Chapter 1: Christmas in Storybrooke: Part 1
Chapter Text
Since it was the first real snowfall in Storybrooke's history and everyone was given a special letter from North and the other Guardians of Childhood/Council of Legendary Figures to thank them for helping reunite Queen Elsa of Arendelle with Jack Frost as well as them attending the wedding between Princess Anna and Kristoff which was giving them a few days to a couple of weeks to celebrate a real Christmas as a civilization. The Charmings were on their way to Granny's Diner to share some hot cocoa over there as well as possibly some lunch after having a special breakfast together. Many of the kids of Storybrooke were outside and playing, whether making snowmen, throwing snowballs at each other, or just embracing the idea of a Snow Day which meant that they didn't have to come into school today.
Mary Margaret was pushing the stroller along, smiling a little as she watched the children playing. "This is different, but it's so nice to see the children playing in a proper snow." she told her husband warmly.
"And it looks like you get to have a day off too." David smiled back at her on the way.
A lot of the kids were laughing and playing, enjoying their Snow Day as many children should.
"If the school isn't open, it does appear that way." Mary Margaret smiled.
"Well, we could use a little special family time especially with the adventures we've been having." David remarked.
Mary Margaret smiled to that. "That does sound like a very nice plan," she said to that. "Maybe we'll get to have a family Christmas~" she then beamed.
"A Family Christmas sounds really special." David agreed.
"Now that sounds like a great idea." Emma nodded as she opened the door for them.
Mary Margaret nodded and smiled. David let Mary Margaret go in first, then came in after her along with Emma as they came into the diner. Granny was selling a lot of hot cocoa to commemorate the special wintery day they were blessed with today. Mary Margaret carefully moved the stroller inside. She then led them to their usual spot in the diner. Baby Leo looked all around and cooed with wide wonder. Mary Margaret smiled to her son and took him out of the stroller to hold him a little while. Leo cooed and smiled back up at her.
"Afternoon and Happy Snow Day." Granny greeted them as they came there.
"Good afternoon, Granny." Mary Margaret smiled.
"Table?" Granny asked for them.
"Yeah, and a booster seat for Leo." David nodded.
"Coming right up!" Kiara said as she overheard that and went to get that, wearing a new hoodie with her uniform.
Mary Margaret smiled. She then looked at her son. "Maybe Emma would like to sit next to her brother, should we ask her?" She crooned and asked.
Leo cooed and babbled an answer as Kiara brought them to a table and set up the booster seat.
"Anything to drink?" Granny asked. "We're having a special on hot cocoa today."
"That sounds lovely." David accepted that offer.
"Hot Cocoa sounds wonderful." Mary Margaret nodded.
"Of course." Granny nodded. "Hot cocoa all around and I know how you all like it."
"Thanks, Granny." David said as he helped set Leo in his seat after Kiara put the seat up for him.
"We also have this new chocolate peppermint flavor to try out." Kiara offered to the family.
"Chocolate peppermint, huh?" Emma remarked. "Sounds like when I'd go to the movies during the holidays and they offered that for their popcorn. It was actually pretty good."
"I think I'll stick to my usual with cinnamon, please." Mary Margaret chuckled.
"Sounds good, I'll do the same." David replied.
"I'll try that chocolate peppermint thing." Emma said.
Baby Leo seemed to coo and drawl out a response of his own.
"Erm, are babies allowed to have hot cocoa?" Kiara wondered.
"A warm milk with just a small spoon of cocoa powder will be fine." Mary Margaret said to that, as a little bit wouldn't hurt him.
"Oh, okay." Kiara nodded as she went to get that.
Granny handed them some menus and then went to go and get their hot cocoa. Mary Margaret handed one to Emma and then looked through.
"Thanks, Mom." Emma said, accepting it as David took his.
Baby Leo cooed and bit down on the bottle right away as Kiara handed it to him with what Mary Margaret asked for.
"I guess someone's hungrier than a lion." Kiara chuckled.
Mary Margaret smiled warmly to that. "No problem," she assured. She then chuckled softly at Leo. "He loves hot cocoa too~" she smiled.
"Do we know what we wanna eat?" Kiara asked them.
"I think I'll just have a grilled cheese." Emma replied.
"That sounds good, me too." David agreed.
"I'll have one too, but with soup and a side salad too." Mary Margaret chuckled. She was planning on giving Leo a spoon or two of soup, just so he could try a little.
"Tomato soup since it's grilled cheese?" Kiara asked Mary Margaret on that.
"Yes, please." Mary Margaret nodded.
"Certainly," Kiara nodded as she went away a moment, taking everyone's orders before jotting them down and then went to the kitchen. "Be back very soon."
"Thanks, Kiara." Emma said to the helpful young waitress.
"Thank you." Mary Margaret added.
Kiara smiled at them.
"So how has it not properly snowed here in a long time, Mom?" Evie asked Regina as they sat at their own table with Henry.
"I'm not sure, my dear, I don't remember that being part of the deal with The Dark Curse." Regina admitted and explained.
"It kinda reminds me of the Christmases I had in New York." Henry said as he glanced out of the window.
"Those sound so magical, Henry." Evie smiled.
"You have Christmas memories," Regina realized, though seemed a little discouraged since she couldn't really give him that. "...How nice for you, Henry."
Henry seemed to realize how his mom felt and looked at her. "We had nice ones too, Mom," he assured. "But this is the first one where we've actually got snowfall here." he told her.
"Yes, of course." Regina agreed softly.
Henry smiled softly to Regina. "We're together again this year." he reminded too.
"Yes, all of us, as we should be," Regina smiled as she wrapped her arms around both Evie and Henry. "I wonder what we could do to celebrate?"
"How about we just bake cookies, watch movies, and chill out?" Evie replied. "I mean, that's what I think Christmas means."
"Those are parts, but I was hoping that maybe we could invite the others too?" Henry agreed with Evie and then requested.
Evie nodded and smiled hopefully.
"A family Christmas, you mean?" Regina guessed.
Henry nodded. "With both sides of our family." he agreed.
"Well, all right, I think we can manage," Regina nodded. "I'm just concerned about shopping in this small town with how crazcy Christmas shopping is for anyone."
"Yeah, especially at the This Little Piggly Wiggly." Evie agreed with her mother.
"Well, if we do it within the next couple of days it should be fine," Henry smiled. "Or we could order online." he added, if it was an option in town.
"...Can we order online, Mom?" Evie asked. "Is that possible?"
"I'll check when we come home." Regina replied as a compromise for her children.
Henry nodded and then grinned a bit to that.
"You both don't have to get me anything fancy though." Regina reassured them.
"You just wait and see what's under the tree for you, Mom." Evie smirked playfully.
Henry nodded. "You'll get what you get, Mom." he said playfully.
"Ooh, so it's gonna be like that?" Regina smirked. "The same to you."
"That's her way of saying that she's getting you socks." Evie teased Henry a little.
"Well, socks are better than nothing at least." Henry chuckled.
"Yeah, your feet will be warm this month." Evie smirked.
"I'll see what I can do about socks in that case for your birthday too." Regina added.
"Agh!" Henry playfully, though quietly, exclaimed to that.
Evie and Regina both chuckled warmly at that.
Henry glanced over and noticed that Emma and the others were mostly settled in and then looked to Regina. "Can I ask if they want to come over to spend Christmas now?" he asked, so only his mom and sister would hear.
Regina looked over to see who he saw, then nodded. "I see nothing wrong with that." she then smiled.
"Yeah, they're family too." Evie agreed.
"Alright, I'll wait until Kiara takes their order then I'll go over and invite them," Henry smiled. "Are we inviting them to sleepover Christmas Eve?" he then asked, to make sure.
"Would you like that?" Regina asked Henry.
"It would be nice; it could be a start of a new tradition." Henry admitted with a smile.
"Well, I doubt they have plans, but you can go ahead and ask them." Regina smiled back.
"Alright, thank you~" Henry smiled to his mom, he then kept an eye on the others, waiting for Kiara to finish taking their orders first.
Regina smiled back and sipped her drink while Evie looked all around in wide wonder of Christmas in Storybrooke. Henry then stood up and started to make his way over to the other side of his family, so he could talk to them.
"Oh, guys, look," David suddenly said. "We have a visitor."
"Hello, Henry," Mary Margaret greeted her grandson.
"Hey Grandma, Grandpa, Ma," Henry greeted first. "Hey Leo," he then also greeted his baby Uncle.
Leo cooed and babbled in response.
"I think he's happy to see his nephew." David chuckled to Henry a bit.
"Hey kiddo, what's up?" Emma added. "Good to see ya."
Henry grinned to that and gently reached out to smooth his baby Uncle's hair. "It's good to see you too," he agreed. "And well, Mom, Evie and I were discussing Christmas and we thought that maybe you guys could join us for Christmas... staying over Christmas Eve too." he told them.
Leo giggled and beamed a bit.
"Staying over on Christmas Eve?" David asked.
"...I guess that makes sense since no one really works on Christmas." Emma commented.
Henry smiled. "Yeah, and we thought it'd be nice to have a family Christmas," he added. "Kind of like we had in New York, only with you guys staying over at Mom's with us." he added to Emma.
"That's a good point, we never really had much of a family Christmas back then." Emma agreed about what Henry said about New York.
"And Regina is alright with this?" Mary Margaret asked, just trying to make sure before she would agree or not.
"I'm sure she is if Henry was able to come over and ask and I guess Evie's okay with it too." David said to Mary Margaret.
"Yeah, they're both okay with it," Henry agreed. "So... would you like to do it?" he asked.
"Well if they're both okay with it, and there's room, I think that would be really nice." Mary Margaret smiled.
"As long as they're okay with it." David added.
"I guess they are since they're family too, though I don't think I'm gonna call Evie 'Aunt Evie'." Emma smirked.
Henry smiled and then chuckled to what Emma said. "They are, that's why I came over now to ask... I just have to let them know you agreed and we can discuss it more." he told them.
"All right, Henry, let Regina and Evie know we'd be delighted to come." David told his grandson warmly.
"Alright, awesome," Henry nodded and grinned. "I'll go back now and tell them, and let you get back to your lunch." he then beamed.
"All right, Henry, we'll see ya." David nodded.
"Erm, Merry Christmas, Henry." Emma added to be polite.
"Bah~" Baby Leo seemed to add to his nephew.
"I'll see you all soon." Henry said and smiled to Emma, not saying it back yet because he could greet her with that when she woke up and came downstairs on Christmas morning.
Emma smiled back and nodded as she looked back at her parents and brother.
Evie was soon writing down some names in her notebook along with possible presents to share with them.
Regina looked curious about that before she saw Henry coming back. "They said yes?" she then asked him.
"Yeah, they even said they can stay Christmas Eve," Henry nodded. "All we need to do now is discuss the particulars." he said.
"Well, that sounds wonderful then," Regina smiled. "A real family Christmas in Storybrooke."
"I just hope we have enough time to shop for gifts." Evie commented.
"We should do," Henry nodded. "I mean if it was only a couple of days away it wouldn't be too good but wouldn't be impossible." he said and assured.
"I really wanna give Ben something special too," Evie said softly. "He's my best friend, I've known him forever and he's been through a lot lately."
Henry nodded then looked thoughtful. "Maybe we could arrange a holiday party a bit, like pizza and soda for us 'kids' and the adults can have, I dunno, pizza and wine or something?" He suggested. "Something to let Ben and everyone relax and have a good time together." he mused.
"Soda, wine, and cider." Regina smirked and winked at Henry.
"That all sounds great," Evie nodded. "Yes, Ben really needs to relax, he already had enough trouble when he lost Mal and then all of this with his parents and even his brother..." she then added with a bit of sigh. "I wish I were like Jane being a fairy, she at least has a training wand to make everything all better with three little words her mother used to tell Cinderella."
"Yeah, can't forget cider." Henry chuckled.
"Yes, cider is very important for a party, especially when I make it." Regina nodded.
Evie gave a small smile at both her little brother and mother while checking her list of friends and potential present ideas to get them, though mostly had question marks around Ben with a question mark beside a tiny sketch of pizza she added.
Henry nodded. "We have to get some sugarplums too." he then said to them as a thought hit him.
"Sugarplums?" Evie smirked. "That sounds familiar to me."
"You're thinking about someone else too right now, aren't you?" Regina added.
Henry stamped down a blush. "I just thought it'd be nice." he said, though they were right.
"Mm-hmm~" Regina smirked and nodded.
"Well, I am familiar with the idea of sugarplums dancing in your head, so that should work out just fine." Evie reassured Henry.
Henry gave a small smile to that.
Kiara soon came back with lunch for the Charming family with help from another waitress. Mary Margaret smiled as the food arrived.
"Thank you so much." David said as he helped spread the food out.
"Ah, yeah, Granny's grilled cheese, it is a Christmas miracle." Emma giggled.
Mary Margaret chuckled. "Thank you." she also told Kiara and the other waitress.
"By the way, nice hood," Emma remarked. "It goes with that necklace nicely."
"Ah, thanks, Granny made me my very own riding hood so I could really see Ruby like my sister," Kiara smiled. "Also, the necklace appears to be a family item."
"It really suits you." Mary Margaret smiled.
"Aww, thanks~" Kiara beamed.
"It definitely is." Regina agreed with Henry.
Mary Margaret smiled warmly.
Kiara smiled at them. "Enjoy your lunch." she then said kindly.
"Thanks again." Emma replied.
"Yes, Kiara, thank you." David added.
"We shall." Mary Margaret assured.
Kiara smiled as she left them to it and soon the Charming family tucked into their lunch. Mary Margaret ate her grilled cheese, though did give Leo a couple of small spoonfuls of the soup. Leo cooed and giggled, enjoying that very much fortunately.
"I see he likes soup." Emma smiled fondly at her literal baby brother.
Mary Margaret smiled to that. "If you'd like to dip your grilled cheese in too you may." she smiled to Emma.
"Thanks." Emma smiled back.
"Don't mind if we do." David said playfully, about to do that with his own food, but was making a joke.
"The children only, David." Mary Margaret mock scolded her husband, with a chuckle though.
"Oh, okay then." David replied as he complied.
"Dad..." Emma sighed and shook her head, though was a bit amused.
Mary Margaret chuckled then and shook her head fondly. She dipped a bit of her own grilled cheese in the soup so David could have a bite.
"Really? You mean it? Thanks!" David beamed and then took a bite out of her sandwich and beamed while Emma rolled her eyes playfully.
Mary Margaret chuckled to that.
"Too much?" David asked.
"Yeah, trying way too hard to be a fun dad," Emma smirked. "I'm sure if I had a sister that she might agree."
Mary Margaret then continued to eat her own food, looking thoughtful as she thought of having Emma a bit earlier and a sister for her pretty much straight after.
"I just know this will be the best Christmas of our lives." Emma said to her family.
"If it isn't the only Christmas of our lives," David remarked mysteriously. "We've faced a Wraith, that demon boy in Neverland, forgetting about everything when The Wicked Witch hit, then we had to deal with The Snow Queen, what could be next for us?"
"Krampus." Kiara joked as she walked by, collecting dishes from another table.
"Oh, don't joke about him." Mary Margaret said to that.
Kiara then stepped away bashfully suddenly.
"Let's just hope a Happy Holiday, Dad." Emma suggested.
"Right, Emma." David agreed.
"I'm sure we will." Mary Margaret then said with a smile.
Emma smiled back at that while sipping some hot cocoa. Mary Margaret sipped her own hot cocoa too.
"This is nice." David said softly.
"Definitely." Emma agreed, enjoying her grilled cheese very much.
"I think it is as well," Mary Margaret nodded. "Maybe we could do this regularly." she said.
"Unless The Grinch comes for the holidays." Kiara murmured to herself.
"Kiara, please stop that." David sighed at her.
"Come on, if Krampus is real, then The Grinch can't be real, right?" Kiara defended.
"Other worlds are real, Kiara, we've never met the Grinch, but I'm sure I've heard Whoville mentioned." Mary Margaret said.
"Hmm..." Kiara hummed as she wandered into the kitchen.
Mary Margaret smiled to that. "I know we stay together at home, but yeah going out for lunch is good~" she smiled.
"Going out to eat is just so much more fun." Emma remarked.
"Even though it costs more." David added.
Mary Margaret chuckled warmly to that.
Evie beamed, eating some dessert from her, Regina, and Henry's meal out together which was a blueberry muffin since she loved that a lot. Henry ate a chocolate donut, that had bits of peppermint on since it was a new thing to try.
"How's your donut, Henry?" Regina asked nicely as she had a small piece of dark chocolate cake.
"It's different but a nice change of taste, a little." Henry chuckled.
"You can never go wrong with a blueberry muffin though~" Evie advised Henry.
Regina chuckled at both of them warmly.
"Chocolate is the way to go." Henry said with a playful smirk.
"It definitely is." Regina agreed with Henry.
"Meh." Eve shrugged playfully and smirked at them.
Henry chuckled.
"Your list done, Evie?" Regina asked.
"Yeah, I think so, but some people I'm gonna really have to think about," Evie explained. "I think this is everyone I need though, I'm gonna even get Chad something, I just hope the Christmas holiday season can make him not be a humbug to everyone else."
"You could get him a selfie stick?" Henry suggested.
Evie chuckled. "Okay, yeah, that'll work." she then said.
"You kids and your selfies," Regina sighed and shook her head. "Whatever happened to posing for hours and hours for someone to paint a portrait of you, especially for a wedding?"
"Portraits are nice, but photos are quicker and you can copy them better." Henry told her.
"Especially when you wanna share with friends." Evie added.
"Spoilsports." Regina teased.
Henry playfully smirked.
"I just hope there's enough time to shop." Evie said as she looked over her list.
"You should, you could even maybe buy a few things after we leave here." Henry assured and then suggested.
Evie nodded as that sounded good. "Mom, could I borrow some extra money?" she then asked sheepishly.
"Well... Sure, it's for a good cause." Regina nodded. "Henry, would you like to shop with her?" she then added as a suggestion.
"If you don't mind, Mom." Henry said with a small smile.
"Well, all right, I'll give you some money too, but spend it wisely." Regina nodded and added.
"I'll make sure he does, Mom." Evie replied.
"I will, Mom." Henry assured.
"Such good children I have raised." Regina smiled warmly at them.
Henry smiled back, glad his mom was happier. Evie soon finished her muffin and wiped her mouth and hands clean, offering Regina another napkin, seeing her mother was done with her own dessert before they would leave. Henry finished the last of his donut and licked his fingers clean before he used a napkin after that.
"All right, time to do something fun." Evie said.
"I think I want to go to Grandpa-I mean Grandma's shop for one thing." Henry said.
"That's a good start." Regina nodded.
"Hmm... Wonder if I should do the same for my shopping list?" Evie wondered.
"Well, just don't get Ben's present from there." Henry chuckled.
"Definitely not." Evie smirked and nodded.
"Okay, happy shopping, kids," Regina smiled. "Don't be too long."
"We won't, Mom, see you later." Henry said. He then gave Regina a hug before he and Evie would leave.
Evie hugged Regina as well. "Have a good afternoon, Mom." she then said.
"Thank you both~" Regina smiled warmly at both of her children.
"See you later, Mom." Henry smiled back. He then left with Evie.
Evie waved at their mother on the way out as Regina waved back at them. "All right, you wanna go to the pawnshop first then?" she then asked to check.
"If you don't mind." Henry told the girl raised as his sister.
"Well, fine by me," Evie smiled. "I'll walk with you."
Henry smiled and then walked along with Evie contently. Evie smiled back and walked along with him as everyone else was getting in the Christmas spirit all through the town.
"Would you maybe want to build a snowman later?" Henry offered to Evie, since this would be the first time she could.
"You wanna build a snowman?" Evie smiled. "Sure Henry, I think that would be very nice for us."
Henry smiled back to his sister. "Great." he assured.
"Should we name him Olaf?" Evie smirked playfully.
"Would he like warm hugs?" Henry retorted, just as playful.
"Maybe, we won't know until after we make him." Evie giggled.
Henry chuckled to that and grinned.
Evie giggled warmly and soon looked over. "Oh, Happy Holidays, Dee Dee." she then greeted someone who was about to walk by them with her own family.
"Hi, guys!" Dee Dee beamed as she seemed to be the happiest about the Christmas season than anyone else.
Leroy merely nodded his head in greeting at the two.
"Hi, Dee Dee. Hey, Mr. Leroy," Henry greeted, his tone slightly brighter when talking to Dee Dee, though more polite to Leroy as the man had taken Dee Dee in as his own.
"Happy Holidays!" Dee Dee beamed.
"Yeah, Happy Holidays." Leroy added politely.
"Same to you," Evie replied. "It's a good chance for all of us."
"Uh, we're going to build a snowman later... Could Dee Dee join us?" Henry asked, thinking getting Leroy's permission first would make it easier for Dee Dee if she wanted to join in.
"Ooh, a snowman?" Dee Dee asked, entranced.
"Well, I suppose that would be all right," Leroy nodded. "I have to go to the hardware store anyway to pick up a few things."
"Then we'll take her off your hands~" Evie smirked playfully.
"We'll make sure she's okay." Henry assured Leroy, smiling to Dee Dee.
"Well, okay, can you stay out of trouble, Diamond?" Leroy then asked Dee Dee.
"You know you can count on me," Dee Dee nodded. "I've known Evie and Henry forever."
"We all really have." Evie admitted and agreed.
Henry nodded to that.
"Well, I gotta run along, that store won't stay open very long today." Leroy then said.
"Yeah, let's do the same," Evie agreed. "See you soon, Dee Dee."
"See you guys soon too." Dee Dee nodded.
"See you soon," Henry smiled and waved. "Bye, Mr. Leroy." he then said to the older male.
"Bye then." Leroy nodded as he went to take Dee Dee away with him.
Dee Dee skipped a bit along next to them.
"Still the dancing queen I see." Evie observed with how Dee Dee was still rather bubbly and innocent from the moment they first met the young dancer.
"Yeah, and I think I know the perfect gift for her." Henry said quietly with a shy smile to that.
"Well, that's great," Evie smiled as they continued to head to the pawnshop together. "Let's hope you can find it easily, unless you would need some help?"
"I'd need to ask Grandma Belle, but I'm sure she'll know where it is," Henry said to that with a smile. "But I can still help you find a gift if you tell me who for." he added.
"Thanks, Henry," Evie smiled back. "I wonder who?"
"I don't know, it depends on how you feel." Henry smiled.
"Yeah, I guess I'll see when we get in there." Evie said before looking both ways to cross the street to get to the pawnshop.
Henry did the same before they would cross over to the pawnshop. Evie smiled warmly as they went over there, being careful of stray snow before going inside.
Ben was in there and was sweeping the floor while Gabrielle was sorting out some things on some shelves.
Henry made sure to knock any excess snow off outside before he stepped inside. "Hey Ben, Hey Gabrielle." he greeted.
"Hi Henry, Hi Evie." Gabrielle greeted them with a soft smile as she greeted the two, giving a wave as she paused in her shelving.
"Hm?" Ben blinked and looked over before smiling. "Oh! Hey, guys."
"Hey guys, Happy Holidays." Evie greeted since it wasn't exactly Christmas yet, but everyone was in the spirit at the moment.
"Happy Holidays." Gabrielle smiled in reply.
"What can we do for you guys?" Ben asked.
"Just some light shopping, though this is mostly for Henry." Evie explained.
"Yeah, I'm looking for a gift for Dee Dee." Henry said.
"Oh, okay," Ben smiled and nodded. "So maybe a bracelet or a necklace?"
"I was thinking a pair of red Ballet slippers, with something to make them not wear out... Maybe grow with her," Henry said to that. "Not the cursed pair that would make her dance." he then added.
"Ah, yes, my dad told me about that other red pair, apparently he used to know that girl," Ben nodded and soon went to take a look around. "I think I saw some shoes in the back, though probably not silver slippers that The Wicked Witch would want hopefully, thank goodness she's out of the way, am I right?" he then added, attempting to make a joke.
Henry gave a small chuckle.
Ben looked over the shoes that they had before he brought out a certain pair of red ballet slippers. "Ah, here we are." he then said.
"They won't make her dance forever, right?" Henry checked, before he would accept them to look over.
"No, they won't," Ben chuckled and reassured him. "I don't really know the story behind these, but these aren't THOSE Red Shoes."
"Oh, good." Henry said to that. He then accepted the shoes to look them over.
"Careful though, they're a little delicate," Ben advised. "They should do just nicely for Dee Dee though."
"I will," Henry assured. He then smiled. "Do you have something that will make sure they won't wear out at all?" he asked.
"I believe my dad mentioned something like that..." Ben replied thoughtfully before seeing a vial that came with the shoes in the little box and then brought it out. "This should do the trick." he then offered.
"Great," Henry smiled. "How much?" he asked then.
Ben gave him the price which was luckily a very reasonable price.
Henry smiled to that. "I'll take them." he said to that.
"They're yours and make sure this is kept in a safe spot." Ben nodded and added with emphasis about the potion's vial that will help give the shoes a longer lasting life for Dee Dee as a young dancer.
Henry nodded. "I'll make sure it's in the box with the shoes, and I'll put a note to let her know what the potion does." he nodded.
"Excellent idea, Henry," Ben agreed as he went to get a box for Henry. "Do you want it gift wrapped?" he then offered.
"If I can get a pen and paper to put the note in first, yes please." Henry agreed.
Ben smiled as he went behind the counter, getting out a box for Henry as well as some wrapping paper, a ribbon, and some pen and paper, giving those last two items to Henry while he would wrap up the gift for the younger boy. Henry quickly but neatly wrote the note, telling Dee Dee that the included potion could be poured on the shoes and that would make them never wear out, and also assured her they weren't the cursed ones. Ben smiled as he watched Henry do that while wrapping up the gift with as much ease and grace as he could like his own father would. Henry slipped the note in before it was completely wrapped up, smiling as Dee Dee would know what she needed to know.
"Happy Holidays." Ben said as he gave Henry the gift back once he was done.
"Happy Holidays to you as well." Henry told Ben with a smile.
Ben smiled back with a nod.
Evie then took a look at other little items to see if anything would stand out, especially to give one of her friends.
"Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" Gabrielle asked.
"Oh, I'm not sure," Evie replied. "Just browsing honestly."
"Well, if you have anyone specific in mind then I can point you in the direction of some things." Gabrielle told her with a warm smile.
"Hmm..." Evie paused in thought as she brought out her notebook, then glanced over to her little brother. "...Maybe I should get something for Mom and/or Henry while I'm here." she then mused since Henry was out of sight at the moment.
"Well... I'm not sure for Henry right this moment, since he might see it," Gabrielle said at first. "But I think we might have something for your mom," she told her. "It just depends on if you want something with magic or something 'normal'." she added, saying normal as in something that didn't have magic.
"Something normal, I think we could use a little break from magical artifacts for a while." Evie requested gently.
"Alright," Gabrielle smiled. She then came over to Evie and guided her over to show her what she thought Regina would like. "There's two items for you to pick from." she said. She then pulled out a ruby and gold necklace, where the ruby was shaped like a heart but when the light hit the ruby the shine looked like a star seeming to show light within the heart. The second item was a snow globe that had three figures hugging in the middle, one obviously a mother and then two smaller figures that represented children.
Evie followed Gabrielle, looking among the other items there before looking at the two items in question. "Oh, these both look very nice." she then said at first before she would pick out her decision to give to Regina for the holiday.
"Something to show the light within a heart, or something to show the love between mother and children." Gabrielle smiled.
"I think I like this one best." Evie said as she picked out the snowglobe since she knew it would mean a lot to her mother to keep them as a family as the three of them... Even if it meant sacrificing Robin Hood while his sister was still in town.
"Yes, I think Ms. Mills would adore that," Gabrielle smiled. "Maybe you could point the necklace out to Henry?" she then whispered and chuckled.
"Hmm... Maybe..." Evie nodded as she accepted the snowglobe. "How much do you guys want for this?" she then asked as she carefully held onto it.
"Because it's for a special gift... I think $15." Gabrielle told her.
"Ooh, good deal~" Evie nodded as she set the snowglobe down a moment along with her notebook to take out her wallet and rifle through her money before giving Gabrielle then needed amount.
Gabrielle accepted the money and made a note for a receipt for her. "Excuse me a moment while I get its box." she then said and headed to get the said box it could be stored in when not displayed.
"Thank you, Gabrielle," Evie smiled. "Mom's going to love this."
"You're welcome and I'm glad~" Gabrielle assured and beamed.
Evie smiled back tenderly before she crossed her mother's name off of her shopping list.
Gabrielle came back with the box and a gift bag to put it in. "I'm throwing these in for free~" she assured as she placed the globe in the box and then the box into the gift bag.
"Ooh, lucky me~" Evie giggled in response.
Gabrielle beamed to that with a soft giggle. "Labels not included however." she giggled.
"Aw, why not?" Evie playfully complained.
"Because we have none in stock." Gabrielle replied with a chuckle.
"Ahh," Evie replied and giggled a bit. "Thank you so much though."
Gabrielle smiled and handed her the gift bag and the receipt. "Hope you have a happy holiday." she smiled.
"Thanks, Gabrielle, I hope you guys do too." Evie replied, accepting the bag and receipt with a warm smile back.
Gabrielle nodded with a smile. Evie smiled back before she decided to go and check on Henry.
"I should probably get something for my moms too..." Henry then mused, as he couldn't buy Evie's yet while she was around as he wanted it to be a surprise.
"That sounds nice," Ben replied. "You know what they both like?" he then added.
"Well, you know Mom likes the fancier stuff but still heartfelt," Henry mused. "And Emma likes more simple stuff," He also mused. "Maybe a necklace each for them both?" he suggested.
Ben nodded as he began to take a look among the jewelry that his father had.
Henry watched Ben and then glanced over to Evie. "Hey, Evie." he greeted his sister again.
"Hey Henry," Evie smiled. "Are you done or are you doing more shopping?" she then asked.
"I'm thinking of getting Mom and Emma a necklace each." Henry said.
"Oh, nice," Evie nodded and smiled. "I think Ben has an idea too." she then added.
Henry glanced over and nodded. "Looks like it." he said.
Gabrielle was about to put the necklace back when she got a small feeling and then subtly brought it over to Ben. Ben then closed up the cash register and looked around until he saw Gabrielle approaching.
"I think this might be useful." Gabrielle told Ben quietly as she showed him the necklace and glanced to Henry.
Ben glanced over and then nodded. "That's very sweet." he then approved.
Gabrielle smiled to that. She then gave him the necklace box so he could show Henry.
"How about this for Aunt Regina, Henry?" Ben asked as he showed off the necklace.
Evie smiled softly at that.
Henry looked at the necklace a moment. He had Ben shift it a little so he could look at the shine and then smiled. "I think she'd love it... do you think so, Evie?" he said and asked his sister's opinion.
"Oh, how stunning," Evie said as she took a look. "I think that Mom will adore this present the most."
"Yeah, it suits her and I know." Ben nodded since he grew up knowing Regina as a person over the years.
Henry smiled to that. "I think I'll get it then, how much?" he asked.
"This little number costs a mean $20," Ben explained. "It's a bit pricy, but of course, I hope not too much for you guys."
"We might not get 50 bucks as an allowance all the time, but we'll manage, Benny Boo." Evie smirked at her childhood best friend.
"It's fine, Mom's worth it." Henry nodded to that.
"Moms are always worth it, aren't they?" Ben agreed and nodded.
"Yes, they mean to world to us like we mean the world to them." Evie replied.
"Yeah." Henry agreed to that.
Gabrielle gave a soft smile to that.
"Thank you guys so much for your help," Evie beamed. "I think you helped make this Christmas feel even more enchanted and special."
"An enchanted Christmas," Ben remarked with a nod. "I guess you could call it that for us."
Henry nodded.
Gabrielle gave a small shiver. "Let's hope there's no evil or falling pipe organs." she murmured.
"She knows about that?" Evie asked Ben.
"I despised pipe organ lessons..." Ben murmured in a rare emotion of disdain. "...though she might mean something else." he then added.
Gabrielle gave a tiny smile.
"Any plans for today, guys?" Ben wondered.
"Just a little special get together with family." Evie replied.
"Well, we're going to build a snowman later." Henry said.
"Ooh, that sounds nice," Ben smiled. "Is his name gonna be Frosty?"
"Maybe, we're still thinking about it." Evie chuckled.
Henry chuckled to that as well.
"Well, stay warm, guys," Ben advised. "I'm sure it'll get a lot colder after dark."
"No kidding," Evie agreed. "Our falls were always pretty frigid compared to most other parts of the world."
"Luckily we have plenty of warm clothes to dress up in when it gets too cold." Henry said.
"Well, have a good time, guys," Ben smiled. "We gotta do a bit of work before we'll be done for the day. Mom insisted on the rise of Christmas shopping."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Evie nodded. "Maybe Mr. Marco/Geppetto will have some toys to share with the younger kids."
"I'm sure he would," Henry mused. "At least to those who need them." he smiled.
"Enjoy the rest of your day." Ben told them.
"We will, Ben, try not to work too hard." Evie replied.
"You try to as well." Henry nodded.
"See you later." Gabrielle smiled softly.
"Later." Evie nodded and waved at them as she went to go out the door with Henry.
"Later, guys." Ben smiled.
Henry waved and left with Evie.
"I just love seeing all of us together in harmony like this," Evie sighed. "I wish Storybrooke was always like this, especially with the annoying problems that come with going to school."
Dee Dee appeared to be sitting on a bench across from the shop, waiting for Evie and Henry since Leroy had some other things to do and the siblings told her they would all build a snowman together afterward.
"Well, at least we get times off while we help." Henry pointed out to his sister. He then noticed Dee Dee and gave a wave to her.
Dee Dee looked over and waved as well, going right over to them.
"Yeah, that's good," Evie had to agree. "I just hope people like Audrey and Chad don't act like a bunch of humbugs."
"Well, if they do, then Santa won't get them too good gifts." Henry said, after thinking on it a moment. As being a humbug wasn't good but it wasn't worthy of coal.
"Hey guys, ready to make a snowman?" Dee Dee asked eagerly.
"You got it, kiddo." Evie smiled.
"Yeah." Henry agreed with a smile.
"Where would be a good place to go for that though?" Evie wondered.
"Maybe the playground?" Dee Dee offered.
"Nah, we can do it in our garden," Henry pointed out. "No one would steal even snow from out of there so there'll be plenty to use." he explained his reasoning.
"Ah, yes, the garden," Evie nodded. "That's okay with you, right Dee Dee?"
"Sure it is!" Dee Dee replied. "I mean, as long as Mayor Mills is fine with me there too."
"Mom will be fine with it." Henry assured Dee Dee with a smile.
"Let's go then." Dee Dee said.
Eve smiled as she followed Henry and Dee Dee back home. Henry nodded and walked home with them both, falling into step next to Dee Dee.
"It feels like I'm right in the story I come from." Dee Dee remarked about the winter wonderland around them.
"Right... The Nutcracker Prince." Evie memorized and nodded.
Henry nodded to that. "Well that story is usually known as being more to set with Christmas in this world." he smiled.
"Of course it is~" Dee Dee nodded. "Are you guys going to put your stuff inside before we do the snowman?" she then asked them.
"Yeah, I was thinking we should." Henry nodded to that.
"Okay, makes sense." Dee Dee replied.
"Thnaks for understanding." Evie smiled warmly.
Henry smiled, feeling rather content right now. Evie then opened the door for her and Henry while Dee Dee looked at the snow.
"Ooh, that's a bit cold," Dee Dee shivered. "The Land of Sweets' snow was never that cold."
"Thanks Evie," Henry said about her opening the door. He then looked at Dee Dee. "Snow is this cold." he told her. He then looked to see if she had on properly warm clothes.
"Not in the Land of Sweets." Dee Dee remarked.
"Well, I guess that winter is different than this one," Evie suggested as they came inside. "We won't be long." she then added.
"Do you have gloves?" Henry asked Dee Dee.
"Ah, yes, I do, I should wear them now since we'll be playing in the snow." Dee Dee nodded before she put her hands in her pockets to take out her pair of winter gloves for whenever she would need them since winter can be unpredictable sometimes.
"Alright, and yeah, they'll be needed for building the snowman." Henry smiled. He then excused himself a moment to put the presents upstairs until they would be placed under the tree when it would be set up.
Dee Dee nodded as she slid on her gloves. Evie then put on her good winter boots after putting on a bit of a heavier, but not too heavy coat since they would be outside for a while. Henry had already dressed for the cold but decided to grab an extra scarf incase Dee Dee needed it.
"I'm dressing for winter and not for fashion right now." Evie remarked to Henry innocently.
Henry looked to his sister confused but nodded. "Warm clothes aplenty." he chuckled.
"Well, sometimes the fashionista in me breaks out, though I can't change as fast as Amalie." Evie remarked.
Henry chuckled to that. "Well, you're always on the cutting edge of fashion, Evie." he assured his sister.
"Yes, I'm hoping to do something with it, especially with making gowns and suits for my friends for special occasions." Evie nodded and then added, sounding rather proud of herself.
"I think you'd be great at that Evie... maybe you could study it in college and such after high school?" Henry grinned and then suggested.
"Yeah, I think I can manage that," Evie smiled. "Of course, I'll get my special helper Doug with me if he wants, he's so good with fashion."
Henry gave a knowing grin to that.
"What?" Evie giggled and asked, noticing his grin.
"Are you sure he's just a helper?" Henry asked playfully teasing.
"Well, of course he is!" Evie insisted before looking sheepish. "...Henry, what're you thinking?" she then wondered.
"I just think you guys seem to mesh well together." Henry smiled a bit.
"Even if I'm the daughter of The Evil Queen and he's the son of a dwarf and... cat lady person..." Evie replied. "...I'd love to know more about her story..." she then added with a small smirk.
Henry gave a small chuckle to that. "Come on, let's get back outside so we can make a snowman with Dee Dee," he suggested.
"All right, let's go." Evie replied and smiled as she headed for the door first and opened it for both of them.
Chapter 2: Christmas in Storybrooke: Part 2
Chapter Text
Dee Dee continued to wait outside for Evie and Henry, though she seemed to find a branch and was drawing a heart in the snow with"DDHM"written into it. Henry smiled to Evie and then exited. Evie smiled back before looking over.
"Hey, guys!" Dee Dee grinned bashfully as she tried to hide that by scribbling it up.
"Hey Dee Dee," Henry greeted with a small smile. "Ready to build a snowman?" he asked her warmly.
"Sure thing!" Dee Dee beamed and nodded as she came to join them.
"All right, let's get started," Evie nodded. "We'll think about what to add for him after we build him, like a scarf or a hat."
Henry nodded. "Alright we start with making two or three snowballs and roll them into a big one, a smaller one, and a slightly smaller one than that." he said.
"I think we should do a team effort with the bigger one." Evie suggested.
"She's right, we're all strong together." Dee Dee agreed as she came by to help out.
Henry nodded to that. He then smiled as they then started to get to work on the snowman.
Dee Dee giggled on the way as they got started on the biggest part first. "Let's make him reach to the sky!" she then giggled.
"I dunno if we can stack that high, Dee Dee." Evie chuckled warmly at that.
Henry chuckled to that, from where he was working on the base. Dee Dee hummed a cute little song to herself as she worked with Evie and Henry to get started on their snowman. Henry smiled as they got to work on the snowman.
Soon, the biggest piece which was the base of the snowman was ready.
"Nice work, guys, now for the other parts." Evie said once that was done.
"I'll help with this one!" Dee Dee giggled, very excited about this as she went to get another lump together.
"Do you want to help Dee Dee or work on the head?" Henry asked Evie.
"Sure, I can do that," Evie nodded. "If she doesn't do it before both of us first." she then added with a small giggle.
"Heeeey, no teasing!" Dee Dee pouted at Evie.
Henry decided to help out Dee Dee. Dee Dee smiled at Henry and soon worked that out with him.
"Sorry Dee Dee," Evie decided to say to spare some feelings. "Just having some fun."
"Yeah, Evie wouldn't tease you meanly, nor would I," Henry assured Dee Dee.
"Of course not, Dee Dee," Evie added. "You know we really love and care about you."
"Yeah, I guess..." Dee Dee agreed and nodded. "You're nicer than that girl Mal was when she used to live around here."
Henry gave a small smile.
"Whatever happened to her anyway?" Dee Dee wondered.
"We don't really know, Dee Dee," Evie admitted with a small sigh. "She just wasn't happy in Storybrooke, I guess."
"All we do know is that she wasn't taken." Henry said quietly, soothing his sister.
"There's also that, yeah." Evie admitted and nodded.
Dee Dee looked soft and soon bashful for even bringing Mal up around them. Henry gave Dee Dee a small soothing smile.
Dee Dee smiled back a bit before she soon began to look a little tired. "I think I got too excited." she then giggled.
"Come on, take a little break." Evie encouraged with a small chuckle.
"You two go first, I'll take this next to the snowman and then follow," Henry told them. "Maybe you can make some hot cocoa, Evie?" he then suggested as she was the age at where their mom would let her do some cooking.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Evie agreed.
"You're getting cinnamon, I know you are." Dee Dee giggled at Henry.
"Yes please." Henry grinned to that.
Evie chuckled. "And peppermint for you, Dee Dee?" she then guessed.
"Oh, yes, I love peppermint." Dee Dee nodded.
"I think you should try the new donut at Granny's," Henry whispered to Dee Dee.
"New donut?" Dee Dee wondered. "Oh, it has peppermint?"
"Yeah." Henry grinned.
"Wooow~" Dee Dee beamed and giggled. "That sounds amazing."
Henry nodded with a grin.
"Any sugarplum donuts?" Dee Dee wondered.
"Not that we saw!" Evie giggled as she overheard that and called back.
"I don't think so," Henry chuckled as he moved the middle part of the snowman over next to the first one.
"Man, wouldn't that be something though?" Dee Dee smiled. "What can I say though? I just love winter."
"Winter is great~" Henry agreed with a smile.
"Mm-hmm!" Dee Dee beamed.
Evie soon let the hot chocolate brew a bit while bringing out the extra ingredients such as cinnamon, whipped cream, and peppermint pieces.
Henry smiled. "Alright, let's head inside for the hot cocoa." he suggested now they had moved the middle piece beside the main base.
Dee Dee nodded and soon followed Henry inside.
"Come and get it!" Evie called out to Dee Dee and Henry once she could pour the hot chocolate out into mugs for all of them.
Henry held the door open for Dee Dee so she could come inside. "Take your shoes off before walking past the entryway, please." he requested since it would keep the snow from melting over the floor.
"Yes, I know how shoes can get in the snow." Dee Dee nodded as she leaned against the wall a bit to slide her shoes off with ease.
Henry smiled warmly, as he took his own shoes off.
"Come and help yourselves, guys." Evie told them tenderly, having the cups set the way Dee Dee and Henry would like them.
"Thanks, Evie~" Dee Dee beamed as she accepted one for hers first.
"Thanks, Evie." Henry agreed as he took his cup. He didn't take a sip until both girls would first though.
"My pleasure, Henry, just be careful, it's hot~" Evie advised and warned as she blew the top of her mug a little before she would take a sip.
Dee Dee did the same and beamed before sipping her own hot cocoa in delight.
"I know, Evie." Henry assured with a smile, before doing as the girls did.
Evie smiled back as she sipped heartily while sitting comfortably.
"This is the best hot cocoa ever." Dee Dee beamed.
"Oneof the best." Henry agreed, diplomatically but also truthful.
"Thanks, I try my best," Evie smiled. "Glad you like it though."
"Maybe we'll have another cup after we do more of the snowman?" Dee Dee suggested as she often had a sweet tooth.
"I wouldn't be against that." Henry agreed.
"Okay, let's do that," Evie nodded. "We'll finish what we have now and go back outside and finish up and finish up the cocoa after."
"Yay! A plan!" Dee Dee cheered.
Henry smiled to that.
Dee Dee smiled at both Henry and Evie while admiring the home decorations.
"Whatisit about Christmas that feels so magical?" Evie mused thoughtfully. "Even in a town like this where we managed to meet Santa Claus among his friends."
"I think it's because it's a time where everyone feels the peace and the good spirit." Henry said to that.
"I just wonder if that'll even work on Chad." Evie murmured.
"It should, maybe." Henry said with a shrug.
"Chad's no fun." Dee Dee pouted.
"Oh, well... I'll still get him something..." Evie shrugged as she sipped more hot cocoa. "I'm giving everyone something special."
"I love presents." Dee Dee giggled.
"They are nice, but remember you need to give and not just receive." Henry said with a smile.
"Yes, Henry~" Dee Dee sighed and nodded with a small smile back. "It's better to give than receive."
"Yes, it is," Evie nodded. "It'll make a lot more sense when you're older."
Henry gave a smile to that. He then went with the girls so they could finish the snowman.
"All right, buddy, you're not finished yet," Evie told the snowman in the making. "We're gonna make you the best snowman that Storybrooke has ever seen."
"Maybe it'll stay up until July!" Dee Dee said hopefully.
Henry grinned to that.
"All right, guys, let's go." Evie then said as they went to finish up their snowman together.
Dee Dee beamed, feeling the most excited as they got to it after their hot cocoa break. Henry nodded. He then chuckled as they all headed to finish the snowman.
Evie helped out in the best way she could, though her being herself, was more fashion conscience. "Maybe I could get him a nice little suit." she then chuckled.
"Is this what they call a snowsuit?" Dee Dee joked.
Henry chuckled. "No, he'll betoowarm with a suit," he said. He then gave a small smile. "You guys could use this." he suggested as he brought out the scarf.
"Yes, definitely a scarf," Evie nodded as she took it. "Here, Dee Dee, take one side and we'll get it on our snowman."
"Are you sure you wanna part with it?" Dee Dee asked Henry as she took a hold of the fabric a moment.
"It can get washed when he no longer needs it," Henry gave a smile to that. "And he currently needs it more than me." he added.
"Well, okay," Dee Dee nodded. "Erm, which way, Evie?"
"Just do what I do." Evie reassured Dee Dee as they worked together to give their snowman the scarf.
Henry went to find a few stones for eyes, mouth and buttons.
"Just needs one more thing..." Dee Dee said thoughtfully.
"Maybe an old silk hat?" Evie suggested.
"Eyes, mouth, and button." Henry smiled.
"Good find, Henry." Evie smiled once she saw that he had some stones.
"Give him a niiiice smile~" Dee Dee suggested.
"Alright." Henry agreed. he then gave the girls some too, but did the smile for the snowman.
Evie and Dee Dee both smiled back at the snowman.
"By the way, who's Parson Brown?" Dee Dee randomly asked.
Henry looked over confused a moment. "'Parson Brown'?" He repeated.
"Yeah, you know the Winter Wonderland song," Dee Dee explained. "'In the meadow we'll build a snowman and pretend he's Parson Brown'."
"Ohhh,thatParson Brown," Evie remarked and nodded as she understood what Dee Dee was talking about now. "I'm not really sure about that, but I guess he's a handsome man... Like Robin Hood."
"I think, from what it sounds, he was meant to be some kind of religious guy, like a vicar or priest," Henry said. "It's why he could marry a couple." he added.
"Ooh, yes, probably." Dee Dee nodded.
"Yeah, maybe, Henry," Evie agreed with her little brother. "After all, that song is usually about a couple enjoying a wintery day together."
Henry smiled a bit and nodded. "Alright, smile is done." he then said when he was finished.
"Perfect." Evie smiled at that.
"Great job, everyone." Dee Dee added as they took a look.
"Yeah~" Henry agreed with a grin.
Evie soon took out her cell phone and decided to take a picture of the snowman. "You guys wanna stand with him?" she then offered.
"Sure!" Dee Dee beamed as she went on one side of their snowman.
"Sure." Henry also agreed as he went and stood on the other side of the snowman, grinning towards Evie and the camera.
Evie smiled at both of them. "Say Figgy Pudding!" she then giggled as she snapped a couple of pictures.
"Figgy Pudding!" Dee Dee beamed along with Henry as they took their pictures with the snowman.
Henry chuckled as he said that too, smiling for the picture. Evie smiled as she took their pictures and beamed, putting her phone down.
"Evie needs a picture with Olaf too!" Dee Dee suggested.
"I'll take a picture of you two, then Dee Dee can take a picture of us?" Henry suggested then. That way they would each have two photos, one of the siblings together and one of each of them with Dee Dee.
"All okay, Henry," Evie smiled. "Make sure you get my good side."
"Dougie says they're both good." Dee Dee giggled as Evie blushed a little at the mention of Doug.
Henry grinned, he then came over to use the camera so he could take the picture of Evie and Dee Dee.
"This way." Evie suggested to Dee Dee.
"Okay, yeah." Dee Dee nodded as they moved around together while posing with the snowman.
Henry waited until they got into position and then took the picture. Dee Dee and Evie leaned in closely beside the snowman together and put on their best smiles for Henry. Henry snapped the picture and then showed them the result.
"Neat!" Dee Dee beamed at how the picture turned out. "We're so pretty!"
"Yes, we are." Evie agreed warmly.
"Youare." Henry agreed, though his cheeks pinked a bit as he glanced at Dee Dee.
"Thanks, Henry." Evie smiled at that.
"You think I'm pretty too?" Dee Dee asked Henry bashfully.
"Yeah," Henry admitted with a small smile.
"Oh..." Dee Dee blushed and giggled. "Thank you, Henry, but I don't think I'm pretty enough right now to be a professional ballerina like Clara or Giselle or even Odette."
"Youarevery pretty," Henry assured. "But you're too young to be a professional ballerina anyway right now, and that hasnothingto do with looks." He assured her too, sincere about her looks while also wanting to point out that they weren't important to the fact of being a professional ballerina.
"Aww~" Dee Dee beamed and hugged him. "You're so sweet."
Evie hid a small smirk, but it was very kind of course as she watched her little brother and his lifelong best friend.
Henry hugged her back, his cheeks pinking again but not unhappy.
"One more picture." Dee Dee said as she reached for the camera.
"Ah, yes, of course," Evie nodded. "This way, Henry."
Henry then made his way to stand with Evie and the Snowman.
"Smile!" Dee Dee beamed at them as she took their pictures next.
"Brie~" Evie then said as she wore her best princess-like smile.
Henry smiled brightly. Dee Dee then snapped a couple of pictures and smiled back at them.
"Great, now we have enough for all of us." Evie smiled as she took her phone back.
"Thanks, Dee Dee," Henry told the girl warmly. "We'll print them off and make copies for us all." he said.
"You're welcome, Henry." Dee Dee smiled, glad that she could help out.
"This is definitely the best Christmas ever in Storybrooke and it's only just begun." Evie beamed as she felt the most cheerful right now.
Henry smiled to that and nodded. "This one is going to be a White Christmas if the snow stays." he said.
"White Christmases are the best kinds of Christmas." Dee Dee nodded.
"And I'm sure Mother Nature will let us have one after what we did for Anna, Elsa, and even Jack Frost." Evie added.
"Well, as long as the snow stays, we should be." Henry grinned.
"Now that that's done, what should we do now?" Evie wondered.
"I, uh, would like to finish that peppermint cocoa for one." Dee Dee suggested sheepishly.
"We did say we'd have a bit more after finishing the snowman," Henry agreed. "Maybe we can warm by the fire and stick a movie on?" he then suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Evie nodded. "Dee Dee?" she then added.
"Yeah!" Dee Dee beamed and cheered. "Let's seeallof the Christmas movies!"
"We can't see them all," Henry chuckled.
"Why not?" Dee Dee pouted.
"Because it's impossible." Evie chuckled.
"Nothing's impossible if you believe!" Dee Dee insisted. "You guysmustseeThe Polar Express!"
"Well, we could watch that movie at least." Henry agreed.
"All right, we won't watch allof the Christmas movies, but the good ones." Dee Dee said.
"Okay, Dee Dee," Evie smiled as they went back inside. "Nothing scary though like Krampus, I don't wanna risk running into that guy."
"We could watchThe Polar Expressif that's the one Dee Dee wants to watch." Henry smiled.
"All right then, Dee Dee, we'll watch that since you're our guest." Evie nodded.
"Sweet!" Dee Dee beamed as she hugged them. "Excuse me for a moment, go ahead and get comfortable."
Henry smiled a bit. Evie then went to put the TV on and get the movie set up for them.
"Shall I do the hot cocoa and some popcorn?" Henry asked.
"Well, only if you don't mind." Evie replied.
"I don't mind, since you're taking the task of sorting the TV." Henry chuckled.
"All right, make sure you get extra butter." Evie smiled.
"I will." Henry assured with a chuckle. He then headed into the kitchen to do the drinks and popcorn for the movie.
Evie smiled at that and soon turned up the movie as it set up, but not too loud right now as she arranged the living room comfortably for everyone. Henry smiled, as he was looking forward to this.
Dee Dee went into the bathroom, but before she would do that business, she took out her emergency cell phone and called Nova right away.
Nova answered the phone."Hello, Dee Dee, darling... is everything alright?"she greeted and then asked.
"Yes, Mama, we're just fine," Dee Dee reassured her. "I just wanted to let you know that we're going to watch a movie and I might come home after that."
"Oh good, and alright my darling,"Nova said."Should I send your father to pick you up once the movie is over?"she asked.
"Yes, please if he's okay with it." Dee Dee smiled.
"Alright, just text or call when you're finished and I have him go and collect you."Nova smiled.
"Okay, I will, thanks, Mama," Dee Dee smiled back. "This has been the best Snow Day ever."
Nova gave a warm chuckle."I'm glad you're having fun, I'll see you later after you and your father get home~"she told her.
"Okay, I'll see you later, Mama," Dee Dee nodded. "Talk to you soon."
"Talk to you soon, darling, I love you~"Nova told Dee Dee warmly.
"Love you too." Dee Dee said before she hung up and went to do what else she had to do in the bathroom before she would meet Henry and Evie in the living room.
"Hope you got your fuzzy socks on," Evie advised Henry. "Fuzzy socks are a must in the winter."
"I wore them under my boots." Henry assured and chuckled.
"Good boy." Evie approved as she went to sit down right away.
Dee Dee soon came out of the bathroom, drying her hands and ran into Henry. "Just had to call Mama Nova and let her know I'd be a while." she then reassured Evie and Henry.
Henry nodded to that. "I'm just sorting out the drinks and popcorn, do you mind helping me bring them in?" he then asked her, as three mugs and the bowl of popcorn was a little much to carry alone.
"Sure thing! Evie, you're already cozy, so you sit." Dee Dee nodded and then suggested.
"Well, Dee Dee, you should come over more often." Evie joked as she sat comfortably on the couch.
Henry chuckled to that and then continued to do what he had planned so when it was done he and Dee Dee could join his sister for the movie. Dee Dee smiled, being as careful as possible as she helped Henry move the treats for the movie as Evie decided to start it and turned up the volume a bit more for them. Henry decided to sit in between Evie and Dee Dee so he could sit next to them, though more especially Dee Dee.
"Is this loud enough for everyone?" Evie asked.
"It's perfect." Dee Dee nodded.
"It's fine." Henry agreed.
Evie smiled and soon huddled in a bit and began to watch the movie with Henry and Dee Dee.
"This is gonna be so great~" Dee Dee beamed in excitement with the Mills siblings.
"Yeah." Henry agreed.
Dee Dee beamed as they settled in comfortably and the movie started.
"This is going to be my new favorite tradition." Evie whispered to herself as the movie began.
Henry smiled to that. "Even if it doesn't always snow, maybe we can at least do the Christmas movie." he whispered back.
"Sure, Henry," Evie smiled back. "I think that sounds wonderful."
"Guys, it's starting!" Dee Dee gasped.
Henry smiled and then turned his attention to the movie.
Chapter Text
Henry made sure the guest rooms were ready. Evie did some cleaning and rearranging as needed as Regina had some music playing while doing her part in the kitchen. Henry made sure the rooms were neat and ready for use. Luckily he had even found out his crib for Baby Leo to use.
"Thank you both so much," Regina smiled proudly at Evie and Henry. "You two are wonderful."
"Hey, Mom, it's because of you." Evie smiled back and reassured her mother.
"Everything is set up for Christmas Eve and the others coming over." Henry grinned.
"There's a strange feeling inside..." Regina admitted as she put her hand around her chest area.
"Is Mom's heart about to grow three sizes?" Evie asked Henry in astonishment.
"No, but I think it's filling more with happiness." Henry whispered back with a smile.
"You're both very funny," Regina smirked at them. "Well, I like this feeling honestly."
"I do too, Mom, I want us to always have times like this." Evie beamed hopefully.
Henry smiled warmly to that. "Yeah, I hope we get more times like this too." he agreed.
"That would be nice, but we'll just see," Regina said before she heard beeping from the kitchen. "There's the oven, excuse me a moment." she then told her two children.
"Sure, Mom." Evie nodded.
"Okay, Mom." Henry agreed.
Regina smiled at them and soon went to the kitchen to finish her task in there as the Charming family would be visiting very soon.
"I hope Ms. Lotus and the others are having a Merry Christmas too." Evie said softly about the ones who stayed with Ms. Lotus such as Jay, Carlos, Carla, Gil, and Enid.
"I'm sure they will be." Henry assured her.
"I hope they like the gifts I got for them at least..." Evie said softly. "You know, Henry, I see friendship as a very important thing in anyone's life out in the world because, who'll be right there by you when you need it most when things are tough? I mean, I'm sure Dee Dee will always be there for you and you'll be there for her."
Henry nodded to that. "I'm sure they'll like them." he assured.
"You really ARE the best little brother I could ever ask for." Evie told Henry warmly and sincerely.
Henry gave Evie a hug. Evie hugged him back and gently stroked his back, enjoying their tender little moment. Regina poked out a little and gave a small, emotional smile, then headed back into the kitchen before they would see her. Henry smiled as he gave his big sister a gentle squeeze of a hug.
"Mm-mm!" Evie beamed as she squeezed him a bit back in the hug. "The best little brother ever~" she whispered sweetly.
Henry gave a small smile. "You're the best big sister a boy could ask for." he murmured back.
"Don't ever go away from me again." Evie said with a firm pout, though not angry of course.
"I'll try not to." Henry assured.
Evie gave him another hug and gently stroked his hair with a small smile. Henry smiled back. Regina then came out of the kitchen, drying her hands.
"You could've magicked up a feast." Evie pointed out to her mother.
"Oh, but where would the fun in that be?" Regina smirked.
"Besides, Mom's cooking is awesome." Henry agreed.
"I just wanted to make it easier for you, Mom." Evie admitted bashfully.
"You're so sweet, Evie," Regina said softly and nodded. "I think YOU are more likely to be fairest in the land than I'll ever be."
Henry gave a small smile to that. "Plus we did the rest of the tidying to make it easier on Mom." he reminded his sister.
"Yes, we did," Evie nodded. "We did an excellent job."
"You definitely did." Regina agreed.
Henry smiled a bit.
"Any cookies before dinner?" Regina offered.
"Ooh, we shouldn't, but... Maybe just one?" Evie wondered bashfully.
"One won't hurt." Henry assured, as a growing boy though his hunger wouldn't be affected by one cookie.
Regina beamed and nodded as she let them help themselves.
"Aw, what a lovely angel~" Evie smiled as she decided to pick that one off the tray.
"That tree has my name on it~" Henry chuckled as he picked one of the tree ones.
"I made them very special," Regina chuckled and nodded. "I just hope the others appreciate them."
Henry took a bite and then hummed. "They will, Mom." he assured.
Regina beamed warmly at that. "Okay, they should be here any minute now." she then said.
Evie nodded and then put on some Christmas music ambience to fit the mood and lift everyone's spirits.
The Charming family were on their way over to the Mills' house for what they agreed to do for Christmas this year.
Emma decided to be sisterly with Leo and tell him all about Christmas even though he was a baby and probably couldn't understand a thing she was saying and they soon came to a stoplight and she glanced out the window a moment. "...Neal?" she then murmured, seeing the man in town as he was with Goldie and Koda right now on their way to see Belle, Ben, and Gabrielle.
Mary Margaret smiled warmly as she heard Emma talking to Leo. She then blinked as she glanced back at her daughter and son, due to hearing her daughter stop and murmur something. She then followed her gaze a moment.
"Oh, it's Neal," David remarked. "...You okay, Emma?" he then asked out of concern.
"Yeah, it's just... I can't believe he's really here after we thought we lost him..." Emma admitted as she seemed to hide herself from being potentially by Neal or Goldie.
"Well, at least they look happy together." Mary Margaret said softly, sympathetic to her daughter but pleased for Neal too.
"Yes, they do," Emma nodded. "I hope they have a good one."
David looked soft, though Emma didn't seem to want to get up and get out of the car right away, so he kept them inside and then drove down the road once the light turned green again. Mary Margaret reached back and soothingly patted her daughter's knee.
Emma looked over and gave a small smile. "Thanks, Mom." she then said softly.
Mary Margaret gave her a soothing smile. Emma smiled back, though she sighed a little bit at seeing Neal, but tried not to let it get to her as they continued their way to the Mills mansion while everyone else celebrated the holiday in their own way today.
"It'll be okay," Mary Margaret assured Emma. "And if it wasn't for the fact he and Regina would snip at and argue with each other, I'm sure Killian would be joining us." she then soothed reminding her daughter she had someone too.
"Hopefully he and Harry can have their own happy holiday." Emma nodded.
"Ah, Merry Kissmas, Carla... I did not see you there..." Harry grinned as he was posing in the mirror and brought out his father's hook on his hand and had mistletoe dangling from it and was practicing wooing and impressing the girl with some mistletoe. "Ah, Carla, what a pleasant surprise, let me help you have a Merry KISSmas~"
"HARRY LIAM JONES, WHERE IS MY HOOK?!" Killian shouted suddenly, making the pirate teen very nervous.
Mary Margaret smiled to that. Emma smiled back a bit. David then began to pull up as they were there now. Mary Margaret unbuckled herself and got ready to let her daughter out of the back and also unhook her baby. Baby Leo looked up and beamed at Mary Margaret while Emma and David would manage on their own. Henry ate the cookie in a couple more bites and then went to get the door. Evie gave a small smile at that. Mary Margaret smiled to her son and lifted him out, holding him in her arms. David walked ahead of the others and decided to knock on the door.
"This is gonna be a lot of fun for you, buddy." Emma promised Baby Leo.
Henry came and opened the door. "Grandpa." he greeted warmly.
"Hey there, Henry!" David smiled warmly. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," Henry smiled back. "Please come in, shoes off in the hall." he chuckled as he stepped aside.
David nodded as he came inside through the door and began to remove his shoes as told.
"Hey, kid, what's up?" Emma greeted and smiled at Henry on the way inside as Baby Leo looked all around, amazed at the decorations at the Mills' mansion.
"Hey Ma, Merry Christmas." Henry greeted her with a warm smile and gave her a hug, careful not to squish his baby Uncle.
"Merry Christmas." Emma smiled, hugging him back as David came further inside.
"Come on in!" Evie beamed as she met David at the end of the hallway. "You're just in time to get settled and eat."
Henry smiled then let her go. "I'll hold Uncle Leo while you take your shoes off." he said, as he let her in.
Mary Margaret was patiently, waiting for her turn.
"Sure thing, be careful, kid." Emma nodded and reminded him.
Evie looked very soft and emotional at the sight of Baby Leo.
"Man, it smells great in here, doesn't it?" David asked Mary Margaret.
"Merry Christmas, Grandma, and I will, Ma." Henry assured as he hugged Mary Margaret quickly before carefully taking his uncle in his arms from his mother.
"Merry Christmas, Henry," Mary Margaret chuckled to Henry, gave him a squeeze in return before taking off her shoes and joining her husband. "It does~" she agreed.
Emma smiled softly and looked around. "Merry Christmas, Evie." she then said.
"Merry Christmas, Emma." Evie said with a small nod.
"Merry Christmas, one and all!" Regina announced as she came into the room, dressed in a stunning and sexy red dress that matched the apples in her tree and she appeared to even have a Santa hat on for affect.
Henry smiled and then glanced over he then turned around so Leo couldn't see.
"O-Oh, Regina, you look lovely," Mary Margaret said at first, as the woman wasn't a bad looker at all. "But that dress is a little bit... Short and skin showing for around young ones?" She said, her tone light, trying not to upset Regina as she didn't intend to do that.
"...Miss December, is that you?" Emma murmured.
"Oh, I guess this is for someone else," Regina said as she looked down. "Excuse me a moment while I get changed and wash the egg off my face."
