AN: Welcome to my newest story. I've been feeling that all my other stories were just reworkings of my story, Twice Upon a Time. So, I want to try my hand at something different. I hope you like it…
Once Upon a Time
The Enchanted Forest
Years Ago
The Evil Queen had casted the Dark Curse. Geppetto and Pinocchio were working hard on the wardrobe that would allow pregnant Snow White to escape the Curse. The Curse was coming and would reach Snow and Charming's castle soon. Snow had been having contractions all morning. She knew it would be close, but she hoped that her little Emma would wait long enough for them to make it.
The clouds of the Curse were getting closer and closer when they got word that it was ready. Charming helped his wife walk to the nursery where the wardrobe was sitting. He opened the doors and she kissed him, "I can't leave you…" said Show.
"You have to," said Charming, "She can't grow up without at least one of us… if she stays who knows what could happen to her. Just then the roof ripped apart, "Go…" He helped her inside before he closed the doors he said, "I will always find you…" Then he kissed her on the lips.
"No," said Snow, "You found me last time… Now it's my turn…"
Charming smiled and closed the doors just before the curse engulfed the room.
A Forest in Maine
Many Years Ago
A tree in a forest exploded near the base of tree and inside was a very pregnant Snow White. Snow made her way out of the tree and looked around she was surprised to find herself in a forest. Then she moaned as she had another contraction. She knew she had to get help. She carefully walked through the woods until she reached a building with a sign that said, Chantey's Lobster House. She pounded on the door, "Hello? Is anybody in there?"
A woman opened the door, "I'm sorry sweetheart, but where closed."
The woman started to close the door when Snow stopped her, "Please… I need help… I'm having a baby…" then Snow had another contraction.
The woman quickly called for ambulance and in a short time Snow was taken to the hospital. On route to the hospital the EMT asked Snow what her name was, Snow replied, "Mary Swan." It wasn't long after she got to the hospital, that Emma was born.
Snow was able to stay in the hospital for a couple of days, but, on the day she was going to be released she was full of dread. The people at the hospital had been so nice, but she knew she couldn't stay, then she and Emma would be all alone. Snow was surprised to see the woman who called the ambulance for her and more surprised when the woman offered her a job at the restaurant. Snow happily took it.
She worked at the restaurant for a few years then one day a woman named Cleo came in. She and Snow talked and when she asked Cleo what she did, Cleo told Snow that she was a bail bondswoman. That sounded very interesting to Snow, so she did some research to find out what she needed to do to become a bail bondswoman. And about a year later she had opened Swan Bail Bonds.
During her childhood, Emma and Snow were very close. Snow had told Emma about who she really was and all the true stories about her life in the Enchanted Forest and swore the young girl to secrecy. Emma never told anyone that Snow White was really her Mom and Prince Charming was her Dad. She knew she would get teased about it.
Emma was an excellent student and was able to get a full ride scholarship to the University of Southern Maine in Portland. At a party, she met Neal Cassidy. They dated for a while but when Snow finally met him, there was something about him that felt off. Emma and Snow got into a big fight about Neal and Snow didn't hear from her daughter for a few days.
Emma called her mother a few days later crying. She had been arrested because Neal had stolen watches in Phoenix. He was going to sell them, and they were going to run away to Canada. He left a watch with Emma and she waited for him to come back. Shortly, the police picked her up and charged her with possession of stolen property. Snow was by her daughter's side the whole time. Emma pleaded guilty and since she wasn't involved with the actual robbery she was sentenced to 11 months in a minimum-security prison in Phoenix. Snow closed her business in Portland and moved to Phoenix, so she could be with her daughter.
Snow visited Emma almost every day. She was by her daughter's side when she found out she was pregnant and when she gave birth to her baby boy. Emma wasn't ready to be a mom, so she decided to give the baby up for adoption. After Emma got out of prison, she went into the bail bond business with her mom.
Boston
October 23, 2011
Snow was going over some paper work in her office. In all the years she spent in this world her face hadn't aged a day. Emma had taken to tell others that she had the "Dick Clark gene." They couldn't confirm it, but they figured it had something to do with the curse.
Emma walked into her mother's office wearing a red dress and black heels. "What do you think?" asked Emma as she did a turn.
