#my writing: ouat

[zipzin]

Keep it Safe - Also on Ao3

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Rating: Gen

Relationships: Regina Mills/Emma Swan

Characters: Emma Swan, Regina Mills, Henry Mills

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, season 3b, Regina's very bad half season

The wind is biting outside Mifflin, and Emma shivered in her leather jacket. It felt good to be back in it, perhaps the only thing about being here that felt right. Well maybe als-

The rest of her thought was cut off as Regina stomped down the steps.

“You don’t have to do this.” Emma stared at her, “Regina, please, I’m not going to lose you to some witch claiming to be your sister.” What was with this town a fucked up families?

“She is my sister.” Regina grit out.

“So what?” Emma said with her fists clenched. “I know you’re kinda about pissing contests, but you don’t owe her anything. You can back out.”

“I’m not backing down,” Regina rolled her eyes and then avoided looking at Emma, “But there is one thing you can do for me.”

“Anything,” Emma promised.

“Take this,” Regina held out a small, well sack. Emma stared at it, the black leather smoothly sliding over her fingers as she grabbed it.

“Um okay, I already ate dinner? And Henry is eating fine too.” Emma added hastily. Even though Regina had seen him (albeit at a distance) and seen he’d not been malnourished the last year, she still didn’t trust Emma to take care of him. Not that she was going to say no to free leftovers. “But still Regina, you don’t need to fight her.”

“It’s not dinner,” Regina said frostily, “Wait-”

Emma tossed the sack into the passenger seat of the bug and turned back. Regina’s eyes widened and her hands went to grab it as it thumped against the seat. Emma’s mouth dropped open as Regina clutched her chest, wincing.

“You idiot-”

“Regina,” Emma felt her heart hammer against her chest, “What was in the bag?”

“What do you think?”

Emma trembled as she scrambled to grab it and stared into it in horror. “Please tell me this isn’t your heart.”

Regina took an unnecessary step closer and bared her teeth. “It is.”

“You’re giving your heart to me?”

“Yes.”

“What? Why?” Emma dared not move.

Regina sighed, “I’m not an idiot, Miss Swan, I’m going against a witch in battle, sometimes it’s best to leave your heart behind. If my mother taught me anything.”

“Your heart?” Emma gulped feeling faint.

Regina twiddled her thumbs, looking down, “Hearts are very powerful, if Zelena defeats me-”

“She won’t.”

“Thank you for your loyalty,” Regina rolled her eyes, “You were just saying I don’t need to fight her.”

“You don’t need to fight her,” Emma said and gingerly lowered the bag, “But that doesn’t mean you’ll lose.”, 

“As I was saying,” Regina said, “Heart’s are very powerful whether she means to kill me,” Emma bit back a wince, “or use it as an ingredient, it’s best that she doesn’t have any access to it.”

“And me?”

“I trust you.” Regina spit out, like the fact was a personal failing. Knowing Regina, it probably was.

The words filled Emma with the same rush of warmth as others did a whole year ago. A lifetime of good memories. Emma blinked, unable to maintain eye contact, “With your heart?”

“You already have it,” Regina said and turned around, eyes watery as the words washed over Emma like a cold shower, “Just I know you can keep it safe. Hide it, don’t bring it tonight.”

“Fine,” She muttered, and stuffed the sack into her jacket. She could feel it beat against her chest.

“Thank you,” Regina said, “I have a couple more preparations to make. I’ll meet you at the clock tower.”

“Regina,” Emma said and they stared at each other for a long moment, “Kick her ass.”

“Oh I will,” Regina answered with a smirk.

“Here,” Emma shoved the black bag back into Regina’s arms. Regina’s text hadn’t come soon enough. Henry dozed in the bed behind the closed motel door, and Emma still wasn’t sure what to think about Regina crashing into the clock tower.

There was something about seeing Regina like that, snarling and vicious, directed at someone else, that made it impossible to look away.  Emma had felt a cold streak of horror when Zelena’s hand plunged into her chest, and for a second Emma thought she could see a smirk of triumph on Regina’s face.

Regina took the bag carefully, holding it open and letting out a sigh of relief, as if she couldn’t quite believe that the heart was still there. 

“Do you need help?” Emma asked, not entirely certain what the protocol was in situations like this. Regina had taken it out herself, so it was probably fine, but was she just supposed to watch?

“Yes,” Regina answered, surprising Emma.

“Oh, um, I just kinda place it where it’s supposed to go, right?”

Regina’s laugh twinkled throughout the hallway, “No Emma, I can put my heart back myself.”

“Okay?” Emma felt her forehead scrunch.

Regina thrust out the bag, “I need you to hold onto this for longer.”

“Longer?” Emma breathed, “But what about Henry and the danger? And you! You’re just going to walk around without your heart? Didn’t you say Cora took out her heart?” They both flinched at the mention of her mother, and an apology was already halfway out of Emma’s mouth, “Not that you’re your mother, I just-”

“Emma,” Regina said seriously, “You think Zelena is going to give up after one attempt? I’m certain that she’ll be watching me.”

“And you don’t think she’ll be watching me?” Emma scoffed.

“She will,” Regina confirmed, “But you can protect this heart better than most. We’ll need to start magic lessons. I think light magic may be the only way to stop her.”

“Why can’t you keep it safe in your chest?” Emma hated the whine in her voice.

“You saw what will happen if I keep it in my chest. It needs to stay hidden,” Regina barred her teeth, “I trust you.”

Emma thought about Henry behind the door, “Fine,” Emma said, “I’ll keep it.”

Regina nodded and turned, “And don’t just keep it in your nightstand.”

“How did you-” Emma bit her lip as Regina poofed away.

Dramatic asshole, she thought as a smile crossed her mouth.

Emma let herself into her parents' apartment the next morning. Henry had known something was up at breakfast as Emma stressed over her new hiding spot, but he was safe with Killian at the motel and couldn’t ask her any more questions. 

Inside, she found Regina already standing, hands flexing on the back of a chair as Snow demanded, “So, where is it now? In your chest?”

“It is safe,” Regina answered evenly.

“Safe? What about us, are we safe?  You of all people should know how dangerous this is.”

Regina’s knuckles turned white, her face contorting as she spit out, “I can assure you that you are safe.”

Snow continued, “Your mother-”

Emma winced.

“Snow, you really don’t need to tell me anything about my mother,” Regina all but yelled. 

Emma looked at David, itching to do something. What, she had no idea. He just gave her the slightest head nod that she took as, just wait.

“Right,” Snow capitulated after the two of them stared at each other for a silent minute.

“Where is it?” David asked softly once they had turned away from each other.

“That’s none of your concern,” Regina nodded at Emma in greeting. “The less you two know, the better.”

“Is it-”

“I have someone taking care of it. He is trustworthy.” Regina cut Snow off before she could finish another word.

He? Emma frowned and like a gulping fish, asked, “He?” 

What was she? Was this some elaborate ploy?

Regina shot her a look, “Yes, he. Not Charming.”

“Well, obviously not,” Snow said and then looked at Emma with sorrowful eyes, “Is it Killian?”

Regina screeched, “Killian! That unwashed vagrant!”

Emma cut over the rest of Regina’s curses, “That’s all we’re getting Snow, okay?” She didn’t like the thought of anyone else having it, least of all Killian, but she wasn’t certain she could listen to more.

“So, what’s the plan with Zelena?” David asked.

“I’ve put up protection wards,” Regina said, “Here, Emma’s room at Granny’s, my house, they can be broken, but they aren’t blood wards so she will have to work at it.”

“And if they’re broken?” David asked.

“Hopefully, by then Emma or I will know and we’ll defend against whatever attack she has planned.” Regina rolled her eyes.

“So we just wait?” Emma said.

Regina pinched the bridge of her nose, “All we know is that Zelena wants my heart.”

“And that she was interested in our baby,” Snow cut in.

“Yes,” Regina sighed as Emma shifted in her shoes, “That’s hardly enough to go on. We need more information. So you sit tight while Emma and I investigate.”

“I can help investigate too,” David said.

“You need to protect Snow,” Regina said.

“And the best way I can protect her is if I’m out there figuring out what she wants,” He replied.

Regina huffed and looked at Emma for help.

“You can help us with the search,” Emma said evenly, ignoring Regina’s glare. “We need bodies, we have no idea where she’s hiding. But at the first sign of trouble you let us take over and return here.”

David gave a short nod.

They talked for another thirty minutes, that just made Emma more and more aware that she was out of place here. Her parents were biologically younger and expecting a baby. A whole other human. There’d soon be no more room in the loft for her or Henry, they’d have to crash on the couch if they wanted to spend the night.

She wanted Henry to never regain his memories.

It was a relief when Regina excused herself and Emma could follow suit. That she could ignore Snow and David’s invite to lunch because of Henry.

The door closed behind them and Emma demanded, “Him?”

“Miss Swan.”

“Don’t Miss Swan me, what do you mean him?” She’d been accused of being butch before, but she wasn’t that butch.

Regina pursed her lips together and dragged Emma down the stairs. A wave of her hands and Emma could feel a flash of magic envelope them. 

“Emma,” Regina sighed, “I trust your mother,” She frowned as the words came out of her mouth, “But she cannot keep a secret. And do you really want her doting around you telling you some saccharine thing about keeping my heart safe?”

“Well, no-”

“So what’s the big deal?”

Emma let out a sigh as something softened in her chest, “So there’s no him?”

“No, there’s a him,” Regina chuckled.

“What?” Emma blinked. Had Regina met someone? They didn’t have their memories of the missing year and she’d met someone? In two weeks? A shot of something flashed through her.

“Lies are only as good as the truth that’s in them.”

Emma stared at Regina who avoided eye contact and Emma felt her mouth go dry. Oh. “You gave some guy a heart? A real heart?”

“Well, it wouldn’t do for him to think that it isn’t mine.”

“Regina, how many hearts do you have?” The words tasted like ash in her mouth.

Regina just looked at the wall.

She let out a deep sigh and rubbed at her forehead. “You know what, I don’t want to know. Who is it then? This him,” she mocked.

Regina raced a perfectly manicured eyebrow, “That’s not relevant.”

“I think it is.”

“No, it’s not.” Regina repeated. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

Emma’s eyes narrowed, “Shouldn’t I know so I can help protect him?”

“Do you want to bring more attention to him? Absolutely not.”

“Fine.”

“Good,” Regina said with disdain, “Zelena is undoubtedly not an idiot, so unless you want her poking around you and Henry even more, I need to lay down false tracks. Understood?”

“Yes,” Emma felt like she was back in one of the few classes she attended in high school.

“Now,” Regina said, “I’ll be heading home.” 

She flicked her wrists and the magical barrier dissipated.

“Wait!” Emma grabbed her arm, and Regina frowned at her. “I just, well, I thought that you might want to come to the diner with me, Henry will be there. We could have lunch?”

Regina’s eyes shined, “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude.”

Emma felt her heart twist, “No, he’s curious about everything, so another face would be a good thing. Maybe put him off the trail for a bit.”

“Okay.” Regina nodded. “I’d like that.”

They finished making their way down the stairs and began walking to Granny’s in silence. At least Storybrooke was mostly walkable, if she had to give that up alongside not dealing with fairytale bullshit she wouldn’t have left New York.

Regina hesitated at the doorway of Granny’s. Emma looked back at her and said, “You coming in?”

“I think-” She wrung her hands in those red leather gloves that Emma had spent way too long thinking about and Emma turned fully to face her. “I’m not sure that I can do this.”

“Regina,” Emma strode over and took the clenching hands into her own, “It will be fine, I promise.”

“What am I going to say?” Regina said.

“You’re going to ask him all about New York,” Emma said, “And he’ll be mildly curious about why you’re there, but I’ll handle that.”

Regina's eyes narrowed, “Emma, you can’t lie to him.”

Emma rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious,” Regina said, “You can’t. And I won’t.”

“I’ll say that we were working together and I asked you to join me for lunch because I knew that your house was empty.”

Regina’s nostrils flared, “Fine.”

Emma ushered her inside. She couldn’t tell Regina that she planned to go back. This investigation would go from, well, Regina would probably team up with Zelena, knowing their luck. But she could give Regina these moments and convince Henry that Regina was a friend.

And maybe Regina could come visit.

Maybe she could move.

Emma shook the thought out of her head as they found Henry sitting at the counter drinking a milkshake.

“Henry,” Emma tried to not laugh at the deer in headlights look he gave when he turned around. “Killian, he hasn’t had lunch yet!”

Killian shrugged from his spot next to him, “Let the boy have what he wants.”

Emma didn’t dare look at the expression on Henry’s face. “Well I’m having lunch, come on, the mayor’s joining us.”

Henry nodded at Regina, “Hello.”

“Hi.”

Emma shooed Killian away as they all slid into a booth and Emma stared at the menu in front of her. “How was your day?”

“It was fine. What did you do?”

“Still working on the investigation. Regina was helping me.”

“Really?” Henry turned his eyes to her, brimming with curiosity.

“I’m afraid we didn’t make much progress,” Regina said.

“Oh.”

“But your mom tells me you enjoyed New York. I’ve never been.”

“You haven’t?”

And like that they were off, Emma barely had to say anything as they ordered food and ate. She just sat back and let Regina drink in Henry until the dinner crowd began to crawl in and Granny ushered them out to free up the table.

Emma leaned up and grabbed the bag from the corner of the closet. She let out a sigh as the now familiar weight of Regina’s heart was still there. She had made a point to check every time she reentered the room.

Well, almost every time.

She pulled it out and stared at the mesmerizing ruby and black swirls. Would Regina’s heart have looked the same two years ago? She knows it didn’t. They’d both changed so much in two years, hell Regina willingly spends time with Snow now. Something Emma’s not sure she even likes. And instead of fighting against each other for Henry, they fight together. Still for Henry, but united with the same goal.

Mostly the same goal, Emma thought as a vision of New York flashed in her head.

Emma shifted in her seat, they were something like friends. Maybe even best friends? She released a shaky breath. Regina had entrusted her with her two most precious things in the world. And given her a lifetime of memories that Emma hadn’t even known she ached for.

They were-

The bathroom door sprang open and Emma bobbled the heart back into the bag.

“Are you looking at that bag again?” Henry asked, a small speck of toothpaste on the corner of his lips.

“Just making sure it’s safe.” Emma said and put it back up on the top shelf.

Henry watched her with raised eyebrows, “Why don’t you put it in the safe?”

Emma stared at the safe that hadn’t changed in twenty years and grimaced. Who knew if that thing even worked properly. “That’s the first place robbers would look.”

He rolled his eyes and huffed as he launched himself onto the rollaway, “Sure, whatever.” And pulled out his phone without another glance at her.

She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to be here. She wants to be back in New York, absently wondering how she managed to make things work while raising Henry. She wanted that to be her only fairytale. 

She doesn’t want Regina’s heart.

She let out a loud sigh.

“Mom,” Henry grumbled out, “Are we going to bed?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Emma sighed and got up, darting to the bathroom.

Once this is over, she thinks, we will go back.

Regina joins them for breakfast. Almost every morning.

It starts on accident, Regina sliding into the booth to discuss a couple things while Henry is at the counter and Henry joins back and says, “Oh Miss Mayor, are you staying? It was cool to talk to you at lunch.”

Regina froze, eyes watery, “I should-”

“You’re much cooler than Mom,” Henry smirked and Emma wondered about the ethics of kicking him underneath the table. Regina’s eyes were wide, brimming with some emotion Emma couldn’t identify.

“She is,” Emma cut Henry off before he could say anything else and Henry beamed and pestered her with questions about what it meant to run a town.

Regina had looked softer than Emma had ever seen her.

The first time is an accident, the second time, Emma grabs Regina’s coffee and all but orders her into the booth, and the third time Henry greets her and nods to the seat across from him so she has no choice.

Regina doesn’t resist after that.

It’s like something out of Henry’s book, except Henry doesn’t know about the book and Regina is not his mother and, Emma doesn’t focus on it too much. Not the rocking guilt that’s building every time Regina smiles at him. Not the shivers that tingle down her spine about the explosion that will rock the town when Emma tells her they’re leaving. Not the rapid beating on her heart at the devastation that will be written across Regina’s face. 

They can give Regina these moments to have when they go back to New York. It will be enough, Emma determines, it has to be.

Regina will understand, New York is safer. Henry won’t be kidnapped by Peter Pan or body swapped, there won’t be self-destruct switches, or monsters. She’ll understand.

She has to.

Emma played with the leather bag on the table. They were in the vault for another of Regina’s “totally safe” magic lessons. She mostly left Regina’s heart in the motel room, but with Henry out with Snow and Charming and no one watching the diner, she felt better if it was on her.

And it’d be safe with Regina here.

“So what’s it today?” Emma asked, “You found another bridge to terrify me with?”

“No,” Regina shivered, “We are not doing that again. Ever. We are going to do something a little more relevant.”

“Relevant?”

“You should learn how to hide objects.” Regina was staring at the bag and Emma flinched her hand away from it.

“You can hide objects? Why didn’t you do that in the first place?” Emma asked.

“It’s not that simple,” Regina said, “but since you insist on taking that with you everywhere, you should be able to vanish it for a while.”

“I don’t take it with me everywhere!” The rest of Regina’s statement processed. “Wait? Vanish it? What if it disappears forever?” It was scary enough knowing that Regina didn’t have her heart now.

“Not actually vanish it,” Regina rolled her eyes, “You’re giving a magical boost for it to seem inconsequential.”

“How long can that last?”

“The best can cast it so it lasts lifetimes.” Regina smiled smugly.

