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Post by Lady Lee-o on Feb 26, 2022 19:50:57 GMT -8
"Oh, it was nothing. A tragedy that this happened. He's a sweet man. I'm sure he'll be happy to have his place back. Why don't I get a fresh pot going, shall I?" Scarlet nodded before turning her attention back to Emma.
"Thanks for the info, My stay here is going for a bit longer than I intended." Scarlet grabbed herself another water and twisted off the cap.
"Some of us came from neighboring areas. Drove through and found ourselves unable to leave this place. Regina hates having us in town but we help this community. She can't get rid of us because we're not doing anything illegal."
"This town seems pretty safe, though. Is there much action for a security guard?" Scarlet chuckled and took a drink of her water.
"We get a few troublemakers but nothing the law can't handle here. I've been trying to get a job at the police station but I think Regina is keeping that from happening. As for the action in this town," Scarlet finished off the water and tossed the bottle into the recycling. "We get together most nights for drinks, darts, and pool. You should join us at The Rabbit Hole sometime."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 2, 2022 16:09:27 GMT -8
"We get a few troublemakers but nothing the law can't handle here. I've been trying to get a job at the police station but I think Regina is keeping that from happening. As for the action in this town, we get together most nights for drinks, darts, and pool. You should join us at The Rabbit Hole sometime."
Emma chuckled and continued to chew as she imagined Graham trying to assert his authority over this woman or any of her friends. "Sounds like a good way to lose whatever money I'm about to withdraw," she mused. Between rent and bail money, her withdrawal was already spoken for, but she might be able to find some extra to buy something for Henry from this shop. The owner probably needed the help after the fire.
"Thanks for the invite, though," Emma added. "I wasn't aware that the mayor allowed anything approaching 'fun' to happen within the city limits."
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 26, 2022 11:33:07 GMT -8
Gabriella made her way down with the coffee pot full of cool, fresh water and a kettle filled with hot water. She caught the tail end of Emma's comment as she rejoined the snack table.
"...aware that the mayor allowed anything approaching 'fun' to happen within the city limits."
"Oh, most definitely not allowed, but you know the saying; it's only illegal if you get caught," she said with a cheeky grin as she poured the water into the back of the coffee machine, then set the empty pot under the drip. Gabriella disposed of the old filter with used coffee and set a fresh filter in, scooping in coffee grinds as the machine warmed the water.
Grabbing a cup and a bag of tea from the variety box, she set to making herself some tea, looking forward to the caffeine kick and to ridding herself of the lingering ghost of a metallic taste that she couldn't connect to what she'd eaten or drank this morning. "I don't believe 'fun' can exist within the general vicinity of the mayor, so I find it best to simply avoid her." Gabriella gave the tea bag one last swirl in the hot water, cringing slightly at the reality of Emma's situation. "Though that may be difficult in your situation," she said, taking a sip of her tea and wondering if there was some way she could help.
It didn't seem likely that she was in any position that could provide assistance with Emma getting to know Henry better without Regina in the way but she'd keep it in the back of her mind. As if she didn't already have enough on her plate. It had been far too long since she'd returned to the caves to keep digging up treasures to take back to Mr. Gold. She'd better get back to it before Mr. Gold sought her out to remind her of the inexplicable power he held over her situation.
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Post by Lady Lee-o on Mar 27, 2022 7:04:17 GMT -8
"Sounds like a good way to lose whatever money I'm about to withdraw," Scarlet chuckled along with a few others as they passed by. "Thanks for the invite, though,"
"Not to worry, you play against Scar here and you'll make double."
"I accept your challenge, Terri." Scarlet grinned as her friend's face dropped slightly. "Tonight, make sure you bring enough to cover drinks and my pockets."
"I wasn't aware that the mayor allowed anything approaching 'fun' to happen within the city limits."
"Oh, most definitely not allowed, but you know the saying; it's only illegal if you get caught," Scarlet helped clear some space for the coffee pot and kettle with a smile. "I don't believe 'fun' can exist within the general vicinity of the mayor, so I find it best to simply avoid her. Though that may be difficult in your situation,"
"We should take you up on that advice, maybe she'd like us a bit more. It's been fun to push a few buttons; legally of course. Speaking of fun, you are welcome to join us at The Rabbit Hole. We can all show you a good time, get you a ride on our motorcycle, and get some wind in your hair?"
