HUMAN LIE DETECTOR

a lone swan in a world full of ducklings.

[spencershastings]

Once Upon a Time Characters » Emma Swan

(snow) (emma) (regina) (david) (henry) (rumplestiltskin) (belle) (hook) (zelena) (robin) (ruby) (neal) + more [insp. + insp.]

[onceland]

OUAT Rewatch ↳ 1x08 - Desperate Souls

[aloneswan]

 true-loves-kiss-opens-door:

The burst of laughter that comes from within is loud and hearty, coming from the depths of her stomach. It shouldn’t be funny, the thought of the sheriff forcing people to help, but it is. Threatening jail or worse unless they donated money or jumped into the frigid harbor is actually brilliant. Dragging her notebook to her, she begins jotting that down as the waitress brings a pot of coffee and two mugs. Not looking up from where she is writing down ‘threaten the townfolk’, Brie gives her order. “Thank Granny. I’ll take the full breakfast, waffles not pancakes, two full orders of toast with butter and grape jam, eggs over easy, and two orders of bacon.” She finally looks up with a smile, her pen taping against the paper. “And put whatever the sheriff wants on my tab.”

Emma raises her eyebrows at the laugh. Not because it isn’t funny -- Emma for one definitely finds the idea of coercing petty thieves into volunteering is pretty funny, in a wry sort of way -- but because she didn’t expect Brie to think it was funny too. And her brows only raise higher when the waitress comes back and Brie orders... well, basically the whole menu. 

Awesome. 

That means Emma doesn’t have to hold back either. Not that she would have, but she’s sure part of her would have felt a little guilty about racking up Brie’s bill. “I’ll take the same -- with pancakes not waffles, eggs scrambled with cheddar and can I pass on my toast for extra hashbrowns?” Apparently, she can. Which is great! Hey, maybe getting roped into volunteering isn’t as bad as she thought it would be!

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

David frowned at Snow when she said what Fiona had threatened to do to her and Neal. “We won’t let that happen,” he assured her with another squeeze to her hand. He would have liked to think that he could have stopped Fiona from carrying out such a threat while he had still been cursed, but there was no way Snow as Harper would have gone to him or that he would have known to go to her. He wasn’t a deputy any longer and Snow as Harper had hardly been the woman with an edge that she now was. They had been effectively separated by miles without knowledge of the other’s existence or what they as individuals were truly capable of. That is until they had crossed paths in front of the grocery store and a certain boldness took over Harper in front of him. “No version of you would have let her take Neal from you. I can’t believe it.” He rubbed absently at the spot in the center of his chest where Harper had shoved him hard into a wall when he had demanded his wallet back, and smiled.

Emma was sure she had magic now, was just as sure she was certain of her own abilities as well as Snow’s just as David was sure of their collective ability to face Fiona. 

But it was Emma’s question about the whereabouts of that sword that David froze as he looked over Emma’s expression more carefully. That was when it hit him. He remembered something else now and dread momentarily crossed his own expression. The Final Battle. Pulling strength from the hold he still carried through Snow, he shook off the dread in favor of determination. They would prevail. They would all face Fiona together.

“I haven’t seen it in the past few months, but…” Thinking of where he had last held it, he recalled. “I stored it at the Loft. Could be that it’s still there…”

At the mention of the sword, Snow felt her stomach dip. She forced her face to remain blank and began to assure her daughter that they could do this but instead said; “I completely forgot about the sword. And about the end of the final battle.” She wanted to press her lips together and shut up but she also couldn’t resist asking; “Is it possible to do the battle without the sword? Maybe things don’t have to play out like we thought.”

Hell, none of this was playing out like they had all thought it would. None of them had expected to be cursed again in such a way, to have their entire home as well as themselves changed like this. Snow certainly didn’t expect to be forced into this kind of life and she doubt David and Emma would have guessed at the lives Fiona gave them.

“And anyway, how do we know David even has the sword anywhere near him?” She looked at her husband. “What if it’s gone back to Gold’s shop? Or if Belle has it? Or Mother Superior or anyone else?” She paused. “What if Fiona has it…” She suddenly realised what they were going to have to do. If they wanted to find the sword, and quickly before Fiona could find and stop them first… “We’re going to have to split up.” She sighed, the dip in her stomach coming back twice as harshly now.

Maybe Mary Margaret has a point. She’s not quite convinced the trick to winning the battle is going into it unprepared, but there might be something to her theory. It’s been... months, maybe? She’s completely lost track of time, but she knows for a fact she hasn’t seen Gideon. Maybe her visions were wrong. Maybe now that Fiona’s here things are different. Maybe... 

