#the love between emma and regina is real

[mylesficfavs]

I wish I was a writer so that I could accurately convey how beautiful this fic is ❤️. 

[bloodyshadow1]

it's really weird that they didn't make Supercorp a thing, I say this as someone who watched season 2 and then stopped after the comiccon incident. maybe they refused to make it canon in the show because it was a middle finger to the toxic supercorp fans, and there were a lot of them. I wouldnt' even mind since the second crossover event made me leave the supercorp fandom in disgust, you know whne many of them cheered when and alternate version of Jimmy, a black man, was murdered by Nazi green arrow, because the writers had him get together with Lena, it was bad. Maybe there are other reasons but it's still just strange when you make their relationship the heart of the show and don't have them get together..., it's just weird.

Once upon a time was weird like that, their show had Emma, Regina, and Henry, Emma's biological son and Regina's adopted son, not to mention the fairy tale bullshit that connects the two of them, only for them not to get together.

But with Supercorp, it was something that developed naturally, neither of them had any chemistry with the men the writers tried to pair them up with, and it was horrible writing when they were together. Yet Kara and Lena's 'friendship' kept getting center stage in the series.

season 2 lena was abducted by the daxamites because she was brilliant and had been tricked into bringing them to earth. She's going to be forced to marry Kara's boyfriend because of his mother wanting her as a daughter

season 3 a huge part of the season was Lena and supergirl's relationship breaking down, though she was still friendly with Kara. She bought Kara's job for her and despite Lena getting together with James, the writers never tried to develop that relationship.

season 4 Lena is again a huge part of the story since Lex is the real big bad of the season. The big reveal of Kara being Supergirl to Lena is what was supposed to propel the next season's plot. After she shoots him he makes sure to reveal that Kara danvers is supergirl because he knows that nothing would hurt Lena more. You know her completely platonic friend lying to her is what sets her off the deep end to become a villain.

season 5 their relationship is what drives the plot completely now since Lena is going full villain mode. The writing isn't good, but the writers also couldn't stop the two of them from having chemistry.

Hell, the writers had to be aware because the entire 100th episode was about Kara and Lena's relationship. The entire premise of the episode is Kara getting to see clips of what would have happened with her relationship with lena if she told her she was supergirl at different times or just stayed away from her. Almost every time Kara tells her, there's stress in the relationship and things get worse, but they're all about Lena, 5 separate timelines and Kara can't think of anything she would rather change with her life than try and make things wright with Lena. By the end, the episode is supposedly telling us that Lena is a lost cause, but I don't know it wasn't that good of an episode to begin with. It doesn't change that the writers decided to focus on their landmark episode to focus on Lena and Kara's relationship

By the end Lena realizes that she was tricked by lex and joins the good guys, Kara is pissed at her for what she's done, but they eventually can work together again. When lex sends Kara to the Phantom zone Lena is distraught, more than anyone else, even Alex who at least had Kelly for comfort

Season 6 is about getting Kara back and finishing the show. They kill off Kara's temp love interest and Lena is shown to be so desperate to save Kara that she's willing to go farther than Alex, her loving sister, to get her back. Even at the end of the series, the last scene of two characters on screen having a conversation of the series, is between the two of them at a lesbian wedding, where they're in tears talking about how much they mean to each other and hug.

it is bizarre that the writers didn't have the two of them get together given how much the series was driven by their relationship. Like I said, if it was a middle finger to toxic supercorp fans I would understand, but as an aspiring writer, not even a shipper, I feel insulted about how the supergirl writers just tossed aside the perfect natural relationship in the show.

I don't want to keep going much longer, but thematically Kara and Lena were one of the best relationships in the show. The actor's chemistry between the two of them was better than almost every relationship in the show, especially with any of either of their romantic partners. I dont' know, like I said I left the fandom pretty early and the shows been over for almost 3 years, but it still just baffles me.

[shipposttt]

The Ship of the Day: Swan Queen

Name: Emma x Regina

Ship name: Swan Queen

Original content: Once Upon a Time (OUAT)

Ship info: Once Upon a Time is a TV show where all of the fairy-tale characters that we know and have been told about all our lives have been cursed by the Evil Queen into our land – the land without magic – and have been frozen in time for 28 years in a small town called Storybrooke. The legend goes that the daughter on Snow White and Prince Charming (the saviour) will come to town and wake everyone up from the curse. Thus, the show starts with Henry, the adopted son of Regina (the evil queen) going to find his birth mother Emma (the saviour/Snow White and Charming’s daughter) and bringing her back to Storybrooke.

Henry (their son) who has found out about the curse through a gifted storybook, spends a long time trying to convince Emma that the curse is real not just a story and that she’s the one that needs to break it. However, Emma has a hard time believing that everyone living in town is a cursed storybook character and only participates in these discussions with Henry to keep him happy.

Emma and Regina’s relationship gets off to a rocky start as Regina immediately begins to feel threatened by Emma, her sons birth mother, and due to the fact that her relationship with Henry is a little fractured during that point in time. It looks like she has nothing to worry about however as Emma vows to leave town that night although on her way out of town she gets run off the road by a wolf ultimately leading to a chain of events that have Emma staying in town. 

During her stay in town Emma spends a lot of time at odds with Regina, they are constantly arguing over Henry (at first), and there is a lot of tension between them when they are making threats to each other and arguing. This arguing however comes to a stop after the fight they have over their son eating a poisoned apple turnover that Regina made for Emma. Emma wakes Henry up with true loves kiss and both mothers are happy their son is not dead. This is arguably the point where their relationship is worst, after this their relationship only gets better. 

After Emma breaks the curse by waking Henry up and true loves kiss magic comes back to Storybrooke. This leads to a lot of instances in which Emma and Regina have to fight together to save the town and their son a lot and even in some instances save each other. There are also many points in the show where people don’t believe that Regina is redeemed and still see her as a villain however Emma has always believed in Regina’s redemption, even going as far as protecting and defending her when Regina is accused of murder. We see moments later on in this show of Emma bringing Regina lunch and the both of them teasing each other which shows how much their relationship has evolved from what it used to be.

There is a lot of tension that can be felt in this teasing and in their ever-present need to save each other and even in simple moment such as Emma declaring that she always knows when Regina is lying and that she wants to help Regina find her happy ending. The move of their relationship from enemies to people who trust one another with their lives – as they have on many occasions – is very important in understanding why these characters are so beloved together. This is because they are both passionate fighters about/for the things that they love and once they get over their differences and realise who similar they actually are, they spend a lot of time fighting to save each other. Even going as far as Emma absorbing the darkness/curse of the dark one in order to save Regina and her goodness.

Additionally, there are also multiple parallels throughout the show both visually and audibly wherein Swan Queen are compared to Snowing (Snow White and Prince Charming) who are a canon heterosexual couple who share two children. Why are moments between Emma and Regina being parallel to a couple in a canon romantic relationship, a couple who are professed to be (canon) romantic True Loves in this show, if Emma and Regina themselves aren’t meant to be in a romantic relationship and/or true loves.

Type of Ship: Queer Bait

Putting aside all of the fairy tale elements and all of the magic in this show, seeing the trope of two people sharing a child implies that by the end of the series these two people will be in a romantic relationship. Instances in which this trope occurs, and the parents have been a man and woman result in a romantic relationship, some examples include: About a Boy (2002), The Switch (2010), Life as We Know It (2010), Love Comes Softly (2003).

In all of these examples the male and female characters who are seen parenting a child together end up in romantic relationships. Why then did the creators of OUAT choose to apply this trope to their show only to have these two parental characters not end up together just because they are both women. They have spent the majority of the show making parenting decisions for their son together, fighting together to save their son and even becoming something resembling a family only for them to not end up together even though if they were a man and a woman instead of both women, they would have ended in a romantic relationship together.

Additionally, there are also instances in the show of prolonged eye contact and wide screen shots of these characters looking at each other. In this same show there are heterosexual characters with examples of the same moment happening that are in or do end up in a romantic relationship. If this is so then why isn’t it the same for Swan Queen, the only difference being that they are both women. The shots of these two characters together are conscious choices made by writers, producers and directors and have been put into the show making people think that what is going to happen is that these characters are going to end up in a romantic relationship, yet they never do! There is no need for creators to tease something that is not going to happen, the only thing that this does is creates outrage from audiences who were invested in this relationship and led to believe that it was a possibility. There have also been instances in which creators have spoken on social media about this ship speculation and actively participating in keeping this audience tuned into the show. They have reeled this audience in only for them to be disappointed by the results. 

Thank you for coming to my ted talk!

Admin 🦈

[personality-corner]

Once Upon a Time MBTI

Emma Swan - ISTP

Emma is very logical, but relies on an internal set of logic. She tends to struggle with accepting objective logic if it somehow conflicts to knowledge she already has. She refuses to believe Mary Margaret or David killed Katherine, when every ounce of evidence points to otherwise, because it conflicts with everything she knows about them. She is also very reliant on the external world, and even when she doesn’t believe where the evidence would lead, she trusts it to eventually lead to the right answer.

Regina Mills / The Evil Queen - ENFJ

For better or for worse, the one thing that stays consistent when she is good and evil is her Fe. She is very aware of other’s emotions, and can either be very insightful because of it, or very manipulative. Her entire revenge plan is contingent upon inflicting her emotional pain onto those she feels has “wronged her.” When Regina sets her sight on something, she doesn’t stop until she gets it, indicating strong Ni, and strong ideas.

Henry Mills - ENFP

Henry is able to believe in the fairytales, with no proof whatsoever, other than the fact that he saw similarities between the fairytales and people he knew in real life. His obsession with these fairytales had made him feel rather isolated from his peers, and he often relies on them to make sense of not only the world around him, but his emotions. Despite this, Henry doesn’t lift these beliefs, even when it becomes harder to believe them.

Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard - ISFP

Both as Snow White and Mary Margaret, she is very connected to their emotions, for better or for worse. At her healthiest Snow / Mary Margaret is a very kind individual who seeks to improve the world around her with love. At her lowest, however, she can be rather selfish and sometimes vengeful, when it comes to Regina. She is also very connected to the world around her, using birds to teach, and being resourceful in the ways she survives Regina’s wrath.

