A/N: Hi! So welcome to the second story, Every Rose Has Its Thorns, of my Once Upon a Time Series Bedtime Stories :) I would recommend new readers read the first story, All That Glitters, to understand my OC, Piper (AKA Rose Red) and her relationship to Gold/Rumpelstiltskin as well as her tie to Snow White. This will be a Gold/OC story, the pairing name officially voted for as Dark Rose, and will be about 43 chapters long, updated daily too ;) This story will follow the episodes more in terms of what's happening with the OC, but will also have an Enchanted Forest flashback/backstory chapter afterwards :)

A quick physical description of Piper is that she's a tall, blonde woman, with forest green eyes. She tends to wear boots that she keeps her playing pipe in one, and the dagger of the Dark One in the other. She tends to wear colors, though Gold (or as she calls him, Rummy) prefers her in black ;) She also has a necklace of a small purple powder from the Enchanted Forest. She appears to be about 40 years old, though she is much older. For a reference, an actress I see as being similar to her is Sophia Myles ;)

~8~ is a scene break.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time...or Emma would have been adopted by a loving family and raised on fairytales lol :)

~8~

Broken

Mr. Gold, or in another world Rumpelstiltskin, let out a breath, opening his eyes as he felt the purple cloud that had returned his magic pass by them. He looked over at the blonde woman standing beside him, a small smirk on her face, "Do you feel it Pip?" he asked.

She nodded, blinking her forest green eyes open to look at him, "Magic," she squeezed his hand that she was holding near her chest and smiled at him, "And it's stronger than ever."

"And now that it's back," he lifted her hand to press a kiss to the back of it, "I believe a certain Queen has much to answer for."

"You know, I do believe you are right," she mused, tilting her head to the side, "She must be dealt with," she agreed, "We both have a price owed to us by her, I would like to see it paid even before finding our families."

He nodded, "Regina shall remain a threat to them, even more now that magic has returned. When she has been stopped, we shall see our families again."

Piper nodded, stepping back away from him though she kept a hold of his hand, her smirk beckoning as she moved, "Then we have work to do."

Gold chuckled darkly as he stepped after her, only letting go of her hand so that he could take her other hand in his own, making it easier to walk with his limp and cane, "What do you have in mind Pip?"

"Oh no," she shook her head, "I have 28 years tending to a small boy, my mind broken between him and finding you and plotting revenge," she glanced at him, "You have 28 years of stewing and working out the worst possible means to an end for the dear Evil Queen. What have YOU in mind Rummy?"

"Why Pip," he grinned, turning to look forward, revenge in his eyes, "I'm ever so glad you asked."

~8~

In the middle of Storybrooke, a heartwarming reunion had just taken place between a mother and father and the daughter they had sent away to save her 28 years ago. Emma Swan was overwhelmed as she walked with her…um, parents? She still wasn't quite used to that, to thinking she had parents. She knew she HAD parents, she wouldn't have been born from nothing, but that she had them back? That was a strange notion. Mary Margaret…no, Snow White now, had cried, had hugged her tightly. David, Prince Charming, had hugged his wife and daughter, had kissed her hair, had laughed when Henry called him 'grandpa.' And Emma…just stood there, not sure what to do, not used to being hugged or loved, not quite coming to terms with the fact that everything she'd been humoring Henry in was actually real. The people before her, Mary Margaret, David, Granny, Ruby, Leroy and his friends…were all fairytale characters.

It was REAL.

But all too soon the reunion was cut off by a very good question posed by the Dwarves, what was the purple smoke? And so now they were heading to Gold's shop for answers. Though, it appeared, more questions were being fired away along the way than there were answers Gold could give.

"Is there anything that you want to ask us?" Mary Margaret asked Emma as she hurried to keep up with her daughter's strides, Henry beside his mother, "You must have questions."

"The only questions I have are for Mr. Gold," Emma muttered, "Why did he double-cross me, and what did he do to this town? Why did Piper LET him do it? That's what I don't get, all this time she's been on our side and I want answers."

Mary Margaret frowned, "Piper? The Pied Piper?" she had…vague memories of the blonde woman. It was odd really, the flood of memories from her first life had hit her so hard she could barely remember this current life. She knew it would all settle and she'd have two clear sets of memories to sort through, but right now her more prevalent memories were that of the Enchanted Forest.

