Growing Pains

The morning had not started well. The day had been a disaster and it wasn't even eight. Snow had jerked him out of a dream with her screams. He'd grabbed his sword before he'd remembered where and when he was. Snow had been furious, livid and a lot of other SAT words that the curse had taught him.

Things had been wild lately. First Emma had spent a second night away from home. Second was the paper. He hated the newspaper. It was like having a headache delivered to their door everyday. He should cancel their subscription. Today had been the worst yet. His daughter, his precious baby, looked like an advertisement for Girls Gone Wild.

His first reaction was to march down to the paper's office to give Sidney Glass a piece of his mind and his sword. It hadn't been Snow, who had started looking for her bow, that had calmed him down. No it had been Regina's words from before. Someone, probably George, was trying to rile them up. He wanted to ruin their reputations and their lives too. George loved to cause trouble.

The last thing they needed was more trouble. They had enough on their plates already. So he had calmed Snow down, which had not been easy, and swallowed his own anger. It hadn't gone away though. The anger was still there, burning a hole in his gut.

Emma wasn't a child or a teenager, she was an adult. She made her own decisions, good or bad. It was hard, but he had to remember that. It wasn't like they could ground her or send her to bed without supper. She wasn't eight, she was twenty-eight. He also had to remember that it wasn't only him and Snow anymore. They had a family, a grandson, to think about. Hell they had a whole town to think about.

Still, he couldn't stop thinking about Emma and what had happened. Surely, as her father, he should say something? Right? He tried to think of what his own mother would say, about Emma and everything else. He had no idea. David leaned back against the outside wall of the Sheriff's Office to think. He folded his arms over his chest and watched Storybrooke wake up. After a few minutes of thought, he decided that his mother would laugh. She would laugh and say that Emma was a chip off of the ol' block. They did share the same coloring and the same signature reckless bravery. Even when he had been an amnesiac, he'd felt a kinship with Emma. It wasn't like he'd never been to a tavern and showed off for a pretty girl. That could be it too.

He hadn't been born and bred a royal. It wasn't that he didn't have morals and standards, he did. It was that he didn't put so much weight on appearances, pomp and circumstance. Snow had been born a princess and when she looked at Emma, she thought of her own royal raising. He was a farm boy. He was a Mama's Boy too. She had raised him almost on her own. He had no illusions about men being somehow stronger or smarter than women.

A princess? No, Emma was a woman and she didn't need a tiara to get things done. Stephen's words still aggravated him. Emma wasn't a fragile little lady, she was their elected Sheriff.

He was not the smartest guy in any world. His time as "James" had taught him a few royal things. The Curse had dropped a lot of knowledge into his head. He now had a high school diploma, an odd assortment of pop-culture, and sports knowledge. He also got an obsession with the American Civil War and a fake wife. One thing hadn't changed. Politics were never going to be his strong suit.

In fact, he hated politics. He had been George's pawn, Regina's target and Abigail's tool. Playing games he would never understand was exhausting. It was sickening and he wanted it all over and done. Hadn't they earned Happily Ever After yet?

The newspaper-and all the mud-slinging articles in it, was one hell of a political game. Sheep knew when they were being herded. He didn't like being a sheep. He was not going to let George, Regina or anyone else pin him up. He refused to do another thing he would spend a lifetime regretting.

Ruby, bleary eyed and nervous, came dragging in a little hungover and a lot embarrassed at ten till eight. She had three large cups of coffee and a fake smile. She looked everywhere but at his eyes and was twitching even though the full moon was two weeks away.

David wanted to say something, but wasn't sure what. Red was Emma's Godmother, meant to look out for her. She was also Emma's friend and deserved a little fun in her life. He decided not to say anything. That was always the safest choice. Ruby had been in the paper too. Over the past few days the press had attacked her. They had called her everything short of a harlot and monster in the article. She didn't need him piling on her too. It wasn't fair to use her as a target for his annoyance.

