Author's Note:
When the people of Storybrooke discover a way to get back to the Enchanted Forest, they will do almost anything to accomplish the task: Including bringing somebody from the future to help them.
Pairings: Captain Swan, Snowing, Regina and Robin.
This story popped in my head, and I had to write about it. It was going to be a one shot, but I decided I needed more time and words to adequately tell the story. So it'll be only a few chapters long.
I want to say a massive thank you to my amazing and fast beta: Pepper1622
Please review and let me know what you think of the story
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
They were performing a summoning spell to summon an individual from the future, who appeared to be one of the only people who possessed the ability to navigate through a mysterious book. The book had been discovered by Belle—who insists it just appeared one day—and it contained the power to safely transport everybody back to Storybrooke, whilst leaving the town intact and allowing the possibility of an open portal between the worlds. However, it needed two people: the savior, Emma, and another individual, who had been identified and was currently not residing in Storybrooke. After much contemplation and research, this seemed to be the best solution—a lot of the people wanted to return back to their homes safely.
Snow, David, Emma, Killian, Regina, Ruby, Granny, the seven dwarfs, Belle, Archie, and three fairies, including the Blue Fairy, stand in a circle, holding hands in an open selection of the forest. Sneezy sneezes pretty loudly, right before a gush of wind and smoke fills the space in front of them. Slowly, the smoke calms down and an image appears, showing the magic search for the other worthy individual.
After a few minutes, the image changes from the forest and castles to the ocean, and zooms in onto a ship.
"The Jolly Roger!" Killian exclaims, delighted to see it. He glances at Emma with a broad smile, which she returns.
Everybody's focus directs toward the image, as they see the people on the ship.
Henry is there, looking ten years older, sitting in-between two young boys, averaging the ages of five or six; he has theOnce Upon A Timebook on his lap. At a distance near them are Emma and Regina, arguing about something, although they can barely be heard over the sound of the waves. David and Robin are watching a sword fight between two younger males, aging eleven and fifteen.
"Robin," Regina mutters to herself in surprise before the image moves off him and starts to focus on two people.
Killian is smiling as he stands in front of the wheel; a nine-year-old girl holds on to the wheel as well, grinning broadly as she stands on its shifty surface. Killian moves the wheel to port side a little and watches as she laughs, holding on tighter. Suddenly, Killian's arm goes around the girl's waist as her face turns fearful and his worried; the ship rocks side-to-side rapidly.
There's another gush of wind and smoke, interrupting the image. However, when the smoke clears this time, the young girl that was with Killian is standing alone in front of them, no longer as an image. She is wearing a blue dress, which falls to her feet, trainers hidden by her dress, and a matching headband that keeps her curly brown hair out of her face and her bright blue eyes.
The surrounding people let go of each other's hands, apart from Snow and David and Killian and Emma. The young girl's eyes dart around, confused, worried and scared, wondering what had happened and where she was.
Nobody was expecting that a child would have been brought to help; they are all very shocked and not sure how to approach the situation. Although, Snow seemed to have an idea.
Snow steps forward, bringing David with her. "Don't be afraid—we won't hurt you," she ensures.
The girl had been stepping towards Snow until she started talking; she knows something is not right. It takes her a little while of examining everybody to realize that she is not in her own time.
"What's going on?" she asks Snow, seeing as she had been the first to approach her.
"We need your help with something, but first maybe we should go somewhere, sit down and talk," Snow offers, venturing another step forward.
The girl shakes her head quickly and takes a small step back. "Not until you tell me what's going on," she dictates, her voice strong. "Who are you and where I am?"
Snow stops edging forward. "I am Snow White, or Mary Margret. You are in the forest near Storybrooke. . . . The year is 2015. We brought you from sometime in the future," she explains in a soft voice.
"I want to go home—send me back to the future," the girl orders, without a second's hesitation.
David steps forward, now on the same level as his wife. "I'm David . . . we can't send you back. There's a spell we need your help with. Then you can go home."
