The morning was especially cold.
"Henry?" Regina called from the bottom floor. "I made waffles! Are you coming down?"
"Yeah, in a minute!" Henry replied from his room. "Mom, have you looked out the window?"
Regina frowned and tilted her head sideways as she walked to the foyer, opening the door to be greeted by a cold chill… and the sight of a mild frozen dew. She sneered as she stepped out to the brick path that led to the street, and looked at the cars parked, all covered in the exact same thin layer of frost. She folded her arms and exhaled, seeing the steam leave her lips as she went back indoors.
As she closed the door behind her, Henry stepped down the stairs. "Have you ever seen cold like this during this time of year?"
"I can't say I have… Maybe we can check the weather channel? We may be a little phantom town, but I'm sure we're pretty connected to the rest of the weather in Maine…"
Henry stepped into the study and turned on the TV to find the weather forecast. "And for today we can expect some mild showers, as we have a weather system coming in from the northeast pacific, New York seems to be getting a fair share of drizzle, but as we head north, Conneticut and Rhode Island seem to have a little bit of sunshine and Maine, we have some winds coming in from the west, bound to blow some of those rainy clouds back into the sea, so wear a sweater."
Henry turned off the TV and huffed, putting his hands in his pockets. "Yep. I guess this… is Storybrooke freakiness all over again."
"Umph…" Regina shivered. "I'll get the heater started."
"I should call my mom."
Regina turned to him and frowned. "I thought you were going to spend the day with me…"
"Oh, I am, I totally am, I just…" He shrugged. "I don't know, I just get the feeling my sister has something to do with this."
Regina chuckled. "You think Lilly has frozen Storybrooke?"
"No… I think something else has, and whatever that may be, it's connected to her. I just… know."
"You… know." Regina licked her lips. "And just HOW would you know?"
"I don't know. I just do. And I also know that it has something to do with Killian getting his hand back. I knew something was coming, I just don't know what."
Regina stared at Henry with a suspicious furrow of her brow; few people were seers, and it took great power for a person to be one. Henry had never really displayed magical abilities, an oddity, considering his heritage, but divination was usually a gift bestowed upon female witches.
"Henry…" Regina walked to her son. "Do you… feel things like these often?"
"Ever since Lilly was born, actually. It just got worse when we came back and even more when I got my memories back. Why?" He shook his shoulders. "Y… you think something's wrong with me?"
Regina side-grinned. "I think that magic has finally caught up with you, young man."
"Wait… what?" He laughed lightly. "I may have grown a faint shadow of what will eventually become a moustache, mom, but I've got as much magic as the chaise in the living room."
"Divination is another form of magic, Henry." Regina grinned as she rubbed his arm. "One not quite as common… and one that is not acquired through training. Being a seer just happens." She sat down before him. "Have you seen things, Henry? In dreams? Or just in your mind?"
Henry licked his lips repeatedly before heaving a sigh and sitting down. "I… I didn't want to say anything, I… I thought it was just my imagination."
Regina smiled fully and put an arm around her adopted son. "Well… imagination goes a long way." She rubbed his shoulder. "Come on. What is in your mind?"
Henry swallowed and shook his head. "My… sister. Something is happening, very soon. I saw this weather, this… ice. In my head. And there is this kind of voice that keeps telling me about good and evil coming face to face soon, but…" He looked at Regina. "Isn't that what always happens? This IS Storybrooke."
Regina studied his words. "Why do you think Lilly has something to do with all this, Henry?"
He rubbed his hands together. "I… don't know, I just… keep seeing her labeled as something. Like, my mom is The savior?"
Regina's smile vanished. "Henry… what is Lilly? What is her label?"
"She is… The Healer. I don't even know what that means. Do you?"
Regina faked a grin and pulled Henry to herself; as the boy leaned on his mother's shoulder, Regina's face went from grin to pained scowl.
So Lilly was The Healer…
How to explain to her mother and father that their adorable toddler had a specific purpose... and that said purpose would quite likely claim her life?
"I… have no idea what that means, Henry."
"Well, I'll have to find out. I don't know why, but I just can't shake the feeling that Lilly and my mom and dad are in danger…"
"Your 'dad'?" Regina turned with a sneer. "The pirate's your 'dad', now?"
Henry shrugged. "Might as well be, he's ok, and he's the only one I have now. So… I'll just give them a call and check on Lilly and then we can jump face first into those waffles."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The sudden loss of power caught every inhabitant by surprise.
It must have been somewhere around six in the afternoon and the chill factor slowly dropping, when the lights of the entire town went down.
