No Pity
The next day took Evelina by full surprise. David announced they would go walk the streets to visit the shops that were brave enough to stay open during the harsh time and see if everyone was doing alright. Evelina felt pride, for it seemed like her little speech must have paid off the day before.
Once ready, Snow, David, Emma, and Evelina all left the small loft and walked out into the cold air of February. The sun was bright and it caused Evelina to squint her eyes.
"Come on. Let's go to Granny's," David said and the small group began their way to the popular diner. As they walked there, the group also spotted Regina and Henry, who had to spend the nights at his other mum's house now that Evelina was back.
"Breakfast?" Snow questioned and Regina gave a simple nod.
"Breakfast," she confirmed and they walked on. As soon as they all walked in, Evelina felt the same gloom she had felt the day before when she had passed the diner. It didn't have that nice and cheerful glow as it once did. Now, it was dark, empty and seemed completely abandoned.
But Granny's yells told the group otherwise.
"Oh, good. It's just you. I was afraid I'd have to shoot someone early in the morning," she said as she lowered the crossbow she already had aimed for the door. Evelina's heart dropped when she saw it and it dawned on the young girl that things were seriously wrong in her town. She tried to deny it but at that point, Evelina just witnessed an elderly woman about to pierce them with arrows at the mere thought of them being Lost Boys or even worse, Pan himself.
"Here for breakfast? That's a first," Granny mumbled and Emma nodded as she led them to a table.
"What's with the crossbow?" Evelina asked cautiously. Granny chuckled nervously and hid it behind her.
"Just precaution, Evie," she mumbled simply.
"We're ready when you are Granny," Emma said as she picked up a menu and skimmed through it.
"It's really that bad huh?" Evelina questioned and Regina nodded.
"Getting shot by Granny? Times must be bad," she said and Evelina felt a deep hatred towards Peter Pan. He was the reason why everything was crazy in Storybrooke. He was the reason why everyone was on their toes and at the edge of their seats. He was the reason why everyone feared simple things like going out to a diner for breakfast.
Once Ruby came to ask the crew for their order, and their food had arrived, Evelina tried her best to lose herself in her stack of hotcakes. She tried to block out the rest of the world.
"... Shouldn't go into the forest anymore." Evelina cut into their conversation as she heard she suddenly wasn't allowed to go into the woods.
"Why?" She whined but clearly knew the answer and Regina gave her a look as if asking if she really just asked that.
"Unless you want Pan's shadow to take yours away then go for it, but I suggest you keep away." Evelina frowned as she heard of the newly appointed Shadow.
"A shadow? What's so dangerous about a shadow?"
"It's no common shadow, Evelina. This one rips out other people's shadows and takes them away for treasuring. The person usually dies without their shadow," David said. Evelina felt a sudden splash of fear wash over her again. As she glanced down at her hotcakes she suddenly lost her appetite.
"I uh, I think I'm going to head back to the loft," Evelina stuttered and stood up, wanting nothing than to go back with her father who she suddenly missed desperately.
"Wait, you shouldn't go out there alone. Just wait until one of us finishes," Snow said but Evelina just shook her off.
"I need some time to myself," Evelina responded and she grabbed her long coat off the coat rack and left the diner.
Nobody bothered to stop Evelina.
"She's taking it pretty hard," Snow commented as she grew worried about the Evelina. She had grown very attached to the young girl.
"It's not like she's made of steel, she has feelings too. She's afraid of the unknown. Her fears tend to overpower everything else," Regina said. Emma nodded and gave a deep sigh.
"She reminds me of Elsa way too much."
~
Evelina didn't want to go back to the loft. She was afraid and felt the stress of trouble increasing in her. In the loft, she felt suffocated. She needed an escape and seeing as the forest was no longer an option, Evelina made her way towards the docks. She knew the Charming's would freak if they found her gone and not back home but at the moment, Evelina's mind was too clouded to even care.
As she got closer to the docks she could already hear the crashing of the waves hitting against each other. She found a small wooden bench and sat down, and she tried her hardest to relax. She closed her blue eyes and scrunched her face as the mist of the ocean breezed past her, helping her mind to finally settle. And for a slight moment, Evelina was able to sit in a peaceful state.
"If I were to ask, little lady, I would assume the Charming's and the Savior don't know you are here," a new voice rang and Evelina was so startled she shot ice out of her palms straight towards the figure. The person yelped but managed to avoid being turned into a popsicle.
Evelina blushed furiously when she saw it was Killian Jones. She mumbled an apology and the captain shrugged her off but kept his distance.
"Love, if your mother knew you were here, she would have a fit," Hook said as he took a seat next to Evelina. The girl raised an eyebrow.
"My mother? My mother is back in Arendelle. She's the queen. Elsa Frost," Evelina said proudly and Hook scrunched his eyebrows together.
"Oh. I thought Snow White was your mum," he mumbled and Evelina shook her head, half amused.
"No. She just cares for me since my father can't for most of the year. And I can't find a way back to Arendelle," the girl mumbled, frowning as she remembered the many attempts she and the Charming's had done to find a way for Evelina to rejoin her mother. But opening portals was as hard as it came. It was difficult and practically impossible.
"You aren't supposed to be out and about," Killian said lowly, feeling worried about the girl next to him. Evelina had no trace of worrisome on her and instead seemed slightly annoyed.
"I was feeling suffocated around everyone else. I just needed a place to clear my mind. You understand, right?"
"Aye lass, the ocean soothes me like no other. But nonetheless, it's dangerous for you to be outside. Pan has no mercy for anyone," the pirate said as he ran his hand over his hook and glanced around as if expecting Peter Pan himself to jump out at him.
"How do you know he is as bad as you say?" Evelina asked. She continued to ramble when the pirate didn't answer right away.
"I mean, I know you all have been to Neverland before to rescue Henry, but you make him sound as if he's the devil's offspring. What has he done to make you believe such a thing?" The girl continued and watched as Killian's features hardened and his eyes darkened with anger.
"He has taken so much from me. So much that at this point, I would feel no pity if I killed him with my own hand and hook."
*unedited*