A/N: And here we have Part 2 of The Nutcracker's Sweetheart. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree may or may not be the chapter, but please enjoy this one for the time being.
It had been roughly a year since Clara and Nathan had gotten together and soon, Clara was dismissed from dancing for a while since she had gotten pregnant due to the love spread between her and her soldier. King Mortimer decided to let the baby stay in the palace only if the parents would take care of "it" and not get him involved in any way. He also decided, though kept it to himself until further notice, that if the baby was born a boy, he would later grow up into a certain age and become one of his soldiers, but he would get rid of the baby if it was born a girl as he had no use or desire for young girls in his castle. Nathan had training to do which took a lot longer than expected, though King Mortimer seemed to plan for it that way on purpose as the soldier soon missed the birth of his firstborn child.
King Mortimer told Nathan to hope and wish for a boy as his child as he would be more useful that way, but Nathan assured that while a son would be nice to have, that he was going to love his child no matter what gender it would end up being. He was just thrilled and excited to become a father for the first time as Clara was just as excited to become a mother and a wife for the first time. Clara was soon shown to be holding onto a bundle wrapped up in a white blanket with platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
"She's very lovely, Clara," Masha smiled at the woman who had just given birth. "What do you think you'll call her?"
"Thank you, and... Hmm... I think I like the name Delia," Clara smiled back sweetly. "Little Delia Drosselmeyer."
"You can call her 'Dee Dee' for short." Masha suggested as a little nickname for the baby.
"Dee Dee... I like that too," Clara smiled. "I just hope that she will be happy."
"I'm sure that she will be and I will help you and Nathan look after her," Masha smiled back warmly. "I'll be her fairy godmother for as long as I possibly can."
"Thank you, Masha, I would appreciate that very much." Clara nodded.
The doorknob soon jiggled into the room. Masha stepped aside and seemed to disappear so that she wouldn't be seen by anyone who wasn't supposed to see her such as King Mortimer. Clara held onto Dee Dee closely and protectively for just in case. Eventually, the door came open and luckily, it wasn't King Mortimer.
"Oh, my dear Nathan!" Clara called out.
"Clara, my sweetheart," Nathan smiled as he stepped into the room and kissed her forehead. "King Mortimer has allowed to let me live to meet the little one."
"Thank the Gods that he has done that," Clara soon said as she smiled at him. "Nathan... This is your daughter... Delia Drosselmeyer... But we can call her Dee Dee." she then informed warmly.
"Dee Dee... What a lovely name for a lovely little one," Nathan smiled before he looked down at his daughter. "And this must be our little angel."
"Yes... This is your daughter, Dee Dee," Clara told him before she looked down at her baby girl who looked all around in wide wonder. "Dee Dee... This is your daddy."
"Oh... Hello, my sweet little angel..." Nathan smiled warmly as he looked down at the bundle in his sweetheart's arms. "I am going to love and protect you for the rest of your life. You will never ever lose mine or your mama's love and I promise you that."
Dee Dee just looked up, though she didn't physically smile on her face, there was a hint of happiness and joy in her eyes. Nathan and Clara smiled at each other before they shared a sweet kiss together as they enjoyed their moment together as new parents.
"Such a wonderful sight," Masha smiled as she reappeared then before she placed her hand over her necklace. "And I think she deserves a special gift for when she gets older."
"A gift?" Clara and Nathan asked the Sugarplum Fairy who had become a very good friend to them recently.
"It's a fairy godmother tradition to bestow a new baby with very special and unique gifts such as to Queen Briar Rose and Princess Aurora's christenings with The Three Good Fairies of that land: Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather," Masha nodded. "The gift of beauty, song, and intelligence."
"And what gift do you wish to give our little dear then?" Clara asked warmly.
"I shall give your little one the gift of dance," Masha decided before she waved her wand in the air and shot it through the air, sending mystical and shimmering magic before it rained down harmless onto Dee Dee. "For her mother is a very lovely and skilled dancer no matter what The Rat King thinks."
"Oh, Masha. Thank you." Clara smiled warmly, feeling very touched.
"It is my pleasure, really," Masha smiled back. "And when she gets older, I request that you give her my necklace."
"Oh, are you sure?" Nathan asked.
"The future is unclear for me, but I think at a moment of great importance when Dee Dee becomes older, she shall have the necklace of The Sugarplum Fairy," Masha decided. "She will grow her own wings and spread them to bring joy to all of those around her like you two have done for me, my dear, dear friends."
Nathan and Clara smiled warmly at Masha.
"Thank you so very much, Masha," Clara said. "You are the greatest fairy I have ever known."
"I am the only fairy you have ever known." Masha said playfully.
"That easily makes you my favorite." Clara smiled warmly.
"And mine too." Nathan added with a warm chuckle.
"Oh, thank you both for that," Masha smiled back at them. "Congratulations on your darling little angel."
