Dreams of Stars (A Once Upon a Time/Jiminy Cricket fanfic)

Dreams of Stars Part 19

After they were done talking under the tree, Jiminy and Kaelin went to look for Geppetto again. First, they looked in his workshop. When he wasn't there, they checked Dr. Hopper's office. Jiminy was unsure whether Geppetto would recognize him—though he had met him once long ago, before he was a cricket. However, whether Geppetto remembered or not, they had been best friends even in their identities as Archie and Marco, so it wasn't unlikely that he would go there.

Not finding him at the office, Jiminy and Kaelin simply went wandering around the streets of Storybrooke for a time. "Either we're both looking for each other...and missing each other," Jiminy said thoughtfully as they walked along, "Or he's out searching for Pinocchio."

"I think it must be that," Kaelin replied, "Pinocchio is the first person he'll think of. But do you think Pinocchio will even be here? He was sent in the tree with the savior."

Jiminy hurriedly put a finger to his lips as a small group of people passed. "Keep your voice down," he advised, "Remember, most people here don't know that, and Geppetto could be in serious trouble if they find out. In any case, the savior's here...she broke the curse. And Pinocchio was told to stay with her."

"Do you think Geppetto knows that the sheriff is her?" Kaelin asked, "If he does, he might go to her." She had learned from James and Snow that Emma was their daughter.

"I'd be surprised if he knew that already, but he might've heard from someone," Jiminy replied, "In any case, it wouldn't hurt to check the sheriff's office."

They went to the sheriff's building and peeked into the office, but only Regina was there, in the rightmost prison cell. They hurriedly slipped back into the hallway, closing the door as quietly as possible. "We should head back home," Jiminy said, once they were outside again, "It's nearly sunset. Do you need to get some things from your apartment?"

"I'll be fine," Kaelin mumbled.

Jiminy laughed. "We'll be getting my car from the office anyway," he pointed out, "It would be easy enough to stop by your apartment and pick up a few things that you'll need for tonight."

"Oh, well, that's all right, then."

As the sun sank slowly closer to the horizon, they walked to Jiminy's office, got in his brownish-maroon car, and took the short drive over to Kaelin's apartment. There were still other cars driving around and people on the sidewalks. Some people were walking together with old friends or family members, some hurrying anxiously down the sidewalk, and some just standing, looking lost.

Kaelin looked over at Jiminy and realized that he was watching the people sadly. "Many of these people must need counseling," he remarked, "All those memories coming back at once, and...and we're still trapped here. Why didn't we return to the Enchanted Forest when the curse was broken?"

Kaelin knew she wasn't expected to know the answer, but she did her best to reply with some of the thoughts that had been whirling through her head all day. "Well, we...don't know for sure how the curse works. Maybe breaking it wouldn't have the power to return us home. Maybe home..."

She couldn't finish her thought, but Jiminy finished it for her in a gruff voice that concealed grief, "Maybe home is gone."

They had pulled up to the curb beside Kaelin's apartment, so she started climbing out of the car. However, as she went, she added, "Maybe it isn't, though." Then she ran to get her things, free to shed a few tears at the thought that they might never see the Enchanted Forest again.