I love your Once stories! I think I've commented on this in another story, but your characterization is on point. They are different characters in so many ways, but it's because you've allowed to grow in a way that the show didn't. I love that. They remain true to the show, but also have a different and awesome flavor. Your plots are also fantastic and I hope you write more Once material. I've read pretty much everything else you've written for Once and there are very few other authors who even come close to comparing to this level of awesome!

Yay the jabberwocky is in play! And alice and cyrus!

I'm so happy Emma didn't give in so easy and say yes when Neal proposed. She has so many abandonment and trust issues to sort and work through. Him promising he will never leave her again is sweet, but it's a promise that he won't be able to keep and it's not going to magically fix everything.

I love wonderland and the jabberwocky!

He feel through a portal of course he did.

I love it!

(there's just nothing else to say)

Can I just say that you are currently my favourite OUaT fanfic writer? And the fact that you are a Swanfire fan and a fan of Neal just makes things perfect! I've now read everything you have written on OUaT to date so this is me saying please, please please write more!
I've only watched 3 episodes of Wonderland and wasn't fussed, this has inspired me to go back and try again. Particularly your writing of the Jabber, I am intrigued!
Thanks for another wonderful story and I look forward to the next!

I am sorry this is over! I enjoyed this a lot! Any chance of an epilogue!

Love it! Like always :)

Are you going to continue after this, or it this it for this Universe?

Fabulous beginning. Bae wondering when his life has ever been normal is SO in character. Because I can’t think of when it ever was, unless it was the definition of normal that existed for them, dirt poor and scrambling for existence, before Rumplestiltskin became the Dark One. Is it in this fic or the previous one that you have Bae realize that their only chances for a “happy ending” came after that? It’s so true, and most authors never grasp how little they had before that.

Ooooh. Rumplestiltskin’s entrance is fabulous here. Very traditional for him, and it’s not like he’s going to let Jafar hurt his son. Not after coming this far! And oops. He was supposed to be dying. Jafar really doesn’t know him very well, does he?

And of course it’s a glamour. Stupid Rumple. Necessary, but stupid. Bae’s reaction is pricelessly panicked, and the little moment between Rumplestiltskin and Belle here is just wonderful. As is the fact that 300 years of being not very human is probably an impossible habit to break. I love how you attach consequences to how Rumplestiltskin manipulated his curse; he’s got the power but not the immortality, and that matters sometimes. Like when the Jabberwocky stabs you, for example!

The interaction between Mrs. Rabbit and Rumplestiltskin is absolutely giggle-worthy. “What is it?” “You're the sorcerer. You tell me.” I cackled out loud. And then I melted as you described Henry’s changing view of magic. I love how he realizes that it’s not the magic – it’s the person who uses it and what they choose to do.

“Maleficent is your neighbor?” I shouldn’t have been drinking soda when I read that line. Oh, Bae. You poor boy. Papa’s just gone off in all kinds of unexpected directions, hasn’t he? And Emma’s apology was cackle worthy – particularly with Maleficent blaming Rumplestiltskin! It is his fault, of course, but still giggle worthy indeed. And of course Rumplestiltskin runs away from the Wonderland story. He’s too smart to deal with an irate Regina on that front!

Oh. You just floored me with that superpower scene. That’s dirty of Bae, but so beautifully honest. And Emma is finally honest in return! It’s wonderful to see her letting those ten foot high walls of hers down, even if it is just a little.

And that ending…oh, the Rumbelle feels in that little scene. They’ll make me smile all night!

Because Belle is a BAMF when she wants to be :) This universe of stories is fantastically awesome :) Keep up the awesome work!

First off, Belle is made of awesome. I know you were delighted to finally give her a time to shine in this fic, and shine she does! She’s fabulous here. I love her intuition, and I love how Alice goes with her. Witnessing Jafar’s fury from Belle’s POV was simply awesome. Loved every bit of that scene, but particularly Rumplestiltskin mocking Jafar for getting outsmarted by a boy.

And…Will. No sense of direction, eh? Silly man. And I adore how Henry compares him (rather dis-favorably!) to Robin. Will never was the world’s greatest thief, was he? Their banter is great in this scene, too, particularly Will’s worry that Rumplestiltskin won’t be happy with him. And the humor here is just great. A fabulous break from the much more serious scene before it – and the serious one I suspect is coming after it! Oh, and Emma’s new rule is freaking awesome. And very much needed! Though I love that the silly woman is still calling him Gold. Figures. But the winner of that entire scene is the “I hate thirteen year old logic. Especially when he’s right.” I squealed out loud on that one!

And now for Rumplestiltskin. He sizes Jafar up that easily, doesn’t he? The imagery of the desperation rolling off Jafar in waves is awesome. And then Jafar screws it up, doesn’t he? He really has no idea what he’s dealing with when it comes to Rumplestiltskin. This scene is just awesomely written – with Jafar thinking he can use him and Rumplestiltskin just *waiting* for the right moment.

