A/N: sorry its been so long! hope the long chapter makes up for it. 

𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔀𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓾𝓹 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓶𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓪
𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼
𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓲𝓽 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓼𝓵𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾
𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓘 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓮
𝓒𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓘'𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓵𝓵

Killian

Blaire awkwardly got off my lap and picked up her shirt and put it on. She gave Liam a quick look before her eyes went to Bastian.
"Hey..bud, lets go into the kitchen and see if your uncle has any ice cream, yeah?"
"Daddy says I can't have sweets until after dinner and he couldn't bring me my grilled cheese." Bastian said. I picked up the food from the coffee table and handed it to Blaire.
"Go into the kitchen with Blaire and she'll get you some dinner okay?" I smiled at Bastian and ruffled his hair.
Bastian grabbed Blaires hand.
"Okay Uncle Killy." He said and followed Blaire into the kitchen. Blaire gave me a quick glance over her shoulder before she pulled the sliding door to the kitchen closed.

I went to speak but Liam put his hand up.
"What in the bloody hell is one of our students doing here Killian?" He asked.
"Do you want the long answer or the short answer Liam?" I asked.
"My wifes father just suffered a heart attack, I'm on a time crunch, so the short answer would be best." Liam hissed.
"Liam.. I love her." I said and swallowed hard.
"You love her?" Liam scoffed and shook his head and then chuckled, but it wasn't the that was funny chuckle, it was his that was the wrong answer, prepare to die chuckle.
"Exactly how long has this been going on?" Liam demanded.
"It started around October." I admitted.
"So that Jacket you told Milah was Ariels was Blaires? You lied to me Killian you said you weren't having an affair!" Liam snapped.
"I didn't lie, Halloween was when I first realized I had feelings for her Liam, we didn't really start anything until after Milah and I separated!" I said.
"As if that makes this any better. Bloody hell Killian what the fuck are you doing with a student?!"
"She's not just a student Liam." I sighed and sat down. "Not anymore."
"She is a student Killian, and thats all she ever should have been. This is wrong. This will get you fired. It may even get me fired because I'm your brother and they will question whether I've known the whole bloody time!" Liam spat.
"This girl is my everything Liam..I am begging you not to say anything."
"Exactly as you've said. She is just a girl. Shes barely Eighteen, and you and I have a duty to these students, we're supposed to look after them, guide them. Not bloody sleep with them!"
"Liam. Please." I begged.
"This ends. Now. I don't want to have to report it, but I have a family Killian. You may not need your job, but I need mine."
"So you would go to the school board? You would get me fired? Blaire expelled? Why would you do that to me?" I asked.
"You aren't listening to me. I don't bloody want to! If this gets out, we will both get fired. They know how close we are. You have to end this before someone else finds out!"
"Liam please don't do this. You don't understand what she means to me. I spent so many years, feeling lost, I gave up. I didn't want to paint anymore, I barely wanted to live and she brought me back to life. Don't take her from me." I pleaded.
"Listen to yourself Killian. She's a student. Do you honestly think whatever this is is going to last? She's young, she'll go off to New York to her new art school and meet someone else. If you continue this, you may be what causes her to stay, to give up everything she's worked for and for what? A relationship thats not going to last?"
"Blaire isn't like that Liam, and I would never stop her from going to New York!"
"I don't want to hear it Killian. This ends tonight." Liam said and made his way to the kitchen.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blaire

I grabbed one of Bastians special plates from the cabinet remembering Killian told me he wouldn't eat anything if his food was touching. I looked through the togo boxes from O'Malleys.
"You like chicken wings?" I asked Bastian.
"Only if they don't have bones." Bastian said.
"They don't. Do you want Barbeque or the hot ones?" I asked.
"Barbeque please." Bastian said and climbed up into one of the kitchen chairs. "Is there ranch?" He asked.
"Yep." I said and put a few Boneless wings on the plate and cut them up into smaller pieces and put a little cup of ranch on the plate in another slot. "Fries or onion rings?"
"Fries. With lots of ketchup." Bastian said. "But not on them, on the side."
"Of course who puts ketchup ontop of their fries?" I asked and looked at him.
"People who like to watch the world burn." Bastian said with a deadpan expression. I snorted and carefully placed the fries into the bigger slot on the plate making sure they weren't touching the chicken. I opened the fridge and grabbed the ketchup and poured some into the only remaining section on the plate filling it. I carefully carried the plate and set it in front of him and grabbed him a plastic fork from the bag and put it down on the table for him.
"This isn't my fork." Bastian said.
I raised an eyebrow and opened the silverware drawer and looked around.
"Do you have a special fork?" I asked.
"It has a blue handle." Sebastian said. I dug through the drawer until I found the only fork with a blue handle and held it out.
"This one?"

"Yes!" He said and reached for it. I smiled and handed him the fork.
"Can I have some chocolate milk? With a straw?" He asked sweetly.
I put the ketchup in the fridge and pulled the jug of chocolate milk out and looked in the cupboard for a cup.
"Its the blue one." He said. I smirked.
"I'm sensing that your favorite color is blue." I said as I poured him the chocolate milk.
"No actually, it's red." Bastian said very matter-of-factly.
Silly me. Of course it's red.
"Where does your uncle keep the straws?" I asked.
"Top of the fridge." he replied. I reached up and felt around the top of the fridge and I grabbed a bag of neon bendy straws.
"What color?" I asked. I didn't want to pick the wrong one.
"Whats your favorite color?" Bastian asked.
"Purple." I said. "But theres no purple straw." I said and held out the bag for him to choose one. He picked a bright pink one and put it in his chocolate milk and took a drink.
The color of the cup and the fork matters, straw does not. Got it.

"Did you know purple is one of the hardest colors to see?" Sebastian asked as I sat down at the table with him.
"I didn't." I smiled. "How did you know?"
"I do read." Bastian said very seriously. He was very well spoken for a 6 year old, and very very smart.
"Are you staying the night too?" Sebastian asked.
Well I probably was but...now?
"No." I smiled.
Bastian frowned.
"I was hoping you could play games! Uncle Killy has a playstation, we could play Spyro." Bastian said.
"Maybe next time." I offered. If there is a next time.

Killian and Liam raised their voices from the living room and Bastian turned his head to look that way.
"Hey, nevermind them. Eat your chicken." I said.
Bastian turned back around and went back to his chicken.
"Are you Uncle Killys new wife?" Bastian asked. I dropped the onion ring I was about to put in my mouth in my lap.
"Um.. no. We are just..well we are really good friends." I said.
"Oh. well, you should be. I like you better than Milah. She wasn't very nice to me. Or Uncle Killy. She made him sad a lot." Bastian frowned.

Before I could even say anything else the door to the kitchen was pulled open and Liam stormed in.
"Sebastian, come on we've gotta go." He said.
"But you said I could stay with Uncle Killy tonight!" Bastian pouted.
"Well, I've decided to take you with us instead." Liam smiled at him trying not to upset him, which clearly wasn't working as the little boys eyes welled over with fresh tears.
"But you said!" He cried.
"Liam just let him stay." Killian sighed.
"Yeah..let him stay. I'll go." I said and stood up. Liams expression changed when he looked at me, gone was the soft expression I'd been used to all year. He was angry...scratch that, he was pissed.
"You shouldn't have even been here in the first place. You stay, you two have much to discuss." He said and picked up Bastian from the chair he was sitting in. The situation was pretty upsetting as is, but Sebastians cries were absolutely heartbreaking. He didn't understand any of this and I felt terrible for him and I felt terrible for putting him directly in the middle of this.

Sebastian reached for Killian over Liams shoulder, sobbing hysterically.
"Liam at least let me try to calm him down!" Killian said and then sighed again. "Please, you're going into a stressful situation with Ariels father..you don't need a meltdown on top of that." Killian reached for Sebastian. Liam sighed and let him take Sebastian.
"I will be in the hallway." He said and walked out.

