A/N: Thank you SO much for all of your wonderful reviews, I'm sorry this chapter has taken me all week to post, but I wanted to get ahead of myself with the writing, as we're nearing the end of the story now and I will HOPEFULLY be managing one update a night after this :)
To the guest who has told me you've made Fan Art of Meredith… I would LOVE to see it! Send me a link if you can, I beg! I'm hopeless at the sort of stuff, so anyone who has done so or wants to, just let me know so I can see it! It's so exciting for me!
The next two days went by in a blur for Meredith. Regina insisted she move back into her house while Robin relocated back to Granny's, to be closer to Roland and the Merry Men, he said, though Meredith had a sinking feeling it was because Regina refused to let her continue to sleep in jail and he didn't want to be around her. They still hadn't spoken a word to each other since Marian's death.
"I don't mind, honestly," she had told her mother. "Dad shouldn't have to be holed up in Granny's with Roland, he needs you right now."
"What he needs is to stop sulking," Regina had replied. "I'm fully aware he's grieving right now, but none of this is your fault, and he knows it. Until he's ready to accept that, he can stay at the old dog's house." She hadn't argued with her mother after that.
Jadis had stayed quiet, and there was a growing gnawing in Meredith's gut that told her if they didn't deal with her soon, she would gain full strength and then they really would be in trouble.
Word was out round the entire town now that Meredith was Regina and Robin's daughter. She hadn't bothered recasting her glamour spell, what was the point now she'd screwed everything up anyway? She had avoided going outside like the plague, knowing the stares she would receive, and possibly the overwhelming questions about what happens in the future. How the hell would she know now? Everything had to have changed, if it hadn't, why the hell would her mother not have told her about all this? If the Regina she knew, knew about Meredith's trip to the past, there was no way in hell she would have so much as let her out of her sight, let alone out of the house and into the woods. There'd have been a magical tracker round her neck from the moment she was born.
Meredith let out a stretch before burying her face further into the pillow of her bed. She had tossed and turned all night before finally giving up attempting to get a good nights sleep. She didn't bother getting up to open to curtains, she was too sick of the sight of snow to muster the energy to move and draw them back, only to be met with more of the cold white ice that had comfortably settled over the town.
There was a soft knock on the door that pulled her attention away from the window. Regina came in with a gentle smile and set a steaming, hot mug of cocoa down on the bedside table. Meredith sat up gingerly, her muscles still ached from her magical explosion.
"How are you feeling?" Regina asked, perching herself on the beds edge and gripping Meredith's hand tightly in her own.
"I'm okay, I guess," she said, knowing Regina could see the exhaustion in her face. Her mother nodded knowingly.
"Me and Belle have been working hard trying to figure out how we can re-open the portal that brought you here. I know Gold said only you could do it, but it seems he's had a change of heart since the bookworm's been breathing down his neck for a solution."
Meredith felt her shoulders sag slightly. "What's the point in re-opening it, though? Who knows what I've changed in the future."
Regina frowned. "But ... you can't stay here, Meredith. Nothing will come to pass if you do. Unless you can remember an older version of yourself running around Storybrooke eighteen years from now?"
Meredith felt tears sting her eyes, and shifted in the warm sheets of her bed to cross her legs and grip her mother's hands with both of her own. "I can leave town. I'll leave and you and dad can have the exact life I told you about."
"What, so I can loose you again in the future? I don't think so. We're re-opening that portal. Getting you back home is the most important thing, you let me worry about what you've changed," Regina said firmly. Meredith frowned, not liking the affirmation that grazed her mother's face.
"But ... how are you going to make sure I haven't changed anything?"
Regina pursed her lips before taking a deep breath and letting Meredith in on her plan. "I'm going to replace everyone's memories of you with me."
