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lilacmoon83 · 4 years

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Finding You Always

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Chapter 218: The Splendor of Cibola

As they arrived back at the Jolly Roger, they found the two agents. Unfortunately, Agent Brooks was long dead, but Agent Green was hanging on by a thread, as Eva quickly went to work.

"Can you save her?" Emma asked.

"She's lost too much blood. I can heal the wound, but she needs a transfusion," Eva replied.

"Agent Green...do you know your blood type?" Eva asked. The woman swallowed thickly and rasped an answer.

"B positive," she uttered weakly.

"Aunt Regina...can you use a little magic? I need at least two pints. I can magically infuse it into her," Eva said. Regina summoned what she needed from the hospital back in Storybrooke. Eva used her magic to heal and seal the wound, before magically infusing the blood transfusion into the woman. She felt exhausted when she was finished, but didn't collapse.

"She needs rest and she should be fine then," Eva said. Leo picked the agent up and carried her down to the Captain's quarters to rest.

"I'll get us underway for that island," Killian said, as he took to the helm.

~*~

Snow and David were led up the gangplank of a ship that looked like it was a luxury ocean liner and were relieved to see Bobby waiting there with Dr. LaGuerra, Malina, Thalia, and Johnny.

"Mom! Dad!" he called, as he rushed to them and they hugged him between them, as Queen Omaru boarded as well, with her two elite commanders, Louda and Kiyun.

"Oh baby...did they hurt you?" Snow asked.

"No...they just took some blood and they were analyzing it. And they've figured out the magic cuff thing," Bobby replied, as Snow and David saw the needle marks on his arm and the black cuff on his wrist. Seething, David started toward the sick doctor, but Kiyun held up a glowing blaster.

"Another step and I discharge an electromagnetic pulse from this gun that will incapacitate you for the foreseeable future," he warned. David stopped, glaring at them, as Snow put her hand on his arm.

"Charming no...we need you," she pleaded with him and he reluctantly retreated and slipped his arm around her waist. Dr. LaGuerra smirked smugly and David sent him another glare.

"Keep smirking, Doctor...because next time I get my hands on you and I will…" he warned.

"Next time, I won't be breaking your nose. Next time...it's going to be your neck," he threatened. The Doctor tried to seem unbothered by his threat, but it was clearly making him squirm. David hugged Snow close with one arm, while he put the other one around their son.

"It's going to be okay...the others are still out there," Bobby whispered to them and they both gave him a reassuring smile. He was right and they knew their older children and other family wouldn't be far behind them.

~*~

Flashback

Zeus gazed down over the Earth solemnly. His daughter was in love again and it should have brought him joy. But it didn't, for he knew their love, though true and strong, was cursed to end in tragedy. And there was nothing he could do to stop it or save her the pain.

"At least she is happy again, even if only for a little while," Athena mentioned.

"How can you say that? You know the pain that is ahead of her again," he said in frustration.

"Because of this curse, she cannot recognize that Adonis is identical to Anchises. He feels drawn to her, for he is Anchises reincarnated into a new life that will ultimately be cut short in violence as well," he continued.

"She will be crushed by her grief again and I, the supreme God, can do nothing but watch it all unfold!" he ranted.

"Father…" Athena tried to soothe him.

"We watched her mourn Anchises for almost a thousand years and we will soon watch her mourn Adonis," he said.

"If she had just listened to me and stayed here on Olympus...she wouldn't have to go through this!" he lamented.

"Father...nothing can keep her from her soulmate, not even you," Athena warned.

"She never listens…" he complained and Athena chuckled.

"Wonder where she gets that," the Goddess teased.

"I am in no mood, daughter," he warned.

"If she had just married Hephaestus as I implored her to, then she would have been safe from all this pain," he said.

"Safe and unhappy. I know my baby sister...she will choose happiness a thousand times, even if it's only for a handful of moments in her life," she replied. He sighed.

"I have failed my lovely Dione. She would be horrified if she knew the terrible curse placed upon our daughter and the hardships she has and will endure," he said.

"Dione is always with her in spirit...she will look after her from Elysian as much as she can. She knows her daughter is strong and would never deny her love," Athena reasoned.

"Fine...but remind me again why you encouraged me not to smite that fool Collector, like I did his father, with one of my lightning bolts?" he asked irritably.

"Father...you cannot just smite every mortal that gets your toga in a twist. The mortals already think you're...not very nice," Athena said delicately.

"Ooohhh...that's putting it mildly," Hermes deadpanned, as she appeared.

"Very funny, sister. Any luck?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not. I have searched countless realms for centuries and Eros is nowhere to be found," she replied sadly.

"Damn the Black Fairy...she continues to elude us," Zeus cursed. He felt helpless and that was not something that the supreme God took well at all.

~*~

Prince Adonis bowed to the visiting dignitaries, as they filed by his mother's Throne at another ball. He detested these balls, but as his eyes met Aphrodite's across the room, he didn't mind them so much anymore, since he knew he would spend much of the evening with her in his arms.

His relationship with the Goddess was considered scandalous and the nobility in his mother's court was livid at their courtship. They were protesting it with his mother, stating that they would refuse to accept Aphrodite as his Queen one day, due to her immortal status. He didn't care though and his mother, thankfully, only wanted his happiness.

"Prince Adonis, I am Tao Xang Li, advisor to the Dragon Prince, Esteban Zhu Ling, of the great Dragon Empire," the dark haired man said, as he bowed. Adonis followed suit as a show of respect.

Welcome to my Kingdom...though I must say I am a bit surprised that you've traveled so far," Adonis said.

"Forgive my advisor, but we are simply passing through on our way to the Kingdoms to the west," Esteban replied, as he bowed again.

"Ah...you've heard the rumors about El Dorado. I've heard it is but a myth and possibly not even of this land at all, but another entirely," Adonis said.

"And who, pray-tell, told you that little fairy tale?" another voice questioned.

"I did…" Aphrodite said, as she sided up to her love and he put an arm around her waist, glaring at the brutish man before them. She looked stunning, as usual, in a glittering pink gown.

"And you are?" she asked.

"Uh...forgive him, Goddess. He is but our Navigator and has forgotten his place," Tao hissed.

"Navigator? I am the greatest Navigator in all the realms," he boasted, as he bowed to her.

"Antonio de Mendoza...and may I say, you truly are the Goddess of Beauty," he complimented, as he kissed the back of her hand, which she quickly recoiled.

"But forgive me, Goddess, the rumors of El Dorado being in a land to the west is very credible," he argued.

"Of course," she placated, as she looked at her beloved.

"Gentlemen...if you'll excuse me, I owe my beautiful future Queen a dance," Adonis said, as he led her onto the dance floor and pulled her into his arms.

"So…El Dorado? Are they on a wild goose chase?" he asked.

"According to Hermes...it's real, but they call it Cibola. But yes, they'll never find it without a magic bean to take them to a far off realm, reportedly one where magic as we know it is quite scarce," she replied.

"Sounds like an intriguing place," he mentioned, as he kissed her tenderly.

~*~

"Do you think the Goddess knows the location of El Dorado?" Mendoza wondered.

"It does not matter...she is the daughter of Zeus and if she is not offering us the information, then we do not want to press it," Tao refuted.

"Tao is wise and we will heed this advice. If the rumors are true, then Zeus killed the last mortal that wronged his daughter," Esteban said. But Mendoza's gaze on the Goddess told him that he was not done pressing the issue.

~*~

"I understand that, General, but forcing this issue could be an act of war," Major Donovan argued.

"I am receiving a lot of pressure from the people truly in power in this world and they do not tolerate what they cannot control. They want all your Intel and everything you inherited from the one known as the Collector," the General said sternly.

"And if I cannot or will not deliver that?" Patricia asked.

"Then you will be court-martialed," he threatened, as the line went dead and she pocketed her phone, before going up on deck. She knew keeping her superiors out of this wouldn't be possible for long. She had never had torn loyalties before. She had always been eager and willing to serve her country. But she also knew that there was an underbelly in the world and the country of people that really ran things. People that had no loyalty to anything other than money and power. It was why she had chosen to bring David on board to take on Clayton's underground. Because she knew a lot of them were connected to the powerful bloodlines that actually ran the world.

She had also gotten close to David and his family during the two year curse in Boston and she had grown to care about them. Betraying them and unleashing these people on the United Realms didn't sit well with her. It would be a definite war with certain casualties and the thought of some of these evil people that were pushing the General for this power getting access to magic was unsettling to say the least. They already did terrible things with their money and power. If they got possession of the magic within the United Realms, it could have apocalyptic consequences.

She knew her loyalty with them was already in question and she didn't want to say anything to anyone without Snow and David there. She knew that they might be the only ones that would fully believe her that her loyalty might be swaying toward them and away from her once loved, but now corrupt globalist minded government.

~*~

The General took the video call and stared into the room of about a dozen people. They were not well known or known at all really. But they were all descendants of this world's oldest and most powerful bloodlines. They controlled almost everything that happened in this world. Those well known public figures were mere puppets on strings for those really in control.

They had looked unhappy, which wasn't unusual. Today seemed worse though, but he wasn't surprised. There wasn't much that this elite group didn't know about so when they had found out there had been a secretive town, full of magic and mysterious, gifted people in this country, hidden right under their noses, they were livid to say the least.

"General Mendoza...have you spoken to Major Donovan?" one woman asked. Though he was far from a good man, these people even made him shiver. Most of it was their eyes. While they were human, their eyes were all soulless and empty, filled with disdain and hatred for the masses of people they ruled over and often referred to as cattle. Millions of them could die and none of them would bat an eye or shed a tear. In fact, they would probably celebrate the thinning of the herd.

"I have, Madam Stavros...but she seems reluctant," he reported.

"That's unfortunate…" a man said.

"We must have access to the United Realms," Madam Stavros insisted.

"Major Donovan seems to think that they are not a threat to us," General Mendoza interjected.

"That's because she intends to use them to bring us down and dismantle everything our families have built for over a thousand years!" the man roared.

"Mr. Crane is right…" Madam Stavros agreed in an even tone.

"Do whatever you must to intercept the Major when she returns and take control of that magical family," she added. He had no idea how they expected him to do that, but he didn't dare voice this, as the screen went blank.

"You know...I've taken on the Charmings, as they are affectionately called, and they are formidable," a new voice said. The General turned and found a familiar man standing there.

"You…I've seen you. You attacked the museum a few nights ago," General Mendoza said.

"I am Mephisto...and I can help you with your Charming little problem," he said.

"How?" he asked.

"I can get into the United Realms with my unique abilities and there may be someone that can help us break through the magical barrier protecting it," he replied.

"And what would you want in return?" the General asked.

"Just the locations of the fools you were just talking to. They are the most powerful people in this world and by making them blackhearts...then I will easily control everything in one fell swoop," he replied.

"Blackhearts?" Mendoza asked.

"My minions...they have powers bestowed upon them by me, but they are enslaved to me and would be under my complete control," Mephisto replied.

"I am not privy to their locations...but I can promise to get them into the United Realms, then they might foolishly all come to the same place. I know them...they mean to infiltrate and destroy from within. It's what they do to all countries," Mendoza responded.

"I'll get that barrier down...then we'll proceed," Mephisto agreed, as the deal was struck between them.

~*~

Half Moon Island was within view, as the grand vessel approached the mysterious place. The fog was thick and there was something ominous in the air. In response to their new atmosphere, the chalice began to pulse with energy.

"Yeah...that definitely means something," David mentioned.

"We are close to the gates of Cibola…" the Queen interjected.

"And if we open the gates...what then?" Snow questioned.

"The gold will stabilize our power and we will take our place as true rulers of this world," she said.

"Seriously? That's your plan? The old generic rule the world bit?" Bobby commented with an eye roll.

"We are one of the oldest races in existence, boy. It is our place to rule!" Omaru snapped.

"Someone who thinks they are entitled to rule over others are always unfit to do so," Snow argued.

"You and your husband will open those gates," she ordered, as the ship docked. They were forced to disembark and looked at the mossy jungle before them.

"Where are these gates?" Bobby asked.

"On the other side of the island. Move," Kiyun ordered, as they made their way into the thick jungle.

"We need a plan," David whispered to her.

"If I could get this stupid cuff off, I'd have one," Bobby murmured.

"That has to be part of our plan. We can use the chalice for that, but it is still a risk and that's not a risk your father and I are willing to take with your life, honey," Snow whispered.

"Your mother is right," David agreed, as a bird flew by and landed on Snow's shoulder.

"And...we may not have to," she whispered, as she looked at her husband. He saw the bird and realized exactly what was going on. It meant that Leo was near, which meant the rest of their family was as well. He nodded and squeezed his son's shoulder, as they reached the center of the crescent edge of the island.

"There's another island out there," Snow said.

"Yes and upon that small island are the gates of Cibola. We will take these small boats," the Queen said, indicating the small boats that looked like they were made out of some kind of tightly woven reed.

"Yeah...cause those look stable," Bobby commented, as they were ushered into one of the boats with Kiyun and the Queen, while the others manned the other boats.

~*~

"Man...what's with this fog?" Leo asked, as they arrived on Half Moon island.

"I don't know, but we need to catch up to them quickly. Who knows what will happen once Mom and Dad open those gates," Emma said.

"Are there any animals around?" Summer asked. Leo smiled.

"That's brilliant," he said, smiling at his baby sister, as he whistled. A blue bird emerged from the trees and landed on Leo's finger.

"A blue bird?" JJ asked.

"That's my question...how does a blue bird help us?" Zia asked.

"Leo can speak to all animals, but our Mom can speak to birds. He's going to send a message to Mom," Summer explained.

"Wow...your family is something," JJ said, as he smiled at her.

"In a good way," he assured her, as she smiled in return.

"Find my mother, Snow White, and give her our message," he imported to the tiny creature. It chirped at him, before flying off into the sky to deliver their message.

"Let's get moving...we may not have much time," Rumple said, as they began their trek into the jungle.

"You must be excited…" Eva said to Natalie, as they walked.

"You probably think that's silly," Natalie replied, but Eva shook her head.

"Not at all. It's easy to see that you're passionate about artifacts from other cultures and exploring the findings. I feel the same way about medicine," Eva mentioned. Natalie smiled.

"I guess so...I've been looking for Cibola most of my adult life and it's not really about the gold. It's about the find," she said.

"I get that," Eva said.

"Why are you talking to me?" Natalie asked suspiciously.

"Well...you're my Aunt, aren't you?" Eva replied.

"Uh yeah, I guess, but I'm not sure your Dad wants to claim me as his sister," she said.

"You don't know him like we do. Trust me...family is everything to him. He's going to come around sooner rather than later," Eva promised.

"What makes you think I want him to?" Natalie asked.

"Reading people is something I'm pretty good at and I have a feeling that you secretly think that being a part of a big, warm family might not be so bad," Eva replied, as she was silent and left her new Aunt to ponder those thoughts.

~*~

The liquid boiled in the beakers on the Bunsen burner, as Jekyll worked tirelessly in the lab on various experiments. He was frustrated, because wherever Snow currently was, even his nano surveillance technology didn't have access to it. He didn't like being out of the loop and he could feel the fire in his veins burning at being denied seeing her. He had observed all the events in Boston and even those in South America. But after that, the Jolly Roger disappeared from surveillance in the Pacific Ocean. This mysterious place called Mu was protected, even against his technologies. And he didn't like that at all.

To occupy his time, he worked tirelessly on new creations and lately, he had been studying the footage of the battle in Seattle. He had become recently fascinated with the star gems that the Charmings were in possession of. He had done much research and had stolen the book on star gems from Rose's library.

There was a soft sobbing that caught his attention, as his captive was awake at last.

"Ah...you're awake," he said, as he approached her.

"What...what are you going to do to me?" the dark haired woman asked.

"Oh...this is nothing personal, just an experiment. We had a lot of fun, but you were always a pale substitute for the real thing," he replied.

"You paid for my services...and I did what you wanted," she said.

"Yes...you paid the part in my little fantasy, but it was very unsatisfying. I should have known that a whore could never capture the magnificence of the real Snow White though. Some dark hair and red lipstick is hardly enough to be convincing," he replied.

"Fine...just let me go. You can even have your money back," she offered.

"Oh this was never just about sex. You're pretty enough, but hardly the vision that Snow White is. You took the edge off, but also made me realize that nothing but the real article will do for me," he hissed in her ear.

"However, all is not lost, because I have use for you in an experiment," he said, as a machine whined to life and she screamed, as he flipped a switch. A laser went into her chest and burned through her skin, as she wailed in excruciating pain. There was a glow, as the machine did it's part and her star gem floated in front of her dead body. His machine had extracted the gem from her heart, but in the process, burned her heart up.

"So...this is what makes the hearts of people from Misthaven glow when they are extracted," he said curiously. In his reading, he had discovered that all persons from magical realms had these gems within their hearts. But like this gem, most were powerless and insignificant. But the Charmings...they possessed magical ones that could be weaponized. However, his method of extraction would have to be improved.

He used a pair of pliers to carefully take the star gem and put it inside a case for later study.

"I see you're hard at work, as usual, doctor," Mephisto observed, as he slithered into his lab.

"Ah…I see you have obtained a new skin suit. It's as ugly as the last one," Jekyll commented. Mephisto chuckled.

"You're nothing to look at either, doctor. Just ask Snow White...you disgust her," he jabbed.

"What do you want?" Jekyll snapped.

"I have severed my connection to you and kept the power you bestowed upon me. I am not beholden to you," the doctor said.

"Yes…I'll admit, that angered me at first. None of my dark hearts have ever broken free of my control before. It is impressive," he complimented. Jekyll smirked.

"Complimenting me? That means you need my help," he goaded.

"There is a barrier around the United Realms. I want you to use your talents to find a way to nullify it," he said.

"That barrier was created by the Chalice...that won't be easy. It might actually be impossible," Jekyll countered.

"Oh, but not for you, Doctor. I've seen your work," Mephisto said.

"What's in it for me?" Jekyll asked.

"It's a long game...but in the end, Snow White will be in your grasp," Mephisto promised.

"I will see what I can do," Jekyll replied, as he looked at her image, which he kept upon the wall of his lab.

~*~

Flashback

A tear slipped down Adonis' cheek, as he lay flowers on his mother's coffin. The Queen had died in her sleep and the healers had determined that her heart had given out in her advanced age. The Kingdom mourned and Aphrodite was beside her beloved in every moment.

"I knew this would come someday...but I'm not ready for it. I'm not ready to be King," he lamented sadly.

"I know, my love...no one is ever ready to lose someone they love. But I know that you will be a wonderful King," Aphrodite promised.

"Sire...the scribes are here," one of the servants announced. He nodded.

"Of course," he said, as they approached.

"King Adonis...I am Aesop and have come to record your mother's story for the Archives at the library of Andresia," he said, as he bowed deeply.

"These are my assistants...the Grimm brothers," he introduced, as the pair bowed as well.

"Thank you...I trust you'll do justice to my mother's history," he said.

"We only hope that someday we can be permitted to record your extraordinary story as well, Your Majesty, and your courtship of the Goddess Aphrodite. You are the envy of many men in all the lands," one of the Grimms stated.

"Jacob...that is inappropriate," Aesop hissed, but Adonis put his hand up.

"It's okay, Aesop...I am never one to miss an opportunity to tell someone how much I love my future Queen or how beautiful she is," he said, as he kissed her cheek.

"If you'll excuse us," he said, as they walked away arm in arm. She leaned her head against his arm and they were unaware of the Queen's court's disapproving eye upon them.

~*~

They arrived at the massive, golden colored gates, which were adorned with a giant depiction of the sun on them.

"At last...we will finally have everything we need. Open them," Omaru ordered.

"I'm getting really tired of these people," David grumbled, as they joined hands and approached the gates, while Bobby held Snow's hand and went with them. The chalice glowed in response to the proximity of the gates and a pulse of power washed over the giant doors. They glowed brightly, blinding everyone present, as they opened. The sight before them was truly stunning, as an expanse city made entirely of gold was before them. The structures were reminiscent of the pyramids commonly found that had been left behind by ancient civilizations such as the Incas and Mayans. Even the streets were paved in gold and in the center was a very tall tower, glowing like a beacon and the chalice seemed to glow with it.

