Ella told Snow who their uninvited guest was before they entered Red's private office, but nothing could have prepared Snow for coming to face to face with the Dark One himself. He sat on of the chairs next to Red, who was clutching the arms of her chair so tights her hands seemed to be part of the wood. The Dark One wore a somber expression on his face, but there was gleam of concern in his eyes. As Snow arrived, he stood up straight and Ruby followed suit.

"Your Grace," the Dark One greeted with an elegant bow. His voice sent shivers down Snow's back. The very fact that he stood before her felt surreal. Throughout her childhood, the Dark One had been tale whispered of when the sun fell below the horizon, a demon the stalked the nightmares of disobedient children. She knew he was real, her own sister had once made a deal with him, but he wasn't at all like she expected. This was...a man. A powerful and terrifying man with scaly, grey-green skin, but a man nonetheless, not some faceless, amorphous shadow.

Despite her fear and bewilderment, Snow remembered her manners. "Dark One," she greeted respectfully, though stiffly. "What are you here to discuss?"

"You're direct, dearie, I like that," the Dark One noted. He pointed to Ella, "You - leave us." Ella glowered at him, but left with out a word. The three remaining people sat down in overstuffed chairs that had been laid out in a triangle. The Dark One turned his attention back to the two royal sisters. "I know my former student, Zelena, told you of my plans."

Snow saw no point in lying, "She did. We're not going to just let you help Regina destroy out family."

"I'm not helping Regina, she's helping me," the Dark One corrected. "But if you have a better offer..."

"Why would you betray Regina? And if your willing to betray her, who's to say you're not going to betray us?" Red interjected.

The Dark One turned his cool eyes to Red, clearly annoyed by her interruption. "Because Regina isn't as stable as I once thought she was."

Snow scowled, "She's no longer useful to you, so you're tossing her aside."

"I didn't say she wasn't useful. But I need to rein in her more...destructive impulsive."

"I don't understand," Snow admitted. "Who's side are you on? Ours or hers?"

"Neither, I'm on my side," the Dark One replied. "I don't care for whatever petty squabbles you have with your mother-"

"Petty? She murdered our father!" Snow growled.

The Dark One continued, "-I'm willing to work with whoever helps me accomplish my goals."

"So you're just using us?" Snow asked.

"At least I'm being honest about," the Dark One answered with a smug grin.

"What do you want from us?" Snow demanded slowing, clearly loosing her patience.

"There's a loophole to the curse that Regina is planning to cast and I need someone with her blood to take advantage of it."

"Why don't you asked Zelena?" Snow asked coldly.

The Dark One raised an eyebrow, "You think I trust her any more than I trust Regina? No, it has to be either you or your sister."

Red spoke up, "But why? Why us?" the Dark One reached into his cloak and pulled out a half-empty vial of blood. "That's mine," Red breathed. She recognized the vial from the time she and Granny had summoned the Dark One to help her overcome her werewolf nature. Snow looked between the vial of blood and her sister. She didn't know Red had made a deal with the Dark One.

"I used your blood in crafting the curse," the Dark One told Red before turning back to Snow, "and now that's all it responds to."

Snow felt a flash of white hot anger toward her sister. So not only had Red kept her deal a secret, she had offered the Dark One the very thing he needed to place their entire kingdom in jeopardy. Red, though she kept her eyes on the Dark One, could practically feel her older sister's glared burning into her skin. When she had made that deal, a those years ago, she knew she was courting trouble, she'd had no idea how much trouble. Now there was curse made with her blood and Snow was unbearably disappointed in her.

"So you've been stalking our family because you need our blood to affect the curse." Snow realized, her fury toward Red letting up just a little so she could focus her anger on the Dark One. "Did you sent Zelena to tell us about the curse?"

The Dark One sneered at the mention of his former student's name, "Certainly not. Zelena's always been one to go her own way."

"How do we stop the curse?" Red demanded.

Her question sent the Dark One into peals of laughter. It grated Snow's nerves like claws on stone. "Do you think I'd get rid of a curse I put so much effort into creating and enacting?"

Snow looked confused and angry, "You're against Regina trying to cast the curse, but you still want the curse cast? You better not think either of us would tell you curse the entire kingdom!"

"I'm not that thick, dearie," the Dark One replied neutrally. "I want you to circumvent the curse and I'll give you the tools to do it."

"How?" Snow questioned skeptically. Could the Dark One be lying to them? It certainly wouldn't be out of character. Was he playing mind games with them? They couldn't trust a word coming out of his mouth, but what other chance did they have to defeat Regina once and for all?


"Do you think that's normal? To suddenly start having terrible nightmares and the just stop?" Emma asked Mary as they eat their breakfast. The twins sat between wolfing down their food like they hadn't eaten a huge dinner the night before.

Mary shrugged, "I can't say I'm an expert on that kind of thing, but at least that means you'll be able to sleep better."

