Well, hi to everyone. I've had this story saved here and I didn't know if I should update it or not, but now that I have just one fic, I knew I could update it. It's just a little story, it's going to have three parts. And this one it's the most painful, I think. I didn't write yet the second part.
Inspired by the song Somebody to die for. - Hurts.
Thanks to Mere-Brennan for be my beta for this story!
Warning: Character's death.
I've got nothing left to live for,
Got no reason yet to die,
But when I'm standing in the gallows
I'll be staring at the sky.
The group had split up in order to cover more ground. David and Rumpel were together somewhere in the jungle, while Regina and Hook were inspecting around the ship. Snow and Emma, who had learned a lot about controlling her magic thanks to Regina, had decided to slide down to the other side of the jungle. All of them needed to find Henry and get out of there as soon as possible. If they had no sign of him within half an hour, they were to meet back in the boat to form a new plan.
Snow was concentrating. Her senses were in their maximum limits. She had already done this once before, trying to survive and running away from Regina's men. She could hear practically anything, while her hand sat on her bow, ready to shoot an arrow at any time. Emma was with her, like when they were in the Enchanted Forest. This was different from when she was running away from Regina's men because she was alone. In The Enchanted Forest, months ago, she was with her daughter trying to escape from dangers, trying to get back home. Now she was in a place she was completely unfamiliar with, with Emma by her side. She had to be very alert to everything.
A small crack was sounded behind her, and she turned quickly, raising her bow in one fluid motion. She let out a little sigh, seeing Emma's eyes wide and with her sword raised in her mother's direction. She lowered her gaze to her daughter's feet, sighting a branch below them.
Emma dropped her sword and sighed, "You scared the hell out of me!"
Snow dropped her bow, furrowing her brow. "Lower your voice, Emma!" She hissed as she turned around and continued to hear Emma's footsteps behind her. She rolled her eyes slightly, remembering that the same happened in the Enchanted Forest. Emma could never be very quiet, no matter how hard she tried. Something she seemed to have inherited from her father.
"There's nothing around here..." Emma whispered from behind her. Snow turned her head to the side, seeing that Emma was looking all around them. "I told you we should've gone to the other side. There are only trees here..." She trailed off.
Something was heard from afar, and Snow stopped quickly, reaching out a hand to stop Emma, as well. She knew beforehand that her daughter was going to ask why they stopped, so she took her arm and squeezed it slightly in warning. Emma remained silent as Snow tilted her head, trying to hear more clearly.
It was a small laugh. Snow frowned and looked around; where was the sound coming from?
Emma couldn't take it any longer, "What is it?"
"It's a laugh." She said in a small whisper. "I can hear it, but I can't tell where it's coming from."
"I – I can use my magic."
Snow quickly set her eyes on her. "Emma..."
A pair of blue eyes fixed on her, firmly. "If it's a laugh, it might be those damn kids who have my son."
Snow didn't want her daughter to use magic. She had agreed it was okay –not that Emma needed her approval– that Regina would teach her how to control her magic to prevent accidents. That still didn't mean she was used to the idea. Magic was dangerous, but this was a dangerous situation, and Snow could understand what Emma was feeling.
Not knowing if your child is okay.
She nodded slightly, pulling her hand from her daughter's arm. Emma gave her a small smile before looking ahead and closing her eyes slowly. Snow kept her eyes trained on her, but also tried to look everywhere else in her peripherals, in case the lost boys or fairies noticed the magic that was being used near them. Hook and Rumpelstiltskin had warned them that in this land, magic could be detected.
Then again, Rumpelstiltskin said that Emma's magic was different, so he wasn't sure whether they would be able to detect it or not. True Love's magic. There were times when she wished she could calm down about her daughter's magic and just accept it. Emma's magic was pure. She was the product of True Love. She wanted to believe that her baby's magic was different from all others.
Emma suddenly opened her eyes and raised her sword, "Over there." She pointed her sword at her right.
