A.N:
Ho boy, didn't think I would re-write this again. The original of this was written in 2013, and was deleted from the internet probably a year later. I almost wish I still had a copy to compare and contrast; but alas, I lost the thumb-drive with it a few years back and do not know where it turned up.
Just know that this was years in the making, and that the fact that this subject was glossed over in the show always bothered me. Like, it was an off-hand comment in 2x12 and that's it?! C'mon guys, at least have a bit more of a reaction from Snow about it!
Personal grievances aside, I hope you enjoy!
"They say time heals all wounds, but that presumes the source of the grief is finite"
- Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Prince
There was something quite unnerving about walking into the small shop on Main Street. The name Mr. Gold: Pawnbroker & Antiques Dealer hinted at what treasures might lie inside, but the interior was what really made anyone who walked through the doors feel unnerved. It was easy to lose your train of thought and focus inside those walls, staring at the old and decrepit artifacts in front of you that screamed various stories through their dents and rusted spots. Add in Mr. Gold's intense stare, subtle movements, and elusive phrasing and one rarely left the store feeling at ease with their choices made in the small shop.
That knowledge didn't stop Snow White the day she walked into the store alone. Not one to typically be cowed by others, the former princess could tap into her bravery when needed. So despite a slight unease at the chime of the bell when she stepped into the shop and hearing her footsteps as the only other noise in the store whilst she walked further down the tight glass cabinet corridor, her purpose was true and more important than her own discomfort.
She briefly thought back to her last moments in this shop, racing in from the woods with her daughter (despite almost a month of time passing she still struggled with the fact that her own daughter was practically the same age as her) trailing close behind. Barging through the doors, not even hearing the bell chime. Going to the back room, only to see her husband lying on a cot in a death-like sleep. Her lips quickly finding David's as their true love proved strong. Him gasping awake, embracing her. Their family complete once again.
It had been three days since then. The first day had been spent recuperating, their small family resting and taking in all that had occurred over the past two and a half weeks. The second day had been sharing, explaining all that had happened both in the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke. And it had been one of the Storybrooke tales that brought Snow White into Rumplestiltskin's domain.
'If Charming hadn't told me about his encounters with Maleficent, I would almost think this was a dragon's lair.' Snow mused, her eyes scanning the collectables around her. A glimmer of light caught her eye from across the room, and naturally she glanced in it's direction.
Only to see Emma's mobile hanging from the ceiling.
Snow felt her breath catch, staring at the crystal unicorns dangling down from above. Before she could even acknowledge what had happened, she was face-to-face with one of them, the light shining through the blue glass. This should've been above her daughter every night when she was a baby, the unicorns a intriguing sight to Emma's eyes. For neither the first nor last time, Snow felt her heart crack from sadness at all of the time she and Emma lost. Her hand began to lift up, reaching out to caress the crystal unicorn in her gaze.
"Quite the piece of furniture, isn't it?" A voice jolted her out of her thoughts, and she turned her head in the sound's direction. "The creatures are quite the animals as well."
"Mr. Gold." Snow acknowledged, and the man in question gave a small smirk.
"Ms. Blanchard," He responded, and then raised an eyebrow. "Or is it Mrs. Nolan now?"
"I think we can stick with Snow for now. We've dealt with each other enough that I can give you that respect."
"Then you may call me Rumplestiltskin." The Dark One nodded, respecting her choice to go by 'old-world' titles. "Now, dearie, what brings you to my shop?"
"I'm here to make a deal."
Rumplestiltskin found himself quirking an eyebrow at that. He was under the impression that the town was at peace; no one was currently in danger. Her family was reunited. What need would Snow White need fulfilled? "Oh? And what sort of deal would that be?"
"I want a picture of Daniel. A portrait or photo of some kind."
"Who?" The imp drawled, suddenly very intrigued at what this deal had turned into. "The name doesn't ring any bells."
"Daniel the stable boy. Regina's former love," Snow said, her eyes suddenly turning downcast. "The one I inadvertently killed."
"Ah yes, I know who you speak of now. You said you wanted a picture?"
"Yes. I will give you whatever you wish in exchange for a picture in his likeness."
Rumplestiltskin paused for a moment, thinking about what he should do. "I will make this deal with you, but as you know by now, I require a price to be paid."
"And what is it that you want?"
"Information; knowledge is power, as I'm sure you know."
Snow raised an eyebrow at that. Certainly not what she was expecting. "About what?"
"Why you need this item. What I hear will decide how willing I am to help you." Snow stared for a moment before nodding and taking a breath.
"David and I finally got to discuss what happened while I was away from Storybrooke, and he told me everything that occurred. Including what happened with Dr. Whale and Daniel," Snow stopped, biting her lip briefly before continuing. "And while I know what happened to Daniel the first time was not entirely my fault, I still live with the fact that I played a part in his death. If he hadn't been dead, he could have never been brought back to life and Regina would have never had to lose her former fiancé all over again. Therefore, since I believe his body may have been the last thing she had in his likeness, I wish to give her a portrait of some kind so she doesn't have to forget his face. I believe having something, anything, of him will help her move on."
