October 22nd 2024.

Sam stumbled out of bed around dinner time with a yawn, in nothing but a plain black dressing gown. He told himself it would be the last time he pulled an all nighter and all dayer writing, but he knew he was probably going to do it again tomorrow. Sometimes being sleep deprived made his best work. He had heard Emma enter their apartment about ten minutes ago, so with his newest chapter at a reasonable end point he decided it was probably best to actually greet his sister and wish her a happy 28th birthday (he would have done it this morning but Emma was in one of her moods and rushed out before she could even eat breakfast).

"Hey, sis." Sam mumbled, stepping into their dining room.

When he had came in, Emma's eyes didn't meet his, her head hadn't even turned, she was looking at something by the doorway. Sam peered over to see a small boy with brunette hair standing there, with big cute brown eyes.

"When did we get a child? Or is it a stray? We aren't keeping it are we?" Sam asked.

Emma finally looked to her brother. "His name his Henry, he says he's my son."

"The one you gave birth to in pri-" Sam stopped himself, realising Emma wouldn't want her kid to know how his birth actually happened. "In the regular place births happen." Sam raised his brow at his own statement. "I mean, the hospital. Obviously the hospital, where else would he be born? Prison?" Sam laughed at himself, his smile wide.

Emma gave him a glare. "Not funny, Sam."

"Sorry."

Sam then noticed the big book in Henry's hand, the title sparkled in the light, it had 'Once Upon A Time' on the front.

The book? Is it time already? Just as he foretold. Why he told me over 15 years in advance seems a bit strange but if this is what's actually happening it wouldn't be the strangest part of today. Sam thought to himself, the many voices told him all about the supposed curse but they were childish delusions that grew into adulthood and never left, just fuel for his story's, surely this was all just a coincidence.

"Cool book, kid." Sam shrugged as if he wasn't all that interested but his deep gaze made it obvious that was far from the truth.

He could tell Henry noticed the look he had and that was good, he wanted Henry to know.

"Thanks." Henry smiled, exposing his freshly brushed teeth.

Did he brush his teeth? Has he even eaten? He's not planning on staying here is he? He's Emma's bastard so it doesn't bother me much but still. Being an uncle as cool as me, all his friends will be jealous. I can't have that. There would be riots in the streets.

"Listen, I want you both to come home with me." The boy said.

"No offense, kid. A man and a woman with a random child in their car is going to look real weird if we get pulled over. Where even is your home?"

"Maine."

"Maine? As in the state? Motherfucker, that's like four and a half hours away, do I even want to know how you got here?"

"Sam!" Emma scowled. "Don't swear in front of Henry!"

"Sorry. Motherflipfloper, that's like four and a half hours away, do I even want to know how you got here?"

"Listen, kid. We're not going to Maine." Emma said in her usual serious tone, Sam knew it well, when she spoke like that it would take a whole lot to get her to budge.

"If you don't come with me, I'll say you both kidnapped me." Henry declared, a smug smile growing.

Fuck sake, he really is Emma's bastard.

"And they'd believe you because we're your birth family." Emma stated.

"Yep." Henry and Sam said in unison, Sam added on. "Fuck sake, might as well go. Let me go and pack for the road trip. By the way, we're getting dinner on the road. McDonald's?" Sam rushed into his bedroom before running back out with an already packed bag. Neither Emma nor Henry questioned it at the moment. In truth, he had this packed for years and routinely put things in and out waiting for this day to finally come. Sam had also changed into a white buttoned up shirt, black pants, his black gloves, and he had also thrown on a random blue jumper he hadn't put away yet because his book distracted him (he learnt to get dressed quick at the children's home, before him and Emma were close, he would have little to do and had no other friends, so he would find anything to entertain himself, including timing how quickly he could get dressed. The lack of friends didn't bother him, they didn't like him and he didn't like them either).

"You're not gonna do that." Emma challenged.

"Try me." Henry still had that arrogant grin on his face. It was the same grin Emma had whenever Sam let her win at board or card games at the children's home. It was actually how they first bonded, although Sam found Emma less annoying then because at least she didn't bottle everything down then. He understood her pain, he may not have similar experiences but he understood and he wished she would open up to him even if just for something minor. Sam hated people who didn't tell the truth and bottling up feelings and raising walls was a form of lie in his book.

"You're pretty good. Here's the thing, there's not a lot I'm great at in life, but I have one skill. Let's call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you kid, are."

Sam felt the urge to groan as Emma began dialing a number on her phone, which Sam assumed was the police. That fucking bullshit superpower.

"Wait, please don't call the cops. Please. Come home with me." Henry begged.

