WARNING! THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES FAMILY ISSUES, VIOLENCE BETWEEN A PARENT AND A CHILD, IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS TOPIC PLEASE SKIP!!!
The two love birds had an amazing weekend. All night they've spent together at their secret spot: the enchanted lake where their friendship developed and the romantic feelings came slowly by slowly.
The weekend passed more quicker than any other one and there it came the castlecoming week, it was exciting that was for sure yet for Bridget half of it wasn't since the first day of the week there would be an event to meet with their parents after long period of separation.
And Bridget really wasn't that fond of her parents and their critics, heartless hearts and their nagging about her to behave like one Wonderland princess soon-to-be queen but the most worrying thing for the young princess was how her parents will react for her relationship with James Hook.
Speaking about her lover, he wasn't really happy with that day of reunion with every student's parents or closest family - James really wouldn't handle to face his father again after what this man put him through it will take all his will power to not jump on him with the hook.
His father was one of the most toxic parents in the villains's family section. No one could compare to this man who put James through the suffering at a young age and made him the worst version of himself until Bridget showed in his life.
The painful day came quickly. The whole academy was preparing everything to huge perfection from food to rooms to literally whenever an important event happened for the Merlin academy.
Every royalty and villain got ready to meet with their family either to make them proud and tell them the last gossip of the tea parties and classes or either to disappoint them and hear their expectations even the lack of love.
Bridget and James were still in the dormitory who they shared together, preparing to meet with their lovely families who were thorns in their path of happiness, but at least they had each other. That's all matters.
Bridget hummed softly while helping to James to fix his white button blouse - for first time he wasn't dressed like a pirate which was amazing and amusing combined together.
"I hate those events...mostly this one." James grumbled to his lover while his dark eyes watched how her fingers gently fixed his upper body's clothing and helped him to do his tie.
A soft smile crept on Bridget's features after hearing her lover's grumble which made her to snicker softly and mumbled in a calm manner after finishing with his tie "Look at it from the positive side, James...it will be over soon and we will be at this dorm more less than a hour."
There was some sadness and anxiousness in her tone which James detected easily. He knew why she was anxious after all he was as anxious as her since he will meet with her parents and even James felt ashamed and disgusted to meet her with his father - he would break the only good thing for James which wouldn't happen not like his mother's death.
"Hey..." the pirate start to speak, placing his fleshy hand on her cheek and gently caressing it in a soothing manner while their eyes stared at each other with so much love and support, that the words weren't necessary.
"It's going to be alright...I will be there and they won't harm you with their cruel words ever again. I will make sure of it." James finished his sentence with determination, love and protection towards his beloved - strict parents didn't scare him, in fact they were his meal for the day.
It brought a small soothed smile on Bridget's soft face which sparkled more brightly, a soft sigh escaped from her lips and she nodded while her arms wrapped around his neck and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
"You always know how to soothe me..." she mumbled with smile on her face while their foreheads pressed against each other, the smiles on their faces shining more brightly than the sun could ever shine.
"That's why I'm here, sweetheart." he replied back with a soft chuckle followed after his words and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips just like she did two seconds ago. "Let's get going and survive this horror." James said after breaking the kiss and feigned a shot in the heart which made Bridget to shake her head and giggle softly while she led the way out of the dormitory and headed towards the courtyard alongside with her lover.
The courtyard was filled with a lot of life and yet there's the same separation between villains and the royalties yet James and Bridget didn't let go of each other's hands and start to head where the pink princess's parents were standing with their skeptical expressions and a look of disgusts from so much peasants around them.
Bridget could feel the sense of anxiety and fear to creep in until her knuckles were gently squeezed by her lover, reassuring her that he is there and that nothing will hurt her. There was a brief smile on her lips until it turned in an awkward, insecure one when they approached the control freak parents of hers.
"Mother, father..." Bridget spoke first to grab their attention who she earned with sharp glances and judgment towards James from her parents's side, yet she reminded herself that she's doing the right thing and if her parents didn't like it so be it.
"Ah Bridget we expected you to be punctual and not so late and basic clothed...you're a princess of Wonderland behave like a one."
Her mother spoke in a sharp manner, showing her disappointment towards her daughter which made James to clench his jaw and hold his tongue under his teeth to not say something risky that will throw their relationship in the thorns of Bridget's parents.
"Right...I'm sorry, mother." Bridget mumbled in insecure manner yet still holding James's hand which grabbed her parents's attention and then her father asked in a sharp, cold manner.
"And who's that...low pirate? I think last time I wrote you a letter that I insisted for you to be with a prince and not hold some commoner's hand."
It was almost a miracle how James didn't snap from the insults on his address but for Bridget he kept his calm, polite facade even if her parents were the worst nightmare of one guy at a dinner table when he's meeting his future mother and father in law.
"His name is James and he's not some commoner...he's...he's my lover."
Bridget suddenly said with firm, soft tone which sent her parents aback. A shock and anger written on their faces even the mother spoke up in a loud tone while looking at James with disgust and judgment.
"My daughter set her standards for this...pirate?! Unbelievable! I knew that this academy is a brutal bad influence, but this cross a lot of lines! My daughter should be-"
"Should be happy with who she wants." James finally spoke, clearly tired of her parents's criticism and cruelty towards their own daughter, Bridget's mother was in shock just like her father who seemed like he was stabbed in the heart.
"You dare to pause my wife?! For who you think you are?!" The king of the hearts spoke with cold, angered tone grabbing the half people's attention to them but James didn't even flinched, in fact his hand tightened on the stunned Bridget's soft hand and spoke up in a firm manner.
