Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where I demand to know who is watching Sven. Thank you for the reads and the reviews. Sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone, but there is this matter of working in retail and last week was Black Friday and basically today is my first day off in ten days. On a side note, I am starting another companion story thing which will deal with some stuff from Beatrice's Cursed Storybrooke that I can't fit in here, but I think you might want to read. Yeah. So, please let me know what you think and happy reading!


Then

It was almost Miner's Day for all that meant to Beatrice. She used to look forward to it when she was little, when she didn't realize that time was stopped, when she could just go and enjoy cotton candy and carnival games. It had lost some of its luster and now nearly all since she realized how little she was wanted by anyone in Storybrooke.

She was looking for Henry, though. As crazy as it was, apparently he was right and there was something to that storybook he carried around. He wasn't at the library so that left Granny's.

He was inside having a hot cocoa as he looked at the book. Beatrice sat down and he looked up.

"I want in."

"Want in what?"

"Operation Cobra. Whatever. I just need to see the book."

"You believe me?"

"Okay, granted, my this is like Lost theory didn't work out and neither did my rip in the time space continuum theory, I'm not entirely ruling out secret government experiment, but yeah, the fairy tale thing is real."

Henry closed the book. "I don't think I should let you."

"What? Why?"

"How do I know you're not working for your dad?"

Beatrice shook her head. "Are you kidding me, Henry? No one, no one believes you including Emma. You are really not in a position to refuse people."

"Your dad is the worst of them."

Beatrice felt her face redden. He thought his mom was the Evil Queen and her dad was worse? "Really? Might want to check under your grandpa's grave!"

"Is she bothering you, Henry?"

Beatrice looked up to see Ashley Boyd. Oh good. Another person who hated her.

"No," said Henry.

"We were just talking," added Beatrice.

"Just because your father can intimidate people doesn't mean you can do it to Henry."

"Guys." Emma had joined them. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," said Beatrice, grabbing her bag and getting up. She brushed past a confused Emma and a self-satisfied Ashley. "Absolutely nothing. Why do I even bother?"

Beatrice hurried out of Granny's biting back tears.


Now

The family had made their way out of the woods to see the mob had dispersed and headed back to the pink house with the snowman in tow.

"And this is the television," Beatrice said, motioning to the flat screen in the living room.

"Okay..." said Olaf, staring uncertainly at the black screen. "It's very nice."

"Watch."

Beatrice picked up the remote control and turned the TV on. It was on BBC America.

Olaf gasped in amazement. "It's beautiful! Is it a looking glass?"

"No, it's a television."

There was an explosion on the television.

Olaf gasped again. "What just happened?"

"Oh, this is Top Gear. They were trying to make a space shuttle out of a Reliant Robin."

"You watch Top Gear?," asked Joseph.

"Look, when you start watching this channel they play the same commercials at every break and eventually you have to watch whatever the show they advertise is." She looked up at Joseph. "What do you do with your time?"

"Walk the streets of London, build up my homeless network, visit the local morgue..."

"What's a morgue?," asked Olaf.

"Don't talk about morgues in front of my snowman," Beatrice hissed.

"Beatrice," said Gold.

Beatrice walked back to the doorway to the kitchen.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Is the snowman staying here?"

"Well, yeah."

Gold watched as "You said he was conjured from your memories of the Far North Kingdom?"

"Yeah." Beatrice gasped. "We have to show him Frozen!"

"Where does he sleep?"

"I just realized I don't know if he sleeps. He's snow."

"Beatrice."

"We have bedrooms."

Belle walked over. "Rumple, Neal and Emma are going to be here any moment."

The door opened. Merlin entered, followed by Pamela.

"I don't understand why we couldn't leave the mines when you knew we didn't need fairy dust," said Pamela.

"I sort of figured we were almost done, we really ought to just finish." He turned to see Olaf. "And you are?"

"Merlin!," the snowman cried, bobbing to hug the wizard.

Merlin looked at Gold and Beatrice. "What the hell happened out there?"

The door opened again and Emma knocked.

