run together ✦ once upon a time #5 [final book]

chapter 4 ✦ a little birdy

Storybrooke

Follow the bird. Follow the bird. What the hell does that mean? I was sat in a booth at Granny's with a burger in front of me. I picked at my food as I stared down at it. My vision or whatever it was kept playing in my head. A glass dropped on my table and I looked up to see my father. He smiled at me and sat down across from me. 

"Eat. You need the strength," I rose an eyebrow at him in surprise. "What? Am I not allowed to be your dad today?" I laughed at him and picked up my burger, taking a bite. I eyed his liquor and he caught my gaze. "Go ahead," I smiled, putting the burger down and taking a big gulp of it. "Slow down. It's not a race." 

"Sorry," I apologized, embarrassed. "Where's Emma?" 

"I don't know. We were searching for people out in the woods and she decided to stay back," He shrugged. I took another bite from my burger. "Something's off about you." 

"Me?" I said with a mouthful of food. I swallowed and put it back on the plate. "You got that all from how I eat my burger?" 

"No. You seem....troubled," He was right. I was troubled. "Is there something you're not telling me?" I shook my head, immediately, not wanting to discuss Peter with him. Granny's bell rang and I looked towards the doorway to see Emma entering. She walked over to Dad, kissing his cheek. I smiled at them and finished my burger. I stood up from my booth and put a ten dollar bill on the table. 

"Where are you going?" Emma piped up as she sat down beside Dad. 

"I haven't helped as much since my return so I'm going to help look for fugitives," I explained, lying my ass off. I wasn't actually going to do that. I was going to look for the bird that Hyde spoke of. 

"Do you need help?" She asked and I gave her a look which made her laugh. "Nevermind," I leaned across the table and kissed my Dad's cheek before rushing out of Granny's. The stars shined in the sky. The Second Star to the Right was calling out to me. My Lost Girls were there. I longed to be with them. I flashed to the middle of the woods and stood in silence, listening to the wildlife talk to me. Suddenly, I heard a squawk and my head shot over to a branch where a red bird was sitting, staring at me. It looked exotic and not from around here. It squawked again and flew down the path. I ran after it and watched as it ducked around corners. Slow down. I need to keep up. This world has weakened me. As I turned a corner, my eyes were laid upon a girl who was in a white cloak with a staff. The bird rested on top of the staff. I stopped in my tracks and backed away a little. 

"No need to be afraid, Riley," She spoke and I tilted my head in caution. "I am on your side." 

"Who are you?" I asked, stepping a few steps back. 

"From my world, they call me an oracle," She confessed. "Your visions are real," I stared at her in shock. "They will come true." 

"He's alive," I awed with a smile, but she shook her dead. My smile dropped. 

"But he soon will be walking this world," She reassured me. 

"How?" I asked. 

"That's for you to find out. If I tell you too much about your future, events might be disrupted," She explained and I nodded. The bird squawked which made me jump. He flew off of her staff and zipped behind me. I looked to where it was going and it ducked back down the path I came from. 

"When?" I asked the oracle, but when I turned back to face her, she was gone. That was the burning question. When would my Peter return? 

Hey guys! Yes, I'm bringing Peter back. I haven't decided when, but I have a clear picture of how he is going to come back. I'm super excited to reignite Paley, Ran (ship names :))! New update will probably be sometime next week. Thanks for reading, commenting and voting! Love you guys! 

- head lost girl :)