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────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟐
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

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It wasn't long after that when Everly got a text from Cassie asking to pick her and her friends up from a shop downtown. She let out a long sigh as she got up from her comfortable spot on the couch to grab her keys and head out. Music filled every inch of her Jeep as she traveled through Hyperion Heights for the second time that day. While she drove, her thoughts about Henry and the possible ways she could get him to remember continued. She stayed in her own little world as she turned down the road closest to the bay that would take her directly to where her daughter needed to be picked up.

As Everly was about to drive past the bridge that led to the ferry, the sound of sirens met her ears followed by a police car coming out of nowhere and cutting her off. The blonde woman slammed on her brakes and barely missed hitting the blue vehicle before she watched it drive toward the docks. Everly's curiosity got the better of her as she parked her Jeep and made her way in the direction the car disappeared. As soon as she reached the end of the bridge, she found two of her co-workers standing next to Drizella Tremaine and across from Lucy and Ella. Just the sight of the Tremaine woman next to four important people in her life made Everly's blood boil. This caused Everly to pick up her speed to get to the group before she missed anything important.

"Is everything okay?" Everly asked once she stopped a few feet away from the young girl, drawing all attention to her for a moment before a small smile appeared on the girl's face.

"Move along, Josephine. You're off duty and this doesn't concern you," the Tremaine woman scoffed before rolling her eyes and sending a scowl the blonde woman's way.

The irritation within the Purest Heart began to grow as she glared at the brunette woman before the former crossed her arms over her chest and quirked an eyebrow in Drizella's direction. "Actually, when a child and their mother look like they're in distress, it is my concern. Isn't that right, Braxton?"

At the sound of his cursed name, Sam looked up from the clipboard in his hands and in the direction of the woman who addressed him. The blue-eyed man just stared at Everly for a long moment before he turned his attention toward the short-haired brunette. "She's right, Ms. Belfrey. If she believes that a minor's in danger, Jo's legally obligated to step in."

"Well, Lucy isn't in any distress or danger."

"That's for me to decide. Not you," Everly responded, resulting in her and Drizella having another staredown before the latter turned her attention back to Lucy and Ella.

"Lucy. Come here. Now. Your grandmother is worried sick," the short-haired brunette said, causing the girl to give her mother one last kiss on the cheek before making her way to the Tremaine woman's side.

"Not worried enough to show up," Ella countered as she got to her feet before coming to a stop in front of her step-sister, "how did you find us?"

"Mr. Mills told us about your little island fantasy," Drizella explained, only for Everly to mentally curse her nephew in response while Hook and Sam tried to defend his actions.

"That's not true. He wouldn't do that," Lucy's small voice objected as she stared up at her step-aunt with an expressionless look on her face and furrowed eyebrows.

"The truth hurts more than fiction. Speaking of which..." the Tremaine woman told her niece as the former turned the younger girl around to get access to her backpack. Everly watched with confusion on her face as the brunette dug through the small bag for a short moment before pulling out Lucy's storybook. A knot formed in the Jones girl's chest as she stared at the book before Drizella handed it to Hook against the Mills girl's protests. "Officers. Can you please put this in evidence or get rid of it or destroy it or...I don't care. It has caused enough trouble."

Before anyone could say another word, Drizella placed her hands on Lucy's shoulders and forced her along with her back to the police car. Ella just stood there and watched her daughter being taken away with a longing look in her eyes. Everly's attention stayed glued to Hook and Sam as they flipped through the book and scanned the pages with blank looks on their faces. A hint of hope filled every inch of the Purest Heart's body when a flash of emotion crossed the pirate's face. Just as she was about to say something to the men, Drizella's voice called out to the pair of officers. That was enough to make the raven-haired man slam the book shut before the pair made their way back to their vehicle.

The two remaining women stood side by side as they watched the car drive back toward the road until it turned the corner and vanished from sight. Once they were no longer able to see the bright blue vehicle, Everly looked back toward Ella's car to see smoke coming from the engine then her eyes landed on the distressed woman. They just stood there in comfortable silence for a long moment before Ella let out a sigh as she plopped down on the bench and placed her head in her hands.

"Looks like you're gonna need a ride," Everly said, making the brunette woman sitting across from her look up at her with a blank look on her face, "come on, Jacinda. You and I both know your car isn't going anywhere. I was just on my way to pick up Cassie and a couple of her friends and your place is on the way. Now, let's go before I have to drag you along with me."