Meredith's face dropped, and Regina had to smile at the almost awe that she saw flash across her daughter's face. The Queen had thought it through and through, going over every detail in her mind with a fine toothed comb before finally deciding it was definitely the right thing to do. She would rid Meredith of everyone's minds completely, and replace anything magical they had seen her do with herself. Marian's death was the only thing that still niggled at Regina's conscience. She couldn't, no matter how much she wanted to, make people think she was the one to magically explode in the street, because everyone knew she was extremely controlled with her magic, and the last thing she wanted was for Robin to think she was responsible for his wife's death. She would have taken the blame for Meredith in a heartbeat; the townspeople's gossip that would inevitably follow wouldn't bother her, she'd been on the receiving end of that before, but she couldn't risk Robin hating her for it, not standing by her with her pregnancy or for them to go on and have Harrison. The solution she'd come up with was one she hoped would give everyone the best possible outcome. She would replace everyone's memory of Marian's death and make them believe Marian got sick, as she had once upon a time, and succumbed to illness when Dr Whale couldn't save her. Regina knew it was risky, but she wanted Roland to keep his memories of the maiden, and Robin to remember he had forgiven her for Marian's original demise.
"But ... how are you going to make every forget? You can't possibly have enough ingredients to make potions for every person in town?" Meredith asked curiously, clearly not catching on to Regina's plan.
Regina took another deep breath and squeezed her daughter's hand, rolling her thumb over her knuckles. "I'm going to curse them."
Meredith's eyes widened. "Mom ... you can't curse them ... not again, they'd never forgive you."
She chuckled, even though nothing about any of this was funny. "You know, generally when you curse someone you do it so they won't remember to be mad at you, or do anything about it."
"But ... but if it gets broken, if they find out ... the whole town would crucify you!"
Regina leaned forward, cradling Meredith's face in her hands and gently stroking her thumbs across the girls cheek bones. She looked so worried, and it warmed Regina's heart that one day she would have a family who would be so concerned for her welfare. It was something even with Robin she wasn't yet used to. Loneliness had been her friend for far too long a time. "I don't think they would, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."
Meredith shook her head in disbelief. "You would risk your reputation, your life for me? Why?"
"Because I'm your mother. It's what mom's do. I'm not going to let you not grow up with the life you deserve because of some crummy little witch who wanted to change something in the past. And if you get back there and she has a problem with it, she can take it up with me. I'd like to see her try and beat me down with magic when it comes to my children. That is a fight I can assure you she wouldn't win."
Meredith smiled in awe at her mother, she couldn't believe the risk she was willing to take, the fierceness she was showing with her love and protection before she had even raised her. Meredith reached forward, pulling Regina into a strong embrace and burying her face in her mother's hair. Regina smiled, hugging Meredith back hard.
"Now," Regina said, tucking a stray strand of dark hair, that had fallen from Meredith's messy pony tail, behind her ear. "You're going to get dressed, and you and I are going out."
"Where are we going?"
"Today is Marian's funeral."
Meredith felt her heart drop. "I can't go to that."
"You're going," Regina said simply.
"Mom, I can't. Dad won't want me there." There was a pleading to her voice that Regina chose to ignore.
"Today isn't about Robin. It's about Marian. And you need closure on her death just as much as he does. Now get dressed. It starts in an hour."
She left the room with a gentle kiss to her child's forehead and no other words. Meredith felt her shoulders sag as she watched Regina leave. The very last thing she wanted was to cause her father anymore pain, and Meredith had a strong feeling she'd do just that if she had the audacity to actually show up to his wife's funeral.
Nonetheless, an hour later, Meredith found herself trudging through the snow of the graveyard, arm in arm with her mother as they made their way to the burial of dear Maid Marian. Butterflies fluttered around Meredith's tummy, and she stayed near deathly silent as they walked, disturbing the fresh snow that had fallen as they went. She nearly slipped on the ice more than once, cursing the boots she'd borrowed from her mother and wishing she'd just stuck to her own comfy, albeit scruffy, Doc Martin's. She had to look respectable, Regina had said, and thrust the patent leather boots with the chunky heels into her arms without another argument.
When they eventually reached the burial site, everyone was already there.
Each of the Merry Men were huddled around the grave, looking grief stricken and tired. David and Mary Margaret were standing with Emma, Hook and Archie a little further back. Robin was standing closest to the deep hole in the ground, gripping a tight hold on Roland's hand, who was staring down into the pit with sorrow, his little face bitten pink in the cold air, and wool hat falling slightly over his eyes. All eyes fell on Regina and Meredith as they made their way over to Robin. Meredith swallowed thickly, feeling a fresh wave of guilt wash over her, and just as she was about to back down and run in the opposite direction, Regina held her head even high, and pulled Meredith towards her father with a strength that was deceiving of her height and build.
