Archive of Our Own

Work Text

So… this was how it ended… Well… seriously. Like… could they really more ruin a character than the way they were doing ? (Spoiler : yes. Clearly. Like with Facilier's death in the 20th episode. And the worst of it is that I don't care, they ruined him the way they ruined Jack for me. The way he died was as terrible as the way Jack died. Facilier just… disappeared. It was just like : oh, we don't need this character anymore, just let's kill him in a non-emotional way, because, really, who cares ? Personally, I must admit that I don't.) Were they really going to kill Jack, one of the most interesting characters of the new season ? (Again, it's a personal opinion, if you don't agree with this and if you like Facilier, well… you won't agree with what follows. And you won't like it.) The Author (me, clearly, not Henry. Even if I don't think Henry would have accepted to let his friend die this way) then just let escape a gasp of horror when she realized that yes, Facilier wasn't going to let Jack alone, and was going to kill him. With voodoo… Hum… excuse me, WHAT ? “Are you kidding me ? She muttered, furious. Like, what, really ? What kind of death is it ? And, were they really forced to kill him ? He was just arrested, right, couldn't they just let him in prison until the curse break ? Even if I don't like the way Drizella left the story, well, at least, she is still alive and had her happy ending. Well, at least, things are good for her, and she is with her sister.” Silence appeared then, the young woman being too astonished by what just happened in front of her eyes. (Well, not really, not physically, as she was not here, but you understand the idea.) “And, well… is is possible to make a death seem to be that non-emotional and so meaningless ? I mean, I never liked Tremaine, but her death had a sense, it really meant something, and they did make efforts to make us feel something about her. And here… nothing ! I know Jack was a murderer, but he did have an interesting story. Unlike a certain wizard just here who means nothing for anyone. In fact, not for me.” (Spoiler : it's still the case.) “And Jack was killing evil witches, who were dangerous ! And were they really forced to add Zelena in his story ? I don't know, I guess Zelena is more popular than Jack is, but he really deserved to get more screen-time, and a real flash-back about him and his sister ! Not an entire episode about how Zelena had always been rejected before, and wasn't anymore because she changed, a thing we all already knew ! I mean, I didn't ask for Law Believer (well, maybe as a BroTP, we could have had it), but it would have been cool to have Jack being more developed, and...” The Author had a deep sight, and didn't need so much time before taking her decision. (Hum… you're sure about it ? I mean… really sure ? This is a fanfiction, I can do and write what I want, and I don't care if someone doesn't agree with it ! Hum… okay.) “You know what fourth wall ? Fuck it ! I am going to go in the OUAT universe, and I am going to fix it !” 
Couldn't you do it before, and fix Neal's death ?
 
Oh, shut up !
 
§§§§
 The two men started when they saw a woman appear in front of them. (Well, they knew about magic, so they weren't that surprised.) “Who the hell are you ? Facilier asked, still holding the voodoo doll in his hand. - Well, she answered, trying to be impressive, my name (well, pseudo) is Angelica R ! I am the Author !” Yes, according to their suspicious looks, it was not that impressive. “As the Author is Henry, I don't think you can say that you're the only Author, Jack said. The Author sighed again. - Well, I am an author, not the Author. And I am the Author of this story. - The what ? Facilier demanded. - So, break the fourth wall, done, the woman said, not answering him. Now, what was I supposed to do ? Oh, yes, she remembered, stop this masquerade, of course.” With just one gesture, she made disappear the doll in Facilier's hand. “Why did you do this ? - I don't like you. As a character, I don't dislike you, not really, but there are two things about you I don't like. The fact that you were going to kill Jack just here, who, I think, deserves death less than yourself do. Oh, and I don't like Shadow Queen. It's not that I really love Outlaw Queen, but the season 7 really made me love Step Queen (a ship I am the only one to write about), and the thing is that, for me, your relationship for Regina is not done well here (sorry for the fans, again, it's just what I think about it). - What are you talking about ?” The Author rolled her eyes, and, making a gesture, she just made him shut up. And she smiled. “Oh… I really understand now the reason why Regina really loved using it on Zelena during season 5. Now we can talk.” She then gave him his voice back, and the sorcerer looked at her, choked. “How are doing this ? - I told you, this is my story, and I do what I want here. I decide how things happen. I am the Author ! I am the one who decides how it ends ! Then, she frowned. Hum… isn't it the title of this One Shot ? Oh, yes, I forgot about it, my old habit of using the title of my story in the story itself. This commentary was already too long, she muttered. - Please, can you tell me the reason why you're here ? Jack asked her. - Certainly not to free you. Because, Jack, even if I like you as a character, and even if these witches deserve to be punished… I am sorry, but I still must to stop you.” Jack raised an eyebrow, seeming to think something like : What, really ? “Hey ! The Author protested. I do like characters like Regina, Rumplestiltskin, Zelena or Hook, but you can trust me, if I had to meet them during their revenge/dark/evil period, I would try to stop them. - But why are you here ? He repeated. - Oh, I don't want you to get killed, you don't deserve this. Oh, and please, don't tell me that all witches are bad, it does not make any sense to me. This is just crap, and you are wrong. But it's not your fault, the writers made you do this.” When the two men looked at her, skeptical, she rolled her eyes. “What ? Oh, come on, we had a “darkness made me do this” with Rumplestiltskin, a “my Evil side made me do this” with Regina. So, why not a “the writers made me do this” ? Oh, bloody hell, we did have a “the author made us do this” with Snow and Charming ! One of their worst ideas ever, if you want to know my opinion about it, she muttered, more for herself than for the other. - Excuse me ? Facilier said. But isn't it supposed to be our story ? What the hell are you doing here ? - I want to change the story, because I think the writers messed up everything here. Well, it's not the only one thing they messed up with in this show, but we are not here to talk about this. - You know that this is absurd, right ? Jack said. - Yes, of course it is ! That's the reason why it's so fun ! So, this is how it ends here. Facilier, you're not going to kill Jack, you're going to leave this place, and kill Gothel. Then, you will cure Henry, wake him up, and then, you will leave the town, never come back, and let StepQueen happen ! Because I live in an alternate universe where Drizella never left town and where she lives happy with Regina. - But, this is absolutely non-sense, and I am sure you know it, Facilier told her. - LET ME LIVE IN MY FANTASY, OKAY ! ! !” - You're crazy.” The Author smiled. “Maybe. Maybe not. Well, as we are all a little bit crazy here… - Wait, Jack told her, frowning. Did you just try to kind of quote Alice in Wonderland, or something like that ? Because it was a total fail. - It doesn't matter… And I'm not crazy, I'm a fanfiction author, and I am happy to meet you. Well, one more than the other. - A what ? Facilier asked. - Fanfiction. You're in one of them. Now, please, go.” The wizard disappeared without asking any other questions. “That's the reason why I love fanfictions… - You know I am not going to stop, right ? - You see, she answered, if this story was not just pure crack, fun, non-sense and was more than just something totally absurd, I would make you go to the Wish Realm. Then, you would meet grown-up Wishverse Henry (I read something about this on Tumblr, and it was a really interesting idea of a story). And then, I would make you both fall in love, forget about your revenge, and we would have both Law Believer AND Glass Believer. That would be just perfect. - I understood nothing about what you said. - It doesn't matter. When I leave you, you will remember nothing about it, just as Facilier, but in this version of the story, in one, at least (well, two, if I take into account You hate me and you're right, but I'm not your enemy, where I made Zelena talk with you and where you didn't die), you will be safe. Well, there will be no Law Believer, and I am kind of sad of it, as this is one of my new OTP now, but I guess I can deal with it. You see, that's the reason why I love fanfictions, she continued. People may sometimes not agree with what happens in canon, for many and various reasons, and it's my case sometimes. I don't agree with everything, and even if it's futile, there is a part of me which is sad that Hookfire or SwanQueen, or even StepQueen never happened. And I am still mad at the writers for killing Neal, even if, at least, his death was much more emotional than yours. But, at least, with the fanfictions, I can try to fix it, and yes, it is a total deny of what really happened, and maybe it doesn't worth it, maybe it doesn't change anything, and I agree with it. But I don't care, and I'm happy to know that, even if it's just fiction (as it is in canon, by the way), well, at least, I know that there is a version of the story where things happen the way I want them to be. Now, please, excuse-me, I have some Law Believer fanfictions to write, like right now, because, as with StepQueen, I am afraid I have a fandom to expand on my own (except of course if other people want to write about Law Believer or StepQueen, I would glad not to be alone on these ships. Even if I never wrote about Law Believer, and by the way, thanks for victorfrankenwhale for writing about them, and making me discover this ship that I ship so much now. And I will try to write about them, one day.) Bye !” And she left, leaving a surprised and astonished Jack. His last thought about it could summarize what happened. It had absolutely no sense.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Internal dialogue between the Author and her Muse.

So

…

you intend

to write a real story, this time ?

Y
es ! Of course ! This is what I usually do.
 
But… you didn't do this last time… Because it was really… strange, absurd, bizarre, non logical, non sense.
 But it was fun ! And I needed this ! I needed to do this !

So… what now

?

Here, you mean ? Law Believer. 
What ? Law Believer ? Really ?

Yes ! I love

this pairing, and there are not enough of those,

so I will write about them.

(

Author's note : To the future/potential readers here, if you don't like this pairing, go away. There will be slash, so leave if you don't want to read this.)

A
serious text

?

Yes. If you except what I am writing now, yes, I will. And this time, it will be reciprocal.

An alternate universe, I guess, as you

adore

them.

Yeah.

And what will it be

?

A coffee shop AU ! 
WHAT ?
 You… you don't like them ? 
Yes, yes, I do, but… it is a little… surprising, coming from you, no ?
 Why ? 
Didn't you say that you found it kind of forced, cliche, too much present ?
 No ! Well, I thought it, a little, but I never said it. And despite this, I also like to read it. 
But you don't know anything about it… I mean, you read texts and fanfictions about it, but… you don't know how it works in reality. Isn't it a little problem ?
 I don't care ! I don't want to write a realistic story, I want to write a romance. I want to write a story with no angst, no serial killer, and where everything ends good. With fluff. I want to write fluff ! 
Okay. Do it.
 I do. Right now.

Summary (bis) :
Henry and Nick meet
every day
at the same coffee-shop whe
re
Henry's cousin,
Margot
, is working. And things happen.

Other pairings will be evoked.
Yes, it may be too much cliche, but I don't care, I just want to write some Law Believer fluff (I wrote too much angst/one-sided things about them.
I
just
want them to be happy.
)

