Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Maddie Hatter loved her roommate. Brooke was fun, studious, smart, pretty, and always willing to lend a hand. Her endless curiosity also drew Maddie in, it was something they had in common. They had become the best of friends rather quickly soon after they met. Nowadays, Brooke didn't even mind that she had to share a bed with Maddie, who had been assigned to Brooke's small, single-bed dorm after she was kicked out of her original one by the headmaster and Apple wanting to be closer to Raven.

Recently, however, Maddie has made a very, very curious discovery, and she wasn't talking about the fact that they found out Brooke is a narrator who, for some reason, wound up in the World of Stories when she was too young to remember, no.

Maddie Hatter was in love with her roommate.

And after she realized that, her whole world turned right-side up. Suddenly, she was the one worried when they shared a bed, and especially the way Brooke smiled wistfully when she nuzzled into Maddie's chest whenever they cuddled before she fell asleep made her head spin in all sorts of directions. Whenever they would go on their little private missions to find out more about Brooke's heritage, Maddie always grabbed her hand. "For safety", she'd always claim, afraid Brooke could see the way she was lying through her teeth

And then, one day, Maddie confessed. She summoned all the courage she could muster one night, and she told her. That she liked her. That she really, really liked her. Loved her, even. She remembers the way Brooke craned her head up at her so clearly. How she stared at her with her mouth agape and eyes sparkling, her face a much darker shade than it was before. Nobody had ever told her that they loved her. The way she kissed her, her lips lingering on Maddie's, Maddie would never forget.

The days after were like a dream, blissful and carefree. Even when the world around them would fall apart, they wouldn't fall with it. Even when they themselves were apart, their bond wouldn't tear at the distance between them. Maddie loved Brooke, and Brooke loved Maddie, no force could put a wedge in their undying adoration for each other.

And then, Brooke vanished.

Unintentionally, Brooke had followed her destiny. A destiny she didn't know she had. A destiny Maddie was convinced the other narrators themselves didn't know existed. It was the end of the world, and Maddie and her friends could do nothing but watch. Immobile as a wicked narrator had tied them to the ground to make them sit and wait for the end to consume them all.

Except Brooke.

Her heritage, her own narrator-ness allowed her to side-step the wicked narrator's commands. The narrator was powerless against Brooke, being made of nothing but words, incapable of stopping her when she grabbed the first author's chisel and made a run for it.

Maddie could still talk at that moment. Not move. Only talk. And she'd heard what the other narrators had said about what Brooke was about to subject herself to to save the world. Yelled, she did. Yelled in hopes Brooke would hear her pleas. Brooke had looked back at her and for a moment Maddie thought she'd run to her, stay with her until the world was nothing but an unmade pile of words.

But that didn't happen. Instead, Brooke's face hardened, determined, and she turned her back on her. With the chisel in hand, she'd decided to seal her fate. And Maddie could do nothing but watch. Watch as Brooke nearly crawled up the volcano, as she brought down the chisel on a flat surface with all her might. Watch as Brooke was enveloped by a blinding flash of light and the different lands moved apart, signaling she had successfully stopped the world from ending.

Maddie could move again.

She didn't check to see if the others could too, she only ran after where Brooke had gone. Maddie had lost sight of her after the flash.

Maddie hoped she'd only lost sight of her.

When Maddie finally stood where Brooke had, she froze. She looked all around. On the ground, in the distance, even up in the sky.

Brooke was gone.

Forever.

And all Maddie had been able to do was watch it happen.

Maddie and her friends had managed to escape after that, now on their way back to Ever After on dragon-back.

Maddie was devastated. The others didn't talk at all during the flight so far. Apple put her arms around her. Maddie appreciated the gesture.

Then, Maddie started crying.

Apple hugged her tighter. Raven briefly turned to give her a sympathetic look before focusing back on flying. Maddie didn't have to turn around to know the Evil Queen was rolling her eyes at her.

Brooke was right. Narrating really did feel good when your feelings overwhelmed you. It was like talking to yourself, only more formal. Fun. Maddie cried harder.

