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ladynightwolf · 2 years

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Moon Trance

What happens when the lives of four women collide in the now growing town of Storybrooke. One who is trying to move on with her life from searching for her pack back in the Enchanted Forest with no avail, another who is still searching for her own, and more just like her, a newly made she-wolf trying to forget a tragic deed that happened long ago before being separated from her pack. Lastly an ex-werewolf hunter who suddenly falls for what they used to hunt, that of one who saved her life after making their first necessary kill. They all share a very common bond, one that they will soon find out about each other, will it spell disaster in the making? Or the making of romance, friendships, or tragedy. Soon upon these discoveries they may just have to become the hunter, or wind up becoming…the prey. "Friend or foe? There's no way to know, through the battlefield of life, it's kill or be killed." War Eternal by Arch Enemy !Femslash !Werewolves

Meghan Ory, Alissa White-Gluz, Lindsey Stirling, and Siobhan Williams are my main characters in this story so do enjoy. ;-)

Chapter 1: The Stranger

Disclaimer: Anything you don't recognize from the show is mine. This is just a Fanfic not real stuff ya know. ;-)

Warnings: Femslash, romance, drama, humor, and graphic violence.

~~~~~~~

It was a somber evening in the town of Storybrooke, one that was growing vastly due to the town's Mayor improving the revenue of more businesses for work, entertainment, and pleasure. It did make for very good business she thought, well so much for everyone knowing each other's names anymore, but yet there were a few that still did, which was fine ya know all of the oldies but goodies from the Enchanted Forest and all. After the curse was broken years ago things couldn't have been better, although Regina wasn't sure about it at times, they were getting some newer residents, ones from every walk of life, which is fine, because Emma, David, and few other deputies kept the town safe, secure, and manageable. I mean Emma for one was the town Savior so no one would dare cross her and not regret it.

We still had Granny's Bed and Breakfast, Snow's school that she would work in, Belle and the Library, and there was of course Rumple also known as Mr. Gold and his vintage shop of trades and such, who has minded his p's and q's for a long ol time thank goodness, cause if not, he knows that Regina would ship him straight back to the underworld. The mayor was walking down the street letting the wind softly flow through her long dark locks that flowed past her shoulders, she was still as beautiful as ever, Swan was a lucky lady that's for sure. As she continued to head down the concrete sidewalks toward the sheriff's office to meet Emma for dinner, her head turned when she heard a loud engine behind her. She regarded it for a moment when she saw it was just a big bus dropping people off for a visit, or maybe other things.

"Oook more visitors, who would have thunk that we would get so much business?" The mistress smiled to herself thinking about what a mark Storybrooke has made for itself. "Damn I love this place."

"How about me?" Swan coyly asked as she stood in front of the office door.

Regina shook her head at the beautiful blonde. "Is that really a question? One you should already know that answer to dear."

"Nah I don't remember, if you do or not I..."

Before Emma could say anything else the Mayor grabbed her trademark red jacket collar pulling the sassy savior into a very deep and passionate kiss that lasted for a while, they broke away making them smile in unison. "There is your answer, will that suffice hun?"

"Uhm...yessss?"

"Good. Ok so how about that dinner, I cooked something that's in the oven, hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will, especially when we have dessert afterwards, that's always my favorite." The swan remarked biting into Gina's neck.

"Heh heh, ok, ok, feisty one, let's get going before we give the new people that just got off the bus a show."

"Well, should we charge for it?"

"Shut up! My goodness woman...save that for later from peering eyes. You are for my eyes, and my eyes only." The mistress stated while grabbing her firm ass.

"Aye aye captain."

Regina gave an eye-roll, before grabbing the hand of her lover. "Gees, lets just go..."

~~~~~~~

Meanwhile at granny's diner it was bustling with customers, the elder liked this new found business for sure, it just wasn't good for tonight since two of her workers are out, so Ruby and the other two girls were making haste with the orders, and it was a good thing Ruby has stamina to burn, one of the great perks about being a wolf. The elder noticed the man in booth 5 on his smartphone, waiting for his meal which he has been waiting for quite some time.

"Ok Ruby I need this entree to go to the gentleman on booth 5."

The beautiful brunette scoffed, how she didn't want to go to that booth. The young man by the name of Michael, also known as Big Mike which he likes to be called at times to match his ego, was sitting there, he was nothing but an arrogant, egotistical, chauvinistic pig who has been trying to get into Ruby's pants since day one. Take it he was very handsome and he knew it, wavy short brown hair, chestnut eyes that would basically undress any pretty lady that he came in contact with, nice clothes and expensive cologne that he drowned himself in. Ruby sneezed over it at one point, how she hated having such a pronounced sniffer due to her keen senses. It was so bad it made her beautiful green eyes even water at the stench. She made a comment to him one day which made him sneer.

"Damn Mike didn't you shower today or does bathing in your disgusting cologne help to mask your dirtiness?" Mike always had women fawning over him, well except for Ruby, the town's very gorgeous werewolf who he has been checking out this entire time, and it was getting on her nerves.

"Granny, can you have one of the other girls do it please? Mike has been checking me all night. If he doesn't knock it off I'll just have to get aggressive, and you know I don't want to do that, you know how my temper can get, and I would have no problem throwing him out on his ass!"

The gray haired woman looked over her glasses and shook her head. "If I wasn't so short on staff love, I would, but Madaline is on maternity leave, Traci went home sick, then Jenny and Dawn are already up to their asses in orders."

Ruby looked behind her to see him smiling away. It wasn't her fault that she was so incredibly good looking, with her tight burgundy leather pants, black boots, with her red and white flannel top with white tank that was a bit low cut in the front to accentuate her perky bosoms, good thing that the curse broke a long time ago or she would be dressing like how she did back then, outfits that would leave little to the imagination, like Granny once told her "You look like a drag queen during fleet week!" Sometimes she thinks to herself that maybe she should just wear a garbage bag, hell she would probably look good in that too, so either way she was fucked.

The wolf continued to glare daggers at the man who was now licking his spoon in a suggestive manner, a soft, low growl escaped her as she kept on. "God help me please? Don't let me lose it or..." Suddenly she was jerked from her thoughts when she saw another customer coming through the door, one of whom she had never seen before. The woman had on a studded black leather jacket, black beanie on top of her long beautiful blue hair that cascaded past her shoulders, blue jeans that had rips across her thighs, white shirt with a saying that said "Beastmode'' on it, and low cut black and white converse shoes. The woman was quite stunning to be frank, electric blue eyes, and a hooped Labret piercing adorning her bottom lip. She was quite...beautiful. "Uhm...Granny?"

The elder shot the wolf a displeased look as to why she was stalling. "What Ruby? Are you going to go and serve that man or what?"

Red groaned dis-pleasingly, as her eyes scanned the lovely lady, she walked towards the tables who was now placing her duffel bags down while taking her seat at the booth in front of Mike who was still giving our wolf the eye. "In a minute, do you...recognize that woman?"

Gran looked over and squinted at the beautiful rocker. "Ruby you know we get all different walks of life coming in and out of this diner these days, she's just another person who is hungry. Now I'm not going to ask you again, can you serve him already?! He looks like he's growing quite impatient.

"Yeah, yeah. Alright Gran, alright."

The blue haired woman took off her jacket and beenie, running her fingers slowly through her silky locks she scanned the menu to see what she would like to order for the evening. Feeling someone staring at her, she raised her head to meet green eyes twinkling at her in curiosity by the bar. She watched Ruby walking towards her, she slowly strode by her table to help the dick in front of her. The stranger gasped as her eyes widened then narrowed, she kept a keen watch on the beautiful wolf, a very close watch on her as she went to help him, she was also keeping an eye on him as well, his look was a hungry one like he just wanted to jump the waitress's bones. "Gees if he could be any more obvious looking at her like that. Probably hasn't got laid in years, for fucks sake someone please get a rag to clean up all that drool from his mouth." She thought about this idiot in front of her.

Mike suddenly sat up straight to acknowledge the svelte brunette. "Heyyyy Ruby it's about time you came with my food, I thought you forgot about me, that would have made me very, very sad, and I'm looking forward to giving you a tip if you know what I mean. A very BIG tip."

The blue haired woman snorted at such a remark as she took a sip of water while looking nonchalantly at her menu. "I doubt if he has a BIG anything, well except his ego, he seems to be more of a pussy if anything, no that's an offense to pussies, he's just a fucking twat." She whispered, thinking that she wouldn't be heard.

The brunette's head snapped her way as a smirk spread across her lips, before going back to the fool who was giving her the business. "Ugh here is your food Mike, eggs over easy, pancakes, bacon, sausage and hash browns. Anything else? No? Good I..."

The suave man shook his head in disappointment. "I didn't order sausage honey, and as far as over easy is concerned, then shouldn't you be on my plate?"

The mysterious woman's eyes rose, she sat back against her seat folding her arms across her chest. "Asshole."

The man scowled at her. "Excuse me?"

The rocker was getting heated, and before she had a chance to answer, her waitress came by to take her order. "Hi there, my name is Jenny. I will be your server for this evening. Have you had a chance to look over the menu?"

"Yes, I have, among other things." The stranger's eyes burned the guy who was now running his fingers through his hair.

"Well what would you like?" The beautiful redheaded waitress asked while licking her lips at the beauty in front of her.

"I actually just lost my appetite, but I would like some hot tea? The hotter the better."

"Sure I'll bring it out with some bags and the kettle so you can make as much as you want. Ok?"

"That would be great..." Her voice trailed off into a whisper "Yes, very great." She went back to the disgusting display in front of her, watching with keen eyes and open ears, seeing the beautiful green eyed woman getting very uncomfortable made her irritated to say the least.

Ruby was trying her very best to keep her cool. "You know what? I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Mike put his hand on his chest. "Oh? Did I say something wrong? All I said was...well, you're talking about easy, I know all about that and your history sooo." He stated, as he took his hand and slid it across Ruby's leg.

The wolf swatted it away, anger was boiling through her veins now. "That was long ago."

"Mhm well we shall see about that sexy. Just give me a chance, I'm sure you won't be disappointed, and I am really interested in seeing your beastly nature come through, I bet you're quite the beast under the sheets as well, hm?"

The blue haired beauty grunted, my God, this guy! she has heard about enough of this dickhead's advances. "You just won't quit will you buddy? As you can see she clearly doesn't want to talk to you, so do her a favor and leave her alone."

"Mind your business freak!" He spat at the mysterious woman who was also boiling with anger.

The stranger pounded her fists into her table with a death glare, one that would make anyone turn pale, it actually made Mike flinch at the sight. "What did you just call me?" She wanted to just kick the shit out of this man and make a bloody mess of him, she almost rose to her feet, until she was stopped, and just in time.

Jenny came by the rockers booth, and she noticed her angered stare. Whoa those eyes.

"Here's your tea sugar...are you...alright?"

The mysterious woman calmed herself before smiling at her waitress and taking the kettle. "I'm fine. Thank you for the tea."

"No problem, can I get you anything else? Like maybe a drink after my shift?"

The woman giggled and blushed at the waitress's remark. "Wow. Uh no I'm ok, but thank you for the offer." I would rather rip out this fucks throat instead.

"Oh well can't blame a girl for trying. Here's your tab." Jenny stroked the blue haired woman's shoulder before giving a wink, and walking back to the bar.

"Thanks." Her eyes slowly shifted back to the conversation at hand. Balling up her fists she felt something wanting to take control of her, and she knew she needed to stop the feeling not to let it get out of hand. Calm down, you need to calm the fuck down, but this guy really has me riled.

"I doubt if you've changed, I see how you look at others, like you just wanna jump their bones, I bet it's been a long time since you have got a good ol' fashioned fuck hmm?"

The wolf wanted to just rip him apart, but she had to keep it together for granny's sake. "And I bet it's been a long time since you had your face bashed in, I can do the honors if you like? No? Well then, now if you'll excuse me!" Ruby huffed and turned to walk off, she suddenly was grabbed by her arm and jerked back.

"Hey where are you going?" Mike stood up to face the brunette who has had enough.

"Away from you, just eat your food and please leave me alone!"

The suave man ran his thumb across Ruby's jaw line while giving a sly smirk. "Well I will eat, but I'd preferably like to eat you baby."

Red gripped his hand and squeezed hard, breaking it in the process. "You bitch! My, my hand! You broke it! You're going to pay for that!" Mike swiftly in one, hard fluid motion backhanded Ruby in the face splitting her lip.

Gran saw the display and was about to rush over. "Ruby?!"

The wolf's voice rang out stopping the elder in her tracks. "Granny don't! Stay there ok?" Ruby tasted blood on her lip, she spit it in the disgusting man's face before wiping it with her hand as she grinned a toothy grin, oh how she wanted to let her fangs grow and tear his throat open, and before he could strike again the blue haired rocker quickly grabbed his arm twisting it behind his back wrenching it hard making him scream in pain.

"I think the lady asked you to leave her alone, if you don't leave then I guess I'll just have to do the honors in making you myself!" Turning him to face her, she grabbed him by the throat to say something else, but he threw a punch which she easily evaded and came back hard with a swift right hook of her own knocking him and a tooth to the ground. The woman quickly in almost lightning speed, pounced on top of him straddling his hips, she grabbed his suit collar bringing his face close to hers, those blue eyes heated with such a hot stare into a trembling chestnut gaze that suddenly shook with fear, it made the man turn pale.

"Get, get away from me, freak!" Mike yelled as he struggled against her trying to get away.

That made her lean back just enough to grab the tea kettle from her table, she quickly poured the scalding hot contents over his head which elicited another shrill scream from his lips. "My face! Arrrrghhh l-leave me alone!"

"Then I suggest you better fucking leave like she asked! Now! Or else your face will turn to hamburger meat and you will be unrecognizable you sick fuck!"

Mike scrambled to his feet making the kettle fly from the woman's hand smashing it on the floor. The arrogant man felt woozy and disoriented, he slowly looked back at the rocker who was standing by her booth still glaring at him. Those crystal blue eyes felt as if her stare was burning the skin off his bones, she took a step forward which made him gasp and run full throttle out of the diner.

"Fucking asshole." The rocker groaned while cracking her knuckles, she turned her head to see the wolf looking at her with wide eyes.

Ruby watched in amazement at what just happened, seeing the man run out of the diner like a bat outta hell made her night. "That was...amazing." She breathed watching the beauty start to kneel down to the floor.

The gray haired woman rushed over to console her granddaughter, who was touching the cut on her lip. "Ruby?! Are you alright?"

The beautiful brunette grabbed the elder's hands nodding while still trying to comprehend what just happened. "Yes granny I'm fine."

"You're hurt Ruby! Let me take a look at your lip."

"Gran, it's ok, really. Besides, I've had worse things happen to me." The wolf looked down for a moment remembering when her village back in the enchanted forest ran her out of town with their torches and pitchforks after getting word about her being the wolf that killed Peter and countless others before she was able to control her powers, then the time when she was caught in a wolf trap by Spencer and the mob who thought she was responsible for Billy's death, the torture she endured while helpless was excruciating . Thank God for David and Granny coming to the rescue to prove that it was Albert all along to frame Ruby to get her killed. "Yes, I'm...fine...ok?"

Granny looked at Ruby and smiled, her smile suddenly turned sour as she saw the mysterious woman picking up the pieces of the porcelain kettle that broke on the floor as well as wiping up the blood from Mike's face with her napkin and glass of water. "You!"

The rocker slowly stood up as the elder came over in a huff. "Me? Me...what?"

"Look at the mess you made of my diner!"

"Granny?! It's just a broken kettle, and she's cleaning it up so what's the problem?" The wolf asked as she watched the woman's face scrunch up, clearly annoyed at this point."

"Wow, so this is the thanks I get hm? I just helped your granddaughter not get the shit beat out of her by that guy, and all you can think about is this smashed kettle?"

Ruby got in the middle of granny and the blue eyed woman who were clearly not amused by each other. "Gran please, she did help me out, so can you not scold her, it's just a tea kettle, it's not like we don't have more. Right?"

Granny's temper slowly settled as she saw the pleading look in the wolf's eyes. "Ugh, you're right, I'm...sorry it's just, you know what tonight is and I get a tad grumpy you know that."

"It's fine. Forget it. " The rocker answered flatly, turning her back to the two while placing the pieces of kettle on the table.

The widow Lucas sighed as she looked over at the couple waiting to pay by the front. "I uh, have to go and charge these people out Ruby, you sure you're alright?"

"Yes granny, stop worrying."

"Well after all that has happened in the past do you blame me?"

The wolf bit the inside of her cheek wishing this night would just end. She looked up at the clock which read 6:45 which means the sun was going to be setting soon and the full moon was going to rise in another hour or so. Thank goodness it was almost closing time, this night needs to be over already she thought. "No I don't blame you granny, I'm sorry."

"Like I said you know what tonight is so I suggest you finish up here and go home you hear?" Granny grimaced as she began to rub her scar on her forearm.

The beautiful blue haired woman noticed the scar and cocked her head to the side observing such a mark. Hmm Interesting. She also was trying not to listen, but the stranger couldn't help but wonder what tonight even was. "Yes, better go home, the street lights are about to come on."

Ruby was hardly amused by that remark as if she was getting told to go home by her mother.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

Granny got a Kleenex from her pocket and dabbed the blood away from the wolf's lip. "Ok well, this has been a night, and it's far from over soooo."

Red pushed the elder's hand down off her face; she shook her head clearly, getting a tad angry. "Ok! I will go home in a bit, you're embarrassing me, I'm not a child anymore Gran!" She snapped

"No, no you're not, I'm sorry it's just..."

"I know granny, now go help those people and I'll be off shortly." The wolf's eyes veered over at her rescuer who was putting her jacket back on at her booth, she patted granny's shoulder before turning back around to give her thanks, but before she could her head whipped around as the front door suddenly threw open.

"There you are! I have been calling your cell phone, why the hell didn't you answer?!"

Ruby rolled her eyes at the very irritated dark haired woman who looked as if she was going to blow a gasket. This night just keeps getting better and better. "Ugh Dorothy now is not the time, as you can see I'm working, I don't have my phone on me, if you needed to get a hold of me so badly, why didn't you call the diner's number?"

"I for one thought you would, you know I told you to keep it on you." Dorothy snapped at the also annoyed wolf.

The blue haired woman giggled to herself that this woman just can't get a break from jerks this evening. "My God, if it's not one thing it's another, what is this national asshole night at the diner?" She said under her breath while looking at the two arguing with each other.

Ruby heard her and narrowed her eyes. "Look I have had quite a bad night, and I don't need you to add to it. Ok?!" She saw the rocker watching them and pulled Dorothy to the side away from her peering eyes and ears.

I would love to hear what this is about, but I've had quite enough of this place for tonight. The stranger grabbed her duffle bags, and beanie putting it back on her head before pulling money out of her pocket to pay the bill, she quickly placed it on the table wanting to just forget everything that happened altogether. Looking over at at the two women still going at it, the blue haired beauty smiled while shaking her head, she strode slowly towards the door pushing it open to walk outside, just moving a few paces down the street she suddenly felt someone grab her arm which made her turn around quickly to regard them, crystal blue eyes saw a pair of emerald ones looking at her, she doesn't know why, but it kind of made her heart speed up. Ok now, this woman is quite beautiful, well I guess I can agree with that dickhead on that account.

"Yeeeessss?"

Ruby was nervously picking at her nails trying to get the words out. "I, uhm, well I..."

The rocker smirked watching the wolf getting all nervous. "What is wrong with you? Cat got your tongue or something?" She teased, the woman saw the wolf drop her hands placing them on her hips giving quite the irritated look.

Ruby grumbled as she chewed at her bottom lip and just went for it. "I just wanted to say...thank you." Looking into a blue gaze that was almost hypnotizing her, the wolf's heartbeat was beginning to skip. "Look, I'm so sorry about all of that back there."

"Well maybe your granny shouldn't have had you wait on that dick for one, I mean that guy was a complete ass, and she still had you wait on him? What the hell was that all about?"

"You heard that?"

"Yeah I did among other things, you were in front of my booth, remember?"

Red sighed not really knowing what to say. "Well for one I would have knocked the shit out of him myself but, I...couldn't, I mean, I could have, but I can get a bit out of control."

The stranger took off her beanie and placed it in her pocket, flipping her hair back, she then sat her bags down and folding her arms in front of her, arching an eyebrow, she was curious as to what she meant. "Care to elaborate?"

Cripes, seductive much? Ruby could not get over the beauty of this woman before her, she was trying not to think of...things, wolfstime brings out the beast, and in more ways than one. Her eyes rose up at the now grayish black sky, she knew the moon was going to be rising, and soon. "I just mean I sometimes don't know my own strength, as you clearly saw."

"Oh yes I saw alright, you crushed his hand, and good." The blue haired woman got closer to the wolf, which made Ruby's breathing hitch, she chewed at her piercing as she smiled at the blushing wolf. "Well maybe you need to learn how to control it." She whispered, letting her breath hit Ruby's lips.

The brunette shivered at the feel before being taken back by the comment. "Oook well I can."

"Oh? Well you just said that you couldn't beat the shit out of that guy without losing control, so then what do you mean?"

The wolf sighed as she shifted her stance a bit while now folding her arms across her chest. "Look. I don't have to explain myself to you, a common stranger of all things."

"Is that so now? You mean a stranger that saved you. Remember that. Most strangers wouldn't have done that ya know. By the way, your granny should be a bit more appreciative of that fact and not worry about some damn tea kettle."

Red pursed her lips together knowing she was right. "Touche'" Watching her for some time, she was quite curious as to where this pretty blue haired mistress was from. "Well I for one am appreciative, and speaking of that, can I know my hero's name? So I can properly thank you? She saw the woman a bit apprehensive of giving her such information with everything that just happened, the trust levels were not good at the moment. Gees alright guess i'll start then "Ok. Well, my name is..."

