A/N: So yes this is complete. This particular part. I thought I was going to be able to make this one big epic Swan Queen one-shot and then well while I was writing it finished itself. I had no idea how I was going to end it and then bam! Finished. But this is only the beginning. I have a full length story in the works...well in my head...I am going to start writing it...probably tomorrow when I get off work. I know I'm going to be thinking about it all day at work and how to get done what I want to happen. I even know the few major conflicts that I want to happen! Hehe! I'm rather excited and I hope that after reading this you'll want to continue on the journey with me. Please let me know if you'll want to read a chapter'd story with these characters and see how they're just beginning adventure continues. This is probably the longest one-shot like story I've posted. I've tried to correct all spelling and grammar...I know I've missed some...so sorry about that..Oh, the name Xiomara is pronounced Zee-o-mara...Anyways, without much more of my rambling please enjoy the tale that I have spun for you.
Shattered Expectations.
"Yeah, well, I have a plan." Emmett looked at his sister his eyes narrowing. He didn't particularly want to come along but she was his sister and well, after looking at the guy's profile, he didn't quite think that she could necessarily take him on by herself. Although, knowing Emma, she would have objected if he would have said anything and would have claimed that she was the older sister.
They didn't technically know which of them was born first, Emma liked to claim that it was her because of a feeling, and Emmett liked to think that they were born at the same time by a C-section. Although, he knew, after reading the report, he knew that Emma had been the expected one of the twins, she had a hand stitched blanket, he'd been wrapped in it with her.
"Is this a good plan, Em? Cause I'd like to avoid going to the hospital this time." Emma gave him a sheepish look before smoothing down her dress. Tonight she was going to get this bastard and get the high reward that came with him.
"It's, well it's a plan." Emmett rolled his eyes fixing his bow-tie before flicking his twin sister in the ear. "Shouldn't that count for something?"
"If I end up in the hospital sis, you're baking me the s'mores cake." Emma shook her head rubbing her ear momentarily.
"You're not going to end up in the hospital this time, scouts honor." Emma held up two fingers causing Emmett to glare at Emma's reflection as she winked at him.
"You're not a scout, therefore, I rescind my previous statement, if I get hurt in anyway shape or form, you are making me a s'more cake." Emma shook her head with a laugh knowing full well she was going to have to make her brother that cake. No matter how simple a bounty seemed, when it came to her brother he always seemed to end up with some sort of battle wound. The last bounty they'd done together should have been simple. The bounty was a woman who liked blonde's so Emma had enlisted the help of her brother on his day off. While they'd gotten the woman, the job had landed him in the hospital for a few hours after the woman had lodged a knife into his lower abdomen.
"C'mon Casanova, let's go get my money."
zZz
Emma walked into the house feeling victorious as she kicked off her heels and went to plop on the couch as Emmett walked in behind her carrying a pink bakery box they'd stopped to grab after turning the bounty over to the local police.
"It's because it's our birthday, don't be too upset, you'll add a new scar to your collection next time I enlist your help." Emma laughed sitting up looking over the edge of the couch as Emmett set the box down on the breakfast bar.
"Do you think it's too late to get girls?" Emmett asked undoing his bowtie and unbuttoning his collar buttons as Emma looked at the time.
"Nah, Cassie is probably wide awake and I don't think Mindy ever sleeps when I enlist you for jobs. Besides, it's our birthday, the little one will at least want to sing to us, don't take that away from her." Emmett rolled his eyes before walking back towards the door.
"Be right back." Emmett called as Emma plopped back down looking up to the ceiling. They'd turned twenty-eight today. Emma couldn't believe it, they'd come so far in their twenty-eight years. In Emma's opinion, Emmett a little further than herself. While he took odd bounties with her when she asked he worked as a night nurse in the trauma center in Boston. But Emma knew when people asked him, he'd tell them that his favorite job was taking care of his six-year old daughter Cassandra or Cassie as they fondly called her and thirteen year old Melinda or Mindy as they called her.
"Tía Em-ma!" Emma sat up with a smile at hearing her name being called to from the hallway. She could hear the little footsteps running as the cracked door was pushed open and in ran her curly haired mocha skinned niece who looked so much like her late mother.
"Cassie, you'll wake the entire building with your yelling." Mindy laughed coming in after her sister.
"Bumblebee!" Emma called as Cassie ran to her launching herself into Emma's arms giggling the entire time.
"Happy birthday! Daddy says you got a cake and a unicornio made it for you guys, I don't believe him because I know that they don't exist here, I'm six going on seven. I am not a baby anymore." Cassie spoke as Emma chuckled looking over at her brother who'd closed the door and was taking off his shoes and placing them on the shoe rack.
"Thank you bumblebee, and you know your dad lies, not only do unicorns not exist here but they're not cake makers. The Fairies are the ones who make the cakes." Emma teased as Cassie shook her head.
"That's true, remember, the Fairies made Fiona's cake for her birthday last month." Mindy smiled playing along with her aunt causing Cassie to stick her tongue out at her older sister.
"I can't believe any of you. If I can't trust family, who can I trust?" Cassie asked dramatically climbing out of her aunt's arms shaking her head as she walked over the breakfast bar climbing up the bar stool. "Are we singing now?" Cassie asked looking at her dad then over to her aunt. Both nodded as they walked over to where she was.
"Are you going to sing for us?" Emma asked.
"You're going to sing to daddy, daddy's going to sing to you, and Mindy and I sing to both of you, acuerdo?"
"Deal!" The siblings answered the six year old who opened the box to see a small cake intricately decorated. Emmett opened a drawer and pulled out a candle placing it directly in the middle. Emma reached for the lighter in the middle of the bar that they used to light candles and lit the small candle. Cassie started them off singing with a big smile causing Emmett and Emma to laugh throughout the entire performance while Mindy just shook her head trying not to laugh.
"Make a wish! A good one!" Emma looked to Emmett and he nodded.
"Make a wish for us bumblebee." They watched as her eyes widened with joy before looking at the flickering flame before her. I want something truly magical to happen to us, all of us. Cassie wished with her eyes closed before she blew out the flame. She opened her eyes watching the smoke drift off into the kitchen and disappear. Cassie looked to her dad with a smile as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Did you make a good one, gremlin?" Cassie shook her head up and down quickly before turning to Emma.
"I made the best wish ever!" Emma smiled picking her up and spinning them around causing Cassie to laugh. Emma stopped spinning and set her on her hip kissing her plump little cheeks.
"We knew you would!" Within ten minutes the small pastry was gone and Emmett was cleaning his youngest off as Mindy and Emma cleaned the breakfast bar and got rid of the box the cake had been in.
"Will you read to me, Mindy?" Cassie asked as Mindy shook her head tossing her paper plate and fork.
"No, the other night you had me falling asleep reading you Crime and Punishment." Mindy declined as Emmett chuckled causing his youngest to look to him with pleading eyes.
"Ooh the puppy eyes, how will you ever resist Emmett?" Emma chuckled leaning against the counter watching them.
"I'm not reading you Crime and Punishment gremlin, how about some Poe?" Cassie's eyes widened as she nodded her head vigorously.
"Dad that's not normal for a six—"
"Almost seven!" Cassie interrupted.