"Thank you, Masha." Clara and Nathan smiled as they were hopeful and excited about their future together as they cuddled into their precious little gift from above.
However, as they celebrated and bonded together as a family, King Mortimer glared as he still felt determined to be rid of Nathan once and for all with the magic given to him by The Dark One of Misthaven. He would not rest until he would get what he wanted. He decided to let the new baby in the castle stay a bit longer than intended as he was going to plan an ultimate sneak attack against Clara and Nathan for their "secret plans".
Dee Dee sat on the blacktop as it was time for recess in Storybrooke Elementary School. Ms. Blanchard smiled warmly as she watched her students at play and Dee Dee held onto her nutcracker doll almost to use him to act as security and a soldier for her heart and soul as she tried to be active among the other kids. She found Olga and Duchess again and decided to try to go and talk to them again.
"Daddy said we could spend a weekend at the spa next month and that I could invite you." Duchess smiled hopefully at her best friend.
"Oh, that would be swell." Olga smiled back.
"Hi, it's me, Dee Dee," Dee Dee said as she stepped over to meet the two girls. "Aren't you both in that Red Shoes Dance School?"
"Yeah, so?" Olga scoffed.
"I just think we got off on the wrong foot and we should try to start over," Dee Dee smiled innocently. "So, yeah. I'm Dee Dee."
"And once again, I'm Duchess and this is Olga, and we don't care." Duchess then told Dee Dee rather nastily.
"And if you think you're planning to be friends with us, think again," Olga added coldly with her hands on her hips. "Why don't you try those pathetic losers over there? They're more your speed." she then suggested as she pointed to under a tree where a couple of other kids were with Henry.
Dee Dee frowned as she was hoping to befriend someone at the dance school so that she would know someone if she ever had a chance to attend classes there. She then looked determined and hopeful, especially since she saw Henry with the two kids. "I think I will," she then said as bravely as she could before she walked her way over to the tree. "They have to be nicer than you two are."
Henry was just sitting with the two kids before they looked over and the girl in the group looked upset about something.
"Hi, my name's Dee Dee," Dee Dee said to them before smiling. "Hello, Henry."
"Hi, Dee Dee." Henry smiled back, glad to see that she was still talking to him.
"Hi, I'm Kelly," The girl in the group said softly, sounding friendly, but also a little sad. "This is Tommy and you seem to already know Henry."
"I do," Dee Dee nodded before she glared a little behind her. "What's up with those grouchy girls over there?"
"They're not grouchy. They're just plain mean." Kelly pouted.
"Yeah. You shouldn't even let them see you talking to us." Tommy added softly and shyly.
"Why not?" Dee Dee asked them in concern.
"'Cuz they hate us," Kelly replied. "They say we're weirdoes and not Storybrooke material and if you hang around with us, they'll think you're a weirdo too."
"I don't care," Dee Dee soon said which made Henry smile a little. "I like being a weirdo and I pick my own friends thank you very much."
"That's what I like the most about you, Dee Dee," Henry smiled back. "You're never afraid to be yourself... Even if you tried to befriend those girls before."
"I'm starting to think that they aren't worth it," Dee Dee replied. "I should've just stayed with you, Henry. You're my best friend."
"And you're mine, Dee Dee." Henry nodded warmly.
"Don't say we didn't warn you." Kelly said softly.
"Are you okay, Kelly?" Dee Dee asked in concern. "You seem upset about something."
"It's just... That..." Kelly said before she pointed up into the tree they were standing beside.
Dee Dee looked over to the tree before looking up and flinching slightly as she stepped back. She could see that there was a doll stuck up the tree.
"One of those big kids decided to see if Patty could fly and threw her in the air and now she's stuck," Kelly pouted. "I have no way to get her down."
"Have you tried telling Ms. Blanchard?" Dee Dee asked her new friends as she looked back over at them.
"We wanted to, but the big kids wouldn't let us." Tommy pouted.
"Wouldn't let you?" Dee Dee asked curiously.
"They said we would be tattletales and if we become tattletales we have to stick our heads inside garbage pails," Tommy said before he looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet. "I don't wanna do that. I had a bath last night."
"Not even I can get the doll down," Henry told Dee Dee. "I wish Evie were here... She would help us no matter what the others would think."
"Well, I could probably get Patty down," Dee Dee soon told Kelly in determination. "I would be sad if my new nutcracker doll that Mr. Gold gave me was stuck up a tree, but I would help him."
"Nutcracker doll?" Kelly and Tommy asked.
Dee Dee soon reached into her bag with a small smile as she showed her nutcracker doll to them. Kelly and Tommy were surprised, but not in the same way that Olga and her friends were.
"That's an interesting doll," Kelly commented. "He's like a little soldier."
"Exactly," Dee Dee smiled and nodded. "He's supposed to go up against The Rat King and save his one true love so that she doesn't become The Rat Queen. Henry, could you hold onto him for me?"
"Oh, sure, Dee Dee." Henry said before he took a hold of the nutcracker doll, being as careful as possible.
