A/N: Dun Duh Na Na! Here is the beginning of the second installment of, what I am calling, the Baker Series. Do you like it? Any suggestions on another name to call the series? put it in a review. I would love to know what you come up with. Anyways, here it is. I hope you like it.
Ava POV
The smoke clears and I look around the room. Emma and Henry look confused. I quickly look around and try something out, just for kicks. I wave my hands in front of me and a cloud of blue-green smoke envelops me. When the smoke clears I am wearing clothes. Black combat boots, with high-waisted jeans tucked into them, and a flowy yellow-orange shirt with long puffy sleeves tucked into the jeans. I touch my hair and smile. It is shorter than Rumple's, but longer than Snow's. I tilt my head forward to be able to see the color. It is finally back to it's natural chestnut brown.
"Whoa." I hear a boy say from the end of the hospital bed I still inhabit. I look to the people there and they all have their mouths hanging open.
"Whoa is right, kid." I say with a smile. "Now hurry up and get dressed." I tell him. "Wait, let me." I say. I wave my hand and the boy is engulfed in the same smoke that I had been a minute ago. When the smoke clears he is in the outfit he was in before he was brought to the hospital. "You look good in red, kid. Just like your Grandpa." He smiles at me and begins to run out of the room. I turn to Emma, who still has her mouth hung open. "Everything will be explained later. Now, it is time for a family reunion." I smile and follow the boy. Soon we make it to Main Street. A group of people has already gathered. The dwarves, Granny, Ruby, Snow and Charming, greet each other with hugs.
"So it's true." Emma says as she walks in front of Henry and I. They all turn to us, but they focus in on Emma. Many emotions flash over Snow's face as she walks up to her grown daughter. Emma is wrapped in her mother's arms.
"You found us." Snow says softly, trying not to sob but ready to at any moment. Charming joins the display of affection, which causes me to smile.
"Grandpa?" Henry says as he stands next to them. Both Charming and Snow let out laughs of disbelief. The hug breaks as they look at the boy.
"Yeah kid." The prince says, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I suppose so." Henry hugs his grandpa, and I cannot help but be sucked into the moment.
"Ava?" I hear someone call to me. I look over at Granny and Ruby. My smile grows, if that were even possible. I slowly walk up to them.
"Hello, Widow." I greet my friend.
"I've heard so much about you." Ruby says, drawing my attention.
"Nothing bad I hope." I say.
"Of course not, dear." Widow playfully hits my shoulder. The three of us share a laugh. Our moment is interrupted by one of the dwarves.
"Uh, then why are we still here?" Leroy, or Grumpy, pipes up.
"That, my friend, is an excellent question." Charming answers. I, however, do know why we are still here. I try to back away from the group a little. The little men started to ask about the smoke multiple times.
"Magic." Answers someone who came from the hospital a little after Emma, Henry, and I left. I look to Blue as everyone else does. "It's here." She says. I can feel it. She looks to me, and stares me down until Snow distracts her.
"Yeah," Henry says. "Ava was able to use magic to change her clothes and hair." The boy gestures to me. "You're the blue fairy, can you do something magical?" He asks. Blue looks to me before answering.
"It's not quite that simple Henry." She looks back down at the kid. "Ava and I use magic in different ways. There's no wand or fairy dust for me to use. Our lovely enchantress doesn't need those things."
"Let's go to the person responsible for bringing it." Grumpy proposes. "The Queen." I scoff at that, and everyone turns to me. Emma seems to realize something.
"No, wait." She says. She continues to stare at me. "It wasn't Regina, was it?" She asks me. I look to the ground and begin to rub my necklace charm like a worry stone again. I feel Widow begin to rub my arm gently in support.
Rumple POV
The smoke clears and I turn to my dear Ava's daughter. She is so beautiful, just like her mother.
"My darling Belle." I say with one of my arms around her shoulder. I guide her to turn towards me. "You have to tell me what happened to you."
"I was abducted." She starts simply.
