Family and A Fight Worth Fighting.

By hjbau.

Summary: Emma meets Snow and Charming for the first time after the curse is broken. She tries to work through her anger surrounding being abandoned as a baby all the while learning the value of protecting the people of Storybrooke. Emma centric with Snow, Charming, Henry, and some Red. Short bits of Granny, the dwarfs, the Blue Fairy, Regina, and August. No shipping. Just family angst.

Timeline: Season 2 AU, starts from the smoke billowing towards Emma and Henry in the hospital.

Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time is the property of ABC Studios & Kitsis/Horowitz. No copyright infringement intended.

Rating: K+, mild swearing by Emma.

Genre: Angst, Family.

Chapter 1 - Introduce the Savior, Daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.

Emma Swan, the savior, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, happily leans on the hospital bed of her son, Henry. Just moments ago she had thought she had lost him forever; now she wants nothing more then to be near him. The Mother Superior had said that it was true love's kiss that brought Henry back from death. In the same moment, it broke the curse and returned the memories of everyone in town, the memories of their past lives as fairy tale characters. Emma is confused by that though, Not that the love between she and Henry isn't true and powerful because the kiss has clearly effected the people around her, but Emma is confused about whether or not the curse is, in fact, broken.

"Henry, what's going on here? If the curse is broken why didn't they go back?"

"I...I don't know," he responds.

Emma straightens as a loud crash startles her. She turns to see a nurse, who has just dropped a tray of medical equipment, staring out the window.

Emma starts towards her. "Are you okay?"

The woman does not respond so Emma turns quickly towards the window, as Henry joins them, to see what is holding the nurse's attention. They look and see a massive billowing cloud of purple smoke moving quickly towards them, enveloping the town.

"What is that?" says Emma.

Henry's reply is ominous. "Something bad."

The cloud of purple smoke pushes towards them, getting louder as it clicks and thunders, enveloping the hospital. Emma reaches for Henry as he reaches for her, neither wanting to lose the other as they both lose the ability to see the room around them. The smoke roars around them and it is deafening. They hold each other tight, not wanting to lose each other as there is nothing, nothing, but ominous purple smoke and the roar of wind in their ears.

"Henry! What's happening!?" cries Emma.

"I don't know. Maybe the Evil Queen was able to start the curse again!? I don't know. What should we do!?"

Emma can hear the fear in Henry's voice so she takes a breath; she releases the panic from her own voice, calming herself for Henry's sake.

"Wait, Henry. Let's wait and see what happens. I've got you and I won't let go."

There is nothing else to do, so Emma and Henry wait, clinging to each other for what seems like an eternity as the purple smoke rolls around them. Gradually Emma realizes she can again see the outline of the hospital room. Then she realizes she can see Henry's expression, eyes wide with fear. She sees that expression change from fear to relief as he realizes he can see her as well. They wait as the room quickly clears as if it had not been moments ago filled to the brim with a roaring, magical, purple haze. The Mother Superior, who is squatting nearby, stands and holds onto the wall for support.

"This is different," answers the Mother Superior, speaking to Henry's question. Emma looks at her questioningly and she quickly continues, "Then when the curse was enacted. This is different. The smoke was different," she says thoughtfully as she speaks of the past. "There was a darkness in that smoke, the smoke that was the curse. An insidious, evil, green, darkness that broke apart our world as it passed over it." Her eyes snap back into focus and meet Emma's, "This was different. And now I can feel...something. In the air..."

The hair on Emma's arm rises and for a moment she almost thinks she can feel something too before the Mother Superior's words sinks in; that brings her right back to the here and now.

"Magic?" Emma gasps, "Rumplestiltskin!"

"What about Rumplestiltskin?" demands the Mother Superior, taking a quick step towards Emma.

Emma quickly steps back, pushing Henry behind her. Henry peeks his head around Emma and speaks forcefully.

"Who are you? In the Enchanted Forest, who are you?"

The Mother Superior stops moving towards them, but Emma distrusts the look in her eyes. She seems to notice that distrust and considers it before answering Henry.

"I was called...I am called the Blue Fairy. Miss Swan," says the Mother Superior, "this is important. What about Rumplestiltskin?"

Emma glances at Henry, making eye contact; they both consider whether they should trust her. Henry tips his shoulder, unsure of how to respond, but Emma can see the trust he has in her shinning in his eyes. The faith that she will make the right decision and that unnerves her and at the same time steadies her.

"The Blue Fairy? From Pinocchio?" asks Emma looking up, meeting the Mother Superior's eyes.

"Yes."

"August? Then you know August? He is Pinocchio."

"Yes, but Emma you were saying something about Rumplestiltskin and magic."

Emma considers the Blue Fairy for another moment, realizing that to get information she is going to have to give some and, right now, she desperately needs information because that cloud of purple smoke, honestly, scared her. She only now has Henry; he is hers to look after and after very nearly losing him to, of all things, a cursed apple turnover, she needs to know what is going on. And magic. She feels completely out of her depth. Magic is not something Emma has any knowledge of at all.

"Rumplestiltskin. He sent me to get magic that he had created from strands of my..." Emma can't think straight as she momentarily thinks of Mary Margaret and David before shaking her head and continuing, "...strands of my parents' hair. He used that magic when he created the curse and that's why I'm the savior. He kept the rest and made sure it made it's way into this world."