David Nolan / Prince Charming - ESFJ

David has a keen understanding of the people and the world around him, and tends to share the collective values of the group. He’s not opposed to the idea of killing Regina, at least not completely. He is also not opposed to leaving her behind when they plan to go back to the enchanted forest. The only reason he chooses not to, is because it is in the best interests and values of everyone to keep her alive. His Si is also what allows him to live his life through his experiences, to the point where he sometimes struggles to understand the experiences of others,

Mr. Gold / Rumplestiltskin - INTJ

It is very easy for Rumplestiltskin to predict the outcomes of any given situation, and he tends to be very good at it, especially after becoming the Dark One. He is very much focused on the end goal, and reaching his goal, that he fails to look at what is right in front of him, or how his actions affect people now. He knows the rules of magic, and follows them very closely, and yet, he is able to find loopholes when needed. His is a huge adherent to contracts, never breaking a deal he had made, and gets very angry when others don’t deliver on their end of a bargain.

To Be Typed: I am on season 3 of my rewatch, and I probably won’t type every single character. But the characters I know for sure will get typed eventually are Zelena and Hook.

[ouatsnark]

sqs are exhausting. one claiming "the jab you with my sword line being apart of r*pe culture and it's not just killian implying sex with the line he wants to exert power over emma in that moment...but that's the point! he's an asshole trying to throw her off her balance & she kicks his ass!! he's also throwing the fight so she could get the compass and get back to henry! obviously in that point in the show emma isn't that experienced and he is (he def taught her the spin move emma does in s4)

So I've actually talked about how Regina and SwanQueen are the real so called "rape culture" : here and here

But the highlights are:

My favorite way to respond to this is bringing up the fact that the SwanQueen fandom sexualizes Regina's "how to get the savior to taste my forbidden fruit" which is Regina literally drugging Emma

In fact they sexualize all of S1-2 as Regina and Emma being in love while Regina is very clearly trying to kill Emma. The fact that they believe either is in love with the other during this is the epitome of "abuse culture".

Regina's rape and abuse of Graham is the canon sexual abuse that is ignored. In fact the majority of her fans see Graham as the lucky one or Regina as the victim because of the show's poor handling of this which is in fact real "rape culture" as they make Regina out to be the victim instead of the monster that she is.

Regina is so much more than "rape culture" she's more like "villain culture" because she gets away with all of her crimes without paying for them, without any sacrifice at all or admitting of any guilt that has her groveling at the feet of her victims. In fact, she continues to insult and bully her victims without repercussions. Killian actually suffers immediate consequences for his actions.

Sexual innuendo is not rape. There is nothing about that S2 scene between Emma and Hook that casts his remark in a good light. Because as you say, she kicks his ass. If this was "rape culture" Emma would've swooned. But she didn't, therefore, not "rape culture".

YES he is a 300 year old asshole PIRATE! The humor in this is that Emma, a modern woman, is fighting a 300 year old PIRATE! Like. Laugh a little people. FFS. She doesn't get with him until AFTER he's left this life behind. AND after he decides to leave pirating behind we never see this crass behavior again because Killian actually goes through a change.

Also, that fight scene is so complex, really. Because on one hand I fully believe that he very much wanted to be the one getting to Storybrook and would've done everything necessary to get there because at this point his revenge came first and she'd just betrayed him. He was a little pissed at her. He was also very much still a villain at this point. I mean one of my favorite things about him is that he dropped the crass behavior as his redemption progressed. The pirate who made this crass joke to piss Emma off is not the same pirate she walked down the aisle with. HOWEVER, the fact that he was making jokes and not trying that hard to defeat her has me 100% believing that his heart was not into winning this fight.

[coaadra]

Oh yes, I'm here again and I have something to say.

To say that the finale of season 4 was not easy for me, it's nothing to say. I am so devastated and at the same time filled with different feelings that it is difficult to put it into words...

I think we'll talk about the good stuff first.

Episodes 20 and 21 are definitely good and the two moments that clearly won my heart were the farewell conversation between Killian and Emma before going to New York, and of course the kiss (episode 20) and their conversation near the water (episode 21).

Killian: You have parents, Henry… Emma: You. I have you. Killian: Yes, you have me. And I have you.

This dialogue made my feelings skyrocket. I just melt from their interactions and nothing will make me change my mind..

My love for Hook only grows with each passing season. I don’t remember that at any point in the series I was really DISAPPOINTED in him. And this says a lot...

I'll miss these moments in the next two episodes, but enough is enough.

episode 22-23 My nightmare began from the beginning of episode 22 and, unexpectedly, it was not hysterics from grief, it was a clear indicator of hysterical laughter. WHAT ABOUT SNOW WHITE? SHE blatantly DOESN'T LOOK LIKE REGINA. THE DARK QUEEN'S STYLE ABSOLUTELY DID NOT LIKE HER AND I WAS READY TO DIE ONLY FROM LAUGHTER, BUT NOT FROM FEAR. AND OH MY GOD WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT RUMPELSTILTSKEN. ALSO A CHARACTER 100% FOR SIT AND LAUGH.. This couple clearly broke all my records regarding “the strangest and most unimaginable couples in the entire series”

Freaks of season 4 - they are the winners.

Well, now the time has come for real suffering. And not only mе, but also the characters in general.

How painful it was to watch Emma, ​​who literally got reacquainted with the person she loves so much, and he doesn’t even know her… And in general, my surprise knew no bounds when SUCH Killian was shown on the screen. Not at all brave, sober without his rum and so indecisive… Of course, I (naive, terminally stupid.) was waiting for an adequate continuation and development of their relationship in a new way, yes, I really love how Hook flirts with Emma, ​​BUT WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT EXPECTED ME

Which smart guy came up with this and why?... I admit honestly, I assured myself at the very beginning and said to myself: “This series will not make you cry, dear. No amount of love for a character will make you shed a tear.” BUT DAMMIT, who knew that there would be such a charming Killian, whom I love with all my heart..

I, of course, suspect that this is not his last death. (Thanks to spoilers on tiktok and here) And this only makes me feel worse. I'm afraid that the more I see him die, the more painful it will be for me every time. The only one the writers made fun of was Hook. How much he has already suffered in 4 seasons and how many more trials await him in the future.

And yet my tears did not end there, although it would have been very nice. The second wave of hysterics and sobs came when Emma came to Regina and mentioned Killian's death there. I, like her, couldn’t restrain myself and sat crying, hugging napkins..

And even now, while I’m writing this post, I want to cry (knowing that this raiding is alive)..My Emma... ​​she managed to feel so much during this time. Although, to be honest, I was really angry at her the next time she and Hook met.

I think that at that moment I, like any reasonable person, was waiting for the cherished words "I. LOVE. YOU" from Emma. "Sod's Law!" This didn't happen, of course. What else was I waiting for...

“But why not say this at such a dangerous moment?!” Emma thought, and then she said that she loved Hook, even though she ABSOLUTELY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO HER. And everyone is fine. And nothing bothers anyone...

I think I'm done...

It’s difficult to sum it up. In some places, I’m clearly tired of this series, probably because there are so many events and I simply don’t have time to consume all the information.

I know for sure that I am not tired of the Killian and Emma couple. I also know that I want to see more of the Regina and Robin couple, and I am completely disappointed in Gold.

It seems that I forgot to mention another important character this season, especially in the last episodes. It's definitely Henry. Firstly, I like that he has matured; it makes him seem even cuter and smarter. Secondly, I really enjoyed the moments where he tried to explain to all the characters that they live in Storybrooke and that he is, in fact, Regina’s son.

The ending evokes many emotions, yet they are more positive than negative. I am going to watch season 5 with renewed strength and expectations. If Emma becomes a dark magician, I REALLY want to see it.

[wefallforever]

Once Upon a Time Season 6 Rewatch Thoughts

The penultimate season ahh!! Let’s get into it

I am once again asking why Regina and Emma are written so romantically and with such passion if they are “just friends”?! They be risking their lives for each other, parenting a son together, and we’re just supposed to believe there isn’t something more going on??? Damn you Disney! And the fact that Regina doesn’t get a romance at the end? Cruel!

-the Evil Queen is hot as fuck ok? Plus she has great fashion sense. I would HAPPILY enter a toxic relationship with her if she was my dom lol.

-the evil queen read Regina for filth when she said that Regina was trapped in a prison of her own self loathing. Give my girl healing and self love please! She has earned it numerous times over.

-oh man Gold’s abandonment/daddy/son issues are driving him to make some terrible choices with Belle and their son! He causes so much harm (trapping Belle on the Jolly Roger, placing a locater cuff on Belle) but truly believes it’s justifiable. Obviously he is real triggered about how he abandoned adult Neal and wants to do anything he can to prevent it from happening but damn dude. He got real abusive this season smh. The dysfunctional/broken family cycles continue!

-Gold needs better security for his shop man. I swear people let themselves in there at least once an episode 😭 I know that Emma is an expert lock picker or whatever but surely there is some kind of spell to keep people out his shit.

-Emma’s struggle with her destiny is so relatable and real. Knowing that an entire population is depending on you to succeed is a gigantic burden that she definitely didn’t ask for. And yet, despite her ambivalence, we see her succeed and step into her power. Yes there is loss yes it doesn’t go perfect but it goes! A good message for those of us afraid to accept the gifts and roles we have been given ❤️.

-Yeah so Fiona is a dastardly ass woman as well 😭 it doesn’t get much worse than stealing babies tbh. The actress really emulated emotionally abusive psychologically torturous mothers that’s for sure! I hate Rumple but damn he had it rough with the parent cards he was dealt 😫 at least he got to kill her himself? Although I must say I found her death scene to be pretty anticlimactic.

-The MUSICAL EPIOSDE?!?!?!!!!!!! Jennifer Morrison the soprano that you are. Honourable mention to Rebecca Madder as well I loved her song ��Wicked Always Wins.’ It’s a shame it’s the wedding episode between Emma and Hook (we’re team #SwanQueen over here) but I had a blast watching, especially the last number and Emma’s theme. The music was always in her bitch!! AND NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM HER EVER!!!

Aah I can’t believe I’m almost done the show! Obviously the original story arc is over and the last season is a spin off, but there’s still a bit more story to go. Expect me to reblog a bunch of posts from the #OnceUponATime tag once I’m done because I’ve been avoiding it so as to not be spoiled.

