Once Upon a Time 1. Prologue

**Title: **Collision

**Summary: **In the fantasy world, Snow has just met the seven dwarfs. They have pledged to protect her if she helps them at their cottage. In reality, Graham has just died. Mary Margaret is still reeling from the idea that Graham - and herself - may not be from this world. She begins to talk to David once more, despite her original determination to avoid him at all costs. He still loves her despite his determination to stay with his wife. But then, he notices something peculiar about a certain ring on Mary Margaret's finger... A love blossoms, and once it blooms… there's no holding it back.

**Pairings: **Snow/Charming, Mary Margaret/David.

I know this is short, but think of it as the teaser before the commercials/opening credits. I promise the chapters will be longer in the future.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters mentioned - unless stated otherwise.

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><p>Snow ran from the huntsman as fast as she could. She stumbled through the forest and soon came upon a small cottage. Fearfully, she turned her head over her shoulder. No one was following her, but she couldn't be sure things would remain that way. She forced her way inside. The roof was low, but she was still able to stand at full height. Just barely.<p>

She inspected her surroundings. The beds – there were seven – looked only big enough for little children. She wondered who lived there. Perhaps they were little children living all on their own who needed someone to care for them. The thought made her smile.

She felt a yawn rising in her throat, and she pushed the seven beds together to make one bed that was large enough for her to lie across. It was a tight fit, and her feet still hung off the ends, but she put up with it. Her eyes blinked sleepily, and faster than she could say "apple," she found herself falling asleep.

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><p>Mary Margaret could barely focus. Her day had been a blur. She remembered waking up and arriving at the school. She only barely remembered teaching the children. She definitely remembered sending them home. She did not, however, remember sitting at her desk for the next two hours in silence.<p>

Her thoughts had been elsewhere—on Graham. He had acted strange when he came to see her the other day. He spoke of another world. The same world Henry spoke of. She refused to believe the nonsensical stories before, but now… no. She couldn't be Snow White. If she were Snow White, she'd have her Prince Charming. And she certainly didn't have one of those.

She looked up at the clock and realized she had been sitting at her desk for two hours. Standing up quickly—and nearly knocking her desk over in the process—she gathered her things and left. She needed to speak to Henry.

"Are you saying you believe me?" Henry asked in glee.

"I'm not saying anything like that," Mary Margaret answered tactfully, "but… I'm willing to listen. Why don't you start from the beginning?"

So Henry explained. He explained how Snow and Charming had met, how the Queen hated Snow, how Snow and Charming were married and the Queen issued a warning. He explained how Snow gave birth to a baby girl, Emma, and sent her through a wardrobe and she ended up in Boston. He explained that the Queen unleashed a dangerous curse that sent all fairytale beings into the real world—where there were no happy endings.

Throughout his entire tale, Mary Margaret listened attentively. When he was finished, she drew a breath.

"If you think I'm Snow White, who is Prince Charming?" she asked. She thought of Dr. Whale. Then she thought of David.

Henry shrugged, "I'm not sure yet. I thought it was David, but he loves Kathryn, so it can't be him."

"Right," Mary Margaret nodded slowly, though her heart ached at this thought. Absently, she fiddled with the ring on her finger. The two stood in silence as seconds passed between them. "I guess I'll be going, Henry. Thank you."

"Sure, Ms. Blanchard," Henry smiled.

Mary Margaret left Henry to his quiet evening home alone (she had made sure not to visit him when Regina was home) and began her walk back to her house. Emma, Henry's biological mother, was still working at the police station. Though she was upset over the death of Graham, she tried not to let it bother her. She worked tirelessly to forget him, but the effort wasn't very successful. Still, she tried.

Mary Margaret would be returning to an empty house. Perhaps she should get a cat. Or a dog.

She strolled past the Nolans' house, and she couldn't help but let her eyes wander towards their yard. Their sign was perched happily in their front yard, screaming at her to keep moving. Yet she couldn't. She was rooted to the spot, her hands in her pockets as she stared at the front door. _Go in, don't go in… go in… don't go in… _her mind ran in circles. She told herself again that it was not worth the trouble. David was happy. David was happy, and if he was happy, she was happy.

So she was happy.

Even so, she watched the woman in the window, her silhouette gliding across the room. A voice behind her made her jump out of her skin.

"Mary Margaret."

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><p>There'll be more soon. I promise. C: Like I said, this is a teaser sort of thing.<p>

Puppet


	2. The Ring

Two chapters in one day. Woo! I felt kind of bad because the first one was so short. And while this one isn't exactly up to standards, either... I still rather enjoy it. I hope you do, as well. c:

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Once Upon a Time_, as much as I wish I did.

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><p>"What is she doing here?"<p>

"Who is she?"

"Do we wake her up?"

"Quiet! She's sleeping!"

"Shut up."

"You shut up!"

"Stop fighting. She'll hear you."

"She already hears you," Snow remarked groggily, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. The seven creatures, who she could barely make out, jumped in surprise and ducked behind the foot of the makeshift bed.

As Snow's sight returned to her, she noticed seven caps poking out from behind the foot of the bed. Suddenly, she remembered where she was. "I'm sorry! I was looking for a place to sleep."

"It's okay, miss."