"Ruby." Yes I gathered that much when I heard that guy trying to get into your tight pants and your Grandmother worrying over you." The beautiful rocker smirked to herself as she looked at the taller woman taking in her shimmering green eyes, long brown hair that went past her shoulders to the middle of her back, her body, yes that...body, perky breasts, and those tight pants that hugged her perfect ass. The blue haired woman snapped out of her thoughts to speak her name finally to the wolf. She's gonna find out your name eventually stupid, stop being so stubborn. "It's...Alissa."

Was that sooo hard? "Alissa? Hmm. That's a beautiful name." Ruby extended her hand to her mysterious rescuer, also taking in her beauty. Smiling sweetly, the wolf was hoping to find out more about the town's mysterious traveler one day. "Well...thank you. Alissa. So, will you be staying here in our quaint little town of Storybrooke for a while?"

Slowly taking her hand in her own she smiled back at the brunette, when their hands connected it made both of their heartbeats speed up, she began to give a firm handshake to the town's werewolf who gave one right back, Alissa was hoping her's wasn't clammy. Mhm, she does have one hell of a grip. "You're quite welcome, and I don't know. Maybe. I'm looking for a new place to settle and I think I just may have found a reason that this town may be the place to do just that." Placing her hands in her jacket pockets, she threw a sly smile to the taller woman making her blush even more. "Oh, and by the way you need to stay away from certain people."

Ruby raised a brow at that comment, she was beginning to get under her skin, and in a good way. "Certain people? Like?"

The rocker chuckled as she continued her smirk at the beautiful green eyed lady wolf. "You know, assholes, jerks, arrogant twats, I may not be there next time to help you out."

Red giggled at the comment. "Oh really?"

"Really."

The two kept smiling and staring at each other, not knowing what was even going on with this chemistry they were feeling, or why they even were, but they knew something was there, they also knew that they just met tonight, lest they still couldn't help it. Ruby cleared her throat to speak, but before she could the wolf heard footsteps behind her and smelled a certain scent that was recognizable, one of which made her grumble and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"Dammit Ruby! I was looking for you in the diner, what are you doing out here?" Dorothy stopped short and narrowed her eyes at Alissa who was having a conversation with the wolf.

"Oh...and who is this?" The dark haired woman was scowling while looking at the traveler up and down, sizing her up.

Alissa rolled her eyes as she saw the other woman glaring at her. "Speaking of those certain people..." She mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Dorothy shot a hateful look to the woman who was now picking up her bags.

The rocker cleared her throat to break the tension. What a fucking cunt. "Nothing, look I was just leaving, have a good rest of your evening Ruby, and remember what I said, try and stay away from those people." Throwing a wink she headed out and away from the two women who started to argue yet again. Alissa turned her head back to look at them momentarily before walking off further. "For fucks sake, that Ruby sure is a jerk magnet, a cute, little jerk magnet though." She whispered to herself, "What a night." The rocker gave a husky laugh while finally strolling forward in the distance and out of sight.

The brunette growled as she watched Kansas angrily stomp off as well and away from her, she looked down for a moment before her head shot back up. "Shit! Dammit where did she go?" The wolf's eyes glowed yellow for a brief second as she frantically looked around to see if she could get a glimpse or scent of the one who helped her earlier, but with no avail, she was gone. Ruby sighed heavily, her mind still swirling with the events of this evening and how she wanted to just forget all about it, glancing up at the sky again, she looked off to the woods, and saw the full moon slowly rising in the distance. "Well I better get to the inn before granny blows a gasket." Ruby quickly made her way towards home, but why does she have a feeling that this night was far from over.

Thanks for reading

Cheers!

~LadyNightWolf

#fanfiction #lindseystirling #alissawhitegluz #meghanory #siobhanwilliams #werewolves #romance #drama #humor #onceuponatime #action #adventure #lovestory #femslash

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apiratewhopines · 2 years

Text

Spurious

Chapter 19/22 (updating daily - and twice on Sundays)

Story Summary: When his brother’s best friend calls in desperate need of help, mercenary Killian Jones will stop at nothing to save the woman from his old enemy. Flying halfway across the world to meet Emma Swan was all part of the plan, falling for her not so much.

Between deadly inventions, criminal masterminds, and his feelings, he soon realizes he may be in over his head.

That’s just the way he likes it, really.

Rating: M

Thanks to @motherkatereloyshipper for reading this over and making it better! This bonus chapter is brought to you by the promise of YESSSS baby, my version of getting an A for effort.

“You gotta stay steadfast

Tread lightly

’Cause they’re looking for a reason to knock you down”

-Hold the Line, Tom Morello featuring grandson

Killian tried to remember he liked Tiny. Truly. Perhaps more importantly, he was a friend of Swan’s, so it would be bad form to torture information out of the man.

That’s not to say he didn’t briefly think about it, though. It had been more than an hour since they discovered Emma had given them the slip once again. An hour of worry, frustration, and aggravation topped off by the cavalier attitude of their guest and the dour warnings of the federal agent who blamed this all on him.

He supposed he may have played some part in it, but he wasn’t the one who pushed her out the door. Liam held that honor. He also wasn’t the one who helped her leave through the back undetected. Tiny won that award.

He was simply the man who stole her heart and proceeded to show her repeatedly he didn’t deserve it. So in a way, he supposed he was responsible.

Despite Liam’s demands, Will’s joking, Robin’s reason, and David’s good-natured cajoling, Tiny remained immovable. Regina finally gave up, feeling time was of the essence and moving on to other leads without so much as a goodbye.

When it was Killian’s turn, he simply asked again, “Where was she heading?”

“You said you would look after her, man. She did not look like a girl who was being treated right when she came upstairs,” Tiny admonished.

“I screwed up, Tiny. I told Emma some things that weren’t entirely true and let her believe other things that weren’t. But you know I would never intentionally hurt her, and I would kill anyone who tried. Tell me where she is so I can get back to the business of keeping her safe.”

“I don’t know. I like you but Emma’s family,” he responded, looking torn for the first time.

Luckily, their less than successful interrogation was interrupted by a phone call. When Tiny answered, he nodded and held out the phone to Liam. “It’s for you.”

Liam grabbed the phone and listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. His expression went from puzzled to surprised to shocked. “You’re sure about this, lad?”

Whoever it was must have convinced him because seconds later, Liam tossed the phone back to Tiny and announced, “Belle is at Gold Towers. Emma’s probably already with her.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Tiny sighed. “My resolve was weakening.”

Will exchanged a disbelieving look with the group that articulated how they all felt. Hell would have frozen over before the giant told them the first thing about his friend.

“I guess since we’re all on the same page now, I should tell you that Emma found a microchip in the watch,” he added, pulling over his wireless keyboard and typing in a few commands. “TruestBeliever is right. Emma’s already at Gold Towers. Or at least she’s parked a few blocks from there. I’ll call in reinforcements now.”

“Not necessary,” Liam said. “I’m done tiptoeing around this minefield. We’ll get Belle and make sure Miss Swan doesn’t blow up the building. Then I want us all on a plane to London by sundown.”

Killian had other ideas but figured it wasn’t worth fighting about now. Plenty of time for that later, after the ladies were safe and sound. The six men grabbed their gear, ranging from smuggled sniper rifles that would have landed them in jail if Regina had seen them to expensive computer equipment.

Jones Consulting was going to war.

Read the rest on AO3

@teamhook @jrob64 @kmomof4 @klynn-stormz @stahlop @xarandomdreamx @xsajx @tiganasummertree

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dirtycomputermp3 · 7 years

Text

ouat au where regina is the exasperated mayor of a regular small town and emma is her equally exasperated sheriff wife and they spend their days being exasperated with the shenanigans of the townspeople and lovingly raising their son henry and mocking each others’ dietary choices

#i just watched the bit in 4.13 where regina said emma eats like a child and emma just #pulled out a root beer and now i'm sad bc they could be such a cute lil family #also neal is still henry's dad #he and emma dated for a while but after they broke up they stayed friends #when emma and regina decided they wanted kids they wanted neal to be the father and he was thrilled #he and henry are still best friends #also just like in canon henry loves his moms!!!#he loves messing around w emma's guns and sheriff stuff and learns all the hot gossip from her even though he's supposed to keep secrets #and he shares all that gossip with regina (his Petty Mom) and they lovingly laugh at all the storybrooke residents #regina also reads comic books with him #she didn't care about them before but now that he loves them she started reading them and she's SO into them now #emma calls her a geek and steals her comics and won't give them back unless regina kisses her #friday is their date night but it always gets interrupted for some silly local emergency #like when belle accidentally locked herself into the library and they had to go let her out and henry couldn't stop laughing #anyways this is super long now and idk why i put it in the tags but!!!! i can just!!! see it so clearly this au is perfect #if i do say so myself #this is how canon should have been #i mean.....they have such an Iconic™ dynamic #like they can be power enemies or a power couple but nothing in between #regina mills #emma swan #ouat #text #headcanon #headcanon*#swan queen

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wefoundloveunderthelight · 3 years

Photo

The Love Cruise - by GleefullyCaptainSwan

Or on FF

Tagging: @teamhook @kmomof4 @stahlop @lfh1226-linda

Chapter 7: A Sky Full of Stars

Emma’s eyes squeezed shut as the door creaked closed behind her, letting the latch click quietly in place. She quickly toed off her shoes, setting them down softly in her closet, grabbing a pair of pajamas and tossing them over her head in the darkness of her room. She tiptoed toward her bed, pulling back the covers just as the table light clicked on.

“You did not think you could disappear all night and then try and sneak into bed without an explanation, did you?”

Emma’s shoulders sagged forward with a groan. “I’m not sneaking, I just didn’t want to disturb you.”

She turned to see Ruby sitting up in bed with her arms crossed in front of her.

“We waited for hours for you to show up tonight. Where were you?”

“I’m not a child, I just didn’t feel like dancing.” She sat down on her bed.

“So, you were just out, walking until…” She looked over at the clock. “Oh my God, Emma it’s 4am.” She leaned toward her. “Is that a hickey?”

Emma’s hand instinctively went to her neck. “What? No, of course not.”

“Emma, I know a hickey when I see one, and that one is right above your breast.” Emma looked down, seeing the reddened bruise above her breast line, she blushed, remembering Killian’s mouth sucking on her flesh earlier this evening. “You’re blushing. Oh my God, Emma, who is he? Have I met him? Holy shit, did you have sex?”

“Ruby my God, would you stop with all the questions.”

“Well, I know it wasn’t Graham, cuz he was with me all night asking questions about you. And I thought you didn’t like this Walsh guy?”

“Eww no.” She answered in disgust.

“Ok, so it’s not Graham and it’s not Walsh.”

“I’m not talking about this.” She grinned, lying down on her pillow, and pulling the blankets up over her neck.

“I can’t believe out of all of us, you’re the first one to get laid out here.”

“Good night, Ruby.” Emma protested.

“Emma you have to tell me something, anything.”

“I suppose I should thank you.” Emma laughed.

“Me? What did I do?”

“If it hadn’t been for those condom’s you gave me, tonight would have never happened.” She turned over toward the wall, a smile growing on her face. “Though I’m out now, so I’m going to have to get more from you.”

“Emma, oh my God, I gave you a packet of five.”

“Night Ruby.” She heard her friend mumble and turn off the light. She was sure she would face a barrage of questions tomorrow, but tonight she needed to sleep, her body exhausted, her skin still on fire from the memory of his mouth, the touch of his hands, and the warmth of his body.

~*~

Killian managed to get to the bridge an hour later than he normal would have. “Evening Captain.” His first officer greeted him as he reached the bridge at 4 am.

“Evening, Smee. I apologize for my lateness, I was…” He paused. “Delayed.”

“No problem, sir, it has been quiet tonight.”

“Get some sleep sir, I have the helm.” He dismissed his first mate, taking a seat in the Captain’s chair and staring out at the moonlit water. He was still hours from sunrise, his favorite time of the morning. He should be tired, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep even if he tried. His mind was still on Emma, he had only just left her, but he longed to still be holding her, snuggling into her blonde locks, breathing her in as she nestled into his embrace.

He needed to do something, show her that the night had meant something to him. Beyond the carnal activities she had provided, he enjoyed spending time with the woman, talking to her, getting to know her.

Was that what he was doing with Emma?

Did he intend to get to know her, did he want to continue to know her past these next 8 days?

“Excuse me, Quartermaster?” The man turned toward him. “You are younger than me, you must have experience with members of the opposite sex.”

The man looked at him questioningly. “Yes, sir. I suppose I do.”

“Excellent, if you wanted to tell a woman that you had a pleasant evening with her, without also scaring her off, what would you do?”

“Flowers are always nice, Sir.”

“Flowers, why the bloody hell didn’t I think of that? Thank you, Mate.”

Killian scribbled down directions with a note to Emma and sent it with the Deck Cadet to place the order with the florist. He may not have intended to “hook up” with anyone on board, but he’d be damned if he was going to be anything but a gentleman, now that he had.

~*~

“Can you get your manager or something because I need this taken care of?” Emma stood firmly at the desk, holding the large painting in her hands.

“Yes Ma’am, one moment please.” The woman disappeared behind a door and returned with the man who had approached Killian the night they first met.

“How can I help you Ma’am?”

“As I was explaining to her, this painting was delivered to my room and I need to return it to the owner.”

“I’m sorry, was it delivered to your room by accident?”

“Well, no, it was gifted to me by another guest, but I don’t want the gift.”

“Can’t you just return it to the person who gave it to you?”

Emma exhaled, “I would love to, but seeing as I don’t know his last name, nor do I want to interact with him again, I would prefer you do it.”

“Alright, so you don’t exactly know who the guest is, but you want me to find the guest and give them back this painting?”

“I know who the guest is…well I know his first name.” She paused. “Look, I don’t want this damn thing, do you? Cuz I’d be happy to just give it to you.”

“Is there a problem here?”

Emma squeezed her eyes shut when she heard his voice behind her, spinning around she smiled up at him. “No problem, I just need to get rid of this damned painting, and as I was telling these two, I only know his first name, but I need this to get back to him.” She shoved the note that Walsh had left with the painting into Killian’s hands.

“And as I was just telling the lady, if we don’t know the guests full name then we…” Robin was explaining.

Killian crumpled the note in his hands. “We will take care of it.” he added quickly.

“Exactly. Wait, what?” Robin turned toward him incredulously.

“Please take the information she has, and we will make sure to find the mysterious suitor to return the artwork. If you’ll both excuse me, I have a tour to attend.” Killian nodded to Robin, and then met her gaze, passing the crumpled note back to her before winking and walking toward the atrium.

Emma pushed the painting across the desk, smoothing out the note to lay on top of it, “As you can see by the note, his name is Walsh. I have to go.” She turned and ran off in the direction Killian was headed, ignoring Robin’s protests behind her.

She caught up to him as she turned the corner opening into the large atrium. “Killian.” He turned toward her.

“Emma.” He said with a grin. “Sleep well?”

She bit her lip, “Very.” They began walking through the atrium. “Thank you for assisting back there, I just can’t have that painting in my room anymore.”

“Well at least he didn’t lie in his note to you. You are very beautiful.”

She blushed, “That was not the point.”

“Of course not.” He paused his steps, coming to a halt. “I apologize for needing to leave, but I really do have a tour.”

“I know, I thought I would try and warn you first, I’m in the tour, with my friends.”

“Oh, I see.” He stammered out nervously.

“And my brother.” She added.

“Oh my, and do they…”

“Know that I spent the evening being ravished by the Captain? No.”

He smirked, “Ravished, you say?”

She felt her cheeks heat up before she ran off ahead of him to join her group who were getting an introduction from the ships Cruise Director, Regina, who was leading their tour.

Her friends were waiting for her at the tour start location. “There you are, I wasn’t sure if you were going to skip out on us again.” Will whined as she approached him and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“And miss seeing you, never.” She saw Belle standing next to him and smiled.

“I convinced him to take a scuba lesson with me tomorrow.”

Emma peered at Will. “Oh really? I am impressed, you told me you would never do something that required you to breathe under water.”

“Oi, don’t rub it in, I’m still not happy about it.” Emma winked at Belle as he continued to complain.

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I am your Captain, Killian Jones and I’ll be joining your tour today, Ms. Mills does an excellent tour and I try and join when I can to answer any of your questions.” His eyes were directed at her, his smile spreading across his face before he quickly looked away. “How many of you have been on a cruise before?” When there were not many hands raised, he laughed. “Seems we are all newbies.” He paused.

“Oi, you mean you’ve never Captain’d a ship before?”

“Not a cruise ship, no, my last job was just a small skip, but before that I was sailing battleships, I can assure you, I am quite experienced and it’s much easier to sail a cruise ship when there are no enemies lurking around the corner.”

“Like pirates?” Will responded and Killian chuckled.

“I haven’t seen any pirates on the waters since we set sail, I’ll be sure to alert you if I see any.”

Emma jabbed her elbow into Will’s side, “Stop harassing him.”

“If we have no more questions, I’ll let Regina lead the way.” She followed him down the hallway, Regina pointing out different parts of the ship, Killian stopping to answer all the questions they had. Regina was a very experienced tour guide, but she preferred her private tour with Killian better.

When they got to the bridge, Emma wandered through the area, stopping to remember the kiss she shared with the Captain at the helm.

“I bet you get all the ladies being a Captain.” Will continued to barrage Killian at every step.

She watched as his head dipped, a blush darkening his cheeks as Regina spoke. “Generally, the Captain is much too busy with the duties of the ship to chase women.”

“Is it against the rules for a Captain to date his passengers?” Ruby flirted in the Captain’s direction.

“It is definitely frowned upon and a rule the Captain employs with all of his crew.” Regina answered once again.

“Too bad, he’s hot as hell.” Her friend whispered into her ear.

“Shh.” Emma looked up to see Killian grinning at her before showing Will how to steer the ship. She could feel her ears burning, pulling her hair over them to hide the blush.

The tour continued to the back of the theater, Regina providing her background as an entertainer on her previous ship while everyone watched the crew building a large staircase for the show that evening. Emma saw Killian standing at the back of the group and quietly made her way beside him.

“A Captain who doesn’t follow his own rules? Interesting.” She said softly.

“It is quite scandalous.” He said, staring straight ahead. “In fact, I broke many rules just sneaking you down to my quarters.”

Her head shot up to meet his eyes, a smirk deviously planted on his face. “You are a bad boy.”

“I am behaving quite terribly indeed. Perhaps we should end this at once?” He sang softly in her direction.

“Considering you have already broken so many rules, it’s not like obeying them now will change anything.”

“Are you suggesting I continue with this disreputable behavior?”

“That depends?”

“On what, love?”

She started to walk back toward her friends before glancing in his direction, “Whether or not your balcony is involved.” He licked his lips and Emma’s heart rate increased as she joined her group, trying to ignore the pounding in her chest. She was playing a very dangerous game.

What was it about this man that made her feel so bold?

“You said you sailed a battleship before, were you in the Navy?” Emma tuned back into the conversation as her brother approached Killian.

“Aye, I was discharged a little more than two years ago.”

“Must be crazy going from a ship like that to a luxury liner. Sailing in the line of duty is much different than doing so for pleasure I would assume.”

“Aye, but there is still much to be done. In the Navy we fight for each other, we sail to survive. Out here, I carry precious cargo that needs to be tended to. Either way, my job is to ensure the safety for all onboard.”

“My brother is a cop, so you are speaking his language.” She joked, inserting herself into the conversation.

“A very commendable profession indeed.” Killian added with a nod.

“Our friend, Graham over there is a Sheriff. Been trying to set my sister up with him all week. She needs a little law and order in her life.”

Emma paled and choked out a laugh. “Ok, enough information David, I’m sure Kil…the Captain is not interested in my love life.” Killian’s devious grin had her nervously shifting on her feet, her arousal making her uncomfortable.

“Good luck in your endeavors for your sister, David.” Killian nodded in her direction and went back to the larger group.

As soon as he was out of range, Emma slapped her brother on the arm. “Oh my God, don’t tell everyone you meet that you are trying to hook me up with random men.” Emma scolded her brother.

“Come on Emma, live a little. Graham would be very suitable for you.”

“That sounds like a code word for boring and not at all interesting to me.”

“Not everyone can be a criminal whisking you off your feet into a life of danger and intrigue.”

She narrowed her eyes, “I made one mistake, that doesn’t mean I need you to control my life going forward.”

He stepped back, “You’re right. I’m just trying to find you a nice man.”

“I can do that on my own.”

“You have a type, Emma. And it’s not usually good for you.”

“I appreciate that you care about me David, I do. And I love you, but please let me handle my own love life.”

“What love life? You avoid men like the plague, I’ve yet to see you interact with anyone on board this ship. I worry about you being alone and Henry not having a father as he grows up.”

“Woah, look, I’m here to have fun, which by the way, I am, thank you for asking, but I’m not here looking for a dad for my kid.” She knew her brother meant well, but he tended to go overboard when he was playing the father figure role. “David, you’re supposed to be here for fun too, not babysit me. You don’t have to take care of me.”

“I know, you’re right. I just want to see you happy. You deserve that. You do so much for Henry, I want you to have something for Emma too.”

“I appreciate that. And I have been talking to people on this trip. You aren’t with me 24/7.”

“Oh really, and who would you be talking to, is it this Walsh guy I keep hearing about?”

“God no, not him. But maybe I’ve been enjoying time with someone, but we are most definitely not going to talk about it.” She winked at him and then grabbed him by the hand, dragging him back to the group.

~*~

Killian managed to get through the rest of the tour unscathed, doing his best to avoid any additional awkwardness with Emma. When the tour ended, he parted ways with the passengers, reluctantly leaving Emma with her friends, joining Regina in the atrium.

“Very well done, you give a great tour.”

“Thank you, I’ve trained hard for this job, it’s nice to hear someone appreciate it.” He laughed lightly, walking toward the Purser desk to check in on Robin. “However, maybe next time you should work on not making eyes with the passengers.”