“So why don’t you do it?” Emma frowned. Why was she even here? Hadn’t they already figured out that her magic is only good in the moment? That she can’t access it at will for fancy tricks?

Regina turned away from the table, “I can’t be sure, but I believe that Zelena is able to trace my magic. Whether it’s because it’s dark magic or we share blood, she was able to counter me easily at the clock tower. If I cast it, it may have the opposite effect and instead be a glaring sign that something’s there.”

“So I have to do it?” Emma sighed.

“Yes.”

Emma swallowed and looked at the table in Regina’s vault. It was full of small objects. On one side were a series of pebbles, the first a small smooth river stone that was barely larger than a thimble. They got bigger and bulkier as it moved down. Then there were a couple keys, a crystal, a geode, and finally a tiny succulent that she was pretty sure was from Snow’s classroom.

“Fine, how do I do this?”

Regina gave her a gratified look and grabbed the heavy tome that rested on the table and flipped to a marked page. “This one should help us the most,” Regina’s back straightened as she laid it down.

Emma stared at the page and back at Regina trying to hold back a laugh, “I can’t read that.” It was written in what Emma was pretty sure was elvish, but just looked like a bunch of scribbles. Some of the text had gold flaking on it and it looked like it was centuries old.

“I should teach you that next.”

“Please don’t.”

“Hmm.”

They spent the next five minutes going over pronunciation, and based on the flaring of Regina’s nose, Emma was pretty sure she still didn’t have it perfectly correct.

“So that’s it? I just point at the object and repeat that?” Emma gestured at the smallest stone.

“No,” Regina pinched her nose, “You need a hand movement and then, remember, it’s all about intent. You must want to hide it from everyone. Including me.”

“You? Even though it’s your heart?”

“I can’t know Emma. That makes me a bigger liability.”

“Fine,” Emma gritted out, “what’s the movement?”

Regina demonstrated a flick of her wrist and Emma copied her, startling as Regina grabbed her hand to correct her. An ember traveled up her arm and down her spine and she stared at Regina for a couple moments before she realized Regina was still moving her hand in the correct motion.

“More with the wrist.”

Emma swallowed heavily, “Right.”

“Again.”

Emma flicked her wrist with emphasis.

“Excellent.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Miss Swan,” Regina rolled her eyes and then nudged forward the smallest pebble. “Now I want you to focus on this, and think about how you want no one to be able to find it. You don’t want it to disappear, just no one to find it.”

“What happens if it disappears?”

“Well, then I hope you can get it back.” Regina said swiftly.

“Right.” This all felt like the beginning of a terrible mistake. “You sure you want me to do this on your heart?”

“Just try it with the pebble first.”

Emma nodded and focused on the pebble and waved her hand over it. “So?”

“Again, Miss Swan.”

Emma didn’t bother trying to hide her sigh. She had a feeling she was going to be here for a long time.

Emma swung the door shut behind her, “Alright Henry-” 

The rest of the words die on her tongue. Henry sat on her bed, staring at Regina’s heart in his hand. When she’d stashed the bag before she had gone down the check on what they could have for dinner she had not imagined this.

The world froze, “Henry, be very careful with that.”

“This is the thing you are so obsessed with keeping safe? What is it?” He frowned at it.

Emma took a couple steps forward, her heart thundering. “Careful, Henry.”

“It doesn’t feel breakable,” He gave it a little squeeze, “Almost squishy.”

“HENRY!” Emma yelled and raced forward. She took it out of his hand, her heart racing as she grabbed it from him. 

He frowned at her. “Mom, what the-”

“Do not finish that sentence!” Emma checked the heart over and let out a sigh of relief when it appeared undamaged. Though, she didn’t really know what she was looking for. She placed it with shaking hands carefully in the bag.

“Mom?” Henry looked scared as Emma turned around.

“It doesn’t look or feel delicate, but it is and you can easily break it.”

“What’s it made out of? It looks kinda like a heart.” His forehead is still crinkled as he stared at her with wide eyes.

“I don’t actually know,” At least she isn't lying.

Henry frowned, “Is it a fancy plastic? It almost felt like a giant gummy bear? But it was also kinda hard? And not sticky?” He stared at the bag in Emma’s hands, “And you couldn’t see any electronics, it’s pretty amazing how it lit up and changed colors.���

This was why Regina wanted her to learn that stupid spell. She hadn’t even been able to get it to work on the geode yet. There was no way she was risking Regina’s heart.

“Henry, I really don’t know.”

He stared at her and then mumbled out, “Is it my dad’s?”

The air whooshed out of her lungs. Regina and Neal couldn’t be more different, and yet, “yes,” Emma said. Because how can she say anything else?

“Really?”

“It’s something that the woman who killed him wants,” Emma said, “I don’t know why, but we have to hide it.”

“With you? Doesn’t that seem a little obvious?”

Emma wanted to laugh, “You’d think so, but I guess it’s so obvious that she hasn’t thought to look for it here. Your dad and I weren’t exactly chatting with each other when he died.”

“But you’re here for him?”

“Yes.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed like he can sense the lie as potent as Emma can. “I-

He’s cut off as the door is thrown open, and Emma lunged for him, throwing him behind the bed. Regina stood in the entryway, face red, and in one hand, a fireball curled.

“Regina!” Emma squeaked, “Everything’s fine.”

“I felt-”

“Henry’s right here,” Emma continued, “I think that call you got was just an accident.”

The fireball is extinguished, and Regina reeled backwards, “Oh, um.” Her eyes stare at the bag on the bed and back to Henry, who was peeking up from behind the bed.

“I should go.” Regina finally said. Her eyes were watering, and Emma stalked forward. “I-”

“Why don’t you join us for dinner?”

“I already ate.” The lie pinged loudly.

“Hi Mayor Mills,” Henry waved.

Regina gave a smile so broken that Emma felt like she was back in the tunnels. Let me die as Regina. Regina backed out of the room, “Enjoy your dinner, and stay safe.” The door shut as quickly as it was opened.

“Weird.” Henry muttered.

“Yeah, I must have butt dialed her or something,” Emma eeked out.

Henry gave her a weird look, and Emma stashed the heart back in the spot in the closet. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Emma walked down the steps to Regina’s vault with her heart almost beating out of her chest. She’d talked to Snow once, about what it meant to not have your heart, and she described that every emotion was lowered. That you couldn’t feel love.

She kinda wanted to pull her own out right now.

Regina’s was resting in a bag tucked within her jacket. After Henry finding it, she didn’t trust him to not go looking again, and while Killian was taking him out of the motel room, she knew better than most how resourceful Henry could be.

She needed to master this stupid spell.

“Hi,” Emma said as Regina came into view. She was crouched over a book, a pinch between her eyes as she rubbed her temples.

She shut it quickly and stared at Emma, eyes narrowing, “Hi.”

Emma swallowed heavily as they stared at each other in silence. The bag rested uneasily against her side and she hesitantly pulled it out and set it on the table.

Regina looked at it like it was an undefused bomb.

“It’s with you,” She muttered.

“Figured that was safer,” Emma sighed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” What could she say? The she didn’t think Henry, the one who was laser focused on figuring out the curse, wouldn’t be curious enough to look at the bag that Emma kept checking?

Regina closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands and Emma braced herself. She would deserve it.

“I can feel it,” Regina finally muttered.

“What?”

Regina looked at her carefully, “I can feel it when you hold it.”

“Oh.” Emma blinked.

Oh no. All those nights she’d spent staring at it, tracing over the grooves, marveling at the colors, she felt her cheeks blaze red.

“I knew right away that someone else had it,” Regina muttered and rubbed at her chest, “It wasn’t malicious, I knew it wasn’t Zelena or some monkey. It was curious and-” Her voice broke and she leaned against the table.

“Regina-”

“No,” Regina wiped her eyes and stood, “You need to master this.” She pushed the succulent forward. “Now.”

Emma opened her mouth to say something, but seeing the blazing look on Regina’s face just nodded instead.

“Alright, let’s do this.”

“Oh Regina,” Zelena sing songed as she entered Granny’s, waving a glowing heart in her hand with a smirk of triumph. Emma has never been more thankful that Henry was at school. “You thought you could fool me, putting this with some peasant in the woods!”

Regina’s hands clenched and Emma tried to keep the relief off of her face. A peasant in the woods was not a peasant in a hotel room. Though, would Zelena classify her as a peasant? Technically, Emma shivered, she was a princess.

Zelean stroked the heart and Regina stood, “Zelena, it doesn’t have to be like this.”

Not for the first time, Emma thought that Regina deserved an award for acting.

“Oh settle down,” Zelena said, “I’m not here to hurt you. Not yet.”

She held up the heart, and from here, Emma could tell the difference from the one she had stashed away. This one wasn’t as dark, it just had swirls of darkness, not the aching blackness that Emma held and stared at for longer than she’d care to admit. Except apparently Regina knew this entire time.

“Give it here.”

“And lose all of my collateral?” Zelena frowned, “Sister, I’m not stupid, not like,” Zelena’s eyes skated over Emma and to the corner that housed David and Snow, “Your merry band of misfits that you’ve allied with. It’s pathetic really, the Evil Queen stooping so low.”

Regina bared her teeth, “So this is it? You want me to die in this grubby diner?”

“Die?” Zelena cackled, “Oh you are so naive. My precious little sister, thinking I would just kill her.” Zelena grinned at Emma like she would smile back, instead Emma just felt nauseous. “If I wanted that you would be dead already. No, your suffering is going to endure, forever.” Zelena stalked forward, “I’m going to take everything from you.” She winked at Emma with a grin and Emma felt herself move back automatically.

Zelena held up the heart and gave it a little bit of a squeeze. Emma glanced at Regina, who too late, grabbed at her chest.

Zelena frowned and gave it a harder squeeze, “Oh sister, you didn’t.”

Regina stood tall, chest out and heaving, as she grasped at her breast.

“Oh, you are cunning,” Zelena raised the heart to her lips, “Kiss Emma Swan.”

“What?” Emma said and turned to look with Regina. She wetted her lips and tried to communicate telepathically that it would be fine. After all, Zelena had demanded it. What was a little kiss between friends?

Regina turned away, “Fine, Zelena.”

Zelena laughed for a second before scowling, “You bitch! I should just kill you, trying to trick me like that.” And with a ferocious glower, she pressed the heart into dust. It sprinkled onto the floor of Granny’s as Zelena cackled, “You won’t be able to hide forever sister!” And then swept out like she hadn’t been there at all.

Regina collapsed at the table, breathing heavily.

“You could have kissed me,” Emma said for a lack of anything better.

Regina squinted at her and then rolled her eyes, “It wouldn’t have helped. You’re prepared?”

“Yes.” Emma nodded. After a grueling session yesterday they had both been confident that she could finally cast the spell without destroying Regina’s heart. Well Regina had been confident and Emma still felt like she wasn’t really doing anything. She’d done it last night and from what she could tell, it was working. Not that she really had a way to test it.

“Good,” Regina nodded.

“It was fake?!” Snow demanded as she rushed their table. Emma feels herself being pushed aside as David and her take seats.

Regina swallowed heavily.

“Whose was it?!” David demanded.

“Regina, how many hearts do you have?” Snow cut in.

“Did you forget that I’m the Evil Queen?” Regina drew herself up in a regal fury, “I took so many hearts,” she spit out, “And this one-”

“You have no idea,” Emma muttered.

The room stopped for a moment and Regina deflated. Emma bit back a chuckle because it was not really funny, even if the chagrined look, Emma didn’t even know Regina could make that face, was.

“There haven't been any deaths reported yet,” Regina muttered, as if it had been longer than a minute since it was squeezed. “The owner might have already died.” She glanced at the door, “And no one’s come to kiss Emma.”

“Well they’re dead,” Emma said shortly, “So that won’t be happening.”

It sounded like Regina muttered, “good,” but it was too quiet for Emma to make out.

David looked a little sick.

“Where’s your heart Regina?”

“Safe.”

Emma was impressed that Regina didn’t even glance at her, just stared down Snow with royal indignation.

“Who had that one?” Snow eyed the pile of dust one of the waitresses was frantically sweeping.

The million dollar question. Emma had tried to get it out of Regina a thousand times, but she had been extremely tight lipped about it.

“It’s none-”

The rest of Regina’s words were cut off by a man throwing open the door. His face was white with horror and after turning around several times he came to a stop at their table. Regina stared at him with her hands fisted.

“Robin Hood?” Snow uttered loudly. Emma blinked as she took him in, the green clothes and closely trimmed beard. She’d seen him before, she realized, but had never paid much attention to him. This was Robin Hood? She’d wondered if he was ever going to show up and she had to admit that she was a little disappointed. He was so plain.

“Regina,” He marched over to their table, “I’m sorry, Rumplestilskin attacked and he threatened Roland-”

Regina held up a hand to stop him, “It’s alright Robin.”

“She has your heart.”

Regina swallowed nervously, “Not-”

“She’s not dead,” Emma cut in with a dark look. “Go back to your Roland.” Whoever that was.

He turned to her, frowning.

“It’s alright,” Regina said, “Go, be safe.”

He hesitated and then nodded without ceremony and left the diner.

“Him?” Emma asked, “Do you even know him?”

Regina looked suddenly like she was cornered, “I knew he would be trustworthy.”

“Because he’s a thief?” Emma shared a look with Snow, who’s eyes were brimming with suspicion. “I mean, come on, Regina. Did you know him from before?” She couldn’t imagine Robin Hood allying with the Evil Queen, but there were stranger things she’d learned about the Enchanted Forest.

“Not exactly.”

“Not exactly? How does that work?” Snow demanded and for the first time Emma was grateful for her mom’s inability to let anything lie.

Regina pinched her nose and sighed, “He’s my soulmate.”

Soulmate? All her previous questions died on her tongue and her mouth tasted like dirt. What did that even mean? Soulmate? Those were real? Was that like her parents or was this something else? Why did it feel like she had been stabbed through her chest?

“You have a soulmate?” Snow leaned forward with excitement, “But you never-”

“Tinkerbell used pixie dust back when I was a young queen. I never approached him, just saw his tattoo, but,” Regina wrung her hands and stood, “yes.”

“From a tattoo?” Emma couldn’t help herself. Her mind was moving in slow motion, was this why Tinkerbell hated Regina so much?

“So who has your real heart?” David asked, caught between frowning at Regina and staring at his wife who kept softly sighing.

“Who has it doesn’t matter,” Emma cut in. A tattoo? Really? Is he the only person on the planet with that specific tattoo? “Unless they also have a tattoo that matches.”

“Emma,” Regina warned.

“Is it someone you can trust?” Snow asked.

“Yes,” Regina growled. “And it’s protected, it’s far safer than the one that was with him. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.” They watched as she swept out of Granny’s, door slamming behind her.

“She’s touchy,” Emma said as she sipped the cold remains of her coffee.

“Emma,” Snow sighed.

“I know, I know.” Emma stood, “I should probably go too.”

“Okay,” Snow gave a subdued smile.

Emma took the bag down before she could stop herself. And with a slowing heart, confirmed that Regina’s heart is still there. At least, she figures it’s Regina’s. She wouldn’t put it past her to have a third floating somewhere out there.

She pulled it out before she could stop herself. It looked the same as always, a dazzling glow of black with a heavy swirl of red. Emma felt and heard the beat and she finally let out a loud sigh.

It’s safe.

It’s safe and it’s here. It’s in her possession, not Regina’s so-called soulmate.

Emma bristled at the thought. Is there any escape from destiny and fate in this stupid town?

Regina’s soulmate is some boring forest person. Robin Hood, Emma’s brain reminded her, even if the one she met had nothing on the fox she had an embarrassing crush on.

Because fuck, Emma stared at the swirls, she liked Regina. She liked Regina more than she ever thought possible and it’s just one more secret she’s going to have to take with her to New York when this is all over.

A tear traced down her cheek and Emma fruitlessly wiped it away as she returned the bag to its shelf, heart hidden, suddenly too aware that apparently Regina could feel it when she held it.

How did this happen?

There’s a cackle in the hallway and Emma froze, bag hovering in her hand right above its place in the closet. She hurriedly placed it and rushed to the door. The peephole revealed her worst fear, and her heart hammered.

“You can hide, Savior!” Zelena spat with disgust, “but I know you have it!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Emma yelled back and fumbled for her phone, trying to type out a message to Regina.

She felt a surge of power against the door and Emma dropped it as she tried to absorb it. In all of their lessons, Regina had complained that Emma wouldn’t focus and that she only relied on instinctive magic. She had no discipline.

Well hopefully instinct would kick in now.

Sweat beaded down her back as she grit her teeth against the wave that threatened the blow apart the door and Regina poofed beside her.

“Help,” Emma gritted out.

Regina immediately dropped into action. Zelena’s wave subsided and with a shake of their heads they poured their own against her. The exhilarating feeling of doing magic with Regina never faded, it was intoxicating, and Emma imagined if she’d felt this at 17, pregnant and powerless, she would have sold her soul to Rumplesticklin as well. Though, she only got this with Regina, so she probably would have just sold her soul to her.

“Hi sister!” Zelena cackled and another flash thundered against the door. There was a crackling and then the magic stopped.

“Did she give up?” Emma asked.

Regina frowned and stared through the peephole, “She’s not there.”

“Is she hiding?”

They shared a nervous glance and Regina tried the doorknob. It didn’t budge.

“Sometimes it sticks,” Emma said and brushed aside, her hand hot from where it laid against Regina’s waist, “Let me.” She jammed her shoulder against the frame. Emma reeled back, it felt like she’d just shoulder checked a cement wall.

“Oh yes, you know exactly what you’re doing.” Regina snarked, “Why does this matter, we can just teleport.” Regina flicked her wrists, but nothing happened. She frowned and tried again.

