AN: I know that it's been forever. I'm sorry it's taken this long - I've been having difficulty getting on the site for a while now. Hope you enjoy. Please leave a review.
A few months ago
"I think... I think David and I are just going to have to accept the reality that you're curious about Henry. That you want to be here."
Emma gave a small, relieved smile. "That's right. I do."
"Good," the Mayor smiled. "But if your objective is to take Henry from me-"
"Whoa," she rushed, "let's get one thing straight here. I'm not here to take him from anyone. I know I'm not a mother. I think that's pretty self-evident, but I did have him, and like you said I'm curious about him. I can't help it I..." She trailed off, not knowing how to explain herself. "He got in my head," she said. "And I want to make sure he's okay. Especially after seeing how..." She remembered the look Regina gave David when he said issues. "...troubled," she settled on, "he is."
Regina rolled her eyes as if to say, "Not you too."
Deja vu again.
Emma's phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and looked at the caller ID. "Excuse me," she said to Regina before sliding out of the booth and walking to the bathroom.
The screen read: unknown caller. Probably my guy in Boston, she thought. He usually called from an unknown number when he had really good cases for her. About a week ago this would have been a god sent, would have meant big bucks, today it only served as a reminder as to how fast her life had changed. She had no use for her professional skills here and taking this job would mean leaving town –something she couldn't bring herself to do just yet.
"Hey, Larry. Listen, I don't need work right now."
"Emma?"
She froze and in her shock, pulled the phone away from her ear. She stared, horrified, at the screen, before placing the phone back against her ear. "Neal?" she asked warily.
"Emma…" He sounded relieved, a slight smile in his voice.
An image of his smile came back to her. Memories too. She steeled herself against them by thinking of stolen watches and months in prison.
"How did you get my number?" she asked. What do you want? she really wanted to know. Why are you calling now? Did you find out about Henry?
That last question knocked the wind from her. His parents barely allowed her to spend time with Henry now. What would they do if they found out Neal knew about him too?
"Phone book," he answered.
She could picture the laugh lines around his mouth as he spoke, how his mouth moved, the mirth in his eyes. Silly Emma. Asking such silly questions. She swallowed uneasily.
"What do you want, Neal?"
"I just..." He took a long pause before asking, "How are you?"
It took a few seconds for his question to register, then for her to get over her outrage at his audacity to ask such a thing.
"How... am I?" she repeated, pissed. She laughed into the phone. It was a cruel sound, even to her ears. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. Don't call me again."
Emma ended the call, decided she needed a new phone, and exited the bathroom. She went back into the diner, had breakfast with Mayor and pretended that nothing happened.
...
"Everything okay?" Tamara asked as she entered the living room of her apartment, tying her robe closed.
Neal looked up as she walked to him. "Great."
His lie put her senses on high alert. She noted the phone in his hand but didn't comment on it and kept her expression unchanged. "Oh," she smiled. "You're up earlier than usual."
"Can't sleep till noon every day," he laughed and tugged her onto his lap.
She murmured a laugh of agreement and allowed him to untie her robe again. She glanced at the phone on the coffee table and the number hastily scribbled down on the page next to it. The Saviour's number. She recognized it from the phone book. He'd done it. She was grinning on the inside. He did it. And it took nothing more than a subtle and carefully timed comment on her part. He phoned her. Now she just had to get Greg to work his magic and then they would finally find Storybrooke.
"What's got you so happy?" he asked, pulling back to look at her.
She looked away from the table to him. "You." The light reflecting off the diamond caught her attention. "And this." She held her hand between them. He took it with a hum and kissed the ring.
"In a few months we'll make it official," he promised. "Mrs Cassidy."
"There's no rush," she assured with a sigh when he leaned in to kiss her neck.
Present
"Mind if I tag along?" he asked. "There's something I wanna talk to you about."
His sudden seriousness confused her, but she nodded. "Sure. Long as you don't mind riding shotgun in a police car."
"This might actually be the first time I've been allowed that privilege," he said, following her to the cruiser.
She stopped by the door to look at him. "You had a lot of run-ins with cops?"
He gave an almost laugh and looked around for a second. "Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck and faced her again. "When I was a kid… I used to get into all kinds of trouble. Mostly petty theft, shoplifting, that sort of thing." She waited for the rest, and sensing this, August laughed a bit. "Curious Swan," he chuckled. He pushed away from the car. "Well, today's your lucky day. I'm gonna tell you my story," he decided.