"Regina." I say through my teeth. She nods as she continues.
"She locked me away until her curse, and I've been in the asylum ever since." That witch has finally gone too far.
"For twenty-eight years?" She nods at my words. "All these years, you've been here, alive." I get angrier by the second.
"Is that why you did this?" She asks. "Why you wanted magic? For revenge?"
"Oh no, but it might come in handy." I answer.
"No." She shakes her head. "No." She insists.
"I cannot let this stand Belle. I will not let this stand!" I gradually get louder trying to make my point to the girl. "Your mother was devastated when we thought you had died!" She steps back, as my anger is made clear. She takes a breath before speaking.
"Look, I know mother wouldn't act out on her anger in revenge for this. She would want it, but because of who she is she won't seek the revenge that you seem to want." Her statement is true, but I am very protective over family. Regina will pay for this. Just because Ava won't act out in revenge doesn't mean I won't. "Promise me. Promise me you won't give into your hate. Promise me you won't kill her." I shake my head and think about Belle's words. There is a loophole, but I would have to talk to Ava about what she thinks on the matter. "Promise me, and the three of us can be a family." My emotions are coming to the surface as I think of what our family could be.
"Oh, sweetheart." I whisper to her. "I promise." She smiles and almost tackles me in a hug. I return it as I get a call on my cell phone. Belle steps away as I bring it up to my ear. "Hello?"
"Hello, my love." I hear Ava's angelic voice on the other end of the line. "I am calling because Emma and a bunch of other people are on their way to see you at the shop." She whispers.
"Thank you for the update, my dear." I say. "I have something important to tell you." I look to Belle in front of me. A crowd, or mob, sounds on the other end of the line. "Is everything alright?" I ask.
"Yes," She answers. "Just a mob that wishes to seek revenge on Regina for the curse." She says in an almost annoyed tone. "I will meet you at the shop, and you can tell me what you wish to tell me once you get there."
"I will see you then, my love. Stay safe." I say before hanging up. Belle looks at me with curiosity. "That was your mother." I start. "She's going to meet us at the shop. We must go, quickly." I gently guide her in the direction of town.
Ava POV
I hang up the phone as Archie, or Jiminy, runs towards our group.
"There you are." He says to Emma. "Come with me." He says, out of breath. "I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house. They're gonna kill her." Sure, she cast the curse, but that is no reason to kill her.
"Great, let's watch." Grumpy states.
"No, no we cannot sink to her level." Archie says. That is exactly how I feel. Although, I know that Rumple created the curse to begin with. "No matter who she is, or what she's done, killing her is wrong."
"He's right." Henry says. Everyone turns to the boy. "Please, she's still my mom." Emma takes little to no time to decide what to do. She looks to her parents.
"We have to stop 'em." She says.
"If magic is here," Charming starts to say.
"Which it is." I say. He looks at me quickly before continuing his thought.
"Regina could have her powers back." We all look back at the mob heading to Regina's house. "They could be marching into a slaughter." Suddenly, everyone starts running to catch up with the start of the mob. I just stand in the street as I watch them go. None of them look back. None of them realize that I am not following. As they disappear around the corner I walk to the pawnshop. I step inside and walk around the counter. I look around for the box Rumple promised to gift me once the curse broke. The bell over the door rings as I finally find the box, held closed by string.
"I hope that is you, my love." I say as I stand up, not looking to the door. "I am just about to open-" I stop my words as I look up to see a person I never thought I would see ever again. I shake my head as I bring my hands up to my mouth. "No, no it cannot be."
"Yes, mother, it's me." She comes over and grabs my hands, pulling them away from my face. "I'm real. I'm alive." My eyes go wide. I tug my hands away as I run around the counter and crush my daughter in a hug.
"I thought you were dead." I whimper. I feel tears stream down my cheeks. As I think about it, I realize something. I pull away from Belle. "What did Regina do to you?" I ask in all seriousness.
