Baker's Apprentice Who Lives In A Shoe

Saving Memories

I stand in the library of the Dark One's castle. He is supposed to be away making a deal. I gaze at the expanse of books before me. I need to figure out a fail safe. This curse, that Regina will eventually cast, will take away memories from all affected. The fail safe I am trying to create will, or might, allow me to get my memories back. I will not be able to test it out until I am in the situation. That is what is making this hard. I do not know where to start.

Maybe the memory spells. I hold my hand out and pull a book off a high shelf, and it floats down to me. It lands in my hand. I head over to the table, and I open to the table of contents. I look for something that would possibly help. My finger finds a chapter labeled, breaking a memory spell. The chapter started close to the end of the book. It is something that most people would not need to look into. If you were to cast a memory loss spell or charm, you do not need to know how to break it. True love's kiss will always break any magic, but sometimes it would take something else. If the person is under said spell and their true love is dead, then it needs to be broken another way.

I start reading the dry material in this chapter. Word by word I struggle to really understand what the words on the page truly meant. My mind is racing, trying to figure out how the information in the book could be translated into action. The end of the chapter has come, and I still did not understand how I could help keep my memories or restore others. Back at the table of contents and nothing sounded like it would help me. I turn back to the shelves and pull a couple more books down. I look through their table of contents, and nothing. This keeps happening. No matter what book I read through, I found nothing to help me.

Soon I give up and start to cry. All of the books are off the shelves. Some are stacked neatly, and some are haphazardly lying open on the floor. I cry out in frustration as I toss the book I had been reading to the side, but it did not clatter to the floor. In my state of mind, I did not notice.

"What is all this, my dear?" I look to where the voice originated as I slump into a nearby chair. He looks at the open page of one of he books on the floor. "Trying to figure out some sort of spell?" I take a deep breath and buy my head in my hands. "Judging by the open pages I see, it has something to do with memories." I continue to say nothing. "Is there something you would like to tell me, dear Ava? What memories would you like to get rid of?"

"I do not wish to get rid of any of my memories!" I yell with the last of my frustration. "I wish to preserve them." Tears prick at the edge of my eyes. "This curse will give the castor the ability to give us new stories, new memories. I do not want new memories if I will only forget my old ones. I do not want to forget Belle, I do not want to forget Bae, I do not want to forget my relationship with you." I face him and he steps closer with every word I speak. "I believe I shall not exist if I forget all of that. I will not be me." I can feel the streams making their way down my cheeks. Rumple guides me to stand as he embraces me.

"Don't you think like that, dearie. You and I will continue to exist, and as long as we exist then we shall eventually remember our children." He pulls away from me and looks me in the eye. "Everything will be alright. There is no need to fret." He turns to the books all around the room and with a wave of his hand, they are all back in their place. "Now," He says, turning back to me. "You must rest those pretty little eyes of yours." He gently wipes away the rivers of tears. "Perhaps, you will be able to find the information you are looking for once you have gotten some sleep." I am lifted into his arms as he carries me to my room. I wrap my arms around his neck and nuzzle closer to him. His scent is intoxicating. I would try to start our family right in this hallway if it would not cause him to lose his powers. We finally make it to my room, but he does not set me down at the door. He enters and makes his way to the side of my bed. I am gently placed on the edge. He steps back and with another wave of his hand I am dressed in my sleeping attire. He pulls back the top sheet and then tucks me in. "I hope you have sweet dreams." He says before placing a chaste kiss on my forehead. Then, he was gone in a cloud of smoke. Soon I drift off to dreamland.

Many weeks later, Rumple is in Snow White's dungeon, I am baking pastries for the king and queen and everyone else in the castle. But, I still find time to go to the library in the castle. Perhaps it will have the information I need for keeping my memories. Of course Rumple has built into the curse that a savior will break it eventually. I would just like to keep my memories for the duration of the curse until it is broken.

I finally find a book on how to hide something in magical items. This sparks much interest. In the table of contents there is a list of different items you may be able to hide something inside of: Stones and Small Gems, Jewelry, and Weapons. I open to the chapter about Jewelry. The chapter itself has a table of contents. I find an actual section on storing memories. As I read this section, my face lights up. This is exactly what I wished to know.

It informed how to store the memories in the item, and how to get the memories out of the item. It was all straightforward. The incantation was right on the page, and all I had to do was keep the item on me to retain the memories kept inside. Immediately, I grab ahold of the necklace hanging from my neck. I whisper the incantation and a light blue glow surrounds the charm on my necklace. There is no way to test if this has actually worked until the curse has been completed. I close the book before placing it back where I found it.

"There you are, miss Ava." A small voice says from the door of the library. I turn to see Pinocchio with Jiminy on his shoulder.

"Hello, you two. What did you seek me out for?"

"We were hoping you made some extra cookies today." The cricket says.

"Well, lucky for you I hid some away in the kitchen." I made my way over to them. "If you come with me, I will show you where my secret stash is." The boy's face lit up and he started to run towards the kitchen. The cricket jumped off of the boy's shoulder and landed on my own.

"What were you doing in the library, Ava?" Jiminy asks as I start to follow the excited boy.

"I was just catching up on a bit of reading." I answer simply.

"I doubt that is all you were doing, but I won't pry." I smile at his words and continue on the long journey to the kitchen on the opposite end of the castle.