we were now facing each-other.
I shut my eyes and tried to shake myself free again. Stupid idea; his grip only became tighter. "What do you want?!" I groaned.
"We seriously need to talk, Brooke."
I madly laughed. "We seriously don't."
"Don't laugh like that." Henry said, seriously.
"Laugh like what?"
"That's not you. That was a maddening laugh, Brooke."
"Well, you were wrong about us needing to talk." I argued.
Henry groaned out of frustration. "I swear I knew nothing about what happened with Violet-!"
"Of course you didn't!" I snapped. "None of us did! But she's here! In Storybrooke and I know you've been hanging out because I saw you too and you've been lying to me! Why didn't you tell me?!" I practically shouted.
"Brooke, listen to me-"
"You know what? No! You had enough time to explain but you decided to keep it from me - your girlfriend! You kept from your own girlfriend that you were in love with another girl! What sort of boyfriend does that?!"
Henry was about to speak but stopped himself, aggressively scratching at the back of neck. "I haven't talked to Violet for ages - I haven't even thought about her!"
"So?" I madly laughed again, on purpose to piss him off. "That doesn't make a difference you can't just expect that it'll all go away if you decide not to talk her."
Henry sighed. "Brooke, when I found out you were in hospital because of me I felt sick to my stomach and I had to see you; to see if you were okay but when you denied me my heart snapped and for the past week I've been feeling like complete and utter shit and haven't had the energy to do anything-"
"Well, yeah. You're not the only one." I mumbled.
"I know, don't think that I'm not aware of that. But Brooke, you have to believe me when I say this but, I love you. I love you so much. It's always been you. No one else, just you."
Henry's words hit me hard. And if what he just said wouldn't instantly make me feel softer towards him, his kisses definitely would.
I looked down at the grass and sticks on the forest ground and played with my thumbs. "Don't do that," I mumbled to him.
"Do what?"
"Don't say you love me because whenever you do I instantly feel softer towards you and I know you're lying-"
"Oh my God! I'm not!" He answered.
I looked back up and him. "I love you and I need you more than ever right now."
"Because of the shit that's happening in Storybrooke? Let me guess, I'll be waddling around helping Belle out whilst you're perfectly calm hanging out with Violet."
"No. Because I want to live my hectic life with my girlfriend by my side."
My face softened. I can't hold this grudge with Henry forever, I mean, that's what happens in relationships, right? I love going on adventures with Henry and always will; I don't wanna lose that.
I still love Henry, but I don't want to be the one to say it first. I know he's said it already but I want him to say it again. I want him to really mean it.
"Say it again?"
"Because I want-"
"No. I want you to say that you love me again."
Henry looked confused.
"I'm not joking. I wanna know you really mean it." I said, seriously.
Henry paused for a minute before locking his eyes with mine. "I love you, Brooke."
That's it. He's done it. I can't not fall for him again now. Looking into his dark, brown eyes I can really see he's telling the truth. "I love you too, Henry."
He smiled the smile that I've always loved and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. His lips connected with mine and our lips softly moved in sync with one another's. It wasn't too much and wasn't too less - it was perfect.
I then pulled away and asked Henry what it exactly was that he wanted me by his side for in particular.
"We're going to the Underworld." He answered.
My eyes widened. "What?!"
***
I can't believe Henry managed to talk me into doing this. The main reason I'm going to the Underworld with everyone else is so we can rescue Hook and get out of there, but I have a feeling it's not gonna be that easy; there's gonna be a lot of people that I don't wanna see there. Some people that I've met, some that I've heard of and some that never met nor heard of.
It's currently midnight and I'm stood by a river with a no longer Dark Swan, but Emma, David, Mary Margaret, Gold, Regina, Robin and Henry. We watched Golf slice a cut in his palm, making me wince a little, and grab onto my wrist. I felt Henry's hand take hold of mine, pulling it away from my wrist. He looked at me smiled slightly. I flashed a smile back before returning to attention to Gold, who was now squeezing his hand tightly, letting his blood drip into the river.
Emma stepped into the river, followed by Mary Margaret, then David, then Regina, then Robin, then Gold, then me, and then Henry. "I can't believe you talked me into doing this." I mumbled to Henry.
He chuckled, swinging his rucksack over his shoulder, I don't quite know why he had a rucksack with him it's not like we're going on a happy field trip.
"Don't worry, it's gonna be fun. Just stick with me and you'll be safe."
a/n: lolllll that was so sloppy and lovey dovey but that's what happens when you're writing a chapter like this at 2 in the morning so whAt caN yOu dO?
-olivia xo