Side by side, they started walking slowly toward the laughter. Snow with an arrow already in her bow, and Emma with her sword raised. They walked for a few moments, until a small, flickering light was seen. Snow stepped ahead of Emma, trying to see more clearly what it was. It was a fire. They walked a few steps until they came to a tree and hid behind it, moving their heads to see what was in front of them. Before Snow could get a chance, Emma had already spotted her son.
Emma gasped. "Henry."
Of course, the first thing she wanted to do was to jump into action, but Snow held her arm tightly, holding her in place. She looked at her with cold eyes, but Snow stayed firm. They knew they couldn't speak, yet miraculously Emma could still reason with her. Snow nodded slightly and turned around again to see whom all were there.
There was a fire with four tree trunks surrounding it, and children sitting on them. Well, she could tell that they were teenagers, but still children. On each trunk were two boys with their swords strapped to their waists. All seemed to be various ages. She couldn't help but gasp at the sight of her grandson.
Henry was sitting on the sand, right next to the trunk further from them. Snow could see his wrists were tied, his legs bent close to his chest, and his scared eyes, but she could also see that he was trying to be as brave as possible. She wanted to smile at his bravery, but couldn't. Not until he was safely with them. Snow took a look around the perimeter again, seeing that neither Tamara nor Greg was close by.
The information that a good fairy had given them was correct. They handed Henry over to the lost children and decided to run to Peter Pan. She didn't care about them, all she could think about now was how they were going to challenge eight children with swords. According to Hook, they were pretty good with a blade.
"Is it time now?!" Emma exclaimed, exasperated, but whispering.
Snow felt nervousness and a shot of adrenaline rushing through her veins. She turned to look at the lost children, and nodded slightly, pressing her lips in concentration. "As I let the arrow go, you go towards the right, okay?" She didn't hesitate to decide this; the children on the log to the right appeared to be the youngest. She couldn't believe she had to decide between their own lives and children's lives, but she had to. She would never kill any child, but if she had to hurt them to save her grandson, she would.
Snow raised her bow and saw Emma raise her sword in the corner of her eye. She swallowed hard and sighed. "Emma..."
"Yeah?"
It was probably not the best moment, but she felt she had to say it. She didn't want to think the worst, thinking that maybe she wouldn't make it. All she wanted was for her grandson and daughter to get away from here. She would do everything possible to make that so. She had to think realistically. "I love you."
Emma's voice was soon heard after. "I love you, too."
Snow let go of the arrow and it went flying towards the shoulder of the boy she was aiming for. The boy fell back in a scream; it was the boy that was next to Henry. Her grandson's eyes widened when he saw his mother climbing out of the jungle and heading straight for the two boys to the right. She ran quickly behind Emma, another arrow flying through the air, straight to a boy's leg.
The two boys who had been closer to Henry were already in the sand, screaming in pain. She raised her bow, but there was no time for her to nock another arrow when one boy took off straight towards her. She had no choice but to take her own sword off her waist and block his sword just in time.
"Henry!" Emma cried.
Snow shoved the boy hard over one of the trunks they had been sitting on. She looked around for her daughter and grandson. The two boys who were sitting on the right side were on the floor out cold; there was no blood. Emma tried to get to Henry, who was already standing, but two boys stood in her way, so she had started fighting them.
Snow set her attention back to the boy she had been fighting when he started to attack her again. When he was about to drive his sword into her stomach, she dodged it and sharply hit his head with the hilt of her sword, successfully knocking him out. There were five boys down, Emma was fighting one – Snow had just shot down another – which meant that one was missing.
"Noooo!" Henry shouted and Snow turned quickly, seeing a blond-haired boy taking him. Hook and Rumpelstiltskin had told them that the blonde one was the leader of the lost boys; Felix was his name.
Her hand was quick to grab an arrow and nock it. "Stay away from my grandson!" When Felix raised his eyes at the sound of her voice, she released the arrow, true to its target.
