Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where they take the past two and a half years and throw it into the crack in the universe from the fifth series of Doctor Who. Congrats if you got that reference. Thanks for all the reads and reviews, especially my new reviewers and we are almost at 100! Thanks! Sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone yet. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!


Belle French walked down the street holding Beatrice's hand. The four year old gazed up at her from behind her glasses. It was a perfect morning.

"I want to go to school with you," said Beatrice.

Belle smiled. "I don't think you're quite ready for college, sweetheart."

"I am too! I can read!"

"Yes, you can," said Belle. She was particularly proud of the fact that Beatrice was such an early reader. Belle was pleased that her love of books had been passed along. "There's still a lot to do before college, though."

"Like what?"

"Well, Kindergarten, to start..."

"Do that! Take me to Kindergarten!"

"Next year, sweetheart. I promise," said Belle.

Beatrice scowled as they entered the school.

"Now, today, I have morning classes just like you," said Belle. "Then when I'm done, I'll get you and we'll go home and eat lunch, then we'll take a nap and go to the park. Okay?"

"Hello, Beatrice," said the teacher. "Hello, Miss French."

"Hi," said Belle. She leaned down. "One last kiss?"

Beatrice grudgingly obliged and Belle left her in the care of the teacher.

Beatrice was usually the first to arrive. The other mommies and daddies and nannies brought the other kids late. Her mommy had to go to her own school. It did mean, though, that she got to pick what toys she wanted to play with first while they arrived. She found one of the more ambitious puzzles and began taking out the pieces.

"Mr. French-"

"Avalon. Mr. Avalon."

"She didn't say anything."

"Well, plans just changed. I'm sure she'll call, but I am on the pick-up list." Merlin knelt down next to Beatrice. "Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing?"

"Puzzle."

"How would you like an adventure?"

Beatrice nodded.

"Well, let's get your bag, then."


Belle, Neal, Merlin and Regina formed a line back to Gold's shop from Granny's. Belle opened up and they went inside.

"What are we looking for?," asked Belle.

"Rumplestiltskin can create a portal on the other side," said Merlin. "The trouble is we have to make certain that portal leads here."

"And my mother?," asked Regina.

"We have to hope she doesn't come through that portal," said Merlin.

"That doesn't reassure me," said Regina.

"Luckily I have a plan," said Merlin.

"So we're looking for some kind of signal?," asked Belle.

"In a way," said Merlin. "We need a specific kind of bottle with which to make a potion formed of blood."

"Whose blood?," Belle asked with alarm.

"I have someone in mind assuming you want all four of them back."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "If you're talking about a blood spell, you only get one shot. How are you going to use one drop of blood to get all four of them back?"

"Oh, Gods," said Belle, covering her mouth and looking at Neal.

Merlin looked amused at Belle. "Joining me at the end of the thought process, eh, darling? Quite a plot twist, that one."

"What are you talking about?," demanded Regina.

"We'll get to that in due time, Your Majesty," said Merlin. "Now, the bottle."

"Can we know what it looks like?," asked Neal.

"Like a potion making bottle."

"You're going to have to be more specific," said Belle.

"I'll get more specific," said Merlin. He looked at Regina. "Your Majesty, I wonder if you might find the other things we'll need."

Regina nodded and went past the curtain into the backroom.

Neal looked at Merlin. "How did you know?"

"I'm Merlin. What aren't people understanding about that?"

Belle motioned towards another case. "Rumple has some glasses and vases over here."

"Oh, yes," said Merlin. "This is quite a collection here, quite a testament to your father's love for you here, Baelfire."

"I sort of go by Neal now-"

"Yeah, I don't have time for you people and all your second names," said Merlin. "So I can either call you Baelfire or forever refer to you as the Savior's baby daddy. It's your choice."

Neal rolled his eyes as Belle tried to hide one of the first smiles she had all day.

"This is all just a bunch of crap," said Neal.

