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I recently departed Wonderland and then returned. [ Which has happened to many people, he knows, and it's not the first time it happened to him. ] Shortly before returning here to Wonderland, I seem to have had a few adventures I can't recall. I was curious how many others here have ever been afflicted by frequent bouts of amnesia? Outside of Wonderland, that is. [ Is this just a thing they're all fated to deal with constantly just because they live in Storybrooke? ]

It's disconcerting, to say the least.

[ And he's been separated from his son again. He's so grateful to have had the chance to see him again after so long, but it makes the ache for him that much stronger. So he switches gears.] In my return home, I had the good fortune to see my son again. I miss him terribly. I wondered as well if many of you have children you've been separated from? [ At the very least, it can help to commiserate with others sometimes. ]

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Have you ever seen a symbol that looks like this? [Dipper holds up a drawing of an eye with a red x through it.

Then he pauses. Maybe he should have... started with pleasantries, not mysteries.]

I mean... welcome back. I don't have children. Obviously. But I haven't seen my parents in....

[He pauses as he thinks back. Almost a year in Wonderland. Plus the months of the summer in Gravity Falls.]

...wow.

You mean aside from town line amnesia? [Little does she know that she's been here as well.] What is the last thing you remember about home, Robin?

[She understands his pain about being away from his son. No one could doubt that he loved Roland deeply.]

I hope you will get home to him soon.

I don't know, man. Sounds like something you have to get used to in Storybrooke.

[Considering how many times people have shown up saying "so it was Tuesday and there was another curse," Neal feels safe enough saying it. Plus it's as good a way to break the ice as any, seeing as how they haven't really talked all that much since one of those curses ran rampant in Wonderland, and Neal said a lot of shit he never would've otherwise.

He needs to make it right. It's been too long already, and he misses having Robin as a friend.]

I'm glad you got to see Roland; how's the kid doing? [Neal knows all too well the ache of not having his son, the desperation of wanting to see him again, so deep he'd done everything to cross realms--including things he shouldn't. Still, for better or worse Robin can't really make that choice here. It's good he remembers at least being with his son back home.]

amnesia's no joke
why do you want to know

It was only once but I did have amnesia.

Thank you. [ It seems odd to be glad he's back, but he supposes in some ways he is. Apart from missing his boy. ] I...haven't seen a symbol like that, no.

[ He's certainly curious, but feels the need to ask first - ] It's been a long while? You must miss them, your parents.

[ Oh, well there's a familiar face, one he's quite happy to see. ]

Belle! It's good to see you again. [ He smiles softly at her. ] We'd just arrived at Camelot and then we woke up at Granny's Diner, back in Storybrooke. I don't remember our time spent at Camelot at all. What...do you last recall?

[ Robin has missed Neal as well, and he's glad he's back, particularly for Henry's sake. The event in which they'd both said terrible things to each other still haunts him and he's not quite sure how to even broach the subject. Perhaps it's best to just move on and start anew. ]

Thank you, my friend. [ He really does mean that, too. ] He's...grown so quickly. I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. He's grown close to Henry. I think Henry's his hero. [ Robin smiles softly. ] Quite a good hero.

it's certainly not. I'm not sure what can even be done to stop it from happening but it's a pattern back home and I'm quite weary of it. I wondered if anyone had similar stories

Did you...regain all of your memories or have they remained forgotten?

maybe
what do you mean it's a pattern

Not children, exactly. [ She's too young to have kids of her own, and the ground isn't safe even without bringing kids into the picture. ] But people I'm responsible for.

[ Clarke pauses, then backtracks a bit. ]

You said you had amnesia? Did you have any head injuries, traumatic events?

And you! I'm glad that you are safe. [And here, oddly. It's wonderful to see her friend.] Our memories of Camelot were taken, apparently. I think we might want to start carrying notepads. It might spare us further amnesia.

[She laughed.]

I just arrived back in Storybrooke. After the town was saved from being pulled to the Underworld.

That's the only memory loss thing I know about. [Dipper shrugs and puts down the piece of paper.]

I don't think about it that much. We were away for the summer already when we got here, so it wasn't really a big change but it is weird I guess. I've got a lot of other family here, at least.

[Neal's all for moving on from that nightmare; he owes Robin apologies, promises that's not how he really thinks, but he can get to that. Right now, it's nice to talk to guy about their sons. Neal knows

how fiercely Robin loves Roland, and he does want to hear about the life Henry's leading back home. So much gets messed up with Emma becoming the Dark One, Neal's glad to know there's good things still happening.]

