Journey Begins
Bae, Emery and Hope appeared in light blue smoke in the middle of Times Square. A car headed in their direction, beeping its obnoxious horn. They screamed and quickly got out of the way and on to the sidewalk. Luckily, there's too much hustle and bustle and people on a mission for anyone to notice they appeared out of nowhere.
"So many cars. So many people. Can there really be this many people in one place? I've got to be honest. I'm kind of scared." Hope admitted. Emery took her hand as a means to comfort her.
"Now what?" Emery asked.
"Let's eat." Bae said. There are a few things you just can't get in the Enchanted Forest. They walked until they came across Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant. "This place is based on a movie. I saw it when we were here before. Astrea brought me here when mom went away for a couple days."
"So you were having a happy old time while we were miserable, huh?" Hope blurted what was supposed to just be a thought in a snarky tone. Bae and Emery looked at her taken aback. "Sorry. I suppose sometimes I don't live up to my name."
The waitress came over and Bae just ordered the special for them all.
"Drinks?" The waitress asked.
"Coke." Bae said.
"Sprite." Emery and Hope said in unison. Bae was surprised. What did they know about beverages of this earth? The waitress wrote it down then walked away.
"We got a Spite every day for lunch when we were in Storybrooke." Emery informed.
"I need a phone." Bae said then turned to the table next to them. "Pardon me, I don't mean to disturb you but would it be too much to ask to use your phone for a moment?"
"Uh… sure." The woman next to them said then handed him her phone.
"Thank you." Bae took the phone. "What's the number to information?" Bae tried to remember.
"It's 411." Hope said. They looked at her wondering why the hell she knew that. "I have a good memory. Just dial."
He called and got Astrea's number but it went to voicemail. Great! So he called again and got Maleficent's number. Thankfully she answered.
"Mal speaking."
"Maleficent! It's Baelfire. I'm back in New York with my sister and uncle. We were wondering if we could possibly stay with you or Astrea for a while if it isn't too much trouble."
"Sure. Where are you? I'll come and get you."
"We're at Bubba Gump's but we may be able to get to you if we focus hard enough. If not, well then, we'll call you back after we eat."
They hung up and gave the woman her phone back. "Thanks again… So we have a place to stay."
"That's one less burden." Emery said. The food came. There was an array of seafood, mash potatoes and spinach. "You know I don't eat seafood."
"Fall in love with a mermaid and now you don't eat seafood?" Bae questioned.
"Exactly!" Emery exclaimed. They laughed. He just ate the sides.
"We have a little problem." Bae announced. "We don't have any money from this world."
"Bae!" They exclaimed.
"I know. I forgot. Look, I have gold. I'll just leave a piece." Bae said.
"That's super over paying." Hope said.
"Better than stealing." Emery said.
"Aren't we genetically wired for it anyway?" Hope asked. They looked at her with reprimanding eyes. "It was a joke! I've never stolen anything."
They finished eating and Bae left a gold coin on the table then they eased to the back where the bathrooms were.
The man behind them overheard everything and took the coin off the table then… "Get them! They're trying to skip out on the bill!" The man yelled. They looked back in shock and took off running to the girls' bathroom. Emery leaned on the door to make sure no one could come in then they held hands to try and teleport to Maleficent but nothing happened.
"Oh no! So not the time!" Hope panicked.
"We can do this. Calm down, breathe and focus. We're three of the most powerful beings to ever live. We're just too riled up. We have to get the hang of it here." Bae explained.
They all tried to calm themselves and focus on Maleficent but the people trying to push their way through the door weren't helping.
"We can do this. Believe!" Bae yelled.
They focused with all their might and finally teleported out of the restroom and to Maleficent's house.
"That was close." Emery said.
"I suppose that's how papa used to feel often. I don't like it." Hope said.
"You've already gotten into trouble?" Maleficent asked.
"It is so good to see you!" Bae exclaimed… Astrea was there too. Astrea didn't look too well, looked like she had been crying for a while and hadn't been off Maleficent's couch in days.
"Is this a bad time?" Bae softly asked Maleficent.
