Snow Drifts & There's No Place Like Home

Piper smiled as she stood beside Mary Margaret in the woman's apartment, having stepped in to wish them a good morning and to see her little nephew a bit more, just as she had promised in the hospital. Gold was outside in his car, waiting for her as she'd just wanted to pop in and see how they were doing.

"He's a handsome boy," David smiled down at the boy as he held him in his arms.

"Stop," Mary Margaret laughed, "You're going to spoil him."

David gave his wife a smile before looking at Emma who was sitting at the counter of their kitchen area, a thoughtful look on her face, "Emma, you ok?"

"What?" Emma blinked and looked over at them, "Oh, yeah, of course. You guys finally gonna tell me the name of my little brother? Or should I just keep on calling him 'Hey there?'"

"It is a tradition, in the Enchanted Forest, that a new royal is introduced to his or her people and the name announced then," Piper explained, "Their coronation ceremony."

"Our parents did it with us," Mary Margaret gestured between Piper and herself, "What we would have done with you."

Piper snorted at that, "I blame your mother for my name, Snow."

"How did my mother affect your name, Rose?" Mary Margaret rolled her eyes.

"Snow White?" she gave her cousin a look, "What else did you expect my father to do after his brother named his daughter after a color?"

Their fathers truly had been very close, as close as they had wanted their daughters to be, naming them something similar or in a familiar pattern wouldn't have been a far cry.

"They could have named you Sky," Mary Margaret teased, nudging Piper in the side with a grin, recalling that conversation, "Or Grass."

"Or Emma," she countered, lightly elbowing Mary Margaret back in a rare display of familiar playfulness.

"What?" Emma laughed at that, "Where do you get Emma out of Sky or Grass?"

"I refused to name my child Sky Blue or Grass Green," Piper told her, "I said that I would have wanted to name a daughter Emma."

"And when Rose died…" Mary Margaret cleared her throat, "When I thought she died, I thought it would be a good way to honor her, with you Emma," she smiled at her daughter.

"Well, then thanks," Emma gave Piper a small smile, "Emma's definitely better than Sky Blue or Grass Green."

"I like to think so," Piper nodded, "Though that does mean, as I had no names for a boy, we shall have to pray to the gods that your father had better ideas than Snow about that."

"Hey!" Mary Margaret cried, mock-offended, "I CAN think of good names, you know."

"Then what is it?" Emma teased, trying to get the name of her brother out of her mother, "I mean, you don't want to hold him up in front to the clock tower a-la the Lion King with a bad name…"

"That's not how we do it," David chuckled at the idea of holding his child up like that, "In fact, we've decided to forego all pomp and circumstance for a nice potluck at Granny's."

Emma's eyes narrowed, "You're avoiding the question," her eyes widened, "Do you even HAVE a name?"

"We do," Mary Margaret nodded, looking between her daughter and cousin, "And it's a surprise," she pointed at them.

"But we're family!" Emma mock-guilted.

"And that's why it's a secret," Mary Margaret told her, "This is…the important thing is to mark the occasion. To remind ourselves that after all we've been through, we're still together. As a family. And we want all our dearest and closest friends there as well."

"And Gold," David added, shooting a grin at Piper who rolled her eyes at him.

"I was counting him among family, David," Mary Margaret sighed.

"Fear not, Snow, I caught his jest," Piper assured her when Henry entered the room.

"Hey, check it out!" the boy grinned, moving over to Emma's side with a newspaper in hand, "I think I found us a place."

"You're…looking for apartments?" Emma blinked, surprised, a tone of surprise that made the other adults glance at each other cautiously.

"What do you think?" Henry showed her it.

"Yeah, Emma," Mary Margaret smiled, "What do you think?"

Emma quickly shook her shock off and forced a smile for her son, "I think your grandparents can't decide what to name your uncle, and they are using a fairytale tradition to try and buy themselves some time."

Piper had to admit, it could be, but she glanced at the clock and sighed, "I must be off Snow, Rummy awaits."

Mary Margaret nodded, reaching out to hug her cousin once more before Piper moved over to the baby, reaching out to take one of his hands, placing a gentle kiss on it, touching the boy's forehead a moment before turning. She gave Henry a tight, one-armed hug on her way out, nodding to Emma before she left the room.

If Mary Margaret picked something like their names…heaven help that poor boy.

~8~

Piper looked down at the small handful of books before her on the counter of Gold's shop, the man standing beside her with his arm around her waist, "This is all?" she frowned, there…really weren't much by way of books.

"I'm afraid so, dearie," Gold sighed, reaching over to hand her a thick, old leather journal, allowing her to open it and see his own handwriting there, "I have been searching for centuries, this is all I have been able to gather."

"It must be difficult to learn about the limits and power of the Dark One, when all prior Dark Ones are dead," she murmured thoughtfully, understanding why there was such little to go on. Anyone that would have tried to find out something like what Gold was before him would have either died without sharing their knowledge or died without their own journals hidden poorly enough for another Dark One to find it, "Is there nothing else, perhaps in your vault, that could be of help? One of the artifacts you have collected?"

He shook his head, "That vault was for only the most dangerous and unstable magic, that which even I could not comprehend."

"We should leave that as a last resort," Piper agreed, "Lest you accidently end up a toad," she joked.

He chuckled at that, "You would merely have to kiss me back then."

"I am kissing no toads," she warned playfully, sobering a few moments later as she started to sift through the pages of his journal.

"Zozo," he stepped closer, turning to the last few pages of his notes, "He had a theory of what might be able to break the command of the dagger," he shifted his leg to press against her own, allowing her to feel the dagger nestled in her boot, making her smile to finally have that dagger back where it belonged, "But his attempts failed from what I could gather of them."

"Then why…"

"It is the most…possible," he answered her unfinished question, "I believe I may be able to succeed where he failed, but there are certain components that I would need to work around, missing pieces I would need to find first."

"No," she shook her head, turning to take his hand, "Not 'I,' WE. I want this as badly as you do Rummy. I want you free."

He let out a breath as he looked into her eyes, "You are, quite likely, the only person alive in any realm that would wish the Dark One completely free of his shackles to do with his power as he pleases."

She shrugged lightly, "No one should be a slave, no one should have their freewill removed THAT entirely."

She knew that better than any. Her music could influence others to do as she wished, on the very, VERY weak willed it could nearly control them as the Dagger did him…but the thought of someone controlling her, of being able to force her to do something she didn't want to…the thought of someone being able to FORCE her to harm her family, THAT was what drove her to do this. Because her true love had nearly come to that, to harming her and her family all because of this stupid bloody dagger and, had it not been for her holding his heart, he just might have succeeded. She would protect her family, ALL of her family, her true love included in that. She would protect him from himself if she could help it, and if cleaving him from the dagger was what needed to happen, then she would be at his side doing all she could to help.

"I do…however," she continued, "Have one small request for when we succeed."

He had to grin at that, at the surety in her voice, her belief that it would be when and not if, "Anything for you Pip, you know that."

"May I keep the Dagger if it continues to exist even after you have been freed of it?"

