Finding Pan | OUAT Fan-fiction

9: The Beanstalk Aftermath

Elle sat there thinking about her conversation with hook. She still could not believe she had found her father. Knowing he aligned himself with the woman she did not trust caused a conflict within her. 

To distract her, she watched Mulan who was drawing lines into the ground with a stick. 

"What is that?" Aurora asked. 

"Keeps the time," Mulan replied.

"You have somewhere to be?" Mary Margaret asked suspicious. 

"We can mark watches, take turns sleeping. We'll most likely have to walk through the night again so we should rest while we can."

"I'll take first shift," Mary Margaret said and Aurora looked to her, "I'll stay up with you."

Elle could sense the level of distress between the three women and noticed how loyal Mary Margaret was towards Emma. She knew that if it came down to it, Emma would always be more important. 

"When was the last time you slept?" Mary Margaret asked. 

"I don't really sleep now," Aurora answered, "Not after what I've been through." 

"Sleeping curse. The one time I did sleep, I had a horrible nightmares."

"It's a side effect," Mary Margaret said, "Same thing happened to me."

"It did?" Aurora asked.

"I had them for months. Charming, my husband, he used to wake me when I cried out. he'd light a candle. He said it would capture the nightmares. He'd watch over me as I fell back to sleep."

"Sounds like he lives up to his name," Aurora smiled. 

"Yeah..." She replied and Elle stood between them. 

"Why don't you try... To sleep?" Mary Margaret suggested, "I'll watch over you. You'll be safe."

Aurora was hesitant and then she gave in, "Thank you."

Mary Margaret smiled and looked to the eighteen year old. 

"You should get some sleep too," she said to Elle. 

Elle shook her head, "Someone's got to have your back."

"If you don't mind me asking, Elle, why did you try to help Emma?"

Elle shrugged her shoulders, "She has done much for the town and for Henry. I owe that much to her."

"What about your father?" Mary Margaret asked and Elle tensed at the tone of her voice. 

It was distrust and the once timid woman was now alert. 

"What are you insinuating?" Elle challenged, "You think me to be so low as to pledge my loyalties to a man who says to be my father? My loyalty goes to Henry and getting back to Storybrooke to destroy the Dark One. We want the same thing here."

"Like father like daughter," Mary Margaret muttered under breath. 

The sound of wheezing broke through their heated stare down and Elle widened her eyes to see Aurora in distress. 

"Hey, Aurora?" Mary Margaret said waking the princess. 

Mulan and Elle stood beside her with worried looks on their faces. Aurora opened her eyes and cried out. 

"It was just a dream," She told the princess.

"It was horrible," Aurora gasped. 

"Why don't you tell me about it? Do you want to tell me about it? Come on, let's stand. Tell me."