Hello,

There was something I needed to write about Once upon a time. I felt an idea coming, so I wrote it down. What if Regina created a child to use against Rumpelstiltskin? What happens if she is dropped over the town line? Will the child find her way back to her parents? Will she have powers? And how will Rumpelstiltskin react to finding out he has a child he never knew? Would the child be able to turn Lacey to Belle?

DISCLAIMER: Once upon a time belongs to the amazing writers that once gave us lost. Annabeth's character belongs to me. I wish I wrote for once upon a time! That would be a dream come true, enjoy this story.

TempeGeller

Chapter 1: The best thing to do…

The Enchanted Forrest

Regina stared at her reflection in the mirror. Rumpelstiltskin had been too smart to fall for her plan. Or was the girl not convincing enough? She was sure that a man like that needed to keep his heart some place. It seemed like Belle was the perfect candidate for the true love job. How would she make him powerless? So powerless that he would be willing to help her with a curse. She had nothing against him, not a child nor a curse. The only thing she needed was for Belle to remove his powers. So she could go to him without the fear to get hurt. Not that she was afraid.
"He's all powerful…" Regina threw the glass to the wall and watched it fall apart in a million pieces.
"There are different forms of true love, your highness." The mirror whispered to her. Sometimes the tone of the mirror got her mad, this time it got her interested. She turned around to face her reflection. In her eyes she showed a simple sign to move on. "The love for a child…"
"A child isn't a bad idea?" Regina smiled "But Belle and Rumpelstiltskin aren't exactly creating baby's now are they. I don't suppose I should enchant them. Even I am not that desperate…."

"I supposed you haven't thought about creating it magically…" the mirror whispered. "All you need is DNA of the parents and a vessel to carry the baby. Presto, you have a baby. Something…"
"Yeah, I know…" Regina put her hand to her head. "But having a child wouldn't mean Rumpelstiltskin would naturally love it. I…"
"Not if this child shows up when the love of his life dies…." A smile appeared on Regina's face.

Some place America, the year 2013

A blue eyed girl stared at the horizon. She pulled the sward a bit closer to her body as she heard a soft noise behind her. Annabeth relaxed her eyes as a friend stepped towards her. He gave her a kind smile as he put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry this lead didn't go anywhere either. I'm sure we'll find the home you're so desperately looking for. I mean we have to be closer right." He kindly rubbed her forehead. "Shouldn't we Annabeth?"
"Annabeth…" she laughed "Haven't you ever wondered why your parents called you Ian? I mean they must have a had a great reason, I mean they liked the name didn't they?"
"I'm sure you parents were in love with the name Annabeth…"
"What if it was one of those cases…" Annabeth turned to him. "Were both my parents didn't care for me. I mean I did end up on the streets at 7…"

"That's because you ran away after that…"
"I know…" Annabeth smiled "Where do you think these monsters keep coming from? I mean we try to a safe haven, yet it simply on last for a few months."
"We're not meant to be save…" He gave her a playful push. "Besides, we would have given up the search for your parents by now. Which is an important quest."
"How do you feel about New York?"

"Too crowdie." She linked her arm in his.
"Maine…"

"Perfect."

Storybrooke, Maine,2013

Regina stared in her mirror. The jealousy was almost written on her face, it was towards Rumpelstiltskin. He had a relationship with Belle, that was until she ended up in the hospital. Until she made her remember who she really was. Lacey, a girl that couldn't be more different from bell. She was a party girl and liked to hang around the busy parts of the city. She would pick up the usual guy and take them home with her. She wasn't the person to be caught reading a book or even think about anything for only a second. She lived her life with the breaks off. Maybe she even replaced them by an extra fast button. A smile appeared as Rumpelstiltskin stormed in the office.
"What did you do to her?" His eyes showed pure anger. Regina figured out that he found out exactly where Belle went and now he wasn't happy about it.