"Yeah, but it's crap he acquired while trying to find you so have a little respect," said Merlin opening the case. He reached down to find a pearlized one almost like an upturned whelk shell. "This one."

"That's a bottle?," asked Neal.

"It's a mermaid bottle, isn't it?," asked Belle.

Merlin nodded.

"Why a mermaid's bottle?," asked Belle.

"What else would you use in water?," asked Merlin. "Mermaids can travel between realms. This is what they use to call each other home."

"And this will work?," asked Belle.

"Don't worry, Belle," said Merlin. "They were fine when I left them."


"Are you kidding me?!," Beatrice shouted.

She was aware that she had shouted it for the fiftieth or so time in under five minutes. It had been about that long since Cora's zombie nation had come after them. Mary Margaret had gone all Katniss, Emma had gotten out a sword and tossed Beatrice a spare and her dad had started doing that whole fireball thing again.

Beatrice actually knew how to wield a sword. Fencing and yoga were the only P.E. classes her fancy prep school had offered that she had been interested in. Of course, before she had a helmet, a lot of padding and she and her opponent couldn't go past a line, which the undead did not seem to respect. The results were mixed.

Also, she had just cut one of their hands off, which made her scream.

"Beatrice!" Gold swung around with concern.

"How can he be bleeding?! It doesn't make sense!," she shouted.

Increasingly frustrated, she had put a hand forward and...

"Beatrice..." said Emma.

Beatrice opened her eyes. Several of the zombies were now encased in blocks of ice.

"Um, yeah..." She looked at Gold. "At some point, we're going to want to be specific on how that is happening..."

"I'm just glad it did," said Mary Margaret.

"Never mind that," said Gold, grabbing her hand and starting back down their route.

"So, Beatrice just turns people into ice now?," asked Emma.

"Yeah, apparently," Beatrice answered.


Merlin sat on the bench of the park. Beatrice climbed down the castle and sat next to him as he had his drink.

"Where are we?," asked Beatrice.

"A little town called Storybrooke," said Merlin.

"How did we get here?"

He frowned, playing along. "Well, let's see, Beatrice, we didn't take a car, a train, a plane. One moment we were on the sidewalk in New York, next we were here. You're a smart girl. How do you think that happened?"

Beatrice frowned. "Magic?"

"Very good. Magic."

"Magic's not real."

Merlin groaned. "Oh, you are so young to be a skeptic. Do you have your book?"

"My book?"

"You know the one."

Beatrice opened her backpack and got out her storybook. She handed it to Merlin.

"Well, this is really an incomplete account, isn't it? I must have a talk with that wooden young man. Beauty and the Beast, here we are. Do you like this story?"

She shrugged.

"You should. It's all about your parents."

"Mommy said they weren't the same."

"Well, they are and she's just forgotten. So will you by day's end."

"Why did you take me?"

"Because where you were, it's a very bad day," said Merlin. "I had to make certain you would be okay."

"Why?"

"Because you're important." He looked up to see Mother Superior leading a group of nuns down the street. "Oh, excuse me, Mother Superior?"

The woman stopped and looked at him. She didn't have any idea who he was. "Can I help you?"

Merlin motioned at Beatrice. "Game. Set. Match."

Mother Superior looked at him strangely, whispered quietly to the other nuns and hurried off.

Merlin smirked and turned back to Beatrice. "Now, sweetheart, can you spell Rumplestiltskin?"

"Why?"

Merlin shrugged. "I think you'll probably need it to fill out forms."

Beatrice eyed him skeptically. Merlin sensed he was losing her.

He held out his cup. "Want to try my drink?"

"What is it?"

"It's called espresso. It's magic."

"How?"

"It makes you miss nap time."


Regina was not liking what Neal, Merlin and Belle had to tell her.

"You're Henry's father?," she asked with contempt. She looked at Belle. "How long have you known this?"

"I only found out yesterday," said Belle.

