Nora finished the walk over to Adventureland, finding herself a bit early for Jack's meet and greet. She'd decided to try and drop knowing who he was, at least for the time being. She thought maybe bringing Levi by would make it a bit less tense between them. After meeting Sam, and all the worry over Levi's health, it felt like a bad omen to try to go alone.

But she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to see him.

She decided to head over to the cast entrance. Jack typically had a good time walking out in all his confident glory and it was fun watching guests walk by and do a double take. It wasn't every day you saw Captain Jack Sparrow, after all.

She was about to round the corner when she heard his voice, coming to a halt at his more annoyed tone. "I really think they should reconsider."

"Everyone else is fine with this change," the familiar negative voice of Sarah chided.
"You're the only one having a fuss and, of course, I'm the only one who has to hear it."

"I still say it's an awful idea," Jack said, his voice low, unmoving. Despite the lack of guests, he was still cautious. Unlike Sarah.

"Take it up with Sally."

"Have you even seen the part of my movie where an entire village of natives tried to eat me because they thought I was a god? This is very much the same scenario."

"Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll eat you. God, I hate being on stage with you."

Nora peeked around the corner. Jack was leaning back, eyes bugged out in a most Jack way. "I really don't see why you're the only one who doesn't get the appeal."

"Because I know you without the stupid hat."

Nora frowned. Was Jack a jerk when he wasn't a pirate? She shook her head at the conundrum of her statement, not to mention how ridiculous it was. She'd known Sarah as long as she'd known Jack and, sadly, Sarah was her least favorite CM. Well, the only CM she didn't like. All the others were delightful. Sarah just had a way of sucking the joy and magic out of the place. It was pretty weird how she hadn't gotten written up for it, as strict as Disney was. Then again, maybe Jack didn't tell on her.

Which would make it clear that he was a nice guy and not a jerk. But which was true?

They started walking towards her. She practically ran back to the line, making sure not to be the first in it. She didn't want to seem desperate, after all. 

Sarah started going through the normal spiel, her voice a bit more Disney cheerful as she asked guests to get out any autograph books and make sure pens were ready to go and that MagicBands were ready for the PhotoPass Cast Member. Jack took his place, welcoming the first family forward. Soon, a crowd of the more oblivious guests who didn't follow the meet and greet times started lining up behind the already long line, which Sarah had to cut off, causing quite a ruckus.

Which was great because it was her turn with Jack and the perfect time to ask him questions without Sarah overhearing for once.

He swayed once, gesturing dramatically at her. "Ah. I really hope you're not charging me for all these meetings, Nora."

"What?" she asked, her mind on her mission.

"You are a land shark, after all."

She stared blankly.

"A lawyer," he said, blinking in obvious disapproval of her slow upkeep.

"Ah!" If she hadn't been so short on time, she would have laughed. Instead, she gestured for him to come close, whispering, "Look, I'm sorry about the other day. And I'd say I'd stay out of your business, but I'm super curious—why doesn't Sarah like you?"

Jack frowned, touching the tip of his mustache. "I see someone must have overheard our earlier conversation."

"Yes. Now hurry up and tell me before she comes back."

"I really have no idea. You may find this hard to believe, but I'm quite polite. Chivalrous. Extraordinarily so."

"I believe it," Nora said. "You're better than you make yourself out to be."

He shriveled his nose. "I'm still a pirate."

"Because you freed slaves."

He held up a finger in warning. "That didn't happen."

"Deleted scene. Still counts. Fight me."

He put his hands together, giving a grateful bow. "The point is, she's rather...disinclined with me, for reasons unknown."

What, had they dated or something? "You didn't...?"

His eyebrows furrowed before realization dawned. "Ah. Most definitely not. See, even if my current employer didn't have such high standards for protocol, which are far higher than my standards—" He stuck out his tongue a little. "The point is, women can be egregious."

Nora raised an eyebrow. "Am I egregious?"

"No, you're—" He cut off, mouth open. "My lawyer."

Her mouth twisted into an unhappy pout. Yet again, she was making mountains out of molehills. Hoping he didn't see her disappointment, she grinned. "I'm happy to be your lawyer. And not be egregious." She gave a fake curtsy. "I have a Fast Pass for Space Mountain that's about to expire. I'll see you around, captain."

