It had been obvious from the very beginning that it was more than just a simple nightmare, that it had all started not long after Apple had set the Evil Queen free and that despite claiming that Raven had forgiven Apple the other girl was keeping her distance.

But Apple was still ashamed by what she had done and after Raven had verbally forgiven her so readily Apple just wanted to sweep the whole situation under the rug and forget that her betrayal to her best friend never happened, that it was all the Evil Queen's fault and that as a fair maiden succumbing to a villain it really technically wasn't her fault at all! She was the wronged party all along!

Apple had been so busy attempting to convince herself of her own lies that the real wronged party, the only person that ever counted, slipped right out of Apple's reach before she could even see it.

XXX

Raven thinks about it.

Even though she really doesn't want to.

"I brought you some lavender in a bag, Cupid says that it'll help you sleep." Dexter kindly offers Raven at lunch.

Raven smiles as much as her bruised face and sore nose will allow. "Thank you, that is really sweet of-"

"What's the bright idea with you waking everybody up in the middle of the night Raven." Duchess sneers, appearing out of nowhere. "Evil Queens are supposed to cackle not shriek."

Raven blinks, looking around her to find that Dexter had mysteriously disappeared from her side. She thinks she spies him out of the corner of her eye, sprinting out of the line of fire but staying just close enough to listen in, just close enough to see when it is safe to go back.

And where was he all throughout the time that my mother had broken free and when I needed a friendly face the most? Her thoughts demanded. Why is he only ever really around when things are going good and it looks like that I am winning?

Duchess's hands slammed down onto the table. "Well?" She demands, drawing the attention of most of the room.

"I'm not evil." Raven mumbled looking around her in confusion as some of her known Rebel associates at the next table make to stand up to apparently help, only for Apple to race from her other side to them, holding her arms out to stop them, ordering them in a voice that Raven could barely make out to not start a fight and to just let Raven handle it.

"Yeah right, tell that to my missing sleep, I've got bags under my eyes because of you." Duchess sneered again, waving her hand in order to try to get Raven to look at her and not at how Apple has just given her a thumb's up and mouthed; "Use your magic!" at Raven who is in turn giving Apple what she hopes is a universal, "what are you doing? I am too tired to handle this alone!" gesture. But either Apple doesn't understand what Raven is saying, or she is pointedly ignoring Raven.

"I'm working on it." Raven assured distractedly, Cupid and Briar appear to know what she is saying and they do stand up but then Apple is right there, and Raven can hear the blonde try to explain her intervention away as an attempt to halt yet another Royal versus Rebel conflict started all because of Raven refusing to be evil and-

"What is she going on about?" Duchess whispers just loud enough for Raven to hear as she discretely points to Apple, apparently Duchess could read what Raven was trying to silently say too as well as overhear Apple's words.

Raven's face when she looks up at Duchess must be something because the other girl visibly winces and there is pity layered thick in her expression and in her voice when she whispers again just loud enough for only Raven to hear. "Sorry, I'm just tired and you always sound like you're being murdered so I can't roll over and go back to sleep."

Raven closes her eyes and breathes in deep. Summoning up her best fake smile, the one she used to use at parties and in the face of kingdom royals at fancy balls whenever the adults used to ask her about her mom.

Her face really hurt, but it would be worth it if she could just… get out!

"I have proposed the option of magically soundproofing the dorm but I am afraid that my suggestion was turned down by the owner for it appeared to them to be a great inconvenience for just a few silly night-terrors, might I interest you in some charmed earmuffs? There is a great place down in the village that, or so I have been duly and repeatedly informed, has been making quite the mint off of me and my inconvenient lack of control over my subconscious." Raven did her best not to wince at the sound of her voice; several tones higher and far too chipper than to what even she was used to.

"I'm pretty sure that the RA will understand if you push it." Duchess is leaning towards the witch in concern. "Are you feeling alright? You're voice sounds funny."