"Guys, it's unlocked."

"Come on in, Emma."

Emma walked in to see the gathering and the snowman.

"Olaf, this is Emma. Emma, Olaf," said Beatrice.

"You named your snowman Olaf?"

"It's kind of the name he came with."

"Did you want something to drink, Emma?," asked Belle.

I'm okay. Look, I got Moe. We're still rounding up the rest of the knights. It's not like they can get far."

"So you have Moe," said Gold.

Emma eyed him. "Okay. I know that look by now. I'm not going to let you kill him."

"And I still find it interesting that you still think you can stop me."

"Rumple..."

"It must come from your father's side," mused Gold.

The door opened and Neal walked in, immediately noting that Gold and Emma were shooting daggers at each other.

"So how far in are we?," asked Neal.

"Emma's only just arrived," said Belle.

"And it's going great as usual."

Belle motioned towards the other room. "Come on. Let's go to the dining room."

Emma sat at the dinner table. She looked up to see Merlin and Joseph joining them.

"What are they doing here?," asked Emma.

"What am I doing here? What are we discussing?," asked Merlin.

"Regina," said Joseph.

"Why does he know?," asked Neal.

"He actually brought it to us," said Belle. She looked at Joseph. "It's alright if you want to go in the other room."

Joseph glanced at the snowman rejoicing in another exploding car.

"I'm fine here." He turned to the table. "In the course of my investigation, I found myself undercover."

"Undercover?," asked Neal.

"From time to time in the course of criminal investigation, I find it useful to assume a disguise. The nature of my last such undertaking didn't leave much opportunity to do so and so I sought to honemy skills here in Storybrooke-"

Neal looked at his father. "You're seriously letting Bea date this guy?"

Gold shrugged.

"Okay," said Emma. "About your investigation, where is your prisoner?"

"Mulan has him."

"And are you any closer to finding out who the woman in the hospital is?"

"What woman?," asked Merlin.

"The one that came over along with Lestrade and the other items," said Joseph. He turned back to Emma. "I'm sorry. I was slightly distracted by the ice wall and the band of vigilantes attacking my girlfriend."

"Guys, this is really interesting," said Neal, "but is there a point coming?"

"Regina and Henry are working together on something called Operation Mongoose."

"Mongoose?," Emma asked.

"That's what they named it."

Emma and Neal looked at each other.

"Okay, we'll go ask Regina about it," said Neal.

"Oh, yeah, brilliant plan," said Merlin.

"The trouble is the Snow Queen somehow figures into this," said Gold.

"Whoa, you think Regina's working with her? That's a big leap," said Emma.

"The ice around the vault and the ice around the town came from two different people," said Joseph. "Beatrice doesn't remember icing the vault. So unless there's a third ice sorceress in town- well, other than Belle... and her grandmother-"

"Whoa, Belle, you do ice now?," asked Emma. "When did that happen?"

"About two hours ago."

"The point is someone went to a great deal of trouble to erase Beatrice's memory of those events. Why would the Snow Queen want it erased?," Gold added.

"There could easily be another explanation," said Emma. "Regina's changed."

"Yes, her True Love really changed her, didn't he?," said Gold. "Until his wife came back."

"I could easily go back to the convent for some squid ink," offered Merlin.

"What were you doing at the convent?," asked Emma.

"I have my reasons."

Beatrice poked her head in. "Two questions. One, should I order dinner? Two, what about the freaky mirror?"

"What mirror?," asked Belle.

Beatrice looked at her father. "The freaky one."

Gold sighed. "It's powerful dark magic. It makes the beholder believe what is worst about themselves."

"And did you think to mention it?," Merlin asked Gold pointedly.

"I thought about it."

"Okay, so it's a mirror..." said Emma.

"A mirror for a Spell of Shattered Sight," said Pamela. "To make everyone in the town turn on one another."

Emma looked at Beatrice. "And you mentioned dinner first?"

"Yeah..."

"Sorry," said Joseph. "Just a question, is there a book I can get with these things in it? Because you all seem to be on the same page."