Robin gave Regina a grateful, sad smile before nodding at Tuck to begin the service. Regina's arm untangled from Meredith's when she was sure the girl wouldn't run off, and Roland moved closer towards her, reaching up with his arms. Regina lifted boy with ease, settling him on her hip as he let his head fall on her shoulder, and she moved to lace her fingers through Robin's, giving his hand a squeeze, gesturing she was there for him without words. He didn't look at her, but the clutch he gave her back told Regina he was grateful for her presence. She glanced a look back at their daughter, suddenly wishing she had more than two arms so she could hold Meredith as well as Roland and Robin.
Meredith felt a painful lump fill her throat as she looked down at the glossy oak of Marian's coffin. Tears blurred her vision as Tuck began a beautiful eulogy, telling the small congregation standing in the cold of what a kind soul Marian was, and how the time she had been granted back with her family was one he knew she was nothing but grateful for. Guilt pressed down on her chest, and Meredith avoided the eyes of everyone, paranoid that they were all judging her for turning up, all blaming her for the death of their friend like she blamed herself. Because it would never matter how many times her mother told her it wasn't her fault, or how many times she told herself the loss of control over her magic was something she couldn't help, she would always feel responsible for killing her father's wife. She would never not be accountable for Roland having to grow up without his mother. Nothing was the same now, and even if she did get back to the future, even if Regina's curse worked and the whole town forgot, Meredith would always know. The idea of going home and looking Roland and her father in the eye, holding such a massive secret was almost making her wish she didn't have to get back there.
She took in a deep, shuddered breath as Tuck finished his speech and nodded towards her father. Robin moved from his spot next to Regina and headed to where the Friar had previously been standing. Regina adjusted Roland on her hip slightly, forgetting the weight even a little five year old could have on her back now she was pregnant. He wrapped his mitten covered hands round her neck, hanging on her side like a little monkey; if the situation weren't so grave, Regina would have chuckled at him. She rocked Roland from side to side gently, resting her temple against his as they watched Robin take a deep breath and begin his speech. He didn't look anywhere near as grief stricken as he had the night Marian had died, and it occurred to Regina it was probably because it was a situation he had gone through before. He had grieved Marian once already, and no matter how cruel it was, for fate to make him do it again, he knew it was possible to live without her; unlike the first time he had laid her to rest, when he didn't know how on earth he would continue his existence.
"Marian ... my dear Marian. I don't know where to begin. I've said this speech once before in my life, a long time ago, but somehow the words I spoke then don't seem as fitting now. I don't need to tell you how much I loved you, how much I still love you, because you know that. I don't need to thank you for being a wonderful mother to our son in the short time you were given back to us, because I know thanks isn't what you'd want for something that came so naturally to you. You died saving the life of our dear friend," he looked over to Alan, whose lips were trembling; Meredith had no doubt he felt just as guilty as she did. "And I can think of no other death befitting such a selfless person. I'm so incredibly grateful you came back to us, but I'm even more devastated you were taken away again. I can't comprehend what life will be like now, without you. Our family has once again gained a void that will never be filled. I miss you, I will miss you, for as long as I have air in my lungs. My love, my wife, my friend."
Meredith let out a sob she didn't realise she was holding back, but before she could fall apart, Regina gently placed Roland back down and moved to wrap one arm around her daughter. Roland's head buried into her legs as Robin was the first to pick up the shovel and drop dirt over his wife's coffin. The rest of the Merry Men followed suit as he moved back to stand next to Regina, who glanced at him in sorrow while she comforted their daughter. Robin's eyes lingered on the young girl, whose face was hidden in the crook of Regina's neck, and he finally felt the rage that roared in his chest over the past few days subside. He pulled Roland back from his lover's legs, giving Regina the chance to take hold of the shovel.
The Queen watched with a heavy heart as mud fell on the glossy oak wood. "I'll take care of them," she whispered, sending a silent promise to the heavens, to her soulmates dead wife. Emma walked forward, trying to take the shovel from Regina's hands, but instead the Queen pressed the handle into Meredith's hand. Her daughter's eyes were full of sorrow and grief, and she shook her head with a sob when Regina let go, leaving her standing by the grave with no other option but to say good bye and pay her respects as was expected of her.
