Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

AN: This one got stuck in my head, after seeing gifs on Tumblr from 3x6 where Snow meets Ariel and becomes a Mermaid for a few moments, thanks to Regina. This is obviously a what if AU. Snow, thinking she has no chance at ever being with Charming, sacrifices herself to let Ariel be with Eric. But instead of turning Snow back into a human, Regina leaves her a mermaid and takes her voice, cursing her to be forever alone in the sea. But Charming still finds her. ;)

Once Upon a Snowing

Handsome Idiot

Snow jolted awake with a start, Regina's laughter echoing in her mind. Another nightmare. She almost missed the not sleeping she had done the first few nights of her new cold and lonely life. Sleeping underwater, even though she could breath as any mermaid could, had proved impossible for her. She hadn't slept for the first two days until she finally discovered an underwater cave with a small air pocket. But her sleep was restless, usually filled with nightmares of her evil stepmother or soul crushing longing for the prince she would never have. She furiously wiped her tears away, as she stared down at her green tail and dipped it into the water before her. She was so tired of crying, but this life was far more hopeless than she had ever imagined.

She had no voice and the few mermaids she had come across regarded her as a freak for it, like she had something they could catch. The Mer-society that her friend had come from wanted nothing to do with her.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around her chest. She was so tired of being cold and wet. She didn't know how mermaids lived like this, wearing nothing more than colorful seashells tied with seaweed to cover their chests. She supposed clothing was moot in the sea though, for it would always be nothing other than wet. Wet and cold. But warm blood still coursed through her veins, for this tail was simply a curse and designed to make sure she never knew comfort again.

In the last couple days, her melancholy had increased though and her heart was heavy in her chest today. It was Charming's wedding day. He was to marry Princess Abigail in just a few hours and he would do so thinking she did not love him.

She yearned for him so badly that it was physically painful. She almost wished she didn't love him, because it hurt so much. She had told herself that under no certain terms would she go near the shore that was overlooked by King George's castle on that day. She would only be torturing herself, but she found her need to see him overruling all else and she was swimming frantically to the shore before she knew what was happening.

When she surfaced, she gazed above at the cliffside and felt despair creep upon her again. She wasn't sure if that despair was because she might see him or she might not. She was debating whether she should stay there or not when she spotted a flash of someone running along the cliffside. Her breath caught in her throat. It was Charming. She grinned at the sight of him, but quickly frowned, as she noticed George's soldiers giving chase. Charming was running...he was in trouble. She watched them corner him on the cliffside and her heartbeat quickened, as she watched him duel four men. He was more than holding his own, but the pounding of horse's hooves indicated that he would soon be overwhelmed. She watched him stop and look at the water. If she would have had her voice, she would have cried out, as he chose escape over capture, probably knowing full well that escape into the sea might mean death.

She had no time to contemplate why he was running from his supposed father's own men and dove to find him when he did not surface. She pulled him up and held him tightly, as she swam to a secluded alcove that she had been frequenting in her time as a mermaid. She pulled him onto the sand and checked his pulse, sighing in relief. It was strong and he was just knocked out. She stared at him and lovingly caressed his handsome face. She wanted so badly to be with him, but it would never be possible and that made her want to flee. She was so lost in her misery that she didn't see his blue eyes open.

"Snow?" he uttered. She jumped in surprise and slid away from him.

"Snow...please don't go," he pleaded. She stopped and her eyes filled with tears, as he was now noticing her tail.

"Snow...what happened to you?" he asked. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed her mouth, putting a hand to her throat.

"Regina...she did this, didn't she?" he asked, a note of anger in his voice. She nodded.

"She took your voice too?" he asked and she nodded again.

"Oh Snow…" he said tenderly, as he reached out to her, but she shied away.

"Snow...I know that you do not love me, but at least let me help you," he pleaded. Her heart shattered. Gods, he still thought she didn't love him and she had no way to tell him. Her eyes filled with tears and she looked at him with the most broken expression he had ever seen. She grabbed a stick and he watched her etch letters in the wet sand.

"I lied," she wrote. His head shot up and his sapphire stare met her emerald one.