"I suppose you'll want joint custody," said Regina. "Is there anyone else related to my son that I should know about? Second cousins? Great grandparents?"

"If it's any consolation, I didn't know Henry existed until a few days ago," said Neal.

"No," said Regina. "No, I find it difficult to accept consolation from the man who framed his pregnant girlfriend who is the son of the imp that let his son go through a portal to another realm. Not to mention-"

"Regina, we could be here all day if you keep going like this," said Merlin. "You fail to see the silver lining."

"Yes, I'm finding it quite difficult," said Regina. "Enlighten me."

"We now have the one drop of blood we need," said Merlin.

Regina nodded. "Henry."

"I'll call David," said Belle. "He can meet us at the well."


Beatrice walked out of the school, feeling pretty good about the way everything had played out. Taylor was having a fit, the entire school was talking about it and so far she seemed to have gotten away with it.

"Hello, Beatrice."

Beatrice stopped putting her earbuds in and looked up at the man. Older, wiry with the eyes of a hawk. Normally, she would walk past a stranger without a second glance, but in this case, she just frowned.

"Do I-"

The man waved his hand.

"Merlin," she said, the word sounding completely ridiculous. It always did for a minute.

"Happy Birthday," he said. He motioned towards the sidewalk. "Shall we adjourn to Starbucks?"

Beatrice nodded and walked with Merlin.

"How is your mother?," he asked, once they had settled with their drinks and cake pops.

"Good. She's trying to acquire this new collection, she'll probably be working on it late."

"She means well," said Merlin. "She's just caught up with this world."

"I know," said Beatrice.

"Now this is a very important year, Beatrice. This is the year the Curse is broken."

"Really?," she asked.

Merlin nodded. "As was prophesied by your father. Or choreographed by your father. However you want to look at it."

Beatrice frowned. "Why do you keep doing this?"

"Doing what, sweetheart?"

"You find me, sometimes you take me places and then you take away the memory..."

Merlin shrugged. "Don't you have enough to do without this?"

"If this was a Curse, why didn't you break it?"

"It was the way in which the Curse was written. Now, for your birthday wish..."

Beatrice paused. "Storybrooke."

Merlin shook his head. "No."

"What kind of birthday wish is this?"

"You will be there soon enough and there's a lot that has to happen there today."

Beatrice scowled. "And I'm not important?"

"Very well. Anyone in particular you want to see?"

"I think you know."


The four trudged through the woods to the well.

"David!," called Belle as they approached. "David, are you up here?"

The four were making their way up the path.

"We're here!," Henry cheerfully shouted back.

Belle smiled and finished hurrying up towards the well. Henry and David were waiting...

Along with Mother Superior.

"David, what's she doing here?," asked Belle, her blood running cold.

"She offered to help." David pointed at Merlin. "Who's he?"

"Someone you don't want to anger," said Merlin. He pointed at Mother Superior. "She has to go. Now."

"Mom!," said Henry. He was about to run towards Regina, but David held him back. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help," Regina said coolly.

Mother Superior stood in front of David, blocking Merlin out. "He is a dangerous wizard."

"She is a devious winged tart," said Merlin, walking up to Mother Superior. "Now, if you don't mind, we are on a bit of a timetable if you would like to see your wife and daughter ever again."

"And prevent my mother from crossing over," said Regina.

"Cora?," asked David.

Belle motioned at Mother Superior. "David, you know who this woman is, what she's done-"

"What is it you're asking?," said David.

"We just need a drop of Henry's blood," said Regina.

"Why?"

Merlin looked up at the horizon. "Yeah, I really don't have time for this. Tell you what, blood now and we all go on a talk show together later."

The prince did not look as if he were buying the argument.


They had finally arrived at the lake.

Which was more of a lake bed.

Beatrice looked at Gold. "Okay, your lake is a bit of a letdown."

Gold smiled. "Oh, you'll like this."

