Just a Little Pixie Dust

Sarabelle (Chapter 20.)

It’d been hours since I saw Jacob now.  He hadn’t been answering his phone and I didn’t know what to think or do at this point. Picking up my phone to try and call him again, I waited and it went straight to voicemail once more. The pharmacy was only ten minutes away this shouldn’t have happened.

He should’ve been back by now for sure and I couldn’t help how worried I was. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. Frowning I grabbed a coat from the hanger staring at it for a moment before realizing that it had been Jacob’s. Pulling it on I wrapped my arms around my body and started down the road.

I had to get to the damn station, had to put a report in or hope that I saw Jacob before I got there. It was dark as hell out but I could still see perfectly, and I was trying to see if I saw him sitting around anywhere waiting to jump out and scream gotcha even though it hadn’t been in his nature to do things like that.

The farther I walked the more my hope disappeared, I didn’t see him anywhere and I didn’t know what to think at all. As soon as I began to let my thoughts take hold of me I heard something behind me move and I jumped spinning around to attack whatever or whoever it was, I wasn’t taking any chances tonight.

“Who’s there?!”

“Tink, calm down it’s me.”

The voice registered almost instantly and a hand flew up to my mouth as my eyes widened. I stared in the direction of the voice and waited to see if it was really him, I was met with the truth as soon as he walked out into the street light and I threw myself at him hugging him tightly.

“Jasper…”

He squeezed me for a moment before stepping back to look at me for a moment then let a sigh fall from his lips I knew that wasn’t exactly ever a good sign so I didn’t know what to do when he did it.

“Are you looking for Jacob?”

“I…” I started and nodded my head slowly. “How did you know?”

“I saw you with him earlier and heard what happened to his place but….Tink?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not going to like what you find.”

You’re not going to like what you find. I trusted Jasper regardless of what anyone said, when he spoke like that usually meant that I wouldn’t like what he’d found out either and he didn’t look all too happy himself, though I felt like I was part of the reasoning for that one.

I stared at him for a long moment backing up a step before letting the words fully register after he had said them. What did he mean by I wouldn’t like what I found? Had something happened? My heart began to race and I just stared at him unable to speak.

“Follow me.”

Nodding my head once, I followed Jasper towards a road that some of us used when we were in a hurry to fly down but why was I being taken down here? Making sure I was close with Jasper as I followed him down it and pulled the jacket on me closer around my body. As soon as I went to ask why we were coming down here I saw why.

Eryx’s car had been in the alleyway, sitting there. Nothing seemed to be wrong with it but being there like that not moving or even on? That was wrong enough on its own and I couldn’t breathe it felt like. I didn’t waste a second longer for anything, I didn’t think, I just ran to the car.

The door was open and there was no sign of Jacob anywhere. No sign of struggle either from what I could see, starting to look around quickly I swallowed hard. My eyes set on Jasper and I calmed down enough to form some words.

“Did you see anything, Jasper?”

“All I saw was another car tailing him, they veered off here then when I finally showed up the other car was gone and this was here.”

“How long ago?”

“Twenty minutes, I was coming to your house to get you.”

“Jaz?”

“Yeah?”

“Run.” I said it simply. “I’m calling it in, just run before I do please.”

He nodded his head before turning and taking off up the alley and out of my sight. Counting to twenty slowly I fished my phone out of my pocket and called in to the station quickly. “Yeah, there’s a missing officer and an empty car.”

Hansel had been the one who picked up and as soon as those words had left my mouth I heard a sharp ‘WHAT’ leave his own and then Gretel in the back trying to ask what happened. I didn’t listen too much after that I knew there was chatter but it was all I really knew anymore. I didn’t want to think, I just wanted to sit down and shut down for a few minutes.

Standing there for a moment I looked at the car and listened as Hansel spoke quickly on the other line. I gave him the address then hung up and called Izzy, I felt numb. I knew I never wanted to but I did feel something for him and now he was missing, I didn’t want anything to happen to him and I’d kill anyone without a second thought who brought harm to him.