Pairings evoked/present : Law Believer, Curious Archer, RebelGlass, Zelena/Chad, Gideon/Roderick + SwanQueen, Hookfire, MadWhale, RedBeauty (in fiction).
 Henry really loved to go in this coffee-shop. For three different reasons, which had nothing to do with the other. First, because their coffee was really good. Second, because his wonderful cousin, Margot West, was working in this one. Third, because it was one of the favorite places of a very cute lawyer named Nick Branson and where this one went usually – and to who he still didn't dare talking. Oh, I guess you didn't follow all the events. Alright, so, here is the story. (I love to make too long introductions. Don't worry, the story is coming right now.) 
§§§§
 They met – if it can be said this way – on a normal day. For Henry, it was more than a bad day, and he was more than relieved to see Margot, and to notice that there was almost no one in the place where she was working. In fact, he didn't pay attention to the only customer who was there, and he didn't see the look that the man gave him, and he just went at the counter where his cousin was. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, holding a small box in her hand, looking at this like it was going to explode at her face in the next minute. When she saw him, she started and rapidly put the box back into her pocket, and she tried to smile to him. He sat down on one of the stools of the bar, and he tried to reply to her smile, with not a lot of conviction. “Hey Henry, she told her cousin. How are you ? - Fine, I guess, he answered. And you ?” She shrugged. “I'm good… I think. Well, my mom is going to marry Chad very soon, so, she is very excited about it, and happy, and I am too… - But… he added, knowing there was more behind this than what she was just saying. - But, on the opposite, I still didn't succeed to propose to Tilly… I want her to marry me, she said, taking again the box with which she was playing some seconds ago, but, with what happened these last weeks, I didn't find time to do it. As you already know it, her father is very sick, and yeah, it was not really the good moment to talk about it. So, I still didn't do it. What about you ? She asked, wanting to divert the conversation to another subject. He sighed. - Well… Things are not really well for me either. I feel like I don't have any inspiration right now.” Margot chuckled. “Well, Henry, you never had any problems to write a chapter or even an entire book of Once Upon A Time. You see, the Enchanted Forest, telling the tale of Snow White and Prince Charming in a totally different way, the story of the Evil Queen, the magic mirror, the huntsman, and all these other people. The story of Emma Swan. And the story of her son. And her story with the Evil Queen. By the way, at which part of the story are you now ? I mean, I know that you're now writing the fifth book, but are you at the part involving Neverland ? Henry had a little laugh. - Now, I'm not. It will be in the next book. Right now, they are trying to save the town, in fact, I am at the end of the book. And, then, later, they will have to all unite in the next book in order to save the young hero, and it will lead to a lot of things, he teased. And he smiled. I should not be talking about my work with you Margot, I risk revealing too much things to you. - Hey ! She protested. I'm your greatest fan ! And the better Muse you ever had, she added with not so much modesty but with a lot of humor, showing that she didn't think any of the words she was saying.” Henry had another smile, but his smile didn't seem to be really sincere according to Margot, who then frowned. “There is something else, right ? She asked him. Something you really want to tell me but that you didn't dare saying, for some obscure reason. I am right, no ?” He nodded, and took another sip of his coffee. “So, tell me, what is it ? - Jacinda and me, we broke up, he finally announced.” Margot looked at him with surprise, and she blinked two or three times. “Oh… I'm sorry for you…. What happened ? - Well, something which happens really often… She fell in love with someone else. - Really ? - Yeah… He finished his coffee and offered her a weak smile. She kind of… went through an identity crisis these last months, and she discovered… well, she admitted that she was bisexual. And she discovered also that she was in love with her best friend, Sabine. - And so, now… you're not together anymore. - Nope. But I must admit too that indeed, things were not like they used to be between us, not only for her but also for me… It was not the same… I'm sad it's over, but at least, we will stay friends, and I am happy to know that she is happy.” Margot smiled. “You really are a too noble man Henry Mills.” Henry laughed. 
§§§§
 “Well, so, now, you're single… And you're bisexual too, aren't you ? Yes, of course you are”, she added with a smile, remembering the fear she had once to make her coming out to her cousin, before he told her that, if she was lesbian, well, he himself was bisexual. Henry nodded his head, not understanding what she really meant. “Yes… So, what ? - Well, you see, there is a really cute handsome man standing just behind you and that you should look at. Henry raised an eyebrow, surprised by the comment. - Why are you even interested by him ? Aren't you supposed to be… - Hey ! She protested again. Being a lesbian just means “not to be attracted to him”, it doesn't mean “not being able to recognize a handsome man when I see one.” And he is, you can trust me. I am interested by him for you.” He rolled his eyes. “I'm not sure I am really in the mood for this kind of things… I mean… I just broke up with the one who was my girlfriend since I was sixteen years old… Seven years, it's a long time, you know… - Which means that it's maybe the time for you to… I don't know, move on ? As you told me that things weren't the same anymore, you have also to admit that maybe, you as her, you were just holding on to a thing which was not real since a long time… Am I right ?” He sighed, but did nod. “At least, she added, you should look at him, at first, before saying no.” He sent her death stares. “He is just behind me. Won't it be too strange and awkward if I turn back only to look at him ? I mean, for me, it's something really strange.” Margot, who was wiping a glass with a cloth, smiled to him and showed him what was next to her. “Then, just look at him in the mirror next to you, you will see him without turning back.” So did he, and when Margot saw a great smile appear on his face, she had to contain herself not to jump for joy, well, until she heard him. Because apparently, there was only one thing Henry paid attention to. “He is reading my book, he whispered to Margot with astonishment and joy, as if he was discovering every day that, indeed, there were a lot of people who actually loved his novels about the fairy tales and the way he wrote them. Margot rolled her eyes. - Yes, he is reading a book, and so what… Then she smiled too, as she finally understood what her cousin meant. Oh… so, you mean, your book… Well, one of them, in fact. She looked at the one that Nick was reading. And one of your spin-offs about some of your secondary characters… - You're sure that you're really discrete ? He asked her, seeing her giving not so discrete glances at Nick. - Oh, shut up, I am trying to see which one of them he is reading. - I hope for you that he is deeply caught by the plot of the book, he muttered, not sure of the way this story was going to end. - He is… And he is reading your book about Jefferson, Frankenstein, his brother, Ruby and their adventures in different worlds ! You know, the book where… - Yes, I know, the story which takes place before the Dark Curse happens, and by the way, you should call Ruby by her name, Scarlett, as it was her real name at the beginning.” The bartender chuckled. “Yes, I know, they are your characters, and you absolutely didn't choose to write a romance between Jefferson and Victor Frankenstein after I gave you the advice to do this.” He rolled his eyes. “I intended to do it before you told me this. You just made me realize that, indeed, people shipped them… As, I think it's the term which is used. - Yes, of course ! They look so good together. So, now that you know that he loves your work, you go to talk to him. Right now. I mean, it's so cute, he is already a fan of you and your work, and he doesn't even know you're here. - Don't you have something else to do ? Something else than talk about my love life ? Aren't you supposed to… I don't know, work ? And by the way, why are you that alone ? - It's Roland's day off, and Roni is sick, and by the way, except you and this mysterious unknown beautiful man, there is no one here. I can handle this. - Can you tell me why you want so much to play the matchmaker for me ? - Because you're my cousin, I love you, and I want you to be happy, and you feel lonely, I see it. If it was not the case, Henry, you wouldn't be here. You would be writing. - Well, then, I will do this. Goodbye Margot. She sighed. - Goodbye Henry. You really should think about it...” He didn't answer. 
§§§§
 When she saw her friend Gideon enter in the coffee-shop, Margot had another smile. “Hey Gideon, you're here to see me, or you wanted to drink something ? - Actually, I was waited by someone…” She blinked, surprised, before understanding. Behind the bar, when she saw Gideon kiss this man she didn't know, and when she realized that her plans were not going to work, she internally sighed, and thought : “Oh, crap.” (Even if it was futile, and she knew it. But she was so sure she had found the perfect person for her cousin ! Yeah, it was too soon to say that, she knew it.) And if the glass she was holding in her hand fell on the ground and broke, it was certainly not an accident. 
§§§§
 When Henry came back at the coffee-shop the day after, he was even more bad-tempered than he already was the day before, which was a little exploit. He looked around him, seeming to be searching for something, or maybe someone, before looking again at Margot. He said hello to Roland, and he sat down on the same seat that he used usually, ready to talk to Margot, as he always did when he came there. “He is not here, you know. Your unknown man. And I found out yesterday that he has actually someone… I saw his boyfriend with him yesterday.” He shrugged. “Okay. It's good for him, but, I don't know what it has to do with my own life. Why should I care about the love life of a man I don't even know ? You definitely watch too much romantic comedies. - I write too much of them, she muttered. By the way, did you write last day ?” His face just darkened. “No, I didn't. I couldn't. She frowned. - Why not ? - Well… I was thinking about things, and my publisher had the good idea to call me, she wanted to talk about… the SwanQueen subject. Margot' eyes began to shine with interest. “Oh… so you're going to write SwanQueen, rather than CaptainSwan and OutlawQueen ? If you can add Hookfire in all of this, you will really please me. - In fact, my publisher told me that she was one of those who shipped SwanQueen. And she didn't ask me to write it, as so many fans – you included – did. She asked me to browse again rapidly all my books and especially the scenes between the two of them, and to try to forget that I am the author of these stories… And… - And what… - And I discovered that, apart the main conflict Savior/Evil Queen, I unconsciously wrote them as a divorced couple fighting for the guard of their son, but who couldn't stop loving each other. Or here, who couldn't help falling in love with each other, even if it was not that obvious for me at first. - So… what do you intend to do ? - I don't know ! In fact, after I realized it, I tried to write the scene in the mines, with the diamond that's going to destroy the town… And I couldn't write anything but something romantic, something about what they were feeling for each other… And it was not really appropriate to the situation… And now, I definitely don't know what to do… - Then, continue, and try again if you have difficulties to succeed to write it. Only if you think this is the way your story has to continue, of course, you're the author after all, you're the one who decides everything which happens in your books. And what about Hookfire ? You already did MadWhale, so why not them ? - Why do you ship them so much ? - The two characters who hated each other because of their common tragic stories, but who could have been friends, and who had to live together for a time but who were separated because one betrayed the other. The story of the two men who had to reconcile in order to save a child. - He was fourteen years old when he met Hook ! He was a child, and you ship them since this moment ? - An adolescent, she corrected. And it's Neverland, so the age doesn't really count. And in my fanfictions, at least, I can change it. Long live the Alternative Universe ! And say that to the one who ship CaptainPan, she said with a grin. - What ? - And that would be much more better than the classic triangle love that you intended to do first. - That's your opinion… - Or, I don't know, make CaptainFireSwan happen, another polyamory relationship won't be too much, you already did Warrior Royals, after all !” Henry grinned. “Nope, I won't. SwanQueen and Hookfire seem to be better for me.” Margot raised a victorious fist. “I won ! She claimed.” Henry chuckled. 
§§§§
 This day, Henry and Nick didn't see each other, well, not a lot of time, as Nick was entering in the coffee-shop, while Henry was leaving it. Henry gave him a brief hello, while Nick just gave him a nod, as he was glued to the phone, and he sat down at the table where he went usually. After he took his order and after he served him, Roland went to the bar, in order to see Margot, who just came back at at the counter, as she just finished to serve everyone in the coffee-shop. Indeed, it was quite a busy day, and it was a chance that Margot just missed the little interaction between Henry and Nick, because she would have surely elaborated dozen of theories about it, had she seen them. Roland looked at her who was looking at Nick, and he smiled. “Are you interested by him ? He joked, perfectly knowing it was not the case. - Are you interested by him ? She responded with the same tone. - Hell no ! You can trust me, I'm happy enough with Ava, I don't need someone else. He is one of our regular customers, right ? - Yes… And I'm intrigued…. Do you know his name ? - Nick Branson. He is a lawyer, and he is in a relationship with one of our old friends, you see, Gideon French. - Yes… I know, I saw them together the other day. - And… what ? It seems to disturb you. - Yes, because…. I don't know, I pictured that him and Henry could be good together. - Henry… Our Henry ? Our cousin ? Isn't he supposed to be with Jacinda ? - Oh, you didn't hear the news ? They broke up. - So, you want Henry and Nick to be together, because…. You think it could be a good thing for them ? He asked, suspicious, looking at her like she was crazy. - I wanted, yeah. - Please, try not to play too much the Emma in this story, if you can, that would be the better thing for everyone, he told her with a grin. - Hey ! She told him with an indignant scream, striking him a little at his arm. Don't you dare comparing me to a Jane Austen character if it's not Elizabeth Bennet ! And don't worry, she added, I won't interfere…” 
§§§§
 Three weeks passed, and a new routine could now be observed in the coffee-shop. The Author Henry Mills and the lawyer Nick Branson came there every day, most of the time at the same moment, and… And nothing happened. They were here, by chance or not, and nothing was happening, and Margot was getting more bored and bored. “Hey ! Roni told her. You're again looking at your favorite TV show ? - Yeah… But nothing is happening… - Maybe because… there is nothing ? Roland is right, you should stop playing the matchmaker. - I did nothing ! - Well, if you want something to happen, make them meet. - Nick is not looking for someone, and Henry keeps telling me he doesn't want to be with someone. Operation Law Believer is not going to work. Roni blinked. - Operation what ? - Operation Law Believer, she repeated. You see, in Henry's books, the hero always gives names to the operations he tries to solve. So, here, Operation Law Believer, because Nick is a lawyer, and because Henry writes about a boy who believes in magic even when no one does.” The owner of the bar rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright… you should go back to work, instead of dreaming. She smiled at she looked at the paper Margot was writing on. And you will continue you fanfiction later !” Margot nodded her head, still writing. “I guess it's again about Henry's books… What is it now ? - RedBeauty.” 
§§§§
 The first day Nick Branson saw Henry Mills, he had no idea of who he was. The first time he talked to him, he was in a really, really bad mood, it was the night, and it happened after him and Gideon realized it was not going to work between them, as this one was now back with his ex – and now actual – boyfriend, Roderick. A thing he had talked about with the bartender – well, one of them – Margot, who gave him a strange look after that. It happened five days before, and yes, he had to admit that he was fed-up of the fact that all his relationships never worked. So, here he was, in a bar, and he was lonely, and he didn't understand what was happening to him when the bartender evoked soon put just next to him the really handsome man he was seeing every day here since three weeks, and to who he still didn't dare talking before this day. “But, Margot… the other man tried to protest, there are plenty of other seats where I could sit down, I don't have to… - Yes, the strange – and maybe also a little crazy – bartender said, but I want you to sit down here especially. No objection ! She ordered as the young man was trying to stand up, and he stayed.” She left, and Nick gave him a surprised look, to which Henry responded by an embarrassed look, putting his hand behind his head, trying to hid his embarrassment with a smile of apologize. Nick found this too adorable. “Sorry about that… He muttered. My cousin can sometimes be really… obstinate, to say the least, when she wants something. - And what does she want this time ? Nick asked with humor, interested by what leaded to this strange, awkward – but not unpleasant – situation, drinking his beer. - I… broke up not a long time ago with my girlfriend, and my dear cousin wants me to find someone else. And… it fell on you. Sorry about that, again, my cousin just takes to heart this thing, much more than she should.” Nick was looking at him, finding him more and more cute and adorable in his awkwardness. “Well, he thought, I don't think it will bother me too much if I am forced to stay here with you this evening.” He realized he said those words aloud when he saw a blush appear on Henry's cheeks. And Nick immediately froze. Was he really flirting with him ? Yes, he realized, he was, and he was completely fine with it. He was intrigued by this man since the day he entered into the coffee-shop, and now that he saw how much cute and nice he was, he realized he wanted to talk with him for hours, to make him laugh, to make him blush like he just did before… “So… Henry finally said, showing him his cousin who was looking at them, defending them to only dare to move. Now that we are stuck together and here for a long time… what if I bought you a drink ?” Nick chuckled. “I would be more than just okay with this.” They talked for hours, found out they really had a lot of things in common, and, at the end of the not-so-really-but-a-little-despite-this date, after they exchanged their phone numbers, Nick realized that he didn't even know his entire name. 
§§§§
 “So, don't you have someone to thank ? When Henry rolled his eyes and didn't answer, she protested. Hey ! Who helped you go to see him and talk to him, something none of you dared to do ? I am the one who made you meet ! And by the way, it ended well, no ?” He smiled. “Yes… Yes, indeed. - So… you will see him again. - Yes. - YES ! Margot screamed with joy (luckily, no one excepted her and Henry heard it, as the bar was closed). - You know I'm not going to marry him right now, he told her with a smile. - Not right now, but one day maybe, she said, her enthusiasm being still the same. By the way, I finally proposed to Tilly, as her father is healed now, and she said yes, so, if you want to invite him to our wedding, you can. - Don't be that enthusiastic, Margot. Technically speaking, I just met him. - I didn't talk about love at first sight, I signal this to you. But you like him, don't deny this. And… My cousin has a boyfriend, and is happy ! Why couldn't I be enthusiastic ?” Henry's smile grew larger. “Thanks Margot.” 
§§§§
 When the two men finally kissed in the coffee-shop at their third date, Margot couldn't help but jump with joy this time. 
§§§§
 At their fifth date, Nick asked Henry : “Tell me… What's your work ? I mean, I told you about mine, but you never told me about yours. - Hum… I'm a writer. I write fantasy novels.” After some seconds, Nick's mouth opened wide, as he was finally understanding who was standing just in front of him. “Wait… You're Henry Mills ? The Henry Mills ? The best seller author whose series of books is going to be adapted into a TV show ? - Yes, Henry said with embarrassment. Yes, it's me. - But, Henry, why didn't you tell me ? I mean, I hope it's not because you think I would want to stay with you because you're famous. Famous, and hidden, he added, remembering that indeed, he was an author that no one ever saw before. - No, it's not this… I just thought it was not that important.” Nick looked at him with astonishment. Wait, really ? Bloody hell, how could this man succeed to be that modest and that adorable at the same time in his modesty ? The lawyer smiled and kissed abruptly his boyfriend, a kiss to which this one replied immediately. “You're really wonderful Henry, he told him with tenderness. And unbelievable. You have your greatest and more passionate fan in front of you, and you don't tell him who you are ? And I warn you, he joked, you have to tell me what happens in the next book, in Neverland (as the previous book had been just published not a long time ago, as Henry had found back his inspiration after his encounter with Nick.)” Henry chuckled and kissed him again. “Well, he told him with a mysterious air, we will see that.” 
§§§§
 At Margot' and Tilly's wedding, Nick and Henry were indeed together, as Jacinda and Sabine were themselves too, and their friendship was the same as it used to be. It was a beautiful day, and the two couples were both teased by the other people about their future/potential/of course it will happen wedding. In fact, they were all pretty right. Six months later, it was Sabine's turn to propose to Jacinda. (She said yes, of course.) 
§§§§
 When, two years later, Nick asked to Henry to marry him, he obviously asked him this in the famous coffee-shop where they met some years and months ago. And even Margot' hysterical scream of joy didn't disturb them, who were lost in their own world, where there was only the two of them. Just them, and no one else. 
§§§§
 And obviously, they lived happily ever after, just as it happened in Henry's books.

Author's note :

Yes, there is fluff. So much fluff. Maybe too much. And I don't care, I loved writing this story. I hope you enjoyed it.

Next chapter will be StepCandy (Drizella/Gretel). I don't know how, what, when, but there will be StepCandy in this fanfiction. You can send me ideas of stories if you want and if you have some.
Or if you want, I can continue the coffee-shop AU I did here, including them in this one this time, and the story would take place after this one. I think I will do this, in fact, except if you have other ideas.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ma
rgot sighed.
 
It had been a long day, she was not going to contradict it. She looked at the outside
and grimaced as she saw that it was already the night, asking herself again why on hell she was always
the one who was the last one to leave the coffee-shop.
 
“Because you're the youngest of us, Roni always answered to her
with a smile,
when she asked her the question
.”
 Well, it was not as if she didn't like her job, it was not the case, so, it was not really a problem, except when it was winter and that the night was falling early, as it was the case this day. 
She smiled when she looked at her phone and saw that Tilly had sent her a message. She answered to her
rapidly
, before preparing herself to close the shop.
 It was time for her to go home. But then, the door opened, and Margot frowned, ready to tell to the new customer that she was going to close the shop, but then, she recognized her. And it astonished her. 
“
Ivy ?”
 It had been like, what… eleven or twelve years that she didn't see her ? Yeah, Margot, as Ivy, was now twenty-six years old, and the last time she saw her, they were both thirteen. What the hell was her former best friend doing here ? And why ? 
It had been raining
outside for
the two or three previous hours, and it looked like the young woman had been under it without an umbrella, because she was freezing.
 
As Margot looked at her more carefully,
she saw that her eyes were reddened, and it looked like she had cried.
 
A
nd there was so much pain in her eyes…
 
S
omething seemed to be broken in her.
 So, yes, she couldn't let her outside. The other woman tried to smile. 
“Hello Margot… I know
it's not really the right moment to go to see you, especially after all these years where I didn't give you any news, but… I need help.
She was chattering and trembling.
My mother just
chased me from our house.”
 Margot' eyes opened wide, and she didn't find anything to say. 
“Alright… take a seat and try to
warm yourself while I close the shop, okay ?
And then, I will call my wife and tell her that I will not be coming home yet.
 
I
vy sat down and almost sneezed.
 
- Your wife ? Oh,
do
you mean Alexandra or is it someone else ?
 Margot chuckled. 
- No, it's not her, Alexandra and I, we broke up a long time ago,
it's an old story…
And then, I met Tilly… And now were are married.
And happy.
”
 Then, she did what she said she would, closed the shop, and called for Tilly. 
“
Hello Tilly… I have something to tell you, something really important.
 - Hi Margot ? Is something wrong ? She asked her wife, as she felt that her tone was different. 
- One of my former friends is in the shop, and she needs help.
She has… a lot of problems with her family, to say the least, so I will stay with her sometimes,
to talk with her
and I will try to find a solution. I will call you again when it's done, okay ?
 - Alright. Good luck.” Margot then sat down in front of Ivy, and looked at her again. 
Ivy Belfrey was…

someone

, to say the least.
 
Being the daughter of Victoria Belfrey,
one of the most powerful and richest people of Seattle, she had been always perceived by almost everyone as someone
arrogant and superficial.
 
But
Margot had learned
rapidly
that she was everything but this.
 
As they became friends,
Ivy changed and learned to open up to people and make friends, well, other friends than just her sister Ana or her friend Margot.
 In fact, until it happened… 
Until Ana, who was sixteen years
old
at this time
,
had an accident and f
e
ll into a coma, from which she never get out
from
, and everything changed.
 
Her
mother did, and so did her sister.
 
