Beane Odette - Reawakened - A Once Upon A Time Tale

— Thank you, — he managed. He wiped his face, wet from the river, and looked around confusedly.

— My name is Mary Margaret. Do you know who you are?

He stared at her, apparently trying to decide.

— No, — he said eventually. — I–I don’t.

Minutes later the ambulance arrived, and Dr. Whale and the paramedics loaded John Doe into it. Emma watched Mary Margaret, who looked on with concern. In another minute the ambulance had pulled away.

She’s got it bad, Emma thought, looking at Mary Margaret, who’d now begun to futz with her necklace.

— We should go to the hospital and check on him, — the teacher said to no one.

Emma walked up.

— Yeah, — she said, nodding. — We should. Come on. Let’s go.

They quietly trudged up the grade and wound up to the bridge. Emma grinned a bit when she saw the sign attached to the bridge. It said toll bridge in simple black lettering. But someone had seen fit to scribble a little r between the t and the o.

Charming and Snow ran miles through the forest before stopping for breath, keeping a brisk pace as they put distance between themselves and the trolls. Snow was a better runner than Charming, she soon realized, and she slowed her pace (slightly).

After an hour, the run became a walk. They were safe. There was no reason to stay together, Snow reckoned.

And yet they walked, saying nothing.

They walked some more.

A little more.

Finally, after another hour had gone by, they reached the road and came to a fork. It was time to part.

Charming looked down at his boots and said, — Well. That was interesting.

— It was, I agree, — said Snow. — You stepped on one of them when we ran off. — She looked at him mischievously. — Surely not on purpose?

— Oh, no, — said Charming, looking up. — That was on purpose. Very satisfying squish.

She laughed. They both twisted a bit, faced each other.

— I suppose we should make our exchange, — Charming said. — We’re heading in different directions.

— You’re right, — she said. Her eyes lingered on his for an extra moment, and then she reached into her vest and removed the small sack of jewels. He in turn removed the pouch of gold coins. He held it up, dropped it into her other hand, and turned his palm up. Snow emptied the sack of jewels into his hand. They both looked down as he sifted through them and found the ring.

— I know, I know, — he said, looking at her eyes. — Not your kind of jewelry.

— Who knows? — she said, plucking it up. — Only one way to find out, right? — She smiled and slipped it onto her ring finger. The fit was perfect; she lifted her hand and splayed her fingers.

— You’re right, — she said. — Not for me.

He nodded, put the rest of the jewels back in the sack, and took her hand into his. As he pulled the ring from her finger, he said, — If you need more, you can have the rest of the jewels.

— That’s not necessary, — Snow said. — We both got what we needed today. I think.

— Yes, maybe so, — said Charming. An awkward moment passed; Snow resisted the urge to say something silly, to relieve them from the moment. She didn’t want to.

— Good luck to you, — he said. Then: — If you ever need anything…

— … you’ll find me? — she offered, a crooked smile appearing on her face.

— Yes, — he said. — Always.

— You know it might sound crazy, — she said, — but I believe you.

He nodded and took a step backward.

— Perhaps we’ll have to wait and find out, — he said. He nodded again and looked at the trail he was headed down. He twisted back to her. — Good-bye, Snow White, — he said. — It was a pleasure doing business with you.

— Good-bye, Prince Charming, — she said, and turned, walking away down the path. She didn’t turn back, as she didn’t want him to see that her cheeks had gone so scarlet.

They had to walk all the way back to Storybrooke’s small hospital, and by the time they arrived, Emma noted, a number of new vehicles were parked out front. She looked disdainfully at Regina’s Mercedes, then up to the ambulance parked atop the emergency stripes near the door.

Inside, a number of nurses, as well as Dr. Whale, stood around John Doe’s bed, examining him. Emma noticed another woman beside him, someone who did not look like a medical professional. She was blond, tall, regal-looking. On her face was caring concern. She spoke to John Doe slowly, like she was explaining something, and he looked at her.

Just as they got to his bed, Regina saw them and came to intercept.

— I’m not sure what you think you’re doing in this town, Nancy Drew, — Regina said to Emma, — but I’m getting tired of the disruptions you’ve begun to cause. — She glanced at Mary Margaret and said, — There seem to be a whole lot more… conflicts in Storybrooke since you’ve been here, Ms. Swan. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

— Maybe it’s not, — Emma said. — Maybe you’re right. — Regina glared back, trying to figure out what Emma might have meant. Emma herself didn’t know, but she liked the reaction she’d gotten.

— Who is… that woman? — Mary Margaret said faintly, ignoring this stare down, ignoring Regina’s anger. She was instead looking at the blond-haired woman beside John Doe, who was now stroking his hair.

— Her name is Kathryn, — Regina said. — John Doe’s wife. And John Doe’s name is David. David Nolan.

— Is this them? — Kathryn asked, looking over, relieved smile still on her face. — Are you the people who found him? Thank you. Thank you so much. — She left David’s side and crossed the room. She took Mary Margaret’s hands in her hands and said, — I don’t know how to thank you.

— I don’t understand, — Mary Margaret said. — How could you not have known he was here? Before?

A pall came over Kathryn’s face; she slowly released Mary Margaret’s hands and looked at the group.

— We — we separated. A few years ago. It was under… terrible circumstances, a huge fight. And he stormed out and told me he was leaving town, moving to Boston, that the marriage was over. And all this time I’ve just assumed he was there, that he… moved on. — She looked back at him; he was preoccupied with Dr. Whale. — All this time he’s been right here, — she concluded.

— You never once tried to find him? — Emma said skeptically. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like the woman’s delivery and she didn’t like the smarmy look on Regina’s face.

— Of course I did, — said Kathryn, turning back. — But no one knew where he was. There’s only so long you can search for someone who doesn’t want to be found in the first place. — She looked at Regina and smiled warmly. — But the mayor put the pieces together and called this evening. It’s unbelievable. This is — it’s like we’re starting over. We get a second chance.

— That’s so lovely, — Mary Margaret said, smiling at the woman. Emma doubted she was the only one in the room who could see through the false sentiment.

Kathryn went back to David at the bed.

— Come on, Henry, — Regina said. — Time to go home.

As he passed by Mary Margaret, Henry looked up at her. He didn’t try hard to lower his voice when he said, — Don’t believe any of it. He woke up because of you. The story. True love. It’s your destiny to be together.

— Henry, — Regina said. But Henry darted from the room. Regina, shaking her head, followed after him.

— Excuse me, — Emma said to her back. — Madam Mayor.

Regina turned.

— A word before you go?