The morning that Emma left to the store because she got a call that Henry shoplifted, Snow simply thought he was acting out again. He was under Regina's control with absolutely no one but Emma, Archie, and her Mary Margaret…but they weren't enough yet to stop the abuse.

At least not yet.

She expected her daughter to bring Henry to the house and they could have a bit of a talk. She never expected Emma to bring home a couple of children from the school and tell her they had no home.

Snow quickly made them a big lunch; she had no idea when they last ate a decent meal. They looked so thin and were almost filthy. Snow wondered how they had survived by themselves for 28 years; did the curse just…give them everything they needed to survive?"

Emma made sure they were eating before she finally pulled herself away. There was something defiant in her eyes when Snow got her by herself. Snow wasn't surprised at all, she knew as soon as Emma had told her that she'd sympathized with their plight.

"Do you know them?" Emma asked, "Do they go to your school?"

"I've seen them," Snow told her. If she remembered correctly, they were a year above her class, "But…I had no idea. None of us did."

They would have to be ignorant to the children's ordeal. Snow wondered what they'd done to anger Regina so that she forced them into this.

Emma gave her a file, "Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. They said their mother was a woman named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago. No one seems to know her or remember her."

These kids thought they'd been surviving on their own for years? Well, they had of course, but it did seem like the curse replenished what they needed. They thought they'd scraped by.

Probably a lot like Emma.

"And the father?" she asked.

"There isn't one. At least not one that they know."

Snow had to ask the next question, she didn't want to be held accountable if Regina found out that Emma was harboring two homeless children here, "What do Social services say?"

Emma was quiet.

"You…didn't report them," Snow noted.

"I report them, I can't help them," Emma said quickly, "They go into the system."

Snow tried to remember what Mary knew about the system. She knew it was flawed…and that it was hit or miss, "The system that's supposed to help."

"Yeah," Emma said with bitterness in her voice, "The system I knew and was in for sixteen years. Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket – nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts all over again."

Snow felt her insides twist as she heard her daughter give her the layout of her childhood. She grew up unwanted and unloved because no one wanted to make the sacrifices that would come with actually raising another human being.

But she WAS wanted and loved and sometimes it felt like it was far too late to bond.

"But they're not all like that," she told her daughter.

"All the ones I was in," Emma said.

All.

Snow looked back to the kids, "What? You want me to adopt them?"

"Just watch over them for a while?"

"Define 'a while'"

Emma was quiet.

"We're not foster parents," she told her, "And do you really want Elias to be near kids?

Emma stopped. The tension between her and Rumpelstiltskin had NOT decreased since the election. It was always tense when they were in the same room. Snow felt like she was being pulled in two between the shared biting comments. Rumpelstiltskin believed he did what he had to do. Emma couldn't believe Snow was still staying with him after what he'd nearly done to her.

Emma didn't understand how much Snow needed this mutually beneficial arrangement to work.

"Can't you just watch them for a bit?" Emma asked, "I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not know they exist."

Which probably meant they were close in the Enchanted Forest.

"And you'll think if he knows, he'll want them?"

"I don't know. But what I do know is its hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. It's their best shot, or-."

"We're going to be separated?"

Emma turned at the sound of the voice. Ava stood behind them. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"No," Emma told her gently, "That's not going to happen."

"Please," Ava whispered, "Please don't let it."

"I won't," Emma promised, "Just give me time."

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Snow waited until Emma was gone before she left the room and made the phone call.

"Yes dear?" Rumpelstiltskin said as soon as he picked up.

Snow rolled her eyes at the endearing term, "Hey…um…we may have a bit of a problem. Nothing alarming…nothing that links back to us but….Emma found two homeless kids."

"There are homeless kids here?"

"You didn't know?"

"I assure you that if I knew there were homeless children, I would make arrangements."

"Well…do you know who they are?"

"Two children that angered Regina to the point where she didn't give them stability doesn't exactly tell me anything to identify them, dear."

"Um…they're twins."

"Identical?"

"No, most definitely not. The girl is taller and blonde, the boy is dark headed…um…they claim their mother died but they don't know their father."