Emma raised a brow at the declaration. "Oh?"
He nodded. "Only if we walk, Deputy." She walked around the car back to his side. "I was in foster care," he began.
…
"Then you lied," she cut him off. She'd stopped walking and was looking at him incredulously. "In the diner, when I asked you what you were doing here."
August sighed and turned back to her. "Yes," he sighed. "But you already knew that." He titled his head to the side. "Didn't you?"
Emma didn't answer, instead she walked past him, and continued on the route to city hall. She touched the gun on her hip, instantly aware of the fact that he was almost a complete stranger. Well, if he was telling the truth, he'd known her since birth. But, that would also mean he abandoned her as a baby. And that his guilt had finally caught up with him and made him look for her, made him track her down to this sleepy town barely the size of a speck on the map just to… to what?
"Why now?" she asked, arms crossed over her chest. She didn't bother to stop or even look back at him. He didn't respond for several seconds. She'd just considered turning around when he finally answered, "You."
Her next step faltered. But the one after was surer.
"I tried to stay in your life. I wanted to."
She kept walking.
"You remember that book you almost burned when you were only six years old?" he asked. "The Ugly Duckling?"
Her steps slowed then stopped, but his continued until he stood in front of her.
"I was glad when you picked Swan. Thought it meant you got it, that you understood."
She swallowed uneasily. "That was you?" she whispered. Her eyes flicked over his features. "That… That boy under the bridge… That was you?"
August nodded. "I never should have left you, Emma." He reached forward, and vaguely she was aware of a feather light touch on her fingers. Looking down, she saw he was touching her hand. She pulled it back. He accepted it without a word and took a small step backward, like he'd expected it all along. "I tried to keep track of you," he went on. "But… Well, life got in the way. I really tried." He winced and took a step back.
She seized the distraction gratefully and asked, "What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. Just a cramp." He rubbed at his calf for a few seconds then stood up straight with a sigh. "I'm gonna go. There's someone I wanted to see about an apprenticeship – town carpenter," he said with a half smirk.
"Marco?" He nodded. "For carpentry?"
He shrugged. "I did woodwork up until the eighth grade."
Emma breathed out a laugh at the absurdity, and before she could walk away, he asked, "Do you mind if we… talk tomorrow? I know a good watering hole." She thought about it then nodded. He smiled. "Great. Granny's? Around… Nine."
...
"Awake at last, Your Majesty?"
Regina awoke breathing heavily, her chest heaving from the nightmare. She felt sweat on her brow. Her eyes flitted around the unfamiliar and dark surroundings anxiously.
"Where am I?" she heard a hoarse voice ask.
She realised it was hers. She saw a figure move in the darkness and remembered the voice that had greeted her.
"Who are you?" she asked, surprised when her words came out stronger and more forceful, with a slight bite in them.
The lights came on then. Bright near-blinding damn ones. She squinted at the sudden intrusion to her eyes and tilted her head down for a second. She saw two men before she did, one with his back to her and the other facing her. He wore scrubs, had light brown hair and looked… William, it came to her suddenly, the nurse. She blinked a few times before looking back up.
The other one glanced over his shoulder. "You tied her up?" he asked, irritated.
Regina looked down and only noticed the bonds then. They secured her to what looked like a hospital bed. Her eyes flicked up quickly at the sound of a slap. The nurse stood with a hand over his ear. He looked more surprised than hurt at being hit upside the head.
The man with his back to her huffed a breath of annoyance and turned around. He walked briskly to her.
"Apologies, love," he said as he untied her. He looked over his shoulder at the other man. "I told you very specifically not to tie her up, Welsh."
She rubbed at her slightly sore wrists, looked up, and for a full minute just stared at the man directly in front of her. "Hook?"
He gave her a devilish grin. "In the flesh."
"What the hell is going on here?" she demanded.
...
"Gold!" The door slammed behind David as he barged into the shop. "Gold!" he yelled again, nearing the glass counter.
"Simply ringing the bell on the desk would suffice," said man drawled, just stepping out from the back room.
He reached across the counter and grabbed the little weasel by his neck. "Did you do this?" David demanded.
"Seeing as though I have no idea what I'm being accused of, Deputy… I'd say no."
"Where is she?" he growled.
"I really…" His grip tightened and the older man faltered for a second. "I really don't know what you're talking about," he said. "But if you release me I'm sure I'd be of considerably more help than I now am."