Then

Beatrice sat back in the alley. She was deep into the Wicked soundtrack when she turned to the sound of cans rattling. She barely bit back a little scream before she took off her earbuds.

"Toby, sorry, I didn't see you."

The unkempt man continued foraging through the cans. "Hi, Beatrice."

Storybrooke seemed to have more homeless than it ought to. They lived on the edge of town and were usually foraging. Regina had a series of ordinances that made it illegal to camp out in town or beg. Most of the town wanted nothing to do with them which Beatrice knew something about.

Beatrice looked at the foraging.

"You don't have to do that."

Beatrice walked into the diner and to the counter.

"Look who's back," muttered Ashley.

Beatrice tried just looking at Ruby. "Cheeseburger, extra fries, coffee, to go, please."

Ruby nodded and went off.

"Why do you even come here?"

Beatrice shifted her weight, trying not to make eye contact with Ashley.

"You just go around and nobody dares to touch you because of your father."

"I'm just trying to order a cheeseburger."

"You don't scare me."

"Maybe I should."

Ashley scoffed.

"No, really, think about it. I should. My dad may be a jerk and I don't even know what else which is a whole other story, but he loves me. He would do anything for me and he owns the whole town. Why do you think it's a good idea to sit here and mock me?"

Ashley was speechless. The whole diner, Emma and Henry included, stared at her. Ruby handed her the bag and the coffee. Beatrice put cash down.

Beatrice went back out to the alley. Toby waited eagerly. In a moment though, his countenance changed, his eyes widened and he bolted before he even got the bag.

"Toby, hey. What?"

Beatrice spun around to see Emma had followed her.

"Who was that?," Emma asked.

"He's just this guy I get food for sometimes so he doesn't have to dig through the dumpster."

Emma frowned. "Does your dad know?"

Beatrice scowled. "I'm going."

"Beatrice!," Emma called after her.


Now

Olaf gasped again.

"Finally! Pancakes!"

The snowman took a huge sniff of the plate as Gold placed it in front of Beatrice.

"They smell delicious!," said Olaf. He looked up at Gold. "I would eat them but I don't have a stomach. Or a gastrointestinal tract."

Gold looked to Belle for help. She unsuccessfully tried to stifle her giggle.

"Are we really doing this?," asked Gold.

"Rumple..."

"What happens when she's at school?"

"I figured he'd watch TV," said Beatrice.

"Olaf can come with me," Belle offered brightly. She looked to the snowman. "You can come to the library."


Joseph walked out to the merry men's camp. The one called Little John pointed his crossbow at him. Joseph froze.

"Stop!"

Joseph rolled his eyes. "Even if I thought you could actually hit me, I don't have anything for you to steal. Marian?"

The woman appeared from the camp, Roland trailing behind her.

"Hello, Sherlock. Little John, what do you think you're doing?"

"He looks rich."

"Go get the firewood." Marian turned to Joseph. "Sherlock, what brings you out here?"

"Is Robin here?"

"No, I think he went hunting."

Joseph nodded and glanced at Roland. "Could we talk?"

Marian nodded. "Roland, why don't you go help Little John?"

Roland nodded and hurried off.

Marian looked back at Joseph. "You know, I think I remember you from our land. You have a brother who really likes cake, don't you?"

"That would be Mycroft. Or 'Mike' as he's called here."

"How can I help?"

"I need some surveillance done and it seems that my options are somewhat limited in regards to this particular target. Everyone's either afraid of her or doesn't possess the skill set I need."

Marian frowned. "Regina."

"That's right."

"I am trying to work things out with my husband. Stalking his- whatever she is, doesn't seem like the best foundation for that."

"Regina's working with the Snow Queen."

Marian's eyes widened. "How could she get away with that?"

"I'm working it out. It has something to do with Beatrice and I will not fail her."

"I don't have anybody to watch Roland. Don't get me wrong, the merry men are very well-intentioned but..."

Joseph watched as Little John walked into a tree branch.