Sam noticed the sad look in Emma's eyes and while he was upset she was sad, he was also overjoyed to be going to Maine after all. Finally his supplies can be of use instead of just sitting in a case in his closet collecting dust.

Emma sighed. "Where in Maine is home?"

"Storybrooke."

"Storybrooke? Seriously?"

Henry nodded.

"Alrighty-then."

"Fuck yeah, fuck this apartment, we're going to Maine." Sam cheered.

"We aren't staying, this is just until we get Henry back."

Sam and Henry shared a glance.

"Fine, sis. We'll drive hours to drop a child off and come straight back here."

"Sam, just shut up."

"Fine." Sam smirked. "Happy birthday, sis."

Emma had given in to her thoughts, she knew the moment she saw Henry but she couldn't admit it to herself. Now she had to. He's my son.

Both Sam and Henry had tried to get McDonald's at one of the many they passed on the way to Storybrooke but she refused to give in. The less time she spent with her son, the less she knew about him, and the less she knew about him the less time it would take for her to forget about this whole thing and return to her life.

"Come on." Sam complained. "We're hungry."

"Henry caused all this, Sam. He can eat a late dinner with his mother and we can eat on the way back."

Sam pouted which caused Henry to giggle.

His laugh is adorable. Emma thought. No. No. No. Emma you gave him away for his best chance, you didn't want him, the circumstances around his birth is proof you can't be a mother. You aren't even his real mother, his real mother will be in Storybrooke worried sick about him. You don't even deserve to hear his laugh or to see him. This will be the last time you see him, so don't even try to remember this or make fond memories. It's pointless.

Suddenly, the satnav gave it's next direction, interrupting Sam's music which was playing, the song was 'Uptown Girl' by Billy Joel.

"Why do we need the satnav, again? The kid got here, he can get himself back. As long as he doesn't fall asleep we have a Human satnav."

Emma couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "He's 10."

"So? He's more than old enough to be responsible for interrupting Billy Joel. Makes sense though, he's already established he's a troublemaker."

"He's 10."

Sam responded by singing the chorus to the song 'Naughty' from Matilda the Musical.

"Just my luck, put into the foster system and I pick the only idiot in the home to befriend."

"Your welcome." Sam smiled. "I know you needed me to survive, it's only natural, my awesomeness just shields you from all the bad in the world."

Emma's face was stern but there was a hint of a smile on her face."Yeah, right. Shouldn't you be paler than you already are and getting ready to vomit over the heat and the smell of the car?"

Sam muttered, his face twisting into discomfort for a moment. "Don't remind me, I've been holding it all in." Sam then looked back at Henry who had been silent for a while now, Henry was staring at the front cover of his book. "That your favorite book, kid?" he asked.

Henry didn't respond, his face looked faintly worried. Sam turned back round as to not push it further, they'd most likely get more answers when they reached Storybrooke.

The three had reached Storybrooke in Emma's yellow bug, slowly going down the dark road. The streets were empty but that was to be expected, it was deep into night now.

Now the curse can be broken. Henry thought, remaining hopeful despite his mother's reluctance to all parts of their meeting.

"Okay, kid. How about an address?" Emma asked.

"44, Not-Telling-You Street."

"Sis, I'll be honest with you. I don't think that's a real street."

Emma hit the breaks and they stopped in the middle of the road. She was the first to get out.

"Look, it's been a long night, and, it's almost…" Emma looked up at the clock, which was on 8:15. "8:15?"

"That clock hasn't moved in my whole life." Henry admitted.

"They might want to fix that." Sam joked.

"Time's frozen here."

"Excuse me?"

"The Evil Queen. She did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the enchanted forest here." Henry noticed Sam's immediate interest, his eyes had sparked with excitement.

"Hang on. An evil queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here?" Emma asked, skepticism evident in her tone.

"Yeah, and, now they're trapped."

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine? That's the story you're going with?"

"It's true."

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?"

"They can't." Henry explained. "If they try, bad things happen."

"Henry!" A voice called out, a man with glasses had just come out from a street corner walking his dalmatian. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, Archie." Henry begun stroking the dalmatian's head.

"Who are you two?" Archie asked.

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home." Emma answered cynically.

"Actually, I'm his uncle and she's the boys mom."

"Oh, I see." Archie's face looked a mix of concern and scared.

"Do you know where he lives?"

"Yeah, sure. Just right up on Mifflin Street. The mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."

"You're the mayor's kid?" Emma asked, disappointment in her voice.

"You're the mayor's kid?" Sam practically jumped up and down. "I hope we get special treatment."