"Fine...you have your gold. Now you'll let us go," David said.

"That will not be the case, Your Highness. The gold will provide the energy we needed, but it is in conjunction with the chalice that will stabilize our reactor. That means you and your wife will remain our prisoners indefinitely and you will use it to do our bidding," Omaru responded.

"There's no way in hell that's happening," Regina said, as they arrived, encased in one of Summer's bubbles, bypassing the need for a boat.

"Guess we'll see about that," Johnny said, as he stepped forward, armed with his steel skin device. But Summer was ready for him and encased him in a bubble. Regina smirked, as he started beating against the bubble with his steel skin in an attempt to break through. Regina sided up to Summer and put a hand on her shoulder. She released a fireball and gave the bubble an extra layer of protection.

"The only place you're going, Junior, is a lovely cell in the United Realms prison," she said, as Emma dueled Kiyun and Leo fought Louda.

"Stop them!" Omaru ordered, as Killian used his hook to release Bobby from his magical cuff.

"Thanks," Bobby said.

"NO!" Omaru cried, as the power pulsed from the youngest Charming and the ground beneath her was unearthed. Seeing that the control was shifting, not unsurprisingly, Dr. LaGuerra and Malina tried to make a run for it back to the boats, but suddenly felt themselves frozen in place.

"We have prison cells for you too," Rumple said. Bobby raised his hands and vines emerged from the ground, trapping them effectively. Snow stepped forward and punched the doctor right in the mouth.

"Ow! You broke my tooth!" he cried, as blood leaked from his mouth.

"That's for putting needles in one of my babies," she hissed.

Kiyun and Louda stood ready with their army and motioned for them to attack. David joined Emma and Leo, as they charged them. They were outnumbered, but ready for the attack this time. David unleashed the full power of the chalice sword and with two expert swipes, he decimated most of their army. The pure power hit the soldiers and disintegrated them. He didn't like using such devastating power, but he had learned a lot from his darker half. These people had nothing but evil in their hearts and were a very real and direct threat to Snow and his children. And he was done letting people like that get a pass.

Louda sparred vigorously with Leo and managed to get a hand around his neck. She smirked deviously, as she squeezed and he began to choke.

"I'd snap your neck with ease, young one. You're just lucky that our Queen has need of your magical blood," she hissed, but then dropped him, as his body became alive with electricity. He shocked her and the force of the attack threw her into a tree. Rumple waved his hand and binding appeared on her as well.

"Down to one it seems," he said, as Emma dueled Kiyun furiously.

"We have waited too long for this moment! We are on the edge of greatness and not even you will stop us, Savior!" he claimed.

"Look around genius...we've already won," she replied, as their blades clashed.

"Your family has many adversaries...and is still haunted by demons," he said.

"If you're trying to get into my head, then forget it," Emma replied dismissively, as she matched him move for move.

"True love has saved your family...but far too many have designs on all of you, especially your parents. Those demons won't go away...they already plague your mother in the form of panic attacks," he goaded.

"There is nothing that my parents can't handle, because they have each other. My parents are none of your concern," Emma growled.

"Oh, but they are. Among many things, my Queen is a seer. She foretold the demise of the Dragon Queen and her King," he claimed.

"She warned her...but they did not heed her warning and then suffered the consequences," he continued.

"Yeah...screw your prophecy. My parents have faced death before and they always beat it. The evil they have faced has always fallen and always will," Emma refuted, as she used her magic to disarm the warrior and end the fight. Rumple secured him with bindings as well and only the Queen and Thalia remained. Her father was putting Omaru in handcuffs, while Xander approached Thalia with a pair of zip ties in his hand.

"So...you're going to lock me up again in front of our daughter?" she asked.

"I don't want to do that. But you're the one that's choosing Junior over her," he replied.

"Clayton looked out for us...unlike you," she spat back.

"I didn't know! You hid her from me!" he snapped.

"Because I knew you'd walk out on her just the way you walked out on your twin boys!" she argued.

"You don't know that! Clayton manipulated me for years! And looks like he did it to you too. He told you to hide her from me...didn't?" Xander growled.

"Mom?" Natalie prodded.

"It...it was for the best, honey," Thalia said. Xander scoffed.

"For the best? Seriously? Why? What does he get from that?" Natalie asked, as she looked at Johnny, who smirked at her.

"You know what he wanted...the Chalice and he would have done anything to get to it. Xander running off with Thalia and you didn't fit his purposes. Waking up Charming too early didn't fit his plan either," Johnny said, as he chuckled.

"Even dead...my father is still manipulating all of you! He was a master at it and still he worms his way deeply into this family," he continued.

"He hoped to sire his heir with the Goddess Aphrodite," Johnny said.

"There is no way you're Aphrodite's son…" Snow refuted, as David put his arm around her.

"You're right...he, unfortunately, was unable to seal that deal," he replied.

"Instead...he found another bloodline that was suitable. Not an immortal bloodline, but one that hated Aphrodite and everything she stood for. She was only too happy to sire me with my father when she learned that he was going to bring down Aphrodite's champions," he explained.

"Well, that didn't happen," Emma refuted.

"Yet…" he leered.

"And you're not a part of this family," Leo added.

"Oh...but I am, because of her," Johnny said, looking toward Natalie.

"Yeah...no you're not, because we are done," she refuted. He smirked.

"We'll see," he said.

"Can someone please put him on mute?" David asked. Emma waved her hand and he found himself unable to speak.

"You can have your volume back once we get back to Storybrooke and you're in prison," she said, as she joined her parents and they looked at the sprawling golden city before them.

"It's your choice now, Mom. Are you choosing Clayton over me again?" Natalie asked, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I've never chosen him over you," Thalia responded.

"And I'll prove it to you, if given the chance," she said, as she and Xander locked eyes.

"Guess we'll find out in time," he replied, as he didn't arrest her.

"So what now?" Leo asked.

"Yeah...this is an amazing place. It has to be protected," Eva agreed.

"How do we do that? I mean, it belongs to Zia's people, but it would hardly be safe if we moved it to the Andes Mountains. No offense," Summer said.

"None taken...this would attract every greed filled person in the world and people would suffer," Zia agreed.

"Then what about moving it to the United Realms? Is it possible?" Bobby asked, as he watched his parents exchange a glance.

"With the chalice...I think it's more than possible," Snow said. David smiled at her and kissed her tenderly. It was time to prepare to return home.

~*~

Flashback

"Request denied…" Esteban said, as Mendoza's face fell.

"Sire?" he questioned.

"We have allowed many resources to be wasted on your quest for Cibola and it is time we come to the realization that it does not exist," he said, as his new Queen sat by his side, with their adviser, Lord Tao, there as well.

"Your own adviser has spun the tales of his people's guard of this grand treasure!" Mendoza claimed.

"The final writings of the people of Hiva are mere myth and legend, Navigator," Tao replied.

"No...this is her doing! She is keeping the treasure from us!" Mendoza claimed.

"You will not speak to my Queen in that manner, lest you wish to find a new home in prison," Esteban warned. Mendoza bowed.

"Forgive me, My Lord," he apologized, before leaving quietly, where he met up outside with his new ally, John Clayton.

"So now they claim it's not real," Mendoza said.

"They are lying...I've shown you the ruins of Atlantis and Tao is a descendant of the Mu. Trust me, Cibola is real too and she knows all about it," John said.

"It does not matter if we cannot find it," Mendoza replied.

"Perhaps we can. If we cannot implore them, then we will compel the Goddess to tell us. We are leaving for Cyprus," John said.

"How can we compel the Goddess to help us?" Mendoza asked. He smirked.

"By holding the life of her beloved Adonis over her head," John replied deviously.

~*~

The people of the United Realms gathered at the Harbor, having been summoned there by Queen Rose Red and Fandral. Apparently, the buzz was that Snow White and Prince David were returning from their journey had a grand surprise for all to witness.

A spiraling orange portal appeared in the ocean and the Jolly Roger sailed through it into United Realms waters, before docking at the Harbor.

Eva hurried off the ship and hugged Paul tightly, who enveloped her in his arms and they shared a kiss.

"I missed you, but I have a patient. One of the agents from Boston. She's stable, but we should get her to the hospital," Eva said. Paul smiled.

"So that's where those missing pints of B positive blood went," he realized, with a chuckle.

"I missed you too and I'll call us an ambulance for her," he replied

Leo wasn't far behind her and picked Elsa up, spinning her around. Killian and Emma followed, as they were eager to reunite with their daughter.

"Thanks for watching her for us," Emma said, as she held Hope.

"Please...we loved it," Joe replied.

Summer and Bobby followed their parents and the others off the ship, along with Zia and her parents, whom they had picked up on the way.

"So...what's this big surprise?" Rose asked, as she and Snow shared a hug.

"We found it and now, we're about to present the newest realm to everyone," Snow replied, as she showed her a small snow globe. David sided up to her and pointed out into the water.

"That seems like a good place," he said. She nodded in agreement, as they grasped the chalice together. The snow globe disappeared and the island of Mu appeared before them in the water. Most notably though, the burning mountain was gone. Snow and David had used the chalice to obliterate that threat, before encasing the whole place in a snow globe to be transported. And just behind it was Half Moon island and the incredible splendor of Cibola for all to see.

"Whoa...you did it. This is definitely my next story," Henry said, with a wide grin.

"We cannot thank you enough for preserving our ancestor's legacy," Santo said.

"It's our honor and with the amount of magic beans we have, you'll have enough of a supply to come here any time if you want," Snow replied. Santo looked at his wife.

"That is something we have been discussing and now that we have met the Queen of Hiva, it is clear that she and her people are our direct relation," Irina said.

"We have decided to relocate to Mu. Queen Nubia says that our daughter is extremely gifted and is the rightful heir to Cibola. There is much she must learn though if she is to be Queen of Mu and Cibola someday," Santo said.

"So you're moving here?" Bobby asked with hope in his voice. Zia nodded.

"We are," she confirmed, bringing a smile to his face.

"We do have a few prisoners to relocate though," David said.

"I can help with that," Fandral said, as he went to help escort them to their new home behind bars.

~*~

"So...does this place have a hotel or something?" Natalie asked.

"It does, but that won't be necessary. Our castle has plenty of rooms. Xander stays with us and you and your mother are welcome too," Snow replied. Natalie scoffed.

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

"You're David's sister, which makes you family," Snow replied.

"So it's that simple?" Natalie asked.

"Actually yes...people have accused me of being too soft on adversaries and some of them have a point. But I know someone with a good heart when I see one," Snow replied, as they exchanged a glance.

"And I also know unfinished business between two people," she added, as they glanced at Thalia and Xander. Natalie rolled her eyes.

"Then tomorrow, I'm sure that the Ramos family would welcome your architectural expertise and allow you to explore to your heart's content," Snow replied. Natalie looked at her skeptically.

"Really?" she asked. Snow shrugged.

"Why not? I mean, they're going to need a liaison between Cibola and the Atlantis museum, which has been looking for a curator with your kind of experience," Snow replied. Natalie was floored.

"Did you just offer me a job?" she asked.

"Well…Milo and Kida have the final say, but considering your background, expertise, and relation to my husband, you'll be a shoe in, if you want it," Snow replied, leaving her stunned and speechless. Snow smiled and walked away, as David returned from seeing the prison van off.

"It's good to be home," he said, as she slipped his arms around his waist.

"I'll say…" she replied, as they shared a tender kiss.

"Granny's...and then maybe a moonlight walk on the beach?" he asked.

"That sounds wonderful," she agreed, as they shared another kiss.

"And then...home to bed to not sleep," he whispered to her in a husky tone. She bit her bottom lip in excitement.

"No…I don't think we'll be getting much sleep tonight at all, handsome," she agreed, as she hooked her hand on his elbow and leaned her head against his arm. He put his arm around her waist and headed to Granny's to celebrate with their family.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Charming family #OC Charmings #AU #original season 9 storyline #Rose Red #Fandral the Dashing #Dashing Rose #Prince James #Aphrodite #Prince Goddess #Regina Mills #Rumplestiltskin #romance #adventure #family #finding you always #the epic continues

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jarienn972 · 4 years

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A Simple Spell - Chapter Thirteen

A Captain Swan Supernatural Summer Tale

2020 has started off with a bang for me so this chapter got just a little bit delayed. This entire story has taken a bit longer to complete than expected and for that, I do apologize. This particular chapter posed a few challenges to write and ran a little longer than I had originally plotted as I added a previously unplanned scene. With this being the next to last chapter, there are a handful of surprises left to reveal, including the truth about Storybrooke’s heritage - and exactly where Emma Swan fits in.

Thank you to everyone who has given me encouragement along the way! I hope you'll enjoy these last 2 chapters as this tale draws to a close. Thank you @kmomof4 for your live commentary that never fails to bring a smile to my face when I read those messages. Thank you @cocohook38 for the amazing art you created to accompany my story and thank you @lassluna for your assistance as beta reader!

Read from the beginning on AO3 or FF.net. Tumblr: One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve

Now, without further delay - we’re going to open with that long awaited kiss... (but remember, this is still Storybrooke...)

It was just a kiss.

Emma kept that mantra swirling through her head as she anxiously hovered at Killian's bedside trying to muster the courage to press her lips to his. Her sight was locked on his face, staring down at his stubbled jawline and dimpled cheeks before allowing her gaze to drift upward to his closed eyes. She'd not previously noticed how unfairly long and full his eyelashes were. Two coats of mascara and she couldn't even come close to that natural lushness… Of course, she'd much rather be staring into the intense blueness(was that even a word?)that lay beneath - irises the hue of the sea he loved so much. And just like the sea, it would be so easy to find herself lost in his stare…

She'd felt a connection with this man the moment they'd met, but she hadn't imagined that the future of their brief, still-evolving relationship wound hinge on a kiss. Oh hell, who was she kidding? Everything hinged on this single kiss and the weight of all it entailed was a lot to bear. This kiss would control their destiny - his as well as hers - and just the thought of something potentially going wrong was terrifying.

"It's just a kiss," Regina casually reminded her from across the room, her tone seemingly mocking Emma's mantra, although unintentionally.

"Easy for you to say," Emma replied in a huff. "You're not the one who's going to lose her powers or condemn a man to endless sleep if this goes wrong…"

"Do you believe that he's your true love?" Regina queried.

"That's really a loaded question to ask about someone I've known a week."

"You were the one who cast the spell…" Regina quipped sarcastically which garnered her a side-eyed glare from her cousin.

"Thank you for the reminder," Emma scoffed. "I mean, there's definitely a spark, but…"

"But what? Does he look at you the same way David looks at Mary Margaret?"

"I think so."

"Do you find yourself losing track of time when you're with him? Like nothing and no one else matters?"

Emma didn't respond right away as she thought about the lengthy conversations she and Killian had engaged in and how comfortable and welcomed she'd felt while in his presence. Her memory reminded her of the panic she'd experienced upon learning he'd gone missing and of her determination to find him… And then she knew - she'd fallen fast and hard for Killian Jones.

"Yeah... Yeah, I do," Emma responded at last as her fingertips tenderly ghosted across Killian's hand before she grasped hold of his fingers and gave them a reassuring squeeze.

"Then your heart already knows what your head might not have figured out yet," Regina stated. "Now, will you please just lean in there and kiss him so you can put an end to these spells and beat that damned wizard at his own games?"

Just a kiss, Emma's brain chimed in again. It's only a kiss.

"Oh, what the hell…," Emma exclaimed with a shrug. "Here goes nothing…" She slowly lowered her chin towards Killian's slumbering face, pausing for a second or two that could have been an eternity to her weary mind. Why was she hesitating? She knew she had real feelings for Killian and was sure they were reciprocated but to find herself putting everything on the line so soon in their blossoming relationship seemed so ludicrous… But she was also reminded that she'd gotten herself into this and she'd run out of options. She couldn't think it enough: Everything - everything - rested on their kiss.

She traced her index finger along his scruffy jaw as her lips inched closer to his. The tips of their noses brushed as she lined up for the kiss. She'd had only a little time to imagine what kissing Killian Jones was going to be like, never quite expecting that it would be so one-sided. His lips were surprisingly warm and soft, maybe not as responsive as she would have liked...

But she certainly couldn't deny the spark - the knee-buckling, toe-tingling flash that coursed through her body and even seemed to shake the entire room. She felt momentarily blinded as if a bolt of lightning had struck her down from the heavens. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced. Was this what true love felt like or was this merely the universe stripping her of all of her magical powers for being a fool?

She tried to look down at Killian to find out if his eyes were opening, but all she could see was an encroaching cloud that was black as soot. She thought she could see his eyelids flicker before the cloud enveloped them, leading her to wonder if she'd just unleashed some torrential storm upon them.

**********

Awakening as if struck by that same unseen bolt of lightning Emma thought she'd felt, Killian's eyelids flew open. His body attempted to jolt upright, impeded only by the searing pain from his injured shoulder that sent a shock through his upper body. He had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten here, but he immediately knew that he was no longer in the dark, locked room. This room was bright and stank of disinfectant rather than mildewed concrete. He woke seeing a flash of blonde hair and the remnants of a dissipating cloud of grey smoke which only heightened his disorientation.

"Emma?" he called out, his voice hampered by a dry, scratchy throat. He was certain it had been her golden locks he'd seen. Despite no one being directly in his line of sight, he still sensed someone was nearby.

"Afraid not, Captain Jones," a woman's voice replied, but it wasn't Emma. Killian raised his chin and shifted slightly to his right to see a brunette standing near the window - and she might have been as bewildered as he was right now. "You… you just missed her…" Regina continued, at a loss for what else to say. She was still struggling to make sense of what had just happened. Captain Jones was awake, which could only have occurred if Emma's kiss had been one of true love. She'd witnessed a blast of light that had nearly knocked her off of her stiletto heels, but then that cloud had engulfed the room - a manifestation of pure, dark magic that shook her to the core - and Emma had vanished. Regina had no idea what had happened to Emma and definitely had no idea what to tell the confounded Captain before her.

"Just missed her?" Killian repeated, brows knitting in confusion as he winced, allowing his aching body to settle back against the pillows. "What?" His brain was tired and nothing was making any sense, least of all this unknown woman standing a few feet from him. "Where the bloody hell am I?" he asked in frustration, now alert enough to realize he was partially exposed by the drafty, thin garment he wore. "And what the devil am I wearing?"

"Storybrooke hospital," Regina answered flatly, "which should explain your current attire. You've been here since this morning when Emma and her brother, Sheriff Nolan, rescued you from the basement of some old cabin out in the forest."

"The dark room…," Killian recalled with an audible, pained sigh.

"What exactly do you remember?" Regina pressed, hoping to gain clues from his experience, but Killian wasn't sure how much he wanted to open up to this stranger.

"Bits and pieces," he replied, unconsciously tucking his truncated left arm beneath the bedcovers as he countered her questioning with a few of his own. "I believe you have me at a bit of a disadvantage though. It appears you know who I am, but I don't believe we've been properly introduced… It would also be nice to learn why you're here and where Emma might be…"

"I'm Regina Mills," she replied, defensively at first, as though offended that he didn't know her identity. "I'm may…" She started to give her title of Mayor, but halted herself and softened her tone. "I'm Emma's cousin. She invited me here to help figure out what had happened to you. Long story short, she just woke you from a sleeping spell with a kiss of true love but then…, then she disappeared. I honestly have no idea where she's gone."

"Then I should assist in finding her," Killian stated, pushing himself into a sitting position and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. One bare foot reached the tile floor before Regina stopped him, brandishing her wand in her right hand.

"No, Captain - you need to lie back down in that bed until Dr. Whale gives you a clear bill of health. You've been under that sleeping spell for at least a day and you have a hole in your shoulder. You're not going anywhere right now. We have ways we can locate Emma just like she found you and I don't need a wounded man getting in my way and screwing things up."

"Are you giving me orders? I'm generally the one who gives the orders," he grumbled, still sitting defiantly.

"Well, right now, you are being given an order. Lie back down in that bed and stay put or I'll put a barrier spell around that bed to keep you there." She tapped the wand against her left palm to show she wasn't bluffing, awaiting his response.

