LET ME STATE SOME FACTS ABOUT THIS STORY:
1) THIS STORY WAS BEGUN BEFORE THEY FOUND OUT ZELENA WAS THE WITCH – I'M NOT CHANGING THAT, SO YES, THEY DON'T KNOW SHE IS THE WITCH YET.
2) THE CHARACTERS MAY BE 'OOC' OR 'OUT-OF-CHARACTER' – THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION BY A FAN. THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT.
3) I'VE HEARD THAT SOME FANS IN THIS FANDOM ARE REALLY MEAN AND HATEFUL – IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE MEAN AND HATEFUL, HIT THE BACK BUTTON; I DON'T WANT IT.
Thank you. Enjoy. No copyright intended; I do not own OUAT or any of the characters.
…
Emma sat outside Granny's, blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail and fingers massaging her temples. She, David, and Hook had been on the search for the Wicked Witch while Regina and Mary Margaret kept Henry distracted from their search and from asking questions.
She didn't know how much longer she could do this.
They hadn't had any luck yet - the witch didn't want to be found, she knew that much; it didn't help that they had no idea what she looked like here.
"Is this what you wanted?" Emma jerks to a stand at the voice and shoots a glare at the man, her hand falling to the gun at her waist.
"Walsh." The man - correction, monkey posing as a man- was smirking at her. "I thought-"
"That you killed me? No, I'm very much alive. And I'm here for you Emma." Emma whipped out her gun and narrowed her eyes at him, finger on the trigger, waiting for the attack that was for sure to come.
"Give me a reason."
He raised his hands in defense and just smirked again.
"I'm not here to hurt you. I came to talk."
"I don't want to hear what you have to say."
"Just answer me one question - is this what you wanted? For yourself, for your son? To live a lie? In a place where you're only good for saving the day? Your mom even moved on from you as soon as you left. She replaced you." Emma felt his words resonate deep in her; she lowered the gun an inch, but kept it aimed at him, even as her guard lowered. "I can help with that."
"Yeah right." She's gotten her grip back, the wall around her heart going back up.
"I can. I have a potion, much like the one the pirate gave you. Except this one will make it all go away. You won't remember Storybrooke. It'll be like you never left New York. You, Henry, and I can be a family."
"You're a monster."
"Maybe so, but does that mean I'm not capable of compassion, love? That's right Emma," he said, catching her look of disbelief, "I love you."
"No."
"Yes. Drink it," he said, reaching in his pocket for a small bottle filled with a bright yellow glowing liquid, "And come back to where you belong." He pulled out the ring he had gotten her and smiled as her eyes fell to it. "This is what you've always wanted, wasn't it Emma? To be loved, cherished, have a family of your own? I can give you that. Just drink it." She looked at his eyes and remembered the man, not the monkey, that made her feel more loved than she had known in her new/old life.
Of course, things were different here, now.
"I'm not lying, am I?" Emma caught his eyes and found herself shaking her head before she spoke.
"No... but just because you believe it doesn't make it true." He smiled and let his eyes roam over her.
"You reverted so easily. I liked the mom look better than the bondsman. Didn't you?" When she didn't answer, he stepped closer, the potion extended. "Drink it Emma. Come home."
Home. The one thing Emma's wanted more than anything; he knew how to pull her heart strings. She looked at the potion and then at him.
"Tell her to set them free."
"She doesn't listen to me."
"Then... I want a promise. From you if not from her."
"What?"
"Promise that Mary-Margaret, David, and the new baby will be safe. No matter what."
"I promise." Emma didn't believe him, but she was so tired of being the Savior. She just wanted a normal life now, for her, for Henry. Slowly, as if to give him time to attack, she placed her gun back in its holster attached to her jeans. As she reached for the bottle, she heard two voices cry out that made her jerk away.
"Emma!" "Swan!"
"David. Hook." She's muttered the words before it's even registered with her that they're coming at her and Walsh, looks of anger and confusion gracing their features. She hears a growl come from behind and sees Walsh scowling at them. She ignores him for a moment and faces them.
"Who's this?" David asks, looking at the man with apprehensive eyes.
"That, mate, would be the monster that Swan was to marry." Emma shoots Hook a death-glare, but turns to face David, who has already pulled his own gun out and has it trained at Walsh's chest.
"Leave. Now." Walsh cocks his head to the side at David's harsh command.
"Now why would I do that? I simply came here to return Emma to her life in New York. It's not like anyone wants her here anyway."
"I do," David says, gun staying aimed at the man's chest. "She's my daughter - I've lost her before, I'm not losing her again."
"And I want her here monkey, in case you weren't aware." Walsh scoffs and trains his eyes on Emma.
