Past in the present
Chlollie asked for a oneshot of The Snow Queen's magic turning Emma back into a fifteen year old.
"So run me through this again." Charming whispered to Regina. Snow stood beside him, just as shocked.
"For the third time," Regina sighed impatiently. "The Snow Queen has turned Emma back into a fifteen year old. Where her mind is just now she thinks the Snow Queen is her foster mother. She was reluctant to come here with Elsa and I, and we couldn't use magic with Emma not remembering it just now." Snow and Charming looked through to the living room where Emma was sitting nervously on the couch with Elsa. "We don't know how to reverse it yet." Regina added.
"We should talk to her." Snow said. Charming nodded in agreement before they walked through together. "Hi Emma." Snow said gently, bending down along with Charming so they were eye level. "How you feeling?"
"I'm ok." Emma said quietly. "But I want to go back to my mom, ma'am." Snow couldn't help but feel stung. She turned to Regina who shrugged. She saw no harm in telling Emma the truth. Regina motioned her head to the door to Elsa. Together, they left to allow the family some privacy. Snow squeezed Charming's hand as she looked back to Emma.
"Emma, we know she's your foster mother, but she's not your real mother…I am." Emma's eyes widened in shock.
"It's the truth Emma. And I'm your father-"
"No. No you're lying. My parents didn't want me." Emma interrupted, worried this was all some horrible trick.
"Emma, look at me. I know you can tell when people are lying to you. Look at us, are we lying?" Charming asked her. Emma tried to observe the couple for signs that they were lying, but she was too emotional. It was a lot to take in.
"I thought you might be behind this." A voice came from the entrance.
"Mom!" Emma called, jumping up to get her but Charming held her arm.
"No Emma! Don't trust her!" Emma tried to bat Charming off.
"Let me go!"
"Emma, listen to him! This woman isn't who you think she is…"
"I'm not who she thinks I am? That's rich coming from the two kidnapping her…"
"We aren't kidnapping our own daughter." Snow snarled. "You're the one trying to do the kidnapping." The Snow Queen raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? That'd be why she's calling me mom then? She's in my care for a reason." If it wasn't for Emma being right there Snow would have pounced on the witch. How dare she try and turn Emma against them when she was so vulnerable! She was doing this deliberately. Taking Emma back to a time when she thought the world of the Snow Queen to take advantage of her magic now. Snow and Charming would never let her. Charming suddenly had an idea.
"Emma, I have something upstairs that I think might convince you to stay with us. Will you please give us a chance and let me show you?" He begged. Emma wanted to say no. To leave right now with her foster mom. But something in his eyes made her think otherwise.
"Ok." She agreed. Charming smiled, running out of the room. The Snow Queen sighed.
"This is ridiculous. Emma, come on. We should leave."
"No, I promised them their chance." Emma said bravely. Snow smiled triumphantly, knowing she was making the Snow Queen furious. Charming came thundering back into the room, Emma's baby blanket clutched in his hand. Emma looked at it in utter disbelief.
"How do you have this?" She asked. "That's back at home."
"Emma this is your home now. I know you don't remember just now sweetheart but you've been living here for a couple of years. Your memories will come back very soon. But trust us. We are your biological parents. We never wanted to give you away. Nor were we forced to by law. We put you into the system for your own safety. I promise you that you know all this. Please Emma, don't leave with that woman." Emma looked the man straight in the eye. She could tell almost instantly that he wasn't lying. She turned back to who she thought was her current foster mother.
"He's not lying." She stated. "Which means you are."
"Emma don't be silly." She snapped. She held her hand out. "Come along now." Emma shook her head as Snow placed a protective hand around her forearm.
"No. I'm staying here." Emma said firmly. The Snow Queen took a step forward as though about to try and force Emma to go with her, but in that short time Charming grabbed his sword and pointed it at her.
"Stop right there." He growled. "Emma made her choice. Now you're going to leave us alone." The Snow Queen could see she was caught for just now, so reluctantly she left to think of how best to proceed. Charming dropped his sword and pulled his wife and young daughter into a family hug. "Thank you for trusting us." He said to Emma. "We won't let you regret it." Emma smiled weakly at him, still having trouble trusting anyone. Snow and Charming both thought the Snow Queen's plan may have majorly backfired on her. For she had just given Snow and Charming a precious gift- some proper time to care for their daughter however short it may be.