"Yes, ma'am…," he relented, reclining back in the bed unhappily, but obediently. "Just find Emma."

"I will," she promised. "Now, you just relax and stay put while I try to figure out what the hell is going on."

**********

As the smoke enveloping her dissipated, it was clear to Emma that she was no longer in Killian's hospital room. Honestly, she wasn't sure if she was even still in Storybrooke. She didn't have the slightest idea what had just happened or where she might be. She'd heard about teleportation but it wasn't something she'd ever witnessed. Regina had once admitted to unsuccessfully experimenting with it, but admittedly, few witches possessed the powers necessary to teleport a human. Wherever she was and however she'd arrived here, it had been through the use of powers far more advanced than her own.

Powers like those belonging to a trickster.

Now she needed to pull herself together and think this through. Like Regina had insisted, she'd kissed Killian Jones, believing him to be her true love. But before she'd been able to confirm whether it was true or not, she'd been inexplicably whisked away from him. It was nearly a parallel to what her mother had described in her journal. Her mother had witnessed the man she believed to be her true love vanish in a puff of smoke while Emma had just been unexpectedly torn away from the man she felt was hers. She had no idea whether Killian had awakened from the spell and she'd yet to have an opportunity to test her powers. She needed her head to stop spinning so she could think clearly. Damn, unplanned teleportation travel was quite disorienting - and maybe just a little bit nauseating.

Her eyes darted left and right searching for something - anything - recognizable beyond the remnants of the smoky haze. Storybrooke's battered, but iconic clock tower loomed on the horizon to her left giving her some comfort in the fact that she hadn't left town. She did realize that she was viewing it from an unfamiliar angle. Instead of looking up at it, it was straight in front of her.

Was she on a rooftop?

She couldn't be certain which building it was and there was no way she was going to move any closer to the edge to find out. She breathed a sigh of relief knowing she was still in Storybrooke. If she was going to be facing off with some maniacal demigod, at least it would be on her home turf. She had to believe that Regina had seen her disappear and was already on the phone with David. Soon, the whole town would be hunting for her. This bastard wasn't going to win. She was done with the lies and the games.

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving her at a disadvantage when a silhouette emerged from the shadows. She wasn't surprised by the revelation she wasn't alone on this rooftop. She already had a very good idea who it was and she was fairly certain she knew what it was. After all, she'd spent the entire afternoon devouring books and online articles researching what she might be contending with. She was ready for it - not that she was expecting a fair fight.

"Hello Walsh," she greeted the dark figure opposite her. "Or would you prefer Ozmund? Maybe Loki…? Is that an old name you like? Just tell me - what is this? Another stupid game?"

"Ozmund… I haven't heard that name in a few years…," he mused, taking a few steps toward her to close the distance between them. "Ah, my wizard phase… Brings back some memories… Now, I suppose I should ask how you figured out it was me."

Her eyes followed his movement, wanting to slap the lopsided smirk from his face as his features came into view. "You shouldn't have targeted someone who's used to investigating," she replied. "You kept doing too many things that had me questioning and when I start asking questions, I have to find answers.

He chuffed at her response. "I suppose I underestimated your tenacity. The bail bonds girl that I met back in Boston was certainly a very different person than the deputy sheriff I found here in Storybrooke."

"That lonely girl found her way home. She found where she belonged and who she was supposed to be."

"A wannabe witch?" Walsh laughed.

"I am a witch! And a deputy sheriff. And a sister. What the hell are you? You're no warlock. A warlock wouldn't have bothered with such silly games... Damnit, why did you target me?"

"I've gone through many incarnations, including my aforementioned wizard era…"

"Wizard? I hope Toto pissed on you…," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" he asked, not having heard her off-the-cuff comment.

"Nothing. I was just waiting for your answer. I want to know why I'm here, you son of a bitch! I don't know what made you pick me to play your challenge, but I won. I identified my true love and it wasn't you! I beat you! So tell me - why the hell am I up here on this damned rooftop with you? The game's over."

"Are you absolutely sure you won?" he questioned in an attempt to instill doubt in her mind. "Your mother was so sure of herself too. She had every magical advantage available to her and still chose wrong. You're just a novice - so easy to tempt with that love spell. I knew that lonely girl back in Boston… I just needed to get close enough to you for you to develop feelings for me back then. Just had to plant the thought for you to discover yourself - your past. I needed you to return to Storybrooke and discover your powers. As Ava Blanchard's only child, I was hoping your magic would rival hers. I don't understand why you prefer such a mundane existence when you come from such an impressive family of witches."

"Maybe that's because I don't need magic to be happy. It is a part of me that I was curious about, but it doesn't define me. All I care about right now is that I won. You tipped your hand when you stole my mother's journal. What were you afraid of? That she'd left clues? You stooped so low as to kidnap your rival and put him under a sleeping spell just to create a damned diversion?" Her hands clenched into fists at her hip as she spoke, desire to punch Walsh in the face increasing with every word that crossed her lips. "Did you honestly think I wouldn't connect the dots? Maybe my mundane existence as a deputy sheriff helped me put everything together. Did you think you destroyed the photographs you took off of the mantle? The photographs of Ursula and of my mother - and of course the photograph of me taken in Boston…"

"You weren't supposed to find those," he shrugged.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have locked up Killian in your root cellar in the first place!"

"So, what are you going to do about it?" he taunted as he invaded her personal space. "If you know what I am, do you really think you can beat me?"

"I already did beat you, Walsh, or whatever the hell your name is. I won the challenge so now you can keep your end of the deal and get the hell outta my town!"

Walsh shook his head and chuckled at her. "I suppose you've been fed the old story on how I made a deal to share my powers with the town in exchange for the right to challenge witches to a duel for their powers… Do you really think it was that simple? I'm not the villain you think I am, Emma. Your great-great grandfather wasn't exactly the patron saint of magical beings that he professed to be either."

"And I'm supposed to believe you? You stalked me in Boston… You lied to me… Hell, you lied to my mother! You made her fall in love with you and then you stole her magic. Do you think she was ever the same?"

"I may not have been her true love, but you don't think I had feelings for Ava? You don't think it hurt me? I did what I did for survival…"

Emma scoffed at his attempted explanation. "Survival? You're a damned demigod! What do you know about survival?"

"I may be immortal, but I'm no demigod… Your ancestor managed to trick me into giving up a huge portion of my magic and it weakened me so much that it tethered me to this town. Those challenges were my way of getting some of my magic back."

"So, someone tricked the trickster?" There was a degree of irony here that amused her. "Still makes you an asshole. You targeted innocent women and fooled them into trusting you so you could steal their magic. There's no defense for that, Walsh! And don't try to fool me - we met in Boston. You couldn't have been tethered to Storybrooke if you were running a business in Boston!"

"You don't have to believe me, but you are descended from someone far more evil than I'll ever be. The magic I procured from your mother strengthened me enough to leave. I traveled around a bit amongst the mortals and finally, settled in Boston. At least it reminded me a bit of the old world..."

"So I'm supposed to believe that after all of this? Us meeting in Boston was accidental?"

"Believe what you want to believe, but yes, it was entirely by chance. I saw you and instantly knew you were Ava's daughter. You're the spitting image of her and I had to believe that odds were your magic would be as strong as hers. I just had to get you to go back to Storybrooke, but strangely enough, you found your way back before I could even come up with a plan."

"I don't care, Walsh," she stated, giving him a forceful shove away from her. "This ends now. The games, the challenges - they're over. If you can leave Storybrooke - then leave!"

"I can't do that just yet. I don't have enough magic to return to my own realm. The Blanchard family possesses the most powerful magic in this realm and you were the most vulnerable of the Blanchard descendants. You just didn't find out until after you cast the little spell I planted for you that you were part of the founding family." Walsh ignored her protest and forced his way into her personal space again. "I'm really sorry, Emma. It's nothing personal, but I need your magic. Give it to me voluntarily and I won't need to hurt anyone. Not everything can be fixed with a kiss of true love…"

The evening skies darkened and a menacing mist descended from the heavens as Emma stared into the soulless eyes of her former lover. How had she misjudged him this badly? She'd always believed she had an innate ability to sense someone was lying to her but maybe that wasn't the case… How many people she thought she could trust had been keeping secrets from her? And not small secrets either. Maybe she wasn't the person she'd thought she was…

"No, Walsh," she replied. "I may not be some super powerful witch, but I'm not giving up my magic without a fight."

"So be it," he shrugged. His eyes took on an unearthly glow, yellowish at first then morphing into fiery orange and blood red. A lamp near the building's stairwell sparked and then exploded in a shower of tiny glass shards as Walsh's true nature made itself known.

Emma's feet scrambled in attempt to back away but his fingers latched onto her wrist and held tight. "Let go of me!" she demanded, wriggling herself free of his grasp as she stumbled backward. "I don't know what I ever saw in you, Walsh, but this is it! Get away from me!"

Her clenched fists no longer felt as if they were a part of her body as the pent-up anger within her exploded in a blast of brilliance that drove the trickster back several steps. She stared in disbelief at her balled fists while Walsh staggered and shifted his balance, both of them visibly stunned by Emma's newfound reactive powers. He tried to downplay his surprise and re-establish his dominance before she realized what she'd done.

"Well, well… That was a nice little parlor trick…," Walsh taunted, determined to keep her off guard. "Of course, I don't even think you could do that again if you tried…"

Emma unfurled her fingers and flexed them a few times, an unfamiliar tingle seemingly just beneath the surface of her skin. What had she just done? She could only recall growing angry when Walsh manhandled her and the emotion had simply burst from somewhere within. She'd watched Regina and Zelena conjure fireballs in the palms of their hands and of course, she'd practiced doing the same, but this - this was an entirely new sensation. This was magic she hadn't known existed until now. Pure magic she'd conjured straight from…

From where?

Not from a dusty old spellbook or some centuries old potion. No, this had absolutely come from within her. Her own energy had formulated this power in response to her own ire.

Could she do it again?

"Do you want me to try that again?" she responded to his challenge. "I think I finally figured out the piece I've been missing… Magic doesn't come from a book or a potion or a wand. My magic comes from inside of me. I don't know why it took me all these months to figure that out…" She squeezed her eyes closed as she focused her fury on Walsh once again. Warmth spread through her fingers as a gold-tinged glow emanated from her ivory skin. When her eyelids opened, her irises darkened, gilded sparks appearing to blend with her natural olivine and emerald hues.

And Emma Swan wasn't about to pull any punches. A second burst of energy nearly toppled her over, but succeeded in sending Walsh diving for cover. This little novice witch wasn't playing anymore.

"So that's how you want to play?" Walsh growled with a vindictive sneer. "You have no idea what you're doing."

And in truth, she didn't, but fate intervened and brought her an ally. A third, silhouetted figure had joined them on the rooftop and while she'd no idea how this person had gotten up there or even when they'd appeared, Walsh was visibly irritated by the intruders presence.

"You're not needed here!" He shouted at the figure obscured in the shadows. "This is between me and the witch!"

"You'll have to pardon the interruption, Dearie," the figure spoke up. She didn't recognize the almost impish, mocking voice, but Walsh clearly did. "I just stopped by to ensure a fair fight." The figure let out a slightly sinister giggle? as it vanished as stealthily as it had appeared. Emma stood her ground, bewildered for a second, until an object materialized on her right index finger - the garnet-capped signet ring that had been tucked away in her mother's little box. And then a disembodied voice whispered in her ear: Focus the talisman and turn the trickster's game back onto him.

Not noticing the trinket now adorning Emma's hand, Walsh lashed out against her. A ruby red shield immediately appeared before her, deflecting his magic as she retaliated in defense. The entire rooftop was alight with a blinding flash and Emma sunk to her knees, drained of all energies and fearful she'd just lost the battle. As the spots faded from her vision, she fought to regain her composure and get back on her feet, but Walsh was nowhere in sight.

He wouldn't relinquish his chance to gloat, she thought as she surveyed the roof, finding no one else around. Both Walsh and the shadowy figure with the disconcerting voice were gone yet she wasn't entirely alone.

Resting on the floor roughly twenty feet from her was a stuffed toy monkey with glowing crimson eyes that gradually faded to black.

#cssns #captain swan supernatural summer #cs ff #cs au ff #cs ff au #witch emma #almost done #does this still qualify as a clifffhanger?

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swanqueeneverafter · 5 years

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What Dreams May Come, Pt.6

Storybrooke General Hospital. (A voice buzzes over the intercom speaker.) Intercom: "Ambulance incoming ETA one minute. Ambulance incoming ETA one minute. Dr. Whale, please report to the ER. (Dr. Whale is seen sitting and drinking heavily:) Dr. Whale, please report to the ER. OR staff stand-by. OR staff stand-by.” (Whale does not budge from his seat, though hospital staff can he heard shouting for his assistance throughout the hospital. Sirens blare as the stranger is wheeled in on a stretcher. Emma, Regina and various others arrive at the emergency room.) Intercom: "Dr. Whale. Please report to the ER. Dr. Whale. Please report to the ER.” Paramedic: (To nurse:) “Car versus tree. Chest trauma from the wheel.” Nurse: “Go to x-ray.” Emma: "Good, then after that, hide him.” Nurse: “What?” Emma: “Find a room and hide him.” Nurse: “Why? What is going on?” Leroy: (Arriving amid the chaos:) “I'd like to know that myself!” (Two staff orderlies approach closely from behind.) Emma: “After you x-ray him, you need to keep him hidden because-” Regina: “Because he just drove into town.” Leroy: "From the outside?” Regina: (Nods:) “Looks like the outside world just came to Storybrooke.” Dr. Whale: (Finally arriving:) “Everybody, calm down. Everything will be fine. I promise.” (Meanwhile, Snow White, David and Ruby have the outsider's cell phone and are attempting to hack into it.) David: “We gotta get into his phone. Let me guess another pass code.” Snow White: “You can't guess. There are a million possible combinations.” Ruby: “Ten thousand.” Snow White: “Ten thousand!” David: “Leroy, can you get it open or something? Hack it?” Leroy: (Joining them:) “Well, you do understand that computer hacking and pickax hacking are different.” (Emma approaches.) Emma: “Here, let me try. I have a thing. And we do know something. There was stuff in his car - rental agreement, maps, receipts. His name is Greg Mendell. (She successfully unlocks his phone:) Now, let's see. (She flips through his phone while the others look on:) Pictures of him alone at a bunch of Eastern Seaboard tourist locations, a LinkedIn account, and he tweets pictures of his food. I'll keep looking, but I think what we have here is just a well-documented, real-life, ordinary Joe. Or Greg.” Ruby: “So whatever keeps random people from stumbling into Storybrooke...” Snow White: “It's gone.” David: “Anyone could drive in. Why are my instincts telling my that's a bad thing?” Leroy: “'Cause you've seen E.T. or Splash or any other movie where they find something magical and study it to death. Think what they'd do to a werewolf.” (Ruby gives him a look.)

Snow White: “Oh, and his friends and family? They're going to come looking for him soon.” Emma: “Let's try not to overreact.” David: “Leroy's right. We don't need outsiders here.” Rumplestiltskin: (Enters:) “No, we don’t.” Regina: “Rumple, what are you doing here?” Rumplestiltskin: “I heard what happened. The town’s protective spell has been shattered and that means we’re all in danger.” Regina: “Relax, the spell is still in place, I checked.” Rumplestiltskin: “Oh, so in that case, there’s a stranger in town who can breach the most powerful protection spells. Well, excuse me if that gives me pause.” Emma: “Look, it's okay. The guy's being patched up right now. He'll probably be on his way home by morning.” (Dr. Whale enters.) Dr. Whale: “Not quite. He's bleeding into his chest cavity. It's not a full flood, you know. But pretty soon he'll be drowning in his own blood.” Emma: “So make it stop. Aren't you a doctor?” Rumplestiltskin: “No.” Dr. Whale: “No?” Rumplestiltskin: “Yes. We don’t know who this man is and I say if he’s mortal, instead of trying to get him outta here, you better be hoping he dies.” Snow White: “How can you say that?” Rumplestiltskin: “Simple, because if he doesn't, the longer he stays, he's going to find out there’s magic here. That’s if he doesn’t know already and if that happens, what do you think is gonna happen to us? To everyone throughout all the realms. Our lives as we know it are at stake here. Do you want tour buses driving up and down Main Street? I’ve been to Disneyland and once was more than enough for me.” Dr. Whale: “Look, letting him die is easy. I can do that, if that's what you decide.” Emma: “Let's take this somewhere private.” Supply Room. Dr. Whale: “It's not really murder if we let him succumb to his injuries.” Emma: “I'm pretty sure it is.” Snow White: “Of course we save him.” David: “Obviously.” Leroy: “Well...” Snow White: “Leroy!” Leroy: “Rumplestiltskin makes a lot of sense. We gotta think this through. If we save him and kill the whole town, is that really better?” Ruby: “So we have to choose between our lives and his.” David: “We can worry about the town later.” Snow White: “Which doesn't mean we should abandon it.” David: “I know, but let's worry about Storybrooke after we've saved a life. (Snow White nods. David turns to Dr. Whale:) Dr. Whale, prep for surgery.” (Dr. Whale nods and leaves the room.) Snow White: “Anyone else noticed he's drunk off his ass?” Regina: (Scoffs:) “Imagine how I feel, having him as my OB/GYN.” Snow White: (Folding her arms:) “I’ve been there.” Rumplestiltskin: “Listen to me, all of you. Now, I’ve accepted the fact that I can’t use magic anymore. I’ve even accepted that you are all my extended family. And as such I feel it my duty to protect not just myself, Belle and Gideon, but all of you. So while you’re deciding what you want to do, you also have to ask yourselves this question: If someone is looking for this man, how long before they come here too?”

Enchanted Forest. Xanax’s Laboratory. (Xanax stands mixing another bowl of potion.) Xanax: (To Toad:) “It’s all go here today, eh?” Toad: “Ribbit.” Xanax: “Oi, mind your language, there’s a lady present.” (Chuckles.) Zelena: “Is it ready yet?” Xanax: “Almost… there. Now, focus your mind on what it is you’re searching for and in your own time, take the potion.” Zelena: “I’ve known what I’ve been looking for my entire life. (She picks up the bowl and drinks from it, smiling:) Dreamscape here I come.” Storybrooke General Hospital. (Dr. Whale is staring at a watch in his hand as David approaches.) Woman: (over P.A.) “Treatment care coordinator, dial the ICU nurses' station. Treatment care coordinator, dial the ICU nurses' station.” David: “What's that?” Dr. Whale: “Oh, it's just the guy's personal effects. I get the best watches this way. Joking. (Chuckles:) As far as you know. It's too bad it's cracked.” David: “I thought you'd be scrubbing in by now.” Dr. Whale: “Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to do that.” David: “Are you okay?” Dr. Whale: “I'm not drunk.” David: “Okay just- let's save this guy, all right? I don't care what he saw. We don't let go of people.” Dr. Whale: “Right. Of course not. Here, take these.” (Dr. Whale hands David the watch and the rest of the outsider’s personal effects before turning and walking through a door to presumably scrub for surgery. Taking the items, David turns them over in his hands and something falls to the floor. Ruby and Snow White walk over as David picks up the item.) Snow White: "So, everything taken care of?" Ruby: "Well, Dr. Whale did manage to bring Anastasia back from the dead, this shouldn't be too difficult for him." Snow White: (Notices David staring at the item:) "David, what is it?" David: (Shocked:) "This was a good-luck charm I wrapped around my father's wrist before he left our farm." Snow White: (Confused:) "You mean the trip where he left his untimely demise?" Ruby: "Wait, back in the Enchanted Forest?" Snow White: "You found it just now on the floor?" David: "No, the guy, this Greg Mendell had it in his possession." Snow White: "How is that even possible?" David: "I've no idea. But one things for sure, once he's out of surgery, I'm gonna find out."

