Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC that is totally going to joss me with a Belle's mom flashback. Unless of course, she's named Reinette and has an affair with Merlin in which case we know the writers read this. Thank you again for the reads and reviews. I've gotten back to a couple of you and I will get back to the rest of you very soon. I so appreciate hearing what you think. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!


Olympus

Venus walked into her temple. She eyed the chorus waiting in the upper levels and stepped towards the center.

"Viviane, the relic."

The former fairy grumbled as she handed the box to the goddess.

"Is there a problem, Viviane?"

"I don't even know why you made me come here."

"Your punishment," said Venus. "I just can't get enough of it, really."

Viviane held out the box.

"Daughter of Venus, come home," the goddess incanted.

The sisters of the temple repeated the mantra after her and the center of the temple was struck with four bolts of light.

In the center, Beatrice came to.

"Okay..." She looked up to see her great-grandmother. "Venus!"

Beatrice ran to embrace the goddess.

"Hey, baby, had a rough day?"

"You might say that."

"Though from what I saw it was going pretty well right before that..." Venus teased. "That boy is hot. I love those eyes. You know, that's how Merlin's father got me. The eyes."

"Do you just spy on everybody's love life?"

"I am the Goddess of Love, aren't I?"

Beatrice looked to see the former Blue Fairy.

Venus caught her gaze immediately. "Don't worry. She can't hurt you."

"It doesn't seem to stop her trying," said Beatrice.

"Actually, no one can hurt you."

"And why is that?"

"Well, are you familiar with the term non-corporeal?"

"Sort of..."

"Well, that's you right now. You're non-corporeal."

"What?"

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Are you not really either but could go for a Starbucks?"

Beatrice thought on it. "No..."

"That's because you're not alive. You're just a spirit."

"Oh my God, am I dead?!"

"Hush, calm down, baby," said Venus. "You're not dead, you're just not alive."

"That's the same as dead!"

"Walk with me. You'll feel better."

Beatrice followed her great-grandmother out where she saw the edifice of the shining yet ancient temple that bore statues of her grandmother. The outside was lush and green. Viviane followed them dutifully.

"That Wicked Witch thought you were the perfect solution to her problem: you contain all the necessary qualities. Your father's intelligence, your mother's heart and courage, your own innocence. There was one thing she wasn't counting on."

"And what is that?"

Venus stopped and turned. "Your mother's heart is capable of the most incredible love because it's her father's heart. Her father's heart is my heart. The heart of Venus, the goddess of love. Do you understand? Zelena unintentionally used an ingredient more powerful than she could possibly imagine. She tore you apart and instead of being sacrificed, you have been scattered through creation."

"I'm Astrid Peth."

"Who?"

"Kylie Minogue, she gets scattered through space?"

"No idea who that is. Zelena tried to change history, but Merlin made it so that the timeline of the Enchanted Forest moves around you."

"So now I'm Donna Noble."

"Who?"

"The Most Important Woman in Creation?"

"Whatever. What you do not have right now is a body, you're floating like a leaf."

"Okay, now I'm Clara Oswald."

Venus looked at her. "Beatrice, I'm starting to get the feeling that this is a situation where these women you mention are going to turn out to be television characters."

Beatrice nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you want to get a body or not?"

"Yes, please," she sighed.

"Luckily, you have a body coming."

"I do?"

"Come here," said Venus.

Beatrice followed her over to a reflecting pool lined by white pillars. She pointed.

"Look there."

Beatrice stared into the pool as it morphed into an image of Belle. She was walking around a library in what Beatrice thought looked like Catherine's Ice Palace. Walking out from behind a shelf revealed an extremely swollen belly clad in the maternity edition of Elsa's dress from Frozen.

"I'm in there?"

"Where else would you be?"

"Well, here."

"Your body is there."

"Yes, well, I'm here, how do I get in there?"

"I thought that would be obvious."

"No, it's not obvious. I've never had to re-enter my own body before. Besides, what about the me that's in there? Do I have to share with her?"

"Well, if you time it right, she'll be a baby. Innocent, remember? A blank slate. Some of you will fade, but I think you'll get the salient information."

"And how do I stop Zelena?"

"Well, it's really too bad you don't have a time travel spell of your own."

"Are we back in time now? How do you know me?"

"This is Olympus. From this realm, all things are possible. You can leave here and go back there."

"Right. Just have to possess my own body."


"I don't see it, Belle!," Olaf cried from the top of the ladder.

"I had it right there," said Belle.

"You know, when Rumplestiltskin gave you this library he really could have given you a filing system."

"I've sorted all the books my father ever gave me, but I just haven't read this one."

Belle looked up from her book to see a purple light. She approached it carefully, but it didn't move.

There was something incredibly familiar about it.

"Hello..." said Belle. "Who are you?"

Suddenly, the light moved and knocked a book off a shelf. Struggling with her serious center of gravity, Belle picked up the book. She recognized it as one her father had gifted her from the Land Without Magic.

"Much Ado About Nothing," Belle read. She looked up.

The light was gone.

"Whoa," said Olaf. "I don't know about you, but I have chills."

Belle eyed him.

"Chills."