"Sorry about that, guys." Evie told the others with a nervous smile while David was just wide-eyed and even blushing a little.
Mary Margaret noticed her husband's look and, though she knew he wouldn't stray, nudged him in the side.
"Erm, sorry," David said and smiled sheepishly. "You know YOU are my true love."
Henry coughed a little but not in an illness way, he was trying to hide his embarrassment though not in a bad way he just wasn't expecting his mom to be wearing that kind of outfit.
"Bless you, Henry," Evie said to the cough. "Would you and anyone else, like literally anyone in the room, right now this very second like a drink?" she then offered in a very clumsy way.
"Ah, yes, let's get comfortable and familiar until Regina comes back." Emma added.
"Let's go set up in the living room ready for after dinner?" Henry suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea," Evie nodded before giggling and tickling Baby Leo. "Are you gonna help?"
Baby Leo giggled in response and smiled warmly at Evie as she was very sweet and friendly to anyone who earned it. Regina soon came back down, still wearing the hat but had a more tasteful and cordial dress on than she had on before. Henry let Evie take Leo.
"Just not around any hot drinks." Mary Margaret advised Evie. She then smiled at Regina as that looked better.
Evie carefully held onto Leo and smiled at him. "Hey there, little..." she then said, though paused, unsure what to call him and soon made herself overthink it a bit too much. "...Snow White is my step-sister... Prince Charming is my step-brother-in-law... Henry is little brother and-"
"Evie, calm down, you can call him nephew as that is the largest link he has to you." Henry soothed his sister.
"Hello there, little nephew." Evie then finally said once she was able to calm her mind down.
"Nice save, kid." Emma whispered to Henry.
Henry smiled to Emma.
"Is this better?" Regina asked Mary Margaret, sounding deadpan all of a sudden.
"Yes, you look lovely now too, just more suitable for little eyes~" Mary Margaret assured warmly.
"Thank you..." Regina said with a nod before she gave a sincere smile. "And thank you for coming."
"Sure! Anything for family." David nodded.
"Thank you for agreeing to a joint family Christmas." Mary Margaret smiled warmly.
"Yes, it seemed like a wonderful idea," Regina smiled back before she looked down a little. "I was just hoping to share the tradition with another someone too."
"So, who's thirsty?" Evie asked as she held onto Baby Leo.
"Me." Emma said with a small chuckle.
"I am." Henry nodded.
"Could I have a juice please?" Mary Margaret requested. She then gave Regina a soft look and came over to her and squeezed her arm softly.
"Apple or peach?" Evie asked Mary Margaret.
"Peach please." Mary Margaret replied.
Evie nodded as she went to get everyone some drinks.
"Do you need any help, Regina?" Emma offered.
"That's okay, we can handle most of everything," Regina reassured. "All you should have to do is sit back, relax, and make yourselves at home."
"Well, these decorations at least get me in the spirit of a holiday I feel like was gone too long in our world." David remarked as he looked all over the red and green everywhere in the mansion as well as homemade decorations.
Mary Margaret gave a smile.
Henry popped his head into the kitchen a moment. "I'll help everyone get settled then I'll come help you carry the drinks." he told his sister.
"Thanks, Henry, that sounds great." Evie nodded as she went into the kitchen a moment.
David soon sat down on a chair by the fireplace.
"Make yourselves at home." Regina advised the Charming family.
"Thank you, Regina." Mary Margaret smiled.
"Of course." Regina smiled back.
Henry then came to help get the Charmings/Swan side of his family settled in.
"I really love these decorations." David said as he looked around. "You must've used a spellbook or something."
Mary Margaret smiled warmly then went into the living room
"No, we just all pitched in." Henry told David.
Emma came along as well, smiling warmly.
"Well, it's nicely done." David smiled proudly.
"Thank you so much for this," Regina said to their visitors. "I feel like this is just what we all need to get back on our feet after our last adventure together."
"I do too, and maybe it'll be the start of a new tradition?" Mary Margaret smiled and then offered as a suggestion.
"Well, I suppose we could do that if we can still do Christmas again after this year." Regina replied thoughtfully.
"I'm sure North could have that happen," David suggested. "He seems to be on good terms with us after what happened with Anna, Elsa, and Elwin at least, even if it probably killed... Ingrid." he then added since that was what he was meant to believe after the events of Anna and Elsa being in Storybrooke.
"And Christmas is supposed to happen every year anyway." Henry pointed out though softening a bit as he knew Emma was a bit more involved around the Ingrid thing since they knew each other while Emma was younger.
"Yeah, that's true," Emma agreed. "It was amazing over there, but I kinda like it better here because... Family is over here."
"And we're glad you're here too." David nodded as he gently squeezed her hand.
Henry nodded with a smile.
"This shall forever be my favorite Christmas ever." Emma announced.
"That's quite a relief to know and hear." Evie commented as she brought in a glass of juice for Mary Margaret.
"Thank you, Evie." Mary Margaret smiled. She gave Emma an even warmer smile.
"You're welcome," Evie smiled back. "Food will be sorted out very soon, we just hope you're hungry."
"Yeah, not sure how much I can hold on for." Emma nodded.
"Don't worry, it won't be long now." Regina reassured them as she checked the time.
Mary Margaret smiled. She then took a sip of juice before holding her arms out to accept her baby back.
"I think someone missed you a little." Evie told Mary Margaret gently as she nuzzled her cheek against Baby Leo's who smiled brightly at her before looking back at his mommy.
"Thank you for holding him a little." Mary Margaret smiled warmly to Evie, accepting her son back.
"Thank you for letting me," Evie smiled back. "It felt very nice."
Baby Leo smiled warmly at Evie before looking back at his mommy softly.
"Of course, and if you want to earn a little money maybe you could babysit him for us, if we have to leave him home?" Mary Margaret suggested.
"Oh, I thought Granny or Goldie were babysitting for you guys?" Evie replied.
"Evie, it's free money, go for it." Emma whispered playfully.
"Well, we do call Granny or Goldie when we can, but you don't have to do it if you don't want to." David reassured the bluenette girl.
"We do, but they aren't always available as you aren't always either," Mary Margaret told her. "But this way you get a little extra cash," she told her. "But yes, you don't have to agree." she nodded.
"Well, I think I would love to actually," Evie smiled. "I'm not sure if I'm fully a baby person, but I'm sure that I was pretty good with Henry back in the day."
"From what I remember, even during the curse, you were a wonderful sister to Henry." Mary Margaret assured.
"Oh, well, thank you," Evie beamed warmly. "Then I would be glad to look after young Prince Leo for you both."
"Prince Leo might be pushing it, but thanks, Evie." David chuckled and added.
Mary Margaret smiled warmly.
"All right, everyone, dinner is served." Regina soon told everyone.
"Ah, great!" Emma said, relieved. "We're starving, we haven't eaten since Granny's."
Mary Margaret smiled to that.
Henry led the procession and decided to pull out the chairs for Emma, Evie, and Regina to be nice. Regina led everyone into the dining room and soon pointed out everything to eat aside her roast turkey that looked absolutely scrumptious. "Thank you, hon." she told Henry warmly.
"Thanks, kid." Emma added.
"Ah, yes, thank you, Henry," Evie smiled. "You just might be one of the next princes of Storybrooke yet."
Henry gave a small but pleased smile. Regina smiled at everyone and began to roast the turkey as everyone took their seats together. Evie helped bring out drinks since her hands were empty right now. Mary Margaret gave a small smile as she put Leo down in the baby seat they had brought from the car so they could eat in peace, especially since Leo was too young for a high chair or even sitting on Mary Margaret's lap as they ate. Henry helped out too. Evie looked soft as she helped with what she could.
"I just hope everyone's okay with this dinner." Regina said.
"It's more than okay, Regina, really." Emma reassured her.
"It looks lovely and I know it will taste it too." Mary Margaret smiled.
Regina gave a small smile back.
Soon, everyone had their own plate of food, something to drink, and somewhere to sit as they began to have a special Mills/Charming family Christmas dinner together.
"This is the most beautiful snowfall I've seen since..." David remarked as he glanced out the window before looking at his wife. "Well, since I saved YOU, my dear."
Mary Margaret blushed softly a bit to that. "You were partly reason I fell~" she told him, but was meaning both the playfully figurative and the literal ways.
"Well, it had to be done, but we're okay now~" David reassured her with a chuckle.
Mary Margaret smiled warmly to that. David smiled back and soon got ready to dine for everyone.
"It's so nice to have family together for dinner." Regina remarked.
Henry had a small smirk as that reminded him of a film.
"Yes, this is our best get together yet." Evie agreed.
Mary Margaret took a bite of the food. "Delicious~" she beamed to Regina.
Everyone else began to dine in as well as they could. Unknown to them though, North was watching this from the window as it gently snowed outside in Storybrooke and he felt very happy to see that and began to drop off very special gifts for everyone in town, but the descendants would receive very special gifts of their own too very soon. Henry smiled happily, glad he had suggested the idea.
"Should we do a quick prayer?" Regina wondered.
"Who do we pray to, Mother Goose?" Emma asked playfully until she decided not to laugh. "...okay, you know what? If I say that, you'll just say Mother Goose was like your Mother Theresa or something."
"I hear she has a grown daughter named Plumette." David smirked playfully.
"We can say it in the spirit of the holiday." Henry said.
"Well, all right, I guess we'll pray to Mother Goose." Emma said.
"Very well then..." Regina nodded. "Perhaps I should lead us."
Henry smiled to that.
"It is your house." Mary Margaret agreed.
Regina nodded and soon had everyone join hands in prayer.
"All right, it's Christmas..." Evie nodded and took hands with everyone else so that they could do a quick prayer.
Henry smiled and also did the same, closing his eyes. Mary Margaret smiled and closed her eyes too.
Regina smiled at that and soon did a prayer for everyone at the table, thanking them for their company and for this day being possible. "In your name we all pray, Amen." she then finished.
"Amen." Everyone else responded and opened their eyes so that they could eat up.
"Ahm!" Baby Leo babbled out.
Henry chuckled to that. Mary Margaret chuckled too, amused by her son's babble trying to copy the word. Regina smiled tenderly at that and soon, everyone began to dine into their dinner. Henry happily ate his dinner, as it was delicious. Evie beamed, enjoying her dinner the most. Regina smiled, enjoying this family feel, though she sighed softly since Robin Hood was gone and she had a very hard time recovering from it. Mary Margaret looked softly to Regina. Regina looked back over and tried to maintain a strong smile while within company. Mary Margaret gave a soothing smile.
Regina smiled back a little. "I'm fine, don't worry about me, I have them." she then whispered and reassured her as she looked over at Henry and Evie softly.
"Yes, and you have us too." Mary Margaret assured.
"Yes... I suppose I do..." Regina admitted quietly.
Mary Margaret smiled softly to that. Regina smiled back a bit as they enjoyed their festivities all together. North soon worked his magic and began to sneak gifts all throughout Storybrooke.
Even young Dee Dee was shown to be sitting by the chimney, hugging her knees as she was hoping to see "Santa Claus up close".
"Come on, Diamond, it's time for our family dinner." Leroy told the pigtailed girl, going to pull her away.
"The stories do say Santa won't come to awake children, or at the very least when children are staring for his arrival," Nova said.
"Aww..." Dee Dee pouted and soon went to the dining room with them along with the other dwarves, and of course, Doug and Ebony.
"Come on, let's eat up." Leroy chuckled as he helped her out a little as they left the living room.
Nova smiled as she finished laying down one of the serving plates.
"Thanks for coming, you guys," Leroy said to his fellow dwarves. "Dee Dee and Nova appreciate it."
Dopey smiled silently with a nod as he agreed while looking eager to have some sugarplums right away, smirking at Dee Dee playfully.
"No, Uncle Dopey! Those are for dessert!" Dee Dee giggled.
"Desserrrrt after dinner~" Ebony told Dopey with a slight purr to her Rs in dessert.
Dopey blushed and then nodded and nuzzled her to say "You're right, my dear".
"This has been the best Christmas ever~" Dee Dee told everyone as she felt blessed to be a part of this.
Nova smiled warmly to Dee Dee. Ebony gave a sweet smile to her husband.
"Can I say something at least?" Dee Dee wondered.
Dopey smiled back and took her hand gently as Ebony purred and squeezed his hand softly. Dopey smiled fondly and leaned his face against hers to nuzzle with her.
"What would you like to say?" Nova smiled.
"I wanna thank everyone for coming!" Dee Dee beamed. "This is the best Christmas in Storybrooke ever!"
Nova smiled sweetly and pressed a kiss to her daughter's cheek.
Ebony nuzzled him back. "It is~" she agreed warmly.
Dee Dee beamed.
"I, uh, thank you so much for coming, guys." Leroy said to his brothers.
"We know, Grumpy, we're family!" Happy pointed out.
"Thank you for inviting us, Uncle Leroy." Doug told the older guy.
"Certainly!" Leroy nodded. "In fact, it was Dee Dee's idea."
"I just thought it would make sense for the seven dwarves to be together for the holiday," Dee Dee nodded and added. "You too, Dougie~"
Nova smiled.
"Thank you for inviting me and my kitten too~" Ebony smiled to Dee Dee warmly.
"Well, we are family." Doug smiled a bit.
"Thank you for coming!" Dee Dee beamed. "I'm glad you're all here."
The other dwarves clamored and agreed in their own way.
"I'm glad to be here too." A tiny voice said, making everyone look around until Bashful blushed and waved, basically saying that he was the one to say it.
"Next to Dopey, Bashful don't really say much." Leroy commented to Nova, amazed.
Nova smiled softly to that. "Christmas spirit?" she whispered warmly.
"Maybe?" Leroy shrugged. "Stranger things have happened."
"Like Uncle Dopey falling in love with a cat girl?" Dee Dee remarked. "What's up with that anyway?"
Dopey blushed a little as Dee Dee said that rather bluntly as she was a bit childlike at her age and mostly being naive and innocent in most situations.
"Dee Dee, sweetheart, that's not really polite to ask." Nova told her.
Ebony looked at Dee Dee to that. "Love isn't strange." she said to the first bit.
"Oh, sorry~" Dee Dee said sheepishly.
"They'll tell you another time, Diamond, but love is just love," Leroy reassured her. "Even if it means breaking some rules." he then whispered since he and Nova were told not to be together even though they stayed together right now to raise Dee Dee and didn't listen to The Blue Fairy/Mother Superior about it for once.
Nova nodded to that with a smile.
"Merry Christmas, everyone." Leroy said as he lifted up his glass as they had their own family holiday.
North was making his rounds around Storybrooke, delivering special gifts to them this year, though he felt surprised at the names a on a list he had. "Man, this little town is a lot bigger than it looks! Maybe I should've taken up Trixie's offer in asking that skeleton guy from The Halloween Realm for assistance." he then commented.
"Merry Christmas~" came the reply.
Leroy smiled at that and everyone took a sip of their own drink.
North soon sat on a bench just as another young couple waltzed by.
"It sure is nice to witness a moment like this, Elizabeth." The man said kindly to the woman with him, smiling bright and having a spring in his step.
"Yes it is, Fred my darling." Elizabeth agreed softly with a smile.
North looked over at them and chuckled. "Well, I'll be..." he then said.
"We've always had Christmas cheer and our new home has finally provided it for us." Fred beamed.
"Yes, it's been even better since Uncle Scrooge gave his blessing for us to marry~" Elizabeth nodded with a soft smile.
"I'm just glad that Clara understood and even found her own happy ending at least." Fred replied.
"Merry Christmas, folks." North told them.
"Oh, thank you!" Fred beamed. "Merry Christmas to you too-" he then added until he looked and did a double take. "Elizabeth, it's Father Christmas!" he then said in astonishment.
Elizabeth blinked in surprise but then smiled. "Merry Christmas, sir." she told the older gentleman warmly.
"Yes, yes! Merry Christmas to you indeed!" Fred gushed. "This is such an honor!"
"Whoa, I've never had fans like you before, usually that's for the children." North chuckled, amused by their excitement.
"Well, sir, Christmas is a special time for us, and getting to meet you; the Guardian of Christmas, it's such an honor." Elizabeth smiled.
"Well, I'm honored to meet you as well," North nodded. "Let's see... Fred and Elizabeth Marley?" he then asked them.
"Yes," Fred nodded as he tipped his hat in greeting. "Nephew and only living relative of Mr. Ebeneezer Scrooge and my darling Elizabeth Marley, daughter of Jacob and niece of Robert."
Elizabeth nodded to that and bobbed a quick curtsey, not totally forgetting her Victorian manners.
"Would you folks like to help an old man out?" North asked. "I didn't realize giving Christmas to Storybrooke would be such a big job and I thought I'd save the others some trouble, especially Jack Frost."
"Well, I suppose we could help spread Christmas cheer," Fred replied. "Would you be okay with that, Elizabeth?" he then asked his beloved.
"Spreading the Christmas cheer sounds wonderful~" Elizabeth nodded.
"Well, thank you," North nodded in return. "I thought I could count on you two out of anyone else in this town. Have you always been here?" he then wondered.
"Oh, we've been around, but... It's not like home around here a whole lot," Fred admitted with a small shrug. "Uncle Scrooge isn't here, our friends aren't here, most of the time this town is under attack by a supernatural force and it's up to teenagers to solve the problem somehow."
"Them or Emma Swan and her family." Elizabeth nodded.
"Well, I suppose that makes sense," North admitted with a nod. "Tell you what, you guys help me more around here for the holiday and I'll see what I can do to make it up to you?" he then offered.
"Oh, we couldn't impose like that." Fred said bashfully.
"We'd be happy to help you, simply because it's Christmas not because of any potential gain," Elizabeth said to that. "Right, my darling?" she asked Fred, knowing he would feel the same but it was always nice to have him confirm her words.
"Of course!" Fred replied. "We don't need a reward in return, the good deed is good enough!"
"Well, all right, knock yourselves out," North shrugged and decided to take a break. "Just make sure no one sees you~"
Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "We won't be." she assured.
"Well, thank you for your help," North smiled back. "This is very important for the next generation of Storybrooke."
"And I guess in a way, we are that too." Fred remarked to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth smiled to that and nodded. North soon handed them a couple of lists and his magical bag filled with plenty of presents for everyone in Storybrooke.
Fred accepted them and was about to go on his way with Elizabeth. "Let's see, how shall we travel through town, my dear?" he then wondered.
"Maybe since it's Christmas I should use my powers?" Elizabeth offered with a small smile.
"Oh, I think that would help us nicely," Fred nodded before facing North. "She has special powers, you see."
"Doesn't everyone in this town?" North joked.
"Mine were given to me by one of the spirits under your purview." Elizabeth gave a soft smile. She then offered her hand to her husband.
"Well said then, my true love~" Fred nodded and then took his wife's hand tenderly. "Let's go spread Christmas cheer to Storybrooke."
Elizabeth smiled sweetly. She then floated up and flew with Fred to deliver all the rest of the presents to help North. Luckily only North would see them currently. North watched them and soon did what he could to take a quick rest due to Storybrooke being bigger than he imagined and didn't even ask for his elves to come and decided to let them take time off until next year and this would be another place on their global epedition.
"Whoooo!" Fred cheered and laughed as he loved how this felt as they helped out North in his time of need as Elizabeth giggled.
After dinner at the Mills' mansion, everyone relaxed in the living room with a movie. There was a lot of laughter heard as Elizabeth and Fred soared throughout the town.
"My word! That child is home alone!" Fred gasped as he peeked into one of the windows.
Elizabeth looked to see who he was on about. Fred gestured for her to come to his side and pointed the movie out to her. Mary Margaret was putting Leo down for a nap. There appeared to be a child that was, indeed, home alone and was determined to keep a couple of burglars away since it was the holiday season.
"Kevin McCallister is definitely Henry from the 90s." Evie remarked.
"Yeah, remind us never to mess with him in that case or hog all the cheese pizza." David chuckled.
Elizabeth hummed thoughtfully.
"I don't think I'd be quite as ruthless but I would defend my home." Henry chuckled.
"You would have a very smart way to do it," Evie reassured him with a nod. "Even if I got kidnapped by Harry and Marv."
"How sweet~" Regina smiled at that warmly.
Henry nodded to that. Evie smiled warmly and put her arm around her little brother before they both looked at the screen and laughed as Harry and Marv tried to run after Kevin only to step on and fell right on the floor after tripping on tiny racecars. Henry leaned into her hug, resting his head against her shoulder in a brotherly way. Evie smiled warmly at that as they continued to watch the movie with their extended family that year. Mary Margaret returned to the others, having thought Leo was settled in after having settled him down for a nap.
"How could anyone leave a child home alone?" Fred frowned at Elizabeth as he took that a bit too seriously. "Even for entertainment that they all seem to be laughing at."
"I don't know, but I'm sure they wouldn't have done it on purpose." Elizabeth soothed him.
"Hmm..." Fred paused before he shook his head. "Right, focus on the task at hand. Dammit, Fred Scrooge, you're becoming naive and innocent again!" he then pouted, trying to look firm and serious.
"I love you, Fred Scrooge... All of you~" Elizabeth smiled tenderly. She then brought him inside to drop off the presents without being seen.
Fred blinked and blushed. "I love you too, my darling Elizabeth Marley, you're a TRUE Christmas Angel~" he then reassured her and came along with her.
Baby Leo laid down in his crib and peeked over a little while everyone else was in the living room watching the movie after dinner. Elizabeth blushed but smiled sweetly. Leo giggled and cooed at them, trying to reach out a bit.
"Baby Leo..." Fred read one name out loud and smiled. "Aww, they have a little one~"
Elizabeth looked over at him too and smiled. Leo held onto his bars and cooed in wonder over the two. Fred smiled fondly at that and decided to put the gift close to the crib before he blinked and saw that he and Leo were looking into each other's eyes.
Elizabeth smiled softly. "Young children can see the unexpected," she said softly. She then sweetly and carefully laid Leo comfy and retucked him in. "Sleep, little one~" she crooned.
Leo smiled back before he yawned a little and began to drift off to sleep.
"Ah, the restful slumber of the innocence..." Fred sighed warmly and looked all around before he and Elizabeth would leave here and go to other places that would need gifts.
Elizabeth beamed and then went along with her beloved, so they could help North deliver the presents. Fred smiled at her and they soon continued along all throughout Storybrooke while North would take a bit of a break, enjoying the sights and sounds of the town.
"Leo, okay?" David asked her gently.
"Yes, he's having his nap." Mary Margaret smiled.
"Oh, good..." David nodded.
Mary Margaret sat beside him and tucked herself into his side. David smiled warmly as he allowed that. Regina glanced over at them, but said nothing as she just decided to keep her mind on the movie right now.
"We did it, Jadis..." North whispered to himself. "Now if only there was a way to save Mickey."
Notes:
Thank you for joining me and this series in a little Christmas adventure before we get into this story arc which will bring back Mal along with Uma and of course their mother's and Carlos' mother as well, but there's one extra Queen of Darkness that no one has expected. Can you figure out who that might be? Stay tuned and find out more, until next time *mysterious whooshing noises and wiggling fingers*
Chapter 4: Darkness at the Edge of Town
Chapter Text
The Forbidden Fortress. It was a very exclusive, hidden... well, forbidden mountain that had a castle which was home to a certain wicked fairy which was given to her from her own mother before her after the agonizing and bitter taste of defeat and now it was up to her daughter to try to live up to the legacy her mother laid out for her and soon she would do the same with her own children. A woman who was obviously from the sea had come by and knocked out a guard before he could see her with one of her tentacles and she appeared to be carrying a sound asleep baby inside of a sling against her chest.
"Stop," A voice demanded, making the sea woman stop in her tracks and she was faced by another woman who looked unhappy with her. "Just who the hell might you be?"
The sea woman glowered and sent her tentacles out to grab a hold of the woman, but she held out a scepter to prevent it, so the tentacles got tangled in that. "Ursula. But you can call me Your Majesty."
"I don't bow down to fish." The dark woman scoffed as she held her scepter as strongly as she could.
"Who are you?" Ursula soon wondered as they tried to fight each other.
"I'm the person whose valet you either knocked out, strangled, or tried to impregnate," The horned woman retorted. "I don't know what those tentacles are for.
"We were invited here. What's your excuse?" Ursula retorted and demanded.
"We?" The dragon woman retorted.
"Yes..." Ursula nodded as she showed the sling for a brief moment to show the baby girl sleeping inside. "My little seastar, Uma. You will remember her name."
"Uma? Really?" The dragon woman smirked.
"Because she's number one and it was that or Uliana." Ursula smirked back.
"Well, this is mine and my own little dragon's home." The woman retorted, grunting a bit.
"So why did you send for us?" Ursula demanded.
"Believe me, I did not send for you." The dragon woman countered.
"Then what-" Ursula began to ask only for them to hear barking dogs and there appeared to be two Dalmatian puppies and one of them had a red ribbon on its head.
Both women braced themselves with their scepter and tentacle only for a third woman to come out and stop that. The Dalmatian puppies barked louder and louder as they came closer, but they weren't going to attack or bite at least.
"I wouldn't do that," The mysterious woman advised as she stepped forward. "Don't worry. They don't eat fish or dragon. Unless I tell them to," she then got down on her hands and knees and breathed some sort of green mist from her throat to calm down the dogs. "Thank you, my darlings. A wonderful job. I'll take it from here. Now who's gonna tell me what in the Hell I'm doing in this ghastly place?" she then added and demanded.
"Lovely question, because this 'ghastly place' is my home, and I didn't ask for any visitors." The dragon woman countered, mocking her for referring to her home in such a way.
"I received specific instructions." The thin and bony woman defended.
"As did I." Ursula added.
"I don't care. You're trespassing," The dragon woman glared at both of them. "And do you know what I do with trespassers?"
"Don't even think it." Ursula glared sternly.
"Hello, um, could someone tell me why I'm here?" A fourth woman asked as she stepped over to see what was going on.
"I hate surprise parties," The dragon woman glared. "That's it, I'm going to grind all of your bones to make bread for me and my little dragon."
"Now, now, ladies. Don't tear each other apart," A certain man advised as he stepped in from the shadows. "I need you all in one piece... Or rather, four pieces."
"Rumplestiltskin. It was you." The dragon woman glared once she realized what was going on.
"Guilty." Rumple smirked as he bowed before the four women.
"Someone wanna tell me why I left the sea for this?" Ursula asked with a scoff.
"Oh, yes. The reason for this little tete-a-tete-a-tete... A-tete... We all have something in common, apart from mutual distaste," Rumple explained. "We're villains. And it's time the villains got their happy endings as we owe it to the stories told before us."
All of the women looked curious and thoughtful about that.
There was then suddenly the faint crying of a baby heard, causing the dragon woman to sigh. "Please excuse me and make yourselves at home." she then told the others wearily.
The women looked at each other then and soon Rumple brought out what appeared to be his own baby who glanced curiously at his surroundings.
Everyone then met up in the lounge area to sit down and talk as the dragon woman brought out a purple-haired baby who had been crying until she waved her hand, making a bottle appear, and then she put it in the baby's mouth to "shut her up".
"Now then, this happy ending shenanigan you're promising us, can you really do that?" The woman with the dogs known as Cruella asked Rumple once they came to discuss what just happened. "Are you really that powerful?"
"Yeah, he's powerful, but not that powerful." The dragon woman stated as she seemed to know.
"No one is." The frizzy haired woman remarked.
"Love how you underestimate me," Rumple remarked as he set the baby boy down on the floor so that he could crawl around. "Adorable.
"What exactly are you offering, Shortstuff?" Cruella demanded.
"Only the answer to all your prayers." Rumple reassured them.
"I'm not exactly the religious sort." Cruella replied.
"Shocked." Rumple teased and smirked.
Cruella glowered from her seat and walked right toward the impish man, looking right down at him to make eye contact. "Look. I was quite content with my life until I received this summons, and I do not appreciate being dragged around on false promises." she then snarled.
"Nothing false about it, dearie," Rumple reassured as he pointed to all of the women surrounding him. "I know exactly what you want, and you, and you, and especially you."
"Really?" Maleficent scoffed.
"Really," Rumple nodded and confirmed. "But don't worry. I'm not one to betray trusts, so your secrets can remain your own. What I will share is what we all have in common... A desire for happiness. A desire to do what villains can never do. To win, especially for future generations. And I'm here to show you how, together."
"Even if we would work together, no spell known to man or woman can do what you're saying." The frizzy-haired woman remarked.
"Of course not, dearie, but we're not looking for a spell. We're looking for a curse. A dark curse," Rumple reassured and faced all of the women. "One that, if you help procure it, can get each and every one of you exactly what you want... Your... Happy... Ending."
"Where do we have to go and what do we have to do?" The frizzy-haired woman demanded urgently. "I must know what happened to-"
"Why don't you just come with me and we'll see what further we can do?" Rumple suggested as he scooped up the wandering baby boy who looked at the purple-haired girl who was currently being fed and she glanced back at him thoughtfully.
The four women looked at each other and knew that this would take some time and trust.
"The curse resides here... Bald Mountain. It's protected by a variety of lethal magic obstacles..." Rumple was heard saying as he brought the women to a special location with him and the infant he brought with him, carrying a lit torch in his other hand. "Obstacles that suit your very specific talents. Blood scarabs. The only thing stronger than their venom is their bloodlust. Cruella, I believe with your powers of persuasion they'll be as harmless as puppy dogs."
The woman smirked, knowing exactly what to do as she approached one of the insects and breathed the strange green mist on it that smelled about as pleasant as cigarette smoke. "I've got a little job for you, darling. Now run along and tell the others." she requested from the bug in her hand before it skittered away and went to do what was asked of it.
Once that bug left, it spread the message from Cruella and soon they all disappeared, opening the door for them.
"That's how it's done, darlings." Cruella boasted after using her special skill as they then walked through the door to the next level.
"The dark curse... darker than The Queen of Spades in Wonderland," Rumple told the women as he was about to throw the baby in his arm until the baby whined and fussed as though trying to tell him something. "Oh, I'm sorry about that, son, I forgot you were here a moment," he then told the infant before tossing the torch into the fire to make the flame bigger. "Fire. Forged from the breath of dragons hotter than a flock of Firebirds. Maleficent, I believe this is your area of expertise." he then signaled the dragon woman.
Maleficent nodded as she soon approached the fire and made it stand big and tall as she raised her arm in the air, allowing the fire to embrace both her and the infant in her own arms. Rumple's infant seemed concerned about the baby girl with Maleficent, but no one else appeared to be. They both soon sucked in the fire, dousing it out right away. The frizzy-haired woman was about to approach the baby girl as she felt the need to be concerned about her.'
"I'm fine, Cassandra, back off," Maleficent scoffed at the woman before she scoffed at Rumple next due to what she had to do. "Next time, maybe something challenging."
"And now... Ursula... If you don't mind." Rumple then signaled once the fire was out of the way and there was an orb standing in the distance.
Ursula smirked as she held her baby girl in both her arms and lashed out her tentacles to grab the orb and handed it to the impish man. "Is this what you're looking for?" she asked slyly.
"Indeed~" Rumple grinned, accepting the orb.
The baby boy soon oohed at the orb and was about to try to put it in his mouth.
"Now, now, that's not a bedknob~" Rumple tutted and advised as he kept the orb away from him and began to take his leave as the mountain rumbled.
"What the hell?" Maleficent murmured.
"What is going on?" Cruella added.
"I'm leaving with my prize. And you? Uh, you're about to die. I forgot to mention there's one more thing guarding the curse," Rumple told the women. "The Chernabog... An ancient demon that feeds on evil. It seeks out the heart with the greatest potential for darkness and devours it. That's why I really needed you four. Adieu."
"What?! You said you would help reunite me with the one I lost all those years ago!" Cassandra cried out and demanded. "We had a deal!"
"You can't go back on a deal with Rumplestiltskin but Rumplestiltskin can go back on a deal with you~" Rumple teased and giggled as he left with the baby boy in his arm as he watched the women along with the children they had brought with them.
The puppy dogs beside Cruella whimpered and whined before they seemed to briefly flash with the collars around their necks and resembled a pair of human children who were very scared and nervous right now.
Suddenly, Ben's hazel eyes flashed open after the annoying ringing sound and he looked over, slamming his hand down on his alarm clock on the nightstand beside him. "What a weirdly specific dream sequence..." he murmured to himself.
"Benjamin! Gabrielle! Breakfast!" Belle called out.
"Oh, boy!" Ben smiled and soon rushed out of bed to get some breakfast and start his day along with everyone else in Storybrooke.
"So, any plans besides going back to school today?" Belle asked as she shared some homemade french toast with Ben and Gabrielle while the brown-haired boy gave Oliver his own breakfast.
"Well, Sophie's actually gonna come into school today." Ben remarked.
"Sophie?" Belle wondered thoughtfully. "Do I know her mother?"
"I don't think so, Mom, Sophie's kind of a mystery kid in Storybrooke, but she said she would like to help bring back Jane's mom and the other fairies." Ben shrugged before he came back over to the table to sit down and eat his breakfast.
"And I'm gonna hang out with kids like Felicity Forte and Claire Cadenza." Gabrielle added.
"Well, I hope that goes well for you both," Belle remarked and nodded. "Captain Jones and I will try to do what we can in the library to help the fairies too."
"I just hope Jane's okay..." Gabrielle commented. "Where's she staying anyway?"
"With Ms. Lotus and the others who are staying with her too," Ben explained. "Carlos offered to have her stay for a while."
"Somehow, I think I know why~" Gabrielle whispered and giggled as she had a sneaking suspicion.
The family then tucked into their breakfast before they would start a brand new day in Storybrooke.
Everyone was attempting to go back to their lives and the way things were after the defeat of Ingrid and the banishment of Mr. Gold. Also, of course, the Christmas celebration that everyone was awarded with as a thank you from The Guardians of Childhood. Things were different in Storybrooke as well beyond that and one of the new classes in school was Introduction by Magic taught by none other than John Darling as he stayed in town along with his siblings in an attempt to adjust to new lives after their infamous adventures in Neverland with Peter Pan. In the Mayor office, Regina was unpacking her stuff. She suddenly burnt Mary Margaret's bluebird picture, enjoying watching it slowly burn. At the Charming family's loft, Evie was looking after Baby Leo to try it out. Emma said goodbye to her brother and left until she joined Killian and they met Belle at the library.
Ben was in the school library along with Sophie, looking more and more frustrated. "Oh, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot." he then grunted and complained, slamming his hands on the table and sighed sharply.
"Sounds serious," Sophie commented about how Ben reacted. "In an Archie Andrews kind of way."
"Six weeks and nothing," Ben complained as he sounded very unhappy. "They're still trapped inside that stupid hat."
"Whoa, 'stupid'? Sheesh, Ben, you taking lessons from those Isle of the Lost kids in Neverland?" Sophie replied.
"Sophie, please, this is hard enough already..." Ben retorted wearily as he looked back at her. "We can't figure something out, Mom can't figure something out..." he then listed and reminded her.
"Look, we just have to keep at it, okay? But we will find a spell to release the fairies," Sophie reminded him. "I mean, these translations are difficult and your mom's reached out to some of the finest minds in the world, and one of them will get back to us. I know it."
"I guess so..." Ben sighed. "I mean, at least Nova and Tinkerbell were spared."
"And Jane." Sophie added.
"Yes, Jane too, my dad always says miracles do happen..." Ben nodded before he sighed a bit. "Oh, Dad..."
Sophie looked back at Ben in slight concern.
"Dad, did you even love me? Love Mom?" Ben mused softly as he glanced out the window. "...we should've seen right through you."
"Your dad loves you and your mom, Ben, and even your new sister and cat." Sophie reassured him.
"Sometimes I'm not so sure..." Ben shrugged. "...I don't even know if I know what love even is..."
"Ben..." Sophie said softly as she looked at him. "Your father loves you, he may have his issues, but he does love you."
"He always gave me tough love over the years..." Ben sighed and nodded. "I know he loves and cares about me, but it hasn't been easy and there's also stuff going on with Audrey."
"...Do you wanna talk about it?" Sophie asked.
"...no, at least, not right now," Ben sighed softly. "Let's try to keep looking, okay?"
"Well, all right..." Sophie shrugged and nodded. "Why don't we try the internet?"
Ben merely hummed at that before shrugging and they went over to the nearest computer.
"I know you had problems with your dad and even your mother did too, but he did love you." Sophie reassured Ben as best as she could.
"And, uh, now he's gone from our lives forever," Ben said softly. 'Like Mal,' he added in his head. "Yeah, I... I just, I uh... I just hope he's found whatever it is he's looking for." he added aloud to Sophie.
Evie continued to babysit Leo, soon putting the baby boy down for a nap. She then flinched as her phone suddenly vibrated and she went to leave the room quickly and quietly so Leo wouldn't wake up from the loud buzzing sound and went to the bathroom to have more privacy. "Hello?"
"Evie, Sophie thinks she found a way to free the fairies." Ben said urgently on the phone.
"Really? Are you sure?" Evie asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah, Mom found some sorta spell from an ancient language and there's a ceremony that needs to go on." Ben explained.
"So, are we gonna have some kinda Free the Fairies Day then?" Evie wondered.
"We might, it includes a ceremony and we'll need to get Jane involved too of course." Ben nodded and then added.
"Well, at least there's one silver lining in that cloud." Evie said, sounding proud and relieved.
Meanwhile, into the woods, everyone was gathered including Jane very obviously while Carlos stood beside her as well as Dude.
"Here." Belle told Regina, handing the woman the dagger that would be needed to complete this.
"You got it?" Emma asked the dark-haired woman.
Regina: I got it," Regina nodded. "Are you ready, Jane?"
"Just remember, I'm still training," Jane remarked. "I'm going to be a fairy godmother someday."
"You'll be a wonderful one." Carlos reassured her.
"Thanks, Carlos." Jane smiled at him, though she didn't look 100% happy.
Regina and Jane soon both came together while everyone else backed up away from them. Regina used the dagger and her own magic on the great hat of Yen Sid and Jane helped out with her own magic wand and whispered three magic words to ignite her own fairy magic. Everyone else waited for as long as they could as it took some time, but fortunately not a painfully long time.
"Bibbidi... Bobbidi... BOO!" Jane soon said and the final word echoed as her wand glowed and she shot the hat with one last jolt of magic.
Everyone braced for the impact as the hat glowed brightly after that. Nearly everyone was pushed back and Harry held onto Carla protectively. Dude yelped as some other sort of magic seemed to hit him that no one else saw or realized yet. Fortunately, within moments, there was a surge of magic and the fairies were all brought back in one piece, holding onto each other and soon saw that they were all safe and sound back home
"Yes! We got the fairies back!" Harry cheered.
"Which one of you kids is Captain Hook's son?" Perla soon asked as she walked over to the teenagers.
"Over here." Carlos pointed out as Harry waved his hand.
"Guilty as charged~" Harry added with a grin. "Would you like my autograph?"
"No, but I would like your father's so we can book some dental appointments for you since I've been out of work for a while and I hear that the dentist doesn't exist where you folks come from." Perla clarified and then handed him a card for an upcoming dentist appointment for later this week.
"Aww, man!" Harry complained once he was given a card to go and see the dentist with. "Just because Barbossa has a little bit of plaque..."
Mother Superior sighed in relief and looked around once she saw where she and the other fairies had ended up, then looked instinctively over to Emma. "Thank you." she said to the blonde woman.
"You all right?" Emma asked softly.
"No. I'll live, but being in there with... and without..." Mother Superior replied breathlessly. "Thank you."
"Actually, you should thank the mayor and your daughter." Emma suggested.
"Welcome back." Regina added.
"Um, hi, Mom." Jane waved to the older woman from where she stood with Carlos and Dude.
"Thank you..." Mother Superior sighed and nodded and soon hugged the teenage girl right away. "Oh, my darling little Jane, I missed you so much."
"Of course, Mom," Jane replied with a bit of a clumsy smile. "I missed you too."
Everyone was glad that peace had been restored in their town now that the fairies were back, but without anyone knowing or seeing it, a monster escaped from Yen Sid's hat.
Later, everyone met up at Granny's Diner as Jane and Mother Superior sat across from each other and the fairies came to get something to eat and reassure the others that they were alive and well.
"Whoa. Beware of lurking pirates," Emma remarked as she approached him. "What are you doin'?"
"Just thinking." Killian said softly.
"Lurking and brooding. That's a classic combo," Emma noted and nodded. "I think heroes can do a little bit of bragging and celebrating. Let's go. It's a party. We should... Buckle some swash or, you know, whatever." she then suggested.
Killian smirked before sighing. "I'm hardly a hero. The fairies were only in the hat because I put them there." he then said.
"You weren't in control of that. That was Gold," Emma reminded him. "Trust me. You have a mark in the hero column."
"I hope so." Killian said softly.
"Come on." Emma replied urgently before luring him over to the others.
In the meantime, the Mills family gathered after a certain item was recovered that needed to be discussed.
"Go on, Mom. Ask." Henry encouraged.
"But ask politely." Evie added.
Regina nodded at both of her children and soon approached the adult woman fairy with a book in her arms. "Excuse me. May I ask you something?" she then asked the other woman.
"What can I do for you?" Mother Superior replied calmly.
"Do you know what this is?" Regina countered as she brought out the book and set it down on the table.
"Isn't that a book?" Jane shrugged.
"Yeah, it is, but there's a little more to it than that." Evie nodded.
Mother Superior opened the book only to see completely blank pages which bewildered her. "Where did you get this?" she then asked the Mills family.
"The Sorcerer's mansion," Emma explained. "Henry found dozens of these blank books there."
"The Sorcerer is here?" Mother Superior wondered.
"Well, his house is, but we haven't found him yet." Henry explained.
"You're looking for him?" Mother Superior asked. "I suppose you found Mother Goose too?"
"Someone please tell me that's a coincidence..." Emma begged about Mother Goose.
"Well, I was hoping he could... Write me a happy ending and legacy for Evie," Regina explained softly. "But that book seems to have great power."
"Oh, it does." Mother Superior nodded.
"So I thought if he rewrote it..." Regina shrugged and tried to explain with a small smile, though she began to feel like she was losing Mother Superior's support or help. "I know it sounds crazy."
"It's not crazy at all, but you're looking for the wrong person," Mother Superior reassured her and informed. "Although The Sorcerer is a very powerful wizard, you should be looking for the author."
"They aren't the same person?" Evie wondered.
"I guess not." Jane merely remarked as she ate some pumpkin pie.
"Why would The Sorcerer have the author's books?" Regina wondered.
"That is a quite perplexing question. And I'm afraid I do not know," Mother Superior replied. "But I do know that they are two very different people."
"So... You know who the author is?" Evie asked hopefully.
"No. But I do know he exists. I mean, if he is a 'he'," Mother Superior replied quizzically. "I've never actually seen him. In fact, no one has. Not for many years. Same with Mother Goose."
"Figures." Emma muttered about probably meeting Mother Goose in an another adventure down the road.
"So this is where hope has gotten me?" Regina lamented softly.
"Mom..." Evie frowned in concern.
"We'll find him, Regina. It's not like he just vanished," Emma insisted to the other woman before facing the fairy they had to talk to. "Blue, do you have any idea why he might've disappeared?"
"Sadly, no, but there are whispers that he left hidden clues in some of his works." Mother Superior remarked.
"You mean, works like Henry's book?" Emma asked, trying to get an idea.
"Also who's Sophie supposed to be?" Evie wondered.
"Sophie?" Mother Superior repeated curiously, but before anything else could be said or done...
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR!" A monstrous scream was heard from outside, startling everyone inside but not as much as everyone else outside.
The lights were even flickering on and off as everyone felt a shaking all around them.
Emma: What the hell was that?" Emma muttered.
"Whatever it is, it's our next monster to face in Storybrooke." Evie suggested.
"Again?" Jane asked wearily.
"I suppose we should go out and see what's killing property values this time." Regina advised to the others.
And so, they came outside of Granny's Diner and found some sort of teenage monster on the clock tower. Everyone else on the streets was running away as the heroes looked up on the clock tower to see the teenage monster and it even seemed to have giant wings with horns on their head and had heavy metal music playing next to it. It soon saw people looked right over and it let out a monstrous scream. It then flew right off of the clock tower, swooping around the heroes, mostly the teenagers as everyone ducked for cover and hid behind a car. Emma and the others then ran away and went to hide away and come up with a plan.
"Did that thing come out of the hat?!" Regina wondered in alarm. "I thought the spell was only supposed to release the fairies."
"It is! Jane said so and she's a Good Fairy!" Evie nodded.
"Well, maybe it is some kind of fairy." Mary Margaret suggested.
"Well, whoever they are, they should turn the music down!" David said before yelling out. "HEY! TURN THAT RACKET DOWN! YOU'RE CAUSING UNWANTED NOISE POLLUT-"
The monster teen snarled and breathed fire, causing David to yelp and duck away.
"Nice..." Evie remarked and rolled her eyes until an idea hit her. "Hey, guys, why don't we just put it back in the hat and figure out the rest later?" she then wondered.
"Because we can't," Ben explained regretfully. "Once something's freed, it can never be retrapped."
"Great. So our best defense against magical beasts follows the same rules as chicken pox?" Emma scoffed.
"Surely Th Savior and Evil Queen can defeat a simple hell beast." Harry suggested.
"Don't call my mother evil." Evie frowned at that.
"Isn't that her name?" Harry shrugged.
"Harry..." Killian called to his son.
"Oh, okay, I'm sorry..." Harry frowned. "But maybe you guys can try to stop him."
"Well, it won't hurt to try, right?" Emma shrugged.
"All right, come along then and please, let's drop the E word already." Regina suggested and then added in slight annoyance, causing Harry to look sheepish.
"Are you gonna help too, Evie?" Emma asked the blue-haired girl.
"Uh, I don't know how much I can help, but I'll see what I can do." Evie replied.
"You have more power than I ever will." Sophie remarked softly.
Evie frowned a bit as she came after her mother and Emma, straying a bit further behind as she would only step in to help them if she absolutely needed to.
The two women stepped out, nodded at each other, and then blasted magic straight from their hands to shoot down the Teenabog right away. The devilish delinquent screeched and soon flew away with his boombox in annoyance.
"Well, that was easy."
"Yeah... what's up with the Teenabog?" Evie wondered.
"Teenabog?" Regina and Emma repeated curiously.
"Teen Chernabog..." Evie explained before shrugging. "Thought that was kind of obvious."
"Ohh." Regina and Emma then said.
"So, uh, is he really gone?" Evie wondered.
"Don't get excited. We only stunned it," Regina explained. "And a blast like that should've destroyed it."
"I was just getting used to things being relaxing around here," Emma sighed before looking over at a certain adult woman. "Belle?"
"I'll see if I can find anything about this thing in the library." Belle decided suddenly.
"Can we help?" Ben asked about himself and Sophie.
"Well, since Gabrielle is with some friends, I suppose that would be fine." Belle replied thoughtfully.
"Thanks. And, Mary Margaret?" Emma nodded and then prompted her mother.
"I'll get everyone to safety," Mary Margaret replied. "I'm on that."
"Wow. You guys really have this down." Emma stated.
"Well, this isn't our first monster bash." Killian reminded her.
"We do the Monster Bash, the Monster Ba-" Harry sang and attempted to dance.
"Harry." Killian suddenly said, making his son stop.
"Well, now that that's settled, what say you and I figure out a way to clip this bat's wings before it comes back?" Regina asked Emma.
Emma nodded as she decided to go along with that.
"...where is Leo?" Mary Margaret then suddenly asked Evie.
"Taking a nap." Evie replied.
Mary Margaret beamed as she patted the blue-haired girl on the head and took off.
"Evie, you coming with us?" Regina asked her daughter.
"...Let me just make a quick stop first." Evie replied.
Regina blinked before nodding. Evie then suddenly poofed away and exited in a way her mother would and then came back holding Baby Leo's diaper bag and kept the baby in a stroller, looking like the perfect babysitter.
"Impressive, my dear," Regina nodded. "You have this babysitting stuff down?"
"Well, I might have to take a parenting class or something, but this will at least be like when Henry and I would play together until we both got older." Evie remarked and explained.
"I'm so proud of you~" Regina mused, making Evie beam under her mother's acceptance.
"Why don't you just ask Mary Poppins' kids for help?" Emma attempted to joke.
"Oh. You mean Polly and Molly Poppins?" Evie asked Emma out of intrigue.
"...this town is going to kill all of my braincells..." Emma muttered before they left and went to Regina's office.
They eventually came to Regina's office. Evie kept Leo asleep as he was still napping, but would keep an ear out for any crying since she was babysitting right now and was also going to try to help her mother and Emma. After a while, Regina was given a call on her phone. After a while, the dark-haired woman looked a bit surprised and concerned, but wasn't purely afraid.
"Regina, who is it?" Emma asked.
"The Sea Bitch~" Regina smirked.
"Oh, you mean that woman Vanessa that Melody's dad dated during The Dark Curse when Ariel was in Neverland?" Evie asked.
"I've missed you, too. How are you?" Ursula asked on the other line.
"Mostly wondering how a plate of undercooked calamari ended up with The Dark One's cell phone." Regina replied.
"My daughter stole it from him." Ursula stated simply.
"Mom?" Evie called softly and gestured to the phone and herself and Emma.
Regina put the phone on speaker, sitting with both her guest and daughter once she understood what Evie was trying to tell her. "And where is he now?" she then asked casually.
"If we're lucky, probably passed out at the dive bar where Cruella, Cassandra, and I left him." Ursula explained.
"Cruella and Cassandra?" Regina repeated.
"Who's Cassandra?" Evie wondered to herself.
"Well, I know who Cruella is at least." Emma shrugged.
"Yes, we're back together. Rumple found us in New York, said he needed some old friends," Ursula nodded as she explained more to the former Evil Queen. "Told us a tearful tale about how he was living in a quaint town until he ruined everything, but he said it was a special place where villains could find redemption. Regina, Rumplestiltskin told us how you've changed, and we've changed, too and want good stories for our own descendants just like you. We've learned our lessons, and we'd like a chance to prove it to you. Please. Let us in."
"Sorry, dear, but..." Regina shook her head, trying to play it cool. "We have enough problems without inviting three-"
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" A roar was heard from outside yet again much to the shock of Regina, Emma, and Evie.
"Man, Teenabog strikes again." Evie murmured with wide eyes.
"Is one of those problems a hell-bat with beady eyes and devil horns?" Ursula asked Regina.
"How did you know that?" Regina asked, slightly in horror.
"Because that's the exact same sound it made before it tried to kill me and my little Seastar." Ursula clarified.
"Oh... so you've faced this creature before?" Regina wondered.
"Yes, and I can tell you exactly what it wants if it's anything like the species it descended from." Ursula nodded and explained.
"How convenient." Regina snarked.
"They've been living in a land without magic. How could they do it?" Emma reminded and pointed out in a whispered voice.
Evie looked wide-eyed once she had a theory. "It's Yen Sid's hat." she then noted.
"I know," Regina whispered back and scoffed a bit before she spoke up again to talk to Ursula. "Fine. Tell us what it wants."
"And then you'll let us in?" Ursula asked.
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." Regina replied.
"Well, then I guess you're on your own." Ursula shrugged and Regina was about to hang up.
"Come on! Come on!" Evie frowned as she tried to think of a way to fix this.
"Wait. The Snow Queen's scroll let her into Storybrooke once," Emma suddenly said, stopping Regina from hanging up. "Maybe it'll work for them."
"All right, Squid. If your information pans out, we'll consider letting you in," Regina then said, moving Emma's hand out of the way. "Those are my terms."
There was a few moments of silence between everyone and Evie even felt on edge as she could hear Leo crying because the Teenabog probably woke him up.
"You've got a deal." Ursula finally said.
Emma, Regina, and Evie all looked relieved. Evie then excused herself to go check on Leo as the poor baby boy was crying and stressed out right now. Evie also looked stressed herself since a crying baby wasn't for those who were faint at heart. After she checked on him, she decided to bring him out to the adult women who were discussing what to do next and what she heard was rather disturbing.
"Regina, I'm not sure it's after you." Emma commented as she peeked out the window as the teenage demon was flying throughout Storybrooke.
"Of course it's after me. Ursula said it devours the heart with the darkest potential," Regina clarified. "And now that Gold's gone, well, who else could that be? I mean, is there a dwarf named Evily? It's me."
"We're not gonna just sacrifice you." Emma stated.
"I'm not sure we have much of a choice." Regina countered.
"What's this now?" Evie asked in horror.
"I'm sacrificing myself to the Teenabog." Regina decided.
"Mom!" Evie gasped.
"That thing's magical, right?" Emma then asked the dark-haired woman.
"I would say 'magical' is a pretty good guess." Regina scoffed and nodded.
"So if it's magic, what happens if it leaves town for a world with no magic?" Emma wondered.
"...I think I know what Emma means," Evie said softly. "No magic, no beast."
"Exactly," Emma nodded. "So all we have to do is lead it over the town line." she then suggested.
"The Teenabog withstood both of our powers combined," Regina shook her head. "Even if I poof myself to the town line, the second I'm out in the open, it'll crush me like a bug.
"Not if you've got some help," Emma insisted. "Trust me."
"Yeah, Mom, trust us." Evie added.
Regina sighed wearily at both of them while Evie decided to tell Mary Margaret and David what was going on and that she was still babysitting Leo for them.
"I think this is a very stupid idea," Doug complained as he was downtown with Chad who was getting ready to film something while nearly everyone else had left or taken cover to avoid the next Chernabog. "You can't just livestream about some monster attack in our town!"
"Why not, Dominic?" Chad scoffed. "Jordan Glass has an audience with the school news, her dad runs the paper, and I am a social media king and Audrey shall be my queen by my side."
"Audrey is dating Ben, Chad." Doug reminded him.
"Not for long, Dilbert!" Chad retorted and smirked. "Once she sees this livestream and I fulfill my destiny as The Prince Charming who slays the beast and saves the day and wins the heart of the beautiful princess!"
"But your story is Cinderella!" Doug insisted and reminded the blonde boy who had more follicles on his head than inside his head. "There aren't any beasts or dragons or whatever that thing is out there in Cinderella!"
"Okay, well, what about the wicked step-mother, hmm?" Chad retorted, sounding smug. "She's a bit of a dragon lady, wouldn't you?"
Doug glared until he stopped to think about it before sighing. "...okay, you may have something there... I just don't know if-" he was then about to add after admitting that.
"Quiet, Durwood!" Chad suddenly said as he got his phone and selfie stick ready. "The countdown for my livestream has just begun."
Doug sighed wearily as he also filmed Chad to give the blonde boy a social media bump in his reputation.
"Hey, people! This is CharmingChad89 coming to you live from downtown Storybrooke!" Chad announced as he was using his phone as a camera while holding a selfie stick to show the damage in a social media livestream that came with a chat and live reactions. "Is it The Devil? Is it a horrible monster I must slay and rescue beautiful princesses like Audrey who's more fairest in the land than Snow White's daughter who doesn't even go to school with us? Let's take a closer look and find out!"
"Uh, Chad? I still think this is kind of a stupid idea." Doug commented.
"Oh, work with me, will ya?!" Chad complained. "How many times can you do a livestream with a live monster attack and--AAAAAAAAUGH!" he then cried out as the winged teenager suddenly swooped down and took him away, making him drop his cell phone and selfie stick. "TELL MY STORY! DEREK, DON'T LET THAT SELFIE STICK GET RUINED! IT WAS A GIFT FROM SANTA CLAUS!"
"One of the next Prince Charmings of Storybrooke High, ladies and gentlemen." Doug deadpanned into Chad's phone as comments in the chat continued to pop all around every two seconds along with hearts, thumbs up, but now scared face emojis for Chad's safety.
Emma, Regina, and Evie were soon riding in Emma's car at rapid speed while the Teenabog growled and roared and carrying Chad against his will.
"Hey, buddy, you need a popular best friend?" Chad suggested with a sheepish grin. "I can make you big in Storybrooke High."
The Teenabog snarled and then roared right in Chad's face, blowing the blonde-haired boy's curls back.
"...okay, you need to work on your people skills if you're gonna score with the ladies... like me~" Chad suggested and grinned, still trying to play it cool. "So, pal, what do they call you? Infernus? Balthazaar? Drizella?"
"...Chester." The Teenabog snarled.
Chad blinked and snickered before he burst out laughing. "Oh, no! Help me! I've been kidnapped by Chester the--WHOA, you have fire in your eyes," he then mocked until he saw the demon teen snarling and his eyes glowed hellish red. "...what're you gonna do to me? Please... I want my mommy..." he then whimpered. "...HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" he then screamed as this looked like the end of him forever.
Chester snarled after scaring away Chad and soon saw the yellow car. He then roared before going that way. "Evil Queen daughter..." he then snarled as he caught a scent of Evie in the car with the two women.
"What made you choose yellow?" Regina asked Emma as they rode through town, seeing the Teenabog in the rear-view mirror.
"What?" Emma asked as she drove.
"Your bug... Yellow? Bold choice." Regina clarified.
"I like yellow," Emma defended. "I stole it."
"You stole this car?" Evie asked with wide eyes. "Oh, Emma..."
"Is this really the time to question my taste and ethics?" Emma complained to both of them.
"Sorry, I'm just trying not to think about being some demon's lunch." Regina replied.
Emma: You're not going to be." Emma promised her.
"I'm glad you're confident." Regina retorted.
Chester soon landed hard on the car, making everyone jolt slightly. Evie tried to get away from his hands as he seemed to grabbing right out for her and Leo even glared and bopped the Teenabog on the head with his rattle.
"What, is this thing made of tin?" Regina asked Emma.
"Hang on. We're almost there." Emma reassured her.
"EVIL PRINCESS!" Chester snarled as he climbed down to the window and broke through the glass, trying to reach out for Regina and Evie.
"It's too late. I'm not gonna let all four of us die in this metal coffin on wheels," Regina complained as she had an idea. "Thanks for trying, Miss Swan and Evie."
"What?!" Both Emma and Evie asked as Regina suddenly disappeared from the car.
"Regina!" Emma cried out.
Chester growled as he tried to get into the car for Evie.
"Hey! Leave me alone!" Evie complained. "I'm not ready to have a boyfriend yet and I want him to be nice, smart, and funny like Doug!"
Regina then suddenly appeared on the road, just inches in front of the town line. "Hey!" she then called out and waved her arms.
Emma soon drove faster and faster while Evie tried to comfort Leo. Chester growled as he still kept trying to get a hold of Evie until he looked up and saw Regina coming up on the road.
"Hang on!" Emma told Evie and Leo before she sped up even faster before slamming on the brakes, causing them to screech.
Regina ducked down and soon the Teenabog flew off of the roof and was near the limit of the town.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW... SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII--" Chester complained and was erased as soon as he crossed the town line.
Emma, Regina, and Evie all sighed once that was taken care of. Emma and Evie then came out of the car in relief while Regina smiled at them after standing back up.
Evie then came out while holding Baby Leo and Emma held onto the scroll. "Is that them?" she then asked her mother, seeing three adult women across the town line with girls around her age.
"Yes, that's them and that must be their children..." Regina remarked and guessed. "Have no idea who could've had children with Cruella though."
"Hmm..." Evie paused thoughtfully.
Just then, the sheriff station car rode up behind them and out came David and Mary Margaret as it drizzled a bit of rain.
"Emma!" Mary Margaret called out, rushing right over to her daughter.
"Are you all right?" David added.
"Yes." Emma nodded as she hugged her mother back.
"And it looks like Cruella, Ursula, and Cassandra were telling the truth." Evie added as she came over and showed them that she still had Leo.
"It would appear so." Regina nodded, about to take the scroll from Emma.
"No, wait. Emma, I... I think this is a bad idea," Mary Margaret said, stopping that. "Look, they may have told the truth this time. That doesn't mean they can be trusted."
"Mom, this doesn't sound like you," Emma frowned. "You always believe the best in everyone."
"I'm also a realist." Mary Margaret replied.
"Emma, she's right," David added. "Things were just starting to get back to normal in Storybrooke.
"You, too?" Evie frowned. "Mr. Nolan..."
"Look, we don't know anything about these three," Mary Margaret explained and defended. "They could be looking for redemption, but they also could be as evil as Mr. Gold or Zelena or worse."
"That could be, but they just helped us, and we made a deal." Emma remarked.
"Doesn't matter. It's a bad idea," Mary Margaret said. "They're villains."
Evie frowned as that hurt her a little on the inside.
"You're right. They are. They're horrible... But not as horrible as I was once," Regina said to the couple. "And if I deserve a second chance, so do they. How can I sit here, looking for my happiness, and deny two others a chance at theirs?"
"I'm with Regina," Emma nodded. "We let them in."
"Come on, you guys..." Evie said softly. "You trusted the Evil Queen's daughter to be your son's babysitter and who knows what Cruella, Ursula, and Cassandra's children wanna do? What do you say to that?"
The couple looked at her before sighing as she had a point there.
The three women and two teenage girls continued to wait on the other side of the town line. They then looked over as they heard something fall behind them and they found that it was the scroll. Cruella soon approached the scroll and picked it up, heading back to the car with the other two women and the two teenage girls with them. They all then came into the woman's car and with one quick glance at the scroll, they could see people on the other side as well as the town that was hidden from the general public. However, one of the teenage girls seemed to be hiding her face right away before anyone could get a good look at her as they drove into town.
"Welcome to Storybrooke." Regina greeted.
"Thank you, Regina," Cruella grinned. "You won't regret it."
"I better not." Regina countered.
Cruella then drove herself, Cassandra, Ursula, and the teenage girls over the town line as they went to go explore Storybrooke and get settled in, but unknown to everyone else in town, the nightmare in Storybrooke this time around was just beginning. Mal stared and looked all around Storybrooke, not sure how to feel right now, but had a lot on her mind enough already, especially as she stared at her pale blonde locks.
"Maybe you should tell people here that you're Blondie Lockes looking for your mother, Goldilocks." Uma smirked and teased.
"I could use a makeover..." Mal admitted, but rolled her eyes at what Uma just said about her.
"What're you gonna do first then?" Uma asked. "You gonna see your bae in this town or what?"
"I don't know yet..." Mal admitted with a weary sigh. "Let's see what your mom, Cassandra, and Cruella do with that spell to come into this town do first."
"Fine then, just make sure you stay out of my way, Dragon Breath." Uma warned and reminded her.
"Yes, of course..." Mal nodded before whispering something under her breath.
"What was that?" Uma demanded firmly.
"Oh, nothing! Nothing at all..." Mal sighed and reassured the other girl.
Uma narrowed her eyes and then turned away, wafting her braided hair in the air as she crossed her arms at the sight of this small town as it was a major stepdown compared to where she and her mother used to live.
"...Shrimpy." Mal soon muttered quietly once Uma was out of earshot.
Later that night, in the middle of the woods, David and Mary Margaret came to meet Ursula, Cruella, and Cassandra.
"Well, well, well. Look who's here," Cruella remarked. "It's been a long time.
"We gotta talk." David demanded urgently.
"Oh, so the prince wants a chat?" Cruella smirked.
"Very well, Prince Charming," Cassandra added. "What's on your mind?"
"This is our town," Mary Margaret began to say. "If you've really turned over a new leaf, you're welcome to stay."
"My, aren't we generous?" Ursula smirked.
"On one condition: No one must ever know what happened between us in The Enchanted Forest," Mary Margaret soon added. "And if you say one single word to anyone, especially Emma, well, you won't have to worry about The Evil Queen or her daughter. I'll rip out your hearts myself."
The three women merely nodded in response as they all seemed to understand as they were here for their own reasons that would be explained much later.
Chapter 5: Unforgiven
Chapter Text
Audrey was fast asleep in her bed as it was now 2:38 in the morning until she suddenly woke up. She heard the distant sound of a baby crying and she decided to go check it out. "Mom? Dad?" she called out before coming over to the crib where her baby brother was. "Phillip? Hey. Ohh. Hi, buddy. I gotcha. Hey~" she then said, trying to soothe and comfort her baby brother as she took him out of the crib and held onto him.
"What a lovely child~" A dark voice said.
Audrey flinched as that startled her and she could see Mal there, looking just like her mother and grandmother in a dark gown with horns on her head. "Stay the hell away from my little brother." she demanded.
"We're not the ones you should fear, Audrey." Mal smirked as she looked more like The Dark Fairy she was destined to become.
"We?" Audrey wondered until she blinked and gasped as Jay, Evie, Carlos, Harry, and many other villainous looking teenagers surrounded the next Dark Fairy.