"She just abducted me and kept me locked up until today. Someone let me out. I don't know who he was." I hug her once again as a throat clearing is heard. I step away from my daughter with the biggest smile I have ever had on my face. I look to Rumple. "I assume that Belle was the important thing you wanted to tell me about." I say to him.
"Just as sharp as ever, my dear." He says as he walks towards us. "Now, Belle, why don't you take your mother and go find something to wear." I look back at my daughter. She is still in the clothes of an asylum patient.
"Oh, yes, come with me, my dear." I say to her. "I will find something for you to wear. You have spent more than enough time in those awful rags." I say as I drag her into the back office. There is a rack of spare clothes there. I pick out a simple black and white striped one and hand it to her. "I think this one will suit you just nicely." She looks at it skeptically. "Trust me, just try it on." She nods to me as I leave for her to change. As I make it out into the main room of the pawnshop I see that Rumple is looking at something. "What is that, my love?" He seems a little startled. I giggle as I walk closer to him. "I did not mean to startle you."
"It doesn't happen very often." He smiles to me, talking about being startled. I gesture to the medallion in his hand.
"What is that?" I ask again.
"It is something I must use to keep a promise I made to Belle, while still doing what I want." What is he talking about?
"What promise?" I ask.
"I promised not to kill Regina for what she did to the poor girl." I look at him in shock.
"So, this won't kill her, but what will it do?" I am genuinely curious.
"It's a wraith's medallion." He says. "If she's branded by this medallion, and I summon the creature to Storybrooke,"
"It will take her soul." I say, knowing what a wraith is. I look from the medallion to his face.
"Soon, Emma should be stopping the mob you spoke of. Regina will be brought to the cell in the Sherriff's office." He says. I can see the wheels turning behind his eyes. "When she's left alone, I'll go in and brand her." He looks into my eyes searching for approval.
"While I do not approve of this revenge, I think you should go through with the plan." He seems surprised. "How can I let her get away with making me think my own daughter was dead? It is a cruel thing to do to a mother." He nods as he takes my hand and kisses the back of it.
"Have I told you how much I like the new look?" He asks me with a smile.
"Not yet." I giggle.
"Well, I love it." He says. "It's a perfect look for you." I smile at his words as we hear Belle step into the room. I look over at her and my breath hitches.
"Oh Belle," I say, trying not to cry. "You look beautiful." I walk to her and embrace her once more. Once I let go I realize that she has not brushed her tangled hair yet. "Let me go find a brush for you." I say as I go back into the back office. Belle follows me. I eventually find a beautifully ornamented comb and begin to untangle her hair. We sit in silence as the comb slides through her hair with some resistance. Rumple must have gone to mark Regina, for I cannot hear him moving around in the other room. As I finish combing the tangles from Belle's tresses, to my liking, the door to the shop sounds.
"I'm back." I hear Rumple call out. A smile snaps on my face, as if it is a reflex. I look to Belle and she has a matching smile on her face. She gestures for me to go greet him.
"I'll just try and nap for a bit." She says as she points to the small cot pushed up against the wall.
"Okay, sleep well." I walk up to her and place a kiss on her forehead before I enter the front of the shop. I see Rumple making his way behind the display counter. "Ah, my dear Ava." He greets as he looks to me. "Care for a cup of tea?" He asks.
"I would love some." I answer. "Belle is going to try and get some sleep on that cot out back, so she will not be able to join us." He nods to me as he breaks out a hot plate, fills a metal teapot with water, and he begins to heat up that water. I hop up to sit on the counter next to the heating teapot. "So," I start as we wait for the water to boil. "Did you go through with what we discussed?"
"Of course, my love." He says, looking into my eyes. A smirk lightly tugs at the corner of my mouth.
"I think you are a bad influence on me." I laugh, and he returns the laugh.
"Perhaps, but I also think you have been a good influence on me. I believe we even each other out." The teapot begins to whistle. Rumple turns the hot plate off and pulls out a few teacups that match the teapot and a few tea bags.
