Chapter Seven: Child of the Moon

Emma sighed, staring up at the ceiling of Mary Margaret's apartment. Another day without Ellie and Mary Margaret. Another day where she had to coach herself out of bed. Emma felt like an addict, constantly telling herself the same thing over and over again.

Don't do it. You can do it.

She might scream if she heard those two phrases again. Or any positive phrase ever again.

Course five more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone. Five more minutes of silence…no coaching necessary for that decision. She turned to her side, looking at the picture she had framed on her nightstand. She slightly smiled, remembering that night…only a week before Henry came into their lives.

New York, a couple months ago

"Really Ellie?" Emma dubiously asked, looking at the dress her sister was holding up. Emma wasn't one to put on cocktail dresses and go to clubs and come home at four in the morning. Even though Ellie wasn't like that either, she still had a better idea of how to dress when the occasion called for it.

Many people thought that Emma was the girly one, the one who loved to go shopping and go to fancy events. Honestly, Emma avoided anything like that at all costs. Dressy events meant shopping, shopping meant Ellie, and well…it ended up being something like this.

"Just try it on…please?" Ellie was pulling the 'puppy face', damn her! She knew that Emma couldn't deny that face. She quickly turned her head, looking at a different dress. Emma wanted something more sophisticated…something she could wear if she needed to catch a few con-men.

"Emmie…"Ellie's face popped up in front of hers, her lip starting to quiver. Oh no, after the quivering lip came the snuffling and then the tears. No, Emma couldn't take the tears.

"Fine!" Emma snatched the dress from her sister and stormed over to the dressing room.

"Thank you!"

"Shut up!" Ellie smirked as she flicked through the other dresses, finding one for herself. Ellie knew Emma had been dreading tonight for this reason and this reason alone. Usually for opening nights for Ellie's plays, it was a nice shirt and maybe a skirt. But tonight, it was her gallery opening. The nice shirt and skirt wasn't going to cut it.

As Ellie pulled out a dress to look at for herself, Emma came out of the dressing room, pulling at the bottom of her dress.

"It's too short." Emma complained, making Ellie look at her and her mouth drop wide open. Since when did her sister have such awesome legs!? What did she do in prison, run a mile everyday?! "Would you stop it!" Emma chastised as she examined herself in the mirror.

"You look hot!" Emma turned as red as Ellie's hair.

Later that night

Needless to say…the dress was purchased. Emma silently agreed with her sister, the dress certainly did bring out a side of her that she had been trying so hard to bury these last few years. However, she'd never admit that out loud because she would never give her sister the satisfaction of being right.

Maybe it was some sort of older sibling pride. Course there was no way to prove who was older of the two…usually Emma was the one who acted the oldest. Always looking out for Ellie but there was also times when Ellie took Emma's job and took care of her.

Lately that's all Ellie seemed to be doing, ever since Emma was released from prison, Ellie welcomed her sister into her apartment and life with open arms. Neither mentioned Emma's son…too much pain in those memories.

"C'mon Em! I can't be late to my own gallery opening!" Emma sighed and grabbed her jacket, turning the light off in her room.

"It doesn't start till 8:30." She reminded Ellie as they walked out together, their heels clicking on the floor. Emma was surprised that Ellie had the room to fit all the clothes she had. Everything on Emma's body, except the dress, was Ellie's. She also was surprised that some of this stuff fit Emma…when they were younger they were the same size. Now, Ellie was more small and slender while Emma was tall and muscular.

Emma was also curious why some of this stuff was purchased. She took a look at a few of the price tags and her eyes almost fell out of her head. Why someone would need a pair of heels that was 150 dollars was beyond Emma…but she had to admit, they were pretty cute.

"I need to make sure that nothing has been damaged." Ellie replied, locking the door to their apartment and walking over to the elevator. She pressed the down button and crossed her arms, waiting for the doors to open. Emma checked her phone.

"It's 6:30!" Emma exclaimed, showing her sister the time as they got in the elevator together.

"Em, I'll do all the work, you just stand to the side and look pretty." Emma scowled at her sister.

Storybrooke, Now

"Mom! Mom!" Emma's eyes shot wide open as Henry shook her.

"What Henry?" The coaching started up, 'Get up Emma' and 'It's time to start the day Emma'. It's a miracle she hadn't blown her brains out yet.

"We have to met David and Mother Superior in the mines." Emma sighed and looked at her son; the happy look seemed to be etched on his face 24/7. It was a miracle that Henry remained as positive as he did and Emma could only think of one person who remained cheerful in dark times. Emma knew that he sister was probably passing positivity onto whoever she met in the Enchanted Forest.

She was glad that Henry got something good from her family.

"Give me a sec." She shooed her son out, closing the bedroom door and leaning against it with a sigh.

Another day.

Another day without Ellie.

"You can do it Emma." The voice coached.

"Shut up."

Mines

David, Emma, Henry, and Mother Superior entered the mines and met up with Happy. Emma still had a little difficulty seeing these people as the Disney fairy tale characters she and Ellie grew up watching. She knew she would most certainly lose it if the dwarves burst out into 'Hi-Ho.' There was only so much Emma could take.

"Where is he?" David asked Happy. The dwarf guided them to the wall where Leory/Grumpy broke through. The other dwarves stood along the walls, which were lined with more diamonds.

"Are those…" Henry began to ask in wonder.

"Diamonds. They're back. The magic brought them back." Mother Superior answered, looking at the diamonds with a joyful look upon her face.

"You mean the kind that become fairy dust?" Emma asked, tapping one that was stuck in the wall. She kind of wanted to see if she was allowed to take one…her sister always wanted a diamond necklace. It would be the perfect present for her when she got back.

