Justabeetle

He/him pronouns🏳️‍⚧️, please, this is just a place for me to practice writing again :)

[certifiedfroggit]

Hello to whoever stumbles on my posts, this is my acc for practising my writing through media that I have consumed. Admittedly, I am nervous to post anything online as it is not something I have considered before, but I thought I would give it a go.

I hope you enjoy my work 🫶🫶🫶

I plan to post on a semi-regular basis, though this is new, so I don't know how this will end up.

homophobes, transphobes, racists, dni, I do not want hate on my page

[certifiedfroggit]

Once Upon A Time: Chapter Five

Ouat x reader insert

Ouat x Gn!reader

Word count: 9.2k

CW: Injury(broken bones), threats, attempted murder, mental health implications

Episode Five: That Still Small Voice

In The Enchanted Forest

A crowd gathers around a puppet show, the bright colors of the puppet’s clothing and cartoonist voices distract the crowd from a young boy weaving through the crowd, pickpocketing anyone who appears to have anything of value on them. He goes unnoticed and sneaks away. Later, he empties his stolen goods out on a table in front of his parents, who gleam when they see the pile of gold, silver, and high value goods in front of them.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Careful! Careful!” The father, an older man called Martin, warns as he begins to rifle through the pile.

“Don't let those coins roll away,” the mother, a woman called Myrna adds as she follows in a similar manner as her husband, picking out anything particularly shiny.

“No, they might… disappear,” Martin grins as he takes a coin and performs a magic trick, the coin seemingly disappearing before it reappears and he swiftly puts it in his pocket. “Whoa, whoa. Look at that!” He shouts as the young boy - Jiminy - pulls out a small cage with a cricket stuck inside.

“Oh, a cricket! I love crickets!” He smiles as he admires the insect, resting his chin on the table.

“Crickets are trouble. Noisy bugs.” Myran complains while counting the coins.

“But they get to do what they want! Hopping from place to place… They’re free.” He explains innocently, an air of longing surrounding him as he gazes at the cricket.

“You’re free,” his mother argues, rolling her eyes at her son’s desires.

“To do what we want,” his father chimes in.

“To be who you are.”

“And you are who you are.”

“Well, maybe I want to be something else. Maybe I don’t want to steal. Maybe I want to be good,” Jiminy considers as he begins to imagine the life he could be leading if he chose to be good.

“All that from a cricket…” His father grumbles, as he stashes the coins away for ‘safe keeping’.

“Told ya - trouble.”

“Good is another word for weak,” Martin explains.

“Let us do the thinking for you,” Myran suggests as she pats her son’s head just a little too hard.

“That’s what parents are for.”

“To help you.”

“You are who you are and there’s no changing you, Jiminy. Right?” His father pushes while moving to sit opposite his son, glaring down at him with a cold grin.

“...Right.” Jiminy mumbles, looking away from his cricket and to the ground.

“Right. Problem solved.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Henry and Archie sit in Archie’s office for Henry’s session, Pongo the dog curled up at Henry’s feet.

“You weren’t always a cricket.” Henry comments out of the blue, hands fiddling with his scarf.

“I weren’t always- Oh, right. Because, um… Because you think I’m Jiminy Cricket. Why… Why do you… Why do you think that, Henry?” Archie stutters out, trying and failing once again to try and understand Henry’s theory/

“It’s just because of who you are,” he shrugs.

“And what am I?” He questions as he jots down some small attempts at trying to piece his thinking together.

“You’re a conscious. You help people see right from wrong,” he explains while reaching down to pet Pongo. To him, it makes so much sense for Jiminy Cricket to be made into a therapist, still unaware that you were the one to design that part of this curse.

“So, all the crickets in Storybrooke - they were once people, too?” Archie questions though it comes off almost condescending to the boy who instantly frowns.

“There aren’t any crickets here. Listen.”

“Maybe it isn’t light enough,” Archie suggests with a dismissive shrug, receiving another frown from the boy.

“There’s never been crickets here. You’ve just never noticed,” he argues while pointing to empty air, going quiet for a moment to prove his point. No crickets.

“So, you think that’s proof that there’s a curse?” He enquires sceptically, almost tired of hearing about the curse every week.

“Yes, but I know it’s not enough. I’m looking for more,” Henry explains, as convinced as he is that the curse is real, it is quickly dawning on him how other people view him. Therefore, he must gather evidence.

“So, Henry, look. I asked you this once before because you said you’d think about it. Why do you think it’s so important that this is real?” He asks, finally addressing the core of why this is all so important to him.

“It… It just is.”

“Alright. Well, keep thinking about that answer, Henry. Cause I think there’s something buried there.”

Emma and Graham stand together in the sheriff station talking over her new job, Emma holding up the uniform that is assigned to staff.

“A tie? You know you don’t have to dress a woman as a man to give her authority,” she teases, tossing the beige clothing back at him.

“So, you think you can get people to do what you want in that red coat?” He shoots back while leaning against his desk, crossing his arms.

“I’m getting you to do what I want right now.”

“Well, at least wear the badge. Go on - take it. If you really want to be a part of this community, we have to make it official.” He orders as he holds out a badge similar to his own, which she sighs and takes it from him. When she clips it onto her belt, there is a violent shake which alerts you, you immediately run towards the noise as all the phones at the station start to ring.

The entire town is gathered around where there appears to be the entrance to a tunnel. You, while the rest of the town is too worried to investigate, you start to poke around the entrance. That is, until Regina arrives in her car.

“Everyone! Step back, please!” She calls out and everyone complies but you, much to her chagrin, but she doesn’t try to stop you. There’s no point, and you know when you’re in a dangerous situation.

“Is it a crater?” Ruby asks while itching to pull you into the crowd and away from the mystery collapse in the town.

“No, they were tunnels - old mines. Something collapsed.” Marco responds in a surprisingly calm tone, you suppose that in the curse he was given a fake history of Storybrooke.

“He is correct, I can see a track running through it!” You nod as you edge ever closer to where the ground dips.

“Be careful, [name], you shouldn’t be there!” Regina warns before turning to Sheriff Graham and the new Deputy Emma with a sigh, “Sheriff, set up a police perimeter. Marco, why don’t you help with the fire department? Miss Swan, this is now official town business. You’re free to go.” She grins in a mock politeness, her distaste for the woman is hardly a secret.

“Well, actually, I work for the town now,” Emma points out with a little smirk, keeping her eyes flickering between Regina and you, making sure you don’t actually go into the tunnels.

“She’s my new deputy,” Graham adds on with an awkward smile, rubbing the back of his neck. It is awkward to have to inform the woman that you are having a relationship with that you have employed the woman that she despises in a position that is directly under you.

“They say the Mayor’s always the last to know.”

“It’s in my budget,” he argues.

“Indeed. Deputy, why don’t you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?” She shrugs while rolling her eyes, already fed up with the day.

Regina steps away from them and stands in front of the crowd of people who are watching you slowly creep into the tunnel.

“People of Storybrooke, don’t be alarmed. We’ve always known this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels. But fear not. I’m going to undertake a project to make this area safe - to rehabilitate it into city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it.” She announces while Henry runs to the front of the crowd.

“Pave it? What if there’s something down there?” He argues while grinning upon seeing you, making him want to investigate too.

“Henry. What are you doing here?”

“What’s down there?” He questions while stepping forward.

“Nothing. Now step back. In fact, everyone - [name], I mean you too! Please, please step back. Thank you.” She demands, to which you roll your eyes but comply for the time being, standing just outside the entrance to the tunnels. You don’t notice Regina picking up a piece of glass from the debris and putting it in her pocket. But Henry does.

“What was that?” Henry points out.

“Henry, enough. Listen. This is a safety issue. Wait in the car.”

Henry grumbles and reluctantly begins to walk out of the area.

“Deputy Swan, Sheriff - cord off the area.”

Henry climbs into Regina’s car, continuing to grumble in irritation, waiting for the perfect moment to get out and whisper to Archie who was standing nearby.

“Hey, Archie! Over here!” He whisper-yells as he leads him to a police car by Emma.

“This requires all of Operation Cobra. Both of you,” he explains quietly while attempting to stay hidden from Regina.

“I didn’t realize that I was in Operation Cobra,” Archie comments.

“Of course you are. You know everything. We can’t let her do this. What if there’s something down there?” He explains before trying to catch a glimpse at the tunnels, already trying to imagine what’s hiding down there.

“They’re just some old tunnels,” Emma shrugs.

“That just happen to collapse right after you get here? [Name] wouldn’t be trying to get into them if they were just mines. You’re changing things. You’re weakening the curse.” Henry argues with a bright smile, believing that you are at least somewhat aware and the curse has to be unravelling by Emma’s presence.

“That’s not what’s happening.”

“Yes, it is! [Name] wouldn’t fight my mom so much on this if it was nothing. Did you do anything differently today?” He questions as he looks at the badge on her belt, “cause something made this happen.”

Regina walks up to the three of them, “Henry, I told you to wait in the car. Deputy, do your job.” She orders as the two split and leave in different directions, Emma rubbing her badge gently as if in thought. When Archie goes to leave, Regina calls after him.

“Dr. Hopper. A word, please?” She asks as she leads him away from the crowd. “Okay. We’re done with this.”

“Uh, excuse me?”

“My son. We need a new treatment plan. Everything I do he thinks is part of some horrible plot. I can’t cover up a safety hazard without him thinking I’m hiding something. How am I hiding something terrible in an old mine? How is any of this logical to him?” She questions while Archie frowns as if almost sensing what she wants him to do.

“He’s got an amazing imagination,” he shrugs, unable to come up with any other logical explanation for Henry’s belief.

“Yes, that you let run rampant,” Regina snaps.

“Well, I think it would be wrong to rip away the world he’s constructed. I’d rather use it to try and gain-”

“Sometimes, I think you’ve forgotten. You work for me. You’re an employee. And I can fire you. This is my town. You will lose your office, lose your house, I can cut you down to size until you’re a tiny, shrunken, little creature and this will be the only roof over your head.” Regina threatens as she holds up Archie’s umbrella while watching him tremble in fear.

“...What would you have me do?” He submits while bowing his head, his gaze trained on the floor.

“You take that delusion out of my son’s head and you crush it.”

In The Enchanted Forest

In a field, several caravans are parked with many people outside preparing and setting up tents. Children run around the grass screaming and laughing while the adults do their work. Jiminy and his parents are there as one of the entertainers, Jiminy is an adult now and carries himself with a level of shame.

“Come on, Jiminy. Oh, I remember this place. Looks like it’s been a good year,” Myrna grins while taking a deep breath, almost smelling all the money they’d gather by the end of this.

“Yeah, you can tell by all the fat people,” his father quips.

“Maybe we can run the elf tonic scam again,” she wonders as they begin to unpack for the season.

“Can’t we just… Can’t we just put on a show?” Jiminy asks, sick of running scams and stealing from innocent people, “we make enough in the ticket sales. Do we have to steal too?”

“We don’t need to, but it’s nice. We steal from them, and they steal from someone else,” Martin shrugs.

“It’s called an economy.”

“We’re a vital part of it.”

Their voices taunt Jiminy as they have every day for years, the non stop teasing and scamming, all the shame and inability to have roots or friends.

“I want to change… I want to quit!” He announces in a choked sob, wanting - needing to escape for this torment.

“Oh, this again!” Myrna scoffs as she rolls her eyes, wondering how they ended up with such a soft, moral son.

“Well, you can’t leave now,” Martin chuckles while pulling out a trunk.

“We’re getting old.”

“It’s my hip.”

“My liver.”

“I’ve got lumps in strange places.”

“I’ve got burning sensations.”

“You better stay with us.”

“Just until we die.”

“Now, be a good boy and set up.” They taunt as Jiminy crumbles into silent submission once again.

Jiminy is setting things up for the puppet show as rain pours down on him. Fitting, he thinks. A young boy with an umbrella watches him for a moment before approaching him with a large smile.

“Puppets! Wow, what a great job you have!” The boy cheers until he notices his solemn expression. “...You don’t like it?” He asks as he gets a little closer.

“No. No, I don’t. Same show, same fairs every year.” He explains with fatigue, holding up one of the pockets a little too tight.

“Then why don’t you do something else?” The boy asks innocently, still watching him with a smile.

“This is just who I am. What? Did you just come out here to watch us set up?” Jiminy asks, almost snapping at the boy who chuckles and shakes his head.

“No, I came out here to listen to the crickets!”

“Oh, crickets! Why, I haven’t listened to the crickets in a while,” he mumbles to himself, giving himself a moment to do the same, taking a deep breath of night air. “Hey, you better get home. You’re going to catch a cold,” he suggests in a much calmer voice now.

“So are you,” the boy points out, “ here, have my umbrella. I don’t live far. I can’t wait to see the show!” He giggles as he hands her his umbrella before running off back home.

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Archie sits in his office, slumped in his chair, seemingly deep in thought. Marco knocks on the door before pushing it open with a smile.

“Hey, Arch!” He calls out which startles Archie, he sits up and smiles softly at him.

“Marco? What are you doing here?” He asks and is met with Marco making an eating gesture. “Oh, lunch. I’m sorry, I forgot- I got another patient. Another time?” He asks with a meek smile.

“Sure, of course,” he responds understandingly while Henry runs around Marco and into the room for his session. “Hey! Have a good session, Henry,” he smiles and scruffs Henry’s hair before he leaves. Archie and Henry both sit on the couches.

“Hey.” Archie starts awkwardly, knowing what he has to do.

“Are you recruiting Geppetto for Operation Cobra?” Henry asks happily, glad that his theory might be more believed.

“You think Marco’s Geppetto?”

“Sure. He’s Jiminy Cricket’s best friend and Marco’s yours,” he explains with a shrug, not noticing the way that Archie sighs and fidgets with his umbrella.

“Henry… Henry, look. W-We really need to talk about this, okay?”

“I know you’re not convinced, but I know where I can get proof,” he explains while unzipping his backpack to show Archie what’s inside.

“What is this? Flashlight? Candy bars? Oh, wait, Henry. Henry, you do not want to go down there.” He warns in panic, not wanting him to go too far in the attempts to prove his curse theory.

“Emma’s here and stuff’s happening. I have to look at it.”

“Henry, Henry. Stop. Stop. There is no proof. Look, all of this - all of this - is a delusion. Do you know what a delusion is?” Archie orders as he attempts to sound more cold, struggling to follow Regina’s orders.

“I… I think so.”

“It’s something that’s not real. And… And not healthy. And I thought that you’d outgrow this, but Henry, you know… Now it’s turned into a psychosis. Do you know what a psychosis is? Th-that’s when you can no longer tell what’s real and if that continues, then… Then I have to lock you away. Henry, look. This has to stop for your own good. You got to wake up. This nonsense must end.” He stumbles out, admittedly probably going a bit too far. This is a shared opinion as Henry storms out of Archie’s office looking betrayed.

Mary Margaret and David are playing hangman in his hospital room, they are both smiling.

“...I don’t know. M?” Mary Margaret asks as she inspects the letters she’d gotten correct.

“Mmhmm. Two of them. Get it yet?” David asks as he fills in the missing spaces.

“Yes. And I’m completely mortified. I almost hanged on my own name,” she jokes as they both laugh.

“Don’t worry - I would never have let you hang. I would’ve added toes, a hat, maybe a horse.” He quips while wiping the board that they were playing on.

“Is this a game you played a lot? Uh, before?” She enquires.

“I don’t know…”

“It’ll come back. They’re sending you home in a week. They have to think you’re progressing, don’t they?” She explains while fiddling the ring on her finger.

“Physically.”

“Well, you’re making new memories just fine,” Mary Margaret comments with a small smile, happy that she gets to be part of his new life.

“Maybe I’ll like these better.” He mumbles while looking up at her.

“...Okay, play again?” She suggests quickly, trying to ignore the heat creeping on her cheeks and up her neck.

Kathryn enters the room while holding a box, “can I guess too?” She asks as she sits down with them.

“Oh, Mrs. Nolan. I, uh.. Oh, it’s noon already. I didn’t realize. I should go,” she stumbles out as she gets up.

“Good day, Miss Blanchard.”

Mary Margaret goes to sign out, but can still overhear the conversation. Kathryn shows David a picture of a dog.

“Honey, I brought more pictures. Maybe it’ll jog something. It’s our old dog - Ajax. Remember?” She practically begs for him to remember, to which he stares at the photo before nodding insincerely.

“Yeah… Yeah, Ajax.”

Mary Margaret, Emma, and yourself are at Mary Margaret’s apartment. You sew up the jacket that you wore when you tried sneaking into the tunnels, having ripped the seam on the sleeve. And after receiving a scolding from Mary Margaret for being reckless, she allowed you to have some tea and sew.

“I’m the worst person in the world,” Mary Margaret groans as she sits on the couch next to you.

“Really? In the whole world?” Emma questions with a small grin, finding it a little amusing how she’s acting irrationally.

“The whole world? That is a lot of people to be worse than,” you add while cutting the thread of your now repaired clothing. Mary Margaret ignores you both as she leans into the couch.

“If Kathryn was horrible it’d be easier, but she’s so… nice.” She mumbles as you both look at her with a sigh, knowing what she’s feeling.

“And what, exactly, would be easier?” Emma enquires in a disproving manner, not wanting her to fall into this.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing’s a good idea. You’re smart - you know not to get involved with a married guy. It’s not worth the heartache - trust me.” She advises as you nod along, it is never smart to let yourself get involved, it will always end with people getting hurt.

“You deserve better than chasing a married man, Mary.” You add as there is a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Emma says as she gets up and opens the door, finding a devastated Henry on the other side. He slowly comes in and hugs you, used to seeking you out for comfort.

“Kid? What happened?” She asks as she follows him over to you.

Emma pounds on the door of Archie’s office. He doesn’t answer. With an irritated grunt, she lets herself in.

“Archie! Archie! What did you do? You told me not to take the fantasy away. You told me it would devastate him!” She yells at him with such anger, furious that he would dare try to take this away from him.

“Of course, if therapy stops working, you adjust it.” He responds coldly while refusing to make eye contact with Emma.

“Is it her? Did she threaten you? What could be strong enough to drown out your own conscious?” She growls, unable to believe that he would go out of his way to do this himself.

“I do not need to defend my professional decisions to you, okay?” He snaps while trying to hide the way he is crumbling under his own morals.

Emma’s phone rings following his attempt at arguments.

“Hello, Madam Mayor. Nice work,” Emma snaps.

“You with him?” Regina asks boredly, not in the mood to deal with Emma.

“Yes, I’m with Dr. Hopper and guess what? You left your fingerprints all over him when you tried-”

“Not him - Henry. Is he with you?” She interrupts with an audible eyeroll.

“I dropped Henry at your office an hour ago,” she explains in a calmer manner, now just confused.

“Well, he’s not here.”

“I don’t know where he is.”

“Oh… I do,” Archie mutters in shame as he finally looks off the ground.

Henry stands at the entrance to the mine with you next to him, both curious about the mine and wanting to keep Henry safe. You turn on your flashlights and enter the tunnel.

In The Enchanted Forest

Rumplestiltskin is in a room decorated with lavish furniture, gold blemishes, ornate bookshelves and shelves tower up high. It all screams of gauche luxury, like someone pretending to be a part of high society, basing their reality off of their imagination more than a lived experience. Apart from a rickety old spinning wheel that the imp sits at, spinning straw into gold. Jiminy enters with hesitant steps and places a bag on a table not too far in front of him.

“Thank you very much,” Rumplestiltskin says, barely looking up from his spinning, “and the names? To whom did these treasures belong?” He enquires as Jiminy takes out a list, placing it on top of the pile. Rumplestiltskin grins and hands him a strand of gold thread.

“Gold thread - for your thievery. Thank you. You can go.” He begins and Jiminy sighs, turning to go before he continues to speak, “but you want something else, don’t you? Something with magic.” Rumplestiltskin predicts as he places a gold thread into a bowl along with a potion. When the two combine, the solution begins to glow.

“Every year, I’m stuck in that damn wagon. I want to be free. I want to… I want to be someone else, but something keeps holding me back.” He confesses as he pulls at a loose thread clinging to his shirt.

“Something? Or someone?”

“It’s my parents.” He adds without looking up at him, ashamed that he is still under the control of his parents despite being an adult.

“Then I have exactly what you need. This will set you free. Pour it, sprinkle it, put it in their curds and wait… Anything will work.” Rumplestiltskin explains as he holds up a vial of a clear liquid - the potion. Jiminy goes to take it, but he whips his hand back. “Ah! But you have nothing more to give me. Tell you what - after the potion has done its work, leave them where they are and I’ll come collect them. It’ll be my fee,” he shrugs off.

“What will become of them?” Jiminy asks as if his fee is so small, then this potion must be something horrible.

“Worry you not. They’ll be in safe hands and you’ll be free.” With a reluctant but desperate effort, he takes the vial and leaves.

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Archie look at the entrance of the tunnels, calling Henry’s name. Pongo sits next to them whining.

“Henry!”

“Henry!”

“Henry!” They yell in unison, interrupted by Pongo sniffing at something on the ground.

“What do you got there, Pongo?” He asks, kneeling in front of Pongo to look for what the dog had found.

“I don’t think he’s here,” Emma relents while turning to look at them.

“I think he is,” Archie mumbles as he finds one of the candy bars that Henry had in his backpack. He holds it up for Emma to see. “Candy bar. He had these with him.”

You and Henry search in the mine with his flashlight, you lead with him following close behind when you come across a piece of glass that Regina found earlier. You… recognise this glass. A piece of metal stretches over the top, just like… “Snow” you barely mutter. Sleeping. Snow. Dead. Her coffin. Your eyes widen, parts of the enchanted forest are leaking into this world. Henry notices your reaction, it is unlike how anyone under the curse would react. You’re awake. But before he can say anything, the mine starts to shake and collapse. You pull him closer, keeping him sheltered with your own body.

Emma and Archie attempt to stable themselves during this earthquake, they presume it to be.

“Henry!”

“Archie!”

“Henry, it’s not safe!”

“Henry!”

“Henry!” Archie yells as he runs into the mine, the entrance collapsing behind him and leaving Emma stranded on the outside

Archie lights a match and begins to walk farther into the tunnel.

“Henry! Henry!” He calls into the darkness before Henry jumps out from a corner as you follow, the glass piece in your pocket.

“Archie!”

“Henry! [Name]!” He sighs, relieved to find him. “[Name], what are you doing down here?”

“I could not stand by and let Henry explore the mine by himself, besides, I wanted to come down here at some point,” you explain with a shrug.

“You’re here to help me!” Henry exclaims as he leaves your side to greet him.

“No, Henry, listen. We got to get out of here, okay?”

“So, you’re still against me?” He questions as he backs away and closer to you again.

“Henry, there’s no time for that. Come on, Henry! Come on!” Archie argued.

“You don’t believe me? You’ll see. You’ll see!” Henry yells as he runs deeper into the mines, you sigh and give Archie a dirty look before following after him, not wanting him to be alone.

“Henry! Come on, please come back!” You beg as you run after him.

“Henry! Henry - Henry, come back! Henry!” Archie yells as he runs after the two of you.

In The Enchanted Forest

Jiminy and his parents approach a small house, dread creeping up on him as they walk.

“Look, can’t we skip tonight? I mean, we don’t need the money,” he asks while dawdling behind them.

“Everything isn’t about money, Jiminy. It’s about the principle,” his mother scolds.

“A commitment to excellence.”

“Excellence at stealing money.”

“Now go ahead and take the ‘Elf Tonic’, Jiminy,” his father commands as his mother knocks on the front door. A young couple answers the door with a polite smile.

“Oh, such beautiful young people!” Myrna exclaims happily, throwing on an older voice, appearing much more fragile than she was previously.

“Pardon me, uh… Do you have a place in your heart for an honest man and his elderly parents?” Jiminy asks weakly while refusing to make eye contact, feeling that similar blanket of shame weighs heavy on him.

“Of course. Come in,” the man answers as the couple stands aside for them to come in.

“I’ll heat up some broth.” The woman adds as she goes back inside and to the stove while Myrna and Martin push past the man and into the house.

“Oh, we love broth!”

“Oh, what a beautiful home!”

“Your cobbles are so even!”

“Oh, and that’s real fact.”

Jiminy, his parents, and the couple are sitting down and eating at the table.

“Thank you for your kindness,” Jiminy says politely as he sips at the broth.

“I just can’t get it out of my mind. That family…” Myrna whispers to Martin, enacting their scam.

“Terrible way to go.”

“What? What happened?” The woman asks, playing right into their scheme.

“Plague.” They say in union, sounding far too calm.

“The next town over. We just passed through.”

“The plague?”

“Well, a plague, certainly.”

“Is it coming here? Are you okay?” The man asks while already standing to get them help.

“Oh, us? No, we’re immune.”

“We have Elf Tonic.”

“Made by elves, from elves.”

“Four out of five court physicians recommend it.”

“Fifth one died before he could try it,” the two cackle when Martin says that, making the young couple uncomfortable as they shuffle closer to one another.

“Well, you have it, right? Smart folks like you?”

“We’ve never heard of it,” the woman responds as she holds her husband's arm.

“Oh no!”

“Oh, dear god!”

“Oh no, you’re going to die. You need Elf Tonic,” Jiminy says his line half heartedly, staring into his now empty bowl.

“Oh, I wish we had extra!”

“We don’t have extra!”

“There is no extra,” Jiminy mumbles.

“We could pay you,” the woman suggests.

“We have a tiny bottle.”

“But we need that for ourselves.”

“What can we give you?” The man asks.

“Surely, there must be something here you would want?” The woman adds on as Myrna and Martin look at each other with glee.

“I’m sure we could come up with something…”

There are several bags of belongings by the door, Jiminy’s parents each take a bag, “well, I guess we should start loading up,” Myrna sighs happily as they take the rest of the bags and leave.

“There you go.” Jiminy mumbles as he gives the ‘Elf Tonic’ to the couple.

“Thank you,” the young couple says as they hold each other.

Jiminy joins his parents outside as they load the bags into their caravan, the guilt hanging heavy, almost suffocating him.

“Those are good people. They… They would never have hurt us like that.” He points out as he reluctantly helps them pack, they are getting older.

“And that’s where they went wrong.”

“It’s better to be the kind of people who take.”

“Instead of those that get taken from.”

Jiminy takes out a vial, “I’m sorry. You’ve given me no other choice,” he mutters before splashing Rumplestiltskin’s potion on his parents. But nothing happens.

“How frail do you think we are, son?”

“Rain water won’t hurt us. I’m pretty good at sleight of hand, Jiminy.” His father teases upon noticing his confused look.

“You switched them? If this was the Elf Tonic…” He mutters to himself, a feeling of nauseousness and a heavy chest washing over him.

“Oh my! We must have given whatever you had to that family.”

“Oh, I hope it wasn’t dangerous!”

Jiminy goes back into the house, it appears to be completely empty, just like the vial containing the potion that lays on the floor. He then notices two puppets sitting off to the side. They resemble the couple they had robbed. Jiminy looks on in shock, tears beginning to well up in his eyes as his parents come in behind him.

“Oh, look at that!”

“New puppets for the act!”

A young boy enters the house, calling for his parents. It’s the same small boy who gave Jiminy his umbrella.

“Mama! Papa! Who are you? Mama? Papa? What did you do to them? What did you do to them?”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Archie searches for you and Henry in the mine, finding the two of you shining his flashlight down a hole.

“Henry? Henry? Henry! Henry, [name], can you do something? You got to slow down.” He orders to which Henry ignores while you shrug, struggling with the realisation that Henry knows that you are awake and will spend who knows how long trying to figure out who you really are. Not even you know that anymore.

“There’s something shiny down there,” Henry mutters in awe, watching the light reflect off a shiny object.

“Henry, this is seriously dangerous. We got to get out of here,” Archie argues as you nod, not wanting either of them to get hurt.

“It could be something.”