"You know," Emma grimaced, "Something weird happened yesterday morning. I threw up all over the courthouse steps."

"Everyone gets sick sometimes," Nicky noted, his mouth stuffed with pancakes.

"Honey, don't eat with your mouth full," Emma scolded. Part of her laughed silently at how much like a mom she sounded. "No, it wasn't normal. It was weird color and smelled horrible."

"Did you go to the hospital?" Mary asked, concerned.

"No..." Emma admitted. "I didn't think I had to, but maybe I should have. I'll set up an appointment for later, just in case."

"Can you take us?" Ava asked. "I wanna try cheerleading but I needed a note from the doctor."

Emma smiled, "We can go together. Now, c'mon I gotta get to work and you gotta get to school." Just then her cellphone went off. David's name flashed on the screen. "Give me a minute," Emma said as she got up from the table and left the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Ava and Nicky finished up their breakfast. While Ava went to put the dishes in the sink, Nicky fed the birds. Mary got up to get her keys so she could drive herself and the kids to school. "Ready?" she asked them.

Just before they answered, Emma jogged back into the kitchen with the biggest smile on her face. "She's out! Flora's charges were dropped."

Mary let out a sigh of relief, "That's wonderful."

The twins both had huge smiles on their faces as well. "So that means Conner can go home?" Nicky asked hopefully.

Emma replied, "Don't worry I'll make sure he gets home as soon as possible."

"He's gonna be so happy that his sister's innocent," Ava said to Nicky. "I can't wait to tell him."

As soon as Emma got to work, Graham handed her a thick folder.

"What's this?" Emma asked as she opened it and peer through its contents.

"Reunification paperwork," Graham explained. He leaned against Emma's desk while she sat down. "It's easier to take a kid out of a home than to put them back in."

"You're talking to someone who grew up in the foster system," Emma remarked dryly. "I know how this works. Flora has to pass a parenting exam and prove that she can take care of Conner before he can live with her again."

"Not gonna be easy considering she lost her job at the hospital," Graham noted.

"Because she was in jail for something she didn't do! I'm sure she's gonna get her old job back in no time."

"She also lost her apartment."

"She'll figure something out," Emma huffed.

But Graham wasn't finished, "And we still have yet to figured out who actually kidnapped Priscilla Jefferson."

"Jesus, way to be a buzzkill," Emma muttered. "You still don't have the lab results? They should have been here ages ago."

"I've tried calling, but I keep getting the machine," Graham sighed.

Emma set down the paperwork, "That's really weird. I think we should start looking for some more evidence. The blood might not be the smoking gun we think it is."

Graham shook his head, "We've combed every inch of those woods. I don't see what else we could find."

Emma sighed, "Well, in any case, I have to talk to the Rahims about what's going to happen with Conner. I'm sure they'll be glad to know that Flora will be able to take him back soon."

Once she got off work, Emma picked up Ava from school while Nicky went home with Mary. Emma drove Ava to the hospital, where Ava would get her physical before Emma got checked out.

"Did you get a chance to talk to Conner?" Emma asked as she drove out of the school parking lot.

Ava nodded, "Yeah, he already heard the news from Mr. Rahim. Is he going to get to go home soon?"

"It's...a work in process," Emma said slowly. "There's a lot of paperwork involved."

"Sound boring." Ava noted.

Emma snorted, "You can say that again."

Stepping in the pediatric wing of Storybrooke General for the first time, Emma noted something incredibly interesting about it. Like every other pediatric medical setting Emma had been in when she was kid, it was decorated brightly to make the kids feel more comfortable. Only in Storybrooke, it had a fairy tale theme.

One wall had been painted to look like the whitewashed bricks of a castle wall, with grass painted along the bottom of the falls. The rest featured murals of princess and dragons and wizards. The reception area had even been made to look vaguely like a watchtower. It was a little overdone, in Emma's opinion, but of course it was made for young children.

Was Henry sick a lot when he was younger? Emma wondered. Did he spent hours looking at this stuff and become fascinated with fairy tales?

She shook herself out of her thoughts as she and her foster daughter approached the receptionist. "Hi, I'm here for Ava Zimmer. We have an appointment."

After the receptionist confirmed the appointment, Emma and Ava sat down in the small lobby waiting for the physician to let them in.

"So, cheerleading?" Emma inquired.

Ava nodded, "I thought it'd be fun. Try-out are in two weeks, but I wanted to get the doctor's permission early."

Emma smiled at her foster daughter's forethought, "Smart. But you know, if you do end up joining the team you can't let it get in the way of your schoolwork."

"I know," Ava replied. She didn't roll her eyes, but her tone implied that she wanted to.

"I'm serious," Emma emphasized, "Grades come first, always."

"I know, Mom, don't worry." Ava insisted.

