Disney's Tinker Bell in Storybrooke
A Disney Fairies / Once Upon A Time Crossover
Season 1, Episode 6, Chapter 3

THE ENCHANTED FOREST

David understood what was expected of him. He assumed his brother's identity and was spirited away to the realm of King Midas to slay the dragon. In truth, the other knights were to kill the beast, David would take the credit for it so that King George's kingdom would have the gold it needed to function.

The small contingent of men made their way into the mountains where the dragon made its lair. The sound it made could be heard throughout the land. It struck fear in everyone who could hear it. On the approach, David noticed the path was littered with the charred bodies, armor and shields of hundreds of brave men who dared to attack the monster and failed.

He knew fear, yet continued on for the sake of his mother and the realm of King George. Two men guarded him while the others made their way into the beast's home. David had to survive the assault for George to get his gold.

Screams were followed by the terrifying shriek of the dragon. Flames billowed out of the cave. Several of the king's men ran from the monster, but were killed by a second volley of fire. The dragon came out of his lair and breathed fire on anything that moved. Two of the men guarding David tried to fight the beast. One died instantly in a shower of flames. The other suffered severe burns.

David could not stand by and let this travesty continue. He took a sword and tried to assail the dragon himself. David was not a dragon slayer. His brother was. James had been trained in combat and tactics his entire life. David was a shepherd, but those instincts would serve him well.

He found a crevice and ducked into it. The dragon tried to follow, but his head could not reach very far and got wedged in tight.

"You weren't expecting that, were you?" David said, realizing what he had done. With a flash of his sword, the beast was dead. The dragon's head severed from its neck.

STORYBROOKE, MAINE

David Nolan, escorted by his wife Kathryn, was brought to his home. A two story Craftsman Bungalow style house. It wasn't a bit familiar to him. She mentioned that when they first bought the house there was a windmill on the front lawn. David hated it, thinking it made the home look like an old lady house. The windmill decoration was gone. Removed long ago.

Inside the house were many of his old friends and acquaintances. This was a welcome home party for him. He was introduced to Dr. Whale, Emma and many others he had known during his life before the accident.

"This is Claire Kensington," Kathryn told him. "She and her husband Charlie kept this house in good order for us."

"Hello, David," Claire said, shaking his hand.

"Hi," he replied, not really knowing who she was.

A few minutes later he was introduced to Hartley Winter, the man who kept the central heat and air system running smoothly. The two men shook hands, but like with every other person, David did not recognize him. His amnesia still blocking all memories from before the accident.

Off in the corner Henry Mills was talking with Emma, his biological mother. He told her that David didn't remember anything because his amnesia was blocking the false memories that the curse had implanted into everyone else. His solution was for David and Mary Margaret to get together and talk. It might bring back his real memories

"Didn't we already try that?" Emma asked the boy a bit dismissively.

"And it woke him up," he told her with the conviction that came from knowing he was right.

~O~

"Hartley," Claire said, pleasantly surprised to see him at the party. "Funny meeting you here."

"I was about to say the same thing to you," he replied.

"How…"

He explained that the Nolan's were customers of his. Claire told him the same. She pointed to the bannister on the stairs and said it was Charlie's work. The bead board on some of the walls she had done after Charlie's passing.

Hartley mentioned the coolness of the air. "That's my handiwork," he said. Claire smiled and laughed a bit. Hartley was smitten by that grin. Claire was taken by the gleam in his eyes. The two separated themselves from the rest of the group and talked quietly in the corner.

~O~

David found Emma and Henry sitting on a bench seat under the stairs. They were the only people at the party he recognized outside of Dr. Whale. Henry asked if David had ever used sword. He laughed, confused by the child's question. Emma felt embarrassed.

"Have either of you seen Mary Margaret?" David asked.

She never came to the party.

~O~

In the kitchen, Kathryn was busy preparing more food for her guests. Regina visited her there, asking her to go out and mingle. She was, after all, the hostess.

Kathryn admitted that she felt uneasy. She had her husband back, but felt that she still didn't have him back. Without his memories, their history was meaningless to him. Kathryn loved him, but he couldn't love her. Regina advised Kathryn to go to her husband and help him remember.

~O~

Claire and Hartley were enjoying themselves as they talked. They had found a cozy little corner all their own. She was telling him about her music background and how she used to each piano lessons at home.

"There you are," Regina said. She had just exited the kitchen. Mrs. Nolan went looking for her husband. Regina had spotted these two getting chummy.

"Oh, hello, Madame Mayor," Claire replied. "I don't know you were friends with Mr. and Mrs. Nolan."

"Yes, we go way back," Regina told her. "I wanted to let you know, the council made a decision on your bid for renovating and repairing Town Hall this morning."

Hartley noticed that Claire looked very nervous. He was well aware of her financial troubles and that her daughter Valerie had been arrested recently for speeding and resisting arrest. Bail must have set her back quite a bit.

"Valerie's arrest didn't help your case very much," the mayor informed Mrs. Kensington.

Claire's mood changed from nervous to feeling devastated. She knew her bid had been turned down. Now she would have to sell her much beloved piano to Mr. Gold just to make her full payment this month.

"I argued that if you couldn't keep your own child under control would it even possible for you to manage your own workers," Regina said, almost enjoying the look of despair that washed across Mrs. Kensington's face. "Unfortunately..., unfortunately for me the council didn't see it my way. You've done enough for each of them that they trust you. I can't understand why. You were awarded the contract. Work begins Monday."

"Oh thank you, Mayor Mills," Claire gushed. She was ecstatic that her bid had been accepted. For Claire this meant that her immediate future would be secure. She could keep her piano after all. With the bid accepted she would be able to afford to make the payment in full.