“‘Something’ may not be worth your health, Henry,” you comment, receiving a glare from the boy. He must feel betrayed that you hadn’t told him that you are awake and that the curse is real.

“Henry, look at me! Look at me! I’m frightened for you, Henry.” Archie shouts as he grabs his shoulders.

“Because you think I’m crazy?”

“No! No, because we are tapped underground in an abandoned mine, Henry. And there is no way out.”

The rest of town once again gathered around the entrance of the tunnel, all waiting for any sign that the three of you are alive.

“Archie and [name] are smart. They will keep the boy safe until we get to them,” Marco reasons as he watches the occasional rock tumbling down the collapsed entrance. The ground starts to shake again, causing a few people to fall, rocks to tremble, but luckily no other danger is found.

“Watch out!”

“Stop! Stop! You’re making it worse!” Regina cries out at Emma.

“I am trying to save him! You know why he went down there in the first place, don’t you? Because you made him feel like he had something to prove,” she argues.

“And why does he think he has anything to prove? Who's questioning him?” She questions as she gets closer to Emma.

“Do not put this on me.”

“Oh, please! Lecture me until his oxygen runs out!”

You, Henry, and Archie are still navigating the mine when barking echoes throughout the tunnels.

“Henry, do you hear that too?” You ask, shining the light to where the sound is coming from.

“It’s Pongo!” Henry cheers as he begins to run after the dog.

“Follow the noise,” Archie shouts as the three of you dash for the sound of the above.

Emma approaches Regina with a sigh, “we have to stop this. Arguing won’t accomplish anything.”

“No, it won’t,” Regina admits while crossing her arms.

“What do you want me to do?” She asks.

“Help me.”

The three of you come across an old elevator shaft, a way to escape eases all of your nerves.

“It’s loudest over here,” Archie comments as he looks up the elevator shaft.

“What’s… What’s this?”

“I believe it is… an old elevator,” you answer.

“We need to find some way to punch through the ground. We need something big,” Regina suggests as she ponders, trying to think of the best way to destroy the mine while saving you and Henry.

“Like what?”

“Explosives,” Marco answers.

You investigate the elevator, leaning into the elevator shaft to test if it’s still able to support people.

“It is used to get the mine workers in and out. It should go all the way to the top and that is why we could hear Pongo,” you explain.

“Can we make it work?” Henry questions as he mimics your actions.

“Let’s give it a shot.”

Workers lay down lines for the explosives over the lines where the mine should be, everyone clears out of the area.

“Okay. We’re all clear,” Emma announces.

You and Archie turn the wheel that moves the elevator, in response, the elevator moves ever so slightly.

“Come on!” Archie shouts as he tries to put more strength into turning the wheel.

Henry runs over to help you and Archie move the elevator.

Everyone outside the mine positions themselves.

“Blow it,” Regina orders, quickly following the explosives are set off, but only serve to knock the elevator to fall farther down the shaft. Emma runs to the entrance of the tunnel to look for any signs that the explosives did anything.

“Did it work?” Regina calls out to Emma.

“It didn’t open.”

“Then what did it do?” Graham questions.

Mary Margaret is getting ready to leave the hospital, saying goodbye to a patient before David enters the room.

“Have a good day.”

“Hey! Where are you going?” He calls after her with a smile that makes her pause and wait for him.

“Home. I’m done for the day. Shouldn’t you be resting?” She asks as she walks over to meet him.

“Ah, actually, Dr. Whale wants me to start physical therapy. I’m supposed to walk thirty minutes a day on a treadmill or outside with an escort. But they were kind of short on personnel because of that thing that happened at the mine,” David explains while looking down at her softly, trying to give her hints.

“Oh…”

“So… Maybe if there was a volunteer willing to help?”

Mary Margaret and David stand by the water, breathing in the cool air.

“I’m trying to remember this place. It’s like… It’s like I woke up in some strange land,” he confesses, feeling lost in this new world with no memory of who he is. It’s isolating.

“Is there anything coming back? What about when you’re with her? You remembered your dog,” she questions as she steps just a little closer.

“Yeah, I lied,” he admits while gazing into the water, his own face looking back at him. He can hardly recognise it.

“You did?”

“She’s so loving and I didn’t want to disappoint her. But none of it feels right. You know, a dog named Ajax? Who would name their dog that? None of it makes sense. None of it… None of it feels real.” He struggles to explain while frowning at his reflection.

“That sounds lonely.”

“Actually, one thing does feel real. You.” David mutters as he looks up at her, his hand lightly touching hers.

“What?”

“I know it’s crazy, but I swear you’re the only thing in this whole place that feels… That feels right… Kathryn.” He attempts to explain, letting his hand drop.

“...Right.”

“Kathryn! You’re here,” he suddenly announces after noticing her standing behind them.

“I know it’s outside of visiting hours, but, uh, I needed to see you. I made some cranberry muffins. They used to be your favourite,” she explains while holding out the basket to him.

“Well, I should leave you two,” Mary Margaret says awkwardly as she begins to walk off.

“Wait, Mary Margaret! See you tomorrow?” He asks hopefully to which she nods and walks away.

Everyone is still gathered around the mine, trying to find some sign of change.

“What was that? What the hell was that? You said you could do this!” Regina cries out as she storms towards Emma.

“Madam Mayor!”

“They could have killed my son and [name]!”

“I know, but this isn’t helping,” Emma argues, keeping her voice level in order to keep herself calm.

“If we knew exactly where they were, we could drill down to them. Maybe… Maybe rig something to bring them up,” Marco suggests.

“But drill where?” Graham questions while walking up and down the plotted area of where the tunnels should be.

Upon hearing distressed barking, Emma lets Pongo out of the fire truck, “come on buddy!”

“What are you thinking we-” Regina starts but is interrupted by Emma’s revelation.

“It’s Archie’s dog. He’s found something. Look! This is where they must be. What is it?” She questions while Graham and Marco move aside a piece of metal, underneath sits a grate.

“So? What do you think it is?”

“It’s an air shaft,” Graham answers.

The three of you sit in the elevator, you lean back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling, trying to think about how to explain your perspective to Henry.

“I’m really… really, really sorry.” Henry mutters, shifting to rest against your side. After all of this, he must not be so upset anymore, perhaps more scared than anything else. You’ll still talk to him about it, though. It’ll bother both of you if you don’t.

“It’s alright.” Archie sighs while fiddling with his umbrella.

“I just wanted to find proof.”

“You know, it’s really alright, Henry. And um, um, I’m sorry, too. Look, I… I don’t think you’re crazy. I-I just… I just think you have got a very strong mother, who’s got a clear idea of a path she wants for you to be on and when you step off that she… She gets scared. And, you know, it’s natural. But it’s also natural for you to be able to be free to think the things you want to think. So, anyway. I… I didn’t mean those things I said and I never should have said them.” Archie explains while forcing himself to look at the two of you, no running away from his mistakes.

“Then, why did you?”

“I guess I’m just not a very good person. I’m not the man I want to be,” he confesses, hugging his knees as the elevator suddenly drops farther down the shaft.

Marco puts a hook attached to a tree trunk around the grate.

“Okay. Alright - gun it,” Emma orders, “that’s good! Alight, we got it. Alright.” She says as the grate is pulled off and everyone gathers to look down the shaft.

“So, what’s next?” Regina asks.

You all stay sat in the elevator, still in shock after the last elevator movement.

“I think you can be him. I think you can be a good person. I mean, you’re Jiminy Cricket,” Henry considers.

“Henry. Henry, Jiminy Cricket was a… He was a cricket, okay? And he was a conscious. And… And I hardly think that’s me,” Archie deflects, unable to accept the chance to be better and act more like how he’d want to present.

“But before he was that, he was a guy who took a long time to figure out the right thing to do,” Henry explains. Even if Archie doesn’t believe in the curse, it is a good message for him to take in, time does wonders if you use it to better yourself.

“That kind of sounds like me.”

“Perhaps you can follow that path and in time you can become who you aim to be,” you comment.

“Only now it’s harder for you because of the curse. To hear the voice inside of you. To be who you want to be,” he concludes as the elevator jerks once again, you hold Henry in preperation, and the elevator falls farther down the shaft.

“You need to lower someone straight down, or the line will collapse the side of the shaft,” Marco explains as everyone continues to peer down the air shaft.

“I’ve got a harness," Graham comments.

“Lower me down.” Regina orders while Emma shakes her head in rejection.

“Oh, no way. I’m going,” she argues.

“He’s my son.”

“He’s my son, too. You’ve been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this.”

“Just bring him to me,” Regina concedes, just desperate to see her son alive and okay.

“Hey, can I ask you again?” Archie asks as he slumps against the wall tiredly.

“Ask what?”

“Why do you think it’s so important that your… your fairy tale theory is true?” He repeats from their previous sessions, feeling hopeless in this situation.

“I don’t know.”

“Give it a shot,” he encourages.

“...Cause this can’t be all there is,” Henry mutters in a struggle to find a reason why his reality is built the way it has.

“I understand.”

“I thought if I found proof… But I didn’t find anything,” he shrugs as he looks up at you, to which you shake your head. Proof was found - maybe too much for your liking.

“Well, that’s not true. I was lost and you found me, right?” Archie questions in an attempt to lighten the boy’s mood.

“You mean, you remember?”

“No, Henry. I… I don’t remember, but I-I do remember the kind of person I want to be. I just got to listen harder.” He explains and you smile, glad that he wants to try to become like his fairy tale equivalent.

Pieces of rock fall through the grate at the top of the elevator and you immediately cover Henry’s head before anything can hit him. Light pokes through the now open space the rocks fell.

“Wh-what’s that?”

“I think we are being rescued,” you comment as you see Emma descend upon you.

“You guys okay?” She calls down. You could be better, you suppose. You and Archie have some minor injuries and you had exposed your reality to Henry, so, you could be better.

“Yeah, we’re… We’re okay.” Archie answers as you stand up, scooping Henry up in your arms, knowing that getting him to safety is the priority.

“Hang on, Henry. Okay, that’s good.”

“Here you go,” you mutter as you pass Henry up to Emma and climb out yourself, sitting on top of the elevator.

“Come on. I got ya. Okay. Okay, I got him.

“You got him? Is he safe?” Archie asks from below when the elevator begins to shake.

“Archie?”

“It’s going to fall!” He shouts out as you cling onto the cord holding up the elevator.

“I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay!” He shouts as the elevator falls down the entire shaft.

“Archie!” Emma cries out, he appears to have fallen as well, but a weight hanging from your arm would tell a different story. He managed to save himself by hooking his umbrella to your wrist in a blind panic. It may hurt and maybe even fracture your wrist, but years of training in the enchanted forest and in this world has given you enough strength to support another human’s weight without putting too much stress on your body.

All of you are pulled out of the elevator shaft and, your wrist is broken. It hurts a little bit more than you’re comfortable with, but it’ll be fine. Regina hugs you and thanks you for protecting Henry before taking Henry aside. Marco grabs Archie and hugs him tightly. Once Graham unhooks Emma, she runs over to Regina and Henry before he walks over to you, watching you nurse your wrist.

“You held Dr. Hopper up with just your wrist, [name]? How are you not crying or calling an ambulance?” He asks as he takes your wrist to set it.

“High pain tolerance, I suppose. Archie was in danger and I was the only thing keeping him from falling, I had to stay strong.” You explain as he helps stand you up and walk you to the hospital.

“You okay?” Emma asks Henry as she runs over to them.

“Deputy, you can clear the crowd away,” Regina says coldly, pushing her away and sending Henry to a safe place, unaware that he just follows you, and isolates Archie.

“Thank you, Dr. Hopper.”

“I, uh… I have something to say. I’m going to continue to treat Henry, and I’m going to do it my way.” He announces, doing his best to be brave and start becoming the man he wants to be.

“My relief at his safety hasn’t changed a thing, Dr. Hopper. You will do as I say, or you will-”

“Or you will what? You’ll ruin my life? You’ll do your worst? Because I will always do my best,” he argues which greatly irritates Regina.

“Don’t test me.”

“Oh, I don’t need to. Because you’re going to leave me alone and let me do my work. In peace.” He orders, feeling very proud of himself for standing up for himself against her. There is a new shine to him now.

“Really? Why’s that?”

“Becuase someday, Madam Mayor, you may find yourself in a custody battle. And you know how the court determines who is a fit parent? They consult an expert. Particularly one who has treated the child. So, I suggest that you think about that. And you allow me to do my work. And let me do it the way my conscious tells me to.” He threatens, and it appears effective as she goes quiet and walks away.

In The Enchanted Forest

Jiminy stands outside by himself, looking intensely at the sky and noticing a particularly bright star. He closes his eyes.

“I wish… I wish…” He whispers into the night air as the Blue Fairy appears in front of him.

“I hear your wish - you don’t need to wish it so loudly. But it is not possible. I cannot bring back the boy’s parents,” she announces, her voice full of pity.

“It’s my fault. I have to make it right. I… I would trade my life to make it happen,” he begs.

“What’s done is done. There may be another way.” She mutters to herself as Jiminy looks up at her.

“Tell me. Please.”

“That little boy? He will grow up to face many challenges. Do you want to help him?” She asks as she floats around him, as if inspecting him.

“I can’t get away from these people. They’re my parents. They’re who I am” He argues weakly as he yet again fails to see himself as anything other than his parent’s child.

“But if you didn’t want to be that, what would you be?” The sound of crickets chirping in the distance fills is the space his answer couldn’t.

“I hear your wish,” she whispers before raising her wand and turns Jiminy into a cricket, chirping along with the others. “How do you feel?” She asks the now cricket, who is attempting to adjust to his new body.

“Free.”

“Find the boy, Jiminy. You will live as many years as you need to help him. Just find him.” She commands, drawing his attention back to her.

“How will I? I don’t even know his name,” he protests in defeat, slipping back into his old patterns quickly.

“His name is Geppetto.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

You sit up in a hospital bed, left alone now that your wrist has been tended to, getting ready to leave when Henry sits down next to you. There’s no running away from it now.

“You’re awake,” Henry mutters as he looks at the ground in front of him, unable to believe that proof of all his theories were right there in front of him this whole time.

“I… Am. And I apologise for not telling you before, Henry. You must understand that in this land, your mother decided to curse us into having a good relationship and it meant that I could help raise you. If she had known that I was aware, she would have kept us apart.” You explain while struggling to look at him, unable to face the betrayal of having to lie to him, despite doing it for his own safety.

“You lied so you could be there for me?” He asks as he finally looks at you.

“I did. I wanted to protect you.”

“But why didn’t you tell me earlier? When I told you about the curse?” He questions in a failed attempt to be angry. Your honesty now is more than he’d gotten from his mother, or anyone else.

“Becuase it would have made it worse for you to hide all of this from your mother, and Dr. Hopper would have had you taken away if you had brought my awareness into this. You were younger then, you were not ready.” You answer as you look down at him. “But I do deeply apologise, I know you must feel betrayed by my deception.” You continue but are uninterrupted as he hugs you, glad to have proof and that you’re actually being honest with him.

“So… Who are you?” He asks as you hug him back with your good arm.

“I can no longer remember, all I know is that I have always gone by [name]. But you must know that I am not from this world, nor am I from the Enchanted Forest, I am much older than any of this,” you explain, to which he nods, suddenly filled with the desire to find your history out for you.

When you are allowed out of the hospital, it is nighttime and the two of you walk back to the mine site where most of the town remains. You, Henry, and Emma watch Archie and Marco talk.

“Is that Archie’s father?” Emma asks with a tilted head.

“No, they’re just old friends.” Henry answers while you watch on in a peaceful silence, Jiminy and Geppetto, friends even across realms.

“You really scared me,” she scolds, looking down at Henry.

“I’m sorry…”

“So did you, [name], you broke your wrist!” She continues to scold you too, causing you to bow your head.

“I apologise, Emma I did not mean to worry anyone,” you say as Archie and Marco walk over, with Archie immediately hugging you and apologising for hurting you.

“It was not your fault, Archie, if it was not for your catching me, you would have been in a worse state. Please, do not apologise for something that was out of your control.” You say, taking a turn in doing the scolding before Emma speaks up.

“Gentlemen. Well, come on. Your mom wants to take you home,” Emma warns as they turn to leave.

“Hey! Listen.” Henry stops in his steps to listen to a new sound in the town.

“Crickets,” Archie mutters.

“They’re back. Things are changing,” he smiles up at you and you nod, glad that you are now able to confirm Henry’s curse related suspicions.

Across town, Mr. Gold walks through his pawn shop. The puppets of Geppetto’s parents are sitting on the counter, smiling eternally out into the distance. At the hospital, Mary Margaret passes in her letter of resignation with a tearful smile. At the mine sight, everyone is talking and drinking while some others check in on you. Off to the side, Regina stands near the elevator shaft and with the grate placed back on top of it, she takes the piece of glass that she previously picked up out of her pocket. She looks at it briefly, then drops it through the grate. It falls down the shaft until it lands on top of what appears to be Snow White’s glass coffin with a soft clink, the piece reuniting with the whole.

End of chapter 5: That Still Small Voice

[certifiedfroggit]

Once Upon A Time: Chapter Four

Ouat x reader insert

Apologies for such an early post (it is barely 6 am for me), but I hope you enjoy Chapter four!

I love Ashley Boyd so bad, I wish whe was brought up more throughout the show 🫶🫶

Ouat x Gn!reader

Word count: 9.6K

CW: light angst, threats, pregnancy and threats surrounding infants

Episode Four: The Price Of Gold

In The Enchanted Forest

A group of well dressed women bundle up their layers of silk gowns and walk to a carriage, climbing into it. The carriage heads off, leaving behind a scruffy looking young woman, wearing a dirtied and torn up dress. In the background, a majestic castle stands as if taunting the woman, fireworks are set off as she watches longingly. A fairy appears in a flurry of golden glimmer, flying towards the woman who jumps when she sees them.

“Do not despair, my dear. You will attend that ball,” the fairy announces to the woman, flying around in a gleeful flurry.

“Who are you?” She asks, tilting her head as she clutches her dress.

The fairy laughs and transforms into a woman, wearing a golden gown with an elegant set of wings folding behind her.

“I’m your fairy godmother,” she explains, “and I’m here to change your life, Cinderella.”

“But, my stepmother told me that I couldn’t go. She forbade me to leave.” Cinderella explains while trying to neaten herself up in front of her fairy godmother.

“Your stepmother doesn’t have this,” she grins, pulling out her wand and waving it, “this wand has the power to take you to your ball, to your prince, and to-”

The fairy godmother suddenly disintegrates, leaving only a golden hue that soon fades, her wand dropping to the ground with no one to hold it. Rumplestiltskin appears and picks it up, smirking to himself.

“What… What did you do?” Cinderella questions in fear, backing away from the man.

“Now, now. I got what I wanted. There’s no need to be frightened.” He states while slipping the wand down his sleeve.

“No need? You just killed my fairy godmother! She was trying to help me.” She argues as she grips at her dress, feeling powerless to do anything.

“Was she? Do you know what this is?” Rumplestiltskin asks, showing her the wand he had just collected.

“Pure magic.”

“Pure evil. Trust me - I’ve done you a favour. All magic comes with a price. Go on back to your life and thank your lucky stars you still got something to go back to,” he warns - a surprising amount of kindness for the man.

“My life… It’s wretched.” Cinderella explains hopelessly, braving a step toward him.

“Then change it. You can’t handle this,” he states as he turns to leave, ignoring her frustration as she follows after him.

“Wait. Please, wait. I can handle it. Please. I will do anything to get out of here. Anything,” she calls out after him.

“Anything?”

“Do you know how to use that wand, Mr…?” She asks shyly, mock waving the wand.

“Rumplestiltskin,” he answers, “and yes, of course I do.”

“Then help me!”

“Well, if I do, and you can indeed, shoulder the consequences, then you’ll owe me a favour,” he warns as he stops walking away, intrigued by how far she’d go for her escape.

“Name it. What do you want?”

“Something… precious,” he answers with a giggle.

“I have nothing,” Cinderella explains disheartenedly. What cost could she fulfil for her happiness?

“Oh, but you will. With this wish will come riches more than you know.” Rumplestiltskin smirks while getting the wand back out, ready to perform a dramatic little show.

“I care nothing for riches. I’ll give you anything you want. Just get me out of here,” she begs while following the wand with her eyes.

“Now we’re talking~” He gleams.

“Well, how does it work?”

“Fear not! My needs are small and all you have to do is sign on the dotted line,” Rumplestiltskin explains, pulling an extensive contract out of his coat pocket along with a feather quill. “Do we have a deal?”

“Yes. Yes, thank you.” Cinderella smiles as she takes the quill and struggles to sign the contract in the air, so Rumplestiltskin lets her use his back as a table. When the contract is signed, he waves the wand, turning her into the picture of a princess, a flowing blue gown that shimmered under the light, a tiara in her hair, all completed by a pair of glass slippers.

“Ta-dah!”

“Glass?” She mumbles as she lifts the gown enough to see the slippers, surprised by how comfortable they feel.

“Every story needs a memorable detail. Let’s see how they fit, shall we? Now, you have a good time. But be sure to watch the clock.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Henry walk down the main street, proudly out in the open despite all of Regina’s warnings.

“You sure we can be out in the open?” Henry asks with a big smile, enjoying the fact that someone is standing up to his mother.

“Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat.” Emma explains cockily, tired of being prevented from seeing Henry because of her.

“You’re brave. We’ll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of - do you think we need code names?” He asks while tilting his head, clearly already brainstorming cool names.

“Isn’t ‘cobra’ our code name?”

“That’s the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you,” he explains.

“Oh. Um, well, why don’t you just call me Emma for now?” She suggests, taken aback by how into the spy mission idea he is.

“Okay! Well then, I’ll see you later, Emma.” He shrugs before running to the bus and climbing in. When the bus drives away, Graham’s cop car pulls up next to her with the sirens blaring.

“What’s with the siren?” She asks while wincing at how loud it is right next to her head.

“It’s so hard to get your attention,” he complains, turning off the sirens so he doesn’t cause a disturbance.

“Well, you got it. Are you arresting me again?” She jokes, crossing her arms.

“I’m thanking you. For your help finding that coma patient. We all owe you a depth of gratitude.” He explains and gets out of the car to talk to each other properly.

“Well, what do I get? Accommodation? Key to the city?” Emma quips.

“How about a job? I could use a deputy,” he offers while showing her a badge in the same style as his, holding it out to her.

“Thank you, but I have a job.”

“As a bail bondsperson? There’s not much of that going on here,” Graham shrugs.

“I don’t see a lot of sheriffing going on around here, either.” She goads, causing him to sigh with a smirk, “well, here’s your chance to see it up close. There’s dental? Why don’t you think about it? Stay a while.”

Emma sits in a booth at Granny's diner, you stand in your usual spot behind the lunch counter, humming along with the morning radio as you wipe down the space. Ruby passes by you to serve Emma a cocoa.

“Thank you.” Emma says, watching as walks into the diner, making sure to check on you now that you’ve slept before sitting opposite Emma.

“How was your walk with Henry? That’s right - I know everything. But relax. I don’t mind,” she explains calmly.

“You don’t?”

“No. Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see, I did a little digging into who you are. And what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven.” Regina answers as she crosses one leg over the other.

“Seven?”

“It’s the number of addresses you’ve had in the last decade. Your longest in anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?” She enquires with a hint of demand, trying to dig into her.

“If you were wondering, I did find a place here in town,” Emma defends, gripping her mug of cocoa.

“I know. With Miss Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh, wait. You don’t have one. You see my point?” She goads, “in order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots. And you? Don’t have any. People don’t change. They only fool themselves into believing they can,” she explains with a sinister grin.

“You don’t know me.”

“No, I think I do. All I ask, is as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what’s best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It’s going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa,” she argues before standing up and leaving with Emma going to stand to follow her but knocking her cocoa and spilling it on herself. She groans in annoyance as you walk over and hand her a cloth.

“Oh! Really,” she mumbles as she pulls the wet section of her shirt off of her skin.

“Eesh, how unfortunate. There is a laundry room you can use if you want?” You offer to which she nods as you quickly clean up the table before leading her to the right room.

The two of you enter the laundry room, you fold up some of the clothing that had finished drying to return to Mary Margaret after your shift while Emms takes off her shirt and throws it in the washer. A younger woman is in the room as well, holding up pink sheets.

“Oh, no, no, no, no!” She cries out which attracts both your and Emma’s attention.

“You okay?” Emma asks to the woman you recognise as Ashley, one of Ruby’s closest friends.

“Oh, Ashley, lovely, you put those down,” you order, gently taking the sheets off her to take care of them for her.

“The sheets. They’re uh… They’re pink,” she explains as you bundle them up, throwing them in a washer with a colour catcher.

“You try bleach?” Emma asks before looking down and seeing that Ashely is quite far into pregnancy, “oh.”

“That is why I will do it and give them back to you later,” you explain, giving Ashely a light hug.

“Thanks, [name], thank you, really.” She mumbles, hugging you back, “last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now,” she explains while resting her chin on your shoulder tiredly.

“Well, that’s great,” Emma comments uncertainly, unsure on how to handle a deeply emotional situation like this.

“It’s just that, um, when the… When the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they’re right…” She trails off as you pull away just a little, shaking your head.

“Screw ‘em.”

“What?”

“Screw them. How old are you?” Emma asks, leaning back against one of the washers.

“Nineteen…”

“I was eighteen.” She shoots back, this conversation clearly hitting her close to home.

“When… When you had a kid?” Ashley asks hesitantly as she looks up at her, holding your arm.

“Yeah. I know what it’s like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can’t do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you’re considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours,” she advises while you nod along, surprised by how good she is with Ashley, even allowing herself to be somewhat vulnerable with another person.

“It’s not exactly what you might think it is…”

“It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, ‘no, this is who I am.’ You want to change things, you’re going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world.”

Mr. Gold closes up his pawn shop for the night, counting all his keys before he leaves while Ashley waits at the side of the building. Once he’s walked far enough down the street, she smashes the window on the door with a brick, reaching through to unlock the door before she sneaks in. Holding her breath, she slowly creeps into the back of the shop, quickly finding a hidden safe. However, just as she reaches for it, Mr. Gold appears behind her.

“Ashley. What are you doing?” He asks threateningly as she whips around.

“Changing my life.” She announces, pulling something from her pocket and macing him, when he falls, smacking his head and falls unconscious, she takes the keys from him and unlocks the safe.

Regina stands in front of a mirror, applying a crimson red lipstick while Henry sits at the kitchen table reading a comic book.

“I know you think otherwise, but I don’t enjoy these Saturday City council meetings. Sometimes, they’re just unavoidable. Now, you know the rules,” she explains as she tugs on a grey coat.

“Yes on homework, no on TV, and stay inside,” Henry grumbles as he puts down his comic to look at her.

“Good boy. Under no circumstances do you leave this house,” she warns.

“You mean, don’t see my mom,” he shoots back, resting his chin on the back of his chair.

“She’s not your mother. She’s just a woman passing through. Now, do as I say, or there will be consequences. I’ll be back at five sharp.” She orders as she leaves, though as soon as she pulls out of the driveway, Henry grabs his backpack and runs out the house.

Mary Margaret stands in the kitchenette making food while Emma unpacks her things.

“I’m so glad my stuff is here,” Emma sighs as Mary Margaret places a plate of mixed fruits on the table next to her, “oh, thanks.”

“So that’s all your stuff?” Mary Margaret asks as she sits at the seat opposite her, looking at the small number of belongings she has.

“What does that mean?”

“Is the rest in storage?” She continues, not wanting to offend her, just wondering if this is how little she owns.

“No, this is all of it. I’m not sentimental,” she shrugs as she pulls out a small stack of photos and begins looking through them.

“Well, it just makes things easier when you have to move.”

There’s a knock at the door, making the two jump before Mary Margaret answers the door to find a bleeding Mr. Gold.

“Miss Blanchard. Is Miss Swan here?”

Emma gets up and goes to the door too, letting him shake her hand.