That's because my supposed boyfriend just abandoned me, and the girl that I am hopelessly but secretly in love with is trying to turn me evil by throwing me to your mercy, and my face really hurts right now, and I am trying with all my might not to break down crying all by myself in front of a lunchroom full of people that either won't help me when I'm being kicked down or are being prevented from helping me and… oh no, I'm gonna cry if I don't get out of here now! Raven managed to grin a little wider.

"I wasn't talking about the RA, don't ask me I just live there." Raven informs sweetly. "Now if you will so kindly excuse me…" She couldn't help glancing at Apple who was sighing in disappointment in that familiar way she tended to do whenever Raven did something kind or non-villain-like out of the corner of her eye.

"…I've lost my appetite!" Raven squeaked, feeling just on the edge of loss of control, so she disappeared in a swirl of purple magic instead of walking calmly out like she had wanted to do, accidentally taking the bench she sat on with her in the process.

Raven was relieved that the south lawn was empty, and that she could turn her back on the school windows so that no one from the inside could see her begin to painfully cry while she staggered towards the tree line.

XXX

Cerise found her five minutes later.

She asked Raven what was going on and if she could do anything to help.

Raven sobbed truthfully that she wasn't certain that anything could help her at this point but ended up telling the hooded girl everything all the same, from the bad dreams to Maddie's proposal, to what happened at lunch.

Cerise listened attentively while Raven sobbed and hiccupped through, letting Raven use her lap as a cushion and stroked the witch's notably crownless hair (her bruised head hurt too much to wear it).

After Raven was finished a long silence settled, Raven almost falling asleep when Cerise finally spoke up.

"You should do it. Go on and be free, us Rebels will be just fine by ourselves. Maddie's right this is not going to end well for you unless you remove yourself from all of this, it's not healthy and it is not safe for you here with Apple, this keeps on getting worse and worse and you are right; she is starting it all this up again, she only gets really strict about how other people act whenever she's stressing out about how you were supposed to be her villain."

"But I love her." Raven dabs gingerly at her clogged nose with a handkerchief. "She'll be afraid if I just go."

Cerise snorts in disgust. "Yeah well being scared into a proper human being might be good for her, seeing as she's turning downright psychotic while you are within her reach. Besides you can do much better with finding someone else to both love and loyally stand beside."

"And what about Dexter?" Raven asks because he was her boyfriend, even though it had only been a very short time and the two of them had only ever really gone out a sparse few times, between school, Apple, and craziness that was living in Ever After they hadn't had much time… that and Cerise seemed to be describing Raven's feelings for Apple almost as if-…

"Like you said, he's only ever really around when you are winning, and he barely knows you, I mean… have you two ever even discussed your past? Your hopes and dreams for the future? …Or even had the chance to tell him that purple is actually your third most favorite color?" Cerise asked.

"No." Raven answered grimly. "I… I probably should reevaluate that relationship… now that you've gone and put it that way…"

"Well good because at the Dragon Games I overheard him talking to the other princes about how he couldn't believe that he had been dating someone who was willing to set fire to that fancy arena. I tried setting him straight of course but… well he was certainly very sorry when the truth came out that you were innocent." Cerise huffed.

"What?" Raven asked her eyes wide.

"Ears. I overheard with perfect clarity." Cerise tapped the side of her hood in explanation. "No mistake, I am very sorry."

"Oh dear gods." Raven bemoaned covering her eyes carefully. "I'm going to have to be the bad guy and break up with him in some big horrid fight aren't I? Oooh I don't think that I can handle this in my condition, all broken up in the face and tired out of my ever-living mind…"

"You could always ask Lizzie to help." Cerise supplied. "She may not be Cupid but she does know her way around break ups and hearts."

"…And why can't I go to Cupid for help?" Raven inquired.

"Well… I suppose since you are going to break up with him… I guess it's alright to tell you that she's madly in love with him and… well half the school kind of knows about her feelings anyway… even without super hearing to overhear her talking to herself about it or super smell to detect those kind of pheromones." Cerise coughed apologetically.