“I beg your pardon. I was not making eyes at anyone.”

She scoffed. “Whatever you say, Captain.”

“There you are.” Robin announced, popping up at the desk. “How the bloody hell am I supposed to find a passenger with no last name.” he looked up and saw Regina standing next to him. “Hello, love.”

“Good afternoon, Robin. Please tell me what reason we have for trying to find a passenger with no last name?”

“No need, I can find him, I’ve seen him around.” Killian interrupted.

“How do you know who he is based off his first name, there has to be more than one Walsh on board, how can you be certain it is the man who gave this woman a very nice painting?”

“Let me worry about it.” He picked up the painting from behind the desk.

“Do I want to know what any of this is about?” Regina asked.

“I’m not sure I want to know what this is about.” Robin complained.

“For once it’s not you that’s acting shady, Rob.” Regina smiled in Robin’s direction, which caused Killian’s eyebrow to rise in surprise.

“I can if you want me too.” Robin flirted leaning into the counter as Regina tapped her fingers on the desk.

“Maybe after a few drinks.” She turned toward him, ignoring his questioning gaze, and walked away.

“Um, suddenly she’s calling you Rob?” Killian inquired.

“Why do you know who Walsh is? And does this have anything to do with you not attending the crew party last night, or that blonde woman I keep finding you with?”

Killian tapped his ear, realizing it was better for him to retreat than continue his discussion. “Fortunately, I have Captain duties to perform, so I will see you later, Mate.” He shouted over his shoulder, carrying the painting with him as he whistled a tune.

~*~

“Ruby says that you’re a bouncer at the bar you guys work at?” Emma looked up as Graham spoke. She was sitting nervously alone with the man at the bar. Everyone conveniently coming up with plans they had as soon as the two of them sat down at the table.

“Um, yeah, I know it’s not as cool as being a Sheriff or a cop, but I like it.”

“I have never really thought of my job as cool. Frightening at times, but never cool.” He paused. “It doesn’t really give me a lot of time to do things on my own, like date or have a life.”

“Yes, trust me I understand that. I’m not sure if everyone told you, but I have a son at home, he’s six.”

“I think I heard David mention him in passing. That must be difficult to handle on your own.”

“He’s a great kid, and everyone helps out, honestly I don’t know what I would do without my friends. Ruby and her mom babysit all the time. David is always helping out with yardwork and repairs, August gives me time off for parent teacher conferences, soccer games, and Will…” She chuckled thinking about all the times that Will had stepped in to be the father figure Henry needed when he didn’t have one. “Will has been the best friend anyone could ever ask for.”

She smiled at him, he was very attractive, friendly, and she could tell he was an honest and good man. But Emma wasn’t interested in him no matter how much she tried to seek an attraction like her brother and Ruby kept pushing for. Maybe it was because he was too settled, too secure in what he wanted and had in his life. Emma knew that wasn’t fair, she should want that in a man.

“It’s nice to get help from those around you. Perhaps you would have room for others who would be interested in participating in your life.”

“I’m gonna stop you right there, Graham. You seem like a really nice guy…”

“But…” He laughed.

“I’m not really looking for a relationship, I’m not in that place in my head. And you seem like the kind of guy that would want that, and that’s great, any girl would be lucky to get that from you, but that’s just not me.”

“Ah. The kiss of death, you’re giving me the it’s-me-not-you-speech.”

“I’m sorry, that sounds awful. I’m really not an awful person.”

“No, you’re not. Just very honest, which I appreciate.”

“Have I told you how great Ruby is?” She laughed. “Because I have stories for days about why she is deserving of a nice guy like you.”

“Your friend is very nice, honestly the only reason I came over to talk to your group in the first place was because of her, but then she kept talking about you the whole time that I got the impression she wasn’t interested.”

“That sounds like Ruby. She’s always willing to push the good guy to me, despite her own interests.” He looked around the bar awkwardly. “She usually goes to the pool for a late swim on the lido deck about this time.”

“Oh, did I make it that obvious?”

“No need to apologize, please, you won’t offend me if you suddenly feel the need for a swim.”

He excused himself politely with an eager look on his face and Emma headed back to her room, exhaustion finally hitting her from lack of sleep from the previous evening. Turning the corner to her room she spotted Will and Belle exiting his room. When they passed her in the hall, Will’s face was red from embarrassment. “Enjoy your evening you two.” She teased.

“Goodnight Emma.” Belle adjusted her hair, tucking her blouse back together.

She clicked her card at her door and opened it into her room. The first thing she spotted was the giant bouquet of flowers and she groaned as she shut the door behind her. She was going to find out where this Walsh guy was staying and give him a piece of her mind.

She sniffed the flowers, yanking the card from the plastic stem. They were beautiful. Sliding the card from the envelope she peered down, bracing for the next creepy thing Walsh would say to her, only to be surprised by the sender.

“A sky full of stars, and he was staring at her.”

Until we meet again, CJ

Emma stared at the flowers, her heart racing. She lay back on her bed, staring at the card in her hand, a smile on her face reserved only for Captain Jones.

#TLC #The love cruise #killian jones #emma swan #stacy's fics #captain swan #captain swan au #captain swan fics #captain swan modern au

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kelyon · 3 years

Text

Golden Rings 19: A Friend

The Storybrooke sequel to Golden Cuffs

Rumpelstiltskin receives a visitor

Read on AO3

A family stands before him, more terrified than they want to show. The man holds a top hat in both hands. The woman keeps her arms over their daughter.

“Is it true?” the man asks. “What Regina is threatening, can she do it?”

Slowly, Rumpelstiltskin steps toward the huddled family. It is unlike Jefferson to be so serious, unlike Leona to show anything less than brazen self-confidence. The girl may be too young to know what is happening, but she knows that her parents are afraid and that is enough to make her terrified.

Belle comes up behind him, her hand extended to the child. “Grace,” she says gently, “would you like to visit my horse? Perhaps we could go for a ride.”

The girl looks to her parents. “May I, Mama? Papa?”

“Of course, luv.” Leona releases her grip on her daughter. “Make sure you mind Belle, and don’t get yourself into any trouble you can’t get out of.”

Nodding obediently, the child takes his wife’s hand. Belle gives him an encouraging smile before they go out to the stables. She trusts him to handle the situation on his own. She knows he can assuage their fears.

Once his daughter is gone, Jefferson leaves his wife and comes up to Rumpelstiltskin. He puts his hands on his shoulders and looks him in the eyes. “I’m serious,” he says.

“I know you are, my boy.” Delicately, he extracts himself from the other man’s grip. “This is a serious matter.”

“This queen lady told everyone she’s going to destroy the world.” Leona says what they all know but cannot utter. “Does she really have that much power?”

He cannot face them. He turns away, takes long, slow steps around his dining room before he answers.

“Yes.”

Jefferson crushes the brim of his hat in one hand. After a moment, he gathers himself. “We’ve seen worlds destroyed before, Dark One. It is a terrible thing.”

“Yes,” he agrees. “Yes, you were with me when proud Atlantis sank beneath the waves. A million lives lost in fire and water and lightning. But Regina’s curse is… different. Her purpose is not to destroy the world, but to destroy happiness.”

Leona’s mouth drops open. “And how is killing everyone not the same as all that? Who would be left to be happy, when it’s all over?”

Rumpelstiltskin shakes his head. “No, she wants us alive. Everyone in this world, everyone she considers her enemy. She wants us alive and miserable and trapped in our misery for the rest of time.”

“Gods.” Jefferson collapses into a chair and hangs his head. Leona stands by him and takes his hand into her own.

“Regina will end this world, and take us all to a new one--a land without happy endings. We will all be severed from the people we love, or even if we are near them, we won’t be able to love them.”

“But why everyone?” Leona asks. “Why us? I never did anything to this woman! What’s she got against me?”

Walking over to the couple, he places his hand over where theirs are joined. “You are happy,” he says simply. “The two of you have a love that she will never know--and the love of your child besides that. Regina believes that she will never have happiness as long as anyone else does.”

Leona nods, understanding. “So she’s mad, is she?”

“Yes,” Jefferson answers. His blue eyes look out at nothing as he speaks. “I’ve worked with Regina, before I met you, Leo. Once, she commissioned me to take her and a servant girl to Wonderland. Didn’t tell me that this was going to be a rescue mission to save some old man. You know the rules of the hat, only the number of people that go in can come out again. That was why Regina brought the servant girl. She killed her. Ripped her heart out of her chest and crushed it. As easily as blowing her nose. We left the girl’s body there, in the forest of giant mushrooms. So yeah. As they say in Wonderland, Regina is mad as the March Hare.”

Leona holds her husband in both hands, standing over him as she had stood over her daughter earlier. Wincing at the memory, he rests against her bosom

“What do we do?” For all her comforting posture, Leona looks at Rumpelstiltskin with steely determination. “Can you stop her?”

He raises his hands in a show of helplessness. “Regina is a powerful magic-user and she is on a war-path.”

Hands balled into fists, Leona breaks away from Jefferson and begins to pace. “If my mother were here, she’d hit that woman upside the head with a cauldron, queen or no!”

“Yeah, well Nanny Ogg is from a different world than this one.” Jefferson stays seated in the chair. His hat hangs loosely in his grip.

“It is not hopeless,” Rumpelstiltskin says. “All curses can be broken.”

“Broken after they’ve been cast!” Leona marches up to him, wielding an accusatory finger. “I want to know if you can stop her, stop this curse from ever happening!”

“Leo,” Jefferson stands behind his wife. Gently, he puts his hands on her ample hips and pulls her close to him. “The Dark One is our friend. I’m sure he’s doing everything he can.”

He says nothing. He lets Jefferson’s faith do the talking for him. Jefferson is a clever man, but less shrewd than his wife. The poor boy wants to believe in him, but Leona Ogg has no such sentimentality. She is wise enough to know that if he wanted to stop this curse, it would never have been able to start.

“You should leave,” he tells them quietly. “The three of you should go in the hat, find some world far from here where you can live out the rest of your days together.”

“If Regina can destroy one world, she’ll find a way to destroy others,” Jefferson points out.

He shakes his head. “After the curse is cast, Regina will be stopped. A Savior will come, a force of goodness who will destroy her evil forever.”

“But only after we’ve been cursed?” Leona crosses her arms.

He nods. “Yes. The only way to avoid it is to flee. Leave this world before it leaves you.”

Slowly, Jefferson turns his hat over in his hands. “That makes sense.” He looks to Leona. “Where do you want to go?”

“Lancre, of course. If we can’t live in the home we made for ourselves, we might as well go to Mum’s.”

Jefferson nods. “What do you say, Dark One? Can I offer you and Belle a trip to Discworld?”

He shakes his head. “I can’t know what form my magic will take on a world like that. There is a risk I’ll transform into something horrible and the good people of the Disk World will have to try to slay me.”

Leona snorts. “And it’ll take a few weeks at least to find any ‘good people’ around. We’re not as black and white with the ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ as this place.”

“All the more reason for me to stay here and face this curse as it comes.”

“And Belle will stay with you?”

He gives his friend a rueful grin. “I couldn’t make her leave me if I tried.”

Jefferson looks down at his hat and then looks up again. “Do you really think if we go to Discworld the curse will pass us by?”

He puts his hands over Jefferson’s around the brim. “The best I can promise is that you will be safer.”

Leona’s dark eyes narrow. “‘Safer’ isn’t ‘safe,’ Mister Dark One.”

“No.” Jefferson steps back, away from Rumpelstiltskin and toward his wife. In a motion born from years of practice, he twirls the hat to put it on his head. “But sometimes safer is the best you can hope for.”

“I hope you do get away from the curse,” he tells them honestly. “For it will be a very long time before any good can come out of all this. ”

****

It was strange, to wake up in a bed without Belle. Without even Mrs. Gold’s body, warm and soft beside him. In the month since they had started sleeping in separate bedrooms, Rumpelstiltskin still hadn’t gotten used to waking up alone. It had been a bittersweet torture to spend that much time in bed with a woman who wasn’t Belle. Being without was a milder ache, but an ache nonetheless.

That morning, he met her going up the stairs as he was coming down. Mrs. Gold was still in her pajamas--a new pair he hadn’t seen before. She had a plate of toast in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. So she would eat in her room before she got dressed. That was the opposite of his routine. Ever since their new arrangement, Mrs. Gold had been going out of her way to avoid him.

He wanted to speak to her. He wanted to say something innocuous, even just “Good morning.” Something to make her turn and look at him, say anything in response. He just wanted to see Belle’s face, hear Belle’s voice.

But Mrs. Gold turned away, pressed herself against the banister, and brushed past him as quickly as she could.

Rumpelstiltskin sighed. How strange that he would miss that woman, that he would feel their estrangement so keenly. Before, he had taken for granted that Mrs. Gold wanted to please him, that she sought him out and tried to talk with him. But now she would only speak when he asked her a question. Now she kept to her room when he was in the house. She stayed away from the shop during the day. Wherever he was, his wife made a point to be somewhere else.

Considering how he had treated her, it was no less than he deserved.

After making his breakfast, he sat alone at the far end of a long table. In silence, Rumpelstiltskin read the newspaper and tried to push from his mind how familiar a situation this was. Not with Belle. Once he had her in his castle, she had never avoided him, even when it would have been in her best interest. But before Belle. During those long centuries of isolation, when he had been an enemy of love. When his life was nothing but magic and deals and endless searching for a way to find Bae. When people were nothing but tools to be used, locks to be picked, pieces to be arranged upon a chessboard that stretched out for decades.

Then, he had spent many mealtimes at the head of a table set for one.

When it was time to leave for the day, Mrs. Gold came down to join him. Every morning he gave her a ride into town. She usually kept her face to the window and didn’t make a sound for the whole trip.

She wore charcoal today, a sweater-dress that wrapped snugly around her body. Gold would have sent her out in that with nothing underneath, but she had put on layers of camisoles and blouses. Most of her clothes were flimsy and skimpy, so she wore the pieces on top of each other in a haphazard effort to cover herself.

At least she looked warm.

The clashing dark colors washed out her face, made her look even paler and sadder. She wasn’t wearing cosmetics, or any jewelry besides her wedding ring. Her thick, curly hair hung limply over her shoulders, like a shroud.

Again, Rumpelstiltskin wanted to speak to her. But what could he say? Any comment on her appearance would seem like an attack, any inquiry to her wellbeing would be an invasion. What do you say to someone you’re no longer even pretending to love?

“What do you think you’ll do today?” he tried once they were in the car.

She shrugged and sank further back into the seat, her arms folded over her chest.

“Do you need money?” It seemed a heartless, mercenary solution, but it was all he could safely offer her.

And it worked. Straightening up, Mrs. Gold spoke: “Sure.”

At Storybrooke’s only stoplight, he pulled out his wallet and handed her a wad of bills.

She put them in her purse. “Since you’re paying me, I guess that means you’re satisfied with what you’re getting out of this new deal.”

Rumpelstiltskin gripped the steering wheel. No, he wasn’t satisfied at all. But he wouldn’t be satisfied until Belle was sitting next to him, talking to him. Lonely as he was, he couldn’t ask for Mrs. Gold’s time or attention. It would be too cruel to demand any devotion, when he knew he had no intention of doing the same. He couldn’t love Mrs. Gold. It would be too unfair to ask her to love him again.

He parked the car next to the shop.“You’re doing everything I expected you would, Mrs. Gold.”

“Great.” She zipped up her purse. “That must be why we’re both so fucking happy.”

By the time he turned to look at her, she had already unbuckled her safety belt and slammed the door.

Rumpelstiltskin watched Mrs. Gold walk away. He could go after her, even on his cane. He could shout to get her attention. He could drive up to her and insist she get back in the car. He could make an effort to talk to her, to get her to talk to him. He could try to understand this woman, this curse-creature who occupied Belle’s body, but who seemed to have a mind of her own. He could try to get inside that mind. He could try to see who she was, now that she wasn’t pretending to be what she thought her husband wanted.

But he did nothing. Rumpelstiltskin was a coward down to his bones. No good would come of getting to know Mrs. Gold. He couldn’t risk finding out what she thought of him, what she wanted out of this relationship. They didn’t have a relationship, they didn’t relate to each other.

He had made sure of that.

So Rumpelstiltskin did what he had been doing every day since he’d been let out of the jail cell: He opened the pawn shop, and conducted his business, and waited for the Savior to break the curse.

****

It was dark outside, when the bell rang over the shop door. A spring storm was picking up. Wind sent leaves and debris skittering over the road and sidewalks. Thunder rumbled and heavy clouds pressed down upon the town.

Rumpelstiltskin was polishing the collection of silver on the side counter. At the sound of the bell, he looked up.

And froze.

Jefferson.

It was Jefferson. The tall, broad-shouldered young man who had transported him from world to world for a handsome fee, who had accompanied him on dozens of adventures, who had reminded him that physical pleasure could come with personal affection. The boy who had paved the way for Belle to enter his heart.

How was he here? Hadn’t he taken his family and escaped to the Disk World? Wouldn’t they have been safe there? Gold had no memories of the man who stood before him. He had no idea what Jefferson’s life had been like under the curse. Where was Leona? Where was Grace?

The longer Rumpelstiltskin looked at Jefferson, the more he saw the changes in him. He wasn’t smiling. The boyish good humor was gone. There was no dancing light in his slate blue eyes. He used to stand with his head jauntily cocked to one side, but now he looked straight ahead, level and deadly serious. The man before him looked burdened, weathered and hollowed out.

He was dressed like himself, as much as Storybrooke fashions would allow. He wore a scarf at his throat, as he used to wear a cravat over the leather collar that matched his wife’s. The clothes were well-tailored, expensive. His gray, rain-soaked overcoat had gunmetal leather lapels, very much like a coat Rumpelstiltskin had given him as a gift back in the old world. Jefferson’s scarf, shirt, and waistcoat were all different patterns, all in gray and black.

He wasn’t wearing a hat.

The first time Rumpelstiltskin had met Jefferson, he had entrusted him with a magical hat. The boy had been running away from a woman he didn’t want to marry, a life he didn’t want to live. In his hopelessness, he had sliced a line across his throat with a knife. His dying wish had been to find a world where he could be happy.

That was when the Dark One had made himself known. He had healed the boy’s wounds and given him a hat that would take him to every world with magic. Surely somewhere there would be happiness for a young man who had never fit the mold he had been made for.

And ever since then, Jefferson had been at his service.

Brow lowered, gait heavy, the man approached the counter. He set both hands upon the glass top. A few of his fingers wore wide, silver rings. But no wedding ring. Was he not married in this world? What had happened to Leona Ogg?

“Are you Mr. Gold?”

Quickly recovering from the shock of seeing Jefferson--and seeing him so changed--Rumpelstiltskin returned to his work. “That is the name on the front of the building.”

“But is it who you are?” Jefferson’s voice was different too. His tone was pointed, accusatory.

If he was Mr. Gold, he wouldn’t put up with being spoken to that way. Rumpelstiltskin braced against his side of the counter, arming himself in businesslike courtesy. “And who might you be?”

Jefferson’s face changed as though someone had flipped a switch. He put on the mask of a wide, toothy smile that didn’t meet his eyes. Pushing back from the glass case, Jefferson took exaggerated steps around the shop.

“They call me Dodgson around here.” His voice was too bright. “Chaz Dodgson. I’m a pilot. Normally I fly out of Boston, and I go all over the world. But lately--almost for as long as I can remember--I haven’t been able to leave this tiny town in Maine. Do you think that’s strange, Mr. Gold?”

He made his introduction with rapid-fire delivery. A machine gun, that was what they had in this world. That was the image that came to mind. Wild shooting that blasted forth in short bursts of dazzling, horrible, light.

Then you waited for the smoke to clear, to see what would happen next.

Rumpelstiltskin kept his composure. He made a show of looking down at the silver platter he had been polishing. He saw Jefferson’s reflection in it, warped and distorted.

“I suppose you could say that Storybrooke is rather a strange place, Mr. Dodgson.”

A laugh then. No, a cackle. Rumpelstiltskin had done enough cackling in his time to know the difference. Jefferson let out an agitated, throaty sound that had nothing to do with humor.

“You’re very right, Mr. Gold!” He pointed at him with a manic grin. “Maybe righter than you know!” Then his expression darkened and he turned serious. “Or maybe you’re exactly as right as you know.”

Putting down the polishing rag, Rumpelstiltskin looked up at Jefferson. “Can I help you with something, Mr. Dodgson? Is there something you’re looking for?”

“I’m looking for a lot of things,” he whispered. “And if you can’t help me, I don’t know who can.”

What kind of game was being played here? What did “Dodgson” want with Gold? Obviously, Jefferson was speaking in a cipher. But was it his code? Or was it the curse’s? How should he respond?

He held the man’s gaze and didn’t look away. “What are you looking for?” he said softly.

Jefferson took a step closer. He didn’t look away either. “I hope to every god it’s here, but I just don’t know.”

Finally breaking the gaze, Rumpelstiltskin began to put the polished silver away. “Do you need a gift for someone? Your wife perhaps?”

With a smirk, Jefferson shook his head. “No, this is something I need for myself. What made you think I was married?”

“Oh, aren’t you? I apologize for the assumption.”

“No, I am.” He brought his hand to his throat. “But my wife is, uh, out of town, for now.”

“Traveling?”

“Living with her mother,” Jefferson said. “At least, I hope she’s still there. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.”

Leona Ogg hadn’t been born in the old world. Jefferson had met her on an absurd flat planet called the Disk World, where her mother was a powerful hedge witch. Rumpelstiltskin had told them to go to that world, he had thought they would be safe there. If he could believe what Dodgson was telling him, he had only been half-right.

Or maybe two-thirds. One of Gold’s memories flashed into his mind: A little girl, plump and blonde, with merry dark eyes. The very image of her mother. Grace. But in this world she was Paige Lewis, the adopted and cherished daughter of Tim and Mia Lewis.

