Tinker Bell in Storybrooke
A Disney Fairies / Once Upon A Time Crossover
Season 1, Episode 1, Chapter 4
THE PIXIE DUST TREE. PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND
Clarion's four helpers found her crumpled on the floor, weeping uncontrollably. They rushed to her side and helped to the bed.
"My queen, what ails you?" Cinda asked.
Clarion turned away from them. She could not allow even her personal helpers to see her this way.
"I'm sorry. I have… I have failed all of you. I have lost my strength."
"No, my queen, you have not," Lisel answered.
"In your more than thousand year reign, you have endured more heartbreak and horrors than any other queen in Pixie Hollow history," Grace told her. "Throughout it all you have been our pillar, our shining star. No fairy would blame you for a moment of release. You deserve it more than any of us."
Clarion smiled through her tears. "Thank you, Grace. I am fortunate to have such loyal and wise helpers."
"It is our pleasure to serve you, Your Highness" Rhia answered.
"Why don't you gather your personal effects and prepare to evacuate on the next transport to the mainland," the queen instructed.
"We shall remain at your side till the very last," Grace said defiantly.
The queen felt her heart grow stronger. "Thank you."
~O~
When the four helpers exited her room, Rhia seemed distraught.
"What is it?" Grace asked her.
"If the queen can no longer cope, then all is lost," Rhia answered.
"Our queen has a formidable constitution," Cinda told her, "but she is not made of stone. Even Queen Clarion needs a shoulder to cry on once in a while. Do not worry, our beloved regent will not fail us. She will recover and be our beacon of hope once more."
STORYBROOKE, MAINE
Emma found Henry at "his castle." It was an old, wooden playhouse on the beach. Henry believed that things would change in Storybrooke once Emma arrived. That she would be the savior and the final battle would begin.
"I'm not fighting any battles kid," Emma told him. But Henry insisted that this was her destiny, to bring back everyone's happy endings. Emma dismissed him rather rudely. Henry told her she didn't need to push him away. He understood why Emma gave him up. To give him a better chance. It was the same reason Snow White gave her up.
"I'm not the savior and I'm not in any book," Emma insisted, but he was right about one thing. She did want a better life for him and she reminded Henry that his adopted mother was doing the best she could.
"Please don't take me back there, my life sucks," Henry pleaded. Emma told him how bad she had it growing up. She was left on the side of the freeway by her birth parents who did not even have the decency to take her to a hospital. She had a foster family until she was three years old when they had a child of their own. Then they sent her back into the system. Emma spent most of her childhood in and out of foster homes. Many of those homes took her in only because of the money they were paid to do so. At least Henry had a real home and real mother.
The boy told Emma that her parents did not leave her on the side of the freeway like she thought. She had come to this world through a magic wardrobe, a portal from the Enchanted Forest where she was born. The side of the highway was where Emma had come through as a baby. Emma Swan thought he was crazy and took him home. He pleaded for her to stay, at least one week so he could prove he wasn't. Emma just wanted to go back to her old life.
PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND
It was mid-afternoon of the second day, the curse would be here soon. Rosetta, the garden fair who had fallen in love with Sled, the winter animal sparrow man, could barely contain her grief. Like the queen she was going to be separated from the man she loved so dearly. Ro had spent the last two days working harder than she ever had before, gathering all that her garden fairies would need to establish a new Pixie Hollow on the mainland. In spite of it all, her mind kept going back to Sled and how much she would miss him.
Rosetta and her friends Silvermist, the water talent fairy; Fawn, the animal fairy; Iridessa, the light talent fairy; and Vidia, the fast flyer were waiting for the next squadron of doves to return from the mainland so they could load them with more cargo. When the birds arrived, the small group of friends and the many other fairies and sparrow men who were in Springtime Square leapt into action. They hustled animals, insects and arachnids of every type into satchels and carriers. More dust arrived from the depot and was poured into pots which were loaded into returning balloon carriers. The small band of fairies were working like a well-oiled machine. The turnaround was swift and the birds, balloon carriers and fairies took flight back to the mainland.
During this time Rosetta quietly debated in her head what she should do. Going to the mainland meant she would be surrounded by her closest friends, her guild and a temperate climate that was suitable for a warm weather fairy. However, in all likelihood she might never see her boyfriend again. On the other hand, going with the winter fairies meant being with Sled, but she would be confined to a wintery climate and separated from her guild and her closest friends. Rosetta also risked losing her wings if they were not frosted at all times or kept covered in a winter coat. At least she would always be with the man she loved so much.
