The Portrait of Elijah Mill's

by 06bromleys

Family Above All. Elijah Mill's has only had one goal since the Dark Curse was cast 28 years ago; his sister's redemption. When Henry brings Emma Swan to Storybrooke, his world is turned on it's head as he seeks to hide the monster that lives within his portrait. Will he be able to beat the monster inside or let it destroy the things he loves the most? (Rated M for Safety)

11. Chapter 11: An Apple Red As Blood

Elijah Mills never thought of himself as a nervous man, but as he stood outside the apartment shared by his friend and colleague Mary-Margaret Blanchard and Storybrooke's Sheriff Emma Swan with his ten year old nephew beside him, he couldn't help but feel how tight the collar of his dress shirt felt around his neck as he stopped himself from reaching up and pulling it away from his neck.

With the gift his nephew had picked out for the teacher inside the apartment, the Principle knocked on the front door as he heard the guest to the small celebration that had been thrown for his friend.

Holding the gift Henry had bought for his teacher in one had the Principle knocked on the apartment door already hearing voices of the other party guests inside to celebrate the teacher's freedom from the local jail cell in the Sheriff's Station after the charges of murder were dropped when her 'victim' appeared alive and well in the alley beside Granny's Diner.

A moment or two later, the door was opened to relaxed and smiling Emma Swan only for that relaxed appearance to disappear when her eye's landed on the Mayor's younger brother stood in yet another spotless suit and tie ensemble with her son in front of him, holding a neatly wrapped and bowed gift in his hand.

The pair hadn't spoken at length since she accused the man of stealing town money to pay for his expensive lifestyle. The man had occasionally visited his friend while she sat behind bars, opting to stay neutral over the woman's temporary incarnation as he became a teacher down at school. She didn't even know Mary Margaret had invited him. She hadn't.

"Elijah" Emma greets the man with surprise lacing her voice seeing the brother of the woman that was hell bent on framing her friend for murder.

"Good Evening Miss Swan" he greets the blonde with a polite smile.

"Hey Emma!" Henry spoke up from his Uncle's side seeing his birth mother, gaining her attention making Elijah note the way the woman's features brightened when she saw her son.

"Hey kid, come on in" she tells her son before allowing him to enter the apartment with the card his class had made for the teacher, his arrival was noticed by August who was sat breakfast bar to the arrival of Henry and his Uncle behind him noting the way the sheriff stiffened up at the man's arrival, keeping a firm grip on the door ready to shut it in his face if necessary.

"What are you doing here?" the question rolled off her lips before she could stop herself.

"Mary-Margaret was kind enough to invite me last minute" he calmly replied "I thought it best to escort Henry here, knowing he was already on his way over" as the blonde became more defensive at the man's explanation, his saving grace came in the form of his friend joining her her roommate at the door to see what was delaying her having already seen Henry come in.

"I thought I heard another voice" Mary Margaret chimed in with a bright smile on her face "Elijah, you made it!".

"Of course. Thank you for inviting me" he replied to his friend with a smile "It seems like you're not the only one's celebrating tonight".

"Really?" Emma questions the man with a raised brow on her face.

"Yes. I'm celebrating that I won't be needing to cover Miss Blanchard's forth grade class for the foreseeable future" he says giving his teacher a teasing smile wink of his eye making her giggle to herself. Ever since her arrest the man had taken upon himself to teach the class himself in her absence.

He missed teaching, but he was glad to get back to his office and to the mountain of paperwork that his assistant had waiting for him. Perhaps in the future he might step back into the classroom from time to time. Henry's school years were limited and he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to spend more time with his nephew for anything.

"Which is appreciated" Mary Margaret tell her boss looking in-between him and her roommate "What you doing stood out there?".

His eye's met Emma's as he answered "I'm waiting for Emma invite me into your lovely home".

"You've been in here before, don't be be silly" his pixie haired woman said to her friend waving him into the room as Emma remained silent weighting up the pro's and con's of letting him into the party.

"Miss Swan" he started "I'm aware of the bad feeling you have with the Mayor. I'm here to celebrate my friends freedom after being wrongly accused for murder, that's all".

Nodding in acceptance of his answer the blonde Sheriff made herself relax in is presence to lessen her grip on the door and step back to make room for the Principle.

"Come on in" she reluctantly tells him.

"Thank you" he says stepping into the apartment. As he takes in his surroundings the Principle meets the gaze of the young writer he had met in the diner stood at the breakfast bar with Henry, taking note of the way the man noticed the way his polished shoe stepped over the threshold into the loft. The Principle simply smiled at the writer before he was distracted by the warm greeting he received from Mary-Margaret.

It was fun messing with his head.

---

He never liked to mix business and pleasure, but if was at his friend behest, he was happy to accommodate speaking to her privately away from the other guests as she tried to convince him to allow her to go back to work, in her bedroom. Stood with a hand in one of his pockets of his trousers, the man occupied himself by looking through the trinkets his friend kept around her bedroom as the woman herself stood at the foot of her bed with her arms folded across her arms as she made her case to him.

One of the thing's he most admired about Snow White was her ability to get back up from being beaten down. The trait shone through to her cursed self as she tried to convince her boss that she was ready to get back to work the next day despite the trauma of her murder investigation.

She was telling him that she if she could survive being in a jail cell, a room of ten-year olds would be no problem for her.

"Mary-Margaret" he starts to rebuke her argument, turning to face her "My concern isn't with what the other teachers or pupils would say. My concern is with you. As soon as you're back on school grounds my sister will be able to come and go as she pleases with the excuse of her son being a pupil".

"She can't hurt me anymore than she already has. I need to get back to my life".

Letting out a deep sigh the Principle left the trinkets on a vanity table alone to approach the shorter woman, to stand in front of her.

"I know when I'm losing an argument" he admits to the younger woman much to her relief "If you insist. I expect to see you in the teacher's lounge at 8:00 sharp for the morning announcements before I have you fill out some paperwork with Miss Honey before registration" he couldn't help but enjoy the smile that grew on her face hearing this from him only for it to drop as he continued "But the second .you feel otherwise, you are to find me to let me know that you need any assistance".

"Thank you Elijah" she breathed out stepping forward to hug the man, that he readily accepted taking the moment to enjoy the warm embrace before she pulled away, taking his hand s in hers as her eye's bored into his "You don't know how much this means to me".

"I do" he tells her with a nod "More than you know".

"Come on" she says pulling him back into the main part of the apartment by his hand allowing the woman to take control of where he was going "Let me get you a drink".

---

As the party wore on, Elijah found himself quietly conversing with Ruby as he kept an eye on his nephew sat a the dining table with August Booth the mysterious writer with the gift he had bought from the pawn shop.

He wasn't overly pleased that he went into the shop by himself knowing the owner had his true memories back, but as the man himself made himself comfortable by looking through Mary Margaret and Emma's possessions, joining the evening celebrations as the lawyer that had represented the teacher in her time of need.

"How bad was it?" Henry asks the man, asking him how sneaking into the back of Mr. Gold's went as he searched for something in his shop, as he distracted the older man as he bought the gift for his teacher.

"Getting caught in his office?" August replied "Not bad. I played it off" he tells the young boy.

"What were you looking for? Did you find it?" he quietly asks him eyeing the pawnshop owner behind the writer.

"Nope" August answers him "But I have a feeling it's going to find me" he trails off finding Henry's Uncle stood with Ruby with a relaxed smile on his lips. talking to the young waitress as Mary-Margaret approached the pair with a tray of drinks in her hand that he gratefully takes from the teacher, flashing her a charming smile.

"Hey, have you ever noticed anything weird with your Uncle Elijah?".

"Weird?" he questions the writer "How?".

"I don't know" he innocently shrugs at ten-year old "Does he hide stuff from you? Avoid things?".

Shaking his head at the writer, the young boy couldn't think of anything obvious that had changed about his Uncle since the curse had showed signs of breaking. He had just been his normal self that he's grown up around.

But then he remembered something had changed about his bedroom. From a young age he had been told he wasn't allowed in the man's bedroom due to the mess that it was constantly in. He liked his privacy as much as he loved his nephew, but as he walked by it every so often as he did, he saw something new sat up against on of the walls, covered from view in a dust sheet. It looked like a framed picture from the shape.