Belle had a notebook.

A freaking notebook.

Beatrice had to admit, though, if anybody was going to keep detailed records of her daughter's visions of an alternate reality, it would be Belle.

The outpost had set the royals up in the best rooms available. Upon further questioning about these visions and how in the hell she had defeated Zelena on the day she was born, Belle pulled out the notebook.

"This was the first," Belle explained. "The day of the Woman's sleeping curse. You awoke, you had no idea who Papa was, you thought we lived in a land called Manhattan and you were concerned about missing the wedding of someone called River Song."

"Yeah," said Beatrice. "Sounds right. Like two and a half years ago, maybe?"

"And you wondered where your glasses were," said Sherlock. "You spoke poorly of someone called Taylor Billingsley."

Beatrice turned back to Belle. "What was the next one?"

Belle flipped the pages. "You didn't recognize Papa again, but you thought he was someone called Mr. Gold. You had just gone to a place called Storybrooke."

"And I'm guessing the next time I recognized him as my dad, but the skin freaked me out." She looked at Rumplestiltskin. "Sorry."

"It did," said Sherlock.

"Yeah," said Beatrice. "What was the one before this?"

"You knew us both, knew the ice palace, knew about Peter Pan..."

"So, it sounds like I've been catching myself up on my life in chronological order," said Beatrice.

"But how is that possible?," asked Belle.

"Wibbly wobbly timey wimey," said Beatrice.

"Oh, good, your favorite phrase," Sherlock said dryly.

"I am not getting into an argument with you about Doctor Who," said Beatrice.

"Gods forbid," said Sherlock.

"So, your confrontation with Zelena, that was the last thing to happen to you?," asked Belle.

"I saw Eva get killed for a second, but that was it."

"And that was enough for everything to change," said Rumplestiltskin.


Bored.

Actually, bored wasn't enough to describe it. Belle was restless. She hadn't left the palace since the summer- or rather, what passed for summer in the Far North Kingdom- because her pregnancy had begun to show. Normally, the insistence by her father and her husband that she hide herself would have compelled her to defy them on principle alone, but in this case the reality was just a bit more complicated. Belle didn't just have herself to think about. She had the precious girl growing inside her to worry about as well as the future of the whole kingdom and possibly the realm, so she reluctantly stayed in the palace.

Then word traveled that the newly minted Green Queen could use mirrors to see other places. Sometimes just reflections.

And she lived in an ice palace.

Her room had been set aside, covered in rugs and tapestries, the windows shuttered and Belle had to remain in there. Her family were frequent visitors, Rumplestiltskin was almost constant and most importantly, Belle had her books. She had lately taken to reading aloud so her girl could hear her.

Each night the table was magically laid out for the evening meal in her room. It was only a little crowded, but Belle was grateful for the sense of normalcy as her father, grandparents, husband and Olaf dined with her.

"I was thinking of names," said Belle.

"Names?," asked Rumplestiltskin.

She looked up to see her grandparents exchanging furtive looks.

"Ooh, I know!," said Olaf.

Catherine clapped a hand over the snowman's mouth.

"What name were you thinking of, love?," asked Merlin, not looking up from his plate.

"I actually read one in that last book you gave me for my birthday. I finally got around to it," said Belle. "Beatrice."

"Beatrice?," asked Rumplestiltskin.

"You don't like it?," asked Belle.

"The first part sounds like an insect."

There was silence.

Catherine broke it. "Seriously? Have you forgotten your name?"

"Grandmother..." said Belle.

"We were all thinking it," said Catherine.

"I think Beatrice is a great name," said Olaf.

"Thank you, Olaf," said Belle.

"I think it's beautiful, love," said Merlin.

Belle looked at her grandparents.

"Yes, I think that name will do nicely," said Alec.

"Names have power," said Rumplestiltskin. "What power does the name Beatrice have?"

"Oh, sunshine," groaned Merlin. "She's a baby. You can't just name her the Destroyer because you want her to frighten Zelena and the block of ice."

"Did I say the Destroyer?"

Belle rubbed her stomach. "She's not something awful. She doesn't deserve an awful name."

"I never said that, poppet."

"She's not just some chess piece, either," snapped Belle.

The others exchanged glances. Rumplestiltskin turned back to his dinner, suddenly losing his appetite.

Belle had lost hers as well.


Beatrice and the others were taken away from their review by an invitation to dinner. The encampment was on the edge of a little town, the mayor and his wife were hosting a small banquet. Belle, Rumplestiltskin, Mulan and Mycroft luckily took up most of the talking. That left Beatrice with Sherlock at a table to the side.

"It's like we're at the kids' table," said Beatrice.

"The what?"

"At Thanksgiving and stuff, sometimes adults get one table, children get another."

"Thanksgiving."

"Wow, it is really hard for me to tell any stories."

"I would think it would be better if you didn't."

Beatrice took her glass off the table and turned to face Sherlock.

"Sherlock Holmes," said Beatrice. "Solve crimes, wears a weird hat-"

"It is not weird."

"Plays the violin. Anything else I should know about? How's the cocaine thing?"

"I only did that because I was bored."

"Right, my dad must love you..."

