3
A Ripple Changes Everything
A/N: Please note, this is a CHANGED future, where things which happened originally either never occurred or occurred differently from before, as a result of the ripple effect. So read the whole chapter to understand how that happened, please!
Emma opened her eyes to find she lay on the floor of the barn in the middle of the time portal circle, her clothes changed into her customary leather jacket, jeans and a shirt. On her waistband was not her familiar sheriff's badge but a deputy's.
She turned her hand and saw Killian a few feet away wearing a black leather jacket, a denim shirt, jeans and boots.
The pirate groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. Emma gasped when she saw a deputy's badge also pinned to the waistband of his jeans.
Emma was shocked. "What the hell...?"
"What happened?" He stared down at himself. "What the hell am I wearing?"
Emma smiled. "I don't know but you look good in modern clothes."
"Thanks, love." He studied his badge. "What's this? I'm a lawman now? Blackbeard's bloody ghost!"
"Oh boy...looks like we're already seeing changes. I've been demoted."
Hook frowned. "How'd that happen?"
"I'm afraid to find out," she muttered.
"Well, we can't just lie here on the floor, Swan . . . " He smirked at her ". . .because it's giving me ideas . . .so, let's go see this brave new world we created."
"You always try to get me on my back. Okay, let's go." She linked her arm through his and they walked out of the barn.
As they did so the time portal shimmered and vanished, even the circle Gold had dug into the dirt. And invisible ripples flowed over them as the future shifted and changed.
"Emma! Killian! Where the hell did you two go? You were supposed to check out a rabid dog sighting, not go on a wild goose chase! You're going to be late for the wedding and you're not even dressed yet!"
Emma and Hook stared at each other with their eyes wide and turned around to see...a ghost! "N...Neal!?" she stammered. Only this was not the Neal she remembered. He was thinner, slightly more muscular, and his wild hair was trimmed neatly, and he looked more like his father than she could recall. He was also wearing a spit and polished Armani suit.
"Em, you hit your head? I haven't gone by Neal in . . .ages . . ." he remarked, concerned.
As she reached out to touch him to see if he were alive, she noticed she wore a wedding ring on her finger...as did Hook.
"Ummm...noooo . . . but we got lost . . ." What the hell was going on?! Neal was...alive! And she was . . . married!
"You okay? You look pale. You feeling all right?" He reached out to touch her forehead . . . and she saw he wore a ring too.
"Ummm...mate...what are we supposed to be late for?" Hook was uneasy. If all of them were wearing wedding rings then who was married to whom?
Bae rolled his eyes. "Okay, Killian, that's hysterical! You know what for! My father's wedding, of course! Now quit joking around, buddy!"
"Right...ahhhh must've banged my head hard, mate." Killian began rubbing it.
"Ummm...yeah..I guess we did," Emma muttered. "Remind me again, ahh..Bae, where is your dad's wedding gonna be at?"
"You run into a tree again or something? He started laughing. "The wishing well, Emma . . . remember they wanted it outside at the site they found each other again when you broke the curse?" he prompted.
Emma tired to make it look as though a light had dawned. "Oh...right . . ."
"Maybe you ought to see Dr. Whale? You could have a concussion." Bae told her.
It was taking every ounce of strength she had not to throw her arms around him and burst into tears. He was alive!
Even Hook couldn't help wanting to cry. He was devastated when he'd been given the news of Neal's death, and their embrace in the hospital had been Bae's way of telling him goodbye.
Bae looked at them strangely. "Okay . . .why are you looking at me like that? Like you've never seen me before or something? Have you been smoking something?"
"No! Don't be ridiculous! We're cops, Bae! It's just . . . . everything seems so strange . . ."
"You wouldn't believe it if we told you. Let's just say I had a nightmare while I was out and leave it at that." Killian said, fingering his badge.
"Nightmare on Elm Street type," Emma swallowed.
"Must have been a hell of a one, buddy. And you're gonna have another one if you don't move it and get dressed, because Belle's gonna start spitting nails if you're late . . . since you're her matron of honor, Emma and I'm Papa's best man."
"Ah yeah..don't want to make Belle mad and Doc either..."
Bae's eyebrows rose. "Doc?"
Emma laughed. "Kinda like Doc Brown. Never mind."
"Okay, darlin'," he drawled.
Hook laughed himself. "So I'm in this wedding too, eh?
Bae sighed. "Sometimes I wonder about you two . . . no wonder you drive Graham crazy."
