Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC with an actor who was rumored to have been offered the titular part in Doctor Who, which I don't own. Thanks again for the reads and reviews! I really love getting them. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!
Manhattan 2007
"Mom! You're falling asleep again!"
Belle shook her head. She had been up most of the past two days looking after Beatrice. Her daughter had been sick with the flu. Belle loved her daughter more than anything, but illness often made Beatrice almost intolerable. This time, though, Belle had been fortunate in that Beatrice had stumbled across some British science fiction show called Doctor Who and been immediately taken with it. Between her exhaustion and worry about Beatrice, Belle had a difficult time following, though she had mostly liked the episode with Dickens.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," said Belle. She looked at the television. "What's happening?"
"Rose wanted to go back in time to be with her father when he died, but now she's just being stupid!"
"Oh," said Belle, sitting up. "Why is that?"
"Well, she saved him and now the world is doomed!"
"Well, he is her father..." said Belle.
"Yeah, but the world is doomed!" Beatrice looked back at the television. "Oh, no!"
"What?," asked Belle.
"Don't touch the baby! The Doctor said not to touch the baby!" Beatrice screamed. "Ugh! She touched the baby!"
Belle felt Beatrice's forehead with the back of her hand. "Your fever's going down. I'm going to get you something to drink."
Belle went to the kitchen and came back with a Sprite. She sat back down with Beatrice.
"Beatrice... do you think about your father a lot?"
Beatrice shrugged and stared at her soda. "Not really."
Belle tried to smile at what she guessed was a minimization. "If an alien could take you in an enchanted box to meet him, would you?"
"It's a time machine. Why would you call it an enchanted box?"
Belle shook her head. "It just seemed right. So?"
"I wouldn't doom the world to do it," said Beatrice. She looked up at Belle. "You?"
Belle smiled. "I just want you."
"There's another episode," said Beatrice, eager to get back to the television show.
The Enchanted Forest, A Long Time Ago
Princess Eva had been staying with the Duke and Duchess of Padua since her mother's death. It had been her father's wish that she receive a proper education in what it was to be a lady and the Duchess was admired throughout the land. However, their semi-permanent house guest had tried Catherine's patience and she had known since the Royal Messenger arrived today was one of those days.
"How could he?!," shrieked Eva.
Catherine looked down at the princess as she nearly blew apart over the news, throwing herself to the sofa.
"I thought there was a contract," said Reinette.
"There was," said Catherine. "Your father and I did help to negotiate it, but plans change."
The Duke spoke again. "He's met a peasant girl called Cora. He wishes to marry her, the wedding is mere weeks away."
"Why her?," asked Reinette.
"Yes, why her?!," Eva screeched bitterly.
The Duke shrugged and sat. "Eva, your father wishes that the Duchess and I travel to meet King Leopold and get the engagement reinstated."
"You will. Won't you, Papa?," asked Reinette.
The Duke looked at Catherine. "We shall attempt our best, Reinette."
"How could he?," asked Eva.
"Eva," said Catherine, "the king has never met you. We don't know if this woman Cora is an infatuation or indeed, True Love, but you need to behave like a lady."
"Like a lady?"
"Not a jealous, petty teenager," said Catherine.
Eva scowled. "I think you forget who you're speaking to,"
Catherine leaned forward. "No one likes a teenager who pulls rank. Besides, I think you forget that I am the Ice Princess of the Far North Kingdom and thus outrank you. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness," said Eva.
"Good. That's the sort of thing I mean when I speak of mature behavior. Some kindness and proper decorum would not go amiss here."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Now, go to your maid and instruct her to begin packing for the journey. I shall be up to instruct you shortly."
Eva nodded and left the parlor.
Reinette turned to her mother. "Why are you so hard on Eva?"
"Because she's terrible," said Catherine. "Don't look so aghast. All teenage girls are terrible."
"Except you," said Alec.
Catherine turned to her husband. "Do you not remember the fit she threw when Lady Jane wore the purple gown before she did?"