"Something far worse than us looms over his head~" Mal explained maliciously. "The truth of what your did to mine after your grandparents were unable to stop Carabosse and even fairy godmothers hiding your mother wasn't eve enough~" she then waved her hand, removing the infant from Audrey's arms and he was suddenly with the villainous Descendants.
"Please don't hurt my family." Audrey begged tearfully.
"When I'm finished, you won't have a family left to hurt~" Mal smirked darkly at Audrey.
Audrey then gasped and suddenly woke in her bed and looked quite scared. She quickly rushed over to the crib and saw her baby brother right there, sleeping soundly and peacefully which calmed her down briefly, but she still needed some extra comfort. She then left that room and went into the hallway and knocked on the door to another room rather urgently.
"Audrey... it's the middle of the night, Princess..." Phillip murmured groggily as he opened the door and rubbed his eye until he looked down to see the distressed look on his daughter's face. "Hey. I'm right here." he then said.
"Phillip? What's going on?" Aurora asked while yawning and sitting up as she turned on the light. "Oh, Audrey... you look like you haven't slept a wink."
"It's hard..." Audrey said softly as she came to sit and talk with her parents. "Ursula, that one lady Cassandra, and Cruella de Vil just down the street. I just had the worst nightmare. You both were gone. I went to check on Phillip and those two surrounding him... Only... Mal was there, too."
"Of course she was," Phillip murmured at that. "Well, it's a good thing she's no longer around." he then added.
"But those other villains are and they have their own kids now." Audrey reminded her father.
"I think she might be right, darling," Aurora said to her husband. "This can't be a coincidence."
"It doesn't matter. None of that matters," Phillip reassured both his wife and daughter. "All that does is that we kick them the hell out of this town before anyone else learns what was done."
"...was there something else besides Mom having to stay with The Good Fairies after her christening?" Audrey wondered.
Phillip and Aurora looked like they had something extra to say, but they were unsure about saying it out loud.
Later on, several hours later, Cruella, Ursula, Uma, Cassandra, and a certain other was with them as they visited Granny's Diner. They hadn't been waiting that long, but it proved to be an eternity for one of the women, even as the Charmings watched too.
"Uh, darling, how much longer for those drinks?" Cruella demanded from the elderly woman who was just annoyed at that question.
The door then opened and in came another customer. "Hello, Granny. Usual, please." Ben greeted the elderly woman.
"Ah. You betcha." Granny nodded kindly to him, going to take his order more than willingly as Kiara and Ruby tended to other people.
The certain other girl gasped and tried to hide her face in a menu before Ben could see her face.
"Cheers." Ben told Granny, accepting the drinks to go and paid for them before leaving. He then stopped as he felt something weird.
The girl peeked her head out, wondering if he may had seen her. Ben then suddenly sniffled and let out a sneeze before he sniffled and blew his nose.
"Bless you, Ben." Kiara said.
"Thanks, Kiara." Ben smiled and continued to head off as the other girl kept hiding from him.
"You know, if that old bag still wolfed out, I'd turn her into a coat for my collection," Cruella remarked to Ursula and Cassandra. "The older girl might be too big and the younger one might be too small."
"I hear she's related more to lions than wolves anyway, so maybe you could turn her into a throw rug." Cassandra smirked.
"Oh, Cassandra!" Cruella chided playfully.
"And just think! Whenever she gets dirty, you could take her out and beat her." Cassandra continued to joke and chuckled.
Both Ruby and Granny snarled dangerously and their eyes both flashed protectively while Kiara didn't look scared, but was a bit unnerved at the idea of being skinned as a young lioness to become a living room rug. However, before anything else could happen, the Mills family wandered into the diner.
"Regina!" Ursula greeted and smirked "We could use a heart rip over here. Granny needs a little encouragement in taking our order."
"Yes, a very effective tactic. Even Ursula's daughter is a better waitress than this," Cruella added. "Didn't you once rip out the heart of every villager in the North Woods?"
"Or was it the south?" Ursula mused.
"Well, definitely not East or West." Cassandra added.
"Uh, why don't you head to my office, get started on the book?" Regina suggested to Evie, Henry, and Dee Dee.
"Sure." Henry nodded.
"And remember, Mom," Evie added. "Make sure to get chocolate frosted donuts, not chocolate donuts, okay?"
"Frosted, not glazed." Dee Dee added.
Regina nodded at her children and Dee Dee. "Mm-hmm."
"Okay, come on, Dee Dee, this way." Henry said as he led the way for his best friend since Evie already knew where to go.
The other girl glanced over before hiding her face again before now Evie could see her. Evie glanced over at the bar table slowly and seemed to be perplexed.
"Evie?" Henry called, making her look over suddenly as he and Dee Dee waited by the doorway. "Would you like to join us?"
"Oh... uh... yes! I just believe I thought I caught a glimpse of the star of that show Dragon's Creek, ya know!" Evie giggled and covered up sheepishly. "You know that boy really is a stud muffin."
"Stud muffin?" Henry asked, looking at his big sister weirdly.
"I feel like eating that would break your teeth." Dee Dee commented as she took that phrase as a food term.
"Let me be clear, ladies," Regina said as she approached the villainesses at their table. "If you bring up my former sins around my children or their friends again, you'll find yourselves across that town line faster than you can say 'costume jewelry'."
"These are blood diamonds, I'll have you know." Cruella defended.
"Come on, let's take our business elsewhere." Ursula suggested.
"Mama!" Uma complained. "We want cheeseburgers."
"You got cheeseburger money?" Ursula retorted.
Uma then brought out a bit of extra money.
Ursula counted it and then crossed her arms. "...Uma Morgana, where did those extra bills come from? Those look like more than tips when you serve people fish and chips." she then demanded.
"I got cheeseburger money, don't I?" Uma retorted as Cassandra looked unnerved about a mother and daughter having a moment like this.
"...All right, we'll catch up with you girls later then." Ursula then said as she relented after a moment.
"See ya, Mom," Uma smirked. "We'll let you know about the drinks.
Ursula glanced at her daughter one last time and soon left with the other two women.
David: So what's the plan here? Mary Margaret: To deal with our... Latest crisis. Regina: Those two might be tactless morons, but... They couldn't magic their way out of a paper bag. I wouldn't worry. And they're here to seek redemption. Mary Margaret: You don't actually believe that? Regina: If I didn't think it was a distinct possibility, I wouldn't have let them in town in the first place. David: Now that they're here, we have to be certain, which means keeping eyes on them 24/7. Regina: Which sounds like a job for the sheriff's department. I have bigger things to worry about.
Cruella, Cassandra, and Ursula continued to leave the restaurant in a huff until they ran into someone else outside. This being Emma, Killian, and Harry.
"Hook." Ursula greeted as she knew the adult male pirate somehow.
Harry blinked, looking around and gestured to himself in confusion, but the women walked away before it could be explained.
"You know her?" Emma asked the pirate beside her.
"Aye, luv," Killian nodded. "I encountered many a vile creature on my gifts for your loved ones."
"She's no Red Jessica and Zarina though~" Harry remarked thoughtfully.
"Princess Emma. I'm glad you're here," Phillip said once he saw the blonde woman and approached her. "We have to go."
"What? Now? I just came to meet my parents for lunch," Emma complained. "I've been dying for a grilled cheese all day... also you don't have to call me Princess."
"It'll have to wait, Princess Emma," Phillip said, causing the blonde woman to roll her eyes suddenly. "You're aware we have five new friends in town. They're up to something. If we hurry, we can pick up the trail."
Emma sighed as she began to feel like she had no choice now. "Looks like duty calls." she then told Killian and Harry.
Harry frowned as he looked a little unhappy that Emma wouldn't be joining them for lunch.
Meanwhile, the three mysterious women came right into Mr. Gold's shop.
Ben noticed them coming and suddenly jumped out rather protectively and brought out a sword, making them flinch and back away suddenly in concern, but they weren't afraid of the boy as while he was the son of Rumplestiltskin, he didn't have a mean bone in his body. Except for maybe a few exceptions. "Stand back! I've got a sword! Don't think I won't use it! I'm the bleeping son of Rumplestiltskin!" he then demanded.
"Bleeping?" Ursula asked, unimpressed at that.
"Well, I don't wanna be rude." Ben replied sheepishly and innocently.
"Wow." Cassandra muttered as that was all she could say.
"Well, hello to you, too, darling." Cruella replied.
"Nice place you got here," Ursula smirked. "I'm sure it beats your mother sweeping the castle."
"Hmph..." Ben glared, but he calmed down just a little bit, keeping the sword but tried to make sure Gabrielle and Belle would be safe.
"Why are you here?" Belle demanded from the women. "Have you come to kidnap me again or perhaps your descendants would like to kidnap Gabrielle or Ben?"
"Oh, did we do that? Oh, they all blur together," Cruella replied carelessly. "No, we've come to offer you our congratulations in defeating the Dark One."
"Defeating the Dark One?" Ben repeated. "Oh, you mean that banishment?"
"Why, yes," Cruella nodded and explained. "I mean, who would've thought it? A simple chambermaid takes down the most powerful sorcerer in the land. Your mother did... Quite a number on him, darling."
"So you've... Seen him?" Gabrielle asked softly.
"Yes, he's a mess, darling. A bum," Cruella nodded and explained. "Reduced to his old cowardly self."
"It makes sense, really, why he was so terrified of losing his magic when my daughter and I found him." Ursula added.
"Tell me, is there not a part of you reveling in all of this?" Cruella asked Belle with a small smirk.
"No!" Belle glared as while she was upset and angry about what happened, she wasn't like that. "I would never take comfort in his suffering."
"Listen, we're running a business here," Gabrielle suddenly said. "Now do you intend to buy something or did you just come here to be cruel?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, I was hoping you'd have a... Hood ornament for my vehicle," Cruella explained as she took a bit of a look around, bringing out her phone to show a picture of her car to them to get an idea since it was a special kind of car. "Something with a little glitz?"
"I'll check the inventory." Belle decided before slapping away Ursula's hand as she tried to look through a book.
"...interesting phone case." Ben said as he blinked with wide eyes, seeing that it was white with black spots.
"Oh, thank you, darling," Cruella smirked. "Ooh, if you were a bit older or if I were a bit younger~"
Ben blinked and coughed nervously. "No thank you, ma'am, I have a girlfriend." he then said in a nervous voice.
"Well, of course you do~" Cruella chuckled warmly. "I bet you're the real Prince Charming of your school?"
"Erm... excuse me..." Ben squeaked nervously and dashed off, feeling very awkward right now.
MEANWHILE IN THE CAVE UNDER THE LIBRARY...
"Won't be long now, Maleficent, my dear," Rumple murmured to himself as he looked all around him beyond the ashes of the dragon woman who used to live here as well as Mal herself with her old bed in the corner along with a tattered poster of rock band in Storybrooke called "The Bremen Avenue Experience". "Your slumber is nearly over."
"So this will really help bring back my mom?" Mal asked softly.
"Why, of course it will, Artemis... or should I say Mal?" Rumple replied.
"...I don't know right now..." Mal sighed and shook her head as she pulled out her platinum blonde locks that almost looked as white as snow in the dark. "This isn't me... this is fake."
"I know, dearie, you and my youngest son have had troubles..." Rumple sighed and nodded as he put his hand on her shoulder. "He really loved you though and I was quite fond of you too."
"...really?" Mal asked softly.
"Yes..." Rumple nodded. "You almost remind me of someone, but the name escapes me at the moment."
Mal looked thoughtful before she sighed and calmed down. Or at least, she attempted to.
Later at the Mayor's office, Regina came to check on Evie, Henry, and Dee Dee. "Chocolate frosted donuts," she told them with a small smile, dropping off the food and came to check their progress. "How are we doing? You find anything?"
"Not yet, but if The Author left clues in the book like Mother Superior said, we'll find them." Henry explained as he looked up from his book briefly.
"There's some hints about keys showing another way being guided by a goose, but who knows what that might mean?" Dee Dee added.
"Yeah..." Evie added before looking over as she came by to pick up a donut. "How about you, Mom? How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, dear." Regina reassured her biological daughter, though she sounded kind of funny.
"You didn't seem fine when we ran into Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella." Henry couldn't help but point out.
"Well... I suppose that's because they remind me of a time in my life I'd rather forget," Regina sighed and tried to explain. "Time when I was a true villain. It makes me doubt if my happy ending's even possible."
"You can't think like that." Henry frowned.
"I know, but sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be as happy as I was when it was just you, me, your sister, Robin Hood, and Roland," Regina explained and confessed softly as they took a break. "That feeling was, uh... The closest I've ever been to happy. I wanna get back to that."
"You will, Mayor Mills," Dee Dee said softly. "You're my best friend's mother and you gave him his own happy ending by being here and I'm hoping to find mine too since I'm on an adventure like my mother."
"And you're a beautiful ballerina too." Henry nodded bashfully.
"Aww, thanks, Henry~" Dee Dee beamed.
"We're gonna find The Author, and when he rewrites your ending, everything will be the way you want it to be." Henry promised his second mother as he beamed and took a bite out of his donut.
"Careful, Henry. You're getting crumbs all over the book." Regina chuckled before covering the book.
"Yeah, come over here, Henry, let's take a break." Evie suggested.
"Mm. Right." Henry nodded as he came to sit closer to the girls.
"That's strange. This paper, it's... It's different than the rest." Regina mused thoughtfully as she flipped between pages that showed a certain wooden puppet of a boy.
"That's because it's Pinocchio's story." Henry said like it was obvious.
Why would that story be any different from the others?" Regina wondered.
"I'm pretty sure August added it to the book." Evie remarked.
"She's right," Henry nodded and explained more to Regina. "He wanted Emma to know he was Pinocchio as a boy. He wanted her to believe."
"If August took the book apart, he might know something about it that we don't." Regina suggested as she had an idea.
"Yeah, but too bad he's not around to ask anymore." Dee Dee reminded and pouted.
"August might not be, but Pinocchio is." Regina remarked and gestured to the illustration.
Henry and Evie then smiled once they understood now.
"Ohhh..." Dee Dee said before giggling as she took a donut. "Looks like we're gonna take a field trip."
"Yeah, I feel like we never got those growing up aside from visiting Old MacDonald's farm." Evie commented to her mother.
"Oh, where would we go that's not as much fun as Storybrooke?" Regina smirked.
Phillip and Emma were soon waiting in the squad car together.
"So, who's this Cassandra woman?" Emma wondered. "Is she someone very important?"
"Not to mine and Aurora's story, but she is still one of those Queens of Darkness." Phillip replied.
"Queens of Darkness?" Emma repeated. "That's an interesting name."
"Also your parents got involved with them too sometimes back in Misthaven." Phillip then told Emma.
"Did something happen between them?" Emma wondered.
Phillip was about to say something until he saw the women head for Cruella's car. "Wait. Here they come." he then remarked.
"I better call Belle so we can find out what exactly what happened in that shop." Emma suggested with a nod.
Emma was soon driving after Cruella's car and made a phone call to the pawnshop before facing the former prince. "Belle said she checked the back. Ben and Gabrielle are also pretty sure there's a wooden box missing." she then explained.
"What was inside it?" Phillip wondered.
"None of them know, but I think we should find out." Emma replied as she turned on the siren.
Cruella blinked as she heard the siren and soon slowed her car down before stopping. Emma approached the woman's car after stopping behind it and then came out, knocking on the window when the other car had stopped. "Is there a problem, Daughter of Sheriff Chiseled Chin?" Cruella then asked after putting her window down.
"Step out of the vehicle, please." Emma stated softly.
The three women inside then did what was asked of them and stepped aside, coming over to Phillip while Emma searched the car.
"Where are your children?" Phillip asked Cruella, Ursula, and Cassandra.
"Oh, they're teenagers now, they don't need our constant supervision~" Cassandra replied innocently.
"Certainly not!" Cruella added. "Some puppies are better off alone."
Phillip merely glanced at them as Emma searched the car, even checking the trunk. "Anything, Sheriff Swan?" he then asked the blonde woman.
"Car's clean," Emma admitted and sighed. "Weird. You think Belle just misplaced that box?"
"Who knows?" Phillip shrugged.
"Unfortunately, I can't arrest them for speculation," Emma told Phillip before facing the three women. "Looks like you guys are off the hook. Sorry."
"It would be nice if at least one of the Charmings lived up to their family name." Ursula murmured as she returned to the car with the other two women.
"Maybe I should go back to the sheriff's station, check out any security footage of Gold's, make sure they didn't take anything," Emma pondered before facing Phillip. "You going to be okay?"
"I guess so, I guess I'll check on Audrey, Aurora, and Junior," Phillip replied softly. "Minding dropping me off back home on the way back?"
"Of course, Phillip," Emma nodded. "Let's go."
Phillip smiled, though he looked a little concerned about something as they went back into the squad car. He then felt something in his pocket and took it out, looking curious and then put it back in his pocket as he went to go after Emma while Ursula hid a small smirk to herself.
"You and Sheriff Swan found that in Cruella's car?" Aurora asked her husband as he brought something out that was found during the investigation. "Phillip, that belonged to Maleficent, you know how much that meant to her."
"I do. And I can only think of one reason why those three witches would wanna steal a totem of hers," Phillip nodded and explained. "A spell. A spell to resurrect her."
"Is that even possible?" Aurora asked.
"You know, it doesn't matter what their dark magic can or can't do," Phillip defended. "Now that we have this, it's not even an option."
"But what if they discover it's missing?" Aurora asked frantically. "Won't they just find something else?"
"Then we take the one thing that Cassandra, Cruella, and Ursula can't do without: Maleficent's remains." Phillip reminded his Sleeping Beauty.
"Under the library." Aurora memorized.
"That's right," Phillip then instructed. "We find them, we dump them in the harbor, then she's gone forever, and once Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella realize that, maybe they'll leave town, too."
"And hopefully they'll take the Charmings' secret with them." Aurora added.
Phillip nodded before he looked down at the item that was a dragon's foot clutching a jewel and it resembled that of a baby rattle. He placed it on a shelf for now though, as he and his wife went to put together something to eat.
"Audrey... Audrey~..." A voice called from the item when Aurora and Phillip were away.
Audrey soon suddenly emerged from her room with wide, emotionless eyes as she seemed compelled somehow.
Later at the sheriff's station, a certain pirate teen came by with a bag and his father wasn't too far behind him. "Special delivery!" he then announced to Emma who was hard at work on the office computer.
"Grilled cheese, just the way you like it." Killian added.
"Fries?" Emma asked with a smirk.
"Onion rings." Killian smirked back.
"Mmm, good. I was just testing you." Emma chuckled and beamed as she accepted the bag of food.
"Is this one of those magic boxes that tell you anything just by typing in a question or something?" Harry asked Emma.
"Yes, Harry, it's called a computer, and they sometimes make lives easier." Emma nodded.
"And what's this?" Killian wondered as he gestured to the screen, seeing that a download was in progress.
"A.T.M. Security footage," Emma explained. "We're trying to figure out if Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella stole something from Gold's shop."
"What about their children?" Harry wondered.
"Haven't seen them in a while and that concerns me a little." Emma admitted until she suddenly thought of something. "Oh! By the way, I never got the chance to ask you how exactly you knew Ursula." she then said, hoping to get a story out of him.
"I already told you, luv," Killian seemed to shrug off. "She's just one of the many sea monsters who crossed my path in my pirating days."
"What exactly does that mean?" Emma demanded, smiling, but still was insistent to get an answer out of him.
"Honestly, I don't recall." Killian said, trying to walk away.
"Uh-uh." Emma shook her head, refusing to let him get away with that. "...Harry, what do YOU know?"
"I know the name Ursula from somewhere, but I can't think of possibly where at the moment." Harry admitted, though he shrugged.
"Swan, that's all there is to know." Killian said to the blonde woman.
"You're holding something back." Emma replied.
Killian paused, being silent for a few moments, but he couldn't think of anything to tell her. "I don't know what else to say."
Emma frowned a little and crossed her arms. "...Neither do I." she said.
The two adults looked at each other in a very long silence. Harry's eyes darted back and forth as he didn't really know what else to do right now in this sort of situation.
Emma looked at the computer screen to see that the download had been completed. "Well, I should get back to it." she then said to the pirate father and son.
"Enjoy your witch hunt," Killian nodded as he put his arm around Harry. "Come, son."
"...Okay, Dad..." Harry shrugged as he went to go out of the office along with his father.
Emma frowned as they left, but decided to get back to work and not let it bother her.
Later on in Storybrooke's streets, the Sleeping Beauty family were preparing for something very important. Phillip and Aurora were loading up the car.
"Good. That'll do," Phillip told his wife as she helped move some flashlights in the trunk. "We can get to the cavern through the mines that Snow White and Prince Charming told us about."
"Hey!" Audrey called as she found her parents down the street as she was strolling with Ben who looked distracted. "Where you guys headed?"
"Audrey..." Aurora whispered at the sight of their daughter. "What are you doing here?"
"Emma called the house and mentioned she found something on those women," Audrey said. "She said it looks like Ben's mother was right and she thinks that's the box that's missing. That it's enough to drag them into the station, at least."
"Well, let's not jump the gun. We don't even know what that is." Phillip told his daughter then.
"Wait. What? Emma told me two hours ago, you guys were so amped up about these divas, you didn't even let her eat lunch, and now you're g-" Audrey replied, a bit surprised, only to be interrupted.
"Going for a hike," Aurora said quickly. "We got Ashley to babysit Junior."
"...Mom, Dad, what's going on...?" Audrey frowned. "Today's been weird for all of us and this seems to be a family matter. What's going on today?"
"Rose Petal, your mother and I realized that we needed to take a step back from our crusade," Phillip sighed and began to explain. "The truth is, we've been going about this all wrong."
"When we knew those women back in the Enchanted Forest with Snow White and her Prince Charming, they were villains and ever since they set foot in this town, that is exactly how we've treated them." Aurora added. "You've heard what Carabosse did your grandmother."
"Yes, poor Grammy..." Audrey nodded and sighed.
"Yeah, we chose to see the worst in them." Phillip added.
"...like I did to Mal..." Audrey muttered to herself.
"But, Princess, if they're gonna have a shot at redeeming themselves, we have to choose to see the best." Phillip then said.
"You guys are seriously going for a hike?" Audrey asked her parents weirdly.
"I know it might be hard to believe that we've backed off Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella, but your mother and I think it's the right thing to do especially for the future of our own story." Phillip reassured her.
" Well... If you need me, I will... Be at Ben' s place... I guess..." Audrey then told her parents as she decided to leave them alone.
"Phillip, is this really the right thing to do?" Aurora wondered, feeling concerned about their daughter.
"It's the only way to make sure Audrey isn't bothered by the Dark Fairies like you and your mother and to keep Snow White's secret safe." Phillip insisted as he sounded like he knew what he was talking about.
Unknown to either of them, Audrey seemed to overhear that and her eyes flickered bright green for some strange reason no one would know about until later.
Later at the Mayor's office, Regina, Dee Dee, Evie, and Henry met up along with a certain father and son. They were now sitting and looking at Henry's storybook while Cleo and Figaro played together in the corner.
"Is anything coming back to you, Pinocchio?" Regina asked the former wooden boy hopefully who only shook his head at her in response. "Maybe if you look at the pages again."
Suddenly, Emma came into the room.
"Emma." Evie greeted.
"Where the hell have you been?" Regina demanded.
"On witch watch. I was on the way to the station when I got your call," Emma explained wearily. "How's it going here?" she then asked.
"It's not. He can't remember anything," Regina sighed and explained. "But since you and August spent so much time together, I thought seeing you would jog his memory."
"Yeah. I guess I could give it a shot," Emma shrugged as she approached Pinocchio and Geppetto who looked at their storybook page back when Cleo was a goldfish and Figaro was a kitten until they would eventually meet The Blue Fairy, Jiminy Cricket, a very sassy and diva-like girl in school Starla's father Stromboli, and so many more. "Hey. Come here. You remember me, right?" she then greeted the young boy kindly as they sat on Regina's couch.
"You're Emma, the sheriff." Pinocchio smiled and nodded.
"But you know that back when you were... O-Older... We were friends," Emma then tried to remind him. "You were a really smart grown-up. So smart you knew how to take that entire thing apart and add a story to it. And then you put it all back together. Do you remember doing that? Or anything else about the book?" she then added.
Pinocchio looked at her while everyone else looked at him expectantly, even Figaro and Cleo, though he unfortunately couldn't help right now. "I know everybody wants me to remember, but... I just don't." he then admitted.
"You went to Phuket. You rode a motorcycle. You wore leather and didn't shave!" Regina listed out of exasperation.
"Whoa! Hey, Mom, take it easy." Evie said to her mother suddenly.
"No, he's not trying hard enough," Regina glared, sounding very frustrated and tired right now. "All you need to do is concentrate and think! Or is that head of yours still made out of wood?"
"Mayor Mills!" Dee Dee gasped.
"Whoa, stop!" Marco told the woman since she began to insult his son.
"Mom." Both Evie and Henry frowned at their mother.
"I won't have you speak that way to my boy." Marco told Regina as Cleo and Figaro both suddenly glared at Regina.
"Maybe what your boy needs is some motivation." Regina suggested aggressively.
"Okay, Regina, that's enough," Emma soon said, trying to keep an argument or something worse from happening. "Let's go down to the vending machine and get a snack. Guys, come on." she then added to Henry, Dee Dee, and Evie as she took Pinocchio's hand.
Cleo stuck her tongue out at Regina and Figaro even made faces before they followed Emma and the other kids out of the room.
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe this, uh, quest of yours is ill-fated?" Marco asked Regina rather sternly. "After ruining everyone else's happy ending, what makes you think you deserve one of your own, especially for your daughter who is pretty much the opposite of you?"
"Oh, I can ask you the same question, Toy Maker, considering you lied about the wardrobe so you could send Pinocchio to this world!" Regina retorted rather viciously.
"I wouldn't have needed to if it wasn't for your curse!" Marco glared bravely. "I had to save him! You stay away from my boy... You stay away from all of my children!" he then added before storming off away from her.
Down in the mines, the Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Charming had ventured together so that they could save the future of their story and how it might affect their descendants. It was bad enough when Aurora's mother was cursed on her 16th birthday by Carabosse and was trapped inside The Dream Realm only to be plagued by nightmares by her and also the original Boogeyman before Pitch Black was up for the task. She was saved by Audrey and Phillip Jr's grandfather, King Stefan of course. Then after some time had passed, Aurora was cursed to have a visit from Maleficent and it seemed like it would be Mal's turn to provide nightmare fuel to Audrey, but it had to stop here.
"Should we really do this?" Aurora asked her prince as they searched the dark mines with "electric torches" AKA flashlights.
"Yeah, stealing the remnants of a dead sorceress wasn't exactly high on my bucket list either." Phillip admitted.
"No, the lying part. Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella haven't been in town for two days, and we've already lied to Audrey more times than I can even count," Aurora clarified. "When does it stop?"
"It stops when we get rid of Maleficent's ashes and those witches are gone and then Audrey can live happily ever after with Chad." Phillip replied.
"Ben." Aurora corrected.
"Ben?" Phillip asked.
"Yes, Phillip, our daughter is dating the son of Beauty and the Beast, remember?" Aurora reminded him.
"Hmm... I think the son of Cinderella might suit her better since Cinderella is a hero." Phillip remarked.
"Yes, but so is Belle and Ben gets that from his mother." Aurora countered.
The couple continued a bit further until they came to a stop when something rather interesting was found: a pile of smoldering ashes and scales.
"Phillip. There it is." Aurora told her prince.
"Maleficent's ashes." Phillip noted and nodded.
The two then rushed over and surrounded the small pile, feeling a sweet taste of victory for a moment.
"We did it," Aurora beamed. "We stopped them."
Phillip smiled back as he opened up his backpack, about to collect the ashes so that they could be disposed of. However...
"Not exactly." A voice from the shadows said.
The couple found themselves surrounded by two teenage girls and one of them appeared to have tentacles. She used one to swat the two royals and knocked them out instantly and they fell hard on the ground.
(I don't think I need this part between Marco and Regina, sure Evie might encourage Regina to go talk to him, but... that would probably be it)
"I trust they don't suspect my hand in all this?" Rumple asked as he eventually joined them.
"They had no reason to." Uma replied wth a small smirk.
"And Belle?" Rumple then asked Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella as they came to join him and the teenage girls. "Did she or any of our children have any suspicions while you were in my shop?"
"You mean, did they ask about you?" Ursula retorted.
"She didn't even mention your name, darling~" Cruella shrugged. "I'd say she's moved on."
"You know what you must do." Rumple then told her as he handed her a knife.
Cruella nodded as she accepted it and smirked darkly.
"Shame you're over Golden Boy, he seems kinda cute," Uma smirked at the platinum blonde teenager. "He probably doesn't even know where you are right now."
"You know what happened when I found you and your mother, Shrimpy..." Mal glowered slightly.
"Don't call me that." Uma snarled.
"Just did~" Mal smirked before yelping.
Uma snarled as she pinned down Mal, getting ready to punch her only for her mother to grab her arm.
"Settle down, Seastar, you'll have plenty of time to play with some new friends," Ursula told her daughter while restraining her. "After all, no one here has even heard of Uma and Artemis."
"I'm not sure if they're even going to..." Mal murmured to herself as she turned away.
Back into the mines, Cruella soon cut Aurora's hand then Phillip's hand and the two cried out as it hurt of course and it woke them up. The devil woman then poured a drop of blood down onto the former Dark Fairy's ashes and the magic spell was starting up.
"What the hell did you do?" Aurora cried out as she sat up.
"The dark magic we're using to raise Maleficent doesn't require some silly little trinket from Gold's shop," Cruella snorted at them. "No, that was just a ruse to get you down here. We need something with a little more kick."
"The blood from a couple who wronged her most." Ursula added.
"And now it seems to be too late to save your little Sleeping Beauty." Cassandra concluded as the room began to rumble and shake once the ashes were glowing from the crimson liquid that bled from their palms.
The ashes soon turned into smoke and a roaring figure was sliding out from the spell. Phillip and Aurora held each other, fearing the worst, especially without Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather's help who were tasked to look after Aurora herself since Carabosse was very relentless with Aurora's mother and who knows what might happen to Audrey now? The Dark Fairy turned into a dragon and let out a fiery roar once she was reborn and disappeared in a puff of smoke and was soon back into her true form which resembled that of Audrey's dream.
"It's good to be back," Maleficent grinned once she was back in the world of the living. "Oh, Mally... long time no see, I found your father, he misses you~"
Mal rolled her eyes slightly and sighed. "Hi, Mom." she then murmured.
"Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip..." Maleficent greeted the two who defeated her before Audrey had been born.
"Maleficent, whatever it is you think we did, you don't know the whole story." Aurora began to tell the Dark Fairy.
"I know enough." Maleficent shrugged before glaring.
"Patience, Maleficent," Cruella reminded her fellow Queen of Darkness. "We have a plan."
"You wanna hurt someone? Well, hurt me," Aurora noted and then added, trying to be brave like Mulan once taught her. "Leave Phillip, Audrey, and Junior alone."
"Hurt you? No," Maleficent chuckled as she circled them. "That would be far too easy."
"You're going to tell everyone what we did first," Aurora said, feeling like she realized what was going on. "What happened wasn't even our fault aside from when Phillip slayed you with his sword."
"I don't care about their secret. They can keep it as long as you like," Maleficent smirked. "Also, seriously? Your prince defeated me? He was pretty much only being guided by those Three Good Fairies your parents assigned to look after you where I couldn't find you after what my mother did to your mother."
"I delivered the final blow though!" Phillip piped up.
"A final blow, I came back to curse you to sleep before, after all," Maleficent scoffed. "Besides, I only care about one thing." she then added.
"Pain?" Mal asked her mother.
"Correct, my nasty little girl~" Maleficent approved before facing the couple. "Your pain, and that it be as long and terrible and unyielding as my own. The pain you heroes caused us villains."
"I forgot how much I missed her." Ursula beamed at the others.
"It's going to be entertaining." Cruella agreed.
"Right. Long live evil." Cassandra added.
"I'm gonna revel in every torturous moment," Maleficent taunted the heroes. "And you? You're gonna watch your world crumble. See you soon, dears~" she then concluded before walking out with her fellow Queens and soon, Mal and Uma followed them.
"This is all our fault," Aurora sulked once she was alone with her prince. "If hadn't been so determined to keep Snow and Charming's secret and keep The Dark Family's family away from our family. If we'd just asked for help..."
"You're right. We can't keep lying," Phillip nodded. "We have to tell Audrey everything."
Later that night, Regina and Mary Margaret had a secret meeting in the park as it was pouring down rain. However, as Regina sat up, her phone seemed to beep and started ringing, but she didn't realize it.
"Hello? ...Mommy?" Evie's voice asked, trying to get a response from her mother, concerned about the call.
"What's with all the cloak-and-dagger?" Regina asked her step-daughter, approaching her in the rain with an umbrella.
"Maleficent's back." Mary Margaret stated urgently.
"I should've known Fish Sticks, Pound Puppy, and The Flower Child were here for more than a second chance." Regina scoffed.
"They wanna destroy our happy endings," Mary Margaret explained. "All of them."
"How do they hope to do that?" Regina wondered.
"That's where you come in. We need to find out what they're planning," Mary Margaret told her. "We need to get someone close to them, someone they believe to be a villain. We want you to go undercover with them and help us stop their plans."
"And you think they're just going to welcome me into their coven with open arms?" Regina asked dubiously.
"Regina, you used to be one of them." Mary Margaret pointed out.
"They think I'm a hero now," Regina reminded her step-daughter. "It doesn't help that Evie doesn't have a mean bone in her body either so their children will eat her alive. They'll never believe I want in."
"So find a way to make them believe." Mary Margaret suggested.
"What makes you so sure they're dead set on destroying us?" Regina then asked.
"Because of something David and I did a long time ago. Regina, you once asked me to... Regina, you once asked me... To keep a secret. And I couldn't, but I'm gonna ask you to keep one for me. One Emma can never learn."
Regina glared a bit for a moment of silence before she then nodded. "What is it?" she then asked.
"Emma was born with the potential for great darkness." Mary Margaret explained.
"She's the Savior. A her," Regina reminded her. "Her magic's as light as it gets. Even though Evie is my daughter and she hardly has a mean bone in her body."
"Because David and I went to extraordinary lengths to make sure it was." Mary Margaret explained urgently.
"If you ensured her goodness, why can't you tell her?" Regina demanded.
"The same reason you don't want Henry to hear about all the terrible things you did in your past," Mary Margaret explained. "You wanna protect him... So he doesn't lose faith in the person you've become... The person he always believed you could be. That's why Emma can never find out what I'm about to tell you. She's finally starting to open up her heart. And if she learns the truth, if we let her down, she'll lose faith in us, and it could send her tumbling down a dark path. Because when you betray the people you love... When you make them see the worst parts of you... What you've done changes everything. There's no going back. You've shattered the bonds you worked so hard to forge. And the stronger those bonds once were... The more difficult they are to put back together... If they can be repaired at all."
"I don't understand. What exactly did you do to Maleficent?" Regina said and then asked. "What did you do that Briar Rose, Aurora, and The Three Good Fairies didn't do?"
"Because of us... Maleficent lost her child." Mary Margaret admitted.
"...you're why Mal disappeared?" Regina asked.
"No, not that child," Mary Margaret shook her head. "Maleficent had another child."
"So Mal has a brother or sister out there." Regina realized.
"Yes." Mary Margaret nodded.
Evie gasped with wide eyes and wondered what to do now after she had overheard that and found it out.
Chapter 6: Enter the Dragons
Chapter Text
There was a knock on the Gold mansion door and soon Gabrielle came to the door and answered it with a small smile. "Hi, Evie." she then greeted the blue-haired girl.
"Hi, Gabrielle. How's it going?" Evie greeted softly.
"Oh, we're doing fine," Gabrielle replied softly. "Mama's out again at the moment."
"With Will Scarlett?" Evie guessed since Belle decided to pursue other opportunities after the banishment of Ben's father.
"Yes. It seems serious... I'm not sure I like it though..." Gabrielle admitted and nodded. "You?" she then asked.
"I've been better." Evie said softly.
"...something wrong?" Gabrielle frowned in concern. "Do you want to come inside?"
"Yes, please..." Evie nodded. "Also, is Ben home? I was hoping to talk to him." she then added.
"Yeah, he's here, we're in the kitchen about to get some lunch, would you like some too?" Gabrielle explained and then added.
"...I guess I could eat if there's enough to go around." Evie replied with a small shrug.
"Well, come on in," Gabrielle smiled as she opened the door a bit fully. "This seems serious." she then added softly.
"It is in a way..." Evie admitted as she came inside the mansion and looked around while taking off her jacket to hang up.
Gabrielle looked concerned as she took Evie's jacket and hung it up for the other girl. The two girls then went into the kitchen as they could hear sizzling and smelled something cooking.
Ben walked by and soon plated a grilled cheese sandwich until he looked over and looked surprised. "Oh! Evie." he then greeted his lifelong friend.
"Hey, Ben." Evie gave a small smile at her lifelong friend.
"This is a surprise." Ben remarked.
"Yeah, I know..." Evie agreed as she tried to keep her smile.
Ben had known Evie for longer than he could even remember and he usually knew what she was really thinking behind her smile depending on circumstance, so this one told her that something deep was on her mind. "Would you like to have a grilled cheese?" he then asked her softly.
"Oh, um, sure," Evie replied. "Only if there's enough to go around."
"Oh, there's plenty, Evie," Ben reassured her. "Especially when you come to visit."
"I feel so special around here, Audrey might get jealous." Evie giggled a little.
"Well, I've known you longer than Audrey." Ben said before he looked down at the plate and was about to offer her the sandwich.
"Oh, isn't that for someone else?" Evie asked him.
"...well, it's hot and ready..." Ben pointed out.
"You know how I eat my grilled cheese and that's not it." Evie reminded him.
"...I'll make you one Evie Mills style then." Ben decided, going to give this one to Gabrielle then.
"Thanks, Ben." Evie smiled softly.
"No problem, old friend." Ben nodded as Gabrielle took the sandwich.
"I'll give you two some privacy." Gabrielle offered since this seemed like a matter between two old friends.
"Oh, you don't have to on my account, Gabrielle." Evie remarked.
"No, I better get out of the way," Gabrielle replied. "Besides, I'm expecting a phone call very soon."
"Well, all right." Evie said with a small shrug as Ben came to bring out the shredded cheese and a box of blueberries while getting ready to make a sandwich just for her.
Gabrielle smiled and nodded and soon took her sandwich, going away further from her brother and his friend so that they could have privacy.
"Okay, what's bothering you?" Ben asked as he set the items down while buttering a slice of bread.
"Why do you think something's bothering me?" Evie replied.
"...Evie," Ben said as he made a face similar to his father when he wanted to hear the truth from a question when he already knew the answer most of the time. "I've known you since forever, your mother always visited my dad for whatever would trouble her, I might not be a fellow girl, but I always know what you're thinking. Something is troubling you and I think you should tell me what it is."
"Wow, look at Ben Gold being all creepy~" Evie remarked and nodded. "Well, I guess it's about Mom."
"What's wrong with Aunt Regina?" Ben wondered, calming down once Evie opened up to him.
"I'm worried she might be turning evil again." Evie admitted to him softly.
"Turning evil again? Regina?" Ben wondered as he set the slice of bread down and then looked over his shoulder. "Thirsty?" he then offered.
"A little, yeah..." Evie said with a nod. "You got apple juice?"
"Always." Ben nodded in return as he went to the fridge to get the jug out and get her a glass.
"Thank you." Evie replied.
"Always welcome." Ben said in return.
"...it's just... I'm not fully sure, but I happened to overhear something last night..." Evie explained softly. "Something about joining these Queens of Darkness. The devil woman Cruella, the Sea Witch Ursula, the Dark Fairy Maleficent, and... whoever this Cassandra woman is, I have no idea who she's supposed to be or who she could be here for."
"I've wondered about her too, but I have this theory that she's one of the Lost Ones' mother or something," Ben said as he poured Evie a glass of apple juice as he was talking. "But that's just a theory."
"A game theory?" Evie smirked.
"Very funny..." Ben scoffed and rolled his eyes at that as he held out the glass to her.
"Thank you, Doug says I'm very funny." Evie smirked, accepting the glass and taking a quick swig.
"Of course he did." Ben muttered to himself a bit.
"I haven't even seen Henry lately." Evie then added.
"Ah, don't worry about him," Ben reassured her. "He's at the shop with Mom and Dee Dee still trying to find the Author."
"...well, that's good." Evie said softly.
Ben gave a small smile since Evie seemed relieved about her little brother's whereabouts at least.
"But yeah... I'm worried she might be turning evil again, especially since one of the few people who believed in her is gone..." Evie said softly. "Robin Hood. I was very open to having a step-father even though step-parents get a very bad reputation in our world."
"I would rather have Robin Hood than Will Scarlett..." Ben said as he grimaced a bit. "I'm not fond of that guy."
"...he does seem like one of the more annoying Merry Men..." Evie had to agree and nodded.
"But what're you gonna do?" Ben shrugged.
"True..." Evie nodded.
"I just say you keep an eye on your mother," Ben said to her as they sat down and shared grilled cheese together. "That's the best advice I can offer for now."
"Well, it's better than nothing," Evie replied before she took a bite. "Thanks, Ben."
"Anytime, Evie," Ben smiled. "That's what friends are for."
Evie smiled back a bit and soon bit into her grilled cheese, gushing at the taste, especially with the blueberries.
Evie then walked down the street, thinking out loud to herself a little as she passed by other people on the streets. She nodded and waved at those who saw her and passed her way, but her thoughts were mostly occupied about what to do about her mother. "Man, what am I gonna do about this weird case about Mom probably turning evil again?" she murmured a bit.
"Your mom's turning evil again?" A familiar voice asked.
Evie squeaked and ended up giving a roundhouse kick to whoever was behind her, knocking them down to the ground and he was now groaning in pain and holding his nose. "Jay! You scared me!" she then complained.
"Wow, I didn't think I could scare The Evil Queen's daughter..." Jay remarked as he put his hand to his nose before he let go. "Am I bleeding?"
Evie knelt down to help him stand up and checked him over. "No. No nosebleed." she then reassured him.
"Well, that's good," Jay said with a small sniffle. "Sheesh, you're pretty strong when you want to be."
"Yes, I get that from my mom," Evie nodded. "Are you eavesdropping on me?" she then asked.
"No, I wanted to catch up with you, but you seemed distracted," Jay explained as he put his hands to his sides since he wasn't bleeding. "Something about your mom going rogue and these mysterious ladies in town?"
"Well... actually yes," Evie admitted with a sigh. "She's making such great progress, especially with Henry trying to find The Author to get her a true happy ending she deserves."
"Maybe I should come with you." Jay wondered.
"Why would you come with me?" Evie retorted. "Is this some kind of game to get one of my mom's prized ornaments or something?"
"Evie! The audacity!" Jay gasped dramatically. "I'm a lot more than a common thief around this town, I'll have you know."
"Yeah, well, everyone knows you have sticker fingers than the Zimmer twins when they tried to steal candy from Dark Star Pharmacy and blame Henry," Evie retorted and countered. "Doug's Uncle Sneezy even has a poster that says not to accept checks from you."
"Hey, I was just trying to be a Robin Hood back then for when it was me, Mal, and Carlos," Jay defended. "Though speaking of Mal, I hear she's backin town but she has a new look."
"Yeah, I've seen her..." Evie nodded and admitted. "No doubt that Maleficent's gonna try to get her on her side like Ursula with her daughter and whatever Cruella and that Cassandra woman want from us."
"I still say I should go with you, keep an eye on you too," Jay offered. "What can I say? You're like a sister to me."
"We don't really hang out all the time..." Evie reminded him.
"What have you got to lose? I'm a super spy around here," Jay shrugged. "Maybe James Bond is my father, he came from a book too ya know."
"James Bond isn't a fairy tale, Jay." Evie smirked at that.
"Neither is The Wizard of Oz, but we faced The Wicked Witch." Jay reminded her.
"...actually-" Evie was about to clarify.
"So can I go with you or what?" Jay asked her hopefully. "It's not like either of us have anything better to do."
"...okay, Jay, you can come too, but no one else..." Evie then sighed and shut her eyes.
"How come no one else?" Another voice asked.
Evie opened her eyes and suddenly saw Carlos, Carla, Enid, and Gil there too. "Where did you guys come from?" she then complained.
"We were just in the neighborhood too?" Carlos said innocently.
"Ugh..." Evie groaned and put her palm to her face. "Look, it'll be too much if you all go along and it's going to be Jay since he came to be first. Okay?" she then said to the rest of them.
"Well, I guess that's fair," Enid had to admit. "I was just wondering if I could see these Queens of Darkness because one of them seems kinda familiar to me... like linked to my past somehow."
"You're starting to remember your past?" Jay asked hopefully. "Before that green fly whisked you away to Neverland anyway?"
"Peter Pan isn't a fly, I mean he can fly and he does wear green, but he isn't a green fly, because-" Gil piped up.
"Quiet!" Evie complained before sighing.
"Yeah, guys, give Evie some room, it's been weird enough for her lately," Carlos said to the others. "Sorry about that, Evie. We shouldn't have followed you."
"No, you shouldn't have..." Evie shook her head. "Look, I'll see about the rest of you, but right now only Jay is coming with me so we can settle this and see what's going on with my mom. No offense to the rest of you." she then said.
"None taken." The others murmured and reassured her.
"Can I at least tell Enid what happens?" Jay asked softly.
"I guess..." Evie sighed and shrugged.
"That's sweet of you to ask for that, Jay~" Enid beamed before hugging Jay, causing him to blush.
Evie hid a small smirk as she seemed to notice that.
"Uh, no problem, Enid," Jay said sheepishly. "What are friends for?"
"Somebody's looking mighty red there~" Carla said with a small teasing smirk.
"Uh, guys, don't bother us!" Jay complained sheepishly. "Me and Evie have a mission to do right now."
"Okay! We'll see ya later." Gil said with a bright smile like always.
"Um, yeah, see ya around." Jay replied.
"See ya, guys." Evie added.
Everyone then said bye as they split up for now with Evie and Jay wandering down the sidewalk together further into town.
"So, where are you going right now?" Jay asked.
"Home at the moment unless I see Mom somewhere else," Evie explained. "I need to find out what she's doing before she dooms herself again. She needs to realize she can be more than an evil queen like Grandmother Cora or even what might happen to me in the future."
"I wonder if those extra gifts from Santa Claus have anything to do with it?" Jay remarked.
"Extra gifts?" Evie wondered until she thought about it. "Oh, you got a little box that says not to open until a certain day in school?" she then added.
"Yeah, it's killing me not opening it right away," Jay nodded. "Ms. Lotus keeps hiding ours from us so we don't get greedy. Carlos and Carla are good with obeying that rule at least."
"Unlike you who has to be the one to push a button that says 'Do Not Push'." Evie smirked.
"Not funny." Jay complained.
They soon came to the mansion as Evie used her key to open the door after insisting several times to Jay that there would be no need to break down the door since it was locked. Evie soon shushed Jay as she heard her mother's voice almost instantly.
"So it's agreed that you ladies will be at the diner tonight, Cassandra?" Regina asked, speaking on the phone as the two teenagers came inside to confront her about her possible plans for the evening. "Of course. Let me just run it by my daughter. You can count on it," she then added, going to hang up before she crossed her arms. "All right, Evie, come out wherever you and your friend are hiding." she then demanded.
"Man! How does she do that?" Jay complained since they were busted right away.
"All mothers have eyes in the back of their heads." Evie advised.
"Gross." Jay grimaced as he took that seriously.
"Um, hey, Mommy~" Evie greeted innocently.
"Hello dear, missed you and Henry this morning," Regina remarked. "What's going on?"
"I think maybe you should tell us, Mom." Evie then said strongly.
"Wow. Evie." Jay blinked at how Evie tried to sound brave and forceful.
"What are you talking about, dear?" Regina asked, surprised at Evie's behavior at the moment as well.
"Mom, you can't turn evil again!" Evie then cried out, getting straight to the point out of fear and concern for their future. "You've come so far! I know that Robin Hood went away with his family and I miss him too, but you can't just turn bad again! You just can't!"
"Turn bad again?" Regina replied in concern.
"I heard you and Ms. Blanchard talking last night!" Evie explained. "I heard the whole thing; you're going to join The Queens of Darkness!"
"Yeah, so you better not or else!" Jay added, trying to sound brave.
"...or else what, Jayanth?" Regina asked the kleptomaniac boy, unimpressed with that.
"Or else... I'll tell Jordan Glass and the whole school newspaper!" Jay then said, trying to be assertive.
"Is he for real?" Regina murmured, raising an eyebrow.
"Jay, let me handle this, she's my mom," Evie told Jay before facing Regina. "I heard you on the phone last night."
"I didn't call you, dear." Regina replied.
"Oh, no?" Evie countered. "I heard you talking to Ms. Blanchard and that it's her and Mr. Nolan's fault that Maleficent lost their child."
"Whoa! Snow White and Prince Charming are the reason why Mal left Storybrooke?" Jay asked, astonished. "Didn't see that coming!"
"Okay, calm down," Regina sighed and soon said, putting her hands up. "I think I need to explain everything."
"Damn right you do!" Evie glared.
"Watch your mouth, young lady." Regina said in her most maternal voice.
"...Sorry, Mom." Evie then said as she regretted it as soon as she said it.
"I'm just not sure about sharing this with him." Regina then told Evie with a gesture to Jay since he was an outsider and they were mother and daughter.
"Hey! Whatever you can say to Evie, you can say to me too, right Evie?" Jay replied, trying to stay strong.
"Simmer down, Jay." Evie said to the boy who blinked at that.
"I still owe Enid an explanation at least." Jay then said.
"We'll see where we go from here." Regina suggested as she came to speak in private with her daughter a moment.
Jay watched them go and just sighed a bit. "Man, this mission sucks. I didn't get to break the door down or be the total badass I was destined to be!" he then groused a bit.
"We don't know who your parents are yet!" Evie called back and reminded him.
"Maybe you're a Prince of Thieves!" Regina added playfully.
"Not funny, you two!" Jay complained.
And so, Regina and Evie sat down to discuss what had happened last night.
"So... you're not turning evil again, Mom?" Evie asked as they sat down to talk this over.
"No, I'm not, I promise," Regina reassured her daughter. "I'm just going undercover with The Queens of Darkness so I can figure out what they're planning and Ms. Blanchard told me she suspected it was because of what she and David did to Maleficent's first child before Mal was even born."
"They made Maleficent lose her child." Evie remarked from what she remembered.
"Yes, that is true, and there is more to their plan than just revenge on that and I figure since I'm The Evil Queen that I should join them and find out what they're up to and report back to everyone else here but as a secret," Regina explained. "You can keep that a secret, can't you?"
"Sure Mom, I'm a better secret keeper than Snow White." Evie vowed.
"I knew that would be the truth." Regina smirked.
"Do you know what they're all up to then?" Evie wondered.
"I don't know everything yet, but Cassandra mentioned she was looking for someone who was lost from her a very long time ago, perhaps a child of her own, but I don't know what her fairy tale identity is and she refuses to admit it until she finds who she's looking for," Regina explained wearily. "She's a bit of a complicated person."
"Well, it sounds like she could use some help as long as she isn't doing anything malicious." Evie admitted.
"Yes, she seems to be misunderstood in this whole deal unlike Cruella, Ursula, and Maleficent," Regina nodded. "I'd let you help me, but I'm not sure how you could... you seem pretty good at detective work."
"Well, Graham used to let me ride with him sometimes back in the day if it wasn't too dangerous like the Dumpty estate being broken down or someone taking pumpkin patches or pickled peppers away from Farmer Peter," Evie remarked. "I used to think he was as smart as Sherlock Holmes or Basil of Baker Street."
Regina chuckled, amused at that and the memories of when Evie was a lot younger, long before Henry had been brought to Storybrooke. "I suppose I have this one idea that might work... seeing as you girls are the same age..." she then began to think out loud.
"What? I hang out with them because we'll have a lot in common since we're all the same age?" Evie guessed.
"Well, yes," Regina nodded. "Maybe you all could have a slumber party and you can see what the girls are up to while I bond with the women."
"Hmm... chilling with the villains and having a slumber party.,." Evie mused in thought. "I wonder how that would go?"
"Only one way to find out, partner in crime, daughter of mine," Regina replied. "Are you up for the task?"
"...I guess I am..." Evie replied thoughtfully. "What could go wrong?"
Later that night, Regina and Evie walked to Granny's Diner together where they knew that Maleficent, Mal, Uma, Ursula, Cassandra, and Cruella would be. They shared a look together to remind each other of their jobs and to try not to get lost in the charade. Maleficent fiddled with the mysterious item that was way more important to her than anyone else could imagine.
"So, are we calling you Artemis or Mal then?" Uma asked Mal.
"I guess I'll be Mal now that I'm here." Mal shrugged.
"You know you gotta tell the others about what happened since you disappeared on them." Uma reminded her.
"I know that, Shrimpy." Mal retorted.
Uma snarled almost like a shark at that nickname since she hated it and Mal smirked since she knew that it annoyed Uma. Suddenly, they all were in company of a certain mother and daughter duo who were the only ones left to join The Queens of Darkness.
"So, the rumors are true," Regina glared at The Dark Fairy. "You are back from the ashes."
"What are you doing here, Regina?" Maleficent demanded.
"Making it easier for you," Regina grinned darkly. "If you want to try to kill me, my daughter and I are both right here."
Maleficent narrowed her eyes and suddenly fazed right in front of the Evil Queen. "So that's why you think I'm back... To kill you." she then taunted.
"I trapped you underground for 30 years, and you're not big on forgiveness," Regina defended and reminded her. "Also my daughter didn't invite your daughter to her sixth birthday party where everyone else in town would be."
"That's your family legacy, huh?" Uma teased Mal. "Getting snubbed out of a birthday party of the century? Queen Briar Rose got married and Carabosse didn't get invited, Princess Aurora had a christening and didn't invite Maleficent and The Good Fairies were hired to protect her? I'm just surprised you aren't throwing a bitch fit over maybe not getting invited to that Audrey girl's Sweet 16 when it was Princess Evie's Sweet 6th."
Mal merely glared and showed a certain finger to the Sea Witch's daughter who cackled.
"That's true, but what you did is nothing in the grand scheme," Maleficent told Regina. "There are far worse crimes that must be answered for."
"Careful, darling. She's thick as thieves with those heroes." Cruella advised.
"Who knows what she might do?" Cassandra added.
"Not by choice. You know how much I wanted my revenge, but in this town, I had to play nice to survive. Alone... Watching them enjoy, the happiness I was denied," Regina countered strongly. "If you're planning on destroying some of that happiness, I want in."
"You can't expect us to believe that." Ursula scoffed.
"Of course she doesn't. That's why she's here," Maleficent remarked. "She wants us to see she's still one of us and if her daughter can carry the tradition."
"We both are." Evie stated, determined and trying to play it cool like the other girls might have done.
"Then let's find out," Maleficent replied as she handed a glass to the Evil Queen. "Are you still a bad girl, Regina?"
Everyone else shared glances as they wondered what might happen next.
Regina took a swig from the glass and shattered it in her hand instantly. "The worst." she then replied.
"All right, let's go for our own night of fun," Cruella smirked. "Perhaps we should drop the girls off."
"I think we can manage." Uma replied.
"Uh, yeah, we don't wanna ruin your perfect driving record." Mal added.
"Very well," Cruella sighed and shrugged, not seeming to care one way or the other. "You girls have fun with your slumber party."
"And I'm a bad girl too just like the two of you," Evie said to Mal and Uma as she picked up a glass of apple wine. "Just watch me."
Regina gasped and looked wide-eyed as her daughter brought out some alcohol and was going to drink it up. Mal and Uma were both surprised at Evie as well especially since Evie was very harmless and innocent despite being the daughter of the one and only Evil Queen who envied Snow White.
"Who dares me to drink some of my mom's apple wine?" Evie challenged as she took a swig and soon things quickly got hazy.
The next day in Storybrooke High, Evie was at her locker and was suddenly in company with Mal just like things would have been.
"Hey!" Mal greeted.
"Hey, what's new?" Evie replied. "Besides that your purple is hair again instead of blonde." she then added.
"Nothing." Mal shrugged.
"Are you sure?" Evie asked hopefully.
"Evie, today will be a day just like any other, but you know what the weird thing is?" Mal insisted and then prompted. "I don't remember waking up this morning."
"Yeah, me neither..." Evie had to admit.
"Out of my way, Code Blue, stat!" Mrs. Sprat, the school nurse who could not eat lean, was heard yelling as she came barreling around the corner with a uniformed medic pushing a trolley laden with medical equipment.
"What's going on?" Mal asked, sounding a bit dramatic like in a soap opera series.
"The old janitor just collapsed." The girl known as Mia Mack, daughter of the one who had a black dress with buttons down her back, rushed over and provided her an answer.
"And we have excitement." Evie remarked to herself.
"Mal, at last I've found you," Ben said as he strode over to the purple-haired girl along with Doug. "We need to talk in private." he then pulled the purple-haired girl away from Evie by her hand and came to the corner where they didn't see a certain someone listening in.
"Is something wrong?" Mal asked eagerly.
"No, something's right, very right," Ben explained. "Just say you'll meet me by the reflecting pool in the courtyard at 12:36."
"12:36? That's really specific." Evie murmured to herself.
"It's important." Ben urged Mal.
"Okay." Mal reassured him.
The school bell then suddenly rang for the students.
"The bell!" Mal gasped and put her hand to her forehead, almost like she was going to faint.
"We must go." Ben declared.
"I'm so happy." Mal beamed as she held Ben's hand on the way to class.
"OMG, it's so romantic, it's like Ben and Mal are getting back together after Mal's long absence to parts unknown." Evie gushed to Doug who merely smiled at her.
They soon went off to class after Ben and Mal.
"But not for long." Audrey said with a dark smirk as she overheard everything and her eyes nearly glowed as green as ones who had dragon blood in them such as Maleficent and Mal.
Evie was now in one of her favorite classes of the day with Doug which was of course Chemistry Class.
"Now we've been dancing around it all year, so let's get to it," Mr. Deley told his students. "Today we're going to study reproduction."
"Yeah! Whoo! Alright!" The students all cheered, especially Chad who tried to get a high five from Doug who just looked at him.
Later. Things had quietened down as all the students were sitting with mouths hanging open.
"So then the sperm hits the ovum and embryo genesis begins," Dr. Deley soon concluded his current lecture after writing on the board. "Any more questions?"
"Where do dwarf eggs come from?" Doug asked as he raised his hand, but the bell suddenly rang.
"Well, that's all we have time for today," Mr. Deley told the students who were just sitting there. "You can go now." he then added with much emphasis.
The students then came out of their trance-like states and began to head out of the classroom.
"Until 12:36, my darling." Ben told Mal as he took her hand delicately.
"See ya." Mal smiled and beamed.
Evie could only squeal in excitement as today sure was interesting even if she forgot all about last weekend.
Meanwhile in the nurse's office, the old school janitor was lying in bed with a heart monitor in place unaware of what was about to happen with Nurse Spratt and Mr. Deley of all people. They were holding onto one another very tightly.
"Oh, Elizabeth~" Mr. Deley gushed.
"Oh, Jonathan~" Nurse Spratt added.
"Oh, we shouldn't, we mustn't. Not during school hours," Mr. Deley said, pushing himself away from the pudgy woman. "Especially since you have a husband at home with a stable diet of salad."
"I just can't control myself around you Jonathan, besides Jack and I are a total mismatch," Nurse Spratt replied tenderly. "He can't eat no fat and I can't eat lean."
The two then came in very close for a kiss, about to meet each other's lips.
"I'm here for my flu shot." Evie suddenly said as she came into the room.
The lovers quickly parted and pretended to be interested in other things, but not quite quick enough. Evie suspected that it was a lot like when David and Mary Margaret were part-time lovers when the former was still married to the daughter of King Midas or Kathryn as she was known in this world.
"Ah, Mr. Deley, your blood pressure is normal." Nurse Spratt reported as she checked her clipboard.
"Thank you for squeezing me in." Mr. Deley nodded and soon left quickly.
"Come on, I'll give you your flu shot." Nurse Spratt told Evie, helping her to a seat before swabbing the bluenette girl's arm and picked up the hypodermic syringe.
"So, are you and Mr. Deley dating?" Evie asked with a small smirk.
"No! Course not!" Nurse Spratt reassured her before waving the needle in front of the teenage girl's face threateningly. "And if the school board, your mother, or Mr. Spratt knew anything about this, we'd both be out of jobs. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Evie said meekly as that was somehow scarier than her mother would ever be.
"Good, now give me your arm. I promise this won't hurt," Mrs. Spratt beamed and soon gave Evie a jab. "All done. Would you like a cold compress?" she said and then added.
"I don't have time. It's 12:30, I have to see what Ben and Mal are doing like I'm in the audience of a soap opera," Evie replied. "Can I get a lollipop to go at least?"
"I'm all out." Nurse Spratt said, hiding a jar full of them behind her back.
Evie squinted her eyes suspiciously and then left the room.
"Heh... Suckers... my favorite part of being the school nurse~" Mrs. Spratt chuckled and beamed before she brought the jar out and brought out a rather large one, unwrapping it and sucking on it instantly.
At the school courtyard, Evie went to sit on the steps next to Doug who was there with a book. She looked all around and soon found Ben sitting on the lap of the reflecting pool waiting as Mal came out, but her hair seemed violet instead of deep purple for some reason.
"Ben!" Mal called out.
"I thought you weren't going to make it." Ben said dramatically as he stood up in front of her, glad to see her.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, Ben," Mal replied. "So what did you wanna tell me that couldn't wait 'til 12:37?"
"Something I should have said a long time ago," Ben explained as he sat down with her. "I think we should go steady."
Evie gasped with a big smile and tear in her eye.
"Steady? I'd like that," Mal beamed. "I'd like that a lot."
"Me too." Evie whispered, so happy for her friend.
"And I want to give you something, so we'll never forget this moment." Ben said as he brought out a jewelry case from his back pocket and handed it to the purple-haired girl.
"A bracelet! It's beautiful." Mal beamed as she opened it up.
"Read the inscription." Ben requested.
"'I Love You, Mal. Did I mention that?'" Mal read aloud, sounding very touched and emotional while Evie squealed and shook Doug violently in excitement.
"Look on the back." Ben requested.
Mal did just that. "'12:36'?" she then asked.
"That's what time it was when we first spoke in the cafeteria on the first day of high school." Ben explained.
"Oh, Ben, it's perfect." Mal beamed as she wore it right away.
"No, you're perfect." Ben grinned at her.
Evie squealed a bit more while squeezing Doug in her hold.
Meanwhile, in the chemistry classroom, Audrey was pulling out drawers and dug through Mr. Deley's stuff as Mia, one of the other girls in school, kept watch at the door.
"Audrey! We shouldn't be in here." Mia warned the brunette girl.
Audrey ignored her and soon pulled a bottle from the top left-hand drawer. "Toadstool Softener?" she then grimaced as she read the label. "Ew! Who would have this?"
"What are you looking for?" Mia wondered urgently.
"A way to bring that dragon down since she's stealing my boyfriend," I'm going to plant something of Mr. Deley's on her, then sit back and watch her take the fall along with Evie."
"What does Evie have to do with it?" Mia wondered. "I want payback on Evie since I was the fashion queen until she decided that she was."
"Simple, Mal and Evie are very close best friends before Mal disappeared, so Evie will wanna go down with Mal." Audrey said like it was obvious.
"You are pure evil." Mia remarked.
"Thanks. Now if I can just find the answer key to next week's test, or something even better," Audrey smirked proudly as she continued to look around until she pulled out a jewelry box from the top right drawer and opened it as Mia came by for a closer look. "Like a diamond ring."
"What's Mr. Deley doing with a diamond ring?" Mia wondered.
"Dreaming," Audrey said as she took it from the case and held it up until she suspected something. "Do you hear something? We gotta get outa here." she then added as she soon closed the empty box and stuffed it back in the drawer and the two thieves ran for the other door.
