Wishes

Ever After; Once Upon a Time

"Oh no," Ella whimpered, looking down at Jack's motionless hand.

"The poor kid," the baker's wife murmured. "C'mon. Help me get him out from under there."

A tear streamed down Little Red's cheek. "Do we have to?" she whispered.

Ella nodded. Together, the four carefully lifted the tree trunk up, to find Jack's chest heaving up and down. "He's okay!" Little Red was relieved.

"What about the others?" Ella remembered.

"We're alive!" Everyone turned to see the baker come running over with Char.

"Ha ha!" The baker ran over to his emotional wife. She brushed away a tear, smiling. The baker suddenly yanked her closer to him, and they kissed.

"You did it son," they heard. The baker turned around to see the old mystery man who had helped him earlier.

"Son?!" the baker gaped. The mystery man gestured the baker towards him. A father to son reunion.

Char drew Ella into a big hug. "ELLA!" he shouted into her face. "WE DID IT!"

"Yeah, um..." Ella began. She removed the cotton from his ears. "Oh," Char laughed, realizing his foolishness. "That's better."

"There you guys are!" Lucinda ran up to them with Madame and Florinda. Florinda looked astonished. "Lucinda sniffed her way to find you all. Who knew this person had such a nose!" she said pointing to Lucinda. Ella giggled. Madame hugged her stepdaughter.

Little Red anxiously sat next to Jack, waiting. Jack finally woke up. He saw Little Red. "Ya know, I just had the weirdest dream about killing a woman giant..." Little Red immediately squeezed him. "I love you!" she whispered in tears.

"Uh, just a little while ago, I seemed to annoy you. Am I still dreaming?" He banged his head twice to double check.

Char suddenly realized, "What about the kingdom?! It'll take up so much money to repair, and then there's the wedding..."

"Hey," Ella placed her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about the wedding. I'd rather give the money to the kingdom rather than us."

"But," Jack grinned. "With the giant dead, and such easy access to the sky, I think we'll find enough money."

"JACK!!!" someone shouted in the distance. Jack's mother rushed up to him. "I've been worried sick! I thought you were crushed!"

"Nope! And look mother. We have enough money for a lifetime! We could build a new home, or..."

The mother gave her son a big hug. Little Red smiled, and quietly sat alone. Ella noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Well," Little Red began. "Everyone is reunited with their friends and family. And I've got none left..."

"Says who?" somebody else asked. Granny stood proud with both hands on her hips. "Granny!" Little Red ran up to her.

"Rapunzel!" Rapunzel turned to see her prince leaping over the ruins. Rapunzel laughed. "I don't even know what to call you! What's your..."

"Eugene," he replied.

"Eugene," she smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"I don't want to ever forget this adventure," Jack said. "But how?"

"Hey, check this out!" Char exclaimed pointing at a page of the magic book. "I was reading this, and it recorded everything we did. From the beginning of three days ago, up to now, we've had quite the journey!"

"You know," Ella began. "I was thinking. If we begin telling this story, generations from now, someone else will know about us. This would make a great story to tell."

Indeed it would, everyone heard a voice in the back of their minds. Rapunzel suddenly became hopeful. "Mother?" she whispered.

Go to my grave, Gothel told Rapunzel.

They all went over to Gothel's grave to find a brand new healthy willow tree standing tall. Both Ella and Rapunzel thought they saw a glimpse of Gothel and Ella's mother.

We want to listen, Ella's mother said.

To your story, Gothel added on.

"But who would we tell the story to?" the baker wondered. His child suddenly woke up in the wife's arms and gurgled. "How about the baby?" the baker's wife smiled. "And what about his name?"

"Hmm," the baker thought. "How about Andrew? This kid's been through a battle with giants, and Andrew means brave..."

"I love it Wyatt," the baker's wife kissed baby Andrew.

"WYATT?!" Little Red's jaw dropped open. "'Mr. Wyatt...' nah, forget it. I like Mr. Baker better."

The couple laughed warmly as the wife handed over Andrew to her husband.

"I'm gonna be a proud grandfather," the baker's father smiled.

Amidst the destroyed surroundings and the lifeless setting, everyone: the baker, his wife, his father, the baby, Ella, Char, Florinda, Madame, Lucinda, Jack, his mother, Little Red, Granny, Rapunzel, even the spirits of Gothel and Ella's mother eagerly sat together among the ruins, listening.

Baby Andrew suddenly opened his eyes. Cradling his child, the baker opened up the magic book and began,

"Once upon a time..."