Chapter Text
There’s a grain of truth in every fairytale, a foster mother had once told her; one that hadn’t been an alcoholic or beat her to a pulp for small nuisances. Emma recalled her fondly with an ache in her heart. If only the kind woman could have seen just how truthful fairytales were, and just how close within reach.
A month had passed since Scar’s defeat, and while the nightmares ran rampant and guilt ate away at Emma, things had somewhat settled down to a regular pace. Or as regular a pace as a fairytale town like Storybrooke could be.
It had also been just as long since Emma had seen either Pan and his companion, Latchboy. They had seemingly fallen off the face of the earth and their mischief had evaporated just as quickly. As of the week prior, Regina had set up a program to reintroduce the Lost Boys to life outside of Neverland. They had each been matched with a family, and while they had their difficulties, they attended school alongside everyone else. Things in Storybrooke had... changed; it was... better.
Things weren’t different on an astronomical scale. Some of the townspeople were still vain and prideful, some children ran as soon as they saw her walking down the street and cats hissed when she approached, and people still had pitiful defenses against her and feared her for being different. But Emma had come to understand that she sun shined differently when something changed. The sun shined differently, but it would continue to shine.
Sunlight poured into the main bedroom of the manor, illuminating Regina’s beautiful olive skin. Emma had sat up, pressed flush against the slumbering woman; her hair a tussled mess. To say that Regina was a beauty did not do the woman justice. Emma had longed for so long for a moment like this; she had longed for that feeling of belonging. Being a witcher hadn’t stripped her of this. Emma had never stopped longing for a home.
And to see Regina in a state of complete bliss, filled with complete and utter trust that Emma would bring her no harm, made Emma think of how it was something out of a fairytale. Only real and tangible; it was something she could grab onto with both hands and never let go.
Emma’s calloused hand skimmed across the curve of Regina’s bare hip, listening to the steady beat of her heart and her relaxed breathing. She was still in a deep sleep, one that was bound to come to an end now that Emma had roused from her slumber. Another lazy smile crossed over her lips, unable to keep the swelling sensation inside her chest from pouring out.
Leaning forward, she nuzzled her nose into the smaller woman’s neck. It incited a tired groan and Regina began to shift in Emma’s touch. The blankets intertwined with her legs, trapping her from further movement, and she huffed out a frustrated sigh.
‘Miss Swan,’ she hissed; her voice laced with warning. ‘I’m asleep.’
Emma grazed a kiss on a bare shoulder. ‘I know.’
‘Then, for the life of me, I cannot understand why you would dare to disturb me. On a Saturday morning, nonetheless.’
‘Because Henry’s going to be up soon.’
It wasn’t fair playing their son against the brunette, but it worked most effectively. Regina tensed for a moment, then released another long-suffering sigh. She turned, facing Emma, before she leaned onto her elbow without even realizing that she had mimicked her lover.
Emma draped her eyes up and down Regina’s form. Not to gain a peek at anything for her own benefit, but to admire the woman next to her. Regina had confessed to her on one occasion that she always hated it when someone would remain in bed with her after intimacy, because the King had demanded it. It was the same reason she had often kicked Graham out the window rather than allowing him to leave through the backdoor.
The amount of trust Regina placed in her was overwhelming and she would never give the woman a reason to doubt that trust.
Regina’s own eyes hungrily absorbed Emma’s pique physique. Though, her reasons weren’t as innocent as Emma’s given the gleam in her brown eyes.
‘You look ravishing this morning,’ Regina quipped; her eyes shined delightfully. ‘Good enough to to eat.’ She hummed and leaned forward. ‘In fact, I simply must take a bite out of you.’
True to her word, she sank her teeth into Emma’s shoulder, the exact same spot she had claimed the evening earlier. Emma pulled the woman closer, less by the need to pick up where they had left off the previous evening than for the sense of closeness she now suddenly longed for.
‘Insatiable,’ Emma accused good-heartedly.
Regina’s tongue soothed the inflamed skin and she smirked against the bruise. ‘Bold coming from a witcher.’
