I want to apologize for the long wait. I had gotten a full time job and took 4 studio classes, which was the worse decision I ever made, it drained the life out of me and left me with no time to work on this story. My goal is to post at least a chapter a month, but we'll see.
All mistakes are my own.
Enjoy!
It was a beautiful fall morning; the sun is shining and it's on the warmer side. Emma was at Granny's Diner, a popular place where everyone goes to get a good meal, having her usual breakfast. Sitting by the window, she stares blankly at the newspaper as her mind was in deep thought.
She can't stop thinking about what happened the other night. The pre-teen was convinced she was her birth mother and the mayor were a fairy tale character. It had her up all night thinking about it, trying to puzzle it all together.
"Here you go," the waitress places a cup of cocoa in front of her, snapping her out of her daze.
Looking down at the fresh cup of cocoa, she lifts an eyebrow at her friend. "I didn't order that, Ruby."
"I know," Ruby respond. Cocking her head and motion at someone behind her. "You have an admirer," the tall brunette teases before heading back to the counter.
Still confuse she looks around to find who Ruby was speaking about. That's when her eyes land on the pre-teen form last night, Robin Mills.
Sighing, she takes out her wallet and leaves a few bills on the table. Then she gets up and walks over to the girl.
"I'm impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon in my cocoa," Emma says.
"I like cinnamon, too," Robin response, smiling up at the blonde.
Feeling slighting uncomfortable, Emma asks, "Don't you have school?"
Robin rolls her eyes. "Duh, I'm twelve." She drops money to pay for her bill. "And you're going to take me," she states and doesn't give the blonde any time to respond before grabbing Emma's hand and pulling her along.
"Hey," Emma complains as she's being pulled out of the diner. "I wanted to finish that cocoa."
"There will be time for cocoa after we break the curse," Robin states.
Not surprised Robin had sought her, as she was very adamant in what she believed last night, but glad so she can clarify some things and get some answers.
"what's the deal with this curse," Emma question as they walk towards the town's school.
"The Evil Queen cast a curse to take all happing endings and its up to us to break it," Robin tells her.
"And why is that?"
"Because you're the savior."
Emma laughs. "I'm no savior, Robin and I'm not breaking any curse."
"Of course, you are," Robin tells her, full convinced of the notion. "And you will because I'm going to help you. Last night I have come up with a plan. Step one – identification. I call it Operation Cobra."
Emma makes a face, "Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales."
"Exactly. It's a code name to throw the Queen off the trail," Robin explains.
Emma can't believe what she's about to say. "So, everyone her is a fairy tale character, but they don't know it."
Robin nods, "that's the curse doing."
Before Emma could question farther in this bizarre conversation, a gentleman holding a umbrella walking a dalmatian, greets the pre-teen as he walks by.
"Good morning, Robin."
"Hi Archie," Robin greets back.
Once he has gone a far head from eavesdropping, Emma was curious to see how far Robin believed in her theory. "So which fairy tale was he?"
"Jiminy Cricket," Robin answer as if that was self-explanatory.
"Right. The umbrella. How did I not catch that," Emma says sarcastically. "He didn't seem cursed to me," Emma comments.
"Because he doesn't know. None of them do. They don't remember who they are, its part of the curse," Robin says frustratedly, having just had said that.
"So, let me get this straight. For a decade, people have walked around with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious," Emma sums up Robin's theory.
Robin smiles brightly up at Emma. "I knew you'd get it."
"What I don't get is how am I the one to stop it."
"Because you're the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming," Robin answer.
Emma really doesn't like where any of this is going. "Kid…," but was saved from giving Robin a reality check when the school warning bell rang, telling students to get inside class is about to start.
"Alright kid that's your cue," Emma nod toward the school. "Have a great day at school."
Hesitating to leave, Robin looks at the blonde with a hopeful expression. "Can we hang out some more later?"
Emma knew hanging out with the pre-teen would give off the wrong idea. Just walking her to school and talk about the crazy fairy tale theory she shouldn't have done. As much Robin may wish it she isn't her birth mother. She opens her mouth to let the girl down but was cut off when a violent shake accord.
Quickly grabbing hold of Robin to keep the pre-teen from falling, the two stumbles to keep upright.
"What was that?" Emma wondered out loud, looking around to see if she can find the source.
Living in Storybrooke all her life never had there been an earthquake. The sound of sirens rushes by them as the sheriff cruiser speeds down the street.
"I think their heading down to the mines," Robin points down the direction their heading, there was a large cloud dust can be seen from a distance.