"He's a bit strange looking." Kelly commented.
"I kinda like him," Tommy nodded. "He seems like he could make all of the bad guys go away."
"Exactly," Dee Dee smiled before she began to climb up on the tree, being very careful and did her best not to look down. She then climbed a bit further and soon held onto the doll and placed in her backpack for right now before she began to climb back down and held out the doll for Kelly. "I believe this is yours, Kelly."
"Patty!" Kelly beamed before she rushed over and took her doll back and hugged it instantly. "Thank you so much, Dee Dee. That was very brave of you."
"I was glad to help you, Kelly," Dee Dee smiled before she took her nutcracker doll back from Henry. "And thank you for holding onto my nutcracker, Henry."
"You're very welcome, Dee Dee," Henry nodded. "We gotta stick together if we're gonna help Emma with Operation: Cobra."
"Right." Dee Dee agreed.
Kelly and Tommy just looked curious and confused about what Operation: Cobra could possibly mean.
"Hey, Kelly~" Duchess soon called mockingly as she and Olga decided to be bullies right now. "Who cuts your hair, your mommy?"
"Um, actually, yes...?" Kelly responded sadly and worriedly, feeling bad already.
"You might wanna tell her it's making you look even more like a four-year-old nerd than you already do." Olga then told the brunette girl before she and Duchess laughed together maliciously.
"Hey!" Dee Dee soon called out before the girls could walk away victoriously. "Why do you have to be like that? I like her hair! Not everybody has to look like you two, you know." she then added as she stormed over to them.
"Look who's talkin'," Duchess scoffed before she got right up in Dee Dee's face. "Your hair looks like a pile of dry straw with blue marbles stuck at the end!"
The two mean girls then laughed before they walked away together.
"Oh, yeah? Well, I like my hair!" Dee Dee retorted as they walked away. "It's completely and totally wonderful and unusual!"
"I like your hair too, Dee Dee." Henry said softly.
"Thank you, Henry," Dee Dee replied. "I knew that I could count on you."
"I hate them." Kelly pouted as she hugged Patty.
"They're just bullies," Dee Dee replied. "You can't let them get away with that stuff."
"She's right," Henry agreed. "If you stand up to bullies, they almost always back down. My sister taught us that."
Dee Dee smiled at Henry and he smiled back at her before she began to look a little soft. "Does my hair really look liek a pile of dry straw?" she then asked the others who had become her friends.
"It doesn't look dry to me." Henry reassured as he shook his head.
Kelly and Tommy soon smiled as Dee Dee smiled back at them as well. This looked like the start of some possible beautiful friendships as the kids continued to play together until they would be called in after recess would be over.
Clara and Nathan soon met up together in the dancer's chamber once more. It had been a year since Dee Dee was born and they couldn't be any happier, though they wondered how to celebrate and hoped maybe one of the cooks had a pound or two of chocolate for them to borrow to treat their new daughter with winter was coming which meant that Nathan could spend more time with Clara and Dee Dee due to the snow preventing a lot of outdoor activity. There was soon a twinkling sound heard before Clara and Nathan looked around, though they had a pretty good idea of who it was and where it had come from.
"Masha!" Clara beamed at the fairy before running over and hugging her. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too, my friends," Masha smiled. "I have a bit of a surprise for you, especially you," she then said as she playfully and gently booped Dee Dee on her button nose, making the baby girl giggle. "Happy Birthday~"
Dee Dee giggled and cooed as she beamed at her parents' dear friend, especially her mother's.
"You're in a very jovial mood today, Masha," Nathan smiled. "Do you have a gift for De Dee?"
"Yes, but not only her, but you two as well, in fact, for all three of you." Masha smiled back warmly.
"Oh?" Clara and Nathan asked curiously.
"Yes... I found a horse from The Gingerbread Village with a carriage just for you," Masha said before she gestured out the window, prompting the couple to go over there to see what the fairy was talking about as it was true. "That horse is named Marzipan straight from The Land of Sweets. She can take you straight to where you wanna go outside of Parthenia to live happily ever after."
"Oh, it sounds so easy when you say it like that." Nathan smiled.
"It does," Clara agreed. "This is going to be a great new adventure for all of us."
"So, are we ready to go?" Masha then asked. "You can probably meet Snow White. I hear she has quite a refuge team which consists of dwarves of all creatures."
Clara looked even more hopeful and excited before there was a pounding on the door. Masha then went to vanish before the door could open and Nathan decided to hide as well. Clara then shushed them before she straightened herself out, then calmly and patiently approached the door and came to answer it before flinching once she saw King Mortimer on the other side, prompting her to bow lowly as she couldn't properly curtsy with Dee Dee in her arms.
"My King." Clara greeted.
"Yes," King Mortimer nodded. "I need to speak with my soldier Nathan right away."
"Nathan?" Clara repeated. "What ever for?"
