Chapter 60: Moving In
"Will everyone please listen up!" Regina calls out to the crowd of people.
Many eyes turn towards the mayor of Storybrooke, she stands on a picnic bench to make sure that everyone can see her.
"Now, I know that this is a lot to take in for many of you and we are asking for a rather large favour of you, but there just isn't enough room at Granny's to house all these children from Auradon and the Isle and I seriously doubt Whale is going to let these teens stay in his hospital any longer. I know the convent can help with some of this problem, but if a few of you could graciously take in some of the alternate children, no one will have to sleep on a park bench."
Hell no! Lily growls in her head. She doesn't want some purple-haired freak living with her and her mother. She glares daggers at the so-called heroes of this town.
Everyone frowns with concern, they would never put it past the monarch to carry out this threat.
"I'm kidding," the former Evil Queen says.
"I promise that it's only temporary," Crystal reassures the crowd. "First thing tomorrow, Mal and I will start working on a way to get everyone home. I just need to go get my Dad's book from his shop. We will not rest until every child is back with their real parents again."
"Or vice versa," Mal mutters as most of the VKs don't want anything to do with their real parents.
"Like the arrivals from Camelot and the Land of Untold Stories, we are going to do our best to keep everyone safe and make everyone feel welcome," Snow reminds them. She and David look at their new twin children, Snow is already planning to have the twins share the upstairs in the farmhouse, right next to Neal's room. She hopes that they won't mind sharing their usual guest space.
"And we will provide all of them with the basic necessities like food and clothing," Emma adds.
"But you, munchkins will have put up with looking plain for a little while," Zelena jokes.
"If I can get some fabric and a sewing machine, I could make everyone new outfits," Evie says, as Doug wraps her in his arms. "This place definitely needs some updated fashion choices."
"We'll think about it, Evie," Regina reassures her with a smile.
"The covenant can provide several beds for some of the children," Blue volunteers. She looks down at Jane and Tallia. "Would you ladies mind staying with the sisters? I believe spending time with fellow fairies will be most beneficial to everyone."
The daughter of the Fairy Godmother smiles brightly. She is hesitant to live in a strange place and she doesn't want to completely go back to being the "good girl" with the bowl cut; she thinks she could learn a lot from the fairies, making her mother very proud. "We'd love to," she says positively.
"She does not speak for both of us," Tallia points out. She snaps her bubble gum, not wanting to spend time in a place with rules that tells you when to pray, what to do, and what to wear. It's exactly what she'd tried to escape from in Pixie Hollow by going to Auradon. "Can I still chew gum and wear whatever I want?"
Blue's face folds into a frown as she looks at the rebellious teenager wearing green leather and who has green streaks in her hair. She was most definitely Green's daughter, no doubt about that. Rebel without a cause. She decides she can make a few exceptions, especially if it's only temporary. It is clear that the daughter of Tinkerbell will need some strong guidance, especially when it comes to learning about respect and handling her potential magic.
"Within reason, as long as you follow the rules, you are welcome to chew gum and wear what you would like," the head fairy finally says.
"Cool," the teenager shrugs.
"If that is two children, we have about seven more beds to fill,"
"Will you accept Jordan?" Regina speaks up immediately. The last thing she wants is the young genie to be anywhere near Sidney Glass. The man is completely insane and obsessive, the most unfit to be a parent of all; why she ever kept him around as her companion in the magic mirror still baffles her to this day. She also assumes that the fairies can protect Jordan's magic lamp so there are no further mishaps like the CJ incident.
"Certainly," Nova says, speaking out instead of Blue. The head fairy glares at the impulsive Pink, but then sighs, nodding in agreement.
"How about it, Allie?" Tallia asks. "Want to be roomies like at Auradon?"
"If it's okay," the timid blonde asks.
Blue nods, knowing that this shy girl would not cause harm to anyone.
"Ruby and Anxelin might be a good choice too," Ben offers helpfully.
"Finally, we'll have more people to help us braid our hair," Anxelin says.
"Yes," Ruby agrees.
"Freddie?" Mal offers.
