A/N: No, This is not a glitch I'm actually updating this book lol. Its been 2 years I'm sorry its taken so long, I lost my little brother a couple of years ago and life...has just been a whirlwind of grief and depressive episodes. I'm finally in therapy working through my trauma so I hope I will be updating my works a lot more now. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.  Thank you for your continued Patience. 

𝓝𝓸, 𝓘'𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓰𝓸𝓷𝓷𝓪 𝓱𝓾𝓻𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮
𝓘'𝓿𝓮 𝓪𝓵𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝓵𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓸𝓻
𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮, 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭'𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓷
𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼
𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝓲𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓽𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓽𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼
𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓪𝓹𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓲𝔃𝓮

Blaire

"You know, where I'm from, if someone puts a blindfold over your eyes you're about to get yoinked out of existence." I said as I was led by David and Emma into the entrance at Disneyland.
"Oh ya know...same." Will said as he was also blindfolded and being led by Mary-Margaret and Ruby.
"Relax you guys, you are at the happiest place on Earth." Emma said.
"The happiest place on earth is-" I stopped as the Blindfold was removed. I blinked until my eyes adjusted to the light and I looked around.
"Oh..my God." I said. I felt overwhelmed. This was a childhood dream. I looked at Will and he looked just as amazed as I felt and for some reason his joy brought tears to my eyes.
"Blaire is totally crying." Emma snickered and then I realized Emma had been filming.
"Hey!" I said and tried to snatch Emma's phone.
"Girls behave." David sighed
"They're just excited, let them be David." Mary-Margaret said and smiled.

_____________________________________________________________________________

"Blaire, if you consume another dole whip you are going to turn into one." David chuckled.
"So be it. Its not my fault these things are sprinkled with crack." Blaire smiled as she finished another one off. She'd lost count at how many she had, had already.
"I believe the Disney friendly word for that is Pixie dust, love." Will smirked.

As we strolled down Main Street, the air smelled like sugar and nostalgia. I was still reeling from the reveal—like I'd stepped into someone else's daydream. Except it was mine.

The buildings looked like something out of a vintage postcard, all pastel charm and hidden speakers playing happy little tunes that had no business making me tear up. I spun slowly, half-expecting the pavement to sparkle beneath my sneakers.
"This place is aggressively whimsical," I muttered, staring into a display window filled with mouse-ear hats. I swear, they were mocking me with their glitter.

Will sidled up next to me, already wearing a pirate-themed pair like it was a lifestyle choice. "Join us, Blaire. One of us," he said, full gremlin mode.
"I'm not buying ears," I said as I reached for a pair that had black lace and shimmery sequins. They were...aesthetically threatening.

A group of kids giggled as they passed with churros bigger than their heads, and my stomach made a noise that felt borderline theatrical.
"I could eat a castle," I told the nearest person who'd listen.
"You've already devoured three kingdoms in Dole Whips," David groaned like he was preparing my intervention.
"I'm building an empire," I said with a smirk. "One frozen treat at a time.""Let her reign," Ruby declared like she was my official hype woman.

"Oh Look Blaire I found Ears just for you!" Emma said as she waved a pair of Mickey Ears that were Gargoyles themed.
"Now those?? I'd wear." I grinned and lowered my head so she could slip the ears on.
"Come on lets all take a selfie!" Ruby grinned
"Ugh." I muttered as the other three crowded around me to get a selfie, I managed to sneak my middle finger into one.
"Send me that." I chuckled.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, I figured it was just the text from Ruby sending me the selfie she took, but when I looked at my phone, not only did a I have the text from Ruby I had a photo message from Killian. I raised an eyebrow and clicked on the message and smiled at the picture of Killian and Bastian wearing matching sunglasses

KJ:
Bastian insisted I send this to you...

Me: Cute.

KJ:
Hows Disneyland?

I sent him the selfie that Ruby had sent me.

KJ:
Still showing off that favorite finger I see. Even the Happiest place on Earth can't take the angst out of you.

I frowned my eyes welled up a little thinking about the breakup. Wishing with everything she had that they could just go back to being them.

"Hey you okay?" Emma asked.
"Yeah.." I said and shoved my phone back in my pocket. "Lets go find some lunch yea?" She asked.
"Sure." Emma nodded but held a skeptical look in her eyes.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We stepped into the Blue Bayou, and I immediately forgot how to breathe. It was like walking into a dream dim lanterns flickered overhead, casting golden reflections on the water beside us. Boats from the Pirates ride floated past like ghost ships, and I swear I could hear distant banjo music and the soft croak of animatronic frogs.

"This is...ridiculous," I whispered, staring at the moss-draped trees and candlelit tables. "I feel like I'm about to dine with a haunted Southern aristocrat."
Will leaned in.
"If a ghost offers me gumbo, I'm accepting."

We were seated right by the water, and I couldn't stop watching the boats glide past. Emma was already filming again, panning dramatically across the restaurant like she was shooting a documentary.
"Blaire, say something poetic," she said.
"Lanterns. Gumbo. Ghosts," I deadpanned. "Disneyland is weird."

David ordered the Monte Cristo sandwich like it was a sacred ritual, and when it arrived—golden, powdered sugar-dusted, and oozing cheese I understood the hype. I took one bite and nearly ascended.