Meredith's hands trembled as she pushed the metal into the mound of soil next to the grave, and when she looked down at the coffin deep in the ground, she began to cry openly, not caring that she was in front of everyone.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed as the dirt hit the coffin lid with a thud, heavier than it usually would have been without the wetness of snow weighing it down. She turned and pressed the shovel into Emma's hands quickly, then ran as fast as her legs would take her away from the burial site.
Regina called after her, suddenly thinking maybe she hadn't done the right thing by making Meredith come. She was about to run after her daughter when she felt Robin push Roland's little hand into her own.
"I'll go," he said, giving her a small nod. "I'll meet you all in Granny's."
And with that, he took off after his daughter.
He didn't have to wander far. Meredith was sitting on an fallen tree trunk just off the forest's edge, sobbing into her hands. The site broke his heart, and he was suddenly cursing the behavior he'd been basking in for the past two days. This girl was no more responsible for Marian's death then Alan was. Robin sat down beside his daughter without a word, letting her sobs subside on their own, knowing there was no point in telling her not to cry, and hoping that just his presence would be enough to soothe her.
"Did mom send you to give me a pep talk?" She asked when she eventually caught her breath, wiping her tears away and flicking her hair behind her shoulder, not once looking him in the eye. He very nearly let out a laugh at her words, the very words Regina had asked him not two weeks earlier at this very spot. Even with her bright blue eyes, she was her mother from head to toe. How had he not seen that the very moment they'd met? Her sass had never been covered with a glamour spell, neither had the roll of her eyes, or the way she pursed her lips, or arched her eyebrow. He shook his head slowly, waiting for her to talk if she needed to.
"Look, you don't have to talk to me if-"
"I don't blame you," he interrupted, needing to get the sentence out before he backed down. Meredith caught his gaze in shock, so he repeated himself. "I can do nothing but apologise that I was so angry before, I just ... I need you to know that I don't blame you for her death. And I certainly don't hate you."
Meredith didn't know what to say, and simply looked at her dad. The hatred she had seen in his eyes two days prior when this whole mess had begun had completely disappeared, and was replaced with nothing but concern. He looked more like her papa now then he had in the entire time she'd been in this past Storybrooke. Meredith pressed her lips together and tried to smile gratefully. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"Regina said you were holding yourself responsible?" Meredith looked down at her lap, readying herself for yet another verse of 'it isn't your fault'. "You know ... the first time Marian died, I thought it was my fault."
Meredith's ears pricked up, and curiosity got the better of her. She looked back at her dad, who began to talk of a tale she had never heard before.
"We got word that the bandit Snow White was lurking in Sherwood Forest, and I ordered the Merry Men to hide her, should they come across her. One night we went out on a job and when we arrived back in camp, Marian was gone. Tuck was fast asleep next to Roland, and he had no idea where she'd gone. The next day word reached my ears that she had been killed by the Queen's black knight's for aiding in Snow White's escape. I lost my way after that, the guilt was too much to bear."
"But, it wasn't your fault, how could you have known she would help Snow White on that night?"
"And how could you have known your magic would implode like that? On that night, at that time? How were you to know Regina would trap us in the Town Hall, or that Marian would stay outside to help Alan? You couldn't. It's something I was constantly told by the Merry Men. But their words never helped, much like I'm sure me sitting here telling you that you're not responsible for Marian's death now, won't help you either. But I will say this, Meredith; the guilt was something that plagued me, and after a while, something I learned had become a part of me. It began to affect everything I was doing, the decisions I was making, and putting my family in danger. I was reckless and impulsive, and my wife was dead, so what did it matter if I was killed during some job we didn't really need to do? On the contrary, I welcomed death. If I was killed, it meant I wouldn't have to suffer the guilt any longer."
"What made you change?" Meredith asked quietly.
"I finally admitted to myself she was gone. And at the hands of black knight's, not my own. I had to let the guilt go, or it would eat me alive, and then where would that leave Roland? It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do, but it was also something that would never have happened at the assurance of other people. It didn't matter how many times I was told her death wasn't my fault, so I won't say it to you now. I do not believe you are at fault, but I know my words will be lost on you until you're ready to let the guilt go on your own accord."