Emma was already on patrol duty with David when driving down Main, all lampposts went out together with the sunset.
"What the hell…?" Emma turned her head in all directions.
David huffed. "Looks like a major one too, look down the road." He nodded in the direction of the road ahead. "As far as the eye can see."
Emma shook her head. "You know… we got kind of a cryptic call from Henry today… Kind of said something was bound to happen soon. Phew…" Emma shivered and crossed her arms, cradling herself.
"You suppose it had something to do with the weather change?" David frowned, looking up at the sky, which was fast starting to change from the usual hue of blues and reds to a more serene starry black.
"I have… my doubts." Emma said, her eyes set ahead on the road to the town line.
David's gaze followed and he gasped mildly. "What the…"
"Well, there you go." Emma completed, equally surprised.
Before them was a fifty feet wall of ice.
"Who does this kind of thing?" David shook his head.
Emma shook her head. "I have no idea." She stepped out of the patrol and walked to the wall. She reached into her coat pocket and produced her mobile to dial for home; it had been Killian's day off and he was sure to be at home with Lilly.
"Hello?"
"Killian, you have to get over here…"
"Swan? Love, is everything all right? We lost power here. Lilly and I were just casting figures on the wall and…"
"What if I told you that we're trapped in ice?" She smiled. "Quite literally, trapped?"
Killian frowned. "Are you well?"
"Let's just say the whole town's grounded; we've all been locked inside Storybrooke by a wall of ice taller than Jericho."
The captain turned to look at his daughter and her cubes; she still used them for more complex wording, and even when she was unable to hear the conversation, she had already written the words MUST GO.
"Well, my first mate here says we have to check this out, so…"
"You're seriously NOT thinking of dragging our two year old to the town line, are you?"
Killian looked at his daughter. "Well, your mother's currently taking over as mayor, since she was the one to cast the new curse;: then Henry's over at Regina's, your father is with you so… I can't see as I have any other choice. Besides…" He grinned at the sight of the little girl staring straight at him in a "don't-you-dare-leave-me-alone" sort of way. "I reckon she wouldn't be pleased, from the looks of it."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just bundle her up, it's kind of… cold."
"Aye, aye, mam." He smiled as he hung up. He then turned to his daughter. "!Well then, my darling, seems we have a little mission in our hands. Are you up for a little adventure?"
"Aye!" She smiled.
"Right then, let's get your jacket and gloves then, sweet pea, we're meeting mummy."
Lilly nodded and fiddled with her cubes.
BIG WALL.
Killian huffed and shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that." He then smiled at his child. "Aye love. We have to check that out."
IMPORTANT
Hook frowned. "Wh… why, my love? Why is it important?"
Lilly shrugged and held her hands out for her father to carry her. Killian sighed. "Aye. First you spook me and then you won't tell. Very well…" He picked her up and took her to her room to fit her with a warm jacket.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"Hook. Didn't know you'd be joining us… with… my… granddaughter in tow." David huffed.
"BADAUAUTFF DAVID!" Lilly admonished her grandfather.
Killian giggled. "She's part of the team, mate, and she knows it. Besides, I get a distress call from a fair maiden and I'm on the spot."
Emma shook her head. "I wasn't in distress."
"Well, in case you were wondering, the bloody thing goes the whole way around."
"Wait…" David held his hand out. "You mean the wall has closed off the whole town?"
"Aye, that it has."
"Aye!" Lilly echoed, making her mother and grandfather smile.
"And I can assume…" Killian pointed at a fallen power pole. "… this is the cause for the loss of power?"
Emma smiled. "Yeah… You're quite the 21st century guy, aren't you?"
Killian shrugged with a grin.
David sighed. "Whoever did this, wanted to entrap us, I just can't see why…"
"Kill us all off. One by one." Killian shrugged. "Basic war strategy, mate. That's what I'd do… or would have done."
The patrol radio blared and David turned to Hook. "Gotta take that. Everyone's going ballistic without the power. Here…" he held his arms out for Lilly. "I'll take her to the car, she's better off in there."
"Aye. Go on, love." Killian handed her over to her grandfather. "Do as you're told."
Without protesting, Lilly accompanied her grandfather to the police car.
"so…" Emma shivered. "What do you think?"
"I think I should have brought the champagne, love, in light that we're standing in the world's largest ice bucket." He smiled, hand on his buckle, in his old flirty style.
Emma rolled her eyes with a smile. "Flirting… Do you really think this is the time?"