"Perhaps a crater or something collapsed?" Emma guesses. "Hopefully nobody is hurt."
"Let's go find out," Robin states before running off towards the mines.
"Robin wait!" Emma quickly reaches out to catch the girl but was too slow. "Dammit," Emma curses as she gives chase.
Xxxxx
Mayor Regina was quick to be at the scene when the phone calls came rushing in after the violent shake. Upon arriving the sheriff and her deputy was already setting up a police perimeter to keep the crowd from getting closer.
Walking straight to Leroy, the town's contractor manager, she is straight to the point in asking what happened.
"Old mines, something collapsed," he grunts.
Nodding in understanding, Regina steps away and goes to stand in front of the crowd of people.
"People of Storybrooke, there is nothing to worry about. We all know these mines are full of old tunnels and they were going to collapse sooner or later. Fear not I have a plan to undertake a project to make this area safe," Regina speaks out loud for all to hear. "We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it and rehabilitate it into city use."
"Pave it?" Robin had just arrived at the scene to hear what her adopted mother plans to do. She shoves her way through the crowd. "What if there's something down there?"
Surprise to see her daughter, "Robin, what are you doing here?"
Ignoring the question, she demanded instead. "What's down there?" Robin looks hard into Regina's eyes.
"Dammit kid, you got a death wish or something," the blonde woman from last night stops next her daughter out of breath.
Eyes harden, Regina looks down at her daughter. "Nothing," she answers. "Now wait in the car and we will talk about this later."
Staring back with her own glare, Robin stands her ground.
Equally as stubborn Regina doesn't weaver. "This is a safety issue, Robin. Go wait in the car."
"She's right. Listen to her, kid," the blonde spoke and placing a hand on Robin's shoulder.
Huffing in anger, finally does what she's told and storms away towards Regina's car.
The brunette smiles tightly when the blonde woman gave her a sheepish look before walking off to continue her job.
From the car, Robin had her arms crossed over her chest, huffing angerly. She's positive her adopted mother has something hidden down in the mines. Why else would she be quick to bulldoze it down? Waiting for her mom to come to the car, something caught her attention in the side view mirror. Taking a closer look, she watches Deputy Sidney Glass picks up a piece of glass of the ground and eyeing it before quickly putting it in his pocket.
Eyes widen at the realization of being right, she quickly gets out and rushes over to Emma as she's about to leave.
"we can't let her do this," Robin is quick to state.
"Robin," Emma sighs. "They're just some old mines."
"That just happen to collapse after I spoke to you?" Robin shots a doubtful look. "I don't think so."
Emma had enough talking about fairy tales for one day and looking at the time she really needs t get back to the stables.
"Listen kid, I really have to go," Emma tells her and continue walking.
Robin frowns, Emma still doesn't believe her. What more can Robin do to convince her? An idea stuck her and is quick to pull the book out of her bag. She shoves the book in the blonde's hands.
"If you need proof, read this," Robin tells her. "It will tell her the truth."
Robin runs back to the car and Emma looks down at the brown leather book that is title, "Once," in gold bound. She rolls her eyes but doesn't have time to give it back, so she takes it with her back to the stables. What she doesn't notice are curious eyes watching her leave.
Later in the day Emma finds herself with some free time, she decides to take the rest of the day off and got comfy in her home. Curiosity getting the better of her, starts to skim through the book Robin had given her. She can't deny how well the images of the characters look so much like the real counter-part of the townspeople. Besides the long hair, Mary Margaret Blanchard, the town's school teacher, looked like Snow White. There is also Red Riding Hood looked like her best friend, Ruby Lucas. The Blue Fairy looked like the Sheriff and many more. Emma can see how Robin would believe Storybrooke is full of fairy tales. Though the whole "Dark curse" is still far fetch.
"What are you reading about?" an older woman voice enters the loft above the stables.
Looking up from the book, Emma smiles. "Hey mom. Just reading a fairy tale book."
"Aren't you too old for fairy tales?" her mother teases.
Emma rolls her eyes, "ha ha."
The older woman chuckles and kisses Emma's head as she walks by to go to the kitchen. "Do you want cocoa?"
Emma smile widely at the mention of her favorite drink. "Yes, please."
The woman goes about heating up the water and getting the mugs ready. Before she knows it, a mug is place in front of her and her mother is leaning against the counter and slowly drinks her tea.
"Is something on your mind?" her mother asks with a tilt of her head. "You're usually quiet."
