August 10th, 1989
Snow stormed the mayor's office. She could feel a white heat boiling over her entire body. Her eyes locked on Regina, her memories mixing. She looked so different than she had the day the curse was cast. Her hair was shorter and she dressed relaxed. Then again, everything in Storybrooke seemed relaxed to how things were in the Enchanted Forest. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of her husband bleeding out on the ground, not waking up no matter how many times her lips grazed his. The wardrobe being thrown open and her daughter being gone.
Her daughter.
Snow thought of the little girl that was currently being babysat by Ruby. Mary Margaret had been fostering her for the past 8 months. They had plans to adopt her. Emma was the savior, she was supposed to break the curse. Yet, no matter how many kisses on the cheek or goodnight cuddles, the town was still cursed. Even David wasn't awake. Snow would still be her cursed self had she not noticed the blossoming flowers in the yard.
They didn't look like anything she had planted over the years. No, they were bright pink, resembling a rose but her years of gardening told her they weren't. They had been there since winter, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. They didn't weed like the others. It took until summer for Mary Margaret to finally decide to pick a bouquet for the front hall.
The moment she grasped one, some glitter fell into her hand and her entire body shifted. Mixing in with Mary Margaret's foggy memories of finishing college, marrying David and everything that came before Emma's arrival were replaced by the reality: her life as Snow White. The day she met Regina. The moment she became a bandit. Falling in love with David. Finding out that one day they would have a child.
Most importantly: the day her baby was born. The curse enveloping them. The last thing she ever saw being Regina's sick smile.
"You," Snow seethed.
Regina looked up, confusion written across those big brown eyes. Then it must have clicked. She slowly stood up, folding her arms over her chest.
"Snow White." She took a step closer. "You're awake."
"No thanks to you."
"This shouldn't be happening. You…"
"Were supposed to be miserable for 28 years?" A bitter laugh escaped Snow's mouth. "I'm surprised you even know it's me."
"Mary Margaret never looked at me like this."
"Mary Margaret didn't know what you had done."
Regina tilted her head. "So, what's your plan here? I'm assuming you're the only one awake or else I'd have a mob outside my door."
Snow thought of Gold, no Rumpelstiltskin. He had been extra helpful to Mary Margaret and David when it came to trying to adopt Emma. There is no way that the Mr. Gold that had been asleep would be so willing. Rumple was the one obsessed with their daughter. She was the key to the curse. He had to be awake.
She wasn't about to out that. No, that would put more people in danger.
"I don't know how it happened either, but I won't be alone for long. Emma is here. She'll break the curse."
"Your foster daughter?" Regina laughed. "What does she have to do with anything?"
Snow continued staring at her, until it seemed to click in her mind.
"She's more than just your foster daughter, isn't she?"
"Surprise."
"How…I don't…" Regina clenched her desk. "It makes sense how she made the way over the town line."
"Your plan has failed."
"And what's your plan once your precious little girl brings magic to this town?" Regina cocked an eyebrow. "You think I won't find a way to defeat you? You couldn't stop me last time. Maybe my knights will actually succeed in killing your precious family this time."
Snow didn't know what she was doing until her fist was throbbing and Regina had her face covered. Blood dripped to the marble tile. It was both of theirs. Regina gasped, her hand over her nose. Her eyes narrowed.
"You're going to regret that."
"You stay away from my family or you'll be the one that has regrets. This may be your town, Regina, but I know you. And I will not let you win. Not again."
She stormed out of the office, shaking out her hand. Dammit. This was going to bruise. There was a cut from where her emerald ring had pierced Regina. It was all worth it. As she got out of the office and onto the street, she ran into someone. The tumble of a cane into her shin made her realize who it was.
"Rumple."
He fixed her with a look. "You're awake."
"And I know you've been for awhile now. How?"
"Let's just say Regina's not the only one who can work things into a curse." He looked down at her throbbing fist. "I take it you paid Miss Mills a visit."
"The Queen isn't going to win this time. How can we get Emma to break the curse?"