No matter what she decided, Rosetta would have to leave people she cared about behind. This was the most heartbreaking moment of her life.
OFF THE COAST OF NEVER LAND ISLAND
The Blue Fairy was running low on fairy dust. Regina's dark curse was pushing through her protection spell and the sun was still high. Blue put as much of her magic as she could into the spell to reinforce it, but she doubted it would last much longer.
She looked back at the island in the distance. She was working out in her head how it was that there were two Tinker Bell fairies. Her own Green Fairy, who apparently preferred that name over her given one, and the cherubic young creature who lived here.
While contemplating this conundrum she saw an old sailing ship leaving the island. It flew the Skull and Crossbones. It looked vaguely familiar to her. Not unlike the ship that Killian Jones captained. Then she spied a young boy dressed in green flying over and away from the island. A handful of other young boys followed him. She recognized the one in green as Peter Pan. The others were probably The Lost Boys. At first, she was afraid. Pan was an evil creature with very powerful dark magic. That is when it dawned on her that this island was Never Land. But it was nothing like the Never Land she had heard about.
Blue deduced that she had not crossed into another realm from her own reality, but into a parallel reality. An entirely different universe where duplicate realms existed. The Blue Fairy was the most powerful fairy in her own realm and leader of the other fairies. Queen Clarion must be her equivalent in this place. This was the most logical conclusion that explained how two similar, yet vastly different Tinker Bells could exist.
Either Regina or Rumpelstiltskin must have duped someone here into giving them some of their Pixie Dust so the dark curse could come into this world and destroy this duplicate Never Land. Now the only question that remained was why.
WINTER WOODS, NEVER LAND
Tinker Bell finished her work in the cold season. The last of the ice gondolas had been frozen and were being fastened to balloon carriers made with materials from the warm seasons.
"Thank you," Milori told the young tinker. "You've served your queen well and have saved thousands of fairies."
She bowed. "Thank you, Lord Milori, but I was also thinking of my sister. I'll never see her again. I wanted to make sure Periwinkle made it to safety. At least I'll have that."
"I understand. But do not worry, child, we aren't going so far afield," Milori told her. "The winter fairies will stay close enough to bring in our season. You will be able to visit Periwinkle every winter on the mainland."
Tinker Bell's heart soared. She would also bring the good news to Bobble and Rosetta, both of whom had a loved one from the cold season. Bobble was dating Gliss, the perpetually cheerful frost fairy while Rosetta was happily in an exclusive relationship with Sled. Yet Tink's heart felt terribly for Milori. As head of state for the winter fairies he could not leave the colony. Milori and Clarion would be parted forever and no amount of fairy pluck could change that arrangement this time.
~O~
Tinker Bell visited her sister one last time before returning to the warm side. She still had to collect her things from Tinker's Nook to transport them to the new colony in Lizzy's meadow. After a warm embrace the two sisters spoke their tearful goodbyes.
"I'll miss you, Tink," Peri said.
"Milori told me you won't be going too far, you could visit Lizzy and I for Christmas or New Years," Tinker Bell replied.
"It won't be the same," Periwinkle insisted. "I'll barely have more than a couple of weeks. Bringing in winter takes time and we have to go back before spring arrives or our wings will break."
"How far will you be going? Maybe I can visit?"
"The Faroe Islands," Peri replied. "They're about two hundred and sixty kilometers North of Scotland. The trip will take at least three weeks both ways." Peri's eyes began to tear up even more. "It will be too far."
"At least we can celebrate our Arrival Day parties together," Tink said.
"No, we can't. Yours is in winter, mine is in spring, remember? My dandelion got caught in a tree."
"We can still celebrate it together," Tink said. "I'll make sure there is plenty of cake to go around."
"I know you will," Peri answered. There just wasn't the right thing to say. Tinker Bell and Periwinkle had celebrated so many holidays together since they learned of each other's existence: the Springtime Carnival, Pixie Hollow games, the Winter Festival, the Celebration of the Seasons, Summer Jubilee and the Autumn Revelry. Peri also loved to attend the annual tinker guild dance. Neither had missed the other's Arrival Day celebrations, either. Now would be the first.
"I can hitch a ride with you and the winter fairies," Tink said, trying to find a good solution. "Then I'll just take a balloon carrier back home."
"You have too much work to do for spring," Peri reminded her.
"Then that's it," Tink whispered. "Well visit each other when the humans celebrate Christmas."
