The Modern Fairy Tale Town Book 2: The Price of Magic

Chapter 15: It's Goin' Down

"I'll tell you when I tell your mother." Rumple decided, happy but not wanting to repeat it twice.

Ben and Mal looked at each other and soon went to do their own thing while Rumple brought out his phone to call Belle to share very special and important news with his family. Rumple went and called Belle to come into the shop so he could speak to her and then waited for Belle to arrive so he could share the good news.

"So... Will you go to the school party with me?" Ben asked Mal hopefully.

"Yeah... I guess I could squeeze that in," Mal nodded. "Maybe after our picnic of course."

"I can't wait for that," Ben smiled. "I'm looking forward to sharing my favorite foods with you."

"What exactly is gray stuff anyway?" Mal then asked.

"It's delicious." Ben simply said.

Mal then gave him a bit of a look for that answer.

"Don't believe me? Ask the dishes~" Ben then said with a chuckle.

"You're hilarious," Mal rolled her eyes in response. "I suppose the dishes can sing and dance too, right?"

"I shouldn't have told you about that dream I had when Evie and I were 6." Ben said bashfully.

Mal laughed a little bit before looking over as the shop's front door opened and closed as they could hear the bells ringing. Soon, the two teenagers stepped out of the backroom as Belle came inside to see her family.

"Hey. What's wrong that you couldn't tell me over the phone?" Belle asked before seeing the two teenagers. "Hello, dears."

"Belle." Mal nodded her head in greeting.

"Hi, Mom," Ben said. "I'm shivering with anticipation with what Dad has to tell us."

"I don't blame you." Belle smiled before she looked at Rumple then.

"I did it. I can leave." Rumple said as he began to get a certain something.

"W-W-What?" Mal asked, looking wide-eyed suddenly.

"You can cross the town line?" Belle asked him.

"Indeed, I can," Rumple smiled then reached for and grabbed a potion. "When I pour this potion onto the object I hold most dear, that object becomes a talisman, it allows me to cross the town line and still remember who I am." he then explained.

"And who you're looking for." Belle added.

Mal then began to listen quietly and closely.

"My brother?" Ben guessed to his father.

"Yes... Your brother... My boy." Rumple nodded at his teenage son.

"So... Uh... What're you gonna enchant then?" Mal asked curiously.

"This shawl... Is all I have left of my Baelfire." Rumple said as he removed it from his safe without revealing anything else.

Belle looked a bit bashful and hopeful for a moment. "I don't suppose Benjamin or I could come with you?" she then said to him.

"No, I... I truly wish you could, but I only have enough of this potion for one object and we still don't know how crossing the town line could affect the descendants since they were only babies back in The Enchanted Forest." Rumple told Belle as he put the shawl back in the safe.

Belle looked a little soft about that while Ben tried to nod his head in understanding and maturity.

"Hey. This is my journey, Belle," Rumple said softly. "This is my journey. I'm afraid that it's something I have to do alone."