"Whatever Cassie, almost seven year old, shouldn't you be reading her normal stories about princess and fairies like you and mom read to me?" Cassie's face scrunched up at hearing that shaking her head and making gagging noises.
"Princesses are so boring! I live for the thrill of the story sissy!" Mindy raised a brow at her sister trying not to laugh. "Princess always seem helpless, I'm not helpless; I could beat any prince up! Cause I'm strong and powerful!" Cassie showed her arms causing Mindy to laugh at her sister's lack of muscles.
"So a man killing a pawnbroker for money and then continually justifying it in his head is thrilling?" Cassie nodded with a sweet smile as Mindy blinked looking to her father.
"You're raising a serial killer, I hope you know that." Mindy pointed out as Emmett shrugged. "I'd like to be noted for future reference! On the day that you and Aunt Emma turned twenty-eight, I, Melinda Swan said that you were raising a serial killer!"
"Well at least she'll be an adorable little serial killer, won't you gremlin?" Cassie nodded once more as Mindy laughed shaking her head. "And Minders, sweetheart, you liked the Brothers Grimm and the original versions of the fairytales." Mindy just rolled her eyes and waved her father off causing Emma to laugh.
"Details dad, minor details."
"Yeah, yeah, well c'mon, even tiny serial killers and divas-in-denial need their beauty sleep. I'll read you two tales from Poe to let the sugar high pass." Emmett spoke picking up Cassie who squealed in delight as he walked over to Emma. "Kiss tía night." Emmett leaned the six year old forward as she kissed her aunt telling her goodnight.
"Night bumblebee," Emma smiled as Mindy followed her sister and hugged and kissed her aunt goodnight telling her happy birthday in the process. "Thank you Mindy, I'll see you after school tomorrow." Emma watched as the three disappeared into the girls' shared bedroom as she pushed off the counter ready to get into her pajama's herself. Emma looked to the door as a knock sounded.
"Someone just knock?" Emmett asked poking his head out as Emma could hear Cassie giggling.
"Yeah, I got it." Emma called back to him.
"Could be Fiona, but I thought I grabbed everything." Emma shrugged walking over to the door as Emmett closed the bedroom door looking to his toddler who was jumping on the bed.
"I think giving her cake before bed was a bad idea." Mindy pointed out pulling an oversized shirt over her head and onto her body as Emmett looked at his half-naked child jumping up and down on her bed singing to herself.
"No way, what gave you that idea, sweetheart? I think she's rather complacent." Mindy smiled shaking her head as she grabbed her book bag and took out a book that she was reading in one of her classes.
"Sissy! Catch!" Mindy dropped her book onto her bed and turned freezing the object in midair.
"Cassandra! What have I told you about tossing things at me unexpectedly?" Mindy snapped at her sister who was still jumping on the bed and laughing. Emmett shook his head grabbing the stuffed animal that was still suspended in the air.
"You're getting better at that, your mom would be proud." Emmett praised causing his oldest to blush at the unexpected compliment. When Emmett had met the mother of his children, it'd been completely by accident and in his opinion a very happy and lifesaving accident. It'd been shortly after he and Emma had gone in different directions. He'd gone to New York, stowing away on a train and she'd stayed in Boston. He'd been in a bad neighborhood trying to make it back to an abandon warehouse he'd been staying in with a few other runaways when he'd been shot in an alley by a stray bullet from a drive by.
Xiomara had been on the roof across the street practicing her magic when she'd saw him get shot. Emmett had gotten to his feet by the time Xiomara had made it over to him and he'd been trying to leave. She told him that she could help him but he needed to come with her. By the time they'd made it into her parent's apartment he'd been on the verge of passing out. She'd set him on the couch and pulled up his bloody shirt thankful to see that the bullet had gone all the way through. Just as Emmett went to say something to her, he watched as her hands started to glow a light silver color and he began to regain his strength back.
He'd stayed with her until dawn asking her any and all questions that he could think of much to her amusement. She'd asked why he didn't practice seeing as how he had magic of his own. It that had been the start of his training and his love for the young woman who'd saved his life.
"Thanks, I practice when Aunt Emma isn't home since she's not overly fond of the magical world." When Emmett had introduced Xiomara to Emma about a month after the accident he'd introduced her to the supernatural world around them. She hadn't taken it so well, especially when they'd offered to teach her how to use the magic that was lying dormant within her. While she learned to accept it, Emma didn't want anything to do with magic or the supernatural world around them. So he'd kept it to himself that they weren't even from this world but another and had been sent here because of some foretelling about a savior.
"Are you able to teach bouncy over there anything?" Emmett asked and his daughter nodded. He gave the two of them lessons once a week and allowed Mindy to have her mother's spell books to learn how to do more when she had free time.
"She's better with emotions, and reading people, so when we go to the park, we focus on that. While she may be a genius, magical practice just doesn't keep her as entertained as it does me. But the people and training her on how to read them, that does." Emmett nodded looking over to his bouncing six year old who was giggling as she swung her stuffed Totoro around and continued to bounce.
"She's like Xo's father in that sense. He only learned the basics of spell casting and potion making. He found them pointless and decided to use his magic learning how to read people and eventually manipulate their emotions." Mindy looked to her sister with a smile.
"I think that's what she'll end up doing, it'll help her serial killer career that's for sure." Emmett shook his head as they shared a laugh. It was nearly ten minutes later that Emmett had his six year old dressed and tucked in as he sat on the side of her twin bed holding the complete life works of Edgar Allen Poe.
"Three stories daddy?" Cassie asked her russet orbs wide and pleading as she looked up at her father. She looked so much like Xiomara, well both of his daughters did, although Mindy had his green eyes. They'd inherited their mother's Dominican features, from mocha colored skin to thick curls that Emmett had to learn very quickly how to tame once his wife passed on.
"Maybe, if you can stay awake." Cassie nodded as Emmett chuckled knowing he would barely get through the first story before she was out like a light. Emmett had Cassie close her eyes and point at the table of contents to choose the first one he would read to her. "Ah, The Cask of Amontillado, good pick gremlin." Emmett flipped to the page and began reading. "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge…" Emmett began and Cassie snuggled into her father to look at the intricate illustrations that the book had on the opposite page her father was reading.
"'Nitre,' I replied. 'How long have you had that cou—'"
"Dad, she's asleep." Mindy whispered as Emmett looked over at his oldest who was snuggled into bed smiling at him.
"I can finish it for you sweetheart, if you'd like." Mindy yawned shaking her head.
"Nah, but thanks papa." Emmett closed the book and slid from Cassie handing her favorite stuffed animal in the process. Emmett smiled as he watched her cuddle the stuffed Totoro before leaning down and kissing her forehead. Emmett walked across the room and tucked in his oldest as she smiled a sleepy smile when he kissed her forehead before snapping his fingers to turn out the lamp beside her.
Walking out of the room Emmett raised a brow as he heard Emma talking to someone. "Em?" Emmett called out as he walked into the kitchen seeing Emma and boy.
"Emmett, I'd like you to meet your nephew." Emmett looked from Emma to the boy a little surprised. So this was the kid Emma had given up when she was barely eighteen. He'd known that Emma never regretted the decision, she'd been in jail when she'd given birth and Emmett had offered to take care of kid until she was released but Emma had declined. Emmett had been in his second year at a community college studying to be a nurse having got his GED when he was sixteen.