"Yeah, I'll bring plenty of presents."
"So will I, Peri."
The two girls hugged each other, not wanting the moment to end. Tinker Bell and Periwinkle were unique among their people. Sisters who shared a very special bond. The fairies of Pixie Hollow were born of a baby's first laugh. They had no parents or uncles or aunts or cousins. Only the queen could be born from another queen. That was the only exception. It was a rare occasion when a laugh split in two, as it had for Tink and Peri. They were blood relatives, the only fairies on the island who could say that.
Before parting for good, Tink and Peri exchanged items. Small portraits of the other so they would always remember. The sisters hugged once more and then went their own ways.
"Please be safe," Tink said under her breath. Peri had said the same thing.
~O~
On her way out of the Winter Castle, Tinker Bell bumped into Rosetta. She was dressed in her winter clothes.
"Going to say goodbye to Sled?" Tinker Bell asked. Her own eyes puffy from all the tears shed saying farewell to Periwinkle.
Rosetta stopped. She looked at Tinker Bell and then said something that shocked the tinker fairy.
"No, I'm going with him," Rosetta said.
Tinker Bell gasped. "You're what?" A quick glance behind the garden fairy revealed several pieces of luggage tied together with string and sprinkled with dust so they would float.
"I can't be away from him forever, Tink," Rosetta said.
Tinker Bell explained how the winter fairies would be pretty close. Ro could visit Sled every winter for Christmas with Lizzy and her father.
"Oh, Sugarplum, I can't wait all year just to get two or three weeks with him," Rosetta answered. "I'll miss you and all of my friends, but I just can't be away from the man I love. Queen Clarion might have the stomach to do it, but I don't. I just don't."
Tinker Bell understood, she wanted desperately to stay with Periwinkle, but she loved Terence so much it would hurt to be away from him. She learned that the hard way while she was with Peter Pan.
"Goodbye," Tink said. Her voice was trembling. She was already emotionally spent and now Rosetta was leaving, too. Tears poured down Tink's cheeks.
"Goodbye, but I'll visit every winter, I promise," Rosetta said, giving Tink a big hug before moving on to the evacuation site for the winter fairies.
Everything she loved was falling apart for Tinker Bell. If she ever found out who this Regina person was she wanted only two things. To find out why and then punch her in the nose.
STORYBROOKE, MAINE
Emma Swan returned Henry to his home and adopted mother. She explained to Regina about her silly wish on her birthday to not be alone. Regina lit into Emma, telling her that this was not an invitation back into his life. Henry was hers now. Emma had no legal right to him and Ms. Swan no longer had a place in his life anymore. Then Regina threatened her.
"If you don't leave for Boston tonight I'll destroy you if it's the last thing I do."
This troubled Emma deeply because it gave Henry's pleas some credibility. She worried for his well-being in the care of this woman.
"Do you love him?" Emma asked, speaking of Henry.
"What?" Regina said, confused.
"Do you love him?" Emma asked again.
"Of course I love him," Regina said before going into the house and closing the door. Emma wasn't convinced.
~O~
Rather than go back to Boston, Emma instead went to Granny's Inn and asked for a room. Here she found a young woman arguing with her grey haired grandmother. The young, attractive brunette was dressed in very revealing attire.
"I'm sorry my heart attack got in the way of your whoring your way down the east coast," the older woman bellowed angrily.
When they spotted Emma the grandmother put on a kindly face and offered a premium room at a regular price.
"How long will you be staying," the grandmother asked.
"A week."
"Name, please?"
"Emma."
"Emma! What a lovely name," came a voice from behind her. Ms. Swan swung around and spotted a well-dressed, but slithery looking man standing beside her. The two women who operated the inn were instantly afraid of him. Granny gave him a wad of rolled up money. It was the rent due on the place.
After the man left Emma wanted to know who he was. His name was Mr. Gold and he owned the local pawnshop. He was a lender of last resort and those who came to him for financial assistance signed ironclad contracts that were carefully worded in his favor. If anyone defaulted on a loan, Gold would foreclose or take possession of property put up for collateral the same day. He pretty much owned the town as a result. It also explained why the two women were so afraid of him.
OFF THE SHORE OF NEVER LAND ISLAND
The Blue Fairy could no longer contain the Dark Curse. Her spell was weakening and she had run out of her entire supply of fairy dust. She wished that the pixie dust here could work with her own magic wand. She could hold off the darkness indefinitely. It was not to be.