As the eldest boy fell to the sand screaming in pain from the arrow in his shoulder, Emma head-butted the boy with whom she was fighting. "Henry!" She cried out as she started running towards him.
"Mom!" He cried out as well, running toward her. Emma threw her sword aside when she was a few meters from Henry, and her arms quickly wrapped around her son. "You came... you came for me. I knew you would."
Snow moved to embrace them, happy that they were all okay. Felix had gotten up and was running toward them with his sword in his good hand, ready to go through Henry's back and Emma's chest.
"EMMA!" Snow shouted as loud as she could, unable to nock her arrow in time.
Emma raised her sight just when Felix was near them and pushed Henry aside. Emma just raised both of her hands and moved them forward, as a white light came from them. Snow squinted her eyes at the blinding light, which lasted just seconds. When the light disappeared, Snow could see clearly again.
Felix was gone. In fact, all of the boys had disappeared.
"Mom!" Henry cried out again, running back to his mother. Emma wrapped him in her arms again, as Snow ran to them quickly and wrapped her arms around them both, closing her eyes.
She thought about the last time she had held them both like this. Henry ran to Emma, and then both of them were in her arms. It was when she realized that she and Emma had made it home from The Enchanted Forest. Maybe she wasn't at home right now, but her daughter was there and her grandson was safe with them. Nothing else mattered now.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked her son, and Snow moved away from them, moving her gaze to Henry just as Emma was currently doing.
Henry nodded quickly. "They didn't hurt me. They said they couldn't." Snow quickly pulled a small dagger from her boot and cut the ropes that were binding his wrists. "You saved me." His gaze moved toward his grandmother, a smile appearing on his face. "Both of you!"
He moved toward them, this time his arms wrapping both of their bodies, being caught in the middle of them. Snow smiled with relief and pressed his body tighter into them, resting her chin on Emma's shoulder as she was clinging to her son.
"We always find each other. This wasn't going to be the exception." Snow whispered, a small smile on her face and with her eyes closed.
"I will always save you, kid." Emma whispered.
Henry moved away from them, and oh gods, how Snow was missing the sight of her grandson's smile. "I know." He said, shifting his gaze between them.
But their smiles quickly disappeared when a shadow flew above them, quickly taking hold of Henry's jacket and pulling him into the air with it. Henry screamed in horror as his hands began to move frantically, Snow and Emma slow to react due to shock.
"NO!" Emma quickly shouted, running toward Henry as fast as she could, and jumping up just in time to take his hand. The shadow wasn't giving up; it decided go further up, so Emma's feet began to leave the forest floor.
"No, no!" Snow cried in despair, seeing both her daughter and grandson were being taken away from her. She ran to them and took Emma's free hand, gaining strength from gods know where. "What do you want with him?!"
"Leave him alone! Take me instead!" Emma cried desperately. As Snow's eyes widened, she could no longer feel the ground under her feet.
"Emma!" She screamed, knowing that the shadow had more strength than them. "Do it!" She hated magic, she really hated it, but her daughter's magic was different and their lives were at stake. She knew it. "Emma, do it!"
Snow couldn't see her daughter's eyes close, but she knew that they did. Soon she began to feel like she was being lowered to the ground, until the sand was under her feet again. She held onto Emma's hand tighter, as Emma's feet were also in the sand, and Snow could see her eyes were still closed. She turned her gaze to the shadow and Henry; the shadow was trying to fly, it was really trying, but it couldn't.
Emma's magic was stronger.
When Henry's foot reached the sand and his hand slipped out of the shadow, Snow squeezed Emma's hand as Henry clung to her body. "You did it!"
Emma opened her eyes as the shadow was beginning to fly toward them. Emma moved Henry away from her and placed him behind herself, Snow quickly took Henry by his shoulders, taking him a few steps back because she knew what her daughter was going to do. Emma moved her hands to the shadow, and Snow closed her eyes expecting to see the blinding light. But nothing happened. She opened her eyes, seeing the shadow was getting closer to them.