He'd been living in a rundown apartment with Xiomara at the time trying to take care of a three year old Melinda. Emma had pointed out at the time, that he didn't have the means or time to take care of another baby. She had wanted to give him his best chance, something she liked to believe that their parents did for them. Even though Emmett would disagree saying no sane or caring human beings would leave hour's old infants on the side of the road even if they were a part of some prophecy.
"Need a moment?" Emmett asked looking to his sister who nodded before disappearing into the bathroom. "So nephew, what brings you here at this time of night?" Emmett asked causing Henry to jump at the baritone voice directed at him. Emmett chuckled at this walking toward the ten year old drinking orange juice.
"Uh, well t-this is what t-time the bus arrived." Henry stammered, he hadn't expected Emma to have a family. Well to be honest, he wasn't sure what he expected.
"So you know my name since Emma said it, what's yours?" Emmett asked leaning against the bar looking at the kid.
"H-henry Mills." Henry tried not to stammer but he was a little in shock his self. How was he supposed to get Emma to come back with him if she had a family here?
"Try saying it a little less like I'm going to beat you up or something," Emmett could tell the kid was feeling insecure now. "So nephew, anything you'd like to ask while we wait for Emma?" Henry blinked.
"So you're my uncle, like by blood uncle?" Emmett nodded looking at Henry from across the breakfast bar.
"We're twins." Henry's eyes widened as he looked at the back of the man. His book hadn't mentioned that at all. It'd only told of Emma, the Savior. Nothing about a brother, let alone a twin brother. For a moment Henry wondered the validity of everything he'd come to believe in over the last few months. What if they were just fairytales? No, they were true, his mother was the Evil Queen. She'd taken away the happy endings, she'd made his real mom grow up without a family. She was evil.
"I'm here because Emma has a mission." Henry spoke regaining his confidence. He had to bring her back.
"Oh, so Mr. Mills, what kind of mission does my sister have?" Emmett spoke using his best Sean Connery imitation causing Henry to look at him not understanding the reference as Emmett made note to make sure his nephew knew of James Bond.
"She has to bring back all the Happy Endings."
zZz
Emmett looked at his cell phone as the screen brought up an unknown number for the fifth time in less than twenty minutes. Sighing, Emmett looked at one of his fellow nurses. "Clara, I have to take this, page me if anything happens." Clara nodded as Emmett walked to one of the on-call rooms and stepped inside answering the call. "Emmett Swan."
"Jesus Em, what if I was the school calling about your children?" Emmett chuckled at hearing his sister's voice clearly annoyed on the other end of the line.
"The school knows to call me at work, not on my personal cell when I'm at the hospital."
"What? Why are you at work? You usually work nights."
"Steve needed me to switch, family emergency or something, anyways, why are you calling me from an unknown number?"
"Uh, right, I'm calling from the local sheriff's office, my phone died."
"Emma what's really going on, you left here almost three weeks ago and this is the first you're calling me?" Emmett asked feeling slightly concerned about his sister. While she'd been texting him and keeping him updated, this was the first he was hearing from his sister since she'd gone to drop off Henry in Storybrooke, Maine.
"Well first off, the bitch of a Mayor had me locked up, but then again, I kind of ran into a sign on my way home. My BAC showed alcohol and she locked me up for a bit. Anyways, after that she got me kicked out of the only B&B in this small town, I had nowhere to go, and my car was still in the shop. But I'm staying with a woman who is all sunshine and rainbows, by that I mean she's an elementary school teacher. Uh, let's see, what else? Oh yeah, Henry recruited me for an operation and oh, I'm not coming back seeing as how I'm now a deputy." Emmett sighed rubbing his hand down his face.
"Ok, a few questions, what'd you do to piss off the Mayor of a town you'd barely been in for a few hours to get you locked up? Why am I just now hearing about you being locked up? What operation? This have to do with you being the savior and bringing back the happy endings he told us about on our birthday? Also, what do you mean you're not coming back because you're a deputy?"
"I might have implied that she didn't love Henry when I first arrived." Emmett's eyes widened at hearing this as Emma continued talking. "Yes, the savior thing, he's seeing a therapist about it. And well, I want to make sure that Henry is ok, so I'm staying here, and now it's easier 'cause I've got a job. And well, I knew that if I told you about the jail thing, you would have dropped everything to come and get me."
"The Mayor is Henry's mom?"
"Yeah, she thinks she's all tough with her sinfully high heels, sexy power suits and full plump lips…anyways, she's also the one Henry thinks is the Evil Queen." Emma answered causing Emmett to chuckle while shaking his head.
"The girls would love that, especially since Cassie calls Mindy the Evil queen." Emmett explained as he put Emma on speaking and looked at his schedule he'd taken a picture of. "Well, I have that four day weekend coming up in a month, I could bring you the rest of your things. I was planning on taking the girls camping, but coming to see you and your newest adventure might be just as fun."
"You don't have to do that Emmett, just pack up some more of my essentials and mail them to me like you did last week. Don't deprive my nieces of camping because I'm impulsive at times." Emmett laughed long and loud at that. Emma was the most impulsive person he knew, and that was saying something because he worked with doctors when code black was weekly thing.
"At times? Ha. Em, you've always been impulsive, and they love their Aunt Emma and miss you."
"Emmett, they've been looking forward to that camping trip, since you planned it, don't take that from them." Emmett sighed knowing that Emma was right.
"Ok, well, do you think you can make it without us until Thanksgiving? Wait, shit, we are spending Thanksgiving with Xo's parents. How about New Year's Day? It's my rotation off this year and the girls don't go back to school until the sixteenth." Emma laughed.
"You know if I can make it in prison without you Em, I think I can make in this rather quiet town without you." Emma pointed out causing Emmett to chuckle lightly.
"Yes, well in prison you didn't have this mayor woman with her, what did you say, oh right, sinfully high heels, sexy power suits and full plump lips, to get you all hot and bothered." Emmett laughed hard at his sister's groan.
"I'm not hot and bothered by her Emmett." Emmett rolled his eyes.
"Emma, sweetheart, you took a job as a deputy, they work under the mayor." Emmett chuckled at the sexual undertone his words had. "That's just what you wanted huh? To be under her?"
"Not funny Em—"
"Very, see hot and bothered, anyways, I'll be sending you some more of your things. Text me with daily updates, see you next year!" Emmett disconnected the call knowing it would irritate her that he'd gotten the last word.
zZz
"Aunt Emma is in love?" Mindy questioned her father's previous explanation as to why they were visiting their Aunt in Maine. Emmett laughed with a nod as Mindy raised a brow not completely sure she believed him. They'd spoken to Emma over the phone a few times since she'd up and left. "I think Aunt Emma might have feelings for our cousin's adoptive mother, but maybe not in love with her." Mindy spoke as they passed a bent out of shape sign welcoming them to Storybrooke.
"You saw that sign back there, your aunt did that to impress her." Emmett chuckled as Mindy turned her head to look back at the broken signage.
"Daddy, you know that doesn't make any sense right? Hitting a sign to impress someone, why not get her flowers or something? Also, I thought you said tía went to jail for hitting that sign." Cassie asked from the back as Emmett looked in his rearview mirror. "How is that impressing someone if you go to jail?"