"If it helps at all, I think your father only tolerates my living because he thinks you would be sad if anything were to happen to me."

"How serious is our relationship here?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, come on. True Love, I get that, but how serious are we? Usually in fairy tales people just get married about thrity seconds after meeting."

"I conclude then that Princess Beatrice isn't in any fairy tales in that world."

"No, not until there's some Beauty and the Beast meets Frozen mash-up. I thought I was getting close with this Disney Channel movie, Descendants, because it was a magical land where King Beast and Queen Belle ruled the kingdom..."

"Ahh..."

"But it turns out their son, Ben, is about to take the throne."

"Their son?"

"I wrote an email. I don't think it's going to make a difference."

"Well," said Sherlock, "Princess Beatrice would never marry anyone she had just met and besides that, she's not even eighteen yet. Besides, do you really think you father would allow his daughter to be so easily lost?"

"That still doesn't answer how serious."

Sherlock took a sip from his glass.

"I've asked this before, haven't I?"

"You have."

"What conclusion did we come to the last time?"

"More than kissing, less than other things."

"Well..." said Beatrice.

"Bear in mind your father is the most powerful sorcerer in all the realms."

"Yeah," said Beatrice. She stood up. "I'm going for a walk."

"You can't go for a walk alone," said Sherlock.

"Then make sure I'm not alone."

Beatrice walked out. Sherlock waited a moment, smiled and followed.


Sleep eluded Belle all night. She tossed and turned disturbing her husband and eventually Rumplestiltskin made excuses about having something to do in his tower. As she saw the crack of morning light from underneath the drapes, Belle admitted defeat. She finally emerged from bed feeling more restless than ever.

Belle dressed in a simple gown, still feeling horribly uncomfortable. She hoped she wouldn't have to muddle through too much today, she was just off.

"Your Highness," said Zazu, coming in, "Major Mulan and Prince Philip."

Belle looked over as the pair entered. They bowed quickly.

"Mulan, Philip, I don't remember us having a meeting scheduled." She fervently hoped they didn't. She was a young monarch, soon caught up in the whirlwind of her marriage and a pregnancy she was certain was eating at her brain. Belle was mortified she would make some mistake and then everyone would know how much of her brain was gone.

"We did not, Your Highness," said Mulan. "A messenger arrived this morning who brought word of an attack on the village of Saldana, just a day from the capitol."

"A day?," asked Belle. She looked up to see that Merlin and Rumple were joining them. "How big is her force?"

"Her army and her monkeys," said Philip.

"I have to do something," said Belle.

"Absolutely not," said Rumplestiltskin.

Belle turned to her father, hoping Merlin would back her up. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, love. You are in no condition to travel. Rumplestiltskin and I will go to the village."

"And who's to watch her?," snapped Rumple.

"She's not defenseless, she can control the ice from here and we will leave Maleficent."

"She also has ears," Belle said tersely.

"I will personally check the palace fortifications before I ride," offered Mulan.

"That will have to do," said Belle.

"I'll go speak to Maleficent," Rumple snarled.

Belle was left alone with Merlin.

"Dear girl..." he began.

"I'm not a girl!," Belle protested. "Can't you see that?"

Belle turned away, resisting the urge to stamp her feet, a quirk that was sure to reveal her as a girl.

"No, I'm afraid I can't see that," said Merlin. "I see the toddler who ran into my arms. I see the infant I held in my arms the day she was born. That is my curse."

"I am not the same as her. I can take care of myself."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "Is that what you think? That your dear mother could not take care of herself? Reinette may not have had magic, but she would have ruled worlds without it. The fact that you are here proves it."

Belle's face grew hot. Merlin never yelled at his daughter, Belle could have yelled back just as loudly and the stars would have gone dark before either stopped. His chastising came in the form of a disapproving look.

"I did not mean to sound disrespectful."

"Of course not, but your condition does remind us of our loss that day."

"As if I could ever forget it," said Belle, closing her arms around her stomach. "I never even knew her."

"I know," said Merlin.

Merlin walked over and kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"Look after yourself and we will look after your people."


Beatrice let Sherlock lead her on a path. The night was clear and cold and the sounds of the banquet got further and further away.

"Sherlock, have I mentioned my brother?," asked Beatrice.

"Baelfire? You did once," said Sherlock.

"What did I say?"

"You said he was lost in the Land Without Magic."

"I didn't mean that." Sherlock eyed Beatrice as she checked around her. "Did I mention we found him in this other life?"

"No."

"I didn't?"

Now it was Sherlock who checked around. "You might have intentionally left it out."

"Intentionally?"

"The Beatrice who was- she would never admit to feeling this way, mind you- but she has spent her whole life living in the shadow of a sibling who might as well be a legend. Her- your father has spent lifetimes looking for him and-"

"And next to that what the hell do I matter?"

"I see it was pointless to tell you how you feel." He paused. "So, in this other life Rumplestiltskin finds his son?"

"Not just that," said Beatrice. "Eva was supposed to have a daughter, Snow White. She had a daughter named Emma and she had a son named Henry. My nephew."

"Baelfire's son."

"Yeah."