He'd never seen piece of decoration on his Uncle's walls other than the metal stag head above his bed and small framed pictures that littered of nothing important and the few family pictures he was always absent in, giving the excuse that 'someone had to take the picture'

"Well, there is this old painting in his room I never seen before" he mused to the man taking his interest.

"Do you know what of?" he asks the boy in intrigue.

"No" he meekly shakes his head "He keeps it covered. Why? Do you think it will help?".

"Maybe" he trails off "Do you think you'd be able to get a look at it? Tell me what's on it?" he asks Henry.

A smile grew on the young boy's lips at the challenge as August mirrored knowing he was going to take on the challenge so he find out who and what that man was as he spotted Mary-Margaret nearby speaking to her guests that were so ready to see her be sent to jail for something she didn't do only yesterday.

"There she is" he tells the kid "Why don't you give her your present?" he encourages him.

"Hey" Henry gets his teacher's attention picking up the present and card from the table in front of him I have something for you".

"Well, thank you!" she tells the young boy taking the card from him and opening it as Elijah and Ruby overhear and slowly approach the scene together to watch the teacher open the card he had her class make.

"We're so glad you didn't kill Misses Nolan…" Mary Margaret read the message inside the card outload making laughter reverberated around the apartment at the contents of the card that wasn't heard from the Principle as the smile on his face dropped.

"It's from the whole class, and I got you a bell" he tells his teacher with pride shaking the gift in his hands.

"Thank you" she laughed the moment off gratefully taking the gift from her student "Tell everyone I'll be back soon" she tells him as Elijah quietly makes his way over to the woman.

"Okay" he chirped up to the teacher.

"Forgive the card" Elijah quickly tells his friend quietly before looking down at his nephew with a raised brow of disapproval "That wasn't the card I approved of" he goes on to tell her as the smile on Henry's face only brightens seeing that he had successfully switched the cards under his Uncle's nose.

"It's okay. Really" she reassures him with a grateful smile that made the man relax. Glancing down at his watch he see's the time, as much as he was enjoying the festivities he need to get the boy back home before his sister found out where they had been.

"I should get him home before his mother finds out where he's been anyway" he tells the pair making the decision to leave.

"That won't be pretty" Emma comments playfully pushing her son towards the door to get his backpack as Elijah say's goodnight to his friend allowing Emma to say goodbye to her son.

"See you tomorrow" he tells the teacher, gently kissing her cheek "Bright and early" he adds with a warm smile that still made her stomach flutter.

"Of course Principle Mills" she replied with a nod "And thank you. For everything".

"You're very welcome Miss Blanchard" he sincerely tell her as he take his cue to leave with Henry as Emma opens the door for the pair to leave only to find David Nolan on the other side making the Principle delays his leaving.

"Hey. Leaving already?" he ask the young boy as he leaves the loft stepping into the hallway to walk down the stairs.

"Yeah. Got to get home and do homework" he tells the man as he waits for his Uncle to join him.

"It's David" the sheriff mouths to her roommate behind a blank faced Elijah Mills as she mouths out in reply "Oh, no" over his shoulder not wanting to see the man.

"Excuse me" Elijah states to his friend before his strides over to the door.

"She's kind of tired" Emma made the excuse for her friend unaware of the tailored suited man about to fend off the "I think if you just give it some time…".

"I just wanted to-" he tries to tell Emma only to be interrupted.

"Mr. Nolan" the principle greets the man with a stiff smile joining the sheriff at the door "Henry and I were just on our way home. Perhaps you can accompany us out of the building. Wouldn't that be nice Henry?".

It wasn't an suggestion.

"Okay" Henry agreed shrugging his shoulders in indifference.

"Sorry" Emma meekly tells the man, making him sigh in defeat before agreeing

"Okay" he agrees stepping back to catch up with the ten-year-old as Elijah steps out of the apartment watching the man leave with his nephew making sure he left before glancing back at the sheriff behind him with a gentle smile.

"Have a good evening Miss Swan" he tells the woman before following the David and Henry down the stairs.

---

For the first time for weeks the day went by uneventful or the Sheriff of Storybrooke as for the most part as she continued her investigation of how Kathryn Nolan could suddenly show up out of nowhere alive and well after finding so much evidence against her roommate.

Her first stop that day was to find Sidney Glass to confront him on the bug he had left in her office in a bunch of flowers. The man's devotion to the Mayor wasn't hard to see and he was easy to read to see that he was clearly in love with the woman, but she still couldn't prove that she was behind the plot to frame the teacher without any solid evidence, but she couldn't have done it alone. Her brother must be involved somehow. Ever the loyal solider.

Entering the station alone the blonde was taken aback to find the Mill's siblings waiting for her with the youngest stood by the desk his sister was sat upon

"Congratulations, Sheriff Swan" the Mayor greeted the Sheriff "There's about to be a big break in your case. You just got yourself a confession" she tells the younger woman standing from the desk as her brother moves to come stand next to her "But, I want you to listen to the whole explanation, so you understand why this happened".

"Oh, I'll hang on every word you both say" she tells the pair eyeing them both.

"Mr. Glass" Elijah suddenly called out "You can come in now" he prompts the man to step into the room.

"Tell her what you told us" the Mayor prompts him.

"It was me. I confess" the reporter tells the Sheriff "I abducted Kathryn, and I held her in the basement of an abandoned summer home by the lake. I bribed a lab tech to get me the heart from the hospital, and I used that same person to doctor the lab results".

"And the, other thing Mr. Glass" the younger sibling reminds him to include in his confession.

"I…borrowed some skeleton keys from Regina and…planted the knife in your apartment".

"My keys" the Mayor spat out in disgust "I can't help but feel personally violated about that part".

"And..." the Principle trailed off, giving the man pointed look.

"I lied" Sidney went on "About Principle Mill's syphoning town money for his personal use. I thought it would convince you into helping me further".

"I am supposed to believe you did this for why now?" Emma questioned the man throwing her jacket down onto a desk, crossing her arms across her chest to face the reporter.

"I was going to find her after the conviction, be a hero" he admits to her "Then, get the inside track on the biggest story to ever hit this town. I'd get my job back. Plus, a novel, and a movie, and… I don't know. It sounds crazy now".

"I don't know about crazy. But false, yes. False as hell".

"I have maps to where the house is. You'll find chains in the basement. Lots of fingerprints, I'm sure – hers and mine. But, I didn't hurt her" he insists to the sheriff.

"The man has obviously suffered some kind of mental break" the mayor observes outload to the Sheriff "He clearly hasn't been himself for a while" the Mayor informs the blonde sheriff.

"Yeah. It's like his words aren't his at all".

"Wow" Regina drawls out in disbelief "You are so sold on your own rush to judgment that you can't even see the truth anymore".

"A word in the hallway, please" the Sheriff snaps at the Mayor and Principle "Both of you" giving the pair no choice the furious Sheriff turned her back on them and stomped out of the room leaving the siblings no choice but to follow.

---

Leaving the reporter in the bullpen, the Principle and Mayor follow the steaming Sheriff into the hallway, the siblings fond the blonde woman waiting for them as they calmly sauntered down the hall the younger sibling trailing behind her sister

"Well, that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard" she tells the pair in front of her.

"I'm pretty sure that's not true" Regina replied as they came to a stop in the hallway.

"That poor man" she states shaking her head at them "I know you are behind all this. I understand that you own the game, and that you've set the board so that no one else can win. But I am about to start playing an entirely different game" she tells the pair lowly steeping towards them "I don't care about what happens to you. I don't care about what happens to me. All I care about, is what happens to my kid. And you are going to leave him alone".

"Miss Swan.." the Principle tried to speak reason to the woman in front of them before she said anything they deemed dangerous.

"Uh-uh. I'm talking" she scolds the man for speaking up, before turning back to his sister "You're a sociopath, lady. You tried to take away someone that I love. And now… I'm going to take away someone you love. I am taking back my son".

---

The day after Emma's empty threat to take Henry from them fresh in his mind. Elijah Mill's took it upon himself to find out who August Booth really was.

Fortunately for him, he couldn't find the man around town during the day which gave him the perfect opportunity to take a look in the room he was staying at the Inn. Borrowing his sister's skeleton keys for himself, the man let himself into the building and up the stairs until he found the door with '2' on it.