"That's why people have being saying that I'm being super mean by dating him!" Raven realizes with a start. "Oh my… if I had known I would have backed off and helped her! Cupid deserves love far more than I deserve a date with a mere crush! Oh I feel so guilty and Dexter probably is better off without me since we've only been on a few dates and it's not like that's enough for him to fall for me and it was all probably just a bit of curiosity on his end anyway so really those two should probably be together…"

"…You are a good friend Raven. Never change." Cerise sighs over Raven's guilty rambling.

XXX

Raven is still troubled by the past week's events, avoiding both Dexter and Cupid whenever possible and staying over at Maddie and Kitty's dorm for a few nights helps but Apple is a kind-hearted person when she is not stressed about their- about her story, Raven's reoccurring nightmares seem to have put the princess off of her sudden lack of a prince as well as Raven's continued refusal to do anything to help Apple find a new one.

"I mean you could always temporarily poison me, nothing as strong as that apple your mother gave me… just for a few hours so that we can have all the eligible princes and heroes kiss me to see if any of them can wake me up." Apple explains as she gingerly helps hold a small cold packet to Raven's nose to keep down the swelling while Raven lay sprawled out miserably on her bed, just like the healer instructed be done periodically until the bone and cartilage mended itself.

"And what about Darling?" Raven asked feeling far too worn with this subject to pull any of her verbal punches.

Apple hesitated, biting her lip. "What about Darling?" The princess avoided her eye.

"She woke you up." Raven pointed out.

"That was just CPR."

"Which is the kiss of life."

"But she's not a prince!"

Raven regarded Apple carefully. "She is not a male prince you mean, in my culture there are no issues with gender when it comes to titles."

Apple sits back, blinking rapidly in confusion. "What?"

"My culture, from my home, is different than that of Ever After, you were poisoned by my mother whose cultural upbringing is the same as mine. A female prince is just as valid as a male prince." Raven murmured, knowing full well that Apple would not know this and that this was slightly dirty of her to lure Apple into this kind of verbal trap.

But she had to know, if there was any hope for their supposed friendship then Apple would have to know what her title will be once she inherited her father's throne.

She loved Apple… even though she was scared to voice just how much too much, even inside her own head, and Apple would have to know- would find out eventually.

Would Apple accept such a concept? If not then what hope did Apple have for herself? If only a female prince could awaken her from poisoned slumber?

"I… am a prince." Raven confessed carefully to Apple's widening eyes. "I have turned my back upon my mother's title of queen therefore I have the choice to inherit my father's title, throne, and both kingdoms, I am currently the Good Prince, and shall become the Good King if I decide to rule."

Apple had to think about that one for a while.

"But that's just not how things are done in fairytales." Apple chuckled nervously, not looking Raven in the eye. "You'll make a decent queen, don't worry about it."

"I never said that I was worried. I'm quite charmed by the option of becoming the king to be honest." Raven countered muzzily.

"But that's not what is done in fairytales." Apple still sounded nervous.

Raven inhaled deeply, bracing herself for touching upon a subject that had never been brought up before. "In human stories… perhaps, but I am neither human nor am I a fairytale character."

Raven stared unflinching and very stoic into Apple's startled eyes.

Apple swallowed being the first to break eye contact. "But you're a girl." The princess argued weakly.

"Were you under the impression that I was not?" Raven suppressed an inappropriate snicker and-… ow; laughing hurt her face.

"That's not funny Raven, joking like that." Apple frowned.

"I am being completely serious." Raven blinked lazily.

"Then what happens when you get married? There can't be two kings on the throne." Apple snipped almost frostily.

Actually there could but that was a whole other argument.

"Whomever I choose to love and marry, whether they be a he, she, or something else, they would become my queen of course." Raven stated simply, doing her best to act as though voicing her words to Apple didn't terrify her.

Apple's eyes looked like they might drop out of her skull.

"That… that doesn't sound right… are you pulling my leg?" The princess laughed thinly, like she was almost afraid of Raven's answer. "That- that doesn't happen in fairytales!"

Raven merely stoically stared back at Apple, completely and suddenly drained from the conversation.