‘No, no.’ Emma shook her head. ‘Coming from a witcher is saying something. Last night was...’
‘A night of lovemaking I won’t soon forget.’ The coy smile on Regina’s lips made Emma roll her eyes. ‘Although there was one thing missing.’
‘Namely?’
‘I shall give you a hint: It’s large, white... has four legs. Category—taxidermy.’
Emma grunted.
That gods-damned unicorn.
Emma believed the only place less suited for their lovemaking would be the back of an actual, live unicorn. Over the course of their courtship, Regina had put this stuffed unicorn to good use as well as various other interesting places. Emma recalled pleasant moments with the sorceress spent with the sorceress on the slope of the Blanchard loft’s roof, in the hollow of a dead tree, David and Mary Margaret’s bed while they were downstairs, in the back of Granny’s diner during rush hour. But worst of all was that gods-damned unicorn.
One happy day, meaning last week, however, the thing had collapsed beneath them. It had ripped open with a great tear and broke into pieces as the couple had tumbled to the ground, causing their wild laughter to burst into the open air. Since then, Regina had been trying to convince the witcher that they should put it back into use now that Regina had fixed it.
‘No,’ Emma said firmly.
Regina smirked, pressing another kiss to Emma’s shoulder. ‘I knew you would see things my way.’
‘...Gina.’
‘Now, now, witcher,’ she hummed, pleased with herself. ‘So, many memories... I can’t bring myself to let it go.’
‘You’re stubborn.’
‘Pots and kettles, Miss Swan.’
‘Incorrigible.’
‘Insufferable.’ Though, the amused look on the sorceress’s face told Emma she gladly suffered through their time together.
‘Liar, you find me charming.’
‘About as charming as I find Charming.’ Regina scoffed, sitting up. ‘Perhaps you could rank as adequate, only slightly above your father.’
‘Gina, I can always tell when you’re lying.’ Then, with a warning lilt in her voice, she said, ‘And if you keep blushing like that, neither of us are going to leave this room in the next hour... or two.’
Regina hummed. ‘Or three.’
‘I mean it,’ she chuckled gruffly, speaking anything but the truth. ‘Henry will be up soon.’ It was more of a reminder to herself than it was meant to put a stop to the mischievous thoughts going through Regina’s mind.
‘Oh, very well,’ Regina groused, rising off the bed and dragging the blankets with her. ‘I must dress; close your eyes.’
Emma’s mouth quirked into a grin, watching Regina’s every movement.
She did make it out of bed eventually, albeit begrudgingly. She lazily pulled on a pair of her boxers, discarded on the floor the night before, then grabbed one of Regina’s more expensive looking silk robes. Regina argued Emma on the matter, annoyed with the blonde’s resistance to wear something of her own, but once it was on the brunette fell silent.
It was too easy to squeeze out a fluster from the woman.
They made their way downstairs, unable to keep their eyes off one another, and found Henry in the living room watching cartoons. He looked up from his bowl of cereal, eyeing the satin robe Emma wore.
‘Morning,’ he greeted. ‘Paige invited me over. We’re going skateboarding.’
‘That’s fine with me, dear.’ Regina plopped a kiss on his head before she padded towards the kitchen. ‘Do one of us need to go with you?’
Henry shook his head, calling after her, ‘No, that’s okay.’
Emma dropped down next to her son, catching a glimpse of Tom and Jerry. She leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms over her chest.
‘How’s Paige?’ she asked, tugging awkwardly at the bow of the robe. ‘She... adjusting well now that Jefferson’s killer is gone?’
Henry shrugged, ‘It’s hard, I guess. She still doesn’t like to talk about it and there are some days that are just... bad.’
Emma nodded her understanding. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to lose someone who’s raised you your whole life after finally being reunited with them. Sometimes, she still felt responsible for her friend’s death—for not seeing the signs beforehand and putting a stop to Irons sooner.
She was pulled from her self-pity when Henry grabbed her wrist, giving it a firm squeeze. Emma looked up at him, amber meeting his brown. Then, the boy smiled so warmly that Emma nearly choked on the emotion that rose up in her throat.