"Her father just passed last week so she's still mourning and simultaneously going through a mid-life crisis which isn't exactly an accurate description for it because we live longer than people from this world… But we're glad you're all here. It's a welcomed change and you can tell us new stories from the motherland." Maleficent explained then invited them to make themselves at home.
-v-
Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, Henry was really on his own for the first time. As he walked through the forest for his second night alone and it began to get dark, he started to question his decision.
"Maybe I should just go to grandpa Rumple's." Henry thought. "No, everyone will think I couldn't make it on my own." He started a campfire and sat by a tree. "It sure is lonely out here… No. Henry you can do this. You're a man!" He heard a wolf howl in the distance and his heart rate began to increase. "I sure hope that's Red or one of her kids."
-v-
Regina was at home worried to death, pacing the floor. She, Robin, Roland and Snow were gathered in the family room.
"You said he'd come back by now." Regina said.
"No. I said if he was gone for more than one night then he was tougher than we thought." Snow replied. "He's fine. He even has magic. If you're so worried, why don't you watch him in the mirror like you did for me?"
"Ugh. Then I'd have to call Sydney."
"I'm sure he's not still obsessed with you. He's probably found someone by now." Snow said.
"Is there another way you can watch him without the whole mirror, mirror on the wall?" Robin asked.
"Probably. I'll have to think of something…" Regina replied.
"Mom, don't let him worry you to death. It's his choice." Roland said.
"Choices. Funny thing about choices, the wrong one can stray you far from your destiny." Regina said.
"We won't let him get that far." Robin said.
"Birds fly away for a season but they always come back home. As parents, sometimes we have to let them go, at least a little. I had to learn that with Pinocchio, Emma and Emery at some point and they found their way. You had to do it with Roland and now it's Henry's turn."
"I just don't want him to be like me, and my sister, and my mother, and my grandmother, and probably her mother or father or whoever."
"Sometimes our fears are exactly what pushes them to do exactly what we don't want them to do." Snow pointed out.
"And sometimes they just do the opposite of whatever we want them to do which sometimes goes hand and hand." Robin added.
"And being overbearing will probably just add to the problem." Roland said.
"And you wouldn't want him to push you into a mirror." Snow said.
"Are you implying I'm acting like my mother?"
"Only the overbearing part. I mean, if the crown fits…" Snow replied.
"In that case, the crown fits you too because this was so you, say twenty-two years ago." Emma said as she entered the room.
"I made a conscious decision to let go when we got to Storybrooke. It was time. I knew when to let go. I learned with Pinocchio first." Snow responded.
"Not at first. When Pinocchio left home, you paced the floor as much as grandma. You hardly slept. You were a worried mess. You're much better with Emery but I've pretty much picked up where you left off with me in New York with the girls now." Emma admitted, shaking her head.
"In my defense, I was generally a worried mess for most of our stay in New York." Snow said.
"… Okay so I'll relax a little." Regina said.
"We'll find him and drag his butt back in a couple days, mom." Roland assured.
-v-
Jane and Rumple were on a ship sailing the ocean. They couldn't wait for the adventures they were about to embark on. Jane stared up at the stars.
"Do you think there's a place beyond this one when we die? Do you think mother can see us?" Jane questioned.
"Yes. That I know." Rumple replied. "Sometimes, I believe I feel her."
"Me too… So in a way, it's like she really is seeing the world too."
"Yes, I suppose she is."
Jane smiled peacefully.
-v-
In a whole new world, Bae, Emery and Hope were settling in at Maleficent's.
"So what brings you all?" Maleficent inquired.
"True love. I believe my soul mate is here so I have to try and find her." Bae informed.
Astrea finally sat up on the couch. "You don't mean that girl you met at the arcade seven years ago, do you?
"Yes." Bae replied.
"Wow. You fairy tales get an idea in your heads and you run with it, don't you?" Astrea said.
"She does know she's just as much a fairy tale as we are, right?" Hope asked.
"She's in denial." Maleficent explained.
"Oh." Hope and Emery said in unison. Now they understood.
"How do you plan on finding this girl?" Astrea asked.
"I'm a Charming. It's what we do."
And so the search for Vella begins…
