Seeing the Dark One standing next to the one who was considered the most pious man in all of the Enchanted Forest was surprising. But he was beyond incensed at the audacity of the blonde Sherriff, and was willing to listen to anyone who was willing to help, even the man who had once tortured him.
"So how is it that you gentlemen think you can help me?" Robin had never been a devout man, but he had heard the stories of how the priest had helped many women and men to overcome their confusion regarding homosexuality. There were rumours that Frollo had at one time struggled with his own demons as a young man, and had now dedicated his life to helping others.
"Given your arrival this morning off the end of the dock, I would assume that you have fallen out of favour with the Queen?" The Dark One had always been a calculated beast, so far as Robin knew, and his shrewd observation of situation unnerved him. "And given her abrupt departure from the town hall last night with the Saviour, I would also postulate that she is involved in the falling out?"
Robin, for all his cunning in thievery, was a very trusting man, and did not hesitate to pour his heart out to the man. "She's been corrupted by those whores. That wolf has poisoned her against me, has poisoned them all. I've tried to help Belle, but she has chosen to stay with that vile creature. And now the Sherriff has been bitten too! It won't be long before that thing has bitten them all and turned them into her whores. We have to help them!"
Adopting a compassionate expression, or at least his approximation of one, Frollo knew that he would have the full support of what he wanted to do. "And we will Master Hood, we will. We have allies in helping these poor women, and as strong as these demons that grip them are, we will free them. They will know the proper love of a man again." Patting Robin's shoulder firmly, he began leading the man away from the shore, towards the hovel the curse had gifted him with.
Unsure where else she would be, David and Blue headed to the diner first, hoping to head Snow off before she could confront Emma. 'Hopefully she will listen to Blue, if no one else.'
The jingle of the bell on the door announced their arrival, and as hoped, Snow was seated at a booth in the back with someone, although not someone they expected to see. Granny and Snow each sat with a steaming cup in front of them, both glaring at the other and not speaking. As they approached, Granny spoke up, her gaze never leaving the princess'. "Good morning Blue, Charming. I assume you are here to talk some sense into this one?"
Scoffing and crossing her arms petulantly, Snow looked away, choosing to glare at the wall instead of responding, gently rocking Neal's seat on the tabletop.
"Good morning Eugenia. Yes, we are here to speak with Her Majesty. Could we trouble you for a cup of coffee, by chance?" Blue hoped that her presence would sooth Snow, and perhaps she could help heal some of the pain that she could always sense in her as well.
"Sure thing, Blue. But I won't have her behaving like she did yesterday, or saying those hurtful things about her best friend, her daughter, or their mate." With a pointed look, Granny made her away from the table, gathering mugs for their drinks.
Not waiting for either person to speak, Snow immediately began speaking. "Charming, thank goodness you found Blue. I've-"
"Snow, we agreed to talk about everything this morning, including discussing what, if anything we were going to do about your concerns. I've spoken with Blue, explained the situation, and I think you should listen to what she has to say." Cutting her off before she could really get into her rant, David took the seat at the edge of the table, blocking Snow in. "Blue?"
"Good morning, Your Majesty. David has informed me of your concerns regarding the wave from the other night, and who was involved. He has also informed me that you are seeking to clarify that it was a misunderstanding?" Hoping that the Queen would explain her concerns and what she hoped for, in her own words, Blue began to lead the conversation.
"Yes. There has to be some type of mistake, and we need to show Emma that she is not really like that, and that there is a prince out there for her instead. I know you can cast the spell to confirm True Love. Could you do that again? Make Emma see that she's just confuse-"
Snow was once again interrupted, this time by the slamming of mugs onto the table. "As I said before, I won't have you spouting your nonsense in my diner. If you two agree with her, you lot can march yourselves out that door right now, and not come back." Crossing her arms and giving them a glare, Granny waited for any of them to speak up.
"Eugenia, you know that the Fairies support and promote love, especially True Love. Now if you would be so kind as to let us have our discussion, without interruption, we would greatly appreciate it." Blue was a patient fairy, but even she had her limits; uncalled for rudeness being one very high on that list.
Sighing, Granny knew that she had jumped the gun, and was being unfair because she was upset with the spoiled Princess. "You're right. That was uncalled for, Blue. You have always done what you could to support my Ruby and Belle. I'm sorry for my behaviour."
"Apology accepted. If you would please have a seat, I would greatly appreciate your knowledge on the White Wolf history for this conversation." Sliding over, Blue made room for Granny to sit.
"Now, as you were saying Your Majesty, you believe that the Princess' True Love is not Ruby and Belle, and would like to have me cast a spell to prove this for you?" Receiving a nod in confirmation, Blue continued. "I will be more than happy to cast this spell for you, provided we can agree on a few conditions."
