An: NymhadoraTonks: Yeah...Everett can't lie to Lorelai. He trusts her with everything. Thank you for sticking with this story!
Rose was sitting in the castle gardens. She gazed at a single red rose on the bush, but was startled by the sound of his voice, "You don't look like you're adoring the roses."
Rose turned to him, and at the sight of his face, her anger fell. She let out a long breath. "I'm not," Rose tucked her hair behind her ear. "I was wondering if you were here. Your mother was at the shower with her video camera."
"As if she were the one that set it up," the dark-haired boy rolled his eyes. "I didn't mind, I like seeing you." Rose bit her lip.
"Probably not like this," Rose let fire lick her fingertips again.
"Why wouldn't I? You're still you. You're just...I'm assuming angry?"
"I'm not sure anymore," Rose shook her head.
"What do you mean?".
"I'm not sure what I am," Rose blurted out. "There, I knew it would come out sometime."
"You're an Enchantress," he looked puzzled. He adjusted the glasses on his nose. "You're free now."
"But yet I'm still contained to these castle walls," Rose looked up to the castle. "All of my life, I wanted to be free from the pain...but now...I just don't know."
...
Everett woke up from the dream with Charlotte still under his chin. He felt stiff from sleeping upright. He rolled his neck and stretch out his sleeping arm. Charlotte's eyes fluttered open with a yawn. It must've been early morning because the sun had only peaked into the room's windows. That was when Everett got a brilliant idea. "Char," Everett nudged her.
"What?" her voice was hoarse.
"Come downstairs," he got up. She fell to the floor sleepily.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes. I know something that will cheer you up."
Quietly, they crept down the stairs. When Everett turned to the door, he listened for any movement below. After a moment of silence, Everett opened the door. "Conroy," Charlotte whispered. "Where are we going? What is this?"
"You'll see in a minute," Everett said as he began his way down the stairs. Charlotte hesitated, but she followed. They entered the dark workshop. It was only when Everett flicked on the lights did Charlotte gasp.
"What is this?!" she jumped up and clapped her hands. Everett was glad that this room was soundproof.
"Dad's secret workshop," Everett explained. "I caught him yesterday."
"Wow," Charlotte began to study the plans on the walls. "Did dad really invent all of these?"
"He did."
"Wow," Charlotte said again. The smile suddenly disappeared from her face. "How did you know that this would cheer me up?"
Everett reached for a pair of goggles. "Because I know you better than you know." He held out the goggles to her. Her brown eyes widened in curiosity, then she grabbed them from him and put them on. She was about to turn away from him but instead gave him a tight embrace.
"Thank you," she said.
"I didn't do much."
Charlotte pulled away and gave him a big grin. "More than you know." She began to run around, admiring every part, every gear, and every plan on the wall. Everett chuckled to himself as he watched her admire the workshop. He had never seen her this happy before. Well, he had in his other life, but Everett didn't appreciate it as much. To see her smile made him feel lighter. He never thought that he could feel that way. Relieved to see something familiar.
He began to study the room. Everett hadn't gotten that good of a look yesterday to notice the pictures on the wall. Many frames had been covered by plans and blueprints. Everett lifted a few up, only to see a family picture that was taken years ago. Charlotte was only a baby. Everett was about to drop the picture when he saw the tip of another blueprint under the picture.
Everett paused, but then took the picture off the wall to reveal a map. It was of the Auradon kingdom. There were stickers and pins with little notes on the locations. Everett soon realized what this map had been tracking. On a single note pinned to the Isle, there was a picture of Carlos and Evie from Ben's Coronation. He recognized that picture. The map was dedicated to Evie's whereabouts.
"Oh, dad," Everett sighed as he ran his fingers over the map. He knew his dad had missed Evie. Everett's heart dropped when he realized he was the reason they were apart.
Before Everett could attempt to steal the map, the door opened. Steps were coming down the stairs. All Everett could manage to grab was the picture before he put the portrait back over the map. "Who's down there?" Carlos's voice was weary.
"It's just me, dad," Everett called up. "And Charlotte."
"Charlotte?" Carlos practically ran down the stairs to meet Everett. The color drained from his face when he set eyes on Charlotte, who was still looking at the gadgets. "What?"
"Oh, hi dad," Charlotte gave him a little wave. "I think I could fix some of these if you let me. This one has faulty wiring."
