Hyperion Heights, Present Day
Lucy lied in a hospital bed surrounded by doctors, nurses, and various medical staff. They checked her IV and made sure she was comfortable.
Sabine put her arms around her best friend - one on her arm and one on her back. She then tried to reassure her: "She's gonna be fine, J. She's the toughest kid I know."
Jacinda then looked at her - her expression haunted and her eyes brimmed with tears. Sabine then questioned, "Do you want to call anyone? Nick or Henry?"
"Yeah, I should call them," she answered as she glanced back at her daughter - her tone distant and far-off.
With a nod, Sabine then suggested, "And I'll call Detective Rogers. Maybe he can help us figure out where Lucy was today, what she was doing."
"Thank you. - Yeah. That would mean a lot. I'm so glad you're here," Jacinda gratefully responded before she pulled her friend in for a hug.
Once more, Sabine reassured her: "Oh, honey, don't worry, okay?" They then pulled away from the hug, and she told her, "Look, one way or another, we are going to find out what happened," holding onto one of Jacinda's hands.
She then set her gaze back on her little girl and simply said, "Yeah."
In another part of the hospital, Victoria smiled as she watched Anastasia, who watched television with a pair of headphones. The monitor steadily beeped beside her.
Weaver then strolled up and surmised, "Your daughter looks quite peaceful."
Victoria turned to face him, her expression betraying the unexpectedness of seeing the Dark One. "She's adjusting to this strange, new world, thanks to you."
Irked, Weaver pointed out, "I never would have helped you had I known Lucy was gonna pay the price."
"But you did help me because you were desperate to find the Guardian," Victoria refuted, an air of condescension in her voice.
"And I did find her," Weaver stated as he pointed to Anastasia, "She's right there in this room."
Victoria scowled as she told him, "No, my daughter is not your Guardian - "
The detective interrupted: "Gothel believed she was…" receiving a scoff in reply, "and I'd like to find out for myself. And if I'm right, her magic may be able to save Lucy, but not if she dies today. Drizella and Gothel are still out there, and I very much doubt they've given up."
Victoria began considering his words as she looked back at her daughter - the one she wasn't sure she would ever see again. The one she wasn't sure she could lose again.
Weaver then finished, "You have no choice but to let me protect her."
New Enchanted Forest, Four Years Ago
Alena's blue eyes widened in recognition as she turned to face the owner of the voice. Recognition gave way to surprise and shock as she asked, "Tiger Lily? You brought me here?"
With a nod, she began, "Indeed I did." She then glanced over at Jack and continued, "Though I did expect you to be alone, I can't say I'm too surprised that Jack came along."
Alena blushed slightly and twirled her hair around her fingers. Jack, however, only wore a curious expression as he asked, "You know who I am?"
Alena then chimed in: "Well, Tiger Lily is a fairy, and she's also my fairy godmother - it's pretty much her job to look out for me."
Tiger Lily smiled at that. She then said, "And that is the reason I brought you here, Alena."
The blonde nodded before she surmised, "Yeah, you mentioned something about me changing lives."
Her hand then tightened around Jack's - so much so that her knuckles began turning white. Jack kissed the top of her head before she let out a calming breath.
"You know I'm ready to do whatever I can to help my family, but this feels bigger than anything I've ever faced. Or me, for that matter."
"As you should - what you will face will test you in every way," Tiger Lily explained. She then smiled and added, "But I know you are more than capable of fighting - and beating - whatever comes your way."
"Thanks, Tiger Lily," Alena replied as she smiled back at her. She offered a nod in response.
Jack wore a smile as he looked on. He then interjected, "She has a point, Alena. No one is stronger - or more strong-willed - than you are. I think you'll be fine - probably more than fine actually."
"Don't you think you're a little biased?" Alena posed as she grinned at him.
