Chapter 14:

"So I finally have a sister," Henry said as they rode in the car to Granny's. He sat in the back seat, while Evie rode up front.

Regina smiled at her son, happy with how he was handling the situation. "Yes you do," Regina said, glancing over before bringing her eyes back to the road.

"So Evie, how'd you end up all the way in Auradon?" Henry asked, his voice full of curiosity.

"I-I don't know," Evie replied. She looked over at her mother, her eyes searching Regina's face for an answer.

Regina took a deep breath. "Evie," she began, looking directly into Evie's eyes. "The truth is I don't remember exactly what happened. According to Gold, or Rumplestiltskin as you might know him, it had something to do with my mother. But he also said I took a forgetting potion after that, which is why I didn't know about you until yesterday."

Evie's eyes glistened but she understood that Regina wouldn't be able to give her any answers. "Can we see this Mr. Gold tomorrow?"

"Yes," Regina answered a determined look falling over her face. "That's just one of several questions I have for him. Again though, that can wait."

Henry's phone beeped in his pocket. His eyes widened as he read the message from Emma. "Mom, we gotta hurry. Something's happened."

Of course it has, Regina thought to herself. Every time something happens to make me happy, something has to ruin it. She looked from Evie to Henry. "What's going on Henry?"

"It's Maleficent's other daughter, Lily," Henry answered. Evie's eyes perked up as she heard Henry say Lily's name. She looked back at him, impatiently waiting for his answer. Henry read her face, worry was written all over it. Henry took a breath, he looked at Evie before looking back at the rearview mirror. "She's been turned to stone somehow."

"What!?" Evie said in voice filled with shock. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. Air left her in short spurts. "No! It-it can't be."

"Evie?" Regina asked.

Evie looked over, "When Audrey kidnapped me, Maleficent and Lily saved us." Evie went on to explain everything that occurred at the docks. Regina listened intently.

When Evie finished, the three sat in silence for a few seconds. Regina looked back and forth before bringing her attention back to the road. Suddenly the car began going faster, Regina subconsciously pressed harder and harder on the gas as she continued to process everything Evie told her. "So that's what happened," Regina finally responded in a dark voice.

Flashback

"The Queen's curse is coming!" Grumpy said. He exchanged worried looks with the other dwarfs.

"What are we going to do?" Dopey asked, he looked at Happy and Bashful, all three of them seem to show more worry than other four.

"Gappetto is making an enchanted wardrobe," Grumpy said with an eye roll. "I thought we already sorted this out? Snow and Charming's kid will be put in it and break the curse."

"Yea-ah ah ah," Sneezy added with several sniffles, a moment later he let out an enormous sneeze. "Don't be more dopey than usual, especially now!"

Dopey made a face. "Yea, it's just that-"

"Just what?" Grumpy asked in a demanding voice.

"Just…"

"What?" Grumpy asked again, this time in a much more annoyed tone. "Come on, out with it."

"He's expecting a son," Happy snapped in a voice that didn't fit his name at all. Dopey looked over. Grumpy's, Doc's, Sleepy's, and Sneezy's mouths all dropped. "Him, Bashful, and myself are all expecting kids."

Grumpy continued to hold an awe-struck look. Shaking his head, he regained his composure. "A…a…k-k-kid? You three?" Dopey, Happy, and Bashful all nodded sheepishly. "You three are all expecting a kid?"

"Yes!" Dopey, Happy, and Bashful all chorused.

Grumpy's eyes narrowed. "And yet…none of you…not one…thought that might have been an important detail to tell the rest of us? Or Snow? Or Charming?"

"We had enough going on at the time," Bashful said. "And you four knew we had planned to settle down with those fairies."

"Well yea," Grumpy answered. "We were the best men at each of your weddings…BUT...NOT ONE of you mentioned starting a little family in the middle of war for the kingdom! Could your timing be any worse?"

"Regardless," Dopey chimed in. "What are we going to do? We have no idea what this curse is fully capable of!"