I leaned against the door to the kitchen watching Killian holding Sebastian He cradled the back of his head running his fingers through his red hair. He swayed back and forth rocking slightly as he spoke softly to him. It may have looked silly to anyone else to see Killian rocking a 6 year old in his arms, but it did seem to be calming him. His sobs had quieted down to wimpers.
"Why is Daddy so mad at you and Blaire?" He whimpered.
"Its a really long story lad." Killian said.
"Please can't I stay?" Bastian begged. "I want to play with Captain, and play spyro with you. Daddy said I could stay!"
"I know he did, and I know how hard it is, when you were told one thing and it changes just like that, its hard to adjust, and I'm really sorry Bastian but you can't stay tonight."
Bastian started crying again, and I was fighting back tears at this point. I kind of wanted to punch Liam in his stupid face right about now even though he had every right to be upset with Killian and I. I just hated that Bastian was upset.

"Hey." Killian said and sat down with him and adjusted Basitan on his lap. "Remember how we talked about compromise?"
Bastian nodded.
"I know, you can't stay tonight, but if you can be really good you can stay all next weekend with me."
"Even sunday?" Bastian sniffled.
"Right." Killian smiled. "I'll even make breakfast and I'll take you to school."
"On your motorcycle??" Bastian asked excitedly.
"Oh no, your mother will kill me, we'll take the car and I'll talk to her about you maybe getting to ride on the motorcycle with me in the summer."
"Okay." Bastian nodded.
"Besides, we have big spring break plans to make this weekend." Killian said.
"What kind of plans?" Bastian asked.
"I was going to keep it a secret, but I was planning on you and I taking a trip to the science center in Portland and maybe since we'll be in the area we can swing by the zoo. That sounds fun right?"
"Yes!" Bastian gasped. "I love science!"
"I know you do." Killian smiled. "So you think you can be good when I take you out to the hallway where your Dad is? I know you're upset with him but its not his fault." Killian smiled.
"Okay." Bastian nodded and climbed off Killians lap and sighed dramatically.
"I think I'm ready." He said and held his hand out. Killian smirked and stood and took his hand and lead him to the door. Bastian turned around and waved at me.
"Bye Blaire." He said. "Will you be at the gym saturday for boxing?"
"Yeah. I'll be there." I smiled. At least for him I would be. "Bye bud." I said and waved.

Killian opened the door, and I could hear him and Liam say a few things to each other, but I couldn't tell what they were saying. He closed the door and turned around and looked at me.
"Well...that just sucked." I said. "Remind me to punch your brother for making him cry like that." I said.
"Its not his fault Blaire. Its mine. Sebastian doesn't typically handle change very well and he was told one thing and it changed too fast for him to process it. I'm just glad I could calm him down before he went into full meltdown mode. Liam and I are still learning how to work around that. Its a day by day process with him." Killian explained.
"I Understand." I said and walked in the kitchen. Deep down, I knew what was coming next, and I just wanted to stall it for as long as I could.

Killian followed me into the kitchen. I picked up the plate of food that Bastian had been eating and scraped the rest of it into the trash can and walked over to the sink and rinsed the plate.
"You don't have to do that, I can do it." Killian said.
"Its fine." I shrugged and opened the dishwasher and put the rinsed plate and fork in and then shut the door.
"Blaire.." Killian sighed.
I walked around the kitchen looking for other things to clean.
"Oh, I forgot the cup." I said.
"Blaire, its fine I'll get it. We need to talk." Killian said.

I picked up the rest of the food in the togo boxes on the counter.
"We should put this in the fridge so it doesn't go bad." I said and opened the fridge and looked for a space to put it I moved the milk over, and slid the boxes on the shelf beside it and closed the fridge.
"Blaire please sit down so we can talk." Killian said. There was something heartbreaking about the way his voice cracked when he spoke.
I shook my head and turned around and looked at him.
"No. Generally speaking, when someone wants you to sit down to talk, they have something bad to say. So I will not be sitting, and you will not be saying what I think you are going to say." I said. My eyes welled up.
"Please don't make this any harder than it has to be love." Killian said. His blue eyes were clouded over with tears.
"Why does it have to be this way? Your brother knows now, maybe we give him some time to calm down and we can talk to him together." I said.
"Blaire, he threatened to go to the school board." Killian said.
"Why would he do that? He's your brother!" I exclaimed.
"If someone else finds out, they could very well fire Liam too because they know how close we are. They'll think he knew the whole time. Ariel is a stay at home mom, Her and Bastian depend on Liams income. If hes the one to report it, his job is secure."
"And yours?" I scoffed.

"I don't care so much about my job, but your future would be ruined. You'd be expelled, your scholarship would be out the window." Killian said.
"I don't care Killian." I said and walked to him. "You are the best thing that could have happened to me. You are my future. Please don't do this." I said. Tears were spilling out of my eyes now.
"I don't have a choice Blaire. You've worked too hard to get where you are. I'm not going to stand in the way of that."
"You aren't in my way Killian You ARE my way!" I went to put my arms around him but he held my shoulders and held me away from him.
"Listen to me. I promised that if something like this were to happen, I would protect you." Killian said.
"How is this protecting me?" I asked and pulled away from him.
"Its become clear to me that the only way I can protect you, is from a distance."
"What are you saying Killian?" I asked.
"I'm saying its-"
"Don't." I said. "Just don't." I cut him off and shook my head. "Don't say what I think you're going to say." I pleaded.
"It's over Blaire." Killian said.
"Just like that? After everything?" I asked.
Killian nodded and swallowed thickly.
"Aye." He said. "I should have ended it before it ever got this far. I'm sorry Blaire."

I stood in front of him, trying to process what was happening. It didn't feel real. I looked at him and he looked like he was doing the same. I could tell he hated it as much I did, but it didn't make it hurt any less to hear him say that it was over. We were over.
We stood quietly in the kitchen trying to come to terms with it for what felt like eternity.
Killian cleared his throat.
"You should go." He said. I looked up at him and he wasn't even looking directly at me anymore.
"Maybe I will.." I said and bit my lip.
"Then do it, go.." Killian said.
"Fine." I nodded and walked past him into the living room. I picked up my bag, and my phone from the coffee table and turned to look in the kitchen and Killian still had his back to me. His fists were clenched at his sides. I let another tear slip out of my eye and wiped it away as it fell down my cheek before I turned around and walked out the door.


I pulled my hood up over my head as I left the apartment building. Mostly because I didn't want to be recognized leaving Killians apartment complex, and also because it started sprinkling. I felt numb as I aimlessly walked around downtown. I didn't want to go home, and I didn't know where else I wanted to go. I looked at my phone to see what time it was, it was almost 10, the news would be showing the story about the updates from my moms murder case any minute now. I walked towards O'Malleys, but the lights were all off already. I didn't have my key, with me it was in my truck so I walked around the back of the building texted Will.

Me:

hey.. You home? I'm by the back door.

Will:
Yea. give me a sec.

I waited a few minutes before I heard the lock on the back door to O'Malleys click open and Will opened the door.
"Whatcha doin here?" He asked.
"I don't want to go home and you're my only friend." I shrugged. Will stepped aside and let me in.
"I just figured you'd be at Jones' place." Will said.
"Well...I'm not." I said. Will turned on the lights to the kitchen.
"Is everything okay love?" He asked.
"Not really." I said and turned around. "But..thats just how my life seems to go. Something good happens and something always has to happen to crush it. I don't know why I expected anything else." I said and choked back tears.
"I'm taking it..you and Jones..." Will started
"We're done. His brother found out. So..we are done." I said and bit my lip and wiped a tear that fell down my cheek with my hoodie sleeve.
"Shit..I'm sorry love." Will said.
"Its fine. I mean..it has to be I have no other choice."
"You hungry?" Will asked. I shook my head.
"Let me rephrase that..have you eaten today?" Will asked.
"No.." I sighed. Will turned the grill on.
"I Know you don't like to eat much when you're upset so how does a grilled cheese sound?"
"Fine I guess." I shrugged.