Nothing was the same anymore, Ivy
severed all contact with her friends and relative
s
, just being
focused on Ana and
on
what she could do to help her wake up.
 
S
he became the way her mother wanted her to be, and turned into a completely different and cold person.
 It was the last thing Margot knew of her, as she hadn't saw her again after the accident happened. 
Apparently, Ivy finally became fed up of being forgotten by her mother, who just cared about her
first
daughter.
 
“
So, let
both
dropping immediately all the
platitudes we could tell to each other. What happened Ivy ?
 
-
I… I couldn't do this anymore.
My mother… she was so obsessed by Ana's wake up that…
she completely forgot me… Me and Jacinda.
She ignored me and she turned her into
a servant or something like that.
 
- Yes, I know, I discussed with Jacinda sometimes… She told me about how terrible Victoria became.
What a monster she is now.
 
- She was braver than me, and she fled while I never got the courage to do this.
I just wanted mother to love me again.
I would have done everything to be loved by her, even turn into a horrible person…
At first, I thought that she was right, that only Ana mattered, that I had to make everything to make her wake up, but…
 - Something changed, right ? 
- Mother definitely doesn't care about me.
And I realized that I couldn't support being ignored… What definitely made me change my mind is that… Ana will never wake up.
The doctors told us this, and mother didn't accept to listen to them… I tried to reason her that night, and I also told her that she was ruining my life, that I was tired of living under the shadow of her precious daughter…
 - So she simply chased you ? 
- Yes, she did…
And I have nowhere else to go…
I'm sorry I come here, without calling you first, but…
 
-
Don't worry, I understand…
Jacinda told me that Victoria was someone…

intoxicating

.
Bad and evil.
So yes, even if I don't know what you lived, the thing is that I know how terrible it must have been to live with her.
Ten years without being loved, without someone caring about you… It must have been horrible.
 
- I just went out of the house, she told me to leave it, and I obeyed, as I always did…
I never was able to face her properly…
I had nothing with me,

literally

nothing, not even my phone or my
handbag.
I need your help Margot.
 - You're alone and lost Ivy… Of course I will help you. In fact, I have even a proposition to make to you, she said, understanding that yes, she could help her former friend. I can offer you a job.” Ivy raised an eyebrow. 
“A job ? In your coffee-shop ?
For real ?
 
-
Yes. By the way, how did you find me ?
 
-
Thanks to
Jacinda. I am still in contact with her, and she told me about your shop and where it was. So, you were the person I thought about
first
.
You can really do this ? She asked again.
 
- I think so, I
still
have to ask Roni and Roland for this, but yeah. I guess I can.
 
- Well… if it's the truth, thanks. And I say yes to your offer then…
I really need a job if I want to completely get free of my mother. Knowing her, she must think that I will come back at home
tomorrow
, and I refuse this. I refuse to live with her again, to be under her
influence.
 Margot gave her a great smile, and gave her her hand, that Ivy shook. - So, I guess we have a deal.” 
To be continued…

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ivy had passed the night in the coffee-shop, as there was a bedroom inside of it, since she didn't even get enough money with her to go to a hotel, and since Margot nor Tilly had a room for her in their apartment, it was the only solution they had. So, the bartender had insisted to let her sleep there, before they got something better for her. And this, even if Margot was not still sure and certain that Roni and Roland were going to accept her presence. “Don't you think it will be a problem if your colleagues find me there without knowing I am here, or knowing who I am ? Margot had shrugged. - I sent them a message, warning them that you were here, and telling them I would explain them everything tomorrow. And no, you don't have to worry, since this is a familial business, I am sure my family is going to accept you there. Roland is my half-brother, and Roni is my step-mother, so… Yep, they are not the kind of people to blame me for this. Don't worry Ivy, we will find a way to fix this.” 
§§§§
 It was early in the morning when Margot opened the coffee-shop again, and she smiled as she found Ivy in her bedroom, sleeping peacefully. The last day had been quite harsh for her, so she could get a break after this, the bartender rapidly decided. Luckily, the bedroom was goodly isolated from the rest of the shop, so the young woman would not heard the noises around her. Well, not too much. She had expected the first customers of the day to be people/couples she knew, like Henry and Jack, Gideon and Roderick, her mother and Chad, or even Tiana and Jacinda, but the first person she saw this day (just before Roland and Roni, in fact), was a blond woman with two braids that she didn't know. But it seemed that the contrary was not true, since the woman's face seemed to lighten the second she saw her. “You're Margot West, aren't you ? - Yes, it's me, the bartender immediately politely replied. She looked at her more carefully, finding that there was something familiar about her, and she realized who she must be, and a light of realization appeared at this moment in her eyes. You're Nick's sister, right ? Gretel Branson. Your brother told me about you. - And so did he about you, and your marvelous coffee-shop, and how it was there that he had found and met Henry Mills there, his husband, the love of his life, etc, etc… All these boring things you must have already heard from your cousin, and I say boring since… Oh, god, he told me these one so many times ! He talked about this coffee-shop… like millions and millions of times, and so, I just had to come here if I wanted him to stop…” She was not really angry or something like that, and there was a great smile of affection on her face, as she was talking about her brother. Margot chuckled. “Annoying but nice… She answered, amused. I know it, you see, I have got the same one at home, she joked.” Because, to say the truth, Tilly was not really that annoying. Most of the time. “I see what you mean… You can thank him, since he is the reason why I finally came into your shop. She looked around her. And, to say the truth, it's a really nice place.” Since it was really early, there was no one else except Gretel – no other customers, at least – so it was really calm, and Roni had just arrived into the coffee-shop, Margot could continue to talk with Gretel. Even if her step-mother was surely going to blame her for talking with customers, instead of doing what she had to do, that is to say… working. “Tell me, Gretel, what are doing in life ? She asked her, curious. Gretel had a little laugh. - Regarding to my name, you will laugh at me if I tell you… I guess my parents or fate have a strange sense of humor… Or the gift of foresight, maybe, I don't know… Since not a little time, I own my own confectionery making, she said with pride.” Margot indeed smiled but didn't laugh. “That's… a pretty good coincidence that you kind of get the same link with candies as the Gretel of the tale… I find it funny, and I am happy for you. So, now, do you intend to order something ? She demanded her, feeling Roni's look on her, knowing that she had to do her job.” Gretel commanded a coffee, and then she sat down on a chair after she got her drink. Roni immediately came to see Margot after she had herself delivered their orders to the other customers. “Tell me Margot, can you give me some details about Ivy Belfrey ? Who is she, and what's going on with her ? Roland gave me some things about it, but as he doesn't know everything, I don't have the full story. - It's a… complicated story…” She tried to summarize the full story as fast as she could, seeing Roni being more and more interested by this. “So, she needs help, and you offered her a job and a place to stay… She then smiled to her step-daughter. I don't know if I would have done the same thing for someone who hadn't contacted me for more than ten years, she admitted. I'm proud of you Margot… You made the good choice. Where is she now ? - Sleeping. I didn't want to wake up her, after what happened yesterday… Roni nodded. - I get it… Do you think she can begin to work today, or does she need to wait a little time ? Margot frowned, thinking about it. - I don't know… She has nothing with her, you know… - The situation can't stay this way… I have some contacts in the Belfrey Towers, maybe they could talk to Victoria Belfrey, and ask her to prepare her daughter's things, and give them to someone… - Not to Ivy, clearly… I guess I will have to do this, I am not sure Jacinda will be okay to see again her step-mother… And I don't think anyone wants to talk to her. - Indeed… Not everyone gets the chance to have a step-mother like me ! Roni said with humor, not being that serious, and Margot smiled at her. Because she knew it was true, and that she had been really lucky. - I agree. That won't be an easy confrontation, she muttered. - Please, don't be too… I don't know… vindictive ? Violent ? - You know me better than that Roni… Of course I will punch her right into her face ! She exclaimed, deeply ironic. She deserves just this, after all ! Being more serious, she added : I will do my best. For Ivy. I will give her all the help I can give her.” Some hours passed, and, at the end of the day, Roni came to tell her that Tilly had brought Ivy with her, Jacinda and Sabine to a cinema, in order to change her mind, and so she wouldn't know right now that Margot had came to see her mother. The young bartender came at the Belfrey's house, and sighed, knocking the door. It was going to be a long, long and painful moment to pass. 
§§§§
 Victoria Belfrey opened the door, and Margot immediately felt the desire to run away. She never liked her, not even before Ana's accident. And the feeling was clearly reciprocal. At this time, Victoria only tolerated her because she was one of only Ivy's friends, but that was all. Victoria's look on her was as it always was : full of despise and disdain. 
How did Ivy succeed to live for
years
in this house with this look always on her
?
How could she support this coldness
every time ?
Margot asked her
self
, feeling a shiver of fear cross her spine.
 “Hello Mrs Belfrey, Margot told her, being the most polite she could be. 
-
Miss West, Victoria answered, being as cold as she ever was.
 
It's West-Rogers now, actually
, Margot told to herself.
 But Victoria Belfrey clearly didn't need to know that she was married. And by the way, why would she care about it ? “I came here to take Ivy's things. - I know.” Wow… She was even less ready to talk than usually… It wouldn't bother her too much, since she had nothing to tell her. Margot took them and transferred them into her car, and came back at the side of the door, thinking she wouldn't have to talk anymore to Victoria, and being already relieved by this perspective. Until the business woman talked again. “Tell to my daughter that she won't be welcomed anymore here, and that's there is no way I will let her come back.” Margot had a sinister laugh. “Because you really think that she does want to come back home ? Then, Mrs Belfrey, you're fucking wrong. You really think that anyone who would have been treated by you the way you treated her would want to come back ? Do you even think she still considers this place as a home ? 
-
I don't allow you to
talk to
me this way !
 
- I give myself the permission to do so… because it's the truth.
Your obsession for Ana,
for her wake-up, it
made you forget that you still had a second daughter, who loved you… I'm happy that Ivy finally opened her eyes, because now, she will have a chance to be happy, and herself, far from you. I hope it will be for the best.”
 
V
ictoria looked at her with rage, and closed the door, while Margot had clenched her fists with anger.
 She began to relax only when she saw the door of her home, her wife being at the outside of this. This one welcomed her with a kiss, and for some seconds, Margot just allowed herself to forget Ivy's terrible situation. Tilly smiled to her, remarking her angry look. “I guess you talked with the “lady”, she said, ironic. Her wife nodded her head. - Yes, I did… And I hate her even more than I ever did. 
-
Is she really that horrible ? Tilly asked her with curiosity.
 After all, she never met her. 
-
She is a bad mother… Since Ana had her freaking accident, she turned her daughter's life into a true Hell.
And I am not even talking about Jacinda's… I think it was even worst.
”
 Tilly frowned, her look being a little lost for some seconds. “Oh, I see it… I know some things about bad mothers, she whispered for herself, as she had been abandoned by her mother when she was just a baby.” Margot smiled at her with comfort and tenderness, putting her hand on her shoulder. “I understand why you want to help her, Margot, Tilly admitted. And I will help too as much as I can. Did you give her what you took from her home ? She asked, talking about Ivy. If I am not wrong, now, she is in her room in the coffee-shop.” The other woman turned her head. “Nope. I don't want to disturb her this evening, she deserves some time for herself… I will give this to her tomorrow… By the way, we should find a way to give her a place for her. A house, an apartment, something…” Some seconds later, Tilly's eyes began to shine with excitement, as she had a new idea in her mind. “I know it ! She exclaimed. You talked with Gretel today, didn't you ? - Nick's sister ? Yes, of course, I just met her… Why ? 
-
Well, as I heard it, she is looking for an apartment to rent too, and if I remember it well, she searches someone to live with her, so the rent won't be too expensive. Do you think we could propose this to her ?
 - That's a great idea Tilly ! It will be a good thing for her, as she will have something for her, and it will allow her to make some friends, and know other people, and not be alone anymore. And I won't be her only friend. It can only improve her life. And I hope the locator will be indulgent with her since she has not a lot of money with her… Not before she begins to work, in fact. - Doesn't she have some money with her now ? - I don't know, I didn't look at her things, so… - Then, let's just make them meet… tomorrow ? - Fine… Ivy really deserves to make a fresh start.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ivy Belfrey always got a little crush on Margot West. She had been twelve years old when she had discovered that she didn't have just friendly feelings for her best and kind of only friend. In fact, it was thanks to her that she had discovered that she was completely a lesbian. And even if her old feelings were now long gone, she still felt something strange in her when she looked at the other woman – and she had been terribly jealous when this one had began to date Alexandra. But it was years ago – a thing that Margot never noticed or knew. Ivy was always really good at hiding who she really was to the other. At lying at herself, also. It had been difficult for her to be herself, when there was Ana, her great sister – and this, even more before the accident – the good child, the loved one, the perfect student, liked by everyone in the school and in Hyperion Heights. Unlike Ivy, and despite their mother's bad reputation, Ana had succeeded to be herself and to separate herself from the opinion people had on their family before. A thing Ivy almost never did. And then, Margot entered in her life, and she couldn't help, but fall for the only girl who was not looking at herself with disdain and despise. Who was liking her, but not the way she wanted her to, of course. But Ivy never said anything, just accepting what Margot could give to her. And now, here she was, working for her best friend/former crush, and feeling more alone than she ever did, after she met Tilly for the first time. Yes, she didn't love Margot anymore, but yet, these feelings were still here, kind of. And, being the lonely woman she was, she never fell in love with any woman after Margot. She had been working in the coffee-shop for now four days when the door opened again, and a blond woman entered in it, rapidly saying hello to Ivy, who replied then politely, and she immediately went to see Margot, who was behind the bar. “Hey… I'm sorry I couldn't come back here earlier, but I didn't have a lot of time for me these last days. Or even for anyone else. In fact, my confectionery making is taking all my time, and I am going to open it soon, and I'm so excited about it and focused on it, that I didn't remember that I was supposed to come there. - Don't worry Gretel, Margot replied with a smile, your brother already told me that you were really occupied and that you didn't have any time for anything else than your work… Now, you're here, and it's what matters.” 
So, the woman's name was Gretel, Ivy thought absently, listening to them, and looking at the young smiling woman.
 As she was looking at her more deeply, she realized how much beautiful she was, looking at little like Margot. Well, their common point was that they were both blond women, nothing else. Margot's eyes were green, while Gretel's were blue, and Margot had glasses, a thing that the new arrival didn't get. 
And yet, she was
clearly
Ivy's type, and the young woman felt her heart made a strange twist in her chest as she was observing her.
 
Ivy had in fact, since she was working in the coffee-shop, this terrible habit to get/
feel
a little crush/attraction to almost every cute/beautiful
girl/woman who entered in it,
and she couldn't help but look at these one maybe for a too much long time.
 
Wel
l, it hadn't happen
ed
that many times, and she had succeeded not to loose herself in her thoughts, and she had been back to work directly after looking at them for… like quite five seconds.
 Sometimes more, she had to admit it. Oh, it didn't last a long time, and it was ended directly after the person had left the shop, but yet, it was still embarrassing for her. Her problem was that she was alone. And frustrated. She was lucky that her looks hadn't been perceived for what they were, but she was afraid that it would happen one day. 
She was an awkward girl, she knew it, for she
knew that she could have ask one of these girls out, if she really wanted to, but she hadn't dared doing it with any of them.
 
S
o, yes, this Gretel would be like the other, and leave the place really soon, and so, Ivy wouldn't get her heart broken again.
 