"Yeah," Emma muttered, "Apparently you know her."

"I've heard stories of the things she's done," Mary Margaret agreed, frowning, "She's quite a terror among the children in the Forest and…"

"No, I mean, she knows you," Emma glanced at her, "She's your…"

"Emma," Henry cut in, "I think Piper should tell her herself," he grinned, he knew he should let Emma tell Mary Margaret, but he had talked to Piper for a long time, and once he realized she was Rose Red (something that wasn't difficult to work out when he had a book and a story of her revealing her name to Rumpelstiltskin) he read those stories of Snow White even more deeply. He wanted to see the reaction, he wanted to see the look on Snow's face when she saw her cousin.

He could understand, or at least guess, why Mary Margaret hadn't realized Piper was her cousin…the last time Snow White saw the girl, Piper had been 18 years old. Now, even though she was more than 3 decades older than that, she looked to be about 40. He doubted anyone would recognize someone at the age of 40 when they last saw them as an 18 year old. But he loved family reunions and he really wanted to see what Snow would do when she saw Rose again.

"Well then, we'll seek out the Pied Piper after we've seen Gold," Mary Margaret agreed, "But, shouldn't we talk about 'it' first?"

"What?" Emma frowned, not sure what the 'it' was.

"Us, your life, everything?"

"Can we do everything maybe later?" she sighed, "Like, with a glass of wine. Or…several…bottles."

"I know it's a lot to take in," David tried to help, "For all of us."

"And we don't want to push," Mary Margaret agreed, "But we've waited for this moment for so long…"

"Yeah, so have I," Emma admitted, "I've thought about this moment my entire life. I've imagined who you might be. But, of all the scenarios that I concocted, my parents being…I-I just need a little time. That's…that's all."

Before another word could be spoken the sound of shouting reached them and they spun around to see a rather angry mob running down the streets behind them.

"There you are!" Jiminy ran up to them, panting, "Come with me. I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house. They're going to kill her!"

"Great, let's watch," Grumpy grinned, not seeing Henry tense.

"No! No, we cannot stoop to her level. No matter who she is or what she's done, killing her is wrong."

"He's right," Henry turned to them, tears in his eyes, even though he knew all Regina had done, he never wanted her dead, he just wanted the curse broken, "Please. She's still my mom!"

Emma sighed but nodded, reluctantly though, if Henry, the one who had fallen under Regina's curse didn't want retribution, then it wasn't on them to demand it either, "We have to stop them."

"If the Blue Fairy is right and magic is here," David began, thinking of what Blue, the Mother Superior, had said about the purple smoke being the return of magic, "Regina could have her powers back. They'll be marching into a slaughter."

Without another word, the group turned and ran after the mob…none of them seeing the blonde woman in the window of Gold's shop watching them go.

Piper sighed and turned away from the window, moving over to the counter Gold was standing at, "They have gone after Regina, as we thought," she informed him.

"Excellent," he nodded, pulling on a pair of thick gloves and lifting the lid of a small chest that was on the counter before him up. Piper moved beside him to watch as he carefully picked up a medallion with an odd symbol in the middle. It was like a Y with the tops bent to the side. There was a line extending from the middle line up to the top of the Y, with two horizontal lines through the base of it, "Recognize this Pip?"

"A Wraith," she murmured, nodding slowly, "Exquisite choice Rummy."

"I thought you'd like it," he nodded, clutching the medallion in one hand, "As the Queen hunted with a single minded desire, so does the wraith. Ironic, is it not, when a wraith is the embodiment of vengeance?"

"It is," she agreed, "And the perfect choice for the Evil Queen."

Gold grinned and held out his arm to Piper, allowing her to take it as they walked out of the shop and towards the police station, when the entire town turned against you, being locked away with bars separating you from those you wronged would be the safest place. That was where they knew Emma and the others would take Regina, and that was where they had to be before the others arrived.

~8~

Piper and Gold remained in the back room of the station as they heard Emma, David, Mary Margaret, and Henry enter with Regina. They were locking the woman into a cell, just as they expected, talked to her quietly about the curse and how it was broken, how they should have been back home by now and why weren't they? Apparently the Enchanted Forest had been destroyed by the Dark Curse when it hit, which made them all think to go back and try Gold again, which meant that the two eavesdropping would have to be quick.