The voodoo girl shrugs. "Well, I'm not going back in the lamp."
Blue twitches nervously, not liking the idea of a dark voodoo apprentice being in the holy convent, but perhaps they could also help her control her magic and use it responsibly. The head of the convent just nods in agreement.
"And I guess Melody and Arabella can finish that up," Mal says.
The mermaid sisters shrug, deciding it's better than sleeping in a fish tank. The two cousins go over to stand with the rest of the group.
"We'd rather sleep on a ship," Jonas shouts out. "Not in some hippie hotel or convent."
"Yeah," a bunch of Uma's crew shouts in agreement.
Regina looks at Killian.
"Is The Jolly Roger an option?"
Killian bites his lip extremely hard, hesitating to let these rowdy bunch of teenagers anywhere near his ship. Emma can feel the tension in his body and wraps her arm around him.
"I can put a protection spell on it, she won't get a scratch. And I'll make sure that only you can sail her."
Killian is still dragging his feet, but in the end, it would be better to have the pirates where they are most comfortable and to keep them all into one place.
"If they promise to keep her in ship shape," he finally says. "The barracks will be available." He grinds his teeth and subtly flashes his hook at the group. He gives them a sharp look of disdain and anger, telepathically telling them that if they step out of line, they would regret it. He knows his place is at home with Emma and their little sea jewel, but The Jolly Roger was his second home, had been for more than 200 years. Even back when she was the Jewel of the Realm and he sailed with his brother. She had seen everything from typhoons to Kraken attacks, surely, she could remain floating even if she was the home of some teenagers for a short amount of time.
"That takes care of them, but Harry and CJ, you're welcome to stay at our place," Emma offers, not really sure why she's being so accommodating to their "alternate" children. They felt very little paternal or maternal instincts towards the rebellious offspring of Captain Hook, but the Saviour could sense that the two were just scared and needed a helping hand right now. She could see the lost look that she had had at that age, fear of being alone and not caring because the world didn't seem to give them a break.
"Ye mean it Lass?" Harry asks, his eyes wide in surprise and hope.
"Do you Swan?" Killian asks.
Emma gazes into her husband's bright blue eyes; he's clearly at the end of his rope. He'd already given up his ship to these outsiders, but not his home… their home. She takes him to the side to talk privately.
"Killian, it won't be for very long."
"But Swan…"
"I know they are a lot to handle, but wasn't Henry, especially during the late teen years? It won't be for very long. Look at them, Killian… do you not see that they are as lost as we were? Children who cry at night because they miss their parents."
"They don't bloody miss their parents,"
"Maybe they would if they had proper ones," Emma says quietly, biting her lip.
Killian sighs, he looks over at Harry and CJ, the elder brother has his arm wrapped around his sister almost protectively. It was rare to see any affection from the son of Captain Hook… his son. He looks closely, and he can see the same expression all lost children from Neverland have. His heart becomes heavy as he sees Baelfire, himself, Liam, and Emma in their place.
He sighs. "All right, as long as they help with the dishes."
Emma smiles at his joke. "That could take a while."
"Tia, Aziz, Herkie, Lonnie, Li Jr. are welcome to stay at Granny's. Any other takers?" Regina asks. Staying at the restaurant was especially appealing to Tia, who had inherited her mother's interest and talent for cooking, she'd like to see how the restaurant is run. "Evie, you Dizzy, Robbie, Carlos and Jay are welcome in my home. I have plenty of room for everyone."
There is a small lump in Regina's throat when she mentions Robbie, the alternate son of Robin Hood. While Roland had gone back to the Enchanted Forest with the Merry Men, which was for the best, she still missed him and still wanted to have a piece of her soul mate present. Sure she had little Robin, but Zelena did most of the raising.
"Ben; you, Paige and Patrick are coming home with us. If you guys don't mind Gideon's 4 o'clock feeding," Belle offers.
The Pan twins shrug, not knowing the full connection to Belle, Crystal, and Gideon yet.
"As long as it's far away from the crying," Patrick says.
Maleficent goes up to Mal and puts her hand on her shoulder.