"It's not okay! I just made my bed!"

"Quiet, Grumpy. Don't be rude to our guest."

_Grumpy_, Snow thought in amusement. What an odd name. She smiled at the voices nonetheless, giving a small laugh as she noticed the cap on the far end trembling.

"Dopey, stop shaking!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," Snow said patiently, "why don't you come out so I can meet the lovely people who live here?"

One by one, the creatures climbed over the foot of the bed and settled onto the comforter at her side. She stared at them in surprise. They weren't children… they were… _dwarves_!

One gave a fitful yawn. Without waiting for anything more, he grabbed a pillow from the floor and collapsed into a slumber. Snow stared at him.

"He does that all the time," one of the dwarves assured her.

"Who are you?"

"Doc."

"Happy!"

"Sneezy." The dwarf sneezed.

"Bashful."

"Dopey."

"That's Sleepy," the dwarf with glasses, Doc, pointed to the sleeping dwarf on the floor. "And he's Grumpy." He nudged the dwarf beside him.

"I can introduce myself," the dwarf grumbled.

"'Course you can," Happy piped, "but you never do!"

"Yes, well… she hasn't introduced herself first. She's the one in _our _house," Grumpy pointed out.

Snow White stood up, and the dwarves scrambled off the bed and pressed themselves against the wall. She laughed. "I told you, I'm not going to _hurt _you. I'm Snow White. I was hiding from the Queen, but I'm safe now. Thank you for letting me sleep here, but now I'll be going."

She made for the door, but the dwarves mustered up their courage and raced her to the door. They barred her way. Well, Doc did. The others were hesitant; Grumpy crossed his arms in refusal. Happy bounded towards Doc and stood beside him. Dopey stumbled over his own two feet, yet supported Doc. The others watched in fascination.

"With all due respect, Miss White, if there's an evil Queen out there, we can't allow you to leave," Doc protested logically, "right?" He looked towards the lingering dwarves. As if Doc were commanding them, they shuffled towards the door and bravely faced Snow White.

"I'll be fine," Snow insisted. "I've been on my own all my life." _I have places to go._ She knew these creatures meant no harm, but her hand instinctively flew to her neck. She sighed in defeat when she remembered she no longer possessed the powder that would turn them all into cockroaches. No, she had used that to save Prince _Charming_. It was gone for good. For a mere moment, she considered drawing her dagger. She shot the idea down immediately. These dwarves meant no harm, and she was not willing to wound the innocent. "Fine. I'll stay. _For one week._"

She emphasized the last line with narrowed eyes. The dwarves nodded their consent. Clearly, they were satisfied.

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><p>"<em>Mary Margaret.<em>"

She knew that voice. She _dreaded _that voice. She had told herself she would never hear that voice again. She had promised herself she would not_ listen _to that voice again. Yet she turned around slowly with a resigned sigh, facing David Nolan with an annoyed glare. She definitely should have kept walking.

All at once, her emotions came flooding back. He had led her on. He had led her to believe he was it—he was her Prince Charming. She had willingly gone to the toll bridge to meet him, only to find out he was going to stay with his wife, Kathryn, after all. She had her heart cut right out of her chest and crushed in his palms. And that was all she was going to take from him.

"What?" Perhaps she said that a little too harshly…

"How are you?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," she snapped. _No thanks to you_. Yes, coming here was a bad idea. Henry was wrong. She couldn't be Snow White. Dr. Whale certainly wasn't Prince Charming, and David Nolan _definitely _wasn't her Prince Charming. If she were Snow White, she would have her Prince Charming. And she didn't. She scolded herself for believing Henry's delusion.

"Good," he smiled. Despite her hostility, he still managed to remain sweet. She cursed him for this. His stupid, charming smile. His stupid, charming face. His stupid, charming… everything!

"And… how are you and Kathryn?" she managed.

"We're doing well," David replied earnestly, "really well."

Mary Margaret forced a smile, "that's great."

"She wants a baby," he added.

"Oh." There was no mistaking the flat edge in her voice.

"Yeah," David nodded slowly, "It's big…"

"Well, I…" Mary Margaret stammered as she tried to find the right words, "Good luck… with… that…" _And now this is getting awkward. Congratulations, Mary Margaret, for being the most awkward person in Storybrooke._

"Thanks," David laughed. He launched into a detailed account of his day. How he had left the house because Kathryn was preparing a surprise. The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth—he couldn't stop them. They just kept flowing; words stringing into sentences and sentences stringing into stories. He kept talking and Mary Margaret kept… _not _listening.

She wasn't focused on him anymore. She remembered toll bridge again, and she recalled how upset she had been.

"Please… stop talking to me," she interrupted. David stared in shock. "I can't… do this."

"Do what?"

She motioned between them, "This. I can't pretend that I'm okay. I'm not okay…With this. With you and… I just can't do this, okay? I need… space. I told myself I wouldn't bother you, and I'm not going to break that promise. So I'm going to go now. Don't follow me. Don't talk to me… just… be happy with Kathryn. And I really do wish you the very best of times with her…"

She held up her hands to show her resignation. Just as quickly as she spoke, she turned away. She was about to walk away when David spoke.

"Wait."

