I don't usually start these with a note - I end on them :P - but I have to now, my past two chapters had kind of been rushed and not my best because I was really busy with college, grades and deadlines all in the name of getting into University (which I did!).

So please enjoy this unrushed chapter! - K :)

She'd been holding back her magic for fear it would hurt her family, like it had when she was child and it had become pent up and unreleased - wild inside of her, dark and tainted like a forbidden fruit - every time she let a bit go the well inside her deepened and more wanted a release. So many old fears were resurfacing and she couldn't explain why or how to help herself, she quickly found herself pulling back from everyone she cared for, she had promised her crew she'd only remain for a few days and it had been weeks bordering on months since she had arrived home. She had lashed out at her family and friends, and had ran quickly from the building because she had shattered a window with her outburst frightening her parents.

She sat in the gardens of the castle watching butterflies flutter in and out of the many flowers. She wiped at her face trying to wipe away any evidence of the tears that had released themselves when she had ran from the building.

She could feel the positive energy surrounding her, nature at its best. She'd come to find being in the gardens helped calm her mind from all and any torturous thoughts, but when she returned to She closed her eyes and inhaled the scents of the roses beside her, she began to hum to herself a tune she had heard on one of her many trips with the crew.

"Princess," a voice drawled from behind her. She opened her eyes and was met with a sheepish smile from a old friend. "May I?" He gestured to the bench space beside her.

She nodded and shuffled herself and her skirts to provide Pinocchio with some room. He plopped down ungracefully beside her the smile still on his rose coloured lips.

They sat there in awkward silence, Pinoochio looking anywhere but at her and Emma sat there staring at him, shock and disbelief written on her face. She hadn't seen him since his proposal and her running away, she'd asked around the castle about him but no one had been forthcoming. He was staring at her intently and quizzically, his eyebrows raised in an expression she had long since learned meant he was trying to identify something.

"You look pale, and sullen." He said.

She raised her eyebrows at him, they hadn't seen each other in a while and his first actual full sentence was an insult. A choked out laugh escaped her, she flung her arms around her best-friend and he hesitantly wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I can't believe you're here" She choked out against his shoulder.

She had missed him regardless of how they had left things off, regardless of the proposal and other things.

"Your mother sent people out looking for me," He said. "I wasn't sure you'd want to see me after everything that had happened." He admitted pulling back from their embrace.

She pulled back from him and he looked at her startled. He lifted a hand and wiped tears she knew had leaked from her eyes, she knew if she looked at his hands she'd find familiar calluses on his palms some matched her own, others were probably newer ones she wouldn't know the story to.

"Don't cry Em," He whispered.

She sniffled and raised her hand to her cheek to wipe the rest of her face with the back of her hand; she was overwhelmed but happily overwhelmed. They sat in the garden and talked over everything that happened to them, she told him about the little boy she'd given to Regina - Henry - and he told her about the girl he was courting currently. She told him about the resurfacing of her fears, and he placed a thoughtful hand on her hand and squeezed it.

"She's lovely and so very beautiful," He sighed, "and if you have enough time I'd love for you to meet her."

She smiled and nodded, agreeing to come and put in some good words for him. They fell into a silence, words left unsaid between them.

"I'm sorry for proposing." He blurted and she looked at him bewildered. "I should have talked to you about it first instead of springing it on you, but I was so in love with you and it made me reckless." He admitted.

"You're forgiven, and have been for a very long time. I was stupid for not realising your feelings and stringing you along the way I had." She said.

Pinocchio released a held in breath and a smile spread across Emma's face, lighting her up and making her glow. The same quizzical look crossed his face.

"You look better somehow." He said.

"It's calmer out here, I can still feel the power in my veins but somehow it's untainted." She confessed, closing her eyes and tilting her head back to enjoy the soft sun rays.

They sat in silence a while, Emma enjoying the suns rays and Pinocchio happy to have his best-friend back even if for just a little while.

"I'm not magical so I can't be sure or even begin to pretend like I know," He began watching her intently. "But the castle it seems to dull you. You become grey like your energy is being sucked out."

She looked at him, and frowned. Something he said made her open up her magical barriers, she felt it unleash and she could see it all. The beautiful green energy of nature and life, her own energy sparked in her palms a soft pale light, beautiful and rich in purity. When she looked at the castle she could see a taint, like a shroud covering the buildings. She knew the colour, and she knew the reasons behind it.

She looked at him disbelief written across her face, she didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before. Well she did actually, she hoped it had been the last she would have to deal with the Dark One but somehow his kidnapping of her younger brother and other nefarious deeds had tainted the castle she called home and the taint reacted negatively to her home.

"I know what's going on." She said. "Can you go back in and call my parents and Killian out?" She asked her best-friend.