"Conditions?! You've never put conditions on your help before!" Snows voice had become shrill with her disbelief, waking Neal, who promptly began whimpering.
Reaching past his wife, David pulled Neal from his seat and began cooing at him gently. "Shh, shh. It's alright buddy. Mommy is just a little upset. She'll be ok soon. Shh." Bouncing him slightly, David was able to settle Neal back down quickly. "You were saying Blue?"
"Thank you, Your Highness. As I was saying, there are a few conditions for me to cast this spell, as this does not directly involve you. This only directly affects the Princess, Ruby and Belle. So long as they agree, I am more than happy to confirm their relationship. I will also ask that you listen to the history that I am asking Eugenia to recite for us, as well as the Prophesy that was foretold. If after hearing what we have to say, you still wish to proceed with the spell, we will approach the Prince. But I have to ask, what will you do if the spell reveals that they are destined for each other?"
Looking from Blue's calm expression, to the clearly grudging glare of Granny, and finally to the ever hopeful look in David's eyes, Snow was torn. She knew that Emma couldn't be that way; that it was wrong to feel like that. But having the epitome of goodness, the Head Fairy, hinting that there was something much larger at play, that it may be fate, gave her pause. 'Could it be true? Could it be real?'
Looking to each of them again, Snow took a deep breath. Pushing past the voice that screamed in her mind that it could never be true, she opened herself to consider it. "I honestly don't know."
"It is quite alright to be uncertain, Your Majesty. All I ask is that you listen, and consider what we have to say, before you make decisions that will affect the rest of your life." Reaching across the table, and placing her hand over Snow's, Blue gave it a small squeeze of reassurance.
Nodding to Granny, Blue continued to hold Snow's hand, hoping that they could reach her, and begin to help her heal.
"A very long time ago, there was a wolf. The White Wolf."
Opening the door, Emma knew that they would be underwhelmed at what they found. As much work as she had put into finishing the exterior, the interior had needed a lot more work. She had taken out almost every wall, and brought the house back down to its bare frame. There were even areas where she had to take out sections of the floor.
Regina was not surprised at the bare frame of the house, but it still stung to see what should have been her dream home in such a state. Bare frame and wires were visible everywhere, all of the rot and damage stripped away. "Much like Emma did to my life as well." As much as it hurt to see everything torn away, she knew it was necessary to begin the restorations of the home itself.
Belle was amazed at the open concept of the homes layout, seeing past the bare wood to what the house could turn out to be. There were clearly rooms divided off, some clearly meant for certain purposes, such as the kitchen, while others were open to whatever they chose to make them.
Ruby was awestruck with the sheer amount of space that the house afforded. She had for a time lived in Snow's castle, but had found it oppressive, as it had been passed down through King George's family, and the entitlement and segregation of the less affluent was very evident. Servant's quarters and passageways were well hidden throughout, and often still used when the White Princess and Prince Charming had taken over. Here the space, although painfully bare, felt open and welcoming, like you were expected to feel at home in the warmth it would offer.
"I know it's a bit of a let-down after the detail outside, but I haven't had much time to really do much except clear out everything so it can all be fixed." Hands firmly in her back pockets, Emma toed the floor with her boot, not able to meet the gaze of the other women.
Gently taking one of the hands from her pocket, Belle was the first to speak. "There is nothing wrong with it. There is so much potential for us to truly make this ours, and I can tell just how much work it took to get it to this point. You have done so much hard work, and I for one am very happy that I get to help you finish our home."
"Belle's right. You can really tell just how much had to be done, just by how much has been taken away. And besides, who wants a ready-made house. We asked for a tour of our home." Pecking the blushing blonde on the cheek, Ruby grinned at the other women before looking around again. "We really do get to make it our own this way."
Lost in her own thoughts, Regina remained silent; looking around the shell of what had once been her dream. To see it truly stripped bare, Regina began to realize that although she had once wanted a home to grow her family with Daniel in, this would never have made him happy. They would have been happy to have anything, but standing in the open space, she knew that he would have not been comfortable with what she had envisioned for them. He was a simple man, had lived a simple life, and as welcoming as even this empty shell felt, he would likely have felt that she deserved something like this, something he could never have provided her.
"Regina?" Ruby's hand was soft on her shoulder, barely any pressure at all, really. But it felt like the weight of the world as the truth settled firmly into Regina's mind. This was never a home for Daniel. This was a home for her family. Just what that truly meant, she wasn't yet sure. But she would figure it out.
"Hmm?" Shaking her head to clear the sudden revelation, Regina refocused on the here and now, and the three women before her. "Sorry, just lost myself for a moment there. You really have done an excellent job in here Emma. They had said that it would be better to tear it down completely and rebuild, but I never had the heart to let it go."
"You looked into having this place repaired? How come?" Having been curious about the property since purchasing it, Emma began to have an idea of the true origins of the house, given Regina's mention of looking to repair it.