"He was a flying monkey two weeks ago," remarked Joseph. "If it's of any consequence, I've talked to Beatrice's nanny-"

"She still has a nanny?"

"I don't know, anyway, if you would like, Pamela says she can look after Roland."

"At the Dark One's house?"

"He doesn't mind children, it's people that he can't stand. I can't say that I disagree, really."

Marian nodded. "Alright. I'll help you."


Then

Every time Beatrice went to the convent she had to fight the feeling that the nuns were just waiting to throw holy water on her. Today was no different even as it was a flurry of activity for Miner's Day.

Sister Astrid was different. Beatrice helped with the homeless outreach work- actually, she was just about the only one to help out- and basically ran the food drive. She found the nun alone in one of the Sunday School classrooms with a whole lot of helium tanks.

She eyed the nun. "How many balloons were you planning on?"

"I made a mistake," said Astrid. "I was supposed to order twelve, I ordered twelve dozen."

"Well, at least you're set on helium..."

"I spent the whole stipend, we'll be-" Astrid shook her head.

"What?"

"I shouldn't bring it up to you."

Beatrice paused.

"You don't have the money for the rent."

"It's fine," Astride said quickly. "Leroy and Mary Margaret are selling candles. We'll find a way... or be forced into leaving town. Whatever it is, I'm sure God has a plan. What brings you here?"

"Oh," said Beatrice. She put the bag of groceries on the table. "I saw Toby today but he got scared off before I could give him anything so I was wondering if you could give this when you see him at the soup kitchen?"

"Of course I can."

"Miss Gold."

Beatrice turned around to see Mother Superior.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was just leaving," said Beatrice.

"Good."


Now

Olaf was a big hit with the preschool group that came to the library in the mornings. Lunch rolled around and Belle took him with her to the pawn shop, much to her husband's consternation. Mr. Gold's shop had many wonderful things and the snowman seemed determined that none of them would pass him by.

"Don't touch that," Gold warned.

"It's so shiny..." Olaf said, staring at the case of jewels his hands pressed against the glass.

Gold looked at Belle. "Now he's scratching the case."

"What do you suppose they're going to do about Regina?," asked Belle.

Gold snorted. "What can they do?"

"I know she's Henry's mother-"

"You tend to give her a lot of credit on that count."

Belle frowned at him. "Whatever she may do, I know she loves her son and I know you understand that, but we have to worry about Beatrice. We need to find out what she is planning with the Snow Queen."

"It seems as if we won't have to wait," said Gold.

"Why?," Belle asked warily.

Gold just kept his quiet smirk. A quick glance behind her confirmed Regina was heading towards them. The bell on the shop door rang out as she strode in.

"I want my vault back," she said. She gave the snowman a double take. "What the hell's that?"

"Regina, this is Olaf," said Gold, seeming pleased that the creature irked her.

"I like warm hugs," the snowman said.

She sneered.

"Don't get your hopes up, dearie," Gold cautioned, eyes still on Regina.

"I want my vault back. Now maybe she didn't freeze in the whole town, but I hear Beatrice definitely froze my vault and my patience has worn thin."

"Is that so?," asked Gold.

"You know what I mean," said Regina. "How can I help with this Snow Queen if I can't even get to my vault?"

Belle scoffed. "You seriously expect us to believe that's what you're after?"

Regina shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what. You've been working with the Snow Queen."

"That's insane. Why would I be working with the Snow Queen?"

"Honestly? I don't care," said Belle. "What I do care about is my daughter. We made a deal back in our land-"

"A deal you tried to double cross me on," Regina bit back.

Belle stood a little closer. "You got what you wanted from that deal, didn't you? The way to cast your curse, your revenge."

"Yes and that curse was broken thanks in no small part to your own machinations," Regina said casting a glare at Gold. "Once that was done, I no longer needed to uphold our deal."

"Regardless of any deal, dearie, should anything happen to Beatrice, I will hold you responsible."

"Try me," said Regina.

"Gladly."

Regina turned and stalked out.

"Bye, Regina!," called Olaf.