She handed him the coffee and he tipped the cup to her in thanks. They stood in awkward silence until Emma arrived five minutes late. He did a double- take when he saw her. She looked wildly different than the party girl in the pictures. Emma looked like she'd stepped out of a tv show about cops.

Ruby offered her the third cup of coffee, but Emma already had full hands. She had the station keys in one hand and the morning paper and a bag in the other. Emma juggled everything while she unlocked the door. She walked in and let them follow. "I'm guessing." She turned to face them in the middle of the room, "that you guys have seen it too." She sighed when both he and Ruby nodded.

"Okay." She put everything on the nearby desk. "Okay." Her face hardened and her jaw tightened. She looked exactly like Snow when she set her mind to something.

"Here's the thing. We are at our office. This is our place of business and this-" She grabbed the news paper again. "crap doesn't belong here." She threw it into the trash can. "We have no comment. We leave that stuff out there. In here we are professional." She threw up her hands, "Sort of. We have a lot to talk about."

She wasn't a princess, that was for sure. She was a Sheriff and was putting her own stamp on the office. He'd voted for her during the curse and she still had his vote today.

"So let's talk about protecting and serving and all that shi-stuff." She went to her office and bumped the door open with her hip. "Come on."

They were sidestepping the hard, emotional, and uncomfortable conversation for the moment. That made the day better for sure. Besides, he was pretty sure she had bacon in the paper bag she'd brought with her.

"Nice threads, Boss." Ruby grinned and handed her coffee. "Can I get some of that bacon?"

"No to the bacon" Emma popped off, "But you two have uniforms in those boxes." She pointed to several boxes along the wall. "Which are hopefully labelled." She paused, "And I don't even want to know how the sizes are exactly right."

They'd filled in their sizes on one of the many papers they'd each filled out the day before, but that didn't seem important.

She motioned for them both to sit and grabbed a clipboard loaded with papers.

"So I spent most of yesterday figuring out schedules and things, and I'd like to talk about some ideas I have."

There was a lot to go over. It felt like learning to be a prince all over again. Only this time he didn't have to lie about his name. Emma had drawn up a revolving schedule of duties and on-call hours. The labeled boxes had uniforms to go along with their new badges. Emma expected them to wear the uniforms while on duty. She expected them to follow the schedule and read the town charter. She also had several other manuals and books for them to read. She expected a lot out of them. She seemed to expect a lot of herself.

She wasn't exactly what he or Snow had imagined their baby would grow up to be, but he was proud of her.

It was a calm, pretty morning, or it had been for about five minutes. Belle sighed and dilly-dallied as she unlocked the library doors. She loved reading and learning but the morning paper had soured her love of the written word yet again.

Mulan had been livid. She had been ready to turn Ruby into a rug and mount Emma's head on the wall. Not that she'd said that. She hadn't said anything. Belle was not a novice when it came to bad tempers. She had lived with Rumple's dramatic rages, and The Evil Queen's fireballs. Mulan's seething and silent rage was something completely different. The quiet was actually more intimidating.

Belle sighed. Going over to Granny's Inn had not been her best plan.

She couldn't get the image out of her head. Ruby, wrapped in a skimpy red towel, and Aurora covered in a sheet. The same sheet she'd snuggled under the other day. It wasn't what it looked like, they had said. Well, they had screamed that. While the door had been wide open and everyone could hear. Aurora's scream was shrieky and her face had turned scarlet. Ruby had stared at the floor, the wall, the ceiling, and looked at everything but Belle. Wash she embarrassed of what she'd done, or that Belle had seen it?

Why couldn't anything be easy? She wanted a few days without drama, kidnappings or curses, was that too much to ask?

She looked at the cell phone that Rumple had given her. She had three missed calls from her father, and two from Rumple. She also had a grand total of four emails about the ball that the school was throwing. How a simple elementary school dance had turned into the event of the decade was beyond her.

