I don't own Once Upon a Time or Rapunzel. Just a quick warning, Emma does not have crazy long hair, only to the shoulders. I love Jennifer Morrison's blonde curls as the way it is, seriously. And I know this plot is a bit different, but I promise its worth reading, if you don't agree with me by that, then I appreciate for those who feel that way for reading this at least. Anyway, please enjoy and review. I'm so curious to know what you're opinions are toward this story.

Got a video for you too if you're not certain about this story. It's a little trailer I put together. Just follow these directions written below.

Directions:

1. go to YouTube

2. type "Heal Lee" in the search box

3. click the button "video" and change to "Channel" then click search

4. when you find me you'll find the video titled "A Curse or a Gift?"

Hope you enjoy. Peace :)

It's been nearly nine months now since Queen Snow White's pregnancy. She is now in labor, but struggling. Charming, nervous and worried, paced around outside of the chambers, praying that both his dearest wife and child will live.

The door opened. Charming paused and rushed over to whoever it is. It is the blue fairy, flying up in the air in her tiny form. There are tears in her eyes that only worsen Charming's fears.

"How is she?"

"I'm so sorry, your majesty..She's not going to make it. Or the baby."

A painful gasp made him choke. His eyes wandered around the room, turning around to hide the immediate tears wanting to fall down. After everything he had gone through with his beloved Snow, she is already departing him to the afterlife. How so little it was they spent together in their marriage.

"But there is a way to save her."

Charming, hearing this, instantly turned around with a spin of his heels. "How? Tell me."

"There is a legend that a seed of a 'Golden Jasmine' falls down from the sky. At least one of them falls from the earth once every one hundred years. Now they are scare, but there is hope that one is still living."

"What is so special about this flower?"

"The flower has a remarkable healing power. If the queen drinks the tea of the flower, she will surely live, even the baby."

"Where can I find it?"

"It is floating in the waters of the Five Dragon Tears. You will never make it there on time. The only way to get there faster is..is to use magic."

Charming shook his head. "No, no. I had enough of magic. It is not worth risking."

"It is now, your majesty. If we don't, then in less than an hour you will be left as a widow. That isn't what you want. We all know that..So please, consider this before it's too late." She urged.

Snow's screams started again. Charming's eyes looked straight ahead at the closed door. Listening to the poor screams of his weak wife that cannot make him hesitate no more. He turned his gaze back at the fairy, wiping his tears away with his hand.

"If you don't have the power to get me to the Five Dragon Tears, then who can?"

"There is no time to search for any sorcerer. But luckily we only have one in this very kingdom. If we make a convincing deal with him, he will surely agree."

"Who is he?"

"The one I speak of, your majesty, is Rumpelstiltskin."

~ In the midnight darkness of the prison, Charming, disguised in a black cloak with its hood covering his head, entered with his guards behind him. He walked straight to the one cell that is highly guarded with more than five guards. Inside the very cell is a mad alien-looking creature. His skin sparkles like crushed gold, his hair wildly frizzed that reaches down to his neck, and his lavender eyes hauntingly now looking right ahead at Charming.

He laughed, a wild horrific one that sounds so inhumane. "No need to wear such disguise, your majesty. I know who you are, my king."

Charming, defeated for not putting too much thought of his disguise, lowered his hood down. "Do you know why I'm here?"

Rumpelstiltskin grabbed onto the steel bars, a haunting smile curved on his lips. "Of course, I do. Everyone in this kingdom does..You came here to make a deal with me, to retrieve the very last 'Golden Jasmine' living in this earth."

Hope rushed into Charming's veins. "You mean there is one left?"

"Didn't I say there is? Now, shall we continue with the deal? Your wife only has one life, not hundreds."

"What will it cost me to get that flower?"

The horrific smile instantly disappeared from Rumpelstiltskin's lips. He bowed his head low, allowing his wild locks to cover his face. "What I want is something unlike what you are thinking right now...This world is not going to be the same once that girl is born. No. Never again will it be the same."

"What are you talking about?! Answer me!"

"I have seen the future while your lousy men kept me in here. Oh, it is just horrible as I expected..Your girl. Huh. You will never see her again once she gets attached to the life that lives so freely here."

Charming, frustrated but frightened of his words, stepped forward. He slipped his hands through the open area between the bars, and grabbed Rumpelstiltskin's collar, making the monster laugh again.

"Stop that laughing and answer me. What do you mean I'll never see my daughter again?"

"More questions? Oh that's just going to cost you even more..Don't you want the flower most right now other than hear me answer your curious questions."

"Then tell me how much it will cost me to achieve of what I want?"

