Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The day was quite normal, surprisingly.

No demons had come, no spells were cast, and no innocents lives had been lost. Unfortunately, nothing stayed this way in the Halliwell house.

Piper was making an easy batch of cinnamon rolls. Wanting to reward her sisters with their well behavior and lack of Wicca.

Seeing and hearing Paige orb in, she had been half expecting her to be carrying the groceries she asked for, but groaned when she saw something else appear behind the white lighter.

"Piper! Freeze!"

Piper's hands went up, her fingers sprawled out and her face contorted into a mix of shock and irritation.

The demon who had a knife on Paige's throat and the tray of fresh made cinnamon rolls was in the midst of falling to the floor were frozen in time, Paige sighing in relief as she carefully stepped out from the knife.

"Well what are you waiting for? Are you going to give it a basket to take back to the Underworld?" Paige asked, rolling her eyes as her sister started to grab what she could and put it on the tray.

There was a short glare, and Piper began to explain herself. "I'm not putting this to waste. I just wanted a normal day with a normal life..." She said in exasperation.

But both women stared at the demon in fear as it seemed to break from Piper's power easily and quickly.

"The demon Piper! It's going to-"

Paige flew back as the demon flicked it's wrist and made her crash hard into the counter. Piper quickly put the tray down and raised her hands to blow it apart... But nothing.

"Paige!" Piper yelled, seeing nothing happen. The second eldest glanced to her sister, her eyes widening as she noticed her unconscious form.

She tried to freeze the demon again but her wrist was grabbed and the knife cut across her skin.

*****

Prue's limbs were slow to move. Her eyes opening and closing at the light. Feeling a hand on her she quickly moved back, her eyes still trying to adjust.

"Whoa! Easy Sleeping Beauty... Just go slow."

Was that... Piper? Finally, Prue was able to make out the face and she sighed in relief, relaxing against the ground, her fingers digging into the soft earth and... moss?

"Let me guess," Phoebe said, "Demon with a knife cut you?"

Prue tilted her head slightly. "Yeah..."

"Same thing happened to us, and it seemed at the same time too. Since Phoebe landed a knee into my gut just as I fell on top of Piper." Paige added.

"Um... Okay, does someone want to explain where we are?" She asked, looking to her three sisters, Paige nursing her head and Phoebe biting her lip nervously.

A very irritated Piper helped her up and pointed to the sign that was behind Prue. Turning around, the woman raised an eyebrow.

"Have you tried crossing the sign?" Prue asked, getting pained looks and nods from the two youngest.

"I tried to orb out to no avail and Phoebe simply thought she could just walk out... or, jump out."

"Yeah, and it didn't work, some type of force field pushed me back and I scraped my elbow in the process." Pheeb's said, pouting and babying her limb.

"But it gets worse than that," Piper made sure to say, whispering to her sister. "Paige didn't orb, Phoebe didn't levitate, and I didn't blow anything up." She said. "Prue..."

Prue panicked slightly, but quickly pushed that down. Narrowing her eyes, Prue closed her eyes as a rock did nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Prudence was trying to think. Truly though, fear was resonating in her heart. "Okay... So no powers, a demon that didn't kill us, and a town that we can't leave. Well there has to be a reason right?"

"You think this is some way to protect an innocent?" Phoebe added. "No...Usually I would have seen something."

Prue shrugged, "Well I suppose there's only one way to truly find out, right?" She said, reluctantly starting her walk into town and away from that sign that read:

"Welcome to Storybrooke"

Chapter Text

"Sheriff, where is my son!?"

The harsh and dangerous tone of Regina Mills bellowed out as she walked into the station.

Graham looked to her in surprise, his eyes slightly wide as he moved his heels from the top of the desk and focused solely on her.

"I don't think I understand Mayor... isn't he at school?" The man asked, not sure how he was supposed to save himself from that wrath that was sure to come.

With Regina moving with her palms on the desk and her head lowered to look into his eyes the sheriff had half a mind to gulp.

"If my son was at school... Do you think I would be asking for him?" The woman asked in her most deadly and dangerous tone, filled to the brim with poison.

"No, I'll get right to it." Graham said and quickly stood, grabbing the keys to the cruiser and moving quickly without much looking back to his car.

When she was left alone, Regina stood up slowly, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

Across town, the door to the diner opened and Paige let out a sigh of relief and joy all at the same time. "Oh thank god! I didn't know when we would see chairs ever again! I've never had to walk so far before..." She nearly sobbed out in her dramatics, already unbuckling the straps.

"Paige..." Phoebe nudged her, clearing her throat with her hands over her mouth as a few people were staring at them with disapproved and one slightly amused looks.

"Well... You four look terrible, why don't you take care of them Ruby. They look just like your type..." The elderly woman said behind the counter, rolling her eyes.

Prue tilted her head slightly and narrowing her eyes, but Ruby came around with a coffee and a smirk.

"Sorry, I'll take good care of you. I can appreciate women in a good pair of heels." She said. "First time in town?"

Piper pursed her lips and sat down slowly, seeing as there was really no other choice since Paige and Phoebe both grabbed the same menu then quickly deciding to share.