Carlos's face went blank with shock. "You know how to wire?"
"Well, it's not that hard," Charlotte shrugged.
Carlos looked amazed now. "I didn't know you liked fidgeting." He glanced at Everett with a grin before crossing the room to Charlotte.
"I didn't know you were an inventor."
Everett watched as his father and his sister suddenly bonded over a couple of words. It was truly amazing that Everett had changed their relationship completely because of his simple actions. He glanced down at the picture in his fist, then back up at his dad. He knew what he had to do.
Everett ditched practice again. There was no use to commit to it anymore. If there was anything Everett knew for sure, was that he didn't want to be something that he wasn't. Instead, Everett went to the castle. He had been there with Lorelai, so the guards let him simply walk by without stopping him. Everett didn't bother to go inside, he would simply wait in the gardens.
He had never been in the gardens in this life. He knew his way around in his old life, but things seemed different here. Everett was overwhelmed as he wandered around aimlessly. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt like he was supposed to be here. The dream was a sign for him to be here. At least there were a few flowers he didn't mind snatching for his collection. As he reached for a single violet, a blue butterfly flew across his view. Everett instinctively followed it. The butterfly led him down winding trails until Everett suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The butterfly kept flying, but Everett didn't even notice. He found the exact bench Rose had sat on in his dream. He crossed the stone path and sat down. It was strange, to see the same roses she had, but in whole other life. He began to wonder who the boy was in the dream. He seemed to have known Rose for a long time, but Everett had never heard of him in either life. He looked familiar somehow. Like he was someone that was always there but never seen.
It was at that thought did Everett pull out the blue butterfly charm from his pocket. He flipped it in his palm.
"Don't take this new chance you have for granted."
"Everett?" Lorelai's voice snapped him from his fixation. He shot up from the bench to look at her. She has dressed in a blue again, her brown hair curled around her shoulders. Everett wondered how she could be the same girl he knew her to be.
Lorelai roamed a bit closer to him, her eyes trained on his. Everett could feel his heart drop. She looked nervous and perhaps even a little fear tainted her expression. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her, but he resisted the urge and simply took a step forward. "Hey," he said.
Lorelai chuckled. "Uh...hey. What are you doing here?"
"I feel terrible about yesterday," Everett admitted.
"About?" Lorelai took another step.
"About how I brushed you off," Everett stretched the back of his neck. "You just were trying to help me and I needed help. I understand if you're mad. I'm sorry."
Lorelai reached and took his hand. "Well, I can help you right now." She led him back to the bench. When they sat down, she let go of his hand awkwardly. "Talk to me."
He told about what had happened with Rose, Charlotte, Carlos, the picture, and the dream. "That's why I was led here, I guess. So I could figure out what I want."
"And what do you want?" Lorelai had asked her first question since he started explaining.
"I think..." Everett held the butterfly charm in one palm, and his parent's picture in the other. He only stared at the picture. "I want to fix this reality. No shortcuts. I'm not leaving this place until everything is alright."
"Well, I'm pretty sure that was already the plan," Lorelai nudged his shoulder. "But it's a start."
Everett grinned down at her. When he saw her half-smile, he thought of Charlotte. She was happy now, and that made Everett feel like he got a little piece of his life back. Perhaps it would work the same with Lorelai. He would just have to give it time.
Everett had gone with Lorelai and Scales to Rose's castle the next day. He had to ask about the boy and apologize for the other day. She was only trying to help him after all. Everett needed to earn her trust again if she was going to help him get home. When they entered the castle, Rose found him quicker than he expected. She transported in front of him with an unamused expression.
"The spell isn't finished," Rose folded her arms. "Come back tomorrow."
"No," Everett shook his head. "I've come here to apologize."
Her face suddenly softened. After a moment of consideration, she answered him."There's nothing to apologize for. Stay if you like. Come on, Lorelai."
"I had another dream," Everett called to her back. She turned, obviously curious.
"And?"
"It wasn't anything like I've seen before."
Wordlessly, they filed down to the potion room where the rose was levitating in its glass case. Another petal had fallen. Rose removed the glass and touched the petal as fast as she could. It only took a few moments for her to view the memory. "What was that?" Rose asked, demanding Everett to answer.
"I don't know," Everett put his hands in the air.
