A/N: Hello back readers! Again, I want to thank the alerts, favs and reviews I received after the first two chapters... Really, you guys are amazing.
This chapter, you are going to learn a bit more about that stranger and who she truly is, because if some of you called it right, her...well...creation (pun for the title) isn't what you think at-all.
Please review after reading so I know if you liked that twist or not. ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Once upon a time nor any of its characters. I only own the plot in this story as well as a major OC.
3. Creation
The stranger
"I do..."
No one had realised the door to the loft had been pushed open until that voice filled the air. All eyes went to the two figures in the doorway, one leaning on the other for support as he entered the room.
"I thought..." started Snow, "I thought you were-"
"Dead?" answered the Apprentice. "Yes, I thought it too. But apparently, my time isn't over just yet." His eyes went to her as she still sat on the stairs. "I know what you are, child."
She stood. "Who am I?"
Belle – because it was her, of course – helped the Apprentice further into the room and helped him to a chair before she leaned back, sighing in relief. Then the air filled with tension, before he started his tale.
"You are indeed a creation of Miss Swan. One I have never heard of before."
"How did she create her?" Snow asked as she, too, sat at the table, David's hands on her shoulders.
She strode closer, eyes enraptured by the man who would give her answers. Answers to the questions she still had no answer to. "She thought of me."
"Thought of you?" Regina said, her tone filled with mockery, though when she saw that she was serious, the smirk faded. "How come?"
Her eyes went to the Queen's, then to Henry. "When Isaac wrote his book, he didn't write Emma in it, but he could not erase the Saviour once and for all. She was trapped in a tower instead. Her powers unable to get her out, her memories intact." She paused, and smiled to Henry. "But she knew one person could save her if he was there."
"Henry." Snow's voice was filled with certainty, and she nodded.
"Yes, Henry. But Henry was not there. So she wished, wished to have her child in the Enchanted Forest – the child who could free her from the tower."
"And she created you?" Henry was still stunned as his other mother asked the questions.
The Apprentice answered. "You have to understand her powers were loose. She was throwing them about to try to free herself... Emma Swan wields such a power that only my master's rivals...she is the most powerful sorceress in all realms."
"Let me get this straight..." Regina began, pointing at her, "Emma thought of her child, a child that could save her, and her powers moulded her wish into you?" She nodded, and the Queen chuckled darkly. "How quaint."
"But..." her eyes went to Snow, who had her brow furrowed, "you look like..."
"Yes," she answered, "I look like Hook. Although I did not know it before you said so, and I don't know why."
The Apprentice's laugh froze everyone on place. He was chuckling to himself but the sound was so foreign and almost rude at that moment that everything paused until he calmed down. "Aaaah, love..." He let the thought dawn on everyone, and then carried on. "Miss Swan was thinking of Henry, but also of someone else...all those, in fact, who could save her."
"Hook." David's voice was hard and he eyed his phone on the counter behind him once more.
"And you," the Apprentice added before his eyes went back to her. "That is why you are a female and not a male like Henry. Your...creator...thought of him, but also of Hook, hence the resemblance, and of her parents...hence your sex...and age."
She sat back down on the stairs and stared at her hands in wonder. "I am..."
"What some would call a love-child, yes..." he chuckled again, "although you were never 'born', technically speaking. You never inhabited Miss Swan's womb."
"This is totally bonkers," launched Robin from his stance at the door. His blue eyes were wide and he hadn't spoken for several minutes. But when he did again, it was to address the other surprising matter. "If she was created in the other book, then she should have been erased the moment Henry saved us."
It was her time to chuckle darkly. "Unfortunately for both you and me...I wasn't in the book when Henry saved you."
When she saw all the stunned faces in front of her, even the Apprentice's, she sighed and stood. She felt suddenly as if fate had befallen her shoulders. Knowing who she was with better surety was disturbing...considering she was not truly human.
"When Henry and Isaac entered the book, I was thrown out."
Silence.
And then..."Because you and Henry are basically the same person...or so Emma thought. You could be one and the other in the same book."
It was surprisingly Belle who had answered.
Silence fell again.
And when she sighed once more, her eyes going through the window, her following words brought a cloud of sadness over the whole place. "I wished she was here to explain some things to me..."
No one moved except for one person, whose footsteps echoed loudly in the room before a small hand met her shoulder. "You can help us save Mom."
She glanced down at Henry. "How?"
"You have her memories, you said," Regina answered. "Maybe you know where she has gone."
She shook her head. "Sometimes I can see in her mind, but I cannot see where she is yet. Although one thought keeps popping up. Merlin."
