Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where well, I guess I'm only getting jossed on Camelot. Anyway, I am really sorry that it's been so long. I got caught up in RCIJ and started marathon training and have just been really busy. I'm going to try to do better. Thank you all for your reads and reviews, I do look at them and sometimes they help me. Anyway, please let me know what you think and happy reading!
About Two Months Ago...
In The Future...
Oswin growled as the alarm clock went off, playing an Idina Menzel track.
"How?," she asked, turning to the object and accusing it. "You're from thirty years ago! How do you still work?!"
"Arguing with the clock again," Reinette remarked as she entered. "That's progress I suppose."
Since Oswin returned to Storybrooke, she had chosen to take up residence in her grandparents' house and specifically, her mother's old room. The house was big enough and the Golds revered their daughter enough to have never changed it, down to the alarm clock. When she and Reinette were growing up, it was a source of amusement to explore their mother's old things, but now it was just a reminder for Oswin that she was home despite trying very hard not to be.
Oswin groaned and fumbled as she turned off the alarm clock.
"Don't you have a shop to run?," she accused.
"It's Monday. We're closed on Monday."
"You were closed all last week."
"Only because we had to beat back the leprechaun invasion." Reinette sat down in the plush armchair and absentmindedly picked up a book. "Are you actually reading this? The Dark Princess Begins?"
"The prose is crap. The characterization sucks and the author is way too dependent on cheap plot twists."
"Okay then... So, let's go do something."
"Did Rory send you in here?"
"You can't just hide in this bedroom the rest of your life."
"Why not? Look at me. I'm back. I'm a failure."
"Oh, so staying in Storybrooke makes you a failure now."
"Reinette, I wasn't saying you were-"
"Are you sure? Because that's what it sounds like."
Oswin turned away from her sister.
"We're not like other people," Reinette declared calmly. "I don't know why there would be any satisfaction in living a life like other people do, just one random event after another."
"That's just it, though, I was satisfied. Now he's gone and I don't know what I'm doing anymore. He's-"
She stopped mid-sentence.
"Oswin?," Reinette asked.
Slowly, she turned. Reinette was taken aback by the sudden look of ferocious determination in her face.
"What are you-"
"Except he's not gone. No one's ever gone."
"Not to put this too lightly, but you said he got shot... in the head..."
"Death is just another realm."
"Oh, no. Whatever you're thinking, just no."
Oswin stood up. "I've got some realm jumping to do."
Now
Belle poured her third cup of tea as Beatrice finished her breakfast. The morning had gotten off to a rough start and they hadn't spoken much, not from any malice, just exhaustion on both their parts.
Beatrice finally broke through the silence. "So, are you going to be at the library all day?"
Belle turned back towards the bar where her daughter sat carrying her tea cup. "Well, I had planned that, but I can change my plans. Do you need something?"
Beatrice's eyes widened. "No, I was just asking..."
"If you need to talk about something or-"
"I'm good, Mom."
Belle frowned as she sat down across from her at the table. "I just don't feel like we're spending a lot of time together lately."
"Um, we live in the same house, you drag me running almost every morning, well, not this morning..."
"I know. I'm sorry, I didn't feel well, but, Beatrice, you froze an asylum without mentioning it. I just think we should make time to talk. We haven't even discussed how things are with Joseph since he returned to Storybrooke."
"There's nothing happening with Joseph," she said defensively.
"I didn't say that..." Belle smiled. "It's just that he's moved to Storybrooke. He obviously wants a life with you. How do you feel about that?"
Beatrice froze and lowered her coffee mug. Belle looked at her in concern.
"Beatrice?"
"I'm good. I just have to go." She picked up her bag.
"Sweetheart, I didn't mean to make it sound like-"
"No, I just have to go."
"Okay. We will talk later?"
"Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure thing."
"Beatrice."
She stopped in her tracks. Belle held out her arms as her daughter obediently came back for a squeeze and a kiss.
"I love you."
"Love you, too."
"You're insane."
"Hi, John."
