"You got married?!"

"Yes!" her sister hopped next to her and showed her the ring, "I know it's small and cheap but it's perfection."

Ivy sat back and stared at this strange creature in front of her, impersonating her sister, "You married your cake baker?"

"For the third time, yes! Will and I fell in love and decided to elope. Ah, Ivy it was so romantic. Will made a cake with little scarlet hearts and the ring-"

"Stop! This is ridiculous."

"Why?"

"Because." she stopped, searching for a reason. She was starting to feel the migraine coming, "What do you know about this Will Scarlet person anyway?"

"He's kind and hard working and when I'm around him I feel... lighter."

Ivy shook her head. Anastasia sounded like she did that one time she tried pot, "So every time you said you were going cake tasting, you were actually... Gross." she shook the thought out of her mind, "How did mother react?"

"You're the only person who knows."

"What? Hans doesn't know?" Ivy laughed. At least one good thing that came out of the impromptu romance. She clasped her hands in plea, "Can I please be the one to tell him?"

Anastasia smirked, "You're horrible."

"I know I am, but it's Hans. Can I at least be there? Please, I don't have many joys in life."

"Be serious for one moment."

"Sorry. But this is seriously funny. You were telling me I was crazy for leaving Michael because, and I quote, 'a young single guy with such social status is an endangered species.' And now you are slumming it with the baker boy."

"Well, love makes us do extraordinary things. You'll see. You'll meet someone. That's easy."

Ivy came to realize she didn't like this happily romantic side of her sister, "Yes, I just have to click my heel and I will appear in front of a one single person who fills my heart with joy."

"Why not? I'm sure there's someone out there that fits the description."

Ivy rather enjoyed Seattle in spring. The nature would come to life and there were flowers everywhere. With a mission set in her mind, she skipped along the docks, sea air filling her nostrils. She easily found the boat she needed and stepped onto the deck. She wasn't a big fan of boats. Longer stay tended to make her woozy.

A big dalmatian with a black spot on his right eye appeared in front of her. She smiled. The resemblance to his cartoon namesake was uncanny, "Hello, Patch."

The dog appeared confused by the stranger who knew his name but allowed her to scratch him behind the ear, "Where's Henry?"

At the sound of his owner's name, Patch barked. Ivy figured it was a signal to follow him and rushed after the dog.

Below deck, Patch stopped in front of the closed door.

She knocked. She decided it was better not to just barge in, "Henry?"

There as a shuffling sound.

"It's Ivy. Ivy Belfrey."

"What are you doing here?" the door remained close.

"May I come in?"

"No. That's not really good idea because I have a... a-" a terrible sneeze echoed and Ivy jerked back, "Cold. Can you hear that?"

"Yeah. I brought chicken soup from 'Michou'."

After couple of seconds, the door flung open. Henry was standing in front of her in old gray sweatpants, with puffy eyes and red nose. He was trying to look all angry and serious but, sniffling and half-awake, he only managed to look cuter, "What are you doing here? Then he glanced at Patch. You weren't supposed to let strangers in, traitor."

Patch actually looked ashamed and left, tail between his legs.

"I heard you were sick. And I was worried. And I wanted to make sure..." she stepped inside.

"What?"

"Is there somebody here?"

"No. Oh, it's the home shopping network."

"You buy any of those porcelain dolls?"

"I was thinking about it." he retorted, "I plan to become the next big thing on TLC's 'Hoarding: Buried alive'."

Ivy laughed as the image came to mind.

"Hey, you put me out of business."

"Yes, I did."

"Did you come to gloat?"

"No."

"To offer me a job?"

"I would never-"

"Because I have plenty of offers and I have enough money. I don't have to sell the store which you can tell your-"

"My ex." she clarified.

"Oh, your ex. You broke up?"

She nodded, pretending the situation was unfortunate.

"Too bad. You were perfect for each other." then he groaned and shut his mouth with his hand, "I don't want to be mean. No matter what you've done to me there's no excuse for my saying things like that. But every time I see you... gah."

"Things just fly out of your mouth."

"Yes!"

"I brought soup and flowers."

"Awww. Thank you." then he stomped to the door and pointed outside.

