SOULS Lost and Found
Healer
Please, I repeat, PLEASE, do not kill me, at least not yet
I promise I've been trying to get back on track with "TW", "NPL", "LTC" and most of all "Bella McLeod"(Which as you may or may not know, I've been going through the process of revising and re editing at least one chapter per month for the last year), However if my muse keeps nagging me about other fandoms, I certainly have to give her free 'speech' (so to speak) in order to be able to get things done. Right?
So, after that small rant, on with the official Disclaimers… This is a "Once Upon a Time" fic, and it is a femlash, featuring a semi slow burn SwanQueen... So, if you don't like the idea of two women being in love with each other (and being completely oblivious for a while about how their love is not one sided), and eventually entering into a relationship with one another, please head somewhere else.
This is also a sequel of sorts to my first SwanQueen fic "Fire Soul Bird in Love", only a few years later and with Emma not recalling the full events on that. But Regina does, even when this is told from Emma's POV.
It is also based on the film "Heart and Souls", with Robert Downey Jr, loved him there, and he was sooooo young!
Bare in mind that I do not own Once Upon a Time or Heart And Souls, nor its characters, I repeat, THEY'RE NOT MINE. And I am only writing this because I thought it would be hilarious to watch Emma coping with the madness of ghosts added to her regular crazy.
This story is set in S04E20 and part of S04E21. While Regina and Emma look for Lily and then when they head to NY to save Robin from Zelena posing as Marion.
Remember to leave your reviews…
SOULS Lost and Found
Chapter 03
Healer
"So who's next?" asked Regina somehow amused
"Excuse me! I know that I am like in a minority here with you siding now with the dead people here, but I thought we were getting food" I told her smirking
"Don't be so dramatic" said Julia teasingly as Regina rolled her eyes
"Fine Ms Swan, let's feed you before hitting the road" said Regina
"Agreed" I told her then.
We debated with the ghosts for a moment, and agreed that Harrison was next, and that the best place to do so, given the hour, might be a karaoke bar, where we could get some food, drinks and him on a stage.
"I'm not really comfortable with the idea" argued Harrison
"Stop making excuses" said Julia
"It's not an excuse" argued Harrison "Emma and Regina are clearly tired" he said pointing at us.
"What's the delay now Ms Swan?" asked me Regina getting crankier, probably being a combination of hunger, tiredness, and anxiousness about Robin.
I sighed "Harrison is too much of a chicken to sing in public, and is using us as excuse" I told her
"Fine, we postpone the singing. Who else?" she asked in her all business tone
"Julia's boyfriend, John, had a farm a few hours away from here, it's on the way to New York" I told her as Julia had told me. "We could try to locate Penny's children, but that would mean we should not leave Boston just yet, she lived here. They all did" I told her
"How did they end up stuck with you if you were not even close to the accident?" she asked clearly frustrated
"We'll have to ask the driver next time he shows up" I told her shrugging "He did say this is some kind of magic, just not anything you or I know or have" I offered once we got to the court house.
"Adoption records from the 1980's are sealed" said the teller who we were dealing with "Even the adopted children themselves need a court order to open them, if they're lucky"
"How long does that take?" I asked her "To get the court order"
"Too long, plus a month" she answered dryly
"Even for the Sheriff and the Mayor of Storybrook?" asked Regina taking out her ID and my badge placing them on the counter
"Oh, then it is too long, plus a year" said the woman behind the counter
"Let's get something to eat and then we can try and locate Penny's children at her old neighborhood. I work better and think more clearly with a full stomach" I told them as my stomach groweled
"That explains a lot of your idiotic quirks" said Regina amused as we found a diner and sat down at a table for two "Two cups of coffee, a chocolate milkshake, a double cheeseburger with fries and a house salad please" said Regina addressing the waitress before she had a chance to ask. I felt oddly touched by the fact that Regina had ordered food for me, and that she knew exactly what I would have wanted to eat.
"Tough day?" asked the waitress as she looked at me while she poured the coffee for us
"You have no idea" I told her closing my eyes and massaging briefly my forehead. Then I heard a gasp. I looked up to see Julia staring at the waitress wrist. As I focused too, I saw the birthmark, in shape of a star, as I stared into her face I recognized her features, there was no way that this wasn't her. This was Lily. She wasn't dead! Her name tag said Starla but this was definitely her.
"I'll be right back with your order" she said walking away and I couldn't help but stare after her.
"Emma, sweetie! You left Storybrook to find her. Go!" said Penny
"What's wrong?" asked Regina confused at my expression
"We would not have ended up in Boston right? If these guys didn't show up?" I asked her still trying to process the absurdity of the situation "Fate is indeed a bitch"
"What?" asked Regina clearly not following my train of thought
"It's her" I said "It's Lily" I said as our food was placed on our table by a different waitress.