The Enchanted Forest. Past. Zelena's Dreamscape. (The Evil Queen walks toward Rumplestiltskin's jail cell.) Evil Queen: "Show yourself, dearie." Rumplestiltskin: "The Queen! The Queen, The Queen, The Queen." Evil Queen: "It's the Charmings. I just know they're planning something to stop my curse. The curse you gave me." Rumplestiltskin: "Ha." Evil Queen: "Which means you're going to tell me how to stop them." Rumplestiltskin: (Giggles:) "Sorry, dearie. I didn't chose you to cast my curse so you could come crying to me at every itty-bitty sign of trouble." Evil Queen: "Oh, please. I'm the best student who ever walked through your door." Rumplestiltskin: "I wouldn't be too sure about that." Evil Queen: "And what's that supposed to mean?" Rumplestiltskin: "It means if you want to prove I chose the right witch, go fix it." The Land Of Oz. (Watching all this from her mirror, Zelena turns away from the scene and starts to sing.) Zelena: ♪ Finally the moment I was hoping would come ♪ ♪ The moment he would realize he chose the wrong one ♪ ♪ There isn't any curse I could cast ♪ ♪ To match this feeling ♪ ♪ The pain I knew when Rumple turned his back on my heart ♪ ♪ At last will be Regina's when her life falls apart ♪ ♪ Suddenly the future's looking ♪ ♪ More appealing ♪ (Conjures her broom into her hand:) ♪ Once I was filled with rage ♪ ♪ Now I'll enjoy the ride ♪ ♪ It's so electrifying ♪ ♪ Watching all her dreams denied ♪ (The doors burst open and Zelena leaves the Emerald Castle to fly across the skies, terrifying the Munchkins below:) ♪ Oh I, will fly into tomorrow ♪ ♪ My sister full of sorrow ♪ ♪ Fin'lly paying for her sins ♪ (Lands amongst them, chasing the Munchkins away:) ♪ I'll smile, all the while she is crying ♪ ♪ Inside, she's slowly dying ♪ ♪ Learning wicked always wins ♪ ♪ Oh, evil may be powerful ♪ ♪ But wicked always wins ♪ ♪ If Mum could see me now, she would ache with regret ♪ ♪ 'Cause she'd witness all the glory wickedness gets ♪ ♪ She went and made Regina Queen and my blood boiled ♪ ♪ But that's all history ♪ ♪ Time they all understood ♪ ♪ What they call green with envy ♪ ♪ I just call looking good ♪ ♪ Oh I, will fly into tomorrow ♪ ♪ My sister full of sorrow ♪ ♪ Fin'lly paying for her sins ♪ ♪ No strife ♪ ♪ Her life was so enchanted ♪ ♪ She took it all for granted ♪ ♪ Now she'll dream of could-have-beens ♪ ♪ Oh, evil may be powerful ♪ ♪ But wicked always...” “Wait. (Thinks:) Why just revel in her demise, when I can use it to my advantage?” (Returning to the castle:) ♪ I'll give her a magic gift ♪ ♪ To bring the Charmings down ♪ ♪ When Regina stands victorious ♪ ♪ I'll swoop right into town ♪ (Begins mixing ingredients in her cauldron:) ♪ When he learns the spell was mine ♪ ♪ Oh, Rumple, he will see ♪ ♪ He should've chosen me ♪ ♪ So, I will fly into tomorrow ♪ ♪ Delighting in her sorrow ♪ ♪ As a better day begins ♪ ♪ This time ♪ ♪ Nobody's gonna stop me ♪ ♪ No evil's gonna top me ♪ ♪ Oh, wicked always wins ♪ (Reaching into her cauldon, pulling out a box from within:) ♪ A happy ending will be mine ♪ (Holding the box aloft:) ♪ 'Cause wicked always w-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-ns ♪

Storybrooke. Storybrooke General Hospital. (Emma walks back into the hospital as Leroy, Snow White, David and Ruby all stand in the lobby.) Emma: "Regina's gone to put a cloaking spell over the town to hide the other realms from view.” Snow White: “What about the leaders of the other realms, shouldn’t they be told what’s going on?” Emma: “She’s handling that too. Regina’s calling all the leaders to tell them about tonight and that she’s taking maternity leave. Two birds, one stone.” Snow White: (Sighs:) “Oh, my nerves can't take this. Is the surgery almost over?” Emma: “I think it takes-” (A male nurse enters the lobby. He scans around the room as if looking for someone, and then begins leaving when David stops him.) David: “W-w-whoa. Wait. Wait. Any news?” Nurse: “No. I was just looking for the doctor.” Ruby: “He's not in the OR?” Nurse: “He never came in.” Emma: “Then page him.” (The nurse turns to a nearby telephone. He dials a short number.) David: “He was not looking so good earlier.” (The nurse holds the line. A beeping sound can be heard nearby.) Snow White: “He's here.” (The beeping sound is coming from a laundry basket with dirty scrubs. Emma looks through it, the beeping becoming more intense. Finally Emma finds the pager inside Dr. Whale's lab coat pocket.) Emma: “No, but his pager is. He's gone.” (Stepping forward, Ruby sniffs at Dr. Whale's lab coat.) David: “Got the scent?” Ruby: (Grimacing:) “Boozy.” Emma: “Just find him and bring him back. We'll try to figure out options if Whale doesn't come back.” Snow White: “Maybe Doc can do it.” Leroy: “Surgery? (Laughs:) No.” Snow White: “Maybe he didn't even run.” Ruby: “He's been in a rough place since he brought Anastasia back to life.” Emma: “Ruby, get going. Bring back Dr. Frankenstein. (Ruby heads off:) We’ll be lucky if we don’t send this guy back home with bolts in his neck.” Snow White: “She'll find him.” Emma: “Yeah, but what kind of state is he going to be in?” (Elsewhere in the hospital, Dr. Whale can be seen holding a bottle of pills in his shaking hand.)

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

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justanotherwannabeclassic · 5 years

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Okay @thenasrin your ask wasn’t working, so here it is under the cut:

Okay, so the next chapter was supposed to open up with Emma attempting to use her magic to light the candle before their trek to Dark Hallow. Emma is struggling, and feeling more than a little useless because everyone else is so in their element. How can she expect to save Henry? He’s her son! She should be able to do this.

Juliet comes over, and eventually tries to help Emma. Emma is initially resistant, but relents, because doing everything herself doesn’t help her kid. Juliet talks with Emma about how when she was younger, her mother taught her to use magic.

“Magic is emotion. For some people, anger helps make their magic stronger. But my mom always told me that love was the most powerful magic of them all, and that’s what I try to focus on. I think about my parents, my cat, and Gi–Romeo. Happy memories too – birthdays, breakfast in bed, first kisses.”

Emma tries to focus, thinking about what Juliet told. She focuses on Henry, her parents, feeling at home in Storybrooke, and the magic works! Shortly thereafter, Neal and Gideon return. Neal announces that he’s not going to catch the shadow with Emma+Hook+Juliet. He and the others will be going to a camp by the Lost Boys to get supplies. The others are ????? about it.

Gideon pulls Juliet to the side, and tells her that Neal knows everything, and that he’s going to help them. Not to worry, they have a plan.

Juliet, Hook, and Emma go off to the Dark Hollow. Hook prods Juliet asking her about Verona and her plans once they escape. Juliet comes up with lies based around her childhood in Storybrooke. Emma is amused by how Hook seems to care about her.

They get to Dark Hollow. Juliet encourages Emma to light to summon the candle, and Hook is supportive as well. She tries, but before she can get it shadows attack. This basically plays out the same as what actually happens, but with Juliet in Neal’s place. Emma does her thing and saves the day. Juliet admires her mom and thinks she’s cool. Killian falls a little bit in love with Emma.

Meanwhile, Gideon, Neal, and Snowing are going off to this camp. They get there to gather supplies and weapons. Neal has a bow and arrow and fakes hearing some Lost Boys, staging a fake attack. He runs into the forest to look for them. When out of the sight lines of he shoots an arrow and hits Charming. Oh noooo. Charming doesn’t know it was Neal who hit him. Neal inspects the arrow and says it is poisoned Charming is going to die. They head back to camp. Charming doesn’t want to tell Emma, and focus on saving Henry. Everyone else is basically ‘lolno’.

The Jones family returned jubilant to the campground only to find everyone arguing. Emma learns Charming is going to die. She’s devastated. Juliet pulls Gideon and Neal to the side:

Juliet: WTF?!?!

Neal & Gideon: it’s a part of the plan!!!!

Juliet: WTF?!?!

She thinks their plan is bullshit.

Hook announces that Charming might not necessarily die. He suggests the the field trip to get the magic water.

Snow and Emma: Yes!

Charming: But Henry!

Hook: PS you can’t leave the island

Neal: Um yes he can my dad can fix it if I tell him to!

They settle on everyone going to save Henry while Hook and Charming go get the magic water. Juliet is put in charge of the Jolly Roger because she claims she can sail – “my father was a sailor/I’ve spent my life on boats.” Hook pulls her aside and tells her to get everyone out of Neverland if he and Charming don’t come back after a certain time.

Juliet and Gideon wait on the Jolly Roger while what happens in the canon episodes basically go down. She expresses concern over what may happen. Emma + Neal + Regina come back with Henry. Captain Charming still aren’t back from their bro trip. Regina and Rumple says they need to go. Snow, Emma, and Juliet are like “fuck no”

Juliet: “bitch, I’m in charge of this ship and I will fight you”

Neal backs her up. “We’re the only two who know how to sail this ship.”

Hook and Charming appear out of nowhere.

Charming: “we thought you would be gone, but were hoping you didn’t.”

Neal gives credit to Juliet. They prepare to leave Neverland.

Later, Everyone goes to rest. Hook says he will stay to help steer. Emma, unable to sleep, goes up top to talk to him. She thanks him for saving her father and joining their mission. Hook makes a joke about it “is that how you thank someone who risked life and his remaining limb?” Emma rolls her eyes, knowing he isn’t being serious, but “you couldn’t handle it.” Cue big damn CS kiss. Emma then leaves to check on Henry, leaving a very fuckstruck Killian behind.

When they return to Storybrooke, everyone goes their separate ways. Emma suggests that Juliet and Gideon go to Granny’s to rent a room while they figure out what to do, and will bring some clothes over for them to change into later. Playing along with the ruse, they go and plot what to do. Neal is supposed to find them a wand in the pawn shop, and they will find a way to leave from there.

Juliet is worried, because she doesn’t know where her parents stand with one another. Gideon remains optimistic because, quote “you haven’t disappeared yet.” Juliet comments that they don’t have long to find out if everything will work out because of the curse. Gideon tells her they will figure it out together. They kiss, and Juliet makes an innuendo how if this is her last few days of existing, there’s something she wants to do.

The scene changes, and it’s at the “welcome back” celebration. People are drinking and revelry happens. Emma thanks Juliet and Gideon for helping out, and suggests they stay in Storybrooke. After Emma goes back to Henry, Neal comes over and tells them bad news: the wand they needed isn’t in the pawn shop, but back in the EF.

Everyone gathers at the town line. Neal hugs Gideon goodbye, says he is glad they got to know each other. Juliet watches her parents have the “there’s not a day that goes by I won’t think of you”/”Good” exchange, and feels a little hope. Neal hands Juliet and Gideon a letter addressed to Henry, and tells them to give it to them.

They remove themselves from the the rest of the group. Since they’re not from the EF, they think they will be left behind. Juliet wonders what they will do, an Gideon tells her they only need to stay alive for a year before SB comes back thanks to her grandparents’ and Regina’s curse. They hold hands as they are engulfed in smoke.

When everything clears, they are still at the town line. Juliet wonders what they do now. Gideon says he has an idea. He goes to one knee, says he has a ring back home, but doesn’t want to wait a year until they get back. He proposes and she says yes. They kiss. A horn honks in the distance, and they pull apart to see a car coming from Storybrooke’s location. As it pulls closer, they see it belong to the department. Neal Nolan leans out the window.

“Can one of you explain why the fuck you two are out here?”

Elsewhere at the hospital, the adults are expressing concern about the light they saw. Emma is worried because she knows it is a time portal. Killian seems more cool with it, because “we did fine, and our daughter has a better head on her shoulders than either of us did at the time.” Rumple agrees with Killian that Juliet and Gideon are a formidable duo, and should be fine. They won’t let anything bad happen to one another. Cue awkward moment because they still aren’t completely on board with one another. Emma’s still somewhat uncertain, with Momma Bear Emma coming out. Henry says they’ll be fine, Neal has got them.

Neal brings Juliet and Gideon to the hospital. Juliet flies to her mother’s arms and gives Emma a massive hug.

“You know who I am, right?”

Emma assures her that she does. “There’s nothing that could make me forget you.”

Gideon says they went on a time travel adventure. “Neverland fucking sucks, by the way.”

Emma: You were in Neverland???

Juliet and Gideon: Does Romeo and Juliet ring a bell?

They say yes, but they’re surprised they didn’t recognize them when adult!Gideon showed up with the Black Fairy. Henry says it is because of him. Due to his Author powers, he discovered Gideon and Juliet’s identities, and used his abilities to alter everyone’s memories so they wouldn’t recognize everyone.

Gideon tells Rumple he met Neal, and they give Henry Neal’s letter. This is an emotional moment.

Later, Emma and Juliet have a bonding moment. Juliet says how awful it was having Emma not recognize her. Emma says she can relate, and apologizes for how she might have treated her. Juliet sort of shrugs it off, but Emma can tell she’s bothered. Emma tells Juliet that she admired the woman in Neverland, and when she was pregnant, had wished Juliet would turn out like her. “Looks like I didn’t need to wish, because she actually was you.” They hug and it is sweet.

Juliet wonders how her parents got together in this timeline, and Emma fills her in on the kiss on the ship. “So I didn’t change much?” “Nope.”

It ends with Juliet saying that they need to plan a wedding, and hoping that a third generation doesn’t get into a time travel mess.

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theonceoverthinker · 5 years

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OUAT 4X02 - White Out

White Out? More like Girl’s FrostBITE Out!

...They don’t get better from here.

This is one episode that prior to this rewatch, I constantly found myself coming back to. A lot of that comes down to the dynamics, and I’ll get into that soon enough, but I think there’s more to the story here than is often given credit for. It’s definitely not the “best” episode, per se (Though for me, that just comes down to some episodes simply being better rather than failings on the part of this one), but if I had to take ten episodes to a deserted island, this would be one of them without question. I’ve watched it by now at least five times and in lieu of an actual Christmas episode of the show, I’d this episode gives off constant Christmas-y vibes for me with the use of snow and the theme of hope and right now, that’s exactly what I need and want! I’ve been looking forward to doing it for a long time and now’s the perfect moment to gush about why I love this episode!

So, if you want to read my review, please head below the cut because this could very well be one of my most personal reviews in a way!

Main Takeaways

Past

So look, I love the past segment for it’s themes and David’s backstory and Anna’s support and all that, but I LOVE it for one thing and one thing only: BO PEEP! THIS WOMAN ROCKS! She’s hammy as FUCK and everything from her costume to her over the top accent to her NAME spells that out. She Cruella before Cruella was Cruella! Robin Weigert did an AMAZING job capturing that funny yet intimidating presence. That hamminess is exactly the kind of thing that a show like Once Upon a Time was made for. We’re supposed to encounter ridiculous shit all the time and Bo Peep is such a beautifully blunt part of it! She’s probably my favorite one off character for that reason. AND at the same time, her character is a a perfect challenge for David. Her character’s abilities juxtapose David’s original flighty instincts and put him in a position where if he wants to look after those he loves, he has to step up and fight. She presents a strong ultimatum. YET, she’s kind of like Biff from “Back to the Future:” symbolically the representation of all of David’s fears but at the same time, someone who he can beat. She’s such a balanced antagonist and is so underrated by the fandom at large! I would’ve KILLED for her to come back in a later episode, even just to spew some snark!

Okay, now that I’m done gushing about Bo Peep, let’s get into the meat of the episode.

Anna and David just have a great rapport. They were so close to making my favorite dynamic and that’s because Anna is a great support for David’s journey here. Her optimism is presented in a light that gives way to both cheeriness and a bit of annoyance which is just the kind of character that Anna is.in addition, David’s story about his father (Which is SO much harder to hear in hindsight, btw) makes his stubbornness toward fighting Bo Peep make sense while still being framed correctly as something he needs to step up and overcome. Overall, the storytelling is very effective here in terms of buildup and most of the payoff.

I will say though, I wish that David’s turning point -- or rather, what he says to be the payoff -- was a little bit more strongly written. When Anna asks what changed his mind, it feels like Jane Espenson improvised it because the connection to Elsa’s story wasn’t all that strong. In truth, he changed his mind because Anna was taken, as shown by the fact that prior to that, he was going to give up, and I feel like if the change of heart connected more to his father than to Elsa’s story, than the resolution would’ve connected better for me.

Present

For as much as I love the main interactions between Emma and Elsa (And we will GET to that shortly), I want to gush for a moment about the fantastic supporting cast here, and by that, I mean David and Killian. Killian basically just exists to be himself in this episode and serve as support for David and Emma, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him just doing that. But David’s support is what really steals the show here. This is clearly a man who internalized Anna’s lesson about not giving up and passes it on well. He is everyone’s rock throughout this panicked situation and because of that, everyone’s able to get through.

By contrast to what I said about David’s resolution in the past, Elsa’s resolution in the present is far stronger. Elsa’s friendship with Emma and David’s connection to Anna and her lessons makes Elsa’s show of abilities feel earned this time around. Just listen to the music when Elsa makes the hole in the ice! It’s one of my favorite pieces of the score in the entire series. It’s so triumphant and hopeful. It has the tempo of a heartbeat and really feels like Anna’s spirit is part of it as the hole proceeds to form! The storytelling melds together to make this scene into something truly special.

So for as much as I do love the episode, I will admit to take issue with a two things here and both of which have to do with Snow’s plot (Though neither involve Snow herself). First, fuck C*leman. That’s all I have to say on that matter because he doesn’t deserve any more attention. Second, yeah, the dwarves and Granny are excessively harsh towards Snow here. Like, they are going after a new mother who they know knows fuck all about power systems while knowing full well that Emma and David are investigating what happened.

Do these aspects ruin the storyline for me? The first one makes it really hard to watch the segment, but as for the second one, somewhat. It’s out of character, I admit, and the subplot itself feels more like an excuse to establish Snow as the new mayor than anything else, but it’s harmless in the grand scheme of things and gives way to cute lines.For me, Granny’s character ultimately doesn’t suffer too much from it for me and just acts as an example of how some aspects of their new lives have affected their personalities.

I saw a thread last week about the plot holes in this episode (Why didn’t they go to Regina to get Emma out of the ice wall, why not just make a smaller hole with a fireball, why not take Emma to a hospital afterwards?) that just got on my nerves a bit. Maybe it’s because this episode just means so much to me, and honestly, no offence to anyone involved in the thread (I’m pretty sure one of them reads these reviews and if that’s true, I hope you know that I mean that in earnest), but I feel like (1) the plot holes in this are so small that it’s honestly needless nitpicking, something that just gets on my nerves and (2) misses the forest for the trees. It’s missing the story, character payoff, and dynamics in order to complain about matters that just don’t matter, and I feel like that happens a lot in this series. I mean, I can be pedantic about filling the plot holes up myself (They didn’t go to Regina because Rumple shop was closer to the ice wall and by the time they could’ve, they had a solid lead on Anna’s location and that was their bargaining chip with Elsa, fire blasts in this series tend to just be giant in general, and the loft is closer than the hospital and the priority was getting Emma warm), but even as I was writing that, talking about the story elements felt like the more fulfilling thing to write. And I get that plot holes have their times and places to be picked on and picked apart, but I’m also of the mind that some episodes just don’t need it.

All Encompassing

The theme of this episode is not giving up and that’s a theme that really sinks in throughout this episode. While more of a direct story point as it pertains to Anna, David, and Elsa, it’s more indirect in the ways that it applies to Emma and Henry. At the beginning of the episode, after receiving Regina’s note, Henry gets depressed at the prospect of Regina not wanting to see him for the time being and Emma, unable to get through to him, laments her failure. But both of these characters learn through David that to stop trying is a mistake. Thus, Emma gives getting through to Henry another go, one much more successful and Henry gets through to Regina. And both of these developments have a very organic feel towards how they come about and are fantastic with how they resolve.

When people say that the Frozen characters got too much screen time, I often go back to this episode. While Anna and Elsa are big presences in this episode, no one is sidelined as an expense. David, Killian, Emma, Snow, and Henr all play integral roles in the story and blend well with the Frozen characters.