"This is illegal," I said, mouth full. "I'm filing a complaint with reality."
"You're just mad it's not a Dole Whip," Will teased.
"I contain multitudes," I replied. "And most of them are food-based."
Mary-Margaret raised her glass of mint julep.
"To Blaire's first Disneyland lunch."
"To haunted sandwiches and sugar comas," I said, clinking mine against hers.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was dark. Like, suspiciously dark. The kind that makes your adrenaline start ticking before anything actually happens. I was strapped into a pod—tiny, claustrophobic, and ominously humming with power. Space Mountain. I'd waited all day for this.

Will was beside me, already hyperventilating like we were about to be launched into actual orbit.
"If I die," he said, clutching the handles dramatically, "clear my browser history."
"You don't even know what's on there," I replied, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt. "It's probably just conspiracy videos and unhinged memes."

The ride lurched forward, and suddenly we were flying pitch black but for bursts of neon stars, planets, and spinning comets. The wind howled past, and I screamed. Not a scared scream a full-bodied, lung-burning, soul-cleansing yell. It was glorious.

Everything blurred together speed, gravity, Will yelling something about aliens, Ruby filming from behind us in place of Emma like she was producing an intergalactic horror short. David kept yelling "Brace yourselves!" every time we hit a curve which honestly just made me laugh harder.

We careened down one last drop and slammed to a stop with a cinematic hiss. My hair was everywhere, my heart was still in space, and my face hurt from smiling.
"Let's do it again," I said, already unbuckling.
"You're not human," Will gasped. "You're one of them." Will held his stomach like he was about to vomit.
"Space royalty," I replied. "Bow before me."
"I hope the next ride we go on.. Doesn't turn my guts into a smoothie." Will said.
"You big baby." I chuckled.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We found a spot near the castle where the crowd had thinned just enough to breathe. My feet were wrecked. My hair was some chaotic braid-ponytail hybrid I didn't remember agreeing to. And I was clutching yet another churro like it was emotional support food.

All around us, families gathered, kids in glow-in-the-dark ears, parents with sleepy eyes but happy smiles. Will stood beside me, his jacket half-zipped and hood up like he thought it was going to snow. Emma was still filming everything like it was a travel vlog no one asked for.

Then the lights dimmed. The music started soft, whimsical, swelling like it was coming from the stars themselves. And the castle lit up.
I froze.

It wasn't just pretty. It was surreal. The sky exploded with color, violet bursts, gold spirals, glittering trails that hung in the air like they didn't want to leave. Every firework was timed perfectly to the soundtrack, which included way too many nostalgic Disney ballads for my emotional stability.

I didn't speak. None of us did. Even Will who always had something to say was quiet, His eyes were reflecting pink and silver and wonder.
It was a childhood dream stitched into the fabric of reality, and for the first time all day, I stopped trying to be funny. I just...watched. I caught David wiping his eyes when he thought no one was looking. Mary-Margaret squeezed his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. Emma lowered her phone, finally, and just stared.

And me? I cried again. Not from sadness. From everything. From joy and awe and a weird feeling that maybe I was part of something, some bigger story that could still surprise me.
Will leaned toward me, whispering,
"You're gonna mock this later, aren't you?"
"Relentlessly," I said, blinking tears off my cheeks. "But not tonight."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It started with boredom and ended with property damage. Not real damage just minor emotional trauma to a vending machine and a decorative plant in the lobby. Classic resort chaos.
We were sprawled in our hotel room, hyped up on sugar and sleep-deprivation, when Emma looked up from her phone with the kind of expression that guarantees mischief.

"Wanna go explore?"
I blinked at her.
"Explore what? The thrilling mystery of overpriced mini shampoo?"
"No, the secret second floor lounge," she said. "Apparently there's a lounge area with carpet so plush it feels illegal."
Ruby was already putting on slippers like we were preparing for war. Will stood up but looked hesitant.
"If this turns into a hiking expedition, I'm out."
"It's a carpet, Will. You'll survive." Emma snorted.

We snuck into the hallway, half-dressed for sleep but fully dressed for chaos. Ruby brought the room service menu with her, calling it our "sacred scroll of offerings." Emma kept filming. Will kept muttering about ghosts.

We found the lounge. It was plush. Suspiciously plush. So we did what any unhinged group would do we started playing human shuffleboard. Ruby and Emma pushed Will across the carpet on an office chair we found parked by the elevator. I had tears streaming down my face from laughing as he twirled, arms out, shouting "I'm the CEO of Good Times!!"

Then Emma challenged me to a race down the hallway using two rolling laundry carts she'd somehow acquired. We took off like a pair of sentient clothes hampers. I nearly crashed into a soda machine. Will screamed like he was watching an action movie.

Security didn't catch us this time but a very confused housekeeping manager gave us a slow blink as we returned to our room like guilty raccoons.
Back in bed, hair a mess, hearts still pounding, I stared up at the ceiling.
"Best. Day. Ever," I whispered.
Ruby raised the sacred menu scroll.
"And tomorrow...we brunch like royalty."

