#7: Don't Fail the Next One (Rating: T)

Charming's nightmare from episode 3x14, so set right before Charming and Rachel start to hang out (AUJ chapter 9).

9 months prior,

Dark Palace, Enchanted Forest

The obsidian halls of the Dark Palace flashed before his eyes as he ran. He emerged close to the balcony overseeing the main gateway. It was light out. The castle should be bustling with life by now, but so far he had not encountered a single living soul. He should know why; deep inside he should know exactly why, yet he did not come up with the right answer no matter how hard he tried to.

A sound to his right caused him to turn and suddenly the long, black corridor was replaced with a wooden door. Behind the door he could hear the silent cries from a baby. He studied the object; it seemed misplaced, yet familiar. He could not remember seeing this door anywhere in the Dark Palace before, but he had seen it somewhere.

He pushed the handle down and opened the door, stepping into a nursery. He halted in surprise. This was not a room in the Dark Palace; this was Emma's nursery, the one he and Snow had prepared for her before the casting of the Dark Curse. He closed the door behind him as he walked inside, staring at all the familiar objects. The white crib with the glass unicorn mobile above it. The red curtains framing the tall windows. The toys waiting to be used by the expected child; dolls, wooden swords, balls and teddy bears. And there, in the corner of the room, stood the magical wardrobe in which he had placed Emma to send her away from the Dark Curse.

"This is impossible", he told himself as he walked further inside the room. Snow had told him that their old castle had been destroyed when the Dark Curse passed through it. That was why they had opted for staying here, in the Dark Palace, now that Regina was on their side. He reached the crib and frowned at the glass mobile. It had survived the journey to Storybrooke and had been hanging in Gold's pawnshop during their time there. Neither he nor Snow had thought to ask for it once they had regained their memories of their past selves. He shook his head again.

"This is all wrong", he muttered.

"You're right."

He spun around and froze. Opposite him stood a familiar blonde, her hair donned up in a bun on her head and her familiar leather jackets and boots replaced by a pale blue dress adorned with feathers and white gems. She smiled at his surprise.

"A full-grown princess still living in her nursery?" she mused. "I don't even have a proper vanity."

"Emma", he said and took a step towards her, trying to figure out what was going on, "what are you doing here?"

She smiled nervously and walked up to him.

"I was looking for a place to practice. I'm a little nervous about tonight."

He felt his frown deepen.

"Tonight?" he asked. "What's tonight?"

Emma raised a surprised eyebrow.

"The ball", she replied. "You know I've never been to one before."

She held out her hands towards him and he took them, letting her pull him away from the crib.

"I don't even know how to dance", she continued with a wide smile, before she spun around in front of him. "Teach me."

He stared at her as she raised her right hand, inviting him to mirror her movement and dance the traditional waltz with her. After a moment's hesitation he took it and their dance begun, him leading and she following gracefully, smiling happily. It made him smile as well.

"You're a natural", he commented, "just like your mother."

Emma chuckled.

"And you are the best teacher a daughter could hope for."

He smiled widely and scooped her up in his arms, spinning them both around.

"Oh Emma", he said, "this is everything I ever hoped for you."

"Me too", she replied, the smile vanishing from her face. "It's a shame I never got it."

He put her down with a frown while continuing their dance.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not really here", Emma replied. "I was never here. I should be, but I'm not. All for one reason..."

She released his hands and stepped back.

"You failed me."

In an instant the room changed, the sunlight shining in through the windows was replaced by a dark thunderstorm, the ground shook and Emma's appearance suddenly looked dishevelled. He inhaled sharply in shock as a strong wind started to blow through the room, causing the glass mobile to spin around above the crib. The doors of the magical wardrobe burst open behind Emma's back and sucked her towards the portal hidden inside. She reached out and grabbed his arm and he immediately grabbed on to her, trying to pull her back to safety. She did not make another move to save herself, causing his eyes to widen.

"Goodbye, daddy!" she called over the wind.

"Emma!" he called back. "Emma, I'm sorry! I'll save you!"

"No!" she called. "You can't save me; you failed me! There's nothing you can do!"

The pull from the portal increased and he struggled to keep her away from it.

"No, Emma!" he shouted as he felt her hand slip from his grip. She suddenly looked him deep in the eye and let out a silent whisper, which was somehow heard above the wind just as clear as their previous shouting.

"Don't fail the next one."

David sat up with a gasp, blinking and trying to focus on his surroundings. He was in the bedroom that he shared with Snow in the Dark Palace. It had all just been a dream. As he looked around he saw that Snow was already up, standing by the glass doors leading out onto their balcony with a wide smile on her face.

"Well, look who's awake", she said as she saw him, then gestured towards the glass in front of her. "Come look at this view, Charming. I'd forgotten how beautiful it was here."

He smiled in amusement as he got out of bed and put on a velvet robe.

"Someone's in a good mode", he commented. Snow chuckled and smiled even wider as he walked up to her.

"I am", she admitted. "I have some... pretty wonderful news."

He nodded, indicating for her to continue. Her smile seemed to widen even more before she spoke again.

"We're pregnant."

David blinked in surprise.

"You are?" he asked. Snow's smile vanished in an instant.

"Are you not happy?" she asked.

"No", he replied and took her hands in his, pulling her closer. "No, I'm not."

He then managed to smile at her.

"I'm thrilled."

Snow blinked, before she smiled wider than ever before that morning and wrapped her arms around him. When she could no longer see his face David allowed his smile to falter. Emma's last words in his dream still echoed through his head.

"Don't fail the next one."