Chapter Text

The Evil Queen was gone the very moment Nevermore hit the ground. It seemed she was determined not to return to her prison of mirrors. Maddie didn't care much for this, she found it hard to care about much at all right now but Brooke.

Brooke.

Just thinking of her name made Maddie's heart ache and her throat tighten. She wished she wasn't gone. Her heart and mind begged for her to still be alive somehow, that she was waiting for her in their room like always.

The headmaster confronted them when they returned, accusing Raven of kidnapping three other students. Which was just riddle-diculous. Raven would never kidnap anyone, and Apple took her side, insisting nobody was kidnapped.

"Brooke was", Maddie said dejectly.

Apple places a hand on Maddie's shoulder. "But not by Raven, Maddie."

Maddie's head snapped up to look at the headmaster. "Oh, no! Not by our dear Ravenbird!"

Grimm crossed his arms. "And where is Brooke now?"

They went quiet. Maddie hung her head low again, as did the others, and she thought back to when she could do nothing but watch as her girlfriend raced to her death. Maddie bit her lip, her throat burning up with the desire to weep right then and there. She wished Brooke was okay. She wished Brooke was here with them right now. She wished that horrible, horrible thing hadn't happened and Brooke was still alive.

Tears pricked her eyes.

"Oh," exclaimed headmaster Grimm. "There you are."

Maddie was confused. That didn't sound like an appropriate reaction at all. She looked up.

"Brooke!" Maddie couldn't believe her eyes. There she was. In the flesh. Smiling at her as if Maddie didn't just see her die.

The headmaster was called away, but Maddie didn't care, she tackled Brooke into a hug.

She showered her with a myriad of questions. Was she okay? How did she get here? Did she need anything? And most importantly: how did she survive?

Brooke merely smiled and pointed at Maddie.

"Huh?" Maddie tilted her head. "Brooke, this isn't the time to be cute."

She heard laughter from her next to her. Maddie didn't even realize her friends were also welcoming Brooke back to the land of the living with one big hug. "I think what she's trying to say is you are the reason she's here", clarifies Raven.

"Me?" Maddie asks, staring at Brooke who nods, confirming Raven's suspicions. "How?"

Brooke signs. Maddie watches, a hand on her chin.

"So what you're saying is," Maddie gasped, "I willed you back into existence?!"

Brooke shrugged. That was a very simplified way of putting what Brooke had just explained, but it was good enough, so Brooke gave her a thumbs up.

"Oh, Brooke, I'm so happy you're here!" Maddie lifted Brooke and twirled her around. "I thought my world was going to be all gray and sad forever without you!"

Maddie stopped her spinning and slowly set Brooke back on the ground, keeping her arms around her as tight as she could. So tight Brooke couldn't possibly escape. So tight she could never vanish again.

Before she knew it, Maddie cried again, her tears caught by the fabric of Brooke's black shirt.

Brooke's arms wrapped around Maddie, softly stroking her back.

It was okay. She was here now.

Maddie hugged her tighter.

Eventually, Brooke pulled apart, and cupped Maddie's face with her hands.

Seconds passed. They felt like hours. They stared into each other's eyes. Then, Brooke let her arms fall back to her sides.

Maddie grabbed her hand.

"You must be exhausted from all that 'coming back to life' business. Let's get you to our dorm!" She said, picking Brooke up into her arms, easily carrying her down the hall.

Brooke blushed as Maddie carried her. She lifted her arm and craned her head back to wave Raven and Apple goodbye. Maddie also turned around, walking backwards to wish them a good night.

Maddie felt ecstatic. Relieved. She wanted to cry and laugh and sing and wail all at the same time.

Not even the fact that the Evil Queen was running free could bring her to focus on anything but Brooke. At this very particular moment, the Evil Queen could take over the school and Maddie would not be bothered.

All Maddie cared about was the girl in her arms, the girl who somehow, through Maddie's wishes, came back to life.

And Maddie couldn't be happier.