"Jay!" Carlos beamed as he opened the door. Jay seemed rather surprised by the expression on his friend's face but matched the grin and embraced him. He looked the same as the other reality. His hair was long but tied back into a bun. Grateful some things remained the same, Everett took one last peek before rushing up the stairs. He weaved past Charlotte, who was startled.

"Watch where you're going!" she hissed, adjusting her overalls. Feeling rather giddy, Everett turned back and tugged on one of her braids softly. "Hey," she giggled before moving down the stairs, her braids swinging side to side. Everett grinned when he heard the muffled, "Uncle Jay!" downstairs.

Tapping on the guest room door softly, Everett pushed in. Evie was sitting on the bed, sketching a dress design. She looked the most content he had seen her in this reality. For a moment, he had forgotten where he was. "Comfy?" Everett asked.

"Yeah," Evie nodded without looking up, "You don't have to check in on me. Your dad already did that about five times." Everett smiled at this. His plan was working just to plan. He knew his dad wouldn't be able to keep his feelings concealed for too long.

"He just wants to make sure—"

"That I don't run away again?" Evie finished for him, looking him straight in the eye. His jaw went slack, but she kept a small smile as she returned to her task. "Don't worry. I wasn't planning on it." He silently sighed with relief.

"So," Everett sat on the edge of the bed. "You would say things are going well?"

Evie stopped sketching and closed the book, placing it beside her. She then folded her hands in her lap. "Considering that Carlos doesn't hate me after all of these years when I figure he thought me as good as dead...yes. Things are going well."

"I knew that already," Everett shuffled his feet. "I meant more like...how are things with you both?"

Evie's cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink as her eyes fell back to her lap. It took her a moment to register that she did not have a sketchbook lying there. Everett took the opportunity to sit down next to Evie. She didn't look at him as she muttered, "I regret telling you."

"No you don't," Everett shook his head.

She didn't deny it. Sighing, she shrugged, "I don't know. My feelings have never changed and I'm glad that I'm accepted. She took a breath and shook her head, "But I can't just swoop in here and live happily ever after."

"Why not?" Everett asked plainly.

"That's not the way things work. At least not for me." Everett wished he could tell her about his reality. His mother could have everything she had ever wanted and more, she would not have to get her heart broken in the process.

"You know, someone once told me that when it comes to love, it's never too late," Everett recalled, hoping that would spark something in her.

"Don't throw my advice in my face," Evie scolded, with a hint of a smile.

"It's good advice." He got her attention with that. "It's given me so much. More than you know."

"Lorelai?" Evie pondered without hesitation.

"Yeah," he stated rather confidently. It felt good to say it that way.

Her face dropped slightly. "It's easier to be in love when you're young," Evie fiddled with her shirt sleeve.

"It's easy to be in love, it's bringing it to life is what's hard," Everett said without a thought. "But it's worth it." Evie stared at him.

"You're wise beyond your years, Conroy," she gave him a small smile.

"No," Everett admitted, "I've got a lot to learn, but I'm a lot wiser than what I used to be."

"Lorelai?" Carlos raised a brow when he opened the door. She looked distraught and very tired.

"Is Ev—Conroy here?" she asked, holding her elbows.

"Yes. Come in," he held the door open for her. "Conroy," Carlos called. When his son didn't answer, Carlos gazed back down at the princess. "Stay here," he instructed as he went to fetch Conroy.

Jay was laughing when he came into the room. Conroy simply grinned, it brought a similar expression to his own face. "Where did your son get his humor, Carlos?"

"Beats me," Carlos shrugged. "Conroy, Lorelai's here to see you."

Conroy's grin immediately disappeared. He stood up and left with a small nod, leaving the old friends alone. "Charlotte didn't stay long," Jay remarked as Carlos sat down at the table across from him. He took a sip of his coffee before answering.

"She's really gotten into tinkering lately."

Jay gave a soft smile."She seems much happier than the last time I saw her."