Emma slowly sips from her mug as she thinks what to say. Does she lie or tell the truth? Staring at the book, she wonders how to tell her mother that the mayor's adopted daughter thinks she's her birthmother. On top of that ridiculous notion Robin believes they are all fairy tales. She's itching to talk to someone, to see what they think of it.
To her understanding Robin Mills is a bright intelligent girl, so why create this crazy story. Though Mayor Mills can be hard ass, but there is a reason why the townspeople continue to vote for her. She got things done and sees through every promise. Is Robin just rebelling from finding out she's adopted? Is Mayor Mills that awful of a parent and Robin is only doing this to seek attention? These are the question going through her head.
Before Emma could say anything, one of the worker's voice comes through the radio.
"Marian, come in, over."
The older woman puts her cup and picks up the radio. "This is Marian, over."
"There is a problem at the fields. Sight of cougars, over."
"Shit," Marian and Emma curse at the mention of the predator that's been causing havoc with their horses. "Alright, will be there soon. Just make sure they don't go anywhere near the horses. Over," Marian orders through the radio.
Emma jumps to her feet, but in doing so she accidentally knocks over her mug, spilling her cocoa all over her.
"Dammit," Emma curses, looking down at the mess she made on her clothes.
"Quickly get change and meet me at the field."
Emma nods and goes about changing her clothes. Taking the spiral staircase to her bedroom, she searches for clean, dry pair of jeans. Mentally cursing at herself, she had forgotten to do laundry that week, when she can't find any clean clothes.
Taking off her jeans and shirt off, she walks around the loft in her red underwear and white tank top, as her clothes wash. Going to radio in when there is a loud banging at the door. Forgetting she had no pants she doesn't hesitate to open the door to find Robin's mother with wide eyes full of worry and concern.
"Is she with you?" the brunette demands, pushing her way into the loft.
Emma shots the mayor a confuse look before she understands who "she" is. Shaking her head Emma tells her, "the last time I saw her was when I left her with you."
"We arrived home and talked about her behavior and how its unacceptable. I sent her to her room and later I went to ask what she like for lunch she wasn't in her room. I had hope she came to you."
"Sadly no," Emma tells her, but had a bad feeling where Robin is possibly be. "You don't think she is…." Emma dreaded to finish that thought.
Regina eyes widen in horror, knowing full well what the blonde was about to say. "The mines."
The brunette is quick to jump into action and storms out the loft with the blonde right behind her. Before running past the doorway, Regina comes to a stop.
"Why are you stopping?" Emma asks when she almost crash into the brunette.
Regina glances down at what little the blonde is wearing. Forcing herself to avert her eyes "you might want to change."
Confuse Emma looks down and curses when she sees she's not wearing pants. Smiling sheepishly at the mayor she quickly goes to the laundry room and grabs a pair of jeans out of the dryer. Once more clothe, she rejoins the brunette with her red leather jacket on.
"Alright, let's go."
Upon arriving at the mines, Emma and Regina rush out of the car, not bothering to close the doors, and sprint to the mines entrance. Fear and worry boost their adrenaline as the race to get to the girl.
"Robin!" they call out from the outside of the mine, trying to see into the dark cave.
"I don't think she's here," Emma says when she doesn't see any movement in the dark tunnel.
Regina picks up a candy bar, "I'm afraid she is." Her heart squeezes with worry.
Emma closes her eyes in frustration. Why can't the kid see what she's doing is putting herself in danger? And the only reason why Robin is in there because she believes she has something to prove to her. Re-opening her eyes she finds the mayor about to disappear inside the mine. Quickly stepping into action, Emma runs to stop the brunette.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Emma grabs the mayor's arm.
Eyes blazing Regina glares at the blonde. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm going to save my daughter."
"Yeah, but its dangerous in there," Emma points out. "I think we should call the sheriff."
Snatching her arm off from the blonde's hold. "I'm not going to stand around waiting for the damn sheriff to do her job while Robin can be injured and stuck in there," Regina snarls and continue her way inside the mines.
Whether Robin believes it or not, and blood relative or not, Regina will do anything to keep her safe. To the brunette Robin is her daughter since the day she adopted her at three weeks old. She changed every diaper, soothed every fever, and endured every tantrum. Even thought she's a single mother and mayor, she did her best and just wants Robin happy. Is she at times strict? Yes, of course but only because she wants Robin to excel in life.
Emma watches the mayor enter the mines and is conflicted what to do. The smart thing is to call the sheriff, but she can't let the mayor go in alone. Her decision is made when the ground start shaking again and instantly she runs inside.
