Aurora allowed Phillip to lead her by the hand down the tower steps, using her other hand to gather up her heavy skirts. Her dainty heels clicked rapidly against the stone as they moved as quickly as her attire would allow to go find Adam. They soon reached the foyer, where a number of people Aurora didn't recognize were gathered in various sorts of exhaustion and disarray. They all turned to look at the young couple in a strange mix of varying emotions; blank astonishment, detached melancholy, dazed wonder, unabashed glee.

Peter ran forward to capture Aurora in a hug. She quietly laughed and squeezed him in return. She pulled back to pat his cheek, both of them with tears in their eyes.

"Eric's gone outside, to look for Adam." Peter informed her dutifully, stubbornly scrubbing the moisture from his eyes with one hand.

"Eric..." She seemed to think aloud, and in a matter of seconds the familiarity of the name warmed her. "I must go to them both."

Peter nodded, leading her out the door while Phillip clung to her hand and walked by her side. The rest of the group watched her go in awe. Even with no proper training, and having never set foot in the palace or even holding a position in court, even when covered with dirt and soot after an apparent tender embrace with her beloved, she had a poised regality to her. After everything her family had been through, and even in the face of what may be to come, she could not be bowed.

In the forest, Eric and Phoebus had caught up to the team of women who'd found the crumpled Adam. Hercules was not far behind, along with Quasimodo and the Three Good Fairies. Fiyera had used her magic to lift the burnt tree off of him. Belle gasped and shuddered at the sight of him, broken and marred to a point beyond recognition, her hands flying up to her lips in anguish. Meg tried to place her hands on Belle's shoulders, but Belle leapt away from her to throw herself across Adam's chest.

The four Fairies solemnly raised their wands, wielding their magic to heal Adam. But they were all very tired, looking more frail then they had before, and growing paler still as their magic was continually depleted. Adam eventually came to and gathered the sense enough to insist that they stop. Phoebus nodded at them in agreement. The four old Fairies nearly collapsed from the exertion, but didn't seem content to give up yet.

"Adam! Oh..." Belle cried, cradling his face in both of her hands. "Does it hurt terribly?"

He smirked up at her, breathing heavily. "Yes." She miserably hung her head, and he reached up one heavy paw to weakly stroke her cheek. "I scratched you..."

"I'm fine." She whispered, grabbing his hand in one of hers, pressing her damp cheek more firmly against his palm.

"I'm just...so glad I got to see you...one last time..." It was obviously getting more difficult for him to speak, or breathe, or even keep his eyes open.

"Don't talk like that." Belle half-heartedly chided, trying to appear strong. "You'll be alright..." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. She looked toward the Fairies for reassurance.

Fiyera was the only one who tried to offer it. "Adam, after everything we've fought for...everything I've done to protect this family...let me make sure you get to be a part of it. Please." Quasimodo was kneeling next to her, holding her hands in his and hanging his head in despair.

He slightly turned his head in disapproval. "You'll never survive it... Too much...energy..." He suddenly coughed, making Belle flinch back a little in fright. Blood stained his lips and she began to sob hopelessly.

Fiyera shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks as well. "Please, Adam... For your mother...please!

"My mother..." He smiled up at the sky, as though he could see a glimpse of her in the clouds. "I finally get to go...to my mother..." He coughed again, more violently now. "Eric...and Aurora...are they...safe?"

"Yes, Adam." Eric quickly replied, rushing forward to kneel beside him, opposite of where Belle sat and cried over him. He continued, voice shaking, "I'm right here. Aurora, she's awake now. Safe at the castle. We're both fine...because of you."

Adam's coughing was briefly interrupted by a scoff and a sarcastic, "Well, not just me..."

Eric laughed, tears spilling now. He took Adam's free hand in his, though it was dreadfully limp. A few new sets of footsteps made him and Belle look up to see Peter approaching. He hesitated and took in the sight before him, obviously unsure how to proceed. He turned to look behind him, and that was when Aurora and Phillip stepped into view. The lot of them all nearly gasped at the sight of her, her violet eyes wide and alert, her golden hair alight in the sun's rays, and though a little dirty and disheveled, no less angelic.

"Is that...her?" Adam asked, unable to turn his head to see. His sight was fading, but he didn't have the heart to let them know.

Eric nodded, his lip shaking as he took in the sight of her. Aurora pulled her hand away from Phillip's and approached her brothers alone, offering Belle a small, sad smile before kneeling next to Eric, so that her face hovered directly over Adam's. He gazed up at her in a vacant kind of stupor, the life slowly fading from his stormy blue eyes.

"You...are the spitting image...of our mother..." He gasped, breathing shallowly between fragments of sentences. He gazed between her and Eric, now both clinging to one monstrous paw while Belle continued to cradle the other one against her cheek. "I've spent...many years...failing this kingdom. I was...never meant...to wear the crown. But you two..." He smiled up at them with obvious pride and adoration, as though the twins were just as perfect as he'd imagined. As though he could see the future clearly and knew better than any of them. "You will do it the justice I never could. This kingdom...is finally...in good hands..." He gasped and shuddered and coughed again.

Aurora shook her head. "We couldn't possibly..."

"You can...you simply must." He shuddered again, rasping between laborious breaths. "For the kingdom...for our family...for me. Swear it."

Aurora helplessly squeezed his hand in both of hers, and stared down at it. Her tears started to escape her- the burden of appearing strong was already too great- and fell into his palm. His claws twitched slightly in response.

Eric removed one of his hands so that he could wrap an arm around Aurora's shoulders, but kept one hand gripping Adam's impossibly tight. "We'll do our best."

Adam smiled up at them again. "That is all anyone...can ask for..." His eyes twitched back in Belle's direction now. She sobbed into his palm as his hand grew heavier in hers. She stubbornly held it against her lips. "Belle... I wanted...wanted to tell you..." He shuddered again, slowly closing his eyes. "I... I..."