She paused. He walked towards her and took her hand. She turned around and stared at him, trying not to lose her composure.

"You can't decide to be with Kathryn and then—"

"Where did you get this ring?"

She stared in confusion. "My…"

"Your ring," he repeated, "where did you get it?"

"I… I've had it for as long as I can remember," she told him. "Why?"

"_Snow!" James hurried to catch up with the hooded figure. The emerald hood dropped to reveal an entangled nest of long, dark hair. Still, the woman ran. But James would not give up that easily. He hurried after her with determination clear in his eyes. When he finally caught up to her—after she had tripped over a hidden log—he knelt beside her. "Are you okay?"_

"_I'm fine," she nodded through gritted teeth. She clearly wasn't._

"_Wait just a moment…" James dug around in the pack at his waist._

"_You really don't have to—" Snow White started._

"_I said wait," James interrupted her forcefully. _

"_You sure did, Charming," she remarked in annoyance. But when James met her gaze, laughter danced in her eyes._

"_I told you," he said for the millionth time, "It's James."_

"_And I told _you_," she echoed, "I don't care."_

"_What are you doing out here, anyway?" he asked._

"_Nothing," she lied._

_He saw right through it. "Snow White, I haven't known you long, but I know you well enough to know you are not telling me the truth."_

_She smiled mischievously. "It's none of your concern, Charming."_

"_It is my concern," he argued. He dropped his voice. "The Queen has issued more patrols of the forests. She has raised the price for bringing you to her. She will stop at _nothing _to see you dead."_

_This didn't faze her. "Is the Prince _worried _about a lowly thief?" she asked incredulously._

"_Of course not!" James lied._

"_Prince Charming," Snow White mocked, "I haven't known you long…"_

_He silenced her with a kiss. As they broke apart, she drew a shaky breath. _

"_I…" she began._

"_Snow White," Prince James began simultaneously. Snow stopped speaking to listen. "You are, by far, the most incredible, most beautiful… bravest woman I have ever met."_

_Snow White blushed as he tended to her leg. When he finished, he pulled her to her feet. "I want you to stay safe, Snow. You can't wander through the woods alone… not under these conditions."_

"_So worried," she chided with a laugh._

"_I'm serious," his voice was stern. "I don't want to lose you."_

"_You _won't _lose me," Snow argued, "considering you never _had _me to begin with. Besides… you said you'd always find me no matter what I did. So I'm not _really _alone, am I?"_

_The prince was caught. He sighed. "Fine. But… please."_

"_Don't you have a fiancé or something to look after?" _

"_Actually…" he hesitated, "I don't."_

"_You… don't?"_

"_I couldn't. I couldn't marry her knowing…" he met her gaze steadily. "knowing I am in love with someone else."_

_Snow blinked in surprise. "Me? No, Charming, you—"_

"_I love you, Snow White. I will never stop loving you and I will never stop looking for you. No matter where you go… I'm going, too." He pulled a ring from his pocket, offering it to her delicately._

_She stared at it. She knew it well. She remembered holding it for the first time. Admiring it on her finger. Pretending she wasn't envisioning herself married to the prince. She hesitated a moment. But she knew what Charming said was true. He would never stop looking for her. He would never stop protecting her, loving her… no matter how many times she tried to run from him, he would be there. He would never stop caring for her and she knew, in that moment, she had found her true love._

_She imagined her life with him, and she could see it as vividly as she could see the world around her. _

_She took the ring._

David dropped her hand immediately. He stepped back in confusion, his hands pressing against his head. _What _was _that_? He had seen Mary Margaret as Snow White and he… he was Prince Charming. But how could that be? I was married to Kathryn. He _loved _Kathryn. And yet, this ring…

He knew this ring. He didn't know how, but he had seen it before. He had possessed it before.

"David…" she trailed. "What are you…"

"It was nothing," he stammered, "I… I have to go. I'll see you later, Mary Margaret."

Before she could protest, he fled to the comfort of his home. Mary Margaret stared after him. Then, she looked down at the ring on her finger.

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><p>Snow's week with the seven dwarfs went well, to say the least. She cooked for them, fed them, and kept their cottage clean. When she wasn't helping them, she helped herself. She spent what little time she had to herself in the forest, walking alone and enjoying nature.<p>

It was the fifth day when something significant happened. _That _was the understatement of the year. To say the Queen had simply poisoned her would be another. No, the Queen had done more than that. She had disguised herself as an old hag. She had offered her an apple. She had poisoned the apple and effectively murdered her greatest enemy.

Or so she thought. For, while Snow White was in a deep sleep, her prince was looking for her, carrying the only thing that would wake her from the spell.

A kiss.

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><p>Review, por favor?<p>

Puppet


	3. Deceit

Third chapter is officially up. c: I have some ideas for this story. Let's just hope I don't forget them.

I know people hate Kathryn, but... she will be making an appearance in this story. A pretty big one if you ask me.

Dr. Whale will not be making any appearances in this story, and if he does, it will be very, _very _minor.

Anyway, read on!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters involved.

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><p>"You can't let the queen get to you," James begged. His wife, Snow White, was curled up in their bed, the bed sheets wrapped around her protectively. She lay on her side, staring at the wall opposite her. Her hands were folded beneath her head, and her cheeks were damp with tears. "Please, Snow… everything is going to be fine."<p>

"Can you promise me that?" she asked him hoarsely. He didn't answer, and she fought back more tears.