He chuckled before he told her, "Maybe, but you still have really great instincts." He then elaborated, "I mean, you're the one who knew that the bright light that woke both of us…"
"Wait. You saw the light, too?" Tiger Lily interrupted, wearing a confused expression.
Both Alena and Jack furrowed their eyebrows before she surmised, "Was he not supposed to? You said yourself that you weren't surprised that he came," planting a hand on her hip.
"I summoned you, Alena. Only you," Tiger Lily stated. She paused before she further explained, "I just assumed you told him, and he wanted to come with you."
"Half of that is right," Jack said. He then rubbed the back of his head and asked, "Then how did I see it?"
"I…don't know. It shouldn't be possible," Tiger Lily slowly answered, confusion still written across her features.
Jack and Alena shared a confused look of their own before realization made its way on the fairy's face.
She then began, "Unless…"
"Unless what?" Alena implored - a note of pleading in her blue eyes.
A small smile lit up Tiger Lily's features as she told them, "Unless you two share true love."
Both Alena and Jack's eyes widened as they simultaneously questioned, "What?"
With a deep breath, the blonde then spoke, "We love each other more than anything, but true love? Not that it isn't amazing, but…but it isn't what I ever expected. I was just happy with us."
Jack raked his fingers through his brown hair before he supplied, "Yeah, I mean, being in love is the best thing to happen for me, but true love is rare, and it doesn't happen to
people like me. It happens to people like…Snow White and Prince Charming. And Henry and Ella."
"And Captain Hook," Alena added with a giggle. He couldn't help but shake his head before she continued, "But seriously, Tiger Lily, we're both a little overwhelmed. Why us?"
"I don't have all the answers, but the fact that he was able to see the light only shows how powerful your love truly is. And you two sharing true love - as well as you being the product of true love - will only give you even more strength on your journey."
Neither Alena nor Jack spoke as they processed Tiger Lily's words, their emotions a mix of elation, trepidation, shock, and curiosity.
Finally, Alena took a deep breath and asked, "And just what is this journey?"
With a deep breath of her own, the fairy explained, "Unfortunately, there is no way to stop this curse from coming - but that doesn't mean it can't be broken. And you, Alena, will help break this curse - and play a crucial role in defeating a great evil."
Alena's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Jack squeezed her hand before he spoke up: "But why her? I mean, of course she's powerful - but no so are Regina and Zelena. This isn't even her home - aside from the fact that her family's here. She'd do anything for them - but breaking the curse? And defeating a great evil?"
Alena squeezed his hand back before she said, "He has a point, Tiger Lily. If this is how I help my family, then I'll do it, but I still don't get why it's me."
She then gestured with her hand and added, "I mean, my mom is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. Who else would be the Savior?"
Tiger Lily offered a nod of acknowledgement before she posed, "And who is it that first told Emma her destiny?"
"Henry. He wanted her to break the curse - and because she was his birth mom," Alena answered matter-of-factly.
Realization then flashed in her blue eyes as Tiger Lily gave her a nod. The blonde then surmised, "So, this is because our mom is the Savior?"
"Exactly," she confirmed. She then told her, "Henry was the first one to believe in your mother - and helped her believe in herself. Both of which helped her break the first curse and led her to her happy ending. Or perhaps I should say happy beginning."
Alena couldn't help but smile at that last part. She then supplied, "And it's because of this connection - one that's deeper than us being brother and sister - is why I'm meant to break the curse."
Tiger Lily offered a decisive nod in reply. She then said, "And that same belief and strength lies in you - and it is why you will help save all of the people you love."
"I could have told you that," Jack offered with a grin as he nudged Alena's shoulder with his. She shook her head at him.
He then took a deep breath and turned his attention to Tiger Lily. He rubbed the back of his head and said, "This, uh, may be a stupid question, but how do you know all of this?"
"A prophecy foretold of a great clash between the forces of good and evil - more precisely, between the forces of light and darkness. As you may have guessed, Alena is the light."