Throughout their conversation, Happy became lost in his thoughts as he dug for a way to save their families. "There might be a way!" He said as if he had just gotten an epiphany. The other dwarves looked at him. "There might be a way to save our families! What about the Fairy Godmother? You know, Blue's mentor?"

"Yea except for one issue," Grumpy retorted. "She got taken out of commission by the Dark One."

"Oh the one sent to help Cinderella?" Happy answered. "My wife told me that wasn't the actual Fairy Godmother, it was one of her students. By the way, she was fine when she got back to Auradon, much to everyone's surprise afterwards."

"Aura-what?"

"Auradon," Happy repeated. "It's a distant land. Fairy Godmother…the real one, went there awhile ago, it was about the same time that Blue became the lead fairy in the Enchanted Forest. Maybe it's too far for the curse to reach it."

Bashful and Dopey looked at each other. "That might just work."

"Hello guys!" Grumpy said, snapping his fingers.

Doc piped up, cutting Grumpy off. "If that were the case, wouldn't Snow and Charming just send their child there?"

"We've been through that already," Happy answered. "There's no assurance it'll spare their child unless they send it completely out of this realm in that wardrobe. But since there's only one of those, I think we should take our chances with Auradon. What do you two think?"

Dopey and Bashful looked at each other. Each nodded.

"So you three are just going to abandon Snow and Charming?" Grumpy asked with a snappy voice.

"Not a chance!" Dopey answered. "Maybe by some miracle the curse will fail, then we can send for our families. But right now our kids are at the Queen's mercy."

"The Queen's what?" Sneezy said. "She doesn't have any!"

Dopey made a face as if it were obvious. "Now who's being Dopey? Don't forget that's my name."

Sneezy was going to retort but found Dopey's comment about himself didn't warrant one. He figured Dopey had done a good job of insulting himself with his own statement. "Yea, that is your name…Dopey."

"It's decided then," Bashful added, looking back and forth between Happy and Dopey.

"So you three are leaving!"

"No Grumpy, we aren't. But our families are!"

"Snow and Charming aren't going to be happy you know," Doc replied. "You know what Snow would want you three to do."

"That's why Snow and Charming aren't going to know," Bashful, Happy, and Dopey all chorused, drawing the other four off guard. "Are they?"

"N-n-no," Doc said, taken aback.

"Good, then it's settled."

That night, Bashful, Happy and Dopey all discussed the plan with their wives and how they were going to get each out of harm's way. As was expected, each resisted and insisted on staying to help. "They're right, you need to go," Doc said in a soothing voice. "You need to think of your children. The Queen is merciless, there's no telling what's going to happen." He looked back and forth at each of the fairies.

"This Fairy Godmother will protect you and them until we find a way to stop the Evil Queen."

"And what if you don't? What if the land is completely destroyed!," She looked from Doc to Dopey. "Dopey, I'll never see you again! Your child will grow up without a father!" Tears fell from her eyes onto her pink dress. She sniffled and wiped her eyes, but it was a useless effort.

"You must, dear," Dopey answered. He tried to find words to sooth her. He looked over at Happy and Bashful, both of whom were having a similar struggle. He looked into her eyes. "Everything is going to be all right, isn't that what Snow and Charming always say? That they'll always find each other."

"What?"

"Well, after being around them for so long, it's had to have rubbed off on us."

Present Time:

Mal looked out the window as Emma drove her, Jay, Carlos and Dude to Granny's. She became lost in her own world, thinking about Ben, Maleficent, Lily, and everything that had happened the last few days. Despite her best efforts to process it all, there were times where it just seemed to completely overwhelm her mind.

"Mal?" Emma asked, briefly looking over before turning her attention back to the road. "Mal you ok?"

"Huh?" Mal answered, snapping back to reality. She looked over at Emma. "Yea, I'm fine. Just wondering what Evie and…Regina?" Emma nodded. "Regina are talking about, I mean how Evie's handling meeting her."

"Bet they have a lot to catch up on," Dude said from the back seat.

"Dude," Carlos sighed, he scratched behind Dude's ears.