“She must have put up some sort of magic barrier,” Regina gritted out, “Help me.”

“Do what?” Emma sighed.

Regina just held out her hand and Emma grabbed it. She could feel Regina pull magic off her as her fingers moved at a rapid pace, twitching back and forth in some pattern that was incomprehensible to Emma. This was a different kind of intoxicating, a merging of presence that had Emma feel warm all the way down to her toes. Regina’s brow furrowed and after a moment she pulled back with a heavy breath.

“Why would she do this?” Regina frowned, “My heart’s still here?”

“Yes,” Emma said as her eyes found the closet. It was open and the bag sat there, mocking her.

Regina stretched and began again, siphoning magic in careful locks and Emma leaned against her, feeling tired.

It took about thirty minutes of Regina carefully prodding the barrier before she broke it, and with sweaty hands and faces, they finally opened it, bracing for some sort of attack.

Nothing came.

“Stay here,” Regina commanded.

“Why? She’s out here. You’re no match against her alone.”

“The wards are still in place within this room, and you need to protect it.”

Emma bit her lip, “Fine, but you better call me the second something happens. Or you figure out what’s going on.”

“I will,” Regina promised.

With a nod she left down the hall and Emma closed the door behind her, resisting the urge to kick it. She picked up her phone from the ground and smiled at the outgoing message.

Helfsaldfalsjdf;wght

At least Regina had figured out what it meant. She sat carefully on the bed, flicking through contacts, debating who she should call. She couldn’t call Regina, Snow probably had no idea and worrying her was a bad idea so close to the due date, Henry, she probably shouldn’t add to the questions that he’d been asking, maybe Killian?

A flash of purple smoke filled the room and Regina staggered in place, face pale.

“She took Henry.”

Emma felt her own heart drop through the floor.

The group gathered in Snow and David’s apartment, Regina’s heart stowed carefully in Emma’s jacket, beating in time with Emma’s own racing one. Regina herself paced up and down while the group watched her.

“There’s no question,” Regina finally said, “We turn it over.”

“Regina,” Snow protested, “It’s your heart.”

“And it’s Henry,” Regina marched over. “He has no idea what’s going on, we have no idea what-” She cut herself off.

“No!” Emma yelled, “She’ll kill you! And then Henry will be without-” She couldn’t finish.

Regina turned her blazing eyes towards her, “Henry doesn’t know what he’s missing. He’s without his memories. And we don’t know what Zelena plans to do yet. My heart is just a part of it. There’s still time.”

“But Reg-”

“You’re taking him back to New York anyway.”

Emma felt like she couldn't breathe. Regina wasn’t supposed to know that. How did she know that? How could she know that? Emma hadn’t talked about it with anyone.

“It would be better for him.” Emma choked out.

Regina’s eyes are glassy and her mouth thin and Emma can’t look at her anymore.

“We still don’t have an idea of how to stop Zelena,” David said, “Giving her your heart seems like surrender. She could control you like Rumple.”

“All that matters is that Henry is safe.” Regina barked out.

Emma clenched her fists as she stared at the floor, her heart pounding. There has to be another way. There needs to be. Regina and Henry both need to be safe. She’s the savior, right? Why can’t she save the two most important people to her?

There’s a rapping on the door and Killian opens it carefully, hook out, but lets the intruder in without protest.

“Belle?” Snow asked as she tumbled through, a huge book clutched in hand.

“I found something,” Belle nodded at everyone but Regina. The book thudded against the table and they all stared at it.

“Found?” Emma asked when no one else said anything.

“Regina,” Belle spat out the name, “asked me to look into Zelena and why she was having so much trouble against her.” Belle flipped to the bookmarked page, “I believe that the pendant she wears is a focus for her power.”

“Of course,” Regina muttered.

“So?” Emma asks, looking between her parents and Killian.

“A focus is used to amplify magic, but you need to pour a lot of magic into it to make it and tie yourself to it. It makes you extremely vulnerable without them.” Regina said.

“So what do you use?” Killian drawled, his eyes gleaming black.

“I don’t,” Regina said shortly, “but it does answer a lot of questions about Zelena.”

“So do we need a spell to get it or something?” Emma asked, trying to cut off their bickering before it started.

“We just need to pull it off,” Regina said, “They can’t be summoned, but you can’t use anchoring spells on them either. We just need to get close enough to take it.”

Emma nodded, that sounded more like her speed, “So we fight, bring your heart-”

“Can’t you just get another one?” Snow asked and winced, “Or make a fake.”

“Zelena isn’t going to give over Henry for nothing,” Regina said, “She’ll be checking after last time, and then Henry will be dead.”

Snow nodded and they outlined a plan. Emma swallowed and fetched the heart from her jacket and handed it to Regina, still unable to look at her, “I guess this is for you to have now.”

She could hear Snow’s gasp and Killian’s grumble as the bag exchanged hands, but she ignored them, eyes bright as she stared at Regina.

Regina nodded, “I suppose.”

“We’ll get him back,” Emma promised.

“We have to.”

The clock tower loomed over them. It feels like Emma always finds herself here, staring as it merrily ticks away. She watched it closely, as if one second it would stop and the curse would restart. Except there was a curse, one they still didn’t know who cast, and it didn’t freeze time, just stole their memories and transported them here.

David stayed with Snow. She’s close enough to labor that no one was letting her near Zelena or leaving her alone. Killian came instead, despite Regina’s protests that he’ll be useless and a liability.

Zelena stood with Rumple flanking her, one hand holding the dagger, and the other curled around Henry’s shoulder. His eyes are wide and his hands bound with rough hewn rope.

“Mom!” He called, looking frantically at Emma, “This crazy lady kidnapped me!”

“It’s going to be okay, Henry.” Emma called back.

“Yes, yes, mother and son, how darling,” Zelena drawled, “Now, sister, do you have it?”

“First,” Regina said, “swear on the Dark One’s dagger that you will let Henry go when I give you my heart and that you won’t hurt him.”

Emma bit her lip to keep from protesting, she’d think of something to explain this to Henry. They just needed him to be safe.

Zelena rolled her eyes, “So dramatic. Yes, I swear on the Dark One’s dagger. Now give it here.”

Emma swallowed heavily as Regina strode forward.

“Rumple,” Zelena commanded, “Go ahead and take it.”

Rumple snarled and took a couple steps forward and Emma could feel Belle twitch beside her. Regina raised a hand at Rumple and stared at Zelena. “My deal was with you, and you alone.”

Zelena rolled her eyes and shook her head at Rumple, who took a couple steps back. The two sisters stared at each other and slowly, Regina took the last ten steps forward. Emma bit her lip and clenched her fist as she watched, and saw Henry’s eyes get even wider as he recognized the bag.

Regina held out the bag and after another long stare, Zelena snatched it with a laugh. She peered inside and a shimmer seemed to erupt around Henry. 

Zelena took out the heart and looked over at Regina, “Finally.” She gave it a gentle squeeze and Regina’s hand went to her chest, but her face didn’t change. “A bit battered,” Zelena said to Rumple, “But that will suit us nicely.”

“Whatever you’re planning Zelena-”

“Oh don’t worry a hair on your head, no point in wasting your last days.” Zelena shoved Henry away from her as she cackled.

“RUN HENRY!” Emma yelled and he took off running towards her.

Regina let out a burst of magic at Zelena’s hand holding the dagger and Zelena screeched, the dagger falling to the ground. Regina ducked and kicked it, and it skittered on the asphalt. There’s a scramble of bodies, towards it, Killian, Belle, Zelena, and Rumple, and it ends with Rumple holding it up delightedly. He disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Typical, Emma barely had time to think before she was wrapping Henry up into a hug and pressing a kiss to his forehead, “Go to Killian and take cover.”

“Why?” He asked as Emma shoved him towards Killian.

She took a couple steps forward until she was next to Regina, her hair mussed and sweating as she battled a crazed looking Zelena. She was thrown back and Emma touched her shoulder.

“Together.”

Regina nodded and they sent out a wave of magic together, the combined force throwing Zelena back several inches. Zelena reared back with a wave of green magic so forceful it scorched a black mark onto the pavement. 

Regina marched toward her and Emma scrambled to follow. Zelena threw out another burst of magic that Regina managed to dodge and Zelena climbed to her feet. Regina was close, too close and Emma started to run. She wasn’t going to make it, she wasn’t going to make it!

“Your precious Savior can’t save you now!” Zelena reached into the bag and pulled out the heart.

Regina stumbled. She was only a yard away and took another step, more of a leap, one hand clutching her chest and the other sailing in a perfect right hook. It crunched against Zelena’s face, blood spurting from her nose and Zelena scrambled, hands flying. The heart slipped from her grip and went flying in the air and Emma stopped, eyes tracking it, only vaguely aware of Regina snatching the pendant off of Zelena’s neck. What a time to have never been very good at baseball.

It landed in Henry’s arms.

“You lost.” Regina said simply.

“NOOOO!” Zelena screamed and writhed as she dropped to the ground. “I’LL GET YOU! I’LL TAKE EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER LOVED!” Regina calmly placed the anti magic bracelet on Zelena’s arm and turned.

Emma is already racing towards Henry who’s staring at the glowing, pulsing heart with a furrow in his brow.

“I told you to take cover,” Emma muttered out.

Henry doesn’t answer her, “This is a heart?”

“Yes,” Regina said as she reached them.

He looked up at her, his brow still wrinkled, “And that, that was all magic?”

“It was.” Regina answered before Emma could try and deny it.

“Huh,” He bit his lip, “Did magic do something to me? Because,” he squeezed his eyes shut, “Things don’t feel right? It’s like something’s missing, but it doesn’t make any sense, because,” He looked at Emma with watery eyes, “I know nothing’s missing.”

Regina bit her lip, eyes flashing once to Emma “You had your memories taken to protect you and all of us. You had to sacrifice them for all of us. You���re a hero.”

Henry’s eyes shined as Emma carefully took the heart from him, unable to speak.

Regina pulled him into a hug, “Thank you for saving it.”

“Of course,” He smiled up at her.

It’s a reflex, Emma could see, as Regina leaned down and brushed her lips to his forehead. It doesn’t change what happened next, the soaring wave of rainbow energy that encircled the town and rushed out from them as everyone shifted back, eyes wide and mouths open. Henry stared up at Regina with wide eyes.

“Mom!” Henry hugged Regina again and buried his face into her shoulder. Emma saw tears in Regina’s eyes and she bit her lip, feeling tears form in her own. “Moms!” Henry turned and wrapped Emma up too. She thought she’d feel worse, but instead she laughed and laughed as all plans of New York were thrown out the window.

Regina finally released him, dotting kisses to his cheeks, tears trailing down both of their faces.

Henry stared up at them and then frowned at Regina, ”Wait Mom, you were giving up your heart?”

“Anything for you,” Regina said and Emma looked down at it, still clutched in her hand.

“Let’s put it back where it belongs?” Emma suggested.

“Okay,” Regina nodded. Henry and her disentangle and Emma clutched the heart in her hands and stared at her chest, suddenly feeling like she forgot to cram for an end of year exam.

“Emma,” Regina said carefully, “thank you.”

Emma tearfully nodded and with shaking hands hovered over Regina’s chest, and with one last look at Regina, she slowly slid it in.

Regina gasped as it was returned, and her face changed, a mixture of pain and pleasure passed over. She blinked open her eyes, her mouth open and hands clutching her chest and she stumbled.

Emma wiped some of the tears on Regina’s face away, “Does it feel okay? It wasn’t damaged?”

“It feels fine, Emma. Thank you.”

Emma nodded in relief.

“It always felt safe with you.”

Emma smiled, “Yeah?”

“Yes.” Regina’s eyes crinkled as they gaze at each other. Her eyes darted down.

“Oh my god,” Henry sighed, “Kiss already.”

“WHAT?”

“HENRY!”

He rolled his eyes, “You know without my memories I totally thought you guys were exes and that’s why Mom was hanging around so much.”

“What?” Emma choked out.

“Why else would she consistently join us for breakfast, or why she looked at me,” His voice died as his hands scrabbled at the tears on his face. “Anyway, I just, you know, thought that was why you ditched Walsh. And why everything was complicated with my dad, because, you know, obviously you were in love with Mom, but I guessed you fucked it up.”

Emma felt her face pale.

“Language,” Regina scolded though she looked as stricken as Emma did.

Henry rolled his eyes, but a hint of red flushed up on his cheeks, “I just, I wanted it, and maybe it was just because I was forgetting, but,” he looked between them with too shrewd eyes, “I don’t I was wrong.”

They both stared at each other, at a loss for words, and Emma’s eyes traced Regina’s paled face. It’s impossible, she thought, Regina is, well, Regina. She’s a lot of things, but in love with Emma? Emma knows where she stood in the world, knows unattainable things better than most, and Regina. Emma’s always known Regina was unattainable.

Regina wrung her hands together, her eyes darted nervously around and Emma felt her stomach bottom out. Unless?

“You don’t-” Regina started and Emma cut her off before she could lose her nerve.

“I’m in love with you.” She said simply.

She heard a couple gasps around her and just looked at Regina, whose jaw had dropped open and her cheeks had fully turned red.

“You are?” Her voice is almost tinny.

“Yes,” Emma nodded, feeling a burst of confidence and courage take over that she never knew she had. She took a step forward and lightly grasped the sides of Regina’s arms. “I am.”

Regina closed her eyes and breathed out through her nose, and then gently laid a hand on Emma’s cheek, “I’m in love with you too.”

Emma blinked as her heart soared. Was she dreaming? Did the world end? She heard Regina give a little laugh and then whisper, “I’d like to kiss you now.”

Emma could only nod in response and suddenly, Regina’s leaning forward.

It’s better than anything Emma’s felt in her life. Better than breaking the curse with Henry. Rescuing Henry from Neverland. Better than that first hug from Snow and David. Better than the feeling of doing magic with Regina. It goes down to her toes and when they break apart Emma knows she has a dopey smile on her face as she blinked up at Regina.

“Wow,” is all Emma can say.

Regina grinned at her, “Wow indeed.”

[toodrunktofindaurl]

patreon poll winners: emma x regina

[mccallhero]

we all have a h u n g e r .

[delicatewhumps]

characters reuniting after one of them was presumed dead >>

just think about it!

maybe whumpee faked their death.

maybe magic or something was involved, so they actually died, but somehow came back to life. like maybe they were a ghost who gained a physical body back, or maybe some otherworldly power granted them a return to the living world (ahem, cw’s once upon a time….)

maybe they were left for dead — fatally injured and caretaker had to leave them — but they miraculously survived and found their way home!

maybe they were lost in an accident / natural disasted, and caretaker finds them among the survivers in a shelter or hospital.

maybe they were wrongfully declared dead by doctors, sent to a morgue across the country so their body could be used in a cadaver lab, and then they woke up! (….totally not based on a plot to one of my own fics.)

however it happens, it’s perfect. especially if whumpee is still as physically injured as they were before…

caretaker gasping and crying and wrapping them in an enormous hug. or maybe rushing to their hospital bedside, taking their hand.

“i thought i lost you.”

“i went to your funeral, whumpee, i— i… this can’t… oh, god… oh, god!!”

“you died! how— how are you here?!”

caretaker might think they’re dreaming. after all, they saw whumpee. it was hopeless. they’ve spent god-knows-how-long grieving whumpee. but now whumpee is back, alive, in front of them!

“i’m never leaving your side.”

“don’t ever do that to me again, you asshole!”

“[insert setting-appropriate higher power here], thank you. thank you for giving them back to me.”

[gentil-minou]

Wei Wuxian licks his lips and leans forward slightly, walking his fingers across the countertop aimlessly toward Lan Zhan. “You know, Lan Zhan,” he drawls, “A-Yuan says we’re both in the book.”

“Mn,” Lan Zhan responds, tracking the path of his fingers intently, “I am apparently Hanguang-jun, the moral upstanding hero.”

“And I’m the devious Yiling Loazu, who led you astray,” he smirks, peering at Lan Zhan through his lashes.

Lan Zhan meets his stare, head-on, lit from within like molten sunshine. “No,” he corrects, “not astray, Wei Ying.”

Wei Wuxian tilts his head, waiting for him to continue. His fingers stop their dancing, resting just inches away from Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan shifts his own hand, bringing them even closer, their fingertips almost brushing.  

“The Yiling Loazu did not lead Hanguang-jun astray,” he says, eyes piercing as they flicker between Wei Wuxian’s. “They were partners, and…”

“Ah,” Wei Wuxian breathes, “the decent romance?”

Lan Zhan doesn’t answer, watching him closely. The pupils of his eyes have grown so large there’s only the tiniest ring of gold around the edge. He can see himself reflected in the black. He thinks he likes the version of himself that lives in Lan Zhan’s eyes.

They’re standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the other to take a step forward, bracing for a fall.

It should be terrifying, this sudden drop into something completely new, something entirely unknown yet so familiar. But Wei Wuxian is filled with conviction that no matter what, Lan Zhan will catch him.

It's as electrifying as it is calming, this certainty that here, with Lan Zhan, he is safe.

Wei Wuxian tilts his head to the side in a way he knows sets the unmarked skin of his neck on display. “I’m sure it was more than just decent, with a handsome hero like Hanguang-jun.”

Lan Zhan quirks an eyebrow, his gaze resting on the curve of Wei Wuxian’s neck, just as he’d hoped. "Handsome?"

“Well,” Wei Wuxian responds, tapping his index finger so it brushes against Lan Zhan’s fingertips. His skin is soft and perfect, just like the rest of him. “He isn’t wrong. You’re very handsome, Lan Zhan.”