"Who is that boy?" Lorelai asked after she touched the petal for herself.
"He's—" Rose turned away from them again. She stared out the window. "He's..."
"Who?" Everett asked in a sympathetic voice. Rose lifted her chin, gazing at him with soft eyes.
Taking a deep breath she answered, "I haven't seen him in decades, but he's Simon White."
"The news reporter?" Lorelai raised a brow.
"Yes, he used to have..." Rose suddenly turned very red in her cheeks. "A crush on me, back when I was welcome in Auradon."
It made more sense now. Everett wondered why she was so honest with him. That definitely wasn't the Rose he knew. "You came back, and you must've returned his feelings."
Lorelai caught onto Everett's thoughts. "What if you went back now, maybe he still has a little spark left from all of those ye—"
"No," Rose cut her off. Both Lorelai and Everett fell silent. Rose took a breath before putting on a mild expression. "I will not be going back for obvious reasons. Even if I did, surely Simon has forgotten all about me. There must be another reason you had this dream."
"Actually," Lorelai tapped her chin, "it might've been a sign for Everett and me to find each other in the very same garden."
"Yeah," Everett agreed. "It was supposed to get me back on the right track. Which led me back to here." He looked back to Rose, who didn't make eye contact with him.
"I believe the spell will be finished by tomorrow or the next," Rose explained. "Then it's up to you."
After Lorelai's lesson, the two were walking down the hall but were stopped at the sound of rain. "Do you hear that?" Lorelai's voice was soft but filled with fear. Everett had almost forgotten Lorelai's fear, she seemed so much more confident now.
"Yeah," Everett kept moving forward. He peaked out the door. It was a simple light rain. No storm. It would be over within the hour. "No worries, it's a light rain," he turned back to her. She hadn't moved. "Lorelai?"
"Could we just stay here for a bit longer?" she asked.
Everett felt his heart drop again. "Of course, but I want you to come up to the door."
"What? No way," Lorelai began to fret and twirl her hair. "I-I can't."
Everett grabbed her fidgeting hands. Her blue eyes searching his face, Lorelai's expression softened. "I think you've been shut out for too long."
She still didn't seem convinced. "How about a window?"
Everett was willing to compromise. He nodded and relief flushed her face. Together they went back into the castle. Rose wasn't in sight, so Everett led Lorelai back up to the room they had shared the first time they came here. He let go of her hand as he opened the door. Lorelai went into the room first, her eyes on the floor. She sat on the bed and faced the window. Everett stayed by the door.
Lorelai glanced at him, then tilted her chin. "You have to watch too."
"Yeah, I am," Everett told her.
"Then come over here."
"Not until you start watching."
Lorelai sighed then turned her head towards the window. The rain hit the glass with gentle taps. With the faint grey light, Everett noticed how Lorelai was slightly shaking. He crossed the room and sat on the bed next to her. The shaking ceased, and they sat there in silence until the little rain concluded.
The spell had been complete. She was surprised it even worked from that old spellbook of the Evil Queen's. That morning, Rose had woken up to a sudden vision. A small cottage, located in deep woods outside the Audradon walls. After the dream, Rose couldn't go back to sleep. Her thoughts ran nonstop. What was she going to do about the boy?
Everett was a tough case. Rose had never met another like him. She never thought she would take such an interest in him. And to have him return the curiosity was something Rose had never experienced before. Maybe he was like his father. It seemed in the other life, they were good friends. It was strange to think that she could possibly have friends in any life. Especially now that she had spent the last two decades here in this castle.
Sometimes, she wondered what would've happened if she had decided to run. Run around the world and be free. She had taken trips out of her castle, but not many. What if Everett had never found her? What if she had been gone when he came knocking? Maybe then she wouldn't feel this constant guilt she had buried deep inside years ago.
As much as Everett reminded her of herself, Rose definitely saw Ben in Lorelai. It was painful to look into his eyes every day. Agonizing to see his smile every time Lorelai did a spell correctly. She had his kindness, but her mother's sharp tongue. Together, Everett and Lorelai had brought up memories of Rose's childhood. She thought she could forget about fun times with Ben, but the more time she spent with them the more clear the memories become.
Rose went down to the potion room to stare at the glowing rose. What would happen now? Would they take the rose away and never look back? Would Lorelai no longer come to have lessons? Would Everett break the curse by himself? Was her part of the story over?
