Now and Forever [Jefferson Hatter || OUAT || Mad Red #7]

Chapter 38

Emily and Adam ran outside of Roni's bar and looked at the storm that had gathered over Hyperion Heights, "No... Grace! Taylor!" Emily yelled and ran forward but Adam stopped her.

"Rose, no," Adam pulled her back, "You can't risk the baby," Adam said.

Roni, Jake, Sean and Jay walked outside, "Well, this doesn't look good," Jay said.

"Oh, really? I thought this was marvellous," Jake said.

"Oh, I hate you," Adam said.

"You don't really," Jake said.

Lizzie and Lucy ran over to them, "Mama! It didn't work!" Lizzie said.

"Lizzie, Lucy, what are you talking about? What didn't work?" Roni asked.

"True Love's Kiss. My mom and Henry kissed," Lucy said.

"But Henry's poisoned," Emily said and she grunted.

"Rose?" Adam said.

"Not anymore. We found the storybook Blaze wrote to Henry and Mr Samdi cured him. But doesn't matter we're still," Thunder crashed in the sky, "Cursed," Lizzie said.

Emily looked up at the sky, "I don't know about cursed, but those clouds aren't a great sign," Emily said.

Eloise walked up, "They're not clouds. It's a re-birth. The balance of nature is shifting, Rose Red. We're on the precipice of a great extinction one that man cannot crawl back from," Eloise said

"So, you're wiping out humanity with a rainstorm?" Jake scoffed as Emily and Roni pulled Lizzie and Lucy to them and held them protectively, "How biblical," Jake said.

"Oh, it's going to be much worse than that. But I'm here to offer you salvation," Eloise faced Roni, "You were once the Eighth Witch. Join me now and your family will be spared," Eloise said.

"Sorry, but I'm not really a joiner. You may have brought us here, but this is my home now. And I protect my own," Roni said.

"With what magic? Your son couldn't break my curse. Do you think that was an accident?" Eloise asked.

"What did you do to Henry?" Jake asked.

"I didn't have to do anything. Did you ever notice how human children have a nasty habit of growing up? An adult's belief is a lot less potent," Eloise said.

"You don't know Henry or my daughter. They have the hearts-," Jake began to say and Lucy looked at him.

"The hearts of the Truest Believer and the Golden Believer," Eloise cut him off, "Yes, I know. But your son-in-law also has more pain than you know. Hmm. His belief is gone and there's nothing you can do to bring it back," Eloise said then thunder crashed and she disappeared.

"Oh that cow," Emily said and she grunted again holding her chest as she breathed heavily.

Jake walked up behind Emily, "Okay, okay, breathe," He placed his hands on her shoulders and she took a deep breath, "That's it, keep breathing, Rose," Jake said.