Ivy smiled, "I'll put these in water. You should sit down, you re sick. Plus, the soup's getting cold."

Henry watched dumbstruck as she waltzed into his kitchen like it was a regular occurrence to find, he presumed, a vase. The flu was making it hard to stand and he reluctantly dragged himself to the table. He had no strength for much else.

"Alice says hello, by the way. She was the one who told me you were sick."

"Oh, how's Alice?" his head fell on the table and he let out a strange sound.

"Great. She's revolutionizing the place. You can't work in the department unless you have a Ph.d. in children's literature. I might actually ask… never mind. And she's in love, I think."

"I love daises. They really brighten up the room." he watched the fresh flowers appeared in front of him, "How do you know?"

"Well, she stopped flirting shamelessly with me and she can't stop talking about Robin. That's the girl's name."

"What?" he got up and realized he did it too quickly. The room was spinning, "She was supposed to show her the collage not date her. Oh, I need to lie down."

Ivy followed him as he stumbled towards bed.

"You know Robin?"

"She's my cousin. She differed for a year but she's starting college this fall. She's been staying with me for a month now" he got under the covers, "When did you break up?"

"Couple of weeks ago."

"Everyone's breaking up. You." he gestured with his Kleenex, "Me. This other person I know broke up with someone in an elevator. Or was it after it? Or outside? I don't- it got stuck and... I was waiting for her when I saw you at Roni's. And I was-"

"Charming?" Ivy offered, along with the soup.

His nose crinkled, "I was not charming. I was upset and horrible."

"I was the horrible one."

"Well, yeah but I have no excuse."

"Whereas I" she smiled and sat by his bedside, "am by nature a horrible person and have no choice but to be horrible. Interesting."

His eyes widened and he smacked his mouth. Ivy had to admit all this was a bit fun.

"That's all right. I put you out of business so it's ok that you hate me."

"I don't hate you." his feelings however intense they were at times, have never reached the level of hate.

"But you'll never forgive me." she wasn't sure she wanted to hear his response so she continued, "Look, it wasn't personal."

"What is that supposed to mean? I'm sick of that. Maybe it wasn't personal to you but it was to me. It was personal to a lot of people. And what's wrong with being personal anyway?"

"Um... nothing."

"Whenever you start something in life, it should start as personal, right?"

Ivy nodded, most things in her life weren't personal. Even those which ought to have been.

"My head's getting fuzzy again." he slid to the side, his face half buried in the pillow, "Why did you come again? I forgot."

"I wanted to be your friend."

"Oh."

"I knew it wasn't possible, but a girl can dream, right? Can I ask you something?"

He made a noise that Ivy took to mean yes.

"What happened to the girl from the bar?"

"Nothing."

It was a long shot but Ivy had to ask, "But you're crazy about her?"

Henry lifted himself up, "Yes, I am."

Ivy bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from grinning, "Why aren't you riding into the sunset then? What are you waiting for?"

"I don't really know her." he buried his face back into the pillow. This time the reason was embarrassment, "I know her through..."

"Oh, let me guess - the power of the Internet. Well, that's common these days."

"But it's not like Tinder and stuff like that. We just..."

"Chat?"

"Yes."

"About nothing which feels much more than something?"

"Yes!"

"That's very powerful stuff."

"Mhm."

"Well, that's one lucky girl. I think you should meet her." she put another blanket over him, "No, I take that back. Why would you want to meet someone you're crazy about?"

"Hey, I don't think you have the right-" she placed a fingertip over his lips.

"I see that I bring out the worst in you. So, this is me helping you not say the words that's gonna torture you for years to come." she stared at his eyes for long, unable to break the contact, "I hope you feel better soon. It would be a shame to miss Seattle in the spring. It's magical."

"Thanks." he whispered, for he was somehow rendered incapable of using his full voice, "For the soup."

She rushed out hoping the sea breeze will help her clear her head. She needed to act the part of an ex business rival attempting friendship not a loves truck, head-over-heels girl.

As I said Anastasia is more based on the Once upon a time in Wonderland counterpart, so I had to get Will and her together. And Alice and Robin were too cute to be completely left out.

We're getting close to Henry finding out the truth. Stick with me and thanks for the support.