“Really, Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan says, voice quiet and deep.

“Yep, definitely worthy of being compared to the beautiful Second Jade of Lan.”

“Is that so?” Lan Zhan shifts closer, the smell of him filling up Wei Wuxian. He smells so familiar, like something he knows intimately. Sandalwood, Wei Wuxian realizes, with sudden clarity.

Lan Zhan continues, “I would love to hear more about your opinion on my beauty and prestige, Wei Ying.”

“You don’t know anything about me, Lan Zhan. Why would you care what I think?”

Lan Zhan tilts his head, only just. “Do I need to? To want to know how your brain works?”

I commissioned this lovely artwork by the wonderful @lotuslate of a scene from my fic, once upon a time, 很久很久以前 where the entire cultivation world is cursed to live in the modern world without their memories and abilities, but of course wangxian find a way to fall in love all over again.

[jessmalia]

You don’t have a show without Henry Mills. Emma might be the main character, but Henry is the heart of the show (he has the heart of the truest believer!!! it’s right there!!!). Every single character is irrevocably tied to him. He changed everyone’s lives and gave them the opportunity to change each other’s lives. He gave Emma a family. He gave Regina redemption. He delivered Rumple to his son. He gave David and Snow their daughter back. He was the reason behind Emma and Neal’s relationship and the good thing that came out of it. He healed Neal by giving him the opportunity to break the cycle of neglecting father/son relationships. Killian redeemed himself from his mistreatment of Baelfire by Henry allowing him to take a stepfather role in his life. The text says Emma broke the first curse, but Henry is really 99,9% responsible for it, thereby giving every single citizen of Storybrooke their lives back. Regina’s love for him broke the second curse. He was the one who got them out of the Heroes and Villains story. He’s descended from the Enchanted Forest but was born and raised in our world, making him the bridge between them. He did the impossible when, for just one second, he made the people of our world believe in magic and reunited his family again. Once Upon A Time is a show that operates around fate and Henry is the person who ties everyone’s red strings together. He is quite literally the center of their universe. He is The Author. He is the truest believer. It’s been there all along.

[reddamselette]

valgrace except they parade around pretending to hate each other. leo plays pranks and jason says offhanded comments, both getting on the other’s nerves and it’s like entertainment for pretty much the entire camp. popcorn in their laps and bets are even placed between cabins.

yet late at night, someone sneaks into jason’s cabin past curfew.

“did anyone follow you?” jason whispered.

leo shook his head. “nope.” and they kiss. they kiss and hold each other in their arms on stolen time.

and of course, thinking none the wiser and keeping their act but way back in the distance, campers are paying up and there’s stifled laughter and giggles especially from annabeth and piper. they know but they also know it’s exhilarating sneaking around with someone you can’t stand (you’re in love with)

[his-lost-one]

should i be asleep? yes. am i? no. so anyway i was thinking about my misophonia and decided to write a pan x reader story where the reader has misophonia. it’s very self indulgent tbh but i needed that, for my soul.

ship: pan x gender neutral!reader

title: eating alone

warnings: none really, but ofc there’ll be talk of misophonia and there’s a happy ending :)

(there are two endings for this, just choose whichever you prefer!)

word count: 1295

(ao3 link)

(fic under the cut)

You had just arrived on Neverland earlier today. It had been maybe 4 hours by now? You couldn’t really be sure, since you had no way to tell the time. However, Felix- the second in command had just given you dreadful news.

Well, dreadful to you. He probably didn’t think much of it. He told you that it‘ll be dinner time in about half an hour.

You hadn’t told anyone on this island yet about your …condition. And you had frankly hoped you wouldn’t have to, but apparently everyone here eats dinner together. At the same time.

And probably not just dinner, but all meals- You just hadn’t been there yet for breakfast and lunch.

From time to time, you almost felt lucky that your trigger sounds were limited to things like eating, drinking, chewing, swallowing and other related sounds. You had heard stories of people with much more common triggers and it made yours seem bearable in comparison- But right now, that is not how you were feeling.

You knew why you were here on Neverland. The shadow brings people who feel lonely, lost or unloved - That’s what you‘d been told. And for you it was clear which one you fit into. Lost. And maybe lonely too.

How could you not feel that way? Misophonia was a cruel fate- A condition most people hadn’t even heard of and just seemingly could never understand no matter how often you tried to explain it. So much socializing happens while people are eating together, and missing out on all of that… how could anyone avoid feeling isolated? It wasn’t fair, but it was something you had to deal with.

You weren’t exactly feeling hopeful that it‘d be different here. At best, maybe you could finish your food fast and then just run away until everyone is done eating. But who knows; apparently Pan can be really strict. What if you’ll be forced to stay until everyone is done? Sounds like horror. Or torture. Maybe both.

You hadn’t met him yet, so you couldn’t be sure, but you really really hoped he would understand at least a little.

You felt a pit in your stomach just at the thought of having to endure dinner, surrounded by countless loud Lost Boys. You trued to suppress a shudder and made your decision in this moment; you couldn’t want until dinnertime actually arrived, you had to find Pan and talk to him now.

Felix seemed to look up to him like some savior; Devin seemed almost afraid of him. You could only hope that Felix was the correct one here.

You walked to the tree with Pan’s treehouse. There was no ladder, since he can apparently just teleport up there and doesn’t need one. Probably useful to keep out unwanted visitors. But your situation was urgent, so you attempted something you’d never done before. You tried to climb up the tree.

You had managed to get up maybe a meter above the ground when a branch broke and you fell down right on your behind. You groaned in annoyance and were about to stand up and try again, when someone, probably Pan, appeared out of thin air in front of you.

“What in the world are you doing?” He looked down at you with a confused expression and one eyebrow raised.

“Pan..?” You asked, just in case he’s not the only one with teleportation powers.

“The one and only. Now, answer the question.”

“Right, right. I needed to talk to you. About dinner.” Your voice was shaky already- This had never been an easy topic to address.

He picked up on the nervousness and laughed as he completely unknowingly misinterpreted it. “Does the cute Lost One want to sit next to me?”

You visibly cringed at that and he immediately looked surprised at that reaction. Most people probably would not have reacted so negatively to the thought of sitting next to him at dinner.

“I have a problem actually.”

“Oh. And what would that be? Don’t tell me you don’t like the food, because that’s not a problem, that can be changed.”

“Oh, you’d be willing to change the food for me?” This had nothing to do with the actual topic, but you were still surprised.

He rolled his eyes before nodding. “Not the food, but your food. I’m a quite skilled magic user, so there are practically no limitations.”

You giggled, you weren’t sure why, but this hint of a willingness to accommodate already made you feel better. “Well, that’s cool, but not what I wanted to talk about. Uhm… Can I maybe eat separately from everyone else?”

He tilted his head to the side a little. “Why would you want that? You’re new here, don’t you want to get to know the others? Socialize?”

“I do, I do actually- But uh… I have misophonia.” You said the last word in a really quiet voice, but he seemed to have understood you anyway.

“Oh. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” He seemed so nonchalant and he seemed to… know what you’re talking about? How had a guy living on an isolated magical island heard of this when most people around you in your old life hadn’t?

“I don’t know, I didn’t expect you to… understand?” You avoided his gaze nervously.

“Why would I not? I mean, you are the first Lost One with this condition, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard of it.”

“So… you’ll allow me to eat alone?” You look up at him, hope in your eyes.

Ending One:

He grinned as he held out a hand to help you up off the ground, where you were still sitting. “I’ll do you one better. I’ll enchant you, so you’ll never be bothered by any sounds again.”

You took his hand almost absentmindedly and looked at him in awe and admiration as he pulled you to your feet in front of him again. “You- you can do that?”

“Didn’t I just tell you? There are almost no limitations to my power, and a spell like that wouldn’t exactly even be difficult. Do you want it?”

You nodded furiously immediately. He smirked again and waved his hand, which was emanating a gentle green glow and for a moment you felt like nothing happened until a sudden, serene feeling of calm washed all over you. And only in this moment had you realized that all of the ambient sounds that hadn’t even been irritating enough to be called trigger were suddenly all neutral and not even a minor annoyance- Hell, some even sounded pleasant now. Like the wind or the birds chirping.

He looked quite smug as he saw the changes in your facial expression. “I take it you like the change?”

Instead of answering you just hugged him. You had never been this grateful for anything in your life- this was the biggest burden you’d ever had, lifted off your shoulders, just like that.

“So about that sitting next to you later, is that still an option?”

He rolled his eyes and nodded softly as he smiled at you. You didn’t notice the slight flush that appeared on his cheeks the moment you hugged him, but you did notice your own cheeks getting a bit warmer as he hugged you back.

Ending Two:

“Of course. Why would I not? I have no use for you being needlessly miserable. I’ll enchant your tent to make it soundproof, that way you’ll really have an escape whenever you need it.

You basically jumped up off the floor and hugged him, gratefully. “Thank you!! Thank you so much! I didn’t think you’d understand!!” The joy and relief in your voice was enough to make even Pan smile as he hesitantly hugged you back.

[crime-wives]

honey just put your sweet lips on my lips (we should just kiss like real people do)

Regina calls her, late, too late, Emma comes anyway.

“I hate you,” she spits, but there’s no vitriol behind it.

Regina pulls her in for another heated kiss, all lips and teeth and tongue. “Shut up.”

Regina Mills/Emma Swan

800 words, 1/1

read on ao3

[grilledcheeseandguavajelly]

A vampire swanqueen AU?? In my good christian drafts?? More likely than you’d think 😉🩸🦇

[gender-luster]

it is really incredibly funny to me that of all the robert carlyle characters to be (in canon) mythologized into a deity and/or devil figure, it wasn't the immortal, magical trickster fairytale guy who could like. end wars with the snap of his fingers, and see the future, and craft spells that could tear through universes. no. it was the mentally unstable, middle-aged math nerd from scotland whose failgirl numbers are off the charts

[theartofdreaming1]

Some more Captain Swan (or would this qualify as Captain Duckling? idk)

This started out as a simple, mindless ouat doodle, but then my brain decided to come up with bits and pieces of a story for this while I was working on it, so... If you're interested, you can read the basic premise under the cut:

Basically, we have bar wench Emma teaming up with infamous pirate Captain Hook to bring down the Dark One: Killian has finally gotten a way to get rid of the damn crocodile and Emma has learned of that while the crew of the Jolly Roger stopped by the tavern she works at; for Emma, it's about getting her son back (Neal/Baelfire is still Henry's father in this AU, but left the realm to escape his father, so Rumple's trying to use Henry to track down Neal, i guess)... Anyway, Emma steals onto the Jolly Roger (to steal whatever magical item required to best the Dark One or to stowaway on board, your pick), gets discovered by our good captain ('feisty lass' that she is, she still manages to hold a dagger to his throat before he gets the best of her - there are on his ship, after all), she reveals why she's doing this in the first place - to reunite with her son - and they strike an accord to work together as they share a common goal... Shenanigans ensue, (and no, there is connection/bond between them that's growing closer over time, Emma is absolutely positive of that, thank you very much ;), plans go awry - they are chased by a monster of some sort, Killian decides to fight it off, to give Emma some more time to flee - she has to make it back to her son, after all - and tells her to go, to leave him behind... (but we know she doesn't listen... she never does ;)

Something like that, I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (and hey, if any Captain Swan writers out there feel like writing that story for me, let me know - I'd love to read it!)

(Also, I'm kind of happy how dynamic the poses in this drawing have turned out! I reworked the lineart a couple of times, not sure if I was wasting my time but while I liked the og sketch, I think the end result is a definite improvement)

Og sketch/doodle:

[mie779]

Don't Kiss and Tail

A/N: This is an alternate/what-if version of season 3 episode 17 “The Jolly Roger” where we have Zelena pose as Ariel… What if it was the real Ariel who spoke with Killian, how pissed Ariel would be and go tattle to dear old daddy dearest and have Killian cursed, and not only his lips.

This story is part of CSSNS2024, and I have some peeps I’d like to thank. 

@whatevenisthisbloganymore (on Tumbler) for beta reading this. Without her, this would have looked so messy. 

@iamstartraveller776 , who made the beautiful banner for this story. It was also through a talk with her that the title finally came to be. And that title sparked my muse, (damn it!) so perhaps one day I’ll write some original mermaid story. 

It’s been such a blast being part of this event, (again), and it's sad to see this will be the last year. I love the stories already having been shared, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the stories. 

My inspiration for the theme was several CaptainSwan fan art with a mermaid theme, from Wild-white-werewolf (Julia Volkova) and Svenjaliv. And plotting began and I tried to find a place to do an alternate spin on an episode… On a rewatch I stumbled over the episode “The Jolly Roger” and the whole talk with Zelena posing as Ariel had my muse thinking… so here you are, without further ado, my contribution to the CSSNS24. 

READ ON AO3 if that is your thing (like me) https://archiveofourown.org/works/57458686

Don’t Kiss and Tail

“You're a monster… “ The following sting of the female hand slapping his cheek still burned as Killian watched the mermaid leap from the dock and dive into the dark water. The flip of her colorful tail was the last thing he saw. 

“Bloody hell. “ He understood the mermaid perfectly as he'd been so bullheaded in that missing year in the enchanted forest. His focus on getting his beloved ship back and this having not helped Ariel find Eric might have been stupid. He paced the docks. The whole town was still in a mighty uproar over the wicked witch. So he wasn’t going to worry about a pissed-off mermaid right now. 

He kept his pacings to the docks, but he staggered back in surprise when Ariel again came striding towards him, this time from behind the old fisherman’s shack. How did she get back there? He shifted his gaze towards the water where she’d vanished moments ago. But before he could contemplate this the mermaid spoke. 

“How am I supposed to trust a man who doesn’t believe in love?” Ariel curled her lips in disgust. 

“I still do,” Killian whispered, his face contorted in agony. 

“Then swear to me on it. This woman broke your heart. Do you still love her?” 

Killian looked down, the word tearing through him like a thousand blades. “Yes.” 

“Then swear to me, on her name.” Ariel lifted her chin in an unspoken challenge. 

“Then I swear on Emma Swan.” Her sweet name was the only easy word falling over his lips. 

A smirk forms over Ariel, “Thank you, captain, that’s exactly what I needed to hear.” She flipped her fingers towards him and something green and warm wrapped around his lips; the sensation confused him and he covered his lips with his hand, “What the hell?” 

He looked back up at the mermaid. But the next second a swirl of green smoke engulfed the girl and in her stead was now the wicked witch. “Zelena it was you.” Killian drew his cutlass, “where’s Ariel?” 

With a quick flick of her wrist, Zelena tore his weapon out of his hand.

“Relax. She wasn’t here right now, I’d imagine she’s gone tattling to her dear ol’ dad, boo hoo, the pirate wouldn’t tell me where my beloved is.” Zelena rolled her eyes and chuckled. 

“I don’t understand why you would pretend to be her?” He frowned.

“To corrupt your love. I have known all about your dirty little secret for some time, and have seen the guilt on your face ever since making that decision that day. I knew it haunted you. I knew I could use it.

“Use it for what?” 

“When you evoked the name of your love, your selfish plea for redemption, I was able to curse you. Or more specifically your kiss - you see the next time your lips touch Emma Swan’s all of her magic will be taken. Everything that makes her special, that makes her powerful, that makes her a threat will be gone.”

“I won’t do it. I’ll tell her, then she’ll defeat you.”

“Then I’ll send the Dark One to kill her before you can.” The self-satisfied smile on her face pissed off Killian even more, but he saw right through her bluster.

“No, you won’t. If you could have killed her you would have. You need her power removed. That is why you didn’t kill her when she came to the town. It’s why your monkey looked after her in New York instead of killing her.” Killian gave her a satisfied smirk. “For some reason, you can’t.” 

Zelena pursed her lips before saying, “It no longer matters, because you’re going to remove her powers. I may not be able to hurt Emma, but I can hurt those around her.” She lifted her eyes briefly as if to contemplate who to put on that list, “Her parents, her friends,” she shifted far too close, “her child.” 

“Do not go near him.” 

Zelena chuckled and grinned knowingly. “Yes you’ve become quite fond of the boy, haven’t you? I will enjoy turning him into a monkey’s breakfast.” 

“I’ll stop you.” Killian sneered.

“No, you won’t. That pointy little hook of yours can scratch a mere mortal but me…” Another chuckle. “You’re out of your depths, pirate. The choice is yours, kiss Emma and remove her power or everyone she loves dies.” The words came out in a hate-filled staccato, baring her teeth as she sneered at him. 

Before Killian could make another retort she was gone in a swirl of green smoke. 

“Bloody hell.” Killian slumped back on the crate behind him, his lips still tingling from the curse Zelena had cast upon his lips. “Bloody hell that woman is crazy as shite.” He shook his head and gazed upon the dark waters, the moored fisherboats swaying on the gently lapping waves. He had no idea how long he’d been sitting there - he wasn’t sure where to go from here, all he knew was that he wouldn’t tell Emma about the curse. He wouldn’t have her worry about another thing in her life. He would attempt to avoid her advances to become closer. He knew they were closer than ever to crossing that line of a real relationship. 

The moored boats started to crash against the dock, the wood scraping against the concrete. Something was stirring up the water and when he rose to his feet he spotted a swirling vortex out in the water. Moments later a white-haired man with a tri fork floated in the water. 

“Bloody hell, now what?” Killian groaned. 

“You’re Killian Jones?” The voice of Triton boomed over the docks, the trident pointed at Killian. 

Killian gulped down and was about to lie his way out of this predicament when a far too familiar mermaid rose from the water. 

“That’s him,” Ariel said and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“What did I do?” Killian wavered. 

