Twice Upon A Tale

S2E3

Lady of the Lake

Every day that went by was another day without their son, and as time wore on, the more anxious both women became.

Through desperation, they'd come up with the only idea that seemed like it could work; using the magic wardrobe to open another portal.

It had taken them days to walk to Snow White's castle on foot, in search of the wardrobe that had brought Emma to Storybrooke nearly twenty nine years prior. The wardrobe, and any magic it may have had left, was their last hope.

"It only held enough magic for one, that's why I had to go alone" Emma had pointed out when Regina had brought up the idea originally. "If there was any extra magic I'm sure my parents would've known"

"Your parents aren't exactly the brightest dear" Regina had snorted, before reaching out a hand to pat Emma's leg gently. "They don't know magic like I do; if there's any way to get any magic out of that wardrobe, I'll figure it out" she was certain that if nothing else, this would at least help them find a way to open a portal to get back home.

"Your magic hasn't worked well since we've been here" Emma grumbled, trying with all of her might to not be a pessimist. For once, Regina was thinking positively and she was the one dragging the mood down.

It was quite the turn of events.

"You're quite the complainer for someone without a magical bone in her body" Regina had quipped back, her eyes narrowing at Emma. "Besides, at least this will feel like we're doing something besides just sitting here waiting"

And so, that was how both women had ended up on the long journey across the kingdom to Snow White's castle, which surprisingly still stood tall despite all that had happened.

The beauty of the castle was not lost on Emma; the sprawling green countryside, the grey brick of the vast castle, with the bluest of blue skies overlooking it all.

It was gorgeous, a scene straight from a painting really.

It didn't take them long to get inside, and once they were Regina knew exactly where to go. Each hallway, once lit up with candles and laughter, was now barren, cold and empty.

"This is it" Regina declared, opening the thick wooden door to a room Emma couldn't have prepared herself for.

A desolate room stood before her, a room that held the bones to be lively but lacked the love and warmth. The room instead was filled with despair and loneliness, from the busted baby mobile to each sad little teddy bear that sat abandoned on the floor.

"This would've been my bedroom" Emma murmured, mostly to herself, as she walked into the room, trailing her fingertips along the wall. In the middle of the room a crib sat on its side, the wool baby blankets in a complete state of disarray.

She'd never had her own room growing up. In foster care, she'd always had to share with another kid, or two, or three. On the rare occasions she was the only child in a family, she had to sleep on a pullout couch in someone's office or a blow up mattress on the floor of someone's sewing room.

Little did she know her entire life, there was this waiting for her. Someone had cared enough to put together a whole room just for her, a room filled with everything a child could imagine and then some.

For a moment, the briefest of seconds, Emma begins to imagine what it might have been like to grow up in this room. She imagines herself as a little girl, sitting all these poor little teddies in a circle with for a tea party, she imagines a four poster bed with a soft bedspread in place of the crib, of a desk with books, or maybe a vanity in the corner.