The cart hit a rut, bouncing wildly, and Emma grabbed the edge of the wooden bench seat with white knuckles.
"Would you like me to drive?" she asked. "I would like to get there in one piece."
"How about letting me drive," a muffled voice called from under a pile of wool in the back of the cart. "I'd like to keep my spleen. I'm not sure it can withstand another jolt like that."
"Sorry," David said. "This cart has seen better days - I've lost a wheel twice this week already."
"How long until I can come up for air?" Killian's muffled voice came again.
"At least until we're over the ridge," David said. "We'll be out of sight by then."
"What's the matter?" Emma asked. "Not cozy enough for you under all that wool? I'm sure we could have persuaded Alannis to come along and keep you warm."
"Emma - "
"Imagine my surprise when we managed to knock that big oaf out and get the key," Emma said, "and we come rushing up the staircase to rescue you only to find the fair Alannis had beaten us to it. That must've been a helluva bribe."
"Emma, love -"
"Hey - you do still have the key, don't you?" she asked her father. "I mean, it didn't disappear because she sprung him instead of us, did it? And no, that's not a euphemism," she said loudly.
David patted his pocket. "It's still there. I checked."
"So you're down to, what now? Three?"
"Three," David confirmed. "But we'd better move fast. Take a look at this." He reached inside his cloak and pulled out the enchanted branch that Rumple had given them. "We're down to two leaves."
"Two days." Emma's voice was somber. "Two days left and I still don't have the slightest idea what the hell my seven things are."
"But we got Henry figured out," David said. "He only had the one thing. Maybe we'll get lucky with you, too."
"Maybe. But I'm not holding my breath on it."
"Speaking of holding my breath," Killian's muffled voice came again. "Are we over the bloody ridge yet?"
"Come on out, Hook," David said. "You're good."
Killian threw off the stifling pile of wool, finger-combed his hair into some semblance of order, and then threw a leg over the wall of the cart so he could slide down into the seat. His progress was halted by Emma's stiff arm to his chest.
"Whoa there, loverboy," she said. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I'm sitting down," Killian replied, but her arm held firm.
"Nuh-uh. No room up here, sorry."
"Emma..."
"Nope." She waved him away with the back of her hand and he sank down into the cart with a growl.
"How long until we're at the hovel?" she asked David.
"It's not a hovel," David said. "We're poor, but I assure you, you can eat off the floor in there. My mother wouldn't have it any other way."
Emma smiled, unable to stop the spark of interest that came into her eyes. "I get to meet my grandma?"
"You do."
"And Henry?"
"He didn't make this jump. Since he's not with you, I'm guessing he's with Regina somewhere."
He hit another rut and Killian let out a hiss, stretching out his back. David lowered his voice and leaned into Emma.
"How long are you going to keep him like this?"
"I'm not sure," Emma replied coolly. "I'll let you know." She reached out, tangling her fingers in his hair. "This is really something."
"It was my crowning glory," David grinned.
"What was Mom's reaction?"
"Well, she had me at the point of an arrow because she didn't recognize me at first," David said. "Then when she did...she laughed so hard she shot her own foot."
"No!"
"I'm not kidding! I sent her along to the house and she and my mother are probably having a grand old time."
###
"I feel so completely useless," Snow said, turning her bandaged foot this way and that.
"Oh, I'm used to doing for myself," Ruth said, stirring the large kettle over the hearth. She took a poker from the peg on the wall and prodded at the carefully wrapped meat pies that were laying on the coals. "The stew is nearly ready - but the meat pies will take a bit longer."
"I want to apologize again for intruding on your evening," Snow said. "But meeting you again - it's just..."
"Again, dear?" Ruth looked puzzled. "Have we met before?"
Snow started to answer and then closed her mouth. This Ruth wouldn't have met her yet. She could hardly tell her that she was her daughter-in-law. "I think I saw you in the village," Snow said. "And David's told me all about you, of course."
"And how long have you known my son?" Ruth pushed herself to her feet and busied herself tidying up.
"Oh...it seems like ages," Snow ad-libbed. "He's wonderful."
"He's a prize for any woman," Ruth said, pride evident in her voice. "And there are plenty of women who think that once they find a husband who's a decent man and a hard worker, they can shrug off all their responsibilities and laze around." Her eyes met Snow's for a moment before she looked away.
Snow gave her a wary look. Surely that comment wasn't meant for her?
"I suppose some women may be like that, but I don't believe I know any. The women in my kingdom are very hard-working."
"Your kingdom?" Ruth looked taken aback. "So you think you're a princess?"
"I am a princess," Snow said with a smile. "I'm Snow White."
Ruth sucked in a breath. "Snow White? The Snow White?"
"That's right."
"The Snow White who abandoned her kingdom to an evil queen? The Snow White who sacrificed her child to save herself? Snow White who took another woman's child from her to assure her own happy ending?"
"Wait -" Snow looked baffled. "How did you -"
Ruth's voice was biting. "I know all about you. And I know that you're not the wife for my son."
"She's right," her own voice echoed. Snow glanced over her shoulder to see herself standing beside Ruth. "Her son is her entire world. You could never give him that kind of devotion."
"But I have others that make up my world," she answered herself. "I have Emma and Neal and Henry...David understands that, and it only makes our lives richer."
"You really think he feels that way?" Other Snow asked, shaking her head sadly. "If he'd never gotten mixed up with you, he'd have been free once the curse broke."
"And I'd still be alive," Ruth said. "After all, George only attacked me because of the two of you."
"We couldn't just look the other way," Snow said in a fierce whisper. "And I never meant for you to die. You should have swallowed the water from the lake. You'd be alive today if you had."