As he begins to pour the liquid into the cups the bell over the door to the shop rings. I look up and see Emma, Snow, and Charming. I smile warmly at them, but they do not look happy. I jump off the counter and look to Emma as she stops in front of us. She has fixed a glare at Rumple. He places the teapot down before speaking to the woman.
"What can I do for you?" He asks Emma.
"What you can do is tell us what you did." The blonde woman says.
"Could you be more specific?" I ask.
"You know damn well what we're talking about." Charming directs his words towards Rumple.
"Language, Charming." I warn with a slight glare.
"Whatever it is you did to this town." Snow clarifies.
"You mean the magic?" I ask. Rumple makes his way around me so he can stand on the other side of the counter.
"Allow me to answer some of your questions with some of my own, alright?" He says. Where is he going with this? "Is the curse broken?"
"Yes." She answers simply as she crosses her arms in front of her.
"And let's see, uh, Miss Swan, how long have you been searching for your parents? Looks like you're reunited." I look to Snow, and she has a soft, almost apologetic, expression on her face as she looks to me. "Seems like I deserve more of a thank you."
"Twist my words all you want." Emma states in a stern tone. "What was the purple haze that you brought?" Rumple looks to me with a smile.
"As Ava said before," He waves a hand flamboyantly in the air. "Magic."
"Why?" Snow asks. Rumple looks past Emma to the woman.
"Not telling." As soon s he finishes his words the ground begins to shake beneath us. It rattles many of the objects in the shop. I brace myself on the counter so I do not fall to the ground. As the shaking stops car alarms can be heard outside.
"What the hell was that?" Emma asks as Snow and Charming take a look outside.
"That is my gift to you." Rumple says calmly. "That is gonna take care of Regina." The ground shakes again as telephone and electric wires spark outside.
"Emma." Snow calls to her daughter. "Come on."
"We need to go take care of this." Charming adds. Emma glares at Rumple once again.
"We're not done." She says to him.
"Oh I know, and you still owe me a favor." He replies, pointing to her. Emma then turns to follow her parents out of the shop. Once we are alone I hear Belle walk out of the back room. I go over to you immediately and look her over.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I ask as I check for injuries.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." She takes a hold of my hands and brings them down before she looks past me to Rumple. "You lied to me."
"No. I-I kept my word." Rumple slightly stutters. They must be referring to the promise not to kill Regina. "I will not kill 'er." He emphasized the loophole in the promise made. Belle looks like she is going to cry as she walks closer to him.
"No," She whispers. "You toy with words, like you do people." Rumple and I share a glance as Belle continues. "You're still a man who makes wrong choices." Rumple looks down to the floor. "I thought you'd changed."
"What? In the hour you've known me?" He asks snapping his head back up to look at her.
"Rumple." I warn from behind Belle. She turns to me and I can see her eyes welling up with tears.
"How can you continue to stay by his side, the way he is?" I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. She decides not to wait for an answer from me and runs past Rumple.
"Belle," He calls to her as she makes it to the door. "I-I'm sorry." She opened the door. "Belle, I'm sorry." She turned to look at him. "I am." She left anyway and slammed the door before walking off. I just stand here in shock. Once again my daughter walks away from me. Rumple turns towards me. "Ava." He says softly as he comes closer to me. "She'll come back." He lifts his right hand up to my face, caressing my cheek.
"You do not know that for sure." I say, feeling something run down my cheek. Rumple wipes it away with his thumb.
"You gotta have faith, my love." He says. He looks over to the tea. He grab one of the cups and holds it out to me. "Why don't you drink this tea as I set up my spinning wheel in the back room. When you're finished with the tea you can get some sleep." That sounds nice actually. I grasp the teacup and sip at the warm liquid. "If she decides to come back she'll come here." I nod in agreement.
"I do love the sound of the spinning wheel." I smile at him, and he returns it. I stay out of the way as he takes of the suit jacket and sets up the spinning wheel in the back room. It took about half an hour. I watch as he sets up the wool and starts to spin the wheel. By that time I am done with my tea, so I decide to try and get some rest. I lay down on the small cot as the sound of the spinning wheel lulls me to sleep.
