Chapter 11

The arrow pierced my mom's heart and she fell hard to the ground. I went right over to her screaming at the top of my lungs. All feeling in my body left me. I felt so numb when she closed her eyes and moments later an ape bit my daddy's neck. Everything was spinning. Before I knew it Grumpy was pulling me away. I couldn't stop crying or screaming then I felt like I was falling deep into a hole. Everything went black like I was losing connection with the world only visions of my parents dying was all I could see from then on out, yet it was dark so dark. My mom's eyes looked so scared, not for herself but scared of leaving me and Neal.

The arrow kept hitting my mom's heart what felt like an infinity times in a row, then the same with the ape biting daddy's neck. I couldn't stop screaming. Screaming was all I could do.

"Emma, Emma it's okay!'' Emma woke up screaming, her bed sheets were all wet from the sweat dripping from her body. Red was sitting at the edge of her bed and so was Neal. They decided to stay at the farm, Red had her own room and Emma and Neal shared but they got an extra bed for the room. Two weeks since the memorial service Emma hadn't gone one night without nightmares and she still hadn't spoken a word except screaming for her parents at night. She would only nod and shake her head when Neal would ask a question but was completely zoned out to everyone else.

Red wiped Emma's head with a wet cloth. "Emma, please talk to me. Tell me about your dream."

Emma managed to calm down a bit but she just laid her head back on her pillow and stared blankly at the ceiling.

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Regina knocked on Robin's door just like she had been every day for the last few weeks. This time she brought a basket with some goodies in it, hoping to take Roland on a picnic. She was kind of relieved that he hadn't aged the passed 25 years that meant she still had lots of time with him, even though she still missed lots. She never thought someone would make her feel this way again since her father and Daniel both died. He was now her reason for everything and he was even distracting her from everything else in the world.

Robin opened the door and sighed. "Here again?"

Regina smiled. "I was hoping to take Roland on a picnic today."

"Well alright, if Roland wants to. Roland, Regina's here."

Roland ran out of his bedroom and hugged Regina. "Hi Gina!"

Regina hugged him tight. "Hi Roland."

"I missed you! I wish you were here all the time."

Regina smiled. "I missed you too. Would you like to come on a picnic with me today?"

Roland smiled big and his eyes grew wide. "Papa too?"

"Oh I don't know buddy... I've got things to do around the house."

"But Papa. You always have work to do."

He sighed. "Well if it's alright with Regina."

Regina rolled her eyes but then saw the excitement in Roland's eyes. "Yes of course your Papa can come."

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7 Years Ago

Emma helped her little brother blow out the candles on his birthday cake. He turned 3 years old that day. Snow ran her hand through Neal's sandy blonde hair and kissed his cheek. He had his father's hair but his face looked so much like his mother, round face, green eyes. Whereas Emma looked more like their dad except she had her mom's chin.

Neal got a lot of presents that day from friends and from his family. Then Snow handed him one last gift, something they did think he'd like but they didn't know how much he would like it. Emma helped him rip apart blue gift wrap and they saw a stuffed bear inside. Neal's eyes lit right up and he hugged the bear close. That became his favourite toy after that, but he was more than just a toy. Neal always talked to him like he was real.

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Present Day

Emma sat at the little wooden table staring blankly at the porridge Red made for her. Neal and Red ate their's up in moments but Emma couldn't even feed herself. Red had to feed her but it was hard because Emma would hardly chew it she was so withdrawn.

"Emma please, you have to eat."

Red got up when there was a knock on the door. It was Baelfire. "Hi. Emma's godmother? I was wondering how Emma was feeling? Maybe she could come out to play?"

"I can ask her bud. But I don't know if she's ready." Red went over and knelt beside Emma and placed her hand over Emma's. "Emma sweetie, your friend Baelfire is here. Would you like to see him?"

Emma wouldn't even budge but Neal spoke up. "Can I go play with him? Might be nice to get out of the house for a bit."

Red nodded. Yeah I think that's a good idea. Just stay together."

Neal smiled then took off with Bae. As they headed away from the house Neal spoke. "I need your help."

"Help with what?"

"I need to go back home to our castle. After the apes took over the protective spell must have faded because I was taken there among other people."

"Okay, why do you need to go back there?"
"I need to get something for Emma."

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Regina handed Roland a chocolate chip cookie she made. And Roland gobbled it right up leaving a chocolate mess around his mouth. Regina and Robin giggled at how cute he was. Regina picked up a napkin and wiped his face. Roland sat up to his knees and pointed at a purple butterfly. "Look Gina, that looks like you!" The butterfly landed on his index finger and they all looked at it.

"Like me? How?"

"Because it's really pretty and gentle and wouldn't hurt anybody."

