Chapter One Hundred and Six

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek myths.

Woo! Another chapter for the record books! It's hard to believe we're getting closer and closer to the Choosing Home scrolls! Why does it feel like we started Truth or Fiction just yesterday? And now we're almost at 110 chapters!

Thank you all so much for your support! Just a head's up, I will be going on a hiatus for the month of December. Hopefully I will get another chapter up before December but if I don't, I will be back in January at the start of the year. The hiatus is just for my sanity, what little there is left of it :D

Hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you guys think! :D

The two new occupants of the Lair of the Fates stared at everyone in shock, a little unsure as to proceed.

"Hey Squeaky, Squirmy? Why don't we check out this cool arcade?" Sammy whispered, gently leading her brothers into the new room. She didn't know what exactly was going to happen but she also knew she didn't want to risk her brothers being around in case someone started to yell.

Or worse, if someone started to draw their sword. Sammy could fight with the best of them but her brothers were still rather novice at sword work.

"Cass?" Rapunzel said softly, never noticing the three Smees leave. "Is…is it really you?"

"Rapunzel?" Cassandra said softly as she looked at her friend, even as she gently pulled the younger girl who was with her behind her. "But…how? How am I off the Isle? How do I know you're really you and not something Gothel's used to trick me?"

Rapunzel gave Cassandra a small, sad smile as she stood up and walked over to the raven haired woman. "Now…now more than ever, we must stick together united," she sang softly and Cassandra's eyes went wide in realization.

There were only three people who knew the words to that song. There had only been three people who had sung it after all.

"Now, it's now or never so let's face the future clear-sighted," Eugene sang as he realized what his wife was doing.

Cassandra shook her head and gave both of them a small smile. "Somehow we've managed to make it this far, it's been one heck of a ride," she sang back to them and her smile grew upon seeing the grin on Rapunzel's face.

"There's nothing I couldn't do, not with you by my side," the three of them finished and the song had just barely left Cassandra's lips before she was met with the biggest bear hug Rapunzel could have given her.

"Oh it's so great to see you!" Rapunzel said after a few minutes when she broke from the hug. "I can't believe you're here!"

"I can't either," Cassandra chuckled. "On that note…where is here?"

Malinda couldn't help the small chuckle that broke from her lips. "You're in the lair of the Fates," she said.

"Raps?"

"Yeah Cass?"

"Do you see an older and slightly pregnant version of Mal as well?"

"Oh yeah, she's real. So's the older version of Prince Ben. Well actually he's King Ben now."

"Maybe it would be better if we explain things to Dragon Lady, Blondie," Eugene said but gave Cassandra a small smile so she knew it was all in jest.

Cassandra chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, an explanation would be greatly appreciated Fly Boy."

"Hey Ginny," Carlos said softly and Ginny perked up upon seeing him.

"Carlos! Is Clay here too?"

Carlos shook his head. "No, you've only got one of your brothers here."

"Well you say that like it's a bad thing," Ginny said as she went over and sat down next to him. "So what's going on?"

"We're all in the lair of the Fates and we're reading about the future where Mal and Prince Ben end up dating," Carlos told her.

"…I'm sorry what now?"

"It's the truth," Audie nodded as she gave Ginny a small smile. "I know it probably seems completely outlandish hearing it at first."

"That would be an understatement," Ginny said. "Also…who are you?"

Audie chuckled and gave Ginny a small smile. "My name's Audrey. I'm the daughter of Aurora and Phillip, but I'm also from a different timeline so I've asked everyone to call me 'Audie' as to not confuse everyone."

"Different timelines?" Cassandra asked as she overheard the conversation.

"Oh yeah," Lucas nodded. "In all honesty I don't even know why I'm here other than to keep people alive again."

"Again?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah in my timeline, Lucas here was the one responsible for keeping people from murdering my grandmother. We still don't know how he got stuck with that job," Audie said.

Cassandra tilted her head and looked over at Rapunzel. "Can you explain please? And why is Queen Leah in a separate cell?"

"Ooh, ooh mom, can I tell her?" Rowyn said, raising her hand so that Rapunzel could see her.

"Only because I know you won't put as many embellishments as your sisters or your brother," Rapunzel said, shaking her head in slight amusement.

Rowyn paused. "Have you met me?"

"Good point…and yet I still trust you not to embellish."

"Aww, thanks mom! Okay so to answer your question Aunt Cass, Leah's in that cell because it came to light that she was the one responsible for the horrible food the Isle was getting and it was being done purposefully and…mom, why is Aunt Cass storming over to Leah's cell with her sword in her hand?"