She'd always hated balls. She'd rather stay in and read a good book. Belle had tried her hardest to leave early or feign sickness to not go at all. She'd had to go, though, to represent her family if nothing else. Her father had insisted upon it. She'd hoped to escape such silliness in Storybrooke.

A group text message, filled with women she hadn't spoken to since she'd joined Rumple, pinged yet again. The women, royals and nobles from the old world, were talking about dress designs. Belle closed the text and wished she knew how to remove herself from the group.

She sighed and tried to plan an escape. She could go see Rumple. Surely he wasn't going to the Ball. They could have a nice evening together to catch up and chat over a nice pot of tea. She needed to ask him to help her translate an Elvish text anyway. Magical languages were difficult. This one in particular was in an older dialect and she had no clue where to start.

Belle slid the key into the door lock. She tried to mentally work up the enthusiasm to turn it when something caught her eye. Well, it was someone. Regina Mills was walking down the street. People weren't screaming and throwing stones, but they weren't friendly to her either. The exception was Archie and his dog, they (especially the dog) seemed happy to see her.

Belle drew in a deep breath. She and Regina did not have a pretty past. The Evil Queen had locked her up in a tower and then a madhouse. She was the last person in the entire world Belle wanted to ask for help. So of course she was the only person who could help them.

Nothing could be easy.

"Regina!" She held up her arm and waved to get the other woman's attention. When the former queen turned to look at her, she expected anger or disdain. Instead there was only a little curiosity. Belle forced herself to smile. She had a nagging feeling that she was inviting trouble to her door. No, she was inviting the Queen of Trouble in for tea. Maybe she belonged in the madhouse after all.

Regina walked towards her, striding across the sidewalk in four inch heels like she owned it. Well, actually, since she'd created the town, she might. Belle admired Regina's unshakable confidence but she would never admit that.

"Miss French."

Belle unlocked the library door and pasted on her best smile.

"Good Morning, I was hoping I could have a minute of your time."

Regina raised a dark brow, "I suppose."

Belle opened and held the door open for Regina, "Do you know Elvish by any chance?" She hit the wall switch and the library buzzed to life and light.

Regina turned around, taking in all the changes and improvements.

"I do, actually." She looked around, and Belle felt a little self conscious. Regina was still technically her boss. Belle felt the muscles around her neck and spine unknot when she saw that the former(?) mayor was smiling. "You've done a good job in here, Miss French. I should have never let it get so run down."

Belle wasn't sure if that last part was for her or if Regina was talking to herself. She decided to roll with it. "Well next time don't keep your librarian locked up for twenty eight years." She was poking a tiger with a short stick and knew it was risky.

Regina didn't rise to the bait though. She was calm. "I will take that under advisement." She almost sounded friendly. "You asked about Elvish?"

Belle blinked. She hadn't thought things would get this far. Regina had never been so helpful before.

"Yes." She walked around the long counter to her office to retrieve the old tome she'd been working on for days.

"I'm helping Mulan and Aurora with some research. I'm afraid that my tutors never covered archaic magical languages." She smiled, "though I did ask several times."

She sat the book on the counter between them and flipped to her book mark. "Here."

She turned the leatherbound book around so Regina could see. regina leaned close and squinted her eyes a bit. Was it concentration or did the other woman need reading glasses? She spent a moment going over the passage, her brow furrowed. Then she looked up so sharply that Belle jerked back in surprise.

"Why are you researching wraiths, Miss French?" Her voice lowered an octave, it sounded more like Evil Queen than Mayor now. Belle refused to shiver or shake, but it was frightening. Regina straitened up to her full height. "Isn't one wraith" She rubbed her palm. "Enough to last this town a lifetime?"

Belle shifted from foot to foot. This was the tricky part. If she couldn't convince Regina to help them, they would never succeed. She hadn't expected to be so nervous. It wasn't like Regina could lock her up again. Right? Right.

