Ok so a little a while ago someone had requested that I repost this story. I had originally deleted this off my flashdrive, but as I was looking through my emails I had found it again so I decided to repost it on Fanfiction.
Anyway here is the summary- It takes place when they are escaping from Neverland, meaning that Pan has been defeated (like he never possesses Henry and comes to Sotrybrooke) and Charming is still cursed and has to remain on the island. Emma however decides to pay the price instead in order to give her parents the happy ending they deserve. This is my take on how she does it. This will be a one-shot unless a lot of people are interested.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice: noun- the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone.
They had done it. They defeated Peter Pan, saved Henry, and they were all going home. Correction, Emma thought to herself as she watched her parents crying while holding each other, some of us are going home. She looked over to where Henry was animatedly chanting with Neal and Killian on the deck of the Jolly Roger. It was clear that she knew where she belonged…over there with them. However she could not stand being over there right now so she stood off to the side just watching and observing as guilt started gnawing at her as she shifted her focus back to her parents.
"There has to be some way." She muttered to herself, "There just has to be some way."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Regina and Gold standing by the ship and then that was when she got her idea. It was crazy, foolish as some would say, and most of all dangerous. Something that neither Snow nor David would approve of, but she had to do it. Emma strode briskly over to them, "I need to talk to you two; now." She said in a low but firm voice.
"And just what-" Regina started to snap at her, but Emma cut her off, "Not here. Just please."
Something in Emma's tone made both Gold and Regina look at one another and then nodded as Emma lead them a bit further from the group, not that any of them noticed anyway. Once Emma was sure that they were out of hearing range she turned back to them, "Is there any way for that price that David paid to be transferred to someone else?"
Gold and Regina once again shared a look. Gold looked back at Emma and asked, "What do you mean dearie?"
"I mean I want to pay the price instead of hm." Emma said in a hard tone looking at the people that she once called enemies.
"You want to what?" Regina asked stunned, "What about getting Henry back? You are just going to abandoned him?!"
"Quiet!" Emma snapped and looked to make sure no one heard Regina's shout. Then sighing she looked back at the Queen, "No I do not want to abandoned Henry, however look at them," Emma motioned to Snow and David who were still crying. They could see that he was trying to reassure her, but judging from both of their devastated faces it was not working, "they deserve to have a happy ending after all the shit that they have been put through don't you think? After all you are getting Henry back since I would be out of the way."
Regina looked at her step-granddaughter and shook her head and glared back at Emma, "Don't you get it? Henry could never be fully mine. I learned that lesson ten times over already."
"Hold on." Gold said holding up his hand before Emma could respond, "Ms. Swan, we already made an agreement that we would try and find a way to bring your father home. He is not going to be-"
"You do not know that. Killian said there is no cure for Dreamshade and I think you know that as well." Emma said looking at him, "Otherwise being the Dark One you could have cured him already."
"Or what I need is in my shop," Gold pointed out crossing his arms looking at her critically, "but like you said yourself I do not know that. With that said, you could be trapped in Neverland forever."
"Then that is the price I am willing to pay. It is the least I can do for them since…I am not good enough." She whispered the last part more so to herself as she reflected back to Snow's confession in Echo Cave.
Regina through her hands up in the air, "That is bull shit and you know it! Besides again, what are you going to tell Henry or your parents?"
Emma shrugged, "I was hoping you would, because I know they would not let me do this."
"And you figured we would." Gold stated slowly.
"Well yeah considering our history." Emma said as she too crossed her arms, "Besides this is my choice and this is what I want to do."
Regina and Gold both looked at each other, then back at the savior. Gold shook his head and saw a nearby stream, "Let me have the canteen." He said holding out his hand.
Emma handed him her canteen and he knelt down and filled it with water, "Now let me have a strand of your hair." He instructed. Emma plucked a strand of her hair from her head and handed it to him. He then placed it in the canteen and closed his eyes as purple smoke surrounded it. Once the smoke disappeared he opened his eyes and closed it, then handed it back to her, "Get your father to drink this, then immediately grab his hands and focus on the poison that is dormant in his system and Neverland's spring water. All that will be then transferred to you, however keep in mind you will feel the pain of the poison and the weight of Neverland's entrapment."