David stared at him, face nearly a snarl, as he contemplated his options. With great reluctance, he released the man and stepped back. Gold took a breath and put two spaces between himself and the counter as he smoothed out his suit.
"How may I be of assistance?" he asked, his eyes shining with impish amusement.
Aiming for calmness, he forced out, "My wife is missing." He ignored the surprised titter from Gold. "She was kidnapped from the hospital a few minutes after intruders broke into our home. Now," he leaned forward, "I'm going to ask you this one more time… Did you have anything to do with this?"
The pawnbroker studied him for a few seconds then responded with a cool, "No." He saw the man's lips flick up in amusement and David had to physically restrain himself from harming him. Probably sensing this, Gold added, "Although, there are…"
"Yes?" he asked impatiently.
"There are others who… remember. And if my memory serves me right, the Queen wasn't exactly… favoured in our world, was she, Shepherd?"
He ignored the bait. "Others?"
…
Emma arrived at city hall to find the firemen still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
She looked around the front entrance. The firemen had arrived pretty quickly – not surprising since the fire station was so close by, and there weren't many emergencies around town – so the damage was actually quite minimal.
Well, except for the door. They figured pulling the handle must have been a detonator of sorts, that when she opened the door she set off the explosion.
It was kind of a miracle only her arms had been burned, that she hadn't lost an eye or something. She looked at the doorframe then around the room. Most of the rubble had been cleared away, but she could still see the debris that landed on the Mayor's leg, she could still see her bleeding ankle.
That image in mind, she found herself walking back up those steps, back to the ransacked office. Emma froze in the doorway, much as Regina had the first time she'd seen the room. Only Deputy Swan wasn't shocked. No, she found herself filled with dread and possibly fear.
Someone had been in this room after them. Someone had sneaked in after the fire. Or just after they'd left the room. One of the drawers in the filing cabinets was missing. She thought of her words from earlier, "Probably just some kids wanting to cause damage," and winced.
Well, now I'm screwed, she thought.
She heard Henry's voice. "I want to make sure the book is safe. In case somebody's after it." Then her own: "What about with your parents? At one of their offices?"
Green eyes widened before Emma Swan breathed out an anxious, "Oh shit."
She went through each one of the drawers that were still there. In the third found a set of skeleton keys.
"What the hell do these open?" she wondered aloud.
She heard a noise behind her and in one swift movement stuffed the keys in her pocket and withdrew her gun. She had it cocked and aimed before she had a chance to process her actions.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ruby yelled, raising her hands.
Emma lowered her gun and breathed out a soft, "Shit." She placed the weapon back in her holster on her hip and apologized to the waitress. "Ruby, what are you doing here?"
"Graham called me, he didn't know where you were, but I did, so I came here and-" She realised she was rambling and stopped. Ruby shook her head, lifted her phone from her pocket and came closer. "Something happened at the mansion."
Emma's blood ran cold. She thought of the mines. Of Henry.
"Henry?" she asked shakily. She remembered Ava and Nicholas. "The twins?"
Ruby handed her the phone. Emma took it numbly. "Graham can't find them."
...
"Good luck," Gold called, stopping David just before he left the store. The prince turned around. "Good luck, Deputy. Finding your wife."
He gave the man a stony look before he hurried out the door. Gold winced as the door banged shut.
…
"My mother?" Regina laughed. "My mother is dead."
"No." His look sobered her. "The Queen of Hearts is very much alive," Hook informed her.
"You were sent to kill her," she said darkly.
He carried on as if she hadn't spoken. "And she's currently reforming the kingdoms. Trying to at least."
The Queen seemed to be struggling to accept the news, Welsh noted. "No..." she breathed, visibly afraid. "She can't... Cora? Cora is alive?"
"Yip," he dived in merrily. Her head snapped to him, taking note of him for the first time. "Oh. Don't worry, she's not that bad anymore," he said, trying to calm her. It didn't work. "People say she's gone soft. She and your sister are quite close."
"My sister?" she asked in a shocked exclaim.
Hook hummed in affirmation. "Your mother, from what I understand, has had a... change of heart-"
"And by that he means, she actually has a heart now."
Hook shot him a warning look and stepped forward. "She's trying to bring order to what's left of your realm. The people have named her All Queen – Ruler of the Realms."
Her look turned dark and nodded as if it all made sense now. "And let me guess," she said, "the land without magic is the final destination on her tyrannical quest for realm domination."
Welsh shook his head. "Actually Pan is what prompted this mission. He and your mother had a run in about a decade ago. A tale about a boy with a heart of-"
"It's best," Hook cut in, giving Welsh an even harsher look than before, "if your mother told you about Pan."
