Author's Note: This Chapter is dedicated to AO3's Elisexyz, whose detailed comments gave me the push to write this update.

Disclaimer: Dialogue taken from episode 4x14 of Once Upon A Time

Chapter Seven: To Sleep, Perchance To Dream

Thwack. A snowball hit Aurora straight in the face. It hurt and she wanted to cry, but she also wanted to laugh.

Today had been so miserable. Another ball was coming up and she had been in with the royal dressmaker for what felt like forever, getting suffocated by fabric and pricked by pins. It was the first snow of the season, and all Aurora had wanted was to go out and play in it, but her mother had insisted on the fitting. Never mind that she had hundreds of dresses from every other ball that her parents had held since she was old enough to walk. She needed a new one. Because this ball was the ball where she might meet her true love… which made it exactly like all the others. Her parents felt it was so important that she find a true love, but to her, it seemed so dull. She just wanted to play, and maybe have a friend to play with. All the sons of royals she had met had been so boring and stupid. She just wanted to have fun.

After a lot of childish begging, her mother had finally consented to let her go out and play—for an hour and no longer. She was barely in a slip and she was freezing, but she didn't care. She couldn't get out there fast enough. And now, it seemed, someone was pelting her with balls of snow.

She grabbed up some snow of her own and clumped it in her hand, throwing straight in the direction where the snowball had come from. She heard it land and she smiled.

"Great arm," said the boy hiding on her other side. She hadn't even seen him sneak up.

She looked down a bit self-consciously at her arms, so pale and un-athletic in the winter cold. The boy's arms were covered in dirt. "I usually wear sleeves in public," she said. He gave her a funny look and she felt a bit flustered. "Your arms are darker than mine," she continued, only vaguely aware that she was babbling now. "I don't know why that is. Do you?"

"What are you on about?"

"My arms. You said -" The boy started laughing and she felt her face grow hot. "Hey, quit it!" she said, stamping her foot, which caused their hiding space to collapse a bit. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down so they were both on their stomachs. Aurora shivered.

"Lulu'll be spotting us soon if you don't quit it," he said.

"Lulu?"

"My sister. She's on the other team, you know."

"There are teams? I don't even know how to play." She felt like she was giving up something important, admitting this huge fault, but the boy just smiled.

"It's easy. And you'll be good. You've got a good arm, which means you can really throw."

"Oh. Well, now I feel foolish."

A girl, flanked by two boys, came running to their side. Aurora felt the boy squeeze her hand. "Come on!" he cried, pulling her after him. "Scoop while you run!"

"What?" she yelled over the roar in her ears.

He shook his head laughing and plopped a poorly-constructed snowball in her free hand. "Can't pack them well while we're moving, but something is better than nothing. Aim. Fire!"

Without thinking, she flung the snow… clump at their pursuers. , They quickly found shelter behind a snow-covered boulder.

"I'll pack, you throw, got it?"

Aurora nodded. They went on like that for a bit, laughing as they played games of war.

"So, are we the ogres or the soldiers?" Aurora asked.

He smiled at her. "We're the ones that win." He gave her a rather large snowball and nodded, his eyebrows going up and down. She aimed and heard the splat.

"All right. That's enough of that!"

Aurora sighed. She knew that voice. Time to stop playing then.

"She's such an old hag," Aurora said.

The boy laughed, "That she is. But her stomping around probably means I should be elsewhere. I best get back to the kitchen."

"Is that where you work?"

The boy nodded, "My father's the cook here, see? What does your father do?"

"He … well, I'm not sure actually."

He laughed again, "You're a laugh, you are. You can play with us anytime. I'm Philip by the way."

"Princess!" Marta shouted.

"Guess something's up with her highness. I'll see you."

He ran off then, the others trudging behind. "Goodness, Princess, you're all filthy," Marta said as she reached her. She was clucking her tongue disapprovingly. "What on earth… ?"

"I had fun." Aurora said, "I want to play always in the snow with the servants' children. They know what fun is."

Marta kept clucking. "Come on inside and get cleaned up. What were you thinking, going out in that slip of a thing? You'll catch your death out here."

Aurora smiled as she followed Marta, ignoring her clucking. I had fun, she thought. I made a friend.

"-downsizing again, but hopefully, he won't let me go. Not that I relish sitting in that office for a long time to come, but right now, I need the money." He grabbed her hand and held it. "Not that I need to tell you that." He stared down at the hospital bed, at the beautiful girl hooked up to all those machines, "Someday, it will all be right. When you wake up, we'll figure the rest out. We'll get a loan and start that small stable we've been talking about-"

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

He stood, "Miss Drake. I -"

"Have no right to be here. You," she called, stopping one of the nurses, "Who let this boy into my daughter's room?"

"Um, I don't … Ma'am I -"

"Ma'am? Do you not know who I am? Let me help you. I am Alana Drake. My family founded this hospital. I have personally put a great deal of money and time into it, and I expect my daughter's care to be a high priority. Now if you would keep this … this menace away from her-"

"I'm her boyfriend."

"Were. Until you landed her in a coma. And now you've come to what exactly?"

"They say that if I talk to her-"

"Ah yes. Well, I know a great deal more about medicine than you, and I can guarantee that your being here doesn't help her in the slightest. If I were more pragmatic, I would have cut off the oxygen already, because the odds of her waking up are slim to none. However, as she is my daughter, I find myself too sentimental." Alana circled the girl's bed, "So she lies there, sleeping away her life, because you put her there." Her steely eyes met his, and then she turned again to the nurse. "Well, are you going to remove him, or do I have to find someone more competent?"

"Yes, Ms. Drake. This way, young man."

He sighed and glanced back as he followed. Once he was gone, Alana leaned down and pressed a kiss to the sleeping girl's forehead. "Such a pity I don't love you," she whispered. "Not that it would make a difference in this world. Your prince may visit again, but he will never wake you, dear. Think about that as you slumber."

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty. Time to face the day."

Emma groaned. She heard curtains being pushed aside and then bright light blinded her behind her eyelids. She tried to squeeze them shut.

"Come on, Emma. It's time to get up." Emma shook her head, hugging the covers. Hands slowly pulled the covers back. Emma's pink bunny rabbit pajamas ran through her head and she bolted up, accidentally butting her head against the offender.

"Ow."

"I'm getting up. Relax. Don't be a perv."

"Perv? I've seen your pajamas, Emma."

Emma groaned again. The groan turned into a yell and she threw back the covers.

"Stop smirking."

"My dad said he'd buy you other pajamas."

"Your dad isn't Daddy Warbucks, Neal. Besides, I like these pajamas." She didn't. They had been hand-me-downs at the foster home. But they were one of the only things she had ever owned and been allowed to keep with her.

"He bought you clothes for school. And, in case you forgot, you start today." Emma winced. "It's not so bad," Neal continued. "I started last year."

"Everybody knows I'm the runaway foster kid that your family is adopting. They're gonna stare at me like I'm some freak."

"When my dad and I showed up here, we were major freaks. You can't even guess. If Aunt Ginny and Uncle Josh hadn't taken us in and helped us get started …"

"You know, nothing makes you feel less like a freak than to know you're living with a bunch of freaks."

"All I'm saying is, we're all freaks here. Come on. I'll introduce you to all the best freaks at school. I promise. I'll help you fit in, even if I have to take on a bunch of ogres to do it."

Emma laughed, despite herself, "Ogres? What are you, some Dungeons and Dragons nerd?"

"That game is really inaccurate."

"Okay, weirdo. Get out of my room so I can get dressed."

"Mom?" Emma was startled out of her reminiscence by a pounding on her door. She winced. She didn't want to get up. She wanted to lie in bed for the next … ever. But she couldn't; she had things to do. So, she threw back the covers and headed to the door to find her son, his fist already poised to knock again.

"Can I help you?" she asked, smirking.

