That Lost Feeling {OUAT fan fiction}

Chapter 18

Two weeks later...

A lot has happened and a lot has changed, although it feels like it hasn’t.

The moment I awoke, after my first night in my bed, I was afraid I woke up in Neverland again. That everything would start over again. I almost had a panic attack again, when I realized I was lying on an actual mattress. First I took a breath in relieve, but then pain struck me. Hook was on his way to Storybrook.

But those flashes of pain, the kind that took my breath away and left me broken just when I thought it was getting better, has reduced and I actually think I’ll be okay. Just like my dad had said. Somehow, there is still a sparkle of hope. It is stupid, I know. Even naïve. But there is still a part of me who hopes he’ll come back. I know he won’t though. The ultimatum still stands. He chose. He chose to throw his life away, the life he could’ve had, just to have revenge. Even if he comes back after killing Rumplestiltskin, I’ll never let him back into my life. I owe myself that much.

Now it is two weeks later and I can’t believe how I manage all this.

The day after I came back the police showed up at my doorstep, as expected. I made everyone shut up and go away through the back before I opened the door. And as I suspected before, they totally bought my story. They could see the broken girl in my eyes as the pain of Hook leaving washed over me all over again. They left after hearing me out, just saying I should never do that again. I thanked the police officer, a nice old man who could’ve been my father and closed the door behind him. Luckily, he hadn’t noticed anyone of the others, who were anxiously waiting in my back garden.

Yeah, about them.

I had told my dad about them a few days later, because I wouldn’t been able to keep seven people living under the same roof as me a secret. To say my dad was stunned was an understatement. I saw he couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that I totally trusted these people. Plus the fact six of the seven where boys didn’t help much. But I think he was happy to see I was getting better, not leaving again.

‘I just don’t want to be alone in this house. It is good for me to have my friends around.’ I had said after seeing his face and he was won over. Especially when he met them. That was the tricky part. All of them could easily slip up, but it all went well. I had spent four days inside the house teaching them all about my world. About TV’s, mobile phones, computers and many other things and they were all completely fascinated. Dad was totally fond of Tinkerbell –though we introduced her as Tris- and he even liked most of the guys, except for Hawk, which wasn’t a surprise. What I hadn’t told dad was that none of the others paid for rent or anything. How could they without a job, with just being in this world for a few days? I had been so relieved when he left and no one had made one slip, I actually jumped onto Sam’s back and gave everyone a hug.

What I told my dad wasn’t a lie. I needed my friends around. Without them I would’ve broken down within two days. Now I could actually keep it up, just because they needed me.

After those four days of being a hermit, I decided to go find a job. Living in a house with eight people had put a lot of pressure on my savings. I decided to apply for a job at the New York Times. I didn’t think I would get selected, because I have no education in journalism, but miraculously, I got chosen. Me. They said they liked my style. Very refreshing, my new boss had said. So I could get started the next day. The job really helps me getting my mind off and when I come home, I have my friends to cheer me up.

It is all still weird though. I never thought my relationship with dad would ever be the same again, but it is. I never thought I would have friends to support me again, but I do. I could never hope to have my dream job too. There is only one thing missing.