"What difference does it make about the spell?" she questions, not trusting them. They couldn't know who she is, and they are treating her like a stranger. She doesn't like it; she doesn't like how they look at her like she is a stranger.
"The spell will safely send us all back to the Enchanted Forest and allow us to return here, when and if we require," Snow explains. "The spell will also return you to your time."
Regina appears behind the girl, when she glances around. The girl barely jumps and simply looks at her.
"You look like you want to ask me something," the girl says, trying to gather her thoughts about the situation by offering a distraction.
"Robin Hood was on the ship," Regina states, rather than asks. "Does that mean he comes back?"
"Comes back from where? He's always been around," she answers in reply, confused at the questions. "I thought time travel was bad. There are bad consequences, and I lovemy time. I don't want it to change."
"Don't worry about that—we'll all take a memory potion and won't remember anything about you," Snow assures her, causing the girl to turn to face her again. "We won't remember anything from today. One of us will write a letter explaining what happened."
Belle steps forward slightly. "I have done a lot of research—this shouldn't affect your time," she reinforces.
The girl sighs, still highly worried. "How do I know I can trust you? That this is real?"
"We'll prove it!" Snow says, smiling at having broken down the walls of the young girl.
"What's your name?" David asks.
The girl hesitantly looks at him, opening her mouth to answer but then falling short. She glances around, her eyes focusing on Killian and Emma a second longer than the others before looking back at David. "Why don't you give me a temporary name, just in case something goes wrong with the memory charm?"
David nods. "Good idea. How about . . ." He looks to Snow for inspiration.
"April? Like the month? Because we're in April," Snow suggests.
The girl wrinkles her nose. "Okay, call me April," she decides, even though it is obvious she does not like the name.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
The group disperses shortly after April accepts her new name. The only ones left of the main group are David, Snow, Killian, Emma, and Regina.
April sits on a makeshift bench by herself, Emma, Killian, and David sitting opposite her. Regina stands impatiently to the side, and Snow stands behind David, her hands on his shoulders.
"So, you can ask us questions and we'll answer them to prove that we are who we say we are," Snow says, smiling widely.
"The past is the perfect illusion, especially this much in the past. Most people know about this time," April points out.
"Then ask questions that only a few know the answer to, like you. You were on the ship with us in the future; the whole town wasn't there. There must be things you know that others don't," Emma says, this being one of the first times she has actually spoken to the girl.
April nods slightly, her eyes still on Emma. "When did you meet Da . . ." She stops suddenly, before catching herself. "David," she says, changing her question, although it seemed like she stuttered.
"David? Well, he's my dad. So when I was born. Then I next met him when I came to Storybrooke," Emma replies.
"To break the curse the first time around," April mutters, looking down for a moment before looking back up. "I don't know what to ask," she admits, suddenly slightly frustrated with everything.
"Then just agree to help us with the spell," Regina intervenes.
"And risk hurting my family? No way!" April responds strongly.
Regina groans. "Maybe I should try convincing you"
"Regina," Emma warns.
"Yeah? How?" April asks, standing up suddenly.
"Persuasion," Regina replies, summoning fire into her hands without the intention of firing it, but only to scare. It works all too well.
"You have your magic?!" April splutters out, instantly retreating. She runs to Killian, literally jumping behind him to protect herself, holding onto his arm instinctively.
Killian glances behind him at her, and then to Emma, who stands up.
"Regina," she groans, annoyed with the current progression, not thinking too much about April choosing to hide behind Killian. To her, April knows them all in the future, but she doesn't think about the extent on an individual basis. "You trust us in the future—we're the same now," she tries, looking at April and Killian.
April glances down, slightly ashamed of her distrustful action; she remains behind Killian when she eventually nods. "Fine, I'll help."
Snow breaths out in relief. David smiles. Regina looks thankful. Killian is still curious at exactly who this young girl is, seeing as she specifically chose to hide behind him and they were together when she was taken.
Emma simply smiles. "Great, let's go and talk through everything—we're in no hurry."