They got out just before Mr. Deley came in whistling The Wedding March to himself and looking very happy. He soon went to go his desk and took out the jewelry box, he slipped it in his pocket. As he was about to leave, he heard a buzzing. "Ah! Wasp!" he then cried out and batted it a couple of times before pulling his jacket up over his head and dashing from the classroom.
In the hallway, Mr. Deley came out of the chemistry classroom and pulled the door shut before he walked up to a man leaning against the wall. "Excuse me, have you seen the new janitor?" he then asked the man.
"You're looking at him," The man said, turning around and his shirt was open to the waist and he seemed to have an eyepatch. "I'm Bashful and I came to Storybrooke High because I'm tired of being even quieter than Dopey because of my shyness."
"Then, er, don't eat the meatloaf," Mr. Deley advised. "Anyway, I saw a wasp in my office. It's got me worried, I think there might be a nest." he then added urgently.
"A wasp's nest, that could be deadly," Bashful remarked dramatically. "Let's hope you're wrong."
In the school cafeteria, Ben and Mal were sitting together and enjoying a romantic candlelit lunch.
"Well, here we are, back to where it all started." Ben told Mal romantically.
"Mm... Good burger..." Mal beamed. "Pass the strawberries."
"I just heard the most amazing thing," Audrey said as she came out of nowhere and came to sit with them. "Did you know Bluebeard was married six times and he's not even a pirate?"
"That just bursts my enthusiasm about this place!" Harry complained as he appeared to be sitting with Uma while Audrey came to slip Mr. Deley's diamond ring into Mal's bag as the brunette girl spoke.
"Well, that's all, see ya." Audrey then said and she got up and left suddenly.
"Wow! Audrey was friendly." Ben commented.
"A little too friendly," Mal remarked. "Even if she's supposed to be the daughter of Princess Aurora."
Audrey made it halfway to the cafeteria door when she was attacked. The loud buzzing came from the air ducts. "Aaah! Wasps." she then complained. "Keep them away from me, I'm terribly allergic!"
Ben reacted quickly and covered Mal's head with his jacket and stood protectively over her. Audrey was soon stung on the neck and yelped as she shuffled sideways, and she collapsed dramatically into Ben's arms.
"What happened?" Evie asked as she walked by with Doug.
"She's in epileptic shock! I have to get her to the nurse," Ben said urgently as he ran for the door until he swung around first and looked at Mal. "Wait for me." he then told her.
"I will." Mal promised him.
Evie just looked very thrilled and excited as Ben and Mal were getting back together.
Back in the nurse's office, Nurse Spratt's stomach had expanded as she was polishing off the final lollipop until Ben suddenly rushed in with an unconscious Audrey in his arms.
"Help! Help! Wasp sting!" Ben cried out.
The nurse groaned a bit before going over to the cupboard and swept everything on it onto the floor. "Put her over here," she then told the boy and when he did that, she got her trusty hypo and squirted a bit out of the needle. "She needs Epinephrine and she needs it now. Don't you quit on me!" she then cried out before jabbing the needle home, then tossed it over her shoulder as Audrey came to. "There."
"Where am I?" Audrey wondered wearily.
"The nurse's office," Nurse Spratt replied. "You're going to make it thanks to this young man."
"Oh, Ben, I-" Audrey began to speak.
"Shhh! You need to rest." Ben told her calmly.
"Help me get her to a bed." Nurse Spratt told Ben and soon, the two supported Audrey as they went through to the school emergency ward.
"How's Mr. Spratt?" Ben asked the nurse.
"He'll be fine once he gets a carrot or two for dinner," Nurse Spratt replied rather uncaringly. "I'll go get a cold compress."
Ben then helped Audrey onto the bed beside the old school janitor as the nurse left.
"As long as you're okay, I'll be getting back to lunch." Ben began to tell Audrey.
"Don't go, stay with me, Benny Boo." Audrey urged.
"No, I have to follow my heart and return to Mal." Ben insisted strongly as he started to leave.
"I don't know what you see in her." Audrey scoffed coldly.
"I don't know what you don't." Ben whispered and soon left the room as Audrey slumped back on her bed.
The old school janitor's heart monitor flat lined with a continuous high-pitched tone.
"How annoying!" Audrey complained as she sat up, grabbed her pillow, and whacked the old man on the chest with it and soon, the monitor started to keep regularly again.
Back in the hallway, Ben came out of the nurse's office and went to the water fountain passing the new janitor on his way.
"Good day." Bashful greeted the boy.
"It is, isn't it?" Ben replied before blinking. "Bashful the Dwarf?"
There was then a dramatic pipe organ sting at that and it came from the music room where Gabrielle was with a friend who was teaching her how to play.
"...Meh." Ben shrugged and then bent down for a drink just as the formerly shy dwarf janitor lifted the ladders that he had been using to hunt wasps.
They teetered and started to fall.
"Rogue ladder, look out!" Bashful warned as loudly as he could which wasn't a whole lot.
Ben had no chance as the ladder toppled on top of him and he let out a very slow and long yell "No" and suddenly fell with the ladder.
"Good Grimm, not another one." Bashful muttered as he looked down at the struck down pupil.
Back in the school emergency ward, Nurse Spratt was now getting ready to eat a very large submarine sandwich just as the bashful dwarf carried the unconscious boy in.
"Incoming!" Bashful warned as he came in and put Ben down on a bed.
"What happened to Ben?" Audrey asked in alarm.
"He took a ladder to the head," Bashful explained before facing Nurse Spratt. "He's in your hands now."
Nurse Spratt sighed and rolled her eyes slightly. "I'll go get a cold compress." she then said.
"Is that all you do?" Audrey asked, unimpressed.
"My hands are tied by the state." Nurse Spratt shrugged as she and Bashful left the room.
"Ben! Benny Boo, speak to me!" Audrey cried out as she jumped from her bed and went over to the boy before kissing his forehead and some weird rainbow magic blast filled the room.
"Hey!" Ben blinked as he woke up.
"Ben, you're awake." Audrey said in relief.
"Who's Ben?" Ben then asked.
"You don't know who you are?" Audrey asked.
"No. Who are you?" Ben replied.
"I'm Audrey, don't you remember?"
"Actually I don't remember anything."
'Amnesia, I can work with this,' Audrey thought to herself with a rather sinister smirk despite being the next Sleeping Beauty. "Listen, no matter what anyone says, I'm your girlfriend. Also you're lifelong friends with a boy named Chad. I'm the only one you can trust, you got that?" she then told him aloud.
"And you are?" Ben asked.
Audrey simply said her name just as Mal and Evie came running in.
"Ben, we've just heard." Mal said urgently.
"Are you okay?" Evie added.
"Yeah..." Ben nodded before looking confused. "Who are you?
"You don't know me?" Mal frowned. "I'm Mal, your girlfriend."
"And I'm Evie, I'm your childhood best friend," Evie added. "We've known each other since we were babies."
"I don't think so," Ben shook his head is my girlfriend. "This is my girlfriend and she says someone called Chad is my lifelong best friend."
"Audrey?!" Mal and Evie gasped and glared.
"Yeah, Audrey." Ben nodded at both girls.
"Oh, no. Ben has amnesia," Evie said to herself anxiously. "This can't be happening."
"It can and is. Now I think you'd better go, my boyfriend's had enough excitement for one day since he should be with more hero kids like the daughter of Sleeping Beauty and son of Cinderella and not the daughters of The Evil Queen and The Dark Fairy." Audrey nodded and she soon stood up and took Mal and Evie by their arms and dragged them away from the ward into the nurse's office.
"But Ben!" Evie cried out.
"Nice meeting you." Ben replied casually.
"What are you doing?" Evie asked, hissing at Audrey.
"Ruining your lives," Audrey smirked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go remind Ben about being in the fashion show.
"You're going to make him wear a tux?" Mal asked.
"And a cummerbund and you can't stop me." Audrey added and grinned.
Mal and Evie were just in a state of shock and they soon came into the cafeteria.
"I can't believe Audrey did that." Mal remarked as they shared some chocolate milk together.
"And now the whole school's going to see them together tonight at the fashion show." Evie added, feeling bad for Mal because this might send her away all over again when she knew deep down that Ben and Mal should be together like her mother and a certain outlaw.
"Don't worry, I've got a plan," Mal suddenly said with a sneaky smirk. "She'll get hers."
"What do you mean?" Evie wondered.
"If I told you, you'd only try to stop me," Mal said as she got up to leave. "Just be at the fashion show."
"MAL!" Evie called out as the girl turned around. "Be careful."
Mal nodded and continued to leave to carry out her plan.
"Oh, Mal, you need to organize this bag..." Evie sighed as she picked up the bag and decided to go through it and include some of her notes and notebooks for Mal to borrow so that she could stay on top of her classes and not get in trouble with Headmaster Goose or anyone else in school. She then didn't realize that a certain something slipped and fell into her own bag, but little did she know, that was exactly what Audrey wanted.
Back in the chemistry classroom, Nurse Spratt was sitting on a lab bench cross legged as Mr. Deley made his play. "Of course I can't offer you riches, until society decides to reward its teachers, but I can offer you this," he started to tell her as he held up the jewelry box and opened it for her to see the beautiful diamond ring. "Elizabeth, would you leave your lame and lean husband and be my-"
"Jonathan!" Nurse Spratt interrupted and gasped, taking the box and turned it to show him. "
"WHAT?!" Mr. Deley gasped as they both faced each other dramatically as another crescendo was played.
"I think I'm getting the hang of this, Felicity!" Gabrielle giggled from the music room.
Later. Nurse Spratt had gone and Emma had taken her place in the science class. The incriminating empty jewelry box sat on one of the tables.
"Don't you understand, I gave up professional haircuts to buy that ring?" Mr. Deley was heard complaining to the new sheriff of Storybrooke.
"I can see that, sir, but let's stick to the facts," Emma remarked. "Who has access to your room?"
"Everyone. I don't lock my door, I'm always here," Mr. Deley explained. "Except I had to stop by the nurse's office today."
"Can you pin-point the time you were out?" Emma then asked.
"Between 12:30 and 12:40." Mr. Deley simply stated.
"Lock the exits, I'm going to crack this case if I have to search everyone on campus." Emma then said and slid on a pair of sunglasses while some jazzy cop music played in the background.
Back in the cafeteria, Evie was still sipping her chocolate milk and thinking over her problems. 'How could Ben forget me and Mal? And what is Audrey's scheme? Why would Ben wanna be friends with Chad? This day is taking some strange twists and turns, but it sure makes a good carton of chocolate milk. Don't ever sell that cow, Headmaster Goose.' she pondered and was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see Mr. Deley and Emma coming until they were right on top of her.
"Excuse me, ma'am." Emma began to say like Evie was a stranger.
'You mean me?' Evie asked in her head until she realized she just thought that and spoke aloud. "Oh, you mean me?"
"We'd like permission to search your backpack." Emma demanded.
"Oh, I see no reason to disturb Evie, she's one of my best students." Mr. Deley advised the blonde woman.
"Oh, it's okay Mr. Deley, go ahead," Evie reassured her favorite teacher as she put her bag on the table and Emma looked through it. "So, what are you looking for?" she then asked.
"This." Emma said as she held up a certain diamond ring.
"Evie, how could you?!" Mr. Deley gasped. "You stole my ring."
"I didn't!" Evie defended, feeling shocked as well.
"I'm calling your parents and bringing you downtown." Emma glared at Evie, taking her by the arm and pulled her toward the door.
"What? Why? How?" Evie panicked as they were going through the hallway.
"I'll ask the questions." Emma retorted as they left the cafeteria.
"This is a mistake!" Evie cried out on the way while other students looked alarmed. "I've never stole anything in my whole life."
"We'll discuss it at the station." Emma told her.
"But I don't know how that ring got in my bag," Evie then said until she suddenly figured it out as she saw Audrey with a gloating smirk at her predicament and she soon she desperately kept pointing at the daughter of Sleeping Beauty. "Audrey, she set me up. You've got the wrong person. Get her! Get her! Get her! Get her! Get her!"
"Bye-Bye~" Audrey smirked.
Jordan brought out her camera and snapped some photos and wrote down some notes to add to the school newspaper.
Soon, Evie and Emma were at the sheriff's station to talk this over.
"Where were you today between 12:30 and 12:40?" Emma asked Evie.
"In the courtyard with Ben." Evie simply said.
"Any witnesses?" Emma asked.
"Ben." Evie stated.
"Any witnesses who can remember their own name?" Emma then asked.
"I mean Mal was there too, but she's busy trying to ruin the fashion show for one reason or another..." Evie shrugged until she gasped.
"So Mal is a suspect as well?" Emma asked.
"No! That's not what I meant!" Evie cried out.
"You're not making this easy, Evie, I think your villain roots are starting to seep in and I should know since I'm the daughter of Snow White," Emma then said, about to go over some other methods. "I'll call my dad so we can do Bad Cop/Worse Cop."
There was then suddenly a knock at the door and in came a certain couple.
"Mommy..." Evie murmured before doing a double take. "And Robin Hood?!"
"We're here for Evie." Regina told Emma.
"Has she been charged?" Robin added.
"Not formally." Emma replied.
"May we speak to her alone, Sheriff Swan?" Robin demanded.
"Sure, maybe you can get a straight answer out of her." Emma shrugged and decided to allow that.
"Evie, what's going on?" Regina asked softly as she came to sit down with her daughter.
"It's this day, it's totally out of control!" Evie begged. "Make it stop! And Robin Hood, I thought you went to New York City with your wife and son?"
"That's right Evie, it is I, Robin Hood... I'm here too." Robin said dramatically and faced her paternally.
"I'm sorry, Evie, but you seem to be in the middle of a soap opera teen drama spell and until you make it to the dramatic climax, you're stuck here." Regina replied oddly.
"But I am in so much trouble," Evie replied. "Emma thinks I stole the ring Mr. Deley bought for the nurse, but Audrey's setting me and Mal up to get me out of the way because she wants to steal Ben who has amnesia."
"Oh, this is even better than those soap operas I used to watch during The Dark Curse," Regina chuckled before sighing to her daughter. "Except that it's happening to you."
"Argh." Evie groaned.
Later in the school hallway, Audrey was wearing a pink dress just like her mother's when she was reunited with her parents and went to marry Phillip.
"The place is really filling up." Mia said to Audrey, wearing a black dress similar to her own mother's and Chad was wearing an outfit like what Prince Thomas wore when he first met Cinderella.
"Five minutes to show time and please remember, you're Miss Mary Mack girls now." A familiar looking woman informed Mia and Audrey.
"Eat your heart out, Amalie Bonnfamile." Mia smirked and winked.
"You too... Evie." Audrey giggled and tittered with Mia before they both sighed.
Ben then showed up in his tux complete with cummerbund and bow tie.
"Benny Boo, you look cute and...?" Audrey beamed at him before she gave a bit of a pathetic pout. "How about me?"
"Ah, you look great..." Ben smiled and nodded before glancing down at his palm where her name was written down. "...Audrey."
Meanwhile in the school utility room, Mal was making her preparations dressed in combat fatigues. She was in company along with Jay, Carlos, and Enid.
"Just a little more, there," Mal instructed Enid who was pouring signal red gloss enamel into the funnel to fill a toy water gun. "She's not going to steal my boyfriend. Because we're all rotten..."
"To the core." Jay, Carlos, and Enid added as they all bumped fists together.
"That's right," Mal nodded as she took her gun once it was ready before they climbed up some boxes and Jay opened the airduct. "All right, Jay, you looked over the plans, what's next?"
"Now all we have to do is crawl through this duct to the vent overlooking the fashion show and then we'll see who's face is red... and glossy." Jay replied, smirking and winking while Enid giggled.
Once inside, they pulled the grill closed behind them and they started to crawl on their elbows and knees, Commando style, though Carlos struggled a bit.
"Come on, Carlos! Pick up the pace back there!" Mal called out.
"I think I landed on my keys." Carlos groaned.
In the school hallway, Emma had let Evie and her legal guardians come and look for Mal who can help defend the alibi. At least Evie hoped that would happen.
"Okay, you have 15 minutes to find your friend." Emma told Evie as they came into the hallway along with Robin Hood and Regina.
"She's gotta be around here somewhere..." Evie said thoughtfully.
In the school courtyard, a catwalk was set up from the school doors to the reflecting pool with students and guests sat on either side.
"Let's get things started with Mia and Chad." The hostess announced to the crowd who lightly applauded.
As Mia and Chad took to the catwalk Mr. Deley took his seat in front of Nurse Spratt and turned to face her. "We must talk." he then urged.
"Meet me by the pool after the show." Nurse Spratt requested.
"I can't wait that long." Mr. Deley urged as Jordan took photographs for the school newspaper and yearbook.
"Shh! Fashion." Nurse Spratt shushed him.
Mr. Deley sighed and began to watch the show.
In the school air duct, Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Enid continued their Mission Impossible.
"Oh, there's the hunky dwarf janitor, he'll help us." Regina said in the hallway.
"Seriously! Bashful the Dwarf?" Evie complained. "Doug says he talks even less than Dopey and I didn't think that was possible!"
"Sir, have you seen the student called Mal?" Robin asked as the dwarf looked at the ceiling and held his mop as a weapon.
"I've seen a lot of things... but no bracelet." Bashful replied dramatically.
"Are you sure?" Evie asked. "She has purple hair, green eyes, and has an alibi to provide me?!"
"I'd like to help you ma'am, but this entire school's in danger. You see, I'm huntin' wasps." Bashful said and he soon stalked off after his pray.
"Then it's over, it's hopeless. We'll never find Mal and she told me to come to the fashion show because she had something going on.
Back in the hallway by the catwalk, Audrey was giving last minute instructions to Ben. "Now Ben, I don't wanna overload you, but there's one more thing you have to remember." she said to him.
"What?" Ben asked.
"When we get to the end of the runway you have to kiss me."
"Okay."
"Oh, this is the best night of my life," Audrey gushed. "Total control."
In the school airduct, Mal, Enid, Jay, and Carlos were getting closer.
"How much further, Jay?" Enid asked.
"20 more yards and it's Splatterday." Jay chuckled, making Mal roll her eyes.
They all then suddenly heard a buzzing sound.
"Someone turn their phone off." Mal commanded.
"...that wasn't a phone." Carlos said with wide eyes.
"Then what was that?" Mal asked before she saw it and gasped. "A wasp! Help! Somebody HELP!"
In the school hallway, Evie, Robin, Regina, an Emma all heard four voices crying for help coming from the ceiling. Fortunately, so did Bashful who ran around the corner with a step ladder.
"Mal's in the ceiling!" Evie realized. "Do something!"
"Don't worry, stand back," Bashful replied. "I've got a ladder and I know how to use it."
"Hang on, Mal!" Regina called to her daughter's friend.
The dwarf janitor quickly had the ladder set up under the grill outside the cafeteria and worked the release catch. "All right, I've got her." he then reassured the others.
The grill dropped open and Mal fell out onto the floor with a thump, but she was not the only thing to fall from the grill.
"No I don't." Bashful then mumbled.
"Mal! Are you okay?" Evie cried out.
"Yes, my wings broke my fall." Mal said, sitting up now with dark blue violet hair and she appeared to randomly have her dragon wings.
"Mal... where were we at 12:36?" Evie then asked as she helped Mal up to her feet. "...also why does your hair keep changing colors?"
"Uh, I was in the courtyard with Ben and he gave me this bracelet and you were there with Doug, I think." Mal explained like it was obvious.
"Okay, your story checks out, you're off the hook," Emma then said before facing Mal while Jay, Enid, and Carlos were hiding in the vents. "But you, young lady have some explaining to do."
"We have to evacuate the area," Bashful warned the others urgently. "There's a swarm headed this way."
They all then made a run for it.
"Wait!" Regina suddenly cried out.
"I can't wait, we have to get to Ben and make him remember." Evie told her mother urgently.
"But first you have to look fabulous." Regina then said and she soon waved her hand and her daughter and her friend disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Soon, the two were dressed up in embroidered silk ball gowns with matching white elbow length gloves and their hair up and the gowns were of course blue and violet.
"Wow!" The two girls beamed at each other.
Back at the fashion show, the hostess was announcing the next names. "Our next couple is dressed for a magical night, representing the sophomore class: Ben, the son of Belle and Audrey, the daughter of Sleeping Beauty."
And they made a wonderful couple as they walk down the catwalk arm in arm to the applause of the audience.
"Aren't I supposed to kiss you now?" Ben asked Audrey as they reached by the end of the reflecting pool.
"Oh, Benny Boo, you remembered!" Audrey beamed at them.
The two then leaned in for a kiss and two streaks hurtled down the walkway.
"Stop!" Evie cried out as she made it over and pushed in front of her childhood best friend and faced Audrey. "You can't kiss him, Ben is Mal's boyfriend!"
"What are you doing here, I thought I sent you and Dragon Breath to Juvey?" Audrey demanded and glared.
"Your little scheme failed and now I'm back to help Mal reclaim what's rightfully hers," Evie glared back. "Show them, Mal."
Mal then lifted her arm and showed Ben the bracelet.
"Look." Evie then said.
"'I Love You, Mal. Did I Mention That'?" Ben read aloud and it suddenly all came back to him. "That's right! I'm Ben and I love to mention that I'm in love with Mal! And The Bremen Avenue Experience is Storybrooke's best garage band! It's all coming back to me!"
"He remembers." Mal smirked at Audrey.
"You've ruined everything." Audrey glowered at her.
"Ben was never yours." Evie spoke up.
"I'll deal with her, BFF." Mal told Evie.
"You're going down, Maleficent Jr." Audrey threatened Mal as she grabbed her arms.
"And I'm taking you with me." Mal glared and soon grabbed her arms as well and they tussled, pulling and pushing until they fall sideways into the reflecting pool.
They both came up spluttering and fighting and drenched to the skin.
"Freak!" Audrey glared.
"Tramp!" Mal glared back.
"Dragon Bitch!"
"Prissy Princess!"
"Go with the jab, stay inside!" Regina cheered on during the fight.
"Come on, Mal, why fight Audrey when you can go back and see the boy who's been crazy about you since the moment you two first met?" Robin suggested.
Mal realized he was right and soon came out of the water with his help and approached the brunette boy. "Ben." she breathed.
"Mal." Ben replied.
"I missed you." Mal said as they held onto each other.
"I missed you too." Ben replied an the two soon hugged.
They hug. At the other side of the pool, the fashion show hostess now had hold of a very damp Audrey.
"But she attacked me!" Audrey whined.
"She did not, and for conduct unbecoming of a Miss Mary Mack girl, I hereby excommunicate you from the teen-board." The hostess scoffed and then added.
"What! Sob! This is the worst night of my life. Sob!" Audrey whined and complained as she stormed off only to plop down into the pool with her dress ballooning up about her.
"What a scoop!" Jordan chuckled as she took one last snapshot on her camera.
Meanwhile, in the audience, Nurse Spratt tapped Mr. Deley's shoulder to make him face her. "Now what was it you were going to say to me?" she then asked.
Mr. Deley quickly pulled away his chair and got down on one knee. "Elizabeth, I would be honored if you would agree to be my-" he began to ask her only for this to happen next.
"HELP!" Emma interrupted as he ran onto the walkway. "Is there a nurse in the house?"
"I'm a nurse, what's wrong?" Nurse Spratt asked as she shot up from her seat.
"The janitor's just been attacked by a swarm of wasps." Emma warned.
"Code Blue! And get me a cold compress with a side of cheese fries with bacon bits!" Nurse Spratt cried out as she ran off into the school.
"I'll wait for you, Elizabeth~" Mr. Deley called after her with a dreamy sigh.
Emma nodded and looked at the hostess in amazement. "Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but did you ever run away from a Huntsman who was asked to kill you out of jealousy?" she then asked the fashion show hostess.
"Only as a child." The hostess shrugged.
"Rose Red?" Emma then asked.
"...Emma?" The hostess replied once her name was said with wide eyes, showing that she looked like Mary Margaret.
"My long-lost mother's twin sister AKA my aunt!" Emma then said before they fell crying into each other's arms.
A soggy Mal who was now covered in Ben's suit jacket on both sides of him an Evie on the catwalk were talking as things began to wind down.
"I can't believe I ever forgot you." Ben said to the girls.
"We don't blame you." Evie reassured her lifelong best friend.
"Yeah, we blame the ladder." Mal added.
Ben smiled as he bracelet back on her wrist and wraps her in his arms to ward off the evening chill. They sit until only they, the waiting Mr. Deley and Audrey were left behind with Audrey splashing in the pool.
"This has been such a weird day of school..." Evie sighed to herself.
"LOOK OUT!" Carlos' voice said as he, Enid, and Jay appeared out of nowhere in the courtyard.
"Carlos?!" Evie asked before gasping and suddenly she got drenched in a big splash of water during Audrey and Mal's fight.
Chapter 7: Once Upon a Dragon
Chapter Text
Evie suddenly screamed and shot awake in her bed before panting heavily, then her eyes darted around. She soon found herself in a dark blue room that had plenty of stuffed animals, stylish clothes, and make-up and it took her a moment to realize she was back in her bedroom.
"Evie? Evie! Settle down," Regina called as she rushed into the room suddenly and had a tray that had a glass of water and a couple of tablets on it. "Evie, it's Mommy."
"Mommy?" Evie murmured before she looked over and then sighed in relief. "Oh, Mom, thank goodness. I'm sorry!"
"It's okay, dear, it's okay," Regina soothed as she sat down on Evie's bed and hugged her teenage daughter instantly. "Oh, honey..."
"I'm sorry I tried to ruin Audrey's life before Ben wanted to take back Mal! That wasn't my fault, but I'm so sorry and I almost got arrested too!" Evie cried in the hug.
"...Evie, what are you talking about?" Regina asked, concerned and confused now.
"I'm sorry, Mommy, but Audrey said-" Evie began to explain.
"Audrey? Oh, for goodness' sake," Regina sighed and tried to settle down her daughter. "Evie, I... Oh, well. Come along. Have some water and aspirin."
"...my head is killing me..." Evie admitted.
"Settle down and have some medicine." Regina advised her daughter.
Evie soon nodded, listening to her mother and then took the medicine and quieted down for a moment.
"Now... why don't you tell me what exactly you're talking about, my dear?" Regina suggested wearily. "We both had a big night last night."
"I don't really remember much of the slumber party with Mal and Uma, but what happened in school was..." Evie started to say and soon told her mother everything from start to finish.
Regina listened as much as she possibly could, nodding at her daughter's words and looked amused and confused for the most part. Evie began to realize how crazy and weird it sounded and it did sound likely that this was all just a dream and she should go to Mal and Uma to find out more about what really happened.
"But there's still one thing I'm curious about," Evie then said as she calmed down a little. "I wonder if Mr. Deley ended up with Nurse Spratt?"
"Oh, Evie, you just had a crazy dream brought on by apple wine..." Regina remarked before looking firm for a moment. "No more of that until you're a little bit older, you got that?"
"Yes, Mom." Evie nodded.
"Now come down to breakfast," Regina suggested as she took her daughter by the hand gently. "I learned from a very relilable source that greasy bacon is just the thing you need on a morning like this."
"I'm not sure if I can even eat, Mom..." Evie said wearily.
"Trust me, my little princess," Regina reassured her daughter. "A nice breakfast pile of bacon is just what you need and don't you dare say it'll just make you look fat. I'm not taking no for an answer."
"You never really seem to, Mom." Evie smirked slightly.
"Very funny." Regina smirked back.
"Mr. Deley and Mrs. Sprat... what a silly idea..." Evie murmured to herself and took out her phone to check for anything important in her messages.
"So Mal's back in town, maybe you two should talk." Regina suggested as she cooked breakfast.
"Mal?" Evie blinked and repeated. "Oh, uh, yeah, I guess..."
"You used to be friends, didn't you?" Regina then asked.
"It's kind of complicated, Mom..." Evie said, not sure how else to describe it.
"Well, maybe you should hang around since I'm going to be with Maleficent and the other villainesses with their special plan for Storybrooke," Regina advised. "But that's just my suggestion anyway. You don't always need to listen to your mother's advice, I mean I sometimes didn't and look where that got me."
"I'm not sure I want to have us ending up in two different worlds, Mom." Evie remarked.
"Me neither, my dear..." Regina had to agree as she came by and kissed her daughter's cheek. "Just think about it maybe."
Evie merely gave a nod. "I'll see what I can do." she then said.
"That's all I ask." Regina said with a small smile.
Evie smiled back a bit and soon continued to scroll through her phone and waited for her breakfast to be made so she could eat it and recover.
Just outside the school grounds was Mr. Deley waiting for his true love.
"Jonathan." A certain voice called.
"Elizabeth! You're back," Mr. Deley beamed before he looked concerned. "You look tired."
"I could use a cold compress and some brownies," Mrs. Spratt said, thinking of her stomach like always, unlike her husband who would rather snack on a carrot or anything else lean as he couldn't eat fat and she couldn't eat lean. "Now what was it you wanted to say?"
"Oh, Elizabeth, hear me out, I know that you and your husband are having your differences," Mr. Deley began to say. "I would be honored if you would be my wife?" he then added while attempting to bring out a certain box.
"Oh, Jonathan, if only you'd asked me an hour ago," Mrs. Spratt frowned. "How can I put this? I've met someone."
"Who?!" Mr. Deley demanded.
"It's better that you don't know. I'm going away, Jonathan," Mrs. Spratt explained as she started to leave. "I only hope that you can forgive me."
"But wait! You can't!" Mr. Dleey cried out only to turn away, looking heartbroken. "Ah, well, I got a lot further than I thought I would." he then shrugged it off and then smiled before slipping his hands in his pockets and walked off.
Meanwhile in the school hallway, Mrs. Spratt came through the fire doors and walked up to Bashful who was leaning against the wall with a packed bag beside him with his face and arms covered in sting ointment. "How did he take it?" he then asked the woman.
"He'll be fine," Mrs. Spratt explained. "Jonathan's strong and has both eyes. You need me more."
"It was worth being stung hundreds of times, it's what brought us together." Bashful swooned.
Mrs. Spratt beamed as she picked up a bag and they soon walked off together, arm in arm.
"By the way, this is only temporary..." Bashful then said as he gestured to his eye patch.
"Don't ruin it~" Nurse Spratt told him and they continued to walk off together.
In the meantime, Dee Dee and Henry continued to look for clues in the storybook and were now focusing on a page that had an illustration of a door. Henry brought out a magnifying glass to help a bit since the door was very interesting, but it was hard to pinpoint exactly why or how.
"Hey." Belle greeted softly as she came into the room with a couple of plates of donuts for the two youngsters.
"Sweets break," Dee Dee beamed as she accepted the plate for her. "Thanks Belle, how'd you know I liked the chocolate peppermint donut that Granny made for Chrstmas?"
"Lucky guess," Belle said with a small, amused smile before looking at the page with her grandson. "So, um, is... Is that the page that August took out of the storybook? Did you find anything?" she then asked him.
"I think this door somehow has something to do with The Author," Henry explained. "We just have to figure out where it is."
"You will. Here." Belle encouraged him as she gave him a glazed donut before leaving the room.
Henry smiled, accepting the treat before looking a bit harder at the door and the magnifying glass. "Come on, August. What are you trying to tell us?" he then murmured until he flinched and heard a bit of a loud licking sound.
Dee Dee was seen licking off the glaze and peppermints off of her donut before she would eat it.
"Dee Dee, can you eat a donut without licking the glaze off?" Henry asked her wearily.
"What?" Dee Dee muffled.
Henry merely sighed and soon took out his own donut to join her in licking the glaze off before he found himself enjoying it.
Emma soon drove over to Granny's Diner as Killian, Harry, and Carla were in there, trying to help the blonde woman look for clues. "Find anything in there?" she then asked them.
"Well, a burned table, broken bottles, uh, and a very irate Granny." Killian explained.
"Mrs. Lucas said she hasn't seen anything so chaotic and destructive since Ruby came home after drinking too much diet rum." Harry added.
"Trust me, kid, it ain't soda that Ruby drinks on Friday nights!" Granny called out from inside.
"Apparently, Mrs. Evie's mother and the witches drank the place dry." Carla then told Emma.
"I'd say she won them over." Killian smirked.
"Unless that's exactly what they wanted her to think." Emma piped up.
"Look, I know you're worried, but we don't even know what happened yet." Killian reminded her to try to calm her down.
"That's what's worrying me. She's not at home," Emma explained urgently. "She's not in her office. My parents are gonna check her vault, but-"
"And you fear the worst." Killian guessed softly.
"I can't help but think, if the undercover thing worked, if she's got the situation under control, then why the hell isn't she back yet?" Emma explained. "And what might happen to Evie? What if Evie goes to the dark side?"
"Oh, I don't think that could happen to her," Harry remarked. "I haven't known Evie long and she may be The Evil Queen's daughter, but that girl has no evil bone in her body."
Emma gave a small smile, glad that Harry was trying to help even though she was a bit unsure.
David and Mary Margaret were now driving into the woods and looking for Regina.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," Mary Margaret frowned. "If something happened to Regina-"
"No, like you said, she'll be fine," David interrupted and reminded his wife. "She can take care of herself."
Mary Margaret nodded until she saw something that caught her attention. "Look!" she gasped.
Soon, the car stopped and the couple came out of it. They found that one of the other sheriff cars had been torched and singed beyond repair almost as though someone had set it on fire overnight.
"That's one of my sheriff's cars," David noted curiously. "What the hell happened?"
"Maleficent happened," Regina explained wearily as she showed up right behind them. "And that is her idea of a good time."
" Regina... Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked softly. "What happened last night?
"I had to prove myself. Which meant some drinking, some burning, and lots of destruction. I'm not sure what happened to our daughters, but it sounds like they had their own crazy night of debauchery," Regina explained. "Sorry about the car. And you really shouldn't be here. Next time, we have to meet covertly."
"Next time?" David demanded. "You didn't find out what they're planning?"
"It was one night," Regina reminded him. "But I did find out they're hiding something, something incredibly powerful." she then added.
"Well, what is it?" Mary Margaret asked, hoping to learn more.
"I don't know." Regina confessed.
"So, the only thing you accomplished was property destruction?" Mary Margaret asked wearily.
"I accomplished trust," Regina remarked. "Last time, I had to come to Maleficent. This time, she'll come to me."
"And what about Evie along with Mal and Uma?" David then asked.
"Evie's a big girl now, she can take care of herself," Regina replied. "Besides, I asked someone to keep an eye on her while I handle this and Evie can handle Mal and Uma since they're all the same age. Teenage girls don't betray each other, right?" she then added hopefully.
David and Mary Margaret looked a bit soft at that.
Meanwhile, Rumple was alone in the cabin, tending to the fire until he was met with the company of the villainesses who had come to Storybrooke. "Well, where the hell have you been all night?" he then demanded.
"Don't be nasty. Regina came to find us," Maleficent explained and defended. "We had some catching up to do."
"And apparently there was a slumber party." Cassandra added as she had a bag of something.
"Regina? What was she after?" Rumple wondered.
"She was sniffing around for information." Ursula explained.
"I assume you didn't tell her I'm what you're hiding." Rumple replied.
"Oh, we were careful, darling," Cruella smirked. "She doesn't know a thing."
"Very interesting plan, bringing us all together," Cassandra added as she brought over the bag to him. "This should be everything for that seeking potion you promised me?"
"In due time, dearie, you'll find exactly who you're looking for when we're done," Rumple nodded as he accepted the bag. "And as for my plan, it's just beginning, but it does present an intriguing possibility."
"Do you really think she'll help us?" Maleficent asked.
"My heartbreak turned her into a monster once and now her heart's been broken a new," Rumple reassured them. "She's lost another love and is in great pain"
"As you and I both know, pain always makes you stronger." Maleficent remarked.
"Not to mention the pain of losing a loved one you did everything you could to protect." Cassandra added somberly.
"Indeed, it does," Rumple nodded. "When war hits Storybrooke, everyone's gonna have to pick a side, including Regina."
"And what war is that?" Cassandra then asked.
"Oh, the one we're about to start," Rumple replied as he tended to the fireplace. "And tonight... We're gonna throw the first punch."
In the meantime, Evie was walking through town, trying to find a certain someone until she had some unexpected company.
"Hi, Evie." Doug smiled innocently. "Lovely day, aren't you? I mean! Uh, lovely day, isn't it? Yeah, it's a day! The day is lovely! Not you... I mean you are lovely, not to say you're ugly or not fair, erm, I-"
"Are you stalking me?" Evie interrupted almost suspiciously.
"Technically... yes. I was sent by your mother just to make sure you're doing okay today since she's very busy right now and it looks like we're almost at Granny's Diner," Doug then said. "Perhaps we could sit next to each other and discuss these villainess' attributes."
Evie knew Doug would just be kind of annoying about it and she never did mind his company, especially when it came to help with fashion for school events such as Parents' Night or big dances so she let him come along with her, but to stay discreet. She then greeted Doug and walked with him a bit until she noticed Mal. She then assured him that she enjoyed his company but explained she needed to talk to Mal alone, as it was teenage girl stuff, and so requested that he stay behind.
"Hello? Mal? I've... Been thinking about our sleepover, I don't remember much of it after we left the diner..." Evie called as she found the former purple-haired girl alone in the dark. "I thought... maybe... perhaps we could have a talk?"
"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Mal murmured as she came out to see the bluenette girl. "You think just being abandoned by me after all this time and we're suddenly going to be besties again? That's totally how teenage girls work, isn't it, Evie?"
"Come on, Mal, don't be like that..." Evie sighed softly. "Let's talk."
"...alright." Mal shrugged and murmured.
"Where's Uma by the way?" Evie wondered since Mal was on her own.
"With her mom and the others," Mal explained. "I sorta promised I wouldn't tell anyone until the time was right."
"...okay." Evie then said with a nod, deciding not to pry too much or she might lose Mal all over again.
Mal shrugged and soon strolled around town with Evie and the two got to talking and sharing some old stories together.
"Do you remember coming down this way while our mothers fought over the best way to poison a princess?" Evie smiled at her former friend as they strolled together.
"Yeah! Apple or spindle? That one was epic!" Mal chuckled. "That went on for actual days."
"Like it mattered, right?" Evie replied. "They were both undone by True Love's Kiss."
"Works every time!" The two girls said together in unison before breaking out in laughter together.
They soon came to a stop and sat on a bench, though it was hard to ignore Mr. Gold's pawnshop across the street as their laughter quickly died down.
"I really thought that's what you and Ben had," Evie soon said softly as she looked at Mal. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Nah. I'm not staying here, Evie," Mal said as her smile quickly disappeared. "I can't. I really tried to tell you. I just... I just don't know... I see you like it in Storybrooke and you wanna be a good person and tell your own story, but that's impossible for someone like me."
"...well, if you're going away after this, I'm going away too." Evie then said, trying to be strong.
"No," Mal shook her head. "Evie, you are a Storybrooke girl with an Evil Queen mother slowly reforming into a Good Queen... and I am... and always will be, the daughter of The Mistress of Evil and granddaughter of The Dark Fairy who cursed a sleeping beauty in the woods for not being invited to her wedding. The other fairies left out my mother when Queen Briar Rose's daughter was having her christening..." she then stared down at the floor with a broken heart. "Just like you didn't invite me to your Sweet 6th Birthday Party."
"Mal, you know my mother told me not to invite you." Evie reminded Mal since that wasn't her own fault, but it seemed to be the dreaded fate of being born into a fairy tale legacy.
"I know..." Mal replied bitterly. "We're just from two different worlds, you may be The Evil Queen's daughter and The Queen of Hearts' granddaughter, but that doesn't change one fact: you're a princess."
"But we have to meet again and stay together, Mal, I really need you," Evie said softly. "Ben might have been my childhood best friend, but you're my best teenage friend and if we have to be separated again... we'll meet again. Even if it ends up being the space between."
Mal looked thoughtful about that sentiment and turned away as she seemed to put her hand to one eye. "Sorry, a bug just flew in my eye." she then seemed to cover up.
"Of course..." Evie nodded.
"Well, well, look what we have here?~" Chad's voice was soon heard.
Mal and Evie looked a bit deadpan in response when Chad strolled right over to them.
"Well, hello there," Chad grinned at Mal. "You must be the daughter of Goldilocks."
"Isn't Goldilocks an adoptive mother of a toddler Lost Boy or something?" Evie remarked and groaned. "Those Lost Boys were so annoying."
"Not as annoying as the Shitweasel in charge of them." Mal scoffed at that.
Evie then blinked and looked curious how Mal would have known that.
"I'm... Artemis." The blonde girl covered up.
"Artemis?" Chad repeated. "Isn't that a boy's name? So you're a boy who likes to dress like a girl? What's wrong with you?" he then scoffed.
"I think you better leave, Chad." Evie suggested. "Plus you're wrong, Artemis was the name of the goddess of the hunt, wild animals and the moon, plus she was the patroness of girls." she told him.
"Or what?" Chad smirked ignoring the explanation as that was too much for his brain. "You gonna bake me a pie and make me fall asleep so someone beautiful and worthy like Audrey will save me if she's not too busy having a birthday party to lead up to a very exclusive and amazing slumber party? She's really pretty and popular, unlike you and you're The Mayor's daughter!"
Evie's eyes twitched as she seemed to have flames erupting in her previously chocolate brown iris.
"Stop it." Mal told Chad, nearly growling.
"I guess I'm just not right for you, eh, Goldilocks the Second?" Chad taunted. "What's with your mom and apples, Evie? Seriously... That bitch and her apples."
Evie then decided she had enough since Chad called her mother a very undesirable name, even worse than what she overheard some people say back during The Dark Curse. Suddenly, her hands had fireballs in them and she threw them right at the boy, burning him right on his butt and hair, causing him to scream and freak out that "fire was on him". Evie looked surprised herself after that, though she had a weird sensation that it felt rather awesome.
"Dang Evie, that fire was way better than what I could've done if I ended up getting angry enough to Dragon Up around that MopHead." Mal remarked.
"I... I didn't know I could do that..." Evie murmured.
"Well... I guess we better get going or something..." Mal then said, feeling bored on the bench right now.
"That's it! We're going to reignite the dragon in you by crashing Audrey's party!" Evie decided, sounding darkly determined all of a sudden.
"EVIE!" Mal gasped as that seemed to surprise and startle her because this was Evie saying such a thing.
"No Mal, this is how you're gonna get your groove back here in Storybrooke as long as our mothers are here and are villains," Evie replied, determined. "We're gonna crash that party, she must've lost your invitation."
"I guess I could give them a friendly reminder..." Mal replied thoughtfully.
"Yes, we're going to give Audrey and the others some persuasion~" Evie smirked darkly. "Briar Rose wronged your grandmother over a wedding invitation, Maleficent was excluded from the Good Faries for Aurora's christening, and allow me to make it up to you for missing my Sweet 6th Birthday Party by giving Audrey a Sour 16th Birthday Slumber Party."
"I think I'm gonna like this new Evie." Mal said thoughtfully.
"I think I'm gonna be terrified of this new Evie." Doug murmured to himself as he tried to get a hold of Evie's mother because this seemed like an emergency.
Evie and Mal walked down downtown Storybrooke's street until they ran into a certain someone, though Mal threw herself in the bushes to hide away. Evie blinked in confusion until she looked over and saw the person she seemed to be trying to avoid.
"Evie?" Ben asked. "What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?
"Walking home." Evie explained innocently.
"Alone?" Ben asked. "That's a bit of a long walk to go home."
"Mom's busy." Evie then said.
"Yeah, I'm sure she is," Ben nodded before he smiled thoughtfully. "Say, why don't you come with me? I'm heading this way for the party."
"Party? What party?" Evie asked innocently.
"I assume you've heard of the news?" Ben said to her, showing his phone to see an E-invite. "Audrey's 16th birthday and slumber party where just about everyone has been invited."
Mal narrowed her eyes and they glowed green as Evie looked like she had no idea what Ben was talking about.
"...I'll meet you there, just gotta make a stop at home first." Evie forced herself to say without sounding like a liar.
"Well, it'll be good to have you there," Ben smiled at his childhood best friend. "It's not a party without Evie Mills... oh, and Evie?"
"Yeah, Ben?" Evie replied.
"I know you're trying to look out for your mother and this Queens of Darkness business, but try not to get caught up in the charade, okay?" Ben advised softly. "I already lost a special girl, a father, and nearly a brother. I don't wanna lose my bestest best friend either."
"Don't worry, Ben," Evie reassured him softly. "You're stuck with me."
Ben gave a small smile at that. "See you at the party then?" he then asked.
"Oh, you'll see me alright~" Evie replied mysteriously.
Ben blinked at that and soon continued to head over to the party since he was a guest of honor.
"The next Sleeping Beauty is having a mega exclusive party where everyone can go except for you!" Evie soon said to Mal, trying to help her get her groove back. "A whole new generation is getting their happy endings while you sit up here and rot!"
"And why in the hell do you care so much?" Mal asked the bluenette girl.
"Because if... Someone as powerful as you can't get their revenge... That means I never will." Evie tried to explain.
"What revenge?" Mal scoffed. "When are you ever a villain?"
"Okay, maybe I'm overreacting, but I'm still an Evil Regal in the making and I feel like now is a good time to start acting like it and my mother always told me that I need to eat, breathe, and sweat self-esteem," Evie then said. "You shouldn't give up. You can still be a dragon and you still can fight."
Mal sighed and turned away. "I can't." she then sulked.
"Doesn't this make your blood boil?" Evie insisted to Mal.
"Did you hear me, Blueberry Princess? I can't! I can't..." Mal shook her head angrily before looking a bit down. "Turn into a dragon anymore. I lost the fire a long time ago."
"Then let's get that fire back." Evie said, still determined.
Mal could only look curious as she wondered what Evie could possibly be going on about.
Evie took Mal over to a special place that only she would know about and she knew that Mal would know about it too. It was the family crypt and they came over to a certain spot that still had flames dancing from it even though it had been years, though it wasn't too different from the tree Maleficent had sent on fire back in The Enchanted Forest.
"So, there's a brazier I burned that's still on fire. Who cares?" Mal recognized and then scoffed. "What does it matter?"
"That's your spark. That's what's going to reignite the dragon inside you," Evie insisted and gestured. "Now, let's get dangerous."
Before the ever-lit brazier, Mal tried to suck in the fire, taking a bit of a deep breath. The fires moved from the charcoals burning and soon straight into the young Dark Fairy as she absorbed the element of fire before it seemed to be over. She then yelped and seemed to stumble a bit after that happened, causing Evie to rush to her side in high hopes.
"Did it work?" Evie asked Mal eagerly.
"I'm not sure." Mal admitted breathlessly.
"Maybe we should go out and find out." Evie suggested.
Mal looked thoughtful about that as they left and soon ran into Chad with a couple of ginger-haired boys and one of them seemed to have an eyepatch. "Oh. Hello, Prince Chad Charming." she then greeted.
"Evening, Blonde Mal... I have a message for you." Chad retorted.
"Yeah, what's that?" Mal wondered.
"I promise you, if you intend to take away Audrey's happiness, you will fail," Chad said to her. "It's just ancient history that goes back to even our grandparents who knew the author who made this world we all live in, so you'll fail with Audrey since Maleficent failed with Aurora and Carabosse failed with Briar Rose."
"You made sure of that, didn't you?" Mal retorted cynically. "And these are new friends, I suppose?"
"Ah, yes, this is Sam and Seth Stabbington, cousins from that Isle of the Lost that Peter Pan used to be in charge of," Chad explained and gestured to the boys beside him. "Apparently, they were involved with Rapunzel's story, but for now, they're going to be my minions since Jay and Gil didn't seem interested in being my muscles and no one's seen Harold and Jace Badun in a very long time."
"...yeah, whatever happened to those guys?" Mal asked Evie.
"Ben said he heard Will Scarlet said he saw them in Wonderland," Evie shrugged. "Apparently he has Wonderland ties like my grandmother."
"Anyway, it's time to make you pay and I don't care that you're a girl." Chad glared as he grabbed Mal's arm.
"Hey!" Mal glared and complained, hissing a bit.
"You have to pay for what you've done," Chad told the girls as the cousins came for Evie by cornering her. "You set me on fire, so it's time to extinguish that by putting you two in the lake!"
"Extinguish?" Evie murmured and rolled her eyes.
"It's clever!" Chad retorted.
"Clever is yet another C word I don't imagine looking good on you." Mal countered.
"You should've stayed lost..." Chad narrowed his eyes dangerously.
Mal grunted and growled as her eyes flashed and she began to try to turn into a dragon, but she seemed to be having a hard time in doing so. She had the smoke and fire in her, but she still was missing something as she couldn't bring it out. "What...? No..." she then whispered in dismay.
"It would appear that you've made a fool of yourself once again... Daughter of Maleficent," Chad then said before facing Evie. "You will never be fairest in the land."
"Neither will you," Evie retorted icily. "My mother's mirror even told me you're the biggest jerk in the land."
"Yeah? Well, you're a gold digger." Chad retorted.
"Hey!" Mal glared. "Don't talk to Evie like that! She's smarter than you'll ever be!"
"Sorry, Dragon Breath, but you don't scare me!" Chad snapped. "Come on, boys, I think these girls need a swim!"
"Hey! Cut it out!" Mal cried out as this began to annoy her immensely.
The boys continued to drag and pull on the girls and began to take them to the lake as punishment for setting Chad on fire. Evie was very angry, but not as angry as Mal who was tired of being seen only as Maleficent's daughter and nothing else which was why she left Storybrooke in the first place. Sam and Simon both grabbed Mal and Evie while Chad grinned at this, enjoying every moment as he thought that it felt well-deserved.
"You'll never be anything other than villains who will live unhappily ever after," Chad told them bitterly. "Never. Especially you, Evie, since you're best friends with the son of Rumplestiltskin who just uses and abuses people, he doesn't care about anyone, so why should his son care about anyone either, especially you, Mal?"
"Leave Evie out of this!" Mal snarled as her eyes glowed green.
"I can't believe we used to be friends, Chad," Evie also glared. "Doug would never treat a girl like this."
"Doug? That loser dwarf from school?" Chad mocked a bit more. "You actually know him?"
"He happens to be a very good friend of mine unlike you!" Evie retorted.
"How do we know you don't use your own magic to cheat in science class and suck up to Mr. Deley?" Chad continued to taunt. "You can't be beautiful and smart."
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mal snarled in a very deep, demonic voice and suddenly disappeared in a puff of blackened purple smoke. Suddenly, she was in her dragon form with her emerald eyes glowing and looking just as if not more menacing than her mother and grandmother combined.
"Retreat!" Chad suddenly told the Stabbington cousins as he ran for it. "Beautiful and ditzy girls and me first!"
"Look who's back~" Evie grinned proudly at her friend.
Mal continued to fly around in the sky until she swooped down and breathed her fire, shooting Chad right on the bottom as he ran for his life. She then came back flying and looked at Evie and suddenly gave Evie a ride on her back and the blue-haired girl cheered because it felt so cool to ride on a dragon like in the story of Hiccup Haddock.
Audrey was in her bedroom brushing her hair and preparing to meet her guests downstairs.
"Hello, Audrey..." Mal greeted as she looked a bit scary for a moment, appearing in Audrey's room with Evie. "I can see you're like a sweet-smelling bud, much like your mother was that my mother told me about~"
"Mal...? What? No way... y-you're supposed to be dead!" Audrey panicked.
"Well, that's a bit harsh and unfair." Mal remarked.
"Well, I told myself you were dead so that Benny Boo and I can be happy together and live happily ever after together." Audrey glared and defended as she tried to stay strong.
"Ah, yes, Ben, Ben says he's going to protect you... I could kill him... I could kill you like my mother and grandmother tried the same for yours, but even I have standards." Mal replied mysteriously.
"How did you both get up here anyway?" Audrey frowned.
"Well, let's just say, magic has awakened, and now I'm going to teach you a much needed lesson," Mal told her.
"My mother defeated your mother's plan as I shall whatever yours is," Audrey glared as she tried to escape the teenage Dark Fairy. "All it will take is what I have and you never will."
"True love? Don't count on it," Mal smirked. "I have my own quite special curse in mind for you and the other descendants."
"No! You're not going to put me to sleep!" Audrey complained as she fought Mal.
"Bold of you to assume that's what I want~" Mal smirked. "Besides, isn't this a birthday slumber party?" she then looked over and picked up a perfume bottle off of Audrey's vanity table.
"Hey! That's mine!" Audrey cried out as she tried to get it.
"I know... let's see if you can sleep like your mother and grandmother~" Mal smirked as she rubbed the bottle and it glowed briefly and she spritzed the teenage Sleeping Beauty in the face.
"No!" Audrey cried out and suddenly fell into a deep sleep after the spritzing.
"That was inspired." Evie approved. "Though I wonder who her true love's kiss will be if not Ben or Chad?"
"Chad's his own true love," Mal rolled her eyes. "And, well, it never would've happened if it wasn't for you. You reminded me of who I am. Thank you."
Evie beamed as she felt like she did a great thing and very much hoped that she did. "Violet looks good on you." she then told her friend once her natural hair color was back.
"Huh, yeah," Mal chuckled as she looked down at her locks. "Blonde hair and pink nails were so not me."
"You must let me take you to The Three Bears' Spa." Evie suggested.
Chapter 8: Poor Unfortunate Soul
Chapter Text
It was another typical day in Storybrooke, but of course, everyone trying to deal with "The Queens of Darkness" in town who had a very special plan that no one knew about except for Regina who offered to go undercover and also Evie who tried to bond with Mal and Uma since their mothers were also involved, but today, she decided she was going to go with the Charmings to go on a little mission into the woods. It was now time to get ready to talk to the puppet boy formerly known as Pinocchio who was now made into August Booth to answer questions that needed to be answered. Maleficent led Regina inside the cabin where they were operating from. She hung up her coat when they got in and shut the door.
"Gold's cabin?" Regina asked on the way inside. "What are we doing here?"
Cassandra was in a corner, looking at a picture of someone she had lost many, many, many years ago and even cradled it as she hoped to see that person again, like she was promised.
"We needed someplace out of the way to hang our headdresses and hide our kidnapped puppets, and this little hovel became available to us." Maleficent explained to Regina. She glanced at Cassandra but mostly focused on Regina right now.
"No. Your dark magic..." Regina replied. "It's not a spell or an object. It's-"
Cassandra looked up and over as she felt someone looking at her.
"That's right, dearie. It's me," Rumple's voice came from the darkness of the next room. He then came out of it, holding his dagger. "You didn't really think I'd stay banished for long, now, did you?" he then asked with a smirk.
"No, I didn't." Regina said, feeling unfazed by him.
"I learned quite a bit about myself on my little journey outside Storybrooke. You were right, Regina," Rumple told her. "Sometimes the teacher needs to learn from the student. And sometimes, you need to fall very far to finally see the light."
"That almost sounds familiar." Cassandra remarked about "at last seeing the light".
"Well, then you've finally accepted the same truth I have," Regina remarked to Rumple. "You can't get your happy ending without finding the author. I suppose that puts us on the same side."
"I suppose it does." Rumple agreed.
Cruella and Ursula then came in with young Pinocchio.
"And now, with the help of the real boy you've acquired, we can take our first steps." Rumple then added, as he watched Cruella and Ursula.
August was placed down on a seat.
"What are you going to do?" Regina wondered.
"I believe he was once a handsome young man at one point~" Cassandra mused thoughtfully as she glanced over.
"Step aside, and I'll show you," Rumple told Regina. After a moment pause, he continued. "Or have you gone soft?" he asked.
"Never," Regina shook her head. "And soon, someday, Evie will do the same as it's meant to be."
Maleficent blinked to that.
"What a relief, and we can give her a bit of leeway to come to the proper side," Rumple said, and then agreed about Evie, after Regina had moved aside. "You see, we're not gonna ask young Pinocchio here to remember anything..." he said. "Because he can't... No amount of torture will work on him," he added. "But it will succeed on the man he used to be..." he then said as he came over to the currently young boy. He then waved the dagger and in a flash of white-blue light the boy was replaced with the adult version. "Welcome back, August. Now... Shall we begin?" he then said and suggested.
August woke up and looked at the group surrounding him, only to end up tied to a chair.
By the time morning came again Ursula had stepped outside onto the veranda and was listening to someone singing opera on the radio.
"Darling. Come," Cruella urged the woman of the sea as she came outside. "You're missing out on all the fun."
Ursula turned off the song and then followed Cruella inside.
Regina soon brought out her phone to check for anything from Evie before sending a heart in response when her daughter said that she would be hanging out with some friends today, though she had a feeling about that as she waited with Mr. Gold and August was tied to a chair. Rumple was sitting looking calmly at August.
"I already told you... I don't know anything about this author." August told them as he tried to get free of his bonds.
Ursula entered the cabin with Cruella and grabbed a knife and walked over to him and held it towards him in a threatening way against his throat. "Well, perhaps you could use a little incentive." she said.
"Oh, that knife is not gonna make me remember something that I don't know." August told her.
"Wait." Regina suddenly said and then used her magic to take the knife from Ursula for herself.
"Is there a problem?" Ursula asked Regina, putting her hands on her hips.
"I knew she'd never have the stomach for this." Cruella scoffed.
"Please. I was torturing people back when you were still playing with puppies," Regina retorted. "This sorry excuse for a man used to be made of wood. So let's light a fire under him and see what happens." she then added as she produced a magic fireball in her hand.
August looked a bit scared at that. "Okay. All right. You know something? I actually, uh, do remember something about The Author." he then said.
Regina looked at him and soon threw her fireball into the fireplace, lighting a fire instantly after August had said that.
"Um..." August trailed off a moment.
"Don't hold out on us." Ursula warned him as she grabbed his shoulder warningly a moment.
"W-When I was in Hong Kong, uh, before the curse broke, I met a mystic. His name was The Dragon. I don't know how he knew about the book, but he had been looking for The Author for years," August told them, looking at Rumple as he said it.
Rumple looked at him. "And what did this 'dragon' learn?" he asked.
"He died before I could ask." August admitted.
"Oh, well, that's something you two are about to have in common." Rumple said as he stood up and started to walk towards August.
"And after he died, I took his research," August then spoke up. "And I brought it with me to Storybrooke."
"Do you really think this man-child is telling us the truth?" Maleficent asked.
Rumple continued to stare down at August. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time he's lied to my face. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pay a visit to his trailer to find out," he told them and walked over to coat rack and took his jacket.
"While you're doing that, shall we carry on with the rest of the plan?" Ursula asked.
"Rest of the plan?" Regina asked, sounding surprised. "What aren't you telling me?"
"You're gonna have to do a lot more than just kidnap a marionette and torch a few logs for us to tell you everything," Rumple told her. "In the meantime, be content that you've finally chosen the winning side." he then left.
Ursula then started to gag August to make sure he couldn't cause any ruckus or shout for help. Regina soon walked over to the fire and stared at it for a few moments, before smoke quickly began to rise to the top of the chimney.
The Charmings plus Evie were making their way along, looking for August and Regina, heading towards the cabin to check there.
"It's okay, Emma," Mary Margaret assured her daughter. "As long as he's with Regina, Pinocchio will be all right," she soothed.
"We don't know that, I just wish I hadn't let her ditch me," Emma said, tense as they were searching and that Regina had dropped the tracking thing Emma had put on her.
"We don't know that," Emma replied. "I just wish I hadn't let her ditch me."
"Swan, you couldn't have known that she'd drop that tracking device." Killian reminded her.
"Yeah, but I let her talk me into thinking kidnapping him was a good idea," Emma frowned. "If anything happens to that kid, it's my fault."
David suddenly stopped and bent down to inspect the tracks they had been following. "Uh, the tracks end here." he then said to the others.
"Looks like the rain washed them away." Evie remarked.
"Oh, would now be an appropriate time for a locator spell?" Killian then suggested to Emma.
"We may not need one, look." Mary Margaret said as she noticed something approaching.
They all stopped to look at the smoke travelling towards them. It then engulfed Mary Margaret suddenly before disappearing inside of her leaving the others to look on, concerned.
"Mary Margaret." David frowned.
"What the hell was that?" Emma added in concern to the woman. "Are you okay?"
"I have to make this quick," Mary Margaret turned to them, though her voice was Regina's. "We don't have much time," she added.
"Mom?" Evie murmured, realizing her mother must have sent a spell over so she could possess Mary Margaret just long enough to deliver a message.
"Regina?" David added, feeling confused.
"Pinocchio's fine. He's back to his old self, or older self." Regina's voice through Mary Margaret said.
"August." Emma realized.
"But there's something else you need to know... Gold is here," Regina's voice said through Mary Margaret. "We're holed up in his cabin, and he's in town for more than just The Author. But he won't tell me why, which means whatever it is he's planning... it's bad." she then finished before her magic left and returned Mary Margaret fully back to herself.
"Be safe, Mom." Evie murmured as the magic left.
"So, the Dark One's returned." Killian concluded.
"Yeah," Emma nodded as she turned and looked at the pirate. "There's only one person who can help us drive him back out."
"Though we do need to let her know either way." Mary Margaret added, as she figured Belle deserved to be told.
"And his son?" Killian then asked.
"Ben? Yes, very likely." Emma replied and then nodded.
Evie nodded to that, as it would be best for them to know.
"Let's go then." David then said as they went to head over to the pawnshop.
Ben was doing inventory in the shop for his mother, humming quietly to himself.
Belle was standing behind the counter. "H-H-He's here?" She stammered. "Th-That's... That's impossible." she told them.
"Well, did you really think he'd stay away?" Mary Margaret asked, not unkindly though.
Ben overheard the others a little and listened in for a moment.
"The dagger... you need to hand it over so we can stop this fight before it starts." Emma suddenly said as she ran forward and then suggested to Belle.
"The dagger?" Belle asked, confused. "I-I don't have the dagger... Killian does," she admitted.
Killian could only look shocked by the news and looked amongst everyone. "Who? Me?" he explained to them. "Well, I haven't seen that cursed blade since you commanded the Crocodile to leave the first time."
"But y-you took it from me last night to hide it where no one could find it," Belle told Killian to that.
"Sounds like something made it seem like you did," Evie said.
"After the lifetimes I spent searching for a way to destroy the Dark One, I'm pretty certain I'd remember holding that dagger in my hand." Killian remarked.
"Okay, well, if I didn't give it to you, then who...?" Belle started to ask.
"You gave it to Dad..." Ben realized softly and everyone then saw him.
"...He's right," Emma agreed as she faced Killian. "Disguised as you. Gold's back, and so is his power."
"Even when I didn't think he could deceive me anymore, he found a way." Belle frowned.
Ben also frowned and put his hand on his mother's shoulder in the most comforting way he could.
"Banishment was too good for that demon," Killian scoffed. "We should have driven that dagger through his heart when we had the chance."
"Then your name would be written across it." Emma reminded him.
"It's a small price to pay to ensure the Crocodile wouldn't come back again." Killian remarked.
"I know you're angry, but we defeated him before and we'll do it again." Emma reassured him.
"Yeah, but the question is, how?" Mary Margaret then asked. "We don't even know what he's planning."
"First, we save August." David started to say.
"Yeah. You do that," Killian nodded. "I'll find out the Dark One's secret."
"How are you going to do that?" Evie asked Killian.
"By taking a page out of Swan's book, luv," Killian replied. "I'm gonna return her happy ending."
"Can you really do that?" Emma wondered.
"Aye. Because I'm the one who took it from her in the first place." Killian nodded and added.
Evie looked surprised to that.
"A pirate's life isn't so easy, luv," Killian told Evie. "I only hope that Harry has a better chance at a happy ending than I do."
"You'll have a happy ending, and I'm sure Harry will too." Evie said to that.
"I sure hope he does..." Killian nodded. "I just want him to have a better life than I did before I came here."
Evie gave a small smile to that.
"You gonna hang out?" Ben asked Evie before they would leave, glancing back at Belle who seemed broken inside to learn that Mr. Gold hadn't been banished from Storybrooke after all. "I might need to be there for my mom."
"Sure I can hang out a bit, help you comfort your mom." Evie said.
"Well, okay, if you don't mind since your mom's busy and Henry's been with Dee Dee." Ben nodded.
Evie nodded to that.
"Okay Evie, you can help," Ben said with a small smile. "You're such a good friend."
Evie gave a smile back to that.
Ben smiled back before looking over at his mother. "Mom, would you like some tea?" he then offered kindly.
"T-Tea should be good." Belle agreed quietly, at the very least it would help her calm down.
Ben nodded. "I'll go make it." he then offered.
"Thank you, Ben." Belle gave a small smile.
