I'm back now! I'm so sorry for that long wait you guys had to go through. Life getting hectic plus writer's block equals bad news. On the plus side though, I do a have a general timeline plotted out, so that's good. I'm currently working on the third chapter, and I'm trying to get a little ahead so I can stay a bit ahead if I get inspiration flashes for other stories.

This chapter is going to be a flashback to the Enchanted Forest before the Curse hits. If you have ever seen the pilot of Once Upon a Time, you can guess what's about to happen. The dialogue is going to be recognizable, but with a few changes. By the end of this chapter, you should be sure of the identities of a couple people. [Hopefully, you've all figured out Fury's counterpart!] If you think you know who is who, let me know since I'd like to know if it's easy enough to tell.

[ALSO, even though the name is different, it's still Prince Charming from Snow White tale. Once upon a time has the same name for him in both worlds, and I'm just going to go with it too. The decision on which princess to use was hard for reasons you all probably know, but I decided I was overanalyzing it all.]

Before I give you the next chapter, I'd like to know if you want to

A.) See all of the events that led up to the breaking of the curse first, and then skip to present day.

B.) Alternate between past and present events.

Option B would take some more time, but if you guys want it, then I can do. I always do what I can to please my readers.

Read and Review! I advise listening to the Once upon a Time Season 1 soundtrack, track 1 if you really want to get into it!

PS All typos are my fault (in the stars, haha!). Let me know if something's off.

Chapter 1: A waking, a wedding, and a warning

Enchanted Forest, 25-26 years ago

"Hi-yah," Prince Phillip urged his horse to go faster, even though they were already galloping quickly along the strip of road cutting through the forest. His mother's ring, enchanted for him by Nicholas after Phillip had done him a favor, was glowing even brighter than before, signifying he was getting closer to his true love. He needed to get to her and wake her from the curse that her step-mother had put her under.

In the clearing ahead of him, he saw a small group of people gathered around something. Upon reaching them, he leapt from his horse and ran over. He recognized Red, Hansel, and Hansel's sister Gretel among them, as well as the dwarves who'd taken her in a long time ago. One of them, Doc he believed, stepped forward. "You're too late," he lamented mournfully. The others moved out of the way to reveal a coffin constructed from a fallen tree with a glass lid. Inside laid his beloved.

"No," Phillip rushed forward. "No!" Through the glass, he could see her lovely face framed perfectly by her long black hair. She was so still, he actually wondered if she was really dead.

"She's not dead, only cursed." He reminded himself, and remembered what Nicholas had told him. True love is the most powerful magic of all. Its power can break any curse.

"Open it." Phillip commanded, hoping the Dark One was right about the power of true love. If he wasn't, and she didn't wake up, then he didn't know if he could live with himself.

"She's gone. There's nothing that you can do. I'm sorry," growled Grumpy, another one of the dwarves. His eyes were slightly red, and Phillip remembered how his true love had once given herself over to the king's soldiers so he could get away. She had been rescued later, but that was another story. What happened to her must have been hitting him especially hard.

"Please," he turned from his love to face the dwarf. "At least let me say good-bye."

Doc nodded, and the rest of the dwarves removed the lid of the casket, exposing her to the rest of the world. A gentle breeze blew a strand of hair across her tan face, which Phillip tucked behind her ear. He leaned down and kissed her cool lips, praying she would awaken.

A moment after the two's lips connected, a pulse of light and strong gust of wind flew out from their point of connection. Phillip broke away, fearing the worst when he saw she was still unmoving. Had he been too late? Was she really dead?

Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she gasped. A smile broke out across his face as tears of happiness leaked out of his eyes. Snow White's breathing began to return to normal, and her gaze settled upon him, her cheeks once again rosy with life. He, her Prince "Charming", had awoken her with true love's kiss.

"You," she whispered lovingly, her hand reaching up to caress his cheek, "Charming, you found me."

Phillip chuckled. "Did you ever doubt I would?" he asked, helping her sit up, brushing fallen pine nettles from her elegant white dress that only magnified her stunning beauty. Snow always was beautiful, whether she wore a dress or breeches and a hunting coat.

"Truthfully," admitted the woman, "The glass coffin gave me a bit of pause."

"You will never have to worry about that ever again, Snow," Phillip promised, kissing her again, "Because no matter where you are, I will always find you."

"Do you promise?"

"I do."

Hearing him finally get to say those words to her filled Snow White's heart with happiness. Ever since she had first laid eyes him, Snow White had fallen in love with Phillip, even if he had been pursuing her for robbing him of his mother's jewels and selling them to a band of trolls. He'd caught up to her, fully aware that she was the exiled Princess Snow White, wanted for all sorts of false charges concocted by her step-mother. Together, they'd embarked on an adventure together and retrieved the jewels from the trolls, one of which was the silver ring with the pale blue stone set in it that she now wore on her ring finger. Even though they had gone their separate ways upon the end of the journey, neither of them could stop thinking of the other, and eventually their two individual paths crossed into one. Finally, they were getting married and preparing to embark on their next chapter in life together.

"And do you, Snow White?" the priest turned to her now, "Do you promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all eternity."

"I do." She smiled at Phillip. At last, they were getting their happy ending.

The priest had barely pronounced them man and wife when the entire hall erupted into cheers and applause. All of their friends were clapping and whistling, even Grumpy joined in with a little persuasion from Doc. Snow saw Red smiling happily at her, and Hansel gave her a wink. Jiminy Cricket, nestled on Hansel's shoulder, appeared to be shouting something based on the way he was jumping up and down, but it was impossible to hear him over the din.