Some exchanged a look, and then Snow raised a hand. "Stop..." all eyes went to her as she stood. "This young woman, and us all in fact, have lived quite the exhausting evening. I am saying we gather back here tomorrow to continue this conversation." Her green eyes met her blue, and some understanding passed between the two. "You can stay here if you want."
She shook her head. "I cannot see myself sleep in her room. But thank you. I will move to Granny's, I think."
Henry nodded and took her arm. "We'll walk you, won't we Mom?"
Regina nodded absent-mindedly, her dark eyes still whirling with questions. Robin walked to her and took her hand, shaking her off her thoughts. "Yes, of course."
And so the group split up for the night.
Henry
This was probably the weirdest thing he had ever heard of.
As he walked down the stairs and into the street, with her following, he could not help but feel as if things were clicking into place. When he looked at her, he felt as if he knew her from before, and now he knew why.
She was him...and Hook...and his Mom.
She was...his sister. No apter word had ever been used.
His Mom and Robin were behind them a few paces, talking animatedly on the sole topic that mattered, so he took her hand and caught her attention.
"Hey, do you have a name?"
She shook her head, smiling at their entwined hands. He knew she felt some weird things too, being his...shadow? He really had to think of a better name. Sister was cool, but it also wasn't that true...
"Then I'll call you Selene."
"Selene?" Her tongue tried the name, then she nodded. "I like it, but why call me like the Moon?"
Henry's brow raised. "Oh it wasn't because of that." He smiled. "You look like a girl named Selene in a movie called Underworld."
Her eyes unsettled, as if she was searching her – or Emma's – memories, and then her nose turned upright. "She hated that movie. Too much gore."
"Yes but Selene is really pretty." He blushed a little, but she squeezed his hand and smiled back.
"Yes, that she is, and I'm glad you think that of me. Selene it is."
Killian
His mind was calmed down. He could no more feel the raging burn of his anger as he strolled back into town.
Granted, he wasn't walking straight and was certain to wake with the worst hangover a pirate had ever known the following day, but at least he was at peace again, or as much at peace as someone with a broken-heart could be.
Gone... She was-
No, he could not linger on that thought.
I'll find her.
That was better.
Storybrooke was awfully silent as he reached Granny's. The diner was empty, of course, so he circled the place to enter by the back-door, his fingers fumbling with the key before he could reach the lock.
The door opened before he had time to find the keyhole, and the Queen and Henry stepped out, soon followed by Robin Hood. All three pairs of eyes widened upon seeing him, and Regina and Robin walked away a bit, the archer clasping his shoulder in comfort as they left him with Emma's son.
Emma...
I'll find her.
Yes, cling to that thought while you can.
Henry's eyes were wide as he caught in his appearance. Then he gestured inside. "I'll walk you upstairs, if you want."
Killian shook his head. "No, lad... No need..." He stumbled as he missed the step inside, and Henry rolled his eyes.
"Don't be stupid, Killian." The boy followed him as he climbed the stairs to the first floor, his hand gripping the rail to make sure he didn't fall to his death.
When they stopped in front of his door, Henry's eyes lit up dangerously. Killian was familiar with that light. In a perfect imitation of his mother, Henry was having an idea.
"Hey, Killian, I want you to meet someone."
"Now, lad? I'm not really in good shape," he answered, pointing at his body.
"Oh it will only be a minute." the lad answered, and then he was tugging on Killian's arm, pulling his limp form towards the other end of the corridor.
"Henry..." his voice was weak and hoarse, but he let him pull him wherever he wanted. He was too tired to fight anyway.
At last they stopped in front of a door, and the lad knocked twice. A small voice, feminine he noticed, rose from inside.
"Who is this?"
"It's Henry! I'm bringing you someone!"
The lock clicked, and the door opened slightly. Killian could not see the person, but guessed they could see him, for there was a small gasp of disagreement. "Henry, I don't think this is the best idea you've had..."
"Don't be stupid, it'll be good for both of you." He pushed opened the door and pulled Killian inside.
His gentleman ways, had they been awake, would have refused to step inside a lass' room, but Henry was stronger than him that night so he let him.
He barely had time to process his surroundings when his eyes fell on the girl and he damn right froze.
It was like looking in a mirror. A mirror that would have swapped your gender, but a mirror nonetheless... Her eyes were a carbon copy of his, as were her face features, and hair...
A black leather jacket had been discarded on the chair behind her and he realised she also dressed like him.
If he had met her in the Enchanted Forest, he'd have said she looked like a pirate.
Henry smiled knowingly and gestured towards the girl. "Killian, this is Selene." He paused, and the girl's eyes moved from the man in front of her to the lad beside her in what looked like a silent plea.
Plea he didn't hear.
"She's your daughter."