Beatrice stepped inside the apartment. John let the door slam behind her.
"He drugged them. Did you mean for him to drug them?"
Beatrice shrugged. "I assumed he would do something."
Joseph descended the stairs from the loft. "John rather disapproves of the plan as you may have surmised."
His brother was undeterred by any commentary. "Then he got into a fight with Captain bloody Hook, thanks for the help by the way."
"The situation was well in hand."
"Yeah, how did that go?," asked Beatrice.
"Louise brewed a potion and Jenna poured rum over him. It worked out rather nicely."
Beatrice looked at him questioningly. "Louise brews potions?"
"Yeah, they do... stuff." Joseph walked back to the counter. He looked at John questioningly. "Where did you get your tea from?"
"I made it," John said sharply.
"Just for you?"
"Is that why you think I'm here? To make your tea?"
Joseph motioned at Beatrice. "Well, she's certainly not."
Scowling, John began to fix a cup. Joseph turned back to Beatrice.
"I assume the next phase is resurrecting Maleficent?"
"Yes, one problem."
"Only one?"
"My mom works there, she's bound to notice us going to the basement."
"So, you distract her. I'll go."
"Ursula and Cruella are expecting to be there."
"I can handle them."
Beatrice shook her head. "You don't have magic. I'm not leaving you alone with them."
"I thought you were working with them," John interjected.
"It doesn't mean I trust them. There are things they're still not telling me."
"Or they could be lying about the whole thing," said Joseph.
"No, I think that's actually true," said Beatrice. "Besides, if they are lying about Maleficent's child, the resurrection spell won't work and then I just have to figure out how to get them out of town without anyone knowing."
"Let them know."
"What?"
"Expose your choice of Cruella or Ursula. Mary Margaret and David know that they are the only two people who know what they did. They'll be heavily invested in capturing whomever you choose leading to the usual town wide panic in which your mother will undoubtedly become heavily engaged, taking her away from the library this evening."
Jenna approached. "Sorry, are you creating a massive distraction?"
"Yes, I believe I am."
"So, like are you guys just living here now?," asked Beatrice.
"Uh, no, not exactly," Jenna answered as Louise stood next to her. "Just finding our way back to our realm."
"How?"
"We're still working on that."
"We should go create a panic," said Joseph.
"Right and I just finished your tea," John said pointedly.
"Well, if we don't see you later..." said Louise, "we'll see you later?"
"Oh," Joseph frowned. "Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Well, I suppose I will see you later then."
Beatrice frowned as Joseph led her out of the apartment.
"What's the deal with those two? You said they had magic. What realm are they even from?"
Then...
Oswin entered the pawn shop.
"Of course he's not here," said Reinette, closing the door behind them. "The only person who could talk some sense into you and he's not here."
"I'm sure he's off scaring people somewhere." Oswin turned to the bookshelf and worked her way through the volumes. "Ah, here it is, Hades."
"I'm not crossing the River Styx."
"Death is more complicated than that."
"No, it's not. It seems really simple."
Oswin flipped the pages and ignored her sister.
"Oswin. Oswin, are you listening?"
She turned her head up, her eyes full of fury.
"I am done listening. I have been laying around here, doing nothing. I have lost the man I love, he is gone! If there is a way to get him back, I am going to do it!"
Reinette sighed and placed her car keys on the counter.
"What's the spell?"
Oswin turned the page and showed her sister the book.
"I had better not regret this..."
They joined hands and closed their eyes, summoning the spell to find those lost. Magic whirled around them and suddenly it felt as if they were being pulled against their will.
They came to in a room with stone floors and used the wall to pull themselves up.
"Don't say it," said Oswin.
"I didn't say anything."
"Yeah, but you were thinking it."
"I wasn't thinking anything, either!"
"Don't say anything. I feel bad enough already."
"Why would you assume I am going to blame you?"
It was then that Oswin noticed her great-great grandfather sitting across the room from them.
"Oh my God," said Reinette.
