An: It's been a while... I'm so glad to be back now that my house finally has internet again. I hope that the people who used to love this story have found their way back. It's been a stressful time for me lately and I'm glad I can get something back on track in my life. Thank you for reading.
To the guest who reviewed: thank you. I've really put a lot of work into this story and I hope you continue to enjoy it.
"Dad?" Everett called over the noise. Carlos practically jumped at the sound of his son's voice. He stopped banging on the hot metal and turned to Everett. Taking off his goggles, Everett could see the worry brewing on his father's face. "What are you doing?"
"It's not what it looks like," Carlos assured. "Conroy, how did you find me?"
"I was wondering where you disappeared to," Everett said mostly for himself. "But it makes sense now. I knew you couldn't just be a stay-at-home dad. You love inventing."
"Inventing?!" Carlos dropped the hammer in his hand. "Wh-who said anything about inventing?"
Everett remembered Carlos didn't know about the other world. "Dad, it's okay to have a hobby. Why do you hide down here?"
"Well, if anyone knew where the new inventions actually came from, I'm afraid there would be no market."
"Is that what Jane told you?"
"Yes, your mother told me," Carlos raised a brow. "She knows all about the kingdom trades and trends. It's her job."
"And this is yours. You shouldn't have to hide it away," Everett looked around the workshop There were many things Everett recognized from Carlos's real workshop. It was all here. Carlos was still here.
"Yes, I do," Carlos began to put some scraps into a box. "I'm lucky that I haven't been sent back to the Isle as it is. You can't tell anyone about this."
"I won't," Everett promised. "But I think you should."
"Why?"
"You're not getting any credit for your work. That's not fair."
"Fairness doesn't apply to me, Conroy," Carlos shook his head.
"Just because you're from the Isle doesn't mean you're not a good person."
"Tell that to every home in Auradon. They're sure to believe you." Carlos was turned away now. There was something in his voice that made Everett wonder if he had tried to prove himself before. "Be lucky you have Jane's blood in your veins. You at least have a shot at the future."
"Would you have married her if you knew this was going to happen?" Everett asked before much thought. There was silence between them. He wished he could see his father's face. "Would you have lived in solitude instead of having a family if you knew we were going to be shut away?"
"Of course I don't regret settling down. Loneliness is worse than emptiness. I suppose I should've known," Carlos said quietly. "It all went downhill for all of us when..."
"Evie left," Everett finished. Carlos turned to the sound of her name. "What happened, Dad? Please tell me what happened. Do you ever wonder where she had gone?"
There was sudden anger in his father's voice. "I've told you before, she betrayed us and left. I don't care where she is or even if she is alive. You are not to ever speak of her." Carlos got up and walked over to his son. "Just as you are not supposed to speak of this place. Go upstairs. Now."
"But—"
"Go!" Carlos commanded. Everett ran halfway up the stairs, then looked down at his father.
"I think Charlotte would like to see this," Everett said quietly. "She's like you more than you know."
Carlos went silent as Everett climbed up the rest of the stairs and left.
"Your dad has a secret workshop?" Lorelai asked as they walked through the forest again that afternoon. They had already collected the orchid but wanted to wait till they were safely out of town before starting the engines.
"It's really not that surprising. He was a real inventor in my world. I just don't understand why he would want to keep that secret."
"Because you forget that we are not accepted here."
"We're not accepted anywhere," Everett muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"It wasn't nothing."
"I was just saying that it's stupid. That's all. He could really be a help to Charlotte."
"Charlotte?"
"She's an inventor too."
"Well, I knew she liked to tinker a bit but an inventor?"
"In my life, we had a treehouse that dad built when I was a baby. According to Evie, he did it so he could get away from my screaming."
"That's believable," Lorelai chuckled. Everett flashed her a grin.
"It's understandable," Everett shrugged. "He was still my dad, but he needed a break once in a while. Once I started to understand things he tried to get me to help him build it, but I didn't have the drive he did. When Charlotte was old enough she started to develop it into her own workshop. My dad taught her all she knows. They were so close. "
"So?"
"So," Everett moved on. "I was never close to him in the way that Charlotte is. It's strange talking to him now. He seems to only speak with me. Like Charlotte doesn't even exist."
"What are you going to do about it?"
"What is there to do about it?"
"You could tell Charlotte about the workshop. She could get closer to your dad. You've said that she isn't acting like herself. Maybe you just need to give her a push."
"But that's the thing," Everett reminded. "My main focus is to get back to my world. I don't need to start fixing things here. I just need to get my parents back together and break the spell."