§§§§
 Gretel definitely loved this place. It was only the second time she was coming there, but she was understanding the reason why her brother really liked to come here. (Apart the fact that he had met Henry Mill here, of course.) She had came back there, not knowing exactly what Margot wanted to talk about, since her brother had given her no clues about it. Gretel felt at one moment Ivy's look on her, and looked at her, just before Ivy looked back, and she just lost herself in her eyes. The new bartender had dark beautiful eyes, and for some seconds, Gretel was unable to formulate any coherent thought in her mind, not even remembering why she was there, until an adorable blush colored the cheeks of Ivy, and that Margot brought her back to their conversation. “Hum… Gretel ? Are you still with me ?” The young woman turned her look back at her, as Ivy had apparently decided to go somewhere else, where she wouldn't be, since their first glare had been quite… intense, to say the least. Gretel herself blushed as she realized that she had looked at the young woman for more than twenty seconds ! (More than what Ivy herself usually did.) Which explained why Ivy looked so embarrassed, and why Margot was looking at her with a puzzled look. Gretel blinked some times, trying to get out of her head the image of this sublime woman. Oh, she was sure as Hell that she already had a crush on her ! Oh, please, no, not again ! The last time it happened was with Lily, and it clearly didn't end well, since the woman was bisexual BUT already in a relationship. She knew it, it was not going to end the same way this time. And by the way, she didn't believe in love at first sight. According to Margot's look and smile, she knew something that she herself didn't know, and it just made her very suspicious. “What ? Why are you looking at me this way ? - Oh, for nothing, her new friend answered her. Except that her smile was betraying her. It's not me who looked at her with such enamored eyes ! She explained. - I didn't ! Gretel protested. Knowing it would be useless, since it was the truth and since it was more a joke from Margot than something else. - What does make me smile, she answered, well, it's nothing… Just that… She is the reason why you're here.” The young woman frowned. “Excuse me, what ? What do you mean ? - Ivy Belfrey, that you just met some seconds ago, had been forced to leave her house by her terrific, toxic and abusive mother, and she is looking for a place to stay. And a job, that she already found here, as you can see it. - So, as I am looking for a place to rent too, and someone also to live there, you're proposing me to give her a place, right ? - Yes, indeed. Would it be okay for you ? - I guess, yes, Gretel answered, trying with difficulty to hid her excitement, with no real success, regarding to the way Margot's smile grew larger.” Since Gretel wanted to stop being alone, she would like to get a friend living with her. And she was great at making friends, so yes, she had no doubts of making a friend of Ivy Belfrey. 
§§§§
 Margot waited the end of the day to tell Ivy about what she had now for her, that is to say, something better than the place where she had to be for now. “And so, I would share an apartment… with her… - Yes ! Isn't it the better solution for you ? Margot told her with enthusiasm.” Ivy tried to smile to her friend, not being as convinced as she was. For she was afraid. The last time she had been close to a girl she liked, it hadn't ended well… Even if Margot never knew anything about it. “Sure, sure… Except that I don't know her ! And she doesn't know me ! - Well, her friend replied, if it doesn't go well, then we will try to find you another more suitable solution for you.” Ivy looked at her with both amazement and surprise. “Why Margot ? Why are you doing this ? Why are you so nice toward me, toward someone who didn't contact you during the past ten years, and who is just here to ask for your help ? - Tilly, my wife, she has… well, had, I don't know if Eloise is still alive or not… She had a terrible mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby. And then, she came back, reclaiming her custody, whereas Tilly and her father had been completely happy during the past ten years where they had been together. She just wanted to ruin their lives. She never won, luckily, but Tilly was deeply hurt by this… To know that her own mother was doing this just to make her father suffer… The reason why I want to help you is because you've got quite a crappy life, during these ten years, and I want you to get out of here. And so does Tilly… And by the way, you're an excellent bartender, she said, trying to make her friend relax.” Ivy smiled, tears on her eyes, being deeply moved by her friend's confession. “Thanks Margot. Thank for what you're doing for me… - Oh, but, you're welcome.” 
§§§§
 
It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay
, Ivy forced herself to
believe
.
 
I'm going to be okay.
 
She will just be some pretty girl who won't care about you and with who you won't even become friend, you will just live next to her, talk to her sometimes, and if you do this, nothing bad is going to happen to you.
 And you're not going to fall in love again with someone who will not love you. Or so she tried to believe this would happen the way she wanted this to be. 
She hadn't expected Gretel to be… well,
Gretel
.
 
Which means, someone totally different from her.
 “So, tell me Ivy, who are you, and what are you doing in life ? Except being a bartender, of course ! 
-
Hum… nothing
else
, in fact…
I used to make studies in
art, but it didn't really work… I guess I wasn't made for this, and that my mother was right…
 
-
About what ?
 
- About the fact that I wouldn't succeed to do anything in my life. Gretel frowned but told her nothing, even if she was afraid of the so low self-esteem that Ivy seemed to have for herself.
They weren't close enough, so she didn't allow herself to comfort her. It would be for later, when they would be real friends. A thing she was sure they would be.
But, before I left the house, I was working in the Belfrey's
Towers
… I didn't really like it, she confessed.
 
-
And now, do you like your new job ? Gretel asked her, interested.
 She felt like Ivy had just more for her than just a pretty face. 
And
she really wanted to know her better.
 - Oh, yes ! Margot and all the other are really nice with me, and at least, now, I feel like I am really useful… What about you ? She asked, not wanting to talk about herself anymore.” 
Gretel's
face b
egan to shine.
 “I own a confectionery making, she repeated for what seemed to be like the hundreds times, I make candies, I sell them….  
-
I hope you don't intend to build a house in candies, hid it in a dark forest and make children come in it and eat them… Ivy joked.”
 Gretel then burst into laughter, and for Ivy, it seemed to be one of the most beautiful sounds she ever heard before this moment. Yes, she was not really objective, she knew it… 
And
Gretel's bright face as she was laughing clearly didn't help her…
 What had made her laugh was this : it was the first time that someone was joking about her name/the tale which had inspired this, not by making her the innocent abandoned child, but by putting her into the position of the evil witch. By the way, it was quite funny too. “This is not in my projects, she said, “reassuring” her, but especially joking about it. But, if it appears that you're not a roommate as good as Margot told me you were, well, I may use it on you… She warned her with a smile. She desperately tried not to wink at her, and succeeded with a lot of difficulties.” Ivy smiled, and Gretel lost herself in her, again. Ivy Belfrey was not especially a smiling person, well, except for forced, polite and non-natural smiles, natural and amused smiles were not really the kind of smiles that she usually got, and, even by knowing here since like just one day, Gretel had already understood this. And she was glad to see Ivy smile at her, even for that kind of simple joke. Just as Ivy herself had easily understood that, indeed, unlike her, Gretel was a smiling person. She was a freaking sunshine which was always shining and which risked to make her become blind, if she stared at her too much time. (Ivy knew as well that she was already fucked up. There was no way this story was going to end well.) 
§§§§
 
Six weeks later.
 The good word which could qualify this situation was certainly : obsession. Ivy was now definitely obsessed by Gretel freaking beautiful and smart and charming and nice and amusing and all these other things Branson. Well, another more good term which could be used to define it would had certainly been : in love. But, since Margot and the complete disaster that it had been to fall in love with a girl who would see her just as her friend, she had decided that love was not for her anymore. Hell, she had spent so much time healing from her feelings for her, and she still hadn't succeeded to work on her issues toward her mother and her past ten years, and all the scars and traumas she had got from being treated terribly by her own mother, she didn't need another painful heartbreak. Gretel was her friend. That was it. It was also freaking awesome, but she knew she wouldn't ever get more than just this. And as terribly painful that it was, she could deal with it. She already did it, after all. And, by the way, she was pretty good at hiding her pain, and deal with her own sufferings on her own. She was used to it, since ten years… 
§§§§
 Well… Maybe that she was not that good. The problem – and the good thing – at having Gretel as her roommate was that… she had Gretel as her roommate. Which meant that they were living in the same apartment. Which meant that they were close to each other – physically and as friends, of course – and that… Gretel could hear her. When she was still living in her house with her mother, the house itself was big enough so, when she was doing a nightmare, and that she was crying or screaming, her mother never heard her. Or, if she did, she never got the desire to go in her room and comfort. Not since Ana's accident… But here… the other woman could hear her. It had been a normal nightmare, one of those she made the more often. It was all about Ana, of course. Who else could it be ? Her sister, walking on the ice, the ice then cracking, her mother screaming as Ana was falling into the lake, and who was not breathing anymore… And who never woke up. Who never would. A sister she loved as much as she hated her now, for what she had taken from her without wanting it, for what she had broken in her, by her only disappearance. A sister who had destroyed her life, and who ironically, also had got her own life being destroyed, because of a single fucking accident. Ivy didn't even realize that she had woken up by screaming Ana's name. She was panting, her eyes opened wide with terror, as if the scene was playing itself in her mind and under her eyes, again, and again, and again, as if it was telling her that the tragedy would never end, that the pain would never stop. She switched on the light, trying to get a more calm breath, tears forming in her eyes, as she was almost forgetting where on earth she was, and especially the fact that she had finally escaped from her mother's grip. Until Gretel showed up. She looks both asleep and worried, and for some seconds, Ivy just doesn't see her. All she sees is a frozen lake, a cold water, and her mother with a scream of agony on her lips. All she sees is her sister, all she feels is the cold, the terrible coldness of the lake, where she fell too, and where her sister saved her from death, but never succeeded to come back from. All she sees is her mother's look, full of hatred, pain, anger, despise, and if she never said that it was all Ivy's fault, she always thought it was, and always made it so Ivy would know it and think that it's her fault. Except that it never was… Ivy's hands were trembling, and her entire body was now shaking, cold, frozen, and it felt like she was in the lake again, as if she never left it, never escaped from it. Her look was completely lost, and she was looking at Gretel as if this one was not really here, and she seemed to be seeing something else, Gretel quickly realized. The thing that Gretel didn't know, is that Ivy was now in the same state as she was after Ana's accident. Trembling, scared, horrified by what happened, cold and frozen, crying, and especially… Mute. During the six months that followed Ana's accident and her almost own death, she hadn't spoke any word to anyone. She hadn't left the house, hadn't done anything. She was too broken for that. That was one of the main reasons why she hadn't seen Margot after that. The first thing she had said was : “I'm sorry.” Her mother didn't even reply to her. Gretel looked at Ivy, not knowing what to do. Her and Nick had been abandoned by their parents when they still were children, and she was used to nightmares, she was used to comfort her brother when these one were happening to him, and so did he with her. So, yes, she knew what it was, except that she had no idea of what Ivy lived. (Yes, of course, Margot didn't give her a lot of details about the past life of her former friend. She preferred Ivy to tell it to Gretel by herself, if she wanted to, and by the way, she herself didn't know all the details.) She wanted to hug her, take her in her arms and promise her that everything would be okay, as her brother and herself usually did with each other, she wanted to stop her tears and make sure she was okay. The two women had lived together for now six weeks, and Gretel couldn't help but know that she was hopelessly falling in love with Ivy. She cared about her, and wanted her to be happy, to be fine. A thing she clearly was not. And the empty look that Ivy was giving to her since now five minutes was really going to worry her, if it didn't stop right now. She didn't dare touching her, since she didn't know the way the young woman would react to this, and since they didn't know each other well enough. Gretel herself knew that in these type of moments, she only supported to be touched or hugged by her brother, so, she decided not to approach her. Yet, she sat down on the young bartender's bed. Then, she finally succeeded to talk. “Ivy… She asked her friend, what's wrong ?” It was useless, since Ivy stayed silent again. Until she said one single word. “Ana, she whispered with pain and sadness, being still lost in her own mind.” She was too much shocked to be able to come back to reality, Gretel understood. Not without the help of an external person. Gretel asked herself since how many times she was suffering from these moments of absence, and if it was what Margot had said about the abusive and toxic mother, and how much this woman had succeeded to break her daughter by her behavior.She asked herself how many times she had to stay there, in this state, without someone to tell her that things would be okay. She asked herself also what she could do for her. Gretel came closer to her, and crossed her legs. Hesitantly, she pulled her hand on Ivy's shoulder, shaking her a little. “Ivy ? Ivy, it's me, it's Gretel…” Ivy was in the dark before this moment. She was seeing nothing but the darkness of the night, the darkness of the place, of the lake, the darkness of her mother's eyes, the look of pure horror on Jacinda's face. She blinked, and came back to life, to reality, and was confronted to Gretel's blue eyes, and she started, almost falling from her bed. And the young woman seemed to realize where she was now. “Gr… Gretel ? She looked at the hand on her shoulder with surprise, but didn't ask her to take this one from her. It was… comforting. Something she was not really used to. - Yes, Ivy, it's me… I heard you scream, she explained. You had a nightmare, right ? - Yes… Ivy said, still having difficulties to talk. I… I just… Gretel gave her a comforting smile. - Hey, it's okay, take your time to talk, I know it must be… harsh for you. Margot told me you had… issues with your mother.” For the first time since she woke up, Ivy succeeded to get a little smile on her lips, and it warmed Gretel's heart to see her being more comfortable. “That's a fucking euphemism, she whispered. My mother ruined my life… In fact, she tried to… - If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to.” Ivy realized after some seconds that, indeed, she trusted Gretel enough to tell her what she had lived and suffered from. Gretel had been there for her, just as Margot used to be before the accident. She deserved to know, and Ivy got the right to free herself from her past wounds by talking about it with someone. “I do want to tell you.” Gretel's hand was still on her shoulder, and Ivy felt that the coldness was progressively leaving her, and then, the other woman sat down even closer to her, surrounding her with her arms. She looked at the woman next to her, and felt again the terrible urge to kiss her, just to know what it was like, and how it felt. She turned back, trying to find the good words to tell which would summarize her whole story. She internally sighed. Oh god, she was so fucked up. Hadn't she promised to herself not to get caught again, and not to fall in love again ? Apparently she was never good at taking promises like this one. A shiver of fear crossed through her, as she knew what it meant, all this… situation. To talk to Gretel about it, it meant to open up to her, and she knew that after this moment, nothing would ever be the same. But this time, even if she was terribly afraid, she knew that she would do it. She took a deep breath, and began to talk.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“You see, I had a good life, once upon a time, Ivy began, trying not to tremble, and she totally gave in the comfortable embrace that Gretel was giving to her. I know that it's not really… original, but yes, I used to be happy. - When did it end ? Gretel asked, curious and interested by her friend's story. And how ? - My father died when I was only ten years old. That was the first thing which put a shadow on my life. - I know things about that, Gretel muttered with rage. About losses.” And abandonment, she thought, angry at her parents. Ivy looked at her with both compassion and surprise, but didn't comment it and continued talking. She would ask her about it later. If Gretel wanted to tell her, of course. “But things were still okay, I had my mother, my sister, my half-sister… It's Jacinda… Henry's ex and Sabine's actual wife, she added, seeing her friend's confusion. We were still happy, and by the way, we were together. A strange woman entered into my mother's life for a time, but she rapidly left, and I still don't know what kind of relationship they were sharing, if they were lovers or not… Her name was Eloise Gardener, and I am sure as hell that she is the most dangerous woman I ever met.” Gretel frowned, trying to remember if and where she heard this name, not finding it immediately. “It was a strange part of my life, and I never clearly understood it… My mother was happy, I guess, but, Eloise… She was such a dark woman, that I think that she had a really bad influence on my mom… She could have had one on me too… If she had stayed longer… She left, and for a time, things were good again. And then, it happened.” This time, her hands shook again, and Gretel took them in her own hands without thinking about it, and she smiled at her friend. At this moment, Ivy's heart made a new jump in her chest, for yes, her goddamn smile was making her shining too much for her. She couldn't support it. “Ana and I, we almost drowned into a lake, when I was fourteen year old… I got out of it without any physical after-effect, I was safe and sound, but… Ana was not. She fell into a coma, and she never, never woke up since this moment. My mother… she always made me feel responsible for what happened, since I was the one who had decided to walk on the ice, and as Ana had followed me… And since I had survived while she hadn't… While she was in this damn coma from which she risked to never wake up. - And I guess she never did, Gretel said cautiously. - Yes, or I think I would still be at my mother's home… Gretel's look was now full of surprise and shock, but, again, she didn't make any comment about the situation. It was not her job to do this, to talk about it, to say what she thought about all of this, to say how much she was disgusted by Victoria Belfrey's attitude. Her job was to stay here, and listen. - My mother clearly never forgave me for this, for what she thought was my fault, and for more or less ten years, I thought that she was right. That I was the one who had done this, that I was the one who had killed Ana. I feel so pathetic for this now, she whispered with a sad chuckle. Gretel frowned. - For what ? She asked, not understanding. Ivy looked at her with so much sadness in her eyes that it almost made Gretel want to cry. - For thinking that she was right… For thinking I was the monster, while it was her. For thinking everything was my fault.” Okay… So, now it was the moment for her to comfort her. “It's okay you believed it, since this was what she wanted you to do… Since she was your mother, the one who trusted the most in the world, and you would have never, never believed that she could do that to you. You were hurt Ivy, it's just… logical that you believed the lies she told you. But you're right, it never was your fault. It was just… an accident. Tragic and terrible, but no one has to be blamed for what happened on this day. Especially not you, since you're a victim just as Ana is.” This time, when Ivy tried to smile, it was a real one. She was radiating with relief and gratitude, seeming more beautiful than ever, especially with this smile on her lips, and Gretel was really hoping that she wouldn't get caught by her friend for being staring too much time at her lips, since she didn't want her friend to know about her… unrequited feelings about her. It seemed like Ivy had just heard the words she always wanted someone to tell her, and her sadness almost entirely disappeared, since it was the first time she was telling someone about it. It was not over, of course, it was just the beginning, but… to talk with Gretel was helping her a lot. “Thanks, she then said… For being here, for being… my friend. The word almost hurt her, because she wanted Gretel to be more than that, but it was enough. Yes, to have a friend like her was surely good. She was happy of not being alone anymore. 
§§§§
 Three other weeks had passed and Gretel was… lost. She had been sure at first that her crush for Ivy wouldn't be that long, and wouldn't last – since it never did the other times it happened to her – but the thing is that she was living with her, she saw her every day, talked to her all the time. Of course, it was going to be a permanent thing if she was not careful about it. She was in love. That's it. And now, she was here, in this damn coffee-shop where she had met the person she now wanted to live with for an… undetermined period, in order to meet her brother for… undetermined reasons too. In fact, she didn't even remember the reason why Nick had wanted to see her, since she was too much preoccupied by her love life. Well, by her nonexistent love life. She sat in front of him, smiling absently at Nick, asking herself why he was here exactly. “Hello sister… How are you ? - Fine… I guess… Why are you here exactly ? Nick sighed. - Margot asked me to come there, because she wants me to talk with you about a certain bartender you know well…” He looked for some seconds at Ivy Belfrey, showing her at his sister, in case his words hadn't been damn enough obvious about who he was talking. His sister immediately blushed, and it brought an amused smile on his lips. “Looks like she was not totally wrong about it, right ? He asked her. - Margot should really stop playing the matchmaker, she muttered, trying to hid her embarrassment. It's becoming bloody annoying. - Oh, you can trust me, her brother answered, according to Henry, she had already made worst things. At least, she is not trying to force you to go on a date, she is letting me talk to you. - For which reason ? - Well, the way Ivy looks at you… It seems sure that she has a thing for you. - Since how many times are you an expert in love ? And since when are you interested by my love life ? - Since Margot asked me to be, and since, according to her, nothing is still happening. - And it's not going to change, his sister told him with a cold voice. Now, if you have nothing else to tell me, you can go. Nick sighed, before adding. - Try to notice the way she behaves with you… Trust me, if you do it carefully, you will notice things you never saw before.” And he left. 
§§§§
 Just as Gretel was beginning to notice things, Ivy suddenly changed completely her attitude. Her brother and Margot had been right, much to Gretel's surprise. Ivy seemed to be interested by her, but, before Gretel got the courage to ask her out, the other woman began… to act differently with her. She was avoiding her. And Gretel didn't understand. What the hell had she done ?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Ivy Belfrey was not the kind of person who could easily be afraid. Except when it was about some things. Including her feelings. Her feelings for Gretel, presently. She was used to get crushes which would fade in the end, but… What she was feeling for Gretel just didn't want to let her go. So she does what she always does when she is afraid. She runs away. 
§§§§
 It may be the worst idea she ever had. Gretel looks at her with sadness, with incomprehension, and Ivy just doesn't know what to do about it. Ivy just wants to take away from her this look she is seeing in her eyes every time she sees her – a thing which doesn't happen quite often at it used to be – and she just wants to kiss her, tell her how much she loves her, to tell her that everything is going to be okay. She is a damn coward and she doesn't even dare telling her why she doesn't want to see her again. She had been working for Margot since some months, since enough time, and she is able to get her own place for her. Far from this. Far from Gretel, far from the pretty girl who stole her heart and is not going to return her this one, from the one who gave her a home when no one else, not even her mother, was doing this. Ivy can't even look at Gretel in the eyes, can't even tell her, as she leaves. She tells her goodbye, and as she does, her heart breaks. Again. She tries not to cry. 
§§§§
 She is at Margot coffee-shop/bar, this time, as a customer, and she is drinking, way too much. It's the night, and she hates herself. She just feels so pathetic now… Margot was here, in front of her, looking at her with disapproval in her eyes, and it seems like she is ready to tell her something, until Ivy sends her death stares. “Don't. Even. Think. To. Say. Anything. About. It, she warns her. Despite it, the bartender still manages to say : - You're an idiot. - I know…” It seems like she is drunk enough to let all her walls fall. To accept the fact that she has feelings she shouldn't have. Then, the bartender violently put the glass she had in her hands on the counter with anger, almost breaking it, and Ivy started. “I don't know what the hell you're doing exactly. And I don't know where the problem is. You love Gretel, obviously, and she is in love with you as well. - Gretel. Doesn't. Love. Me, Ivy said, with the same tone as before. She then finished her glass, which must be her… fifth or sixth ? She had actually not counted them, in fact. Not seeming to be really content of her friend's alcohol consummation, Margot took her glass from her, refusing to give her another one. “Enough drinking for this night ! Her friend told her. And now, you're going to tell me the reason why you are so damn sure that Gretel can't love you for real.” The two women had been arguing about it for the last two damn hours, and Ivy was tired of it. They were going nowhere… Ivy sent her a sad smile. “Because this is how things work… I am not going to end with the girl in the end of the story… Given to my own experience with you, this is not how things work for me…” Margot frowned at her remark, and Ivy couldn't help but bite her lip, as she realized what she let escaped. Given to how drunk she was, it was not surprising. “What do you mean ? Ivy sighed. Maybe it was time for her to tell her friend the truth. - I loved you, she finally admitted, the weight of her secret finally leaving her shoulders, after all this time. Well, I don't know if it was love, admiration, or just a little silly crush from a silly girl, but… I had feelings for you. And I always knew it was hopeless. Margot was looking at her with astonishment. - I'm sorry, I… I didn't know. I never knew. Ivy had a cynical smile. - I was always good at hiding myself, hiding my feelings. - Why didn't you tell me ? - We were… friends. And then, you began dating Alexandra, and I knew that it was completely over for me. - Tell me Ivy… How much did I make you suffer ? - It was not your fault… I decided to shut up myself. It was my choice.” Margot tried to smile to her. - I'm serious when I am telling you that Gretel loves you. Ivy shrugged absently. - Maybe… - Listen, you're not driving this night, since you're too much drunk, and you will have a freaking hangover tomorrow, so you're sleeping here, at your old place, right ?” Her friend just nodded. Some hours passed, and, as it was the day, Margot came at her friend's room, and frowned when she realized that this one was empty. Ivy was gone. 
§§§§
 
