Finding You Always

Piece By Piece

Chapter 153: Piece By Piece

Hyperion Heights

Iris Nolan watched the cityscape of Seattle pass by in the window of the car, as her friend's mother drove her to the Hyperion Heights precinct following evening dance practice. Normally, her Dad would have picked her up, but he had texted her coach that something really important had come up at work. Several of her teammates mother's, all single, had offered to take her home and stay with her. But Iris was no stranger at her father's work and often went there in the evenings, especially if her Dad was going to be there late. He was too overprotective about letting her be home alone overnight. Most teenagers might have minded, but she didn't and was far from the normal teen.

Iris Nolan had a secret, one that made things rather lonely, because she couldn't share it with anyone, for no one would believe her.

The last two years of her life had been like this. She knew she was lucky that she had ended up in Hyperion Heights with her father, for it could have been far worse. She could have ended up in a group home or some terrible foster home. But on the night the curse ripped them apart, her Nana had pleaded for her to use a bubble around herself and her brother. Her eyes filled with tears, as she remembered that night like it was yesterday.

"Summer...you have to put yourself and Bobby in a bubble!" Regina cried, as the winds of the Dark curse whipped around them.

"What about you?! What about Mom and Dad?!" she cried.

"We'll be fine...but your parents true love isn't woven into this curse! It could be up to you and Bobby to find them and bring them back together!" Regina cried, as she saw her parents, clinging to each other for dear life. Tears streamed down her cheeks. It was happening again...they were all going to be separated. Her older brothers and sisters huddled around her parents, while Bobby clung to her mother's legs, with her father's strong hand on his back. She tried to make a bubble, but her magic faltered, for her emotions interfered and it was much harder since the curse was sucking all the magic out of the air.

"I...I can't..." she cried.

"You have to, baby...I know it's not fair," Regina said. Summer nodded and hugged her.

"I love you, Nana...I'll find you," she promised. Regina smiled.

"I know you will," she replied, as she prodded her toward her parents.

"Daddy..." she said tearfully, as he put his arm around her. She watched her parents look at each other and there had only been one other time she had seen them look so utterly broken. When Dr. Jekyll almost separated them when she was little.

"Charming..." Snow choked through a sob.

"I'll find you..." he promised tearfully.

"No...you won't..." Clayton interjected, as he stood there smugly with the others that were responsible for all this.

"See...we're not going to some inclusive town like your beloved Storybrooke. We're going to the real Land Without Magic; a very large city where there will be no hope of any of you reuniting," Clayton informed.

"You're lying!" Leo roared.

"No...I'm not, boy. There's no hope this time. No magic, which means no chalice and no true love," he retorted smugly. The looks of desperation and hopelessness in her parent's eyes frightened Summer to her very core. She clenched her eyes shut tightly and her bubble wavered, as she tried with all her might to summon her powers. She reached out and grabbed Bobby's hand, managing to encase him fully in the bubble and then herself partially in one. She clutched her father's shirt for dear life, while Bobby held onto Snow. And then there was nothing.