AN: See chapter 1 for story notes and summaries.
Ships: Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Believer, Swanfire, Daddy Charming, Mama Snow, HadesxPersephone, Mama Persephone, and a delightful Golden Mad Charming BroT3. :)
Please consider leaving a review. Feedback is much appreciated and vital. Reviews have dropped a bit, but any feedback you can give is much appreciated.
Also, feel free to follow me on Tumblr lilacmoon83.
Special note:
Here are the main face claims that we're dealing with right now. For other minor Gods/Goddesses, see previous chapters:
Gal Gadot as Persephone
Robert Downey Jr. as Hades
Vincent Irizarry as Deimos
Ben Affleck as Prince Eli
Rami Malek as Apollo
Drew Barrymore as former Queen Serafina
Idris Elba as Hephaestus
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Phobos
Thanks for awesome the reviews. Again, please consider leaving feedback. I love writing this story, but a lot of hard work in my free time goes into getting weekly chapters up, so reviews are really gratifying. :)
Note: Keep in mind during this arc that time is very wonky. Basically Zelena went back, killed Eva, and then regressed to an infant. Emma is watching time pass more like in a movie rather than real time. It will eventually all make sense at the end of this arc. Sort of. I hope. :)
Here are individual responses:
Saberius Prime: Yep a big win and there's a lot of twists in this chapter that will make Emma's decision very easy. That's all I'll say. :)
Grace5231973: Yep, everything is looking pretty good, but I have some major twists in this chapter so it might not stay that way for long. Lol, yeah Rumple's schemes always keep things interesting. Glad you liked reading about the TLK. :)
MondlerGellarBing: Regina does seem less evil here, but she's dealing with a lot of anger and sorrow still, which comes to a boiling point in a big way in this chapter.
Naomi Blue: Glad you like the twist with Regina. Her anger does reach a boiling point and there's some major twists that we take in this chapter. It's going to make Emma's decision easy. That's all I'll say.
BooksinmyDreams: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
Number Ten: Yep, a very false sense of happiness. There's a lot of twists in this chapter that bring us to a climax. Yep, the other shoe drops in this chapter in a big way. Yes, Rumple enchanted his mother's ring in episode 1x22. I highly recommend watching 1x22 if you haven't. Easily my favorite episode.
Dreaming Out Loud
Chapter 107: Click Your Heels Together Three Times
Frollo seethed angrily, as he watched Snow White and her army overthrow his King and imprison him again. It had been a few months now since everything had occurred. Naturally, he had been ready to interfere and make sure this was one battle that she lost, but the battle between the Gods had rattled the heavens in a violent way and to his horror, Zeus had been dethroned by Persephone and she now ruled in his place. And he wasn't sure that he, even with all his new powers, could challenge her. Yet. He paced the expanse of his new laboratory, inside Bald Mountain, anxiously. He was infuriated by this turn of events. For all intents and purposes, Snow White and her mother had ended the war and now each sat on their respective Thrones.
"There must be a way to turn things back in my favor," he brooded, as he looked through his books and finally chose the one labeled, "The Black Cauldron."
It was the book he had obtained with the Cauldron he used in his work with alchemy and scientific experiments. It now aided him in melding magical spells with science and had been used to create the magic suppressing cuffs and the gauntlets he had encased Midas' hands with to prevent him from utilizing his touch. It was powerful and he had acquired it from three witches and stole it from them. He still remembered one of the witches warning him about the power of the Cauldron and how it could doom the world if its power didn't remain under control. But Frollo paid her no mind and he had the witches taken back to his home country where they were executed for being exactly what they were.
He leafed through the ancient spell book and took note of the many powerful spells. There was one where the Cauldron could create an undead army and though he knew such could give Persephone and the Gods quite the challenge, it wasn't enough. He needed to take their magic completely and that would require more than just magic suppressing cuffs.
"What you need...is a curse," a voice interjected and Frollo turned to find the disgraced and now very mortals forms of Zeus and Deimos.
"And how could you possibly help me in anyway now?" Frollo questioned.