I sat there staring at the wall before something soft rubbed against my arm. I didn’t need to look I just knew. “It’s not safe to be here alone.”

“You’re here… I’m not alone.”

“Very true, but what happens when I leave?”

I turned my head to look at the tabby cat sadly. “When you leave, I’ll leave… but don’t go just yet.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this emotion on you, Tinker Bell.”

I laughed bitterly. “It’s a new one.”

I waited patiently for Izzy to pick up mindlessly stroking the cats spine as I stood there, slowly sinking to the ground to sit down as the seconds passed. I wanted her to pick up already so badly. When I heard someone pick up on the other end I didn’t even feel like I was the one speaking into the phone as I answered the ‘Hello?’

“Izzy…” I started before backing up and leaning against the wall slowly sliding down it. “I don’t… I don’t want to ruin your time with Eryx but…”

I could barely talk; I didn’t have anyone else to call except for family, but they’d take this so far out of proportion I couldn’t handle it right now. Not that they’d tell me what I didn’t want to hear, but I didn’t want to think that he could be dead. “Izzy, Jacob’s missing… I don’t know what to do.”

I didn’t stay on the phone too long though I didn’t hang up either, I couldn’t handle it after the words were out of my mouth again. It made it too real for its own good and I curled up into myself a bit more ignoring the glowing screen of my phone next to me.

“Child I would hurry here.” I heard Cheshire speak towards the phone before nudging my arm and managing to climb under my left arm to get onto my lap. “I can’t stay here forever after all, I’m a cat and I have things to do.”

I peeked at Cheshire and he tilted his head up towards me purring loudly. I knew for him this was a stretch, he was trying to comfort me but I was busy blaming myself. I knew he shouldn’t have left, I felt like something bad was going to happen but I let him still. Wrapping my arms around Cheshire I pet him as my thoughts wandered and tried to calm myself down though it was proving my difficult than anything to do.

****

I sat on the couch, I wasn’t really sure how I’d gotten home at this point I didn’t really remember much, I just knew at this rate I needed to find Jacob. Something had to be done and there were too many emotions going on at once for me. Tugging his jacket closer around my body I pressed my face against the leather breathing it in slowly while my thoughts raced.

I hadn’t really paid much attention to my surroundings at that point until I felt Izzys weight on the couch and her arms around my body. I couldn’t do social interactions right now I just couldn’t, shoving her arms off me I stood up and made my way towards my room as quickly as I could. Shutting the door I leaned myself back against the wall and took in a deep breath. 

When people disappeared in this town it was usually nothing to really worry about at most usually someone trying to bully someone else, but with Jacob he was usually good at getting rid of people like that so I was more than sure no one was looking too hard into this case. But, the way he disappeared? That wasn’t normal on any standards.

I had decided to head downstairs after gathering my thoughts, grabbing a glass of water to try and calm my nerves. Izzy and Eryx were sitting on the couch chatting with one another, about what I wasn’t quite sure but it seemed to be something rather interesting the way they were going at it. I didn’t want them to see me just yet so i was doing everything in my power to be as quiet as i could be while I was in the kitchen. 

My thoughts had started to get the best of me and i didn’t like that aspect, that was the kind of person I was and it wasn’t what i wanted to ever allow to happen. I was always supposed to be the strong one that no one expected to break so as long as i was visible to anyone i wanted to keep that persona going. Besides, no one needed to see that side of someone like me, hell I never even wanted to see that side of me. 

Glancing around through my blonde hair i looked for Izzy and Eryx and once i felt that the coast was clear I got up and made a run for my room. I needed to think, I needed to be alone and I really needed to just get away from whatever they were half of the time. It was their mess and right now i didn’t want part of it.

Once i was in my room I shut the door behind me and locked it before moving towards my bed and sinking onto it slowly. What was I going to do? Right now everything about Jacob was up in the air and even better was that I could just be going insane and he could be anywhere near by or his car broke down.. there was a number of things though I was fairly certain that it wasn’t the case with this one as much as I wished it was. 

