Red and I finally caught up to Henry when we ran up to the clearing where Henry had stopped.
"Henry!" I yelled as I jogged up to him. I froze in my place when I saw my father and the Queen standing beside an old well.
I could see the dangerous dark magic crackling and zapping within. This was raw unyielding power. The kind of power that Rumplestiltskin had always dreamed of.
"Mom," Henry called out as he ran up to his adoptive mother.
The two turned towards us. Regina's gaze was locked on Henry but Rumplestiltskin's was darting between the three of us. Measuring to see how much of a threat we were.
"You're not helping Emma and Mary Margret, are you?" Henry asked in slight shock. The last bit of faith he had in his mother had been broken.
The queen looked heartbroken at the sight of her son. Seeing the disappointment and betrayal on his face. But she leaned in forward with a look of determination.
"I'm helping you," She replied with a firm look. "Henry."
"What are you talking about?" Henry asked in anger and confusion.
I looked at the strong, fatal magic that created some sort of deadly barrier within the well. They were trying to block something.
Henry said that Emma and her mother had found a way to get back to Storybrooke. Were they going to come through this well? Was Rumplestiltskin trying to kill them?
"You're going to kill them," Red realized. She started to rush forward but a wave of my fathers hand sent her flying back.
"Sorry, dearie," he apologized unconvincingly as he flung the poor girl back.
Red yelped in surprise and was knocked unconscious when she hit the ground with a loud thud.
Without hesitation, I withdrew my gun and pointed it straight at him. He was trying to kill Emma. I wasn't going to let him.
"Don't push me, Conners," he threatened. Casting me a dark glare that would have terrified me when I was a child. But not anymore. I would face this monster if it meant protecting the girl I loved from death. I would rot before I would let him hurt Emma.
"Stop this!" I commanded, the gun fixed on his chest. I was a good shot. I could shoot his heart with my eyes closed. It wouldn't kill him. With magic in Storybrooke, he was immortal once again. But if it could slow him down, then it was worth it. "I know you can stop this."
"You really think you can kill me with a gun?" he mocked, his dark eyes daring me to make a move.
"I know it won't," I answered, pulling back the safety. "It will hurt like a bitch, though."
Before I could pull the trigger, my father waved his hand and a powerful force knocked me back. I'm pretty sure he hit me harder than he hit Ruby. I felt my head and back hit a tree that stood behind me.
The impact left me in a daze on the ground. My head was pounding, my ears were ringing, and my eyes refused to open. I was aching all over and I could feel myself drifting away into unconsciousness. It would be a relief, if it could end this pain. But I stopped myself from falling into the black abyss. I heard something that chilled my entire being and pulled me out of unconsciousness.
I could hear Henry screaming.
Henry.
Emma.
Rumplestiltskin.
Wrath coursed through my veins and burned away my fatigue. I wasn't letting this bastard hurt my family. I knew Austin Conners couldn't stop him. Not now. Not without the Dark One's dagger.
But Baelfire could.
If I told him who I was, he would listen to me. At least, I hope he would. It was the only chance I had. I was terrified of what would happen when he found out who I was. But screw my fear. Emma was vastly more important. I had to do this. For her.
I forced my eyes to open and sat up from my spot on the ground with a groan. Ignore the pain. I need to help Emma.
When I looked up at my father, I saw his eyes were fixed on Regina. Regina, who was sucking the magic out of the well. Why the hell was she doing that? Was it because of Henry?
I winced as I stood from the floor. I think I landed on my bad shoulder. That probably wasn't good for a gunshot wound. I watched as Regina reeled back and collapsed by a nearby tree.
The well was no longer bursting with magic, and the wind wasn't blowing. There was only silence and stillness.
I stared at the well, trying to see if Emma would come out of there. But there was nothing. There was no one.
"No!" Henry yelled, a look of utter despair on his face. He looked at the empty well, and I could see the hope in him crumble.
Regina was too late.
The well was empty.
Emma was gone.
That was the thing that burned into me like hot coals. Emma was gone. And I could've stopped it. If I had just told my father who I was, he wouldn't have done this. He would have stopped it. I would have stopped it.
But I was too late.
Emma was gone.
I stumble back and lean heavily on the tree behind me. I can't find the energy in me to stand anymore. I can't do anything but stare straight ahead. My lungs have failed and I stopped breathing. My heart is dead, I'm not even sure if it's beating. And I can't seem to care. I can't hear. I can't smell. I can't feel. I am empty.
But a light flickers inside of me and my heart flutters to life when I see something. A pale hand shoots up from within and grasps the edge of the well. I dare to let a hopeful breath of oxygen into my lungs as I watch a second hand grab hold of the edge.
With her palms flat against the stone, Emma Swan hoists herself onto the ledge. Same golden curls, same hazel eyes. She is closely followed by a brunette woman, who I could only assume was her mother.
