***sorry guys that this chapter is so long! i couldn't find a good ending point and i got a little carried away! i really appreciate the views. you guys are the best! :)****
"Mustardseed?" Puck repeated incredulously. "Look at you! You're... You're.."
"Grown up?" Mustardseed suggested with a smirk.
"No!" he exclaimed. "You're working!
Mustardseed looked taken aback for a moment, and then laughed. "And you're the same jerk as you've always been, brother," he replied, clapping a hand on his back.
"Brother?" the girls cried as they ran out of the car.
Mustardseed looked surprised at their appearance. "So these are the beautiful Allison and Emma, are they?"
The girls nodded.
He turned to Sabrina. "And I apologize. It's lovely seeing you again, Sabrina," he said, kissing the top of her hand.
"Mustardseed!" Sabrina laughed, "I haven't seen you since the wedding! You've... grown."
"I didn't know my dad had a brother," Allison said accusingly.
Mustardseed looked at Puck. "He never mentioned me?"
"And you also didn't know you had wings 24 hours ago," Puck said dismissively. "Allstar, you're going to start learning a lot of things you didn't know before."
"Puck!" Sabrina said ruefully.
Mustardseed looked gleeful. "The child can fly? Titania is going to love her."
Allison flushed, and Emma looked bitter.
"Mustardseed, the girls were introduced to the world of Everafters only a few hours ego. They're going to need time to adjust," said Sabrina.
He looked confused. "What?"
"We... never told them about their heritage," Puck explained. "We've been keeping it from them until the right moment, but a recent, er, incident has changed that."
"Now why would you keep that from them?" he asked indignantly.
Puck sighed. "Long story, bro. We had our reasons But anyways, we were just on our way to Faerie. We have a couple of goons on our trail."
"The officers? Your wife just dealt with them pretty nicely."
"Not the officers! Here," Puck handed him the letter.
Mustardseed read it with a look of increasing concern. "The Prince of Agrabah? Why does that name sound so familiar?"
Puck shrugged.
Emma tugged on Mustardseed's jacket. "So you're my uncle then, right? Does that mean you're a fairy too?"
Mustardseed turned to the girl and opened his wings from his back with an amused expression. Emma squealed happily and bounced on her heels, the excitement clear on her face.
Puck turned to his wife. "Are you sure she's not Daphne's kid?"
"Would a daughter of Daphne get into as much mischief as Emma does?" Sabrina retorted.
He frowned. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing!"
Mustardseed stepped in between them. "Sorry to interrupt, but would you two mind giving me a ride to Central Park?"
"You have wings," Allison pointed out brusquely. "Why don't you just fly there yourself?"
"Allie! Don't be rude," her mother scolded.
Mustardseed look at his brother pointedly. "Oh yeah. She is definitely your daughter too." He folded up his wings and turned to Allison. "Child, it's true what you said, but frankly, I don't think one jar of forgetful dust is going to cover the entire NYC."
Emma gasped. "So we're here? Mom, isn't this where you used to live?"
"And your father as well," Sabrina realized. "A looonnnng time ago." And though Allison looked at her questioningly, she didn't dare elaborate; she hadn't yet explained about Everafter immortality, and she felt this wasn't the best time to bring it up.
"What's wrong with your car?" asked Puck.
"Well, nothing really," Mustardseed said, eyeing his rainbow car doubtfully, "except, of course, for what your daughter has done to it."
Emma giggled.
"Oh, that. Sorry, it'll wear off. If I had known it was your car-"
"-Then you probably would have done something much worse," Mustardseed finished for Puck.
Sabrina laughed. "Probably."
The family and Mustardseed climbed into the car. "So, you never did mention," Puck started. "Whatever convinced you to become a cop?"
He laughed. "Veronica's orders. She thought it would be best if I kept a close eye on the city for potential threats, and what better opportunity would I get that than from being a cop? And besides, the job's not half-bad."
"Veronica!" Sabrina exclaimed. "Is she still in the city?"
He shook his head. "She left about two days ago to go meet your father in Ferryport."
"Is she a fairy too? Grandma Ronnie?" asked Emma.
Mustardseed shook his head. "No. But your grandmother is a kind, brilliant woman. You'll be lucky to take after her."
Allison snorted and looked out the window. "At least someone in our family is normal."
Sabrina frowned. At one time, many years ago, she might have felt the same way. It pained her to see her daughter act so much like her.
Puck ignored the comment. "Well, here we are! Central Park. Good to be home...ish."
Allison stepped out of the car and looked out into the empty park. She eyed an empty cardboard box sitting in front of a park bench. "So... You were a hobo?"
Emma fell to the ground cackling.
"Not the box!" Puck snapped. "I wasn't homeless. I'm royalty, remember?"
"Uh, I don't see a castle door anywhere."
Mustardseed pointed to the statue of Hans Christian Anderson. "It's right over there." He turned to Puck. "And technically speaking, you were homeless for a bit when Father banished you-"
Puck elbowed his brother to stop, but the girls had already heard.
"You were banished, Dad? Where did you go?" Allison asked, shocked.
"Here and there," Puck replied, waving a hand in the air. "Ultimately I ended up at your great-grandmother Relda's house, which is where I ended up meeting your mom and your aunt."
"Awwww!" Emma said.
"How old were you?" Allison asked.
Puck looked uncomfortable.
"I was only 11," Sabrina answered swiftly. "Now come. We're not going to be sitting in a park all day chatting."
"Isn't that what parks are for?" Allison asked dryly, but followed her mother nonetheless.
As they walked over, Puck nudged Sabrina. "We first met when you were only 11?"
"Yes I was, and if I recall correctly, that didn't seem to stop you from trying to drown me and Daphne in a pool," she replied.
He snorted. "Yeah, but it didn't stop you from pushing me into the pool first either."
"Touché."
"Okay, so how is this statue supposed to be a door?" Allison glared at the Hans. "It's made out of solid metal."
"Tell it a knock-knock joke," Puck suggested. "Maybe it'll warm up to you."
Emma giggled and stood in front of the statue. "Mr. Anderson? Knock-knock!" she announced clearly, then cupped a hand to her ear as if expecting a reply. Suddenly she disappeared, but not before they caught a look of surprise on her face. Allison gasped.
"I better go after her," Mustardseed said worriedly. "Titania's not expecting us. Knock-knock!" He, too, disappeared.
Puck looked at Allison. "Ladies first, Allstar?"
Allison shook her head. "That's alright, Dad. You go ahead."
He shrugged and said the words, disappearing through the statue's portal.
Sabrina looked down at her daughter. "Now, what's bugging you, Allie?"
Allison looked incredulously at her. "What's bugging me?" she exploded. "I've known I was a fairy princess for less than 24 hours, and Dad decides to bring us on a random family trip for no apparent reason to visit our fairy relatives! What happened to our normal family? What happened to my normal life?"
Sabrina hugged her tightly. "Oh, sweetie. I know it's a lot for you to take in. But you'll get through this- you'll see. You're going to love your new life. Trust me."
Allison shook her head. "You don't understand. I'm used to being normal. You've been... Like this, for all your life."
"No, you don't understand, Allie. When I was around your age, Daphne and I were just regular New Yorkers. I was as 'normal' as you were. But normal is boring. There are so many more opportunities in this new world. You'll love it."
"Then why didn't you just tell us right from the start?" Allison demanded.
Sabrina was quiet for a moment. "Allison, they're waiting for us at the other end. We had better meet them."
The girl turned reluctantly towards the statue, knowing she wouldn't be able to get a better answer out of her mother. "Knock-knock," she said dully, and then she too disappeared.