"But your life was awful," said Sherlock. "You were maimed, idiotic knights tried to kill you and you were cut off from your father for most of your life."

Beatrice sighed. "Neal- Bae got cut off for three hundred years. How can I complain about fifteen?"

"You're trying to think of a way to turn things back, aren't you?"

Beatrice remained silent.

"You are," Sherlock accused. "Well, allow me to remind you of the relevant facts. You are talented, but you're not a match for the Green Queen, not yet. You don't know the secret to beating her which Merlin is currently searching worlds for."

"I can travel through time, though and that's what I need to do."

He stopped walking, forcing Beatrice to do the same. As she turned back, his eyes shot at her. "And if you die when you get there, everything ends up the same only you're dead. Then we're really in trouble unless you've got some plan for reincarnation."

Beatrice paused. "That seems familiar."

Sherlock rolled his eyes.

"No, really, was there something like that?"

"How should I know? I don't even understand magic, let alone metaphysics."

"Oh, haven't you heard, the explanation for anything magical is 'It's magic.'"

"Did your father tell you that?"

"Just almost every day I've known him." Beatrice looked around. "Where are we walking?"

"I assumed we wanted somewhere far enough from the banquet hall so that we would go unobserved, but not so far that we would be attacked by a horde of Flying Monkeys."

"And what was your plan when we went unobserved?"

"I have no agenda."

"Oh, really?"

"You're not my girlfriend, likewise, I assume you're more attached to my counterpart."

"Actually, I kissed the guy once and Captain Hook showed up, then I got torn through time."

Beatrice turned back and looked out. There was a field with what looked to be round stones in rows and rows.

"We've gone too far," said Sherlock.

"What is this?," asked Beatrice. "Trolls?"

"What? Why would it be trolls?"

"Frozen."

"It's a graveyard."

"A graveyard?" Beatrice looked back. "It's huge and it goes right up to the ice wall."

The southern frontier she and Belle were meant to repair in the morning had to be a mile away, on the edge of what she could see in the night.

"What kind of graveyard does that?"

"A battlefield graveyard."

"What battle?"

"The Battle of Saldana."

"What?," asked Beatrice.

"The battle the day you were born."


In addition to feeling restless, Belle now felt useless.

She was confined to her room while her father and husband went off to to do the real work of defending her kingdom. Worse yet, she wasn't with her people. She had listened to her grandmother's advice and watched her rule carefully. It did the people enormous good to see their princess in battle, sharing in their struggles. Catherine always went to the battle and it had always worked. Now her first real test had come and she wasn't permitted to be a part of it, to let the people know that Princess Belle would not fail them in their hour of need.

Ariel looked up at Belle interrupting her train of self loathing.

"I like the name Beatrice. I don't know what your Rumplestiltskin is thinking of."

"What's it like outside?," asked Belle.

"Oh, you know the usual," said Ariel. "Cold. I don't mind, but what I would give just to lie on the rocks in the sun for an afternoon."

"That sounds nice," said Belle. "I've barely been out of the kingdom."

Ariel smiled. "Just the time you ran away."

Belle rolled her eyes. "Everyone likes to bring that up."

"Well, if you hadn't, you never would have met me."

Belle let out a deep breath and Ariel looked up from her needlepoint.

"I read in my books about all these places, places I was never going to get to go and sometimes I feel like my whole life has been about this..." Belle looked down.

"Oh," said Ariel with wide eyes.

"It's not that I don't want her, I love her," said Belle. "But is that all people will ever remember of me? 'Here lies Belle, the Ice Princess, she bore a daughter.'"

"Of course not," said Ariel. "Your daughter will probably name a library after you."

Belle scowled and Ariel burst out laughing.

"Oh, come on, Belle," said Ariel, "what fun is it if your best friend can't mock your crisis about the meaning of life?"

"Seriously, though," said Belle, "how are the people?"

Ariel shrugged. "They're worried. About you, about the battle. The messengers keep bringing such awful news and the first refugees have begun to arrive."

The door burst open. Maleficent, Tinker Bell and Catherine walked in with Olaf bobbing behind them.

"What is it?," asked Belle, worried about the battle that was surely taking place in Saldana.

Tink pointed at Maleficent. "She keeps changing the colors of the nursery."

Maleficent rolled her eyes. "You're a fairy. You have fairy tastes."

"What does that even mean?"

"Your decorations were positively gauche. We want Zelena to be frightened of the Dark Princess, not of your decorating."

"I still say we should consider green," said Tink.

"What if the baby comes out green? Then she'll clash."

"This is all very contstructive, ladies," said Catherine. "As it has been the past four days. The point was to help Belle, not catch her up on your drama."

"I thought we were going to do violet," said Belle.

"Violet and green? Won't that be a bit much?," asked Maleficent just as Alec and Olaf came in.

Lightning cracked and Belle grabbed her stomach.

"Belle, dear?," asked Alec.

The roll of thunder sounded through the ice palace. The other diners looked up in alarm.

"Thunder here?," asked Tink.

"No," said Belle. "That's me."

"What?," asked Catherine.

"Her, I mean," said Belle, stammering her way through. "Her magic. It's coming out. I don't think I have any control over it."