“You refused to help my daughter find her love, and now you shall pay.” Triton lifted his weapon and boomed, “Ye shall live a life under the sea. Return to the dry lands will only be possible by a true love kiss.” 

“What the bloody hell…” Killian stepped back but swirling white magic leaped from the trident and within seconds it wrapped around Killian. The magic pulled at his form and he felt pain shoot through his body. “What are you doing to me?” His voice pained and he dropped to the edge of the dock, while his hands grabbed his legs. The magic swirled over his form from head to toe. 

“You’ll have to live your life as a merman.” Ariel huffed. “You didn’t want to help me find my Eric.” 

“Bloody hell, you went and tattled to you dear old…” Killian gritted his teeth, the magic did some crazy ass shite to his body. “... Dear old daddy.” 

“See, father, he’s nothing but a vile and ruthless pirate.” Ariel glared at him. 

“I see, my daughter. And now he will not be able to walk around on dry land and pursue his happiness.” 

“Bloody hell, Emma…” He nearly blacked out from the pain. 

“Yeah, now she won’t be able to find you.” 

When Killian finally opened his eyes again the pain had vanished, but as he inspected himself he quickly saw how his body had changed, his torso now bare, and from the waist down his legs had transformed into that of a merman’s tail. Its dark scales glinted in the streetlights behind him. It would be crazy to try and slither his way into town like this. With a roar of anger, he leaped into the water and headed for where Ariel and her father had been. But the harbour was empty and the king and his daughter were nowhere to be found. 

Killian lifted his head above water and roared, “Bloody hell, what do I do now?” 

*********

Emma was nursing her second mug of cocoa at the diner. It had been two days since she or anyone else had seen Killian and by now she was more than worried. With Zelena on the loose wreaking havoc around them, it was safe to bet she might have had something to do with his disappearance. 

Where the hell are you, Killian? Emma thought, taking another sip, and gave her son a reassuring smile. His observant brown eyes were wrinkled in concern. How was she supposed to share her worries with her son? He had no memory of anything related to magic. 

“Are you okay?” 

“Yeah, you know it’s just my case that has a lot of loose ends.” Emma mused, “I’ll go to the docks and see if I can find any leads.” 

“Will Killian be there?” Henry licked up the remaining crumbs of his breakfast with his finger.

The mention of his name had Emma’s heart skip a beat. “I don’t know kid, I haven’t seen him” 

“His boat is still down in the harbor.” 

Emma blinked in surprise, the Jolly Roger wasn’t there. “Oh yeah, the fishing boat he took you out in.” 

Emma finished her cocoa before she ushered Henry outside, and they walked down to the waterfront. Sure enough, the fishing boat Killian had borrowed was still there. “Look kid, I’m just going to ask around. Why don’t you go to the beach and see if you can find something interesting?”

Henry looked a little put out by this so she added, “Look, this case is not exactly kid friendly so I don’t want you to be part of it. I’ll come for you in half an hour.” 

Henry nodded mutely and trodded towards the nearby beach; she could still watch him from afar if Zelena chose to show up. 

Emma asked the harbor master if he’d seen Killian, but the only answer she could get was that the old man had seen Killian three nights ago talking with a red-haired woman. That could either be Ariel or Zelena so it wasn’t much help. But why would Killian speak with either of them, unless it was Zelena who then had taken him somewhere?

“Moooom.” Henry’s shout startled her and she rushed towards her son who was waving his arms in the air as he rushed towards her. 

“What’s wrong, what happened, are you okay?” 

“Yeah.” Henry waved his arms in front of him taking a few deep breaths, “I’m fine, I just think I saw something out in the waters.” 

“What?” Emma felt a cold shiver run down her spine, and flashes of Killian lying dead in the water shifted through her mind.

“It was some kind of a large fish.” Henry looked a little puzzled, then shrugged, “It had to be a fish, the tail looked like a fish but it was big, like a grown man.” 

“A small whale?” Emma mused, unsure what kind of large sea creatures roamed the coast of Maine. 

“Maybe, but I haven’t seen any whales with scaly shimmering tails.” 

“What did you just say?” 

“It had black shimmering scales.” Henry paused and looked at her with worry. “What's wrong?” 

Emma shook her head and masked her worry with a smile. “Nothing, I don’t know what you saw but it could have been a large fish I guess.” Inside her head, she thought: it could be a mermaid. She had no idea where Ariel was off to, and now that she thought about it she hadn’t seen the red-haired mermaid for a couple of days either. Did Zelena whisk her away too? That crazy-ass wicked witch of the West needed to be stopped in whatever crazy plan she had set up. 

Emma suggested they head back home to Mary Margaret and David, and as they walked along the beach she couldn’t help scanning the water to get a glimpse of whatever creature Henry had seen out there. 

Just as they reached the docks again she looked over the rocks jutting out from the coastline and she could have sworn she’d spotted a dark-haired creature hiding between the rocks, but it was gone in a flash and the last thing she saw was the reflection of the sun in a dark tail. “What the hell?” 

“What is it, did you see it too?” Henry asked excitedly. 

Emma shook her head and waved him off, “No I don’t think it was anything, a seal perhaps.” Or a selkie… oh wasn’t that over in good old England they were legends? Emma wrapped her arm around Henry and urged him to walk to the docks. As they rounded the corner she couldn’t help herself and took another glance over her shoulder. The same dark-haired creature which now looked remarkably like a human was holding onto the rocks but was too far away to see. What the hell is that? she thought to herself, and she couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that had settled inside her. Who was out there? 

Emma couldn’t focus on the talk at the dinner table that night and Mary Margaret did ask if she was okay. Emma waved off her mother’s worry and assured her she was merely trying to string together all the loose ends she had in her case. She glanced at Henry who had helped clear the table and then settled onto the couch with his game console. 

Her sleep was filled with strange dreams of sea creatures waving at her from the water, all twirling around in a mismatched chaos of confusion. When the first rays of the sun peeked through the thin curtains she slipped out of bed and left a note for Henry before heading for the beach. 

*******

Killian kept a close eye on the shoreline, still staying out of sight as he wasn’t sure who would spot him. It was infuriating and damn near impossible to figure out what the hell he should do. He knew his main hope was finding Emma, and spotting her with the boy yesterday afternoon he’d damn well nearly jumped up on the rocks and called out for her. But Henry was there and he still had no memory of any fairytales or curses so the lad was sure to be spooked out of his wits seeing a real merman speak with his mother. 

Then there was the whole conundrum with the curse Zelena had placed on his lips. He would never let her willingly give up her magic for him. 

The early morning sunlight glinted behind him as he scanned the beach, he was sure Emma had spotted him the day before so he hoped she would return, this time without Henry. 

A flash of golden hair and a red leather jacket caught his eye, and he swam closer to the beach. It had been a learning curve the past few days navigating underwater and he realized there was a colony of merfolk some miles south of here keeping their existence unknown beside a small island off the coast. They had not exactly been friendly but they had not been hostile either, only made it clear that he had no business there as they somehow had sensed he truly didn’t belong under the sea. 

Emma had walked to the beach and neared the long row of rocks going out from the beach. She pushed away her loose hair from her face as she scanned the water. 

Killian reached the first rock, lifted himself halfway out of the water, and waved, “Emma?” 

Emma nearly stumbled over her feet as she stepped out on the first couple of large boulders. “Killian, is that you?” 

Killian swam closer and he saw how her face contorted into surprise and worry at the same time. “Aye.” 

“How the hell did this happen to you?” She narrowed her eyes as she focused on his tail. “You have a tail.” 

Killian refrained from rolling his eyes, only nodded and with a quick push of his hand, he lifted himself on a low boulder and sat there. 

“What happened?” Emma moved closer cautiously as if trying to gauge if this was some kind of ploy to fool her. 

“It’s me, love. Don’t worry, I won’t bite.” He tilted his head and smirked. 

Emma rolled her eyes and settled on the rock beside her, her knees bent so her boots didn’t get wet. She reached over and touched his arm. “It really is you.” Her eyes scanned over his form and a blush spread over her cheeks. 

He gave her a knowing smile, this might be the most naked he’d been in her presence and the color on her cheek indicated that she didn’t mind. 

Then she frowned, “What happened to you, who did this?” 

“You know how Ariel came to town some days ago.” 

Emma nodded, “Yeah everyone was so surprised to see her.” 

“Well, she was here on a mission.” He looked down at his hand and hook. When he’d transformed he’d been surprised that his hook was still there. 

“What mission?” 

“To find me and avenge me for failing to help her back in the Enchanted Forest.” 

“Why didn’t you help her?” 

“I was so focused on finding my way back to you that I declined to help her find her Eric.” Killian sighed and pushed his wet hair away from his forehead. He looked at her, “I was a fool, I know that.” 

“That was a foolish choice.” Emma’s hand on his arm rubbed up and down, “but seems like a long stretch to curse you into a merman.” 

“That was her father’s doing.” Killian mused. 

“She went and tattled to her father?” Emma exclaimed and turned fully towards him, “Are you serious?” 

“Very much so. The king of the sea, Triton cursed me to be a merman, until…” He paused and closed his eyes. 

“What?” 

“It’s nothing.” Killian brushed it away, how on earth was he ever going to tell her that kissing her might be the only thing bringing him back to his human form? But in doing so he would also remove her magic, giving Zelena a better chance at getting whatever witch wanted. 

“Do you know how to reverse the curse?” Emma asked and leaned closer. He could smell her perfume now and his heart beat a lot faster. Gods she smelled good. 

“I… it’s going to be bloody complicated.” He grimaced, rubbing over his face.

“Tell me, please,” Emma begged. “Whatever it is we can make it happen, we can go get Regina if it’s…” 

“No!” He exclaimed, “No one else needs to see me like this.” 

“Oh, it’s not exactly a bad look you have going here.” Emma mused and her eyes scanned over his form again, the blush on her cheeks darkened. 

Killian tilted his head, getting a better look at her, her eyes sparkled with mischief something that was rarely seen these days with all the stuff going on with Zelena and her son still not remembering anything. 

“So you see something you like here, love?” He lifted an eyebrow. 

“Perhaps.” She looked down at her hand resting on her bent knee, her fingers tracing over the seam in her jeans. 

Killian chuckled, leaned closer, and caught her eyes, “So you’d not mind having a merman as a friend?” 

Emma choked back a laugh, “I can’t believe you’re so at ease about all of this, I’d be in a total panic had it been me turned into a mermaid.” 

“I did panic at first, but I knew you’d come looking for me. I saw you on the beach with your boy yesterday.” 

“Why didn’t you call out then?” 

“Henry doesn't remember anything about magic, so I imagined seeing a real-life merman might be too confusing.” 

“He’d survive I’m sure. He might not remember, but he still has a vivid imagination.” Emma chuckled, then sobered, “But how can we reverse the curse?” 

“Thought you wanted me to stay like this?” 

Emma shook her head, “As much as I like this look I still want the real Killian Jones in my life.” She blinked a few times, “I can’t imagine not having you in my life, Killian.” 

“Oh.” Hope bloomed inside him and he smiled, “I’d very much like that.” He glanced down at his tail and smoothed his hand over the black scales. 

Emma reached over and asked, “May I?” 

He looked up at her in surprise and noticed the curious glint in her eyes as she looked at his tail. “Aye.” 

Emma moved forward and smoothed her hand over the black scales, it was a strange sensation feeling someone else touch his merman tail like this. The warmth of her hand seeped through to his core. 

“This is so strange.” Emma mused and kept her hand on his form, when she looked up at him her eyes were filled with wonder, her lips looking so damn inviting he nearly leaned forward. But when she moved first he pulled back and rubbed over his mouth. 

“I can’t…” Killian looked to the sky, the sun had now fully risen and the sea birds flew over them in circles, their cries echoing over the waters. 

“What?” Emma pulled back and hugged herself. “This… what do you mean you can’t I thought you wanted to… you know kiss me.” 

“Bloody hell I do want to kiss you.” It’s all I’ve been thinking about since we returned to Storybrooke. 

“Then why… “ Her voice trailed off and she gasped, “Did Triton do more to curse you?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“So if you kiss someone they die or something like that?” 

“It wasn’t Triton.” Killian sighed and shifted in his seat. The rock beneath him started to feel uncomfortable. 

“Then who?” 

“Zelena…” Killian whispered. 

“Seriously!” 

“Aye, I’m afraid so, the witch came to me in disguise as Ariel, and since I thought it to be the actual mermaid who’d just jumped into the water I couldn’t have known. The woman was livid and had me swear on the woman I love’s name and she cursed my lips.” 

“What?”

“She cursed my lips…” 

“Yeah yeah, I heard that… it’s the love part I’m curious about.” Her voice was wary and guarded but when he glanced at her a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. 

“Aye, you’re the woman I love.” Killian reached over and touched her leg, “It’s always been you.” He looked down, “But if I kiss you now we’ll never defeat Zelena.” 

“Why?” 

“The bloody witch cursed my lips so that should you ever kiss me, your magic will be taken from you.” 

“Great.” Emma rolled her eyes and pursed her lips, “Just freaking great.” She looked at his tail, biting her lips.

“I can’t ask that of you, love.” 

“Why not?” Emma exclaimed, “You can’t continue living like a merman.” She tilted her head, “Or do you want to be a merman forever?” 

Killian shook his head. “There’s got to be another way?” 

“And if not?” 

“I will live my life hunting down Triton and defeat him.” 

“That is a fucked up plan. You know that, pirate?” Emma rolled her eyes, “What I know of Triton he is very powerful and you will have every merman hunting for your tail.” 

“You will need your magic to defeat that wicked witch, whatever it is she’s plotting, it can’t be good for anyone in this town.” Killian mused. 

“Look, let me ask around and see if we have a chance to work around this curse.” Emma reached over and cupped his face, his skin burning by her touch. She was so bloody close he could smell her. 

“Don’t make too much of a ruckus just for me, darling.” He placed his hand over hers. 

“Let me be the judge of that, eh?” Emma smiled, her thumb caressing his skin. Then she moved closer wrapping him in a tight hug, “I can’t lose you, Killian.” Her words whispered into his skin and shivers ran down his spine at how close she was now. 

“I’m right here, love.” 

She pressed a small kiss to his neck and whispered, “Good thing it’s only your lips she cursed.” 

“Bloody hell, love, you… gods.” Killian groaned and wrapped his arms around her holding her close. 

They stayed like this for some time and it wasn’t until they heard some of the fishermen shout to each other from the docks that they pulled away.

“I better dive down into the water again,” Killian mumbled, gently untangling himself from Emma’s embrace. 

“Yeah, I’ll come back here tonight, okay?” She looked up, “after sundown.” 

“Aye.” He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm, “Tonight, hope you find a way.” 

Emma rose to her feet and stepped back onto the beach before she turned around and gave him a parting wave, “See you tonight then.” 

Killian waved back and jumped into the shallow waters below him and swam for his usual hangout spot he’d found at the end of the peninsula jutting out into the sea. It was going to be a long day, but hunting for fish would perhaps keep his mind off of things. 

**********

Emma’s head was buzzing with everything she’d learned this morning. Killian was a freaking merman now, long black scaly tale included. Her face heated up when she recalled how damn good he looked sitting there with a bare chest and tail. Damn, she hadn’t known she might have a thing for mermen. Well, this one merman in particular it seemed. 

She sought solace in a cup of hot cocoa and a Bearclaw from the diner and when Ruby placed her order on the counter the brunette asked, “You look a bit off kilter this morning, what happened?” 

“Oh…” Emma pushed away her hair and sighed, “It’s a long story.” 

“I have time, the morning rush is over.” Ruby rested her arms on the counter, “So spill, girl.” 

“I found Killian.” 

“Oh, the elusive pirate has shown his face again, where is he?” 

“In the sea,” Emma mumbled and blew on her cocoa. 

“Well, he’s a pirate.” 

“No I mean, he is IN the sea, two curses included.” Emma sighed. 

“Who cursed him and why?” 

Emma explained what she’d learned from Killian, making sure that no one nearby was eavesdropping. But the diner was mostly deserted so she could share her story with Ruby. 

“That is such a crazy story, even for this place.” Ruby waved her hand around and Emma couldn’t agree more. Even with everything going on right now a man cursed to be a merman and on top of that also with cursed lips so he wasn’t able to kiss her. That last part had Ruby waggle her eyebrows and comment, “So the question is are you willing to pay with your magic so your pirate will have his legs back?” 

“The question is more if he’s willing to let me kiss him.” Emma sighed. 

“What do you mean?” 

“He seemed reluctant to let me just kiss him, he wants me to keep my magic as it will no doubt be useful when we go against Zelena.” Emma mused and shrugged her shoulders, “I need to speak with Regina, perhaps she has another way.” 

Emma enjoyed her breakfast and took off to find Regina, but the mayor had no idea how to reverse a curse that was linked to a true love’s kiss. And she agreed with Emma that she might be the only person Killian loved. But if she kissed Killian she would lose her magic. 

*******

Killian kept a close eye on anything happening at the docks, hoping Emma would come down early. But when he did spot her she was accompanied by Henry so Killian kept his distance and watched Henry drag Emma onboard the small vessel he’d borrowed from the fisherman in the past week. 

“What are you doing, lad?” Killian asked in wonder. Sure he’d taught the boy a thing or two about boats and sailing, but it wasn’t safe for anyone to go out there with so little training. 

“Come on Mom.” Henry’s voice rolled over the water, “I wanted to go fishing, and since Killian is missing I need you with me.” 

“Okay, kid, I don’t know how to sail this thing.” Emma sighed and placed her hands at her hips. 

“It’s easy. See here.” Henry started up the engine and leapt down to release the boat from the docks and jumped back on board. 