Emma almost passed out. "G...Gr..Graham!?"
"Yeah .. . you know-your boss? The sheriff?"
Oh my God, she thought...first Bae...now Graham. I HAVE changed things! And saved lives...
Hook looked at her. "Em...I think maybe we better...ahhh get checked out."
"Well, you can do that after the ceremony . . .it's starting in half an hour."
"Ummm...are you sure...ummm...I don't want to be acting crazy and have Doc magic a straitjacket on me," Emma floundered.
"Maybe I'd better call Papa . . .he can heal you . . . that way you won't need to go for an MRI or whatever. . . that could take all day," Bae said.
Emma nodded. "Uhhhh...yeah." When Rumple had said things would be changed, she had never imagined this!
She and Hook glanced at each other again. What would HE be like in this new world? Was he still the Dark One?
Hook's only consolation was that Rumple did have him going to the wedding. Did that mean they'd made a truce?
Bae pulled out his cell and pressed a button. "Hello, Papa? Yes, I found them. Yes, but . . . uh there was a bit of a problem . . . no, Killian did not get my wife drunk . . . very funny . . .could you please come over here, they've had a little accident . . . no, they didn't ram the squad car into a tree again like last time . . ."
Emma gasped. She was Bae's wife? She glanced over at Hook. He lowered his head, not wanting her to see the pain in his eyes.
Then she had to wonder just who he was married to. And if they were happy.
Doc, we really need you to fix this, Emma thought.
" . . .I think they hit their heads . . . they're kind of disorientated and stuff . . . so could you please come here and heal them . . . we're down by the stables . . .yeah, bring her with you, otherwise she'll drive Belle crazy asking where we are . . . okay, see you . . ." He hung up the phone. "He's on his way . . ."
"Thank God. And what's this about me getting your wife drunk and crashing cars intro trees?" He was putting up a brave front for Bae's benefit. She was his before she was mine...and I have to let her go...
"That's what I'd like to know!" Emma declared.
"You think we've all forgotten that haven't you? You are never gonna live that down!" Bae chuckled. "It was her first day on the force and you wanted to play a joke on her . . . so you spiked her coffee with some rum and got her drunk . . .and then she was driving . . . and she crashed the car into a tree . . .wrecked the new patrol car . ..and Graham was fit to be tied . . . so was Regina . . . and so was I . . .don't you remember? Hell, I kicked your ass, Killian."
"That sounds like you." Emma smirked.
"Well, now..."
"No, it does." She insisted.
Hook now realized that he had to take on a new role to Emma in this world...a friend and a partner only not in the way he wished to. He remembered Rumple's words before the time portal. He had to give up what was necessary..for Emma...and Bae.
"Damn straight. I was so pissed off . . . we were still dating then . . . and I'd just gotten up the nerve to ask you to marry me . . . and then you almost died . . .Graham had to drag me off you . . .and he put me in jail for a few hours to cool off because I'd just assulted an officer . . . and Papa had to come and get me and God, he was furious." Bae gave a rather rueful grin.
" At me or you?" Killian wanted to know. "Likely me."
"Yeah well getting me drunk wouldn't put you in Doc's good graces, Killian." Emma said wryly.
"Both of us. He was mad at you, Killian, and at me for getting in trouble with the law . . .he blistered my ears good when he saw me and I was damn lucky I was too old to spank otherwise he'd have blistered my butt too!" Bae laughed. "He threatened to leave me in jail, he was so mad."
"I'm lucky he didn't skin me," Hook mused. "And lucky you didn't either."
So far everything she'd seen put Emma's mind at ease, even if it was confusing to her. She had Henry's father back, she had Graham back...now it was just a question of how the others had been affected and who was Killian's wife?
Bae laughed. "Well, he thought about it . . . but he wasn't the Dark One any longer . . ."
"Oh...right..ummm yeah..probably wanted to beat me with the cane."
Emma laughed. "He's pretty lethal with it. So where is he? Doesn't live that far from here." Then again, she thought, you are delaying his wedding and he liked to make people suffer a bit.
Bae checked his watch. "He should be here any minute . . .unless . . ."
"Unless what?" Emma prompted.
"Unless Alyssa was playing hide and seek again. You know how she is . . . she's got him wrapped around her finger."
"Alyssa?" Emma was floored.
"Aww, don't tell me you've forgotten about—"
Both of them eyed him curiously.
"You don't mean she's..." Emma began.