“Hello, my name’s Mr. Gold. We met briefly on your arrival.” He says, leaning against his cane.

“I remember.”

“Good. I have a proposition, Miss Swan. I, uh… I need your help. I’m looking for someone,” he explains awkwardly.

“...Really? Um…”

“You know what? I’m going to go jump in the bath,” Mary Margaret excuses herself, leaving the two standing by the door in silence.

“I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she’s taken something quite valuable of mine,” Mr. Gold explains, taking the photo of her out of his breast pocket to show her.

“So, why don’t you just go to the police?” Emma asks as she looks at the photo, remembering her from the diner laundry room.

“Becuase, uh… She’s a confused young woman. She’s pregnant. Alone and scared. I don’t want to ruin this young girl’s life. But I just want my property returned.” He sounds almost kind here, almost concerned for her life and future.

“What is it?”

“Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let’s just say it’s a precious object and leave it at that,” he responds vaguely. It is rare to ever get a straight out of this man.

“When’d you see her last?” She sighs while leaning against the doorframe.

“Last night. That’s how I got this,” he claims as he lifts his hair to show Emma the cuts he gained on this side of his head. “It’s so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don’t think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?” He enquires with a knowing tone, surprising Emma.

“No, of course not.”

“So, you’ll help me then?” He asks, a small grin beginning to grow on his face.

“I will help her,” she specifies.

“Grand.”

Footsteps are heard coming up the stares as Henry runs up into Mary Margaret’s apartment without knocking, “hey, Emma. I was thinking we-”

“Hey, Henry. How are you?” Mr. Gold asks which stuns the boy into silence, his posture straightening as he tenses up.

“Okay?”

“Good, good. Give my regards to your mother. And, um, good luck, Miss Swan.” He waves off as he walks away, a heavy feeling slowly fading along with him.

“Do you know who that is?” Henry asks quietly while Emma closes the door.

“Yeah, course I do.”

“Who? Cause I’m still trying to figure it out,” he shrugs as he flops onto the couch, peeling off his backpack.

“Oh. I meant in reality.” Emma mumbles before turning to where Henry had collapsed.

“Is that all you brought?” He asks as he looks into her boxes of belongings curiously.

“Henry, what are you doing here?” She asks as she goes to sit next to him.

“My mom’s gone til five. I thought we could hang out,” he replies eagerly while continuing to look through her things, to which Emma sighs but doesn’t stop him.

“Ah, kid. I wish I could. But there’s something I got to do.”

Henry follows Emma as she walks outside, only a few steps behind her, “pleaseee let me help!” He begs as he catches up with her.

“No! No, it could be dangerous.” Emma scolds while she tries to turn him around but he just keeps coming back.

“The pregnant maid is dangerous?”

“She assaulted Mr. Gold,” she states listlessly, trying to get him to see how serious this is.

“Cool!”

“This isn’t a game. She’s desperate.” She explains as Henry continues to nod and theories in his head.

“How do you know?” He asks with an inappropriate amount of excitement over this.

“Because I know.”

“Well, then let’s find her!” Henry suggests, almost jogging in front of her to get started on a new adventure.

“Oh, no, no, no, no. There is no ‘let’s’. You cannot come with me,” Emma orders, not wanting him to see something he shouldn’t have, much like last time.

“Then I’ll look for her myself,” he argues as he keeps going on.

“Then I’ll find you and I’ll bring you back.”

“Then you wouldn’t be helping the maid,” Henry teases.

“I am just trying to be responsible here,” she groans as she runs a hand through her hair.

“And I’m just trying to spend time with you,” he quips as he climbs into her car and straps himself in.

“Oh, that is really not fair!” Emma argues as she climbs into the car following him, frowning at him.

“So, the maid. What’s her story?”

In The Enchanted Forest

Cinderella stands on the balcony of the castle, watching the fireworks explode in the sky as Prince Thomas approaches her, gently hugging her from behind and pulling her into his chest, to which she smiles and squeezes his hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Every year when I was growing up, I used to watch these fireworks from afar. And I knew what they meant - something special was happening at the palace. Now, they’re for me. For our wedding.” She confesses as she tilts her head back to look at her prince, her husband, and presses a kiss to his lips.

Cinderella and Prince Charming later walk down the stairs where they find you, dressed in your best robes, Snow White and Prince charming standing with Prince Thomas’s father. While you all talk, Snow White and Cinderella hug.

“I’m so glad you could come,” Cinderella mumbles into Snow’s shoulder.

“You’re beautiful,” Snow says in response before everyone partners off to dance and as the music changes, so does everyone’s dance partners.

“My dear Ella. We’re thrilled to have you join our family. And I hope our family will still be growing.” Prince Thomas’s father says before the music changes and you lead a dance with her.

“I am pleased that you found your happiness, congratulations, lovely. If there is anything you ever need, you know where to look,” you smile as she nods and hugs you, the music soon changing and Prince Charming takes your place as you let the next person you dance with lead.

“Congradulatuons, Ella. You two are going to be very happy,” Prince Charming claims.

“Why thank you, James,” she responds gleefully, though their dance is interrupted by Snow White.

“Ella, dear!” She calls out, taking her hand and pulling her into another dance.

“Sorry! This is truly a night for celebration. Do you realize what an inspiration you are to everyone?” She asks excitedly, spinning her friend as they both laugh.

“All I did was get married,” Cinderella giggles, unable to fully grasp the gravity of what she’s done.

“All you did was show that anyone can change her life! I’m proud of you,” Snow White explains, letting her go as the music changes one last time, Cinderella smiling until she bumps into Rumplestiltskin. “I’m proud of you, too.”

“You. What are you doing here?” She asks as her smile drops from her face.

“I just wanted to make sure you were happy with your end of the bargain. You know - true love, riches, happy endings. Did you get everything you desired?” He enquires as he guides her.

“Yes, yes I did. Now, what do you want? What’s your price? My jewels? My ring?” She questions, trying to prepare herself to give away any of her material possessions to appease him.

“No, no dear. Keep your baubles. What I want is something you don’t yet possess, but something I know is coming. Your first born.” He giggles, spinning into the crowd of dancers as he disappears.

Cinderella walks around her bedroom frantically, packing a bag as Prince Thomas walks in.

“What are you doing?” He asks with a tremble in his voice, stripping all of his gear off and walking to her.

“I thought you were hunting?” She mutters nervously, resting her hand on his chest and stepping into his embrace, to which he immediately folds and hugs her, letting out a deep breath.

“I was, but the weather wasn’t agreeing, so we came back early. Are we going somewhere? You’re going somewhere.” He explains as he rubs her back.

“Something’s happened.”

“What?” He asks, pulling away just enough to look her in the eyes and to kiss her cheek.

“...I’m pregnant.” She confesses with her shoulders slumped and tense as she tries not to notice the tears welling in her eyes.

“Ella, that’s wonderful! Why are you upset? This is what we wanted,” Prince Thomas questions, cupping her face gently, wiping her tears away.

“There’s something else. When we met that night at the ball, it wasn’t my fairy godmother who sent me. It was Rumplestiltskin. I made a deal with him for this life. I was stupid. I didn’t understand the price of magic. So, I promised him something.” She breaks down, burying her face into his chest as he goes back to holding her, swallowing deeply.

“What did you promise him?” He mutters lowly as he runs his fingers through her hair, maintaining his gentle behaviour around her, seeing how distressed she is.

“He tricked me. I thought he would want our gold or jewels,” she sobs, unable to say it.

“What was it?” the prince whispers as Cinderella lowers her hand and rubs her stomach.

“Our baby?” He asks in disbelief.

“I’m so sorry. And now, I’m going to lose it all. My… My life, you…”

“No. I don’t care what that imp said. Magic may have brought us together, but it didn’t create this love.” He argues with a soft but determined voice, making sure to hold her close.

“But I made a deal. I can’t break that - he’s too powerful.” She whimpers as he wipes her face and presses a kiss to her forehead.

“Then, the answer is simple. We make another deal.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Henry are talking to you and Ruby at Granny’s Diner as Ruby’s car is being dropped off by a tow truck.

“So, this boyfriend of hers. You don’t think he was involved in her disappearance?” Emma asks while writing what she knows down in your little notebook which is used to record orders. You simply shake your head in response to the question, letting Ruby handle this for now.

“Uh, that would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn’t. He left her in the lurch, right after they found out that they were expecting. Hasn’t spoken to her since. Like I said-” She explains until her car is abruptly dropped, nearly breaking a glass wolf charm with a red stomach hanging from her mirror.

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Billy, be careful! You nearly shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It’s good luck,” she whines playfully, to which he chuckles bashfully and rolls his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Ruby. But look - it’s fine.” He calls back, taking extra care to secure the car.

“Um, Ruby. What about her family?” Emma asks while you dry a mug.

“Oh, um, she’s got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn’t talk to,” she explains and you can almost see the lightbulb in Henry’s head turn on.

“Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, and she’s a maid?” He comments to which you can’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm, which you immediately muffle. You should try to help Henry with the curse, but this is also a delicate topic, even under the curse, so you shouldn’t but in.

“Henry. Not now,” Emma shushes which he seems to listen to.

“Look. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but it’s wrong. Everyone thinks she’s not ready to have this kid, but she’s trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself… Trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?” Ruby explains.

“I think so.”

“Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She’s been through enough already,” she warns, wanting to protect Ashley from more trouble.

“I’ve been through it too, Ruby, I can help her.”

“Then, try her ex,” she grumbles as she begins to walk away.

“Where can I find him?” Emma calls out as she disappears in the back, leaving you there. You understand it, she must be feeling a lot about it right now. So, you sigh and answer for her, “he lives with his dad.”

Emma knocks on Ashley’s ex boyfriend’s door, in this world he is called Sean. At the same time as she does it, his father pulls up the driveway.

“Can I help you?” He asks as he walks up to the door.

“Sean Herman?”

“Yeah. Who are you?” The man grumbles, pausing in his stride.

“I'm Emma Swan. I'm… I'm looking for Ashely Boyd. She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you.” She explains as Sean’s father walks up the steps, grunting in frustration upon hearing her name.

“My son doesn’t have anything to do with that girl anymore. So, whatever trouble she’s in, I am sorry for her, but there’s nothing we can do to help you,” he shrugs while pushing past her to get to his door.

“You’re the reason he broke up with her.”

“Absolutely. I’m not going to let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake.” The man argues as he fumbles over his keys.

“So you just told him to leave her?”

“Well, what are they going to do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?” He snarks, growing irritated at Emma’s persistence.

“Some people only have the backseat of a car,” she argues, evidently not fond of his ignorance.

“Well, they’re to be pitied. I’m not letting that happen to my son.” He argues as Sean finally gets out of the car, drawn to the sound of their conflict and the mention of his Ashley.

“Dad, maybe we should help her look,” he suggests, sounding concerned for her.

“It’s a waste, Sean,” his father snaps.

“Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she’s going to be in some serious trouble,” Emma warns as she sees the conflict within him, torn between his lingering affection for Ashley and obeying his father.

“She’s running away with the baby?”

“Yes,” she admits, hoping that this reality will get him to wake up and realise that he needs to step in.

“Sean. Inside. Now.” His father growls as he glares at the young man, scaring him enough to send Sean into the house with a sigh, looking back at Emma before closing the door behind him.

“Look. Believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you,” he explains with a huff, “I went through a lot of trouble to get here that deal.”

“Deal? What are you talking about?” Emma asks with great concern.

“You don’t know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she’s being paid very well to do so,” Sean’s father continues almost proudly about essentially selling someone else’s child.

“She sold the baby?”

“Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who’s going to find that child a good home,” he grumbles.

“And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?” Emma challenges, growing to hate this man.

“Look at her. She’s a teenager. She’s never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could he possibly know how to be a mother?” He counters with a halfhearted attempt, unable to want to confront the fact that Ashley could be a good mother.

“Maybe she’s changing her life.”

“Everybody says that. Now, look. I found someone who’s going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who’s going to see to it that everybody’s happy,” he concludes with a harsh grin, letting it dawn on Emma who he is referring to.

“Mr. Gold…”

“Well, isn’t that why you were hired? To bring him the baby?”

Henry and Emma sit in her car as they drive back into the main section of town.

“You can’t make her double cross Gold. No one’s ever broken a deal with him,” Henry warns while he fiddles with the end of his coat, intimidated by the man with the cane.

“I’m happy to be the first. If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother, should damn well be allowed to be one.”

They drive to Granny’s Diner and approach you and Ruby once again, this time you both grimace when you see them.

“Why didn’t you tell me she sold the baby?” Emma demands as she slams her hands on the lunch counter.

“Because I didn’t think it was important,” Ruby lies while stepping back and you shove your hands in your pockets.

“Really? Considering that’s why she’s running away?”

“Look, Ashley is our friend. I do not like the idea of people judging her,” you add, caught in the crossroad of hiding things for Ashley and wanting to help Emma and Henry. Emma, however, notices Ruby’s wolf charm on the counter and it all falls into place.

“Ruby, where’s your car? You didn’t send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start.” She concludes, looking at the both of you with a glare.

“Look, I’m only trying to help,” Ruby shoots back.

“Yes, so am I. Ashley’s in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don’t make her deal with Gold without me.” Emma argues, earning silence from both of you.

“I can’t talk in front of him. He’s the Mayor’s kid.”

“Hey! I’m on your side.” Henry retorts as you shake your head.

“Henry, I am sorry, but we can not talk about this matter with you here.” You respond softly.

“Henry, I need to find this woman. And in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. They’re not going to tell me anything if you’re around,” she orders and Henry reluctantly nods.

“...Okay.”

“Thank you,” she sighs as Henry grumbles to himself and leaves the diner.

“She left town. Said she was going to try Boston. Thought she could disappear there,” Ruby immediately cracks and explains. “She thought it was her best chance,” you comment with a sigh.

“How long ago did she leave?”

“About a half an hour.”

Emma drives towards the town line by herself, deep in thought about how to fix all of this when Henry reveals himself from where he was hiding in the back seat.

“What’d they tell you?”

“Henry! What the hell? I’m going to Boston. You can’t come with me,” Emma argues while beginning to try and turn around.

“You can’t go to Boston! She can’t leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does,” he warns as he climbs into the passenger seat.

“I don’t have time to argue with you over the curse. I’ve got to get you home,” she refutes as she finds a road to turn back.

“We have to stop her before she gets hurt! We’re wasting time! If you drop me off, we’ll never catch up to her-”

“Henry.”

“And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he’ll have her sent to jail,” he rambles, evidently in a state of panic over what could happen. Emma sees this and sighs, “...Buckle up. Ashley, what did you get yourself into?”

In The Enchanted Forest

Cinderella, Prince Thomas, Prince Charming, yourself, and Grumpy walk through a dark cave - the dungeons.

“Why are we down here?” Cinderella asks nervously, feeling horribly guilty about causing such a big commotion over her deal with Rumplestiltskin.

“We need a place to keep him,” Prince Thomas explains as he takes her hand, rubbing her knuckles.

“Rumplestiltskin is the most dangerous man in all the realms, next to myself, of course. He needs his own special prison. So, we converted the mines to hold him.” You explain, barely acknowledging the way that everyone else looks at you as you mention your ability to be more of a threat then Rumplestiltskin if you had allied yourself differently.

“But how will we get him here? He’s eluded all forever,” Cinderella questions.

“His strength is also his weakness. His deals - he can’t resist making them and we already know who he wants to deal with next. You.” Grumpy points out as he continues down the dungeon, proud of his work.

“We sent word with one of Snow’s bluebirds. He’s accepted a meeting with you. You’re going to tell him that Doc heard something with his stethoscope - two heart beats.” Prince Charming explains while you nod along.

“You are going to tell him that you will have twins,” you add.

“And if he wants both, which he will, you propose a new deal. Grumpy!” He calls as Grumpy takes out a box and opens it, inside is a red quill.

“A quill? I-I don’t understand…” Cinderella mumbles.

“The Blue Fairy cast a spell on it. Whoever signs this will be frozen - their magic made impotent,” you explain, “it will work.”

“All you must do is get him to sign the contract. Ella, this man is a scourge. You’ll be doing the entire land a service.” Charming assures as he looks back at her, noticing how nervous she is about all of this - the world of magic is a lot to take in for anyone, especially when you’re thrown in the deep end like she was.

“Should we even use magic? Isn’t that what’s causing these problems to begin with? What if this magic also has a price?” She questions, if magic had gotten her into this situation, should it really be the thing to get her out of it?

“Then, I will pay it. I will do whatever is needed to save you and our child,” Prince Thomas answers as he kisses her head, wanting to provide any comfort he can.

“Let’s go.”

You keep walking farther into the dungeons until you come across a cell, it feels powerful from even a distance. A structure like this would keep even you contained for a while.

“Hope you like it. A lot of dwarf blood went into it,” Grumpy announces as the others take it in. The bars are sharp and almost look like teeth, it’s threatening in its existence and will not fail to hold anyone.

“You sure this will work?” Cinderella ponders, not daring to get any closer to the cell.

“Once he’s in there, he’ll never get out. You’ll be safe.” Prince Charming informs while you touch the bars, enjoying the bizarre sensation of feeling your magic dull out for a few seconds.

“We can do this, Ella,” Prince Thomas whispers, hugging her as she gathers her courage and nods.

“Okay. Let’s get him.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Henry continue down the road leading out of town when Henry sees something off the side of the road. It’s Ruby’s car, steam coming out of the hood, crashed into a ditch just behind the town line.

“I told you! It’s her car!” Henry cries out as Emma pulls over, rushing to Ruby’s car and looking inside.

“Ashley!” Emma yells, but she is not in the car. They hear a pained moan and find Ashley sprawled out in the grass, clutching her stomach as she cries.

“My baby! It’s coming!”

Emma, Henry, and Ashley are in Emma’s car as she speeds back into town.

“Is the baby really coming?” Henry asks with a mix of fear and excitement.

“Ohh yeah. Don’t worry - the hospital isn’t that far.” Emma reassures as she tries to focus on the road, but it isn’t helped by the panic going on in the car from everyone.

“No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can’t go back there,” Ashley protests, unable to get up and so is stuck in place, trying to focus on anything but her pain.

“Oh no, we don’t have four hours. Trust me - I know.”

“I can’t go back there. Please. He’s going to take my baby,” she sobs as she trembles, stuck in that spiral of thinking and catastrophising.

“I won’t let that happen. Do you know what you’re asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready?” Emma asks, giving Ashley to focus on instead of dreading the birth of this baby.

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure? Because I wasn’t.” Emma confesses as she grips the steering wheel, truly wanting the best for this soon to be mother.

“You weren’t?”

“Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it’s going to be with someone who’s ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to change and once you decide that it’s yours, this ‘running away’ can’t happen. You have to grow up and you can’t leave. Understand?” She explains, giving her one last out before it all really happens.

“Yes. I want my baby.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Cinderella stands outside, waiting for Rumplestiltskin to appear. The night is cold but calm, there is no wind, no other sounds to distract her from what must be done.

“Well, well, well! You’re starting to show. A little bird told me you wanted to speak?” Rumplestiltskin’s giggly affliction fills the air as he appears behind her.

“Yes. I’d like to alter the bargain,” Cinderella offers, forcing her voice to stay level.

“That’s not what I do.”

“I think you’ll want to. I’m having twins.” She admits as she holds her stomach, intriguing the imp.

“Is that so? Ooo! Let’s have a look. And you would, what? Give up both?” He questions sceptically, to which Cinderella nods, receiving a questioning frown. “Why is that, I wonder?”

“My husband, he’s… He’s having a hard time. Our kingdom is poor, we’re losing money, our crops are dying… We can’t support ourselves or our people,” she laments in an impressive portrayal of dread.

“And you would trade your other child for… comfort?” He asks in almost confusion that she would be so willing to sell her children.

“I can always have more children, but I can’t make crops grow where the soil is dead. In exchange for our other child, you will see to it that our land is once again fertile. I think it’s more than fair,” she argues.

“Yes! Yes, yes. It is. If what you’re saying is true,” he grumbles, not fond of having his contract changing but he will let it be if he gets more out of it.

“It is. And all you have to do is sign on the dotted line,” she confirms as she pulls out the red quill and a long contract matching the one he presented her with all that time ago.

“What a lovely quill! Wherever did you get it?” Rumplestiltskin questions, almost sensing that something is off.

“It’s from our castle.”

“You know, the only way to stop me is through magic,” he comments as he gets closer, challenging her.

“I’m not trying to stop you.”

“Of course you’re not. Because, as we all know, magic comes with a price. And if you were to use it to, say, imprison me, then your debt to me would only grow. And we wouldn't want that now, would we?” He giggles in a taunting manner, clearly expecting some weak attempt to stop him.

“Just sign the contract, please.”

“Are you sure you’re happy with this new arrangement?” He enquires as if giving her a chance to turn back and give up. But, she says nothing, only holding up the new contract. Rumplestiltskin grumbles and takes the quill from her, going to sign it.

“Then so it shall be,” he says, only to instantly be frozen in place.

“Thomas!” Cinderella cries out as she backs away from the man.

“No one breaks deals with me, dearie. No one. No matter where you are, no matter what land you find yourself in, I assure you - I will have your baby.” He curses, unable to move but his eyes follow her, glaring at her.

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Henry sit in the waiting room of the hospital, you come in soon after and stand in front of her.

“I… I apologise for not fully informing of Ashley’s conditions. I was trying to protect her and was blinded by what I thought was best for her. You did what was right, Emma, and I deeply apologise for my hindrance.” You say as you fiddle with your hands as you struggle to make eye contact but for yourself to try.

“Look, [name], I get that you were just doing what you thought Ashley needed, it’s alright. But she was in serious trouble.”

“I know that now, and I will not prevent you from trying to help again,” you sigh as you sit down next to her, feeling better now that you’ve seen how capable of helping people Emma is.

“You know, Emma. You’re different.” Henry suddenly comments, making both you and Emma look over to him.

“What’s that?”

“You’re the only one who could do it.”

“Break the curse? Yeah, I know. You keep telling me that.” Emma grumbles somewhat fondly, sitting back in the chair.

“No. Leave. You’re the only one who can leave Storybrooke,” he explains, to which you nod your head. Even without the curse explanation, it is a pattern that no one has been able to go past the town line without dire consequences.

“You left and came and found me in Boston,” she points out which earns an eye roll from Henry. “But I came back. I’m ten - I had no choice. But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen.”

“Anyone, except me?”

“You’re the saviour. You can do whatever you want. You can go.” Henry continues as a doctor comes out into the waiting room for you.

“Miss Swan. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine,” they explain as Mr. Gold enters the hospital with a sickening grin.

“What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Rumplestiltskin is being taken to a cell while you lean against it with a smirk, acting as an overviewer if anything went wrong. Cinderella and Prince Thomas stand off to the side in each other's arms.

“Did we really win?” Cinderella mutters as she leans her head on his shoulder.

“Yes. I told you we would,” Prince Thomas sighs proudly in response, resting a hand on her stomach, a sense of relief rushing over him as he soaks in the knowledge that his love and their child is safe.

“I was so afraid. I was so afraid that we’d fail. That… That I’d have to go back to that life. That… That terrible life. I was… I was afraid that I would lose you and that nothing would have changed.” She confesses with a sniffled breath, trying to calm down her nervous system.

“As long as I’m alive, you will never go back to that life,” he reassures her as he cups her face in his hand and leans forward, pressing a kiss to her lips, to which she responds happily.

“Now. How is our little Alexandra?” He asks teasingly as he rests a hand on her stomach in hopes of feeling a kick.

“Alexandra?”

“Did I not mention that I picked out a name?” He jokes.

“A name? That’s more like a prison sentence,” Cinderella goads as she jokingly flicks his ear.

“Well, I like it.” He grins without even wincing at the flick, he’s too excited to register it.

“Mm, men. You really know nothing of ch-” she starts but is quickly cut off by a wave of pain, she hunches over and gasps for air, unable to comprehend what’s happening to her.

“Ella! Ella, what is it?” He asks in a panic while trying to support her, leading her to somewhere for her to rest.

“Ohhh, it’s… it’s the baby. Something’s wrong,” she cries as she grasps at her stomach, biting her lip so hard she tastes blood.

“No, no, no. It can’t be. It’s too soon. It must be the stress. The excitement,” Prince Thomas attempts to reason, doing what little he can to make her comfortable.

“Oh, I’m dizzy,” she whimpers.

“Sit, sit. I’ll go get you some water,” he announces before running off into the forest.

“Okay,” Cinderella mumbles as he runs off and finds a well. He goes to drag the bucket up when he hears a noise in the bushes, calling out to him.

“Thomas! It’s okay! It passed! Thomas?” She calls out as she follows into the forest, coming across the well where Prince Thomas no longer is. All that remains is his cape.

“Thomas? Thomas!” She cries out as she jogs back to where Rumplestiltskin is caged and you and the others are waiting.

“What did you do?” She growls as she comes up to him.

“Ella, what’s wrong?” Prince Charming asks as his hand drifts to his sword in preparation.

“Where is Prince Thomas? He should remain by your side,” you ask as you take her hands, trying to help her calm down enough to speak.

“What have you done to my Thomas?” She questions Rumplestiltskin as she squeezes your hands.

“I haven’t done anything. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been otherwise engaged.” He quips as he flicks the bars of the cage.

"Something's happened to him. You know. Tell me!” She demands, the angriest you’ve ever seen her.

“I have no idea, dearie. But I did warn you - all magic comes at a price. Looks like someone just paid.” He goads which only fuels her rage, causing Charming to step in, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t listen to him. We’ll find Thomas.”

“No, you won't,” Rumplestiltskin interrupts, “until that debt is paid, until that baby is mine, you’re never going to see him again. In this world or the next, Cinderella, I will have that baby.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Mr. Gold stands by the coffee machine, watching his drink be made as Emma walks up to him.

“Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan?” He asks cockily, a smirk on his face.

“A baby? That’s your merchandise? Why didn’t you tell me?” She questions while crossing her arms in disappointment.

“Well because, at the time, you didn’t need to know,” he answers slowly.

“Really? Or you thought I wouldn’t take the job?”

“On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley’s hard life, I thought it would make sense. Do you? I mean, if anyone could understand the reason behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you.” He explains with mock sympathy.

“You’re not getting that kid,” she snaps at him.

“Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honoured. If not, I’m going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn’t enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?” He threatens as he smirks, taunting her.

“It’s not going to happen.”

“I like your confidence. Charming. But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop,” Mr. Gold argues.

“Let me guess - to steal a contract?”

“Who knows what she was after?” He shrugs, putting on a weak innocent persona.

“You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I’m willing to roll the dice that contract doesn’t stand up. Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight?” Emma challenges with no patience for any of his excuses or arguments.

“I like you, Miss Swan. You’re not afraid of me, and that’s either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I’d rather have you on my side.” Mr. Gold chuckles, taking his coffee long after it had finished being prepared.

“So, she can keep the baby?” She asks with hesitance. This man will be reluctant to let go of any deal, even one that involves two innocent lives, one of them being the life of a newborn.

“Not just yet,” he begins to Emma's chagrin, earning him a glare, “there's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd,” he insists, just as she thought, even with such an extreme cost, he is unwilling to let go of even one contract.

“Tear it up.”

“That’s not what I do. You see, contracts - deals - well, they're the very foundation of all civilised existence. So, I put it to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?” He explains before taking a swig of his coffee, grimacing at the taste before leaving it on the counter to go cold.

“What do you want?” Emma counters, stepping closer to him.

“Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favour,” he sighs as if mocking being deep in thought. There is definitely something off about this proposition, this whole situation, but Ashley really needs to have her baby.

“Deal.”

You, Emma, and Henry walk into Ashley's room as she pushes herself to sit up in the bed, cradling the baby to her chest with the proudest smile on her face.

You immediately run to her side, wrapping her in a gentle hug while cooing at the baby.

“Hey. What's her name?” Emma asks with a calmness that is almost distressing for someone who just faced off Mr. Gold and won.

