An: NymhadoraTonks: As more time goes on, Everett is losing his Evie side. Like how he has brown hair instead of blue, he is getting more freckles, and his memories are foggy. Since his drawing talent is genetic through Evie, he's lost that part of himself because it came from her. Although, his personality doesn't change because he hasn't completely changed. If he gets stuck there, he will forget all about his past life. His foggy memories will be replaced with ones from this alternate reality. Does that make sense?
Everett had the dream because it's where he was meant to go. You also must remember this rose is connected to more than just Everett. Rose was the one who made it, therefore her memories and what she witnessed are all connected to the rose. This is how Rose makes the connection to herself and Everett. They are quite similar and the rose had brought them together for them to save each other.
Sorry, that was so long, but thank you for your review! Enjoy this next chapter! :)
Everett packed up his things quickly. "You're going today?" Rose asked impatiently.
"I have to," Everett told her. Lorelai stood next to Rose with Scales purring in her arms. "There isn't time to waste."
"Just until the end of the month," Rose reminded.
"But it's gonna take time," Everett shrugged. "What do you think is going to happen? I would find her tell her that she needs to get back with my dad after being gone for years so I can go back to my real world where she had gotten possessed and fought wars? I'm afraid she won't come so easily."
"That's not what I'm saying," Rose shook her head. Before she could continue, Lorelai put a hand on Everett's shoulder. Everett stopped rushing for a moment and looked back at her.
"I know you're scared," Lorelai's expression softened. "But you can't do this in a rush. Do you know what you're going to say?"
"No," Everett admitted. "But I'm going to have to figure that out."
"At least take me with you."
"Lori..."
"I don't have to be there when you see her. I just want to help you."
Everett noticed the sincerity in her eyes. He glanced up at Rose, whose eyes were locked on him. It was that same look from the other day. She seemed scared of what was in front of her. Why would he scare her? What was she hiding?
Those thoughts escaped his mind when Rose snapped from her daze. "You two better get going then. It'll be a strange journey since you won't know where you're going. I did my best with the map, but I don't know if it's exact."
"Then why don't you lead us?" Everett suggested. Lorelai grinned as she turned back to Rose, showing her agreement to the statement.
Fear spread across Rose's face again. "Why would I do that?"
"Oh, come on," Lorelai pleaded. "When was the last time you have left the castle?"
"Why do I need to tell you?" Rose countered.
"Why not?" Everett raised a brow. "You might need the sunlight."
"I know what I need," Rose snapped, making the smiles from Lorelai and Everett's faces drop. "I need to stay here. And you need to get going." Rose handed the map to Lorelai before walking past them.
"Rose_"
"I'll see you both tomorrow," Rose called over her shoulder before heading down the stairs. Everett felt as if he would never understand her. What had made her this way?
"Come on," Lorelai nudged him. "We better go."
Everett let out a sigh. "Yeah."
It took a little over an hour to find the cottage they were looking for. Everett was surprised to find it near the wall. Was it perhaps his home from the real world? He hadn't recognized the trees, but he couldn't exactly remember what trees were around his house. Another foggy memory. Never the matter, it only fueled his determination to break the curse.
The cottage looked different than what Everett could remember. It didn't have the glass room where Evie would make her designs and gowns, nor the addition of room where the bedrooms were. When he saw no treehouse in the backyard, Everett took in a shaky breath. He could see it all. Everything was where it was supposed to be in his memory. But now, even his real home was gone.
He felt frozen to the ground as a wave of nerving emotions made his heart plunge deep into his chest. There was nothing but silence beside him. Lorelai looked at the house, then at Everett, then back again. Suddenly, her pinky finger brushed his. They flinched away from each other. Her touch felt so warm compared to his fridged fingers.
"Um," Lorelai broke the tranquillity and tension. "I suppose I'll just wait here."
Everett unfroze. "Yeah." He didn't look at her. "I don't think I'll be long."
"Did you figure out what you are going to say?"
"No," Everett admitted. "But I'll be alright, I think."
"I'll be here."
Everett gave a curt nod before forcing his legs to move him forward. It was a slow but steady climb up the small hill up to the door. The path was a simple grass way, not the stone path he was used to. There were no flowers or plants, just weeds and the tall tall grass that brush his fingers. Everett continued to take deep breaths as his mind began to spin.