But maybe’s weren’t going to cut it. And they all knew that. They have one chance to put an end to this. If it comes down to her having to make a sacrifice to save the town, she’s going to make it, isn’t she? She’s the savior. It’s her job. Still, doesn’t mean she won’t feel a lot better about her odds if she’s got an actual weapon in her hands. 

Frowning at Mary Margaret’s uncertainty, Emma closes the distance between them in a few steps and places a reassuring hand on her mother’s arm. “We’re going to win,” Emma says, hoping she’s able to convey the kind of confidence she’s not certain she feels. It’s true, they will win. She believes it as much now as she did on that rooftop when this whole curse started. She doesn’t know how, or if she’ll survive -- but she knows good will prevail. If her mom has taught her anything these past years, it’s the power of hope. 

“I almost beat her before,” she reminds them, “I can do it again.” With her song. She’s more powerful than Fiona expected, and more motivated now to take that fairy bitch down than ever before. “Splitting up is our best chance at beating her.” Together, she could take them all out in one fell swoop. “She’s not expecting us all to be awake. If she finds one of us, the other two can still defeat her. This is going to work.” And then, because of the stupid truth spell the adds, “Probably.”

[pickyourpoisonflorist]

The Calm After the Storm - Emma, Killian

[aloneswan]

pickyourpoisonflorist:

Bloody hell, he thought as he pressed on, thrilled with her moaned curse. That word falling from her lips was likely the sexiest thing he’d heard in a very, very long time. Would it be too much to hope to hear his name moaned out in a similar manner? Perhaps, but he could keep trying until it did.

Her fingers in his hair sent shivers down his spine, running all the way down to where he strained against the confines of his jeans. Killian didn’t need to be told where he was needed, but having her hand holding him in position was a lovely added bonus. It felt empowering, bringing her to moans and having her take command in such a way. And looking up at her from where he was kneeling provided him with a beautiful sight.

Come along, love, he thought as he continued eagerly. You know you want to fall. 

It all seemed to escalate so quickly. Not just the events on his couch -- she still swore she came over to check in and share a hot beverage, not push his head between her legs (hold, she’s holding it there and it’s... Oh God Yes!), but there they were! -- it’s also in the way she feels herself so quickly hurtling towards the edge. It was totally crazy, and she absolutely would never admit it, but it was as if he already knew her intimately. Like he had a roadmap. Like he could anticipate her every need before she knew she needed it. 

Like they’d been doing this for years. 

Which was crazy. And totally not possible, because she’d remember that. Or remember him. And she definitely couldn’t remember the last time she’d been with anyone. 

“Killian, I --” her voice breaks, words turning to a breathy moan. She was so close. And she was about to tell him too, words right on the tip of her tongue when he moved his just so -- “Fuck,” she groaned, toes curling and eyes screwed shut as she came against his tongue -- visions of the two of them filling her mind as she rode out her orgasm. Pressing him against the island in her kitchen. Tumbling onto her couch. In the cabin of a boat. And him wearing a...

Hook.

[struggling-harper-royal-deactiv]

Locked Out - Emma & Harper

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

Harper didn’t spend a lot of time around other people, so she really wasn’t great at hiding her surprise. Luckily Emma was turned away while Harper gawped at her, and she managed shift her face into an uneasy smile that probably looked normal (since when was Harper ever at ease these days) and shrugged it off. But really… That was crazy! Not only did she look like her dream daughter, with the same name as her dream daughter and the same occupation, but she also liked the same things on her drink?! That was a really specific detail, too!

After the waitress left, there was a moment of silence between them but Harper hardly noticed. She was still running the idea of Emma liking her drinks in real life the same way as she did in her dreams. Maybe she was thinking too much into it but… There was a coincidence and then there was… Something else. Harper wasn’t sure what this was, to be honest and she found herself thinking harder on it than anything else.

Thankfully, before she could let her mind get more any lost into thought and get herself worked up into a state over it, Emma asked her about Granny’s door situation. Now this was a conversation that would get Harper’s mind off of the weirdness of her dreams at least.

“Oh. Um. Not that new.” Harper confessed, looking down at her hands. “To be honest… This place has a lot of problems. It doesn’t get the amount of business as it used to and the B&B’s suffering for it.” She sighed. “I need to get out of here but… Well… Money’s tight and job hunting’s been tough.” She looked up and shrugged. “You know how it is…” She hesitated. She was talking to a woman who clearly wasn’t struggling. She was Sheriff for goodness sake. “I mean, well, tough for me. I…” Harper sighed, dropping her head slightly before looking up and smiling a mixture of a soft sad smile. “Not many people trust a single mother with no qualifications to work for them around here.”

