Edited: 04.11.22
A new day broke out on the town of Storybrooke, Maine. With the Wicked Witch now powerless and locked up tight in a jail cell in the Sheriffs Station, the town could now rest easy and carry on with their lives after the last year of memories had been restored thanks to the efforts of the local hero's and their changing counterparts.
The resident assassin had woken up in the early hours of the morning in Regina's bed in her mansion with her love sleeping soundly next to her knowing who she was and everything they had gone through to get here and that her son was sleeping just down the hall having been separated for years.
But more importantly, she remembered who everyone was. The thought of losing another decade of memories was terrifying to the woman as she didn't want go through the confusion and hurt again as she learnt how people she loved had died. And some even by her own hand. She didn't want to close her eye's again in case she fell asleep and forgotten everything again.
So instead she watched Regina sleep from her side of the bed and waited for the first rays of sunshine leaked through the closed curtains. Feeling the bed shift next to her she silently watch as Regina slowly woke up.
"Morning" the assassin gently greeted the woman next to her as their eyes met across the white pillows.
"Good morning" sleep well?"
"Better knowing you were there" she admitted to the brunette as she reached up gently stroking Regina's cheek "I remembered who you are".
"Well I hope you'll remember from now on" Regina chuckled out, but Amelia simply smiled at her attempt of the humor not hearing the assassins familiar chuckle, instead she saw the fear etching her emerald eyes as they glassed over with un-shed tears "Melia?".
"I'm scared the next time I'll fall asleep I'll forget everyone again" she admits to her love as Regina gently takes the hand that stroked her cheek, intertwining her fingers in a reassuring grip that told the redhead that she was there before bringing the assassin's hand to her lips, gently pressing them to the soft skin before placing the joined hands between them.
"You won't" she promises the assassin "I won't let that happen again".
"I know" she nods nodded before Regina close the distance between them kissing Amelia full on the lips, sealing their agreement before Regina found herself flipped onto her back with the red head hovering over her like she has done a hundred time before, but this time it was different, there was no rush between the couple as their gazes met each other.
"I love you" she tells the woman underneath her.
"Good" Regina tells her with a wide grin as she leans up capture the redhead's lips in a sweet but brief kiss before looking straight into her soulmate's eyes "I love you too".
"Good, because I'm not going anywhere Queenie".
After dragging themselves out of bed, the reunited couple found themselves in Regina's office sat on the floor in front of the white sofa sat on the blanket covered floor sitting up against on of the sofa with a glass of red wine each in their hands and a fire roaring.
"To the return of your heart" Amelia toasted holding up her glass to Regina.
"To the return of your memories" Regina retorted as she clinked her glass against Amelia's before they both took a sip of the wine.
"Touché. So how does it feel?" Amelia asks the woman next to her.
"Stronger than ever" Amelia lent forward and captured Regina in a kiss that made the witch hum into as she kissed the redhead back. Amelia suddenly felt something wrong as she leaned back to see Regina looking at her overcome with emotion looking straight at her.
"What is it?" the assassin asked her. Only for the former Queen to smile back at her in pure joy.
"I just never thought I'd have this" she admitted.
"Me too. After John, I felt like that for a time, thinking it was my fault for what happened".
"I'm sorry".
"I would have walked through hell to be with him again. In some way I have. But, when I finally admitted to myself that he was really gone, that he was never coming back, I had to let that guilt go" she says smiling at the woman in front of her "Don't get me wrong I still feel it whenever I think about him or when I see Tom now, but now it's not as..."
"Fully" Regina offered remembering the word she used to describe when she didn't have her heart.
"Exactly" the assassin breathed out in relief.
"My first love Daniel was killed because of me" Regina tells the woman "Because he loved me".
"And that's why you never wanted to open yourself up again" the redhead concluded.
"Tinkerbell told me it was possible. I could love again. She led me to a tavern, to a person who she said I was destined to be with. I never saw their face. But" Regina paused picking up Amelia's right forearm that was uncovered by the long sleeve she wore looking at her lion tattoo "I did see this tattoo".
In the year in the Enchanted Forest she never had the chance to tell her the truth about that night for her, but now felt right now more than ever.
"I know" Amelia slowly admitted to the woman making the former Queen look at her with furrowed brows.
"What?" she whispered.
"Tink" the redhead started as gently took her arm away from the Queen "The night she took you to the tavern, she stayed behind to find the person that the pixie dust found after you ran away. She told me about a Queen that I needed to find. That I had a special connection to her. That I was her-"
"Soulmate" Regina finished for the redhead.
"The same night John and I docked the Godspeed to re-supply and to meet his friend. The same night I found out I was pregnant with Tom".
Yes the former Queen remembered. Back on Neverland Amelia had told all about that night, how Amelia had refused Tink's offer to find her to be happy.
"You were happy" Regina simply stated as she moved herself closer to the assassin to gently move her hair out of her face "That's why you didn't come and find me".
"I was" she admits "When we first met, there was something, about you that I couldn't stop thinking about".
"Even when Snow and I were surrounded by those mercenaries?".
"Especially then, you looked fearless. You didn't listen to me then and you still don't" the pair broke out in laughter as they recounted their first meeting "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner I just couldn't find the right time".
"Maybe things work out when they're supposed to" her Queen tells her "Maybe it's all about timing" the former Queen adds before closing the distance between them once again, in a kiss that told the assassin that they would be okay. As long as they were together they could face anything.
The potluck to celebrate the new born royal was in full swing once she and Regina arrived. She was glad the Charming couple had stripped back all the pomp and circumstance that usually came with the naming day. She really hated royal celebrations.
From wedding's to funerals. But royal engagement parties were the worst. She was usually dragged to all the events by the Evil Queen but she hated engagements the most because all the good wine and mead would be saved for the wedding celebrations that made the event somewhat bearable. They were also boring as hell.
The assassin had found herself sat in the same red booth with the Charming couple and their newborn nestled in his mother arms. It didn't seem that long ago since the teen sat in-between her and Rudy was that small. She remembered how much smaller he used to look in his father larger arms.
A small smile graced her face at the memory as she watched him listening to the story Henry was telling his Uncle from the storybook, re-telling the moment the couple opposite her had met for what it seemed like the hundredth time.
They had reached the part of the story where Snow was about to steal the ring from Prince James's carriage. She remembered that day clearly. She already well established as the Black Widow and feared among the people, she had contacts throughout the Enchanted Forest and had Monteriggioni prospering.
She also owned many establishments throughout the Forest that brought in regular income into her home, including taverns. They came in use to catch a whisper of where a target was through the loose lips of sailors that frequented them after a few drinks.
In between contracts with Rumpelstiltskin and taking out her own vengeance she decided to reach out to the runaway Princess and teach her a few things about surviving on her own. She taught her how to hunt, how to climb trees and how to defend herself against anyone who tried to harm her and more importantly how to steal.