As soon as she was far enough away, Nora pressed her hands into her cheeks. What had she been thinking? Had she just outright flirted with him? What a nightmare—and not before Christmas!

But it didn't stop the thoughts from running through her head. The way his eyes, now so familiar, had been terrified, as if he'd been about to admit something similar to what was on her own heart.

What are you like? Nora wanted to ask. Was he a huge Disney nerd? Was he outgoing, or shy? Creative? Did he hang out with Cast Members all the time? What was his favorite food? What was his name? Why couldn't she know him?

She slapped her cheeks gently to snap herself out of it.

Get yourself together, Nora, she thought. You don't know him. You probably never will.

But that didn't stop her heart from racing, as if there was some end goal she could actually get to. And maybe, just maybe, if she kept running, she'd see the finish line. And there'd actually be some treasure there for her.

She went to Gaston's Tavern—not because she wanted to see him, but because she was desperate for her classic pick me up. Not that she was normally sad at Disney to ever need a pick me up, but still, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Even if he might show up.

She'd plunked herself down at the table, staring at the glorious baked bounty in front of her, too busy thinking about her interaction with Jack to even be happy to be eating one of her favorite things, when the man in question sauntered in through the door.

Because of course he would. Apparently she was a magnet for trouble.

He bee lined for her table, strutting and macho, his arms held out in welcome. "Nora."

She stabbed the cinnamon roll and didn't look up at him.

"Come on. We're all friends here, right?"

A lot of non-Disney friendly words started filtering into her normally G-rated brain. "Go away."

He put his hands on the table, voice hushed. "I am sorry about the other day. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"Oh, really? How long did it take you to figure that out?"

"Not as long as you probably think." He looked around the tavern, which was surprisingly empty, and sidled himself into the seat across from her.

Nora's lip jutted out skeptically. She didn't think face characters were allowed to sit down. Maybe they were, but based on his obvious nervousness, it was probably something he could get in trouble for.

"I've been hearing a lot of talk lately. You know, people giving me advice about Belle. Apparently girls really like apologies and being treated well."

Nora leaned back in her chair. "You don't say."

Gaston cleared his throat. "And even if I hadn't heard that, I'd be apologizing. Since I did step over that line."

Her eyebrow raised.

He slumped a bit. "Sorry."

The way his face tore made her want to reach out and comfort him, which was super annoying because he was probably just acting. What did he care, if he was acting like Gaston? He was Gaston. He was supposed to be a bit mean. It's just that by being the villain, he'd ended up losing whatever friendship they'd built between them. Or whatever it is that they could call it, considering she didn't know his real name and didn't plan to.

Though, to be honest, now she was a bit curious over what he was really like without all the fake muscle and bravado.

She really needed to stop thinking about what face characters were like when they were off stage. She didn't need to be remotely like those girls from the other day.

"Don't do that again, okay?" Nora fiddled with her fork. "I was defending you from those girls because they were treating you badly, then you had to get all pompous and be a jerk to Levi."

Gaston's face curdled, as if he didn't think he'd been at all awful towards him.

"And to me."

The nose wrinkles went away. "I know. I shouldn't have been. I get all up in arms, you know. One second I'm fine, the next I'm bursting into song about killing the Beast."

Nora rested her chin on her fist. "Drama Queen."

His eyes warily met hers. "Are we okay?"

"You seriously promise not to make me some sort of romantic ploy that you flaunt in front of people?"

"It's not like Belle would get jealous." He plopped his own chin onto his fist, mimicking her. "Hasn't been working for me so far."

She pulled her fork out of her cinnamon roll, taking a bite. "That's not a promise."

"Cross my eroded, villainous, gorgeous heart."

She extended her pinky. "Pinky promise."

"This is serious," he murmured, extending his own gloved pinky. "Every muscle in my body, including this pinky, is sworn to treat you with all this modern sense of treating women well that I'm not used to."

"Look at you, being progressive."

She smiled. He stared. Then he stood up, bid her a good day, and left, with her staring after him and wondering how she got caught up in so many character shenanigans.