"Hey. Where were you today, Henry? 'Cause you missed our session."

"Oh. I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip."

Archie frowned, a similar disappointed tone to Emma's in his words. "Henry. What did I tell you about lying? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

"Oookay." Emma interrupted. "Well, we should really be getting him home."

"Yeah. Sure. Well, listen. Have a good night, and you be good, Henry." Archie gave Emma and Sam a nod and walked away, his dog walking ahead, just enough to cause a bit of strain on the leash.

"So, that's your shrink?" Emma asked.

"He seems nice." Sam admitted.

"I'm not crazy."

"We didn't say that. Just, he didn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you."

Please mom. Just believe me. "He's the one that needs help. Because he doesn't know."

"That he's a fairy tale character."

"None of them do. They don't remember who they are."

"Ooh, who's Archie meant to be?"

"Jiminy Cricket."

Sam turned his head to see Archie now barely in view. "He's pretty small from here, but cricket? Doesn't seem like it. Unless cricket's often walk dogs?"

"Let me guess, the lying thing, you're Pinocchio."

The three got back into the car and begun driving to the mayor's house.

"I'm not Pinocchio."

"Of course you're not. That would be ridiculous."

Sam, Henry and Emma made their way to the mayor's front door. The home was big and lavish.

Sweet place. Sam thought.

"Please don't take me back there." Henry begged once more.

"I have to. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you."

"I don't have parents. Just a mom, and she's evil."

"Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

Fucking hell, Emma. I know you're stubborn but getting you to believe is gonna take forever at this rate. It's like dramatic irony but with the same intent as using ball torture. Henry and I both know what's going on so you better not prolong figuring this shit out. I don't like knowing something the character in a show doesn't for very long, it's even worse when dragged on for a whole damn season. Wake the fuck up, woman. And…I'm rambling again.

"She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to." Sam could hear the sadness in his nephew's voice. He genuinely believes this.

"Kid, I'm sure that's not true."

"Eh. Debatable. He was worried enough to run away to Boston. It's no easy feat, most runaways give up within the first 10 minutes. The devious fucker is committed."

"Sam! Stop it! I don't want his mother thinking I'm teaching him to say all this bad language."

The front door of the mayor's house opened, a woman with dark hair ran out and hugged Henry (Obviously his mother), but someone else was with her, he had his badge dangling around his waist, so some sort of law enforcement officer.

"What happened?" Henry's other mother asked.

Henry pushed her away. "I found my real family." He then ran inside past the law enforcement officer.

His mother turned to us with a shocked and upset look on her face. "Y-you're Henry's birth parents?"

Sam's eyes widened. "God, no. I'm his uncle."

"Hi" Emma greeted awkwardly.

"I'll just go check on the lad, make sure he's all right." The officer said with a noticeable Irish accent.

Henry's mom's face went from shock to anger to joy instantaneously from each other. "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you have ever tasted?

"You got anything stronger?"

Yeah, no. Fuck that. Clearly I'm the sibling that's thinking straight for once.

"No, thanks for the offer though. I'll just wait at the car, we'll be going soon anyway."

"How did he find me?" Emma asked.

"I have no idea." Regina said. "When I adopted him, he was only 3 weeks old. The records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want any contact." Archie told me Henry was making progress. I'll be having a talk to him after this.

"You were told right."

"And the father?"

"There was one."

"Do I need to be worried about him?" Regina's hand tightened around the glass cup she was holding.

"No. he doesn't even know."

But what about you? "Do I need to be worried about you, Ms. Swan?"

"Absolutely not".

"Madame Mayor, you can relax" Sheriff Graham's voice came from upstairs as he went down the stairs. "Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine."

Regina smiled. "Thank you, Sheriff."

He nodded and left.

"I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him.""Kid's having a rough time. It happens." Regina stood by the warm fire while Emma got comfy sitting down. "You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things have been tricky." Time to learn all about you, Ms. Swan. "You have a job, I assume?"

"Uh, I keep busy. Yeah."

Probably some junkie.

Regina's jealousy sparked. "Imagine having another one on top of it. That's being a single mom. So I push order." Regina flashed a fake smile. "Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil. Do you?"

Emma paused for a moment before quickly responding. "I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing."

Henry told her? Of course he told her. He tells anyone that'll listen. Damn it. This was all supposed to go away. Just what I get for putting my trust in a cricket. "What fairy tale thing?"

"You know, his book. How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket."

There was a harsh look in Regina's eyes, but only for a moment, betraying the softness in her voice. "I'm sorry, I really have no idea what you're talking about."