Emma nodded, as Regina looked between him and the blonde, "You are seriously going to let her do this?"
"Gee I didn't know you cared." Emma said sarcastically.
"Yes dearie, if this is what she truly wants." Gold shrugged and then turned back to Emma, "Is there any other things you have in mind that we can be of some assistance since I know you have a plan?"
"I am not going through with anything else you have planned." Regina said turning to walk back to the others; but Emma grabbed her arm, "Regina please," this made her pause and face Emma, "I know you think I am abandoning Henry-"
"You are! How the hell am I supposed to explain to him that you decided to stay in Neverland instead of going home with him?! You father made his bed and he should lie in it!" Regina yelled.
"Oh you are one to talk! After all the pain you put them through for something your mother did, you have the right to be judging what I want to do for them?!" In a softer tone she said, "I need to do this. I am not going to have them lose one another again. Besides look at him," Emma pointed to the Jolly Roger and Henry was laughing, "he was going to be hurt anyway if his grandfather didn't come home. Henry doesn't need me right now, instead he needs his father and he needs you. Please Regina, you got your chance at redemption, let me have mine."
Regina looked at Emma now and groaned, "Fine. What did you expect us to do?" Emma then began explaining the plan.
Soon after as they were walking back to the Jolly Roger, they heard Killian's voice, "Alright I think we should be heading off." He held up the bean that Tinkerbelle had given them. Emma also caught the pity look being sent her way and then say him motion to her parents who just broke apart from their hug.
"Come on Grams and Gramps!" Henry called out excitedly running toward them and began pulling on their arms.
"Henry there is something that we have to tell you-" David said as Snow pulled away from the boy and started to make her way up on to the ship, not being able to listen to this anymore.
"What? What is wrong?" Henry asked as he watched his grandmother walk away and noticed the dry tear marks on his grandfather's face.
Before David could say anything Emma and Regina appeared by his side, "I will talk to him," Regina offered as she looked at Emma and Emma nodded.
Henry looked between the three adults seriously confused, "No, what is going on?"
Emma knelt down and looked him in the eye, "Nothing kid. Go with Regina, we will be there in a minute."
Henry looked at her warily and suddenly hugged her. She hugged him back before releasing him to Regina. Once they were on the ship, David looked at his daughter sharply, "You know you just lied to him right? I cannot go on that ship. Once I leave-"
"I know, but I wanted to talk to you…in private. Come on." She made him follow her away from the ship. Not too far where they couldn't see it, but far enough so no one saw what she was about to do.
"Emma look if you are going-" David started to say thinking she was going to start going off on him not telling them about him getting hurt.
"No, nothing like that; I know why you did what you did. Granted it was stupid and a total David Nolan thing to do, however I know. I just wanted to thank you." She admitted.
"For what?" He asked surprised.
"For placing Henry first. I know it must have been hard making that decision to drink the spring water when Hook told you its side effects."
"Not hard at all. You always have to place your children first." David whispered as he tucked a piece of Emma's hair behind her ear. It was a bold move, but he didn't know if this would be the last time he ever saw her again.
Emma allowed his touch and savoring it. She wanted to hug him, but knew that her time was running short, "Here, I offer a toast," she uncorked the canteen, "not quiet how I would have imagined having a drink with my Dad, but a toast to family and for always finding each other!" Emma through her head back and pretended to drink the water.
She then offered it to David and he smiled at her calling him dad, "For always finding each other." He repeated and he through his head back and drank the water deeply. Emma watched as he drank the water and she could feel tears coming on.
Once David was done drinking the water he whipped his mouth. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was. Sighing in content he looked at his daughter, who was on the verge of tears, "Emma what-" he did not get to finish his question because he could feel his body become rigid as the canteen slipped from his grasp and his airway closing up. It was as if his body had suddenly became on fire.
Emma saw her chance was now as she saw a dark aura surrounding her father. As David started clutching his chest and the side she knew he was injured, she grabbed his hands, "I am so sorry Daddy." She closed her eyes and began concentrating hard on what Gold had instructed to do.