“Alexandra,” Ashley answers as she admires her baby's face, sleeping so peacefully. She went with Prince Thomas’s suggestion after all.

“It's pretty.”

“It is a strong name for the daughter of a strong woman,” you add as you pull away, letting her have some space.

“Thank you for getting me here,” she says to Emma and Henry, still looking scared that Mr. Gold is waiting just outside her room to steal Alexandra away.

“Mr. Gold was outside,” Emma confesses as Ashley tenses up, “I took care of it,” she quickly points out which allows her to rest. “She's yours.”

“She is? What did you do?” She asks, tucking a corner of Alexandra's baby blanket in the folds.

“Made a deal with him,” She shrugs as if it were a completely normal thing to do. She is brave enough to be the saviour, you think, brave enough to make a deal with the former Rumplestiltskin.

"Thank you. Thank you!” Ashley smiles as Alexandra begins to fuss.

“Oh, hey, kid. It's almost five. We got to get you home.” Emma alerts as both she and Henry look at the clock before running out of the hospital, leaving you and Ashley to watch them leave.

Regina zips up the back of her dress and neatens up her hair, looking at herself in the mirror. A shower can be heard running in the background.

“I have to go. Henry’s expecting me back at five. But I'll see you again. The next council meeting?” She questions but receives no response. She sighs and picks up her purse, sliding her heels back on. “Oh, and don't forget - you left your socks under the bed.” She points out before leaving, the shower stopping.

Emma and Henry sit in her car, a silence floating in the air as they process all they've done today.

“Pumkin. My code name. I was thinking in honour of Cinderella. Pumpkin.” Emma suggests, earning a chuckle from Henry as she shakes his head.

“You got one better in mind?”

“Yep.” He announces with no further elaboration, crossing his arms.

“Well?”

“I'm not sure you're ready yet.” He explains as they fall back into a comfortable silence, Emma rolling her eyes as they continue their journey. Eventually, they pull up the large, white, mayor's house and Henry reluctantly climbs out of the car

“Henry! About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave?” She calls after him, he trips over his feet as he looks back at her.

“Yeah?”

“I'll see you tomorrow.” She sighs fondly as she drives away. Henry smiles and runs inside just as Regina pulls into the driveway. He runs upstairs in a mad dash, not noticing that one of his shoes falling off and rolling down the stairs. Regina, meanwhile, enters the house just as he slams his door shut.

“Henry!” She shouts up the stairs while Henry throws down his backpack and tossing off his other shoe before throwing himself with a similar manner onto his bed and opens a comic to a random page. Regina walks up the stairs whilst yelling, shoving the door open to see Henry innocently reading his comics.

“Henry? What did I tell you? Do not leave your shoes lying around on the stairs. Someone could get hurt.” She warns, placing his other shoe down with his first before leaving, leaving his door open by just a crack. Henry lets out a relieved sigh and kicks his door closed.

Sean enters Ashley’s hospital room hesitantly, holding a small pink bag.

“Is that her?” He asks as he approaches, taken away by the small bundle in her arms.

“Sean.”

“I am so sorry. I never should have left you,” he begs while kneeling next to her bed, resting his chin on it.

“You're back,” she mutters, reaching out and patting his head.

Yeah. I'm back. Here - I got her a present,” he nods as he preens under her fingers, taking a pair of tiny shoes, putting them on their daughters feet. “I don't know if they're going to fit,” he jokes while Ashley smiles. He stands up and holds their daughter's hand.

“They're perfect,” she whispers as she reaches up, cupping his face in her hand and kissing him.

Emma leans against her car, staring at a small piece of paper. With a sigh, she dials the number on it.

“Hello,” the voice of Graham answers, sounding more distant than usual.

“Graham. It's Emma. I was thinking, maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?” She inquires while beginning to pace in a line up and down the street the length of her yellow beetle. The risk of letting herself be vulnerable enough to grow roots here is a lot for her, fueled by her growing care for Henry.

“Absolutely!”

“Then I'm in,” she smiles, pausing for a moment to tease him, “Regina going to be okay with this?”

“I don't care. It's my department. I'll see you monday morning,” he announces, sounding more and more like how he usually does the more this conversation progresses.

“See ya.” She finishes before hanging up, letting out a deep breath as she climbs back in her car, heading to Mary Margaret's apartment. Well, Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment now. Meanwhile, Graham sits in the same room that Regina walked out of in a rush earlier. He puts down the phone and looks under the bed, reaching for his socks.

End of Chapter 4: The Price Of Gold

[certifiedfroggit]

Once Upon A Time: Chapter Three

Ouat x reader insert

I hope you like it 🫶

Ouat x Gn!reader

Word count: 8.7K

CW: light angst, violence, reader struggles with mental health and sleep issues, Dr. Whale being a creep

Episode Three: Snow Falls

In The Enchanted Forest

Prince Charming sits in a carriage travelling along a path through the forest, towards a castle in the distance. A blonde woman sits opposite, looking bored.

“What do you think of the view, my dear?” Charming asks with a nervous smile, his hands cupped together as he tries to push down his bouncing knee.

“I’ve seen better,” she responds tiredly, “this is taking forever. I told you the Troll Road would’ve been quicker. And far less bumpy,” she complains, wincing as they go over yet another bump in the road. “Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes, of course I am,” he answers quickly. Too quickly. Luckily for him, the driver calls out, pulling the carriage to a halt.

“Now what?” The woman sighs as the prince gets out to investigate, leaving a leather satchel behind on his seat.

“Worry not - it’s but a fallen tree. Fellas? Shall we?” Charming shrugs after a brief investigation, not noticing as a figure jumps on top of the carriage. He moves down to look at the base of the tree.

“My Lord? What is it?” One of the guards asks, following him to inspect the tree base.

“These markings. This tree didn’t fall - it’s been cut. It’s an ambush!” He concludes, wiping around to see the figure on the carriage room jump down and snatch the bag that he left. The woman inside screams in an attempt to get away from the thief as Charming rushes back.

“Sir!”

“Guards! Stop, thief! Help me!” The woman cries out, pointing at where the thief is already getting away. Charming growls and jumps on a horse, chasing after the figure and quickly gaining on them. When he catches them, he leaps off the horse, tackling them to the ground and ripping off the fabric covering their face revealing… Snow White.

“Show your face, you coward!” He yells, freezing when he sees the beautiful face staring back at him. And with such anger. Before he gets the chance to do anything more, Snow White scrabbles for a rock and slams it into his face, slicing his chin.

With him occupied, Snow pushes him off and climbs onto his house, riding off before he can collect himself.

“You can’t hide from me! Wherever you are, I will find you!”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Mary Margaret and a brunette man, Dr. Whale, sit on opposite sides of a table in Granny’s Diner on a date. You stand behind the lunch counter, glaring at the man while wiping down glasses.

“Um, where were we? Something about you wanting fifteen kids?” He asks absentmindedly, leaning his head against his fist. You want to kick him out, it’s clear he doesn’t care.

“No! Good lord, no. I meant in my class where I teach. You’ll meet them tomorrow. They’re coming to the hospital as part of the volunteer Outreach Program.” Mary Margaret explains, fiddling with the buttons of her cardigan.

“Oh, yeah. That is a great program…”

“I mean, obviously I don’t want fifteen kids of my own. Um, I mean, not that I don’t want kids. I do. I want kids, marriage, true love - I want it all. But of course that is…” She trails off, noticing Dr. Whale ogling at Ruby, who slightly bent over cleaning a table. You break the glass you were cleaning from how hard you were gripping it, muttering soft curses as you clean up the mess and the blood on your hand. You decide that you hate that man.

“...Wildly inappropriate for me to discuss on a first date.” She finishes as Dr. Whale finally looks back at her, “hm?”

“Ruby!” She calls, while Dr. Whale looks confused at the woman walking towards the table.

“Yes, Mary Margaret?”

“Cheque, please,” she mutters with a sigh, getting up from the table to do it at the lunch counter where you slide her a small takeaway box with a cake in it, you feel horrible for her. She deserves something good out of this date.

Mary Margaret walks down the street with the box in hand, wrapping her cardigan tight around herself. Then, she spots Emma reading in her car.

“Hey. You okay?” She asks, gently tapping on her window. Emma jumps at the sound, but sighs in relief when it’s Mary Margaret standing there.

“Oh, in the world of tight spots I’ve been in, crashing in my car doesn’t even rank in the top ten.” She explains with a wave of her hand as she opens the door to speak with her better.

“You’re sleeping here?”

“Til I find a place,” she shrugs.

“You decided to stay. For Henry,” Mary Margaret smiles, finding something good out of the day. Henry has someone else looking out for him.

“Yeah, I guess. This doesn’t seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?” She questions with a frown, referring to the town paper she was flipping through.

“Must be the curse.”

“Why are you out so late?” She asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, I’m a teacher, not a nun. I had a date.” She explains while smiling sadly, rubbing her arms.

“From the looks of things, it went well.”

“As well as they ever do…” She mumbles, rolling her eyes.

“Tell me he at least paid.”

“Mm-mm,” she sighs.

“Ew.”

“Well, I guess if true love was easy, we’d all have it,” she sighs, repeating the comforting motions, “you know, if things get cramped, I do have a spare room.” She offers, feeling horrible that her new friend is sleeping in her car.

“Thanks. I’m not really the roommate type. It’s just not my thing. I do better on my own,” she shrugs and folds the paper.

“Well, goodnight. Good luck with Henry.”

“Yeah…”

At the hospital the next day, the children from Mary Margaret’s class run around. She notices Henry in the room where the John Doe rests, he’s reaching up to touch his face when she walks in.

“Henry. We could really use your help with the decorations,” she suggests as she leans against the doorframe.

“Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Miss Blanchard?” He asks, leaving the man’s side to stand with her.

“His name’s not John Doe, honey. That’s just what they call people when they don’t know who they are,” She explains as she pats his head.

“Do you know who he is?” He questions, tilting his head.

“Nope. Just bring him flowers on my rounds.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know. He’s been like this as long as I’ve been volunteering,” she explains while tilting her head, much like him, as looks at the patient.

“Does he have any family or friends?”

“No one’s claimed him,” Mary Margaret comments. It’s odd. Twenty-eight years and no one has come for him. It’s horrible.

“So, he’s all alone…”

“Yeah… It’s quite sad.” She adds with a sigh, feeling bad for the man but there’s nothing anyone can do for him, all that can be done is being done. He just has to push on.

“You sure you don’t know him?”

“Course I’m sure. Come on. You shouldn’t be here.”

Emma and Henry sit together at his ‘castle’ with Henry pointing at a picture of Prince Charming in his book.

“I found your father - Prince Charming.” He announces as he eagerly shows her the picture.

“Henry…”

“He’s in the hospital, in a coma.” He explains while ignoring Emma’s doubtful look, “see the scar? He has one too!”

“So? Lots of people have scars.” She argues with great scepticism, still struggling to comprehend the curse.

“In the same place? Don’t you see what this means? The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they’re stuck without each other. We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming!” He rants whilst flipping through the pages of Snow White and Prince Charming’s love story and pointing at them, presenting what little evidence he has.

“Okay, kid. Telling someone their soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse,” Emma explains, resting her hand on his shoulder.

“But what if I’m right? We know who they are. Now they have to know.” Henry concludes with a grin, not at all discouraged by Emma’s scepticism, as per usual.

“And how do you intend to make that happen?”

“By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he’ll remember who he is,” he suggests, closing his storybook.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” He repeats in a state of shock, surprised that she would actually go along with his ideas.

“Yeah, we’ll do it. But we’ll do it my way. Let me ask her.”

Mary Margaret makes cocoa for herself, you, and Emma. You had come over to repair some creaky floorboards, but the conversation Emma brought with her calls for your attention.

“You want me to read to a coma patient?” She asks as you sit down, to which Emma nods. She’s surprised by how frequently you seem to be around her, but doesn’t question it.

“Henry thinks it will help him remember who he was,” she explains while staring into her cocoa. She added cinnamon again.

“I can see how he thinks that would work. Who does he think he is?” You question whilst fiddling with your sun pendulum necklace in an unpleasant mix of excitement that this idea could work and horrible anxiety that it won’t and this will be the thing that causes Henry to give up.

“Prince Charming.”

“And if I’m Snow White, he thinks me… and him..” she trails off as she gazes intensely at her hands around her mug while you press your knee against hers, used to evenings of eating pizza and watching bad movies after another date that failed her.

“He has a very active imagination, which is the point. I can’t talk him out of his beliefs, so we need to show him. Play along, do what he says and maybe, just maybe-” Emma answers while you take a large sip from your cocoa to distract yourself from how desperately you want his plan to work, trying to act supportive of their reasoning.

“He’ll see that fairy tales are just that. That there’s no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss. He’ll see reality,” Mary Margaret sighs, her gaze moving from the drink she’s nursing and back to Emma.

“Something like that.”

“Well, sadly this plan is rather genius. We get him to see the truth without hurting him.” She nods, having to commend her for her ability to want to protect Henry’s emotions despite her beliefs on this curse theory.

“He’ll be able to move on,” you force out as you hold your sun necklace, attempting to use it as an anchor, it always seemed to comfort you.

“I told him that we will all meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny’s, during your shift, [reader]. And you will give a full report,” Emma explains.

“Well, I suppose I’ll get ready for my date. I guess I’ll have to do all the talking.”

Mary Margaret sits with John Doe in his room, holding Henry’s book as she sighs nervously.

“Look, I know this is odd, but I’m doing it for a friend. So please, just bear with me.” She mumbles as she opens up the book, resting it on her lap as she tries to find the right page. Once her fingers find the start of the right story, she clears her throat and begins to read the story of Snow White and Prince Charming aloud. Near the end of their ‘meet-cute’, John Doe reaches out and grabs her hand, gentle fingers running over hers.

Mary Margaret takes Dr. Whale back to John Doe’s room, “no, I’m sure he’s waking up. He… He grabbed my hand,” She explains.

“Everything’s steady. The same as it’s always been. What were you doing in here?” He inquires curtly, barely looking over the machines that he’s hooked into.

“Oh, I was just reading h-him a story.” She mumbles nervously, still watching John Doe as he sleeps, perhaps hoping that he’d move again or even wake up.

“Oh. Well perhaps you, um, dozed off. Perhaps you imagined it.”

“No, I didn’t imagine anything.” She argues, unable to stop herself from thinking that this cold behaviour from him is because of how poorly their date went, even if it was his fault.

“Miss Blanchard, I can only tell you what I see, which is nothing. Sometimes there are minor fluctuations in readings. Perhaps you heard the machine register something and misunderstood? Look, why don’t you go home, get some rest. If anything changes, I’ll call you, okay?” He explains, letting out a tired sigh when she leaves, clutching the storybook in her arms. When the coast is clear, he pulls out his phone and dials a number.

“Yes?” The voice of Regina answers.

“It’s Dr. Whale. You told me to call you if there was ever a change in a John Doe. Something’s happened.” He relays in an almost panicked voice, scratching the back of his neck as he looks at John Doe.

“What?”

“One of our volunteers said he grabbed her. And there was a slight fluctuation in brain activity,” he continues with a slight tremble in his voice.

“And who was this volunteer?”

“Mary Margaret Blanchard.”

Mary Margaret sits on her bed, flipping through the storybook herself, the illustration of Snow White is zoomed into as it comes to life.

In The Enchanted Forest

Snow White is crouched down, gathering various items and shoving them into a bag, occasionally pushing a bottle hanging by a string around her neck. Once she is fully packed, she slings the bag over her shoulder and heads outside, only walking a short distance before she is caught in a net and lifted up in the air. Prince Charming comes out from behind a large rock, laughing as Snow White growls and tries to find some footing in the net.

“I told you I’d find you. No matter what you do, I will always find you,” he teases, standing just in front of the net with a satisfied smirk.

“Is this the only way you can catch a woman? By entrapping her?” Snow retorts, resting her chin on one of the sections of rope containing her.

“It’s the only way to catch thieving scum,” he shoots back.

“Aren’t you a real ‘prince charming.’”

“I have a name, you know.” He grumbles as he circles the net as if looking for something.

“Don’t care. Charming suits you. Now cut me down, Charming.” She orders while following him with her eyes.

“I’ll release you, when you return the leather pouch you stole with my jewels.”

“Not the jewelry type,” Snow shrugs.

“Indeed. I noticed.” He retorts to which she sneers in response.

“What is that supposed to mean?” She spits, “are you insulting me?”

“No, quite right. My apologies. How dare I cast aspersions at the person who robbed me?” He quips, crossing his arms, “where are my jewels?”

“I sold them.”

“What?!” He cries in disbelief.

“Why do you care? Don’t you have a palace full of treasures somewhere,” she says dismissively, rolling her eyes at the royal figure worrying about such a tiny loss to his fortune.

“These were special. Among them was a ring that belonged to my mother. A ring I was to give-”

“The nag with the bad attitude? That’s what this is about?” Snow interrupts with a loud chuckle.

“She’s my fiancée.” Charming argues, snarling at her disrespect towards his future wife.

“Good luck with that. You must be getting something impressive to have agreed with that union,” she snarks.

“Excuse me?”

“I know how this works. True love? It doesn’t exist. It’s all arranged marriages and business transactions. There’s no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss. Let me guess - her kingdom wants to take over yours and this is, what, a last ditch effort to avoid war?” She explains while leaning into the rope she was resting on, enjoying goading him.

“This is not a takeover. It’s a merger, and quite frankly, it’s none of your business. Now, this is what’s going to happen.” He begins to explain, trying to keep his voice level despite his growing frustration with her.

“Mmhmm?”

“I’m going to cut you down and you down and you will take me to whoever has my jewels, and then you’re going to get my ring back,” he demands.

“Mm-mm. Why would I do that?”

“Becuase you don’t want me to tell anyone who you really are,” he explains, pulling out a piece of paper - a wanted poster for Snow White:

“Snow White. Help me get my ring back, or I turn you over to the Queen’s forces. And I have the feeling the Queen’s not as ‘charming’ as I am.” He taunts as he puts the wanted poster away, smirking up at her.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of your getting true love,” she jokes, though with a tone of pleading in her voice. And with a satisfied grin, Prince Charming cuts her down, letting her drop to the floor with a groan.

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Henry and Emma are sitting in Granny’s Diner with you lingering at their table, serving them their drinks and a bowl of fries since you ‘made too many’ for a different table. Emma, you notice, has just changed her shirt.

“Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother’s?” She asks Henry who shrugs,

“she’ll never notice.” You think it looks nice on her, color goes with her eyes.

“Where does she think you are, anyway?”

“Playing Whac-A-Mole,” he responds while beginning to pick at the fries, giving you a smile.

“And she brought it?” You ask, taking a fry for yourself.

“She wants to believe it, so she does,” he answers to which you chuckle, quite aware of how true that is for Regina.

“Oh, imagine that.”

As you all continue a light conversation, Mary Margaret enters the diner and sits at the table, looking deeply confused yet hopeful.

“She’s here,” Henry comments, an eager smile creeping across his face.

“Hey, don’t get your hopes up. We’re just getting started, okay?” Emma whispers, unaware of your equal anticipation, hoping that John Doe pulled through.

“He woke up.”

“What?” Emma whisper-yells, shocked that anything happened at all, further exciting you and Henry.

“I mean, he didn’t ‘wake up’ wake up, but he grabbed my hand,” Mary Margaret explains while you sit down next to her, fully invested in this.

“He did?”

“He’s remembering!” You and Henry say in unison.

“What did the doctor say?” Emma asks, ignoring both of your interruptions while Henry looks at you, as if questioning why you’re so excited. Adults always brush him aside when he brings up the curse, but you never did. He wonders why that is.

“That I imagined it, but I’m not crazy. I know what happened,” she explains while thinking over the entire interaction.

“We have to go back. You have to read to him again,” Henry suggests eagerly, with you nodding along with him.

“It does seem to be helping him, maybe you should do it again,” you add.

“Let’s go.” She nods as you stand up so she can get out of the booth.

“Wait, wait what?” Emma calls after you all, following behind as you leave the Diner and start walking towards the hospital.

“If I got through to him, if we made a connection-”

“You don’t believe…” Emma asks while catching up with Mary Margaret, keeping her voice low.

“That he’s Prince Charming? Of course not. But somehow, some way, I touched him.” She explains as you arrive at the hospital.

“...You’re right - he’s waking up,” Henry says as you all stare at the empty bed in John Doe’s room.

“Henry, you should stay back.” Sheriff Graham states as he approaches the scene, sparing you a worried glance, this is serious, a man is missing.

“What’s going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?” Mary Margaret asks while trying to get closer to the room.

“He’s missing.”

All of you notice Regina standing in John Doe’s room, only to turn around and see the four of you as she leaves the room to confront you.

“What the hell are you doing here?” And you -” she glares down at Henry, “I thought you were at the arcade. Now you’re lying to me?” She scolds and Henry looks at the ground with a pout, annoyed that he got caught.

“What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?” Mary Margaret continues to ask Graham who can only shake his head while you pat her shoulder.

“We don’t know yet. His IVs were ripped out but there’s no sign for sure there’s a struggle.” He explains while attempting to sound calm for Mary Margaret despite this being probably the biggest case that has ever occurred in town.

“What did you do?” Henry asks, glaring back at Regina, an accusatory hint to his voice.

“You think I had something to do with this?” She responds in annoyance.

“It is curious that the Mayor is here,” Emma chimes in as she crosses her arms, suspicious of the mayor’s involvement in, well, everything.

“I’m here because I’m his emergency contact.” She explains boredly, irritated by the woman butting in.

“You know him?” Mary Margaret asks.

“I found him. On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here,” she claims coldly, sick of them both prying into the disappearance.

“Mayor Mills saved his life,” Dr. Whale says from the sidelines, looking over a clipboard with sheets of John Doe’s brain activity.

“Will he be okay?”

“Okay? The man’s been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, ‘okay’ might be a pipe dream,” he explains grimly, unable to understand how his legs are even functioning after twenty-eight years of being in bedrest.

“Well then, let’s quit yapping and start looking,” Emma commands to which Mary Margaret, you, and Graham nod while Regina grabs Henry’s hand.

“That’s what we’re doing? Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can’t keep you away from my son, I guess I’m just going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that’s all you’re getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious.” She demands as she drags Henry away while he argues and complains.

“Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?” Graham asks Dr. Whale, smoothly breezing past Regina’s exit.

“Twelve hours or so,” he answers, leading the group further into the hospital.

“Then that’s what we need to account for.”

Everyone heads to the security room following Dr. Whale, two men, Leroy and Walter sit in there surveying the cameras.

“You two were the only employees on the floor last night. And you saw…Nothing?” Graham relays with a deadpanned expression mirroring yours.

“Not a thing.” Walter replies tiredly.

“Did anyone walk by?” You ask Leroy, who softens under your gaze just a little.

“I didn’t see nothing,” he grumbles.

“Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with the class?” Graham questions sighing as he lets you take the notes for the investigation. Your handwriting was always neater than his.

“I don’t think so,” she responds while Emma looks over the security footage with a frown.

“We’re looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry’s class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we’d see the banners the kids hung.” Emma points out as you look up at the screen and nod, pointing to where the banner was hung up.

“This must be from the night before then…”

“Tch, you fell asleep again,” Leroy grunts as he moves to stand next to you.

“You selling me out?” Walter questions, looking up at Leroy from where he’s sat with a look of faux betrayal.

“I ain’t getting fired for this!”

“Well, at least I don’t drink on the job,” Walter retorts with a snarl while you step between them, “gentlemen, enough. Where’s the real tape?” You ask and they immediately put on the correct tap, playing the events of last night.

John Doe is seen getting up and pulling out his IVs, then stumbling around for a second as his legs settle back into the act of walking again before walking through the hospital and out of a door.

“He walked out alone… He’s okay.” Mary Margaret mumbles with a small smile, letting out a deep breath.

“Four hours ago, he could be anywhere,” you point out.

“Where does this door lead?” Emma asks, pointing to the door that John Doe left open when he ran away.

“The woods.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Snow White and Prince Charming travel through the forest in silence.

“I thought you weren’t the jewelry type. What’s that around your neck?” Prince Charming enquires as he gazes at the little glass vial tied around her neck.

“Don’t worry about it,” Snow White mumbles half-heartedly as she keeps walking while Charming grabs the glass vial and yanks it from her.

“Careful! It’s a weapon,” she warns, snatching it back from him before he breaks it or does something of matching foolishness.

“Dust? What kind of weapon is dust?” He questions, pointing out the contents of the glass.

“Fairy dust.”

“I thought that was a good thing?” He mumbles, tilting his head in confusion.

“When it comes from a good fairy. This stuff? Is deadly. It transforms the most fearsome of adversaries into a form that’s easily squashed.” Snow explains while she ties the dust back around her neck secure and unable to hurt anyone for the time being.

“Then why didn’t you use it on me?” Charming asks as he follows after her.

“Cause you’re not worth it. It’s very hard to come by. I’m saving it for a special someone,” she explains with a grin, just waiting to get her revenge.

“Ah, the Queen. You got a lot of anger there, don’t you, Snow?” Prince Charming asks, a hint of teasing there, but more buried under concern.

“The charges on her poster are lies. It didn’t stop her from sending her huntsman to rip out my heart.” Snow White answers solemnly, gazing down at the ground as they walk on.

“What happened?”

“Well, not everyone is a soulless royal. He took pity on me and let me go. I’ve been hiding in the forest ever since. Trying to amass enough fortune to leave this place. Escape to another realm. Somewhere isolated. Where I can never be hurt.” She confesses while letting out a deep breath as if imagining being in that place, unharmed and free.

“Sounds lonely.”

“Not lonelier than an arranged marriage,” Snow attempts to joke, lightening up the mood, she felt awkward practically trauma dumping on the man.

“At least I don’t prey on the innocent,” Charming shoots back, obviously still not taking kindly to being ambushed and robbed.

“Up until now, I’ve only ever stolen from the Queen. I thought your carriage was one of hers. No one else ever uses that road,” she explains with a sigh, not expecting him to get so defensive.

“I took the scenic route,” he comments with a grumble.

“Well, lucky for me. All I’m doing, Charming, is what it takes to survive. She wants me dead.” Snow claims as they approach a clearing.

“So, what did you do to incur that much wrath?” He questions, the violence of the Queen is no secret to anyone, so what could she have done to have that much anger directed at just her?

“She blames me for ruining her life…” She mumbles as they begin to approach a river.

“Did you?” He asks hesitantly.

“Yes.”

They come to a stop at the river, with Charming breathing deeply.

“I’m thirsty. May I?” Snow asks while Charming walks towards the river to drink as well. “Sure. Make it quick.”

They both take a drink from the river, and while Charming has his back turned, Snow hits him in the back of the head then shoves him into the river. With him out of the way, she digs through his bag for the pouch. With the bag on her shoulder, she runs back into the forest until she gets to a road where a group of the Evil Queen’s guards find and surround her.

“Huh. Look who we found. There’s nowhere to hide. The Queen wants your heart. And we’re not going to disappoint her…”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

You walk with Emma, Graham, and Mary Margaret through the woods in search of John Doe. “What is it?” Emma asks Graham, noticing him stop behind the rest of you.

“The trail runs out here,” he mumbles.

“You sure? Because I thought tracking was one of your skills,” she goads to which you shake your head in disapproval and she looks down. You can side with Emma on many things, but not when it comes to putting other people down or mocking their skills and Graham is trying his best here. It’s stressful, with the life of a man at stake.

“Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it.” He snaps, only proving your theory about his behaviour.

“Right. Sorry.”

“What does he mean, ‘His world’? Isn’t finding people your thing, too?” Mary Margaret whispers, she and Emma stand further back while you and Graham lead, with you pointing out unnatural patterns in the mud and trees to help guide him.

“Sure. Just, people I find usually run places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods,” Emma explains, noticing the way you talk to him. Why are you so… kind? Always there to help out. It’d be annoying if you weren’t so endearing.