Emma's face scrunched in confusion, but just as quickly as Regina hid her look, Emma switched on a sweet smile. "You know what, it's none of my business. He's your kid and I really should be heading back. My brother's probably got himself distracted and has wandered off. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Of course." Regina held open the door for Emma. "Have a nice day, Ms. Swan" and enjoy the rest of them far away from here.

Sam had been staring at Henry through the window since the sheriff had left his room, and for a brief moment when Emma approached him, she looked up at his room and met his glance too. Then Henry turned the light off and vanished. Seeing the sad look on his sister's face, Sam spoke up. "How's the mayor? Nice lady?"

"Uh, yeah. Bit odd, but nice."

Totally. Sam thought, rolling his eyes. "We staying?"

"No."

Sam wanted to refuse but chose not to. They both got into the little yellow car and begun driving away from Storybrooke, Maine.

God, she's either not gonna sleep for weeks after all this. Or, I'll be waking her up every day for weeks at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The two siblings had been riding in silence since they got into the car. They both wanted to say something to each other and break the silence but neither chose to.

That was until, Sam glanced in the back. "Hey, sis. The kid left the book."

Emma couldn't hide her smirk. "Sneaky bastard."

Sam's nose begun to twitch. "I smell dog…no…not dog" They both turned back to the road and a wolf stood there, staring at the car like a deer would. "Oh shit!"

Emma quickly turned the steering wheel, driving the two of them into the 'Welcome to Storybrooke' sign. Emma hit her head and was knocked unconscious.

"Sis! Sis!" Sam pulled her back and checked her neck for a pulse, taking a sigh of release when he felt one. "Thank fuck. Come on, let's get you out of here and to a hospital." Sam unbuckled his seat-belt and got out the car, unlike Emma he was perfectly fine.

the wolf howled and then ran off.

Thanks, jerk. Sam opened the driver door and pulled his sister close to him. It's alright, you're gonna be fine. He then checked her forehead, a bit of a bruise was forming but nothing too bad. Doesn't look like you'll get a concussion but count on a massive headache. Suddenly, the loud whir of a siren interrupted his thoughts and gave him a new one: Perfect timing.

"HEY! WE NEED HELP OVER HERE!" Sam's calling out and the clear sign and car wreck made the car stop, the sheriff got out.

"What happened here?"

"A wolf in the road."

"A wolf? In Maine? Sir, be honest. Have you been drinking tonight?"

"No, sheriff. Don't drink and my sister's sober. It might not have been a wolf, could have been a trick of the light but something was on the road."

The sheriff looked to Emma's unconscious body. "Is she alright?"

"Nothing too serious, I've never been in a crash before, and I'm very thankful for that. Should I take her to the hospital anyway?"

"listen, just until we can be sure of everything, I'm gonna have to take you both down to the station. Alright?"

No. Sam nodded "Sure."

"Can I know your name?"

"Sam, Sam Swan. The sleepyhead is Emma."

"I'm Graham."

October 23rd 2024.

Emma woke up on a uncomfortable bed which was small enough for her legs to dangle off. Her head was killing her. She turned her head and saw Sam leaning against a wall and the bars.

Just like old times. She thought.

"Morning, sis." Sam gestured to the man in the other cell. "That's Leroy." He then gestured to the older man. "The handyman is Marco."

"What are you looking at, sister?" Leroy asked rudely.

"Hey, Leroy, manners." Marco spoke with an obvious Italian accent. "We have a guest." Marco looked to the two siblings. "So, you are Henry's parents?"

"Oh God, people need to stop thinking that. No, I'm it's uncle. Believe me, not by choice."

"Ah, well how lovely for him to have you both in his life."

Ow. This beats having a hangover. Well, most of my hangovers. I had some pretty bad nights after Henry was born. "Actually, we were just dropping him off."

"Yeah, my sister wants us to leave. Our four and a half hour journey was for spending 10 minutes here. Soooo worth it."

"Well, I don't blame you. They're all brats. Who needs 'em?"

"Agreed." Sam tried to put his fist through the bars for a fist bump and he succeeded but Leroy just glared at his fist. Sam pouted and pulled his fist back into their cell.

"Well, I'd give anything for one." Marco admitted. "My wife and I, we tried for many years, but he was not meant to be."

"Well, cry me a river."

Sheriff Graham then entered with keys, sticking them into the lock for Leroy's cell. "Leroy, if I'm gonna let you out, you need to behave. Put on a smile, and stay out of trouble." Graham turned the key and opened the cell door.

Leroy stepped out with a huge fake smile on his face. It turned into his usual frown as he walked off.