[ouatsqincorrect]

hey i saw your headcanons about david/snow/regina and i was wondering if you have any about regina and coras mother/daughter relationship and/or regina and rumples twisted father/daughter/mentor relationship

sure! (but a real quick disclaimer: if you like cora, don’t read this. if you think rumple did not harm regina in any way, don’t read this. do not get mad at me for having my own opinions on them, please and thank you) ALSO tw for abuse.

i am a firm believer in the fact that regina needs therapy. this woman has been through hell and back and you can’t convince me that forgiving herself in 6x14 was all it took to “move on” from everything

she starts going to archie, even though it’s not ideal. (he’s still the only therapist in town and one day, regina will fix this, but for now he’s the only option she’s got) and she begins to work through her past for the first time

this involves accepting that cora harmed her much more than she’s ever been able to admit to herself

she still feels like she’s forgiven her, but forgiving your abuser doesn’t take away the years of trauma they caused

this goes the same for rumple. he may be an actual member of her family now, but he did manipulate her when she was just 18 and broke her down until he could use her to do his bidding (not to mention the whole ��no one will ever love you” and “you’re weak when you’re not evil” mindset he introduced to her)

cora is gone. regina has to deal with that trauma without her because there is no bringing cora back, but rumple is still here

and he’s an active part of her life in a very different way then he used to be

rumple never becomes a hero, not really, but he’s also no longer a villain and even though he’s not necessarily getting any professional help anywhere like regina is, he is learning how to articulate his thoughts about his past and what he did

and rumple, just like regina, is willing to admit there are some people who are never going to be able to forgive him and that’s ok

he knows he hurt regina. he’s always known that. even back in the EF, he knew what he was doing to her was wrong

which is why when they actually end up being a part of the same family, he doesn’t pressure her to forgive him or start treating him like they’ve been good friends forever

instead, he shows he cares for her in little ways. he’ll magic over some coffee on rainy days because he knows regina hates when the weather’s bad or he’ll put an extra protection spell around her house when there’s a villain in town because even though he knows she can take care of herself, he still wants to protect her (and henry and emma)

they never talk about these things he does and rumple knows they probably never will

also, he never touches regina without her permission. (i can go on for years about how regina feels about close contact with each member of her family but anyway)

more so than almost anyone else, he understands what she went through back during her “marriage” to the king and he refuses to break any boundaries she might have

(this is different than what happened between him and the evil queen. and he regrets that immensely)

regina, for her part, knows rumple is trying and although she’s certain a part of her will always be a little pissed at him, she does slowly start to forgive him

they never won’t butt heads though. there will always be a lot of unnecessary sass between them but that’s just who they are as people and they both know that, at the end of the day, they’re there for each other if they need it

[lizardthelizard]

OKAY! I have to know your thoughts on the idea of august as the author? I never really thought henry made sense as the author, & august literally was able to seamlessly add pages to the story book & had untold knowledge about the previous author. PLUS an indepth knowledge of the 'correct' version of fairytales & how magic worked in the enchanted forest despite being like 7 when he went through the portal. [have been discussing this theory with others & we all seem to agree that august shouldve been the author BUT 👀 as the president of the august fanclub I'm curious about your thoughts 👀]

(90% of the below was written last October and I'm SO sorry that it's taken this long for me to finish and publish this ask 😭😭 I was HYPED to get the ask, it was just sent at the wrong time)

HI!!!!! 🥰💕💕 It's always a delight to see you in my inbox, but ESPECIALLY with a question like this HELLO??? <3

okay okay SO .

I think that, for me, I understand why OUAT picked out Henry to be the Author. And imo, Henry ~kind of~ worked as the Author. I mean, he was the one that had been so involved with the storybook in the first place (and, in a way, bringing to life the characters in the book when he brought Emma to town to break the curse).

That said...I did read and enjoy a post you made a while ago about how Henry hasn't ever been a particularly avid reader (the most we ever see him read are comic books) and most of his focus is very specifically around THEE storybook and the change it brought him in his real life, rather than the stories and fiction itself. And, like.....you're RIGHT.

Anyway.....August. I have...mixed feelings about this.

On the surface, it's very appealing. August is already a writer. He DOES have knowledge of the previous Authors, yes, and a good handle on the storybook itself. And yes! He really does he have an indepth knowledge about the characters in book, thanks to his past in the EF. He was only a child, sure, but he was a child for a long time. He was a puppet for 20 years (thank you Season 6 for making that canon). He's met David's dad. He's seen Regina as the Evil Queen when she visited their village. He's been with Emma during several key points in her life and story.

AND YET...There are a couple of reasons as to why I can't quite jive with this theory, and one of them is simply that...He isn't allowed to be a good narrator. He's THEE unreliable narrator (he's literally named after the man that coined the term 'unreliable narrator'). And we've already seen how unsuitable Isaac was when he strayed from the path of 'recording everything exactly as it was'.

Now. I'm not saying that August would go full rogue like Isaac. But what I am saying, is that August has canonically already edited the storybook because he didn't like what was there. He took the Pleasure Island arc out of the book and hid them away somewhere because he didn't want other people reading that part of his story because he felt ashamed of it. I definitely don't think it would be a stretch for him to tweak elements of his own story (and maybe potentially other people's) if he felt he needed to. And ultimately, this would make him a bad Author.

The second reason that I can't quite support this theory is because...August is too involved in the storybook himself. To me, it feels wrong for a character in the storybook to also be the Author of said book. Isaac was literally just some dude from the 1960s that liked writing stories. Henry, although entwined with the book, was never actually in the book himself, so he can claim some distance between it too. And the only other Author that we see mentioned (?) is Walt Disney in a throwaway joke line, so...

Not to mention, despite talking constantly about 'being a writer' the only thing we ever actually SEE him writing is....The Adventures of Pinocchio. The main story he's interested in right now is clearly his own. (THAT SAID, I obviously won't deny that he loves to tell a tall tale (lemurs in Nepal, bullfighting ect). I'm not trying to deny that he doesn't enjoy telling stories, only saying that his main focus is HIS story right now).

Also, I hear you saying that August was super involved in the storybook and its history, and that he had a lot of knowledge around it (after all, he knew about the door and how to add and remove pages from the book) however, I would like to introduce here two wise old men: The Dragon and The Apprentice, both able to aid him in the Land without Magic, even at a time when August was seemingly doubting his own past/magic.

The Apprentice is particularly important here because I'm of the opinion that he gave August the missing pages from the book. I know that it's not unreasonable to assume that August typed those pages himself, but the illustrations make it a little more difficult to believe, if I'm honest. Can August draw? Yes, very well. We've seen his drawing of the Apprentice and it's very good (not to mention his skill as a woodcarver). But...to remember exactly what David's dad looked like, to the point that Killian is able to recognise him from that drawing..? Seems a little implausible to me personally.

Anyway, I've rambled a lot here but TL;DR:

imo, August is too involved in the story, too unreliable as an author, and probably not as knowledgeable about the book as he claims to be, in order to be a good candidate for the Author.

BUT!!!!! I do think it would be a fascinating avenue to explore in an AU ....👀

[snowbellewells]

Self Promo Sunday: "Darkness Before Dawn (Leave Hope's Light On)"

This week's Self Promo fic is another older chaptered CS story that I am bringing back “out of the vault” lol ;p.  Though there will certainly be some angst this time around, there is also a happy ending - I promise. This one is a post-Christmas/New Year's themed one, and it takes place between the 4a and 4b timelines of the show (i.e. after the defeat of the Snow Queen, but before Gold returns with the Queens of Darkness) and diverges from there.

Summary: A lovely holiday season has come and gone, and Emma hates to see it end. However, much more pressing concerns quickly take precedence when she and Henry are in a wreck. Now the Savior is fighting for her life, and those who love her can only hope she'll find her way out of the darkness one more time...

*Also available on AO3 and ff.net, if you would prefer...

(I've posted all five parts in this Tumblr post for ease of reading)

by: @snowbellewells

i. prologue

Only three days after Christmas, and Emma Swan finds herself driving Henry back to Regina's where he will stay until New Year's Day. She can't help but feel that the holiday has passed her by in a flash, and she is loath to give up the sense of her first real Christmas with her family, and especially her son, around her. Though she is ridiculously grateful that she and Regina have worked out a schedule agreeable to both of them and Henry; now she is afraid that with Henry gone for several days, all the leftover bits of holiday magic, pure, innocent joy, and the light that might still be lingering, will go with him.

Shaking her head, Emma sighs as she glances across at her son in the passenger seat, lost to the newest app on his iPhone and luckily oblivious to her gloomy thoughts. There is no doubt in her mind that she is being more than a bit silly, but that doesn't make the feeling disappear. Realistically she knows that Regina truly needs Henry right now; he is the one bright spot in a horrible time of loss for the formerly Evil Queen. Emma doesn't want to begrudge the other woman what little joy she can find. Yes, Henry needs to spend the time with his adoptive mother, but Emma still hates to see him go, even for a few days. So much of Emma's life has been spent alone, with no one to care about her, much less be there to share Christmas traditions, and she feels a near-insatiable need to horde the precious moments now that she has them.

It has been more fun that she could have guessed taking Henry to her mom and dad's to help them trim the tree, watching F rosty the Snowman and How the Grinch Stole Christmas , helping Snow bake dozens and dozens of sugar cookies, both to decorate and eat themselves, and then passing the rest out to seemingly everyone in town. She wants to make the warm and jolly December evenings they've spent laughing cozily together last forever, so she will never lose the feeling of being curled up between Killian, whose arm stretches lazily along the back of the couch and over her, and her father, chuckling at Henry as he makes faces to entertain his baby uncle and exclaims over his presents. Emma knows they all felt similar emotions at times, like when her watery eyes met her mother's over the boys' heads and a lump rose in her throat. This year has brought her more of a holiday that she could have ever imagined having a part in as a cynical, unwanted foster child years ago. Killian's arms have tightened around her numerous times in the last few days, and she has known that he understands all too well from the life he had lived. Her father seems to find every possible moment to squeeze her hand in his, as if reminding her that they had always wanted her with them like this.

Without realizing it, Emma lets her mind wander and loses focus for the briefest of instants. It happens so quickly that cause or fault will never be clear. Emma only glances at Henry beside her for a moment; takes her glance off the road no longer that she would need to adjust the heat or the radio volume. Yet, somehow, they hit an unseen patch of black ice on the wintry road, going at full travel speed. The Bug skids, back end fishtailing out one way, and then almost up even with the front, putting the vehicle perpendicular to its original path on the pavement. Emma scrambles to right them, and Henry calls out a warning, but it happens too slowly and isn't enough. Their little yellow car shoots offcourse, seemingly flying from the road and directly into a pole at the shoulder.

