History always repeats itself. But if you expect it to do so – it won't.

"Her?" Snow's voice was full of doubt. "She's my age and from another world. How could she be her?"

She continued walking. Morgana's lies started to annoy Snow, but she didn't seem to give up. "You don't remember, but 28 years have passed since Regina cursed us! You lived in another realm, far away from here!"

"You mean, when she cursed us… with your help." Snow gave her an angry look, but thought about what she said.

Morgana looked guilty. "Yes, about that… There are things that I need to tell you. Not everything happened as you think."

Snow looked at her, surprised and waited for an explanation. The raven-tressed woman looked sadder than she did before, and Snow caught herself feeling the need to comfort her. They used to be friends. She, Morgana, Arthur, Guinevere and Charming were almost like a family.

Then, Snow remembered, everything changed when Morgana's sister, Morgause - who was always the first to get into trouble – was murdered. Something inside Morgana changed, she made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. He wanted her sister's killers dead as well, so he showed the young and naïve girl how to use magic. In return all she needed to do was finish them off. But once she did that, there was no stopping. Her eyes got darker every day and Snow felt like she was slowly losing her friend. She and Charming were guests in Camelot, when one day, Morgana and Arthur had an argument – nobody knew what they were fighting about, but she left the castle right after that. She was just about to leave when she and Snow accidentally met. She looked more upset than ever.

"What is it? What happened?" Snow's worried look searched for traces of fear or sadness, but all she could see was anger and hate.

"I'm done with Arthur Pendragon! I'm sorry it had to come to this, my dear. Let's hope we won't meet again. Farewell!" And she stormed away. Snow was astonished and didn't try to stop her. She didn't understand a word and Arthur wouldn't tell her anything. They returned home but a year after they received terrible news – Arthur was killed by Morgana's hand. That was the last time Snow heard from her.

Now, when she looked in the bright grey eyes of her dear old friend, she couldn't imagine what magic had done to her so she could kill her own brother.

Half-brother. Nevertheless, she loved him. Once.

"What are you talking about?" Snow cleared her throat as she dragged herself out of her memories. "What happened exactly?"

Morgana's eyes were wet again and Snow knew this was her old self. The one she talked so much with, the one she dressed up and went to balls with. Morgana le Fay - the Witch Morgana as she called herself – had never cry. Not once.

"I did not help her… Regina. At first I wanted to, I… I was angry at you." She stared at her feet. Snow didn't understand anything. She'd been angry at her? Morgana spoke quietly. "You weren't there for me when I needed you… I thought we were friends…"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Snow became angry and hurt as well. She hated few things, but abandoning friends and family was amongst them. "When did I ever let you down?"

Morgana finally looked up. "When I left after arguing with Arthur. I know, I was already going down the wrong path using magic and all, but you didn't stop me! You let me go, Snow! You didn't care, you just let me walk away! I was more alone than ever and I needed my friend! But you weren't there!" Morgana sobbed a few times, then continued. "And because of what I had become… I wanted revenge. I wanted to see you suffer the way I did. I wanted to see you alone and hurt. And… That is why I offered my help to Regina. But when I realized what a curse like that would do to me as well I told her to stop. However she was more powerful than I thought… more powerful than me. She cursed me, so I can never leave Avalon, my home, and she cast the curse without my help."

The thoughts inside Snow's head were chasing each other, but she still couldn't see clearly. "But… You said you came through a portal from Avalon… How could you do that if you were cursed?"

"I don't really know. All I know is that people whispered about the savior… then my magic mirror – the one I used many times before to go to your land – started working again. They said it was because she broke the curse. I knew that the savior was your daughter. I knew you'd be with her – well, I hoped so. I wanted to talk to you, to tell you how sorry I am, to… redeem myself. If that's even possible…"

Snow didn't know what she was supposed to say. If what she said was true, it was partly her fault that she became Morgana le Fay. Of course, it wasn't entirely her, and still she was the one who killed Arthur, but Snow was slowing mending and accepting Morgana's reasons.

"I am sorry, my dear…" She told Morgana. "… if you seek forgiveness, I cannot give you that. But I will say that I'm truly sorry for letting you go and not being there for you. But… instead of forgiveness, how about tolerance?"

Morgana forced herself to smile. "Well, that's a start."

Snow took a deep breath and understood another thing Morgana had told her. Happiness and an overpowering need to run where the compass pointed, suddenly took over her as she remembered the strangely familiar face. A pair of blueish-green eyes she'd seen before. How had she not seen it earlier? How was she not able to recognize her own daughter?

Because it was her, Snow was sure of it now. As soon as Morgana said those few words everything started to make sense. She most definitely didn't remember any of the time she lived under the curse – it was still a mystery, why -, but she believed, she wanted to believe that it was true. Because that would mean her little girl got away safely, she grew up, she became a wonderful young woman and she was everything Snow'd hoped she would be.

However the happy moment turned bittersweet when she realized that she'd missed everything. All her hopes and dreams of raising Emma had been ripped away from her. She never got to be her mother, to take care of her, to teach her, damn to even talk with her. And Emma had spent her whole life alone. Unprotected. Lost. Alone.

Snow experienced a whole new kind of heartbreak. Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked at the compass and made a silent promise. No matter what, once she found her daughter, she would never let her go again.

As always - reviews are appreciated!

oldmcpiper - thank you for the advices and the help! :)