Hey I know it's super late but there was school and other crap and tests and projects and I really need to stop making excuses...Anywho two things, first: I decided to get rid of the opening thing with the summary and dedications because it's the same thing and you all have read it at least once soo yeah. Second: HOLY CRAP. In the Name of the Brother last night. INSANEEEE!

Disclaimer: I don't own Once...I sure wish I did though...there'd be none of them unhappy endings;)

Enjoy!


I stand next to Father in the crowded line of people all awaiting their turn to give Princess Emma her birthday gifts. She is turning four today. My practically little sister is now four years old. It is crazy how quickly time has gone since she was first born and I got to hold her. I hold the wooden ship I made her tightly to my chest. Father helped me make a basic model of the ship, but I did most of the work. It was my first project on my own. Father says I'm almost ready to start working in the shop now. Emma's birthday present was going to be my proof that I could do this.

Father's hand rests on my shoulder and he guides me forward. "Stay close, m'boy," he says, "I don't want you getting lost in this big crow now."

I look up and him and grin. "Yes Father. I won't leave your side, I promise!"

Father chuckles, "Good boy," he says. We walk forward up to the royal family.

Emma jumps at me. "'Okie!" she giggles.

I wrap my arms around her waist. "Hey Emma," I kiss her cheek, "Happy birthday kiddo!" I set Emma down and hand her the whale. "Here you go."

Emma squeals excitedly. "I can use it for my pirate 'ventures. Cap'n Hook is fightin' Peter Pan. And…and may'e you can play wit me?" she asks me, her eyes wide with hope.

I grin and give her another hug. "Of course Emma! But you have to play with your friends too." I wink at her.

Emma looks at the ground and shuffles her feet embarrassed. She mumbles under her breath, "I don't have lots a fwiends…"

I poke her stomach. "You do too! You have me, Alex, Ethan, Melody, and Tanya." I try to lift her spirits. We—Father, Uncle James, Aunt Snow, and I—know she doesn't have a lot of friends. We all made an agreement that whenever Emma says she doesn't have friends, to start listing those who are friends with her. She's my little sister. And it breaks my heart to see her sad little face.

There's a noise behind us and a chorus of gasps erupt. I turn around and my eyes widen. "Emma, get behind me." She does as I say while Uncle James comes forward drawing his sword.

It's Regina, Emma's step-grandmother. She shouldn't be here. She was banned from the kingdom years ago, before Father had met Uncle James, when I was still a puppet. "Regina. Leave," Uncle James says sternly, his voice rising in anger.

Emma grabs my hand and squeezes it tightly. "I'm scared, 'Okie…" she whispers softly behind me.

"Just stay behind me," I mutter through clenched teeth as Regina begins to speak.

"I just wanted to come to my little Emmy-kins' birthday!" Regina says smirking devilishly. "Or are you stripping that away from me as well, Snow?" she spits.

Aunt Snow comes up behind Uncle James. "You have no right to be here after everything you have done to our family!" Aunt Snow steps in front of Uncle James and he tries to pull her back behind him, but she shoots him a glare. "Regina. I want you to leave my daughter and my family alone. Whatever you are here for, is between us. No one else."

"You think this is about that?! Oh, Snow, darling," Regina steps forward, coming nose-to-nose with Aunt Snow, "I expected a tad bit more creativity from you."

Emma is now cutting off the circulation in my hand. "Stay quiet," I whisper to her, "Walk backwards." Slowly, I begin to back her up towards the thrones. There's a panel right behind Uncle James' that opens a secret passage on the right. If I can just get to the panel, I can get Emma out of here to safety.

"Leaving so soon, Puppet?" Regina calls. She throws up her hand and my feet are suddenly stuck to the ground. I try and lift them, but Regina must have used some type of spell on me. "The party's just beginning!" She laughs viciously. "Now, Snow, here's the real reason I'm here. I am here," she pauses for a moment and shoots a glance in Emma's direction, "because of one thing and one thing only. Your lovely daughter. She has something I want." She spins her finger in a circle, a purple flame of magic My eyes go wide…Is she saying that Emma…has magic?

Uncle James shakes his head. "You're lying. Em doesn't have magic. And if she did, Blue would have told us. Now, Regina, I suggest that you get your ass out of here before I personally take your life."

Aunt Snow grabs Uncle James by the arm and pulls him back towards her. She looks towards the back of the room and makes quick eye contact with the head of the guard, Lancelot. He nods at her and then nods to Emma's godmother, Red. They're going to capture Regina! They must have been planning on her showing up.

