Gold

{44}

Boston, Massachusetts
1986

I woke up and looked around my apartment. It was strange but somehow I felt as if I'd always been here. I couldn't remember a time when I wasn't here.

I looked down at my finger to see my ring. What a gorgeous ring. I'd had it as long as I could remember, which wasn't that long.

I supposed it was natural, I was nearing thirty and maybe memories faded over time.

I climbed from my bed and walked to get dressed.

I felt like I had somewhere to be so I left the apartment. Strangely I felt a pull towards the elementary school.

I walked into the school and made my way to the office. Hadn't I always wanted to be a teacher?

"Hello, Miss Carter." The principal greeted me and I smiled at her. For a moment I was confused but then I felt a feeling I'd been working here for a very long time.

I went to teach my class then and found that the kids knew me too. They remembered me as I remembered them, I'd been teaching here for a while.

The rest of my days passed the same way, always the same but never surprising me.

I never suspected that something was off, that twenty eight years had passed and I never changed. Until I got a postcard to a little town called Storybrooke, Maine.

I made my way to Regina's family mausoleum. Even if I didn't particularly mind Cora was gone, I still felt terrible for Regina.

I knew Regina was just broken, broken from the way that no one had believed her about Archie. Cora had done that to manipulate her. And now she was gone.

I walked down the stone steps and saw Regina holding a rose.

"Hey." I greeted, walking over to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked me, wiping her eyes.

"I came to check on my friend." I told her and she sighed.

"You hated my mother. Your sister killed her. I'm not so sure we are friends." Regina told me and I sighed.

"Don't say that, Regina. I'm sorry about your mother, I am. And I am sorry that no one believed you, but I did. Regina, I'm still here for you. Whatever you need." I told her.

I could see she wasn't going to answer me so I left her alone.

I made it to the apartment, where I was staying. I'd been staying here the past three days.

Rumple and I had broken things off for now. Even though it hurt me, I knew it was for the best. He needed to figure out who he wanted to be and I needed to figure out how to be alone.

I walked inside to see Charming and Emma watching Snow in concern.

Snow had been in bad shape since she'd killed Cora. She hadn't left her bed and seemed to be in a catatonic state.

I approached Emma and Charming, who was holding a full plate.

"Anything?" Emma asked him.

"She won't eat a bite." Charming told her.

Henry came from down the steps and walked over.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

"She's just a little sick right now." Emma told him.

"You guys are lying to me, aren't you?" Henry asked and Emma winced.

"No one's lying." She told him.