Timeless Bonds

Bonus 9: alternate Universe part 4

As Morgie paced the office, his thoughts churned with anger and confusion. He had heard snippets of the story—how Blanc had vanished, how she had traveled through time, and how Red and Chloe had pulled her back. But the details were murky, and the pain of her disappearance was still fresh in his mind. The idea that she had been plucked from their time and then reappeared, seemingly untouched by the passage of years, was like a cruel twist of the knife.

When the door opened and Blanc stepped inside, Morgie's heart pounded furiously. She looked exactly the same as she did when she disappeared—no older, no wearier, just as beautiful and enigmatic as ever. The sight of her was like a shockwave, sending a jolt of rage through him.

As Uma closed the door behind her, leaving Blanc and Morgie alone in the office, a new sense of trust began to build. The interaction between Blanc and James Hook the previous day, witnessed by Uma and Harry, had provided a deeper insight into Blanc's story. Uma's skepticism had waned, replaced by a growing belief that Blanc's narrative held more truth than initially suspected.

She began to draft a plan to address the situation with Red and Chloe. Her interactions with Blanc and the revelations about their past had prompted Uma to consider a balanced approach—one that would address the impact of Red and Chloe's actions while acknowledging their intentions and the need for growth.

"Morgie, I—" Blanc began, her voice faltering as she stepped into the room.

Before she could finish, Morgie's anger erupted. "You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. "You disappear for ages, and when you finally show up, you look like you haven't aged a day! Do you even understand what that does to people? What it's done to me?"

Blanc flinched, her eyes widening in shock and hurt. She opened her mouth to speak, but Morgie cut her off.

"Do you have any idea what it's been like searching for you, trying to figure out what happened? Everyone thought you were gone forever. And now, you waltz back in here as if nothing ever happened?" Morgie's fists clenched at his sides, his anger boiling over. "I was left to pick up the pieces of my life, and now I have to see you standing here as if you've been untouched by the years?"

Blanc's face fell, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I didn't want to leave you. I was pulled away, and I tried to come back—"

"'Tried'?" Morgie cut in, his voice sharp and incredulous. "You left us without a word, and now you expect us to just accept that you're here, without even the decency of an explanation?"

Blanc took a step back, visibly shaken by his outburst. "I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice breaking. "I'm truly sorry for everything."

Morgie's eyes were hard, filled with pain and betrayal. "Sorry doesn't cut it," he said coldly. "You've been gone, and I've been living with the consequences. We all have. And now you show up, and you want things to go back to how they were?"

He took a deep breath, trying to regain control of his emotions, but the hurt was too raw. "I don't know what to make of this. I don't know if I can just forgive and forget. You've shattered something that was once so important to me."

Blanc's shoulders sagged, her expression a mixture of regret and resignation. "I understand," she said quietly. "I know it's not going to be easy, and I don't expect you to forgive me right away. I just hope that, with time, we can find a way to move forward."

Morgie stared at her, the weight of his emotions heavy in the room. The sight of Blanc, unchanged and beautiful, was a painful reminder of everything he had lost. He didn't know what the future held, but for now, he was left grappling with the complicated feelings that her unexpected return had stirred up.

Blanc's gaze softened as she looked at Morgie, her heart aching at the sight of him, now older and more seasoned. Despite the anger in his eyes, seeing him grow into the person he was meant to be brought her a sliver of comfort. It was a bittersweet reminder of what she had lost but also of what she had once cherished deeply.

Morgie's harsh words had stung, but they also revealed the depth of his pain and the impact her disappearance had on him. The sight of him, with lines of maturity etched into his face, was a stark contrast to her own unchanged appearance. She knew it was unfair, and the realization made her heart ache even more.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Blanc approached Morgie with a gentle but hesitant demeanor. "Morgie, can we sit down and talk?" Her voice was soft, edged with the vulnerability she felt.

Morgie looked at her with a mix of skepticism and reluctant curiosity. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and sat down across from her. Blanc took a seat as well, her heart racing as she prepared to recount the tumultuous journey she had been through.

"I know this is all incredibly confusing," Blanc began, her voice trembling slightly. "I can't even begin to express how sorry I am for everything. But I need you to understand what really happened."

Morgie's expression remained guarded, but he listened intently, his anger slowly giving way to the quiet pain of curiosity.

"Red and Chloe—" Blanc started, her eyes lowering to the floor before meeting Morgie's gaze again. "They pulled me back from the past. I didn't want to leave. I was trying to stay with you, to be with the others, Hook and you. They were the ones who made the decision to rip me away."

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. "I didn't want to leave them, and I didn't want to leave you. I tried to stay, but they forced me back without any regard for what I was going through."

Morgie's eyes narrowed as he listened, struggling to reconcile her story with the hurt he felt. "So you're saying that you wanted to stay with us, but they pulled you away?"

Blanc nodded. "Yes. I tried to stay and be a part of your lives. I wanted to make things work, but they didn't care about the consequences for me. When I was finally forced back, I was heartbroken and lost."

Her voice wavered as she continued. "Seeing you now, it hurts so much to know that I wasn't able to be here with you and James. I know it's too late to undo the past, but I needed you to understand that my feelings for you and my desire to stay with you were real."

Morgie's expression softened slightly, but the pain and betrayal in his eyes remained. "And now? What do you expect from us now?"

Blanc's heart ached as she looked at him. "I don't expect anything right away. I know I can't undo the past or make everything right. But I needed you to know the truth. I never stopped caring about you. The feelings I had for you haven't vanished, even though I know things have changed."

Morgie sighed deeply, his anger ebbing away as he listened to her heartfelt confession. "It's hard to hear all of this," he admitted quietly. "You were gone, and we were left to deal with it. Seeing you like this—unchanged while everything else has moved on—it's tough."

Blanc reached out, her hand trembling slightly. "I understand. I really do. I just hope, maybe in time, we can find a way to understand each other and move forward. I'm willing to wait, to do whatever it takes to make amends."

Morgie looked at her, his heart conflicted. He could see the sincerity in her eyes and the pain she was carrying. It didn't erase the hurt or the time lost, but it gave him a glimmer of hope that perhaps, one day, things might heal.

"Let's take it one step at a time," Morgie said finally. "We'll see where things go from here. I can't promise anything, but I'm willing to listen."

Blanc managed a small, grateful smile, relieved to have taken the first step towards mending the broken pieces of her past. As they continued their conversation, she held onto the hope that, despite the pain and changes, there might still be a chance for healing and understanding.