Once We are Descendants

Chapter 64: Dateable

"Well," Crystal says to herself. "This was fun, but I can't do any more damage around this place."

She stands up and exits the library, heading towards the kitchen. She walks in to find Belle standing next to the stove, chopping vegetables while a big pot of water is boiling. Gold sits at the dining room table with Gideon cradled in his arms, giving his son a bottle. Paige and Patrick are sitting at the table as well, sipping sodas straight from the can.

"So, I'm going to take off," she says, standing in the middle of the kitchen.

"Where's Ben?" Belle asks. "You two were in the library for an awfully long time."

"I gave him relationship advice; we had a brother-sister talk with him to help fix things with Mal. Speaking of which, I know you two are technically supposed to be my aunt and uncle, but if you need any advice, I'm just a few streets over. Anyways, hopefully, he's going to patch things up with her and then we can focus on getting everyone home. So, I'll see you tomorrow at your shop Dad..."

She leans down and gives him a side hug. "I do have a key to get in."

"Preferable over your usual method of entering places," he mutters.

"Love you too Dad," she smirks sarcastically.

She turns to Gideon. "I'll hopefully see you tomorrow too," she coos, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

She nods at Paige and Patrick, "Good to meet you two, seriously if you need help with anything at all, just give me a ring."

She then goes and gives Belle a hug as well. "And I'll see you tomorrow as well. Any and all researchers will be required to send these kids home."

"Have a good night then," Belle says, smiling.

"See you later," Crystal says, nodding before exiting the kitchen. She locks the front door and begins walking down the street towards her own home.

She lets out a deep sigh of relief. All the kids have a place to stay for the night and all the portal nonsense could be figured out tomorrow; she's pretty sure she left the book with the portal ingredients in her Dad's shop. It probably hasn't been touched because of everything that's happened. She does feel bad for accidentally bringing all these kids here, even though according to Mal it was mostly Uma's fault. But Crystal's own portal testing did receive these teenagers, who are now realms from their real home and parents. Although, for the kids on the Isle, it's probably a blessing in disguise... She can relate, she has her own crappy parent, despite him doing his best to improve. But she's already been a therapist to one person today, and that's plenty.

Right now, she just wants to go home, microwave a Ready-Meal, then some popcorn, and watch Netflix. Tt's been a long and confusing day and she's ready to call it quits. She thought about getting take-out from Granny's but by now, she just wants to spend the night alone, no more friends or relatives. She watches as the sun sets behind the vast forest of trees, separating their bizarre fantastical world from the rest of the Land Without Magic.

Finally, she reaches her apartment and fumbles to get her key out. However, when she's about to grasp the knob, it opens on its own.

Not again, she growls in her mind. Who else finds the need to break into my apartment?!

She swallows hard, letting one of her hands light up as a precaution. She reaches in and turns on the downstairs light. There only seems to be boxes and stacks of junk, some of them casting sharp shadows due to the exposed lightbulb hanging above them, but Crystal knows there is someone else here.

"Whoever you are, get the hell out!" she barks angrily, still hovering in the doorway. "Look I'm sick of this and I'm not afraid to use my magic to get my point across."