"With knowledge, of course. I still have all my knowledge," Zeus countered.
"And what do you mean by curse?" Frollo asked.
"I know for a fact that Queen Regina seeks to cast a dark curse that will take us all to a Land Without Magic. She wishes to punish those that have wronged her and sending them to Wonderland and Oz won't suffice her for long. She'll seek to take her enemies with her," Zeus responded.
"And why would I care about this curse or want to go to a place without magic?" Frollo questioned.
"Yes, I suppose that is offensive to your monster-half, but to your human side, this land would be very appealing. It may not have magic, but it is a land where science dominates," Zeus continued.
"Interesting...but what do I gain with a curse?" he questioned.
"Because the curse is whatever who casts it wants it to be. You could control the lives of everyone, in a land where they would have no memories. You could make your enemies miserable, reward your allies...and have whomever you want in your bed," Deimos tempted.
"Yes...no Bishop or church to scold you for wanting the pleasures of the flesh; something any man wants," Zeus purported.
"You would rule...with our assistance, of course. You could be a Judge again and punish your enemies. Your enemies in chains...and your allies in power," Deimos added.
"And how do I get this curse from Queen Regina?" Frollo questioned.
"You let her cast it and then you crash in and take it over at the last minute," Zeus said. Frollo paced in the chamber and looked into the Cauldron, as it became his viewing pool. He observed a grand celebration at Midas' Palace, with Snow White on the arm of her shepherd husband, celebrating their victory. Hades and Persephone were there too, drinking to their victory and doting on their precious, golden little family. He seethed at that. It was preposterous that that demon family was now in power when it should be him and King Arawn.
"Or better yet...you make a deal with Queen Regina. She doesn't look entirely happy about all this happiness and bliss," Deimos observed.
"Hmm...an alliance with Regina could be beneficial, especially with the kind of misery I could promise everyone," Frollo stated, as he watched her converse with the Dark One.
"Rumpelstiltskin is a problem though. As long as he is pulling her strings, the curse will eventually be broken," Zeus advised.
"The Dark One wants it cast, but also wants it broken?" Frollo inquired.
"Yes...he has built in a fail safe to the curse. Snow White and Prince Charming's true love. They will birth the Savior that will break the curse and right now, that Savior is already in the womb of Snow White," Zeus confirmed, as they watched Prince David put his hand on his wife's abdomen, his face lit with a beaming smile.
"The child will have magic?" Frollo asked.
"Yes...she will be born with an abundance of light magic and save her parents, as well as their people. Athena has foretold it," Zeus responded.
"But Athena did not count on me or my interference," Frollo countered.
"Tell me everything about this curse" he requested.
The ball at Midas' castle was perhaps the grandest that any of them had seen in many years. In her childhood, Snow didn't care for them as her father's court was always very unkind to her. But to attend one with the man she loved was an exciting event. She wore a beautiful sleeveless orchid gown and David was dressed in a grayish/silver ensemble with a white sash. Snow gazed at him dreamily, as they danced closely. Probably too closely than was proper at a formal ball, even for a married couple, but neither of them cared, nor was anyone going to tell the daughter and son-in-law of Persephone that they were being "too affectionate,"
"What are you thinking?" he whispered, as they swayed with her flush against him.
"About how happy I am...these last few months of peace. I could get used to it...no more fighting...and a family," she said, as she bit her bottom lip and searched his eyes. His soft smile became a wide grin.
"A family...oh Snow, I can't wait to have babies with you," he replied.
"So...if I told you that you won't have to wait very long...you'd be happy?" she asked. His eyes widened and he looked at her still flat stomach.
"Snow...are you?" he asked and she nodded tearfully. He hugged her tightly and kissed her passionately.
"Oh Snow…" he breathed, as he pressed his forehead against hers. They continued to sway together for quite some time and barely noticed the man that cautiously approached them. When Snow did notice him, she recognized him as the Duke that was formerly a part of her father's court; a man that she and David had quickly ousted with the rest of the old court.