There was a sudden flicker of purple smoke and Rumple appeared dressed in one of his most expensive suits with a white rose in his lapel . . .and holding a two-year-old girl in his arms . . .dressed in a frilly pink flower girl gown . . .
Was she their child...and where was Henry?
"Ummm...Doc...thank God you're here!" blurted Emma.
"See, punkin' there's your papa," Gold was saying to the child. "And your mama too . . ."
The little girl wriggled down from his arms and ran pell mell across the grass, her golden curls flying. "Mommy, Grandpa says you's gonna be late for a very important date, so hurry your butt up!"
She had a daughter...a beautiful little girl with her hair...and her father's eyes.
" A...Alyssa...?" her blue eyes misted with tears. She kneeled down and held out her arms to the child.
"Mommy . . . what are you doin'? You is 'post to be gettin' ready to walk down the aisle so's Grandpa and Nana can gets married . .. and I get to throw flowers!" She ran into Emma's arms.
"And that's a very important job," she said softly as she kissed the beautiful girl's cheek. As she did, there was a burst of light. There was a final ripple in the time stream and the memories of the past that was faded away, replaced with the memories of a new future...one that only the Savior could have brought to all.
"Oh crap! Killian! Tink is going to KILL me!I was supposed to have you home an hour ago."
"Yup, Aunt Tink said she was gonna nail your feet to the floor, Unca Killian. She sent me to 'mind you to get home pronto!" the cherub shook her finger at him.
Killian groaned. "Yeah...and I know I'll get it from Liam too."
Emma chuckled. "Well he IS you son. What did you expect."
Alyssa nodded. "Yeah he ain't too happy with you neither . . .oh, brother!"
Killian held up his hands. "I'm going!" He started to leave.
"Hold it! Let me see if you're okay first, boy. Freeze!" Rumple ordered in his best cop voice.
Killian quickly obeyed. "That was pretty good cop talk Rum. I'm fine...really."
"Humph! I learned a few things from Graham." He laid a hand on the other's forehead. "Hmm . . . there's no head injury . . .and no memory altering spell either . . . you're fine, Jones. Now get your ass home and get changed before *I* assault you!"
"You wanna spend your wedding night in jail. Try telling that to Belle. She'll kick your ass," the deputy remarked flippantly.
"Then don't make me kick yours. Get!" He turned to Emma
"I'm fine too, Rum."
Rumple coughed. "That's what you said when you were pregnant with Alyssa . . . just before you passed out. Now hold still a minute . . ." He laid a hand on her forehead too, using his magic to assess her health.
"Grandpa . . .can you heal everybody?" Alyssa chimed in.
"Yes he can," Emma grinned.
Rumple removed his hand. "You're fine . .. "He looked at his granddaughter. "Mostly everybody, sprite . . ."
Emma threw her arms around him. "You're gonna need that, you know. I know you're nervous."
"Maybe a little," he murmured and hugged her back.
"An' when I'm bigger, I'm gonna fix people too . . . Henry said I'm gonna have magic too . . .Mommy, you're 'quishin' me!" her golden-haired moppet protested, as she was sandwiched inbetween them.
Emma laughed. "You love big bear hugs." Then she laughed wickedly. "I could have your grandpa do the...you know what..." She made a tickling gesture.
"Noo!" She burst out laughing. "No tickle torture, Grandpa!"
Emma smirked.
Rumple did too."Oh . . . but why not? I love to tickle my favorite itty bitty sprite . . ."Then he tickled the child, his eyes twinkling.
"No making her pee. We're late as it is. And Belle is probably ready to roast us on a spit," she cautioned over the sound of her daughter's musical giggling. "Damn...if I go home and change we'll be even later!" She waved her hands over her body and her matron of honor's gown appeared.
Alyssa giggled hysterically . . . and at that statement, Rumple quit playing and said, "You're right."
He pointed a hand and Killian was now wearing Armani tux.
"Yay! The penguin brigade!" It was what she called men dressed up, since to her they looked like penguins.
Killian saw a car driving up and grimaced. "Now I'm in trouble."
"Uh oh, you's in trouble now, mister!" Alyssa warned.
Tinkerbell stepped out of the car holding her small son in her arms. She approached her husband with a scowl on her face. "What did you do this time, Killian?"
"Nothing, love."
"They gots lost in the woods," Alyssa announced.
"You did?"
"Yeah...we did...and I swear we weren't drinking." Killian said.
"You late!" Liam yelled at his father. He was a beautiful little boy with his father's dark hair and round face and his mama's green eyes, dressed in a little sailor suit.