"And keep Frosty the hell away!," shouted Regina.

"My name's Olaf!," the snowman called after. "It's O-L-"

Regina slammed the shop door.

Olaf looked up at Belle and Gold.

"So... she seems..."

"Insane?," Gold offered.

"Totally," said Olaf.

"You know, you may not be as irritating as I initially thought."

"Thanks."

Gold turned to Belle. "I think there's another way to go about this."

"And that is?"

"We should speak to your grandmother."


Then

Gold put down the rack of lamb in front of Beatrice. It was the latest in her father going through a list of her favorite recipes since she found out he had trained a witch with a room full of hearts. Things were just not great between them.

He started. "How was your day, sweetheart?"

"Fine."

Belle looked to Gold and back to her.

She knew she was lying.

"Sheriff Swan came to see me at the library. She mentioned there was some unpleasantness with Ashley."

"Oh, yeah, that was fine."

"Was it really?," asked Gold.

"Yeah, fine."

Beatrice looked down to her plate as she avoided eye contact with her parents.

"Are those candles new?," asked Gold.

Belle nodded. "Yes."

Gold paused and closed his eyes. "Tell me you didn't."

"What was I supposed to do? She's my oldest friend."

"Not buy them," he said tightly.

"She and Leroy had been out all day, no one had bought one, everyone's turned on her because they think she's an adulteress which you know isn't true."

Gold looked up at her questioningly.

"Well, not technically."

"You could give them an extension," Beatrice suggested.

Gold turned to Beatrice. She knew immediately that this had been the wrong strategy.

He seemed to turn towards her in slow motion. "I could do what?," he practically snarled.

"Well, it's just someone was explaining to me that the nuns just need an extension on the rent until their next stipend check comes in."

"Who put you up to this?," asked Gold.

"No one."

Belle put her hand over Gold's wrist. "She doesn't mean anything by it-"

He moved his wrist, shaking off Belle's hand in the process. "Which one of those interfering cows was it? Was it Sister Astrid?"

"What would it hurt?," asked Beatrice.

"Do not presume to tell me what my business is."

"I was just asking."

"And since you're just asking they can all rot and die in the street before I lift a finger to help them."

"Rumple, stop," said Belle.

He didn't. He stared right at Beatrice. "Have I ever asked anything of you? Have you ever wanted for anything? Why is that not enough?"

"I'm sorry-" Beatrice stammered, desperately glancing to Belle.

"All I ask is that you stay out of things that you know absolutely nothing about!"

"Rumple. Other room. Now," said Belle, standing up. He didn't immediately follow. "Now!"

He finally stood, glaring at Beatrice as he sourly followed Belle to the library.

She turned to Gold. "You are acting disgracefully."

"You heard her. She sided with them against her own father."

"Sided? What sides? There are no sides for her! She doesn't know who they are or what you blame them for!"

"She has no right to interfere in my business!"

"Well, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize your business here in Storybrooke was so fragile that a fifteen year old asking for a rent extension would cause it to collapse!"

"And now you're siding with her."

"You're pushing her away. Why?"

"I am doing no such thing. She is."

"She's the age he was when you lost him."

Gold stopped and looked up at her.

"You can't tell me there's no significance to that."

"You don't know him."

"Neither does she. We need to talk to her, to tell her, to help her understand. You need to apologize. Don't you see this secret is driving a wedge between you two?"

"Tell her whatever you like," he snapped.

Belle shook her head.

"You need to think about the path you're taking and decide if you're willing to lose one child to reclaim another."

"I am not losing her."

"Yes, you are and you need to remember I will always choose her."


Now

"Catherine!"

Belle's grandmother made it a habit not to be shocked. In the case of Olaf appearing at the door with Belle and Gold she had to make an exception.

"Olaf?"

Belle motioned downwards. "Beatrice conjured him."

"Isn't this great?! It's like we're all back together!," Olaf said. "Where's Alec?"

"Why don't we go in?," suggested Gold.