I hoisted myself up on one of the prep counters and chewed at my fingernails anxiously. I felt..exposed, like someone had taken my favorite blanket for comfort and ripped it away from me. Killian was always the one to talk me out of panic episodes. He always knew exactly what to say to calm me down and now..I wasn't going to have that anymore and I didn't know how I was supposed to cope. Tomorrow morning I would be the talk of the town again because of this news story airing right now about my parents, and I just wanted to be invisible.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" I asked.
"Yeah thats fine. I hooked up a tiny tv I found that someone was throwing away, its got a vcr attached to it, I have a few movies we could put on, and I have an old nintendo we could play." Will shrugged.

"Cool. You..uh wanna stay up all night and ditch school tomorrow?" I asked.
"You want to ditch school?" Will asked.
"Yeah. Theres a big news story about my moms murder going national right now and I just don't want to be there for people to whisper about all day tomorrow. I also really don't want to try and sit through Killian's class without crying."
"You do know you're going to have to go back sometime, right love?" Will asked and walked over with a plate and set it down next to me. I picked up the freshly made grilled cheese and took a bite, fanning my mouth as I spoke.
"Yeah but.. Not tomorrow." I said and took another bite awkwardly shifting it around in my mouth due to how hot the sandwich was.
"It just came off the grill, its hot." Will chuckled.
"Yeah but if I wait the cheese wont be as melty...Have you told Thomas you are living here yet?" I asked.

"No...I kinda like it here and I don't want to get kicked out." Will said.
"I don't think Thomas would kick you out Will. Just explain the situation to him. If anything he'd probably do what he could to make living here more comfortable for you."
"Maybe." Will shrugged.
"What are you going to do for spring break? Thomas is closing the place that week so we can all have time off."
"I imagine I'll just do whatever I always do when the place closes for the night every other day." Will said.
"Or...you can come with me to Disneyland." I shrugged. "Emma is bringing Ruby. And after Disney we are going to Oregon so I can visit my Dad..but not just for that, you could see where I come from, and I'll even introduce you to Kass this time." I said.
"I don't know.. I'm not really big on the family trip thing." Will said.
"Please? I've never been to Disney, you've never been to Disney so lets do the experience together. You're my best friend Will and I really just..need a friend right now."
"You sure your uncle is okay with me tagging along?" Will asked.
"Yes, he even suggested it. You'd share a hotel room with Ruby, Emma, and I, everything is paid for."
"Would be kind of nice to get out of storybrooke for a few days." Will said. "Sure. I'm in."
"Thank you!" I beamed and wrapped my arms around him.

"Can I ask for one tiny favor in return?" Will asked.
"Sure." I shrugged.
"Its kind of stupid and I know we both had plans on avoiding it all together and doing our own thing..but would you want to go to prom with me? Just as friends of course..Ana has been rubbing her new boyfriend in my face every chance she gets and she asked me if I was going followed by a snotty little remark about no one would want to go with me." Will sighed. I really hated seeing the defeated look in his eyes every time he mentioned Anastastia.

"I hate that bitch. Of course I'll go. Not just because of that, but..when I started high school, I hated the idea of prom, I never went to any of the dances at my old school. My mom actually begged me to go to my junior prom because she never got to go to her prom and I wouldn't go. So. I was kind of thinking of doing it for her and I was going to ask you anyways." I said.
"You would have asked me? You're not just saying that because I asked you?" Will asked.
"Of course I would have asked you. You're my best friend Will." I said. "AND I'm even putting us on the ballot for prom king and queen because I want to see that little harlots face when we win and she doesn't." I smiled.
Will blinked at me. "Jacob might have been right about your smile being on the unsettling side love." He chuckled.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------

Will and I watched old VHS tapes on his little tv for hours, I didn't even realize we had fallen asleep until I was startled awake by the door to Wills loft creaking open. I sat up and looked at Thomas as he was entering the loft.
"Whoa!" He said and put his hand over his eyes. I looked down at Will who was still asleep on the twin mattress beside me. I nudged him until he woke up.
"What is it?" He muttered. I pointed to the door and Will looked over at the door with sleepy eyes.
"Shit..I guess i'm busted." He sighed.
"Thomas..we're fully clothed, you don't have to cover your eyes." I said and rubbed the last bit of sleep out of my eyes now that I could settle down a bit.
"Its 11AM why aren't you two at School?" Thomas asked.
"I didn't want to go to school today." I shrugged.
Thomas looked around the loft, at Wills little makeshift apartment.
"Are you two living up here?" He asked.
"No..just me." Will said and sat up. "I got into a fight with my Dad a few months ago and he kicked me out."
"A few months? You should have told me. You could have stayed with me, and if you didn't want that, I could have at least made it more comfortable up here for you."
"If only someone would have told him that." I said.
"I figured you'd make me go back to my place." Will said.
"I'd never make you go back to a place where you didn't feel safe." Thomas said. "Speaking..of safe..whatever happened up here..please tell me you used protection."
"What do you think we did up here mate?" Will chuckled.
"I've been waiting for you two to end up together, I figured it was only a matter of time I just want to make sure if you two are..ya know..that you're being safe about it."
"Thomas really just said he ain't raising no babies." I laughed.
"Nothing happened. We watched movies and fell asleep. We're best friends. Nothing more." Will said.
"Well...okay." Thomas said skeptically. "Don't make a habit out of hiding out here and skipping school all day. I'm okay with you living here, but if they find out you're using the place to ditch school I could get in trouble." Thomas said.
"We wont. I just..needed a day." I said.
"Understood." Thomas nodded. "I'm actually glad you are here, Jacob is sick and I need help opening this afternoon at 2 and training the new hire. I only need you until Lizard gets here at 4."
"New hire?? You replacing me O'Malley?" I asked.
"Well, I'll need more people when you two go off to college."
"I guess you're right." I shrugged. "Yeah, I'll help out till Lizard gets here."
"Thanks." Thomas smiled and turned to Will. "And now that I know you are living here, I'll work on getting it fixed up. Katie used to live up here, theres a bathroom back there just needs some things replaced." Thomas said and pointed to a door towards the back of the loft.
"I'll help." Will nodded.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Killian

I stepped into the teachers lounge during lunch to get a refill on my coffee. Liam was sitting at one of the tables eating his lunch. I filled my coffee cup and approached the table.
"How is Ariels father?" I asked.
"He has a long road to recovery but, he's doing well." Liam said and smiled at me.
"Any problems out of Bastian?" I asked.
"He fussed a bit about not being able to stay with you, but no major meltdowns."
"Good." I nodded.
"I trust you resolved your situation with Brittany." He said and raised an eyebrow.
"She wasn't a situation. But yes, its over. She say anything to you this morning?" I asked in a whisper.
"No, I haven't seen her today. I don't even know if shes here." Liam sighed.
"I wouldn't be surprised. She was quite upset last night." I said.
"It will pass. She's young." Liam said.
You don't know her like I do.
"I'm going to go back to my classroom and prepare for my seniors. I'll see you later." I said and walked away from him and out of the teachers lounge. I pulled out my phone and sent Blaire a quick text.

Me:
Hey. Where are you?

I went into my classroom and sat down at my desk to start grading some papers.