"You and Dad have to take me to Storybrooke Elementary today, remember?"

Emma nodded. Technically, Henry wasn't starting school yet. The paperwork for that would take longer. But Ms. Jones had been kind enough to let Henry audit for a day to make sure the school was a good fit. If it wasn't, well, they would figure it out.

Henry had to be in school, and it had to be a school that was good for him. Henry mattered more than anything else, so whatever was best for him was what they would do. But they had to stay here. And it wasn't just because she had already told Mary Margaret that they would. It was … she could feel they had to. People needed her here. And Henry seemed to agree with her.

"Where is Dad?" Henry asked. She hadn't even noticed him whizzing past her into the room. He was now sitting on her bed, looking around. His question sunk in and Emma tried not to visibly react. They hadn't talked about it, about what to tell Henry. And Emma didn't lie to her kid. But …

"He's up already, I think. Probably went to get breakfast for us." It wasn't a lie. Not technically. For all she knew, Neal was up. And if he was up, he might have gone to get breakfast. But she had never lied to Henry before. Not really. And she felt …

"Well," Henry said, "you should get dressed. We don't want to be late."

Emma nodded, "Right. Just give me a minute, okay?"

Henry nodded and left the room. He seemed really excited. He liked Storybrooke; he'd been pretty clear about that. Neal had seemed … well, he had seemed like he might like it too at first, but also …

When Emma had met Neal he had seemed so, well, weird. He was way too polite for a kid around her age, and he talked about stuff that made no sense. But he and his dad had clearly loved each other so much it made Emma ache. And when he invited her to be a part of that love, when they both had, how could she not jump at the chance? Even if they were weird. Even if they said weird things and kept secrets. It was her first real home and she wasn't going to screw it up just because … And Neal had been there for her. He had sat with her at lunch and taught her how to play games and he had been sweet to her. He stood up for her and listened to her. He was her family in every sense of the word.

But he kept secrets. He had always kept secrets. Even Aunt Ginny and Uncle Josh didn't know everything. As much as Emma didn't want to admit it, it had always bothered her. She trusted him to look after her, to love her, and to love and protect Henry, but was that enough when in so many ways, she'd never really known him?

It had started with a wave of anger stirring in his chest. She'd thrown an ax at his head! Why would somebody do that? Clearly, that chick was insane. If he were smart, he would never go to The Glass Slipper again. So why did he find himself drawn there? He told himself it was just a coincidence. He just happened to be wandering to this part of town. He had no intention of … it was a coincidence that he ended up behind the establishment. And there she was, having a smoke behind the dumpsters.

She was the pretty sort without all that gaudy makeup. Terribly pale and terribly blonde in an attractive sort of way, not that he was the sort to go for pale blondes. He felt something in his chest. A lurch. How … unfamiliar. Or was it terribly familiar?

He felt his feet move before he realized what he was doing or why he was doing it. And then, there it was: the realization. It was like a splash of cold water, and some desperate part of him tried to stay his feet. Some voice howled in his head that he was not to take another step; he was not to do what he knew he was about to do. Kind eyes. A giggle. If he could just make his feet stop.

His feet were not his own. His hand was not his own. His arms came around her from behind. She cried out in surprise, and he reached up, covering her mouth. She bit his hand, but he didn't move it. He spun her around to face him, careful to keep her mouth covered. He shoved her down and began kicking. Her mouth was no longer covered and she screamed and cried. It burned his ears. He saw a lake, somewhere, and a bonfire. He saw the tearstained face of the girl before him, and he felt sick. Why was he doing this? Had she really done anything so horrible to him?

Her cries stopped. She was unconscious and bleeding from the head. He wanted to stay, to cradle her head, and to dial an ambulance. It was lunacy. What would he say? He couldn't stay here. He wanted to, but …

Jack jerked awake struggling for breath. What in the bloody hell was that?

A nightmare, he reassured himself, just a nightmare. He tried to remember. It was something involving that lass from The Glass Slipper. He couldn't recall all of it, but there was a cold, sinking feeling in his throat and in his gut. There had been something … wrong about the dream. He wasn't sure what or why, but something made him feel like he wanted to be rid of his dinner.

He went to the bathroom and stood over the toilet for a bit but nothing came out. Just a dream that I barely remember. He made his way back to bed. Then, shaking his head, he got up again, went down to the kitchen, and got a glass of water to calm his nerves.

He could see Aria from here, passed out on the couch. She didn't look pretty when she slept, all mouth open and makeup smeared. She was snoring a bit, and he snorted at the absurdity of it. How had they ended up together? He couldn't quite remember, if he was honest. It seemed that they had always been married, and he had always been unhappy.

He noticed her shiver a bit and something in him wanted to cover her over with a blanket and keep her warm. He started to get something from the linen closet, but something stilled his steps.

He couldn't control his feet.

No, that was the nightmare.

He took another sip of water. Everything was fine. And it wasn't as though she didn't know where the linen closet was. If she was cold, she could certainly go and get a blanket. She didn't need him to play knight in shining armor.

And he was exhausted. It felt like he hadn't slept at all. He had no patience for the comforts of his bookworm wife. Wasn't she the one who always made him so miserable? Impeded his comfort? The recent incident, when he had tried to show her husbandly affection, and she had provoked him until he snapped and hit her. And then she'd had the nerve to go and complain to everyone and their mother, though thankfully, she had left his name out of it.

There was that newcomer though, the feisty blonde. Feisty blondes were no more his type than pale blondes. And she thought she knew him, thought she had his number. Well, let her try and go after him. He had Mayor Mills' protection, didn't he? Nobody in this town could bloody touch him with the mayor on his side.

The mayor. Mayor Mills. Now there was a woman with a proper complexion and a redhead to boot. And her accent had just the right tone to it. He heard it in his head, so clear and plain, "Now off to bed with you. Dream sweet, sensual dreams of me, and then wake up angry that they are just dreams and you'll never know what it's like to touch me. There's a good knave. Forget what you've done tonight, and dream a nice naughty dream until your sheets are good and wet. Tomorrow is a new, miserable day."

And he did as she said, blonde and brown hair flashing in his head before switching itself out for red. He settled in, feeling it in his hands, smelling the woodsy scent, knowing he would have sweet dreams.

Zelena smelled his cologne before she felt his lips on hers. The Evil Queen, Wicked Witch of the West, being woken by True Love's Kiss; what a laugh. And he wasn't her true love, though he was her husband. The irony was lovely. She would enjoy it more if she weren't so tired from her late-night, and if her dream hadn't been so pleasant. Oh well. Another day, it seemed. Someone had seen fit to restart time, and she fully intended to put a stop to it, but in the meantime …

"Good morning, my charming prince," she said, yawning.

"Good morning my princess."

"I prefer 'queen,'" Zelena said, trying to keep the humor in her voice.

"Then I'll get down on my knees and see if I can worship you properly," he said, smiling. Was he truly this dirty-minded on his own, or was that the curse? Well, Zelena liked it. It was funny; her first time with David had been, well, her first time ever. She'd never … before the curse. Now her body responded to his a certain way. She didn't love him. She knew that. She had only ever loved one man. She loved him still, even after his betrayal. But she had never given herself to him, or to anyone. There was something in the way she felt when David was trying so earnestly to please her. It was nice and strange. She never knew what to make of it.

In the beginning, it had been a bit of a shock, actually. David had brought her home after the party celebrating her re-election. The children had gone to bed. David had smiled at her, pointing out that they were finally alone, and maybe it was time to celebrate in private. He had carried her to their bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. He had placed a kiss on her lips and she had wondered if this was what Snow White had felt. There had been a thrill in that, of course.

She had expected him to lie down next to her, but he hadn't. He had gotten on the bed by her feet and started climbing his way up. He'd kept whispering that he wanted to please her.