Killian contemplated showing himself and warning the pair not to go out there. The skies were getting darker further out and he felt a storm rolling in, but it might be hours before it reached the shoreline. 

Henry sailed the boat out on open waters and stopped the engine, and soon Killian could see him preparing the fishing rods. Emma was still arguing with her son about the safety of this, but Henry eased her worries and soon Emma had settled down on a crate on deck. 

The sun disappeared behind grey clouds and before either Emma or Henry knew what hit them the rain started falling heavily. Henry scurried to get the engine started while Emma struggled to get the fishing rods packed away. In her haste, she stumbled over something on the deck. Her body slammed into the railing and she lost her balance. Killian could only watch in horror as Emma tumbled into the dark waters below. With a quick flip of his tail, he dived towards where Emma was slowly dropping to the bottom.

Henry’s cries for his mother were muffled by the water but they pierced through Killian like knives. He wasn’t about to leave this boy without his mother.

Emma wore her red leather jacket and it had weighed her down so much that she wasn’t able to swim upwards. Her eyes were filled with panic when Killian finally reached her. 

Her body went limp in his arms as he ascended to the surface and broke up into the air. He looked down at the woman in his arms, her eyes closed, lips blue and lifeless. 

“Mom?!” Henry’s frantic voice sounded from above, then “Killian is that you?” 

Killian didn’t pay attention to the lad right now, all he cared about was the woman floating in his arms. Her skin was more and more pale and he leaned closer and realized she wasn’t breathing, her lips turning blue. 

“Emma?” He called out frantically, his hand cradling her face. 

“Give her mouth to mouth,” Henry called from above him. 

Killian swallowed; he knew he had to breathe life into her, “Her magic will be lost.” He called back, his voice breaking, this couldn’t be happening. 

“What?” 

“My lips are cursed.” He looked up and when he spotted the bewilderment in the lad’s eyes he knew he’d screwed it up. Henry had no memory of magic or fairytale characters. There was no time to explain so the decision was all up to him and as he watched Emma lie lifeless in his arms his heart broke. He couldn’t live without this woman in his life, be damned her wrath if her magic was gone, he needed her. 

Pressing his mouth to hers he breathed into her mouth, feeling her chest fill with air. A woosh of magic spread out around them and he felt his tail vanish and turn into a pair of legs again. The motion to keep them afloat changed but he managed to balance himself and Emma above water. He blew more air into her mouth and then Emma violently coughed up seawater.

“Killian?” Her voice was weak and her eyes searched his face, “What did you do?” 

“You were drowning, I couldn’t… I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let you die, not like this. Not in front of your boy.”

“Mom?!” Henry bellowed from above them, “Are you okay?” 

Emma gave her son a weak smile and wave before returning her focus to Killian. “You saved my life.” She cupped his face and he marveled at the feel of her hand against his cheek. 

“Aye.” He swallowed deeply, “But your magic… I’m sorry love.” 

“We’ll find another way to beat Zelena.” Emma soothed and pulled herself closer to him again and kissed him. 

This time it was a real kiss, profound and filled with untold promises of a future together. 

“I have a rope ladder here,” Henry called out and interrupted their kiss, both adults looked sheepishly up at the teenager who rolled his eyes. “Don’t go around doing that too much from now on, okay?” 

“Aye, lad.” 

Emma chuckled and coughed a little, clearly not fully recovered from her near-death experience. 

“Come now love, let’s get us back home.” He maneuvered them both to the rope ladder Henry had dropped over the sides. “Are you okay going up on your own?” 

“I’m fine, Captain.” Emma smiled and hauled herself up the ladder, slow and steady and Killian followed her to the deck where Henry greeted them both with a hug. 

When Killian pulled away to get the boat started Henry stopped him, “Did you just have a tail before you saved my mother?” The lad’s eyebrows were lifted to his hairline. 

“Henry.” Emma interjected and took her son’s arms, “There’s a lot of things that aren’t as they seem.” Emma looked at Killian, “Some things will be a bit hard to understand, but let me tell you why we’re really here in Storybrooke.” She urged him to sit on a crate and turned to Killian, “Get us back home.” 

“Aye.” He saluted her with a grin and let mother and son talk alone on the deck while he took the wheel. The boat wasn’t as majestic as his old lady The Jolly Roger, but it would do for now. He watched Emma speak with her son, who looked more and more confused and sometimes even worried. 

When they reached the dock they were greeted by Mary Margaret, David and Regina, who all looked relieved to see them all. Killian included, which surprised him a bit. But apparently, a lot of people had been worried about his whereabouts in the past few days. 

“Mother.” Henry greeted Regina with a hug and when he pulled back, “Killian was a merman.” 

Everyone gasped in surprise and a load of questions was thrown at him, he lifted his hands and said, “I’m here now in human form and that is what matters.” He grasped Emma’s hand, “We’re ready to fight off that green witch, any ideas what her plans are?” 

Mary Margaret stepped forward and said, “Henry this is for you.” She presented him with a storybook, a very familiar storybook. “You need to believe.” 

“In what?” Henry took the book and a burst of magic swirled around them and he gasped. “I remember.” 

Everyone cheered and no one seemed to ask more about their adventure on the water, not until it became clear that Emma’s magic indeed was gone. But that was a worry for another time as the threat of Zelena still hung over Storybrooke. 

All Killian cared about was having his legs back on dry land again and Emma by his side. He wanted her there for the rest of their lives if he had anything to say about it. 

THE END

[darkwritingsnshit]

Once in a Dream

Warnings: Dark characters, canon dark characters, stalking, drug mention, kidnapping if you squint, please don't read if you're under 18 or dislike dark elements

Jefferson(OUAT)xreader

            It started when you decided to go for a walk by the river. The yellow leaves crunched underfoot, the sound of the river running over rocks, watching it glisten in the late afternoon sunshine was a welcome reprieve from the rest of your day. Something about walking softly through the woods and finding flowers to make a bouquet filled you with joy that seemed to be missing from the rest of your life. You closed your eyes, letting the sunshine and birdsong wash over you, until you heard the snap of a branch. You whipped your head around, to see a man in dark clothing approach you.

            “I think you dropped this.” The man told you, reaching out with one of your gloves in his hand. He looked eerily familiar, but you couldn’t place him.

            “Thank you.” You took the glove from his outstretched hand. There were rarely other people in the woods, you found yourself drawn to them for that exact reason. Another human was the last thing you expected to find. “Do I know you? You seem familiar.”

            The man chuckled to himself, then shook his head.

            “Not anymore.” He told you, the slightest smile turning up his lips.

            “What do you mean?” You asked him.

            “Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself.” He shook his head. “I’m Jefferson.” He extended his hand again and you shook it, telling him your name. “We used to know each other, a long time ago.”

            You wracked your brain for any kind of context. You were sure you knew his face from somewhere, but it was impossible to pinpoint.  “It’s nice to see you again.” Your words held a question. Jefferson just laughed to himself.

            “Don’t worry, I don’t expect you to remember, that was another life.” The words he spoke confused you. His presence made you uncomfortable, the air seemed charged.

            “I should get back home, I was just taking a walk.” You told the man, suddenly eager to get out of his presence.

            “Let me walk with you.” Jefferson told you, not allowing another option. He took your arm and led you through the woods. A sense of déjà vu washed over you. Somehow, he knew where to find your car without asking. He waited until you unlocked the door before he leaned in.

            “I would be upset with myself if I didn’t ask you to dinner at my place.” He told you, too close for comfort.

            “You’re very kind, Jefferson.” You told him. “I have other plans tonight, I’m sorry.” His face darkened, his eyes flashed.

            “No, you don’t, quit lying to me.” His tone changed abruptly. He wasn’t asking, he was telling.

            “I really do, now I have to go.” You didn’t care that Jefferson was too close to you, or that your car door was open, you just wanted to leave. You turned the key to start the car, but nothing happened. Panic rose in your chest, and you turned the key again, while this strange man watched you with a smug look on his face.

            “My house isn’t far from here,” He gestured behind him, “just a five-minute walk. I can call you a tow truck from there.”

            You took the cell phone out of your pocket only to find there was no service. Nobody you could call or get ahold of, just the eerie man who found you in the woods. You thought about your options for a few minutes, Jefferson looked impatient while you mulled over what you could do. He finally smiled when you got out of your car, locked it and turned to face him.

            “Do you have service?” You asked, praying that his phone may use a different carrier that picked up a signal out here.

            “I don’t have a phone.” He replied, which you thought was weird. Everyone had a cell phone, who would come out in the woods without one?

            Realizing you didn’t have any other options, you followed Jefferson up the road for a few minutes, before walking up a driveway to a beautiful mansion.

            “You live here?” You asked the man.

            “It appears that way, doesn’t it?” He mused while pulling out a key and unlocking the door.

            “I thought this house was empty,” you told him, “I haven’t seen anyone come in or out of it since I’ve been here.”

            “I’m not always around, I get out when I can.” Was the only explanation he offered.

            His house was beautiful, gorgeous floors and expensive wallpaper, odd looking trinkets and teacups made the mansion look less cavernous and more like a home. You let him take your coat and followed him into the kitchen where he began to boil water for tea. You glanced around the kitchen, looking for a phone of some kind.

            “Can I use your phone?” You asked him.

            “Aren’t you going to stay for tea?” Jefferson sat uncomfortably close to you, placing a teacup and saucer in front of you.

            “Thank you.” You took a sip of the tea.

            When it touched your lips, it was like an electric shock surged through your body. It wasn’t like any tea you bought at the store, not like anything you had before. It smelled and tasted like home, but not the home you knew and loved, a different kind of home. Some kind of home you remembered from a dream. It was honeysuckle sweet, though you hadn’t seen him add any sugar. A sense of calm washed over you.

            “Where did you get this?” You put the teacup down on the saucer, forgetting where you were for a minute.

            “I made it.” He replied, surveying your face. You just nodded in silence, taking another drink. You hadn’t realized you finished your tea until Jefferson reached the teapot to refill your cup.

            “I need to call a tow truck.” This gesture snapped you out of whatever trance you were in.

            “Why would you do that? You’re home.” Jefferson cocked his head at you. You didn’t know what to say to that, you realized you shouldn’t have sat down with him, you should have called the tow truck as soon as you arrived.

            “Thank you for the tea, and for showing me your home, but I really need to get back to my car now.” You pushed away from the table and stood, unhappily noting that Jefferson was between you and the door.

            “Nothing is going to happen to your car, you should stay for dinner.” He wasn’t letting you any closer to the door, rather was walking you back towards the kitchen.

            “I really need to get back home, Jefferson.” When you said his name, his eyes changed. A beautiful smile lit up his face.

            “You don’t remember, do you?” He was close enough to touch a strand of your hair and tuck it behind your ear.

            “Remember what?” You could hardly form words. You just wanted to leave. When he heard your reply, Jefferson backed up, a sad look on his face again.

            “Our life.” He said simply, his eyes searching yours for something he couldn’t find.

            “You seem like a really nice person,” you lied, searching for an inch more room, “but I just met you, and I really need to get back home so I can go to work tomorrow.”

            His hands hovered, then he dropped them. He shook his head, then turned his back on you. Watching but not moving, you saw him leave the room, to return with a phone. He dialed a number and put it to his ear. After a minute he gave a description of your car, where it was and his address.

            “They’ll be at your car in about an hour. So, we have some time to kill.” He spread his hands across the counter, staring at you.

            “You said we met before.” You didn’t like how he was looking at you. It looked like he wanted to devour you.

            “A long time ago.” He finally turned away from you, clearing the teacups from the kitchen table.

            “Can you tell me where?” You probed; the feeling of familiarity was too much for your curiosity.             “You wouldn’t believe me if I did.” He looked at you again, surveying you, your body in a way that you didn’t like.

            “Try me.” You countered, holding his gaze. You watched him walk to the living room, weighing his words before he sat down on the couch. He gestured for you to sit beside him. You didn’t sit next to him, but on the chair across the living room table, so that he no longer blocked you from the door.

            “Do you believe in magic?” Jefferson asked you. He seemed so focused on how you would react.

            “I teach science.” You replied, trying not to laugh or otherwise make him mad about his silly question.

            “That didn’t answer my question.” He mused.

            “I believe there are things we can’t understand and can’t explain, but that doesn’t mean they’re magic.” You weren’t sure how to answer his question.

            “Are you sure about that?” The knowing look in his eyes made you think you gave him the wrong answer.

            “If someone wants to believe in magic, I won’t stop them.” You tried to recover from whatever conversational fumble you made.

            Jefferson turned his head and let out a dry laugh. “But you don’t?” He continued to question you.

            “I don’t know, I guess not?” You replied, eyeing the door.

            “What if I told you, you can’t remember who I am, because of a magical curse?” Jefferson’s eyes had a crazy look in them. It was as though he wanted you to say you believed him.

            “I think it’s probably time for me to head back to my car.” You stood up and walked quickly to the door before he could stop you. His face became clouded, his body language became cold. He took your coat from beside the door and helped you put it on.

            “I’ll walk with you.” He insisted on opening the door so you had no choice but to walk beside him.

            The two of you didn’t talk on the short walk back to the car, or when you arrived. It took another ten minutes for the tow truck to arrive, ten minutes that you spent in silence that seemed incredibly loud.

            “One of you called me out here?” A man in a large truck pulled up beside you and Jefferson, leaning out his window.

            “That was me!” You piped up. “My car wont start, can you help?”

            The man nodded and parked his truck in front of your car, then got out to start moving things around so he could pull your car onto the back of the tow truck. The entire time, Jefferson stared at you, you didn’t see him blink even once. Eventually the tow truck driver finished up, and when you were about to hand him some money, Jefferson gave him a credit card.

            “Thanks for coming, I know it’s a long drive.” He told the driver. “Put the whole bill on here, I don’t care how much it costs.”

            “Jefferson, I can’t let you do that.” You told him, but he held up his hand.

            “You can, and you will. I’m just lucky I found you.” His tone didn’t leave room for argument. You weren’t sure what he meant, or what to say, so you thanked him, and went to sit in the tow truck.

            It wasn’t too long a drive; the tow truck driver chattered your ear off and before you knew it you were back in town. You thanked him for the ride and left your car with the mechanic to figure out why it wouldn’t start. Storybrooke was small, so walking home from downtown didn’t take more than ten minutes.

            When you got home, you took off your coat and went to sit down, the weirdness of the day catching up. Your phone had a signal now, so you decided to look up the strange man named Jefferson who found you in the woods. Try as you might, there was no internet record of the man, no social media, no news stories, no birth record, nothing. Although he had been asking you weird questions, he let you in his home, gave you tea and called a tow truck for you. Maybe it really was just someone in Storybrooke you hadn’t met yet. Still, the feeling of knowing that man from somewhere was one you couldn’t shake.

            Later that night you wound down for bed, deciding to make some tea after a relaxing bath. Right next to the tea kettle you set to boil, was a square box of tea you hadn’t remembered purchasing. You shrugged and opened it, pouring boiling water over the tea bag in your cup. When you sat down to drink it, you realized it tasted just like the tea Jefferson had given you earlier. You went back to the counter where you left the box of tea, looking for a label. The box was white, with only a stamp on the bottom, which read “Made in Storybrooke”. If you had gotten it somewhere in town, it made sense that Jefferson would have something similar.

            As you relaxed and drank your tea, stories that seemed like memories took over your thoughts and ran through your head. The longer you stayed awake, the longer your mind raced. When your thoughts got too loud, you decided it was time to go to sleep, and let your brain get the rest it clearly needed.

“I’ve waited a lifetime to be with you. Please don’t make me keep waiting.” You couldn’t take any more of it. Jefferson wanted what he thought was best for you, even though you didn’t agree. All you wanted was him.

“You’re worth more than this, than what I can give you.” The look on his face was so heartbroken, you couldn’t stand it. You did what you knew would work, you pulled him into a kiss that made your heart soar.

“I want you, Jefferson.” You whispered when you broke the kiss and rested your forehead against his. “I don’t care about anything else.”

“You say that now-” you cut him off with another kiss.

“I traveled worlds to find you, to find my happiness. Don’t you dare try to talk me out of what we have.” Your words seemed to work this time, or maybe it was the kiss. The sorrow left his face, and a smile broke across it instead.

“Then let’s get you home.” Jefferson took your hand and walked down the path you knew so well. The flowers you planted stood bright in the window boxes, the garden was alive and beautiful in the yard, but all you could see was him.

Once you made it inside, you nearly jumped on him. He was yours, and you were his, and you weren’t going to let him go.

You woke with a gasp, your dreams felt so real. You looked around your room to make sure you were alone. There was nobody in your room, the house sounded empty. The fact that the man you met in the woods the day before starred in your dreams made you uneasy.

Not only was the strange meeting the day before fresh in your mind, but your lifelike dreams were as well, no matter how hard you tried to ignore them. Even worse, you couldn’t shake the feeling of someone’s eyes on you. Nevertheless, you had to get ready for the day, preparing to see your students, to socialize with your coworkers and shake off the strange dreams that lingered.

            Botany was your forte, but because there weren’t any universities in Storybrooke, you were happy teaching elementary science classes. The wonder and excitement of children discovering how the world around them worked was far more precious than bored university students trying to get through your class with a passing grade. Besides, it was fun to sit with kids and hear about their lives, a few of them would visit you after school and chat. You were used to Henry and Paige coming to visit during lunch break, Paige was enamored by Henry’s stories, and you liked them too, though you were sure to remind him that they were just that, stories.