She nodded and reached over with one hand to stroke his cheek. But before her fingertips could reach him, his large head rolled back, and he managed one final, deep breath. As it escaped his lips, his heavy head turned to the side, and finally, he was at peace. It took Belle a moment to realize that he was truly gone. She shook her head. "No... No..." She whimpered, throwing herself over him and sobbing.

Eric sat back against a nearby tree, and Aurora fell back against him and allowed him to cradle her like a child. It reminded him of how he used to hold Snow during thunderstorms and now he couldn't hold a brave face either, while his twin sister shook and cried against him. He pressed his face into her hair and openly wept. Ariel ran over to wrap them both up in her arms, crying as well. Meg turned and buried her face in her hands, and Hercules instinctively hugged her as a consolation. Phoebus leaned against a tree and gazed at the scene before him, seeming numb. Fiyera and Quasi huddled together in despair. Phillip somberly ducked his head while Peter tentatively joined Aurora.

In between harsh, stuttering breaths, Belle whispered, "I...I love you, too." She buried her face in the fur on Adam's chest and continued to weep.

Aside from the tears, it was respectfully silent for a moment. Then, a spark of color suddenly zipped down from above the trees, planting itself in the ground right by Adam's head. Then another, and another, and in quick succession, a torrent of colorful, sparkling orbs, like falling stars, raining down around the spot where Adam lay. Belle eventually became aware of the strange projectiles and stumbled back as Adam began to rise up off the ground, which was glittering with all the hues of the fallen magical light. They all watched in awe as he was carried upward by a sudden gust of wind, warm and gentle. His dark cloak whipped about him so that he was wrapped up in it, and the air about him steamed from the heat of the magic scattered on the earth. His body began to glow with a golden light, which seemed to emanate from within, and the light continued to bloom until it shone so strongly that they all had to avert their eyes. The light did fade, as quickly as it had come, leaving a foreign shape wrapped up in Adam's cloak.

Belle squinted blearily as the new form was slowly, carefully lowered back to the ground, and the sparkles started to fade. She rose to her feet and curiously started to approach the bundled cloak, but froze in her tracks as the bundle started to stir. She took a step back in disbelief as the form within the cloak rose slowly up to it's full, staggering height, and the cloak fell away to reveal a tall, half-naked man with long, honey-colored hair. Fiyera gasped and clung to Quasimodo, relief evident on her face. Phoebus grinned and clapped Hercules and Phillip on the shoulders. Aurora and Eric sat up straight in disbelief.

The man turned around to gaze at Belle, after having looked himself over in apparent awe, and Belle gaped back at him in shock, and mild apprehension. He simply had to be the most beautiful man she'd ever seen, with features that could have been crafted from a slab of marble. He stepped toward her, smiling encouragingly, his arms wide.

"Belle..." He spoke softly, gesturing toward himself. "It's...it's me." He laughed in spite of himself, reaching for her again, hoping that she believed him. "It's Adam."

She stared thoughtfully up at him, slowly moving toward him. Those eyes... The same eyes from the painting...

The same eyes she'd fallen for.

She grinned and ran to him, allowing him to take her into his arms, eagerly cupping his face in her hands. "It is you!" Without hesitation, she pulled his face downward so that his lips would meet hers. He kissed her back more gently than she ever would have expected to be possible.

There was a round of cheers from all around them and they momentarily pulled back to beam at the others. Aurora and Eric both leapt to their feet and ran to hug their brother. Fiyera, Quasimodo, Phoebus, Phillip and the Three Good Fairies all quickly followed suit, so that Belle and Adam were trapped at the center of a mass of bodies. Belle caught a glimpse of her sister watching from the sidelines, crying happily at the sight. Belle grinned back at her before Adam placed another kiss on her forehead and she practically melted into him.

"I've never seen her so happy..." Meg quietly mused. Hercules turned to her, sensing the underlying sadness in her tone. Meg's smile had faded slightly. "She really belongs here...doesn't she?"

Hercules nodded slowly. "Seems like it..." He saw Meg duck her head and thoughtfully added, "You know...maybe you do, too."

She scoffed. "I don't think it's a good idea to move in with the guy I have to divorce."

Hercules considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "Big castle. You'll probably hardly see him."

She turned to look up at him and they shared a short, secretive smirk. Then, Belle ran over to pull Meg into a hug and Hercules was being pulled away by Phoebus to be formally introduced to Adam and Aurora.

The group made their way back to the castle, which was gleaming proudly in the early morning sun, and were met in the courtyard by a sea of faces, some familiar, some not.

"Lumiere?" Adam cried, grabbing a tall, lanky man by the shoulders. Then, another man, portly and finely manicured. "Cogsworth?" His bright eyes fell on an older woman nearby, and he quickly pulled her into a hug. "Mrs. Potts!"

She extended the hug to Eric and Aurora. "Oh, you children..." She pulled back to gaze over the three of them in apparent adoration. "The three of you... If your parents could see you now..." She wiped away a fresh tear.

Another round of thunderous cheers rang out, this time from a crowd of villagers that had gathered outside the palace gates to see the royal family reunited.

"It's all a bit overwhelming..." Aurora whispered to her two brothers, who stood on either side of her, while wearing a tight smile.

"The hysteria will die down soon enough..." Adam muttered between his teeth, also smiling. "And then, we can all finally have a normal life."

They were soon able to escape back into the castle, Fiyera promising the crowd some official royal decree or another- and perhaps a celebration?- soon enough, but for now the King and his two siblings needed rest. As the door slowly shut out the clamor of the crowd, there were relieved sighs and a couple of cheers from the group gathered in the foyer.

"Somehow we made it through the night!" Phoebus chuckled, wiping some sweat from his brow. He glanced around at all the merriment in the room. Phillip was holding Aurora in his arms while whispering to his two brothers. Hercules and Meg were talking exuberantly with Belle and Adam, before a trio of servants that Phoebus gratefully recognized hurried over and started talking the King's ear off. Chip, Mrs. Potts' young son, was riding around on a dog (that was once a footrest) while Peter chased him and laughed. Eric pressed a kiss into Ariel's hair before the two were swept into a hug by Esmeralda and Quasimodo. The Fairies were resting in the seats around the unlit hearth, slowly regaining their strength. Phoebus turned to Fiyera now, catching the faint smile that gave way to the clouded look in her wise grey eyes.