"Cas—"
"Wait! Did she kill someone in the process? Is that was so impressive about it?" Mindy rolled her eyes, only her sister would ask a question like that. "And how do you know that Aunt Emma is in love? Did she say she was in love? Is she going to get married? Do I get to be in the wedding? Do you think tía will let me be a flower girl?" Emmett tried not to laugh as the forest broke and he was driving through a town now. Emma was going to kill him, especially when Cassie asked Emma those questions. While Emma had admitted to him that she was attracted to the woman, she hadn't told him if she'd tried to pursue that attraction.
"Because your tía is an idiot with no manners, but no gremlin she didn't kill anyone, and I could hear it in her voice when we talk on the phone and she talks about her. She's falling more and more in love with…Regina, just wait, you'll be able to see it." Emma had also told him that she moved up from Deputy to Sheriff because the previous Sheriff had a heart attack and the town voted to have her as Sheriff.
"You can't hear love, can you?" "Dad is Emma aware that you're telling us these lies?" His daughter's questioned as he made a left finding his destination.
"Yes, and when you're older you'll understand." Emmett explained as Mindy rolled her eyes knowing that her dad had avoided her question but not Cassie's.
"Sometimes I think I'm more of an adult than both you and Aunt Emma." Emmett shrugged parking the car across from Granny's Diner.
"This is probably true." He agreed.
"Are we going to get to meet our primo?!" Cassie yelled causing her sister and father to jump at the sudden outburst.
"Yes, Emma said he'd be at the diner with her." Cassie's eyes widened with excitement as Emmett turned off the car. Mindy shook her head opened her door and getting out of the stretching her body as her dad got her sister from her car. Mindy smiled as she looked around the small town. It was still dressed with Christmas decorations and made her instantly happy. This town was very small and nothing like she was used to having spent most of her life in cities, she liked it.
"So Aunt Emma is meeting us here?" Mindy asked as they walked to the entrance of the diner.
"Yeah, she said she'd be in before eight." Emmett spoke opening the glass door and walking into the rather busy diner for it being seven fifteen in the morning.
"She's not a morning person, she must really like her job." Emmett chuckled at this, or maybe it wasn't that she liked her job, but more of the Madam Mayor she was working for.
"Daddy, can I get a milkshake?" Cassie asked as Mindy shook her head as they sat down at the nearest booth.
"Dad if you love me and my sanity, please don't allow her a milkshake this early in the morning." Mindy pleaded as the waitress walked over. "It's too early and I don't think I'll survive a Cassandra sugar rush this early."
"Hello, haven't seen you three around here before." The three looked up to the brunette woman who was smiling at them.
"You're really pretty." Cassie spoke making the waitress smile even bigger. "I like the red in your hair."
"Well aren't you precious, thank you sweetheart, my names Ruby and I'll be taking care you, can I start you off with something to drink?"
"A milkshake!" Cassie shouted causing the few people in the diner to turn and look at their table. Ruby opened her mouth to ask what kind but stopped as Emmett shook his head.
"We'll just have three waters and two apple juices, please." Cassie slumped in the booth crossing her arms across her chest giving her sister as much of a glare as she could. Ruby nodded with a slight chuckle before walking away to get their drinks.
"You're the queen of evil, and not my sister, Melinda Ophelia Swan."
"I'd rather be an Evil Queen than a serial killer-in-training." Mindy shot back as Cassie stuck out her tongue.
"Well statistically speaking serial killers start with family members, so you're the first to go, Meh-lean-dah." Emmett shook his head rubbing his temples. Just the simple fact that his six-almost-seven year old knew this was a little baffling, but then again, the girl had been classified as a child genius at the age of four.
"Ok, Jack the Ripper, you heard her dad, if I end up missing, just remember, you birthed this little killer." Mindy pointed out as Emmett looked from the thirteen year old to the six year old as she was smirking and looking at her sister like she was planning something.
"I did not birth her, Xiomara did and why can't the two of you fight like normal siblings?" Emmett asked with a sigh rubbing his temples. This was a constant any time his children fought. It was death threats and a discussions about topics that sane children under the age of eighteen more than likely shouldn't be having.
"Because we're not normal daddy. Normal is overrated."
"Yes, says the killer-in-training." Mindy muttered as Cassie looked directly to her sister.
"Can it, Evil Queen, no one was speaking to you."
"An Evil Queen in our midst? This should be an intriguing breakfast." Emmett looked up to see an amused expression on a rather regal looking brunette. "Good morning sir, your children are quite lively this early in the morning."
"Do you want her? Cause she's no sister of mind." Cassie spoke looking to the brunette who chuckled briefly.
"It's 'of mine' Mrs. Ripper. Some child genius you are." Mindy corrected her sister who stuck out her tongue. Emmett shook his head amused.
"I think it's the road trip has them excited. Are they bothering you Miss—"
"Mayor Mills." Regina presented her hand to Emmett as he smiled taking it giving the woman through once over. So this was the woman that his twin was attracted to. Well it couldn't be said that his sister didn't have exquisite taste because the woman was downright gorgeous in Emmett's opinion and held a very confident aura.
"Emmett Swan, I believe you've met my sister and well, have the pleasure of her working under you." Regina's eyes widened as she shook his hand a bit in disbelief. Emma hadn't mentioned that she had a sibling. She wondered if it was a former foster sibling that was just visiting the blonde annoyance she'd been putting up with for the last couple of months.
"Yes, Sheriff Swan, and she hasn't mentioned you unfortunately." Emmett let go of her hand shrugging his shoulders with a smile still in place.
"Dad says that Tía Emma is an idiota who lacks manners." Mindy spoke as Regina looked to the oldest child in the booth clearly amused. "I'm Melinda but everyone calls me Mindy." Mindy smiled looking to the woman in front of her.
"I'm Cassandra or Cassie, and don't let her fool you, she's the Evil Queen." Cassie looked from Regina to her sister's back. "You don't deserve my sister's name. Any sister of mine would have told papá to let me have a milkshake." Cassie spoke as Mindy turned to her sibling.
"Well Annie Wilkes—"
"Oh please, I would rather be Patrick Bateman than that delusional woman." Cassie breathed as Emmett shook his head looking to Regina. "Or Dexter…"
"You're probably thinking I should have them committed but this only happens when they argue with one another, I swear." Emmett chuckled as Regina looked at the two girls who continued to debate over fictional serial killers and Evil Queens. It was interesting to say the least, even more so that the little one referred to her sister as The Evil Queen. A small part of Regina wondered what would happen if they knew that the real Evil Queen stood right beside them.
"They're charming, to say the least. I don't think I've ever heard children argue about such topics before. How old are they?" Regina pointed out as Emmett looked to his debating children.
"Six going on sixteen and thirteen going on thirty." Emmett laughed causing Regina to laugh slightly. A part of her wondered if Henry's birth mother could really be the fated savior to the Dark One's curse she'd cast twenty-eight years ago. From her knowledge the two idiots had given birth to a girl, one named Emma.
"How long are you going to be visiting your younger sibling?" Emmett shook his head as he saw Ruby returning with their drinks.
