[CRYSTAL]
Crystal watched as the barrier lifted. As the bridge shimmered into existence. She had always been in awe of magic and seeing it at work was always thrilling.
Sam spun her around as Crystal smiled at her, giving her a hug before pulling her at arms length.
"I never said thank you." Crystal said, though seemed oblivious to what she was talking about.
"Thanks for what?" Sam asked.
"For making me feel comfortable with myself." Crystal said,
"You don't have to thank me." Sam said. "You don't have to feel any different from anyone else. Love is love Crystal. You love anyone you want and I'll support you. Even if it's Chelsea."
"Hey!" Chelsea called. "That kind of hurts. Fuck you Sam."
"Fuck you." Sam retorted, turning back to Crystal. "There's nothing wrong with you having a girlfriend. Quinn was my girlfriend for like half a year. That's the most committed she's ever been."
"I was the better girlfriend!" Chelsea called.
"No you weren't!" Quinn called back.
"I mean my mom supports me." Crystal said. "But other people made it seem like it was a bad thing."
"There's nothing wrong with being you." Sam said, with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with you. Besides, you shouldn't care what other people think. And you're my friend now. You don't have to thank me for anything."
"So like technically you're my aunt." Crystal said, as Sam frowned. "You know how your mom was my mom's step-mom."
"We're not going to acknowledge that." Sam said, taking Crystal's hands in her own.
"We're not." Crystal said, with a laugh. "I'm kind of scared to meet your mom."
"That's what everyone says." Sam said. "She's not too bad. You just have to learn when you should and shouldn't do things."
"That makes me feel so much better." Crystal said, sarcastically.
"Sarcasm is my thing." Sam said as Crystal spun her around.
"You're rubbing off on me." Crystal said. "Thats not a bad thing. You're pretty good at this. With the cameras and the paps everywhere. You'd make a great queen if I didn't want to be."
"Nobody said you had to be." Sam said. "Don't you have a brother?"
"I do." Crystal said. "But he renounced the throne awhile ago. Now it's up to me."
"That's fine." Sam said. "Don't stress over it. You'll be fine."
"You think so?" Crystal asked. She had given this much thought. She didn't want to be queen. That didn't feel right. She wanted to be free of the burden. There had to be a way. But if she wasn't queen who would be? She'd never paid attention when her mother had told her the line of succession. She was sure that it would be redirected back to the Evil Queen if she did step down. Unless she chose Sam. Then that would be alright.
Crystal wasn't sure if Sam was open to doing that. She didn't seem interested in the slightest. Sam still didn't trust her mom and Sam had made a negative impression on her brother. It would be hard to get her to be open to that she was willing to try.
"Crystal." Sam stated, snapping her fingers in front of her face.
"Oh sorry." Crystal said, returning her attention the blonde in front of her.
"You zoned out for a minute." Sam sfated. "What were you thinking about?"
"Nothing much." Crystal said, with a shrug.
Someone tapped Sam on the shoulder. Crystal recognized her but couldn't place her name. She had come and warped the memories of many, making it seem as if she had been in Auradon as long as Sam had. But the spell had broken, the truth had spilled and she was okay with that.
"Hey Heather." Sam said, taking the bundle from her arms. "Hi baby."
"She's fucking cute." Heather said. "She got that from you."
"Thanks for watching her for me." Sam said as Heather shrugged.
"Anytime." Heather said. "She's adorable and she's so going to like me more than Helia."
"No she isn't!" Helia called from where she was dancing with Arion.
"Yes she will." Heather dismissed. "I'm the best. See you later guys."
"She's something." Crystal said to Sam who's eyes snapped back to hers.
"All of them are something." Sam said with a thin smile. "You get used to it."
Crystal has zoned out again, her gaze focused on Chelsea who was weaving the crowd and causing people to trip and fall. Sam noticed this, snapping her fingers and causing Crystal to move forward.
Crystal met her gaze and sighed. She'd have to get the courage eventually. Sam sent her a thumbs up, sitting on a step.
Sam spun Crystal around as Crystal smiled at her, giving her a hug before pulling at arms length.
"I never said thank you." Crystal said, thoughshe seemed oblivious to what she was talking about.
"Thanks for what?" Sam asked, raising a brow.
"For making me feel comfortable with myself." Crystal said,
"You don't have to thank me." Sam said. "You don't have to feel any different from anyone else. Love is love Crystal. You love anyone you want and I'll support you. Even if it's Chelsea."
"Hey!" Chelsea called. "That kind of hurts. Fuck you Sam."
"Fuck you." Sam retorted, turning back to Crystal. "There's nothing wrong with you having a girlfriend. Quinn was my girlfriend for like half a year. That's the most committed she's ever been."