Why did he have no memories of Dodgson? Where had Jefferson been all this time, while his daughter was being raised by someone else?

“So is this an item for your children, perhaps?” He asked carefully.

Jefferson looked at him, his blue eyes steel and stone. “No,” he said. “I told you before, this is something I need for myself, Mr. Gold.”

Shrugging, Rumpelstiltskin locked the silver behind the case and limped to the other end of the store by the cash register. “Tell me again what it was?”

With a heavy tread, Jefferson moved to the middle of the store. “Tell me what you have.”

Rumpelstiltskin raised his hands and grinned like Gold would. “The shop’s inventory is rather extensive,” he said. “If I were to go through an itemized list, we’d be here for quite some time.”

“Alright then,” Jefferson said grimly. “Tell me what you think I need.”

He looked him over again, more than willing to play this game. “An umbrella, perhaps? The rain looks quite nasty.”

“Oh, it’s mad as a March hare, as they say. But I don’t need an umbrella.” He took a step forward. “I need something quite personal. Long-lasting, durable.”

“Maybe a set of luggage then. Didn’t you say you were a traveler?”

“I haven’t gone traveling in a long time.” Jaw clenched, Jefferson took another step closer to Rumpelstiltskin. “For a long time, I wasn’t even able to leave my house.”

Not able? For how long?

“Were you ill, Mr. Dodgson?”

“Yeah.” He grinned without humor. “I was sick in the head. An absolute nutter. I suffered from delusions. Memories that weren’t mine, a life that I had never lived. Can you imagine that, Mr. Gold? Can you imagine?”

“No,” Rumpelstiltskin lied. “Though it looks like you’re doing well now.”

“You trust your eyes?” Jefferson let out a short, stuttering laugh that sounded like he did actually find something funny. “I thought you were smarter than that!”

He straightened up. “What are you looking for, sir?” After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “I can’t help you if you aren’t honest.”

The last few steps to the counter were a stagger. Jefferson almost fell against the display case and stayed bent over. “Don’t you want to know how long I was trapped in my house?” He looked up at him. His eyes were soft now, teary. “How long I was trapped in my own double-mind?”

Rumpelstiltskin’s mouth opened. It couldn’t be. Surely Jefferson couldn’t have suffered like that. Surely even this curse was not that cruel.

He set his hand next to Jefferson’s, not quite close enough to touch. “My boy,” he whispered. “Tell me what you need.”

“Not a spouse, I have one of those.” He seemed exhausted, breathless. “Not a child either. Not a lover or an employer or a benefactor.” Desperate eyes poured into him. “I don’t need a loan shark or a pawnbroker or a landlord.” Still staring, Jefferson took Rumpelstiltskin’s hand and gripped it with all his strength. “I don’t need a genius or a wizard or the fucking Dark One!” That last phrase was said in a gritted whisper. It seemed to take everything out of him. “So you tell me,” he panted. “What do I need?”

For a moment, Rumpelstiltskin said nothing. For the second time in just a few minutes, he felt the shock of seeing Jefferson again. And this man was Jefferson, inside and out. He was awake. He was suffering. He needed…

“A friend,” he answered the question at last. “Is that what you came in here to find?”

Slowly straightening up, Jefferson nodded. “Is there one here?”

“Yes.” If it weren’t for his cane and the glass case between them, he would have embraced the boy like he used to. “Yes, Jefferson. I’m here.”

He covered his face with his hands and broke down sobbing. For a moment, Rumpelstiltskin couldn’t move. How should he respond to this? What could he do?

He could do what he couldn’t do with Mrs. Gold. He could comfort this man. His friend.

Ankle throbbing, he walked to the other side of the counter. Jefferson looked up, his blue eyes brimming with tears. This was the Jefferson that Rumpelstiltskin had known. The boy he had rescued on that fateful day in the forest. One of the rare souls whose desperation filled his dark heart with pity, and not contempt.

“My boy,” he whispered. He opened his arms and Jefferson embraced him.

Though Jefferson was taller than Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One had always wielded the power in their relationship. It was the only way he had felt safe. Their physical dimensions hadn’t changed, but marrying Belle had rearranged Rumpelstiltskin’s perspective on safety and power. He let the bigger man hug him, envelop him in his need. He drew strength from Jefferson’s strength. Even though Jefferson was younger and bigger and fitter than Gold, he had come to him for help.

And Rumpelstiltskin would do everything he could to help him.

When they parted, he held Jefferson’s face in his hands. Coarse stubble prickled against his palms. Full lips parted slightly. Rumpelstiltskin wiped away his tears with his thumbs.

“How did this happen?” he asked softly. “Why didn’t you go to the Disk World?”

“We did.” Jefferson sniffed. Rumpelstiltskin took the silk pocket square out of his suit coat to give him. “We left as soon as we could. We lived there for months. But one night, I went to sleep next to Leo in Nanny Ogg’s cottage, and the next morning I woke up alone in a massive house I couldn’t leave.”

“You said that before. You couldn’t leave?”

He shook his head. “For twenty-eight years!” His face twisted and he pulled away. Rumpelstiltskin didn’t lower his hands. “You were locked in the curse, but I was locked in that house. I knew who I was, I remembered everything, I remembered too much!”

He rested his hand on his damp coat. “So that’s where Dodgson came from?”

Jefferson nodded, took a breath. “I had two lives in my head,” he whispered. “They both seemed impossible to the other. There were… months where I didn’t know what was real. In Discworld there was a poet who dreamed that he was a butterfly, and when he woke up, he didn’t know if he was a man who dreamed he was a butterfly, or a butterfly who was dreaming he was a man. That was my life. For a very long time.”

“Jefferson.” He squeezed his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

He looked at him, his expression drained. “No one else in this town was like that. Believe me, I had a lot of time to look around. Any theories as to why I was so lucky?”

He shook his head. “It’s Regina’s curse, maybe she--”

“It’s your curse,” he interrupted. “I’ve had some time to think about that. Regina is powerful, but she couldn’t have made something like this. That had to be you.”

He took a step back, resting both hands on his cane. Twenty-eight years of isolation, of knowing that time wasn’t moving, but being aware of every moment. Twenty-eight years in a world he didn’t understand, separated from the people who mattered most to him.

Utterly alone.

No wonder Jefferson had changed.

He couldn’t fool him anymore. He didn’t want to. The poor boy deserved better than that. He deserved the truth.

“It was my curse,” he admitted. “Regina cast it, but I created it. That doesn’t mean I have any control over it.”

“How is that possible?” Jefferson growled. “How can you, of all people, not have control over everything?”

“Because, my boy, all magic comes at a price. The curse that destroyed our world and created this town is the most powerful piece of spellmaking I’ve ever touched. Part of casting it was sacrificing the heart of the thing you love most--and there are more prices yet to pay. I’m not willing to lose everything, but Regina was. So it is her curse. She rules this land until it breaks.”

Jefferson’s jaw clenched. “You said something like that before, back home. You said something about a Savior. It’s that Sheriff, isn’t it? The woman with the yellow bug?”

Rumpelstiltskin blinked. “How did you know that?”

“She came to town in October. That’s when things started changing around here. The clock on the library started moving, people started doing things they haven’t done before--not in twenty-eight years of living the same lives. Now there are people in town now I’ve never seen before.”

“Who?” Rumpelstiltskin asked. “The only new person I’ve seen is Emma.”

Jefferson shrugged. “There’s the guy carrying on with the schoolteacher, I don’t know who he is.”

“That’s Prince Charming,” he explained. “He was in the hospital until just after Emma came to town, in a coma.”

“Weren’t you all?” Jefferson said dryly. “Okay, I’ve got another one for you. Around New Year’s, a guy rode in on a motorcycle, definitely an out-of-towner. He stuck around too. Do you know who he is?”

Rumpelstiltskin’s lips parted, but he said nothing. A stranger came into Storybrooke? That shouldn’t have happened. This place was supposed to be isolated from the rest of the Land Without Magic. The only people who could enter were people who were already connected to the old world, people who were born there.

But if there was a young man who could enter the town freely, who had willingly stayed in this cursed place...

Before he could ask Jefferson more questions, the bell over the shop door rang again.

“My God, it is cats and dogs out there!” Mrs. Gold stood on the front carpet. Water dripped off the plastic shopping bags in her hands. The rain had plastered all her thin layers against her skin. She looked bedraggled and cold, and Rumpelstiltskin’s first desire was to get her out of those wet things and into a bath, to give her hot chocolate and wrap her in a blanket.

It was only when Jefferson took a step back that Rumpelstiltskin realized how close they had been. Too close for any two men to be standing together in this world, and far too close for Gold to allow anyone who wasn’t wearing handcuffs.

Mrs. Gold’s crystalline eyes took in the sight of them. Jefferson clutched Gold’s pocket square in his fist. Rumpelstiltskin’s hands still held out in mid-air, reaching for the younger man’s body. In an endless instant, he saw the shock on her face, the realization, the anger.

Then he saw her close herself off. It was like the turn of a lock, or the extinguishing of a flame. She went dead behind the eyes. When she spoke, her voice was thin.

“Sorry to interrupt your business, Mr. Gold. I just needed to come in out of the rain.”

“Of course,” he said automatically. He was too stunned to move. “But you weren’t interrupting anything, Mrs. Gold.”

Her lips pressed together at that. She said nothing, but looked up and down the length of Jefferson’s body. Then she moved past them both to get to the back of the shop.

Once she was behind the curtain, Rumpelstiltskin allowed himself to sigh. Closing his eyes, he shook his head. Though that was not the worst way this situation could have gone, it was still far from optimal.

Jefferson let out a low whistle. With a meaningful glance to the back office, he said: “So can I expect your call about the merchandise I requested?”

Limping back to the cash register, Rumpelstiltskin pulled out a notepad and a pen. He passed them over the counter to Jefferson. “Certainly, Mr. Dodgson. If you’ll give me your address, I can have it delivered to your house.”

He wrote down a series of numbers and an address: 316 Angus Drive. “Just let me know when it’s ready.” His voice lowered. “I’ll be waiting.”

Rumpelstiltskin nodded. “As soon as I can, my boy.”

#golden rings #rumbelle #mad gold #rumbelle fic

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swanqueeneverafter · 4 years

Text

The Once & Future Queen Pt.2

Storybrooke. Present. Mayor's Office. (Snow White sits down with the brand new Reporter for the Daily Mirror.) Reporter: "So, Snow White, tell us about what's been happening in Storybrooke recently?" Snow White: "Well, as you know it's been a pretty tough time for our family and Storybrooke's community as a whole. The last time Emma went back in time, she was back before any of us could notice, but it's been a week already and we just don't know when she'll return." Reporter: "You say 'when' as if you're certain Emma will be back?" Snow White: (Nods:) "Absolutely. There's not a doubt in my mind that Emma will be back." Reporter: "What makes you so sure?" Snow White: "Because that's what we do in our family. We find each other. Always." Reporter: "I see. Moving on slightly, Tiger Lily and Mulan were also victims of the time travel spell. How do you see them coping with their current situation, wherever they might be?" Snow White: "Mulan and Emma have travelled together before. She's a strong leader and excellent fighter, so I'm very glad that they're together in this. As far as Tiger Lily's concerned, I couldn't say." Reporter: "There are rumours that Tiger Lily was once Morgause's Fairy Godmother. That it was she who took the child to be raised by the High Priestesses of the Old Religion." Snow White: (Shaking her head:) "Uther Pendragon is the one responsible for what happened to his daughter." Reporter: "Very well. Tiger Lily's wand was found amongst the wreckage of Camelot's council chamber, is that true?" Snow White: "Unfortunately, yes. If Tiger Lily had managed to hold onto her wand, I believe she, Emma and Mulan would have already returned to us." Reporter: "Because that's how your daughter returned from the past the last time?" Snow White: "Correct." Reporter: "Okay. One last question for now then." Snow White: "Fire away." Reporter: "With Emma now missing, it neutralises the one thing Storybrooke had in its favour above all the United Realms; the combined magic your daughter shares with Regina." Snow White: (Shifts uncomfortably in her seat:) "And your question is?" Reporter: "Knowing that Morgana and Morgause are both still free, should the people of Storybrooke be concerned for their safety?" Snow White: (Takes a breath:) "As some people are aware, I have been taking over some of Regina's mayoral duties lately, which includes assuring the people that things are well in hand. All I can tell you is that as long as Morgana and Morgause are out there, no one knows what their next move might be."

Seas of Meredor. (Morgause and Morgana continue across the sea with the ferryman. Wyvern shriek as they fly around the fortress while the boat continues to the isle.) Enchanted Forest. Past. (Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell sit talking outside a tavern.) Tinker Bell: "Wait, so you're telling me that not only are you from the future, but where you're from those two are married?" Tiger Lily: "Shh, keep your voice down. (Nods:) Yes and they have a son and daughter together." Tinker Bell: "Wow. I guess the Pixie dust did lie." Tiger Lily: (Shrugs:) "Not really, I mean it did lead Regina to her True Love." Tinker Bell: (Considers, then smiles:) "Yeah, I guess that's true."

(Sitting at another table, Emma and Regina talk while Mulan stands a short distance away looking pensive.) Emma: "So, why didn't the King take you with him on his royal visit?" Regina: "Oh, my husband and King Midas are old friends. With Midas now a widower, Leopold thought I would be too bored while the men discussed business of state." Emma: "I see." Regina: "To be honest I think he much prefers when I stay at home to look after his daughter, Snow White. (Catches herself:) I'm sorry, that was rude of me, we've only just met and here I am burdening you with my problems." Emma: "Not at all. It must be hard to be viewed more as a babysitter than a wife." Regina: "Yes. Although in some respects, it's very much a relief." Emma: (Reading between the lines:) "You and the King haven't..." Regina: (Shakes her head:) "Oh, no. I am barely older than his daughter, and as 'Royal babysitter' it would be unseemly for the King to be sleeping with the help. (Both women chuckle at this:) There I go again, being most indiscreet about palace life." Emma: "Perhaps I make you feel comfortable enough to speak your mind?" Regina: (Smiles:) "I think you're right. (Picks up her tankard:) It's a refreshing change." (They clink their tankards together and drink.) Royal Guard: (Approaching their table:) "Queen Regina." Regina: (Turns to him:) "Yes?" Royal Guard: "Snow White sent me and my men to find you. She became worried when you weren't in your room this morning." Emma: (Under her breath:) "God forbid." Royal Guard: "What was that?" Regina: "Well as you can see, I'm fine, thank you very much." Royal Guard: "I have orders to escort you back to the palace." Regina: "And so you shall, after I am done speaking with my friend here." Royal Guard: "My orders-" Emma: (Rising from her seat:) "Listen, pal. The Queen and I were just talking, there's no need for-" Royal Guard: (Draws his sword:) "Stand back, wench, or I shall have you arrested." Regina: (Also stands:) "On who's authority?" Mulan: (Running in:) "Come on, Emma. Let's go." Royal Guard: "Listen to your friend, Miss, or there will be trouble." Regina: "Now wait just a minute." Royal Guard: (Grabbing Regina's arm:) "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I have my orders." Emma: "Hey! Get your stinking hands off her!" Royal Guard: "Out of my way, harlot." Regina: "Hey, you're hurting my arm!" Emma: "That's it." (Emma hauls off and punches the guard, sending him to the ground. Sighing resignedly, Mulan draws her sword and turns to the oncoming guards. Dispatching them quickly, the warrior turns back to see Emma straddling the man and beating his face to a pulp.) Mulan: (Pulling Emma off of him:) "Now we really need to go, before reinforcements arrive!" Emma: (Giving Regina her most regal bow:) "It was a pleasure, my Queen." (With that, Mulan and Emma take off running into the woods while Regina waves after them, smiling. As the Royal Guard staggers to his feet behind her, Regina elbows him in the face, knocking him unconscious.)

Isle of the Blessed. Present. (Morgause and Morgana approach an altar.) Morgause: “Samhain is almost upon us. We must hurry.” Morgana: (Stops walking:) “I can’t do this.” Morgause: “Sister. (Takes Morgana’s hand and together they continue forward towards the altar:) Remember what I told you. It is the only way. What you are about to do will affect everyone, even you. But most importantly, it will bring our enemies to their knees. You must be strong, remember that. (Morgause presents Morgana with a dagger:) Do not be scared. (Morgana takes the dagger:) I am not long for this world. There is nothing left for me here now. (Morgause weakly climbs onto the altar stone and takes Morgana’s hand:) Please, Sister, let my parting be my final gift to you.” (Morgause lies down.) Morgana: (Standing beside the altar, dagger raised:) “Eala leofu sweoster, paem gastum befaeste ic pe. Alys pa peoster pe inne onwunap.” (Morgana poises the dagger to strike, her eyes glow and she plunges it into Morgause’s chest. Morgause gasps. Morgana is blown off her feet.)

Xena & Gabrielle's Campsite. Woods. (Xena attempts to sleep while Gabrielle sits stargazing.) Gabrielle: “Looking out at the cosmos makes you think... about where we are... where we’ve been...where we’re going now.” Xena: (Rolls over and looks up:) “Yeah... and like the bigger now. Look. (Pointing towards the distance, both Xena and Gabrielle stare at the unusual activity taking place in the sky:) Have you ever seen anything like that?” Gabrielle: “No. But I think we’ve finally found where Morgana and Morgause are. What do you say?” Xena: (Nods:) “I say, let’s go check it out.” Isle of the Blessed. (Cailleach strokes Morgana’s cheek and Morgana wakes. Morgana sits up and sees the cloaked woman standing in front of the rift.) Morgana: “Who are you?” Cailleach: “I am the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world. You have torn the veil between the worlds. (Eerie screams echo from the rift:) The Dorocha. They are the voices of the dead, my child. And, like the dead, they are numberless. (Morgana looks around in fear:) You are right to be afraid, Morgana. Your enemies will rue this day and all the destruction it brings, but you must beware. Tearing the veil between the worlds has created a new world, and you will not walk through it alone. The one they call Merlin will walk in your shadow. He is your destiny, and he is your doom.”

Enchanted Forest. Past. (Having successfully evaded capture, Emma and Mulan find themselves outside yet another tavern. When the heavens begin to open however, they have little choice but to enter.) Tavern. (A man is scrubbing the floor of the tavern.) Man: “Ah, great to see the Sheriff didn't scare everyone off. (Stands:) What can I get for you?” Mulan: “Oh, we didn't come here for the ale.” Emma: (Looking around:) “Nor, clearly, for the ambience. We came... (Turns to see the man, who is revealed to be Robin Hood:) Uh...” Mulan: (Stepping in:) “To get out of the rain. Do you have rooms here?” Robin: “We do, yes.” Emma: (Regaining her thoughts:) “Great. We’ll take two.” Robin: “Yes, well, uh, they’re not free.” Emma: “Right! (Pats her pockets:) I don’t seem to... Mulan? (Mulan shakes her head:) We don’t actually have any money.” Robin: “Then you have a problem.” Emma: “But we’re willing to work for a room. Right, Mulan?” Mulan: (Nods:) “Certainly.” Robin: (Looking Mulan up and down:) “I'm not in that line of business anymore.” Emma: “No but, it seems, you won't be in the tavern business, either. Was that a tax notice I saw on the door?” Robin: “Get to the point.” Emma: “Please just let us stay here and we’ll work for room and board. You can’t say fairer than that?” Robin: (Considers:) “Hm. My wife was thinking about hiring some extra hands around the place.” Emma: (Laughs, relieved:) “You’re married?” Robin: (Confused:) “Yes.” Emma: “That’s wonderful news.” Robin: (To Mulan:) “Is your friend all right?” Mulan: (Nods:) “She’s had a long day, probably light-headed from exhaustion.” Robin: “Shame. I could have done with you starting tonight. This floor’s playing havoc with my knees.” Emma: (Reaching out for the cloth in Robin’s hand:) “Not a problem! So we have a deal, right?” Robin: (Hesitates then hands over the cloth:) “Agreed. (Removing his apron:) Your rooms are up the stairs to your right. Now if you’ll excuse me ladies, I think I’ll turn in and give my wife the good news.” Mulan: “Good night.” Emma: “Yeah, night.” (Robin leaves.) Mulan: “I don’t know what you’re so happy about. We just escaped the royal guards to work for a man wanted by the Sheriff.” Emma: “Oh, details details. Think big picture, Mulan. Now we have a roof over our heads, Robin Hood is married and I just flirted with a younger version of my wife.” Mulan: “Yeah, about that, I thought you were concerned about messing up the timelines?” Emma: (Agitated:) “You are just determined to see the bad side to everything, aren’t you? Look, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Now quit worrying, grab a sponge and help me wash this floor.” (Although still concerned by the day’s events, Mulan decides to let things go for now, instead concentrating on finishing the tavern floor so that they both might get some sleep.)

Village. Present. (On their way to investigate the odd light in the sky, Xena and Gabrielle pass through a village.) Xena: “It’s too quiet.” (They enter the village and all is silent. A door creaks loudly and they freeze until a goat bleats and wanders out. Continuing on, they enter one of the houses. Inside, they stare at the frosted corpses of some of the villagers.) Gabrielle: “What could have done this? (They turn as something flies past them:) You see that?” Xena: (Shakes her head:) “We are literally chasing shadows. Come on.” (They exit the house and search the village, now bearing torches. Xena splits off from Gabrielle when she hears a door shut in a barn. Gabrielle walks around cautiously and a chicken jumps out at her. She sighs in relief. Something shrieks quietly behind Xena and she sees a wisp of it as it exits the barn. Xena chases the shrieking wisp but loses it. Screams echo around Gabrielle. A wisp shoots straight for her.) Gabrielle: “Xena!” (Gabrielle uses her torch to repel the wisp.) Xena: (Running to her:) “What happened?” Gabrielle: “There’s something out there!” Xena: “You saw it?” Gabrielle: “When it saw the light, it fled. I don’t think it’s something you can chase or something you can kill.” (The shrieks echo.) Xena: “We need to get out of here.”