"Your Majesty...I know that I have acted foolishly in the past, but I am hoping that all that can be set aside. I am ready to serve you and your husband," he said. But Snow bristled at this man's clear attempt to manipulate her.
"I watched you belittle and berate my father for years. I watched you undermine him for years. I heard you call me demon spawn, bastard, and mongrel for years. You ordered my execution on the spot without bothering to search for the truth," Snow snapped.
"You can continue to live in my Kingdom and consider that a true act of kindness that you do not deserve. But you will never be a part of my court," Snow refuted, as he slunk away.
"He had nerve," David commented.
"He did...but I'm not going to let him ruin this night for us," she replied. He smiled.
"No one, least of all him, could do that," he agreed, as he kissed her again.
As their lips parted, they saw that Midas was bringing the room to attention and the music was quieted, as he addressed the room.
"I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone for coming to this celebration. It has only been a few months since this Kingdom and many others were liberated," he began.
"King Arawn not only took my Kingdom from me, but also my magic. My people lived in fear and there was nothing I could do to help them," he continued.
"Then we were all liberated by Snow White, daughter of the Goddess Persephone, and her army. Goddess, you were gracious enough to remove the manacles that restricted my powers and for that, I am forever in the debt of you and your lovely daughter," he added. Snow suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, as Midas pandered to her and her mother. They were getting a lot of that lately and she knew some were doing it simply because it was her mother that held power now.
"To honor you for our liberation, Goddess, we have erected a monument in your honor," Midas said, as a sheet was pulled and an ivory statue in her mother's likeness was revealed.
"And now with my touch, I emblazon this monument in gold," he announced, as some still awwed when Midas displayed the use of his power. Snow winced, as her mother seemed mortified. Many of the Gods liked it when mortals made monuments to them, but her mother was not one of them. Hades chuckled.
"It's an inspiring likeness," he teased.
"You be quiet...this is not funny," she scolded, as he put his arms around her.
"Oh but it is," he disagreed and she gave him a look and then stepped forward.
"Thank you King Midas...though I think this is a bit much, I appreciate your gesture of gratitude," she said neutrally. Honestly, this was the part of ruling she would never care for. The politics and pandering.
"Nothing is too much for the one that has saved us all and that is why I did not forget to honor your lovely daughter," he continued.
"Now I'm her lovely daughter...I used to be a demon spawn," Snow deadpanned quietly to her husband.
"He used to be best pals with my father, so don't trust him for a second," James advised, as he stood close by. Midas had done his best in the last few months to distance himself from George, especially after James took the Throne. His father was still around, but James had basically stripped him of his power and he was all but a figurehead now, much to his chagrin.
"We honor Snow White and her Prince for saving us all from King Arawn!" Midas announced.
"Didn't he call me the prince of peasants a few months ago?" David whispered to her.
"Mmmhmm...he did. I'm surprised his nose isn't turning brown," she whispered back.
"I offer this tribute to you both for freeing us all from tyranny," Midas continued.
"He means he offers this as thanks that he got his gold touch back," Lancelot joked, as a sheet was pulled and another ivory statue was revealed.
"Oh...he made one of us too," Snow said nervously to her husband.
"This is the part where we have to be nice, isn't it?" David asked.
"It is," she replied.
"I definitely prefer doing the fighting versus the talking," he said.
"Thank you King Midas...it's wonderful," she said, hoping that quickly accepting his gift would get him to move on.
"Oh, but I haven't emblazoned it in gold yet," Midas replied, as he prepared to touch it.
"Oh no...I think it is better this way," Snow protested. Midas seemed perplexed by that.
"But it's not gold," he said.
"He really takes the whole gold thing to extreme, doesn't he?" David whispered to her and she elbowed him in the ribs.
"Yes, Your Majesty, but ivory is a very valuable material in our Kingdom and quite rare. We graciously accept your gift," Snow said.
"Where are we going to put that?" David asked.
"In the garden, I suppose? We can plant snowdrops around it," she replied. He nodded and shrugged.