"Congratulations," Hartley told her, clearly happy for her good fortune. "Now tell me a little more about your musical talents."

"Oh, are you musically inclined?"

"No, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested. You were telling me about your piano. I would love to hear you play it someday."

~O~

"Didn't you get the invite?" David asked Mary Margaret. Ms. Blanchard was trying to hang a birdhouse from a high branch. The tree sat in the front yard of her apartment building. David jumped the fence and helped her place the bird house from the nail set in the branch.

He told her that he couldn't stop thinking about her, that he loved her. She did not want to reciprocate. He wanted it to be a two way love, she said it should be a no way relationship. He was married to a wife who clearly loved and cared about him.

David said that whoever it was that chose Kathryn, it wasn't him. David, instead, chose Mary Margaret.

~O~

Mary Margaret didn't know what to think. Later that evening she consulted with Emma who advised that she do what was right and let David sort out his own life.

~O~

Valerie gritted her teeth. She had no idea that getting a tattoo could be so painful. She heard the shrill hum of the needle and never realized what was to come would be so intense. Slowly, excruciatingly the tattoo artist carefully drew in the outlines of the design she had asked for. The image of Chernabog, the demon from the Fantasia film.

Despite the constant sting of the piercing and inking of her skin, Valerie never once cried out. She held her tongue, determined to prove she was stronger than this. Stronger than her intolerable mother. Besides, if she gave up now, her back would be forever partially marked. She wasn't about to walk around as a freak. Her art would be complete. She always felt as if she were living her life in the lowest circle of Hell anyway, now she would have a hellish image on her back. A reflection of her ongoing despair with her life as it was.

~O~

When Valerie returned home from the tattoo parlor, she learned that wearing her brassiere set her skin on fire. The places where she had been inked was still sensitive. She went without her bra and simply wore her shirt and jacket as defense against the late autumn cold.

The shops were fully decorated for Thanksgiving which was just around the corner. Many more had already jumped the calendar and were preparing for Christmas. Thanksgiving was an American holiday in which people gathered once each fourth Thursday in November with family to give thanks to God for the blessings they had received during the year. The celebration usually involved lots of food and plenty of American football.

Valerie, her mother and sister were not religious people, but they celebrated anyway. Claire always told her it was best not to take for granted all the good things they had. Valerie could hardly call what she had "good." Her life could be so much better, if only she lived on her own.

So why don't I live on my own? she asked herself. I have the money for it. I certainly have the means. So why don't I leave?

Valerie had no good answer for it other than she didn't have a good plan. She had fantasies, places she had selected for a new life, possible job prospects, but nothing she could point to as a fully formed plan with a proper destination in mind. Kyle had been her plan until she discovered just how much he had cared for his money over everything else.

Maybe it's time I stopped daydreaming and started doing, she told herself. San Antonio would be a nice place. Warm winters, hot summers, but jobs there were generally found in the military (San Antonio had several Air Force bases and one army base), the medical field or in the service and hospitality industry. San Antonio was known as a significant tourist stop with so many historical sites like The Alamo, The Riverwalk, La Villita, the Spanish Missions and the Spanish Governor's Palace just to name a few.

That's when it dawned on her the real reason she never left her mother's house. Other than flying Valerie had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. Staying with her mother at least afforded her the luxury of living without purpose.

Isn't flying my purpose? she asked herself. It's what I want to do more than anything.

And what would you do with it? her mother's voice asked. Valerie was imagining what Claire might have said.

I don't know, was all Valerie could answer.

Would you fly airliners? Claire's voice asked.

I don't know.

Would you join the Air Force to fly? Claire's voice asked.

I don't know.

Would you fly charter airplanes? Claire's voice asked.

I don't...

Would you fly a private aircraft for some wealthy person? Claire's voice asked.

I don't know. Stop it!

Would you fly a crop duster? Or maybe an air taxi? What about stunt pilot? Maybe you would prefer to pilot an air ambulance or a plane for UPS or FedEx? Claire's voice asked.

I don't know! Stop asking me these questions!

Well then what would you do with a pilot's license? Claire's voice asked.

Valerie came to a halt in the middle of the road. She ripped off her helmet and yelled, "I don't know! Stop asking me stupid questions. I don't know!"

Questions are only stupid when you don't have an answer, Claire's voice told her. Maybe it's time you found some.

"Shut up! Shut up and leave me alone."

After that, Valerie heard nothing else.

What Valerie heard was her own conscience. The serious side of her that she had shut out so she could be constantly mad at her mother. Valerie chose to ignore it. She chose to ignore it because she chose to ignore her mother and anything that was associated with it.

Valerie felt slighted by Claire. Ever since Tina was born Claire showered the little girl with attention and love, of which Valerie got less and less. Soon Claire began to compare her unfavorably to little Tina. Her little sister was so perfect and angelic, something that Valerie never was.

At first, Claire found Valerie's rambunctiousness and mischievous nature enjoyable. Once Tina came along that all changed. Now Claire had the child she had always wanted. Sweet, adorable, cute, perfect. All the things that Valerie did which Claire once thought were fun, no longer were. They were troublesome. Tina showed Claire what a cute baby could really be. Valerie became the pain in the ass no one wanted.

No one except her father. He loved her unconditionally even after Tina was born. Claire loved her unconditionally before Tina was born, and then conditionally afterwards. The condition was "be just like your perfect little sister."

Maybe the Claire voice in her head was right. Maybe it was about time she stopped just dreaming about flying and give it purpose.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter.