Almost Alice (1/3)

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Almost Alice


Note: I do not own “Once Upon A Time” and I do not make a profit from writing this story. I’m just amusing myself.
Authors Note: Once again I have decided to play with characters we have been teased with but have not expirenced in show. This time, I find myself far from Agrabah and into Wonderland.
Setting: Storybrooke/Enchanted Forest
Rating: R (to play it safe)
Warnings: language, suggestive dialogue and situations
Genre: Angst/General
Word Count:1,530
Cast: (in order of appearance/mention) Emma Swan, Jefferson, Ruby, Archie, Marco, Mother Superior, Leroy, Astrid, Kathryn Nolan, Paige, Jim, The White Queen, Alice (OFC), Henry, Mary
Summary: The Curse was stronger than Jefferson gave Regina credit for, upon his return to Storybrooke, he had some unfinished business to attend to.


It had worked…well at least for a little while, even the Princesses magic was dampened by the dark curse. For one shining moment, he was home. The next moment he was lying in the empty side street behind Granny’s diner. Jefferson sighed, looking up as ridiculously high heels with red toes appeared in his line of vision. He tilted his head back, looking up with a sigh at Red Riding Hood Ruby Lucas. Her perfect brow was arched as her hands rested on her hips.

“Jefferson.”

“Ruby.”

“Go home,” she was blunt, sniffing the air around him, scenting magic and their home, though he probably just smelled like sweet alcohol to her.

With a sigh, he climbed to his feet, bowing to her, “Yes, m’lady,” he said, dramatically. The woman rolled her eyes, turning on her heels, strutting back into the diner. He watched her go, just like everyone else did, but he could help but smile since she always donned red.

He peered out around the ally, seeing who was around. Jiminy Cricket was walking his obnoxious dog, Geppetto at his side, chatting happily. The Fairies were walking on the other side of the road, parting like the sea for Grumpy as he swaggered past, clearly intoxicated though it was hardly 11am. He had no need to worry about the Princess for now, Emma Swan was no doubt at the hospital, guarding the newly found Abigail Kathryn Nolan.

Jefferson had studied the town for years, heart yearning for his daughter, who he knew at this point was in school, probably in gym with the young Knight formerly known as Frederick. As he went to his empty house, he saw the window that he had been kicked out of had been boarded up. That would never do, he shook his head and headed in. Grabbing the phone, he called the hardware store and ordered a new window.

Knowing he had nothing else to do for a few more hours, he found himself wandering to his master bedroom. Undressing completely, he crawled into bed, he shut his eyes.

Blonde hair shimmered in the light; she looked as luminous as the White Queen as she raced through the tall grass. She laughed, looking back at him, then dodged and vanishing into the blue and purple colored grass.

“Hurry up, Jefferson!” she laughed.

He raced as fast as he could, following her trail but she was no longer there, he was only steps behind her…

“Alice! ALICE!” he screamed for his wife.

Her laughter echoed around him, though he knew she was gone, “You lost me.”

An agonizing wail ripped from his throat, sounding more inhuman with each passing moment…

He bolted awake, throat burning and raw. It had been the first time in a while where his daughter had not been at the focus of his dreams, but of her mother. Another loss that was a deep wound within in. He had shoved that down after that day, taking on both roles of Father and Mother for his beloved child. He never properly mourned for her. As soon as she disappeared, he gathered Grace in his arms and left Wonderland.

There was a knock at his front door, he debated opening it as he was, completely bare, but given Emma’s temper he did not want to sit in jail. He had enough of that at the Queen of Heart’s Castle. He went through his closet and grabbed a black silk robe. As the knocking increased, he hurried down, throwing open the door. Before his eyes, the lovely Princess waited for him, looking unamused.

“Ah, hello Sheriff,” he greeted, putting on a dashing smile.

She did not seem happy to see him and his smile faltered, “What in the hell happened to you?”

“Whatever do you mean?” he asked innocently, tilting his head, leaning on the door.

Emma’s eyes narrowed, “You were kicked out of a window and disappeared,” she continued sternly.

Jefferson batted his eyes, “Oh, that. Your magic worked, love,” He purred, “Temporarily. The Curse is breaking but it’s still too strong.”

“Don’t call me that,” Emma snapped, hands on her hips.

Jefferson just grinned, “How did you know I was here and why aren’t you watching over Abig-Kathryn?”