"And that's when the bandit leaped on top of the carriage and stole the Prince's jewels. As the Prince chased the thief on horseback through the treacherous forest" Henry read off the page.
"Really?" Emma whines at her parents and she and Hook joined the group "I can't hear the kid's name yet, but I have to hear this story again?".
"Well, my son should know where he comes from" David tells his daughter.
"Are you sure you want the first thing he knows to be that his parents fell in love during an armed robbery?" Emma pointed out.
"I wasn't armed!" Mary Margaret argued.
"Except with a rock" Ruby corrected her best friend from next to Tom who laughed at the adults around him.
"She was only defending herself the way I taught her how to" Amelia defended the former princess.
"Where were you in all this?" Emma curiously asked the red head.
"Weren't you already working for my Mom at that point" Henry pointed out as Tom turned in is seat to look at his mother.
"I was" she admits to the group "I the one who had to save your Mother's ass when she got into trouble" the red head drawled out to the blonde before she looked towards the twelve year old "I kept your grandmother out of the Queen's way, for years. When I save someone once I make sure it wasn't a waste of my time"
"I still have the scar" David pointed out on his face.
"If it was me Charming, you'd be left with more than just the one scar" Amelia dryly retorted with a tight lipped smile.
"Which healed" Mary Margaret told her husband, she looked down at her son "But that's just how we met. It's not how we fell in love"
"Yeah, that was a bit more complicated" David says as he turns the page over, revealing an illustration of himself fighting off Black Knights "See? There were Black Knights, and I saved your mother's life" he told his infant son.
"Those knights were pathetic" Amelia grumbled to herself "Henry could've beaten them".
Mary Margaret turns to the next page, showing an illustration of herself at the Troll Bridge transforming the trolls into cockroaches "And the attack on the Troll Bridge when I saved his" she tells him.
They continue to turn pages to one illustrating Snow White trying on the green diamond ring "But it wasn't until I saw my mother's ring on her finger that I knew in my heart there was no other woman I would ever love" David continued.
"You should've told me then" Mary Margaret told her husband "We would have saved so much time".
"You could've saved us all that time Shepard" Amelia told the Prince earning a chuckle from the Prince and the others at the table.
"Well, how could I? I had to get to my wedding" he argued.
"Sorry?" Hook interrupted the couple "Did I miss something? You were previously betrothed, mate?".
"To Kathryn" Ruby pointed out to the blonde across the diner to where Kathryn is chatting with Granny "Though, she was Princess Abigail back then".
"King Midas' daughter? The man who can turn anything into gold? Why would you leave that opportunity?" Emma hit Hook with the back of her hand in the stomach.
"Hey!" the princess exclaimed in protest.
"Well, what can I say, my heart was destined for another" David smoothed out the subject quickly.
"You just had to find her first" David laughed at Ruby's joke "She ran away and was living on a farm"
"Oh, that sounded like such a peaceful life at the time. Leave everyone and everything behind" Mary Margaret mused.
"Like mother, like daughter" Hook commented taking a swig of his drink making the redhead look at the blonde.
"Hook" Emma chastised him.
"What is he talking about?" Henry voiced from in-between his grandparents. Emma looks startled and confused on how to respond. Picking up on his daughter's situation, David reaches for the storybook and turns a page.
"Uh, should we read more stories?" David tries to resume only to be interrupted by Regina who had overheard the conservation.
"Actually, I'd like to know what the pirate is talking about" she tells the savoir.
"Ditto on the Queen" the redhead added.
"It's nothing" she tried to brush the Evil Queen off the topic.
"You're not planning on going back to New York, are you?" Regina asked Emma keeping her on topic.
"Why would we go back to New York?" Henry voiced from his seat.
"You're not. Right, Ms. Swan?" the former Queen challenged the blonde.
"Actually, it's complicated" Emma answered.
"Why would we leave? This is our home" Henry told his mother.
"Henry, this isn't the time or place".
"I think it is" Amelia said siding with Regina.
"No, it's not" she tells the group leaving the diner in a huff.
"I'll talk to her" Hook offered he went to leave only for Henry to call him back.
"Wait, take this it might help her remember where she belongs" He hands Hook the storybook before leaving to catch up with the blonde.
"It's gonna be all right. She's just stubborn like her mo-" Stops himself, realizing what he is about to say "Like all of our family" he saves himself.
Henry notices something outside "Uh, Grandpa?" the concern in Henry's voice makes the family look out of the window to see a beam of light going up into the sky just as Gold entered the diner with Belle.
"That is a problem" Amelia's uncle informs the group "That light is from Zelena's time portal. It's open".
Leaving Tom and Henry in the diner, Amelia and Regina followed David, Gold and Belle to the station to check in on Zelena only to see her cell empty once they got inside.
"Zelena. She's gone" David announced to the others as they got to the bull pen.
"No!" Regina exclaimed "She was here when I left her" Regina tells the group.
"But if she escaped, that would explain the time portal" Belle pointed out.
"Impossible. Without her pendant, she's powerless. How could she have escaped, let alone open a time portal without magic?" she asks herself and look at Gold "Unless you did something to her" All eyes in the room including the assassin's turning to look at her Uncle.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but no" he tells them "Even if I wanted to, Belle has my dagger. She would certainly curb any homicidal tendencies" he explains to the group.
"It's true" Belle backed her fiancé up.
"Well, if she escaped, let's find out how" David says as he goes to the small monitor that is connected to two security cameras'. One was pointing at the cells and the other to the exit.
"Wonderful" the redhead and Belle seemed to hear come from the older mans lips making them both look at him while Regina made herself comfortable in front of the small monitor.
The footage comes onto the monitor, showing Zelena sitting in her cell. On the other side of the room, unknown to the others Mr. Gold magically waves his hand towards the monitor, causing the screen to go to static.
"What's that? What just happened?" the former Evil Queen asked the Prince.
"Yeah, we could use an upgrade" he mumbled "Stupid Betamax".
"My bar has better security than this place" Amelia tells the second Sheriff as the footage resumed.
The footage showed Zelena backing herself up on the back wall using magic to turn herself into a porcelain statue, which promptly breaks and turns into rubble. Regina's jaw drops as Amelia's fists clench in anger.
"Well, it seems her great escape was of a more permanent nature. I won't ask for an apology" the dark one tells the group.
"She must've had just enough residual magic to do herself in" Regina said out loud in realization "And when she did, when she was gone, the magic in her pendant had no tether. It was set free. Her last wish fulfilled".
"So how do we un-fulfill it?" Amelia asked the witch and sorcerer present.
"Excellent question Amelia" he acknowledged his nieces question "But until we figure it out, no one should go near it. A trip to the past can have catastrophic repercussions".
Enchanted Forest.
Many Years Ago.
Emma and Hook landed with a thump on a forest floor after they fell through the portal that Zelena was trying to open only a day previous.
