Once on Instagram II

The Incident Contract

I'm working on the one shot I promised, but in the meantime, enjoy this. ...Or...or maybe just read it and get worried because I feel like that's probably what's going to happen...

~

About Three Months Ago, a few days after the Revolt...

I stood looking around at the quiet town. No one was ever up at 6:30 in the morning on a Sunday, which meant it was the perfect time to do what I needed.

I had set it up perfectly the night before, making sure Regina and Robin wouldn't notice anything. A late night movie requested by Roland, and Riley waking up crying sometime after midnight did the trick. Henry was with Emma for the night, something I had made sure of so Henry could know what was going on.

However, no one needed to know the full reason I was doing this. That needed to stay hidden from everyone.

I made my rounds, walking down the empty streets, dropping off letters where they were needed. Once 7:30 rolled around, I was waiting in the library for everyone to arrive.

Everyone began trickling in at around 7:32, starting with Belle and Gold, and ending with Milah and Neal. By the time everyone had arrived, there was plenty of muttering. No one knew why I was in Storybrooke again, and no one knew why Regina and Robin hadn't been invited.

At 7:45, Emma climbed on top of a table and let out an ear-piercing whistle to get everyone's attention. The whispers stopped and Emma spoke, "The Author – GallifreyanFairytale – has some important information to share with us today. But before we begin, you cannot let the Locksleys know we are here. We only have until 9:00, so give GallifreyanFairytale your undivided attention please." Emma stepped down from the table and I took her spot.

I made a microphone appear in my hand so I didn't have to worry about shouting, "Thank you all for coming. Like Emma said, Regina and Robin can never find out about this. As you know, I revolted after Robin's extremely unfair, unnecessary, and completely pointless death. However, the Revolt is weaker than I led you to believe." People began shuffling and whispering, wondering what I could possibly mean.

"There is a prophecy. I'm not going to go into detail, because it's too dangerous for you to know, but the point is that neither Regina nor Robin can die. But if the Revolt is overthrown, or if it becomes too weak and crumbles, Robin will no longer exist. And as much as it pains me to say this...I may not be able to do anything."

Snow's hand shot up in the air. "Sorry to interrupt, but what happens if Belle's baby is born, and then the Revolt is overthrown? What will happen to her baby?" Everyone shifted their gazes to Belle and Gold. Belle's hands found their way to her stomach out of instinct.

I glanced over at Belle, but couldn't look her in the eye when I answered with a quiet, "I don't know."

"So how do we stop the Revolt from crumbling?" Merida asked, ready to do whatever it took to protect her friend's unborn child.

"We protect Regina and Robin. From now on, Hades killing Robin will be referred to only as The Incident. It's not a big deal right now, but after they get married...that's when things will get weaker. Their marriage marks the true start of the Revolt, since we're practically at hiatus already. But marriage that isn't canon in the show and babies that aren't born yet, or don't even exist, in the show are what will weaken the Revolt. However, after a while, the even that weakened the Revolt will actually begin to strengthen it. The first two weeks after a marriage or a birth – at least the first few – will be dangerous. And there are some villains who would love to do whatever they can to tear the Revolt down. Obviously not Hades or Percival, because they no longer exist, but Prince James, Pan, and the Jabberwocky are ones you have to watch out for. As well as..." I let my voice trail off and forced myself to look down at the stage instead of the person present who I wanted to look at, "...others."

I looked back up at the audience. I could tell Emma was concerned by the look on her face. Hook wrapped an arm around her in an effort to comfort her, but she shrugged him away. I winced, knowing very well what would be headed Hook's way in several weeks. But my eyes scanned the crowd, looking for Milah and Neal. As soon as I saw them, I knew I had made – would make! I meant would make – the correct choice.

I shook my head to clear my mind and pulled a scroll from my inside pockets, thankful they were bigger on the inside. I unrolled the scroll and began speaking again, "This is The Incident Contract. Once everyone has signed it, it will be stored below the library, where Regina and Robin won't find it. And if you ever mention it in front of them, I did not come up with it. The creators were Belle, Zelena, and Snow, at least in Regina and Robin's minds."

~

After the meeting ended, everyone went back to their respective realms and homes. I snuck back into the library and rode the elevator down to where the contract was. I stepped off and walked over to it. It had been framed with a pane of glass over it to avoid damage. I read through the signatures and was satisfied when I didn't see Gold's. The past was playing out exactly how it needed to in order for the future to remain the same.

I turned my back on The Incident Contract, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Present Day...

It was like stepping through a door when I returned to the present from my trip to the past. I appeared in front of the clock tower and glanced around. It was nearly one in the morning, and the sky was dark. I heard voices and ducked behind a bush. Even before I saw them, I knew it was Emma and Neal, waltzing around Storybrooke in the dark, hand-in-hand.

"So how many nights do you think Regina and Robin have made tacos since they got married?" Emma smirked at Neal.

Neal shrugged. "I'd say every night besides the first night, because the kids were there."

"Doubt that's stopped them before."

Neal rolled his eyes. His phone vibrated in his hand, and so did Emma's.

"Darn it, it's just a Weedle!" Emma groaned. "But I need the stardust, so I'm going to catch it anyways." She held her phone up, but Neal didn't.

"I've only got five Pokéballs left, so I'm going to save them for something better."

"Whatever." Emma pumped her fist into the air. "GOT IT!"

"Shush!"

"Sorry," Emma lowered her voice to a whisper. "Got it." Both Emma and Neal began laughing. Neal leaned in and pressed his lips to Emma's, and suddenly their laughing session had turned into a make out session in the middle of Maine Street.

More footsteps approached, and Emma and Neal quickly broke apart. Emma waved her hand and they both vanished, being transported back to her house. Soon, Zelena came into view, holding Riley close to her. Riley let out the occasional cry, but she was fine other than that. Zelena had been hoping a nighttime walk would calm her daughter, since handing her off to Regina and Robin wasn't an option at the moment. Luckily, the cool night air soothed Riley.

Once Zelena and Riley were past, I reached into my pocket and brought out a very old-looking piece of parchment. The words of the prophecy were written in black ink and fancy handwriting;

"The death of the soulmates, the death of all light,
Goodbye to true love in this endless night
The death of the soulmates, the death of all hope,
Goodbye to the town which now cannot cope"