Alec coughed. "Ladies, forgive me, I'll be with you in a moment."
"We're fine," Oswin said quickly. "Take all the time you need..."
Now
"Neal's running late," Emma announced.
Regina rolled her eyes. "Is he going to pick up his father, too? Why not have Belle along? Let's see if we can get anything done in between those two playing footsie and your mother cutting your father's meat."
Mary Margaret looked down to see that yes, she was indeed cutting David's meatloaf. She put her hands up and looked to them at the neighboring table.
"David and I just came for a nice baby free lunch. We didn't know you would be here discussing your co-parenting." She paused. "But if you would like to include us, we think it's kind of weird that Henry's dating Paige after you and Jefferson dated."
Emma shot her mother a glare.
"Also, the kidnapping thing," David added.
"Henry's dating?," Regina snarled. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
The diner patrons looked at her in concern.
"You were on your Author quest, you tried to kill Beatrice's boyfriend-"
"It was unintentional!" She crossed her arms. "So, I suppose you and Neal have been running the show? That's just great."
"Regina, they're fifteen. Okay?"
"Oh, forgive me. I forgot who I was talking to. They ought to be off robbing liquor stores by now!"
"I never robbed a liquor store!"
The door to the diner opened.
"Hello, darlings..."
Emma's eyes widened. Regina turned slowly to face the doorway where Ursula and Cruella stood smiling.
"Did you miss us?"
"Is that..."
"Cruella and the sea bitch."
Mary Margaret exchanged a look of pure terror with David as the women approached.
"Now, now," Ursula tsked, "is that any way to treat us? We've only just arrived."
"How did you find Storybrooke?," asked David.
"Google," Cruella answered. "Regina spoke so highly of it and her redemption that we just had to see what the fuss was all about."
"We heard it was a special place..." Ursula added. "Where villains can find a new path."
"What do you want?," snapped Regina.
Cruella looked at Ursula and then turned back to Regina with a shrug.
"Well, if we told you, darling, what would be the fun in that?"
"Don't worry. We'll let you know," said Ursula, looking pointedly at David and Mary Margaret.
Beatrice watched the diner from her car. Ursula and Cruella departed as planned with the Panther screeching off at a very unsafe speed, nearly knocking over two dwarves. Joseph sat in the passenger seat.
"Who's the father?," asked Joseph.
"What?" She turned to face him.
"Of Maleficent's child. It stands to reason there is a father, as far as I recall dragons don't reproduce asexually."
"Donkey from Shrek. How should I know?"
"It was just a question." He paused. "I thought it was just Disney characters."
"You're Sherlock Holmes."
"The Great Mouse Detective?"
Beatrice turned back. "Did you seriously just reference The Great Mouse Detective? In reference to yourself?"
"The mouse lives in Sherlock Holmes' flat."
"The mouse is stalking you?"
Finally, Mary Margaret, David, Emma and Regina emerged.
"Okay and now here's where we go to the library and go 'Oh, no, Belle, there's a new villain in town. Will you help us because we can't read and can your husband help us because he's the only one who knows what to do?'"
They didn't walk to the library, though.
"So, now they go straight to the pawn shop..."
Then that didn't happen. Perplexed, Beatrice looked to her boyfriend as the Charmings drove off.
"Okay, Joseph, no offense, but this plan isn't working."
"Yes, I had noticed that..."
"Why wouldn't they go running to my parents?"
"Obviously, there's something they don't want your parents to know."
"There's something they don't want the whole town to know, but they don't have to tell them that to get my dad's help. They're obviously not telling Emma. It's not like my dad hasn't bargained with the..."
"Morally bankrupt?," Joseph offered.
"Yeah. Them." She sighed. "So, any ideas for what we do now?"
"I think we have to wait."
Jenna sighed and turned to Louise. They had been standing in the alley by the hardware store for some time, unsuccessfully waiting for the pawn shop to be empty.
"Surprise, surprise, no one went to Grandpa."
"It's hard watching this when you know all the plot twists already."
