Author's Note: And so I begin another story. This idea came to me off tumblr when I saw someone musing about a theory they had on the mystery of Clara Oswald and I decided a few days ago that I really really REALLY wanted to attempt a fic about it. Not sure how quickly the updates will come since I'm also working on "Finding a Happily Ever After" but I will do my best! Please let me know what you think so I know whether this is a story worth pursuing! Thank you!
Disclaimer: I do not own EITHER of these amazing shows.
"You won't believe this place, Clara," The Doctor said gleefully as he ran to swing the TARDIS door open for his companion who followed eagerly. "Welcome to..." he began but stopped short of the sight that greeted the two as it was much less than the time lord had expected.
"Storybrooke?" Clara finished questioningly as she stepped past The Doctor, squinting at one of the signs on the front of a worn down shop across the alley.
"Well this isn't right," the timelord grumbled, already preparing to move back inside and try again, but stopped when his companion didn't follow. "Come on, Clara. I promised you the Fifth Moon of Plana and this is certainly not..." But the young woman was completely unaware of him as she moved out of the alley towards mainstreet. "Clara! Where are you—"
The Doctor huffed impatiently before closing the TARDIS door and following his companion.
"Look at this place!" Clara exclaimed a smile lighting up her face.
"I am looking," The Doctor retorted unimpressed.
"Well don't hold back your joy on account of me," his companion smirked as she hurried off down the street, timelord on her heels.
"But this is so..."
"Cute? Old-fashioned?" Clara offered, eyes scanning the quiet, little town.
"Boring," The Doctor countered, defeatist.
Just as Clara was about to respond, she bumped into a young blonde woman. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Clara said quickly as the stranger bent down to pick up a file of papers that the collision had sent flying.
"Oh, hey no problem, that's okay. I should've been looking where I was going," the woman replied as she straightened up, papers firmly back in hand. She sported a ragged red leather jacket and dark skinny jeans, and The Doctor and his companion could make out the glint of a badge on her belt.
"No, it was my fault, really," Clara apologized and offered her hand. "My name's
Clara Oswald and this is..." she hesitated glancing over at the timelord who finished, "The Doctor."
"Doctor...?"
"Just The Doctor."
The blonde raised her eyebrows but nodded all the same, then shook Clara's still outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Emma, the sheriff here in Storybrooke."
"I'm sorry, but...we haven't met before have we?" Clara queried slowly. There was something oddly familiar about the woman's striking green eyes and warm, comforting smile. She naturally set Clara at ease.
Emma opened her mouth quickly, but paused when she considered Clara's words.
After taking her time, she said, "No, I don't think so..."
The two women continued to observe each other quietly while The Doctor waited impatiently.
"Well I hope you two enjoy your stay," the sheriff nodded, and moving past the two. "Just let me know if you run into any trouble, and I'll be happy to help."
As the young sheriff disappeared down the street, The Doctor said, "Alright, now that we know we aren't anywhere interesting, can we go?"
"Impatient aren't we?" Clara retorted. "No, come on. Let's stay a little longer, just look around."
"Why?"
"I dunno," the young companion shrugged and her eyes glazed over a bit. "There's just something about this place..." There was a long pause before Clara practically jumped out of her strange stupor and added excitedly, "Well come on, then!"
The Doctor sighed, a smile on his lips though, as Clara snatched his hand and dragged him across the street.
"Where is she?" Emma asked in a panic as she ran into the hospital.
"Who?" the nurse at the front desk asked.
"The mayor! My wife! Regina Mills! Any of these things ringing a bell?" the sheriff practically shouted in the woman's face.
"Ma?" Henry's voice appeared from behind the blonde and Emma turned on her sixteen-year-old son.
"Were you with Regina? How is she? Can I see her?" Emma stumbled over every question.
"Grandma kicked me and Gramps out," Henry replied. "Kinda glad. Don't need to see that kind of thing."
"What do you mean 'that kind of thing'?" Emma retorted. "It's beautiful and completely natural and—oh whatever. Just show me to her room."
Henry nodded with a smirk and led his breathless mother towards the room where Regina's screams of distress could be heard. The blood drained from Emma's face as they arrived in front of the door and she glanced nervously down at her son.