After sometime Apple got tired of fidgeting under Raven's gaze. "You are joking with me… right?"

No, Raven thought with a singular strong resonance echoing inside her head. "Is that your final answer?" She said instead.

"What?" Apple blinked.

"That it obviously cannot be possibly so just because it is not a fairytale and it is not of your culture or worldview?" Raven asked, hoping for a last ditch miracle of… well maybe a little bit of acceptance? If not for the prince or the marrying a queen thing then at least that Raven wasn't a fairytale character.

Apple shook her head, not comprehending. "What are you talking about Raven? Of course it is not possible; you're a girl! You're going to become a queen one day and be my-" Villain, is what hangs in the suddenly thick air between them.

"I am tired." Raven declares quickly before Apple can begin censuring herself. "I need to sleep now please… my head really hurts." As well as my broken heart

Apple hesitates but appears to take it all in at face value (and as an excuse to runaway). "Yeah, I can tell, how's about I call a healer to make a home visit too? You're being pretty loopy at the moment."

Raven is merely silent as she looks, really looks at Apple this time, through weary half-lidded eyes.

Apple fidgets again under the stare before backing away and being a little too loud when she calls a healer to the dorm.

XXX

"You are once again causing quite the disturbance Miss Queen, I don't know what is going on with you on a good day and here you go on in the middle of the night with this? I've had just about enough of your attention grabbing now if you- MISS QUEEN!" The Headmaster snaps. "Are you listening to me?"

In fact Raven didn't have to, Giles was not there so she knew that the headmaster wasn't likely to play fair and she was too busy being preoccupied with how the healer that Apple had called into the dorm yesterday had at first, fallen to the ground laughing hysterically when the princess described with increasing worry about how Raven was babbling about marrying other girls and becoming a king, only to find out that Apple was serious. And Raven was at the very least grateful that this particular healer was both a decent person (for a staff member of a very traditionalist school) for once as well as smart. Insisting that Raven be taken to the infirmary for observation and giving Raven a long but very refreshing speech after Apple had been shooed away about not having to cite what the exact medical reasons are if Raven ever needed to find herself in a private dorm room in the near future.

"Miss Queen!" The Headmaster was shaking Raven's limp shoulder.

"So tired." Raven croaked hoarsely. "The nightmares… sorry, I'll find a way not to be a disturbance."

"Oh and how is that?" The Headmaster crossed his arms sternly.

"I was offered a tent and camping gear by one of the girls." Raven lied sarcastically, not really thinking.

"…You are not camping in the middle of the woods Miss Queen." The Headmaster looked almost pained, and his brow was twitching, golly, his brow only twitched when she was being particularly stubborn, she must be doing a real number on his week if he was this irritated. "I was going to suggest mandatory time with a school therapist."

"But the healers already have me seeing-" Raven started but was cut off.

"Yes well since you keep falling asleep on the couch in her office I think that it is high time that you tried a different school therapist." The Headmaster grouched.

That got Raven to wake up a considerable bit. "I thought that all the school health professionals were under legal obligation of section two, title thirty one a, b, and g." Raven recalled from the school wide seminar that they all had to take the first year.

"What?" The Headmaster blinked in confusion, he always fell asleep during the speeches in the auditorium.

"No non-healthcare professionals are allowed to know a student's confidential health information unless given specific permission by either the student, a parental guardian, law enforcement, or in extreme life or death circumstances by the physician themselves." Raven tried to keep her voice level, but panic was slowly creeping into her tone. "Someone who has equal or more authority than you has to give you permission for you to even know who the healers had assigned me to let alone that I keep falling asleep on her office's couch… I know that neither myself or my father gave you permission and I darn well know that my mother never would even if she still held those kind of parental rights, which she doesn't anymore because she's a criminal!"

The Headmaster shifted his feet, looking distinctly edgy for being caught out.

"Headmaster…?" Raven had wanted to sound angry and furious, because that would have been better, it was something that she could at least handle, but instead her voice came out violated and utterly terrified.