"Until Monday, we came to spend the holiday with her, and I'm not older, we're twins actually, Emma likes to believe that she is older, and I like to believe that we were born at the same time."
"You know that's not how birthing works daddy." Emmett's eyes widen turning to his youngest. He did not want to hear this from his baby girl.
"Excuse me, Madam Mayor." Regina moved out of the young waitress' way as she set the drinks on the table. "Do you need another minute?"
"No," Emmett looked to Regina. "It was pleasure talking to you, I think we'll probably be seeing one another very soon."
"Yeah, I wanna meet my primo Henry!" Cassie exclaimed as Regina's looked to the eager little girl.
"I think something can be arranged. It was a pleasure Mr. Swan and Misses Swan." Regina nodded as Emmett smiled a thank you before looking to Ruby.
"The little one will be having chocolate chip pancakes." Ruby nodded as Emmett looked to Mindy.
"Same." Mindy spoke unwrapping her straw and putting it into her water.
"Chocolate chip pancakes, but not a chocolate milkshake cause that makes sense daddy." Cassie grumbled as Emmett chuckled.
"Less sugar, and I'll have the mixed fruit with yogurt please." Ruby wrote down the order and smiled before telling him that it would be out in a few minutes.
"So wait, I have a question daddy." Emmett looked to his daughter as she turned slightly looking at Regina who was a few booths from them. "She's our primo's mother right?" Emmett nodded taking a long drink of his water as his youngest turned to him. "So do we call her Aunt too?" Emmett blinked at his daughter's question.
"Oh good question, Cassie. I mean, she's not biologically related to us, but she is our cousin's mother, so what do we call her? It seems plausible that we call her Aunt Regina." Mindy spoke looking to her sister who nodded as Emmett watched his daughters as they tried to answer the question. It sometimes amazed him how they could go from fighting to talking as if that fight and harsh words had never been said. But then again, Emma and he had some similar things growing up.
"Or we could call her Aunt Mayor." Mindy looked at her sister real hard as she shrugged. "Let go ask!" Emmett reached out to stop them but they were already up from their seats and headed to the back booth where Regina was sitting and drinking a coffee. Emmett shook his head watching as his daughter's walk to ask a question that would probably freak out the woman.
"Emmett!" Emmett smiled as he heard his name being called and slid out of the booth and turned to see Emma walking towards him. He smiled even bigger at seeing her badge and gun holstered at her hip. He pulled her into a hug when she was close enough kissing her cheek in the process and also gathering attention of those in the diner.
"Look at you, big bad Sherriff Swan. Oh, I like that, Sherriff Swan. Sounds legit." Emmett laughed as Emma punched his arm.
"Better than Nurse Swan." Emmett placed his hand over his heart.
"Ouch you wound me, Sherriff." Emmett looked down and at Henry who was standing there watching the interaction between siblings. "Nephew, good to see you again." Henry nodded looking to the man unsure what exactly to say to him. The man had been a lot more engaging when Henry had told him the story of the curse. Henry almost believed that the man believed him.
"Are you always going to call me nephew?" Henry suddenly asked causing Emmett to raise his brows at the question.
"Does it bother you? I can call you Henry if you'd like." Henry shrugged and was about to open his mouth to say something but stopped as he heard rather high pitched excited yelling. Henry watched as two girls came running towards them and ran into Emma hugging her tightly.
"Tía! We've missed you!" Cassie spoke her words slightly muffled by her being pressed against Emma.
"Dad, says you're staying here permanently!" Mindy spoke looking up to her aunt who nodded before kissing both of her nieces.
"I've miss you too my little bumblebees! And yes, I'm the sheriff now, so I'm living here permanently." Emma explained as the girls pouted upon hearing this.
"But Aunt Emma, it's not home without you!" Mindy whined as Emmett raised a brow at his oldest, she never whined, about anything, it wasn't in her nature.
"We can do visits girls, just like this." Emma said as Cassie shook her head.
"It's not the same! It's been years!" Emma tried not to laugh at her overdramatic niece.
"It's been almost three months at the most, Cassie." Cassie shrugged with a huff as Mindy looked to her conveying some silent message. Cassie nodded knowing what her older sister was thinking. Both girls immediately looked to their father who looked to his sister a little afraid.
"So, daddy," Emmett could feel a possible headache coming on. Cassie had that look that Mia would get when she was determined about something. "Wait, first, we have an Aunt Regina now." Emmett looked from his daughter's over to where Regina was sitting holding her coffee looking upon the five of them clearly amused. He mouthed as sorry and she waved him as if saying it was no problem. Cassie stomped her foot regaining his attention. "Ehm, when are we moving here?" Cassie asked placing her hands on her hips as Emmett blinked, yes, a headache was definitely coming as his oldest crossed her arms looking at him expectantly.
"Yes, I too, would like to know the answer to that papá." Emmett looked from his daughters to Emma who was trying not to laugh. "Tía Emma is family, and family's stick together. Plus now there is primo Henry, we can't for him or Tía Regina."
"See what you started Emma? With your impulsive tendencies?" Emma let out a laugh this time causing people to once again look at the five of them. "Girls, what about school and friends?"
"Please dad, you know that killer here doesn't have friends, she has potential victims." Mindy pointed out as Cassie pushed into her sister barely moving the older girl. Henry looked at the younger one wondering what exactly was meant by that statement.
"Yeah, well you know what? Evil Queens don't have friends either!" Cassie pointed out causing Henry's eyes to widen at the mention of the Evil Queen. "You just have—you have," Cassie looked to her dad. "Daddy, what do Evil Queens have if not friends? Not hearts, that's the Queen of Hearts, she doesn't have puppies that's Cruella, and not monkeys that the Wicked Witch."
"Friends on the other side?" Emmett supplied causing his daughters to laugh.
"Daddy, that's Dr. Facilier." Cassie rolled her eyes before turning serious and looking back to her sister. "You don't have friends, you just have poisoned apples!" Mindy looked to her sister and ruffled her curly locks.
"Aw, you're so pretty, Cassandra." Cassie pushed her sister away and went to go sit down muttering things under her breath until she started drinking some of her apple juice.
"Emma, I really dislike you right now." Emma chuckled looking at her brother.
"Emmett, you can't let a six and thirteen year old bully you into moving just because they like me better." Emma spoke as Emmett opened his mouth to agree and ended up glaring at her upon the realization of what Emma said. Emma laughed as Ruby came walking out with a tray of food.
"Hey Emma, hey Henry, you're hot chocolate's will be ready to-go in a moment." Ruby smiled as Mindy climbing into the booth next to her sister and Ruby set the food in front of them. "Do the two of you know one another?" Ruby asked as the twins looked at one another seizing up the other causing Ruby to raise a brow at the gesture.
"Nope, never met her." "Yes, he's my brother." They said at the same time as Henry shook his head. The two of them together was odd. Emma had been living her for almost two months and he hadn't seen her this carefree since the night he'd found her. There was something different when the two of them were together. An ease that wasn't there for Emma when Emmett wasn't around.
"Emmett knock it off, Ruby Lucas, this is my twin brother, Emmett Swan." Ruby held out her hand officially to meet him. Emmett smiled taking her hand and doing something that was uncommon in society today, he took her hand gently and brushed his lips across her knuckles.