Prying my boots from my feet I threw them to the ground and reached to peel Jacob’s jacket from my body but stopped half way there, instead wrapping my arms around my body and curling up onto my side closing my eyes. I needed to just calm down, I needed to clear my head and think this all through and then figure out where to go from there I couldn’t rush my problems and i couldn’t rush anyone at the office to do their jobs any faster than what they were. If i wanted to go to those lengths anyways, looking at mundane things for help wasn’t where i needed to go.. I needed to go and speak to either Rumple or someone else with equal powers in 

magic. 

That was only if push came to shove though and I wasn’t quite that desperate… yet. Letting out a strangled breath i tried to clear all thoughts and get as much sleep as I could until someone came back with some form of news for me or I was forced out of my room. 

****

Pulling myself up slowly I crawled like a snail to the edge of my bed and got out of it moving towards the mirror and glancing at my disheveled appearance grimacing at what I saw looking back at me. My hair was matted and all over the place, there was left over make up that I was trying my best to rub off with my hands under my eyes that were riddled with circles from lack of sleep last night. Shaking my head I got my hair out of my face and got the last few flakes i could see of makeup off of my skin. 

Hearing the front door open downstiars I blinked quickly and unlocked my door heading down the stairs as fast as I could, I didn’t want to take any chances for anything. Stopping half way down the stairs i glanced at Hansel and Gretel taking in the grim looks on their faces before i slowly hit the last few stairs moving towards them curiously. 

I was hoping it had something to do with Jacob because as far as I was concerned if they didn’t get somewhere with it by today I was going to start looking on my own regardless of how many rules it ended up breaking in the long run. Jacob was our sheriff, and everyone liked him. No one had ever hated him or wanted him to stay away from him if anything generally people wanted him around and always asked him for help somewhere. But, now that he wasn’t here and we were left with the messes in the town, it just didn’t feel right to me and it almost felt like no one really cared too much. 

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard Hansels voice and blinked a few times watching his grim look turn into a serious one that made me frown in response. 

“We need to talk, outside…” 

I felt confused by that and probably looked the part. But, when he started to walk away I followed after him quickly and went outside with him. It was chilly and dark out, the type of weather you got during the fall and it about fit we were closing in on that time of year. 

Wrapping my arms around myself I looked at him curiously and he just looked…. I didn’t know how to explain it. he looked worried, more worried than i had ever seen him look before and he was quickly pacing back and forth in front of me.

“What’s wrong, Hansel?” 

He stopped and looked over at me, his gaze softening some before the words came out. “Tink, you have to run.” 

My breath caught in my throat, and I swore I felt my heart stop for a moment. Run? Why in the hell? 

He swallowed slowly and moved closer to me. “We all know that you’d never do something like that. Yeah, you’re rough around the edges, but you wouldn’t kill and you wouldn’t kidnap or possibly murder someone like Jacob.” 

He rubbed his neck slowly as he spoke. “Gretel knows it, I know it and we’re all willing to lie to keep you safe so you can get away until we have this whole thing solved. Eryx and Izzy would be more than willing to as well I bet.”

“Hansel, you’re scaring me… What the f**k is going on?” I asked him slowly, my heart went from not beating to beating so loudly and hard it was all I could hear at first.

“We found hair at two of the scenes. One was at Smeed’s murder and the other was on Jacob’s car. It was caught in the driver’s door.” He swallowed slowly. “Tink.. They came back as yours. Can you explain this?” 

My eyes widened and I shook my head putting a hand over my mouth unsure of what to do or say. “What are you talking about!?” I took a step back. “I didn’t have anything to do with those!” 

“I know.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “It’s why you need to run, you have till sunrise tomorrow to get out of here. I’m so sorry…” 

I took another step away from him and turned to go into the house quickly, somehow I had a feeling that by now Gretel had told the other two. Especially when she was talking out as I was walking inside the house once more. She placed her hand on my shoulder and nodded her head once before walking away back to her brother. 