Gold waited till the small group had left before he stepped into the main room to see Regina trying to magically unlock her door but failing, clearly while HE had his magic back and Piper had hers, while everyone else did…she did not. Which was JUST what he wanted. It had been HER desire to come to this land, to be what she was, why allow that to change merely because a curse was broken? He did so love creating curses where he came out on top in the end.

"Magic is different here, dearie," he remarked, moving to lean on the edge of Emma's desk, his hands, still gloved, clutching the medallion between them as he smirked at her, keeping the item from view.

"I noticed," Regina sneered, "I assume this is all your doing."

"Most things are."

"Get to it, Rumple," she rolled her eyes, "What do you want? You're here to finish the job?"

"No, no, no," he gently pushed himself off the desk and moved towards the cell, "You're safe from me."

"I feel so relieved," she countered dryly.

"I made a promise to someone that I won't kill you immediately."

Regina frowned at that, "Let me guess, your precious Pip?"

"It is rather irritating when YOU call me that," Piper's voice spoke as she entered the room and came to stand beside Gold, "But yes, if you must know, it was a promise to me."

"And why would YOU care whether I live or die dear?"

Piper smirked, "Oh I never wanted you dead Regina, not really," her smirk turned dangerous, "I want you to suffer first, I want you to suffer as I and many others have under your hand. Actions have consequences, Regina. You took something from me, and I shall not rest till I take the same from you," she said simply, "Until then, I shall have to make do with watching your world crumble around you."

"So torture first?" Regina crossed her arms, unimpressed, but Piper could see a hint of fear in her eyes.

"You really do forget just how dangerous a Siren can be."

"Nice try, banshee," Regina scoffed, "I may not have recognized you at first, but I DO remember you. You're only HALF Siren."

"And is that not so much worse?" Piper leaned in, "Being half Siren means I am also half human…I believe YOU, of all people, know just what a human being is capable of when pushed."

Regina's lips pursed, "Then get on with it."

Piper smiled at that, "I thought you would never ask."

And, before Regina could react, she reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling it through the bars just as Gold took the medallion and pressed it into the palm of Regina's hand, making her hiss in pain.

"Is that…" Regina gasped, her eyes widening.

"Yes, dearie," Gold hissed, his eyes narrowed, "The one thing no one can escape, destiny. And, I promise, yours is particularly unpleasant."

He pulled the medallion away and turned with Piper to walk out of the room, Regina looking at her hand, knowing that while it appeared unmarked, the moment the wraith was summoned…it would be activated and the creature would not stop till Regina was destroyed from the inside out.

~8~

Piper and Gold sat in the back of his shop, smiling, and clinging their teacups together for the successful summoning of the wraith. They'd gone out into the woods on the way back to the shop, Gold dropping the medallion onto the ground as Piper handed him his dagger to use as a focusing method for his magic. He summoned the Wraith, stabbed the ground with the dagger to call it from the other worlds. The two of them watched as it rose from the medallion and flew off towards town. It would pose no harm to others so long as they didn't get in its way and they both knew the only ones who would try were already heading to the shop, having been delayed by various townspeople still frantic at the return of their memories and having put Henry somewhere safe to wait it out, Emma not trusting him to be around either of them at the moment.

They looked over when they heard the bell ding and knew it was Emma, Mary Margaret, and David entering.

Gold glanced at Piper to see her staring at the door to the main shop but the girl didn't move. He reached out and patted her leg, his thumb stroking her knee in comfort before he stood, "Come when you're ready Pip," he leaned in and kissed her hair before he stepped out. He knew exactly what she was feeling, he felt it too at times. Thinking so long about finally being reunited with someone, and then the moment comes and you hardly know what to say or do. Luckily for them, their reunion was rather a quiet affair to begin with.

"What can I do for you?" Gold smirked as he saw the three heroes before him.

"What you can do, is tell us what you did," Emma glared at him.

"I'm sorry. You're going to have to be more specific. Pip and I have done many, MANY things."

"You know damn well what we're talking about!" David snapped.