"He's right," Emma said, also taking a breath as she spoke. "I bet they do. It seemed like Henry took it very well too."

So Henry, how is he both your and Regina's son?" Jay asked, eyebrows raised.

Mal looked back at Jay. "Wait what? Henry is Emma's son and Regina's son?" Carlos gave her an "I got nothing" look.

"It's complicated," Emma explained. "I'm his birth mother, but Regina is his adoptive mother."

"Who's his dad? Rumplestiltskin?" Jay asked facetiously with a laugh.

A look fell across Emma's face. "Rumplestiltskin's son is Henry's father actually." The smile left Jay's face. "And he died some time ago," Emma continued with a tone in her voice that told him to drop it.

"Just when I thought this place couldn't get any crazier," Carlos muttered quietly to Jay who nodded in agreement. Luckily, they were the only ones her heard him say it.

"Awkward," Dude said after a moment of silence.

"Dude!" Carlos signed again with frustration. He looked up at Emma. "I'm sorry. He can't help himself."

"It's ok," Emma answered with a similar tone to before. She made a turn, "Granny's should be right up here-" she stopped abruptly.

"Emma? Emma what is-" Mal began but stopped also as the scene up ahead filled her view. No explanation was needed. Across the street from Granny's was a bookshop with a destroyed front window. Shards of glass, pieces of wood, and dust littered the area in front of it. Through the broken window, they could see several broken shelves and toppled book cases. It was like they were awkward looking ships sitting in the sea of spilled books, dust, and broken displays that covered the bookshop floor. A stunned look came over Mal's face as she also took in the scene. "What could've happened here?"

By now, people had started to gather around the scene. Emma remained silent as she parked the car and slid her sheriff's badge out over her belt. "You kids stay here," She said, climbing out of the car.

Mal looked at her with an "are you kidding me?" face. "Not happening," she said as she, Jay, Carlos, and Dude all hopped out of the car. Emma rolled her eyes, knowing now it'd take more effort to get them to stay back and cost valuable time.

Emma pushed her way through the ever growing crowd, flashing her badge as necessary. She opened the door and slowly stepped inside the chaotic scene. Carlos set Dude down once they were on the other side of the street. "I know that scent," Dude said. "Audrey." The kids all looked at each other wide eyes for a second before hurrying after Emma. As they turned, a look of total darkness fell over Mal's face.

Emma took one slow step after another. Her eyes widened when she saw the bookshop keeper unconscious on the floor. She rushed over to him and checked his pulse. Emma breathed a sigh of relief when she found one. Quickly she made a phone call for the emergency services. Next she sent messages to David and Killian.

Mal followed Emma, but then something else caught her attention. Braced against a large, overturned bookcase was a stone statue. She slowly approached. Although she couldn't figure out why, a feeling of foreboding was quickly filling her. Her muscles tensed up and her breathing deepened, both increasing with each step. Coming around the bookcase, she knew why as she finally got a good look at the statue. Although its face showed one of shock and pain, Mal recognized it instantly. The statue was a spitting image of Lily. "No…" Mal said quietly, slowly backing up. "Lily…please no…EMMA! EMMA!" Although she couldn't tell for sure if in fact this statue had been Lily, something deep inside told her it was. She tried to reason back and forth…it couldn't be…it just couldn't…maybe it was just another display that just happened to look a lot like her! That had to be it! This can't be Lily Mal thought to herself. Despite her reassuring thoughts, anger and pain were quickly swelling within her. It's just a display…this isn't Lily…there's no way!

Mal took a breath. She raised her hands as her eyes began glowing green. "Return to who you were statue of stone. Return now and to your home you will go!" A green aura began to form around the statue but it quickly faded away. The statue remained in place, otherwise unaffected by her spell. Mal's face twisted to one of shock. There, my spell would have worked if it was! She attempted to reason within herself.

Emma walked up, quickly followed by Jay and Carlos. Like Mal, she instantly recognized the statue. Initially, she couldn't be her eyes, she didn't want to believe them. "Lily…" Emma said, shock covering her face. She quickly sent another round of messages before taking a breath and approaching the distraught girl in front of her.