"I told you it keeps pushing" said Regina half amused "At least now we won't have to give Maleficent bad news." She said as she stabbed her salad. "Eat something, then go after her" she ordered.
We ate in silence, my ghost friends joining in the silence too. And when I was done with my fries, I headed out to the back of the parking lot where I saw Starla sitting down probably enjoying her break. She stood up as soon as she saw me.
"Hey Starla" I started
"Something wrong?" she asked eyeing me confused at my presence "Did I get the order wrong? Did I give you decaf instead of the regular coffee? That's it right? I'm so sorry, I always get the pots mixed up"
"Starla isn't your name, is it?" I asked, thinking this might be the best way to go, her demeanor changed "Lily…" I prompted
"How did you know that?" she asked warily
"This mark" I told her lifting her wrist "You showed it to me a long time ago outside a crappy cub foods in Hopkins, Minnesota."
"Emma?" she asked finally recognizing me
"I heard you were dead. What the hell happened to you?" I asked her
"I… got into trouble, some bad people few years ago. I needed a fresh start, and created a new persona. I've been careful" she said amazed "How did you find me?"
"Fate?" I offered
"What?" she asked confused by my answer
"I know this is gonna sound crazy but… remember when we were kids and you used to say that you and I were connected… that something was drawing us together?"
"Yeah, that's something teenage girls say and then you braid each other's hair and say you are BFFs" she said dismissively
"What if you were right?" I interrupted her "What if there is a reason your life has been going down hill since the moment we met? That all of your problems are not your fault, they are mine"
"You're right." She said matter of factly "That sounds crazy"
"It's complicated" I offered "But I can explain it if you come with me. I just need you to trust me"
"Look, I don't know what kind of 12-step program you're in, but I've moved on" she assured me "I'm fine"
"You're living under an assumed name. I can help" I retorted
"I don't need your help" she said icily "And my life is great. I have an awesome daughter and a loving husband. The last thing I need is for you to come into my life and just blow it apart again, so…" she trailed off as a school bus stopped outside the dinner "If you'll excuse me, that's my daughter's bus"
"I'm sorry" I said after her "For everything"
"You don't need to apologize" she said over her shoulder "We were kids. To be honest I haven't even thought about you in years" she finished walking away and kneeling in front of a little girl
"So it was really her?" asked me Regina reaching to hand me a cup of coffee
"God I feel like such a jerk" I said grabbing the coffee she offered me
"Why?" Asked me Regina and Penny at the same time
"Because she let her go" said Julia stressing the go
"I did not let her go" I defended myself
"You did" said the three ghosts at the same time
So I stomped back towards the diner and took 'Starla's' time card
"Emma, what are you doing?" asked me Regina blankly staring at me
I rolled my eyes "I just swiped Starla's time card, it has her real address
"But she said she didn't want your help" added Regina calmly sipping her coffee
"And she was lying" I told her triumphantly "You know me. I know when someone's lying, and she was. She always has" I said as I headed towards the bug, her following close behind.
"What about your friends?" she asked me motioning around still unsure of where they were.
"They'll have to wait" I said sternly "Sorry Penny, for now I can only make a phone call and ask around"
And a phone call I did. I tried to get hold of an old contact I had in Boston PD, but she couldn't help me at the time, even though she promised to look at it as soon as she could. A little while later we found ourselves breaking into Lily's place.
"Breaking and entering again dear?" asked me Regina teasingly
"Oh yes, now I am dragging the good name of Storybrook's Mayor down with me" I told her smirking as I opened the lock. Certain she wasn't home thanks to Julia taking a look around first. "No kids stuff. No sign of a husband" I said out loud
"Okay, well, if you want me to admit you were right, alright, you were. She lied" offered Regina also looking around
"Can't blame her for running off" said Harrison
"Yeah, especially after how you acted last time you saw each other" offered Penny
"I know!" I snapped startling Regina "sorry, I'm being guilt tripped" I sighed "I was about to tell her she was Maleficent's daughter" I added
"Yeah, that might have been a tough pill to swallow" conceded Regina
"Yeah. You know how long it took for me to believe. And that was with me being in Storybrook"
"It's not going to be simple for her" conceded Regina
"Emma" called me Harrison
"What?" I asked walking to where he was
"It might be simpler than you think" said Julia who was standing next to Harrison and Penny. Regina and I approached them and there at the wall with information, newspapers, pictures, notes… all about me as the Savior, The Evil Queen, the curse, Snow White and Storybrook
"Son of a… she knew!" I deadpanned "She already knew"
"And she was looking for you, it seems" added Regina
"No" said Julia "Your parents"
"You're right" I said to Julia "She wants revenge. She is after Snow and David" and with that we heard the engine of the bug and ran out to see Lily driving away in it.
