Here we are, Nicholas will finally reunite with his mother. Bet you didn't expect him to be the one to finish her off with the mirror, huh? A little heads up, on the 24th I'll be heading off to college so updates won't be as common as they have been. Sorry.
But until then, I'll be posting chapters as quick as I can. Shouldn't be too bad, each of these (excluding this one) have only taken me a day each to write. No promises, but I will try to get to when Cora comes to town as fast as I can; I'm really looking forward to writing that!
So without further adieu, here's the next chapter. As always, I hope you enjoy it and review or PM me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or its characters.
In the pit of the refugees' settlement, Emma continued to try and wake up her friend and mother. "Are you sure they're gonna be okay?" Emma asked Cora.
"Don't worry. They'll be fine." Cora reassured.
"What is this place? Where are we?" Emma asked.
"It's a little island our captors like to think of as their haven."
"Haven? From what?"
"The world's dangerous. What's left of it, anyway."
"Well, they can't keep us down here. We didn't do anything wrong." Emma argued.
"Neither did I."
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm here because of something…my daughter did." Cora hesitantly explained, "The curse that ravaged this land, she cast it."
"So you really are Regina and Nicholas's mother?" Emma asked.
"Yes. But you've nothing to fear from me. The apple fell very far from the tree." she reassured with a lie, "You're from over there, aren't you? How'd you get back?"
"Emma." Snow said as she and Nicholas regained consciousness.
"Who are you talking to-" Nicholas asked but stopped once he saw the smiling face of his mother.
"Hello, Nicholas." Cora greeted.
"…Oh, shit." he cursed under his breath.
"No." Snow whispered.
"Oh, Snow. Both of you are awake. I'm so relieved." Cora said while Snow looked her daughter in the eye.
"As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse." she warned.
"Oh, Snow," Cora pleaded, "Sweet Snow, please. Believe me, whatever she told you isn't true."
"Bull," Nicholas spat as he defended his friends, "You were the one who put Regina on the path that made her become the Evil Queen. You were the one who killed Daniel. Everything evil she has ever done all points back at you. The people she's killed. The lives she's ruined. The curse. All of it was thanks to you. I warned you what the consequences would be."
"Nicholas," Cora sweetly said, "Everything I've ever done has been to help you and your sister."
"Let's hear her out." Emma whispered.
"Emma." Snow snapped.
"Okay, right now we are at the bottom of a hole with no other options, and Henry is back in Storybrooke with Regina."
"Henry?" Cora asked.
"Not Father." Nicholas informed.
"My son." Emma replied, "I kind of share him with Regina and Nicholas. It's complicated."
"Don't talk to her." Snow stressed.
"Enough!" a man shouted from above as he dropped a rope, "Our leader requests an audience."
OUaT
In Storybrooke, Henry walked through the streets with his uncle and grandfather as he discussed his plan. "So what's on the agenda for Operation Scorpion?" Henry asked.
"What's Operation Scorpion?" David asked.
"The code name for our mission to find Emma and Snow." he replied, "Do you prefer Viper? That was my second choice."
"Henry, we need to talk." Nicholas said.
"Yeah, Scorpion's better." Henry nodded misunderstanding them.
"No, it's not that. It's…" David carried as Henry saw his school bus.
"I'm not coming with you?" asked Henry, "But I-I thought we were gonna find Jefferson."
"I already did." David replied.
"What? Is he gonna help us?"
"No." Nicholas sighed, "No, Henry, he's not."
"But why didn't you guys tell me you talked to him?"
"Because we didn't want to disappoint you." David replied, "We know you want to find your mom, but Jefferson can't help us. I need to find a way to restore the hat."
"So why can't I help you look?" Henry asked.
"It'll require magic, Henry, and magic-"
"Always comes with a price." the boy finished, "I read the book, you know."
"I'm sorry, but I just can't let you anywhere near this stuff." David apologized.
"Look, if you really want to help us, you'll go to school, where we know you'll be safe. Okay?" Nicholas asked.
"Okay." Henry nodded.
"And no more ditching!" Nicholas called as Henry walked away. Little did he and Charming know, as soon as their backs were turned, Henry ran off.
OUaT
"Why can't you just listen to me?" Snow asked Emma with a sigh.
