The Swan Princess

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When you're a child, fairy tales are some of the things you hold closest to you, especially in times which you find troubling. As an orphan, Emma Swan was the girl who loved fairy tales the most. Believed to be abandoned by her parents, she hoped that one day her prince would come save her and love her like her parents never did.

When she was ten years old, Emma watched Peter Pan for the first time. From that moment on, she never wanted to grow up. She grew to hate Captain Hook and all the pirates on the Jolly Roger, and she adored the boy who beyond with the stars.

Eighteen years later, Emma leaned back in her chair, staring into the eyes of the man she'd just been snogging. His name was Killian Jones, more commonly known as Captain Hook. Eighteen years can make such a difference...

"My God, Swan. What made you change your mind?" smiled Killian, taking one of her hands in his.

"You gave up your ship for me?" Emma smiled back, tears forming in her eyes.

"Well, of course. Every respectable man has to make some sacrifices for the woman he loves."

"Yeah, but you love me that much?" A single tear fell and he reached up with his hook, gently brushing it off of her cheek.

"Swan, I would do anything for you. Anything you ask." He leaned in to kiss her again, but they were interrupted as a giggling Regina walked down the street near them, hand wrapped firmly around the hand of Robin Hood, whose son trailed behind them.

"I gotta go talk to Regina." Emma smiled, and she kissed Killian on the cheek once more before getting up and walking towards Granny's Diner.

Killian sat there, shocked. This had to be a dream. He was going to wake up and they'd still be stuck in the past, wearing ridiculous clothing and camping in the woods. He tried to jab his hook into his leg to see if this was reality, and indeed it was. He'd just been snogging Emma Swan, and she'd been snogging him.

He sat in shock for a few more minutes, until he heard something. A loud argument arose at Granny's, and he ran to find out what was going on.

When he opened the door, Emma came flying at him. He managed to catch her, but she crumpled to the floor.

"Swan?!" he cried, as he pushed her hair out of her face. He looked back up to see Regina sneering at the two of them.

"Your family never learns, do they?" she growled, and Emma just stared at her.

"Regina... I never meant..." she began. Regina waved her hand lazily, and Emma's voice was gone.

David jumped up from next to Mary Margaret, wielding his sword. "Let her go, Regina."

Regina just rolled her eyes. "You Charmings always think you can stop me." She waved her hand again, and everyone who had been standing close to her flew five feet backwards.

"Regina... What is this?" Robin begged, clinging to his son and his wife, who he believed to be dead up until five minutes ago.

"I should've known..." she replied, quietly. Then she turned to glare at Marion. "Villains don't get happy endings."

Henry, who had been sitting across from Mary Margaret, jumped up. "Mom."

Regina turned to him. "Henry, please."

"You don't have to do this, mom. You're good, I know you are!" he pleaded.

Regina looked at him sadly. "I'm not good, honey. I'm the Evil Queen." A cloud of smoke surrounded her and she vanished.

Emma struggled to get up, and David rushed to help her.

"I've got her, mate." Killian grunted as he raised both himself and the woman he loved off of the floor.

As David wrapped his arm around Emma and led her away, her head pounding, Killian shook his head and mumbled to himself.

"One of these days, this town's gonna be safe. One of these days..."

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Emma leaned closer to the fire, shivering as she wrapped her blanket tightly around her. She tried to process in her mind what had happened in the past day. An enormous ice wall, a new girl in town , a missing sister... And Hook. He'd worried for her since the avalanche, since she'd been trapped. Even now, after she was safe at home, he hadn't been able to relax.

The door swung open and Emma turned her head to see the captain himself, not even bothering to close the door behind him.

"How do you feel, love?" he asked for what seemed like the millionth time. Behind him, Mary Margaret shut the door quietly, bouncing her son ever so gently in her arms.

"Come on in, Killian. The door's open." she muttered, and the baby in her arms stirred. The tiny prince let out a small fuss, but promptly fell back asleep.

"I'm fine." Emma smiled as Hook seated himself next to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. But when she rested her head on his shoulder, he quickly withdrew his arm and jumped to his feet.

"You're cold as ice!" he exclaimed, with a very concerned look.

"Um, yeah. Ice cave? Elsa? Any of this ringing a bell?" Emma laughed, but Killian did not smile.

"You've been sitting near that flame for at least an hour, Swan." he whispered, and Emma's eyes widened at the acknowledgement of how cold she really was. "Swan..."

"What?" she breathed, shutting her eyes. "What's happening to me?"

"Your hair." Hook finally managed after a few seconds of anxious silence. "It's turning white."

"White?!?" Emma screeched, freeing her hands from her blanket and pulling herself to a standing position. She cast off the blanket and ran to the mirror near her parents' bed. Sure enough, most of her hair had gone from a golden color to white as snow.

Mary Margaret, hearing the commotion, ran out from the baby's room and to her daughter's side. "Emma? What's the matter?"

But Emma did not answer. It was as if the temperature in her head had dropped twenty degrees in the last three seconds. One minute she was looking at her reflection in the mirror; in the next, everything went black.

"Swan!" Killian shouted, though she could not hear him. He caught her in his arms as she collapsed towards the floor, lifting her and lying her carefully on the bed. He turned to Mary Margaret, who looked mortified. "Get some help! Quickly!"

Mary Margaret obeyed, running to the walkie talkie Emma had left on the table.

"Charming?!" she cried, pressing the button. Please answer. Oh God, oh God.

"Snow!" her husband replied. "What's wrong?"

"It's Emma. She's hurt. She needs help. Get Regina and come home NOW!"

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Emma was unconscious, but she thought she could still hear what was going on around her.

"Whats going on?" her mother asked. Emma wanted to wake up, to tell her she was alright, but she couldn't seem to drag herself out of this... emptiness.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it." Emma recognized the voice immediately. Regina.

"Can you fix it?" Henry mumbled.

"Nothing in this world can. She's going to have to go back if she wants to survive." Regina sighed. "Back home."

"No..." Mary Margaret whispered, and Emma could hear her begin to sob.

"We won't lose her again." This time it was David who spoke.

"Well she's either going to die here or survive there. Your choice."

"I'm going with her." The room was silent, and Killian spoke again. "I just can't let anything happen to her."

Everyone was quiet for a while, until Regina spoke a final time.

"Hold on tight."