Chapter 2

Past

The night sky spread its black wings out, protecting the earth as she dreamt. A warm milky glow soon appeared, radiating from the sky as if the sight of it could become a song in the eyes of anyone willing to raise their head upward. Singing a soft lullaby to ease her bright children around her in the night, it turned into a celestial path, lighting the way for only immortals to follow.

A warm smile slowly spread to Odette's face as she watched the lake glow in glimmers of shimmer as if it were made of magnificent little diamonds. It became the finest mirror, never showing exactly what was above, but converting it to an image so beautifully smudged and broken. It was oval and flat with the surface forever guarded from the winds by the lush hills around the area. The weeping willows that surrounded it cried from the rain earlier and created rippling effects in the water.

Odette took in her surroundings, but her eyes marveled at the castle from her view. It was a mile down the road, and it was incredibly eerie. Any sane man would dare not to enter. It was more of a fortress than a castle with its uniform gray stones. Each stone was even and square as if those who built it were set on perfection. The greatest disappointment of all was that everything was dead. All of the plants in the courtyard shriveled and decayed, turning into a garden of weeds. It had been her home for a while now ever since her twin brother left her and her father.

"Odette."

She gasped and sprang to her feet to face her father. His snake-skinned trousers were tucked away inside his leather boots. It complimented his scaly and rough complexion. His burgundy vest covered his blouse, and his brown locks waved just above his shoulders. He looked refined, almost royal.

"You shouldn't be out here."

"I'm sorry, Papa, but I couldn't help it. It's so beautiful here."

His lips curled into a sickening grin as he came up with an idea. "I can create one just like this in the courtyard. That way you don't have to walk all the way here."

"No, Papa. It's alright. I like coming here."

"You know I can't let any of my enemies know who you are. Once they find out, they will destroy me by getting to you. Is that what you want, Odette?"

"Of course not. It's just…is it possible if I could stay, just a little while longer. You can stay here if you want, and we can go home together." When she saw the uncertainty in his eyes, she pleaded, "Papa, please. I would appreciate it."

He willingly agreed, and when he saw the warm smile on his daughter's face, he smiled too, almost as if he was the same father who became The Dark One. A part of her still believed in him. Odette does want to help to restore the father whom she loved greatly. She only held onto hope that his power would not fully consume his heart.

Present

When Nora was walking towards Granny's Diner at the start of a new day, she couldn't help but hear chimes, so she looked at the town clock and paused for a moment to see its hands slowly moving. She couldn't remember the last time it moved, but then again, she doesn't think it moved to begin with. The Mayor must have funded money to repair it, but why would it take so long, and why would she choose now to do it? It was all puzzling to say the least. At least it was working after many years. She simply brushed off her questions to the side and entered Granny's Diner.

It was one of the most comforting places she's been into. Its walls were mint green with patterns of leaves, an old jukebox stood in the corner of the room, and there was a row of stools where the metal rods attached themselves to the ground just inches away from the counter top.

She made her way over to one of the seats and noticed the sheriff in one of the booths, staring at his mug of coffee. The emotion in his eyes were fathoms deep, yet they carried the warmth and life of the sunlit surface. When he turned his head to catch Agnes staring at him, she looked away as if she never stared at him in the first place. She had never personally met the sheriff, but then again, she had no reason to. He was always after criminals under the Mayor's orders, and Odette ran her shop all day.

When Nora sat on one of the stools, she looked over to see a stranger sitting two seats away from her. Her long flowing hair was every hue of white-sun spun to golden browns, and a red leather jacket hugged her body tightly. On one hand she was holding a bright red apple, and on the other hand was The Daily Mirror. Nora couldn't help herself, so she looked over to read the headline: STRANGER DESTROYS HISTORIC SIGN: ALCOHOL INVOLVED, and when she saw the mugshot photo the culprit, it was the woman in front of her. She didn't know whether to believe it or not, because the media tended to twist many words around. Nevertheless, Nora thought she would introduce herself and welcome the mysterious stranger in Storybrooke. It was the least she could do.

"Hi." The woman turned to her and offered her a polite smile as she greeted herself. "I haven't seen you here before."