He blinked, not having expected that. He'd actually thought she would ask for another deal, a stronger bound one that would keep him from harming any of her family…that was what most would have wanted in helping him in such an endeavor, the knowledge that their family, at least, would be safe from him. But he had to shake his head as well, Piper wouldn't ask that, because she trusted that he wouldn't harm them in the first place. And he wouldn't, to harm them would be to harm her and he would sooner kill anyone that did so (and had, numerous times, in the past) and that would be fairly bad for him as well as the fact that the pain of seeing her harmed, even indirectly, by his actions, would break him.

"Why would you want the dagger?"

"I have carried it for over 30 years," she reminded him, "I feel off balance without it on me. I feel…safe with it, an extra protection I can use should my pipe or voice or magic fail, a blade. And it would be a reminder of the trust between us, and the strength of our love, that, together, we were able to free you."

"My Dagger has been yours since I gave it to you," he told her softy, "As has my heart and soul and magic."

"As is mine," she reached up to touch his cheek, "My pipe, my heart, my soul, my music."

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, this…THIS was why she was his love, his truest love, she just wanted HIM and she gave to him in return all that she was.

Their moment, however, was cut off quite abruptly, when a subtle rumble shook the shop, something that would have been unnoticeable if not for the silence and the clinking of the objects within. They pulled apart and frowned, looking around for the source of the shaking…when something caught Piper's gaze out the window…

There, in the distance, was what appeared to be a thick beam of golden light shooting up into the sky, flecks of red and blue streaming through it…exactly like Zelena's portal appeared to be.

~8~

The bell above Granny's jingled as Piper and Gold stepped into the Diner, seeing that all the customers were now staring out the window beside them, right in the direction the light had come from as well, "What is that?" Henry was asking.

Piper let out a relieved breath to see Mary Margaret there with the baby, David and Henry as well, "A problem," Piper told them.

"That light is from Zelena's time portal," Gold added, "It's open."

"But how?" Regina frowned, standing beside Robin, close to Henry, "Zelena's trapped in the sheriff's department!"

"She IS still there, isn't she?" Mary Margaret looked at her husband, before steeling a glance at Regina, knowing the woman had been the last to speak to her after Emma had locked her up.

Regina rolled her eyes, "I talked to her, then I left, I haven't been near the station since. You can ask…" Piper's eyes narrowed slightly as Regina seemed about to gesture at Robin but cut herself off, "Around," Regina cleared her throat, "You can ask around, people have seen me, I wasn't there."

"I'll check," David offered, grabbing his jacket and starting to head out.

"I'll come with you," Regina moved to follow, Robin after her, as Piper and Gold exchanged a look.

"No," Piper pointed at Mary Margaret as she began to shift to get out of the booth she was sitting in, "You stay here."

"Rose…" Mary Margaret huffed.

"You just gave birth," Piper shook her head, crossing her arms, "You stay here, it is just a check," she turned to Henry, "Henry, will you stay with Mary Margaret and ensure she remains here?"

"Sure Aunt P," Henry nodded, "I want to finish telling Grandma's story to my uncle anyway."

"Which one?"

"How David and I met," Mary Margaret had to smile just thinking about it.

"I recall that moment."

"She told you it too?" Henry looked at his aunt.

"I was there," Piper shook her head, starting to head back to Gold, "I was watching from above when she tried to rob your grandfather, Rummy and I…well, we orchestrated for them to meet."

"You did?" Henry's eyes were wide at that.

Piper nodded, "I wished for Snow to find her true love and, it just so happened, to be what Rummy wished as well."

"We were, and always have been, invested in their future," Gold offered, taking Piper's hand, the smile on his face making her laugh lightly at the little inside joke between them, the words they'd said to each other about Snow White and her Prince Charming so long ago.

She had been there to help her cousin meet her prince, she had been around, watching as her cousin fell in love, how the couple fought and yet protected each other, saved each other's lives, and became the loving pair she knew today. It had been a warming moment, truly had touched even HER heart to see her cousin so happy, despite the heartache she suffered at times, it had been worth it to see Mary Margaret now, with a husband and two children and a grandchild, a town full of allies, the two of them reunited as well.

"Come, Pip," Gold lightly tugged on her hand, "We should help them see to Zelena."

Piper nodded and followed him out of the diner, both of them well aware of what David, Regina, and Robin would find when they entered the station, it would be best for them to be there and cast the suspicion off that would undoubtedly be thrown at them.

~8~

"Zelena, she's gone!" was the first thing anyone heard as they entered the sheriff's station to find the cell Zelena had been in was completely empty.

"No," Regina shook her head, "She was here when I left her!"

"If she escaped, that would explain the time portal," Robin offered, stepping closer to Regina as the woman gaped at the cell.

"Impossible," she muttered, "Without her pendant, she's powerless. How could she have escaped, let alone open a time portal without magic?" she closed her mouth, her lips pursing as she turned to eye Gold and Piper who had followed them into the jail, "Unless you did something to her," she narrowed her gaze at the Dark One.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but no," Gold stated calmly, appearing even bored, "As I said when I spared her life the first time, you heroes won that time."

"Then SHE must have done something," Regina turned her gaze on Piper.

"If I had, I am certain there would still be a body," Piper remarked dryly, "My magic lies in music Regina, I can hardly bend metal with it."

They were careful with their words, both knowing that, if Emma were called in from wherever she was, she'd try to use her superpower to determine if they were telling the truth so they had to say enough of the truth where she wouldn't think they were lying. It was true, Gold had done nothing to her, PIPER had, she had had enormous fun with it as well. But in the end, all he had done was stab her, Piper had done more than that. And, in the end, Piper hadn't been the one to remove of the body, as she said, she could kill Zelena, but the body would still be there…which was where Gold came in. Just enough truth to get away with it.

David let out a frustrated breath, running a hand through his hair, "Well, if she escaped, let's find out how," he moved over to one of the TV screens, grabbing a wire that they noticed ran to one of the security cameras.

Piper gave no outward sign of irritation at having forgotten, in her bloodlust, that there were cameras there. Gold murmured a quiet 'wonderful,' before waving his hand as the footage began to play, creating static in the image of Zelena sitting in her cell by herself.

"What's that?" Regina tensed at the interruption, "What just happened?"

"Yeah, we could use an upgrade," David banged on the monitor, "Stupid Betamax…" he banged the TV once more and the image cleared up, "Here we go."

The others watched as Zelena appeared to stand and slowly step back towards the back wall of her cell…before waving her hand over herself, turning herself into a porcelain statue that fell to pieces moments later, the pieces breaking even more into a fine powder.

"Well," Gold sniffed deeply, looking towards a shocked Regina, "It seems her great escape was of a more permanent nature. I won't ask for an apology, though I would appreciate one for Pip."

Both knew Regina wouldn't give one.

"She must've had just enough residual magic to do herself in," Regina breathed, starting to frown, "And when she did, when she was gone, the magic in her pendant had no tether. It was set free. Her last wish fulfilled."

"So how do we unfulfill it?" Robin looked around the room.

"This has never happened before," Piper remarked seriously, "A time portal. We cannot be too careful in dealing with it."

"And until we figure it out, no one should go near it," Gold agreed, "A trip to the past can have catastrophic repercussions."