"As good as any, given that this is bloody Storybrooke and something's bound to go awry at any given opportunity, so I say…" He bit his lower lip and pulled her by the waist. "Seize the moment…" He kissed her cheek as Emma studied the wall with wide eyes.
"Why would anyone want to kill off the whole town? It doesn't make any sense."
He shrugged. "Well, in a town infested with magic, you never know…"
"No…" Emma shook her head. "I think this is just about the wall. Someone's trying to stop someone else from leaving town."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Just a hunch…" she snatched the torch from his hand. "Stay here and keep that champagne in the ice bucket, I'm going to take a closer look…"
Killian huffed as Emma walked to the wall and David caught up with him. "Didn't go with her?"
"She asked me to stay." He huffed. "Besides, the wall looks sturdy enough."
"You do remember what happened the last time she said she'd take a closer look at something, right?" David hissed.
Killian shot his eyes at him. He damn well knew: They wound up getting stuck in another time for six months. A sudden flash of panic crossed his face. He turned to see if Lilly was secured in the car before rushing over to the spot where Emma had entered through a hole in the ice wall.
They soon found her to be in the company of a pale, beautiful young woman, with a long, platinum braid and a blue, flowing dress.
"Emma!" Killian shouted, startling the young girl.
"Hey, it's ok! It's ok!" Emma held her hands out.
The young beauty turned a fear stricken face and held her hand out, a mild bluish-white glow emanating from the palm of her hand.
"Magic…" David hissed as he drew his gun and pointed it at the girl. "FREEZE!"
"Odd choice of words..." Killian huffed.
"STAY BACK!" The woman barked back.
Emma looked at both her husband and father. "Guys, it's ok, put the gun down!"
The ground rattled and suddenly, yet another wall of tall shards of ice rose from where they were all standing. Emma was knocked back to the ground before Killian's helpless stare.
This ice lady had encased the both of them into an ice cave, leaving David and Hook outside.
Instantly, Hook stood up and ran to the wall. "EMMA!" He shouted as he desperately tried to carve through the ice with his bare fingers. "Ugh, where's the bloody hook when I need it?"
Soon enough, he began to leave a trail of blood.
David reached him and stopped him. "That's not gonna get us anywhere!"
Killian pulled his arm back. "I am not leaving her in there! I'm not giving up!"
"We won't! But that's not gonna help! OK?"
"Emma…" Killian panted, his face contorted with fear. "Well, use that bloody black device she took with her!"
David nodded and reached for his walkie on his waist. "Emma! Emma answer us, do you copy?"
Silence.
"EMMA!"
A hissing sound of white noise came before the muffled sound of Emma's voice came through. "Dad, Killian, I'm ok… can you hear me?"
Killian snatched the radio from David. "SAY AGAIN, LOVE!"
"Listen, guys… I'm in here with this girl, her name is Elsa. She's looking for her sister and I think there's something about… danger? She has a necklace. Gold will know."
"Why am I not bloody surprised…" Killian huffed.
"Killian…"
"Aye, sweethreart, I'm here…"
"I… Is Lilly ok?"
"She's in the car." David spoke into the radio. "Why?"
"Wh… whatever you do… k… keep her safe, ok?"
"Emma?" Killian once again took the device from David.
"Keep the little one safe!" Came an unfamiliar voice. "Or everyone in this town will freeze!"
David and Hook exchanged a worried glance before they both ran madly back to the car. Hook took the shotgun seat and turned to look at his daughter, who had settled to sleep in the back. "She's ok, she's…" he frowned as David joined him. "Mate, look…"
David turned and frowned. "Is she…?"
"She's shivering…" Killian hissed before promptly leaving the front seat to enter the back, holding Lilly to him. "Oh bloody hell…" he turned to David. "She's cold… It's happening again. GO GO GO!"
David started the engine and sped, siren on, to Gold's place of business.
Like with his dreams and nightmares, it seemed Lilly was taking in and living through whatever her mother was experimenting; so now, it wasn't just Emma that had to be saved from freezing inside an ice cave.
It was Lilly too.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Emma shivered and wrapped her hands around her elbows, smiling at the blonde beauty, who looked even more terrified than Emma felt. "W… well, that's quite the show…" She smiled.
"I'm very powerful. Your people should really stay back."
"Yeah, well, that's crystal clear now, so if you'll just… maybe… undo what you did, I can… get out and leave you to your… b-building walls, thing."
Elsa licked her lips. "Not until I get what I need."
Emma swallowed and shivered. "Y… you can't control this, c-can you?"
"You know nothing about me."