They walked into the house. Catherine's living room in her Storybrooke house was very reminiscent of her sitting room back in the cottage. Books, chairs, tea. Her wedding portrait was one of the items Gold had managed to transport with other treasures during the Curse and had stayed wrapped in the backroom of the pawnshop until it broke.

Catherine sat.

"I don't get it, guys," said Olaf. "Where's Alec?"

"I lost him, Olaf," said Catherine. "Many years ago."

Belle reached across the chairs to hold her grandmother's hand.

"I suspect you didn't come here for that, though," said Catherine.

"I'm afraid not," said Gold. "The Snow Queen lured Beatrice to her outpost in the forest. Whatever it is she's planning, she wants her."

"Grandmother, you said our families were connected somehow," said Belle.

"Our connection is distant but potent. As I have said before, we were the only families with ice magic in the realm."

"And do you know the Snow Queen?"

"Arendelle was different from the Far North Kingdom. They didn't embrace our magic." Catherine scoffed. "My aunt visited once. She said if you wanted any magic done there you had to go to rock trolls. Can you imagine? Why would I want to go to rock trolls for advice?"

"Grandmother..."

"Did you know her?"

"I met her twice, with her sisters once..."

"Her sisters?," asked Belle. She looked to Gold and back. "What sisters? Maybe we could find them."

"Both deceased. Helga by ice. Gerda in a shipwreck. I wasn't a fan of hers."

"And why is that?," asked Gold.

"Because she told me to stay out of her kingdom and then came begging for my counsel," said Catherine. "I take it you can sympathize?"

Gold nodded.

"About what?," asked Belle.

"Her daughter was born with ice powers. She wanted to rid her of them."

Belle shook her head. "I still don't understand what this has to do with Beatrice."

Catherine looked at Belle's wrist. "I think I do."

Belle looked down to see a yellow ribbon.

"I didn't put this on." She looked over at her husband. "I've never even seen it before."

Gold rose from his chair to examine it.

"It's some sort of talisman..." he mused.

"And it just appears?," asked Belle.

"I've seen this before," said Catherine. "They were worn by Ingrid and her sisters. You might try calling Beatrice."


Now

Things did not improve with sleep and today Beatrice found that her dad wasn't even making breakfast. Pamela fixed eggs and gave her some fruit, but it wasn't the same. She went to school, distracted and then hid herself in the library.

"I found your story."

Beatrice looked up to see Henry. "You what?"

"Your story. In the book. Do you want to see it?"

Before Beatrice could answer, Henry sat down. He opened the page to gilded letters.

"The Dark Princess," she read.

"See, Beauty and the Beast are in love, but they don't know they're going to have a baby. That's you."

"Good to know..."

He flipped to an illustration. It featured two people who looked like somewhat like her parents, though she wondered why the paint was so off on her dad. Seriously, who was illustrating this? Well, he wasn't hairy. That was something. They stood in a huge imposing room across from a man shown mostly in shadow.

"This guy comes. He and his friends help Snow White and Prince Charming in another story. He's called the Master."

"Oh, hell no..." said Beatrice.

Henry looked up at her. "What?"

"Is he plagued by the sound of drums? You know..." Beatrice tried to demonstrate by tapping on the table four times in quick succession.

"The book doesn't say." He tells them that they have to save their baby from a terrible curse."

"The Dark Curse?"

"No, it looks like a different one. I don't see him anywhere else in the book and I haven't seen anyone in town with a weird hat."

Beatrice eyed it closer. "It's a deerstalker."

"A what?"

"It's not important. What else?"

He flipped the pages, more text. Some illustrations with an angry-looking fairy and a big storm. Then there was a full-page picture of mostly looking like Belle holding a baby and weird colored Gold sitting next to her, looking on.

"What else?," asked Beatrice.

Henry closed the book. "You're not ready yet."

"I'm not ready?"

Henry got up. "I'll tell you more when I can. Cobra stuff."

"What?"

"Bye!"

Before Beatrice could come up with an argument, Henry was gone. She looked back down before she would have been able to see him meeting with the motorcycle riding writer who had recently come to town.