"You double-crossed Emma," Mary Margaret stated, "You, uh, took your…potion, from her."

"Well, considering that the potion she retrieved was of my own true love," he paused to think, "It belonged in my possession anyway."

"That doesn't change the fact that you did who knows what to this town!" David countered.

"And, worst of all, you risked Henry's life," Emma finished.

"The boy was never in any true danger," Gold waved it off.

"He flatlined!" Mary Margaret shouted, "He died!"

"And Pip and I returned magic to the town so that we could save him from that," Gold informed them, "Piper would never see the boy harmed. The Sleeping Curse, cast in a land without magic, was weaker and warped. When Henry died, the magic faded, to use magic to resuscitate him would be the only means of awakening him. So," he looked at them with a smirk, "Would you care to try again at how we double crossed you? Or would you like to go over the litany of grievances again?"

"I'd like to punch you in the face!" Emma snapped.

"I'd prefer to run you through with my sword," David glared.

"Oh I doubt your doting wife would allow you to do that," Gold chuckled.

"Why wouldn't I?" Mary Margaret tried to make it seem like a threat, though she knew in her heart she wouldn't let anyone just run someone through.

"Because you would NEVER allow someone to kill MY true love," Piper's voice said from the doorway as it opened and she appeared, her gaze focused on Mary Margaret, "Would you, Frosty?"

Mary Margaret gasped as she looked at the woman before her, recognizing her now, there was no doubt in her mind who she could be, "R…Rosie?" she slowly made her way towards Piper, staring at her with wide eyes that were rapidly filling with tears.

"I told you not to call me that," Piper smiled softly at her.

"And I said not to call me Frosty," Mary Margaret nearly laughed a sobbing laugh. She stopped right before Piper, her eyes searching her, scanning her face, "You're older…"

"I am," Piper nodded, "Not quite your younger cousin any longer am I?"

Mary Margaret just reached out to touch her cheek, "You're alive…" she breathed, feeling her warm and solid beneath her hand, "You're alive!" before she pulled Piper into her arms, crying as she held her tightly.

Emma and David watched with Gold as a tear or two escaped from Piper's eyes as well, "I am," Piper smiled, clutching her cousin closer still, "I am."

"Well then," Gold smiled, "Henry survived, the curse is broken, and let's see, Miss Swan. How long have you been searching for your parents? Looks like you're reunited. Seems like I deserve a thank you."

That seemed to snap Mary Margaret out of it as she pulled back and looked at Piper with wide eyes, "HE'S your true love?"

Piper blinked, "Of all the things you could possible ask me…you focus on THAT?"

And there were SO many things that she knew her cousin would wish to know. Why she hadn't told her she was alive. Why she went to the Dark One and not family. How she had escaped the curse. If any of the rumors she'd heard of the Pied Piper were true. What happened to her after her kingdom fell. What happened to her.

"Sorry, it's just…" Mary Margaret shook her head, "He's the Dark One!"

"And I am the Pied Piper," she reminded her, "My past has never been as pure as yours Snow, you know this."

Mary Margaret opened her mouth, likely to ask her some of the questions Piper knew she'd wish to know, when Emma spoke, "Look, we really need to focus on what's going on here," she looked at Mary Margaret, "Sorry, I know family reunions are abounding today, but that purple smoke," she turned to Gold, "What was it?"

"Did the fairy not tell you?" Piper gave her a look, "Magic."

"Why?" Mary Margaret looked between them, still trying to wrap her mind around her baby cousin now being older than her and being the true love of the Dark One.

"Not telling," Gold smirked, reaching out to wind an arm around Piper's waist, gently tugging her to his side…

Only for an enormous explosion to shake the entire building.

"What the hell was that?!" Emma gasped and the trio ran to the windows to look out, seeing that all the transformers in the town were blowing up outside.

"That," Gold smirked, "Is my gift to Pip," he would have laughed at how the three of them looked back at Piper with varying expressions, but he held it in, "That…is going to take care of Regina."

"Rose?" Mary Margaret breathed as she stared at her cousin, "You KNEW about this…whatever this is?"

"I was there when it was summoned," Piper nodded.

"Why?" Mary Margaret shook her head, seeming horrified, "How…"

"We don't have time," David cut in, "We need to go take care of this."