Lightning again cracked in the air. Belle moaned.

"Belle?," asked Ariel.

Alec and Catherine were already on their feet, headed towards Belle's side.

"I think she's coming," said Belle.

"Of course she is," said Catherine. "Tinker Bell, you fetch the midwife. Maleficent, you ready the wards on the palace. Ariel, send a bird to Saldana. Alec, help me get Belle to her bed."

"What do I do?," asked Olaf.

"Well," said Catherine, glancing over at Alec, "you can provide moral support."

"Moral support?," asked Olaf.

"Yeah," confirmed Catherine, helping Belle to her feet. "Moral support."


Sherlock led Beatrice down to the field. In addition to the markers, there was a library dedicated to the fallen which was close. Sherlock led her to a wall made up of a series of huge white stone edifices.

"These tell the story of the battle," explained Sherlock.

"It's dark," complained Beatrice.

"Then you ought to do something about it."

Beatrice glared, then used her hand to conjure a fireball.

"What happens if you try to do ice at the same time?," he asked.

"I don't know, I've never tried it," said Beatrice.

"See here, the etchings of your father and grandfather," said Sherlock.

Beatrice looked. Rumplestiltskin and Merlin looked decidedly more heroic than they had ever been portrayed in her experience.

"The Green Queen herself came here with a legion and her monkeys," said Sherlock. "They laid waste to the city."

"What city?"

"The one that used to be here," said Sherlock.

"She destroyed a city?"

"Yes and the inhabitants."

"How many?"

"No one knows for certain. Thousands."

"Why did Zelena attack here?"

"Because the tempest had begun."

"The tempest?"

"The one that heralded your birth."


Lightning was a rare occurence in the Far North Kingdom.

As was thunder.

The people watched as it flew across the sky and towards the Ice Palace. The wind blew, snow fell hard.

And Maleficent chased a purple light through the palace.

"There you are!," she snapped, waving her hands to capture the light in a field of magic.

It stood suspended in midair as Olaf wandered up to it.

"It's beautiful..." the snowman said in awe.

"It's a troublesome little pest," said Maleficent, capturing it in a jar she conjured. "A will o'the wisp. They can't be trusted and they certainly can't be allowed around the Dark Princess."

Olaf eyed it as Maleficent put it down on a table.

"Don't touch it, snowman."

"How do you know it's bad?"

"I know these things," said Maleficent. "Don't touch it."

Just then, Leigh, the midwife hurried up the staircase, carrying a bag of supplies.

"About time," said Maleficent.

"Well, excuse me, there's a blizzard out there. Accomodations must be made unless you were planning on delivering the princess yourself," Leigh said cheerfully. "Now make yourself useful, I need clean towels, warm blankets and tea."

"Tea?," asked Maleficent.

"Yes, the weather's a bit bracing or haven't you noticed?"

Leigh breezed into the bedroom.

"Well," she said brightly, "quite a storm out there. Tinker Bell told me our little princess is to blame for it. Quite a way to make an entrance into the world."

Belled gritted her teeth. Ariel mopped at her forehead with a cloth. Catherine sat at her side, holding her hand.

"She's not saying much," said Ariel.

"Not being friendly?," asked Leigh. "Where's our usual cheerful Belle?"

"Get her out," Belle snapped.

"All up to her, I'm afraid," said Leigh. "Let's see where we are, Your Highness."

Belle threw her head back against the pillows as Leigh went to exam.

"You're fully dilated," Leigh announced. "You don't waste any time, do you?"

"What?," asked Belle. "I just went into labor."

"Not according to what I just looked at," said Leigh.

"Or the weather," said Catherine.

"Look on the bright side. You'll be ready to push soon," said Leigh.

"I'm not ready. Rumple's not here!"

"Well, technically speaking he's done his part," said Leigh.


"So, my dad and Merlin came here and fought off the Green Queen," said Beatrice, following the story of the edifices. "So there were two Zelenas at one point. What a fun thought."

"You know, you do this time travel business rather well."

"Well, that's what seeing every episode of New Who ever will do for you." She looked back. "I'm working through the classic series. I made some progress when I was recovering in the hospital."

"You were in the hospital? What for?"

"Oh, when I was in Boston, there was a freak tornado. I had to spend some time in the hospital because they wouldn't let me go to Storybrooke where Dad or Merlin could have fixed me."

"A tornado?"

"I know. Boston, right?" Beatrice went back to the engravings. "Then how did I defeat the Ice Witch?"

"Because she and more monkeys went to the palace. The battle here was a distraction to get Rumplestiltskin and Merlin away. The Ice Witch thought you would be undefended, but if there's one thing you never are, it's undefended."


"Good girl, good girl," said Leigh.

Belle shouted something unintelligible in frustration as she stopped pushing.

"Nearly there, Your Highness," said Leigh. "In your own time, I want you to prepare yourself to push again, only this time I just need two more and you can have your girl."

Maleficent entered. "I've taken care of that troublesome will o'the wisp. No news from Saldana, the weather's making it impossible to send messengers by horse. Tinker Bell ought to be back soon."

"What did you do to it?," asked Catherine.