He took his hand into the usual wave and raised it up, a spring of water came from the center of the lake bed.

"Whoa," said Emma.

"If only there was a way to market that," said Beatrice.

"Come on," said Gold. "We'll need to keep watch."

"What are we waiting for?," asked Emma. "Why don't we go now?"

Gold stared at the sun. "Merlin and I made an agreement about when they would light our way back to Storybrooke."

"Are you sure you can trust this guy?," asked Emma.

"Well, seeing as how I don't have a choice..."

Beatrice watched as Gold pulled a sword out of the bag.

"How did that fit in there?!," exclaimed Emma.

"Oh, God, please let me," said Beatrice.

"What?" Emma was confused.

"No. Seriously, I've wanted to say this for years." She turned back to Gold. "It's bigger on the inside?"

"It's magic, Beatrice," said Gold.

She shook her head. "You just couldn't let me have that..."

"Your Highness," said Gold, handing Mary Margaret the sword.

"I already have one," she said.

"Not this one. Merlin gave it to me. It's the Sword of Damocles, puts any magical person in a deep sleep with one touch."

"You want me to use it on Cora?," she asked.

"Well, that was the general idea, dearie. Certainly a better idea than using it on me since you need me to get home."

"What did Merlin mean about using blood?," asked Beatrice.

"You can use family links to guide you between realms," said Gold. "A drop of blood. That's all it takes."

"How very clever, Rumple."

They looked up to see Cora.

"Oh, great," said Beatrice.

"Beatrice, stay back," warned Gold. "It's over, Cora."

"There are four of us and one of you," said Mary Margaret.

"And you're not coming with us," said Gold.

"No," said Cora. "You're staying here."

She launched a fireball at them. Gold launched his own back as she vanished.

"Where is she?," asked Beatrice.

Gold waved his hand and the water in the lake flew up in the air.

"It's sunset," said Mary Margaret.

"Then we have to act now," said Gold. He took the vial from his pocket and poured it in the water. It soon formed another portal.

Beatrice looked down at the swirling vortex.

"And how do we know that goes where we want?"

"Give it a moment."

"Oh, Rumple..."

"Don't try me, dearie."

The three ducked balls of flames as Cora appeared in front of Mary Margaret.

"Stop it, Cora."

"What are you going to do? Scratch me?"

Mary Margaret lunged with the sword. Cora vanished again appearing behind her, as she swung around, Cora blew her back with a wave of magic.

"Mary Margaret!," Emma shouted, running towards her.

Cora reached around and grabbed for Emma's heart. Her hand went into her chest, but didn't seem to go through.

Which was when Beatrice noticed the sword was laying alone on the ground.

"Beatrice," Gold hissed as she scrambled.

Cora was still perplexed at her inability to rip Emma's heart out.

"Hey!," Beatrice shouted.

Cora turned. "Oh, you impudent little girl."

"I am not getting stuck here because- because I don't know why, but I am sure it's lame!"

Cora raised her hand to rip the sword from Beatrice's hand. It flew towards her and reached a stalemate as Beatrice raised her hand to stop it. Cora looked at her in irritation.

"You picked one of the four things I know how to do," said Beatrice.

Gold waved his hand, his magic joining Beatrice's and the sword flew back into Cora.

She turned back. "Did you help?"

Gold shrugged as he walked over and took the sword from the now unconscious Cora. "You'll get it next time," he said, putting it back in the bag. "Ready to leave, Your Highness?"

Emma helped Mary Margaret to her feet.

"What just happened?," asked Emma.

"We can stay and discuss that or..."

"Let's go," said Mary Margaret.

"Almost..." said Gold.

"Are we waiting for her to wake up?," asked Beatrice.


Back at the well, things had not progressed.

"You overzealous, ambitious, opportunistic winged tart!," shouted Merlin. He turned to David. "And you, you dolt fraudster, do you believe everything you're told?"