Emma's eyes immediately fall upon her son and she cries out his name in relief. She clutches at him like he's a lifeline, whispers about how much she missed him.
Watching the reunion can do nothing but make me beam, but a new realization strikes me. Emma is back. And she will probably recognize me. Without thinking, I scramble to get behind the tree and run off into the safety of the woods.
I wanted to see Emma, more than anything. But I can't approach her now. I can't even bare to face her after everything. I just need to be satisfied with the fact that she was alive. The fact was enough to make me light up with joy. Emma was back and she was okay. She was probably going to be very pissed off when she sees me but I don't care. At least she's alive. That was all that mattered.
I finally slow my pace to a steady walk. I hadn't realized that I was racing further away from the town instead of towards it. I should probably head back to the town. If I avoid the main path, then I shouldn't run into Emma. I was about to turn around and walk back, when I noticed a dull grey shine.
I turned to fully face the thing and let my curiosity move me forward. Between the trees, I could see the outline of a large trailer.
What was it doing all the way out here? Who the heck could be living there?
The thing was really dirty, and it looked like it had been abandoned. I cautiously stepped towards the front door and knocked. If no one answered I could just break in. Pick the lock and see what was inside. Though it was probably nothing extraordinary.
I tested the knob and found that the door was open. Well, that makes things easier for me. I climbed into the trailer and glanced around the space.
"Anybody home?" I called out. I looked around and spotted nothing out of the ordinary. That is until I turned around. "Jesus Christ!"
I jolted in surprise and backed away from the man who stood before me. But he wasn't exactly a man. His skin was like polished wood. This guy was made of wood.
The fake blue eyes looked like they were widening in surprise. At least, that's what it looked like.
"Austin?" A voice that I recognized all too well asked. "What are you doing here?"
My eyes bulged in their sockets. "August," I whispered in astonishment. "Your made of wood."
"I hadn't noticed." He commented dryly. "You have a gift for pointing out the obvious."
I ignored the jibe and continued to stare at him in shock. "You're here. I've been looking for you for days. I thought you were dead."
"Nice to know you were concerned," he replied sarcastically. "I didn't know you would end up coming here."
"Well, I thought I should come here," I said as I stepped towards him. "To see Emma and Henry."
"You talked to Emma?" August asked in surprise. "What did she say?"
"Nothing," I answered with a shrug, leaning against the wall and wincing. My body still ached from the impact. "Up until now, she had been trapped in the enchanted forest."
"She was in the enchanted forest?" August reeled back slightly in astonishment.
"And she just got back," I said simply, looking out the window and thinking about her. "Doesn't even know I'm here yet."
"How's she going to react to that?" August wondered, with what I'm guessing was a raised eyebrow. I can't really tell. "Didn't you say she wouldn't want to see you?"
"She won't," I responded quickly, knowing fully and a bit begrudgingly that this was the truth. Emma won't want to see me, at all. And I'm not sure I'm ready to face her, after everything I did and all the hurtful things I said. After I rejected her, so cruelly, and left her alone and pregnant with our son. "She'll probably punch me in the face as soon as she sees me."
"Yeah," August agreed. "That wouldn't surprise me."
"So, what the hell happened to you?" I asked, looking the wooden man up and down.
"It spread," he replied, looking down at his hands and flexing the fingers with a deep frown. "Till I was completely made of wood. But when magic was brought to Storybrooke, I was alive again. I'm just like I was before, except I'm a full grown mam."
"Does your noes grow really long when you lie?" I inquired seriously before my face split into a grin. "Cause I really want to see that."
"Bite me."
Xxx
Emma jumped on the couch beside Austin with a broad grin. He couldn't help but smirk as the 9 year old tried to steal some of his body heat by snuggling up to him. The little leach. Her pale skin was chilled, due to the blizzard outside. The orphanages thin walls didn't provide much comfort, and many of the kids were now shivering in the cold. Austin never had problems with the cold. He was usually warm enough.
He wrapped an around little Emma when he noticed her shaking.
"You okay?" he asked in concern. His hand rubbing her arm in order to create warmth in her skin.
"I'm fine," she answered bravely. "I'm just bored."
"You want me to tell you a story?" Austin inquired with a smirk, knowing the girl wouldn't be able to resist the offer.
Emma bounced in her seat excitedly. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Please Austin!" she begged. "Can you tell me a love story this time?"
"A love story?" He repeated in surprise. Usually she liked adventure stories.
"Yes," she answered, giving him her brightest smile. "Because it's Valentines Day."
Austin gave her a skeptical look and then he shrugged. "Alright," he relented to the child's whims. "I know a love story."
Emma snuggled closer and waited in anticipation.