"That's a good question Rowyn," Rapunzel told her as Eugene rushed to stand in front of Cassandra.

"You're not honestly defending her are you?" Cassandra growled.

"No. I'm defending you," Eugene told her. "Killing her will feel good, don't think we all haven't been tempted…well maybe not Audrey but that's reasonable since she was her grandmother, but killing is not who you are Cass."

"Plus if you kill her, you'll deprive the hyenas of a delicious meal!" Rose chimed in.

Cassandra paused and looked over at Rose. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You know, there is such a thing as easing people into conversations," Eugene told his daughter.

Rose shrugged. "I know, but your way was likely not going to be as effective dad. Remember, it took Lady Persephone bringing in Harry's mom before he was able to halt his attempt to get at Leah and that was with Jay holding him back."

Eugene shook his head. "I don't know if I've just been insulted or if Jay's just been complimented," he said.

"Why not both?" Cassandra said with a small chuckle, a little of her ire slipping away as she took in the room. "So…the food issue will be resolved?"

"Cass, I can promise you that the food issue will be resolved even if Raps and I have to see to it personally," Eugene told her and Cassandra could see the genuine promise in his eyes.

"…Okay…but if you don't, I'm coming after you Fly Boy," Cassandra told him.

"I don't doubt you for a second there Cass," Eugene said before gently tugging the sword out of her hand. "Now let's not traumatize the youth in the room."

Especially your future brother-in-law, Eugene thought as he glanced over at Chad. Yes he remembered what Malinda had said when she arrived, thank you! Chad seemed to have remembered Malinda's words as well, or at the very least he was a bit curious as to who Ginny was considering how he was looking at her.

"Do I need to be nervous about him?" Cassandra muttered to Eugene, having noticed the looks as well.

"Nah, Chad's harmless," Eugene told her. "Besides, I know my kids would jump through fire to make sure nothing happened to your sister."

"…And here I thought you'd be asking if Ginny was my daughter."

"Nah, we've been filled in on who's related to who," Eugene told her. "I will say though, you two look a lot alike. I mean it makes sense since you're siblings but still, Ginny almost looks like your clone."

"I'd rather she be my clone than Gothel's," Cassandra told him but then smiled as she noticed Carlos was there. "Glad to see Ginny gets another friendly face."

"Yeah, he told us about how he shares a half brother with Ginny," Rapunzel nodded, keeping her voice soft as she walked over to them. "Gods…I…Cass, I'm so sorry. You know, had I known about this, I would have never have let things get that bad."

"I know Raps, I know," Cassandra nodded and then sighed. "How's Lance and Varian?"

"They're good," Rapunzel told her, a sad smile pulling at her lips. "They miss you."

"I miss them too," Cassandra told her. Meanwhile, over by Ginny and Carlos, Ginny couldn't help but feel like everyone was staring at her.

"Carlos? Did…did I do something wrong?" Ginny asked.

"You just got here," Carlos told her.

"I know…but it feels like everyone's staring at me…"

Oh that? It's because apparently you're the future wife of Charming over there, Carlos thought and inwardly shook his head. There was no way he could actually say that out loud. Ginny would think he was insane.

"I'm sure they're not staring at you," was what he opted to say instead.

Well…that was almost true.

Whoa, she's beautiful…Chad found himself thinking as soon as his thoughts had cleared enough to form coherently. She honestly was one of the most stunning girls he'd ever seen…and according to the future Mal, that was his future wife? Man did he get lucky!

That's if she ever wants to talk to you once Kitty and Lucy tell her everything you've done, he thought. Especially with what your scroll self did to Evie, using her to get your homework done…

But that's my scroll self, that's not me. I haven't done those things yet.

They're you in the future, so they might as well be you. Face it, you're going to die alone.

"Hi…"

Chad looked up in surprise to see Ginny standing in front of him. When had she even gotten up?

"Oh…hi," Chad said with a small smile.

"Do you want to sit with Carlos and me?" Ginny offered. Normally she wouldn't have made the offer to someone she'd only just met but he seemed to be setting himself away from the group slightly; almost like he was trying to distance himself. And that couldn't be a pleasant way to get through…whatever they were there for. Carlos had said they were there to read the future but that almost seemed too outlandish for words.

Not that she'd ever say that out loud of course.

"Um…sure…" Chad said softly. "I think we might be stopping for meals…and maybe even some shut eye…that's what we did the last time we ended a group of scrolls."

"Oh…what's the food options?"

