Lucy and other children laughed as they filed down the stairs after their ballet lesson. The dark-haired girl scrolled through her phone until she spotted her step-grandmother at the bottom of the first flight of stairs.
She then spoke, "Grandma? What are you doing here? My mom texted me."
Victoria told her, "Yes, I know. I'm having your things sent over to her place, but I-I wanted to give you something myself."
"I think I should probably go," Lucy stated before she began walking away.
"Wait, I have it right here," Victoria began before she opened her bag. Lucy sighed and turned back around, a disinterested expression on her face.
Victoria then pulled the original brown and gold storybook from her bag. Lucy's eyes widened as she rushed over to her grandma.
The young girl then questioned, "Is that…?"
A gaze of awe and wonder then appeared on her face as Victoria confirmed, "Yes. You were right, Lucy. Fairy tales are real. Henry's book was real. Your family, your belief - it's all real."
Lucy began reaching for the book when Victoria explained, "But you don't know the whole story. Come now. I'll tell you the rest."
The dark-haired girl then rushed outside as Victoria followed, her expression revealing her ulterior motives.
Outside on a bench, Lucy held the book open in her lap and looked at an illustration of Rapunzel as she scaled the tower.
She could barely contain her excitement as she looked up at her step-grandmother and exclaimed, "So, wait, it's true? You're Rapunzel?! I thought you were Lady Tremaine, but Rapunzel, too?!"
Victoria smiled as she explained, "Tremaine was Marcus' name. I took it from him when we were married."
Lucy then turned the page and spied the illustration where Ella first met Rapunzel. She chuckled before she said, "My mom - she is Cinderella. I-I I knew it! I was right!" her excitement never wavering.
"Yes, and it's that unfettered belief that makes you so special," Victoria stated, and she still wore a smile.
Lucy continued flipping through the pages, and she began to read. She then discovered that Rapunzel had squeezed the mushroom's liquid into a cup of lemonade. Confusion and sadness then overtook her voice as she asked, "Wait. You poisoned my mom's mom?"
Victoria vehemently defended, "The witch tricked me, Lucy. She twisted the truth. I was blinded by what was in my heart. I needed my family to be together again. You must understand that."
The dark-haired girl sighed and looked back down at the book. She then questioned, "So…she died?"
"No. Gosh, no. I could never hurt somebody like that, Lucy," Victoria assured her granddaughter. She then clarified, "I knew the poison would only cause Ella's mother to flee. What I didn't know was that Marcus would chase after her to…Wonderland," slight annoyance coming through on that last part.
She paused briefly before she continued, "Eventually, he returned, and we were reunited as a family. We even welcomed your mother in. Unfortunately, the story didn't end there."
Lucy then turned the page to reveal a snowy day from Rapunzel and Marcus' past with their daughters and stepdaughter.
New Enchanted Forest, Many Years Ago
Rapunzel and Marcus happily looked on as Ella, Anastasia, and Drizella finish building their snowman.
"There were moments in the tower when all of this seemed so unlikely. The three of them truly do seem like sisters," Rapunzel spoke, the emotions welling up in her voice.
The wind then howled and blew away the snowman's hat. The three girls giggled before Ella said, "I'll get it."
Marcus grasped Rapunzel's hands in his as he told her, "I've been thinking a lot about how much you've done for our family."
The ice began to crack as Ella walked on it to retrieve the hat, just as Marcus continued, "Sacrifice is the ultimate form of love."
Anastasia then warned her stepsister, "Hey, Ella," before she followed her onto the frozen lake.
Marcus then lovingly finished, "It - It's humbled me. It's now my turn to show you just how much I value you."
The ice continued to crack as Anastasia took Ella's hand, just as their parents leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was interrupted when the ice gave way, and both girls fell through.
Marcus and Rapunzel - as well as Drizella - gasped with horror before Marcus leapt into action. He rushed across the ice, and he dove head first into the frigid water.
Both Rapunzel and Drizella gasped before the blonde took her daughter in her arms and reassured her, "He'll get her. He'll get her."
Marcus gasped for breath as he rose to the surface, one of the girls perched over his shoulder. He laid her down and the ice, and she began to cough.
Rapunzel and Drizella had carefully crossed the ice to their family. Upon seeing which girl had been brought to the surface, Rapunzel then stated, "That's Ella," before she worriedly demanded, "Where's our daughter?! Where's Anastasia?"
Marcus looked up at her as he told her, "She's - I couldn't. I could only grab one." A horrified expression overtook Rapunzel's features as Ella continued to cough.
Hyperion Heights, Present Day
Victoria and Lucy stood at the doorway of a hospital room. The monitor beeped at the bedside of the patient.
Lucy then began, "Is that…?"
"Yes, Anastasia," Victoria confirmed as her daughter was shown lying in the bed. She and Lucy then walked to the foot of the bed.
The dark-haired girl looked up and questioned, "Why are you showing me this?" confusion written on her face.
Her grandmother told her, "I need you to see how the world really is, even for the people in this book."
The response did nothing to alleviate Lucy's confusion as she then asked, "What are you talking about?"