“Ruby,” it was the only answer he needed to hear.

“Ah, Little Red, she would tell you. But you chose a true guardian; no one will get past her.”

Emma’s brows arched as he called Ruby by her so called true identity, “Have you been talking to my son?” she demanded.

Jefferson shook his head, “No. I told you, for the last 28 years I remember everything. It’s not your son’s theory, in fact, it’s a curse. It’s why I’m back.”

“Then I will say a few things. Leave Paige alone. Leave me alone. Leave Mary alone. Don’t even think about seeing my son. Do you understand me?” Emma’s voice was low, hard.

He sighed, “But I don’t want to leave you alone. If anything is going to happen, I should be on your side. So until you consider me a friend, I shall do whatever I can to please you.” He leered at the woman, a Princess by birth, Sheriff by vote.

Emma looked surprised and a small blush creeped onto her face, “Uh…”

“I did not mean sexually, my dear Sheriff, but if you’d like,” he waggled his brow and with a disgusted noise, Emma shoved him back and slammed the door.

He couldn’t help but laugh as he watched her storm off. He grinned, knowing this would be such fun; he’d been waiting for years to break this monotonous boredom of this artificial life. But there was something about the Sheriff he could not deny.

It was sometime later that as Jefferson gazed through his telescope at the sexual escapades of Ruby and her man (or men as it appeared to be at the moment) when he saw Emma return. Knowing she’d make her way inside if he ignored her knocks, fearing he was out on the prowl.

“Jefferson!”

He smirked, correct with his assumption as he continued to watch Ruby in midst of being double teamed. His thoughts were purely amused, not aroused. It was not that she wasn’t beautiful, but she was not his type. He watched as her red lips parted in a devious smile as she pinned down one man as the other slide his hands up her body.

“Jefferson!”

Finally her footsteps were at his door of his bedroom, he lifted his gaze from the telescope to her. “What?”

“Why weren’t you answering me?” she demanded, seeming annoyed.

He arched his brow, “Why are you back?” he countered.

She sighed, “I don’t trust you.”

Jefferson merely shrugged and resumed watching, “I said I would be on your good side and that I shall do. I’m minding my own business,”

“No, you’re spying on Paige!”

He laughed, “No, I’m not. Would you care to see?”

Emma stomped over, bent down and peered through the scope, “AH! JEFFERSON!” she shrieked, immediately jerking up away from the telescope. “You’re a pervert!”

He shrugged, “Emma, I have not had intercourse in over 28 years. Though I am not aroused by what I see, it is amusing to see the couplings that happen in town.”

“It’s Ruby and Gold, I’m not surprised you’re not aroused,” Emma snapped, then she saw the look on his face. “What?”

He nodded back to the telescope, “It’s not just Mr. Gold that she’s entertaining tonight.”

Emma paled and looked back through it, as she bent, Jefferson enjoyed the vision of pert behind before him. He licked his lips, now founding the arousal that had eluded him all this time. He stepped forward until he had himself pressed up against her.

“Jefferson…” her voice was low, “You’re a liar.”

He grinned, “No, dear, that’s because of you. I have no taste for dear Ruby, though her sexual tastes run adventurous. Caught between two lovers, something I’ve never had an issue with. I have only loved one woman in my life…my wife…” he found himself backing away from her to sit on the edge of his bed.

Emma shuddered as she practically bolting away from the telescope, “That was wayyyy more than I needed to see. I think I need some brain bleach to get that image from my mind.”

“Finally saw her second partner?” Jefferson asked, still trying to drag himself out himself from his thoughts.

She looked at him with a frown, “It would be fine had it just been Ruby with Archie, I could accept that but Mr. Gold too? Ech!” Emma shuddered.

Jefferson laughed, he couldn’t help it, “They’ve been like that for 28 years, poor Red. I pity her when this Curse ends…she’ll realize who’s she been doing, it’ll break her poor heart.”

“Jiminy Cricket and…whose Gold supposed to be, Henry hasn’t figured it out yet,” Emma said.

“Not telling, either ask because you believe or don’t bother,” he said, “You have moments where I see the spark in your eyes, but then it fades. It makes me sad, you almost remind me…” He shivered when he almost said Alice….

Emma rolled her eyes, "It's impossible." She stood firm and grim, he vowed to change that within her.

"Nothing is impossible."

---
To be Continued in "House of Cards"