The day before.
 “Mrs Belfrey ? Victoria's secretary told her, someone wants to see you.” Victoria looked up and saw a blond woman with a lot of little braids in her hairs who was coming just after Victoria's employee. “Leave us, the business woman immediately ordered her, sending cold looks at her former lover.” Eloise Gardener smiled at her, being as beautiful as she used to be, not seeming like she had changed or aged in the past ten or more years since they had broken up. Victoria's hands began to tense. “Eloise. - Victoria. - What the hell are you doing here ?” The member of the cult/sect/whatever twisted thing it was where she was just gave her another smile, and Victoria felt her heart jump in her chest. God, she hated it, just hated that this woman was still able to have the same damn effect on her, even after all this time. “Oh, but darling, I just wanted to see you, she told her with the same smooth voice that she both loved and hated at the same freaking time. - Yeah… For sure… Eloise, it had been since twelve years, and you dare to pretend that you want to talk to me and see me ?” The other woman put her hand on her chest, faking to feel deeply hurt. “Oh… how terrible you are toward me, my love, she said with a smirk on her lips. Now, I understand the reason why you broke up with me. Victoria felt her anger just grow stronger than ever. - Yes, I did. Because you were in this damn sect, or cult, or anything else, and I don't give a fucking damn about the name of it, and I just want you to leave now, Eloise.” She is hurt, surely. Her daughter is dying, almost dead, and she had been a horrible mother for the two other one she had. She just wants the woman she used to love to leave her, forever. “Actually, I came here to talk about that… I have a proposition to make to you.” This time, Victoria's lips curved into a cynical smile. “Want to marry me Eloise ? I'm sorry, my love, she said with the same ironical tone used by Eloise, but you're twelve years damn late.” She looks at the woman in front of her, and just thinks that they are both lost, twisted, and so fucked up. They are destroyed. They destroyed themselves. Eloise smiles, and Victoria sees the darkness in her eyes, and remembers again why she left her. Victoria may be someone bad, but hell, Eloise is so much worse. She hates her, but : - Eloise is the same damn beautiful fascinating woman. - And her, she is so damn alone since twelve years, and it's even worst now that Jacinda had left, that Ana is dying and that she made Ivy leave her. Oh god, she is such a monster. - She just wants things to be as they were, she just wants to kiss Eloise, right now, she just wants her family to be with her again, to be complete. - She just wants to stop feeling broken and lost, and alone. “Not really… not that I am against the idea though… She doesn't want Eloise to give her false hopes. - What do you want ? - I have a way to get your daughter back.” Victoria freezes and frowns, and, as she looks again at Eloise fucking Gardener, she sees nothing but madness, but yet, she wants to believe it, so much. Her life ended the day Ana had her accident, and even if it's absurd, something in her wants to trust her lover, wants to think that it can be real. Madness had taken her since this day, so, it's not surprising that she wants to make it real and true. Eloise approached her, and Victoria fell. “Alright… What's your plan ? - I want to help you wake up Ana, by using one of the methods of my… cult. Victoria paled. - Human sacrifice, right ? - Yes, of course… Someone of her blood, of course.” The madness in her eyes had become even more strong, and Victoria just found this even more fascinating. She shouldn't be listening to her. But she can't help but do this. “Ivy, right ?” Eloise shrugged. “Well, except if you want to die… Of course it will be her.” Could she really do it ? Could she sacrifice her own daughter, and do it for something which could not worth it ? And, by the way… Since how many time did she believe in these absurd and irrational things ? Could she do it ? Ivy was the one who had caused Ana's accident. It was all her fault. She had to make her pay. A grin began to appear on Eloise's lips, as she was realizing what Victoria must be thinking now. “So, tell me, my love… What will you do ?” Ten years. Since ten fucking years, she had lost her preferred daughter, and now, she could get her back. Maybe. She was crazy, she realized with horror, but it was the only thing she still had. She just gave in, kissing again Eloise for the first time since twelve years, and she smiled at her, with a crazy smile on her lips. “I'm in this… What do we have to do ?” Eloise smirked. Perfect. 
§§§§
 
Margot's coffee-shop.
 Ivy had found it not really difficult to fall asleep, and, being deeply drunk as she was, didn't notice that someone was breaking in the coffee-shop and in her room. Some hours later, she woke up in a dark room that she didn't know, and she looked around her, terribly afraid, after she realized something was wrong. The two women had made sure that no one would notice what happened, so, no one would know what happened and they would just think that Ivy had left. Because yes, Victoria had been spying on her daughter, knowing where she was since she had left her home. Ivy tried to stand up with difficulty, trying to figure out what the hell had happened, where she was, and who had taken her to this place. Some seconds later, she realized that her hands were tied-up, and that she couldn't escape from it, and she sighed. “You see darling, nothing you will try to do will make you escape.” Ivy looked up and met a woman's gaze, woman she recognized pretty rapidly. Eloise Gardener. Oh, of course it was her, she should have seen it coming. She always knew that this woman was a damn creeper. But she didn't expect what came later. Her eyes opened wide as she saw another woman come into her direction, kneeling in front of her, putting back a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling at her with an almost tender smile. “Hello Ivy.” The young woman blinked. “Mother ?” Fear came back into her chest, burning her, and she asked herself what they were going to do to her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Margot didn't understand what the hell was going on. Ivy had left during the night, after being pretty drunk, and no one, not even Gretel, knew where she was. She had showed up at Gretel's apartment, believing that maybe, just maybe, Ivy had finally returned to her senses and had left the coffee-shop (after all, being one of the employees, she had the keys of the place on her), and that she had came back at her home, pretty drunk, and willing to apologize to Gretel and tell her how much she loved and needed her. You see, something which would have been terribly cliche but also terribly reassuring, and right. But, when the young woman had opened the door with an angry air, Margot's smile had immediately faded. The bad feelings she has had when she had found Ivy's room being empty just came back in her. Gretel frowned at her worried air. “Margot ? Why are you here and what's wrong ? - Ivy… She was in the coffee-shop this night, in her older room, after she got very drunk, and… she is gone now. - And tell me… She said, crossing her arm, still being angry, how is it really my concern ? Margot looked at her with wide eyes. - Are you kidding me ? Aren't you supposed to be her friend, her roommate, and care about her ? - Well, I certainly did, but it was before she decided to let me down, here, alone.” Margot sighed. “Listen to me Gretel… I know you're in a bad mood, and that you're angry, but… You have to understand that Ivy is just afraid. - What. Afraid of me ? The young woman asked, as if it was just an hilarious joke. - No. Afraid of her feelings. You must have noticed this, she is not the kind of person with a great self-esteem, so… the reason why she drank so much yesterday was because she was desperate to leave you, since she was doing this because she was sure that you would never love her. And now, she is gone… Do you have any idea of where she could be ?” Gretel, now worried too, turned her head. “No, I don't.” 
§§§§
 “Why are you here ? Ivy asked her mother. What do you want to do to me ? And why is she here ? She demanded, staring at Eloise with absolute disgust on her face. She may have not told all the truth at Gretel, since she remembered the reason why her mother broke up with the mad woman. She knew she was a member of a dangerous cult, sacrificing human people, so… yes, her mother's decision had been a good one. One of the few she did. After some seconds, she finally saw that there was a bed in the room, and in this one was sleeping a person she knew too much well. “Ana ?” And in one tiny second, everything became clear, and she tried to stay away from her mother. “Oh no… You want to do that cult-thing on me ! You intend to sacrifice me, to kill me !” There was horror, desperation, and incomprehension in her daughter's eyes, and Victoria didn't even feel sad about it. She was doing this for Ana, of course it worth it. “Are you crazy ? This thing is not going to work ! And then, you will just lose the only daughter you still have.” And then, Victoria looked at her with all the rage and the madness of the world in her eyes. “Ana is my only daughter ! She affirmed. That's it ! You mean nothing anymore to me !” Ivy suddenly burst into a broken laughter. “I should have known it… I should have seen what kind of monster she made you become… It was right here, just under my eyes, and I saw nothing ! Ana's accident didn't make you become a monster… you already were before, because of her ! She yelled.” Without any warning, Victoria just punched her into the face, and Ivy stopped herself from screaming in pain. Her lips were bleeding, and Ivy began to smile. “You know what Mother ? Now, I don't care anymore about you…” 
§§§§
 During the three hours which had followed Ivy's disappearance, Margot and Gretel had gone to see Jacinda, who had made them go to the hospital, since Ivy usually went to see her sister and talk to her. When they learned that Ana Belfrey had been just taken by her mother, they understood that something was definitely wrong. That couldn't be a coincidence. They understood the truth at the moment Ivy woke up. Now, they just had to find the place where the women were. It was completely a race against time. And they were not sure of wining it. The police came with them them, since they had heard of Eloise Gardener's actions, and they all happened there as the ritual had began since at least three or four minutes. Gretel's heart sank when she saw Ivy's state, with all the blood on her face, on her body, and… 
She is dying.
 She never was that afraid before this moment. 
§§§§
 Ivy had rapidly passed out after the ritual had began, her mind finding a safe place where she wouldn't be hurt, in her own spirit. Her last “conversation” with Ana, which happened some days ago. But, as she was focused on this one, she began also to hear other noises, coming from somewhere, and she didn't understand what it was exactly. “Hey, Ana… I'm here, you know, and I wanted to tell you… I met a girl named Gretel some weeks ago, and… She chuckled. Yes, I know, she has got a name coming from a true fairy tale… And it looks like she is directly coming from one. She is beautiful, and kind, and nice, and wonderful, and funny, and… I think I'm in love with her.” “Please don't leave me.” Ivy frowned. - And I know I shouldn't… All the one I loved never loved me back. I'm not sure this time will be really different.” 
Cries. Screams of despair.
 