In that moment she felt her side being cut open, as if an arrow had just hit her. She could feel the fever and the poison spreading in her veins as her body felt like it was being roasted. Her heart was racing as the poison began reaching it. Then a great and powerful weight was being thrust on her shoulders as the poison started to dull in her system. Emma opened her eyes just as the last remaining dark aura surrounding her father vanished. She could feel her father shaking as she looked at him. He was panting as if he just ran a mile. Once he got his breathing under control, she released his hands. David just stared at his hands and then looked at her, "Emma...what have you done?" He gasped out looking at her.
"I am sorry Daddy," Emma gave him a watery smile, "but I couldn't let you stay here."
David was not comprehending anything she was saying...or not saying in this case, "Emma did you just-"
Emma nodded, "Yes, but now you and mom can have your happy ending."
David was violently shaking his head. He was hearing what she was not saying. She had taken Neverland's curse off of him and placed it on herself, "Emma no! You have to give it back to me! You have to-"
"No. What's done is done. You get to go home...with mom. This is your chance to be the father you deserve to be..." Emma said firmly, "Now go."
"No! Not without you...not until-" Before he could finish his protest, Emma reached out pressed on his neck and he collapsed instantly.
"I am really sorry Daddy." She muttered while also thinking how the Vulcan death grip came in handy and also how her father is going to have a severe headache when he woke up. She reached down and grabbed his arm and threw it around her and once he was leaning on her, began her trek toward the Jolly Roger.
Once she reached it, she prepared herself mentally for what was about to come and called out, "Killian! Neal! I need help!"
They came to her instantly, once they saw David's state, they relieved her of him and brought him on the ship, "Lass what happened?" Killian asked as he and Neal placed his unconscious body on the deck.
"I do not know. We were talking and he collapsed." She responded.
However Killian looked at her, while Neal tried to get some type of response from the Prince. Before Killian could say another thing to Emma; Snow, Henry, Regina, and Gold emerged from bellow the deck, "Emma what-" Then she saw David, "Charming?!" She yelled and over to her husband.
Snow nearly pushed Neal out of the way, and he went back to stand over by Henry who was being restrained by Regina. Emma looks at the Queen and she shook her head slightly...meaning she did not tell Henry of her plan. She then looks over at Gold who gives a nod to show that he is ready. Sighing she knew it was now or never, "Killian." Emma choked out.
Killian looks at her and they meet each other. Emma looks at Snow, who is trying to wake David up. She manages to meet her mother's gaze briefly and mutter out, "I am sorry mom."
Snow looks at her daughter in shock, "Emma what-"
Emma quickly looks at Killian and immediately crashes her lips on his. Everyone momentarily forgets about David as Emma completely attacks the pirate in a passionate kiss, which was nothing like what happened in the forest. While Killian is distracted, Emma calls upon her pick-pocketing skills from years of being on the street to retrieve the bean that she knows lies in his jacket pocket. Once she get the bean she breaks the kiss and looks at him. He is dazed and confused and most importantly is not aware of the betrayal that had just occurred.
"Emma, what the hell was that?" Neal asked angry, "What is going on?"
"Mom?" Henry gasps out.
"Emma?" Snow questions, "What-?"
"Gold! Regina! Now!" Emma commands.
Regina releases Henry, and before he could question her, he finds himself forced over by Snow, Neal, Killian, and David, who is still unconscious. They all find themselves tied to the main mass of the ship by steel chains each struggling frantically to break free, "EMMA!" They all yell now.
"Bloody hell lass! What is the meaning of this?!" Killian demands to know.
Snow looks at her daughter with utter betrayal and pain as Emma looks back with pain and sadness, "I believe I am commandeering your ship Captain." Emma says with a watery smile.
"But why?" Henry asks her and then looks at Regina and Gold, "Why are you two helping her?"
Before Regina could respond, Emma answers, "I will always love you Henry." He snaps his head back to her giving her his undivided attention, "I just want you to know that I am so very proud of you, and I need you to be good and not give Neal and Regina a hard time. Especially Regina," Emma looked at the woman, "this is not her fault. I asked her for this."
