Hi everyone - I hope you enjoy this. These are a real set of apartments in Los Angeles. Cover photo by me. I walk by these every day on my way to the shops, and a few weeks ago the idea for this story just hit me. If you want to read more about them or see them look up "Curiosity for Rent: Snow White Cottages in Los Feliz." I've taken some liberties - such as there's no pirate ship-like house across the street. For Hook's house, imagine Admiral Boom's in Mary Poppin's, only more pirate-like. Also, it's pouring here in Los Angeles, making me a liar in the first paragraph. I love it.

28 Years Ago

The sky was blue. The grass was green. The weather was beautiful. It was Los Angeles. Rarely could one say anything else about the city.

The new residents of the Story Book apartment complex barely even noticed. They were too busy trying to figure out what exactly had just happened. One minute they were living their lives in the Enchanted Forest, waiting for the cloud of the curse to hit them. Now they were all standing in the courtyard of the apartments, gathered around a fake wishing well, shaking their heads as a second identity was confusing their real memories.

If the residents had taken the time to look around, and if they'd seen the movie Snow White, they would have noted the white stucco walls, shake roofs and faux exposed brick and they would have thought they were living in the Seven Dwarves Cottages. Of course, once Grumpy, Doc and the other dwarves did look around they felt right at home.

With everyone trying to mentally take stock of their thoughts, no one was paying much attention to anyone else standing in the courtyard. That was until they heard the scream.

"NOOOOOO. THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." All eyes turned to the Evil Queen, and almost all of them tried to reconcile their knowledge of their Evil Queen with the fake memory of their disgruntled landlady.

"You weren't supposed to remember each other. You're supposed to be unhappy." She was staring at Snow White and Charming, who were holding each other. Snow was sobbing in her husband's arms, as he, with tears in his eyes, tried to comfort her.

"What did you do, Regina? Where are we? Where is my baby? Oh Charming. . . What are we going to do? We sent her away, and now we're here. How are we going to find her? How is she going to find us?" Snow started sobbing again and was no longer able to even stand. Charming walked her over to a bench in the courtyard and sat her down.

"Well Dearie, looks like you royally botched this one." Regina turned to the small man, taking in his new appearance. Gone was the crackled, discolored skin. In this realm, Rumple looked elegant and in total control of the situation.

"You did this. What did you do? The curse was not supposed to do this. They weren't supposed to remember each other. They weren't supposed to have a happy ending."

"Oh Dearie, if something has gone wrong with the curse I assure you it is not from my end." Rumple looked satisfied with himself. If his new memories served him correctly he was quite rich, and that was what he needed now that he was in this world and wanted to find his son. Whatever Regina had done to botch this curse had not affected his plan in the slightest.

Snow White broke in just then. "Happy ending? You think I've gotten my happy ending? Where is my daughter, Regina?"

"That's on you, Miss. I didn't tell you to send her away."

\\\

Hook was confused. Hook did not often find himself confused. But one moment he was standing next to Cora, listening to her tell him that she would offer him safe haven, a place to wait out the curse. The next moment, he's in his ship. But his ship is most definitely not on the water. He walks down the stairs. His ship doesn't have stairs; it has a ladder. He looks out the ship's windows. His ship doesn't have windows; it has portholes. He sees trees, grasses, shrubs. Again, all things one does not see from a ship. Looking out the window he sees the motley group of people on the front lawn of the building across the street. Shaking his head at the sight of a road, growing even more confused, he finally sees something that catches his interest and completely removes any bit of confusion.

The crocodile. Maybe things didn't go exactly as Cora had planned, but things had gone exactly as he needed them to. He'd have to thank her if he ever saw her again.

He grabbed his sword from a bin next to the front door that also contained a sturdy looking ladies parasol, and started to dart across the street.

Feeling the exhilaration of finally, after all of these years, being able to exact his revenge, he didn't bother to look to see if there were any horses coming.

Of course, it wasn't a horse that hit him.