"Well, the dressmaker never ought to have made two," Alec insisted, giving Reinette a wink.
"Eva's been expecting this match since she was born," said Reinette.
"There. Aren't you glad your mother and I have never chosen a husband for you?," asked Alec, fixing himself a cup of tea. "You are to marry for True Love and nothing else."
"If I am ever to find such a thing," said Reinette.
Catherine and Alec looked at each other.
"What is that?," asked Reinette.
"Nothing," said Catherine. "Our family always marries for True Love. We're certain you shall as well, but there's time for that yet."
"Hear, hear," said Alec.
Catherine stood. "I will go see to Eva. Reinette, have Molly send a message to the dressmaker to finish her work. You should have your new gown to wear to King Leopold's Court."
"I'm to go as well?," Reinette asked in surprise.
"Of course," said Catherine. "It's our only hope of keeping her from clinging to His Majesty the entire time. If he gets to know Eva as well as I have, there is no chance of success."
Catherine left. Reinette looked to her father.
"I've never been to court," said Reinette.
"You're the daughter of the Duke of Padua, Heiress to the Far North Kingdom, you ought to fit right in," said the Duke.
"I've never even been to the Far North Kingdom," said Reinette.
"It's cold," said Alec with a shiver. "Yet as beautiful as its princess. We shall have to venture back sometime."
Storybrooke, Last January
"I thought you knew everything about magic!," said Aurora.
At the risk of getting them stuck this time, Merlin rolled his eyes at the princess for the fortieth time. He had spent most of the day investigating the Curse with Regina, but she was all bothered with her soul mate appearing in Storybrooke. He had come to the library to clear his head and lose himself in call numbers. He hadn't expected an all out interrogation from Aurora about the nature of True Love's Kiss.
"You know, I'm starting to think that Maleficent might have been getting at something when she placed you under that sleeping curse."
"Answer me!"
"You know, why don't you go down to the basement and ask her?"
Merlin caught Lila Foley's amused smile from behind the circulation desk.
"I don't understand! How could Phillip be my True Love, but Mulan kissed me and I liked it!"
Lila Foley dropped her book. Aurora shot her a look.
"That was completely unrelated," said Lila.
"I'm sorry, did you run right over here to ask me why you like kissing girls?," asked Merlin.
"It's just the one girl and I had a question about magic!," said Aurora. "Or you could ask your mother."
Merlin scoffed. "Do you think she's going to have an answer for you?"
Just then, a wave of magic burst through.
"What was that?," asked Aurora.
"See, that was a True Love's Kiss," said Merlin. He looked over at Lila. "Lila?"
She shook her head. "I'm not Lila. Oh, Gods..."
Lila turned away from the desk, putting her face in her hands. Aurora and Merlin rushed to her side.
"Lila?," asked Aurora.
"My son. He's been missing since before the Curse..."
Aurora looked over at Merlin in concern.
"Violet," said Merlin.
She looked up to meet his eyes. "The Blue Fairy-"
"He's fine," said Merlin.
"What? What do you mean?"
"I can explain everything later," said Merlin. He looked at Aurora. "Where did Beatrice go after Mushu's?"
"I don't know. She was with Joseph."
"Well, I might have guessed that," said Merlin. He picked up his coat. "Aurora, make her tea and see her home. I'll see you later."
It was an easy journey from Padua to King Leopold's kingdom. Reinette watched Eva's frown as they saw the wedding preparations from the window of the carriage. The village was decorated with banners with Cora's new seal and bunting. Even flowers were planted to herald the arrival of a new queen.
"It does make for a compelling story," mused Catherine looking out the window. "Peasant girl becomes queen."
The carriage finally stopped outside the palace.
Catherine turned to Eva. "Please take this one last reminder that we are here to get your marriage contract reinstated-"
Eva opened her mouth to speak and Catherine raised her hand.
"No, it's no longer a birthright. He has a wedding planned and a bride ready to go, you need to give him a reason to throw her over, so a bit more maturity would be welcome if we are to have any hope of success. Understood, Your Highness?"