"Mayor Mills!" Emma calls out, running after the woman, the entrance collapses, closing them in. Looking back, Emma counts her blessing, if she had hesitated for one second, she would have been squished and dead right now.
"Are you alright, dear?" Mayor Regina asks in concern.
"Yeah," Emma nods. "I just don't know how we're going to get out."
Regina looks back at the collapse entrance that had come and wonder the same thing. Pulling out her cellphone to check if she had signal, but silently curses when she saw none. Sadly, that is something she'll have to worry about later, first she needs to find Robin. Hopefully Graham comes looking for her, finding it odd she hasn't called him.
"Let's worry about that later, I need to find Robin," Regina says.
Emma goes to follow when she notices the mayor limp. "Are you okay?"
"I think I twist my ankle trying to stay upright." Regina winces when she tried to put weight on said injured foot.
Emma closes the space between and sits on her heels to examine the said ankle. Gently touching, she hears a hiss. Using her phone light, she can start to see it swell a bit. There is no way the mayor will be able to walk. Standing up straight, she takes Regina's arm and put it around her shoulder and place her other hand at her waist.
Together they follow down the tunnel. What they thought would have been easy, turn out to be hard when it comes to find the pre-teen. Who would have thought there were so many tunnels down in the mines? They kept going down dead ends and end up going down the same tunnel.
"All of this trouble to find out what you're hiding down here," Emma comments when they been searching for an hour.
"Everything I do she thinks is part of some horrible plot. I can't cover up a safety hazard without him thinking I'm hiding something. How am I hiding something terrible in an old mine? How is this any of this logical to her?" hurt can be heard in Regina's voice.
"She's got a vivid imagination," Emma says.
"She believes I'm the Evil Queen," Regina points out. "Most would think she needs a dose of reality."
"You and I know that," Emma agrees with the brunette. "Where did this all come from? Or how do you think this fairy tale think all started?"
Regina was silent for a while, not sure how to answer that. She like to think she's not a terrible mother, but it makes her think why Robin would go so far in creating this fairy tale theory. "I don't know. But she has been acting out when she found out she was adopted."
Emma wasn't sure what to say and it grew silent between them again as they continue to search for the pre-teen.
After endlessly walking around, Regina notice a light coming from one of the tunnels. Calling out, "Robin?"
"Mom?" Robin is shock to see her mother, but is quick to be suspicious. "Why are you here? Trying to hide evidence?"
It hurts that her daughter is quick to accuse her of something, but she pushes past that. "I'm here to get you out. Its not safe, Robin."
"You're the Evil Queen. I don't trust you.," Robin states harshly.
"Hey, kid, that's on called for," Emma jumps in to defend the mayor. "Coming down here was reckless and dangerous."
"But I had to come down here to see what she's trying to hide," Robin points out. She knows in her heart that there is something down here and she must find it.
"How are you going to prove it if you had gotten hurt and nobody can get to you. The second earthquake had collapsed the entrance. We are all stuck down here," Emma tells the pre-teen, hoping a little reality check will jog some common sense into the girl's mind. As if to prove her point there is another violent shake, cause debris to fall to fall on them.
"Robin!" Regina shouts in panic, and dashes quickly to pull Robin's body underneath hers as rubble falls, hoping to protect her daughter from getting injured.
Upon seeing boulders start to fall, instinct to protect boiled strongly within Emma pulls to two Mills against the wall, covering the two with her own body. She hisses when rocks fall against her back and shoulders but didn't dare move.
Once the shaking stopped, Emma pulls away. "Are you two ok?" Emma asks.
"I believe so," Regina response, checking on Robin to see she hadn't gotten injured. "Robin?"
"I'm okay," Robin replies shakily. "Can we get out of here?"
Regina smiles tightly. "Of course."
Emma notes that the path the taken as been blocked, so there was no going back. No signal, entrance is blocked, and as far as she knows nobody is looking for them. On their way here, she did shoot a quick text to her mom that something came up and she'll explain later, but that won't trigger Marian to go out searching for her. As far she knows Regina hadn't spoken to anyone to go out searching for her daughter. So, the possibility of being found by someone exploding the entrance is a very low. With how complex the mine and the many tunnels, she has a hard time believing there isn't another entrance point. And she didn't want to think about how much oxygen they have left.
"There got to be another way out of the mines," Emma thought out loud, walking down the path, hoping it let farther into the mines. "Though safety measures weren't a big priority back then but I'm sure they had to create an easier way to get items this deep."