The store was silent for a moment, the only sounds being the occupants breath and the ticking of various second hands on clocks scattered about. "Losing someone you love is not an easy thing." Rumplestiltskin said in a somber tone, thinking of his lost son whom he was struggling to find once more, and the pain he had felt when he had thought he had lost Belle. Snow, recalling the deaths of her parents and, more recently, Lancelot, nodding her head in agreement.
Holding out his palm, the Dark One summoned a miniature of the man in question into his hand; a cloud of maroon smoke appearing and disappearing around said hand whilst he did so. "Here you are dearie; a picture of the man whom Regina held so close to her heart," He handed it to Snow, a small smile on his face. "I wish you the best of luck, your Majesty." Nodding her head once more, Snow turned to leave the shop before pausing at the door.
"Thank you Rumplestiltskin," She hesitated for a moment, recalling how he helped and damaged their family in the past. "For everything." As he watched the former princess leave his shop, Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily as the bell above the door chimed.
"Dearie, if you knew how much of a hand I had in destroying both of your lives, you would not be thanking me."
-
Regina had not been expecting a knock at her door.
Mostly due to the fact that most of the town hated her, not without good reason of course. It was rare that anyone came to the mansion on Mifflin St. these days, and even when they did it was typically to throw accusations or verbal attacks her way. So when she approached her front door, with the afternoon light streaming through her windows, the Mayor of Storybrooke was expecting someone here to yell at her (even if her heart held some hope that it would be Henry wishing to see his mother).
Needless to say, she was not surprised to see Snow White standing on her doorstep. She did mentally note that she had come alone, no Charming family or dwarves in sight. Prepared to be charged with something (which, if it had occurred in Storybrooke in the past 24 hours it hadn't been her), Regina prepared herself for the barrage of accusations coming her way.
"Hello Regina."
"Snow White," Regina said curtly. "Here to remind me that I shouldn't of absorbed a death curse for you?" Ignoring the snide remark, her step-daughter pushed on.
"Actually, I came to give you something."
"What could you offer me that I would possibly want?" The former queen said, annoyed that Snow was currently wasting her time (which in reality, she wasn't doing anything with regardless); but, deep down, she was intrigued by the prospect of being offered anything by her step-daughter.
"This." Snow turned to the purse she wore over her shoulder and pulled out what appeared to be a miniature from the bag. Turning the portrait so that her step-mother could see, she saw the older woman go wide-eyed, a small gasp escaping her lips at the picture of Daniel in front of her. "David told me what happened while we were gone, and when I realized you had to say goodbye to him again I just…" Snow paused, choosing her words. "I felt terrible, knowing he'd been taken from you twice and I had helped take him the first. I wanted you to have something to remember him by."
Regina was silent, feeling tears form in her eyes as she stared at the miniature and tried to remain composed. "Wh- Where did you get this?" She managed to choke out.
"Rumpelstiltskin gave it to me," The older woman ripped her eyes off of the portrait to stare at her step-daughter in surprise. "I made a deal for it."
"Why would you go through a deal with him, just to get something for me?" Regina said, amazed that Snow White of all people would do something like that for her, the Evil Queen. The one who set out to make her life as miserable and as short as she possibly could. Gods, who knew the price she paid for this from the imp. Snow only smiled and shook her head slightly.
"Because, Regina, no one deserves to go through that. Even though we had our differences, I wasn't going to leave you to grieve with nothing to remember him by. If I had to lose David, let alone twice…" Snow paused, her voice choking up at the thought of losing her true love. "Regina, we've had our issues for years, decades at this point; and despite the fact that you have made my life a living hell I know that the woman who I met on that horse is still in there. I see her when I see you trying to be a good person for Henry, and the love you hold for him as well. Our past may be convoluted and messy, but that is just it: the past. Sometimes we just need to grieve and move on, all whilst never forgetting who was there with us." She smiled and reached for her step-mother's hand, pulling it to the miniature and putting it in her grip. "There is still good in your heart, Regina. Sometimes we just need help to see it."
A single tear trickled down Regina's face, her eyes locked onto her step-daughter's as the two stared at each other. Squeezing the other woman's hand briefly, Snow turned and began to walk down the house's walkway, her own eyes filled with unshed tears. Releasing a haggard breath, Regina glanced down at the miniature before staring at the retreating body in her walkway.
"Snow!" Turning quickly, Snow faced Regina once more. "Thank you for this." Snow smiled.
"You're welcome Regina." The younger woman turned back around walking away from her step-mother, the somber smile still on her face.
Snow knew what she had accomplished today was not something to be taken lightly. Snow White and Regina Mills had been fighting for decades at this point, and the former princess was aware their issues would not just go away in the blink of an eye. However, she also knew that a civil relationship with her step-mother was possible. She just needed to remind the queen that it was okay to grieve and move on from the past, leave her demons behind and fight her way back into the light.
And as Regina sat on her foyer's tile floor, sobbing while she clung to the miniature of her first love, she began to feel a tiny amount of hope that perhaps she could possibly and finally move on..
"It's so curious: one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief. But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer... and everything collapses."
- Colette
A.N:
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