Her husband walked towards her from where he had been staring out the window. He crouched in front of her, a warm smile on his face. She smiled in return. Reflex. She had found it impossible to frown whenever he smiled. She had found it almost impossible to be sad when he was anything but.

"James… I don't want to do this…"

"Snow," he whispered encouragingly, kissing her forehead in adoration, "we're going to have a baby. A baby! Nothing is going to get in the way of that, I promise."

She tried to be happy. She really did. "But she wants…"

"If she wants to start a war with you, she's starting one with me, too," James vowed. "She won't get away with it." He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and tucked it safely behind her ear.

"I just can't help but wonder..." Snow trailed off nervously, "will this world be safe for our child? With the queen—"

"If it's not safe, I'll make it safe," James promised.

Snow met his gaze, and she knew he would keep that promise if it killed him. She said nothing; an unspoken conversation passed between them. He would do anything to keep his family safe.

That was why she loved him.

"You need to get up, Snow… it's not healthy to stay in bed all afternoon."

Snow White shook her head. His words had been reassuring, but not reassuring enough. She still feared for their unborn child. They were bringing an innocent child into a world of mass chaos. She couldn't allow her child to be born in such difficult circumstances…

"Snow," James pleaded, "I will do anything to protect you and our child. Anything it takes. We're going to be okay, you'll see. The Queen can't hurt us. She can't separate us because no matter how much she tries, I will _always _find you."

Snow smiled, "Always?"

"Always," he agreed. "Nothing will come between us. Nothing and no one is powerful enough to stand in the way of true love."

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><p>"He has remembered?" Regina asked with narrowed eyes.<p>

"Yes." The answer was steady.

"You are sure he will not seek Mary Margaret?"

"I'm positive, Regina. Mr. Gold helped him, don't you see?" Kathryn inquired imploringly, "he remembers me! He remembers our life!"

"He remembers nothing but what we wish him to," Regina sneered. "You know that."

"I know," Kathryn bowed her head. A part of her wished she truly _had _been married to David. He was sweet and caring, smart and funny. He was charming.

"You know as well as I that you are not his wife," Regina continued, "I asked you to pretend you were. Your loyalty and faith in me will not be forgotten."

Kathryn looked up hopefully. Regina had hinted that there was more to Storybrooke than others thought, but she never pried. "Do you mean…"

"There is no way back to our world," Regina interrupted in annoyance. Kathryn nodded. She assumed as much. She didn't know who she was outside of Storybrooke, but she knew she must have been important to have been approached by Regina—the Evil Queen—outside of that world.

Regina continued her work while Kathryn stood nervously in front of her desk. Regina looked up once. "Be sure he doesn't remember. Do whatever you have to do to keep him _away _from Mary Margaret."

Kathryn nodded vigorously. "Yes, madam mayor."

"Well?" Regina snapped, "go!"

Kathryn fled at once. She hurried from the mayor's house and set off on her way home with long, determined strides. Just yesterday morning, she had told David she wanted a baby.

It was time to set that plan in motion.

…

David was confused, to say the least. If what Henry said was true, he was Prince Charming.

He didn't want to be Prince Charming. He had _no intention _of being Prince Charming. And yet… he realized that, although he had regained his memories of his life with Kathryn, something still didn't feel right. He felt at his best when Mary Margaret was beside him. He felt whole—complete. With Kathryn, it was like there was something missing. But Henry couldn't be right if he remembered his life, could he? Surely not.

He was David Nolan, husband to Kathryn Nolan and in full control of his memories.

He was _not _Prince Charming.

Even as he told himself this, he remembered Mary Margaret's ring. As soon as he took her hand, a vision flashed before him. And as soon as he dropped her hand… it was gone. The ring, with the beautiful jade and silver band, reverberated everywhere he went. He saw it in the plates; its circular form haunted him everywhere he turned. The sun was as bright as the jade; the moon equally so.

There was something about that ring that connected him to Mary Margaret. He just didn't know what it was.

He blinked groggily as sunlight streamed into his bedroom. When he rolled over, Kathryn was not beside him. He gave a small frown. Probably working, he decided. He swung his legs out of bed and stood up with a yawn. He stretched his arms wide above his head and stumbled out of the room and into the kitchen.

Kathryn entered just as was making breakfast.

"Good morning," she said happily, craning her head for a kiss.

He smiled, kissed her lightly on the lips, and resumed his task. She watched him calculatingly, wondering if he knew anything of his old life. Of his real life.

David Nolan was not David Nolan. David Nolan did not exist. The man before her was John Doe. She had no idea who he was. Regina had asked her for help. Who said "no" to the mayor? She did what she asked; never understanding what she was really getting herself into.

"You were late getting home last night," she observed quietly.

"I ran into Mary Margaret," he shrugged.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Oh?"

"We were just talking," he promised, "just catching up."

"Of course," Kathryn smiled. She wondered how much he knew.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"Running a few quick errands," she answered cryptically.

He studied her for a few seconds before dropping the subject.

