Fic: Stopover in a Quiet Town
Fic: Stopover in a Quiet Town
Title: Stopover in a Quiet Town
Author: Ranguvar42
Fandom: Fifty Shades Trilogy/Once Upon A Time
Word Count: 1,562
Inspiration: A conversation between Gehayi and myself about the awesome ladies from OUAT.
Warnings: Brief violence, cursing. Set sometime after the (hypothetical)Series' end, and Belle has her memories back. Spoilers for all two seasons of OUAT. Set between Shades and Freed.
Summary: Ana and Christian, while on a road trip of New England, stumble into a very strange little town..
Stopover in a Quiet Town
At first, the small town of Storybrooke, Maine looks like any of the other small New England towns that Christian has taken her to. Ana's been on the road so long now that they've all begun to blur into each other. But something about this town is markedly different. For starters, the only road that leads in to town has a large red line painted across it. For another, it is supposed to be a fishing town, yet the boats only go out as far as the end of the docks. But it is the townspeople themselves that make Ana feel a bit out of place.
It starts when Taylor pulls in front of a diner called 'Granny's' and suggests they get some food to refresh themselves. Ana's more than willing, but Grey just sneers. “I suppose this will have to do.” As they exit the car, Ana notices two women heading towards the diner. One is a rather short brunette with close cropped hair and wearing the most adorable cardigan and pleated skirt, with a beret perched on her head. The other is a tall, willowy blonde in a red leather jacket and jeans. Christian sizes them up and dismisses them out of hand, grabbing Ana's arm tightly and practically dragging her into the diner. Neither of them notice the angry glares that appear on the women's faces.
The only other person in the place is a young woman dressed in a very revealing outfit. She glances up from the counter as they walk in, smiling-but there is a touch of confusion and wariness behind the smile. “Sit wherever you would like, I'll be with you in a minute.”
Grey steers/shoves Ana into a booth, and the young lady comes over, two menus in her hand. “I'm Ruby. Are you two in town long?”
Ana opens her mouth to speak, and Grey gives her a glare that makes her look down into her lap. Ruby notices too, and her eyes narrow. Grey turns to the waitress and turns up the charm. “Just stopping over for a bit, Ruby.” He draws her name out, and much to his shock she rolls her eyes before muttering 'Whatever' under her breath. “Well, when you're ready to order, gimme a holler.”
Grey smiles again. “We're ready. I will have a cheeseburger, and Ana will have Salisbury steak and potatoes.”
Ana finds her voice, and Ruby winces at how defeated she sounds. “But, I wanted a grilled cheese.”
Grey smiles indulgently at her, but his eyes are hard. “My girlfriend doesn't know what she's talking about. She's having the steak.”
“But..” Ana starts to say, and Grey interrupts, no longer smiling.
“Ana, don't make me punish you in public.”
Ana shrinks into herself, eyes downcast, and mutters that she'll have the steak.
For Ruby's part, she finds herself wishing for Wolfstime so she could tear out this asshole's throat. She smiles gently at Ana. “Hey, if you really want I could make you a grilled cheese to go. They're really good.”
“No, I am having the steak,” Ana parrots mechanically, glancing at Grey like a trapped rabbit, and Ruby writes down the order, then looks up as four more people enter the Diner, deep in conversation.
“Wait, so Rumple's son is your son's father?” The first person to speak is a rather beautiful brunette wearing what Ana swears is a real life replica of the dress from Beauty and the Beast. She's talking to the two women she and Christian saw earlier, and accompanying them is one of the most handsome men Ana has ever seen. He's shorter than Christian and has a cane, but there's something about him that makes her Inner Goddess sit up and take notice. Maybe it's the way he carries himself, or maybe it's the gold eyes. But to her disappointment, his arm is wrapped around the waist of the girl in the yellow dress. He speaks, and Ana's Inner Goddess nearly melts. He's Scottish.
“Yes, Belle, that is what Emma is saying. I suppose that would make you his step-grandmother.”