"That's because I'm not from here. I'm from Boston."

"My name's Nora. I own the tailor shop here on Main Street."

"I'm Emma."

"So what brings you to Storybrooke?"

"Oh, I…was just dropping my son off."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she asked, "Your son?"

"She means me."

At that moment, they both turned to see a boy standing from the booth behind the sheriff. He had tassels of mahogany strands and freckles all around his face. Nora knew exactly who he was, Regina's son, Henry Mills. She only had small conversations with him because she often went to his house to help Regina with her fitting from time to time. However, almost everyone knew that they were not related biologically. Everything clicked into place. Emma was Henry's biological mother. It explained why he was grinning from ear to ear.

Nora couldn't help notice Henry's attitude one day when she was altering Regina's skirt in her living room. As she was telling her what she was listening to the Mayor's demands, Archie and Henry walked through the door. She will never forget the sullen look on his face as he went upstairs after Nora greeted him. When Regina went to excuse herself for a moment to discuss Henry with Archie, Nora could not help but overhear their conversation. Hearing how Henry was depressed was unsettling to Nora. She did not understand how such a young boy could be so upset.

Mary Margaret then had the brilliant idea to uplift his spirits up by giving him a storybook of fairy tales. Nora thought it was her way to show him that there was something to look forward to. However, after hearing how Henry believes how everyone in Storybrooke was a character from the book and that they do not have any recollection of who they are, she thought it might be problematic, but then again, he was a child. It also made Nora wonder a bit which fairy tale character he thought she was. In the end, it shouldn't matter. He deserved to be happy.

"Don't you have school?" Emma said, looking down at him.

"Duh, I'm ten. Walk with me."

As they headed out the door, they said their goodbyes to Nora. Now that she was alone, she motioned for a woman with scarlet highlights, red lipstick that made her mouth pop, and a skimpy waitress outfit. It was Granny's granddaughter, Ruby. Nora thought Ruby was a troublemaker, but it didn't mean that she was not a good person. They've had their fair shares of conversations, and Nora went out with her a few times to a bar. She found it entertaining to see Ruby flirting with men from time to time. Whenever she forgot that Nora was there, Nora often went home by herself, but when Ruby was incredibly intoxicated, it was Nora's responsibility to bring her home. She always received a thank you from Granny and a slice of apple pie while Ruby dozed off in her bedroom.

Nora ordered a to-go coffee cup, letting Ruby leave for a moment to pour coffee into a paper cup. She then came back, setting it on the counter in front of her with a cover and two packs of creams. When Nora thanked her, Ruby gave her a smirk, leaving her alone with her coffee. Taking the two creamers, she ripped off the top and poured them inside. She then grabbed a red straw and swirled it around, making it richer and lighter. By the time she finished, she set it aside and secured the top on. Nora then put some money on the side and left Ruby her tip before she stood and prepared to walk away.

When Nora turned around, she gasped as she bumped into the sheriff, who was directly behind her to throw some money on the countertop. Her mouth nearly dropped as she heard him grunt while her hot coffee spilled all over on his shirt. She couldn't stop apologizing for her clumsiness, while he assured her, saying that it was fine. Ruby came over with a towel, letting him grab it to dab the stain out.

When he saw that it wasn't working, he looked at her and asked, "Can I use your laundry room?"

She nodded and gestured to the door in the corner, while Nora apologized again. As soon as he was out of sight, Ruby prepared another to-go cup and put the creamers in herself before putting the top on as she handed it to Nora.

"Way to go getting the sheriff out of his shirt."

"It was an accident."

"I'm sure it was."

When Nora saw the smirk on Ruby's face, she rolled her eyes and went into the laundry room where the sheriff was. His buttoned-up shirt was already off with his toned arms crossing over his chest. He watched the washing machine swirl and lather his shirt in a hypnotic fashion. She couldn't help but notice it again. The seriousness in his gaze, so she snapped him out of it by knocking on the open door, making herself known.

The sheriff turned to her and looked over at the cup in her hand, humoring her as he spoke, "That's not for me, is it?"

"No. No. I…just came to see if you were alright. No burns, I hope."

He nodded his head and replied, "I'm fine. Thanks."