After breakfast, he decided to run a few errands of his own. Just as he was about to leave, Kathryn slipped in front of him.

"Our conversation from the other morning…" she trailed off quizzically. She knew he'd know what she was referring to. And he did.

"I told you," David replied steadily, "I'm thinking about it."

Kathryn frowned, "what is there to think about?"

"Everything," David answered in shock. "Do you know how much raising a baby will cost? Babies are expensive! I'm not sure if having a baby is the best thing to do right now. I don't have a job. You have a job, but you're not getting paid nearly as much as we'd need."

"David…"

"I'm going to think about it, Kathryn. I promise." As unfamiliar was it was to him, he kissed her again.

Reassurance flooded over the woman, and she stepped back with a resigned sigh. "Okay."

"I'll see you later," he promised.

She nodded. As he left, she worried that he would be visiting Mary Margaret.

_It won't matter, though_, she reassured herself. _He's mine, Mary Margaret. We're going to have a baby. You'll see._

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><p>A knock on the door made Mary Margaret hurry out of her bedroom. Her robe was wrapped securely around her. Underneath was a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.<p>

"Coming!" she called. _This better be important, _she thought in slight annoyance.

Mary Margaret peeked into the spare room where Emma was sleeping, but she wasn't there. _Still at the office_, she sighed. She made a mental note to talk to Emma about that. She couldn't stay at the station forever. Graham was gone no matter how many times the townspeople of Storybrooke wished he weren't.

She opened the door. "What do you wa—David."

"Hi, Mary Margaret," David greeted her with a smile.

"I, uh…" she ran her hands through her hair. She was sure it looked like a bird's nest. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to talk…"

"Yeah? About what?" She leaned against the door, making it clear this was to be a short conversation.

"About what happened the other night… with the ring," he answered nervously. "May I come in?"

Mary Margaret sighed, but held open the door and let him in.

She led him to the table in the kitchen and motioned for him to sit. "Would you like anything to drink? I have coffee, hot chocolate…"

"Hot chocolate," he answered instantly, "with cinnamon." She paused briefly, her eyes locked on his. "I'm sorry. Is that… weird?"

"No," Mary Margaret responded, "not at all. I, uh… I actually _only _have my hot chocolate with cinnamon." _Coincidence?_

She prepared his drink and brought it to him. "Thank you."

She shrugged and sat down in the chair across from him. "So, yesterday…" She had no intention of making this conversation any longer than it needed to be.

"Yesterday… I held your hand. The one with your ring on it."

"Yes…"

"And when I did… I had this… vision."

"David, that's—"

"Please hear me out," he interrupted. Mary Margaret fell silent, so he continued. "I had this vision. You were Snow White and I was… Prince Charming. And I don't know if it was just a daydream or not, but… Mary Margaret, I've never felt more alive. Whatever it was, it felt _real_. You… you felt real."

Mary Margaret was silent. For a moment, he thought she believed him. "Have you been talking to Henry?" she asked doubtfully, a smile on her face.

"I'm serious," he answered simply. "I haven't talked to Henry. I'm telling you what I saw."

"I can't be Snow White," Mary Margaret shook her head. "I'm Mary Margaret Blanchard, teacher at Storybrooke Elementary. Nothing more."

"Then answer me this, Mary Margaret," David challenged. "When I left you standing in front of my house, I went inside. I talked to Kathryn and I closed myself off in our room. I pulled out a computer and did a little research. Do you want to know what I found out?"

Mary Margaret said nothing, fearful of what he was going to say.

"Blanchard. _Blanche _means 'white' in French. Maria Sophia Margaretha Catharina Freifräulein von Erthal is said to be the inspiration for the character of Snow White. Maria Margaretha. Mary Margaret. _Blanche._ Blanchard."

"That's just… coincidence," Mary Margaret muttered.

"It's not coincidence," David insisted. "You are Snow White."

"I'm _not_."

"You are."

"You want to believe that I am. You want to believe that I'm Snow White and you're Prince Charming so you'll have a solid reason to leave Kathryn. Well it's not working. Go back to your wife, David."

"No. She's not my wife."

Mary Margaret was shocked. "You…"

"You're my wife. You're Snow White. We're meant to be together, Mary Margaret."

She rolled her eyes, scoffing. "Okay, I think it's time for you to go."

"Mary Margaret, please… just… listen to me. It's right in front of you; I'm right in front of you."

She stood up and moved for the front door. When she opened it, Kathryn stood at her doorstep. She blinked in surprise.

"Kathryn," she said tersely.

"Where's David?"

"Kathryn?" David joined Mary Margaret at the door, "what are you…"

"I followed you," Kathryn shrugged, "I'm glad I did. What do you think you're doing?"

"I was having a drink with my friend," David answered in annoyance.

"Yes, well, play-date's over. We're leaving."

Kathryn was fuming. Her eyes were narrowed in distaste as she glared at Mary Margaret. She reached for David's hand and dragged him out of the house, down the steps, and towards the gate.

David stopped. He turned around and looked up at Mary Margaret.

Her eyes betrayed her emotions. She acted like she was annoyed, fed up with Henry's stories. But he could tell she was starting to believe them, too. It would take some time, but he had plenty of it. She was skeptical… but she was starting to believe.