Emma frowned slightly. It just didn’t seem right. She couldn’t fault Granny for not forking out money to fix up the place if it didn’t get a ton of business, Storybrooke wasn’t exactly a tourist attraction -- come to think of it, Emma couldn’t remember the last time somebody had visited from out of town. Or left town, for that matter. Hell, any time she thought too hard about what had prompted her to visit Storybrooke and eventually stay, it gave her a headache. 

Still, just because it made sense didn’t mean it was okay. Or a suitable place for a single mother and her kid. A kid who is actually way cuter now that he’s not crying (or grabbing for her).  She felt for Harper. For her situation. Emma couldn’t completely relate -- she didn’t have a child, for one (not one she has to care for or who like even knows she’s his... M word) -- but she’d seen her fair share of struggles, she knew what it was like to only have herself to rely on. To live in a place that had been neglected or simply uncared for. 

To be honest, she still wasn’t sure how she’d wound up with such a nice house. Nice, and big, and empty. 

“Yeah,” Emma knew how it was, better than Harper knew. Getting a job just out of prison with no secondary education or skills that could be used for anything that wasn’t a petty crime (she couldn’t very well put hot-wiring a car on her resume) had been challenging. She could only imagine Harper’s struggle... 

“People around here can be a little...” closed-minded, old-fashioned, judgemental, “You know.” Emma shrugged, tapping her fingers on the table just for something to do. “You know, I uh -- I have an extra room...” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and once they were out she couldn’t take them back. Honestly, she wasn’t sure what had prompted the offer, she supposed there was just something about Harper that made her want to go out of her way to help.

[odonowest]

one year of captain swan: 96/365

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

Snow’s fingernails were biting into his hand, but David didn’t stop her. He gave her a firm squeeze of support, however. He knew how much she needed her daughter to know her and it worked! Magic might still exist and Emma was still… well, she was still herself. This was evident in the way Emma was ready to confront Fiona as well as with a warning.

David would keep hold of Snow’s hand if she needed it - hell, he even needed it thinking what they had just woken their daughter to do - but this was what people like them do. Heroes don’t give up. 

As he started heading for the doors, David added reluctantly, “So you noticed about the truth curse,” and looked to Snow with a grim expression. “I fear we’ve not had luck in holding back exactly what was on our minds.” Including expressing an urgent desire for later after they defeat Fiona. “We’re not going to have that element of surprise on our side for long. Especially not with the three of us together. We’ll have to strike fast.” Even if he’d thought of Fiona as family. Sort of. Shaking his head, he grimaced. “She’s a smooth talker. I haven’t witnessed her using magic, but if the damage to the farm was at her hand, I’d say she has it. What about you, Emma? Do you still have magic?”

Snow clung onto David’s hand, even when she was forced to let go of Emma. If she had it her way, she would have held onto both of them and refused to let go until she could get Neal, only to hold all three of them in her arms for the rest of their lives. God, she loved them all so much. And she couldn’t wait for this to be over so they could settle down as a family. Maybe after this, maybe they could finally just be together without worrying for their lives and the lives of everyone they loved.

“That damn truth spell will keep us from doing any kind of sneak attack on her.” Snow said, as they left. “We’ll need to make sure we’re a hundred percent ready before we attack her so she doesn’t have a chance to prepare once she realises we’re awake.” The truth serum kicked in once more and Snow found herself speaking sharply without thought. “That evil woman has been tormenting me with threats of taking away Neal for too long. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that a woman who stole babies all her life would make herself the social worker here.”

Blushing slightly, Snow pressed her lips together and shook her head. She didn’t want the others to know how badly Fiona had gotten to her but all she could think of was what would have happened if Fiona had separated her from Neal. And not just for the curse. Snow couldn’t have handled the idea of a social worker telling her she was a failed mother and dragging her son from her arms to take him away forever while she could remember she once had him.

She was glad when David asked Emma about her magic. It distracted her from her own worries of all the what if’s. And she was also curious. If Emma had her magic, that would make things a lot easier for them to best Fiona and end this battle.

“Yeah Dad, I noticed,” she deadpans, and oh -- there’s that honesty thing again. At this point, she’s not even sure which curse she’s more pissed off about. (The one where she took her family’s memories, obviously, but it’s a pretty close call!!) Mary Margaret has a point though, it’s going to be hard for them to sneak around with this truth... thing affecting all of them. Or, harder anyway. But they’ve been through a lot together. Fought their fair share of evil mothers (it’s still so weird she’s Gold’s... mom), and Fiona’s not even the worst of them. Well, actually she kind of is because this is the final battle, the one she’s supposed to die in, which pretty much makes this worst-case scenario, but they’re still going to win. 

They have to. Everyone is depending on them, even if they don’t know it yet. And they only have this one chance to get it right. 

No pressure. 

Just the thought of Mary Margaret turning back into Harper, so... alone. Fiona keeping her and Neal under her thumb and in constant fear of separation. No, she won’t let that happen again. She can’t. 