Brown eyes met blue for a moment longer before Ella sent the blonde woman a smile and got to her feet. After the brunette grabbed what she needed from her car, she followed Everly toward the main road before the two of them hopped into the latter's Jeep and began their journey toward their next destination. Neither of the women spoke as they drove through the streets with nothing but the soft music from the radio to break the silence.

When Everly came to a stop at the intersection before Ella's apartment, both of their attention landed on a tow truck setting down a familiar navy blue car. Their eyes stayed glued to the vehicle for a moment before they landed on the man waiting for it to be placed on the streets. As soon as the light turned green, the blonde woman drove through the intersection. Everly continued to drive until her car was out of Henry's sight before she pulled over to the side of the road. Ella looked at the Jones woman with a blank expression on her face then let out a long sigh while slouching further down in the seat.

"I can't believe that man ratted Lucy and me out to my stepmother. I should give that man a piece of my mind," the brunette grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest while keeping her eyes glued to the man in question. That continued for another minute or two before her gaze turned to the woman sitting next to her, who was simply watching Henry with a blank look on her face. "You're not gonna try and talk me out of it?"

"Honestly, the officer side of me probably should. But the parent in me would never let anyone get away with getting in between Cassie and me," Everly responded with her attention plastered to her nephew. As she stared at the brunette man, her mind raced with memories of Felix and Roland training the twins while she helped Cassie gain control of her magic. Once she let out a long sigh to calm her nerves, the blonde turned to face the woman sitting in the passenger seat. "The parent in me will always win, Jacinda. He had no right to get involved in your family business and he definitely shouldn't get away with it."

The two shared another smile before the brunette got out of the car and made her way toward the man who was supposed to be the love of her life. As soon as she reached Henry, Everly started her car once again before continuing to drive through the streets of Hyperion Heights to pick up Cassie and her friends.

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When they got home after dropping off Marci and Jasper, Everly ordered a pizza and began to look through Netflix while Cassie went to her room to change. Once the blonde woman found a movie for them to watch, she got up and made her way into the kitchen to grab some sodas to go with their food just as there was a knock at the door. Her daughter called out that she'd answer the door while Everly continued to pour the bubbly liquid into the cups. Cassie and her mother got back to the living room at the same time before placing the items in their hands on the coffee table. It wasn't even a second after everything was on the table when they plopped down on the couch to eat and watch their movie.

About an hour passed since they finished their meal and Everly couldn't stop thinking about her life back in the Enchanted Forest. It didn't help that the movie they were watching had magical special effects playing on the screen in front of her. Without fully thinking about the consequences, the blonde woman paused the movie before turning her attention toward her eldest child, who was staring back at her with a hint of confusion in her eyes and an eyebrow quirked.

"Why'd you pause it? It was just getting to the good part," Cassie said while her eyes scanned over every inch of her mother's face before they came back up to meet hers.

Doubt clouded Everly's brain as she copied her daughter's actions and studied the younger girl sitting next to her. The blonde woman had a feeling she already knew the answer to the question that was running through her head but something inside was screaming to ask Cassie anyway. After letting out a long sigh and rubbing her hands down the side of her face, Everly leaned back on the couch while keeping her eyes glued to her daughter before opening her mouth to speak. "What would you say if I told you that magic is real?"

"Are you serious?" Cassie chuckled, only for all her humor to fade at the sight of her mother's serious expression, "I'd say that we don't live in a fantasy land. You sound just as insane as Lucy and the Davis twins when they told me I was related to them a few hours ago."

Everly's entire body froze as she continued to stare at the younger girl in front of her with wide eyes. However, just as the blonde woman opened her mouth to respond to her daughter, her ears picked up a soft knock coming from their front door. A sigh passed over the blue-eyed woman's lips as she pushed herself off the couch before making her way toward the source of the sound. As soon as she opened the door, the shock she felt when she first heard her daughter's words vanished and she was left in a state of confusion. Standing in the hall right outside their apartment was a sullen-looking Roland with two bags slung over his shoulders and three boxes clutched tightly in his arms.

"Belfrey kicked me out of my apartment. I think it has something to do with Roni not signing over ownership of the bar," the brunette boy explained as he adjusted his grip on the boxes in his hands before breaking eye contact with Everly to look at the floor beneath his feet, "I didn't wanna ask you and cause any trouble, but I don't know where else to go. Is there any way I can rent your guest room? It won't be forever, only until I figure out what to do."

"Of course you can stay here, Zach," the blonde woman responded with a small smile on her face before taking two of the boxes from the boy and stepping aside for him to enter the apartment, "just don't steal Cassie's marshmallows. If you do that, she might just kick you out herself."

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