"Emma?"
"I – I can't..." She murmured, her hands moving faster, but without success. The shadow was not going to her anymore; it was getting closer to Snow and Henry. "Wait, wait!" She jumped in front of Snow and Henry. "Why do you want him?"
The shadow bore its eyes on Emma, as if it was speaking to her. But it was Henry who spoke. "He wants a body for his shadow." He muttered, Emma didn't turn around, but Snow dropped her gaze to her grandson, remembering what Hook had said.
The shadow could talk only to children, through their minds.
"Why him?" Emma asked again.
Snow dropped her gaze to Henry's hair, tightening her grip on his shoulder in case the shadow would suddenly come to him. "He says I'm special. I am related to magic, but I don't want anything to do with it." The shadow continued to pierce its gaze through Emma. "I'm the Evil Queen's son, Rumpelstiltskin's grandson, the product of True Love's grandson, and the savior's son."
"I am the product of True Love! Take me! I never wanted magic, and yet, I have it! I am the Savior, I am the product of True Love! Take me!"
"Emma, don't!" Snow cried, knowing what that might mean. Hook had warned them, they couldn't touch the shadow. No adult could, if they did, they'd die.
"Take all my magic. You know I am more powerful than you!" Snow frowned slightly when she saw something like a small frown on the shadow's face. "Take all my magic and leave my son and mother alone."
Snow moved her eyes to the shadow, trying to think of another plan to get Henry away from here. There was no way that the shadow would decide to take Emma's offer. Peter Pan, this shadow, wanted Henry. He didn't want more magic... did he?
Snow felt the air leave her lungs when the shadow extended its hand to Emma. She knew exactly what her daughter was going to do. "Emma, NO!" When she moved Henry behind her and tried to take Emma's hand, or the shadow's, it was late. Emma didn't hesitate to take the shadow's hand. Her body began to shake like never before. "NO!"
She stared, shocked at how her daughter was trembling. Her pupils turning as white as her fair face. No, there was nothing she could do, but she had to do something. She went to stand next to Emma, but a small hand quickly took one of her hands, pulling her back. She moved her eyes back, seeing Henry's frightened look, his eyes filled with tears. He looked forward, to Emma.
"Emma!" Snow shouted desperately as Emma's body trembled more and more. "No, please!"
The shadow moved its hand away from Emma as Emma's knees fell to the sand, and then her whole body. Snow and Henry ran to kneel at her side. Snow moved her trembling hands to Emma's arms, to her face, touching her cheeks. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing… faintly. Snow could feel her whole body tremble.
"Emma, no, please..."
"Mom? Mom? Wake up! Please, wake up!" Henry began to say, shaking her, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. "Mom!"
Emma's eyes opened slowly, her gaze moving toward Henry. "Henry..." A small smile crossed her face, as her hand rose weakly to his face. "You'll be safe now."
"No, you cannot... you can't!"
"It's – it's okay." Emma muttered as Snow was staring at them, shocked and with her hands trembling as never before.
This couldn't be happening. This shouldn't be happening. They were supposed to rescue Henry and get back to the ship. They were going to have to find a way back home, together. Emma was her baby; this couldn't be happening. They just got her back. No.
"No. No." Snow whispered again and again. "No, Emma... everything will be fine." Blue eyes met her green gaze, and she couldn't help bursting into tears. "You have to hold on, someone will find us, and… it's going to be okay." Snow whispered, pushing blonde locks from her face, gently. "Please, hold on."
Another small smile curved her lips. "Take care of him."
More tears started coming out from her eyes. She closed them for a moment and opened them quickly, shaking her head. "I'll do it, always, but you'll do it too. You can't do this, Emma Swan! We go back home together, do you understand?"