They had found my DNA… my hair at those crimes? Someone was framing me… I didn’t stop to look at Eryx or Izzy as I went into the house. I felt like a robot moving to just at this rate. I had to get a bag of clothes and my guns, I needed something to protect myself after all. As soon as I was in my room I stood there and the first thought that came to mind was an obvious one.

Where the hell was I going to go?

Squeezing my eyes shut i shook my head I’d figure it out for now, I had to do this and if i was on the run i had to get rid of my phone. Thinking for a moment I remembered what Jacob had given me once and pulled open my dresser drawer. Pulling out the various clothes that I had in there I 

threw them on the ground and pulled out the false bottom. 

There was a phone tapped to the bottom of it and I pulled it up. One thing Jacob had done that I’d never be ungrateful for was getting me this incase something ever happened on the job. I was the one who was generally sent out for the dirty jobs and well.. he wanted me safe and not sorry. It was on an automatic bill that would be paid in full for this year already too.

Grabbing hold of my laptop I started transferring things off of my phone and deleted them off the phone afterwards. I was going to have to find some way to keep this all with me and this was all I could think of. Throwing the two pistols and the case of bullets from the same area they’d come from into my bag and then clothes on top of that I glanced around the room and felt like I was done for now.

I looked down at my arms taking in the jacket i was wearing and shook my head I wasn’t leaving that here for any reason, I couldn’t. It wasn’t mine I knew that, but I couldn’t do it regardless. Grabbing the duffel bag I started out of my room and headed towards the living room. I had to talk to Eryx and izzy and then after that?... I had to tell Wendy and the others I loved them before ditching that phone completely. 

I had to run...even if i didn’t want to.

****

After talking to Izzy and Eryx I did what I was told to go and do and I ran. I didn't stay long enough to tell anyone goodbye really and had ditched my phone hours ago back by the station before I took off farther. I was trying hard to just somehow get my mind around the fact that someone had actually thought that I was capable of harming Jacob and the fact that someone was even trying to frame me. Though part of me wasn’t too surprised by the ladder, I made more enemies than I did friends.

Who did things like that though? What was the actual motive to do something like that? I just wanted to know, I wanted to fully understand just why someone would get that far as to frame me. I pulled Jacob’s jacket around me tightly, keeping my head down as I walked, stopping for a moment, I breathed in and out slowly listening to my surroundings. I thought I heard something and once I started listening closer I heard it again and every hair on my body rose in response to it. 

“Hello?” 

There was silence that followed but I felt too uneasy just yet, someone was there. Who I wasn’t sure but I could feel them, I could sense them and it had me reaching for my pistol under my jacket. Pulling it out slowly, I turned as fast as I could on my foot and turned pointing the gun outward before realizing who I was aiming at.

“Jasper?”

His eyes widened and he stared at the gun holding his hands up in defense. “Jesus f**k, Tink, put 

that thing away!” 

Sighing I put the gun down and placed it back into the upper area of my jeans staring him in the face. I wasn’t amused, I was cold, hungry, tired and so angry I could barely contain it and he saw every last detail of that on my face. His expression softened and slowly he moved over to me pulling me against his chest to hug me for a small moment. 

“Not sure what happened but,” He licked his lips. “You look sorta homeless.”

I laughed bitterly and clutched hold of him tightly. “Homeless….scared, angry, confused….” I shook my head and took a step back. “I can’t get a break.”

He smiled sadly and nodded his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Well, you can stay with me.”

“You have a place?” I arched a brow at him. “Somehow I didn’t exactly expect that one.”

He grinned slowly reminding me of Cheshire in a way. “You’d be surprised what I still have in this town.”

Shaking my head I clutched my duffle bag and glanced at him from under my bangs. “If you’re offering then I’ll accept.” 

“Just one thing,” He stared at me “You’re going to tell me what happened.”

“I can manage that, don’t worry.” I smiled tightly and glanced down at the ground. His hands rested on my arm and was enough to pull my attention back to him. 

“Don’t worry Tink, I promise we’ll figure this out, come on.”