‘Thank you, Ma,’ he said; his voice firm. ‘For making sure he hadn’t died in vain.’
Emma gave a stiff nod, turning to look back at the television. On the screen, Tom handed a proposal ring to another cat. She twisted her mouth, unsure what exactly was going on in the episode, but she could feel Henry’s eyes on her.
It hadn’t been hard for him to accept that they were... seeing each other. In fact, Henry had been ecstatic. His excitement had also taken quite the load off Regina’s shoulders too given how nervous she had been about telling the boy. Though, the blossoming relationship had done little to affect their family trio. They had carried on as if nothing had changed, because little had. They had always been a family and this new development just added to that.
‘You know,’ Henry began, ‘it’s probably none of my business... but I’m glad you and Mom ended up together.’
Emma looked towards the boy and allowed her lips to curl into a smile. ‘Me too.’
‘You took your time.’
At that, she laughed. ‘Guess we both needed to get used to the idea. I had been gone so long and your mother was baffled at how much I had changed when it was just yesterday, I rolled into town with you in the passenger seat of my bug.’
‘And you’re both stubborn.’
‘There’s that, too.’
‘All joking aside, you make her happy. Listen.’ Henry reached for the remote and turned the cartoons down. The only sound filling their ears was the melodious tune Regina was carrying from the kitchen, the Wolven Storm. ‘I can’t remember the last time she sang like that. Probably when I was a kid.’
‘You’re still a kid.’
‘You know what I mean.’ Henry sighed in exasperation. ‘My point is that she’s happy. You guys make each other happy, and that is all I want.’
‘Yeah,’ Emma hummed. ‘That’s all I want for your mom, too.’
Rising to her feet, Emma crossed the living room and entered the kitchen. She could hear Henry turning the tv up again, but she paid him little mind as she spotted Regina by the stove. The smell of bacon overwhelmed her senses and in a few short strides she pushed herself flushed against Regina.
‘Em-ma,’ the woman hissed when Emma breathed in her scent. ‘Henry’s in the living room.’
‘It’s fine,’ she insisted. ‘Smells great.’
‘I’m making us bacon and eggs.’
‘I wasn’t talking about the food.’
Despite Henry’s grievances on the matter of PDA, he loved knowing his parents were in a healthy relationship. From what he understood, Emma’s relationship with his father hadn’t been that great and his mother’s relationships had either been to his great grandfather or a blissful summer love ruined by his grandmother.
Henry tugged at his coat, checking for the umpteenth time if he had his phone and the money his parents had shoved into his hand before practically shoving him out the door. He didn’t know what they could possibly do in the few hours he was gone, but he figured he was better off not knowing or even entertain the idea that his parents ever... did that.
He made it a few steps off the porch when he spotted someone standing against the large oak tree in the garden.
‘Took you long enough,’ Latchboy said, huffing as he pushed himself off the bark. ‘I was wondering if Pan had timed it right.’
Henry stared blankly at the Lost Boy, preparing to yell in case he wanted to try something. After what had happened in Neverland, Henry was still a little unsure around the people who had essentially held him captive.
‘Can I help you?’ Henry squared his shoulders and clenched his hand around his skateboard. ‘I’m not supposed to—’
‘Mingle with us common folk,’ Latchboy stressed. ‘I’m not here to piss of the witch and Mistress Witcher. I’m just here to... fulfill Pan’s final request.’
‘Final request,’ Henry echoed with a raised eyebrow. ‘Where is he?’
‘He... went home.’
Latchboy appeared to be conflicted, troubled by knowledge that Henry didn’t have. Then, the boy stepped forward and retrieved a letter from inside his pocket as well as a small, leather bound notebook. He held them out to Henry.
‘What’s this?’
‘It’s from him.’ Latchboy shrugged. ‘I didn’t read it; he told me not too. Apparently, I’d be screwing up the future if I did.’
Hesitantly, Henry reached forward and accepted both items. Despite his weariness, he hadn’t forgotten about the girl he had seen in the park or what she had said to him. By now, his curiosity had gotten to the point where it had nearly suffocated him.