And then, finally, tears began to form in Emma's eyes, as she moved her free hand – her left one was clutched in Henry's fingers – to hers. Snow could see she was having a hard time breathing. "Do you – you remember when you and... Dad... talked about my... happy ending?"
Snow nodded slowly, not knowing if she still had a voice. "Yes... and you're going to have it."
"I already have it, Mom." Her gaze moved to Henry a few seconds, a small smile on her lips, and then her attention was back on her. "When I broke the curse and... I – I had my son with me, and... my parents. That's it. You three are my happy ending. Please, tell Dad... that."
Snow broke into fresh tears, shaking her head quickly and taking Emma's hand to her face. "Please, no... Don't go." She took a small breath and lowered her hand from her face, finding her daughter's eyes again. "You are our happy ending, Emma. Please. You're my happy ending, you can't – I just – I just got you back..."
"Mom? Please, I – you saved me. You're our savior, you can't... you can't die."
"I love you, Henry." Emma whispered.
Snow looked up to Henry, his face full of tears, his eyes scared like she's never seen. She lowered her gaze to Emma, whose gaze was on Henry. "We just found each other. Please hold on baby, you…"
Emma moved her gaze to her mother. "Please, take... care of him." Her breathing began to become increasingly slow. "Don't – don't worry," she tightened her grip on her hand. "We'll find each other again. And I'm fine... because I have everything I've ever wanted." She smiled slightly, and Snow took her hand to her lips, kissing it lightly. "My family."
Emma closed her eyes, while her strong grip on Henry and Snow's hands was gone. Snow's eyes moved quickly towards her daughter's chest, seeing that it was neither going up, nor down. She wasn't breathing. Snow opened her mouth in shock, feeling the tears coming down her cheeks faster.
Her daughter.
Her baby girl.
No.
"No... Mom? Emma?" Henry's broken voice began, and Snow lifted her gaze to him, feeling her heart breaking completely. "Mom? No. Please, wake up..." Snow closed her eyes and moved her face towards Emma's stomach, breaking into tears. "No, Grandma, she'll be fine... she has to be. Mom? Mom, wake up..." She began to feel Emma's body moving slightly. "No, no..."
She couldn't find the strength to lift her face. She was still clutching to her baby girl's hand, with her face buried in her stomach, hoping that this was a dream. This had to be a nightmare. This couldn't be happening. She had to protect her. She had to protect her baby. She always tried to protect her, but she never could. When she sent her through the wardrobe into another world, she protected her from Regina, but her baby was sent alone to other dangers, perhaps worse. And now... now she couldn't protect her. She couldn't save her.
This time her baby was gone... forever.
"No, leave me alone, let me go!" Snow quickly lifted her face, seeing that the shadow was taking Henry again. He was struggling in its grip, but it was to no avail. "You killed her! You killed my mom! Let me go!"
Her whole body was shaking. Her gaze was awkwardly fixed on Emma's face. It was very peaceful... her eyes closed, there was no smile on her lips, but she looked content. Her hand was still on hers. She didn't want to let her go. She could not let her go.
"Mom! Mom! Grandma!"
Snow's heart broke again. He was waiting for his mother to get up and save him again. But no... she wasn't here. Not anymore. She wasn't going to save him this time. But he remembered that his grandmother was here, and she had to save him. He was her grandson.
"Take care of him."
"I love you, baby girl," Snow whispered, bringing her face to Emma's. "Mama loves you." She kissed her cheek softly and closed her eyes tightly, feeling all her strength leave her body.
She quickly moved away from her and turned around, her trembling hand found an arrow and nocking it in her bow as she lifted it. The shadow was a few feet from her, taking Henry with it. That thing had killed her daughter; it wasn't taking her grandson, too. It had to be killed.
She pursed her lips in anger and frowned, her hands were still trembling, but she didn't hesitate. She let out a breath and released the arrow.
Again, her aim was true and hit Peter Pan's shadow's heel.