~8~

In the Enchanted Forest, many years ago, long before the first Dark Curse was cast...

A woman in a dark cloak stood on top of a small cliff overlooking a forest path, a deep frown on her face as she watched the goings on below.

"I do not understand," she looked over her shoulder at the Dark One standing behind her, a frown on his own face.

Things had been going rather well, Snow White had been hiding in a tree on the forest path, her shepherd Prince, her true love, on his way in a cart with his betrothed. Snow had orchestrated a trap, ready to rush up and steal the goods in the royal carriage of King Midas and, if the Prince was anything like they thought him to be, he would go after Snow and it would only be a matter of time before they met before the love the Dark One had assured her would exist in the truest form would grow.

But Snow hadn't done any such thing. The carriage had stopped, right at her trap, she had been in the tree, waiting and ready…and then a twig cracked, startling Snow and sending her falling from the tree, luckily quietly enough that none on the main forest road could hear her. It was long enough, however, for the prince to get a closer look at the fallen tree that was blocking the carriage way and realize it was man-made and not just a fallen tree. Snow's plan was falling apart before her…and so the woman took off into the woods, leaving her prince to return to the carriage.

"They were to meet," she breathed, "They were to meet just now…" she stood and turned to face Rumpelstiltskin, "What has changed?"

"The future, Pip," he stated, a rather displeased look on his face, "Someone is meddling with time. A dangerous game, indeed, the repercussions could be…catastrophic."

Piper's face hardened, "Then we must find these meddlers," she nearly hissed, "I shall not allow them to alter the course of Snow White's love."

Rumpelstiltskin eyed her a long while before nodding, "One day, Pip, you shall have to tell me why you are so invested in her."

She gave a short nod, "The day you tell me why YOU are as well."

Rumpelstiltskin giggled at that and flicked his hand, causing them to disappear in a swirl of red smoke, back to his castle to use one of his mirrors to see what was affecting the course of events he'd seen in his visions.

~8~

Piper looked down at the remnants of the magic mirror that Rumpelstiltskin had shattered, unimpressed and not at all amused as she would have to clean that up later. Events were even more skewed, he had claimed, whatever was interfering with the path of fate was doing a rather grand job of it. He had seen this, he had seen the course Snow White was to take, how the meeting with her prince would play out. A robbery, a trap, an adventure with Trolls and Black Knights, and love…a parting in sweet sorrow and a longing to return to each other that would spark the greatest love story of their world and create the purest love of all.

Which would not happen if things continued on the course they were now set on. He could see it changing, not just in his visions, but in the reflections of the mirror. Prince James was in Midas's castle, preparing for the pre-wedding feasts and Snow White had gone to the pirate Black Beard with a plan to escape from the realm to another land, any land that was not the Enchanted Forest. If this continued, James would end up married and Snow would be too far away for them to ever meet without the most meddlesome of meddling.

He had shattered the mirror at that, thrown the teapot into it and shattered that as well.

But it had afforded them a little more insight. They had seen what had caused the change in events, the twig crack…a blonde woman in a cloak and a man that Rumpelstiltskin recognized as the pirate captain, Hook, had been the epicenter. The woman had been looking up at Snow, had been watching the robbery, and leaned in…breaking the twig and changing events. Neither of them were too happy about that, though the blonde seemed equally disturbed for some reason.

"They seek you out, Rummy," Piper called, the images still playing in the shards of the mirror, "They are just beyond the castle walls, heading this way."

"Oh are they?" he nearly sneered at that, more angry at the two in question than her, irritated that his careful planning was turning to ashes because of the two, "They are not setting foot in here," he held out an arm to Piper, "Come, Pip."

She reached out and took his arm, disappearing in a swirl of red once more, appearing just behind the duo on a hill overlooking his castle. He gave Piper a firm nod and she moved to step behind a tree, best to keep all his advantages to himself till they were needed.

"Might be best if I stay back," Hook was saying, "The Dark One and I have a rather complicated past. I'd wager he want to kill me on sight."

"Oh, I'll take that bet," he called, making the two spin around to face him, giggling at the look of shock on the blonde's face, "I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to this. Oops. I suppose I just did," he reached out and twisted his hand into a fist, starting to choke Hook with his magic.

"Swan…" the man pleaded to the blonde woman.

"Stop!" the girl shouted, but Rumpelstiltskin merely flicked his wrist, sending her flying to the side, leaving him to focus on finishing Hook.

"I don't know who you are, dearie, but why don't you run off and let me enjoy my killing in peace!"

"He's not gonna hurt you," the woman pleaded, rushing to her feet and moving near Hook, her hands up in surrender, "You have to listen to me."

"And why would I listen to you? In fact," he turned to the woman, "Why shouldn't I kill you as well?" he used his other hand to force her into tight bindings around her arms, invisible ones.

"Because if you kill me, Piper will never forgive you!"

The confusion on the Dark One's face must have been quite something to see, but Piper didn't even look as she stepped out from behind the tree, her hood of her shadow cloak pulled down as she narrowed her eyes at the blonde, "Why should I be angry with him?" she asked, "I know you not."

"Not yet," the girl nodded, "But…but listen, listen to my song. You recognize it, don't you? Part of it?"

Piper glanced at Rumpelstiltskin who nodded her permission to do that so she closed her eyes and tilted her head, listening carefully to the woman's song. Her eyes snapped open moments later, "Snow…"

The woman nodded, "She's my mother," she swallowed hard, "I'm…I'm from the future, she's my mother. Snow White."

"That is impossible."

"If it was, how would I know that you're Rose Red?"

Piper went rigid at that.

"Rose Red?" Rumpelstiltskin turned to her, his magical hold on the woman and Hook lightening only slightly in his shock, "The lost princess? Snow White's beloved cousin?"

"I have not been her for many years," Piper shot Rumpelstiltskin a dark look, a meaningful look, as though she were trying to say she was not Rose Red any longer, she was only the Pied Piper, "I AM the Piper now, that is all I am."

"Not…not to me," the woman called, pulling their attention back, "Not to my son, to him you're…you're his Aunt P. To my mother, you're Rose. And to me…to me you're my aunt too, I'm…I'm Emma," she said, seeing Piper step back at the name, clearly familiar with it, "Neither of you are just… Rumpelstiltskin and the Pied Piper anymore, not where I'm from."

"And where are you from dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin narrowed his eyes at her, "An alternate realm?"

"The…the future," the woman, Emma, glanced at Hook a moment, the man seeming rather irritated she'd revealed that.

"The future?" Rumpelstiltskin scoffed.

But Emma nodded, "Yes," she said firmly, taking a breath, knowing she was likely revealing more than she should, but she needed them to trust her, "You're planning to enact a curse in hopes of reuniting with your son, Baelfire."

"Who told you that?!" Rumpelstiltskin let go of Hook entirely, striding towards Emma, "What are you? Some kind of witch?"

"No," Piper swallowed hard, "She is as she says," she breathed, "I can…I can hear Snow's song in her, I can hear the prince's as well. She IS their child…"

"And I'm the one who breaks the curse," Emma added, "So that you can find him. I'm the product of true love."

