Where patience fails, force prevails.
"What the hell?" It took all of her will power for Mary Margaret to even speak. She had an endless list of questions, yet she felt like her tongue had knotted itself together.
The other woman laughed. "Oh, you don't know which question to ask first, right? Who the hell am I, how the hell did you get here, where the hell is Emma and how the hell can you get back...? Just a few of the thousands, am I right?" She let out another short laugh. "You know you kind of learned this from Emma... you tend to say the hell a lot lately..."
"Who-... who are you then?" Mary Margaret was careful not to say those two words again, yet she strangely felt a need to do it. The other woman was right, it was because of Emma, but she wasn't learning it from her, right now it was intentional. She wanted to have a piece of her friend with her there - a piece of sanity or confidence she needed desperately.
"I'm you. We are the same... Sort of."
"Okay, you know what?" She raised her hands, staring at the ground to stay calm. "I've been getting all these equivocations ever since I opened my eyes in this land, and I've had enough of it! I need an explanation, please, tell me what is going on!" She looked up and turned around in the water. "Where the hell are we?!"
The woman in white took a deep breath and looked around. "I don't really know, to tell the truth. This place is in our subconscious, that is my best guess." She turned back to Mary Margaret and her face was full of pity. "I know you want to get answers. I am going to tell you everything that I know, you have my word. But in return you have to promise me something."
Mary Margaret felt a little relieved that someone had actually promised to give her an explanation, yet she suspiciously asked. "What exactly?"
"Try and make peace with it. It'll be a lot to take in and frankly, I don't think I'd believe it if you'd told me the same thing I'm about to tell you. But you'll need to do it. For yourself, for your family, for everyone. At least try."
Her words echoed in Mary Margaret's head, déja vu hit her again. Speechless, she nodded and listened calmly as the other woman started talking.
Hours passed. Or at least she felt like it had been hours. The woman in the white dress talked without taking breaks, it was like she was reading a fairytale book.
She told Mary Margaret a curious story about the princess Snow White, but as it turned out, it wasn't exactly how Mary Margaret had known the tale. It was quite refreshing to hear that she was anything but a damsel in distress.
The story included her childhood and teenage years; how she met had her Prince Charming later and had started a family. She seems more like a damsel with dagger. She sounds kind of badass.
Then, the tale made an unexpected turn. The other woman explained how the evil Queen had cast a horrible curse, how Snow and her beloved husband had gotten transported into another world, accompanied by other characters Mary Margaret knew. How they had to send their newborn girl away before the curse struck - and even though it still sounded like a yarn, Mary Margaret's heart seemed to believe it was true. She felt it breaking for the parents and mostly for the child. Being alone in the world is the worst curse anyone could have.
But the woman didn't stop there. She told her how the Savior had returned 28 years later. And it was at this point that Mary Margaret couldn't tell the difference between the story and reality.
This other woman recounted moments where only Mary Margaret and Emma were present, conversations, jokes, advice - the best moments the brunette had had for as long as she could remember. They were part of the story, Snow White's story, how she reunited with her daughter, how she had found her after all those years; but at the same time it was Mary Margaret's life. Her life, her best friend, their story. It started to confuse her more than anything had up to that point and it was saying something.
"Whoa, wait a second." She felt her throat dry after hours of silence. "This sounds like the story of that cartoon character... Snow White."
The other person nodded. "Because it's my story. I'm Snow White."
"But..." Mary Margaret tried really hard to understand. "But you said you're me... however crazy that may sound..."
"I'm a part of you. You and me - we are basically the same person. The only difference - why we can actually be two separate people now - is our memories. Or rather, the lack of it, in your case. You don't know part of your story, the Snow part of it. You were cursed to forget." Snow explained everything slowly, for which Mary Margaret was grateful, yet it didn't make it easier for her to understand.
"No, no, I do understand. It's not the problem. Believing that it's true is another thing. I mean... I've read Henry's stories so I know these tales... Do you know who Henry is?"
"Partially." Snow wrinkled her forehead with stress. "I only have a few very blurry memories about him. Mostly I remember the time you've spent with Emma. I think it's because you're still not willing to let me in. And I can't let you in my half, because you don't believe..." She sighed. "It's more difficult than I expected."
"Hold on a second." Mary Margaret waited a few moments in silence, then spluttered the words. "If Emma is my daughter and she really is the Savior and is meant to break the curse which will give us back our memories, then how the hell am I supposed to do so without her fulfilling her job first?" She wasn't sure she made any sense, but she had to say it aloud, so maybe the other woman would understand it and explain it to her as well.
