Merry Christmas! or Happy Hanukkah! Either way.. here is my holiday gift! I give you Autumn Nights! Enjoy!

Autumn ran from the sink mirror to her full sized mirror. The door to her room bursts opened.

"Autumn!" Belle was pulling her robe over her, and stopped mid stride, her mouth falling open. "Autumn?" she whispered.

"I know!" Autumn turned back to the mirror. "What happened?" she saw the reflection of her mother, who was searching through a purse that was on a chest of drawers.

"It seems as though you've aged eight years… overnight." Belle handed her a Maine driver's license with her picture on it, and looking deeper. "And… it seems you own the town."

"What… how… how am I supposed to be 20 years old?" Autumn looked shocked.

"Calm down love.."

"I can't calm down." Autumn panted. "I don't know how to run a town?!" she shrieked. "I don't even know what to do with these things!" she grabbed her chest,

"They're called breasts," Belle said, chuckling as she reached into a drawer, "And they go in a bra." Mother passed the bit of wire and fabric to daughter.

"I know what they are.." Autumn mumbled, staring at the bra. "I just didn't think I would have them this grown, this soon."

"Yes… neither did I." Belle smiled. "It seems your wardrobe has evolved to accommodate you though, as well as your documentation. Do you know what that means?"

"This… this is a new curse?" Autumn said slowly.

"Yes, very good." Belle nodded. "Get dressed, we need to go look at the rest of the town."

"Knowing my luck it'll be rent day too." Autumn grumbled sarcastically as Belle closed her bedroom door behind her.

"That's the spirit, love." Belle laughed. Autumn wandered over to her closet and looked at the clothes. Some cute dresses, some were casual wear and some well… some looked like they belonged to pre curse Ruby. Blouses, cardigans, blazers, jeans, and…

"Pant suits?" Autumn scoffed. "Really? Who the hell does this curse think I am? Regina?" She rolled her eyes and chose a lace collared shirt, square shoulder blazer and dark skinny jeans, not wanting to look too much like Regina or her father.

At that thought, something caught in her throat. She closed her eyed and could see the scene again vividly. Her father, the knife, the black smoke… just as she had always seen it in her premonitions before. A lump began to form, with it came a whimper. Autumn opened her eyes and stared at herself as she sat down at her vanity. With a hard look to herself and a deep breath, she swallowed her pain.

"Enough Autumn." She scolded herself. "People need you, mother needs you. No use in losing yourself in something you cannot change." She looked at the makeup and smiled. Her and her mom used to do make overs on each other. She knew how to do it. With some eye liner and lip gloss she was ready and met her mother downstairs.

"So… where should we start?" Autumn asked. There was a knock at the door.

"It must have found us." Belle giggled, Autumn was less amused and answered the door. There on the doorstep stood a young looking man, gingerly leaning on the door frame. He was a good 5'11, in a black leather vested jacked with cloth arms and a navy collared shirt and dark jeans. He had dark hair and Autumn lifted her brow when he caught her eye, one was pink and one was purple. Autumn had never seen him before in her life.

"Hello." He said, his voice silky, "No need to ask if Belle lives here… I didn't know she had a sister." He had a wide grin that fit his face.

"I'm not her sister, and who are you?" Autumn sized the newcomer up.

"You're not? Huh, you look exactly like her." The man ignored her question.

"Chess?" Belle said from behind her. The man perked up and glided passed Autumn and gave her mother a chaste, friendly peck on the cheek. "How have you been? And what are you doing here?"

"There is the thick of it. I made a deal with the Dark One that if anything should happen to him, I would protect you and his precious, little princess… where is the little love?" Chess smiled.

"Rose… well Autumn in this world, is standing right there." Belle gestured at her now adult daughter.

"That right?" Chess lifted a brow, making his pink eye sparkle. "I was expecting a little girl. That is what the townsfolk have been preparing me for."

"Growth spurt… plus I would be in my 40's or so." Autumn said, still sizing him up.

"Mazel tov." He said offhandedly.

"Is this even the correct context for saying that?" Autumn crossed her arms. Chess just shrugged.

"We were heading to look at the town. We're obviously in a new curse." Belle was inviting him and Autumn shot her a look. "Although this is your first time. Welcome to Storybrook Chess."

"And my mother and I have protection." Autumn told him.

"Ahh yes. Tall, dark and not useful." Chess sneered back.

"Dove is so useful!" Autumn seethed, Chess laughed, snapped and pointed his finger.

"There it is! Your father. Controlling and aren't used to someone blissfully ignoring what you think." Chess held the door open for her mother and swept his arm, motioning for Autumn to follow. Autumn's mind was made up, she did not like Chess. She walked passed him and caught up with her mother.

"Seriously, mother?" Autumn said.

"He is an acquired taste. Like how you warmed up to Hook in Neverland." Belle smiled. "He's nice in his own way. And extremely useful. As well as loyal to your father, loyal enough to obviously realm jump before the curse to the Enchanted Forest from Wonderland and get cursed."

"But mother…" Autumn started.

"Just play nice." Belle said sweetly. "This will lessen Dove's load as well. If you are anything like I was at your age, well... there will be little stopping you from doing what you wish. Which means you will be working on figuring out this new curse. I'll keep Chess with me, and Dove will go with you." Autumn opened her mouth to argue, but found no fault in her mother's plan and consented.

"Fair enough." They walked outside and in the drive way there was the Cadillac, an Audi and an expensive looking motorcycle. Autumn walked over to the Audi and ran her hand on the car. "I love this new curse."

"Do you know how to drive any of these?" Belle asked.

"No… don't you?" Autumn asked. Belle turned to Chess who shook his head.

"I magic everywhere." He shrugged. "And honestly… I don't even know what those things are."

"Wow… you're so useful." Autumn rolled her eyes, then like a savior, Dove drove up to the curb. "Dove!" her running hug was accepted by being picked up off the ground.

"Little Missus?" he lifted an eye brow.

"I know, right? Big girl heels and everything." She showed off her tall, thick heeled boots. He looked back at Belle.

"She just woke up this way. Dove, meet Chess. He was a friend of Rumple's." Belle smiled, giving a proper introduction.

"Daddy didn't have friends." Autumn said, she didn't know what it was, but nothing about this man seemed right.

"It was complicated." Chess shrugged.

"There is no shortage of that here, pleasure to meet you." Dove shook his hand. "Heading to Granny's?" he said knowingly. To Autumn's relief, Chess declined to come, telling Belle he would meet up with her later. In the car Dove looked back at Autumn, "You don't seem to like Chess."

"I just think it's odd. He comes out of the blue and says he's dad's friend." Autumn told him.

"Chess just has that odd aura to him darling." Belle assured her. "Like Jefferson, it comes with the territory of being a realm jumper and being from Wonderland."

"Mmm…" Autumn hummed and wrinkled her nose. They pulled up to Granny's and Red met them at the door when they entered.

"Belle!" then she looked at Autumn. "Woah."

"What? I just got a little older."

"Like ten years older," Red hugged Autumn and turned to Belle, "Thank goodness that didn't happen to the rest of us."

"You're telling me." Dove winked at her.

"But it still beats the way Snow woke up." Red giggled, walking them to the diner bar seating.

"How did she wake up?" Belle asked. Red just pointed to the diner door.

"Woah." Dove, Autumn and Belle all chorused. Charming was leading Snow into a booth seat, and the woman was at least 9 months pregnant.

Yes I know There are some questions... but believe me they will all be answered in time! either way, I hope you all enjoyed your gift from me!