She gave him a small smile, relieved. "Well, I better get going. I need to open my shop soon, so I better get ready."

As she turned to leave, he stopped her in her tracks by asking, "You work at Dusk Tailor? I usually see you there."

"You're quite observant."

"I'm the sheriff. It's my job to know."

Agnes couldn't help but laugh at his wit, bringing a smile on his face. "I don't think we've met properly. I'm Nora Moon."

"Graham Humbert."

They extended their hands out to each other, but as soon as they made contact, the strangest thing happened. Nothing magical or anything like that. A tingle rushed through her spine, feeling his rough hands. She was almost familiar with his touch, and yet she knows that she hasn't until now. That was when they made eye contact. No explanation, but there was a connection somehow as they stared into each other's eyes, and she was sure that the sheriff thought of the same thing, because his mouth slightly parted, almost as if he was stunned by something.

Letting go of each other, Nora couldn't help but look away for a moment to gather her thoughts. She then moved away from him and attempted to walk out, while telling Graham that she needed to go to open up her shop.

"Wait." She stopped to turn to him again as he took his jacket and handed it to her. "Do you mind fixing this? It got caught when I was chasing someone over the fence, because somebody….refused to go to jail."

She inspected it carefully and slipped her fingers through the end, seeing how her fingers went right through, so she nodded her head and asked, "I'm assuming you want it done today?"

"Yeah. I can't go around to be the sheriff without my jacket."

"I do have other clients, but…it's an easy repair. I should get it done in about an hour, maybe less."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Nora said as she walked out of the laundry room to open her shop.

Past

Odette's room was so grand in the home that her father and her live in. The woolen fur rug stretched along the floor, reaching to the hearth of the fireplace. A glass-plated clock sat on the mantelpiece, ticking away every minute. The wardrobe against the wall stood tall with pride, and it was enchanted to hang as many dresses that her father gives her. She already has so many and told him that she didn't need them, but he insisted saying how he could get her anything she wanted. It was his way of showing his love to his daughter she thought.

Ivory curtains draped themselves delicately over the wooden frames of her windows, complimenting the pastel blue walls. A small smile graced her lips when the sunlight streamed through the passageway made of glass, reminding her that a new day had begun. Her bed was, in a word, enormous. She often wondered how she slept in it without getting lost in its depths. Odette sat on a cushioned armchair with a basket of threads by her foot.

The needle in her hand maneuvered swiftly yet steady, pricking through the fabric to mend it. She found sewing to be an enjoyable activity. It kept her mind at peace as she watched the stitches bring themselves together. A way to fantasize that her problems would vanish by filling in the void that tore through the material.

A ring of golden leaves and flowers placed itself on top of her head, and her dress was a beautiful lavender gray. The sleeves exposed her bare shoulders, resting beside her arms. Small white flowers created a path from her cleavage to the rufflings at the bottom of her dress. Her back was exposed with crossed straps woven together to hold everything in place. As for the golden heart-shaped necklace around her neck, it was given to her by her mother before she was killed, and the necklace had a stunning carving of a swan.

When she finished, she admired her handiwork for a moment before she folded it and set it aside, also putting the needle and thread back in the basket. She opened her doors and went out of her room to see what her father was doing. She walked along the colorful rug in the hall that led her to the corridor. Odette opened the wooden doors which soared high to the sky, entering inside the room.

The entire room was stained with red from the walls to the drapes, along with the ones that covered the windows entirely to prevent sunlight from entering through just like the ones that covered the mirrors. A long wooden table extended itself in the middle of the room with chairs waiting patiently to be seated on. Her eyes were always drawn to the paintings hanging on the walls in every direction she turned to. Two suits of armor stood guarding beside the door. When she looked ahead, she saw her father sitting on a stool with his back turned and a basket of golden straw, spinning them into a canopy of gold on the spinning wheel. It always marveled Odette's eyes to see his wondrous magic. A magic so great yet terrible all at once.

As she made her way over to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders, watching his work. A graceful smile extended to her eyes, and she knew her father did too as he felt her delicate hands.

"How do you manage to do it?"

"It's quite easy. All you have to do is want something and let yourself have it."