"Seriously?" Emma asked.

"It seems Regina's drinks were a little stronger than we thought."

Bullshit.

"We weren't drunk, there was a wolf standing in the middle of the road."

"See, I told you, Graham. A wolf."

Before a debate could ensure, Regina entered with a worried look on her face. "Graham? Henry's run away again. We have to…" she paused upon seeing the two Swan siblings. "What are they doing here?"

"Good question." Sam had a smug look on his face. "I mean one bed for me and my sister? You couldn't have at least let me share with Leroy? I loved Game of Thrones, don't want to replicate it."

Sam, you're making things worse. Emma wanted to say.

Regina ignored Sam, choosing to speak to Emma instead. "Do you know where he is?"

"Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house." Emma patted the cell bars "A pretty good alibi."

"he wasn't in his bed this morning."

"Did you try his friends?"

"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner."

Just like me and Sam. Emma couldn't hide her sad look. "Every kid has friends. Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them."

Regina glared. "And you know this how?"

"She finds people for a living and I know my way around policing" Sam moved away from the wall and stuck his hand out for a handshake. Regina just looked at his gloved hand with disgust. "It's looking like a pleasure to meet you, Madame Mayor."

"How about you guys let us both out and we'll help you find him?"

Emma pulled up Henry's emails and it was completely clean. "Smart kid. Cleared his inbox. I'm smart, too" Emma inserted her hard disk into the side of the computer. "A little hard disk recovery utility I like to use."

"I'm a bit more old-fashioned in my techniques. Pounding the pavement. Knocking on doors. That sort of thing."

"Then I can safely say Storybrooke is in safe hands." Sam peered over Graham's shoulder to see if the recovery unit found anything of interest. "There's a receipt from . Brilliant name for a website by the way."

Emma clicked onto the website. "It's expensive. He has a credit card?"

"He's 10." Regina said snarkily.

"Well he used one. Let's pull up a transaction record." Emma clicked on and a name appeared, 'Mary Margaret Blanchard'. "Who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?"

That's an unfortunate name to be given, the curse wasn't enough, The Evil Queen really wanted to humiliate Miss Blanchard, my guess, Snow. Sam chuckled to himself.

"Henry's teacher."

Clever fucker.

Sam then glanced out the corner of his eye and saw another him leaning against the wall, ever since he was a kid he had this version of him always with him, strangely he looked exactly as he did now, even though Sam had no way of knowing what he'd look like at twenty one.

"Closer and closer." His other me said. "Once this is all over, we can be fully restored and evil will be stopped. You excited?"

Sam couldn't respond with other people around so he just made a quiet 'mhm' noise.

Emma, Sam and Regina waited in the corridor for Mary Margaret's class to end, having arrived prior to the end of the school day.

"As we build our bird houses, remember, what you're making is a home, not a cage. A bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures." Mary Margaret let go of a bird and it flew to a nearby bird house outside. "If you love them and they love you, they will always find you." The bell rung and all the kids began rushing to leave. "We'll pick this up after recess. No running."

Regina entered the classroom. Emma and Sam were standing in the back.

"Miss Mills, what can I help you with?"

"Where is my son?"

"Henry? I assumed he was at home, sick, with you".

"Do you think if he here if he was?" Regina raised her voice. "Did you give him your credit card so he can find them?"

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"Uncle and mother to the problem child of the day." Sam said, not paying much attention to the conversation and looking around the classroom and reading all the work on the walls. Mumbling to himself about some of the inaccuracies in the young children's fake newspaper activities about some point in history, left over from some of the previous classes of students over the years (or lack thereof).

I do love a good detailed curse. Sam though. Clever, putting mistakes in the town instead of making it a perfect utopia. Hides the truth well.

Mary Margaret searched through her purse. "You don't know anything about this, do you?"

"No, unfortunately not." Mary Margaret opened her wallet to find her credit card missing. "Clever boy. I should never have given him that book."

Well, that isn't a normal reaction to a child that isn't even yours spending over a grand of your hard earned money.

"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?"

"Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart. So creative. And, as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it.""What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time." Regina stormed out, knocking some books onto the floor. "Have a nice trip back to Boston."

"Sorry to bother you." Emma said, helping Mary Margaret pick up the books.

"It's okay. I fear this is partially my fault."

"How's a book supposed to help?"

"What do you think stories are for?" Mary Margaret grinned.

Sam turned his attention back to the two ladies. "Finally! I've been trying to get Emma to understand this for years. She hasn't liked stories since she was a little girl and I've been trying to reignite that passion of valid uses of escapism from the world for years."