"Everett," Lorelai sighed.
"Lorelai."
"Hey," Lorelai grabbed him by the shirt collar and forced him to face her. Everett was taken aback by the sudden movement. She looked into his eyes. "What happened to 'whatever it takes for me to get home' and 'I'm willing to wait' ?"
"Well, I don't want to be stuck here forever." He had to look away from her face. They were too close.
"But you're trying to cut corners," Lorelai wouldn't let him move past her. He looked down at her again and held his breath. "If you want to get home, you're going to have to do more than just simply get your parents back together. You have to realize there is a lot going into this. Lots of people, memories, and—"
"Feelings," they said at the same time. That was when Everett couldn't look away from her. She felt so real. He wanted her to be the Lorelai he knew. Perhaps at that moment, she was.
He turned away first and hopped onto his bike. Starting the engine, he could tell Lorelai was still in a small daze. He revved the engine to get her attention. As she snapped back into life, Lorelai followed him and got onto her bike. Everett had to admit he wasn't ready to get to the castle so soon, but he didn't regret standing up for Lorelai. He just wanted to know what goes on in Rose's head. Wondered what she was thinking at this second.
"What was I thinking?" Rose shook her head. She had been pacing for the last hour. How could she have let Everett get to her? His words echoed in her head.
"Just because you are powerful doesn't pull away from the fact that you have deserted your family, kingdom, and everything else."
He was right, but he didn't have to bring up her past guilt like that. It had been over twenty years since she had seen Ben. She had tucked those thoughts of guilt and distress many nights ago. She thought she would've come to peace with it somehow after all of these years. But then she saw those girl's eyes. Those blue eyes were the same as Ben's.
She should've never let them into her castle. Rose should've never shown herself to them. Rose looked at the glowing pink rose before her. She had put it under a glass case to keep it protected. Another petal was breaking away from the bud. It would fall within the day. The other three lay at the stem, their glow had been lost once their memory had been viewed.
What did it all mean?
Surely there had to be a reason for Everett and Lorelai to find her. What part did she have in this? Was there something she had to fulfill? Rose wanted nothing more than to get those kids off her back. But at the same time, she wanted to keep them around. Perhaps there was a reason they were here. After all of those nights of regret, maybe the runaway princess could get a part of her life back.
She thought of the kids she had tried to train years ago. Back when Rose was trying to build up an army. Rose had become frustrated with them as well. Maybe now, she should give her niece a chance. It was tough out there, for kids like Rose. She knew the hardships of royal life. Knew what it was like to be afraid of herself. Not only would she do this for herself, but for Lorelai.
Everett could see Lorelai tense as they approached the castle. She was obviously nervous, and he didn't blame her. She held the cat tightly in her arms. "Hey," he said to her as they slowly walked up to the doors. She didn't look at him, but he knew he had her attention. "You'll be alright. I'm not scared of her."
"It's not exactly me I'm worried about," Lorelai said under her breath before the doors opened. Everett took a step back, frightened. Lorelai stood still. Rose was in the entryway.
"Afternoon," she said curtly.
"H-hi," Everett choked out. He didn't understand why he had gotten so nervous. He thought he wasn't scared. He reached into his pack and took out the orchid. Rose took it from his outstretched and shaking palm.
Rose's eyes went from Everett to the frozen Lorelai. "So, you've decided to come back? I was afraid you were going to run out on me."
"No," Lorelai shook her head. "As long as you don't run out on us."
Rose's eye twitched slightly, but she nodded. "It's been a while since I've had company. I forget that humans are still human."
"So we can continue with our lessons?" Lorelai asked hopefully.
Rose nodded. Lorelai glanced at Everett before grinning. Everett couldn't believe it. His words had already made a difference. Here he thought he might've made the lost princess cold and bitter, but instead, she seemed nicer. Maybe she had been in isolation for too long.
"Let's try this," Rose said later during the lesson. Everett continued to watch from the throne, Scales at his feet. "I'm going to make a spark, and you're going to catch it and keep it in your control."
"What?" Lorelai raised a brow. "I don't—"
"Yes, you can," Rose assured. "Holding other's magic can be a gateway to controlling your own."
"But I can't even control my own."
"Don't even worry about your own magic right now. Think about this." Rose snapped her finger, and a little ball of light appeared above her fingertips. Lorelai's eyes widened at the sight of the orb. "Pretty, isn't it?"
Lorelai nodded. Rose took a step closer to her. "I'm going to share it with you. Alright?"
