────── ★★★ ──────

────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟒
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑

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After ending their very long overdue moment, Everly and Felix raced back to the latter's car and began their journey back to the Thorne woman's apartment. The blonde man drove through the streets of Hyperion Heights with one hand on the steering wheel and the other tightly wrapped around his wife's hand. Felix couldn't help but glance over at Everly every now and again to take in all her features. He missed the dimples that formed when she smiled and her contagious laugh. He missed the way her hand fit perfectly in his and her eyes always had a hint of mischief in them. Felix just missed her and he was determined to make up for their year apart.

It wasn't long before they finally reached their destination and parked the car right outside Everly's building. Neither of them hesitated to inside and up the stairs toward the Purest Heart's apartment. They swung the door open to see all of their children sitting on the couch watching TV with pizza in their hands. As soon as they realized their parents were in the room, all four of them turned their attention toward the couple, only to find Felix staring back at his two children he hadn't spent time with in a year with tears in his eyes.

"Roland? Cassie?" was all that came out of the Thorne man's mouth, causing the two children in question's eyes to widen. Roland and Cassie instantly jumped to their feet and sprinted toward their father. Everly watched their reunion with a smile on her face before Felix looked over at his two kids still sitting on the couch.  "What are you two still sitting for? Get over here?"

Smiles formed on Fletcher and Dawn's faces as they stood up and rushed to join the family group hug. It wasn't long after that when Felix grabbed his wife's wrist and pulled her over to join. Everly instantly wrapped her arms around her husband and children as a wave of relief washed over her. The year of them not remembering her was over and she finally felt true happiness. All she needed now was to wake up the rest of her family and defeat Drizella.

Their moment was soon interrupted by Everly's phone ringing. At first, the family chose to ignore it and continued to celebrate them being together again. But then the Thorne girl started receiving text messages at an alarmingly fast rate. All of them turned their attention toward the Purest Heart as she pulled out her phone and read through the messages, only for her smile to fade. Her eyes scanned over the texts one last time before Everly looked up to meet the curious eyes of her family.

"Lucy's...Lucy's in the hospital."

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"I'd like you all to meet...Lucy," Henry said as he turned around to reveal the baby in his arms.

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces as they watched the Mills man smile down at his daughter. It wasn't long after that when Everly felt an arm wrap around her shoulders, causing her to look up to meet Felix's gaze. The grin on the Thorne woman's face did nothing but grow as she looked down at the twins in their arms, who were only born a few months prior. The sound of clapping drew Everly's attention back to the scene in front of her before her eyes fell on a very happy Jack.

"That is amazing! Henry Mills is a father!" the brunette man exclaimed as his smile grew even bigger.

"Congratulations! She looks strong!" Tiana told Henry while continuing to smile down at the baby in the latter's arms.

"Uh, where's my mom? She should be here by now?" the Mills man questioned as he looked around at his family and friends standing in front of him.

"Oh, Regina's fine. Just a little detained," a new voice said, making everyone turn their attention toward the source of the sound to find Drizella standing a few yards away. Jack instantly unsheathed his sword and pointed it toward the Tremaine woman. Sam and Austin soon copied his actions as they put themselves between the brunette woman and Everly, Felix, Katherine, and their children.

"Stay away from my daughter," Henry told Drizella as he clutched Lucy closer to his chest, only for the brunette woman's smirk to grow.

"Such a worried papa. No need to be. I'm only here to deliver a message. Well, more accurately, a prophecy," the Tremaine woman said in an eerily calm tone as she readjusted her sleeve before her smile faded completely, "a curse is coming, on your darling child's eighth birthday...all your lives as you know them will end."

"Perhaps you misread the prophecy, love," Hook responded as he took a few steps toward her before unsheathing his sword, "because you missed the part where we defeat you."

"Drizella, I wouldn't," the Mills man warned with a smile after watching the brunette woman begin to use her magic, "look down."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hook sheathed his sword back on his belt and a giant grin appeared on his face. Everyone watched as the dirt beneath her feet began to turn to stone before it started creeping up her legs. Drizella tried to break free of the magic as her lower body became a statue before her attention fell back on the heroes standing in front of her.

"This is blood magic. How is this possible?"

"With a spot of my blood, of course," Lady Tremaine said as she walked out from behind a tree before stopping next to Henry, "I simply can't have you casting the Curse, dear."

"This changes nothing," the brunette woman told them while tears began forming in her eyes, "in eight years, I'll be back, and you'll learn what true suffering is."

The second the last word left her mouth, Drizella had fully transformed into stone.

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𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑

Everyone was gathered in Tiana's castle to celebrate the eighth birthday of Lucy Mills. Everly stood among her friends and family with her hand interlocked with Felix's as they watched their children. Cassie was talking with Marci, Will, and Lucas on one side of the patio while Dawn and Fletcher messed around with Lucy and Roland at the other end. Everyone else stood around a table filled with food and treats with a large birthday cake in the center of it all.

It wasn't much longer when Tiana began tapping on the side of her glass, drawing everyone's attention toward her while the children walked over to join them. A smile formed on Everly's face as she watched her niece stand between Henry and Ella with a giant grin on her face as she stared up at Tiana.

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate the birthday of a special little girl," Tiana announced before she sent Lucy a smile then she turned her attention back to everyone surrounding them, "and to remember how lucky we are to live in a time of peace and prosperity."