This is one of David’s best episodes. His character gets to be both a powerful lead and support across the two segments and shows a well rounded versatility to him that often isn’t explored all that much and so well.

Stream of Consciousness

-I love the angles of the cars in the opening scene with Elsa. Not only are they all great shots with fitting sound effects, but narratively, they serve two story points. First, they play to Elsa’s fears. She’s alone in a town that has technology she knows nothing about. Second, the cars themselves show their speed, and that helps make Elsa’s choice to create the ice wall make so much sense to me.

-Will my heart ever not break at the sight of the “Leaving Storybrooke” sign? No, it will ALWAYS break!

-The more I see the Josh Dallas Fabio hair, the more I like the Josh Dallas Fabio hair, and I already loved it!

-”I’ll find out your name at the wedding.” I’m really sad that David never got to go to the wedding now. :(

-I LOVE the Baby Neal scene in the loft! It’s nice and goofy and gives off a small domestic moment without overstaying its welcome.

-”3? I see the optimism returning.”I never noticed this joke before! This episode never runs out of funny things! XD

-Dude! Full props for Emma for going to bat for Regina! She really does get it and gets that Regina’s doing what she can to spare Henry from experiencing any of the pain she’s feeling right now. And while it hurts, sometimes people have their own ways of coping with things, for better or for worse. Like, that was just a fantastic moment!

-Also, props to David for helping alleviate Emma’s guilt! Great parenting and it shows how much he understands both Emma and Regina, so it’s also a good Regina and David moment!

-...There is a lot of Captain Charming squeeing going on right now in the ship section.

-”I found it in the store filled with things.” Elsa, that was the least helpful explanation I have ever heard! XD

-I LOVE that deafening sound effect right after Elsa puts up the ice wall. It’s so terrifying and allows for the fear of the situation to really hit the audience.

-Elsa’s “evil lady” act is so fucking adorable! Yes, you’re very scary, baby! XD

-”I’m starting to get why Regina was evil. It wasn’t her, it was you.” I know a lot of antis take issue with this line, but sometimes a line is just meant to be a joke and given how the preamble to Snow’s rant was about how tired she was, I’m gonna pretty sure this was a freakin’ joke, and a great one too! XD

-”It [the cold] never bothered me.” Oh my God, ALL of the Frozen references! While there were probably one too many of them, they never fail to crack me up.

-Minor gripe, but I do wish that we saw some of Emma’s magic fluctuating a bit more prior to her scene with Elsa where they discuss a lack of magical control. Apart from the time portal shenanigans and the crane game encounter (Which she forgot and came after this episode), Emma’s had pretty good control over her magic as of this moment in the present.

-”You only want to know more because if I sleep, I’ll die.” ...Yes! That’s why you should talk! About your son! The main reason you want to stay alive! ...Like, that was a legit terrible line! Just have her fall asleep because that was dangerously close to anti Swan Believer material and in a bad way!

-Not gonna lie, Butcher Bo Peep is reallllllllllllyyy pretty. I am legit attracted to her.

-David giving Anna the horse is the equivalent of Emma repurposing her red leather jacket, granted in a smaller way.

-”I hope I’ll see both of you at the wedding.” Oh man! Ruth couldn’t come either! Rip my heart out, why don’t you?!

-David, I get the symbolic gesture, but that is a HORSE! A horse is a useful animal for a farmer and that horse might love you and its home! XD

-Not gonna lie, I’m pretty sure “I missed my room” was the line that snapped Regina out of her full-on funk. It also cracks me up! XD

-”This is kind of cool. Pun intended.” And THIS is why I love you, Emma! <3

-Ingrid, I’m no germaphobe, but EW! XD

Favorite Dynamic

Frozen Swan. Emma and Elsa’s first episode together is the dynamic equivalent of a Lindt truffle. It’s well rounded, satisfying, and exquisite with a delicate contrast. I think an episode like this is so important for Emma because it shows that while she has walls, they’re not as paralyzing as people think they are. In a lot of respects, this is a Season 4 Emma looking back on some of her more Season 1-esque qualities. But Elsa’s no slouch either! This dynamic does so much to show how Elsa’s more than just a two-trick pony of ice magic and sister longing. She cares about helping innocents, is competent, and her excitement towards finding another magic user is adorable. My favorite part of their dynamic is how they compare their worries about handling magic and leadership. Those are two very big connecting points for these characters and I’m glad they were touched upon.

Writer

Jane Espenson starts off our season here and she did a bang up job with the writing here. The past lends itself to generally great storytelling and the present has this great feeling of tension throughout it as everyone’s either trying to save Emma or reason with Elsa. The only moment to breath is the Snow plot which I feel was just straight-up made for purposes of levity and to make the plot point that Snow’s the mayor. Besides that, I do think the writing is strong here. The theme of not giving up is so solidly present throughout the episode and lends itself well to everyone’s journeys. Apart from one or two weird lines and character moments, the dialogue itself was well developed and the pacing was en pointe!

Rating

10/10. I really wanted to give this episode a Golden Apple, but as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t justify it. It doesn’t mean my love for this episode is any less valid (I’m saying this more to myself than to anyone in particular), but yeah, I can’t give it that score if I want to be honest with myself. The chinks in the armor of the episode are small bit by bit, but they do add up. That said, I love this episode so much! We get so many amazing character moments, a good (if not somewhat loose) story, and a strong message about the benefits of perseverance. The ending is so optimistic and feel good that my earlier claims of it being one of the closest things OUAT has to a Christmas episode aren’t too far off.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - As you might have guessed, Captain Swan goodness makes up a GREAT deal of why I love this episode. I read this once before and please let me know the source of it if you know it, but “it’s says something about your ship when one of your favorite episodes of theirs doesn’t even have them kiss.” Well, this is easily in my top 5 favorite CS episodes of all time. They get so much development, both while together and as they communicate with other characters. First, I love the “ice bucket” banter. Emma just can’t take that hotness between them! Second, that Captain Charming scene just fucking says it all! “I wouldn’t risk my life for someone I see as loot. Whatever we become, it’s up to her as much as me.” I CAN DIE A HAPPY WOMAN NOW! Put those words on my fucking tombstone, ok?! If we JUST had these two lines, this would still be one of my favorite CS episodes, but oh my golly, we have MORE! “Emma, say again.” The fucking worry in Colin’s voice. Just...I cannnnnnn’t. *wails* Just...Killian is in such distress throughout this entire episode. He’s so worried he’s about to lose another person he loves and it kills him and it kills me. And once she’s safe, ICE WALL CUDDLES!!! That hug is so fucking romantic. I don’t know what’s better! The Captain Charming conversation from earlier or the Ice Wall Cuddles, but I love both of them sooooooo fucking much! The way she cradles his head and the way he carries her!!! It’s perfect!!! And then the hand hold. Just..I’m so happy!!!

Hopeful Hero - ...I love Snowing, but I’mma ship this ‘till the cows come home! David and Anna just have a fabulous rapport and had there been a kiss akin to Snow and Hercules’ from “Labor of Love,” I wouldn’t have complained!

-----

And there you have it, one of my all time favorite episodes! It’s a bit flawed, but I just adore it with every beat of my heart. Did I change your mind on it or even make you love it more if you were already a fan? Let me know!

As always, thanks to the fabulous folks at @watchingfairytales for making this awesome project and shoutout to my awesome and supportive friend and regular, @daensarah! (If you want notifications for when I post these, hit me up!)

Next time, we go further down the road of the Frozen Arc and just a warning: Things are about to get rocky. XD

Season 3 Total (19/230)

Writer Scores:

Adam and Eddy: (9/60) Jane Espenson : (10/40)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 4x02 #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat

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stcrmwxrning-groupsaa · 5 years

Text

New Beginnings — Locations

19 Regions of the United Realms: There is a total of 19 regions in the United Realms, the main region being Storybrooke.

1. Agrabah

Capital of Agrabah

Cave of Wonders

Lower Agrabah

Marketplaces

Taverns

Well of Wonders

2. Arendelle

Marketplaces

North Valley

Rock Trolls Valley

3. Camelot

Brocéliande (Forest of Eternal Night)

Caledonian Forest

Middlemist Field

Oxleigh

4. DunBroch

Ivory Sea

Southern Moor

Taverns

5. Enchanted Forest

Bald Mountain

Beanstalk

Bottomless Sea

Demon’s Bluff

Dwarf Mines

Firefly Hill

Forest Hideaway

Forest of the Dead

Frontlands

Hamelin

Hill of Stones

Infinite Forest

Lake Nostos

Lake Onondaga

Leviathan Shoals

Longbourn

Marketplaces

Pleasure Island

Poseidon’s Boneyard

Safe Haven

Sherwood Forest

Taverns

Temple of Prometheus

Troll Bridge

Vault of the Dark One

6. Land of Untold Stories

Marketplaces

Mr. Hyde’s Hospital

7. Neverland

Dark Hollow

Dead Man’s Peak

Echo Caves

Pixie Woods

Skull Rock

Spring of Neverland

8. New Agrabah

9. New Enchanted Forest

Cave of the Departed

Memento Mori

Resistance Camp

Taverns

10. New Wonderland

11. Oz

12. Mount Olympus

13. Wish Realm

Marketplaces

Taverns

14. Wonderland

Boiling Sea

Boro Grave

Great Divide

Taverns

Underland

Well of Wonders

Wonderland Maze

Wonderland Vault

15. Victorian England

Bethlem Asylum

16. Storybrooke

Æsop’s Tables

Any Given Sundae

Bean Fields

Castle Playground

Convent of the Sisters of Saint Meissa

Dark Star Pharmacy

Game of Thorns

Granny’s Bed and Breakfast

Granny’s Diner

Hopper Psychiatry Office

Marco’s Handyman & Woodworking Services

Marine Garage (Seppo’s Automative)

Mills Mausoleum

Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer

Snow Lair

Storybrooke Cannery

Storybrooke Free Public Library

Storybrooke General Hospital

Storybrooke Graveyard

Storybrooke Harbor

Storybrooke Heritage Park

Storybrooke Mines

Storybrooke Pet Shelter

Storybrooke Power Inc.

Storybrooke Pumpkin Farm

Storybrooke Schools

Storybrooke Sheriff’s Department

Storybrooke Shipyard

Storybrooke Town Hall

Storybrooke Town Line

Storybrooke Wilderness Park

Storybrooke Wishing Well

The Rabbit Hole

The Toll Bridge

17. Hyperion Heights (Seattle, Washington)

Aurora Bridge

Community Gardens

Flynn’s Barcade

Hyperion Heights 42nd Precinct Police Station

Hyperion Heights Cemetery

Hyperion Heights Community Center

Hyperion Heights Greenhouse

Mr. Cluck’s Chicken Shack

Roni’s

Samdi Holdings

The Bakery @ Hyperion Heights

The Hyperion

The Vault

Hyperion Heights Hospital

18. Underworld (Underbrooke)

Acheron (River of Lost Souls)

Ambrosia Temple

Fiery Cave

Lethe (River of Forgetfulness)

Mordred’s Bar

Underbrooke Diner

Underbrooke Harbor

Underbrooke Library

Underbrooke Mills Mausoleum

Underbrooke Pawnshop

Underbrooke Town Hall

Underbrooke Woods

Underbrooke Sheriff’s Department

Underbrooke Cemetery

19. Edge of Realms

#new beginnings gv

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cursed-hq-blog1 · 7 years

Photo

STORYBROOKE GENERAL HOSPITAL

owner : The Town of Storybrooke

employees : Damien Whale (Doctor)

operating hours : 24/7

ABOUT THIS LOCATION

Storybrooke General Hospital is located at 3908 Rosewood Avenue. It remains open 24/7 for emergencies and and minor injuries. Storybrooke General offers physical therapy and psychiatric services, in addition to its emergency room and medical labs.

#cursed: locations #cursed: damien #once upon a time #once upon a time rpg #ouat rp #fantasy #storybrooke #storybrooke general hospital

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dumbledearme · 6 years

Text

chapter two—the story book

~~ read Swan Song here ~~

The book doesn't look special. Yellow pages marked with time. Brown leather hardcover. Golden letters for the title. It is exactly what you would expect from a fairytale book. The first time I open it, I'm expecting the stories we all come to know: Snow White, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, Pinocchio, etc. But after reading a bit of it, I realize the stories are different. Quite different. Similar to the ones Ms. Blanchard used to make up for me.

They mostly follow the adventures of Snow White and Prince Charming throughout an magical land called the Enchanted Forest, but there are points where every character collides with each other. It tells of Snow White's childhood, how she stumbled upon a secret she couldn't keep and the consequences that came from that. It generated a hatred between her and her stepmother, the Evil Queen, from which neither one of them could ever escape. That sort of dictates where the stories go. It's heartbreaking what happened to the Evil Queen's lover, a stable boy named Daniel, but I don't think Snow White should be blamed for that. If anything, it was the Evil Queen's mother's fault and no one else's. But at this point, the story kind of follows the original: the Evil Queen poisoning the apple and Snow White falling into a slumber, only waking up when Prince Charming gave her a true love's kiss.

There is a bit about Prince Charming as well, how he was born to a poor peasant mother, he and his twin, who was sold to a King who couldn't have children. The twin died, however, and Charming had to go take his place in court. It's around this time that he met Snow White. She was a wanted thief then, and was actually trying to steal his engagement ring. I can't help thinking Snow White is a badass in this book. She and Prince Charming don't need to spend much time together to know they were made for one another.

Which brings me to the strange feelings I'm experiencing.

See, the book didn't come from outer space, no. The new boy gave it to me. I've always had a thing for fairytales, but obviously I can't understand how he could've known that.

It happened like this: I found him in a park bench in the middle of the night. The book rested on the bench beside him full of promises of mysteries waiting to be unfold. Seeing him there, doing nothing specific, yet looking quite entertained, I couldn't help myself and I had to go see what he was doing.

"It's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?" he teased me when I questioned him. "And to meet someone you know nothing about. Do you realize that it's like that for everyone, everywhere, all the time?"

His enigmatic answer held me on the spot. He was right. It is odd for me not knowing who he is and what he could be doing in Storybrooke. It is… intoxicating. Yes, that's the right word for it. It gives me a great need to discover more, similar to what I felt with Lily, but stronger.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to brush it off, but I don't think he bought it. "I was just wondering what you're doing here. Is that not normal?"

"You're gonna have to wait," he told me, dark-green eyes sparkling. "You're gonna have to wait a long time and watch me go around, headed to strange and mysterious locations. And with each passing moment, the mystery will become more tantalizing. Your imagination will inflame, but so will your frustration, never knowing, only guessing what I could possibly be doing in your hometown."

I held my breath as he spoke. How can he have this effect on me? He doesn't know me any more than I know him. But his eyes keep an intense gleam as he watches me like he can see right into my soul and that makes me nervous.

Like he can tell what is going on inside my head. Like maybe he's been made for me.

He leaned toward me and said, very softly: "Or you could go out with me sometime and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Just remembering makes me shiver. I can't quite believe that has actually happened, that he's said that to me. I felt like I had missed a part of the conversation. "You wanna go out with me?" I repeated, surprised.

He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"When?"

"Sometime."

"Tomorrow?"

That made him grin. "No disrespect, but you're not ready yet. You must read the book first." And that's when he gave me the heavy brown book called Once Upon A Time. This is just like him (I remember thinking) asking me out on a date and giving me homework. I don't know what came over me when I said yes.

Actually… maybe I do know. I guess I try to play it cool, to be more like Regina, but deep down I know I'm a hopeless romantic. That must come from my biological mother instead.

I can't tell if I'm so interested because I find him attractive or if I'm attracted because he's so interesting and must have the answers I seek. I'm not sure it makes much of a difference. But now that the days are new and unexpected, I feel alive with the endless possibilities. And he, being the one who brought change to town, has to be the one I've been waiting for, the only one for me.

There are other compelling characters in the book as well. Red Riding Hood is a shapeshifting wolf-girl that needs her red cloak to stop her from changing—that's a twist I never saw coming. Oh and one of Snow White's dwarfs, Grumpy, also has an intriguing past. Apparently, he used to be called Dreamy and was in love with a fairy called Nova, but the other fairies and dwarfs didn't think they should be together and separated them. Brokenhearted, he became brooding and grumpy.

There's Beauty and the Beast in here too, except this one is told from the perspective of Rumpelstiltskin which is another surprised to me. As ruthless and mean as he is, he came to truly care for the little maid (who used to be a princess before he imprisoned her) called Belle, who loved him in return, but he simply couldn't believe that anyone could love a monster like him. I guess that when it comes to it, we're the only ones standing in the way of our own happy endings.

Thinking I might be getting too involved, too fast, I close the book.

Ms. Blanchard (in an obvious attempt to bring out the best in us) has invited the high schoolers to visit the hospital because of some volunteer outreach program she has come up with. I guess we are supposed to give up on one of our summer days to dedicate ourselves to the less fortunate. I don't really mind—there's nothing to do in Storybrooke in summer—and besides, I always enjoy spending time with Ms. Blanchard even if it is in a hospital with sick people.

We are put in charge of helping the nurses change sheets and supply fresh flowers to the patients' rooms. It isn't as boring as it sounds; the nurses have some funny stories to tell and the patients who are awake to receive their flowers smile so brightly it makes the whole thing worth its while. Some of them have family over for visits and they too look pretty happy to see us here.

One guy, in the farthest room, catches my attention. There isn't anything special about him, much the contrary—it is the fact that he is completely alone that bothers me. He is a Joe Doe—I ask around and nobody knows where he comes from or how he ended up in a coma. He is another one of the mysteries that are popping up since the newcomers arrival.

The weird thing is… he looks a lot like the illustration of Prince Charming from my new book. I'm not usually this imaginative, but the resemblance is uncanny. I can't look away. Upon closer inspection, I find that he even has the same scar as Prince Charming. And maybe something about his face is familiar to me for some other reason…? I can't quite put my finger on it, but he reminds of… of…

"Hannah?"

I jump. Ms. Blanchard gave me a fright sneaking up on me like that. She is looking so pretty today, for some reason; I think her ebony hair is shorter, her lips are painted red as blood and her skin is looking white as… as snow?

Knowing where my mind is going with that, I give it a shake, trying to clear it. "Sorry," I say. "Did I wander off?"

"We could really use your help with the decorations," Ms. Blanchard says with a smile, "if you're not doing anything." It sounds like a question. She is intrigued by me being here.

I must have missed the briefing Ms. Blanchard gave out there because I can't think of whatever it is that needs to be decorated. I decide to play while I have the cards in my hand. "Do you know who this man is, Ms. Blanchard?" I ask. "Does anyone know him?"

"No," she says with a frown, sounding puzzled, like maybe she's trying to remember something about him. "I read to him sometimes, you know? I fear he might be lonely. Nobody should be… You could read to him, too, if you want, Hannah."

I think about the impressions I'm having of Prince Charming and Snow White and wonder if it's a normal thing to read to a coma patient. I can't quite relate the two things. "What's wrong with him?"

"Oh, I don't know," Ms. Blanchard says, voice kind. "He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering." A sad look crosses her pretty face and I know it isn't because of who Joe Doe might or might not be, or because the connection between Snow White and her prince. This is something entirely her own—an empathy she feels for all beings.

I envy her a lot, I guess. She is so pretty and kind. Good at everything she does. Delicate like a princess. Voice like a nightingale. A smile impossible to replicate. Everybody likes her, everywhere she goes. Nobody would ever think she's crazy. No parents would've given her away. I don't think she's much older than me either—nine, maybe ten years at most. Of course she has been like this for as long as I can remember, another victim of the time curse over our heads.

I wish I could be more like Ms. Blanchard and Snow White.

When volunteering day is over, Ruby and I leave the hospital agreeing that what we both need is a big plate of pancakes. We head down toward Granny's when my strange new friend makes another appearance. He looks even better in this afternoon light, his intense dark-green eyes sparkling, his bright easy smile and the leather jacket that fits him to perfection.

"I've been meaning to bump into you," he says agreeably, eyes searching my face for something I can't begin to guess. "Matter of fact, I was hoping you might want to hang out with me."

