Thank you all so much! I love hearing what you all think – it's great motivation! Hope you enjoy this :)
The smile never left Aurora's face as she raised the bottle to the air. She was clearly elated at keeping her little surprise a secret. The ashes glistened against the harsh light that seeped its way into the room through the cracks in the walls and for once, Emma was completely speechless. All she could do was watch the dust dance in all its shiny glory and come to terms with what it meant – they could go home. Home to Henry, home to David, and home to their friends.
Not to mention fresh clothes.
"How did you get it?" Mary Margaret asked what was on everyone's lips. Even Mulan – who was rarely anything but pensive – was stunned at the princess' feat, eyeing her as if she was some alien creature. Yet there was some pride underlying that initial cluelessness.
Aurora brought the delicate item close to her chest. "After Emma enacted her…" she paused momentarily to conjure up an appropriate choice of word, "magic and…"
"Destroyed the infrastructure? Yeah, we know, you can skip that part," Emma chimed, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, still slightly embarrassed at what took place earlier. She knew she had no need to be ashamed but she wasn't the type to take failure in her stride; it always obtruded her path, made her feel inferior to others.
Mary Margaret rolled her eyes but let out a small giggle at Emma's self-deprecating humour; she could always turn something serious into something laughable in a split second just with a single word or a tone of voice. Wordlessly, she rubbed circles on the blonde's back, a smile lighting her face. Emma could see that the brunette was appreciative of the fact that she no longer shied away from any kind of contact with her and Emma finally realised how far their relationship had progressed in that she didn't want to pull away, she didn't want to be reticent anymore. She wanted to be completely at ease and even though she hadn't reached that point just yet, this signified the beginning of a fresh start for her. Small gestures mean huge things.
"Well I saw an opportunity to do something that I wouldn't normally do; I was dazed and hurt but Cora was distracted and I…I don't know…I just took a risk. I noticed she was carrying a small pouch and I thought that the ashes must be in it so just before you made your move I reached out and snatched it from her person. I thought for sure she would notice and end me there and then, but as fortune would have it, you have good timing. She never even knew."
"Why risk it at all?" Mulan piped, her face creased in bewilderment. "If you feared her reaction then why do it?"
Aurora crossed the room, her whole demeanour contemplative. "Why not?" she replied, spinning around so as to face them from where she stood. "I look at you two and I see the desire to reunite with your loved ones; I see the love you have for each other. How can I not help something that is so pure, so deserving? I don't have a family; I don't have people to care about me anymore but I know what it is like to have that and I would never stand by and watch someone struggle to have it back when there is something I can do to aid them. It is too cruel a fate to do nothing." She spoke with assurance and confidence, of someone who knew exactly what they were doing and never before had Emma ever looked at the princess with more respect than in that moment. Here was this young girl with no family, no true love, willing to sacrifice everything for two strangers because she has a kind heart – it really was the stuff of fairytales.
Mary Margaret danced over to the fair-haired girl and embraced her tightly with Aurora taking no time to deliberate before wrapping her arms around her and drinking in the gratitude. "Thank you," Mary Margaret breathed, her words dripping in sincerity.
She didn't want to intrude on the moment or tarnish the atmosphere that had fallen upon them but Emma was still in her 'wary of the villain that was Cora' mindset and all she wanted to do now was get the mirror to work and ship them back to where she – they – belonged. Of course there was always the chance that Cora was dead but Emma wouldn't bet money on her not coming back to life and exacting revenge in some ghost-like way that was both petrifying and painful. And then there was the possibility that she was still very much alive and on her way to do just that.
"So how do we get this thing to work?" she queried, inspecting the mirror up and down not really sure how the instrument was supposed to take two fully grown women to Maine.
"That's the hard part," Mulan remarked. Always so optimistic.
"Can we not just plug in some GPS coordinates and hey presto, Storybrooke?"
Mary Margaret chuckled. "I'm afraid it's not as simple as that."
"Okay so what do we have to do?"
The brunette scrunched her nose as she thought and placed one hand cradling her chin while the other cupped her hip. "Well, I'm not exactly sure," she confessed sheepishly. "I mean I have an idea but it's just that – a thought that may or may not work."
Emma didn't like that 'may not' part. As far as she was concerned, the mirror was the only possible way left for them to get home – an idea was better than nothing. "Well, where does it drop us off?"
Mary Margaret shrugged. "That's the main problem; it could leave us anywhere. Perhaps to place even more dangerous than here."