"But she put David first," Other Snow said. "And what do you do? When a portal sucks your daughter away, you jump through without even a backward glance. You plan the murder of a powerful sorceress, knowing there will be retribution from her daughter, and knowing he could be put in danger for it. Do you ever put him first? Ever?"
Snow's hand went to her chest in a gesture of shock, and sat there motionless for a moment. The room was deadly quiet as Ruth and the Other Snow stared her down. She could feel her heartbeat drumming frantically under her fingertips.
She took in a sharp breath, lifted her chin and faced them both.
"I gave him my heart," she said. "Ripped it in half because I couldn't bear to be in a world without him. And I'd do it again, and again, until there's nothing left of it, if I had to. And when I put my children before him, it's because they have a need that eclipses his at the moment, and more importantly - it's because that's what he would do, as well."
Snow pushed herself to her feet. tottering a bit as she limped over and got right up in her own face.
"He's a wonderful father and an amazing husband, and I value him for both. And I am a good mother and a very good wife. And no one, no one, will ever love that man more than I do."
Her eyes shifted to Ruth. "But you can love him just as much."
The door opened, and Snow turned as David strolled through, his eyes moving from his wife to his mother.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Snow turned back to Ruth, only to see that Ruth was now alone. On the table lay a beautiful purple amethyst. Snow closed her hand over it.
"I was just telling this young lady that she needs to get off that foot," Ruth said, coming around the table to fuss at Snow. "David? Come and help her!"
He walked over, putting a supporting arm around Snow and helping her back to the bench she'd been sitting on. Ruth caught his eye over Snow's head, gesturing at him to sit next to her.
Snow let out a long breath as she sank down, and David sat next to her, leaning in to ask, "What was that all about?"
"I'm not entirely sure," she said, watching Ruth, who seemed to be back to her normal and loving self. "I just faced the wife from hell, though."
He gave her a look of disbelief. "You could never be the wife from hell."
"Oh, puh-lease!" Emma's voice carried from the yard.
"I didn't even speak to her for long!" Killian defended as he walked through the door.
"Speaking of hell..." David murmured. "Looks like Killian's in for a little."
"We're not discussing this now," Emma said firmly.
"Emma, don't be this way."
"Well, how would you like me? Should I loosen my corset strings down to my navel? You seem to have a fondness for that look."
David cleared his throat loudly, and Emma turned with a start, realizing her Grandmother was staring at her, and clearly not sure what to think.
"Mother, this is...Emma and Killian. They'll be staying for dinner, as well."
Ruth immediately started fussing through their meager food stores. "Well, you might have told me sooner!" she exclaimed. "I'm afraid it's only meat pies and stew -"
"It's fine," Emma said. "I don't have much of an appetite. Is there somewhere I can go lay down?" She looked over at Killian. "Alone?"
He gave her a dark look in response as he ground out. "We're not done talking."
"You can have my bed," Ruth graciously offered.
"No, I couldn't possibly," Emma replied. "Anyplace is fine. Really."
"There's a stable around back," David said. "There's a loft overhead - the hay is fresh and it's a comfy spot."
"Thanks," Emma said. She paused to look down at her mother. "Nice shot."
"Tell me about it," Snow answered, reaching over to tuck David's hair behind his ear.
Emma walked for the door, but Killian was blocking her way. He made a last-ditch grab for her arm but she sidestepped him, and ducked through the doorway.
He watched her go, but his lowered brows and tight stance made it clear he was simmering over it.
"Better let her cool off," David advised.
"David!" Snow elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ooof! What?"
"Of course he should go after her!" Snow said.
"You think so?" David asked, craning his head to look out the door. "She seems pretty mad."
"Honestly, son," Ruth said, clucking her tongue. "It's a wonder you found a girl at all." She looked over at Killian. "Don't let her push you away," she advised. "I know what true love looks like. And that girl needs you."
Killian gave her a stiff nod. "Thank you." Then he turned on his bootheel and stalked off after his prey.
Emma, on the other hand, had found the ladder that led to the loft, but of course, it wasn't vertical but laying on the floor of the stable. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of animals droppings nearby.
"Nothing like a little ambiance," she said, lifting the ladder and hauling it upright. She had a hard time getting it to sit level on the uneven dirt floor, but finally seemed to get it wedged properly. She started climbing and was nearly at the top when she heard him call for her.
"Swan!"
He was furious - she'd heard that tone before. She looked back over her shoulder - a little too far - and suddenly found herself flailing backwards, falling, falling until she landed with a stinging slap against hard wood and not packed earth.
She pushed the tangle of hair out of her eyes, and quickly made two realizations.
First, she was aboard the Jolly Roger and second, her foot was caught in a pile of rope.
"What the...?"
She jerked her leg, shaking it, but it was wound up tightly in the ropes, almost to the point of cutting off her circulation. She looked around, hoping to find someone to give her a hand, but she appeared to be alone. When she turned to look behind her, she spied the cutlass leaning against the railing.
She managed to stretch far enough to get her fingers around it, and with a little creative positioning she slid it under the rope and started sawing. It took a few minutes, but she got free and pushed herself to her feet.
"This is a hazard," she griped, grabbing the rope and pulling it along toward the rail, where she threw it down behind a barrel, out of the way. She'd just straightened back up and was dusting her still-stinging hands off when a timid voice said,
"Excuse me...miss?"
Her eyes grew wide and she turned in disbelief.
"Are you lost, miss?" Killian asked. Only he wasn't her Killian. She'd met this Killian before. The tousled hair, the uncertain expression, the defeated slump to his shoulders...
"You're...you're..." she stumbled.
"A deckhand," he said, giving her a crooked smile.