"Natural and beautiful huh?" Henry muttered as on cue Regina emitted another shriek of pain that eventually morphed into the blonde's name.
"Shut up," Emma murmured, knocking his shoulder before licking her lips anxiously, taking a deep breath and stumbling through the door where her wife needed her.
"Oh this looks promising," Clara grinned, leading The Doctor into a small diner, setting off the bell overhead. The two made their way over to a booth in the corner and were greeted instantly by a pretty brunette with two menus.
"Hello, I'm Ruby. I'll be your waitress," she said with a stunning smile before her eyes fell on The Doctor and she nodded in approval. "I like your bowtie. No men around here seem to appreciate fashion."
The Doctor smiled to himself and straightened his bowtie proudly before saying quietly to Clara, "See, bowties are cool."
The companion raised her eyebrows and nodded in mock encouragement before thanking the waitress and pouring over the menu.
"Remind me again why we aren't back in the TARDIS and seeing much more interesting things than an old diner," The Doctor said looking down at his upside-down menu before eventually righting it.
"Hey, you asked me originally where I wanted to go," Clara countered.
"But why here? I don't—"
However The Doctor's question was interrupted by a loud clicking of heels and a sharp, commanding voice. "Ruby! Is my usual ready to go?"
The pair in the booth looked over to see a beautiful woman, dressed to perfection, and not a hair out of line, call over the bar to their waitress who appeared from the kitchen.
"Good afternoon to you to Madam Mayor," Ruby teased.
"I'm late for my lunch date, so if you could hurry it up, that'd be wonderful," the woman said with forced politeness. Something keeping her on edge.
"I'm sure Emma will understand if you're a few minutes late."
"Yes, but I'm rarely late, and if I am, I'm sure she will begin to worry that something bad has happened to me, and...well you know her. If I'm just a minute behind, she goes into a frenzy and whips out her 'I will always save you' line and let's just say I'm in no mood to calm her down today," she replied as an older woman arrived with a brown bag and handed it to the young waitress.
"Club sandwich and grilled cheese to go as usual," Ruby said offering the bag to the woman.
"Thank you," the mayor said, handing over money and hurrying away.
Emma grasped tightly to Regina's hand as she watched the nurse return to the bedside, arms beholden with a small bundle. Snow observed the beautiful sight from the corner, teary-eyed, and hurried out before either woman could see her crumble.
"Here she is," the nurse murmured quietly laying down the newborn child into Regina's tired arms. "Your healthy, baby girl."
Emma hadn't realized she was crying until her tears accidentally splashed down onto the blanket that enveloped her and her wife's newborn daughter. "Oh god, Regina," she breathed and choked out a laugh as she beamed down at the beautiful, small child who looked up at her parents with curious brown eyes similar to her mother's. "She's so perfect."
The blonde leaned over to kiss her wife's forehead who hadn't spoken a word, too anxious that she would ruin the moment by saying anything.
"What should we name her?" Regina finally managed, relaxing into her wife's strong arms around her while her eyes remained glued to the doe-eyed ones below her.
"Maybe we should name her after your mother," Emma murmured, stroking the baby's tiny cheek.
"Cora?" Regina smiled, but it faltered on her lips and she shook her head. "No that's not right. It doesn't fit her."
"Moms?" Henry's low voice asked from the door and the boy entered eagerly to greet his new family member.
"Come here," Emma said waving her son forward, her voice was still thick with emotion.
Henry took his mother's free hand and looked down at the quietly observant child. "So this is her, huh?"
"Hey, little girl, meet your brother, Henry," Regina murmured raising the baby higher so she could grace Henry with those innocent, wide eyes.
"Does she have a name?" Henry asked his mothers.
"Not yet, we were just trying to decide..." Emma replied.
"Emma wanted Cora, but I think it should be different," Regina said to her son.
Henry considered them then looked down at the child then a smile lit up his face and he leaned in to whisper into Regina's ear. He pulled back and Regina beamed at him and nodded turning to look back at the child in her arms as she said, "Welcome to the world, Clara."