"That's speculation," Rumpelstiltskin stepped back, Emma watching as he subconsciously seemed to move closer to Piper, "Part of my plans. But I haven't done it."

"You will and you will succeed."

"If that's true, then that means…"

"We ARE from the future, mate," Hook rubbed his neck, slowly standing.

"But time travel hasn't been done, mate," Rumpelstiltskin shot right back.

"Yeah, well, someone's cracked that code," Emma sighed, "We need your help."

"Help?" Piper scoffed, "YOU are the reason all of the future is in danger to begin with. YOU are the reason the path of true love has strayed for Snow White. You should have no need of help, you should never have interfered in the first place!"

Emma took a step back at the sheer venom and frost in Piper's voice, not used to hearing it directed at her, not so forcefully, not for so long, "I didn't mean to…it just happened. And we're TRYING to fix it, but we need help."

Rumpelstiltskin giggled, "You need our help? Then answer me one question: Do I find my son?"

Emma hesitated.

Piper's eyes narrowed, "Answer him," she threatened, "Or I shall make you."

"Yes," Emma answered, casing a wary look at Piper, almost seeming confused and alarmed she would threaten her.

Piper supposed that it made sense. If this woman was truly her cousin's child, which she suspected she actually was, then this was her family. She would be protective of Emma in the future, she would be kinder to her, closer to her. But this was not the future, her mind couldn't reconcile the fact that her cousin, that she'd just seen a short while ago fleeing from her future love, had a child. Because HER cousin did not have one yet. She couldn't connect that to the woman before her. Yes, she sounded like Snow and the Prince, yes, she was likely family…but she couldn't FEEL it. She didn't feel that familiar protectiveness for the woman, that wouldn't come until the woman was actually BORN in this world, till she actually existed, she supposed. Right now, all she could feel was irritation and anger that she may have destroyed her cousin's chance for love.

"Bae," Rumpelstiltskin breathed, moving even closer to Piper, "I find Bae…how?"

"Rummy," Piper warned with a single word.

He nodded, "You're right, Pip," he shook his head at Emma, "Don't tell me. If I succeeded, I don't want anything in my head that might throw it off."

"Such as like now," Piper added with a hard look to Emma, making the woman feel even more disconcerted to be on the receiving end of the half-siren's ire, "You have changed things. You have changed Snow's future."

"We interrupted my parents meeting," Emma nodded, "They were supposed to meet, she was supposed to rob him and he was supposed to chase after her."

Piper and Rumpelstiltskin looked at each other for that, only the two of them knew how the meeting with Snow White and the Prince was supposed to go. The fact that this woman knew those details as well…

She was telling the truth.

Rumpelstiltskin threw out his hand and, the next thing they knew, they were standing in the middle of the Dark Castle's main room, the swirl of red smoke fading from around them.

"Thank you," Emma stated, taking the action to mean he believed her, "For believing us. I know that time travel is hard to swallow."

"Not as hard as the other mystery you've presented me," Rumpelstiltskin remarked, turning to point at Hook, "Why haven't I killed him?" he started to grin, thinking about something, "Or did Piper get to him first?"

Emma looked over at Piper, seeing the woman glaring at Hook…apparently, wherever they were in Piper's timeline, the woman already knew about Milah.

"If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't for lack of efforts," Hook countered, "Let's just say we bury the hatchet."

"And not in your skull?" Piper tilted her head at Hook.

Emma let out a breath, "I can see why you two are true loves."

"What?" both looked at her for that, their eyes going a bit wide.

Emma blinked, "You don't know…yet…" she realized, "Just forget I said anything," she tried to wave it off.

Both Piper and Rumpelstiltskin were silent at that, glancing at each other in a way that likely would have been comical to any who knew the Dark One and Pied Piper as they had been in this time and realm, but now was not the time to laugh.

"Snow White," Hook cut in, knowing that it would be enough to distract the two of them from trying to gain anything else out of Emma, "And the Prince."

Emma gave Hook a grateful look and focused on the pair before her once more, "They're supposed to be together. Prince James isn't supposed to marry Abigail. The ring he was going to give her gets stolen by Snow. He tracks her and traps her and they face down Black Knights and Trolls and…and they fall in love and take back the Kingdom from Regina and…I can prove it," she reached into a satchel on her side, pulling out the 'Once Upon a Time' book.

"We were already aware," Piper's voice grew harder again, covering up the shock she'd felt moments ago, pushing the claim that Rumpelstiltskin was apparently her true love to the back of her mind, needing to focus on her cousin for the moment, "We had planned for it to happen. And then YOU had to alter the course of events. If you are from the future, do they not TEACH you not to do such things? Nor to spill such secrets of future knowledge?" she nodded at the book Emma had placed on the table before where Rumpelstiltskin sat.

Emma shifted from foot to foot, noticing how Piper's gaze went down to them, as though recognizing the family habit, "I just…" she frowned, something catching her attention in the book…it was blank, entirely blank after the first few pages, "What?"

"It's all gone," Hook frowned, "Anything that was supposed to happen after they met has disappeared!"

"The ripple effect," Rumpelstiltskin remarked, "Once you change something in the past, anything from that point forward becomes uncertain. The future, as you can see, is a blank page."

"Which means Snow could just as easily DIE on the next page," Piper nearly growled at Emma.

Emma swallowed hard, starting to feel like this was the worst mistake she could have made, coming there to seek out the Pied Piper and Rumpelstiltskin. She had assumed, wrongly, that because the woman was Snow White's cousin, and her 'aunt,' that she would be more helpful, that she would be as supporting and ready to help her as in the future. But…she had sorely underestimated what she knew of her aunt from this world. Here…she was the Dark One's partner, here she was the Pied Piper, not just Piper, she was a deal-maker, every bit the siren her time with August and her family had tempered in the other realm. And the siren was very protective of their family, a family she now thought Emma herself had become a threat against and endangered.

"We need to get Snow to steal that ring, so we can put their story back on track," Emma tried to amend.

"You're in luck," Rumpelstiltskin clapped his hands, "There's a ball tonight at King Midas' castle. Prince James will be there and so will his ring."

"So, we just need to get Snow there," Emma smiled.

"How?" Hook scoffed, "We don't even know where she is."

"And she is very much on the run," Piper added, her voice growing hard, "Nobles of other kingdoms shall attend, including the Queen…you would put my cousin in the same castle as the woman that wants her head on a pike?"

"No!" Emma said quickly, stepping back as Piper took a threatening step forward, only Rumpelstiltskin's hand reaching out to gently rest on Piper's arm keeping her from following through.

"There may be a way for her to escape the Queen's notice," Rumpelstiltskin offered, not seeming to realize his thumb was absently stroking Piper's arm to calm her, "Should someone else be there to…cause a distraction," he grinned at Emma and Hook, "Snow White, when last we looked, was attempting to secure passage on Black Beard's ship and failing to do so, double the price and so."

"She can't escape the Queen without the money she's supposed to get for the ring," Emma realized, "How do we get her to the castle?"

"I would rather my cousin run than be caught by Regina," Piper shook her head, not about to tell them a thing, "True love can find her later, death would take her swiftly. I shall have no part in this."