By the time the bell rang ending lunch, I hadn't got a text back from Blaire, which was concerning. I got up, and went to the door to the classroom and opened it, standing in the hallway as my senior class filed in. Emma walked up to me.
"Can..I talk to you for a second Mr. Jones?" She asked.
"Aye." I nodded and waited for the last of my class to walk into the classroom. I poked my head in the door.
"Bell work is on the board, I'll be just a minute." I said and closed the classroom door. I waited until the rest of the hallway traffic died down and turned to Emma.
"Have you heard from Blaire?" She asked the amount of concern in her tone did no good for the concern I already felt.
"No, I haven't." I said.
"Shit." She sighed.

"Whats wrong?" I asked.
"She never came home last night. My parents are freaking out, Her phone is either dead or she turned it off, it goes straight to voicemail. I'm kind of freaking out too, Shes not supposed to skip any of her meds but she hasn't been home to take them. I was hoping you had heard from her." Emma said, panicking now.
"Okay, calm down. I will try to get ahold of her after class. I don't know if she will talk to me, My brother found out about us, and I had to end the relationship." I sighed. "I Noticed that Will isn't here either so maybe shes with him and if I had to guess they are probably hanging out at O'Malleys. I will call O'Malleys after class, and I will let you know if I manage to reach her."
"I just want her to be okay." Emma said.
"I'm sure shes okay. I don't think she would put herself in a situation that would be unsafe. Especially with that psychopath thats been stalking her."
"You know about that?" Emma asked.
"Aye. I just found out because whoever it is has started texting and calling me now."
"Great." Emma sighed. "I knew she should have just told my Dad about it from the start. But she refuses...you don't think whoever it is..hurt her do you?" She asked.
I shook my head.
"No. I'm sure she is fine." I smiled trying to reassure her but, Now I wasn't so sure about it myself.

Blaire

"Ellie, go ahead and take your 15." I said to the bubbly new girl who was really grating my cheese already.
"Sure!" She smiled and walked back through the kitchen. I waited until she was out of sight before I walked up to the kitchen window.
"I'll give you a nickle if you stab me with a butter knife, right now." I said to Will.
"A butter knife? That would be incredibly painful." Will chuckled.
"No less painful than dealing with Princess sparkle pony for the next hour and a half." I grumbled. "What are you doing after work?"
"I don't know yet, but you should probably go home so you don't scare the shit out of your uncle." Will said.
"If I know my uncle hes probably already freaking out." I shrugged. "Besides, I have some new details that I want to look into about the arson." I added in a whisper.
Thomas walked by to answer the phone that was ringing.
"Call me about it later." Will whispered.
I nodded and stepped away from the counter to check on Ellies tables.

"Blaire you have a phone call!' Thomas called.
Shit. its probably David.
I sighed and walked over to the phone and took it from Thomas.
"Look, David..I'm sorry I haven't been home." I said.
"Blaire." Killians concerned voice caught me off guard.
"Well.. you are not David." I said.
"Are you alright?" Killian asked.
"Well.. I'm speaking to you, and its not from a hospital. So I'm guessing so." I said flatly.
"Emma told me you didn't go home last night, and her parents are scared to death and shes scared too. When she told me you hadn't been home, I was really worried considering everything that happened last night." He said.
"Did you honestly think I was going to jump off a cliff because we broke up?" I scoffed.
Kind of thought about it.
"No Blaire, thats not it at all, I was worried about that psychopath that is stalking you possibly hurting you." Killian sighed. "You really need to check in with your family. You haven't been home to take your medication. You shouldn't be skipping it."
"I will eventually, I'm 18. I'm not required to check in with anyone, including you." I said bitterly.
"Blaire don't be like this." Killian said.
"Goodbye." I said and hung up. I swallowed back tears and shook my head.

Thomas walked back over behind the bar where I was.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. I'm just going to take my 15." I sniffled and walked away. I walked back through the kitchen and walked over to Will.
"Do you have any smokes?" I asked.
"Yeah, but they're not those gross menthols you like."
"That's fine." I shrugged.
Will fished his cigarettes and his lighter out of his pocket and handed them to me.
"Thanks." I said and walked past him and towards the back door where Ellie was sitting down at the table next to it eating a basket of fries.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Peachy." I said.
"You smoke? You know that's terrible for you." Ellie frowned.
"One could only hope." I muttered and walked out the door.

I no sooner lit the cigarette and put it in my mouth to take a drag when I noticed Ellie had followed me outside.
"Did you need something?" I asked with the cigarette between my lips. I took a drag and pulled it away from my mouth blowing the smoke away from her because I wasn't a complete asshole.
"I just realized where I recognized you from." Ellie said. "Your picture was on the news last night. Its terrible..what happened to your mom."

I felt my hands start to shake.
"And how your Dad knew the whole time..how could he have watched his wife get murdered?" Ellie asked.
"Can we not do this?" I asked.
"Do what?" Ellie asked, confused.
"Whatever it is you are trying to do to somehow feel involved in my life so I may like you." I said. "I don't even know you and I don't care to know you."
"Oh..I'm sorry." Ellie said and looked down. "I didn't mean to offend you."
"Heres a tip. If you want to make it in this job, Don't talk about shit you clearly don't know about and stay the fuck away from me." I said and turned away from her.

I heard her footsteps hurry back inside and the door shut behind her. I rolled my eyes and plopped down in the chair outside and went on with my cigarette. It was only a few minutes later when Thomas opened the door and stepped outside. He sighed and crossed his arms and gave me that disappointed Dad look he was really good at.
"What did you do to Ellie?" He asked.
"I didn't do anything to Ellie." I shrugged.
"Oh? Then why is she crying in the bathroom?"
"Why did you go in the ladies bathroom?" I asked and raised my eyebrow.
"The bathrooms are all gender, per your request if I do remember correctly. Stop deflecting."
"Stop sounding like my Dad." I snarked.
"You're done for the day Nolan." He said.
"You're sending me home?" I scoffed. "You never send me home."
"Play stupid games, win stupid prizes Blaire. Sorry kid, I can't having you chasing away the new hire."

I stood up.
"Unbelievable." I said. "You don't even know what she said to me!"
"No, I don't because when I asked you what happened you answered with your usual sarcasm."
"Have you fucking MET me O'Malley?!"I practically shrieked.
"Blaire. I'm going to warn you one time to simmer down and remember who you are talking to. You are very close to being out of line." Thomas said. "Go home."
"Remember who I'm talking to? I don't even know who I'm talking to. This whole fucking town knows everything about me, and I hardly know anything about anyone. Everyone here is so fucking secretive meanwhile my whole God damned life is on blast!"
"I have never lied to you Blaire, I've never kept a secret from you!" Thomas shouted back.
"Then why don't you want me and Will digging into the arson? Is it because you know who did it?"
"Blaire.." Thomas said in a warning tone.
"Are you hiding something? Its very strange that its such a small town and no one knows who did it. I mean how many people could it have been?"
"Are you suggesting I had something to do with the fire that murdered my niece?" O'Malley asked.
I shrugged. "Maybe."
"I'll send your last paycheck in the mail." Thomas said.
"What?" I asked.
"You've officially crossed the line. You're fired." He turned around to walk back inside.
"Thomas! Wait!" I said but he shut the door in my face. I pounded on the door with the side of my fist.
"Thomas!" I screamed but he didn't answer. I kicked the door until it my leg got tired
"Fuck!" I screamed again.

I wasn't exactly sure where to go at this point. I left my phone at O'Malleys, and it was dead anyways so I couldn't call anyone. I wasn't sure if David was at work or at home, and I felt like I needed to at least check in with him so he knew I was alive. I was by no means about to tell him I just got fired. I wasn't even sure how it had just happened. I wasn't sure what was happening to me, I knew I hadn't taken my meds today, but I'd forgotten them before and it didn't drive me crazy like it was today. This was something different, but somehow familiar at the same time. My mind was racing so hard, that I couldn't seem to finish one thought before another would interrupt it.

