{ storybrooke }

15. { red handed }

It was evening and Winter was seated in one of the booths of Granny's diner with Dr. Hopper sitting across from her. Their session had just finished and Archie opted to walk Pongo together for a therapeutic stroll around town. Afterwards it was time for dinner and for their successes that day he wanted to treat her with something from the diner.

Archie put in their order a couple of minutes ago and now they were just talking about casual things, such as the success of Miners Day that year. Winter told him everything about the music box that Mr. Gold bought for her, except for the voice she heard in her head.

She was not a naturally dishonest person. In fact, she was anything but that.

Still, she feels uncomfortable talking about it, fearing what he might think of her. Which sane person could hear voices in their heads? Instead of a next therapy session, Archie might recommend a hospital.

Seated a table next to theirs was the mysterious writer with his motorcycle. She couldn't resist but glance at him. He was all dressed in leather and leaned back in his seat. It was as if he noticed the attention she was giving him, because seemingly without reason he glances at her.

Winter feels a little caught and quickly casts her eyes away. Her body shivered when she unconsciously notices he still didn't look away. Archie hadn't noticed the staring and raises a questioning eyebrow at her arm that was covered in goosebumps.

"Are you cold, Winter," he asks in a caring tone. The girl quickly shakes her head. "N-no, I'm not cold." She tries to shake off the uncomfortable feeling of his stare and to focus on the conversation again. To distract herself from the sensation of the stranger's eyes she begins to scratch between Pongo's ears, who was the only pet to be allowed inside the diner by Granny.

Though Pongo did not seem to mind the attention as he rubs gently with his head against her leg like a cat.

Ruby approaches the stranger to take his order and they start talking about his adventures. She was hanging onto his every word and Winter couldn't resist listening in on their talks about temples and lemurs. 

"What are you thinking about, Winter?"

Winter turns her gaze back to Dr. Hopper and she couldn't hide the flash of surprise in them. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. What did you say again?"

Archie smiles kindly. He didn't seem to mind that she wasn't fully paying attention. "I asked what you were thinking about just now, but according to the direction of your eyes you were contemplating about the newest addition to Storybrooke's citizens."

The teen blushes, feeling ashamed she was caught looking at him like that. "Why are you so concerned about his presence here in town?" Archie didn't seem to take notice of her embarrasment and if he did, he didn't show.

Winter shrugs her shoulders quietly. "I don't know.. there is something odd about him and I don't trust it." The therapist leans over the table and lowers his voice so only she could hear him. "Winter.. don't you think you might search too much behind it? You're safe here. Nothing ever happens here in Storybrooke."

But Winter wasn't so sure about that last statement. "Nothing happens in Storybrooke? What about the clock that suddenly starts working, seemingly without maintenance ever being done to it? What about the sudden wake of David Nolan from his coma? And then I have not even begun yet about the mines collapsing, being robbed twice, the scandal between Ms. Blanchard and David, the death of Graham and now Kathryn Nolan's disappearance."

Archie leans back against the backrest of his side of the booth, staring forward with a mixed look in his eyes of realization and surprise. "Now you say it, this town indeed has been through quite a lot as of lately."