“Yeah,” Emma says, in answer to David’s question. She can feel it more strongly now that she knows what it is. “I think I used it to fix Killian’s leg, but I wasn’t able to control it then.” She’d just known she wanted him to be okay. “But now that I know what it is ... who I am... I should be able to control it.” Assuming she doesn’t get any more of those tremors. But just in case. “Where’s that sword?”

[aloneswan]

true-loves-kiss-opens-door:

It wouldn’t do to admit that she had been wandering the net at the rectory with thoughts of her lover on her mind, and so with a blush, Brie goes for lifting her hand instead. The urge to blurt out the truth is strong but somehow she manages to squash it. Perhaps it’s only because of the waitress stopping before their table, asking if she could get them anything. “A pot of coffee, for now,” she says with a smile to the woman before focusing on Emma once again. “I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you coming out, volunteering for this. I want to make this the best fundraiser the town has ever seen. And what better way than with the help of the town sheriff. ”

A pot of coffee. For now. That’s all Brie orders, and then the waitress is off leaving Emma feeling a bit underwhelmed. She was promised a free breakfast! Coffee was a good start, but Emma had other things in mind -- pancakes, bacon, maple syrup! But as much as she wants to (like really wants to), she can’t say any of that. 

So instead, she bites her tongue (literally, to stop herself from saying something rude about starving the Sheriff) and nods her head. At least Brie is nice about it, like genuinely nice. And excited. And it is a good cause... even if Emma’s personal recovery from that freaking storm will require more than a polar bear contest. 

“Yeah, I can force people into helping.” Emma’s eyebrows shot up. She hadn’t expected herself to say that, but it wasn’t the worst idea...

[aloneswan]

true-loves-kiss-opens-door:

Brie laughs, standing from the seat she had just taken. Wrapped in an oversized jumper that she thinks might be Joseph’s or perhaps a past member of the clergy who had occupied the house before them, she looks even smaller than she normally does. Fashion hadn’t been on her mind though when she’d pulled the light gray wool from a closet, warmth had. Though as she struggles to free her petite hand from the voluminous sleeve, perhaps she should have given it a little thought. No bother, she’ll make due and enjoy her time while she does.

Starting with the sherif. “You did!” Almost skipping around the table from her joy that someone has shown up, Brie pulls out a chair for the sherif. “Breakfast is on me, of course,” she’s making her way back round the table as she speaks, “anything on the menu that you want.” Settling in her own chair, she opens one of the many folders she has brought and pulls out a golden yellow sheet of paper. On it, typed in neat script is the outline for her Polar Bear Plunge idea as well as some other thoughts on how the town can raise money for the those affected. “I was hoping that some others would show up, help with the planning, but even with the two of us, I’m sure we can make a huge difference.” Looking up, a large smile on her face, she can’t help but say, “oh I’m so glad you came. I was starting to worry no one would show.”

Oh, crap! Whatever it is that she’s shown up for, Emma’s positive she doesn’t want to be involved. But she can’t say that, obviously. How would that look? Town Sheriff refusing to take part in town events. But she also can’t lie, for whatever reason. Don’t get her wrong, she wants to, she just... feels this overwhelming desire to be honest. It’s confusing. And at the current moment completely inconvenient because she doesn’t want to hurt Aubrie’s feelings, but she also really just wants to get her food to go. Aubrie did also help her find Killian... technically, so in a way she sort of owes her...

Crap. 

“Well, I like free breakfast,” comes the only honest response she can muster. Whatever. After a stack of pancakes and some bacon, things will seem better. Following Brie’s lead, Emma takes the seat across from her. Polar Bear Plunge? Emma sighs, she better not have just volunteered herself to plunge in some freaking frozen water! 

Coffee. This is also going to require a ton of coffee. 

“Yeah, kind of unbelievable it’s just me,” Emma says, taking the paper from Aubrie to give it a closer look. Unbelievable, indeed. That out of all the charitable people in town it’d been her who walked into this. 

“It’s actually not a bad way to raise money,” she concedes, placing the paper back on the table. “What gave you the idea?”

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

The flash which emanates between them catches David’s breath in his throat. No matter how many times he’s witnessed the act of true love breaking a curse - whether between he and Snow waking one another from seemingly impossible sleeping curses, or a radiating wave waking the whole town - it brings about the same response. 

Smiling at their fortune, his lip wobbles into a smile, moisture collects in his eyes, and he laughs. Following Emma’s gaze to Snow, David laughs again and holds his hand out to his wife. “Yes. It worked!” 

But did it work for the whole town since Emma was involved this time? The question was in his eyes. Maybe they would have more help than they had expected, but one look towards Jefferson still laying flat on his back on the cot in the cell told David the answer was probably no. 

