Serendipity

Chapter 7: The Snow Queen

Regina is at her vault when Robin enters."I told you it was best to stay away. The only way Marian is going to live is if you give her a kiss of true love.

Robin... You have to save her because she's your wife. And seeing you here and hearing about your conflicted heart? It's torture and that is why I can't be in your life. You need to forget about me... And start thinking about her." With that Regina leaves.

"Belle found something in here..." Emma said. "A spell. It may be able to work against the Snow Queen. No one kills anyone. It's just... Neutralize her powers. Maybe.

"With both hands, hold the candle and then use your magic to light it. And then when you blow on it..." Maybe without her powers we can talk to her. We can find Anna. We can get some real answers."

"Does your sister have magic?" Emma asked.

"No, and I think that's why the Snow Queen is so interested in you. Does anyone in your family have magic?"

Emma shook her head. "You're lucky. Okay. Should we try this? " Emma tries the spell and fails."I'm sorry. Should we try again?"

Emma and Elsa enter the tower...The Snow Queen is here and attacks Emma. "Emma, now!" Emma traps the Snow Queen with the spell."You did it."

The Snow Queen is locked in the questioning room. Emma and Elsa enter."Ooh. You should get that looked at, Emma."

"Oh, now you want to play nice?"

"We don't care what you want." Elsa muttered. "Where is Anna? She's alive. We know it."

"You heard her? Sounds like someone's grasping at straws about their long-lost sister. I'm not sure you should care. I told you... She's the one who put you in that urn. I have no idea why you'd want to find someone like that. Why? Because she's your sister and she couldn't handle what you... What we... Are, and she did exactly as I say.

"Elsa. Please. Take it easy. She's getting under your skin. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. If we want answers, we have to be calm. We're gonna figure it all out. You go help David and Hook try to figure out how to take apart her mirror. I got this." Elsa leaves."Yeah, yeah. I know. You want me to turn to the dark side and be your... Sister-buddy-something or other. I'm not interested. I know that we have a past, which we're gonna get into. But you're not gonna push my buttons."

"I'm being completely sincere. Use your super power... You'll see I'm telling the truth."

"How do you know about that?"Emma asked.

"You told me. When you were a child. What a lovely child you were. I am so grateful I got to know you then.

"Don't talk to me like we're friends." Emma groaned."I know that's what you want...I know you want us to be like this big perfect happy family, but whatever past we had... The past you stole from me... I know enough to tell you about the future. And what you want? It ain't gonna happen, sister."

"Oh, but it will. You see, at the end of the day, you'll understand that everything that I've been saying is true. And then you'll do the last thing in the world you'd think possible right now."

Regina is reading the storybook in her library when Henry enters."Hey, mom. Could you help me with this? I have work at the shop. He said if I was gonna learn the family business, I'd have to represent the family business. Which would be fine if it didn't also mean wearing a tie."

"Well, I think you look very handsome."

"So, what happened?"Henry asked,"You were tearing through the book with your scary face on. Did something happen with Robin Hood?"

"No. I'm just... I'm moving on. Whatever he and I had, it's over. I just need to let it go. But the next time a happy ending knocks on my door, I'm gonna be ready. I'm not gonna let this book stop me again. From now on... Operation Mongoose is my main focus. We will find the author. Now get to work."

Emma is still at the questioning room with the Snow Queen. "It's understandable you feel upset. I know you better than you know yourself, Emma.When you lived with me, you talked about your parents all the time. You were so angry with them for giving you up."

"They had a good reason for that. I know that now. They didn't have a choice."

The Snow Queen went on,"It doesn't change the fact that you felt unwanted for 28 years. There is always a choice, Emma. They could have kept you. They could have figured out something else. They could have tried. You were their only child. And they used you to break a curse. They're still using your powers.

Let's see...how many times have you saved them? How often have you felt more like a "Savior" than their daughter? And all it takes is one tiny mistake, one accident, and you and your powers go from being their salvation to their worst nightmare."

"Hah!" Emma muttered. "You don't know them or me."

"I don't have to know you, Emma. I've been you... Different, misunderstood, alone. And now they've chosen to have a new child. And don't you think that they thank their lucky stars every day that he was born normal?"

"No, they love me."

"Oh dear sweet little Emma." The Snow Queen went on, "I know you want that to be reality but really you can't love somebody you don't understand. And do you know what happens when people don't understand something? They learn to fear it. And then they look at it like a monster!"

"Shut up!" Emma blows up the wall."W-what did you do to me?"

"Ah." The Snow Queen frees herself and approaches her. "All I did is show you who you really are."

The Snow Queen leaves and Emma gets out from the questioning room. She's in shock."What have I done?"

"Emma! Are you all right?" David asked.

"We were so worried." Mary Margeret said, as she found a place beside her husband and Emma."What did that monster do to the Sheriff's Station?"

"The "monster" who did this was not the Snow Queen. It was me...Just keep your distance. I don't know if I can control myself. I don't want to hurt anyone. Just stay away! Let me go!"

Emma used her powers and a light falls down. David pushes Hook and the light falls on him."David! Emma! Emma... Emma, wait. Please come back. Emma!" Emma takes her car and runs away.

Mary Margaret looks after Neal. David, Hook and Elsa enter the loft."Did you find her?"

"No."David sighed heavily, closing the door behind them.

"We looked everywhere, which means only one thing." Elsa added,"She doesn't want to be found. I've been through this. And I saw the same looks on my loved ones' faces as Emma just did. I saw fear."

"David, we failed today. When our daughter needed us most, she looked in our eyes, and... All she saw was fear. This Snow Queen has some mirror that turns us against each other? Well, she doesn't need it. Look at us. We are doing it to ourselves."