"You're not going to help us?" Emma stared at her, "He's her true love!"

"We'll find some way, Swan," Hook reached out to take Emma's arm, much like Rumpelstiltskin was still holding Piper's, "We'll get her to the castle and…make sure the prince meets her, we'll keep Regina distracted while it happens. Events will play out again once we get it on track."

"But how do we make it back to our time once it's over?"

Rumpelstiltskin was silent a moment, frowning at the duo before him, he could feel how tense Piper was, how close she was to attacking them, whoever they might be, for how badly they had thrown a wrench in her cousin's fate, and he wanted them gone as soon as possible if it would cause her distress like this, "I can work on get your portal to the future open again. But getting your parents together? You made that mess, dearie. Only you know what you did. Now go, undo it."

"If she's looking for passage out of town I might know a ship's captain who might help us," Hook began, "Who might give her it for the price of a ring…"

"Who?" Emma turned to him.

He just grinned, "Me," he told her, "If you can distract me, I can take my place on my ship, trick Snow White into agreeing to steal the ring for passage."

"It's worth a shot," Emma sighed, turning to head out with Hook.

"Emma," Piper called, making her pause and look back, "If you or your pirate fail, if more harm befalls Snow White…I will make you wish you truly had not been born."

Emma pursed her lips but nodded, heading out with Hook.

A tiny voice in the back of her mind laughed though, at the thought of what the Piper of the future would think when she realized that she had essentially just given her blessing for her to 'distract' Hook.

~8~

As Emma and Hook stood on a hill, looking at the walls of the Golden Castle, where king Midas was hosting the pre-wedding banquet to celebrate his daughters engagement, neither seemed to notice the two figures standing behind them.

"A predictable access of pomp and grandeur," Hook was murmuring as the two watched Snow White climbing the walls off to the side of the castle, "Snow should have no trouble sneaking inside."

"What about us?" Emma shook her head, "We're supposed to be in there distracting Regina."

"I agree," Piper's cold voice spoke behind them, making them gasp and spin around to see her and the Dark One there, Piper nearly invisible in the shadows she was standing in, her cloak blending in effortlessly.

The two of them had been watching Emma and Hook in the magically-fixed enchanted mirror. Emma had been left to distract the Captain Hook of this time, while the other Hook, the future one, snuck onto his ship and met with Snow White to discuss passage. He'd gotten her to agree to steal a ring from Prince James in return for transport. They had nearly gotten caught when the past-Hook tried to lead Emma to his quarters on the boat, but the future-Hook knocked himself out with a firm punch, giving them time to escape.

Rumpelstiltskin had been watching, hoping to gleam clues about the future, Piper more so to ensure that Snow would be alright and to learn if she was actually going to go through with this…and it appeared she was.

"Here," Rumpelstiltskin flicked his hand and produced a piece of paper in his hand, "An invitation to the ball," held it out to Emma to take.

"And when we're done inside, you can open our portal?" Hook asked.

"There's a powerful wand which, uh, I came to possess," Rumpelstiltskin offered, "Anyway, legend says, it can recreate any magic that's ever been wielded. Now, with a little work, I can use it to recreate whatever portal brought you here."

"Please do it quickly," Emma pleaded, "We'll be in and out before you know it. I want to get the hell out of here."

"You keep Snow safe," Piper stepped beside the Dark One, "Distract Regina and ensure she meets the prince, and we shall see."

Rumpelstiltskin giggled at that, it wasn't often that Piper actually got involved in his deals, being able to talk and negotiate them with him, he liked it.

"Wait!" he called as Emma and Hook moved to head to the castle, "Not like that," he grimaced at their clothing, before waving his hand, magically transforming Emma's dress into a bright red ball gown and Hook's black garb to a more brown and noble coat, "Rose Red," he giggled, giving Piper a look that had her rolling her eyes at him for the joke.

He was going to do that a lot, wasn't he? Make something red just so that he could call it 'rose red' and irritate her, wasn't he?

"I'm not supposed to stick out!" Emma tugged at her dress.

"At a party as lavish as this," Piper remarked, "You will barely be glanced at in such garb."

Emma seemed doubtful about that, but forced herself to remember that Piper WAS a princess, she would know better, "What if someone remembers me in the future?"

"Because what you had before was such an intricate disguise?" Rumpelstiltskin scoffed, but rolled his eyes, "Now, speaking of which I've returned those stole rags. Luckily, before they were missed. I mean, it's a miracle the timeline hasn't imploded already. Amateurs. Allow me," he waved his hand and held up a mirror for Emma and Hook to see that he had altered their appearance to others, making them look similar to how they had been but wholly indistinct and unmemorable to others, "A glamour spell. This is how you shall appear to one and all. Now, run along and do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets that ring. Once they're back on track, everything else will be, too," he snapped his finger and the two disappeared in a swirl of red smoke once more.

"She has a point," Piper seemed ill at ease to admit that.

"Oh?" Rumpelstiltskin looked at her.

"If she is truthful, that she is from such a future, would I not remember her?" she turned to him, "I assume you shall wish a memory potion to ensure that you are able to find your son without changing something that prevents it inadvertently. But they do not work on me."

Rumpelstiltskin paused to consider it a moment, "I can create a magical oath, if you'd like, to prevent you from speaking of this to anyone, including me, until they return to wherever future they've come from."

She considered it a moment, but nodded, "That would be for the best."

He held out his arm to her to transport themselves back to the Dark Castle, they had much to do and little time to do so in.

~8~

Piper sat at the edge of the long table in the main room of the Dark Castle, her feet up on the table, her gaze locked on a shard of enchanted mirror in her hand, watching all that Emma and Hook had gotten into. She had been tasked to keep watch while Rumpelstiltskin worked on both his memory potion, the magical oath, and the portal back to the future. He needed all his focus on that, but he still wished to see what he could gleam from Emma and Hook and…she just wanted to know her cousin was safe.

It had been fine, to stand there, motionless, watching as Snow White made it into the castle, as she searched for the ring, even as she was confronted by Prince James just after having found it in his rooms. She could bear to watch them scrambling around and wrestle, could smirk when Snow hit him across the face with some trinket box, before escaping out the window and off on a horse. She felt not a twinge as Emma and Hook, in distracting Regina, who had indeed attended the event, ended up in the woman's dungeons after helping ensure Snow escaped. She could even bear to stand and watch as her cousin was caught in a net by the Prince, just as Rumpelstiltskin had mentioned it was to happen as such before. She watched them banter, a small smile on her face to see her cousin falling in love with the man and he with her even if neither realized. She was irritated to see Hook there, Emma in the dungeon with another woman in a red cloak, awaiting execution. She cared not for that though she was rather disgruntled that Hook had talked her cousin into helping him rescue Emma. She could understand it thought, Emma had the ring that was meant to represent the love between Snow and her Prince.

However…it had not been easy, not easy at all, to watch as, once the men had broken into the castle, listening to Snow's plan to split up, Snow tried to sneak up on Regina in her personal chambers. She had held her breath as Snow threw black fairy powder at the queen, trying to turn her to a bug, to kill her…only for the Queen to overpower her.

That was why the mirror had shattered.

