The Girl With Lost Memories - Parts 1 & 2 (An OUAT Fanfiction)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 47: 𝑀𝓎 𝐹𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹, 𝒜𝓊𝓇𝑜𝓇𝒶

Ruby talks with a blonde woman, and all hope and anticipation drain. Her gaze finds me, and the woman turns around, revealing her identity.

It's that girl, Ashley, whom Ruby pointed out the other day.

I hoped maybe, just maybe, I could find my mother in Storybrooke, but it seems my search will continue, possibly forever.

Ruby walks past me, a pained look on her face, and says, "I'm sorry, Bella."

With each passing second, my heart sinks as the realization sets in with a heavy blow. All this has been for nothing. I've failed. I thought I found a promising clue or trace of my mother, but I'm left more disheartened and lost than ever, smacked in the face with another dead end.

The walls close in around me as Ashley comes over. Eyes wide, she says, "Are you okay? What happened?" Gosh, I forgot. I must look like a troll who lives under a bridge—a creature from the depths of a nightmare. My cheek stopped bleeding, but I'm sure there are smears of it still on my face. I'm soaked, and mud covers my hair and clothes. What a first impression I'd make if this was my mother instead of Ashley?

"I was in the forest. The rain got me," I explain dryly, my gaze averted.

"That's terrible. I could help you wash up in the bathroom if you'd like." She winces and presses a hand to her forehead as she lets out a nervous laugh. "Sorry. I just heard myself, and that sounded creepy, didn't it?"

"A bit."

"Sorry again. I'm Ashley. You're Bella Palmer, aren't you?"

"Yeah," I mutter.

"Do you have my necklace?"

I reach into my back pocket and pull it out by the chain. The pendant dangles as she takes the antique piece.

"Thank you so much. Where was it?"

"Gold's shop."

Her chuckle reminds me of how a feather would sound. "I should have known."

As Ashley marvels at the necklace that should've been my mother's, an unsettling tension forms within me. Ashley's innocent in all this—she's done nothing to provoke me—yet I can't shake off my frustration. She shouldn't be here. I wasn't looking for her. This isn't how the plan was supposed to end, God, damn it! And why does she have a necklace bearing the crest of my mother's kingdom? I don't want this woman to be here. I want my mom.

I want my mom.

"Where'd you get it?" I ask with a controlled edge to my tone. "The crest is from the Moor, isn't it?"

"It is," Ashley says with a smile I wish would disappear. "My friend, Aurora, gave it to me as a gift." Of course, that's how this would play out. The name on the card was "Aurora," but she gave the necklace away to this woman. Life loves to toy with people, doesn't she? All we'll ever be are her pawns.

The air grows heavy with an awkward silence, my emotions tangled in a mess of resentment and confusion.

Ashley breaks that silence. "Well, thanks again for finding it."

I nod, giving her a fake smile while staring at my feet. I don't want to look at her—at this reminder of my thwarted quest.

"Hey, I was thinking," she says instead of leaving. "Since you were kind enough to return my necklace, maybe I could offer you some laundry tips? You know, as a little token of appreciation." Her words snap me back to reality, once again reminding me of my disgusting appearance.

I let her know it's fine with another nod.

"Wait for the mud to dry, scrape it off, soak your garments in detergent for fifteen minutes, and then toss them in the washer. Voilà. Good as new."