Victoria then explained, "I only ever did what the heroes you so often speak of would do. I sacrificed everything for my family," as she turned to look at Anastasia, "And the only thing I ever got in return was pain."
She settled her gaze back on Lucy as she offered, "You were right, Lucy Fairy tales are real. But sadly happy endings aren't."
Lucy passionately argued, "No. Good people can get happy endings when they work at it. My family's story is different."
"I am your family," Victoria pointed out, only for her granddaughter to refute: "No, you're not! My family's me, my mom, and Henry, and - and we'll all be together. And Aunt Alena is gonna break the curse, and she'll be with Uncle Jack. I believe it."
Victoria furrowed her eyebrows at the news that Alena not only seemed to be some savior, but she also bore a relation to her granddaughter. Her surprise soon faded when she thought back to Alena's unwavering loyalty to both Henry and Jacinda, as well as how well she got along with Lucy.
She shook her head from this revelation before she told Lucy: "Well, I believed it, too. For far too long." She then sighed before she began, "And…" pulling out her phone and continuing, "it's already too late, Lucy. Henry means nothing to your mother."
She then pulled up a video of Nick and Jacinda kissing, and Lucy began shaking her head. She then weakly protested, "No."
As Victoria placed the phone back in her pocket, she quipped, "It doesn't seem as though there's much hope for your aunt and uncle either."
She then bent down on her granddaughter's level and told her, "Your story and mine - we're the same. Separated from those we love, willing to do anything to reunite."
"But I'm back with my mom now," Lucy tried to offer, only for Victoria to refute, "And not Henry. He left town. He's gone. And no matter how strongly you believed, you failed to make him stay. When your beliefs betray you, you must let them go."
Tears then began rolling down Lucy's cheeks, and Victoria told her, "Lucy, it's time. Let your belief go."
Lucy continued to cry as she looked down at the storybook. One of her tears landed on the book, and the young girl then ran out of the room.
Victoria clutched the book with both hands - her focus on the tear - before she turned to look at Anastasia.
New Enchanted Forest, Many Years Ago
At Gothel's garden, Rapunzel carried Anastasia before she told the witch: "You have to help her. She fell through the ice. She was trying to save someone," lying her daughter on the ground.
"What a terrible waste of a promising soul," Gothel spoke before she bent down and placed her hands on Anastasia's chest. The whoosh of magic was heard as she concentrated.
Rapunzel questioned, "What are you doing?"
The witch looked up as she explained, "Locking in her last breath. As long as it remains in her lungs, she hangs between life and death."
She removed her hands once she completed the spell. Rapunzel sobbed as she expressed gratitude: Thank you. She's my everything," sniffling when she finished.
"Unfortunately, gratitude alone will not be enough to reawaken her," Gothel pointed out as she rose to her feet. She then stated, "This time, Anastasia's going into the tower."
Rapunzel stood up before disbelief settled over her. She then posed, "What? She's done nothing wrong."
"You still haven't realized. This was never a punishment. This was a test," Gothel told her, and Rapunzel then repeated, "A test?"
Gothel then elaborated, "For long, I've sought after a hero pure of heart - The Guardian. Someone incorruptible by evil, willing to sacrifice."
Realization sunk in as Rapunzel simply stated, "The tower. The poison."
"When you accepted suffering to save your family, I thought you had the potential to be The Guardian. But you couldn't resist the temptation to harm an innocent," Gothel confirmed. She then bent down and offered, "Perhaps someone else in your bloodline will do better."
The blonde had bent down as well, and she argued, "You put her in that tower, and I will scale it brick by brick if that's what it takes."
"I'm sure you would," Gothel conceded. She then told her, "But since your escape, I made a few improvements - blood magic, to keep the next occupant entrapped."
She looked down at Anastasia as she spoke, "Say goodbye to your little girl."
The witch, as well as Rapunzel, rose to their feet. Gothel then felt around in the pockets of her cloak for the jar of seeds, letting out a gasp as it appeared to be absent.
Rapunzel chuckled before she surmised, "Looking for something," as she held up the small vial of seeds.
A look comprising of shock, horror, and surprise overtook Gothel's face as she protested, "No."
"Do it when they least expect. Isn't that what you told me?" Rapunzel smugly offered. She then poured the seeds into her gloved hand.
Gothel continued to protest before Rapunzel threw the seeds at her feet. "No!" the witch called out before she gasped as she became engulfed by magic. She then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
Rapunzel sank down on her knees. She stroked her daughter's cheeks as she vowed, "Don't worry, my dearest. I promise I will bring you back."
Hyperion Heights, Present Day
Victoria stood in the hospital room as she looked over the book in her hands. She then took an eyedropper and sucked Lucy's tear into it.
A few blocks away, a car door closed as Weaver stepped out of it. He then addressed an officer: "Any sign of her?"
"Not yet, sir," the officer answered. She then walked over to him and spoke, "But we found this here," as she held up Lucy's backpack.
Weaver took the backpack and began looking through it. The officer then asked, "Are you sure you don't want us to reach out to her mother?"
