Checkmate || OUAT Fanfic || DISCONTINUED

Chapter 14; Imagining Dragons

"You have both war and poetry in your mind."

~ 24 August 2015

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Alice's P.O.V

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    "You're saying what we did was wrong?"
    "I meant-" He looked as if he were trying to contain something that wanted to tear its way out of him. "There's nothing wrong with it morally," he said. "It's just a stupid law. But it is a Law. And we can't break it. It's one of the oldest Laws."
    "But it doesn't make sense."

    He looked at her without seeing her, blindly. "The Law is hard, but it is the Law."
    Emma got to her feet. "No," she said. "The Law cannot control our feelings."
    "I didn't say anything about feelings," Julian said.
    Her throat felt dry. "What do you mean?"
    "We shouldn't have slept together," he said. "I know it meant something to me, I'd be lying if I said it didn't, but the Law doesn't fobid sex. It forbids love. Being in love."

    I tear my eyes away from the page, closing my book and forcing myself to put the book down. I stare at the cover of Lady Midnight, speechless.
    What the bloody hell are you talking about Julian?! You're in love with her, goddamnit! Stop lying to yourself!
    I pick the book back up and bring it over my head. A startled cry stops me from throwing the book across the room in frustration.
    And thank the Gods for that.

    "Mummy!" I hear Cassie cry.
    I drop my book on the bed, running out the door and spirting towards Cassie's bedroom.
    "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I frantically ask as I enter his room.
    My eyes dart around the room, looking for Cassie. The sound of sniffling draws my attention from the bunk beds and towards the bed by the window, where the said toddler is.

    I rush towards him, cheeking him for any sign of injuries. I sigh in relief when I don't find any cuts of bruises. But that doesn't explain why Cassie's still crying.
    "What happened, Cas?"
    Cassie sniffs, wiping away the tears from his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "H-He doesn't w-w-want t-to see m-me a-a-anymore."

    "Who, dear?" I ask. "Who doesn't want to see you anymore?"
    "P-Peter Pan," Cassie says, crying harder. "He sent me back."
    "What happened?" I ask.
    "I t-told him that you a-a-and daddy didn't want m-me to see him a-anymore, and he s-said that h-h-he'd s-stop talking to m-me if I t-that was what I w-wanted."
    "Well, was it?" I ask.

    "No. I t-tired to tell h-him but he sent me back before I could."
    This is my fault, I shouldn't have said anything. Now Cassie's upset.
    Guilt clawed at me like a wild animal trying to escape from it's cage.
    I wrap my arms around Cassie, engulfing him in a hug. "It's alright, Cas. It's just a dream," I assure him, pushing the thoughts to the back of my mind.

    I can't think about guilt right now, I have to be here for Cassie.
    "Peter Pan'll come back, he always does. You'll see," I say, pulling back.
    Cassie sniffs, looking up at me. "You really think so?"
    I nod. "I know he will. He kept visiting me in my sleep even when I told him not to, he'll come back, just you wait."
    "T-Twank you, mummy."

    "Come on, Cas," I say, standing up. "Let's get you changed up. Then we'll go for a walk to calm you down, alright?"
    "O-Okay, mummy," he says as I carry him off the bed.
    I run my hand through his hair, smoothing out the strands that stick out.
    "It's just a dream, Cas. He's not really gone."

    Cassie hums in acknowledgement, resting his head against my shoulder as I make my way towards the wooden dresser.
    "What happened?" Jerome asks, walking into the room, Hunter following him. "We heard a scream."
    "Cas had a bad dream," I say, running my hand up the toddler's back in a soothing way.
    "Are you alright, buddy?" Jerome asks concerned.