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The park was closing. The air smelled like popcorn and fading joy. I stood just outside the gates with a pressed penny in one hand and a knot in my throat.

Everything was soft now the lights dimmed, the music distant, as if the magic was slowly folding in on itself like a storybook shutting. Families were leaving in clusters, laughter echoing in the spaces between cast members wishing us goodnight with practiced smiles.

Will nudged me, his hoodie pulled tight around his face like he was bracing against something heavier than the breeze.
"You good?" he asked.
"Yeah," I lied.
He didn't press. He just stood beside me, letting silence be the answer.

Emma and Ruby were snapping one last selfie near the Mickey floral arrangement out front. David and Mary-Margaret were chatting about dinner plans for tomorrow like normal people planning normal things.

But there was nothing normal about tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I'd be sitting across from the man who raised me. The man I hadn't hugged in nearly a year. The man accused of murdering my mother.

I knew he didn't do it. I knew. But knowing didn't make the fractures disappear. It didn't make the letters he never wrote arrive. It didn't make me less angry at how quiet he'd become after everything fell apart Or how he insisted on protecting the person who actually murdered my mother by allowing himself to take the fall.

Will shifted next to me.
"When you're ready to talk about it," he said, "you know I'm here, wildly unqualified, but...I'm here."
I smiled, and it felt hollow but good enough.

"I just needed this," I whispered. "A few days where nothing was broken."
"You got it," he said. "Even if you did emotionally assault me with roller coasters."
I laughed softly, tired. Then I looked back through the gates at Disneyland. At the castle in the distance glowing faintly under the stars. At the place that made me feel whole for a minute.
And then I turned away.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Blaire slow down!" David chuckled as he and the rest of the family struggled to catch up with me. I knew my way around this place so well I could do it blindfolded. I stopped and turned around.
"Sorry, I forget you guys haven't been to Portland before..well I mean you have." I said remembering the last time David and I were in Oregon. It wasn't a happy memory.
"But this is different. This is the saturday market and there is so much cool stuff to see!" I beamed.
"Well, what would you recommend for food? because the pregnant girl is starving." Emma said.
"OH there is this truck that has the best quesadillas!" I said and turned around to start walking and ran right into someone.

The man dropped what was in his arms.
"I am so sorry!" He said as I started helping him pick up what he had. I recognized his voice and looked up at him and the first thing I saw was a pair of big brown eyes, that were magnified by large circle glasses that were almost too big for his face.
"Milo?" I asked.
He looked surprised and then smiled.
"Blaire! How long have you been back in these parts?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm just visiting with my family." I said.

"Whos this?" David asked. Milo stumbled with rolled up parchment in his hands and extended his hand to David.
"Milo Thatch sir." He said.
"David Nolan." David smiled and shook his hand.
"How do you two know each other?" Emma asked.
"Milo was a student teacher at my school, but he taught me more than the actual teacher did." I smiled.
"Oh.. now thats not entirely true I'm sure." Milo laughed nervously.
"It is! Our History teacher got sick and Milo took over in his absence. He made learning history fun and you have got to see the Maps this guy makes!"
"Cartography?" David asked.
"Yes." Milo nodded. "You know map making?"
"I've dabbled." David shrugged.
"We were about to get some food, would you like to join us for lunch?" David asked.

"Oh, I really need to be going." Milo said.
"Just 20 minutes? We need to catch up." I smiled. Milo chuckled.
"I suppose I can spare 20 minutes." Milo said "You can introduce me to your family."
"Yeah." I smiled. "Do you remember where that quesadilla truck is?" I asked.
"Of course!" Milo said. "Follow me."

Emma hung back to walk with me as we followed Milo.
"Something tells me, Mr. Jones is not your first brush with a student teacher relationship." She whispered.
"Can you be any louder?" I hissed.
"Can you avoid the question any more obviously?" Emma asked.
"It was nothing Em. Besides, Milo was a student teacher...Not my actual teacher." I sighed.
"But you said he took your teacher's place and I can tell something happened with you and him."
"It was just a stupid crush, Emma. That's all." It wasn't as simple as that, but nothing in my life was really simple.

Ruby and Will fell back and joined Emma and I
"What are we being secretive about?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing." Blaire sighed. Ruby was the only one of the four of us that didn't know about my relationship with Killian just as well..it was over anyways.
"Nothing is always something." Will conclude. "At least with you."
"Look, theres the truck." I said changing the subject.
"Are you kidding me with that line?" Emma groaned. "This better be the best damn quesadilla I've ever had."
"Well in my experience, long lines mean good food love." Will said.
"Don't call me love." Emma sighed.
"Your hormones are making you mean Em." I said. "And Will is right. Long lines mean good food and trust me. It's worth the wait." I grinned as we caught up with David, Mary-Margaret, and Milo.

