In Paris...
"I can't keep doing this..." Darla sighed as she sat at the desk of her hotel room in France. "My little girl needs her mother, she's already living without her father, but what can I do?"
"Oh, but mon cherie, don't you love visiting me?" a French man asked the blonde woman with a smirk. "I love your fashionista efforts."
"Yes, I know, but..." Darla said before getting a phone call. "Oh, excuse moi."
The French man nodded and left her to her private phone call.
Darla then answered her phone. "Bonjour."
"Darla, it's Drell, we might have a slight issue." Drell said on the other line.
"Drell..." Darla whispered. "I haven't seen you since I signed my contract when Eloise was almost five."
"Yeah, well, there's a problem..." Drell replied.
"What is it?" Darla asked, hanging on the phone, fearing the worst. "I'll be back in New York in three more days."
"It's about the time zone." Drell said.
"Time zone?" Darla raised a brow. "What on Earth are you talking about?"
"I better just show you, meet me at Father Time's place by teleporting there." Drell said.
"Hold on a moment..." Darla said before lowering the phone. "Pierre!" she called out to her French friend, telling him in French that she wouldn't make it to dinner, something had suddenly come up.
Pierre replied back in French that it was okay and hoped it wasn't anything too serious.
Darla nodded, then came back on the phone. "I'm on my way."
"Sounds good." Drell replied.
Darla hung up the phone, then reached into one of her drawers and took out something she kept hidden away from anyone else: Her Equestrian medallion. She then took off her expensive beaded necklace and replaced it with the medallion, wore it around her neck, and allowed it to transport over to Father Time's place.
And where once she placed her medallion around her neck, it instantly teleported her to Father Time's place. There was a bald man with a very long silver beard and wore a white robe, standing next to the most powerful man in the universe, Drell himself.
Darla walked out, adjusting her coat a little and tugged on the hem of her gloves. "Drell, what seems to be the problem?" she asked the warlock.
Drell looked over to Father Time. "You wanna tell or should I?"
"Darla, my dear, take a look at the time zone clock." Father Time told her.
Darla nodded once to him, then took a look at the time zone clock. "So, what am I suppose to be looking for?" she then asked.
"Don't you see anything wrong, my child?" Father Time asked.
"I don't understand..." Darla sighed. "Listen, I have a photo shoot in the morning and I'm going to stop at the boutique after lunch to buy my daughter a new cute little accessory."
"Your nieces and nephews have gone back in time from another time zone!" Drell told her.
"Oh?" Darla's eyes widened.
"Yes, it seems so..." Father Time informed.
"But... Why would they time travel and where could they had-Wait..." Darla was about to ask until she remembered something.
Last Night...
Darla saw she had time before it would become 8:00 at night in New York City, so she called the Plaza Hotel and the call transferred up to the penthouse where her daughter and Nanny were. Eloise eventually answered the phone and told her mother about Akito, Estelle, Vincent, and Felicity making a surprise visit to the hotel along with what happened during her day outside of the dull tutoring she endured with Phillip.
Present Day...
"Of course, it makes so much sense now..." Darla face-palmed.
"We have to get them to the proper time they were before they time traveled before things start disappearing." Father Time said.
"Things start disappearing?" Darla panicked. "What do you mean?"
"Everything needs to be in there exact place and time even if it's a few days or weeks or months or even years into the past, things will start disappearing." Drell said.
"I'm sure everything will be fine and they have a good reason to be time traveling..." Darla stroked the back of her neck nervously.
"Darla, if your nieces and nephews don't go back to where they belong, things could change drastically..." Drell warned.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Darla chuckled nervously with a sheepish grin.
"Um, for instance, what happened to your shoes you bought yesterday?" Father Time asked.
"I put them into my closet back at the hotel I have a lifetime reservation for." Darla replied like it was obvious.
Drell brought out his crystal ball to show the image of her shoes and where it showed that the pair of shoes Darla bought were missing.
"My shoes!" Darla gasped.
"I'm afraid it'll get worse..." Drell replied. "I mean, who knows what'll happen to the clothes off your back and those clothes you bought for your daughter's birthday?"
"Not to mention people." Father Time said.
"No, don't tell me..." Darla gripped her shorter blonde curled hair. "What's going to happen?!"
"They will soon disappear as well and soon everything will disappear." Father Time told her.
"Surely you're exaggerating..." Darla rubbed her arm.
"Didn't you have a hat on when you came in?" Drell asked.
Darla patted the top of her head and her hat wasn't there. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HAT?!" she shrieked. "THAT WAS A GIFT FROM URCHIN!"