Eva nodded. "Yes, Your Grace," she said dutifully.
"Are we ready, ladies?," asked Alec.
Catherine nodded and Alec waved his hand as the footmen opened the carriage. Leopold and Cora were already waiting as Alec helped out Catherine, then the footmen helped out Reinette and Eva.
"Your Majesty," said Alec.
"Your Grace," said Leopold.
"You do of course remember my wife, Catherine?"
"Your Highness," said Leopold.
"That's very generous, Your Majesty, but hardly necessary."
"Nonsense. The heroine of the Far North Kingdom will always be accorded the highest title at my court." He motioned. "May I introduce my fiancée, Cora?"
Cora curtsied. "Your Highness, Your Grace."
"I think you remember our daughter, Reinette," said Alec.
"Of course. My lady."
Reinette curtsied. "Your Majesty."
"And of course, Princess Eva."
Eva curtsied. "Your Majesty."
"Your Highness." He motioned towards the door. "Let us go inside."
The men walked next to each other. Cora sided up next to Catherine.
"I'm sorry," said Cora. "You were a princess?"
"Yes, I ruled the Far North Kingdom."
"Why would you give that up?"
"For love, of course."
Catherine looked at Cora to see a flicker of incredulity in her face, one that she quickly tried to hide under scrutiny.
"Of course," said Cora.
Storybrooke, Last January
Joseph loved not knowing. That was one thing to be said for magic, it gave the game an added layer of difficulty, but until he knew the ins and outs of it, there were a lot of holes in his theories.
It was now that Captain Hook stared at him.
"Forgive me for asking," said Hook, "but who are you?"
"I'm Joseph Gillette."
"And you and Beatrice are..."
"Friends," he said quickly.
He walked back into the kitchen with Hook following him. Martha barked at Hook.
"Well, that beast has grown," said Hook. "What are you doing, mate? As much as I hate to say it, we need to find Rumplestiltskin."
Joseph picked up the locator spell that Beatrice had placed on the counter. "The woman, Zelena. Who is she?"
"The Wicked Witch of the West."
"Really?" Joseph grabbed Beatrice's blue wool coat off the chair.
"What are you doing?," asked Hook.
"A locator spell."
He walked back outside the house with Hook following. He looked back at the pirate.
"What else did the witch say about Beatrice?"
Hook shrugged. "That she has the four elements necessary to cast whatever spell she is planning."
"Four elements? What are they?"
"She wasn't in a sharing mood, I'm afraid."
Joseph held the bottle and the coat. "Do you know how these work?"
Hook shrugged.
"Thank you. Your assistance has been invaluable," said Joseph, pouring the spell on the coat.
As Belle, Gold and Neal walked out of the hospital, they were soon met by the Charmings.
"What the hell happened?," asked Regina.
"If I knew that, dearie, it would be dealt with..."
"It's Zelena," said Neal. He looked at Regina. "Your sister."
"I don't have a sister," said Regina.
"Check again," said Gold.
Regina turned to Gold. "You knew this and you didn't tell me?"
"You never told me Belle was alive so I guess we're even," Gold snapped back.
"Guys!," said Emma. She looked at Neal. "Neal? Is that really you?"
"Yeah."
Emma gave Neal a hug. Belle looked at Gold.
"She's still not answering."
"What does this Zelena want with Beatrice?," asked Mary Margaret.
"And how did the new curse get broken?," asked David.
"I don't care. Right now I need to find my daughter," said Belle.
Regina nodded and pulled a vial from her pocket. "I brought a locator spell. Do you have anything of hers with you?"
Belle pulled a book from her bag and handed it to Regina.
"I borrowed this from her," said Belle.
Regina poured the potion over the book and they watched as it flew into the night.
Beatrice found herself alone in a barn with Zelena and Cora.
Which was not a great place to be.
"Really you ought to think of this as a compliment," said Zelena.
"Mind if I don't?"