"No,no " Emma groaned out as the pair stood up from the ground and brushed the leaves off their clothes as they took in their surroundings.
"Appears we're back in the Enchanted Forest" Hook announced to Emma.
"Yeah I got that" she retorted.
"The only question is when?" he continued as Emma looked up to see something nailed to a tree "Swan?"
"I've got a pretty good idea" Emma tells Hook as he looks in the same direction to see a poster pinned to a tree reading
WANTED.
Snow White.
For crimes against the Queen:
Murder. Treason. Treachery.
"I suppose we're lucky we wound up in this time" Hook said out load "We could've appeared in the middle of the Ogre Wars or smack dab in the belly of a whale" he glanced and notices Emma reading the book "Why are you reading that now?" he asks the blonde.
"Cause when we were falling through, I was thinking about Henry and the story we were all reading at Granny's" Emma explained to the man.
"You think that time portals work like any other sort? They take you back to where you're thinking of?".
"Not where. When" she clarified.
"Excellent deduction" Hook replies as he picks up the leather bag Henry kept the book in outside the loft "Alas, it appears they share another quality. They don't stay open for the return trip" Hook took the book from Emma and slid it back into the shoulder bag.
"Nope. We're trapped in the past. I should have left Storybrooke the instant we defeated Zelena. This is exactly the kind of thing that does not happen in New York".
"On the bright side real estate's much more reasonable here" Hook dryly pointed out to the blonde.
"Don't".
"I understand your frustration. But we've been in dire straits before. There's no need to be antsy. We have our wits. We just have to focus on being constructive" he paused looking around, and he looked between both sister "So, any ideas how to go back?".
"How would I know how to get back to the future? Who do I look like? Marty McFly?".
"Marty Mc – who?" Hook asked Emma.
"The kid with the lightning and the DeLorean and they went back in time and then he –" Emma tried to explain but wasn't working.
"Is he some sort of wizard?" Hook interrupted her.
"No, Marty McFly is not a wizard. He's –" Emma paused as a thought came to her mind "Maybe a wizard is exactly what we need. We could find Rumplestiltskin" In the distance hoofbeats of approaching horses can be heard making Emma stop talking.
"Hyah! Hyah!" they heard someone call out.
"Black knights" Hook quietly warns the blonde. gently, he pushes Emma out of sight. They hide behind a tree as the knight rode past them, one they were cleared they ducked down behind foliage in the road they saw a group of Black Knights ride past them followed by an ornate black and white carriage. The black knights on the ground were pushing villagers into a line waiting for the arrival of the Queen.
The carriage stopped and the door was opened to reveal Regina or as she was presently. The Evil Queen. She was wearing a red dress that opened at the front either a bodice or leather riding pants, and a red and black hat adorned with feather's.
The Evil Queen walked in front of the villagers' with confidence and darkness surrounding her "Listen to me very carefully. Whatever squalor and despair your pathetic little lives have been able to tolerate until this point is nothing compared to the pain and misery I can inflict if I leave here unhappy".
"That's Regina" Emma observed.
"Not Regina, love. The Evil Queen" Hook corrects the savior.
"You will help me" the Evil Queen announced to the villagers.
"She's even worse without the sensible pantsuits" Emma commented on the Queen's dress.
An elderly man Emma recognized as Marco. No Geppetto stepped up to face the Queen "Please, Your Majesty. We're a peaceful village. What do you want from us?" he beseeches the Queen.
"That's Marco" Emma pointed out
"Justice" The Evil Queen answered the man before pacing back up the line "If I find out, anyone in this village has helped the bandit Snow White they will suffer dearly. Here's what helping Snow White looks like" she gestures to her guards. A set of guards escort two people into the village both their faces covered by a knapsack. A woman in a simple dress and cloak and a well-built man in a heavy tunic and breeches.
The guards took the knapsacks off the prisoners heads to reveal their faces. The man had long swept back blonde hair with a full beard looking completely grief stricken. He didn't even react as he kept his eyes on the ground as the woman next to him panicked.
"Help me!" the female prisoner called out to the helpless villagers "She's gonna kill me".
"Who wants to be next?" The Evil Queen offered the villagers with an evil smirk.
"Please" the prisoner begged for her life as the Evil Queen laughs at her prisoners suffering. Emma moves in order to interfere. Hook reach out to stop her.
"Wait. What are you doing" he seethes at her trying to keep his voice down.
"I'm helping that woman. She's just an innocent –".
"No, Swan" he protested "When Belle figured out Zelena wanted to change the past she warned us it was dangerous. Messing with events could do untold damage to all of us".
"I'm supposed to let them rot or die?".
"Whatever their fate we can't interfere. Not, if we want a chance at getting back to the world we know".
"We need to find Rumple. The sooner we get out of here, the better".
"Aye. Agreed".
After a quick costume change for Emma to fit in better with her new surroundings, the pair set off to find the Dark One in his castle to try and find a way home. Seeing the Evil Queen in her prime made the savior's mind wonder to her partner in crime at the time. The Black Widow. She was surprised not to see the woman with Regina but then she remembered what the redhead had told her in the diner not even a few hours ago.
She was actively trying to keep her mother out of the Queen's way while serving her trying to arrest her.
Her thoughts were interrupted when they came to a sudden stop in front of a fallen tree as they heard the sound of more horses behind them with men shouting behind them.
Taking the blonde by the arm the Hook directed them off the road "It could be the Queen again" he warned her as they both ran to the edge of the road and crouch down onto the forest floor out of sight as a couple of knights in pure white capes rode by followed by a white carriage.
"Whoa. Whoa" a knight eased his horse to stop in the procession behind them seeing the fallen tree in front of them.
"Milord!" a second knight call out behind him. they watched as a familiar man in matching brown leather breeches and doublet left the carriage and walked to the knights in front of the fallen tree.
"Worry not" Prince James called back to his fiancee in the carriage as he made his way to the tree that had paused their journey.
"Is that-?" Emma asked out load seeing her father from the past only to realize at what point of their story they had stumbled upon.
"Your father. We should go" Hook tries to move, but Emma looked up to see Snow White huddled up against a tree as the blonde looks back and forth between Snow White and Prince Charming smiling to herself.
This is the moment she steals the ring. Crouching down again Emma accidentally breaks a twig. Startled by the noise Snow White in the tree making her lose her balance before eventually falling to the ground.
"Look at these markings" he shows one of the knights "This tree didn't fall. It's been cut. It's an ambush" Charming and the knights draw their swords ready for their would be attackers.
"We need to get this log moved. Now" the second knight exclaims in panic. Snow watches the knights and then decides to flee seeing the missed opportunity, knowing a certain redheaded friend of hers was going to be mightily annoyed with her once she found her near the docks.
Emma and Hook could only watch as the Prince and his knights easily move the tree out of the way to resume their journey having evaded being robbed.