She tipped her head toward the three royal siblings. "That's one, two, three happy endings..." She looked up at Phoebus and gently took hold of his arm. "But still more loose ends to tie up."

He frowned and asked in a low tone, "What do you mean?"

"What a madhouse this is!" A new voice chimed from near the stairs.

They all turned to see Alice, clad in a fine blue dress, her golden hair falling in unruly waves. She carried her old, navy blue coat over one arm and shook her head, more in disapproval than disbelief, it seemed.

"What are you doing here?" Peter demanded, though the glint in his eyes gave away to anyone with any sense that she wasn't an unwelcome presence by any means.

She rolled her eyes and started to pull off her gloves. Cogsworth dutifully rushed over to take her coat from her while she replied sharply, "Hoping that mob didn't tear my two closest friends to pieces." She saw Lumiere approaching to take her gloves and handed them to him with a more gentle, "Thank you."

Peter waited awkwardly for a moment, then asked petulantly, "Aren't you going to ask what I'm doing here?"

Alice scoffed. "I could venture a guess. But no, I can't say I care. Now, are you going to take me to my friends or not? I'm curious as to what they're condition has become?" She turned her blue eyes quite pointedly toward Fiyera, who quickly started to step toward her.

"Yes, my dear, follow me up. But I'm afraid they're in much the same state as the last time you visited."

"Still no news of a cure, then?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Alice deliberated on this for a few seconds, then firmly nodded her head. "I'd still like to see them, any way."

"Certainly!" Fiyera responded, already leading her up the stairs. They were followed by Peter, the Three Good Fairies, Aurora and Phillip. Then it dawned on Edward that he had not checked on Giselle since the previous day and he quickly followed the group, with Franklin respectfully trailing behind.

Eric realized aloud, "Gaston's in the infirmary..."

Ariel patted his shoulder. "Let him rest. The Fairies have him."

Eric furrowed his brow, still mulling something over. "And I wonder what's become of Snow during all this..."

"Snow? Your...adopted sister?"

He nodded. "Yes... I'm ashamed to admit that in my stupor I never once checked on her. In fact, I hardly thought of her..." He trailed off sadly.

"It isn't your fault." Ariel gently reminded him.

"But no less my responsibility. I promised her..."

"Seb." Belle said quietly, stepping over to place a comforting hand on his arm. "Your sister...she's been missing for quite some time."

He turned to her, wide-eyed. "What?"

"I myself only learned yesterday, before the wedding... I thought you must have known." She ducked her head in regret.

Eric scoffed and hung his own head, running a hand over his face. "Seems that things are evermore complicated... My poor Snow..."

"Wherever she may be, Your Highness, we will find her." Phoebus assured him.

Meanwhile, in the infirmary upstairs, Alice was pacing between the beds of Wendy and Eilonwy, still peacefully slumbering, but having grown so pale that if not for the slight rise and fall of their chests you might think they had passed on. Fiyera and the other three Fairies were explaining to her that their counterspell to halt the poison's effects was holding true, but they'd had no end of trouble in their search for some ancient tome that could tell them how to reverse the curse and wake the girls. Alice pressed a knuckle against her lips, deep in thought. She noticed Peter lingering by Wendy's bed and resisted the urge to give him a sharp stare.

Meanwhile, Aurora was standing with Phillip and his two brothers by Giselle's bed, the four of them studying the girl for some time, without reaching a new conclusion.

Edward was cradling one of Giselle's stoney hands in his own. He shook his head regretfully.

"It seems silly to say... We fell for each other so fast, any way... I wish we'd had more time together. I tell you, should she ever wake up, our first kiss is going to be a powerful one."

Aurora let these words settle over her for a moment before asking quietly, "You two never kissed?"

"No."

"Not even when you proposed?"

Edward blushed. "No. Why?"

Aurora turned suddenly toward the four Fairies across the room. "It's a sleeping curse, right? Is it anything like mine was?"

Merriweather shook her head. "Your sleeping spell was one I concocted to save you from death. Not a true curse, just a loophole."

"And how is that any different from the counterspell you've cast to stop this poison from turning to acid in these girls' veins?" Aurora asked.

Most everyone in the room (really, everyone except for Alice, who simply didn't have the proper context) was catching on to her idea by now.

Aurora looked back at her sleeping sister and thought aloud, "We may not know for sure, but..." She turned to the others again with hope, "There's no reason not to suspect that if true love's kiss could wake me from my sleep, it could be the cure for them, as well."

"Has there ever been history of this kind of connection between sleeping spells?" Phillip asked the Fairies.

Flora shook her head while Fiyera answered, "Aurora's the first to ever be awakened from one."

"What?" Aurora frowned.

"No other victim of a sleeping curse has ever escaped it." Flora explained. "You were very lucky indeed, my dear. It was only to preserve you from Maleficent that Merriweather made that counterspell, and then, miraculously enough, you found Phillip in the woods. If not for that-"

"I might not have been the one to wake you." Phillip finished the thought. He turned to Fiyera. "That's why you didn't stop me from meeting with her."

Fiyera nodded. "Betrothed or not, if you two hadn't met and taken those months to fall for each other, Aurora might never have been awakened."

"Well, miracle or fate or not..." Aurora turned to Edward. "You're the best chance Giselle has now." She turned to the Fairies again. "Whoever documented the other victims must not have tried everything they could, right? And, to anyone who might not have known such curses exist, those trapped by the curse could have been mistaken for dead and treated as such. Who would ever think to kiss a corpse?"

"Well-" Merriweather started.

Fauna raised a hand. "Please, don't."

"All very good points..." Flora murmured, clearly intrigued.