Taking the bunch of keys from his coat pocket, the Principle picked out the right one before sliding it into the keyhole pausing for a second or two as it fitting itself before he turned it, hearing the click of the lock that allowed him access to the room.

Letting himself into the room, closing the door behind him, the man took in his surroundings, finding the bed a little unkept from someone having slept in it, with a a bag with very little belongings in it until he found the round desk that sat in every room with a telephone and typewriter. But the item that caught the mans attention was a small red hat that looked out of place. Gently picking it up the man felt the course velvet material that reminded him of home that gave off the same dull sound when he flicked at the material with his finger.

He couldn't help but to grin to himself knowing who exactly had made their way into Storybrooke after not finding the young boy with his Papa, when they first came here. It always remained a mystery to him but now that little Pinocchio had return all grown up, it was time to find out what he was doing back so close after Emma Swan coming back.

The writer's comment in the diner made sense now. And by way the man was watching him as he waiting for Emma to invite him into the apartment, he was trying to see if he remained the creature he became back home.

As he went to return the hat where he had found it, something else to catch his attention.

Placing the hat down to one side the Principle picked up the postcard that help a picture of the clocktower on with the words 'Greeting's from Storybrooke, Maine' printed upon it. Flipping it over he was met with that blank space where the message and the sending address would be written.

Letting out a sigh of disappointment the Principle replaced everything he had moved back into its original position before sweeping out of the room like he was never there, locking the door behind him to head back home to think of his next move.

---

With his mission in mind, while his adopted mother and Uncle were busy downstairs with dinner, Henry used this to sneak up the stairs of his large home to find his Uncle's room finding the door closed, like it usually was, the ten-year-old checked the empty hallway before reaching out to slowly pull down the handle, hearing the latch, the door opened allowing him to step in the room he rarely entered to see it in the same state it always had been since he could remember, with piles of books stacked on every piece of furniture, even on the floor with the silver mounted stags head above his bed.

Henry's young eye's sought out the thing covered frame that had seemed to come out from nowhere since Emma came into town that had been propped up against a wall every time he had seen it when he walked past it to get to his own room.

Closing the door behind him, he find the cover that protected the picture from any dust, he find it propped int he corner, behind a brown leather chair that sat int he corner, it was a smaller version of his chair in the study that held his Uncle suit jacket he had been wearing that day.

Carefully pulling the chair out, the short legs made ground against the wooden floor as it was dragged away from the item he needed to investigate for Operation Cobra making the ten-year-old cringe at the sound that vibrated under his feet before stopping when he had enough room to squeeze himself closer into the corner.

Lifting the cloth dust sheet from the object it was hiding Henry held his breath to see what was on the painting only to finding nothing but the back of the frame. Letting out the breath he held he carefully pushed the cover further back so he could take hold of the heavy looking frame before pulling it away from the wall as he turned himself to see what his Uncle had been hiding only to be met with nothing there.

His Uncle was a step ahead of them and removed the painting before he or anyone else would find it in the most obvious place.

"Henry!" he heard his Uncle's voice call up from the bottom of the stairs "Dinner's nearly ready!".

"Coming!" he replied carefully placing the heavy frame back where he had found it and replacing the dust cover, the ten year old pushed the chair back into position , taking a step back to make sure everything was in place as close as it was before only for the heel of his right foot to catch a stack of book behind him making them tumble onto the floor an audible thump that would've been heard from downstairs.

"No!" he gasped at his mistake as he dropped to his knees to quickly fix his mess.

"Henry, what was that?" he heard his Uncle call up the stairs.

"N-Nothing! I dropped something!" he quickly replied hoping he had enough time to fix the book and leave before his Uncle or Mother came up to investigate.

But his excuse came too late as the door to the room opened to see his Uncle on the other side in the white dress shirt he had been wearing that day and a kitchen towel thrown over his shoulder to see the source of the loud thump he and sister had heard downstairs.

"Henry, what are you doing in here?" Elijah questions him stepping into the room to help him stack the book back up, taking a knee to assist his nephew.

"I-I'm sorry. I uh, was trying to find a book, for school. Miss Blanchard's asked us to bring in something to show the class. I wanted to bring your favourite story" letting out breath, giving himself a mental pat on back for thinking so quickly.

"It's okay. I'm afraid I lent that one to Mr. Nolan to read" Elijah tell him as he places the last book back on it's stack "But I can find you another favourite of mine" he says looking for the book that sat on his bedside table "Here" he says crossing the room to snatch it up before walking back to his nephew.

Taking the book from his Uncle Henry took in it's dark cover with red lettering of the title "White Nights?" Henry read the title out loud, standing from the ground to stand "What's it about?".

"Its about a lonely man falling in love with a young woman of whom doesn't love him the same way until she finally reunites with the man she truly loves".

"That doesn't sound good ending. Aren't stories supposed to have happy endings?" he asks him.

"They should" he tells his young nephew taking a minute sit on the edge of the chair the ten year old had just moved a minute ago as Henry follows him to stand Infront of him "Not every story ends the same way. Maybe his is just beginning by selflessly allowing her to be with the man she loves, and then one day, he'll meet someone who can love him the same way".

"Then there's still hope for him" he asks the older man.

"I suppose there is" Elijah tells him with a smirk playing on his lips "You know, I'm more than happy to help you with anything you may need Henry. Just ask next time instead of sneaking into my bedroom".

"I know" he meekly answers his Uncle "Thanks Elijah".

"You're Welcome Henry" he tells the boy with a gentle smile as he stands from the chair "Now get washed up. Your dinner's getting cold and we both know how your mother gets when we're late for a meal together".

Quickly doing as he was told, the ten-year old moves around his Uncle to go wash up, leaving his Uncle behind to see the chair he had thrown his suit jacket on earlier slightly out of place. Turing back Principle uses his finger to move it an inch catching a glimpse of the covered frame he stores behind the chair that had frames his picture for over thirty years

Leaving his room, Elijah made sure to firmly close the door behind him before making his way back down to his family. Now he had an excuse to speak to August seeing as he coerce his nephew into looking places he shouldn't be looking.

---

Quiet family dinners can few and far between every that had been going on around them since Emma Swan came into town, as the Mill's family gathered round the dining table to eat together, the Mayor could help but smile to herself at the image of her son sat opposite her with her brother sat at her right eat the food she had together for them without the interference of the local Sheriff and her threats to break her family apart.

Movement caught her eye as she watched her brother reach out for a tall glass of dark red wine in front of him, gently picking it up between his fingers before bringing it his lips to take a sip from, only as the wine tipped, the 'wine' left a thick residue behind as her brother began gulping the drink down like it had been years since any water had touched quenched his tongue.

Tipping his head and glass back, Henry continued eating like nothing was amiss as her brother finished off the thick red liquid with a satisfied 'Ah' as placed the empty glass back to see the remaining residue sticking to the inside of the glass that made her realise it was blood.

But that was impossible here. He hadn't been that creature since the curse brought them here, to the Land of No Magic.

Looking up to his face she saw a trickle of his 'wine' escape the corner of his lips as it quickly made it's way down to his chin to drip on the collar of the starch white shirt he worse underneath his suit jacket.

"Silly me" he chuckled out quickly picking up his napkin from his lap to wipe away the small mess as Henry laughed along with him from his place opposite her.

Sensing his sister's gaze on him Elijah looked at her dead int he eye, his brow's furrowing in confusion seeing the look on her face.

"Sister? Something wrong?" his voice brought her out of her thoughts, making he blink as his glass of wine now stood empty with no sign of what she thought was in before. Letting out a breath, the Mayor calmed herself down as she put it down to her mind playing tricks on her as she visibly relaxed.

"Everything's fine Elijah" she tells him seeing the spot of wine on the collar of his shirt "You should be more careful"

"Always" he replied as they went back to their meal, only for the doorbell to ring from the front door.

"I don't recall us expecting any company" she tells her son and brother dabbing her mouth with her napkin looking peering over Henry to look at the door. Her statement was met by silence as she got up from her chair walk down the hall to answer the door unaware that Henry and Elijah turned their heads to watch her leave the room.