He grinned in triumph and allowed Kathryn to continue tugging him out the front yard and down the street.

* * *

><p>"He's starting to remember the truth," Kathryn confessed, "I tried to keep him away from her…"<p>

"And Mary Margaret? Does she remember?" Regina asked.

"I think she's starting to," Kathryn nodded.

Regina sighed. "Really, now. How hard is it to keep one man away from one woman?"

"He always finds her!" Kathryn argued, "I do everything I can to keep them apart and he always ends up near her."

"Since you clearly can't do as I ask," Regina snarled, "I'll take matters into my own hands."

She fought the urge to run away. She couldn't back down now. Regina would kill her if she betrayed her.

Regina turned her gaze to her backyard, where an apple tree was rooted firmly in the ground. Kathryn followed her eyes, and, in that moment, she realized she was in way over her head.

* * *

><p>I always felt that Kathryn may know more than she lets on. Like Emma said, it was strange how Kathryn didn't find David until the moment Mary Margaret saves him. Her excuse was really weak, in my opinion, and Regina is a little too evil for me to believe anything she says. So.<p>

Review, please! c:

Puppet


	4. The Wardrobe

Chapter four! I hope you're still enjoying this as much as I am... because I honestly am. c:

I can't get enough of this show. I've seen the pilot four times in the past... four days? Maybe? Something like that. It's just _brilliant_.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Once Upon a Time_. This is a fanmade production and all characters belong to Disney/ABC.

* * *

><p>"I don't want you talking to her anymore," Kathryn demanded.<p>

"You can't be serious," David scoffed.

"I'm _dead _serious," she snapped.

"No, you're _dead _crazy," David corrected her impatiently. "Mary Margaret is my friend. She found me in the forest. She _rescued _me. _She saved my life_. I'm not going to cut her out of my life and ignore that."

"That's _exactly _what you're going to do," Kathryn growled.

David walked away from her, but she followed him and clenched his arm tightly, her voice lightening at the thought of losing him. "Please, David, just… think about it from my side. You're almost always around her when you're not here. You keep staring after her… you left me for her—"

"I told you," David sighed, "it wasn't for her. It was for me."

"Excuses." It was Kathryn's turn to scoff. "I know you love her, and that's why you have an option."

"An option?" he echoed, not sure where this conversation was headed.

"Her or me, David. Take your pick."

There was silence between them for several long heartbeats before he spoke, his voice defeated.

"You."

She smiled, "Good. Then find Mary Margaret."David stared at her in bewilderment. "Tell her not to bother you again."

David's face fell for a fraction of a second. He considered changing his mind—choosing Mary Margaret—but he couldn't be sure that she would accept him. He wasn't going to risk his relationship with Kathryn again.

"Fine." He walked out of the house and down the street.

* * *

><p>"I will not marry her," James stated firmly.<p>

"You will," the king answered steadily.

"I won't. I refuse."

"If you don't marry her, I will see to it that your farm is destroyed," the king whispered, seething.

This caused James to pause, consider his actions. It was only a second later when he realized that his loyalty to himself came before his loyalty to any object. Love was a powerful thing, he reasoned, and he wasn't about to reckon with it.

"I will marry," James conceded, "but I will not marry _her._ King Midas made a deal with us. Gold for the head of the dragon. We delivered our share. It is only fair that he give us the gold he requires. Marriage to his daughter was an afterthought. It was not part of the bargain."

The king thought for a moment. "You are smart, James."

He said nothing.

"I will consider this. Meanwhile, who _do _you wish to marry?"

"A woman far more captivating than Princess Abigail," James responded. "She's smart, she's cunning, and she's quick. She saved my life."

"If she saved your life, then she must be repaid," the king nodded.

"But I am not repaying her with marriage," James frowned. "I'm marrying her because I love her."

"Very well," the king agreed after several long moments. James smiled with pleasure. "But _you _will tell Princess Abigail_ and _King Midas."

James refrained from calling the king a coward. He had what he wanted: permission to marry Snow White. Little else mattered.

He sought Abigail in her chambers. She and King Midas were still guests in the castle, though this would soon change.

"Abigail," he greeted.

"Ahh, James! There you are," she chastised, "where have you been?"

"I was performing some, er… duties," he lied. "I would like to have a word with you, if you don't mind."

"I suppose, if you must," she relented, ushering him in and sitting on the edge of the bed. James stood in front of her, pulling her to her feet. He much preferred her standing. He didn't like to look down on others—literally or otherwise.

"The wedding is off," he said bluntly.

"What?"

"The wedding. It's not happening."

"Might I ask… _why_?" She didn't seem as upset as James would have thought. Merely… curious.

"Partly because your father tried to force me into something not in the original agreement, and partly because… well… don't you see that we have nothing in common?"

"So?"

"I can't marry someone when there's nothing to share," James replied.

"Truthfully," Abigail's presumptuous voice faltered, "you're rather boring." And in a mere second, it was back.

James laughed lightly.

"Thank you," Abigail added softly.

"For what?" his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"For saving me from following through with this. My father knows I'd do anything to please him." She added quietly, "Truthfully, I'm scared he'll turn me into gold if I do otherwise."

James smiled. "Well, you're welcome."