"If this is true...then I could have woken her this whole time..." Edward's lip shook, partially from grief, but mostly with a sense of impending wrath. He glared at the Fairies. "How could you possibly not have theorized this before?"

"It's a dark, ancient form of alchemy, Edward. Not a Fairy's spell. It's very poorly studied." Fiyera calmly explained. "And Aurora here's just had a breakthrough. Now...the only way to know for sure is to give it a try."

Edward turned uncertainly toward Giselle, so blissfully unaware of what madness had been going on around her. If he could wake her now...how blessed was she, to have missed it all. To awaken in his arms and be able to resume life where they'd left it. He turned back to the others to find them all eagerly watching in a tense silence. He cleared his throat.

"Would you all mind...possibly...not watching?" He asked them, blushing.

There were a few laughs and affirmations around the room as they all turned away from him and Giselle. He looked down at her for a few seconds, deliberating on how best to proceed. It didn't feel right to him that their first kiss should be while she wasn't conscious, when she couldn't actively accept him or engage in what was happening. But, if it could be the thing to free her, he had to figure she would forgive him later. He sighed quietly and quickly knelt down, giving himself no more time to doubt and affectionately pressing his lips to hers. He pulled back after a few seconds, hoping desperately to feel her lips moving against his before he pulled away, listening for any change in her breathing, but she was still. He sat back and watched her. By now the others and turned back and were waiting too, still and dead-silent.

Suddenly, the girl's ghostly pallor became warm, and rosy color swelled in her cheeks and delicate lips, and her eyelids fluttered up to reveal wide, grey-blue eyes. The sharp inhales and quiet gasps and cries around the room assured Edward that he wasn't imagining it; Giselle was awake. He eagerly took her hands in his and laughed aloud, overjoyed.

She blinked a few times, mildly confused, then turned to him and smiled warmly.

"I knew it was you." She whispered, starting to sit up. He grinned and swept her up in his arms and into another kiss, cradling her in his lap. The whole room erupted with cheers.

Giselle pulled back from Edward slightly to study the group of people gathered around them- all exhausted, filthy and generally disheveled- and became, understandably, overwhelmed. She blinked a few times and tentatively asked, "What...has happened here?" Her eyes floated over to Aurora and became wide. "Your dress! You look beautiful! Like a..."

Aurora blushed a little. "A princess?"

Peter rushed over to pull Giselle into a hug. "Sis, we have so much to tell you!" Aurora quickly came to kneel on Giselle's other side and wrap her arms around the both of them.

Phoebus suddenly came into the room, clearly irritated. "A group of dwarves saw fit to let themselves into the foyer. Nothing Hercules or I or any of the servants have said can drive them away."

"Dwarves?" Fiyera asked in slight amusement, turning to Franklin.

Franklin frowned slightly as he asked Phoebus, "What is it they want?"

Phoebus diligently recounted, "They're going on about some girl in their care who's been attacked by a witch with a cursed apple." Phoebus spoke as if it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, as he had not been present in the kingdom for many years and had no way of understanding the grave situation. "A girl named-"

The color had quickly drained from Franklin's face. The entire room was captivated by these words in a way that Phoebus found mildly disturbing. Nevertheless, he finished with, "...Snow White."

"Snow..." A low, ragged voice sighed, and they all snapped to attention and turned in its direction. Gaston was sitting up with some effort, whatever magical treatment Fiyera had given him finally having taken effect. Gaston pressed a palm over his eyes as his head reeled. "Snow...no..."

Phoebus regarded him for a moment, then more gently continued, "Prince Eric is listening to the dwarves now. He seemed very upset by the news, and sent me up here to get help."

"Snow White is our sister." Gaston gruffly responded, rising slowly to his feet, still using one hand to steady himself and the other to massage one temple. Fiyera stepped toward him, quietly murmured something, but he waved away her apparent concern, trying to focus his eyes and will himself to steady.

Understanding seemed to dawn on Phoebus. He remembered a night, exactly sixteen years and a day ago, when he'd delivered the baby Eric to a nobleman's doorstep. Then it had only been a young Gaston in the house. Snow White had not been born yet.

"That explains a few things." Phoebus said. He looked around the room again. "So, how do we save the girl?"

"This is most fortunate timing, as we've only just figured that out." Fiyera replied, rolling her sleeves up to her elbows and leading the other Fairies toward the door. "Well, really, Aurora was the one to figure it out..."

Phoebus nodded proudly at the Princess before turning to follow the Fairies. Franklin was not two steps behind them. Gaston trudged stubbornly after them, as well.

"We should go with our brother." Edward said, helping Giselle to sit on her bed and turning to Phillip.

Phillip watched how Edward was subconsciously unable to release Giselle's hand. "But you've only just gotten her back. You should stay with her."

"Franklin was by my side most days while I watched my love sleep. Who would I be to leave him alone with this now?" Edward said. He gave Giselle's knuckles a quick kiss. "I will be back, my love."

Giselle nodded and offered him a brave smile, not wanting to let on her confusion over the situation or her sadness at watching him go.

Phillip pulled Aurora into another hug and kissed the top of her head. "I must go, too."

Aurora nodded and briefly cupped his face between her hands. "Please be safe. And watch over my brother, if you can." She turned to join Giselle on the bed. "I will stay here and look after my sister." Peter sat on Giselle's other side. The three of them watched Phillip and Edward hurry out. The only other person left was Alice, who stood between her sleeping friends' beds with a thoughtful look on her face.

Giselle glanced between her two siblings and quietly asked, "Now, will the both of you explain to me what exactly is going on?"

Downstairs, Eric was fixated on every word the dwarves were throwing at him in their panic or grief. He heard approaching footsteps and turned to see Phoebus leading the group down the stairs. His eyebrows popped up in mild surprise when he saw Gaston following them.

"Gaston..." Eric started, moving toward him. Adam turned sharply toward the approaching man, still wary of him in spite of his injured state, an unmistakable look of spite in his stormy eyes. Belle placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"I've already heard." Gaston spat, ignoring the heated glare from the tall man he didn't recognize.