Noises, sounds of fight, and another scream.
 “You killed her !” “Love never was for me, I guess.” “Please come back to me.” “I will leave her, soon… I know, it's stupid, but it's the only thing I can do.” “I love you Ivy ! I love you ! So, please, just wake up.” 
Ivy kissed Ana's forehead, and tried to smile.
 “Goodbye sister… I miss you, you know… So much.” And Ivy Belfrey suddenly woke up. 
§§§§
 Gretel Branson was now more terrified than she ever was. Ivy was there, in the hospital, in front of her, and she was dying. Gretel looked with hatred at Victoria Belfrey, just there. She didn't care she was here, it would not stop her from trying to make Ivy come back. “Please don't leave me, she told her with tenderness. I don't want to lose you.” And if Victoria's eyes were opened wide with surprise, well, she didn't give a fuck about it. She just didn't care, not soon, the woman would be taken by the police, and she would pay. Finally. They were loosing her… Gretel began to scream, and threw herself on Victoria, beginning to punch her in the face, beating her up. “You killed her !” Arms surrounded her – Margot's, if she was not wrong – stopping her from doing this, and she began to cry. She knelt next to Ivy's bed. She was still not dead, and she just couldn't die, not right now, not when she knew that she loved her back. “Please come back to me.” She took her friend's hand, seeing Victoria being forced to leave the place, being arrested as well as Eloise Gardener, and she continued to cry. “I love you Ivy ! She finally admitted. I love you ! So, please, just wake up.” Not even thinking about it, she pressed firmly her lips on Ivy's, praying for something, anything to happen, for a miracle, something which would make her lover come back to her. And suddenly Ivy woke up, feeling Gretel's lips on hers. She opened her eyes, feeling disoriented, and she blinked, seeing the woman's smile invading her face. “Gretel ?” The other woman just kissed her again, and Ivy replied to the kiss, finally admitting what they were both denying these last times. They would talk about it later. Now, the only which mattered, was that they were both safe and sound. THE END.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