She and Phillip were finally married! Snow White could barely believe it. After so many years of on run from the Evil Queen and her wrath, she never thought she would truly find happiness. Then she found Phillip, and everything changed. Snow turned her attention back to her husband (she could finally call him that!) and the two moved close toward each other.

A loud bang announced the opening of the doors at the end of the hall, startling everyone. Snow White, Phillip, and the rest of their guests all turned to face the now-open doors. Standing in front of them was a woman wearing a jeweled black dress and a nasty smile. Gasps circled the hall as people recognized the evil queen, head held high as if she still owned all of them. Snow felt a shiver run down her spine, and grabbed Phillip's arm. Why, of all people, was she here?

"Sorry I'm late, dear," her stepmother announced, smiling ruthlessly at the happy couple.

She began to walk down the aisle leading toward the alter, flinging guards who charged at her out of the way with a flick of her wrist. Red drew her dagger from the fold of her cloak, and Hansel raised his bow, knocked with an arrow, at the queen as she drew closer.

"The Queen!" he cried, "Your Majesties, run!" Hansel let the arrow fly, but the woman waved her hand. The arrow stopped inches from her heart and disintegrated into ash.

But Snow White would not run. Adrenaline surged through her body as she unsheathed Phillip's sword and held it out in front of them. She would not let this horrible witch threaten her ever again. She had killed her father, banished her from the palace where she grew up in, tried to break her and Phillip apart countless times, poisoned an apple, and many other horrible things with the final goal of destroying both of her and Phillip. Snow White had had enough.

"She's not a queen anymore," cried the bride, "Just nothing more than an evil witch."

"No," Phillip placed his hand over the one she held his sword with, lowering it. "Don't stoop to her level, Snow. There's no need to."

Her new husband turned to the evil queen, who had stopped at the base of the steps leading up to the alter. "You've already lost. This is a waste of your time," said Phillip as he slipped the blade from Snow's hand. "I refuse to let you ruin our wedding." He looked so intense right now, and it made Snow White's heart flutter at him being so brave.

She expected a fruitless attack on them and their guests, or at the very least a snarky comment. Instead, her stepmother smiled and started to laugh. She only laughed when she was planning something bad. Suddenly, Snow felt very afraid. She pressed tighter to Phillip, hoping the close proximity could calm her.

"Ruin this wedding?!" sneered the evil queen. "Oh, you couldn't be more wrong, my the contrary, in fact. I've come to give to a gift."

"We don't want it." Snow White gritted her teeth, The last 'gift' her stepmother had given her was that wretched apple.

"But you shall have it anyway," the woman snarled before she began to pace across the side of the alter slowly. Out of the corner of her eye, Snow saw Red pull her dagger out further. Catching the younger girl's eye, she shook her head and mouthed "No". The last thing she needed was for the queen to hurt another one of her friends.

"My gift to you," their enemy continued. "Is this wonderful, happy day." Her face contorted into a sneer. "Because tomorrow, my real work shall begin."

Phillip exchanged a questioning glance with her. Neither of them knew what she was talking about.

"Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love," she turned and pointed the now-frightened crowd here. "will be taken from you forever. I shall rise in victory, while the rest of you suffer for the rest of your living days."

"I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do."

With that, the evil queen turned and strode down the aisle, back toward the open doors. Snow White shivered, trying to think what the queen was planning. Next to her, Phillip clutched his sword tightly. His eyes were full of anger. "Hey!"

Snow watched as her stepmother turned around, surprised that anyone would be so bold. With a yell, Phillip launched his sword straight towards her. The queen cocked her head and laughed. Before the weapon could pierce her, the queen vanished in a wisp of smoke, taking Phillip's sword with her.

Gasps of horror rang out in the crowd instead of the expected clatter of Phillip's sword. Snow White, who had stepped aside when her husband had thrown his sword, now drew close again to him. His strong arms wrapped around him, and she felt his heart beating wildly against his chest. "It's okay," he soothed as she whimpered quietly, "They're only words. We're going to be okay."

Snow nodded and relaxed a little in her true love's embrace. They might be only words, but she would be haunted by the threat her step-mother had made to them and the entire kingdom for a long time.

Wisps of smoke appeared in the chambers of the exiled queen. The sword lodged in the wall as she formed unscathed beside it. Her lip curled a little at the thought of her almost being skewered by her disgusting stepdaughter's "Charming".

Sighing, she looked out of the window at the land below her. Though she still lived in the palace that she had when she first married the girl's father, it had become a gilded cage. The spoiled brat she had once spent years pursuing with the intention of killing her had risen up and defeated her in battle. The girl and the fool who was in love with her had enlisted the help of Nicholas to cast a spell that prevented her from ever harming them in this land again.

But if they went to another land, then defeat of the two would be so simple.

Finding the curse had been the loophole she needed to finally put an end to Snow White and Prince Charming. She had to prevent the possibility of her final destruction from ever existing. As long as those two idiots were together, then the possibility got greater every day. The sooner she could cast the curse, the safer she would be.

"Time to get to work." Queen Victoria said to herself as she unrolled the scroll containing the ingredients for the curse

I'm just going to say that I wrote this out when I still kinda hated Hand, but now I've gotten more respect for her. She's so fun to write for, whether it's an evil queen or a outspoken roommate.

Next chapter will talk more about the curse, and we get to see some kid cuteness between two people whose paths cross later in the future.

So, who knows who Prince Charming and Snow White really are?