Opening the front door, the Mayor of Storybrooke was slightly taken aback to see Emma Swan on the other side in her red leather jacket.

"Sheriff Swan" Regina states in surprise "What are you doing here?".

"Henry and Elijah invited me" the blonde Sheriff replied.

"Do you honestly believe, I'd allow you into my house for dinner, after all the threats you made to my family?" Regina asks the woman who stated her intentions of taking her son away from her.

"I didn't come for dinner" she tells the Mayor.

"Then, what did you come for?".

"You" the Sheriff simply stated. Confused, Regina looks behind her into the house to see Henry and Elijah missing from the dining table before turning back to Emma where several other Storybrooke citizens have gathered behind her, including Archie, Ruby and her Grandmother and Leroy. But more importantly Mary-Margaret and David Nolan with their memories back all out for revenge for the curse she had enacted "We all did" Emma lowly added.

"Where are your manners, sister?" her brother's voice made her look back to see him stood a the top of stairs leading up the foyer with a silver tray in his hands with a cloth napkin covering the object on the tray "We forgot about desert" he drawls out snatching the cloth off the tray to reveal a dagger she knew all too well not to recognise it again.

"Elijah" she breathed out in fear seeing the dagger that had sealed his fate years ago.

Her actions that night made her make a decision for him that made him the monster he was known to be back home. Turing around again to see the mob of heroes' gathered on her front door step and her brother behind her. Trapped. The former Queen steps back in fear whipping around to see her son stood there instead of Elijah with a thick rope lying on his shoulder that had a noose attacked to the end.

"Henry" she gasped out as a blur Elijah appeared before her blocking the image of her son as he takes her neck in a vice grip than made her gasp for breath.

"In the name of our father sister" he states to the Evil Queen as dark veins strained against his skin underneath his youthful complexion, his eye's darkened as she saw a flash of his sharp fangs in his mouth as he turned back into the monster he became before everything blurred.

Reappearing in the middle of main street where her apple tree had sprung out of nowhere and she was being tied to it by Dr. Hopper and Ruby as the other's watched on she sought out her brother's help only to be met with blank expression as he stood behind Henry and beside Emma with a hand on his shoulder, as Snow and her Prince Charming stood hand in hand, with their allies stood behind them with torches ready to burn her at the order.

"No… No…. Let me go" she pleaded to the pair tying her "I command it!".

"After everything you've done to all of us?" Ruby scoffed at her.

"My apologies, Your Majesty, but my conscience is clear!" Arche spat at her with venom in his voice as he continued to tighten the ropes around the Evil Queen.

"You're not Queen anymore, sister!" Leroy taunted at the Queen.

"Tighter!" Granny yelled from her place holding a lite torch "She needs to feel our pain!".

"You took our love and ripped it apart!" Mary- Margaret spat at her step-mother hold her true love's hand in hers.

"And now, you're going to pay!" the Prince added.

"ENOUGH!" Elijah's commanding voice echoed in the chilled night sky as he stepped forward to approach his sister much to her relief to have him back on her side, he would be able to take care of the hero's without breaking a sweat.

"My darling sister" he pauses not being able to hide the smirk on the corner of his lips as he said this "Has suffered enough of your words" he tells the mob behind him turning back to address the mob of hero's, a hush coming over the mob to listen to the Queen's younger brother.

"I'm afraid...we might have to resort to something deliciously medieval here" she couldn't help but feel her heart drop down to her stomach at his words as his 'suggestion' was awarded with cheers. Stepping away from her son the blonde sheriff approaches the man in the suit stopping short allowing the man to push back her blonde hair behind her ear, gazing lovingly in her eyes before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead that the woman leaned into, savouring the affection Elijah was showing her as she closed her eyes and breathed the man in.

"Give her hell my love" she heard her brother tell the Sheriff before he walked away from his sister to find Henry to stand behind him taking hold of his shoulders as they watched Emma storm towards the Queen, snatching blackened apple off a branch, holding it out in front of her, crushing it in her hand, the apple oozing like black tar onto the ground.

"Rotten to the core" the blonde seethes at her throwing the crushed apple away as the Queen continued to gawp at her.

"I just wanted to win" Regina tell them "For once".

Silencing the Queen the blonde grabs her by the throat "You took away our happiness, and now it's our turn to take away yours" letting go of the dark brunette's throat, the blonde turns and walks towards her parents as her father takes out his sword, handing it to her.

"…What?" she gasps starting to panic seeing the weapon in her hand as Elijah remained stood still allowing his sister to be executed, before she looks to her last hope of being saved.

"Henry" at his name being called the young boy steps forward to approach his adopted mother as Emma held up the weapon in her hand "Henry, please don't let them do this to me" she pleads to her son.

"You did this to yourself" he yells at her before going back to her brother before the blonde sheriff lifted the sword up to swing towards her.

Waking up from the bad dream with a gasp, the Mayor sat up in her bed panting realising it was only that. A dream. But with the blonde's threat of taking Henry away from her made the woman jump from the comfort of her bed to rush to Henry's room opening his door to check on him, to see him bundles fast asleep under his blankets with his night light, letting out a sigh of relief before leaving her young son to sleep, closing the door behind her not knowing that Henry was currently in the yellow bug heading out of town.

Heading back to her own room, her thoughts wondered to what her dream showed about her brother and the woman that was threatening on tearing apart their family as she looked upon his closed door. Was there really something going on or would happen if she remained in town?.

He rarely got involved with woman, with is last some what serious relationship was with Sibyl Vane, years ago. He even stopped seeing the she-wolf in the diner.

But if there was one thing she did know. She was not going to let that woman take her son and her brother away from her.

---

Enchanted Forest

Many Years Ago

As much as fan he was of a good old execution, this one couldn't go ahead as he had strict order from his older sister not let the sharp blade of King George's guillotine touch the back of his neck. Watching the spectacle of the King's guard dragging the Prince through the courtyard the Evil Queen's younger brother stood with the other couriers watching on as he crunched on a red apple he had brought with him to ease his cravings for something that would sooth his stomach, but alas the apple would have to do until he got home.

Crunching a mouthful of the apple, he ignored the looks he received from the other onlookers at his load bites. It was either the apple or their necks to crunch into. But he'd hate to tell them that as the Prince was forced onto his knees Infront the King as the latter stood towering over him.

"Did you really think that I would let you get away? Hm?" King George addressed his 'son' "You appear to have had quite the adventure since then". Crunch.

"Whatever it is you're going to do to me, get on with it" The prince replies before he was forced back onto his feet. Crunch

"I took you in as my son, and you betrayed me" King George tells him "I would've given you everything. The crown, the kingdom. All you had to do was marry King Midas' daughter. But, you decided to follow 'true love'" Crunch

"Losing my life for love… That's a sacrifice I am happy to make" he heard the Prince tell the King. The sentence made Elijah smile to himself as he discarded the uneaten apple core onto the core onto the cobblestone courtyard. He could only hope his true love would be so willing to do the same for him knowing what his sister had planned for her.

"As you wish" King George states to the man, with flick of his head the King silently ordered his guards to drag the Prince over to the wooden structure that would relieve his head from his neck and shoulders as the King made his way over to his throne to make himself comfortable for the execution, while the hooded executioner took his place taking hold of the rope that would kill the Prince with a single tug.

Securing the Prince in place, the executioner awaited the order.

"Release the blade" with a pull of the rope the blade dropped down to the Princes exposed neck as a figure blurred from the side of the courtyard to told hold the Prince by the back of his collar, using his strength to break the wooden board that kept the Prince in place before pulling the man out of harms way just as the blade came down where is head was, only for the blade to melt into water.

Taking in a breath Prince Charming panted at he blinked in bewilderment as his mind tried to catch up to what had just happened. It as so fast.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the King exclaimed jumping from his seat seeing the Queen's brother holding his prisoner. Ignoring the King's question Elijah's eye caught the vein in the man's neck as he heard the blood pumping under his skin just calling out for him to take a taste of.

"Hello there" he almost cooed into the Prince's ear as the Prince struggled to pull himself out of the man's hold, he was strong. Too strong "I'm Elijah" he introduces himself to the man, the Prince could only turn his head to meet the man that had 'rescued' him, not looking at his face but at his neck like he was in some sort of trance.