"It's a pleasure to meet you officially, Ruby Lucas." Emmett gave her a charming smile causing Emma to roll her eyes at him.
"I think I might just swoon, Emma, he's charming." Ruby giggled as Emmett winked letting go of her hand as Mindy and Cassie shared a knowing look.
"You thinking what I'm thinking, Min?" Cassie whispered before taking a bite of her breakfast. Mindy watched the interaction as the adults continued to converse amongst themselves.
"One second, Henry." Mindy called gaining the ten year old's attention He blinked before slowly walking over to her. "First, hi, I'm Melinda, but you can call me Mindy. This is Cassandra but you can call her Cassie. We're your cousins." Mindy introduced.
"I'm uh, Henry…but you already knew that." Henry spoke rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"What's the waitress' story? She single?" Mindy asked watching as Henry's brow's furrowed momentarily before looking back to the three adults who were now laughing about something.
"Um, she's Red Riding Hood, as far as I know she's single." Henry shrugged as Mindy and Cassie looked at one another at hearing the first part.
"What? Red Riding Hood? You mean like 'what big ears you have?' Red Riding Hood?" Henry nodded noncommittally as Mindy narrowed her gaze at him. "What's your game Henry?"
"Not a game, it's true, and it's an operation." Henry told his cousins.
"Tell us more, like everything." Cassie spoke as Henry looked around spotting his brunette mother looking in their direction watching them.
"Not here, um, maybe after school, are you staying that long?" Henry asked and both girls nodded.
"We're here until like next week." Mindy clarified as Henry nodded.
"I walk to the station after school so Emma can walk me home, maybe meet me there and we can hang out and I can tell you all about Operation Cobra." Cassie's eyes widened with excitement as Emmett returned to the booth when Ruby disappeared to get the hot chocolates.
"What has you so excited munchkin?" Emmett asked seeing his daughter's expression as he popped a piece of fruit into this mouth.
"We're hanging out with Henry after school!" She exclaimed as Emma and Emmett looked at the children. Emma was about to ask if they'd cleared it with Regina, but Emmett beat her too it.
"How does Henry's mom feel about this hanging out?" Cassie put down her syrupy fork and stood up in the booth turning around and waving to Regina.
"Hey Aunt Regina?!" Cassie called to the brunette causing Emma and Henry's eyes to widen and Emmett to chuckle. Knowing his girls, they'd told Regina that they'd be calling her that instead of asking her if that's what she wanted to be called.
"I thought you were calling her Aunt Mayor?" Mindy asked her sister who looked down.
"Oh, right, hey Aunt Mayor?!" Cassie corrected as Emma looked over to her sinfully attractive boss who was sitting in the back booth. It was about a week after Emma had finally settled into town living Mary Margaret that Emma realized she had feelings for the brunette mayor. While Emma realized her attraction for the woman that first night, Emma found herself wanting to get to know the woman known as Regina Mills. Emma found herself making an effort to not piss off the woman, playfully annoy but not anger. They'd even made a tentative agreement that Emma could walk Henry to and from school and he could hang out with her until his homework was done at the station before bringing him home on Tuesday's and Thursday's.
"Aunt Mayor?" Emma whispered to her brother who just shrugged and popped another piece of fruit into his mouth clearly amused.
"Yes dear?" Emma could see that Regina, too, was amused by her youngest niece.
"Can Henry play with us after school today? Please? We have so much to talk about! Pretty please?" Emma shook her head knowing full well Cassie was using her adorable puppy eyes to try and persuade the woman.
"That would be agreeable, since you asked so nicely." Regina spoke with a smile as Henry was a little shocked, he'd expected his mom to say maybe another day. It already had been hard to get the little amount of time with Emma so freely.
"Awesome! You're the best!" Cassie exclaimed with a big smile as Regina seemed slightly shocked by the freely given compliment. Cassie turned around and plopped back into her picking up her utensil as if nothing had interrupted her.
"Bumblebee, could you ask her for an extension on my paperwork?" Emma chuckled as Cassie shook her head taking another bite of her food. "And why not?"
"Because extensions mean laziness, Tía Emma, so stop being lazy and get your work done." Cassie answered causing those around them to laugh out at the child's reprimand.
"You know she's right Emma." Henry laughed as Emma mock glared at all of them but didn't miss that Regina too seemed amused by her niece's little comment.
zZz
Mindy sat on the stairs of the police station reading the book she'd brought with her while her dad and sister were in the station with Emma. The three of them had toured the town after breakfast and even walked along the small beach. Although that walk hadn't lasted long because the ocean winds made it a little too chilly even for the trio who were used to wind tunnels back in Boston.
"What are you reading?" Mindy looked up to see Regina walking toward her. Marking her place with a gloved finger Mindy showed the mayor the front cover. "Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre." Regina read out loud before looking to Mindy. "You're a very strange little girl you know that? I thought young girls such as your sister and yourself liked princesses and fairy dust?" Mindy looked at the page she was on before closing her book and giving her full attention the woman standing in front of her.
"One, I'm thirteen, even if I was into that kind of stuff when I was little, I'd be a little too old now. In the words of little Cassie, 'Princesses are boring and she lives for the thrill of the story. She also thinks that Princesses are helpless and she could beat any prince up because she's strong and powerful!'" Mindy pointed out as Regina raised a brow intrigued. The Swan children were certainly a wonder to behold. Regina tilted her head curiously watching the teenager before her as she opened her mouth. "Also, my mother wrote horror stories. She'd been published once before she got sick, a collection of short horror stories. Dad says we take after her in our curiosity for all things dark and macabre. Cassie took after her by taking an interest in the movies, and I, in the literature. Cassie does like reading," Mindy rolled her eyes thinking about how her sister made her read Crime and Punishment. "But her tastes are a little different."
"Doesn't your father worry? I mean, yes it is oddly cute for little Cassandra to talk about serial killers, but does he not worry what it will do to her later in her life?" Regina found herself asking as Mindy chuckled.
"He did, especially when mom died, but my sister couldn't hurt a fly let alone a human being. She catches spiders and sets them outside. We think the obsession helps her cope with the loss, it was hard losing her, especially in the way that we did." Mindy looked down at her book her thumb caressing the cover. "Lung cancer," Mindy chuckled shaking her head at the thought. "She wasn't even a smoker, she was diagnosed at twenty-two. I was eight and Cassie was about two or three. She died shortly before her twenty-fifth birthday." Mindy no longer cried when she thought of her mom, yes it hurt, but there was more happy memories for her to remember than sad ones.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Regina commented as Mindy looked up giving her sad smile.
"Yeah, me too." Mindy took in a breath and let it out looking around before looking back at Regina. "So what brings you by the station? Coming to visit my Aunt?" Mindy wiggled her eyebrows as Regina was taken aback by the suggestion. "Oh c'mon, you totally have the hots for my dad's sister, even my dad can see it." Mindy laughed at the expression that the mayor held.
"I'm sorry but you are sorely mistaken, Melinda, I do not have the hots, as you so put it for the Sheriff." Mindy smirked not believing the woman before her.
"Eh, I mean, you're totally her type, and we know that she's attracted to you. Well dad tells us she's in love with you. I think maybe she has feelings but I don't know." Mindy shrugged noncommittally.