"I do… I know me, I can't c… co… control my magic at times."
Elsa turned a bewildered stare at Emma. "You have magic?"
"Yeah…" Emma grinned, her lips turning slightly blue. "B… But I can't always…g…get a g…grip o-on it. God…" she chuckled. "Damn, it's cold… Listen, wh-whatever you need, m-my son makes ah-h-hell of a g-good hot cocoa. W-we could ta-talk this over a c-cup of those, wh-what do you s-say? Hm?"
Elsa saw how Emma started to lose color. "Who were those people out there?"
"I to-told you, one was my dad, th-the other's my hu-husband."
"He looked familiar." She nodded.
"Yeah, well…" Emma's teeth were chattering hard. "He-he's fr-from Aren-d-delle, like you…"
Elsa blinked twice. "So you are the Savior and he's the Captain I was told about?"
"Y… you were t-told of us?"
She nodded vehemently with a smile. "Yes. Your daughter! She's the healer! She's the one who will defeat Her!"
Emma frowned. "H-her?"
Elsa nodded again. "The snow queen. My aunt."
"Oh…" Emma nodded. "I'd l-like to see th-that… if I l-live though th-this…" she giggled, feeling dizzy. "I just… I'm go-going to r-rest a l-little I…"
"No, NO! EMMA!" Elsa reached her swiftly. "Come on, tell me more about her, about your daughter!"
Emma swallowed; her tongue felt like it had been thrown into a tub of molasses. "L-l- Lilly? Sh-she's t-t-two…" She swallowed again. "She's go-got m-m-m-magic a-as well."
Elsa worriedly tried to keep Emma's hands warm. "And you said you also had a son! What's his name?"
Emma smiled. "You j-just want me to s-s-stay aw-w-wake because you know that if I sleep, I-I-I'll d-d-die." Emma lay her head down on the iced ground.
"You won't die… oh, god, please don't die." Elsa touched her face. "I'm sorry, I really am! I couldn't control this! "
"I know…" Emma said softly before closing her eyes and just shivering in place.
"Oh, no… Emma?" Elsa shook her.
Emma barely opened her eyes.
Elsa took the little black device and used it. "H… Hello? HELLO!"
She was practically screaming into it.
"B-b-button."
"Emma!" Elsa ran back to the blonde woman on the floor. "What did you say?"
"Y-you h-have to p-push that b-b-utt-tton and talk and th-then re-release it."
"Oh…" elsa nodded and followed the instructions given. "HELP…"
Instantly Killian's voice sounded. "EMMA?"
"No, I'm … I'm Elsa. I…" she sat on the floor with Emma and grabbed her hand. "Emma's with me, please, come back. She's passed out, almost… she's freezing over, I can't … do anything, please come for her!"
In spite of her waning lucidity, the sudden silence over the radio told Emma that Killian was probably starting to panic.
"G… give me the r-radio…" she reached out a shaky, blue nailed hand. Shaking insanely, she pressed the button. "K-Killian…"
He came back immediately, his voice filled with worry. "Emma… Are you ok?"
"A l-little c-cold…"
"Stay with me love…"
"I'd like to…."
"Then do so, please!"
"Y-you re-remember the-the beanst-stalk, Killian?" She barely whispered. "Wh-wh-when we met?"
"Aye…"
She could tell he was probably weeping by now.
She smiled. "T-take th-that wi-with you…"
"Swan don't you dare give up! We're coming to get you out love!"
"L… Lilly. T-t-take care of L-L-Lilly…"
"Swan…"
"I L-l-ove y-you s-s-so much-ch…"
Elsa sniffed and shook Emma slightly. "No, no don't! Emma please don't!"
"I'm… so cold…" Emma grinned.
"Emma? It's Dad!"
Emma could barely manage to push the button, her fingers completely numb. "D-dad…"
"Listen, Killian's all but lost it. We're outside the wall, sweetheart." He tried hard to keep it together. "Listen, you have to fight!" He swallowed hard. "Lilly is feeling what you're feeling, Emma, if you let yourself get beaten, we will lose you both!"
Emma's eyes shot wide open, thinking of her little girl. "No… no…"
Elsa took the radio from her. "Wh… what can I do?"
David told elsa that he remembered her sister, Anna, and that he had faith that she was probably in the town if her necklace was there; While he was at it, Killian desperately hugged Lilly, who was turning blue and was starting to fall asleep. "No no, Lilly, come on! Wake up! Don't!" he looked up to David. "Bloody hell, man, whatever it is you're doing, do it faster!"