"We're not done," Emma warned Gold.

"Oh, I know," Gold nodded, "You still owe me a favor."

Piper sighed as the three ran from the room, "I am going to have to go after her," she murmured.

"You don't have to," Gold mused.

"But I do," she shook her head, "Snow will not make it easy for the wraith and if she gets in its way…" she looked at him, "I will not see it harm my family on its quest for Regina," she looked at the door thoughtfully, "It appears in the decades of the curse, Snow is not the only one who does not know their cousin. I had…forgotten, for a moment, how noble she can be."

"Seems I have rubbed off on you then," Gold smirked, pleased at that.

"I am glad you did," she turned to him, pleasing him even more, "Were it not for you, I would not be as strong as I am now," she eyed him softly, "I can handle my family, the wraith shall not touch them."

"And if Regina happens to banish it?" Gold asked.

"Then we find another way to punish her," she said simply and Gold couldn't help but think, for a moment, what Snow White must be thinking of her dear not-so-sweet cousin now.

"Be careful Pip," Gold held out his dagger to her.

She smiled, slipping it into her boot, "I always am," she winked at him before she slowly made her way out of the shop and after her family.

~8~

Piper stepped into the sheriff's station, sauntering in really, as though there weren't a large, flying shadow standing before Regina in her jail cell, the bars torn off, its grip on her throat as it proceeded to suck the soul out of her. She shook her head when she saw David grab a chair and try to smash the wraith with it, Emma and Mary Margaret halfway in the room, as though it would do any damage.

"Physical violence shall not defeat it," she called, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, speaking far too easily despite the situation.

"Then what will!?" Emma demanded.

"Fire."

She had studied all manner of creatures while in Rumpelstiltskin's castle. When she had done all her chores and cleaned all the items in the castle, if he were out on a deal that didn't involve her, sometimes she would go to his library and amuse herself with the various tales of deadly creatures and poisons and other cursed artifacts. When the man had caught her at it once, he took her on as not just a ward but a slight pupil, not in magic, no, she had her own and was content with it, but in teaching her of other things, like Ogre weaknesses and how to stop other creatures of the night and shadow. Wraiths were something she was well acquainted with in her books.

Mary Margaret quickly grabbed a lighter and an aerosol can that was on a nearby desk and used it to create a sort of flamethrower at the wraith, driving it back, sending it out the window.

"What the hell was that thing?" Emma gasped as David ran to Regina's side to help her up as the Wraith dropped her.

"A wraith," Piper stepped into the room, "Or a soul sucker. Whichever you prefer."

"The fire," Mary Margaret turned to her, "Did I…"

"You cannot kill that which is already dead," Piper remarked wisely, "You injured it, yes, but it shall regenerate the burned areas and come back just as strong as ever. That is quite a remarkable characteristic of a wraith, it allows it to continue on its mission, a mission it shall not stop until it has devoured the soul of its prey."

"Me," Regina huffed as she got up.

Mary Margaret stared at Piper though, she didn't bother to ask why she was there, she knew why. No matter what, no matter how…different…her cousin was, SHE was still her family and Sirens were infinitely protective of them. Whether she was a part of having this wraith appear, she would be willing to stop it, to get rid of it, if her family were put in danger. But one thing she didn't understand…why? This…this woman standing before her wasn't the cousin she remembered. This wasn't Rose Red, and she realized…it was the Pied Piper. Whatever happened to her, something in her past had made her like this, made her so unlike the young girl she remembered so fondly.

And she was determined (as soon as this threat was dealt with) to learn what happened.

"So we can't kill it then?" Emma shook her head.

"Afraid not," Piper shrugged.

"Then we have a problem."

"No, we don't," David shook his head, "Regina does."

"What?" Regina demanded.

"I like him," Piper smirked, "You chose well Snow."

"David?" Mary Margaret just turned to her husband.

"You want to let her die?" Emma frowned, that didn't sound like a fairytale hero.

"Why not?" he shook his head, "Then it goes away and then, we're safe."

"My thoughts exactly," Piper smiled.

"That's quite the example you're setting for your daughter, there," Regina glared.

"As though you are in any position to judge," Piper shot right back, "How many did you kill merely because they were in your way again?"