"Which means he's probably the more important one in their lives," Rumpelstiltskin muttered.

"That's what I thought."

He sighed, "I think I might have an inclination of who they might be."

"Who?"

"Have you ever wondered how your dear stepmother got ahold of the apple that she used to poison you all those years ago?"

"I thought it was one of hers that she poisoned."

"Indeed not, it was a special apple. One that could be enchanted. Another witch had it and Regina could not get in to get it. So, she sent child after child to fetch it."

"Why don't I think this story might end well?"

"The house was made of candy and the witch was a cannibal."

Snow closed her eyes, "And since they're alive and I was forced to poison myself…they were the ones that succeeded."

"She offered them a place in her palace, they refused. She sent them to the infinite forest. In order to get them to do what she wanted, she had taken their father hostage and told them she'd help them find him."

"And they spent…that time in the infinite forest."

"Until the curse was cast and Regina wanted revenge against all those that slighted her."

Snow sighed, "Even children."

"Even children."

"Do you know where the father is?"

"Yes, he's here too."

"Emma's looking for him."

"If she stops by, I'll send her in his direction."

"Thank you," Snow asked, "Don't ask a big price."

"I won't. She might shoot me."

Snow gave a quiet, "Hmm,"

"Something else, dear?"

"What if we watched them? I-I mean, took care of them?"

"And send Regina on the warpath?"

"She couldn't link it to us knowing who we were. Mary Margaret is compassionate and would open her heart to anyone that needed help."

"I'm not talking about us knowing our identities, dear. We are her most hated enemies. Emma is quickly rising above the ranks. What do you think will happen to those kids if she's also angry at them as well and we take them in?"

"We can't let them cross the border though; Emma might have to take them to a foster home."

"That won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"Snow, what happened to your faith?"

"It's been a bit shaky since I woke up here," Snow whispered.

"Well, perhaps we should find a way to restore it then."

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Rumpelstiltskin set about dusting the shop. If Emma was going to come here, he didn't want her to think he let things go. Her mother lived with him and he really wanted to get back on Emma's good side.

She wasn't as useful if she was dragging her feet when he called in his favor of finding Bae.

She came into the shop when he was about done, thankfully. Where all this dust constantly came from, he didn't know. Must've been the curse. The castle never got this dusty.

Of course the castle was enchanted as well.

"Emma," he greeted as she walked in, "How lovely to see you."

Emma looked like she'd rather bolt than be here.

"I'm flattered you'd take time off your busy schedule for me," he leaned across the counter and gave her an enigmatic smile, "What can I do for you, Sheriff?"

"I'm looking for information on this old compass," Emma put it on the counter, "Any idea where it could have come from."

He picked it up and examined it, "Well, well. Look at the detail."

He dug into his Mr. Gold memories. The man had odd tastes in what he liked to learn about. He had a passion, like Rumpelstiltskin, for antiquities such as this."

Gods, they didn't make compasses like this here.

"You know," he pointed to the cracked face, "This is crystal. This jeweled setting…in despite the rather unfortunate shape it's in, this is actually a very unusual piece. The person who owned this obviously had great taste."

Emma held his gaze, "And where would someone like that buy it?"

He pressed his finger against the display case, "Right here of course."

"You know him?" Emma asked.

"Indeed," he looked down at the compass, "A piece like this is difficult to forget."

"Do you happen to remember who bought it?"

"Well," he started walking to his records, "I'm good with names, Miss Swan, but maybe not that good."

Lie.

"However, as luck would have it, I do keep quite extensive records."

He made a show of looking through the small filing cabinet on the counter. He located a blank card that would do and pulled it out. He started to pretend to hand it to her, but then withdrew it, licked his lips, and smiled at her.

Emma gave him a wry smile back, "What's your price?"

"Forgiveness."

"How about tolerance?" Emma offered.

"Well, that's a start," he accepted the offer, "The compass was purchased by a Mr. Michael Tillman."

"Anything else?"

Well, he could give her an address, being the landlord and all but he didn't see any point in doing her entire job for her, "Just a name. But I generally find that's all that one needs."