"I'm afraid that's a need-to-know basis as in you don't really need to know," King Mortimer told her. "Now... Have you seen him? I know that you must have."
"Erm... Nathan? I... Um... I'll make sure he gets the message." Clara covered up softly.
"Have it your way," King Mortimer rolled his eyes. "I'll be waiting in my throne room for when he's ready to come and speak to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Clara nodded. "I'll make sure he knows."
"See to it that he does." King Mortimer replied before he walked off, allowing Clara to be alone now.
Clara soon shut the door, allowing Nathan to come out of hiding and for Masha to reappear.
"He wants to talk to me?" Nathan remarked. "I'm not sure about this."
"Well... Um... Nathan... I can't speak for both of us... Or all three of us... But you should probably go see what he wants so that you don't get in trouble." Masha suggested.
"I think that might be best," Clara added. "And just think. Maybe this will be the last time we ever have to deal with him."
Masha smiled as that sounded like a very good idea so far.
"Well... All right, I'll go," Nathan then said with a small smile. "Just one last favor and then we can go have our very own happy ending."
Clara and Masha smiled back while Dee Dee looked all around in wide wonder.
"Love you and I'll be right back and we'll be back together again. I promise." Nathan smiled at Clara before he decided to head out the door.
"See you again really soon." Clara smiled back warmly.
Nathan nodded before he soon closed the door behind him and went to go down the corridor down to the throne room. However, just as he walked off, he was suddenly grabbed by his collar by somebody and pulled away instantly in a rather abusive and cruel manner.
Nathan was soon shown to be chained up in the dungeon of The Rat King's castle. He looked very miserable right now and seemed to be almost on the brink of death as he was being badly beaten up. "Okay... We were going to run away together..." he soon confessed about what had been going on between him and Clara lately. "But it's not what you think!"
"So, that was your plan all along, wasn't it?" King Mortimer glared at Nathan. "You WERE going to abandon me in favor of King George!"
"Please, my king, have mercy..." Nathan begged as his lip was now bleeding.
"I'm sorry, but you had your chance," King Mortimer told Nathan before he brought out the magic. "And now you must pay for this."
"Please! I beg of you! What will become of Clara and little Dee Dee?" Nathan cried out.
"Goodbye, Nathan..." King Mortimer glared and he soon threw the magic right in the soldier's face.
Nathan cried out and he soon disappeared in a puff of smoke. The only thing left was his hat and soon, King Mortimer stepped over to retrieve the large hat. Once he picked it up, in Nathan's place was a lifeless doll. However, not just any doll, Nathan was now a nutcracker.
King Mortimer soon picked him up and smirked. "Not so much a dumb king am I now?" he then chuckled in victory. "Now to break the news... She'll be given an offer she can't possibly refuse." he then said as he came to go and see Clara.
Clara was soon shown to be getting ready to leave Parthenia. She looked very happy and excited as Masha kept Dee Dee busy by showing her her very own dance. The dance of The Sugarplum Fairy. Dee Dee cooed and giggled as she enjoyed it very much so far and looked hopeful about maybe becoming a dancer too someday when she would be able to walk properly.
"Can you believe this, Masha? Nathan and I are going to live happily ever after with Dee Dee," Clara beamed warmly. "I'm so excited."
"And I'll visit you as often as I can away from The Land of Sweets. You'll enjoy it very much and you three can even visit me and meet my friends from The Land of Sweets. Everyone will sing for you and Nathan," Masha smiled as she continued to dance for Dee Dee to keep the baby girl busy and entertained until the big trip. "Songs about the countries they come from. Tea will sing about China and hot chocolate will sing about Spain."
"It all sounds so very wonderful," Clara smiled dreamily as she put her hands together. "And just think, any minute now, we'll be in Misthaven where we'll be far away from that horrible Rat King and live happily ever after."
Masha smiled back warmly as she soon finished her dance. Dee Dee cooed and giggled as she clapped her tiny hands in excitement. Masha smiled as she then bent down, about to pick up Dee Dee, only for a pounding to be heard behind the door which made The Sugarplum Fairy flinch instantly.
"Oh, that must be Nathan now," Clara beamed before she looked over at Masha. "Why don't you go and check on the carriage outside?"
"Very well, Clara," Masha smiled as she backed away from Dee Dee and took out her wand. "Off I go."
Dee Dee whined and grunted as she reached out and pouted as she didn't want Masha to go away right away. The two had a very emotional bond, almost like a surrogate aunt and niece.
"Would you mind if I brought her with me?" Masha soon suggested. "I know you two won't be long, but I think it would be easier if I brought her with me."
"Well..." Clara paused as she came over to her baby girl who looked attached to Masha before she smiled and giggled a little. "All right. I suppose that would be okay."
Masha nodded as she held onto Dee Dee before taking out her wand to poof herself out of the room to the outside of The Rat King's palace. The pounding on the door soon continued as Clara then sprung right over to go and answer the door from the anticipation that came from the other side.