Odette laughed for a moment before she reared away from the spinning wheel and went to sit on the stool beside him to watch his work. She watched his hands move swiftly with such precision, but they soon slowed down as his daughter caught him off guard.

"I mended Bae's clothes today."

In that instant, something replaced the comfort in his eyes. Something stoic. Her twin brother was a troubling subject to bring up, because everytime his name was ever mentioned he became upset. After he was upset, he grew angry. Ever since Bae left, she always heard her father destroy his room once every year at night for Bae's anniversary when he left them. Odette will never forget how she confronted him the next day, and he would simply brush the issue under the rug, telling her that he was alright.

His eyes never left the gold as he addressed his own daughter, "Did you?"

"Yes. I thought it would give me something to look forward to. Have you looked to see if there was a way to find him?"

"I will find him."

"When?"

"You needn't worry about these things, Odette. I will find Bae."

When he continued his work on the spinning wheel, an idea came to mind. "What if we made a deal with the fairy? The one who gave us the bean?"

He shook his head, almost in disbelief, as he stopped what he was doing, clenched his fists, and said in a whisper, "No."

"Papa, she can help us find Bae."

After hearing his daughter's tone raise slightly, he tightened his jaw, "No."

"We need to do something-"

He sprang to his feet, knocking the stool over, and glared menacingly at his own daughter with such cold terrifying eyes, shouting, "No!"

The minute tears slowly welled up in her eyes, she saw his eyes flash in an instant to regret, so she stood from her spot and walked past him while looking at the floor, afraid to make eye contact as she said in a melancholy tone, "Bae wouldn't want us to forget him."

Not wanting to hear his reply, she ran out to hide in her room, shutting the door behind her to throw herself on her bed. She was afraid of what he was turning into as she wept silently. Where had he gone, the father whom she adored? Not once had he ever raised his voice at her. He always treated his little girl like a princess, and now, they were more strangers to each other.

A bright tiny purple light pulled her focus to the window. She slowly rose from her bed and drew nearer to it. Odette couldn't make out what it was, but as was closer to it, she realized it was a tiny figure with waves of silk fluttering behind its back. Realization dawned on her as she opened the clasp, allowing it to enter, she then heard her sweet voice ringing through her ears.

"Odette, I've watched your kind heart for many years now, and I wish to help."

"Can you help me find my brother?"

"Yes, but we must leave tonight. We need to take you to our sanctuary where the Blue Fairy will give you a blessing powerful enough to travel between worlds."

"But, the Blue Fairy said that there was no other way. Only a curse can bring Bae back."

"Her magic will not work on your father for his heart is lost in darkness, but yours is good. You can reunite with your brother."

A glimmer of hope surfaced through her face, but as the fairy in front of her continued, she realized something as she asked, "But that means that my father can't come with me?"

"I'm afraid not. There is a reason why he is known as The Dark One. Our magic is light and good, and Rumplestiltskin's is wicked. You must travel alone. Are you willing to risk finding your brother even if it means losing your father?"

There it was: temptation. Odette finally found a way to look for her brother. It anxiously waited for her to take its hand, bringing her into the unknown, but at what cost? Have her brother back, yet lose her father? However, as the years rolled by, her father grew worse with each passing year. She was worried that he would lose himself. However, the more Odette thought about, the more she realized that he already has, especially after the outburst he gave her. If her father was not going to do anything about Bae, then she needed to do it herself, so she looked at the fairy and struck the deal, hoping that once she found him, she would find a way to return to her father with Bae in hopes of helping him to turn back into himself.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

The fairy nodded her head, satisfied by her answer. "Very well. Meet me by the lake at midnight so that I may take you to our home."

Present

As soon as the bell rang in her shop, Nora came out of the backroom to see the sheriff walking towards the counter. They both smiled at each other with Agnes welcoming him. She then grabbed his jacket from one of the shelves in the backroom and handed it to him.

"So what's the damage?" Graham smirked.

"Twelve dollars."

He dug for his wallet and placed the bills on the counter, but he surprised her by also putting seven extra dollars.

"Why did you-"

"Tip." the sheriff cut her off with a playful smirk.