"It is better that it's not gold. Maybe it will grow on us," he agreed and she smiled, as she felt him kiss her hair.
"Maybe our babies will have fun climbing on it someday," he whispered and her smile widened, as she looked at him.
"Babies? Like plural?" she asked. He grinned at her.
"Yeah, plural...if that's something you'd like too," he replied. She kissed his cheek.
"It's something I will love," she agreed, as the ball resumed and he swept her into his arms again, resuming their dance.
Regina rolled her eyes, as Midas presented a statue in the likeness of Snow and her Prince to everyone. All the praise for Snow and none for her, despite the fact that she set their victory in motion. Regina may have been Queen now, but she couldn't help but resent the happiness of others, especially Snow. She had what Regina was supposed to have. True love. But that was gone now. She was Queen and she had revenge on her mother and sister. But it left her with an empty feeling.
Then there was the curse, her key to truly winning and ruling all. Persephone and Hades, nor the others were allowed to interfere, and in return, she had promised to give them all good lives. But she was starting to regret that part of the deal. Getting revenge on her mother and sister had only created a deep seeded hatred inside her that was blackening her soul. She found herself wanting revenge on everyone else, just for being happier than she was.
"They're sickening, aren't they?" James commented, referring to his brother and sister-in-law. Regina smirked.
"They are. If you didn't look exactly like him, I'd never know the two of you were even related," she offered, as she saw the two of them now celebrating again, as Hades, Eli, and Persephone seemed overjoyed and were hugging the pair.
"What's that about?" Regina wondered.
"Apparently...Snow is with child," James answered, surprising Regina, though she probably shouldn't have been shocked at all.
"Snow is pregnant?" she asked. James nodded.
"Yep...just when I think my brother already has everything, he gets more," he added. And then Regina realized exactly what she was missing. The room, though large and expansive, suddenly felt very claustrophobic and she started to search for an exit.
"Oh Regina...I just wanted to thank you again," Snow said, as she stopped the other woman.
"What? For making you eat a poisoned apple?" the Queen questioned. Snow chuckled.
"Actually yes, I guess...it was better than what awaited me at Frollo's hand," she replied.
"Hmm...yes I suppose it was," Regina mused, as she suddenly imagined Snow being terrorized by the monstrous being or running for her life through the woods, while her Black Knights chased her. Or being tied to a stake and then throwing a fireball at her. It was all very appealing and horrific and she wished she wasn't thinking such things. But she couldn't help it. Snow's happiness seemed to the bane of her existence and as she looked around, she realized everyone's happiness made her feel sick and empty.
"Are you okay?" Snow asked, noticing how troubled the other woman seemed.
"I'm fine!" Regina snapped, causing Snow to recoil a bit. And then Regina imagined what it would be like if Snow was the one that felt alone and empty. With the power of the curse, she could make that happen. She could rip her Charming away and the baby. She could rip them all apart and make them as miserable as she was. That would be truly winning, wouldn't it?
"I'm fine...excuse me," Regina said, as she stormed out, leaving them to wonder about her.
"Regina...Regina...slow down!" Henry pleaded, as he followed his angry daughter to her carriage.
"I need to see the Dark One," she announced, as she prepared to get into her carriage, until she heard a voice.
"Right here, dearie…" Rumpelstiltskin said, as he appeared.
"You…" she growled.
"Ooh...a bit unhappy, are we?" he teased.
"I got rid of my mother and sister...but it's not enough! My revenge is supposed to be complete with this curse, but even when I cast it, I'll still be the one unhappy!" she realized.
"The curse is whatever you want it to be. You can use it to destroy all the happy endings if you want," Rumple offered.
"Yes...until it's broken," Frollo interjected, as he appeared.
"This is none of your concern, Chernabog," Rumple hissed dangerously.
"Broken?" Regina questioned.
"Yes...he has not told you everything. He has built a fail safe into your curse and on the child's twenty-eighth birthday, she will come to break the curse," Frollo told her.