"Oh, Nathan, thank goodness! I was wondering what was taking you so-" Clara beamed as she opened the door before she gasped in horror and cupped her mouth in concern.
"Nathan is dead..." King Mortimer glared as he stepped inside, holding the hat of his former soldier.
"W-What?" Clara asked with wide eyes of fear and sadness suddenly. "N-No... H-He can't be..."
"Yes... It's true..." King Mortimer nodded as he held out Nathan's hat to her. "He had to be taken care of."
"No..." Clara frowned lowly as she swiped the hat away from him instantly before hugging it as her voice cracked from sadness. "I-It can't be true... Just tell me it's not true!" she then cried out.
"It's true." King Mortimer told her rather coldly.
Clara let out a small cry before she sniffled and began to blink rapidly as her eyes filled with tears. She kept holding onto the hat as she began to shake and shiver rather quickly.
"Look on the bright side," King Mortimer told her without a hint of empathy or sympathy. "You won't have no one to hog the covers."
Clara broke down emotionally as she fell to her knees and hugged the hat rather tightly as she began to cry her eyes out. Her one true love was now gone... The father of her child... They were going to be so happy together and now those dreams were crushed at an instant. King Mortimer just stood there, not even going to help her out as she was very depressed right now. Clara just couldn't believe it as she was completely heartbroken right now.
"Maybe we can fix this..." King Mortimer said to her with a small smirk.
"How could we possibly fix this?!" Clara cried out to him. "You killed him, you Rat King!"
"Quit calling me that..." King Mortimer growled at that nickname. "We can easily resolve this... If..." he then started to tell her with a wicked smirk.
"...If?" Clara asked softly.
"If you marry me instead," King Mortimer told her with a smirk. "I'll even look after the little babe for you if that will make you happy."
"What?" Clara asked, a bit devastated and disgusted as she narrowed her tear-filled eyes.
"I can give you other children," King Mortimer smirked. "Such as myself."
"You can't just replace people," Clara glared as she sniffled a little. "You are very despicable and cruel! You don't deserve to be king!"
"How DARE you?!" King Mortimer snarled before he struck Clara in the cheek suddenly and made her feel on the floor. "I let you and that pathetic excuse of a soldier bond together and keep your spawn and this is how you repay me?!"
Clara just glared, though crying even more from the stinging pain in her cheek as she tried to stay brave and confident.
"You're turning against me too, aren't you?" King Mortimer then demanded firmly.
Clara didn't say anything as she decided to close her eyes and turn away from him.
King Mortimer noticed that before he made his voice louder and angrier. "Answer me!" he then demanded.
"You're a monster!" Clara cried out.
"And you're making a mistake!" King Mortimer glared. "I will give you time to decide whether you will become my Queen or not. I know you'll make the right choice because if you refuse, then you won't only lose your soldier, you will also lose your precious gift from above." he then threatened.
Clara flinched before she looked back at him emotionally. "You wouldn't..." she then murmured weakly as he was far worse than she had ever imagined.
"Don't tempt me, Doll Face," King Mortimer retorted assertively. "I've seen a lot and dealt with a lot and your soldier's incompetance was dealt with and so will yours and your spawn's."
"You leave Dee Dee alone," Clara demanded. "You shouldn't drag her into this. She's only a child!"
"She may be a child, but she's not just any child," King Mortimer glared. "I wanted you and Nathan to birth a son for my army against King George, but instead you birthed me a worthless daughter."
"How could I have possibly controlled that?!" Clara cried out. "Dee Dee is a very wonderful and special girl, even if she is just a baby! I know she is! I will not let you sacrifice my child and I will never ever be your Rat Queen!"
King Mortimer growled before he came closer to Clara before shoving her against the cold stone wall suddenly and pulled one of her arms right behind her back. Clara grunted and groaned as her face was squished thanks to his brute force.
"I really hope that you don't mean that..." King Mortimer glared.
"I do," Clara said as bravely as she could. "I'd rather die than become your queen."
"Then that can be arranged like I did with your precious Nathan..." King Mortimer glared. "I'll go after you next and then there will be no one to protect your spawn. Your bastard spawn as you and Nathan were never married."
Clara flinched at the word "bastard". Yes, it was true that Nathan and Clara never got married, but they were hoping to maybe elope in The Enchanted Forest of Misthaven to start their new lives together, especially with young Dee Dee having a better chance at life and childhood than growing up under The Rat King's reign. Dee Dee deserved much better than to be called such a thing though as she couldn't help what her parents had been through before her conception and eventually her birth.
"I shall face you and you will spend the rest of your days locked in here," King Mortimer glared. "Eventually your spawn will starve to death without you there by her side. Your death comes soon and I don't care at what cost." he then told her before slamming the door and quickly bolted and locked it before Clara could have a chance to escape out the door or even stop him.