"And we're just stuck here, waiting for him to leave... Come on, rent day..."
The door opened to the pawn shop. Gold looked around as he locked the door. He walked down the street and stopped in front of Beatrice's car.
"Okay, he's their problem now," said Jenna, rushing to the shop door.
Beatrice rolled down her window.
"Hi, Dad."
"What are you doing?"
Beatrice shrugged. "Just hanging out."
"Hanging out?"
"Well, we were going to go to Granny's but you know, I froze a lot of things yesterday."
"And I don't like people in general," Joseph added.
"So you intend to just sit in the car?"
"Um, yeah, I guess."
Gold sighed. "I know you're an adult, but I won't have you camping in your car like some... vagrant. Go home, go inside, go to Starbucks..."
"Okay," said Beatrice.
"We have a reputation, sweetheart. You understand."
"I guess we will go to Starbucks."
Gold nodded, then looked at Joseph. "And truly, I expect more from you."
He waved them off as Beatrice drove away.
"What does that mean?," Joseph asked.
"I have no idea."
It was then that Gold felt a strange snap of magic coming from his shop.
"Did you really think it would be that easy?"
Jenna and Louise stirred awake to the sight of their grandfather looming over them, the snarl already formed in his face.
"I wouldn't call it that easy..." said Jenna.
He held Beatrice's blue box in his hand. "And I suppose this is what you're after? The only known time travel spell in existence."
"Zelena," Louise argued.
Gold turned sharply towards her. "Yes, but she was dead, dearie. Traveling back in time doesn't do you much good at all if you aren't there for it. That would make Beatrice the most powerful sorceress in all the realms... what makes you think you know how to handle this?"
Jenna and Louise exchanged looks. Gold backed away as they stood.
"So, there's no easy way to say this so we'll just come out with it..."
Gold stared at them.
"We're your grandchildren from the future," Jenna spat out.
"Yeah, that really wasn't the easy way..."
"Shut up," she snapped back at her twin.
He narrowed his eyes at them. "Granted, you do seem to share some passing traits with Beatrice..."
"Passing? Really?" Jenna scoffed. "My whole life people have been saying I look like her. I even ended up short and you say passing."
"But that could just be a glamour..."
"Here, I have this," said Louise, stepping forward as she pulled the blue cuff with a gold bee from her jacket pocket.
"How did you get that? You stole it."
"No, check wherever you have it."
Gold opened his safe, glancing over his shoulder as he did. A few moments later he turned back to them.
"We couldn't have gotten in the shop without blood magic, I'm betting you put that spell on the safe after Uncle Neal stole the magic beans," said Jenna.
"Which would have been nice of you to tell people," Louise added.
"And we only got swept up in Gormlaith's spell because she was looking for things that had to do with you."
"You'll have to do better, dearie."
Jenna stepped closer. "You told me once how when my mother was born you didn't sleep. You just went to her nursery and stared at her, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath, afraid that it wouldn't. You were afraid that a god or someone would come rip her away as punishment for letting your son go, that they knew for sure you didn't deserve to be a father again."
Gold stared at her in shock.
"You never told me that," said Louise.
"No, he never told anyone that," said Jenna. "Not even Grandma."
"And why would I tell you that?"
Jenna smiled. "Because my daughter had just been born and you were trying to make me feel normal, I think."
Gold stepped back. "I need a moment."
"Yeah, but this isn't quite as bad as finding out you were Henry's grandfather, is it?," asked Louise. She leaned on the counter. "Because I've heard about ten different versions of that story and it never gets boring."
"So, you two are..."
"From the future?"
"Why does this keep happening?," Gold muttered.
He pulled a stool up to the counter.
"First your mother, now you..." He turned sharply. "Does she know?"
"No," answered Louise.
"Ah. Good." He took another breath. "And I suppose Joseph..."
"Yeah, that came out," said Jenna. She moved closer to Gold. "And actually, that's something I need your help with."
"Oh? Only that?"