"What child?" Regina questioned, as she looked at her mentor. But Frollo answered.
"Snow White and Prince Charming's," he revealed.
"So what you're saying is that it will be Snow that ultimately destroys my happiness?" she asked, as she glared at the Dark One.
"You've just been using me," Regina hissed.
"Well, you made yourself ripe for the picking, dearie…" he retorted unkindly, as he glared at the former Judge. He was ruining everything he had worked three hundred years for.
"What's going on?" Snow asked, as she came out with her family and gasped when she saw Frollo.
"You…" Regina hissed, as she stalked toward her with a menacing stare. David unsheathed his sword and cut her off on her path to his wife, but she used her magic to sweep him out of the way and he hit a tree.
"Charming!" Snow cried out, as she tried to rush to him, but she was stopped by Regina.
"The Dark One didn't tell me that it was your baby that can break my curse...and I can't have that," she said.
"Regina...what do you think you're doing?" Persephone warned.
"You all got your happy endings...I helped you get them! Yet I'm left with nothing!" she seethed.
"The curse will give me everything...until it won't when this brat inside you spoils it all!" she raved.
"Regina please...you're not like this…" Snow pleaded.
"How would you know?! You're too wrapped up in your perfect little life to notice me," she snapped.
"If you cast the curse now...that brat will never be born and the curse will never break. You can make it eternal misery for all," Frollo offered, as he waved his hand and the Black Cauldron appeared before them, brimming with everything needed, except the final ingredient.
"Is that...the Black Cauldron?" Hades questioned.
"It is…" Frollo confirmed.
"Why does that matter?" Eli questioned, as he helped his son-in-law to his feet.
"It will make the curse ten times larger and worse than normal," Persephone answered.
"Larger?" David questioned.
"No lands will escape," Hades replied, as David ran to Snow and put his arms around her.
"Why are you doing this?!" he demanded to know.
"Because I'm tired of losing everything. I tried to be good and it got me nothing, so it's time to try something else," Regina answered.
"The Dark One failed to tell you about the final ingredient, I'm afraid," Frollo stated.
"What are you talking about?" the Queen snapped.
"The final thing the curse requires is the heart of the thing you love most," Frollo revealed. Regina frowned and then looked at her father. He was all she had left and the only person she loved.
"Daddy…" she uttered.
"Regina...this will not make you happy," he warned, as she approached him. A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I'm sorry Daddy...but I just want to be happy. This is the only way," she said and Snow screamed, as Regina's hand went into his chest.
Emma stood in the dreamscape, horrified at how things had gone so wrong in the blink of an eye.
"She's going to cast it before I'm born…" she realized, as she looked at her hands, which were starting to look transparent.
"Hurry Emma...she's made the decision quite easy now. You must reverse everything," Athena advised.
"How? Cause unless you have a pair of ruby slippers that will let me tap my heels together three times and chant, "there's no place like home," then I think we're screwed," the blonde said sarcastically. Athena smiled.
"No need for any of that. The answer is much more simplified," Athena answered, as she
put Henry's book in her hand and Emma saw the page in it, newly written, about how Zelena had used her to enact her spell.
"I'm one of the talismans...so I need to get the other talismans," Emma realized.
"But how can I do that from here?" she questioned. Athena smiled gently.
"Emma...you are the product of true love and much more than just a talisman. You have your mother's heart and your father's courage. And you may not have as much knowledge as Rumpelstiltskin or the Gods, but you have the knowledge of love and family," Athena advised.
"My parents...and Henry…" Emma realized, as she thought about growing up with them in the dreamscape and then her son finding her. And she realized that she wanted that life back and she knew her parents would too.
"I want our life back…" Emma declared, as light erupted from her and then it engulfed the entire land…
Circe and her followers marched through the quiet town that evening. Everyone was attending the ball that night and they intended to crash it. They may have stolen magic, but as far as she could tell, they had not released it back into the town. That meant they had a small window where taking over would be possible. They were all armed with high-tech plasma weapons and it was time for a reckoning. Little could they know, the reckoning was happening without them.