"I'm sorry I totally forgot to introduce you guys, Milo, this is my Uncle David, My aunt Mary-Margaret, and my Cousin Emma. And this is my best friend Will, and Emma's best friend Ruby." I said.
"It's nice to meet you all. I have to admit..You..look just like your brother." Milo said and looked at David and smiled nervously.
"We are twins." David smiled. "By the look on your face I'm taking it you've met him."
Milo swallowed hard.
"I..I have." He said.
"But we totally don't have to talk about that." I said. "Look the line is moving." I said. David gave me a look. He knew something was up. I could see it in his eyes. There was a very fierce protectiveness about his stare and I knew, David was about to grill the absolute shit out of Milo.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 years ago Blaire, Age 15


"Absolutely not Blaire." My Dad said as he was making breakfast in the kitchen.
"Why not? Mr. Thatch just wants to take me to the saturday market so I can see about putting some of my art in a gallery over there."
"Because it's inappropriate for you to go anywhere alone with a teacher, Blaire."
"But he's a student teacher." I sighed.
"Who is taking over your actual teacher's class while he is out sick. I said no, now eat your breakfast." Dad said as he put a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me.
I grumbled to myself and started eating and then I got an idea.
"What if you came too?" I asked. "The gym is closed for remodeling and it's Saturday so the garage is closed too." I shrugged.
Dad sat down in front of me and sipped his coffee.
"You said it would be inappropriate for me to go alone. So come with us?" I offered.
"I can think of at least a couple hundred things I'd rather do." He said.
"Fine." I mumbled and pushed my eggs around the plate.

Dad sighed heavily.
"You really want to go?" He asked.
I looked up at him and nodded.
"I really do." I said.
"Finish your breakfast, and call your teacher and tell him to meet us there." Dad said.
"Thank you!" I grinned and shoveled the rest of my scrambled eggs into my mouth.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dad parked the truck and I looked around and spotted Milo.
"Look, there's Milo!" I said and got out of the truck.
"You mean Mr. Thatch?" My Dad asked.
"Well, I mean yeah everyone kind of got used to just calling him Milo." I shrugged.
"That doesn't seem very appropriate." Dad said.
"It's fine Dad, things you did way back when, are not the same now, the world is evolving." I sighed.
"Way back when huh?" Dad said and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if my old bones can keep up with you today."
"That's okay, you can just sit outside the shops, and I'll just point to the decrepit old man sitting outside and they'll give me your senior discount." I smirked and started walking away.
"Now you're just pushing it." Dad chuckled.

We approached Milo and he gave me a friendly smile and then looked at my father and his smile turned into a nervous grimace. I couldn't blame him; my dad always walked around with a look on his face that screamed 'I'll fuck you up and smile in my mug shot'

Milo extended his trembling hand.
"Milo Thatch."
"James Nolan." My dad said and gave him a handshake and by the look of pain on Milos face, it was an excessively firm handshake.
"You look nervous Milo." My Dad observed
"I...uh get that a lot." Milo said.
"You've got nothing to worry about, I look rough around the edges but I'm just a big teddy bear." My dad said.
A teddy bear stuffed with razor blades. I thought.
"Oh, Well that is good, I suppose." Milo said. "So being that it's your first time at the market, I'll show you both around and then we will go to the gallery I was telling Blaire about."

"Sounds good." I said and we started following Milo.
"So, I've heard you have taken over Blaire's class." Dad said.
Here we go. I mentally sighed.
"Oh, not permanently, I'm still just a student teacher, but I'm acting as a substitute until they can get an actual teacher." Milo said.
Dad nodded and then shrugged.
"You're teaching her history class right?" My Dad asked.
"Yes, that is correct." Milo said.
"So as a history teacher, why make a special field trip for Blaire, to put art in a gallery." Dad pressed.
"Oh, uh.." Milo started stammering. "I noticed her drawing in class one day and then she showed me more of her work and I have a friend that runs a gallery down here that fits her style of art so I asked if she would be interested." Milo said.
"Ah." Dad said, that was usually his response when he wasn't happy with the answer he received.

Things were getting tense. Milo was getting nervous. I used to stay after class to talk with Milo, we could talk about anything and everything and he was very supportive of my artistic talents. It felt to me like there was something brewing between us and I was positive my father was suspicious.
A suddenly delicious scent blew through the area in the breeze.
"Oh my God what is that smell?" I asked.
"That is the fried Elephant ear stand across the way." Milo said and pointed to a small food truck across the road from us.
I gave him a strange look.
"Oh! It's fried dough dusted with sugar. Not an actual elephant's ear." Milo said with a nervous laugh.
Dad looked at me, I was practically begging him with my eyes. My Dad did not like me having too much sugar but a giant chunk of fried dough sounded heavenly.
Dad sighed heavily.
"You can have one. Just one. Your mother is pulling a double and I'm not dealing with your hyper ass all night." My Dad said and pulled some cash out of his wallet and handed it to me.
"Thank you!" I said and ran across the street to the truck.
Saved by the smell. I thought.

We had walked around the marketplace, stopping into a few shops here and there as Milo gave us the tour.
As much as I hated crowds of people, I was actually really having a good time chatting with fellow artists, whether it be crafts, paints, street musicians or photography, I finally felt like I fit in somewhere.