"Now, this is a story that my mother told me a long time ago," he started. "It's kind of like a legend. It's called the Phoenix and the Swan. You see, far above the clouds, in a world that is beyond our reach, there is a lake that sits in the heavens. Smooth, crystal water that shines like silver. Living on this lake, there is a beautiful snow white swan that was created in the light of moon."
"The moonlight can create swans?" Emma asked cynically.
"It's a story, it's not about the facts," he stated. "The swan was a magnificent creature. She created beauty and light wherever they went. She could rebuild worlds that were destroyed. Everyone adored her. But she was lonely. Up in her unreachable world. She had no one to talk to. No one who would dare to approach the greatness of her light."
"Did she have a family?" Emma wondered with a sympathetic expression. If there was one thing she could understand, it was loneliness.
"Her only family was the moon. And it was too far away from her." Austin watched as Emma's expression fell even further. He hugged her tighter, giving her a reassuring smile. "Down on the earth there was darkness and ashes. And from the ashes, a small bird was born. He had lived in the darkness all his life, and he hated it. He longed for an escape, so he could be in the light. But this bird had no feathers, so he could not fly. The bird begged the sun for feathers and gave up everything he owned to please the great sun. And he was rewarded with golden feathers that were made of fire. And with these new feathers, the phoenix flew."
"Wouldn't feathers that were made of fire hurt him?" Emma asked in confusion.
"It's just a myth," Austin reminded her. "Now, when the phoenix left the earth he spread a great fire, with his feathers made of flame. He didn't realize that he had brought such devastating destruction to his home when he left. He just continued to fly up, without looking back. As the phoenix flew up into the clouds, he found the unreachable world and the silver lake."
"Did he meet the swan?" Emma asked excitedly.
"Yes he did," he smiled at the little girl. These stories always had the child invested. "When he saw the sad and beautiful swan, he sang a sweet tune. This grabbed the swan's attention. When she saw the phoenix, she was mesmerized. She sang back and the phoenix flew to her. The swan was overjoyed to meet a new friend, as was the phoenix. The two sang together and rejoiced, for they were no longer lonely and they could find the happiness in light. The phoenix would warm the swan with his fire when she was cold. And the swan calmed his fire with her light and water. As time passed, their friendship grew more strong, until the feeling was so strong that it was no longer friendship. It was love. Pure and undeniable love. A love that defied time and fate. A love that could cross through worlds. A love that was beyond magic. One day, the swan confessed her love to the phoenix. But the phoenix was hesitant. He didn't know if the swan would accept him if she new he was just a featherless bird that had come from the darkness of the ashes. But he couldn't deny his love for the swan. So he professed it to her immediately. They flew through the skies together, singing their hearts out with love. When their feathers brushed it would created a heavenly glow and a pure, unstoppable magic sparked in the air. But as they flew, they saw the great fire that was destroying the world below them. The phoenix saw what happened and knew it was because of him. He realized that he had spread the fire when he left the ground. The phoenix was so wrought with guilt and shame that he couldn't take it anymore. So he let the fire on him roar and he burst into flames."
"What?!" Emma cried out in astonishment. "He just exploded."
"It's a story," Austin sighed in exasperation. "No logic is necessary. The swan watched in horror and heartbreak as her precious phoenix turned to ash before her eyes. She was utterly devastated by the loss and she no longer had the strength to fly. The swan fell from the sky and plunged to the ground. She was going to let herself fall, she was so consumed by her grief that she didn't have the strength to save herself. But as she got closer to the earth, she saw people suffering and she forced herself to fly. She knew she had to save them. She flew up to her unreachable world and used the water in her lake to put out the flames. The people called her the savior, for she had rescued them all from complete devastation. The swan didn't join in the celebration that took place. She secluded herself in her unreachable world and cut herself off from others. All she could think about was her phoenix. She was too hallow to even feel lonely. All she felt was sorrow. She spent her days sitting on her silver lake and singing to her phoenix. Believing he would never sing back. But, little did she know, down on the earth, in the darkest corners of the land, a featherless bird was being reborn from the ashes. And that bird was singing back up to the heavens."
Emma waited for a second. She blinked, and blinked again. "That's it?"
"That's the end," Austin answered with a simple shrug.
"That's a terrible ending," she snapped. "The swan was left alone. And the phoenix is featherless again. How are they supposed to be together?"
"It's the promise of tomorrow. The mystery of what will happen when they are reunited," he told her. "Apart they are very special creatures. But together, they are extraordinary. It is said, that when the Phoenix and the Swan are reunited they will become more powerful than magic itself."
"That seems like it would be a better story," Emma decided as she looked ahead of her thoughtfully, thinking of the happy reunion between the two love birds and the incredible adventures that would befell them. She curled up closer to her friend. "One day you should tell me that ending."
"Sure," he grinned at her. "One day, I'll give you the proper ending."
Flashback number two. I hope you all liked the little fairytale. Not sure if it was any good. Sorry.
Please Review : D