Having realized what she had done, Emma cringes to herself as she and Hook emerge from the ditch to see the retreating forms of the knights in the distance.
"You know that thing about small changes having consequences?" Emma starts
"Uh- huh" Hook anwsers remembering his own warnings of changing the past to the blode not long ago. Quizzically, he turns around to face Emma and find's her still staring off into the distance
"What about big changes?" Emma clarifies.
"Why? What did we do?"
"That bandit was Snow White. This was the moment my parents first met".
"And because of us, now they didn't".
The Rook's Tavern,
Somewhere near the Dark Palace
"What do you mean you fell?" Amelia quietly spat at the younger woman beside her as she gripped the railing of the balcony that overlooked her tavern.
It was a usual night in the popular establishment. Sailors pulling courtesans and bar maids in their laps as they enjoyed their few day's on dry land signing joyfully on yet another successful voyage. Travelers parching their dry throats with mead in mugs as they enjoyed their first hot meal in days. Dancers twirled between tables entertaining the patrons as the ate and drank their troubles away unaware of the information they were so readily giving to the assassin's staff to be used against them or the small valuable trinkets from gold rings to the occasional jewel encrusted glass eye that were being lifted from their pockets and handed off to one of her thieves.
"I heard someone, and I fell just as the carriage stopped" Snow tells her in a whisper from underneath her thick hood that hid her face from every man and woman brave enough to try to claim the bounty that was on her head for their own "It got away" she frets to the assassin,
"I taught you better than that Snow" Amelia reprimanded the young woman as she led the girl down the wooden staircase that led to the ground floor.
"Lia, I tried" she whined as she followed after her, keeping her face from view.
She knew it was risky coming here, as everyone and anyone looking to make some quick coin came to the tavern hoping to find a job the mercenary Lance could give them in return for a small portion of the profit they had made going straight to the assassin.
And if it wasn't contracts they were after, men with large coin pouches and equally large ego's tried their hand at the not so secret high stakes games that she hosted in her taverns. Lord's, noblemen and even some royalty owed her some money from when they didn't know when to quit. All willing to gamble all their money away to be able to say they managed to win against the Black Widow.
Very few did though. But she was desperate. She needed the money from the robbery to fund a trip out of the Enchanted Forest, and away from her step-mother. To run.
Nothing more was said between the pair as Amelia sought out Puck at the bar who was stood behind the bar. Their eyes met over the crowd as she silently told him with he needed to keep an eye out while she dealt with Snow in her room that doubled as an office whenever she got a spare moment to go over the tavern's accounts herself.
The Rook's was just one of the many tavern's she owned that would earn her enough coin to re-invest in Monteriggioni and hunt down her former brothers.
Letting herself and Snow into the room, the bandit was able to relax a bit more when she saw her old friend close the door behind her knowing they wouldn't be disturbed, she let her hood down to reveal her face to the assassin in front of her.
"I can't always bail you out Snow" she points out to the younger woman as she rounds her desk.
"Well If you weren't working for her, I wouldn't have to" she argues.
"If I wasn't working for her you would've been caught already" she growled lowly at the Princess making her look away hearing the disappointment in her voice "I saw you speaking to Blackbeard, how much does he want?".
"Double" she answered her.
"Which really means triple" the redhead mumbles to herself as she takes a seat to think over Snow's newest problem. She was used to helping the princess turned bandit. Hell she even taught her how to survive, but there was so much she could do without Regina sticking her perfectly shaped nose in her business.
"What do we do now Lia? Her knights are everywhere, and villages are risking everything to help me".
Letting a frustrated sigh pass through her nose the assassin paused to think of their next steps.
"For now," she started getting up from her seat "Stay here for the night, I'll give you my room, its safe, secure, and it's furthest away from the main floor, let me speak to a few contacts of mine, if not I'll remind Blackbeard how much coin he already owes me"
"Lia you don't have-".
"There are Bounty Hunters out there, if they see you, I'll have to kill them….again" Snow shut her mouth at that "But luckily for you some are more scared of me than the Queen. Get some rest Snow. Lock the door behind me" she says handing the key to her room to the former Princess before heading back into the tavern.
After Rumpelstiltskin had found them on the trail to his castle. Emma had to tell him the truth about being from the future to stop him from killing Hook. Once in the castle the sorcerer escorted them into the elaborate dining room that held his spinning wheel.
"Thank you, Mr. Gol-" she stops herself mid-sentence to correct herself "Rumplestiltskin, for believing us. I know that time travel is hard to swallow".
The Dark one turns to face the time travellers "Not as hard as the other mystery you've presented me" he points at Hook "Why haven't I killed him?".
"If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't for lack of efforts" Hook tells him "Let's just say we bury the hatchet".
"Yes, but why not in your skull".
A voice they recognize makes the three turn to the door to see none other than Belle walk in hesitantly seeing his guest "Oh, Rumplestiltskin. You're back. Do you, uh, do you need anything?" she asks him.
"Belle" Emma greets the woman by her name.
Belle looks at Emma confused "So, do we know each other?".
"Sorry, no. Mr. um- Rumple, the Dark One told me about you" Emma covers herself again.
"Did he?" Belle looks at Rumple intrigued that he spoke about her to his guests.
"No" Rumple disagrees he lift his hand up and waves at Belle dismissively "Go away and read a book or whatever it is you like to do. Come back and clean later".
"You could ask nicely" Belle retorts walking out of the room.
"I could also turn you into a toad" Rumpelstiltskin retorts.
"It's a miracle you two fall for each other" Emma muttered quietly to Hook as Belle left.
Rumplestiltskin laughed at her comment "What? I mean, first you tell me I let the pirate live. Now you're telling me I fall for the help".
"Yes" Hook interrupted him "She has a strange sense of humor. But let's get back to her parents" Hook suggested to the Dark.
"Yes. Who are they?" he asks the woman turning away to sit at the head of the dining table.
"Snow White and Prince Charming" Emma answers.
"Prince Charming?" he queries with the blonde not familiar with the nickname their mother gave him.
"His real name is Prince James" Emma clarified.
"King George's son, whose wedding I've just arranged?" he questions her.
"See, that's what I'm trying to tell you" Emma continues "This marriage isn't supposed to happen because the ring he was going to give her gets stolen by Snow".
"It's quite a tale you're spinning".
"Here, let me show you. It's in the book" Hook swings his bag around to take out Henry's storybook and gives it to Emma. She approaches the Dark One at the table. Emma opens the book to shows Rumple Henry's storybook. Turning the pages, she notices they're blank.
"Wait. What?" Emma whispered in shock.
"It's all gone" Hook said from behind her "Anything that was supposed to happen after they met has disappeared".
"The ripple effect" The Dark One tells them "Once you change something in the past, anything from that point forward becomes uncertain. The future, as you can see, is a blank page".