"Emma what did you do?" Neal asked with a sick feeling in his stomach, "You know that David cannot leave the island…"
Emma turned away from them now as she went to the wheel of the ship, "He can now."
Gold and Regina looked at each other and then shared a look with the rest of the captive group. They started part three of the plan and summoned strong gusts of wind as they sailed away from Neverland's shores. The gusts of wind started to cause major tidal waves as Emma steered the ship, "Lass please you have to stop whatever it is that you are doing!" Killian called, "You are going to get us all killed!"
Emma however did not respond and look at them. Just like she hadn't spared Henry a glance when she was giving him up, she did not look at her family, less she wanted to back out on her suicide plan which she was not about to do. She spared Regina and Gold a look and nodded her head. They looked at each other again, seeing that one another was ready they summoned all their magic and brought their combined powers together. The captives watched in seer fascination as the gusts vanished and instead left in their place were the tidal waves that was starting to form into one huge, tsunami like wave in the rear end of the ship. Emma took this opportunity to leave the helm and throw the bean into the ocean waters just as Regina and Gold managed to bind themselves to the ship.
Henry's eyes widened now as understanding dawned on him. His mind started to replay the words she had spoken, the facial expressions, the tone of voice she used…she was saying good bye, "Mom no!" Henry yelled over the raging storm as thunder and lightning caked the sky as the swirling vortex appeared in the middle of the already raging ocean
Snow, Killian, and Neal were frantic now as they too understood Emma's motives as they fought against their restrains. Emma shot them one last apologetic look as the ship was raised into the air by the waves. Timing the moment just right, she dove off the ship, just as the wave allowed to hit the vortex.
The waves became calm as soon as the vortex vanished and the dark sky gave way to bright sunny and cloudless blue as Emma swam back to shore. Once she reached the beach, she started coughing up some of the salt water that had gotten into her lungs and allowed herself to fall on to her back and look up at the sky; the sky she would grow accustom to as this was her new home now it would seem as Neverland's pull started to take over her sense. However, as she started to get up, one last thought came to her: It was all for them, she thought over and over as tears started to roll down her face as she made her trek back to the jungle. It was a big sacrifice…however it was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her family.
Once the ship entered Storybrooke Harbor, no one spoke a word. They were all released from their bindings however instead of celebrating, it was more like a wake. Henry was numb, and once David had come to, he was devastated once they told him of Emma's sacrifice. It was not something their daughter should have made, "It was my fault. I should have been able to pay the price, not her." He said.
"Why?" Henry finally whispered looking at his adoptive mother and paternal grandfather, "Why did you help her with that?"
"She asked," Gold whispered, "she wanted to pay the price…"
"There had to be another way," Neal growled out to him, "you should have been able to think of another way."
"We tried to change her mind." Regina defended themselves, "But she wanted this. She said that they deserved a happy ending."
Snow shook her head, "But we will not have that unless Emma is with us. She is the key to our happy ending. Our happy ending is having our family together."
"Well she took what you said at the cave to heart. She sacrificed herself to give you a second chance." Gold said slowly.
David and Snow looked at each other and David said without breaking eye contact with Snow, "Well we do not want a second chance. We want Emma." He finished firmly. Then he looked at Killian, who was looking devastated, "Is there any way to go back?"
Killian turned to face the group and looked at each and every one of them. He looked into the eyes of the man he once could have claimed as a son, then his eyes landed to the boy…her son. He could still feel the passionate and desperate kiss on his lips that she had given him. He wanted to say no, because there was no other way to return, however looking into her son's eyes made him say, "I think there might be, however even if we do go back she cannot come home…"
Henry looked at them and felt his heart swell. His mother had sacrificed everything so that her parents could stay together. So that he could have his grandparents with him. However now here they were, about to sacrifice their happy ending in order to her back with them. Most importantly however, he was the believer, as Pan had told him. He has the Heart of the Truest Believer, "I believe she can," the adults looked at the boy in amazement, "I believe there is away. We are a family," he again looked at them begging them to understand where he was going with this, "we always find each other."
The adults looked at the boy in wonderment as they felt hope return. New determination swept through them as they pulled into the docking area, setting a new plan they were determined to find a way to bring the Savior home where she belonged.