"Come on, we can check them out together." Chad said and the two of them walked over to the food table that the Fates were keeping stocked. Of course, they didn't notice the eyeball of the Fates begin to pulse, a ring of light beating almost like a heartbeat.

"Yeah that thing is just creepy," Henry muttered as he did see it.

"I have to agree," Claudine whispered. "But it might not be a good idea to anger the floating eyeball."

"You know, the sentence 'it might not be a good idea to anger the floating eyeball' is not one I thought I'd hear today."

"Nor is it really one I thought I'd say."

As soon as they finished speaking, the eyeball of the Fates stopped pulsing and everyone stared in amazement at the sight before them. Instead of the main room with two side rooms and the newly added arcade, there were now enough rooms for everyone should they choose to leave the reading for whatever reason.

Though, as Claudine noted, there were no signs to indicate who had which room.

"How will we remember which room is ours?" Alexandria asked, having noticed the lack of signs.

"Maybe…maybe we just go into whatever room we want? As a free for all?" Kitty suggested and walked into one of the rooms. As she did so, the door glowed and when the glow faded, the Charming coat of arms was hanging in the center of the door.

"Well, looks like that's our room," Lucy said with a small chuckle.

"Looks like it," Kit said with a small chuckle of his own.

"Well…we should all probably pick out our rooms before we have some food and then turn in for the night," Belle suggested. "Something tells me we'll need our energy for the next grouping of scrolls. There seems to be more of them than the other two groupings."

"Good idea mom," Ben nodded.

"I hope you don't mind, but Malinda and I are going to go into a separate room," Benji chuckled.

"We almost expected that," Chip spoke up with a grin.

Persephone sighed as she saw the look on Hades' face. "She's a married woman, Hades," she whispered. "She should be able to be alone with her husband."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it though," Hades muttered as Malinda and Benji went into another room. The door glowed once more and once the glow faded, the Beast insignia was present though, there was one added feature.

"Got to say, I'm loving the dragon wings on Beastie," Uma said with a grin.

Malinda chuckled. "I do too," she said as she ducked her head out to look at the update. "Guess the Fates thought it made sense to have a different crest for us since otherwise there runs the risk of confusion if the crests look too similar."

One by one, each of them slowly began to pick out their own rooms. Though, for some, it was a difficult decision.

Claudine bit her lip. She wasn't really fond of sleeping alone in a strange place but at the same time, she didn't want to appear like she needed to sleep with someone in the room with her.

"Claudine?" Esmeralda said, her gentle voice drawing her attention. "Would you like to room with my husband and me? If it wouldn't be too awkward for you that is. We'd completely understand if you'd rather room with James or—."

"Oh, no, no I'd…I'd be okay rooming with you two," Claudine told her. "I'm just…I'm a little amazed you'd want to share a room with me. Considering what my father…"

"I think considering everything we've learned from these scrolls, it's safe to say that you are not your father," Phoebus said. "You're not going to attack us are you?"

"Of course not!"

"Then there's no risk in you rooming with us," Phoebus said with a small chuckle.

Malinda shook her head as she observed that. "Huh…that's new," she said softly.

"Isn't that a good thing though?" Benji asked her.

"I know…it's just odd since she's been Aurora's surrogate daughter…actually she's been Aurora's daughter for as long as they've known each other."

Benji shrugged. "They're not our Claudine and Aurora though. They haven't gone through what they have," he said softly. "Hopefully though, what we change here won't change our future…and just create a new timeline."

"Like Audie's?" Malinda asked.

"Exactly," Benji nodded. "Just minus the singing and dancing Maleficent."

"That's still terrifying to think about," Malinda said and shook her head. After a while, everyone had their rooms chosen and had begun to eat the food provided by the Fates.

"I won't lie…this is a really weird experience," Malinda heard Ginny tell Carlos.

"It's only going to get weirder," Carlos told her.

You got that right 'Los, Malinda nodded. If the next scrolls are about what I think they are…you definitely have that right. It's only going to get weirder from here.

A slight shudder went down her spine as she thought about a certain bed in Fairy Cottage.

"You okay?" Benji whispered, seeing her pause. "Is it the baby?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Malinda whispered back. "I just…Ben, remember where Ari was…you know…?"

"…Yeah I know…"

"What if that's in the scrolls?"

Benji paused and then shuddered slightly. No way did he want to read that.

"We have Zeus read if that does happen," he said and Malinda smirked.

"I knew I married you for a reason," she said.

"And here I thought it was because you loved me," he teased before gently kissing her head. "We'll be okay Mal. I promise. Everything will be okay."

I hope you're right, Malinda thought as she glanced over at the Roses. I really hope you're right.