"It's fine. It's just in a jar. I'll deal with it more permanently later."

"I'm sure this is all very interesting," said Leigh, "but her highness was just about to give birth so let's focus on that. Belle?"

"Have we heard from Rumple?," asked Belle.

"No news yet," reported Maleficent.

"And when he returns, you can show him his new daughter."

Lightning cracked making the candles flicker.

"She seems ready to come out," said Ariel.

Catherine turned back towards her granddaughter. "Come on, darling. You can do this."

Belle looked at Ariel. "Rumple made her a blanket, it's in the nursery. His magic is in it, it can protect her."

"I'll get it," said Ariel, hopping up and hurrying out.

"Belle?," asked Leigh.

Belle nodded and readied herself as she took Catherine's hand. She took a breath and started pushing. The weather outside grew more raucous and they could hear something smack against the window.

"What was that?," asked Belle as she pushed.

"Never mind, keep pushing," instructed Leigh as Maleficent vanished to investigate.

Belle did, shouting as she felt the most awful discomfort and stopped.

"We have the head, Your Highness," said Leigh. "Just once more.'

The lightning cracked again as Belle began the final push. There was a great release followed by the baby's first cry. Leigh wrapped her in a towel and placed her on Belle's chest.

"Hello," Belle wept as she gazed upon her daughter for the first time. "Hi."

The creature squirmed and cried as Belle cried back. She found it hard to fathom that something so wonderful had happened to her. She felt so much pure joy that she didn't know what to do with it.


Olaf walked up to the jar Maleficent had set down. He stared at the purple light.

"Well, I don't see what's so bad about you," said Olaf. "You're kind of cute."

The light shoved up against the edge of the jar facing the snowman.

"You know, you seem kind of familiar," said Olaf. "Have we met before?"

Alec entered. "Olaf, are you talking to a will o'the wisp?"

"It's so glow-y."

Maleficent reappeared. "We have a problem."

"A problem?," asked Alec.

"The Ice Witch is here along with her Flying Monkeys."


"So," said Catherine, "Beatrice."

Belle shook her head. "I want Rumple to be here when we decide for certain."

"Right," said Catherine, "that's one route."

Belle frowned at her grandmother. Before she could ask more, Alec and Maleficent entered.

"Alec," said Catherine. "Come meet our great-granddaughter."

"Nothing would give me greater joy, but I'm afraid it may have to wait," said Alec.

"The Ice Witch has arrived," announced Maleficent.

"She risked coming here?," asked Catherine.

"What does that mean?," asked Belle.

"Ice against ice is unpredictable, the same element battling, it's anyone's game," said Catherine.

"That's what's kept her away all this time," explained Maleficent.

"Can you feel your magic?," asked Catherine.

"No," Belle said in alarm.

"That happens after birth sometimes," said Catherine.

"What do we do?," asked Ariel.

"Get me to Rumple's tower," said Belle. "He has more magic there to protect me."

"You are in no condition to walk," said Leigh.

"I don't have a choice," said Belle.


The others helped Belle into a robe and slippers. Belle bundled the baby up in the blanket Ariel had retrieved. Rumple's tower was a straight shot across the palace and up a staircase.

The walk included Belle's first look out a window in some weeks where she saw the chaos unfolding in the courtyard. The knights Mulan had left were battling an onslaught of Flying Monkeys that was so numerous they threatened to obscure the view entirely.

"Keep moving," Alec instructed. Belle felt her grandfather's palm against her back.

"But-" Belle lost the will to fight her grandfather mid-sentence. She clutched the baby closer and let her grandmother lead her along the corridor.

Olaf bobbed up. He was holding the jar with the will o'the wisp.

"Hey, guys, I don't think this is what you think it is," said Olaf.

"Not now, snowman," Maleficent growled in irritation.

Just then, the window broke open with an invasion of Flying Monkeys. The others pushed Belle into the wall behind them. Alec and Ariel raised their swords and started fighting off the monkeys.

Behind the mass of her protectors, Olaf appeared next to Belle.

"I just think that this could be something important, that there might be a reason this particular will o'the wisp appeared today."

"Olaf, I'm sort of in the middle of something," said Belle. The baby began to cry, not that Belle could blame her.

"Enough of this," said Maleficent.

She stepped forward and off the balcony, taking on her dragon form in midair, swooping at the monkeys as she flew.

"That gives me an idea," said Catherine. "Belle, say I have your permission to temporarily take on the powers of your office."

"What?"

"Now, Belle!"

"I give you permission to temporarily take on the powers of my office!"

The magic in the air snapped to attention. Catherine waved her hand and a giant ice monster took form in the courtyard, swatting at the Flying Monkeys.

"Now let's go," said Alec.

They hurried back down the corridor. Belle felt bereft of Ariel and Alec, glancing back to see them fighting two particularly petulant Flying Monkeys.

"Grandfather!," shouted Belle.

"Get her out of here!," Alec shouted back.

Catherine took Belle's arm.

"Do not get yourself transformed!," Catherine shouted as she hurried away. "I may have fallen in love with a frog, but a Flying Monkey is entirely out of the question!"

"You would love me as a Flying Monkey!," Alec shot back as she swung his sword.

Catherine groaned. "I hate the man because he's right."

Catherine and Belle finally arrived at the staircase to Rumple's tower. Belle looked down to see the baby fussing.

"I know, little one. I know," said Belle.

"Alright, first half hour of motherhood, how do you think it's going?," asked Catherine.

Belle cracked a smile at her grandmother. "Come on," she said, heading towards the staircase.

"You go."

"What? Grandmother..."

"I'm going to ice over the entrance. I don't know if it can stop the Ice Witch, but it will give you a chance. When your husband and father return, their magic ought to be enough to stop her and then I'm going to kill them for lollygagging."

"Grandmother, I don't want to leave you alone," said Belle.

"You don't protect me, I protect you, remember?," asked Catherine.

Belle nodded. "Yes, Grandmother."

Catherine kissed Belle on the cheek.

"I love you and your mother would be so proud of you."

"I love you, too," said Belle as tears began streaming down her cheeks.

"Go now," said Catherine.

Belle turned and hurried up the stairs as fast as she could clutching the baby against her.

Olaf scurried towards Catherine still carrying the jar.

"Okay, seriously, not to be too critical, Catherine, but the Flying Monkeys are getting out of hand."

"Olaf, why are you still carrying that?"

"So, this might sound crazy, but I think this is important."

"Might?"

"I was with Belle when she first saw this. Belle asked who it was and it knocked over a book. The one Belle found Beatrice in?"

"Oh, gods," said Catherine, realizing the implication. She then looked up to see the Ice Witch.

"Hello, Granny," said the Ice Witch.

If Zelena expected to intimidate Catherine, she was mistaken.

"I have never hated an ice thing so much as I hate you."

The Ice Witch waved her hand and Catherine fell to the ground. Olaf watched as she walked into the wall of ice, merging with it and coming out the other side.

Olaf looked at the jar. Left with no option, the snowman opened the jar.

The purple light buzzed up and out of the jar, shattering through the ice wall.


Belle waited in the tower. The sole window had been sealed off so she could only guess at the reality unfolding in the palace and on the grounds below. She heard the roar of Maleficent and Marshmallow's monstrous footfall.

The baby, for one, didn't like any of it and cried without letting up.

"Come on, my love," said Belle. "Quiet, please."

"She's more of a screamer than I expected."

Belle gasped as the Ice Witch entered the workshop. She had never seen her before: there were no eyes, just the outline of where they ought to be and her figure lurched towards her. Clutching the baby, Belle grabbed the nearest potion she could off Rumple's table and tossed it at her.

There was smoke, but it fizzled.

"I suppose you want me to say I'm melting," said the Ice Witch.

The baby cried more.

"Tsk, tsk," said the Ice Witch. "I had her pegged as a more quiet baby, though I suppose she did have her quirks."

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

"Oh, did you not know she and I have met before? In the future, of course. So very pretty, looked just like you except for her father's eyes, of course. Clever, but weak. So paralyzing attachment to her mama and papa, but that's never going to happen, is it?"

Belle looked up as the Ice Witch strode towards her, one halting step after another.

"No, please," said Belle, clutching the baby closer to her. "You can't want to do this. This is madness! She's a baby! She was just born! She hasn't done anything to anyone!"

"Oh, but you're wrong," said the Ice Witch. "She has done plenty to me."

"No," said Belle. "I won't let you hurt her."

"That's alright. I don't need you, either."

Belle looked down at the infant, seemingly unaware of the doom about to befall them.

"It's alright, sweetheart."

Out of nowhere, Belle saw a purple light. The will o'the wisp was flying towards her. Belle watched in stunned silence as the light dissipated into her baby. She might have screamed, but confusion and the general fear of the Ice Witch clouded her brain.

Beatrice's eyes shot open. Something had changed. They were preternaturally focused for a newborn.

The infant wriggled an arm free. She pointed a tiny hand at the Ice Witch.

"No!," shouted the witch. "No! This isn't fair! I did everything right, I-"

The hand made a dismissive wave and a pulse of pure magic shot back at the ice woman, shattering her into thousands of tiny pieces. Belle turned away as it did, covering the baby with her body.

A moment passed. Belle looked back to see the pieces. She looked back down at the baby.

It took her a moment to even feel the breath in her lungs.

"Beatrice," Belle said in shock, "what did you do?"

"Belle!" Rumple's voice rang out to her like the most welcome sound in the world.

"Rumple!," Belle called back, feeling tears streaming down her face. "I'm- we're here!"

Rumplestiltskin came up the turret, breathing in relief at the sight of Belle and a millisecond later, confusion at the pieces of ice scattered across the floor of his workroom. He made his way gingerly. Merlin and the others steps behind Rumplestiltskin as he crouched on the floor next to Belle.

"Belle..." said Merlin. "What did you do?"

Belle shook her head. "I did nothing. It was our daughter."

"Her?," asked Rumplestiltskin. He gazed down in wonder at the infant who stared back up at him with brown eyes. She then reached up and swatted at his nose.

"The will o'the wisp or whatever it was, it went inside her and then..."

Merlin turned to Maleficent. "What will o'the wisp?"