"I was the better girlfriend!" Chelsea called.
"No you weren't!" Quinn called back. Sam laughed, something that Crystal realized she hadn't heard in awhile.
"I mean my mom supports me." Crystal said. "But other people made it seem like it was a bad thing."
"There's nothing wrong with being you." Sam said, with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with you. Besides, you shouldn't care what other people think. And you're my friend now. You don't have to thank me for anything."
"So like technically you're my aunt." Crystal said, as Sam frowned. "You know how your mom was my mom's step-mom."
"No, that's no." Sam said. "We're not acknowledging it."
"My brother still hates you."
"I didn't know he even hated me." Sam said with a shrug. "Good to know."
Crystal raised a brow.
"I mean I'm not going to let that bother me." Sam said, with a shrug. "He can keep that to himself."
"Yeah." Crystal said, nodding her head, looking down at her feet.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, placing her finger under Crystal's chin.
"Nothing." Crystal said with a forced smile. "It's nothing."
Sam smiled back, ignoring the fact that it was forced. Pandora joined them, looking past them.
"Skye!" her mother called, crossing over the bridge.
Crystal's smile faltered, though Sam's grew bigger, tugging on her arm and leading her forward.
"Mommy." Sam said, pulling her into a hug. Her mother didn't resist, looking over her shoulder and narrowing her eyes at Crystal, pulling Sam to her side, her arm over her shoulder.
"Skye." her mother said. "That is who I think it is, is it not?"
"Yeah, it is." Sam said.
"Snow White's daughter." The Evil Queen breathed. "If I get my hands on that good for nothing bitch-."
"Mom." Sam interrupted. "You can't hurt anybody. That's why you all have to do rehab."
"Disgusting." The Evil Queen said. "I don't want to be like these goody goodies,"
"If you don't at least try." Sam said. "You'll be in solitary confinement, wearing orange and without a mirror."
"Those are terrible combinations." she said. "I will try then. Just for you Skye."
"Vivi's over there." Sam said, pointing to where Evie stood frozen in place. "Maybe you should go to her?"
"I see you're trying to get rid of me." the Evil Queen tutted, pressing a kiss to Sam's cheek. "Very well then, I'll go see you're traitorous sister."
"She isn't one anymore." Sam retorted. Crystal expected her mother to get angry but she did what Sam usually did: she rolled her eyes before making her way to where Evie stood.
"That wasn't so bad was it?" Sam asked Crystal teasingly.
"No it was worse." Crystal said. "You're dad isn't as bad as her is he?"
"Far from it." Sam said, tugging on her arm. "Come on."
"Does that mean you'll meet my parents?"
Sam laughed, fading into a sigh. "No. I'm not ready for that."
"That isn't quite fair." Crystal said with a shrug. "It isn't any easier for me than it is you." Sam raised a brow. "Well it's a little worse for you. My mom thinks you're the devil incarnate."
"My mom says that sometimes." Sam said. "But I'm nicer than most people."
"You? Nice?" Chelsea said with a laugh. "You're nicer than some people I know."
"Shut up Chelsea." Quinn quipped.
Sam pulled Crystal and Pandora forward, away from the bickering pair, tapping a man with a red beanie on the shoulder. He turned to look at her, cradling Heaven.
"Skye darling." her father said, pulling her into a hug, draping an arm over her shoulder. He looked at Pandora and Crystal, his smile not faltering. "Are these your new friends?"
Sam nodded. "That's Crystal and that's Pandora."
Captain Hook rubbed his chin. "Why does that name sound familiar?" he snapped his fingers. "Peter Pan's daughter, no?"
"You've succeeded dad, good job." Harriet said sarcastically.
"Watch your mouth Harriet." Captain Hook said, raising his hooked hand in her direction, his other holding Halo. "Now Sam-."
"Now Sam." Harriet mocked.
Hook ignored her. "You are officially part of my family. Even if you've always been there unfortunately."
Harry pulled his arm down, wrapping his arms around Sam's waist. Sam leaned against his chest, smiling.
Crystal smiled to herself before being pulled to side by Chelsea, who clasped her hands behind her back.
"So..." Chelsea said. "Now that this is all over, would you maybe wanna go out with me?"
"Of course Kitty," Crystal said, leaning towards her and pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"You and me, sunshine." Chelsea said, leaning her head on her shoulder as they glanced at the bridge. "We're going places."
"My mom always said, 'Remember your the one who can fill the world with sunshine'," Crystal said. "But what if the world is too dark for all the sunshine and being Queen of some province isn't for me?"
"You are my sunshine," Chelsea said. "And you make me happy, We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Crystal smiled, draping an arm over her shoulder as they watched the fireworks light up the night sky.
THE END