Yeah, Henry's pretty amazing. But so's Roland; not every kid could face down Pan's shadow. [Especially not one so young; Neal hasn't forgotten how brave the boy had been that night.] I'm glad they're friends.

I remember now.

[ He truly does wish this place would stop taking children from their parents altogether, even if said children are capable of handling themselves well enough. ]

Your...sister is here, if I recall?

[ He's trying to remember her name, knowing Henry's mentioned her before. ]

...Mabel?

Perhaps we should recruit Henry to keep track of our stories as they happen so we have no need to worry about memory loss again.

[ Not that he would, but. He smirks a little at the thought.

He frowns a little, though, when Belle informs him of what she last remembers. ]

...the Underworld?

[ He might have been terrified out of his mind that night with Pan's shadow coming to try and take his boy, and he might have questioned whether or not he was going mad for allowing a veritable stranger to use his son as bait, but it had turned out well enough in the end. He's fairly sure if the roles had been reversed that Neal would have helped him get to Roland, which is why he thinks so well of the man. ]

A lot has...happened back home. [ It's almost dizzying, but he won't trouble Neal with every detail. He's not even sure he really wants to tell Neal about Zelena's pregnancy. But the stuff with Henry is all good and positive. ] And here. Perhaps we could have a drink together and talk?

the world I come from is filled with magic and people who use spells and curses to get what they want. though I've only personally been afflicted with memory loss twice now, some of my friends have experienced it several times. I'm starting to think we'll hardly go six months without more memories being taken

I'm glad for that, though at the time it's a very unsettling feeling. As you're well aware. What happened to cause your memory loss?

uh ok well that's fucked
best solution i have is cameras
lots and lots of freaking cameras
security cams
handhelds
record everything
if you get brainwiped again at least then you have a record of what happened before

[NOT THAT HE'S SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE OR ANYTHING. Obviously.]

[ That's nearly the same, in Robin's mind. The fear and worry that comes with loving people you're trying to protect at every turn isn't unique to parents. ]

It's good of you. Noble. Are you one of the few who does look after them?

[ The amnesia is just frustrating more than anything and he wonders if that's just his lot in life now. ]

Apparently I was run through with a sword and nearly died, but...I have no memory of it at all. The only reason I know it happened was my young friend from home informed me of it. [ That hadn't been pleasant news. ]

Obviously no kids for me, but I do miss my parents.

Edited 2016-01-28 22:37 (UTC)

It's... a long story. [One he doesn't feel like discussing at the moment.] I haven't heard of anybirdie getting amnesia frequently, though.

It would put his status of author to good use. [He might even enjoy it.] All preserved beautifully in one of those gilded books.]

Ah. [She had expected that he wouldn't know about it.] I'm a bit further ahead of you, I guess. It's a long story.

Yep. My sister and both my great uncles and my... Soos.

[How exactly does one describe their relationship with Soos? Weird quasi-cousin?]

We were staying with our great uncles for the summer anyway, so it's not so bad. Just like summer vacation is going on forever. Except with snow outside.

That's how it always goes, isn't it? [Neal works up a half-smile, not to make light of whatever mess Robin's been through but to try and convey that he gets it. Every time one of them goes and comes back, they always seem to bring some news of disaster. Last time it had been when Emma became the Dark One. Now Neal knows there's another curse in play thanks to Henry, but only so much beyond that.]

Sounds good. You want to meet at the bar, or get the drinks somewhere to go? [If Robin wants more privacy than the bar affords Neal gets it. It just depends on how big the mess is.]

[ Noble. It doesn't always feel noble. It certainly doesn't when she's frittering her time away in a mansion while her people suffer. ]

You could say that.

[ She leaves it at that. There's plenty of time for everyone to learn her story, and there are more pressing matters at hand. Such as his amnesia. ]

And a near-death experience definitely counts as traumatic. I know more about physical illnesses than mental ones, but if there's anyone here with psychology knowledge, I'd pay them a visit. [ Clarke is very matter-of-fact about it all, like a doctor referring their patient to a therapist. But then she softens, frowning. ] It must be upsetting, not remembering things.

Yes, and yeah, both questions.

[Dan rubs a hand through his hair. There's a thick, purplish surgical scar hidden under it that might just have something to do with the mentioned amnesia.]

Not so much 'frequent' as 'forgot the majority of my life for a few months', though. Still damn inconvenient.