"I'm glad you and I are so alike." She said.

The three then begun leaving the classroom, Emma spoke. "Still sounds like nerd talk for me."

Sam gently pushed her shoulder. "Rude."

"Truthful."

"Anyway, Henry's not had the easiest life." Mary Margaret stated.

"yeah, she's kind of a hard-ass" Emma and Sam said at the same time, although Sam called her a bitch instead.

"No, it's not just her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face. 'Why would anyone give me away?'" Mary Margaret then turned to the two siblings "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."

"It's okay."

"Yeah, me, personally. Don't actually care".

"I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

"You know where he is, don't you?"

"You might want to check his castle."

"Finally. Progress." Sam cheered, raising his arms in the air. "We can finally get out of here, the children are all filthy and sticky-looking. Worse of all, they all look and act like children, and they are children. The horror."

Henry sat on one of the edges of the small wooden castle, his feet swaying. Emma and Sam climbed up from behind and sat next to him, Henry's book in Emma's hands.

"You left this in my car" Emma passed it to him. He was too busy looking at the clock in the distance to care.

"Still not moving, bud?" Sam patted Henry's shoulder.

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. Then the final battle would begin."

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid."

"Speak for yourself, I would love to experience a battle just like my books."

"You both are" Henry declared. "You're here for mom's destiny."

"Wow, I get no destiny? Glad to see my sister is still the popular one." Sam rolled his eyes.

Henry and Sam locked eyes for a moment and Henry saw a knowing look in his eyes.

Does he believe? He asked himself. Henry then turned to Emma, he couldn't figure his uncle out but he could figure out his mother. "You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me. I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. You wanted to give me my best chance"

"He's got you there, sis. The kid's a natural genius, don't know where in his family tree he got that from."

"Shut up, Sam! You're ruining the moment."

"Sorry" Sam rolled his eyes. "So, kid, how can you tell?"

"It's the same reason Snow White gave mom away."

"Listen kid, I'm not in any book." Emma insisted in her usual stubborn fashion. "I'm a real person. And I'm no saviour. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me and Sam. Come on, let's go."

Emma got up and Henry ran after her. Sam followed behind, dawdling a little because he was hopping up and down the stairs to see how many times he could do it before he either tripped up, got tired or Emma told him off.

"Just stay with me for one week." Henry begged. "That's all I ask. One week, you'll see I'm not crazy."

"I have to get you back to your mom."

"Come on, sis. Live a little, we've never been here before. A week couldn't hurt. Just a week, that's all."

"Please, mom. You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks."

Emma's voice raised as her temper grew. "You know what sucks? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system. And I had a family until I was 3, but they had their own kid, so they sent me back and I was all alone, they were too understaffed to give me the time of day, when I grew in the system, a boy younger than me, your uncle, had to help me deal with myself and all my issues because no adult would stand by me like he did." Emma held back tears, instinctively Sam grabbed Emma's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Your mom is trying her best. I know its hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you. But, at least she wants you."

Please stay. Please just stay. I need you to stay, we all do.

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of the freeway. That's just where you came through."

"What?"

"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe, you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

Emma laughed, a sad laugh that wounded both Henry and Sam right in their hearts. "Sure they were. Come on, Henry."

Henry and Sam reluctantly went back to Emma's little yellow bug.

Sam was stood by the car, Emma walked up to Regina's front door with Henry. Regina was already waiting. Henry sped right past Regina and up to his bedroom.

"Thank you." Regina said.

"No problem."

"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you and your brother."

"You know what's kind of crazy? Yesterday was my birthday. And when I blew out the candle I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That it wouldn't just be me and Sam passing another birthday by ourselves. And then Henry showed up." Emma smiled, she had done what she told herself not to do over and over again. She got attached.

"I hope there's no misunderstanding here."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't mistake this as an invitation back into his life. Ms. Swan, you made a decision 10 years ago. And in the last decade, while you've been…Well, who knows what you and that brother of yours have been doing? I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum, you may have given birth to him, but he is my son!" Emma tried to apologise but Regina interrupted. "No! You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry. And you're gonna be held to that. So, I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this town." Regina's harsh tone became threatening. "Because, if you don't, I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do. Goodbye, Ms. Swan." Regina's heels clicked as she walked up the small stairs out front her door.

"Do you love him?"

That got Regina's attention, she turned around with a pissed off and offended look on her face (So not an unusual combination). "Excuse me?"

"Henry. Do you love him?" Do you love him like I love him, Regina?

"Of course I love him." The conversation ended as Regina closed the door behind her.