"David, you can't be serious," said Belle. "It's just one drop. Believe Regina if you don't believe us."

"And why would Regina help you?," Mother Superior added primly.

"Because I am doing this to help my son," said Regina. "David. This is the only way to get your wife and daughter back."

"You're not exactly known for being helpful, Regina," said David.

"Oh, look who just discovered sarcasm," said Merlin.

Regina ignored Merlin's barb and looked back at David. "If I didn't really want to help, I would just let them fail on their own. You're going nowhere, she's the imp's mistress and he's..." Regina motioned at Neal. "...well, I'm not entirely sure about him, but he has yet to impress me."

Henry looked up at David. "We have to try, Grandpa."

David released him.

"You're making a mistake," warned Mother Superior.

"Would you shut up?," hissed Belle.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," said Regina. "This might hurt just a bit."

She pricked Henry's finger with the needle and a single drop of blood fell into the shell bottle as Merlin held it. The blood dissolved in the rest of the potion and became a sparkling green substance.

"Oh, there we go? Hear that?," asked Merlin. Song seemed to echo from the shell.

David frowned. "What is that?"

"That is the call home," said Merlin, walking over towards the well.

He dropped the mermaid bottle as the sky lit with bright green.


Beatrice stood at the edge of the portal with Gold, Emma and Mary Margaret, watching it swirl.

"Like, seriously, is there a time limit? Do we have to go, do we-"

Gold grabbed her hand. "Hey. I've got you."

"She's got a point, Gold!," said Emma.

"What's that sound?," asked Mary Margaret.

Gold frowned. "You can hear that?"

"What's going on?," asked Beatrice. "Is that-"

"Never mind. Just jump," Gold said quickly.

Then they did.


Standing at the bottom of a well, Beatrice decided she was not a fan of portal jumping in any form.

"Dad!," she called.

"I'm fine, sweetheart!," Gold called back, echoing through the well.

"Beatrice, just climb up," instructed Mary Margaret.

Beatrice turned back to the brickwork. "Yeah, because I am really good at climbing..."

She started climbing and eventually she could just about see sunlight.

"Beatrice!," Emma shouted. "Do you want to get moving?!"

"It's only my second portal jump!"

"Beatrice?!," she heard Belle shout.

"Mom!"

"Here, grab my hand!," said another male voice. "Merlin, hold on to me."

Beatrice reached up and someone helped pull her up. As she got out in the light, she was surprised to find it was Neal.

"Neal?," she asked as David went to help Emma and Mary Margaret. She looked to see Merlin, Regina and Henry. The Blue Fairy appeared to be leaving. "Are we having a party out here?"

She didn't get an answer as Belle threw her arms around her and grinned. "Beatrice! My darling girl!"

"Okay, Mom, you might want to go easy on the kisses," said Beatrice. "Seriously, Neal, what are you doing here?"

She didn't get an answer to that, either because as soon as Mary Margaret and Emma were out, Henry ran to hug them. Then Emma looked up at Neal and it was like she was looking at someone who had risen from the dead.

"Neal?!," exclaimed Emma.

Beatrice looked up at Belle. "What's going on?"

"Yeah, we're going to go over all of this later," said Belle.

"Oh, I'm fine," Gold muttered as he climbed up. "Don't worry about me, dearie..."

"I've got you, sunshine," said Merlin, lending the man a hand.

"Why is Emma flipping out?," asked Beatrice.

Again, she didn't get an answer because Belle ran to hug Gold without actually letting go of her daughter.

"Mom, Mom, seriously..."

"My darling Belle..."

"Rumple..."

Gold took her face in his hands and kissed her. Beatrice violently yanked her arm away, she would have been willing to dislocate a shoulder.

"Seriously! I was like six inches from your faces!" Beatrice looked at Merlin. "Come on!"

Merlin shook his head. Beatrice looked back at the Charming camp and saw Emma continuing her freak out. She looked up at Merlin. "Okay, do you have a clue?"