"It's disappeared just like your shoes." Father Time told her.
"Why is this happening?!" Darla panicked.
"We told you, it's because of your nieces and nephews time traveling." Drell said.
"I knew there was something amiss..." Forte walked over with his hands behind his back. "Cerise has gone for an outing with Simon, Atticus and Monique have requested that I help watch over their children in their absence... Felicity has taken my time travel watch in which I had used as my only contact with Cerise before she ran away from her cruel and tyrannical father."
"You let her take your time travel watch?!" Drell exclaimed.
"I didn't mean to!" Forte glared back. "I was arranging my sheet music, I've told Felicity countless times to never go in my room without my permission!"
"Okay, I know this might change a bit of the past, but Darla, you have to go to the Plaza earlier then you planned." Drell said.
"But, I promised Pierre-" Darla started.
"Darla, I'm sorry, but you need to go back earlier..." Drell replied. "Plus, just think about how surprised your daughter will be to see you."
"Understood, but I have appointments..." Darla sounded nervous.
"What is more important?" Drell asked. "Your job or your daughter?"
Darla frowned with a small sigh. "I do love my job and it lets me stay in Paris, I've always wanted to go ever since I was a little girl... But... It keeps me away from Eloise... She already lives without her father... And I can only make occasional visits to the hotel..." she then dipped her head and put her hands to her face in utter dismay. "I'm a terrible mother."
"So?" Drell asked.
"Okay, I'll cancel my appointments and go back to the Plaza earlier than usual." Darla said.
Drell nodded, then put his arm around her. "Don't beat yourself up... Just because you're not there for Eloise doesn't mean you're a bad mother..."
Darla sighed and looked back to him. "Life seemed simple before I took my job... I was still living with Mama Emily and Daddy Patrick, I mean, I'm a rather young mother..."
Drell glanced at her. "What exactly happened that made you go to Paris all the time?"
"Well... You see..." Darla started to remember. "It was after my first high school dance and I had invited Urchin as my date..."
"Darla... Were you a teen mother...?" Drell asked.
"Yes." Darla nodded.
"I thought you looked rather youthful for a mother..." Drell glanced at her.
Darla rubbed her arm nervously. "I know we shouldn't have, but... It all happened so fast... One thing led to another... I was sixteen and after prom night, I thought I caught the flu because I spent a lot of time in bed and threw up a lot... Turns out I was actually carrying a baby..."
"Wait, you were sixteen?" Drell asked.
Darla nodded.
"So, that means..." Drell did a little math. "You're twenty-two."
"Yes..." Darla sighed. "Patrick and Emily weren't too happy with me, but they promised to help and support me the best that they could."
"How did Atticus take the news?" Drell asked.
"Well..." Darla said before starting a flashback.
*Flashback*
Atticus was about to go into the bathroom one morning, but the door was locked and he gently knocked on it. "Hey, how long you gonna be?!"
He then heard sniffling and crying.
Atticus put his ear to the door and recognized the crying. "Darla?"
"Oh, am I hogging the bathroom?" Darla asked behind the door. "I-I'll be right out!" she then instantly flushed and zipped out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes.
Atticus watched her go, he looked curious, but he had to take care of more serious business than her right now and came into the bathroom, then looked to the trashcan and took out what appeared to be a positive pregnancy test. Atticus was surprised to see this and didn't know how to react to this.
Darla sat in a corner in her bedroom with her legs over her face as she hugged her knees and was into a crying mess. She didn't intend for this to happen. She had always hoped that this would never happen to her, but it had. Darla was sixteen-years-old and was going to be a mother. She felt so alone and that her world was coming to an end. After a little while she heard someone knocking on her door gently.
"Darla, can I come in?" Atticus asked from the other side of the door.
Darla sniffled. "I guess..."
Atticus opened the door and decided to shut it behind him, then walked over to his little sister, sitting next to her and scooting over. "You okay?"
"Not really..." Darla said in a whispery, choked voice. "Why didn't I listen? Mama Emily warned me, but I didn't listen..."
"Listen, I was about to get at you AKA try to find out of why you did this, but I don't think that now is a good time." Atticus said.
Darla wiped her eyes and stared down at the floor. "I'll tell you if you really wanna know..."
"Yes, I really do." Atticus said.
Darla sighed. "You have to promise not to tell..."
Atticus sighed himself, this was very big and important and Darla should tell his parents, they were her parents now too, but he promised so he could find out what happened.