“That’s an interesting job - finding people. How’d you fall into it?” Mary Margaret asks.

“Looking for people is just what I’ve done. As long as I can remember,” she responds absentmindedly, more focused on looking for John Doe than diving into her history.

“What made you start? Your parents? Henry told me that you’re… Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?” She asks hesitantly, wanting to be gentle around the topic.

“Depends who you ask.”

You all whip around upon hearing a crack behind you, finding Henry running down the hill towards you. He slips in the mud and slams into you, nearly knocking you over as you hold onto him.

“Henry!” Mary Margaret shouts as he finds his footing, giddy with excitement.

“Did you find him?” He questions, letting go of you to stand on his own.

“No, not yet. You shouldn’t be here.” Emma warns as she can only imagine how angry Regina would be if she found out that he’s here.

“I can help. I know where he’s going,” Henry offers, desperately wanting to help find Mary Margaret’s true love.

“And where’s that?” Mary Margaret asks with scepticism but a glint of hope.

“He’s looking for you.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Snow White is slammed against a tree by a guard, letting out a pained hiss as another guard takes out a dagger and approaches her.

“Hold her still,” the guard smirks and raises the dagger above Snow White’s chest, but is suddenly stabbed from behind and collapses, revealing Prince Charming coming out from hiding behind a tree and begins to fight with the other guard. Snow White runs towards the fallen guard’s horse, where a sword is hanging out of the saddle’s pouch, but is grabbed by another guard on horseback and lets out a scream. Prince Charming defeats the guard he was fighting but is alerted to Snow’s scream, seeing the retreating guard holding her captive. He takes a bow and an arrow and shoots the guard off of the horse, letting Snow land on the ground as the horse runs free.

“Are you alright?” Prince Charming asks as he walks over to her.

“You… You saved me.” Snow White mumbles in disbelief as she stands up, brushing herself off after her fall.

“Seemed like the honourable thing to do,” he admits with a small shrug, “are you ready?” He asks, smirking back at Snow.

“For what?”

“My jewels!” He announces, gesturing to the lack of a satchel on his arm.

“Right, you’ve got a wedding to get to. The trolls I sold them to are just beyond the next ridge. We need to be careful.” She explains as she sets off on their journey again.

“What? Of trolls?”

“Clearly you’ve never met one,” she points out, finding it a little humorous how clueless he seems to be of the dangers of this world.

“Aren’t they just little people?” He asks dumbly, following behind her.

“You’re thinking of dwarves. Show a little respect. They’ll cut your hand off sooner than they’ll shake it.” She warns, slowing down so he can catch up. It’s very important to not lose anyone on dangerous journeys such as this.

“Well then, let’s get this over with,” Charming sighs as he walks at her pace, running a hand through his hair.

“Yes, we’ve both got places to be. So, let’s go,” Snow commands.

“You have your lonely little corner of solitude to find,” he teases, causing her to smirk and chuckle, and you have a ringless fiancée to appease

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

You are all still searching for John Doe, you and Graham still leading the group while the others talk behind you.

“You’re the one who woke him up. You’re the last one he saw. He wants to find you!” Henry explains to Mary Margaret, maintaining his excited attitude despite how tired everyone else, including yourself, has gotten.

“Henry, it’s not about me. I just… I just think he’s lost and confused. He’s been in a coma a long time.” Mary Margaret attempts to explain, but it is futile.

“But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him, and let him find you,” he advises, to which you nod along. If it were a different, not so, life at risk situation, that would be decent relationship advice.

“Kid. You need to go home. Where’s your mom? She’s going to kill me, and then you… and then me again,” Emma states.

“She dropped me at the house. Then, she went right out.” Henry reports while rolling his eyes at his mother’s hypocrisy.

“Well, we need to get you back immediately.”

“No!” Henry protests, crossing his arms.

“Guys!” You and Graham shout back to the others, you hold up John Doe’s bloody hospital bracelet from where you found it on the ground.

“Is that…” Mary Margaret trails off.

“Blood.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Prince Charming and Snow White arrive at a bridge on horseback, when they get off, Snow White sends the horse away.

“Trolls don’t like horses. We walk from here. Follow me and keep quiet.” She whispers, covering his mouth with her hand as they keep going.

“Where are they?” Charming whispers, muffled by Snow.

“Oh, they’re here…”

Snow White leaves a pile of gold coins on the edge of the bridge, waiting a few moments before several trolls climb up the side of the bridge.

“It’s fine. I know them…” Snow mutters, keeping her breathing calm and movements slow.

“Why’re you here? I thought we were done,” one of the trolls grunt.

“I want to make another trade,” she announces, gesturing to the sack of money she left.

“I’m not talking in front of him,” the troll argues, pointing at Charming, “who is this guy?”

“No, he’s with me,” she vouches as she moves in front of him.

“Oh, that’s good. With you. That makes it all fine,” the troll snarks as they grumble defensively. Charming is not proving to be trustworthy to them.

“He’s no one. Look, I want to buy back the jewels I sold you.” Snow tries to offer but it falls on deaf ears.

“Who is he?”

“I said don’t worry about it,” she argues, “look, I’ll give you back all your money. Just give me the ring. You can keep everything else.”

Another troll rummages through the pouch that they’d attached to their belt, grumbling before giving it to Charming.

“Thank you. We appreciate the help,” he says kindly, trying to smile.

“He’s too eager. This is a setup!” The troll concludes with a growl.

“It’s not!” Snow argues but they don’t pay attention.

“He’s a royal!”

The troll grabs Snow White, restricting her arms as Charming draws his sword with a snarl, “let her go!”

“No! You can trust me. Look, you can trust me. If I wanted to set you up, I would have done it already,” Snow tries to appeal, but, as always, no one listens.

“The time for dealing is done! Seize him!” The troll cries out.

The trolls check Prince Charming’s bag and pat him down, finding and throwing aside the necklace of fairy dust. They stumble upon the wanted poster for Snow White.

“...Snow White. Quite a reward. Take her.” They demand while Charming picks his sword off the ground and attacks the trolls, allowing Snow White to slip away. “Go! I’m right behind you.” Charming calls after her while she grabs her necklace before she runs off and back to the forest. Prince Charming, meanwhile, fights the trolls, managing to kick one off the bridge, angering the others. One trips the prince and the others drag him back, chuckling as they dig their fingers into him. Snow White continues running through the forest, not yet realising that Charming is not with her.

“Follow me! They don’t know the forest like I do,” she shouts, stumbling over her feet at the lack of response, realising that he never left the bridge and that they will kill Prince Charming.

Meanwhile, the trolls have Prince Charming pinned to the ground, holding a dagger to his throat.

“Royal blood is the sweetest of all.” They grunt, pushing the blade to his skin enough to bite at it. Snow White runs back, popping open the vial of fairy dust and throwing it at the trolls, turning them into harmless little bugs before they can cause any personal damage.

“You… You saved me.” Prince Charming mutters in awe, hand on his throat, still feeling the dagger pressing into him

“It’s the honourable thing to do,” Snow repeats as she smiles, putting on the now empty necklace.

“What about your special someone?”

“I’ll think of something else,” she shrugs with a small sigh, leading him back into the woods.

“Thank you.”

“Anyway, how could I let Prince Charming die?” She teases as he settles back into the peace of them walking together, being around Snow White.

“I told you - I have a name. It’s James,” he explains, his voice soft as they continue walking.

“It’s nice to meet you, James. We should go. There may be more of them.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

You keep searching in the woods, tired but determined, and find yourselves at the Toll Bridge.

“Where is he? Can you see him?” Mary Margaret questions urgently as you walk further down the trial.

“The trail dies at the water line,” Graham sighs as you look forward, your eyes widening as you run into the water, seeing John Doe unconscious in the river.

“Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!” Mary Margaret screams as you begin to pull him to shore.

“I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible.” Graham yells into his phone as you make it back to the others and check for his heartbeat and breath.

“No, no, no, no, no! No, no, no! I found you!” Mary Margaret cries as she kneels down next to you, pulling his head into her lap while you check his pulse. Stable. He’s cold, definitely disoriented, and exhausted, but he’s stable.

“It’s going to be okay,” Emma whispers to Henry, definitely not a sight a young boy should witness.

“Help’s coming,” Graham announces to the group, crouching down beside you to check John Doe himself.

“Is he okay?” Henry asks in confusion, unable to fully comprehend what’s happening, he grips at Emma’s jacket tighter.

“Henry…” Emma mutters, smoothing over his hair.

“Is he going to be okay?” He mutters, torn between looking at the man and hiding his face.

“Henry, don’t look. Okay? Don’t look.” She orders as she covers his eyes, wanting to protect him.

“Come back to us. Come back to me,” Mary Margaret begs, performing CPR while you get up to help Emma soothe Henry. When Mary Margaret puts her mouth against his, John Doe starts breathing and coughing up water.

“...You…you saved me.” He mumbles, still gasping for air.

“She did it. She did it! She woke him up,” Henry smiles, loosening his grip on Emma.

“Yeah, kid. She did.” Emma mutters with a small smile, glad to see a resolution to one thing in this town.

“Thank you,” John Doe mutters.

“Who are you?” Mary Margaret asks, gazing down at him as he looks straight at her.

“I don’t… know.”

“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay,” she mutters, watching as the ambulance pulls up to the Toll Bridge.

John Doe is brought in with you all, and while he’s seen, you wait in the hospital. Personally, you’re half asleep, sleepless nights full of plans and trying to figure out how to help break the curse have left you lethargic and overwhelmed. But at least today is a good day. Prince Charming is awake.

“Watch your back. Coming through!” A nurse calls as John Doe is wheeled through back into his room.

“We got it from here.” Dr. Whale says as you sit back and watch him get treated by doctors. A woman you later find out is called Kathryn, John Doe’s wife bursts into the room where he is being treated, standing by his side. Despite your exhaustion, you have to question Regina on this - after all this time, Kathryn finally comes back to claim him. It’s been twenty-eight years.

“David! David, is that you?” She cries, holding onto him as you all watch. You forcing yourself to stand with the others so you don’t fall asleep. Today has taken a lot out of you.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Dr. Whale mutters, failing to catch her attention.

“Oh my god…”

“Ma’am you can’t be in here. Please, you can’t be here right now,” Dr. Whale warns, clutching his clipboard.

“David…”

“You can’t be in here, ma’am. Can you wait over here for a second?” Dr. Whale repeats in a failed attempt to do his job and try to calm her.

From outside, you stand with Mary Margaret who looks upset despite the heroic act she’d just committed. “...Who is that?”

Regina walks up behind you all, resting her hand on your shoulder, giving you a worried look. Despite all she’s done and continues to do, it seems like she cares about you. And you must show her some kindness for it.

“His wife.”

In The Enchanted Forest

Snow White and Prince Charming walk through the forest, things are peaceful now.

“So… Well, you probably want this.” Prince Charming mutters as he hands a small pouch to her.

“Right, the gold. Thank you. And, um, you can’t get married without this,” she smiles with a shrug, giving him back the pouch with his jewels and the ring. He pulls out the ring to admire it, looking at it softly.

“Ah. I know - not your style,” Charming jokes as he catches Snow looking at the ring. “Well, there’s only one way to find out,” she jests as she puts it on.

The world goes still for a moment as Charming looks at her. It’s just her, in his mother’s ring. It’s perfect. She’s perfect.

“Yeah, not me at all. I’m sure your fiancée will love it,” Snow splutters, giving it back in a hurry.

“Yeah… yeah, if you need more, you can have the rest. The ring is all I require,” Charming offers, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, holding out the pouch

“Oh, no. I’m good, thanks. We both got what we wanted,” she dismisses as he nods and slowly puts the pouch in his bag, clearing his throat.

“Well, wherever you’re going, be careful. If… If you need anything-”

“You’ll find me,” she smiles with a small chuckle.

“Always.”

“I almost believe that,” she jokes, though her facial expression portrays something more genuine.

“Well, goodbye, Snow White.” Charming mutters as if struggling to say goodbye now that he’s found her.

“Goodbye, Prince Charming,” Snow mumbles, trying to keep up a tough layer, but he seems to get to her. It irks her, but she can’t stop herself from wanting to keep him around.

“I told you - it’s James,” he chuckles as he stops walking, looking for any reason to stay here with her for just a few seconds longer.

“Nah, still like Charming better,” she quips as they eventually part ways. Charming looks back to see her one last time, but she’s already gone.

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

At the hospital, Kathryn and David talk in his hospital room while the rest of you and Regina stand outside. Regina had been kind enough to buy you a coffee, forcing Graham to stay with you for just a little bit longer to make sure that you’re okay.

“His name is David Nolan. And that’s his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it’s put me in quite the forgiving mood. We’ll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you’re grounded.” She says to Henry, who frowns and sits on one of the chairs next to you, leaning against your arm tiredly. While he fights sleep and you keep yourself talking to him, Kathryn exits David’s room.

“Thank you. Thank you for finding my David,” she sobs, resting her hand on your shoulder. You nod and smile up at her, seeing real emotion in her eyes even if the timing is bizarre to you.

“Um, I-I don’t understand. You didn’t… You didn’t know that he was in a coma?” Mary Margaret comments as you rest your hand on Kathryn’s in a soothing manner.

“A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn’t like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn’t stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made.” She explains, struggling to keep her emotions at bay as she explains.

“You didn’t go look for him?” Emma questions with her arms crossed, trying to sound understanding, but it just doesn’t add up to her.

“I assumed he’d left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I’ve wanted to do forever - say I’m sorry. Now we get that second chance.” Kathryn answers, riddled with guilt about not being there when David needed her most.

“That’s… wonderful.” Mary Margaret forces out, appearing disappointed to you.

Dr. Whale leaves David’s room looking confused but happy, “well, it’s something of a miracle.”

“He’s okay?” Kathryn asks, gripping your shoulder.

“Ah, physically, he’s on the mend, um, his memory is another issue.” He explains as he looks through his notes on David, “it may take time, if at all.”

“What brought him back?” Mary Margaret enquires.

“That’s the thing. There’s no explanation. Something just clicked in him,” he shrugs, unable to find anything that would have caused such extreme physical and mental shifts in him.

“He just got up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess.”

“Someone.” Henry points out, to which you nod and everyone else ignores.

“Can I see him?” Kathryn asks, already letting go of you and moving to enter the room.

“Yeah, of course,” Dr. Whale nods as she immediately goes back in to talk to her husband some more.

“Henry, let’s go.” Regina orders, standing in front of the boy, clearly irritated that he ran away to Emma once again.

“Wait, my backpack,” he mumbles, getting up to grab his bag and whispering to Mary Margaret, “don’t believe them. You’re the one he was looking for.”

“Henry…”

“He was going to the Troll Bridge. It’s like the end of the story,” he points out as he throws the bag over his shoulder.

“Henry, he was going there because it’s the last thing I read to him,” Mary Margaret argues, trying to find a rational explanation for all of this.

“No. It’s because you belong together.” He retorts as he finally stands back up, smiling at her.

“Henry.” Regina says sharply, beckoning him to which Henry frowns but walks to her side, huffing when she walks him out of the hospital.

Emma runs out of the hospital, catching up with Regina and Henry who are walking from the exit.

“Madame Mayor!” She calls out, stopping by her side.

“Wait by the car,” Regina orders Henry, who grumbles but leaves the two alone.

“Miss Swan, I let you off the hook back there. Don’t press it.” Regina warns, turning to face her.

“I’m sorry, but Mrs. Nolan? Kind of feels like her story could be a load of crap. All this time, there’s a John Doe lying around in a coma and nobody puts it in the news, nobody goes looking. Something’s not right here,” Emma states as she clenches her fist, having been unable to find a way to make it make sense.

“Well, what else would make sense to you? Why would Miss Nolan lie? Do you think I cast a spell on her?” She asks mockingly will putting on a professional front, makes her more believable to most.

“I think it’s rather strange you’ve been his emergency contact all these years and you only found her now,” she comments, obviously not buying her ‘helpful mayor’ act.

“Well, this town is bigger than you know. It’s entirely possible to get lost here. It’s entirely possible for bad things to happen,” she responds coldly with her head tilted just a little.

“And just when it’s convenient you manage to solve the mystery?”

“Thanks to you. The tape you found was a stroke of genius. So, we went back and looked at past tapes. Turns out Mr. Doe’s been talking in his sleep. He’s been calling out for a Kathryn. After that, it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together. And here I thought you and Mary Margaret would be pleased. True love won out. So bask in the moment, dear. Were it not for you two, they would have lived completely alone. That’s why I’m willing to forgive your incessant rudeness. Because all this has reminded me of something oh-so very important. How grateful I am to have Henry. Because not having someone? Well, that’s the worst curse imaginable.”

You finally leave the hospital, walking down the lonely streets back to your apartment opposite the clocktower. Regina designed it well in the curse, it was small but cosy and had everything you needed, even if you don’t use it much. Deciding that you should try to rest tonight, you have a warm shower and some dinner. By now it was late into the night, so you climb into bed and let yourself drift into unconsciousness. For once, it’s dreamless and peaceful.

Mary Margaret stands in silence as she watches David and Kathryn hug in his room, with a tearful sigh, she fiddles with her ring and looks at it - the same ring that Prince Charming was going to give to his fiancée. She then goes home, not wanting to hurt her heart anymore. She sits in a chair, holding a mug of tea when there’s a knock on the door.

“Emma…” She mumbles, seeing the blonde woman standing in her doorway holding a small box.

“Sorry to bother you so late. Is that spare room still available?” She asks while looking at the floor to stop herself from being vulnerable. Mary Margaret smiles softly and nods, letting her in.

End of Episode 3: Snow Falls

[certifiedfroggit]

Once Upon A Time: Chapter two

Ouat x reader insert

I hope you enjoy this, I tried to incorporate the reader more and explore more of them as a person

Ouat x Gn!reader

Word count: 9.3K

CW: character death, reader's not handling the curse well, mental health worries, light angst, and violence

Episode two: The Thing You Love Most

Henry is watching the clocktower from his windowsill, when suddenly it moves. Time set back in motion.

The next day, Mary Margret, while eating her breakfast, notices that the clock is working again. You ride your bike to work, smiling when you see the clock displaying the current time for the first time. Emma looks out the window in her room at the inn. Archie is walking his dog, Mr. Gold walks past, and Ruby puts the sign for Granny’s Diner outside. Regina is reading Henry’s book, frowning when she notices that the pages towards the end are ripped out.

“The missing pages - where are they?” She asks, holding the book up behind him as Henry fluffs up his hair in the mirror.

“It’s an old book. Stuff’s missing. Why do you care?” He asks, horribly suspicious of Regina.

“I care because you think I’m some evil queen. And that hurts me, Henry. I’m your mother.” She explains, trying to sound more delicate with him as he does not seem to be hiding his distaste for her now.

“No, you’re not.”

“Well, then who is? That woman you brought here? I don’t like what she and this book are doing to you, Thankfully, both are no longer an issue. What?” She rants, interrupted by the chiming of the clock outside, which causes Regina to look up and storm to the window, peering out. Henry runs out of his room and the house the second that she’s distracted.

Regina walks out to the town square, coming across Archie on his morning walk with Pongo. “Hey, how about that? Guess those rusty ol’ innards finally straightened themselves out, huh?” He jests, not noticing the change in Regina’s expression as she sees Emma’s car still parked on the side of the road.

“Yes, how about that, indeed…”

A knocking on the door shocks Emma, and opening the door reveals Regina. She holds a basket in, delicious looking, apples.

“Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I’ve tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers.” She rambles, handing one of the fruits to Emma.

“...Thanks.”

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy them on your drive home,” she grins.

“Actually, I’m going to stay for a while.” Emma corrects, leaning against the doorframe in an almost teasing manner.

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn’t need you confusing him.” She retorts, mocking concern for the blonde, although it wasn’t the best performance she’s given.

“All due respect, Madam Mayor, the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last twelve hours makes me want to stay more.” Emma explains, watching the small changes in her face. It’s hard to believe she can get more annoyed.

“Since when were apples a threat?”

“I can read between the lines. Sorry. I just want to make sure Henry’s okay,” she continues; this town seemed safe enough for a young boy, but something just feels off. Regina acts too defensively for just a worried mother, so what else is happening here?

“He’s fine, dear. Any problems he has are being taken care of,” Regina smiles.

“What does that mean?” Emma cuts in, perhaps too eager to find things wrong with her.

“It means I have him in therapy. It’s all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan. Only one of us knows what’s best for Henry.” She explains while joining her hands together and taking a breath - control of the situation is hers, she’s in control, she’s okay.

“Yeah, I’m starting to think you’re right about that.”

“It’s time for you to go,” she snaps, trying to intimidate Emma with that ‘air of authority’ that gets the town to listen to her.

“Or what?” … And it doesn’t work.

“Don’t underestimate me, Miss Swan. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”

In the Enchanted Forest

“You will never do it! You lack the po-” You begin to call out before Granny covers your mouth with her hand and Ruby holds you back, muttering soothing words into your ear despite her fear.

“...Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last. Thing. I. Do.” She announces, drawing out the end of her speech, that smirk still stretched over her face, smug and malicious as she turns away, sparing you one last glance as she heads for the door.

“Hey!” Prince Charming called after her, launching his sword at her, just before it hits her in the back, she dissipates in a shroud of purple mist. She re-appears in another castle, one of her own, the prince’s sword following her and slamming into the wall and sticking there. An older gentleman waits in the castle for her, holding a tray with drinks on it.

“Would you like something to drink?” He asks quietly, holding out the tray.

“Do I look like I need a drink?” The Evil Queen grumbles as she paces. The threats were made, now the plans must be carried out.

“I was only trying to help,” he mumbles as he passes her a glass anyway. Which she accepts.

“Thank you.”

From the wall behind, a mirror comes to life, displaying a face clouded by mist. “Now, that was an awfully big threat. Destroy everyone’s happiness? How do you plan on accomplishing that?” It taunts, tilting its head.

“The dark curse.”

“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” The older man asks. The dark curse, while being older than anyone can remember, even you, is known for its detrimental characteristics and cost across the realms.

“But you said you’d never use it!” The being in the mirror protests, the glass shaking from his cries.

“You made a deal when you gave away that curse!”

“You traded it away.”

“She won’t be happy to see you.”

The protests roar on and on, the Evil Queen rolling her eyes as she fixes her hair, “since when do I care about anyone else’s happiness but mine? Prepare the carriage. We’re going to the forbidden fortress.”

A castle pokes out from the mountains, the home of Malefiecent. She and the Evil Queen sit by a fire inside, Maleficent looks dishevelled, quite the contrast to the Evil Queen who sits with one leg crossed over the other, adorned in jewels.

“How are you, dear?” Maleficent asks with a lethargic tone, slumping down in her seat.

“I’m doing fine.”

“Are you? If it were me, I’d be simply tortured watching that flake of Snow so happy. Weren’t you about the same age when you were to be married? Before she ruined it all… Yes, you were.” She slowly draws out, tilting her head with a sleepy grin on her face.

“Yes, it was about the same age you were when that Sleeping Beauty got the best of you, my dear Maleficent.” The Evil Queen shoots back, resting her hands in her lap.

“I soldiered on, as you will too. Hopefully.”

“Enough games. You know why I’m here. I need my curse back,” she clarifies.

“It’s not yours anymore. A deal’s a deal. I traded you my sleeping curse.” Maleficent growls, leaning further forward in her seat.

“Which failed. Undone by a simple kiss. Now please, return what’s mine,” she demands while Maleficent leans back in her chair, exhaustion dragging her down.

“The dark curse? Really? You must know that not even its unholy power can bring your loved one back from the dead. Have you considered a pet? They can be quite comforting,” she asks, letting her hand rake through the mane of a little unicorn. It’s small and decrepit, much like its owner. It leans into her hand, nuzzling against her legs.

“The only comfort for me is Snow White’s suffering.” The Queen badgers, glancing at the unicorn with disgust before ripping her eyes away, locking back onto her.

“Well, it’s her wedding night. I doubt she’s suffering right now,” she snarks with a lazy smirk, twirling a section of the animal’s mane around her finger.

“I need that curse. I know you keep it hidden in the orb above your staff,” she deducts with her eyes trained on the glass sphere, the scroll of a curse floating in the centre.

“Hidden for the good of all, old friend. Whoever created that monstrosity, makes the two of us look positively… Moral. Who did give that to you?”

“Where I got it is none of your concern. Hand it back,” the Evil Queen demands, lifting her hand to ensnare the fireplace.

The flames circle her hand, under her control. She aims at Maleficent, but she raises her staff, blocking the fire, sending it shooting off in the opposite direction.

The Queen grunts and summons a collection of weapons in a purple smoke, turning them to aim at Maleficent’s little unicorn. “No!” She screams, jumping in front of her pet, this time using her magic to deflect the attack. She turns to check on it for just a moment, giving the Queen enough time to use her magic to rip the chandelier from its chains and let it fall on top of Maleficent, trapping her in the metal and the resulting debris.

While she tries to wriggle for her freedom, the Queen chuckles and takes her staff.

“Love is weakness, Maleficent. I thought you knew that?” She taunts, crunching the crystal remnants under her heels as she steps back from Maleficent.

“If you’re going to kill me, kill me!” She shudders, having to tense her whole body in preparation. Instead of the tortuous heat of the Evil Queen’s fire, she is met with the sound of glass shattering as the Queen smashes the orb against the floor, collecting the scroll containing the dark curse. “Why would I do that? You’re my only friend,” she purrs, admiring the scroll under the light of the fireplace.

“Don’t do this. This… Curse. There are lines even we shouldn’t cross. All power comes with a price. Enacting it will take a terrible toll. It will leave an emptiness inside you. A void you will never be able to fill,” she cries as the Queen continues to grin, her warnings falling on deaf ears.

“So be it.”

The Evil Queen stands in front of a fire, the smoke creeping up into the sky. A group of huddled beings stand around the flames, muttering a chant of sorts. Various unseen items are thrown into it.

“Who among us is tired of losing? That’s why I called you here. To put an end to our misery. Today, we claim victory and move to a new, better realm. A place where we can finally win,” she announces.

“And we’ll be happy?” A woman questions, rubbing her hands nervously, hunched over herself.

“I guarantee it. But first, I need something from you. A lock of hair from those with the darkest souls. You must trust me. Because if you don’t, there are other ways…” The Evil Queen raises her hand, the trees surrounding them grow taller until they can’t find a way to escape. The group trembles and relents, each slicing off a lock of their hair to be sacrificed.

“A wise decision. All that remains is the final ingredient. The prized heart from my childhood steed. The glorious beast whose passing will fuel our victory. Let my wrath be unleashed,” she barks while removing the heart from a box and crushing it, letting the dust fall into the flames. A large pillar of mist shoots up into the sky briefly, but it quickly dissipates. A cruel laughter fills the space left by the failure.

“Yeah, you really unleashed something, there. A Gnome cackles out, pointing a sneering finger at the Queen who turns him to stone with a look.

In Storybrooke Main, in the real world

The Gnome from the Enchanted Forest now sits in Regina’s garden as decoration while Regina herself picks apples from her tree. A man holding a newspaper walks up behind her, displaying a photo of Emma on the front cage.

“The Mirror strikes again!” He cheers gleefully, showing her the paper.

“You’re late,” Regina snaps while plucking an apple from her tree, not bothering to look at the man.

“Sorry. I wanted to bring you the latest edition. I assure you it’s one of my better hatchet jobs,” he rambles, folding the paper under his arm.

“That’s not what I asked for. What’d you find out about her?” He drops his gaze to the floor, clearing his throat, “well, the truth be told, there wasn’t much. She spent a lot of time in foster homes. Sh-she got into some trouble when she was a kid, ah, but the details are locked up pretty tight. Since then, she’s clean. Bounced around all over. The only thing I really learned was that she doesn’t like to sit still.” He stutters, kicking a pebble.