"We need to get Snow to steal that ring, so we can put their story back on track" the savior informed the Dark One.
"You're in luck. There's a ball tonight at King Midas' castle. Prince James will be there and so will his ring".
"So, we just need to get Snow there".
"How? We don't even know where she is" Hook queried with the Dark One.
Rumplestiltskin clear's his throat and stand's from chair "Allow me" he walks over to a crystal ball. Waving his hand over it the crystal ball shows Snow White sitting opposite of a man with a long black beard.
"There she is" Emma sighed out in relief.
Hook looks over her shoulder watching the image "She's with Black Beard. She's trying to secure passage on his ship" he says only to see the pirate leave the bandit.
"And, it appears failing" Rumple adds.
"She can't escape the Queen without the money she's supposed to get for the ring".
Emma turns to Rumplestiltskin "Can you help us?".
"Help you? I can work on get your portal to the future open again. But getting your parents together?" he points at Emma "You made that mess, dearie. Only you know what you did. Now go, undo it".
"But there is someone I can send you to" he waved his hand again for a map to appear in the blonde's hand "Seek out the owner of this tavern" he tells them pointing to a place on the map with a sharp finger nail "She'll assist you in your endeavors one you tell her Snow White is involved. She has an annoying soft spot for the Princess" then he leaves them in a ploom of red smoke.
"If she's looking for passage out of town, I might know a ship's captain who might help us" Hook spoke up.
She turned to Hook "Who?".
Hook smiles at the savior "Me".
Emma rolled her eyes at the man before looking back at the map "Let's find this woman first, if he's right she'll help, we just need to find the place".
"What's the place called luv?".
"The Rooks?" Hook's demeanour dropping knowing the establishment well or the owner better.
"Aye, I know where it is" he tells the blonde darkly not wanting to go near the place. Emma looked at Hook in anticipation.
"Well?".
"I hope you're ready to stop the second person that's going to try and kill me today".
Following the map Rumpelstiltskin had given to them the pair they had easily found the tavern near some docks as they sat down at an empty bench, the easily blended into the crowd while trying to seek out the owner of said tavern, the one that said would help them.
Hook seemed oddly uncomfortable his eyes twitching in every direction searching for the owner of the establishment as she looked for any sign of Snow White "What's wrong with you?" the blonde questioned the pirate "I thought you'd be at home here".
"Aye, but not this place" he continued to search the balcony and then come to stop when he found the person, he was dreading to come across again in the past. Emma found that he was looking at.
"Bloody hell" he swore to himself once he found her.
It was Amelia.
"Is that…" Emma gaped staring wide eyed at the woman above them "Lia?".
"Aye, our friendly assassin. But here she's the bloody Black Widow" he clenched his jaw in nervousness if he remembers right, she isn't so friendly or forgiving towards him.
Emma looked closely as she could at the bar owner. She was in a long-sleeved blouse with a blue overcoat and tight riding pants. The outfit looks French as well as her hair she was overlooking the tavern closely keeping an eye on the patrons that sung drunkenly as she continued to talk to a slender figure she recognized as Puck.
Quick AN: Look up Elise de la Serre (Assassin's Creed: Unity) for outfit/ hairstyle.
He talks into her ear as she held onto the banister looking over the patrons and nods along, occasionally replying to the younger man "How bad could she be?" the savior asks him
"Very, if we don't leave right now" he says as he stands up from the wooden bench grabbing Emma by her arm and started to drag her out of the tavern.
A couple of whistles came from the balcony, as two large men stood in front of the door with their arms folded stopping them from leaving.
"Captain Hook!" Amelia's voice stopped the music that was playing as the other patrons suddenly went quiet making him and Emma whirl around to see the redhead effortlessly vault over the banister and land on one of the tables in heeled boots.
"Uh oh" Hook mumbled to himself.
"Uh oh? What do you mean uh oh? Pirates don't say uh oh" Emma whispered to him.
"Let's just say myself and the assassin aren't on such friendly terms presently as we are in Storybrooke" he quickly told her as they watch Amelia walk, no prowl down the table towards them missing all the pitchers of ale on the table and step off the table to face the pirate. The patrons went back to their conversations ignoring the red head actions as she stepped off the table back onto the floor.
The redhead looked right past the blonde as she zeroed in on the leather clad pirate next to her.
"Hook" she states "If you're here that only means you have the money you owe me. Do you?" she growled the last two words.
Hook stepped forward and put on a charming smile to try to appease the angry woman in front of him "Alas not today my Lady Montague, myself and my acquaintance for the night were just leaving" he turned to leave only for the men to stop them again.
"You're not going anywhere tonight pirate" Emma watched as Amelia's eyes raked up and down the blonde's body making Emma to awkwardly clear her throat "How about I take your whore off your hook for the night so you can get the coin you owe me" her lip quirked up in the corner.
"What about Regina?" Emma said too quickly. Amelia snapped her head to look at Emma in anger.
"Hold your tongue, or you'll find it on the floor!" she snaps at the woman making her jump back in fright.
"Easy love there's no need to cut anyone's tongue out" Hook went to touch Amelia's shoulder only for one of the men that blocked them from the door reach out and yank his hand back and force him head first into a nearby table with the offending arm held against his back painfully
"Take them out back" one of the men hauled Hook by the back of his neck as the other took one of Emma's shoulder and escorted them down a hallway and shoved into a room with large mahogany desk and a small table that held a glass canister full of amber liquid
"So, what now?" Emma asked the pirate.
"I have no idea" he answered as the door was opened to reveal the female assassin. It shut with a bang as she ignored the pair in her office as she headed for the small table of the amber liquid, they stayed silent as Amelia poured out a generous amount of the liquid and moves to stand in front of the desk taking a sip of the drink
"So, you need a ring stolen from a Prince" she started taking a sip from her drink.
Emma's mouth stammered "H-how?"
"Rumpelstiltskin sent me a bird with a message that you two need my assistance stealing a ring from a Prince to give to Snow White"
"That's right" Hook answered as she took another sip before placing the glass behind her.
Amelia looked straight at Emma, the blonde visibly gulped under the Black Widows gaze "You, I'm not allowed to ask for your name, why is that?"
Emma stammered again not answering "Amelia luv-" Hook started to speak but she stopped him
"Let get one thing straight pirate" she spat at him "The only reason I'm helping is that the Dark One has offered to pay of your debt to me, tenfold to what you owe me, so we can move forward when your whore for the night tells me her name or I can send you both straight the Queen. No Snow. No ring".
"Emma, my name is Emma" the savoir tells the redhead her name.
"Well then Emma what's the plan?".
The plan was ready. All Amelia had to do was get Snow to the Jolly Roger for her to meet Hook, thus sending her to steal the ring from the Prince. She tried to ask Emma and Hook why she needed to do it, but their answers were vague. Oddly it was enough for her to trust the pair. Especially the blonde. She reminded her of someone, but couldn't put a label on it.