"She's free to be herself," Carlos said with a shrug. "I didn't realize she had been robbed of that."

"No one did," Jay offered. Another moment of silence. "How are you holding up? Really?"

Carlos didn't know how to truly answer that question in full honesty. Of course, he had lost all feeling long before any of this had happened. For the first time in a long time, he had actually felt his heart beat with joy when he saw his home, his kids, and...Evie. "I'm actually doing better than ever," Carlos admitted. "It's as if I had been asleep for years and I've finally woken up."

"Lori?" Everett stepped out the door. "What's going on?" Her expression was filled with unease and her eyes of exhaustion.

"I haven't gotten any sleep," she said honestly. Her wig was slightly crooked on her head. Everett reached out and righted it for her. She didn't even flinch at his touch. "Have you been having any...strange dreams?"

"No, actually," Everett shook his head.

"I...I have," Lorelai looked down. "Or I think it was a dream. I don't know." She hid her eyes. Was she crying?

"Hey," Everett said softly as he pulled her to him. She melted into his embrace, hugging his middle rather too tightly, but he didn't mind. He rubbed her back, "It's alright."

Lorelai sniffed against his shoulder, "No it's not. I don't think it was a dream."

"What was the dream?" he pulled back, letting her into his view. Her eyes had large bags under them. She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before for sure.

After a deep breath, Lorelai told him. "I was in the ballroom last night, and there was this bear. It looked so ghostly and yet so...real. I don't know what to think about it. I was so terrified I didn't know what to think, say, or do. I managed to fall asleep for a few hours but there it was again in my dreams."

"A bear?"

"Mhmm," Lorelai backed away from Everett. "I brought the bike. Can you sneak away?"

"Uh," Everett scratched the back of his neck. "Jay's here."

"Oh," Lorelai shrugged and went past him. Everett was impressed by how quickly she gathered herself. She wiped her face and opened the door. Everett followed her, unknowing of what she was going to do. Carlos and Jay were still sitting at the table. Charlotte wasn't in the room. "Hey, Uncle Jay." Lorelai waved. Jay turned in his chair with a wide smile.

"Princess!" Jay stood. "I thought you would've been too busy with planning your party."

"Don't worry, it's being taken care of," Lorelai gave him a hug and a laugh.

"I'm sure it is," Jay chuckled, putting his hands on his hips. "15. Wow, where did the time go?"

"Tell me about it," Carlos patted Everett on the shoulder. "It seems like yesterday we were just fresh off the Isle."

"Yeah," Jay nodded. "The good ole days, right?"

Carlos glanced over his shoulder. "The best."

"Are the twins here?" Lorelai changed the subject.

"No, Lonnie's bringing them over once they get unpacked. She's tired."

"I'm sure. When's the baby due again?"

"November," Jay said with an even wider smile. Carlos couldn't believe how time had flown. It seems like only yesterday he had been holding a baby Conroy in his arms.

"Baby?" Everett asked, which landed him a swift elbow from Lorelai. He was supposed to already know this. "I think it's gonna be a boy," he said without a second thought.

"I just hope it's not another set of twins. I love my children. I do. But it's...a lot." Jay shuddered slightly. The four laughed, Lorelai then cleared her throat.

"Carlos, I was wondering if I could steal Conroy for a bit. I need some help with the party."

Carlos was obviously taken aback. Everett almost blushed when his father glanced between them. He didn't tell Lorelai about that awkward conversation in the kitchen a few nights ago. Charlotte would've been laughing uncontrollably if she was here. "Uh...sure." Carlos eyed him again before giving an assuring grin.

"Great," Lorelai took Everett's hand. "Thank you. Bye."

Both Carlos and Jay waved as they left the house. Everett looked down at their joined hands. "Did you really have to do that?"

Lorelai turned with a malicious expression. "Your face was already as red as a heart, I did nothing." She squeezed his hand before letting go. "Let's get a move on."