When several tense moments pass and Regina has not yet answered, it is Belle that speaks what is on all of their minds. "The curse, as much as it was written by Rumple, was largely influenced by what you wanted for your happy ending. This is the home you always wanted for yourself, isn't it?"
"Yes. This is the home that I dreamt of as a child, more or less. Obviously the curse updated that dream, but it's basically the same. A place for horses, one for each member of my family, a library, a family room, sitting rooms, a kitchen that I could create any type of dish I could imagine in, places to store all of the foods we would grow, 6 bedrooms for the children, and a master suite that overlooked the forest. There was more, but I have tried so long to forget it all that it seems that some of it has finally slipped away." Arms tightly wrapped around her middle, Regina did not seem to notice the tears that had begun to spill down her cheeks. "This was meant to be my haven away from the world, and the curse saw fit to leave it rotting beyond repair."
As the first sob broke free, Regina felt strong arms wrap around her, holding her close. Shortly after another pair joined, and then another. They all held tight, but not restricting, as she continued to sob over the heart break of losing her dreams.
Knowing that there was nothing more they could do to help, they continued to hold Regina, letting her finally mourn for everything that she had lost. All her life she had hidden her feelings, never feeling safe enough to let her walls come down. But wrapped in the arms of these women, she is finally allowing herself to truly mourn.
Speaking softly into her ear, Emma felt more than saw the struggle that was consuming the brunette to stop her tears. "It's not beyond repair, and this can still be your haven. You are always welcome here, no matter what. I've told you before, you are family, and that is never going to change. I won't change a thing if you don't want me to. As much as this house would mean to me, I can always find another, and we can keep this one just the way it is."
Sniffling, Regina looks up at the women holding her, supporting her, and she knows that she wants them to have this place. "No. This is going to be a home, and we are going to make it such. But I expect you all to contribute to this. It has to be for all of you."
"Are you are sure?" Belle knew just how something like this must have meant to Regina, and for her to offer up her dream for their home was a monumental gesture. "We can always find another place to make our home, without taking what you created."
"I am sure. Emma has already done more to bring this dream back to life, and I want to see it finished. Please."
Pulling her magic to the surface, Emma first focused on repairing any damage that remained anywhere on the property. As her magic began to sweep over the house, Emma noticed that she could also feel the energy of the women around her, pulsing in time with her magic. "This will be a place we can all call home, no matter what. Think of what that means to you, and I will do my best to make it happen."
Slowly a white vapour began to form around them, blocking everything from their view. It was warm and soft, comforting the women as it covered their sight.
Regina, having heard the promise from Emma, focussed on how she wanted the women to have a home they could be happy in, that would have places to make memories, and a kitchen that would rival her own. She could see in her mind the kitchen, the counters, every detail of everything she had ever wanted or desired, all for them. She could see herself helping Ruby, and them creating feasts there for their family and friends. She could see curling up with Henry to watch movies, and Ruby and Emma fighting over the controller for the next turn in whatever video game they were all playing. She thought of glasses of wine and long nights of talking. Unbidden, thoughts of tangled limbs and a large bed crept in, but were immediately pushed back. "Just focus on the home. You just left Robin, and you know you need time still." But the thoughts continued to circle, mixed with thoughts of everyday life that she knew she desperately wanted.
Belle thought of curling up with a book, or walking Henry through a selection of her favourite books in the library. She thought of curling up in front of a fire with her mates, or of playing music for them all. She thought of cold nights in a soft, warm bed, listening to the thudding heart beats of her mates. She thought of everything she had ever hoped to have in a family, and their happiness. As the warmth enveloped her, she thought of children running wild though the grass, and their bright smiles at seeing their parents watching them. 'Beautiful. So beautiful.'
Taking a deep breath, Ruby felt the warm comfort of Emma's magic build in her system, much like it had the other night. Images of their time in the forest swirled behind her eyes, making arousal pool low in her belly. 'Home. Think of our home.' Images of comparing notes and trying new recipes with Regina, of cooking feasts for her family, of watching movies curled up together as a group cuddling, of sitting in Emma's lap and knocking the controller from Henry's hands to win the final lap of the race, all began to flit through her mind.
Emma could feel the emotions pouring from the women, the desire for family and home. Her own desires rose to the surface, amplifying her magic that much more. She could see coming home to the smell of amazing food in the kitchen, her family sitting down to a meal together. Belle showing her the latest novel she was reading, debating it against her own favourite authors. Of battling Ruby for the high scores, and chasing her around the house for distracting her during a game. Of bantering with Regina, seeing her tuck Henry in at night, and of lazy mornings just basking in the feeling of home.
With a final surge of magic, the magic reached a crescendo, a brilliant flash of white light, dimming slowly back out of sight. All four of the women slowly open their eyes, looking around the entryway they were stood in. "Woah."