Arm in arm with their hoods covering their face Amelia led Snow through the docks heading for the ship."Lia, I'm not sure about this" Snow whispered to the redhead.
"Everything's fine Snow. This Captain owes me a favor, he'll get you out of the Enchanted Forest for something in return" Snow looked at her concerned at what the Captain might have in mind "Nothing like that Snow" she tried to reassure the woman "If he does I'll be there to kill him".
"Thank you, Lia. I don't know what I would do without you. You saved my father's life when I was younger. I'm indebted to you".
"Pay me back by having a life Snow, that's all I ask".
"Where do you think I should go?".
"I'll be giving the Captain a course to a place called Arendelle. I have a few friends there; they'll help you settle until I can reach you and take you further from the Queens reach".
"Is it nice there?" a small smile grew on Amelia's face as she remembered her short stay there.
"It's beautiful, you'll love it there and you'll especially love their Queen and her sister".
"Why don't you come with me, get away from her once and for all".
"I can't I have work to do here first" Amelia told her just as they reached the ship. The assassin stepped up to the gangplank first and led Snow onto the ship to be greeted by Smee, the ships first mate.
"We're here to see the Captain" Amelia told the first mate making him jump at the robe clad woman with the hood in front of him.
"R-r-right this way Lady Widow" he stammered in fear. Amelia looked back and motioned Snow forward with her head as Smee opened the hatch on the back of the ship that led to the Captains Quarters.
Snow moved around her childhood heroine and climbed down the hatch to face the Captain holding her future leaving the redhead to wait on the deck for her to come back as Smee kept looking at her like he wanted to say something.
"What is it Smee?" she sighed out impatience.
"H-have you noticed something off with the Captain this evening" the first mate asked the assassin.
"No" she answered shaking her head dismissively at the man "Why would I care?".
"I-I he just seems different".
"Shut up Smee" she tells him plainly.
"Yes Mam" he quickly says walking away from the deadly assassin.
Once Snow had emerged from the Captain's cabin with a plan starting to form in her head of how she was going to steal the ring off the Prince, the assassin decided to remain behind to wait for Emma and Hook. Blending into the small crowd she watched from the bench as Emma appeared with a man that oddly resembled Hook on her arm. Only she hadn't seen Hook leave the cabin since coming here.
"What the-" she gasped as she moved in to get a closer look.
They were hiding something. She was going to find out what.
She watched as Emma entered the Captain's cabin first before she moved swiftly to the deck of the ship to tap 'Hook' on the shoulder. He whirled around almost tipped over in his drunken state to see her waiting for him.
"Bloody hell" he drawled. Her nose scrunched up in disgust smelling the drink on his breath "It's you"
"Goodnight Hook" she stated swiftly sending a closed fist into his face, senidn him tumbling down the hole onto the floor of the Captain's Cabin.
Inside Emma and present Hook were taken out of their argument when past Hook fell through the ceiling onto the hard floor out cold. The two ran to the hatch and looked up to see Amelia looking down at them with a scowl on her face.
"Uh oh" Emma squeaked out seeing the older woman above them.
"We need to talk. Now" she told the pair before walking away, leaving Emma wide eyed in panic.
They were in trouble. Big trouble.
"You're saying you're from the future" Amelia started after Emma and Hook finished explaining as they walked towards King Midas gold castle.
"Yeah. Why aren't you more shocked by this" Emma asked the red head, the Assassin didn't seem shocked to hear that she and Hook had come thirty years in the future.
"Time travel has always been on the Brotherhoods agenda for years. We just haven't been able to figure out how without magic" she tells the travelers "Does this mean you know me in the future?"
"I don't think we can answer that love" Future Hook answered the red head.
"Preserving your future. Smart" she concludes "But you are adamant on getting Snow to steal that ring? You know her" she easily deduced.
"You have no idea" Emma breathed out as they came to the edge of the forest that overlooked the golden castle. Even the darkness the gold castle seemed to glow in the distance.
It felt nice to be able to speak to someone about everything they had been going through, but they couldn't tell her everything. This is what she missed while the woman had years of memory taken away from her, knowing she could speak to her without being judged to quickly by her parents. That's why she went to her when Tamara was sniffing around Storybrooke. She was able to lean on the woman whenever everything got too much.
"Can I ask you something?" Emma spoke to the Assassin getting the red head's attention once they had come to a stop overlooking the castle as the redhead's eagle flew above them "Why have you been helping Snow all this time?"
The assassin paused as she thought of her answer "My father, cared for her. He died a number of years ago, I felt that if he isn't here to protect her, then it should be me" Emma's eyes softened at the mention of the male assassin she had met on Neverland as Hook's head fell knowing his true demise on the Jolly Roger after refusing to drink the water from Dead Man's Peak. "I do it with the hope day she won't need my help anymore that she'll be able to stand up to the Queen on her own. She needs to learn how to stop running from her problems like I had to, she just needs a little nudge in the right direction"
"Even at the risk of the Queen finding out and killing you?" Hook asks the Assassin.
"Isn't the risk of getting caught, half the fun of it" she quips at the man with a playful grin "Besides, I have my own vengeance to carry out with Snow safe I can finish it once and for all"
That's right. She needed to finish hunting down her former brothers for killing her first love and taking her son away. She had managed kill them all by the time the curse was cast. But maybe Emma could save her from her heart turning complexly dark, if she knew that Tom was alive and Rumpelstiltskin was her Mothers brother, she would stop and save herself from the darkness.
"I should be leaving" Amelia's voice made Emma come out of her thoughts "The Queen is expecting me soon. I wish you luck on your mission"
Amelia turned to leave the pair only for Emma to call her back "Wait!" Emma stammered not sure how to start as Amelia looked back at the blonde with a questioning eye "If I told you, you had family, I mean real family here and alive today. Would you stop?"
"Luv no" Hook tried to warn the savior before she told of her son's survival and her relation to the Dark One, that information would put Amelia on a completely different course, not falling for the Queen and ensuring Emma's survival and journey to the world without magic.
"No" Amelia answered her question anyway "I think I'm too far in to stop now. I need to see it through".
"Then why do you keep going?" Emma retorted making the woman turn to face her fully with a raised brow "If you have to fight every day for something you might not get in the end, it's exhausting"
The redhead saw that the woman was speaking from experience somehow. She was asking these questions for herself.
"You might not see it" the redhead started "But there are moments. Moments I get to breathe and be myself from before I lost everything. They come far and few between the next fight. the next contract, the next kill. I fight to get to the next one each time because I know I'll be worth it in the end".
"You live your moments" Emma concluded for the redhead remembered what her parents had told her while they were fighting Pan.
"Exactly" Amelia breathed approaching the blonde taking her hand and guiding her closer to the edge of the cliff "You can't worry about the future because you'll miss the present" Amelia took the woman's them pointed to the night sky "Take the stars" Emma looked out into the horizon as the night sky blanketed the land with star's littered across them.