"Evie?" Carlos poked his head into the room. Evie looked up, instantly smiling. She knew Jay had left, she had peaked out the window. He looked the same since the last time she saw him. He was one of those people who never aged intensely. He would always be Jay.

"Don't tell me you've brought even more snacks." There was a pause, but then he revealed the cookies he was hiding behind his back. Evie continued to laugh. He was so cute when he teased. He brought them to her. "You spoil me."

"Well, I'm sure it's been a while since you've been spoiled," Carlos remarked, making to smile twitch.

"More than you know," Evie admitted out loud. She didn't intend to. When she saw his face, she began to apologize. "I'm sorry, Carlos."

"No, no," he insisted. "I should be the one apologizing."

"I thought we were past that," Evie said honestly. She knew he was sorry. he had told her almost a hundred times in the last week. So had Conroy, but it was a little different than Carlos's apologies. They weren't for his father's mistakes, but for his own. What Conroy could've done to her, Evie could never truly figure out. She often dropped the subject.

"I know...We are," Carlos picked a cookie off the plate, but he didn't eat it. He simply touched it to his lips before turning to her again. "I was thinking...since you've been staying in the house and we've been really getting along..."

"Yes?" Evie encouraged. Whatever it was he was trying to say, it wasn't easy for him.

"I want to take you to Lorelai's birthday ball," Carlos finally said, taking a bite of his cookie. Evie didn't know whether to be shocked or check if this was a dream. She had thought of reuniting with him a hundred times, but never like this.

She had to get this straight. "You want me to go to the castle, with you?" It was hard to believe there was a place outside of this house. She had found a routine here. A closed-in life that made her feel free. It was so easy to forget the life outside.

"Why not?" Carlos shrugged.

"I have been gone for..." she couldn't even remember the number of years. "I've burnt many bridges, as you know."

"I know," Carlos defended. "But I forgave you, and so can Mal and Jay."

"You forgave me with convincing," Evie stood from the bed. "It doesn't help that you're getting a divorce." She hugged herself, a pain of guilt hitting her straight in the stomach.

"My marriage ended a long time ago," Carlos admitted. "I haven't felt a single thing in years." It broke her heart to hear those words. All of this time she thought he was happy with his choice, but he turned into a robot. No wonder Conroy was so desperate to get her back.

"Why would that matter?" Evie looked out the window, trying to keep her composure. Charlotte was making adjustments to her treehouse in the backyard. Evie almost smiled at the sight. She was just like her father. Evie wondered if Charlotte had also picked up on her father's systematic function. Perhaps she had been forced under the same pressure. It was an easy trap to fall into.

"It matters because of what I feel now," he murmured behind her. Evie's ears practically rang with the sound of his voice. Chills ran up her spine to her neck. "It's a familiar feeling. One I haven't felt in a long time." He reached for her arm. She let him turn her. His hand skimmed up her arm to tip her chin. She knew as soon as her eyes met his, it was game over. "I had forgotten."

"I hadn't," Evie said truthfully, feeling the heat of his breath against her cheek. "I could never forget."

They met halfway for a single, gentle kiss. Evie's heart practically lept from her chest when they pulled apart. With only two heated breaths between them, Carlos smiled gleefully. Evie wanted to smile. She wanted nothing more but to smile, but she couldn't quite bring herself to it. Carlos's expression dropped at the sight of her lack of excitement. "What's wrong?"

"Everything's wrong," Evie shook her head. She put a hand to her mouth, where his kiss still lingered intensely. "I should've never kissed you." It was too much, she had pushed too far into the dream. This was reality, she had to control herself.

"But—"

"You're freshly divorced. You have children..."

"They love you," Carlos took her hands. "Charlotte and Conroy would want you to stay, just as I do."

"Carlos..." Evie didn't know what to say. This seems all like a twisted dream. She would've woken up by now, that's what hurt the most. This was real. There were consequences for this. There would be no happily ever after for her. That was a simple fact.

