A Smaller Savior

5 - The Parents

Emma stared with wide eyes as Mary Margaret darted around the apartment getting ready for the day. It wasn't anything unusual but Emma couldn't stop staring. Mary Margaret was really Snow White. She was Emma's mother.

Emma had spent most of the night thinking over what she had discovered yesterday. There was only one explanation that made sense with all of the weirdness about the town, her storybook, and everything else. Fairytales were real and they were all trapped in a curse. A curse that Emma was apparently supposed to break. Too bad the book doesn't talk about how she was supposed to break it.

"Are you coming with me to the hospital today?" Mary Margaret asked her pulling her out of her thoughts. Emma nodded immediately. That's where her...father was. The thought felt so weird.

She actually had parents and they didn't abandon her, not by choice at least. She had found them and everything but they didn't remember her because they were cursed fairytale characters. She held back the slightly hysteric laugh that wanted to break free.

It didn't take them long to get to the hospital. Mary Margaret left her to go on her rounds. Emma wandered through the halls peaking in at a few familiar faces to say hello. She made her way to the room she really wanted to go to.

Pausing in the doorway she took in the familiar sleeping form. John Doe, also known as Prince Charming, laid in the hospital bed just like always. Emma stared at him for a second before taking a deep breath and heading inside.

"Hi there," she said quietly walking up to the bed. He of course didn't respond. "Remember me? I read you a story about Snow White and Prince Charming the other day. Guess what? Apparently it's not just a story. It's your past. So I need you to wake up, please." She grasped his hand in hers and waited. Nothing happened. She sighed in defeat.

"Oh Emma, there you are," she heard Mary Margaret say from the doorway. She dropped his hand and turned back to look at her. "How's he doing today?"

"I think he wants to wake up," Emma told her hoping with everything she has that he would do just that. Mary Margaret smiled sadly at her. "Maybe you should kiss him and see if he wakes up like sleeping beauty." Mary Margaret sputtered at that suggestion.

"I can't just go around kissing patients, Emma." Emma shrugged knowing she wouldn't do it but it was worth a chance.

"But what if he is your true love and is waiting for true love's kiss?" Mary Margaret just laughed shaking her head.

"I think you've been spending too much time reading that fairytale book of yours." Emma opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. Mary Margaret left her and went to continue on her rounds. Emma stared at her father on the bed before her.

"If you can hear me, I need you to wake up. I have no idea what I'm doing," she said taking his hand again. "Please wake up." She closed her eyes wishing with all of her might that he would do just that but nothing happened. He continued to lay there unmoving besides the steady rise and fall of his chest in time with the beeping of the machine he was connected to. Sighing she dropped his hand but not before leaning in and kissing his cheek.

"She might not believe yet but I have faith," she told him. "I'll make her believe and then you'll wake up."

She left the room determination filling her as she set her mind to her new goal. Focusing entirely on what she needed to do, she didn't notice when the man's fingers twitched as she left the room. She didn't notice his eyes cracking open as the door shut behind her.

Emma was making her way back down the hall when a few doctors rushed past her. She paused watching them go and she was about to continue on her way when they darted into John Doe's room. Her heart sputtered as she took off after them determined to find out what was happening.