Once Upon a Second Chance

(14) - Garden of Roses

Audrey felt awkward as she followed the Enchanted Forest—and now Storybrooke's Aurora and Philip who was carrying Philip Jr.

While many of the other kids had impressive similarities to their alternate parents, Audrey bared little resemblance to her's who didn't even look that much older than her.

They seemed like nice people so far and had been quite hospital... and she couldn't help but wonder if that would remain the case if they found out what she had done back in Auradon.

After the 'incident', as she preferred to refer to it as, her grandmother of all people was the only one who laid claims to her after her real parents practically disowned her. She couldn't blame them if she was being honest—she had stolen Maleficent's scepter and basically became the pink version of their worst enemy. But that doesn't mean it didn't sting that when she was dying, her own parents refused to be at her bedside.

She looked around curiously at the quint little farm house the nice young couple owned.

When they walked inside, Philip set his son down on the floor as he and his wife gave their alternate daughter a kind smile. "We are pleasured to welcome you into our home, Audrey. If you need anything, please don't be shy to ask."

"...I greatly appreciate it," Audrey smiled back.

Aurora and Philip lead Audrey up to the guest room where they decided to let her get settled in.

Audrey sighed as she sat down on the bed. She took out her compact mirror.

She looked at her reflection. And she stared at it for a moment before her eyes began to water and she grinded her teeth before she threw the mirror on the ground where the glass shattered into several tiny pieces and she began to silently cry.

She couldn't stand to even look at herself now. She didn't even recognize herself. When has she become this person? A person who wanted nothing else but to scream at everyone and everything she encountered, one who had wanted to hurt Auradon—her home. She knew she was under the control of the scepter the second she grabbed it, but she still chose to grab it. She didn't have an excuse for all the crimes she committed as the Queen of Mean.

She thought she had moved past this hatred, but she can still feel it trying to claw its way out. But it wasn't hatred for Mal this time, or Ben—but herself.

Her fit of self-loathing was interrupted when she heard the door knock.

She stood up and frantically wiped away her tears before recomposing herself and going to open the door.

Aurora frowned, noticing Audrey's red and puffy eyes. "Are you okay?"

Audrey knew that it was obvious she had been crying and figured there was no point in hiding it. She shook her head. "No. No, I'm not." She inhaled sharply, "But I'm dealing with it. It's nothing to need to worry yourself with."

Aurora nodded her head, "O-Okay. Well, um, I came up head to give you a change of clothes and tell you we're going to eat in a bit incase you're hungry," she said handing Audrey a pair of pajamas which she took.

"Thank you. I'll be right down."

Audrey took a while to collect herself before changing and heading downstairs where Aurora and Philip looked to be cooking and Philip Jr. was chewing on a toy block in his playpen.

He looked up upon Audrey entering and made an up-and-down movement with his hand which the daughter of Sleeping Beauty assumed was his version of a wave.

Audrey smiled at the toddler and leaned over the playpen. "Hey, little guy."

Little Philip gurgled in response and Audrey chuckled and shook her head as she sat down on the couch.

This family didn't seem all that bad, neither did the town. It was then she realized—maybe this could be her chance at a fresh start. There was a possibility they could never make it to Auradon again... and maybe it wasn't all that bad after all.