"Oooh, I volunteer. My bike is a smooth ride, Miss Stevenson." Dakota winked and Scarlet rolled her eyes.
"Really am sorry about them, can't take them anywhere."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 31, 2022 16:19:26 GMT -8
"Oh, most definitely not allowed, but you know the saying; it's only illegal if you get caught. ... I don't believe 'fun' can exist within the general vicinity of the mayor, so I find it best to simply avoid her. Though that may be difficult in your situation."
Emma gave Gabriella a look of exaggerated shock. "And here I thought you were this town's Mother Teresa," she remarked. Emma had a hard time picturing the kindly nurse ever running afoul of the local law enforcement, present company included, but was grateful to have another ally in her ongoing dispute with Regina. She continued to eat her muffin and grabbed a cup of coffee while the other women traded barbs with one another.
"Really am sorry about them, can't take them anywhere."
"Well, you are in the presence of Storybrooke's Most Wanted, so cheers to being on the mayor's bad side," Emma told Scarlet, raising her coffee in a toast. "We're really gonna' have to find a loophole in this 'no fun allowed' rule. For Henry's sake."
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 2, 2022 11:52:49 GMT -8
"We should take you up on that advice, maybe she'd like us a bit more. It's been fun to push a few buttons; legally of course. Speaking of fun, you are welcome to join us at The Rabbit Hole. We can all show you a good time, get you a ride on our motorcycle, and get some wind in your hair?"
Gabriella was sipping her tea and lightly choked on it at the mention of the Rabbit Hole. She recovered with a short throat clearing and another sip to smooth it while her eyes lightly studied Scarlet and her friends, looking for any signs that they'd been there the night Elle had been. Gabriella had to rely on Viktor's retelling of what had occurred and she'd been mortified. Shamelessly toying with several men and ending with almost going home with the town's scummy lawyer, for goodness sake. She was thankful to Viktor for stopping that from happening, but his attempt to salvage Gabriella's reputation by passing Elle off as some estranged twin? That had been just as ridiculous as it was in soap operas and she was sure nobody had bought that bullocks. Besides, Gabriella would rather people assume she was a sloppy drunk than to have any notions of a twin or anything else that resembled her condition.
"Oooh, I volunteer. My bike is a smooth ride, Miss Stevenson."
"Appreciate the offers. I'm not sure I'll be showing my face at the Rabbit Hole anytime soon after having over-imbibed and made a fool of myself last I was there," she admitted in case they'd been there and witnessed Elle's atrocious behavior or in case the uncharacteristic behavior of the usually reserved and withdrawn nurse was brought up. She looked as properly embarrassed and sheepish as the ordeal made her feel whenever thinking on it. "Any fun and frivolity will have to wait, I'm afraid. I've far too many responsibilities to catch up on." This refurbishment, while well-deserved for one of the kindest people she knew, had put her behind on her duties. Mr. Gold continued to loom over her thoughts like a dark cloud coming closer with each day she delayed bringing him new trinkets.
"And here I thought you were this town's Mother Teresa,"
"Really am sorry about them, can't take them anywhere."
Gabriella gave a short laugh. "I am no saint," she said dryly on behalf of both her personalities, both of which she felt she was responsible for the actions of. It had come off a bit too serious and in case it drew curiosity or thought to potential deeper meaning, she added, "and I'm definitely no princess, so if I'm in that book of Henry's fairytales as one, you can easily mark the entire thing off as complete fiction." A small part of her usually avoided commenting on the book as she did not want to think about how she would be portrayed in it, not that she believed it to be remotely real, but if it were, she was probably not one of the good guys. But just as she somehow felt like a disconnected outsider who'd accidentally wandered into a strange place she didn't belong, made up of mostly people who felt on a different wavelength, she also felt she didn't fit into any fairytale and thought perhaps, she might not even be in his book.
"Well, you are in the presence of Storybrooke's Most Wanted, so cheers to being on the mayor's bad side," "We're really gonna' have to find a loophole in this 'no fun allowed' rule. For Henry's sake."