"Perfect… Your skip won't know what hit him."
Emma smiled. She looked at her mom and she could tell that something was bothering her. Emma could sense that her mom. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing…"
Emma rolled her eyes, "Mom…"
Snow sighed, "It's just… Today's your 28th birthday and we are no closer to finding your father and everyone else…"
"We will find them… You said told me that Rumplestiltskin said that on my 28th birthday I would find them."
"I know… but we are cutting it pretty close…" said Snow. Emma laughed and then Snow said, "Before you go… I got us a little something…" Snow opened one of her desk drawers and took out a small cake.
Emma smiled. Snow took out a blue star shaped candle and lit it. "Make a wish."
Emma closed her eyes and wished to herself that she and her mom would find their people. Then, she blew out the candle.
Later that night, Emma walked in her apartment and kicked off her heels. She picked up her phone and called her mom, "Hey sweetie." Said Snow, "Did you get him?"
Emma smiled, "Of course…"
"That's my girl," said Snow.
Emma smiled, "Well, I'm heading to bed."
"Okay, Good night… and Happy Birthday."
Emma smiled, "Thanks Mom and Good Night." Then, she hung up the phone. Just then the doorbell rang. Emma walked to the door. She opened it and saw a boy at the door, "Uh? Can I help you?" asked Emma.
"Are you Emma Swan?" asked the boy.
"Yeah. Who are you?"
"My name's Henry. I'm your son."
Henry pushed past Emma and walked into the apartment, "Whoa! Hey, kid!" said Emma, "Whoa! Hey, kid! Kid! Kid! I don't have a son! Where are your parents?"
"Ten years ago. Did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me."
"…Give me a minute," said Emma. She grabbed her phone, went in the bathroom and dialed her mother.
"Emma?" asked Snow, when she answered, "What's wrong?"
"My son is here…"
"Your son?"
"Yeah… the one I gave up for adoption…"
"I'll be right down…" Snow's apartment was just a few floors above her daughter's.
"Thanks…" Emma then hung up.
Just then Henry called out, "Hey, you have any juice? Never mind, found some." Emma walked out of the bathroom and found him drinking juice straight from the bottle. He put the bottle back and closed the door, "You know, we should probably get going."
"Going where?" asked Emma.
"I want you to come home with me."
"Okay, kid. I'm calling the cops." said Emma.
"Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me," countered Henry.
"And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother."
"Yep."
"You're not going to do that.".
"Try me," said Henry.
Emma knelt down, "You're pretty good. But here's the thing – there's not a lot I'm great at in life. I have one skill. Let's call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are." Emma got read to dial the phone number for the police
"Wait… Please don't call the cops," said Henry, "Please, come home with me."
"Where's home?"
"Storybrooke, Maine."
"Storybrooke?" said Emma, "Seriously?"
"Mmhmm." said Henry.
Just then the door opened, and Snow walked in, "I hope you don't mind I used my spare key?"
"Not at all," said Emma.
Henry turned and saw Snow walking in, "Oh my gosh! I knew it! I was right!"
"Right about what?" asked Emma.
He pointed at Snow, "You're Snow White…"
"What?" asked Snow.
"You're Snow White." Then he looked at Emma, "And you're her daughter!"
Snow and Emma were dumbfounded, "How could you possibly know that?" asked Snow.
"With this…" Henry reached into his back pack and pulled out a book on the cover in gold it read 'Once Upon A Time.' He handed the book to Snow and Emma. Snow took it and started to flip through it. "It's full of the stories from everyone in the Enchanted Forest."
Emma looked at her mother as she turned to the back of the book. She saw a drawing of her mom in a wedding dress with a very handsome looking man. They both looked worried. Emma saw the tears in her mother's eyes, "Mom? Are you okay?"
Snow smiled and looked at her daughter, "Yes… I haven't seen your father in so long…" Snow turned back to the book and continued to skim through it. "Where did you get this?" she asked Henry.
"My teacher gave it to me."
"Who's your teacher?" asked Emma.
Henry smiled, "Prince Charming."
"Charming?" asked Snow.
"Yep…"
"How?"