"It happened after Urchin walked me home from the prom..." Darla started to explain. "No one was home yet, so I invited him inside for a little while... We talked about how much of a good time we had, then I let him come in the house and have a look around since he barely gets to come to the house... Then... Well... We came in here."
"And let me guess, you two got a little too serious?" Atticus asked.
Darla chewed her lip nervously as she instantly sweated. "Y-Yeah..."
"Wow." Atticus said.
Darla sniffled and wiped her eyes.
"Maybe we should tell Mom and-" Atticus was about to suggest.
"NO!" Darla stopped him right there. "They cannot find out, they might kick me out or make me live in a homeless shelter!"
"Mom and Dad are not heartless, now, they might get mad, but they won't be cruel." Atticus said.
"They can't find out..." Darla pouted.
Atticus sighed. "Darla..."
"I just can't..." Darla shook her head.
Atticus frowned, then looked firmly serious. "Either you tell Mom and Dad or I will."
Darla squeezed her eyes shut, this felt like a horrible nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.
"Darla, please, Mom and Dad need to find out." Atticus said.
"Gee... Some big brother you turned out to be..." Darla looked angry now, but still had tears in her eyes as she held her stomach.
"Darla... Please... For me..." Atticus begged. "I mean, it's gonna be even worse if you hide it... Tell them... It might make you feel better... You know Mom and Dad love you like their very own daughter, they gave you a home and a family... Let them help you..."
Darla sighed. "I'll try..."
"Thank you." Atticus smiled.
"It won't be easy..." Darla sighed. "Especially since I have to go through this alone."
"No, you won't." Atticus said.
Darla looked back.
"I'll be there..." Atticus soothed. "Just as I always have... Just as I always will be..."
Darla hugged him as more tears rolled down her face and she sniffled slightly.
"What's going on?" Patch asked.
"I'll... I'll tell you later..." Atticus replied for his little sister's sake.
"Okay." Patch said.
Darla wiped her eyes as she wanted to keep holding onto Atticus and never let go.
*End of Flashback*
"Eventually, I found the courage to tell them..." Darla finished her story. "They were a little mad, but they promised to help and support in any way that they could... I was able to send Eloise to Nursery School at one point, but there was an...Incident which made several teachers retire."
"What sort of incident?" Drell asked.
"The teachers told us it was unspeakable, but I should remind you that Urchin is her father..." Darla replied.
"So, let me guess, she was a troublemaker for the teachers, right?" Drell guessed.
"That's basically what I just said..." Darla sighed. "I don't know what she did, they refuse to tell me, we kept trying, but Eloise just turned out to be unteachable... The Dean of Princeton College came over one time to interview Atticus about applying and enrolling in his school. While he was waiting, I was having trouble of deciding what to do with Eloise until he recommended one of his students to privately tutor Eloise for me whenever she would be old enough to start school since it feels impossible to let her go to school like a normal child."
"So, then, how did Phillip get stuck being her tutor?" Drell asked. "And did Atticus's interview go great?"
"The dean called for one of his top students to tutor Eloise, since I was going to be in Paris and I'd like her to travel with me, he was the best option for the position since Phillip is at the top of the French course in Princeton and Atticus did well, but he told the dean that he wanted to go to school somewhere else and check back another time." Darla explained.
"I'll need to find out where Atticus went to college," Drell said. "And find out why he turned down Princeton."
"Is that really important?" Darla glanced at him. "You sound obsessed with Atticus."
"I just want to know more about him." Drell said.
"Uh-huh..." Darla shrugged.
"Darla, I'm also curious... What happened in between you staying in Paris and Eloise staying at the Plaza Hotel with your old nanny?" Drell then asked.
"That's another story..." Darla said as she set up another flashback.
*Flashback*
We are shown teenage Darla holding her bundle in her arms as she wailed and cried, walking next to her best friend since second grade.
"Ellie, please don't cry..." Darla tried to soothe her daughter the best that she could. "Amber, could you hold onto her a moment, please? I think she's hungry."
"Sure." Amber said.
Darla handed her daughter to Amber, then reached into her purse and took out a bottle, but it was empty. "Oh, man, I forgot to refill it!"
"You go ahead to a store, I'll watch her." Amber promised.
"Really?" Darla asked.
"Go ahead, besides, you're more exhausted than when we took those pesty SAT's," Amber reassured. "You go ahead, I'll keep an eye on her, I helped my aunt watch ninety-nine puppies, I think I can handle a baby."
"Oh, thank you, Amber, you're the best..." Darla sounded grateful.
"Don't mention it." Amber smiled.