Ruby gives me a very distinguished nudge. I try to ignore her. "Is that you asking me out?" I ask. "Finally?"

His shoulders contract slightly as if bothered by the way I phrased that. "Well, if putting a label on it makes you more comfortable, sure," he says. "Let's call it a date."

I'm not sure what to make of that. He sounded interested before, but now he seems to be putting the brakes down. "My mom taught me not to go out with guys who won't tell me their names," I say, playing for time and also because it's past time he tells me. "It weeds out the ones who like to keep secrets, she says, like storing body parts in their freezers." When he doesn't answer, I feel my temper rising. I can't believe he doesn't want to tell me something as basic as his name.

I try to walk past him, in no mood for his games, but he holds me by the arm. Somehow he manages to do that in a delicate and firm way.

"Rider," he says, letting me go. "Flynn Rider."

That almost makes me roll my eyes—even his name is cool.

"So there goes your reason for not going out with me. Hop on," he gestures to his bike which is parked a few feet from where we stand.

It is my turn to hesitate. "You want me to get on the back of that bike?" I scoff.

"That's what 'hop on' means."

"Uh… How about we walk?" I suggest. I am perfectly aware of the amount of witnesses around that will gladly tell my mother about this, should I choose to ride this boy's bike. Regina will flip, bite my head off.

"How about a leap of faith?" When Flynn smiles, it takes my breath away. I can hardly remember the reasons for my reluctance. "Come on, hop on," he insists.

"If you don't, I will," Ruby says, pouting her lips.

Flynn Rider is still grinning and I know I won't say no even if I wanted to. I take the helmet he is offering me and follow him to the motorcycle. The entire time he drives, I feel electrically aware of the touch of his leather jacket against my skin. It is a good feeling—one that I wish would've lasted longer.

However, the bike comes to a stop in a clearing, near the woods, where there is an abandoned well in which I used to play when I was little. It's been years since I've been here last. Once more I'm left wondering how the hell he could've know about this. The answer, obviously, is he didn't. This must all be a coincidence.

"This is where you planned to bring me?" I tease, approaching the well, trying to calm my absurd feelings.

He moves with ease around me like he has not a worry in the world. He is ultra-confident, charming, witted, good-looking. I'm in awe of him. "Is that bad?" He has to repeat the question at least two more times for it to enter my bewitched brain.

"I don't know," I say with honesty. "I thought dates were supposed to be… with candlelight and champagne."

That amuses him. "You want me to get you drunk?" he provokes me.

"No." I answer it a little too quickly. He seems to like that, too.

"Maybe next time," he says.

"Oh, you are optimistic."

The sky is turning a bright shade of violet. I watch as Flynn rounds the well. Why in the world would he bring me here? What could this place mean to him?

"They say this well is special," he says, again, like he can read what's in my mind. "There's even a legend about it."

"I know," I say, gathering enough courage to stand right beside him. "They said that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake which has magical properties, blah blah blah." I cross my arms over my chest to show how very unimpressive that is to me.

"So this legend," he goes on, ignoring my cynical attitude, "says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."

"You know an awful lot about this town for being a stranger."

"And you know very little for someone who grew up here."

"I know literally everything about Storybrooke." I don't know why I'm defending myself to him. He can be quite arrogant when he wants to. "The little there is to know, I mean. And for a place filled with legends about magic, here is where people look down on you if you believe in any of it."

"What do you believe in?" With a hand over the well, he leans toward me disrupting my focus.

"I—I don't believe in magic, if that's what you mean." The lie sounds almost like a plausible truth this time. Dr. Hopper has been trying to convince me of that for years.

"Water is a very powerful thing," Flynn says and somehow he manages to make it sound like a normal conversation between couples. "Cultures as old as time have worshiped it. It flows throughout all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything has mystical properties, if anything have magic, well, I'd say it'd be water."

He stops, waiting, assessing my response.

For the first time in his presence, I feel a little on edge. I guess part of me is afraid that he might be joking with me. Sometimes it feels like a test—one that I'm destined to fail because, underneath all the pretense, I am the crazy girl who thinks her hometown is cursed.

"That's asking a lot to believe on faith," I answer carefully.

He's still watching me. "If you need evidence for everything, Hannah, you're gonna find yourself stuck in this place for a very long time." His voice is soft, low, accusing, and I don't like the sound of it. I already feel stuck in Storybrooke. I don't need him condemning me.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He changes the subject. "Did you read the book?"

"Yes. And you didn't answer my question."

"Did you read all of it?"

"Of course not. It's huge—over a thousand pages."

He sighs. "Then you didn't get to the part where you come in." He's upset now, but I can't tell if it's directed at me. "This won't do, Hannah. You need to read the whole thing."

"Uh, you lost me."

"Not for long. The answers you seek are there," he tells me. "You just have to believe it."

The logical part of my brain tells me this getting out of hand. "You need to take me back now," I say. "I wanna go home."

Flynn looks lost in thoughts. He stares into the well. "Would you believe me if I told you there is a curse in this town?"

My heart almost leaps out of my chest. "Yes!" I shout, breathlessly. "That's what I've been saying for sixteen years! I mean, until you got here, you and your friend, that is, time was frozen. I was the only one getting older and… they lived the same day every day like it was normal. And nobody can leave because something… something prevents them—us. I don't know what but…" I stop myself, afraid I might have said too much. Next thing he will call me crazy and leave me here in the woods by myself.

Flynn's face has changed. There is a gleam in his eyes like I've said exactly what he wanted to hear from me. "Yes," he agrees. "Exactly that."

"You believe me?" Without realizing, I take one of his hands. I feel so utterly connected to him right now—maybe because we are the only two people in this world who knows about the curse. I never had someone with whom I could be honest about this, not even Ms. Blanchard (not that I think she would judge me or anything, but I guess I didn't want to put her in that position). It is such a relief—it is a dream come true. "Wait. How do you know about the curse?"

"Oh, I've known about it for a while now," he says dismissively. "But that's not everything, Hannah. You see," he squeezes my hand before saying, "every story in the book I gave you has actually happened."

I wait for the punchline but it never comes. I let go of his hand and take a step back. "So we're back on that," I mutter, thoughtful.

"If you had actually read the book, this conversation would be easier," he says.

"I read the—"

"Maybe you did, but you weren't looking, Hannah." His voice turns passionate, urgent. "You need to open your eyes. You need to see the truth. You need to see them."

The way he says that, with such emphasis, makes me think of the impressions left on me today by Joe Doe and Ms. Blanchard, how I couldn't help but compare them to the characters in the book. I wonder if that's what Flynn wants me to do.

"The Evil Queen cast a curse," he persists. "She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here, to this world without magic. And now they're trapped—"

"—frozen in time and stuck in Storybrooke, Maine." My voice sounds cold, detached. I can't think straight.

"None of them remembers who they are. That's where you come in," he steps in front of me. "You must make them remember, Hannah. You have to break the curse. You're the only one who can."

I feel something hot streaming down my face. When did I start crying? I don't know. I also can't tell if these are tears of relief or shame. Relief that someone has finally believed me or shame because I'm well aware this can't be happening, this can't be real. Maybe I'm having an episode or something. Maybe Flynn never took me out today. Maybe I should call Dr. Hopper.

"Please, take me home," I ask him and I sound so tired, so wounded, that he doesn't argue.

I desperately need someone to talk to, so I go look for Ms. Blanchard. She isn't home which, I guess, I should've expected. She is a teacher, not a nun; she obviously goes out from time to time. After aimlessly wandering around for a while, I end up in the hospital without a clue as to how I got here. I feel like something is pulling me, calling to me. I remember what Ms. Blanchard has said about how she often comes here to read to Joe Doe and how I am welcome to do the same. Maybe I should. Maybe that's what got me here.

Inside, I find a commotion near where his room is.

"What's going on?" I run towards it, my previous troubles completely forgotten.

Ms. Blanchard is here, along with the Sheriff, Dr. Whale and, unfortunately for me, the Mayor.

"Is he alright?" I ask, my eyes on Ms. Blanchard, who gives me a slight shake of her head.

"He's missing," she informs me.

I'm not entirely sure I heard her correctly. "Missing?" I say. "How can he be missing? He was in a coma yesterday."

"I came to read to him last night," Ms. Blanchard explains. "I don't know why, I just thought... This time, it was like…" She can't finish her sentence.

"What?" I urge her on.

Ms. Blanchard's eyes lock on mine. "It was like he heard me," she whispers. "He touched my hand." She has a strange dreamy look in her face. "And now he's gone."

Regina comes toward us. "What are you doing here, Hannah?"

"What happened to Joe Doe?" I ask her, ignoring her question. "Did someone take him?"

Sheriff Graham's the one who answers. "We don't know yet. His I.V.s were ripped out, but there's no sign for sure there was a struggle."

"Will he be okay?" Ms. Blanchard asks Dr. Whale.

"Okay?" he says. "The man's been on feeding tubes for years, under constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream."

"Well then, let's start looking," I tell them. "We can't leave him to—"

"That's what we're doing," my mother cuts in. "Just stay out of this, dear." She turns to the Sheriff. "Graham, find Joe Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious. Hannah, I'll see you at home. Don't be late." And then she is off like she has bigger concerns to worry herself with.

There is a moment of silence before Graham turns to Whale. "Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?"

"12 hours or so."

"Then that's what we need to account for."

With Ms. Blanchard and I following him around, Graham goes to the security room where we watch the recording of Joe Doe leaving the hospital on his own. That is good, I think. At least he hasn't been abducted. If he is awake, it means he doesn't need medical supervision. That must be good news.

The bad news is that he has left the hospital toward the woods.

After some begging and some nagging, the Sheriff allows both Ms. Blanchard and I to go with him as he looks for Joe Doe. Graham has always been nice to me, probably because of my mother. We search the woods until nightfall, following some track only Graham can see. He stops then, saying the trail has ended and that there is nowhere else to go from here.

I glance around. We are near the troll bridge. Mind racing, I think about the fairytale book and how Prince Charming and Snow White fell in love in a troll bridge. Could that be another coincidence or is this what Flynn referred to when he said I need to open my eyes and see things as they are? Why else would Joe Doe be searching for that place? Isn't a crazy explanation better than no explanation?

This whole thing is giving me a headache. Everything that Flynn has told me… Actually, it isn't the things he's told me. These things I've known—I've lived it. What bothers me is the fact that he knows them—he, a newcomer, someone who isn't affected by the curse. How can he know? Unless… Unless it's the book. If the book tells the story of the curse, Flynn might have learned it from there. I just have to find out where he got the book from.

Now, let's say I accept that, the book is magical and it tells everything that happened to the point where everyone was cursed. What then? Does it automatically mean that Joe Doe is Prince Charming? And if it does... what the hell is he expecting to find?

The answer hits me like a ton of bricks. My eyes fall on the woman beside me. Snow White. Of course. She was reading to him. Time moved forward. He woke up and went after some memory, some dream that connects him to his old self.

The crazy part is how much sense it all makes.

"I know where he is," I tell the others. Two curious pairs of eyes fall on me, but I have no time to explain. I bolt. I can feel them on my trail, but I don't slow down until I reach the bridge.

I come to a halt. There he is—unconscious, near the water. I'm not sure what to feel at that discovery. The book has led me here as much as it has led him. But I don't believe in the book. Do I?

"Oh my God!" Ms. Blanchard exclaims when she catches up to me.

The Sheriff has his radio. "I need an ambulance at the old troll bridge as soon as possible." He and Ms. Blanchard cross the little stream to where Joe Doe lies. They pull him out of the water onto the shore.

I feel as if I'm watching a movie unfold in front of me. When they get him down again, Ms. Blanchard knees beside Joe Doe, her hands cupping his face.

"I found you," she whispers to him. Or did she? I might have imagined it. "It's gonna be okay. Come back to me." She leans over and her lips touch his as she tries to give him a mouth-to-mouth.

Next thing he starts coughing and spluttering. Their eyes meet and he says his first words: "You saved me."

Did you ever doubt I would?

Voices in my head… Yep. I'm finally losing it.

Now that he is awake, Ms. Blanchard seems more like herself and less of a character from a book. She asks him who he is, but Joe Doe says he doesn't know. He looks confused and lost. We can hear the ambulance sirens in the distance now. Ms. Blanchard assures him he is going to be okay and, for whatever reason, that is enough for him. He believes her.

Why can't I?

Things aren't so nice after that. Soon after we reach the hospital, Regina shows up again, this time accompanied by a strange woman, Kathryn Nolan, claiming to be Joe Doe's wife. His name is David Nolan, she informs us, and they have had a fight a couple of years ago and, as far as Kathryn is concerned, he disappeared on her. She is glad to know now that he hasn't done that on purpose.

The disappointment I see both in Joe Doe and Ms. Blanchard's face, again makes me wonder if I am imagining things. Why should they care unless they are Prince Charming and Snow White? Why else would it look like they are connected somehow? It hardens my belief.

When it comes to impossible things, curses and soul mates is something I can definitely see happening. Now lies… That really grind my gears. I mean, this wife of his can't be telling the truth. David Nolan has been in a coma for almost two decades. It hasn't been just a couple of years. Unless they can't be aware of that, just as they aren't aware they have been frozen in time.

"It's something of a miracle, really," Dr. Whale tells us. "Physically, he's on the mend. Um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all."

"But," Ms. Blanchard ventures, "what brought him back?"

"That's the thing," Whale says. "There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him. He woke up and he was delirious, and… his first instinct was to go find something, I guess."

"Someone," I correct him, unaware I'm thinking aloud.

Ms. Blanchard catches my eye and I can tell that, even if she doesn't understand what happened here tonight, she can feel it, the heavy truth of my words.

"Hannah, let's go," Regina calls me. As I follow her down the hospital's empty halls, she adds: "I had hoped you would look more pleased. True love won out. If it wasn't for you finding him—and me finding her—they would've lived their lives completely alone." She stops so she can look at me and I see, for the first time, the shadow of something malign, some bad intention underneath her words. I look over my shoulder and I can just make out the outline of Ms. Blanchard, sad and alone. I look back at my mother. Has she done this on purpose? To keep Ms. Blanchard and Joe Doe apart? Why would she…?

"Which reminds me of something oh so very important," Regina says, a smile playing on her lips.

"What?" I wonder.

"How grateful I am to have you."

I watch her attentively as words I have never heard her speak, works I have only seen in that wretched book, echo inside my mind.

You promised you'd keep my secret. You promised, but you lied. She ripped his heart out because of you! Because you couldn't listen to me! Now your body will be your tomb.

I take that apple and you let him leave? That's the deal you want to make?

With all my heart.

Then congratulations. You've won.

Regina, the flesh and bone Regina standing in front of me, continues her speech: "Because not having someone, Hannah, that's the worst curse imaginable."

#swan #swan song #fanfic #dfcrosas #ouat #hannah mills #genderbend #emma swan #henry mills #snow white #evil queen #princess odette #prince charming

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lilacmoon83 · 5 years

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Mysterious Fathoms Below

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 3: Believer

Snow gazed out at the water wistfully. Their farm wasn't far from it and though she absolutely adored their life now with their daughter, there were times she missed the carefree days in the ocean, exploring the realms and making love on beaches. She had thought her absence would finally help Regina find a way to move on. But if she knew that she was happy with Charming, even being mer-people, she supposed that it had probably only made her angrier. Snow had escaped, while Regina was still trapped in a web of her own hate and evil. She just had no idea how she had made it here to this world and from Owen was saying, she had brought everyone else with her. It didn't make sense and Emma whimpered, sensing her mother's distress.

"Oh, I'm sorry baby…" she soothed, as she kissed her tiny head. She sighed and leaned back against the sudden strong, warm embrace behind her and relished his kiss, as he pressed on to her head and then Emma's.

"We'll figure this out, my darling," he promised with a whisper in her ear.

"I know...I guess I should have known we couldn't really escape her," she lamented.

"I'm going to drive Owen there and have him show me where he thinks this town is," David said.

"But if she has magic protecting it now...then you won't be able to see it," she reminded. He realized she was right and became thoughtful at that.

"There might another way…" she said, as she looked into her eyes.

"No…" he refuted.

"David…" she started to say.

"Not by yourself," he protested.

"Someone has to stay with the kids," she reminded. He sighed. In their mer-person form, they could pass through any barrier around the town by water. If Owen was able to give them a general location, they could probably pinpoint where the Harbor might be. That's when he got an idea.

"Or once we think we know where it is...we get a boat and one of us can tow it there with the kids," he said.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" she asked.

"Not really, but I think separating is worse. I...I can't lose you," he replied. She smiled and gently kissed him.

"I can't lose you either. I guess we'll do this together," she said. He smiled and kissed her again.

"Come on...let's take that drive as a family. Owen can show us the last place he saw Regina," he said. She nodded and they walked back toward the house.

~*~

Mayor Regina Mills walked along the streets of her town that morning. She had just enjoyed a breakfast of apple pancakes at Granny's diner in her favorite seat, while the rest of the patrons coward in her presence.

"Morning Madam Mayor...it's a beautiful day," Archie Hopper greeted with his dog Pongo. She smirked.

"Yes, it is...doctor," she agreed, as she made her way toward the hospital.

She traversed the halls and no one bothered to question or stop her, as she made her way toward a locked door. She punched in a code and there was a beep from the keypad. She opened the door and descended the stairs into the psych ward. Nurse Ratched at the desk gave her a curt nod, as she made her way down the hall of patient cells. She stopped briefly at one cell to peer in at a brunette girl and with a satisfied smirked, she moved on until she found the cell of the reason she was here.

"Good morning Kurt," she said, as she peered in his cell.

"Where is Owen?" he questioned.

"My answer is the same as it was last time. I don't know...he left. He ran away and hasn't come back," she responded coldly.

"So he's out there...all alone? While you're keeping me prisoner," he spat.

"No one can know about this place," Regina responded.

"And I won't tell anyone! I just need to find my son! He's just a boy…" Kurt cried. But Regina was silent and let the flap close.

"You have to let me go! I need to find my son!" Kurt screamed, as she started to walk away. It was unlikely that he would ever get out, but if he did somehow...it could be very bad. Keeping him alive was risky and so she knew what she had to do. She had to eliminate the problem completely.

~*~

David drove them through the rural Maine roads, as Owen took them to the same place where he had tried to lead the Police. He was surprised they even believed him and that made him curious as to why.

"Can I ask a question?" he said suddenly. He was in back of the old station wagon with Emma, who was in her car seat. Mary turned and smiled at him.

"Of course sweetie," she said kindly.

"Do you know this Regina woman?" he asked. She looked at him and saw the pain in his eyes. It made her sad and she knew what he had been through would change him. It could be for good or bad and she had a feeling that without answers, it could be for the bad. Unless they did something or helped him in some way. She only hoped they could and she feared that there was more pain ahead for him.

"I do...she's my step-mother," Snow replied. His face was filled with surprise.

"Did she hurt you too?" he asked. Snow sighed.

"Yes...she did. That's why David and I had to leave our homeland. I thought that would satisfy her, but it seems she has followed us here," she replied.

"How did she bring a whole town?" he asked.

"Magic…" Snow answered.

"Then you believe me...it's all real," he stated. She nodded.

"We believe you and yes, magic is real," she confirmed.

"What's your real name?" he asked. She looked at him a little strangely.

"What makes you think Mary isn't my real name?" she questioned. He shrugged.

"I don't know...I just don't think it is," he replied. She and David shared a smile.

"You're intuitive," David complimented.

"You are and since you believe, I think I feel comfortable telling you. My real name is Snow White," she stated. He blinked, letting that sink in and he believed her. She definitely looked like Snow White might look.

"Is his real name David?" Owen asked. Snow chuckled.

"Yes...but sometimes I call him Charming," she replied. Realization dawned in his eyes.

"Then if Regina is your step-mother, that would make her...the Evil Queen?" he asked in disbelief. Snow nodded sadly.

"She wasn't always evil. There was a time she was good...but then something bad happened to her. She lost someone she loved and it was my fault," Snow said.

"Did you mean to do it?" Owen asked.

"What?" she questioned.

"I mean...did you do whatever you did on purpose?" he asked.