I approached the Storybrooke police station and sighed trying to think of what I would say to explain my all night disappearance. I figured David would be pissed, and I hated it when he was mad at me. It felt worse than when my Dad would be mad at me. Yet..I kept doing stupid shit like this to upset him. I opened the door to the station and walked in.
"Afternoon Blaire." One of Davids deputies greeted me.
"Hey Jerry. Is my Uncle here?" I asked.
"In his office." Jerry replied. "Shouldn't you be in school?"
"Probably." I shrugged and walked past him to David's office.

I stood in front of the door for at least a minute before knocking.
"Come in." David said. I sighed heavily and opened the door. David was on the phone with someone and he looked up at me.
"I will call you right back." He said and hung up his phone and stood up.
"Okay..so let me just-" I started trying to brace myself for the anger as he approached me. But what happened next caught me off guard. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close to him and cradled the back of my head with his hand and I could feel his relief as he let out a sigh. I pressed my face against his chest and crumbled in his embrace.
"I'm sorry." I sobbed. I really needed to remind myself that even though David was my fathers identical twin brother, he wasn't my father. He was more understanding than my father ever had been.

David pulled away and held my shoulders looking me in the eyes. His eyes were teary too.
"I'm sorry." I repeated.
"I know. Although I'm frustrated you didn't call and let us know where you were, I'm just glad you are safe." He said and then concern washed over his gray blue eyes again. "But you don't look like you are okay."
"I'm fine. Its just been a terrible couple of days. Between my the story about my Dad being there when my mom was murdered and various other stupid teenage girl things Its just straight up not been a good time. I should have called, but I just didn't want to be home so I stayed with Will last night."

David raised an eyebrow.
"Before you ask, theres nothing going on with us..." I said.
"Sorry I assumed." David chuckled. "Sit, I'll make some cocoa and we can talk." He said and opened the top drawer on his desk and retrieved a packet of instant hot cocoa mix.
"You uh..just keep that stuff with you everywhere don't you?" I asked.
"Of course." He smiled and walked over to the keurig on the counter in his office.
"Did you watch the story last night?" I asked.
"I did. Don't be surprised if Sidney Glass shows up trying to hound you for whatever you may know."
"I'll make sure to keep my boxing gloves on me." I shrugged.
"I'll get you some brass knuckles, those will leave more of a mark." David said without missing a beat.
"Ooh! Uncle Dave, I like the way you think."
David chuckled and walked over to me with the mug of hot chocolate. I took a sip and smiled.
"Its peppermint. You remembered." I said.
"I did. Emma likes hers with cinnamon just like her mother. You like yours with peppermint, like me." David smiled and sat down at his desk.

"So..what is going on in the realm of stupid teenage girl things as you called it." David asked.
"Stupid stuff." I shrugged.
"Well that clears it up so much." David said.
"I'm starting to think my sarcasm didn't just come from my mother." I said with a small smirk. I took another sip of cocoa and set the mug on the desk. I shifted my legs so I was sitting with them crossed.
"Uh Oh, Criss cross applesauce. It must be serious." David said.
I blinked at him.
"I'm sorry. Go on." David smiled.

"So..my first week here, I met someone, and he was really annoying, and we didn't get along at all at first..but then..something just clicked with us." I sighed. "My first experience with someone I really liked..did not go well at all, I was stupid and naive and I gave everything to this person when I was 15 only for him to treat me like I was a one night stand the next day with his stupid friends." I scoffed. "I figured it would be easier if I stayed away from the dating scene. I did have a quick summer fling with a girl that worked at the gym the last summer I was in Oregon but thats all it was..was a fling. I figured I was better off alone, and then I met this guy..and I knew, I KNEW..in the end it was never going to work but I fell..hard and fast." I said and wiped tears away with my sleeve.

"I never knew I could love someone so much. We started getting serious in October, and just like I figured..it didn't work out and we broke up last night. It sounds stupid to be so worked up over a break up..but everything in my life has been going sideways since my mom went missing, and finally something felt right..and just like that its gone."

"Its not just a break up Blaire, and its not silly at all. This is your first love, and technically your first serious relationship and with everything else life has thrown at you, I don't blame you for being worked up."
"You aren't mad I never told you about him?" I asked.
"No. I'm not. I understand I can be overbearing but its only because I love you, and I want you safe. It took Emma a while to introduce me to Graham." David said.
Oh...just you wait. I thought.
"That being said however, I would like a text as a heads up, to save from some early morning household panic." David smiled. "I know you are 18 but..I'm the kind of parent that is going to be expecting texts when you're in your 40s."
"I will work on my communication skills in the future." I smiled.

Davids cell phone rang. He glanced down at it beside him before picking it up. "Its Mary-Margaret. She's probably wondering if I've heard anything from you." He said. I felt kind of guilty that I made everyone worry so much. It wasn't something I was used to. My mom worked late at night and didn't come home until early mornings, and by that time she was too tired to check if I was home or not. My Dad didn't seem to care if I was out all night as long as I wasn't causing trouble that would make him look bad, and God help me if I did, I'd never hear the end of it.

"Yeah, she's okay. She's sitting right across from me." David said. "She just had a rough night and wanted to stay with a friend." He added. "Alright, I'm about to head home, I'll see you and Emma when you get there. Love you." David said and hung up the phone and set it back down on his desk.
"Apparently Emma knew about your break up, so her and your Aunt are going shopping after Emma's cheer practice for break up junk foods."
Killian must have told her.
"Oh. Fun.." I said with a grimace.
"I know, kid." David chuckled. "They left dinner up to us so what sounds good?"
I thought for just a minute. I didn't want take out, I wanted home cooked comfort food. "Chicken Alfredo with broccoli and garlic breadsticks." I answered.
"We'll have to stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things, but that can be arranged." David smiled and stood from his desk. "If we leave now, we'll likely have it almost ready right as Mary-Margaret and Em get home." He said.
"Sounds good. Oh! Do you mind if we stop at O'Malley's so I can get my phone? I left it there." I said and stood up.
"That's fine." David said and led me out of his office.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David parked outside of O'Malleys, and immediately picked up on my hesitation to go in.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine." I said.
"You want me to go in with you?" He asked.
"No, No. I'm good. I'll be right back." I said and got out of his truck and walked into O'Malleys. The last thing I wanted David to know right now was that I got fired. I walked up to the bar where Lizard was.
"What the hell did you do?" She asked.
"Why?" I asked.
"Thomas is pissed. Like..He's been on my case since I got here about every little thing and he said if I didn't want to end up fired like you I better keep busy." Lizard said.
"Sorry about that.." I sighed. "I just came to get my phone, and my bag I left in the loft Upstairs, but since I'm no longer employed here this is as far as I can go and I'm pretty sure I only got this far because Thomas is probably in his office."
"I'll run up and grab it." Lizard said and left me at the bar.

Thomas walked out of the kitchen carrying a tray of food. He shot me a glare before walking over to the table he was serving and handing out the food. I looked around and noticed Ellie wasn't around. He carried the tray back to the kitchen and walked back out to the bar.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I left my phone and my bag here. Lizards getting it..Why are you serving?"
"The newbie quit, and you're still fired. Jacob is sick, and if you hadn't noticed we are in the middle of our after school rush."
"Oh." I said.
"Is that all you have to say?" Thomas scoffed.
Blaire. Stop being stubborn.
"What else would I say?" I asked.
Or..don't.
"You look just like your mother, but you act just like your father." Thomas said.
I probably deserved that.