He reached over and gave Meredith's hand a gentle squeeze before pulling her into a strong embrace. A fresh wave of tears hit her eyes; it was the first hug she'd had from her father since she'd left her Storybrooke a week ago. She was nothing but grateful for his words, aiding his advice without shoving assurance down her throat. He was right, she wasn't ready to be told she had no part in Marian's death, and while there was a small part of her that knew he was right, that knew time would help heal the guilt, at that particular moment in time, Meredith couldn't see the end to her sorrow. She appreciated that he didn't push her to feel better, and instead just let her bask in her emotions. After a short while of them just holding each other, Robin stood and held out his hand, offering to pull Meredith to her feet.
"Let's go back to the others, shall we?"
Regina was stood at the edge of a booth in Granny's, slowly cutting up Roland's food while the diner filled with mourners, and nosey townsfolk alike. She hadn't really said much to anyone, too busy preying Robin wasn't being too hard on their daughter. Mary Margaret and Emma were sitting opposite Roland. The look on the blonde's face was one of almost disbelief, that Regina could be so caring over a small child. The Queen had to bite her tongue and remind herself that the savior hadn't been around when Henry was little, before he learned of his adoption and the whole thing had turned sour. She hadn't seen that Regina was actually very capable of being a loving mother. She placed the knife and fork down gently by Roland's plate and knelt down to his level, pulling his mittens off and kissing each of his palms as she went before pulling off his wool hat and ruffling his hair. She was about to scoot Roland over and sit next to him when Henry came up behind her.
"Hey mom," he said, though she couldn't be sure whether he was talking to her or Emma. She smiled down at her son.
"Hey kid, you hungry?" Emma asked.
He nodded. "I'm gonna get a burger," he said, placing his coat on the back of the booth and moving over to the counter.
"Is everything alright, Roland?" Mary Margaret asked, making Regina look down at the little boy, whose face was scrunched up in confusion as he looked between Emma and Regina. He put down the fork he had been awkwardly holding and swallowed his food before looking up at Regina.
"Are you Henry's mommy?"
She looked quickly over at the two women sitting opposite him, who looked just as baffled as she felt. "Of course I am, Roland. Why do you ask?"
"But ... I thought that Emma was Henry's mommy?"
She sighed heavily, feeling sorrow at his loss niggle in the pit of her stomach, and kneeled back down to his height once more, ignoring the ache in her spine as she moved.
"Emma is Henry's mommy, and so am I. See, Emma couldn't look after Henry like he needed when he was born, so I did."
"Yeah, see," Emma started, leaning against the table, "Henry was in my tummy, but Regina raised him, so we're both his mommy."
Roland looked down at his food while he processed what they had just told him. "Does Henry have a daddy?" He asked, obviously needing more information before he could understand.
Emma's eyes looked full of sorrow. "Yes, Henry has a daddy, but he's in heaven like your mamma."
"See Roland, there are lots of different kinds of families," Mary Margaret said, joining Emma with her elbows now resting on the table. "Some children have two mommies, some have two daddies, Henry's very lucky because he has two mommies and a daddy who watches over him from Heaven, just like your mommy will watch over you."
Regina gave the princess a small smile, grateful for her aid in explanation for the curious little boy sitting before them. He looked back at Regina suddenly, with large eyes full of anguish. "Did you not want to my mommy?"
Regina was gobsmacked, momentarily forgetting her ability to talk as he uttered such words. She reached forward and grasped his little hands in her own, suddenly remembering if he was going to feel better, she would actually have to answer him.
"Oh, Roland. I can think of nothing that would make me happier then being your mommy. Why would you think I wouldn't want you?"
He shrugged sadly. "You look after me like you look after Henry, and he has two mommies and a daddy, so I thought maybe that meant you would be my mommy too like mama who lives in heaven."
Her heart broke as Roland looked into her eyes with nothing but confusion and sadness in his own. "Do you want me to be your mommy?" She asked, not bothering to look at Emma and Mary Margaret for reassurance that what she was saying was the right thing. All that mattered to her in that instant was this little boy, the little boy she already thought of as her own, and his questions about what it was to be a family, to be a parent. His questions that he was far too young to fathom the answers too, but that she would give willingly anyway. She let out a loving smile as he nodded firmly at her question, and leaned in to rub her nose with his. "Well, if you want me to be your mommy then of course, I will be your mommy. But we have to ask your papa first, okay?"
"Ask me what?"