"That's the one place I know she won't be found," Weaver told her. He then sighed when he pulled out Lucy's phone.
He directed the officer: "Keep searching." "Yes, sir," she obliged before she began walking away.
The detective then reminded her: "And remember - you report only to me on this matter."
"Understood," she replied before she left, just as Rogers approached.
"I really don't have time for you right now," Weaver stated, waving him away.
"Well, make time," Rogers told him before he held up the drawing of the knife. He then asked him, "Who the hell are you looking for?"
Weaver grabbed the notebook and ripped out the drawing. He then stated, "This is my business, and, therefore, none of yours."
His headstrong partner then argued, "Says the guy questioning witnesses in my case. I've been in your locker. You have files on half of Hyperion Heights. Now, I can't tell if you're a dirty cop or the best one I know.
"One minute, you're speaking to me in riddles. The next - the next, you're shutting me out.
Yet I can't shake the feeling that there's something that you want to tell me, so spit it out!"
Weaver glanced down for a moment before he admitted, "I'm looking for someone. Much as you were with Eloise Gardener."
Rogers then questioned, "What does Belfry have to do with that?"
"I thought she could help me. I was wrong," Weaver answered. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before he explained, "Look, this is...this is really hard to put into words. But I've been separated from my wife, Belle. And I would do anything to get to her. I don't know how else to put it. But this - all of this - is in service to that."
"That is the least believable thing you've ever said to me," Rogers stated. Annoyed, Weaver began to walk away when Rogers added, "And yet," grabbing his partner's arm, "and yet, I believe it."
He then entreated, "Just let me help you."
"Yeah, okay," Weaver agreed.
Rogers then asked, "So, what do we do now?" Weaver told him, "Tonight. Find Lucy."
In another part of town, Lucy walked along the sidewalk as she wore a disheartened expression. She passed a dress shop that included a window display of a dress that matched Cinderella's blue ball gown.
Back at the hospital, Victoria held the eyedropper as she moved closer to Anastasia's side. She then sat down on the bed.
At Jacinda and Sabine's apartment, Lucy opened the door and shuffled inside. "Lucy!" her mother happily exclaimed.
Jacinda then noticed her daughter's expression and repeated, "Lucy?"
Victoria then placed a kiss on Anastasia's forehead as she bent down next to her.
Jacinda brushed Lucy's hair from her face before she asked her, "What's wrong?"
Victoria squeezed the eyedropper, and her granddaughter's tear landed on Anastasia's forehead. She gasped as she woke up.
Suddenly, Lucy passed out, and Jacinda caught her in her arms. Frantically, she spoke, "Oh! No! Lucy! Lucy! Baby! Lucy, no, no, no!"
Anastasia breathed heavily as her eyes roamed the hospital room. She then spotted Victoria and asked, "Mother? What - what happened?"
Victoria chuckled before she told her, "I saved you." She sat on the bed before she continued, "Oh, my sweet Anastasia, I saved you! When it comes to my family, I always find a way."
She chuckled once more before she wrapped Anastasia in a tight hug.
Drizella then approached the window as she watched her mother and sister. She placed her fingers on the glass as though she reached for them.
She then turned and walked away as tears welled in her eyes.
Somewhere Between Hyperion Heights and San Francisco
Alena let out a yawn before she focused her attention on the highway and signs in front of her.
Traffic had grown scarce since night had fallen. The miles seemed endless even though Alena was getting closer and closer to San Francisco.
She hummed along to the soft sound of Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" playing on the radio through her phone. The song was one of many included in a playlist of Alena's favorites.
She then glanced back at her girls sleeping peacefully in the backseat. A small smile appeared across her features as she noticed the crinkle that always appeared on Lily's forehead as she slept - the exact same as her father's.
As she did a bit more often lately, Alena found herself thinking about she and Jack's time together in the New Enchanted Forest.
She was pulled from her thoughts when Emma sleepily mumbled, "There yet, Mommy?"
"Not just yet, sweetie. We still have a little while to go," Alena gently explained.
The little girl sighed before she complained, "Tired, Mommy."
Alena offered her daughter a sympathetic look before she assured her, "I know you are, Emma. But if you go back to sleep, I promise we'll be there when you wake up."
Emma nodded in response. Just when Alena thought she was simply going to go back to sleep, she had another question.
"Friend like us, Mommy?"
With a smile, Alena answered, "I believe they will, sweetheart. Very much so."
"Otay, Mommy. Cited to meet," Emma then replied with a bright smile. Alena smiled back in response.
She then said, "Mommy needs you to go back to sleep now, okay?"
"Otay, Mommy," Emma answered. The little girl then yawned before she rested her head back against the seat.
Alena couldn't help but smile when she heard Emma's breathing even out.
The blonde then resumed humming once more, as she hoped that whatever help they found would be enough to help break this curse and reunite her family once and for all.
And hope was something her family desperately needed.
Hi everyone! Just wanted to say that I hope you all enjoyed the latest installment of The Clash :) Until next time, my lovelies :)