The Girl With a Rose on Her Forehead -Once Upon a Time Fanfiction-

Season 1: Episode 5: That Still Small Voice

-Storybrooke-

Azalea sat in class, playing with the flower crown on her head. She really didn't like school. She had a job, she was financially stable. She knew she needed education but she couldn't help but feel like sometimes it was a waste of her time. The bell finally rang and she stood up, gathering her books as the rest of the teenagers around her rushed out of the classroom. "Azalea, can I talk to you for a minute?" Her teacher asked sitting at her desk. Azalea nodded and slowly walked to the front of the room. "Azalea, how are things for you?" The teacher asked. Azalea blinked, thrown off by the question. "Um-yes?- um good." She said holding onto her books in her arms. She just wanted to hurry and get to her flower shop. "I'm only asking because you seem more quite than usual...I'm concerned." The teacher said folding her hands on her desk. "I'm fine. Nothing has really changed." Azalea lied with a shrug of her shoulders. There was an awkward silence that fell between the teacher and student, Azalea refused to look into the teachers eyes as she stared the girl down. "Look, I can only imagine how hard it is for a girl to live on her own at such a young age...if you ever need anything. Please. Don't bother to ask, there is no shame in needing help." The teacher said getting up from her seat. Azalea took a step back from the teachers advance and looked to the door. Her teacher sighed. "That is all, your free to go." Azalea nodded politely before walking out of the door and down the school hall. She exited the school and started her usual walk to her flower shop. 'Have I been acting so differently that I have started to get attention from people?' She wondered to herself. She was lost in her thoughts till the earth shook under her feet, almost knocking her over. She grabbed onto the stop sign pole close to her so she could hold herself up until the shaking stopped. "Are you alright Azalea?!" She turned and saw Dr.Hopper running to her from down the street with his dog Pongo. "I'm alright." She said standing up straight and looking around as the townspeople checked on each other around the street. "That was a crazy earthquake wasn't it? I have never witnessed one before." Dr.Hopper said amazed as a group of people started to wonder down the street. "Let's go see what this is all about shall we?" He asked the teenager. Azalea though about it, by the looks of things most of Storybrooke was going to the same place anyway so there would be no one at her shop. She nodded and the doctor smiled as the two made their way to following the group, and see what had caused that earthquake.

-Abandoned Mines-

"Everyone step back please!" Regina called as she pushed through the group of people surrounding the abandoned mines area. Azalea and Dr.Hopper watched from the distance as people looked around and chatted with one another. "It seems like one of the old mines has collapse or something." Dr.Hopper said as he observed what was happening. "I guess that they will just close all the entrances to the mines or bury them...Probably the safest thing to do." He said looking down at Azalea. "I guess," She said before turning away "I need to go open the shop now." Azalea said, losing interest in whatever had happened. "Alright, I may come by later and get some new flowers for my office. I patience love the smell of your flowers." He said before Azalea left to go to the comfort of her flower shop, but not before giving Pongo a few pats on the head.

-The Next Day-

Azalea walked up the steps to her apartment and went to open her door, but stopped with her hand on the door knob and looked over to Mary's door. Would Mary mind if she came over again? Wouldn't Mary get sick of her constant presence? Azalea blinked before going to get the keys our of her purse, ready to enter her own apartment. "Hey Azalea! I was just getting back from the Sheriff's office. Wanna come over?" Emma asked coming up behind her from the apartment steps. Azalea looked over her shoulder, smiling before she dropped the keys back in her bag. Emma smiled and put her arm over Azalea's shoulder, pulling the girl into her and Mary's apartment before Azalea could even change out of her school uniform. "Where is Mary?" Azalea asked as she looked around the empty apartment. "Where do you think?" Emma asked with sarcasm.