"Just give me the name. The name of the child..Tell me what your wife will name your daughter."

"It might not be a daughter. How would you know that?"

He laughed, harshly again, falling his head back and lifting it upright. "That is a rhetorical question, right? Or are you just being stupid?"

"I'm running out of time, Stiltskin."

"Then tell me what her name is. If you do, I will give you the flower right now with just the snap of my finger. I'll be nice to save you from all the trouble to go through such a journey."

Charming slowly released him. With his eyes carefully focusing on him, he took a few steps back. "...Snow wanted to name the child John or Ethan if the baby was a boy. But if it was a girl, we agreed to name her..Emma."

"Emma? What a beautiful name?...You be happy to see how she turned out, laddy. Her hair will be blonde like yours but whiter with a fair yellow, and her eyes will be so much like her mother's."

"You actually have seen her?"

The monster snapped his fingers with one hand, and on his other open hand laid the 'Golden Jasmine' flower, fresh and white on the center of his palm. "I can see everything. That is the power to appreciate when you are reborn with a dark gift that I kept for so many years..Now take this. Your wife is now close to death. Crush the petals to release its juice. Heat some water and combine the juice inside the hot liquid. Give it to your wife and she will live."

Charming took the flower, gently holding it for it not to crush. He turned around and signaled the guards to follow him.

"Wait!" Rumplestilsken called out.

Charming turned his head, and looked ahead. Rumplestilsken, his hands still clutching tightly on the steel bars, smiled at him deviously. "Just one more advice, as a little birthday present for your Emma. When she grows up, do not let anyone touch her hair. If she ends up in the wrong hands, you will never see her again...Now run along. Your wifey calls for you."

Charming desires to know more, but knowing that his wife needs him, he shook away the idea and ran out to the exit.

~ After following Rumplestilsken's specific instructions, Charming lifted the tea cup to his wife's lips, and she drank it as much as she could. Once he pulled the cup away from her chapped lips, he waited for the magic to finish its job for her to heal.

Snow, once looking pale and ill, magically returned back to the healthy, vibrant, rebellious woman she once was. With color on her snow skin, and hair no longer dry and dead, her strength is back to release Emma from the one place she's been kept in for so long. Charming, relieved that the flower worked, held his wife's hand as she started to push and push to free her child from her womb.

Three hours later.

The midwife, who's been standing in the middle between Snow's open legs, smiled after hearing the sound of a baby's cry. She lifted the small newborn, and wrapped her in a clean towel. She carried her in her arms and walked toward where the queen is.

"It's a girl, your majesty. A girl."

The midwife lowered her down in Snow's weak arms and returned to clean the mess. The happy couple looked down at their child.

Rumplestilstkin was right. The baby is a girl, which means danger will soon overcome her very very soon. But just when is the question.

Six years later.

"Emma?..Oh Emma?...Hmmm. Where could my Emma be?" Snow pretended to search for her daughter, clearly trying her best not to look at the tree behind her where Emma is hiding.

Emma, pressing her back against the trunk of the tree, pressed her small hands on her mouth to prevent any laughter to escape her lips. Thinking she will surely win, she turned around to take another peek.

"Boo!" Snow appeared right in front of her face the minute the little girl turned around.

Emma giggled, and Snow lifted her in the air, giving her a kiss as she slowly lowered her down for her to carry the girl properly in her arms. "That's where you were. Oh, you are so clever, you," Snow gave another kiss on her daughter's cheek.

Above them stands their mighty castle. At the centered balcony stands Charming, looking down at his family playing so cheerfully in the garden. From the pass six years he never been so happy to have a child in his life, and to be called 'father' from such an innocent girl. But at the same time, the warning Rumpelstiltskin told him still haunts him to this day. Behind Snow's back, he made sure his daughter was always save, and even prevented any servant to wash her. Of course, now, since he realized his wife spends more time around her, he lowered the security around their presence. However the very thought of his daughter disappearing from the life he and his wife created pains him more than the real experience of death. It was a great risk for that angelic child to be born, and it will certainly bring the same pain to everyone if she is ever gone, or worst, dead.

He smiled as he saw his lovely wife spin Emma around, making their daughter's beautiful golden blonde curls to shine against the morning sun. Her hair grew so long ever since she turned the age of four. Snow never allowed anyone to cut it, she admired the beauty of her hair and does not wish for it to be taken away from her daughter.

'My daughter is alive and here..What is the danger behind her hair? It is nothing dangerous. How is that Stiltskin considers it dangerous or something special. I have felt it with my only hands, and I see no effect. No effect at all.'