"Simple." Regina smiled "I reminded who the poor dear was…"
"You put lies in her head…" Rumpelstiltskin turned and smashed a chair in anger. "She's not Lacey. Turn her back right now."
"You know that can't happen." Regina said in a sweet way, but the sarcasm in her voice couldn't be missed. "Only true love can bring Belle back. I guess you have to spend some time with Lacey, make her fall in love with you. Not that I can figure out what poor Belle ever saw in you, mister Gold."
"Why did you do it?" Rumpelstiltskin stared at her. "I can't help but wonder why you're so convinced in keeping Lacey around. What's in it for you?"

"Nothing my 'dearie'." Regina smiled "I just love seeing you squirm. I would get used to Lacey, she's not going anywhere. You should thank me. I mean someone is better than that empty vessel hanging around the hospital. What were you going to do, make her remember?"
"I can't understand why you would…" He paused "Why did you turn her in to a…"
"I guess you don't really like my anti-Belle." Regina turned to the window. "I thought you of all people would be a fan of my 'irony'. It was one of my best…"
"I don't need any Anti-Belle…" Rumpelstiltskin yelled "I need the actual Belle! You should have not been involved. I could have…"
"You see, …" Regina smiled "It's so fun to piss you of my dearest. You do know that Lacey doesn't love you. And I you don't take any steps to make her fall for you, you will never get Belle back. So I subject you work on that, instead of pissing me off."

"You did a bad thing, Regina." Rumpelstiltskin turned to her.
"Sorry, but I've done worse." Regina stepped towards him. "So have you?"
"What could have been the worst thing you did to me?" Rumpelstiltskin turned to him. "Take Belle from me? Keep her captured? Is that what you mean, dearie?"

Regina stared at him. She wanted to nod and agree that was the worst thing she did to him. The truth was that she wouldn't really been lying. She had done worst to Belle. She remembered a day so long ago. It was 9 years in the cursed existence. Regina had created a plan to get Belle pregnant from Rumpelstiltskin's baby. It had been a simple spell, she had created a place where Belle and Rumpelstiltskin could be together in dreams. That's how the baby would be born. Yet Belle had been smart. She had been able to keep the baby from her, she gave birth when the curse was launched.

Regina made her way down the stairs. The nurse who was keeping the watch looked tired as usual. She smiled at her. There wasn't anything Regina wanted to ask her, Belle wasn't watched closely. There wasn't anything she could do. 9 years had she been in that cell. 9 years away from the love of her life. And Belle looked like it. When she entered the room, she always looked like a beaten puppy. Yet, there was always something that she kept from Regina. Her blanket was always draped over the edge of the small bed. Her eyes were always directed towards her. Filled with some kind of hate. Today Regina waited for a short second to hear to the surrounding. She could hear the water run in the pipes. She could hear footsteps around her. And a soft cry of an infant coming from Belle's room. Regina stood up and stepped towards Belle's room. She opened it. Once again Belle was sitting in the same position, with her beaten up puppy eyes directed at her. This time Regina took a step closer. She pulled the blankets from Belle and saw a baby under the bad. The baby looked healthy, yet crying for a attention.
"So my dear, that's the secret you've been hiding from me?" Regina turned to her. "A baby.."
"Stay away from my baby!" Belle yelled as she took the baby in her arms. "You kept me from my true love, you are keeping me captive, but you're going to stay away from my baby!"

"Your baby?" Regina had a thin smile on her face. "Should I remind you who made this baby possible? Without me there would be no baby!"
"She's mine!" Belle yelled as Regina pulled the baby from her arms. "Regina, give her back to me! She's mine! She's my little girl! Give her back!"
"Darling, I might just raise her myself." Regina smiled "I could turn her…"

"You could never turn her." Belle yelled "She's pure, always is. Always will be, she's my daughter Regina. She's a my baby!"
"Well, …" Regina stepped out of the room and closed it. She turned around to face Belle once more again. "You will never see your baby again, my dear. You will not remember she ever existed. She will never come too look for you and you will never put eyes on her again. Do you understand?"
"Please, Regina." Belle turned to her. "No one will know, please let her stay. She's…"

For 9 years she was able to keep the baby from Regina, cursed Belle seemed to care about the baby just as much as Belle did. Part of the baby kept the real Belle close. The memories about Rumpelstiltskin were there, everything. Regina even feared that Belle might not be in her cursed mind. Not with her baby near. With her baby near, she was aware her name was Belle. She was aware of everything.