"Oh... well... thanks."

The butterfly flew away and Roland smiled watching it then got up and followed it.

"He's a good kid you know." Robin broke the silence. "I was heartbroken when we lost him and never stopped looking for him."

Regina smiled. "Yes he is a good kid."

Roland came running back over to them and started tickling Regina's stomach. She giggled "What are you doing? I should tickle you." She started tickling Roland's tummy and he giggled.

"No stop. We tickle Papa!" He jumped on Robin's lap and tickled him then Regina joined in and tickled him as well. The three of them rolled around on the blanket giggling and tickling each other.

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Neal and Bae managed to sneak into the castle and Neal led him right upstairs to Emma's bedroom and Neal grabbed her blanket from her bed. Then he went into his room and saw his Pooh bear wasn't on his bed where he left it. He looked in his toy chest and couldn't see it and searched his room frantically but then found it in the corner behind the door. Then he joined Bae who was waiting in the hall. "Okay all set."

Then two of Regina's guards spotted them. "Hey, you two aren't supposed to be here." They drew their swords and Neal and Bae took off running and the guards chased them. "This way Bae." He ran into the library and went over the one of the book cases and tilted one of the books which make the book case open to a secret passage way.

"Whoa" Bae thought it was the coolest thing.

"Come on." Neal led Bae through it and the book case closed when the guards reached it. They kept pulling at all the books trying to find the right one but they had no luck.

"Thanks for your help Bae, but I gotta get back to my sister.'' They were off the castle grounds and heading into the forest.

Bae nodded. "I hope Emma feels better soon.

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4 Years ago

"1... 2... 3... 4... 5...6..." Charming held his hands over his eyes and leaned into the wall counting.

Emma and Neal giggled and ran away to find a hiding place. Neal crawled under a table in the hallway but then peaked out from under the long white table cloth and watched Emma go into the library so he followed her. She went over to the bookcase and tilted a book causing the bookcase to open and she went inside. Neal followed before it closed. "Hey, you can't hide where I hide."

Neal looked around amazed. "What is this?"

"It's a secret passageway. Daddy showed me it last week."

"Cool... Do you think he'll find us?"

Charming went into the library knowing Emma would go there and sure enough he heard their voices from behind the staircase and he couldn't help but laugh. "Oh gee..." Charming spoke loudly so they could hear him. "I wonder where Emma and Neal could be. They're too good at this game for me. I wish I could find them, I guess I'll have to surrender."

Neal pushed the staircase open. "Daddy we're here! Don't be scared!"

"Neal, he was just playing us." Emma hit her brother's arm.

Charming laughed then ran over and scooped them both up and tickled them.

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Present Day

Neal swallowed hard and he stared at the little farmhouse. His dad was right. Home wasn't a castle or a cabin it was your family. And the passed few weeks he missed his home more than anything. They were a broken home now. But it was still half of their home, that being himself and Emma and he knew his parents would want their half of their home to stick together so he had to do everything he could to help his big sister feel better.

"Okay Pooh Bear." He looked right into his bear's eyes. "I hope this will help Emma even just a bit. Let's try it."

He went inside, Red was there washing the dishes. "Hey did you have fun with Baelfire?"

Neal shrugged. "Where's Emma?"

"Back in bed. I don't think she's sleeping though."

"Okay." Neal slowly crept in the door and and saw Emma sitting up in bed still staring blankly. "Emma... please, you have to wake up. I mean I know you're awake but it's like you're not awake." He sat down beside her and sat Pooh down in front of him. "Emma, I hope this will help you feel a little better." He wrapped her baby blanket around her.

Then her hand grasped the blanket and she brought it up to her nose smelling it and she burst into tears.

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Robin, Regina and Roland walked along the trails Roland in the middle and holding hands. Then Robin and Regina swung him back and forth and he giggled. Then he let go of their hands and ran ahead to look at some turtles that were walking across the path.

Robin turned to look at Regina. "You know... I had a lot of fun today."

Regina smiled. "You know what, so did I."

"I didn't think I would be this happy again. I mean having Roland back..."

"I feel the same way."

"And you... I had a lot of fun with you today too. I never thought..." He looked deep into her eyes. "You have beautiful eyes."

She blushed. "Thank you."

He started leaning into her and she was leaning in too. Their lips were inches away from each other's-

"OOWW! Papa!" Roland screamed and was lying on the groung crying. A very long and wide snake had it's mouth on Roland's leg. They rushed right over to him and the snake slithered away.

Robin knelt down beside him and pulled his pant leg up revealed the snake bite, it was turning purple and Roland's face was turning white. Regina knelt down beside them and held Roland's hand. "Was it poisonous?"

"I think so."