"Why couldn't you have just trusted me?" Emma countered, "I was just trying to find a way to get us home. I could've handled her."
"Puh!" Nicholas scoffed with humor, "Yeah, right. You could've handled my mother? That's rich." he laughed.
"We've lived here, Emma." Snow reminded, "We know this world and its dangers."
"Wait here." said the guard as he fetched his leader.
"Is that why you two came through the portal?" Emma huffed, "Because you thought I was helpless here?"
"No." Snow replied, "I came here to be with you."
"Well, I actually came here because I got hit with a desk when I tried to pull you guys back in." Nicholas bluntly corrected, "But you guys are my friends, I've got your backs."
"Lancelot?" Snow asked as she saw the dark skinned knight emerge from his hut.
"Snow." he said as they both laughed and hugged each other, "If I'd known that you were the prisoners Mulan brought back, I never would've locked you away."
"Lancelot?" Emma flatly asked, "Really?"
"Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming." Nicholas muttered.
"He's an old friend. We can trust him." Snow reassured.
Off to the side, Mulan and Aurora were having a chat of their own. "Why is he embracing them?" Aurora asked, "They were responsible for Phillip's death."
You're new here, Aurora. Phillip trusted Lancelot. So must we." Mulan explained.
"I want justice." Aurora demanded.
"Tread carefully." Mulan warned, "It's dangerous to confuse vengeance with justice. Do you understand me?" she asked only to see the princess ignore her, "Do you understand me?"
"Yes." she replied while clutching onto the dagger she had hidden in her cloak.
"What the hell is that?" Emma bluntly asked as she looked at what her hosts were serving.
"That is chimera." Lancelot replied, "An acquired taste, but all our hunting party could bring back. One part lion, one part serpent, one part goat."
"Like Turducken?" Emma asked.
"I'll just stick with the fish." Nicholas informed, "Not to disrespect your generosity. It's just that as an alchemist, I'm not overly fond of the multiple genetic cross-breading of animals." he said before biting the head off a trout.
"No disrespect taken." Lancelot replied.
"I don't understand. We were told this land didn't even exist anymore." Snow explained, "How did you all escape the curse?"
"It is a mystery." replied Lancelot, "The curse struck, and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this land. But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how and we don't know why. Finding this safe haven wasn't easy. It took some spilt blood. But worry not. You're safe here."
"We can't stay." said Snow, "My husband's back there, Emma's son, Nicholas's nephew, my grandson. We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?"
"Leaving is unwise." Lancelot argued, "The Enchanted Forest is not as you remember it. The ogres have returned."
"Oh, terrific. Ogres." Nicholas said sarcastically.
"Ogres?" Emma asked, "Like as in fee-fi-fo-fum?"
"Those would be giants." Snow gently corrected.
"Yeah, ogres are just, well…a hell of a lot worse." Nicholas added.
"Indeed. That's why we live here, on this island where it's safe." Lancelot added, "Please, Snow, stay here. There are no more portals left."
"I might know of one." Snow informed.
"Oh, yeah. We could try that." Nicholas agreed as he realized what Snow was thinking.
"Where?" Lancelot asked.
"Cora's near. I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans. She's powerful."
"Not anymore."
"Come again?" Nicholas asked while taking out his pipe.
"The curse stripped her of her powers. But given her reputation, we've kept her locked up as a precaution."
"Nevertheless, I'm not taking chances." Snow replied, "Just trust me. I may have a way. Let us go."
"I'll allow it, but on one condition; take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to defend you."
"We can defend ourselves." Emma argued.
"Deal." Nicholas and Snow agreed.
"Thank you, Lancelot. For always looking out for me." Snow said gratefully.
Mulan then showed them a chest filled with weapons so they'd be ready for the journey ahead. "Choose wisely." she advised, "We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey."
"Where's my gun?" Emma asked as she put a knife in her boot while Snow grabbed a broadsword, a bow and a quiver filled with arrows. Nicholas chose two hunting knives and an infantry sword.
"Is it magic?" Mulan asked as she inspected the revolver.
"Depends on who's pulling the trigger." Emma remarked with an outstretched hand.
"Follow my lead, step where I step, do exactly as I say, and we might survive." Mulan ordered.
"Pft, speak for yourself. I have a 100% chance at survival." Nicholas smirked.