“Emma!” Snow repeated, and just as she predicted, a flood of tears broke out from her. Tears began to flood her eyes and she gasped as she rushed forward to her family, grabbing David’s hand and throwing her other arm around Emma, pulling her into a spine crushing hug and sobbing into the strands of her beautiful blonde hair resting on her shoulder.

She was gasping in between her sobs, so relieved because the truth was she hadn’t been sure on whether or not it was actually going to work but it did! She should have known better than to doubt David. To doubt the true love that their family shared. Because their family wasn’t just special. It was more than that. It was strong. Strong enough to withstand any curse and to bring them all back together no matter who tried to push them apart. No matter who they faced, they would always find each other.

“Oh, Emma!” Snow sobbed, still clinging to David’s hand and squeezing until her nails began biting the skin. She couldn’t help it. She felt like she might never let either of them go again. Her stomach had been knotted and finally released enough for her to no longer feel like she was going to be sick, and for a moment she allowed herself to forget. She forgot about Fiona and the dangers and everyone else still under the curse and instead focused on having her daughter back.

No matter how many curses they break or prevent or wake up from -- it never gets any easier. Not that she has a ton of experience waking up from curses. But this feels different than New York. She has to brace herself against David’s steady shoulder as all of it came back. The visions, and the tremors, and Gideon, and Fiona, and -- 

That bitch ruined her wedding ceremony!

At some point, Mary Margaret must have rushed over to them because she can hear her sobbing into her and feel her arm wrapped around her -- solid, and real. It grounds her. Something her -- Mary Margaret has always been good at. So she leans into it, into her -- cheek pressed against Mary Margarets as she offers David a small smile. So much has happened under this new curse. Fiona’s clever, almost crueller than Regina had been all those years ago, but even the Black Fairy hadn’t been able to pull them apart. Not really. She’d been careless. She’s left the savior hope, in the form of an old photograph. 

With a reluctant smile, Emma pulls back and steps away from her parents, it can’t have been more than five minutes but she’s already back in savior mode. “As happy as I am to have this reunion, we better get moving. There has to be a reason the Black Fairy wants to force us all to be honest.” A truth spell of some kind, she recognizes now. She really hates that fairy. “Right now we have the advantage, but if she finds out we’re awake...” She turns back to her parents as she slides on her patent red leather jacket. If she finds out they’re awake before they can form a plan, they’re screwed. 

They need to find that sword, find that Fairy Bitch, and win the final battle. 

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

Crazy, Emma said three times trying to convince herself and them, David knew. Nodding, he smiled, even laughing a little in relief because he knew exactly what to say. The truth. “Yes. It is absolutely crazy. Things like that shouldn’t be possible. They’re basically straight out of a story book. But,” he paused as he approached slowly as if he was nearing one of his… cursed?… horses. But, no they were actually his horses and she is actually his daughter no matter what a curse made them believe. “It’s all true. We lived that life, Emma.”

Holding out his arms, he carefully tried to embrace Emma knowing full well she may hit him for it, or he could have just completely ruined their chances of being able to get near their cursed daughter again, but he had to try. “We are both. I am the farmer and I was your deputy, and we are family.” That last part was a risk to say aloud just yet, but with this truth curse affecting them, he knew it was inevitably going to be said. Why deny it now when it could wake her? They were out of options and he could feel Snow panicking. 

Cupping the back of her head as he always did when he hugged his family, David whispered, “I love you, Emma.” And kissed the top of her head.

When David kissed Emma’s head, Snow felt her breath hitch and froze in her throat. She didn’t do it consciously, but when she realised what she had done she held it in there. So much for trying that as a last resort. Maybe they should have discussed all the possibilities before they had come charging into the station but then, they had assumed they still had the flower with them. And Snow could hardly complain about any of this when she was the reason they were in this awful situation.

Still, Snow believed in David, so she silently hoped he knew what he was doing. Maybe Snow was worried for nothing. After all, they loved Emma, the truly loved her and with that love - even in a land without magic - there had to be some power behind it, right? Emma had woken Henry with a true love’s kiss even without magic…

But then Henry had believed. Did Emma believe what David was saying to her?

Still holding her breath, Snow took a slow step towards them, watching carefully for the blonde woman’s reaction. Finally she forced herself to let the breath out and asked shakily. “Emma?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper and she realised that no matter what happened next, no matter what response Emma gave them, there would most certainly be tears.

It’s crazy, she continues to tell herself. They’re stoned or nuts or some combination of the two -- she should be calling social services to check in on little Neal, not entertaining the craziness. Hell! Even David knows he sounds like a total nutjob, so really she has no reason to second guess herself.