Boom! Boom! Sudden cannon balls crushed the walls of the castle. Charming, back to reality, looked straight at his family. Snow, carrying her daughter tightly in her arms, rushed inside to the castle. Charming ran out to the door and headed down to the stairs to reach where his wife is. More explosions started and the castle, unguarded nor prepared, is an easy target now for it to be destroyed.

Snow caught sight of her husband. She ran toward him. "Charming. What's going on?"

"I don't know. But you have to get out of here, it's not safe for you and Emma to be here. Go. Take a horse and ride. Never turn back."

"What about you?"

"I have to – "

Emma's cries interrupted him. She wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, tears falling non-stop down her cheeks. Snow rubbed the small of her back, but her worried eyes focused more at her husband than the teary child in her arms.

"I'm not going to leave you here. If you're going to stay, I'm staying with you."

Charming rested his hand on his wife's cheek, with his soft eyes now looking terribly desperate. "You must..We have a responsibility resting on our shoulders now. I will rather die now than get our daughter killed. You must go. As far as you can ride."

"But you will die..I..I can't raise Emma without you. I need you. I need you to be with me."

"That's just not possible. But we will see each other again, I promise."

"Charming."

He planted his lips to hers before she can speak. The kiss, bittersweet for it is the last passionate act they will ever share together, ended shortly once another explosion started a few feet away from them. Protectively, Charming embraced his wife, covering her and his daughter to receive the flying bricks and pebbles to hit him instead of them.

Emma cried loudly than ever. Charming kissed her small forehead, and pushed his wife to go. "You must go. Run. Run!"

Snow looked back at her husband for the last time, and ran as he said.

~ Outside there are screaming villagers crying out for help. And more explosions started. Snow, hiding in the bushes of the garden with her now calm child, discovered that the enemies are not human, but dead soldiers rose from the dead. There is only one explanation to who exactly is responsible to have these impossible dead lives back from the grave, Regina.

"It's alright, darling. I'll get us out of here..Mommy will protect you. As soon as some of them leave this garden, I'll take a run for it."

"...D-Daddy..." She whimpered.

Tears poured down Snow's eyes. She rubbed her daughter's back, and kissed her cheek. "Daddy is coming. He will come, alright? Now don't worry, he'll..h-he'll be just fine."

Suddenly, a small group of the zombie soldiers caught sight of Snow hiding behind the bushes. Quickly she jumped to her feet and took a run for it. The zombie soldiers ran after her. Emma, wrapping her arms tightly as she could around her mother's neck, this time cried again as she saw the monstrous looking creatures running after them.

"M-Mommy! Mommy!" She cried.

"Don't look, Emma. Close your eyes. Close your eyes right now."

Emma did so, pressing her cheek on her mother's shoulder. Snow ran as fast as she could; her efforts are troubling from the fact that she's running barefoot with a heavy weight of a child in her arms, and wearing a dress that she could trip on so easily. But she reached to the stables. She ran toward an open one with a single horse locked behind the lower gate, but a gush of purple smoke appeared, blocking her way. Once the smoke evaporated, there stood the dangerous beautiful queen, wearing her black-violet costume with her hair tied up as a tall tower.

"Well, well, well. Look who's here, little Snow White trying to runaway again? You beat me twice from behind killed. But I won't be beaten again. Now release that child and surrender."

"Never! I will never surrender!"

"That's not an option, Snow White. You already lost the battle, look around you, everything is already falling apart. Now with your little castle down, and your Prince Charming captured, you have no control anymore; this kingdom is now mine. Now unhand that child, and bring her to me."

"Bring her to you?! What would you want to do with her? First you killed my mother then my father. Are you so willing to kill another who is so precious to me?"

"I have no intention to kill my granddaughter you carry in your arms. She is much too precious for that."

"What are you talking about?"

A smile appeared on Regina's purple pasted lips. "You mean, you don't know? Hmgh. I guess your wedding vows wasn't enough for your husband to share everything with you."

"Share what with me? What are you talking about, really?"

"Emma has magic, Snow. Magic."

Snow took a few steps back, clutching tighter to her child protectively. "That's ridiculous. Emma has no magic. She is just a normal girl."

"That's what you think. I mean, that's what your husband wanted you to think. But she had magic ever since she was born, Snow. The hair growing on her tiny head has the power to heal any illness and even death. Hand her over to me and I promise I will spare your husband's life."

"My daughter is not going anywhere with you, you witch!"

"Witch? Well, at least you got one thing right. Now hand her over."

Emma's tears stopped from the whole time. She whispered to her mother. "Don't let her take me, mommy. I don't want to go..I don't..."

