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18 years in the future
…
They'd certainly outdone themselves. It wasn't every day that the youngest member of their ever growing family turned 16 and it certainly wasn't everyday that they were able to pull the wool over her eyes and hide the fact they were going to throw a surprise party for the inquisitive child. Henry stood in the kitchen of his mother's home, proud smile on his face as he placed The last candle on the chocolate cake he'd baked for the occasion.
"Do we have everything?" Rhea appeared, leaning into the kitchen with her signature wicked grin on her face. Henry made a dramatic gesture towards the cake and nodded, happiness filling his every feature. "Wow cuz, you've pretty much gone and outdone yourself there. You are you didn't just write it into existence with that magic quill of yours, did you?" Henry laughed at his cousin's insinuation and tried to compose a look of faux insult on his face but failed miserably.
"Of course not! Truth be told this is the third attempt" he gestured toward the kitchen side, the burst remains of attempts one and two sat lopsided in their baking trays. "But this one - was all me! I swear!"
Rhea rolled her eyes and shook her head in faux disapproval. He had really gone all out for the special occasion. "I don't remember you making me a cake" she accused with a smile on her face "and it was only a couple of years ago- I think I'd remember!" She made her way into the kitchen and next to Henry to admire his 'death by chocolate' treat.
"I guess we were too busy trying to save you from your crazy mother" he mused gently nudging her. Rheas smile faltered a little as the memories of her own sixteenth birthday shambles came flooding back.
Before he let her fall back into those memories Henry turned her towards him, gripping her shoulders lightly. "Don't think about it Rhea- you're here with us. We always fight for our family, to give them their best chance" he embraced his young cousin, who returned the loving embrace briefly. She had never been one for 'lovey doveyness', as she called it. It wasn't her nature.
"All right kids, let's get this show on the road" Rhea jumped back a step, that wicked smile back on her face. Robin walked into the Kitchen and scooped up the last of the snacks, eyeing the cake with admiration "Good job Henry. She'll love it"
"Yeah yeah yeah, let me help you with those Dad" Rhea jumped to Robins side and picked up the two bottles of soda that Robin had been attempting to balance atop the sugary treats that were mounted within his arms.
"Thanks sweetheart" Henry watched as Rhea gave her father a small kiss on the cheek. "Who's getting Ava?" Robin asked, as Henry grabbed the cake and checked he had everything he needed.
"Neal is picking Vivi up from the docks and driving her to Granny's for six" Rhea responded from the hallway. "So come on slow coach! I'm not going to miss the look on her face for anything in the world!"
Henry rolled her eyes, knowing that she was directing her comment to him. "Yeah yeah, just poof us there, little witch" He replied, mirroring her wicked smile.
"That was the plan, little man!"
…
Present day
It took Henry a moment to adjust to the affects of the portal. His body still didn't feel like his own and his senses were certainly not in tune with anything yet. The last images he had witnessed before their departure were still burning on his retina. All he could hope was that they could fix all of this, that the young girl still sobbing his arms could fix all of this. It was their only hope. She was their only hope.
"Answer me! Who are you?!" The voice he recognized as his mothers pierced through his thoughts and there she stood, fireball in her hand and fierce look on her face. The evil queen only appeared when she felt threatened, a character he had seen in her fullness over the past week until her torturous end. He felt torn between running towards her and relishing in the fact she was still alive and knowing that it would make no sense to her. The one she knew as her son was stood just a foot behind her, peering around her defiant body, not the man who stood before her, tears in his eyes and loss in his heart.
"Don't make me do anything you're going to regret!" She continued, raising her voice along with her hand.
"Wait" Henry turned towards his cousin, who stepped forward, her hands raised in a defensive manner. "We're not here to harm any of you Regina, we're here to help" Henry's heart sank – they had agreed to try and avoid them and not interfere too much with their memories. They had agreed not to let them know who they were at all costs. But Rhea was never one for complying with the plans. Although her hand was forced, it was not her that should have brought them here. Had Ava not faltered and strayed from the plan, they would have appeared in the barn and not in front of the very people they had just witnessed disintegrate before them. Rhea didn't control the magic as well – as was apparent. But that was not what he could dwell on now. Their initial plans may have changed, but their mission still stood. Save them.
"How do you know us?" Henry looked from his cousin towards his grandmother who had spoken. She was just as he remembered her. Snow White. Strong but trusting. If he could only convince them, convince her, that it was ok – maybe they could help the three of them too?
"We're…" Henry felt his voice constrict in his throat and fade into nothing.
"Henry, what…" Rhea's voice faded much in the same way. Both looked to the source of their silence with wide eyes.
Ava moved herself out of his arms, her sobbing ceased and that familiar glimmer of determination in her eyes. He tried to stop her from stepping away from him, tried to scream and implore her not to do what he knew she would.
"I'm sorry" She whispered, looking from himself to Rhea before stretching out her hand and freezing them to the spot. Ava turned around and made the same subtle gesture to the group before them before allowing a small dream catcher to appear in her palm. Had Henry's eyes not been locked, they would have widened further. What was she going to do?
"I will be back to get you – but I have to do this on my own" She spoke calmly; all signs of that broken young girl gone from her features. He begged internally that she wouldn't go through with this. He had promised to keep her safe! How could he do that it he didn't remember what he was keeping her safe from! How could he…
Ava ran the dream catcher over Henry and Rhea, removing the plan from their memories, before glancing over her shoulder to the group behind her. "I will keep my promise" she spoke clearly to them, before disappearing and releasing them from their temporary paralysis.
…
18 years in the future
"One minute!" Rhea's excitement etched into every letter. It had been the longest week planning this party, trying to get everything sorted without letting Ava into the secret. Of course, Ava was not completely obtuse, but Rhea had made every attempt in deferring the scent to other matters, she couldn't have little Vivi seeing through her lies.