"You're in no shape to go into the woods right now." Eric started to reprimand him.

"This witch already killed our father, she won't be taking my sister as well." Gaston finally turned toward Adam, then spotted Belle in his embrace and finally put two and two together. He considered making a snide comment, then thought better of it, and turned back to his brother. "It's my fault Snow's in this mess, any way."

"I think that blame falls on us both." Eric said softly.

Gaston shrugged. "You obviously had other factors working against you. But I..." He obviously didn't want to admit it out loud, but nearly dying had done something to him. Or for him, he wasn't quite sure yet. He looked at Eric with a grave sincerity. "I was just selfish."

Eric let this information wash over him while Gaston deliberated on how best to proceed from there. Gaston looked at the dwarves now. "I'm assuming you're leading the way?"

Doc nodded while Fiyera explained, gesturing to herself and the other Fairies, "The dwarves have given us an estimation of the cottage's location. It would be a bit of a hike under normal circumstances, but with our magic, we'll be there in no time."

"Are you all sure you're strong enough for that right now?" Phillip asked worriedly.

Flora tisked and waved the notion away. "No need to coddle us, dear boy."

"Besides, the girl's already been sitting with that poison in her system for a day. There's no time to lose at this point." Merriweather added urgently while Fauna nodded along.

Adam moved to join the group, but Belle stopped him. He turned to her with a frown.

"You can't possibly think you're up for this, after everything you've been through." Belle said.

"She's right, Your Majesty." Fiyera interjected. "You should stay here and start to plan for the Kingdom."

Adam looked annoyed at both of them. "You cannot possibly expect me to let my brother go into this alone." He looked at Eric now. "This girl, she's obviously very important to you."

Eric nodded. "She's...she's my sister."

Gaston glanced between the two of the Princes, while Adam saying "my brother" echoed in his head a few times, and his blood practically started to boil.

Adam stared back at Eric evenly for a moment, letting the words settle. Then, he turned to Belle. "This Snow White. You mentioned her a few times during your stay. She's your friend, yes?"

Belle hesitated, obviously not wanting to give Adam's stubbornness any validation. Finally, she whispered, "Yes."

Adam smirked, then turned to Franklin. "And you, my dear friend, you love this girl, correct?"

Franklin flushed a little. "Well, I-"

Edward scoffed. "Obviously."

The dwarves had varying reactions to this news. Mostly positive, but Grumpy was clearly exasperated by how much time they were wasting and Bashful seemed absolutely overwhelmed by the idea, hiding his red face behind his hands.

Adam smiled and nodded in finality. "That settles it, then. I'm going." He turned to Belle and changed his tone to mildly apologetic when he saw the look on her face. "And when I get back, we'll have a true reunion, I promise."

She sighed and grasped his hands in hers. "Just get back here soon. And safely."

"Of course. Nothing could keep me away now." He assured her, leaning over to kiss her forehead.

Aurora was coming down the stairs now, with Peter helping Giselle to follow a few steps behind. Edward quickly informed the servants to help Giselle into the kitchen to be taken care of. Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts eagerly met Giselle and Peter at the foot of the stairs and led them into the kitchen for some tea and a meal. Esmeralda recognized her red-headed friend from the festival- which felt so long ago now- and gave Phoebus a meaningful look and a wave before following the girl into the kitchen, with Quasimodo in tow.

Aurora approached her two brothers and took one of each of their hands, gazing up at them in slight worry.

"Must the both of you go?" She asked quietly. She didn't want to seem selfish, but she'd only just gotten to meet them, after all. And already nearly lost them both.

Eric nodded. "I'm afraid so."

Adam gave her the most reassuring smile he could. "But we'll be back before you know it. And with a new sister for you, as well." He turned to share a look with Eric.

Eric smiled. "You know, I think she'd like that..." He turned back to Aurora. "You quite remind me of her, in a way."

Aurora seemed close to tears. "I'm sure we'll get along, then."

There were a few seconds of silence before Aurora impulsively pulled the both of them into a hug.

"Can we get a move on?!" Grumpy demandingly hollered. "We're just gonna go wake her up, for crying out loud! These theatrics are gonna make me-"

"Oh, c-calm yourself!" Doc cried, and the two very nearly came to blows before Fiyera stepped in to stop them.

"Save me from the stubbornness of dwarves..." Fiyera muttered, then turned to address the group that had gathered to save Snow White. "Are we ready?"

Phoebus, Franklin and his two brothers, Gaston, Eric (after sharing a quick kiss with Ariel), Adam and the dwarves all cheered in the affirmative. Hercules stood by with Meg, having been commanded by Phoebus to stay behind and guard the castle. Meg noticed that he looked mildly disappointed at being left behind and playfully nudged his side. He turned to her and couldn't help but laugh at the smirk on her face, the twinkle in her purple eyes.

"Alright, then..." Fiyera said grandly, and all four Fairies flourished their wands, leaving them all awash in multi-colored Fairy dust. "...we're off!"

There was a slight shudder throughout the room, and, instantly, they vanished, leaving a sparkling cloud in their wake. Belle, Aurora, Ariel, Meg and Hercules all blinked and mildly coughed, waving the glittering remnants of magic away. Slowly, it faded out of existence, leaving an overwhelming silence.

The group of saviors materialized a few yards from the cottage, all but the Fairies positively shaken by the rather sudden transport.

Phillip leaned against a tree nearby, absolutely woozy. "I should wonder why you didn't do that with me and Samson when we were trying to escape Maleficent, but honestly, I'm glad for it."

Merriweather snorted. "Well, let us know if you ever want a horse put down quickly."

Fauna gasped and fretted. "We promised never to talk about it again!"

"Enough nonsense." Flora cut in, turning to the stumbling, flabbergasted dwarves. "Take us to the girl now."

The seven dwarves diligently pulled themselves together (as much as they could) and led the way through the brush. They came across the small, sunlit glen in which their little cottage rested. What would normally be a serene scene accompanied by the chattering of forest creatures was now an eerily silent monument. The dwarves exchanged a look, obviously disturbed.