"When the Evil Queen casted her curse she brought everyone to the Enchanted Forest here. They are in a town in the town I live in and they have no memories of who they are."
"So, the curse gave everyone new identities?" asked Emma.
"Mmm hmm," said Henry, as he nodded.
"Who's the Evil Queen?"
"She's my Mom…"
Emma and Snow looked at each other. Then they looked back at Henry, "Give us a moment…" said Emma
They walked in Emma's bedroom and Emma said, "What do you think?"
"Of all the versions of my story I've come across in this world… that is the most accurate I've ever seen… I mean from what I can see that's exactly how I remember it. And that drawing… That is your father in that picture, Emma…"
"So, this isn't a plot from the Queen to capture you?"
"No… What would she gain from that?" asked Snow, "Right now, I'm sure she feels that she's won. Charming and I are separated… That's what she's wanted for so long."
"So, what should we do now?"
"We have to take him back… But, we need to play like we are just humoring him."
"What about Regina? As soon as she sees you she's going to know who we are…"
"But, she won't know if I'm truly cursed or not… If we play like we are humoring him… Then, she will think that I'm cursed. It might buy us some time until we can figure out how to break the curse."
They came out of the bathroom and let Henry in on the plan, he agreed. Snow and Emma got changed then they all got in Emma's yellow Volkswagen Beetle and drove to Storybrooke. When they got to Storybrooke they drove down Main Street. It looked like an ordinary town. Snow noticed the clock on the top of the library, "Why does it say 8:15?"
"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here," said Henry.
They arrived at Henry's house and got out. They walked up the front walk and the door burst open and Regina came rushing toward them. "Henry!" They saw a man there as well, Snow recognized him as the Huntsman that Regina had hired to kill her, but he spared her life and let her escape. Regina knelt down and hugged Henry. "Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"
"I found my real mom," said Henry, then he ran in the house.
Regina then noticed Snow and Emma, "Y-you're Henry's birth mother?"
"Hi…" said Emma.
Regina looked at Snow, "And you are?"
"Mary Swan… Emma's mother."
"I'll just go…check on the lad. Make sure he's alright," said the Huntsman.
"How would you two like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" said Regina with a smile.
"We'd love some," said Snow.
Regina came out of the kitchen with a couple of glasses with apple cider. "How did he find me?" asked Emma, as she and Snow each took a glass.
"No idea," When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact.
"You were told right."
"And the father?"
"There was one."
"Do I need to be worried about him?"
"Nope. He doesn't even know."
"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?"
"Absolutely not."
Just then the Huntsman walked down the stairs, "Madam Mayor, you can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine."
"Thank you, Sheriff," said Regina.
The Sheriff left and the three women walked into Regina's living room. "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your lives. I really don't know what's gotten into him," she said as they sat down.
"The kid's having a rough time," said Emma, "It happens."
"You have to understand, ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky," the woman looked at Emma.
"I know what you mean," said Snow, "I'm a single mother myself."
"Then you understand," said Regina, "Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"
"I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairytale thing," said Emma
"What fairytale thing?"
"Oh, you know, his book," said Snow, "How he thinks everyone's a fairy tail character from it."
"I'm sorry, I really have no idea what you're talking about," said the Regina.
"You know what, it's none of our business," said Emma, "He's your kid. And we really should be heading back."
"Of course," said Regina. Snow and Emma finished their drinks and Regina showed them out. They turned around and saw Henry watching them from an upstairs window. The two women gave Henry a smile.
Once they got in the car Emma said to her mother as she pulled away, "What's our move now?"
"Now," said Snow, "We head back to Boston. Now that we know how to get here, we'll come back tomorrow and do some looking around."
They were getting close to the town line when Snow looked in the back seat and saw the Storybook on the back seat, "Emma," said Snow, "Henry left his book behind…"
Emma looked in the back seat and saw the book, "Sneaky kid."
Snow turned back around and saw a wolf standing in the road. "EMMA, LOOK OUT!" shouted Snow.
Emma turned back around and saw the wolf in the road, She gasped and started to swerve to avoid hitting it. She lost control of the car and crashed into the "Welcome to Storybrooke sign. Emma hit her head on the steering wheel and Snow hit her head on the passenger side window, knocking them both out.