"Of course, Mom," Ben smiled back. "Evie, you care for a cup?" he then offered.
"Sure." Evie agreed with a nod.
Ben gave a small smile at both his mother and childhood best friend as he went to go brew some tea for them.
"Thank you, dear." Belle told Ben softly.
"What're sons for?" Ben smiled fondly at his mother.
Belle gave him a small hug. Ben smiled as he hugged his mother back right away. Belle smiled warmly.
Ben smiled back softly. "We'll be okay, Mom." he told her gently.
"Yes... I'm sure we will." Belle said softly.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe chips, just a little cheese...?" Cherry shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
"And Evie is going to help too." Ben said softly.
"Yes." Evie nodded.
"I'll stay as long as I can..." Ben said before checking his phone. "Or unless Audrey needs me."
"You're a good boy." Belle told her son.
"I try, Mom." Ben smiled fondly, checking his phone, but felt odd not seeing many messages from Audrey since she was often obsessive during the day.
Belle gave a small smile. Ben smiled back before looking at his phone and checked some other things such as the plans he made for an upcoming party in time for Spring he was calling "the school cotillion".
Killian and Harry soon walked into the woods together. Harry kept an eye out for Uma as well just in case she would be involved with her mother's story.
"When we get into place, you might want to cover your ears." Killian advised his son.
"Yes, sir." Harry nodded and agreed to that.
Killian nodded and led them further into the woods until they would come to a good stopping point. "All right, I better get Ursula now, ready?" he then said and asked his son.
Harry nodded and then covered his ears so he could blow the conch shell. Killian nodded and soon took a deep breath and blew into the conch shell he brought with him. Harry winced just a little as it was louder than expected even with his ears covered.
"Sorry." Killian told his son after that was done.
"It's alright." Harry reassured his father.
Killian looked around and glared as Ursula seemed to be taking a lot longer than he expected. "Where is that infernal creature?" he muttered to himself about Ursula.
Suddenly two tentacles whipped out and wrapped tightly around the two, keeping them separate, though tightest around Killian. "Right here, Captain." she said.
"Don't worry, son, I'll get you out of this," Killian promised Harry before facing The Sea Witch. "Wait. I want to offer you a deal." he then told her.
"After what you did to me? I don't think so." Ursula asked and then stated, squeezing them both again.
"Gold was wrong," Killian grunted, trying to talk through to Ursula. "You don't have to find the author to get what you want, especially for your daughter."
Ursula then let them go and retracted her tentacles. "And why should I believe a word you say?" she asked Killian.
Harry gasped for air once they were let go and soon spoke to Ursula once he was able to again.
"Because I know what it is you desire and I know exactly where to get it." Killian then explained.
"You still have it?" Ursula asked Killian.
"The Dark One... he's here for more than just The Author," Killian said to Ursula. "If I return your happy ending, you're gonna tell me exactly what he's doing in Storybrooke."
"You got yourself a deal," Ursula told him.
Killian nodded as he came to check on Harry. "Are you all right?" he then asked her, apologetic about focusing more on Ursula in the moment than his own son.
"Lead the way," Ursula replied calmly.
"I'll be okay, Dad," Harry rasped with a small smile. "At least it wasn't Rufio."
Killian nodded and smiled back at him. Harry then went along with him to where he was planning on taking Ursula. Killian nodded and soon led the two over to the dock.
Ursula continued on with the pirate father and son and soon looked out over the water with them. "So, where exactly did you bury my treasure?" She asked Killian.
"Oh, I didn't bury what you're after," Killian clarified. "It's aboard the Jolly Roger."
"So where's the Jolly Roger?" Ursula asked Killian.
"Ha. Back in the Enchanted Forest," Killian smirked. "Now, can you still open portals underwater, or did you give up that power when you became the monster you are?" he then added.
Harry poked Killian's side a little for that comment.
"The monster that you made me." Ursula retorted to Killian.
"What?" Killan defended from Harry's prodding.
"Don't call people monsters, it's rude." Harry whispered to him.
"Sorry, son..." Killian whispered back to Harry.
Harry gave a small nod of acceptance to the apology.
"Can you open the portal or not?" Killian then asked Ursula, feeling a little impatient.
"Yes, I can," Ursula assured. "But I'm afraid I'll need something from the Jolly Roger to know exactly where it is," she then added.
Killian then pulled out piece of wood out of his jacket. "Piece of the rigging. Did you really think I'd trade my ship without taking a souvenir?" he then added and informed before handing the wood to Ursula.
Ursula took the piece of the rigging and then paused a moment.
"What's the matter... you don't like the ocean?" Killian asked Ursula then.
"I haven't dipped my toe in the sea since I was banished to this world," Ursula said. "Stand back," she then ordered the two. And once they were out of the way she reached out and dipped the tip of a tentacle into the water, creating ripples in the water.
"It didn't work." Killian murmured.
"I think it did." Harry then said softly and sympathetically as he noticed.
Ursula however was amused. "Yes, it did." she agreed.
Killian then looked down and saw that his ship was caught in a glass bottle. "Bloody hell." he murmured at the sight.
"Looks like you're not the only thing that's changed," Ursula quipped.
"I might need some extra help." Killian sighed.
"Then we should probably go to The Crocodile Sr's shop." Harry suggested.
"Yes, that's a good idea." Killian agreed.
Harry smiled to that.
"Come along, both of you." Killian nodded, smiling back at Harry and added that when he faced Ursula briefly.
"Lead the way." Ursula told him.
Killian nodded as he began to lead them over to Gold's shop.
Ben gave a small smile at Evie and Belle after they had shared some tea and he went over some things on his phone regarding a party he was hoping to give everyone. While Ben was sorting details out on his phone Belle was talking to Evie, and they looked over when Killian, Harry, and Ursula came in.
"Do hope we're not interrupting, but we need the thief's assistance." Killian said to Belle on the way inside.
"And how do I know that you're really Killian?" Belle asked to that, knowing he meant Will who she was kind of involved with, though not while Ben was around.
"Oh, now you decide to question my identity?" Killian retorted in a bit of a snide way.
"If he were the Dark One, then this 'thief' of yours would already be dead," Ursula spoke up. "Plus he wouldn't be walking around with The Savior on his arm." she added.
"Because for once, we want the same thing: The Dark One gone," Killian clarified. "The key to making that happen is in here." he then added as he pulled out the glass bottle with his ship inside.
Belle sent a text to Will asking him if he knew anything that would make something small bigger. "He should have something to make it less... small." she told him.
'They're in luck,' Will replied almost immediately. 'I think I might have just what they need.'
"He thinks he has just what you need," Belle informed them.
"Probably a potion or something from a mushroom?" Harry suggested. "We all know he's been to Wonderland and back after all."
Will then texted and mentioned a special fluid that would be needed as the pirate teen seemed to be right in his guess. Killian nodded along with Harry as that did seem to make sense.
"Harry is right," Belle agreed. "You'll just need to go and get it." she said.
Harry gave a small smile.
"Shouldn't be too hard." Killian said confidently.
"Aye." Harry agreed.
"I'll come along with you both." Ursula said.
"Very well then," Killian nodded. "Try to keep up."
"Oh, I won't have a problem with that." Ursula smirked.
"Is this it?" Ben asked as he brought out a vial.
"I think that's it." Killian nodded at the teen Beast.
"I'll hold onto that." Ursula said and then took the vial from them.
Harry frowned at how rude Ursula was then. Killian blinked before sighing and allowing her to.
After they had returned to the docks, Ursula got the dropper ready to make Killian's ship bigger again. Harry stood and watched.
"Be careful, luv. That's distilled from Wonderland's finest mushrooms," Killian warned The Sea Witch. "Spill one drop, and, well, Storybrooke will have a giant squid in its harbor."
Ursula just gave him a look to that. She then dripped one drop from the vial onto the ship and bottle. The ship inside the bottle began to glow yellow, and Killian soon threw the bottle into the water, as he, Harry, and Ursula watched on. Moments later the ship returned to its original size.
"Now that's a ship fit for a pirate." Killian remarked proudly before he offered for Harry and Ursula to come aboard.
"Aye-Aye, Captain!" Harry beamed before they would go aboard.
Ursula followed too.
Killian smiled back at her tenderly on the way inside. "Mm. I never thought I'd walk this sweet vessel again." he then said in the process of taking in his ship, happy to see it again.
"Yes, well, you can ogle your ship after you return my singing voice." Ursula told Killian, trying to wait as the adult pirate went to look for what he had promised The Sea Witch.
Killian soon took his hook out from its brace and the attachment is a key, which he used to open a safe, before attaching his back in place. He soon held the shell out to Ursula. "Now, you know the deal I hand this over, you tell me every detail of the Dark One's plan." he then said as he handed the shell to the Sea Witch.
"Oh, you hear that?" Ursula smiled as the shell started to vocalize.
"Aye." Killian smiled back.
Ursula opened her mouth and her singing voice started to come out of the shell only for it to then retreat back into the shell. "It didn't work." she said softly then.
Harry frowned softly, concerned and sympathetic.
"Why the devil not?" Killian wondered, a bit angry that it didn't work.
"Because you're wrong, Hook; villains can't get their happy endings," Ursula told him and then turned around with a sigh. "I never should have believed you when you said we could do this without The Author." she said.
"I delivered your voice," Killian replied. "It's not my fault if your magic can't get it out of the bloody shell. Now tell me what Gold has planned." he then demanded.
"Our deal is over," Ursula told him. "You get nothing!" she then declared.
Killian then glared as he angrily grabbed his gun, cocked it and pointed it at Ursula. "Our deal is not done. I have to stop the Dark One. He's taken too much from me already." he then threatened The Sea Witch.
"Dad!" Harry gasped with wide eyes.
"You haven't changed one bit," Ursula said as she looked at him shocked. "Still the same selfish pirate, as always," she added to that. "Never go up against a woman with eight hands," She then warned and used one of her tentacles to knock the gun out of his hand. "Especially when you only have one," she then finished nastily and knocked him out. She then lifted him up with a tentacle and wrapped one around Harry too and took them onto the deck. "Have a nice swim, Captain, we'll take care of your boy for you." she said and tossed him overboard before dragging Harry along, heading back towards the cabin.
Killian splashed into the water and this looked like the end for him. He landed in the water, and immediately went under from his heavy leather and not being conscious to try and stay afloat. Luckily Killian was rescued by Ariel, though both Ursula and Harry didn't know that.
"Mom?" A voice asked and it belonged to Melody who was on the beach side like she usually was.
"Help me pull him ashore and then back to his ship and we'll talk." Ariel soothed her daughter.
Melody nodded as she soon came to help Ariel with Killian. "Whoa, Harry's dad." she then said when she saw who it was.
"He was tossed in, but I need to talk to him too... luckily whatever he did freed me too along with his ship." Ariel smiled.
Melody nodded as she helped her mother out and smiled back at her hopefully. Ariel gave her a soft smile.
"Should someone tell Harry?" Melody wondered. "I mean, he might be worried about his father."
"You probably should," Ariel agreed. "We'll talk later though I promise." she assured Melody.
Melody nodded. "I'm glad I got to help you at least~" she then said softly before hugging her mother a moment.
Ariel hugged Melody warmly in return.
"See you later." Melody told Ariel softly, enjoying the hug.
"I love you." Ariel assured her daughter.
"I love you too, Mom, and I'm glad you're here with me." Melody smiled warmly before she would take off.
Ariel smiled warmly to that and soon dropped Killian down, not too rough but not too gentle either, on his bed. Melody then ran off and went to go tell Harry what was going on in case the pirate teen would be concerned.
Killian was soon conscious, though a bit wet and cold.
"Are you okay?" Ariel asked him.
"Aye." Killian replied wearily.
"Good," Ariel said before she leaned forward and slapped him across the cheek, hard. "That's for tossing Blackbeard overboard before he could tell me where Eric was. I had to rescue that awful man to find him." she told him and also admitted.
"Then why are you here? I thought you and your prince were living happily ever after," Killian retorted, flinching a little from the slap, but not too terribly. "And didn't I just see your daughter just now?"
"I was, until I got trapped in that bottle," Ariel told him. "After you traded the Jolly Roger to Blackbeard, he used your ship to terrorize a lot of people, including some royals from Arendelle. The queen trapped your ship as punishment." she said.
"Elsa did this?" Killian asked, surprised.
"And I accidentally got swept up in the magic, so thanks for letting me out," Ariel told him. "Was that the real Ursula? Why was she throwing you overboard?" she then asked. "And why would she take your girl?" she added.
"Because I was so focused on getting what I want, I made a promise to her I couldn't deliver," Killian explained with a small groan. "Maybe she was right. Maybe villains can't get their happy endings."
"Maybe that's because villains always go about getting them the wrong way," Ariel told him to that. "And especially if you give up." she added, to add a personal touch for him, after all he did have a son.
Killian looked at the mermaid princess hopefully. "I'm gonna need your help." he then told her.
Ariel looked at hm a moment and then nodded, she would help if she could. Killian also nodded as they made a deal. Ariel then discussed what Killian needed the help with. Killian nodded, discussing as well and was hoping to see Harry again to reassure his son that all was well.
Ariel then went off to find who Killian wanted her to find. "Tell Melody I'll come to her after I've done this," she told him, showing some trust in him.
"I guess I owe you one, Little Mermaid." Killian remarked, sounding thankful at least.
Ariel chuckled a bit to that then removed her bracelet as she jumped into the water. Killian nodded and let her go for now until she would get the proper help they would need to get through to Ursula.
At the cabin August was back to his normal human adult self.
"Thank heavens that potion was only temporary," Cruella smirked at the former puppet as she watched him while sitting in an armchair. "The scruff is so much more attractive than the timber."
The door was soon kicked open as Emma came into the cabin. "I'm here for my friend." she then demanded.
"So, The Savior found us, did she? Now leave." Cruella taunted and soon pulled out her gun and pointed it at Emma.
However, before Cruella could even try to shoot or Emma use her magic, Mary Margaret snuck up behind Cruella and knocked her out with a frying pan. Cruella was then knocked out cold just like that.
"Nice one, Mom." Emma approved.
"Well, first thing you learn as a bandit; back door's usually unlocked," Mary Margaret said.
Emma gave a brief smile and then turned to August and placed her hand on his shoulder. "August, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" she then asked him urgently.
"I'll survive." August assured.
Emma soon used her magic to untie the ropes around his legs.
"Oh. Well, I see somebody's been practicing." August praised, rubbing his wrists after David had untied his upper half.
"Well, I seem to remember someone telling me I just needed to believe in myself." Emma remarked.
"I always knew you'd figure it out." August told her.
"It's good to have you back, even if it isn't the way things were supposed to be," Emma told August as she knelt down in front of him. "I'm glad I didn't have to wait 20 years to see you as you again."
"Me too," August chuckled.
"Come on. Let's get you out of here." Emma suggested as she stood up.
"No one is going anywhere." Ursula declared as she came into the doorway, a tentacle holding something out of sight outside.
"Where the hell is Hook?" Emma demanded as a worried expression crossed her face and she looked around for a certain pirate father. "What'd you do to him?"
"Sorry, sweetheart. Your boyfriend is shark bait." Ursula said as she moved in closer, still with the tentacle out holding something just out of sight.
Emma then raised her hands to strike Ursula with magic in retort.
"Oh!" Mary Margaret gasped at what Ursula did next.
"Drop those hands, or the kid here's gonna need gills to breathe." Ursula said as she pulled Harry inside.
Harry let out a muffled noise, his mouth covered by a tentacle to stop her speaking, as well as it being around his neck.
"Harry..." Emma whispered in concern for the pirate teen because he was still just a kid. "Ursula, you don't need to do this." she then added.
"That's where you're wrong," Ursula said. "I can't have him leave with you. Not when The Author is the only one who can give me what I want," she told them.
"That's not true." Killian suddenly said as he entered the cabin, looking healthy.
Emma sighed in relief that he was okay and he soon approached Harry, concerned about him of course.
"How are you still breathing?" Ursula asked, annoyed, moving Harry a few steps away from him warningly.
Harry looked relieved his father was alright though he still looked a bit concerned as he didn't want Ursula to tighten her grip any more.
Killian soon walked further into the cabin and stood beside his son protectively. "I'm good at surviving. Or you're bad at killing. Either way, you don't need The Author to get what you want," he then explained. "I know why you couldn't release your voice from that shell. Only the one who enchanted it can do that."
"Wait, you don't mean..." Ursula started to say.
"Aye." Killian nodded.
Soon, a man walked into the cabin and he looked right at Ursula since he was there to see her.
"Father?" Ursula gaped in surprise.
"Ursula." The man, who was Poseidon: King of the Sea, replied and nodded at his grown daughter.
"How are you here in this land?" Ursula asked her father, releasing Harry to Killian.
Harry gasped a bit as she stumbled over to Killian.
"You all right?" Killian asked softly. as he wrapped his arms around his son and steadied him.
"I-I'm fine, are you alright?" Harry asked him softly.
"A lot better knowing that you're okay~" Killian replied.
"Oh, Dad~" Harry beamed as they shared a tender father/son hug together.
"A young mermaid found me and brought me through a portal. I need to say something," Poseidon explained and added. "I'm sorry, Ursula. I never should have forced you to use your voice as a weapon. It was just... Every time I heard you sing, I heard your mother, and it was too painful. I let that pain fuel my desire for vengeance, but it shouldn't have. It should have reminded me that I still had a piece of her... you. Let me return your voice so I can hear it one last time." he then concluded as he opened his palm and the shell was there.
As the voice vocalized and was returned to her Ursula then vocalized too, smiling as her singing voice returned to her. She then smiled softly at her father.
Poseidon sighed softly as he realized what this meant for his daughter. "Now that you are whole again, I'll leave you in peace." he then said as it sounded like he was leaving.
"Wait," Ursula told him. "My voice is all we have left of Mother... You took it from me once, I don't want to do the same thing to you," she told him at first.
"What are you saying?" Poseidon asked Ursula softly.
"I've missed you," Ursula told him and gave him a hug. "I'll come back home a while," she then told him. "But give me a month first, I need to set my affairs here in order, and prepare Uma before I can come with you," she added.
"I've missed you too..." Poseidon nodded before looking surprised. "Uma? Your daughter is... here?" he then asked.
"Uma was with me and of course we both came here." Ursula told him.
"I see..." Poseidon nodded. "And you feel you should still be with her and tend to the affairs a while longer until you're ready to come return to the sea."
Emma smiled at Killian, then looked at Ursula and Poseidon, feeling like she helped restore another happy ending.
Ursula nodded. "It's only a month more, Father, but I will walk you to the sea." she then told him.
"...All right..." Poseidon nodded. "I'll miss you in the month, but I guess at least you will be coming back home."
Ursula smiled to that.
"Where is your daughter anyway?" Poseidon wondered.
"Uma is in town." Ursula said.
"Perhaps I could see her sometime." Poseidon said hopefully.
"Well, I'd be happy for you to meet her." Ursula smiled.
"And I'd love to meet her too," Poseidon smiled back. "Hopefully we can all bond together someday."
Ursula nodded to that. Poseidon smiled softly as this seemed to be a happy ending for them as they left the cabin together, possibly going to find Uma. However, in the cabin, someone seemed to be missing that no one else seemed to notice at first. Ursula went off with her father, silently thanking Killian on the way.
"Where's Cruella?" Mary Margaret then noticed the woman was gone.
Killian nodded at Ursula before looking around as well.
"Uh, she must have slipped away, most likely to warn Gold," David guessed. "We should clear out before they get back."
"Are you okay?" Emma asked August.
"I'm okay," August assured, though was a bit weaker.
Mary Margaret came over to help him.
Emma looked happy for him, but she couldn't help but feel that something was bothering Killian. "Hook, what's wrong? You gave Ursula everything she wanted." she then asked the pirate.
"But I almost didn't, Swan. I was so desperate to figure out what the Crocodile was up to, I almost became the man I used to be," Killian explained tenderly. "You have no idea how easy it is to fall back into the darkness."
"You fixed the mistake with Ursula, more than once even if you didn't succeed the first time." Harry soothed his father.
"Aye. But it's a stark reminder of something." Killian nodded and added.
"Which is?" Harry asked him softly.
"With all this talk of authors and the book, we've never discussed one fact: I was a villain and maybe that means you will become a villain too." Killian explained.
"Well, we all have a bit of darkness in us, but you're not what people can class as a true villain any more." Harry remarked.
"Neither is Regina, but she still lost her happy ending," Killian said softly. "If we're to believe the rules of the book, then it's only a matter of time before I lose mine."
"You won't lose me, Dad, I promise," Harry replied. "It won't be like with Rufio."
"I won't?" Killian asked his son.
"No, you won't." Harry reassured his father softly.
"Wait. If you're afraid of losing your happy ending, that means you found it." Emma soon said.
Emma nodded and then looked hopeful. "What's your happy ending, Hook?' she then asked her sister's boyfriend.
"Don't you know, Emma? It's you and Harry." Killian replied calmly.
Emma blushed softly and then smiled sweetly up to Killian to that and kissed him. Killian smiled as he kissed Emma back right away. Emma closed her eyes as she kissed him tenderly and lovingly. Killian soon kissed her back as Harry smiled at both of them.
Feeling the strange connection she had felt when the Queens of Darkness came by, Enid was creeping closer to the cabin, wanting to see if she could find what was making her feel like this. She snuck over and peeked into one of the windows, checking to see if there was anyone there. Cassandra seemed to be sitting in one of the chairs and was holding an image of someone she had lost a very long time ago, humming a little song to herself that almost sounded like a lullaby. Enid blinked as the lullaby hummed struck a chord within her. She glanced at the image and then glanced around to see if there was a way she could at least get a glance at the image.
Cassandra sighed softly, hugging the image and set it down for a moment by the window as she stepped away for whatever reason. Enid ducked before she could be noticed at first, then popped back up and looked at the image a long moment, taking it in. Cassandra went into a far corner and made herself a cup of tea, sighing to herself. The image appeared to be Cassandra, a lot younger of course, and holding onto a baby girl in her arms that had very unique hair and eyes, especially in the red hue that almost seemed more like fire than crimson. Enid looked at the image, and while she didn't really remember her childhood she recognized herself in the baby's face, eye and hair color. She gasped in surprise at seeing that and her eyes instantly went to Cassandra, recognizing the woman as her.
Cassandra soon got herself a cup of tea and took a slow sip until she flinched and heard something. She then turned around, looking rather lethal and dangerous for a moment, going into a fighting pose and glared until she stopped a moment and saw it was a young being out the window. "A child..." she murmured.
Enid's eyes widened as their eyes met but something kept her from running, some feeling in her heart and soul. She slowly and carefully straightened up, her red eyes not wavering from Cassandra's even with her nervousness. Cassandra came closer and looked down at Enid in disbelief as she tilted her head at the girl, waiting for one of them to say something even though she had no idea what she would say or do in this situation.
Enid stared back a long moment then offered a suggestion, so they weren't just looking in the window. "M-May I come in?" she asked just loud enough to be heard.
"...I am alone right now..." Cassandra nodded. "The others have gone elsewhere, but I wanted to be by myself, but... I'll welcome your company at least." she then said gently.
Enid gave a small nod and then moved away from the window and came over to the door and knocked, not just wanting to enter without invite through the door even if Cassandra knew she was there.
Cassandra soon came over and opened the door. "Ah, young lady! What a surprise." she greeted innocently.
"Hi," Enid said quietly. "I just wanted to start with an apology for snooping... but I felt like something was drawing me here." she then apologized quietly.
"That's okay... I just hope you're not one of those more troublesome youngsters around here like Mal or Ursula's daughters." Cassandra replied, sounding calm for the most part.
"I'm not sure," Enid admitted to that. "But I saw the picture you put in the window... who was the baby?" she asked quietly.
"That baby was... my daughter.." Cassandra explained as she let Enid come inside and she took a seat, gesturing to the teapot and cup, offering her a drink if she wanted one.
Enid nodded to the offer and sat in a seat opposite her. "What was your daughter's name?" she asked quietly.
"Enid," Cassandra said with a small smile. "I was very partial to that name, even though someone else wanted to call her Meadow or Zellie..." she then murmured at those other ideas.
Enid swallowed at hearing that. "I-I have one more question..." she said softly then. "What happened to her?" she asked softly.
"It's a long story..." Cassandra sighed softly a bit. "Would you like a drink?" she then offered.
"Yes please," Enid requested. "And please tell me... I have a reason for wanting to know, I wouldn't pry otherwise." she said softly.
Cassandra nodded as she poured some tea into a different cup for Enid, allowing her to have it. "I see you wanna know and I trust you enough to know, but it's very hard, especially in the upbringing," she then said softly. "You see, I used to live in this very special garden, you could almost call it The Secret Garden of Mother Nature. We all lived happily, carefree, and among nature, me and my sisters and of course, Mother Nature herself and soon, I was about to bring a brand new bud into the world." she started to say.
Enid blew on the tea a little to cool it enough to drink and took a sip as she listened.
"She was soon born and she was the most beautiful baby who ever bloomed," Cassandra smiled softly and sighed a bit. "We were very happy and Mother Nature thankfully accepted her, but then... One horrible night happened." she then added with a wearier sigh.
Enid looked at her softly. She reached out a free hand and placed it soothingly on the older woman's knee in an innocent, concerned way.
"Everything was perfect and my little dear could even make her own flowers with energy from the sun, we called these flowers Sundrop Flowers that could heal any sickness and help someone appear younger. Then, one night, everything changed..." Cassandra sighed as she told her rather tragic tale. "Hades once tried to claim my little blossom for himself, mostly as payback against the baby's father for something that happened long ago in Camelot before sealing him away and when it looked like Hades was going to back off... Little Enid was gone because a shadow had taken her and the flowers she was able to grow on he own just like I used to."
Enid blinked to that. She then bit her lip. "The shadow took her to Neverland where she grew up just enough to become 16 years old." she said softly.
"...Enid, my daughter?" Cassandra wondered, though deep inside she had a feeling since a mother almost always knew.
Enid nodded to that. "She was trapped in Neverland a long time... until Henry Mills was brought over and those who wanted to leave Neverland could," she added. She then bit her lip and looked up at Cassandra. "I-I think... I'm your daughter, my name is Enid." she said softly.
"You have your father's eyes..." Cassandra mused and smiled warmly at Enid. "I knew I recognized you."
"Can I... Can I hug you?" Enid asked softly.
"Oh, honey... Of course you can~" Cassandra replied tearfully as she held out her arms to accept the hug and hug her long-lost daughter back instantly.
Enid put her teacup aside and then moved over and hugged Cassandra, a little stiffly at first before the maternal feelings from her mother allowed her to relax. Cassandra hugged Enid right back, humming the lullaby a bit as it would help bring back memories of a simple time back in The Secret Garden before a certain incident happened as she saw herself hugging and cradling her newborn and blossoming baby girl. Many of the others judged her for having hellish red eyes, but Enid loved her daughter regardless of what she looked like and was very hopeful about raising her and guiding her into the world because as it was commonly said: "Mother Knows Best". Enid relaxed more in the hug and closed her eyes with a small warm smile.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get you back, but it was out of my hands," Cassandra said softly. "Not even Mother Nature or Grandmother Willow could help me."
"You wouldn't have been able to... His control of Neverland was absolute." Enid told her softly.
"I've heard many stories about Peter Pan," Cassandra nodded. "I hear that he's no longer with us right now at least~" she then added and hid a small, sneaky smirk in relief because that meant that Enid was free along with many other Lost Boys and Girls.
Enid nodded to that.
"I'm sorry you were taken and I'm sorry I couldn't help you, I was hoping reuniting with you and finding your father would help give me a happy ending and even raising Baby Rapunzel didn't fill the void..." Cassandra said softly.
Enid gave her a gentle squeeze. "Well, I know it's only part of the hope... but maybe we can make a happy ending here?" she said softly.
"You like it around here?" Cassandra asked curiously.
"I do." Enid nodded, the place was good though it wasn't just Storybrooke that was what made her like it so much.
"This does seem like a nice place, especially for people like us," Cassandra replied. "I always thought I would need Rumplestiltskin to help find you again, but I guess I just needed to have you come to me."
"Well, it was thanks to Emma, and the others who came to Neverland, who brought those of us there back." Enid smiled softly.
"I'll have to thank her," Cassandra smiled back before she looked around. "Hmm... Strange." she then frowned a bit since they were still there, but not that she wanted to leave suddenly, but she expected something to happen since this was her happy ending to find her baby and be a family again, even if Enid's father was still missing.
"What's strange?" Enid asked.
"I just thought maybe something would happen, but I guess this is happy ending enough for us," Cassandra smiled. "We didn't even need The Author's help, but you did say that you liked it around here."
"I do..." Enid nodded.
"Maybe I could learn to like it too," Cassandra replied softly. "It does seem like a nice little town and a lot of other people are a lot like us... The storybook world that Regina's son used to go on about."
Enid nodded to that.
"Then, until further notice, this can be our new home," Cassandra decided. "I'm not going to help Mr. Gold anymore and I'm going to be there for you and anyone else you want me to be there for, my little flower." she then vowed.
Enid smiled to that and then hugged Cassandra again. "Thank you, Mama." she said softly.
"You're welcome, my little flower~" Cassandra replied as she hugged Enid. "And I can't wait to meet your new friends and anything else you might have to tell me about your adventures over the years."
Enid smiled a bit to that. "I can't wait for you to meet Jay... a-and my other friends." she said, adding the last bit quickly and shyly.
"Jay? Is that a special friend?" Cassandra asked and hid a small smirk.
Enid blushed to that but gave a shy smile. "He's the one who found where I was trapped in Neverland." she said softly.
"He sounds very brave and kind," Cassandra smiled back. "I'd like to meet him and all of your friends."
Enid smiled. "We'll finish our tea and then we can go?" she suggested, not one to leave good food or drink.
"Well, all right then," Cassandra smiled back. "I hope it's good tea too, it's an old family recipe."
Enid smiled and then returned to her tea and took a sip. "It's good." she smiled.
"I'm glad," Cassandra smiled back. "Also, we should take this time to get to know each other better."
Enid nodded to that with a smile. Cassandra smiled back as she finished up her tea before they would do anything else. Enid settled a bit to drink her tea. Cassandra smiled warmly as she enjoyed this time and made the most of it, especially since she was alone in the cabin while everyone else had gone and done their own thing. Enid smiled a little too, glad they were alone a bit more as if the other Queens and Rumplestiltskin were there, she might never have gotten close enough to get close to her mother.
"I'm sorry, but I just have one thing to ask, whenever you're ready..." Cassandra soon said hopefully.
"What's that, mama?" Enid asked quietly.
"Could I brush your hair, sweetums?" Cassandra asked.
Enid blinked but then nodded. "If you'd like." she gave a small smile.
"I would very much love to," Cassandra smiled back. "That is, if you don't mind if I do."
"I don't mind." Enid assured.
"Wonderful~" Cassandra replied. "You might not have Rapunzel's hair or her children's, but you still have very beautiful hair."
Enid gave a small smile. "Sometimes I wish for the color of my hair and eyes were switched because red eyes scare people." she said softly.
"I think your eyes are very lovely... Just like your father's," Cassandra reassured her. "You look beautiful to me."
Enid gave a small smile to that. Cassandra smiled back and soon set down her cup of tea after she had finished and came to bring out an old hairbrush that appeared to be silver and not golden like the one Enid had.
"Silver?" Enid mused quietly.
"This is my old hairbrush, I had a very special one for you, but that seems to have been taken from me too." Cassandra explained gently.
"Gold?" Enid asked about it, curiously.
"Yes, gold..." Cassandra nodded before she looked hopeful. "Do you still have it?" she then asked.
Enid nodded. "Not on me right now, but it's in my room at Miss Lotus' place." she said.
"I see..." Cassandra also nodded and smiled. "I'm glad you were able to keep it at least."
Enid smiled to that. Cassandra smiled back and soon went to brush Enid's hair once she was able to do so. Enid closed her eyes and let Cassandra brush her hair. Cassandra smiled warmly at that and hummed to herself as she brushed Enid's hair with ease. Enid smiled. Cassandra smiled back, loving this bond with Enid so far and it was just beginning.
Chapter 9: Twins' Pique
Chapter Text
Ruby was at her grandmother's Bed & Breakfast, handling some laundry before she would go take a walk. "So the Charmings are going into the woods to look for Regina and the others... I'm not so sure about that, especially with those women out, especially with the one who keeps looking at Carlos and Carla like pieces of meat or something." she said to the company she had while doing the laundry.
Kiara, who was sitting on top of the dryer for now, looked at Ruby. "You mean the one who has the same hair color as them?" she asked.
"Yeah, weird..." Ruby remarked as she moved around the laundry, memorizing the settings she had to use before she would close the door and start the machine. "I feel the most threatened by her."
"Well, maybe she has a connection to the two somehow?" Kiara said with a shrug. "I do have to admit while dangerous though her fast driving kinda seems fun." she admitted then a bit.
"You are not driving that fast, Kiki," Ruby smirked playfully before she looked thoughtful. "I guess there might be some connection between them... I love those puppies, Kiara." she then added softly and spoke fondly about Carlos and Carla.
Kiara playfully pouted. "Spoilsport," she huffed playfully. She then went serious again and smiled. "I know you do, and I know they love you too." she assured.
Ruby smirked and soon gathered the already cleaned and dried laundry in the basket. "I should help them..." she mused softly.
Kiara smiled though frowned just a brief moment as she felt something off. "How are you planning to do that?" she wondered her smile back in place.
"I don't know..." Ruby sighed and admitted. "I was hoping maybe you could help me at least in some places."
"Of course I'll help." Kiara assured.
"Where would I be without you?" Ruby replied softly.
"I don't know, but I don't know where I'd be without you either," Kiara smiled.
"I just hope these kids don't get in trouble with these Queens..." Ruby remarked. "Especially with Mal back in town with her mother."
"I'm sure they'll be careful." Kiara soothed.
Ruby nodded and then went to move the basket. "I think that should do it." she then said, focusing on the laundry a moment.
Kiara also nodded with a smile.
"I guess all we can do is sit and wait." Ruby remarked as she collected the laundry in the basket and left the room with her surrogate younger sister.
Kiara hopped off the dryer and followed.
"So, have you seen Uma in school?" Ruby wondered.
"No, I don't think she actually goes," Kiara admitted as she followed Ruby. "Though maybe she'll be at the party that Ben wants to have and he wants to call it a cotillion."
"A cotillion," Ruby chuckled in amusement. "I guess Ben wants a royal ball for his schoolmates."
"More or less..." Kiara replied. "It was Ben's idea."
"I swear that kid always wants the others to have a party and forget about their troubles." Ruby commented to herself.
"Well, I think it's kind of sweet, he just wants to help people be happy." Kiara smiled.
"Yeah, he's a good kid," Ruby admitted. "Not very fond of his pink girlfriend though."
"Audrey?" Kiara hummed. "I think she just needs to learn that she has to be nicer." she said.
Ruby also hummed thoughtfully as she put the laundry away in the room after she was done. "Tell me about it." she muttered about as Audrey seemed like she really needed a good kick in the "pants" on the way to seeing the older woman who had owned the washer and dryer. "All set, Granny."
"Thank you, dear." Granny nodded, accepting the laundry basket from her granddaughter who helped out.
Kiara smiled at the older woman too.
"Anything else?" Ruby then asked Granny.
"No, I just needed these ready," Granny reassured her. "You two can run along now if you'd like."
"Thanks Granny," Kiara said. "Should we go and see if the others have found anything?" she then wondered.
"Probably a good idea now that that task's done..." Ruby nodded. "Let's see what we can find."
Kiara nodded and then with a quick hug to Granny went along with Ruby.
"Aww... You're sweet." Granny beamed warmly in the hug.
Kiara smiled warmly.
Ruby then gave a small smile before hearing some whining and then looked down. "Oh, Dude, what're you doing here?" she then chuckled at the small dog, hunching down and petting him a bit.
Kiara then looked over at Ruby and Dude.
"Hey, look who came to visit." Ruby told Kiara with a small chuckle as Dude looked around.
Kiara smiled and giggled a bit before she looked over to the distance. "Um, that sounds like a lot of fun and all, Ruby, but I'm gonna go and see what the others are doing." she then said.
"Define others..." Ruby remarked mysteriously before chuckling as Dude licked her hand a little.
"Ya know. Peers, classmates, fellow students, others." Kiara explained innocently.
"Oh, those others..." Ruby chuckled and nodded. "Well, good idea since they've been in the woods in the meantime. I should probably help this little guy get back to where he belongs." she then suggested as Dude was hanging around her and Carlos was nowhere to be found.
Kiara chuckled.
"Okay, say hi for me, I'm gonna try to get this guy back home." Ruby then said as she didn't mind Dude.
Kiara nodded. "Alright, I will." she agreed then assured.
"Okay," Ruby nodded and gave a small smile. "Thanks for helping with the laundry."
"No worries." Kiara assured. She then gave Ruby a hug before she would head off.
Ruby hugged Kiara back and soon fussed with Dude a little to get him back to Carlos. Kiara smiled and then went off before going to try and find someone who caught her attention and such.
"Now where would that boy be?" Ruby mused to herself as she walked down the sidewalk with Dude by her side.
Carla was making her way along, looking for Dude.
Ruby continued to walk down the street as Dude stayed close beside her until she saw a certain girl. "Carla?" she then called.
Carla blinked and then looked over. "Heya~" she greeted and then looked relieved as she noticed Dude. "There you are, Dude." she said when she saw him.
Dude rushed over and barked as he came to lick Carla right away.
"I think you lost your little buddy." Ruby told Carla with a small smile.
Carla leaned down and scooped him up, holding him carefully. "Carlos asked us to help look for him when he ran." she smiled.
Dude barked a little and licked Carla's face, very happy to see her.
"I guess he just wandered too far." Ruby said softly, with a sheepish smile.
"Are you okay?" Carla then asked sweetly with a smile to Ruby, inquiring in general.
"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm alright," Ruby nodded. "I guess I'll just run along back home if there's nothing else going on."
"I'm sure Carlos would like to thank you for finding Dude too... why don't you come with me?" Carla suggested.
"Well, okay..." Ruby said with a shrug as she went to follow Carla. "Lead the way."
Carla nodded and then waited for Ruby to get closer before she started to lead her. Ruby came beside Carla and they soon walked down the street together along with Dude.
"When we get to Carlos, would you like a drink or a snack?" Carla offered to Ruby.
"...I could eat." Ruby admitted and nodded.
"Alright, anything in particular?" Carla asked with a smile.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe chips, just a little cheese...?" Ruby shrugged and smiled sheepishly.
Carla nodded. "Savory snack platter kind of thing?" she smiled.
"That sounds good." Ruby agreed.
"Alright." Carla nodded.
Ruby smiled as she continued to follow Carla until they would find Carlos. Dude sniffed around a bit and suddenly looked hungry since they mentioned food.
"You can have a little cheese too, Dude, but not too much." Carla told him.
Dude barked in response.
"Mm... Cheese..." Ruby chuckled to herself.
Carla giggled a little.
"So, you doing okay, honey?" Ruby asked Carla, trying to be a little social. "I must admit I'm a little on edge with this whole Queen of Darkness plague on our town."
"I'm okay... that woman in the fast car kind of scares me though." Carla admitted.
"Yeah... She doesn't seem very nice..." Ruby agreed and nodded.
"Dude, there you are!" Carlos smiled as he knelt down and held out his arms to the dog who barked excitedly and ran right up to him and the freckled boy hugged him instantly and laughed as Dude licked his freckled face.
Carla suddenly blinked as Dude jumped out of her arms before running to Carlos. She then shrugged and gave a smile, it looking very similar to Carlos at that moment especially.
"Good... Everyone is back where they belong..." Ruby said tenderly with her hands together. "Hello there, Carlos." she then greeted.
"Hi, Miss Ruby." Carlos replied as he hugged Dude one last time before setting the dog back down on the ground.
"Miss Ruby was the one who found Dude," Carla informed Carlos. "I'm just going to go get a snack together for her," she then smiled and went off to do so.
"Oh, thanks," Carlos said with a nod. "We don't know how he just got away from us."
"Dogs can be random sometimes..." Ruby remarked and shrugged.
Carla went to get a platter of chips and cheese cubes, as well as a few kinds of sliced meats on it.
"So, you kids have a party coming up I hear." Ruby said.
"Uh, yeah," Carlos said before blushing. "I, uh, don't know if I'm gonna go."
"Why not?" Carla asked as she came over again with the platter.
"Oh, uh, I don't think anyone needs to go with me," Carlos said sheepishly. "No one really likes me likes me."
"Really? I thought that Jane girl seemed interested," Ruby remarked, causing him to blush a bit more and she noticed that and then hid a small smirk. "Ohhh..."
"She did." Carla agreed, having seen that too.
"Did she say anything about me?" Carlos asked Carla with wide eyes.
Dude groaned a little and put his paw to his face.
"I think Dude is telling you to calm down." Ruby advised the boy.
"I think so too," Carla said quietly at Dude's reaction too. "But I haven't really talked to her but I've seen her sending you looks a bit." she then admitted.
"...She does?" Carlos asked shyly. "Really?"
"Yes, I would talk to her if I were you." Ruby advised, sounding slightly maternal as Carlos and Carla somehow brought out that side in her.
Carla nodded. She then smiled at Ruby's advice.
"The direct approach is usually the way to go," Ruby's remarked. "Now, how about we get those snacks?" she then suggested.
"They're right here." Carla assured as she brought the tray over, showing enough for all three of them to pick at and a couple extra cubes of cheese for Dude.
"Thank you, Carla." Kiara smiled softly.
Dude whimpered as he tried to get the cheese himself.
"Here, Dude." Carlos said, picking the cheese cubes for the dog.
"You're welcome." Carla assured as she kept it out of reach of Dude so he couldn't just jump up and get the cheese.
Carlos knelt down and gave Dude some cheese.
"You kids are sweet." Ruby said, accepting the snack for her.
Carla gave a small smile. "Thank you..." she said softly, shyly at the compliment. "You're really nice too." she told her.
"Who? Me?" Ruby asked innocently.
Carla nodded.
"Are you staying for a snack?" Carlos asked Ruby.
"You two almost sound like you don't want me to go." Ruby remarked innocently.
"Well, I've made the snack, you should go and get the drinks." Carla suggested to Carlos.
"Sure, Carla." Carlos nodded as he went to do that.
"What do you have to drink?" Ruby asked.
"Um, we have water, milk, juices and I think we have some Sprite left." Carla smiled.
"Hmm... I do love some Sprite..." Ruby remarked and nodded.
Carlos smiled, then decided to go get Ruby some Sprite since she picked that one.
"I'll have some milk, please." Carla requested.
"Sure thing." Carlos nodded at them both, going to get those drinks as well as one for himself.
Ruby gave a small smile at the two as she decided to make herself comfortable with them. Carla then came to sit with Ruby.
"One milk, one Sprite, and one peach juice for me, and some water for Dude." Carlos then said as he sorted those out.
"Thank you, Carlos." Ruby smiled at his help.
"Thank you, Carlos." Carla also smiled.
"Anytime," Carlos beamed. "Always happy to help."
"Such good kids," Ruby smiled softly. "You two seem close too."
Carla looked to Ruby at that curiously. "Well, I just feel close to him, but not romantic." she said and assured, as she knew he liked Jane and she liked Harry.
"I don't think like that anyway, you two seem like... Brother and sister." Ruby explained.
"...Sister?" Carlos murmured curiously.
"Brother?" Carla mused softly, glancing at him.
"...Maybe you two are... Oh, I don't know..." Ruby mused thoughtfully.
Carlos soon came closer to Carla and reached out to her a little as they seemed to be thinking about this a bit more. Carla looked to him and reached out a hand to touch his. As they touched a small rainbow wave of magic came from their touched hands as memories of their true relationship to each other returned to them. Ruby blinked at that and watched closely.
"...I know you..." Carlos said to Carla. "Before Neverland I mean."
"I-I know you too..." Carla agreed quietly. "We've always noticed but dismissed our looks... other than the difference of genders and smoothness of hair we look alike." she added softly.
"...I guess that makes sense..." Ruby said as she approached them, thinking about how they had very similar names. "I mean... Carlos? Carla?"
"I guess we just saw it as a coincidence until now." Carlos explained.
"Something must have affected us so if we thought anything we just assumed we were doppelgangers," Carla said quietly.
"I guess..." Ruby said as she looked between them. "I feel like you might be long-lost twins somehow."
"Maybe we are..." Carlos admitted. "I don't really remember much of what happened before Storybrooke cuz... Well... We were all kind of babies then."
Carla gave a small smile though. "It would be nice to have a sibling." she said.
"...I guess it would be..." Carlos replied.
"You guess?" Ruby asked him, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, I never thought about having a sister, but I guess at least I wouldn't be lonely." Carlos replied bashfully.
Carla had to bite back a small giggle to Carlos getting what the others who knew referred to as the 'motherly-eyebrow look'. Carlos smirked innocently at her.
"You gotta be related..." Ruby smirked at both of them. "I have a gut feeling."
"Is there a way to test?" Carla wondered.
"Um, I'm not sure..." Ruby admitted. "I feel like Mother Superior might know if I had to guess."
Carlos blushed at the mention of her before whispering. "That's where Jane lives."
Carla gave a small smile to Carlos to that.
"I guess we can try to ask her if you think she would know." Carlos said to Ruby.
"That's my guess anyway." Ruby replied as she snacked on the cheese.
Carla nodded and then took a sip of her milk. Carlos sipped his juice as they all sat together. Ruby looked thoughtful, but smiled as she bonded with the two.
"This is nice." Carla said with a small soft smile.
"Uh-huh..." Carlos nodded. "We could use a break from chaos."
"Chaos always finds its way through this town..." Ruby murmured.
"Well, it's full of people from a place of magic, magic things will be drawn to it," Carla said to that. "It's smaller than Neverland or the Enchanted forest so it seems closer." She then added.
"More or less." Ruby agreed.
Carla nodded. Ruby soon finished her cheese and washed it down with her Sprite. Carlos smiled as he made sure Dude wasn't going to get too many goodies, but let him have a little bit of cheese. Carla nibbled on some of the meats she had added to the snack platter.
"May I have some of that?" Ruby asked once she saw some meat she liked.
Carla nodded, not talking through her mouthful. Ruby smiled and took a few pieces of meat that she liked. Carlos smiled as he enjoyed this very much.
Carla had finished her part of the snacks and her milk. "Should we go ask Mother Superior now?" she wondered.
"Yes, let's go ask her." Ruby nodded.
Carlos blushed and seemed a bit nervous, trying to back out until Dude seemed to nudge him closer to Ruby and Carla since he was nervous about meeting Mother Superior since Jane might be home and he always felt nervous around her.
"Carlos, we have to make sure and know for definite how much of siblings we are," Carla told him. "And you don't need to be shy around Jane... you obviously like each other," she told him.
"...I just get nervous around her..." Carlos admitted as he blushed a bit. "My hands get clammy, my mouth gets dry, and I can't breathe."
"Oh, come on now, Jane isn't scary," Ruby reassured him. "We're all going to be there because I'm going with you two."
Dude barked as though to say "me too".
"Yeah, Miss Ruby and Dude are coming too," Carla soothed. "And it's just nerves, sometimes you have to push past them," she then told him gently.
Carlos sighed. "Okay, let's go then." he said with a nod.
"Good boy..." Ruby nodded. "Erm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." she then looked bashful.
Carla gave a small giggle to that.
"Right now?" Carlos then asked. "I mean, what if we bother them?"
"C'mawn~" Ruby urged him as she pushed him out the door, but not in a rough way to hurt the boy.
Carla opened the door so they could go along. Carlos stepped out and took a deep breath, trying to relax. Dude then came by his side and rubbed up against him, making the boy smile and kneel down to pet him.
"Thank you, Carla." Ruby said to the girl kindly.
Carla nodded with a small but eager smile.
"All right, let's go." Carlos said as he began to follow them.
Ruby nodded and decided to lead the way as she was the adult in this case. Carla walked alongside Carlos, making sure he couldn't run off. Carlos looked bashful and smiled at Carla on the way.
Ruby looked around, waving and nodding at people they passed by until they would make it over to Mother Superior. Carla gave him a warm soothing smile.
"Still a little nervous." Carlos said to Carla meekly.
"You'll be fine, you might not even meet her, but if you do, we're right here." Carla soothed him.
"Yeah, I guess..." Carlos nodded and tried to settle down.
Ruby then made it to the door and went to go knock on it as Dude stayed beside Carlos and Carla.
The door luckily opened just a couple of minutes after Ruby knocked. "Oh, hello." the soft voice of Jane answered as she had been sent to get the door.
"Oh! Hello there, young Jane." Ruby said with a small smile.
Carlos gasped and tried to step away until Dude growled for a moment.
"Are you looking for someone in particular?" Jane asked, not yet looking at Carlos or Carla, not wanting to get her speech affected by her nerves around Carlos.
Carla grabbed his arm subtly to to stop him from stepping away.
"Your mother if you don't mind," Ruby explained. "We have some questions for her."
Carlos grinned nervously to both Carla and Dude as he tried to escape from Jane's glimpse.
"Of course, um, if you'll follow me?" Jane said and gave a small smile. She then glanced to Carlos and tried not to seem concerned over him looking like he wanted to bolt.
"Yes, of course..." Ruby nodded and gestured for Carlos and Carla to follow her as Dude was already doing that.
Carlos glanced a bit as he noticed Jane and looked nervous, but began to follow once he found the nerve. Jane led them to the room that her mother used as an office. Carla followed too, pulling Carlos along a little. Mother Superior was signing some forms, humming to herself a bit.
"Come on, Carlos, it's okay." Ruby told him softly with a small smile.
Carlos looked over at her, suddenly felt safe, and then smiled back a little on the way.
Jane knocked on the door. "Mom, Miss Ruby's here to see you with Carla and Carlos." she said through the door, her voice softening over Carlos' name a bit.
"Oh... Okay..." Mother Superior nodded and smiled. "Send them in, my little darling."
Ruby gave a small smile to both Carlos and Carla to help assure them that this would be okay even if she had some doubts about herself and certain situations most of the time.
Jane opened the door and then let Ruby, Carlos, and Carla into the room. "She'll see you now." she smiled.
"Thanks, Jane." Carla said warmly. She gave a smile to Ruby too, as like Carlos she felt safer with the older woman.
"Thank you, Jane," Ruby nodded. "We appreciate this."
"Uh, yeah, ditto." Carlos quickly said before blushing a bit.
"You're welcome, I'll just wait out here for you to show you the way back." Jane said softly.
Carla entered with them, looking shyly at Mother Superior, who was also known as the Blue Fairy.
"Thank you, Jane..." Ruby smiled and soon came inside.
Jane left the three in the room with her mother, giving them privacy. Dude looked up at Jane.
"Ah, hello there, how can I help you all?" Mother Superior greeted.
"...Lovely weather, isn't it?" Carlos asked nervously.
"We touched hands and while it restored memories that we're related," Carla said quietly. "We were wondering how related we are exactly."
"I see..." Mother Superior mused. "I might have the answer, but it might take some magic."
"When doesn't it?" Ruby smirked playfully.
"What price?" Carla asked quietly, willing to pay it to know she had family.
"Just a bit of your DNA." Mother Superior replied.
"Probably best to give a hair sample." Ruby said to the two younger ones.
"That sounds good because I'm not sure if I wanna donate blood today." Carlos said with a weak chuckle.
Carla nodded, she then got a couple of hairs of each color to give to Mother Superior. Carlos soon did the same, wincing a little bit and did the same.
"Yes, yes, right here, my dears..." Mother Superior nodded, accepting them and went to get a magical mixture to test their DNA together.
Ruby watched closely as she put her hands together. Carla watched.
Mother Superior placed the hair pieces into a vial that glowed bright blue and pink. "It'll be very brief, but if you both drink this, you will see the truth." she told Carlos and Carla.
"What does that mean?" Ruby wondered.
"I guess it'll tell us how we're related somehow." Carlos theorized.
Carla nodded to that. She then held out her hand for the vial.
"You first, Carla." Mother Superior said, giving her the vial.
Ruby put her arm around Carlos who looked a bit nervous. Carla then took a drink of the vial, making sure there was enough for Carlos too.
"Now you, Carlos." Mother Superior told the boy.
"Well, it can't hurt..." Carlos admitted as he reached out for the vial.
"Look, Carla's just fine," Ruby reassured him and showed him. "Don't be a boy who cried wolf."
Carla nodded to Carlos. Carlos gulped a little and soon took a drink next and suddenly, his eyes flashed brightly.
"Oh, I think the magic's working." Ruby remarked.
"It is, they should be seeing something important right now." Mother Superior nodded.
Carla's eyes flashed too.
"What are they seeing?" Ruby wondered.
"The answers to what they seek." Mother Superior informed.
Carlos blinked and he soon found himself sitting in a cardboard box with Carla beside him. A woman's voice was heard, but a bit muffled behind the door from where the two were right now. Carla was watching the same scene as Carlos. Her teenage self reached out automatically to take his hand.
Carlos looked all around, then over at Carla, and came to also take her hand as the woman continued to rant in the next room to a couple of men she called Jasper and Horace. "Jasper and Horace? That sounds like those fake friends I once had... Harold and Jace." he murmured to himself during the scene.
"That woman sounds scary." Carla said softly.
"She does... I feel unsafe with her..." Carlos had to agree.
"YOU IDIOTS!" The woman soon yelled rather clearly, slamming the door open as she came into the room and looked around for the children she left behind. "Where are they? Where are they?!" she demanded, seeming to not know where she left them.
Carla squeezed his hand nervously.
"Ah, there you are..." The woman said before she faced them with a scary grin on her face, revealing herself to them. "Surprise! Did you puppies have a nice nap?"
"...My mother is... Cruella...?" Carlos muttered fearfully.
"Our mother..." Carla whispered, also scared.
"What...?" Carlos muttered.
"Yes, yes, Mummy's here," Cruella grinned as she came down at them. "Did you two have a nice nap?"
"Oh, it wasn't that bad, ma'am." The fatter henchman said as he poked his head into the room. "I didn't have a bad dream like I usually get when me and Jasper drink some of that gin you pay us in."
"She meant the tiddly ones, not us, Horace!" Jasper told his partner in crime, smacking him around the head.
"Oof!" Horace yelped and rubbed his head.
"Oh, my little puppies... Soon the de Vil empire will be yours!" Cruella grinned as she scooped up the two babies suddenly. "Carlos Oscar and Carla Estella, those names will go down in history, Horace and Jasper, and we won't even need that Author's help for the next generation of stories." she then told her henchmen.
"Of course, Ms. de Vil." Jasper agreed to that.
"Whatever you say, Ms. de Vil." Horace added, still rubbing his aching head.
"Just you wait, you two, you'll make plenty of bad things happen to those around you, even animals~" Cruella grinned as she looked her twins in the eye who both looked very scared of her.
"Good job they're twins, Ms. de Vil, or you couldn't tell 'em apart." Jasper said to that.
"I'm still not sure which is which." Horace remarked.
"You're a real rocket scientist, you know that right?" Cruella scoffed before she smiled down at the baby twins. "You two are going to make me very proud someday~ ...OR ELSE!" she then added, sounding sweetly before she turned harsh and cruel, hence her name.
Carlos whimpered a bit since he found their mommy to be rather scary when mommies weren't supposed to be scary. Carla trembled in her hold, giving a hiccup of fear.
Ruby waited until the kids' eyes stopped glowing and they were back in this moment of time. "Carlos? Carla? You guys okay?" she asked them.
"We saw it..." Carlos said softly and nearly breathlessly.
"We're twins..." Carla breathed.
"Twins?" Ruby blinked with wide eyes.
"You're my sister." Carlos said as he faced Carla.
"And you're my brother," Carla nodded. She then gave him a hug.
Carlos hugged Carla back right away. Carla hugged him tightly a bit until she had to let go.
"Oh~" Ruby looked soft and happy for them. "I just wonder what happened to separate them?"
"Probably regarding The Dark Curse." Mother Superior guessed thoughtfully.
"So it makes sense now, you guys are brother and sister and not only that, the children of..." Ruby said to them.
"The Devil Woman who tortures puppies..." Carlos frowned. "I've always been nervous around dogs until I met Dude and I guess Cruella IS a dog whisperer... Well, more like a dog yellerer."
"That Devil Woman." Carla nodded and shivered.
"Cruella had you two..." Ruby remarked. "How could someone like that raise someone like you two?"
"Just lucky, we guess?" Carlos shrugged before he dropped to his knees in front of her and put his hands together. "Please don't make us go back to her! I don't know what happened to us, but we can't go back to her! Even if she is our mother!"
"I want you to be our mother." Carla agreed, not quite going as far as dropping to her knees but did put her hands together in a pleading way.
"Well, I--huh? Me?" Ruby replied and looked surprised.
"You've always been so good to us, even before we got Carla out of Neverland," Carlos said to her. "You always look out for us when no one else will."
Carla nodded to Ruby's question. "And since I was rescued from Neverland, you've been good to me too." she agreed.
"Oh, uh, heh, well, anyone could've done that," Ruby replied sheepishly. "I mean there are plenty of others who are more mother material than I am."
"That may be so, but we click with you," Carlos insisted. "Please Miss Ruby, you have to save us from that horrible Devil Woman."
"And we're not babies so you don't have to worry about diapers, or us needing your constant attention 24/7." Carla assured.
"Please?" Carlos added with a hopeful smile. "Please, Miss Ruby, please?"
"...I'll think about it," Ruby said to them thoughtfully. "Now, I know when an adult says that, that's not a good sign, but I need to think about it, all right?" she then told them, hoping they would be mature about it since they were both teenagers.
Carla bit her lip a little but nodded. "Don't take too long though, please." she said softly.
"Okay, I won't..." Ruby nodded before she held out her arms. "Here... You two look shook up." she then offered.
Carlos nodded and took the hug instantly. Carla did the same, hugging Ruby too.
"Aww~" Ruby smiled as she hugged them back. "How about I take you guys out?"
"We wanted you to be the opposite of Cruella!" Carlos yelped as he jumped back at that and misunderstood what Ruby meant.
"Calm down! I'm sure Ruby meant another way, young Carlos." Mother Superior said, trying to calm the boy down and explain.
"I-I think she means... out to do something... right?" Carla said and then asked to make sure.
"Yes, I meant like maybe for some food or we could just watch a movie all together?" Ruby suggested.
"Oh, uh, of course! I knew that..." Carlos blushed and smiled sheepishly.
"A movie would be nice." Carla admitted.
"All right, let's see what we can find and I hope you guys like to laugh because I usually pick comedy~" Ruby suggested.
"Sure, okay." Carlos nodded, sounding very calm now.
"Comedy sounds good." Carla agreed.
"All right, let's see what we can find," Ruby nodded before looking over. "Thank you for your help, Mother Superior."
"You're welcome." Mother Superior smiled and nodded at that.
"Thank you." Carla also thanked.
Mother Superior smiled warmly, glad to have helped them.
"All right, guys, come with me." Ruby said.
"Yeah, nothing will stop me this time!" Carlos proclaimed confidently as he opened the door just then.
Carla started to follow.
Jane blinked and then straightened up from where she had been waiting while leaning against the wall. "Everything go okay?" she asked shyly with a smile.
Carlos blinked and blushed. "Oh, uh, yes, Jane, it was really... Informative." he said to her as calmly as he could.
"Yes, they found out that they're brother and sister." Ruby added.
"Twins." Carla nodded.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you both~" Jane smiled to that and then automatically hugged them both, starting with Carla. Though she quickly realized what she was doing and looked shy, blushing when she pulled away from hugging Carlos.
"Heh, thanks, Jane..." Carlos blushed and smiled nervously. "This is quite a discovery."
"It'll be a day to remember, that's for sure." Ruby remarked with a small smile.
Carla hid a smile to that.
"I'm happy you both found each other as family." Jane gave a small but sweet smile.
"I'm happy too, Jane," Carlos smiled back before sighing. "I don't wanna go back to my so-called mother though."
"I know, dear. I know." Ruby remarked as she overheard that.
"You found out who your mother is too?" Jane asked, gently seeing the twins looking unhappy over that.
"Yes..." Carlos sighed and nodded. "Cruella."
"How could someone so vile raise two sweethearts like this?" Ruby pouted.
"Hard to say, Ruby." Mother Superior had to admit.
"Probably due to nature over nurture in this case," Jane smiled to that. "They have sweet natures." she added.
"Yes, they do," Ruby nodded. "All right, you guys, you're coming home with me for now." she then told Carlos and Carla.
"I guess we can do that if it's okay." Carlos replied softly.
Carla nodded in agreement. Ruby gave a small smile at both of them and they started to leave.
"Uh, bye, Jane, nice seeing you." Carlos said sheepishly as Ruby went to leave, not seeing him stay behind for a moment.
"Nice seeing you too." Jane smiled softly.
Ruby smiled back, waving at her as she went after the newfound twins and Dude. Jane waved in return.
"So, what movie do you guys wanna see?" Ruby asked the twins politely.
"Something funny." Carlos shrugged.
"Yeah, something funny." Carla agreed.
"I guess I'll see what I have..." Ruby mused thoughtfully on the way.
Carlos gave a hopeful smile as they walked away together. Carla smiled to that.
Ruby smiled back at them, feeling more comfortable around them now as she unlocked the door to her place and let them come inside. "Make yourselves at home." she then told them.
Dude rushed right inside and went to go find a cozy corner to lie down in.
"Thank you." Carla said softly with a smile.
"Of course," Ruby nodded. "I'll just get some drinks. You guys like soda?"
"Uh, yeah, that's pretty good." Carlos replied.
"Yes, that's one of the best things of this world." Carla smiled.
Ruby beamed as she went to her fridge and shared some soda with them, taking a Sprite for herself and letting them pick between that, diet Mountain Dew, or root beer.
"Mountain Dew please." Carla decided.
"Same." Carlos added and agreed.
Ruby smiled and gave them both Mountain Dews.
Carla accepted her Mountain Dew. "Thank you." she said quietly.
"Yeah, thanks." Carlos added.
"No problem," Ruby said with a small smile. "Now let's see about a movie we can all enjoy."
Carla nodded to that. Ruby smiled as she set the sodas down and soon looked over her movie collection. Carlos sat down next to her on the couch, looking curious. Carla sat down too.
"Hmm... Any ideas for a movie, gang?" Ruby asked the twins.
"This looks interesting." Carlos said as he picked out Stuart Little.
"Aww, it's about a mouse~" Carla smiled.
Ruby smiled back at them and decided to put it on for them. "Good choice, pup." she then said.
"I made a good choice." Carlos playfully bragged to Carla.
Carla shook her head with a smirk. Carlos smirked back. Ruby then put in the movie and went to sit between the two of them as she put her feet up with ease. Carla gave a small smile and settled in to watch the movie too.
Ruby smile at both of them and nodded as Carlos was about to put his feet up too. "Shoes off though." she told him.
Carlos nodded as he took off his shoes and put his feet up as well to get properly relaxed. Carla gave a small smile to that.
"Ooh, it's starting." Ruby said as the movie began.
Carlos huddled in a bit closer, feeling safe around Ruby. Carla then slipped her shoes off and tucked her feet under her, leaning a bit in towards Ruby.
Ruby smiled as she brought out a blanket to wrap them all up in to enjoy the movie with. "Now if you guys need anything, don't be afraid to tell me." she then said.
"Thank you, Miss Ruby." Carlos said softly and thankfully.
"Thank you." Carla agreed softly.
"You're both very welcome." Ruby gave a small smile as the movie began and she decided to be quiet after that.
Carlos let out a small yawn and smiled as they settled into the movie. Carla watched the screen. Ruby smiled at how nice this felt as they watched kids playing in the orphanage until George's parents would find Stuart who was the titular mouse who would be adopted by the Little family. Carla gave a small smile. Ruby smiled at the twins warmly. Carlos soon looked like he was about to fall asleep, so he took a quick drink as he didn't want to miss the movie and he shouldn't be taking naps since he was a teenager now, but he just felt so comfortable around here.
"This is nice." Carla whispered.
"Glad you like it..." Ruby smiled.
Carla smiled. Carlos also smiled. Ruby smiled softly at both of them as they settled into their movie. Carla also tried to stay awake though was comfy. Ruby looked softly at both of them and soon started to look a little tired herself, but didn't say anything as they all hung out.