“Well, that appears to have changed,” Regina grumbles as she turns to finally look at him. But it isn’t soft, or polite, or what he wants. She’s disappointed in him.

“D-did you know that, um, she had Henry while she was in Phoenix? Huh, how’d he wind up here in Maine? And-”

“So, if I’m understanding you correctly, you found nothing of value. Which means you have no value, Sidney. Do you know what I do with things that hold no value to me?” He looks up at her, shaking his head, “I throw them away.”

“I-I’ll keep looking,” he mumbles, walking back the way he came.

Emma sits at Granny’s Diner, reading the newspaper and eating that apple Regina gave her. You stand at the lunch counter, cleaning up some mugs as you speak to some of the town folk, mainly Grumpy before he has to leave for his shift. Ruby leaves you behind the counter to give Emma a cocoa.

“Here you go,” she smiles, leaning against the other booth seat.

“Thank you. But I did not order that.”

“Yeah, I know. You have an admirer,” she giggles and steps aside so Emma can see Graham sitting at a table,

Ruby comes back to the lunch counter, standing beside you while you make her a coffee. Benefits of being on Granny’s good side, you both get free drinks. “... You think he’s into her?” Ruby whispers, pushing your head in the direction of Graham and Emma walking over to his table. “Maybe, she’s attractive and seems bold. He seems the type to like that in a person,” you shrug, sliding her the drink you were making.

Approaching the table, Emma puts the cocoa in front of Graham.

“Ah, so you decided to stay,” he grins, leaning back in his seat as he crosses one leg over the other.

“Observant. Important for a cop.”

“It’s good news for our tourist business, it’s bad for our local signage,” Emma deadpans, tapping the rim of the mug, “it’s… it’s a joke. It’s because you ran over our sign.” He finishes meekly, clearing his throat.

“Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don’t, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you.” She explains while stepping away, creating some distance from the man.

“I didn’t send it,” he interrupts with a forced polite smile, feeling awkward at the rejection, even if it was a misunderstanding.

“I did!” A voice calls out from behind them, Henry, sitting in another booth and holding an identical cocoa, “I like cinnamon, too.”

“Don’t you have school?” Emma sighs, picking the chocolate back up to meet Henry.

“Duh. I’m ten. Walk me.”

Emma and Henry walk to the bus stop, cocoas left behind for you and Ruby to ‘finish off’ for them.

“So, what’s the deal with you and your mom?” Emma asks with a sudden interest, “It’s not about us, it’s about her curse.” Henry explains, “We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one - identification. I call it Operation Cobra!” He reveals while a massive smile crosses his face, quite proud of his planning.

“Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales,” she comments while only half listening, more so focusing on what to do about Regina.

“Exactly. It’s a code name to throw the Queen off the trail,” he clarifies with glee.

“So, everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don’t know it.” Emma repeats from her first day in town.

“That’s the curse. Time’s been frozen - until you got here.” He continues as Emma takes a bite of the apple, “hey! Where’d you get that?” He asks, fear darting through him.

“Your mom.”

“Don’t eat that!” He shouts, taking the apple from her hand and throwing it over his shoulder.

“... Okay, uh… Alright. What about their pasts?” She stumbles out, looking back at the apple for a moment, then shakes her head to re-join the conversation.

“They don’t know. It’s a haze to them. Ask anyone anything. And you’ll see.” Henry explains with a sad nod, it truly is a sad reality to live in.

“So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious,” Emma recites absentmindedly.

“I knew you’d get it. That’s why we need you. You’re the only one who can stop her curse.”

“Because I’m the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?” She mumbles along in disbelief.

“Yes. And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn’t know that. I took out the end. The part with you in it. See? Your mom is Snow White,” he repeats with a grin.

“Kid…”

“I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn’t be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don’t let her see these pages. They’re dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad,” Henry explains while handing the missing pages to her, “I got to go. But I’ll find you later and we can get started. I knew you’d believe me!” He continues as he begins to run off.

“I never said I did,” Emma argues, crossing her arms.

“Why else would you be here?” He yells, running into the school with a large smile.

Mary Margaret sees Emma sigh and approaches her.

“It’s good to see his smile back,” she mumbles while she stands by her side.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You stayed.” Emma looks over at Mary Margaret, “so, does the Mayor know you’re still here?”

“Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She’s not a great people person. How did she get elected?” She asks in disbelief.

“She’s been mayor for as long as I can remember. No one’s ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear. I’m afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she’s the Evil Queen,” Mary Margaret explains with a sigh, riddled with guilt over the thought of making their relationship worse.

“Who does he think you are?” Emma inquires, smirking over how ridiculous the idea sounds.

“Oh, it’s silly.”

“I just five minutes of silly. Lay it on me,” she chuckles while rolling her eyes.

“Snow White. Who does he think you are?” Mary Margaret responds admittedly finding herself laughing a little.

“I’m not in the book. Can I ask you a favour? Regina mentioned the kid’s in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?”

Archie sits in his office with a mini radio playing, Pongo curled up in his bed, filling out some paperwork when Emma knocks on the door and steps in, “hey.”

“Emma Swan. I was, uh, just reading about you. Let me guess - you’re here for a little help with post traumatic stress? …That diagnosis was free, by the way.” Archie assumes as he puts the papers in a drawer - sharing information like that is a crime, after all.

“No, I’m here about Henry,” Emma answers, closing the door.

“I’m sorry. I… I really shouldn’t-”

“I know, I’m sorry. Just tell me something. This fairy tale obsession - what is causing it? I mean, he thinks everyone is a character in his book. That’s… Crazy.” She explains in a rushed manner, plopping down on his couch.

“I-I hope you don’t talk that way in front of him. The word crazy is, um, quite damaging. These stories… They’re his language. He has no idea how to express complex emotion, so he’s translating as best as he can. This is how he communicates, when he’s using this book to help deal with his problems.” Archie insists, turning to look at her, hands in his lap.

“But he got the book a month ago. Has he been seeing you longer than that?”

“Um, yes, he has.” He stutters.

“So it’s Regina, isn’t it?” She asks as if confirming all the ideas she had going into this conversation.

“Uh, his mother is, uh, a very complicated woman. And, uh, over the years, her attempts to try and bring Henry close to her only backfired. Why don’t you take a look at his file? Um, see what I mean.” Archie suggests whilst spinning his chair enough to pull Henry’s file from his drawer and passing it to her. It’s heavy.

“Why are you doing this?” Emma asks, her hands gripping the file on her lap.

“We talked about you a lot. And you’re very important to him,” he mumbles.

“Thank you.”

“Just, uh, see that I get it back, okay? And Miss Swan. Just for the sake of the boy, be careful about how to handle his belief system. Destroying his imagination would be… be devastating.”

Emma nods and leaves, the file under her arm. Archie waits for a minute then picks up the phone, dialling a number.

“You were right. She was just here.” He mutters into the phone, his body curling as he hunches over his desk.

“Did she take the file?” The voice of Regina responds through the speaker.

“Yes. H-How did you know that she was going to come here?”

“Because I’m the one who gave her the idea.”

Emma sits on her bed at the bed and breakfast, flipping through Henry’s file, her eyebrows furrowed as she looks over the notes about him. There’s a sudden knock on the door, Emma jumps and walks to the door, opening it to find Sheriff Graham.

“Hey there. If you’re concerned about the ‘do not disturb’ signs, don’t worry. I’ve left them alone,” Emma jokes, shoving her hands in her back pockets as she smirks at him.

“Actually, I’m here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?”

“No…” Emma mutters, tone dying down when she notices that he’s being serious.

“I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities… He says you demanded to see Henry’s files and when he refused, you came back and stole them.” He explains with a grumble.

“He gave them to me.”

“Alas, he’s telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?” He asks, meeting her gaze challengingly.

Emma reluctantly steps aside and opens the door fully for him, and unfortunately for her, the papers from Henry’s files are strewn all over her bed.

“This what you’re looking for?”

“Well, you’re very accommodating. I’m afraid, Miss Swan, you’re under arrest. Again.” Graham sighs, taking Emma’s arms, pinning them behind her back as he clicks the handcuffs onto her wrists.

“You know I’m being set up, don’t you?” She grunts as the cold metal presses against her skin.

“And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?”

Regina walks down the street to where Henry is sitting with his class, not talking to anyone, as per usual, and Mary Margaret stands in front of them. “- water, synthesize.”

“Ahem. May I speak with my son?” She calls out impatiently, what little professionalism she had to perform for Mary Margaret quickly vanishing.

“We’re in the middle of a lesson. Is it important?”

“Do you think I’d be here if it wasn’t?” She snaps before walking over to Henry and crouching down in front of him.

“Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news. The woman who you brought here - she’s been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper’s office and stole his files. She’s a con woman. She’s trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That’s why she’s sticking around. I’m sorry,” she explains, holding his shoulders while attempting to get him to meet her gaze.

“No, you’re not.” He mumbles while trying to pull away from her, pushing at her arms.

“I know you think otherwise, but all I’m doing is trying to protect you. This is going to be good for us. You’ll see. Things will be better.” She whispers as she refuses to let him go, smoothing down his hair. She finally lets go as the bell rings out, letting Henry dart away.

“I got to get back to class!”

A camera flashes as Graham takes Emma’s mugshot in the sheriff’s office. Emma looks at the wall boredly, “you know the shrink is lying, right?” She asks, tilting her head enough to meet his eyes.

“To the right, please. Why would he lie?” He enquires as he takes another photo.

“The Mayor put him up to this,” she explains, “she’s got to have something on him. He’s terrified of her like everyone else in this… town.” She adds as she complies, turning to the right.

“To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don’t think she’d go as far as a frame job,” he scoffs, setting down the camera.

“How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?”

“Well, she’s the Mayor. She has her hands in everything,” he shrugs as footsteps echo in the hall.

“Including the police force?” She snarks as three figures appear in the doorway.

Henry takes the lead, followed by you and Mary Margaret.

“Hey!” Henry yells as he runs in, shocking the two in the office.

“Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?”

“His mother told him what happened,” Mary Margaret explained as she came to a stop next to Graham.

“And Henry told me what happened,” you add, a few steps behind her, causing Graham to smirk, seeing you getting involved in his business once again.

“So you have to be a part of it too?” He teases as you hop up on his desk, letting him get a little closer.

“Mhmm, you should get back to work, Sheriff. You are on the clock, after all.” You mumble back with a chuckle as you notice his eyes widen as he remembers everyone else in the room. He’s a lot of fun to bother.

“Of course she did. Henry, I don’t know what she said-”

“You’re a genius!” Henry says as Emma looks stunned, Mary Margaret not looking any more in the loop.

“What?”

“I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra.” Ah, so that is what he decided to call his plans for breaking the curse, you think, smart kid.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit lost.” Graham pipes up, trying to keep his eyes from straying back to you while you nod along to the conversation happening around you.

“It’s a need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard and [name] are going to bail her out.” Henry explains, making you chuckle at Henry's blunt nature towards the sheriff, not noticing that everyone looks at you for a moment at the sound of your laugh.

Emma is the first to collect herself, looking to the two of you, “you are? Why?”

“I, uh, trust you,” Mary Margaret stutters then looks to you for your answer since you just chose to tag along when Henry asked you to.

“Oh, me? I like you, and Henry seemed worried.” You explain as you slide Graham the assumed amount of bail. You don’t want Mary Margaret to pay it alone, or at all for that matter, not on a teacher’s salary and it’d only aggravate Regina more if she found out that she was involved in Emma’s release.

“Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do.”

Regina sits in her office, taking in her victory when a noise is heard from outside. When she looks out the window, the view of Emma cutting the branches of her apple tree down with a chainsaw greets her.

“What the hell are you doing?!” She screams as she storms out of her office.

“Picking apples,” Emma goads, tossing the chainsaw to the ground.

“You’re out of your mind.”

“No, you are to think a shoddy frame job’s enough to scare me off. You’re going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I’m coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of.” She warns, smirking as she begins to walk away, “your move.”

In the Enchanted Forest

The Evil Queen and the man from earlier stand where the failed curse took place, staring down at the burnt mess left behind.

“Maybe it’s for the best. The forces you are summoning are darker than we can conceive.” The man suggests, taking the Evil Queen’s hand.

“Oh? Now you’re trying to protect me?” She taunts as she rips her hand away as if disgusted by the attempt at comfort.

“It’s what I do…”

“I know. You’re the only one who does,” she mumbles in admittance as she turns her back to the curse sight.

“Helping you is my life.”

“Well then help me understand why this curse isn’t working,” she demands, her hands squeezing down flames as she clenches her fists, unable to contain her anger.

“If you want to know that, then you need to go back to the person who gave it to you in the first place. Revenge is a dark and lonely road and once you go down it, there is no heading back,” he warns, looking up at her.

“What is there for me to head back to?”

Once they leave, you appear in a soft green mist, then walk to the fire sight where the curse was attempted. You let out a hum, noticing the scraps of the hair and cursed items - you believe - were thrown in. You were right to be nervous, from just the ingredients alone, you can see that this curse will be powerful. It’s born from ancient magic. To soften the blow when the curse finally hits, you pour a potion of your own creation into the ashy remains. This potion is a viscous purple liquid that hisses when it mixes with the cinders, it should add a layer of protection for everyone in town. You’ll be fine, you’ll still have your memory and all your knowledge left, but you don’t know what state everyone else will be in during the curse. This potion will allow anyone caught in this curse to be given a life suited to each of them, practically replicating their lives now but wherever you end up. Hopefully that will do something to soften the suffering that everyone will be put through, you think, smiling solemnly as you mutter a small prayer and dissipate in that same green mist.

Mice squeak all around the floor outside of the cell holding Rumplestiltskin, skittering about the ground, searching for crumbs left behind.

“It’s just us, dearie. You can show yourself,” Rumplstiltskin coos, resting his head against the bars of his cell, watching the mice. Well, one specifically as it transforms into the Evil Queen.

“That curse you gave me - it’s not working,” she explains, straight to business, as per usual when it comes to him.

“Oh, so worried. So, so worried. Like Snow and her lovely new husband, oh, and that little nymph~ even they look scared.”

“What?”

“They paid me a visit, as well. They were very anxious…about you and your curse,” he giggles while he taps at his bars, tilting his head.

“What’d you tell them?”

“The truth! That nothing can stop the darkness. Expect, of course, their unborn child. You see, no matter how powerful, all curses can be broken. The child is the key. Of course, the curse has to be enacted first,” he rambles as he grins, enjoying the look of frustration on the Queen’s face as she listens to him.

“Tell me what I did wrong,” She demands.

“For that, there’s a price,” he gleams; he very much enjoys the way her eyebrows scrunch and how the hatred floods her gaze.

“What do you want?”

“Simple. In this new land, I want comfort. I want a good life,” he begins as he tilts his head and smiles, as if already imagining his life during the curse.

“You’ll have an estate. Be rich-”

“I wasn’t finished. There’s more!” He interrupts, grumpily kicking the bars to his cell, causing a noisy clank to echo in the cave that is the dungeon and further irritating the Queen.

“There always is with you,” she sighs as she uncovers her ears.

“In this new land, should I ever come to you for any reason, you must heed my every request. You must do whatever I say. So long as I say please,” he giggles.

“You do realise, that should I succeed, you won’t remember any of this,” the Queen points out though it doesn’t do anything to dull Rumplestiltskin’s enjoyment of this conversation and future.

“Oh, well then. What’s the harm?” He shrugs in an attempt to entice her. And it works.

“Deal,” she starts, sighing as she thinks about how to incorporate his demands, “what must I do to enact this curse?”

“You need a sacrifice,” he states simply with an annoying little grin on his face.

“I sacrificed my prized steed,” she complains. Rumplestiltskin does not react well, grabbing her by the throat and dragging her closer to his face.

“A horse? This is the curse to end all curses. You think a horse is going to do? Great power requires great sacrifice. The heart you need must come from something far more precious,” he barks, squeezing her throat.

“Tell me what will suffice,” the Queen chokes out as she gasps for air, trying to pry his fingers off her.

“The heart of the thing you love most.” He snaps, gripping her even tighter at her attempts to get away.

“What I love most died because of Snow White.”

“Ooh. Is there no one else you truly love? This curse isn’t going to be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie. You have to ask yourself a simple question. How far are you willing to go?” He taunts, turning her head in his hand.

“As far as it takes,” she grunts as she continues to struggle beneath his hand.

“Then please don’t waste everyone’s time and just do it. You know what you love. Now go kill it,” he demands, finally letting go of her throat.

In Storybrooke Maine, in the real world

Emma returns to the inn and enters her room, sighing in relief before she notices Granny right behind her. “Miss Swan. Oh my, this is terribly awkward. Uh, I need to ask you to leave. I’m afraid we have a ‘no felons’ rule. It… It turns out it’s a city ordinance,” she stutters out as she fumbles with her hands and glasses.

“Let me guess - the Mayor’s office just called to remind you.” Emma responds, met with a hesitant nod from Granny as you begin to walk up the stairs - room service duty.

“You can gather your things, but I need your room key back,” she adds, visibly relaxing when she notices you behind her.

“You can leave it with me, Granny, head back downstairs. I’m sure there’s someone giving the wrong amount of change in the diner,” you say, understanding how horrible she must feel about this. She nods and gives you and Emma a small smile before heading back downstairs while Emma hands you the key to her room.

You sigh and look at her, “I’ll help you pack back up, take it as an apology from what Regina pulled.”

Regina sits on the grass, picking her apples up off the ground and placing them in a basket - somehow still looking regal even when defeated. Graham can’t help but smirk at seeing the mess as he walks up behind her.

“She destroyed city property. I want her arrested,” she demands as she stands up with the basket of apples hanging from her arm.

“Again?”

“What are you waiting for?” She snaps.

“I’m just not convinced arresting her is the right plan. And I’m not talking about your tree. We both know she didn’t steal those files.” Graham needles as he takes in the sight of her garden, seeing the damage with amusement.

“Oh, do we?”

“I mean, she looked pretty shocked when I levelled the charges against her,” he argues with a shrug.

“It’s only because she doesn’t like being caught,” Regina refutes as she straightens out her outfit, not taking kindly to Graham questioning her.

“Or because she was set up. And if she was, that means Dr. Hopper was lying. And if he’s lying, that means that someone asked him to. Are we really confident that the man’s conscience won’t eventually get the best of him?” He deduces with great sarcasm.

“I think your schoolboy crush is clouding your judgment. Remember - I made you sheriff. And I can take it away just as easily,” she taunts as she pokes his chest threateningly. He sighs and nods, stepping back.

“If you want me to arrest her again, I will.” He sighs, admitting defeat this time.

“Good.”

“But she’s going to keep coming at you. And I know that you’re going to keep coming at her and you will do whatever it takes to get her out of here and you may succeed.”

“No, I will succeed. He’s my son. It’s what’s best for him,” Regina confirms, determined to win this battle, she’d won harder battles before.

“I know that’s what you believe. Yeah, but if this escalates, it seems to me that only one who will get hurt is Henry,” he warns.

Emma walks down the street to her yellow bug, groaning when she sees that a boot has been put on it. Just as she notices it, her phone rings and picking up reveals Regina sounding smug.

“Yeah?”

“Miss Swan, I’d be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?” Regina asks gleefully as she walks down the street, back to her office.

“You have no idea…”

“Well then. I think it’s time we made peace. Why don’t you drive over to my office?” She pauses for a moment, as if biting back a smile, “or walk, whatever suits you.”

Regina and Emma sit in Regina’s office, it’s tense and silent as the two make eye contact, daring the other to speak first.

“I’d like to start by apologizing, Miss Swan,” Regina begins, breaking the silence and shocking Emma.

“What?”

“I just have to accept the reality that you want to be here,” she continues, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands on the desk.

“That’s right. I do.”

“And that you’re here to take my son from me,” she finishes as she watches Emma try to catch up with what she’d just said.

“Okay, let’s be clear. I have no intention of taking him from anyone,” Emma clarifies as she rests her hands on the desk.

“Well, then, what are you doing here?”

“I know I’m not a mother. I think that’s pretty self-evident. But I did have him. And I can’t help that he got in my head and I want to make sure he’s okay. The more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here. Especially after seeing how troubled he is.” She explains, holding her hands together and tracing the outline of her thumbnail.

“You think he’s troubled?”

“Well, he’s in therapy. And I only got through a couple of pages of his shrink’s notes before you had me arrested.” Regina nearly smiles at that but keeps it professional. “But putting all that aside, he thinks everyone in this town is a fairy tale character,” she explains, continuing the rhythmic movement.

“And you don’t?”

“How can I? The poor kid can’t tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it’s only getting worse. It’s crazy.” She finishes, turning around when she hears footsteps behind her.

“You think I’m crazy!?” Henry asks in disbelief, running out of the room.

“Henry…”

She whips back around to Regina, her gaze venomous as her jaw clenches, “how long was he there?”

“Long enough.”

“You knew he would be here,” Emma accuses, standing up.

“Did I know that my son comes to my office every Thursday at precisely 5:00pm so I can take him for dinner before his therapy session? Of course I did. I’m his mother. Your move.” She explains tauntingly, resting her head on her fist.

“You have no soul. How in the hell did you get like this?”

In the Enchanted Forest

The Evil Queen walks down a hall in her castle, her dress trailing behind her, several mirrors gleam on the walls.

“What happened? Did you get your answer? What’s going on? Your Majesty? Your Majesty!” The being in the mirror calls out to her, popping up in every one she passes by. She enters a room where the older gentleman from earlier is lighting candles, watching the light spark up with a small smile.

“Did Rumplestiltskin tell you what you needed to know?” He asks hesitantly, walking over to meet her.

“Yes.”

“And?”

The Evil Queen pauses and looks to the ground, unable to meet his gaze, “I’m not sure I should say. I’m conflicted,” she confessed.

“How bad is it? Maybe I can help,” he suggests as he gets closer, taking her hand in an attempt to get her to look at him.

“I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most,” she admits as she squeezes his hand.

“Me?” He asks, causing her to cry out in pain.

“Daddy, I don’t know what to do,” she whispers, one hand clamped over her mouth while she holds his with her other one, having to confront a painful choice that would lead to humiliation or suffering either way.

“My dear, please. You don’t have to do this,” the older man - the Evil Queen’s father - begs, holding her hand with both of his, holding it to his chest.

“I have to do something,” she sobs.

“Then move past this. I know this may sound self-serving, but you don’t need to enact the curse,” he continues to beg.

“But I can’t keep living like this. What Snow did to me, what she took from me? It’s eating me alive, Daddy. Her very existence mocks me. She must be punished…”

“But, if the price is a hole that will never be filled, why do it? Stop worrying about Snow White and start over. We can have a new life,” he suggests, cupping her face in his hand and wiping her tears.

“But what kind of life? All I’ve worked for, all I’ve built, would be gone. My power will disappear. They already think I’m nothing.” She rants as she lets herself fall apart, a moment of humanity being allowed to the Evil Queen.

“Power is seductive. But so is love, you can have that,” he whispers to her in an attempt to help her find something other than this. To him, magic is destructive, it corrupts everyone who uses it and those they hold dear. He’s seen it happen to his own family, including the woman crying in his arms like she did as a little girl.

“I just want to be happy,” she confesses, sniffling and wiping her eyes as she tries to collect herself.

“You can be. Of this I’m sure. But I believe, given the chance, we can find happiness. Together. But the choice is yours,” he advises, smoothing over her hair. The choice can only be left to her now, he can only do so much to guide her down the right path, this choice must be her own.

“...I think you’re right. I can be happy… Just not here,” she confesses as she reaches out and rips her father’s heart from his chest and crushes it, watching him fall to the floor, dead.

“I’m sorry…”

In Storybrooke Maine, in the real world

Mary Margaret sits at a table in her little apartment sewing as she hums to herself while you paint, using bleach to paint on a shirt. She pricks her finger as a knock on the door wakes her from her relaxed trance. With a soft hiss, she crosses to the front door and opens it, revealing Emma standing there with crossed arms.

“Hey. Just wanted to say thank you and, um, pay you back the bail money,” she explains, unaware that it was actually you who gave the money, but you’d never let her know, it was just something small you could do for your friends’ saviour.

“You look like you need to talk,” Mary Margret says, opening the door to her. Emma raises an eyebrow when she notices you there, you always seem to be everywhere, but you seem sweet and harmless. Plus, Henry likes you, so you must be at least a decent person.

“[Name], you’re here too?” She asks as Mary Margaret puts the kettle to boil, making you all a cocoa.

“Emma, hey. Mary and I like to have design evenings together, we usually end up making things for her class, but it’s fun either way,” you explain, looking between her and your bleach work as it tends to be a delicate practice if you want it to turn out the way you envision.

“The kids always love the topic boards you help with, [name],” Mary Margaret says as she walks back to you two with a tray of cocoas.

“Cinnamon?” Emma asks, noticing the sprinkle of the spice on top of her drink, the same goes for Mary Margaret and yourself.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I should’ve asked. It’s a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?” She asks, taking a seat next to you while you put away your little pot of bleach, not wanting to give anyone a headache.

“Not at all. Oh, thanks. When you guys bailed me out, Mary Margaret, you said that you trusted me. Why?” She asks, allowing you to keep your secret from them.

“It’s strange. Ever since you arrived here, I’ve had the oddest feeling like we met before. And, I know it’s crazy,” she rambles as she nurses her drink, letting it warm up her hands and leaving you in a state of confusion before it comes back to you. Snow White had a daughter just before the curse hit. The prophecy claimed that this daughter would come back twenty-eight years into the curse to fight in the final battle. You’ve been stuck here for twenty-eight years, now Emma’s here. Emma is the saviour. So they do know each other because Emma is Mary Margaret’s daughter. And neither of them know it.

“I’m starting to re-evaluate my definition of crazy,” Emma jokes, effectively snapping you out of your spiralling as you nod in understanding.

“All of this must be a lot for you,” you comment understandingly, sipping at your drink to distract yourself from remembering the moments before the curse hit again. Over and over, every night when you try to sleep, imagining every little thing you could have done to stop the curse, or save more people, or stop Charming from getting hurt and being a coma patient here and now.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re innocent,” Mary Margaret adds as she notices you slipping in and out of reality but you snap out of it and throw on a smile to soothe her.

“Of breaking and entering, or just in general?” Emma asks jokingly, raising her mug to her lips.

“Whichever makes you feel better.”

“It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks I did or didn’t do. I’m leaving,” she announces to your increasing worry and an anxiety attack you can feel bubbling up under your skin, “thank you - for everything - both of you, but I think it’s for the best. If I stay, Henry’s only going to keep getting hurt.” She concludes as she finishes her cocoa and puts her mug down.

“What happens if you go? I think the very fact that you want to leave is why you have to stay. You care about him. Who will protect Henry if you won’t?” She asks which manages to calm you down for the time being. Mary Margaret can be very convincing when she feels strongly about something.

Henry sits on the couch of Archie’s office in his therapy session, he seems despondent compared to his usual self to Archie’s chagrin.

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it? You know, that umbrella kind of is my good luck charm. Is that why you think I’m Jiminy Cricket,” he suggests in a feeble attempt to get the boy to talk.

“I don’t think you’re anyone.” He mumbles, curling in on himself on the couch. Before Archie can think up another tactic, Emma barges into the room, shoving the door open.

“Miss Swan! Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me to-”

“I know. Don’t worry about it. I get it. Henry, I’m sorry.” Emma says, crouching down next to the couch where Henry sits, with him refusing to look at her.

“I don’t want to talk to you…”

“Miss Swan, if she knew you were here-” Archie stutters out, his nerves about the situation growing to a boiling point.

“To hell with her. Henry, there is one simple reason I stayed here. You. I wanted to get to know you,” she explains desperately, trying to get the boy to look at her.

“You think I’m crazy.”

“No, I think the curse is crazy. And it is. But, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t true. It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So what do I know? Maybe it is true,” she continues, reaching out to rest her hand on his shoulder hesitantly.