The once Great Wizard of Oz shrunk back meekly at the pirate's glare, but not without noticing the Queen's eyes on him.
Her eyes snapped to the Captain. "Pan? As in... Peter Pan?"
"He's not like Disney's version, Your Majesty," Welsh said when Killian offered no word on the matter. He thought of the movie and chuckled internally at his companion's portrayal. The situation came back then and any amusement faded to background noise. "He's a dark and twisted little rat. His lackeys started that fire you and the blonde were caught in. We had to bring you here. It was the only way to get you to safety. Pan's not going to give up. Not until you're dead."
She gave him a look that told him she didn't entirely believe him. "Because my mother pissed him off?" she asked slowly, each word deliberately dripping with scepticism.
"No," Hook beat him to it. "He wants your son." The Queen's fingers flexed over her womb. "No, not that one. Your other boy. Henry. His... heritage is rather... unique. He needs Henry." Her eyes filled with panic and horror and a dreadful stubbornness he knew would mean trouble later.
Hook went on, "Your sister trapped his shadow and burned down the magic bean plantations on Neverland so he's stuck on the island. Been stuck there for the last seven years or so. He can't leave without his shadow. But the Lost Boys can. He tired of waiting for your curse to end and decided to take matters into his own hands. He sent them here."
His phone beeped in his pocket and Welsh lifted it curiously. Within mere moments that curiosity turned to an anxious dread as he signalled Killian over and relayed the news of the break-in. The pirate left immediately, donning his black leather jacket and hook as he went.
...
"Holy crap!" Nicholas exclaimed. He stood next to his sister, both gaping at the secret entrance inside the Mills mausoleum.
"Come on," Henry urged.
The twins looked at each other for a second before they went down the staircase. Henry stayed and locked the crypt door from the inside, then went down the stairs and pressed the button to push the coffin back in place so that it sealed them underground. Nicholas and Ava were staring at the wall of hearts.
"It's really real," Ava breathed. She turned to look at Henry. "All of it. All of it?" she asked. "Regina really did all those things in the book? She really killed all those people?" She looked absolutely horrified, and maybe even sick. "Ripped out all these hearts?" She backed away from the hearts. "She really is the Evil Queen."
"No." Henry stepped forward quickly. "She's not like that anymore. She's changed. You've seen it." He stepped in front of them. "You both have."
He stared at the twins, imploring them to believe him, to trust him, if he couldn't convince them – the two people who'd been living with them for weeks now – that his mom had changed, how could he convince the entire town?
"The woman we read about would have killed us in our sleep," Nicholas said, looking at the hearts. He glanced at his sister then turned to Henry. "Regina took us in. She's the furthest thing from evil." He said that last sentence with so much belief that Henry launched himself against him in a fierce hug. Ava appeared unconvinced but gave a small defeated nod when he looked her way.
…
"Kid, kid. Henry. Are you there? Henry?"
He scrambled in his backpack for his walkie-talkier. "Emma," he called into it. "Emma?"
"Henry," she exclaimed in relief. "I heard about the break-in. Tell me where you are, I'm coming to get you."
"The graveyard," he answered quickly. "At the mausoleum."
"Ava and Nick, are they there too?" she asked quickly, anxiously.
He saw their heads snap up and looked at the twins. He smiled at their surprise. "Yeah," he said. "We're all safe."
...
"So…" she drawled, clearly bored. "You and Captain Guyliner are here... because my suddenly alive and changed mother sent you to protect me from Peter Pan?"
Welsh peered at her from over the magazine was flipping through. "Stranger things have happened." He shrugged and went back to the magazine. "Although, if we're being technical, I work for your sister, not your mother." She scoffed. Was quiet for a few moments. He looked up again. "I wouldn't," he said when he saw her fiddling with her bonds.
"I don't take well to captivity," she said, lips pursed, before continuing with them.
He snorted a laugh. "There would be no need for them if you hadn't tried to escape one second after Hook left." She growled in frustration when she couldn't untie herself. "Enchanted rope," he explained apologetically. Her glare was worse than the Captain's. "I'd rather keep you here until this damn curse breaks than face your mother's wrath." He pulled an unapologetic face and shrugged, "Sorry."
"I thought you said she changed?"
He shrugged again. "Still rips out the occasional heart or two to inspire fear, but... overall yes, she has. I just prefer not to take my chances with that woman."