But... there’s something so earnest in his words -- not just what he’s said but how he says it. He believes everything he’s saying is true. And while Emma’s not quite as certain as he seems (crazy people tend to believe their crazy the most, after all), she wants to believe it too. If she squints just enough she can even see it.  All that stuff about family, and working together, and that picture ---

Neither of them could remember that picture being taken! And the way she’d found it like it wasn’t supposed to be there. Like it’d been left behind. So many coincidences she’d purposely ignored because they didn’t make sense. Not just the picture either -- Killian’s leg healing too quickly, the way nobody could seem to lie, Jefferson’s entire personality change --

Maybe not everything he’s said is as crazy as she thought...

Maybe she doesn’t want it to be.

So when David leans in to press his lips against her forehead, she doesn’t pull away or punch him in the unsolicited act of affection. Like she said, she’s not sure she believes this is anything other than a drug-induced rant, but she wants to. If not just to ease some of those nerves in Harper’s eyes. Which is totally dumb, and just as (if not more) crazy as their stories, because a forehead kiss can’t change anything, right?

A flash of something curses through her.

Emma takes a deep breath and a step back, looking down her own body in confusion. Holy crap.

Her eyes shoot up to meet David’s, “Dad?” Then to Mary Margaret, “Mom?”

[aloneswan]

true-loves-kiss-opens-door:

Recover Fiona || Aubrie Wooler and Emma Swan

Granny’s is near empty as Brie sets up the table by the front window. Sunlight is filtering through the large window and she cannot keep the large smile off her face as she sets out her legal pad and little sign announcing The Recover Fiona Organization. The name needed work, that she would wholly admit as she settled in the silver and red chair. It had since she’d typed up the flyers inviting anyone interested in attending the planning sessions to come to Granny’s this morning. So far, no one is there, but she knows that people will come. Or at least she hopes so. She’s fiddling with her pen when the door opens, a burst of cold air announcing the arrival of someone. “Hi!,” she says brightly, the smile on her face growing as she looks up, “I’m so glad you could make it!”

@aloneswan

Emma’s here for the coffee. And the pancakes. And maybe some bacon and eggs. All of this slathered in maple syrup and packed up to go. That’s the plan, anyway. She’s not being anti-social, she’s just eager to get to the station and check in on Robin. Not because she doesn’t trust him or anything, but because he’s new, and still getting the hang of things, and... because she doesn’t totally trust him. 

Man. She’s off her game lately. Not only has she been incapable of lying to other people, now it seems she can’t even lie to herself. Did she make an unconscious pact with herself to be more honest or something?

Anyway, she’s here for food. Quick in and out and off to work to distract herself from things and stuff and teach Robin how to shoot a gun! Definitely not avoiding anything! Except before she can make it to the counter, she’s met with a cheery Brie who is apparently very glad she made it. For what, she’s not sure, but Emma gets the distinct impression it’s not for breakfast that she’s talking about. 

“I did?” Emma asks, hand still on the door handle like she might leave at any moment, which she obviously can’t do, but that doesn’t make the impulse any less strong. She just really wants pancakes. 

[lumadreamland]

365 days of emma swan: day 260 

[ofhoodlvms]

A New Leaf || Emma

[aloneswan]

ofhoodlvms:

It seemed like Emma truly was experiencing the same problem he was, which made him curious. He wasn’t cursed, unlike the blonde woman - who would have been asking him some significantly different questions were she able to, such as how was he alive and what was he doing in her goddamn office and, he imagined, where her pirate and her boy were - so it couldn’t be that. Perhaps it was a radius being affected by magic? He’d have to check it out later. Do his own investigation. A small grin spread across his face at the thought. Ah, being a detective already.

He was clearly meant for this role.

“I didn’t mean to cause offence,” he replied. Truth. He’d not meant to say anything at all. “I simply meant that it’s a quiet town. If you believe in stereotypes, a lot of the residents seem content to leave anything dangerous up to others, and I don’t believe you’re from these parts, Sheriff.”

He could get through this. He could absolutely get through this.

“I would be interested in learning how to use one. Much preferable to the alternative,” he admitted with a shrug. Robin tilted his head, raising an eyebrow at the former princess. “I dare say you’re talking like I’ve got the job, dear Sheriff. If I’d known it was this easy, I’d have volunteered a long time ago.”

Robin cringed. Ugh, whatever the hell was behind this, he was going to personally find the responsible party and put several arrows through varying body parts.

“I apologise. It’s… It’s been a trying few weeks,” he managed to get out. “I do need the money quite badly. I have a child, we don’t have an actual place to stay legally and I know this is as much chance as I could possibly have of something even tangentially related to an honest income. I would appreciate being given an opportunity, if you’re still willing.”

Oh, would he have now?