Abigail examined him for a moment, a calculating smile on her face. "You love someone else, don't you?"

He grinned sheepishly, "So?"

"So you want to marry her." She wasn't offended.

"Yes."

"Well… good luck."

She left the room in peace, her hands folded in front of her as she set off in search of her father. Their kingdom awaited them, and she would not spend another minute away from home.

* * *

><p>"That's it for today, class. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and I expect to see you all tomorrow," Mary Margaret said. Her students scrambled from their desks, grabbed their things, and left the classroom. As usual, Henry was the last to leave. She approached him calmly.<p>

"Henry, can we speak for a moment?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Am I in trouble?" he asked skeptically.

"No."

"Then shoot," Henry relaxed visibly, looking up at his teacher with bright eyes.

"Did David talk to you at all yesterday?"

"No… why?"

_So he was telling the truth_. She half-hoped he hadn't been, if only because she'd have a solid reason _not _to believe him. "He thinks he's Prince Charming."

"He _knows_?" Henry asked excitedly, "he's starting to remember?"

"Remember," Mary Margaret echoed with a roll of her eyes, "Henry… this… your book… the characters in it _aren't real_."

"Yes they are," he insisted, "and I'll prove it to you." Mary Margaret frowned, but she remained still as Henry pulled the book out of his backpack. He flipped through the book until he found the story of Snow White and Prince Charming. "Do you see them?"

Mary Margaret nodded. Henry flipped to another picture. It was a closer picture of Prince Charming. He pointed to the scar on the man's chin. "Do you recognize him?"

"That's impossible," Mary Margaret almost whispered.

"It's not impossible," Henry argued, "it's real. You need to believe, Mrs. Blanchard… otherwise… we're doomed." Mary Margaret turned away in disbelief, but Henry wouldn't give up. He turned another page to a picture of Snow White. "That's you, Mrs. Blanchard."

"Do you know who _everyone _in Storybrooke is?" she asked, almost surprised.

"Not everyone," Henry confessed, "but I know enough. Mr. Gold, Ruby, Granny, Archie, you, David, my mom, Emma—"

"Who's Emma?"

"I'm not sure you're ready," Henry answered.

"Try me."

"She's… your daughter," Henry said slowly, "you had to send her through the wardrobe because of the Curse. She was your only hope…"

Mary Margaret froze. She seemed to remember something like that… "Henry, what did the wardrobe look like?"

Henry pointed to a picture in his book. Mary Margaret turned slowly, her gaze fixed on a small wardrobe in the back of her classroom. It had been there since before she started teaching. It was so old that she hadn't touched it in all her years at the school. It seemed to have no purpose. She approached it cautiously, reaching a hand out to touch it.

As soon as she did, she felt an impulse surge through her body.

"_The wardrobe… it only takes one."There was an air of revelation in her voice. She realized something that would be heartbreaking in the moments—the years—to come. _

_Voices echoed through the castle's halls. Someone was forcing their way inside, pounding through the doors. "Then our plan has failed. At least we're together."_

_Snow White looked down at her daughter with boundless love, her eyes watering just at the thought of parting from her. _

"_No." Her voice was hollow. Hollow like the wardrobe. Hollow like the Queen's heart. Hollow like her own heart would soon be without her daughter by her side. "You have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe." Desperation. Solid desperation reverberated through her voice. _

"_Are you out of your mind?" _

"_No! It's the only way. You have to send her through," Snow begged._

"_No, no, no, no, no," he argued. __"You don't know what you're saying." _

"_No, I do. We have to believe she'll come back for us."She was clearly distraught, her eyes locked firmly on her daughter's bright eyes. She looked up at her husband again. Though she would normally agree if he pressed her hard enough, she refused to back down now. This was a matter of life and death—literally. James tore his gaze from his wife to look down at their child. "We have to give her her best chance." _

_He met her eyes again, and he knew she could say no more—or wouldn't. He didn't need to hear any more, though. His gaze flittered between his wife and his daughter before he finally laid an adoring kiss on his daughter's forehead._

_Snow stared down at Emma in adoration. "Goodbye, Emma…" she said lovingly. She pressed a firm kiss on her forehead, her face awash in tears. She didn't have to look up to know that James was crying too. She passed her daughter into James's arms. James watched her for a moment, as if hoping she would suddenly change her mind. She did none of this, and, with a final act of resolve, he kissed Snow White fiercely before hurrying towards the door with his sword in one hand and Emma in the other. He approached the door and cast a glance towards Snow White, clearly pained at the thought of leaving her alone in their bedchambers. Snow White simply stared after him, too upset to do anything else. He mustered up all the strength and faith he had, drawing his courage from the two people who meant the most to him: Snow White and Emma. He marched out the door._

_Snow White could barely stand it. Knowing that it would be _twenty-eight _years before she saw her daughter again… that she might not even _recognize _her daughter… She didn't know what this curse would unleash, but if the Queen was involved… it was bad. _

_Snow White broke into sobs as he left, screaming in agony as she lay in their bed. Her daughter… her only daughter… taken from her for the greater good. For the sake of her kingdom. She tried to tell herself this—that Emma had to leave for a reason—but that didn't stop the tears from flowing. It didn't stop her from regretting her action every second since James had left. It didn't stop her from fearing her future._