Robin's voice caught her off guard, and she was suddenly nervous; maybe saying what she had to Roland had over stepped the mark somehow. Just because she felt like Roland's mother in her heart, didn't mean Robin felt like that too. Meredith was standing just behind him, and Regina felt relieved she was no longer crying. Hopefully Robin had talked to her now like she'd asked him to.
"I want Regina to be mommy like Henry!" Roland explained happily. Robin looked between his son and Regina in shock.
Emma caught Regina's stumped expression, and back peddled for her. "I was just explaining to Roland how Henry has two mommies and a daddy in heaven, and he asked if Regina would look after him and be his mother like she is Henry's."
Mary Margaret and Emma scooted out of the booth, nodding towards Regina, who was pretty sure her knees had locked as she still knelt down, and moved to meet Henry, David and Killian over by the counter. Meredith slid across the seat opposite her brother, sneaking some of his fries into her mouth and letting out a giggle as Roland protested at her stealing his food. Regina looked up at Robin, who still had yet to respond, and held out her hand.
"Please help me up, I'm pretty sure I'm stuck like this," she said, voice nearly whining. He chuckled slightly and reached down to pull her up, not letting her hand go when she stood. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what to say to him," she whispered to Robin, moving her face closer to his so Roland wouldn't hear, but thankfully Meredith was entertaining him.
He moved his hand to the small of her back. "Well do you want to be his mother?" He asked, as though he was checking it was okay with her. Regina let her head fall to one side and furrowed her brow in disbelief.
"Seriously, how can you even ask that? I love Roland exactly as I love Henry and Meredith."
Robin shrugged and then smiled. "Well then it's fine with me." He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple and then slid into the booth next to Meredith, ordering Roland to scoot down and let his mother sit next to him.
Regina felt her heart swell at being called Roland's mother, but no one but her and Robin seemed to bat an eyelid to the term. Roland ... her son ... did as he was told and scuttled along, silently accepting that Regina was now every bit his mother as Marian was.
As the afternoon wore on, Henry joined their table, and Robin couldn't help but smile at the warmth in Regina's eyes, at the warmth he felt spread through his heart. On a day that was heavy with heartache, he was so thankful he could look down at his little boy and see delight in his eyes as Henry read to him from his storybook, or as Meredith and Regina huddled together and laughed about something or other. It was exactly what Marian would have wanted. Her son and husband, nothing but happy.
By nightfall, Roland was fast asleep on Regina's lap, she was leaning heavily against Robin, feeling exhausted. Meredith and Henry were over by the counter lost in deep conversation. She used that moment to relay her plan to curse the town to Robin, speaking in a hushed voice she needn't have used, because the majority of the town had left, the Merry Men save Tuck and Little John had bid their good night's, and only her little family, Emma and the pirate, the un-charming's, Tink, and the newly wed Mr and Mrs Dark One remained in the diner with Ruby and Granny.
She could tell from his expression Robin absolutely detested her plan, but his with his lack of back chat it was obvious he could also see it was necessary.
"So when are you going to do it?" He asked, thumbing random strands of her hair with the arm that was draped over the back of the booth.
"Just as soon as we can figure out how to re-open the time portal."
Gold appeared at their side with Belle the second the words left her mouth. Regina preyed he hadn't heard her plan to curse them all, but from the look in his eye, she strongly suspected the Imp had.
"Speaking of time portals. I believe we may have figured out who it was that sent Meredith back here."
Regina sat up in interest, careful not to disturb her little boy sleeping soundly against her chest. Gold had spoken with a raised voice, loud enough to catch everyone's attention, and the group moved to situate themselves around the booth Regina and Robin were occupying. Rumple looked down at Meredith, who was desperately awaiting his thoughts by his side.
"You said you were lead to this witch with wisps, yes? That she was incredibly old and talked of nothing but changing your fate?"
She nodded, having regaled her account of what had happened numerous times over the past two days.
"Well then I do believe we have our answer."
"Stop with the allusiveness, Gold. I'm really not in the mood. Who was this witch?" Regina said sternly.
"I believe she is one of three. The fates. And I think if that's the case then we really haven't got a hope in hell's chance of re-opening that portal until Meredith here has done whatever she was brought here to do."
Regina snorted. "The fates? They don't exist. I thought they were just some old myth from the ancient world?"