#sq #swanqueen #swan queen

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themattress · 3 years

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OUAT AND ME: SEASON 4

Story - The story for the first half of the season is the Frozen Saga and the story for the second half is the Operation Mongoose Saga. The Frozen Saga is about Elsa from Arendelle crossing over into Storybrooke in search of her sister Anna, bonding with Emma in the process and helping her face another Snow Queen who has a secret connection to both of them, while the Operation Mongoose Saga is about heroes and villains alike searching for the elusive author of Henry's storybook so that he can give them their happy endings.

The Frozen Saga is noteworthy for being the last time that OUAT was big in the mainstream, due to the ubiquitous nature of the Disney phenomenon it was capitalizing on not even a year after its release in theaters. And despite the initial apprehension of many, it's actually the Frozen elements that are the strongest part of this story. The flashbacks tell an interconnecting tale serving as the backstory of the present-day events much like the flashbacks of the Dark Curse Saga did, making excellent use of both Frozen and OUAT's established mythology. And the present-day story is all about the unexpected yet perfectly natural bond between Emma and Elsa, and it's honestly one of the strongest depicted friendships the show has ever had. The way the two of them are further linked through the Big Bad is also ingenious, bringing about a great feeling of cohesion to the narrative.

In fact, rewatching this arc after Frozen 2, it's kind of funny how I actually prefer it as a sequel to the original movie than the actual sequel! Like Frozen 2, this arc deals with why Elsa and Anna's parents left on their fateful voyage, the discovery of a secret from their mother's side of the family, a revelation of what the source of Elsa's power is, Elsa making peace with herself while Anna learns to be more independent and ends up marrying Kristoff, and a location called the Enchanted Forest. But it does so in a way that feels more true to the characters from the original film and avoids all of the pratfalls that Frozen 2 stumbled into. There's no over-its-head political message, no sisterly separation ending, and no Olaf.

Unfortunately, there are two subplots that put a damper on things. The first subplot starts off well enough, with Rumpelstiltskin returning to his former villainous glory as he sneaks and schemes and manipulates his way through a plan to obtain the power of the Sorcerer's Hat of Fantasia fame, but it sadly fails to stick the landing in a way that matches the build-up and there end up being no lingering consequences to it when there really should have been. The second subplot is horrendous, focusing on the increasingly skeevy romance between Regina and Robin Hood while also pushing Regina forward on a ridiculous quest to find the Author of Henry's storybook. Why? She believes some cosmic rule is preventing her from having a happy ending because she was written as a villain in the book (and not because, y'know, she was actually a villain in the past), and if she's rewritten as a hero she thinks that will change. Yes, that is the absurd idea that this whole subplot is founded upon, and the fact that everyone goes along with it as if there is an ounce of logic behind it is cringe-inducing.

Sadly, that subplot ends up becoming the plot of the Operation Mongoose Saga, which on the one hand gives Season 4 more connection between its two arcs than Season 3 had, but on the other hand it's so fucking stupid. Now, whenever it's Rumple leading around his villainous team, "the Queens of Darkness", to find the Author before the heroes can, things are fun and watchable in spite of the plot's stupidity. But whenever it's Regina and Robin's continued relationship angst or a horrendous new subplot about Snow and Charming having secretly been villains in the past by causing Maleficent to lose her child, it's tiresome and insulting. The finale, a two-parter actually named "Operation Mongoose", is highly enjoyable, but it can't fully wash away the taste of what came before it....or what it sets up to come after it.

Characters - Heroes and villains everywhere, and not always where you expect.

* Remember how in Season 3, Emma had a great character arc in the Neverland Saga but then it came to a halt in the Wicked Saga until the two-part season finale finally picked it up and resolved it? And that the Wicked Saga did her dirty by building her up as the only one who could defeat Zelena only for Regina to defeat her instead? Season 4 does kind of a repeating of these problems, except this time around they are a lot more glaring.

For most of the Frozen Saga, Emma has a great arc that's essentially her and Elsa's shared journey toward self-love; learning from each other to accept themselves and their innate powers without having to always rely on the approval of a loved one. But then, after a huge broo-ha-ha is made about how Emma must be the one to defeat the Snow Queen....she doesn't, and Anna barges in to help the Snow Queen see the error of her ways before Emma can lift a finger. She isn't even the one to save her own boyfriend from Rumple afterward, Belle does it instead. It makes Emma look like the definition of a Boring Failure Heroine.

And things don't improve for her in the Operation Mongoose Saga. Her roles are being subservient to Regina in spite of the abuse Regina had thrown her way in the previous arc, being unreasonably angry at her parents for keeping a secret from her, being vilified for daring to kill a heinous villain in defense of her son, going back and forth between being a friend or an enemy to her "dark half" Lily, and being hyped as the key to restoring reality to the way it was in the season finale...only for Regina, yet again, to end up taking that role away from her. I think it was Disney's insistence that Emma be tied to Elsa and have that arc in the Frozen Saga, because Adam and Eddy clearly couldn't care less about her.

* Snow and Charming....SIGH. In the Frozen Saga, Snow is the new mayor of Storybrooke...until the Operation Mongoose Saga, where she suddenly isn't anymore and Regina takes up the mantle again. Through both arcs, Snow reaches new levels of bad motherhood toward Emma while continuing to coddle Regina, which is not touching, it's creepy. Charming, meanwhile, is revealed to have been a long-haired coward during his shepherd days and owes his bravery and swordsman skills to Anna, which neuters just about any coolness he ever had. And then, of course, there's the egg-napping subplot from the Operation Mongoose Saga, where Snow and Charming are revealed to have stolen the egg containing Maleficent's baby, transferred Emma's darkness into it while Emma was still in Snow's womb, and then sent it away in a portal. All because of some nebulous prophesizing and interference from Isaac. And this revelation means, according to the show, that they were villains all along and thus all this time have been pious hypocrites who just do things the easy way rather than the right way. Doesn't Regina look so much better in comparison to them now? Because that's clearly the intent behind this fucking writing decision. Character assassination at its finest.

* Henry sucks, Henry sucks, Henry.....doesn't suck? Yes, for most of the season Henry is lamer than he's ever been, still being treated like a precocious kid character even though Jared Gilmore has clearly entered puberty. But then he ends up as the leading character of the season finale, and shockingly rises to the occasion. It concludes with him becoming the new Author, and this marks a turning point in Henry's character that has been a long time coming, which I will go more into detail about when I talk about the next two seasons.

* This is the season where Regina officially crossed the line into Mary Sue territory. She decides that Marian's reappearance means that she is being punished for being a villain...not because she actually was a villain, but because some Author dared to write her as a villain in a storybook, and that he needs to rewrite her into a hero so that she can get the happy ending that she's entitled to. And in true Mary Sue fashion, she warps the plot and characters around her so that nobody objects to this idea and instead whole-heartedly embrace it.

Every good guy in Storybrooke fights to help Regina get her happy ending, constantly repeating that she "deserves it" and has "come so far" even as she continues to act in ways contradicting that notion. In the end, she doesn't even need the Author since she gets Robin Hood back, gets the adulation of being a "Light Savior" who restores reality back to normal, and has Emma sacrifice herself to the Dark One curse in order to save Regina and her "hard-earned" happy ending. I think the scene that best displays the problem is in the flashback of the episode "Mother", where we see Regina in the past remorselessly murder a groom on his wedding day for no good reason, then immediately go cry over Daniel's grave since this is the anniversary of his death, and then we cut to present-day Regina mention how life always "kicks her in the teeth". Yeah, I kinda think life kicked that groom in the teeth WAY more. So where the Hell is the Author who's gonna give his poor widowed bride her happy ending?

* Rumple, for the most part, is great in this season. In the Frozen Saga, we see him going back to his Dark Curse Saga roots as he plays the role of the true villainous mastermind behind the female Big Bad, dealing and manipulating his way toward one single objective - in this case being to use the power of the Sorcerer's Hat to "cleave" himself from the Dark One dagger. And in the Operation Mongoose Saga, he steps up as the direct Big Bad who leads a team of other villains in pursuit of the Author, under the promise that he can give them their happy endings. It helps that Robert Carlyle is clearly enjoying himself; that fun is infectious.

Unfortunately, there is a problem: Rumple fails to stick the landing in his last three episodes of both arcs. In the Frozen Saga, his failure to absorb Emma into the Sorcerer's Hat seems to drive him bonkers because he then rips out Hook's heart, relying solely on commanding him to do his dirty work all while ranting and raving repetitively about how when the stars in the sky and the stars in the hat are aligned, he will cleave himself of the dagger and he will kill Hook to do so, and that Hook better enjoy so-and-so because it'll be his last and blah blah blah. It's boring and silly, and Rumple's arrogance as he keeps saying it just makes his failure that much more pathetic. And in the Operation Mongoose Saga, his suddenly revealed heart condition ends up taking its toll on him and he is ultimately unable to mount a final assault against the heroes on his own, requiring the far less impressive Isaac to do so instead. The "Light One" version of him that Isaac overwrites him with manages to put up a fight, but that's not nearly as good. Rumple as the Big Bad should have gone out with a bang, not a whimper.

* Hook remains one of the best characters in the ensemble, forced to reconcile his pirate past with his heroic present in both the Frozen Saga and the Operation Mongoose Saga. In the former, his fears of regressing allow Rumple to manipulate him into servitude, which Hook ends up fighting against until Rumple rips out his heart. In the latter, he contends with the way in which he'd wronged Ursula in the past, and with the help of Ariel (whom he also finally does right by), he is able to rectify his mistake and grant Ursula her true happy ending. I'm not really a big fan of his new modern leather jacket, though. The pirate coat was iconic!

* Following such a good Season 3 performance, Belle looks like she's on track to become even better at the end of the Frozen Saga when she finally sees Rumple for who he is and dumps his ass all the way across the town line. It was a powerful scene with some great lines from Belle, and by all logic it should have been the end of her and Rumple as a romantic pairing. They needed to be done after that, with Belle now being free to develop her character entirely apart from Rumple. But of course, Adam and Eddy would never allow that, so all she does in the Operation Mongoose Saga is date a man she doesn't actually love to soothe her heartbreak, fall passed out on the floor, have her heart stolen by Regina and then have it recovered by Rumple which causes her to inevitably crawl back to him at the end of the finale. As the next seasons will show, this damaged Belle's character beyond repair, turning her into the very Stockholm Syndrome-afflicted abuse victim that stupid detractors of the Disney version always claimed she was. This isn't a love story anymore. It's a horror story.

* Robin Hood is a regular for this season in all but title, being present for many episodes in the Frozen Saga and even getting his own focus episode in the Operation Mongoose Saga. If there was any chance of salvaging this horrendously misused character, it died the moment it showed that he still desired a relationship with Regina even after learning that she was the one who killed Marian, which would have stuck if not for Emma and Hook's time travel adventure. I'm sorry, who does that!? That is not realistic human behavior! And it only gets worse when he ends up deliberately and vocally throwing away his honor code by cheating on Marian with Regina while Marian is frozen solid and could possibly die! Oh, but Marian ends up being Zelena anyway, so all's cool. No! All's not cool! Why did this show make Robin Hood into such a lame character!? It's especially a disservice to Sean Maguire, who's a smooth and funny guy in real life and the Robin Hood he plays utilizes none of his charm.

* And then we have the regular in title only, Robin's former associate Will Scarlet, carried over from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Of all the screwed-over regulars the show has had, none can compare with Will Scarlet. He does little of interest in the Frozen Saga except for enticing viewers with various mysteries about who he is, why he's here and what's he up to...and those mysteries get absolutely no pay-off in the Operation Mongoose Saga, where he barely shows up and when he does is mainly just Belle's new boyfriend (whom she scarcely interacts with directly!) so that Rumple can get jealous and more determined to find the Author. In the end, Will Scarlet is a nuisance who has fuck-all to do with anything that's going on in the season, leaving viewers scratching their heads as to why he was included to begin with. I can't believe that in his last speaking appearance, the show actually has him deliver the line "I warn ya, I'm scrappy", to which Rumple replies "All right, Scrappy." It's funny because Scrappy, in the TV Tropes usage of the word, perfectly describes Will here.

So, what went wrong? Well, originally the Wonderland spin-off was meant to take place during Season 2 of the main show, with the originally filmed pilot making this explicit. So Will in Season 4 was to be the Will we have after the Wonderland Saga's conclusion, meaning somehow he'd gone back to Storybrooke and regressed back into a selfish, self-esteem lacking, seemingly heartless thief separated from his true love Anastasia / the Red Queen. Highly unoriginal of Adam and Eddy, but whatever, there were still plans to move forward with him as a character on the main show. But those plans failed to materialize and Michael Socha spent a lot of time on set doing nothing, a miserable experience which he was very vocal about afterward. And what was Adam and Eddy's excuse? "It’s just, you know, there’s just so many…there’s just so many people that it’s like, it’s sometimes hard to do that story and sacrifice Regina’s story. That’s just showbiz." It all comes down to Regina. Of course.

In the end it's for the best that the confirmation of the Wonderland Saga as taking place in Season 2 never happened in the pilot we actually got, since Will's existence in this season only makes sense now if it was happening before the Wonderland Saga rather than after, thus my headcanon will always be that Will's fateful break-in to Granny's was after it closed up on the night "Operation Mongoose" ended on rather than the night of the wraith attack.

* Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Hans, Grand Pabbie, Oaken, the Duke of Weselton, and the former King and Queen of Arendelle are all lifted from Frozen to OUAT, and for every character that required an actor they got an actor who perfectly brought the animated movie character to life. They are also written accurately as well, with Elsa naturally being the stand-out given how much she gets to do and the bond she forges with Emma. And then there are the new Frozen characters invented for the show: Elsa and Anna's aunts - the deceased Helga and the icy-powered Ingrid, who is also the Frozen Saga's Big Bad, the Snow Queen. Ingrid, played beautifully by Elizabeth Mitchell, is essentially what Elsa might have become if Anna hadn't been so unconditionally loving toward her - her mind warped by her past pain and trauma, embittered toward all normal people, and willing to cross any moral boundary to find a family and place to belong to. Her connection to Elsa and Anna is perfectly exploited, her interactions with characters like Emma and Rumple are fascinating, and her ending where she realizes the error of her ways and sacrifices her life to reverse the damage she's done is the show's most beautiful, emotional send-offs for a villain since Rumple's death.

* The Queens of Darkness are Rumple's cohorts in the Operation Mongoose Saga who also desire the Author to write them a happy ending. The initial group is the trio of Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella De Vil, and it's later revealed that not-so-dead Zelena is also a member.

Maleficent, in spite of being played competently by Kristen Bauer van Straten and having great fashion sense in both worlds, is the weakest of the initial trio, since she is saddled with the mind-bogglingly stupid eggnapping subplot. Ursula isn't actually reflective of the Disney version of the character (Regina already did that in Season 3) and is more like a dark version of Ariel in regards to her backstory. She also isn't nearly as villainous as her peers and naturally she is redeemed rather quickly and easily as a result. And then there's Cruella De Vil, who is not a fairy tale character so everyone feared how she'd come off. Well, she's not only the best of the trio but one of the show's best villains, period. Victoria Smurfit looks, sounds and moves like the cartoon character made flesh, backed up by strong writing that makes her both funny and menacing - especially the latter when it comes to her backstory, a twisted little tale that subverts the show's usual "evil isn't born, it's made" mantra HARD.

Zelena.....SIGH. Like I said before, Adam and Eddy were dropping obvious clues that she wasn't really dead at the end of Season 3, which begged the question why they did a fake-out death to begin with. Apparently, it's because of this season's twist where, with almost no foreshadowing whatsoever, Marian is revealed to actually be Zelena in disguise, having traveled back in time with Emma and Hook and then killed the real Marian in order to take her place. She's revealed to then be pregnant with Robin Hood's child (since he slept with her thinking she was Marian...therefore, she raped him) before being hauled right on back to Storybrooke prison again. It's awful writing, salvaged only by Rebecca Mader's performance.

* We get some welcome returning characters this season, including Sydney Glass, Blackbeard, Ariel, Cora, and against all expectations August Booth. There are some interesting new side characters introduced as well, such as warlord Bo Peep (yes, really), Ursula's father Poseidon played by the great Ernie Hudson, and the Sorcerer's Apprentice, keeper of the Sorcerer's Hat and the Author's boss, meaning he naturally plays a major role throughout the season. The Author himself is Isaac Heller, played by Patrick Fischler, and he turns out to be a surprise villain who abuses his powers to influence events, which an Author is not supposed to do. While I wish he didn't take over the Big Bad position to such a degree in the finale, Isaac is still a very entertaining villain, especially when he's playing off of Regina and Rumple. His sardonic and cynical attitude also make him the perfect foil to Henry.

And then there's this season's biggest waste of a new character: Lilith "Lily" Page. There are three major problems with Lily. First of all, her origin - she's Maleficent's child that Snow and Charming kidnapped, passed all of Emma's natural-born darkness onto, and sent through a portal when she was still in an egg. It's so utterly stupid. Second, she is played by a Latino actress as a child only to have a white actress playing her as an adult. How does that work!? Finally, for all of the build-up she receives, she and her story go absolutely nowhere after she is reunited with her mother. They even make a point of giving her a scene toward the end about wanting to find who her father is, and that never gets followed up on. Even worse, the next story arc is all about Emma going dark, which Rumple had been trying to make happen throughout this arc and Lily was linked to, and yet Lily, her literal dark half, ISN'T involved!? Honestly, Mal from Descendants made a better "daughter of Maleficent" character! MAL!

Atmosphere - The Frozen Saga's atmosphere is very...Frozen-y; I don't really know another word to describe it. At least whenever it's focused on the Frozen characters. The Rumple subplot gets progressively darker to the point of becoming unpleasant, while the Regina subplot is just romantic and existential angst 24/7. These atmospheres don't fit in with the Frozen one at all, which is a testament to how Adam and Eddy are going the wrong direction with this show. Once the Operation Mongoose Saga happens, the atmosphere of the show goes insane, flip-flopping back and forth between family fairy tale wholesomeness to dark and disturbing and depressing to campiness on a level that feels off even for this show.

Episode Quality - For the most part, the Frozen Saga's episodes are perfectly fine and entertaining, although stretching out the 8th episode, "Smash the Mirror", into a two-parter was a horrible idea that cost the show terribly in the ratings. The only two standouts of badness are the 5th episode, "Breaking Glass", which introduces Lily in the flashback story while the present day story is all about Emma just having to sit back and take Regina's verbal abuse in spite of doing nothing to deserve it, and the final episode, "Heroes and Villains", whose only redeeming quality is the scene with Rumple and Belle at the town line, which doesn't even have lasting consequences. For the rest of the episode, we either spend time giving the Frozen cast a rushed, underwhelming send-off, having Rumple continue to abuse Hook while none of the idiot heroes catch on, fixating even more on Regina's angst as she has to let Robin Hood leave town in order to "save" "Marian", and watching a stupid Rumbelle-based flashback introducing the Queen of Darkness trio. In short, the episode is more the start of the Operation Mongoose Saga than it is the end of the Frozen Saga, which feels like a slap in the face to the last thing that made this show relevant to the mainstream.

And the Operation Mongoose Saga's episodes....actually got a lot better on a rewatch!? Don't get me wrong, this story arc is BAD. But when you detach yourself emotionally from the show and its characters, it becomes So Bad It's Good. It's as if the entire saga is Isaac's fanfiction; after all, it truly got started in "Heroes and Villains", and that's the name of Isaac's book in the "Operation Mongoose" two-part finale. Some episodes are unironically fun: "Darkness on the Edge of Town", "Poor Unfortunate Soul" and "Sympathy For the De Vil", but the other episodes are also fun when you just embrace how batshit crazy this whole story is and just enjoy watching how these poor actors are struggling to make something out of the material, and it's just as much fun when they fail as it is when they succeed. "Heart of Gold", the Robin Hood focus episode that reveals the Marian = Zelena twist, is one I have a soft spot for, because between Mader and Carlyle's acting, the scene of that reveal is hilarious.

Overall - Season 4 is basically the inverse of Season 2. Whereas Season 2 was horribly structured but a lot of strong material in either writing or acting was able to make it stronger than the sum of its parts. Season 4, on the other hand, has a solid structure with two inter-connected story arcs, but the material gets so increasingly shoddy that it doesn't matter. Until Seasons 6 and 7 came along, this was definitely the weakest season the show had to offer. If you don't mind a So Bad It's Good quality, then you should stick with the entire thing. But if you only want something that's actually good, then just watch all of the Frozen material.

#Once Upon a Time #ABC #OUAT and Me #Opinion #Analysis

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eirian-houpe · 4 years

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“We Never Stopped Being Enemies.”

Fandom: Once Upon a Time (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold

Characters: Belle (Once Upon a Time), Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, child (Torren)

Additional Tags: Negotiations, Angst, love and anger, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Work That One Out If You Can

Series: Part 3 of Lover's Leap

Summary: Belle and Rumplestiltskin are suddenly plunged deep into a crisis point in the relationship between two other individuals; in literally a matter of life and death. Belle and Rumple both suffer from strong feelings of deja vu in resolving this couple's issue.

Read on AO3

“We never Stopped Being Enemies.”

Rumplestiltskin had begun to relish these times. The times where he would sit and spin, while Belle pottered here and there, dusting the mantle, offering the occasional snippets of conversation. Oh, sometimes he pretended to be irritated at her chattering, telling her she was disturbing his spinning, but the last few times Belle hadn’t fallen for it one little bit, and surprisingly, that suited him just fine.

“…And then I wondered, why it is you never have guests? I know you have friends, at least there’s one person I’ve seen with free access to the castle?”

“Jefferson?” he guessed.