Lizard came back through the kitchen with my phone and my bag and handed them to me.
"Thanks Lizard. See ya around."
"See ya Blaire." She sighed. I looked back at Thomas, and he looked back at me, expectantly.
I scoffed and walked away from him and outside. I got back in the truck and accidentally slammed the door.
"Whoa. Whats the matter?" David asked.
"Nothing I'm sorry the door slipped from my hand." I lied.
"Oh, Alright." David said. "To the grocery store then?" He asked.
"Yep!" I said and gave him my best fake smile.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stuck to David like glue in the grocery store. Every time we went down a different aisle people would look at me, and whisper. I knew they were talking about my moms murder case.
"Let them talk." David whispered to me.
"They don't even know what they're talking about." I sighed.
"Exactly. So let them talk." David said.
"Are we almost done here?" I asked, feeling my anxiety start to spike.
"Yes, I just need to get some broccoli if you want to go wait in the truck." David replied. "I'll be out in just a minute."

I nodded and pulled the hood of my jacket up over my head and started speed walking out of the aisle looking down at my feet. I got to the entrance and ran right into someone. I hit them so hard that I fell backwards on my ass and my hood fell off. I looked up at who I ran into.
It just had to be him.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." Killian said and looked up from his phone and down at me. His blue eyes washed over with concern.
"Are you okay?" He asked and put his hand out to help me up. My eyes began to water. I got up without his help and hurried out the door past him.

I sat in the truck waiting for David, texting Will who had texted me wanting to know what the hell had happened between O'Malley and I.

Me:
I don't really want to talk about it, but I do want to talk about the arson. Can you come over tonight when you get off?

Will:
Yeah. I get off around 7. I'll be there then.

David opened the door to the drivers side, startling me. I jumped and had to catch my phone before it fell.
"Sorry Blaire, I didn't mean to scare you." He said.
"Its fine.. I'm just jumpy lately." I shrugged. "Get everything you need?" I asked.
"Yes I did." He smiled and put the bags in the back seat and got in the truck.
"Will is going to come over around 7 and work on something for school with me is that okay?" I asked.
David nodded. "It's fine with me. You'll have an excuse to break away from girl time with Emma and your Aunt." He smirked.
"It's terrifying how well you've come to know me." I said. "I mean I get it, They think it will help me process the breakup better. But..realistically I know this hurt isn't going to be solved with Haagen Dazs and rom coms. Its something that I've gotta work through on my own." I sighed.
"I understand. Just humor them for a little bit before you run off." David said.
"I will." I nodded.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was in the kitchen with David helping him cook when Mary-Margaret and Emma got home. Emma hurried into the kitchen.
"Next time you disappear, send a text!" She said and hugged me.
"Em I'm fine." I said.
"Well I know that now, But I went all day thinking something happened to you. Text me next time." She said.
"Will do. Sorry about scaring everyone." I said and looked at Mary-Margaret who was now approaching me to join in the hug.
"As long as you are safe and you are okay." Mary-Margaret said and hugged me tight.

"Come on guys, let the girl breathe." David said with a chuckle.
They both pulled away from the hug.
"I bought some stuff for after dinner." Mary-Margaret said and pointed to the bag on the counter. I peeked in the bag, she had bought all of the essentials, cookie dough ice cream, gummy worms, root beer, and a couple of cheap feel good movies on DVD to watch.
"Thank you. You guys didn't have to. Will is coming over around 7 to help with a project in science so I may have to cut girl time short this evening. But I really appreciate it." I said.
"Oh thats okay. We'll just hang out until he gets here." Emma said but also eyed me skeptically. I knew then she knew that we didn't have a project in science. Of course she did, she was in the same damn class. But I really didn't want her involved until I knew for a fact that Neal wasn't involved in the drug ring going on at The Rabbit Hole. Especially because if he was involved I was going to kick his ass from one end of town to the other.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the chicken alfredo for dinner, and all of the junk food that Mary-Margaret bought that we were currently snacking on, I was so full I thought I was going to have to be rolled upstairs.
The door bell rang and I tried to hold in the sigh of relief.
"Its probably Will, I'll get it." I said and got up from the couch and walked to the door, opening it and expecting to see Will. Instead of Will it was that asshole reporter Sidney Glass.

"Ah, just the person I was hoping to see. As you know, your mothers murder case is national news so its almost like you are a local celebrity and you are hard to get ahold of." He said.
"One would usually take that as a hint." I said and glared at him.
"I was wondering if you had time to sit down for a little interview for the Daily mirror."
I looked at the nonexistent watch on my wrist.
"Can't say that I do." I said. I looked past him as Will was coming up the walkway.
He turned to Will with his stupid little recorder.
"Do you have any comments on the news story that aired last night as someone close to Blaire?" He asked.
"I have a couple I guess." Will shrugged and leaned into the recorder.
"Fuck. Off." He said and took the recorder from Sidney's hand and launched it across my front yard making me laugh as Sidney hurried to go find it.
"Thanks Will." I said and let him in. I looked at Mary-Margaret and Emma.
"We have a school thing to do, so we will be in my room." I said.
"Alright, take some snacks with you." Mary-Margaret smiled.
"Don't mind if I do." Will said and grabbed the bowl of bbq chips, and the bag of gummy worms and awkwardly carried them up the stairs with me.

As soon as we were in my room, I shut the door. Will sat down in my computer chair spinning around happily with his bowl of bbq chips.
"You good?" I asked.
"Never been better." Will smirked. "You however have gotten yourself into some shit as usual. I've never seen O'Malley so pissed off."
"Thats a story for a different day. I wanted to talk about the arson."
"Oh you mean the arson you blamed Thomas for?" Will asked.
"You just aren't going to let that go are you?" I sighed and paced.
"Are you okay? You're..extra fidgety today." Will observed.
"Yeah. I'm fine. Its just... I think I might actually be very close to solving the arson." I said.
Will went to speak but I knew he was going to mention me blaming Thomas again so I cut him off.
"And No its not Thomas. I will admit I was a total asshole today but I'm not about to walk in there and beg for my job back." I said.
Will raised his hands.
"Alright, I'll drop what happened between you and O'Malley. What is your current lead?" He asked.

"The owner of the Rabbit Hole, apparently he also sells drugs, and some of his employees work for him on that part of his business too. When O'Malley's was a nightclub, The owner Gold, and O'Malley didn't get along considering they were competitors in the same area..that sounds like a motive to burn the place down, Maybe Gold didn't know that Kate O'Malley was still inside. Or maybe he did. Who knows."

"Blaire, I know I'm not going to be able to stop you..but you need to know what you are getting into when dealing with Alistair Gold. He is a very dangerous man."
"How do you know?" I asked.
Will sighed, and there was a distant look in his eye like he went somewhere that he had locked away in his mind for a while.
"My parents worked for Gold, My Father still does, my mother...She took off with my little sister Penelope when she was just a tot, Haven't seen my mum or Penny in almost 10 years. Gold put a hit on her because she sold the drugs, and then spent all the money. When I was 12, My Dad started bringing me with him on drug runs, and by the time I was 15 I was working for Gold too. Thomas pulled me out of it when he realized how old I was, and then he put me to work with him and When Gold came around, Thomas threatened him. I don't know what Thomas threatened him with but I haven't seen Gold since."