"Which means Drizella is the evil one," Jack grumbled as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. Alena gave his hand a comforting squeeze.
She then questioned, "Did the prophecy say anything about where or when this battle will take place?" turning her attention back to her fairy godmother.
Tiger Lily cast her eyes downward as she shook her head. She then elaborated, "The future is a bit hazy, but I do know that you will not fail."
"At least there's a bright side," Jack chimed in as he looked down at his girlfriend. She simply nodded before she squeezed his hand - this time for her comfort instead of his.
When she turned back her focus to Tiger Lily, she found the fairy peering at the two of them - a far-off expression in her brown eyes.
Alena tilted her head before she perceived, "There's something else, isn't there?"
Tiger Lily slowly nodded before she spoke, "Just like your grandparents had to send Emma away, you must return to the Land Without Magic."
Alena's face fell, and she let out a deep sigh. She then lamented, "I knew I'd have to leave at some point, but…but I thought I'd have more time, and things would be more, I don't know, settled. And then there's the fact that barely any time has passed back home."
Tiger Lily took a deep breath before she sympathized, "I know you don't want to leave your family, and I understand why this is so hard, but there is no stopping Drizella's curse. Their only hope is you."
With a sigh, Alena bemused, "I know, I know," her shoulders sagging in defeat.
Jack kissed her head once more before he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. He then asked Tiger Lily, "Is there anything you can do? Like, I don't know, get a magic bean or something?"
With a shake of her head, Tiger Lily told him, "I fear bringing such magic would have too much of a risk - it's why I summoned Alena at such a late hour."
"We get it. There's no telling what Drizella - or Mother Gothel - would do if they knew about any of this," Alena assured her fairy godmother.
She then placed a hand on Jack's chest and soothed, "We'll find a way. I promise." He nodded at her as he squeezed her waist. She then leaned up and kissed his cheek.
She then let out a yawn and said, "I guess that's my cue to go back to sleep." She then set her attention on Tiger Lily and spoke, "Since the future is pretty much always hazy, I'm guessing you don't know when or how I'll even find everyone to break the curse?"
The fairy shook her head. A small smile then crossed her features, and she told her, "Though this journey will not be easy for you, I want to tell you that you will never be alone - you will always find reasons to hope."
"And hope is a very powerful thing," Alena supplied with a smile of her own.
With a nod, Tiger Lily then said, "I'll let you two get back to sleep." She paused before she offered her goddaughter one final piece of advice: "Remember everything I've told you, and never give up."
"You don't have to worry" Alena told her before she wrapped her in a hug. While still embraced, the blonde said, "And thank you - I feel like we have a chance to beat this thing."
They then pulled away before Tiger Lily offered one final nod and smile. With a flick of her wrist, she then resumed her petite fairy from and disappeared among the stars.
Jack let out a deep breath before he picked up the lantern he had earlier set aside. He then asked Alena, "Ready to head back?"
She nodded before she took his hand in hers, and the two of them walked toward the palace.
Back in their room, Alena sighed before she sank against Jack's chest. He ran his fingers through her hair as he asked her, "Wanna talk about it?"
With another sigh, she began, "It's just that I knew what my life looked like with a soon-to-be new job or maybe even a promotion in a place I love with my family supporting me back home."
She rolled over and crossed her arms on his chest and continued, "Falling in love with you was the absolute best surprise - but finding out we share true love and that I'm the one who's gonna break the curse is a little more than I bargained for."
She then buried her face in her arms and questioned, "Am I just overreacting?"
Jack kissed her head before he reasoned, "No - you're human. And considering everything we found out, it's normal for you to be overwhelmed. I'd be worried if you weren't."
Alena picked her head up and peered at him for a few moments. She then offered him a smile and said, "Even if you sometimes have a tendency to be sarcastic about it, you somehow always know what to say to make me feel better."
He kissed her head before he told her, "You know I love you more than anything." He then surmised, "Which is why I know you're feeling the pressure of living up to your family."