To Everett's surprise, Lorelai nodded again. Rose closed the distance and held out her hand. Lorelai reached forward, so her fingers were under the light. Then, Rose took her hand away. The ball of light continued to stay in place above Lorelai's hand. She gasped. "I'm-I'm doing it!" Everett wasn't exactly sure if he really saw it, but he thought Rose had a little grin on her face.
"Now, I'm going to tend to the potion. Think you can keep it for a few minutes?" Rose took a few steps away, but Lorelai only kept her eyes on the spark. Everett got out of his chair when Lorelai agreed to keep track of the light. Scales scampered down the stairs and to the girl's feet in moral support.
Before Rose turned to leave, she tilted her chin as a gesture for Everett to follow. He complied. They walked down the spiral staircase to the potion room. The rose hung in the air under the glass case. He noted another petal was going to fall soon. The cauldron was now filled with glowing mixtures. Rose stepped over it with the orchid in her hand.
"This was the only location spell I could find," Rose explained to him. "The Evil Queen left almost all of her writings in here."
"I think she didn't want them to be left here," Everett added. Rose only nodded as she picked the petals from the orchid gently. "I never knew her. In my real life. I thought she simply didn't exist until someone told me she died on that Isle and...that's how..."
"Is that the reason you were sent here?" Rose asked in the silence.
Everett simply shrugged. "She is my grandmother, I thought I would have the right to know about her. But Evie told me nothing. She never told me why I had to go through what I did. It was all her."
"Well, I wouldn't blame Evie for not telling you."
"What?" Everett raised a brow. "You don't blame her? When everything bad in my life was all her fault?"
"Do you even want to go back?" Rose shot back. "Because this should be a dream come true."
"I don't want to be here either."
"What do you want?"
"I don't know!" Everett burst. Rose took a step back, her eyes wide. Everett realized what he had done and began to catch his breath. "I'm sorry."
"No," Rose shook her head. "I just realized something."
"What?"
"Nothing important. Not really," Rose shook her head. "I just wanted to let you know another petal is going to fall. So, if you have a dream tonight, that's why."
"Oh, thanks," Everett scratched the back of his neck. He was about to turn and leave, but then he stopped.
"Everett," Rose called. He turned. Her face was serious. "Don't take this new chance you have for granted." There was a pain in her voice Everett felt all too familiar.
They stared at each other for a moment, then Everett then gave her a small nod before going back up the stairs. He knew Rose wasn't going to be far behind, so he took two steps at a time. When he got back to the throne room, Lorelai was still holding the spark above her fingers. Only now, she was playing with it. Sending it around Scales's head. The cat then chased it around the room.
That was when Everett saw her. Really saw Lorelai. She was showing herself. Her real self. Everett didn't realize how much he had missed her playful magic until now. He missed her smile. He missed her.
As if on a cue, Lorelai seemed to notice Everett's presence and stopped instantly. The spark shot and hit the stone wall, making a small burn mark. They both flinched. "At least I controlled it for a little bit. Oh, well." Everett couldn't take his eyes off her as she smoothed her jacket nervously. He grinned, and she took note of it. "Are you okay?"
"I'm great," Everett said truthfully at that moment. There was something in Lorelai's expression that made it seem like she didn't believe him, but she didn't voice her thoughts.
"I think that will be all today," Rose said as she entered the room. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lorelai."
"What about Everett?" Lorelai asked.
"He doesn't need to be here until the potions are ready," Rose said simply. Everett felt his cheeks become hot with embarrassment.
"Oh, right," Lorelai nodded.
"It's okay," Everett voiced. "I should probably go to tourney practice once this week." He glanced at Rose, who had a blank expression. His eyes went to the floor, where Scales was peering up at him. He took the cat in his arms. "Good day, Rose."
Once they were out of the castle, Lorelai grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, what was that?"
"Nothing," Everett shook his head. Lorelai let go and stopped walking. He put Scales down in Lorelai's bike basket.
"That wasn't nothing. What did she say to you?"
"It doesn't matter," Everett said coldly. He was so confused by what it all meant. What did he want from his life? How couldn't he know?
"Of course it does if you're acting strange." He got on his bike and started it. "Talk to me."
"I just have to think for a while," Everett called over his shoulder. "I'll see you later."
As Rose watched Everett leave a disappointed Lorelai, a single tear ran down her cheek. He didn't know. He didn't understand what she meant. She knew what was in his head right at this moment. Nothing but confusion. It was the worst place one could ever be. Trapped in your own mind. Hearing nothing but your own empty thought and feeling full feelings.
That was when Rose knew she couldn't give up on the boy because he was like her. She couldn't let him go as she had let herself.