As the dark purple mist flowed through the portal between her universe and this one, Blue sped off to warn Queen Clarion of the impending demise of this island. The Blue Fairy hoped she had purchased enough time for these fairies to escape Regina's prison.
PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND
Clarion and her four helpers stood next to Fairy Mary, once more overseeing the evacuation. The fairies in the staging area saw her and instantly their hearts soared. "There she is," someone shouted. They all looked up at her and cheered.
"Did you get it all out of your system?" Fairy Mary asked quietly.
Clarion was flabbergasted. "How did you know?"
"We've spent too many centuries together as friends for me to not notice," Fairy Mary explained.
"I see. I am well, thank you, Mary."
The two friends exchanged a brief, knowing smile between them.
"Oh my," Fairy Mary gasped. "It's The Blue Fairy."
Clarion turned to see the visitor who had warned them.
"Your Highness," Blue said addressing Clarion, "I have exhausted my supply of fairy dust and the curse has broken through my barrier. It will arrive very soon. I apologize for not doing more."
"Do not apologize, Blue Fairy," Clarion replied. "You have given us a chance at survival. We can ask for no more."
Fairy Mary, upon hearing the news told everyone in the staging area to make ready to leave. This would be the last transport. "This is it everyone, get ready to fly to the mainland. Gather your personal things and wait for our signal. Hurry, hurry!"
She then directed two scouts to fly off and turn back anyone who was returning immediately. Then Mary had the fast flyers race across Pixie Hollow to sound the alarm. Anyone still toiling in the other seasons had to drop whatever they were doing, grab a few personal items and get to Springtime Square.
"Come with us, Blue Fairy," Clarion offered. "We can offer you safe haven from this curse."
"Thank you, Your Highness, but I cannot," Blue said. "I must go to where the curse has taken my people. To a realm without magic."
Clarion was stunned. "What realm possesses no magic?"
"I do not know, but when the curse is broken in twenty eight years by the savior, I need to be with my own kind. If I stay I shall be trapped here, in a different kind of prison. Isolated from them forever."
"Yes," Clarion said, her head held low, "I understand completely. Your people have a truly courageous leader."
"As do you yours, Your Highness."
With that, The Blue Fairy bowed and then flew towards the interior of Pixie Hollow. With little time left she decided to inspect this place. Learn how it differed from the other Never Land.
~O~
"Where is Rosetta?" Fairy Mary asked Silvermist.
"She's going with Sled and the Winter Fairies," the water fairy answered. "She said she couldn't live without him."
"Oh dear, well I hope she knows what she's doing," Mary replied. "Very well then, don't stop to gab all day, we've got our own wings to save. Gather your things and let's go."
WINTER WOODS, NEVER LAND
Lord Milori could hear the approaching thunder before the purple clouds overtook the snowcapped mountains. He ordered all of his fairies to launch right away. Milori had decided it best to keep his winter fairies together in one large group rather than extend them out as the warm weather fairies had done. The winter fairies had a great distance to travel over water and he believed in strength in their numbers. If anyone were in distress there would be plenty of help. Only the alchemists were allowed to leave early so they could find good ground for the new colony and tree.
Fortunately, everyone was ready when he gave the order.
A mass of Snowy Owls, winter fairies and balloon carriers ascended into the air. The airlift was massive. The owls circled the area while the balloon carriers reached favorable winds at higher altitudes. Milori and a few trusted winter fairies stayed to ensure that no one was left behind by accident or from faulty equipment. These included Spike, Gliss and Periwinkle of the frost talent guild, Slush from the glacier talents and Sled from the animal talents. Rosetta from the warm side had joined them at her own insistence. The garden fairy would not be separated from her one true love and newly minted husband, Sled. Milori could sympathize.
~O~
Rosetta didn't want to leave Pixie Hollow without marrying her man. Rather than insult Lord Milori, whose own wedding was cancelled by the curse, the two sought out the Keeper. Dewey performed a highly abbreviated version of the fairy wedding ritual. The garden fairy and winter sparrow man were legally wed. No time for a proper honeymoon, Sled promised her a great one once the new Winter Woods colony was at least functional. She just wanted to be at his side, though Ro was determined to hold him to that promise.
~O~
Snowflake, the Minister of Winter and Dewey, the Keeper of all Fairy Knowledge, led the mass exodus. From their vantage point high above, they could see the dark cloud slowly consuming Never Land. Dewey looked on with horror.