"That's the problem. We have to somehow find a roundabout process before the curse is broken."
"Oh boy." Mary Margaret thought she'd have gotten used to her hurting head, but it still bothered her very much. She tried to clear her thoughts. "You know... I still don't understand something. You said I have to try believing, that I have to make a decision. But... you are me as well, aren't you? Can't you do it for me?"
Snow slightly shook her head and it was obvious that she'd thought about it too. "I'm the suppressed part of your consciousness now. And I couldn't do anything in your place anyway. I can only influence you and help you to believe. But it has to be your call."
Mary Margaret didn't want to say it aloud, but she didn't foretell much good if it depended on her. But then, a sudden force rose inside her and made her believe that everything was going to end well. That good would win in the end. She'd never felt an emotion so strong before - well, maybe that anger she'd felt not long ago -, her questioning look turned to Snow.
She nodded. "It's me. I always try to channel you as much as I can from your old self. You know, you used to be much more positive and optimistic. Remember... when Emma arrived in town and she told you that she'd been sleeping in her car? When you were thinking about inviting her into your guestroom, but didn't feel the courage to ask her? It was me, indeed. I wanted to make sure she was as close to you as she could be. As safe as she could be... Her presence woke me up, but I still remained underwater..."
Her voice cracked and she didn't continue, but Mary Margaret asked her something anyway. "You were in here? All this time?"
"Well..." She paused for a second. "Sort of. But when I finally got to reach the surface I didn't remember this place or your part of my life."
Mary Margaret took another look at the dark place they were in. "So. Are we trapped here or what?"
Snow shook her head. "I have no idea. I've been in and out this whole time you were in charge. I don't know what happened."
Mary Margaret tried to remember the last thing that had happened to her. "Lucas..."
The other woman's expression changed into a questioning one. "The man in the white suit? The one that Emma tends to call rabbit guy?"
"Yes... He made me drink something. He said it would help... me... get you back... or something like that." Mary Margaret said slowly, still unsure of her words.
"Drink something, you say? A silver liquid by any chance?" Snow asked quietly, seemingly deep in her thoughts.
"Exactly." Mary Margaret's puzzled look turned back to Snow. "Why? What did it do to me?"
"What have you done to her?!" Emma shouted. No. She was beyond shouting and cursing and crying - she felt like every emotion inside her wanted to explode out of her body and tear her apart. The only thing that kept her together was the burning desire to tear someone else into pieces first. The man who took away her mother and her best friend, her last hope and the last bit of love she had in her life left, apart from Henry. Lucas.
"Slow down! Hey! Emma! Just le'me explain!" Lucas tried to run from her, but Emma was quicker than he expected. She grabbed him by his neck and pushed him to the wall of the small room. Her face was almost unrecognizable, pain and wrath broke out of her with a sob.
She whispered, wildly shaking. "I've had enough of your excuses. I was wrong to trust you. I want you gone!"
Emma left herself shutting down. She couldn't hear the man's desperate words or Morgana's pleading voice from behind her. Red smoke filled in her mind and she could think of only one thing. Pushing Lucas as far away from her as possible.
He didn't even want to be here! He wanted to travel somewhere... Then go, you coward! Go to the place you wanted to!
She looked deep in the man's eyes with cold hate, then shut her eyes. It took him a second to realize what she was about to do. The last thing she heard was a desperate, yet quiet believe me coming from Lucas.
She didn't stop and it only took one brief moment. Emma didn't even have to concentrate much.
Go away!
The energy rushed out of her, she could feel as Lucas' neck disappeared from her hands.
Emma opened her eyes. The wraith inside her vanished just like Lucas had, but she faced the situation she was in, and wished it had stayed.
Desperation slowly started to take over her, considering that she might have just sent away the only person who could've helped, her mother was still... no, she's not... dead. Unconscious. - and Morgana seemed so freaked out, she had probably had a panic attack.
So the blonde stood there, in the middle of the madness. Speechless. Motionless.
Alone.
Again.
I'm so sorry for the late update! I've had a lot of difficulties with this chapter, I've rewritten it at least 3 times and it took longer than I expected.
But! A quite big plot twist is coming up... Next chapter will tell...
Thank you for your reviews, they truly mean a lot to me!:)
oldmcpiper, you are awesome! Huge thanks as always for betaing me:)