Mother's instinct makes Emma's arm dart out in a desperate effort to shield her son, and she feels – with both hope and fear – some of her magical energy leaving her fingertips almost like second nature, in an attempt to protect him. It is the last thing she feels before impact, and then her world goes dark.

ii. the call

"Mom! Mom!" Henry snaps out of the daze he hovered in after the sudden stop and the settling of the car. He can see snowflakes falling thickly through the cracked windshield, and bitterly cold air is filtering in, though he doesn't remember it snowing before they skidded. If his mom had not told him the Snow Queen was dead, and actually hadn't been evil, he would blame the unseen ice and strange drop in temperature while they were vulnerable on her. It doesn't really matter now, but he is still trying to get his bearings and stop his head from spinning. For an odd second or two, it’s like he is in a vacuum; roaring in his ears and dizziness makes him off balance and sluggish, but when his mind clears and he sees his birth mother slumped over the steering wheel, a thin line of blood trickling down the side of her face, eyes closed, not moving, his concern bursts through the haze.

Henry realizes that she must have used her magic to cushion him somehow and didn't have time to do the same for herself. Yet, even as he registers what she has done, the air around him seems to waiver, flicker, and whatever shield she put in place weakens and fades, allowing him to reach beyond it and touch her carefully, worriedly, enough to see that she makes no response.

"Mom…can you hear me?" he tries again. When he still gets no movement or reaction, Henry begins scrabbling around in the seat, then on the floor, until he finds his phone where it has fallen in the confusion. Swiping the screen quickly, Henry calls his other mom, then his Gramps, in rapid succession – once he has gotten an ambulance on its way.

As far as the teen can tell, nothing seems to hurt and he is completely uninjured. The car is caved in clear to the windshield from where it smashed into the pole head-on, but his door isn't blocked. He can get out, but is determined not to leave his mom until help arrives. Whatever Emma did to shield him came at the expense of her own safety, and Henry swallows back both guilt and fear for her at that knowledge. He is momentarily glad to be alone when he feels tears welling in his eyes.

Reaching over the console to grasp his mom's fingers in his, Henry threads them together and forces himself to hope it will all be fine. Her skin feels cold to the touch, and his brow furrows in concern. "Come on, Mom. Hang in there," he murmurs to her fervently, leaning in as though he can assure that she will hear him. "Please."

For some reason, as the silence stretches on and Henry worries more the longer she remains still, he realizes who he has forgotten to call in his anxiety. Killian will have to be told and will be crazed with worry for his mom. How he didn't think to call his mom's boyfriend until now baffles him. Killian will be frantic to get to Emma, to help, to see that she is okay, and he deserves to be with her. Henry genuinely likes the reformed pirate. He has more than earned his place at Emma's side. Hating what he knows it will do to the Captain, Henry also can't put this call off. Dialing once more, the young man waits as he hears the phone ring two, then three, times before Killian Jones picks up, sounding half-confused, half-exasperated at the modern contraption in his hand.

His accent is clear through the wire as he asks, "Henry? What is it, lad? Are you alright?"

"Yes, Captain, I'm fine. Just listen to me, okay?" Henry swallows hard, not sure what to say, how to deliver what he knows will be an awful blow. Yet, one glance at his mom's still, expressionless face, and he knows he has no choice … Killian might even be able to reach her. Henry is no fool. Both sets of his grandparents are True Loves – and he sees something just as deep and strong, if not as clearly understood, between his mom and Killian.

"Aye, lad," the Captain's voice breaks back in to agree. "My apologies. I will simply listen then."

Henry draws in a deep breath. He hates having to put this into words, but then blurts it out in a pained rush, not trailing off until the end. "Mom and I had a wreck. The ambulance is on its way, and they'll help, but Mom hasn't woken up yet. She's hurt, and I thought you should know what was happening. …I'm sorry…"

Drawing in such a sharp breath it sounds like he has taken a physical blow, Killian is stunned by the news. His chest tightens at the mere thought of Emma and Henry in pain or danger, and his mind is already racing to where she is and how quickly he can get there, what he can do. Yet, in the next moment, he knows there is something else he must take care of first. He can tell immediately by the lad's tone that he is already feeling guilt at being alright when Emma is not, and also at having to be the bearer of such awful news. He speaks firmly, and with intent when he responds. "No, lad, none of that. You need not apologize. You did not cause this, and you should not feel sorry at being unharmed. I have no doubt that is how Emma wanted it. Understood?"

Henry nods reluctantly before realizing that Killian can't see him, then manages a begrudging, "Understood."

"Where are you?" Killian asks, already moving around his rented room at Granny's to throw on his coat and grab the grey knitted scarf that Emma had brought him just a few days ago with a gentle smile and concern that he would take a chill. He is already reaching for the door as he adds, "I'm on my way to you, just tell me the direction."

"Head to the hospital – that's where we'll be."

"I will see you there, lad. I'm starting off as we speak."

"Killian," Henry breaks in again, strangely sounding as if he wants to reassure his mom's boyfriend, even though he is the one who has been in the wreck and is sitting beside his unconscious mother, "I know you were there once. Remember, they patched you up, even though you'd been hit by a car. They kept my gramps alive when he would have died for sure in the Enchanted Forest. They kept me stable when I ate the poisoned apple. They'll help Emma too. They have to! She's going to be alright. Just…I'll see you there, okay?"

"Aye, of course, lad," Killian assures, hearing both the pleading note in the boy's voice and the need to have his hope confirmed. The pirate already feels himself growing more frantic every second, wondering just how bad it is, but he can still try to give her boy a bit of comfort before he gives into his own fear. Though he speaks calmly to Henry, the desperate thoughts are already swirling inside his head. 'What if she doesn't wake? ' His beautiful, blunt, brave sheriff-princess, and he might never speak to her again, nor see her lovely green eyes sparkle with mischief. Killian shakes his head roughly, forcing that line of thought away. 'Not again. Not this time. Swan is strong. She will come back to me.' Killian has to believe that he will not suffer the loss of someone else he loves; even his life cannot be so cruel. "I'll be there as fast as I possibly can," he finishes saying to Henry, hoping the boy will be somewhat appeased; it’s all he has to offer.

