The Heart Of The Truest Believer (OUAT fan-fic)

2 ~ My wonderful, magnificent dreams

As I put my sore, rather swollen head down on my rough pillow that night, I feel a tear slide from my face. "I hate this." I whisper. But I have no choice. The Bakers have no right to keep me, however I have no other family. And being out on the street would mean I was either viciously killed, or, taken to prison, or worse, sent back. I can only imagine the punishment then.

Pretty soon my swollen eyes force themselves closed, and I fall into a fitful sleep. And then, something wonderful happens. I dream my dream.

*************************

The air is as crystal clear as can be. The trees are shedding their lives - giving off the scent of pine. Everything is so fresh. I'm on top of a hill, looking down at the field of flowers. I shrug. My red hair, usually tightly restrained, is flowing freely around my shoulders.

Ignoring the feeling of childishness, I lie down on the ground and roll straight down the hill. Grass clings to my jumper, to my jeans, and gets in my hair and my eyes. But it's wonderful. I feel a gentle bump to sigify the end of the hill and when I look up, the bright sun's shining in my face, warming my bones straight to the core. I shiver in delight, making a grass angel, laughing with delight.

A small bird lands on my hand, tweeting merilly. It's song fills me with happiness. Every note is a lullaby. I start to sing, as wildly and as freely as the bird.

For the beauty of the earth,

For the wonder of the skies,

Shed your wonderous light on me

The sun that shines so bright above

Now I know i'm truly free,

Now I know I'm truly free.

I laugh, feeling invigorated. I close my eyes tightly, imagining a bubbling brook, with its bouncing pebbles. When I open my eyes, I look up to see the brook in my imaginings. Its water runs over my hand. It's as crystal and as clear as can be.

**********

"Ruby! Wake up!" My eyes snap open, heart thumping as I immediately jump backwards, hitting my back on the bed head.

"Shay...!" I shiver. "You scared me." I gaps as I look out the window. "It's midday! How can I possible sleep in that late?!" 

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you. The doorman and I covered for you - said you'd gone out to get the groceries. But I know you weren't feeling well. Now you have to get ready. Mr Baker told me something... today..." 

"Oh blast." I run my hands through my red hair. "I forgot. That doctor is coming today, isn't he?"

Shay's white, drawn face meets mine. "I'm scared for you."

"Oh, Lord, the worst that can happen is I'm dragged away to an assylum, and goodness knows that would be far better than this hole." I wait for the tell-tale yell of my name, but none comes. 

"I suspect they're trying to be civil to a man of medecine." Shay rolls her eyes. "I'll pray for you." 

*************

"Ruby." Cecile's voice is so sweet it almost makes me sick. "This is Doctor Nellian. He is here to... examine your strange dreams."

I look at the balding, slightly ancient man sitting on the couch. He puts down his tea with great deliberation.

Tom Baker smiles fakely. "Can you tell us what's wrong with her, doctor?"

"Give me a moment." the Doctor mumbles. "Can I have a minute alone, please?"

The Bakers purse their lips, leave me with one last glare and close the door.

"Now, Ruby. Baker, I presume?"

"Parker." I say stiffly. "I prefer using my family name."

"Miss Parker." He corrects himself. "The Bakers are worried about your... dreams that you have. Can you explain a bit more about them to me?"

"They're not really... anything. It's a land I go to, where..." My throat seems to clam up. I don't trust this person. I find it hard to trust people after the Bakers.

"What happens?" He presses gently, pryingly almost.

"Uh..." I run my tongue over my dry, swollen lips. "It's a land... a land where things happen."

"What sort of things?" He asks. My eyes flit nervously to the notebook he's making notes on. "Well... a land where what I think becomes a reality."

"Can you please explain a bit more?" He asks patiently.

I sigh. "I can think of things, like a brook, or a tree. And if I concentrate hard enough, I imagine them into being."

"Mhmm. And how young were you when you had these dreams?" He doesn't look up from the notebook.

"Around 6 or 7. About 2, 3 years after my parents died."

"And... when did you last have one of these dreams?" He looks up and meets my eyes.

"The last one I had was 5 years ago." I calmly lie. Even though an assylum looks good, I really don't want to be treated like a psycho.

"Very well. Thank you." He nods and opens the door. "Mr and Mrs Baker..."

They talk in hushed tones, I can occasionally hear Tom's loud voice interrupting, and then there's the closing of the front door. I'm preparing to take away the Doctor's dishes when Tom and Cecile come barelling into the room. I look up abruptly.

"You infield!" Tom's face is red. "We pay for a doctor to come and tell us that your pitiful self is insecure. That you make up stupid dreams so we pay atention to you, that someone needs a little more love?"

He throws me against the wall, breathing heavily. I don't bother to move as his foot connects with my side. I yelp, curling over, seeing stars smashing aginst the sky.

"Tom." Cecile's worried voice shakes slightly. "We're late for the theatre."

"Just think about what you've done to us, you ungrateful bastard." Tom smashes his hand against my face before he finally accepts his coat and pulls it on.

The door slams, and Shay rushes to my side with a basin of water. She dips the well used cloth in and sponges my bruises.

I sigh. "It's fine, Shay. I'm going to bed... again." I drag myself up the stairs, limping slightly, and onto my tiny  bed.

Adjusting my aching body to a slightly more comfortable position, I let myself fall back to sleep, praying for another dream.

A/N: So to the right side is what Shay would look like. I haven't spent as much time on the pictures at the side as I normal do, so I apologise. I'm just excited writing this rather than spending time figuring out pictures. ;) So what do you think of my cast? All-star, eh? :P Just another disclaimer, I own nothing of the wonderful work of Once Upon a Time. The only character that is completely mine is Ruby.