The enchanted forest

Tick tock...

The clock symbolised Rose's prison. The hours, minutes, seconds she spent in there she knew Killian was still out there, sailing around the world, other worlds even, not remembering who she was. This was her hell.

Tick tock...

She hated the clock, but she kept it. Kept it so she would know how many hours she could've been with her love.

Rose usually cried. When her eyes grew sore of crying, she screamed. When her throat ached with pain, she sat and stared and the more she sat and stared, the more she loathed her father. She now understood the anger and the need for revenge that Hook felt.

Rose sighed, her eyelids heavy. But she knew she had to keep them open, as hope continued to race through her head.

With quick eyes, she noticed a dagger in the corner of her cell. Ah, yes, she remembered. The dagger she had in her bag the day Rumpelstiltskin took her away. It looked so sharp...and tempting. She sat and wondered about how fast and painful in would be to stab herself, to stab her soft flesh. Then it would be over and she would be at peace.

Yes... peace.

The more she thought about it, the more the hope washed away. She believed in second chances, but perhaps her only second chance was in death.

Slowly using all her all her strength, she dragged herself from the bench and crawled to the knife. When she reached it she wrapped her hand around the hilt, cool at the touch. She held it in her hands with extreme care and raised it up, lining up with her heart.

Soon it will be all over...

A hint of a smile crossed over her face. Before she could plunge the dagger into her chest, Rose felt a curious, warm presense.

She whipped her head around and saw a person.

A... tiny person with small, delicate wings attached to her back. She wore an elegant, blue dress that hung loosely around her feet. Her hair was kept above her face, together with a silk, blue ribbon.

"Who… are you?" Rose's voice croaked.

"I am the Blue Fairy," she replied with a warm smile. "And I'm here to help."

Rose scowled. "I don't need help. How'd you get in here anyway?"

"Your father is being… distracted," the Blue Fairy replied. "We sent in a thief to take something valuable of his to get his attention."

Rose bolted up. "What? No! He'll be killed!"

"Do not worry," the fairy assured her. "He has a strong protection spell."

"It won't work."

"Then we must have faith."

"I lost that a while ago."

The Blue Fairy noticed the deep sadness that was buried deep in her eyes and lowered closer to her face.

"You are troubled," she said sympathetically. "Torn by your father and loved by no one."

Rose shifted her feet awkwardly. "How do you know that?"

"I know many things," she replied. "And I know that your future is not in vain."

The girl raised an eyebrow at her in suspicion.

"I know what may come to pass," the Blue Fairy continued. "And I know your family, your real family, is alive."

Rose stumbled over her feet. "No, no… you're lying. My family… they were farmers and they were… killed. They're dead."

The Blue Fairy shook her head. "No, they are indeed alive. And I know how to find them."

"How?" Rose asked curiously.

The Blue Fairy pulled out two small bottles from her dress and handed them to her. One contained a shiny blue liquid and the other contained a milky white substance. Rose eyed then, perplexed.

"What are they for?" she asked.

"The blue one is a memory potion," the fairy said.

Excitement boiled in Rose's stomach. Could she use this on Hook? Yes! Then he could remember her.

Don't get ahead of yourself, she thought to herself. You're still stuck in here.

"And the white one," the fairy continued. "Is a trigger."

Rose cocked her head. "A trigger?"

She nodded. "Take this now and when you find your family, there will be a sign."

"What kind of sign?"

"We don't know for certain," she said sadly. "But I'm sure you'll know."

Rose turned her back to the fairy and thought.

Well, if it's a trick and I die, that'll be fine. It'll just be what I was going to do in first place, she thought.

With no more hesitation, she took the potion in one gulp. It was sweeter than she thought it would be, almost sugary.

She turned back to the smiling fairy.

"Now," she said. "Our thief is prepared to get you out of here."

Rose gaped are her. "But that's impossible!"

The Blue Fairy shook her head. "But it is… the thief didn't just steal something valuable of Rumpelstiltskin's. He also bargained with him."

"So… I can just go?"

"Yes."

Did her father just give her up? The unburning desire for revenge and the need for freedom was granted by a mere bargain? Hatred caused Rose to clench her fists until her knuckles turned white.