Regina remembered the child like the day of yesterday. She had walked to the edge of town, it was easy to dispose of a body there. The child hadn't cried all the way there, she had been quiet. It almost seemed that she felt save with the woman that was going to hurt her.
"Good morning." Mister Gold said as he walked by. "Oh my, what a beautiful child."
"She is, isn't she?" Regina smiled "

"What's her name?" Regina turned to mister Gold. "Such a beautiful baby, must have a name. Is she yours? I mean your baby that is?"
"Annabeth…" Regina answered "Her name is Annabeth, Mister Gold the mother wanted to put the child up for adoption. I'm just going through the right channels."

Regina smiled as she walked off with mister Gold's child. She stepped closer to the town line. She knew that she couldn't cross it herself. Bad things happened when people crossed the town line, so she did the simplest thing. She put the baby over the town line. She pushed it with a stick. There it was the infant. She was in the road, waiting for someone to pick her up. Waiting to die. The child name was Annabeth and she would never return home. Belle would never see her daughter again.

After losing the child Belle had drifted off in her town self. She was depressed about the child, she didn't do anything. She didn't walk around and barely ate the food they brought her. It was like she was sad about a baby that didn't exist. 19 years ago she had put a baby on the road. Not knowing that someone had found it and raised it as her own.

Some place America, the year 2013

"Do you believe in it?" Ian turned to Annabeth. "Princes and princesses you know. Finding your happy ending you know. True love…"
"Not for one moment…" Annabeth smiled "What has gotten in to you. I mean, I thought you didn't believe in that stuff either. I mean, what happened to us against love. I mean you are my friend…"
"just because I'm your friends, doesn't mean no one is going to leave you breathless.." Ian put his arms around her shoulders. "Do you know what I mean? Being hopelessly in love with someone…"

"No, I don't know." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I think love is weakness, you see my parents didn't even love me enough to keep me. So…"
"Beth…" Her nickname sounded so weird from his lips. "I don't believe this is you. You are smarter than that, I would die for you. I would give everything to see you happy, but I can't make you believe in something as basic as love. I love you, Beth. As a friend, you are a sister to me. You remember when we found each other?"
"Like yesterday." Annabeth smiled "You saved my life."
"And you need to open up…"

"Can we please stop talking?" Annabeth turned away from him. She stared out of the window of the driving car. Going from state to state was fun for her. She loved to watch the trees pass her by and see everything in the town. Everything that made her very happy. Annabeth saw the animals pass her by. She loved any animal, everyone knew that about her. Anything Annabeth touched would come back to life. She was beautiful and smart all at the same time. Yet her ignorance towards love kept her naïve. She never told anyone how she felt. Ian knew, but he had never heard her describe her feelings. She only talked about monsters. Maybe sometimes about her parents. About finding them.

"Where do you think we should go in Maine?" He returned his eyes to her. "Or do you subject we just move on without a plan?"
"You know…" Annabeth turned around. "Maine sounds normal. Maybe we'll find something there…"
"Like your parents…" Ian smiled "Maybe you'll believe in love if you find them. "
"I just want to know why…" she spoke "I want to know why they left me. I have nothing left of my mom, nothing. Just that I was found in Maine."
"And we've been moving towards that home?"