She remembered feeling scared, but this had been her curse. This had been the first day of her curse, and surely he wouldn't do anything to harm her. Then she had felt the pressure. Something shifted and dropped deep inside of her. Much as she hated David, she would never share that experience with someone else. It had gotten a little boring over time, but perhaps that was just what happened after twenty-eight years. And most importantly, it was her and not Snow White that he wanted to please, kept trying to please over and over again.

He was just getting in position when the phone rang. "I'll, uh, let you get that," David said, grinning sheepishly.

"Good morning, Mayor Mills."

"Announcing her Royal Highness Talia of the Northern Kingdom."

Queen Talia looked every bit as regal as the royals expected, as she entered the throne room. She stood tall, curly red hair atop her head and white makeup on her face. Her gown was extravagant, but it seemed to fit her well and there was something to the way she carried herself; Briar Rose could feel in her soul that this woman would bow to no man.

"Your Highness," she said, rising to greet her fellow. "Welcome to our kingdom."

"We were expecting your husband as well," Stephan said. Briar Rose shot him a look. He was never as subtle as she when it came to politics.

"My husband was detained," Queen Talia said. "I hope that is not an inconvenience."

"This is simply the beginning of what we hope will be a beautiful friendship between our families and our kingdoms. More importantly, a friendship between our children."

Queen Talia looked startled. "I beg your pardon?"

"We wish to negotiate a betrothal between our daughter Aurora, and your son. Phoebus, I believe, is his name?"

The Queen shook her head. "My son was called Phoebus, it is true. And my daughter was called Luna. They were beautiful babies, my sun and moon children. I believe they would have grown to be strong, beautiful children." She blinked twice and sat up straighter. "But they are dead."

Briar Rose gasped. "I … I don't understand. We thought -"

"It is rather simple. My mother-in-law, the late Queen, did not approve of her son's choice of bride. She had our children killed in a most brutal way; you will forgive me for not divulging the details. We have not been blessed with more children since her passing." She made to stand, and Briar Rose and Stephan stood as well, trying to remember to be polite amid their shock and horror, "Now, if that is all, I shall take my leave. I do not wish to rehash past pain."

Her gown swished behind her as she left.

The king and queen were quiet for a time.

"Stephan," Briar Rose finally said.

"I know. We should … we must summon the fairy. Get some clarity."

"Yes. Very well." Briar Rose hated summoning Green. She hated calling her by such a name. Of course, their former patron fairy had preferred the nickname Tinkerbell, but to Briar Rose, she would always be her family's fairy: the true green fairy. How she missed her.

"Green Fairy!"

And the Green Fairy appeared, "Your Highness. How may I be of assistance?"

"You told us that our daughter's true love was the son of the king and queen of the Northern Kingdom. You told us his name. Well, we have just spoken to Queen Talia, and her son is long dead."

"Perhaps they'll succeed in having more children," Stephan began, but Briar Rose shook her head.

"You told us his name. It was Phoebus. That was her son's name, and a grieving mother would not dishonor her son's memory by trying to replace him with a new one."

The Green Fairy smiled sadly. "The future is unclear, even to those of us with magic. I do not know everything. But that boy is your daughter's true love."

"But he's dead!" Briar Rose said, not bothering to hide her despair. "You know that Maleficent will try again. She is still so angry, still in so much pain -"

"I care not for her pain after what she did to you!" Stephan said.

"You did not know her as I once did! She is what I made her." Tears stung her eyes as she spoke, "Regardless, she still carries hate in her heart for us. I was lucky to have found my true love before she cursed me, and he still had to fight long and hard to get to me and wake me up. She will go after Aurora one day. I know she will. If she does not have a true love to wake her … then all will be lost. Please," she implored the Green Fairy, "Please, you must help us protect our daughter."

"I have told you all I know. I could take your daughter into hiding. Protect her until -"

"You took me into hiding for years and it did no good. She'll find her, as she found me. If you can't help us …"

"Could she have another? I knew of a boy who married his true love, and when she died, He met and married another some decades later."

"It is possible, but the signs tell me that -"

"The signs are clearly useless. We will deal with this ourselves. You are dismissed."

The Green Fairy shrank and flew away.

"We'll find her someone. We'll invite eligible suitors from every kingdom to ball after ball after ball until … we see that spark of love in her eyes. We will save our daughter," Stephan said with a certainty he did not feel.

"We will. We must," Briar Rose agreed, before burying her head in his shoulder and finally letting herself cry.

"You are not here to make friends," Jamie Jones said. She stood tall over Henry, and Emma felt like she wanted to pounce on the woman a little. Neal held her back. "You are here to learn. I run a tight ship here, Henry, a very tight ship. My students listen when spoken to and do not talk back."

"What if they know the answer?" Henry asked.

Jamie's eyebrows went up a bit. "You'll wear a uniform, which you will keep clean. You will not violate the dress code. The work is hard, but if you apply yourself, you will see results. This is a top school, Henry, and that is because I make the rules very clear and people listen."

"He's a kid," Emma said. Jamie turned to her. "Did I forget to raise my hand?"

"Emma," Neal said.

"Look, I'm sorry, but he is just a kid. I want him to follow rules, but it seems like you're trying to scare him straight, and I don't think -"

"Some children need to be scared straight."

"Henry is a good kid."

"If so, he shouldn't have any trouble."

Henry raised his hand.

"Yes, Henry?"

"I want to try it out." He turned to his parents. "I mean, we're staying here, right? And this is the school. And honestly, it doesn't seem so bad. I can follow rules."

"I know you can, sweetie, but-"

"Don't you want to stay?" Henry asked, his eyes big.

"Of course."

"And you're going to make me go to school either way, right?"

"Well, we could discuss homeschooling. Maybe -"

"If we're going to have a life here, I want to know the kids. I want to be here. Let me try."

Emma sighed. "Give us a minute?"

"As you like," Jamie said, sitting back at her desk.

Emma pulled Neal aside. "I know I was all gung-ho about staying, but I feel like maybe, this school could be a mistake. She seems … I don't know …"

"Is this maybe more about yesterday than-?"

"What, because I caught her in a compromising position with you?"

"It wasn't-"

Emma put up her hand to stop him, "This isn't about that. I don't think. I just want to make the best choice for Henry. We're uprooting him. Again, my fault, but -"

"We're not signing a contract. The transfer papers haven't gone through yet. Let him try it out, like he said, like you said this morning until Jamie spooked you."

"I'm not spooked. I just … I want to trust her, and you, but right now -"

Neal shook his head. "Henry knows he can come to us. If it isn't right, he'll tell us. He wants to try. Let's let him try."

They made their way back around the room. "Okay. Continue being scary."

"I imagine in your line of work you've had to be a tad scary as well, Mrs. Stiltskin?"

"Yeah, sometimes. But not to kids. Kids get scared enough."

"The world isn't all roses, and they'd best know that. That's always been my thought process."

"You ever had kids?"

She blinked a couple of times as though confused by the question. "I … no. I … not my own. But I've been running this school for nearly as long as I can remember, and I care deeply for each student. It's why I'm tough. They may think me a monster now, but they'll be better for it in the end."

A piece of fabric hit Aria's face. She flinched, but she didn't open her eyes.

"Oi! Get up, yeah!"

With a sigh, she sat up, the item of clothing falling to her lap. She held it up in her hands. "It's a dress," she stated, confused.

"Well, we're eatin' at the mayor's tonight, ain't we?"

"Right."

"She gave me a bonus yesterday, told me to spoil my wife with a new outfit."

Aria tried not to scoff. "How kind of her."

"She is kind!" he snapped. Aria nodded, standing now, so that she could examine the dress more closely. "It's your size. I know your size, ya know. Ain't some fellow don't know how his wife's shape looks. Not that I've seen much of it."

"Not that you've been interested." Her eyes widened, realizing what she said. She could never seem to hold her tongue these days.