"My daughter's father..." Jenna considered how she was going to phrase it. "Well, he's somebody I think my dad will be very invested in my never meeting."
"And why is that?," Gold asked.
She eyed him. "Do you really want to know? You'll just be upset, too." She sighed. "Whatever he was, he's the reason my daughter exists. You of all people can understand that."
"Yes," Gold agreed.
Jenna hugged him. "Thank you."
"And thank you for keeping us alive probably," said Louise as she gave another hug.
Gold was skeptical. "Alright..."
Louise broke the hug and Gold stood with the cube in his hand.
"Do you know how to handle this?," he asked.
"Of course we do."
Gold gingerly handed the box to Jenna.
"Just..." Jenna looked up at Gold as he awaited her response. "Look after her, would you? I mean, I know you will, but meeting your parents when they have no idea who you are, it's..."
"I'll take care of her," Gold promised.
Jenna nodded and took the cube in hand. She looked at Louise and took her hand. A close of her eyes later and the cube rattled to the floor of the shop.
Gold picked it up, dusted it off and put it back into the safe.
He heard a knock at the door. "Rumple?"
A flick of his wrist unlocked the door and Belle entered. She looked at him curiously.
"Why was the shop locked?"
"You mean because you weren't even in here?"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, so that's how you want to play it, Mr. Gold?"
He kissed her hand. "What if I said I could tell you later?"
She sighed. "It's nothing I need to know?"
"Nothing you need to know yet."
"I suppose I'll have to settle for that."
"Let's get dinner," Gold suggested. "We should see if Beatrice wants to join us."
"Finally," said Merlin.
Pamela didn't turn, knowing that the sorcerer was standing behind her.
"I told you. It was complicated." She turned. "He's not there."
"Regina said she spoke with him. She has her bouts of cleverness, but she's not that clever."
"Gone and so is Cruella."
His eyes narrowed. "Where would she have gone?"
"The Ministry doesn't know. She left the country and that was enough for Jeeves."
"Did Jeeves ever mention how she got to this realm?"
Pamela sighed and pulled a file folder from her carpet bag. "I knew you would want to know."
Merlin opened it.
"Thirty-three years? She hasn't aged."
"The details are scarce." Pamela crossed her arms. "She could just be on holiday for all we know."
"Oh, of course, she just went on holiday after finding the girl who can give villains happy endings. I'm so sure."
"Where is Beatrice?," she asked. "Olaf had to let me in."
Merlin shrugged. "Probably freezing something."
Beatrice, Joseph, Cruella and Ursula awkwardly rode the elevator down to Maleficent's vault. Beatrice's phone rang. She picked it up and looked at Joseph.
"That would be my mom..."
"Do you want me to-"
"No." She took a breath and answered it. "Hey, Mom."
"Hi, sweetheart. Dad and I were just about to go have dinner and wanted to know if you wanted to come."
"Actually, Joseph and I just ate."
Behind her, Cruella and Ursula rolled their eyes.
"Okay," Belle said. "Well, call us if you decide to stay out late, okay?"
"Okay, Mom."
"I love you."
"Love you, too."
Beatrice hung up as Cruella laughed.
"Do either of you actually have mothers?," asked Beatrice.
"Well, it was a complicated relationship..." Cruella admitted.
The door opened. Beatrice turned back to them.
"Lay off mine," she warned.
Ursula nodded. "Got it."
They stepped out into the vault.
"Well, Regina did have a cruel streak about her," Cruella remarked.
Joseph took the vials of blood out of his coat pocket. He handed them to Beatrice. She took them to the pile of ashes before her and pulled off the tops, pouring them out onto the ground.
It seemed for a moment that nothing was going to happen.
Then the air began to crack and swirl. The ashes lifted from the ground and twisted until they formed the huge purple tinted dragon that Beatrice had last seen in this vault the night before the Curse broke. She breathed fire and a plume of purple smoke turned into Maleficent.
"Welcome back, darling," said Cruella.
"Thank you." She turned to Beatrice. "And thank you, beastie. I knew you wouldn't let me down."