"Thank you, Aunt Tiana. I mean, Queen Tiana," Lucy responded with a curtsy before she looked up at Tiana and Ella with a giant grin on her face, "can I light the candles?"

"Oh, no, that's my job," Regina announced as she took a few steps forward and lit the candles with her magic, "now, make a wish."

The smiles on everyone's faces did nothing but grow as they watched Lucy prepare to blow out her birthday candles. However, the flames vanished before she had a chance to blow them out before a loud rumbling sound could be heard in the distance. Confusion replaced the happiness that filled the courtyard as they looked toward the dark clouds. It wasn't long after that when they heard footsteps rushing toward them.

Swords were drawn and bows were loaded while Everly and Regina prepared their magic as they turned toward whoever was approaching. But when a young boy appeared through the archway of the courtyard, everyone's confusion instantly doubled. All eyes stayed glued to the boy as he ran toward them and stopped a couple of yards away. Silence surrounded them as the newcomer took a moment to catch his breath before he finally opened his mouth to speak.

"They're coming," he told them through his labored breaths as he pointed up at the dark storm clouds, "you need to get out of here. You're all in danger."

"Who's coming?" Sam questioned while trying to decide whether or not to keep his sword pointed at the boy, "and who are you?"

A look of realization instantly formed on Ella's face as she stepped around her daughter and approached the boy. Her eyes scanned over every inch of his face before a sad smile appeared on her face. "Jasper?"

Before the boy had a chance to respond, the rumbling above them became even louder and the world around them grew darker. Everyone instantly turned their attention away from Jasper to stare up at the menacing clouds above them.

"What the bloody h*ll is that?" Hook questioned as he tightened his grip around his sword while keeping his eyes glued to the storm.

No one responded as lightning began to form within the clouds above them. What felt like an eternity passed of just watching the storm above them before Mother Gothel appeared next to the statue of Drizella. Everly and Katherine placed themselves between the witch and their children while Sam, Austin, and Roland joined Hook, Henry, and Jack in front of the table. The Purest Heart's hands began to shine bright as her redheaded friend pulled even farther back on her bowstring.

"Look at all this. Cake, presents, family," the woman in red mocked as she paced back and forth and let her eyes scan over all the heroes in front of her, "did you really think this would be a day of celebration?"

"Don't try anything, love," Hook warned while keeping his sword pointed directly at her chest, "there's no way you can fight all of us alone."

"Who says I'm alone?" Gothel responded with a large smirk on her face before another flash of lightning cut through the air.

Everyone tightly shut their eyes in order to avoid the blinding light. As soon as the light faded, everyone turned their attention back to the woman in red, only to be greeted by five cloaked figures standing behind Gothel and the statue of Drizella. Regina didn't hesitate to rush forward and stand between Henry and Hook as the five figures raised their hands into the air. It wasn't long after that when more lightning appeared in the sky followed by another loud rumble before their worst fears were realized.

Drizella was free.

"That's impossible," Regina muttered under her breath as she stared at the newly freed brunette girl, "blood magic can't be broken."

"Not by any single person, but together, this family can do anything," Gothel told the raven-haired woman before kneeling down beside the utterly confused girl and placing a gentle hand on her cheek, "come, Drizella. Your day is here. The prophecy shall be fulfilled. Your curse will be cast. The suffering shall begin."

The woman in red then took the brunette girl's hands into hers and helped the latter to her feet. Sinister smiles appeared on Gothel and Drizella's faces as they stared at the heroes. That continued for a moment longer before another bolt of lightning cut through the air. As soon as it vanished, Gothel, Drizella, and the five cloaked figures were nowhere in sight.

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Once again, Everly and Felix left their children back in the apartment and raced down the stairs to the latter's car. But this time it wasn't just the two of them. After calling back Ella and hearing Lucy's symptoms, the couple decided to bring Cassie along in hopes that her magic could shine more light on the situation at hand.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, they found Ella standing in the hall with Tiana by her side. The two of them watched as doctors looked over Lucy to try to find out what was wrong with her. Felix and Cassie stayed back a bit in order to not draw too much attention to themselves while Everly approached the two women. As soon as she reached them, Ella tightly wrapped her arms around Everly while Tiana watched their exchange with sadness in her eyes.

"She's gonna be fine, Jay. She's the toughest kid I know," the curly-haired woman said after her friends ended their moment before all three women turned their attention back to Lucy, "do you wanna call anyone? Nick or Henry?"

"Yeah, I should call them," Ella said as she looked back and forth between her friends and her daughter.

"And I can call Rogers and Whitney," Everly offered as she stared at her unconscious niece before looking over at the distressed woman next to her and forcing a smile on their face, "I'll get them to help me figure out where Lucy was today and what she was doing."

"Thank you. That would mean a lot," the Mills woman responded while trying to hold back the tears in her eyes before she pulled both of her friends into another hug, "I'm so glad both of you are here."

"Don't worry, okay?" Everly told Ella after the three of them ended their moment before she glanced over at Felix and Cassie, only to see her daughter's eyes closed and her hand slightly held out toward Lucy. After watching Cassie use her magic for a moment longer, the Purest Heart turned her attention back to Ella. "One way or another, we are going to find out what happened."

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