Oh, Jabber. Her reaction to him finding True Love is just…beautiful. Perfect. Absolutely awesome. Poor Jabber. I didn’t think anything could make me feel sorry for her, but you just did. Well done. Rumplestiltskin saying this isn’t his fight is so…in character. So very much so, even if it is terribly sad. He’s just there for his family. And ending on that silent conversation with Belle just gave me some much-needed Rumbelle feels. Lovely!

Please don't kill Rumple and the others off!

Starting off – the way Belle reads Rumplestiltskin is beautiful. You can see how well she knows him and how much she loves him in just a few paragraphs; it’s so perfectly in character that it made me squee. Even though I know that worse is to come, I got some lovely Rumbelle feels right there. Made my night (well, in ways that the movie didn’t. But there were a few left).

Oh, Alice. You don’t understand Rumplestiltskin at all, do you? Love her trying to convince Belle, and finding out that Belle’s got this all worked out in her brain already. But at least Alice catches on! Smart girl. And always willing to believe in love, which I do find terribly funny, given everything that’s happened to her. But very in character. She’s almost sickeningly optimistic sometimes.

And…Will stole from Gold. What a moron. I bet Gold knew and didn’t care. Love it! Wonder if that was pre-curse breaking or post? This scene is making me giggle my brains out. Until you get to the part about losing one’s True Love making you go mad. That’s dead on, I think, and absolutely heartbreaking. And the bit about breaking the laws of magic being a price no one should be willing to pay…oh, I shivered. Well done.

Go Henry! I love how he wins Will over and throws a giant wrench in Jafar’s plan. The kid really *is* the Truest Believer, isn’t he? Love how you’re writing him here. It’s absolutely perfect, and Will deflating was just priceless.

The leash comment – was that inspired by the sneak peak? So appropriate! “Looks like someone has her own agenda” - Oh, I’m probably not going to manage much review-as-I-go from here on out! The fight here is awesome – no worries about how you write action allowed from now on; it’s very well done. I can see it happening.

Rumplestiltskin’s reflection on his choice of mortality…oh, lovely. Followed by her pinning him to the wall, too. Freaking awesome. I love how it takes him a moment to figure out what’s going on, and then the pain catches up with him. And then, of course, Jabber realizes. And you leave us on a cliffhanger. Evil, but awesomely done!

Okay, reviewing as I go. First off—the line of “She’d be looking for /all/ of that” is so telling. Definitely put me in the “oh crap” mood right away. And Alice and Cyrus…oh, you silly children. And Rumplestiltskin thinking he can hide things. Silly man.

Oh, and their meeting. Priceless. “Where’s the fun in that?” I can hear the Jabberwocky saying these lines. Very well done. I think I’m a bit afraid to write her myself, but you’re nailing her here. Utterly. Love that Rumple tries to offer to play nice, for all the good it does him. OH – just got to the bit about her digging Pan out of his memories. That hurts. Hurts like words FFN doesn’t like. Wow.

“Double cross the Dark One and you’ll be pinned to a ceiling for a couple of centuries. Nice view at least?” - This. THIS made me cackle out loud. So very Rumplestiltskin! I love his bravado, even though I know it can’t last here. Or can it? Oh, nope. She can sense how his fears have grown. I wonder if she understands that his growing fears actually mean that he’s grown as a person? More of a man and less of a monster, anyway.

Jabber’s interaction with the others is priceless, too. I really like the way she goes after Emma – and then Bae, loving fool that he is, draws her attention to him. Sometimes you really just want to smack the lovable bastard, don’t you? And then, of course, he’s the crack in Rumplestiltskin’s defenses. Not that it’s a surprise—but the Jabberwocky handles that so well. And oh. Oh, man. You just did me in – with that image of Bae dead and it being Rumple’s fault – excellent semi-steal from the show. Oh, so perfectly well done.

And the spell gets him. Of course it does. It’s heartbreaking. And Emma. You really are a creature of the Land Without Magic, aren’t you?

Oh, Henry. Brave Henry. Jafar’s a bit put out, isn’t he? Not every day you find out that the Dark One has a grandson – but I hope Jafar’s not stupid enough to actually try to hurt him. Oh, and he kicked Jafar! That just made my night. Good job, Henry. Even if the Jabberwocky stops you.

That last scene between Belle, Bae, and Rumplestiltskin just gave me enough feels to last all week, I think. I love how you’re not afraid to show Rumplestiltskin’s fears, and how it takes them both to bring him back from the edge. And why do I get the feeling that having missed Belle will end up screwing over the Jabberwocky?

Fabulous chapter, and great ending, too. Emma’s determination all but leapt off my computer screen. And hopefully this is a less migraine-handicapped review.