"Yeah... Thanks. Um, weird question but...Where are we by the way?" Prue asked, wincing at the suspicious glare from who she assumed was the owner.

Ruby gave them a curious look before putting the coffee down. "You're in Storybrooke... Did your car break down or something?"

Prue hummed. "Yeah, something." She said, taking a sip of her coffee and looking to Piper.

"My name's Ruby, where are you from? You don't seem like you belong in Maine since you're not really dressed for the cold weather..."

Piper shared a look with Prue and they were going to answer but Phoebe asked a question instead, "Can we have the pancakes? With lots of syrup?"

"And ketchup!" Paige quipped, still looking hungrily at the menu.

"Sure, granny makes the best pancakes you've ever tried." Ruby said, her thoughts sidetracked. "Though this is the only place to eat so a lot of people are biased..."

"The best pancakes Piper... we'll just have to see won't we?"

Piper rolled her eyes, taking another sip of coffee and throwing the newspaper that had been set down as well at Prue while Paige and Phoebe giggled.

As urgent as their need to get back was, they deserved a little break in a cozy diner just for a little bit.

After Ruby finally stopped bombarding them with questions about how better their lives were Piper sighed. "So what now?" She asked in a whisper. "Did you find anything interesting in the... Daily Mirror?" Piper said with a scrunched nose. "They really take this storybook thing seriously don't they?"

Prue gave her sister a smirk.

"What's wrong Piper?" Phoebe said, "Don't believe in love at first sight?"

As she spoke, Graham walked in, going straight up to Granny. "Have you seen the mayors lad?" He asked.

Piper looked to her sister's and then to Prue who couldn't seem to look away from the view the Sheriff was giving them. "No, but I think Prue does."

Hearing a snort and a giggle, the sheriff looked to the group of women behind him in confusion. They were most certainly never here before. "Excuse me ladies, have you seen a ten year old boy about this tall with brown hair?"

Phoebe kicked her sister's shin. "I don't know, have you Prue?"

Prue narrowed her eyes on Phoebe and then looked back to Graham. Could that boy be the innocent that they were to save? "No... I-we haven't. We just got into town. Are there many children that go missing?"

Graham pursed his lips at that, unable to keep his gaze from lingering on her lips. "No..." he said, "Just Henry. Gives his mother such a hard time..." he said before standing up straight and eyeing Prue a bit more.

That was when Prue noticed something burning inside his eyes, something far more intense than she had ever seen... As if he was trying to break free from something. Something tragic.

"Enjoy Storybrooke. It's not often we get many visitors here." Graham said as he started to walk away, and the mayor would want to know all about it.

Chapter Text

"Ooh we will certainly be enjoying Storybrooke now." Phoebe said, she and Paige staring at Prue with the same obnoxious grin.

Prue rolled her eyes and huffed. "Can we please focus here?" She asked them, her coffee suddenly feeling cold and her appetite completely gone.

Those eyes...

"You mean focus on how we all ended up across the country in a small town with a missing boy and a sexy Irish sheriff?" Phoebe pointed out as she cut her pancake eagerly.

Prue narrowed her eyes at her sister and Phoebe did the same.

"Well you know, Pheebes makes a point. Maybe the reason we came here is to be the wingmen for you and Mr. Irish." Paige said with a shrug.

Shaking her head Piper scoffed. "Oh yes, because we all know how well the elders love to help with our relationships..." She mumbled quietly, cutting her own food a bit aggressively.

"Piper's right," Prue said, putting a hand on her sister's own to comfort her and calm her. Piper had once again been separated from Leo, and once again she was taking it hard. Especially since the two were undoubtedly in love.

Prue continued, giving warning looks. "Even if I had found the Sheriff attractive that would count as personal gain... There's another reason we're here. Maybe it has to do with that boy..." Prue had a look of realization. "Henry right?"

The three other sister's watched as Prue flipped to the earlier pages she had read, a picture of a woman and a child named Henry in view.

"There's our lead..." Prue said, glancing to the grandmother and Ruby who seemed preoccupied fighting quietly but animatedly over something.

"Miss. Mary Margaret Blanchard."

-----

Luckily Prue had been brought to Storybrooke with her cards and money. After they paid, they were a bit shocked to find that the inn was run by the same people who ran the diner.

"You're not... Detectives are you?" Ruby asked, leading the women to their respective rooms.

That question led to Pheobe and Paige exchanging a look. It was just the two of them now, as Prue and Piper were sharing together and had their rooms before the two youngest.

"Why... What makes you say that?" Pheobe asks, a worried look in her eyes. Could this woman be a warlock in disguise?

Ruby looked to them with slight alarm and naivety. "Oh! I heard your sister say something about a lead right? Maybe I can help! Mary Margaret should be at the hospital by now, she volunteers her time there after school. Is... Henry in trouble?"

Paige and Pheobe are staring at the waitress with wide eyes.

"Granny says I have inhuman hearing. Sometimes, I think she may be right about this if not anything at all..." Ruby said with a small nervous smile. "Henry's a good kid. Really. The whole town knows him."