"Dear Mal…"
Oh no! Lily thinks in her mind. Why Mom? Why?
"Would you be okay coming home with Lily and me? Our place has plenty of room for a third person, you can have your own space, and you will get a nice place to sleep with a view of the forest."
Lily's eyes flash gold. She tries to hold back an animalistic snarl she has in the back of her throat. She doesn't want some freaky, younger outsider ruining what she had built with her mom. It already infuriated her that the mistress of all evil had taken a liking to the teenager already. It drove her mad, that darkness inside of her coming back into her veins. She walks away in a huff before she burned every one of them to a crisp.
The purple-haired teenager hesitates for a moment, not entirely ready to move-in with complete strangers who are supposed to be her "alternate" family. She does feel like just staying at Granny's would be the lesser of two evils, but she'd have to share with one of the Auradon students and honestly, a room to herself did sound appealing
"Just let me check with Lily," the former queen of darkness says. She turns to find her first-born daughter gone. "That's odd, she was there a minute ago..."
"If Lily's okay with it, then yes I'd like to stay with you," Mal agrees.
"Audrey, Chad, Pin, Whitney and Simon, plus all seven sons can stay with their prospective parents too." Regina finishes pleased to have each child be given a roof over their heads.
"Oh, giorno felice!" Marco says. "Another pair of hands in the shop!"
"Who says we want seven extra mouths to feed," Leroy grunts.
"Leroy please," Snow says sternly. "Just be accommodating, like you were for me. You all took me in when I had nowhere else to go."
"All right, all right," the dwarf grumbles. "Enough with the guilt-tripping."
Audrey could not be more excited and nervous to get to know her new parents and baby brother. Chad looks like he's seen a ghost as the idea of living with a toddler with no place to get his hair done made him want to keel over.
"What about Uma?" Harry asks.
"Yeah, you can't keep her in the brig forever!" Gil shouts.
"Why would that need to happen?" a voice calls out.
Everyone is on their guard, especially Mal and her friends when they see Uma walking towards them. However, she is not alone.
Rumpelstiltskin walks beside the pirate captain and a woman who was unknown to those from Auradon, but the people from Storybrooke flinch a bit in fear at the queen of darkness. She ignores the various stares and goes to greet Maleficent with a fond hug.
"Darling," the sea witch says. "It's fabulous to see you."
"It's been too long," the horned woman agrees.
"Lady Ursula," Hook says, nodding in respect. While he was still a little nervous around the woman who had tried to drown him, he had helped her get her happy ending again. The sea witch nods to her former enemy but keeps her eyes forward at the crowd of many people.
"Rumpel?" Belle asks. "What did you do?"
"Ursula?!" Harry says.
"Ursula!" Gil swallows.
Most of the pirate crew take a large step back, knowing how bossy and treacherous this eight-legged octopus lady could be, especially when the teens hung around the fish and chips shop.
"The one and only," the cecaelia says proudly, almost with a bow. She turns to Uma. "This must be the Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum of your crew you spoke about."
Both mother and daughter smirk and chuckle at the comment. Harry can't help but grin as "Tweedle-Dum" has no idea what was just said, he just stands around looking lost as usual.
"Rumpelstiltskin you have some explaining to do," Belle demands. The beauty herself is a little afraid considering Ursula had tried to strangle her once.
The man goes over to his wife and kisses her head. "I merely reunited a family," he says. "And I have prepared accommodations for the sea witch and her hatchling while they are in town."
"And I've already sent the word out to Ariel about her guppies," Ursula says. Both she and Uma stand slightly closer together, almost affectionately.
Mal and everyone else is still on guard, but it's strange to see Uma so calm and not trying to wrap her hands around Mal's throat. She doesn't seem to acknowledge the AKs around her. Something must have happened since she was in that jail cell.
Little did anyone notice, that Carlos had snuck away from the rest of the group, heading back towards Mr. Gold's shop to see his parent again.
A/N: Hey guys, sorry that it's been so long since I've updated, but here's a new chapter for everyone. Hope you enjoy it. It's official: the AKs and VKs are officially moving into Storybrooke!