Zelena waved her hand to light some lanterns. Beatrice looked down at the floor to see an intricate pattern with circles dug in, like a sand garden.
It somehow looked familiar.
"I didn't leave everything I learned back in Oz as you can see," said Zelena. "Unlike you. So weak. So desperate to get home."
Beatrice cast a glance at Cora. "Yeah, well, if she was my mom I wouldn't be so desperate to get home, either."
"I am going home, though. I am going to have everything you take for granted."
"What do you mean?"
Zelena approached. "Oh, the Time Lord doesn't know what I'm talking about?"
Beatrice frowned. "I said I was a Time Lord?"
"Don't want to tell me how you can see the universe?"
Oh, God, what had she referenced?
"Did I ever mention an episode title?," asked Beatrice.
"Reinette!," called Eva. "I have wonderful news!"
Reinette put down her embroidery as Eva sat next to her.
"Has King Leopold reinstated the contract?"
"No, even better. I was in the garden when I saw that peasant girl, Cora, talking to a man. It turns out he's one of the servants. He works in the gardens if you can believe that. Cora is pregnant with his child. She's going to try to pass it off as the King's!"
Eva looked at Reinette with a huge, gleeful smile.
Reinette frowned. "I don't know if I quite see how this is wonderful news."
"He'll have to call off the wedding! He can't have this peasant's bastard on the throne!"
"I dare say you are taking too much pleasure in this."
Catherine and Alec entered.
"Pleasure in what exactly?," asked Catherine.
Eva turned excitedly. "The peasant Cora is carrying the bastard of one of the servants."
"And you know this for certain?"
"I heard it from her own lips."
Catherine looked at Alec.
"Yes, well..." said Alec.
"Well, doesn't this solve it?," asked Eva. "He can't marry her. The contract can be reinstated."
The Duke relented. "No, His Majesty cannot marry the girl if she does indeed carry a child that is not his," said Alec.
Eva beamed.
"That doesn't mean he will necessarily marry you," said Alec. "Particularly if you walk in there looking like the cat that ate the canary."
"I was promised to him at birth and now I'm the villain for wanting his promise kept? How is that fair?," asked Eva.
"Remember your station," said Catherine. "You are asking to be queen of this kingdom. It will not do to appear to take pleasure in the misfortunes of others."
"Misfortune? She has it coming."
"I will handle this and you are to stay out of it," said Alec.
Joseph chased after the coat with Hook right behind him.
"And when you find the witches, what is your plan?," asked Hook.
"I'm sure a solution will present itself," said Joseph.
Joseph then watched as Beatrice's coat smacked into a book.
"Who the hell is that?!"
"Oh, gods," muttered Hook.
"Mr. Gold?," asked Joseph.
They walked further forward and found themselves meeting with Gold, Belle, Neal, Emma, Mary Margaret, David and Regina.
"Hook?," asked Emma.
"Hello, Swan."
Belle went to pick up the coat and book off the ground.
"You morons," said Regina.
"What happened?," asked David.
"You can't use two locator spells for the same person at once," said Gold. "Instead of finding the person, the objects find each other."
"Sorry," said Joseph. "It's my first time using magic."
"You don't say, dearie," said Gold. He pointed at Hook. "What are you doing with the pirate?"
Neal stepped up towards his father. "It's okay, Papa. I sent Killian to warn you all."
"And yet he hasn't."
"I ran into some difficulties," said Hook.
"We can get into that later," said Belle. She looked at Joseph. "Were you with her? What happened?"
"The women, Zelena and Cora arrived at the house-" Joseph began.
"Cora?," asked Regina.
Gold was focused on another detail, though. "What were you doing at the house?"
"You are all morons," said Merlin, stepping out of the shadows. He pointed at Belle. "Except you, sweetheart."
"Can you find her?," asked Belle.
"Of course I can," said Merlin. He froze.
"Merlin?," asked Belle, hurrying to his side. "Merlin, are you alright?"
The sorcerer slowly shook his head. "Time."
"Time?," Emma asked skeptically.
"It is changing."