Emma’s eyes narrowed just so -- not a full on glare, but enough of one to let him know he’d struck a chord. She didn’t much like the implication that she was a pushover or something. She was asking questions. Real interview type questions. And if she was talking like he had the job it was only because she wanted to get a real feel for what he’d be like on the job... or something. Not because she was desperate to fill the position or anything. No! She was a total professional. 

Though... if she did ever find herself snowed into a mansion with a teenager, a frozen florist and a crazy person, it’d be good to know she had someone she could trust to man the station. 

And dubious past aside, the guy seemed pretty trustworthy. Or at least like he’d be a decent deputy. He was fit, eager to learn, comfortable with weapons... And he needed the money. To get a home, apparently. For him and his kid. And she swore she wasn’t going soft, but any frustration she might have felt in response to his earlier accusations seemed kind of unimportant when she looked at the full picture. He really needed the job, and Emma really needed some help. 

It just made sense that what they really needed was each other. 

But she wasn’t ready to let him off the hook completely just yet. “And you have someone who can look after your when you’re working extra night shifts?”

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

David nearly missed Emma’s questions. He was only nodding absently about a flower while his eyes moved from the empty bag to Snow’s eyes. Now what? 

Well, he sighed as he patted his wife’s arm. His eyes would say to her, We can do this regardless of a flower.

“Look. Emma.” He stopped and winced as he tried to formulate what he could possibly say that wouldn’t have her thinking he was actually high and out of his mind. Because what he needed to say sounded completely out there. “That picture you showed me? The one in front of the Sheriff’s car?” He took a slight step closer to her with one hand out placatingly. “It wasn’t a career day. It was just us enjoying a nice summer day as we worked together here. I was your deputy then. Your mo–” He froze, eyes widening just slightly before he took control over his tongue again. Gesturing back at Snow, he added, “That is to say, Harper took the picture of us.” Not that that should be reassuring at all since clearly Emma wouldn’t have remembered that and she was looking at them like they were both culty stoners.

“You asked me sincerely on the street the other day if I remembered it. If I remembered you. I do now.”

As David stepped forward, Snow pressed her lips together to keep from shouting anything else out. And also to fight back the tears that were beginning to build and the sob that was threatening to tickle the back of her throat. If she let herself, she might lose control and all because she had messed up and left the flower back with Killian. How could she be so foolish? What were they supposed to do now?! How were they supposed to wake Emma without the magic of the flower? Was it too late to run back for it? Maybe David could keep Emma busy while she collected the magic… Then again, Killian had probably thrown the wilting thing out by now.

True Love’s Kiss wouldn’t work here. Even though a part of Snow was screaming at her to step forward and try it anyway, she knew that without Emma knowing and believing in them as well as them believing in her, she would just come across as a crazy person randomly kissing her cheek! That would only make things worse but then… What else could they do? They HAD to wake her. They just had to.

Snow glanced back and forth between her husband and her daughter. She had no idea what David’s plan was, but surely he didn’t think he could just make her remember by telling her about their real selves? Then again, what other options did they have at this point? It was making Snow nervous, but she decided to stand back for a moment and let David try his thing. If not then… Well… Then they might have to regroup and come up with a new plan. Or maybe they could try True Love’s Kiss? As a last resort of course, and not until they had truly tried everything else, including searching for the flower she had left behind.

Her mo--

Emma’s brows furrowed. David didn’t have to finish the word for Emma to know where he was going. And honestly, she didn’t know what part of it was worse. Having the woman who’d abandoned her thrown in her face as some kind of proof that the whole story wasn’t completely insane or the implication that Harper -- a woman that was visually the same age as Emma herself -- was somehow her... mom. Must have been some pretty good ‘flowers’ they’d taken. She wanted to take a step back, put some physical distance between the two of them, but her feet stayed rooted in place. 

“That’s crazy,” Emma said with less conviction than she’d meant, “You know that sounds crazy, right?”

She looked between the two of them again, stuck by the urgency she found in their eyes -- how desperate both seemed for her to listen to them. How earnestly David seemed to believe the words he was saying. And as crazy as it was, there were no lies detected. Of course, crazy people tended to believe the lies they told themselves, so there was that...

The only thing was Emma sort of believed him too. Or she wanted to, anyway. His story sounded nice. David as her deputy. The two of them hanging out with Harper on Main Street taking pictures. She could almost see it in her imagination. In fact, the harder the concentrated the clearer she could see it. Only it didn’t feel like an image conjured up by her imagination. 

It felt like... a memory. 

The three of them sitting around a table at Granny’s. With the Mayor, for some reason. And Harry. And Harper is... super pregnant. And they’re happy. Or they seem to be maybe. But it’s not possible, is it? She’d remember that. David as her deputy, and casual meals with Regina, and hanging out with Harry...

