Once Upon a Second Chance

(43) - Desperate Souls Think Alike

Evie tried to collect herself as she hesitantly knocked on the door in front of her. It opened to reveal the one and only Storybrooke shrink.

"Oh, good morning Evie," Archie said, adjusting his glasses. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon. Here for another session?"

Evie gives an awkward smile to Archie. "Good morning, Mr. Hopper. No, I'm not here for a session, though I may in the future. I just came to apologize for my incredibly rude exit in the last one. And to uh, pay you for it," she said, holding out an envelope to the psychologist.

Archie put his hand up. "No apologies necessary. Nor money. I'm giving free sessions to all the kids from the alternate realm."

Evie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That is awfully generous of you. Especially since I've heard that your business has gone down since the Final Battle and all the 'happy endings'."

Jiminy Cricket shrugged. "It hasn't taken that much of a toll on me. Mainly because of all the 'happy endings', my wedding officiation demand has spiked, especially since I married Emma and Killian."

"That's nice to hear," Evie chuckled before turning to take her leave. "Well, I'll be seeing you."

"Have a nice day."

Evie left his office and continued on the street before coming face-to-face with a certain teenaged king.

"Ben," Evie said softly. "How are you holding up? I haven't seen you since the..."

"I'm doing okay," Ben nodded. "What about you? That's Dr. Hopper's building that you're coming from, right?"

"Yeah, I was just talking to Archie after a session of mine a few days ago. And to pay him, but it turns out he's not charging us."

"There's been more of us going?"

"Not all that I know of," Evie thought for a moment. So far, the only person she knew was going besides her was Carlos. "Hey, why don't you talk to him?"

"Me?" Ben asked in surprise.

Evie wasn't going to dance around the topic. "Ben, you've been through a lot in these past few weeks. Hell, this whole year. Despite the one session I had with him, I can already tell, Archie's a good outlet if you need someone to talk to."

Ben inhales. "I'll think about it. So, where are you headed right now?"

"Snow White's old loft. Mr. Nolan's got all the equipment for the new center ready to be set up. I'm meeting Henry there."

"Oh, h-how's he doing?" Ben asked a little awkwardly, remembering that Henry was his alternate nephew and he should probably take some interest in his well-being.

"Pretty good. He's been really nice with us. And it makes it less awkwardly have someone our age in this messed-up family tree we have here," the blue-haired girl responded before going her way.

The son of Belle and the Beast watched the girl's retreating figure, considering her suggestion.

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"So, Ben," Archie smiled as he readied his notebook and pen. "What is it you would like to talk about?"

Ben shrugged. "I'm not sure where I should start, honestly."

"Well, what is the thing that has been troubling you most recently?"

Ben sighed. "Uh, my parents mainly."

"What about them?" Archie asked.

"I recently learned that before I wan born, they transferred my potential for darkness into another baby. And somehow in the process, the apparent twin that I had died because of it," Ben explained briefly.