"No animals..." Happy commented warily.

"The lights are out." Sneezy interjected thoughtfully.

"Didn't we leave a candle lit..." Sleepy interrupted himself with a yawn. "...for her?"

Grumpy, Doc and Dopey immediately raised their mining tools.

Doc hissed, "Someone's inside..."

As if on cue, a dark figure moved past the window.

"It's the damn witch!" Grumpy shouted wrathfully, and the whole group immediately sprang into action, drawing weapons and wands as they barreled in through the front door. Their suspicions were confirmed with the sight of a person hunched under a black velvet cloak, leering over the sleeping Snow White with a gruesome dagger raised in the dark room. With a wave of Fiyera's wand, the whole cottage was lit, and it was only then that the witch seemed to register that she was caught. She froze, but didn't withdraw from the girl.

"Drop that weapon!" Franklin commanded, pointing his sword at the witch's back.

"You're under arrest, by my command!" Adam bellowed. "Do as he says, and turn around!"

The witch's head seemed to shift slightly under her hood, as if perplexed by her situation. With her back still to them, she slowly rose up to her full height, surprising them all that she apparently wasn't some misshapen old hag, but rather a tall, shapely woman under that cloak.

"Do as your King commands!" Phoebus ordered, ready to apprehend her.

"Wait a minute..." Gaston muttered, lowering his bow and arrow. He'd gotten a better look at the cloak, the fine velvet material shining under the candlelight; inky black until she started to turn, and washes of violet and emerald green swelled across the fabric, like when the sun danced over a raven's feathers. His heart sank. "No..."

Eric had recognized her too, and nearly lost hold of his own weapon.

The woman dropped her hood, revealing a long swath of black hair, and regarded them all with a regal sort of sneer and a manic look in her cold, green eyes.

"Look at my boys...all grown up." Grimhilde smiled and kept both hands folded in front of her abdomen, still gripping the dagger. "Miss me?"

"Grimhilde..." Gaston whispered, obviously unsure how to proceed. "W-why..."

"You know this woman?" Phoebus asked.

"She's the Lady Grimhilde, a noble widow from the village." Franklin explained with a frown.

"Our stepmother." Eric added in a hushed, slightly ashamed tone.

"She raised you?" Adam asked in clear shock.

Gaston shook his head. "When Seb was two, our mother died giving birth to Snow. A few years later, Grimhilde came along. Then, father died, and..."

"And I became the head of the household." Grimhilde finished, raising her arms in a flourish. All the doors and windows suddenly slammed shut, and all but one candle was mysteriously blown out. She ignored their obvious uneasiness and continued, "Oh, what a glorious day. So long-awaited. So many years of careful planning... Not that any of it matters now, I suppose. Oh well..." She looked at Gaston with an impish kind of playfulness. "It is interesting, though. It could have been you, Gaston. You must know that. You easily could have had me saddled to the side as the poor widow, kept me financially prisoner in that house, if only you'd chosen to take your rightful place as Lord of the estate. But no, like a simple, selfish boy who didn't want all that responsibility, you didn't even question me when I took the reigns. Too obsessed with hunting yourself a witch." She chuckled and gestured to herself. "Surprise..."

"It was you all along, then." Gaston said coldly, taking a step forward. Eric shook his head in disbelief. "You're the one who's been terrorizing the village, poisoning girls... You murdered the Matron of that school."

Grimhilde laughed cruelly. "The Matron... How funny..."

"You're absolutely mad." Eric said woefully.

"It's you who's responsible for what happened to my Giselle!" Edward cried.

"And now Snow White, your own stepdaughter..." Franklin said, shaking his head as though he couldn't fathom it. "Why?"

Grimhilde stared thoughtfully at the flickering flame of the singular candle still lit within the room. "It wasn't meant to be like this... I didn't want to add Snow White to my roster. I knew that if I did, I would cast suspicion on myself for sure. My cover would be blown. So I hired the Huntsman to take her into the woods and do it for me. He failed, the fool. Had to get rid of him. But I couldn't sleep at night, knowing the girl was still out there, knowing what she knew. She would always pose a threat to me; could always challenge me for my title, if she were to ever come back. And, when it came right down to it..." Grimhilde turned slightly with narrowed eyes at Snow White. "I could never stand the sight of that pretty little face." She turned to the others again, as though that alone was a perfectly good answer. "So, I've spent the last few months searching for her. I thought I'd caught onto her trail when I found another cottage, but to my disappointment I instead found a fine red-headed maiden..." Her eyes flashed with malice toward Edward, "...who was naive enough to partake of my apples." She laughed cruelly when Edward started toward her in rage, but was stopped by the others. She continued after a moment, "Finally, I found my way here, yesterday, early morning." She looked proudly, unblinking, into Franklin's eyes. "Of course, Snow White was wary to accept my fruit. So, when her back was turned, I cut into the apple and let the juice flow into her drink, sitting nearby. And I watched her drink from it, unsuspecting, and fall to the floor. I cut a large piece out of the fruit and left it here, for dramatic effect. I wanted there to be no mistake what exactly happened to her... Even before knowing my identity, you all would know that the witch had won."

"Alright, that's all very disturbing, but... Why come back?" Phoebus asked.

Grimhilde grinned like a smug cat who'd had her fill but was still on the prowl. "I saw Maleficent's remains, projected over the kingdom in a most undignified fashion, and suddenly felt an urge to finish what I started, like she couldn't."

"Why should Maleficent's defeat matter to you?" Phillip questioned, growing more uneasy.

Grimhilde glanced at him, then focused her gaze more heavily on the four Fairies, who'd each been silently studying her with a growing sense of familiarity.

Flora gasped, one hand flying up to her lips. "Of course..."

"What is it?" Phoebus demanded, growing tired.

"Look again, Phoebus..." Grimhilde sighed, gesturing to her own face. "True, we only saw each other in passing, but surely you must know. Or was Cinderella lying when she told me you were intelligent?"