"Changing?," asked Belle.
Their eyes flew up as a pillar of fire sprang forth in the night's sky.
Zelena motioned around the circle. "The four elements, remember?"
"Not really."
She pointed. "Well, first Rumplestiltskin's brains. Your mother's heart and her courage, both necessary to love the greatest beast in the Enchanted Forest. And of course, innocence."
"I don't know, I did flirt pretty hard with a guy like fifteen minutes ago."
"Time dwindles, Dark Princess," said Zelena.
Beatrice found herself pulled into the center of the circular patter, her heels digging in against the dirt of the floor.
"Have you thought about this?," asked Beatrice. "Really thought about this? There are paradoxes. If you go back to do whatever crazy thing you want to do and change your past, you never come back to travel back in time again. It doesn't work! The thing falls apart!"
"I won't have you waste your last breaths to change my mind, Princess."
Beatrice felt herself being pulled, like she was coming apart as different swirls of fire separated and recombined. She felt ice fly from her hands and at Zelena.
The witch screamed as the ice raced through her, but that was all Beatrice remembered because everything was covered in blinding light.
Reinette's parents had instructed her to remain scarce while they dealt with King Leopold and the consequences of what Eva had overheard. She and Eva took breakfast in their suite of rooms, then Reinette settled in with a book.
She looked up to see Eva dressed. A little too well dressed for a day to be spent doing needlepoint.
"Eva..."
"I'm telling him."
"You can't. Eva!"
Before she knew it, the princess was out the door. Reinette hurried to follow her down the endless corridor.
"Eva! You know what my parents said!"
Eva snorted. "Yes, and they're wrong. How could Leopold be anything but grateful to me for saving him from a horrid alliance! From being misused by a scheming harlot!"
They walked a few steps more down the hall.
"Eva, please reconsider-"
They stopped as a tower of flame appeared in the room. As it stopped, a woman in black stood over a girl laying on the floor. She had to have been around Reinette's own age. Both were dressed strangely.
Reinette did have a moment to recognize one thing on the girl: the pendant of the Ice Princess. She had never seen it in person, it was kept in the Far North Kingdom, but it featured in the official portraits around the house.
The redhead's mouth became a smile.
"Well, let's get to it, then, no need to dillydally about..."
The girl was trying to get to her feet.
"Who are you?," demanded Eva.
Reinette hurried to the girl's side.
"Are you alright?," she asked.
The girl shook her head.
"You'll be alright. My name is Reinette."
The girl's eyes widened. She turned to the other woman. "Stop her," she begged.
Reinette spun around to see the other woman ripping out Eva's heart.
Eva stood in shock.
"What are you doing?," she gasped.
"I'm taking what's mine," said the woman, crushing Eva's heart into powder.
As Reinette screamed, the girl disappeared, leaving her alone with the woman.
"Now, what to do with you," said the woman.
"Not so fast."
Reinette looked up to see an older man, not that age seemed to be affecting him as he strode across to the woman.
"What have you done?," he demanded.
"I've changed my past," she said.
The door opened and Cora entered. She saw Eva on the floor and the scene before her.
The woman turned. "Run to the king, tell him Eva's been murdered or else she'll tell him your secret. She's Merlin's apprentice."
"I-" Reinette failed to find words as Cora ran off.
"I suppose you think you're clever," said Merlin.
"We're going to do it all again," said Zelena. "I'm going to have the life I deserved! Rumplestitskin is going to choose me! And your precious Dark Princess, well, I don't think she's going to be in the new version, do you?"
Merlin dropped Zelena to the floor. He held his hand out for Reinette.
"Where are your parents?"
"In their room, I think."
"We must go to them and leave now."
"But Eva-"
"No, we must go now."
Merlin hurried Reinette back up the hall, where they soon ran into a furious Catherine and Alec.
"That girl..." grumbled Catherine.
"Merlin," Alec gasped.
"Merlin, what are you..." Catherine trailed off as she caught sight of Reinette. "What's happened?"