Jack stared at her, looking ready to pounce. He brought his arm up, and she flinched back, but he didn't strike. Instead, he said, "It should cover your, ya know, bruises well enough. Wear it tonight." Aria nodded, "Stay in the house today. I don't wanna be hearin' about you wanderin' around. I'll, uh, check in on you … later, ya?" Aria nodded again, "Great. Great."

He headed out without looking back at her. She exhaled once he was out of sight, finally feeling like she could breathe again. Then she took another look at the dress. It was pink; not really her style. It was also very modest, but that made sense. She was still pretty bruised up. What she needed was a nice hot soak in the tub, but Jack wasn't too fond of her taking a long time to clean herself. The heating and water bill … he wouldn't know if she just … would he? Best not to risk it. Sighing, she hung the dress on the back of a chair and went back to sleep.

"There's a bump just a bit ahead," a voice behind him said, and Rumple felt himself grow still. Something in him went on edge at the sound of that voice, but he had a feeling it wasn't him at all. He heard her heels clack as she continued her way towards him. "I thought you should know. A leg injury like that isn't to be exacerbated."

He turned, finding a thin, tall blonde woman pulling a shawl around herself. "Yes, well, I've had the injury for quite some time. I know how to avoid bumps in the road, as it were."

She nodded, keeping pace with him. "I apologize if I overstepped. Old professional habit, I'm afraid. Tending to injuries is something I've always done, in one way or another."

Rumple nodded. "Lovely day for a walk. I assume you agree, as you seem to be joining me."

"Well, it is nice to get back to nature, away from all those modern contraptions. They're like eyes on you half the time. Like the security cameras at the hospital?" It took an effort for Rumple to keep his steps even, "The technology is a little outdated, of course. Why I heard some of it was downright … misplaced. But perhaps someone saw it first."

He hadn't noticed any security cameras. But perhaps he hadn't thought to look. Careless of you, Dearie, not to look out for yourself. Of course, his curse wasn't used to modern technology. Still, he should have known better.

"Will your son be making another appointment to have his blood tested then? Seeing as the sample is gone."

"I believe that the issue is between my son and the local hospital. I assume you are employed there?"

"Not as such, but I have, shall we say, an influence."

"Mm."

"Not so much as the mayor, of course, but I do know this town better than most. We might, at some point, benefit from each other's acquaintance."

"Then why not skip all the dramatics and call ourselves friends?"

She laughed. It was a deep, throaty laugh, "That's a bit premature. Friends are a luxury. Allies, however, those can be necessary, depending on which way the wind blows."

"You like talking in riddles? I've been told I was good at that once. But, these days, I am much better at solving them."

"Well then, here's a riddle. What would a queen do to hold onto her kingdom when it starts to come apart at the seams? Or rather, what wouldn't she do?" The woman stopped walking. "As I said, we may each find ourselves in need of an ally. Something to ponder on your stroll."

She turned in the opposite direction then.

"Might I perhaps have your name before you disappear into the wind?"

Another laugh, "Names are a powerful thing. But you'll find in this town, they don't mean much. Perhaps if you can find a name that fits, I'll answer to it. Good day, Mr. Stiltskin."

They hadn't talked much on the drive back from the school. Neal had fiddled with the radio for a bit, but he couldn't seem to settle on a station, so Emma had stilled his hand. She almost pulled hers back, but she knew how fidgety he could get. And it was … nice, to hold his hand as they drove, if even for a moment.

Of course, she was driving, so it couldn't last, but she remembered car rides when Henry hadn't even been a year old yet. He'd been a fussy baby, colicky really. Long drives had calmed him down. They had both been nervous, just kids themselves, and first-time parents, and all that. And they couldn't really talk or listen to music, because it might wake Henry. So they just drove and, whenever Emma could get away with it, she would touch Neal's hand or knee or arm and give it a light squeeze. And their eyes would meet in the mirror. They were in this together, colic and all. That was what counted.

This had been an awkward drive, both of them wanting out of the car and jumping out as soon as it stopped. Emma had told Neal she had errands to run and Neal had nodded. Now she was waiting outside the Scathe's. She rang the doorbell a couple of times, but nobody came to the door. No lights were on. She should leave.

Instead, she headed around the back, looking for another way in. She wasn't going to break and enter or anything. She was just going to make herself heard.

She knocked on the back porch door as loud as she could. Nothing.

There was a translucent sliding door. Through it, she could make out a figure on a couch. An unconscious figure.

"Screw it." She'd have to squeeze through. As she tried to figure out how strong the door was, she felt it easily slide open. "Gotta love small towns." Of course, this small town now thought someone was going around beating innocent women, but it wasn't like the residents of this house didn't know that that was bull.

"Aria!"

The girl jerked awake, gasping, then wincing. She stared at Emma, "Did you just break into my house?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I was asleep."

Emma nodded, "Yeah. So, major overreaction. But nobody came to the door. And I wanted to be sure you were okay. Or, well, as okay as you can be."

Aria nodded, "I should be mad … but I'm hardly going to call the sheriff."

"Good." Aria made to stand, wincing again, and Emma asked, "You need a hand?"

"I'm just … still recovering." Emma nodded, "I wish I could get a good night's sleep."

"Might help if you slept in your own bed," Aria said nothing. "You know," Emma continued, "it can be hard to leave stuff behind, but sometimes there is something better waiting on the other side. Like a bed you're not afraid to sleep in."

Aria shook her head. "Thank you for checking up on me, but I would really rather sleep. We've got dinner at the mayor's tonight. I'm going to need my energy."

"Okay. Well, why don't I just … sit with you, for a bit? Just until your husband returns?'

Again, Aria shook her head. "I know you're trying to help, Emma, but, please, just … go."

Emma nodded, "Okay. Well, just know. I'll be around."

"You doin' okay there?" Neal asked the young man sitting beside him outside of Granny's. After ruminating on the mess that was his relationship in their hotel room, he had been on his way to pick up some lunch for him and Emma. Things had taken a turn when he had seen the guy, Colt apparently, stumble outside Granny's with four or five to-go cups of hot coffee on hand.

He had reacted quickly, helping the guy up, checking for injuries, and doing some basic first-aid. Colt had seemed more embarrassed and exhausted than anything else, so Neal figured they should both sit for a spell.

"That was … a lot of coffee."

Colt nodded, "Yeah, well, I got a desk job so …"

Neal laughed, "Been there. If it makes you feel better, there is light at the end of the tunnel."

Colt looked up, "Yeah?" Neal nodded, but Colt just shook his head and looked back down, "I'm not so sure."

Neal clapped Colt on the back. "You can't have been out of school that long, right?"

Colt shook his head, "I didn't make much of myself in undergrad. Got my associates in business, but I'm really more a man of action. Gia and I had planned on opening up our own stable someday."

"Gia?"

"She's my girlfriend." He smiled slightly, then sobered. "Or was. Sort of still is. It's complicated."

Neal nodded, "I get complicated. Got my girl pregnant just before graduation. And we weren't exactly … I mean, we had some money. This nice couple helped my dad and me out a lot when we … immigrated."

"You don't sound like a foreigner."

"Well, I was pretty young. But my dad is pure Scotland. And it wasn't easy, getting papers. I still don't understand half of what they did for us. Dad's credentials from home didn't exactly transfer, and going back to school was a little … anyway, he used to tutor in math. It worked okay schedule-wise for helping out with Henry after he was born, but I knew someone would need to step up, and no way was I was letting Emma be the one to opt out of college. So, I took the highest paying job I could find, given I didn't have anything but a high school diploma. I was lucky to live in a small town where people basically knew me and were willing to cut me a break. I didn't see my family anywhere near as much as I wanted in the beginning, and between trying to make up the time with them and my job, coffee and I became the best of friends."

"So, you still doing that? The office gig?"