"Jesus Will.. I'm sorry. I didn't even know you had a sister." I said.
"She'd probably be 12 or 13 by now." Will sighed. "I know.. I'm not going to be able to stop you once you have your mind set. But I just wanted you to know how dangerous this man is." Will said.
"Will, you can sit this one out. I don't want you to get involved with him again."
"I absolutely will not sit this out Blaire, if you are going from the frying pan into the fire, I'm going with you. You don't know anything about Gold's world, or how he works, I do. You are going to need me."
"I just want to ask some of the employees at the Rabbit Hole what they know." I said. "Thats all. I'm going there tomorrow after school. Emma's boyfriend Neal bartends there I really need to find out if he is involved for Emma's sake considering he is the father of the baby she's carrying."
"If you go poking around in there about the drug operation it will get back to Gold. It would be unavoidable." Will said. "I have to work tomorrow so you need to be really careful. Please promise me."
"I promise Will," I said.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn't remember the last time I sat down and worked on my graphic novel, I had been putting the birthday present Killian got me last year to use and I was starting to transfer the sketchbook pages I had done, into digital, I mostly liked to draw at night, but these meds made me too sleepy to stay up too late to draw. It was almost time to take them. I sighed and sat back in my computer chair looking back and forth between the pill bottle and my drawing tablet. Calliope always told us to follow the muse when it came. I picked up the pill bottle.

There was a knock on my door.
"Yeah, come in." I said and turned around in my chair. The door opened and David poked his head in.
"Just checking in on you." He said.
"I'm fine. Just drawing...trying to get a few more pages of my graphic novel done." I said.
"Well, don't stay up too late." David said.
"I won't." I said. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." David smiled and closed the door.

I looked down at the pill bottle in my hand and then back to my computer. I tapped my fingers on the arm of my computer chair and bit my lip contemplating.
Can't follow the muse if I am too sleepy to draw.
I set the pill bottle back down on my desk and rolled my chair back up and grabbed my tablet pen and got to work.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next time I looked away from my computer I noticed a bit of light coming through my window. I looked down at my phone and realized it was 5:40 in the morning. I didn't feel tired, I felt like I wanted to keep working, but I knew I had to get ready for school. I stretched and got up from my chair and went to the closet and grabbed my school uniform and opened my door and went to the bathroom to shower.

Once out of the shower I went back to my room and got my school stuff all ready and carried it downstairs with me. It was quiet in the kitchen, but I could hear the shower in the other bathroom running so I knew someone else was up. I turned on the kitchen light and went to the coffee maker and flipped the switch. David usually set it up so you could just turn it on in the morning and it was good to go. While the coffee was brewing I decided to make some breakfast.

I don't know what possessed me to believe that I could try making breakfast for the family. The bacon was burning, the eggs were hard as a rock, and the pancakes..weren't pancake-ing?
David hurried into the kitchen smelling something burning and then stopped and looked at me attempting to cook.
"What are you doing?" He chuckled.
"You make this look so easy!" I said.
David smirked and took the burning pan of bacon off the stove.
"None of this is edible." I sighed.
"We'll fix it. I appreciate the effort." David smiled and took over. "You're up early for you. Did you sleep?" He asked.
"Yeah." I lied. And poured a cup of coffee and opened the fridge to get the creamer.
"Did you get the pages of your graphic novel done that you wanted to?" David asked.
"Oh yeah." I smiled. And then some.
"Good!" David said and turned off the stove and then turned to me.
"Well.. bad news, It seems I was over optimistic. I don't know what you did to that pancake batter but it just won't pancake?" He said.
"Oh my God Right?? I didn't think someone could mess up boxed pancake mix but apparently I'm just that talented." I said.
"I'll give you and Em money to pick up breakfast on the way to school." David chuckled.
"Sounds like a plan." I smirked. "Oh, I work tonight until 7." I lied.
"Alright. I was thinking about ordering from there for dinner tonight if you'd bring it home." David said.
Well shit.
"Oh.. uh.. Well I'm actually kind of burnt out on the food from there. I eat it all the time. You know what really sounds good? Hibachi." I said.
"Now that I think about it, that does sound." David shrugged. "If I call in an order will you pick it up after work?"
"Sure." I nodded.

My phone pinged on the counter. I picked it up and smiled at the picture text from Kassidy.

Kass:
Miss you bitch!

Attached was a picture of us that my mom took in downtown Portland during one of the saturday markets. This was one of my favorite pictures of us however something caught my eye, something that I had never noticed before. I tilted my head and zoomed in, behind Kass and I mixed in the crowd of people was a familiar hooded figure with a featureless white mask. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I shuddered.
"Everything okay?" David asked. I closed out of the picture, and put my phone in my pocket.
"Yeah." I said and smiled. "Hey..I'm going to go, I have money to get food before school. I've got an assignment I need to finish up so I'm going to go a bit early." I said.
"Okay, have a good day, see you when you get home from work." David smiled.
"Yeah. you too." I said and grabbed my backpack off of the kitchen island and walked out the door.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sat in the gas station parking lot in my truck eating a breakfast burrito, and obsessively looking through my old facebook pictures from Oregon. I couldn't believe how many of them actually had this creep somewhere in the background. I couldn't believe he had actually followed me from Oregon to Storybrooke. It made me feel sick. I wrapped the rest of my breakfast burrito in the foil it came in and tossed it in the bag. I got out of my truck and threw the rest of the burrito in the trash.

I got back in my truck and my phone pinged again. I sighed and looked down at it.

Emma:
Where are you? Dad said you left early.

I looked at the time.
"Oh fuck!" I said and started my car and threw my phone in the passenger's seat. Only I could leave an hour early for school and be 20 minutes late.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hurried into the school and raced to Algebra. Usually Mr. J didn't mind if I was a little late. However I'd almost missed the whole class at this point, and he was a lot nicer to me before he realized I was in a romantic relationship with his brother.

I opened the door and went to my seat. Mr. J turned from the smart board and looked at me.
"See me after class Blaire." he said and turned back to the board.

Luckily I wasn't left in suspense for too long because there was only 10 minutes left of class when I got there. When the bell rang I stayed in my seat.
Mr. J waited for everyone to leave before he closed his door and walked back over to me.
"I suppose you are probably angry with me right now." He said. "But I did what I did, with your best interest in mind as a teacher should do." He said.
"Honestly I think you did it with your best interest in mind, and that's fine. It is what it is." I shrugged. "I just ask that you don't keep Bastian from Killian because of me."
"I wouldn't." Liam shrugged.
"Is that all?" I asked.
"I suppose it is. Perhaps don't be 40 minutes late to class tomorrow?"
"Sure." I shrugged and stood up.
"Blaire." Mr. J sighed. "Look, if you weren't my brother's student, I wouldn't have a problem with this. I've seen him happier than I have in years and I think that is because of you but I just can't let this continue. Please understand that."
"It's very hard for me to understand why you would see your brother so happy, and then tear it away from him but..as I said, it is what it is. I have to get to my next class. See ya later Mr. J." I said and walked out of his classroom.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Killian

I knew that Blaire was back in school today because I had seen her in the hallways. Yesterday when I bumped into her at the store she looked like she was in the middle of a breakdown and today was completely opposite. At the moment she was sitting in the cafeteria at her table with Will, laughing at the jokes he told. She seemed vibrant, and not at all like I figured she would be after our break up. It was almost as life had gone back to normal for her overnight and mine still felt like a trainwreck.

As the bell rang signaling lunch's end, I walked back to my classroom to greet students as they were coming to class. Blaire and Will approached.
"Ah, double trouble, back together again. Good to see you back Miss Nolan." I smiled.
"I'd like to say its good to be back but school sucks dude." Blaire shrugged. It was almost as if I had taken a time machine back to when Blaire had just come to storybrooke. Before she was mine. There were no secret winks, or smiles. It was as if Blaire Nolan had completely erased the months that we were together from her mind.
Maybe Liam was right...it was never going to last.

There wasn't a single snarky remark from Blaire the entire class. I couldn't even remember what I was talking about because I was so focused on glancing her way to hopefully catch a glimpse of a smile directed at me. A wink.. Maybe her middle finger, I'd have taken anything at that point for her just to acknowledge me. As the bell rang.
"What's the homework for tonight Mr. Jones?" One of the students asked. I had completely forgotten what the homework assignment even was. Why the bloody hell am I falling apart right now?
"Oh.. well, you know what everyone needs a break. No homework for tonight." I said. "Miss Nolan..can I see you for a moment.." Both Emma and Blaire looked my way.
"Just Blaire." I confirmed.