"Um...no, I didn't know that it was going to cause something bad to happen. I thought I was helping...and I made a terrible mistake. I was about your age," Snow confessed.

"But doesn't everyone make mistakes? Why would she want to keep being mad at you if you didn't mean to do it?" he asked.

"I...I don't know sweetheart. But I don't think she wanted to become my step-mother. That did not help things at all," Snow replied.

"What happened to your father?" he asked curiously and she felt her heart sink. She didn't want to tell him that part.

"Oh sweetie...he's gone now," she answered.

"Did she kill him?" he asked. She opened her mouth and gazed into his pleading eyes, which were filled with unshed tears.

"Please…" he begged. Snow nodded.

"Yes...she did," she confirmed. He lowered his head sadly and she reached for his hand.

"Hey...we're going to find your father, I promise," she said, as he looked up and noticed where they were.

"It was here," he announced, as David put the brakes on and parked the car. They got out and Owen looked around.

"This...this is it. I was here and there was a sign that said "Welcome to Storybrooke," he said.

"But...it's gone now," he said sadly. David put a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Hey...like Snow said, we're going to find it," he promised.

"But how?" he asked. David exchanged a glance with his wife.

"Because there might be another way we can if we do it by using the ocean," David replied, as Snow nodded to him.

"There's something else we have to tell you, Owen...and it's going to stretch your belief even more. But it might be the only way we'll find him," David said.

"I believe you...I believe you're Snow White and Prince Charming! I believe that there's magic and that the Evil Queen has my dad! Please...tell me…" he pleaded. David smiled and ushered him back into the car.

"Easy...we'll tell you on the way home and what we're going to do next," he promised, as they got back into the station wagon. David turned them around and they headed back to their house.

"So...what's the other secret?" Owen asked. Snow and David exchanged another glance.

"I think that's a secret that's best shown to you rather than told," Snow said. Owen wondered what they could mean, but knew he would soon find out. After weeks of feeling hopeless, he finally had hope again...

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #feat baby Emma #AU #Snowing as mer-people #romance #family #adventure #Mermaid AU

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jarienn972 · 4 years

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A Simple Spell - Chapter Twelve

A Captain Swan Supernatural Summer Tale

I honestly did not plan for this latest @cssns chapter update to take so long. I had the majority of this finished over Thanksgiving weekend, but then an awful upper respiratory infection started making its way around my household. The past few weeks have been a blur and I feel like I've been completely out of touch. I finally managed to get the haze out of my head and finish up this chapter.

There are two chapters left in my outline so expect some big reveals coming! I really appreciate everyone who has read, shared and commented along the way. Thank you so much for sticking with me with my first AU! Thank you @kmomof4 for being such a great cheerleader and I’m sorry I made you wait so long for the next chapter. And as always, thanks to @lassluna for her beta assistance along the way and to @cocohook38 for her incredible artwork!

Read from the beginning or get a refresher: One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Also on AO3 and FF.net

In such a remote area, the process of extricating the unconscious Captain Jones from the root cellar had been a time-consuming challenge. Since the ambulance wasn't off-road equipped, the paramedics had been forced to hitch a ride in Graham's 4x4 and utilize the SUV as an improvised transport vehicle. After a few tense minutes of concern as the team determined the best way to carry the wounded man from the cellar, Emma finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her friend loaded safely into the back of Graham's vehicle.

She would have been happier to accompany Killian to Storybrooke Hospital but since space was limited, she remained behind to return the borrowed ATVs and then returned to the Sheriff's station with David. He parked the cruiser in the alley behind the station and they entered through the rear door near the break room. David ducked into the break room to start a pot of coffee brewing, needing a caffeine boost after their busy morning. Emma continued into the squad room, dropping her gear atop her desk as she collapsed her weary body into her chair. She was exhausted, mentally and physically, but she was incredibly relieved as they'd managed to locate Killian quickly and best of all - alive. Of course, the outcome hadn't been entirely perfect as they had no idea who had abducted the captain or why, but at least they had a few leads.

After delivering Killian and the paramedics to the ambulance, Graham returned to the house in the woods to gather evidence. David wanted fresh eyes on the crime scene - to search both the main house and the root cellar, primarily tasking the deputy to find the identity of the current occupant. David would have handled it himself, but he was worried about his little sister and what her state of mind might be after finding the man she was dating unconscious and injured in a hole in the ground. And he became even more concerned when he strolled into the squad room to see her tossing items out of her desk, frantically hunting for something.

"Problem?" he asked quizzically.

"Yeah - my mother's journal… I can't find it…," she replied, emptying what remained of the top drawer onto the floor. "I put it in this drawer before we left - I know I did!"

"You sure? Maybe you put it in the bottom drawer instead?" he suggested, but it only earned him an unpleasant glare from his sister.

"I put everything in here together - the box and both books. The box is still here," she said as she lifted it for him to see. "And so is the other book, but the journal isn't anywhere to be found…"

"Well, I doubt it just vanished. You're absolutely sure it was in your desk?"

"Yes, David - I'm sure. Someone must have taken it off of my desk."

"Emma, come on… Who would break into a Sheriff's station to steal a diary?"

"I don't know. It makes no sense, but then not much that has happened this week has made any sense. What if this was just another part of our so-called warlock's sick game? What if he kidnapped Killian as a diversion so he could get his hands on that journal? He was probably afraid that mom might have left clues."

"Considering she lost, I can't imagine they'd be good clues," David quipped, but she didn't appreciate the sarcasm.

"Maybe she left clues about what not to do?" she retorted, her frustrations nearing the boiling point.

"Maybe… Look, why don't you head over to the hospital and get an update on Captain Jones' condition? I know you're worried… I'll keep searching around here and see if the book might have just been misplaced. The rest of the paperwork can wait until Graham gets back here."

"Fine. Just please, let me know immediately if you find it?"

"I'll bring it right to you. I'm sure it will turn up. Now - go. I'm trusting you to get the Captain's statement when he wakes."

"I will. Thank you, David." Wary of leaving any of her mother's other items behind lest they vanish along with the journal, Emma scooped up the box and the spellbook. She wasn't going anywhere without these now, certain that Gold had hung onto these things for a reason. She hoped David was correct and the journal was around here somewhere, but she wasn't feeling particularly positive right now. She was certain someone had taken it while they were rescuing Killian, but why? The answer to that question would likely be the key to unraveling this entire mystery.

**********

Emma arrived at the main entrance to Storybrooke General hospital a little after 2pm and, after a brief spat with the head nurse, was directed to Killian Jones' room and provided a synopsis of his current condition. He'd needed some minor surgery to repair the damage to his wounded shoulder and he was also being treated for some mild hypothermia after being in the damp, chilly root cellar for an unknown length of time. The staff was baffled by his lingering comatose state as none of his injuries would explain why he remained unresponsive. Dr. Victor Whale, the lead physician overseeing Killian's treatment, suspected that drugs might be involved and and ordered blood samples taken and sent to the laboratory for processing. Until they had those results, everything was pure speculation.

She found herself staring at the shell of a man laying before her on the hospital bed, one who bore little resemblance to the brash Captain she'd first encountered days ago. Maybe it was the flimsy hospital garb he wore in place of his dark leathers, or perhaps it was the silence of his sharp tongue, but either way, she felt as if she were in the presence of an entirely different person. There was a vulnerability to the man in front of her and Emma couldn't help but feel a little bit of sadness for him - both for his ordeal and for the fact he had no family to be here with him.

She had already spoken to his first mate, Mr. Smee, to advise him that the Captain had been located and was currently hospitalized. The skittish little man had stopped by briefly to check in and say thank you, but hadn't stayed. In the Captain's absence, the task of running the Jolly Roger fell upon him so he couldn't stick around long. His crew was likely the closest thing to family that Killian Jones had but there was still distance. It was another bit of kinship that Emma felt with Killian. She'd spent years alone after her mother died, and yet even when she'd found David and the rest of her ever-expanding family, she wasn't as close with them as she'd been with her mother. She and Killian were both essentially orphans and her gut was telling her that she needed to be here for him.

As Killian lay sleeping beneath a pale blue blanket drawn up to his bandaged shoulder, Emma sat quietly in a padded wooden armchair in front of the room's large window, focusing intently on her tablet screen. She may not have her mother's journal, but that wasn't going to stop her research. She was fiercely determined to make sense of all of the week's strange events. Nothing about the things that were happening sat right with her and she needed to figure out why.

She'd received another message from Belle not long ago which fueled her study. The librarian had uncovered a few articles that she believed would be helpful to the deputy, emailing Emma copies of anything she could send electronically. She also advised that she'd located a few books that were pertinent to Emma's interests. After returning Belle's call and arranging to have the books delivered here to the hospital, Emma had started perusing the electronic files immediately. There were quite a few scans and links to look at, but she figured she had some time to read before Killian woke.

But she also had plenty of time to think - maybe too much. All of the week's events seemingly stemmed from her casting the true love spell - the spell that was now mysteriously missing from the book she'd recited it from. How had she seen it in there before when Zelena had recited another from the same book? Had it been visible only to her or had it existed within those vellum pages only to disappear once recited? And then there was that stupid spell itself… She'd felt so compelled to cast it, but had she now drawn innocent bystanders into its mix? Unlike her mother's situation, she knew that both Killian Jones and Walsh Gibbons were real. Unless Killian's entire crew was an elaborate ruse, they'd been sailing with him for years so Captain Jones wasn't imaginary. And Walsh - she'd known him for a while now. They'd dated when she lived in Boston so he was real enough. Now both men's fates were intertwined with hers and for what? So some greedy, needy warlock could cheat her out of her powers if she couldn't figure out which man was her true love?

The whole damned situation irked her. She certainly wasn't the first witch to cast a spell to find love. The very fact that these spells exist was evidence that others had been every bit as hopeful (or maybe desperate) as she'd been. But had she stumbled onto this particular spell by accident or had it been predestined? Had the warlock chosen his victims in advance or was it mere coincidence that both she and her mother had become his victims?

No one had yet mentioned who the warlock's first chosen opponent had been or whether that person had been kin to Emma's family so that had been one of Emma's questions for Belle. There had to be some sort of record as to who that unlucky person had been and fortunately for Emma, Belle had been successful in locating a name. The first opponent had also been a woman - a powerful witch by the name of Ursula who had arrived to Storybrooke from the West Indies in the early 1900s. Belle hadn't been able to uncover any information about what the warlock had used to trick her, but the reports from the time stated that she'd not only lost her powers, but also her voice. A month later, she'd been found floating in the bay, apparently having drowned herself to end her suffering.

What sort of sadistic bastard was she dealing with? He clearly enjoyed preying on women, but why? Were they easier targets or were their powers stronger? Knowing she'd fallen pretty easily for the trap, Emma assumed women might be easier to coerce, although her powers certainly didn't seem to measure up to her mother's or to what she'd read about Ursula's. Had Emma been targeted because of some weakness the warlock had observed? And why did he feel it necessary to resort to so many games?

Magical deals be damned - something wasn't adding up here.

Emma had entirely lost track of time when she heard a faint rap on the room's door. Glancing up, she was somewhat surprised to see David's face peeking around the doorframe. As he passed through the entrance, she could see that he had a stack of books tucked beneath his left arm and a carry-out bag from Granny's clutched in his right hand.

"I figured you'd text me first," she greeted her brother as he deposited the books on a narrow counter beside the sink and dropped the bag of food onto her lap.

"Mary Margaret insisted that I bring you something to eat and as I was leaving Granny's, I ran into Belle who said she was bringing these books over for you. Since I was already on my way over, I figured I'd save her the trip and brought them myself. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to find the journal you were looking for."

"I didn't figure you would," she replied dejectedly. "I'm quite certain that someone took it while we were searching for Killian."

"Pretty bold to steal something from a deputy from inside the station."

"Even bolder if they abducted and stabbed Killian to provide themselves a diversion," Emma added.

"Agreed. How's he doing anyway?" David asked, jabbing a finger in the direction of the slumbering man in the bed behind him. "Any change?"

"No. He's still unconscious, his heart rate is extremely slow and his breathing is unusually shallow. Dr. Whale said that there's no real medical reason for it so he's running some tests to check for drugs or other substances that might be in Killian's system."

"Could be some really strong knockout drugs, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. I really would like to get his statement and get this crime linked to a perp…"

"There's no way to know how long it will be until he wakes, but in the meantime, I've got some reading to do."

"I see that. What's the subject?"

"Some history and some stuff about warlocks and wizards, but without the magical school and British accents… Well, al least no accent until Killian wakes."

David shook his head at the exhausting thought of doing this much reading. "I'll leave you to your studies then but I'll check back in a few hours."

"Sounds good. Thanks, David."

"You're welcome. And I do hope your captain here wakes up soon."

"Me too," she said as David strolled through the doorway and turned out of her line of sight. As she stood, she inhaled the tempting aroma of onion rings as she placed the take-out bag on the windowsill and took a couple of steps over to the counter to retrieve the books. Her eyes were drawn to the figure on the bed and she couldn't help but stare at him while picking up the first book from the stack. Mythology of Supernatural Beings was the title and the book cover was emblazoned with a devil's trap pentagram. This wasn't going to be light reading but she was ready for the challenge. She had a few suspicions about what was really happening in this town but she wasn't yet ready to share her theory - or the choice she'd made. She fully intended to put an end to these silly games permanently but she needed to be sure.

**********

Emma hadn't realized that she'd dozed off until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She woke with an involuntary shudder, stunned for a moment until she recognized the face of the brunette nurse who'd been in and out of the room all afternoon.

"I'm sorry, Deputy Swan. I didn't mean to startle you, but you have a visitor downstairs in the lobby."

"Oh… Alright then… Thank you, Michelle." Emma closed the book on her lap and placed it over onto the windowsill before pushing herself to her feet. Maintaining a vigil at a hospital bedside wasn't the most comfortable way to spend a day. "Would you have Fred keep watch on this room and page me if anything changes while I'm gone?"

"I'll be happy to, Deputy, although any changes in Mr. Jones' condition don't seem likely at this point."

"I know. Wishful thinking on my part. His case is still active and I still need to get his statement." Emma was reluctant to leave Killian's side, especially when they'd yet to identify his abductor but she knew that Fred the security guard wouldn't let anyone past without proper authorization. Killian would be fine for a few minutes while she went downstairs to see who was waiting for her so she stepped into the elevator and took it down to the ground floor. When the doors parted, she made the left turn into the main hallway, strolled past the security checkpoint, gift shop and snack bar into the open space of the entrance lobby, not expecting the person she found standing there.

"Walsh? What are you doing here?" she asked incredulously.

"I hadn't heard back from you all day so I got a little bit worried - especially when the other deputy said you were here."

"I'm fine. It's just been a very hectic day. I've been waiting here all day waiting for a kidnapping victim to wake up so I can get a statement."

"Is that why you had to leave the diner this morning?"

"Partially," she replied, not wanting to divulge too much information. "Just the usual chaos that is the life of a deputy sheriff in Storybrooke."

"I'm sure," he chuckled before sighing with relief. "I'm just glad you're alright and… well, I was going to see if you would like to join me for dinner?"

"I'm sorry, Walsh. I really can't. This is still an open case and David and Graham will really need my help to catch the kidnapper." She was trying to let him down easy, using work as an excuse so she didn't have to reveal that she really just wanted to be here with Killian. "I would love to, but maybe another night?"

"Of course. I understand," he replied in a quiet, dejected tone, his posture now echoing his visible disappointment. "Please, call me tomorrow. I really would like to have one more evening with you before I head back to Boston."

"I'd like that, too," she insisted.

"Well, I hope he wakes up soon so you can close your case."

"Me too," she said as she gave him a quick hug that turned out far more awkward than she'd expected. She'd wanted it to be a nice, friendly gesture, but she wasn't feeling as though her sentiments were being reciprocated. Walsh had wrapped his arms around her back, but she sensed no emotion from the embrace - at least not the sort of emotion one would expect from someone claiming to be concerned about her. "I'll see you later, Walsh."

Then again, perhaps she was reading too much into things after everything she'd been reading. As Walsh vanished out of the hospital's front doors, the little gears inside Emma's head were going into overdrive so she decided to call one person who could help clarify things a bit - Graham.

She yanked her phone out of her jeans pocket and dialed his number, worried that she might get his voicemail, but he finally answered on the fourth ring. "Hey Graham. Turn up anything?"

"Not much," he replied. "The place was pretty bare. I pulled a few fingerprints, but those will only help us if the person is in the system. Oh, I did find some interesting scraps in the fireplace that lead me to believe that those dust voids on the mantle were from photographs. I bagged the scraps as evidence but I want you to have a look at them."

"I'd love to see what you've got. Can you bring them by the hospital?"

"Yeah. I just got back to the station, so give me a little while and I'll be over."

"Sounds good. Oh, Graham - did you happen to talk to someone and mention that I was here at the hospital with Captain Jones?"

"No. Only people I've spoken with were David and the search party, but as I said, I just got back. Any particular reason?"

"No, that's okay. Just had some curious people stopping by and asking questions, you know?"

"Probably just someone trying to get the scoop for tomorrow's paper… Any changes though?"

"'Fraid not. Seems like it's going to be a long night."

"Alright. Well, I'll see you in about an hour or so then."

"See you then," she said as she disconnected the call, strolling over to an unoccupied, quiet alcove off of the entrance hall, needing to make another call with more privacy. Walsh was long out of view, but her conversation with Graham left her ill at ease. Graham hadn't spoken to Walsh so how the hell had Gibbons known she was here? And how had he known that the kidnapping victim was a man? Something smelled rotten here…

She scrolled through her contacts to find the number belonging to Mayor Regina Mills, dialing it even though Regina would be none-too-happy to hear from Emma again today.

"Hello, Emma," Regina's voice greeted her in a flat, disinterested tone.

"Regina, I need your help with something," Emma stated, keeping her voice low in case prying ears were nearby.

"Again? What spell did you cast this time?"

"Yes, again… And I didn't cast another spell. There have been some odd developments in the case."

"Such as? Robin told me that you found Captain Jones. Was there something odd about that?"

"Nothing specifically about finding him, but there are a lot of other things that aren't making sense… Regina, if I'm right, this town is dealing with something more powerful than a warlock…"

"You're probably jumping to conclusions, but just what do you think is going on?"

"I don't want to get into it over the phone. Can you come down to the hospital? I don't really want to leave here until he wakes up."

"Then call me back when he does."

"That's the thing, Regina - no one has any idea when he might wake up. He's been unconscious since we found him, but Dr. Whale can't find any medical reason why."

Regina's ears perked up at those words. "He's not injured?"

"He was stabbed, but not severely enough to be unconscious this long."

"I'll be there in half an hour."

***********

Regina seemed to have a permanent scowl etched onto her face today but at least she showed up promptly. Emma had advised security that Mayor Mills was on her way and to let her pass, not that anyone really would have dared to stop her. Emma wasn't really sure where to begin as Regina pushed open the door and entered the room, taking a side-eyed glance at the dark-haired patient on the bed as she passed.

"Well, at least he's good looking…," Regina quipped. "Now, just what the hell is going on, Emma? What was so secretive that you couldn't say anything over the phone?"

"I'm not sure it's safe to talk here…," Emma said as she pushed herself to her feet. "I'm worried that someone might be watching…"

"Then we make some privacy," Regina stated as she withdrew her ebony wand from inside her pantsuit jacket and waved it with theatrical flourish, producing a force field that sealed the room off from the rest of the world. "There - problem solved. You know how to set up a protective spell. Unless your magic is slipping, you're really distracted by this."

"Look, Regina, let me preface this by saying that this has probably been one of the most overwhelming weeks of my life. I've been here in Storybrooke for a few months, but I've been bombarded with more surprises and secrets this week than I could ever have imagined, so if what I have to say sounds crazy, imagine what has been going through my mind for the past several days."

"Noted," Regina replied without emotion as she sat down in the chair Emma had vacated.

"Okay, so I've been told by everyone this week that my mother was once a powerful witch who was tricked out of those powers by losing a challenge set up by a warlock, but what if that story isn't entirely true?"

"What about the story do you think is false? We've been told for generations that the warlock gave this town it's magic. It's our town's legacy, Emma. You've known that story for a few days and you already think it's wrong?"