Clara did rush away from the wall, but she was far too late by the time she made it a few inches away from the door. She tried to open it, but it was sealed shut and she had no escape other than jumping out the window into the moat. Masha soon beamed right back into the room through twinkling light and carried Baby Dee Dee.
"Masha! The Rat King wants too-" Clara cried out to The Sugarplum Fairy urgently.
"I heard," Masha interrupted with a small frown. "We both heard. I don't think Dee Dee understands though."
"Oh, dear..." Clara frowned softly.
"I need to get you out of here and I'm so sorry about Nathan," Masha told her human friend. "We need to come up with a plan though."
"Masha, do you think you can get me out of here so I don't meet the crocodiles on the way out?" Clara asked hopefully. "Can't you use your magic?"
Masha paused thoughtfully as she tried to think of something before she remembered another story about fairies helping humans in need. "When Queen Briar was a princess and to hide her away from Carabosse, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather met up at the castle in disguise and wandered away from the castle grounds when no one would be spying on them or see them for her own protection," she then informed. "We might not need a carriage after all if you trust me. Do you trust me?" she then asked softly.
"Of course I do," Clara nodded. "You're my best friend around here."
"And you're mine," Masha said with a small smile before she looked thoughtful as she made up a plan on the spot. "Okay. We'll meet up just before sunrise tomorrow. The Rat King shouldn't be up that early anyway and I'll help guide you and Dee Dee to safety and we can go to Misthaven from there. Nova especially can help us out."
"Nova?" Clara repeated curiously.
"She's a new fairy godmother-in-training under Reul Ghorm's training and a very special and good friend of mine." Masha nodded.
"You know the fairies of Misthaven?" Clara then asked.
"Oh, yes, Clara, don't you know?" Masha smiled warmly. "All fairies know each other from me to The Tooth Fairy to even King Oberon and Queen Titania."
"Impressive..." Clara said softly before nodding. "All right. We will meet up then and you can help me move Dee Dee along. I just hope that she makes it."
"I know for a fact that she will," Masha replied. "She's a very special diamond."
"That, she is," Clara said softly as she looked hopeful, but also a little doubtful. "...Masha?"
"Yes, Clara?" Masha then replied.
"...If anything happens to me, especially because of Nathan... I want you and Dee Dee to go on without me," Clara said softly and emotionally. "I don't think I can live without Nathan and I wouldn't want Dee Dee to be alone... But..."
"...You want her to have a better chance at life far away." Masha finished for her human friend gently.
Clara blinked as she hesitated a few moments before nodding as that seemed to be true for her.
"...I know you miss him and you feel you should be reunited with him... It's going to be okay though..." Masha said softly.
"Don't worry, Masha..." Clara replied. "I know it will work out in the end... Someway. Somehow."
Masha frowned before she and Clara shared a hug as she tried to be very careful not to get Dee Dee hurt in the hug. It was a very bittersweet moment, but at least now, they had a plan.
Dee Dee was shown to be wandering by herself around the streets of Storybrooke again. She was on her way back home before she flinched at a voice that called to her.
"Uh, excuse me?" A friendly voice piped up.
Dee Dee blinked before looking over her shoulder and gasped. "Sister Astrid!" she then said as she stepped back.
"Yes, that would be me," Sister Astrid smiled warmly. "Hello there, dear Dee Dee."
"What did I do?" Dee Dee pouted as she expected that she was probably in trouble right now.
"Oh, you didn't do anything, my dear," Sister Astrid coaxed. "I was just in the neighborhood and I thought maybe I'd get some dinner at Granny's Diner. Have you already eaten dinner?"
"Well... Uh... No actually," Dee Dee said softly and bashfully before, as if on cue, her stomach began to growl before she put her hand over her stomach. "Heheheh... Oops..." she then smiled bashfully.
"I suggest that you join me at Granny's Diner then," Sister Astrid suggested with a small smile. "It might be a lot of fun for you."
"Well... All right," Dee Dee replied. "Should we go 'Dutch' with the bill then?"
Sister Astrid giggled a bit as she put her hand over her mouth. "We'll see what we can do." she then said.
"Okay..." Dee Dee said with a small smile.
Sister Astrid then held out her hand for Dee Dee. Dee Dee then took the woman's hand before they began to make their way to Granny's Diner.
The next day soon came bright and early for Clara and Dee Dee. Clara got up at the scheduled time she and Masha arranged for. Her heart was still aching and felt like it was being shredded into pieces, but she had to stay strong and move on for the sake of Dee Dee. Hopefully Nathan's love was strong enough to stay within her heart and not weigh her down during the great big escape. Clara soon put on a cloak and put the hood over her head and soon came over to Dee Dee and picked up her daughter.
"Come on, Dee Dee... Let's go home..." Clara whispered warmly as she hugged her baby girl in her arms before going to sneak outside.
Being quiet and careful in a very old castle was quite a challenge. Going out the front doors would be obvious, especially with how things echo. Masha soon appeared with magic and came over to Clara and Dee Dee before hugging both.