Belle chimed in. "They are. But that doesn't mean they don't exist. Everything Meredith told us about the witch who sent her here rings true in every written account I've found about the fates. I was suspicious at first because of how Meredith was sent here. In a blinding white light?" The beauty looked back to Emma and Hook. "Does that sound like the portal you two went through last week?" They shook their heads. "That's because their magic is different. They're as old as time itself. We don't have any way of getting Meredith back to her time until-"
"Until I've fulfilled my fate." Meredith finished, looking at her parents gravely. "Jadis." She said simply, and horror washed over Regina at her daughter's words.
"You ... you think she sent you back here to defeat the White Witch?" The Queen said quietly, barely breathing.
"It all makes sense now. Jadis can freeze dark magic, which means Gold can't defeat her, but you and Emma aren't well versed enough in light magic to take her down in a battle. I've been trained from the day I was born in light magic. I'm stronger then any of you are here at the moment."
"But ... if that were true then wouldn't we remember you coming back to defeat her from your timeline?" David asked, voicing the one question Regina and Robin hoped no one would. Robin sighed before answering.
"We think Meredith always came back here. There are some massive inconsistencies in what she was told growing up to what has actually happened, things that happened before she arrived here, so could never have changed." He looked down at Regina, who nodded, giving the okay to carry on his story. "We think whatever it was that Meredith did while she was here, we were made to forget so the timeline never altered."
"How would we be made to forget?" Emma asked.
Regina shifted uncomfortably in her seat before letting her eyes rest on the saviors. "I'm gonna have to curse us all again. I don't have a choice."
A heavy silence fell on the room as the magnitude of what had to happen settled on them all. Meredith though, was grateful her mother had come clean to the rest, grateful that if this curse ever broke, they would all know she didn't have a choice. How could the town possibly persecute Regina when she had the backing of Emma Swan and Snow White? She shivered suddenly, the idea of facing Jadis filled Meredith with nothing but dread.
But the showdown would come sooner then she anticipated.
As though Jadis read her mind, thick ice began to crawl up the glass of Granny's diner, inching it's way inside the building slowly, but all the more menacingly. A loud, blood curdling cackle met their ears from outside. The White Witch had arrived.
Everyone moved with haste. Robin pulled Regina from the booth, who pressed Roland into Granny's arms and ordered the old lady to go upstairs with him and Henry and not come out until one of them told her to. Emma readied her gun, Hook and David drew their swords, and Gold conjured a scroll in his hand before tossing it through the air for Regina to catch. She rolled out the parchment, looking down at the foreign words mixed with elvish that graced the paper.
"That curse will make everyone forget. I trust you know what to do," he said. She nodded, thrusting the scroll into her pocket and moving to pull Meredith into a fierce embrace that Robin joined in, enveloping both his girls in his strong arms.
"I have to go and cast this now. We can't let Jadis live, not after I do this, okay?"
Meredith nodded, eyes filled with fear. Regina cupped her daughter's face with her hands. "We're all with you, okay? You're not doing this alone."
Meredith swallowed thickly before hugging her mother one last time. When she let go, Regina grasped Robin's hand in her own and promised they would be right back, then they disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.
They appeared at the well in an instant. Robin gave her arm a gentle squeeze of support as Regina pulled him over to the old bricks that formed a deep pit in the ground. She conjured a small knife from thin air, and dragged the blade down her palm, letting out a yelp of pain through gritted teeth. Robin was about to ask what the hell she was doing when she reached over and did the same with his own hand, before grasping his palm against her own and mixing their blood. It dripped, thick and sticky into the deep waters below.
"Are you ready for this?" She asked, taking a deep breath. He nodded, then watched as Regina tore the paper from it's metal scroll and crushed it with her hands, before dropping into the well. The ground shook beneath them for a split second, and the beginnings of pink smoke began to creep out of the well. Regina looked down at her curse, ignoring the ever mounting panic that was rising through her body. This was absolutely the right thing to do. They would go and take down Jadis, and then Meredith would get back home and they would forget.
The plan was fool proof. So why couldn't she shake the feeling that something was about to go very, very wrong?
Reviews make me one happy lady! Also, if anyone's confused (which I hope not) just let me know and I'll do my best to explain! Writing time travel sure is a pain in the ass!