The image had shifted to Emma freeing herself and the other woman from the dungeon, the group running off to meet up with Snow once more…and the next thing she saw…

Her cousin was tied to a pyre, her hands up, a bag over her head, as Regina threw a fireball at her, starting the fire.

She had screamed, so loudly and so sharply that the glass of the mirror had shattered, so loudly that Rumpelstiltskin had run in to see who was attacking her. She and he would forever deny that she had fallen to her knees, sobbing and shaking, that he had taken her in his arms and dropped with her, the thought of her cousin being dead so suddenly too much for her to bear…

But Rumpelstiltskin had spotted something in one of the shards, had pointed out a small speck, a tiny ladybug flying away from the flames and they had watched, her grabbing the shard and holding it so tightly that it cut into the palms of her hands, watched and waited, hardly breathing…until the bug had been restored by light magic to reveal Snow alive and well.

She would deny to the day she died that she turned and hugged the Dark One, crying into his neck at the relief of it all. And she promised herself she wouldn't tell another soul that he had hugged her and rocked her and tried to soothe her and then leaned her hands from where the glass had cut into.

It would tarnish his reputation as the Dark One after all.

After that she'd been left to sit at the table, watching on the mirror, more light of heart, as Snow and her charming Prince faced the Trolls on the Troll Bridge, saved each other's lives and parted ways with longing looks, the beginnings of love between them that warmed her heart.

She was watching intently for Emma now that, from what both she and Rumpelstiltskin had said of events, things were back on track. Now, it appeared Emma and Hook were heading back to the castle…the woman from the dungeon that Emma had saved slung over Hook's shoulder both in the mirror and when they entered.

"They are here," she called to the Dark One, sitting on the other end of the table from her, kicking her feet off the table and moving to his side just as the doors open and the two travelers stepped in.

She placed her hand on Rumpelstiltskin's chair, clutching it as tightly as she could, not trusting herself to not launch herself at Emma and Hook for the danger they had gotten Snow into.

"We did it," Emma beamed.

"Your parents are together?" Rumpelstiltskin remarked, not looking up from the potion he was working on.

"They're right back on track. We're ready to go."

"I see," he glanced up just then, his eyes flickering to the woman, "And you brought some luggage."

"That was not part of the agreement," Piper stated, her voice so flat and emotionless that it made Rumpelstiltskin straighten and stiffen, not even HE was used to that sound, the sound of her trying so hard to restrain herself.

"It's a long story," Emma waved it off, "Taking her with us won't affect the future. I promise."

"Just as you being here would not affect the past?" Piper scoffed, her eyes narrowed into slits.

Emma didn't have an answer or defense to that, so she looked at Rumpelstiltskin instead, "So, how's the portal coming? Can you open it?"

"I cannot," he remarked, sounding so nonchalant he might as well have been speaking of the weather.

"Then what are you working on?" Emma frowned.

"A forgetting potion," Piper stated.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded, "I know too much about my future," he glanced at Piper a moment and back to the potion, "The only way to protect it, is to forget it."

"Well, what about this wand?" Emma asked, "You said that could help us!"

"Oh, that," he reached out and picked up a wand that was resting on the table beside him, "Well, apparently, only those who used the portal can reopen it. So unless you can wield magic, I'm afraid you're going nowhere," he tossed the wand to Emma, "Can you?" he smirked as Emma remained silent, "Thought not."

"So, you just expect us to stay here?" Hook frowned, "What about protecting your precious future?"

Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "That's exactly what I'm going to do," he stood.

Hook tensed and pulled a sword from his belt, "He means to kill us, Swan."

"Hardly," he waved it off, "If I were going to kill you, I'd let Pip do it," he smiled at the woman beside him, watching them with narrowed eyes, "She wants to, badly I'd think for the pyre your actions led her cousin to," he hummed, "I've grown rather fond of watching her deal death to others, far more entertaining than a mere flick of the wrist to snap their necks, watching her," he shrugged, "Sadly, if you are, in fact, of her family, killing you would do neither of us any good. No. I mean to put you someplace safe. Someplace even I dare not go. Where I store the magic that is too dark or unpredictable even for me."

Rumpelst…" Emma began, but the man just waved his hand, sending the three off in a swirl of red.

Piper let out a breath, pulling her hand away from his chair and slowly opening her fingers, uncurling them, her hand having gone white from the pressure of holding onto the wood for support and restraint.

She looked up when two other hands took hers in his and started to gently massage them, "Rummy?" she looked at him, not…entirely sued to displays and touches like this, but not about to shy away from it or ask him to stop.

"Oh Pip," he sighed deeply, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing the back of it, "She may be right about other things," he looked into her eyes, silently telling her he was speaking of the 'true love' slip from earlier, "But…right now…"

"They have already changed too much," Piper agreed, "When we…admit such feelings," she offered, "It shall be the right time. To do so now could be…disastrous."

He nodded, "Thank you," he murmured, relieved that she understood, "The potion is ready, your oath…"

"Do what you must," she nodded, trusting him to bind her tongue in just this subject.

One day, one day she might be able to speak of this, express the feelings that were starting to stir inside her for the Dark One, and one day he would speak of it to her as well. He would not remember and it would be best for her not to be able to tell him. He was a stubborn, jaded, and distant man with many people, less with her, less and less every day. One day they would be together, and one day she might reunite with her cousin, if Emma's tales were to be believed, just as he would reunite with his son.

And that would be a good day.

But for now, she let the magic drift over her, binding her words and tying her tongue, this was necessary.

She let out a long breath when she felt the magic fade from her and looked up at the Dark One, watching her intently. She leaned forwards, close to him, almost as though she were about to kiss him…but reached past him to the table, picking up the small vial of the forgetting potion, and stepped back half a foot, holding it up to him.

"Your turn."

He reached out and took the potion from her, looking down at it, "Bae…" he began, "She said I find him," his gaze flickered to her, "She did not say he stayed, that he would forgive me."

Piper smiled knowingly, "Go," she curled his hand around the potion, "Ask her. And then forget. Should the answer be good…you should not risk changing that. Should the answer not be so…you would not wish to know, you would not wish to live the rest of your days till you find him knowing it was for naught. And…your actions, your curse, it will cause all that Emma spoke of, a future already made. You cannot change that by stopping your quest now."

He reached up to touch her cheek once more, hesitating before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead, her eyes drifting shut and only opening when he'd already disappeared in a swirl of red smoke to confront Emma one more time.

She stood there, she didn't know how long, till a spiral of red smoke appeared once more in the middle of the room, the Dark One within it, frowning and looking around, "Pip?" he called to her, the potion vial in his hand, "What the hell was I doing in my vault?"

Piper smiled sadly, content to know his plan had worked and he had no memory of something that could affect so many, and walked over to him, taking the potion bottle from him gently, holding his gaze so he wouldn't realize what she'd done, "I know not," she said simply, and she didn't, she didn't know what he'd done in the vault, what he'd learned, and she doubted she ever would, "Would you show it to me, one day?"

Rumpelstiltskin blinked at that, "It's dangerous," he warned.

"Not more so than you or I," she smirked at him, "I do not fear danger. Or I would not have come to you, I would not have stayed. I think…I rather like dangerous."