Soon enough, a hole began to appear from within the cave.
Elsa, it seemed, had regained her control.
Killian swiftly handed the little girl over to David, who instantly cradled her and tried to cover her up with his jacket. Hook reached into the hole and pulled Emma out. "EMMA!" He screamed as he wrapped her in his arms, digging his nose into her neck. "Bloody hell, Emma… " he panted.
"LILLY!" Emma moaned.
"I got her right here, Emma, come on." He looked at Hook. "Let's go home and get them warmed up, buddy." David nodded. He turned to look at a very contrite-looking Elsa and spoke to her as they all walked away from the ice wall, Killian carrying Emma in his arms.
"You did it, Elsa."
"I endangered both Emma and the Healer, you owe me nothing."
"You didn't mean to. We're not giving up on you. Now… just help us get home, warm these two up, and talk to me about Anna and this… witch we have to defeat…"
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Emma woke far too early. Her fingers and toes were still aching, but that was always a good sign that frostbite was receding and blood was circulating warmth into her limbs. She looked at the sleeping little girl in her arms and she kissed her forehead gently.
As she raised her eyes, she saw Killian, his head leaning ion the side of the bed, sleeping uncomfortably.
"Killian?" She shook him gently.
The man jumped. "Swan!"
"Hey hey! … it's ok. I'm right here."
He breathed deep and swallowed, heaving with relief. "Are you well?"
"Still achy, but I'll be fine."
"Hmm…"
She grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry I put you through this. She didn't mean to…"
"I know that love." He nodded. "But I nearly… I could have lost you both and…"
"You didn't." She squeezed his hand.
Killian gulped hard and his gaze was averted to the sleeping toddler, her cheeks once again pink and glowing warm. "Aye…"
Emma sighed and pulled the heavy quilt up. "Why don't you come in bed with us? What the hell are you doing sitting up like that?" She whispered.
Hook grinned. "If you need anything, I can easily stand and do it…"
"No…" Emma shook her head. "You're lying, that's not it."
The handsome captain huffed and chuckled. "You and your blasted superpower…" Emma merely grinned as he looked to the floor and licked his lips. "I… don't want to sleep, Emma. If I do and given the events that transpired these past few hours, I'll probably have nightmares again, no thanks to this sodding hand of mine…" He reached out and caressed Lilly's head. "And you know what will happen love: she will dream it too. She needs her rest after today, she's had enough."
Emma gave Killian an ached stare before she spoke. "She was also freezing…"
He looked into her eyes. "She was damn near purple, Swan. I've never been more frightened in my whole bloody life, and that spans for three hundred years."
Emma bit her lip. "I think I know why that happens."
Hook shot his eyes straight into hers "Do you? Why?"
Emma pulled her body up a little and leaned on the headboard. "Elsa said something about Lilly being the Healer."
"Aye, that's what Gold said." He concurred.
"She takes onto herself whatever ache or pain the people she loves are feeling. Like Elsa, she can't help or control it. It started with Zelena… she lost a part of her essence there; so every time someone feels something, she feels it to…" She addressed a helpless stare into her husband's eyes. "And I think that every time she heals someone or goes through this, it takes a small toll on her." Emma shook her head. "She's only two and she barely made it through the whole Zelena ordeal. How is she supposed to confront some… ice witch… and survive?"
For once, Killian had no words of comfort to offer. He simply looked at the sleeping child in the bed and sighed as he shed his jacket and boots, sliding into the bed with his wife and daughter, holding them both to himself, knowing that perhaps, in the end, it was indeed a matter of time before he lost one of the two women he loved more than anything on earth.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The dawn came with a mild chill; the walls gave Storybrooke a lower temperature, but at least they had ceased to grow, once Elsa and the Charmings had had a chance to talk over her fears.
On the corner by the docks, a new business opened its doors. The name of the establishment was "Any Given Sundae", and on the window display case were shown some of the most enticingly delicious looking ice creams one could imagine.
By mid-day and in spite of the chill that whiffed through the streets, there was a line ten minutes long of people hoping to get a taste of ice cream.
And serving the delicious cones was a beautiful lady, with eyes bluer than the skies of fall and hair much like Emma's, long, and blond and flowing. Her smile was kind and her voice was soft and quiet. Everyone who got a cone from her also got a perfect smile and a kind "thank you" from her.
As business came to a closure, she leaned against the ice box…
And froze it all to a solid block of ice for the night.
At the same time, Lilly whimpered and cried. She refused to say why.… and neither Hook nor Emma were able to settle her uneasiness for at least
three hours.