Blaire packed up her books and walked over to my desk.
"Yeah?" She asked. I waited until everyone left.
"How are you doing?" I asked.
"I'm fine I guess." She shrugged.
I looked into her eyes. There was a look in her eyes that I hadn't really seen before. It looked wild, like her brain was trying to process too much information at once.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yeah totally." She said.
"It's just yesterday..when I bumped into you, you didn't look okay at all and now..you're completely different."
"Todays a new day Jones." Blaire shrugged. "Anyways, I've gotta go." I said.
"Oh..yes right. I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Same bat time, same bat channel." She smirked and turned around and walked out of my classroom.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blaire

I left Killians classroom and let out a shaky breath that I had been holding in. I leaned against the wall trying to breathe but it felt like I couldn't get enough air. I hit the wall with the side of my fist. Emma, who had waited for me, approached me.
"Blaire?" She asked.
"I.. I can't breathe." I gasped and my eyes began spilling tears.
"Lets go get some air." She said and put her arm around my shoulders walking me outside.

I paced when I got outside placing my hands on the top of my head trying to open my airways.
"I can't do this Emma. I thought I could, but I can't." I sobbed. "I can't act like everything is fine when there's a nuclear war going off in my head every time I see him."
"Just focus on breathing right now." Emma said. "You're having a panic attack."
"How am I supposed to do this every day? See him. Every day and pretend that I don't fucking love him?!" I broke down.
Emma hugged me close and held me while I sobbed uncontrollably.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the last bell rang, I went to the bathroom to change out of my school uniform into something that would hopefully make me look a little older in case Lacey wasn't at the door at the Rabbit Hole and I had to try and persuade someone else to let me in. I walked out of the bathroom and met up with Will.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean.. Your dad is kind of an asshole. Do you really need to prove that he didn't do this?" Will asked.
"He is an asshole, I'll admit that, but I still want to clear his name. At least on this." I said.
"Remember, be careful. Gold has ears everywhere in that place." He said.
"I will. Want a ride to work?" I asked.
"Sure." Will shrugged and followed me to my truck.

As we approached my truck I noticed something hanging off my driver's side mirror.
"What the bloody hell is that?" Will asked. I carefully inspected the object before touching it. It was a white featureless mask that had what I hoped was fake blood dripping off of it.
"It's a reminder." I said.
"A reminder of what?" Will asked.
"That I'm still being watched" I said as I pushed the mask off of my mirror.
"You don't think thats...real blood do you?" Will asked.
"I don't know, I don't want to know." I said and got in the truck.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dropping Will off, I went to the Rabbit Hole. I observed people going in and noticed Lacey was watching the door which meant it was going to be easy to get in. I got out of my truck and walked to the entrance. Lacey looked at me.
"Emmas cousin right?" She asked me.
"Yeah. I just need to talk to Neal about something." I said.
"I'll let you in this time but they are starting to notice that some under age people have been getting in and they are watching everyone so just be careful." Lacey said.
"Sure." I nodded and walked into the bar.
I walked up to the bar and sat down.
"Be with you in just a second sweetheart." Neal said.
"Ew." I said "Please don't call me that."
Neal looked up at me and I waved at him.
"Do you call all the girls that?" I asked.
"They tip good if I do." Neal shrugged. "What brings you here?" He asked.
"Doing research...had a couple of questions about the owner." I said.
"Well, you came to the right bartender. Given the owner is my father I'm sure I could answer any question you have.":
"You're shitting me right?" I asked. "Emma's babys grandfather is a fucking drug lord??"
Neals eyes widened and he walked around the bar and took my arm pulling me off of the stool and pulling me away from the bar.
"What the hell Cassidy!" I said.
"Be quiet!" Neal hissed and pulled me to the hallway where the bathrooms are.
"So you know..your father has this whole drug operation." I said.
"Of course I know." Neal sighed. "How do you know?"
"I know people who know." I shrugged.
"Well those people are about to get your ass killed. You can't just come in here running your mouth about this shit Blaire!" Neal snapped.
"I swear to God Cassidy if you are involved in this shit.." I said.
"Don't worry. I'm not. What kind of research are you doing?"
"I heard that Thomas and O'Malley and your father were rivals and I think your father had something to do with the arson so I am trying to get information. I heard that some of his employees, also work for him on his little side business."
"You heard correctly and thats all you are getting from me. The information you are trying to get could get you..or your family hurt or killed. So you need to just forget about it."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Not likely." I said.

"I can try to get you some information about the arson and whether or not my father was involved, but I'm begging you to not go looking for it for yourself. You could get hurt, you could get Emma hurt.
"Well I'll be gone for a week next week, so you have plenty of time to dig." I said.
"Where are you going?"
"We're taking a family trip to disneyland." I shrugged.
"What?? Is that even safe for Emma to travel on a plane? What about the rides?" Neal asked.
"I don't know I don't think shes actually gone to a doctor." I said.
"Probably not." Neal sighed. "I have to do something about this."
"I don't know what you are planning on doing-" I started but was cut off by someone yelling at the bar.
"Cassidy, I need another drink!"
"On my way Mr. Scarlet." Neal rolled his eyes.
Mr. Scarlet? Wills Dad?

I walked back over to the bar with Neal and sat down next to Mr. Scarlet. He looked over at me and smirked.
"Well.. look at you sweetheart."
Ew... just play along Blaire.

"Hi." I smiled and put my hand on my chin.
"What are you drinking?" he asked.
"I'm a fireball kind of girl." I said remembering that, that was the only drink that I've had that I could stand the taste of.
"Two shots of fireball for my new lady friend." Mr. Scarlet said.
"Of course." Neal said and looked at me with a glare.
"Whats your name sweetheart?" He asked.
"Mm. Maybe," I said and bit my lip as Neal slid two shots of fireball at me.
"Oh don't be such a tease." Mr. Scarlet said and took a sip of his drink.
I took the first shot of fireball and tried my best not to make a face. I hadn't had a drink since I was 15. I forgot about the burn.
"What brings you here Maybe?" Mr. Scarlet asked.
"Looking for new job opportunities." I said. I heard that the Rabbit Hole has..plenty of them."

I couldn't seem to stop the words as they were coming out of my mouth. I was doing exactly what Will advised me not to..but I couldn't seem to stop. I took another shot of fireball.
"Another shot for the lady." Mr. Scarlet said and pulled something from his pocket. Neal poured another shot of fireball and winced as Mr. Scarlet took it and put something under the glass and passed it back to me. I took the shot and discreetly took the little baggie that was under it and looked at it under the bar. There was a little purple looking pill that almost looked like a child's vitamin.
"Oh.. I..I don't have the money for this." I whispered.
"That ones on me." He winked. I tucked it into the pocket of my jeans.
"If you're really looking for a job opportunity...I can hook you up. My boss would love a pretty little thing like you on our team." He said and ran his hand over my arm. I swallowed hard completely skeeved out by how creepy Wills father was.
"Just give me your name and I'll get you in contact." I said.
I glanced at Neal who was discreetly shaking his head at me.
I looked down at my phone as a call was coming through. It was a telemarketer obviously but I saw it as my way out.

"I actually have to take this. I'll be right back." I said and held the phone to my ear and made my way to the door.
"Leaving already Blaire?" Lacey asked. I winced as I turned around and looked at Mr. Scarlet and Neal. Neal looked a mix between terrified and pissed off and Mr. Scarlet had a grin on his face.
"Be seeing you around Blaire." He said.
Well...fuck.