Emma gave a small smile, for the first time. She actually believed that there was now a chance to get Mary Margaret and Ellie back. There was no need for her stupid coaching voices to tell her so.

"Indeed. We just need to refine them-grind them up. Do you still have what remains of Jefferson's hat?" Mother Superior asked David. David took the hat, what was left of the ratty thing, and showed her.

"You lock this up. Keep it safe. Because by this time tomorrow, we'll have enough magic dust to make it work again." Emma turned around to face the others when she heard that news.

"So, Mary Margaret and Ellie…" she began, taking a step towards Mother Superior.

"That's right, kid," he puts his arm around Emma's shoulders, bringing her closer to him, "We're bringing them home."

Enchanted Forest, Now

Ellie glanced over at Aurora, who was whimpering in her sleep. This certainly wasn't the first night Aurora had nightmares, Aurora didn't tell anyone about them but Ellie could see all the signs. The jumpiness, dozing off, fidgetiness. However, Ellie knew from experience that Aurora didn't want to bother anyone with her problems.

So Ellie turned her attention back to the campfire and picked up a leaf she had gotten her hands on. She twirled it around in her hands, aimlessly staring at the fire before looking at the leaf.

"Burn." She told it and immediately, it burst into flames. This certainly wasn't the first time that being the wardrobe in her old home, but this was the first time she had said the word out loud. Actually, commanding the object to set itself on fire.

She threw the burning leaf into the fire and lay down, staring up at the clear sky. Mulan was on watch duty, scouring the grounds of their campsite. In the time that Ellie had been with the female warrior, she learned that she never stood in one place for too long. It made Ellie wonder if Mulan might have ADHD or just something she had picked up from her years as a warrior.

Mary Margaret wasn't like that but then again…it had been twenty-eight years since Mary Margaret had been in a battle. Maybe it had worn off. Or maybe she had learn how to do both, be relaxed and on guard at the same time.

Aurora gasped, making Ellie jump and quickly sit up. She was now thrashing about, Ellie's jacket had been tossed to the side, which Aurora was using as a blanket. Ellie quickly got on her feet and rushed over to the princess.

"Hey," She shook her, "Aurora, Aurora! Wake up!" Aurora's eyes shot open and she stared up at the copper-haired Swan with a wild look in her eyes.

"It was just a nightmare. Just a bad dream, nothing can harm you." Ellie assured the princess, hugging her and stroking her hair.

"It felt so real though." Aurora insisted, clutching tightly to Ellie. Ellie removed herself from Aurora and sat in front of her.

"I'm going to teach you a few tricks, so that you know you're still in a dream," Aurora nodded, "You can't read in dreams."

"But there is nothing for me to read in this nightmare. It's just a room that's on fire." Aurora interrupted.

"That's just one of the few that I was going to say," Aurora apologized, "It's fine, you're jumpy, it's understandable. Anyway, count your fingers in your dreams. If you have more or less than ten, you're dreaming." Ellie held up both of her hands, shaking her fingers.

"Ten." Aurora said. Ellie smiled and gave her a nod. She lowered her hands and put them in her lap.

"How do you know all this?" Aurora asked as Ellie stood up and put her jacket on.

"Everyone has nightmares Aurora. Sometimes, we just need a reminder that they aren't real."

-OUAT-

"So…where'd I get my red hair from?" Ellie randomly asked her mother as the group walked along the path in the forest. Mary Margaret frowned and looked at her daughter. She shrugged.

"I'm curious…oh! And who's older?" Mary Margaret chuckled but didn't answer her daughter.

"What?" Mary Margaret remained silent, "Really!? Who's older?" Aurora and Mulan looked to Mary Margaret.

"Ah! Come on!" Ellie cried when no one answered her, "I really want to know this!"

-OUAT-

Ellie was still upset that her mother wouldn't answer her question. It was a debate between the sisters that had been going on for twenty-eight years and when she got back, she wanted to be the one with the answer. If she was the older one, she would most certainly rub it in her sister's face…however, if Emma was the older one, then she'd keep it from her and tease her about knowing it.

She just wanted to know. So she decided to try again. She walked out to Mary Margaret, who was sitting out in the woods.

"So…what are you doing?" She asked, secretly hinting at her question. Though Mary Margaret didn't seem to catch up on it because she was too deep in though.

"Just thinking." Mary Margaret answered her daughter, who mentally sighed. So her 'who's older question' was going to have to wait for later.

"Come on. Mulan has some ideas where Cora might be hiding." She helped Mary Margaret to her feet and the two of them walked back to the camp together. As the two walked in silence, Ellie cast a look at her mother. It was obvious that she was the twin's mother. She carried herself in the same way that they did, not too high and mighty but someone you wouldn't want to mess with. Someone who could defend themselves when the time came, a powerful and independent woman.

Basically nothing like the Disney Snow White. If anything, Ellie was glad that the Disney version got the story wrong.

"Ellie! Ellie!" Ellie took off running at Aurora's call. Soon, she reached the princess who shot up and gripped onto Ellie's arms.

"Hey, you're fine. I'm here. It was just another nightmare, just a bad dream." Ellie assured the hysterical princess. Aurora shook her head.

"No, this time it was different," She insisted, "There was little boy. He…he put out the fire. He talked to me."

"A little boy?" Mary Margaret asked and looked to her daughter. There was one little boy that they were both thinking off…and honestly, anything could be possible anymore.

"What'd he say?" Ellie asked Aurora.

"He said…he said his name was Henry."