"We've both been alone for so long, Evs," Carlos pleaded. "Don't leave me again."

They're the very words she had wanted to hear for so long. This is what she had come for, wasn't it? She couldn't truly remember. Conroy and Lorelai had seen to her arrival, but after that, she wasn't sure what was to happen. Certainly not this. "They'll never let me back in."

"They will," Carlos nodded. "Jay will. We can visit him tomorrow. It'll be a trial run."

"You're way too optimistic, and persuasive." Evie's lips slightly curved, it was all Carlos needed to lift his spirits. He pulled her into his arms.

"I'm not going to let them hurt you," Carlos told her. At that moment, she really believed him.

"A...bear?" Rose raised a brow. She almost felt guilty just at the mention of it. The beast gene was in Ben too, but he didn't know that in this universe. She was at a loss for solutions here.

"Yes," Lorelai confirmed. She had more confidence now. When she had first come in here with Everett she had been practically shaking."I was so petrified I couldn't chase after it or cast a spell on the beast."

"I see," was all Rose could say, meeting Everett's desperate eye. "What?"

"Was it you?" Everett asked.

"How could it be me?" Rose defended herself. "I haven't even been outside the castle in years. Why would I want to scare Lorelai?"

"I don't know," Everett shrugged, "I'm just trying to find solutions."

"Okay," Rose rubbed her temples. "You said it was ghostly. It must've been magical."

Lorelai and Everet shared the same expression. "Duh," they said together. Rose rolled her eyes. There was no use pretending that teenagers understand what you're getting at.

"I mean," Rose kept her calm, "The bear is magic of another source. The rose only shows memories of those who touch it. So it was not a memory."

"Are you saying someone sent it after me?" Lorelai's eyes widened.

"It's a possibility," Rose tried to think. "You may be forgetting there is a sea witch after you."

"I thought her powers only work in the sea?" Everett asked.

"Obviously not," Lorelai put her hands on her hips.

"That's Ursula. Uma is half human," Rose remembered asking Uma this question herself. "She can perform magic both on the land and in the sea."

"But how would she even know about the bear beast?" Everett ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know," Rose said honestly. "Something's not adding up. Unless you cast it on yourself, Lorelai."

"What?" she widened her eyes. "I couldn't have because I was..." She went quiet, her cheeks had turned red.

"What were you doing down there?" Everett asked. If Lorelai could, Rose knew she would disappear on the spot.

"I was...practicing my magic by bringing the ballroom to life," Lorelai shrugged. "There was music and dancing. You were there."

"Really?" Everett raised a brow with a grin. "How did I look?"

"Like you," Lorelai shrugged, turning away from him. He chuckled in satisfaction.

"Did I sweep you off your feet?" Everett pushed.

"It doesn't matter," Lorelai grumbled. "What are we going to do about it?"

"Your ball is only in three days," Rose shrugged. "There's nothing we can do about it. You know what must be done. Uma is coming."

"Have you given any more thought to your invitation?" Lorelai asked, putting her hands behind her back innocently. Rose sighed. She didn't like to think about it, but Lorelai had given her a real invitation just the other day. Rose kept it inside of her bedside tale. She had looked at it for a long time last night. She didn't know what to do. Lorelai and Everett would need help if Uma really was to attack the ball, but then she would have to face Simon. Between the sight of him and fighting Uma, Rose didn't know which was worse.

"I haven't," Rose lied. "You know where I stand on the matter."

"But I want you there," Lorelai pleaded. Rose didn't look into her eyes. They were too much like Ben's. Rose had seen those eyes plead one too many times before.

"I have to train you," Rose cracked her fingers, hoping it was enough to divert them. It was, and she was relieved. She wouldn't think about the invitation until she went to bed that night, pulling it from its drawer and staring at the letters in candlelight. It seemed so easy on paper. She was invited, she could go and help save the day, but at what risk? What would her reality become?