Hey there, here is the next chapter! I decided to go with a little Darling and Bad Wolf interaction for a change. As always, no ships, could be OOC and I hope you enjoy it!


Darling tiptoe out of the room as quietly as possible. The sun was barely rising through the valley, everything felt so quiet and so still that she didn't want to disturb it. So she sneaked into the kitchen sitting at the table in the darkness that was left of the previous night.

Everything seemed calm until the back door opened and the huge figure walked in.

"Mr Bad Wolf!" she raised to her feet "what are you doing here?" she asked immediately, then she thought it over "Sorry, this is your house, what I meant-"

He raised a hand to slow her down "It's quite alright, Miss Charming" he walked into the kitchen as well "I just came from the reserve, I will have to go back tonight, I thought I could spend a little time here"

"Yes, of course"

He walked to the counter taking some fruit "Isn't it a bit early for you to be up?"

"I just wanted to be awake before them for once" she chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, I haven't slept in since Cerise turned four" he laughed in his deep voice "So, how are you liking your staying here?"

"It's been amazing, I have really enjoy it" she answered honestly.

"I am glad to hear that" he started to cut some oranges in half "I was really surprised to hear your name when Cerise asked for our permission to bring a friend home" he commented "I imagined, Raven perhaps but definitely not you"

Darling felt a little awkward, but she had to ask "Wh-why not?" her voice quivered a little.

"Don't get me wrong, Miss Charming, but I pictured a Rebel friend. I have seen your brothers, they are as Royals as they can be. In pursuit of adventure, recognition, rescuing the damsel... well at least Daring fits the description"he started to squeeze the oranges "You come from a long line of tradition, I never pictured that my daughter and you could be acquaintance, let alone friends" he explained in a cool tone.

"Well...Cerise doesn't embrace the Damsel in Distress stereotype...I guess that's why I liked hanging around with her in the first place. Because I didn't have to pretend either..."

Bad Wold tilted his head in expectation and curiosity "You said you had as much to loose when you first arrived here, can I inquire what you meant, Miss Charming?"

"It's...complicated" she sighted "My whole family might come from a linage of Royals but I... don't feel so strongly about my destiny. My family would never approve of me being a Rebel so, I haven't told them I want to go off script...if they ever knew...I can't imagine how it would be..."

"I am afraid I feel obligated to ask but...do your parents know you are here?"

Darling's cheeks blushed furiously "Well...no, but- but I would never put your family at risk! They think I am at Apple's and Apple is...clueless , she did agreed to cover for me so...they are not looking"

Bad Wolf sighted "kids" he looked for a glass.

"Are you...going to tell them?"

"What?"

"Tell my parents...since you are a professor..." she trailed off.

"Well as a parent I know I would want to know the whereabouts of my children at any time" he said firmly "but as a Rebel..." he smiled "I know how hard it can be" he served two glasses of juice giving one to the teen "for now, I am not a professor, Darling" he sipped once.

"Thank you Mr-?"

"Wolf, you can call me Wolf"

"Thank you, Wolf" she tried for it to sound natural.

"You are welcome" he finished his drink and then his ear twitched "my day officially begins" he said amused.

Darling didn't quite catch that until she saw the two sisters entering the room.

"Dad" Ramona sprinted to greet him first, Cerise as always followed some steps behind to calmly hug him as well.

"Morning my girls"

"Well, lil' princess, you got up awfully early today" Ramona teased.

"Was something the matter?" Cerise asked, she knew her friend had some mix feelings about hiding her visit to her parents, she did wanted to amend her bond with them and eventually, very eventually, come clean about being a hero.

"Well, I have proven my point, that I am not under any sleeping spell" she countered playfully.

"Fair enough, so now that you are up, are you going to bed again?"

"Tempting" she resisted the urge of rolling her eyes while a laugh escaped her lips.

"If you have nothing better to do, you might as well join us in our daily jog" Bad Wolf offered.

Darling felt the smile spread in her face out of her control "You don't mind?"

"Come on, Darling, let us see all the training it took for you to break your brother's record in the dragon course" Bad Wolf chuckled.

Cerise wrapped an arm around her shoulders "What do you say? A little more competition will suit you?"

"You can bet your crown on it" she smiled . She felt the acceptance of the 'pack'.

Perhaps Bad Wolf was not such a villain, perhaps he was just as trapped in a long tradition as well, carrying the burden of the family name and he too was fighting for his own destiny, his happily ever after...


Thanks for the follows, favs and amazing reviews! All the support that this fic has gotten it's incredible! Next update will be a little more Cerise and Darling interaction that I hope you will like. Until next time!