"Another couple of miles until we arrive in the closest town in Maine…" He stared at the board. "Storybrooke, have you ever heard of it?"
"Not that I can remember…" Annabeth smiled "It sounds good to me, maybe we'll find adventures there. I mean I need to find…"

Storybrooke, Maine,2013

David stared at the door of Granny's as it opened up. He was surprised by the man entering the diner, it was no one other than Mister Gold. The biggest surprise that he was heading towards him. David stared at Granny, who had the same surprise on his face. It was weird that it seemed that Gold was heading towards him, Belle wasn't anywhere. He changed his mind, her name was Lacey right now. Belle was someone he didn't mind, Lacey was someone he never ran in to. David didn't hang around that club much and when he did, Snow was with him.
"Charming…" Rumpelstiltskin didn't watch in his eyes right away. It wasn't fear, it almost seemed like he was going to ask an embarrassing question.
"Mister Gold…" David smiled "What did we earn your visit with?"

"I guess…" Rumpelstiltskin stared down. "I guess you've met Lacey."
"She's different than Belle, that's a sure thing." David replied "Is that the reason you're here? Lacey?"
"Yes." Rumpelstiltskin admitted "A questions, how did you let Mary Margaret fall in love with you? I mean before the curse. How do…"
"All powerful dark one…." David glared "Asking for my help. Asking advice on dating, I thought it would never come to that."
"Stop the gleaming and get to answering…"

Rumpelstiltskin seemed annoyed with the remark David had gave him. There was a certain humor about someone with magic asking for help in relationships. No one would have expected that he would choose the human way to let Lacey fall for him.
"So you have chosen the human way?" David stepped of the chair. "No love potion…"
"That wouldn't be true love, dearie."

"Well, you take her on a date. You buy her a present, you tell her what she wants to hear." David explained. "It's different for every woman, you find out what she likes. You talk. That's how I got Mary Margaret and I bet it will work for Lacey."
"Well, thank you." He stared at David. "How do I start?"
"How about hello." David returned to his seat "Would you like to go out some time?"
"That sounds reasonable." Rumpelstiltskin nodded his head.

"You think true love's kiss is going to bring Belle back, right?" David turned to him. "I hope you're right about that, it was a stupid move from Regina to put those cursed memories there."
"Well…"
"Why was Hook after Belle in the first place anyway?" David spoke "I don't see a reason why he would want to harm her."
"Let's just say I he wants to get revenge…" Rumpelstiltskin replied

Annabeth moved closer to the town line, the boards said : 'Storybrooke'. It almost seemed like she had been here before. The first food over the town line seemed very weird. She saw the trees surrounding her. She remembered a voice. A voice asking after her name: 'Annabeth'. A voice in her called not to take her baby. The city awakened something. She pulled her other food over the town line as well.
"Wow, a town in the middle of nowhere…" Ian spoke "What do you think they're trying to hide? Monsters? I…"
"Why would they be trying to hide…" Annabeth smiled "Like you say, it's a normal town surrounded by trees. That doesn't make it weird…"

"Says the girl that walked over the town line taking more than a minute…" Ian spoke to her. "What is it about you and this town?"
"I don't know…" Annabeth spoke, she pulled her sward closer. "I really don't know…"

Annabeth followed the road. There were traces of a car crash that happened not too long ago. Yet that didn't seem to abnormal. It happened all that time. Annabeth tried to walk faster, but her feet wouldn't let her.
"Beth!" Ian yelled. "I have a weird feeling about this place, let's just move on. Not pass by this town.."
"I have a feeling I need to be here…" Annabeth spoke "Let's just go on, what's the worst that could happen? We stay forever?"
"You're funny, where did you get that sense of humor?"

"Maybe my dad…" Alexis laughed
"I still think your mother is Athena, goddess of Wisdom." Ian spoke "And she has nothing to do with this god forsaken town. So let's just continue."
"Let's not…" Annabeth started to run. "why don't I race you to town?"