“Yes. Why don’t you invite him. It’s Harvest soon and…” she paused in her dusting to turn and face him. “It would be… nice to have—”

She cut off mid sentence, frozen mid wave of her feather duster so abruptly that as he stood up from the wheel, Rumplestiltskin looked towards the doors, expecting to find Regina stalking toward him. There was no one. He looked toward the mantle, which she had been dusting to see if there were anything on there that could have caused this. Still nothing, and they had long since moved the amber goblet that seemed to trigger the Fairy’s curse to the cabinet, so there would be no accidental contacts to send them careening off into some other reality.

It had already happened too often as it were.

“Belle?” He frowned, and moved with growing urgency toward her. “Belle…!”

He waved a hand in front of her face, with no effect. So, still suspecting foul play, foul magic, he snapped his fingers, sending the power of a neutralizing spell her way. She wavered once, and would have dropped to the ground like a stone had he not been so vigilant, and caught her up in his arms.

As he carried her toward the chaise longue he felt the first creeping tingle of magic not his own…

She had been carrying a feather duster, but now she held a baby, cradled tightly against her chest. He was wrapped in a blanket and seemed entirely undisturbed by the jostling caused by her hurried progress along the corridor that stretched ahead of her. It was unlike any hallway she had ever seen, and if she didn’t know better, she would have said the walls were made of some kind of metal.

Her heart started racing as the emotion of the woman she was caught up with her and subsumed her, their melding more complete by the second. She was being pursued, and she knew without a doubt that she couldn’t afford to be caught.

Desperately, one by one, she began to press a hand to the panels of the wall, and it took her just a moment to understand that she was looking for one that would open. She glanced behind her as she heard footsteps coming closer. If she couldn’t find it…

Just when she believed she would not, the panel beside her gave a quiet click and swung out just a little - just enough. She reached in and pulled down the short ladder that would help her to climb inside, and once she was, she carefully set the baby down beside her so that she would have both hands with which to pull up the ladder, and close the panel.

She held her breath, fearing that if she even breathed too loudly, her pursuer would hear her, find her. Even as she did, her child began to fuss, and she picked him up and cradled him close once again, hushing him gently and trying not to let her fear get the better of both of them.

The castle dissolved into a blue-lit room filled with unfamiliar surfaces; tables that held strange picture frames that were connected to a horizontal rectangle filled with small square buttons, each with a letter or a figure displayed on them. These stood next to another surface filled with larger, triangular buttons… and for a moment nothing made sense to him.

The dislocation was dizzying, and in an attempt to steady himself, Rumplestiltskin looked down at himself, at his hands. Those, at least were strangely familiar. Not exactly as his scaled hands with sharpened nails, but not the color of human flesh either. The sight began to calm him and he stalked over to the full length glass window that looked down on the room below, where a huge circle stood on a raised platform.

Gate

The word came to him out of nowhere as the meld began to take a better hold, as awareness of who and what he was came to him. He looked at his reflection in the window, at the brown leather he wore, form fitting and functional; at his halfway human appearance, barely a mark left on his cheeks where there should have been slits beneath the butterfly shape of his eye sockets. Even those were gone, and his hair was short cropped and held more brown than the proud white of his kin. He was not as he had been created, but he had done this; manipulated his appearance to be more pleasing to her. His one. His only. His Queen.

He was here for her, and for the child he had been instrumental in creating. He would have his way.

He returned to the console and the computers, everything more familiar to him as the seconds and minutes ticked past. He saw movement behind him, reflected in the glass, and he turned to face the creatures - soldiers of his own creation, hybrids between his kind and the humans he had taken as prisoners - they were empty handed, and his temper mounted.

“Where is she?” he demanded, and his voice held a strange, tonal harmony all of it’s own.

“We don’t know,” one of them said. “We searched everywhere.”

“Are you telling me she just disappeared?” It was a phrase Rumplestiltskin himself might have used, but the delivery of who he was now was filled with simmering anger, and not the flamboyant sarcasm with which he would have imbued the words.

“I'm saying that we searched every room and corridor within the stun field. We couldn't find her anywhere.” Even though the words suggested otherwise, the tone was one of utter respect and obedience, as he would expect.

Darker, dearie, he thought of his new self. Much darker.

Despite the respect he was shown, his anger raced toward a peak.

“She knows this city well. She's hiding somewhere.” Another feeling, familiar to Rumplestiltskin welled inside. The need to vent, to destroy, and he picked up the laptop from the desk beside him and hurled it across the control room to watch it shatter against the wall. “Toying with me!” he snarled.

His soldiers shifted nervously, and in his tone, as one of them spoke, Rumplestiltskin heard fear. “We’ll keep looking.”

“No.” He barked. “I’ll handle this.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Flush her out,” he announced, and moved to the other console, rapidly entering a sequence on the controls there. After barely a moment, an alarm began to sound.

Belle started as first an urgent tones began to sound, and then his voice… the one two whom she was drawn even though she knew that she should not, came over the city’s comms. Myriad thoughts flashed through her mind. He had always treated her with a dichotomy of respect and admiration, and unyielding possessiveness. She should despise him, but she could not. If she were honest, perhaps, the opposite was true. It was a familiar feeling to her, as much as it was alien to the woman she was here.

She started again as he called her name, his voice reaching her over the city’s comms.

”I know you can hear me. That alarm – if you're not aware – is the self destruct device. I've armed it; set it for ten minutes.”

She swallowed, holding her baby closer. How could he do this? Why would he if she and the child were who he wanted?

“That is the amount of time you have to consider the offer I'm about to make you.”

A deal? He was offering her a deal.

“Rumple?” she whispered softly against her baby’s downy hair. Was this what they were to correct? Was the pull this woman felt toward that man, that beast the same as her own… true love?

”If you will surrender yourself and your child to me, I'll disarm the device, sparing the lives of everyone on this base. If not, you, your baby and everyone else will die.”

Belle took a breath as a realization his her, hard, twisting her insides into a knot. The conditions that Rumplestiltskin had set upon her for her part in failing to protect him from the fairy curse - that she would share it - if that were true then…

“It isn’t his to correct the wrong here… it’s mine.” She murmured, but could she be that brave, and was she reading the situation right?

It didn’t matter. Lives were at stake. Her child’s, her people, her friends.

Slowly, carefully, she climbed out of the space behind the panel, holding her son tightly as she did.

“We don’t have much time,” Rumplestiltskin blinked, and turned to frown at his underling. He had almost forgotten he was there. “We need to leave this place.”

He shook his head and turned back as if he could see the one he needed, the one he desired as he spoke aloud again.

“Time is short,” he said, calling her by name again. Hoping to appeal to the natural leader in her; the one that would move the heavens to keep those she cared for safe. “I don't understand – I would think the choice is an easy one.”

Rumplestiltskin began to feel a sense of familiarity in the feeling behind the words he spoke as this… man. Was this their task then? To reunite these two?

“If nothing else, consider your child. By remaining in hiding, you are sentencing him to die. What kind of mother would do such a thing?”

“Turn off the self destruct system.” The voice behind him was steady in its sense of command, in spite of the trepidation in it. He spun to face her, wary of her presence, even now. He saw no sense of recognition in her, and did not recognize Belle in this stranger until…

“My people… my friends… they will all live?”

“You have my word,” he answered, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. It was Belle, he was certain of it. The words so familiar to him that the sense of deja vu was almost overwhelming.

She nodded once, and took a step closer to him, and he sensed it as an act of good faith from her as she said, “Turn off the self destruct and I will go…”

Belle’s eyelids fluttered and she took a deep breath, feeling the warm fire nearby, the softness of the chaise on which she lay, and hearing the crackle of wood, burning nearby. She also felt a heavy weight resting across her waist.

She looked down, her heart filling with a sudden pang of softness as she saw Rumplestiltskin resting where he must have fallen, his arm and his head lay across his lap. It was turned her way

“I will go, with you, forever,” she finished as a whisper, lifting a hand to run her fingers through Rumplestiltskin’s hair before he could awaken.

#rumbelle #negotiations #angst #au #au-gust #canon compliant #canon divergence #work this one out if you can #brownie points

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welllpthisishappening · 4 years

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Welllp This is...Sports Fic

Oh hai there, internet. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy and there’s plenty of your favorite drink in your cabinets. If you, like me, miss sports, I have a vaguely shameless self-promotion for you because I have written just...a copious amount of sports-type fanfiction. Mostly Captain Swan, but I’ve started to tread into Bellarke and now arrive with this almost well-organized list.

We run the gamut here, so there’s everything from hockey to lacrosse to soccer and basketball. And, you know, if there’s something else you want to see or read about, I’m running out of features to write in the real world.

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Tripping Over the Blue Line Rating: Mature Chapters: 40

It's a transition. That's what Emma's calling it. She's transitioning from one team to another, from one coast to another and she's definitely not worried. Nope. She's fine. Really. She's promised Mary Margaret ten times already. So she got fired. Whatever. She's fine, ready to settle into life with the New York Rangers. She's got a job to do. And she doesn't care about Killian Jones, captain of the New York Rangers. At all.

He's done. One more season and he's a free agent and he's out. It's win or nothing for Killian. He's going to win a Stanley Cup and then he's going to stop being the face of the franchise and he's going to go play for some other garbage team where his name won't be used as puns in New York Post headlines. That's the plan. And Emma Swan, director of New York Rangers community relations isn't going to change that. At all.

They are both horrible liars.

More under the cut, because seriously there’s a lot

More in the Tripping Over the Blue Line Universe

We'll Take a Cup (defense) of Kindness Rating: Mature Chapters: 2

It's one night. New Year's Eve. And a whole list of rules. Because Regina might have actually lost her mind. Or maybe that's just Emma. Because they've played a million games in two days, or it's at least felt that way, and planning an outdoor practice a few weeks before the Olympics seemed like a good idea at one point. Now it just seems insane. So she's going to wear this dress and kiss her boyfriend. A lot.

He's good. Better than good. Great. The greatest. It's New Year's Day and, yeah, sure it's freezing, but Killian hasn't actually tried to push Scarlet on the Subway tracks yet so that seems like a step in the right direction. So he's a little distracted a few weeks before the Olympics, but that's fine. It's good. Or it'll be good. Eventually. Soon. In the meantime he's probably just going to kiss his girlfriend. A lot.

The PyeongChang Triple Rating: Mature Chapters 15

It’s the Olympics. The. Olympics. And Emma’s running out of post-it notes to write schedules and plans on and there are more games and more expectations and not enough time for any of it. She’s fine. Totally. Absolutely. If she could just sleep. Or stop feeling as if her knees are going to give out every time she stands up. Or get Ruby to stop staring at her like that. It’s fine. After all Killian Jones, captain of Team USA, keeps promising it will be.

He’s going to win. Again. At the Olympics. And Killian’s not nervous. Not about that. It’s hockey. He could play hockey in his sleep. Probably. He’s never tried that. But he probably could. And, sure, there are expectations and games and schedules and barely any time for what he wants to actually be doing, but winning a Gold medal isn’t bad. After all, Emma Swan, temporary New York Rangers Olympics team social media manager, keeps promising it will be.

They’re fine. They’re going to win. Together.

Going Top Shelf Rating: Mature Chapters: 20

It's more than just one season.

It's hits and goals and being the face of the franchise and events and family and road trip facts. It's on-ice injuries and off-ice dramas and weddings and cross-country flights and shouting in the stands. It's games and holidays and traditions and athletic-based superstition.

It's life and it's not just hockey and as far as Emma and Killian are concerned, that makes it even better.

A collection of 'Tripping Over the Blue Line' one shots from before, during and after the original story.

A Biscuit in the Basket

Or: the AU of the AU where Will and Belle adopt a kid

Also Blue Line one shots are under 4K stories that only get posted to Tumblr.

OTHER HOCKEY STORIES

Whistled for Icing Canon One Shot

Elsa leaves a bit of magic in the forest just outside of Storybrooke and it’s reason enough for the town to investigate. Or start up a game of hockey.

What Used to Be Limes Rating: Teen One Shot

Killian Jones is only a little worried that he’s not going to survive his first season in the NHL. With a snarky roommate and a fridge that’s barely boasting a few limes, it’s going to be a close call. At least he’s got one thing going for him: his best friend Emma Swan.

Who he just happens to be in love with.

A Rooting Interest Rating: Teen One Shot

This is all Ruby’s fault. Emma doesn’t normally work behind the bar, but Ruby’s sick and there’s something happening at the Garden this weekend and she knows she can help.

She gets behind the bar and starts making drinks and it isn’t so bad when some guy who only wants water shows up.

Or when he leaves a pretty good tip. Two tickets to the hockey game. She assumes that’s what’s happening at the Garden.

BELLARKE HOCKEY Connecting on the Wraparound Rating: Mature Chapters: 15, WIP

Bellamy Blake is exhausted.

Sick of the game that’s been at the center of his life for as long as he can remember, and the reputation he’s garnered because of it, Bellamy is desperate to get away from the ice during the NHL All-Star break. So, without much thought to what he’s doing or why he’s doing it, Bellamy heads home, to the place he thought he could never come back to.

It’s a stupid idea, really, or so Octavia has told him seventy-six times, but then Clarke Griffin is standing in front of him and her daughter is an even better skater than Bellamy is and, all of the sudden, Arkadia seems like the most important place in the world.

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BASEBALL

You Play Ball Like a Girl Rating: Mature Chapters: 47

Emma Swan had a plan. Get the story. Get the byline. Up her Twitter follower count. It was simple – she was going to take over the New York City journalism world. And she was going to do it from the sideline with a credential around her neck and a pen stuffed in her hair and a fierce determination no one was going to be able to put a dent in.It was the perfect plan.That plan just failed to factor in Killian Jones.

Sliding Down the Hill Rating: General

Emma Swan's phone rings and she makes a quick, split second decision. She keeps doing that. She makes choice after choice and change after change and, suddenly, she's crying on ESPN. That's probably the last thing she expects.

Or: A not-quite a Little League World Series AU.

Back in the Swing of Things Rating: General

The Sliding Down the Hill sequel.

Safe Upon Review Rating: General One Shot

Henry won’t stop crying. And Emma can’t sleep. Or stop worrying. And it’s snowing. Of course it’s snowing. She’s not sure what she thinks Mary Margaret can do, but she’s certain she can fix it and the drive across campus should only take ten minutes and….Mary Margaret isn’t there.

It’s the anniversary of something. And Killian is in the room by himself. With a questionable amount of takeout food. And it’s snowing. Of course it’s snowing. He’s not sure when David will get back, but he’s certain it’s too early when he hears the noise in the hall and…David isn’t there.

Step Right Up and Greet the Mets Rating: General One Shot

Emma doesn’t want to go.

It’s going to be a goddamn disaster because the Mets really aren’t that great and no one on that team will give Jacob deGrom any run support and she doesn’t want Killian to freak out when he sees Mary Margaret live and in action at Citi Field. Mary Margaret is not actually playing the game.

Mary Margaret doesn’t know that.

But none of those things seem to matter and Killian agreed to the invitation and now, a few months into a relationship that sees Emma thinking all kinds of things, they’re going to Queens. Batter up, or whatever.

Start Spreading the News Rating: Teen One Shot

Emma Swan is just looking for something that’s hers. She’s fairly certain she’s found it in New York, with a group of friends and a good job and picture frames on her apartment walls. But then the past she’s spent so long trying to ignore shows up where she least expects to find it – wearing pinstripes in right field at Yankee Stadium.

More Famous Than a Yankee Can Rating: Teen One Shot

The sequel to Start Spreading the News from Killian’s POV

Batting a Thousand Rating: Teen One Shot

If asked, Emma would promise she doesn’t mean to start dating her brother’s sworn baseball enemy. But she also knows David didn’t mean to hit Killian that one time in college and, well, you can’t predict baseball.

and it’s subsequent Tumblr-only one shot sequels

Puppy Love The Yankees host an adoption event. Killian wants to adopt a puppy.

The One Where They Elope Basically what’s on the tin.

Pace of Play

She can’t believe she’s never noticed it before. Because, honestly, Emma can’t even come up with a number to try and calculate how often she’s watched Killian step into the batters box. And that’s the thing. He never really steps out, either. It’s a weird approach, but that could be the subheadline for their lives at this point and she’s mostly concerned with the power behind that swing.

A Long-Standing Rivalry Killian and David start buying the other’s kid merch for the opposing team. It’s absurd.

Hitting Against the Shift Rating: Teen One Shot

She has no idea how this works. She doesn’t know what’s a hit or what’s an error or how, exactly, to cope with the way he looks in those pants. Seriously, they’re good pants.

But when Killian showed up at her door that morning, promising “we just need someone to play, love,” Emma couldn’t figure out a reason to say no. So, here she is, playing the game on the field and off it, with half a hope and, honestly, far too many thoughts about his pants.

She’s a mess, really.

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LACROSSE

Playing Man Down Rating: Teen Chapters: Two

Emma’s boyfriend, ex-boyfriend, thank you very much, makes the incredibly large mistake of telling she shouldn’t want to coach at the prestigious lacrosse camp he’s working at this summer. So, she sets out to prove girls can check just as well as guys.

Even if she’s not admitting she’s a girl.

Or: a “She’s the Man” AU, but with lacrosse

Marking Up Rating: Teen One Shot

Killian had no expectations going in.

Mostly, he’s just made his teammates stole his phone. But then that leads to this and a date and Emma Swan and...she doesn’t know anything about lacrosse. He can work with that.

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ESPORTS

Where You Can Still Remember Dreaming Rating: Mature Chapters: 35

Killian Jones, former crime reporter, was not happy to be home. It hadn’t been home in a very long time, after all. Home was an abstract construct that existed for people who didn’t know as many adjectives for blood as he did. Home wasn’t New York City, but it certainly wasn’t Boston or New Orleans either and he’d always gone where the story was. And he was positive Emma Swan was one hell of a story.

Emma Swan, pro video game player, desperately wanted to find home. She thought she had, a million years ago in the back corner of a barn and a town and faces she trusted. But that had all blown up in her face and it didn’t take long for her to decide she was going to control the pyrotechnics from here on out. So now she was in New York City and a different corner and she kind of wanted to trust Killian Jones.

Neither one of them expected a year of of video games and feature stories to dredge up old enemies and even older feelings, but, together, they made a pretty good team.

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BASKETBALL

A Touch of (March) Madness Rating: Teen Chapters: Two

Emma can't quite remember how it started or why it happened, just that it did and she wants to win. Desperately. To prove something. Probably.

Or just to beat Killian. Either or. It doesn't matter.

She's picked her teams and her upsets and she's got a string of trash talk ready for any potential on-court situation. They're not playing the game, but they're playing a game and this one might change everything.

Or: The March Madness AU about questionably competitive friends and very strong college basketball opinions.

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SOCCER

It's a Funny Old Game Rating: Teen Chapters: Two

Killian's not sure why he agreed to this. Well, no, that's not true. He does. Because Henry asked. And, well, maybe they're some kind of family now.

Emma's not sure why she hasn't said anything. Well, no, that's not true. She does. Because she's not supposed to. And, well, things were pretty good already.

Or: A quasi Out of the Frying Pan sequel with soccer.

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THE OLYMPICS

Holding the Edge Rating: Teen One Shot

Killian Jones does not want the questions. He doesn't want the interviews or the spotlight or the sky-high expectations.

The world, however, does not seem to care. The world, after all, loves a good comeback story.

And Killian Jones is one heck of a comeback story. With his eyes on gold. And maybe slightly gold'ish hair and green eyes and, yeah, maybe he's got some questions of his own.

Almost Believing, This One's Not Pretend Rating: Teen Chapters: Two

They don’t grow up skating together.

They don’t even want to start skating together.

But then life happens and they kind of need each other and maybe that sentence means a lot more than either one of them are willing to admit at first. Or ever. So they keep skating and, sometimes, winning and, always, ignoring the questions. There are a lot of questions.

Because how could two people have so much chemistry on the ice when they’re just partners?

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BOXING

Pulling Your Punches Rating: Teen One Shot

It’s not meant to be a secret relationship. But Emma can’t help that her and Killian’s friends are incredibly unobservant. And then it becomes something of a game, waiting to see how long they notice. Until Killian gets hurt. Emma can’t help anything after that.

#cs ff #captain swan #bellarke ff #listen the sports #i like them #seriously i hope you guys are all staying healthy!#here's a lot of kissing too #as if you'd expect anything else from me really

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bobasheebaby · 4 years

Text

60 Once Upon a Time Prompts

Clearly I’m trying to keep my mind busy. 60 OUAT quotes I love this time. Most of these are angsty again, but some are sweet or hopeful. I tried to pick ones that would work for most if not all books. Another long one so breaking at 15 again.