Neal shook his head, "Nah. The program Emma was in fast-tracked her to a nice starting job, and then I switched to part-time and took some night classes. Took forever to finish what should have just been three years, but now I'm an RN. Or, well, I was. I actually need to call my boss and talk about transferring, what, with the move. Hope she isn't too pissed."

Colt nodded, "Nice story. Happy for you mate. But, my girl isn't exactly pregnant. Frankly, I wish it were that simple. It'd be a little earlier than we planned, but being a dad … I'd love that. 'Sides, anything is preferable to …"

"To … ? You're scaring me a little."

"We were driving. I was driving, and something was in the road. I don't even remember now. And I walked away without a scratch, but Gia … they don't know if she'll ever wake up. I feel like she's been asleep since I don't know when, and I can't even do anything. Her mom won't even let me visit. Not that I don't sneak in when I can, but Dr. Drake's got quite a lot of pull at the hospital."

"That's her mom? She's a doctor?"

"Was. She left it all behind to start her own holistic place, but she still has a helluva lot of pull at the hospital. Kicked me out today. Feels like she does every day. But I gotta keep going. I can't just …"

Neal nodded, "It's hard when you can't help someone. It sucks. No better way to say it."

"I just don't know how much longer to keep doing this. It's just me. I'm on my own, you know? Never had a family. Gia left it all behind to run around with me, and instead of giving her a life, I nearly took it away. Every time I close my eyes, I see her not making it, and I just can't unsee that."

"So, you drink coffee?" Neal nodded. "You said you're on your own. Your parents aren't in the picture?"

"Don't remember a time when they were, to be quite honest. Gia's town royalty. I was just some guy trying to make it on the street. Don't know why she even took up with me, took a chance on me."

"Speaking from experience, I'd say she saw something of herself in you, and maybe something she wanted to be. Or, maybe, she just thought you were cute." Colt smiled. "Listen, I'm new to town, so I don't have any pull, and I'm not rolling in money, but if you ever need a friend … let me give you my cell number, okay?"

"Why?"

"My son keeps telling me we're here to help people. My wife might be the chosen one, but I still gotta do something, right?"

"I'm not sure that made sense," Colt said, tentatively taking the number. "But thanks. I guess."

Henry had made it through the morning all right. His teacher, Mr. Hopper, seemed strict, but also kind. He greeted Henry in a friendly enough tone and sat him next to a girl named Paige. When it was time for lunch, the children all filed out nicely and neatly.

Henry hadn't actually found Ms. Jones or Mr. Hopper all that strict, though his mom had been a bit momma bear this morning. Maybe it was the curse that made all the kids so proper and respectful. It had to be really.

There was a lot of talking during lunch, but nobody spoke to Henry, so he sat off on his own. Then there was recess, and he saw the kids start to act like kids, running, and jumping.

There was a group hanging out by the picnic tables playing games. Henry took his book and went to sit over there, a little out of the way, and observed. Wasn't that why he was here? To observe? He needed to figure out what was what and, more importantly, who was who.

"All right then. We ready to go?" Paige asked. She was holding a deck of playing cards and looking at the other kids with a curious expression.

"I want to play," a young boy said. He couldn't have been more than six at most.

Paige sighed. "Roland, you're too young. We've -"

"I have money." The boy said, producing necklaces aplenty. Paige gaped at him. "My dad's safe," he said, looking down and toeing the dirt with his shoe.

Paige examined the loot. "Costume jewelry," She declared. "Stop wasting my time. This game is for big kids."

Roland sighed, grabbed the necklaces, and walked off muttering.

"All right. If my math is right, you two owe twenty dollars apiece," she said, pointing at two boys who were scowling. "So best remember that before placing any more bets."

"What are you playing?" Henry heard himself ask.

Paige eyed him for a minute, and then turned back to the cards, uninterested. "Poker," she said.

"Paige runs the best game," one of the boys said. "If you ask me, it's the whole point of recess, which makes it the whole point of school."

"You've had a lucky streak," Paige said to the boy. "Maybe it'll keep. Maybe not. All right, who's in? Remember, if you can't afford the pot, you can't play, and don't bet more than you can pay."

The others nodded and presented coins, bills, and jewelry likely stolen from their mother's nightstands. And then the game began.

"I thought I heard someone singing out here!"

Aurora jumped at the interruption. She had been humming the waltz, practicing it by herself. Another day, another ball. Aurora had been dancing forever, but there was always a new dance to learn. Still, her instructors could be rather stuffy, and it could get rather stifling indoors. Aurora liked to go out into the wooded area by the palace, right by the stream, and just dance as she had back when it was fun.

So she had been dancing and humming when he had come up behind her. She would have been mad if she hadn't seen who it was.

"Philip! You startled me," she said, smiling at her friend. She was always happy to see Philip.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, as he leaned against a tree.

"I could ask you the same … but that wouldn't be very ladylike. I was dancing."

"Ah yes. Another ball. Father is working on the menu."

"I wish we could go together. It would be fun with you there."

"I suppose I would just watch you prance around?"

"No silly! You would dance with me too."

Philip looked down, his face turning a shade of red. "I don't know how," He mumbled.

"Well, that's easily remedied," she said, going over to him and grabbing his hands. "Here, I'll teach you." Philips stepped back, nearly falling into the lake. "What's wrong?"

The boy did his best to regain his footing. "Nothing," he said, clearing his throat and straightening his collar. "But I have a better idea. Come on." With that, he turned and headed along the stream.

Aurora hurried behind him. "Where are we going?"

"Just where I was when I heard you singing." He whistled, and Aurora heard a rustling. And then she saw the most magnificent creature draw its head from the stream. Philip strode up next to it, tapping its side. "Gianna, Samson, Samson, this is my friend Gianna."

"Oh my! Is he yours?"

Philip nodded, pride gleaming in his eyes. "Father just procured him. He's not much to look at, but he's strong and loyal and kind. Or I think he is, at any rate. I just got him."

"That's amazing."

Philip nodded. "Would you like a ride?"

"Oh, I couldn't. I … "

Philip took her hand and Aurora felt it tingle, "I'll teach you." Without a word, he lifted her up, and Aurora felt a jolt at being held so close to him, if for just a moment. Before she could panic, he was behind her. "Another day," he amended. "Today, I'll ride with you and keep you safe."

His arms went around her from behind, and then she just felt a rush and she couldn't breathe. He looked at her and she noticed how handsome his face had become, how kind his eyes, how charming his smile. They were both fifteen now, nearly grown. When had that happened? When had Philip stopped being a boy she played with who let her pretend she wasn't Princess Aurora? When had he become … well, not a man exactly, but something more than just some child?

She heard the wind rush, felt her hair flying in her face. She'd have chapped cheeks after this for certain. And there was music too. A song she didn't know seemed to be playing. Her heart seemed to be beating to the tune of his name. Philip – Philip – Philip, it sang.

When the horse started to slow, Aurora tried to catch her breath again. She tried to slow the thumping of her heart as Philip helped her down from the horse.

"Quite a feeling, isn't it?" he said, once they were both safely on the ground.

"Philip I … I have something I want to say to you."

"Yes?"

And she couldn't speak. Not one word. Why? Why am I struck dumb now? Why won't the words come?

"I can't hear you," he said, laughing that laugh of his, "Anyway, I should get back. Father will need help in the kitchen. But don't forget, I owe you a riding lesson or two. Okay?"

Aurora nodded, and Philip went off. Finally, she found her voice. "I'll dream of him tonight. I'll tell him then."

"So we should probably talk about what we're going to tell Henry," Emma said.

They were sitting on their bed at the inn. Neal had brought take-out from Granny's. Emma wasn't really hungry anymore, but she tried, thinking maybe it was a peace offering of sorts. They sat on the hotel bed, a few feet apart; Emma was picking at the fries when she realized how ridiculous it was for two grown-ass adults who were married with a kid to not be able to talk.

"Tell him about what?"