"Oh, dear. Lord Milori leave now or you'll never make it," he said under his breath, almost as if it were a prayer.
~O~
With every other carrier and Snowy Owl aloft, Milori ordered his remaining fairies to board their craft and take flight. Milori mounted his own faithful Snowy Owl and lifted off into the darkening sky. The foul mist closed on them fast. Perhaps faster than he had anticipated.
PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND
Every last warm fairy either boarded a balloon carrier or flew off towards the mainland under their own power. From her perch, Clarion could see the lengthy, rag tag group making their final escape. She turned upon hearing the distant thunder. She gasped when she saw the darkness consume the distant winter mountain ranges.
Oh Milori, please be safely away, she pleaded silently.
"Come, we must go now," Fairy Mary said, a touch of fear in her voice.
~O~
Clarion had given the order for her two remaining to ministers to lead away the last convoy of refugees from the island. She would join them in the Griffiths' meadow later. They protested, but Clarion gave them a cold stare and they obeyed without further dissent.
Away from island, Hyacinth and Redleaf could now see the cloud overrunning Never Land.
"She must leave now," Redleaf said.
"I'll go back for her," Hyacinth said, preparing to exit his carrier.
"No, we are too far away," Redleaf told him. The queen determined to be the last to leave. She would not go before everyone else had been evacuated. And if for any reason she did not make it off the island the ministers were to rule in her place until the curse was broken and she returned.
"What if she does not return?" Hyacinth questioned, jittery as he always was in stressful situations.
"She will have sacrificed herself for the greater good as she has always done for us," Redleaf said.
Hyacinth, who always carried a torch for the queen, felt as if he were betraying her.
"A new queen shall be born to take her place from a baby's first laugh," the autumn minister added. If a queen died before giving birth to a princess, then a new queen arrived like any other fairy. It was nature's way of protecting them from being without good leadership.
~O~
Fairy Gary and Terence loaded up a few extra acorn pots of yellow pixie dust. They didn't know how much time Zarina needed to grow a new pixie dust tree so they brought with them as much as possible without denying the winter fairies what they needed for the long distance journey. Bobble and Clank loaded their own tools and designs along with Tinker Bell's book of blue prints. The two tinkers noticed what everyone else did, as well. Tink and Terence sharing a longing gaze. They knew instantly why Tinker Bell had returned.
Terence was going to stay with the dust keepers, Fairy Gary, Stump, Stone and Bolt. Tinker Bell would accompanying her tinker guild mates Clank, Bobble and the recent arrival Bangle. Fairy Mary steadfastly remained by the queen's side along with the regent's four helper talents Cinda, Rhia, Grace and Lisel, as well as the queen's most trusted summoner, Viola. Fawn, Silvermist, Vidia and Iridessa jumped into their own balloon carrier which also contained their own personal items.
Rosetta was noticeably absent. Silvermist even asked where she was before remembering that the garden fairy had decided to leave with Sled. It was almost automatic for Sil and the others to expect Rosetta to be with them. Silvermist, who was usually the ditz of the group and received a considerable amount of ribbing for it, was lovingly consoled by her friends.
Somehow, incredibly, hey had done it. Every creature that swam, flew or crawled had been moved wholesale across the waters to the mainland. Along with them, thousands of fairies, millions of seeds and umpteen billion grains of pollen and pixie dust. Not a creature remained. Only Blaze, Tink's firefly friend was on the island. He waited dutifully to escort his tinker fairy.
When everyone was ready, Clarion boarded her carrier, the last to do so. She looked over Springtime Square for the last time. A lump formed in her throat. This was her home, where she ruled for over a thousand years. Now it would be gone in seconds. A tear rolled down her cheeks. Fairy Mary put her hand on Ree's shoulder.
"I'm okay," Clarion mouthed, too choked up to speak. She gave a nod. Someone in each carrier cast off and they ascended to the safety of the skies.
~O~
In the waters below, Cheese had survived his fall. His front paws rested on a chunk of gourd while his back feet peddled steadily. When the mouse fell into the water he was certain it meant his doom. A watery grave for the poor creature. Yet he somehow found his footing on a chunk of the gourd that carried him. Cheese determined where he was and realized it was too far to swim all the way to the mainland. He would give out from exhaustion and drown. Never Land was still in view, but to go there would invite being swept away by the curse. What would become of him in this distant land? Yet he understood that even the prison The Blue Fairy mentioned was better than drowning. A horribly slow and frightening way to die.