"It appeared in the palace with the storm, I trapped it but the snowman here let it go."

"At the time it seemed to be a good idea-" began Olaf.

"And a damn good thing he did," said Merlin.

"What?," asked Ariel.

Merlin crouched down next to Belle. "Your daughter was the impetus for the Ice Witch's original travels through time. She was scattered through Creation and I believe she just came home."

"Home," said Belle. She looked over at Rumple and smiled. "Our Beatrice came home."

"Yes," agreed Rumplestiltskin. "Our Beatrice."


"Beatrice!," called Sherlock.

"I can't do this! I don't know how you people think I could ever possibly sign off on this!"

"You aren't signing off on anything! You can't change this! It's in the past!"

Beatrice spun around and pointed down the hill at the field of graves.

"That was never supposed to happen! It only happened because I screwed up!"

"You did nothing wrong!"

"Yeah and that's a great comfort to the thousands of dead! I guess it's all okay because I did nothing wrong! You sound like Snow White!"

"What does that even mean?!," he shot back.

Beatrice pointed again. "This. I can change this."

"No, you can't! Not while you have no idea what you're doing!"

"I am doing it! Thousands of people can't die because of me! I can't live with that!"

"No, what you can't live with is your father never seeing his son again and there's nothing you can do about that, either."

"Watch me," she snapped.

Beatrice marched back towards the camp.

Sherlock followed, unwilling to leave her alone.


It was a long journey into morning as the ice palace was cleaned and restored. Belle insisted upon hearing reports of the wounded and what had transpired in Saldana as she held Beatrice. She was finally hustled into bed by her husband, but there was one last thing to be done as the sun rose over the Far North Kingdom.

Belle watched from her bed as Merlin held his granddaughter.

"Well, well, Beatrice, quite a way to make it into the world. That Ice Witch tried to get you, but you certainly showed her, didn't you?"

Belle smiled and shot Rumple a scolding look for his eye-rolling.

"Alright, Beatrice, here it is, love is not a weakness and you ought to know more than anyone. You are the product of an unbroken line of True Love on your mother's side, I won't even start with the absolute wreck on your father's side."

Rumplestiltskin shook his head again.

"You at times may think you don't belong, but you are exactly where you need to be. You don't see the world like others. You are exactly what all of us have been waiting for, beautiful Dark Princess."

He kissed her on the forehead and Rumplestiltskin took the baby from him. Merlin walked over to Belle's bedside and sat next to his daughter.

"Did you give me a speech when I was born?," asked Belle.

"I did as I have all your ancestors."

"What did you say?"

"I said that you were from an unbroken line of True Love, that you were perfect for what you were going to do, that you would fear no beast and no one decides your fate but you and-" The wizard cut himself off.

"What else, Papa?"

"I told you that you would fulfill the promise of your mother's sacrifice." He kissed her on the forehead. "As you have each day since your birth."

Belle felt tears again for about the hundredth time since her daughter's birth. Merlin said good night and left.

"Rumple?," said Belle.

"Try to rest, poppet," he said.

"I think I understand now."

"Understand what?," he asked.

"You're a father before everything else," said Belle.

He turned to look back at her.

"I knew that before, but I understand it now because I'm her mother before everything else," said Belle. "And I am fine with that."

Rumple sat back down and pressed his forehead against hers, Beatrice cradled between them.

"You continue to amaze me," said Rumplestiltskin.

Belle smiled, looking at her daughter. "She amazes me."


Rumplestiltskin waited at the entrance to the barracks.

Beatrice and Sherlock never fooled him with their joint exits. What he did not know, he chose not to know. Belle was all too fond of reminding him that Beatrice needed freedom. Rumplestiltskin figured the semblance of freedom was just as good from Beatrice's perspective.

He expected swollen lips, to see her as lovestruck as she ever got, but he didn't.

Beatrice walked back up furious. That infernal boy was just steps behind.

"Sweetheart?"

She stopped. "Let me say this, the game is changing. I'm not going to hide up here and let people get killed anymore. Okay? I'm going to find a way to stop Zelena and I will fix everything."

"Beatrice-" he began, but she marched off back to her room.

Rumplestiltskin turned his attention to Sherlock.

"What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing."

"She's upset. You said something," he accused.

"Ah, brother, there you are," said Mycroft, hoping to intercede.

Sherlock ignored him, preferring to level his attentions at Rumplestiltskin.

"No, you did it to her," said Sherlock.

"What did I do?"

"You let go of your son."

"Sherlock," Mycroft said urgently.

"You have no right-"

"Every day of her life has been about you fixing your mistake. Forget Princess Eva, you did something, something that changed everything and it will never be enough, will it? Not until she can fix your mistake. That's why you came to the Far North, isn't it?"

Rumplestiltskin stared at Sherlock.

"You understand nothing about children."

Sherlock turned on a cold smile.

"Well, if it ever fits into your plans for me to have any, then I hope that I'm brave enough to give them their own lives."

Sherlock walked away. Mycroft quietly left after him.

Rumplestiltskin was left to look into the night's sky and he didn't have to wonder if the boy's words were true.

He knew it.