            That day Henry brought his storybook when he and Paige came to visit you during lunch, the two of them giggling and pouring through the pages. Henry had a hard enough time as it was, you weren’t going to burst the fairy tale bubble he retreated to when he read his book. When the children let out a loud laugh you looked up with a smile. Henry looked happy for once, and Paige… Paige looked like a beautiful child who for some reason you wanted to pull close and hug. When she met your eyes with a smile, you felt a hollow pain shoot through your chest.

            “Are you okay?” Henry asked, when you didn’t respond to whatever question Paige had asked.

            “I... I forgot something.” You didn’t break eye contact with Paige until you shook your head, willing the painful feeling you got when you looked at Paige to go away. “I have a meeting I need to get to. Can you two find your way to recess without me?” You asked, unwilling to look back to Paige. Both children nodded and raced each other through your classroom doors. There was no meeting to get to, you were rather shaken by the feeling you had when Paige approached you. She was just another student, why was it that you felt like she was so important?

            The rest of the day passed in a blur, one class running into the other until the school bell rang. When your classroom emptied, you returned to your desk and held your head in your hands. Clearly the man in the woods yesterday had spooked you, and it was getting to the rest of your life. Since there was no more busy work, you readied yourself to go home, picking up your things and leaving school. When you got to your car you felt like you were being watched, so you turned and surveyed the parking lot. On the far end, you saw the movement that caught your eye. He was too far away to identify for certain, but a feeling in your gut made you think he looked like the man from yesterday, Jefferson. When your eyes landed on him, he got into his car and drove away, leaving you with no explanation.

            “It’s okay Paige, sometimes it takes more than one try.” You told her. Paige’s parents paid you to help tutor her in math. Twice a week you sat at her kitchen table going over worksheets while her parents chattered in the background. Her mother was making dinner, and it smelled delicious.

            “I don’t think I’ll ever get it.” Paige told you tearfully. The look on her face made you feel the same pang of sorrow through your heart you felt earlier that week. The look made you pull her into a hug and for some reason you couldn’t dream of letting her go. When you held her in your arms it was like a missing piece of your heart was filled. It confused you, so you pushed it away, aware that you were not her family, you were her teacher.  

            “Math is hard,” you told her, “I needed a tutor too, did you know that?” Paige dried her eyes and looked at you.

            “You did? But you’re so smart.” She replied, looking like she felt better already.

            “Smart isn’t about doing things perfectly the first time, it’s about practicing until you’re a master. And I promise, you’re going to master this math homework.” You assured her.

When she smiled it seemed like the warmth of the sun lit up the room. After another hour, Paige was so excited that she understood the math homework, she was nearly jumping with joy. You could have sat there all night and watched her play with her dolls now that she was finished with school.

            “Won’t you stay?” Paige’s mother asked you. “I always make enough for you, Paige loves having dinner with you.” She always asked you to stay, and sometimes you did, but not tonight. There was a bittersweet feeling you were steeped in; you couldn’t feel prouder of Paige and the progress she made, the time you spent with her, but you also knew this wasn’t your place, that she had a family that loved her, and you weren’t a part of that.

            “Thank you, but I have to get home tonight.” You told her mother, knowing you had to leave. Because if you didn’t leave then, you might not leave at all. Paige saw you out, saying her goodbyes. You didn’t give her a chance to hug you goodnight, you weren’t sure you wouldn’t pick her up and take her home with you.

            It was dark outside, so when you began to tear up when you got to your car, nobody could see you. Or so you thought.

            “Why?” You choked out to yourself, wondering where these maternal feelings towards Paige were coming from. Why did you suddenly care for her so much now, why was it so hard to see her with her family, to say goodbye? Something wasn’t right.

            “Because you love her.” A voice emerged from the shadows. You knew his voice from your dreams, though you wouldn’t admit it out loud.

            “She’s my student, that’s all.” You didn’t care that you were teary eyed, you just wanted to be alone. Jefferson stepped forward into what little light was left.

            “You know she’s more than that, you can feel it.” He told you, coming closer than you wanted him to. He seemed to like doing that, putting you in uncomfortable proximity to him. He could reach out and touch you if he wanted.

            “Why are you here? Why are you following me?” Your sadness became an anger that you turned to Jefferson, a man who had a funny habit of simply appearing from nowhere.

            “You’re tutoring her,” he said, “two birds, one stone. You’ve made it easier for me, at least twice a week.” His words scared you, pulled at some emotion inside you that you couldn’t place.

            “Are you watching me? Are you watching her?” Your voice rose, edged with hysteria.

            “I’m watching my family.” Jefferson replied coolly. “I’m making sure you’re safe.” His body language changed, he was no longer at ease, he was tense, and his jaw clenched. You didn’t feel safe. This man in the dark was watching you, was watching Paige, and you didn’t know just how long he had been. You backed up, touching the handle of your car door.

            “I don’t know you, and I want you to leave me alone.” You mustered as much courage as you could, panic rising. Instead of leaving, Jefferson moved closer.

            “You know me, and you’re starting to remember. You’re starting to remember everything.” He whispered against your ear. “And when you do, I’m not going to let you go through that alone. When you do, I’ll be with you. And I won’t leave you again.”

            You pushed against his chest as hard as you could, he stumbled backwards a few steps.

            “Leave me alone!” Your voice sounded loud in the quiet of the dark evening. You got into your car as fast as you could and locked the doors. He didn’t approach the car, he just stood there with his arms crossed, brow furrowed and watched you drive away.

            When you got home, you locked the door and checked all your windows, bolting whichever ones weren’t already locked. You pulled every curtain in your home, if Jefferson was going to be watching you, you weren’t going to make it easy on him. You considered calling the cops, but what were you supposed to tell them? That you thought some strange man has been following you, has been watching you? How could you expect them to do anything when you didn’t have any proof? You saw the man twice, and though he affirmed that he was watching you and Paige, could that hold up in court? Your word against someone else’s, while you held no evidence of a crime, didn’t seem to have a very promising outcome.

            It took you hours to relax, eventually you forced yourself into your nighttime routine of taking a bath, drinking tea and reading a book. Even as you drank your tea on the couch, you had a hard time focusing on the book in front of you. The lines on the page seemed to move, you read the same paragraph a few times before giving up. You sat in silence, unable to quiet your mind. You thought of the strangeness of the last week; Jefferson, your dreams, the indescribable feeling of hope and sorrow when you saw Paige. Yet nothing in your life had changed to spark these feelings, no event or unusual occurrence, besides meeting Jefferson in the woods.

            When you looked at the clock, you realized you spent hours on the couch thinking, the time seemed to have passed without you noticing. You still weren’t tired; your mind was loud. Even so, you had school in the morning, so you got pajamas on and ready yourself for a restless night. What little sleep you got was plagued by dreams, but this time they weren’t dreams of Jefferson, they were dreams of the mayor, Regina.

            “Did you really think I would let you have him? After everything I went through? After Daniel?” Regina pushed you down to the cold floor. “Did you really think I would allow you to be happy?”

            “Regina please!” You grasped the wall to stand, Regina’s laughter echoing around you.

            “I am your queen, and you will obey me!” Regina’s eyes lit up; her voice thundered.

            “I had nothing to do with Daniel!” She was picking a fight with someone who hadn’t raised a hand in battle.

            The mirth in her voice peaked when she came close and grabbed your throat.

            “Oh sweet, simple Alice. Don’t you see? It doesn’t matter what you had to do with anything.” She whispered in your ear as you stood shaking. “What matters is that if I cannot have my happiness, you can’t have yours either.”

            Once again you woke with a start, breathing hard as if you ran a marathon. Was it the tea you were drinking that made your dreams so vivid, so real? You’d have to switch back to something that didn’t make you have dreams that woke you screaming. The clock read 2:15 am. The rest of your night was spent tossing and turning, praying for sleep that didn’t come.

            Your dreams confused you, but maybe that’s how all dreams were. The sleeping brain still didn’t make much sense to scientists or to you. You didn’t know Regina well, but she had always been kind and generous, she had helped you get your job at the elementary school. Hell, you voted for her in the last election, she had a great record and Storybrooke was a beautiful town thanks to her leadership. So why was it you had a dream she was hurting you, yelling at you? And why did she call you Alice? You knew analyzing dreams was pseudoscience, and dwelling on it wouldn’t help you get on with your day. You tried hard to busy yourself, focus on teaching and enjoying the company of the kids in your class, but you couldn’t shake your dreams.

            The next night you decided to take a sleeping pill, you couldn’t stand one more night of vivid dreams. It did the trick, you had a deep, dreamless sleep and didn’t wake once until your alarm blared. It was hard to drag yourself from your bed, to face the morning light, but you knew you had to. You felt responsible for the kids in your class, you owed it to them to show up and teach them each week. You weren’t going to let them down because you felt tired.

            “Paige’s mother called, she’s sick so she won’t be in class today.” The office administrator told you when you checked in with them before school started that day.

            A sense of dread overcame you. Was she going to be, okay? What kind of sickness did she have, could you help? The only thing on your mind was how much you wanted Paige to heal, you couldn’t stand the thought of her being sick.

            The day went by as usual, though the worry you held about Paige sat somewhere in your stomach the whole time. It was unusual not to see her or Henry when lunch came around, so you decided to seek him out during recess.

            “Henry!” You called to him across the playground. He happily skipped in your direction.

            “Hi!” He greeted you, smile on his face.

            “I didn’t see you at lunch, is everything okay?” You were concerned; if Paige was unwell there was a chance Henry was under the weather too. The two of them spent a lot of time together.

            “I’m okay, but Paige is sick, so I decided to eat with my other friends today.” Henry explained.

            “Do you know if she’s alright?” You couldn’t stop the words from leaving your mouth. You knew it wasn’t your place to ask.

            “She’s okay, I think she has a fever. She should be back by Monday, at least I hope so.” Henry was eying the other kids on the monkey bars.

            “I won’t keep you from recess, I’m glad you’re doing okay.” You told Henry, before walking back into the school.

            The second half of the day always passed quickly, and before you knew it the bell was ringing to let the children flood the hallways and leave the school. You too, wanted to leave and go home, do something you enjoyed, but there was paperwork and lesson plans that weren’t going to write themselves. It was dark by the time you were done, but the entire weekend beckoned you now that your Friday work was complete. You pulled out your phone and turned on the flashlight, the low lights in the parking lot weren’t enough for you to see clearly.

            “She wasn’t there, was she?” This time he didn’t hide on the other side of the parking lot; he approached you with confidence.

            “I told you to stay away from me.” You tried not to let your voice betray your emotions. Jefferson didn’t seem to hear you, or he didn’t care.

            “She’s sick, she has a fever. They took her to the doctor today, but she’ll be better than ever soon.” You knew he was talking about Paige.

            “So, you’re stalking her too?” You spit in his direction.  

            “I told you, I’m looking out for my family.” Jefferson couldn’t say anything that made sense to you. “Doesn’t it kill you that you can’t be with her when she needs you?”

            The feelings of dread, of worry, concern came back to you. You hadn’t chased them off, they were waiting for the right words to make an appearance.

            “Come near me again, and I’ll call the police.” You were shaking when Jefferson put his hands on your shoulders.

            “Then why haven’t you?” he asked, a knowing tone in his voice. “I think it’s because you remember.”

            “I don’t remember anything, get off me.” It came out in a whisper, you couldn’t meet Jefferson’s eyes. You were sure he could feel you shaking.

            “I think you’re lying,” he replied, “and I don’t like it when you lie to me.” You closed your eyes when he got even closer, willing yourself the strength to push him away.

            “You’re insane.” Was all you could manage, finally stepping backwards and out of his grasp.

            Jefferson laughed, though you weren’t sure what was funny.

            “You have no idea.” He said with a smile. He slowly walked backwards, never breaking eye contact. Eventually he disappeared in the dark, and you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding.

            It was hard to get your keys in the ignition, your hands were shaking too hard. You sat back against the seat, giving yourself a few minutes to regain composure. If Jefferson showed up like that again, you were going to call the police. You didn’t care if you had evidence or not.

            That night your dreams were of Paige. Unfortunately, your dreams starred someone else, someone you didn’t want to cloud your mind, even in sleep. It was as though you were looking at them through a glass, but they couldn’t seem to see you.

            “Can I pour you some tea, Papa?” Paige asked, pretending to pour tea into his cup. She was surrounded by stuffed animals that looked homemade.

            Jefferson mimed drinking the tea Paige pretended to pour.

            “Is your tea good, Papa?” She asked from across the table they sat.

            “It’s delicious, Grace.” Jefferson told her, a wide smile on his face. “It’s always an honor to be invited to join your party.” Paige let out a giggle, and helped her stuffed animals drink their tea.

            “When will Mama be home?” She asked Jefferson. He gave her arm a squeeze.

            “She’ll be back once she has ingredients to make more tea for us.” He told her. His head turned, and he looked straight through you, like you weren’t there.

            “I love you, Papa.” Paige told Jefferson. He looked at her with the most love and affection you had ever seen on someone’s face.

            “I love you too, Grace. Mama will be home soon, and we can have a magical evening together.” He picked her up in a hug and spun in a circle. He put her back down and ruffled her hair.

            Once more, he turned and looked out the window. This time you swore he saw you.

            At least it was Saturday, the vivid dreams and unsettling sleep wouldn’t affect the way you did your job. It was hard to wake up, when you did your thoughts immediately brought Paige to mind, you thought about her as you stumbled through your morning routine.

            The sun was lighting the sky, the small town of Storybrooke looked lovely in the morning glow. You slowly walked down the street, stopping to look at different items at the farmer’s market. You got fresh fruit and some flowers, hoping to make a garland with the vibrant colors to hang on your door. When you reached out towards a stuffed rabbit that you thought Paige would love, your hand brushed someone else’s. You didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

            “Alice.” Jefferson breathed out, looking at you.

            “My name isn’t Alice.” You withdrew your hand and glared.

            “Of course, my mistake.” The way his head cocked in amusement didn’t sit well with you.

            “You’re following me in broad daylight now? Isn’t that risky, even for you?” You asked him.

            “I’m not following you anywhere, it’s a beautiful day and I wanted to see what was at the market.” He shrugged, not admitting to his schemes.

            “So, it’s a coincidence that we’re both here?” You didn’t believe him.

            “I don’t think so.” He looked at you with amusement. “I think we both thought Grace would love this stuffed rabbit, and we wanted to get her something while she’s sick.��

            “What are you talking about? I don’t know a Grace.” You told him. He ground his teeth, though you weren’t sure what you said to upset him.

            “Paige.” He spit out her name like it was a dirty word.

            “Look, I don’t know who she is to you, but you need to leave her alone.” You felt scared for Paige. This man could do whatever he wanted to anyone else, but you’d be damned if he hurt Paige.

            “She’s to me what she is to you.” Jefferson seemed to speak only in riddles.

            “She’s, my student.” You told him.

            “Do you worry this much when any of your students are sick? Do you go to the market to find your other students toys they love and make sure they get them?” Jefferson questioned. It seemed like he knew the answer.

            “Why are you here? Why is it that you appeared from nowhere one day and now I can’t get rid of you?” You were so tired of him, and he had hardly been in your life for more than a couple weeks. The man’s face darkened, he looked more serious than you had seen him before.

            “Look.” He pulled you by the shoulder to face the clock tower at the center of town. “The clock started moving again, things are changing.” Jefferson searched your face for any sign of recognition, anything that might hint you understood him. But there was nothing.

            “Clocks always move, that’s kind of their thing, they keep time.” You pulled out of his grasp and started to hurry away.

            “Tell me about your dreams then!” Jefferson yelled after you. His words made you stop. You hadn’t told anyone about your dreams, you didn’t even want to think about them yourself, they had simply been too strange to consider.

            “What do you know about my dreams?” You hissed at him. You seemed to say exactly what he wanted to hear. A real smile spread across his face instead of the confident smirk he wore before.

            “I know they’re not dreams.” He replied, all too confident.

            “What?” You wanted him to say something that would make sense, something that would reveal his motive, or give you any idea as to why this man suddenly appeared in your life and wouldn’t leave. He approached you again, this time seeming frantic. When he took your shoulders the look in his eyes was so intense it scared you.

            “The clock is moving again; the curse is weakening and you’re remembering.” Jefferson looked close to tears; the way he said it made him sound so sincere. But dreams were dreams, and this man was crazy.

            “Stay away from me.” You backed away, not turning until Jefferson was lost in the crowd.

            You were still rattled when you got home. You tried to calm your breathing while you put away your groceries, but it wasn’t easy. You realized you forgot to purchase the stuffed rabbit you knew Paige would have loved, but when you remembered the circumstances, you figured you were better off. You’d find something else she liked and not have to deal with Jefferson when you did.

            Still tired, you made some tea and started to weave the flowers you bought through each other until they began to form a wreath. The birds sang through the open windows, the sun lit your face and the tea you were sipping made you warm. Your fingers got slower and slower, your head felt heavier, your eyes began to drift shut.

“She’ll never know, besides you’re doing her a favor.” Regina circled Jefferson like a cat circling a mouse. She knew she won the game before she started playing.

            “She told me not to trust you, that you want to hurt me.” If he sounded just a little more sure of himself, Regina might have backed off, but she heard the tremble in his voice and pounced.

            “You think this is good enough for her? Living in a hovel, your family wasting away in poverty? Your wife was a princess, she had everything she could ever want. Do you think she’s happy like this?” Regina knew how to twist people’s minds with her words.

            “She doesn’t care.” Jefferson insisted, “she said-”

            “She said whatever she wants you to believe, but you aren’t really that stupid, are you?” Words from the Wicked Witch always sounded better than the truth.

            “I’m not leaving them; I made a promise.” He crossed his arms in Regina’s direction.