The shadow hissed, as its grip on Henry was lost. The boy fell to the sand, unharmed. Snow had no strength. She fell to her knees in the sand, knowing that Henry was now safe. The shadow continued screaming, and began to descend and descend until Snow couldn't see it anymore. It fell into the sea and she knew it would never come back.
"Grandma!" Henry ran to her.
She felt like she was going to faint right there, but even so, her arms opened to receive her grandson just in time. Henry knelt in front of her, resting his chubby, wet cheek against her chest, clutching his arms around her. Snow closed her eyes and clutched the little boy to her, resting her chin on his head and kissing the top. He began to cry, and she couldn't help but feel her world collapsing again.
"I'm so sorry, Grandma. It's my fault... I'm sorry..."
He was shaking and sobbing, and she could let him do that. She was his mother, and she was her baby. And she was gone. But it was not his fault at all. "It's not your fault..." was all Snow could muster, despite her voice hoarse and broken.
"Yes, it is... I'm sorry. She was trying to protect me, and..."
She took his arm and led him away from Emma, lowering her head to his level to stare at his eyes. A lump pierced her throat again, unable to speak. Henry's eyes were the same as Emma's. They were turning red, surely from cring so much. She knew the feeling.
"It was not your fault. She – she..." She could not say the word; she couldn't think of her daughter in past tense. "She saved you, Henry. She would do it as often as necessary. I would have done the same; just as you would for your loved ones... who did this is no longer here. And it's not gonna take you from us again."
She brought her hands to his face, trying to wipe the tears that were rolling down his cheeks, but it was in vain. "I don't care if the shadow takes me again... I lost her."
I lost her.
Those 3 words began to flood her mind as Henry walked away from her and then going through her side like a knife. She began to hear his cry again, but his voice was still in her head.
I lost her.
They were the same words, yet it was her own voice now. She'd lost her. She had lost her once, but she came back to her, but this time, there was no coming back. She did nothing to stop her. She was too late and she lost her. She really lost her daughter.
Snow turned around, seeing Henry sitting next to Emma, looking at her with a blank stare, but the tears were still flowing. She swallowed hard and approached them, sitting on the other side of Emma. Her hand came up slowly to her face, caressing her cheek with the back of her fingers. She lowered her gaze upon her entire body, seeing how still she was, her face still peaceful. She was lying in the sand. She couldn't stay that way or she would be cold.
Snow moved closer to her and took her into her lap; she was heavier, but she didn't care. Emma's head began to rest between her arm and her chest. Her green eyes found her face again, and she couldn't help but open her mouth and let out a choked sob.
"I'm so sorry, Emma. I'm sorry..." She muttered between her sobs. Her face came to Emma's and she pressed her lips to her forehead, feeling her skin was still warm, but it seemed to be getting colder. "You will always be my baby." Her face pressed against Emma's as her eyes closed, pressing another kiss to her cheek. "Sleep well, sweetheart."
She lifted her head but she clutched her daughter's body to hers, as Henry approached them. He held Snow's hand but leaned back a little on the sand, resting his head on Emma's stomach and wrapping his arms around her waist.
He was still crying, Snow knew. He wouldn't stop doing it and she wouldn't either. She wasn't sobbing anymore; tears were running down her face, silently. She knew that the same was happening to Henry. But she couldn't comfort anyone at the moment, she didn't have the strength to speak or even cry out in pain, even though she was feeling that it was the most painful thing she had to live through.
She's had to go through different pains. Her parents' deaths, Regina's hatred, having a broken heart, having to send her baby girl away, waking up and seeing that she'd missed everything about her daughter's life, Johanna's death, killing Cora and manipulating Regina… having to live with the guilt of everything that her daughter suffered because she was alone in the world.
As Snow set her eyes upon Emma's face again, she knew that nothing could be compared to the pain she was feeling. Her beautiful, perfect daughter was gone. She was dead.
I'd love to see your thoughts!