"About us. You know, we're not … sleeping in the same room right now. And the kid's sharp. He'll probably notice …"

"I think he already has. I mean, maybe not the sleeping thing, 'cause that's new, but he asked if we were having some sort of problem." Neal smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "He said that this whole trip happened because we fought that day."

Emma shrugged, stifling a half-laugh, half-cry. "Well …"

She hadn't sold it like that to Neal really. It had been more, Henry's got a break in school, my birthday's coming up, and wouldn't it be nice to get away? Neal either hadn't known or hadn't wanted to know.

"I know I'm hard to know, Em. But I want you to know me more than I've ever wanted anyone to know me. It's just scary 'cause there are things …"

Emma reached over and covered Neal's hand with her own.

"It was hard for me, too."

"Why did you trust us? Looking back, I know we were super weird."

Emma nodded. "You were. But truthfully, I didn't have anywhere else to go, and nobody else had ever wanted me. Well, one person, but … you weren't going to hurt me. I could tell. You and your dad were safe. I never had 'safe' before. I liked it."

"We could have been dangerous. We were kind of crazy, and you were a little scared that first day."

Emma nodded, "I guess it was a gut thing. And you guys didn't lie to me, or not in any way that made me think you were dangerous."

"Ah. The lying thing," Neal said with a laugh. Then he suddenly turned serious, "You always said it was your superpower."

"It is."

"Does it ever feel … I mean, kind of like magic?"

Emma squinted at him. "Like card tricks or like Harry Potter?"

"More Harry Potter I guess. What I mean is, what if you were a wizard and your parents died fighting Voldemort, and you just didn't know? How would you react to all that?"

"I thought about it when I was younger. You know that book came out the same year I met you guys? I read it so many times, wishing for someone to show up and tell me that my family was just waiting for me in some magical land … And then I met you outside that convenience store. You and your dad … you were Hogwarts. You were the whole freaking wizarding world. All I needed …"

Neal grabbed a newspaper out of his bag. "This place is shit for real estate. I couldn't find a single listing."

Emma nodded. "You were looking for a place?"

"I mean, we can't stay at Granny's forever. And we're staying, right? You're solid on that?"

"I'm sorry I didn't consult you. I saw someone in trouble and I just … reacted. This town seems so idyllic, but it has problems, Neal. And some of the people … they need someone who can do the things I can do. The nearest department of social services is so far away and, according to them, they've never even heard of Storybrooke." Neal nodded, muttering something under his breath as she went on. "But I shouldn't have decided without talking to you. Or gotten Henry all excited -"

Neal put his other hand on top of Emma's, as if they were doing a secret handshake or something. She looked at their hands, and then lifted her head, meeting his eyes.

"Em," Neal said, "I get it. More than you know. You have to be here, and if you have to be here, then I have to be here, with you and Henry and Pop. Our family is everything, and I will happily be the peasant boy following the princess to whatever kingdom she chooses."

Emma snorted. "If I was a princess, wouldn't that make you a prince?"

"Only by marriage. I'd be a prince consort, I think. You know, the guy who sits back and lets you rule the country while I satisfy your carnal urges and work on getting you pregnant. "

Emma laughed. "I think those two go together, and you already got me pregnant a decade ago."

Neal nodded. "Lucky I wasn't beheaded for deflowering the princess, I guess."

"You're such a cheesy idiot," Emma said, shaking her head.

"Does that mean I'm off the couch, so to speak?"

Emma sobered at that. "I … don't know." She got up and started pacing. "I should check on some people again."

Neal nodded, "You'll fill me in on that? I mean, if you want?" Emma nodded, heading for the door. "We're working on us," he called after her, and she stopped, looking at him. "That's what we should tell Henry. We're working on us."

Emma nodded, and then she was out the door.

"What a lovely dress!" Mayor Mills said, as the foursome seated themselves at the table where two children were patiently waiting for them. "Is it new?"

Aria nodded. "Yes. Jack got it for me."

"How sweet. You are so lucky to have him for a husband. I assure you, that at work, he fulfills my every need." There seemed to be a laugh of sorts both in her voice and in her eyes, but Aria was probably seeing things. Of course, there was Jack's seemingly overdramatic swallowing. She was certainly not imagining that.

"Surely you're a very patient and understanding boss," Aria said as smoothly as she could.

"Well, I'd hate to be arrogant. Your husband would know better what sort of boss I am." She smiled at her husband, "Mr. Scythe, what do you truly think of me? Don't hold back now. I won't fire you for your honesty."

Jack's eyes widened and he reached for a glass, seeming to forget that it was empty; they hadn't served drinks yet. "I … uh …"

"Oh, I certainly hope I'm not that bad," she said, giggling.

"You're wonderful," he blurted. "As a boss. A wonderful boss. Nobody could think differently. And I … wish you would call me Jack." He looked down shyly.

Aria glanced at David to see if he had noticed, but he was smiling as though all was right with the world.

"Well, I best get the drinks-"

"I'll go. You work too hard," David said, kissing his wife's cheek.

"He spoils me."

Everywhere she looked made her sick: Jack's besotted, lustful gaze, the mayor's sickly-sweet smile, David and all his obliviousness. They should be commiserating together. Except that Mayor Mills had done nothing wrong. And what did she want, for David to come to blows with her husband? Beat him up? Actually, she would probably enjoy that very much.

Mayor Mills reached forward and touched Aria's hand, giving it a little squeeze. "Tell me, dear, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Aria said, not even thinking about it.

"No, really. I want to know. Is there anything I can do? It must have been horrid, feeling so helpless, having someone attack you, and being unable to fight back, you must have felt completely useless."

"I …"

"I'll protect her from now on. She knows she can count on me, don't you Aria?" Jack said, his eyes boring into hers.

She looked back and forth between the eager faces and wanted nothing more than to fall into a hole in the ground, "I, yes, I'm sure that the next time I get smacked around, Jack will be there."

"Wine?" David asked.

"That'll dull the ache," Jack said, smiling as took the bottle, poured some into her glass, and then poured some into his own. "Can I tempt you?" he asked Mayor Mills, and was she imagining the huskiness to his voice?

Mayor Mills seemed to consider. "David, will you get jealous if I let another charming young man pour me a glass of wine?" she called over her shoulder.

Jack's eyes widened, and David laughed. "I'll try to keep it in check."

"You heard David, Jack. Do your worst."

The wine slipped and crashed, staining the carpet. "I'm so sorry. I'll … I'll clean it up."

"David, show Jack where the cleaning supplies are."

David nodded and motioned for Jack to follow him. On his way out of the room, Jack gripped Aria's shoulder and squeezed a tad harder than necessary. She tried not to squirm.

"I hope you know that we're doing our best to find the man who clobbered you," Mayor Mills said, after the men left the room. "I shan't let anything like that happen again. Not in my town."

"No. Of course not." Aria said.

"And you, poor dear. How it must feel, I mean really. As a woman, to have a man push you to the ground and to know that there is not a thing you can do about it. The whole thing is truly horrid. I'm going to do everything in my power to protect the women of Storybrooke. They must know not to stand around vulnerable and helpless. They must know how to protect themselves. Not that you did anything wrong, of course."

"Of course."

"More wine?"

Aria looked down. She didn't remember drinking any, but perhaps she had. It was not turning out to be an easy night, and the food hadn't even been served yet.

"We would wait until you leave, but wine tends to set," David said, "I've cleaned my fair share of stains around here. I'm something of an expert really."

Mayor Mills wore a wicked grin, "When David cleans, he does it shirtless. I like to watch."

"Should I, er, take off my shirt?" Jack asked, his voice going up an octave.

David and Mayor Mills both laughed, "Why on earth would you do that?" the mayor asked.

Jack blushed, then got down on his knees and started to work on the stain.

"Good to have them well-trained. My David loves me so much, he'll do just anything. Your marriage is the same, I'm sure?"