"Good. Come find Gramps and me when you do, alright? ... And Killian?" Henry's voice fades for a moment, then adds, "You be careful. Mom will need you when she wakes up."

~~~~~000~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After hanging up the phone, Henry lets out a breath of relief. Things aren't really any better, but the part he had been dreading is done. He looks back over to Emma, covering her hand with his own still-growing one, trying not to dwell on the chill to her skin. "Killian's on his way. Neither one of us want to lose you, Mom. I know you've had to do it a lot, but keep fighting. Stay with us."

Soon he hears sirens blaring, and then his grandpa peals up behind them in the town's outdated patrol car and runs to the Bug, ambulance wheeling in right behind him. Next thing Henry knows, David is jerking open the door and crushing his grandson to his chest. "Henry! Are you alright?!" he asks, drawing in a sharp breath as he sees his injured daughter over Henry's head. The EMTs are already easing her out of the car and onto a backboard for the trip to the hospital, and all he can really do is clasp Henry to him more tightly and watch. He feels the boy shaking slightly, even as he tries so hard to be strong. As a father, he wants to ask so many questions about his daughter. 'Has she spoken at all?' 'Opened her eyes?' 'What made her lose control of the car?' But he holds back, comforting his daughter's child instead. There is nothing he can do to help beyond that anyway.

Easing Henry out and guiding him with a hand around his shoulders, David ushers his grandson into the cruiser, studiously ignoring the sniffles the teen is trying to hide. He rounds the front of the vehicle, sliding behind the wheel and immediately turning it around to follow the ambulance. Still, he brakes for a moment, making eye contact with Henry and holding it determinedly. "She’s going to be fine. Trust me," he vows, knowing he shouldn't make such a promise, but unable to believe anything else. His daughter has been through so much to find her happy ending; it cannot be taken from her now. He hears Snow's eternally optimistic voice in his head, telling them to keep hoping, and he will not do anything less.

Henry merely nods in acceptance of his words though, and silence settles over them again as they make their way to the hospital.

iii. keeping vigil

Killian Jones cannot turn off the fear that has overtaken his mind – the worries for her, and the feelings of helplessness, that there is nothing he can do for Emma. He spends the whole walk – more run really – to the hospital with his heart in his throat, feeling it trying to choke him, in almost as much agony as when the Crocodile had held the organ and squeezed it in torture. His heart might as well be ash without her.

Unwanted visions of Emma lying pale and cold, as Milah had in death so long ago on the deck of his ship, flit across his brain – vicious waking nightmares that he cannot seem to banish. It pains him that he is already thinking the worst, when he knows he should not. Just as he once told Emma himself, his Swan too is a survivor. She has been proving so her entire life, and certainly as long as he has known her. Still, Killian cannot quell the near-paralyzing fear; he has lost everyone he ever loved, and he will not survive the loss of Emma as well, nor does he wish to.

Upon reaching Storybrooke General, Killian barrels into the ER, searching for Henry and David anxiously, and finding them in hard, plastic chairs in the waiting room to the right. "Henry! Dave!" he calls out, rushing toward them even as he gets their attention. "Have you had any news? How is she? Can we see her?" He does not mean to deluge them with questions, or to seem frantic in front of her worried son and her father, but he must know.

"Easy, Hook," David cautions, reaching out to place a steadying hand on his shoulder, "take a breath. We'll tell you what we know, but it isn't much at this point. We're going to have to wait."

Killian gives a curt nod and does try to draw in a deep, centering breath. He dearly wants to yell at the Prince, to rail at him for his seeming composure and for telling him to wait on word. Emma cannot wait; he needs to reach her. Instead, he forces the words down, blowing out a tense breath, reminding himself that David loves Emma as well, and is trying to help. "Fine," he grits, making his voice as controlled as possible, though still aching for something to hold onto, practically trembling with the effort of holding his body still, to appear calm. "Just please tell me what you know."

David nods, motioning for Killian to take the empty seat between himself and Henry, after moving their coats off it. "Emma's car hit a patch of ice. There didn't seem to be any others on the route they were traveling; it was just a freak chance of nature as far as anyone can tell. It was cold and starting to snow, and it just happened. They were traveling at road speed, so it's really a miracle Henry isn't in worse shape too."

"No miracle," Henry mutters, looking at his shoes forlornly, bitterness in his tone as he interrupts. "She threw her hand up, used her magic on instinct somehow to protect me, and she let herself get hurt."

Realization dawns on the Prince's face, as if he completely understands something that had been puzzling him. He doesn't comment on his thoughts though, instead moves as if to get up and embrace Henry. Killian jumps in first, getting Henry's attention and making sure the teen is looking at him. "Henry, what did I tell you on the phone? You can't blame yourself. Emma loves you more than anyone else in this world. She would never want to see you hurt if she could prevent it. There is no shame in that. She is your mother and will feel that way whether you are 13 or 33. She would not want you burdened by this, that I know."

"Hook's right," David seconds, making sure that his grandson knows no one believes Henry could or should have done anything more than he has.

Henry doesn't speak to agree or argue, but he seems less angry at any rate, and Killian's worry finally urges him to ask David to continue with his news of Emma.

Sighing, David does as he requests. "Regardless, Emma sustained a serious blow to the head, most probably from the dashboard, on impact. She almost certainly has a concussion, and she hasn't shown any signs of regaining consciousness. They have her in a private room under observation, monitoring to make sure she doesn't develop any subdural hematoma that puts undue pressure on the brain. If that happens, they will have to go in to surgically relieve it…" The Prince's face is grim as he tries to explain what he has been told, and Killian does not like the troubled expression the royal's eyes take on.

"Let us hope it does not come to that, mate," he offers awkwardly, not sure how else to provide comfort.

They sit in silence for a time, until Regina arrives. She and Henry leave to walk elsewhere in the hospital for a bit. Killian is honestly glad that Queen is here; she loves Henry dearly, and has raised him. She knows as well as anyone could what to do for him and what to say to him in this situation.

He clears his throat once they are alone and asks, "Is anything else being done for her? Can we see her? Sit with her? Anything?"

David shakes his head, trying to dissuade Killian before he goes up against the doctors and the hospital itself. "Right now, they aren't letting anyone in. She needs to be in a quiet, non-stimulating environment. When the doctor spoke to me, they didn't even want her to have visitors. After that, Dr. Whale assured me he would see what they could do. He said that her pulse was slow and a bit thready, while her blood pressure was up, and that her pupils were somewhat unequal in size. Both are concerns if she doesn't wake soon, and could indicate her unconsciousness deepening."

Thankfully, David pauses to draw breath and let that much settle in. Killian honestly does not know how much more he can stand, picturing Emma alone and helpless in such a fragile state. He wishes to be at her side, even if merely to hold her hand. She might have no awareness of him at all, but if there is any part of her which senses that she is alone, he would rather believe that she could sense if he were near as well. Killian knows that Emma's father is about to finish giving him what information he has, and is steeling himself for it, when they are interrupted by Regina and Henry's return and the arrival a few moments later of a harried-looking Dr. Whale.

"Any news on Miss Swan?" Regina asks brusquely of the doctor, cutting across both Emma's love and her father. Her voice sounds sharp and matter of fact, but Killian senses more care under the surface than he imagines Regina intends to show. She may be here for Henry's benefit most, but over time the Captain has seen her come to hold a grudging respect for his tough, no-nonsense Swan. They are qualities the former mayor has as well, and appreciates in others.

Whale looks startled by this new person firing questions at him, but as the prince does not seem to object, he answers anyway. "Not much has changed since I spoke with you last. Ms. Swan has withstood a significant blow to the head and is dealing with a concussion as a result. Her unconsciousness is a serious issue and must be monitored, but is not uncommon with this sort of injury. As long as her pulse returns to normal and her other vital signs remain stable, we are cautiously optimistic that she will wake once her body has had time to recover. If she remains unconscious through the night, we will make sure she is equipped to receive adequate nutrition intravenously in the morning. She will also need to be watched for respiratory difficulty or inability to swallow. However, we will deal with those issues if they arise. In the meantime, I am prepared to allow one visitor at a time, as long as each visitor remains quiet and calm."

Emma's four gathered visitors assure him that they understand all he has said and will abide by his orders; then they are led to the room where Emma rests. Killian is more than willing to allow Swan's father and her boy to each take their turns before him; he is so relieved to see her at all. Besides, once he reaches her side again, he has no intention of leaving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nearly two hours have passed when Killian Jones is finally allowed to slip into the silent room Emma occupies and be near her at last. It is nearing 9 o'clock in the evening, and he knows he could not have stood being kept from her much longer. David has gone home to update and reassure Snow, who had stayed with the baby, and all three of them will be back bright and early in the morning. Henry has left as well, with Regina only minutes ago, surprising Killian by wrapping his skinny arms around the pirate's waist in a tight, wordless grasp and furtively wiping a silent tear from his face as he pulled away. "Take care of her, Captain," he had murmured lowly, making Killian aware that the lad knew his intention not to leave her.

"Aye, lad," he had responded in a voice equally low. "Have no doubt of that."

Moving across the room dimly washed in the moon's glow through the blinds, he tentatively reaches Emma and looks down on her before sinking into the chair nearby. For a moment, words are lost to him as he wonders how to reach her. He studies her beautiful, pale features, unable to stop gazing on her as his hand comes up to lightly trace over her cheek.

Speech seems pointless in the stillness of the room and her unflinching slumber. He only wants Emma to know that she is not alone, that she is loved, that he would do anything to bring her back. Bending to place a kiss upon her brow, Killian only whispers, "Darling, if you can hear me…please come back to us, Love. I need you. Your boy needs you. I promise…I will be right here when you wake." He threads his fingers with hers, leaning over the bed rail to keep his face even with hers, to watch in hopes of seeing her eyes flutter open again.

And so he begins the vigil he will keep, no matter how long, until she returns to him.

iv. drifting

Unbeknownst to Emma Swan, New Year's Eve dawns clear and bright, a brittle chill in the air, but a piercing sunlit sky overhead as well. Her son, her family, and her devoted pirate captain have all been waiting, watching, hoping she will wake, wishing each time a new sun rises that her eyes will open to see it and return to them. With a little one at home, David and Snow take turns visiting the hospital in the morning and afternoon while the other stays home with the young prince. As they do everything, the two royals work it out seamlessly between them, an unbreakable team. They set a routine of arriving at 7:00 a.m. – coffee and doughnut in hand for Killian – and never fail to carry on hoping, letting not a single moment of weakness show or a second of doubt that any day now their daughter will be awake to return their morning greeting.

Killian has not left Emma's side since he was allowed in her room that first night. One determined night shift nurse had attempted to shoo him out at midnight, but the words had died on her lips as she entered to find him seated at the sheriff's bedside – silent as stone, fingers of his one good hand tangled with hers, hook resting on the covers where the metal gleamed sharply in the dim light. He had raised a dark brow in questioning challenge, but had not moved or made a sound. No direct threat had been uttered, but it was clear he was not going anywhere without a fight, and from then on they had allowed him to remain.

Regina brings Henry faithfully as well, timing it so that Emma and Killian are not alone long after whichever of her parents has made the afternoon visit is gone. In truth, Killian is grateful for the company. He can only sit so long talking to Emma with no response – no twinkle of her laughing eyes, no sassy comebacks for his best witty flirtations – without wanting to beg her to return, to collapse to his knees, to give into the tide of despair he feels hovering in the back of his consciousness as each day and then night goes by with no change in her.

An IV has been put in, to get fluids and nutrients to her, and though he knows it was necessary, Killian feels a sense of nausea climb up his throat at the thought of her being so helpless, how much she would hate not even being able to feed herself or take a drink of water. His Swan is stubborn to a fault, not willing to give up an inch, wanting to handle all that life throws at her with her own strength and her own two hands. If she were aware of what was going on around her, it would be driving her mad. What really sends him over the edge though is the confirmation that she truly is not present with him; she doesn't know what is happening around her and she can't do it for herself. He continually has to push down the fear that she will not ever again.

After the first two days, it is determined that there is no further swelling or dangerous intracranial pressure. Continued observation reveals Emma's pulse and blood pressure regulating back to normal and her pupils' return to near equal size. Each note is received gratefully by her loved ones, but Emma remains in her distant, suspended state. Dr. Whale tries to caution them all that the brain has its own way and time frame for healing. They need to stay positive, keep visiting and talking to her. He assures them that he has no indication she will not come out of her coma once her body is fully healed and ready, but he also cannot explain to them why it has not already occurred.

A feeding tube is mentioned on the night Emma has been in the hospital a week, and Killian is more relieved than words can say when her father protests rather strongly, asking them to give her a day or two more to wake up before taking that step. The process would not have driven Killian away; he would have been there at her side, squeezing her hand in his, trying to offer her comfort whether Emma was aware of it or not, but seeing plastic tubing forced down his love's throat while she is unaware and can't fight back or speak for herself on the matter – even if it is meant to help her – seems somehow cruel and barbaric to him. Killian honestly is not sure he has the resolve to stand by and allow it without falling apart, much less to be present and watch.

Gradually, with his extended constant presence, the former pirate has grown on Emma's two regular nurses. Though both the day and night nurses had been disapproving at first of this dark, forbidding man disregarding all their rules and haunting their halls, his obvious devotion, his desire to do anything he could to help, and his charming nature had won them over. The day nurse now greets him as she arrives each morning, giving him a maternal smile and encouraging his hope by asking if there has been any change in Emma over the night. The night nurse has more than once covered him with a blanket upon her arrival, finding him asleep in the chair right next to Emma's bed. She cannot help but admire a man who loves that deeply and holds on so tightly; she finds herself anxiously awaiting their little town's sheriff waking to see who she has in her corner.

As Emma's unconsciousness stretches beyond a week, and then two, the hospital staff watches more carefully than ever for respiratory distress. Due to her inability to swallow, they begin suctioning her mouth and trachea when necessary, wanting to prevent any chance of aspiration. After failing to get Killian to leave while the procedure is accomplished, they show him how Emma must first be turned to lie on her side, and he then gently holds her in place while they carry out their task. Emma's pirate remains undeterred by anything she needs from him, only wanting to aid in her comfort, to do anything that might help, might keep her safe until she returns to them. His hands are steadying on her shoulders; he can tell that even unawares the suctioning must cause discomfort from the crinkle that forms between her brows, which he lovingly smoothes with a tender touch. He aches to take the distress from her, and so he watches over her religiously, brushing her hair back from her clammy forehead, watching for even the tiniest hint of movement.

Once all visitors and staff have cleared out for the night and they are alone again, that is when Killian Jones can do nothing more than pull the blankets back over her, take her hand once more, kiss her palm, and whisper to her. "Come, Love, surely you've had more than enough of this. Open your eyes, Darling…please. I am not giving up on you. I know you can find your way back. You are too stubborn by half to let this beat you. This…cannot…be your end."

It is only then, as darkness falls in the middle of the night, the halls are quiet, and Killian is sure no one will see, that he lets his strength crumble. His weeping is silent and fleeting, but his shoulders shake, unable to throw off the fear that his princess has finally gone where he cannot follow.