"I know...I know." Killian said sheepishly, hugging him.
"You make Unca Rumple mad..." the tot asked, he was almost two.
"Umm...no I think he's fine." Killian laughed.
Rumple, "Okay, let's get over to the wishing well . . . before we're all late and Belle does an reenaction of a wedding day massacre . . ."
Tink shuddered. "I do not want that!" She linked her arm through her husband's and they walked back to their car.
Rumple took Alyssa and said, "Emma, you and Bae can transport yourselves okay, right?"
"Of course. I had the best teacher." She smiled at him. Emma took Bae's hand in hers. "Ready?"
"Always."
Rumple transported away with Alyssa in his arms.
She concentrated and they vanished in a puff of red smoke.
When they reappeared they were standing in front of the wishing well with the entire town as witnesses.
Belle rushed up to them. "Thank goodness! Finally!" She was wearing a lovely cream dress with a pretty hat, it was a vintage design as was the dress.
Emma grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Belle...we got a bit lost."
Regina snorted. "There's a shock. Honestly we should put a tracking device on you." She was dressed in a classy black and white suit.
Robin laughed. "Because I'm not always available to track her down, right, sweetheart?" He was also dressed to the nines.
Regina laughed. "You or Graham."
Graham walked up, wearing a very nice three piece blue suit. "You called, madam?"
"No...but Ruby I'm sure will be calling you. " She smirked.
Graham's eyes twinkled. "Yes, and when my loving she-wolf calls . . . I listen . . ."
Regina laughed. "I'll stick to thieves."
Graham grinned. "Thieves are easier to handle" His eyes twinkled. Once they had been an item . . .before Robin had tried to pick her pocket . . .
Henry was sitting in his seat watching them all holding the Once Upon a Time book and smiling.
His mother had done it, just as the book said. She'd gone back in time and become the Savior he always believed she was...brought back ALL the happy endings.
"Are you ready to become Mrs. Gold, Belle?" Emma teased. "Finally."
Belle chuckled. "I've been ready for a long time . . .it just took awhile to convince Rumple of that fact."
"You should have let us beat him over the head...would've been faster." She joked.
"There were days I considered letting you borrow his cane . . ." the bride admitted, her eyes shining.
"Killian wanted to lock you in a closet together," the savior recalled. "But Bae and I didn't think THAT was a good idea."
Belle laughed. "Because you know what happened the last time you two got locked in a closet . . ."
"Umm yeah..."
"But all's well that ends well, right?" She waved a hand at Rumple and Alyssa. "And maybe if not for that, the apple of Rum's eye wouldn't have been born."
"No, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."
"Nor would I because adversity makes us stronger . . . and when you find a love worth fighting for, you never give up."
"And I never gave up hoping someday I'd see Bae again...nor did his father."
"No . . . and I will never forget his face when Bae came home . . .I thought he was going to pass out on the floor . . ." Belle recalled.
"Him! I nearly had a heart attack!" Emma protested.
"It just goes to show you-what's loved . . . always follows their heart home again."
Emma smiled wistfully. "Yes, it does." She looked out at the crowd.
Henry opened the book and re-read the end that had been written so far . . .the ripple effect spread throughout the time stream as Emma and Hook altered the past to save the future, and as Rumplestiltskin had said, events changed . . .
Zelena ended up going back to Oz after Rumple dismissed her because of her instability and childish tantrums and joined the other witches in Oz' circle . . . and had a run in with Dorothy and was melted away . . . after Dorothy destroyed her pendant . . .
Regina still cast the curse, bringing everyone to Storybrooke . . . but Graham was only her sheriff, and had dated a single time before they'd called it quits and he started going out with Ruby . . .
And an outlaw attempted to steal Regina's money only he stole her heart instead...and gave his young son Roland a much needed mother, as Robin's wife had not died at the hands of the Evil Queen...it was the jealous Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin had later hunted him down and made a pincushion out of him.
Bae had managed to escape Neverland early . . . and met Emma as a wild nineteen year old on the streets of Portland . . .along with his travelling companions...a former pirate and an exiled fairy.
For awhile they'd joined another mastermind and thief called August Booth . . . who later betrayed Emma over a heist gone wrong and landed her in jail . . .and fled, prompting Bae to chase him all over the world, including East Asia . . .but the man proved as slippery as an eel and it was years before Bae finally caught up with him . . .