"You lied?" he asked. She nodded.

"You love me too?" he asked. She nodded again and tears slipped down her cheeks. He grinned brightly and she gasped, as he hugged her tightly. She was stunned for a moment, but then hugged him back, burying her face in his shoulder. He pulled back and cupped her beautiful face.

"George...he made you lie, didn't he?" Charming asked. She nodded sadly and then remembered how he was running, not to mention how today he was supposed to be marrying Abigail.

"Abigail," she wrote in the sand. He shook his head.

"A lot has happened. It's a long story, but I helped her reunite with the one she loves and we broke off the engagement. Neither of us are interesting in marrying someone we do not love," he confessed. She gave him a questioning look and he smiled, almost like he was reading her mind. Maybe words weren't as necessary as she had thought.

"George didn't exactly take it well," he replied. She looked down sadly. It was bad enough she was on the run from Regina. Now he was being hunted by an evil ruler as well.

"But that doesn't matter. I once told you that I'd find you and this time, you found me," he said. But she shook her head.

"We can't," she wrote in the sand, the broken look marring her features again. His face fell.

"Why not?" he asked. She looked at him incredulously and then pointed to her tail.

"You think I care that you're a mermaid now?" he asked, as he gazed at her with so much love that it took her breath away. She put a hand to her throat.

"I loved the sound of your voice...but I love you more. Nothing is going to change that, Snow," he assured and she felt the tears start to fall again.

"If I have to build a little hut on this beach and live here to be with you, then that's what I'm going to do," he said tenderly, as he hugged her again and she relished the feeling of his arms around her. He was so warm, but she felt selfish. She wanted him, but him living secluded on this beach just to be with her wasn't fair to him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the dejected look on her face. She started etching words into the sand again.

"Being with me would be no life for you," she wrote.

"No, living without you is no life...but maybe there is another way," he said, getting a look in his eye. And she wasn't sure she liked that look.

"Rumplestiltskin...I'll get him to change you back!" he exclaimed. Her eyes widened.

"NO!" she mouthed. She loved him for wanting to do anything for her, but the Dark One would require something in return and she didn't want Charming paying any kind of price for her.

"And if he won't turn you back...then I'll ask him to make me like you," he announced. Her mouth dropped open and she hit his arm, shaking her head profusely. But he only grinned like an idiot...a handsome idiot.

"I'll do anything to be with you...anything!" he said passionately. She shook her head in vehemence, as she cupped his face in her hands, silently pleading with her eyes for him not to do something so rash.

"I love you...that love is worth the risk," he assured. She resigned herself to the realization that there would be no stopping him and they simply stared at each other, perfectly captivated. Snow felt her heart quicken and closed her eyes, as he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her passionately.

A wave of multi-colored magic erupted from them and washed over Snow. She gasped, as her tail disappeared and was replaced with her legs underneath the beautiful white dress she was wearing now.

"Charming…" she uttered and then gasped, putting a hand to her throat, as he beamed at her.

"I don't understand...how could this happen?" she asked in wonder. Surely it was too good to be true. He gently helped her to her feet and she wobbled a little, as she wasn't used to standing on legs anymore. He caught her though and held her flush against him, as they gazed at each other.

"I guess it's true," he said.

"What's true?" she asked.

"That true love's kiss will break any curse," he replied. The wonder on her face melted to a bright smile, as she kissed him again. Their lips parted and he took a ring out of his pocket, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Your mother's ring," she uttered.

"She told me that true love follows this ring…and now, I never want if off your finger," he said, as he got down on one knee before her.

"Will you marry me?" he asked. She held out her hand.

"What do you think?" she teased, as he slipped it on her finger and she gazed at it, feeling complete joy. He stood up and she cupped his face in her hands, as she kissed him again.

"When Regina finds out...she'll come after us," Snow said, as their lips parted.

"George too, but it doesn't matter, because we're together," he reminded. She smiled.

"Together…" she agreed.

"We'll deal with whatever comes our way...together," he agreed, as their lips met again and the sun dipped low in the sky behind them.