"We... Don't know if he's in trouble. But that's why we're here. To stop it before anything bad happens to him." Pheobe said as Ruby opened their door with a rather old fashioned key.

"Oh and Ruby," Paige said as Pheobe slipped inside. "Thank you. We appreciate the help." She said, a rather proud smile on the woman with red lips.

------

"Madame Mayor," Ruby said, seeing the woman standing at her car in front of their inn, not looking impressed.

"Sorry, Granny is still at the diner. I don't do rooms." Ruby said, trying to walk past but Graham was standing on the sidewalk blocking her way.

"Tell me everything you know on the... Halliwell sister's, Miss Lucas." Regina said, opening her car door with a wake smile.

Chapter Text

The young woman with red streaks spilled nothing. Only making comments about how it seemed to be kidnapping and interrogation when she did nothing wrong but do the job Granny asked her to do.

The little brat.

Regina huffed, irritation and worry clear on her face. What was she supposed to do? Her son was missing and there were new women in her town who she didn't have the patience to deal with.

It seemed she would have to either chase them away or keep her new enemies close.

Because anyone new who entered the town was a threat. It had never happened before.

But now wasn't a time to think about it, she needed to find Henry. She needed to find her son.

------

Paige and Pheobe had left earlier, Prue watching the car drop Ruby and drive away quickly off the curb. She looked back to Piper, "We should head down now." She said softly to her, keeping her distance at the window for only a moment before moving towards her sister and squeezing her shoulder.

Piper looked up to Prue, seeming a little lost. "What was that?" She asked softly, looking back down to the same pattern of flowers on the bed that she had gotten so familiar with.

"Pipes." Prue's strict but comforting tone broke Piper from her thoughts once more. "I know you're hurting sweetie. I know you miss him. I know you're angry. But I really need you right now and Henry needs you too."

After a moments hesitation Piper sighed, nodding slowly and receiving a small kiss on her forehead. "Thank you. Now come on, Paige and Pheobe should already be seeing Mary Margaret at the hospital. We're going to go speak to the mayor." She said, taking Piper's reluctant arm.

Meeting anymore residents didn't take that long, in fact, it was a bit too easy as Mr. Gold took the roll of money that Granny had given him.

"Always a pleasure doing business..." He said, a slightly mocking tone in his voice. Catching sight of the witches, Gold raised an eyebrow. "New tenants? Perhaps I shall up the rent..." He said to the older woman who snorted, a flash of anger raised in her eyes.

"Hello, we'll be on our way now..." Prue said, pulling Piper along with her. They were one foot out the door when Gold called after them. "Watch out dearies, its a cold night tonight. You may run into wolves."

The words sent a shiver down Piper's spine and Prue looked back briefly as they continued onto the street.

-----

Phoebe had been directed into a hospital wing with Paige close behind. They walked into a glass door, looking around for anyone who looked like a Mary Margaret.

A nun looked up, her soft curls kept out of her face as she stared at the two in slight confusion. "I'm sorry..." she whispered softly. "Can I help you?"

Paige nodded, "Yeah, we're looking for um... Are you Mary Margaret?" She was a nun right? It was worth a shot.

The sister gave a small smile. "No, you must be new to town?"

Phoebe laughed awkwardly, "How'd you guess?"

Mother Superior gave a kind smile. "We don't get any tourists. Nor do we get any new faces coming around town. If you're looking for Mary Margret she's already left I'm afraid. You just missed her."

The sisters' faces fell. "Do you know where we can find her? It's kinda important, we're here to help with Henry." Phoebe said, hoping it would get the nun to give out more information.

Mother Superior raised an eyebrow once more before sighing. Her gentle voice sounding a bit defeated. "I can't give you an address, but I can..." Her voice lowered, "Say that her car has been parked in front of an apartment..." She said slipping a pen from her pocket and writing down the name of the apartment. "You didn't get it from me."

-----

"Are you positive this is hers?" Piper almost whined.

Prue sighed, "Piper. We asked Archie and he said that her house is the biggest on the block.

"No, we didn't ask Archie. He spoke to us because we probably look like suspicious thieves trying to figure out where everything is and-"

"Piper..."

"-That creepy looking guy who's obviously some kind of business tyrant gave us a warning-"

"Piper stop."

"-I mean, he must be a freaking warlock!"

Prue clamped a hand over Piper's mouth as she smiled at Regina who had walked up to them, arms crossed and a not so pleasant smile on her face.

Piper's eyes widened and the woman turned around quickly, her hands to her chest.

"Uh... Hello... You must be the mayor." Piper said in a high pitches voice.

Regina hummed not making any friendly gestures. "I am. And it's after hours. If you need anything, call my office in the morning."

She began to leave but Prue called out to her. "Wait, we were hoping to talk to youabout your son, Henry... We know he's missing, and we want to help."

Regina's eyes widened and she glared at them, fire in her eyes and her hand twitching with the need to do something.

"What do you know about my son?" She hissed at them. "Do you know where he is? Because so help me if you were the ones who took my boy from me..." Regina was in their faces, her nostrils flared and her lip curled up in a snarl.

"I. Will. Destroy. You. If it's the last thing I do..."