How could he do this? He was here because of a wish against his mother. Would she be different in this life? If so, how? Endless possibilities filled his head. She could turn him away before he could explain anything. Would he explain it all? The guilt was already eating him up inside. What if he made things worse? How could he tell her that he had wished she wasn't his mother? How could he describe a life she had never known and have her believe him?
Everett ran out of thoughts once he got to the door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked before he could think anymore. Regretting it immediately, Everett turned to run, but Lorelai vigorously shook her head at him. Silently from a distance, they argued. Everett shrugged helplessly, showing his stress. Lorelai breathed in deeply, suggesting he did the same. Everett made another run for it, but Lorelai used force. A fireball zoomed towards him, making him stop in his tracks. It hit the side of the house, making a burn mark.
Everett shot Lorelai a furious look. She clapped a hand over her mouth as her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. Everett was about to go back to her, but he was stopped by the sound of the door opening. "C-Carlos?"
Everett flinched but then turned to face his real mother. Suddenly the last images of her in his memory flashed before his eyes. Her tears, the sadness, and the pleading. Her desperate calls to him as he left the house.
Evie's brown eyes widened when she saw Everett's face. They stared at each other for a moment, but then Evie tried to close the door and Everett sprang to life. "No! Wait! I'm Carlos's son, Conroy." Evie hesitated, but then the door opened again slightly.
"Carlos has a son?"
"Yes, and a daughter," Everett told her. Her face became more curious but then hardened. The door closed a little more, only showing half of her body.
"Why did you come here? How did you find me? Auradon children aren't supposed to be out of the wall."
"I...uh..." Everett couldn't tell her the truth. She couldn't possibly believe him.
"Nevermind. Please, go back home." The door shut.
"No! Wait!" Everett tried to plead, but there was nothing but silence. He pressed his forehead against the door. He couldn't waste this chance. "My dad tried to find you himself. I used one of his maps. He wanted to find you."
The door creaked open shyly. "And what do you want?"
Everett never knew how to answer that question correctly. It was all so much and yet so little at the same time. He wanted his life back. He wanted his mother back. He just didn't know how he could earn her trust. "I just want to talk. Face to face. I...want to learn how to draw."
"Wait. What?" Evie asked as she swung the door open. Everett stumbled into the entryway. "You risked going past the wall to find an Isle runaway just to learn how to draw?"
"Yes," Everett went with it. "My father had told me how much of a good designer you were. And you were the one who taught me before. I-I mean it was your sketches that inspired me to draw." As Evie stared at him blankly Evertt muttered to himself. "Yeah. That's how that worked." Everett then grinned at Evie. "Please?"
Evie studied his face. "Except for the brown hair, you look just like Carlos. But your eyes, they're—"
"Are like my mother's," Everett finished for her, but then bit his lip. Evie wasn't his mother in this life. How could he have her eyes? That had never occurred to him before. He still had her eyes in this world.
"Who is your mother?"
"Jane, but I meant my grandmother," Everett scratched the back of his neck. "Anyway, what do you say?"
There was another long pause. "Okay. I'll teach you."
"Gr—"
"But," Evie held up a gloved finger, "you cannot tell anyone about this. Or where I am."
"Not even my dad?"
Evie's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "Especially not your father."
Everett let out a deep breath. "Okay, deal." He held out his hand. Evie looked at it suspiciously. Everett stretched his hand a little further as Evie hesitated, but raised her hand to meet his. They shook.
"Shall we begin?" Evie closed the door and walked past Everett.
"What? Don't you have more questions for me?"
"No," Evie called over her shoulder. "This is strictly business. I do not need some teenage boy to tell me about things I do not wish to hear about. Now come on. Let's get started."
She had led him to her enclosed designing room. Fabrics hung from racks and pages of her sketchbook had been tapped to the walls. It was nothing like Everett had ever seen before. Evie had always kept her designs to herself in a book, never out in the open for display. The whole thing was just strange but it all made sense. He gazed at the mannequin with a light blue dress. "Did you just make that?"
"No, it's been something I've been trying to design. It's missing a lot of decorations but at least I have the base down. So, watch kind of drawing are we talking about?"
"Well," Everett pulled out his sketchbook. He cringed when he realized that it was the one she gave him years ago. He flipped to the page of butterflies. "Here's my newest."