Phoebus balked at the mention of the late Queen's name, as the recognition became apparent in his expression.

"What's she talking about?" Adam asked, gravely serious at the sound of his mother's name leaving this woman's lips.

"It can't be..." Fiyera whispered dreadfully.

"Oh, yes... You know, it's funny, everyone's heard the story. Everyone knows what happened to the lovely Cinderella, and the wrath of her vengeful stepsister, but...no one seems to remember that there were two," Grimhilde suddenly planted the knife into the wooden countertop next to her, making them all flinch, "wicked stepsisters. And no one ever wonders..." She grinned, evermore unstable, her eyes wild, "what happened to the other one." She giggled.

"Anastasia?" Phoebus whispered in shock.

"That's right...little Annie grew up a bit, after the whole unfortunate affair took place. Then, when Maleficent came back and cursed the entire royal family, and my mother- the Matron of that girls' school- lost her mind, I saw fit to get away for a bit. Start over. Change my name... Then..." She turned to Gaston and Eric again, reveling in their dismay. "I heard that a handsome Lord back home had lost his wife and thought it might do me well to plant myself within a house of some esteem. Take my power back, so to speak. Imagine my displeasure when I came to that house and saw you-" She jabbed a finger in Eric's direction, "the spitting image of your father- and her! " She practically spat in Snow's direction. "A perfect little thing, even then! I looked at the two of you..." She reeled back to glare at Eric. "And saw only my own destruction. So...it became my mission to destroy you both first. I thought one of my problems had been solved when your ship went down... A favor from an old friend..." She winked quickly at the Fairies then, and the four of them practically shivered. Her lip curled in disgust. "But no...somehow, you lived."

"Anastasia, enough of this!" Fiyera cut in, seeing how the whole room was starting to get riled up. She noticed how the witch's hand never left the handle of the dagger, still half-submerged in oak. "You need help. Your mind was once so sharp, we can make it so again..."

"Within the confines of an iron cell." Grimhilde hissed.

"She's wanted for murder, Fiyera. And was aligned with the Dark Fairy, and other terrible forces, all this time." Phoebus said firmly. "Tormenting our kingdom for years, right under our noses..." It seemed as though there was something else he wanted to hold against her, but was keeping himself from spitting it out.

"You won't kill me..." Grimhilde said with a grin, turning back to Eric and Gaston. "You won't let them do it, will you? You wouldn't let any harm come to me, the woman who mothered you all those years...the one who sheltered you when you had nowhere else to go?"

Eric shook his head in rage. "Then explain why I chose to go on a boat just be anywhere else but near you?"

No one stopped Gaston as he apprehensively approached Grimhilde, seeming perplexed by this particular turn of events. He'd stowed his bow and arrow long before now, letting all the information wash over him. Now he stood before her, a stony, troubled expression on his weathered face.

Grimhilde peered up at him with a feigned sweetness, still somehow sure that she would win. "Gaston..." She reached one lithe hand up to graze his stubbly cheek. "My boy... You were always my favorite. You were just old enough that you hardly needed raising, so set in your ways, strong, resilient. And then, when it mattered most...maliable." She affectionately pushed a strand of hair away from his face. "You won't let any harm come to me, will you? After all, you must admit, I'm the closest thing to a mother you'll ever remember having..."

Gaston was quiet for a moment. Then, quite low, he started to respond, "Yes, it's true. I hardly remember my own mother, save for stories my father told me. I remember, when I was 9 years old, when you first came to the house... I was so excited to meet you. So beyond excited to have a mother again. And our household wasn't perfect, but it was nice. Right up until the day my father died." He took another step toward her now. "And I've never forgotten..."

There was a quick flash of silver in the dark, and an unsettling sound of metal pulling through flesh, grazing bone. Everyone looked on in shock at the hunting dagger Gaston had plunged into Grimhilde's chest, right up to the hilt, so that the point of it protruded from her back. He'd skewered her straight through the heart. Grimhilde herself seemed shocked, gaping down at the metal fixed to her chest. Blood started to run from her nose.

Gaston, breathing heavily, growled in finality, "...it was an apple that killed him." Gaston stepped back, apparently triumphant, and waited to watch her collapse.

After a few tense seconds, the witch lifted her head again, now simply seeming winded. There was a frightening intelligence in her green eyes, a new resolve that made the whole cottage quiver.

"Simple boy..." She grinned again, and with an unsettlingly steady hand, reached up and slowly pulled the dagger out of her chest. She held it up so that the blade, coated and dripping with her own blood, shone in the candlelight for all of them to see.

She laughed and said, "Wrong metal."

Suddenly, the flame went out, shrouding them all in darkness. Grimhilde's wicked laughter echoed all around them. She had vanished with the last bit of light. From sight at least.

"Protect Snow White at all cost!" Franklin commanded, and they all formed a circular barrier around the sleeping girl.

Adam squinted at Fiyera in the dark. "Is there anything you could do?"

The four Fairies all lit their wands at once, providing them with enough light to see around the room.

"Well..." Fiyera sounded unsure. "There is one thing... But it's quite...well, dark." She cast a glance toward the Three Good Fairies.

"Oh, no, we couldn't possibly!" Flora whispered.

"We're only supposed to do good magic, to bring joy and happiness..." Fauna agreed.

Merriweather scoffed. "And what good is our good magic if it enables evil to thrive? That argument went out the window when we slayed a damn dragon, I think."

"You know... I think she's right." Fiyera nodded. "Anastasia cannot be helped at this point. It's time to end this, once and for all."

Another ripple of crazed laughter echoed around them, and they all steeled themselves to fight their invisible enemy.

"On my mark..." Fiyera muttered to the other three Fairies.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Phoebus asked uneasily.

"Shh." Fiyera shortly replied.

An odd wind tore through the cottage, sending a chill down each of their spines. The witch's laughter grew to a painful crescendo that splintered wood and shook the place to its foundation. Fiyera spotted a strange ripple in the dark above their heads, like a black cloak discreetly parting to reveal a pale face and a set of quick hands, ready to swoop down and pry Snow White's heart from her chest.