“It’s crazy,” she said again, only she wasn’t sure which of them she was trying to convince anymore. 

[charmingprinceflannel]

Rise and Shine || Snow, Emma, David

[aloneswan]

struggling-harper-royal:

charmingprinceflannel:

Snow was having trouble controlling her words again, David realized. She tucked her face into his arm and he raised his to hold her securely across her back, again feeling at a loss that she’d been so afraid for her life and Neal’s this time but also because this wasn’t the first time this had happened to her and to them all. But she pulled away after she had gained some control. His eyes remained on Emma as Snow continued to talk. He figured this wasn’t making any sense to their daughter. She was going to think them crazy and excessive, surely. But he hoped because of what Snow was saying, that Harper and Emma knew each other, that she would still listen. Not back away and close off. 

And it seemed she was listening, even if skeptical by the expression on her  face.

The voice calling out around the corner had Jefferson glance up to see who she had locked up and it was none other than the hatter. He looked like he was thoroughly disturbed. Well, more than usual anyway. “Hey, I remember him.” David raised a finger to gesture toward the cells and glanced to Snow with a raised eyebrow. 

Emma told him to go back to sleep which raised the question of whether Jefferson was actually awake awake or just as under the curse as the rest of them. He would put money on the fact that he was cursed though because without argument, the man nodded, rubbed a hand through his hair and flopped back down on the cot. Too agreeable for the cynical man he remembered. 

Back to Emma now, David raised a placating hand and a half smile upon his face. “No, we’re not part of a cult. We’re…” Don’t say family. He gulped and glanced to Snow. “Show her the flower. That’s probably the easiest way.”

At the sound of the voice, Snow glanced up across the room and instantly had a familiar memory pop into her head from the very first curse Regina had cast. They hadn’t interacted before or after that but there was an evening that she remembered well enough when she had still been Mary Margaret This guy was Jefferson, the one who had kidnapped her and Emma and…

“Jefferson… I haven’t seen you since I kicked you out your window.” Snow blurted curiously before she realised what she was saying and how it might have sounded. She tried turning to Emma to explain but, as usual, it all just came tumbling out. “But that’s only because he kidnapped us and was threatening our lives and I didn’t know who he was or what he wanted back then.”

She would have kept going if David hadn’t attempted to bring some focus back into their visit. But even he wasn’t doing much better - though at least he was stopping himself before he said too much. By the time Snow realised she should be stopping herself, she’d already blurted it all out.

“Yes! The flower!” Snow gasped, thankful to have something to keep her busy and keep her from saying anything else that would make Emma think she was even more crazy than she was probably already assuming.

Only, when she opened the bag, she was met with an awful sight.Something that was practically right from a horror story. The bag was empty. She couldn’t even shuffle through like it was hiding behind something because there was absolutely nothing inside at all. It was a completely empty bag. The flower wasn’t there. She must have left it with Killian back in his shop. Oh god no…

Snow looked up at David helplessly. The bag open between them so he could see the horror itself. An empty contents. She had lost their chance to wake Emma.

Whoa, whoa, whoa -- did Harper say she kicked Jefferson out of a window? She was sure her face expressed both her concern and confusion at the admission, her eyes wide and mouth gaping just so. She was starting to think she shouldn’t take anything either of them said too seriously. Either this was some kind of over the top prank or they’d both totally cracked. Well... Emma wouldn’t exactly categorize Jefferson kidnapping people as totally out of the realm of possibility (neither Jefferson or  Killian seem to have any clear answers as to how they ended up at that mansion), but she does have a hard time imagining sweet Harper -- who couldn’t even pull her door closed the other day -- kicking Jefferson out of a window...

Then again, this was a whole new side she was seeing of Harper. Maybe she wasn’t really as sweet as Emma had initially thought...

“The ‘flower’?” Emma asked brow raised as she made a mental list of all the street names she knows for hallucinogenic drugs because... seriously? She very much doubted them showing her a flower was going to change much of anything. But they sure seemed pretty convinced, didn’t they?

Emma sighed as she watched Harper search through her bag, almost frantic when she realizes whatever ‘flower’ she’s looking for was missing. There was something about the look in Harper’s eyes as she turned to David and showed him her bag that tugged at her heartstrings. She didn’t understand it, but maybe she didn’t need to. But she did have a responsibility to this town and the people in it. 

Peering quickly over her shoulder at the cell to make sure Jefferson had in fact gone back to sleep, Emma turned her attention back to the pair. “Are you two... high?” She wasn’t judging, they didn’t seem the type to get into anything hard (then again, she remidned herself, how well did she know them?), but if there was a lost baggie of ‘flowers’ on main street, she should probably confiscate it.