1 "When I win your heart NAME, and I will win it. It won't be because of any trickery. It will be because you want me." — Killian James Hook

2 “Magic always comes with a price." — Rumplestiltskin

3 "Maybe I don't need answers. Maybe I just need to punch you in the face." — Emma Swan

4 "True love isn't easy, but it must be fought for because once you find it, it can never be replaced." — Prince Charming

5 "Your happy ending may not be what you expect. That is what will make it so special." — Snow White

6 “I will find you. I will always find you.” — David/Prince Charming

7 “Love makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease.” — Rumplestiltskin

8 “Now that I know you love me too ... “ “I don’t.” “ ... what?” “Love you. I don’t. I’m sorry. You said I would always be in your heart, and ... that is too cruel a fate. Go live your life. Live it without me, because there is no place for us together. And fill your heart with love for someone else — someone who can love you the way I never have. The way I never will.” — Prince Charming & Snow White

9 “What do you see in me?” “Evidently the same thing you see in me. A second chance.” — Evil Queen & Robin Hood

10 “I’m sorry, do ... do I know you?” “No. But you will.” — Belle & Mr Gold

11 “I do hope you like apples.” — Regina Mills

12 “What the hell are you doing here?” “Helping.” “Well, you’re too late.” “Am I?” “I thought you didn’t care about anyone but yourself.” “Maybe I just needed reminding that I could.” — Emma Swan & Killian James Hook

13 “I love you, NAME. I just wish I was strong enough to stop all this. I’m just not.” “You may not be strong enough, but maybe we are!” — Regina Mills & Emma Swan

14 “The future isn’t always what it seems. I will see you again.” — Belle

15 “Why should we trust you?” “We don’t have to. If he/she tries anything, I’ll shoot him/her in the face.” “Quite hostile, aren’t we?” “Just being clear.” — Emma Swan, David Nolan & Killian James Hook

16 “We have history together.” “That would explain the distrustful look on her face.” — Regina Mills & Mr Gold

17 “Because hero’s do what’s right ... not ... what’s easy.” — Snow White

18 “You promised me the truth, not a bloody tour.” “The truth is tricky. You have to look for it.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan

19 “‘Envy’ is just another word for ambition.” “Well, that’s just ... not true.” — Zelena & Evil Queen

20 “NAME, I’ve seen what life has thrown at you, and you still fight against the darkness every day. Sooner or later, your heart will find its way to happiness.” [sighs] “that doesn’t feel possible.” “But it is. I know you, and you feel things deeply, with or without it, you feel things with your whole soul. Don’t let anything hold you back.” — Snow White & Evil Queen

21 “You must leave, because despite what you hope ... I’m still a monster.” “Don’t you see? That’s exactly the reason I have to stay.” — Mr Gold & Belle

22 “Love is sacrifice.” — Mulan

23 “I know love when I see it.” — Princess Aurora

24 “I suppose this is your doing.” “Most things are.” — Regina Mills & Mr Gold

25 “That thing out there is dangerous. And NAME ... he/she left to protect you. So even if I don’t believe in his/her methods, I’m going to honor his/her wishes. I’m going to keep you safe.” — Mulan

26 “You’ve grown so much.” “You know me?” [smiles] “I’m your mother/father/grandparent/aunt/uncle.” — Anita & Red Riding Hood

27 “No matter what you might’ve done in your past, NAME sees the good in you, and ... that tells me one thing.” “What?” “That it’s in there. So if we can all see it, why can’t you?” — Belle & Ruby

28 “I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose your family.” “I didn’t lose my family today. I protected it.” — Snow White & Red Riding Hood

29 “You saved me.” “No. You saved yourself. I just reminded you of what you already knew.” — Ruby & David Nolan

30 “He’s/She’s not that powerful.” “Love how you underestimate me. Adorable.” — Ursula & Rumplestiltskin

31 “NAME. Shall I move some things, make a bit of space for your rage?” — Mr Gold

32 “Two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy ... can accomplish even more.” — Mr Gold

33 “He’s/she’s a snake, NAME. You need to be careful you get into bed with.” — Regina Mills

34 “You didn’t pick a great friend in NAME, NAME. But he/she does make a superlative enemy.” [smiles] “Enjoy that!” — Regina Mills

35 “I believe you can do anything you want, as long as you can dream it.” — Dreamy (dwarf)

36 [about love] “It’s the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope, it fuels our dreams. And if you’re in it, you need to enjoy it. Because love doesn’t always last forever.” — Belle

37 “Now go, find your love. Find your hope. Find your dreams.” — Belle

38 “You see me as a villain, NAME. But that’s just your perception, you’re wrong. Learn your place in this town/country, or soon enough you won’t be in it.” — Regina Mills

39 “Well, if you can’t beat him/her/them ... drink.” — Sidney Glass

40 “Love makes people do foolish things.” — King Leopold

41 “I thought you’d only risk your life for love or revenge.” “One other important thing — me.” — Tinkerbell & Captain Killian James Hook

42 “There’s not a day that will go by that I won’t think of you.” “Good.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan

43 “Please, you couldn’t handle it.” “Perhaps you’re the one who couldn’t handle it.” — Emma Swan & Killian James Hook

44 “There’s nothing more important than family.” — Evil Queen

45 “You were right, NAME. You don’t abandon family.” — Evil Queen

46 “How can he/she remember who you are, when he’s/she’s lost sight of who he/she is?” — Jiminy Cricket

47 “I‘ve spent far too much time looking for my husband/wife. It’s time to bring him/her home!” — David Nolan

48 “Ok, don’t take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you get here?” — Emma Swan

49 “I want justice.” “Tread carefully. It’s dangerous to confuse vengeance with justice.” — Princess Aurora & Mulan

50 “Why can’t you just listen to me?” “Why couldn’t you have trusted me?” — Mary Margaret & Emma Swan

51 “Family is everything, my dear. Losing all hope of having one — there is no greater misery.” — King George

52 “Just who are you, NAME?” “Wouldn’t you like to know.” — Killian James Hook & Emma Swan

53 “You know, there's not a ton about my father/mother that I remember that doesn't suck. But he/she used to tell me that there are no coincidences. Everything that happens, happens by design, and there's nothing we can do about it; forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny, whatever you wanna called it, the point is... maybe we met for a reason. Maybe something good came from us being together.” — Neal Cassidy

54 “Well, who doesn’t love a surprise?” — Emma Swan

55 “Doesn't matter now. I'm over it. And you.” “Why do you wear the, uh ... key chain/necklace/ring/item I got you?” [stops short to think this over, then pulls the item off and hands it back] “To remind myself never to trust someone again.” — Emma Swan & Neal Cassidy

56 “There's no greater pain than regret.” “Try abandonment.” — Mr Gold & Neal Cassidy

57 “I'm not sad. I'm pissed. Yes, NAME just died, but I lost him/her years ago. All that time thinking that he/she didn't love me, only to find out that he/she did, and it was too late. I can't even tell him/her how angry that makes me, or how much it hurt when he/she left, or how terrified I was when he/she came back. I knew the moment I saw him/her, I never stopped loving him/her.” — Emma Swan

58 “We've only been together eight months. I've had leftovers in my fridge for longer than that.” — Emma Swan

59 “I say we fight!” “Fighting is a bad idea. Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything.” “And how many wars has a clear conscience won?” — Prince Charming & Jiminy Cricket

60 “Oh, you foolish girl/boy! Don't you know? Love is weakness.” “No. It’s strength!” — Cora & Emma Swan

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worryinglyinnocent · 4 years

Text

Fic: The Real Housewives of Storybrooke (18/?)

A fic based on this premise here, following the lives of Storybrooke’s elite wives, with all the scandal, bitching and backstabbing that goes on behind the scenes of high society…

This verse is open for prompts!

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[One] [Two] [Three] [Four] [Five] [Six] [Seven] [Eight] [Nine] [Ten] [Eleven] [Twelve] [Thirteen] [Fourteen] [Fifteen] [Sixteen] [Seventeen] [AO3]

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ARIEL

“Well, I don’t think we can deny that we had an interesting night last night.” Ariel stirred a generous helping of sugar into her coffee and looked at her watch. “Where is this guy anyway? And what possessed us to have a brunch meeting the day after the gala?”

“It was the only day that he could do,” Eric said. “He’s coming from California, so we should probably be accommodating if we’re hoping to get any business out of him.”

“Well, the least that he can do is turn up on time.” Ariel sighed, taking a huge gulp of coffee before looking at the menu. “Screw it. The next time the waiter comes over and asks if we’re ok, I’m ordering. Politeness only goes so far on an empty stomach.”

“Do you think that this will put a dampener on Zelena’s enthusiasm for causing havoc?” Eric asked.

Ariel made a face. “Of course not. She’ll probably just move her focus for a while. Belle’s proved that she’s not to be messed with, and that’ll knock her for six a bit, but then she’ll be back with a new target.” She paused. “It does make me wonder who she’ll pick, though. She’s failed with me and Belle, she’d never succeed with Regina, and Mary Margaret’s got bigger things to worry about…” She trailed off as the restaurant doors opened, peering around Eric to get a better look at who was coming in. “Speak of the devil.”

Eric surreptitiously glanced over his shoulder, and both of them watched Zelena enter the restaurant, looking around furtively before allowing herself to be led to a free table. She didn’t see Ariel and Eric in their corner.

“I wonder why she’s acting so secretive then? It can’t be out of embarrassment at Robyn dragging her out of the party last night. I don’t think embarrassment is in her nature.”

“Well, she’s at a table for two. She’s probably meeting someone.”

“That still doesn’t explain the secretiveness.” Ariel’s eyes narrowed. “She’s up to something. I can tell.”

“New boyfriend?”

“No, no, she likes to show them off.”

“New boyfriend whilst still attached to the old one?”

Ariel considered this for a moment and shrugged. “Perhaps. It’s got to the stage where I wouldn’t put anything past her.”

The doors opened again, and Ariel had to put all thoughts of Zelena and what nefarious schemes she might be planning aside, as their potential client had arrived.

“I’m so sorry I’m late; I got lost. Storybrooke’s changed a little since I was last here. You’ve certainly come up in the world.”

“It’s fine, Mr Jones,” Eric said. Eric had always been the diplomat out of the two of them, and there were several occasions when Ariel was very glad of it. This was one of them. “We were just about to order, what will you have?”

A waiter appeared next to their table as if he’d teleported there, taking their brunch order.

“I’ll have the French toast with extra bacon, fruit salad and a side of hash browns.” Ariel handed her menu back to the waiter and raised an eyebrow at Killian Jones as he chuckled. “Do you have a problem with that, Mr Jones?”

“No, no, not in the slightest. I always like to see a woman with a healthy appetite.”

Ariel made no comment, but looked across the table at Eric, who gave a barely perceptible little nod. They’d always had a way of communicating without words, ever since they’d first started dating, and it had become even more nuanced since they had started their business together. They were both thinking the same thing - Killian Jones was definitely one to be watched closely, and not just because Ariel was certain she knew him from somewhere. She didn’t remember seeing him around Storybrooke although he’d said he’d been here before, and she was racking her brains for where she knew the name from.

The food arrived and the talk turned to business, everyone becoming more comfortable once small talk was off the menu. Ariel was soon distracted from her concerns by hard bargaining, and it was only once they had concluded proceedings and Jones had left that she remembered she’d been spying on Zelena up until the point he’d arrived.

She looked over at Zelena’s table. She was still there, and now she’d been joined by someone.

“Uh oh. That cannot be good.”

“What?” Eric muttered. “Don’t tell me, Zelena’s plotting something.”

“Of course Zelena’s plotting something. She’s never not plotting something. I’m more worried about who she’s plotting it with.”

“Yes?”

“She’s with Victoria Belfrey.”

Eric looked over his shoulder and Ariel reached out quickly and turned him back round. “Don’t be so obvious about it! Honestly, you’d make a terrible private eye.”

“I don’t think it’s a job choice for either of us, frankly. What do you think we should do about this?”

Ariel pondered for a moment. “You know, I think we ought to take refuge in audacity. She’s obviously trying to be sneaky about it, and neither of us are very good at being sneaky, so we might as well be obvious. After all, she can’t hold the queen of local gossip-monger forever.”

Eric gave her a pleading look. “Please, love, don’t sink to her level.”

Ariel smiled wickedly. “I have no intention of doing so. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t make her think I’m going to. Let me finish these hash browns and we’ll get started.”

With hash browns eaten and the bill paid, they made their way out of the restaurant, with Ariel purposefully leading Eric past Zelena and Victoria’s table.

“Oh, Zelena!” she said, stopping suddenly and almost causing a waiter to upend a mimosa over Zelena. “Fancy meeting you here. It seems that everyone’s out for brunch after last night’s festivities. And Ms Belfrey, although I don’t recall seeing you at the party. Still, I’m sure you had a good reason for not attending. I didn’t know that you and Zelena were friends. Anyway, it was lovely to run into you. Must dash.”

With that, she left the restaurant before Zelena could get a word in edgeways, Eric jogging along after her.

“What was that all about? And now what are you going to do?”

“Now, I am going to do precisely nothing,” Ariel said. “I just wanted to put them out of joint. The trouble with Zelena is that she assumes everyone is like her, so you can bet she’ll be scared stiff that the news of her having a clandestine brunch meeting with the enemy is going to be all over town by tonight. Let her jump to conclusions and try to perform damage limitation. She doesn’t know that you and I’ll be keeping this information to ourselves.”

Eric smiled and wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders as they made their way home.

“I never had you down as the devious type.”

“Darling, how long have you known me?”

“Ok. True enough.”

Ariel just laughed. It was good to give Zelena a taste of her own medicine once in a while. All the same, she did wonder what they were up to.

BELLE

Belle did not usually consider herself to be a particularly fidgety person, but sitting in the maternity unit waiting room, she found that she just couldn’t keep still.

“It’ll be ok, I promise.” Cameron reached across and closed his hand over her agitated fingers. “Everything will be fine.”

“I know, I know you keep saying that, but you can’t know for certain. I’m just so terrified that something’s going to have gone wrong. I keep thinking that maybe I’ve been wanting this baby too much, and now that I’m finally pregnant and I’ve been so excited and so happy about the whole thing, fate is going to turn around and bite me in the backside.”

“Why would it do that?”

“I don’t know. I’m just scared.” She sighed. “I wasn’t scared until I actually got in here. Up until then, I was really excited to be seeing the baby for the first time. But then everything just started creeping up on me. What if they can’t find a heartbeat?”

“Belle, I am sure that everything will be fine, and if it’s not, then we can cross that bridge when we come to it.” Cameron leaned across and kissed her, pressing his forehead against hers. “Whatever happens, we’re together. I’ve got you, love.”

“Mrs Gold?” The sonographer came through into the waiting room. “If you’d like to follow me, then we’ll take a look at your baby.”

Belle held Cameron’s hand tightly as they made their way into the sonography room, and the technician got Belle settled on the bed, squeezing out gel over her tummy.

“You’re ten weeks along, aren’t you?”

Belle nodded. “Yes.”

“Excellent. All right, let’s take a little look.”

It seemed to take an awfully long time of the sonographer moving the wand around and clicking about on the computer screen before she finally spoke, and Belle thought that she might have cut off the circulation in Cameron’s hand, she was squeezing it so hard. Everything had to be ok. She couldn’t have got this far only for things to go wrong now without her even knowing.

“All right.” The sonographer was smiling as she turned the monitor around so that Belle and Cameron could see it, and Belle let out a huge breath of relief. “Everything’s shaping up very nicely in there. Your baby is about the size of a strawberry, which is just what we’d expect at this stage of the pregnancy.” She pointed out the outline of the baby on the screen, along with the tiny flickering dot at the centre. “That’s the baby’s heartbeat. Everything’s looking just the way we want it to, so all we have to do is make sure that it stays that way. Right now, there’s nothing to worry about in terms of the baby. They’re doing just fine, so just keep doing what you’re doing.”

Belle gave a little sob of relief, and Cameron kissed her cheek. Although their child was barely more than a shape on a screen, it was so good to see it and know that all of her hopes had paid off.

#Belle French #Ariel #OUAT fanfiction #Fic: The Real Housewives of Storybrooke

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treatian · 4 years

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The Chronicles of the Dark One: The Dark Curse

Chapter 205: A Father’s Love

Regina was a tricky little devil. He was partly to blame for that, but he wasn't willing to excuse the fact that Cora was her mother or that she'd been brought up as a spoiled little girl by her father either. When he'd first met her, she'd been innocent and naïve. Now that she knew what the world around her was capable of, he knew there were times to excuse himself from her presence. After the fiasco with Count Edmund, for example, he found himself purposefully staying away from her to the extent that when she'd come to his castle one night, screaming his name, demanding to know what he'd done, he'd made himself invisible and stood in a corner, tolerating her destruction of his things, knowing full well that the important things were safe from her. It wasn't that he was scared of her, not by a long shot; no, he had more power than Regina ever would. But he recognized that from now on, he had a tricky role to play in her life. After what happened with the Count and Charlotte, he had appeared before her as an enemy, but he was ever aware that there was time she would need him to be her mentor, still, and other times that she'd need him to be her friend. He'd hidden from her that day because he knew that if she found him, that might be the end of it. When the Count hadn't shown up, and Snow and David continued to live, it hadn't taken her much to put two and two together, and she was so furious that if she got her hands on him, she would have severed their bond so that he would never have been able to appear before her as a friend again. By hiding and letting her take out her anger on his objects, he allowed her to vent her rage towards him at having failed, then go home to wallow in her despair, a place that he would still be able to reach her.

Soon enough, he'd sensed, probably from the Seer, she would let him into her world again. This time when he explained the loophole to the protection spell he'd placed on the Charmings, she would be receptive. She would listen. And the divide would be crossed once more. So he kept up his watching, kept himself fully tuned into the future in his head, and waited to be called to go to her. But he didn't expect it would happen as it had.

In the early morning on the day Snow and David were to be married, he received a summons, one he probably would have answered out of boredom even if the Seer hadn't pressed him to go, but it hadn't led him to Regina, at least not directly. Instead, it took him out into the courtyard where the former queen kept her apple tree, to a man he'd seen several times in his life, who practically had haunted him, and yet he'd never had a conversation with.

Henry.

Cora's husband.

Regina's father.

He wasn't ashamed of his past. He simply preferred not to acknowledge it. Everything he'd ever done, good or bad, was to get back to Baelfire. If he let himself wander too far from that truth, his past sins might kill him. But Henry…

Henry always made him uncomfortable. The idea of talking with him now, standing before him as he was, made his heart race, and he struggled to keep the mask of the Dark One in place before him. Sometimes he thought it might have been the old man's age. He'd already been well over one hundred by the time he'd pursued Cora, and he hardly ever felt his age or even felt like all those years had gone by as they had, but when he looked at Henry, he felt like he could feel every last year he'd ever lived. He was white-haired and wrinkled, a far cry from the handsome young Prince he'd once been in so many ways. When he looked at Henry, he felt like he should have been food for the worms, old and buried by now with his son next to him as his grandchildren brought them flowers for their graves. He'd tried, ever since his indiscretion with Cora, never to pay Henry much attention for that reason. Why he'd summoned him for a face to face meeting now, after all these years…it was a mystery to him.

"You?" he laughed, trying to pretend like he didn't care. "Well, there must be a mistake. Surely you wouldn't summon me. Your daughter could give you all you want!"

"It's not about what I want; it's about what she wants. What can you do for her?"

"I'm sorry, who?"

"Regina!" he stressed, stepping closer to him. There was an old weathered piece of paper in his hands. He kept running his fingers over it, pinching and releasing it, changing his grip on it over and over, nervously. What was it? "I know I don't look like much, but I'm smarter than I appear. I know about you and Cora, just as I know you've taught Regina to be as her mother," he admitted extending his hand so that he might take the paper.

Damn it. It was a letter, one that he'd written to Cora long ago. It had started with "My Love." He regretted those words now. Looking at them made him sick, especially when he thought of what he still felt for Belle. How could he ever have confused what he felt for Cora as love?

"I don't care who you've taught her to be. All I want is my daughter's happiness, for her to live in peace. If you can do something to help her, I'll gladly pay the price."

He believed that. Truly he did. But this wasn't something that involved him. At least not until it came time to cast the Curse.

"I've already done something to help her," he explained, folding the paper and sticking it into his pocket. "She wouldn't take my help."

"Then convince her!" Henry begged. "I fear for her if she doesn't find help. Cora belonged to you, no matter what she said-"

"-Cora belonged to her magic-"

"-but Regina is all I've ever had in this world," he stated, ignoring his correction. "She's all I ever wanted and all I've ever had to be proud of. I can't stand to see her in this state."

He smiled and took a step closer to dear Henry. It was ironic. He couldn't stand to see his daughter in this state. He didn't have much of a choice. If his vision of the future was right, his sacrifice was going to be what it took to get her out of this state.

"And…you would be willing to…die for her...if that were the cost of her happiness?"

Henry's eyes went wide as dinner plates, and he flinched, considering his words and what he'd just said. If he truly was smarter than he appeared, he would know what those words meant. But would he be willing?

Henry nodded. "If that is the cost," he vowed.

Poor old man.

He laughed and tapped his fingers together. "Well then…let's go see, Regina!" he declared.

With another nod, Henry turned to lead him to wherever Regina was.

Oh, he could see what he meant. When Henry walked into her chamber and proclaimed, "You have a visitor," he made quick work of the situation and appeared behind her so that by the time Regina snapped "who?" and her father turned to usher him in, he was already there, watching Regina stare into her mirror.

"You need to ask?" he questioned, drawing her attention away from the mirror. His appearance didn't change her mood, not that he'd really expected it to. It was a perfectly lovely day for a wedding. He doubted that she'd see it that way. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad idea. There was, after all, one little thing in his plan he didn't always account for. Whats and whos and whys were important, of course, but when manipulating a situation, when trying to force the hand of someone who didn't want to be forced, whens could also have their own power. "What other friends do you have, dearie?"

"You're no friend," Regina snarled as her father made his way out of the room. "Have you come to relish my suffering?"

"I thought you'd want someone to help raise your spirits. Especially on a day like today!"

"What's so special about today?" she questioned as he got to his feet. He beamed…as if she had no idea.

"Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding, of course. Didn't you get an invitation? Me neither." Which was sorely unfair considering how much of a hand he'd had in their union. He'd go so far as to say that without him, none of this would be happening. Such gratitude… "Still, nice to be able to see them declare their twoo love in front of their entire kingdom. A happy ending after all."

"And, because of you, there's nothing I can do to stop it," she spat back at him before heading to her vanity. "'No way to harm them in this land ever again!'"

He fought an urge to roll his eyes. She thought she was so brilliant, and yet she hadn't figured out the biggest loophole of all, the only chance that she had for revenge. She just had to be humble enough to follow the plot that he'd laid for her.

"Yes. Yes, I suppose that's true…in this land," he said carefully, emphasizing the last bit so that she would hear a hint of hope in his voice. He'd told her this before, he'd told her about taking them elsewhere…but she'd been stubborn then, filled with hope that the Count could do what she could not. He hoped she just needed reminding.

It worked. The Evil Queen stopped where she was and turned. "What?"

