CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - Back in the Library
"I found this book in the back. I think it was the one Colette may have dropped when Rumplestiltskin decided to show up." Kendra opened the book and flipped through its pages as everyone else gathered around the table in the middle of the library.
"See?" she pointed to a page. "This talks about the effects of time travel. Apparently, it doesn't completely wear off over time. Well, at least that's what this author speculates. Mum, Dad, what do you say? As far as I know, you two – or four, I should say, bloody hell, this is weird – are the only ones here who have ever time traveled. Any strange effects you've noticed over the years?"
"Other than my daughter opening a time portal? Nothing, love," Future Killian replied.
"I think that might me the point, dearie."
Rumple and Future Belle entered the room, letting go of one another's hands. Past Belle, upon seeing them, decided she'd rather not stay. Instead, she took the first book she recognized from the shelf behind her and quietly went to the back of the library where she couldn't be seen. She had encountered Rumple enough for one night. All she wanted right now was to have Regina wipe their memories, the sooner the better.
"What is it now, Crocodile?" The Killians said together. The smirked at one another, then resumed threatening their common enemy with their swords.
"Just hear me out, if you will." Rumple said, batting their swords aside. "The book says that you carry traces of it with you, correct? Well, my theory is that when you two decided to have children, the effects concentrated themselves into one of your offspring, hence giving her time traveling abilities combined with her naturally acquired powers of teleportation. This is why she was able to open a portal, and why the two of you never had any ill effects."
"You know, that sounds like a sound theory to me." Future Emma said. "But why did her time travel abilities appear now?"
"Well, dearie," looking over at Kendra, "Did something startle you, or did anything upset you that would awaken your powers?"
At this Kendra blushed. "Well," she said, "Colette was trying to, you know, have me take lessons from….well, you, I suppose, and I outright refused, but she kept at it, and um, it ticked me off, and there you go, a giant time portal in the middle of my ship! It wasn't like I was really upset or anything, it just happened!"
Rumple pondered this. "Well, maybe that was enough to do it, or maybe it just had to mature over time. Either way, I still believe that your parent's little adventure into the past is what gave you these powers. Therefore, it's up to you, dearie, to create a time portal to get them back." He pointed at Kendra.
"But I don't bloody know how! It was a complete accident!"
"Well, you'll just have to recreate it. Someone make her angry again, or should we threaten you with magic lessons again? Really, it seems like a weak threat to me, but if that's really what you're afraid of-"
"Regina, please." Emma said. "Kendra, what do you need us to do?"
"I – I just don't know. Let me think about it for a while." She collapsed into a chair, and the others went off to give her space. Past Emma and Killian and Future Emma and Killian sat in a group, as did Robin, both Reginas, and Oliver. Rumple and Future Belle talked quietly in a corner, while Past Belle was nowhere to be found.
After a few moments, the library doors creaked opened again, and Liam and Colette walked in, hand in hand, along with a breeze that swept through the room. Colette approached her parents, and asked coldly "May we talk about all of this? I'm fairly certain you have some explaining to do, the both of you."
Rumple and Belle looked at each other, and then followed their daughter outside. Liam watched them leave, and turned to talk to Kendra when he was confronted by both of his fathers.
His father from the present looked down sternly at his son, and said "Well mate, now that everyone is well aware of Colette's father's identity, I think it's about time we talked about your choice in women."