"Just trying to get this application for college done / Gone to look at apartments with Henry / Dad and Regina are fighting again – maybe my Wicked Witch of a mother is coming back to take me away… may not be the best time for you to come over"
Rhea hated lying – but she had to admit that she was good at it. She just hoped that Ava would forgive her. Of course she would – this is going to be the best party ever! One she would never forget.
"She's here!" Snow White matched her own excitement with ease. They all really needed this.
…
"Neal, I'm not hungry – please just let me go home" Ava slipped her hand out from his and stood stubbornly at the end of the small path way that led to the diner. She had lied – she was starving, but not in the mood.
"I'm not here to buy you food Vivi – I have to pick up something and it's starting to rain, so please – just come inside and then we can go home!" Neal implored, silently thanking the clouds for their sudden apparition. He was sure that there was a magical explanation for it, but he didn't care. "Come oooooon!" He grabbed her hand once more and literally dragged the girl into the diner.
The diner was dark and empty, save a cupcake on the counter. Ava's mood lightened a little as she slowly made her way towards the candle lit cake. Ava turned towards Neal who simply shrugged, moving his shaggy hair out of his eyes. "Happy Birthday Vivi – make a wish" Ava rolled her eyes and indulged in the young mans request. She was not one for believing in wishes… but one wouldn't hurt, right?. With one breath the flame disappeared and with that the room lit up in an extremely dramatic way.
"SURPRISE!" Ava was caught of guard by the sudden appearance of almost the entire town in such a small diner.
"Oh my g…." her words were caught in her throat by the pounce of her best friend.
"Happy Birthdaaaaaaay! I've been practicing that flame trick aaaaaall week. What do you think?" Rhea had the biggest smile on her slim face, her auburn locks falling wild around her happy face.
"It – it was – was great!" Ava replied finally released from Rheas grip. "Really, fantastic. So that's why you've been avoiding me all week" Rhea shrugged in a nonchalant manner before leaving her to be greeted by the rest of the guests.
Never trust a witch. She mused to herself her bad mood disappearing entirely.
…
Present day
The underworld was just as she had remembered. The darkened soul of the magically town that she had grown up in was just as she had expected it to be, how it always was and how it always will be.
Ava glanced down at the intricately designed dream catcher in her hand and sighed, before tucking it into her coat. She would return their memories when the time was right, but right now, she had other, more pressing matters to deal with.
I've always said 'Never trust a witch'. She mused to herself as she remembered the look in Rhea and Henry's eyes when she disappeared. But I will make it up to you when I find…
"Gold." She whispered to herself as she looked over the familiar door to the pawn shop. Not a moment was wasted on her thoughts as she pushed the door and entered the establishment, the unfailing bell sounding its owner of her presence.
…
18 years in the future
The atmosphere reeked of excitement, joy and hope as was to be expected. What other emotions could have possibly surrounded them in the company of the Charming family and co? As they began to sing 'happy birthday', Ava felt her cheeks turn bright red as she stood, center of attention with the 16 burning candles on her chocolate cake – courtesy of Henry. Chocolate really was her weakness.
"Go on! Make a wish!" Ava rolled her eyes as Rhea's voice screamed over the whole crowd. She had already made one today and struggled to think of anything she really wanted to wish for. Her nose scrunched under the pressure of coming up with something worth wishing for. Something she never admitted to her family, was that she didn't really believe in this sort of thing. Making wishes? Hoping for the best? That wasn't what brought happiness – at least she didn't believe that. She believed that hard work and determination would give you the happy ending you deserved. She believed that she was in control of her destiny and that it was not left up to 'fate'. But she knew what was expected of her and as per usual, she would comply with the traditions and make a stupid wish.
"Come on Come on!"
"Ok Ok!" Ava rolled her eyes at Rhea and readied herself. As she drew breath she suddenly felt the room turn cold.
"Don't stop on my behalf" A strange voice sounded throughout the room. It took no time to follow everyone's eyes and identify the source of the voice, sat arrogantly in the corner of the diner, donning a suit and a smug look on his face.
"Hades" Ava's eyes widened at her Snow's confirmation of his identity. Instantly she felt herself surrounded, her mother and father at her side and holding her arms tightly.
"So nice to see you all are doing so well after our time together. Charming, really" He rose effortlessly and smiled at them all with a knowing look in his eyes "But I don't have time to catch up. No." A contract appeared in his hand. "I'm here to collect what is owed to me"
…
Present Day
"We're closed" Ava raised an eyebrow at the unquivering voice of the owner as he continued his business without even looking her way.
"That's direct talk from a man who isn't dead. How can you say that when you are not the owner of this shop down here?" She stood dead center of the shop, allowing her eyes to fall upon all the magical contraptions that surrounded her within and atop the glass cabinets, flashbacks of her childhood filling her to the brim. "And anyway –" she continued "I'm not here to buy anything"
"Well then dearie, I suggest you leave. I am a busy man" He lifted his head up in an exasperated manner, a glisten of tears apparent on his glaring eyes. Ava matched his glare and took a step towards the man.
"Well then dearie, you are going to have to put your plans on hold, I have an urgent matter to deal with, and you are going to help me" She spread her hands out on the glass counter and leant towards him, the dried tears more obvious to her at this distance.
"I –" he pointed to himself, that impish grin spreading across his aged face "and going to help you? And why would I do that?"
"Because, dark one –" Pushing herself off the counter she outstretched her hands before her and smiled, relishing in the strength the magic in the underworld gave her. It took but a second for her hands to grasp on to the object of her desire – The dark ones dagger. "I command you"