WINTER WOODS, NEVER LAND
Lord Milori has misjudged the oncoming curse. The swirling clouds enveloped the small band that trailed the leading convoy. The winds spun around and tossed him from his owl. The avian was flung from the storm. Milori, who could not fly because one wing was broken, barely snagged a dangling vine from one of the balloon carriers.
"Milori, climb," shouted Periwinkle.
He could not hear her cries, but climb he did. The Lord of Winter was unceremoniously pulled into the ice gondola. He feared for his winter fairies. How could he have made such a horrible miscalculation?
"At least our queen survives," he said. His last thoughts before fading into unconsciousness were of his most beloved Ree.
Rosetta and Sled watched as Milori barely made it to safety. Ro gasped with fear. The darkness tightened around them like a noose. She embraced her new husband. Sled turned her face into his chest and covered her body and head with his strong arms to protect her. Though he knew nothing could stop this from taking them away. He put his head to hers and closed his eyes. At once, they were all gone.
PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND
"It's following us," Tinker Bell shouted. Indeed, the thundering cloud had totally overrun the island and was turning towards them, as if seeking them out. Their fates had long been decided. Everyone knew that now. The group far ahead of them was ignored. Regina apparently only wanted Clarion. Those immediately around her were collateral damage.
Queen Clarion held on tightly to her friend, Fairy Mary. "Oh dear," the tinker said, trembling.
Milori survives, he must, was all Clarion could think about at that moment.
The clouds gobbled up every one of the trailing balloon carriers. The swirling winds tossed them around like toys. Fawn nearly fell out of hers and only an epic struggle by her friends kept her from falling. The four fairy friends gathered around in the bottom of the gondola and held tightly to one another.
Fairy Gary gripped the ropes that tethered the pixie dust covered cotton balls to the gondola. The others did the same, with Bolt wrapping a loose rope around his waist for good measure.
Tinker Bell and Terence spied one another from across the maelstrom. Terence's balloon was carried away from Tink's. He called out to her, but the roar drowned him out. He made a decision, leaping from his balloon and flying to hers. He almost didn't make it. The powerful winds nearly carrying him away.
Once aboard with Tink, he took off his acorn cap and put his arms around the little blonde fairy's waist.
"I love you, Tink," he said over the din.
"I love you, too, Terence," she answered him.
As the curse closed in around them he kissed her. It was the last thing they would remember.
STORYBROOKE, MAINE
Henry Mills stared out at the clock tower at the center of town. It was clearly visible from his second floor bedroom window. It was eight fifteen according to his alarm clock. The same as the clock tower, yet that one had never moved in his memory.
~O~
Claire Kensington sat at the bedside in the room of her youngest daughter, Tina. She held a Kindle e-Reader device in hand.
"Want me to read you a bedtime story?" she asked.
"Mo-om, I'm sixteen. I'm too old for that now," Tina protested. She was still busy with her trigonometry homework and while she would prefer almost anything else to it, being treated like a ten year old was worse.
"I'll by you ice cream after school tomorrow," Claire bribed.
"Rocky Road?"
"Rocky Road. Two scoops."
"Okay!" Tina bounded from her desk chair and into bed.
Claire tapped the device. "Okay, where did we leave off last time? Oh yes, here we are."
She began reading from the text of Peter and Wendy by author J. M. Barrie. Soon they got to the part where Tink called Peter a "silly ass."
"Wow, I don't remember Tinker Bell ever having a mouth like that," Claire said, stunned. "You are not to use that kind of language, ever. Is that understood, Tina?"
"Yes, Mom," the girl sighed. She didn't know what the fuss was about. You could hear worse on television every day, especially on premium channels like HBO.
"Good." Satisfied, she kissed her little girl on the forehead and kept reading.
~O~
Emma Swan settled into the room provided by Granny, the older woman who greeted her at the check-in counter. The young brunette whose name was Ruby, Emma learned, brought up fresh towels before going out on the town for the night. Ms. Swan lay in the bed and found it surprisingly comfortable.
~O~
The alarm clock on Henry's nightstand turned to eight sixteen. As he watched the tower, the minute hand for the first time ever, moved. He smiled. Emma was the savior. The curse was starting to break.
END EPISODE 1
Whew, that was a lot of typing. My hands hurt and my brain feels like it is melting. I do hope you enjoyed all of Episode 1. Future episodes shouldn't be this long, but there was just so much set up for both the tv show and my story. Please tell me what you thought of it. I always enjoy reading your feedback.