"Emma, these two are mere casualties. David here, your father, is the one who helped your mother get the child she always wanted - was he thinking of you in his missing year? No. He was too busy planning his new family."
"Emma he's lying."
"And the pirate... the minute you were out of the picture, he went back to his ship and did who-knows-what; he won't even tell you. If he loves you as much as he claims, there would be no reason for him to hide anything from you."
"I'm not hiding anything Love." Emma looks at them before she looks back at Walsh, who has the potion in his hand.
"Emma." The word is spoken by three different voices, three different men, all wanting her to believe them. She shakes her head to clear it and steps back. Walsh stays in step with her, making her eye him.
"The Witch sent him - you think he means anything he says to you? He's been lying to you from the start." Emma looks at David, her father, and lets his words sink in. "Don't believe him." Walsh growls again and then moves faster than any of them expected; knocking Emma to the ground, he has her gun in his hand, directed at David. Hook has pulled out his sword, but a flash of concern crosses his dark eyes - a sword is no match for a gun in this world. Walsh turns to Emma, eyes flashing from normal to red and back.
"Drink the potion Emma." None of the loving tone he had before can be heard in his cold voice. He extends the potion to her, the gun on David the whole time. "Now." Emma, instead of listening, swings her foot up, aiming for him. Walsh catches her foot mid-swing and twists it, making her flip onto her stomach. "Emma, Emma, Emma." She jerks back up onto her back and dusts herself off some, not standing yet. He eyes her and, moving almost lazily, points the gun at her.
"I could just kill you, then you really won't have to worry about saving anyone. I'll even work up a will that looks legal enough that all rights of Henry go to me."
"Stay away from my son."
"That's just it Emma. In this world, this town, he's not your son. What do you think is going to happen when he gets his memory back? That he'll stay with you? Regina raised him, nurtured him. How's he going to feel knowing that you lied to him?" Emma glares at him, making sure his eyes stay locked on her.
She sees David murmur to Hook, who responds angrily but apparently does what he's asked, disappearing quietly into Granny's. David stays, gun focused on Walsh.
"Step away from my daughter." Walsh doesn't turn from Emma at David's outburst, but does cock his head.
"Why would I do that? Emma loves me, or at least, she did. Until that stupid pirate gave her that potion. I just want to reverse it. Is that so bad? What do you care about her anyway? She has me, and Henry. I will take care of them. And you have your new baby. No one gets hurt."
"I do," David said, keeping his gun steady and level. "I'm not losing my daughter again."
"That's just it – you never had her to begin with." Walsh turns quickly, whipping the gun to point it at David – this was a mistake though, because suddenly, Emma's being helped up by Hook and Granny is coming from behind Walsh, a blanket in her hands. Emma, arm still in Hook's grasp, watches as Walsh pulls the trigger of the gun.
"No! Daddy!" The words leave Emma before she can register them; all she sees is David go down as the large blanket gets thrown over Walsh, making him crumple. Emma breaks free from Hook and runs to David, who is groaning on the ground. "Are you okay?"
"Just my arm," he says, indicating the blood beginning to seep through his clothes and staining against his shoulder. "Get me to Whale, and he'll patch me up." Emma helps him up and looks at Walsh, who is struggling under the blanket, but can't get out.
"What the hell is that?"
"Fire blanket. Heavy enough to stop flames and hold charming monkeys," Granny says proudly, arms crossed over her chest. "You lot okay now?"
"We're fine Granny," David says, making the older woman smile, even if it doesn't reach her eyes.
"Good to know. If you need me, you know where I am." She waves and then walks back into the diner, leaving them alone.
"What do we do with the monkey?" Hook asks, kicking at the blanket; the three of them hear a loud screech come from under it.
"Tie the ends," Emma says, holding David up and glancing at Hook, "and take it to Regina. She'll know what to do." Hook nods and moves towards the bundle before looking at Emma.
"You okay Swan?" Emma smiles at him and nods.
"Yeah, I am. Take care of the monkey-man. I've got to get David to the hospital."
…
David grimaced as Mary-Margaret rushed into the hospital; she parted the crowds like the Red Sea as she ran up to him. He shared an amused glance with Emma before he focused on his wife.
"Are you okay?!" she asked, cupping his face in her hands.
"I'm fine," he said, placing a hand on hers. "I did it to protect Emma." Mary-Margaret looked at Emma now, eyes wide.
"Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," she said as Mary-Margaret cupped her face in her hands too.
"What happened?"
"Walsh, the Witch's monkey, came here trying to get me to drink another potion so I could forget again."
"But you didn't."
"I'm not leaving until I get rid of that Wicked Witch. Then… we'll see."
…
So, there's the little oneshot I wanted to write. I hope someone liked reading it.
Thank you.
-JustMe133