"It's for Aurora. A wraith killed her True Love, Prince Phillip. The wraith that you banished so that you could live."

Regina looked away, "I'd heard as much."

Belle wouldn't have believed it, if she hadn't seen it herself. There had been a flash of something that had looked exactly like guilt go across The Evil Queen's face.

"Well, she and Mulan heard that there was a way to get him back."

Regina didn't even blink, "They heard lies. Resurrection is a religion, not reality. That is a basic law of magic." She sounded absolutely sure of that.

"Well your mother said-"

Regina went a little pale and her shoulders drew tight. "My Mother is the Queen of Hearts and a master manipulator. She'd give your boyfriend" Regina's voice was cold and accusatory, she spit out the word like it was blasphemy. "-a run for his money." She wrapped her arms around her middle. Discomfort radiated off of her. "If I were Aurora, I would pick a pretty place in the cemetery and let Phillip rest in peace."

It was now or never. Belle didn't like being mean, but she had to.

"Like you did with your True Love? I heard what Doctor Whale did to him. What you had to do."

Regina stepped back, startled and stunned. "You don't know anything about-"

"No" she cut Regina off before the woman flew into a rage. Belle knew that once the Queen was angry, the only place you ended up was a tower cell and that was if you were lucky. "I don't. I do know that Aurora is a lot younger than you, a lot sweeter and she deserves a chance at love and happiness. We can give her that-but we need your help." Help that, Belle suspected, Regina had never received.

It was impossible to know what was going through Regina's mind. In fact, Belle doubted that she even thought the same way other people did. The Evil Queen had been just a hair away from madness on her best days.

"You're the most powerful sorceress of all time" If guilt hadn't worked, maybe flattery would. "And you are uniquely connected to the wraith. If you could help us summon it, I guarantee we can keep you safe." Guarantee was a bit of a strong word.

This was her last chance, Belle could feel it. Regina was about to say no, and if she did, they had no chance.

"You could use all your magic and power for good you know. You don't have to keep being The Evil Queen. I know you're not irredeemable. You killed so many people, scores of innocents, but-" It was something that she'd been trying to figure out lately. Something that had never quite made sense, "-but you kept me alive. You kept me alive for years even though my dead body would have served you better. Killing me would have made Rumple hurt. Made him feel all the pain you felt. You didn't, though. My continued existence proves that you're not as evil as everyone says. I see it. Make everyone else" Henry "see it too."

Regina wasn't looking at her anymore, she was staring into space. No, Belle realized, she was staring at the gorgeous glass mural on the wall. The mural that slid away to reveal the elevator door. The elevator that descended down into the mines. The mines that had held a giant dragon, Maleficent.

Had, past tense. Emma had slain the dragon before the curse broke. Regina stared at the mural for a moment. Her face was unreadable. "One condition."

Belle hesitated. Deals were tricky and Regina's condition could be anything. "What?" She tried to sound calm and collected, but she was making a deal with the Evil Queen and she was shaking on the inside.

"I would like to use the elevator."

The dragon was gone, but something in the way Regina stared at the door said that it-she was not forgotten. There was no telling what other surprises could be waiting down there. For all Belle knew, Regina could be tricking her. She could have some all-powerful and unstoppable weapon of magical destruction. Certain doom could be just beneath their feet.

"Help me translate this and I'll unlock the elevator." She should stop making dangerous deals with dark magic users. Regina didn't actually need her help or permission to use the elevator. She had magic and if she wanted to use it, Belle would not be able to stop her.

Regina nodded and started to rifle through her purse. She pulled out a slender case. Belle froze in place but relaxed when Regina pulled a black-rimmed pair of reading glasses out of it. "Do you have somewhere we can work?"

Belle couldn't believe it. She was pretty sure she was about to go into shock. "Yes, of course. I've got everything set up in the back." Her plan might actually work!