Shaking her head, she tried to give it back, saying, "No, you don't have to."

"It's okay. Think of it as payment for your hard work."

"The twelve dollars was enough." Nora grinned, amused by his humor.

All of a sudden, a buzzing sound was heard, and Graham immediately looked down at his pants pocket to take out his phone. He looked at the collar I.D. before he opened it and placed it against his ear.

"Yeah?" His eyes never left Nora as he spoke into it, while she took the opportunity to put the money away in her shoe box in the backroom to give the sheriff some privacy. "Alright. I'm on it."

When she came back inside, she saw that he put his phone away to put his jacket on, ready to leave.

"Called on duty?"

"Yeah. The mayor called me for an important business."

"An investigation?" Nora mused with a playful smirk.

"More of an arrest. She's not too fond of the newcomer here."

Understanding who he was talking about, and knowing how protective Regina was towards her adoptive son, it didn't take long to figure out the situation as she pressed, "So Regina wants you to infiltrate Emma, Henry's birth mother?"

"Looks like it."

Past

Fear etched onto her face as her skirt chased behind her with the moon so painfully bright. The rustling of grass and foliage created an unnecessary noise, but she was too far away from The Dark Castle to even care. All she needed to do was to reach the lake. She was thankful that her father did not catch her sneaking out as he continued to watch the wheel spin, turning straw into his beloved gold.

By the time she reached the lake, she looked around and huffed out breaths, wondering where the fairy was. Her question was answered when the same purple light flew to her and burned brighter. It slowly grew and transformed into a tall figure, almost Odette's height. She saw a beautiful woman before her with an angelic face and a breathtaking gown.

"You came." the fairy noted, smiling.

"Bae is my brother. I could never abandon him."

She nodded her head before she took Odette's hand and said, "We must hurry now. We cannot afford to waste anymore time. I must take you to our home, where the Blue Fairy is waiting."

"How will we get there?"

"Simply stand still and I'll do the rest."

Odette stood from her spot, while the fairy in front of her pulled her wand out of thin air and pointed it at her, ready to cast a spell. Odette watched and smiled, ready to take the next step to find her twin. However, it was soon short lived as a ball of fire raged and flew to the fairy, burning her. She gasped and backed away a few paces, watching the fairy perish before her eyes.

Out of the shadows drew her father towards his own daughter as he pointed an accusatory finger to her, forcing her eyes to widen as he spoke, "Do you honestly think I don't know what goes on in my own castle?" Tears slowly welled in her eyes as he mocked her and moved his arms around, making a spectacle of himself, "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Papa, I had to. I would have found Bae."

"And you would have abandoned me."

"I was planning to find a way to go back to you once I found him."

"How?" she flinched, hearing the sharp tone in his voice. "How do you plan on returning back when there is no magic where Bae is?"

"I don't know, Papa." Odetted argued weakly.

"First, I lost your mother to those pirates, then my son, your brother was lost, and now you plan on leaving me?"

She didn't like how his sickening grin complimented his cold, threatening gaze as he drew nearer to her. Odette tried to mediate the situation, but as she spoke, his stare hardened further as she cried out, "It's not like that!"

"Then what is it? Those fairies took Bae away from us, and now, they want to take you away from me. They are pure evil."

"No, you are!" His jaw snapped shut as she took courageous steps to face him. "How could you continue making gold instead of looking for Bae? He needs us, but you clearly value your power more than anything."

"I gained this power to protect you and Bae."

"Well maybe I don't want protection or power. Maybe I just want my family back." She could see the emotion in his eyes, taken aback as tears slowly fell down her cheeks. "That's why I'm leaving you."

His eyes widened as he stared at her in disbelief. "You don't mean it."

"Yes, I do. I can't do this anymore. I refuse to stand by, watching you grow worse. I kept holding out hope that the same kind-hearted father whom I loved would return, but now, I see that he's gone. Goodbye."

As she turned to leave, her feet stopped when she tried to walk, almost as if they were stuck in place. She tried to move her legs, but it was to no avail, so she panicked, grabbing them to move them. When she turned her head to see her father, he was grinning from ear to ear, watching how there was no life in his eyes, as his hand was extended, using his magic to stop her.

