This is my first Once Upon A Time story. I was listening to Paradise by Coldplay and for some reason I kept thinking about how it suits Snow White. And yeah, I know it sucks. I do not own OUAT
Paradise
Snow White was always considered to be a lovely little girl but not the perfect child. She always ran around the palace and sometimes made a mess in the kitchen. She never listened to the maids and always refused to study. Still, she was kind, compassionate, and so much like her mother.
"Mommy!" little Snow exclaimed when she saw her mother.
The queen smiled brightly and spread her arms out, inviting Snow to jump in to them.
Snow White always enjoyed the warmth and comfort that came from her mother's hugs. Her mother was so beautiful with her long raven hair that reached down her back and skin so pale it almost looked like snow. And Snow looks so much like her. She couldn't imagine her life without her mother.
King Leopold hardly smiled after the death of his beloved wife. The occasional smile was because of his daughter Snow. The only thing he had left of true love.
Snow didn't like playing around the palace anymore. Instead, she'd read the books that were in the library. She thought she'd feel closer to her mother since her mother was so very fond of reading. She'd read books about amazing adventures and it seemed that they never failed to have a happy ending.
She would even dream about those stories at night as she slept peacefully. She would find herself dreaming of paradise and the warmth of her mother's hugs. That was truly paradise.
Snow was so excited to have Regina as a step-mother. She could just imagine how it would be like. In those thoughts, there was no betrayal nor deceit. No manipulation or murder. That was the last thing she thought of.
She was just so happy at the thought of finally having a family again. To not only have a father but to also have a mother. An older female figure to talk to and understand. Someone whom would give Snow words of wisdom. Help her understand what it is to be a woman. Now she could have that and indeed that was paradise.
Although the prince is indeed charming, she couldn't help but find him irritating. If the ring was that important, he should have kept it with him at all times instead of leaving it in a bag full of jewels. They wouldn't need to travel to the troll bridge and somehow negotiate with those ugly trolls.
Snow had more important things on her mind like finding a way to survive and staying away from Regina. Doing everything she can to stay alive. She didn't need to worry about a stupid ring.
The only thing that made the journey tolerable was the light shade of his blue eyes. It reminded her of the sky and that brought thoughts innocence and happiness. She also liked the warmth of his presence. She hasn't felt that warmth since her mother died.
But Snow knows she can't get attached. Prince Charming is already engaged and she has plans to spend the rest of her life in solitude. She would be far from Regina's reach and no one would be able to hurt her. And that was paradise.
Snow didn't really think she'd find true love. That was the last thing she expected out of her life. Her life already brought the death of her mother, her father killed by her step-mother, and now herself wanted dead by the same woman who killed her father.
What she also didn't expected was for James to have and evil step-father of his own. She guess it's just one of those things they have in common. Threatening to kill him if Snow doesn't lie to James about her feeling for him.
It was absolutely painful to watch tears streaming down his face. The lies she told tasted so bitter. Life was so cruel. When she finds Prince Charming, her one true love, she can't be with him.
And the pain was too much to bare. She couldn't live the rest of her life with that much pain. She already had so much pain to deal with. And that's why the potion Rumplestilskin gave her looked so tempting. She didn't even hesitate. To forget about your pain was a part of paradise.
Not only did the kiss brought the warmth that she so desperately missed, but it also brought back memories of her Prince Charming. Looking in to James' sky blue eyes made her smile brightly. It has been so long she genuinely smiled of happiness.
But of course she wasn't happy for long. Life is truly a pain. Once again having her Prince Charming taken away from her. It was there that she knew she had to fight for that idea of paradise she's been dreaming of.
"I eat this and he lives?" Snow can't hold back any tears anymore. "That's the deal you want to make?"
"With all my heart," Regina replies with a wicked smiled plastered on her face.
Eternal sleep and dreams filled with regrets. There was so many regrets. She always had wished to have been a well behaved girl when her mother was still alive. To have never stolen the ring that caused her meet James and brought him in to her cursed life. To have spent more time with her father before he was killed. And finally to have never gotten on that horse that led her to Regina.
"Then congratulations," she said softly. "You've won."
And with that, she took a bite of the apple. The effects of the apple seemed like nothing compared to what she has been through or the pain she's brought to those she loves. Her life was cursed the moment she was born and she did truly believe that apple would take her to paradise.
In stories, happy endings always happened because of true love's kiss. James never failed to find Snow White. It was the warmth of his kiss, true love's kiss, that brought her back from her eternal sleep.
She smiled brightly at him. "You found me."
He returned her smile. "Did you ever doubt I would?"
But life always found a way to bring Snow down. Regina threatened their happiness the day of their wedding. Snow wasn't able to enjoy her wedding while thinking about every word Regina said.
To have our happiness taken away from us?
It seemed like Snow was never going to get her paradise.
Her child was the only thing that could save all of them. Of course. Just like Snow's life has been filled with pain, so will her daughter's, Emma.
It even became worse when she found her husband on the floor and covered in blood. She shook him repeatedly and even tried to kiss him awake like he had done before. "Come back to me," she whispered as she silently cried.
"Oh, don't worry, dear. In a few moments you won't remember you knew him, let alone loved him."
Snow held on tighter to James' body. He still had that warmth that she loves, even in death. With her husband dead and her daughter gone, forgetting was the only thing she was looking forward to. Forgetting everything was almost like paradise.
Mary-Margaret Blanchard had a simple life. She lived in a small town, taught children at the only school there, and had a decent place to live. It was a simple life that caused her no pain at all.
She had no memories of the pain of losing her parents, the hatred her step-mother felt towards her, the love she has for her Prince Charming, or the fact that she has a daughter out there somewhere without her mother. She just knew she had a simple life.
And yet she hated how simple her life is. It frustrated her. Every night, she'd find herself dreaming of escaping her simple life and going somewhere better. Like paradise.