"Oh, Mama, it was horrid..."
Reinette collapsed into her mother's embrace.
"Princess Eva is dead," said Merlin. "Murdered at the hands of a terrible witch, a murder that Reinette will soon take the blame for."
"What?," asked Alec. "I'll speak to His Majesty-"
"We don't have time. Time is changing. Someone has done something that ought never have been done. We must go now."
"Who is he?," asked Reinette.
"He is a friend to our family and we will listen to him," said Alec.
"There she is!," shouted Cora.
They turned to see the queen to be, flanked by palace guards.
"What are you waiting for?! Get her!," said Cora.
Merlin waved his hand and the four vanished from the hall.
Reinette opened her eyes to find herself in a new world.
A new, icier world. Great ice walls, a palace of ice as the sun shone through the walls.
"Guys!"
Reinette turned to see what the source of the shout was and saw a snowman bouncing towards them.
"You're back! Did you get the sweaters I made you?," the snowman asked.
Catherine and Alec looked at each other.
"Yes," said Catherine, "we wear them all the time."
"Why aren't you wearing them now?," asked Olaf.
"Olaf, this is our daughter, Reinette," said Alec.
The snowman turned to her. "Hi. My name is Olaf and I like warm hugs."
"Hello," Reinette said skeptically. "Where are we?"
"Your new kingdom," said Merlin.
"My new kingdom?," asked Reinette, stepping towards the wizard. "I don't want a kingdom-"
"Well, you have one," said Merlin.
"King Leopold believes that I murdered Eva, soon everyone else will believe it. I want my name cleared."
"While you sit in the Ice Palace, you are protected," said Merlin.
Reinette turned to her parents. "Mama? Papa?"
"He's right, Reinette," said Catherine.
"This is unbelieveable. You ought to be helping me."
Merlin ignored her. "When the red-headed witch appeared, what did you see?
"A girl," said Reinette. "My age, but she wore the pendant of the Ice Princess. Then she disappeared."
"The pendant of the Ice Princess?," asked Merlin.
Catherine and Alec exchanged glances.
"This girl," said Alec, " did she happen to have dark brown hair and brown eyes?"
"Yes," said Reinette.
"Do you know her?," asked Merlin.
"Yes," said Catherine. "She is Beatrice, the Dark Princess."
"Oh, Beatrice!," exclaimed Olaf. "I love her! Is she coming, too?!"
Beatrice awoke with a start.
It was cold.
It probably had something to do with the ice palace she had woken up in. She sat up and turned to get out of bed.
Looking out the window, she saw she was in the Far North Kingdom. There were servants bustling in a courtyard below and she could see polar bears in the distance.
"Okay, that's weird..."
Beatrice got up and shrieked as her feet hit the icy floor. She quickly located a fuzzy pair of slippers at the bedside for just that purpose.
"Catherine?," she called. "Alec?"
Nobody answered.
"Olaf?," she said tentatively.
The door opened.
"What's the matter, sweetheart? I heard screaming."
Beatrice was now confronted by her father.
The scaly, weird-colored version of her father.
"This keeps happening..." said Beatrice.
"What keeps happening?"
"I... um..."
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"What's going on?"
Rumplestiltskin walked closer to her. He stopped in front of her and put his hand to the side of her face.
His face fell. "Oh, sweetheart, you really don't know, do you?"
"Know what?"
"What was it you last remember?"
She shook her head. "I was with Zelena. In a barn? She was going on about some time travel spell."
Rumplestiltskin nodded. "And then?"
Beatrice tried to piece it together. "We were back in time. She killed Eva and I..."
"That's where you were, sweetheart," said Rumplestiltskin.
Beatrice had a sudden realization.
"This isn't a dream, is it?," asked Beatrice. "This is what happened when Zelena killed Eva."
"You might say that," said Rumplestiltskin.
Author's Notes: I usually try not to do this, but the Doctor Who in question is called "Father's Day," one of my favorite Eccleston episodes and incidentally not a bad introduction episode if you're looking for one.