She recalled her earlier thoughts. Rose had wanted nothing but to get rid of them. She believed bringing these children into her life would be a burden to her. But now, at the thought of these kids slipping through her fingers, Rose felt a pain in her heart. She couldn't let them go. She can let everything else in her past go, but not them.
The next day, Everett was about to leave to meet Lorelai before he noticed something. Charlotte was wearing her overalls and her hair in their usual double braids. Jane was already at work. "Hey, Char," Everett called to her. "What are you going to do today?"
"I think I'm going to work with dad again, he said he needed to clean some things up before I get down there." She flashed him a wide smile. "I can't believe he's an inventor."
"So, are you going to tell mom?"
"No, I'm not that crazy."
"What about Max?"
"Oh," Charlotte's smile fell. "Well, I haven't been able to see him. Even if I manage to get to the castle, I'm not allowed to see him."
"I suppose he's trying to train his magic," Everett suggested. He wished he could take Max to train with Rose too. Lorelai had been doing so well with her.
After they parked their bikes in front of the castle, Everett asked, "Lorelai, how is Max doing?"
"I haven't been home enough to see any of his training," Lorelai shrugged. "When I come home, he's usually shut up in his room. I think mom and dad are trying their best to get him stable."
"What do your parents think you're doing every day?
"I'm not sure if they notice I'm gone."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. They are busy running the country. Besides, I kinda like having something that isn't put out on a broadcast. I can work on my magic with no one watching me. I feel...at ease." Lorelai grinned as she glanced up at him. He felt his cheeks begin to redden.
"Well, I enjoy watching you." When Lorelai's expression turned blank. Everett chuckled then added sheepishly, "I-if you don't mind of course."
"I don't," Lorelai nudged him. "Perv."
"Shut up," Everett joined her chorus of laughter.
Later, as Lorelai and Rose were working on flame control, Everett sat on the throne. This time, a sketchbook was in his lap. Scales sat on the armrest next to his elbow. He hadn't sketched since he arrived here, and he was itching to draw. He flipped to the picture of the butterflies. The face he had just begun to draw was blank. It felt wrong to draw Alyssa now. She didn't even exist in this world. The page still felt blank somehow. Everett still couldn't conjure a vision for the portrait.
Everett flipped to the next blank page and began to think to himself. What could he draw now? Memories of his old life seemed too distant to recall perfectly. He could draw Scales, but he wasn't particularly good at animals for the main focus. The image of Lorelai looking at the window flashed into his mind. He glanced up at the muse. Lorelai was focusing on the flames before her eyes. He could tell she was concentrating, with her tongue pressed between her barred teeth. Everett chuckled. She was winsome more than she gave herself credit for.
Relieved to have an idea, Everett put his pencil to paper. But when he tried to make the curve of Lorelai's face, the line became squiggles. Bewildered, he erased and tried again. More squiggles. Frustrated now, Everett just tried to draw a simple eye, but he couldn't begin to make the oval. He dropped his pencil and just stared at his hand. He couldn't believe it, he couldn't draw.
Rose must've noticed Everett's paling face because she told Lorelai to stop. Soon, Lorelai realized what had happened. "What's wrong, Everett?" she asked.
Everett didn't take his eyes off his now freckled hand. "I-I...can't draw."
"Join the club," Rose scoffed.
"What?" Lorelai strode up to the throne. "You could before?"
"Yeah, I—" Everett stopped talking and just showed her his past drawings in his sketchbook.
"But now you can't?"
He only nodded in response.
"That's strange. Are you alright?"
Before Everett could even look at Lorelai, Rosse cut in. "It's not strange, it's simple."
"How?" Everett managed to ask.
"You said Evie was a fashion designer in your past life. Now, that you are not her blood, you've been morphing into a whole other person. You've got brown hair, freckles, and lighter skin. I've noticed these changes over the last week. It's no wonder you've lost your abilities too."
"But I love to draw it's...who I am," Everett slumped back into the throne. He thought he had felt lost before, but now it had truly sunken in. He felt empty at that moment as if he was a weightless feather. Lorelai began to reach for him, but Rose cleared her throat.
"I was going to wait till after the lesson to tell you...but the spell's finished." Everett looked up to the sorceress with hope. Her warm expression was tainted with distant eyes. "I know where Evie is."