"What are you?" the Prince huffed out in fear. He didn't get an answer as the Evil Queen announced her presence as she sauntered into the courtyard flanked by her black knights to see that her brother was in fact much faster than her magic.

"Sorry to drop in on you" The Queen greeted the King.

"Regina. What do you want?" King George asked the Queen as Elijah held his prisoner in place.

"I want the man you pretend is your son" she tells George "And I'm prepared to pay any riches Midas promised you in return for him" she tells him as Elijah heard his sisters strong steady heartbeat thrum into his ears. Nodding in agreement, Elijah carries the Prince towards the Queen and King George.

"What do you plan to do to him?" King George asks the Queen.

"Oh, I promise he'll suffer. Far more than some swift and simple beheading".

"How?" he asks intrigued with what she would want with the wayward Prince.

"By using him to destroy his one true love. By using him to bring an end to Snow White".

---

He had no idea how long he was waiting for word from Henry about what he found in his Uncle's room, but as he re-read the small notes he had made of the man that was posing as a school Principle his frustrations grew as Emma refused to believe in the curse that she was supposed to break. He was running out of time and the Evil Queen's brother was the last hope he had of getting through to the woman that she needed to save the town from the curse that had kept them under the Queen's thumb for nearly thirty years. How desperate he had become.

Elijah was different though, he seemed to have kept his memories of his old life in the Enchanted Forest. The Queen did care after all. But there was something about that man he needed to find out. He had his own story. He just needed to find out what it was.

The portrait was a gamechanger though. He had heard rumours of a way the man had been able to keep his youthful looks before he became something else, he heard his Papa and the other's speak of such a creature. A creature that couldn't walk in the sun or be welcome in people's home without an invitation. One that was cold to touch and immune to the deadliest of weapons. Immortal even.

The word 'Vampire' had been scratched in his notebook since he met the man at Granny's, circled and underlined so many times he didn't quite believe in what his Papa or the other had been talking about.

A series of knocks on his door brought him out of his thoughts making him close the notebook thinking it was Henry hopefully returning with some good news.

"One minute" he called out to the person on the other side. With a huff, the author staggered to his feel as his wooden leg and arm slowed down his movements to walk over to the door and open it just wide enough to see that it wasn't Henry on the other side. It was Elijah Mill's holding up a ripe apple red as blood in his hand, like he was offering it to the man inside the room. Mirroring his sister.

"I assume your familiar with the phrase 'An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor away'" Elijah greeted the man "But I've found out a poisoned one will do more than just keep one's doctor away. It will in fact, keep away anyone who dares manipulate my family into doing his bidding, forever" he finishes off with a smirk playing on his lips as he pockets the Apple away into his coat pocket.

"You know" August gulps.

"My nephews is not as subtle as he thinks he is Mr. Booth" he tells the 'Author' "Something you should've thought of before you had his looking through my personal belongings. So I was hoping to take up a minute of your time to find out why. May I come in?" he politely asks the man.

"You know what this isn't really the best time" August replies, trying to put the man off "I was just about to leave..-".

"Then I'll be quick" Elijah interrupts him "May I come in?" he persists.

"Actua-".

"My apologies" the principle chuckled out to himself "You don't seem to understand. I don't need an invitation in this realm" he corrects the man pushing the door out of August hold to open it further taking a long stride over the threshold to step into the room leaving the writer to watching him take in the room for himself with his hands in his coat pockets, stepping into the sunlight that streamed through the large window.

"Whatever creature you think I was back home Mr. Booth, I am not one now. I haven't been for the last twenty-eight years we've both been in this world, which begs the question how the son of a carpenter manged to get this land without being swept up in a curse my sister cast, twenty eight years ago" he says taking a seat in the white wicker chair making himself comfortable to hear the story "So tell me Pinocchio, how did you manage it?".

Knowing it was useless to argue, August closed the door to the room leaving him alone with the Queen's younger brother. But he needed to make sure his Papa was safe in case she ever found out he was trying to get Emma to break her curse.

"I heard you were a man of your word" the writer starts limping towards the chair and desk that occupied his room.

"You heard right" Elijah blinked at him as he watched the writer pull out the chair, small grunts of pain leaving his lips as he dragged it across the wooden floor to place it in front of him.

"I need your word, that you won't tell the Queen about me".

"August" he starts " A very long time ago I gave my father my word that I would stand by my sister's side in the hope that one day she would be something better than the Evil Queen. To find her redemption so to speak. Ten years ago I thought she found it when she adopted my nephew. But if my sister can still crush a good man's heart without so much of blinking an eye. Then breaking her curse just might be the only way she may be able to find it. You have my word" he promises the man, encouraging him to tell his story.

"At eight-fifteen in the morning in Phuket. I woke up with a shooting pain in my leg. Sound familiar?".

"The clock tower" Elijah answers the man.

"At eight-fifteen at night here, time started to move forward again. My Papa sent my through the wardrobe with Emma, to be there for her when the time came to break the curse, only I wasn't. The pain stood as a reminder of how much I has strayed from the path my Papa sent me on" he said stiffly holding up his arm to pull down the sleeve of his cardigan to show the man what had been happening to him.

"You're turning back" the Principle states in intrigued leaning forward to look closer at the wood that replaced flesh and bone.

"Yes. The same with my leg. " he confirmed to the man pulling the sleeve back "I took Emma back to the tree we came out from and showed her how I've been changing back since she came into town. She didn't believe a word I had to say" he sighed out in disappointment as a series of small knock were heard from the door alerting both men that they weren't alone anymore.

"August, its me" Henry shout whispered through the door hoping to get the man's attention.

"Hang on!" August replies standing from his seat with a grunt to answer the door only to feel a hand on his arm. Looking at the owner of the hand he found Elijah looking down at him with dark look in his face that would make any man or boy quiver in fear.

"Not a word" he sharply warns the writer in a hushed tone. Nodding in agreement, the Principle lets the writer go to sweep across the room to find the coat closest near, letting himself into the tight space, leaving a slither open for him to listen to what Henry had to say.

Limping to the door Elijah hears August open his door to the ten year old

"August, please. I need your help" he tells the man pushing past him like his Uncle had just done "Emma wants to leave". he announced to the writer turning to stand in front of the window.

"What? Slow down" he replies trying to calm Henry down, closing the door behind him.

"Y-You were going to make her believe. You have to" he pleads to the man hoping it would stop from trying to leave again.

"I know, Henry. I'm sorry. I… I failed" he sadly reports to the boy.

"Failed?".

"I tried to show her" he tells the boy stepping towards him "At first it was my legs, and now… Now take a look… At the unvarnished truth" pulling down his sleeve once again he shows Henry the wood that had replaced his arm.

"It's wood" Henry states in awe.

"Yes" he confirms.

"All of this? I was right. The curse, it's real!" Elijah couldn't help the smirk that grew on his lips hearing his nephew's discovery of magic and fairy-tale was indeed real. He wanted to share in his nephew's idea of stories and magic for week, only to keep it hidden away from sight in his sister's efforts to disused him from discovering the truth.

"You're a smart kid" August states the obvious.

"And you're Pinocchio" he goes on, looking up at the man before him in excitement.

"What gave it away?" the man grunts pulling his sleeve back down.

"But, why are you turning back to wood? Your story… You should be real".

"I'm changing back because I haven't exactly been a good boy" August explain kneeling in front of Henry "And… Well… If the curse doesn't break… This doesn't stop".

"So, we show Emma that you're turning back into the puppet you were, and then, she has to believe. And, when she does, she could break the curse".

"I tried that" he tells him "She doesn't want to see, so she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I-I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride and it's hard to walk. Soon, it's going to be hard to breathe".

"So, we have to do something fast".

"There's nothing to do" August tells him "And with what little time I have left, I want to spend it with my father".

"Marco" Henry easily deduces.

"Told you you're a smart kid".

Standing to his feet August takes Henry to his door, opening it to let the ten-year old step back into the hallway.

"So, everyone's giving up" Henry asks the man in the doorway.

"I'm afraid that I don't have a choice. I'm sorry, kid, but I'm out of Operation Cobra. Now, it's up to you". Guiding the young boy out August closes the door in the dejected believer as his closet door opened and closed to see Elijah staring at the door his nephew had just walked through

"Did you hear everything you needed to know?" the writer asks the Principle.