[Modern AU. No magic] : Eloise Gardener was a fascinating woman, and Victoria Belfrey couldn't help but be attracted to her. Except that shehada lot of madness in her, and, if she staid too much close to her, she might get burned one day. Not that it would really mind her… LadyWitch (Gothel/Rapunzel). Warnings : Dark!fic, smut, death!fic, sect, murder and sacrifice. Hints of mind control. 
- This text had been written for “Le Défi des Ships Farfelus” from “La Gazette des Bonbons au Citron” : Gothel/Rapunzel.
 Victoria Belfrey had always knew that Eloise Gardener would never bring anything good to her. (Or to anyone else in general.) It didn’t stop her from falling under her spell. Victoria Belfrey, who lived in Hyperion Heights since she was born there, was coming from a quite rich family, and now that she was twenty-six years old, she was ruling the Belfrey Towers, replacing her parents (and she was quite good at doing it). Eloise Gardener, as for her, was also coming from a rich family, but there was something in her that people didn’t like, that made them shiver with fear every time they saw her. What was it exactly, the look in her eyes, her madness not really well hidden, the fact that she was well-known for being the member of a dangerous cult (people even said that she was the boss…) ? It was not Victoria’s case, who wasn’t afraid at all by her. Was it because she had been almost raised up with the young woman who was the same age as she was, or because she was just simply too much in love with her ? And in fact, why wouldn't she ? She was sarcastic, smart (maybe too much smart for her own good… Or, well, she didn’t use her intelligence wisely…), she was her friend (well, if she really did have friends…) she had wonderful and magnetic blue eyes, almost hypnotic, and she was also so, so beautiful. Of course she loved her… When she realized it, it was already too late… 
§§§§
 Eloise didn’t love her, for sure… Well, the “witch” as she was called by some people, while Victoria was herself the “lady” of Hyperion Heights surely didn’t love anyone, except herself. But there was something in her, something which stopped the other woman from running away, while she should have, like almost everyone else did at one moment. Something which attracted the young woman to her, so much, and she couldn't explain why. For a lot of people, Eloise Gardener was a lot of things. For Victoria Belfrey, she was a true star : beautiful, attractive, dangerous, dazzling, impossible to escape, and ready to burn her if she came too much close to her. (Oh, of course she would.) 
§§§§
 They were both twenty-one years old the first time it happened. Victoria didn’t freaking know what had made her go to Eloise’s house this day (the “witch” lived here on her own, since her parents had died in strange circumstances…), why she had especially wanted to see her, alone, why now. Well, something was burning in her, and she felt like she needed to see her, right now, for… reasons. She just knew that she needed her… Like she had never needed anyone else before. Just like she wanted to belong somewhere, and felt like Eloise could offer her that, while her parents didn’t. And it was like Eloise just knew that she would come here, like she had realized how much Victoria needed her in her life, as if she had seen the fire and the frustration burning into her veins and which would soon explode if she didn’t take care of it. She wanted Eloise Gardener. And she wanted her now. If she wasn’t wrong, well, so did the “witch” too… In fact, when Victoria came into her room (she knew how to enter without being seen by anyone) and went to kiss her, Eloise just immediately replied to the kiss, like she had seen it coming. It was also deeply frustrating for Victoria, her friend/future lover always seemed to always know what she would do, maybe even before she had only thought about it… Eloise then had began to smile. “Looks like you finally decided to do something, didn’t you ?” Victoria had wanted to slap her, to hit her, to do anything to her which would make her loose her composure. But she didn’t… “Shut up and kiss me, she just answered, grabbing her by her hair, and when Eloise complied, Victoria just moaned.” Yes, that’s it, things were finally like they should be. Not loosing her time, impatient, Victoria got out of her own clothes, almost tearing them apart, and so did she with Eloise’s own clothes, who watched her with the same insufferable smirk on her lips that Victoria just wanted to tear apart too… “You really want this, right ? - Just shut up Eloise !” She kissed her again, and the woman just laughed. Gods… Was she that desperate for control ? Victoria lately figured out. Apparently, yes, and Eloise knew it too. It was like the damn woman knew everything about her, even the things Victoria ignored. And as she felt Eloise put kisses down her skin, Victoria just stopped thinking about it. She totally stopped thinking, in fact. It was… just what she wanted. Like she imagined it would be. She was still burning, yes, but… differently. And Gothel clearly knew what she was doing… Hands all over her body, fingers lost between her tights, a mouth on her breasts, while her moans of ecstasy resonated in the big house, surely, it was Eloise who was in control, and it should have felt wrong, but it didn’t, and Victoria knew that she was loosing herself, but she didn’t care. It was too much good… And Eloise still had her damn smirk, so beautiful, wonderful, and all these other things that she was, and Victoria just didn’t want it to ever end, and yes she was lost, totally lost, and it didn’t matter anymore because it was just what she had always wanted. The fire was still here, it would always be here, and it would never stop burning her, she was sure of it. The day after, when she woke up, Victoria Belfrey realized that, indeed, she was trapped for forever. She figured out rapidly that it was not a problem. 
§§§§
 Eloise Gardener was not a good person. She was mad at first, the member of a cult, and she killed people. And since now five years old, Victoria helped her doing it… She still didn’t know why she just couldn't stop it, and make her stop it. Why she liked it so much, or how the witch (she was one, truly one, even though she had no magic. Or so Victoria thought…) had succeeded to make her become just like she was. She was trapped with her. It was not normal, it was not sane, it was not good in any way, and Victoria Belfrey had always knew it, but she couldn't help loving it anyway, loving how it made her feel, so helpless and happy at the same time, and she was still trying to find out how on hell she had fallen into the same madness in which Eloise was stuck since so many time. But it didn’t matter anymore, no, not now, not while Eloise’s fingers were deeply penetrating her, playing with her pussy, as they were fucking on the ground, surrounded by corpses and blood, and a part of her knew that it was not normal, and that maybe Eloise had made something to her, but she didn’t care anymore, she didn’t control her own mind or her body, and yes, the second her orgasm hit her, she stopped thinking about it. Her life was full of monstrosity, for sure, but she loved it, indeed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Lucy, you're a child, and I just can't let you enter there… - He is my father, detective, Lucy answered to Rogers. I just want to talk to him for some minutes, right ?” The man sighed, before nodding. The little girl felt wrong about lying to him, as Nick was not her father, but this one was now in prison, after he abducted Henry, and killed those women. Those evil witches, she remembered, the one who were responsible for her father's state, and of the fact that they couldn't break the curse. They cast the curse, so they were the villains, Lucy thought, not Nick. Well, Jack. Well, Hansel… (Damn, it was becoming far more too much complicated.) She should have been scared of him, indeed, anyone would have been, after all, he was a murderer. Yes. But the thing some people forgot (well, all the cursed people had forgotten it, at least), was that Lucy's family was full of people who were on the bad side, once, even if it was just for a while. And if some of them got punished (Tremaine and Cora, as well as Peter Pan and Fiona were the perfect examples), other got their redemption. Her grand-mother used to rip out the hearts of innocent people, and crush it. Her grand-aunt turned people into flying monkeys and she did other not really pleasant/moral things to some people (including her own grand-father who had died because of her). And her great-grand-father… well, it was better if she didn't talk about him. (And no, she didn’t forget at all her great-great-grand-father, maybe the worst member of her all strange and twisted family. One of the worst, at least, with her great-great-grand-mother…) Her… great-step-father ? - yes, that's it – tried to kill her own great-grand-father for centuries, and there was some collateral damages on his road to revenge. But, Hansel ? Well, he attacked the one who hurt him, the one who killed his sister, the one who had pulled them under the curse that was ruining their lives… It was… logical and the reason why he did this was easy to understand. Not acceptable, criminal, maybe evil and bad without the context, yes, it was true. But in their land of fairy tales where there was no justice, where he had no justice for his dead sister and his scars (blame the blind witch for this), external or internal, where he had nothing for him but his revenge and his pain, well, it could sometimes appear as the only choice you had, when your enemy had magic powers you didn't have. She was glad he had been stopped, sincerely, because he did need help, more than anyone else in Hyperion Heights. (Well, in fact… did anyone deal with traumas in the Enchanted Forest ? Did they at least have psychologists ? Did they know what it was ? Because bloody hell, Hansel really needed to see one as soon as possible, Lucy thought). But she was relieved that he succeeded to stop two of the eight witches, because the coven just lost two of its members, and she hoped it would take time before Gothel would find two others to replace them. There was an opened war between the one who remembered, and the witches, and Lucy could understand the reason why Hansel did all of this. This one started and opened wide his eyes as he saw his pretended daughter take place in front of him. “Wow… Did the policemen really let you go there ? Why ? Or did you succeed to go here without being seen by anyone for a reason I can’t understand ? - Yes, of course they did, Lucy answered, nodding her head. They are letting me talk to you, because, you know, you’re my “father”. Despite himself, already knowing, after he talked with Jacinda/Ella, that she already knew the truth about who was who in the town, he had a little smile. - No, he said. I’m not, and you know it. - Indeed, the little girl said. And, even if it’s not happening in the better circumstances, well… I’m happy to meet you, Hansel. And to meet you not as Nick or Jack, but as Hansel. The real you. The one whose sister was killed by the witches of the coven. - So, you already know my story, hum ? How ? - Rumpelstiltskin. He told me who you were. - How does he know ? - He talked to Drizella, before she left, she told him that she had killed Gretel during a… witch dual, I would say. She defended herself against your sister. One had to kill the other if she wanted to enter into the coven. This is how it ended for her. I am sorry for you, Hansel. And knowing about your methods and knowing who you killed… he realized rapidly who you were.” The young man clenched his fists. “So, this is how she died… He whispered with rage in his voice and tears in his eyes. All these damn witches. They are all monsters. Lucy frowned. What the hell was that ? - No ! Just… from where is it coming ? They are not, I mean… Not all of them are, of course ! The witches of the coven, yes, they are. Drizella… she was once, but apparently, she is changing, and she gave Regina a way to cure my father, so the curse can be broken as fast as possible… And my father and my mother will finally be reunited. For the first time in the conversation, Nick/Jack/Hansel (gods, is it weird) finally smiled. - That’s one of the only goods thing and news which happened during this day… He muttered. But this is not changing the truth. Witches are bad and evil, Lucy, it’s a lesson you should learn for now and immediately. - I’m sorry Hansel, but… I think you’re wrong ! Just because you’ve got powers doesn’t mean you’re evil ! Being born with powers doesn’t force you to be a bad person ! And the contrary is true too ! You sister was a witch, and she wasn’t bad, not at all ! My grand-aunt Zelena, she didn’t become a bad person because she was born with powers but… mainly because she was ostracized because of her magic… Which… shows that it’s not a good method. Not at all. - Lucy… all the experiences I had with magic ended badly, the blind witch, the coven, my sister was killed because of her powers… - No… she was killed because Gothel is a monster… And trust me, I know monsters who never had powers… King Georges, king Xavier, king Arthur, Hook was one once, Blackbeard, Achab, the Lost One, my grand-mother Lady Tremaine… Is it enough for you ? All witches and wizards are not monster… People without powers can be monsters to… And people who get magic powers might be monsters from the beginning… And by the way, my grand-mother, Emma, who is the Savior, and who was born with white magic powers, and my father, Henry, as the Author, he has… some magic in him too, right ? Do you see them as villains too ? - What ? No, absolutely not ! - And Merlin ? And Glinda ? They always tried to do things right, not because they had powers, but because they were good people ! So yes, sorry to disappoint you, but your argument “witches/wizards are all bad” is stupid as hell Hansel ! Hansel chuckled. - Well… maybe that you’re right. I guess that kids are always right then… he said, smiling, amused. Lucy crossed her arms and smiled too. - I told you so !”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Regina's soulmate was someone she had never met before, well, not yet.Not everyone had a soulmate – and not everyone had the same mark, it worked differently depending of the people and of a lot of other things, she had a name, other didn't and had something else – but she did and it was both a blessing and a curse for her (mainly a curse to be honest) because of the name of her soulmate, in fact.Since she was a child, the name that was written on her left arm was Drizella Tremaine.Her mother had never cared about that, never cared about soulmates in general, she would have erased that damn name from her daughter's skin if she had been able to, forcing her to hide it from everyone else who could have seen it.It was not the name itself which was a problem for Cora, nor the fact that it was a woman, no the real problem for the future Queen of Hearts was that, even though the Tremaine family was a family of noble people, well, they were not royals.And she wanted her daughter to marry a king (or a queen, for that matter, a ruler of a kingdom, at least...), no matter what this one really wanted for her life, it had never mattered for her at all, and by the way, Regina would finally learn not a long time before she cast the Dark Curse, that nobody in the Tremaine's family was named Drizella, Lady Tremaine's name was another one, and her daughters and her step-daughter were named Clorinda, Tisbe and Ella, which didn't make a lot of sense for her...Well...Maybe that her soulmate didn't exist at all...
§§§§
She had loved Daniel, so much, even though he wasn't her soulmate, she had really loved him, and then he was gone, and she had to marry a man who could have been her father, that she didn't love, and whose soulmate was dead and gone now and who would never love her as well.(They were well paired in their non-compatibility, weren't they ?)Every time she was looking at her soulmark, she only saw a broken happy ending and lost possibilities and it provoked nothing in her but sadness, anger and regrets.The second she learned how to use this spell to dissimulate things on your body, she used it to hid her mark, for lack of being able to make it totally disappear.She didn't want to know what could have been, she only knew what was and that she couldn't change.
§§§§
The first thing she noticed when the curse hit the Enchanted Forest and when she woke up in Storybrooke, was the fact that her soulmark had just completely disappeared.She was quite relieved by this, she quickly figured out, because even if it had been possible to get a soulmate in the world without magic, it would have been quite strange in this world for her to have a soulmate named Drizella Tremaine.And anyway, it was better for her if she didn't have every day this reminder that she was alone (well she had the Huntsman with her, but did it really count when the only reason why he stayed with her was the fact that he didn't have the choice ?) and that she would probably never find her soulmate, except if it was the original name of one of the inhabitants of the town.Because, who could be named Drizella Tremaine in a world where she was just a fictional character ?No one had a soulmate in the Land without magic apparently, and she didn't have this name on her arm anymore.Maybe it was for the best.She didn't care at all about love now, only revenge.
§§§§
The curse was broken and magic came in Storybrooke, as other things, the soulmarks were one of them, people had now names written again on their body, or counters or the first words that their soulmate was supposed to tell them the day they would met.Regina felt quite disappointed when the name Drizella Tremaine appeared again on her arm after the cloud of purple magic smoke invaded the town.The soulmarks were linked to magic after all, it was not surprising that now that Storybrooke was not a town without magic anymore, people who lived there had again their marks on them.What surprised her truly later, was to learn what were the names written on Emma Swan's arms.Yes, you read it well, the names.Emma Swan had two names written on both of her arms, one on the left, and another one on the right.……That was quite unusual, but she was the Savior after all, this wasn't that strange.The names itself were more particular, Baelfire on the right arm, and Killian Jones on the left, and when you knew their identities as well as what happened before, it could be seen as being sad, ironic, terribly funny or just confusing as hell.Regina herself had been quite amused by this.So, her soulmates were the Dark One's son AND the Dark One's nemesis ?Interesting...Compared to Emma's marks, her own was quite normal.But, if the hero's soulmates didn't make a lot of sense, they at least made more sense than Henry's own soulmates (yeah, he had two soulmates too, like mother, like son, it seemed...), who had two names as well, and... something just didn't fit in.Because one of Henry's name was... Ella Tremaine.What. The. Actual. Freaking. Hell ?Ella Tremaine was in Storybrooke, but she was an adult, first, and then, she was already married, to her soulmate, Thomas, and she didn't have another mark on her body.So how could it be even possible ?(By the way, Regina's soulmate was named Tremaine as well, so what, were they supposed to be related ?What kind of sick joke was it ?)The other name Henry had didn't make a lot more sense either, since it was Hansel, but as well, this Hansel already had a soulmate, and it was not Henry.Regina guessed that she would figure this out later.
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So, apparently, Emma Swan's soulmates had already met but didn't know at that time that they were each other soulmate's...Baelfire had two counters, and one of them had disappeared after he arrived in the Land without magic (and it was not like he could remember meeting the pirate when he was only eight years old...), while Hook had two sentences written on his arms, which were exactly the same.Who are you ?Yes, not the kind of sentence that could help you realize your soulmate was just there in front of you, since it must have been the first thing a lot of people had told him the first time they met him (and he had lived a long life).And Emma didn't have any names written on her skin during her first twenty-eight years, since the marks she got as a baby disappeared the second she fell into the World without magic.It was funny, sometimes, how the universe seemed to want to stop people from seeing what was just in front of them.And yet, they had, in the end, succeeded to make this work.
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When Robyn was born, Regina didn't really understand what was going on, as usual when it was about soulmates, and she should have been used to it, really, and yet, she was not...Her niece had one name written on her shoulder.Alice Jones.Again...What. The. Actual. Fuck ?
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And then, Henry went to the New Enchanted Forest, called them for help, Regina realized that they were in a world where other versions of the fairy tales characters existed, and everything suddenly became much more clear for her.Drizella Tremaine was her soulmate.And she was a villain.She had been a villain as well once, maybe it was only natural and logical that she would be paired with another bad person.
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Drizella Tremaine was everything she had been once, when she was still young and innocent.Well, thanks to the curse and her magic she was still young, but not so much innocent after the dark magic darkened her heart.Not at all, in fact.And yet...She had been innocent and naive enough to believe that Drizella could become someone good and not fall into darkness...What an idiot and a fool that she had been.Maybe Mother was right after all.Maybe that love was weakness.
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She loved her, and Drizella loved her as well, and it was wrong, completely and totally wrong, but she was still the Evil Queen, somehow, she still did wrong things, didn't it ?It was a part of her that she couldn't erase, couldn't get rid of.Yes, Drizella was her enemy, she had made her teach magic to her, had made her fall in love with her, not because of that soulmate thing, but because she was innocent, beautiful and kind, and wanted to make things right, and then, she had just crushed her heart the moment she killed that poor prince and chose darkness.
What have you done ?
I turned my heart black...And gods, did it hurt !And yet, she still loved her.She shouldn't.The only thing that really ended what they had was the curse Regina was forced to cast.Ironic, right ?The first time, casting the curse had killed Henry.Now, this curse would be cast in order to save another Henry.
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Her name had never been Roni, and Ivy's name was a lie as well, Lucy was right, she had always been right, everything was a lie.Nothing was real at all, and especially not the relationship that they both shared, Ivy (well, Drizella) had lied to her all along and it hurt too, it hurt so much, because Roni the barmaid had really loved Ivy Belfrey, despite her conflict with Victoria Belfrey.It was not fair.But she couldn't help, but feel she deserved it, in some way.She was a villain, right ?Villains didn't get happy endings...
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Maybe that Lady Tremaine was not such a monster if she could sacrifice herself for her daughter's life...
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Drizella comes to apologize to her, just after Gothel kills Rapunzel, and says she wants to find her sister, save her from the evil witch, and nothing else, that she is going to help them with her magic to cure Henry and break the curse, and stop the coven as well.This is not enough, not yet, not at all, but Regina remembers a version of herself who did the same things in the past, who did worst and she just hopes that it's not too late for Drizella.They are soulmates, they love each other, they trusted each other once, it has to mean something.So, yes...Maybe that they can try ...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Killian Jones was born with two soulmarks.These soulmarks, despite the fact that he had two of them, which was quite unusual, but not impossible, were only and truly... banal.Who are you ? Was written on his arms.Twice.Yeah, it was not like it was something he risked to hear every time he met someone… oh wait a minute !That may be the reason one he still didn't find them, as far as he knew.(That, and the fact that his timeline was totally fucked up.Not that he could know that, of course.)
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He had two counters on his arms, and they… didn't really fit well, to be honest.Well, if the first one was a normal timer, since he was supposed to meet one of them when he would be eight years old, concerning the other one…It would not be before something like two hundred years.What the fuck ?How was he supposed to live during such a long time ?He only understood it when he arrived in Neverland and figured out how time was working (or not working, to be more precise) there.
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She didn't have any marks.The truth is that she should have one, even two, but something stopped it.The Dark Curse stopped it, hell, it was not even sure that the marks appeared on her arms during the short time where she stayed in the Enchanted Forest after she was born, the only thing sure about that was that some minutes after she was put in the magical wardrobe, two marks that could have stayed definitely disappeared from her arms.She didn't even know that she supposed to have at least one.Too bad that there was no soulmates in the land without magic…
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None of them knew what had really happened during this night.How could they, it was not like any of them could have realized what was exactly happening.Well, Baelfire could have known, and he felt it, indeed, but he was trying to get his mother home, he only talked to her at this moment, and there was so many people in this tavern, how could he know who precisely it was, and even during the following days, he didn't think about this soulmate he apparently met, since his mother was not coming back.Maybe he had felt something.But it hadn't been enough.Not this time at least.
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"Who are you ?"His mark burnt him again, but he didn't allow himself to hope.It would be sick and twisted, especially after he learned his identity, wouldn't it ?(And yet…Yet, it was true.)
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When Baelfire looked at his counter just before leaving Neverland, he realized that he was supposed to wait five years before meeting his other soulmate.Well considering his luck about the other one, he would probably never meet this person, right ?When the counters both disappeared from his arms, he wasn't even surprised.
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Emma Swan didn't know how it felt, to have a soulmate, or a soulmark.She didn't believe in magic, never did, and she didn't believe in soulmates either, and well, she did love Neal, it's true, and maybe he could have been her soulmate if that kind of thing existed, or she dared to hope.But then, Neal… Neal had betrayed her, had abandoned her like she was nothing.Soulmate or not, she didn't care.She hated him.
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She had two soulmates.Two soulmarks, two names written on her arms, of people she didn't know, she never met, and it didn't make any sense.Baelfire and Killian Jones.(A part of her was both relieved and disappointed that it was not Neal.)But, even before she could figure this out, she fell into a portal with her mother, and suddenly, that soulmate thing wasn't that important anymore.
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"Who are you ?"It had been since almost two centuries that he was asked this damn question.He had stopped hoping for anything since a long, very long time.
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"Who are you ? Emma finally asked to the man who was not really a victim or an innocent, well, absolutely not at all.- Killian Jones, he answered, and the Savior totally froze."It was him.His name, she had his name on her arm, and she knew what it meant.This man was her soulmate, well, one of them.And she didn't know how to deal with that.By the way, she finally realized, one of her soulmates was Captain freaking Hook, and hell, wasn't it already enough that her parents were prince Charming and princess Snow White, she was supposed to fall in love with a fictional character (not that fictional in fact…) now ?Still…That was weird.Just like the rest of her life was since she arrived in Storybrooke, and to be fair, that was not the strangest thing she had lived…(How would it be when she would meet her other soulmate ? She asked herself.She didn't know yet, for sure.)She could have told him, immediately, tell him who she was for him, who they were to each other, but he was supposed to already know that, didn't he so why…Then, she had seen the sentence, no the sentences on his arms.Who are you ?Oh…Yeah, that explained everything.So yes, she could have said something, but she didn't, because she was Emma Swan, she had walls around her, she didn't trust people easily, and he was a pirate, he was working for Cora who according to her mother was worst than Regina and…And Neal had broke her heart once, didn't he, and a part of her was sure that the story would repeat itself again, and she just didn't want to get hurt.So she just shut up about it and continued hiding her marks like she did since the precise moment where they had appeared on her body.No one had to know it after all.Then, when she let him to that giant, she left him without looking back, Neal had done that to her years ago after all, why would she care about a man she barely knew ? She tried to convince herself, no matter how everything in her screamed to her not to do that.It was not like it would change anything in her life.(She had been wrong, so wrong.)
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He had left her in a cage too.A part of him didn't want to, but she had left him, she had refused to trust him, and he did want to go to Storybrooke more than anything else in the world, to have his revenge, even if he did want her to get out of it too.It was not like she would ever be important for him one day.(He had been so wrong too.)
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It was not supposed to happen, it was not supposed to be this way, it was not supposed… to be him.Neal was not supposed to be Baelfire.And most of all…Neal was not supposed to be her soulmate.Both of her marks had disappeared the second the three of them had left Storybrooke (land without magic, it made sense at least) but she hadn't forgotten the names written on her body, and now she was just figuring out that…
That. He. Was. Her. Soulmate.
And she didn't want it to be true.Yeah, he was her soulmate, so what ?He had lied to her about his identity (she could forgive him for that, except if he did know that she was from the Enchanted Forest, that she was the Savior, and that he told her nothing about that. Did he know ? She asked herself. Did he know back then, who she was ? Did he know she was his soulmate ? Gods, it only made things even worst.), he had sent her to jail, he had abandoned her, betrayed her, he had broke her heart.How was she supposed to forgive him exactly, and hell, how was she even supposed to fall in love with him again ?Just because somebody, somewhere, because magic had decided that they were meant for each other ?That didn't make any fucking sense !
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She was still so angry.Oh, he had apologized to her, obviously, but it didn't change anything, it didn't erase what he had done to her, and she was burning with rage, not only against him, but against August, against Rumplestiltskin, against fate itself.Could have things be different, if they had met each other in other circumstances ?She knew that to have an answer to this question would do nothing to her, but break her heart again, and she did want to let him go, he didn't want to see his father again, she didn't want to see him either, but…But it was Rumplestiltskin they were talking about, and she knew the man now, she knew how stubborn he could be, he had waited for something like two centuries to get back to his son, she knew he would not abandon without fighting and she was not ready to confront him, not today, and Henry…Henry deserved the truth.And he was not the only one.And she knew now that, even if she didn't want to see him again for now, well…It seemed that fate always found its way, she had learned, this reunion had proved it clearly.(It didn't mean she liked it, not at all.)"Why did you listen to August exactly ?Why did you abandon me ?Another question burned in her : Did you know, did you know who I was to you, did you know we were soulmates ?- I am sorry, he said again. I… I made a mistake, and I know… I know you will probably never forgive me for that. I was an idiot, I was scared that my father could find me, August told me about your fate, that you had to become the Savior, and that I was in the way, and I believed him but… I shouldn't have listened to him."He didn't know.He didn't know she was pregnant at that time, he didn't know she was his soulmate.(If he already knew… she didn't know what she would do to him.)And then…She just couldn't not tell him."I was not the only who suffered from this, she confessed, remembering how awful it had felt back then, the pain, physical and emotional, and that moment where…I can't be a mother !He frowned.- What do you mean ?There she was…That was the moment she had tried to escape from since a long, long time.- I was pregnant… She whispered, and Neal's eyes opened wide with shock and surprise. And I… I just couldn't be a mother, I was alone because you weren't here, so I did what my parents did to me, what yours did to you. I abandoned him.- Do you know… do you know where he is now ?- His name is Henry, he found me when I lived in Boston. And guess what ? He was adopted by the Evil Queen. Yeah, that's crazy, I know, I guess he was supposed to end in Storybrooke too, just like… everybody else. Don't worry, he is fine, she… she raised him well, and she is trying to change now, well she was and then her mother came back, and.. it's complicated.- I won't say anything, he grimaced, my father is the Dark One after all, and despite the mess of the situation, Emma couldn't help but smile.Hell, she was going to have such a headache, Henry's family tree was becoming so complex now.- He came with us you know, she added. Henry… with Cora in town and… (And Hook, she almost added, finally deciding to shut up.) Well, I didn't want him to stay there.- You let him with my father ?- Yes… Your father who is… his grand-father. This story is such a mess…- I guess I will have to face him then…- Henry ? Or your father ?- Both.- Oh… He thinks you're dead… Henry I mean, I… he asked me who you were and… I told him you died.Neal paled and sighed.- I guess that… that it was not enough, what I sent to you, he finally dared to say.This time, it was Emma's turn to frown.- What do you mean ?- Well… when I left you and went to Canada, I… I sent you the car's key, and the money I got when I sold the watches.Emma blinked two or three times and then completely froze.That… that was not possible, right ?- Wait, you… You what ?- I sent you the car's key and the money not a long time after I learned that you were in prison, he repeated… Why, you… you didn't got it ?- NO ! She exclaimed. I mean… I got the key, but it was… it was the only thing…He seemed sincere, he was sincere, she knew it, her superpower didn't lie to her, she knew he was telling her the truth, and he really seemed confused so…- How on hell did I never…"And then she knew, and her face darkened."August…It was him, it had to be him, he was the only one who knew it after all, so… he had kept the money with him ?(Maybe that was one of the reasons why he had turned back into wood after her arrival to Storybrooke…Selfless, brave and true…He wasn't these kind of things at this time, was he ?)- Emma ?- Don't worry, I… I think I will have to talk to a certain wooden man as far as I am back in Storybrooke…- I see, he answered, terribly pale now that he knew everything.- That's… that's not all, she added reluctantly.- What else do you want to tell me ?- Tell me… what do you know about soulmates ? I know you told me once that you didn't believe in them but now that I know that magic exists, I guess that's not true too.- Indeed. He sighed. Soulmates are much more common in the Enchanted Forest and all the fairy tale lands in general since… they have magic, but that's all I know about that.- Do you have a soulmate ?- Yes… actually, I have got two.Emma felt her heart stop at those words.
Could it be…
Could they share the same soulmate ?Was it even possible ?- And… do you know who they are ? She asked, not knowing if it was fear or hope which was invading her now.He laughed, sadly.- I have no idea. I had counters on my arms when I was still in the Enchanted Forest, but they… they disappeared when I arrived in this world, apparently, I met one of them when I was a child but I don't remember it, it was… a long time ago.
Oh…
Well that was interesting.- What about you ? He asked her. I mean, you went to Storybrooke, I guess you have one too, and that you saw you mark, if you have one.- Yes, but… I have another question, I want to be sure about something… When did you first counter stop exactly ?- I… I think I was eight years old, it was not a long time before my mother left us, so I didn't really pay attention to it.Oh…
Oh…
If it was not a proof, she didn't know what it was, and again, she didn't know how to deal with this.- Why did you want to know that ?- Neal… I am your soulmate… She said with tears in her eyes, and hell, she did pass this entire conversation with the strong desire to cry, didn't she ?Apparently, she was not the only one…He started.It seemed like he couldn't breath anymore.There was something like surprise, shock and joy in his eyes, and Emma wished so much that things could have been different that it hurt.- You… wait, you… What ?- I have your name written on one of my arms… Your real name I mean…He smiled sadly.- Maybe I knew it, deep down, back then, but… I couldn't be sure. I guess it changes nothing.- Not for now… She said, and maybe a part of him dared to hope that everything was not broken between them. And there is… something else, the last thing I have to say about that, well, I hope…She took a deep breath.- I have another soulmate, and I think we share the same soulmate, if that kind of thing is possible, and I already met him, and you met him as well, a long time ago, even though you don't remember it, and well that's going to be complicated as hell…He frowned, not really knowing who she was talking about.- Emma, I don't get it, I am not immortal, and the only reason why I am still alive after all this time is because I went to Neverland during a long, long time, and not a lot of people did this, not people I met when I was a child, so who could it…And then, he remembered Emma's previous question, and he just knew what she meant.
Oh…
OH !And his eyes opened wide with horror.- No ! Oh no Emma, no, no, no, no, NO ! That's… that's not possible !I don't want this to be real would have been more accurate.Maybe that a part of her was happy to see him react this way, to see him be so hurt by this idea, maybe that unconsciously, she wanted to hurt him the way he hurt her all these years ago because she knew what kind of things the pirate did to his family.He did abandon her after all, didn't he ?So yeah, the darkest part of her felt right as she said those words, even if it was wrong.It didn't stop her from feeling sorry for him.- Neal… I have his name of my arm. Killian Jones. And I think… I think he is the person for who your first counter stopped all these centuries ago.- That's… that's insane, and that doesn't make any sense, how can you be so sure that…- What is the first sentence that you told him ?- Emma, I was eight years old, how could I remember…- I am not talking about this encounter, you didn't tell him anything as far as I know, but about the other one, the second one… in Neverland.- I asked him… Who are you ?- That's what you said ?- Yes, why ?- Because that's what I told him the first time I saw him… Because that's what you told him first… Because our words are his soulmarks. Both of them. Because he is our soulmate and I don't know how to deal with that.He looked at her, and yeah, he was crying, and so was she, and she wasn't even surprised.- I don't know how to deal with that either, he admitted."Well, at least, they were both lost together in this, weren't they ?
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He was their soulmate, and he had tried to kill Rumplestiltskin, to kill Baelfire's father, to kill Henry's grand-father !It was a chance Emma had stopped him in time before he did anything.How on hell could they deal with that ?How could they deal with their soulmate being their enemy ?
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She didn't know how to tell him.Neal even didn't want to tell him, and she couldn't blame him for that.The man who loved his mother once and who wanted to kill his father was his soulmate, she was surprised he had actually let them get him back to Storybrooke.(A part of her hoped that Rumplestiltskin would never know what was going on.Hell, Regina herself did, and apparently, she found that really funny.She didn't.)A part of her didn't want to tell him either, and yet…Yet, here she was.Because, as foolish as it was, she wanted to make it work.Or at least try too…In Storybrooke's prison, here he was too, since they came back from New York, and it was still hard for her to deal with Neal being here, but… she had made it somehow.Maybe she could make it again."Swan ! What are you doing here ? He asked her with an annoyed tone, and she looked at him with both a cold and sad look.- We never talked about soulmates together, didn't we ?- No, indeed… Why ? Did you find yours not a long time ago ? If that's the case, congratulations then ! He said with an ironic tone. But I don't know why I wouldcare.She smiled at him sadly.- Yeah, somehow, I did it… I found them.- Oh, so you have two soulmates, just like me, I guess that's great for you, I still don't know who mines are personally.- It was not Milah, she said with conviction.He sadly smiled too.- I suppose I will never know, he admitted.- Well, I do… I know.- What…- What is the first thing I told you ? She asked him.- You asked me who I was, why are you…"And then he understood what she meant and he froze, his eyes opening wide with surprise and disbelief.Without waiting for his reaction, she showed him her arm where "Killian Jones" was written."Wait… it's… it's you ! Why didn't you tell me ?- Because it was not the right time, I thought you would know, but you didn't, and then I didn't know how to tell you, and I didn't trust you, you were a pirate, you were working with Cora, and I already got my heart broken once and I didn't know how to deal with having a soulmate.- And now ?- Now, I still can't deal with having a soulmate at all, or having you as a soulmate, but I want to make it work, and I figured out who my other soulmate was and I think I found the missing piece…- Wait you… you what ?- I have another soulmate, you have another soulmate, and I am sure as Hell that we have the same, and tell me, what did Baelfire tell you when he arrived on the Jolly Roger ?- He asked me who I was… Wait you don't mean…She smiled to him with an amused and tired air and she sighed.- It seems like fate has a twisted sense of humor… Yes, Baelfire, Neal is my soulmate and he is your soulmate too, and it doesn't make any sense.Because it looks like somebody or something chose that the three of us… we were meant for each other, the savior, the pirate, and the lost boy… What a trio we make, don't we ?He didn't answer still frozen by shock.- I don't know how to deal with that…- Don't worry about that… And trust me captain, none of us knows how to deal with it… I just hope we will find a way to figure this out."Maybe that it was just naive from her to hope for that, but as she left the room, she was almost sure that yeah, they would find a way to deal with all of this.(And in the end, they did.They made it work.)