She let out a breath before she confirmed, "They faced every battle and villain they came across - and won. Things didn't always go as expected, but they always came together, and they've been living happily for years. I'm just trying to figure out how in the bloody hell I'm supposed to do it."
"Because I believe in you - your family believes in you. And more importantly, you believe in yourself. You never let anything or anyone stop you from doing what you needed."
Jack couldn't help but grin as he added, "Frankly, I think Drizella and Mother Gothel should watch out."
Alena couldn't help but shake her head. A thoughtful expression then formed on her face.
Several moments later, she said, "I know you're right, and I do know I can do this - it's still a little daunting, though."
"I know," Jack sympathized as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms.
He then leaned his head against hers and asked, "How did your mom and Henry break the curse? Like, what exactly happened?"
"You mean you don't know?" Alena curiously questioned.
Jack only shrugged as he told her, "I guess it just didn't come up."
She nodded against him before she began, "Like most curses, they broke it with true love's kiss. Henry ate the poisoned apple turnover that Regina had meant for my mom. Shortly after she brought him to the hospital, she, like, sorted through his backpack looking for something and out came the storybook. When she touched it, she believed."
"Just like that?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief.
"It wasn't quite that simple," Alena told him. She then further explained, "My mom did believe in Henry and in the curse - and the magic that came along with it. But accepting that belief - and her role as Savior - took quite a bit of time. But she found who she truly was and was meant to be."
Though he couldn't see her face, he could sense her smile. He kissed her head once more before he surmised, "Ah, now I get it - and I see why you look up to your mom so much."
"Yeah, I really do - her and my dad. They'd do anything for each other - and I mean that literally," Alena told him, her smile changing to a chuckle.
He smiled as well before he spoke, "I feel like there's an interesting story behind that chuckle."
"Things were a bit rocky between my parents at first," she replied, mindlessly drawing circles on his chest.
"Well, if your mom is anything like you, I can see why," Jack commented - only to receive a slap from his girlfriend.
He rubbed his chest before he complained, "Why'd you do that for?"
She sat up to glare at him as she said, "You can't just say stuff like that."
He put his hands up in surrender as he apologized, "Sorry. All I meant is that you are a lot to handle, but I'm still crazy about you."
Her expression softened as she conceded, "I guess I can't argue with that." He smiled at her before she leaned up and kissed his forehead.
She then settled back against his chest. She then said, "Okay, back to the curse. Unlike my mom and Henry, I don't have a way to even break the curse."
Jack looked thoughtful for a few moments before he surmised, "Because I'll be cursed along with everyone else," his brown eyes growing stormy.
Alena only sighed and sagged her shoulders in defeat. She then spoke, "And my parents are back in Storybrooke. And if we tried to bring them up to speed, Drizella…"
"Would make their lives a living hell," Jack supplied. He then sighed and added, "Not to mention you probably don't want to drag them into this. I still can't believe you've been dragged into it."
She immediately sat up and took his face in her hands. She then reassured him, "No one is dragging me anywhere. Even if this wasn't part of the prophecy, you know I'd stop at nothing to help you and the rest of my family."
"Even if you put yourself in danger," Jack said. He then ran his fingers through her hair and implored, "Just promise me that when this clash/battle thing happens, you'll be careful. No letting your stubbornness - or that temper - get the better of you, okay?"
"I promise," she assured him with a nod. She then pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. When they pulled away, they rested their foreheads against each other.
They then pulled back, and Jack surmised, "I'm still not sure how you're gonna break this curse - I mean, it's not like we have kids. At least not yet anyway."
Alena rested her chin in her hand as she thought it over. She then spoke, "Tiger Lily said that I was going to help break the curse, so me sharing a true love's kiss might not be in the plan."
Jack buried his face in his hands as he complained, "These curses are never simple, are they?"