"Madam Circe...look!" Captain Channing said, as he pointed at Cronus palace and they watched the roof be torn off.
"What is that?" one of her other followers asked.
"Magic…" she growled, as they suddenly watched the entire palace disappear. Next, the clock tower disappeared, then Granny's, and everything on Main Street. The magic swept around them and when it was gone, there was nothing but woods around them, like there had never been a town there in the first place.
"What the hell just happened?" Channing asked. But even Circe had no answers. Storybrooke was gone, without a trace or explanation to offer. And with it, gone was her revenge, leaving her with nothing.
Strangely, just as quickly as the town had disappeared, it started to reappear again.
"What's happening now?" Channing asked, even more confused now, as they watched a bright cloud of magic sweep around them again. This time though, the clock tower reappeared, then Granny's, and everything on Main Street. The magic continued to rebuild the town with the Sheriff's station, the school, and the Toll bridge. Storybrooke was back.
"They're back," Circe observed, as Cronus' palace reappeared. It was as if they had never been gone, but she knew better. She had a feeling whatever had happened was going to have serious ramifications; to what extent, she did not know.
"Madam Circe...something is very different…" Channing called, as she saw what he was looking at. In her very long life, she had seen many things and not much surprised her anymore. But this did.
"By the Gods...what have they done?"
They all reappeared in the ballroom, including Zelena, and looked around in a bit of confusion.
"We're back…" Persephone realized, as she looked up at her husband and they stared at each other.
"Your ruined everything for me...all of you, but especially you, Regina!" Zelena cried, but Hades was quick and ripped her necklace, the source of her power, away.
"No!" she cried, as Rumple turned her into a porcelain statue and then shattered her to pieces, shocking them all.
"She's proved she's much too dangerous to be kept alive," he said simply and no one could really argue with that. Persephone and Hades' eyes met again.
"Do you…" she started to say.
"Remember both lives?" Hades asked, finishing her sentence.
"Yes…" he confessed.
"Me too," she said.
"Dad?" Emma called, as she parted from hugging her son and Neal. David smiled and pulled her into a tight hug.
"You saved us again, Emma," he said, as he cradled her head. A tear slipped down her cheek.
"I'm just sorry that you and Mom lost that other life. A lot of it was pretty good," she said.
"But I don't think we did…" David said, as he recalled both lives.
"I remember both lives," he added.
"Really?" Emma asked. He nodded.
"And that's not all that has changed, apparently," James said, as he stepped aside, revealing that both Ruth and Serafina had come back with them.
"You're...you're alive," David exclaimed, as they hugged their boys.
"That's not all that's different, because we have bigger problems," Regina interjected, as David noticed that Snow had been very quiet.
"Snow?" he asked, as she turned to him and his eyes widened. Her belly was swelled round with child and she was definitely much further along than she had been before Zelena's spell.
"How...how is this possible?" she asked, as David took her in his arms and Artemis put her hands to Snow's belly, just as she had a contraction.
"Okay...time to get to hospital. Your water could break any minute," Artemis replied.
"We messed with time...it must have had adverse consequences," Hades surmised, as he saw Cronus and many others staring out the window and he looked to see what they were looking at. And his eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the hell…" Eli uttered, as he saw what he was seeing.
"Daddy...Papa Hades...you're coming, right?" Snow asked.
"Of course sweet pea," Eli assured, as he came beside the wheelchair that Artemis had summoned for her.
"What were you looking at?" Persephone asked irritably.
"You have to see that for yourself, but there'll be time for that later. Let's get this grand baby born," Hades replied and then realized what he had just said. But Snow smiled gently at him and squeezed his hand.
"I remember both lives," she said, as she looked at Eli and Hades.
"I have three parents, just like David," she told them, just another contraction hit. It was clear they had a lot to discuss, but this family was clearly still retaining the bonds they had built during Zelena's spell. But her spell had also created perhaps even more complications and unseen side effects; that of which they were only beginning to discover. But first, their family was about to grow by one more member.