Regina turned away from her and focused on Emma and Mary Margaret, "Let me ask you something. Where do you think that thing came from? Gold."

"They are well aware," Piper let out a long breath, "Your attempts at turning them against him would be quite useless."

"It doesn't matter," Emma shook her head, "I made a promise to Henry. She's not dying."

"If it can't be killed, what do you suggest?" Mary Margaret looked at Regina, though she cast a wary look at her cousin, hardly able to believe this was the same woman who her last memory of was comforting her as her father died.

"Send it somewhere it can't hurt anyone," Regina stated.

~8~

Piper was sitting on the railing in city hall, watching as Regina prepared for something to send the wraith somewhere, Emma watching her and keeping an eye out for the wraith, when Mary Margaret and David ran in with brooms to act like torches.

"Torches," David called, handing them out, "For when it comes back. I know it's old fashioned, but so am I."

Piper tilted her head at the broom in her hand before setting it aside, "I do not understand why you are so adamant to help her."

Mary Margaret frowned, "And I don't understand why you're willing to let her die," the Rose she remembered had always been kind to Regina, as kind as she could bring herself to be to those who were not her blood-family.

Piper glanced at her, "People change."

Mary Margaret shook her head at that, for her cousin to change THIS much…it was worrying, but she would have to think about that later, right now the wraith would be coming back any second, "So. How does it work?"

"It will open a portal to our land," Regina stood, looking down at the hat, the Mad Hatter's Hat, on the ground, "All we have to do is send the wraith in there."

"Oh, yeah," David rolled his eyes, "Just that."

"I don't understand," Mary Margaret looked at Regina, "I thought our land was gone?"

"It is," she agreed, "But, sending it to a place that no longer exists…well, that's banishing it to oblivion."

Piper smirked, "Many thanks for the idea," she shot Regina a pointed look but the lights began to flicker and the Wraith appeared.

David and Mary Margaret quickly lit their torches as Emma called out, "Regina!"

Regina spun the hat, trying to open the portal…but it just sat there, "I'm trying."

The doors burst open and the wraith flew in, Mary Margaret and David trying to ward it off with their torches, "Regina!"

"I know," she snapped.

Piper, sitting on a side table, calm, glanced at the others, "If you attack it, it shall attack you back," she tried to warn them.

Mary Margaret merely grabbed a bottle of alcohol and spread it over the railing, "David!" she shouted and he rushed behind the barrier, dropping his torch on it to light it on fire, creating a line of flames to hold the wraith at bay.

"Hurry!" David cried.

"It's not working!" Regina huffed.

"Perhaps because you have no magic in this realm," Piper mused.

Emma just ran over to Regina and grabbed her shoulder to try and lean over her to get to the hat…when it suddenly seemed to trigger the woman's magic, sending the hat spinning wildly before them, a purple vortex appearing.

"Well that should not be," Piper frowned, getting off the table, eyeing Emma as she stepped closer.

"It's coming!" David warned as the wraith flew past the flames and charged at Regina.

"Regina!" Emma shoved the woman aside, making the wraith fall into the portal, but, as it was descending, it reached out and grabbed Emma's ankle, dragging her in.

"Emma!" Piper leapt over and grabbed Emma's hand, trying to pull her out, but was sucked in with her.

Vaguely she could hear her cousin shouting something about 'not losing her again' before her world went black.

~8~

Piper slowly blinked awake to a setting sun, only to find she was in some sort of hole, broken wood around her, Emma and Mary Margaret there, Emma between them, and…Mulan and Aurora standing above her.

Piper closed her eyes and laid her head back down, it appeared…

The Enchanted Forest wasn't quite so destroyed after all as she, Mary Margaret, and Emma were now there.

A/N: I have to say, going through this story, as I'm editing, all I keep hearing is the Hook/OC going 'Write me! Write me now damn it! I NEED to be there!' she's quite distracting lol. But I'm currently recording what she says and will have to muffle her slightly till I have more time to write lol :)

I was SO torn between whether to keep Piper in Storybrooke or have her with Snow, in the end, I think this chapter shows that they have a lot of things to work out about each other and they'll need the extra time just as much as Emma and Snow do ;)