Nora stood at the high table, tapping her fingers along the side as she looked for more purple puzzle pieces. It was close to closing. The fireworks were about to start and she didn't even care. She'd been passing this puzzle in the Emporium, set up for guests to contribute to, for weeks, and it was finally almost done.

It was one of her favorite things about Disney, that she could come here and do something incredibly not magical and, just by being at the parks, it took on a whole new meaning. While people came on vacation and couldn't miss the fireworks, she felt like she couldn't miss this moment of Cast Members and guests that had worked together to make something beautiful.

Levi stood next to her, much faster at finding the pieces and putting them in their proper places. She looked at him, at his focus, still surprised he wasn't complaining about the fact that she had nonverbally asked him to be on his feet for longer after an already long day.

Nora scooted closer, resting her head against his shoulder.

He stiffened. "You okay?"

"Yep." She tried not to think of Jack. Or Gaston. "As dandy as a lion."

"Say that the next time you meet Alice. She'll love it." Levi nudged her, indicating the puzzle was almost done. "Want to put in the final piece?"

She stared at the final piece in his hand, no longer excited about the puzzle as she took her head from his shoulder. "No. I didn't find many at all. You should do the honor."

His face paled for some reason. He pinched the piece tightly, as if not wanting to give it up to complete the puzzle, before putting it in. "There. Main Street in full."

It was a grand painting. Happy families strolling down towards the castle, Mickey balloons in hand, ears like crowns upon their heads.

"I guess they'll take it apart after we leave," Nora said.

"Yeah."

She thought of Jack. How their relationship, or lack thereof, seemed to be falling apart. "No good thing lasts forever."

"I think you need some ice cream," Levi replied.

She wanted to cling to his arm. She wanted to cry without really understanding the reason. She wanted this moment to mean something, that her feelings weren't just this random fling of chemicals causing fireworks in her brain and knots in her stomach.

And what did it even matter, when she didn't even know him?

It was the first time she had ever stayed for the fireworks and not looked at them. Instead, she saw the colors dance off of Levi's face as they made their way around the crowd. She watched as he kept his eyes on her, his hand coming first to her back and then to her fingers, interlacing them as she normally did with his to keep them from being separated.

She gripped his hand tight, not wanting him to let go. Wanting someone to stay by her side, even if he wasn't her captain. And it was selfish and wrong and awful, but she didn't know how to be alone. Not in that moment, even if she couldn't explain why.

Gaston had called Levi her pretend boyfriend. Was that what she was pretending? If anything, she was guilty of pretending Jack was her boyfriend, which was the silliest thing imaginable considering how inappropriate it was and how she knew nothing about him.

She didn't even really feel like she needed a boyfriend. Sure, she wanted to eventually get married, but she was pretty content as she was right now. Mostly, she wanted friends so she had someone to do life with. She really didn't like being alone, but being in a relationship wasn't her goal right now either.

Or was it? Was she that hung up on Jack? Did Gaston get in her head? And what was with him, being so weird anyway? And why did it bother her that Gaston seemed more interested in seeking her out, whether it was just a normal guest and character relationship or something more, when it bothered her that Jack didn't do that?

Nothing she felt made sense.

They made it into the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. Levi ordered for her without asking what she wanted because he knew what she would order, a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of cookies and cream in her Plaza Ice Cream Sundae, just as she knew he would order the Apple Blossom Sundae for himself. And that he would share.

He grabbed their sundaes, leading her to the corner, which was empty, sitting down on the floor. Nora followed suit, trying her best not to cuddle into him.

Pretend boyfriend. How many did she even have? And was she leading people on without meaning to? Was she being awful towards everyone, maybe even disliked, and she was just blind to it?

As good as the ice cream and apple pie were, she couldn't shake the doubts digging their talons into her heart.

The music for the fireworks blared outside, the pop of fireworks the only thing louder than it. She flinched as the Pirates of the Caribbean part started.

"Levi?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'm egregious?"

"No. Never."

It didn't make her feel better.

The theme song played. It's just beginning. Feel your heart beat faster. Reach out and find your...happily ever after!

Levi readjusted next to her, but didn't move to get up. Neither did she, but they couldn't have felt farther apart.

So many emotions! So much egregiousness! Or is there?

Question of the Chapter: What's your favorite fireworks show you've ever seen?

-Flips