I Wish: The Dark in my Light Heart

The Locket

(Molly's POV)

Morning comes quickly as I feel safe next to my father and my brother.  Around dawn Roland begins to toss and turn, I wake up Robin and Roland around dawn when a shadow passes the tent.  This shadow wasn't connected to a body.  My thoughts instantly shift to Pan when I see it.  But it can't be his shadow since he is dead, I killed him in the Enchanted Forest. Unless he figured out a way to cheat death like Zelena did. 

My papa grabs his bow and slowly walks out of the tent telling me to stay with Roland.  Both of us wants to go outside with him and see what is out there but my sisterly instincts tell me to obey him and stay inside.  If it is the Shadow or another villain the tent won't make a big difference between a fire ball.  It would just burst into flames, but I will protect Roland since I can't die from that. 

A few minutes go by and Robin does not come back.  I whisper to Roland to stay in the tent as a sword materializes into my hand without me noticing it.  It was my silver handled sword with my name engraved in it that Henry, Robin, and Mr. Gold made me back when Henry first broke my curse.  I slowly and cautiously walk out of the tent not spotting Robin anywhere.  Fear instantly replaces my bravery as I think about possibilities that could have occurred.  I push the fear away trying to replace it back with bravery knowing that if I let fear overcome the bravery the Darkone could come back.  I walk around quietly on my toes with my sword ready to strike.  My body use to fighting making my feet avoid any obstacles that are placed before me.  

I hear rustling coming from behind me near the bushes.  I stop taking a deep but quiet breathe, feeling like I am being watched.  I quickly spin around swing my sword only to stop it abruptly in mid-air.  I smile weakly as I face my father. 

"Sorry, I thought you were an intruder," I wince making my sword disappear.

"Sorry I'm not, nothing was there.  I thought I told you to stay inside," he asks me trying to look stern.

"You were gone for a while, so I went looking for you.  Roland is still in the tent," I add pointing toward the tent as Roland runs out to us.

"Was there any villains," Roland asks mastering an eyebrow raise. 

"No, no villains.  But later on Regina is meeting us," Robin says smiling down at me.

I smile cheering, "Yay! Wait why?"

Robin smiles back down at me saying, "You will see, but first us three get to spend the day together.  I was thinking breakfast at Granny's."

Roland stares up at us wide eyed smiling, "Yes! I'll race you there," he finishes  taking off in a sprint.

"Oh no you don't," I yell after him running to catch up with him.

Robin yells behind us, "You have to run faster then the speed of light for me not to catch you!"

I run dodging tree, bushes, and branches.  We pass a few fallen trees which I jump over with ease.  I haven't had this much fun in forever.  I know this is my family, not Zelena.  This right here is my rightful family.  Roland is fast for a fourteen year old but he is also almost as tall as me.  I smirk playfully as I teleport a few feet in front of him.  He playfully glares at me.

He yells, "Hey, you can't do that! It's cheating!"

I just laugh as I take off again toward Granny's.  About one block away from the Diner I see Robin speed past me with a goofy grin on his face.  I stare wide eyed as he is about fifty yards in front of me already.  I turn seeing Roland is gaining on me and start sprinting as fast as my legs could take me.  We arrive at Granny's all out of breathe and laughing.  We all walk in and everyone inside the Diner including Ruby and Granny all look up at us or at me.  Fear in some of their eyes.  My smile falters a little big but when Roland pushes me hard to the side declaring that the race does not end until we are seated in a booth, I smile again.  Roland cheers in victory as he sits in a booth where we usually sit when Mr. Gold and Belle joins us. 

I laugh saying, "No fair, you didn't tell me that rule!"

He responds smiling ear to ear, "No, what wasn't fair was when you teleported in front of me during the race."

My dad orders us all hot cocoas and hamburgers.  When we get our food Roland takes a French fry off of his plate and throws it at my head.  I playfully glare at him again as I take one of my fries and throw it at him.  When he tries again I catch the fry in my mouth when Robin tells us to stop.  I playfully make a face at him when he turns around.  Roland laughs so hard his hot cocoa goes out of his nose.  I know I am nineteen but I still feel like I am fourteen being here with my little brother. 

When around noon comes I realize that the voices didn't even itch the back of my mind today.  I smile shoving Roland again as we make our way though the forest with Regina and Robin.  Regina and Robin holding hands as they turn around every few minutes to see Roland and I messing around with each other.  We walk past the cabin where my mother is and the Merry Men camp and stop at an old watering hole that's what August called it but it actually is a wishing well. 

Regina and Robin turns around toward me and Roland stops pushing me and laughing.  Robin takes something small out of his pocket and hands it to Regina. 

Regina smiles down at me and says, "We are so lucky to have you as a part of our small family.  So we got you a little welcome home present."

Regina opens the small thing which I notice is a small box which inside displays a locket with three initials engraved in it.  M.M.H.

"We wanted to give you something that connects us to you and you to us.  M.M.H. stands for your name Molly Mills Hood," Robin says as I smile letting him put the locket on me. 

I smile big up at them and down at Roland, joy filling my brain.  I feel a tear slowly make its way down my face.  I smile bigger as I jump up hugging them tight.  They return the hug and we all stand there in the woods hugging with goofy smiles planted on our face.  Like a big happy family.  My family, my family, a family that loves me.  After a long time we let go of each other.

"Thank you so much! This is beautiful, I love you guys," I say hugging them again.

"I love you too Molly Mills Hood," they all say to me.

We all walk back to the town together.  Robin and Roland are a bit ahead of Regina and I because we walk slowly looking around the forest.  I feel a lump in my throat as I feel Regina looking at me.  I look at my feet as we make our way through the forest.  As we reach the old oak tree Regina let's Robin and Roland go ahead of us  so they are almost out of view.

"What's wrong Molly," Regina asks me as I fidget with the locket around my neck.

"What.. oh.. uh.. nothing," I say, she knows I'm lying.

Regina stops, "Molly please tell me, you know you can tell me anything right?"

"Okay," I take a deep breathe getting ready to spill my guts out.  "So I.. uh.. like Henry.  I know he probably knows that, but like that was before the curse.  And I feel like he thinks I don't like him anymore since I don't talk to him as much as before and I don't really hang out with him.  But I really like him and the only reason I am not with him right now is because I don't want to hurt him.  And I don't really want him to suffer like he is now, since I can not hang out with him since I am the Darkone.  So basically I love Henry and I don't want to hurt him... and uh, yeah." I say releasing a long breathe.

Regina looks stunned but then smiles, "I think you should tell him."

I raise an eyebrow a bit scared, "Tell him? Are you nuts? How would I even tell him? When would I tell him"?

She smiles down at me thoughtfully, "You will know how to Molly.  And you should tell him now."

"Um, okay.  I will go now before I change my mind," I say running toward the diner where I know Henry will be either with Emma or by himself. 

Sometimes you just need a little push from someone you love to tell someone you love that you love them.