_And it certainly didn't stop her from climbing out of bed and stumbling down the halls in pursuit of her husband and newborn child. She considered herself lucky to have avoided most of the enemies. It seemed that James, the swordsman he was, had singlehandedly fought his way to the wardrobe. She didn't see any signs of his death, and that was definitely a good sign. She praised the skies silently, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. Still, she needed to get to the wardrobe. _

_When she stumbled into the room, her first sight was Prince James. On the floor. Dead._

_She cried out in surprise and mourning. Flying towards him, she collapsed at his side and drew him close. _

"_No," she whispered in despair. She shook her head in a mix of sadness and anger at whoever had slaughtered her love. "No… no… Please… please, come back to me." _

Mary Margaret stumbled away from the wardrobe in surprise, crashing into the desks behind her and throwing books and pencils onto the floor. Henry moved quickly to catch her as she fell, but he arrived a moment too late as she collapsed onto the floor. She reached up the grab the edge of a desk as she fell, and this managed to weaken the force of the fall. She pressed her hand to her head, clenching her hair in shock, confusion, and, perhaps, remembrance.

"Miss Blanchard?" Henry asked warily. "Are you… okay?"

"I… I… Fine," she stammered, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He questioned, "Did you see something?"

"I saw…" she struggled with the idea, "I saw… me. And David… there was a castle…"

"You saw your old life," Henry pressed eagerly; "you were Snow White." It wasn't a question.

"I… I think so…" she agreed slowly, "and… there was a baby…"

"Emma," Henry confirmed.

Mary Margaret looked up at him. "Emma?"

"Emma," he nodded, "my mom…?"

"Right… Emma…" Mary Margaret echoed, her head riddled with more theories than she could handle. Then, she stood up quickly. "Wait… Emma?"

Henry nodded.

"Emma is my _daughter_?"

"Yup."

"So you're… you're my…"

"Your grandson?" Henry asked.

Mary Margaret inched away from him. This was too much. Too much for her to handle… She turned and fled the room, leaving Henry to stare after her in silence. There was a mix of joy and concern on his face. Joy because, finally, someone was beginning to believe, and concern because… who knew where Mary Margaret was headed. Who knew who she might run into…

* * *

><p>Mary Margaret whisked down the street, her arms folded tightly across her chest and her head bowed. She didn't notice Regina approach her and nearly fell back in surprise for the second time that day as she nearly barreled into her.<p>

"Well _excuse _you—oh, Mary Margaret," Regina exclaimed in astonishment. The venom in her voice had left to be replaced with nothing but fraud sweetness. Oh, no, the venom was still there… veiled behind a mask of kindness.

"Regina," Mary Margaret nodded in greeting.

"I was actually _just _looking for you, if you can believe it!"

"Oh, uh…" Mary Margaret wanted nothing more than to go home, curl up with a good book, and sleep for days.

"Henry's been telling me what a marvelous job you've been doing teaching the class," Regina continued, "he's really been getting along well. He hasn't made any new friends yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time. I took that book from him and hid it; it seems to be working…"

Mary Margaret didn't have the nerve to tell her Henry had found the book and reclaimed it as his own.

"… Anyway, this is a token of my gratitude." Regina pulled an apple from the basket she was carrying.

Mary Margaret stared at the apple in distaste, "um, thank you, Regina, for that kind gesture… but I don't eat apples."

"You don't?" Regina frowned.

"Nope," Mary Margaret answered, "I don't like them."

"That's ridiculous," Regina laughed in disbelief, "everyone likes apples."

"I don't like apples," Mary Margaret shrugged. "And… I really must be getting home, so…"

"Are you sure…" Regina questioned, "You don't want just _one _apple?"

"I'm sure," Mary Margaret nodded affirmatively, "but thanks anyway."

Mary Margaret side-skirted the woman and continued down the sidewalk, heaving a small laugh of amusement as she went. Regina stared after her in annoyance.

If two collisions weren't enough, a third was heading her way. She was so consumed in her thoughts that she careened straight into David Nolan, knocking him off-kilter and sending both of them staggering into the grass. David's hand fell against a neighbor's fence and he supported the two of them as they regained footing.

She laughed nervously as she scrambled off his chest, backing away towards a tree. "Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for," he responded gruffly.

She studied him carefully. She focused her eyes on the scar on his chin. He pawed at it self-consciously. Mary Margaret tore her eyes away from the scar and shook her head, clearing her mind of all previous thoughts. But then… she realized something.

"I remember," she stated simply.

"You…?"

She summoned all the courage she had—what pride she had left—and closed the distance between her and David in a matter of seconds. She cupped his chin in her hands. And she kissed him. She pushed him against the fence and conquered his mouth, unyielding in her pursuit. It wasn't rough; soft was a better term.

When she finally pulled away, David met her gaze evenly.

"I remember," she whispered. She said nothing more as she looked up at him expectantly.

_Well, this certainly complicates matters_, he thought silently.

* * *

><p>Semi-cliffhanger ending... oops? Cx<p>

In other news, I'm running out of ideas for things to detail in the fairytale world. If you have any ideas, let me know!

Puppet


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Once Upon a Time, Romance