The word slipped out with Ava's mouth before she had really thought it through. A moment of silence fell over her and Emma, then a shy smile spread over Emma's face. "I'm glad to hear it," she muttered vaguely. Ava knew what Emma really went and smiled as well. Before long, the two burst into giggles at the awkward but happy occasion. They struggled to keep their voices from echoing in the empty lobby.

When their laughter subsided, Ava turned to Emma and asked, "So, is this permanent? Me and Nicky living with you?"

"I was hoping for a little time," Emma chuckled, "and I wanted to tell you both together, but yes. When things calm down a little, I'm planning to adopt you both. If you want."

"Of course we want you to adopt us," Ava exclaimed, her eyes shiny with tears. She reached over and grabbed Emma in a tight hug, burying her face Emma's shoulder. Emma hugged her back just a tightly. The setting wasn't really appropriate for an emotional mother-daughter hug, but all Emma cared about was the warmth of Ava's body against hers?"

"Ava Zimmer!" a nurse called.

Emma and Ava broke apart, remembering where they were, and quickly wiped their tears. "Can't keep the doctor waiting," Emma sighed.


When Regina went into labor, Cora had instructed the midwife to give her a sedative as soon as she had pushed the child out. Too exhausted and weary from giving birth, her throat rough from screaming, Regina hadn't known what she was drinking. She gulped it down sloppily, to Cora's exasperation.

"My baby," Regina slurred, one hand raised aimlessly, "Where's my baby? Is is a boy or a girl?"

Cora gave the midwife a stern look and she obediently walked out the room without another word. "Hush, sweetheart. Just get some rest." Cora cooed, leaning closer.

Regina flinched from her touch. Her face was contorted into an expression of hatred and fear. "Why can't I see my baby? Is something wrong?"

"Got to sleep Regina," Cora commanded softly. Stubborn as always, Regina tried to climb out of bed to follow the midwife, but the combination of her recent ordeal and the sleeping drought had her stumbling to the floor in an ungracious heap instead. "Ugh, look at you."

Two servants came running in to pick Regina up from the floor and place her back into the bed. How could she have raised such a pathetic daughter? It must have come from Henry. Or worse, her father.

Cora gave them strict orders to keep her in this room until the next morning before leaving. She went into the next room when the midwife had finished cleaning the crying infant. It was a boy, Cora noted vaguely. There was only one other person in the room, a young woman near Regina's age named Simone. She had given birth the day before a stillborn girl, so Cora immediately snatched her up as a wet nurse. Simone looked at the child with an annoying amount of sentimentality.

Were all girls this age so emotional and empty-headed? Cora certainly didn't remembered being like that. With a dead mother and an alcoholic father, she had had be tough and practical from a young age. She worked the mill, she sold wares, and she scraped by just enough food to keep herself and the ne're-do-well who had made her fed. Even when he made that foolish boast that she could spin straw into fold and put her very life in danger, she had not only managed to keep her head, but got an advantageous marriage out of it.

It may have come at the price of her firstborn, but that was a small price to pay.

"How is he?" Cora asked the midwife.

"Healthy and strong my lady," the midwife replied.

"Good, I suppose. At least I'll able to get him on the carriage soon," Cora sniffed. She glared at Simone and snapped, "Staring isn't going to make him your, girl. He's being adopted by a couple who live many miles away. You're just here to keep him fed until he gets there. Go outside and check to see if the carriage is ready."

Simone stiffed from the rebuke, her face pinched with shame and embarrassment, but she wordlessly did as Cora had commanded.

Cora always got a bit of pleasure from that, ordering people around and watching them follow her orders without complaint. She had never once dreamed that she'd be in this position, married into a great family and about to marry her daughter of to a king. She certainly wasn't going to let Regina's little bastard get in the way of everything she hoped to accomplish.

Simone returned, "The carriage is ready my lady."

"Alright," Cora nodded, "Get the child and get inside."

The midwife looked alarmed, "A-are you leaving so soon my lady? The child is less than hour old. He needs time to rest and nurse."

Cora was unconcerned. "Simone, you can nurse him on the way, can't you?" The frightened girl nodded. "There. Now let's be on our way. The sooner we get rid of this problem, the better."

Her steward had found the couple, two childless farmers who lived in a village so small it had no name. Even if anyone found out the truth about Regina, they'd never think to look in such a place. Cora went personally to make sure nothing interfered with her plans. Her future was a stake and wasn't taking any chance. Of course, like the steward had said, the middle-aged couple were stupidly happy. The wife even had tears in her eyes as Cora handed her the child. Cora didn't see what the big deal, but she suppose things like this, like devoting years of your life to a child that wasn't even really yours, were important who had nothing better to do with their lives.

"You've given us such a wonderful blessing," the husband thanked her profusely.

Mask of normalcy firmly in place, Cora smile and replied, "Think nothing of it. I hope he brings you many years of happiness."


AN: Happy New Year everyone! I can't believe I've been working on this for two whole years. Thank you so much for reading, whether you've been here from the beginning or are reading this for the first time. Let's see what 2020 brings us!