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hansel had two counters on his arms once upon a time…But it was only before his sister and him got lost into the woods, it was before his life went to hell because a bloody blind witch wanted to eat them (and bloody hell, they were kids for fuck's sake, they didn't deserve any of that, did they ?), it was before that crazy woman suddenly decided that she would burn his arms while trying to kill him, and hell, without his sister using her magical powers for the first time, without even knowing what she was doing, he would be dead by now.And, after they ran away from that monster, back home, back to their father who had been trying to find them for weeks, after he had stopped screaming and crying because of the unbearable pain he was enduring, and after his big sister had succeeded to cure him, well, the best way she could, after she stopped the fire on his arms, he had finally seen it.His arms were burnt for forever, nobody would be able to make disappear the scars that the fire would leave on him, and he would always suffer from them, because Gretel was still not strong enough in magic to make the pain fade away, and most of all, his counters…His counters were gone, he couldn't see them anymore, didn't feel them at all, they were just… gone for forever.He would never know, he would never know who his soulmates were, because a witch had tried to kill him and eat him, and it hurt so bad, it hurt as much as the fire did.He had two soulmates, and he would never know who they were, he would never know it by himself.Gods, why was it happening to him ?What did he do to deserve that exactly ?
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Their father dies when they are eighteen and sixteen, and they part ways the day after.Gretel wants to learn magic, she wants to be powerful, she doesn't want to be scared anymore, she wants to be able to fight back the witches and sorcerers who might want to destroy her, she wants to protect her family, she doesn't want to be weak again, like she was when they were still kids, and Hansel understands, he really understands that, since he wants that too, that's the reason why he learned how to use a sword, he doesn't want anybody else to make him endure what the blind witch did to him.That doesn't mean he likes the fact that Gretel is going to be a witch, but he respects her choice, because she is his sister, and hell, she means the world to him.He doesn't know what he would do if he lost her…
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And then, he changes his name, decides that he won't be called Hansel anymore, because Hansel was a scared little boy who couldn't save himself from the monster trying to kill him, and he doesn't want to be him anymore.He will be Jack now, and gods be damned, nobody will ever make him feel powerless again, he swears it.
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Jack the Giant Killer.Maybe that he could succeed to be that hero that Henry seemed to see in him.
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It was easy to fall in love with Henry Mills, Hansel rapidly figured out.Henry was his friend, his best friend, the only friend he ever had, and he was brave and heroic, and kind and all these things, of course he had fallen in love with him.He had no freaking idea of who could be his soulmate, they never talked about that, he didn't show him his arms, the truth is that he never showed them to anybody since… the accident, even though it was not really one, and well Henry, just like him, did have other things to think or talk about, like exploring the New Enchanted Forest, and he never bothered to ask him the question.Too bad…He would have known that his name was written on one of Henry's arms…Maybe that a little part of his heart hoped that he would be his soulmate, but it was not like Henry had told him anything about that, it was not like he had felt something, and it was not like he had his words either, did he ?And then…Then, Henry had met Ella, and Hansel had knew that he was completely fucked up.
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He truly expected to hate Ella, the first time he met her, well maybe not hate her totally, it was not her fault if she was Henry's soulmate and that he wasn't, but he didn't expect at all to like her, to really appreciate her.And he totally didn't expect to fall in love with her too…Oh, seven hell…He was definitely fucked up, wasn't he ?
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Gretel dies.Gretel dies, killed by one of the witches from the coven of the eight, and suddenly, it's easy to be angry again, it's easy to be Hansel again, to be that scared boy who just wanted his sister to be safe, except that things are different now, he is not scared anymore, just angry, in pain, willing to have revenge on them, he is an adult with rage in his veins, an adult who just couldn't save her.He knows Henry wouldn't want that, he wouldn't want him to want revenge, but Henry didn't live what he lived, he doesn't know what he went through, he just can't understand that the fire on his arms is the same fire that burns now in his eyes, and it hurts, it hurts so bad, it's like being a child again, and the only thing he wants is the pain to stop.So yeah, he doesn't care about the price he will have to pay for that.Those damn witches are going to pay the price too.
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He doesn't know there is a missing piece in Henry's and Ella's relationship, that something is wrong, that something is missing, someone, that they don't understand who it is, that they just don't know, and they spent years looking for that person, but they still don't know who it is, because he didn't tell them his real name and because he is a bloody idiot.He doesn't know that's him, he doesn't know that he has a place where he could belong, but can't, not yet, because fate is a cruel bitch.And then, the curse hits everyone, and he doesn't know who he is anymore.
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It's terribly easy too, to be Nick Branson, to be Lucy's father, Jacinda's ex, it's easy to be in love with Jacinda, because it feels right, even if they are not together anymore, but then Henry Mills bursts into his life, their lives,and suddenly, absolutely nothing makes sense anymore.Until Facilier wakes him up, and then, everything makes too much sense, and it hurts again.He is Nick, but he is also Jack and he is Hansel, and it's wrong, what he is going to do, but he doesn't care at all, because the witches of the coven are bad, and hell, maybe that he could forgive Drizella for killing his sister, since she was only trying to defend herself and save her own life, and was only playing along the rules of the sick game that Gothel had organized, and she did help them to find a way to break the curse, but about the other witches, especially Hilda, he just…He just couldn't not do something, or at least try.Hilda dies, and so does doctor Sage, or whatever her name was in the Enchanted Forest, but then…Then Rumplestiltskin figures out everything, and suddenly, he is in prison, and the Dark One knows who he is really is.
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"Why did you do this ? The sorcerer asks him after making sure that nothing is filming them by now, and Hansel just fucking wants to cry.- I just wanted to help you break the curse, by killing those who decided to cast it, and… I wanted revenge, I just to avenge my sister's death, to avenge Gretel.Then, the wizard just started.Did he… did he heard him well ?Could it be… could it be him, really ?- Your real name never was Jack, was it ? He asked him, just to be sure.Hansel chuckled, but not in a happy way.- Indeed not… My name is Hansel.- That does explain everything ! The Dark One exclaimed without being able to stop himself, and Hansel raised an eyebrow in surprise.Hell, so his own son was paired with the Savior and the pirate that he hated most than almost everyone else in the world, while his grand-son was meant to be with both Cinderella and a serial killer.People in his family did have strange soulmates.- What are you talking about ?- Wait a minute, the sorcerer added, remembering something, your arms, they were burnt when you were a child, right ? When Hansel nodded he sighed. What kind of soulmark did you have, and where was it ?- Counters, I had two on my arms, and when my arms burnt, they just… disappeared.Oh…Obviously.The immortal sighed again.- I see it now… and since you never told your real name to my grand-son and his wife, they never knew that it was you.- I have no idea of what you mean.- Hansel, he finally said. Henry and Ella… They are your soulmates.Hansel froze.Wait, what ?- You.. wait, what did you just say ?The sorcerer sighed a new time, feeling suddenly really tired.How couldn't they see that, how couldn't they realize that they were linked together ?- They are your soulmate, they have your name on their arms, they didn't tell you this because they didn't know it was you.The young man froze again.That…. was definitely not something he expected to hear, and yet, he couldn't help but think that it did feel right.And yeah, it did explain a lot of things, and before this mess began maybe that he would have been happy to learn that but…Except that…- Even if it's true, after what I did… I am not sure that it means anything now.At that, the policeman just burst into laughter.- After what you did… Listen to me kid, what you did to those witches, was… absolutely nothing compared to what Regina or myself did in our respective lives, trust me. I mean, you did kill two witches, two extremely dangerous witches who did help Gothel to cast the curse, and by the way, as far as we know, they wanted to cast a spell which would have killed everyone in this world who doesn't have magic, and you were desperate too, and trust me I do know how to recognize a desperate soul, so… Yes, I do believe that when Henry and Ella remember the truth, they won't blame you for that."Well… maybe that the sorcerer was right, and hell, he didn't really feel that guilty for murdering doctor Sage and not at all for killing Hilda, but it didn't change the fact that what he had done was wrong, and he knew that if Henry and Ella looked at him like he was just a criminal, it would break him.But…If they were indeed his soulmates, and hell, he still couldn't succeed to believe it, it had to mean something, right ?And maybe, just maybe, if he didn't die before the curse broke, and if he did go to see a psychiatric, just like Weaver wanted him to, well he might be able to finally heal from what the witch did to him, and from his sister's death, well if something like that was possible.Maybe that things could be different now, maybe he didn't have to be alone.Maybe that they could make the difference, maybe that it was not too late.And, as the curse broke, as he saw them again and give them a hesitant smile, and they smiled to him too, he felt like maybe it was true, maybe they could make it work.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Some things never changed.Maybe that he should be surprised by the fact that the villain of the day was literally himself(well a version of him from another universe, but that's still him, in a way, a more lost, broken, twisted and mad version of him, and yet, that's definitely him), but hell, after all the crazy things they had been trough over the years (curses and dark curses, again and again, spells, villains who were him sometimes, his original self of course) he didn't even succeed to be surprised by anything else now.Not even the fact that he somehow befriended the daughter of another version of the pirate he used to hate more than anyone else in the world, but hey, his grand-son did marry another version of Cinderella, so that wasn't that awkward, right ?But that wasn't the point, the point was that…His other self was trying to send them in other worlds, where they would be alone and lost, and the saddest thing about it was that he was using his own grand-son to do so, and maybe that before the Dark One would have been sure that he would have never done such a thing, but sadly, he had the proof in front of his eyes that it was not true because he was indeed doing this.And Alice…Hell, it wasn't a coincidence if she was going to fall into a portal, just like Baelfire did centuries ago, right ?Or if it was, it was a cruel one, he didn't know if it was fate or if his other him did this, but for sure, he wasn't going to let it end the same way it did the first time, except that…Except that there was nothing he could do now, and it wasn't his fight, but Hook's, and oh the irony, yes it was so ironic that his former enemy (another version of him, again, it was definitely not a coincidence, the other Rumpelstiltskin did it on purpose, he was sure of it now) was confronted to the same choice he had to face such a long time ago.To keep his daughter's hand in his own, or to let her go…Except that, except that, except that…Everything is different, not just because the pirate is not him and never was, not even in his worst moments, but because the consequences of his choice would not be the same.Saving his daughter would literally kill him.And yet, and yet, and yet…He is not letting her go.He is going to die if he keeps her in this world, and that what he does, and yet, he still doesn't let her go.Funny, how things can change from a person to another, from a universe to another one, from a Dark One to a pirate…It's the vortex scene and it's not.Different characters, different situation.It's the vortex scene repeating itself, but with a different ending.For one simple reason, and Rumplestiltskin knows, he knows that the other him, from the Wishverse, the man who lost Belle, who lost his son, who lost his mind, is thinking about the same thing, about how the two scenes ended differently, just because…He didn't let her fall.Then…Then the pirate dies and he know what to do, what he must do.For Alice, and maybe for himself as well so the other him disappears and doesn't burn the world to ashes, and for the pirate who proved himself being a better father that he himself was centuries ago (he is different now, he changed) by giving his life for his daughter.Now it's his turn to do the same…

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It has to be enough.Hell, he didn't go through all of this, months and years of fight against Drizella, the coven, Gothel (especially Gothel) to see his efforts fade into nothingness as well as his daughter being separated from him and her True Love !So yes, gods be damned, this evil witch and bitch be damned, there is no way in hell he is going to let this happen, to let the curse be cast, that wouldn't… that wouldn't be fair !Oh, maybe he does deserve that, maybe people like him, or Rumpelstiltskin, Zelena, Tremaine or Regina and other former villains living in the New Enchanted Forest do deserve to endure such a terrible punishment, being tore apart from the one they love, having their true identities being ripped out from them, and to be put into a world which isn't their and get a miserable life, but…But Alice, Robyn, Henry, Ella, Lucy, Tiana and everyone else in this fucking world, they didn't deserve such a fate !He was going to make everything so this would not happen.And yet, he saw it in his daughter's eyes, she didn't believe that they would win this time, the letter she wrote for Robyn showed it well, for sure."I'll deliver it, he says, hoping that's not the last time Robyn can read her lover's words. But I'm gonna do my best to make sure that nothing parts any of us.- I hope that's enough, she answers, hesitantly, a light of fear and sadness in her eyes."Like she knew something he didn't, and well she was the one of them who had magic in her veins, so maybe, just maybe he should have seen her concern like a sign that what was going to happen was inevitable, but he didn't because this time he wanted to hope that what they were doing would be enough.It's not, obviously.He should have known, right ?It was not the first time he failed his daughter, it was not the first time something wrong happened to them, he remembered the duel, he remembered Achab, and the curse Gothel cast on him and his heart all these years ago, a new curse is going to hit them soon, and it's like history repeats itself, there is something wrong about it, but he just can't stop it from happening.He just looks at Gothel's satisfied smile and wishes he could kill her and erase all the bad things she did in just one moment.Instead, he does nothing and just stands there, waiting for the purple smoke to transport them to another world, and Alice knew, she always knew, because she was the Guardian, or just because she was a witch and felt the magic in the air, but well, the reason why, that didn't matter at all, did it ?
I'm sorry Alice…
I'm so sorry.(The white elephant is gone, in Ella's hands now, and he knows it does worth it but he can't help but feel his heart break as he thinks about his little girl – not so little now – being alone in a world none of them knows. He hopes she will have Robyn with her, at least.)And then…The curse hits, and while Killian Jones falls…Detective Rogers rises.