"It just doesn't seem like a warlock would be powerful enough, not to mention that he'd have to be immortal to keep coming back here after all these years… I think we're dealing with a far more powerful being…"

"Seriously, Emma? A few months into the study of magic and you're suddenly an expert at identifying warlocks and magical beings?"

"Don't berate me, Regina! I may not be a magical expert, but I'm not an idiot and I'm a good enough detective to know when the clues don't add up. After skimming through my mother's journal and researching some stuff Belle sent me, I think we might be dealing with some sort of trickster."

"A trickster? You think that Loki is running amuck in Storybrooke?" Regina scoffed, rolling her eyes at the deputy.

"Loki is just the Scandinavian name for a trickster," Emma stated firmly, the irritation in her voice increasing. "There are other names for them in other cultures, but whatever you want to call it, a trickster fills in some of the holes in the story. Tricksters like to play games so these ridiculous challenges make more sense. This crazy true love spell… Killian being kidnapped to try to throw off my decision and whatever is affecting him now that's keeping him unconscious…"

Regina stabbed a finger in the direction of the sleeping Killian Jones. "That? That's magic - dark magic."

"What?" Emma wasn't sure she believed what she was hearing. "Magic? What does magic have to do with this?"

"When you called and said that they couldn't find any medical reason, it reminded me of a dark potion I'd only ever heard of before. A sleeping spell."

"Sleeping spell? Those are a thing?"

"We're not talking Sleeping Beauty here. It won't make him immortal and sleep forever. If this is the potion I think it is, he's stuck in perpetual sleep. He can only be awakened with the antidote - assuming whoever cursed him made one - or by a kiss of true love."

"A kiss of true love? So it is like Sleeping Beauty… And if he is my true love, he'll wake up, but if he's not…"

"You lose your powers and he'll stay like this forever," Regina deadpanned the obvious.

"Thanks for not making my decision any easier…," Emma sighed as her eyes drifted over to Killian's peaceful-looking face. She had no idea if he could hear what they were saying. Was he screaming at her on the inside? She hated that so much hinged on a seemingly impossible choice.

"So you haven't determined which one of them is your true love yet?" Regina questioned.

"No, I haven't. Every time I think I have it figured out, my brain thinks up something that changes my mind… It's incredibly frustrating and there's no way to just wave my wand and fix things…"

"If you had asked, I would have told you that matters of the heart generally aren't best served by magical shortcuts," Regina reminded her.

"I know - I screwed up… All the good it does me now…" Emma lamented as she sat down on the bottom corner of the bed. "It's my fault that he's stuck like this…"

"How is this sleeping spell your fault?" Regina chastised her. "You may have cast a spell that brought him into your life, but you didn't make the potion or give it to him. You don't even know for sure that your love spell is related to what happened to him…"

"I'm pretty sure they are," Emma replied defensively as she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. "Hold on a moment…," she said to Regina as she fished out her phone to see Grahams name on the display. "It's Graham. He has some evidence for me to look at." Regina nodded, uninterested in whatever evidence the two deputies were going to discuss. "Hi Graham… Yeah, room 306… Okay, thanks… See you in a bit."

Emma disconnected the call as Regina stood up brandishing her wand to lower the conjured protective barrier. "Better drop the protection spell so your partner can get in. Was there more you wanted to tell me or can I go now?"

"You're not going to weigh in with an opinion on my theory?" Emma wondered.

"I'm reserving my opinion until there's more evidence," the mayor insisted, seeing Graham's face in the doorway. "I'll talk to you later."

Emma nodded as Regina traded places with Graham, her heels clicking on the tile floor as she strode into the hallway while Graham took a tentative step into the room.

"Why was Regina just here?" Graham inquired quizzically.

"We had some coven business to discuss," Emma told him, which was only a partial lie. The conversation was about magic and spells. Graham didn't need to know more than that. "So - what did you find out there?"

Still hovering next to the door, Graham reached into his coat pocket and removed three sealed evidence baggies that he passed to Emma. "I found these scraps in the fireplace. Somebody tried to burn some photographs and I think you'll find these interesting…"

"Well, let's see…," she replied as she took the plastic bags from his hand. The remnants of the photos weren't very large and they were badly scorched, but Emma could make out some of the detail. The first black and white scrap showed a portion of a woman's face. She appeared to have dark skin and jet black hair, but the photo was so coated with soot that it was difficult to tell. Emma didn't recognize the woman in this photo but her eyes lit up at the familiar face. "This is my mother," she announced, pointing at the burnt image of a blonde haired woman with long, flipped bangs that were vintage 1970s. "It proves Ozmund Welch or whoever was living out there did have a connection to my mother."

"You may want to look at that last one…"

Shifting the two images she'd already seen to the bottom of the pile, Emma's jaw fell slack at the third imagine. "Son of a bitch…" she muttered, yanking out her phone and tapping one of the contacts. "Graham - stay here and don't let anyone through that doorway…" She darted into the corridor with the bag still clutched in her fist, leaving a bewildered Graham behind. She had the phone to her ear awaiting an answer, bypassing the normal greeting when the person on the other end answered. "Regina - are you still in the hospital?"

"I just walked outside. What is it?"

"Meet me in the lobby. There's something I want you to see," Emma implored as she stepped inside the elevator.

"Fine," Regina replied, pivoting on her heels to return to the lobby. "This had better be good…"

"It may answer one of our biggest questions…" Emma explained before her phone lost service inside the elevator.

Regina was waiting for her when the elevator doors parted at the ground floor and as soon as the other passengers came and went, Emma ushered Regina over to the still-unoccupied alcove she'd called from earlier.

"Alright, Emma… what is this about?"

"This," Emma stated as she held up the evidence bag for Regina to view. "Look at this… Graham found it in the fireplace at the house where we found Killian."

"What am I looking at here?" Regina queried, squinting her eyes as she glanced at the scorched photo, trying to make out the image.

"It's a photo of me." Emma said as she showed Regina the other two remnants. "And here's one of my mom and a really old one of a woman I think was the first victim… I understand the possible connection to my mom, but if he's got photographs of all of his opponents?"

"That's a little disturbing, but you said this would help give some answers. I don't understand…"

"Regina - this isn't a recent photograph of me. It was taken in Boston a couple of years ago. The dress I'm wearing was from an undercover sting - the same case I was on when I met Walsh!"

"Could it be a coincidence?" Regina asked, but she already doubted that herself.

"Do you believe in coincidence?" Emma retorted. "If this warlock or trickster, or whatever the hell he is, was stalking me then, he had to have already known who I was. I didn't even know I had magic back then, so how did he? Only someone who knew my mother could possibly have known that which meant they had to be connected to Storybrooke…"

"Which means…?"

"I think it means Walsh is no innocent bystander. I don't think my true love could possibly be someone who was already plotting this game years before I knew I was playing."

"Well, there's only one way to know for sure…"

"And that is?"

"You make the choice that Captain Jones is your true love and then you get back up there and kiss the holy hell out of that man."

#CSSNS #captain swan supernatural summer #cs ff #cs au ff #witch emma #a simple spell #sorry to leave it there but the next chapter had to start with the kiss

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swanqueeneverafter · 5 years

Text

After The Sunset, Pt.20

The Enchanted Forest. Past. (Rumplestiltskin is training another girl in the same location as before when Queen Regina approaches.) Regina: “Who's this?” Rumplestiltskin: “Ah, your replacement, of course. I needed someone more dedicated.” Regina: “Dedicated? (She turns and rips the girl's heart out and crushes it with ease. Rumplestiltskin giggles:) Now... where were we?”

The Land Without Magic. Past. Boston. 2010. (Emma is sat in her yellow bug on a busy street. She is on the phone to someone as she flicks through a file.) Emma: “Yes, sir, I'm on the trail. You'll have your skip by tonight, and then the next one... yeah, no, I know. I know it's a trial period, but you'll see I've got this. I can do it. Okay. (Sees a girl walk past her car:) Oh, I got to go. Bye. (Hangs up the phone, gets out of the car with the file and follows the young girl into the shop:) Hi.” Tasha: “Hi. Can I help you?” Emma: “Maybe.” (Hands her the photo that Cleo kept in her purse.) Tasha: “Where did you get this?” Emma: “So, it's you?” Tasha: “Uh...” Emma: “Tasha Morris?” Tasha: “I've never seen this picture before, but yeah, that looks like me. Am I in some kind of trouble?” Emma: (Smiles sadly:) “Here's the thing. I... knew your birth mother, Cleo Fox.” Tasha: “Oh. Oh, my God.” Emma: (Places the file, which turns out to be Cleo's in front of Tasha:) “I collected everything I could find about her. I have access to some records from work. I just thought... you might want to know where you came from.” Tasha: (Happy:) “Is... is she looking for me?” Emma: (Tears up:) “She's...” Tasha: (Smile fades:) “Oh.” Emma: “I'm sorry.” Tasha: “Thanks. (As Emma walks away:) Hey. Thank you so much.” Emma: (Smiles then goes to leave, but a red leather jacket catches her eye:) “Hey. Could you ring this up for me?” Tasha: “Yeah, of course.” Emma: (Takes the red jacket and puts it on:) “I’ve got to get to work.” Storybrooke. Present. Storybrooke General Hospital. (Lily is being wheeled in on a stretcher with David following closely behind. Snow White arrives through another door and talks with her husband as Lily is admitted.) Snow White: “I-I got here as soon as I could.” David: “She went alone to the cannery to try and catch Spencer. I found her at the foot of the steps unconscious.” Snow White: “That’s terrible. Was there any sign of Spencer?” David: “No, he’s still out there somewhere. I'm gonna go break the news to Maleficent. I think as soon as I do, Spencer won’t be missing for long.” Snow White: “You think she’ll go after him?” David: “Well if it was your daughter, what would you do?” Snow White: “Yeah, all right, uh... I'll stay here. I'll let you know what the doctors say.”

Enchanted Forest. Present. (Rumplestiltskin and Belle stand opposite Emma and Regina as they go over possible honeymoon options.) Emma: "I think I know my answer, how about you?" Regina: (Smiles:) "Well, it is called the romance capital of the world..." Emma: (Nods:) "Only one way to find out." Belle: "Excellent choice. Don't you agree, Rumple?" Rumplestiltskin: (Stands uneasily, as if something is on his mind, when he's gently nudged by Belle:) "Yes. Paris is... a wonderful choice." Emma: "Great, then it's settled." Belle: (Beams:) "I just know you guys will love it." Regina: "Well if we're going to the Land Without Magic, we'll have to stop back home and pack." Emma: “Do we have to? I really don’t want to go back there already, what if there’s some crisis we get pulled into and then we never get to go on honeymoon?” Regina: “No, you’re right. (Considers:) I suppose I could magic our clothes from home to the palace?” Emma: (Smiles:) "Yeah, that’d be great. Then all we have to do is find some clothes that are a little more 'City of Light' than 'Dark Palace'." Regina: (Chuckles:) "I've got plenty of outfits that would work perfectly for Paris. It's you we may need to shop for." Emma: (Laughs:) "Right. (To Rumple and Belle:) Well, we're gonna go pack I guess. Thanks for the tip you guys." Belle: "You're welcome." Rumplestiltskin: "A-and if you're looking for places to eat while you're there, tell the people at 'Le Cinq' Mr. Gold sent you." Regina: (Smiles:) "We will." (With that, Regina uses her magic to send herself and Emma to the Dark Palace.) Belle: (As they disappear:) "Have fun! (To Rumple:) That was a nice touch, Rumple. Very convincing." (Belle walks on, leaving Rumplestiltskin to stare at the place Regina and Emma were last seen with a grim look on his face.) The Enchanted Forest. Past. (The Doctor and Jefferson are walking up a hill in the forest.) Doctor: (Upon reaching the top:) “Enough. I need to be taken home. Now. I have work to do, and I believe our deal is done.” Jefferson: “The deal isn't done until he says it's done.” Rumplestiltskin: (Walking up the other side of the hill:) “Now, now. Patience, please. Our transaction is, uh, nearly complete.” Doctor: “And are you satisfied with the results?” Rumplestiltskin: “She did seem rather... heartbroken.” Doctor: “She is. She bought my failure.” Jefferson: “You should've seen her tears.” Rumplestiltskin: “I've seen the aftermath. Impressive.” Doctor: “Now... my property?” Jefferson: “Yeah, here it is.” (Jefferson hands the Doctor a box.)

Doctor: “You'll excuse me if I check. (Opens box to find a beating, enchanted heart:) It's been a pleasure doing business with you.” Rumplestiltskin: “Oh, the pleasure was mine. Thanks to your efforts, I've made my monster. Now I do hope, you'll be able to make yours.” Doctor: “I'm not making a monster.” Rumplestiltskin: “Sure you're not. Good luck.” Doctor: “If these hearts are as strong as you say, I won't need luck.” Rumplestiltskin: “Oh, just magic.” Doctor: “No. What I'm going to accomplish goes far beyond magic.” Rumplestiltskin: “And yet you need a magical heart to do it.” Doctor: “So small-minded. I need my powers to transcend the limitations of your magic.” Rumplestiltskin: “This must be quite a land you hail from if you think your abilities are more powerful.” Doctor: “They are.” Rumplestiltskin: “Care to wager? I suspect someday you'll see it my way.” Doctor: “I doubt it. Now may we go?” Rumplestiltskin: (He gives the Jefferson the okay. Jefferson opens a portal using his hat:) “Careful, dearie. Just remember, whatever it is you traffic in, it comes with a price.” Doctor: “We'll see.” (The Doctor and Jefferson jump into the portal.) Enchanted Forest. Present. (Will Scarlett makes his way through the forest searching for someone.) Will: (Muttering to himself:) "Why the bloody hell couldn't we meet at your cottage? (Turning in all directions, he calls out:) Alice! Alice where are ya?! (Turning once more he sees his sister standing in a red cloak and heads over to her:) Alice. (She steps behind a tree, keeping her distance:) What's this about? What's going on?" Alice: "I have to leave, Will. I have to help someone and I don't know how long I'll be gone." Will: "Well that's easy, I'll come with you." Alice: "No, please. Where I'm going... it's dangerous and I can't put the people I love in harm's way. (Stepping out from behind the tree, Alice puts a letter on the ground addressed to 'My Love':) Please give this to her for me. (Will picks up the letter:) I don't have one for you but, you already know how I feel." Will: "Alice, I don't like this. At least tell me what you're going to do." Alice: "I can't, Will. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone. Please just know that I love you and I'll be back as soon as I can." Will: (Sighs, holds up the letter:) "I'll deliver this, but whatever is written inside, you know she'll come looking for you." Alice: (Smiles:) "Take it." (Alice steps behind the tree again but when Will tries to follow her, his sister has disappeared.)

Forbidden Fortress. (Spencer runs along the darkened hallway of the fortress. Tripping on something, the man falls to the ground. Looking behind him, he grimaces, knowing the end is near.) Spencer: (Defiantly:) "I suppose I knew it would always end like this. The moment I let that imp into my kingdom to find me a son, I sealed my own fate. (Spits on the ground:) Magic. It doesn't solve people's lives, it destroys them." Maleficent: (Slowly stalking towards him:) "I don't know what it is about me that makes people think I want to hear their problems. Maybe I smile too much. All I know is, your fate was sealed the moment you hurt my daughter. Now, normally I would rip your throat out and watch you bleed to death, but I need to get to the hospital and I simply don't have the time." Spencer: "Get on with it, then." Maleficent: "Gladly." (Maleficent's eyes glow yellow and as Spencer watches on, she transforms into a dragon before him. Standing at her full height, the dragon rears back before engulfing Spencer in flames.) Wonderland. Past. (After being brought back to Wonderland by the White Rabbit at his sister's behest, Will Scarlett travels alone through the forest. Dejected after having reunited with Alice only to lose her again, Will barely notices when he is surrounded by several men on horseback.) Rapunzel: (Arriving on her own horse:) “I heard rumours that you had returned to Wonderland, and I just had to see it for myself.” Will: “Well, you’ve seen me, now can I leave?” Rapunzel: “Since the Dark Curse has been lifted, I’ve continued my quest to resurrect Anastasia. I’ve used every heart Cora had in her vault and yet my daughter remains lost to me.” Will: “I’m very sorry to hear that, but you’re not the only one dealing with loss. Maybe it’s time you thought about-” Rapunzel: “I know you’ve scoured every realm looking for a cure, a potion, a sorcerer powerful enough to reunite you with your sister. I am begging you, Will, surely you know of someone, anyone you’ve met in your travels who could help me?” Will: (Watches her closely, seeing the familiar longing in her eyes often reflected in his own:) “There may be someone who could help you. He was swept up in the curse from another land. In Storybrooke, he was known as Whale, but in his own realm, they call him: Frankenstein.” The Land Without Color. Past. (This world is black-and-white. The Doctor is revealed to be Dr. Victor Frankenstein. He enters his lab where his assistant is at work.) Victor's Assistant: “Doctor. You've returned. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Dr. Frankenstein: “Yes. (He reveals the heart, which has retained its red glow despite being in a colorless world:) Look at it. It's remarkable, isn't it?” Victor's Assistant: “The final piece to the puzzle.” Dr. Frankenstein: “I believe so. Let's begin.” (Dr. Frankenstein performs the experiment and it appears to be successful. The subject on the table raises its hand.) Dr. Frankenstein: “It's alive.” Victor's Assistant: “You did it. Victor, you did it.” Dr. Frankenstein: “Yes... I believe I have. Welcome back, brother.” Victor's Assistant: “It's magic, Dr. Frankenstein.” Dr. Frankenstein: “No. Not magic. Science.” Enchanted Forest. Present. (Rumplestiltskin and Belle walk side by side through the forest. Rumple's expression is pensive.) Belle: (Nudging him with her shoulder:) "Oh, stop worrying, Rumple. You played your part expertly, they didn't suspect a thing." Rumplestiltskin: "Well if you're so pleased, then why don't you- (Suddenly, Rumplestiltskin is knocked off balance by someone running into him. Straightening up and facing the person:) Mulan?" Mulan: (Catching her breath, notices his companion:) "Belle?" Belle: (Glances at Rumple then back to the warrior:) "Mulan!" Mulan: (They embrace:) "How are you, friend?" Belle: "I-I'm well. Yourself?" Mulan: "Actually, I'm on the hunt again. There's a beast that's been terrorising villagers and I've tracked it here. (Stops, listens:) Wait." Belle: “What is it?” Mulan: “Wild creature. Very large. Very close. Stay here.” (Mulan runs off to find the creature.) Belle: (Curiously, follows:) “Mulan? Mulan?! Mulan.” (Belle and Rumplestiltskin catch up and find Mulan stood by a hole in the ground.) Mulan: “Well, I'm afraid this won't be much of a hunt. Whatever that was, it fell into this old hunting pit. (Sees the beast:) Impossible.” Belle: “What is it?” Mulan: “It's an ogre.” Rumplestiltskin: “Wha... no. I thought the ogres were wiped out.” Mulan: “Not all of them.” Belle: “Look at him. He... he's barely full grown. He's just a child. Maybe he wandered too far from home?” Mulan: “Or maybe they're using their young as scouts and an entire army's following behind. Now that the realms are united, everyone could be at risk.” Rumplestiltskin: (Uses his magic to pull the ogre from the pit:) “No, something’s not right. I’ve seen my share of ogres. This one’s different.”

Storybrooke. Present. Storybrooke General Hospital. (Lily lays unconscious in her hospital bed as Elsa speaks with the nurse.) Nurse: "She has a broken wrist and a concussion. We're gonna keep her overnight for observation, but she's going to be fine." Elsa: "Thank you." (The nurse leaves and Elsa moves closer to Lily, stroking her hair. Taking a deep breath, Elsa holds her hands above the unconscious woman and, using her powers, heals Lily's injuries. Taking a moment to compose herself, Elsa's attention is caught by movement in the doorway.) Maleficent: (Leaning against the door frame:) "Now just who in the world are you?" Enchanted Forest. Present. (With Belle and Mulan looking on, Rumplestiltskin uses his powers to turn the ogre back into its true form.) Hook: (Gasping, trying to clear his head, looking to Rumple:) "Henry. He's in trouble!"

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

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