This is a repost of an old one shot that was a part of a larger collection that I just didn't feel matched up with my headcanons anymore. But I still see this happening. Prompted by trueloveismagic: Lucy falls through the ice while skating, causing Ella to remember a hard time in her life.
Lucy knew of the modern world, of course she did. Her father and grandmother told her stories of the realm he had grown up in, where things worked a lot different. Their family would come visit, but she had never been there herself. Ella was afraid of the other realm and what it could bring, so they stuck to having Emma, Snow, David and the rest coming to them. Still, Lucy was fascinated by the different things that her grandmother and great-grandparents would bring her. Emma would always charm different electronics so they didn't have to be charged and Snow would bring her fashion that couldn't be found in the villages.
One particular visit, Snow and David had gifted Lucy with a pair of ice skates. Neal was learning how to skate himself and they figured that she would like to as well. They had specified, however, that she had to wait to be with Regina or Zelena before using them. Lucy didn't understand why, but she abided by the rules. Little did she realize, her grandmother and great-aunt would charm the frozen lake when she skated so she didn't fall through. Ella of all people knew how fragile lakes could be.
A few weeks later, more snow had fallen and the lakes were frozen. Henry was busy writing while Ella had a visit with Tiana. Once upon a time, Henry had dreamed of living in a big castle with all his family. However, he had grown up and found he loved the smaller things. They had built the cottage themselves, with some help from Hook, Regina and Jack. It had been finished shortly after Lucy's birth and was the perfect size for them, plus more children when they expanded their family.
Lucy loved when her aunt visited, but as a six year old, she quickly grew bored with the conversation. She went over to her father, who was sitting at his desk. He now wrote for the village's paper and had an article due in a few days' time.
"Daddy, can you play with me?"
Henry looked up, rubbing his chin. He had been letting his facial hair grow out a bit, but knew he should probably shave. "I'm sorry, angel, I really have to get this article done. I'll take a break soon, I promise." He looked out the window. "Why don't you go play outside? You could build a snowman."
Lucy frowned, but went into her room to bundle up to go outside. She loved where they lived, but since her parents had set up in the middle of the woods, she didn't have any kids around her age to play. She had been begging for a baby sibling for a long time, but her parents explained that it was complicated. Grownups always said that things were complicated, it was so annoying.
After putting on her coat and boots, she noticed her skates in the corner. Her grandma and great-aunt weren't due for a visit, but maybe she could still have a little fun on the lake anyway.
Telling her mom where she was going, Lucy headed outside. She played in the snow for a bit, building a snowman and making snow angels. Eventually, she decided it was time to practice her skating. When Snow had brought Lucy her skates, she had also gotten pairs for Ella and Henry too, so they'd all have family skates whenever Regina came by after it snowed. She was a natural, much like her father.
Going out onto the ice, she held onto the tree to start, slowly inching her way forward. Soon, she was skating with ease. She grinned as she spun around, feeling the cool winter air on her cheeks. Her hair and coat were wet from the snow, but in that moment she didn't care. She was having way too much fun.
Halfway through her time on the ice, Lucy decided to do a jump she had seen in one of her books. She landed on the ice perfectly, though she started to hear some cracking. Looking down, she could see the ice moving. Before she could do anything, she was falling into the lake. All she could manage, was to scream as she was submerged into the icy water.
Henry heard the scream and hopped out of his seat, running out the door. Tiana and Ella were right on his tail. He scanned the property and didn't see his daughter at first, until his eyes settled on the pink knit hat floating in the hole that was in the lake. Ella must have saw it too, because she instantly started running for the water.
"No," she whispered. "This is not happening again!"
He didn't even have to ask what she meant. He had heard about her childhood, how both she and her sister, Ana, had fallen into the lake. Marcus had saved Ella, but couldn't do the same for Ana. It was what lead Ella's step-mother into darkness.
Without a word, Henry started running on the ice. He knew it was dangerous and that he could end up in the same situation as his daughter, but he had no other choice. Skidding and sliding, he finally made it to where the hole was. Reaching in, he grabbed hold of his daughter's hand and pulled her out. Lifting her into his arms, he carefully carried her back to the lake's edge where Ella and Tiana stood, looking terrified.
Lucy lay unconscious in his arms, soaking wet. He quickly carried her into the house and laid her down on the ground. He removed her jacket and felt for a pulse, quickly finding it, though it was clear she wasn't breathing.
"She's got a pulse," he told his wife and friend, the former having tears streaming down her cheeks. "Tiana, add more logs to the fire. Ella, get her some warm, fresh clothes to change into."
His heart was racing as he followed the memories he had of taking a CPR class shortly after Neal was born so he could babysit. He began to perform the chest compressions, before opening the airway in her nose and giving her the needed rescue breaths. It didn't work the first time, so he did it again, no response. The third time, however and she began to cough out water. By that time, Ella had returned in the room and her knees buckled, a sob escaping her lips.
Henry let himself breathe for the first time since it happened, kissing his daughter's forehead. "Hey there, Luce," he whispered. "You gave us all quite the scare."
"Daddy," she whined.
"I know, you must be feeling awful. Don't worry, Mommy's got a change of clothes for you. You're going to be okay."
He stepped back to let Ella change her and then he carried her off to bed, tucking her in nice and tight. They didn't want to overheat her, but gave her a few extra blankets. Tiana went to go get the village doctor to check on her, just in case. It wasn't long, before Lucy had drifted off to sleep again, this time breathing as she did.
Ella sat at the foot of Lucy's bed with Henry behind her, rubbing her back. "We could've lost her," she whispered.
"We didn't, though."
"I…I don't know what I would've done."
"She's here, El. She's safe." He bit down on his lip. "This is all my fault."
Ella looked up at him. "Don't say that."
"But it's true. If I had just taken a break and gone out to play with her, she never would've been on the lake."
"We both let her go outside alone, just as we've done a hundred times before. It's not our fault that this happened. Lucy knew better than to go on the lake and she did it anyway, sometimes kids don't listen." She tilted her head. "I happen to know that you didn't always listen to your mother and ended up in danger."
Henry had to hold back a smile at that. "True."
"And was it her fault?"
"Of course not."
"So, then this isn't yours." Ella gently kissed him.
Henry let out a sigh and wrapped his arms around his wife. Their little girl was safe, that was all that mattered.