"So… the thief is downstairs?" Rose asked, teeth clenched.

The Blue Fairy nodded.

Rose walked towards the wooden door and she opened the door, which flew open with flew open with ease.

Muttering under breath, she ran downstairs. She seemed to be flying. She had imagined being free, but being freed by a handsome prince (or pirate), but not by her father. Light tears trickled down her face.

When she reached the bottom, she spotted a handsome man standing by the door. He turned around and smiled, a kind smile.

"You must be Rose," the man said.

She inched closer with caution. "Are you my knight in shining armour?"

He laughed. "More like your thief in shabby rags."

Rose almost smiled. "Who are you?"

The man straightened his back. "Robin Hood, at your service."

Present Day

Snow sighed with relief when she saw Rose's eyes flutter open. Snow almost had a heart attack when the girl blacked out. She didn't only faint, but she screamed, a terrible, awful scream that sent chills down their spines.

Rose shivered before waking up fully. Her vision focused on the two ladies that stood above her, faces full of concern.

"Did I just black out?" Rose asked, rubbing her head.

Belle nodded. "And you screamed."

The girl cocked her head, confused. Then a wave of realization hit her.

Rose bolted up and looked at the two ladies in awe. "I think I just found my family."

Snow almost fell backwards. "What do you mean?"

Rose did not explain, first she was already out the door.

Emma's phone was going ballistic before she could reach in her pocket and answer it.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Emma?" David sounded out of breath and worried.

"David?" Emma asked. "What's going on?"

"It's Neal," he said. "He set a fire."

"On purpose?!"

She couldn't believe it. Neal wouldn't hurt anyone, ever. This was a mistake, this was impossible.

"It's seems like it," David replied. "He's different somehow. He's not the same man you used to know."

That shouldn't have shocked Emma, but for some reason it did. But what did she expect? For Neal to come running her, alive and well, so they could live happily ever after? God, how would she explain this Henry?

Oh, hey Henry, your father who died came back to life and started a fire and now he's slightly insane which is not understandable!

She tried to wrap her mind around it. She remembered him dying, she saw die. Even Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One, couldn't do anything to save his own son. The more she told she herself that it was impossible, the more the word loss meaning.

Suddenly her phone went off again.

"Hello?" she answered, scared of more bad news.

"Emma!" she heard her mother exclaim. "It's Rose! She blacked out and now she's convinced she's found her family. And since she's from the enchanted forest her family could be anyone in Storybrooke!"

Emma frowned. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Snow replied. "But she's somewhere."

"Okay," Emma said. "I'll look for her."

She hung up the phone and turned to see the one and only Rose standing about six feet in front of her. She was smiling like a fool once she saw Emma's face.

"Emma," Rose said, walking closer. "That's your name, right?"

Emma didn't know whether or not this girl was insane. If this girl was really from the Enchanted Forest, there was no reason for anyone in Storybrooke to trust her. She could be anyone.

Like Zelena...

Emma decided to go easy on her. "Rose… we're gonna help you, I promise."

She shook her head and laughed. "My heart… it's heavy. This has to be the sign the Blue Fairy was talking about. My heart becomes heavier when I'm around you. And Mary Margaret."

It made too much sense. Snow and Rose looked too much alike. But Emma had to brush it aside.

"Rose," she said, sympathetically. "You look a lot like Mary Margaret, but it's impossible."

There was that word again.

Impossible.

She of all people should know that impossible doesn't exist when you're related to and know a lot of fairy tale characters.

"I don't know," Rose said, placing her delicate hand on her heart. "But the Blue Fairy can back me up. Or Robin Hood."

Before Emma could call bullcrap, they heard a deep voice from behind.

"Indeed I can."

They turned around to see a very happy Robin Hood.

"Rose," he beamed.

"Robin," she ran into his arms to be pulled into an embrace.

Emma in shock and awe said, "You two know eachother?"

Robin nodded. "Not only do I know her, I know who she is."

Rose pushed away from him, a dumbfounded expression on her face. "You knew who I was and you didn't say anything?!"

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "But since Rumpelstiltskin is stuck with Zelena, I feel the need to tell you."

He paused for effect. "You're the twin sister of Snow White."