"If I recall correctly there were elevator shafts marked on the blueprint," Regina spoke. The mining was shut down after the last accident that had occur, having resulted loss of lives and injured many others. That was before her time as mayor, over a decade ago.
"Is this it?" Robin calls the adults attention, standing next to an old elevator shaft. Near it there were old carts, tools and other items scattered around.
"It is," Emma nods.
"Can we make it work?" Regina question as she studies the old elevator
Emma shrugs. She is no electrician, nor she had any idea how to work the thing, but she'll give it a try. "Let's see."
After studying the elevator, trying to puzzle how to get it to work. "I think we just turn this wheel," Emma places her hands on the rusted wheel, and use all her strength to turn it. Screeching loudly as it turns, the elevator lifts slightly off the ground. "Awesome it works," Emma exclaims excitedly.
Together Emma and Regina worked together to turn the wheel, as they got closer to the air shaft, but there was another violent shake. Stumbling to stay keep balance and not fall off, more debris fall, and a snapping noise could be heard as the elevator drops a few feet.
"They're getting worse," Emma comments after the mine stops shaking and goes to turn the wheel but find it stuck. "Its not moving."
"Let me help," Regina places her hands on the wheel and the two women tried their hardest, but it didn't budge.
"What now?" Robin asks, looking at the two women.
Glancing at each other, the two were out of ideas. Too far up to climb down, and not close enough to climb up. They can only hope that someone comes to investigate when they notice they're missing.
They heard barking.
"Is the Pongo?" Robin asks, looking up.
"I believe it is," Regina nods, hope shining through her voice.
"Do you think Archie is with him?"
"Only one way to find out," Emma says before shouting out for help. "Hey! We're down here!"
"Help!" Robin joins in the yelling.
Pieces of rock fall, the three women brace themselves to be jerked again when light shined on them.
"Regina?" a male voice calls out from the shaft opening.
Breathing out in relief, Regina looks up. "Graham, we're down here!"
"You guys okay?" Graham asks.
"We're okay but like to get out of here as soon as possible. So, if you would please," Regina promotes him to work quickly.
"Will do."
Up above the construction crew and the fire department work together to build a lift over the shaft and sent someone down.
"Hello Mayor Mills," the chef of the fire department greets above them. "This is what's going to happen. I'll take one at a time, in hopes not to deserve the mines, okay?"
"Take Robin first," Regina instructs.
"Alright," the chef nod and reaches for the girl's hand and lift her up in his arms. "Hold on tight, don't let go," he instructs, and shouts out above him to be lifted. In no time Robin was safely lift up the air shaft and out of the mines.
"You go first," Emma tells the mayor when the chef came back for the next person.
Regina hesitates. "Are you sure?"
Emma nods. "You need to get that ankle check as soon as possible."
Regina smiles, "thank you." With Emma's help Regina is secured in Chef's arms and is lifted out of the mines.
Graham had helped her walk to the paramedics, and as the examine her, he explained Archie was out for a walk when Pongo ran to the mines, barking and saw her car. That had set off alarms and he called the sheriff. They had tried to explode the entrance open but all it did was cause the tremors to get worse. Lucky Pongo had gotten their attention when he barked next to the grate.
"Madam Mayor," the sheriff walks up to her, giving her a displeased look. "What you did was very dangerous, and I would advise for the future you call the professionals should a situation like this happens again."
Regina wanted to argue but knew better of it. "Of course, Sheriff Blue. I apologize if I had made matters worse."
Sheriff Blue says nothing farther and continue to oversee the rescue mission.
Next was Emma's turn, with the other two been safely carried out, Emma had no doubt that she was going to make it out of there, but it was mid-way up when there is another tremor. Gripping tightly on the Chef when he advices to hold on tightly as they jerk around midair. To say the least Emma never been so scared in her life, she had rather faced a cougar. Once the trembling stopped, Emma sighs in relief that they didn't fall to their deaths.
"Alright, lets get out of here," the Chef states and orders his men to lift them up.
Once the reach the surface, she was helped out of the grate and Emma sighs in relief to see the surface again. Its wasn't long before small arms were wrapped around her waist.
"Emma, you're okay," Robin claims, hugging the blonde tightly.
"Of course, I am," Emma says, patting the girl's back. "It takes more than those old mines to take me down," she tries to make light of the situation. "Just don't put your life at risk again, okay?"
"I promise," Robin tells her. She'll find another way to prove that she's right about the curse.
"Now that everyone is out safely, I want this place cleared out because tomorrow demolishing will start," Sherriff announces.
Tell me what you think?