The next morning, Emma and Snow found themselves a jail cell. There was a man in the cell next to theirs, whistling. And there was a man outside the cells working on a cabinet. Snow recognized the man whistling as Grumpy, one of the Seven Dwarfs. The man working on the cabinet was Geppetto.
As Snow looked at Grumpy he said, "What are you looking at, sister?"
"Hey, Leroy... manners!" said Geppetto. Snow saw he had a name tag that said Marco on his chest, "We have a guest!" he looked at Emma, "So you are eh, Henry's mother. How lovely for him to have you back in his life."
"Actually, I was just dropping him off." said Emma.
"Tkh. Don't blame ya," said Leroy, "They're all brats; who needs 'em."
"Well, I'd give anything for one," said Marco, "My wife and I, we tried for many years, but, uh... it was not meant to be." Snow looked down. She was a little sad for her friend, somehow the curse must have separated Pinocchio and Geppetto.
"Well cry me a river."
Marco left as the sheriff walked in. He unlocked Leroy's and said, "Leroy! I'm going to let you out; you need to behave. Put on a smile and stay out of trouble." Leroy gave the sheriff a fake smile and then left.
"Seriously?" said Emma.
"Regina's drinks are little stronger than we thought," said the sheriff.
"She wasn't drunk," said Snow, "There was a wolf, standing in the middle of the road."
"A wolf. Right."
Just then they heard Regina, "Graham? Henry's run away again, we have to…" Then she came into the room, "What are they doing here?" She came up to the bars, "Do you know where he is?"
"Lady, we haven't seen him since we dropped him at your house," said Emma.
"and in case you haven't noticed we've got a pretty good alibi," said Snow.
"Yeah, well, he wasn't in his room this morning," said Regina.
"Did you try his friends?" asked Snow.
"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner," said Regina.
"Every kid has friends," said Emma, "Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them."
"And you know this how?"
"Finding people is what we do," said Snow. Snow caught Regina's eyes widen a little bit at her statement.
"Here's an idea," said Emma, "How about you guys let us out and we'll help you find him."
Regina took Emma, Snow and Graham back to her house. They went up to Henry's room and Emma started to search Henry's computer, "Smart kid," said Emma, "he cleared his inbox. I'm smart too. A little hard disk recovery utility we like to use…" Emma plugged a small device into a USB port on Henry's laptop.
"I'm a bit more old fashioned in my techniques," said Graham, "Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing."
"You're on salary," said Snow, "We get paid for delivery. Pounding the pavement is not a luxury that we get."
"Huh," said Emma, "There's receipt for a website – . It's expensive."
"He has a credit card?" Snow asked Regina.
"He's ten," said Regina.
"Well, he used one," said Emma, "Let's pull up a transaction record. David Nolan… Who's David Nolan?"
"Henry's teacher."
Snow felt her heart skip a beat.
Regina, Emma and Snow walked down the halls of Storybrooke Elementary. They walked in David's class room just as the bell rang. Snow wiped away a stray tear that formed in her eye as she saw her true love for the first time in 28 years. Luckily, Regina was walking in front of them and didn't see.
"Miss Mills, what are you doing here?" asked David.
"Where's my son?" asked Regina.
"Henry… I assumed he was home with you."
"You think I'd be here if he was? Did you give him your credit card, so he can find her?" Regina pointed at Emma and Snow, as they stood just behind her.
David looked at the two women. He looked right at Snow and for some reason he couldn't take his eyes off of her, "I'm sorry, who are you?"
Regina pointed at Emma and said, "She is the woman who gave Henry up for adoption."
"You don't know anything about this, do you?" asked Snow.
"No, I don't," said David. He took out his bag and then found his wallet and saw his credit card was missing, "Clever boy. I should never have given him that book."
"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?" said Regina.
"Just some old stories I gave him. As you know, Henry is a special boy: so smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it."
"What he needs is dose of reality. This is a waste of time," she turned and looked at Emma and Snow, "Have a nice trip back to Boston." she walked out of the room and knocked over a stack of books on her way.
Emma and Snow walked in and helped David pick up the books, "Sorry to bother you." said Snow.
"No, it's-it's okay," said David, "This is partially my fault."
