Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 8 - And The Hand Of The Clock Ticks Forward

Snow groaned and held her stomach as she turned, almost dragging herself into the nursery.
To her horror, on the floor was Charming, motionless, his white shirt blood stained.
"No." Snow cryed as she walked towards Charming, balancing herself with the wall. "No! No!" she sobbed and she ran over and stumbled down on the floor next to him.
"No. No." she said sitting up and shaking him. "No." she kept whispering to herself. "Please. Please come back to me."
The tears rowled down her face. Then she leaned down towards him and her lips touched his once again. Then she broke away for a second, bit he still didn't awake. She kissed him again, but nothing.
Footsteps approached the nursery.
"Oh, don't worry, dear." said a woman's voice.
Snow looked up at the evil queen.
"In a few moments you won't even remember you knew him, let alone loved him." she said, smiling as she walked towards her.
"Why did you do this?" she said through the tears.
"Because this is my happy ending." she leaned down so she was level with Snow.
Two dark gaurds walked into the nursery.
"The child?" said the evil queen to the guards.
"Gone." said one of the guards. "It was in the wardrobe, then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found.
The queen turned her head from the guards and looked down at Snow. "Where is she?"
"She got away." said Snow and a smile creeped up on her tear stained face. She looked up at the queen. "Your going to lose.......I know thay now." she looked down at Charming, in her arms. "Good will always win."
"We'll see about that." said the queen. As a loud sound came from above. They both looked up and the queen laughed evilly.
Then the ceiling began to crumble and it was shucked up from above. The wind howled and swerved around them.
"Where are we going?" Snow said over the howling of the wind.
"Somewhere horrible." she said as the stain glass windows smashed and shattered and the blue smoke came rushing into the room.
"Absolutely horrible."
Snow held Charming's motionless body close to her.
The smoke fogged up the wind and the wind only blew harder around, and around the room.
"A place where the only happy ending will be mine." she said.
Thunder crashed and the glass and rubble began to swerl round the room and then the smoke included them.

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Regina opened her door to find Henry and Emma on the little path to her front door. Birds chirped in her garden as she looked at them skepticaly.
Henry ran from Emma, up the steps, straight past Regina and into the house.
Emma walked towards Regina. Regina turned and stepped inside, but then turned back to Emma and walked back out to her.
"Thank you." she said as she walked to the edge of the step.
"No problem." Emma said.
"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you."
Emma chuckled a little. "You know what's kind of crazy?......Yesterday was my birthday. And when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I had bought myself, I acually made a wish.....That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday.....And then Henry showed up.
"I hope there's no misunderstanding here." said Regina.
"Im sorry?"
"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life."
"Oh I......" Emma started.
"Miss. Swan, you made a decision 10 years ago......And in the last decade while you've been...... Well, who knows what you've been doing? I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son."
"I was not......" she stared again.
"No! You don't get to speak...... You don't get to do anything...... You gave up that right when you tossed him away...... Do you know what a closed adoption is?" she stepped down and walked closer to Emma. "It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry. And you're gonna be held to that....... So I suggest you get in your car, and leave this town..... Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do."
They stared at each other.
"Goodbye, Miss. Swan." said Regina and she turned and walked back to the door.
Emma stared a Reginas back. "Do you love him?"
Regina turned. "Excuse me?"
"Henry..... Do you love him?"
"Of course I love him." and she walked inside and slammed the door behind her as Emma stood in the middle of the path, teats gathering in her eyes.

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Henry lay in his bed, in his room, staring at the blank wall in front of him.
Regina stood behind him, silently his fairytale book under her arm. Then she turned and walked down the stairs and into the hall. She stood in front of the mirror, the held up at her chest. She stared breathing heavily and she looked down at the book and back up at the mirror and held it close to her chest.

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Mary Margaret pushed a trolley with vases of flowers down the aisle, between the beds in a hospital. She wore a badge reading "Volunteer".
She took a vase of flowers and placed by a man's bed side table. The man lifted his hand and she took it with both of her hands.
Then she took another vase of flowers and opened a door into a private room with a man lying in a bed, unconscious. The man hand a risk band on reading "John Doe". She placed the vase on the bedside, looked at the man for a minute and left the room.

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Henry sat and looked out of his open window, his chin rested on his arms. He stared out at the town of Storybrook, the clock tower directly in the center, that still read 8:15.

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Emma walked up a path, with over grown hedges and up to an large, old, vintage house.
The wind whistled and the fallen leaves blew against the house. The sign up above read "Granny's Bed and Breakfast"
Emma walked to the door and opened it.
"You're out all night, and now your going our again." said the voice of a woman.
"I should have moved to Boston." said a younger woman's voice.
Emma stood in the reception, her eyes widened at the conversation.
"I am sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the Eastern Seaboard." said the older voice again and a young woman with heavy make-up, long black hair, with red highlights, wearing a black, short dress followed by an old woman with white hair pined back walked down the stairs.
"Excuse me." said Emma, interrupting the argument.
The old woman turned to her.
"I'd like a room." she said.
The young girl walked back into the room "Really?"
"Would you like a forest view or a square view?" asked the old woman, waking behind the counter. "Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square, but as rent is due, I'll waive it."
"Square's fine."
The old woman took a book and placed it on the counter and a poof of dust came from it.
"Now, what's the name?" she said.
"Swan. Emma Swan."
"Emma." said a man's voice from behind them.
They both turned to see a middle aged man with brown hair, dark eyes and a walking stick.
"What a lovely name." he said.
"Thanks." said Emma.
The man smiled.
The old woman opened a draw and closed it and held out a few bills, wrapped up. "It's all here." she said.
"Yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you." he said taking the money. "You enjoy your stay, Emma."
Emma turned her head to him and raised her eyebrows.
The man then turned and walked out the door.
"Who's that?" asked Emma.
"Mr. Gold." said the younger woman, peering out the window.
"He owns this place."
"The Inn?" sais Emma.
"No. The town." said the older woman.
Emma looked at her surprised.
"So, how long will you be with us?"
"A week. Just a week."
"Great." she said and she handed her the key. "Welcome to Storybrook."
Emma took the key.

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Henry still sat at his window, staring at the clock tower.
Then suddenly the hand moved forward on the clock.
Henrys face broke into a broad smile.

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John Doe ~ Prince Charming

Mr. Gold ~ Rumpelstiltskin