Aria drank some wine. "Ava, Nicholas, how is school?" she asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

The children looked up as if they had been ignoring the adults up until this point. Aria rather hoped they had been. Their heads turned toward their mother, who nodded.

"School was good," Nicholas said. "A new kid started in the younger grades."

"Henry," Ava supplied.

"Yes. Henry. He's strange."

"From that new family?" David asked.

"They were here for a meal some night this past week," the mayor said. "The boy turned up his nose at my cooking. He seems a little … peculiar."

"Must be to deny your cooking," Jack said from under the table.

"Yes, speaking of, I should serve-"

"He's smart," Aria heard herself say. She was sorry to interrupt David. He was her favorite person here. But she thought of Henry, his helping her, his reading to her, his being her friend, and she soldiered on. "He's clever and creative and very kind."

"You've spent much time with him?" Mayor Mills asked.

"Enough. David, you were saying something about food?"

David nodded. "I'll go get it." He turned back to the kitchen.

Jack, meanwhile, bumped his head on the table as he tried to stand back up and Aria giggled, hiccupping a little as she did. How much had she had to drink?

"Oi, what you on about?" he asked her.

She shook her head, sobering at the look he was giving her. "Sorry I … David, do you need some help in the kitchen?" She stood before he could answer, getting up to join David.

"Well, just us then," she heard Mayor Mills say to Jack. Something clattered. Aria just shook her head. This was going to be a long night.

Henry had been surprised to see his grandfather waiting outside the school instead of one of his parents, but he supposed they were busy figuring out stuff like where they were going to live and work. It would be cool to stay at Granny's and be like Zack and Cody, but he figured it'd be better to have a real room he could decorate.

He would have to make sure Aria could get in; he hadn't seen her since the other day at the hospital. Hopefully, she was okay, but he knew his mom was on it, so he shouldn't worry too much. She had looked pretty beat up, though.

He hadn't been ready to leave when his grandfather first got there. The kids were gathered around that Paige girl again, playing some card game. He wasn't sure what the game was, be she seemed to be winning.

They wouldn't let him play. Not because he was new, but because he didn't have anything to gamble. He had to remember to bring something next time.

"That girl seems rather popular," Grandpa remarked.

Henry nodded. "I'm trying to figure out who she is. Who everybody is."

"Meaning?" his grandfather asked, as Henry fell into step beside him. He actually could drive, despite his injury. Henry had heard stories about how his Grand-Uncle Josh had taught his grandfather to drive, how unsteady his grandfather had been behind the wheel. There was a level of humor in the stories, but his grandfather usually shuddered during those accountings.

Henry did wonder a little why his grandpa hadn't brought the car, but it was a nice day in a small town and a little walk wasn't going to kill them. He could ask him about it later, maybe. There were more pressing things now.

"Everybody is a fairytale character, remember?" His grandfather nodded. "So I have to figure out who they are. Who they really are, I mean. My principal is missing a hand, which is a big clue, but I'm not sure how yet. I'll have to look through the book more.

"But then there's Mr. Hopper, my teacher, and Paige. She's smart and some of the kids are scared of her. She runs games during recess and kids gamble. It's pretty much the only time anybody gets to have fun. I'm not sure if the teachers are actually super-strict, or if the kids are all just cursed to behave outside of recess. Did you learn anything?"

Surprisingly, his grandfather nodded. "The hospital. Did you notice that all the doctors are women?" Henry shook his head. "Henry, does that book of yours talk about fairies at all?"

"Yeah! They are super important! All the important families have patron fairies, like Snow White's Family, and Belle, and Sleeping Beauty, though there are two of her, but she's important because Maleficent is important."

"Forgive me, Henry, I haven't seen those movies since you were quite a bit younger. These names are throwing me a bit."

"Snow White is my other grandma, remember? The story with the Evil Queen and the poisoned apple?" His grandfather nodded now. "And Belle is from Beauty and the Beast-"

"I enjoyed that one."

"And Sleeping Beauty is the one with the sleeping curse. I mean … the other sleeping curse."

"What sort of signs would we need to look for to find these people?"

"I'm not sure. I guess, for now, we just pay close attention to everybody and gather information."

His grandfather nodded. "So if Snow White is your other grandmother, is your other grandfather Prince Charming?" Henry nodded, and Grandpa smiled thinly. "Seems I'll have some hefty competition this year for that world's best grandfather award."

"No. I mean, yeah, he's a prince, and that's cool, but you're you, and that's super cool too!"

His grandfather laughed. "Thank you, Henry. Why don't we explore the town a bit, see what we can observe, and perhaps get some ice cream while we're at it?"

Henry nodded. This was shaping up to be a pretty cool day.

Phillip was brushing Samson, thinking about his time with Gianna. She had wanted to teach him to dance, to have him hold her hand and pull her close. He knew he would be lost. Taking her riding had also had him holding her, but she couldn't see his face then. And he knew his way around a horse better than anything; he knew that he would be focused because he had to be. Maybe then she wouldn't notice.

Gianna had never told him exactly why she was always on the castle grounds. She seemed to have the run of the place, and she knew every nook and cranny as well as he did. He only ever saw her by herself or with Lulu. He didn't know who her parents were. They could be quite important or quite ordinary. He didn't care much, except he needed her parents to be people who would let her be friends with the son of a cook.

He knew he didn't have much to offer, but whenever he pictured his future, she was in it.

And today, he had heard her singing for the first time and his heart had leaped. She was an amazing girl.

"Phoebus?" he turned at the voice and quickly stood.

He'd never seen the noblewoman who stood before him, though he could tell from her finery that she was a royal of some sort. Perhaps she was a queen from a far off kingdom.

"Your Majesty," he said, bowing low. "Did you have need of a steed?"

She shook her head. She was smiling at him funnily, tears in her eyes. His father came up behind her.

"Phillip, son, there is something I have to tell you. Should have told you and your sister a long time ago."

And then he heard the tale of a brave castle cook who had defied a cruel queen, protecting the children he was supposed to kill and adopting them as his own. And then the queen, his mother, was on her knees, holding him and Lulu close to her, bawling her eyes out.

"Oh, my children. My Phoebus. My Luna."

"I, um, would like to remain Phillip, your majesty, if that's-"

"None of that. It is mother, always. And I shall call you whatever you wish, so long as you are safe. Oh, my son. My son! My daughter! You're both alive, well and truly."

Phillip knew not what to do with this weeping woman who claimed to be his mother. He patted her back as gently as he could, hoping the tears would cease soon.

"You'll come to live with me at the castle. You'll have everything you desire. Why you could marry the princess of this very kingdom. King Stephan and Queen Briar Rose hinted that they desired a union."

He didn't know what to say. He thought of the only home he had ever known, the only father he had ever known, the only girl who had ever made his heart race.

"Can Papa come with us?" Lulu asked.

"Of course, dear. He shall come and be given lands and title.

"Thank you for looking after my children," she said to their father, though she did not face him. She seemed unwilling to let go of them.

"Oh my children, my children!"

Mary Margaret hadn't been at the theater this morning, but Emma figured dinner was also a good time for some food and company. Her father-in-law said he would pick up Henry if she and Neal couldn't, so she had some time. And she could use a distraction.

Mary Margaret wasn't in the area where Emma had found her earlier, but she could hear sounds coming from what appeared to be a rather large closet.

She found Mary Margaret trying on what she assumed was some kind of costume. Was this where the woman got her clothes from? It made sense, though much of what Emma saw wasn't so suited to this era. There were lavish gowns and suits of armor, which were hardly practical.

"What show are all these from?"

"Emma!" Mary Margaret started, pulling the sweater she was trying on more tightly around herself. "I, uh, I'm not sure they're from the same one. I think some things were donated … in case they were needed, I suppose."

"It's a lot of props for a theater that never really opened."

Mary Margaret nodded. "I've spent a lot of time in here. It's nice … to pretend."