The two siblings enter 'Granny's bed and breakfast' for the night. It was small but nice and cozy. The atmosphere was ruined by shouting from a woman with glasses and silver hair, presumably Granny, and a beautiful long haired brunette with a singular red streak, most likely a granddaughter.

"You're out all night and now you're going out again." Granny complained.

"I should have moved to Boston." The granddaughter shouted.

I wouldn't recommend it. Sam thought, his gaze on the brunette, he felt as if he recognized her before but couldn't figure out why or from where. And the smell of wolf had returned, two scents, faint but not gone.

"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard."

Sam chocked on his spit. Oh shit, Granny's not having it. I love it here already.

"Uh, excuse me." Emma said, getting their attention.

Damn. I wanted to see where that was going. Thanks a lot, sis.

"We'd like a room. Two beds or two singular, whichever works fine."

"Really?" Granny asked, surprise in her voice. "We have a couple rooms with two beds. Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as rent is due, I'll waive it."

"Square's fine."

Granny opened her notebook up. "Now, what's the names?"

"Swan. Emma Swan. This is Sam, same last name."

A smooth voice spoke from behind them. "Emma and Sam. What lovely names." They turned to see a man with long brown hair in a smart suit and cane behind them. One of his teeth flashed in the light, it was gold.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks."

Sam felt as if he recognized the man too but once more couldn't place it. Granny handed the man some money out from the drawer. Sam only got a quick glance at it but it looked like a lot of money. "It's all here."

"Yes. of course it is, dear. Thank you." The man smiled, his lips stretched as far as they could without showing teeth into a smarmy, arrogant grin. "You both enjoy your stay." He left without another word, the mood of the room had shifted when he entered and it seemed to have shifted once more now that he had left.

"Who's that?" Emma asked.

"Mr. Gold." The granddaughter answered. "He owns this place."

"The inn?"

"No." Granny's voice soured. "The town."

"Like in a mafia way or like a rich douchebag with too much time on his hands way? Because either way he and the mayor should fix that clock." Sam peered out the window to see if Gold was out of earshot. "I'm assuming the mafia way."

Granny quickly avoided the question. "So, how long will you be with us?"

Sam was about to answer but his sister spoke first. "A week. Just a week." Her answer caused him to smile.

Finally. More time for Henry to convince you.

"Great." Granny said, handing over the keys. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

Emma and Sam sat on their individual beds, getting ready for rest, well, Emma was, Sam was busy typing away on his laptop. He was slowly pushing each individual key so it would be easier for Emma to sleep. "Why are we staying for a week?" He asked.

"You were right. We came a long way, we might as well stay a while." She lied.

Sam knew she was lying but wasn't willing to push it, it took a lot to just get her to agree to this, questioning things would probably blow up in his face. "Alright. Night, sis."

"Night, Sam."

October 24th 2024.

It was the middle of the night, nearly two in the morning and Sam was still typing away on his laptop. That was until a sound came from downstairs, it sounded like something was knocked onto the floor.

Either someone's breaking in, drunk, or some real horror movie shit is about to happen. Eh, I'll risk it.

Sam carefully went downstairs as to not wake anyone up, when he got down their he saw Granny's granddaughter stumbling around drunk trying to lock the front door but she keeps dropping it when trying to put the key into the lock. "You need help?"

The granddaughter turned to him. "No thanks, handsome."

Sam felt his face heat up for a quick moment. He approached the front door and took the key's off the floor, locking it for her anyway.

"Hey!" She complained, slurring. "I didn't need your help."

"Sure you didn't, miss?"

"Ruby. And your name is, Sam? Right, handsome?"

"Uh, yeah. So, Ruby, do you need me to walk you to your room?" Sam asked, concerned.

"Oh, trying to take me to bed already, handsome? I know Granny says I sleep around but I wait for a date first." Ruby tried to do a flirty wink but was too drunk to pull it off.

Sam blushed at her comment.

"You look green." She said.

"Thanks?" Sam decided for him and her. "I'm taking you to bed."

"How assertive."

Sam was very careful in guiding her up the stairs. It was going well till the penultimate step where Ruby's drunken stumble, the stairs and her heels made an awful combination. Sam grabbed her hand before she could fall, both their hearts racing, a surge flew through their hands and Sam remembered something, something that didn't happen yet had the realism of something that was happening in the moment. He remembered a long black cape and a red hood, silver, flames and a wolf growl, a red cape was dirtied on a forest floor, men with lit torches and silver swords surrounded a injured and howling wolf, no too big to be a wolf, a werewolf? And Sam was there in a long black cape with his own blade, it was the color of blood red as if it had never been cleaned before. Then, as quickly as it flashed into his head, it vanished and Ruby's wrist was still in his hand and Ruby was using her other hand to caress the back of his shoulder.