She paced her room, back and forth. Aurora, princess and almost-adventurer, hated enclosed spaces. Her father had locked her door from the outside. As if she were a child or a prisoner. She was neither. She was a grown woman with a mind of her own. Only neither her parents or Mulan seemed to agree with her. She scowled at her own reflection in the oversized mirror mounted on the closet door. She wasn't sure who she was angrier with: her parents, Mulan or herself. So many things had happened so fast. She was still reeling from it all.

She'd been hideously ill when she woke up. A hangover, Ruby had called it. The night before was a jumbled mess of memories. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope, all twisted images and bright colors. It had been fun, but the headache and sour stomach (had she vomited?) was not worth it.

She'd woken up in Ruby Lucas's bed in an oversized shirt that was not her own. Ruby had slept on the floor on a pile of pillows and blankets.

It had been a little embarrassing, but Ruby was a perfect gentlewoman. She had even offered her use of her shower and yet another change of clothes from her closet.

"Chill here while I duck into the shower, then while you take a shower I can go downstairs and get you some breakfast." It was a nice little plan, but it had not come to pass.

Mulan had all but barged into Ruby's room after only two knocks with her sword in hand. She'd seen Mulan mad before, but this had been something different. Mulan had looked at her like she was a stranger, like she was someone she'd never seen before.

"Get dressed." Her voice had been flat and cold. "I will take you home."

She'd been sick from drink and too little sleep. All she'd wanted was to lean against Mulan for strength and comfort. She wanted to smell the warm mix of leather, incense and lotus blossoms. Aurora had wanted Mulan to make all the sickness and embarrassment go away.

Only Mulan hadn't done anything like that. She'd been brusque and distant, more like a palace guard then her friend. She wore modern clothes, light blue pants and a long sleeved white shirt, and her dark hair had been in a simple braid. She looked like anyone else in Storybrooke. She wasn't anyone else, though, she was Aurora's friend and compatriot, her Mulan.

Mulan had delivered her to her parent's house, stiff and formal. The old Captain of the Guard couldn't have been stiffer. Her father had opened the door after the first rap of Mulan's knuckles. That was when the morning had went from bad to worse.

It all happened in slow motion, each second was a crystal clear image stuck in her mind. She'd opened her mouth to speak-to apologize- but had never made a sound. Her father, the kindest man she'd ever known. struck Mulan. He hit her with the back of his hand. Hard. Hard enough that her face twisted to the side from the impact.

Aurora lost her breath and the urge to vomit came back with a vengeance. She couldn't believe-couldn't understand-what she had seen. Her father didn't hit people, she'd never seen him raise his hand in anger, not in her entire life. More than that, though, she couldn't believe how still Mulan was. She had done nothing. In fact, Aurora was sure that she could have blocked the blow, but hadn't. She'd let it happen.

"You!" Stephen raged, "You were supposed to protect my daughter. You said it was your sworn duty!" His voice was so loud and angry. Aurora had never heard him scream. It was foolish, but she wanted to duck behind Mulan. Her own father was frightening her. Her heart started to race. For a brief and terrifying moment, she was afraid that Cora had taken her father's place.

He struck Mulan again. His ring, a heavy signet ring with a black stone the size of a quail's egg, cut Mulan's cheek. The blood was a bright and hideous red against the skin of her sculpted cheek. Aurora reached out to wipe the blood away, to pull Mulan behind her. To protect her, for once.

"Where were you when my daughter was being corrupted by whores and monsters?"

Whores? Monsters? Ruby and Emma were her friends. So was Mulan.

Her mother slid past her father, through the door and onto the front stoop. "Aurora, are you-"

For the first time in her entire life, Aurora paid her mother no mind. "Father!" She stepped in front of Mulan, between him and her. She would not let him hit Mulan again. Only she stopped short.

Her mother grabbed her arm. "Aurora, don't-"

She tried to tug herself free, but couldn't break her mother's iron grip on her wrist. She looked from her mother, to her father. They had to see reason, she had to explain to them what had happened.