She noticed Joseph.
"Who's he?"
"My boyfriend..." Maleficent arched a brow at her. "Joseph. He's my True Love and stuff..."
"It's all very innocent," said Cruella. "Rididculously so."
"He got the Charmings' blood for the spell," said Beatrice.
"The Charmings?," asked Maleficent.
"Snow White and the Prince? My dad calls them the Charmings."
"Yes and where is your father?"
Beatrice shrugged. "Eating dinner probably."
"And your grandfather?"
"Merlin? I don't know. I think he was having dinner with his mom."
"Might I suggest we leave?," asked Joseph. "It won't take long for someone to realize we're down here."
"Always thinking," smiled Maleficent. "I like that."
Then...
"And then we'll go to the park..." Belle cooed as she held Elizabeth on her hip. "We'll have a picnic and then Grandma will read you her favorite books before we have a nap."
Gold smiled as they walked in the shop. It had been difficult to drag Oswin back to Storybrooke, not that they didn't want her, it was just that she insisted on being so independent. She was grieving. Taking care of their great-granddaughter was a welcome change of pace for them. They had doted upon their grandchildren and were more than happy to continue the tradition with the toddler.
His heart skipped a beat as he saw what book was on the counter. He rushed forward to see what page it was and the telltale sign of Reinette's car keys on the counter.
"Rumple, is something wrong?"
He turned. "Remember some years ago when I said I would tell you later?"
She frowned at him. "How would I-"
"Right before Maleficent returned."
"Are you telling me it's just now later?" Belle spotted the car keys. "Rumple, what's going on?"
At that moment, Oswin and Reinette appeared on the floor.
"God, that is a rough landing," Oswin said, getting to her feet.
"That time travel spell needs some serious work," Louise groaned. "I'm going to tell Mom all about it, trust me."
"What happened?," Belle demanded as Oswin took her daughter. She stared pointedly at her husband.
"Do you remember Jenna and Louise?"
Belle frowned. "Not really."
"Well, we can settle that later, but..." He motioned at his granddaughters. "Meet Jenna and Louise."
"You..." Belle stopped midsentence. "They..."
"My feelings exactly," said Gold.
Reinette pointed at her niece. "What if we've already met Lizzie?"
Oswin shook her head. "Oh, please, this has to stop." She paused and looked to her grandparents. "Where is Dad?"
Gold rolled his eyes. "His bees."
"Right, could you watch her?" She passed the toddler back to Belle and grabbed Reinette's keys off the counter. "I need to borrow this."
She waved and quickly ran out of the shop.
"When did you leave off exactly?," asked Belle. She looked at Rumple. "They just sort of faded from my memory. I'm assuming you have an explanation."
"I may."
"Right before the really good part," said Reinette. "The return of Maleficent..."
Gold rolled his eyes.
Belle smiled. "Well, I suppose that period is more of a mixed bag, really."
"Very mixed," her husband grumbled.
Now
Belle entered the library and flipped on the lights.
"Surely this could have waited, sweetheart."
"It won't take a moment," Belle promised. "We have to plan the reading program soon or it won't get done."
Belle walked to the desk and picked up a folder off the counter triumphantly. As she walked over, a page flew out and she bent to the ground to pick it up, noticing the dust on the carpet.
"Rumple."
"Who does your cleaning?"
"Rumple, it's ash and scales."
He knelt down. "Are you certain?"
"Don't you think I've cleaned it enough times?"
They both slowly turned to the elevator door.
"You said she couldn't get out."
"She couldn't," Gold insisted and they stood back up, edging slowly towards the door.
He looked back at Belle. "I'll check."
"I'll go with you."
"Belle, that's really not necessary-"
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll go with you."
He sighed. "As you wish."
They rode down in silence and slowly emerged into the cavern. Gold motioned for Belle to stay behind him and held his hand at the ready as the approached the edge.
"Maleficent..." He called slowly. "Oh, dearie, dear..."