~~~~~~000~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~~000~~~~~~~~~~0000~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma feels as though she is swimming through a hazy dream world, floating unaware and unconcerned by any of the worries, any of the cares that normally tie her down. She feels no pressure, no impending doom from some new villain, no worry over whether she is doing right by her son, spending enough time with her new baby brother and her parents, serving her newfound home as both sheriff and princess the way all expect of her. No sounds disturb the easy quiet surrounding her, wrapping her up like a warm, soft blanket. It almost feels as though she could close her eyes and sleep for hours, days even, and it wouldn't matter at all. There would be nothing to stop her.

As quickly as that thought comes though, her calm is somehow shaken by a tremor of fear. Sleep for days? No one there to notice or worry about her? No sounds, nothing to see, nothing to do? Something isn't right, and on the heels of that realization comes the awareness that she cannot seem to open her eyes to see where she is or what is happening. She cannot make her arms and legs move or respond to her gradually growing distress. Emma wants to open her mouth to cry out, but her lips don't part and no sound escapes. The cozy grey haze that had seemed so comforting mere moments ago has become a thickening fog strangling her and pulling her down into its depths.

A soothing croon breaks through the darkness surrounding her. Emma cannot immediately place the speaker, but she knows instinctively that this is a voice she loves, a voice she feels comforted by amidst the nothingness surrounding her. "Open your eyes, Darling…please…" the lilting voice pleads, and desperately, painstakingly, with every bit of determination and energy she came muster, Emma moves toward that sound – or at least she attempts to. She surfaces from the sea of swirling fog and finally opens her eyes.

v. welcome back, love

Joyous pandemonium is not an exaggeration for the scene in Emma's room just an hour after her waking. Despite Dr. Whale and the nurses' repeated cautions that they are still in a hospital, that the other patients should not be disturbed, and that Emma should not be overexcited after being unconscious for so long, Emma's family can't help their enthusiasm and relief. Henry is unable to cease motion; one moment he practically bounces on the balls of his feet at the foot of her bed, and the next he shuttles forward to hug her again, as tightly as he dares, and then backs away as if afraid he will break her.

For her own part, Emma never wants her son to let go, but she is still dazed and can barely speak around the lump in her throat, so she wordlessly lets him do as he will. She catches Regina's eye over his head more than once, and though the queen only gives her a silent nod of understanding, Emma senses that even her former adversary is relieved at her return. David keeps bringing her water, trying to smuggle snacks to her, and pestering her for anything else she might need which he can fetch. Snow simply stands at her shoulder, looking at her with a teary smile, and bouncing Emma's baby brother gently in her arms. It is more than a bit chaotic after the absolute peace and quiet Emma has been stuck in for so long…and she loves it.

It had been a different matter when she first opened her eyes an hour ago. Relief had flooded through her upon finding Killian there, fingers of his good hand wound up with hers, speaking to her through the quiet dark. Emma had been so glad she was not irrevocably lost in the grey vacuum of her subconscious that it had taken her a few stunned, blinking moments before registering her sailor's motionless shock, and how he could not cease staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes over tear-streaked, unshaven cheeks - drinking her in as though she might vanish from his sight once more and trying several times to speak before finally stuttering out her name. "Em – Emma? You can hear me?"

She wanted to tease him, to break the tense emotional stakes and make him laugh the hearty, uninhibited guffaw she had only recently learned he possessed. Instinctively though – knowing what he must have gone through if he was sitting there looking as bedraggled as he did while she found herself in a hospital bed – Emma bit back any smart retort on the tip of her tongue and squeezed Killian's hand gently, merely nodding her head in response to his question. She realized just how dry and unused her throat felt anyway; speech seemed a bit more of a challenge than she had expected.

Killian had not seemed at all disappointed by her stillness. The smile that crept over his face at her barest of responses was near blinding and adorably accented by the laugh lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. Leaning over her, he delicately cradled Emma's face in hand and hook, then kissed her forehead. It might have appeared awkward to an outside observer, but Emma found the gesture immensely comforting. Still gaining her bearings, she swallowed hard, looking up to him for answers.

Her captain seemed to understand, as he always did, what she was thinking. "You've been out for more than two weeks, Swan. And…I will admit…you had me worried." He paused, seeming to need a moment to rein in his own reaction, brushing his fingers through her hair as he did. When he continued, his voice was suspiciously husky. "I must go find your doctor. He will no doubt want to check you over now that you're awake. I shall call your boy and your parents too; they have missed you tremendously."

She nodded her agreement, sensing that Killian hesitated to leave her alone, and gave him an encouraging smile. Secretly, she was thinking how good it felt to wake up to someone looking on her with such love. It was something she had been missing her entire life, and with him, it had been there the whole time – she had only needed to finally see. Twice in the last month, she had nearly lost this; first to Gold's attempt to crush Killian's heart, and now to her accident. Suddenly, Emma was clear on just how much she would be missing without this man in her life, how much she wanted to rest in his adoring gaze every night and wake up to it each morning.

His small upturn of the mouth showed once again that Killian possessed the ability to read at least some small portion of what was on her mind. "I will be but a moment," he assured her as he stood, then leaned back in with a whisper in her ear and teasing glint of white teeth in a happy grin. "Welcome back, Love."

Now, in the midst of the rest of her loved ones, and the night nurse who Emma can immediately see has fallen right under the spell of her pirate's irresistible charm, hugs are flying non-stop, and everyone seems to chatter and laugh at once, both in trying to fill her in on all that she has missed, and back and forth with each other. Emma feels wrapped in a warm, noisy nest of chatter and touch and genuine belonging, and instead of feeling smothered or pressured to respond in the right way, she simply feels happy and grateful to be back.

Killian is still hovering at her elbow. He smiles and nods along with what is said, responds when he is spoken to, but she can tell he is still shaken, still anxiously watching her, making sure she is alright. It is as though he had sat beside her standing guard for so long, fearing she was about to be snatched away from him, that he cannot yet relax and believe the ordeal is over.

As their miniature party breaks up and the rest of the group files out with embraces and promises to return in the morning when she is at last released to go home, Emma finds herself wondering how to comfort him. It was not so long ago that she had been standing frozen in the clock tower, powerless to do anything but watch as the Dark One prepared to kill her pirate. The anguish on his face when their eyes had met in that terrible moment; the corresponding pressure gripping her own chest as his heart was squeezed, and the irrevocable knowledge that Killian was slipping away from her against her will, were still incredibly fresh. The memory haunted her in ways she did not know how to express or assuage. Emma was all too well acquainted with how Killian might be feeling now, but what she didn't know was if she could provide any comfort when she had been the reason for his pain.

"Hey," she whispers, holding out a hand to him, urging her pirate closer to where the bed was raised for her to mostly sit up and interact with her guests more easily, "come here, Captain." Her voice is still a bit hoarse and strained from disuse, but Killian hears it immediately and is at her side almost before she has finished speaking. He had still been at the door from seeing everyone off, but upon her request, he is with her in an instant.

"What is it, Love? Are you in pain? Do you need something?" His hand hovers over her anxiously, smoothing back her hair and brushing over her shoulder, not sure where to settle.

If she doesn't stop him, Emma is pretty sure he will dart away again, off to fetch her something she doesn't even want, when all she needs is him – to draw him close and let him hold her. She isn't sure which one of them needs the contact more, but it has become a desperate necessity. "No! Killian, wait…" she swallows and licks her lips, trying to make her voice sound less scratchy and to gather her nerve. It may be the lingering weakness in her system, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable, but she finds herself needing to take the leap, to let Killian know he is as important to her as she is to him. "I'm fine. It's just…I just…I need you."

His gaze, as deep and blue as the ocean he loves, depthless and encompassing, warms her as he takes her in, almost as though he cannot believe her confession. "Of course…Emma. Anything you want, I will do. I promise, Darling."

Emma's throat nearly closes up at the glassiness of his eyes and the way his voice goes raspy with feeling. She knows by now that Killian Jones does not make a vow lightly, and her yearning surges even higher at his words. Biting her lip, she reaches to take his hand once more, tugs gently, and pats the space beside her on the mattress, before whispering, "Then come here…please…I need you to hold me. I…I th-thought you were gone…"

The hesitant look on her pirate's face is so worried and careful that it makes Emma want to giggle. If anyone who had known him as the fearsome Captain Hook could see him now, it would be hard to believe he was the same man. Yet, Emma can see the truth; his strength and daring have never faded, nor his dashing looks and unwavering air of command, but the drive and determination which had twisted into hatred and pursuit of revenge were once again fixed on heroism – and his commitment to her. "I don't want to unknowingly do you harm," he says anxiously, while refusing to meet her eyes.

"You won't," she breathes, pleading in her gaze when he finally meets it again, "unless you don't get in here." She gives him a playful wink as further reassurance and scoots over until she lies on her side, facing him with her back against the bedrail. She moves the IV so he won't pull it from her arm accidentally and then watches him and waits.

Heaving a sigh, Killian acquiesces, and though he wants to be sure not to hurt her, she knows he is craving the closeness as well. After shrugging out of his jacket and dropping it on the nearby chair and removing his shoes, he finally clambers gingerly up onto the bed next to her. Stretching full length on his side facing her, Killian leans in, nuzzling his nose gently over hers and kissing her lightly, still chaste and soft, but full of intense care. "Alright now, Swan?" he asks.

"Nearly," she responds a bit breathlessly. She reaches out to curl her fingers around the metal curve of his hook, taking this moment to make clear something he should already know. She is not repulsed by or fearful of his appendage – it is merely an extension of him. Pulling the blunted limb toward her body, Emma rests the arm on her hip, letting the hook wrap around her back. Then, she snuggles closer, fisting her hand in his shirt and burying her face in his warm chest.

They lie together like that for some time, comforted by the quiet closeness, heartbeats fitting to one another's rhythm. Finally, she pulls away just far enough to look him in the eye. Her words are fierce with passion when she speaks again. "I love you, Killian Jones. Don't you ever doubt that again."

He pulls her back, fervently ghosting his response with his lips at her temple. "You must know I feel the same, Emma. My love for you will never change – as long as either of us live."