"Masha, thank goodness," Clara said softly. "I'll make myself a rope to get down from the window and hopefully I won't end up drowning."
"Let's hope you don't," Masha nodded. "I'll take Dee Dee down with me since my magic isn't strong enough to take you both to safer ground."
"I understand," Clara said before kissing Dee Dee's forehead sweetly. "Don't worry, dear. We'll be together again soon and we can be a family and go home."
Masha smiled. Dee Dee seemed to let out a small coo in response before Masha brought out her wand and soon began to magic them both away from the room and soon outside to wait for Clara. Once Clara would be out and on safer ground, it would be time to escape from Parthenia once and for all. Masha and Dee Dee soon waited for Clara to make it as she soon tied her bedsheets and began to make a rope to climb down from. It seemed all good and clear as Clara swiftly and carefully climbed down the rope and was soon dangling above the water. Masha soon saw there wasn't a really good way over the water and onto the dry ground, so she looked very scared and nervous before Clara swung herself over and was able to make it to the other side without a scratch before she could be swallowed by the water.
"Thank goodness..." Masha sighed in relief.
"Lucky to be alive." Clara smiled.
However, unknown to them, King Mortimer had summoned Pantaloon and other soldiers as archers at the top of the castle. He spotted Clara about to escape and narrowed his eyes. "I can't use The Dark One's magic to get rid of her like that Nutcracker Prince of hers, so we'll have to get rid of her the old-fashioned way," he said to himself before facing Pantaloon. "FIRE!"
Pantaloon nodded and soon nodded to the other soldiers. The next events happened so fast just as Masha was ready to hand Dee Dee over to Clara, but then... The archers began to shoot arrows all rapidly to every which way. Masha gasped in horror as the arrows flew all around and she did her best to protect Dee Dee as the arrows flew at all directions. Masha and Dee Dee survived... But Clara was not so lucky.
"Clara! Clara!" Masha cried out before she rushed over to her fallen friend who had an arrow in her chest.
"Masha... Take care of Dee Dee for me... Please..." Clara spoke wheezily as she was bleeding through her chest.
"Clara... No..." Masha said softly.
"I just wanted to live happily ever after with Nathan and Dee Dee... Promise me that they will be okay... Even without me... We never wanted anyone to get hurt... Not even The Rat King..." Clara replied softly.
Unknown to anyone, a certain imp had overheard that. It was then clear to him that Nathan and Clara never had malicious intentions, especially in going in the land of King George for a better life away from The Rat King who was too greedy and self-absorbed to tell the difference.
"Clara..." Masha frowned tearfully.
"Masha, please... Make sure that Dee Dee grows up happy and healthy... I tried... I love you... My friend and my daughter..." Clara said weakly before coughing as she kissed Dee Dee's forehead one last time. And soon, her heart gave out as she laid there and she soon slowly closed her eyes as that was her last breath.
"Oh... Oh, Clara..." Masha said softly and emotionally. She then bowed her head as a moment of silence before she carried Dee Dee and went to take the baby girl off to Misthaven as promised. She soon found a basket and filled it with hay before she decided to put the baby girl inside of it. Once it was filled with both hay and the precious angel from above, she took Dee Dee over to Swan Lake from where her parents first fell in love and decided to send her drifting down the waters and to get as far away from Parthenia as possible. She also left a special gift behind for the baby girl to hold onto as a fond way to remember her parents by. "Travel well, Dee Dee... You are a very wonderful and special girl... Let the love of your parents flow through your heart and soul... Forever." he then whispered warmly.
Dee Dee was soon sent away from Parthenia to never be seen again in that world as she was lying around in her basket. Masha then bowed her head, feeling so lost and sad to lose both Clara and Nathan who might have been humans, but were also her very dear friends.
"Now I got rid of them both... Then soon will be the spawn..." King Mortimer grinned. "The name King Mortimer shall live on forever and it's all thanks to magic used by Rumplestiltskin!"
"That may be so, dearie," Rumplestiltskin's voice said as he appeared in the corner and crossed his arms with a smirk. "But it appears that there's been a misunderstanding."
"You're back... Here to give me more power?" King Mortimer asked hopefully. "Those two were going to desert me for King George for him to plan against me."
"Not quite~" Rumplestiltskin clarified with a giggle.
"What?" King Mortimer glared. "What do you mean? I used your magic to punish that traitor and teach him a lesson and now his true love had to suffer the same fate."
"Yes, but you thought they were going to go up against you when they just wanted to run away together with their own happiness," Rumplestiltskin said before smirking. "I might be The Dark One, but I'm a Dark One with standards! They never meant to go to King George with malicious intent, you only thought they were and now you must face the consequences of my magic!" he then told The Rat King before waving his hand and began to take away certain things away from the spoiled and greedy man.
"What are you doing?!" King Mortimer demanded as it seemed that everything around him that he knew and loved was disappearing. "This isn't right!"