Mal looked at Emma. "It's not Lily, it's just a display."

Emma shook her head.

"It's a display! Emma it's just a display!"

"Mal," Emma said. "I've known Lily a long time. It's her, she's been turned to stone. But how, I don't know."

"No! It's a display!"

"Mal, I was just in here a couple days ago," Emma said. "There's no display here that looks like that."

"No!" Mal said. Tears began leaking uncontrollably out of her eyes. "If it was my spell would have worked! It had to have!" Mal couldn't take much more, her love was lost…possibly forever, her best friend been kidnapped and she failed to save her, her home was destroyed, and now…now Lily, her big sister, had been turned to stone. Lily…it wasn't fair, Lily barely knew Mal and yet she had jumped right into her role as Mal's big sister, no questions asked. Anger and rage continued growing within Mal. Audrey…Uma...next time I see you…YOU'RE DEAD! BOTH OF YOU! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS! Mal's body began shaking uncontrollably, a faint green aura appearing around her. Her eyes began glowing bright green as her rage started to consume her.

Emma put her arm around Mal's shoulders. "Mal, we'll fix it. I'm sure magic like that can be undone somehow." Emma let go of Mal. She raised her hands, concentrating as hard as she could. White light exploded from her hands and covered the statue. Unfortunately, when the light died, Lily was still stone. I still can't fully control it! Emma thought to herself in frustration. "Mal," Emma repeated, seeing the aura around her intensifying. "Please trust me, if there's a way to fix her, we'll find it. Please just calm down for now, please trust me." Mal looked at her. "Trust me."

The green light faded from Mal's eyes and body. She was still furious but knew she couldn't let emotion get the better of her and that Emma would stand by her word.

Regina pulled up and parked her car. Her, Henry and Evie jumped out and began to make their way through the ever-growing crowd. "Move!" Regina said, shoving her way through.

Evie followed her mother. Suddenly she was knocked down. She put her hands out to catch herself.

"S-s-s-s-sorry M-m-m-miss," A boy said, reaching down to help her.

Evie took the boy's hand. "Thank you," she said. Looking up, Evie recognized the boy's face. He had long blond hair and black glasses. His smile was somewhat awkward as he looked into Evie's eyes. DOUG! Evie said to herself, happiness swelling within. You're ok! He probably doesn't know who I am but at least he's ok! Unable to control herself, Evie jumped up and hugged him.

Doug was taken aback, "Um yea, I'm fine. You're the one who got knocked down."

"Don't worry about it!" Suddenly a flash of green light caught Evie's attention. "Uh, just excuse me for a minute." Evie rushed up to the shop, pushing and shoving her way through the rest of the crowd. Her face twisted to shock when she saw the mess that was once the bookshop. Inside, she saw the faint green light again, it was coming from Mal. "Mal?" MAL!" Evie approached, she saw Emma trying to comfort her best friend. Looking over, she saw Lily too, anger covering her face. "Mal!" Evie repeated, she walked up and tightly hugged her best friend. Jay, Carlos and Dude all stood nearby, none completely sure of what to make of the situation.

"Evie," Mal said. "It was Audrey. She did this!" Green sparks began to jump around her eyes again

Evie looked back and forth between Mal, Emma and her friends. For the next few seconds, she didn't know what to say. "Maybe your or my mom or Rumplestiltskin can help," Evie mentioned finally. "Or maybe know how to change her back." Emma nodded.

Before any of them could answer, a loud chorused scream drew everyone's attention to outside the bookshop. The crowd began scattering in every direction. Thick bolts of green lightning slammed into random spots around the sidewalk. Looking over, Evie saw one bolt knock Doug into the shop, where he landed hard. Finally the bolts centered on one location, where they hit one final time. Now standing where the lightning had hit was a woman blond hair. She wore a black dress and a black headset with what looked to be two horns rising out of it. A look of instant death for anyone who crossed her covered her face. Her eyes were cold, black portals that seemed to radiate pure anger.

"Maleficent," Evie whispered.

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