"That sounds like the best idea, you have ever had!" Annabeth started to run on the road. Ian was never a champion in speed, but he did try to keep up with her. He started to run faster as she took the lead. A smile appeared on Annabeth's face as she let go of the journey and went back to having fun. She headed towards the town. The first thing she noticed was a big clock looking over the city. She stopped almost directly, like she knew this place. She slowly walked around, not caring about Ian. The city seemed to come from a typical movie. A small town, in the middle of a forest. There was a part near the sea. She saw a young man walking around the streets.
"Hello.." He smiled as he stopped in front of her. "You're new in town aren't you. I'm Archie Hopper."
"Annabeth, just Annabeth." She smiled "I'm here with a friend of mine."
"Beth." Ian caught up with her. "Hello…"
"Ian, this is Archie Hopper." Annabeth smiled "He was so nice to come over and introduce himself."

"Annabeth, do you still think you need to be here?" Ian turned to Archie. "I mean, shouldn't we move on to a bigger town? I mean where would we even stay…"
"Granny's rents rooms for a reasonable price…" Archie replied "I'm sure she has a room specific for you two young lovers."
"We're not…" Ian moved away from Annabeth. "She's like a sister to me."
"Great…" Annabeth moved away. "How can we find this granny's?"

"Oh, it's on the end of the road. You'll find it. When you pass Gold's store, you'll know you have chosen the wrong road." Archie smiled "You'll know."
"Thank you."
"How did you get the idea to come here?" Archie spoke. "I mean it's not a normal place to go…"
"One thing.." Annabeth smiled "No monsters."

The people of the town Storybrooke had gathered in the diner of Granny's. Emma was sitting next to Snow White. The expressions of the faces of the people showed worry. Regina wasn't invited, it didn't seem like something that was something she needed to know.
"They are a danger." Leroy spoke "We should ask them to leave."
"If we ask them to leave, they know something is up." Snow spoke "We wouldn't want to give them a reason to doubt anything about this town. We have enough…"

"She seemed like a decent person." Archie spoke "I say we have nothing to fear."
"And you decide that by your ability to read people." Leroy spoke. "I say she's just another danger and I'm not sure about him either. They came her by foot, she has a sword for crying out loud. What normal person carries a sword?"
"Well, he has a point there." Emma spoke "Doesn't seem like she's here to expose us? It seems more like she's going to leave in a couple of days."

"Why does she need a sword?" Snow spoke
"She did mention a thing about monsters." Archie explained. "It was awkward."
"Talking about fighting monsters seems like someone who is in contact with some kind of spiritual world." Ruby spoke "I don't think someone like that will expose anything…"
"Well, that monsters thing makes me scared…" Snow said. "What if something is behind them?" "Something like what?" Emma rolled her eyes. "A satyr? A Cyclopes? I refuse to believe there are worst thing out there than humans. The only thing I fear for is that she'll talk about this town, the only luck is that she hasn't seen anything. We should keep it that way…"
"We should warn Gold." David spoke "I think he should know that he needs to be careful with magic."

Annabeth threw herself on the bed. She closed her eyes for just a moment, Ian was right next to her. He was staying in another room, but decided to share the companionship of Annabeth. Standing right next to the bed, he stared at Annabeth. Annabeth had dark brown hair, crystal blue eyes and the a face that didn't show any signs of aging. She hadn't even reached her twenties. She stared at him.
"How long has it been since we had a soft bed?"
"Too long…" Annabeth smiled. She turned to him and threw a cushion over to his side. "I've been sleeping in the grass for way too long…"
"Beth, how long do you think we'll be staying here?" Ian sat down. "I mean, the people don't treat us like we're welcome. It's like we walked in to a secret world."

"Are you being serious?" Annabeth smiled "Secret world? You are a sun of the gods? I think you would be more welcoming of new things…"
"Son of the gods?" Ian smiled "I still think you're the daughter of Athena."

"I haven't been guided to you remember." Annabeth spoke "We just ran in to each other, it was just coincidence. I have never heard anyone guide me. Monsters only started to follow me, when we met. I don't think I'm the daughter of any goddess."
"You could fight…" Ian spoke "Read ancient Greek, Latin…"
"I just…" Annabeth smiled "I read."