We stopped in front of a large gallery of art covered by two tents. My eyes widened.
"Whoa." I said and stepped in the gallery and looked around at the fully colored graphic novel panels.
Milo approached me with someone else with him.
"Blaire, this is the friend I was telling you about." He said. The other man extended his hand and I shook it eagerly.
"Blaire Nolan." I said.
"Eddie Newman." The man smiled.
"Are these your pieces?" I asked.
"Yes, These are all mine, though I invite other artists to bring some of their art to display, Milos got a couple of maps around here." Eddie replied.
"Your work is amazing! Someday I want to make my own graphic novel."
"Milo tells me you have some art of your own to display?" Eddie asked.
"Oh, I do! Though its nowhere near the level that your artwork is on." I said and opened my messenger bag and pulled out a few of my horror movie scenes that I had done in graphic novel format.

"These are sick!" Eddie grinned.
"Really?" I asked with a small smile.
"Yeah!" Eddie said and held up the Nightmare on Elm Street scene that I did. "I want to buy this one for my personal collection. How much you wanna sell it for?" Eddie asked.
No one had ever asked to buy my artwork before. I looked at my Dad, giving him an excited smile. His facial expression was completely unimpressed and it hurt my feelings but there was no way I could let him know that.
I turned back to Eddie.
"Uh..I don't know no one has asked to buy my artwork before." I admitted.
"Well then they're crazy. Hows 150 sound?" Eddie asked.
My eyes widened.
"One hundred fifty??" I asked.
"Do we have a deal?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah!" I said. "I was honestly thinking of giving it to you for 20. Are you sure you want to pay 150?" I asked.
"Of course. You are way underselling your talent kid. This is the kind of stuff thats going to make a comfortable career for you." Eddie said and opened his wallet and handed me 150 dollars cash.

My Dad scoffed at Eddie's compliment and I tried my best to ignore it.
"I'm going to hang this beauty behind the register where I keep my not for sale art. These other ones I'll put on the other side where all of the other artist works are. Come back next saturday to see if they've sold, I take 5 percent to display, but the rest of the money is yours."
"I will for sure!" I said. "Thank you very much."
"Anytime kid. See you next saturday." He said.
"Yeah." I smiled.

We left the gallery.
"You see I told you, you were talented." Milo said with a smile.
"Thanks Milo." I said. "This meant a lot to me."
"Of course." Milo said. "Looks like you have a bright future ahead of you."
Dad scoffed.
"She's not going to get anywhere drawing silly cartoons." Dad said. "Blaire is going to be a world champion boxer, and She's going to help me run the car garage. She won't have time to sit and doodle." My Dad said.

"Forgive me if I am over stepping...but have you actually asked Blaire what she wants?" Milo asked.
My Dad took that as a direct challenge to his parenting.
"I think I know my own kid well enough to know what she wants. Right Blaire?" He asked.
"Yeah..." I nodded. "It is kind of a silly dream." I shrugged. Milo looked bewildered at my answer. He knew all too well, that I didn't want to spend my life boxing, or working in a car garage as an underpaid Mechanic. But to tell my Dad that? I simply couldn't.

We walked to the parking area.
"I've got to use the bathroom really quick." I said and hurried over to the little building with bathrooms.
Once I got in the bathroom and made sure I was alone. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I was never going to get anywhere with my lack of a support system. My Dad was completely against the idea of me doing art for a living and my mom while she was a bit more supportive, she was skeptical.
I was going to be stuck in a shithole town in Oregon for the rest of my life.

My phone pinged in my pocket and I took it out of my pocket and looked at it.

Dad: In the truck waiting.

I sighed and grabbed some paper towels to wipe my eyes and try my best to look like I wasn't having a breakdown. I walked out of the bathroom and ran straight into Milo.
"Oh you're still here." I said and sniffled.
"I wanted to check on you." Milo said. "I had a feeling you were only telling your Dad what he wanted to hear."
"You would be right." I sighed. "Its best to leave it that way." I shrugged.
"I don't understand a lot about the world we live in Blaire but I do understand passion, and you have it. Don't let your father steal that from you."
I looked up at Milo, and he had a soft smile on his face.
Its now or never Blaire. I thought and then I leaned in and planted my lips on his.

"What the fuck are you doing?"
I pulled away and looked at my Dad. Dad went straight for Milo and pinned his scrawny self to the wall with one arm.
"Whoa! Dad stop!" I shouted.
"Blaire go wait in the truck." Dad said.
"No, you're going to hurt him!" I said.
"You're damn right I'm going to hurt him." Dad said and raised his fist. "Shes fifteen you sick little fucker." He punched Milo in the nose.
"Dad stop!" I shouted.
"I'm going to have your job. You will never be able to teach again."
"Dad please, I kissed him. Leave him alone." I begged.
"This whole thing was a set up for you Blaire. He doesn't give a damn about your talent, he just wanted to get you alone! Fucking kid toucher."

"Please let me explai-" Milo started and got hit in the face again. Dad let him go and he slumped to the floor.
I ran to help him but Dad grabbed me before I could.
"Lets go Blaire." Dad said.
"But Dad you don't under-" I started.
"Now!" Dad barked leaving me no choice. I had to leave Milo.
"I'm sorry." I mouthed at Milo before my Dad practically dragged me away.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday morning I walked straight into my history classroom before classes even started to see Milo packing up his desk.
"I'm so..so sorry." I said. "I never meant for this to happen."
Milo looked up.
"You should not be here Blaire." He said. "They are being gracious and letting me stay in the student teacher program but if they see you in here..." He said and then looked at the sad look on my face and sighed.