Emma nodded, understanding. She looked around the place. It really was impressive. There was a ton of pirate gear, peg legs and eye patches, and a hook with a brace. There was a lamp and a staff shaped like a snake. Pretty much every prop from every fairytale Emma knew, and a few she couldn't name.

"I guess Storybrooke is a big fan of Disney movies. That's the spinning wheel from Sleeping Beauty, right?"

Mary Margaret nodded. "I guess. You know, I never liked that story. Something about a sleeping curse always rubbed me the wrong way."

"Well, it's a curse. It isn't supposed to inspire warm, fuzzy feelings. But I guess the important part is that the curse gets broken and the princess wakes up. You know. Eventually."

Mary Margaret sighed. "I suppose I should be jealous. She goes to sleep, and when she wakes up, all her problems have been solved. She has a handsome prince who loves her and wants to marry her. I wouldn't mind a Prince Charming coming along to rescue me one of these days."

"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Emma asked. Mary Margaret seemed taken aback, "Kidding," Emma reassured her quickly. "But you know, I bet you're a lot stronger than you think you are. I doubt you need someone to rescue you. You just need to believe that you can rescue yourself."

"And here I thought you'd declared yourself my savior."

"I've declared myself your friend. And I stand by that. But you can't be saved if you don't want to be. You have to be a part of it. You have to accept help and believe that you deserve it." Mary Margaret said nothing. Emma handed over the burgers and hot cocoa she brought.

"So, Henry started at the local school today," she said, changing the subject.

"How'd that go?" Mary Margaret asked after taking a sip of cocoa.

Emma smiled. "I don't know yet. I don't always trust authority figures so well."

"Aren't you an authority figure?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't always. I remember what it was like."

"Well, I hope it works out. He seems like a sweet kid, and it is a good school. And … I'd hate for you to have to leave."

"If it doesn't work, we'll figure something else out. I'm not planning on leaving." She locked eyes with Mary Margaret, hoping the other woman could hear what she was saying. I'm not leaving you.

Neal had originally planned to pick Henry up, but his father had also seemed to want to, so he had just hung back. He had some dinner and went over his thoughts, which was less than pleasant. He needed a good solid distraction, and scanning the paper for real-estate listings was proving to be very fruitful. Needless to say, he was thrilled when his father finally brought Henry home.

"Hey, bud."

"Hey, Dad."

"Didn't school get out over an hour ago?"

His father nodded. "We went looking around. I imagine we'll be doing a bit of that while we're here, getting the lay of the land, so to speak."

"Um, okay. And how was school?"

Henry shrugged. "Not so bad. I like the teacher. I haven't figured out who he is in the book yet, though."

"Right," Neal said, trying to keep his smile on. "Um, so you're trying to find out who's who?"

"Of course. You should be too. Did you meet anybody interesting today?"

Neal sighed, "I, uh, met a guy. His girlfriend is in a coma and-"

"That has to be Sleeping Beauty!"

"Why not Snow White? Aren't they both in a coma?" his father asked.

"No, but Prince Charming woke Snow White up before the curse was cast; Prince Phillip didn't get to Sleeping Beauty yet. Well, not the second one. There are two, maybe even three. You really should read the book, you know."

"I have been wanting to ask you something Henry," Neal's father said cautiously. "Have any characters from the Rumpelstiltskin story shown up in that book of yours?"

Way to be obvious, Pop. Both men braced themselves for the answer.

"Sure," Henry said. "I mean, not much is said about him, because I think he was alive a long time before everything went down, but he shows up in the Beauty and the Beast story." Henry took out his book and opened up to the right page. "He and Belle communicate through dreams, even though they live centuries apart."

His father stared at the image, a beautiful young girl dancing in the dark with what appeared to be an imaginary figure. "She was real?"

"What?" Neal asked. He looked at his father who appeared to have gone white.

"They're all real. And they're all here. Well, maybe not Rumpelstiltskin. He kind of disappears at the end of the story, but … Grandpa? Are you okay?"

Henry's grandfather just kept staring at the image. Finally, Neal put an arm on his father's shoulder, seemingly startling him. He nearly dropped the book. "He's good Henry. This is all just … a lot to take."

Henry stared at them for a minute, then shook his head. "Well, we both need to be meeting people. Figuring out who everybody is. Finding them. So, I think Grandpa should start tutoring again. If he puts up an ad, maybe somebody will come to him for help. I'll keep my eyes open at school, and Dad, you'll be getting a job, right?"

"Talked to my boss back home today. She wasn't happy that I just took off, but she said she'd help me out if I needed a reference or any other kind of paperwork."

"Great, so we're all -"

"I'm back!" they heard Emma call. Henry ran and grabbed the book from his grandfather, quickly closing it. "Hey, kid. How was school?" she asked, as she came through the door.

"I liked it!"

"You sure? Because I don't want you to feel-"

"Seriously, Mom, it was great. And Ms. Jones isn't as scary as she comes off. The whole thing was good, I promise. I want to go there."

"Okay. Then we'll make that happen. Did you have dinner?"

"Yeah. From Granny's."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, we need to get a place and a stove. Diner food is nice for once in a while, but -"

"We can go looking for places tomorrow," Neal said. "I mean if that works for you. Not sure what we'll find but …" he shrugged.

"Yeah. It works."

"How do ya know that kid?"

"Hm?" Aria closed the door behind her. They'd just gotten back from dinner, and she was hoping to go to sleep. She was always happier asleep than she was awake.

"You said you knew that kid. The new one in town?"

"Oh, I … just met him. A couple of times, I mean."

"Right. Well, best not to spend too much time with strangers?" Aria nodded. She wanted to fight him on it but not fighting was just so much easier sometimes. "I'm headin' to bed. You … yeah." He motioned to the couch. Again, she nodded. A couch was better than nothing.

Maleficent had heard tell of Briar Rose's daughter getting engaged to a changeling prince. Strange, how they would have allowed a non-royal to get so close to their daughter. But in the end, people knew their own. If he hadn't been royal, would she have spared him? No, he would still have been one of them.

She found The Princess in her chamber brushing her hair, "You must be Aurora, Briar Rose's sweet-smelling bud of a daughter."

"Maleficent?" Ah, so that child had heard of her. What exactly had she heard? Clearly, enough to be afraid, "But, my father-"

"Said he was going to protect you? He failed."

The child was terrified. It thrilled her. These … people. These simple, innocent does in the woods that could not even protect their young. It would be just like Briar Rose to keep the child innocent and afraid. She always had to have everybody be exactly what she wanted them to be. A simple, scared, virginal princess; why, what else should Maleficent have expected?

"I was going to kill him, you know. I was going to kill your mother too. Until I realized, they would suffer far worse if they were alive to see what I'm going to do to you."

The child tried to run. Stupid of her. Maleficent grabbed her and stopped her easily.

"My mother defeated you. As shall I." Oh, the stories Maleficent could tell the child about her mother and what she was capable of. "All it will take is what I have, and you never will."

"True love? Don't count on it. I have my own quite special curse in mind for your Prince Phillip."

And she pricked the child and laid her down on the bed. The girl would never awaken, and Briar Rose would finally pay for all she had done. At that moment, Maleficent won.

Sean Herman was so glad the day was over. He wanted nothing more than to go home and go to bed, but first, he had to close up at the Glass Slipper. He wiped down the tables and stacked the chairs. All that was left, really, was to take the trash out back and lock the place up. He threw the bag over his shoulder and headed out to the dumpsters.

There was a lighter on the ground. And … was that blood?

He saw blonde hair. It was Rosie, the boss's daughter who did the Red Queen bit. Sean lifted her up into his arms and started checking for a pulse or breath. That was what you were supposed to do, right? He didn't know what he was doing. He fumbled in his pocket for his cell and dialed the sheriff's station.

"Hi, it's… I'm behind the Glass Slipper. There's a girl who… I can't wake her up."