The catch

Jade Star asked for a oneshot of *6x18 spoilers!* Snowing noticing their loved ones acting weaker since the curse broke. Emma confesses the Black Fairy changed the potion. In order for Snowing to be awake, it took a bit of each of their life force. Snow is horrified.

There was definitely something different. Their loved ones were acting…strangely. Henry seemed to be needing more time off school. He seemed to be rather under the weather. In fact, most of them did. Charming had forced Emma to take a week off work. She would have kept going until she dropped. Regina was falling asleep at her desk a lot. The dwarves had taken a collective decision that they needed a break from mining. Granny's open hours had been cut. Killian seemed to be napping every time Snow and Charming saw him. Something strange was going on.

"Emma, did some sort of infection start when we were both sleeping?" Snow asked her. "It's just, you all seem really run down just now. What's going on?" Snow and Charming knew Emma would be the easiest for them to get the truth out of. They knew her like the backs of their hands now.

"No, no infections have started." Emma said honestly. However, Snow and Charming noticed the missing crucial detail. Emma didn't say something hadn't happened to make them all so lifeless.

"Then what happened?" Charming asked her directly. They could be here forever if they played a guessing game with her. Emma bit her lip. She knew they would be furious when they found out.

"Really guys, it's no big deal. What matters is that everyone's awake and healthy…"

"Emma Ruth." Charming middle named her. "Spill." He ordered. Emma sighed. It was bound to come out eventually.

"The Black Fairy may have meddled with Regina's potion." Emma admitted. She hoped her parents would let her leave it there.

"Go on." Snow demanded. Emma sighed.

"She came in before we all drank it. She told us that, yes, it would wake you both up, but we would all sacrifice a tiny amount of our life force." Emma told them. She could see how horrified both her parents looked. "Regina thinks it's temporary." Emma added quickly.

"That doesn't matter!" Snow told her off. "Emma, you're going to fight the final battle! You need all the strength you can get. You should have waited until you found another way to wake us up…"

"What if there hadn't been one?" Emma asked. This silenced her mother. Emma took a hand from each of her parents. "I will feel much stronger going into that battle with both of you by my side than I ever would with all my life force intact. I don't regret my decision at all. So do whatever you have to do. Ground me, make me do desk duty, whatever. I don't care. It was worth it." Snow and Charming just looked at each other.

"She's got your stubbornness, alright." Charming said, pulling Emma closer and kissing her temple.

"And your flair for jumping into situations." Snow commented, joining them and creating a group hug. They still worried how this decision would affect Emma in the final battle, but (even though they'd never say this to her and make her feel like she'd done the right thing) they were glad they'd be there to have her back.