The kiss that follows soothes both their fraught, churning hearts and finally brings the peace that both of them seek. Emma's hand finds the short hair at the nape of Killian's neck and begins to stroke through the dark strands. Killian's fear and sleepless vigil catch up to him in her embrace, and he soon drifts off to sleep. It isn't long before his warm, solid presence curled around her protectively does the same thing for Emma and she follows him into slumber.

Anyone else in Storybrooke General that night who peeks into Emma Swan's room cannot help but be touched by the sight of the lost princess- savior and her pirate prince finally at home…with each other. Right there for all to see is a vision of two healing souls finally granted a miracle.

Tagging a few who might enjoy (or have never seen this oldie!) : @jennjenn615 @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @laschatzi @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @drowned-dreamer @xarandomdreamx @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @spartanguard @therooksshiningknight @xsajx @bluewildcatfanatic @stahlop @motherkatereloyshipper @statustemporary @booksteaandtoomuchtv @kazoosandfannypacks @zaharadessert @lfh1226-linda @wefoundloveunderthelight @mie779 @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @bdevereaux @justanother-unluckysoul @elizabeethan @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook @ilovemesomekillianjones @thislassishooked @grimmswan

[moistvonlipwig]

Seeing as you reblogged it again: TV show of your choice for the gen relationships ask game

ok i will do *spins wheel* once upon a time !

My favorite parent-child relationship: Regina & Henry my beloveds.....she loves that kid so much and he loves her back <333 OUAT is literally the story of THEM!!!

My favorite sibling relationship: Okay but [Wish] Hook perpetuating the cycle of abandonment his father started by killing said father and orphaning and abandoning Liam II mere days/weeks before wising up and choosing to stay with baby Alice......Brennan doomed the fuck out of all his sons and then Killian doomed the fuck out of his baby brother because Liam II just wasn't quite enough for him to change. And then Liam II grew up to be just as angry and vengeful as he was. The cycle repeats!!!

My favorite family relationship (other): Regina and Snow's relationship is so incredibly difficult and complex and deep. They know each other better than anyone else does and yet there are parts of each other they still cannot hope to grasp. And there's still so much love there despite everything. I'm obsessed with them.

My favorite friendship between two people: The Wish Hook & Regina friendship that is sprinkled throughout S7 in brief moments and implications haunts my brain. But in terms of friendships that were actually fleshed out in canon, I do enjoy Regina and Emma's relationship despite my problems with Emma as a character. Oh and I also like Regina's friendship with Archie. He's a terrible therapist but he's not a bad friend.

My favorite friendship between a group: Regina and her BFFs the Charmings who are all, to a one, obsessed with her and would kill for her, even though she has tried to kill most of them before on multiple separate occasions. Snow and David and Emma said that's my bestie Regina right there, attempted murder is nothing in the face of our bestieship, and they were so real for that. And you know Baby Neal will almost certainly feel the same. I also really like the S7 squad, I thought that was such a fun oddball group.

My favorite mentorship: The Rumple & Regina relationship and then the Rumple & Alice relationship as a reflection of that relationship are so......like he abused Regina for decades and molded her into a weapon out of spite for his enemy/ex-lover i.e. her mother but he did care about her deep down and she eventually was able to name what he did to her but she still loved him and wanted him to do better but also she still hated him and wanted revenge against him because how could she not. And then years later he stumbles upon the daughter of his other greatest enemy and he almost uses her to free himself of his evil impulses, which she is destined to do so it's basically a fate-approved solution, but he stops himself and says no, that's not fair to her, I need to stop imprisoning teenage girls in metaphorical towers. Like......the layers to that!!!

My favorite rivalry: [Wish] Hook & Rumple spent centuries doing the "recognition of the self through the other (derogatory)" thing and they were so iconic for that, although to be fair they were even more iconic for finally letting it go in favor of "recognition of the self through the other (affectionate)."

My favorite hatred/antipathy: Whatever Snow and Cora had going on was so toxic and complex and full of hate. Juicy as hell. <3

My favorite potential relationship between characters who never talk in canon: Okay I guess Regina & Marian TECHNICALLY talked once before Regina ordered her execution but can you imagine if Marian had actually come back to life through time travel shenanigans instead of it being secretly Zelena all along and she and Regina got to have real conversations and develop a real friendship.......that would be so good. 😔 OUAT S1-6 give a fuck about women of color challenge

[queer-boo-radley]

Excited anon from yesterday writing back to let you know what I thought. NGL when I got into BDTH it was for all the spicy stuff but I've begun to really enjoy all the character interactions and Regina's inner monologue in between. Your Regina feels so real and coherent. Obviously different from the show but real within the realm of your fic and it's great. Loved the update! I have to admit, though, the "teaching Emma to ride the unicorn" scene from part 3 is still my fav thing you've written :D

Heyo Anon. Thanks for writing me back. I'm glad that you liked it :) And yeah, I've really gotten attached to this Regina lol. You'll like the next one then because I'm planning for about half of it to be some sweet intimate MDLG time ending with some very raunchy kinky age play sex lol

[believingispowerfulmagic]

Beyond the Call of Duty

Summary:  Season 1 AU. The night of the fire at Town Hall, Regina is treated by a dashing EMT named Robin Locksley. They have an immediate connection and Regina pursues it, going against everything she has been taught by her mother and Rumpelstiltskin. With Emma Swan threatening to end her curse, will Robin help Regina learn what a happy ending truly is?

Chapter 1:  FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Chapter 15: Beyond the Curse

FFN | AO3 | Wattpad

Excerpt: 

Trapped.

It was the only word that came to Regina's mind once it had sunk in that her curse had been broken. Her car was still parked outside the library, meaning escape from the hospital to the safety of either her house or vault was impossible. She couldn't risk walking through town, not when everyone had their memories back. They would likely attack her and she would be dead before she got even a few blocks from the hospital.

Not that the hospital was much safer. The change had been almost instantaneous after the burst of magic had pulsed through the room. Whale and Mother Superior had been dazed at first but their eyes had cleared with a couple blinks of their eyes and in their place stood Frankenstein and the Blue Fairy. Confusion and shock filled Frankenstein's face as he looked around the room while still staying a good distance from Regina.

Blue, though, had no problem approaching Regina. Her eyes were cold as she smirked. "Looks like good once again defeated evil," she said. "You're now the most hated person in Storybrooke. I would suggest you run, Your Majesty."

"Mom?" Henry asked, drawing her attention. She looked down to find him watching her with anticipation in his eyes. He was waiting to see what she did next.

She then looked at Emma, who no longer resembled a deer in headlights and now had the same cold look in her eyes that Blue did. Just as she told Henry, she believed that fairy tales were real and Regina was the villain in this one. Emma was the hero destined to return all the happy endings.

And destroy Regina's.

The ground shifted between her feet as she realized that she was powerless in this world. Her magic was gone and her peaceful home was now filled with people who no longer viewed her as their dedicated mayor but the Evil Queen. Emma now held all the power – no doubt her parents were already reunited and would come for their daughter while the townspeople rallied around them. Regina was without magic or weapons of her own.

But she will not go down without a fight.

Nor would she be a sitting duck.

She swallowed before gently gripping Henry's chin. Looking in his eyes, she said: "I love you. No matter what happens next, I want you to remember that. Nothing will ever change that."

"I love you too, Mom," he told her with warmth in his eyes and a smile on his face.

"Tick tock, Your Majesty," Blue said tauntingly. "Everyone is coming for you."

Regina kissed Henry's forehead again before backing away. Glaring at a smug Blue, she left the room and decided she would figure out some way to get back to her car and then to the safety of her house.

John, though, intercepted her. He took one of her arms while Tuck took the other. They walked with her toward the elevator bank. Robin was waiting there in his wheelchair, a steely look in his eyes. "We need to move fast," he said.

"What do you mean, we?" she asked, confused. "You can't leave the hospital!"

"Neither should you but I think everyone has made it clear that they aren't going to take care of you," he replied, pushing the call button. "So we need to get you to safety."

John frowned. "I have to agree with Regina. You shouldn't put your own health at risk for her."

His words felt like a punch to her stomach. She always knew that breaking the curse would change her relationships with everyone in Storybrooke but it still hurt to experience it. John had been concerned about her mental health only the day before and now he didn't care about her at all.

"I don't like that tone," Robin said, glaring at John.

"I don't care," John replied, tightening his grip on her arm. "I know you have your memories back too. You know who she is."

Robin pressed his lips together, his eyes looking over her with an unreadable expression. "That's not the issue right now."

It wasn't a very comforting statement but at least he wasn't throwing her to the wolves. That had to count for something, she guessed. She had a feeling they needed to have a very long conversation. Regina just wasn't sure she would be able to have all the answers Robin likely wanted or needed.

But that wasn't her immediate concern. His health was more important to her than anything else, except for Henry's safety. "You need to stay here and make sure nothing else happens to you," she insisted.

"John and I will take her to safety," Tuck said, his grip not as tight as John's. "And you can stay here until the doctor clears you."

"Please, Robin," she pleaded, hoping they were starting to get through to him and convincing him to stay. "You're already here because of me. Don't make yourself worse because of me."

His expression softened and he nodded. "Alright," he agreed.

John looked between her and Robin before saying: "I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone here. I'm pretty sure I've seen the Sheriff walking around. Now that he has his memories, if he knows you're in no condition to flee or fight, he might come after you." "You stay with him, John," Tuck said. "I'll take Regina to safety."

"Agreed," John replied, releasing her arm and stepping back just as the elevator doors opened.

Tuck gently guided Regina onto the elevator. She turned back to Robin, who rolled himself closer to her. He reached out and took her hand, raising it to his lips and pressing a kiss to it. "Milady," he said, his voice warmer than it had been.

He then released her hand and the door closed, leaving Regina to stare at her own pale reflection in the metal doors.

[wily-one24]

It was intresting to read your opinions about ouat, soo can u maybe do Regina Mills also? 🫶🏻 (+ I gotta say that I agree what you said about hook)

I am glad you asked, Nonny, because I felt sliughtly guilty. I answered the "choose between Emma and Regina" ask and chose Emma, BEFORE I answered the "choose from these three SVU" characters and in that one I did all three.

I was like "Man, I should have done Regina as well". So, Nonny,. great minds think alike. :D

REGINA MILLS:

Before we start, I had to use this gif, because for over a decade it was my AO3 profile pic "Bitch Fucked With My Apples", until I changed it to Sheryl Crow to match my tumblr pic.

Onto the questions!

--> How I feel about this character:

I do so love Regina. Not as much as Emma, and I am not attracted to Regina the way I am Emma, but I love her just the same.