Regina laughs. "I'm lying?! Honestly, Snow, your 'Charming' really is all looks and no brains isn't he? You sure do know how to pick 'em. Now, as I was saying, I'll be taking Emma with me. Just for a short while, she'll be back before you know it."

Uncle James fumes in anger and lunges at Regina; slamming his sword into her dress and pinning her to the ground, he shouts, "NOW!"

I look above and see The Blue Fairy and several other fairies dropping a cage on top of Regina. I silently cheer as the cage falls. Regina attempts to use her magic to break free, but the fairies must have charmed it and made it magic proof from the inside, for every attempt fails. Her spell on me has been broken as well and I can move my feet once more. Uncle James looks back and me. 'Go.' He mouths. I nod and hurry Emma back to the throne. Red is waiting there to take Emma through the secret passage. I push the panel and the door opens. "Emma," I bend down and take her hands, "Go with Red okay? Can you do that for me? For 'Okie?" I point to myself in case she doesn't understand.

Emma's thumb is in her mouth, it's her nervous habit. Whenever she is scared she sticks her thumb in her mouth and sucks on it. Emma takes her thumb out and shakes her head in protest. "NO! I wanna stay with 'Okie an' Mama an' Daddy!"

"Emmy, sweetheart, Mama wants you to come show me your dollies," Red tells her gently, rubbing Emma's shoulders.

Emma shakes her head again and turns away from me. "No."

I huff in frustration. "Emma." I grab her chin and turn her head back towards me. "You need to go with Red. Go play pirates with her. I'll be there soon okay?"

Her eyes go wide in hope. "And we can pway Ca'pan Hook and Peter Pan?" she asks excitedly.

I nod and kiss her forehead. "Yes we can, now hurry!"

Red smiles at me and takes Emma by the hand, leading her down the passage. Emma turns and holds her hand up in goodbye and I do the same as the secret door slides shut. I turn back around and hurry over to everyone surrounding the cage.

Uncle James claps my back. "Good job Pinocchio. You're a good kid."

I grin at him. "What are we going to do about her?" I whisper in his ear, pointing at Regina.

"You'll see," he says softly and winks at me. Uncle James steps forward, addressing those remaining in the room. "Attention! There is no need to fear about Regina. She is no longer a threat to us. We will be putting her in Rumplestiltskin's cage underground. All of you go home, rest; put your minds at ease. Thank you for celebrating this happy day with us. We appreciate all of you making the journey for my daughter's birthday celebration. There will be an announcement made across the kingdom tomorrow. Thank you, again."

Everyone slowly begins to file out of the throne room until it is just the war council; Aunt Snow and Uncle James, Father, the Blue Fairy, Jiminy, me, Granny, Grumpy and the dwarfs, Lancelot, and William (the other head of guard); also here are Thomas and Ella, Eric and Ariel, Philip and Aurora, and Mulan. "Charming," Aunt Snow starts, "We can't lock her up with Rumplestiltskin! They'd find a way out of there in an instant."

Uncle James puts his hand on Snow's. "Thomas, Philip, Eric, Mulan, and I have already talked with him. We've reached an agreement with the imp. We're letting him go." He nods to the Blue Fairy who makes Regina and the cage disappear.

"No! You can't let him go! He's the most powerful…thing in our kingdom! You're willing to let him run loose?!" Aunt Snow demands.

I step forward to try and speak, but Father puts his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to him. "Don't get involved, m'boy," he whispers.

"He won't," Mulan says sternly. "We made a deal. I know of someone he once held—and still holds—dear to his heart. Her name is Belle. We met many years ago. She saved Philip from a curse cast on him by Maleficent. When we parted ways, she said she needed to go tame the heart of another beast. His name was Rumplestiltskin. I never heard from Belle again for years until quite recently.

"Philip has been sending in members of his guard into her castle as spies for months. One of them found a woman in Regina's dungeon. Her name is Belle. She's still there at this moment; I told Rumplestiltskin where she was being kept and he said he'd rather have Belle than use magic. He loves her. So, he's gone. We let him free already, Snow. He wants up to lock Regina in his cell so he doesn't have a chance at her neck. By tonight, he will be back at his castle with Belle, Regina will be locked in his cell, and we'll finish your daughter's birthday party." Mulan smiles at Aunt Snow reassuringly.

Everyone nods in agreement with Mulan. "Can someone go get Red please?" Thomas asks. "She's a part of this meeting as well. She'll want to be there when we lock Regina up."