The man flinched, actually looking guilty for once. "Miss White has been very concerned for you, which in turn has made her mother rather concerned and since she is the queen-"

Raven could have sworn that her heart stopped. "I need to get out of here." It was getting very hard to breath in the room so Raven stood up to dart out, her mind filling with visions on daggers and blood and a woman in a red stained white dress holding her mother up by the neck-

"Miss Queen we still need to talk." The Headmaster said sternly as he grabbed the girl's arm, only to yelp in surprise when Raven startled at his touch on her arm and promptly collapsed to the floor with a pathetic little sound escaping her lips.

XXX

"This is getting worse." Raven heard Briar's dry voice and knew that the usual "after-the-freak-out-crew" were all gathered outside of her curtained room. Again. Funny how the blue fabric surrounding the tiny space started to feel like a second home after over a month of sleep depravation and panic attacks leaving her to lie unconscious on the floor or the ground at odd intervals.

Raven sighed she really must be in a sorry state if not even Faybelle or Duchess deemed it appropriate to hassle her over it all at this point, instead showing signs of pity openly in the halls…

Ooh things must be really bad indeed.

"You don't think that the Headmaster did anything to her...?" Blondie asked tentatively.

"No he wouldn't!" Raven could practically hear Apple shake her head. "In fact he's trying to help my mom figure out what is wrong with her. Oh if only she'd just tell me what her nightmares are about!"

"Well the therapists notes that I borrowed from the healer's offices do mention something about Raven admitting that she knows how to fix things herself but she doesn't know if she has the confidence to do so." Blondie hummed over the sound of pages being flipped from side to side.

"Blondie, put that out of sight!" Ashlynn hissed. "You'll get into way more trouble than just swiping a clipboard off of her bed!"

"Borrowed, I borrowed the clipboard, just like I borrowed this." Blondie corrected.

"I said put that away!" Ashlynn hissed again.

"That's it I know how we can help Raven!" Apple clapped to herself excitedly as she usually did when she got super excited. "We just have to awaken a bit of her inherited villainess courage and she'll be able to face whatever is bothering her!"

A beat. "What?" It was Blondie this time.

"Apple… remember the last time you tried to "awaken" Raven's villain side? You know, when you let her mother free and nearly destroyed the whole school in the process?" Briar demands in her most severe sassy tone.

"I don't mean that we try to turn her evil." Apple laughed nervously. "I just mean that we remind Raven that she was born with more courage due to her evil heritage, she might have turned her back on our story for now but she can't escape genetics! Somewhere in there is an Evil Queen who is far too strong and brave to be scared off by a little nightmare."

"What are you going on about we Apple?" Briar demands.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how genetics work Apple." Ashlynn coughed meekly, interrupting.

"Of course it is, I was born to be the fairest and Raven was born to be evil, just because Raven never shows her evil side doesn't mean that it isn't there." Apple states simply. "Come on guys, please help me out? She's getting worse, just yesterday she was practically delirious, talking about how she's a female prince and that she's going to inherit her father's throne as the next Good King and how she was going to marry a girl one day and make her queen! I mean can you seriously tell me that is not a cry for some serious help and intervention?"

The silence was almost deafening this time; Raven rolls over in her cot, trying to pretend that this just wasn't happening.

She was grateful at least that her nose was feeling better and that the bruise on the side of her head was gone, it made the sudden pressure behind her eyes less painful.

"What? Why are you guys all looking at me like that?" Apple demands in confusion.

Raven tries to stifle it but her wet sniffles carry out to the other side of the curtain.

"She's heard us." Briar is the one to hiss this time. "Come on let's leave her alone, I don't think that she'll be happy to see any of us right now."

"Wha- Ashlynn let me go!" Apple's voice fades away as the group leaves.

"We are gonna have a looong talk sister." Briar's voice can barely be heard before the doors to the infirmary opens and shuts closed behind the retreating group.

However Apple was right about one thing, Raven did need to find her courage again, she can't deal with this sitting down and doing nothing any longer.