"And you got it for him?" the Blue Fairy asks incredulously.

"He told me it could save Henry." Emma responds defensively before pausing and then speaking with force, "I would do anything to protect Henry."

The Blue Fairy accepts this, ceding the point.

"He tricked me," continues Emma, losing the edge in her voice, "but what's done is done. What is important now is he has that magic. Could he have used that somehow? Could that be the cause of the purple haze?"

The Blue Fairy turns away from them as she considers it.

"Possibly. If he were to find a way to disperse it." The Blue Fairy turns around suddenly, her eyes wide, as she comes to a realization. "That's it, isn't it? That's what I feel. It feels like magic in the air. It isn't another curse," her voice goes still, shock and wonder and something like...desire... entering it. "Rumplestiltskin has brought magic to this world."

There is an intake of breath, followed by a long pause; Emma doesn't know how to respond to this declaration.

"What does that mean?" Emma finally demands. "Regina said magic behaved differently here. That it was unpredictable. What about you? You're a f-fairy. So if what you are saying is true then you should have magic? Right?"

"I'm not sure," the Blue Fairy responds with frustration. "We had wands. Fairy dust. I can feel it though. I can feel the magic, but not touch it. I think you are right; magic must be different in this world, unpredictable. It may take time to fully manifest itself though we can't know how the magic has effected Rumplestiltskin or -"

"Or Regina," Emma finishes, going absolutely still. "Regina may have magic now." Emma twists around meeting Henry's eyes. "Henry," she says, now desperately wanting to be anywhere but here, "she knows we are here. We have to leave. Now. Henry get your clothes."

Henry sees the very real fear in Emma's eyes and quickly pulls on his clothes. He discards the hospital gown as Emma picks up his backpack and hands it to him.

"Miss Swan," insists the Blue Fairy, "We need to stand together. You are the savior. The battle has only begun. We must stand together against Regina and Rumplestiltskin. We must stand together and fight."

In a heightened state of fear, a hard edge once again returns to Emma's voice.

"Fight?" Emma growls. "I was the savior. I broke the curse. Now I need to think of Henry. I am not fighting anyone. We are leaving. Come on, Henry."

"But Emma we have to stand together!" calls the Blue Fairy as Emma and Henry head towards the door.

Henry takes Emma's hand and they march from the hospital. They move through the halls as everyone they pass turns to watch them go; Emma hears whispers of 'the savior' spoken with awe and with something else...deference, following in their wake.

Emma Swan, the savior, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, does not look back.

ONCEUPONATIMEONCEUPONATIMEON CEUPONATIMEONCEUPONATIME

Emma and Henry walk quickly to her car, leaving the hospital behind. They reach her yellow VW Bug and Emma stops; she takes a deep breath and slides behind the wheel as Henry hops in the passenger side.

"Emma. We can't leave. We did that once. We have to stay. Everyone still needs you. You are the savior. The Blue Fairy is right. We need to stay and fight. The final battle has begun."

Emma hesitates, looking into Henry's eyes; she, once again, sees trust, but also something else, distress, at the thought that they might leave. They might run. Again.

"Henry," Emma hesitates, looking away and gripping the steering wheel hard. "You told me that you believed in me. You told me I was the savior. You told me that I could break the curse," Emma pauses and looks back, meeting his eyes, "And I didn't believe you." Emma gives him a slight smile and reaches out; she places her hand in his, giving it a squeeze. "And you were right. You were right about everything. You believed in me, but I didn't believe in you."

"Still you saved me," Henry says simply, again with that look of faith and trust.

Emma in that moment makes her decision, no more second guessing.

"Right. So this time I am going to believe in you. What do you think we should do? Where should we go?"

Henry is now the one to look down. He hesitates and the hesitation lasts so long that Emma almost speaks into the silence; she wonders what he could possibly be thinking.

"Your parents. Mary Margaret and David. We should find them." Henry looks up, "They will have their memories back like everyone else. They will be looking for you."

Emma goes very still, paling. Her parents. Sound rushes to her head or maybe the absence of sound; Emma isn't sure. Of all the things that have happened in the last twenty-four hours, the one thing that she absolutely cannot wrap her mind around is the idea that she has found her parents and that she has, in fact, been living with her mother. Mary Margaret is her mother; David is her father. The thought makes her dizzy with apprehension and even though she knows that this is true, that they are in fact her parents, a part of her just cannot believe it.

"They would know about magic," Henry quickly continues when he sees the look on her face. "They could help us with whatever has happened with the purple smoke and Rumplestiltskin. And who would know more about the Evil Queen and her magic then Snow White and Prince Charming?"

Emma flinches as Henry says those names. Snow White and Prince Charming. Her parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. The thought of meeting Snow White and Prince Charming is unimaginable. The thought that she would also be meeting her parents causes Emma to panic. It almost brings her back to full on run mode, but she looks again at Henry. She remembers her promise, to believe in him, to trust in his choice, so instead Emma gulps down that panic. The panic is still with her, but now simmers below the surface allowing her to think clearly about what Henry just said.

"Alright," squeaks Emma before clearing her throat, enabling her to bring her voice back to a normal level. "Alright. Let's go find Mary Margaret and David. They will know about magic. They will help us figure out what to do."

Henry brightens at her response. "Okay. Let's go."

Emma clenches the steering wheel; she has made her decision.

"Let's go find them."