"Thank you, my knight in shining armour." She purred.

"You're drunk." Sam said. "You need to rest it off. And make less noise, I don't you, and I don't know your grandmother, but it seems like you're both in a rough patch." Ruby scoffed. "She's just trying to keep me inside, she's always been so controlling."

"Right…"

Ruby's room was the furthest down the hall and it took much longer than it should have to get her down there. "Night, Ruby."

"Night, handsome. See you around." She kissed his cheek. "It's been a pleasure." She slipped into her room too drunk to remember to close it behind her so Sam did it for her. He wouldn't be able to lock it but closing it should hopefully be enough to stop her wandering around drunk if the mood struck her or if somebody wanted to get in.

"Sure was."

Sam started walking down the hall once more.

That's some lady.

The second Sam that only he could see walked up the stairs and waved at himself. "Hey, me. Shouldn't you be asking what all those swords and fire was about?" Sam was about to answer but his other continued first. "You think you know yourself. Turns out you don't at all, there's some mirror metaphor about self-discovery or acceptance or some bullshit like that somewhere in that, personally I despite mirror metaphors. You'd know that if you remembered. Which is exactly why we need you remembering."

"Was what I saw real?"

"Of course. It's my memories. Now you're getting them back, we can be whole again and break this curse. This is going much smoother than I thought it would."

"Who is she? In your memories?"

His other smirked. "If you want to know so badly, unlock the rest of my, or your, depending on how you look at it, memories. Isn't a mystery just so interesting? A curse, a fantasy-bullshit amnesia, and a stunning lady. What more could someone want?"

"Fine, at least tell me who I am."

"Sam is who you are." His smirk grew. "It's not short for Samuel if you're wondering. It's short for Samishtara."

"Samishtara? That's not a name."

"Not a name here." His other disappeared, unwilling to elaborate any further.

Fuck sake.

Sam quietly entered his and Emma's room, Emma was still sleeping peacefully. He slipped into bed and leaned back, laying down and staring up at the ceiling.

Samishtara. My name is Samishtara, and whoever I am, saviour or no, I have to break this curse.

"Fine, at least tell me who I am."

"Sam is who you are." His smirk grew. "It's not short for Samuel if you're wondering. It's short for Samishtara."

"Samishtara? That's not a name."

"Not a name here." His other disappeared, unwilling to elaborate any further.

Fuck sake.

Sam quietly entered his and Emma's room, Emma was still sleeping peacefully. He slipped into bed and leaned back, laying down and staring up at the ceiling.

Samishtara. My name is Samishtara, and whoever I am, saviour or no, I have to break this curse.

NOTES:

I hope you enjoyed reading, couple of notes:

1. I am a Brit (yes, I'm colonising the fandom), so there may be times I use British spellings rather than the American spellings, even during rereads and edits I don't notice them because my brain just picks them up as if it's normal. It shouldn't be that big of a deal but just in case someone got bothered by it.

2. I don't know if I'm doing S6, I'll at least do till S5. From there (or from S6 depending on how that goes), I will write my own stories and arcs, if I ever get into writing that far in or if people are interested in seeing that.

3. I prefer darker stories so my version (while humorous right now) will have it's darker moments, something OUAT can't really pull off without having some poor bastard getting involved in a rape plotline that makes no sense…Zelena. If rape does ever come up outside the main story and is my own personal addition, I will actually treat it in the manner it should be.

4. Not much changes so far besides some jokes added in (my humour is broken), the changes will start to begin from Chapter Seven/Episode Seven and onwards, and will likely become more different as the story progresses.

5. I am very consistent on updates, typically 1-2 weeks is an update, 3 weeks at most. If I miss that deadline even once, you have my permission to cut off my hands.

6. I mainly write on AO3, this is merely a transfer fic because I in part felt like it, prefer their categorising, and also just to branch out and try different types of fanfic sites. As such, if you want to check out the AO3 version, that would be great as I check there the most. Obviously, ask questions if you want to and support however you like. Finally, I also will only be adding essential notes to here for the time being, if you want any of my stupid, dumb notes (which are typcially just bad would you rather questions made from boredom or random questions about people's opinions on the show, feel free to check them out on AO3. If you want to see the dumb notes on here because you don't want to go on AO3, that's perfectly understandable and I'll add them in on later chapters. Most likely, you probably don't care about it, which makes sense since they really add nothing to the overall story's enjoyment.

That's all, have a good day/night.