"How did you survive that attack?" Mulan asked, "Are you skilled in the dark arts?"
"Skilled, yes. In the dark arts, no." Nicholas replied putting his knives in his belt and his sword around his waist. "I'm an immortal alchemist. What you saw was alchemy at its most powerful. Though the cost to achieve it was severe."
"Was it worth it?" Emma asked.
"Absolutely not." Nicholas replied without hesitation, "But it has proven helpful over the years. It'll be a big help if we have a run in with any ogres."
"Doesn't sound too hard." Emma shrugged, "I did kill a dragon last week."
"Have you ever seen an ogre?" Mulan asked harshly.
"Pretty sure I've dated a few." she dryly joked.
"Legend has it that when they kill you, the last thing you see is yourself dying in the reflection in their eyes. They leave no survivors."
"No survivors?" Nicholas asked with a sly grin, "Then where does the legend come from, I wonder?"
"Let's walk. It'll be dark soon." Mulan huffed.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen is how you kick unproven legends in the ass with simple logic." he said aloud causing Emma and Snow to laugh.
"Don't let her rattle you." Snow said to Emma as they made their way out of the settlement. As they did, Aurora tailed them from a distance. "Just stick to the plan."
"What is the plan?" Emma asked, "You haven't told me anything. What's going on?"
"The wardrobe." Snow whispered.
"Wardrobe. The wardrobe?" Emma gasped, "Like, the wardrobe that sent little baby me to Maine? You think it could get us back to Storybrooke?"
"I don't know. First we have to see if it survived the curse, then we'll worry about making it work."
"Where is it?"
"My place." Snow replied with a happy smile, "You wanna see where you're from, Emma? That's right. We're going home."
Later that day, the four travelers eventually came to an open clearing. "We'll make camp here for the night." Mulan informed, "We just need to find water, collect some firewood."
"Uh, if we're hiding from ogres, shouldn't we maybe, I don't know, not start a fire?" Emma interjected.
"Ogres are blind. They hunt by sound alone." Snow replied.
"Right. Because that's something everyone would know about ogres." Emma remarked.
"Look, I know you're out of your element-"
"I'm fine." Emma cut off.
"I know, but maybe you should just stay here while we get wood and water, guard the campsite." Snow offered.
"You mean the big, empty clearing?" Emma asked.
"It's the safest place. We'll be right back." Nicholas reassured as he, Snow and Mulan left Emma. Later that night, Snow was getting the firewood set up for Nicholas to ignite when suddenly, Aurora snuck up behind her with a knife at her throat.
"Don't move." She growled, Nicholas did nothing because he knew his friend could handle herself. "Phillip's gone because of you."
Not a second later, Snow flipped the princess over her shoulder and pinned her to the ground. "And so, Snow White the Bandit Princess makes a comeback." Nicholas sighed as he began to smoke and watch the one-sided struggle.
"You listen to me, princess!" Snow spat, "You think I don't know what it's like to be separated from the people that I love? What happened to Phillip was not our fault. So I suggest you find a way to channel your anger."
"Don't talk to her like that." Mulan said as she pulled Snow away and had herself thrown aside by Nicholas in turn.
"Get your hands off her." he growled.
"She tried to kill me." Snow defended.
"I will deal with her." Mulan snapped just before the sound of a gunshot echoed through the forest.
"Oh, great." Nicholas growled as he smacked his face and dragged his hand down it in irritation.
"Emma, what are you doing?" Snow asked.
"Protecting you." she replied as she pointed her gun at Mulan, "Drop the weapon!"
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Snow asked fearfully as the trees rustled and roared.
"Ogres?" Emma asked.
"Ogres." Nicholas nodded.
"Run!" Snow shouted. As they all ran into the woods, each of them split up; Mulan with Aurora, and Snow with Nicholas and Emma. Unfortunately, Emma tripped and fell giving the ogre the chance to try and eat her. But Snow gave a sharp whistle which directed the ogre's attention to her and Nicholas.
"Back away from my daughter!" she shouted as she readied her bow and Nicholas his sword. In a blur, Nicholas managed to get behind the ogre and sliced both of its ankles in a single clean cut sending it to the ground as Snow shot it in the eye.
"What the hell, Nicholas?!" Snow exclaimed, "I totally had that thing!"
