We've all heard the great tales of Captain Hook. We have all listened and read about his days as a pirate. There is hardly a child in this realm that has no heard his name.
But no one has heard of the feared archer and bandit, his younger sister Na...
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NEAL CASSIDY WAS DEAD.
Emma had hardly been able to speak. Naomi had broken four dishes in the kitchen cupboard in angry retaliation. Now Emma sat on the stairs with David. Naomi sat on the bathroom floor. Mary Margaret was on the other side of the bathroom door, trying to get the young woman to talk.
"Naomi, please. You can't stay in there forever," Mary Margaret said. Her voice was slightly muffled by the door.
The girl brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. Could she go one year without tragedy? Two months, even? Would the universe ever allow her that one privilege? Maybe she could just stop getting close to people and live on her own again. Back in the Enchanted Forest when she had done just that, none of this sort of heartbreak occurred near as much. It all was just a blur. Maybe that could work again. She saw no reason why not.
"I don't mean to sound harsh, but wallowing alone in there is not going to bring Neal back," Mary Margaret spoke again. "He wouldn't have wanted you to sulk."
Naomi sighed and let her legs fall to the floor with a thud. "Come in," she muttered just loud enough for a trained ear to hear. Mary Margaret did just that and closed the door. She sat on the floor across from Naomi.
"Thank you," Mary Margaret said. Naomi didn't reply. A moment of silence passed before Mary Margaret spoke again. "Neal was a good man. He didn't die in vain. I'm sure of that."
Still, Naomi said nothing. She stared ahead at the small trash can. No doubt he was a good man. She would kill Tamara herself if his death had been for nothing, though.
"We're going to have to figure out how to deal with this trigger Regina's talking about. Greg and Tamara could be anywhere in the town with it, which makes it near impossible to find," Mary Margaret began to say, looking to Naomi.
Nothing. Naomi just stared ahead at the opposite wall.
"Say something!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. Naomi made no movement. Mary Margaret sighed and softened her voice. "Please, talk to me, honey. What's going on?"
"You know what's going on, so what is there to say? Naomi finally spoke. Her quiet voice sounded colder than before.
Mary Margaret leaned her head back against the wooden cabinet. "Do you wanna talk about it, any of it? I know this past year has been anything but easy. I promise, talking always helps."
Naomi lightly scoffed. "This last year has brought more pain than I've had in the past 300 years. Embracing this family only brings attachment and loss. Graham, Dylan, August, Neal, and now maybe all of you-" She took a deep breath and finally shifted her eyes to Mary Margaret.