"I did" Elijah confirms "Is there really no other way?".

"Unless you have another way to get through to her that she's the key to everyone's happiness, then I'm sorry. There isn't".

He did have an idea but it was a longshot. If she couldn't open her mind up to the possibility of something more. He only have one shot at this before she was tempted to leave again.

"There is one way" August heard the Principle mutter to himself before leaving his room to find the last hope of breaking the curse once and for all.

---

"Emma, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you don't have any case for custody" Archie tells the blonde woman sat opposite in the middle of Granny's.

"Even after everything she's done?" she retorts.

"Which you can't prove" he reminds her making her sigh out in frustration "Let me just ask you a question – with this war raging on, who really is getting hurt here?".

"I know. Henry. But isn't it a good thing that he's spending time with me? I'm his mother"

"Yes, you are" the therapist agrees with her "And so is Regina. And l-look, the court is going to come in and look at him and see how he's been since you've come into his life".

"And he's been happier, right?"

Archie: Maybe. I mean, objectively?" he scoffs "He's skipped school, he's stolen a credit card, he's run off, he's… He's endangered himself, repeatedly. And so, in the eyes of the law, it's not so-".

"And what about in your eyes? What do you think?".

"I mean, a while ago, I told you to engage him in his fantasy life, and… And perhaps I was wrong, because he's only retreated further into it".

"You think he's better off with her and Elijah?" she questions him.

"I never said that" Archie quickly retorts

"Do you think that she would ever hurt him?"

"No. Never" he answers her shaking his head at her "I mean, everyone else, but not him. The same with Elijah" he adds "Look, right or wrong, her actions have all been defensive. I'm not judging, but… in many ways, your arrival has woken a sleeping dragon not even her brother could keep fighting for too long".

"Tell me honestly, has he been better off since I got here?".

"Oh, It's not a matter of better off. It's… It's a matter of this war has to end. If you two are going to be in his life, you have to figure out the best way to do that".

Archie was right. If she and Regina continued to fight, Henry was the only one that was going to suffer for it. But if she had to be one to leave, she would leave with the word of a man that regarded his family as priority. And she knew he would keep it.

---

Waiting on the trail that he and Snow once walked down on that faithful night many years ago, the Evil Queen's Brother waited for the Princess turned Bandit to make her appearance to parlay with the Queen while her Prince Charming sat in one of the Queen's cells.

Stood on his family's estate Elijah closed his eyes to allow himself to hear everything the nature had to offer around him, from the timid heartbeats of deer in the woods, to the sound of the leaves rustling to the gentle breeze that flowed through the branches and everything in-between. His new found senses opened his mind to a while new world around him that was at his finger tips.

With his head held up high, Elijah allowed himself to feel the warmth of the sun kissing the skin of his face instead of burning it thanks to the ring that sat on his middle finger, that allowed him to freely walk in the sunlight without fear of burning.

The sounds of the forest around him were interrupted when a strong heartbeat reached his ears. Smiling to himself he waited patiently for the Princess to join him. A few feet away Snow White paused when she saw her step-Uncle and ex-fiancé stood in the middle of the path they once walked down together, waiting to take her to the Queen.

He had changed since the last time she had laid eyes on him. His jaw and cheek ere no long covered in thick stubble, and his long straggly brown hair no longer went down to his shoulders. His clean shaven face and neat slicked back hair and upright, stiff posture made the young woman think twice how to approach him. Something in her gut told her he was dangerous. Not the fun loving am she used to know.

"Hello Snow" her old friend greets her without looking at her, continuing to bask in what little warmth the overcast weather allowed thought the thick clouds above them.

"Elijah" she states weary of his presence.

"Mmh It's been a while" he hummed listening closely to her heart in her chest. She was scared. Good. He wasn't the man she used to know anymore. That man had died at his sisters request.

"It has" she stiffly replies as he lowers his head and opens his eye's to see the young woman before him, her heart beath a little faster

"Come" he prompts the bandit "My sister is not the patient type anymore" at that the man started the long walk that would take them to the stables as she caught up to the man's long strides.

"Why are you here Elijah?" she asks from behind him, trying to keep up with him.

"I thought you'd enjoy the company while you walked down memory lane. You remember this trail".

"I do" she gulped.

"You spoke so highly of my sister that night. I kept my promise though. Each time I cam to visit my sister I made sure to see you with a..".

"With a snow bell" she interrupts him with a found smile "I remember".

"Something significant also happened that night you may not have been made aware of" he goes on "For while we were out here, walking down this very trail to conquer any fears you had of getting back into a saddle. My mother and your father were arranging my downfall".

"A deal between them that would reward me for rescuing his precious daughter from a runaway horse while it satisfied my mother's desire for her only son to be marry to a woman of high standing. More than a son of a Duke and Miller's Daughter could ever dream of".

"Was marrying me really that bad?" she asks him.

"You're here to save the man you love are you not?" he retorts coming to a pause in the trail allowing her to catch up him "Someone you truly love?".

"I am" she tells him without missing a beat.

"Doesn't that terrify you?".

"I think that when you love someone and that person loves you in return, you're uniquely vulnerable. They have a power to hurt you that's like mothing else. Haven't you ever loved someone like that?"

His mind went to Sibyl at her words. But whenever he thought of her untimely death, he didn't feel a thing. He still didn't feel it when he woke up with all his emotions all over the place. He never felt any grieve for the woman he once asked to marry him, he didn't bat an eye.

"No" he slowly answers her "I guess I haven't".

"You will one day Elijah. And it will be the best feeling in the world".

"I'm sorry I couldn't love you like your Charming does. I tried. I really did" he tells her. He really did. As she grew older he tried to see her in a new light as grew more beautiful as each year went by. But he couldn't.

The guilt he felt for allowing the girl to take the blame for Daniel's death as his cowardice ate away at him until he drank the feeling away, replacing it with numbness instead.

"I know" she nods forlornly with a sad smile on her lips "I know you did" throwing herself into his arms the Princess wrapped her arms around his back like she did that night in his bedroom, he stiffened as he smelt the blood that pumped through her veins as his gums ached to sink his teeth into her neck and feast until there wasn't a drop left.

Taking in a deep breath, the man told himself he was strong enough not to harm the woman in arms as he wrapped his own arms around her, letting himself breath through the natural instinct he had to sooth the burn he felt in his stomach.

He was stronger than is other half. Stronger than whatever Henry Wotton could have ever had taught him of his new second nature.

---

Walking the rest of the trail to the stables was done in silence after the pair pulled out of the friendly embrace the pair entered the stable where his friend had his heart crushed in all those years ago to find his sister stood further inside with her back to them seemingly deep in thought at the man that held her heart.

"Hello, Regina" the Queen's thoughts of her love were forgotten when she heard her voice that ruined her life.

Turning on her heel, a sense of Deja Vu came over seeing her brother and the Princess stood at the entrance of the stables as the latter held up her hands, showing her that she came to parlay with her in peace, with her brother stood not so far away from her.

"Follow me" she simply ordered the pair as she stormed out of the stables holding the skirt of her dress up from the ground walking between her loyal brother and her step-daughter with her brother following close behind his older sister.

The bandit followed the pair into the vast grassy fields that surrounded the estate, climbing up a hill to find a simple tombstone with a red heart engraved into the stone. Trailing behind the pair Elijah allowed his sister to approach the tombstone of her love with Snow.

"Do you remember when Elijah and I ran down your runaway horse, Snow?" she asks the young woman Do you remember when we saved your life?".

"Of course. It all looks the same" she chuckled out in fondness.

"Not quite. This is new" she corrects the Princess pointing out the tombstone that she had placed near the tree she and her love used to meet in secret.

"Is that…" Snow trailed off.

"A grave. Daniel's grave" she informs her step-daughter.

"Daniel?" Snow questions her looking between the Queen and Elijah behind them in confusion "I thought…".

"He ran away? I told you that to spare your feelings out of…kindness. But he died because of you".

"I-I'm… I'm sorry" the bandit stuttered out.

"I'm sorry, too" her stepmother replied "But nothing can change what happened. What you did. You promised to keep my secret. You promised, but you lied" she accused the young woman as Elijah kept a stoic look on his face.