"Oh, well," Evie was shocked by his talent. "You seem to have it all figured out."
"I thought I did," Everett flipped to the newest page. "And then." He showed her how he tried to draw a line.
"Oh, boy," Evie sat down. "You've forgotten."
"I guess you could say that," Everett muttered.
"Here, let's start with something simple."
The lesson had worked. The wall between the two melted as they discussed different techniques and colors and bases. Everett managed to draw a base for a bowl of fruit. It was beginner, but at least it was something. It reminded Everett of his first lessons with his mom. Only then he was a small boy, and all of his drawings would go up on the refrigerator. Now, it seemed strange to leave her alone instead of simply joining the rest of the family in the house. But here, he still had that feeling of home. He didn't realize how much he had missed it until now.
"Can I come back tomorrow?" Everett asked.
"Well, I suppose I don't have anything better to do so... alright."
Everett turned to leave but then turned back around. "Why are you out here in the first place?" Everett knew he shouldn't test his luck. Especially after breaking down every other wall he could. She had just let a stranger come into her home where no one else knew she existed. "My d**Carlos never told me anything."
"I'm sure he told you something."
"Just that you..." he hesitated, not sure if he should say it. "You betrayed them."
Instead of the firey expression Everett had anticipated, Evie's face softened. She leaned against the door frame and said in a quiet voice, "I suppose I deserve that. I can't take back what I've done."
"What did you do?"
Evie suddenly snapped from her daze. She looked into Everett's face with painful eyes. "You shouldn't be here. I should've never let you in. If you were a smart boy, I would never come back here. I would never leave the kingdom. Out here is no place for you."
"But I—"
"Your place is inside the wall," Evie cut him off. "Now go."
Everett was astounded by the way she had shooed him off. It was not by force or anger like Rose had, but a calm tone that was pleading. Everett took one step out before the door closed behind his back. he leaned on it and sighed. There goes everything that was good from this afternoon. He sunk to the ground, feeling his spirits drop.
"Everett," Lorelai's voice called. Soon she was in front of him. He glanced up at her face. Her blue eyes scanned his with sympathy. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine I just...ruined everything," Everett sighed again.
"You didn't ruin everything."
"Yes, I—"
"Let's not talk here. Come on," Lorelai reached her hand out to him. He took it as she pulled him up to his feet. He was about to let go of her hand, but she held on tighter as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
"What are we going to do with the bikes?" Everett asked.
"Oh," Lorelai put a finger to her chin. "Here, let me try something." Then did she let go of his hand, stretched out her own, and closed her eyes. She whispered something under her breath, and then the bikes disappeared.
"Woah," Everett raised his brows. "Where did you send them?"
"I thought about the castle," Lorelai shrugged. "Hopefully they made it to the right place."
In the castle, a servant was walking down the hall with fresh towels. He stopped when blue and purple flames erupted in the middle of the hall. Two bikes suddenly appeared in the middle of nowhere. The servant dropped the towels in terror. When the flames disappeared, the servant picked up the towels and muttered, "I've got to get a new job."
Back in the woods, Lorelai grinned. Everett chuckled, "I suppose we'll have to wait and see." He wanted to take her hand, but she didn't reach for him. They simply walked down the wooden paths away from the cottage, Scales scurrying behind.
Evie watched from the window in her cottage. She didn't want to send the boy away. Carlos's boy. She had longed for Carlos to find her for so long she had almost forgotten everything that had happened. She liked to pretend her former life was only a dream and this was where she truly belonged. Alone and hidden away from the rest of the world where she couldn't hurt anyone.
But then that boy, Conroy, came in with Carlos's smile. And she had turned him away. What if he tells about her? Did she make a mistake about warning him? There was something strange about that boy. A familiarity that Evie couldn't place. It was like she had known him in a different life. His eyes...they were...she didn't know what they were.
Perhaps it was better this way. She saved Conroy from the truth that ripped her apart from Auradon. Evie hadn't regretted her decision until she saw the brown-haired girl. It was Mal's daughter, she could see the resemblance easily. She performed magic, openly. Evie was shocked. Magic wasn't excepted before she left. It was like a devil's curse. It was one of the reasons she had run away, but not the only one.