When Everett got home, it was just starting to get dark. He had taken a long, thoughtless ride back to the kingdom. He hoped fresh air would clear his mind. He was wrong. Many thoughts swirled in his never-stopping brain. When he went inside, only Charlotte was in the main room, wearing her red skirt and blacktop. Her hair was half up with loose curls around her shoulders. "Where have you been?" she asked.
"Nowhere," Everett lied. "Just practice."
"Right," Charlotte nodded. "Better take a shower before mom and dad catch on you're skipping."
"I'm not skipping," Everett lied again.
"Conroy, you flare your nose every time you lie," Charlotte shook her head. "Go take a shower."
Everett touched his nose unconsciously before heading upstairs. After he showered, he headed back downstairs for dinner. Jane had brought home takeout to eat. Charlotte was quiet while Jane set up dinner. Carlos had mysteriously reappeared. Everett of course knew where he had been and figured that was why his father avoided eye contact with him.
"How has practice been, Conroy?" Jane asked. At first, Everett didn't respond, but then Charlotte's wide eyes made him realize.
"Oh, sorry, I'm just tired from tourney," Everett tried his best not to flare his nostrils. Charlotte grinned smugly. "Coach has been working us hard."
"Good, that way you'll be ready for the fall season."
"Right," Everett nodded. "How about you? How's work?"
"Oh, you know, busy," Jane shrugged. "I'm trying to arrange a story for Simon on the most recent uncovering of Maxwell's new powers."
"You're going to exploit him?" Charlotte suddenly asked.
"No, well...yes," Jane shrugged again. "It's news. He could be dangerous with all his outbursts."
"That's not fair," Charlotte slammed down her fork.
"Don't slam your utensils," Jane snapped. "That's very unladylike."
Charlotte stood from her chair slowly. She picked up her fork, and softly placed it on the table. She then turned and went upstairs, slamming her bedroom door. There was nothing but silence. Jane then rose from her seat. "Excuse me," she said quietly before heading up the stairs after Charlotte. Everett tried his best not to hear the muffled voices above them.
"You can make it stop," Everett said suddenly. "You know you can."
"I can't control what she does," Carlos shook his head. He still didn't look at Everett. "Either of them."
"But you don't have to put up with it."
"I get enough of it," Carlos said in a weak voice.
"Tell Charlotte," Everett pleaded. "Please."
"I don't want her in any more trouble," Carlos stood from his seat and took the empty plates with him to the kitchen. Everett clenched his jaw. He looked down at his balled fist resting on his leg. He opened his palm to reveal the blue butterfly charm. He ran his thumb over it before he sighed.
As Everett headed up for bed, Jane closed the door to Charlotte's room behind her. She took a step back when she saw Everett. A grin then spread across her face. "Off to bed?"
"Yeah," Everett nodded. He was frozen as she reached forward and tried to hug him. When he rejected the embrace, Jane leaned back unphased. She place her hands on his freckled cheeks.
"I'm proud of you, son," she told him. "Goodnight."
Everett looked down to the floor as he muttered, "Night." Jane stood there for a moment, then dropped her hands and went to her room. When Everett heard the door click, he leaned against Charlotte's door frame. Muffled sobs came from inside her room. Everett felt his heart drop to his stomach.
Without knocking, Everett quickly opened the door. Charlotte was sitting on the floor. The short sleeves of her shirt had been rolled up to reveal the small bruises of where Jane's fingers had pressed into her shoulders. The purple and red marks were so dark compared to the rest of her pale skin. Charlotte quickly covered the bruises when she saw him.
Everett closed the door behind himself and stepped to her. She flinched when he reached to catch himself as he sat down. His heart sank even further. Weakly, Everett leaned against her bed frame. She watched him curiously, tears in her eyes. Everett felt so broken at that moment. He couldn't believe she was afraid of him hitting her. He turned his face towards her.
"I don't think you should be alone," he said softly. "Because then you'll start to think you are alone."
Charlotte let his words sink in. She then wrapped her arms around his middle. Everett comforted his sister as she cried. After a few moments, Charlotte whispered, "Why can't she love us for who we are?"
Everett took that into a small consideration. Charlotte had become a victim of Jane's stress. Her hair, her outfits, and her manners had all been under close watch at such a young age. Jane had forced Charlotte's true self to hide away before it was even created. She had made Everett the popular tourney player who had nothing else to focus on in life. He thought of his father's workshop downstairs. Even he had to hide away, and Jane supposedly loved him.
Everett leaned his cheek against his sister's head as he quietly responded. "Because she wants us to deny who we are."