"Yes I dared because your wife makes my beloved insecure and guilty for that she's happy and finally free from your control. A mother should support her daughter and not to treat her like some trash just like you do, sir. I love your daughter and I don't give two fucks if you don't accept our relationship."
The Hearts family were stunned to death. This pirate literally humbled them in front a large audience and in front of their quiet daughter who seemed to take her lover's side than her own parents's one.
"Do you know wh-" Bridget's father started to yell until Bridget paused him with firm expression and cold voice while leaning her head against James's arm.
"Enough, mother and father. I am happy with James, he makes me happy and free and if you don't accept it, that's fine with me because I won't play the puppet of your twisted games and controls. I'm turning 20 soon and I want both of you to stop to wrap your goddamn chains. I know what you will say next that if I don't break up with him, I will be cut off from the throne and I won't be your daughter..then so be it. James is my lover and I won't ditch him for my control freak parents."
Her parents were stunned to edges, their voices got lost in their throats even when her mother tried to scold her, Bridget just walked away with James while holding his hand in a loving firm manner and proving her point.
She had stood up against her parents and that was one triumphal moment for her and her lover until that moment got disturbed by his toxic father's voice.
"Ah son there you are!" His father was drunk to a higher level that he stumbled towards the pair which made James to pull away Bridget in protective manner and keep her close to his body.
"John." James said firmly with coldness, not even calling him dad or greeting him. He had dealt with Bridget's parents, now he had to fight his own battle with his toxic father on his own.
"Is that how you greet your father? Won't you hug or give me some coins? What the hell happened to my son?!" His father spoke in narcissistic drunk manner while staring bluntly at his son until he noticed the shy Bridget clinging onto his son's arm.
"And who's that pink lass? Won't you meet me with your girlfriend?" John spoke towards his son with taunting manner and took two steps closer towards Bridget until his view got blocked by his son's body.
"Don't you dare to even touch her. You caused enough pain in my life, I won't let you ruin the thing who makes me a better person."
John's drunk gaze changed to a disgust one, seeing how his son changed over some royalty snoop brat who looked between the father and son duo with worried brown eyes. John didn't accept the tone of James which made him to step closer to his son that the whiskey could be felt under that stinky breath of his.
"Oh we have a little rebel over some little girl? What a dark spell she did on you, huh James? You start to behave like the disappointment you were born to be."
His words stung to pieces but James didn't show it, in fact he stepped closer towards his father and muttered with bitterness and coldness.
"You weren't even made to be a parent, you fucking monster. The real disappointment is standing in front of my eyes, hell I won't ever settle myself so low to turn like you."
John was a bit speechless from his son and pointed his finger with a rage on his face while glaring up at his taller son who clearly didn't feel threatened from his own father - James got through it once, now it was something casual who didn't affect him anymore.
"Be careful with that tone boy. You don't want me to-" "to beat the shit out of me? Go on, old man. You are one of the worst fathers a villain could have, you killed my mother and made a monster now you dare to show up all stinky and drunk and to make a bad name for me. Do me a favour and return to the isle from who you come from and return to your old ship to rot in alcohol."
There was a stunned silence between the two men, a group surrounded them after they heard what James spoke to his own father who only chuckled in a drunk manner and then he attacked back with words who set James off his lines and something had snapped in his head that he forgot about the people around him including Bridget.
"...wow, son you grew a backbone huh? I see that academy had made you some weak worm who won't even succeed in his low life, like your precious mother did. She died on a miserable bed while her son turned into a disgrace...and now I see that he got with some pink sl*t who will ditch him for the first Prince she sees. Do you seriously think that she will stick with you? She will leave you just like everyone else do."
These words made James to turn feral not only by the mention of his dead mother but how his father dared to spit on Bridget's name - that wasn't tolerated from James who handled a lot but this took many lines.
His fist met his father's face sending him on the cold stoned floor but that wasn't all. James jumped on his father and started beat the shit out of him until his knuckles turned bruised, blooded and until his father begged for mercy which it didn't happen.
John fought back against his son, leaving a bruise on his cheek and start beating him back until principal Merlin came to a rescue and separated the two even Bridget rushed towards James to help him keep balance.
His father was screaming that James was a disgrace, that he will have the same fate as his mother but the words faded away after the guards thrown this disgusting man out of the academy.
As for Bridget her heart ached for her lover who slowly looked down at her with guilty expression, bitterness and anger towards himself for disappointing Bridget and revealing another pirate nature of his.
"I bet I'm not the best boyfriend now, am I?" He muttered in a gruff manner, ashamed even to look in her beautiful eyes - he had the worst scenarios in his head even expected her to leave him and get disgusted by him but it happened something else.
Her hands gently cupped his cheeks, her expression filled with sympathy and sadness from how his father behaved towards him and literally humiliated him in front everyone but that didn't matter now. For Bridget it matter to take care of her beloved man's wounds.
"You're perfect...it's not your fault, James...it's not your fault. And I will never ever leave you for that you stood against your devilish father..."
Her lips gently kissed his forehead which made him to close his eyes, a sigh of relief to escape from his lips and to gently kiss her lips as a gratitude for her support then let her to lead him back in their dormitory.
This event was a lot...filled with surprises and dull colours even a violence, yet their love didn't get affected in fact it grew more stronger and made them more in love than before.
Both of their souls finally stood up to their demons and now they were having each other in peace for first time in their lives.