"Several."

"Bae?," Gold said suddenly.

Beatrice looked around. "Okay, who's Bae?"

"Well, he's Baelfire," Henry said, pointing at Neal. "You know, from the book."

"I didn't get that story!," Beatrice hissed.

"Come on, Henry," said Emma, taking the boy by the hand.

"Emma, come on!," shouted Neal.

"Emma!," Mary Margaret called after Emma. She started down the path after her with David following. "Emma!"

"Bae!," called Gold.

Neal turned back and looked plaintively at Belle.

"Two hours," warned Belle.

Neal nodded and hurried back down the path.

Gold looked up at Merlin. "What did you know and when?"

"Do you want to interrogate me or maybe explain yourself to her?," Merlin asked, motioning towards Beatrice.

Belle looked at Gold. "Rumple..."

"I have a son," said Gold.

"Oh," said Beatrice.

"Beatrice-"

"I mean, that just might have been good to mention along with, 'Hey, I'm your dad, Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, I was married to a chick who ran off with Captain freaking Hook, my ex-girlfriend is a total psycho- no offense, Regina- and like, I can make fireballs and stuff.' You know, just general, first day on the job stuff. Okay, where's the car?"

"You're upset," said Gold.

"No. Upset? Why would I be upset?" Beatrice turned towards the path. "Yeah, let's go home. We can all get cupcakes. Cupcake, Regina? Merlin?"

She marched down the path.

"Oh, great job, sunshine," said Merlin.

"Beatrice!," Belle called, hurrying after her.

"Seriously, Gold, 'You're upset', that's the best you could come up with?," asked Regina.

"I'm not taking criticism from you, dearie," said Gold.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Fine. What do I care?"

They suddenly heard thunder.

"I'm going to the car," announced Regina.

Merlin looked at Gold. "We may want to work on the weather thing. Or at the least keep a lid on it until she's done with puberty."


Beatrice cautiously walked beside Merlin as they went down Storybrooke's main drag. There was something in the air, people just wandering through life.

"What if I just walked through here shouting 'You're all under a curse?'"

"What do you think would happen?"

"We could try it."

"There's the man."

Merlin pointed and Beatrice looked down the street. There was a man in a suit, leaning on a gold-topped cane as he talked with someone.

"Be careful," said Merlin. "He's not very friendly."

She looked back at Merlin. "You mean his cursed self?"

Merlin thought on it. "He's not very friendly."

"I thought I made the terms of your tenancy quite clear," said Gold.

"I know, I know, Mr. Gold, but my car broke down-"

"And that's my problem why, Mr. Boyd?"

"Well, I have to get to work-"

"Again, why is that my problem?"

"I can get the money to you next week-"

"And yet rent day is today." He paused and looked straight at Beatrice. "Is there something I can do for you, dearie?"

She froze under his glare. What did she want? This man was her father, but...

What did that even mean?

"Uh..." was her brilliant response.

Beatrice turned around and hurried off.

Merlin groaned. "Great job, sunshine."

"Do I know you?," asked Gold.

Merlin waved his hand, again wiping another tiresome conversation from his memory. He turned after Beatrice.

"He doesn't know who you are."

Beatrice shook her head. "He doesn't care."

"It's the Curse. He doesn't remember who he is or that he loved a woman called Belle. When that changes-"

"So what?," asked Beatrice.

"Beatrice, you've got to trust me on this-"

"Who in their right mind would want me?!"

Merlin sighed. "Well, you just made up my mind."

"On what?"

"In light of the circumstances, since you would be coming back, I was going to let you keep this one, but..." said Merlin.

He waved his hand.

Beatrice was watching Doctor Who on her iPad, trying to remember when she had put this particular episode on when she heard her mother come in.

"Beatrice, where are you?," Belle called.

"In here, Mom!," she answered. She dabbed at her eyes, wondering if she had allergies. She stopped as Belle came in. "What's up?"