"Don't worry, sweetheart, I'm not going to let her," Snow whispered back.

"Oh, fine. You can't give her to me. Then I'll do it myself." Regina opened out her hand, and magically a strong force separated Snow from Emma. The two cried and tried not to break free, but Regina's magic is too strong; the magic lifted the crying child up in the air and drew her closer to where Regina is.

Snow cried out for her but two zombie soldiers held her down, grabbing her by both arms and pushing her down on her knees. Emma landed on her feet and Regina took her by both arms to stop her from running back to her mother. The little girl cried, looking desperately at her helpless mother trapped from Regina's half-alive creatures.

"Aww..Now don't cry. Don't be surprised that you found out your grandmother turned out to be this young. Hmgh. Now wipe them away."

"I don't care if you're old, lady...Mommy..I want mommy. Let her go. Just let her go."

"I will if you hold still so I can take your hair. That way I will let you return to your mother."

Emma sniffled, tears stopping from coming down. "You..You promise, lady."

"I promise you. Now face this way and don't move. Okay?"

Emma nodded. "Okay."

She stood still as Regina pulled out a knife and grabbed all of the precious golden curls in one fist. She cut the strand by one slice. But instantly once she released the rest of the hair remained on her head, the hair she cut off turned brown and obviously lost its power. Seeing this made Snow realize Regina was telling the truth, Emma has magic..But having such power in her hair is quite a mystery?

"Damn it..It doesn't work."

"Mommy!" Emma cried out.

Snow lifted her gaze back at her daughter. She gasped as she saw Emma's golden hair glow into a powerful light that blinded everyone. Then less than a second the light grew stronger and made a strong force that pushed everyone who's near her. Snow, landing on her side from the sudden explosion, found her daughter on her knees, covering her ears with both her hands.

"E-Emma! Emma!" She cried.

Emma slowly lowered her hands from her ears and turned her head to where the voice is. Once she saw her mother, she watched her lips speak.

"Run! Run, Emma! You must run!"

"But Mommy – "

"Run!"

Emma quickly pulled herself up to her feet, giving a last look at her mother, then took a run for it.

Regina, back on her feet, pointed straight at where Emma is. "Go after her! I want her alive, you hear me!"

The zombie soldiers went up to their feet and ran to the girl. As for Snow, still lying weakly on the ground, Regina walked over to her. With her deadly nailed polished hands, she lifted Snow up with the force of her magic, making her body float up in the air. Snow looked straight at Regina with tired eyes.

"..Why are you doing this?"

"Isn't that obvious, already?..Tst-tst. You silly, girl. This battle I planned was not just to hurt you and your beloved king. No. I mainly did it for that girl. I need her. You may not see it. But her magic..its unlike any other that I can possess as my own. Since I cannot take it away from her, I'll just have to accept the only option left; keep her prisoner until her very last breath..That will be one future you probably never discussed before she was born."

"I spared you. I spared you in pity. But here you are, not willing to do the same..I don't care what happens to me. And if Charming dies, you know I'll die with him. But I will not stand for my little girl to be risked by a life that I tried so hard to cover. Don't..Don't you know how difficult it is to have your own daughter ask you about the questions of her own family – who she does not know is her enemy. I may despise you for more than I can bare, Regina. But whether I like it or not, it is clear you are my family. Yet here you are, in my father's castle – destroying it, keeping my husband as prisoner, and now after my daughter to take her away as your own. Haven't you ever considered caring for someone, even if it might break your ego?..The one thing you stopped doing the days my father was gone."

The vain evilness in Regina is not drained, the dangerous emotion is still intact. But behind the dark demon in her very soul, there is a wanting desire to actually digest these words, and feel the guilt she should be feeling. Regina has not always lived like this. For once in her life, she was a free and kind person. Of course that all changed once her dark future took its place to the present.

As Regina's eyes looked at her stepdaughter, and smiled, disguising her true feelings with that usual curve of the mouth, to her she sees the girl who confessed to her mother about her feelings for Joseph, and certainly was responsible to have him killed. Yes, she killed more than one life that pained Snow for years since childhood. But the fact Joseph was deceased from the loose tongue of a small innocent girl is more like a thousand deaths and casualties for Regina. She cannot forgive Snow for that, and most certainly of how she built the stereotype of Regina's supposed evilness ever since she became queen – an idea that Regina soon accepted and actually became later on.

"Save your breath. Nothing you're going to say is going to make me change my mind..Besides, you should enjoy the last few minutes you have left to be in the home you known for so long."