"So, what really happened?" Lorelai asked.
"What is this place?" Everett asked. He couldn't recall this place at all. Even in his foggy memories. Lorelai had seemed very comfortable here.
"It's the Enchanted Lake," Lorelai said simply. "It used to be a hot spot when the wall was down. It's kind of my comfort place. We used to take picnics here before the wall was complete." They walked to the stone archway and sat down. The water shined with the sun's light beaming down on its silvery surface.
"That sounds...amazing," Everett commented, trying to keep the longing out of his voice. To have good family memories were much harder to come by than Everett had ever thought.
"Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Nothing happened," Everett shrugged. "I had just asked what she had done for everyone to think she betrayed them. Then she started saying all of these things about how I shouldn't be here. It's dangerous and I should just stay inside the wall. She just really flipped a switch."
"Well, you remember how defensive I got when you started asking me questions," Lorelai recalled. "This must be so weird for her, like who it was weird for Rose."
"I could handle Rose," Everett sighed. "I had never met her before. But Evie...she's my mother. Every time I look into her eyes I feel so guilty I...just couldn't believe what I had done to her."
"You didn't do anything to her."
"Yes, I did," Everett snapped. Lorelai blinked at him. Everett's face relaxed. "I'm sorry."
"I know," Lorelai hugged her knees to her chest.
"I think I need to go back tomorrow."
"What? After she just kicked you out of the house?"
"We had a really great time drawing. At times I felt like nothing had changed. But then I just keep thinking 'Everett, you're the reason she's here alone right now. Wasting away in this cottage unhappily while your father and sister deal with that abusive, half—"
"Abusive?" Lorelai cut him off. Everett cringed. He hadn't told her about Jane's tight grip and the bruises from her nails. He had always worn long sleeves even in his past life. He never thought twice about it.
"Uh," Everett shied away from Lorelai's vision. He turned his body in hopes that she wouldn't demand him to show her. Before she could ask. she grabbed his arm and pushed up the sleeve to reveal the healing bruises on his arm. "Mine isn't as bad as the other's."
Lorelai stared down at his arm, her expression soft. Her fingers ran up and down his skin, gently grazing every bruise with her fingertips. It made his heart skip a beat as she placed his hand to her cheek and hugged his arm. He watched her solemn face as her eyes fluttered shut. Their skin burned against each other. "I'm so sorry, Everett."
"It's not your fault," Everett shook his head and pulled his arm away. Lorelai kept a hold of his hand and place them in her lap. "It's all mine. And don't say it isn't, because it is. I said and did terrible things. I deserve to be punished, but I hate seeing everyone else coming down with me. I deserve this, not you or anyone else."
"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked.
Everett took in a deep breath. "I haven't told you everything that I did before I came here. I didn't...want things to change."
"Change?" Lorelai's grip on his hand loosened. The guilt had been festering within him long enough. He couldn't keep it in any longer.
"We've been best friends for years. Well, at first you just hung around me and I didn't stop you. Then in middle school, we became close, but..." Everett pulled out the butterfly charm. "You left this in my locker for me, on my birthday. And I thought...it was from another girl." He glanced up at Lorelai, who was watching him with a calm expression. "Then, I got into a fight with the tourney boys. In that life, they hated me. And you...you stuck up for me."
"I did?"
"You were so brave," Everett grinned, but then it slowly faded away. "You still are brave...but I didn't appreciate it then and I..."
"What?" Lorelai whispered.
"I got mad at you," Everett said simply. "That's all." He averted her gaze.
"Everett," Lorelai warned. "Tell me what happened."
"I said, 'You don't have to protect me. You're not my girlfriend.'" There was a small pause, but Everett kept going. "You were so hurt and I ran away. It wasn't until I came here and you told the butterfly charm was yours that I realized..."
He didn't need to say the words. Her hand completely slipped from his.
"And I felt so guilty for not telling you before," Everett shook his head. "I just wanted our friendship back in this twisted world." Lorelai remained silent. Her blue eyes stared at the water. "Lori, are you—"
"I-I," she cut him off, "think we need to go home."
"What?"
"I have some magic to practice," Lorelai muttered as she stood up.
"Should we meet up after our lessons tomorrow?"
"No," Lorelai snapped. Everett turned to face her. Scales sat there between them, watching curiously. "I think we should just focus on ourselves for a bit."