However, what stunned her mind was that he raised her from the ground. She thought that he would conjure his red smoke to take them back to her room to reprimand her. She tried calling out to him, but she knew his mind was set as he attempted to keep her with him. Odette did not know how until he threw her into the lake, creating a big splash with the moonlight shining on her as she glowed. Her body burned horribly, and all she felt was pain as her body slowly shrunk. White feathers grew out of her skin, covering every inch of her. It felt like thousands of needles prickling her skin. Finally, she pursed her lips, transforming into a golden beak clamped shut, while her father laughed in the background.

Present

As night approached, Nora shut her entire shop and went outside to lock the store. The moonlight shone brightly on the street and the chill air somewhat comforted her. She put her hands in her pockets and looked around. She then smiled, seeing a familiar shop owner across from her, locking his store, so she decided to approach him.

"Closing up, Mr. Gold?"

He slowly turned around, clutching onto his cane for support as he smirked. "As much as I would like to, I can't keep it open twenty-four hours a day."

"True."

He stared at her as if he was searching for something. "Is there anything you'd like?"

"No. No. I just came here to say, 'hello'."

Seeing his smirk grow wider, he shook his head, looking down at the ground, almost in disbelief, but he then looked at her again and asked, "Care for a walk, Miss Moon?"

She smiled warmly at the gesture and nodded, "Of course."

They took their stroll along the sidewalk, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere that they were in. It was quiet and tranquil, putting Nora's mind at ease. She ignored how his wooden cane pecked against the sidewalk as Mr. Gold leaned into his cane.

When they passed by one of the townspeople, he gave them a strange look, almost in disgust when he saw the pair together. Nora couldn't help but look away from him as she looked on ahead. However, she did look over her shoulder just to see if the man was staring at them, and thankfully, he wasn't. She couldn't understand why they refused to believe that Mr. Gold was a good man.

"You should learn to ignore them, dearie." She looked at Mr. Gold as he didn't meet her eyes and continued to look straight ahead. "Never waste any time on those who don't hold value to you. It's meaningless."

"But doesn't it bother you? The way he looked at us when he doesn't know us?"

"Perception is blind to the truth, Miss Moon. The path that leads to truth is littered with the bodies of the ignorant. It's like the irony of hurting the people we love. To protect them."

Raising a quizzical brow, Nora asked, "Protect them from what?"

"From anything that would seek harm to the heart."

She wanted to know more about what he meant, but she did not say another word and kept her eyes straight on ahead as she walked beside him.

Past

A swan glided gracefully on the lake with a man watching over her. It was Odette and her father. She was there as a swan, looking down at her reflection with her long neck stretched.

He grinned from ear to ear as he said, "Don't let my curse upset you. It doesn't last long. When the moon comes up…"

Odette looked up at the moon for a moment before she felt something warm in her chest, and it slowly spread throughout her body as she glowed along with the water beneath her. The feathers and the beak disappeared and her body grew. She was herself again as she saw her human appearance in the lake. As she got out with the end of her skirt already wet, she heard her father.

"And that's how it works every night, but you must be on the lake, and…" He stopped himself when he saw her sitting on the wall perched beside her, refusing to cast a direction to him. She didn't have to see how his smirk grew wider as he said, "I did warn you, dearie. You can never leave me, and with this spell, I assure you, you never will again."

She looked up to glare at him. "We'll see."

She sprang to her feet and walked away from him, but she heard him call out to her, "And where are you going? As soon as the moonlight leaves the lake, you turn back into a swan no matter where you are." Her eyes widened, freezing in place as he continued, "So unless you want to be human again, you will stay here until you agree to return home with me."

Her tears blurred her vision as her legs gave out. Odette was on her knees, sobbing profusely, horrified at how her father cursed her with an unforgivable curse while the moon stood in the night sky as her witness.

Here is the second chapter everyone! I hope you enjoyed it! Send me a review please of what you think so far, or if you have any suggestions on what I can do, send a direct message to me or leave it in the review section since I am going to change Once Upon A Time, so I hope you will like the changes that I am going to do. See you soon!