"Do you think that's a good idea?," Belle hissed.
"It doesn't matter. She's not here."
Belle shook her head. "Where could she have gone? How would she have gotten out?"
"Well, the key component is the blood of the one who wronged her the most..."
"You think Regina did this?"
"I wouldn't put it past her. Regina's bent on finding the Author and getting her happy ending. We know that was Maleficent's special obsession as well..."
"What do we do? Do we go confront Regina?"
"We find Beatrice and then you two are going in the house under a protection spell."
"And what are you going to do?"
"What I ought to have done years ago: kill Maleficent."
"Rumple-"
"This is for Beatrice's sake. We don't have a choice."
Then
Back home, Oswin gave greetings to more than a few surprised townspeople as she made her way to the outskirts of town.
She parked the car and headed up the hill to the small clearing where Joseph kept his bees. She stood at the edge and he finally looked up curiously, clad in the funny white suit. He finished his task and joined her at the bench on the side, removing his hat.
"You have more hives than you used to," said Oswin.
"Well, you haven't been up here in ten years."
Oswin nodded.
"I, uh..." She paused. "Growing up here is kind of weird. Most people in this world spend their lives being ordinary and waiting for something to make them extraordinary. I spent my time wondering when something was going to happen to make me ordinary. You know, just parents who get up and go to work, I would get up and go to school. Trips to see Disney films that don't involve extended family, hell, trips to Disney that don't involve a tearful confrontation with Peter Pan."
"I know," said Joseph.
"I'm sorry I was angry at you. You didn't really have a choice. Who wants to let their eight-year-old think they killed someone?"
Joseph stared at her a moment.
"You're hardly a killer. You only wanted to protect someone you loved. Your mother would have done the same thing."
"So would you," said Oswin. She shook her head. "I got it from you both."
Now...
Joseph had been put in the backseat as Maleficent took the front passenger seat, horns touching the roof of Beatrice's Golf. Beatrice drove a safe distance behind the Panther back up to the cabin.
"So, I tried to get Emma not to throw the sword at you," said Beatrice. She glanced to the side. "I don't know if you caught that or were listening..."
"No worries, beastie. It happens."
"I mean, that gold egg thing was pretty big..." Beatrice mused. "Are you bigger on the inside or..."
It was then that Joseph's phone rang, he glanced at it.
"What's that?," asked Maleficent.
"Oh, it's just the phone," said Beatrice. She glanced up at Joseph. "Who is it?"
"It's John," he lied, answering it. "Hello."
"Joseph, thank the gods. Beatrice isn't answering," Belle said breathlessly as she watched her husband rifle through the backroom of the shop. "Are you with her?"
"Yes."
"Could you tell her to come home?"
"No," Gold said from across the room. "Better he brings her home."
"Okay, could you bring her home?"
"Why?"
Belle sighed. "There's a sorceress called Maleficent, she's been resurrected somehow... She can't be around Beatrice. It's a magical debt, it's complicated."
"I see," said Joseph. "How serious is that?"
"What- what are you asking?"
"Actually, John, Beatrice and I just have to run an errand at her parents' cabin. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Joseph..."
"I'm sorry, I don't know what else to tell you."
"Joseph-"
"Must go."
Joseph hung up.
"What was that?," asked Beatrice.
"Nothing. Just John in a bit of a state."
Belle looked at Gold. "Something's wrong."
"What?"
"He said they were going up to the cabin."
Gold frowned. "Why would they be going there?"
"He didn't say anything about Maleficent," said Belle. "He must have already known."
Gold's face fell. "We don't have much time then."
The door opened. Pamela and Merlin entered.
"Have you heard from her?," asked Merlin.
"I spoke to Joseph. I think they're with Maleficent," said Belle.
"I would suggest you arm yourselves," Gold instructed.
"Some welcome home this is," said Pamela.
Belle looked at her father. "Is this really the only answer? Killing Maleficent?"
Merlin shook his head. "I'm sorry, Belle. This is all my fault."