"I'm the one who needs to apologize here Blaire. I should not have gotten as involved in your life as I did and that is my fault for giving you the wrong impression." Milo said. "You're young, and your emotions are very fragile. I should have realized I may have been sending you all the wrong signals."

"So..you don't feel the same way?" I asked.
"No. Blaire, I don't. I'm so sorry that I confused you." Milo said.
"It's okay." I said. "I'm sorry I read the signs wrong and got you in trouble..and I'm really sorry my Dad hit you."
"It's alright. I should be going and you should be getting to class." Milo said as he walked to the door.
"And Blaire." He said
"Yes?" I asked.
"Don't forget about what I said. Do not let your father steal your passion."
"Okay." I said and smiled as Milo walked out of the classroom. I felt a couple of tears slip out of my eyes as I watched him leave. I quickly wiped them away and tried my best to get on with my day.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Present Day

We sat down at a picnic table when we got our food.
"So Milo. you seemed to have made a really good impression on Blaire as a teacher, do you still teach?" David asked.
"Yes, I do, I teach at Portland University. I teach History, and I do have a group of students that are interested in Map Making, and we meet every Saturday afternoon here." Milo smiled.
"I'm glad you got to keep teaching." I said and smiled at Milo and then instantly realized what I said.
Way to go Blaire. Foot meet mouth.

"What does she mean by that?" David asked and raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. That was the look my Dad gave me every time I got into trouble.
"Oh well..Its..just." Milo stammered.

I was responsible for holding onto so many secrets so at this moment I decided to just let this one go given that nothing actually happened between Milo and I.

"Okay, so we can stop grilling Milo, I will just come out with it." I said. "A few years ago Milo offered to take me to the Saturday Market to put some of my art in a Gallery here. My Dad was completely against the idea of me going alone with Milo."
"I don't think we can really blame him there Blaire, you were what? Fifteen?" David asked.

"Right. So Dad went with us. We toured the market, and Milo introduced me to his friend that runs a gallery here, and my Dad did what he's best at and said I would never make a career out of drawing silly little cartoons, and that I was to be a World Champion Boxer and help him run the car garage when I wasn't busy with Boxing." I said.

"Uncle James sounds like a dick." Emma blurted out.
"Emma!" Mary-Margaret scolded.
"What? Blaire walks around with a vocabulary that could make a sailor blush and she gets away with it because its how she was raised?" Emma scoffed.
"Jesus can someone get prego a snickers?" I sighed.

"Anyways.." I continued. "We got to the parking lot we had parked in and I told my Dad I had to run to the bathroom so he got in the truck and waited for me. I went into the bathroom and started having a massive panic attack and then Dad was texting me basically telling me to hurry up. When I got out of the bathroom Milo was there, and he told me that I should stick up to my Dad, and not to let him steal my passion and given that I was Fifteen and..not all there, I took Milo's friendliness and his encouragement as signs that you know... he liked me..like liked me and I kissed him. My Dad caught us, and freaked out, blamed Milo for the whole thing, called him a bunch of unnecessary names and then punched him a couple times."

"Well that definitely sounds like James." David sighed. "So nothing happened besides that?" He asked.
"No, I went to school Monday and saw Milo packing his desk. He apologized for giving me the wrong signals, they let him stay in the student teacher program but he wasn't allowed to be at my school anymore. That is exactly what happened." I said.

David looked at Milo and Milo nodded.
"She's right." Milo said. "That was exactly as it happened."
"Well, Okay. I'm glad that you were responsible enough to know you may have crossed a line." David said "And I'm glad my brother didn't completely ruin your teaching career over an honest mistake."
"Me too." Milo smiled nervously and looked at Me. "Your uncle seems much...much more reasonable." He said.
"Oh. He is." I chuckled.

"Well at least when you visit your dad this evening, you can rub it in his face that you got a full scholarship to that art school in New York." David smiled.
Milo grinned at me.
"A full scholarship to the school of Art and Design in New York?!" Milo asked.
"Yep. Starting this September." I smiled. "I always kept your advice in mind and I refused to let my Dad steal my passion."
"I am so proud of you Blaire Nolan." Milo smiled.
"Thank you. Milo Thatch." I smirked.

"I really do need to be going." Milo said. "But before I do that, I need to steal Blaire for just a moment. We will be right over there in plain sight. I just have something personal I want to talk to her about." Milo said.
"Alright. We will be here." David smiled. I got up and followed Milo to the trash can.

"What's up?" I asked as I dumped my empty plate into the trash.
"I think you are in danger." Milo said and the seriousness of his tone made me feel frozen with fear.

"What makes you think that?" I asked.
"A while back, somebody commissioned a map from me. He requested a Map of Storybrooke Maine. This guy wanted to know every nook and cranny there was in that town. He wanted to know shortcuts, hide outs, ways to get around town without being noticed. So I drove to Storybrooke and I mapped the entire area."