"So…" Annabeth stood up and stepped next to Ian. She pulled him along outside. They walked down the stairs and stepped outside. They were standing at a parking. There were cars everywhere, they could see the docks far from them. Annabeth smiled and pulled Ian towards it.
"What are we going to do?" Ian asked.
"Take a look at the boats." Annabeth said. "I mean, maybe even feel the water."
"Feel the water?" Ian raised an eyebrow, but he let Annabeth pull him behind her. She was almost skipping through the roads, it was almost like she was trying to forget everything that happened on the run. Her hands weren't even close to the sword and that was something new for her. The weirdest thing was that Ian didn't feel any love towards her. She was beautiful, the most beautiful girl he had seen in years. Yet he sensed they weren't meant to be together. Annabeth had never shown any signs of loving him. She called him a big brother, almost like she sensed that they were never going to be together. As Annabeth arrived by the docks, she put her pale feet in the water. Slowly moving them.

"Is it cold?"
"Just a bit." Annabeth smiled "Join me, Ian."
"How will you know when you meet your parents?" Ian sat down and put his food in the water. "Do you think they will know you?"
"I just hope I'll see…" Annabeth smiled "I don't think I've ever thought about. I just feel like I have been here before…"

"I knew it!" Ian yelled "You've been here before."
"Don't mock me…" Annabeth smiled "I remember a woman's name, she begged not to take her baby. I think I was that baby. Maybe I was taken from my mother and father."
"Sounds like it…" Ian smiled "Do you think that being here will trigger more?"
"I hope so…" Annabeth spoke as she stood up and removed her dress. There she was standing a simple top and pink slip. She jumped in the water, the water came closer to her skin as she swan through it. After a while she returned to the docks. She put her wet hair together in a ponytail and gave Ian a smile. Her cheeks were blushing. She pulled herself up and walked farther on the deck. She could see all the small boats. Did the people actually use them?

"Why don't we steal a boat and get out of here?" Ian smiled.
"I don't think so…" Annabeth smiled "I'm not a liar."
Annabeth moved on. She stared at the sky, there were birds everywhere. Some of them even flooded in the air. Annabeth turned her head. How was that possible? She slowly moved closer to the big empty spot. She took a bit of food from the container, she threw in the air. It covered something invisible.
"Beth…"

"Shh…" Annabeth moved her finger in front of her mouth. "Don't say anything, stay here."
Annabeth stepped on the invisible object. Her feed were standing on a steady surface, slowly she moved farther. Maybe the secret hide out belong to one of her parents. Her mother maybe. When she moved through a force field, she saw the ship. It was a pirate ship, it was hidden by magic. She stepped on, aware of the danger that could be moving her way. She didn't look around. Was her mother a pirate? No. She didn't remember ever being near this ship.
"Oh, dear." A voice sounded from behind her. "Look who we got her…"

"I don't know you…" Annabeth turned around. Behind her was a man with short black hair, blue eyes. He didn't have two hands, but one of his hands was replaced by a hook. His eyes were turned to her. He moved closer with a sword. Annabeth grabbed hers in her right hand. Moving closer to him. She didn't say a word. Slowly she moved closer and hit the sward of his hand. The man tried to touch her with the sword, but she jumped away from it. She used the moment to cut him once more again, but the man didn't give up. He moved closer once more again. Once move of her feet put him down. She moved her sword above him. She placed the sword to his neck.
"Who are you?" Annabeth spoke "And why are you attacking me?"

"The question is why are you on my ship." He rolled his eyes. "My name is Killian Jones, people refer to me as Hook. You know why I guess. I attacked you, because you are on my ship. Why?"
"I just thought…" Annabeth moved the sword away from Hook. "I thought this ship might…"
"What's your name?"

"Annabeth." She smiled "My name is Annabeth."
"No last name."

"You have a hand on you." Hook stood up. "You know how to work with a sword. You even got me down. How I wonder? You don't look 20."
"I'm 19." Annabeth smiled "But sometimes I feel older…"
"Nice to meet you , Annabeth." Hook smiled.