"Her type?" Regina found herself questioning the teenager, as far as Regina knew, Emma didn't seem like she dated women, but then again, the only indication of that was Graham telling her that they'd kissed. Looking back on it, Emma did seem overly flirtatious with her, but Regina had observed her interactions with Ruby and just thought it was part of the blonde personality to be flirtatious.
"Yes, brunette, Latina, a powerful woman." Mindy nodded looking the mayor up and down.
"How did you know I'm Latina?"
"You resemble a photo of my great-grandmother, so I just figured." Mindy shrugged. "So, when are you and Aunt Emma gonna go on a date?" Regina's eyes widened as she stared at the teen in front of her.
"I beg your pardon."
"When are you and Aunt Emma gonna go on a date? I said it in English right? I have a tendency to switch between Spanish and English." Mindy rambled her explanation.
"I don't think I understand the question to which you are asking, where did the implication come from?" Mindy exhaled, adults and their games. Mindy opened her mouth to speak but stopped as Henry called out to her from across the street.
"Hey Mindy, right?" Mindy nodded standing up as Henry looked at his brunette mother quizzically. "Why are you here?" Mindy's brows furrowed at the rude tone Henry had used to address his mother.
"Because we were talking." Mindy spoke a little harshly as Henry looked up to her only to look past her as the door behind her opened.
"Daddy says to come in a warm up." Cassie said peaking her head out of the door.
"I'm already warm." Mindy said hoping her sister understood she'd cast a warming spell over herself. She enjoyed being outside and had learned the spell when she was ten and had gained more access to her magic. She especially loved it because it had been flurrying earlier and winter was her favorite season.
"Oh, ok." Cassie looked past her sister realizing that more people where around. "Tía Regina!" She called stepping outside. "What are you doing here? Are you here to see Tía Emma? She's talking to you about daddy…" Regina blinked and watched as the girls' brows furrowed in confusion.
"To dad, about Regina." Mindy corrected as Cassie nodded.
"Yeah, that! They think I'm not listening but a cell phone is only so much fun for so long. Daddy keeps teasing Aunt Emma and making her face go red, it's funny." Cassie rambled on as Regina stood there utterly confused as to why these children thought that her and Miss Swan were some sort of couple, or on the way to becoming a couple. She honestly couldn't stand the woman who was weakening her curse and trying to take her son from her. "Oh! Henry! Hi! Did you just get off school? How long have you been here for? Where you guys gonna start without me? I wanna know all about the operation! You can't just exclude me. That's not nice you know! It is cause I'm six? You think it's cause's I'm too young right? Well I'm not!" Mindy shook her head at her sister's hyper mood.
"So what sugary concoction did you sneak yourself while dad and Aunt Emma weren't paying you any attention?" Mindy question as Henry watched Cassie look to the gray skies shaking her head as if she was listening to music. "You had a cup of coffee didn't you?" Mindy turned and looked at her sister who grinned.
"More like a cup of sugar and that French vanilla cream with like a drop of coffee. Daddy and Emma didn't even see me do it. Wanna know why? Do yah? Huh? I feel like I can fly!" Mindy shook her head. They all tried to limit the sugary snacks and how much sugar Cassandra could have because she got a sugar high that was unbelievably dangerous to her health and nearly everyone around her. Mindy watched as her sister's eyes widened before catching her older sister's gaze. "I could manipulate the air, you know some witches can do that! I bet I could! I'm going to try!" Mindy watched Cassie closed her eyes obviously concentrating as Mindy quickly stepped toward her sister placing a hand on her shoulder and her forehead calling to her own magic. Cassie soon fell limp with her older sister catching her.
"Uh, what just happened?" Henry asked thoroughly confused by the rapid talking of the six year old and then sudden collapse. Regina found her body moving to help pick up the girl as Mindy thanked her.
"Sugar overload, she passes out when she's had too much." Mindy lied as Regina looked at her knowing that the girl was lying. She hadn't missed what the girl had referred to herself as a witch. But she knew this was called the land without magic, so it could have been the sugar just fueling a child's imagination. "Let's get her inside." Mindy held the door as Regina stepped into the building carrying the rather light six year old. "Papá is not going to be happy about this." Mindy muttered.
"Yeah right, Emmett that did not— what happened?" Emma stood up on alert as Emmett turned around his smile turning into a frown at the sight before him.
"She wanted to fly and then passed out of a sugar overload." Henry answered as Emmett immediately looked to his oldest who wouldn't meet his gaze. Regina set the girl on a bench careful not to hit her head on the end of wooden chair.
"She wanted to fly?" Emmett questioned walking over to the bench and kneeling down.
"She made herself some coffee, she said it was more sugar and creamer. You should have been watching her. You know she likes the taste of coffee dad." Mindy scolded her dad who chuckled pushing a curl from Cassie's face.
"She was talking really fast about how she could manipulate the air and fly." Henry pointed out.
"Bumblebee has quite the imagination on her." Emma chuckled as Emmett looked over to his oldest and nodded. The room stilled as Mindy had used her magic to freeze everyone.
"What happened baby girl?"
"She was going to use magic daddy, I had to stop her."
"Magic?" Emmett's head snapped to the left at hearing his sister's voice.
"I thought you froze them." Emmett questioned as Mindy's eyes widen as she looked between her aunt and father.
"I-I did!"
"Emmett, you've been teaching them?" Emmett stood turning around to look at his twin. "You said you stopped!"
"Emma, I'm going to need you stay calm, you know what happens when—"
"I'm calm, what do you mean to stay calm? How can I get any calmer?" Mindy looked at her aunt who was starting to freak out.
"She totally freaking out daddy. I can try to freeze her again." Mindy suggested as movement caught her eye. "I don't think my magic is working." Mindy breathed as she looked at Regina.
"It's working fine sweetheart, you've just never had to use it on people with magic before." Emmett breathed as he looked at Regina. "Twenty-eight years with dormant magic, that's a long time isn't it your majesty?" Regina cocked her head slightly looking at Emmett curiously. How could he know about magic in a world without magic?
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Emmett smiled as he shook his head amused.
"My late wife, she was from the Enchanted Forest, I believe she told me she came from the Shadowlands, Rumpelstitskin's area of that world." Regina's eyes widened staring at the man before her. "This land does have magic, no place is without some magic. It's different here, not as easy to access like in other worlds."
"Emmett! You said you'd given up magic especially after Xo's death." Emma spoke reclaiming her twins attention.
"I…lied." Emmett breathed easily as Emma stared at him. "It connects me...us, to her Em, I couldn't give that up. We—" Emmett indicated to his daughters. "—couldn't give that up. Magic was an integral part of who Xiomara was. I…we couldn't just stop because she died and magic wouldn't cure her. I know you don't like it, and wanted nothing to do with it but the supernatural world is a part of the girls' heritage." Emmett explained as Emma looked at him slowly.
"I'm sorry, I…I didn't even think about that." Emma breathed looking at her still unconscious niece. Cassandra was almost an exact replica of her late mother. Her expressive light brown eyes, unruly curls and dimpled smile.
"So you know of the curse?" Regina found herself asking as Emmett touched Cassie's forehead and his hand glowed momentarily as Cassie blinked looking up at the people around her.