Gold sighed. "Snow, I told you before. It can only be broken after her 28th birthday. That's when she was fated to return to you and your husband."
"But she's here now! There has to be another way."
"I'm afraid not. Somehow, she ended up in your care again, but magic is specific. This town cannot have its curse lifted for another 23 years. And now that Miss Mills knows you're awake, you're all in danger."
Arrogance had always been Snow's downfall. If only she knew what she was setting herself up for. But she didn't want to think about that. No, she could find a way. Rumpelstiltskin had to be wrong.
"I won't let her hurt my child again. And I don't need your help to break the curse. I'll figure it out."
She began to walk away and could hear Rumpelstiltskin let out a long sigh.
"Why don't we go back to my shop and have a spot of tea?" He offered. "We can work this out together."
October 26th, 2011
Rumpelstiltskin knew that Mr. Gold never had a customer. Over the past 28 years, only three people had ever entered his shop: Regina Mills and the Charmings. Gold had never minded it; the shop was hardly his only source of income. Ever since Miss Swan returned to town, however, and the clock started moving, there had been the nosy customer every so often, suddenly interested in purchasing things or trying to get money for something else. Miss Boyd paid him a visit quite often, trying to get him to reverse her contract.
Oh, the irony that Mr. Gold had struck one up with her as well.
As he polished silver that was already shiny, he heard the bell above the door open. He looked up to find Emma heading towards him. The file he had gifted her was tucked under her arm, ripped open at the top. Her eyes were tear stained. Rumpelstiltskin kept up appearances and didn't smile, nor frown.
"Miss Swan," he said. "I take it you've read the information I gave you?"
She slammed the file onto the glass case in front of him. "Is this real?"
"Real?"
"Did Mary Margaret and David pay you to put this together?"
Rumpelstiltskin finally allowed himself to smile. "Miss Swan, they have no clue I even spoke to you."
She let out a shaky breath. "So…it's true."
"Yes. Miss Blanchard, then Mrs. Nolan, assaulted the mayor when she threatened to have you taken away from her. Madam Mayor reported this to social services, who deemed that Mr. and Mrs. Nolan were not the right fit for you."
Of course, social services knew nothing of the curse or the fact that Regina had been punched for threatening to kill Emma and David. There was no proof of it. It was information that not even Mary Margaret could remember. Rumpelstiltskin had forgotten it for 23 years himself. Now, it replayed in his mind as if it were warm water.
Snow White sitting at a table in the back of his shop. He fixed them a cup of tea, finding the one bit of magic that had made it through the curse. He had written it in that way. It wasn't much, but enough to make sure that if anyone ever woke up before it was time-himself included-they'd fall back asleep. There was only one vial, enough for two people. Magic couldn't exist in Storybrooke, not yet.
He had watched her sip the tea. The fierceness in her eyes melted away. Her shoulder slouched. As she dropped the teacup to the saucer, that annoyingly adorable confusion that made her beloved by the kingdom fell over her face. She had looked around the backroom, blinking.
"What am I doing here?"
"Don't you remember, Mrs. Nolan, you wanted to discuss Emma's adoption. I told you there were some hurdles, but I'm working on it."
She had blinked again. "Oh, yes."
Once she left, Rumpelstiltskin waited. He hadn't expected for Regina to call social services or for Emma to be taken. Had he known, maybe he wouldn't have done what he did. There was no way Snow White would have let Emma slip away. But Mary Margaret and David didn't know the claim they held on their daughter. They fell against the law.
Alas, it was too late. Emma was gone. He had to trust she'd find her way back. He used the rest of the memory potion to wipe away his memories of the 8 months she had spent in town. His mind had become a blur once more.
Until he walked into the bed and breakfast, where an adult Emma stood.
He couldn't tell her any of that, though. Instead, he watched the woman's mind reel at the information.
"They didn't want to lose me," she whispered.
"They fought for you. There was just nothing they could've done. Even my powers as attorney were not enough. Social services didn't deem them objective enough to foster you."
A single tear fell down Emma's face. He reached into his breast pocket, extending a handkerchief that she refused.