Her entire story is one of tragedy. All she wanted was to be good, to be left alone with her horse and her stable boy and maybe an apple tree.

And she was used and abused by everyone around her for their own nefarious purposes. Her mother abused her from childhood and then sold her as a young teenager to an uncaring king. Who, let's be real Disney, was not just "looking for a mother for Snow". He wanted a young wife to bed. And she was NOT WILLING.

Rumple came along and twisted her helplessness into vengeance.

And the world called her Evil.

And even then, exactly how evil was she. Okay, sure, if you're Snow White (or one of her friends), she was pretty lethal, and she did slaughter an entire village for hiding Snow. But apart from Snow, she was pretty non chalant. She wanted to be loved as a ruler.

Yes, she did EVIL things, but she was a pawn and she didn't choose that title, nor that life.

The curse? The big Curse to End All Curses?

She bought them to Maine and gave them safety, steady jobs, no inflation at all 80s prices forever more, running water, electricity, medicine, instant college educations.

And all those ungrateful bitches wanted to do was return to shitting in the forest and hunting their dinner amidst dying of dystentery and a random arrow.

Like, come on. If you really want to be evil, don't make Snow a goddamn grade school teacher who builds bird houses. OH LOOK,, there's Mary Margaret the garbage collector. Mary Margaret, the local stripper. The homeless drug addict. Locked up in a nuthouse. A maid. Anything, but a sweet, comfortable, happy, well fed teacher who still smiles and sings.

I said it in the other post, I'll say it here. Emma internalised her pain and sabotaged herself. Regina externalised it and hurt those around her. But it all stems from that lost, lonely little girl that was abused and had all her hopes dashed, that was never loved the way they deserved.

I do love Regina and that is all (Ha!) I am saying until further down.

--> All the people I ship romantically with this character:

(I love how this is worded: 1. "romantically", like... definitely not just "fuck nasty" buddies, but romance. 2. "People" with a "Character", ... can I name just any random person? Like, let's get Regina Mills together with Susan Sarandon. Let's go!)

Ahem.

Emma Swan, obviously. You can't really ask for more. They were perfect for each other. There are so many parallels in their stories, and they helped each other grow. They cared sincerely for each other. This is a no brainer.

But also... let's not rule out all the other ladies, Snow, Ruby, Belle. Maybe a little Jefferson. Daniel (for the hopeless teen romantic Regina). David for a little bit.

Imaginary Regina is quite the machine.

--> My non-romantic OTP for this character:

Is Henry too obvious? Come on.

Snow eventually. Zelena eventually, Kathryn to begin with (you know, before she had her kidnapped and killed and then unkilled, that kinda takes the bloom off the rose a little).

--> My unpopular opinion of this character:

The Lana stans ruined Regina for me*. I can't enjoy her as much as I would like, because... they're very rabid and they oversaturated the internet and a lot of them became Swan Queen fans, but a very specific sort of Swan Queen fan wherein it was obvious they were just there for Regina and they really hated Emma in an ugly way.

I think Lana is really great, everything I have heard about her is good. That said, i just can't... I can't really enjoy anything in terms of Lana because of her fans. So, I just steer well away.

These people and their zealotry ruined the actress and the character and that's tragic all in its own.

(*I am speaking of a very certain sort of fan, I am sure a lot of Lana fans are great, but we all know who I am speaking of).

Fandom overall became very Regina Centric or Hook Centric, to the exclusion of all else. This bled heavily into the viciousness of Swan Queen Vs Captain Swan... but I stayed out of it and just wrote my little fics and read others.

-->One thing I wish would happen/had happened for this character:

I'm not sure I can answer this question, because I still to this day have not finished watches S7 all the way through. I have watched MAYBE three episodes and then have to stop, I just... cannot get into it. So I don't really *know* what happened to her.

I know she got a very short haircut, wore singlet shirts, and ran a bar. That's what I know. So... I mean, maybe that made her happy? Chase your dreams, I guess.

Obviously "I wish Swan Queen became canon".

Oooh, I know. I wish she had gotten some justice, especially against Rumple.

(but, oh no, Rumple was a MAN and had to have a giant redemption arc and become woobified)

My old AO3 pp for reference:

[sevenfifteenam]

one last thing before i go to sleep: Storybrooke and Free Will

so, i've been wondering about this for a while now.

apparently, the inhabitants of storybrooke had free will during the dark curse- which i find hard to believe, because they're trapped in this little town and have no memories of their real selves. i mean, how much of it is free will when you're stuck in the confines of a persona that isn't you? mary-margaret may have had free will but was forced to do the same thing over and over again, and had no memories of who she originally was... even jefferson who has his memories, doesn't seem to have much of it, although for different reasons). the notion of free will under the dark curse is completely ridiculous, but for the sake of this, i'll roll with it (or at least, try to)

in my mind, people gained free will as emma came along- that's what makes the most sense, because no one has free will when stuck in a time loop (so of course, when the clock starts moving... shit goes down) + regina's influence on the town decreases when emma arrives imo (with ruby leaving granny, ashley taking back the contract, graham leaving regina, etc etc. these characters finally get to "break out' of the loop, and to which i say good for them!!)

which brings me to my "analysis" of the day: david nolan. i'm highkey obsessed with this little guy in a /neg way because he started out with no cursed memories, therefore giving him more free will than anyone with this show- and i think it initially helped a lot with this decision-making because charming still shined through david nolan. he knew he wanted mary-margaret, and immediately left kathryn to be with her, just like charming has never been afraid to pursue what he actually wants. i guess we could look at the parallels between 1x06 david nolan and charming but we'd be here all day, so i'll just say that it's interesting to see david give up on love for what he deems a "noble reason" in both timelines but in completely different ways with him being 'trapped' by his fake memories and george. especially since in the first case it's because he has his fake memories that he has to... anyway

i understand that the amnesia and suddenly remembering his cursed memories must have not been easy, but that definitely did not warrant the mess that was cursed snowing LMAO

what's interesting is that david has the same problem as anyone else: he technically has free will (solely as his cursed persona, which is a whole other can of worms...), but this town is so under regina's control that in the end, one could say "ah well, regina's curse made me do it!" because i like to think it's everyone's go-to excuse when discussing the fucked up shit they did under the dark curse BUT david doesn't have that. when he woke up, emma was already there, so he didn't have the remnants of regina's influence.

but also the whole time, david was very much going against regina's will, which makes it... arguably worse? i mean, he got his memories as regina was losing control over the storybrooke narrative but damn. he was just doing whatever. regina would try to get him away from mary margaret and he'd show up at the diner at 7:15AM like... hiiiiii

i have some beef with the writing itself because i still don't know if their cursed selves were supposed to be diametrically opposite to their OG selves or if their OG selves were dormant. the latter seems more likely because mary-margaret still has enough snow in her to be able to dropkick jefferson and ashley just straight up pepper sprayed gold- to which i have to say, legend behavior by the way.

what i mean is that it's not a thing for david post 1x06, save for being irrevocably drawn to mary-margaret/snow. like, in 1x16, charming could not believe for one sec that snow would ever do something cruel while david... david went for the (in this case, metaphorical) kill by throwing out all the faith he had in mary margaret. i don't know if it's on purpose or if his cursed memories overrode every charming trait he had (badum tss) but damn... cheater coward liar annoying like pick a struggle babe, you can't have them all </3

i sound like a hater but i'm just cranky because it's almost 1AM and i'm overthinking about free will in a small fictional town under a curse that was broken when i was beginning middle school (i'm almost in my mid twenties)

[ouatsnark]

I am terribly sorry because I'm sure I'm spamming you. I promise this will be the last one for awhile.

But I've seen multiple people claim that Emma would be better off with Neal or Regina or Nook (or Graham but I'm more forgiving on the Graham one) because Hook murdered her grandpa and his own dad/caused his brother's death.

Like. WHAT?

Do you ever read a Regina Apologist’s statement and think “do they even read what they’re spewing? Cause that’s the biggest load of double standard, hypocritical, nonsense that I’ve heard.” Cause I do. All the time.

And this right here is a great example of their double standard BS. ESPECIALLY when they list Regina and Regina committed those same crimes and then MUCH WORSE. Besides the fact that Regina’s father might have been a pacifist but he took up for her and stood by her and she murdered him to destroy a kingdom. Killian killed a father that abandoned him to slavery. That’s mot a justification its just two completely different motivations and Regina’s was a lot more sinister!

If Hook can’t be with Emma because he murdered her grandpa before he even met the Charmings and when he wasn’t even targeting them and murdered his father then by that logic:

How is Emma better off with Regina when, if we follow their logic, Regina:

PURPOSEFULLY murdered Emma’s grandfather

killed her own father, an innocent man

tried to murder Emma’s parents

tried to murder Emma herself on multiple occasions

abused Emma’s son

murdered & raped a man Emma had feelings for

then went on to verbally and physically abuse Emma after her redemption?

How does all of that history with Regina that was directed at Emma or her family get forgiven? But something Killian did in the past that wasn’t directed at Emma can’t be forgiven? It’s just bull shit.

How is Emma better off with Neal when Neal:

abandoned Emma twice

put his fears ahead of hers welfare

let her go to jail for his crimes

didn't believe in her abilities

and only wanted her back when his fiancé turned out to be a villain and died?

Emma didn’t want to be with Neal because of the emotional damage being with him caused. Trust was broken. Besides. Who’s to say that when things get tough again he won’t just take off?

How is Emma better with Nook when Nook: likely killed her WishGrandfather? Oh, wait that doesn’t count because Regina killed WishSnowing? Do you know how incredibly weird it would be for Emma to get together with her true love’s copy? Especially since Nook was a drunk who stalked Emma and then plotted to rape her by killing her real husband and stealing his identity. That’s just weird. I mean that is also a lot of baggage to overcome.

Graham: I am also forgiving of the Graham one because Graham was a good guy. I shipped it in S1 and was sad when he died.

Do I think Emma would have chosen Killian if it had been between Graham and Killian in S3 and not Neal? Yes, yes I do because Emma and Killian are true love and I think they helped each other to heal in ways that no one else could. Emma believed in Killian when no one else would. She was his guide back to the light. I think Emma needed Killian’s patience, understanding and his willingness to fight for what he wanted because that is what ultimately broke down her walls and helped her overcome her fear of the future and of being abandoned. For the first time she came first. Graham and Emma were well suited but Emma and Killian were opposites being pulled together.

And how the hell did Killian cause his own brother’s death??? Did I miss something? What kind of victim blaming BS is this?