"Lori," Everett got up to his feet.
"I'm not your Lori," she snapped again. "You don't even know me."
"What?" Everett raised a brow. "Of course I do. You just don't—"
"Don't know who I am?" Lorelai finished for him. "Believe me, I do. I'm not the same girl you know. I don't think I ever could be."
"But—"
"I need some time alone. I think it's best to go our own ways."
"What about your magic?"
"I'm still going to practice with Rose," Lorelai told him. "But I think it's just something I can do myself. I hope you can patch things up with your parents." Before Everett could open his mouth, Lorelai gave him a small wave. "Goodbye, Everett."
She left. Scales hesitated but followed her. Everett watched her leave with pain in his eyes and a burn in his heart.
When Everett finally got home, his bike was in the driveway. Lorelai must've put it there for him to use to get to Evie's. He wheeled it into the garage before walking into the house. He still couldn't believe what had happened. He felt so empty and hopeless without her. He never knew she could make him feel that way. The burn she left in his heart still smoldered as he flicked on the lights in the kitchen.
Jane was waiting at the table with a stern expression.
"Hey," Everett called with a hollow voice.
"Sit," Jane stood up. Everett sat down in the chair farthest from her. Jane began to slowly walk around the long table, her eyes not meeting his.
"What's wrong?" Everett's mind began to swirl with endless possibilities. Could she have found out about Charlotte and Carlos in the workshop? Charlotte wouldn't be likely to tell. But what if Jane figured out that Everett had shown her?
"Oh, nothing," Jane came closer to him. He kept his eyes straight as she towered over him. "Just that your tourney coach called today." Everett swallowed nervously as Jane patted the top of her head. "He said that he hoped you would get over your illness soon. I didn't know you were sick."
"Yes, but—"
Jane then yanked his hair back. He bit his lip, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of groaning from the tugging. "You haven't been sick. Carlos told me that you've been leaving the house regularly for practice." She pulled a little harder. "Where have you been going, Conroy?"
"Nowhere," Everett told her.
"Let me rephrase the question." She let go of his hair and put her hands on his shoulders. She squeezed them tightly. Everett closed his eyes as he grimaced. "Just who have you been hanging out with when you've been skipping practice."
"No one. It's just me."
"Lies!" Jane shouted digging her nails into his skin. She had them sharpened. He could feel the nails beginning to go through the fabric of his shirt. She then leaned down and whispered, "When I was in the castle giving my status report to Ben's associates, do you want to know who I saw with you in the kingdom gardens?"
"No," Everett managed to say.
"The Princess herself, " Jane gave one last squeeze before letting go of Everett again. This time, he cried out in pain. "Do you really think your tourney career is going to be good if you are running around with dangerous girls like her?"
"She's not dangerous," Everett didn't bother to bite his tongue.
"I know more than you give me credit for," Jane was on the other side of the table now. Her expression was harder than he had ever seen before. It was like a switch had been flipped. Her voice became low. "Do you realize everything that you put us in danger too?"
Everett felt scared. He was about to answer, but then he heard footsteps from the other room. Carlos came in grease on his face. "Oh, hello. Did I interrupt something?"
"No," Jane snapped out of her anger. Her voice was now light. "Everett was just telling me about practice. He's really excited to start working on some new plays tomorrow at practice. Right, Conroy?"
"Y-yes," Everett stood from his chair. He stumbled a bit as he rounded the table. He walked behind his father. "I think it's best if I shower before dinner."
"Okay," Carlos put his hand softly on his son's shoulder. "Conroy, are you bleeding?"
Everett didn't think he was, but he glanced at Jane before answering. "Yeah, I accidentally got a cleat to the back."
"Through the pads?" Carlos raised a brow.
"Well, we didn't use pads today," Everett lied. "We were having a race and I got tangled up with Noah. Tomorrow it's back to the pads."
"Good," Carlos gave him a nod. "It's good for you to be protected."
Everett stiffened as he felt Jane's eyes narrow on him. He gave his parents a nod before taking the stairs two at a time. He ran to the bathroom. As soon as he got there he turned on the shower. He undressed and stepped in, feeling the cold water on his face. He turned his back to the rain. He watched as droplets of blood washed down the drain with the cold water and his hot tears.