I dream of a horrifying room filled with fire. I try to escape, but the flames are too hot to walk through. I cry out for someone to help me. Rumple, Belle, Snow, Archie, August, and even Henry's name escapes my lips in fear. I need someone to help me. I need to get out. Will I ever get out?
Rumple POV
I watch as Ava falls into a deep sleep. She looks peaceful, but I fear there is something disturbing her in her dreams. Some time goes by before I hear the front door to the shop open. Light footsteps slowly make their way towards the door to the back room. The curtains are pushed out of the way. I look over and I notice the light hitting the wall and counters behind her. Is it really morning already?
"Hi." She says.
"Hey." I say in response. I watch as she glances to Ava's sleeping form on the cot. Her expression is one of guilt.
"I, uh, went for a long walk." She says as she walks towards me.
"I thought you didn't want to see me."
"I didn't." she says. "But I, I was worried." She glances back at her mother.
"Well, the beast is gone." I say, referring to the wraith. "Regina…lives." I can still feel her presence in this small town.
"So, uh, you didn't get what you wanted." She states.
"That remains to be seen." I say glancing at Ava. I can tell something is going wrong in her dreams. If she doesn't wake up soon, I'll have to wake her myself. I then notice Belle look past me to the small table set up next to my spinning wheel, and she smiles. She moves around me and picks up the chipped teacup.
"You, uh," She walks back in front of me. "You still have it." She says as she lets out a soft laugh. "My chipped cup." I nod my head to answer her. Then I stand up and take the cup from her.
"There are many many things in this shop," She lets go of the fragile object. "But this? This is the only thing I truly cherish." She smiles at me. "And now you must leave." She flinches at my words.
"What?"
"You must leave, because despite what you hope," I pause, trying to figure out the right way to say this. "I'm still a monster." She smiles and lightly laughs. That's a strange reaction to what I just told her. She rests her hands on my shoulders.
"Don't you see?" She says. "That's exactly the reason I have to stay." I am confused as to what she is actually saying. She must have noticed my confusion because she clarified. "Clearly it's going to take more than my mother to suck the darkness out of the Dark One." She laughs. She still doesn't understand the relationship that Ava and I have. I need the magic to get Bae back. Ava understands that, and she even helped in some ways.
The thoughts of Ava draw me back to her sleeping form. I walk over to her and sit on the edge of the cot. I brush a few locks of hair out of her face. My hand caresses her cheek as I call out to her softly. Her face scrunches in pain before she snaps her eyes open. She gasps as if she has not been able to breath. She looks around the room frantically. When her eyes meet mine she begins to cry. I pull her into my chest and try to calm her down. I rub her back to sooth her.
"Shhh. It's alright, my love." I say softly. "It's alright."
"Oh, Rumple." She sobs. "It was awful." I pull away from her so I can see her face. She looks terrified.
"What is it? What happened?" I ask. She takes a few deep breaths to try and calm herself enough to explain.
"I was in a room of fire, and I could not find a way out. I tried to call out for anyone and everyone to help me, but there was no one." She lets out another sob as I pull her close to me again. This is no doubt a side affect of the sleeping curse she was under. Sadly, I do not have anything I can give her. There's nothing that can stop her from going to that place every time she sleeps. I look up at Belle with a worried expression. The girl's own expression matches mine. I kiss the top of Ava's head as I try to think of anything that could help her. I hate this feeling of helplessness. It's the reason I wanted magic in the first place. I don't want to feel this way anymore.
A/N: So, did you like it? I wanted to get this out because a lot of you wanted the Belle and Ava reunion. I probably won't be updating this often. I have many other stories I have to keep up on. But I really like this story so far. If you have any comments or questions just write a review. I will try to reply to them, if not directly then in the Author's Note of the next chapter. I can't wait to hear from you.