“But you told my mom-”

“What she needed to hear. What I do know is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers.” She explains, awkwardly trying to force his lingo into her words, “cause that way, she’s not onto us. Isn’t that what Operation Cobra was all about? Throwing her off the trail?” She questions, watching the boy’s smile come back when he locks onto what she says.

“Brilliant!”

“I’ve read the pages, and, Henry, you are right. They are dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that she never sees them,” Emma claims as she throws the pages into the fireplace. “Now we have the advantage.”

“I knew you were here to help me,” Henry cheers as he watches the pages burn. He memorised those pages anyways, so this loss was not a heavy one.

“That’s right, kid. I am. And nothing, not even a curse, is going to stop that.”

In The Enchanted Forest

The Evil Queen is, again, at the sight of the previous attempt to enact the curse. With a choked sob, she sprinkles the dust from her father’s heart into the fire. A large pillar of black smile appears just as it did before, but this time it doesn’t vanish, it stands strong, growing at every second. Seeing this, the Queen walks over to a spot further away, placing a rose at the base of a tombstone, the tombstone reads ‘Henry’.

“I love you, daddy.”

In Storybrooke Maine, In The Real World

Emma and Henry leave Archie’s office together, seeming in higher spirits than ever before. Meanwhile, Regina is left cleaning up the damage to her apple tree where Mr. Gold walks up behind her.

“What a mess,” he comments, leaning his weight into his cane as he observes the woman attempting to fix the wreck.

“Not for long,” she mutters, clearing her throat as she fixes her hair and turns to look at him, “what could I do for you, Mr. Gold?”

“I was just in the neighbourhood. Thought I’d pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits,” he comments.

“Well, it’s been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance.” She grins, appearing as though a weight has been lifted off her shoulders.

“Emma Swan. Really?”

“Yes. I imagine she’s half way to Boston by now,” she continues with a shrug, still wanting to appear seemingly innocent in front of him.

“Oh, I wouldn’t bed on that. I just seen her strolling down main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked.” Mr. Gold quips, enjoying the way her face warps into one of shock and rage.

“...What?”

“Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan is a problem you can’t fix, I’m only too happy to help. For a price, of course.” He continues without paying her any attention, all too happy to toy with her.

“I’m not in the business of making deals with you anymore,” Regina murmurs, her mind racing at how another one of her plans crumbled with such ease again.

“To which deal are you referring to?”

“You know what deal,” she spat.

“Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?” He asks, a hint of taunting in his voice - he still manages to sound so… Polite from the outside, but she could tell that he’s taunting her.

“Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn’t you? Your finding Henry wasn’t an accident, was it?” Regina rants, trying to piece together how this has all happened.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Where did you get him? Do you know something?” She continues in her rage, seeming scary at how determined she is for answers from him. And he just stood there, grinning.

“I have no idea what you’re implying.”

“I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this… Emma Swan?”

“I would say you think you know exactly who she is. I really must be going,” he explains with a shrug, taking his weight off of his cane and beginning to walk away from Regina.

“Tell me what you know about her!”

“I’m not going to answer you, dear,” he calls back, waving his hand dismissively, so I suggest you excuse me. Please.” With that he leaves, Regina stands where he left her, eyes wide as she stares at his fading figure.

He’s awake.

End of episode 2: The Thing You Love Most

[certifiedfroggit]

First fanfic!

Once Upon A Time: Chapter One

Ouat x reader insert

This is my first ever fanfiction, I hope that you like it <3

Ouat x Gn!reader

Word count: 11.6K

CW: Light angst, gore, violence, and description of death

There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know. One day, they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen. Our World. This is how it happened…

In The Enchanted Forest

Prince Charming rides a horse along a long stretch of land towards a forest, panting softly as he grips the reins, mumbling a prayer to himself. ‘Please, please, say I’m not too late. I can’t let you go, not now.’ Pushing all doubt aside, he makes his way through the forest, memories of better times in these woods filling his mind and pushing his need to find her before it is too late.

Deep in the forest, he meets several dwarves and a familiar figure, you, gathered around a glass coffin.

“You’re too late.” A solemn voice calls to him, Doc, one of the dwarves. His eyes don't meet Charming’s, almost trained on the face of Snow White who lays inside the glass, her face relaxed - more than it had been in years - and dressed in white, it would have been angelic if he knew she was still here.

“I am sorry, James, we were unable to help her.” You mutter, standing closer to the prince. You lean your head against his arm in an attempt at comfort, your voice wet as you clench your fists. “She loved you dearly.” You add, looking up at him and giving him a weak smile before your lips tremble. He pecks your head, wrapping an arm around you, it is not often you let yourself break like this, but in honour of your friend, you will.

“No. No! Open it.” He begs, storming closer as you stand by his horse, sobs shuddering through your chest. Denial, what a horrible thing.

“I’m sorry, she’s gone.” Grumpy lamented, dropping his facade to mourn one of his few real friends outside of his brothers

“At least let me say goodbye.” Charming demands weakly, cutting off Grumpy.

‘He will never take no for an answer when it comes to saving her, will he?’ You ask yourself, cupping his horse’s face to soothe him and yourself. You watch as the dwarves comply and remove the lid of the coffin, Prince Charming leans down. ‘You romantic fool.’ He kisses Snow White, cupping her cheek as she slowly returns the kiss. The curse breaks, causing a burst of energy to spread throughout the land - a celebration for all.

She gasps and sits up, holding onto Charming’s sleeve to balance herself.

“You…You found me.” She breathed, leaning her head against him.

“Did you ever doubt I would?” He jokes, pressing another kiss to her head as she chuckles.

“Truthfully, the glass coffin gave me pause.”

‘There is our Snow, alive again for under a minute and her wit is still intact’ You think, slowly moving closer. The newly reunited couple can have their moment, but you need to hug your friend after all of this.

“Well, you never have to worry. I will always find you.” Charming professed like the romantic he is, barely able to blink before you dart over and wrap your arms around Snow, gentle as she is recovering from a sleeping curse, but letting your worry be known to the pair.

She laughs and hugs you back, resting her chin on your head as she looks up at Charming again. “Do you promise?”

Scene cuts to the Charming wedding

“I do.” Prince Charming announces for his new bride and her kingdom to hear, holding her hands close to his heart after all this time. You stand at the front of the crowd, dressed in your best next to Ruby, Granny, and the Dwarves as you mutter a small blessing for the couple. Knowing how their journey has been thus far, they will need all the little blessings they can get.

“And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband, and love him for all eternity?” The Priest asks, smiling into his book of declarations for royal weddings.

“I do.” She answers, gazing into her Charming’s eyes.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

The newly wed couple lean in to have their first kiss, you cheer and applaud as your friends and the kingdom follows.

As their lips brush, a loud bang echoes throughout the room, ripping the pair apart as Snow White draws her husband’s sword facing the danger. The Evil Queen.

“Sorry I’m late.” She practically purrs, stalking towards the pair, catching your eyes in the crows as you shield the civilians. Her smile drops for a moment as you glare, but quickly returns as she faces the couple, slinging two guards out of the way with her magic before they get the chance to stop her.

“She’s not the Queen anymore. She’s nothing more than an evil witch.” Snow hisses at her step-mother, pointing the sword in her direction. Years of suffering at her hands can finally be over if she takes the chance now.

“No, no, no. Don’t stoop to her level. There’s no need.” Charming protests, trying to be gentle as he rips the sword from her grip.

“You’re wasting your time. You’ve already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding.” He commands, almost taunting the powerful being standing opposite him, holding Snow close as she puts her hand to his chest, gripping the fabric.

A cold chuckle escapes the Evil Queen, “Oh, I haven’t come here to ruin anything. On the contrary dear, I’ve come to give you a gift.”

“We want nothing from you.” Snow White cuts in, fighting Charming’s grip on her, clenching her jaw as if imagining every way to beat her and get some form of revenge.

“But you shall have it! My gift to you is this happy, happy day. But tomorrow, my real work begins. You’ve said your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you.” She looks at you, smirking.

“You will never do it! You lack the po-” You begin to call out before Granny covers your mouth with her hand and Ruby holds you back, muttering soothing words into your ear despite her fear.

“...Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last. Thing. I. Do.” She announces, drawing out the end of her speech, that smirk still stretched over her face, smug and malicious as she turns away, sparing you one last glance as she heads for the door.

“Hey!” Prince Charming called after her, launching his sword at her, just before it hits her in the back, she dissipates in a shroud of purple mist.

The remaining people at the wedding nervously talk amongst themselves as Granny and Ruby finally let you go. You walk over to the window, arms crossed as you watch out into the distance. Prince Charming and Snow White hug, muttering a mix of brainstorm plans and comforting love words to one another.

As their panic continues, the scene zooms out to show Prince Charming and Snow White as illustrations in a book.

On a bus in the real world

A young boy that we know as Henry Mills is seen with an old book on his lap, reading the pages of the wedding. The next stop alert calls, he is on a bus headed to Boston.

“That a good book?” The woman sitting next to Henry asks, peering over his shoulder for just a moment to look at the pictures of a couple in an embrace, looking bizarrely angry for a children’s book.

“This? It’s more than just a book.” He responds pridefully, closing the book and holding it close.

“Oh?”

Before any more words can be spoken - “Boston, South Station. Thank you for riding Greyhound.” The bus announcement calls through the bus, Henry gets up and exits the bus while shoving the book into his backpack. Walking a few steps forward, he finds a taxi and knocks on the window.

“Uh… You take credit cards?” He asks nervously, pulling a card that definitely does not belong to him out of nowhere.

“Where to, chief?” Asks the confused but unwilling to question taxi driver.

In an expensive looking restaurant, Boston

A blonde woman, Emma, wearing a hot pink dress exits an elevator and enters a fancy restaurant. She looks around for a moment, soon spotting someone, her date. The man shakes her hand as they sit down.

“Emma?” He asks, sitting up straight.

“Ryan? You look relieved.” She teases, smoothing down her dress.

“Well, it is the internet. Pictures can be…”

“Fake. Outdated. Stolen from a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. So…” She comments, sarcasm practically dripping from her words as he clears his throat and nods meekly.

“So…Um…Tell me something about yourself, Emma.”

There was silence for a moment as Emma rummaged for something to ease the awkwardness of the first date.

“Oh. Ah, well, today’s my birthday.” She explained, crossing one leg over the other.

“And you’re spending it with me! What about your friends?” The man asked, tilting his head slightly to the side, crossing his arms while puffing out his chest. He appears proud, in a way, to be the one occupying her time on such an important day.

“Kind of a loner.” She responds curtly.

“And, you don’t like your family?”

“No family to like.”

“Oh, come on. Everyone has family.” He pushes, holding the stem of his glass and spinning it.

“Technically, yeah, and everyone knows who they are? Ready to run yet?” Emma jokes, mirroring his actions.

“Oh, not a chance. You, Emma, are by far, the sexiest, friendless orphan I have ever met.” He jested, letting go of his glass and slumping more, he looks more comfortable now.

“Okay, your turn. No wait, let me guess. Um… You are handsome, charming…” She starts, her voice slow and smooth.

“Go on.”

Her mannerisms change, seemingly out of nowhere. She straightens up, legs uncrossed as she stares at the man opposite her.

“The kind of guy who - and now, stop me if I get this wrong - embezzled from your employer, got arrested, and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail.” She concluded, looking at him coldly.

“What?” He chokes out, clearly having not expected to be confronted like this. All he wanted out of tonight was a ‘hot date.’

“And the worst part of all is your wife.” Emma adds, unrelenting on this interrogation, “your wife loves you so much that she bailed you out, and how do you repay that loyalty? You’re on a date.” She finishes, watching realisation dawn on his face, quickly replaced by anger.

“Who are you?”

“The chick who put up the rest of the money.”

He clenches his fists, letting out a deep sign of defeat, “you’re a bail bondsman…”

“Bail bondsperson.” She clarifies, apparently this is not the time for snide comments as he flips the table, spilling everything on Emma and staining her dress. During the commotion, he flees, running out of the restaurant and into the street.”

Getting up, Emma sighs an irritated, ‘really’ before following him out. The man runs across the street, dodging traffic and ignoring the yells of annoyed drivers until he makes it to his car. Emma follows calmly. He starts the ignition, but the car doesn’t move or make a sound. He opens the door to pop his head out only to be met with a boot on his wheel. Emma catches up to him.

“You don’t have to do this, okay? I can pay you. I got money.” He barters, his stare shifting between the bright boot on his wheel and the woman standing over him.

“No, you don’t. And if you did, you should give it to your wife to take care of your family.” She retorts, sounding disappointed by his lack of responsibility towards his family, a thing that many people fight for.

“The hell you know about family, huh?” He taunts, lips curving into a cruel smile. Wordlessly, Emma slams the man’s head against the steering wheel. He slumps over, unconscious.

“Nothing.”

The Swan Apartment

Emma drags herself into her apartment, kicking off her shoes, she walks into the kitchen and sets down a little white box. Inside, a cupcake awaits her. She pushes a star-shaped candle through the icing and lights it.

“Another banner year.” She whispers, staring at the candle before closing her eyes, pausing to make a wish, and blowing it out.

Before she can open her eyes, the doorbell rings. Upon opening the door, she finds the boy from the bus with the credit card.

“Uh? Can I help you?” She asks, not expecting to be greeted with a young child. He surely can’t be any older than ten, eleven at a push.

“Are you Emma Swan?” The eager voice calls out, his hands twirling the end of his scarf

“Yeah. Who are you?”

“My name’s Henry. I’m your son.” He confesses, immediately pushing past Emma to see her apartment.

She stands there stunned for a seconds, pushing her door closed as she snaps out of her thoughts.

“Whoa! Hey, Kid! Kid! Kid! I don’t have a son! Where are your parents?” She asks, whipping around and following the boy.

“Ten years ago. Did you give up a boy for adoption? That was me.” He explains, looking around her kitchen as she closes herself in the bathroom, pressing her forehead against the door.

“Hey, have you got juice? Never mind, found some.” He yells from the other side, some clanking noise follows as Emma takes a deep breath and exits the bathroom, finding the boy drinking straight from the bottle.

“You know, we should probably get going.” Henry comments, wiping the juice mustache from his upper lip.

“Going where?”

“I want you to come home with me.” He announces gleefully. She stares at him for a moment, then turns to reach for her phone.

“Okay kid, I’m calling the cops.”

“Then I’ll tell them you kidnapped me.” He snaps back, quick wit appears to be a family trait.

“...And they’ll believe you because I’m your birth mother.”

“Yep.” You can nearly hear the smirk in his voice.

“You’re not going to do that.” Emma argues, though, she does let go of the phone and crosses her arms in a sort of petty way to maintain authority

“Try me.”

“You’re pretty good.” She admits, “but here’s the thing - there’s not a lot I’m great at in life. I have one skill. Let’s call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are.” She points out, frustrated, definitely, but also concerned for this boy. Her… Son.

“Wait… Please don’t call the cops. Please, come home with me.” He begs, giving her an attempt at puppy eyes. He came all this way to find his mum, and he will not leave without attempting to have a relationship with her.

“Where’s home?” Emma relents, walking over to her room to pull on something less formal while Henry beams to himself in the kitchen.

“Storybrooke, Maine.” He declared, hopping off the kitchen stool to put the juice away.

“Storybrooke? Seriously?”

It is a bizarre name, many would argue, but alas, it is their destination.

“Mmhmm,” Henry confirms, throwing his backpack over his shoulder as Emma emerges, red leather jacket on and car keys in hand.

“Alrighty, then. Let’s get you back to Storybrooke.

The Enchanted Forest

A castle stands high above the treeline, a deeply pregnant Snow White stands near the door of a balcony. A bluebird flies off her finger as she sighs.

“What’s wrong?” Prince Charming asks, slowly wrapping his arms around her from behind. Things have been tense for a while now, and Snow has been feeling it more so than others.

“Nothing.” She responds shortly, conveniently looking away from him as her hands drift to her stomach. What will they do about that threat? Is their baby in danger?

“You’re thinking about what the Queen said again, aren’t you?” Charming argues. He’s always spot on at guessing what upsets her, annoyingly observant. “Snow, please. I can’t keep having this conversation. You have to let it go. We’re about to have a baby.” He claims in exasperation, as if having had to talk Snow through this time and time again. Noticing his tone, he sighs and kisses the back of her head. He’s concerned. And he wants to kill the Queen for all the stress she’s put Snow and their people through.

“I haven’t had a restful night since our wedding.” She argues weakly, leaning her head back against him.

“That’s what she wants - to get in your head. But they’re only words. She can’t hurt us.” He attempts to reassure her, though it is evident that his knowledge on the ‘Evil Queen’ is limited.

“She poisoned an apple because she thought I was prettier than her. You have no idea what she’s capable of.” Snow White quickly lashes back, standing up straight for a second before slumping back against him while he holds her. The sleep deprivation is getting to her.

“What can I do to ease your mind?” Charming asks, as good of a husband as he tries to be, he is clueless when it comes to knowing how to actually help Snow.

“Let me talk to him.” Snow whispers, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. There was no knowing what he is capable of, but these are desperate times.

“Him? You don’t mean…” He trails off, the name was unspeakable in the Enchanted Forest, his deeds did more than his name did - at least, more people knew of what he’s done before learning his name.

“I do.”

“No, no, no. It’s too dangerous.” He argues, pulling her closer. He would do anything for Snow, but this would be risking her and their child. He was just too dangerous, even more than the Evil Queen. But there is nothing that can be done when Snow sets her mind on something.

“He sees the future.” She countered, holding his hand she leaves his arms, pulling him with her, as if knowing that she’d already won this argument.

“There’s a reason he’s locked up.” Charming comments, halting in his steps to make her look at him.

“Can you promise me that our child will be safe? Can you guarantee it? Because he can.” Snow questions, lightly tugging his arm back to her. There really was no arguing her on this now, and, he had to admit, this probably is the only way to get an answer.

“Alright. For our child.”

On the road, in the real world

Inside a yellow 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle is Emma and Henry, the latter occasionally looking out the window and spotting a sign for a service stop.

“I’m hungry. Can we stop somewhere?” Henry asks, whining. It has been a long day for him and at this point, he can barely remember when he last ate - other than a tangerine or two from Emma’s kitchen.

“This is not a road trip. We’re not stopping for snacks.” Emma answers, glaring down the road in front of them.

“Why not?” The boy asks, huffing before pulling out his book and opening it to a random page.

“Quit complaining, kid. Remember - I could have put your butt on a bus. I still could.” She argues, a similar huff in her tone as she drives on.

“You know I have a name? It’s Henry.” He grumbles, flicking through the pages of his book until he settles on one of Snow White and Prince Charming walking down a dark path with a figure dressed in a mix of fabrics.

“What’s that?” Emma asks, allowing her eyes to leave the road for just a moment to look at the page.

“I’m not sure you’re ready.” Henry comments absentmindedly, tracing the words on the page with his finger. He’s read this page more times than he can count, it’s like family to him.

“I’m not ready for some fairy tales?” She asks, a blend of sarcasm and light offence at the boy underestimating her.

“They’re not fairy tales. They’re true. Every story in this book actually happened.” He argued. This child is… Something. That’s for sure.

“Of course they did.” She mumbles carelessly. It is clear that there is very little belief in Henry, add in all the driving, a night of work, and having this info dump is not making a good night for the woman.

“Use your superpower. See if I’m lying.” He goads, crossing his arms.

“Just because you believe something, doesn’t make it true.”

“That’s exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone.” He rambled, desperate to prove his point.

“Why’s that?” She asks, tapping her finger against the steering wheel, turning down a road with little to no cars. It’s quiet out here, different from Boston, different from everything she’s known.

“Becuase you’re in this book.”

“Oh, kid. You’ve got problems.” She groans.

“Yep. And you’re going to fix them.” Henry remarked, far too chirpy for a child in his position.

The scene zooms in on the neglected page of Henry’s book, the illustration of the torch in Jame’s hand comes to life as the setting changes to an actual dungeon.

The Enchanted Forest

A guard leads Snow White, Prince Charming, and yourself down the tunnel leading to the dungeon. [reader], while you’re not technically involved in this situation, you decided to join the pair for their protection.

“When we reach the cell, stay out of the light. And whatever you do, do not let him know your name. If he knows your name, he will have power over you. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin! I have a question for you.” The guard calls into the dark cell. His words elicit a giggle from the shadows as a pair of scaled hands grip onto the bars, pulling forward the face of the being known as Rumplestiltskin as his eyes lock onto the figures standing before him, all but one shrinking under his gaze.

“No, you don’t. They do. Snow White and Prince Charming… You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes. And [reader], dearie~, don’t bother hiding your face now.” The giggling man calls out, pressing his face against the bars.

The three steps forward, you are the first to show your face, tugging off your cloak.

“Scaley, I thought it would be much longer before I had to see you again. I almost missed that giggling of yours.” You tease in an almost bored tone, getting closer to his cell than the Charming’s would dare.

He grins, amused by your ‘spark’ as he’s called it but denies you a response - time and place, after all. He’s got visitors.

“That’s much better,” he almost cooed at the couple, who stare at you in shock at your casual, well as casual as you get, tone towards such a powerful being. Their attention, however, is quickly drawn back to the man shaking the bars of his cell in excitement.

“We’ve come to ask you about the…” Charming forces out, steeling his courage to speak.

“Yes! Yes! I know why you’re here! You want to know about the Queen’s threat.” He snaps, Rumplestiltskin does not have patience for beings less powerful than him and it shows. You roll your eyes, kicking a small rock against the bars to remind him that lashing out at his captors may not be wise.

“Tell us what you know.” Snow demands, stepping forward before Charming wraps his arm around her waist defensively.

“Ooh, tense, aren’t we? Fear not! For I can ease your mind. But… It’s going to cost you something in return.” He giggles out, shaking the bars once again.

“Magic always comes with a price.” You mumble mockingly, a longtime acquaintance of the cost that comes with using magic. Rumplestiltskin’s smile grows into something smug at your words, causing the Charming’s sigh in your direction.

“No, he’s just a waste of time.” James grumbled to Snow in a lethargic manner, noticing the agreement that you have with Rumplstiltskin over magic.

“What do you want?” Snow asks anyway, pulling away from her husband to face the sorcerer.

“Oh… The name of your unborn child?” He offers, a fair price in comparison to some of his others, in your opinion, but understandably concerning in the eyes of two soon-to-be new parents.

“Absolutely not!” Charming cried out, outraged at the mere suggestion of handing over something private to a man like him.

“Deal! What do you know?” Snow answers in place of him, patting his arm as if to say ‘trust me’.

“The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it’s coming. Soon, you’ll all be in a prison. Just like me, only worse. Your prison, all of our prisons, will be time. Time will stop and we will be trapped. Someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love, will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity. While the Queen celebrates, victorious at last. No more happy endings.” Rumplestlitskin declares to three, a silence hovering over them.

‘A curse… Coming for us… How soon? How will this curse be broken? Can it be broken? What does he mean?’ You ramble to yourself, only a few words of broken mumbles slipping out and only making the Charming’s more scared. If you’re nervous about this curse, they have no hope of preventing it.

“What can we do?” Snow White asks desperately, stepping closer again to the cell, only held back by you moving to her side and taking her arm to attempt to soothe her.

“We can’t do anything.” He says in an almost childish glee, gaining a glare from you as you rub Snow’s arm.

“Who can?” She pushes, resting her hand on yours. She surprises you, even after all your years, she’s so brave, and always trying to find a way out. It inspires you, somehow.

“That little thing, growing inside your belly.” Rumplestiltskin gestures towards Snow White’s stomach, the couple are shocked as Charming slashes his hand away with his sword. “Next time I cut it off,” he threatens, gripping his sword tight, his knuckles white. You push the blade down, shaking your head. To your surprise, he bows his head and puts his sword away, though he looks disappointed at your decision to maintain peace.

“Tsk tsk. The infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you and a final battle will begin.” He announces, sounding genuinely quite concerned about the curse. You haven’t seen him be so… Real? In over a hundred years. And twenty-eight? Such a bizarre amount of time, but you can’t question prophecy, you suppose.

“We heard enough. We’re leaving.” Charming decides, taking Snow’s hand and your arm before leading you back out of the tunnel, leaving Rumplestiltskin to rot until the curse hits.

“Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name! We had a deal! I need her name! I want her name!” He begs, his voice echoing in the tunnels and honestly, it scares you.

“Her? It’s a boy.” Charming yells, not even turning his head back to face him again.

“Missy… Missy… You know I’m right. Tell me, what’s her name?” He coos after Snow, pawing at the bars of his cell.

“Emma. Her name is Emma.” Snow responds, just loud enough for him to hear. Deciding that this truly is enough emotional warfare for one day, you usher the Charmings and the guard out of the tunnels, leaving Rumplestiltskin alone again.

“Emma…”

Storybrooke Maine, the real world

“Okay, kid. How about an address?” Emma asks after a stretch of silence. Storybrooke looks more normal than she was expecting from a place with such a name. It seems peaceful here.

“Forty-four Not Telling You street.” Henry quips, looking out the window. Home is a complicated matter for the boy, it's a nice town. It really is.

Rolling her eyes, Emma stops her car in the middle of the road and gets out, taking in the change in scenery. Henry soon follows, shoving his book to the bottom of his bag before slamming the door.

“Look, it’s been a long night and it’s almost… 8 : 15?” She stops in her stride, staring up at the belltower.

“That clock hasn’t moved my whole life. Time’s frozen here.” He comments boredly, following her gaze.

“Excuse me?”

“The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here.” He explains, leading Emma further into town. She follows reluctantly, but she has to see this through now, it’d hang on her consciousness for the rest of her life if she didn’t see this boy get home safe.

“Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here.” She mutters, half sarcastic and half trying to keep him talking - a boy running away from home, especially in a seemingly nice town like this. Something can’t be right.

“Yeah, and now they’re trapped.” He adds, smiling, glad that someone is at least pretending to listen to his theory.

“Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That’s what you’re going with?”

“It’s true!” He argues, gesturing to his bag, the book hanging heavy inside it.

“Then why doesn’t everyone just leave?” Emma refutes, trying to comprehend how someone of any age could accept this as their reality.

“They can’t. If they try, bad things happen.”

Someone calls out to Henry from across the road, a kind looking middle-aged man with a dalmatian named Pongo approaches them with you by his side, wearing different clothing than the cloak you were last seen in. It fits in with the town, you look like you belong here.

“Henry!” The two of you call out in unison, with you jogging up to them and crouching down to check to see if he’s okay, then lightly pecking his head when he is, receiving a ‘bleh’ sound from the boy. He hugs you back, hanging on as you stand up again.

“What are you doing here? Is everything alright?” The man asks, coming to a stop a few steps behind you.

“I’m fine, Archie.” He grumbles, dangling from your neck as you brace for when he decides to let go.

“Who’s this?” The man, Archie, asks, looking at Emma. You follow his gaze, something inside of you clicking when you see this blonde woman standing there. ‘Twenty-eight years… Someone new will come… Twenty-eight years,’ you think to yourself, throwing on a gentle, kind smile for the newcomer.

“Just someone trying to give him a ride home.” She claims, but is quickly interrupted.

“She’s my mum, Archie, [nickname].” He answers, letting himself drop into your arms, then back onto his feet as you let him back down.

“Oh. I see.”

“Well, it is lovely to meet you, I am [name], welcome to town.” You grin, taking Henry’s backpack to help with the ‘getting the child home’ part of the night.

Emma nods in response, smiling at you. “Either of you know where he lives?”

“Yeah, sure. Just, ah, right up on Mifflin street. The Mayor’s house is the biggest one on the block.” Archie answers before you get the chance, nervous at just the mention of the mayor.

“You’re the Mayor’s kid?” Emma groans, looking down at Henry who is leaning against you tiredly. It’s far too late for a ten year old to be awake.

“Uh, maybe…”

“Hey, where were you today, Henry? Because you missed your session.” Archie enquires, Pongo sitting down between Archie and Henry, his two favourite people.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip.” He lies quickly, too fast to be believed to be the truth.