"Father stop! Mulan didn't do this. I did. I decided to go out-to lie to you and mother. Mulan-"

He reached out to hit Mulan again and the warrior did not flinch or move away or lift a hand to defend herself. Her shoulders were sagging and her eyes were downcast.

"is a woman with delusions of manhood. She is as much of an abomination as that damn wolf."

Aurora's heart tore in her chest. No. No she was not. Mulan was kind and brave and true and-

"No!" She pulled out of her Mother's grip. She could feel her nails ripping at her skin. Aurora grabbed her father's hand before it could hit Mulan's face again. "Don't you dare say that about her. She's-"

Then her father had turned to her and she saw a stranger. His eyes were dark and hard with a fire blazing in them. His lips peeled back in a snarl. His whole arm was trembling, and Aurora was truly frightened. She was frightened of what he would do next. Of whom he would hit next.

Mulan finally spoke. "If you strike her" Her voice was low and gruff but as hard as steel. It was the voice of a soldier ready for battle. I will remove the hand you do it with, Your Majesty." Mulan raised her face to look him in the eyes. "I say that on my honor. On my family's honor."

The words struck Aurora, harder then a physical blow. Mulan meant every word she said. More than that, she was willing to give up everything, to throw away her life, to protect her from any harm. Even if that harm came in the form of her own father.

Mulan stood proud and firm, her entire body tense and ready to strike. She was not afraid of anyone: not Cora and not even a king.

"Stephen"

Her mother reached out to calm him but he stepped away and whirled on her, "Enough, woman!"

Her mother shrank back, and stepped close to Aurora's side, in front of her. Her mother wouldn't allow him to hit her either.

"A woman" He turned his attention back to Mulan. "doesn't have honor." His voice was sharp and venomous, a poisoned blade. It was loud, it boomed like an explosion in Aurora's ears. It was not the voice that had told her stories of knights and princesses, of good fairies and wicked dragons.

"Neither" Mulan didn't back down either. "does a man who would hit his child-" Her eyes darted to them, "Or terrorize his wife."

They stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make a move.

"Leave." Stephen ground the word out through clenched teeth. "and never darken our door again."

He turned his head to look at Aurora. His face was scorched red with rage. The cords of his neck popped up. "You are not to associate-not to see or talk to this-this woman again. Do you understand?"

She froze, inside and out, she would have preferred he had beaten her. Tears burnt in her eyes, her heart lurched in her chest."

"Do you" He was right in front of her, "I said do you understand?"

All she could do was nod. Her voice was stuck in her throat. That was why she was silent, but what was her mother's excuse? Why hadn't she spoke up and defended Mulan or stopped or calmed her father?

She had never seen her parents like this. Where was the jolly man who had doted on her? where was the mother who had sang her to sleep? What had happened to them? What had happened to her?

A dress, a grand pink ball gown was hanging in her room. There was to be a Ball. Once Upon a Time she would have loved a ball. Now? Why bother? It wasn't as if she could dance with Phillip or-

She closed her eyes and could see it. Mulan, complete in her armor and cape, holding out her hand for a dance. The image was crystal clear in her mind. Mulan leading her around a ballroom. Her hands would be steady and warm. Her eyes would be full of humor and only for her. Mulan's small smile, her hearty laugh, her scent. Aurora could see, hear, smell, and even taste it all. She wanted to feel it too.

Without Mulan she felt somehow broken, incomplete.

She fell across her bed, dejected and still ill. She turned to the window and looked out of her pretty prison. Mulan stood at the edge of the lawn and was staring up at her. She leapt off the bed and scrambled to the window.

"Mulan."

She fought with the window latch. Aurora had to talk to her, to say something, to plead with her not to go. She pressed her hands against the window glass.

The other woman had blood and a smile on her face. She raised her hand, in greeting or farewell, then she turned and walked away, leaving Aurora alone. More alone now then when she had been when she'd lain in cursed sleep.

What was she supposed to do now?