Aunt Snow and Ella turn to me. "Pinocchio?" Aunt Snow asks, "Could you go take care of Emma and then send Red back down to us?"

"But—" I start. Father squeezes my shoulder and I huff in anger. "Fine…"


So? What did you guys think of Pinocchio's POV? It was fun to give Emma a protective older brother figure! I really enjoyed this chapter and now you've got a little bit of a hint about Emma and her magic...which is? Welllll you'll have to see ^.^ Let's just say the Charming's may have a little chat with one Rumplestiltskin soon...;)

~OUAT~OUAT~OUAT~

Laugher. Lover. Fighter-WOOO!;) Thanks girl! I'm glad you liked the Les Mis bit, I did too ^.^ Oh yeah Emma swearing is so fun to write! She just like takes overHope you liked this one!

proudlesbian-Was the explanation what you expected? I didn't want it to be too complex

maximum ride fang1995-Thanks! Hope you liked this one:)

Lgardner14-We shall see;) I have an interesting story line planned out for those two once Emma finds out about the curse...Sorry I didn't send you this chapter it was so late getting up I wanted to post it quickly haha. I'll send you the next ones though:)

OncerSware(k)Girlscout22-Yes lots of movie references in the last chapter! Princess Diaries, Les Mis, Aladdin:) I enjoy making those tiny parallels

HarrylovesGinny09-Thanks!

simplymegan15-Thanks! Yeah I am still on a Les Mis high and needed to throw them in somewhere;)

Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen: Did this explain where Rumple now is?;) We will get to see a LOT of him in the future (along with Belle) I promise! This story is basically already finished in my head I just have to write it all down. The aftermath of Emma leaving the castle will be in the next chapter. We're going to get multiple things there. PM me for some spoilers;)

LilNewbornVamp-Here you go! Sorry it's so late!

Debbie93-Thanks! There will be some MAJOR Mama Snow/Emma scenes next chapter. And I will DEFINITELY take your idea to the whiteboard! It's a good idea that will help move the plot along nicely:)

Aod4L-MULAN! THIS IS YOU?! My mind has officially been completely blown out of the water!;)

guest420-thanks! Hope you liked this one:)

Guest #1-Thanks!

guest5678-Thank you!

schroederplayspiano- 1st review: I'm sorrryyyyy! It has it's reasons I swear! Though...there's going to be many MANY more tragic chapters...*hides* 2nd review: I want to have that scene somewhere but since the chapter was Red's POV I couldn't find a spot for it. BUT I did actually write out that scene it just didn't make the final cut. I'm contemplating that when this is all over, making a deleted scene companion with all the things that didn't make the final cuts:) 3rd review: YEP! I had to make the reference;) I couldn't help it! hehe

guest666-Thank you! Hope you like this one as well:)

Guest #2-Aw thank you!

Guest #3-Here you go;)

Guest #4-Tada! I updated! Your review reminded me to:)

~OUAT~OUAT~OUAT~

I have three words for you. Ho. Ly. Crap. The amount of review that the last chapter received honestly BLEW MY MIND. We are already at 65 reviews with only 7 chapters! NONE of my stories have done so well! I'm so happy:) Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews and PLEASE keep them coming:)

UPDATING NOTES:

Something Was Found: The update WILL ARRIVE by the end of this week. I KNOW that it has been absolutely FOREVER but I hit an enormous barricade of writer's block that finally fell after the past two episodes. I am working on it today and will be making an extra long chapter to apologize for my horrible lack of responsibility.

Make Some Noise: A lot of people have been asking me to finish this one...I have an idea for the final chapter and will hopefully be getting it up by Valentine's day...?

DAMON'S LETTERS: (if any of you read it;) Will also be coming up with SWF. Another barricade of writer's block there as well but now that TVD is back in full swing, the block is gone and I'm back on track!

A Second Chance: (for you Les Mis fans that are reading/should read it;) I'm hoping today but I SWEAR on 'Ponine's love for Marius it will come no LATER THAN WEDNESDAY!

~Fin~

Okay so also I want to say that the reaction to Eponine and Marius in the last chapter was AWESOME! I was kinda worried about using Les Mis characters but they are going to play a MAJOR role later on:)

Follow me on twitter: McJepp15 or tumblr: mcjep47 Twitter to chat, tumblr for chatting and I post sneak peeks (when I remember;) of the new chapters! Also be SURE to like the Oncers For Life Facebook page: OncersForLife :)

Up next: Mama Snow/Emma fight, Snowing angst, and Nick may get in some trouble as well...^.^

Snow