"Notice how they're scattered. Some not as far but some further away. There's darkness in between every single one of them, to get from one star to the next you have to got through the darkness to them"
"The stars are the moments" Emma deduced the analogy.
"Smart girl" the older redhead told her "Each star is a moment, the birth of your child, a first kiss, the time you get to spend with those closest to you, telling someone you love them, the moment you wake up next to the person you love to start a new day. The small things"
"Now the hard part is getting between them, because there's no magic in any world that get you from one star to the next without a little fight in between each one, there're are gonna be day's where you want to give up and leave, turn your back on everything, you've built to get to the next but then you have to remember why you have to get to the next star, because without that fight…well then there's not much point living after that"
"You sound like my Mom" Emma mused to the Assassin turning her head to look at the red head who was stood on the very edge of the cliff next to her
"Well she sound's like a smart woman to have a daughter like you" she told her with a small smile "I hope you find what you're looking for in the end Emma" with a nod Amelia walked towards the forest to find her way to the Queen.
"Keep her safe pirate" she called out to Hook making the man smile at the red head "or you'll have me to worry about".
"Aye. Milady Montague" Hook told the redhead with a smile.
Once they were alone Hook looked to Emma who had a sad smile on her face watching where the Assassin had left them.
"Swan" Hook started.
"I had to ask" she told the pirate as she felt a tear escape her eye.
"She's found her happiness with the Queen and her boy back in Storybrooke, even if took a lifetime to find It"
"I know" Emma finally accepted "I just had to know".
After the Assassin's exit Emma was left by herself as Hook answered the call of nature watching the fireworks lit up the night sky in bursts of color. She could not feel a little disappointed at Amelia's acceptance of her heart growing darker each time she killed her old family. but her path of vengeance also set her on the path to fall for Regina and find her happiness in the Queen once and for all.
But what really had stick with her was about living for moments speech, it almost resembled a speech Mary Margaret had given to her just recently. With the idea of going back to New York with Henry on her mind. Amelia's own hope speech was what she needed to make the right decision. Maybe with Zelena finally dealt with she find these moment's with her family in Storybrooke.
"A predictable access of pomp and grandeur" Hook announced as he took a seat next to Emma taking her out of her thoughts that were filled with the conversation she had just had with Storybrooke's resident Assassin. She couldn't' stop thinking about how she had gotten to where she was in that moment in time. Working with the Queen while actively trying to keep her own mother alive so that one day she would brave enough to stand up to her step-mother herself.
"What's on your mind love?" Hook asked her having seen her so deep in thought.
"Can I ask you something?.
"Aye. Anything".
"What was the debt Lia was talking about earlier? She's mentioned it a few times already, and the way she reacted when she saw you after losing her memories, I've never seen her like that. She wanted to kill you".
"Aye I know"
"Then what happened? I can't just be because she used to work for The Evil Queen".
"Because it's not, It was before she became the Widow".
"A long time ago, a man approached me claiming he had centuries of knowledge on the Dark One he was willing on sharing with me in return for doing something for him. I had to take him and few of his men to board a merchant ship in the middle of the night".
"The Godspeed" Emma easily understood.
"Aye. The man, Angelo" the blonde heard him growl the man out "He was after someone onboard, someone he had been looking for for a few years".
"Amelia" Emma states.
"I never knew there was a child involved, if I did, I would've never done what I did. He fooled us both that night. After that night she made it her life's mission to remind me of my mistake, creating a debt I would never be able to repay".
"But you're okay now, aren't you?".
"Aye for once we are. She forgave the debt a year ago for taking Captain Montague off of Neverland. Even if the damn fool didn't life long enough to enjoy it" he grumbled to himself as Emma gave him a sympathetic smile.
Taking out his telescope and pointed it towards the castle watching as Snow climbed the castle walls "Snow should have no trouble sneaking inside" he says chanhing the subject to the issue on hand. Getting Snow White the ring.
"What about us?" Emma asked him "We're supposed to just sit here and hope that she pulls it off? I don't like leaving things to chance" the two stood up in surprise as they heard a familiar shrill voice.
"You know" Rumpelstiltskin announced his presence "I feel exactly the same way, which is why I never do" he magically he produces a piece of paper "See? An invitation to the ball".
"So, you'll be inside to watch out for her?" Emma asked the sorcerer.
"No. No. I'll be far too busy sorting out how to get you home".
"Well, who's the invitation for?" Hook asked the Dark One.
"Well, isn't it obvious? The two of you" he motioned towards them.
"So, when we're done inside, you can open our portal?" Hook clarified with the Dark One.
"There's a powerful wand which, uh, I came to possess. Anyway, legend says, it can recreate any magic that's ever been wielded. Now, with a little work, I can use it to recreate whatever portal brought you here" He hands Hook the invitation where the former pirate snatches from the sorcerer's hand.
"Please do it quickly. We'll be in and out before you know it. I want to get the hell out of here" Emma tells the man.
"Uh, confidence. I like it" Emma and Hook turn around to leave but Rumple stopped them "Wait. Not like that" he giggled waving his hand as he covers Hook and Emma in red smoke. As the smoke dissolves Emma wears a red ball grown and Hook wears a suit. "The savior can't come this far and play not princess for a day".
"But we're not supposed to stick out. What if someone remembers us in the future?" Emma said doubtfully to the man.
"Because what you had before was such an intricate disguise? Now, speaking of which I've returned those stole rags. Luckily, before they were missed. I mean, it's a miracle the timeline hasn't imploded already. Amateurs. Allow me" he magically he produces a mirror so that Emma and Hook can take look at themselves.
"A glamour spell" Emma say's out load with a smile towards the man.
He giggled at her "This is how you shall appear to one and all. Now, run along and do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets that ring. Once they're back on track, everything else will be, too".
Once inside the ballroom Emma and Hook quickly adapted to their new roles of Prince and Princess to blend into the crowd as Prince Charles and Princess Leia. Emma saw her father stood to the side with Princess Abigail with him looking miserable at her own engagement party.
The pair had joined the dancers in a simple waltz that Emma admitted she enjoyed. The pair suddenly stopped as the doors to the magically opened to the ballroom revealing the Evil Queen in a sparkling long black dress with her long hair tied on the top of her head trailing down the side of her head.
Recognizing the Evil Queen King Midas stiffens in fear of the new guest. Quickly recovering King Midas bows deeply at the Queen presence "What a pleasure, my Queen. I thank you for honoring my daughter with your presence".
"And thank you for your generous hospitality" The Queen replied "I hope you don't mind I brought some friends" the rest of the guest stop dancing as Black Knights file into the ballroom flanking the Queen.
"Regina is here. Damn it" Emma quietly tell Hook "That definitely was not in the plan".