Grey kicks Ana hard under the table, causing her to jump and bang her knee. “What do you think you're doing, Anastasia?”
“N...nothing...I...nothing.”
Grey reaches out and takes her hand. To most people, it looks as though he's simply offering her some affection, but Ana notices the Scot narrow his eyes and nudge Blondie. Ana tries not to cry as Grey squeezes her hand tighter and tighter, his eyes challenging her to say something. “Good, because-”
“Hey, you wanna let go of her?” Blondie has come up to their table, and Ana feels a surge of jealousy. But then the sensible part of her speaks up. 'She's angry.' Blondie looks at Ana, concern in her eyes. “You OK?”
Christian glares his patented Christian Glare at Blondie, smiling tightly. “Everything's fine. Why don't you go back to your table, Miss..”
“Sheriff.” Blondie's voice is sharp, and Grey's eyes go wide with shock. “Now, I believe I told you-” she sneers-actually sneers at Christian- “to let your friend go. I won't tell you again.” Grey releases her hands, and Ana rubs them together, trying not to cry as the blood begins to recirculate. “And I wasn't talking to you. I was asking your friend if she was OK.”
Ana mumbles “I'm fine,” under her breath, and the Sheriff sighs.
“No you're not. You can tell me the truth, are you being kidnapped?”
Christian smiles, showing his teeth. “We're just passing through. No need for trouble, Sheriff.”
Ruby places Ana's plate in front of her, and slams Christian's plate down in front of him, not looking sorry as some hot fries end up in his lap. Christian jumps up, yowling. “You damned clumsy bitch! Watch what you're...” he's cut off when Ruby grabs him by the throat with one hand and slams him onto the counter. She moves faster than Ana's eye can follow, and Christian's mouth is opening and closing like a fish's. The Sheriff is trying to keep from smiling.
“Ruby, let him go,” she says, amused, and Ruby bangs Christian's head onto the counter a final time then lets him go, dropping him in a heap on the floor. Christian gets to his feet, looking distinctly ruffled and face red with anger.
“I'll sue! I'll sue every last one of you assholes! You don't know who you've messed with! Do you know who I am?”
Scots speaks up. “An utter prat?” Grey bristles with anger and storms over to where he's sitting with the other women, and addresses Scots, his voice high with indignation.
“I am Christian Grey of Grey Incorporated! Show some respect, you gimpy old fart!”
Scots gets to his feet, his eyes blazing, and Ana shivers as she feels-something-race through the diner. “And I am Mr. Gold of Storybrooke. You should show respect to me, dearie. The last man that didn't ended up on the menu. Now, why don't you be a good little boy and push off?”
Christian begins to say something, and the short haired woman speaks up first. “Mr. Grey, please let the door hit you in the ass as you leave town.”
He blanches, and goes over to Ana, motioning that it's time to go. She stands, shoulders hunched, and Ruby places a hand on her shoulder. “You don't have to go with him, hon.”
Ana turns to her, eyes bright with guilt, fear, and un-shed tears. “Yes I do.” She breaks free of Ruby's grip and follows Grey out of Granny's. Ruby makes to follow them, but Gold puts his cane in front of her, blocking her path. He shakes his head once at her, and Ruby slumps against a table.
Once free of the town, Ana decides that it is safe enough to get some sleep. She curls up in the seat, then winces as something sharp pokes her kidney. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small envelope with her name on it in a sprawling, spidery script. A quick glance assures her that Christian is sound asleep, and she opens the envelope. Inside is a small glass bottle with a strange-colored liquid inside, and a folded up piece of paper. She unfolds it, reading the note that's in the same writing as her name.
'Anastasia-
Three drops of this in any food or drink, and Mr. Grey will no longer trouble you. My only price is that you tell nobody about our little town.
Sincerely,
Mr. Gold, aka Rumplestiltskin.'
Ana looks at the vial, then at Christian, then back to the bottle. With a smile, she slips it into her pocket.
“Someday...”