Looking down, Henry spotted beautiful cursive writing on the front of the envelope. For a moment, he had forgotten how to breathe.
To: My Big Brother
‘What the hell?’
‘You can’t show that to anyone,’ informed Latchboy, voice filled with warning. ‘If it falls into the wrong hands or someone finds out who Pan is... Let’s just say whatever Scar had planned for this town would be considered merciful.’
Henry looked back up at the boy. ‘I don’t... I don’t understand.’
‘You will.’ Latchboy nodded, more to himself than to Henry. ‘He also asked me to give this to you.’
Latchboy reached for the backpack he had slung over his shoulder and then retrieved something inside. Henry watched as the Lost Boy extended Emma’s Witcher Tome towards him.
‘He said you’d know what to do with it.’
Henry accepted the item with shaking hands.
‘Something tells me I’ll be seeing you real soon, lad. Read the letter.’ Without another word, the boy walked down the pathway and left.
Henry’s gaze shifted between the notebook and the letter, then finally on the Witcher Tome, and once he had come to a decision, he set his skateboard down and tucked the notebook inside his coat’s pocket. He only hesitated for a moment before tearing the letter open.
Dear, Henry.
There’s so much I want to say and so little time to say it. I wished we could have gotten to know each other a little better, especially since our fates become intertwined so closely in the future.
I’m certain that by now you have figured out who I am, but I’d like to make a formal introduction. My name is Evangeline Swan-Mills, daughter of Emma Swan-Mills and Regina Swan-Mills. I am also, your sister. I realize that this must come as a shock to you or perhaps not at all, but I was conceived out of true love between our parents. However, this means that this entitles me to a great power. They call me the Lady of Time and like our mother Emma, fate had decided I must be a savior of some sort, too. I am burdened with a gift—a curse, the ability to bend time and the worlds to my will.
You must heed my words carefully, brother, for the fate of our parents now lies in your hands. I will tell you a secret, one I have kept to myself since I arrived in the past. You are the reason I had gone back in time, because you—the Author—had seen the death and destruction wrecked upon our home and family if I did not intervene. I understand you have many questions, and there are few that I can answer now.
I have left you a series of letters, each recording important events throughout the time I spent in your town. It is important that you keep this hidden from our mothers and that you never tell anyone who I am or what I must accomplish on my eighth birthday. You must also never allow them to see that you have the Witcher Tome in your possession. Keep the letters close, study them word by word, and when the time is right, you will know what to do.
All my love,
Evie.
Henry stared unblinkingly at the letter; he reread it. Once. Twice. Then he looked up with a deep frown.
‘Why does weird shit like this keep happening to me?’
Witchers were made to kill monsters. It didn’t matter who posted the notice, the coin just had to be right. Witchers didn’t debate. Their conscience played no part. They just got on with it then picked up the coin pouch tossed at their feet and set off on their way. Folk didn’t expect witchers to save them from themselves.
But, in the end, people liked to invent monsters. Then, they themselves would seem less monstrous. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.
Emma Swan had seen much hatred in her life—most of which had been directed to her as a child and then as an adult when she had become as she was now. None of that seemed to matter.
Henry had taken on the responsibility of training his younger sister from the day the Lady of Time had been born—raising her to become the prophetical savior of time and their parents. For you see, our young Author had been the one to set these events into place and it was Evangeline that had set her brother on this quest.
David did reconcile his differences with Emma and Mary Margaret even if it had taken them some time. As for David and Mary Margaret, they did end up conceiving a second child and named him after the late Robert, David’s father.
And what happened to the Witcher and the Sorceress?
As we know them, they continued to live out their lives amidst the townspeople, carrying on as they had always had. The noise and danger of politics and adventure always called to the couple more often than not.
It would be many years before they decide to retire and choose to explore Emma’s home world. For now, they were content in their duties and responsibilities of being Storybrooke’s protectors and saviors. Neither straying too far from their families, nor the comfort of their bed.