Once Upon A Wonderland~ Killian Jones

The Lacey Dilemma

The next morning, the first thing I did was call Belle.

In some clothes that I borrowed from Mary Margaret  I stood outside the apartment with the house phone in hand.

I had to call Belle three times before she answered.

"What do you want?!" She snapped, sounding very un-Belle like.

"Belle!" I practically yelled, before remembering that Snow was asleep in the other room. "I heard you got out of the hospital."

"Ugh, why does everyone keep calling me Belle?" I heard her mumble. "My name is Lacey. Not Belle! So whoever you are, you and your friends can stop trying to contact me now!"

"Belle, it's me, Grace!" I was shocked. It seemed like Belle was far from lucid.

"I don't know who you are, and frankly, I don't really care either! Just leave me alone!"

"Belle!" I exclaimed. I lowered my voice. "What has gotten into you?! Is something wrong?" I put a hand on my hip. "Have you been to your follow-up appointment yet?"

"Lacey," Belle hissed. It was silent for a moment. Belle, or Lacey, or whomever I was speaking to seemed to be contemplating something. "You know me, don't you?" She asked.

I snorted. "What do you mean, I know you? Of course I do! We're best friends!"

She chuckled, then sighed. "Dr. Hunter, or whatever his name was, told me that my memory would take some time to fully come back," she paused.

"Oh," I hesitated. "So... you still don't... remember me?"

"I'm sorry... I don't," Belle sighed.

I fell silent, trying to hold back tears that pushed against the back of my eyes. I told myself that it was obvious that something was wrong with Belle, and that I would fix it. She would remember me. She had to.

"You know what, I'm sure if I see you in person I'll remember you. Why don't we go for drinks tonight? It's on me," Her tone became teasing. A part of me acknowledged that this was very unlike Belle, but I was too tired and stressed out to do anything about it. After what had happened to me in the past 24 hours, I could use a drink.

"Yeah, that sounds great," I responded, quietly wiping my eyes with the butt of my palm.

"Wonderful!" I could hear her giggle deviously. "Meet me at the Rabbit Hole at 6:30 sharp. We're going to have some fun," There was a click as the line went dead. I frowned, wishing I could've at least said goodbye.

I walked back inside the house and jumped when I ran straight into Mary Margaret.

"Mary Margaret! What are you doing?" I put my hands on my hips in suspicion.

"Nothing!" She said quickly. I narrowed my eyes.

"Breakfast?" She offered, changing the subject. I rolled my eyes. "I made pancakes, and there's apple cider in the fridge if you want any."

Inspired by the promise of food, I settled onto a bar stool at the kitchen island and leaned against the granite counter. If Mary Magret was eavesdropping, I couldn't do anything but hope she didn't tell anyone. "I'd think apples wouldn't be your thing," I remarked.

Snow smiled from her place near the stove where she was fixing a plate loaded with pancakes, steam circling up from the fresh dough and curling in the air. "What can I say? I'm a forgiving person."

She turned from the stovetop and handed me the plate, now topped with glistening fresh fruit that made me salivate like I hadn't eaten in days. I descended on the pancakes, stabbing the knife into the center with relish.