Hook's Daughter

The curse

Disclaimer: all rights to ABC and Odette Beane. Only a few characters are mine.

Ashton's P.O.V.

The next day when I wake up, I think, Where am I?
Then I remember. Right, I'm in Storybrooke and meeting Henry at Granny's today. I quickly get up, shower, and threw on some jeans and a grey shirt and combat boots, then brushed my hair, threw it into a ponytail, and go downstairs into Granny's "breakfast" part of the B&B.
"Morning Charissa!" Ruby says when I walk in, "how'd you sleep?"
"Fine. It's a nice place."
"Granny prides herself in this place."
"You don't?"
"No, I want to get out of here. See the world, but I'm stuck in Storybrooke. I'd love to leave, but realistically I can't. I have no money."
"That sucks," I say empathetically.
"Where did you live before coming here?" Ruby asks.
"Kinda off and on. But mainly Manhattan."
"I'd love to go to Manhattan," Ruby sighs.
"Maybe one day you will."
"I doubt it. Can I get you anything?"
"A regular coffee would be great."
"Coming right up," Ruby says, immediately starting to make it. "Here you go!" She says, handing it to me.
"Thanks," I say, paying with cash and going to a booth to sit down. I figure Henry will be here soon, so I wait.

"Hey Charissa!" Henry says when he walks in.
"Hi. Ready to tell me you're big theory?"
"Yup! And it's not a theory, it's true."
"Theorize away," I say, looking at him. He opens up his book.
"I'm going to give you the book to read it. It's a long, detailed story. Short version is the Evil Queen, my mom, cast a curse to bring all the fairytale characters here, to destroy Prince Charming and Snow White's happiness, but right before the curse struck, Snow White had a baby, named Emma, who they sent through a magic wardrobe that Geppetto and Pinnochio-" I raise my eyebrow when he mentions Pinnochio, immediately thinking of August. "- built. Charming put baby Emma in the wardrobe and she was brought to this world, where she grew up alone. On her twenty eighth birthday she'll break the Evil Queen's curse," Henry changes his tone to a low whisper, "and see me again."
"What do you mean 'see you again?" I ask him.
"Emma's my mom. My real mom."
"Kid-"
"Don't say I'm crazy! I'm not! She's my mom! I swear!" Henry exclaims. I nod.
"Ok Henry, where's Emma now?"
"I don't know. I'm really close to finding her though."
"So you're going to bring her here and get her to break the curse?"
"Yes, I just have to finish finding her. Do you think I'm crazy, Charissa?"
"Not at all, kid. Who's Ruby?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, who's she in the Enchanted Forest?"
"Red Riding Hood," Henry replies.
"Like big bad wolf and 'what big ears you have'?" I ask him.
"Not exactly. Read up on it, the characters backgrounds are very... different from what we think of them as."
"Will do," I say, nodding at Henry. He notices what time it is.
"I'm going to be late for school," he says, quickly getting up.
"Bye Henry."
"Bye Charissa." Henry leaves, and I start reading the book.