Soon, it seemed like Pantaloon and the other soldiers were disappearing suddenly.
"My army!" King Mortimer then cried out. "NO ONE CAN BEAT ME!"
"You don't deserve any of this, you deserve a far worse treatment than what you gave to Nathan, to your Nutcracker soldier." Rumplestiltskin sneered before he decided to give King Mortimer a taste of karma and soon waved his hand at the other man.
There was a puff of dark smoke and soon, King Mortimer's clothes were lying around and someone was moving underneath them. The something soon wandered out from the crown and out came a rodent who twitched its nose and looked around.
"Now... That's a more suitable form for you... Rat King..." Rumplestiltskin glared as he wrinkled his nose. "King George will never touch you this way... Not even HE likes the rats!" he then smirked before disappearing as King Mortimer was punished and was now on his own with nothing more to do or say.
Baby Dee Dee soon began to ride through Parthenia, leaving there and Swan Lake and soon made it into Misthaven. Just as she got there, there was a storm heard and there seemed to be a big and thick patch of dark smoke coming from the forest with people panicking as all of their lives, including her own, were about to change... Forever.
"THE CURSE! IT'S HERE!" A grumpy voice called out followed by the ringing of a bell.
Baby Dee Dee could only look around aimlessly as she was sitting in her basket with her nutcracker soldier father right next to her. However, someone seemed to see her before grabbing her and running away as the smoke got closer and closer.
Astrid smiled as she soon let Dee Dee have a cup of hot chocolate as they sat in Granny's Diner together. "How's the hot chocolate, Dee Dee?" she then asked the girl.
"I love it," Dee Dee smiled back. "Thank you so much, Sister Astrid."
"You know, if you want, since we're going to be hanging out together a little bit and I'll be like a mother to you, you can call me Mama Astrid if you want." Astrid offered.
"Really?" Dee Dee asked softly.
"If you want," Astrid nodded. "We could be like a family. The other sisters, Mother Superior, and I are all like a family to Jane after all."
"Okay then... Mama Astrid..." Dee Dee smiled as she put her cup down for a moment. "I like the sound of that."
"I do too, dear," Astrid smiled back before she then took out an envelope to give to the girl. "Here. I think you have some mail."
"Mail for me?" Dee Dee asked before she accepted the envelope and began to open it. "I wonder what it could be?"
"Well, you won't know unless you open it." Astrid smiled, though she seemed to already know what the letter would be all about.
Dee Dee then opened the envelope before she took out a letter and unfolded it before she began to read it aloud. "'The Red Shoes Dance Academy hereby requests the pleasure of your company, Delia, for the current year in our school as one of our newest dancers. Please notify with a parent or guardian's permission of your response to this request. We'd love you to join us in our school on Monday through Friday after school until 6:30. Will you come?'" she then beamed and gasped. "I get to be a student at The Red Shoes Dance Academy?!" she then asked in excitement.
"If you would like, my dear," Astrid smiled. "And since I'll be your Mama Astrid, you have my permission to go to this dance school. I think that it would be very good for you."
"Oh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Dee Dee soon squealed and hugged the woman instantly. "Oh, this is going to be the best time ever! Oh... But wait a second," she then said softly as she quickly let go. "I don't have an outfit or ballerina slippers."
"We'll get you a leotard and a tutu soon, but as for slippers, I can actually help you out with that." Astrid said with a small smile before she took out a box that looked like it was rather old.
"Oh?" Dee Dee asked as she sat back down across from Astrid.
"Yes," Astrid smiled before she pushed the box over to Dee Dee. "Why don't you open this up and find out what's in there? Though I think you might already have an idea."
Dee Dee looked even more curious before she soon removed the top and gasped. She took out a pair of ballerina slippers before she decided to unbuckle her black shoes and replace them with the slippers.
"I hope that they fit." Astrid smiled.
Dee Dee then continued to try on the slippers and they were indeed a perfect fit. "They fit!" she then beamed at her new mother figure as she tied the slippers on properly. "And I love them!"
"What do you say?" Astrid then prompted.
"Thank you, Mama Astrid!" Dee Dee beamed in excitement. "This is the best day ever!"
"I'm glad," Astrid smiled. "Mr. Gold had these in his shop just for you. It seems like he knew you were born to become a prima ballerina."
"Oh, I love dancing and I love ballet stories so much," Dee Dee nodded. "I can't wait to become a dancer in Dance School!"
"I can't wait either, my dear," Astrid smiled warmly before she was given another hug from Dee Dee. "Oh! You're quite a hugger."
"I love you, Mama." Dee Dee said softly as she hugged the woman.
Astrid began to look a little emotional before she smiled softly. "I love you too, Dee Dee..." she then said.
Dee Dee's nutcracker doll just stood where it was on the table as Dee Dee and Astrid shared a warm and loving embrace with each other. It was then that it looked like Dee Dee was going to get her very own happily ever after in Storybrooke and she couldn't wait to tell Henry and Evie all about it.