"I was very young, and your mother-".

"She ripped his heart out because of you. Because you couldn't listen to me".

"You took my father" Snow retorted "Haven't we both suffered enough?".

"No" she tells the girl plainly taking the poisoned red apple from a satchel.

"What is that?" Snow asks her.

"It's just a morsel" she tells the girl holding it up to her "Did you know that apples stand for health and wisdom?".

"So, why do I get the feeling that one might kill me?" she retorted.

"It won't kill you" The Queen corrects her "No, what it will do is far worse. Your body will be your tomb, and you'll be in there with nothing but dreams formed of your own regrets".

"And you're going to force me to eat it".

"Of course not. It wouldn't work anyway. The choice is yours. It must be taken willingly".

"And why would I do that?".

"Because, if you refuse the apple, your Prince, your Charming. Will be my brother's next meal" she warns her with a tight lipped mirk on her lips.

"What do you mean by that?" Snow ask in panic and confusion as he looked to the man who stood silently behind them not able to look her in the eye.

"Let just say, these last few years have been..." she paused thinking of the best word to describe his brother's new life "Transformative. For him. He's not the man we once knew, thanks to his dear friend Lord Wotton".

"No.." she gasped in fear for her friend.

"As I said, the choice is yours" the Queen pressed the Princess to choose the Apple or allow her true love to watch as her love's life was literally drained from him. The same way she had to watch her own true love's life drain from his eye's.

"I take that apple, and he lives? That's the deal you want to make?".

"With all my heart" she sneers at the woman, echoing the words she told the young girl she ran after in the woods that promised her not to say a word to anyone about her and Daniel.

Making her decision Snow takes the poisoned apple from her stepmother hand as she looks into her eyes to utter the words "Then, congratulations. You've won".

Taking a bite out of the apple, within seconds of her tasting the fruit, she still's a gasp escapes her lips like she was choking before the sleeping curse took over the body, making her collapse, heading for the ground Regina feel the wind whip up as a blur appears in time to catch the falling Princess as the Apple rolls out of Snow White's hand and down the grassy hill, cradled in the man's arms. the apple rolls and falls into a portal, taking the poisoned apple to the Land of No Magic, twenty=eight years in the future.

---

Reappearing in the Quena's underground vault, the apple is caught by the world jumper Jefferson as the Mayor of Storybrooke watched in awe that the plan had worked having sacrificed the last piece of magic she held in this world. Her engagement ring.

"Is this it?" Jefferson asks the Queen, who quickly takes the bitten into apple into her hands.

"Yes. Yes, it is" she confirms with a victorious smile on her face.

"And my daughter? My Grace?" he presses the woman for an answer.

"First things first. The deal's not done" she tells him "Not until I solve the next conundrum. How to get this saviour to taste my forbidden fruit…".

---

Despite the need of keeping Emma Swan in town for as long as he could, he couldn't forget about the work that had been piling up while on his fact-finding mission with August. With his suit jacket long forgotten, thrown on one of the seats on the other side of his desk and the long sleeve of dark shirt he had worn with his suit that day rolled up to his elbows, the man sat at his desk with pen in one hand and the other in his hair trying to concentrate on the paperwork on his desk.

Only none of the words typed upon it made any sense as his mind kept drifting to the blonde woman in the red leather jacket. She was the saviour. He seemed to know she was important the minute he laid his eyes on her the first time. Like he had been struck by lighting and woken up from a very long dream. A dream he hadn't seem quite fully awake from if he had been honest. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something else was still missing. He just didn't know what.

"Principle Mills" Miss Honey's voice came from his office door interrupting his spinning mind making him jump and look up to see her stood there "Sorry Principle Mills. I did knock" his assistant quickly adds apologetically.

"No, no that's fine Miss Honey" he reassures her giving her a gentle smile "What can I do for you?".

"Sheriff Swan is here to see you" she informs the Principle sat behind his desk.

"Oh" he stated in slight surprise to hear that the woman was outside his office door "You can send her in and close the door" he instructs the secretary as he stands from his desk ready to greet the only person that would be able to break the curse.

A second or two later the door opened again with a hesitant and almost nervous looking Emma Swan walking in in her signature red leather jacket. He couldn't quite gauge what he felt looking upon the woman that threatened to take Henry away and almost did behind his and his sister's back. As the door closed behind the blonde

"Miss Swan if this is another threat of taking my nephew away from his mother than I will have no choice than to put you in contact with our lawyer".

"It's not. I promise" she quickly tells him "I'm leaving town" she suddenly blurts out to the man stood behind is desk.

"Oh.." was all that left his lips hearing this coming from the woman in front of him. He thought the woman would at least fight like she did for the Sheriff badge

"This...thing I have with your sister, needs to end. So I'm gonna go, before it gets any worse. But I have conditions".

"Miss Swan, I'm not the person you need to speak to about conditions" he tries to tell her.

"Yes. You are" she firmly states to him making her point clear "You are the only one that is going to make sure Regina sticks to her end of the deal. So I get to visit and spend time with him".

"And what makes you think I'll manage to keep my sister in check? You know I cannot control her. And as you said it yourself not too long ago I'm supposedly terrified of her".

"Family Above All" she states the three words without missing a beat that he used to warn her to keep away. "That's what you told me time and time again and whether your sister likes it or not I'm part of Henry's family. You told me that if nothing else, you were a man of your word and each time you've kept it".

"-I need your word that he will be safe here with her. Something.. is broken with that woman and I'm not going to hang around long enough to see Henry hurt getting between us".

As much as he wanted to disagree with her, he knew she was right and as mush as he wanted her to stay, if she wouldn't allow herself to believe in something more than what she see's and break the curse. the animosity between the pair would only get worse.

"Family Above All" he repeats the words back to the woman "Always and Forever" he adds solidifying his promise to the blonde.

"Thank you" she let a breath of relief hearing the man give her his word that Henry would be safe when she left "It was nice to meet you Elijah" she tells the man that was met with a silent nod before she turned to leave the office to find Regina, only to stop when she heard him call out to her, making her look back at the man behind the desk.

"Before you leave" he gets the words out of his mouth before she leaves his office once and for all "Would you be able to take a look at something for me. I'm having an old portrait appraised out of state. And I'd like a second opinion that isn't my sister's".

"You really want me to look at it?" she asks the man in confusion.

"I really do" he simply tell her. He had one shot at this and he wasn't going to let Emma walk out of that door without trying to make her believe.

"Sure" she agrees stepping back into the office as Elijah stepped away from his desk to fetch a something rolled out with leather string holding to together from behind his desk. Rounding the desk, the Principle joined the blonde on the other side of the desk as he untied the small knot keeping the portrait rolled up discarding it to the side as he rolled out the picture onto the desk for the saviour to look upon as he was greeted with the old, ugly version of himself looking straight back at him as he watched for any indication that the woman saw the same thing he did.

"Who is that?" she asks him.

"A son of Duke many years ago in Europe. The story goes that it was commissioned by his mother at the time looking to find a marriage of good standing to further their family in society. It was rumoured the portrait held a hidden curse that would allow him to stay forever young while the picture grew old and weary".

"Sounds like one of Henry's stories" she said to the Principle offhandedly as she looked at the young face looking straight back her.

"It does doesn't' it" he chimed with a amused smile "A fairy-tale".

"Did it work?" she asks the man curiously.

"He was arranged to marry a Princess eleven years younger than him shortly after this was completed" he answered her question.

"Ew. Creepy" she grimaced to herself at the thought.

"Exactly what I thought" he say outload.

"In my limited expertise. It's good. Good looking even. Kinda looks like you" she adds in a teasing manner.

"You think so?".

"Yeah but younger" she trailed off looking up at the man stood next to her, eyeing his short bangs that hung over his forehead "And longer hair".

Furrowing his brows at this Elijah looked up from the painting to give the woman a look of offence "Are you saying I need a haircut Miss Swan?" he teased, pairing it with a smile.

"Wouldn't hurt" she playfully shrugged at him before looking back at the picture on the desk to see a slit in the canvas that looked like it had been glued back together, on the side of the man's stomach, it was at least four inches long going down.

"What happened there?" she asks him brushing her finger over the visible slash into the canvas.