Emma turned to leave.

He smirked and put the card back, "Good luck with your investigation."

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Snow really wished that she could see Rumpelstiltskin's face when he came home and found that the two children were in fact staying here for the time being until Emma could get everything coordinated to meet their father.

Henry was the third addition to their little family unit; he came as they were baking.

"Does Regina know you're here?" Snow asked as he walked in.

"She doesn't care about where I am unless it's with Emma and that makes her mad," he walked in with the book, "I know who they are?"

"Oh really?" she played along, "And whose that?"

"Hansel and Gretel."

"Well, it appears everyone is in that book," Snow muttered.

"Yeah, you should know, you gave it to me."

"Well, that doesn't' mean I read it," she told him, "Where's Emma?"

Henry shrugged, "I thought I'd come to see them and make sure they were okay. Make sure my mom didn't do anything."

"Well, they're fine," Snow told him and walked him to the room.

"Do you think their dad will want them?"

"We'll see," Snow told him, "Maybe."

"Emma told me about my dad," he told her, "She told me this morning."

"Really?" Snow asked and her curiosity was piqued, "What did she say?"

"She said he was a hero…and a fireman and he died protecting people."

Snow smiled. With Emma's childhood and losses and abandonment, Snow was at least happy to know that her baby had some time of comfort and happiness.

Henry rushed over to help Hansel and Gretel, Snow watched them interact. She'd always wanted to know about Henry's father but the opportunity to ask never came up.

Her phone rang; she answered it, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Emma said on the other line, "I need you to come outside right away."

"Is everything okay?" Snow asked.

"Don't say anything in front of the kids," Emma sounded completely defeated, "But no, it's not."

"Henry," Snow walked to the front, "I have to get something from the car."

She met Emma outside the house.

"He doesn't want the kids," Emma said.

Snow felt her heart break as she saw the grief in Emma's eyes. Unwanted; just like she thought she was.

"And you don't want to tell them."

"I can't. Because all I'll be telling them is that the false hope I gave them is exactly that."

Emma saw her daughter's distress, "The truth can be painful, Emma, but it can also be cathartic."

"I agree with the painful part," Emma muttered.

"Well, hey, look – you told Henry the truth that his father's dead and he's handling it great."

Emma shrunk under her mother's gaze, "I didn't tell him the truth."

Snow blinked, "What?"

"Henry's father was no hero and trust me – he does not need to know the real story."

So that was it. Her son's father had hurt her…probably because Emma was so neglected and abandoned that she would latch onto the first man who showed her attention.

"Maybe we can hide the kids," Emma offered, "Just until we can find a family for them. Someone to take care of them."

Snow couldn't let Emma risk her own career and authority on something stupid like that, which might count as an incarcerating offense, Snow wasn't sure, "Yes, hiding the twelve year olds is a good plan!"

"You have a better idea?"

"Emma, maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have to-"

Snow was about to tell her to show them to their father when Regina walked up, "Sheriff, shouldn't you be on the interstate?"

"What are you doing here?" Emma demanded.

"Seeing to it that you do your job."

"You know, you don't have to check up on me. I know what I have to do."

"Really? Because those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight," Regina stared her down, "See that it's done, Sheriff. I wouldn't want to think you're so emotional that you're ill equipped for your job."

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"We have to stop her," Snow told Rumpelstiltskin when he came home that evening.

"How, dear? She has Regina breathing down her back now. She can't stop without landing herself in a mess of trouble."

"In just a few moments, those kids are going to be taken over the border!"

"Yes, I know."

"What happens if someone goes over the border?"

"Nothing good," he took a large gulp of the brandy.

Snow grabbed a glass and poured herself a double, "We're letting children get hurt to keep our cover."

"Your daughter might still come through."

"I don't see how. What's going to happen? The car breaks down before she reaches the border? She finds a way to hide them?"

"You must have faith."

"I'm going to call her."

"Snow!"

"Children's lives are at stake!"

"That never bothered you when you let Regina go back to her castle in exile."

