Dark Hearts | Once Upon A Time

LXiii. Don't Want to Lose You

Storybrooke. Present-day.

EVERYTHING SEEMED TO be calm for a while after Zelena's defeat, but because this was Storybrooke Erica was on edge just waiting for the next thing to go wrong. It seemed only natural after all in a town of villains and heroes as one would say, fate couldn't seem to give them a break 

Like a lot of what she had learned in the past year, she had learned that fate and destiny often had a role in shaping what kind of future people have and fate and destiny were often entwined, even if Erica didn't believe in either before she had met literal Gods and discovered the magic that resided within her. 

It was obvious fate and destiny were two sides of the same coin.

Calypso had warned her though that it often wasn't as simple as one would assume. It was a balancing act, one careful line that was drawn in the sand, which could be malleable if one was careful and did something before fate or destiny had hardened otherwise one would be stuck to their fates 

That warning has stuck with her no matter how much she tried to forget it. it was like a buzzing in her head. Like the one she got every time she used her magic and the way her skin tingled every time it reared its head 

Her magic was a part of her. Something that came naturally to her at this point and she was excited to finally have some semblance of control over her magic. So maybe it was a good thing that she had so many people who cared for her and wanted her to succeed in her magic no matter its dark roots 

Erica had her arms wrapped around Emma's shoulders and they were both cooing and smiling at their baby brother "So are you ever going to tell us the name of our baby brother or will we just have to keep 'hey there'"

Erica snorted as David scoffed "Well there is this tradition. Back in the Enchanted Forest, you would announce the name at a coronation ceremony"

"We would have done the same for you two, if we could," Mary Margret said with a small smile, obviously it was meant to be comforting but Erica felt herself stiffen up, sure she was comfortable with her royal side but she didn't particularly want to think of the life she could have had if the curse hadn't of happened...because she didn't want to think of what she could have lost 

"You're not going to hold him up in front of the clock tower and present him like The Lion King, are you?" Emma asked, scepticism in her voice and this time  Erica couldn't help the howling laughter that left her throat and she didn't sober up until her sides began to stitch up and hurt 

"No in fact we decided to forgo all pomp and circumstance for a potluck at Granny's"

"The important thing is to mark the occasion. Remind ourselves that after all, we've been through we are still all together as a family"  

The door opened before Erica had a chance to respond and Henry walked in, carrying a newspaper full of houses for rent or sale, Erica and Jaclyn had already looked at it last night when she stayed over on the ship. 

( She was sure that she hadn't stayed a full night at the loft since she had returned from New York, she had tried but it had been hard because she had gotten used to sleeping next to Jaclyn.  She had managed to learn a few things about Jaclyn from sleeping next to Jaclyn that she would not have even guessed at had they not been sharing a bed. For one she learned that Jaclyn liked to cuddle and be close to those she has in her bed at night  and it felt lonely without Jaclyn holding her or she holding Jaclyn )

They had managed to settle on a house that they both liked but nothing was set in stone yet, but  Erica couldn't help the excitement that bubbled  in her chest every time she thought of moving in with Jaclyn