The driver got out of his car and was a little taken aback. First off, why had this man run out in the road carrying a sword? Second, why was he dressed like a pirate? He rolled the guy over and started shouting for help. He hadn't seen them at first, but soon enough a group of people from a nearby apartment building came over and the man breathlessly recounted his story. 'This crazy man had run out in front of his car ranting about a crocodile. Clearly he's on drugs, man. This is so not my fault.' The Enchanted Forest residents took one look at Hook and knew he was one of theirs, if no one immediately could tell who he was yet. They'd get him to safety and then figure it out. It was just another thing to add to their long list of questions.

Dr. Frankenstein, who quickly introduced himself to the motorist as Dr. Victor Whale, started looking the pirate over and said there were no real injuries, probably just a minor concussion and they'd take him in and watch over him until they were sure he was out of danger. The motorist was confused. Why weren't these people calling an ambulance and why hadn't they called the cops? He'd just hit a man in broad daylight. That's when another resident stepped in and introduced himself as a local sheriff, Sheriff Humbert, and he quickly took down the driver's name and phone number and said they'd contact him if they needed more information, but please not to worry. They were sure their neighbor would be just fine.

The men of the group had moved the unconscious body to the front lawn, hoping no passersby stopped to ask questions. As it happened, as many people walked by, no one seemed to pay any attention to anything that was going on in their courtyard.

They all stood around taking stock of the pirate.

"Does anyone know who he is? If he's from the Enchanted Forrest shouldn't at least one of us know him?"

Everyone looked around, noting the blank stares on their new neighbor's faces.

"Wait." It was Ruby. "I think we all know each other from our new memories, but I don't think we know each other from the Enchanted Forest. Maybe we should introduce ourselves. I'll start. In the Enchanted Forest I was Red. I live with my Granny. I know Snow over there, along with her husband Charming. This is my Granny. Here, although I haven't experienced it yet, we run a diner."

Granny stepped up next. "Yes, I think one of us should be there now, but I guess that can wait considering the circumstances."

Snow walked over to Red and gave her best friend a hug. "I'm glad you're here." Turning to the others she introduced herself. "I'm Snow White. In the Enchanted Forest I was your Queen. Here I teach middle school. I think I'm supposed to be planning some lessons right now. " She clearly was not over her grief. She might not ever be. But she was their Queen and was going to try to hold herself together for her people. "This is my husband Charming."

In turn they all went around and introduced themselves, explaining who they were in the Enchanted Forest and what memories they'd been given for this new world. Jiminy, Geppetto, Pinocchio, the Dwarves, Frankenstein, the Huntsman, the Mad Hatter. Those who knew each other exchanged hugs or handshakes. Others joked as they talked about their new lives. Only Regina and Rumplestilskin stood apart from the rest.

Finally Ruby brought everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

"So, still, no one knows this hot pirate?"

"Ruby!" admonished her grandmother.

"I'm just saying, Granny. He's hot. A little worse for the wear with that car thing hitting him. But still." Clearly Ruby was going to be the first to adjust to their new lives.

Rumple stepped forward finally.

"I'm afraid I know this pirate. I'm the one who took his hand. My wife ran off with him, and I made sure to make him pay. I'm sure he's here for his revenge."

Everyone looked at Rumple, clearly not surprised. Most all of them had their past dealings with the man, and knew he was ruthless. Taking a pirate's hand seemed like it was minor retribution if Rumple's wife had in fact run off with him. Obviously there was more to the story, but they weren't going to find out any more until the pirate woke up.

It was David who spoke up.

"Well, can someone help get him inside? We'll put him on our couch and Mary Margaret can watch over him until he wakes up. I think I'm due at the shelter for my shift." He said that last part shaking his head. "We're not going to figure this all out today, and I think we've all got lives to get to. Let's agree to meet tomorrow evening in the courtyard and see if we can put more of this together. In the meantime, maybe we should try not attracting any attention to ourselves until we figure out more about where we are." Everyone agreed, quite happy to try and settle in to their new lives.

David pulled Grumpy aside. "Hey, Grumpy. Can you stay with Snow while we wait for this guy to wake up? He was rushing across the street with a sword. I don't want her alone with him."

"Of course, Your Highness. And while we're here I guess you better get used to calling me Leroy."

"And you better get used to not calling me Your Highness."