"How's was giving Henry a book supposed to help?" asked Emma.
"What do you think stories are for? These stories? The classics? There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."
They walked out of the classroom and walked down the hall, "Yeah, she's kind of a hard-ass." said Snow.
David smiled, "No, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face: why would anyone give me away?" David stopped when he realized what he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean in any way to judge you…"
Emma smiled, "It's okay."
"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have; hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."
Snow smiled, "You know where he is, don't you?"
David smiled, "You might want to check his castle."
"Castle?" asked Emma.
"There's a wooden play structure at the beach that looks like a castle."
"Thanks," said Snow.
Snow and Emma got to the castle and saw Henry sitting there. They climbed up on the structure and came up behind him. They sat next to him Emma on his right and Snow on his left. Emma was carrying the Storybook and gave it back to him, "You left this in my car."
Henry didn't say anything. They looked across the water and saw the clock tower on the library, "Still hasn't moved?" asked Snow.
Henry sighed, "No... I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin."
"Change takes time," said Snow, "I've got a feeling the final battle won't happen for a while yet."
"Yeah," Henry looked at Emma, "I want you to know that I don't blame you forgiving me away. You wanted me to have my best chance."
Emma smiled, "Yeah... When I had you... I wasn't ready to be a mom... I was in a bad place... You needed more than I could give you. Tell me... Is living with Regina all that bad..."
"No... Not really..."
"Come on," said Snow, "Let's get you home." They stood up and climbed down off the structure.
Emma and Snow took back to Regina's house. She opened the door when she saw them coming up the walk. Henry ran inside and went upstairs.
"Thank you," said Regina, as she walked outside.
"No problem, said Emma.
"He's seemed to have taken quite a shine to you."
"Yeah..." said Emma with a smile.
"I hope there's no misunderstanding here," said Regina.
"I'm sorry?" asked Emma.
"Don't mistake all this as invitation back into his life."
"Oh…"
"Ms. Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade, while you've been… Well, who knows what you've been doing. I've changed every diaper. Soothed every fever. Endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son."
"Now wait a minute," Snow started to say.
"No! You don't get to speak," said Regina, "You don't get to do anything. You both gave up that right when she," Regina pointed at Emma, "tossed him away." Regina stepped closer to the two women and got in Emma's face, "Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you're going to be held to that. So, I suggest you and your mother get in your car, and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy the both you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Ms. Swan."
"Come on, Emma," said Snow.
They turned and walked away, and Regina started to head inside. Emma stopped and called back to Regina, "Do you love him?"
"Excuse me?" asked Regina.
"Henry. Do you love him?"
"Of course I love him."
Snow and Emma decided that they couldn't leave now. There was too much at stake. They walked up to Granny's Bed and Breakfast and walked inside. They heard two women arguing. Snow smiled when she saw Granny and Red walking down the stairs. "You're out all night, and now you're going out again," said Granny.
"I should've moved to Boston!" said Red.
"I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard!"
It kind of broke Snow's heart to hear that the curse had turn her best friend into a promiscuous woman. "Excuse me?" said Emma, "We'd like a couple of rooms."
"Really?" asked Granny. Snow and Emma nodded. Granny went into her office and got out her ledger, "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as the rent is due, I'll wave it."
"Square is fine." said Emma.
"Now. What are the names?"
"Mary and Emma Swan."
"Emma…" said a male voice behind Snow and Emma. They turned around, "Emma... What a lovely name." Snow went pale. His skin wasn't scaly, but she knew who it was... Rumplestiltskin.
"Thanks," said Emma.
Granny took a roll of cash from a drawer and handed it to him, "It's all here."
The man accepted the roll without counting it, "Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you." The man looked at Emma and Snow, "Enjoy your stay, Mary and Emma." Then he left.
"Who's that?" asked Snow.
Red pulled the curtains back slightly and said, "Mr. Gold. He owns this place."
"The inn?"
"No. The town," said Granny, "So! How long will you be with us?"
"A week," said Emma, "Just a week."
"Great," said Granny, as she handed keys to Snow and Emma, "Welcome to Storybrooke."
At that moment the clock on the library started to move.
AN: If you want to see this story continue, then send me a review in the box below. If I see interest in this story I might consider continuing.