No, in fact, she was quite sure she loved 'it'…or would one day, with all her heart.

~8~

In a little town in Maine...

Piper smiled as she and Gold entered Granny's Diner, just in time for the coronation ceremony it appeared. It was…a good day, overall, she and Gold had gone over the notes in his journal, the attempts Zozo had made and she could see what he had, the potential for his last plan to free himself from the dagger. The time portal had dispersed, and everyone was safe and alive. She moved over towards Mary Margaret, sitting with David in a booth, Emma and Henry on the other side with the storybook out before them.

Her smile, however, fell when she caught sight of the image staring back at her, an illustration of what looked like Emma and Hook dancing at a ball, Emma in a red gown.

"You're Princess Leia?" Mary Margaret was asking, gaping at Emma.

"Nice alias," Henry laughed.

"I was in a pinch," Emma shrugged.

"Well, there you go," David tapped the book, "You're officially one of us."

"A fairytale princess at last," Mary Margaret smiled.

"Princess who?" Piper asked, as she joined them.

"Mom's in the book!" Henry smiled up at her.

"That…is impossible," Piper shook her head.

"I um…Hook and I sort of fell through the time portal," Emma told her.

Piper went pale, "What?"

"We might have almost made mom and dad miss each other, but they met!" she added quickly, still thinking of the Piper in the Forest, how she had been so very angry about that, "They're fine, and everything worked out, see," she pulled the book over, flipping through the pages.

"This…is not the story," Piper shook her head, "This is not how it happened!"

"Pip?" Gold put a hand on her back, feeling her tensing and growing more alarmed, "What is it?"

"This is NOT how their story went!" Piper pointed at the book.

"It is," Mary Margaret frowned, "I remember, I feel out of the tree before I could steal from Charming and…"

"No, you DID steal from him," Piper insisted, "Snow, you stole from him and he went after you and…" she stopped short, coming to the image of Snow White tied to the pyre, flames licking up her feet, "This did NOT happen…this is not how the story went. You were never anywhere near Regina or Midas's castle!"

"Wait…" Emma stared at Piper, "You remember?"

"I am a siren Emma," Piper nearly snapped, her voice loud in her shock, "My mind is protected from most alterations to it! What did you DO!?"

"Rose…" Mary Margaret reached out for her cousin's hand, but Piper seemed to be shaking.

"Emma…" Piper swallowed hard, trying to breathe, trying not to shout, trying to rein in the siren that was snarling just under the surface at the image of her cousin burning to death before her. She knew Snow White had to have survived, but she didn't remember this and to see it happening, and know that Mary Margaret lived it and SHE hadn't any memory of being there to help her or try to stop it? She was shaking, "You changed the past?"

"Just…just a little…" Emma murmured.

"A little?" Piper scoffed, "Does this look like a little!? My cousin was nearly burned to death because of your little changes!"

"But I'm fine!" Mary Margaret tried to stop the fight, shocked to see Piper shouting at Emma like she was.

"That is not the point Snow!" and now she was shouting at Mary Margaret, "This is our family, this is OUR history! And it has been changed…and I cannot remember a single detail about it. This…" she gestured at the book, "This is not my past."

Her entire world had now been erased, it felt. She knew the events after this incident likely continued as normal, those memories were the same for everyone. But for such a focal moment in her memories to be singularly different than everyone else's? It was her family, her cousin's life that had been altered, and by her own family.

"I have no memory of this," Piper swallowed hard, trying to calm down, "Emma…you could have killed Snow, you could have ended up killing yourself, and Henry with your blunders. And I…" she shook her head, she couldn't even put into words what she was feeling any longer.

The entire past had changed, the REAL past, and everyone was sitting there as though it were nothing, as though they couldn't remember what really happened. Which she knew they couldn't. But it felt like it was a taint on the past, on the story, like someone had taken it and twisted it into something utterly dark and unrecognizable. And Emma…she was just sitting there, smiling and laughing and joking and not even seeming to realize the severity of what she'd done.

"Emma…" she took a breath, "One cannot change the Past, One cannot bring back the dead, and One cannot make another fall in love. Those are the three laws of magic," she stated, her voice so solemn, "You have broken one," she shook her head, "I cannot even begin to imagine the consequences that may come from that. If the price of magic for a simple spell can be dire at times, to break the LAW of magic? I am not sure any of us would be ready for what is to come."

Piper gave Emma one final look, Emma startled to see tears in Piper's eyes, before she turned away, Gold leading her over to a small table near the window of the diner. Piper sat down, resting her elbows on the table, her head in her hands, "They are trying to soothe her now, are they not?" she murmured.

Gold looked over to see a distraught and fearful Emma sitting there, wide eyed, with Mary Margaret and David quickly talking to her, soft expressions on their faces, their gestures meant to reassure. Only Henry appeared to be frowning and in thought about what Piper had said, "I'm afraid so dearie."

Piper let out a long breath, "There is an entire part of my cousin's past that I do not know," she looked up at him, "That I did not experience. How do I endure that? How do I not feel as though my own life has been altered. The story snapped back, it is in place once more, but…the foundation of it will forever be changed and fragile now."

Gold was silent, reaching out to take her hand. He could understand her frustrations. Not only had her entire past changed for everyone else, but it hadn't for her. HE remembered the events that Emma described, Piper did not, for whatever reason, she didn't. And it was twice as hard, he'd guess, to know that the path she had helped lead Snow White to for her prince…that her attempt to do a good deed for her cousin, to help her and look out for her even from a distance had now been stolen from her.

Emma had now gotten her parents together, instead of Piper.

Piper had done so much to see her cousin happy, had wanted to give her true love, her own way of protecting Snow White and seeing her happy…and now that action, that intent, that beautiful moment had been shattered.

Because SHE remembered doing it, but no one else would.

"You focus not on the past," Gold spoke after a moment, "But on the future," she looked at him, "One single moment in the past should not haunt you like this Pip," he nodded, knowing from his own experiences with Bae how consuming that could be, how much it could hurt, "But you should focus on the infinite number of moments to come."

Piper smiled slightly at that, "Our future."

"Our future," he nodded, "You and me, Pip, and…perhaps a daughter as well."

"Not a son?" she teased lightly, recalling his words about her having a boy to go along with Mary Margaret's.

"Both," he determined, "We shall have as many as we can manage."

She laughed, "Not THAT many," she argued.

"Even just one with you, Pip, would be the greatest treasure," he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it.

"That it would," she murmured.

"Excuse me," they looked over when they heard David call out, standing before the group, "If I could have everyone's attention just for a moment. This coronation ceremony is something we looked forward to for a very long time. The arrival of our new son has been a cause of great joy for our family. And we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero. Someone who saved everyone of us. We loved him and he loved back."

"People of Storybrooke," Mary Margaret carefully cradled the boy in her arms, "It's our great joy to introduce you to our son…Prince Neal."

The room burst into cheers at that as Piper felt Gold squeeze her hand more at that. This time she lifted his hand to her lips to kiss his knuckles, "You owe me," she smiled at him.