"There! Now! " Fiyera cried. On cue, all four Fairies pointed their wands directly overhead and bombarded Grimhilde with four unified streams of magic. The witch shrieked in displeasure and fell to the side, hitting the wooden floor nearby. Franklin and Gaston both started to rush forward with their weapons, but Fiyera stopped them, saying in a grave tone, "There is no need."

Grimhilde slowly, unsteadily, climbed to her feet, bracing herself on a small wooden chair to stay upright. She took a step in their direction and suddenly howled in pain, making them all recede from her. She whimpered in confused agony and drew up her heavy skirt a bit to reveal what had been hidden before; a pair of red-hot iron shoes, magically affixed to her feet. Her green eyes became wide with terror.

"No... No!" She looked up at the Fairies in apparent rage. She took another step, screamed. Flames sprang to life at her feet and started to eat their way up her skirts. "You! "

"Anastasia-!" Fiyera started, raising one hand to stop her.

The witch didn't listen. She wailed like a banshee and sprang forward, as though to attack with her final breaths. In an instant, Grimhilde was swathed in a burst of bright flame, suspended and twisting in the air before them like a candle's fire trapped within a jar. Her burning body moved as though it were dancing within the fire, and her screams rang out and contorted in the air like a shrieking wind. The flame burned brighter and brighter until the others in the room couldn't bring themselves to look at it any more, and had to shield their eyes. The cottage was lit up with a burst of white Fairy dust, and it was as though a surmounting pressure within the place had finally been alleviated. The witch's screams faded to faint, whining cries, and then faded still into silence. When they all opened their eyes, the only evidence of the scene was cascading drifts of sparkling white dust, and a pair of stone-cold iron shoes.

But no ashes.

Flora waved her wand and opened up all the windows, letting the light in and the dust out.

Fiyera slowly stepped forward, carefully scooped the shoes up in her frail hands. She shook her head, tears brimming her grey eyes. "Most unfortunate.."

The Three Good Fairies came to comfort her.

"She was beyond saving, in the mortal sense. We did what was best." Flora said soothingly, patting the Fairy Godmother's shoulder.

"At least now she can rest in peace." Merriweather added somberly.

"Is...is she...?" Eric started to ask, but couldn't bring himself to finish.

"Yes." Fiyera replied in finality, obviously regretting the turn of events. "She's gone. Forever."

A stunned silence hung in the air as it settled over everyone in the room.

It was effectively ended by Grumpy.

"Why do we care?! Is someone gonna wake this poor girl up or what?!" He blustered.

Phillip turned to his older brother. "That's your cue."

Franklin took a deep breath and nodded, starting toward Snow White. The others backed away to grant them space, watching as he stood for a few seconds to study her angelic face as she slept. Then, he took a step closer, knelt down beside her, and started to lean in.

The dwarves were immediately in a fury, being very protective of the girl, and had to be held back from attacking the Prince.

"Over my dead-!" Grumpy could be heard bellowing like a madman.

"It's the only way to lift the spell!" Fiyera cried. "True love's kiss!"

Each of the dwarves scoffed in varying measures of disbelief.

"What a load of-" Doc started.

"Boys?" A tiny, perplexed voice called out.

The seven dwarves whipped toward the voice in shock, watching as Franklin helped Snow get to her feet. She rubbed her tired eyes and stretched, blinking a few times to take in her surroundings against the sunlight. She smiled at each of the dwarves, obviously confused. Then, her doe-like eyes rested on Franklin beside her. She realized her hand was resting in his and slowly collected herself.

"Your Highness?" She whispered, blushing.

He bowed a little. "My love." He gently kissed the back of her pale hand.

"I...what? Why-?"

"I did say that I would be hearing you sing again, Snow White."

She smiled at him, the color continually rising in her round cheeks. Then, she slowly turned to take a second look around the room, and froze in place when she saw her two brothers, both looking significantly different. Her brown eyes filled with tears of joy and she gathered up her yellow skirt and ran to hug the both of them. The three of them stood like that for awhile as the merriment commenced around them.

She pulled back to gaze up at Eric and Gaston, ecstatic to see them both. She gracefully patted Gaston's cheek before turning to focus on Eric.

"I knew you'd be back for me. Did the Huntsman find you?"

Eric furrowed his brow a little, shook his head. "No, um... I'm sorry it took me so long, Snow. Things got...quite complicated."

"Seb, your hair..." Snow White said suddenly, reaching up to push his sandy blond bangs away from his blue eyes. "It's changed..." She studied his face now, and looked as though she were seeing him clearly for the first time in her life. "You've changed...haven't you?"

Eric winced a little. "I have...so much to explain to you..."

"And plenty of time to do it on the way to the castle!" Fiyera said, clapping her hands.

"The castle?" Snow asked, looking at the old Fairy. Then, she whispered to her brothers, "Who is this?"

"Can't you just teleport us back?" Phoebus asked, ever the efficient one, much to the others' displeasure.

"Oh, Snow White's not up for that right now. And, to be honest, none of us Fairies are, either. No, I think the walk will do us all some good." Fiyera said, positively chipper, still carrying the deadly iron shoes. She moved toward the door, which magically opened for her, and led them out into the woods, where a melodious cacophony of animal sounds greeted them. Phoebus took the lead, so that he walked beside the Fairy Godmother. Franklin offered Snow White his arm, which she gladly took, and they walked beside Eric and Gaston, and the three men started telling Snow White about everything she'd missed (a story in which Fiyera would intermittently interject throughout the whole trek). They were followed close behind by Franklin's two brothers, Adam and the seven dwarves, while the Three Good Fairies trailed behind. (Fauna was blubbering about how much she loved a happy ending while her two sisters comforted her.)

And on they went, like a parade for joy and hope, supposedly to have said happy ending at the no-longer-cursed palace.

To Be Continued In the Epilogue.