That didn't sound too good, either. "Right. There must be a way to reconfigure it so that Storybrooke becomes the intended destination and not…Neverland or Wonderland or any other kind of 'lands' that exist. It can't be that complicated; we just need a switch or something." She knew she sounded silly and naïve, but if it was reality there would have been some button she could press and they'd be home quicker than she could say 'Storybrooke'. Why in a world where magic existed was everything so complicated?
The brunette quirked her eyebrow. "You make it sound like a microwave."
Aurora cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What's a microwave?"
With a smirk, Emma locked eyes with her. "Our world's answer to magic," she said. "Okay, so what's the plan?" Mothers always had plans and her mother was Snow White so…she must have had a plan, right? That's what Emma told herself anyway. All these obstacles were really starting to get on her nerves now and she wasn't sure how long she could keep fighting it – it was one thing after another, almost as if God, the universe, fate, whatever, just didn't want them to make it back. "How are we going to do this?"
"We can't. You are the only one who could do this, Emma.
Pressure. So much pressure. Ever since she arrived in Storybrooke and encountered all these people and spent time in that little town, she had felt an overbearing sense of responsibility and obligation to help them in any way she could. And then of course with the curse it was up to her to save them from a doomed, miserable existence. Always with the pressure. Emma was not the reliable type; she had been a nomad, moving place to place, never settling, and never being accountable for anything or anyone besides herself. But that was a different story now. Now she had a new path to traverse on, a new destiny to uphold.
She had to get them home. And she would do that if it was the last thing she ever did.
For courage she looked to Mary Margaret, to Snow White and with a solitary nod she conveyed to her that she was ready to do whatever was necessary.
"Like I said, I think your magic is connected to your emotions – I'm not pretending to know how or why but that's what appears to happen. The ashes will enchant the mirror and you'll have to make the connection, as it were. You have to emotionally link yourself to Storybrooke."
"Okay not to be uncooperative or anything but how exactly am I supposed to do that?"
Her mother softened her tone and took the blonde's hands in hers, lightly circling her knuckles. "It's easier than it sounds," she assured quietly. "You just have to think about why Storybrooke means so much to you, why you want to go back there."
To Mary Margaret's dismay, Emma laughed as she bowed her head. "Really? That's what I have to do?"
"I know how it sounds but this is the only way it will work. In weird twisted logic and reasoning, this actually does make sense."
"You sure about that?" Emma retorted in a playful way.
"You can do this," the woman whispered, displaying nothing but that tenderness Emma had become so familiar with since the very first day she had met Mary Margaret.
Think about what Storybrooke means to you.
The plan was to give Emma some time to really ponder that and get to a point where she believed she was able to summon enough magical power to send them through the portal and back to their family. Once she was ready, Aurora was to sprinkle the ashes onto the mirror and then it was Emma's time to shine…literally.
Snow wanted to give her daughter some space but she couldn't keep her eyes off her from across the room. The blonde was pacing back and forth, her arms gesticulating rhythmically in front of her, her shoulders hunched in thought. She knew it wouldn't take long for Emma to find something that clicked and she had every faith in her to bring them home. Though, Snow could tell that Emma felt that weight, that burden on her and that was the last thing she wanted her daughter to feel but Emma possessed something Snow had never witnessed before – magic more powerful than Cora. The blonde didn't just have some ability, she was able to pull of the most incredible acts and overcome the most formidable adversary Snow had ever come face to face with. Emma was special and was able to do just about anything once she believed that she could.
No, Snow didn't worry about her finding a way to get them home. She was proud of her; proud to call such an amazing, beautiful woman her daughter and proud to see her reach her full potential.
Against her earlier decision, she wandered over to her and placed a calming hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, Snow saw nothing but deep concern in her eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked, tucking a blonde lock behind the woman's ear.
"I have nothing. I don't know what to do and I don't know how much time we have and I-"
Snow cut her off. "Emma, breathe, relax. Everything is going to be okay. I know it, I can feel it. Besides, you've only been trying for five minutes at most; it'll come. I believe that with all of my heart."
"But how will I know when – if it does?"
The brunette smiled warmly. "Trust me, you'll know."
She would have loved to give her a tight hug right there and then but she was afraid to do anything that would make Emma uncomfortable. But as she started to walk away, Emma reached out and clinched her elbow, forcing her to stop and turn back around. Before she could utter a sound, Emma locked her in a warm embrace, her arms tightening around her just for a second before they broke away.
"Thank you," Emma said.
Emma didn't know where to begin or what would trigger the magical properties that she consisted of and she was starting to worry. What if she couldn't do it? What if Cora had survived and was on her way to rip them limb from limb? What if she was their only chance to get back home?