"I'm sorry daddy." Cassie spoke as she sat up and looked down at her feet. "I tried to use magic around people." Her lip trembled knowing that she was about to get scolded.
"It's ok sweetheart, I think I'm a little more upset that you tried to fly. You do not possess enough power for wind magics, not even Melinda does and she's older." Emmett looked as his youngest and pulled her into a hug as she tried not to cry. While holding his daughter Emmett looked up to Regina not forgetting the question she'd asked. "Emma doesn't, she didn't care to know about magic or how to use the power she possessed. So I never told her about the old world and the fact that we are from it." Emma looked at her brother blinking.
"Y-you mean Henry is right, about the curse? A-and MM being my—our mother?" Emma stammered as Emmett nodded before letting go of Cassie and looking at her. "Oh my God...I live with our mother..." Emma spoke in a hushed realization.
"Promise me you won't try to use advanced magic before your able?" Emmett looking into Cassie's watery eyes as she nodded her lower lip still trembling.
"I promise papá." He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.
"Good." Emmett stood up and looked at Emma. "I've known about the curse since Mindy was a year old. Xiomara's grandfather told me when he saw my birthmark on my hip. The identical one you have on your lower back. Raphael said he'd recognise that mark anywhere. He knew that I wasn't from this world because his late wife had possessed the similar mark. It's the mark of royals born of true love." Emmett explained as Mindy pushed up her long sleeve and looked at her birthmark on her wrist and smiled. Her parents even though they were teenagers had had true love.
"So you knew when Henry told you—" Emmett nodded.
"I knew you had to go, it's always been you who was going to break it. You were the planned child Emma. Our parents didn't even know I was going to be born until the moment it happened. Had the curse not happened I would have been cast aside, more than likely given to a peasant to raise or something similar. We wouldn't have grown up knowing we were siblings." Emma's brows furrowed as Regina nodded.
"In our world, twins are seen as omens especially when they are royally born. Like Emmett said, you were the expected one, the destined savior to Rumpelstiltskin's dark curse. He would have been tossed aside even if he was male, it wouldn't have mattered to your parents because you were always meant to be the savior."
"Y-you lied to me. All this time! You really are the Evil Queen!" Henry burst out causing everyone to look at him. Mindy rolled her eyes with a loud sigh.
"I thought I froze you." She commented harshly and Emmett noticed his daughter's harsh tone with her cousin.
"Melinda," Emmett began as she shook her head.
"No, he's so mean to her. You didn't see the way he looked at her in the diner this morning or how he talks to her. Ella es su madre! It's not fair to treat her like that without knowing why she did it papá. Tía Regina had her reasons for doing what she did. Just like abuela Carmen did. At least he still has his mom. And not only does he have one, but two moms. He shouldn't get to treat her that way because it's not fair!" Emmett sighed looking at his oldest. "It's not papá, it's not fair."
"Bumblebee," Emma breathed as she pulled her niece to her. Emma rubbed her back in a soothing manner as Mindy cried into her saying that it wasn't fair.
"How is the curse supposed to break?" Emmett asked looking at Regina.
"I-I actually don't know. It's not my curse, I just cast it." Regina spoke as Emmett exhaled. "Who is Rumpelstiltskin here?"
"Mr. Gold, while he pretends he doesn't know who he really is, he is more than aware. This is his curse after all." Regina commented as Emmett nodded.
"What happens when the curse is broken?" Henry found himself asking.
"I'd imagine that we'd all be taken back to the old world." Regina spoke looking at her son who didn't hold eye contact with her.
"All of us?" Cassie asked her eyes hopeful.
"Why do you seem so happy about that?" Mindy sniffled wiping her eyes and looking at her sister.
"I could meet an ogre or a troll." Cassie's eyes widen as her head began swimming with a vast amount of creatures she could meet in the old world, she'd read her grandparent's books and knew of the different creatures that existed. Mindy looked at her sister as her eyes begin to change from brown to dull silver.
"Cassandra Avalon!" Mindy snapped as Cassie blinked looking to her sister.
"Oh, sorry."
"Why did her eyes turn silver?" Henry questioned.
"She was about to ascend," Mindy shook her head as Emmett chuckled at the way his oldest scolded her younger sister. "You know better than to do that." Cassie huffed rolling her eyes.
"I'm allowed though." Cassie crossed her arms giving her older sister a challenging look.
"I don't care, you know better."
"What's ascending?" Emma asked wondering if maybe she should have taken her brother and late sister-in-law's offer to learn about magic. She felt so out of her element but her nieces seemed so comfortable talking about magic and apparently using it.
"It's kind of like seeing into the future. Well, it is seeing into the future but it's seeing your own future. It's tentative because of freewill and well you can always make different choices that could lead you onto a different path. When you ascend you go into a meditative state and can see the different choices. There is always one path that is completely unknown because of people you have yet to meet. I haven't ascended since the first time Xo showed me how to because the longer to looking into the different paths the more addicting it becomes and the more magic it will drain from you." Emmett explained looking to his youngest who just shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm allowed." She repeated and Emmett chuckled once more.
"Are we going to break the curse?" Henry asked in a low almost hesitant voice as he looked at his brunette mother.
"I don't know how." Regina breathed looking at Henry hoping he believed her.
"Do you want to break it and be the Evil Queen again?" Regina sighed as she took a small step towards Henry who didn't back away just watched her.
"Henry I stopped being her the day you were placed into my arms. I've changed, I'm not the same woman I was when I cast the Dark One's curse. I was in a dark place for so long and while the curse was spark that helped me you were the light that changed me. Adopting you, being your mother is by far the best part of me. You, Henry are the best part of me. It—it hurts to have you pull away, to know that you hate you me and don't want me to be your mom." Regina tried to blink back the tears she felt welling in her eyes but only ended up in making them fall. Henry stared at the woman before him as she let the tears flow. He'd never seen her cry before and a part of him hurt because he was the reason for the pain she was feeling right now. He'd never felt lower than he did in that moment as he thought about all the horrible and nasty words he'd said to her over the past few months.
Henry found himself walking to her and hugging her. Apart of him felt that she'd reject him, he'd been a horrible son to her. She didn't have to adopt him, she could have give him back at any point and she hadn't she loved him. As he felt her arms encircle him Henry embraced her tighter and allowed his tears to flow freely. "I'm sorry mommy, p-please don't hate me." He sniffled as Regina gave a watery chuckle.
"Never, you'll always be my sweet prince." Regina smiled as he looked up at and she leaned down and kissed his forehead. The six of them gasped as a ripple of magic coursed through them spreading outward from mother and son.
"Well, that's one way to break a curse." Mindy spoke as she looked at her family members.
"So now what? We're still here?" Cassie spoke as Emmett looked out the window.
"Not for long," Everyone looked to the windows of the station as they saw a purple cloud quickly approaching. Emmett stepped forward and brought his girls close to his side as Emma stepped towards Henry and Regina doing the same thing. "Whatever happens, we all stick together, understood?" Emmett reached out for Emma's hand as she took it making sure that she was still holding onto her son and his other mother. They watched as the cloud was slowly creeping around the building and soon it was surrounding them as they felt the pull of the magic taking them to another place, another world.
Be on the look out sometime in November for the continuation tentatively titled Upside Down.