~ Little Emma, clutching on both ends of her skirt, succeeded to get through the bars of the gates and now running through the forest. But the zombie soldiers caught up with her and now keeping pace with her from behind. Her tired little legs ran with all the energy she has left. But she is practically running barefoot – she lost her shoes from running non-stop, unable to pause to put them on again, and breathless for she never ran so much like this in her life.

She looked back to see how far they're coming. She regretted looking back once she realized they're closer than she feared. She turned her attention back ahead of the path.

An unfortunate fate turned the time upside down; a rock, a few inches away from her, made her trip and the little girl landed face down. The zombie soldiers finally arrived toward her. Emma pushed herself up with her weak hands, but one of their horrific hands caught her by the arm. She screamed as she saw the rotten hand gripping her hand so tightly, forming a bloody and greasy handprint on her sleeve.

"Help! Someone help me! Please...Mommy! Mommy!...D-Daddy! Help me!..Help! Help me please!" She cried out.

But the only ones who are responding are the zombie soldiers, they laughed, struggling slightly with their broken, boney jaws. Then suddenly, a harsh swishing noise started in Emma's ear. She turned her head to where the sound came from, and there right to her left a zombie is down, incautious. The sound started again, this time, Emma turned her head on time and caught the sight of a smooth carved stick that forced the creature to fall down as the result to the first one who was defeated.

In just a few seconds, the one holding her arm, collapsed on the floor just like the others. Emma, now free, melted on the floor. No longer sobbing with her trembling throat, but crying softly; the one act she has never done before – crying to her is screaming and sobbing until her throat gives up.

Footsteps started to come closer to her. Emma, exhausted and too miserable, remained on her knees, surrendering to whoever saved her life. Then, tender hands touched her shoulders.

"There, there, little one. I won't hurt you." A soft feminine voice spoke.

Emma lifted her head, to meet the eyes of her savior. The woman in front of her is young and enchantingly beautiful; she wears a shredded outfit with a sleeve shirt and pants that's combined with the dark and light colors of green, her blonde hair with a slight brown is tied up in a frizzy bun, and her eyes carry the soft pale blue colors of the sea. Her skin practically glowed as she smiled at the tearful Emma.

"Don't worry, Emma. I'll take care of you. You're safe now."

"...How do you know my name?" Emma asked in a weak, squeaky voice.

"Everyone here knows your name. And they'll never forget it. But for now, you are not safe here. We must leave. I know a place where we will be safe though; somewhere where Regina will never find you for a long long time."

"Regina? Do you mean the witch who captured my parents..my h-home?"

"There's no time to explain, Emma. We must go now."

The woman lifted her up and properly carried her in her arms. But before she took a step forward to make a run for it, Emma stopped her with her small hand touching the woman's delicate cheek.

"Wait..Wait, lady. What's your name?"

"My name is Tinkerbell. But you can call me Tink...Of course, I think you're going to call me by that name for a long time, little one."

"What?! What do you mean you lost her?!" Regina yelled straight at the silent soldier zombies who were ordered to capture Emma.

Regina huffed a harsh sigh, pacing back and forth with the long train of her dress dragging along with her across the marble floor. "I ordered you to capture one girl, and you couldn't even do that," she turned the heel of her shoes and faced them, "Have you all forgotten that I can simply send you back where you came from with just a wave of my hand? I have no use with useless dead creatures like you to serve me if you can't fulfill my wishes."

"No need to be harsh to them, sweetheart." A familiar voice started, echoing throughout the room.

Regina turned around and gasped as she saw her mother walk toward her. She bowed her head low. "Mother..I was expecting you to come tomorrow."

"I changed my mind. And I'm glad I did. Forget about the child, Regina. You got your revenge with Snow White, and the one place that you lost the day you got out of that prison is now yours. It's over now."

"But mother, you know very well that girl carries a special power that will be good use for us in the future."

"No. Risking so much to bring these lives back from their graves wete enough trouble for you and I to go through. I don't want any more trouble to weigh on our shoulders with a little girl who will do nothing but cry and grieve for her parents. Where are they now, anyway?"

"I kept them in the prison. Some of my men are watching over them."

"Good. Have you decided on the spell to take care of the couple?"

A dangerous smirk curved on Regina's lips. "Of course, the same spell we discussed before. Only, they'll forget all the precious memories they shared and who they are."

Cora took her daughter by both arms, smiling. "That's my good girl. I told you, fulfilling to cover the trails of the haunting past brings back one's true self. Look at you now, my daughter again..Now promise me, though, Regina, forget about the girl. You have more important responsibilities to take care of in your kingdom now."

"I promise, mother. And this time, I won't disappoint you."

"I know you won't."