Snow bit back an angry retort, "That was a mistake that I regret every day, but I'm not going to make the same mistake again."

"And what are you going to tell her?"

"The truth if it means those children survive."

"You'd throw away everything we're working for?"

"For children, yes, the reason they got in the mess they were in was because of me."

"It was because a woman couldn't blame the right person for her boyfriend's murder."

The phone was busy, Snow cursed and hung up.

"Snow…"

"Everything is wrong!" Snow snapped and threw the phone against the wall, "My baby thinks no one's ever loved her and she grew up alone. Her son's father was someone she had to lie to Henry about! A man that saved my life is dead! My husband…isn't my husband, he's someone else's and two children could very possibly die. It's just….wrong."

Snow felt her legs give out from under her and she collapsed, "My mother always told me that being good would get me my happy ending…that showing mercy would- but is this a happy ending? Is this what showing mercy gets?"

Rumpelstiltskin sat on a chair, "your story isn't over yet. One day this curse will break-."

"That won't undo the damage," Snow sobbed, "That won't make the lost 28 years with my daughter."

"Perhaps it's not too late."

"What would you know about it?"

"Because you're not the only one that's lost a child," he told her.

Snow looked up, "You?"

He grabbed the cane and pulled himself up, "I'm going to go to the shop."

Snow scrambled up, "Wait….you have a child?"

"It's not something I wish to discuss any further," he said, "Just know that it's not too late. If it's not too late for me, then it definitely isn't for you."

He walked out and left a dumbfounded Snow alone in the house.

Snow's phone was broken on the floor. She couldn't call Emma.

Her stomach was in knots, as she did some laundry in order to get her mind off what might be happening.

It didn't work.

She was folding clothes when Emma walked in. Her face wasn't upset…or angry, that told Snow that they at least didn't die.

"Hey, what happened?"

"Their dad," Emma threw some folded clothes on the table and plopped over, "He showed up. Changed his mind."

"Changed his mind?" Snow started shaking in relief, "Just like that?"

"He might have had a little nudge," Emma admitted with a smile.

"They found their father," Snow smiled, "That's great."

Emma crossed her legs, "I wonder what that would be like?"

Snow stopped and she gave her daughter a warm smile, "Maybe you'll find out."

Emma scoffed.

"You can't give up," Snow encouraged her. Especially now.

"I don't know. I kind of think giving up might be the best plan. I think I need to let go."

"No you don't!" Snow said quickly.

"Really? If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look."

Snow lowered her eyes, that ever present guilt weighed more heavily on her, "Maybe. But maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there is an explanation."

"If there is, it's something crazy," Emma said, "Something even crazier than Henry's theory."

"Yeah?" Snow folded some more clothes, "What's Henry's theory?"

He had told her of course, but she wanted to make sure Emma told it to her as well. That way she could at least say she heard it from both sides. And she needed to know Emma's take on what thought.

"Well, that my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them."

"Aw," Snow smiled, "And who does he think they are?"

"Well, for one, you."

"Me?" She tried to feign amusement and surprise.

"Well, Snow White.

"Snow White has a kid," she nodded. Sounded about right.

"Apparently that book you gave him? Not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense."

Snow smiled at her own private joke, "I have a kid. You'd think I'd remember that."

"Yeah, you'd think," Emma muttered obliviously.

Snow leaned forward, "You do kind of have my chin."

Emma smiled, and there was a victorious look in her eyes, "I think I need to go get some air."

Snow started to follow her towards the door.

"I'm going to go think."

"If you're going to be back later, I can wait to eat with you."

"No," Emma shook her head, "Don't' do that."

She didn't want Snow to push her. Snow backed off, "I'll leave you leftovers."

"Okay."

Snow saw something hanging from a box. Her eyes widened. No…surely the blanket hadn't survived after all these years? How had she been able to hold onto it?

"What a pretty blanket," she covered when Emma saw she was looking at it.

A small look of longing crossed Emma's face, "Thanks. Goodnight."

She slipped out the door. Snow smelled the blanket, teared up a bit and held it close to her chest.