"The deal I made was explicit. You can never harm them in 'this' land. Now, were you to bring them to another land…well…" he smiled at her and watched as understanding finally perked her up. Her chin raised, she smiled, and a spark of light lit up the black behind her eyes. Amazing what the brain could forget when revenge ran wild, amazing how just one little reminder could bring it all back.

"Told you I was your friend," he muttered before disappearing. He had a wedding to watch after all…and Regina had a curse to usher in.

#Rumbelle #Rumple #Rumpelstiltskin #Dark One #Belle #Cora #Queen of Hearts #Regina #Evil Queen #David #Prince Charming #Snow White #Snowing #ouat #ouat fanfiction #fanfic

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cssns · 5 years

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Event Roundup Time!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO sorry y’all!!! I completely forgot to do an event roundup!!! Please forgive me!!! Fanmail from @killianjones4ever82 brought it to my attention and I’m so glad she did! We had an incredible summer and we need to have a post that can be easily accessed with all the fabulous fics and gorgeous artwork that dropped for the event! So without further ado, here we go!!!!

Under the cut, because this is gonna be a LOOOOOOONG post!!!

Here is a link to the entire collection of fics on ao3.

@welllpthisishappening opened us up this year with her first fic for the event, All the Subliminal Things. Rated T with four chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke.

Emma Swan does not believe in soulmates.

Or so she says. Because if her soulmate did, actually, exist, he should have shown up by now. So, she must be a fluke, a broken cog in a system that really doesn't make much sense anyway. It is, she figures, why she agrees to meet David's friend before Regina and Robin's wedding. This guy doesn't believe in soulmates either.

She's intrigued.

Until she hears him talk. And everything flips after that.

At the end of June, Laura posted All Was Golden In the Sky. Rated M and we have five chapters left. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke, extra artwork by @distant-rose and @optomisticgirl can be found on Laura’s chapter blog posts.

Magic is dying.

Emma knows it. She can feel it, the emptiness rattling around in her, like it’s trying to make sure she disappears as well. What she doesn’t know is what to do about it, because, suddenly, there is a man in Storybrooke claiming she’s the Savior and a seeress certain a prophecy promises the same and the last thing she expects is for her minimal amount of lingering power to pull her away.

To New York City.

And another oddly familiar man with blue eyes and a smile that sinks under her skin and makes magic bloom in the air around her. Things are about to get interesting.

@darkcolinodonorgasm posted One Day, a LadyHawke AU with artwork by @sherlockianwhovian. Rated T and we are two chapters in.

By day, Emma is the beautiful swan gliding over the waters of Misthaven's pond, but when night falls, the voice of the wolf the people living in the little town hear is Killian's cry. The curse was meant to be forever, to keep them always together yet eternally apart. No force in Heaven would be able to break such spell, nor any force on Earth. Or so Emma and Killian thought.

Towards the end of June Sara posted Hidden Paths Between the Moon and Sun, the sequel to her Hades and Persephone AU, Until the Stars Are All Alight. Artwork by @sherlockianwhovian. Rated M with one of six chapters so far.

The King of the Underworld has never taken a vacation before, not a proper one and not one that lasted more than a few months. Now that his firstborn is capable enough to take the throne ad interim, Killian can finally show his beloved Queen the world, giving her the honeymoon they never had the chance to have. But the King’s plan doesn’t stop quite there.

@allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 posted original art Killian Falls for Siren Emma

Come all you pretty fair maids, whoever you may be

Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,

My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold, There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold.

and Paranormal Photographers/Reporters.

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell Restless bones etherealize Rise as spooks of every size

@donteattheappleshook posted Just Human Vol2, the sequel to her submission last year, Just, Human. Artwork by 1 2 by @djlbg. Rated M with five chapters. COMPLETE.

A continuation of last years CSSNS story Just Human. Now that Killian is a ghost and Mary Margaret knows everything, what does life have in store for a group of supernatural misfits? With the threat of Gold gone, Emma learns that sometimes just being human is the most complicated challenge of all.

@thislassishooked posted Wake Me Up Inside. Rated M with three chapters so far. Artwork by @tennant-the-tigger.

Killian Jones has lived longer than any man has a right to live. Most would argue that what he was doing was not living, but merely existing. The day he lost the love of his life was the day he lost the will to live, but instead of ending his life he inadvertently became the strongest being on earth and unfortunately indestructible. His mortal enemy followed him into immortality and craves the power only Killian possesses. With his brother by his side and the help of a quirky, blonde hematologist, who makes him question whether he is ready for death after all, he will fight against evil, but more importantly, for the cure.

@let-it-raines posted Not Your (Soul)Mate. Rated M with sixteen chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork 1 2 3 4 5 6 by @captainsjedi.

Killian Jones doesn’t like the idea of soulmates. He sees how happy his friends are with theirs, but he still doesn’t like the idea, not when he’s found love and lost it time and time again only to still not know his sign. He has no markings on his skin, no voices in his head, but then one day he meets Emma Swan and everything changes. Because, well, he may not have ink on his skin to tell him who to love, but the very first time that he hears Emma’s voice he knows that she’s the one for him. Then again, that could simply be his desire talking. After all, for every word she speaks, he becomes aroused.

It’s not the worst thing in the world to be incredibly attracted to a beautiful woman, but things aren’t that simple when she doesn’t have any interest in being his soulmate.

He’s screwed. And not in the good way.

@shireness-says posted A Drowning Soul Will Clutch at Any Straw. Rated T one shot. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Though this is far from Killian Jones' first encounter with a mermaid, he's never met any quite like this blonde siren. Together, can they break a cruel curse?

@snowbellewells posted her first fic for the event, Face to Face in the Broad Daylight, her sequel to last years Run to Me (In the Dead of Night) in early July. Rated T with five chapters so far. Artwork by @branlovestowrite.

Here we have a sequel to my werewolf, alternate season two and beyond fic from last year’s CSSNS. You probably want to read that story "Run to Me (in the Dead of Night)" first, or it might be a bit confusing in places. This second story in the same universe partially exists just because I wanted to revisit these couples and enjoy a bit more of their fluffy happily ever afters. However, we may also see them get into some new surprises and challenges, and of course we need to see if Rumplestiltskin is still under control or back to his usual scheming and plotting. I hope you will enjoy.

Marta also posted at the end of July A Story Told at Last. Rated T with three chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @branlovestowrite.

Historical Literature Professor Henry Mills has the chance of a lifetime before him. He might finally uncover the truth of a folktale that has intrigued him for years. But, when the whole story comes to light, will he be able to accept the story that needs to be told?

@thejollyroger-writer posted her first fic of three for the event, Love After Death: The Afterlife Hotel. Rated T one shot with artwork by @captainsjedi.

Emma Swan has spent sixty years in the afterlife believing she was never going to meet her real soulmate, after believing in the wrong name tattooed on her wrist. But when she keeps seeing the same new guest of the Afterlife Hotel around, might she be able to learn how to love again?

Megan’s second fic for the event was What Happened in Berkshire. Rated G with two of three chapters posted. Artwork by @captainsjedi.

When Emma’s boyfriend leaves her for the woman he’s been cheating with, she accepts an offer from her hospital to move to England. While she is out celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her friends before they head back to America, she drunkenly kisses the statue of Captain Hook in front of Eton College, and he comes to life. Together, he and Emma try to figure out what this curse means for them by searching for the witch that cursed him in the first place — are they really True Love, as he wants to believe they are, or did Emma’s magic go awry?

Megan’s third fic for the event was Falling Paws Over Heels. Rated T one shot. Artwork by @captainsjedi.

Captain Killian Jones -- the notorious Captain Hook -- has heard all kinds of stories during his travels around all of the realms. But the story that has always interested him the most is that of the enchanting sorceress of Storybrooke, a small town in the Enchanted Forest's Misthaven, the sorceress who takes men to her bed, but will only give her heart to the man who befriends her cat. Will Killian be the one who finally has what it takes?

@gingerchangeling posted Luck of the Irish. Rated M with one chapter of seven so far. Artwork by @resident-of-storybrooke.

Emma needs parent volunteer hours. So she offers to chaperon Henry's upcoming field trip to the museum. Its just a pack of prepubescent angst ridden children, an exhibit about dead people, and a rock used in blood sacrifices with a curse carved into it. What's the worst that could happen?

@jarienn972 posted A Simple Spell. Rated T with six chapters so far. Artwork by @cocohook38.

This story is my entry into the 2019 Captain Swan Supernatural Summer event and is my first venture into AU territory. Storybrooke remains our setting but I've switched up some of the characters and familial relations to better suit this tale of prodigal witch Emma who returns to her birthplace to learn lots of secrets about herself and cast a spell that could change everything.

@profdanglaisstuff posted The Very Witching Time. Rated M with six chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @gingerchangeling. Extra artwork by @mariakov81 can be found on Saira’s chapter posts on her blog.

Emma Swan is a hereditary witch, last in a long line of wise women who for centuries have guarded the coast of Maine and the small village of Storybrooke with their homemade cures and their ancient magic. She holds the delicate balance between magic and mundane, but now that balance is threatened by a new foe, one capable of bringing an end to everything Emma is and everything she loves. To defeat it she will need all her power, help from her friends and neighbours, and the loyalty of a very unusual dog who answers to the name of Killian.

@searchingwardrobes gave us the first of two fics for the event, An Education in Southern Gothic. Rated T with two chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Fact: there’s a graveyard between the football field and the science building. Debatable: a ghost haunts the halls of Misthaven Hills High. Emma Swan is about to get an education. Killian Jones is about to get a whole lot more.

Melanie’s second fic was titled Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee. Rated M with eight chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @hollyethecurious.

Every night, she traces the contours of his body as Killian whispers words of love against her skin. But can Princess Emma ever be fully happy with a husband who only comes to her in utter darkness? A Captain Swan AU of the Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche.

@spartanguard posted Sick of Love. Rated M with three chapters. COMPLETE. Artwork by @sherlockianwhovian.

If Emma’s not careful, she just might bump into her soulmate. Physically. And while she might like the idea of what comes with that—an almost psychic connection whenever they make skin contact—she’d rather not deal with the awful withdrawal sickness that can come when they inevitably leave her; she’s got a son, so she doesn’t have time for that. So she keeps herself covered and thinks she’ll be okay. Until she meets Killian, who does the same thing. Will their barriers protect them, or just hurt them more?

@snidgetsafan posted Whom the Gods Love Die Young. Rated G (for the moment) with one chapter so far. Artwork by @tennant-the-tigger.

The bride bit into the shiny red apple as everyone cheered around her, the wedding ceremony ending with this ritual gesture. The clapping and hurrahs soon turned to screams of horror as Snow dropped the apple, choking and clutching her throat as she fell in her groom’s arms, a last I love you leaving her lips before she died, David’s screams the loudest of all.

David and Emma travel to the Underworld to claim back Snow after her untimely death. In order to do so, they're going to have to face the dark and mysterious God of the Underworld and complete his challenges.

Seems simple enough until you add magic, divine quarrels, and the worst thing of all: feelings.

@eastwesthomeisbest posted original artwork, The Love of the Samodiva Pts1 and 2.

In Bulgarian folklore Samodiva is an ethereal female wood nymph. She is unearthly beautiful and eternally young. Her hair is blond and long, her waist is thin and petite, her eyes can bewitch and dazzle or even kill. Any man who lays eyes on her instantly falls in love. Samodivas’ attire consists of long white gowns and shirts and a rainbow-coloured or green belt. They have a white mantel, also called a shadow, in which their power lies. They like to ride deer, using twisted snakes for reins and often carry with them bows and arrows.

If a huntsman accidentally kills a samodiva’s deer, she will make him blind or give him a disease which will inevitably lead to his death.

The wood nymphs live in dark forests, in big old trees, caves or forgotten huts which are near water sources, wells or rivers.

Samodivas can be spotted from spring to autumn. In winter they live in the mythical village Zmeykovo, which is located at the edge of the world and is a home to many mythical creatures. When they are on earth they are active at night and disappear immediately when the sun comes out, because they fear it.

At twilight, the samodivas go to fresh water sources, strip naked, wash themselves and their clothes which they lay out to dry in the moonlight. They keep a watchful eye on their drying clothes, because if a man steals their mantle, where their power lies, they turn into normal women and have to obey the man. After washing themselves and their clothes, the samodivas gather around and start singing and dancing. It is known that the samodiva’s songs are the most beautiful and their dances are the most graceful. If a late traveller sees the samodivas’ dance, he is enticed to join them and dances with them from midnight to dawn. When the sun’s rays appear, the nymphs disappear in haste and leave the traveller to die from exhaustion. The samodivas love music and often kidnap shepherds, so that they can play kaval (shepherd’s pipe) for them while they dance.

Samodivas are not always harmful. Sometimes they appear like normal working women and help with the harvest. They would especially help women with children. If a man does something good for a samodiva, she becomes his patron or a sworn sister. Sometimes, a samodiva can fall in love with a human and bear him children, who grow up to be great heroes.

Samodivas are forest creatures and therefore knowledgeable about herbs and cures. However, they never share their secrets willingly. The only way to obtain their knowledge is to eavesdrop on one of their gatherings.

@courtorderedcake posted two fics for this years event. Hallow rated E with eight chapters so far with accompanying artwork 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11.

"The Goblin King was prepared to host the Darkness, stealing Fae women away to their corrupted lands underneath the ground as concubines. The Darkness chose another in his stead, but not before this selected vessel enacted a devastating attack in its vengeance, revealing its hatred & rage. The battle was a lesson the old kings had forgotten; never underestimate an opponent. Many more lives were lost as they razed over any who dared defy The Goblin King's will. Only the pure love of our rulers united in matrimony, breaking the Vorpal Dagger, sealed the darkness and the Goblin menace away. The light flourished under their fair rule, and the queen bore a child as pure as moon beams, swan feathers, and starlight. They lived happily ever after, and shall be written in history as Heroes for All Time."

This is the history Princess Emma memorizes from the day she is born, paraded about and presented only with the highest protection. The palace is a cage she wishes to escape, desperately. Not careful what wishes she made, Emma discovers history is written by the victors - The Dark One has an entirely different version of the events that took place.

Roses, rated E with two of four chapters so far. Artwork by @eastwesthomeisbest.

A CS retelling of Tam Lin, the classic fairytale. Liberties taken. Magic and Fae BS in play.

@pirateherokillian posted Wanderer Redeemed. Rated T with just the prologue so far. Artwork coming soon from @tennant-the-tigger.

Emma, Goddess of Hope and Happy endings, finds herself in need and her only real chance of ever getting what she desires comes in the form of Killian Jones, a shunned outcast of their kind. A Modern-Day Gods Captain Swan AU written for CSSNS.

@ilovemesomekillianjones posted The Soldier, the Witch, and the Dragon. Rated M one shot with artwork 1 2 by @spartanguard.

When soldier Killian Jones shows up on witch Emma Swan's doorstep, two worlds will collide. He will learn of worlds and wonders he never imagined possible and she will learn that true love might just be in the cards for her. Witches, Dragons and Magic, Oh My! A CS story for the 2019 Captain Swan Supernatural Summer event.

@whimsicallyenchantedrose posted Until the Stars Are All Alight. Rated T with two chapters of twenty so far. Artwork by @clockadile.

CS LOTR au: When Emma Swan steals a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, she has no idea it will lead her toward an adventure filled with danger and intrigue, sacrifice and a love stronger than anything she could imagine. Tasked with bringing the Savior home, the elf, Killian Jones of Misthaven travels to the Land Without Magic. Can he convince Emma to fulfill her destiny before the Dark One regains power and takes over all of the Enchanted Forest?

And last but certainly not least, @teamhook posted Rionnag Dorcha Gorm (Dark Blue Star). Unrated with two chapters so far. Artwork by @hollyethecurious

It is said that evil is not born but made. This is how an act of kindness is twisted into a story about revenge. Emma and Killian are childhood friends until a tragedy separates them will another reunite them.

I’ve read all of these fics and they are all absolutely FANTASTIC!!! It’s been so much fun reading all these wonderful fics and staring at the gorgeous art that went with them!! Be sure to let them know how much you’re enjoying their hard work! The WIP’s will continue updating until they are finished and I will be back at the end of the month with everything that has updated in September! Until then folks!

#cssns #event roundup #cssns2019 #CSSNS 2019 #2019 #Captain Swan Supernatural Summer 2019 #Captain Swan Supernatural Summer #2019 event #2019 roundup #2019 event roundup

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aenslem · 4 years

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ouat

my all-time ultimate fave character: if it was not obvious before... Regina Mills :D

a character I didn’t used to like but now do: that’s actually hard, Henry? Rogers? i was kinda angry with henry in the beginning, like, so easily naming the woman who raised you your entire life the evil queen, without second thought... i mean, yeah i get it, but still don’t like it :D also, Rogers was kinda not a bad character, i liked the story with Alice, i know why they brought him in the show, they could not have hook without emma, because honestly, those two in the end were not characters on their own at all, but they needed old face that everyone liked?? so they brought wish realm hook and somehow he became much better character than the original :D that’s how it is when the entire character is not just created for a ship lmao can;t say i love him or smth, but i did enjoy watching him ;) maybe there are some more, but i can;t remember all the characters right now :D

a character I used to like but now don’t: not that i don’t like her now, i do like Emma, but honestly, after s2 and Hook... she was more like a copy of old Emma. Not that i loved her before, i wanted to punch her every time lmao but she did have personality before.

a character I’m indifferent about: lmao almost everyone in the show??? snow and charming mostly, i guess.

a character who deserved better: would be weird to say Regina? yes, she got her redemption arc but at what cost... she could become a good girl much faster and better than it was done in the show. but they just could not make her as blank but good as other characters who were annoying af with their kindness, while also doing shit which they were forgiven for, so they threw her from one side to another so viewers are still into evil queen, but in the end it became so boring, like again?? and Emma, she did not deserve to become a blank half of the ship instead of a character. Also Ruby, i know it was actress leaving the show, but honestly, almost every character from the first season who was such a huge part of the story got lost somewhere and if brought back it was done so bad.

a ship I’ve never been able to get into: lmao i guess we both know which one it is :D emma x hook, but also the ship that just made me cringe and i don’t even want to mention it but... gold x evil queen, no, just no.

a ship I’ve never been able to get over: swaaan queeeeen of course, literally all of my ouat posts are either regina or swen :’D

a cute, low-key ship: ummm... because of fics: belle x ruby maybe? im not really shipping anyone else there, like i ship sq.

an unpopular ship but I still enjoyed it: idk honestly, i don’t remember which ships happened in the show :’D except those obvious ones. ummm, idk from fics i remember Zelena x Mulan, but im pretty sure they never met on screen?? :D fanfiction did so much better for those characters then the show itself.

a ship that was totally wrong and never should have happened: ok, emma and hook was obvious af, but at least it was not unexpected because we live in a straight world and emma ‘needed a man’ pffttt horrible, but gold and evil queen was totally unexpected for me and then zelena and evil queen fighting over gold?? lol what actual fcuk it was?? no, nooo eeeww. i loved rumple and regina as father and daughter kinda relationship, but they just ruined it with it...

my favourite storyline/moment: my favorite parts are connected to regina and emma and henry, both sacrificing themselves for their son and each other.

a storyline that never should have been written: literally entire beginning was full of so much random shit and then we never saw it again, regina using that forbidden curse with help of who were those??? did we see them ever again? no one needed those side creatures ever again and let’s be honest that curse was not done once lmao them forgetting everything every fuckin season! all of those characters in the show never used, we are just getting references and have an epic characters but they do nothing, the latest seasons are just bunch of heroes moving from one place to another, and we hardly see any of them ALONE! there were too many characters on screen that they did not have actual time for heroes that mattered for the plot. the entire latest seasons with all those not fairytale characters but gods??? GODS???? underworld? arthur and merlin? suddenly things appear from nowhere but they mean so much, but we never heard of them before??? but they are super important, like that hat? what was with all that merlin stuff? he just appeared and died. and there were so much more... and bringing hook back, it could be so much better if he just died, not because i don’t like hook, but it was like some characters can get back from dead, but when it comes to regina she can’t have anything. if we have robin hood and he is so important for regina than make him important without her also! i hated that some characters could not exist without their ship. that was so bad... and also entire gideon arc?? what was that, and where was gideon after??? like he just got better and then poof, his parents are dying but we never see him again and the entire plot was based on gold wanting to bring his son back, but when he has a son he just is not with him??? dude, i can go forever on what was wrong with this show :D

my first thoughts on the show: as i already mentioned before, i started this show back when it was airing, but never continued, watched half of an episode or smth and it was boring and not interesting for me, and then i started and i got angry with the way this show shows so many things and how it handles it and how it treats some characters, i was sure i will get a headache from it and i was not wrong lmao

my thoughts now: my head hurts :D it really could be a great show if the writers were not such a cowards, if they could handle some things better, but it feels like they wanted to put as much in the show as they can to attract viewers and in the end it was so crowded that the plot was long gone. i am not sure they paid attention to what they write, because in the end they would forget their own rules of the world they created. that was the worst, like they did not care for it, they was sure we will take everything just because we already like some characters. but it had potential in the beginning, though they could not handle their own creation in the end so they just gave up and we got this mess. but if they would follow their own rules, like magic has the price, which is really great, and would not throw random characters just for the sake of having them in the show, it really could be a great show. and maybe if they were not such a cowards we would at least have the best enemies to friends to lovers ship ever, because honestly, if one of the main heroes were man, we would have had it. but they were women so they brought another bad character and made him good just for the ship, and then ruined the main character and made her part of the ship instead of the character on her own, while with regina emma was emma and not part of the ship. this show has a lot of issues and i hate the fact that regina mills is part of it, she deserves so much better than this mess :’D

Thank you ^-^send me a tv series and I’ll tell you

#text #once upon a time #ask #ask game #buffyrosenbergs

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