            “Well, well, it looks like my sister made an honest man out of our dear Mr. Jefferson. How surprising.” Her voice was honey and vinegar.

            Jefferson didn’t want to admit it, but her words planted poison seeds in his mind. He stared at a drawing of you and Grace on the mantle.

            “When you’re ready to provide your wife and daughter the life they deserve, you know where to find me.” Regina brushed past Jefferson, closing the door in his face.

You woke with a scream. You clutched your chest and spilled the now cold tea across the wreath of flowers you were weaving together. What was happening to you? Why couldn’t you get a minute of peaceful sleep, and why did your dreams seem so real? Like they were memories, like you could reach out and touch them?

You stood to find a towel for the tea you spilled, abandoning your flower wreath. The sun was low, the clouds streaked with deep purples and pinks created a masterpiece of the sky through the windows. You found yourself staring through the sight before you while you cleaned up the tea, unable to be present in your reality. Some part of you was still entertaining the dreams that plagued you daily.

Who was he, to you? Why did Jefferson star each night in your dreams, why was Paige wrapped up in them, and why was Regina? Had they been a passing phenomenon it would be easy to ignore, but these dreams didn’t seem to stop. Unless you were heavily medicated with sleeping pills, but that wasn’t sustainable. You decided to pull out photo albums you made years ago. They contained pictures of you when you got to Storybrooke, of the children in your class, of the teachers and staff, and your friends around town. You scoured the pages, searching for anyone that resembled Jefferson, but you found nothing. The man was a ghost.

The rest of your day was wholly unproductive, you weren’t present when you made dinner, you could hardly get through a few pages of your favorite book. You attempted a lesson plan for the following week but the wires in your brain weren’t connecting. Even mindless tasks like laundry were hard to pay attention to. Eventually you gave up, took out the trash and sat on the couch in front of the TV, content to listen to something mindless to get through the rest of the night. The prospect of going to bed scared you so you stayed up until your eyes began to close and the teacup started to slip from your hand. Finally admitting defeat, you dragged yourself into bed and hoped beyond hope to find some peace.

“Regina was here.” It was an accusation from your mouth, not a question.

“She was.” Jefferson was tight lipped. He knew how dangerous your sister was. “She offered me a job.”

            “A job you’re going to turn down, right?” You were scared, Regina never came bearing good news, or good jobs. She hated that you moved away from her grasp, had a husband you loved, a child. She was jealous and had been trying to ruin your happiness since you found it. Jefferson simply sighed.

            “It’s the last job she needs me for.”

            “It’ll always be the last job she needs you for! How many last jobs will she ask you to do?” Your voice rose in hysterics; there was no such thing as one last job with Regina. Not while she wore the crown.

            Jefferson approached you and rubbed your arms, attempting to placate you.

            “I’m not going to take it, I promise.” He assured you with a kiss on your forehead.

            “She wants to hurt you.” You whispered, tears behind your eyes. Your sister would never offer anything without some kind of pitfall.

            “All I want is to keep you and Grace safe, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” Jefferson assured you.

            “She won’t keep you safe, Jefferson, she won’t keep any of us safe.” Instead of replying he pulled you closer, resting his chin on your head while he held you tight.

            “I love you, that’s all that matters.” He murmured against you, “I won’t let either of you go, not for anything.”

            You closed your eyes and allowed his soothing words to warm you. Jefferson always kept his word.

When you woke you felt bone cold. Bone cold and exhausted.

“That’s it, I’m done with these dreams.” Glancing at the clock you realized it was almost three in the morning, but you didn’t care. You had a feeling he would be up anyway. If Jefferson wasn’t going to respect your privacy, you didn’t think you owed it to him. You threw on a pair of pants and a tee shirt and found your car keys.

“Hello?!” You pounded on the door for what seemed like the thousandth time. The one time you were trying to talk to him, he wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“Hardly the person I expected to be knocking on my door this late.” Jefferson appeared from the night as he always did. You could never tell where he was coming from or how he managed to sneak up on you every single time. He surveyed you, your messed up hair, your wide eyes and shaken body language. “What are you doing here?” The night air was as cool as his words.

You realized you hadn’t prepared anything to say, you had woken and left your house in such a rush that any words you had thought of once before were now stuck in your throat. For a second you sputtered, opening your mouth before closing it again. Jefferson stepped closer, his nose nearly touched yours, you could feel his body heat in the cold night. You should have been scared, part of you was, but part of you knew he could give you what you needed.

“You’re afraid of me.” Jefferson spoke the obvious, watching how your body shook millimeters away from his own. “Why are you here?”

            “I am afraid of you.” You didn’t care to put on a façade, you were too tired, too scared, too confused. Too haunted by Jefferson’s face to sleep through the night. “But I keep having dreams and I need answers.”

            “You still think they’re dreams.” Jefferson surveyed you while he unlocked the door. You let him wrap his hands around your wrist and pull you into his home.

There was dread when he slid the deadbolt back into place, but you couldn’t bring yourself to move. You let him guide you through the house and sit you on the couch. You watched him through a fog, but it felt so familiar. Flashes of your dreams came in and out of vision. The vase of flowers on the table were the same as the ones that bloomed in your dreams, the tea pot that had begun to whistle you swore was the one that Jefferson and Paige were playing with a few nights past. What sent a sick feeling into the pit of your stomach was the drawing on his mantle. It was of you and Paige, both sitting together in a rocking chair, smiling wide. The one that had been on the mantle when you dreamt of Jefferson and Regina.

You blinked when he sat in the chair opposite you, looking at you while he sipped steaming tea. It was hard to convince yourself you weren’t dreaming right now. But it was too real, you could hear your breathing, feel the chair beneath you, much as you wanted it was no dream. Jefferson didn’t speak, he just watched you sit in your own discomfort. Deciding to forgo the tea, you finally spoke up.

“Why can’t I stop dreaming about you?” It was the first time you admitted to anyone, even yourself that you couldn’t get him off your mind.

“I don’t think you’re dreaming.” Was all Jefferson had to say, looking smug and happy in his seat.

“No?” You asked him, not surprised that he wouldn’t even give you half an answer.

“No, you’re remembering.” He seemed to like watching your discomfort when he refused to elaborate.

“Can you give me something?!” Your voice rose, you hadn’t realized how close to losing it you were. Weeks of lifelike nightmares that led you to the house of the man that had been stalking you, and you were hardly making the best decisions. You realized you shouldn’t have come here. “What is all of this?” You gestured wildly to the flowers on the table, then to the drawing of you and Paige.

Jefferson sighed, seemingly unsatisfied by your questions. Instead, he stood and pulled you up with him, so that the two of you faced each other. It was as if he were looking through your soul, looking for some piece that you swore didn’t exist. Even though he couldn’t seem to find what he was looking for, he still leaned in closer.

            When he kissed you, something happened. You weren’t sure what, but you felt that something had ripped you out of the dream you were walking through. Like you had been sleepwalking for years and now you were shocked back to life. As cliché as fairytale stories were, it felt like his kiss had woken something inside of you.

            “Jefferson?” You reached up to touch his face, you didn’t understand how you could have forgotten it after all these years. how could you have forgotten your husband? Looking at him through new eyes you felt a sense of relief, of love, of comfort. Then came the pain.

            “Alice.” He smiled against your lips, the recognition in your voice made his eyes prick with tears.

            “You were, I was…” you stood still in shock.

            “You were here, you were under a spell but you’re here.” Jefferson held you close to his chest and stroked your hair.

You couldn’t stop the tears as all the memories that were unlocked flooded back at once. Memories of Jefferson, of your daughter Grace, not Paige, of your home, the life you built together. When you closed your eyes, you could see where you belonged; your cottage, your garden, your living room filled with Grace and Jefferson’s laughter. You could remember swaying with Jefferson in the dining room to music you could hardly hear, chasing each other in the woods, collapsing into fits of laughter once you were caught.

You remember being pregnant, having Grace, knowing that you would do anything, anything in this world or any other to have your beautiful family by your side. You remembered Regina coming to talk to Jefferson, and that you warned him to stay away from her. The last thing you could think of before you opened your eyes in Storybrooke was tucking Grace into her bed with a quilt you sewed for her, telling her to have sweet dreams and that you and her father would wake her in the morning. You didn’t know how long it had been since you put her to bed, but it was far, far longer than the next morning.

At some point you started sobbing, so Jefferson sat you down on the couch and simply held you. He knew how it felt to remember. If he hadn’t seen it coming, felt the curse weakening, he never would have sought you out. He wasn’t going to force you to live with the awful memories of having your daughter ripped away. Jefferson couldn’t live with himself if he was the reason you had to look at Paige every single day and know she wasn’t really Paige, she was your daughter named Grace that you could never have back. But he felt it, he saw you begin to doubt yourself, felt the magic beginning to wane, slip away from Storybrooke through the leak Regina sprung.

Jefferson held your shaking body and placed a kiss on top of your head. It didn’t really matter now, what mattered now was that you were home.

[reginamillls]

have some more of my OUAT 911 AU... part one here

* * *

The forest seems to move around them, the nature of its ancient depths unknown to all of them. This wasn't just an ordinary forest-

"Keep going!" Captain Gerard yells through the heavy storm. "We're not leaving until we find the Queen!"

Their group continues on, their numbers now merely seven, when at the begining of their campaign they were twenty men strong. Its disenheartening, watching thier brothers in arms get picked off one by one, but their Captain was a hardened man and he didn't allow any of them to grieve.

It sits like a rock, heavy on his chest, but Thomas pushes forward.

If they don't complete this quest, then all of their deaths will be for nothing.

"I hate it here," Salvatore grumbles under his breath. "It's been nothing since rain and darkness. My armor is rusting-"

Thomas smiles despite himself, shaking his head at his closest friend. He bumps his shoulder into Salvatore's own and gets the other man to smile. Even in the dark, Thomas can see it as a challenge.

Salvatore pushes back and for a moment they're both just young men who grew up together, finding joy when they can when their world was hard. Thomas almost laughs, but he restrains himself from doing so.

"You'll get the Captain's attention," Thomas says, and what brief joy he had falls from his face. "We both know what he's like."

Salvatore looks at him, and nods his head solemly.

They know what their Captain is like when he gets an idea in his head, stubborn to the point of being dangerous. The King sent them on this quest, to capture the Queen of the Fae so that the King could control magic. So that their country could never be in danger again.

It's the ultimate honor, to die for their King and Kingdom.

But looking around at what's left of the people Thomas had grown up with, withering away from the months of travel, shaking from the cold and jumping at their own shadows in fear-

He's starting to have his doubts.

"Come on Men!" Gerard yells. "We're so close! We can get that Fairy, put and end to this quest and come home as heroes!"

The men all cheer as much as they can, their voices carrying throughout the trees. It feels like a battle cry of sort, though Thomas doubts they would win in any fights with how exhuasted they all are.

And still, Thomas joined in their cheers.

***

The forest twists endlessly in front of them, blocking their view. Thomas swears they've been walking in circles. It feels endless.

They're tired, exhausted and in such poor spirits that even Gerard agrees they should try and camp out for the night.

They find an area where the forest is so dense, that they are covered from most of the rain, and Thomas is sent out to try and find anything dry enough to use for firewood. He gives Salvatore his sword to watch after and grabs an axe. Gerard won't let any of them go in pairs with how few of them are left.

"Come back," Salvatore says grips Thomas' forearm weakly. Thomas has noticed how he had begun to visibly shiver hours ago, and that he was hiding his coughs from the others. "Don't make me come save your bastard ass."

"I can handle myself." He promises. "I always do." Thomas smiles and sits his friend down, giving him his waterskin. Salvatore tries to push it back but Thomas is stronger and they've both been taught never to show weakness and Salvatore gives up and takes the water. "Rest. Please." Thomas urges quietly.

"Fine," Salvatore huffs. "If only so I have the strength to cary you out of this cursed forest." He gives Thomas's arm another squeeze.

Then Thomas is off.

Alone.

[deadlymistletoe]

Moonlit Misery

Pairing: Killian Jones/Captain Hook x Reader

Request: @notalizard asked: Killian Jones x GN! Reader but they have a a son who is stuck on pans island (pre curse) and they are both angsting about potentially never getting him back together

Genre: Angst

Description: On the anniversary of being separated from your beloved son by the devil known as Peter Pan, you and Killian despair under the moonlight with thoughts of your failure.

Warnings: mentions of manipulation; peter pan

Word Count: 1262

You glanced up from your spot where you sat on the edge of the pier, legs dangling in the air when the familiar footsteps stopped beside you and leather rustled as your husband sat down beside you, swinging his own legs over the dark ocean below.

The moon cast a gentle light over the water, its reflection moving with the swirl of the water and you raised an eyebrow as its reflection glinted off the bottle of rum the dark-haired pirate held in his hand.

“Really?” You questioned, watching as he used his teeth to pull the cork, dropping it from his teeth to the side. Normally you’d find the move incredibly attractive, and he’d accompany it with a suggestive wink. Not tonight though. Instead he only shrugged, the tiny, crooked smile he gave you forced and full of pain.

“Now, love, surely you’ve worked out by now that bemoaning over our loss isn’t complete without a bit of rum to sip depressingly at. Ruins the image.” Even as he held out the bottle to you, the spark in his eyes that usually accompanied his quips was gone, the blue that mirrored the ocean below dark and blank, void of life or happiness.

You sighed, taking the offered bottle and taking a long sip, grimacing only slightly at the flavour - you’d never been a massive fan of rum, but tasting it on Killian’s lips so often over the years had gotten you used to it. Besides, he was right. The two of you may as well fit the image.

Said image had become a yearly occurrence for the two of you ever since that fateful night. The rest of the crew knew well enough to keep away, and to keep others away by now. They also knew never to speak a word of it: both the yearly routine and the event that it was the anniversary of. Instead you would only receive sad glances you hardly noticed as the two of you stumbled back onto the Jolly Roger in the morning, slightly tipsy, slightly hungover and ready to ignore the event for another year.

But for tonight the fake ignorance was gone, the raw truth that weighed on both your hearts loud and clear.

“Do you think we’ll ever get him back?” You murmured as Killian finished taking his own swig of the drink.

You heard the sigh more than you saw it as he stared at the drink in his hand. “I hope so,” He answered, but you could both feel the worry between you that his hope would never be any more than just that: a hopeful wish that would never come true.

The truth was, the likelihood of getting back your son was very unlikely. The likelihood of getting him back unscathed was almost non–existent.

The absolute devil known as Peter Pan would make sure of that. Years ago, when he had sucked your son into his circle of lost children with fake acts of kindness and sincerity, none of you had known what you’d been about to lose. Not you, not Killian, not the crew who also adored your son, and not your son himself. The truth was, you didn’t even know if your son saw it as a loss.

A young boy of 11, he had been captivated by Pan and his charm and promises. Peter used that to his advantage to keep the boy drawn in, so there was no telling what Pan had told your son about the absence of his parents. Neither of you said it, but the worst fear of both you and your husband was that Peter had poisoned your beloved boy’s mind with lies of his family abandoning him.

It had haunted you ever since that even if you could get your son back he wouldn’t want to leave the so-called ‘family’ made up of lost boys.

What had started out as a tentative alliance - particularly when your son had taken an interest in Pan - had ended when the devil refused to let you take your son off shore after a venture through the island after he found out you intended on leaving, the alliance turning forced as he kept your son hidden and away from you, taunting the two of you with stories of how happy your only child was without you - how he had found a real family that didn’t steal and plunder for a living - as he used threats of the 11 year old’s safety as a way to keep both you and the rest of the crew of the Jolly Roger in check, doing his bidding.

This continued, pieces of you and Killian’s hearts chipping away as time continued to go by until Pan struck the final blow; giving you the option to finally leave the cursed island and its waters, only without your son. The ‘option’ had ended up being an order, and the night after Killian turned down the offer with a few choice words the lost boys went into action, forcing Killian to turn the boat away from the island lest more of his crew fall victim to the ruthless children, the lost boys chasing you until you passed the barrier and it shut behind you, casting you back into the waters of your own realm with no way back in, cursed to age and die while your son stayed young with Peter for eternity.

The only signs of what had transpired had been the youth of those who had been there along with the absence of your son and the dead and wounded bodies on your ship.

Now you leaned into the welcomed warmth as Killian put the bottle aside, wrapping his arm tightly around your shoulder and pulling you into him. You swallowed tightly, staring out at the dark sea.

“This is our fault.” You muttered. “We never should have risked taking him to that damn island, let alone the realm in the first place.”

You felt Killian’s fingers tighten on your shoulder as you uttered the same regrets you did every year. This time though, Killian pulled his arm away, turning your head to look at him, fingers lightly on your chin. Determination hardened his features. “This was not our fault. We didn’t know what would happen. And I swear to you and the gods, we will get our son back, however long it takes - whatever condition he is in - and we will be a family again.”

You swallowed once more, taking in the steely glint in his eyes that replaced the blankness. “What changed since last year? What makes you so sure?”

“What changed is that I won’t let us keep suffering like this. I won’t let that devil keep our family apart to prove a point.” He glanced at the water before looking back at you. “I am a very patient man, and mark my words, sooner or later we will get him back if I have to bargain with the Dark One himself.”

You pulled Killian’s arm around you again, leaning into him as you picked up the rum to take a last sip. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, yeah?”

When dawn came and the two of you stepped back onto the planks that made the deck of your home, the crew took note of the difference from previous years; the new determination in both of your gaits and the hope that burned in your traded glances.

It was in silent agreement that the crew would do whatever they could to get your son home again.

A/N: I am open to writing a sequel at one point set in S3 where they reunite with their son if enough people are interested, so let me know if you are.

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