A World Without You (ON HOLD)

Mystery Girl

The cresent moon hung high in the sky illuminating the winding roads, not quite reaching the forest floor. The sheriff was slowly driving deeper through the forest on her baffling search when she came across a a young woman sat on old crumbling stone wall that ran ajacent to the tarmac. 

 Emma pulled up next to the wall and got out of the safety of her yellow bug. "Hey, do you know which way to go?"

The woman's platinum hair tumbled down her back and appeared to glow, catching the moon light with every slight movement. Crossing her arms, she pulled her coat tighter, shielding from the cold breeze when Emma noticed an oddly familiar scarf wrapped tightly around the woman's wrist. 

"Well, that entirely depends upon where you want to go."

"I'm not entirely sure. I'm-" the sheriff hesitated "looking for someone." 

"Then it doesn't matter where you go. If they want to be found, you'll find them." Emma's mouth fell open slightly as she processed the words. Who was this girl? Was she from out of town? Or a resident of Storybrooke? Surely Emma would know if she was, right?

"Good night, Sheriff Swan." She jumped off the wall then began walking away, into the night, her purple heels echoing on the road.  

"I didn't catch your name," Emma called after her still slightly confused, but she only responded with a wide grin that faded into the night as the distance between them grew. 

***

"I don't know. She didn't tell me her name." 

Mary Margaret looked at her room mate quizzically. "No offense Emma, but a blonde girl with a scarf isn't very specific, especially for a sheriff." 

Emma rolled her eyes, wrapping her hands around the mug tighter. Although she hadn't been in Storybrooke long, Granny's had a sense of familiarity and her usual hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon helped clear her head. At least it normally did. "She just seemed lost. I mean who goes wondering through the forest at 11:30 at night. I just want to make sure she's alright. She could still be out there." 

"From what you said she didn't sound very lost. I don't think you ned to worry." Mary Margaret flashed Emma a reassuring smile before taking a sip of her drink. 

"Mary Margaret, just so you know it's 8:30. Don't you need to be at work?" 

The raven haired teacher whipped her head around to see Ruby leaning over the counter, a note pad in one hand and a pen twirling in the other. "Oh my, yes. Thank you, Ruby." She said her goodbyes to Emma, placed some money on the counter and then ran out of the diner in a rush. 

"Erm, Emma?"

"Are you going to remind me to go to work too?" she joked but Ruby didn't respond with the same tone, suddenly looking serious. 

"That girl you were talking about, was she heading into or out of Storybrooke?" 

"Away I think. Why? Do you know her?"

"No. I was just - curious."

At that moment the girl in question came running through the doors of the diner. "Ruby! Please tell me it's here. It has to be here." She placed her hands on the counter and tried to catch her breath. It seemed she had run across town. 

"Kitty, calm down. What are you looking for?" Ruby's eyes darted between Emma and Kitty. 

"My sketch books. Please, I need them. I've looked everywhere." Panic was evident on her face, far more than you'd expect for simple pieces of art.

"Everywhere?" the waitress raised an eyebrow at a friend trying to give her a hint. "Apparently you were at-" 

"Hey," Emma interjected cutting Ruby off. 

"Sheriff!" Kitty said, startled. She quickly regained her composure, taking a deep breath. "Did you find whoever it was?" 

"No, they'll turn up eventually. Anyway, how are you? That was quite a late night walk you had last night." 

"I was actually on my way back from somewhere." she gave the sheriff another smile hoping she would leave soon. 

"Maybe he has it." Kitty's attention snapped towards Ruby who clearly wasn't very pleased about being ignored. All she received was a deadly glare. 

"Trust me, it's not there." 

The bell over the door rang as someone else entered. At first the three didn't pay it any attention but the person didn't give them much of a choice. 

"Didn't know you were letting mad patients in here now Rubs." 

Ruby's muscles tensed at the remark, directed at her friend. Kitty could see her anger rising which was never good. "Maybe you should leave then." 

"Just leave it, please." Kitty choked out, barely a whisper as she picked at a thread on the burgundy scarf around her wrist. 

"No! He can't treat you like that, Kitty." 

"It's not anything new." she sighed, still not looking up. 

"Sir, I think it's time you leave. I wont have anyone mistreated here." The man sniggered as Granny stepped in, but he didn't move. Granny, like Ruby, knew of the struggles Kitty went through in both the past and the present. She would always treat her as her own, so she would feel welcome somewhere in this mad world. Before the situation could escalate Emma intervened. 

"She told you to leave. This is her property so you should do what she says." Her voice echoed with authority, but at the same time sounded as if she was challenging the man. But still he argued. 

"Oh come on Sheriff, everyone knows the girls off her rocker. Why do you think they locked her up?" Emma was fully aware that she didn't know anything about Kitty, she only discovered her name a few minutes ago, but she trusted Ruby and her instinct. 

"Leave, now!" 

The man stayed seated until he gasped in shock as an ice cold sensation seeped through his hair, down his back, soaking his shirt. Ruby had poured a large jug of water over his head, before watching him run out, catching him glare at Kitty. 

Everyone was now staring at Granny, Emma and Ruby, some laughing and cheering, some agreeing with the man. Kitty took this opportunity to slip out and avoid unwanted attention. Unfortunately she knew where she had to look for her books, but getting there unseen was nearly impossible. Nearly. 

A/N Sorry this is mostly dialogue, I promise the whole story wont be like that. Let me know what you think. I can't promise to update regularly but I have a lot of the story already written so its just a case of typing it up. 

Thank you for reading 😊

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