Darla smiled and went inside the store.
"Oh, Ellie, don't cry..." Amber cooed to her best friend's baby girl. "Smile at Aunty Amber~"
Eloise looked up to her 'aunt' and where she seemed happy to see her.
"There she is!" Amber beamed.
Eloise giggled, gently tugging on her red hair. Amber giggled back, but removed the baby's hand so she wouldn't get hurt.
Darla was looking for formula until suddenly, a camera flash came behind her which startled her. "What the?!"
"Oh, you're fabulous..." a man said to her in a French accent. "You look absolutely stunning!"
"Oh, um, thank you, but you see, I'm looking for a formula for my daughter, so if you'll excuse me." Darla said.
"You have a daughter?" the man sounded surprised. "Surely you mean baby sister!"
"No, I mean my daughter..." Darla sighed as she walked along. "It's a long story..."
"Have you ever considered working in the fashion industry?" the man asked.
Darla shrugged. "Sometimes... I used to be an actress when I was little, but the past is in the past and I need to let it go... Now, if you don't mind..."
"I could make you a fashionista." The man told her.
"Oh, my..." Darla sounded blessed.
"And what better place than the City of Lights itself, Paris, France?" the man then continued as he held out a contract for her. "What do you say?"
"That sounds exotic..." Darla liked the sound of that, but frowned. "But... What about my daughter?"
"Alas, yes, it is sad to leave your only born, but if you are not interested..." the man was about to walk away.
"Wait!" Darla yelped. "I-I'll think of something!"
After a while, Darla and Amber were sitting in the hotel lobby they were visiting as Darla was watching her baby girl starting to walk on her two legs.
"What am I going to do, Amber?" Darla sighed. "I'd love to go to Paris, but who'll look after Eloise?"
"I'm sure Nanny wouldn't mind." Amber said.
"Oh, I couldn't make her do that..." Darla sighed. "Besides, she lives in this hotel..."
A very young Bill was walking along, then bent down as Eloise nearly stumbled against him. "Whoa there!"
Eloise fell into his arms and giggled.
Bill then scooped the baby girl up in his arms. "Blast-Off!" he then mimicked rocket noises.
Darla and Amber laughed at him as he pretended to be like an astronaut.
Bill came back over. "I'm sorry, which one of you ladies does this little cupcake belong to?"
"That would be me." Darla said.
"What a beautiful baby sister you have." Bill smiled.
"She's actually my daughter..." Darla said.
"What?" Bill did a double take. "Someone as cute and adorable like Darla Dimple a mother?"
"Oh, y-y-you've heard of me?" Darla sounded nervous once Amber took Eloise from Bill.
"Yeah, you've inspired me," Bill smiled.
"Inspired you?" Darla and Amber asked.
"Yeah," Bill explained. "This hotel business will only just be my side job, but someday, a talent scout's gonna be a guest here and I'm gonna show him what I can do with my acting! Why, if it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd take acting classes when I was a kid."
"Well, I'm happy to have inspired you then." Darla smiled.
Amber smiled proudly to her friend. "See? It's not that bad..."
Darla smiled back to her.
"Well, I better get back to work..." Bill then turned to walk away. "Nice meeting you lovely ladies."
Eloise watched Bill leave, it made her scream out. She wanted to play with this man some more.
"Eloise, come on, calm down." Darla said.
Eloise held out her arms, trying to get to Bill.
"Wait, I think she misses that guy." Amber suggested.
"You think so?" Darla asked as she tried to settle her daughter down.
"Yes, I think so." Amber said.
Eloise wailed and cried as Bill walked off.
"Uh, sir!" Darla called. "Sir!"
Bill turned his head. "Uh, yes?"
"Could you come here a moment?" Darla asked.
Bill walked over which made Eloise give him a newborn smile.
"It should seem my daughter really likes you." Darla smiled.
"Oh, you think so?" Bill asked.
Eloise giggled and reached out for him.
"It seems so." Amber agreed.
Bill smiled and came closer over to the blonde baby girl. "Mind if I hold her?"
"Not at all." Darla smiled.
"Come here then..." Bill gently picked up Eloise and held her in his arms. "Hi there, little lady."
Eloise smiled, giggling, really liking this boy.
"Who are you then?" Darla asked.
"The name's Bill," the young man smiled, giving his name. "Nice to meet ya."
Darla hummed in thought. Urchin lived in Atlantica and she would be away in Paris, and since her old nanny lived in this hotel, maybe it would be best if Eloise stayed here a little while. After all, how long would she be gone to Paris?
End of Flashback