"Me?!" he asked, "I was the one who took it down and got the first blow! You ruined my kill!"
"When was the last time you two used a sword and shot an arrow?" Emma asked.
"Twenty-eight years ago." they replied, "Guess it's like riding a bike."
"Yeah, but how did you know you could take it down that easily?"
"We didn't." they replied casually, "Next time, listen to me." Snow pleaded.
"Guns won't do you much good in these parts." Nicholas informed as he pulled out his pipe, "Ride 'em in, Rawhide!" he sang with humor as they met up with the others and continued on their way.
"We're here." Snow declared as they caught sight of the ruins which was once her home.
"Is that it?" Emma asked.
"Yeah. We're home." Snow said in nostalgia.
OUaT
Back in Storybrooke, Henry decided to seek out Jefferson himself; only when he found him, things didn't go as he had hoped. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and look for answers in his mother's vault; unfortunately for Henry, what he thought was a box filled with answers contained a two headed viper wanting to make a meal out of him.
Thankfully, Nicholas and David were also there and managed to shut the box with the snake in it. "Maybe we should've gone with Operation Viper." David commented, "You alright?"
"Yeah." Henry nodded as his uncle helped him up, "How'd you guys know I was down here?"
"Your mom said you asked her to lunch, and when you stood her up, she checked her office, saw her keys missing, figured out the rest." Nicholas explained, "She would've come herself, but she didn't think you'd go with her. Henry, what were you thinking?"
"I just want them back." Henry replied, "It wasn't supposed to be this way. I should be over there with them, riding horses, learning how to swordfight."
"Oh, kid," Nicholas sighed in his head, "Life's not always going to be like a fairytale. Living here or there doesn't change that."
"It's okay." David soothed, "Because we are gonna do this together."
"That's right." Nicholas nodded, "But first, you got to go to school." he said as they all walked out, "Oh, by the way, you lost your T.V. privileges for the weekend."
"What?!" Henry whined.
"I told you no ditching and you ditched." Nicholas reminded calmly yet stern, "Unless you want to make it longer, I suggest you don't whine about it."
"Yes, Uncle Nicholas." he grumbled.
"Good boy."
OUaT
Soon the party made it to the castle and made it to Emma's old nursery; luckily, the wardrobe was still there. "Oh, my God." Emma sighed, "I recognize this from Henry's book."
"We'll stand watch at the gate." Mulan said giving the mother and daughter some space.
"I never thought I'd see this place again." Snow said in sad nostalgia, "This was to be your nursery."
"I lived here?" Emma asked.
"You never even got to spend a night. This is the life I wanted you to have." Snow admitted, "I was going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball. You never got to do any of it…we never got to be a family."
At each word she said, Nicholas felt a painful surge of guilt in his stomach as he stared out the window.
"We have a family-in Storybrooke." Emma flatly reminded, "And right now they need us to get back there. So how do we get this to work?" she asked pointing at the wardrobe, "There an on switch?"
"It's more complicated than that." Nicholas retorted, "We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully, someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again."
"How are we gonna carry this thing?" Emma skeptically asked.
"With the help of an old friend." Lancelot relied as he surprisingly entered the nursery.
"Lancelot. What are you doing here?" Snow asked.
"We heard about the ogre attack, and I had to make sure you were alright."
"Where are Mulan and Aurora?" Nicholas asked.
"I sent them to find food." Lancelot replied, "Tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning we'll head back. So…this is it. The portal you were after."
"Same one Emma went through." Snow nodded, "It's how she escaped the curse. Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but there's no magic left."
"A portal this powerful…there must be another way to recharge it."
"Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?" Nicholas asked.
"Well, I just want you to get home to your husband and son. Henry. They must miss you." Lancelot replied as Snow and Nicholas quickly whipped out their swords and pointed them at the knight.
"Stay away from him, Emma." Snow ordered, "He is not who he says he is."
"What are you talking about? Who the hell is he?" Emma asked.
"There's only one person you told Henry's name." Nicholas reminded, "Nice try. But when you want to impersonate someone, you don't to make even the simplest of mistakes…Mother."
Lancelot was then shrouded in a puff of smoke before Cora revealed herself. "Ah, that's my boy." she praised, "Always the deductive one. So clever and shrewd."
