Midnight approaching (Madwhale)

Re-Introductions

"Aww Victor, still no one to kiss?"

Ruby's painted lips twisted up in a smile. While Victor's started to pout. He never should have come.

Every year there was a New Years party at Granny's. Normally he would be working but after weeks of Ruby begging him to attend he asked the evening off.

 Which turned out to be a  mistake.

The whole evening he had gotten comments from the werewolf (and her grandmother!), while she was snuggled up to her partners side. The doctor had to admit that Ruby and Dorothy made a pretty cute pair, but what a way to rub it in.

Others that attended were Snow White and her prince. The latter kept shooting him the murderous glance every once in a while. Didn't these people realize he was cursed too? Their child, the savior, who shot him a sympathetic smile. And her new beau. Victor didn't trust that pirate at all but it wasn't his problem.

Gold and his ...wife? Girlfriend? He never knew where those two stood. They had occupied one of the booths, talking in hushed tones and sipping on their drinks.

The dwarfs were at one of the tables. He saw Cinderella and her family. Regina was talking to Henry while fixing his tie. Archie wasn't coming,he stayed at home because Pongo was afraid of the fireworks.

The chime of the bell caught his attention. When he saw who walked in he had to do a double take. There in the door stood someone he knew all too well.

Jefferson.

He and the hatter had a history. Being portal hopping buddies. It never got any further then some flirting, much to Victors disappointment.

The brunette had taken his daughter with him. He remembered how distraught Jefferson was after loosing his wife. That was one of the very last times he saw him.

The little girl looked a lot like her mother. However she had the same eyes as her father. That trademark Hatter glint that Victor knew too damn well.

He realized he was staring and went to look somewhere else when he locked eyes with the other man.

There it was. Heart beating faster, breath caught and heat across his cheeks. He didn't understand how one person could get such a reaction out of him. Some people would say the dear doctor was as cold as ice. But they only knew dr. Whale, not Victor Frankenstein.

Before he could calm him self down he saw the hatter make his way to him. Oh this was going to be great.

"Well well well, if it isn't our good doctor. Finally got a day off?" The smile that played on Jefferson lips was one Victor tucked away in a corner of his mind, save it for a rainy day.

"As it turns out, the hospital doesn't fall apart when I leave." Victor smile matched that of the brunette.

"You sure?" Jefferson glances down for a second before looking at the doctor again. "Sometimes it seems like your the only doctor this town has."

Victor brought his glass to his lips and took a sip. It was non-Alcoholic, per Ruby's demands. After THAT conversation at the docks she asked him to please lay of the drinking. So he did, because she was one of the few who truly cared.

"Sometimes it feels liked that too."

It truly did feel like that. Apparently there aren't that many doctors in the enchanted forest. Still he wondered why Regina just didn't make more during the curse. He never done a lung transplant before, but he knew how to do one now.

"So who did you bring with you? Can't imagine the handsome doctor Whale not having anyone to kiss at midnight." Jefferson was a bit awkward about it, he knew that, but in his defense he had been locked up alone for 28 years.

Jealousy was also something he experienced during that time. Every morning watching the blonde wake up in some strangers arms.

He tried to woo Victor but the doctor never returned his advances. So the hatter decided to just be a friend to him, as much as it pained him.

The doctor took a deep breath before answering.

 "Actually no one." 

 "Oh..." Was the only thing that left the hatters mouth. That was quite unexpected. The short awkward silence that followed as Jefferson was processing the doctors statement was lucky cut short by two small arms circling his waist. 

 "Papa who are you talking to?'' Grace looked at her father and the doctor. Victor was confused by her statement, he had treated her before. She had fell off her bike and scraped her knee pretty good. 

''What do you mean rabbit? You don't know doctor Whale?'' Turns out Jefferson was as confused as he was. The girl cocked her head and smiled. ''I know doctor Whale, but that was his cursed name, wasnt it?''

Jefferson looked up at the blonde signaling for him to introduce his ''true'' self. Victor got the hint and got up from his stool and kneeled down so he was at eye-level with Grace. ''I'm apologize for not introducing myself earlier, my real name is Victor Frankenstein.''

''Oh like the book?'' 

Jefferson answered that one for him. "Yes rabbit like the book.''

''Papa doesn't really like that book, he says your much nicer in person.''

A bright red blush spread across Jefferson's cheecks as he looked in every direction but the one where Victor was standing. At the same time Victors eye shot up to look at the hatters face, noticing the blush. The doctor swallowed before adressing Grace again.

''Well... that's very nice of your papa to say...''

A smile broke out on the girls face, she then looked between her papa and the doctor before doing a quick scan around the room. Her eyes landed on Henry and she tugged on her papa's coat. Jefferson teared his eyes from the gaudy golden decorations that hung from the ceiling.

''What is it Gracey?'' 

''Can I go and say hi to Henry and his moms?''

Her father opened his mouth and closed it again, he kinda resembled a goldfish. His eyes shot between her and the doctor before he took a deep breath and took his hand of her shoulder. 

''Sure rabbit, I'll be over in a minute.''

And with that Grace took one look at her father before adressing the doctor, ''It was nice to meet you Victor.'' She stuck her hand out and the doctor carefully shook it. ''It was very nice to meet you too miss Grace.''

And with that she turned on her heels and the doctor and the hatter were alone.