"He doesn't like his new brother." Carlos frowned as George seemed to dislike Stuart for being a mouse.
"Maybe he just feels that way because he's not used to sharing the attention?" Carla suggested quietly.
"It can be hard to share attention," Ruby nodded. "I get that way sometimes."
"But you're a grown-up." Carlos remarked.
"No matter what age it can happen, right?" Carla said.
"It can..." Ruby nodded. "Sometimes it can't be helped."
"Interesting..." Carlos remarked as they continued to watch.
Carla nodded.
"But the important thing to learn is that there's enough love for everyone." Ruby said as she ruffled up Carlos' hair who laughed a little at that.
Carla smiled a bit to that.
"And if you two were mine, I would love you both the same." Ruby then said.
"We'd love you too." Carlos insisted.
"We would." Carla nodded.
"Aw, come on, I'm not really mother material." Ruby said to them.
"You do great with us." Carlos reassured her.
"And like I said earlier we don't need as much looking after as a baby or even a small kid." Carla pointed out.
"Well, that's true..." Ruby admitted. "I'm still thinking on it."
Carlos gave a small pout as he feared the worst from that sentence. Carla gave a tiny nod, though hoped she would agree. Ruby gave a small smile to both of them even if she was unsure about motherhood.
"Mean cat." Carlos pouted as Snowbell tried to eat Stuart.
Carla pouted at the screen at hearing that. Ruby shook her head in dismissal over that.
"Don't eat mouse friends, Dude." Carlos then told the dog.
"Arf!" Dude barked in response.
Carla nodded to that and reached over to pet Dude a little. Dude licked Carla's hands and seemed happy to be around her.
"You guys really need Dude and Dude needs you." Ruby chuckled with a small smile.
"Yeah, I guess we do." Carlos had to admit, smiling at his sister and the dog.
Carla smiled sweetly. Ruby smiled tenderly at them both as she did try to think about having them in her home and raising them, especially because at least they weren't babies because babies made her nervous since they were nothing like she would usually see on cartoons around here and they were both very darling. Dude smiled at both Carlos and Carla.
"You happy to be here too, Dude?" Carlos smiled at the dog as he ruffled up his fur a bit.
"I bet he is~" Carla beamed.
"He certainly is a good dog." Ruby had to admit before gasping in surprise.
Dude rushed over to her, jumped up at her, and then came to lick her too, making her laugh since it tickled.
"Dude, don't jump on Miss Ruby." Carlos said in concern.
"Calm down~" Carla giggled and carefully held him down so he wasn't jumping on Ruby as much.
Dude barked and looked up and over at Carlos and Carla then.
"I guess he likes me too." Ruby giggled bashfully.
"He knows you're awesome." Carlos reassured her.
"Yeah." Carla nodded, getting that sense too.
Ruby gave a small, emotional smile to both of them until she brushed away her eyes to keep them dry. "Come on, let's finish our movie." she then suggested.
"Okay." Carlos nodded.
Carla nodded too and then turned her attention back to the screen. Ruby smiled softly at them both and settled in as they continued to watch the movie for a while. She looked calm, but then also nervous, especially since the twins were revealed to be Cruella's long-lost son and daughter so she only wondered what this might mean with The Queens of Darkness in Storybrooke. Carla smiled a bit too as this felt nice, felt like a home should. Ruby smiled at them both as they continued to watch the movie a bit longer.
"What a strange tiny trident, my dear," Poseidon said as he sat at a table with his grown daughter and observed the fork thoughtfully. "Whatever do you use this for?"
"It's a fork, rather, you use it to pick up your mouthful of food." Ursula told him and made the motion to show him how to use it.
Poseidon nodded and watched her closely. "Looks simple enough." he then said.
"When our food gets here, I can show you properly." Ursula assured him.
"Why, thank you, my dear," Poseidon nodded and gave a small smile. "Now, where's your little Seastar? I'm eager to meet her." he then added hopefully.
"Uma is on the way the last I've heard from her. "Ursula smiled and chuckled a little.
"What a nice name," Poseidon smiled. "I look forward to meeting her."
Ursula smiled back to that. Uma then came through the door and glanced around.
"Ah, good evening, young lady." Granny greeted Uma once she saw her.
Poseidon looked up and over a bit after that.
"Hi." Uma greeted.
"I believe you're here to see your family." Granny then said.
"Yeah," Uma nodded. "Did they order already or not?" she then asked, as if they didn't she would order with them at the table or booth.
"They were waiting for you," Granny explained as she began to walk suddenly. "Follow me over to them and I'll give you all your menus."
Uma nodded to that and followed her. Granny led the way and soon gave a small smile at the family that was all together now.
"...Uma." Poseidon whispered once he took a look at the girl who had come to his and Ursula's table: she looked just like her mother at that age aside from maybe the hair color as Uma had a hint of aqua in her black hair.
Uma looked her grandfather up and down, curiously not rudely though.
"It's nice to meet you..." Poseidon started to say before pausing. "Why don't you tell me your name, huh? What's your name?" he then offered.
"Uma." The young Sea Witch introduced herself.
"Uma..." Poseidon nodded and smiled. "It's wonderful to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too." Uma said.
"Can I start anyone off with something to drink?" Granny asked the family briefly.
"I'll have some tea, please." Ursula requested.
"I'll have a Sprite." Uma decided.
"Just water for me, please." Poseidon replied.
"Of course," Granny nodded as she went to get their drinks. "Make yourselves at home."
"Thanks." Uma said. She then came to sit down.
"No problem." Granny said as she got their drinks for them.
"She is definitely your daughter, my dear," Poseidon said to his grown daughter softly. "She looks just like you."
Ursula smiled to her father to that.
Granny then gave them their drinks. "Any ideas on what to eat?" she then asked, though it would probably be a while.
"This salmon looks interesting at least." Poseidon mused thoughtfully over the menu.
"Salmon sounds good." Uma nodded.
"I think I like the look of the shrimp." Ursula mused.
"Well, all right, salmon," Granny nodded as she took those orders first. "Sides include a baked potato, broccoli, or rice."
"Baked potato for me, that sounds interesting." Poseidon said thoughtfully.
"You reading my mind or something, Grandfather?" Uma smirked.
Ursula smiled at how similar they were.
"Maybe?" Poseidon smirked back. "You had to get it from somewhere, didn't you?"
Granny also looked amused at that. "Butter, sour cream, cheese, or bacon bits?" she then offered for the baked potato option.
Uma smirked. "Butter, cheese, and bacon?" she requested as that would all be tasty together.
"I think I'll do the same." Poseidon agreed.
"Of course," Granny nodded. "And you said shrimp, Ursula?" she then added.
"Yes please, with rice please," Ursula requested.
"All right, I'll get those ready for you two." Granny nodded as she wrote that down and headed to the kitchen.
"Thank you." Poseidon approved.
"Thank you." Ursula smiled.
Uma smirked warmly and nodded.
"You're welcome." Granny replied.
Poseidon smiled warmly and sipped his drink after Granny had given it to him, looking forward to an evening with his daughter and his granddaughter. Ursula had to wait for hers to cool a little. Uma took a sip of her drink too.
"This is nice..." Poseidon said as he looked around. "I'm just sorry I can't stay very long, I can't leave the sea too long, you see."
"I understand, Father." Ursula nodded.
"I'll be back again of course," Poseidon then said. "I'm glad we at least found each other after all these years."
"I'm glad too, Father." Ursula smiled.
Poseidon smiled back warmly at both Ursula and Uma. Soon, Granny came back with their food and wished them a good meal, smiling politely at them since Ursula seemed to be better company right now than she did when she first came by with Cruella.
"Thank you," Ursula told Granny.
"You're all welcome," Granny nodded. "Anything else?" she then asked.
"I think we have everything we need." Poseidon reassured her.
"That's all for now, thank you," Ursula agreed.
"Enjoy." Granny nodded and stepped away.
"Yes, I believe we shall as I take this flagon of ale." Poseidon nodded and took a cue from the god known as Thor.
Ursula glanced at her father at the sudden declaration about ale.
"Yes?" Poseidon asked off her look. "All of the gods call drinks that."
"It's not common to drink flagons anymore, Father, and you ordered water not ale," Ursula pointed out.
"Oh, just let me have a little fun, Ursula~" Poseidon pouted playfully.
Ursula smirked. Poseidon smirked back and soon took a drink of his water before tucking into his dinner. Uma smirked and then ate her food too. Poseidon smiled, enjoying this family time as much as he could.
Ruby soon came back home to Kiara, Carlos, and Carla after taking a walk some time after the movie to clear her mind and Carla took a nap because Mother Superior's visit took a lot out of her, plus the big news that hit bth her and Carlos. Dude sat up from a spot he was sleeping in and rushed over to greet her, excited to see her. Kiara was teaching Carlos and Carla how to properly take care of their hair as dinner was about to be done cooking soon. Ruby gave a small smile and pet Dude before going to see where the others were.
"So don't wash it every single day?" Carlos asked Kiara since he and Carla had different hair compared to the sandy blonde-haired girl herself.
"No, if you wash it every day it dries it out too much and it makes it frizzy, and can help make it easier to get split ends." Kiara told them.
"Boy, that sounds familiar." Ruby chuckled as she overheard some of that.
Kiara smiled to that. "Welcome home." she said.
Carla waved from where she was sitting watching Ruby deal with Carlos' hair first.
"Thanks, Kiki~" Ruby gave a small smile back before looking over. "And what do we have here?" she then asked.
"Hair washing party." Carlos said with a chuckle.
"Well brushing, with advice on how to wash it properly too." Kiara chuckled.
"So I see..." Ruby hid a small smirk. "Well, my advice is don't get your hair braided unless you wanna sit in a chair for half of the day while your butt gets numb."
"Can that really happen?" Carlos wondered.
"Can what happen?" Kiara asked for him to clarify.
"Your butt gets numb from getting your hair braided?" Carlos asked.
"It just takes a very long time." Ruby explained as she went to get herself a drink.
"Yeah, it can do, even on a comfy seat if it takes a long time, it can make your butt numb," Kiara nodded. "Especially when Granny used to brush my hair when I was a little kid."
"Yeah, that wild lioness mane you call hair." Ruby smirked playfully.
"Hmph~" Kiara pouted at that. "Yeah, during The Dark Curse and I had to get my hair done without magic, it was pretty tedious," she then remarked as she got out a Sprite and decided to sit with them a bit before checking her nails. "At least Baby Bear knows how to give a manicure that's just right."
"A manicure is what makes nails pretty, right?" Carla asked.
"Yes, it is," Kiara nodded and showed her hands to Carla, wearing a black and red design. "See for yourself."
"Ooh, pretty~" Carla grinned over the manicure design.
"Baby Bear does a great job," Kiara smiled. "Maybe you'd like to come with me sometime."
"I'd like that~" Carla assured with a big smile.
"Okay," Kiara smiled back. "I'll see if I can book an appointment tomorrow."
"Okay~" Carla nodded with a beaming smile.
Ruby gave a small smile back and sipped more of her drink. Soon the oven timer went off and Kiara went to get dinner out ready.
"Looks like I came home at a good time." Ruby remarked.
"You sure did." Carlos nodded.
Dude seemed to bark in agreement.
"Yeah." Carla agreed.
Kiara sorted the food out and placed it in the middle of the table for everyone else to help themselves.
"I helped too!" Carlos then said.
"Well, the best food come from people who work well together." Ruby advised.
Carla smiled.
"Alright everyone, come and get it~" Kiara called out.
Carlos soon saw that Dude was hungry too and looked over. "Can Dude have just a little bit?" he then asked.
"I don't think dogs are supposed to eat people food." Kiara remarked as Dude whined and gave puppy dog eyes.
"He might be able to have one sausage cut up into his food, but only after we eat." Ruby said to that.
"That okay, bro-erm... Carlos?" Kiara asked him.
"Yeah, I guess it would be okay," Carlos said as he pet the dog before coming to get his food. "Sorry, boy."
Dude merely whined and sunk down to the floor a bit
"At least you'll be getting some after." Carla soothed the dog sweetly.
Carlos sighed at the dog before he came to get some food.
"Smells great, Kiki." Ruby beamed warmly.
"Thank you," Ruby smiled. "Carlos was a big help," she assured. "And sorry Dude, but you could get really sick if you eat too much human food." she told the dog.
Dude pouted at that.
"You helped out, huh?" Ruby smiled at Carlos. "Can't wait to try it."
"I hope you all like it." Carlos smiled back hopefully.
"I'm sure it'll be great." Carla assured with a smile.
Kiara served herself a bit and then helped serve the others too if they needed. Ruby took her plate right away and looked around the others before she would take a bite. Carlos smiled, looking excited to have a real family meal experience.
Once everyone had some, Kiara playfully clapped her hands once. "Alright, everyone eat up~" she chuckled.
"Already there." Ruby said sheepishly as she already started not too long before Ruby did that.
"I guess she's pretty hungry." Carlos chuckled at that before he would start eating up.
Kiara playfully pouted and then giggled. Carla looked over shyly too, a mouthful of food herself. Ruby looked all around, mostly to Carlos and Carla, as they gave her more hope about her decision.
"I just hope I didn't mess anything up." Carlos said bashfully.
Carla nodded at him to assure he didn't.
Kiara tried a bit of the stuff Carlos in particular made. "Delicious." she assured him.
"This is a really good touch too," Ruby said, eating some of what Carlos helped with. "What'd you do to get it like that, Kiki? It's different and unusual, but I love it a lot."
Carlos glanced over and blushed. "Actually, I did that." he confessed sheepishly.
"He did." Kiara agreed.
"You did this, Carlos?" Ruby asked, amazed. "It's wonderful!"
"Thank you~" Carlos beamed and blushed under her compliment. "I did my best."
"It's great." Carla assured her twin brother.
"Thanks, Carla." Carlos smiled at his twin sister.
Ruby smiled warmly and fondly at both of them. Carla smiled to that.
"I'd like to speak with you after we finish eating." Ruby said to Kiara quietly.
"Alright," Kiara nodded. "Maybe we'll have the kids wash up and we'll talk?" she suggested quietly.
"Okay, that could work," Ruby agreed before smirking. "And they're not kids, they're just two years younger than you."
"Details, details." Kiara shrugged.
Ruby nodded with a smile, then went back to eating her dinner. Ruby smiled as she did the same, feeling relaxed and at peace for another evening, especially with Carlos and Carla's company.
After Carlos had finished up, he went to give Dude some of that sausage that Ruby promised him and the dog happily ate it up. Carla took the empty plates and dishes to wash them.
"Help your sister after you're done feeding Dude." Ruby suggested to Carlos and then came over to Kiara so they could discuss what she wanted to.
"Yes, Miss Ruby." Carlos nodded as he would and pet Dude with a small smile. "Feel better, boy?"
Dude barked and ate up eagerly as Carlos then went to go and help out Carla. Ruby soon sat in the living room and had some background music playing until Kiara would come by. Carla continued to wash the dishes.
"Here, I'll dry." Carlos offered as he joined her side.
"Thanks, Bro." Carla smiled.
Anytime, sis." Carlos winked and chuckled as he brought out a rag to dry the dishes with.
Carla giggled.
"You wanted to talk about something?" Kiara smiled as she came and sat with Ruby.
"Yes, I did," Ruby nodded as she sat up a bit more and hugged her knees. "I know Carlos and Carla seem very happy here and they seem to light up the place by being around and I really have always wanted to have a puppy someday." she then started to say.
Kiara nodded to that.
"Well, I did some deep thinking during my brief walk and... I think we should let them stay for a week or two to try out living together to see how we all feel about it." Ruby then said to Kiara.
"I think that is a good idea, but I think one week won't be quite enough... we'll all need a bit of time to get used to it after all," Kiara assured and then pointed out. "I mean Granny will be gaining two sudden great-grandchildren." she added with a chuckle.
"And in a way, I guess they're your foster niece and nephew," Ruby smirked and chuckled. "So more than a week?" she then added softly.
Kiara nodded to that. "Yeah, if we try for two that gives a week to get used to it, and another week to see how it feels once we're used to it." she smiled.
"I just hope that they don't mind." Ruby softly.
"The twins?" Kiara asked to check that's who she was referring to there.
"Uh, yes, them." Ruby nodded.
"I'm sure they'll be happy about at least trying it out, if they asked you then they obviously want it." Kiara smiled.
"And at least I have you to help me out a little." Ruby then smiled back a bit.
"You do, until homework crops up." Kiara reassured her.
Ruby hid a small smirk and then decided to give Kiara a sisterly hug and soon, the younger girl did the same back.
Carlos poked his head in a moment. "Would you like us to put away the dishes too?" he then asked Kiara and Ruby.
"That's okay, you can leave them in the drainer until we can deal with them." Kiara replied.
"Or to the side on the counter if you dried them." Ruby added.
Carlos nodded and went to go and do that with Carla and tell her what Kiara and Ruby said to do.
"Well, they saved us some trouble." Kiara giggled warmly about the dishes.
Ruby giggled a bit to that.
Carla looked over at Carlos who came back into the room.
"We can put them on the counter for them." Carlos told Carla.
"Alright." Carla nodded.
Carlos nodded and went to help her do that for Kiara and Ruby. Carla smiled softly to her twin.
Carlos smiled back. "So, you think we're getting adopted like Stuart Little?" he then asked hopefully.
"I hope so." Carla gave a small warm smile.
"Me too." Carlos agreed and nodded. "I just hope... Our other mom doesn't ruin it."
"Well, she hasn't been concerned about us so far so I'm sure she won't." Carla said hopefully.
Carlos nodded as they finished putting the dishes away after Ruby and Kiara's instructions. Carla then dried her hands fully and came over to join her brother.
Carlos smiled at her and he soon came to check on Dude. "Aw~" he then whispered.
Dude had fallen asleep after eating. Carla gave a small smile to that.
"Sweet dreams, buddy." Carlos said as he gently scratched the dog and his tail wagged in his sleep.
Carla gave him a gentle scratching too.
"He's such a good dog." Carlos smiled at Carla as Dude's hind leg soon twitched.
"He is." Carla nodded.
"We're lucky to have found him," Carlos said softly. "I thought dogs were all big and scary."
Carla gave a small nod to that. Carlos smiled warmly at her.
"You guys okay out there?" Kiara called from the other room.
"Yeah, we're fine!" Carlos replied, but not too loud.
"We are." Carla also agreed in the same tone and volume.
"Okay!" Kiara replied.
"See? People care about us here." Carlos smiled.
Carla nodded with a smile back.
Kiara soon checked the time. "I just wonder if they should go to bed now?" she remarked thoughtfully.
"They're not that much younger than you, Kiki," Ruby smirked. "As long as they're in their rooms by 9 or 10, and in bed by 11 they'll be fine."
"Well, all right." Kiara said softly.
"I'll go sort out some bedding for them and you make sure you go to bed on time too." Ruby smirked to her surrogate younger sister.
"Haha." Kiara pouted.
Chapter 10: Yo-Ho-Who?
Chapter Text
Emma was making a hot drink in the kitchen in the Blanchard apartment when Regina came in. Henry was looking through the book as Dee Dee helped out, and August was asleep on the couch.
"We're lucky he's okay." Regina sighed as she walked up to Emma.
"It wasn't luck. You got us that message," Emma replied. "Thank you."
"And I guess Evie is still with Ben?" Regina wondered. "I was hoping I could talk with her."
"Well, maybe you should call her?" Dee Dee offered.
"She was last I heard," Henry agreed about Evie being with Ben still.
"I think I may need to talk to her." Regina said as she brought out her phone.
"Couldn't hurt." Dee Dee said with a small smile.
Henry nodded. Regina then took out her phone and decided to call her daughter to check on her and talk for a little bit.
"Hey Mom," Evie answered the phone, knowing not to put off answering unless she was in the middle of something important.
"Hi, sweetie, how are you doing?" Regina replied with a small smile.
"I'm doing okay, Mom," Evie assured. "How are you doing?" she then asked.
"I'm good, I just need to talk to you about something that I'm not sure I can share with the others right now." Regina replied.
"Well, I could go and get us some food from Granny's and we could eat somewhere and talk in private?" Evie offered a suggestion to her mother.
"Well, all right, honey," Regina said with a small smile. "I don't wanna pull you away from anything, so only if you're free enough for that."
"I was thinking of making my way to you anyway, Mom." Evie assured.
"Okay, sweetheart," Regina smiled a bit. "I'll meet you at Granny's very soon."
"Meet you there soon, Mom, do you want your usual?" Evie asked as she would go and order it so they could take it away to eat privately when Regina would get there.
"Yes, please, dear," Regina nodded. "And get yourself something special."
"Thank you, Mom," Evie smiled down the phone. "I'll see you soon then?" she then double checked before she would get on with doing what she planned.
"See you soon, darling," Regina nodded. "I look forward to it."
"Love you." Evie told her, going to hang up after her mom's reply to that.
"I love you too, Apple of my Eye~" Regina replied before she would hang up.
"Bye-bye." Evie then finished and hung up before heading towards Granny's.
Regina then hung up and went to tell the others that she was going to head out.
"Thanks for coming over, Evie." Ben smiled at his old friend.
"No problem," Evie smiled warmly to her friend. "I thought it would be nice for a bit of a visit and to help out." she assured.
"And it was appreciated," Ben smiled before he rolled his eyes. "Especially since Will disappeared somewhere... I have no idea where, but I don't really care, sorry if that sounds mean." he then added about his mother's new potential love interest.
"Well, it can be strange when your mother has a new paramour." Evie assured.
"Yeah..." Ben nodded. "Send my love to Aunt Regina, okay?"
"I will," Evie nodded with a smile. "Bye Ben." she told him.
"See ya, Evie." Ben smiled back and led her to the door.
Evie gave Ben a friendly hug and then left to head to Granny's. Ben hugged Evie back before waving and sending her off as he came back inside to see his mother. Evie then walked along out of the shop towards the diner so she could order food for herself and her mom so they could take it out and talk in private. She then found a seat, smiling and waiting.
Within moments, Regina came into the diner and spoke with Granny for a few moments before going to go sit down and talk with her daughter. "Evening, my princess." she then greeted.
"Good evening, Mom." Evie smiled softly to her mother.
"How are you this evening?" Regina smiled back.
"I'm alright, are you?" Evie assured and asked caringly.
"I'm good..." Regina nodded. "...You remember Robin Hood?" she then prompted.
Evie nodded as she did.
"Well, the thing is, I had a dream today... Robin Hood came back, we were finally together, but then, I... The Evil Queen... showed up with a fireball in her hand." Regina explained to her daughter.
"It kinda sounds like you're worried about becoming a villain again for real." Evie said quietly.
"No, I don't think that's it," Regina shook her head. "In my dream, I don't think The Evil Queen was there to hurt Robin. I think she was there to protect him."
"From what, Mom?" Evie asked gently in concern.
"I don't know. I just... Felt it," Regina replied. "I was going to ask Emma for help, but I'm not sure... I don't suppose he gave YOU anything? Can you get me a phone number, a way to contact him, anything? You kids are always on your phones these days." she then asked her daughter.
"Um, he didn't but I can try and maybe Emma would be best though, she knows how to do it better than me." Evie told her quietly
"...I guess that's a good point..." Regina admitted and nodded. "Did you like him? I know you didn't really get to know your father, but... Did you like Robin Hood?" she then wondered.
"I did, Mom," Evie assured. "And little Roland was such a sweetheart." she added.
"Like another little brother?" Regina smiled.
Evie nodded to that. "Yes." she agreed.
Regina smirked and chuckled. "But I think I'll give Emma a call and maybe she can help me with that?" she then decided since Evie didn't have a way to contact the outlaw right now.
Evie nodded to that. "Yes, I think that's best, Mom," she agreed. "She knows how to look through that system~" she nodded.
"I just thought I'd try since you kids find people on your social media all the time." Regina remarked.
Granny soon came by with their food after it had been ordered and picked out by Evie moments earlier.
"Well, I don't think he knows enough to have a social media," Evie chuckled. "Thank you, Granny." she then told the older woman as the food was being brought over.
Regina nodded and smiled. "Yes, thank you." she then added.
"Certainly," Granny replied as she served them. "You two enjoy."
Evie smiled and then looked to her mom.
Regina smiled as she sorted her food out, ready to eat up and smiled warmly at Evie. "Well, at least we can have dinner together tonight." she said softly.
"Yeah." Evie agreed, as she then sorted her own food to eat too.
Regina smiled and soon began to tuck into her meal along with Evie. "I wonder where that Cassandra woman went? She seemed to disappear from the cabin for a while." she couldn't help but think all of a sudden.
"I don't know, but I'll keep an eye out if you'd like." Evie offered.
"Well, thank you," Regina replied. "I'm not sure what her goal was exactly since the Queens all teamed up for a purpose: Ursula to find her father, Cruella to, I guess find her lost puppies, Maleficent with her own deeds of course and I had a similar goal so I blended in nicely, but I'm not sure what Cassandra's plan was, but they say that she used to be a librarian in New York City."
"Well, maybe Cassandra was looking for something too?" Evie shrugged. "Maybe she lost someone and wanted to find them." she added.
"I just wonder who?" Regina pondered before eating up. "...You don't suppose she has her own child as well?"
"Maybe?" Evie shrugged to that, though it seemed to be that they all had either kids or what seemed to be pets.
Regina nodded and soon ate up with Evie, enjoying the rest of this evening with her. Evie smiled warmly to her mother as she also enjoyed the time with her. Regina smiled back, enjoying it very much, especially as they had a much better mother/daughter bond than her with her own mother. Evie had even decided to order them a little dessert, as a way to bring some comfort to her mom.
"You're spoiling me, Princess~" Regina smirked playfully.
"Because you deserve it, Mom." Evie smiled.
"Oh, I don't know about all of that~" Regina replied softly.
"You do." Evie replied.
"Well, thank you, my little princess," Evie smiled. "You're always so good to me."
Evie smiled warmly to Regina.
"Where would I be without you, my darling?" Regina sighed softly as she put her arm around Evie tenderly.
Evie leaned in to her mom's side kind of returning the hug the best she could without having to twist awkwardly.
Regina beamed warmly and patted Evie gently on the back. "Oh, I was saving this, the note said to leave it for a special occasion, but I think it might be time for you to have this for right now," she then said as she brought out a tiny gift leftover from Christmas. "The Guardians of Childhood said that it was very crucial."
"I can open it now?" Evie smiled as she paused just a moment before she would reach out for it.
"Well... I don't think there would be anything wrong with that." Regina replied with a small smile as Evie's reaction would likely lighten things up at the moment.
Evie smiled and then took the small gift and opened it. The gift glittered and twinkled a bit like little stars like diamonds in the sky. The silver frame was shown and it was a handheld mirror almost like a compact mirror, but would serve a different purpose.
"Oh, it's beautiful~" Evie breathed as she looked it over carefully.
"It's your very own magic mirror," Regina explained and smiled. "It can help you find the answer to just about anything like how Sidney would help give me answers that I would need."
"Shall I try it?" Evie wondered.
"If you would like." Regina nodded and suggested.
Evie nodded. She then thought of a question she had trouble with in class. "How do I find the average atomic weight of silver?" she asked the mirror.
"Let me guess," Regina smirked playfully. "One of Mr. Deley's pop quiz questions you struggled with even with Doug's tutoring?"
The mirror soon faded to black a moment and then gave Evie a bunch of numbers to answer her question. "106.905 times .5200, plus 108.905 times .4800 equals 107.9 AMU."
"Yeah," Evie admitted with a blush. "107.9 Amu." she then noted.
"Amu..." Regina repeated in amusement. "Enjoy your gift, my little princess, I hear that you all are going to be given very special presents and probably even find your next step into the fairy tale legacy world we were all born in for... who knows why, really? Whether the Author or this Mother Goose and what have you." she then commented.
"Well, thank you, Mom," Evie smiled. "I promise I wouldn't use it to cheat." she assured.
"I really hope not," Regina nodded. "You've never been one to cheat and you're already one of Mr. Deley's best students. Now just remember this as well, it will only work for you or one of your descendants, much like King Triton's trident will only work for Ariel and Melody or your friend Piper's pipe will only work for him as a Pied Piper, so this mirror will only work for you since it's now your family trinket." she then advised.
Evie nodded. "So, a future son or daughter can get to use it too?" she asked just to be clear on that, using her one day future kids as an example.
"Yes, they would be able to." Regina nodded.
Evie nodded. She then carefully put the mirror back in its box for safety until she could put it in her bag.
"Thank you for a special night." Regina said to Evie tenderly.
"Of course, I enjoyed it." Evie assured warmly.
"I enjoyed it too and I promise that those Queens of Darkness aren't going to corrupt me," Regina promised her daughter. "I just feel concerned about Maleficent... I wonder if she just sees Mal as a replacement?" she then mumbled a bit about something she had learned from The Dark Fairy from Sleeping Beauty's tale.
"A replacement?" Evie blinked.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said any more," Regina said softly. "Mary Margaret told me a secret and... I should keep it a secret... even though she couldn't keep a secret for me." she then rolled her eyes slightly as that secret revealed was the one that made Evie fatherless.
"Well, I won't make you tell me," Evie assured. "But I am curious now." she admitted.
"...Well, what could happen?" Regina soon gave in before she took a deep breath and let it out and faced her daughter. "Maleficent had another daughter, long before Mal."
"Whoa." Evie said softly.
"Yes," Regina nodded. "I don't know anything about the child and it doesn't seem that anyone does, but... yes."
"Oh..." Evie said quietly. "Well, don't worry my lips are sealed." she assured.
"Thank you, dear," Regina nodded as she put her arm around her. "I don't know where I would be without you."
Evie leaned back into her mother in a hug.
Regina then hugged Evie right back, giving her a warm smile. "Are you going to go home now?" she then asked after the hug as it was getting quite late at night right now in town.
"I think I should, unless you need me?" Evie nodded and then asked to check.
"Well, I guess I have everything I need, and I should probably get back to those other villainesses." Regina replied thoughtfully as she seemed to be trying to decide what to do next, especially since Evie and Henry would be without adult supervision, though Evie was a teenager now.
"I'll be fine at the mansion for one night, Mom, or come with you, and Henry can stay with Emma," Evie told her. "Or I could stay with Ben and Aunt Belle if there's room." she then shrugged.
"Well, I would let you come with me, but... I'm not sure..." Regina replied. "You might get hurt, especially if Mal and Uma listen to their mothers very closely..."
"Well we're supposed to be working together, and they weren't so bad." Evie said and then pointed out.
"I guess they just want to get what they want out of life with a happily ever after..." Regina sighed softly. "Just like me."
Evie gave Regina a hug. "Well, I hope Henry and I are a part of that." she gave a small smile.
"You are," Regina smiled back, hugging Evi back eagerly. "At least, I hope you two will be there with me just like I've always wanted when Storybrooke first came to be. I'm just really glad I managed to keep you with me all this time~" she then mused warmly.
Evie smiled warmly to that. Regina smiled back and took one last sip of her drink before they would leave the diner that evening. Evie finished her dessert and her drink too.
"Would you like to walk home?" Regina offered. "Unless you'd prefer a ride. You probably want a ride..." she then added.
"Whichever allows us to head together?" Evie offered with a smile.
"Let's just go to the car," Regina nodded. "You all good to go?" she then asked to check as she began to stand up.
Evie nodded, getting the money to pay for their meal.
Kiara then came to collect the check and accept the money. "Have a nice evening." she then said.
"Why, thank you, Kiara." Regina nodded and gave a small smile to the girl.
"Thanks, Kiara." Evie agreed with a smile.
"Anything for a friend," Kiara smiled back. "Come back again soon."
"Oh, we shall when we can find the time." Regina nodded.
"Yes, we will." Evie nodded in agreement.
"Get home safe." Kiara smiled.
"Thank you, we will," Regina smiled back. "You too."
"Oh, she will," Granny reassured them. "Kiara's a Lucas and we're tough stuff."
Evie smiled to that. Regina then went with Evie to leave the diner for the night, still thinking about Robin Hood a bit as she hoped they could get through this, especially with the other Queens of Darkness involved. Evie came along with Regina, sticking close to her mom.
"Also, Evie, thank you for not being a rebellious teenage daughter and fighting with me," Regina said softly. "I dreaded that idea when you started to grow up and we were probably going to end up like me and my mother, though I'd probably end up somewhere a lot worse than Wonderland."
"But you were a great mother... you've never tried to force me to do something I absolutely don't want to do." Evie assured Regina.
"I haven't?" Regina replied with a small smile. "Well, I guess that's a good sign already about breaking the cycle."
Evie nodded with a smile. Regina smiled back as they soon went home for the night as another night had ended in Storybrooke, but some stories were still just beginning, especially with Ursula staying in town to be with Uma or Cassandra finding out Enid was her long-lost child and she was a Gothel and not to mention Carlos and Carla finding out they were the children of Cruella de Vil. The biggest surprise though was that The Author was trapped inside his own book and someone had to bring him out.
In the meantime, a rogue boy saw Uma wandering by herself and soon tried to sneak up on her for a surprise attack. However, Uma glared as she sensed something strange and used one of her tentacles to whip out and soon grabbed a hold of whoever was coming right behind her before they had a chance to do or try anything.
"Easy, easy, I come in peace," The boy said nervously. "My name is Jonas and I was just wondering if you were Uma and I'm pretty sure you are if you can do that."
"Jonas?" Uma raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Jonas, the grandson of Long John Silver." Jonas replied.
"Ah~" Ursula chuckled.
"To get your attention," Jonas explained. "We'd like to join your crew."
"Oh?" Uma asked curiously.
Jonas nodded and soon whistled, summoning several other pirate teenagers who grinned darkly and eagerly at Uma.
"All of you tell me your names." Uma told them.
"Are you gonna let me go first?" Jonas asked.
"I will, but should any of your friends try anything funny you'll be the one to suffer, got it?" Uma agreed but then warned.
"Aye, Captain." Jonas replied, showing as much respect as he could to the young octopus hybrid.
Uma nodded and then looked warningly at the group before she released Jonas.
Jonas then straightened himself out. "Well, I'm Jonas Silver as I told you and these are..." he then started to say and introduced everyone beside him which included Desiree claiming to be related to Davy Jones, no relation to Killian or Harry, Scarlett who mentioned she was the granddaughter of Captain Smollett from Treasure Island, Bonny who was the descendant of Hector Barbossa, and finally...
"And I'm Gonzo," The final boy finally said his name. "The descendant of Greenbeard."
"Greenbeard?" Uma asked, raising her eyebrow to the boy.
The others also gave him a bit of a look as well.
"Okay, so I'm just a former Lost Boy who wants to tell a different story." Gonzo then admitted.
"And you think you're pirate material?" Uma asked him.
"I know I'm pirate material." Gonzo reassured her.
"Well, we'll see," Uma smirked to that. "Alright, sign this and make an oath that you'll follow me as your Captain, then you'll be in." she said as she pulled out a scroll.
The teens rushed over, pushing and shoving each other out of the way.
"Hey! Haven't you ever heard of ladies first?" Desiree glared as she stepped in line first.
"Get in an orderly line, but yes, ladies first." Uma told the group.
Desiree nodded and smirked as she came in line first and soon the others did that. Harry poked his head out and saw what was going on. Uma guided her through the oath and the signing of the scroll. Desiree nodded and then signed her name once she was able to.
Uma smirked. "Welcome to the crew." she told her.
"Thank you." Desiree smirked back and winked at her, stepping aside before Bonny went next.
Harry soon looked around and decided to go join the rest of the crowd. Uma guided her in the same path and then let her sign the contract too, it was actually similar to the one Ursula had Ariel sign in the Disney movie, but it was just the oath and with the warning that if they betrayed her then they would pay a forfeit but it wasn't binding them in a way they couldn't leave amicably.
"Anyone else?" Desiree wondered as they all went through the process.
"How about me?" Harry smirked as he strode over, attempting to woo and impress Uma.
"And you are?" Uma asked him.
"Harry Jones, but I much prefer Harry Hook." Harry introduced himself properly.
"Ah, Hook's son," Uma mused. "Well, you can join, as long as you swear the oath to me, and you remember I'm the Captain of this crew." she told him.
"Never had a lady captain before, except for Jessica perhaps, but... all right," Harry replied and swallowed a bit thickly. "You're the captain of this crew."
"Then say the oath and sign up." Uma told him with a smirk.
"Of course." Harry nodded as he came to take his turn along with the rest of everyone else who came ahead of him.
Uma nodded and then heard the oath before then holding out the scroll and the pen to him. Harry nodded and soon signed his name as needed.
"Welcome to the crew, Harry." Uma smirked.
"Thank you, Captain Uma, happy to be here." Harry grinned at that.
Uma smirked. "All we need now is a place to meet up." she said.
"Well, there's my dad's ship... or that diner..." Harry began to list thoughtfully.
Uma hummed thoughtfully.
"So, you're Hook's son," Scarlett smirked eagerly. "You're a lot cuter than he is."
"Erm, thank you." Harry replied bashfully.
Uma glanced over at the two. Carla was taking Dude for a walk, coming down to the docks with him.
"Yo, we got extra company." Gonzo warned the others.
Harry glanced over his shoulder right then. Uma glanced over too, curiously.
"Carla?" Harry whispered as he saw the girl out and about.
"Let's mess with her." Desiree grinned.
"Nah, we can't mess with her." Uma said, hearing that Harry had whispered the girl's name.
Carla knelt down a moment and gave a small sweet smile to Dude as she pet him a moment.
"Why not?" Desiree complained.
Harry gave a small smile as he watched Carla and Dude. Dude barked and whined happily, panting happily around the girl.
"Such a good boy~" Carla smiled to the small dog.
"Well, for one thing, if she has her birth mother's power we can be unstoppable on land and sea as long as she joins us." Uma explained with a smirk.
"Oh..." Harry blushed and then nodded and then smirked back. "I think that sounds rather awesome, Uma~"
"Why don't you go and convince her to join, Harry?" Uma suggested.
"Oh, you think she'd have a shot?" Harry wondered.
"Well she would be useful if she has that certain power, but if she doesn't she'd still be a good idea as a crewmate," Uma said. "Plus it gets back a bit at Pan, even if he's no longer around," she added quieter with a darker smirk.
"...I do like the sound of that second part..." Harry admitted. "I didn't think you knew him though."
"I just think folks like you deserve a little payback on him." Uma reassured him.
Carla then looked around for something to play a little fetch while on their walk.
"That much is true." Harry agreed as now that made sense.
Dude soon looked around too, seeming to be hopeful for a stick. His kingdom for a stick.
Uma nodded. "So on you go, Harry," she advised. "Take a stick for the dog~" she then added with a smirk.
Carla hummed as she continued to look around. Harry smirked and nodded before he glanced about, then found the perfect one and headed right for it.
"I'm sorry we tried to ambush your potential niece, Captain Uma." Desiree said nervously as she put her hat in her hands as a sign to hope for forgiveness from her new superior.
"You didn't know, but just remember my family and the Jones' are off limits to be bothered... since they have close ties, and not only with Harry," Uma assured this time.
"Yes, ma'am." Jonas nodded.
"Yeah, you got it." Gonzo added.
Uma nodded at them. Harry then glanced around and kicked the stick over behind his back before hiding behind a nearby tree. Dude then found the stick and panted before grabbing it with his teeth and rushing back over to Carla.
"Hey, you found one~" Carla beamed.
Dude then dropped the stick at her feet and barked eagerly with his tail wagging.
"Okay, here it goes." Bonny pointed out.
Carla giggled to that. "Now, no running off running off, you fetch the stick and bring it back, alright?" she told Dude in gentle warning.
Dude seemed to bark a reply.
"Good boy." Carla said. She then grabbed the stick and tossed it for him.
Dude beamed and waited for the stick to go flying and he quickly went after it on that note. Carla giggled to that and waited in place for now. Dude then went to find the stick, sniffing about for it.
"So, is Harry gonna get that girl for us?" Bonny asked Uma.
"He will." Uma said.
Harry hid behind the tree and was about to get closer before flinching since Dude came right back over to Carla. The others then nodded and soon watched and learned from there. Uma waited and watched too.
"Wow, that was fast~" Carla giggled. "Here, one more~" she smiled and then tossed the stick a little further.
Harry cursed inside his head and waited for another moment. Dude soon ran out, barking and panting as he went after the stick that was a lot further away now, but not too far away as Harry began to creep up behind the unsuspecting Carla. Carla smiled as she watched Dude. Harry continued to come up behind Carla and soon grabbed her shoulder with one hand suddenly and clasped his other hand with her mouth. Carla's yelp she would have gave was muffled by Harry's hand. Harry shushed her and began to pull her behind the tree and back over to Uma and the others. Dude soon found the stick and was on his way to bring it back to Carla, not noticing he would not see her. Carla struggled just a little, not realizing it was Harry.
"Hook Jr. has the girl." Desiree pointed out.
"Should we go hide somewhere with them?" Jonas asked Uma.
Uma nodded then looked around and noticed the cannery. "Maybe we can go in there, it looks abandoned." she said.
Little did they know that Gil, the son of Gaston, was watching from behind one of the other buildings.
Harry looked that way as he kept a hold on Carla to keep her from escaping.
"Brilliant idea, Captain Uma." Gonzo grinned.
Dude soon began to whimper since Carla wasn't around where he could see her. Gil ducked away before he could be seen. Uma smirked to that. Soon, Uma and the other pirate teens made it over to where the girl wanted them to hide out along with Carla. Dude soon whined and howled, looking a bit sad and lonely right now since Carla vanished without a trace. Carla whimpered in a bit of fear. Harry then had Carla face Uma with a small devious smirk.
"Sorry for the rough treatment, but we want to offer you a great opportunity~" Uma smirked.
"A very rare one too~" Harry added to Carla's side.
"We want you to join my crew~" Uma smirked.
"Your crew?" Carla asked quietly.
Once they were gone, Gil heard Dude and came over to the dog. "Aww, why are you howling, little buddy?" he asked.
"Aye, Uma's Pirate Crew," Harry nodded. "She sees potential in you apparently."
"Even though you don't seem like a pirate." Bonny remarked.
"You could be great if you join the crew," Uma told her with a smirk. "Even if you're not born a pirate, or with sea powers." she added.
Carla bit her lip a little.
"Then why is she pirate material, erm, Captain?" Jonas asked.
"Yeah, what's she got that others don't got?" Desiree wondered.
"I mentioned earlier, but I'm also sure she also has heart." Uma said.
"You want me to join your crew?" Carla asked.
"Well, yeah! Why not?" Gonzo said to Carla.
"I mean Uma approves of you." Harry added as he grinned at Carla.
"You'll have a good group of friends in us~" Uma added.
Carla looked between the crew so far and looked wide eyed at Harry. "You're part of Uma's Crew too?" she asked quietly.
"Just joined now," Harry nodded and smirked. "...though I'd prefer to be the captain, but Uma thought of this before I did."
Carla blinked in surprise and soon, they went to go hide in the cannery. Dude looked a bit sad and soon looked up at Gil a bit curiously.
"Hey, you're the dog who was with that girl, weren't you?" Gil asked.
Dude looked up at him and seemed to bark.
"Well, I saw they took her, and heard where they were taking her, but I'm going to go rescue her." Gil told him.
Dude then growled about Carla being taken away and barked again.
"Wanna come with?" Gil asked.
Dude then seemed to agree by going right to Gil's side after that. Gil smiled and then started to run over. Dude sniffed around, then got a bit faster once he picked up Carla's scent. Gil ended up having to follow Dude. Dude's loud bark was coming by very soon.
"Someone's coming!" Jonas gasped.
Carla looked to the sound of the bark. "Dude?" she asked quietly.
Dude barked a bit louder then.
Once they got in, Gil grabbed whatever he could nearby for a weapon and then held it out. "No need to fear, Gil son of Gaston is here to rescue you!" he declared.
Dude barked and howled as he joined Gil's side. Several of the others looked at Gil, then each other, and soon laughed at him like he was a joke. Gil looked around to them.
"What do you think, Uma?" Harry wondered. "Should we do away with him and the little dog too?"
Dude soon barked loudly and came to Carla's side, growling at everyone else to try to protect her.
"No," Uma said to that. She then smirked to Gil. "Why don't you join our crew? Knowing you'd be facing a big group might not be smart, but it shows guts." she told Gil.
"Uh, isn't that the opposite of what a hero would do?" Gil asked, genuinely confused.
"So, do you wanna be a hero or a villain?" Harry asked Gil as Dude growled and tried to scare away the pirate kids.
"So that's a dog?" Jonas asked.
"Yeah." Gonzo replied.
"Looks like a seal that lives on land." Desiree remarked.
"Calm down Dude, they're not hurting me." Carla tried to soothe the dog, not wanting him to attack and them hurt him because of that.
Dude looked up then and looked around.
"It's okay~" Carla said and picked Dude up.
"I want to be a hero, but they call my dad a villain here..." Gil said to that.
Dude whined and nuzzled up against her. Dude then slowly calmed down. Carla gave a tiny smile to the dog. Dude soon yipped and rubbed up against her a little while Carla soothed him.
"And you said you're the son of Gaston?" Harry asked Gil.
"I think he's the one who tried to rescue Belle from that evil Rumplestiltskin." Desiree remarked.
Gil nodded.
"And you wanna be a hero." Harry then added to Gil.
Gil nodded to that.
"Well, it'll be an interesting addition to the crew, wouldn't it be, Uma?" Harry replied and grinned eagerly at her.
"It would~" Uma smirked.
Harry grinned hopefully.
"You both should join, it'll be like family almost." Uma smirked.
Carla looked unsure a moment, but seeing Harry wanted her to join and it was tempting with Uma's statement, she gave a small nod.
"I'll join then." Gil also agreed.
"We could really use your muscle." Harry smirked at Gil.
Dude then barked as though to say "Me too! Me too!".
"That is freaking me out." Desiree remarked about Dude.
"He's a smart dog." Carla said to Desiree.
Dude barked at that.
"I just haven't met one up close before." Desiree admitted.
"Well, why don't you come and say hello then?" Carla suggested.
"Would that be okay?" Desiree wondered.
"I'm sure of it." Carla nodded.
Desiree blinked and soon reached out to Dude. Dude looked up at her, his tail wagging but not jumping or growling this time. Carla held Dude and allowed Desiree to say hello.
Desiree blinked and soon looked over at the dog. "Uh, hi." she then said.
Dude barked at her and panted a little with his tongue hanging out.
"Sometimes I think it'd be nice for animals to talk~" Carla admitted with a smile.
"I heard Evie had a talking pet named Othello once." Harry commented.
"Would that be a parrot?" Jonas chuckled. "What would a princess want with a parrot?"
"I dunno, but she said she had to wash his beak out with soap because he had a worse mouth than his father." Harry shrugged.
"Parrots can make good pets," Uma mused.
Dude looked between everyone, wondering what was going to happen now.
"Well, I guess we're not gonna hurt you, girly." Bonny soon said to the girl with black and white hair.
Uma had the two sign the scroll and give the oath. Harry watched them closely with a grin. Dude soon looked like he was about to put his pawprint in as well.
"I think we won't force you to sign, dog, unless you can talk you can't tell secrets." Uma said.
Dude barked in response to that.
"Man, if dogs could talk, what would they say?" Harry commented.
"I'm not sure, I'm sure it would be interesting though," Carla told him quietly with a small smile.
"It would..." Harry said, giving her a small smile back.
Carla gave a slightly wider smile as he smiled to her.
A loud HONK HONK! was heard, startling the pirate teen. "Erm... I better run along..." Harry said bashfully. "I think I hear my mother calling me."
"Even I know that was a truck horn." Gonzo remarked as Leroy was picking Dee Dee up from dance classes.
"You shouldn't compare your mom to a truck's horn." Uma smirked.
"What mother?" Scarlett muttered in the background.
"...I wasn't." Harry pouted bashfully.
Uma hummed to that with a smirk. Dude soon sniffed some kind of candy in someone's pocket and went to go get it.
"Whoa! Hey!" Desiree yelped as that startled her.
Harry flinched as well and made sure Carla was secure at least.
"Dude, no, stop!" Carla exclaimed, but as she spoke a green smoke came from her lips and went over to Dude as a visible sign of her command.
As Dude managed to get the candy, the smoke came towards him, but it entered his mouth too just as he ate the candy. Little did they all know this would cause something rather strange but special to happen to the little dog. Uma raised an eyebrow to that but smirked a little.
"Gah, that was nasty!" A voice complained as Dude coughed and hacked, shivering with his fur. "I've had better table scraps from Mrs. Potts in the school cafeteria!"
Harry looked wide-eyed a bit while some flinched and stepped back. Carla looked at Dude with wide eyes.
"And by the way, if any of you hurts Carla at all, I won't be very kind." The voice then said, soon coming straight from the dog's mouth.
"...Did that dog just...?" Harry murmured as he seemed woozy. "I've never seen such a thing even
"Did I somehow make him talk?" Carla asked softly.
"I... I think you did..." Harry replied.
"I've heard of talking monkeys, but talking dogs?" Desiree commented.
"My dad had a talking lobster." Jonas grinned boastfully, though just mostly wanted attention.
"Oh..." Carla said softly and looked stunned a bit more.
"A lobster?" Uma raised her eyebrow to that.
Jonas blinked and merely shrugged since he didn't know himself and only knew some stories.
"Well, it's good to finally talk to you, Carla," Dude said as he looked up at her. "I gotta say I'm petrified of meeting your mother, Cruella de Vil."
"I don't want to meet her either." Carla said quietly as she picked Dude up.
Dude soon licked her face to cheer both of them up.
Carla gave a small smile and hugged him gently. "Good boy." she told him softly.
"Good girl," Dude smiled back. "By the way, your brother really needs to man up about that girl Jane, she clearly likes him back."
Carla nodded to that.
"And you," Dude said as he looked over at Harry. "Carla seems to like you."
"Oh, does she?" Harry smirked playfully.
Carla blushed to that.
"Well, she has interesting taste at least." Harry smirked at Carla.
"Emphasis on interesting." Gonzo whispered to the others a bit jokingly.
Carla gave a shy smile. "I can't stay for too long though, I need to get Dude back to my brother." she then said quietly, shy under Harry's smirk.
"Before anyone goes the dog will need to sign now." Uma then said, as he could now talk.
"So now the dog can sign?" Bonny asked Uma.
"Whoa, I'm part of the crew now?" Dude beamed. "Amazeballs!"
"Well, before he couldn't talk so he didn't need to because he wouldn't be able to reveal or betray us, but now he can speak there is a possibility." Uma explained to Bonny.
"...I knew that." Bonny said though it was very obviously a lie.
"Uh huh~" Uma smirked.
Bonny looked bashful as everyone else then chuckled a bit.
Uma brought out the scroll then looked thoughtful and brought out a little ink. "You can dip your paw pad in to sign, but don't clean it off by licking it, let one of the humans do it for you." she then told him.
"Oh, yeah, I tried to lick ink once and it tasted nastier than that candy that one kid had," Dude admitted and soon went to dip his pawprint in the ink to sign the scroll. "Awesome, I get to be a pirate." he then chuckled.
"Well, ink is kind of poisonous," Uma smirked to that. "Your stomach must be cast iron."
"I don't think I'll ever get used to a talking dog." Desiree remarked to the others.
"We just might have to if it's Captain's orders." Gonzo reminded her.
"And I call being second in command since my father is Hook." Harry said to Uma hopefully.
"First Mate? Hm, alright, we'll try it out." Uma replied.
"Thank you, Uma~" Harry replied, bowing down on one knee to her as he removed his hat to show his rather messy dark hair that resembled his father's.
Uma nodded to him, grinning. Carla glanced to him and gave a small sweet smile.
Harry also nodded and soon donned his hat back on and soon, everyone who had a cell phone was given a text from Ben to mention having a school cotillion in Town Hall this weekend. "Oh. Look at that." he then said as he checked his phone.
"Ooh! Is it food? I want in!" Dude beamed hopefully.
Carla looked curious.
"Not food." Uma noted as she looked at the nearest phone too.
"Aww..." Dude pouted at that.
"So, what is it then?" Jonas wondered.
"Ah! The King of Storybrooke High is hosting a soiree in the Town Hall!" Harry exclaimed, trying to sound like his father to impress Carla and/or Uma, grinning at both eagerly.
"Hmm... some kind of party... we should join in~" Uma smirked.
"I'd love to go~" Carla admitted quietly with a small smile.
"We as in all of us?" Gonzo asked Uma.
Harry blinked and looked bashful at Carla then.
"Unless you don't want to go." Uma smirked.
"Not me!" Harry said, trying to reassure Uma about himself.
"She wasn't talking to you." Desiree teased Harry.
"Well, why don't you escort Carla for the party?" Uma smirked.
"...oh, you mean me?" Harry blinked and then asked Uma.
Uma nodded to that.
"...I guess I could..." Harry admitted as he glanced over at Carla. "As long as you don't get too jealous."
"I won't." Uma assured, not sure why he thought she might.
"Good..." Harry whispered, sounding relieved about that.
"Me too!" Dude beamed hopefully. "I bet they have a ton of great food fit for a dog!"
Carla gave a shy smile and then looked to Dude. "I don't think pets would be allowed, buddy." she said softly.
"Aww..." Dude pouted. "I never get to have any fun."
"How about I get you a nice juicy bone from a butcher's?" Carla suggested.
"Okay!" Dude beamed as his tail wagged. "Can it be chicken? No, wait, steak! No, pork! No, surprise me! No, chicken!"
"You can't have chicken bones, you could choke, but I'll get a nice one for you." Carla assured him.
"Okay!" Dude smiled. "Something good."
Carla nodded in agreement. Dude's ear pricked as he glanced over at Harry curiously.
"Alright, so you'll take Carla." Uma nodded to Harry.
"Erm, right, I'll take Carla." Harry nodded along to that.
"And I'll take Desiree." Jonas suddenly said.
Desiree merely blinked and gasped with wide eyes. Uma smirked to that. Carla looked at Harry with wide eyes but a small hopeful smile. Harry gave a small smile back while Dude just looked between both of them curiously.
"Okay, this is really starting to freak me out." Dude muttered to himself.
Chapter 11: Best Laid Plans
Chapter Text
Regina was soon staring down the illustration that Emma had gotten from August and was told what August told Emma, but it was very confusing to her. "How the hell is The Author trapped inside the book?" she then asked.
"Don't ask me," Emma defended. "You're the magic expert."
"Mom." Henry piped up.
"Well, this is insane," Regina complained. "What are we supposed to do, draw a key?"
"What we need to do is figure it out before Gold does." Emma replied.
"Mom!" Henry called a bit louder.
"What is it?" Regina asked him.
"There's something wrong with August." Henry soon pointed out as Dee Dee sat by the man, trying to play "Nurse" and the man was laid flat on the couch, not seeming to be moving or breathing.
"August? August?!" Emma called, trying to wake him up, but couldn't. "We need to get him help."
"Dr. Whale?" Dee Dee guessed.
"It might be a magical emergency, so someone else might be more suitable." Regina replied.
They soon went over to the covenant and spoke to the one fairy who could help them with the former puppet boy.
"Is he okay, Mom?" Jane asked softly as they checked over August.
"He's been through a lot." Mother Superior simply stated.
"What's happening?" Emma wondered softly. "He was awake, and then he passed out, and-"
"Well, he's been changed by magic many times," Mother Superior explained. "For him to survive this, he will have to be very strong."
"We have a bigger problem." Regina suddenly said.
Emma looked over at the other woman.
"Gold and these other witches are expecting me," Regina reminded then. "They sent me on a mission to get that page from the book. And if I return empty-handed, whatever suspicions they have of me will be confirmed."
"Then give them this." Emma simply suggested as she conjured up a duplicate of the page with the door on it.
"Wow. You're getting good." Henry smiled at his biological mother proudly.
"I've been practicing." Emma smiled back.
"Um, Miss Emma?" Dee Dee spoke up. "I have a thought."
"What's that, Dee Dee?" Emma asked the girl.
"That's a fake paper and I feel like Mr. Gold will be able to tell the difference." Dee Dee explained.
"She has a good point about Gold and forgeries," Regina nodded. "Ben once tried to copy his signature when he didn't do too well on a test that he and Evie studied hard for and was afraid of how his father would react if he told the truth."
"Then pull out, and we will protect you." Emma replied.
"We still don't know what they're up to. It's a bigger risk not to know," Regina said, putting the page down until she brought out her beeping cell phone and checked it for a moment. "That's them. Probably wondering where I am." she then explained.
"Mom, Dee Dee, the forgery's good." Henry reassured them both.
"Not good enough," Regina mused as she looked over the two pages before taking out her cell phone over the two pages. "But maybe what we need is a different kind of copy."
"Because Gold and those witches don't know that the page contains the actual door," Emma noted as Regina took a picture of the page on her phone. "All they care about is what the door looks like."
"Hopefully, this photo will keep them on their wild goose chase around town," Regina replied as she pocketed her phone and felt urgent. " I've got to get going. Bye, Henry." she then said.
"Goodbye, Madam Mayor." Dee Dee said politely.
"Okay, Mom." Henry added as he and his adoptive mother hugged.
"Sorry. Sorry. Just not sure if... When I'll be back to see you," Regina said tenderly as she came out of the hug to leave the room. "But don't worry. I'll be fine." she then added before leaving.
Later after that, Emma headed back to her parents' apartment. "Hey. Killian, what's wrong?" she greeted until she saw a concerned look on the adult pirate's face.
"Before Ursula left, she told me what the villains have planned," Killian explained gravely. "To get their happy endings, they intend to darken your heart, luv, to turn you into a villain since you're the next Snow White so you'll no longer be the gifts for your loved ones."
"What? You can't just un-Savior the Savior." Henry replied in disbelief.
"Ursula said Gold has a way and will probably even corrupt Ben," Killian clarified. "He can use The Author to do it."
"That's insane. If that's what their plan is, stop worrying," Emma shook her head. "It's ridiculous. Author or no Author, I am not going dark."
"But darkness is a funny thing," Killian retorted. "It creeps up in you."
Emma looked concerned, but tried to stay strong for the sake of her family. "Hey. No one... not Rumplestiltskin or some author... gets to decide who I am." she then defended.
Mary Margaret and David both looked rather concerned themselves. Killian soon decided to comfort Emma with a hug and she eagerly hugged him back.
"Do you really think it's possible?" Mary Margaret whispered to her husband. "Emma going dark after what we did?"
"No, it shouldn't be," David shook his head. "We were told that we had to guide her, that her fate rested with us."
"But this author... he has the power to change everything," Mary Margaret reminded him emotionally. "I mean, he's going to write the villains' happy endings. Who knows what he can do to Emma? We have to do something... Without Emma finding out the truth."
The couple suddenly went over to the door, much to everyone's confusion.
"Where are they going?" Dee Dee wondered.
"Don't know." Henry replied as David opened the door.
"She'll be fine." David reassured Mary Margaret.
And so, Regina and Evie went to the cabin together to meet Mr. Gold and the other Queens of Darkness.
"Oh, at last," Cruella greeted as they stood by the fireplace. "I feel I've aged a decade waiting for you."
"Well, you certainly look like it." Regina countered as Cassandra hid a small snicker to that.
"Oh, I wouldn't laugh," Cruella scoffed at Cassandra. "You need a flower just to live."
"There's only one little flower who's important to me right now." Cassandra countered.
"Where's the page, Regina?" Maleficent demanded.
"Don't tell me you failed." Rumple added coldly.
"The page was under a protection spell... something cooked up by The Savior," Regina explained to everyone. "She almost caught me trying to break it. I had to flee."
"Are you sure that's what happened or is this like the time Benjamin told me he did so well on his Math test that the teacher confiscated it?" Rumple asked her, not sounding very convinced.
"Of course I am." Regina replied confidently.
"It's just that you've been gone an awfully long time," Rumple declared. "And yet you come back empty-handed."
"I'm not empty-handed," Regina said as she brought out her cell phone. "I got this."
"...A photograph of the page?" Cassandra wondered while Rumple looke bemused.
"Oh, and an incompetent one, too," Cruella scoffed. "That glare ruins any clear view of the door."
Rumple suddenly took the phone and took a closer look at the photo as the bright light spoke to him. "No, that's not a glare. That's magic," he then realized. "This door has been sealed by it. This is the door we've been looking for."
"You think The Author is trapped in an illustration?" Maleficent asked.
"But that would mean-" Cassandra began to add.
"The Sorcerer imprisoned him in the book. We need to get it," Rumple interrupted as he knew exactly what this meant. "Bring us the page." he then urged Regina.
"That won't be easy," Regina said. "The Savior isn't about to let it out of her sight."
"Don't worry about her," Maleficent smirked. "I've got just the thing."
Evie frowned as she just feared the worst while Mal hid a small smirk. "You don't need to do this." she soon told the girl she wanted as her best friend next to Ben.
"I know I don't need to," Mal replied as she looked back at Evie. "I just need to get it right."
Evie frowned in response as that just worried her.
Mal stared down at the town after using her mother's scepter and her eyes glowed bright green.
"It's done," Maleficent said as they stood on a hill overlooking Storybrooke. "Now let's get to work."
Ben continued to sweep around a bit and glanced over a little, unable to ignore the return of Mal in Storybrooke especially since she was no longer blonde and was back to purple hair after a visit to the Three Bears' Day Spa from the help of a young girl known as Dizzy. Belle nodded, then returned to what she was doing.
"...Mom, I think I need some air..." Ben suddenly said as he felt like he had to talk to Mal right now.
"Alright sweetheart," Belle nodded.
Ben also nodded with a small smile before he took a deep breath and went to go out the door suddenly.
"It's not like Ben to procrastinate." Goldie noted.
"I think he saw someone he wants to talk to." Belle said softly.
Goldie wondered herself before glancing out the window and once she saw the purple, it hit her. "Oh. Okay." she then nodded.
Belle gave a small smile.
"I do wonder what happened..." Goldie remarked softly. "But she was very unhappy right before she left here."
"Well, I hope they can talk it out." Belle said.
"Mm-hmm." Goldie nodded.
Belle gave a small smile.
"It was weird enough having Neal come back in town with me and you all thought he was gone forever." Goldie admitted.
"Oh, definitely." Belle nodded.
In the meantime, Ben had walked outside of the shop and walked over to the purple-haired girl who used to live around these parts. She appeared to be looking at an old picture of herself with Ben from a very long time ago in this town to around right before she decided to run away.
"At least I haven't been drawn with horns and a pitchfork." A familiar friendly voice said jokingly.
Mal whipped around in surprise. "Ben."
Ben took another step toward her until she put her hand up, telling him to stop as she sat on the bench alone. "Mal, I'm so sorry about our fight before you ran away from home. It was all my fault," he said before he held out his hand to her. "Please come home."
Mal glanced at him before she sighed and stood up and glanced at him a bit. "Ben, I was home." she then said.
"You want me to drive you somewhere?" Ben offered. "I have a pretty sweet ride."
Mal looked at him for a moment before crossing her arms. "I don't fit in. I really tried, Ben. I really gave it a shot," she said softly. "And if you think I can change, I think you're wrong."
"...then I'll change," Ben offered as he stepped forward and offered his arms to her. "I'll skip school, I'll blow off some responsibilities-"
"No! No!" Mal shook her head as she tried to stop him. "See? I am such a terrible influence! I mean it's only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that the people turn on not only me, but they turn on you!"
"Don't quit us, Mal," Ben urged softly as he took her hand. "Our friends love you. I love you."
Mal stared at him in silence as she seemed to be unsure of what to say.
"...do you love me?" Ben then asked as he stepped forward.
Mal looked at him, then at the picture, and sighed softly. "I have to take myself out of the picture because it's what's best for you and it's what's best for Storybrooke." she then responded.
"Mal, please..." Ben frowned as he took a step toward her.
"I can't do this," Mal said, stopping him by putting her hand on his chest and turned away. "You have to go."
There was a moment of silence and Mal turned around to see Ben still standing there.
"Ben, please go," Mal urged him. "Please leave."
Ben hung his head sadly and slowly backed away from the bench until he was out of sight as he headed back across the street to his father's shop. Mal felt a bit shaken as she let him go and soon tried her hardest not to cry.
"What's it like raising a teenager?" Goldie soon wondered.
"Well I've only been able to raise him a couple of years, thanks to the curse, but Ben is a well-mannered young man and while he's not perfectly behaved all the time he is a good boy." Belle smiled.
"He is a good boy..." Goldie admitted. "No wonder he's very popular in school, he's like their prince charming."