"An accident with a knife" he gulped as the memories of how the damage was made came back to his mind.

"I'm no expert but I don't think it'll be worth much with that damage".

"It's sentimental more than anything" he argued "An old friend gifted to me. Maybe it's time to throw it out".

"Nothing wrong with being a little sentimental" she tells him echoing his words back to him when he helped her move into the loft with Mary Margaret, as she turned her head to face him only to realise how close he was stood next to her as they looked over the portrait so much so that she felt warmth radiating from him, as his brown eye's found her's.

It felt like he'd been struck by lightening for the second time in his life as he gazed into her green eye's, unable to look away afraid that it would be the last time he would see them. He was drawn to them like a moth into a flame knowing he would be scorched the moment he touched her.

Pushing the thought aside the Principle took his chance as lowly reached up to brushing he pad of his thumb against her cheek to see in fact he didn't burst into flames as she allowed him to trace his thumb and finger down to her chin before taking hold of it to tilt her head up just enough that he could graze his lips over hers and taste what he felt.

"Principle Mill's" Miss Honey's voice made the pair take a step away from the other as the door opened for the timid woman to "Uh, sorry"

"Miss Honey?" he stared cleared his throat to dislodge the brick he felt in his dry throat with his hands on his hips, his fingers digging through the material of his trousers to wake himself up from the daze, sure enough to leave a bruise behind.

"The Mayor is on the line" snapping his head to his desktop phone he could see a blinking red light indicating a waiting call. The mention of his older sister made the blonde woman snap back into reality at what she nearly let him kiss her. And she wanted him to.

"Miss Swan-" he tried to say only be stopped as the red light continued to blink.

"I should go" she says to him moving towards the door "Bye Elijah".

"Goodbye Miss Swan" he gulped a sour taste came his tongue as he watched her walk out of his door. Once he was alone again, the Principle rounded his desk to pickup the receiver of the phone, hovering it over the machine, pushing done on the button that would connect the call to his sister.

After a second or two he heard his sister's voice coming from the speaker calling out his name only to quickly drop it back in place, ending the call as quickly as it started.

"Miss Honey" he called out to his secretary who scampered over to his open door obediently.

"Yes Principle Mills?".

"If the Mayor call's again. Tell her I'm out of the office for the next hour" he instruct her.

"A-are you sure sir" she stutters out.

"I'm sure Miss Honey. That is all" nodding the woman closed his office door as he fell into his chair to run frustrating hands through his hair as he let out a deep breath trying to relax his heart beating so hard in his chest.

He needed a drink.

---

Failing to get hold of her baby brother at the school, the Mayor gave up after his secretary insisted he wasn't there for the second time in the last ten minutes she spent trying to call him to inform him of their impending victory. Nevertheless she had a saviour to get rid of with or without her brother's help.

Getting to work on the turnover to disguise the poisoned apple in, the Mayor just slid the raw pastry into the warm oven when she heard the doorbell ring. Talking off her apron the brunette made her way to the front door to open it to reveal Emma Swan on the other side. Like she was in her nightmare.

"We need to talk" Emma greets the woman stood on her porch.

"Yes, I imagine we do" Regina tells her "I was just about to call you. Come right in" she invites her in letting the woman walk into her home as she closed the door behind her.

"Do what you're so skilled at and make yourself at home" she tells the blonde woman following her up the stairs to join the saviour in the foyer "I believe you came to see me".

"Right. Look, this isn't easy. I think that this… Whatever is between us needs to end".

"At last, something we can agree on" the brunette replies.

"I want to make a deal with you about Henry" she starts.

"I'm not making any deals with you-".

"I'm leaving town" Emma interrupts her.

"What?" she asks the woman taken aback at her statement.

"This, what we're doing is a problem, and I'm going to go, but I have conditions. I still get to see Henry. I get to visit and spend time, whatever".

"And you get to see him. You're still in his life?" Regina shifts on her uneasy with the woman's proposal.

"Look, in any deal, both parties are a little unhappy" she tells her "But, let's be honest – we both know the world where I'm not in his life no longer exists, and there's no one who can do anything about that" she adds as the Mayor hears the timer on the oven beep from the kitchen behind her, making her smirk to herself. It was too easy.

"You're right" she agrees with her knowing she wouldn't be a problem for any much longer "Would you mind following me for a moment?"

Heading into the kitchen, Emma watches the Mayor take out a turnover from the oven placing the hot pan onto the counter.

"So, what are you proposing?" Regina asks her.

"I don't know. Just figure it out as we go. Elijah's already on board with whatever we agree to". Huh. So that's why he wasn't picking up.

"But he's my son" Regina clarifies to the blonde woman that gave him up for adoption ten years ago.

"Yeah" she reluctantly agrees with the woman's definition.

Only Regina didn't want to stop there to make sure the woman wasn't tempted to go anywhere near her brother.

"Speaking of my brother" the Mayor goes on "Did you know he was engaged to be married once?"

"Uh, no. I didn't" she answers the woman as her brows furrowed.

"Her name was Sibyl. Sweet girl, she was an actress. Theatre work, mainly Shakespeare, but he thought she was magnificent. You actually remind me of her. He has a type it seems. He's always been attracted to..." she paused trying to find the right word to describe her "Strong minded woman. It was a shame it didn't work out between them. She simply wasn't what he needed".

"What happened?" curiosity got the better of the blonde for a minute hearing this coming from the brunette.

"He grew tired of her. But of course she thought the world of him, even called him her Prince Charming" she chuckled to herself at the comparison "Can you believe that?"

"No, not really" she stiffly answers.

"But one night, after watched her play the lead in Romeo and Juliet. He saw who she truly was. A talentless nobody. Broke their engagement that night in her dressing room".

"Why are you telling me this?".

"Because Miss Swan, if we are to go ahead with this deal, my baby brother as honourable as much as he thinks he is. will always choose his family. Family Above All and all that" she said with a sickly grin.

Hearing the three words the man spoke felt off coming from the Mayor like she truly didn't understand what it meant to him.

"What happened to her?".

"She killed herself" she tells the blonde without blinking an eye "Jumped into a river and drowned. She couldn't live in a world in which her Prince Charming didn't love her. Tragic really".

"Yeah..real tragic" she echoed. Having heard enough and having agreed how she could still be in Henry's life the blonde turned to leave only for Regina to call her back.

"Oh, Miss Swan? Maybe a little something for the road?" she offers the woman finding a Tupperware container and gestures to the oven fresh turnover.

"Thanks" the blonde mumbles.

"If we're going to be in each other's lives, it's time we start being cordial" the Mayor tells the blonde woman as she carefully places the poisoned turnover in the container "My famous turnovers. Old recipe. But delicious. Elijah's favourite" she adds with a toothy grin offering it to the younger woman.

Time seemed to slow down as she watched the woman make her decision to willingly take the turnover just like her mother had done to save her true love.

"Thank you" Emma chimed taking the box from the Mayor.

"I do hope you like apples" she tells the woman before Emma turns to leave with the Queen's imminent victory literally in her hands.

---

The next hour was peaceful thanks to the decision to have all his calls from his sister blocked from his office phone as he carried on with his work. With his portrait safely rolled back up and put away from prying eye's, he felt uneasy of what the future held if the curse continued unbroken for too long. With the saviour leaving and the moment they almost shared he wasn't sure how he would be able to keep Henry safe until the saviour was over the line.

The young boy was adamant on breaking the curse and he has already shown he would go to great lengths like the hero's in his books to ensure his goal. He was his own worst enemy sometimes.

His cell phone ringing brought him out of his thoughts as it rung from the inside of his suit jacket pocket in the chair in front of him. Standing from his seat the Principle quickly rounded desk to take the devise out where he kept it, in the inside pocket to see the caller I.D flash up with the former Sheriff's name. Quickly answering it the Principle brought it to his ear to hear her panicked voice enter his ear.

"Elijah!" she also yelled through her phone making fear strike his heart hearing her like this "It's Henry! Somethings happened!".

---

AN: Hello there! An Apple Red as Blood with a bit of 'The Return' and 'The Stranger' included.

I have to say I really enjoyed writing Regina's dream for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.

You know what's coming next!...(insert scream here!)

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