Chapter Text
Once Upon A Time(OUAT) World
Everyone spoke over eachother. Snow with her trust speech, David with his questions, and the others in a blur. Emma tried hard to ignore it all.
"Guys!" she finally burst. "I appreciate your concern, but you have no reason to wrong me about this! It's my problem and I'll figure it out," she ended with a pant in the silence.
"Emma, if you die, that's on all of us," Snow said quietly.
Suddenly, there was hazy red smoke spiralling in the middle of the room. Emma was surprised at her thankfullness for the intrusion.
"Oh, but that's not all, dearies. Ms. Swan forgot to mention something that should've been told long ago," Gold said with a Rumplestiltskin shimmy. So much for being grateful, she thought.
Emma stared at Gold warily. Could he know? It was impossible! But he was the dark one...
"Indeed, I do know. I found out when I was looking for my son with that blood spell. I'm sure you're all probably wondering what I found." Emma's eyes widened at his confirmation.
"A speck so far away, it wasn't even on the map. It was outside of it. So tell me Ms. Swan, why-"
"Don't," Emma warned, feeling clammy now.
"What is it?" Snow pressed, avoiding the betrayed eyes of her daughter.
"Emma, please. We're your friends," Regina encouraged.
"Please, love," Hook tried.
"Mom," Henry said firmly, confident she'd give in. Emma and Gold ignored them.
"You knew all along that magic was real, didn't you? Or can you explain-"
"Stop!" Emma pleaded.
"Emma, It's alright," Snow soothed with her brows furrowed, anxious as to what her daughter was keeping from her friends and family.
"Why is my other grandson in another realm!?" Rumple thundered.
"Mom, what's he talking about?" Henry asked with a step forward. "We deserve to know."
"No," Emma shook her head frantically. "Why. Why now?!" Emma shouted, almost in hysterics. She couldn't think about it.
"Because," Gold said, and she thought she saw a flash of his gold skin. "You never did pay for taking that child. Cinderella's, may I remind you? We had a deal and you broke it," he snarled.
"What are you getting at, Gold?" David seethed, his mind racking. Rumple paid him no mind.
"That's right, Miss Swan. I know Henry has a twin brother," he stated in satisfaction.
Gasps of disbelief echoed in the small room.
"How do I know it was a boy? Because I went there. That-" he waved his hand in disgust,"place, was a disaster. So hot and, and bloody!"
"What do you mean? You knew him?" Emma asked amazed and concerned, forgetting her shame.
"Wha- Emma, It's true?" Regina questioned, completely astounded. She placed a hand on the shoulder of her pale son. He was stiff, an impassive look plastered on his mature face.
Rumple nodded to Emma, still wearing a face of horror. "There was an apocalypse. Zombies everywhere! Then I ran into him. Carl Grimes. He's a fighter, and I'll say he is a much better grandson than this light one," he gestured to Henry, whom only remained stoic.
"But when I opened another portal, he thought I was crazy!"
"That's not a surprise," Emma spoke, still dazed at what she was hearing. A distinct smile could be heard in her voice. Gold glared. "Anyways, he pushed me into it. Those were the last two beans I had. I have no other way to get back."
"Why do you want to go back?" Emma asked in interest. Gold looked a bit sheepish as he explained. "Well, I-I guess I grew to like him. He sees things differently."
The rush of guilt clouded Emma's mind once again. She looked around to the silent, red eyed people. Jasmine and Archie were long gone, apparently not wanting to intrude.
Her parents had tears in their eyes and Hook was looking down.
Regina offered a genuine look of sympathy(as shocked as the queen was that her son had a twin). But the worst thing Emma saw was the dissapointment in Henry's eyes, just like when she lied about his father.
He shook his head in disbelief. "How could you not tell me I had a brother?" "I'm sorry," she breathed with a shaky voice, sheer terror planted on her face.
"All this time!" Henry watched her with one more angry glance before rushing out the apartment.
"I'll go after him," Regina announced, giving Emma's shoulder a squeeze as she walked past.
Gold shrugged as he exited with a poof.
Snow gravely looked into her daughter's eyes, filled with remorse and almost distrust.
Emma couldn't look at her parents now. "We need to talk, Emma," Snow said with the tone of a teacher.
Emma nodded. "I know..." She looked to Hook, whom gave no clue as to what he was thinking before he stepped out the loft.
Emma watched him leave in internal agony. Snow and David looked down, sharing looks of sorrow for the couple.
The family of three numbly strode to the couches.