Author's Notes: A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

Chapter 8: The Price of Gold

Buffy walks into the kitchen and sits opposite Dawn and Faith. "I had a dream last night, of Snow White. It was a good dream too. You know the story of how Prince Charming finds Snow White in the coffin and then kisses her and she wakes up?" Faith and Dawn nods. "That was what I dreamt. After I woke up I noticed I had new memories of one person, and only one person. I remember Snow."

Dawn sighs and shakes her head, "Buffy. Think for a second. How can you be sure these memories are real? Remember when the monks sent me to you. They created memories for all of us to make us believe I had been living with you the whole time. It's possible this is a result of whatever spell is giving us these dreams."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so, Dawnie. I'm sure their real. And I'm fairly certain Henry is right there is a curse on this town."

Faith shakes her head, "B, I think little D is right. You guys told me that the memories of little D prior to when she was sent to you felt real too."

Buffy sighs, "I can't explain it guys. These memories feel real to me. More real than the ones that the monks implanted when they sent Dawn to me. For instance Faith, I remember you and I having a fight because you called Snow, evil. I also remember Snow getting to name you, Dawn. That's right Snow chose your name."

Dawn and Faith look at each other and Dawn sighs in resignation.

Later Dawn, Emma and Henry are walking down the main street.

"You sure we can be out in the open?" Henry asks Emma.

Emma nods, "Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat."

"You're brave. We'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of – do you think we need code names?" Henry asks.

"Isn't 'cobra' the code name?" Dawn asks.

Henry shakes his head, "That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you two."

"Oh. Um, well, why don't you just call me Emma for now?" Emma says.

"If you really want to do this code name stuff. How about for me The Key." Dawn says as Emma looks at her as if to ask why that? "It's a long story."

"Okay. Well then, I'll see you later, Emma." Henry says as Emma turns and walks away.

"You didn't seem surprised about my choice, Henry." Dawn says.

"Because your story like Emma's is in the book. There are pages that I tore out and kept hidden. So my mom doesn't find out. " Henry says. "So I know what the monks did to you."

"So you know about The Key then?" Dawn asks.

Henry nods, "Yes. But you're still Dawn okay. You weren't magically created like the monks told Aunt Elizabeth. The monks stole you from your sisters and then bound the energy of the Key inside you."

At Granny's Diner Emma is having a cup of cocoa when Regina enters and sits with Emma.

"How was your walk with Henry? That's right – I know everything. But relax. I don't mind." Regina says.

"You don't?" Emma asks, skeptical.

Regina shakes her head, "No. Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see, I did a little digging into who you are. And what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" Emma asks.

"It's the number of addresses you've had in the last decade. Your longest in anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?" Regina says.

Buffy enters the diner.

"If you were wondering, I did find a place here in town." Emma says.

"I know. With Miss Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh, wait. You don't have one. You see my point? In order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots. And you? Don't have any. People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can." Regina says.

"You don't know me." Emma says.

Buffy spots Emma and Regina and makes her way over towards them.

"No, I think I do. All I ask, is as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa." Regina says as she gets up. She passes Buffy and glares at her. 'Why did you stab your own sister, Elizabeth?' Regina thinks as she walks out the door of the diner.

Buffy walks up to Emma as she goes to stand up and spills her cocoa over her shirt.

Ruby walks over and hands her a cloth.

"Oh! Really?" Emma says. "Do you have a laundry room I can use?"

Ruby nods, "Mmhmm!"

"Emma?" Buffy says. "I can talk to you?"

Emma looks to Buffy, "Sure." They follow Ruby to the laundry room.

"I have reason to believe Henry's story is true. Mary Margaret may in fact be Snow." Buffy says after Ruby leaves them alone at the door to the laundry room.

"Why do you think that?" Emma asks.

"Dawn, Faith and I have been having dreams since before we came here. Dreams coming from something supernatural." Buffy says.

"Sure, right." Emma says.

"Believe it or not it's true. Anyways I had a dream last night. The dream unlocked memories of one person, Snow." Buffy says. "I believe Snow is my half-sister. And that the curse that she and everyone else in this town is under is real."

Emma shakes her head as they enter the laundry room. She takes her shirt off and throws it in the washer. There's a young girl, Ashley, in the room, as well. She is holding pink sheets.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Ashley says.

"You okay?" Buffy asks.

Ashley shakes her head, "The sheets. They're uh… They're pink."

"You try bleach?" Emma asks.

Ashley puts down the sheets and it becomes obvious that she's pregnant.

"Oh." Emma and Buffy says.

"Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now." Ashley says.

"Well, that's great." Emma says.

"It's just that, um, when the… When the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right." Ashley says.

Emma shakes her head, "Screw 'em."

"What?" Ashley asks.

"Screw them. How old are you?" Emma says.

"Nineteen." Ashley says.

Emma nods, "I was eighteen."

"When… When you had a kid?" Ashley asks.

"You had Henry when you were eighteen?" Buffy asks.

Emma looks to Buffy and nods before turning her attention back to Ashley, "Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you're considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours."

Buffy nods, "Emma is right. I've never had a kid myself but I raised my sister after our mom died. I had people telling me I couldn't raise a teenager. I did it anyways. My point is, in the end the choice is yours."

"It's not exactly what you might think it is." Ashley says.

Emma nods, "It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, 'no, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. If you want to change things, you're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

The next day there is a knock on the door and Buffy goes to open it. "Hello?"

"Hello Miss Summers. My name Mr. Gold." Mr. Gold said. "I have a proposition for you, Miss Summers. I, uh… I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

"Really? Um…" Buffy says. "That's not really my line of work."

Mr. Gold smiles, "Normally probably not. But you did such a good job locating David the other day."

Buffy sighs, "Okay."

"Good, I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine." Mr. Gold says.

"So, why don't you just go to the police?" Buffy asks.

"Because, uh… She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned." Mr. Gold says.

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that." Mr. Gold says.

Buffy sighs and shakes her head, "When'd you see her last?"

"Last night. That's how I got this." Mr. Gold says as he shows Buffy the cut on the side of his head. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?"

"No, of course not." Buffy says.

Mr. Gold smiles, "So, you'll help me, then?"

"I will help her." Buffy says.

"Grand." Mr. Gold says. "Good luck, Miss Summers." He turns and leaves.

Buffy grabs her purse and quickly scribbles a note for Dawn and Faith and heads out the door, locking it behind her. She drives over to the Diner where she finds Emma and Henry talking to Ruby. Ruby's car is being dropped off by a tow truck.

"So, this boyfriend of hers. You don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma says as Buffy walks up to her, Henry and Ruby.

"Uh, that would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch, right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said-" Ruby says as her car is dropped abruptly and the wolf charm hanging on her mirror almost breaks. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Billy, be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."

"I'm sorry, Ruby. But look – it's fine." Billy says.

"Um, Ruby. What about her family?" Emma asks.

"Oh, um, she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to." Ruby says.

"Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry asks.

"Henry. Not now." Emma says.

Buffy leans in and whispers to Henry, "Let me guess, Cinderella?"

Henry nods.

"Look. I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself… Trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby says.

"I think so." Emma says.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already." Ruby says.

"I've been through it too, Ruby, and I can help her." Emma says.

Ruby nods, "Then, try her ex."

"Where can I find him?" Emma asks.

"He lives with his dad." Ruby says.

Emma gets the address for Ashley's ex-boyfriend. And then she turns towards her car with Henry and Buffy following.

"Let me guess someone asked you to look for Ashley?" Buffy asks.

"Mr. Gold came to you, too?" Emma asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes he did. Maybe we can help her together? What do you say Emma?"

"Sure, why not." Emma says.