Gabriella grinned. She'd always been on neutral ground when it came to Mayor Regina, thanks to that feeling of not existing on the same plane of existence, but probably simply because their paths and dealings rarely ever crossed. Today, those scales may have tipped after having taken a stand on Emma's side this morning.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 2, 2022 20:59:54 GMT -8
The rest of Wednesday passes uneventfully.
It is now Thursday, October 27, 2011, early morning.
Four days after the clock started moving
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 9, 2022 18:20:48 GMT -8
Gabriella had been up extra early that morning, ready to tackle some catching up on the task she'd put off during the renovations here. First, she wanted to give the place a once-over before heading to the hospital to send William on his way here.
She placed a small toolchest on the counter beside the register, adjusting the red bow she'd placed atop it. It was a little shop warming gift from her, filled with toy making and repairing tools, though the card was signed as 'Welcome home! - Your Storybrooke Family', giving the credit to where it belonged with the townspeople and all their hard work.
Walking around, Gabriella picked up little scraps here and there missed from the previous day's final clean-up and hauling out of equipment and leftover supplies, adjusting and straightening anything that may have shifted, all the while imagining the joy this renovation will bring him. It brought a happy smile to her own face. She barely knew William, save for a few conversations, yet she'd felt such an immediate connection to him. It was probably his warmth and kindness that exuded his being. To have lost his home and business. Nobody deserved such a tragedy, especially not someone like him.
It had been worth putting off her other duty and risking Mr. Gold's annoyance. It had ended up being not as troubling as she'd thought it would be to have done so. Mr. Gold had shown up for one day to "help", even had brought breakfast, but he had not threatened her over having put a pause and delaying him what she deemed to be worthless trinkets.
Satisfied that everything was tidy and in order, Gabriella grabbed her things, locked the place up, and headed for her next destination.
***Gabriella exits to Storybrooke General Hospital***
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Jan 7, 2023 0:23:25 GMT -8
Approximately nine hours later.
The early morning and afternoon have passed.
It is late afternoon of Thursday, October 27, 2011,
four days after the clock started moving.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Feb 11, 2023 4:57:20 GMT -8
When William had arrived back at his place, he had stumbled into a big surprise, a gathering of people who'd awaited him already. And not just that. They actually had renovated his store and also the parts of his flat that had been destroyed by the fire. For a long time, William had felt kind of numb inside, at least when it came to deep emotions, but on this day, when people did something for him just out of the goodness of their hearts, he'd gotten overwhelmed by them. Tears hadn't stopped running, accompanied by smiles of pure joy, while everyone clapped and shook hands with him or hugging him, stating how glad they were to see him having recovered. William probably never had been happier in his whole life, at least as much as he could remember. However, no moment lasted forever.
They all had talked and celebrated for a while until duties had been parting them again, sending everyone back to their own places, with the promise of helping him out with anything else if needed. William would never take offers like that, for he usually felt too awkward to do so. Also, he was just used to take care of things himself while, at the same time, never missed offering his help to others.
Even after the people left, William was left in this overwhelmed state for another while, crying and smiling in alternation until, at some point much later, marks of dry tears were everything left on his features and inside of him. Why was happiness still so hard to feel, the consistent kind that was?
With a sigh, William started clearing out his bags, getting clothes into the laundry, and just doing the daily work, although it still felt weird after so many days out of regularity. When he cleared out also the pockets of his coat, the one he'd been wearing in the hospital, William paused with an ID card in his hands. It was the one Gabriella had given to him. The one with the hypnotherapist's name and number on it. For some seconds, he remained staring at it without moving any muscle, then he grabbed his house phone, dialing the number on the card. But before he actually made that call, William put the phone aside again. It felt wrong to reach out to a therapist after he should feel nothing but happiness about everyone having done so much for him.
He sighed again, grabbed his coat, let the card disappear into his pocket, and left the house to pay the doctor a visit instead of giving him a call. He just liked the personal way of reaching out much more than speaking into a machine. Wrong or not, William probably needed help.
*** William exits to Dr. Lee's Hypnotherapy Clinic ***
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Aug 20, 2023 11:49:43 GMT -8
Several hours pass.
It is late evening of Thursday, October 27, 2011,
still four days after the clock started moving.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 21, 2024 14:21:01 GMT -8
The rest of Thursday evening passes.
It is the dead of night, when most are asleep.
Friday, October 28, 2011 has newly just begun.
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