"Where's Lancelot?" Snow asked.
"He's dead. I killed him a long time ago." Cora replied as though it was nothing.
"And you've been posing as him ever since."
"Well, they'd never listen to me." Cora reasoned, "And besides, every kingdom needs a hero, don't you think?" she asked before pinning Snow and Nicholas to the wall with her magic while Emma was tossed aside.
"Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long. I never thought the person to help me find it would be you and my son."
"Why?" Nicholas choked, "Why are you doing this?"
"I wanted to see you and your sister." Cora replied, "It's been too long. And you know, I would love to meet my grandson Henry."
"No, you won't!" Emma grunted as she set the wardrobe ablaze.
"No!" Cora shouted as she tried to toss the fire at Emma. Thankfully, Nicholas's alchemy was faster and was able to make a wall in time. "We're not done." she warned before teleporting away.
"You guys okay?" Emma asked.
"You saved us." Snow breathed.
"Yeah, well…where is she?"
"Gone." Nicholas replied, "Mother was always one for the dramatics. Now you two know where my sister and I get it from."
"And now our ride home's up in flames." Emma commented as she watched the tree burn.
"Mulan's not gonna be happy when we tell her my mother killed Lancelot." Nicholas pointed out, "Well, more unhappy than usual."
"I already know." Mulan said as she and Aurora entered the room, "We saw what happened just before Cora disappeared."
"Nice timing." he said dryly.
"He was one of the most noble knights I ever knew." Snow said wistfully.
"How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Cora?" Mulan asked in anger.
"Well, to be fair, the whole shape-shifting thing threw us, too." Emma offered.
"What are we going to tell the people on the island?"
"The truth. That Lancelot was cut down by a terrible villain. He died an honorable death." Snow said on behalf of her friend, "No offense, Nicholas."
"None taken." he shrugged, "Though, Cora's still out there. And if I know my mother as well as I think I do, she'll make another appearance real soon."
"We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the kingdom." Mulan stressed.
"And who's going to lead us? You?" Aurora asked skeptically.
"No. Them." she said looking at Nicholas and Snow.
"No chance in Hell." he bluntly shot down while taking a smoke.
"I'm honored," Snow said a bit more gently than Nicholas, "But the three of us still have to find a way back to Storybrooke."
"We'll help you." Mulan offered, "We'll find a way, won't we?"
"Yes." Aurora nodded, "Perhaps it'll help me channel my anger."
As they were about to leave, Emma began to speak with her mother. "Uh, Nicholas, could you give us a minute?" she asked.
"Yeah, sure." he waved off, "One of us should have a nice talk with their mother today, right?" he joked.
OUaT
In Emma's Bug back in Storybrooke, Henry watched the happy reunion between Jefferson and his daughter. His train of thought was quickly broken when he saw his uncle and grandfather standing outside the window.
"Your uncle and I have been thinking," David said as he rested his head on the window, "If you're gonna start helping us, we gotta make sure we do this right. So we picked these up earlier." he said as he presented Henry with three wooden swords.
"Seriously?" Henry asked with excitement.
"Yeah, you're the grandson of a prince. I think it's about time you learned how to use a sword. Henry, we can't them back without you." David admitted.
"So?" Nicholas asked happy that things between him and his nephew were getting good again, "What do you say? You with us?"
"Can you teach me how to fight a dragon?" Henry asked with a grin.
"We'll work our way up to it." David negotiated as Henry came out of the car, "My liege." he bowed.
"Who knows, Charming. Maybe we'll be able to make a swordsman out of you, too." Nicholas joked as he grabbed his sword.
"Excuse me?" David asked with a smirk, "No offense to you, Flamel. But I think my skills can beat that of an alchemist's."
As he said this, he blinked for just a second and as his eyes opened, Nicholas had his wooden sword pointing up and David realized his toy was missing. "What the? Where's my sword?" he asked only to see the alchemist point up.
As he and Henry looked up, they saw the toy sword spinning in the air as it fell back down and smoothly landed in Nicholas's free hand. He then gave an impressive display of duel wielding with several twirls before offering his friend his sword.
"You were saying?" Nicholas smugly but with a playful attitude, "En garde." he said.
As the three boys bonded over their little game, a man wearing a suit spied on them suspiciously. Though he mainly focused on watching David.