"My whole life, I thought they had given up on me. But they wanted me." Emma's voice cracked. "Why wouldn't they tell me this?"
"Social services removed you from school without their knowledge. By the time they found out you were gone, it was too late."
"But even now…"
"Have you given them a chance?"
That shut her up. Emma stared at the file, another tear falling. She wiped at her face furiously, knocking her hand into the swan keychain that hung around her neck. Rumpelstiltskin was not sure why he felt the need to stare at it. Finally, he broke his eyes away to look back at her. She sniffled, trying to compose herself.
"If this is all true….I don't know what to do with this," Emma rambled.
Rumpelstiltskin shrugged. "Well, I'd at least say you owe them a conversation."
Emma simply nodded. She picked the file back up and began to head out of the office. Suddenly, he remembered something.
"Oh, and Miss Swan?" She turned back to face him. "Since I helped you with something, I assume you'd be more than willing to get me out of a jam if needed."
Emma blinked several times, before regaining composure. "What are you going to want?"
"Just as I said. If I need help, you'll give it."
Emma looked even more confused, but finally nodded. "Yeah, sure, whatever."
Rumpelstiltskin waited until she exited his shop to smile gleefully to himself.
It didn't take long to find Mary Margaret's new loft. She was a bail bondsman; her job was to find people. After conversing with a few people, she found herself in a dimly lit hallway. A number 3 hung on the green door. The file was back in her bug, but the contents replayed in her mind.
She finally allowed her hand to rap on the door. When it opened, David stood on the other side.
"What are you doing here?" She blurted out. "Isn't this Mary Margaret's place?"
David suddenly looked defensive. "She asked me over to talk about…well, to talk about you." He stared at her for a moment and it made her feel uncomfortable. "I still can't believe you're 28."
"I need to talk to both of you." She pushed past him, wanting nothing to do with his nostalgia.
Mary Margaret moved from the kitchen. "Emma…" She took in her face. "Are you alright? You look like you've been crying."
"Did you really punch Regina Mills?"
Mary Margaret bit her lip. "She was threatening to take you away from us. I still don't remember it that clearly…but…" She looked over at David, who was staring at the wall. "I shouldn't have done it. We would've been able to keep you."
"You defended me. You wanted to keep me."
Mary Margaret's eyebrows knitted together. "Of course we did."
Emma's voice caught. "You didn't want to give me away. You…it…."
She tried to keep herself steady. It was bad enough she had cried in front of Gold, she couldn't do it in front of them too. David moved closer to Mary Margaret, but neither said anything.
"My whole life, I thought you two just gave up on me," she finally managed to get out. "But you fought for me."
"Emma, we love you. So much." David's eyes were sincere and she hated it. "We never wanted to let you go. If we could've stopped it or at the very least explained it to you, we would've."
"But they didn't even tell us that they were taking you until Helen had already gone to get you from school," Mary Margaret continued. "They said we couldn't see you again, that it wouldn't be healthy."
She took a step closer to Emma, reaching out to touch her face. Emma didn't pull away, despite her better instincts. Mary Margaret's hands were always warm. Comforting. She had missed this. She had missed them. She had spent nights crying herself to sleep, just wishing she could be back in their arms.
Now there they were.
Her eyes burned with tears.
Don't cry, don't cry. You're gonna look stupid if you cry, one voice told her. But it was overshadowed by a memory from when she had lived with them. Mary Margaret caught her crying one night and she had been embarrassed.
"Big girls don't cry," Emma told her foster mom.
"Oh sweetie, that's just a dumb myth. Big girls and boys definitely do cry."'
The floodgates opened and Emma allowed herself to cry. The tears hit Mary Margaret's hand, but her former foster mother didn't seem to care. She simply moved to wrap both of her arms around Emma. A hug. It had been 23 years since the last hug she received from her. She still smelt the same, of cinnamon and red pen. David wrapped one arm around her and then used the over to cradle the back of her head. Just as he had when she was little.
It was comfortable. It was familiar. It was home.