"No, they're not," she conceded as she ran her fingers through his thick brown locks. She then told him, "But we'll figure it out," moving her hand to run along his jaw.
He smiled at her as he said, "We really are each other's better half," wrapping his arms around her waist.
She smiled back at him as she agreed, "Yeah - we always know what the other needs."
Her expression then turned thoughtful as she continued, "Which is how we're gonna get through this curse - every overwhelming bit of it."
"I don't doubt it, Blondie," Jack told her as he squeezed her waist. He then let out a breath and said, "And I think that us having true love is the most overwhelming part of all of it."
"You're telling me," Alena stated as she ran her fingers through her hair. She then rested her hands on his chest and said, "But it just means we have more of a chance to get our happy ending."
"I'm gonna hold you to that," Jack told her with a grin. She giggled before she said, "I'd expect nothing less."
Her face then fell, and she pulled at a loose string on her oversized t-shirt. She then felt her boyfriend's fingers card through her hair.
"You okay?"
She shook her head before she bemused, "It just dawned on me that I really do have to leave - and you're staying here."
Jack pulled her into his arms and soothed, "I'm not gonna pretend that it's not awful, but we have tonight. I'll make you laugh until you fall asleep."
Alena couldn't help but chuckle before she told him, "You're such a goofball - and all the teasing does get a little annoying."
He rolled his eyes before he threw back, "No less annoying than you pretty much always needing the last word."
He then grinned and added, "Or you hogging the covers or whacking me in the head with a pillow."
With an eye roll of her own, she pointed out, "Because you always snore, Jack. I don't know how you even think I could sleep."
He shrugged as he told her, "You've managed so far." He then teased, "You really only make things worse for yourself by getting so worked up over it."
She rolled her eyes again before she chided, "You know, I thought my boyfriend would be more sympathetic."
Jack only laughed. Though Alena was initially annoyed, she soon found herself laughing too. She then surmised, "I guess we wouldn't be us without all the back and forth, would we?"
"No, I don't think we would," Jack conceded before he let out a chuckle. He then kissed her hair and spoke, "I'm really gonna miss arguing and bantering with you. You're like a little firecracker."
Alena sat up before she told him, "I'm not sure I would take that as a compliment from anyone but you."
He couldn't help but chuckle before she jabbed her finger at his chest and told him, "And just because I'm kind of short doesn't mean you get to call me little."
Jack only chuckled before he offered, "You aren't that short - but you're still pretty cute."
Alena couldn't help but smile at him as she told him, "You're pretty cute yourself." She then ran her fingers through his hair.
She then cupped one of his cheeks and said, "And it is one of the many, many reasons why I love you so much. And it is with this love that we can face anything - including this damned curse."
"And that is one of the reasons why I am in love with you," Jack told her before he pressed his lips to hers.
She smiled into the kiss before she wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer to him. The kiss was full of passion and tenderness - much like the couple themselves.
When they pulled away, Jack spoke, "I really do feel like the luckiest guy in the world." Alena only smiled at him.
He then suggested, "We should probably get some sleep. I'd say we're in for a pretty big day tomorrow."
Alena sighed before she nodded her agreement. She then sank against her pillow and attempted to get comfortable.
Jack did the same. Yet, as soon as he settled on his side, he felt his girlfriend move closer to him.
"Roll over."
He grinned and couldn't help but tease her, "Aren't you gonna tell me why?"
"When you roll over," she told him - an annoyance in her voice he knew was feigned.
He couldn't help but shake his head before he rolled over on his back. Alena curled up next to him as she rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"I just…wanted you to hold me and pretend our whole world isn't about to be shattered."
Jack kissed her head before he pulled her closer and began running his hands along her back.
She smiled before she spoke, "I'm so glad…"
A yawn cut off her words. She then sleepily finished, "We have each other."
"And we always will," he told her before he let out a yawn of his own.
The two of them then drifted back to sleep, feeling safe and loved in each other's arms.