Belle gave a warm smile. Goldie gave a small smile back and then went to go back to what she was doing. Belle smiled a bit before doing the same. Ben sighed softly as he soon came back into the shop, looking a little low, but tried not to let it get to him.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Belle asked Ben.
"I'll be okay," Ben said, trying to smile but he was clearly bothered. "Don't worry about me."
"...That doesn't sound good." Goldie admitted softly.
"Can you handle the front of the store while I talk to Ben?" Belle quietly asked Goldie.
"All right." Goldie nodded as that sounded like a good idea while Ben went to pick his broom back up.
Belle followed Ben. Ben sighed a bit as he picked up the broom and got ready to sweep the nearest corner.
"Ben, what happened?" Belle asked softly.
"Well... I got to talk to Mal..." Ben started to say softly.
"Yeah?" Belle asked softly.
"I thought she'd like to come back here and maybe start over and I could help her, but... I guess she isn't ready..." Ben said softly as he tried to explain without going too deep into detail as it was a bit painful.
"Don't be upset, give her time." Belle gently told her son.
"I just want us to live happily ever after, Mom." Ben said softly.
"It might take a bit longer, but we can surely have a happily ever after, sweetheart," Belle told him. "You just might need to give Mal a bit more time and she'll stay in the town again," she smiled soothingly.
"I'll try," Ben sighed. "I just wanna help everyone so everyone can be happy, and that's another reason why I wanted this Spring Cotillion to take everyone's minds off of what's been going on lately. I even suggested we crown a King and Queen." he then added.
"Well I think that's a good idea, maybe you can hold it in the town hall?" Belle suggested gently.
"Thanks, Mom," Ben smiled. "I guess I could do that so everyone has enough room."
Belle smiled to that warmly.
"Jane even said that her mother and the other fairies are going to put up stained glass art based on the stories that came before us." Ben then said with a small smile back.
"Well, that's nice." Belle gave a small smile.
"There's even talks of you." Ben then said softly.
"Talks? About me?" Belle asked, surprised a bit.
"Being displayed as well, yes," Ben replied. "I guess it's the best happily ever afters?"
"Oh, I see." Belle said softly.
"Mm-hmm..." Ben nodded. "You, and Snow White, Cinderella..." he then listed.
"Well I guess we were happy, before your father chose power more." Belle said softly.
"I know, Mom..." Ben said softly and nodded. "It's going to be okay."
Belle gave a small smile to that. Ben smiled back a bit as Goldie poked in a bit and smiled softly at them. Belle reached out and gently stroked her son's cheek in a motherly way before she then had to return to work, since Ben was feeling better.
"I'm gonna go sweep up now." Ben then told Belle, sounding more confident about doing it this time.
"Alright, sweetheart." Belle smiled warmly.
Ben nodded and picked up his broom while going to go and sweep. Belle then headed back to her spot, feeling a bit good that Ben was feeling better. Goldie gave a small smile at the mother and son before continuing her task in the pawnshop. Belle returned to her task at the front counter. Ben soon continued along until he found a book that seemed unlike any other in the shop and took a look at it. Belle didn't notice that her teenage son had found something yet, busy with her task.
Ben took the book out, seeing a picture of a goose on the front and skimmed through the pages a bit before looking a bit wide-eyed as she saw some important things written down. "Whoa..." he whispered before she would go and see Belle about it.
Belle looked over as she heard Ben approaching.
"Hey Mom, sorry to interrupt you again, but I was just wondering if you know anything about this book." Ben said as she showed it to his mother.
Belle looked over. "I don't think so... I don't even think it was categorized... do you want it?" she said and asked with a smile.
"Oh, are you sure?" Ben asked.
"Yes." Belle agreed with a nod.
"Well, okay, thank you, Mom," Ben smiled and nodded as she held onto the book. "I guess I'll take very good care of it."
"I know you'll take care of it." Belle assured and nodded.
"Yes, I will." Ben nodded as he smiled back.
Belle smiled warmly.
"Okay, I'll take a closer look when it's time for a break." Ben decided as he put the book aside for now to bring with him.
Belle nodded to that with a smile. Ben smiled back as he did that and soon continued to do sweeping in the shop for his work.
Suddenly, there was a whoosh of magic that swept over everyone in town and they were instantly knocked out before they could react.
Maleficent was up on a hill overlooking Storybrooke and a younger someone had used her scepter to cast a certain spell. "It's done," she then told Mr. Gold before smirking proudly. "And thank you very much, my nasty little girl. See how being evil like me has its rewards?"
"Of course, Mom," Mal said as she turned around, holding her mother's scepter. "It's my legacy and duty as the next Dark Fairy."
Maleficent nodded and soon looked at Mr. Gold and the others. "Now, let's get to work." she then commanded.
David and Mary Margaret were soon walking through town, but she walked ahead of him which concerned him. "Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret, are you okay?" he then called, trying to get her to stop and talk to him.
"No, I'm not... we made a vow, David, to be good," Mary Margaret shook her head as she faced him. "And ever since Cruella, Cassandra, and Ursula arrived, we've done nothing but lie."
"They want to turn Emma dark!" David reminded her.
"I know! And if we're not careful, we're going to help them." Mary Margaret replied urgently.
Soon, it was quiet between them and it felt very ominous. The couple soon looked around and everyone who was in town just then had fallen asleep wherever they had been sitting.
"David, look," Mary Margaret pointed out. "They're all asleep."
"Why aren't we?" David wondered as they came into Granny's Diner where everyone was fast asleep, even Kiara.
"Maybe because we're immune," Mary Margaret guessed. "We've both been under a sleeping curse."
"But Emma hasn't!" David then realized.
Suddenly, Audrey came over there and looked around, wearing her pajamas.
"Audrey." The couple greeted.
"Erm... hello there, Ms. Blanchard and Mr. Nolan." Audrey greeted bashfully.
"Wait. You're awake?!" David asked out of shock.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Audrey shrugged in defense.
"Because you're the daughter of Sleeping Beauty." Mary Margaret realized.
"Yeah, I had this special slumber party and invited just about every girl in town I found worthy and suddenly I fell asleep for a couple of weeks," Audrey then said before glaring. "Do you have any idea what this could do to my perfect attendance?!"
Both David and Mary Margaret merely sighed at that.
In the meantime, Rumple and the Queens of Darkness came into Mary Margaret's apartment.
"The Savior looks a lot less threatening in this state, doesn't she?" Maleficent remarked as she took a look at the slumbering Emma beside the adult male pirate on the couch.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to wring her scrawny neck right now." Cruella noted.
"Don't even think about it." Regina glared protectively.
Everyone else then gave her a bit of a look for that.
"I think we can all agree that killing The Savior at this point would be ill-advised." Regina then tried to cover up.
"You're right about that, yet wrong about the location of the page," Rumple agreed as he closed a drawer he looked in, clattering the silverware. "It's not here."
"We just have to keep looking," Regina replied. "The page was here two hours ago. It didn't just grow legs and walk out of here on its own."
"Would it really surprise anyone if it did though?" Mal remarked.
"Unless someone walked out of here with it." Rumple then said in response to what Regina said.
"Mal and I put the whole town to sleep." Maleficent pointed out.
"Except those who have been under a sleeping curse and are immune." Rumple countered.
"...Audrey?" Mal wondered to herself.
"I may know a resourceful young man who's wide awake," Rumple then continued as Regina began to have the same inkling, but kept it to herself for that person's safety. "One who's very protective of the storybook and all its contents... one who's gonna test his mother's commitment, towards helping me."
"Henry." Mal then realized.
"Exactly." Rumple nodded as they soon left the loft.
Cassandra was very quiet and unsure about doing this, but didn't say anything to anyone right now as they went to plan their next move.
"No one goes near Henry but me," Regina warned the others dangerously as they crossed the fence. "If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with one of my fireballs." she then added, storming past the post office and away from the other Queens of Darkness.
"Well, uh, now what do we do?" Cassandra asked.
"Follow her, and do what's necessary to convince the boy," Rumple advised. "That page is the key. Let's not lose it when we're this close."
"Where are you off to?" Cruella demanded as the impish man went down the other street.
"I have other business to attend to." Rumple replied mysteriously.
Cruella scoffed at that and soon headed to her car along with the Dark Fairy mother and daughter. Mal looked very unsure about this, but probably not as much as Cassandra who had other things on her mind besides being evil.
"Emma's not with them," Mary Margaret noted as they stayed hidden. "What are they after?"
"Also why did Mal change her hair again?" Audrey complained. "I was just getting used to blonde Mal and there she goes and changes it again! Why is it always about her anyway?"
"Shh." David shushed and warned the Sleeping Beauty teen.
Cruella's car doors soon closed and it began to drive away just as Mary Margaret's cell phone rang and she took the call.
"Oh, Henry! Henry, are you okay?" Mary Margaret gasped as she answered the phone. "Where... where are you?"
"At The Sorcerer's mansion and Sophie's here too," Henry explained on the phone. "When everyone fell asleep, I figured the bad guys were up to something and I'd better get the page somewhere safe."
"Henry, don't do anything. We are on our way," Mary Margaret soon instructed her grandson. "As long as you have that page, you're in danger."
"Just sit tight, okay?" David added. "We're heading your way now."
"Let's cut around the harbor, it'll be faster," Mary Margaret suggested as she hung up the phone, going that way until she noticed he wasn't moving for whatever reason. "David... David?" she called to him.
"Hang on. I think there's a way we can put a stop to all this," David soon said. "I think... I think we should... destroy the page."
"What?!" Audrey and Mary Margaret both asked in shock.
"If we destroy it, Gold can never free The Author and use him to turn Emma dark." David explained.
"The Author would be trapped inside the book forever! Or it could kill him," Mary Margaret disagreed worriedly. "Regina wouldn't get her happy ending and Evie will be cursed to be the next Evil Queen."
"We don't know that. We just know that she won't get it from The Author," David replied. "We've gone too far down this path. We have to protect Emma."
Back at the Sorcerer's mansion, Henry was sitting with Sophie as they waited for his grandparents. "So that's why you're not affected either?" he then asked the teenage girl raised by The Sorcerer who claimed to be her granduncle.
"Yep," Sophie nodded. "Special Christmas and Enchanted Forest magic due to my mysterious lineage compared to you and everyone else around here."
"Cool... well, I guess you can help me since Dee Dee will be asleep." Henry nodded and then added.
"I'll do my best, kiddo." Sophie reassured him.
Eventually, Henry looked to the drawer that the light shined on and he opened it to find a tiny key. "No way!" he then gasped.
"That's gotta be it." Sophie nodded.
The door soon opened, alerting both Henry and Sophie.
"Grandma, Grandpa, you won't believe what I just-" Henry began to say until he saw who actually came through the dor.
"What, Henry?" Regina asked as she came into the room.
"Madam Mayor." Sophie muttered.
"Mom. What are you doing here?" Henry asked his adoptive mother.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want it to come to this." Regina said as she stepped forward.
"Looks like we're here just in time." Maleficent smirked.
"I told you I could handle this." Regina glared and reminded the Dark Fairy.
"We're not sure you have it in you to be a true disciplinarian." Cassandra explained softly.
"I'd say you shouldn't be alarmed, darling, but I'd be lying." Cruella added darkly to Henry.
"Lay a hand on my son, and I'll end you." Regina threatened.
"You won't have to do anything as long as he cooperates." Maleficent reassured her.
"Henry, give me the page." Regina suddenly said to the boy.
"Mom, no." Henry frowned as he backed away with his storybook.
"Henry Daniel Mills!" Regina then shouted the boy's full name to make him give in.
"Uh-oh... middle name..." Mal whispered.
"You will do as I say." Regina continued.
Henry stared at the woman for a few moments before sighed and gave in. "Okay." he said and soon handed over the page.
Regina nodded, accepting the page and then gave it to Maleficent. "As promised. Now, let's find Gold and set this author free." she then said.
Cassandra, Cruella, and Maleficent left the room and soon, Regina stared Henry down before going after them.
"Can't you do something?" Henry asked Sophie.
"I'm sorry, kid, but I'm just a sorceress in training, I don't have anything powerful yet." Sophie explained and defended.
"Dang it." Henry whispered in frustration.
Later on after quite some time, David and Mary Margaret finally made it over to the Sorcerer's mansion.
"Henry? Henry?!" Mary Margaret called as they came through the bookcase door.
"Henry!" David added.
Henry soon came out from hiding along with Sophie.
"Oh! Come on," Mary Margaret said, relieved that Henry was okay before warning him. "The villains have to be on their way."
"You just missed them actually." Sophie replied.
"What?" David asked. "Did they take the page?"
"They think they did, except my mom, of course," Henry replied and explained. "She just gave me a look, and I knew exactly what she meant."
"You gave them the forged page Emma made." David said in realization.
"Smart kid," Mary Margaret added with a proud smile. "Where's the real one?"
Henry soon turned to the bookshelf beside him and brought out a certain book and opened it up for them.
"Oh, great job," David said proudly as he took the page. "Mary Margaret, Audrey, and I are gonna take this and keep it safe."
"Audrey?" Sophie asked. "You're being helpful?"
"Well, I'm gonna try to be anyway." Audrey shrugged.
"There's something else," Henry soon told them. "Sophie helped me found the key. We can free The Author." he added and went to put the key in the door on the piece of paper.
"Henry, hold on." David suddenly said, closing the book away from his grandson.
"W-What are you doing?" Henry asked them, confused.
"Uh, we don't know what's gonna happen," David replied. "Just let us handle things."
"But I found the key-" Henry began to say.
"Henry, it's too dangerous! Go!" David interrupted and nearly yelled.
Henry gave his grandparents a long look before he sighed and gave up the key. Audrey and Sophie shared a curious and concerned glance with each other as Henry suddenly left the room after opening the door.
"So, now we're lying to Henry," Mary Margaret sighed. "If we keep this up, we're no different than Gold."
In the meantime, Rumple went to visit his shop, finding his wife and teenage son in the middle of the floor. He then gently helped them up and went to put them on a bed he had in the back of the shop for major emergencies before he decided to talk to them, even if they were unawake. "My love and my boy... I need to tell you this while it still matters. My magic comes at a cost, as you know. And I have racked up so much debt I can never be clear of it... Unless I find a way to change the rules. But now... Here's the hard truth. Something else is changing. So, if I'm gonna change the rules, I'm gonna have to do so gifts for your loved ones," he then said, gently stroking Ben's brunette hair and then took Belle's gentle hand and then kissed the fingers sweetly. "I will come back for you if... if I can. You found the beauty behind a beast like your mother, son, and I'm very proud of you for that. You're just like your mother and thankfully for everyone's sake, not like me." he soon concluded and left the shop just as Cruella's car pulled up.
"What were you doing in there?" Cruella asked Rumple.
"Mind your own business." Rumple retorted.
"Scorched." Mal whispered and smirked.
"Did you find the boy?" Rumple then asked the Queens.
"We found the boy." Maleficent nodded.
"I found him." Regina added and brought out the page.
Rumple took it and only glanced at it for a few seconds and something didn't smell right. "This is rubbish." he suddenly said.
"What?" Regina scoffed.
"It's a fake." Rumple said like it was obvious.
"How are you so sure?" Mal wondered.
"Regina spent enough time with the book, she should know the difference." Rumple clarified.
"They tricked me." Regina suddenly said.
"What, you think I didn't suspect you?" Rumple scoffed as he ripped the page. "I've been waiting for this moment. I knew it would come. Maleficent?"
"Wait, I can expl--" Regina tried to say only to be forced into a deep sleep by The Dark Fairy.
"Bring her to her vault." Rumple soon commanded since Regina was another useless Queen disposed of.
Cassandra frowned as she began to feel like she couldn't do this Queens of Darkness business anymore and would have to say something since Ursula was off the hook despite still being in town, but probably made plans with her daughter Uma.
David and Mary Margaret had turned on the fireplace with Sophies help and the flames erupted.
David then took the page and held it over the crackling flames, feeling determined. "We have to do it." he told his wife strongly.
"What are we going to tell Henry?" Mary Margaret asked him softly.
"We tell him... the key was wrong and, uh, uh, the page disintegrated," David tried to cover up, though her words got to his conscience. "We'll figure something out, but let's just burn it and worry about it later."
"More lies. I can't do this," Mary Margaret frowned. "I gave Henry that book to give him hope, and I'm gonna lie and take it away? And what about Regina? She's finally becoming a friend. I went to her for help with Emma, with our secret. She's kept it. She's risked her life for us. And we're gonna repay her by destroying her chance at a happy ending?"
"Well, maybe there's another way." David tried to suggested.
"No, David!" Mary Margaret glared. "When Regina showed me my heart after Cora... after I killed Cora... My heart was dark. And Regina thought it was because of what I did to her mother, but that darkness started long ago. We... have to tell Emma the truth. Because heroes do what's right, not what's easy."
David was silent in response, but he knew deep down inside of himself he knew that she was right. They had to talk to Emma about the truth and what they were doing all this time.
At Regina's vault, the woman and Evie were lying down on a bed together, rendered motionless after what happened earlier.
"Well, I say we just slit their throats right now, get it over with." Cruella suggested.
"No." Rumple disagreed quickly.
"Well, if it's too messy for you, darling, Mal can incinerate her." Cruella then suggested.
"We're doing nothing of the sort." Rumple shook his head.
"They'll never help us." Mal scoffed.
"Of course they will. They just don't know it yet," Rumple countered. "I'll have something that the moment she sees it will make Regina do my bidding and Evie will follow her mother..."
At the docks, Killian sat with Harry and told him about what had happened with Emma earlier with her parents.
"So they lied to her?" Harry asked. "That's pretty rough."
"It was to protect her, son. Sometimes we have to lie to protect the ones we love." Killian advised.
Harry looked thoughtful and looked at his father. "...what have you lied to me about?" he then asked.
Killian blinked, not sure how to answer that question before looking over. "Hey, Emma." he then greeted.
"You can't fool me," Harry smirked. "I'm a lot smarter than I-"
Killian then turned his son around to see Emma sitting on a bench on the docks.
"I'm just gonna need some time." Emma softly told the adult male pirate.
"Evening, Miss Swan." Harry greeted the blonde woman.
"Evening, Harry..." Emma nodded. "How much do you know?" she then asked him.
"...not a lot, except that your parents lied to you to protect you." Harry replied softly.
"...that's probably all you need to know." Emma decided.
Killian nodded. "August is awake. Your parents are with him." he then decided to tell Emma.
"Is he-" Emma began softly.
"He's gonna be fine," Killian interrupted to reassure her about the former wooden puppet boy. "Your... friend is gonna be fine."
Emma gave him a bit of a long look and suddenly hugged him. Killian then decided to hug Emma back while Harry just watched them.
"Why did my parents send you?" Emma asked Killian wearily.
"Well, they didn't think you'd listen to them." Killian defended.
"They were right." Emma admitted with a small chuckle.
Back in Regina's vault, Maleficent and Rumple were still discussing as Mal stared off into the distance as Regina and Evie laid down together.
"Now that you're so confident Regina's taken care of, isn't time we took care of my needs?" Maleficent soon asked the former imp as she approached him and held onto a little trinket.
"You didn't get me the page," Rumple reminded her gravely. "You didn't earn your answer. That was the deal."
"That was the deal, but after all I've been through, I've more than earned my answer." Maleficent countered.
"I know. And I want to give you a last chance to preserve what you have." Rumple retorted.
"What I have is pain.
"And I've been feeling some of that pain." Mal scoffed as she was reading an "Evilteen Magazine".
"Be quiet, Mal Bertha." Maleficent hissed at her daughter with her eyes flashing green.
Mal's eyes also flashed green and the mother and daughter stared each other down for a few moments until Mal grunted and groaned, being forced to blink.
"I win~" Maleficent smirked as Mal firmly pouted and looked a lot grumpier than she would normally be.
"And pain fades... Unless you feed it," Rumple began to tell Maleficent as he looked back at he. "And this... This could be the meal, you really don't want."
"Well, I've never seen my firstborn child," Maleficent defended. "I don't even know what I had... a boy, a girl."
"Whether or not I'd be raised better compared to that sibling is anyone's guess." Mal muttered behind her magazine.
Maleficent gave her daughter another look, but didn't fight her this time. "I don't care how much it hurts to know its fate. I need this." she then told the former imp as she held the trinket up to him.
Rumple took the trinket. "Now, remember, this was 30 years ago..." he then said to her as he waved his hand to send magic through the orb on the end of the trinket to show Maleficent a vision.
"Mal, maybe you should see this too," Maleficent said. "Get to know your big brother or sister."
Mal glanced over, then shrugged, and decided to come over to her mother's side to take a look. The orb glowed purple and the sounds of a baby crying in The Land Without Magic could be heard and soon, a newborn baby was shown, wailing while being handed over to someone.
"Congratulations. Your adoption is finalized. She's all yours," A woman told a man who was in front of her, holding out the crying baby. "What will you name her?" she then wondered.
"Lilith," The father answered with a warm smile as he held the baby. "We want to name her Lily."
"She's alive..." Maleficent gasped with a shaky breath.
"And in this world?" Mal added.
"Yes." Rumple confirmed and nodded.
"We must find her. There has to be a way," Maleficent said, determined as she sniffled a little. "If she's out there... Someone must know her."
Mal began to look very curious and puzzled herself.
In the meantime, Emma rushed to her parents' loft after the sleeping spell had worn off and she soon came to see a formerly wooden boy who was now awake as his human adult self. "August!" Emma called, glancing at her parents who were also there, but kept her focus on August. "How are you?"
"A bit tired, but better," August replied until he saw the look in her eyes. "Something's wrong." he then added, concerned.
"I'm fine." Emma said.
"You forget I know lying." August said with a small smirk.
"It's a long story. It's not really worth getting into right now, especially when I have a surprise for you," Emma sighed and shook her head before she brought out the book page and key to the door in the illustration. "Look what Henry found."
"You did it." August beamed for her.
"That's right," Emma nodded. "Now, what do you say we let out The Author? I have some questions." she then suggested.
"Emma, please, think about this," Mary Margaret frowned in concern. "This isn't just what Regina wanted. This is what Gold wanted, too. He was doing it to turn you dark."
"I'm not worried about it. Are you?" Emma countered rather coldly. "Cuz now I have some questions about me, and he can tell us everything."
"If he's the one who wrote your story." August pointed out.
"What does that mean?" Audrey wondered.
"What are you talking about?" Emma added.
"Something you need to know about this author... He wasn't the only one," August explained. "There have been many authors throughout time. It's a job, not a person. And the one trapped in here was just the last tasked with the great responsibility."
"Which is?" Emma asked.
"To record... to witness the greatest stories of all time and record them for posterity for many story generations that come from before and after," August explained. "The job has gone back eons, from the man who watched shadows dance across cave walls and developed an entire philosophy, to playwrights who tell tales in poetry, to a man named Walt. Many have had this sacred job... great women and men who took on the responsibility with the gravity that it deserved... Until this last one. He started to manipulate rather than record. He did something... I don't know exactly what... but something that pushed them over the edge. That's why The Sorcerer and his apprentice put him in there. They're the ones who choose The Author, and they took responsibility for their error."
"If they did, and he's still in there, he still has the ability to alter the book, to alter the course of things." Emma replied.
"You sure have come a long way from the woman who wouldn't believe." August said with a small smile.
"Yeah. I have." Emma agreed with a small smile back and soon, she used the key on the page and...
"Oh! Whoo! Oh," A man cried out as he leapt out of the magic through magic and landed on his knees in the floor. "It was cramped in there! I couldn't even reach this. And I was parched." he then chuckled as he brought out a flask.
"Where did you get that?" David asked suspiciously.
"This? Uh, a nice young couple I met on the road gave it to me," The man simply explained. "You want some? Sort of nutmeg-y."
"You. You are... are The Author?" Mary Margaret asked the man, amazed.
"You guys know him?" Audrey aked the couple.
"We met him in The Enchanted Forest a long time ago." Mary Margaret explained.
"Yeah... he was the peddler..." David added.
"We have a lot of questions." Emma told the man simply.
"I bet you do." The man nodded and then suddenly pulled down a curtain rod and ran away while the Charmings were distracted.
"Hey!" Emma yelped as she fell on the bed because of that and tried to get back up as the man ran for his life. She soon stood up and went to go chase after him, but suddenly, she found herself in the middle of town away from the cabin and unable to find the mysterious man.
Chapter 12: Heart of Gold
Chapter Text
Deep in the night, after the mysterious Author had been found only to get lost right away again and everyone did whatever they could to go and find him. Regina was slowly waking up and found herself in her vault and she appeared to be tied up with Evie behind her and both of them had handcuffs on to prevent them from using any magic to easily break out or try anything.
Rumple stood in front of the two. "Your hands are tied, I'm afraid. No more magic for you today." he told them both, Regina especially with the magic part.
Evie woke up too and blinked looking around a moment.
"So now we're your prisoners." Reigna said with a slight glare.
"You both, and the Author," Rumple agreed. "Well, actually, he had the good sense to join the team, whereas you... You backed the wrong one." he then corrected himself.
Evie kept quiet for now, listening to what was being said.
"What about everything you said to me?" Regina defended. "You wanted me to find my happiness and ensure a good happily ever after for Evie after she becomes the next Evil Queen."
"Well, that's true. Just not at my expense," Rumple agreed then informed. "You see, the affection I have for you, and Evie, well... There are limits." he said.
"What happened to you?" Regina asked with a firm frown.
"I lost everything," Rumple answered. "Just as you will if you don't do as I say," he then added. "For one thing; I found this in your pocket. Telephone number registered to a Robin of Locksley." he said as he then pulled out the sticky note that had the number written down.
Evie frowned to that and looked to her mother in concern.
"Give that back." Regina demanded, trying to stand up, but was unable to since she was tied up with Evie.
"Mom." Evie said quietly in concern.
"I'm guessing you have this number because you're worried about poor Robin Hood out there in the cold, harsh world," Rumple told Regina. "And so you should be." he then finished. He then reached into his other pocket too.
"What do you know that I don't?" Regina demanded, not listening to Evie right away. "What happened to Robin?"
Rumple wordlessly waved his hand freeing Regina from the cuffs at least. He then placed the sticky note and the phone from his pocket down into Regina's hand. "Ask him yourself. Call." he told her.
"Why isn't Evie free?" Regina demanded before she would get a hold of the outlaw she had fallen in love with.
"Just a little precaution." Rumple told her.
Regina glanced at him and soon went to place the call. Evie watched. Regina then dialed the number and little did she know, her life was going to change in a very unexpected, wicked way.
NINE WEEKS AGO...
Marian, Robin, and Roland were making their way along the street in New York.
"Hey! I'm walkin' here! I'm walkin' here!" a man yelled out nearby.
"It's loud!" Roland complained as he covered his ears from the city sounds.
"We'll get used to it." Robin soothed his son.
"I'm not sure how your sister possibly could have," Marian remarked about getting used to the environment that was New York City before she looked around. "What are we looking for?" she then asked her husband.
"Our new home," Robin told Marian. "Regina gave me the keys to Mr. Gold's son's apartment."
"Baelfire?" Marian asked before she got an idea and looked rather hopeful. "He came from the Enchanted Forest just like us, and he lived here for many years. That means we can, too."
"Yes." Robin nodded before looking around again.
"Mama, I'm tired." Roland complained and frowned.
Marian frowned softly and soon bent down to scoop him up. "I'll carry him. You lead the way." she then told her husband.
Then suddenly, a man rushed by and stole the woman's bag.
"Mama!" Roland cried out from that.
"Stop!" Marian demanded.
"Hey! Hey!" Robin shouted as he started to give chase.
A man had stopped his carriage ride and took a break, letting the horse rest as a pair of children had climbed off: a young boy in a suit and a girl in a yellow coat and black beret. The two of them were then going over to the hotel they had come from before then. Perhaps a horse would be faster for Robin to go after this thief who dare to steal from a thief.
Robin soon borrowed the horse and chased the thief, catching up and soon tackling him off the bike. He pinned the man down but stopped himself from punching him. "A thief that steals from those in need has no honor!" he scolded the thief.
"What are you talking about, man?" The man complained as a crowd watched Robin with awe at what he had done.
Robin then let him go and stood up before going to get the horse so he could bring it back to the carriage guy, and return to his wife and son. The carriage man merely nodded and thanked Robin once he had his horse back.
"Sorry I had to borrow it without asking." Robin told the man.
"Oh, erm, that's all right, sir." The man nodded, surprised, but glad Robin was nice about it at least.
Robin then came over to Marian and Roland and put his arms around both.
"Oh, thank goodness, Robin." Marian said softly.
"Papa, I was so scared!" Roland pouted.
"I had to save your mother by returning what the thief stole." Robin soothed his son, and gave Marian her bag back.
Marian accepted her bag with a small smile. "It'll be okay now, Roland~" she then promised her son.
"Both of you promise?" Roland asked innocently.
Robin nodded. "Of course." he assured.
Roland gave a small smile to his parents.
Marian smiled warmly at that as well. "Now then, as we were." she then suggested.
"Yes." Robin nodded, returning to the map.
Marian smiled and soon walked with him as they went to take Neal's former apartment in the city as their new home away from Storybrooke.
"If this is New York, I'd hate to see the old one." Marian grumbled slightly as they were getting settled.
Robin stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. "Marian, if you hadn't left Storybrooke, you'd have died," he reminded her. "I made the decision to come with you and bring Roland. Nobody forced my hand." he then tried to assure her.
"I know. Your honor is your greatest strength," Marian replied softly. "But it's also the reason you're here and not with the woman you truly love."
Robin closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled as he tried to put into words to assure his wife. "Do you remember what you said to me our first day as outlaws?" he asked her with a smile.
"I said so many things." Marian answered in a strange way like she was avoiding the question.
There was some sort of thumping heard outside and the door was being rattled like someone was on the other side.
"Roland, come here. Stand behind your mum." Robin told his son and gently guided them together before grabbing a knife for defense and stood in front of his wife and child protectively while looking at the door.
Roland did what his father asked of him as the door continued to rattle until it finally opened.
In came a certain man from Storybrooke who blinked in surprise to see that he suddenly had company. "What the hell are you doing here?" Rumple demanded, surprised to see the outlaw and his family.
"What are you doing here?" Robin retorted.
"That's none of your concern. Your concern is removing yourself from the premises" Rumple retorted and explained, trying to remain calm. "This... This is my son's home. You're trespassing."
"No. This is our home now, and we're not going anywhere." Robin told him.
"Look I really don't have time for this," Rumple shook his head. "I've got business to attend to."
Robin scoffed a little to that. "What business could you possibly have in a world without magic?" he asked.
"The business of my happiness," Rumple glared. "Now get out."
"Oh, you're here to find the Author, aren't you?" Robin realized and smirked.
"So she told you. Of course she did," Rumple remarked with a glare, trying to stay strong. "Well, then you'll also know that if I don't find the Author, Regina won't get her happy ending, either. Which might be good for you, too."
"I'm sorry, but I will not succumb to your games. I know better than to trust you," Robin told him. "I have a wife and child. We need this home, and we're keeping it!" he then finished by stating firmly.
"No. NO!" Rumple argued until he suddenly felt a tight pressure in his chest and clutched his heart before collapsing on the ground with his cane, blacking out once he hit the ground.
Marian looked a bit wide-eyed at that.
"Gold? Gold! Gold?" Robin then asked in concern and went to help him.
A little while later, the outlaw was waiting in the hospital, looking at a photo of Regina from his phone contacts, pondering if to call her or not.
A nurse soon approached the outlaw after what felt like a very long time. "Sir? Your friend's awake." she then told him.
Robin looked up at her and then pocketed the phone as he followed the nurse to Mr. Gold's room. "What did the doctors say?" he asked him.
"Well, only what their small minds can comprehend," Rumple explained wearily as he was lying down. "Prattling on about diets and exercise. They tell me it was a heart attack."
"But you have other idea." Robin realized.
"My problem isn't physical. It's moral," Rumple explained. "All the dark deeds I've done... They've taken their toll, poisoned my heart... Thickened the blood. Back in Storybrooke, I used magic to protect myself. But out here... I won't last without some."
"Well, unfortunately for you, Dark One, there is no magic in this world." Robin told him.
"True. We can't create magic here. But we can use magical items if they were brought from elsewhere," Rumple remarked and nodded until he thought about something. "Remember something from our past... The Elixir of the Wounded Heart. Something I asked you to steal. Well, I think I might know where some of it exists. Right here in New York City. And I need you to get it for me."
"And why would I help you?" Robin asked him.
"For the same reason you left the woman you love. You left Regina because you're a man with a code, a man of honor," Rumple reminded him. "And that, despite everything, is the reason why you will save me and your sister saved my eldest son even if The Wicked Witch never found out about that little detail." he then added.
Robin blinked at hearing Goldie had done that, but was proud of her as he knew Neal was a good man. "Fine." he agreed, though reluctantly.
"Now, you must go look for the shop that has what I need." Rumple instructed.
"Do you know where it is?" Robin asked.
"All I know is that it's downtown," Rumple explained. "Further away from that Plaza Hotel with an annoying little girl who thinks pouring water down a mail chute or letting loose a marble collection just outside of the elevators is a good way to spend the day."
"I recall a library a street away, so I'll ask someone in there for directions," Robin then decided. "I'll be back later." he then said as he straightened up.
Rumple nodded. "See to it then. I'd like to join you, but unfortunately, I cannot." he then agreed as he was going to stay behind and try to recuperate.
A woman was at the library, smiling warmly at the children who came to see her since she often read stories to them and dismissed them from her library, though deep down inside, while she loved these children she couldn't help but feel one missing in her heart. Robin headed out of the hospital, informing the nurses on the way out that he would visit again later. He then headed out and made his way to the library. The nurses agreed and nodded.
The librarian smiled and waved off the kids before she went to go back to her desk, sighing to herself. "Not every parent deserves a child, but every child deserves a parent." she mused to herself on the way back.
Robin came to the desk and gave a small smile. "Excuse me?" he spoked up to the librarian.
The librarian blinked and nodded as she put her work aside for a brief moment. "Ah, yes. Good day to you, sir," she then greeted softly and politely. "I am the Head Librarian, my name is Sylvia Marpole versed in all aspects of New York City's library, including, but not limited to, fiction, non-fiction, periodicals, reference and policy. How may I help you?"
"Robin," Robin introduced himself first. "Um, I'm looking for a certain store and I was hoping if you'd be able to help me find it and give directions." he told her.
"Very well, Mr. Robin, I'll try to help you," Ms. Marpole said with a small smile. "Just a moment, please."
"Thank you, I'm not sure the exact name of the store but it is run by a Mr. Walsh." Robin thanked her and then informed what he knew about it.
"Oh, I think I know just what you mean," Ms. Marpole nodded as she left her desk to go and guide him properly. "It's easier if I show than tell, like many great stories." she started to say.
"Oh you're joining me?" Robin asked, surprised.
"I'll just point out where you need to go," Ms. Marpole explained. "But if you need me to go along..."
"I-I should be fine," Robin then said quickly. "My uh... friend Rum-I mean Mr. Gold is in the hospital so I have to be quick." he then added to explain.
"Oh, my dear! I hope he'll be okay..." Ms. Marpole replied as she soon pointed and gestured for him. "You want to go down that block, turn right, and it should be by the next spotlight and you'll find Mr. Walsh's shop, though no one's seen Mr. Walsh for quite some time." she then remarked.
"Thank you, and well we shall have to see when I get there." Robin thanked her and then said. He then walked off.
"You're very welcome, sir," Ms. Marpole smiled. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
"Thank you," Robin said. "This better work, Dark One." he then breathed on his way to following the directions.
Ms. Marpole soon walked away, though glanced over briefly as she heard him a little, but didn't make a big deal over it. Robin then made his way, towards where Mr. Walsh's shop was.
Eventually, the shop was shown as a teenager was about to temporarily close the shop and the shop had a very interesting name once the outlaw would find it.
Robin made a call to Mr. Gold so he could let him know he found it. "'The Wizard of Oak'," he stated about the shop name. "That was his cover while in our world." he then informed the man.
"Well, apparently being great and powerful did not mean witty, but he was effective. Zelena sent him to New York to keep an eye on Emma," Rumple explained on the other line, lying as comfortably as he could. "She would have been a fool to send him without precautions... Magical charms, potions."
"And Zelena's no fool." Robin admitted.
"No, she wasn't." Rumple agreed.
The teenager then left the shop, unaware of what was going to happen next.
Robin managed to sneak in and he almost got caught but luckily escaped, having found the vial. The alarm soon rang since Robin had broken and entered which soon summoned the police to come by and arrest him.
"Bloody hell!" Robin huffed to himself before he then looked for the potion. "Nothing... There you are." he started to say only to find it.
The cops soon arrived but they were unable to find the criminal that they were looking for. After managing to escape, Robin soon made his way back to the apartment first.
Roland was soon eating some food given to him by his mother so that his parents could discuss.
"I hope you're happy," Marian firmly pouted at her husband. "You could have been arrested, and then what would have happened to us?"
"I had to." Robin told Marian.
Marian merely gave him a look in response.
"Juice, please." Roland soon said after a while.
"Have milk, son," Robin advised Roland. "It'll help you grow big and strong," he told him. "Never doubt that you and Roland are the most important thing to me. But to turn my back on the less fortunate, especially a man that's dying... It goes against everything I stand for... My code." he then told Marian.
"Your father's right," Marian agreed. "At least about milk."
Roland then had a drink of the milk from his father's wishes.
"Does your code really extend to helping the likes of Rumplestiltskin?" Marian then asked her outlaw husband. "Perhaps you should consider the greater good and let him die."
"'Let him die?' That's not the Marian I know." Robin repeated and then told her.
"Look around you, Robin," Marian simply stated and gestured all around them. "Everything's changed."
"Not me." Robin told her.
Marian merely frowned at that as Roland continued to eat and drink his milk. Robin then went off to the bedroom, to change and get ready to go back to see Mr. Gold when it was visiting time again. Marian watched him go and soon sat with Roland, giving him a small smile.
Rumple waited, breathing rather steadily as the monitor beeped for him as he laid down in the bed given to him since he had no other choice right now. Robin came back into the room and held a rather familiar vial in his hand.
"You found it!" Gold weakly exclaimed to the outlaw once he saw him coming.
"Indeed," Robin agreed but moved the vial out of the way. "And now that I've made good on my promise, we need to strike a deal," he told him, before he would give the man the vial.
"Well, make it quick." Gold demanded, very much wanting the vial, but now had to wait a bit longer.
"Before this potion heals you, you will move on," Robin told him firmly. "Your son's apartment belongs to me now, and I never want to see you there again," he told him.
"It's yours. Take it," Gold easily and wearily agreed as he kept reaching out for the potion. "Now give me what's mine."
Robin purposefully placed it on the wheeled table. "Good riddance, Rumplestiltskin. Our dealings are done," he told him before he then walked out.
"Goodbye, thief..." Rumple nodded as he soon took the potion and began to drink it so that he could heal and get out of here. However, nothing seemed to change much to his confusion. "It's not working. It's not working. Why isn't it working?!" he then growled, throwing the empty vial at the wall and it shattered instantly.
"Because it's not real magic," Marian said as she came into the room.
"What?" Mr. Gold murmured, looking and feeling a bit annoyed and a tiny bit worried as it hadn't seemed to work, a bit breathless from the exertion of his throwing of the empty vial.
"I tried to convince Robin to let you die, but he just wouldn't listen to reason. So here I am," Marian told him as she stood at the bottom of his bed and held up the true vial.
"You switched the vials." Rumple realized, angry, but still rather weary.
"I did. The one you drank won't cure your heart, but it will lessen the effects of seven cold and flu symptoms. Don't worry, it's non-drowsy," Marian told him conversationally.
"Why are you doing this?" Rumple asked since Marian was none other than Robin Hood's wife and nothing more. "I've done you no harm."
"That's not exactly true," Marian told him and then pulled a pendant from around her neck and used a bit of the stored magic to turn her form back to her true self: Zelena.
"Zelena..."Rumple Gold murmured at the sight of the Wicked Witch who was supposed to be dead after that adventure. "How is this possible?" he then asked her.
"Imported magic, dear," Zelena answered. "Never travel between realms without it. You remember the six-leaf clover from Oz, don't you? It's quite the effective glamour spell," she then taunted before explaining with a smirk.
"No, no," Rumple Gold shook his head at her. "I killed you."
"Mm, you tried. When you stabbed me in that jail cell, I didn't die," Zelena told him. "My life force simply fled my body before it shattered. I had somewhere to go. Or should I say some time?"
"You followed Emma and young Audrey through the time portal from Father Time." Rumple realized.
"That I did," Zelena agreed. "And when I realized what Emma had planned for Marian, well, I knew I had to get in while the getting was good. So, I bided my time watching Emma and Sleeping Beauty's Pampered Brat scurrying about trying to right their mistakes, and when I saw they planned on bringing Robin's wife back, I mean, inspiration struck! And then I struck. For a few careless moments, they left her unattended, and that was all I needed... I killed her... And then I became her. I took her form. Do you know, it wasn't easy not being me, but knowing that it would ruin Regina's happiness. I mean, that made it worth every dull moment in her body." she then told him.
"Marian... Never made the trip... To Storybrooke." Rumple panted heavily as he spoke.
"No," Zelena agreed with a laugh to her tone. "No, dear. It was me all along. And, you know, no one's been the wiser. Not her husband, not even her child. I mean, she's as dead as, well... Your son. Oh. Oh, that's right. I suppose that means you never avenged his death. That... You failed. Oops~" she then told him and came over to him, before leaning over him in a threatening way. She then looked up as the monitors flatlined with amused shock. She then leaned down and knocked lightly on his chest. "Hollow," she realized. "What a beautiful echo~" she then smirked before standing up as doctors and nurses came in to help him. "Oh please, help him!" she then gasped out, and didn't bother hiding her amusement as the others were busy.
Rumple muttered and soon his eyes shut as the monitor beeped excessively, rushing in the doctor and nurses.
"Code Blue 19! Code Blue 19!" A nurse alerted as Mr. Gold's heart had stopped beating.
Soon, Rumple was put on life support and he slowly began to open his eyes again to see Zelena in the room.
Zelena dabbed at his forehead with a damp cloth. "Shh, Shush, dear~" she crooned when she saw him awake. "Don't try to talk," she advised. "Look at the magic in this world, Rumple. A tube that breathes for you. My, your predicament does look painful. You know, there's a time I would have relished this," she advised and mocked. "And with your vendetta against me for the death of your son that would make this a strong practical choice, but, see, I'm not done telling you about my clever plan... I was going to use my little Marian-glamor to steal Robin's heart, to make him fall in love with me, to steal Regina's fated true love," she explained. "How ultimate, you know? But I think that loss could finally be a wound that doesn't heal, sadly, it didn't take, I can't win his heart. Something is standing in the way like a... Like a stone wall. Could be fate. Could be true love or some other bias in the universe towards those who deserve happiness. But whatever it is, I am certain that there is an author who can simply force a happy ending for me," she then told him, taking his hand and holding it firmly. "And if there's anyone that could find him and bend him to their will, well, my money's on the Dark One. Or should I say the deathly pale one?" she taunted. "Anyway, whatever your plan is with the Author, I want my happy ending built into it. You'd also have to stop trying killing me, of course, 'But, dearie, what does old Rumple get out of it?' I mean, you are aware I have a certain potion that fixes hearts. But I don't know if it could cure this little lump of coal you've got in your narrow little chest. But it will get you back home," she informed him, tapping his chest a little at the mocking of his heart. "Your life for mine. That seems rather fair. Do we have a deal? So what do you think if we do? Simply blink." she then finished as she stared down at him.
Rumple stared at her a moment and soon blinked his eyes upon her request as he was currently unable to properly speak. Zelena smirked brightly to that before she arranged for him to get the potion.
Robin was waiting outside the hospital when it was time for Mr. Gold to be released.
"I thought you never wanted to see me again." Rumple murmured to the outlaw once he saw him outside of the hospital doors, leaning on his cane for proper balance.
"Well, after all the trouble I went to, I wanted to make sure you were well," Robin replied, stepping up from where he had been leaning waiting.
"Well, I am," Rumple nodded at that. "Thank you."
"And I wanted to give you something," Robin added, before holding out a box. "It's from the apartment, your son Baelfire's things. There wasn't much left. I thought you might want to have it," he told him.
"No," Rumple shook his head ad declined surprisingly enough. "No, thank you."
"No? Why not?" Robin asked in surprise.
"Because these are the remnants of Neal Cassidy, a boy who was in this land alone. And all because his father was too much of a coward to hold on to what he had," Rumple explained wearily. "I don't want a reminder of my failure, a reminder that all I really wanted was happiness. And when I had it... Couldn't recognize it."
"I know what you mean," Robin then admitted. "With Marian... I wished her to come back every day. And then when she did..." he then said and trailed off a little.
"You were in love with another woman." Rumple finished for him as he seemed to understand.
"It's more than just that. She's... She's like a stranger to me now." Robin admitted and informed him.
"Why did you marry her in the first place?" Rumple then asked.
"'Cuz I loved her." Robin informed.
"And you thought she was gonna be your happy ending." Rumple then added.
"Yes." Robin nodded to that.
"And is she?" Rumple prompted.
"I don't know." Robin admitted.
"Well, maybe you should take a piece of advice from a man who has pushed away every chance at happiness because it was never enough," Rumple soon advised the outlaw. "If it's within your grasp, if you know... Where it is and who it's with... Then you should run to it, grasp it, and never let it go. And at least your sister's happy ending is with my son, who Zelena seems to be unaware of still being alive thanks to her."
Robin looked to him to that, and then watched Mr. Gold leave thoughtfully. He then glanced around before taking the box and heading back to the apartment. Mr. Gold let him go and he soon went to take care of other business around the city that he had to tend to since his banishment from Storybrooke. Little did anyone know, this would include a certain librarian, a woman at the aquarium who was very partial to the fish she looked after, and a woman who had just married yet another husband, likely for his money, until his eventual arrest. Robin then returned to the apartment to shower.
Rumple watched Regina call Robin's number. Evie sat quietly to listen, though was concerned.
Regina finally called the number after what felt like a lifetime of waiting and smiled hopefully when the line clicked so that she could talk to the man she loved. "Robin?" she then asked hopefully.
"No, it's not Robin." 'Marian' told Regina, picking up the phone.
"Marian?" Regina asked, surprised to hear that voice on the other line.
"Not exactly," 'Marian' said before she turned herself back into a certain someone else, including her voice. "Hello, sis." she smirked.
"No..." Regina whispered in horror once she realized who it was. "No, it can't be."
"Oh, but it is~" Zelena grinned in delight at the tone.
"Zelena. But how?" Regina frowned at the sound of her sister's voice. "I saw you die."
"Aunt Zelena?" Evie whispered quietly in surprise.
"You thought you saw me die." Zelena corrected.
"Where's Robin? This is his phone," Regina demanded. "What have you done with him?"
"I haven't done anything except love and honor him in sickness and in health, to have and to hold and all that other wifely nonsense." Zelena told her with a smirk but ended with a bit of an annoyed look.
"I-I don't understand." Regina replied wearily.
"Well, you don't have to," Zelena answered to that. "All you need to know is that while your precious Robin thinks it's his wide-eyed wife cooking dinner for him every night, it's actually me," she smirked, then glanced over as the oven binged. "Oh, I've got to run, sis. He'll be home soon, and I've got a meatloaf in the oven." she grinned, meaning both figurative and literally.
"No... no..." Regina whispered as she began to feel her whole world falling apart.
Rumple nodded slightly to Regina's look.
"Oh, you sound like you need a moment," Zelena delighted. "Take it. I'm sure we'll see each other again very soon," she smirked widely. "Ta-ta." she then told her and hung up.
Regina held the phone, feeling horrified and soon glared at Mr. Gold. "...You knew." she then murmured dangerously to him.
"And that's why you will do everything I ask. Because one phone call from me and your beloved dies at the hands of your sister." Rumple told her as he moved to in front of her again.
"She tried to murder your son!" Regina reminded him because as far as Zelena knew, Neal was dead when he actually survived.
"Well, Zelena and I have come to... an understanding," Rumple told her. "And now you and I have an understanding as well," he added. "Regina you are, and even young Evie might be, vital to my plan to turn the Savior towards darkness." he told her.
"You made me a monster," Regina glared, trying to stay strong. "But I won't let you do the same to Emma and not even Evie."
Rumple stepped forward and pulled his phone out of her hands. "So, you've made your choice, have you?" he asked, and then held it ready to make a call. "You're choosing the Savior over your beloved Robin Hood? Is that your final answer?" he asked.
Regina simply stared him down, feeling angry, betrayed, and upset all at once. She then gave a small look over at Evie as though her daughter would help provide the answer as she felt on the verge of giving up. Evie looked at her mom, concerned for her and not wanting her mom's soulmate hurt but not wanting to turn Emma either. Though she also gave a look that showed she would support her mother.
"I don't want there to be evil for you or anyone else," Regina said to Evie. "I want you to have a good life and grow beyond from being the daughter of The Evil Queen."
"Whatever your choice, Mom, I'll follow." Evie told her.
"I don't want to force you into this, so are you absolutely sure?" Regina replied gently.
"I'm sure, Mom." Evie assured her.
"Oh, my darling, you're so sweet and generous," Regina sighed softly. "You have no idea how proud you make me."
Evie gave her a small but warm assuring smile. Regina looked at her and then nodded once she made her choice. Evie gave a small but warm smile to Regina.
"Where would I be without you?" Regina smiled back tenderly.
"I don't know, but I'll always do my best to be here for you, Mom." Evie assured.
"...I really wanted Robin Hood to be good for both of us..." Regina pouted before she sighed. "But... I guess I might have to give in."
Evie gave her a soft look.
"...Yes." Regina then finally told Mr. Gold with a sigh.
Rumple smirked a bit once that was all said and done as he managed to get a hold of her like three other certain villainesses. He had found Ursula at the aquarium and she eventually gave him shelter at her home while she would be at work and eventually Uma came home from school one day and was introduced to Mr. Gold and told that he was going to take care of them from now on. The same thing happened as they were given an email that would take them to the next step and they found Cruella de Vil or as she was called in Long Island, Cruella Fineberg, with the promise that her missing puppies would be returned to her who she had lost for quite some time ago and was actually desperate to have back in her life despite clearly not being the best mother out there. The final stop was at the library as Rumple came to see the head librarian instantly and he spoke to her in a way no one else around here would have since they did not know.
"You can help me find my missing child?" Ms. Marpole asked as Rumple saw her as well.
"Of course I can, Ms. Marpole, or should I say..." Rumple replied. "...Cassandra Gothel?"
Ms. Marpole blinked as that name struck her and she then knew that she should do whatever he says so that she can get the happy ending she truly desired: finding and reuniting with her missing child after losing the child's father shortly after the birth because of a "justified case of heroes doing an ultimate sacrifice to destroy a happy ending possibility for the villains". As the good book said since the beginning of stories.
And of course, it was history after all of that and speaking of history and the beginning of stories, Ben would find himself rather distracted in school lately.
"...with all those kids in the town hall the place will be like a sauna so I'm all freaked out, but then I thought, 'Like, use it!' We can totally ask Evie because her mother's The Mayor and all of that, I just wonder how I should do my hair?" Chad's voice was heard faintly. "What's a hairdo that says Cotillion? 90s boy band bad boy or soap opera leading man? ...too much? ...Ben, are you listening?"
Ben suddenly looked over the book and jolted with wide eyes as though he forgot that he wasn't alone as he was in study hall with some classmates.
"What are you reading?" Chad soon asked.
"Nothing." Ben said, trying to play it cool.
"Nothing?" Jordan scoffed. "Your eyes have been glued to that book since you came in."
Ben looked around as though he had discovered some sort of ancient and secret relic to the world they lived in. "This book is unbelievable," he then explained to them. "You'll never believe what's written in it. Apparently we're all the creations of an alternate world where magic exists and it's like we're all characters to this mystic being."
"Uh, yeah, I totally know what that means, but explain it for the VKs because they might not get it." Chad replied.
Carlos and Jay glowered at that, Carlos slightly growling before he shook his head when he thought he felt something weird.
"I'm not sure how to put it into words, but this has a thing that stories change every 20 years in The Grimm Realm and has everyone's fairy tale family tree." Ben explained as he held out the book for them to take a look.
Carlos accepted the book and winced a bit as he saw his mother's image, but she seemed to share a tragic backstory that included being locked away from the outside world and her mother using Dalmatians to control her until a mysterious man came to help give her a happily ever after.
"...hey, does this say anything about maybe Enid's family?" Jay wondered.
"I mean, it might..." Ben shrugged. "What do you know about her family's story?"
"Something about Mother Nature, Grandmother Willow, Old Man River, and all of that," Jay shrugged. "Maybe this could help her and maybe this can help me find out about my story too other than the junk shop I used to live in ripped off your old man's pawnshop."
"Yeah, sounds like your biological father was a con artist who hypnotized people." Chad nodded.
"Watch it, Chaderella." Jay warned.
Carlos chuckled at that.
"Oh, please," Chad rolled his eyes and smirked. "My sister is the girl in the family so she'll clearly inherit the Cinderella fortune while I become a Prince Charming someday, perhaps to that lovely vixen Amalie who is said to be descended from Cupid and Aphrodite herself~"
The others simply rolled their eyes at that.
"I guess I could try to look those guys up..." Ben shrugged.
"...Mom?" Jordan murmured as she glanced at the book to see a servant girl named Dalia who was the daughter of The Agrabah's Sultana Aneesa's servant who was shown with The Genie of Agrabah AKA Sidney Glass in Storybrooke as he was giving her a special ring as a gift.
"...this book really has everything..." Carlos whispered.
Everyone flipped through the book a bit, though some pages seemed to be tattered, torn, or missing which left some questions unanswered, such as Enid's legacy. There was also one page that had five symbols on it along with a temple to lead to another plot twist.
"Some pages are missing and that means one thing." Ben realized.
"Yeah, the last person who had this book had an annoying baby sister who tore out pages of books that weren't hers and get you in trouble with school and then you have to use your allowance to pay for the book." Chad scoffed.
"Uh, no, it means there's a mystery in Storybrooke and we should probably solve it." Ben clarified, rolling his eyes slightly at Chad.
"Then looks like it's up to me with my own mysterious past," Jay proclaimed as he stood up on top of the cafeteria table, making everyone suddenly look at him. "We're finding out the fourth mysterious Queen of Darkness!" he added as he hopped down and raced to the door only to come back over, bowing his head awkwardly as Headmaster Goose pointed the other direction. "I-I was gonna storm out into town and start this, but... I should probably wait until school ends."
"Great idea, Jay." Jordan remarked.
"Oh, yes, truly genius." Ben added as he closed the book for now.
Chapter 13: One Pirate's Treasure
Chapter Text
"Fluff dammit, Carlos..." Carla pouted to herself as she was wandering down the streets. "You know I can help you out if you really need someone to talk to and not just someone who seems to be embracing being the descendant of a villain than someone who wants to tell a new story... you're supposed to be my best friend."
Harry looked around as he was given an assignment from Uma and spotted Carla before he went to try to rob her. "Avast! Maiden sporting a beautiful bracelet for Captain Uma for the cotillion, ho!" he then called out suddenly.
"Huh? AAAAAAUGH!" Carla blinked and yelped as Harry suddenly trapped her and grabbed her.
"...Hmm... You... Look familiar..." The pirate boy said as he took a look at Carla, reaching out to see her up close. "...Ah, yes... One of the de Vil spawn."
"...Harry Jones?" Carla asked as she got free for a moment. "What're you doing?"
"On a task for Captain Uma!" Harry announced before sounding normal for a moment. "She trusts me as her right-hook man."
"Boy, I wouldn't mind if you took some of my so-called mother's furs..." Carla murmured. She then off a moment and came back with a blue gemmed gold bracelet. "How about this?" she offered.
"Ahhh~..." Harry grinned as he reached out his left hand which had a hook on it as he took a hold of the bracelet to get a closer look. "Yes, yes, yes... This looks absolutely perfect!"
Carla gave a small smile. "Then you can take it for her..." she told him.
"Ye have shown a great use, lass..." Harry grinned. "I highly approve for yer time."
"Well, help yourself to any other treasure from my family as long as it isn't Carlos' laptop, 3D printer, or our mother's furs or this necklace." Carla offered and then gestured to her necklace.
"Lovely necklace." Harry observed.
"Thanks, I've had it for forever." Carla admitted.
"...and you say I can have any treasure besides those things you said?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Carla nodded.
"Speaking of which~..." Harry said before he grabbed a hold of Carla to put her over his shoulder, a bit eagerly.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Carla yelped as her hands automatically gripped at the back of his coat to make sure she wouldn't fall. "I didn't say Me!" she squirmed a little.
"Ye said that I could have anythin' I wanted~" Harry grinned from that.
Carla blinked but soon settled into a more comfortable position. "And you wanted me?" She had to ask as they moved on.
"Sure, why not?" Harry chuckled. "Uma could always use a helpin' hand~... Just as long as ye remember, I'm #1 in her eyes~"
"Let's hope the bracelet is a good enough peace offering..." Carla mumbled as she just relaxed, going with the flow. "So you and Uma are a thing? " she asked, curious.
"I'd like to hope so," Harry grinned a bit eagerly as he took Carla away from home to take her out to the Fish & Chips place. "She couldn't get anywhere without me~..."
Carla gave a hum.
Harry brought Carla along over to Uma's new hideout which was in the alley where Samantha and Smee would supervise them since they were teenagers and still needed slight adult supervision.
"What'd you bring, Harry?" Uma smirked, amused by his 'captive' and curious of what other things he might have brought.
"Oh, a shimmerin' bracelet along with a wee lassie of a hostage~" Harry replied, displaying both "treasures" to his boss.
Uma stood up and approached. She held out her hand for the bracelet first. Her dark eyes glancing over Carla calculatingly. Carla gave a timid smile, mostly nervous due to her brother not being with her at the moment.
"Maybe she could be of use to us?" Harry suggested.
Uma slid the bracelet on her wrist accepting it. She then looked over Carla, circling her like a vulture almost. "What's your name?" she asked Carla.
"Carla de Vil." Carla introduced herself quietly.
"Hmm... well we'll find out how useful she can be a bit later," Uma mused. "Which one of you lot knows best out of treating wounds?" she then called out to her crew.
"Look alive!" Harry called out, trying to show force as the second-in-command next to Uma.
The crew looked among each other before one of the other girls stepped out to volunteer herself.
Uma looked to the girl. "Check over Carla here's leg and fix her up, we need her shipshape," she told the girl, though not unkind. Yes she was firm but she did love her crew. She directed Carla to a chair and then looked at Harry. "Walk with me." she told him, as she gestured for him to follow her a moment.
Carla sat, looking a bit stunned. Harry grinned eagerly and nodded as he followed after Uma, hoping that this would be very good news.
"I appreciate the bracelet, but you do know the girl is the sister of Fur Lady's boy who was in the traitor's gang, right?" Uma had to check her first mate knew that.
"Aye, I know..." Harry said bashfully. "I just thought maybe she'd be useful... Also keep her and the rest of the crew busy with her bein' new an' all... So we can have a little more time together..." he then said hopefully as he took her hand.
Uma looked at their joined hands and then gently but firmly took her hand out of his grip but patted his shoulder. "Alright, if she doesn't work well though we can always use her as leverage against Fur Boy, though I think as you brought her you should keep the closest eye on her," she said. "Good job on finding her," she complimented though.
"Oh! Thank you kindly..." Harry beamed. "It should at least be interestin'... 'Specially for what ye may have planned..."
"And Harry?" Uma then asked, after turning to walk off a moment, but stopping to tell him one more thing.
"Yes, Uma?" Harry replied, very hopefully.
"You're the best friend of a first mate a girl could have." Uma told him, putting emphasis on the word "friend", hoping he'd get what she meant.
"Ah, aye... Of course we are friends... Very special friends..." Harry grinned from that.
"Just friends." Uma told him, though not unkind, before she had to go to the kitchen before her mom yelled.
"Sailin' for adventure as very special friends." Harry continued with his own delusions.
"Boy, she means only friends, not 'special friends'." Samantha soon told him as she was there with her brother, Smee.
"...So she and I are...?" Harry started to ask. "...Noncompatible?"
"'Fraid so, laddie." Smee nodded before he and his sister turned back to what they were doing as they supervised Uma and her crew.
"No... No!" Harry soon cried out like he was in major distress. "NOOOO!"
"All right, let me have a look..." The pirate girl said as she came to check over Carla and brought out a first aid kit as well.
"A-Alright..." Carla said quietly, removed her boot and rolled up her legging, revealing the not-so-white any more cloth used to be a T-shirt that had been torn into strips.
The pirate girl winced a bit, but she soon did her best to nurse Carla as it was her job while the rest of the crew went their separate ways.
Carla didn't seem to flinch as her ankle was treated, not even wincing at the thought she might need stitches. "If you have to do any stitches go for it, you'll do a better job of it than I could do myself," she told the girl.
"You might wanna hold this in that case." The pirate girl said, bringing out a rubber ball for stress and pressure.
Carla took it and gave a small nod. "What's your name?" she had to ask.
"I'm Desiree," The pirate girl replied as she catered to Carla. "I'm just trying to find myself like the others who work with Uma, Gil, and Harry."
"Good to meet yo.," Carla told her quietly.
"Likewise," Desiree nodded. "Okay, you might wanna get a good grip on that ball right now."
"Just go ahead," Carla told Desiree. "I've done it a few times myself." she admitted.
"All right, suit yourself." Desiree replied as she did the harder procedure with stitching.
Carla only flinched at the first one.
"Sorry." Desiree said from that as she continued.
"It's fine." Carla promised and settled back a little barely reacting after that.
Desiree flinched a bit from Harry's outburst, but didn't let it interfere with her work. Carla winced at the shouting, covering her ears slightly. Once the shouting had done she looked worriedly towards Harry. Desiree then continued until she finished up her job to heal up Carla as best as possible.
Carla frowned as he walked off. She, however, gave a small smile to Desiree after she had been patched up. "Thanks, Desiree." she said. Yes, they didn't often thank each other back in Neverland, Carla had been raised to be a bit more submissive in manners especially unless she felt she needed to take a stand.
"Sure." Desiree nodded her head as she soon took her kit and tipped her hat at Carla once the job was done.
Carla nodded her head in return and carefully rolled her legging leg down and put on her boot. There was a light sound heard. It was a sad sound. A very sad sound indeed, it was someone crying. Carla frowned as she heard that and, carefully so not to ruin Desiree's work, limped out to find the one crying. She followed the sound until she reached the person. Harry was shown to be curled up a bit against a corner and began to cry in his hands as he looked completely and utterly heartbroken.
Carla slowly approached and then reached down to gently put a hand on his shoulder. "Harry?" she asked softly.
"Gah!" Harry let out a startled yelp as he stood up straight and looked like he was bracing himself for danger as he looked over. "Oh... It's you..." he then said softly. "...You should never sneak up on a professional pirate like that, ya know."
"Are you alright?" Carla asked him softly.
"Oh... Sure... I'm fine..." Harry smirked coolly as he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Why wouldn't I be okay? I'm just dandy!"
Carla limped to his side and leaned against the wall next to him. "It's alright not to be tough all the time..." she told him softly. She then took his hand softly. "If you need a shoulder to cry on, I won't tell anyone..." she said softly.
"...Really?" Harry asked softly.
Carla nodded and then sat down and looked up to him. "Come here," she said softly, and opened her arms.
Harry looked over before he looked a bit tearful before he soon grabbed Carla into the hug, sitting with her as he cried a bit. "I try so hard to impress her!"
Carla rested her head on top of his and hugged him soothingly. "Well if you have to work that hard to try and get her to like you then it's not worth it... you deserve better than to be with someone who doesn't appreciate your talents the way you want them too," she told him at first, softly. "And it might be a little awkward at first, but you can still be friends, after all here friends are precious so don't allow it to break your friendship," she told him. She gently moved the hook so it hung on his belt so there would be no accidental injuries from it.
Harry glanced over tearfully once he let go and wiped his blue eyes a bit. "Really?" he then asked softly.
Carla gave a soft nod. "Really, already from what i've seen of you you're a very special guy," she told him softly. "You'll find someone who'll love you without the need to be impressed," she assured him.