Emma ended up finding out she was pregnant in jail and had Henry . . .not knowing where Bae was and terrified of raising Henry on her own, she'd given him up for adoption . . .
And as it had been in both timelines, Henry grew up in the home of the former Evil Queen.
Bae was shot in East Asia by August's crooked partner, Tamara, and nearly died. August fled back to the States . . . and Bae followed him to Storybrooke soon after Emma got there . . .And a father who spent centuries longing to see his son again at last got his wish. With an added bonus..he was a grandfather.
A still recuperating Bae followed August to Gold's pawnshop and passed out right on the doorstep at Rumple's feet, while Belle was there working. It was not exactly the way he dreamed they would be reunited but he didn't care. His son had come home...at last.
Rumple had tenderly nursed Bae back to health . . . and apologized to him for losing him at the portal . . . they reconciled, and together father, son and grandson worked to help Emma achieve her destiny...to break the curse and restore the happy endings.
A post card was sent via pigeon to the home of the exiled fairy and her estranged lover in Manhattan, asking them to come to a place called Storybrooke. Tink and Hook had their own rocky path to their happy ending. Hook still wanted to live as a bachelor while the former fairy longed to settle down.
They arrived and found their old pals Emma and Bae there, with their son, Henry and Rumple, another old acquaintance, who had been a spinner when Hook first met him and had run off with Rumple's ill-tempered wife Milah . . .Hook and Milah had fought along with the mermaids of Mermaid Lagoon and some of Tink's fae folk to free Neverland from Pan's domination, and they had succeeded . . . though Milah was killed in the final battle . . .by Pan's own hand . . . but later Pan died by the hand of her son . . . when Bae shattered the hourglass that held Pan's power and he turned to dust . . .
And Hook finally found the courage to let go of his past and finally settle down...with the fairy who refused to give up on him. He became a deputy under Sheriff Graham Humbert . . . and a few months after Graham appointed Emma as his second . . .resulting in a firm friendship and partnership, which sometimes descended into flirtatious teasing between them . . . though once Emma was married to Bae Killian quit flirting because neither of them wanted to hurt their significant others . . . or risk getting killed by them . . .or Rumple.
Killian married Tink a month after he witnessed Bae and Emma's wedding. And eight months to the day Emma married Bae she was delivered of a beautiful daughter who looked just like her mother with her father's big dark eyes and her grandfather's sweet impish personality . . .
Eleven months later Tink and KIllian were blessed with a son they named Liam Baelfire in honor of a beloved brother and best friend.
Emma reconnected with her parents, Snow and Charming, who had gotten together after the troll bridge after all . . .the first couple to have a happy ending . . .
But there was one final happy ending that needed to be restored...and the hardest to achieve. Henry shut the book and put it on his chair. It was time.
Rumple waited at the wishing well like many a groom before him as the wedding procession walked down the grass towards him.
Bae and Emma came first, as the best man and matron of honor, followed by Tink and Killian, and Henry and Ruby.
Behind him, like a tiny wood sprite, came Alyssa Isabelle Gold, throwing rose petals before Belle as she was escorted to Rumple by Moe.
Henry glanced over at his mother again, beaming with pride. And now we'll all live happy ever after. Thanks to the Savior he thought when he saw his grandfather take his young bride's hand in his and slide a beautiful ring on her finger.
Emma was smiling so much she felt like she had taken laughing gas, as Belle and Rumple pledged their troth at last and they sealed it with a kiss . . .and their kiss caused white magic to flow across the guests and all of Storybrooke, for the most powerful sorcerer in all the realms had at last achieved his happy ending . . . and everything was as it should be. And the ripples stopped forever.
A/N: I would like to clear up some seeming confusion on the parts of several reviewers who are complaining about this not ending as a Captain Swan story when it was billed as such. Actually that is NOT true . . . I deliberately put NO pairings in my summary like I normally do because I knew it would be too confusing when I got to the end of the story and everything changed. And I also included foreshadowing from the very beginning that because of how Emma and Hook altered the past, there would be consequences none of them could foresee because of it . . . and Rumple even states this, saying it's why people don't travel back in time, because of the ripple effect. But he also says that if you have good intentions than good things will happen to you and they do . . . just not they way they thought they would. Unlike the show, no one dies saves the villains and EVERYONE gets a happy ending . . . even if it's not what they originally thought . . . because all magic comes with a price. But if you CS shippers don't like the way this ended, please read my Cupid's Arrow story, it has CS and is stated as such from beginning to end. Thank you!