"You were in Storybrooke and you didn't visit me?" I asked.
"After the incident with your Dad, I dropped contact with you, I didn't want to risk my job anymore than I already had. I knew that you weren't here but I honestly had no idea at that time that you were in Storybrooke." Milo said.

"So about the guy with the map?" I pressed.
"He was really odd. After I made the map, he dropped the money in a lock box, and told me to take the money and leave the map. He wanted absolutely no face to face contact with me." Milo said. "But thats not why I think you are in danger." Milo said.
"It's not?" I asked.
"Well it is and it isn't..." Milo sighed. "I got a text message from an unknown number saying that my old teacher's pet was going to be back in Oregon. The text had a picture of you." Milo said. "Me running into you..it wasn't random. I knew you would be here. I had to tell you, you are in danger."

"I know I am. I've been getting texts for months but I'm still not sure what you making a map of Storybrooke has to do with it." I said.
"It has everything to do with it. I save all of my text messages. This was not the first text I received from this number. The man that commissioned the map, is the same person who sent the text message telling me you would be here. Blaire I'm so sorry, I basically gave this man blueprints to the city of storybrooke complete with under ground tunnels that were used for mining and he is stalking you with it."

"It's okay Milo you had no way of knowing. But, I'm going to need a copy of that map, and that phone number if you can get it." I said.
Milo opened his messenger bag and handed me a rolled up piece of parchment. "This is the map. The sticky note on it is the number. But you need to be careful. I'm no detective but if I had to guess, whoever this is, is someone close to you."

I looked back over to the table at Will Emma and Ruby. Will was making funny faces at Ruby and Ruby was rolling her eyes at him. Will was very close to me. So close that I did not want to believe he had anything to do with this. But if he did, my entire family was in danger and I knew I would not be sleeping again until we got back to Storybrooke.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Kid!" Eddie Newman greeted me with a hug as we entered his booth. David looked around at the artwork and smiled. Which was better than the reaction my Dad had.

"Where is your art?" David asked.
"The only piece of Blaire's art I have left is this one." Eddie said and pointed to the Nightmare on Elm street graphic novel panel I made.
"You still have that?" I asked with a grin.
"Of course. I have people trying to buy it all the time." Eddie said. "Speaking of." He said and went around to the register and opened it, he pulled the till out, and pulled out a wad of cash before putting the till back in and closing it.
"This is your profit from the last drop you brought." Eddie said and handed me the cash.
"Should be about 1400 there."

"1400??" I asked. "That can't be right."
"It is. Someone came in and bought every last piece you had in here. I gave him a bulk price and he paid an extra 400."
"Wow!" I said and laughed in disbelief. "And this is after your percentage?" I asked.
"Yup. That money is all yours. You didn't happen to bring me more pieces to display?"
"I didn't. I've been pretty caught up with my school work. Senior year. Any free time I have goes to working on my graphic novel."
"If I happen to get anything else done I'll send them this way." I smiled.
"Of course!" Eddie said. "You started that graphic novel huh?" He smirked.
"Yeah. I did. I'm planning on finishing it when I go off to college in September."
"Well I better get a signed copy then." Eddie said and gave me another hug. "It was good to see you kid. I'm about to close down for the day."
"Oh! That's okay, we have to leave anyway. I have to go visit my Dad." Eddie looked at David and back at me.

"They're twins. This is my Uncle." I chuckled. "My Dads in prison."
"Oh shit. I'm sorry." Eddie said.
"Don't be. He deserves it." I shrugged "Are you on facebook now?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, the wife runs the page for the gallery. When you are ready to send more artwork, just message the page and we will get you the address to send them too." Eddie said.
"Thanks." I smiled. "See you next time I'm up this way." I said.
"Sure kid. Good luck with your Dad." Eddie said and patted my shoulder.
Thanks, I'm going to need it. I thought.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When we got to the prison, Kassidy was in the parking lot. I got out of the rental car and ran to her.
"Hey Blaire." She smiled as I hugged her.
"I miss you." I said.
"I miss you too. I Just wanted to come in case you needed someone to vent to after talking to your Dad." Kassidy said.
"Thank you." I smiled.

"Ah this is the infamous Kassidy." Will said with a smirk as he approached us.
Kassidy looked at him and grinned.
"And you are?" She asked.
"Will. Will Scarlet." Will said and shook Kassidy's hand and then brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"Oh.Blaire, you never told me your friend was such a gentleman." Kassidy said not taking her eyes off of Will.
"Because he's not." I snorted.

"Are you ready?" David asked as he joined us.
"Not in the slightest." I sighed.
"I will be right outside the visitor area with these two." David said as we were walking into the Prison.
"Okay." I said.
"Do not let him talk over you, you deserve to say what you need to say without him trying to correct you." David said.
"I won't." I said and took a deep breath as I approached the police officer sitting at the front.

"Can I help you?" the officer asked.
"I'm here to visit James Nolan." I said.
"Alright, put your bag on the table, and walk through the detector." The officer said.
I put my backpack purse on the table and the officer started looking through it as I stepped through the detector.
Kassidy, Will and David all went through the detector and the police officer led us back to the visiting area.
"Are all of you visiting?" He asked.
"No, just me." I said. "Can they wait right here?" I asked.
"Yes, an officer will be in the room with you to supervise. Are you ready?" He asked.