"Breathe, Swan" Hook reminded calm for the savior "She's a guest. The king's head would vanish to another realm, if he didn't invite her".
"Yeah, good point" she says looking for her father "Where's Charming?".
"Your late!" The Queen suddenly spat loud enough for everyone to hear her. Looking at the doors they saw Amelia walk into the ballroom after the Queen. Out of her white robes the Black Widow entered with black and purple robes adorned in weapons strapped to her body and waist, with her hood down as her long think red hair fell over her shoulders in tight ringlets.
"I do have other things to do, Your Majesty" the Widow dryly retorted to her angry Queen. Emma could see this was now a completely different Amelia to the one they had met earlier.
"Poor excuse, you should've been here when I told you to" Amelia rolled her eyes at the Queen's words knowing their deal never involved royal engagement parties, clicking her fingers a servant quickly rushed over offering her two glasses of wine to the feared assassin bowing his head low so not to look her in the eye.
Taking both glasses of the silver tray Amelia offered one to Queen "Here have some wine Your Majesty, it might help your current mood" with a scowl Regina snatched the glass out of the Assassin hand before downing the drink.
"How they ever got together we will never know" Hook whispered watching the pair interact with the other.
She liked royal celebrations as much as she liked having her nails ripped out of her fingers. Sipping on the awful wine supplied by King Midas servants she thought back to suddenly finding herself in the middle of the woods with patches of memories that seemed to be missing from her mind, she remembered being in The Rook's when she got a bird from Rumpelstiltskin about Captain Hook and a woman seeking out her help to get Snow White to steal a ring from a Prince.
She remembered taking Snow to the Jolly Roger and leaving here there, until she suddenly found herself in the woods near King Midas gold castle with Rumpelstiltskin himself in front of her with an empty glass vial in her hand reminding her that she needed to accompany the Regina to an engagement celebration changing her white robes into her black and purple one ready for the event.
But why would she help Captain Hook instead of gutting him until he gave her the coin, he owed her. The thought confused the Assassin until a familiar scrape of a nail trial up her forearm to her shoulder brought her out her thoughts as her spine shivered at the Queen's touch, she hated how much her touch affected her.
"Your quiet tonight" The Queen observed with another glass of wine in her hand.
"I was thinking" she answered the Queen.
"Don't hurt yourself dear".
"How do you manage to fit through that door with that big head of yours, got a secret stash of mushrooms from Wonderland?" Amelia retorted giving up on the swill they called wine back on a passing tray.
The Queen scoffed at the Assassin's quip "If I didn't enjoy your tongue so much, I'd rip it out of your mouth".
A teasing smirk grew on the red head's face as she leaned into the Queen's ear "And uh, what do I do with my tongue that you enjoy so much, be as specific as you like" she whispered turning her head slightly to see a seductive smirk grow on Regina's lips "Be careful or I'll find another someone else that'll enjoy my sharp tongue better".
A challenging brow raised on the Queen's face as Amelia saw golden guard approach the King "Milord, Snow White was spotted in the castle" the Assassin overheard the guard tell his King.
"The bandit Snow White? Here? Get her!" she ordered the guards.
"Excuse me" pulling up her hood she left the Queen flicking her finger at the Black Knight to follow her.
Rushing out of the ballroom Emma and Hook found Snow White climbing over the castle wall and vanish into the darkness.
"She did it. She must have stolen the ring" Emma exasperated in relief as they saw Snow mount a horse that was waiting for her and kicked it forward.
"You can't hide from me!" they looked up to see her father half out the window Snow escaped out of shouting into the night "Wherever you are I will find you!".
Emma smiles at Hook "Mission accomplished. Now all we have to do-"she was interrupted as a black knight armed with a bow steps out on the parapet and pushes Emma roughly out of the way.
Hook catches Emma as the knight takes aim at the fleeing bandit pulling back the string ready to fire "You'll find her sooner than you think, milord" the knight answered the Princes vow as he took aim ready to let loose when the knight suddenly spits out blood from his mouth. Emma and Hook's eye's widen in horror as the knights body is pushed aside revealing the Black Widow with fresh blood on her hidden blades.
"Do I know you?" the Widow ask the pair as Emma suddenly send a hard right hook into the Assassin's face taking the women by surprise the assassin stumbled onto the ground her world is sent spinning.
"Sorry Lia" Emma whispers as she sees something on the ground. Picking the shiny object up the ground she realized it was the ring turning around to show the pirate "The ring"
"Swan" Hook warned the blonde pulling out his sword, she whirled to see the Black Widow back on her feet with her hood pulled down and busted bottom lip flanked by black knights with both her hidden blades coming from her gauntlets panting as anger rolled over the assassin "You've got to get it back to Snow"
"Your dead" the red head growled at them "Get them" the Widow ordered the knights as they all stepped forward
"Go!" Hook yelled at the savior "I've got this" he told her as black knight attack the pirate. Emma pushes herself out of the fight to run only to have the Black Widow herself hunting down the blonde that punched her.
The blonde made it back into the ballroom only to be followed by the Widow herself "Guards! Stop her!" the Widow pointed to the blonde with the red dress. The order resounded through the hall as black nights blocked off and surrounded the blonde. Emma tied to back track only to come face to face with a truly angry Assassin.
"Amelia-" Emma tried to reason with the woman.
"Don't call me that" the assassin cut her off "I don't' even know who you are".
"Going Somewhere?" a voice said behind her making her whirl round.
"She helped the bandit escape" Amelia spat out to the Queen.
"Regina. I-".
At the use of her name Emma suddenly felt her head being pulled back as she an arm wrap around her shoulder keeping her in place as cool edge of blade pressed against her skin. In all her time of knowing the Assassin she had never had one of Amelia's hidden blades at her neck making the savior freeze in place as Hook entered the ballroom seeing Emma in the hands of the Black Widow.
"That's a bit informal wouldn't you say" The Evil Queen tells her.
"Show some respect" Amelia seethed in her ear "It's Your Majesty" the Widow corrected her pushing the edge of her blade dangerously close to the skin.
"You're not going anywhere" The Queen tells the blonde "Snow White may have left the party early, but, I suspect, your night has just begun. Take her away" removing the blade from her neck Amelia shoved the blonde forward to be caught by two black knights by her arms.
Emma was escorted out of the ballroom by the dark knights as King Midas bowed respectfully to the Queen before she left leaving the Assassin who had taken a dagger out of her leather belt around her waist.
Holding the dagger in front of the King "You mind, one of your guests did punch me after all" King Midas removed his golden glove before Amelia threw the dagger for the King to catch with his enchanted hand turning the dagger solid gold.
The King threw it back to the Assassin who caught it easily admiring her new golden dagger "Many Thanks" she told the King before walking out of the ballroom, she was happy to add it to her collection.
AN:
Nothing get's past our Amelia. Nothing!
Longest Chapter so far!
Hope you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed writing this one.
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