She paced and paced and paced trying to centre herself and let her thoughts drift to Storybrooke and the feelings she had whenever she thought about a particular place or person, but just when she thought she was getting somewhere, she was pulled back to the cold, ruined room she found herself in and her frustration was only mounting. She wanted to cry. That was the honest truth. Everything was just too much and the more she willed herself to do what she figured impossible, the more closed off she became and the more she struggled with…everything.
Mary Margaret was right; Emma was the kind of person who needed stability, who needed reassurance.
And when her mother came over to her and told her that she believed that she could do it, Emma let go and cast any doubts she had out of her mind.
She ambled over to a free corner and rested the back of her head against the wall, eyes shut. With steady, slow, deliberate breathing, she began to relax and allowed her emotions to guide her rather than trying to compel them into whatever direction she thought best.
And then it was easy. What made her connection to Storybrooke so strong, so intense was the sense of belonging she encountered as soon as she drove her yellow bug past the border. For the first time Emma had found a place to call home, and she had a family. She had Henry.
Henry. Just his name alone sent subtle shockwaves through her veins and her passion and commitment to being the best mother she possibly could be spurred her intent into something tangible. She loved that boy so fiercely. In fact, she was positive that she loved him the first time he ever spoke to her; only then she tried to suppress any kind of inkling she had and brush it off as nothing. Now…now there was no more denying. She wanted to be his mother more than anything else; she wanted to raise him and teach him all sorts of things, and learn some from him in the process. She desired to have a special parent-child bond with him, much like the one being formed between herself and Mary Margaret.
Mary Margaret. Her mother. Her best friend. The first person to show her such innate generosity and friendship. Because of her, Storybrooke became her home; it became a place where she actually wanted to set down roots and spend more than a few months. Having someone to trust her, believe in her and want her around affected Emma more than words could say; that was all she ever wanted when she was younger but she had it in her grasp now. And most importantly, Mary Margaret – her mother – loved her unconditionally.
And she loved her back.
The shockwaves became more intense and Emma started to notice the light-headedness kick in – something was going to happen soon.
And then there was the father she desperately had to get to know. She knew him as David but now it was the time for her to meet Prince Charming, her father, and learn everything there was to know about the man and discover what she had inherited from him. She just wanted to know him.
That was what Storybrooke meant to Emma Swan.
Feeling like an electrically charged battery, Emma jolted to her feet, a broad smile spreading across her face. "I can do this," she said aloud, alerting her companions.
"I always knew you could," the brunette affirmed with a watery beam.
"Let's get you both home," Aurora breathed, suddenly looking very emotional. She took up position next to the mirror and inhaled deeply. "I hope you both return safely."
"It has been a pleasure accompanying you," Mulan interjected sincerely, raising her head. "Good luck."
"Thank you; good luck to you both, too," Mary Margaret said. "Your bravery and friendship will never be forgotten."
The woman turned to the blonde and took her hand, squeezing it. "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
Emma nodded to Aurora and the princess released the dust onto the object, illuminating its framework with shades of green and purple.
It was time.
Emma tightened her grip on her mother's hand and readied herself for what was to come. "Mary Margaret?"
"Yes, Emma?"
"I just want you to know that I…love you, too."
And with a heave of her shoulders and a thrust of her right arm, a bright white light enveloped them along with the mirror and just like that, they were no longer in Regina's palace in the Enchanted Forest.
They were tossed and turned around a sea of colourful haze, spiralling uncontrollably. It took all of Emma's might to keep a hold onto Mary Margaret and she sensed that her mother was doing the same. Suddenly, they were out of the rainbow whirlpool and on cold, damp soil.
Opening her eyes, Emma crawled up to her knees, assessing her surroundings. "Ha, we did it!" she exclaiming, jumping to her feet. "Mary Margaret, we're home!"
Offered a hand, the brunette got to her feet and immediately hugged the blonde closely, running a hand through the blonde locks. "Welcome back to Storybrooke, Emma," she whispered.
I know the way I got them home wasn't exactly technical but I thought it'd be a good way to get Emma to really think about what her family means to her and I hoped it turned out ok! What did you all think? Please be honest!
The next chapter will have to have some kind of Charming family reunion but I want to know if people want me to continue with the story or end it there and if you think I should keep going, what would you like to see? I would love some suggestions!
Reviews are greatly appreciated! Looking forward to hearing from you!
Oh, and what did we all think of the mid-season finale? :D