Red

Chapter Nineteen: A Bad Wish

Gran scooped her body up like a precious doll, his shoulders shaking, his eyelids and lips pressed together tight. Her arm, still covered in blood, hung limply. 

She was frozen in time. Gran wanted nothing more than to be frozen with her. He clutched her tighter and turned to leave the Manor, ignoring everything the others called to him. Down the steps, across the foyer, out the door into the woods. Cradling her head close to his chest, Gran shoved his way through the brush. He'd only been to his destination once before, and he could barely remember the way. He was running out of time. Red's blood dripped out of his arms like sand in an hourglass. 

Tick, tick, tick, he thought wryly. Why hadn't he woken earlier? Why wasn't he there for her? Why did he let himself fail her? 

He nearly screamed. He'd failed her, and he'd sworn he never would. He held her tighter, thinking I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, like she could hear him. Maybe she could. He hoped she could, and he added, I'm going to fix this.

He was so focused he hardly noticed when he burst into the clearing. But he recognized it, the tumbledown cottage, the family of weeds, the glass littering the ground, the smell of vanilla and pine. 

He'd stepped a foot further when the door creaked open. The fire from inside illuminated a small figure. 

"Stiltskin!" Gran bellowed. "I need your help!" 

Stiltskin sneered. "How did you find me, young Vega? And why the hell are you in my vacation home?" 

"You know this glade attracts desperation." Gran's voice broke. "And I'm desperate." 

Stiltskin peered over at the bundle in Gran's arms. "Is that the Benedict girl? Sorrell?" 

Gran nodded profusely. "Please. Help." 

Stiltskin gestured inside. "Bring her in." 

Gran walked inside nervously, holding Red even tighter. She was beginning to grow cold and it scared him. 

"What do you need, Vega?" Stiltskin asked. 

"Bring her back." Gran couldn't control the pitiful tone of his voice. "Please, I need her." 

Stiltskin raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying she's already dead?" 

Gran crumpled. "Yes." 

"I thought she was still alive, boyo." 

"I have heard you can bring someone back." 

"I can," Stiltskin agreed, rubbing his beard, "But it's hard. I ain't gonna do it for free." 

"You can have whatever you want," Gran promised. "I swear, take me instead if you must. But bring her back!" 

"No, no," Stitskin sighed, "I don't want you, per se. Let's do this. You owe me one, kid. When I call it in, you'll do whatever I say. And for that, I'll bring the girl back to life." 

"Fine. I'll do it," Gran said quickly, as though Stiltskin might change his mind. 

"You sure you want to do that, boyo? I have complete control now." 

"I. Don't. Care." Gran snapped. "Just bring her back." 

Stiltskin rolled his eyes. "What, are you in love with her?" 

Gran froze. "I, um-" 

"I see." Stiltskin tapped his chin. "Repeat after me. I, Greydan Vega," 

"I, Greydan Vega," 

"Agree to your, Rumple Stiltskin's," 

"Agree to your, Rumple Stiltskin's," 

"Terms, out of my own free will."