Alice's plan to overthrow the Queen of Hearts is thwarted by a dashing pirate with a hook. Years later, after the curse is broken, they reunite once again.
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I walk into Emma's apartment, suitcase in hand. The smell of greasy eggs and bacon assaults my senses. Last night had been a blur. Between calls to the school about time off and explaining that I had a family emergency, my mind was all over the place. They weren't happy, and I couldn't say that I blamed them. Surprisingly, the thought of never coming back to the school didn't upset me as much as I thought it would. Of course, I would miss teaching, and I would miss my students. But something about Storybrooke, the promise of something deeper than the routine life I'm leaving behind, is pulling me in.
I leave my suitcase by the door as I make my way into the living area, where Henry and Killian are already waiting. I'm assuming Emma's still getting ready. She had told me last night that Henry doesn't know anything about our old lives, so we'll need to keep it a secret from him. I agreed after reminding Emma that Henry's smart enough to figure out something's going on, regardless. Henry lifts his head at the sound of my footsteps.
"Good morning, young sir," I say with a bad British accent and a dramatic bow. Henry's face lights up.
"You're coming too?" he asks hopefully.
"I am," I say with a nod of my head.
"Awesome!" he exclaims before running off down the hall to do God knows what.
"Morning, love," I hear Killian's voice from beside me. It's strange, going from pointing a gun at the man to going on a road trip with him. But he seems alright, now that I know he's not a stalker. And according to Emma, we were friends. Even here in the city, I only have one friend. But by the sounds of it, I have multiple in Storybrooke. I open my mouth to greet him, but Emma rounds the corner.
"Oh! Alice, you're here," she says, studying my expression as she approaches. "You seem to be in a better mood."
"I am," I say with a small, slightly apologetic smile. "I've had a lot of time to think about everything."
"And...?" Killian asks with a raised brow. I sigh heavily.
"And I've decided that if I really am who you say I am... if I have a life, a real life, not one some curse gave me... I'd like to be that person again," I admit quietly. Killian smiles, the look in his eyes so intense that I feel my face start to flush. Henry reappears, a large canvas in hand.
"Hey, Alice. Look what I finally finished!" He turns the canvas around to face me, and my eyes widen. The bottle painting that I've been helping him with is complete. It's no Mona Lisa, but honestly, I find this far more satisfying to look at. I taught him how to do that. The pride in his face is born from the skills I had given him. Okay, I might miss teaching more than I'd like to admit.
"Hey, look at that! That looks amazing, Henry," I say, grinning widely. "My only critique is that—"
"It needs more paint," he finishes with a lighthearted roll of his eyes.