They'd made a small wager after she'd explained her discussion with Emma in Mary Margaret's apartment, how the woman couldn't come up with original names. He had actually defended that, between Snow White and the Shepherd, and with this world and its BOOKS on names, that they would have had to come up with an original name.

It appeared he was wrong.

Still…it was a good wrong.

"It is a strong name," Piper smiled at him.

"For a strong boy," Gold agreed, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb, "Their little trip to the past," he glanced at Emma cooing at her brother, "You were right Pip, she could have done quite a bit of damage. She could have not just ended their lives, but yours," he squeezed her hand more, "I am…glad she didn't. Surprised, even, given her genes," Piper rolled her eyes at that little dig at the heroics in the family and how plans hardly ever went accordingly for them, "You changed my world, Pip, from the moment I met you to right now, you…make me a stronger man, you give me a freedom I never thought I could feel with that dagger tethering me. You found a way under my skin, into my heart, and you bore my darkness in a way no one ever has or ever could. I love you, Rose Red, more than I can ever say."

Piper's smile softened at that, "As do I you," she agreed, "You…accept all of me. You accepted every side and never wished me to change. Human or siren, it mattered not to you, just that I was me. You made me feel unashamed, you made me feel…normal, accepted, for once in my life, that I was…home. You are my home Rumpelstiltskin, you are my heart," she chuckled lightly at the double meaning, "And I shall love you to the end of my days."

Gold leaned in, kissing her briefly across the table, not wanting everyone else's prying eyes on them in their moment…however it appeared that no one would be looking at them, not at that moment, not when another voice shouted out across the diner.

"Marian?!"

They broke apart and looked over to see Emma standing between Regina and a woman in…a cloak, in a peasant's dress, in clothes made from the Enchanted Forest. But it hadn't been either of the three women to speak the woman's name…but Robin Hood, who was getting out of the booth he'd been sitting in, staring at the woman in shock and awe.

"Marian!"

"Robin?" the woman breathed, rushing away from Emma and Regina and right into Robin's arms.

"I thought you were dead," the man cried, "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"And I you."

"Rummy…" Piper breathed, staring at the scene not in joy or happiness as others were, but in horror instead, "Please tell me that is not Maid Marian."

The answer was given, but not by Gold, instead by Roland that walked up to the woman, looking at her with a curious expression, "Mama?"

The woman, Marian, crouched down, gaping at Roland, "Roland. Oh my baby. Roland!"

Gold grew silent and solemn as Marian scooped her son up in a tight hug, Robin joining in, kissing her forehead and holding them tightly, "I think it is Pip."

Piper let out a breath, her eyes flickering to where Regina was watching the scene, in tears, Emma looking utterly horrified. And she knew, she knew that Snow White's story was not the only one Emma had changed.

It was not the only Law she had broken either.

Maid Marian was dead, she could remember that, she could remember Robin saying it numerous times, Maid Marian was DEAD…yet here she was, alive.

One cannot bring someone back from the dead.

Two laws, two laws had been broken and Piper could feel a fear and dread creeping into her for what that could mean not just for the town but her family as well as EMMA had been the one to break both laws.

Even worse…she could feel a sinking feeling settling inside her as another realization hit her.

This would need to be fixed, and fixed quickly…but what that would mean, it would be something Emma and Mary Margaret would never agree to, they would stand in the way, they would try to keep Marian safe.

Piper felt the breath leave her as something occurred to her that she never ever thought would happen.

She very well may have to take a stand…against her family.

To be continued...in...The Golden Rule!

A/N: I can't believe the story is over! Even with all the delays, I still feel like I just started this story yesterday lol :) I hope you all enjoyed the Dark Rose journey so far :) I'll be back and posting this story the day after the last episode for Season 4 airs ;) So likely some time near the beginning/middle of May ;) I'm actually going to try and put a little pattern to the titles of this series in terms of the stories. The first one (All that Glitters) and the next one (The Golden Rule) both relate to Gold, the second (Every Rose Has Its Thorns) relates to 'Rose' Red, and the third (Phantom Melodies) relates to Piper being a siren and the melodies and music surrounding that :) It's just a tentative pattern, but I just thought I'd put it out there ;)

I hope it wasn't too confusing, how it went from Piper's POV in Storybrooke, to her POV in the Enchanted Forest, I tried to explain what was going on in the background as best I could without rehashing every detail. If the story/events didn't change because Piper wasn't there, I didn't want to write them out all over again :) Piper definitely had a reverse reaction to Emma in the Enchanted Forest than she does in Storybrooke, it was hard for her to connect Emma being her future family when she knew her cousin, at that time, didn't have a baby :(

For anyone interested, today I'll also be posting a Star Wars story in a few hours, Anakin/OC, starting from Episode II. And, in about 2 weeks I'll also be posting a second OUAT series, Hook/OC this time (February 2nd) that will be...quite the opposite of this one ;)

And, to end, I just want to say thank you to all of you! To everyone that's read/reviewed/favorited/followed/anything this story, thank you all so much :') It really means a lot to me to know that you enjoyed the series and I hope I can do you all proud in Season 4 as well :')

Some notes on reviews...

That's cool :) Piper is hard to root for at times :) She's definitely going to be very keen on the cleaving plan yup, I have a lot planned for Season 4 for her }:)

Season 4 is where we'll really see Piper start to kind of-sort of ease off on Hook as he'll 'prove himself' to her more then ;) She's a hypocrite in all her glory lol, she can accept the Dark One as her true love, but has an issue with Emma liking a pirate :) I think, for David, he was in a very dark place at that moment, his son was just taken and likely about to be killed and his daughter, the one person he thought would have the magic to save the baby, lost it because she had to 'play hero' and save Hook :( David was all for executing Regina, Snow had to stop him, so I think he has the capacity to be dark at times and, at that moment, his son's life was worth more to him than Hook's :( I can say this story is definitely heavy on the Hook-faults and harping, Piper takes her over-protectiveness of Emma to the extreme when it comes to the men Emma lets into her heart (because, as a siren, she knows what could happen if Hook hurts Emma and she doesn't want that for Emma). But it will ease up, starting with her learning that Hook spent the entire time travel trying to stop Emma doing things ;) And in my next OC series, it'll be very pro-Hook and encouraging of him :) I end up, at times, doing extreme interpretations of certain characters, one can be the best friend ever in one story or the ultimate rival/enemy in another just to try and challenge myself to write different POVs on them :) Nope, Piper has no control over if she gets a daughter or not, she just would prefer one now given what happened to her boys. If she had a boy, she'd probably be even worse than she is with Emma (and worse than Snow is with Neal in the show) in wanting to protect that baby boy :) A girl might be less stress for her in that sense, but she would love it, boy or girl :) The next season will be tense but also bonding for Emma and Piper, Piper will be one of the first to help her when guilt eats at Emma and to stand by her when things go wrong, but there'll also be moments where Piper and Emma will be at odds, but she'll really step in with helping Emma deal with some big issues :) I'm glad you're excited for the LotR and BBT stories :) Arwen definitely was more prominent in the movies than the books, I was a little disappointed they put her in scenes that were meant for other people at times :/

There'll definitely be more Piper and Pinocchio moments to come, both in Flashbacks and in Season 4 ;)