[ What exactly is a Soos? A person, a beloved pet that's part of the family? He could ask, but...best to leave it. ]

And with all manner of strange and sometimes terrible events. [ But to keep it positive... ] The unlimited ice cream is certainly a perk I've come to enjoy, however.

[ He ponders for a moment whether he should ask or not. Maybe it's better not to, but he's curious. It also seems like she doesn't quite remember this place, which is typical of those who have disappeared for long stretches of time, but he'd hoped she might be the exception. ]

One you'd care to tell?

[ There are benefits to both, though with where they'd left things the last time they'd spoken, and with the chance of some news from home being brought up, he's inclined to drink somewhere privately. ]

Let's...get the drinks to go. I'll stop by your room in a moment.

[ He leaves him with a parting smile, and he does show up at Neal's room just a few minutes later, holding a bottle of fancy scotch. He knocks on the door and then holds up the bottle. ] Will this do?

[ What in the world... ]

is this something you've done before yourself? you seem to know a lot about cameras

[ Two years ago, he might have thought it strange to be having this type of conversation but now it just seems normal. ] Nor have I.

I do hope that's the first and only time you'll need to experience that.

i make movies
course i know a lot about cameras
but yeah i have a bit of experience with this kind of thing
sleepwalking's a bitch

[ She doesn't say much about the people she's responsible for, and though he could come up with his own theories, he won't prod any further for the moment. They may have a chance or a reason to talk about it more later, if she's so inclined, but that's her choice and not his. ]

I'd agree that it was, though I'm blissfully unaware of how that felt at the moment. It seems part of the amnesia this time around is due to some form of dark magic. Though speaking with a therapist of some sort might do me some good. [ Not just because of this, but the events of the last few months have been terrible, to say the least. Seeing Regina turned into the Dark One here in Wonderland was bad enough, but then he had to watch her kill a friend of his. ]

It is, and I miss the memories of my son more than anything. He's quite young still, he learns so much so fast that I hate to miss any of it. [ At least he's not missing it in Wonderland. That's some small comfort. ]

It's difficult, isn't it? Only having memories of the people we love.

[ Certainly not a situation he would wish upon anyone else. At least Robin knows there's a good chance he'll get his memories back, thanks to magic. He imagines that's not the case for this man. ]

It is. Quite inconvenient. What caused your amnesia, if I may ask?

[ The scar makes him think it must have been a terrible accident of some sort. ]

[Wow, that... is oddly appropriate. It's hard for her to phrase this in a way that feels correct.]

We can lose people even back home. At least I know they're safe.

...

It sounds like I should be saying something similar to you.

Yeah, that part's pretty neat. And never having to do laundry ever again! [And yet, Dipper's dirty clothes still end up on the floor.]

I suppose that depends if you want to know the future and how bad things went with Emma as the Dark One.

[They all knew the danger, but not how everything would turn.]

I can tell you that Zelena was sent back to Oz, from what Henry told me.

Got shot in the head.

[Said in much the same tone as one might tell a person that they'd just stepped outside and found that it was raining. He rubs his thumb over the scar once, then leaves it be.]

Out for a couple of days after a good doctor dug the shrapnel outta my head, and when I woke up I couldn't remember a damn thing.

I'm no therapist. But if you ever want a listening ear? I'm here. [ A listening, non-judging ear is all she can offer, though. It's easy to deal with things that are physically wrong. It's harder to fix something that's in someone's head. ] I know a little something about traumatic experiences.

[ Clarke leaves it at that, knowing it may not be comforting to speak about. On a lighter topic: ]

What's your son's name?

Sure thing; see you in a few.

[Neal's ready when Robin knocks, having the door open in a few seconds. His eyes widen a bit when he sees the scotch--and so does his grin, once he gets over that brief moment of shock.]

I'd say so. You've got some good taste. [He steps aside to let Robin in, trying to will away the fact that this has the potential to be particularly awkward. Robin might feel pretty at home in the room; Neal's basically got the same set up as his New York apartment, maybe with some better quality pieces, but the décor is essentially the same.]

Here. [Once Robin's in and the door is closed, Neal grabs a couple of glasses from a cabinet.] So should I wait until you've poured before I ask how things are going?

She was?

[ Robin actually feels joyful and relieved about that for a moment until he realizes - ] With my child? [ He's worried, terribly worried about the thought of Zelena having their child all to herself, without any positive influences around her. ]

No. No, your daughter was with you. She's safe.

[They were all safe, which was a relief. It seemed so long since everything seemed quiet and calm. She almost forgot how that felt.]

There's nothing keeping you or Regina apart in Storybrooke.

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