I looked at David and Kassidy. Kassidy stepped forward.
"You've got this B." She smiled. "We will be right out here. I'll keep Will company." She smirked.
"Someone needs to, I guess." I chuckled and looked at the officer and nodded. The officer let me in the room.
"Have a seat. He will be in shortly." The officer said and closed the door. I sighed and sat down trying to control my anxiety.

I heard a loud Mechanical lock open and my Dad was led into the room in shackles, his hair was shaggy and his beard was more grown out. The officer removed his shackles and stood right by the door. "You've got 20 minutes, Nolan make it count." The officer said. I stood up and my Dad began to approach me. I held my hand out and stopped him a few feet away from me.
"There is good." I said.
"You're not going to even give your old man a hug?" my father asked.
"No. I'm not." I said.

"When your uncle called and told me he was setting up a visit for you, I was surprised the last time I had spoken to you was on your Birthday and you made it clear you didn't want to speak to me then. So what's changed?" Dad asked.
"I want to know who killed my mother. Because I know it wasn't you." I said and crossed my arms.
"If it wasn't me, why would I be here?" Dad asked.
"Because you're protecting whoever did it." I scoffed. "Whoever took her did not have a tattoo like you do on your arm. I saw a video of her right before she was taken." I said.
"What video?" Dad asked with his eyebrow raised.
"I'm not going to tell you how I got the video. I want to know who murdered my mother."
"Blaire... honey just let it go." My Dad pleaded. "You don't understand the gravity of the entire situation." 

"Let it go? Shes my mother!" I yelled. "I know you know who did it and I don't understand why you are protecting them!"
"I am protecting YOU!" Dad shouted at me causing me to freeze. "Everything I have done thus far has been in your best interests."
"When in all of the years of abuse you put me through have you ever had my best interests at heart." I asked. "You have done Nothing to make me believe that you are doing anything in my best interest." I said.
"Abuse? I never hit you." Dad scoffed.

"I have two false teeth to prove otherwise Dad. And Abuse isn't just physical! The mental shit you put me through, making me never feel good enough to deserve your love. So why in the hell should I believe that you are trying to protect me?!" I demanded. "I know you know who did it. I know you know because you knew where the Body was. You were THERE when she was killed and you just left her there to rot while I was at home crying because she was missing."

"You ever think maybe your mother deserved what she got?!" Dad asked. I looked at the officer in the room who looked at my Dad with the same disgust I felt. He turned his back to us. Seeing red I lunged at my Dad knocking him to the floor. I then proceeded to sit on top of him and just land blow after blow to his face releasing all of the pent up anger I've held onto for years.

Another officer ran into the room
"What are you doing man?" He asked the officer who turned a blind eye so I could punch my Dads lights out before he ran over to me and pulled me off of my father kicking and screaming. The officer in the waiting room for visitation let David into the room to help calm me down.
"I fucking HATE YOU!" I screamed at my father who was sitting up wiping blood from his face.

David was pulling me away trying to get me out of the situation as quick as possible
"Easy.." He said softly.
"You don't know what he said." I sobbed. "I hate him. I hate him so fucking much."
"I know...I know. Lets get you out of here so you can breathe." David said and knocked on the door.

The Mechanical lock clicked open and the first person I saw was Kassidy and I just crumbled. I dropped to my knees and Kassidy hurried over and wrapped her arms around me and just held me. She looked up at David with angry eyes.
"What the hell happened in there?" She asked.
"He said something to her that apparently made her blow." David said. "I knew I should have gone in there with you Blaire. I'm so sorry." David said crouching down taking my hands bruised and bloodied to match my Dads face, in his hands. "I shouldn't have sent you in there alone no matter how many times you told me you would be fine."

One of the officers came out.
"Your father would like you to come back in so he can apologize." He said. "I told him not to expect you to come back in."
I shook my head.
"No fucking way. Not after what he said."
"What did he say to you?" Kassidy asked.
"He asked me if I ever thought if my mother deserved what she got." I said.

Kassidy slowly stood up.
"Stay here." She said.
"I'd like to go in. I am on the list." She said. The officer nodded and opened the door and Kassidy walked in.
I got up "Kass wait!" I said and followed her.

"You aren't who I asked to see." Dad scoffed as Kassidy approached him. "What are you even doing here?"
"Im here to support Blaire." Kassidy said. "How dare you say that to her? Jack was your wife! Her MOTHER!" Kassidy spat. Kassidy had lost her own mother a few years before mine was murdered and my mom had become like a second mom to her.

"This is family business Kass. Stay out of it." Dad said.
Kassidy reared back and punched him right in the mouth
"I am family asshole!" She shouted.

"Alright I think that's enough for this visitation." The guard said.
"Wait! I just want to talk to my daughter." Dad said.
"I don't want to talk to you. I don't ever want to even see you again. I will find out who murdered my mother on my own. Goodbye James." I said and walked out listening to my Dad pleading for me to come back.