"Emma! The apprentice scroll, it's in my bag in the car" said Regina frantically "If she wanted a way into Storybrook now she has it" it took me a moment to understand the implications of it, so I ended up hijacking the only car in sight "What are you doing?" she asked me as Harrison and Penny urged me to be faster
"That girl helped destroy my life with one good family, I'm not letting her do it again" I said as I finally got the engine going "She's doing it again" I said "Every time I let Lily in she rips apart my life. I have to stop her before she gets to Henry"
"We will" said Regina placing a hand on my shoulder "But you can't go at her in a state of anger. You'll end up doing something you'll regret"
"Really?" I asked annoyed at her being patronizing at the moment "Tell me, Your Majesty, what are your plans for Zelena? Have a nice chat over a cup of tea?" I asked mockingly
"That was low Emma! Apologize to Regina right now" said Penny, only making me roll my eyes at her through the rear view mirror
"That's different" said Regina letting go of my shoulder
"How? If Zelena lays a hand on your soulmate, you'll destroy her, right?" I asked still angry "So I'll do the same to Lily before she does anything to my family"
"Careful Emma…" started Regina through lidded eyes "you're starting to sound like…"
"A villain?" I interrupted her still in a mocking tone "This is the real world Regina! There are no heroes or villains… Just real people, with real problems. So if you gonna try to stop me, then you can find your own way to New York" I said as we caught up to Lily and I maneuvered to make her stop. We all got down of the cars "Hey!" I yelled at Lily "You know everything!" I accused "Did you know when we were kids?" I asked her through gritted teeth
"Of course not" answered Lily as upset as I felt
"But now?"
"Duh! I learned it all" she said shrugging
"How?" I asked her "And how do you believe in it?"
"Does it really matter?" she asked in turn "It doesn't change anything! You screwed me over before we were even born" she accused
"I had no more say in what happened than you did" I defended myself
"But your parents did" she said darkly "And the minute I get into Storybrook…"
"You lay a hand on them and I'll end you!" I yelled and punched her in the face, barely noticing the thunder and Regina's gasp
"Emma! Stop!" yelled Regina as I launched towards Lily again, distracting me enough for Lily to land a punch herself, another thunder sounding in the background
"Your parents are monsters Emma!" yelled Lily "They banished me and they threw you in a wardrobe! Why are you here defending them after all you had to go through because of their choices?" She asked accusingly, still trying to land another blow "Is it because you're so perfect? The Savior? They deserve to be punished!" I managed to kick her to the ground and pull out my gun in time to point it at her, effectively stopping her "Of course it ends this way" said Lily mirthlessly "This just makes so much sense"
"I'm just trying to stop you from doing something you'll regret" I said, noticing Julia and Harrison at my sides and Penny kneeling next to Lily
"Thanks to you, I'm hardwired for bad decisions" said Lily in tears "So come on and put me out of my misery!"
"Emma sweetie, don't" said Penny when she noticed me moving my finger to the trigger "She's just as hurt as you are. Look at her eyes sweetie" And she was right, the moment I locked my eyes with Lily's I knew she didn't need revenge, she needed love, and a family
"We know the truth" continued Lily "My life is not worth saving, and if you let me go, I will destroy everything you hold dear, that's what I always do"
"Swan" I heard Regina call firmly "Put the gun down. If you pull the trigger, you'll be the one who ruins your life now" she said slowly approaching me "I don't care if we don't go to New York together, as long as you remain true to yourself" she said taking another step forward "If you do this, you'll not just ruin your life Emma, you'll ruin Henry's too, and your parents'…" she said making me briefly glance at her "… and mine" she whispered so low that I barely caught it
"I have to protect everyone" I said stubbornly
"You are sweetie" said Julia standing now right in front of me.
"Emma, put the gun down, or we will make you" threatened Harrison
"Put the gun down Emma" said Penny rising "your family needs a hero, not a murderer"
"I'm already a murderer" I said defeated looking at her, unaware for a second that Regina was already next to me
"Cruella was an accident" said Regina placing her hand on my shoulder "But if you cross this line, the journey back isn't easy, trust me" she said comfortingly and tenderly squeezing my shoulder "This is what Gold wants you to do, so don't Emma… be better" and with that I sighed and did put the gun away
"I told you she's good for you" said Penny smiling proudly
"There you go Swan" said Regina with a final squeeze to my shoulder before moving towards Lily to help her rise
A/N: I originally wanted this to be a one-shot, but that did not turn out as planned… ooops. So what do you think so far?
Hope you liked it. This idea had been in my head for a long while now. And I was honestly debating whether to use it in this fandom or a different one, in the end because of the name, I leant towards Swanqueen, and once that decision was made, it took me weeks to outline the basics of what I wanted and to find the perfect moment in OUaT timeline to place it...
So, do leave your reviews and let me know what you think…