[open]

[justella]

Who: Jacinda and YOU!
Where: The gardens or the rest of the mansion
When: 3/5
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jacinda was just trying to get to her daughter not end up in another world.
The Story:

She isn't exactly sure what's happening- Henry came into the bar to tell her that Victoria had been arrested, which meant that Lucy was going to be hers again. That’s all she needed to hear before she was rushing out the door. All she can think about as she races through the streets is Lucy and bringing her home, finally. They can be a family again and maybe this time life won't find a way to knock them back.

She's at the tower and in the elevator, fidgeting and willing it to go faster, Lucy is on the other side of those doors and as soon as they bing open Jacinda is moving. Shes moving so fast she doesn't realize at first that this is not the tower, in fact she's not even inside anymore. She's taken a number of steps into a garden that she doesn't recognize. She stalls to a halt, startled and looking around.

"What the hell?" She spinning but there is no elevator behind her- just garden. Everywhere garden.

"Lucy?" Her voice is quiet and unsure the first time she says it, and then it picks up strength. "Lucy?!"

This has to be some kind of trick, or hallucination. How can she go from the tower to wherever the hell this was in the blink of an eye?

"No, no, no no," this wasn't happening. Not when she was so close to getting her daughter back, to getting everything she wanted.

"LUCY!"

Eventually she will move, it’s cold out there and she’s not dressed for winter. She’s looking for answers inside the mansion, poking her head into rooms, reading the pamphlet and trying to figure out what’s real and whts a crazy hallucination brought on by stress.

Comments

[justella]

[ It’s nice, to see someone care for him this much. ]

I haven’t known him very long but he’s a good man. He deserves to be happy. Especially after what he went through, I can’t imagine losing Lucy like that, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

[ The thought of it makes her heart seize. She already misses her daughter. ]

I do, know that. I’m sorry, I know it’s very strange. This whole place is strange though. Is your daughter here?

[spiritofgoodness]

[ Snow smiles softly. ]

She is. She arrived a few weeks after I did. Just as confused about all of this as Henry. I wish that we could all figure out a way to leave but so far, I haven't had any luck. The longer I've been here the more real it all is.

[ It's hard to deny the magic when it's in front of them all the time. Which is an internal thought aimed more at Jacinda than one Snow needs to believe in. ]

And as odd as it is, I'm glad she's adult. I know there are children here, but I can't imagine being a parent, knowing that small kids are subjected to everything Wonderland does.

[justella]

That’s what Henry said- that it’s better that Lucy isn’t here. I trust him, it’s just- we were so close to being a family again and now I’m here. [ She almost had her daughter back. Now she can’t even see her. ]

I don’t know how to begin to handle that.

[spiritofgoodness]

[ Snow does what she does best and reaches out to squeeze her shoulder gently. ]

She isn't missing you, I promise. When we come here, time freezes. I know it's hard, just being away from her. But she'll be right there waiting for you, ready to start your lives together.

[ She doesn't ask what happened, not because Henry's already told her, but because she doesn't want Jacinda to feel uncomfortable that Snow knows anything about her or Lucy at all. ]

In the meantime, you have Henry, and if you'd like, me. I've been told I'm good at listening.

[ Snow smiles gently, dropping her hand. ]

[justella]

[ Snow’s entire demeanor is comforting, as are her words. She hasn’t felt this comfortable abround someone in years. ]

Thank you. It-it means a lot. [ Jacinda doesn’t let people in easily- her guard is always up between growing up with Victoria and trying to protect Lucy it takes a lot to trust someone- Snow is managing to crack some of her walls just after one meeting. ]

It’s nice to have a friend or two in this place.

[spiritofgoodness]

It certainly makes things easier. And from what I've experienced in my time here, there will be moments this place puts us through things that are better faced with people you trust versus alone.

[ Snow doesn't want to scare her, but it's true. Wonderland can be miserable if you go it alone. ]