“Henry.” Archie starts, his voice dropping to a disappointed scolding, “what did I tell you about lying? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything.”

“Oookay. Well, I should really be getting him home.” Emma interrupts, you nod, he’s a lovely man. He is just very intense sometimes.

“Pongo will fall asleep soon with all this evening air.” You chime in, watching the dog lay on the concrete, resting his head on his paws.

“Yeah, sure. Well, listen. Um. Have a good night and, uh, you be good, Henry.”

“...So that’s your shrink.”

“I’m not crazy.

“Didn’t say that. Just, he doesn’t seem ‘cursed’ to me. Maybe he’s just trying to help you.” Emma suggests, looking over at you as if to ask if you’ve heard about this from Henry too. You nod, he has told you about his theories every time you see him, and if you weren’t already ‘awake’ as it were, you probably would not believe him either.

“None of them do. They don’t remember who they are, not even [name].” Henry explains, you shrug. Obviously, you are not going to expose your identity to the boy, who knows what it will do for his mental health and your cover.

“Convenient. Alright, I’ll play. Who’s he supposed to be?”

“Jiminy Cricket.” Henry confirms, you silently nod with him. Even without the knowledge of the past, it would make sense for a therapist to have been someone’s conscious in a past life - or pre-curse. Still, being a cricket must have been a difficult reality to live with.

“Right, the lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit.” Emma teases, you can’t help but laugh, ruffling Henry’s hair. He grumbles and bats your hand away.

“I’m not Pinocchio!”

“Course you’re not. Because that would be ridiculous.”

In the Enchanted Forest

Everyone is gathered around a table at the castle, Prince Charming leads the discussion as you act as a voice of wisdom, watching over their planning.

“I say we fight!” Prince Charming argues, slamming his fist down on the table.

“Fighting is a bad idea. Giving into one’s dark side never accomplishes anything.” Jiminy Cricket suggests, having to rely on your magic to make his voice legible to the rest of the table.

“Then how many wars has a clear conscience won? We need to take the Queen out before she can inflict her curse.”

“Can we even trust Rumplestiltskin?” A hesitant Doc asks, fumbling with his glasses.

“I’ve sent my men into the forest. The animals are abuzz with the Queen’s plan. This is going to happen unless we do something.” Charming states, both hands resting on the table as he leans over it, jaw tense as he stares out the balcony.

“There’s no point. The future is written.” Snow relents, holding her stomach in despair. You walk closer to her, taking one of her hands.

“No. I refuse to believe that. Good can’t just lose.” He declares, looking over his shoulder at her, his eyes soften at seeing her this miserable. She’d never given up hope before, she just can’t now.

“Maybe it can.”

“No. No, not as long as we have each other. If you believe him about the curse, then you must believe him about our child. She will be the saviour.”

Guards march into the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the piece of tree they drag in behind them with the Blue Fairy hovering next to them.

“A… Tree.” You mumble, sensing a magical signature on the wood, but what does it do?

“What the hell is that?” Charming snaps, his patience is limited for magical explanation at this time so seeing the fairy commanding that a regular looking tree be brought into their discussion is not doing him any good.

“Our only hope of saving that child.” The Blue Fairy answers sharply, not amused but his childish outbursts.

“A tree? Our fate rests on a tree?” Grumpy sighs, “Let’s get back to the fighting thing.”

“The tree is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse.” She explains, oh, that makes sense. The magical signature is familiar to you - not a ward signature though, something different. You wonder what it really does, “Geppetto, can you build such a thing?” you ask, trusting that a carpenter of such high esteem will not be affected by working with magical bark.

“Me and my boy, we can do it.” He says proudly, patting his young son’s head. He must not be too far past infancy, if you had to guess. Below the age of ten, but, if he was raised by Geppetto, then he can be trusted for this project.

“This will work. We all must have faith. There is, however, a catch. The enchantment is, indeed, powerful, but all power has its limits. And this tree can protect only one.”

In Storybrooke Maine, the real world

You lead Henry and Emma to a large, white house and open the gate, leading them up the walkway of the meticulously maintained front garden.

“Please don’t take me back there.” Henry begs, turning around to block Emma from going any further. You stand behind him, sighing at his reluctance, but you understand why he does not want to be in the same house as the women. Either way, you keep going.

“I have to. I’m sure your parents are worried sick about you.” Emma argues, unable to understand why the Mayor’s kid would go out of his way to find her to begin with, and now refuses to go back to this rather beautiful house.

“I don’t have parents. Just a mom and she’s evil.” He specifies, fiddling with the fraying edge of his scarf. You’ll have to fix that at some point. He seems so angry about Emma not believing him, worse, claiming that this woman is his mother, surely she can’t be that bad.

“Evil? That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?”

“She is. She doesn’t love me. She only pretends to.” He cuts in swiftly, insulted that Emma could question his words. You decide that this has gone a little too far for everyone tonight and silently ring the doorbell. Henry’s tired and frustrated, Emma must be feeling a lot, and as much as you resent her for bringing you all here, you’re certain that his adopted mother, Regina, is worried about him.

“Kid… I’m sure that’s not true…”

Before any more words can be spoken, a woman opens the door and rushes towards Henry and Emma, giving you a passing glance and relieved smile as you place Henry’s bag inside the door.

Poor Regina, believing that you have a good relationship in this new world, the way she scripted it. If only she knew what you did.

“Henry! Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happend?” She asked, crouching down to his level and holding his shoulders, checking him for injuries just as you had.

“I found my real mom!” He yells, rushing past her to his room. You notice the sherrif, Graham, stepping outside the door and give him a smile and nod in greeting, then gesture to the stairs with your head.

“Y-you’re Henry’s birth mother?” A stunned Regina asks, getting up after her rejection from Henry and brushing any dirt off her clothing.

“Hi…”

“I’ll just go… Check on the lad. Make sure he’s alright.” Graham mutters, finally taking your hint. Seeing him disappear into the house, you figure that it’s time you head home.

“It is about time I go home, Madame Mayor,” you say, rejoining their conversation for a moment.

“Ah, [reader], right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Regina mutters, resting her hand on your arm as you pass by, giving Emma a final nod before leaving, taking in the night air.

“How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted?”

“Got anything stronger?”

With you gone, Emma and Regina move into the house, the cold is starting to creep in and Regina has a good Mayor and host facade to play into. She leaves for a moment, deeper into the house, then returns with two glasses and pours out some cider.

“How did he find me?” Emma asked, nursing the glass as she watched the liquid ripple from the movement.

“No idea. When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn’t want to have any contact.” Regina explains, a possessive grit to her voice, gripping her glass a little too tightly to be natural.

“You were told right.”

“And the father?”

“There was one.” Emma mumbles, voice dull. The father, she hadn’t had to think about him for ten years, yet that time never numbed the pain of what he did.

“Do I need to be worried about him?” Regina inquired, more threat on her territory could ruin her plans, just having her in her son’s life was bad enough.

“Nope. He doesn’t even know.”

“Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?” Regina pushes, leaning a little closer to Emma, as if eyeing her up. To see if she was a threat.

“Absolutely not.”

Sheriff Graham comes back downstairs, tugging a jacket on his arm, “Madame Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry’s fine.”

“Thank you, sheriff.” Graham nods, giving a brief wave to the two before heading out, leaving Emma and Regina alone.

“I’m sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don’t know what’s gotten into him.” Regina explains, tilting her glass enough to move the liquid inside, her thumb pressing against the rim.

“Kid’s having a rough time. It happens.” Emma shrugs, she seems genuine enough, a stressed single mother, if anything.

“You have to understand. Ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?”

“Uh, I keep busy, yeah.” Bail's bondsperson isn’t the most respected career path out there, and maybe is one of those things to keep hidden.

“Imagine having another one on top of it. That’s being a single mom. So I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don’t think that makes me evil, do you?” She asks, and in this moment, she does appear to be a mother trying to provide for her son, and Emma can’t see any of the ‘Evil Queen’ similarities that Henry seems to.

“I’m sure he’s just saying that because of the fairy tale thing.” Emma jests, finishing off her drink.

“What fairy tale thing?” She asks. She furrows her eyebrows and sets down her glass, seeming completely unaware of her son’s obsession.

“Oh, you know. His book. How he thinks everyone’s a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket.” Regina tenses at that, her attempt at being casual and welcoming slipping, “I’m sorry. I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Feeling that she stepped out of line, she thinks of a way to get out of this conversation, “You know what? It’s none of my business. He’s your kid. And I really should be heading back.”

“Of course.”

Regina opens the front door for Emma, closing it swiftly behind her. As Emma walks down the walkway, she turns back to get a last look at the house, catching Henry looking back down at her from the second story window. Noticing her looking, he closes the curtains and lights, hiding under his covers. Emma sighs and turns away, soon finding herself in her yellow beetle and driving along the road out of Storybrooke. She looks over to find Henry’s storybook sitting on the seat next to her.

“Sneaky bastard.”

When she looks back up at the road, a wolf stands in the middle of the road, staring at her. She curses and swerves to avoid hitting it but ends up slamming into the Storybrooke entrance sign.

In the Enchanted Forest

Geppetto and Pinocchio carve at the magical tree, shaping out a wardrobe. In another part of the castle, Snow White stands on a balcony with Charming standing to her side. She looks distraught, rubbing her stomach occasionally.

“I don’t want to do this.” She mumbles, letting Charming get closer. He wraps his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

“It has to be you.”

“I’m not leaving you.” She counters as her hand finds his. She traces the lines in his palm deep in thought.

“It’s the only way. You’ll go in there, and you’ll be safe from the curse.” He reminds her - squeezing her hand delicately.

“He said it would be on her twenty-eighth birthday.”

“What’s twenty-eight years when you have eternal love? I have faith. You’ll save me as I did you.” Snow smiles at his comforting words, turning her head enough to catch his lips in a kiss, then freezes.

“W-what is it?” Charming asks, pulling away to hold her up in case something hurt her.

“Baby… She’s coming.”

Grumpy stands outside, watching the castle. His eyes widen as something appears over the horizon, in a panic, he kicks Sleepy, who is sleeping while standing next to him. “Get up! Get up! Look.”

A dark smoke rolls over the hills in the distance, it rapidly approaches the lands surrounding the castle. Grumpy frantically rings a bell, “The curse! It’s here!”

In Storybrooke Maine, the real world

Emma wakes up, wincing at the light, she looks around and sees that she’s in a jail cell. Another prisoner lays on the bed of the cell next to hers, he seems irritated by the whistling in the background.

“What are you lookin’ at, sister?” The man asks rudely, face scrunching up at having to acknowledge another person.

“Hey, Leroy! Manners. We have a guest. So you are, uh, Henry’s mother? How lovely for him to have you back in his life.” A kind older gentleman named Marco comments as you walk in, holding a small box of pastries. Call it volunteering between shifts at Granny’s diner.

“Actually, I was just dropping him off.” Emma remarks, taking a croissant that you off. The grumpy man in the cell next to her looks offended at your offer at first, but huffs and takes one, quietly thanking you.

“Tch, don’t blame ya. They’re all brats, who needs ‘em.”

“Well, I’d give anything for one. My wife and I, we tried for many years. But, uh, he was not meant to be.” Marco confesses, he accepts a pastry from you as you pat his shoulder, feeling bad for the older man.

“Well cry me a river.”

Sheriff Graham enters the room and unlocks Leroy’s cell. He smirks at the newly free man, “Leroy! If I’m going to let you out, you need to behave. Put on a smile and stay out of trouble.” Leroy flashes a sarcastic grin and leaves, glad to be free of the sheriff.

“Seriously?” Emma calls from her cell, face resting against the cell’s bars.

“Regina’s drinks are a little stronger than we thought.”

“I wasn’t drunk. There was a wolf standing in the middle of the road.” She argues, you are taken aback by that. There aren't typically wolves in this area, but Regina's cider isn’t strong enough to make anyone swerve like that. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the curse is starting to unravel due to the arrival of the saviour.

“A wolf. Right.”

“Graham!” A voice calls paired with the clicking of heels, Regina turns around the corner, “Henry’s run away again. We have to… What is she doing here?” She asks, noticing Emma slumped against the bars of her cell, watching the two talk as you sit at Graham’s desk, sorting through the papers that he never seems to. “Do you know where he is?” Regina continues, charging towards her.

“Honey, I haven’t seen him since I dropped him at your house. And, I have a pretty good alibi.” Emma jests, tapping one of the bars.

“Yeah, well, he wasn’t in his room this morning.”

“Did you try his friends?”

“He doesn’t really have any. He’s kind of a loner.” Regina grumbles as she paces a line outside of Emma’s cell.

“Every kid has friends. Did you check his computer? If he’s close to someone, he’d be emailing them.” She points out. Henry definitely seems lonely, but surely he has some support system.

“And you know this how?”

“Finding people is what I do. Here’s an idea. How about if you guys let me out and I’ll help you find him.”

The four of you go to Henry’s room, you tagging along for emotional support more than anything else. Besides, you’re worried about him. Emma searches through Henry’s computer while you look at his comic collection, wondering how much money has gone into this room, but get drawn back to the topic of conversation by the other’s voices.

“Smart kid - cleared his inbox. I’m smart too. A little hard disk recovery utility I like to use.” Emma mutters, plugging something that looks like a USB drive into the computer, you were never that tech-savvy, so you don’t question it.

“I’m a bit more old-fashioned in my techniques. Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing.” Graham admits while watching Emma pull up all of the emails that Henry has previously deleted. Impressive work.

“You’re on salary. I get paid for delivery. Pounding the pavement is not a luxury that I get. Huh. His receipt for a website - whosyourmomma.org. It’s expensive. He has a credit card?” She asks sceptically, looking up at Regina who crosses her arms, leaning over Emma.

“He’s ten.”

“Well, he used one. Let’s pull up a transaction record. Mary Margaret Blanchard… Who’s Mary Margaret Blanchard?” She mumbles, scrolling through the receipt.

“Henry’s teacher.”

There’s a classroom filled with younger children, oddly calm as they build and paint birdhouses, the teacher stands by the open window with a bluebird on her finger.

“As we build our bird houses, remember - what you’re making is a home, not a cage. The bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They’re loyal creatures. If you love them and they love you, they will always find you.”

The silence of the room is interrupted by a loud bell ringing, recess time. The children launch themselves out of their seats, voices loud and excited as they pour out the door. “We’ll pick this up after recess. No running!” Mary Margaret calls out but her voice is drowned by the eager yelling of the children. Through the crowd, Regina shoves through while you and Emma follow, you give Emma a brief explanation of Mary Margret - what she’s like, what she does, that kind of thing. You find it easiest to know something about a person before talking to them for the first time.

“Miss Mills. What are you doing here?” Mary Margaret asks, intimidated by the mayor’s sudden presence.

“Where’s my son?”

“Henry… I assumed he was home sick with you.” She explains while cleaning up the classroom, trying to keep her hands busy.

“You think I’d be here if he was? Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?” Regina challenges while you put a hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to take a breath and calm down, “Breathe, Regina, we will find him. Stay level-headed.”

“...I’m sorry, who are you?” Mary Margaret cuts in, looking at Emma.

“I’m his… I’m his…”

“The woman who gave him up for adoption.” Regina answers for her as if trying to make her look worse in front of other people. You frown but don’t say anything, things are tense enough and Emma doesn’t seem ready to accept the role of ‘mother’ yet.

“You don’t know anything about this, do you?” Emma questions - while she isn’t ready to be a mother, she is concerned for him.

“No, unfortunately not.”

Mary Margaret checks her wallet, finding that her credit card is missing. Though, she doesn’t look angry, more… Impressed. Her reaction strikes you as so natural for Snow White, how you miss her.

“Clever boy… I should never have given him that book.” She confesses as she puts her wallet away. You stand next to her, bumping your shoulder against hers.

“It is not your fault, Mary, you were only doing what you thought would help him,” you mumble in efforts to stop Regina from hearing, she didn’t like it when you comfort other people, especially Mary Margaret. Understandable, coming from the Evil Queen, you think.

“What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?” Regina snaps, her patience for these people is limited at the best of times, so one can only imagine what’s going on inside her head.

“Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it.”

“What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time,” Regina growls, knocking over a stack of books as she leaves.

“Have a nice trip back to Boston.”

“Sorry to bother you,” Emma mumbles, crouching down to pick up the books that Regina knocked over as you and Mary Margret follow, stacking them into a neat pile.

“No, it’s… it’s okay. I hear this is partially my fault.” She quips and picks up the stack to finish cleaning up the classroom.

“How’s the book supposed to help?”

“What do you think stories are for? They teach children morals and help them start exploring their values. They teach us social skills and emotions,” you respond while sitting on the windowsill, a crow landing on your shoulder and dropping a penny in your hand. Huh, your efforts to befriend them have been working.

“And these stories are classics. There’s a reason we all know them. They’re a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn’t always make sense. See, Henry hasn’t had the easiest life.” Mary Margaret adds, having to look twice to take in the bird on your shoulder.

“Yeah, she’s kind of a hardass.”

“No, it’s more than her. He’s like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face - why would anyone give me away?” She explains as she begins to lead you both out of the classroom before realising what she’s said and stopping. “...I am so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean in any way to judge you.”

“It’s okay.” Emma shrugs, she understands. She’s an orphan and had the same thought process, so she can’t blame him for being any different.

“Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.” Mary Margaret explains as she opens the school doors for you both.

“You know where he is, don’t you?”

“You might want to check his castle. [Name], you’ll show her where to go, right?”

In the Enchanted Forest

Screaming echoes throughout the land, coming from a tower where Snow White is in labour, squeezing Charming’s hand.

“I can’t have this baby now!” She winces, sobs spilling from her chest.

“Doc, do something. It’s going to be okay. The wardrobe is almost finished, just hold on.” Charming whispers in attempts to soothe Snow, and himself, mainly himself.

You stand by the far window to give Snow privacy in her vulnerable state while focusing on keeping a shield around this room to protect them in case the Evil Queen tries to pull something early.

This curse makes you nervous, not because it will steal your memories - you’re far too powerful for that. It’s the thought of everyone else being unable to recognise each other as their loved ones, having to watch the faces of people you care so deeply about being completely different people and being unable to fully see you again.

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen and her cohorts travel to the castle through the forest, the curse chasing them. Geppetto enters the room to see Prince Charming and Snow White, “It’s ready.”

“It’s too late. We can’t move her.” Doc argues, watching Snow actively give birth while they argue. Then, it happens, Emma is born, cleaned, and bundled into a baby blanket for Snow and Charming to hold.

“The wardrobe… It only takes one.” Snow laments, her body crashing against the pillows as Charming holds her.

“Then our plan has failed. At least we’re together.”

“No.” Snow argues, forcing the infant into her husband’s arms. You, carrying out a promise you made with the two, give Emma a blessing, like you had their marriage. Luck, hope, and a chance at a bright future. “You have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Charming scolds while cradling the crying baby, trying to soothe her.

“No, it’s the only way. You have to save her.” She repeats, aware of the risk that this will put them all at, but it’s their only chance to break the curse.

“No, no, no. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“No, I do. We have to believe that she’ll come back for us. We have to give her her best chance,” Snow concludes; there is no other way that they can guarantee that their baby will be safe, but this way gets her out of reach from the curse.

Snow White and Prince Charming kiss Emma’s head as Charming swaddles her and leaves.

“Goodbye, Emma…” Snow mumbles, breaking down in sobs as they leave. You sit by her side and hold her hand, unable to stop the curse of their suffering, but you can be there for your friend for the last time in this world.

Prince Charming takes a sword near the door and enters the hallway, swinging the sword with a practised ease and fends off two of the Queen’s guards, managing to escape with only a few injuries. He swings the sword indiscriminately as he kicks open the door of the room hiding the wardrobe. With a tearful sigh, he places Emma inside the wardrobe and kisses her forehead, wrapping her up.

“Find us…” He whispers, closing the doors as two more guards enter the room.

In their fight, one of the guards plunges their sword into Charming’s side. His blood spills over the nursery floor as he is rendered unconscious.

The guards break open the wardrobe, but discover that it is empty. The baby is gone.

In Storybrooke Maine, the real world

Henry is sitting alone on his ‘castle’, an old wooden structure in the shape of a castle with a slide acting as a drawbridge. A playground along the shore, overlooking the water. It’s rickety and ancient, but it’s his. You wait by the side, this is a conversation that needs to be just them. And that’s okay, they both need this.

“You left this in my car.” Emma says as she walks up to him, book in hand before she gives it back to him. They both look towards the clock tower across town.

“Still hasn’t moved, huh?”

“I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin.” Henry admits, looking down at his book. He looks up at her, that same eager look in his eyes from last night.

“Yes, you are. Because it’s your destiny. You’re going to bring back the happy endings!”

“Can you cut it with the book crap,” Emma snaps, climbing up the castle and sitting next to him.

“You don’t have to be hostile. I know you like me - I can tell. You’re just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It’s okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance.” He explains with a surprising amount of maturity for a ten-year-old, he’s had a long time to reflect on it.

“How do you know?” She asks, feeling a sudden surge of… Something. Whatever it is, she isn’t used to it and she doesn’t hope to feel it again.

“Because it’s the same reason Snow White gave you away.” Henry chirps in response, lifting his book a little. Back to the fairy tale stuff, so, maybe not as mature as was once assumed.

“Listen to me, kid. I’m not in any book. I’m a real person. And I’m no saviour. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it’s not with me. Come on, let’s go. [Name] is waiting.” Emma commanded, jumping down from the castle.

“Please don’t take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That’s all I ask. One week, and you’ll see I’m not crazy!” He begs, following her lead and climbing down, stumbling over his feet as he chases after her.

“I have to get you back to your mom.”

“You don’t get what it’s like with her. My life sucks!” Henry yells after her from only a few steps behind. Emma whips around, her jaw clenched as she watches him.

“Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn’t even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own so they sent me back. Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it’s hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn’t love you, but at least she wants you.” Emma wailed, feeling tears well up in her eyes that she forces away. No. No crying, you’re better than that.

“Your parents didn’t leave you on the side of a freeway. That’s just where you came through.” The boy says out of the blue, not acknowledging how emotional Emma is. It’s probably for the best, she doesn’t want to feel vulnerable. “What?”

“The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse.”

Emma sniffles and disguises it with a chuckle, “sure they were. Come on, Henry.”

You meet them halfway and ruffle Henry’s hair, giving Emma a small smile as you walk back into town.

In the Enchanted Forest

Snow White gets out of bed with your help, hobbling to the wardrobe with your help. She sees Charming passed out on the floor, blood pooling under him, and she collapses, cupping his face in her hands as you stand there, frozen.

“No, no! No! No! NO! Please… Please come back to me.” She bawls, leaning down to kiss him twice in a weak attempt to revive him.

In your moment of weakness, the Evil Queen enters the room and stands proudly above you all. “Oh, don’t worry dear. In a few moments, you won’t remember you knew him, let alone loved him,” she brags, circling the couple. She spares a moment to watch you, trembling, glaring at her but powerless to stop her. For now, she’s already won.

“Why did you do this?” Snow blubbers, resting her head on her husband’s lifeless chest.

“Becuase. This is my happy ending.” She goads as two of her guards enter the room, “the child?”

“Gone. It was in the wardrobe, and then it was gone. It’s nowhere to be found.” They report, bowing.

“Where is she?” The Evil Queen spits at both you and Snow, causing some levity. She doesn’t know where Emma ended up. There’s a chance that she can save everyone.

“She got away… You’re going to lose. I know that now. Good always wins.” Snow White grins, tears pouring down her face. Before any more words can be spoken, the ceiling splits and begins collapsing around you.

“Where are we going?!” You yell, trapped under a piece of the fallen ceiling, straining as you attempt to pull yourself out.

“Somewhere horrible. Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending will be mine.” the Evil Queen announces as the window shatters, dark smoke floods the room and everyone inside is whisked away.

In Storybrooke Maine, in the real world

You and Emma walk Henry back to Regina, upon the door being opened, Henry runs inside and back to his room again.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

An awkward silence fills the space, it’s suffocating. You decide to slip away, you have a shift to get to at Granny’s Diner and it’s apparent that you aren’t wanted at this time.

“He’s seemed to have taken quite a shine to you,” Regina admits, crossing her arms in a bored manner.

“You know what’s kind of crazy? Yesterday was my birthday and I blew out the candle on this cupcake I brought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn’t have to be alone on my birthday. And then, Henry showed up.” Emma confesses, a rare smile making its way on her face. She’s in disbelief at how quickly she grew to care for the child, even with his… Oddities, he’s sweet.

“I hope there’s no misunderstanding here,” Regina states blankly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t mistake all this as an invitation back into his life.” She continues with a firm expression, glaring down the blonde.

“I was not…”

“No! You don’t get to speak. You don’t get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It’s what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you’re going to be held to that. So, I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this town. Because if you don’t, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Miss Swan.” Regina snarls, giving her one final look before turning away and heading back to her house.

“Do you love him?” Emma calls out as she stalls, looking back at her over her shoulder.

“Excuse me?”

“Henry. Do you love him?”

“Of course I love him.”

With that, she closes the door in Emma’s face. Filled with rage, she steals Henry’s book from his room, catching herself in the mirror as she stares at her reflection, holding the book.

Mary Margaret places another vase of flowers next to a patients’ bed, volunteering at the hospital once again. She puts another next to the bed of a comatose patient, going under the title of ‘John Doe,’ who bears a striking resemblance to Prince Charming.

Across town, Henry looks out his window, staring at the town landmark - the clocktower and its unchanging face. Meanwhile, Emma heads to Granny’s Bed and Breakfast, inside, Granny and her granddaughter, Ruby are arguing while you do the odd job of cleaning the windows.

“You’re out all night, and now you’re going out again,” Granny complains, tapping her pen against the front desk as she looks at Ruby with disapproval.

“I should have moved to Boston!” Ruby shouts, snatching her little apron from the desk and storming out the front door.

“I’m sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard!” She calls after her, too lost in her anger to notice the very confused blonde standing at the desk.

“...Excuse me? I’d like a room.” Emma mutters, breaking the silence that Granny had let settle. She perks up at that, a pleased smile tugging across her face.

“Really? Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there’s an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I’ll wave it.” She rambles, opening a book of records to record her stay.

“Forest view is always lovely in the mornings,” you comment, scrubbing a particularly stubborn spot on the glass.

“Square is fine.”

“Now, what’s the name?”

“Swan. Emma Swan.”

A man enters the inn, Mr. Gold, none of them notices him for now. He puts his weight against his staff, taking a sharp breath in when Emma says her name. You freeze, sensing him before they can. Of course, you’d grown to have a civil, maybe even friendly relationship with him, but it’s still scary how he just poofs into existence.

“Emma. What a lovely name.” His voice adds an edge to the air, it’s uncomfortable, something is off with the way he appears.

“Thanks.”

Granny passes Mr. Gold a roll of bills with a reluctant grunt, a spiteful look in her eye, “it’s all here.”

“Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay… Emma.” He smirks, giving you a bizarre smile as he leaves. Something is definitely off.

“Who’s that?” Emma asks, poking her head out to catch another glance at him.

“Mr. Gold. He owns this place.” You respond, secretly shoving some of your own cash into the cash register for Granny. You feel bad, knowing how much she struggles with managing the Bed and Breakfast and Diner pretty much alone.

“The inn?”

“No, the town. So, how long will you be with us?” Granny explains, brushing past it as there’s no point being bothered by something that can’t be changed, and she knows to never scare off the clientele.

“A week. Just a week.” Emma confirms, passing her the money for her room.

“Great.”

Granny takes a key from the wall, it’s old, beautiful and ornate, then hands it to her. You smile, it’ll be nice to have a new face around town.

“Welcome to Storybrooke.”

Henry sits by his window, still watching the clock tower, and as Emma takes the room key, the clock starts moving. Henry’s eyes light up and he smiles.

End of episode 1: The Pilot