"...But isn't that what yew girls like...?" Harry asked softly. "My old man has said that's how ya win a girl's heart if ya can't threaten her family to walk the plank. Next to exotic treasures and priceless gifts."
"Some girls like treasures and gifts, but most don't need them," Carla told him softly. "For example, I'd personally prefer just spending time with the guy I was with." she added.
"...You would...?" Harry asked softly from that.
Carla nodded with a small smile.
"...Are you sayin' I was a fool with Uma though?" Harry pouted a bit.
"No, I'm saying she doesn't deserve you... she might be cool from what I know but she is silly for not appreciating you." Carla told him, hoping she wouldn't get hooked for calling Uma silly.
Harry looked over before he stared at the floor with a sigh. "I just try my best... We were clearly made for each other..."
"What makes you think that?" Carla asked, sounding genuinely curious to why he thought that.
"I've known her a looong time..." Harry sighed softly.
"Uma hasn't been in town very long though." Gil randomly said.
"She trusts me... I'm her right-hook man... I forage for treasures or food for her," Harry then continued to Carla, ignoring Gil's input. "She couldn't just use me like a tool, could she?"
Carla bit her lip slightly. "I'm afraid it sounds like she is a bit..." she said softly. "But I do also think she thinks of you as a friend." she added gently. She gently ran her fingers through his brown hair soothingly, it was one thing she liked as it soothed her too.
"Oh..." Harry let out a very sad sigh before he slowly closed his eyes as he felt like Uma was just using him so he held his chest with his right hand. He soon slowly calmed down and felt a bit better from Carla's comfort as it was a bit unknown to him, but he did enjoy how it felt.
Carla shifted so her bad leg was draped over his, her other leg behind him and let his head rest against her collarbone. Her free hand wrapped around his shoulders, so she was almost cocooning him with her silent comfort and presence.
"What is this warm feeling I have right now?" Harry wondered.
Carla pondered a moment but as it was quite chilly out, she knew it wasn't from temperature wise. "Can you describe it?" She asked quietly.
"My insides just feel... Warm..." Harry replied as best as he could before he touched where his heart was on his chest. "Mostly around here."
"It could be because you have someone who's caring for and cares about you." Carla said softly as she toyed gently with the strands of his brown locks.
Harry looked bashful as he suddenly got quiet, though he seemed to like the comfort "Besides my dad even if he's a butthead sometimes like the time he drove me to run away to Neverland?" he then asked.
"Well, parents can be buttheads sometimes, but they still love us..." Carla said softly.
"Aye... I suppose..." Harry replied.
Carla leaned her head against his. Harry came a bit closer towards Carla as a bond formed between the two of them. Carla gave a soothing smile.
"Yer alright... For a treenket..." Harry said softly with a small smile back as he slowly warmed up to her.
Carla gave a soft chuckle. "Surely I'm more than just a 'trinket'" she smirked slightly though it was still soft.
"Well, ye are a treasure of the House of de Vil and ye said I could take a treasure." Harry smirked a bit.
Carla chuckled. "If you want to nickname me Trinket that's fine." she then told him, hiding her blush in his hair at the fact he called her a treasure too.
"Heheheh... That sounds good to me~" Harry chuckled. "I hope ye like it here with Uma's crew, Treenket, 'cuz ye will be here for a while."
Carla smiled as she didn't seem to mind so terribly and today ended up being quite an adventure for her.
Carla was soon trying to memorize the way to Ruby's place after her little misadventure and acceptance into Uma's crew. She was sure she knew where she was going, but as she was thinking about it, a certain car seemed to speed up very closely where she was and she even looked over as the car suddenly stopped right beside her.
"Oh. Good day to you, dahling."
"Hello, Ms. de Vil." Carla greeted politely, even if the woman was one of the Queens of Darkness and happened to be her biological mother.
"Why so formal, dear? We're family after all~" Cruella reminded her before smirking. "You look a little lost, dahling. Do you need a ride?" she then offered.
"Oh, I don't know... I don't want to be a bother..." Carla started to say, about to deny at first.
"Oh, come along now~" Cruella smirked. "What harm could one little drive do you?"
Carla bit her lip a moment but then gave a small nod. "Alright I accept," she said softly and then got into the passenger seat.
Cruella beamed at that and unlocked the door, allowing her to come on in.
Carla gave a small smile and slipped in before buckling herself in. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Don't say I never did anything for you or anyone else now~" Cruella replied and soon took off driving at rather rapid speed.
Carla glanced to her. "I wasn't going to say that." she assured quietly, but wasn't too scared even with the speed.
Cruella chuckled warmly as she took herself and Carla out for a rather speedy and chaotic ride, but was smart enough not to crash at least. Carla had a small smile as she wasn't too scared of the fast speed.
Maleficent stepped in front of the road where Cruella and Carla were on their way down.
"Uhh!" Cruella grunted as she had to stop the car suddenly.
Carla did look scared of that for a moment and braced herself but then sighed in relief as Cruella stopped in time.
"We need to talk." Maleficent said calm but cold.
"Good thing I had my brakes serviced, darling," Cruella retorted to the Dark Fairy. "I do hate getting blood on the car, especially with a guest."
"There's still time for that, though your car guest will be safe," Maleficent told Cruella. "Tell me about Lily." she then ordered the black and white haired woman.
"Sorry, who?" Cruella asked.
"My daughter Lily," Maleficent said. "You told me she didn't survive the trip to this world... You lied." she told her.
"Perhaps I did. Um, but there's an explanation, of course," Cruella then said to Maleficent. "You see, um... I'm a really terrible person, and I left her in the woods to die."
Carla looked horrified at hearing that.
"You did what?" Maleficent asked as she took a step towards Cruella, her tone darkening in anger.
"Oh, don't be so flabbergasted. You know I'm not mother material," Cruella replied. "Ursula, Gothel... or rather... Cassandra, and I took that dragon egg she was in. Oh, the magic helped us stay young, you know. Wonderful thing." she then added, sounding thankful she still looked "youthful and gorgeous".
Maleficent continued to glare. "My daughter," she stated clearly.
"Yes. Well..." Cruella began to reply from that.
"You should know your death is going to last for days," Maleficent said as she walked just a little away and turned into her dragon form.
Cruella stepped back a bit before checking on Carla a moment, though mostly because that was her daughter who was in her car. Carla looked a mix of concerned, shocked and even a slight bit of awe over getting to see a proper dragon form dragon.
"Pardon me a moment, dahling," Cruella told Carla before she would do what she would have to do on Maleficent. "I have to tame a wild beast."
Carla gave a small nod.
Cruella soon stood brave and tall and let out a deep exhale of green magic blowing from her mouth like smoke and it wafted right into Maleficent's face as she hid a small grin. "Oh, I was so hoping you'd do that. People always underestimate a girl in diamonds and furs, don't they?" she then told the dragon. "I mean, no one guessed what I was really after. Not Gold. Certainly not you. But now that the Author is here, today is the day that I get mine. Now be a good girl, lie down, and take a nap." she then added since her magic allowed her to have control over any animal and that included dragons.
Dragon Maleficent laid down, her eyes closing as she fell asleep. Carla watched with wide eyes. Cruella nodded at that and soon came to go back into the car with Carla.
"Um, will she be alright out here asleep?" Carla asked Cruella.
"She'll be just fine, are you going to disturb a slumbering dragon?" Cruella reassured and then rhetorically asked as she came back behind the wheel.
"No, I wouldn't." Carla said to that.
"She'll be okay," Cruella said with a small smirk as she started the car. "Also at least this way she can get some beauty sleep. Not everyone is born with gorgeousness like me or yourself."
Carla blushed a bit at the compliment. Cruella then continued their drive out into the woods after Maleficent was disposed of.
"Aren't we heading back to town?" Carla asked curiously, though wasn't too worried yet.
"I just need to make a little stop first." Cruella replied mysteriously.
"Alright." Carla said with a small nod.
"That's not a problem, is it?" Cruella asked Carla then.
"Oh, no, no trouble at all." Carla reassured her.
Cruella nodded. Carla gave a small nod, feeling it would be better to just agree with her mother than protest. She decided to just watch the scenery go by.
"Ooh, this song always spoke to me~" Cruella smirked as she turned up the radio playing a hit from the 1920s that had a rather distinct piano tune to it.
Carla tilted her head as she listened. Cruella smirked warmly as she bobbed her head along to the music, humming to it as it had no words and it was just a catchy tune.
"I recognize this tune, unfortunately it's not the nicest lyrics but it's dedicated to you." Carla had to admit.
"Oh! It's about me?" Cruella grinned. "How delightfully devilish~"
Carla gave a small smile. "I can tell you them, but just know it's from some of The Lost Boys and Girls and I don't personally think the things." she told her.
"...Very well..." Cruella replied curiously as she was eager to know a bit more about 'the song about her".
Carla started to sing quietly to the song, with the lyrics of the movie. Cruella listened and seemed to enjoy it a bit until she looked curious at some of the words that were being said about her in the song. Carla blushed as she continued but soon finished the lyrics.
"...Well, that was interesting." Cruella said after the song had ended.
Carla gave a small half smile.
"Thank you for sharing that." Cruella told her softly.
Carla nodded a little. Cruella continued to drive around until she decided to come to a stop. Carla blinked at the stop, then looked around. Cruella soon stopped and began to think as she looked like she had something planned, but trying to keep it from Carla.
Rumple had left the Author, Isaac, in the cabin as he had gone to see Belle who had been calling him. Isaac was a bit worried but was soon starting to read The Great Gatsby.
Cruella looked over to the cabin and looked like she was about to go there. "Do you have somewhere you need to be?" she asked Carla.
"No, not really, but I promised Miss Ruby I'd meet up with her a little later." Carla said softly.
"Well, I have an appointment myself, so I'll drop you off, okay?" Cruella replied with a small smile.
"I don't mind waiting if your meeting is the cabin and not too long," Carla offered, not one to be impolite. "Or I can get out and walk from here." she added to the offer.
"Up to you, but either way, I need to go into that cabin for a moment." Cruella replied.
Carla nodded. "I'll wait then but if it's more than an hour I'll walk back." she smiled slightly as a compromise.
"Very well," Cruella nodded as she turned her car off for now. "Please excuse me."
Carla gave a nod to that.
"See you later... maybe~" Cruella mused with a small smile as she left her car to go into the cabin.
Carla nodded with a small smile in return.
Isaac continued to read.
Cruella nodded at Carla and soon went right into the cabin. "Don't bother studying the greats, darling. You'll never be one of them," she soon said to the man who was reading. "Hello, Isaac. Never thought you'd see me again, did you?" she then greeted him with a small smirk.
"I was certainly hoping not to." Isaac answered to that.
"Then why don't you make this easy and give me back what you took?" Cruella demanded with a scoff.
"Can't do it," Isaac told her and then gave a smug little smile. "Sorry." he told her, not sounding it at all.
Cruella glared and suddenly backed him up against the wall and nearly had her hand around his throat. "With one whistle, I can send a hundred snarling dogs after you." she threatened.
"You could," Isaac agreed as he leaned back a little from the grab. "But you and I both know that even with all your magic, you don't have enough power to hurt me." he finished.
Cruella soon let him go, slightly annoyed, but had a small smile. "I do hate it when you're right, darling. Though I do like this new shade of confidence. It's so... Masculine~" she admitted and then whispered, trying to be seductive as she leaned up against him. "Are you sure you can't help a girl out? For old time's sake?"
Isaac looked tempted for a moment but closed his eyes then looked and moved away. "Not a chance." he told her.
"Well, then you will pay for what you did when you made me what I am." Cruella firmly frowned in response.
"You know, idle threats don't make for good drama," Isaac told her. "But I do see one interesting story developing here." he then smirked.
"Really?" Cruella asked. "And what's that?"
"Rumplestiltskin, has no idea that we know each other," Isaac pointed out. "Which means that... You lied to him," he smirked. "So even though you kept our children from me... from one old friend to another, you should probably be gone before he gets back." he warned.
"Ah, you remember the gift you gave me that kept on giving for nine months, but twice as much as they ended up being twins," Cruella remarked about what he said about "their children". "Oh, you always did know how to infuriate a girl, didn't you? Well, enjoy the upper hand while it's still on your wrist, because I think you'll find... There's more than one way to skin an Author." she then added as she grabbed her fur coat and was on her way out the door.
Isaac nodded as he seemed to keep reading a bit then. Cruella glanced at the door again, but then shook her head, put on her coat, and headed right back to her car.
Carla put her phone for now and then looked over as Cruella came out of the cabin. Cruella soon came back into the car and put the key in as she took a couple of deep breaths.
"Is everything okay?" Carla asked Cruella.
"It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either." Cruella sighed as she tried to explain.
Carla nodded a little to that.
"You seem to be in a better mood than I do right now at least." Cruella pointed out to her.
"Miss Ruby thinks I should get my nails done and take me shopping for a dress for the cotillion." Carla explained.
"Oh, happy news? That's nice... for you." Cruella replied as she started the car again, going to drive a bit more.
"Thank you." Carla said softly with a small smile.
"You're welcome." Cruella replied.
Carla then shyly looked out of the window and looked thoughtful. Cruella continued to drive along for a bit before going back into town in case Carla was eager to go back home sooner or later. Carla continued to be thoughtful as she looked out of the window. Cruella soon stopped the car a little ways away from where Granny, Kiara, and Ruby lived as a family.
"Oh, thank you." Carla blinked but then smiled.
"You're welcome," Cruella replied. "I'm afraid I have business elsewhere at the moment."
"May I ask what? Or at the very least where you might need to be?" Carla asked and then added with a small blush as she wasn't trying to be nosy.
"It's very personal..." Cruella replied mysteriously. "Let's say it's... a family matter you'll find out about later."
Carla gave a small nod, though bit her lip a little, wondering if she was going to go off to try and find the twins.
"I'll see you around." Cruella said with a small smile.
"See you around." Carla said quietly with a small smile. She then started to leave the car.
Cruella nodded and gave a small smile back before she drove off after dropping Carla back off at the Lucas' family.
Ben then looked around the other pages a bit. "Hey, here's a story about a hidden princess who was raised in The Enchanted Forest with no known family," he then told Audrey, finding an illustration of a strawberry blonde woman with ocean blue eyes who was among friend such as Bambi the Faun, Flower the Skunk, and Thumper the Rabbit. "Her name is Giselle."
Audrey looked down towards the book too.
"Hm... it says here that Giselle taught Snow White how to talk to animals due to being a legendary princess of nature." Ben remarked as he saw another note about the mysterious girl who was born and raised in The Enchanted Forest with no known human family.
Audrey smiled a little bit to that.
"...I wonder if I should look into my story..." Ben mused thoughtfully. "...maybe I should talk to Neal too since, well, we're both the sons of Rumplestiltskin, but with very different experiences of him raising us."
"Well, that's up to you, but know that sometimes these stories point out more than we knew about our lives." Audrey said and gave him a piece of gently warning advice.
"Hmm..." Ben hummed in thought.
"Here you go, kiddos." Granny said as she gave them their milkshakes.
"Thank you, Granny." Audrey said with a polite smile to the older woman.
"Yes, thank you." Ben added.
"Certainly." Granny nodded.
Audrey smiled and took a sip of her milkshake and hummed happily. Ben did the same, beaming at the taste as she loved milkshakes.
"This is really good~" Audrey hummed.
"Definitely, tastes sweeter than usual," Ben nodded before blushing. "Probably cuz I'm with you."
Audrey blinked and blushed a little to that but smiled. "Aww, thank you~" she grinned.
Ben blushed, turning nearly all pink in his face. "You're welcome~" he then said.
Audrey smiled warmly to him. Ben smiled back and continued to flip through other pages, looking very intrigued so far. Audrey looked a bit too.
"King Arthur..." Ben whispered in awe. "I wonder what he's like?"
Audrey hummed curiously too, but not as awed as Ben.
"Merlin... funny, he doesn't look at all what I pictured." Ben remarked as he looked over the Camelot chapter.
"He's missing the long beard," Audrey chuckled.
"Maybe I should fix that." Ben said playfully as he took out his writing pen, but wasn't actually going to ruin the book.
"No, don't, it suits this version of him~" Audrey said playfully.
Ben chuckled and put the pen away. "Yeah, maybe you're right." he then agreed.
Audrey chuckled too. Ben continued to flip through the pages, looking thoughtful.
"What is that?" Kiara wondered as she saw Audrey and Ben.
"Benny Boo's new book." Audrey simply told her.
"You got to make a book?" Kiara asked Ben.
"No, no, it's a book I found in the pawnshop and my mom let me have it." Ben clarified.
Audrey took a sip of her milkshake. "Hence it's Ben's like that other special book is Henry's." she grinned.
"Oh, I see," Kiara nodded. "Find anything interesting?"
"Mostly that it seems that every story repeats after 20 years or so," Ben replied. "Some sort of cycle made by Mother Goose."
Audrey nodded.
"Am I in there?" Kiara wondered.
"Keep your mitts of my cloak, I need it for times I don't want wolf time." Ruby said with a playful tone and playful stink-eye, happening to walk by then.
"Oh, come on, it looks so good on me." Kiara smirked at Ruby.
Ben hid a small chuckle at their interaction.
"It looks better on me~" Ruby smirked.
"Well, I need something to wear to the big dance." Kiara remarked.
"Maybe you could wear that lion necklace." Ben suggested.
"I could take you and Carla out for dress shopping," Ruby offered. "We can match it to your necklace." she added.
"Ooh~" Audrey whispered at that. "I believe Flora mentioned she was going to try to open a dress shop around here since she helped give my mother her trademark gown which I think looks great in pink."
"I prefer blue myself." Ben replied to that.
"Thanks, Rubes." Kiara smiled at that as Ben continued to glance through the book.
Ruby smiled to that.
"Who are you gonna ask to the dance?" Ben asked Kiara.
"Uh, no one important." Kiara said innocently.
"Come on, you can tell us~" Audrey grinned.
"I dunno~" Kiara giggled innocently.
"I just hope it's not that one Lost Boy who says he was raised by people who worshipped hyenas or any other Big Bad Predator." Granny muttered as she overheard that.
Ben looked a bit concerned as that gave him an idea about Kiara. Ruby glanced to Granny at that. Kiara bit her lip nervously as Granny mentioned the Lost Boy who came from people who worshipped the hyenas.
"...Kiara?" Ben whispered curiously.
Ruby then glanced over too
"You might as well tell us or we're just gonna keep staring at you awkwardly." Audrey advised Kiara.
"...Okay, it's Kovu." Kiara admitted quietly.
Ben looked a little unsure about that because of what he learned about Ruby's family and how they were with wolves and Kiara's biological family came from a tribe that held lions in high regard, but Kovu's family? It was hyenas who were enemies to the lions.
"Well, he better treat you right," Ruby said to that.
Kiara merely nodded in response.
"So you're letting her do it?" Audrey asked Ruby.
"You'll tell me if he does anything bad," Ruby told Kiara. She then looked softly and warmly to Audrey. "I snuck out of a house to meet with someone though that turned out bad, I'd rather know where she's going and who with than forbidding and not knowing." she told her.
Ben looked sheepish and nodded at Ruby.
"I will, Ruby, I will." Kiara promised her since they were raised like big and little sister.
Ruby smiled to them all.
"Also call me because I'll do something about it too." Ben told Kiara.
"Ooh, I wonder what you would do, Ben?" Kiara giggled.
"Uh, I'll, erm... I'll go Beast on him, how about that?" Ben then suggested for a punishment. He then clenched his hands to look like claws and glared, growling as he tried to seem like a Beast.
Everyone shared a small laugh at that as it was a bit amusing.
"Well she might not be happy, but she'd rather know too," Ruby chuckled. "Especially with what happened with me, especially since the man I met at the time was male and Kovu happens to be one too, so it might be worse."
"Worse?" Kiara asked.
Ruby nodded. "Kovu is a male after all." she pointed out.
Granny then walked by and looked over at them before going back into the kitchen.
"Should I tell her now?" Kiara wondered.
"Why don't we do it together after the diner closes for the night later," Ruby suggested.
"Well, okay..." Kiara replied. "I'm just a little nervous."
"Ruby will help, that's what big sisters are for." Ben advised.
Ruby nodded to that.
"Don't I know it?" Audrey agreed.
"You have a sister, Audrey?" Kiara asked out of confusion.
"No, but back home I had this older cousin Ariana who was kind of like a big sister," Audrey explained. "Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather made her a graduation gown when she graduated from Princess College and to this day, she's still looking for her own Prince Charming since she seems to be jealous of me and Benny Boo."
"How... how do you have a cousin when both your parents are only children?" Ben asked himself as he was just stuck on the detail that Audrey apparently had a cousin.
"Maybe that will tell you." Audrey smirked as she pointed at the book. "Maybe my mom has a twin sister who was separated from her at birth and was raised by Maleficent and fell in love with her bird minion?"
"Well, I guess I'm lucky I was found by your family then, Ruby," Kiara beamed. "You always treated me like one of your own."
Ben and Audrey both nodded and gave small smiles at that. Ruby gave a smile and offered a hug to Kiara. Kiara happily bounced over and went to hug Ruby back. Ben glanced at them with a small smile and then looked back at his new book.
Ruby gave Kiara a warm squeeze in the hug. "We might not be through blood, but we're family, kiddo." she smiled.
"Family." Kiara smiled back with a nod.
Ruby smiled to that.
Kiara smiled back. "I'll get out of your way now." she then said.
"See you later." Ruby told her warmly.
Kiara nodded and then went away after that.
Chapter 14: Sympathy for the de Vils
Chapter Text
In the school amphitheater, Jay was there along with several other boys from school and they held swords as it was time for a sports practice. "All right, boys. Let's line it up," he then told the others. "Carlos, you're with me." he then told the freckled boy with black-and-white hair.
"Let's go." Carlos nodded.
The boys in the room all formed two lines across from each other with Jay across from Carlos.
"Yeah," Jay then said and began to instruct the others. "Assembler. Salute. Lower the point. Masks down," he then told them as they all did what they were instructed to do since he was in charge. "En garde!"
The boys put down fencing masks and they all grunted and dueled.
"Keep your center!" Jay instructed as he spun Carlos away before sliding after the boy.
"Whoa!" Carlos yelped as he dodged that.
"Eyes on your opponent!" Jay continued. "Up and over."
Carlos then jumped over a couple of boxes before landing on one and then doing a flip over it. Jane, Enid, and a bunch of cheerleaders came by and decided to watch the boys in action from above. Jay removed his mask as he was nearly ambushed by another teammate.
"Get him, Jay!" Carlos called out.
The two opponents duel acrobatically, dodging and spinning away from each other's attacks. They locked swords, then jab, missing each other.
"It's practice." Jay whispered.
"Watch out, Jay." Carlos warned as the two continued to clash their swords together and stood face to face against each other.
"Nice!" Jay grinned, approving of his opponent's skills.
The two fighters clashed blades several times, then Jay's opponent snatched his sword in their hand.
"Oh. Jay, what happened?" Carlos asked as Jay was now defenseless.
"Finish him." Chad suggested.
Jay jumped back from the incoming swords before he kicked one of them back into his hand.
Unmasked, her opponent revealed her flowing ginger hair and green cat-like eyes. "Pray for mercy from Tonio in Boots... fear me, if you dare~" he then grinned and challenged.
"It's Puss in Boots' son!" Enid realized.
"Whoo!" Jane beamed and clapped with the other girls as they had watched everything.
"Not bad," Jay smiled. "Almost reminds me of when Lonnie went to school here."
"Way to go, son." Markus told Tonio proudly.
"Gracias, Papa." Tonio beamed.
"We're putting the son of a cat on our team?" Chad asked.
"Yes, Chad, you are and former cat, I'll remind you," Markus told the boy. "After all, I'm your fencing coach and I learned the best from The Three Musketeers."
"Yeah, but were any of them cats?" Chad asked.
"Let it go, Chad," Jay advised as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "If Coach Boots was his son on the team, then he'll be on the team."
"Thank you, Jay," Markus nodded and approved of Jay's maturity. "All right, guys. Practice is over." he then told the other boys.
"Come on, guys, I'll give you a ride home." Jay told Carlos and some others as Enid came beside him.
"Miss Lotus taught you how to drive?" Carlos asked Jay.
"Better her than your mother, right?" Jay smirked and chuckled.
"Jay..." Enid tutted at that.
"Hey, it was a joke, I'm joking." Jay replied innocently.
As the team and spectators dispersed, Carlos looked up to see Jane.
"Let's go!" Jay soon called out as he went to leave with Enid.
"Uh, you guys go on ahead, I'll catch up." Carlos said.
Jay shrugged and then looked over and smiled.
"I'll go on ahead with you, Jay~" Enid beamed as she took his hand.
"So, how was cheerleading?" Jay asked Enid on the way out ahead of Carlos.
"Meh. It was okay." Enid shrugged as she followed him out.
"Jane!" Carlos called as he then rushed to go hop on a box to stand brave and tall. "Jane, hey. Hey."
"Hey, Carlos, what's up?" Jane smiled and asked once she noticed him.
"Uh... Not much. You?" Carlos replied bashfully.
"Way too much," Jane sighed, sounding exhausted. "We were gonna go with the blue and gold banners for Cotillion, but now we can't find the right shade of blue."
"Oh, yeah, no, that's a... that's a bummer," Carlos replied. "Um, speaking of Cotillion..."
"I know, right? It's all anybody is talking about," Jane complained. "Cotillion 24/7. I-It's like they've never been to one before while their parents all went to balls in the kingdom back in The Enchanted Forest."
"Uh... I haven't, actually... and I-I doubt my parents have either." Carlos replied softly.
"Oh..." Jane said softly before going back into her little rant. "Lucky. I always end up serving punch with my mom anyway or help give dressing tips since I'm supposed to be a fairy godmother. This year, I got stuck on the decorating committee because Audrey has a very crucial and important spa appointment with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather."
"Jane, maybe we should just-" Carlos began to ask.
"Skip the whole thing? I really, really wish I could," Jane asked for him and scoffed. "It's so nice to have a friend who's on the same wavelength." she then smiled warmly at him for listening to her.
"Oh, you got me." Carlos chuckled sheepishly as he grabbed his arm like she had wounded him.
Jane soon laughed along with him. Her cell phone then began to chime, sounding like the waving of a magic wand which seemed to be fitting as she was a young fairy and her mother was The Blue Fairy. "I gotta go," she then said as she picked up her phone. "Great practice, though."
"Yeah." Carlos nodded.
Jane smiled at him and then turned to leave, taking the call. "See ya. Hey, Mom." she told him as she answered her phone.
Carlos then turned to the door before seeing the school janitor there who gave him a bit of a look. "It wasn't the right time, all right?" he defended.
The janitor just shrugged at that and continued to clean up and Carlos then sighed as he went to get going.
"Thanks for the lift, guys," Carlos said as he was getting out of a car. "I don't live far from here."
"See ya, buddy." Jay nodded as he drove away after dropping Carlos off, then rode away with Chad and Ben.
Carlos smiled and soon began to walk over to Ruby's until he stopped and saw a certain dog out and about. "Hey, Dude. What are you doing here? You shouldn't be out here by yourself." he greeted and then asked with a small, curious smile.
Dude merely stared up at Carlos in silence for a moment.
"...are you okay, Dude?" Carlos asked, concerned. "You're strangely quiet right now."
Dude didn't seem to respond and suddenly ran away.
"Dude! Dude! Dude!" Carlos soon called to the dog, chasing after him.
Dude soon stopped into an alley, going beside a graffiti of green flames around Maleficent's Dark Fairy form with golden letters that read "LONG LIVE EVIL".
"Okay. Come here, boy." Carlos smiled softly to the dog.
However, Dude suddenly growled and glared at the boy. He then saw a car coming across from them and began to bark.
"Whoa. What's wrong?" Carlos asked. "Calm down."
"Don't blame the dog, darling," Cruella said as she was there and had parked her car. "He's simply following orders, and I told him to fetch."
"...Mom?" Carlos muttered, paling a bit once he saw her right in front of him. "What are you doing?"
"Doing a little job is all~" Cruella replied. "Now be a good boy and get in the car."
"Hey, leave Carlos alone!" Henry called out as he rushed over there.
Dude may have been a very small and scrawny dog, but he still seemed rather frightening. Carlos looked very scared and nervous of the dogs even if they had been nice and friendly, but his childhood fear of dogs plagued him since Cruella raised him and Carla to fear the animal.
"Perhaps your little friend would like to join you if he's so keen." Cruella suggested as she began to threatne Henry.
"No, Mom, please," Carlos begged softly. "It's me that you want, me and Carla. Leave Henry out of this."
"And you'll come along nice and quiet like a good boy for Mummy?" Cruella asked with a smirk.
"...yes, I'll come along," Carlos sighed and looked down at the ground. "I swear I don't know where Carla is right now, but I was in fencing practice."
"And I trust you not to use that sword against me?" Cruella asked.
"I won't, Mom." Carlos promised somberly.
Cruella nodded. "Good boy~" she then grinned devilishly as Carlos sighed softly and soon went to go into his mother's car to spare Henry from her. "And your sister was eager to spend time with me."
"...Carla?" Carlos asked. "Really?"
"Yes, we spent time together and she seemed to enjoy it," Cruella smirked. "Perhaps we can find her, wherever she is since you claim you don't know where she is."
"I don't, I signed up for after school fencing since football didn't work out for me, even after Ben's coaching," Carlos admitted. "Mr. Boot is a good teacher."
"Mr. Boot, huh?" Cruella asked as she began to drive her son away from the alley. "And who would that be?"
"Erm, Mr. Markus Boot, Mom," Carlos simply explained, feeling goosebumps all around her and it didn't help as his fencing uniform was sleeveless. "H-He used to be Puss in Boots and e-e-even trained under The Three Musketeers."
"Fascinating..." Cruella smirked. "You'll thank me for this and I'm doing the others a favor by not taking Henry after all."
"Really? How's that?" Carlos asked his mother softly.
"Someone is taking my puppies away from me, why can't I do the same?" Cruella defended.
Carlos blinked, not sure what she meant for a moment until he thought about his mother probably talking about Ruby and Granny who were very open to taking him and Carla in as their own and Ruby even called them "Pups" and mentioned how she "always wanted to have a puppy someday". He wasn't sure how to respond to that and decided to remain silent for his own good.
Carla was walking along and heard an incoming car, and peeked down only for her eyes to widen as she saw who was down it before seeming to suddenly fall into the bushes as the car sped by, just narrowly missing her. "Mom? Carlos?" she then muttered and bit her lip before she soon started to text Ruby about what was happening, ducking away out of sight for a moment.
Henry soon came out of the way from the alley after the de Vil car had taken off.
Carla stayed out of sight until the car had gone. She then saw Henry. "Oh, hello." she said quietly.
"Carla..." Henry whispered as Cruella drove away at rapid speed.
"Are you ok?" Carla asked the younger boy.
"I'm okay, but... something just happened..." Henry explained. "I need to tell someone about it and I guess that someone is going to be you."
Carla nodded.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Henry suggested.
Carla nodded and started to leave with Henry. Henry looked around as he rushed off to go and find the nearest source of help.
"Oh... by the way," Cruella said as they came to a stoplight. "I have a surprise just for you~"
"Uh, me?" Carlos blinked with wide eyes. "Why me?"
"Because even though you and Carla were twins, you were born first, so I think you deserve this a lot more than she does." Cruella grinned as she explained before she let go of the steering wheel a moment to dig through her purse.
Carlos looked very wary as the surprise could be anything and he just hoped that it wasn't his worst case scenario in mind. Cruella hummed and pouted as she couldn't find the item in her purse as Carlos just felt his heart pump heavily in anticipation of what his mother would bring out for him.
Soon, the devilish woman reached into the sleeve of her fur coat and pulled out what looked like a small red bracelet as she gave her son a creepy, sinister smile that could make the most fearsome of dogs shake in their furs. "You're going to be needing this for your story's future."
Carlos took a bit of a closer look to the trinket in his mother's possession. On closer inspection, the young teen could see that the red bracelet had a buckle and a silver bone-shaped tag hanging from it, almost looking like a... "Is that a dog collar?" he asked as his never-ending childhood fear of dogs felt strong right now under his mother's influence.
"It's not just a dog collar, my boy," Cruella replied silkily. "It's a magic dog collar."
Carlos looked a little confused. "What does it do?" he then asked her.
"Whoever wears the collar gives the commands," Cruella replied with a mischievous sneer. "Like a master with a well-trained dog, such as your Grandmother Madeline for one example."
"Quasimodo's bride?" Carlos then asked.
"What? No!" Cruella glanced at him on confusion and then answered the question. "The wearer of this collar can make people obey them."
"Obey them?" Carlos repeated with obvious doubt in his voice. "Really?"
"Are you calling your mother a liar?" Cruella snapped, throwing her arms in the air.
Carlos then cowered. He was used to her short-temper even from the lost years during The Dark Curse, but it still terrified him. "N-No." he stammered.
Cruella huffed and shoved the collar into his pocket. "Just keep it with you and your future in Storybrooke will be secure." she told him.
"But why would I need it?" Carlos asked, still unsure why he was being offered the supposedly magic gift.
Cruella then started to laugh and Carlos knew that signature maniacal laugh as it often rattled his teeth. "Oh, foolish, foolish boy. You need it because you're weak," she said. "You're not a leader, you're a follower. And if you ever want anyone to do what you say, you're going to need help, lots of it, and who knows what might've happened if your sister went to Neverland instead of you? You abandoned each other."
A loud honk came behind Cruella's car, showing Ursula and Uma in the car behind them, glaring a bit since the light had turned green not too long ago.
"Allow me to show you a gesture I learned from Long Island." Cruella told Carlos then and soon glared behind the window and shook her fist in annoyance.
"Come on, Cruella, move!" Ursula glared as she blared the horn. "No one else is gonna have the fishballs to stand up to you against disobeying the rules of the road!"
"That's okay, Mama," Uma smirked as she held out her hand and began to lift up one certain finger in the air. "Allow me to show you a gesture I learned from Remedial English."
"Uma Morgan McClain!" Ursula gasped with wide eyes as she gripped the wheel as that got her attention more than Cruella stalling at the stoplight.
"What?" Uma shrugged in defense.
'I'll prove her wrong,' Carlos soon thought to himself as his mother then went back to driving and he yelped because of how quick and sudden it was. 'I'll show her that I am a leader. I've just been with the wrong predecessors.'
"Miss Ruby!" Carla soon called as she saw a certain woman in red on a park bench.
"Hm?" Ruby blinked before she looked over and then smiled. "Oh! Hi, Henry. Hello there, Carla. Just taking a little break from my shift." she then said to them.
"Ruby, we have to tell you something." Henry said to the woman.
Ruby looked curious, but was willing to listen. She was very curious until she looked concerned that Carlos had been kidnapped by his own mother. "Aw, no! Not my special little guy!" she then pouted before glaring about Cruella as her mama wolf instincts kicked in. "I'm gonna bite her."
Carla gave a small nod. "No, you can't bite her though." she told Ruby gently.
"Aw, why not?" Ruby asked, though she seemed to be smirking like she was joking about that. "I'd be doing you guys a favor."
"Hmm..." Carla pretended to stop and think for a moment before going back on task. "Anyway, we should go and tell your family too." she then advised Henry.
"Miss Ruby, I had to come and tell you first," Henry then said to the older woman. "Will you help?"
"Sure, I will, we're all family in Storybrooke, kiddo," Ruby nodded. "You know that."
"Thanks," Henry nodded. "Now I need to find my moms and tell them."
"They could likely still be in the loft." Ruby advised.
And so, they rushed over to get back into town to have a word with the others, hopefully mostly Regina, Evie, and Emma.
Regina was soon packing her stuff, ready to go on a trip away from Storybrooke. "You can come too." she then reassured Evie as she did her task.
"Alright, I'll go pack too." Evie agreed.
"Thank you, sweetie." Regina smiled tenderly at Evie.
Emma looked to Regina. "You sure going to New York is a good idea? You don't know what Zelena has planned. What if you're walking into a trap?" she asked. "Especially since you're taking Evie too." she added.
Regina then turned serious at Emma. "Robin's in trouble. I have no choice." she then told Emma.
"You and Evie don't have to go alone," Emma told her.
"We'll have each other. Don't worry about us," Regina replied. "You have your hands full with the Author. I can handle one wicked sister and Evie can handle her wicked aunt."
"Things are different in New York," Emma told her. "Without your magic, y... Listen. If you won't take me with you, I want you to take this. I hope you don't have to use it, but... I want you to stay safe," she added, and passed Regina a pistol for safety.
Regina merely accepted it. "Thank you," she then said before seeing Emma felt a little lost on the inside. "So you're not... Angry with me for keeping your parents' secret?" she then asked tenderly.
"It's between me and them," Emma told her. "You were just trying to help," she assured Regina she knew.
Evie's luggage was her favorite shade of blue with a red heart as the pattern.
Regina looked soft and nodded before looking over. "Did you bring the essentials, my dear?" she then asked Evie.
"Yes, Mom." Evie assured.
"There they are." Ruby eventually said and led Carla and Henry over to Regina and Emma as they stood beside the yellow bug.
"I wonder why they're packing?" Carla wondered, as she saw the case Regina had put in the trunk. Plus she noticed Evie coming out with a bag too.
"Good question." Ruby admitted to Carla.
"They're not moving away from Storybrooke are they?" Carla then wondered.
"No one can really move away from Storybrooke." Ruby reassured her.
"Really?" Carla asked. "What about Mal, Elwin, and Lonnie then? Also the Darlings had a chance to leave until they decided to stay here since John found a huge interest in studying magic and being a new teacher for Storybrooke High."
Ruby simply glanced at Carla, not really sure how to answer that question.
"Mom." Henry suddenly said.
"...Henry?" Regina asked, surprised a bit to see him.
"Henry, what's going on?" Evie added, looking concerned at her little brother.
"We have some bad news," Henry explained, referring to himself, Carla, and Ruby. "Cruella's taken Carlos."
"What?!" Regina and Emma both asked in concern.
Suddenly, Carla's new phone beeped. "It's Carlos. A video message?" she then wondered.
"You should answer that." Emma advised.
Carla nodded and then answered her brother's call as everyone gathered around to take a closer look.
Carlos was shown on the camera. "Carla, Mom has me. If you ever want to see me again, you have to do what she says." he then said as if having been guided in what to say beforehand.
"Man, I was afraid of this." Henry sighed.
"Don't worry, we can still tell them." Ruby reassured him.
"Hello, darlings! As you can see, I have my beautiful puppy Carlos~" Cruella smirked on the screen as she came up beside her freckled son. "If you prefer him to remain in tact, you'll do exactly as I say... kill the Author. Then, ah, bring me his broken little body, also find that Red Riding Bitch one who wishes to keep my puppies away from me, so bring his sister as well, it would be a crime to keep twins separated, or... precious little Carlos will meet a very unhappy ending. Hmm?"
Carlos' eyes glanced to Cruella in surprise a little at that saying. Was his mother really going to kill him?
"How did she get Carlos?" Emma wondered.
Evie looked unhappy.
"We know how." Carla stated about herself, Henry, and Ruby.
Evie looked to her brother, and brought him into a hug.
Henry hugged Evie back right away. "It was him or me." he then added.
"He had to have sacrificed himself." Regina remarked.
"Just to protect Henry..." Ruby added before she glared with nearly golden eyes. "Also I know that I'm part wolf, but there's no need to call me Red Riding Bitch." she then added with a glare.
"Okay, we told your moms and your sister, so now what?" Carla wondered to Henry.
"I guess the rest of the family needs to know too." Henry suggested.
"Yeah, we'll go and tell them," Emma nodded. She might not be happy with her parents but they would need to know.
Evie nodded.
"Are you coming too?" Henry asked his sister.
"I think I will, if I can help somehow I will," Evie told Henry.
"Of course, Evie," Henry nodded. "You've always been a great help to me, especially with science homework."
Evie smiled warmly to Henry to that. Henry smiled back a bit.
"Ruby, you stay home and keep Carla safe." Emma told the lycan woman.
"Well, all right," Ruby said before putting her arms around Carla. "I'm not giving you two up to that Devil Woman even if she already has one of you."
"Wow, is that wise?" Carla wondered, nervous for what might happen to Ruby if she didn't comply. "We wouldn't want to be the cause of someone you care about getting hurt," she added, though she was hopeful that Ruby would keep them.
"I'm not letting you two be sacrificed to her," Ruby said to her. "One last goodbye, maybe, but I'm not giving you up."
Carla gave a small but sweet smile to Ruby to that.
And so, they went to tell David and Mary Margaret what was going on.
"I recognize that trailhead marker," David said as they took a look at the video. "Cruella is holding Carlos a couple of miles South of the toll bridge."
"So what now?" Killian wondered.
"Time to get our hands dirty and do whatever it takes to get him back." Regina suggested, determined.
"You're not actually considering Cruella's demand to kill the Author or Ruby surrender the twins to Cruella?" David asked the former Evil Queen.
"I don't think that's what Mom meant." Henry said.
Mary Margaret looked over to Regina.
"I don't think she meant that either," Evie agreed.
"Of course not," Regina replied. "Even if we could find him, it wouldn't be half the fun of killing Cruella. Let's see how she likes being made into outerwear."
"Wait, what?" Ruby asked with wide eyes.
"Regina!" Mary Margaret gasped disapprovingly.
"Whoa!" Carla cried out. "I know what Cruella does and everything, but she's still mine and Carlos' mother... even if we don't want her to be."
"What? It's Emma's heart we're trying to protect, not mine." Regina soon defended.
Carla shuddered at what Regina had said. Ruby did her best to comfort Carla, feeling bad that the girl reacted that way. Carla rested her head on Ruby's shoulder.
"It's okay, honey," Ruby softly told Carla. "We won't kill your mother."
"Wouldn't be any better if you did," Harry admitted. "I mean, the shock of Carlos' dream job might be enough to kill her."
Carla looked to Harry to that and the pirate teen just looked sheepish.
"If we go in guns blazing, we risk hurting Carlos," Emma told them. "We have to find another way."
"I've headed many rescue missions, especially in the one that had Rufio kidnapping Harry as leverage from Pan until the rescue," Killian then said, offering to help. "It would be helpful to know the terrain more."
"And where the Author is. If he's enemies with Cruella, maybe he knows the best way to defeat her." Emma added.
"Oh, we may be able to help with that." Mary Margaret spoke up about herself and David.
"We went back to the convent and found a flask that we gave him," David offered and explained. "He dropped it when he escaped. A locator spell might work on it."
"Sounds like a perfect job for you two, I'll take Regina and Hook and Henry, and we'll scope out the area where Cruella's holed up with Carlos," Emma said. "Harry, you and Evie can help Ruby make sure Carla stays safe." she added.
"Aye-Aye." Harry saluted as he decided to do his part.
"Emma, I know you're still angry, but avoiding us is not going to help." Mary Margaret told Emma.
"I'm not avoiding you," Emma said. "With Carla's brother's life on the line, I need to be around people I trust, and right now, that's not you." she said.
"You'll be safe at my place." Ruby reassured Carla.
"Alright." Carla said softly.
"Allow me to help protect you~" Harry grinned at Carla.
"Thank you." Carla blushed.
"You're welcome." Harry replied.
Emma went along with Regina, Henry and Killian. Evie nodded and went along with Harry to join Ruby and Carla.
"Well, this at least shouldn't be too hard... right?" Ruby pondered.
"It shouldn't, we just have to make sure the twins stay safe since Cruella wants them," Evie said. "She already has one of them."
"And I'm going to do everything in my power to do that," Ruby said before sighing. "I just don't wanna go all Big Bad Wolf on her."
"Well, maybe you won't have to." Henry said, trying to help comfort her.
"Henry, Hook, Regina, we should get going." Emma suggested then.
"You can hang out with me." Ruby told twinless girl. "Let's have some fun while everyone else has an adventure against 'Mommy Fearest'."
Carla nodded and giggled a bit at Ruby's nickname for her and Carlos' biological mother.
Ruby smiled at them before looking at the others. "So you guys are going after Cruella and Carlos and I'll stay here with Carla and Dude?" she then asked to check to make sure she had everything right and figured out.
"You're quite welcome to stay here, or return to your home if you'd prefer." Mary Margaret assured Ruby.
"Thank you for offering, but I think I'll head home," Ruby replied. "I'm a bit more comfortable there after all."
"Alright, we'll lock up behind you." Mary Margaret decided.
"Very well. Come along, Carla." Ruby nodded, speaking to Carla gently as she led the girl out of the loft and back over to her place for safekeeping.
"It looks like rain out there." Regina said, glancing out the window and brought out an umbrella to take with them.
Soon Emma, Hook, Henry and Regina were out in the woods, Emma looking determined.
"You're acting like a petulant child," Regina told Emma on the way into the woods. "Your parents did a bad thing. They apologized. Now get over it."
"Forgive me if I don't take advice from the woman who held a grudge for half her life because a 10-year-old spilled a secret." Emma retorted.
Killian looked soft and then decided to speak with the blonde woman. "Erm... Swan, if you won't listen to Regina, perhaps you'll listen to me," Killian soon said to the blonde woman. "You were able to forgive both of us all because you found it in your heart to see past it."
"The difference is that you never held yourself as some paragon of virtue," Emma said. "Neither of you did. You were honest about who you were. My parents weren't. They said they were heroes." she added.
"Even heroes make mistakes, luv." Killian told Emma softly, also thinking about what happened with him and Harry years before they had met Emma which was one of his biggest regrets.
"You know, not long ago, your mother gave me some advice. She said I needed to believe I could still earn forgiveness, that I had a chance at grace," Regina soon said to Emma. "I didn't realize it then, but... She was talking about herself. Emma, she's been trying to make up for what she did for a long time."
"If you two understand them so well, you forgive them," Emma said. "I... Can't. More important things to worry about right now, like saving Carlos."
"And we're with you, Mom." Henry reminded his birth mother.
Emma gave a small nod to Henry. Henry smiled softly at her as they looked about.
In the meantime, Cruella was playing a game on her son's phone, looking very much annoyed. "Blasted birds. I'll show you what angry looks like." she grumbled and glared at the screen, tapping it every so often.
Carlos bit his lip but found a piece of glass. He then cut the ties on her wrist and went to make an escape. Dude then sat up and watched Carlos while Cruella was focusing on the phone. Carlos then ran away into the woods.
Cruella saw him going and then sighed. "Dude, sic!" she then commanded and the scruffy soon went right after her son and she looked annoyed at what she had said. "I'm not sure why, but what I just said sounds very juvenile and annoying."
"Help, help me, please!" Carlos cried out, worried because Dude was giving chase and it was a lot like how the two had first met, only Dude was more malicious and scary this time like Cruella had told her son about.
"It's Carlos," Emma realized. "Quick, it's coming from over there." she said and went to go one way.
"No, it's this way." Killian argued as he pointed a different way.
"Has cannon fire damaged your hearing?" Regina complained as she had something else in mind. "It clearly came from over there."
"Maybe we should split up." Henry suggested.
"No! No! Help me, please!" Carlos' voice cried.
"Good idea kid, split up. Go!" Emma decided. "Kid, you stay with Regina," she said.
"Okay, Mom." Henry nodded as he stood beside Regina then.
"And you guys go together." Regina then told Emma and Hook.
"Very well." Killian replied.
"There's three directions, I know you can keep Henry safe, Hook can handle himself as can I," Emma said to that. "But it's up to you," she then shrugged and went the way she felt was right.
Regina nodded and soon walked with Henry one way while Emma and Killian would go another direction.
Carlos continued to shout for help, though was getting guided to the cliff where there was no longer a bridge now. Dude barked as he soon came up behind Carlos, but stopped since they were at the edge of a cliff.
"Somebody help! Please... Dude..." Carlos called out then pleaded as he turned to the mutt.
"Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? You shouldn't have run," Cruella smirked as she panted and came out of the bushes and pulled out a gun to Carlos. "I didn't wanna have to do this to you. Especially to one of my own puppies."
"Carlos?" Emma called as she was on her way that way at least.
"Miss Emma!" Carlos blinked, hearing the older woman.
Emma rushed over and gasped, seeing that Cruella grabbed the poor boy. "Let him go!" she then cried out.
"I'm afraid not," Cruella glared. "Come any closer, and he dies."
Carlos looked wide-eyed. His mother was really willing to kill him just to get what she wanted and it would probably feel much worse if Carla were there too.
"Oh! Don't come any closer! Stay back!" Isaac told David and Mary Margaret as they came into Gold's Cabin.
"We're not gonna hurt you." David reassured Isaac.
"Unh-unh," Isaac retorted. "I want some guarantees, because if I tell you everything, you just might kill the messenger," he told them.
"You're safe. Trust us," Mary Margaret told him.
"Trust you? I've seen what you'll do to protect your daughter." Isaac told them.
David grunted a bit and suddenly caught Isaac, slamming him against the wall to prevent an escape.
"Aah! Ow! Hey! You said you wouldn't h-" Isaac started to complain.
"What have you done with Emma?" David demanded, nearly sounding dangerous.
"Nothing," Isaac said. "I was just trying to protect the world from Cruella. I had no idea that Gold would use them, especially Emma like this. Even I couldn't see the end to the story," he said.
"What are you talking about? How does the story end?" Mary Margaret asked, with a frown.
"With the Savior... Turning dark." Isaac answered and then gave David a piece of paper.
"What is that?" Mary Margaret wondered, as it was like a smaller sheet of paper.
"Something I wrote," Isaac informed. "The truth."
David took the sheet and soon came beside Mary Margaret as he read it aloud. "'Cruella de Vil can no longer take away the life of another'."
"Do you see now? Carlos is in no danger." Isaac told them.
"Cruella can't kill anyone. She's defenseless." Mary Margaret said quietly in horror.
"Emma doesn't know, which means Gold wants her to-" David added.
"We have to stop this." Mary Margaret said.
David nodded and soon rushed off to leave with her.
"Just one more thing," Isaac said, stopping them a moment and looked back at the man. "A possible way to prevent The Savior from turning dark since she's a Princess of Heart is if a counterpart with a blackened heart counteracts the magic and is restored into them instead of your daughter."
"Who could Emma's counterpart be though?" David wondered.
"We'll worry about that later." Mary Margaret replied.
"You're right," David nodded. "We better get going right now."
"Right." Mary Margaret agreed and they soon ran off together out of the cabin.
"One small dead Author. That's all I asked," Cruella ranted as she kept the gun pointed at her one and only son. "Simple revenge, and you failed utterly."
"Put the gun down, Cruella." Emma softly ordered.
"Miss Emma." Carlos whimpered softly.
"It's gonna be okay, Carlos." Emma reassured the poor boy.
"I'll do it, Savior," Cruella warned, holding the gun in place, her hand shaking with it a bit toward her son. "Believe me, I will."
Carlos glanced at Emma over his shoulder a moment.
"Cruella..." Emma whispered as she put her hands up and they started to glow.
"Put your hands down, Savior," Cruella grinned darkly. "We both know you're bluffing."
Carlos looked a bit worried between the two, though keeping his movements slow so not to set off either woman.
"That's your son." Emma glared.
"And you're a hero," Cruella smirked. "And heroes don't kill."
Then suddenly, Emma's magic shot at the devil woman, making her scream out and jump off the cliff and soon land on the ground long down below. Dude suddenly whimpered and felt concerned. Carlos ended up being pulled to the ground, luckily not over the cliff though.
"Hey, kid..." Emma called softly as she came to help the short boy up off his feet.
"Miss Emma..." Carlos said as Emma helped him into a sitting position and hugged the woman tightly.
David soon rushed over along with Mary Margaret. "No, no." he then whispered in concern.
"Emma..." Mary Margaret gasped in horror.
Emma looked back at her parents and also down at Cruella, having a bit of a weird look on her face.
Cruella had died after falling off the cliff and it was because of Emma.
"Mom..." Carlos whispered, feeling bittersweet. "...we're free. Me and Carla are finally free..." he then said, forming a smile, but he was also a little sad because that was still his mother.
"...you okay, kid?" Emma asked him softly.
"I'm fine... I wish you hadn't had to do that but... thank you for coming to save me." Carlos said softly.
"I didn't want to... you're welcome." Emma nodded about killing Cruella and then added.
Carlos squeezed Emma softly as he needed an embrace right now.
"...I wanted to keep her away from her, but I didn't mean like that..." Emma softly said to Carlos.
"I know." Carlos assured softly.
"...Let's get out of here." David soon suggested.
"Yeah, let's go." Emma agreed.
Carlos soon stood with Emma's help and took the woman's hand for now.
"We'll deal with her later." David told Carlos gently, referring to Cruella.
Carlos looked at David to that.
"About saying goodbye to her and everything." David said to Carlos.
"I need to tell my sister and someone should arrange everything..." Carlos decided. "...just make sure she gets moved carefully?" he then requested.
"Of course, Carlos," David nodded. "You should probably go and tell your sister and Ruby too since they'll be together."
Carlos nodded to that. David also nodded in reassurance for him.
"Thank you." Carlos said quietly.
"Of course." David smiled softly.
Carlos watched them all go, then reached into his pocket and brought out the collar curiously as he thought about what his mother said about it. He could still hear her voice in his head from infancy with Carla until it was obscure until they all met again and in her final moments. He was oddly going to miss it a little bit. He then went to follow everyone as he wiped his eyes a moment.
Emma soon came to bring Carlos back over to Carla so that the twins could reunite after their separation and it was met with a hug and she then told Ruby that they had to talk about something very important.
"Okay, what's up?" Ruby asked as she finished cleaning up everything after Evie and Harry were sent home and the movie had ended.
"...you should sit down." Emma said, though mostly to Carla.
"Yes, ma'am..." Ruby nodded as she got comfortable and looked at the other woman gently. "What happened?"
Emma waited until both twins, and Ruby, were sitting down before she stood before them, her face gentle. "Now, I'm not sure how to say this softly since you're old enough to fully understand... but I have some bad news," she said softly. "We were by the edge of a cliff, and I was in danger, so Emma had to protect me... but Cruella fell over the edge and I'm afraid she passed on." she said her tone gentle.
Carla looked at her a long moment.
"...Cruella de Vil is... Dead...?" Ruby soon asked Emma softly.
Emma nodded to Ruby. "I'm sorry, Carla... I know you were scared of her, but I understand she was your mother." she said softly to the girl.
"I don't know how to feel." Carla said quietly.
Ruby looked soft and nodded at Emma as she looked over at the twins softly, but of course didn't cry. She then looked very soft at the twins, feeling empathy for them. Carlos soon brought Carla into a hug as he shivered just a little since this was very painful and sad because Cruella was still their mother even though she was hardly mother material. Carla wrapped her arms around him tightly, giving him comfort too.
"I'm so sorry." Ruby said to them.
"it's okay." Carlos said to her softly.
"We just need time to think it through." Carla said softly.
Emma reached out and gently placed a soothing hand on each of the twins' shoulders. "I'll leave for now, and unless you want to help, I can handle everything that will need to be." she assured softly.
Carlos nodded at Carla and looked over at the blonde woman. "Thank you, Miss Emma." he then said softly.
"Thank you." Carla agreed quietly.
"I'll see you out." Ruby offered to Emma.
"Thank you," Carla agreed quietly.
"Alright." Emma nodded. She then nodded to Ruby.
Ruby nodded and soon looked at the twins. "Pardon me, dears." she told them.
"Yes, ma'am." Carlos replied as he kept hugging Carla until they would stop.
Carla nodded. Emma walked along with Ruby. Carlos soon began to slowly let go of Carla.
"Thank you for telling us," Ruby said softly. "I mean, I feel relieved and sorry at the same time if that makes sense." she then added, thinking about her own mother and what had happened to her back in The Enchanted Forest when Granny tried to protect her from Anita.
"Yeah, I get it," Emma assured quietly. "I've got mixed feelings about this too." she admitted.
"Should I do anything for them?" Ruby wondered.
"Just try to be there for them and if they ask to be alone, don't feel offended." Emma suggested.
Ruby nodded at that. "I'll do my best... You really think they adore me?" she then nodded and asked.
"I do." Emma assured.
Ruby blushed at that. "Thank you for coming over too," she then said softly. "I just hope I can handle them okay."
"I'm sure you'll be able to, just put something on in the background and just sit with them, feed them if they get hungry but don't worry if they don't," Emma assured. "Just make sure you let Kiara and Granny know too." she added.
"All right..." Ruby nodded as she put her hands together. "I just hope I can be strong enough to be strong for them."
"You are." Emma assured her.
"Thank you," Ruby said softly and soon held out her arms. "How about a quick hug?" she then asked.
Emma gave Ruby a warm hug, holding her tight but not too tight. Emma hugged Ruby back in the same tightness, gently patting her friend on the back a little. Emma gave a small smile.
"I'm going to take care of those two," Ruby whispered as she felt the need to quote the movie she had showed the twins to soothe them. "For eber and eber."
"Foreber." Emma assured with a soft and warm chuckle as she had also seen the movie at some point of her life. She then left to do what she needed to.
"Okay, kids, you okay?" Ruby said softly as she came back to check on them.
"We're fine..." Carlos said as he started to stare out the window, looking deep in thought.
Carla was looking at the table, also in thought.
"...You guys can come to me if you need anything," Ruby said to them. "I'm here for you."
"Thank you, Miss Ruby." Carlos replied softly.
Carla looked over to Ruby a little. "Yes, thank you." she said softly.
"You're welcome," Ruby said with a small smile. "I'll give you two some privacy if you need it."
"Can I have a hug?" Carla asked softly.
"Of course you can, dear." Ruby nodded as she then came over to Carla to give her a hug.
Carlos looked over away from the window then.
Carla gave Carlos a look that suggested he could join if he wanted and hugged Ruby. Carlos looked over and suddenly approached the two.
"It's okay, it'll be okay." Ruby said, trying to soothe Carla the best that she could.
Carla hugged Ruby.
"You want a hug too? Come on~" Ruby called to Carlos and urged him to join them.
Carlos wiped his eyes, not exactly crying, but came to join the woman and his twin sister in the hug. Carla wrapped an arm around him too in the hug. Ruby soon tried to soothe them all by humming the song "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever" from the movie they just saw, hoping it would help them. Carlos sniffled just a little bit, squeezing both Carla and Ruby a bit tighter in the hug from the song. Carla hugged just a little tighter too.
It was eventually time for the funeral. The twins were offered to come along, but they didn't stay too long. Carlos kept the collar given to him from Cruella and bore a grim look on his face while Carla buried her face in her hands rather emotionally. It was a heavy day for both of them and Jane even came by and put her hand on Carlos' shoulder. Carlos blinked and looked over and gave a small smile at Jane and she smiled back a bit, not saying anything but this reminded her of how her long-lost father suddenly died after she had found out who he had been and he was also a villain. After a while, people left, but only a few stayed behind after Cruella had been put to her final resting place.
Isaac stared down at a napkin from an old London diner from the 1920s that had a lipstick kiss on it, belonging to Cruella from when they first met and fell in love. He then gently placed the napkin down on her coffin before it would be buried six feet underground. "I'll miss her. Furs and all, I'll miss her," he said softly. "She was good to me... In her way. Made me who I am."
"Well, someone had to die at the Savior's hands." Rumple grumbled a bit at that.
"Did they?" Isaac retorted.
"We won't have what we need to rewrite the book, to secure our happy endings, until Miss Swan has completed her journey," Rumple clarified. "The Savior has taken the first step down a dark path. And we have to make sure she stays on it... For both our sakes."
"And there's a change a dark counterpart could take the darkness in her place as she's a Princess of Heart, much like her mother." Isaac then added.
Rumple merely nodded at that.
In the meantime, Emma was watching Mr. Gold and The Author with a mysterious look on her face.
Isaac was about to step away until he ran into a certain older woman. "Why, Grandma. What massive anger you have." he then said to the woman in front of him.
"Ah, save me on that talk," Granny scoffed. "I just want you to know that you're not getting Carla and Carlos either since I trust my little Ruby to look after them, so you better not come anywhere near us if you know what's good for you."
"Yes, yes, of course, and I won't cry wolf to get attention as well." Isaac hid a small smirk.
"Watch it, buster," Granny narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I might not be a big, bad wolf like I used to be, but I can still be pretty dangerous." she added as she poked sharply into his chest.
"Oof..." Isaac grunted and held his chest after that.
"If you think that hurts, imagine what I'd do with razor-sharp claws or fangs if I still had them which I've traded in for a crossbow in my twilight years." Granny retorted sternly.
"Erm, yes, ma'am..." Isaac nodded. "And speaking of your Red Riding granddaughter and my children... why haven't they come?"
"Last I heard was that Ruby offered to take Carla and Kiara dress shopping for their school cotillion," Granny replied. "Go near them for any reason or rewrite anything with that dinky little twig you call a writing pen and it won't be the only thing I snap in half." she then added, getting in his face as she tried to look as ferocious as she could without turning into a wolf due to her old age.
Isaac merely blinked at that and nodded to show that he understood her.
Emma soon came over to her family in Granny's Diner as she felt determined. "I'm going after Gold." she told them.
"Uh, why?" Harry asked.
"He made this happen," Emma simply explained. "He needs to answer for it."
"Careful. Don't go off half-cocked." Killian advised her.
"Hook's right," David agreed. "He wants you angry."
"Yeah, well, I am angry. That doesn't mean he's gonna get what he's after," Emma countered. "Do I wish I could change what I did to Cruella? Yes, but that's regret, not darkness. I think we've all done things we regret."
Mary Margaret and David shared a small look at that.
"Right now, we need to focus on one thing: how to keep Gold and the Author from causing any more damage." Emma then continued.
Suddenly, as if on cue, a certain Dark Fairy came into the diner. "I might be able to help with that," she said as she made her entrance. "It now appears we have a common foe: Rumplestiltskin."
Regina made a bit of a face to that.
"He resurrected you and you got to be with Mal again." David reminded the fairy.
"To help himself, not me," Maleficent clarified. "Cruella's death only confirmed that."
"Oh. Now you want to turn on him before he turns on you?" Killian guessed.
"I knew Gold couldn't keep the dragon on her leash for long." Regina grinned.
"What do you want?" Mary Margaret asked Maleficent.
"Nothing from you, but your daughter, I hear, has a talent for finding people." Maleficent replied as she locked eyes with Emma.
"Yeah, I do," Emma confirmed. "Who do you want found?" she then added.
"My daughter." Maleficent simply replied.
"I think you already know where Mal is," David said. "Unless you're a bad mother who doesn't keep track of her children."
"Do you really wanna make a woman who can turn into a dragon angrier?" Harry warned him.
"My eldest daughter, the one I had long ago before all of this had started." Maleficent then clarified.
"She's alive?" Mary Margaret whispered in shock.
"Yes. She survived the journey to this land... The journey you sent her on," Maleficent smiled and nodded. "You want to prevent Rumplestiltskin from achieving whatever he wants. What better way than leaving this town and helping me?"
"I'm not running away from Gold." Emma retorted.
"It's not running from him," Maleficent explained. "It's hindering him."
"What do you know about her?" Emma asked before she would help.
"Just what the Dark One showed me... That she was banished to this world 30 years ago, to a place called Minnesota," Maleficent informed Emma. "here she was adopted by a couple. And they named her Lilith."
"Well, it's more creative than Mal." Regina smirked.
"Oh, isn't it, Evie's mother, The Evil Queen?" Maleficent retorted.
"It's not like Evil Queen is actually my name." Regina rolled her eyes at that.
"No." Emma whispered to herself as the name Lilith seemed to strike her.
"Emma?" Killian asked in concern and stood up suddenly. "What is it?"
Emma didn't say anything and suddenly took off out of the diner and straight to the sheriff's station.
Henry watched her go and then took out his phone as Dee Dee was calling. "Excuse me." he told his family as he went to take the call away from their table.
Emma was soon watching something known as a microfilm that showed newspapers. She the cranked the wheel for a while, looking at the print and pictures provided for her until stopping at an image of a baby in the baptism announcements named Lilith Page and the baby had an interesting mark on her wrist. "Lily." she then whispered once the baby's name and image in the paper was suddenly all clear to her and she knew what she had to do next.
Raynos3497 on Chapter 5 Sun 02 Mar 2025 10:17PM UTC
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Raynos3497 on Chapter 6 Tue 25 Mar 2025 11:14PM UTC
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GlitchyYoshi on Chapter 8 Sun 01 Jun 2025 03:54AM UTC
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