The Girl and the Nutcracker ~ A Once Upon a Time Story

"Any change?" Gold asked as he walked in the back room of the shop. Ever since David put himself in the sleeping curse, he hadn't woken up at all. Clara and Regina stayed with him to make sure he doesn't dwell further into the curse than need be.

Regina shook her head, "No. He's not improving. He needs true love's kiss. He won't wake up until Mary Margaret comes back."

"Until?" Gold said with a scoff, "That's rather optimistic, isn't it?" Regina frowned at his response, "What are you talking about?"

"They're up against your mother." Gold answered, "The only chance Snow and Emma have of defeating her is with the squid ink."

"And David delivered that message to Mary Margaret, I don't see the problem here." Clara reasoned, and Gold turned to look at her, "It would be beneficial if we knew that message were delivered. But alas, given the prince's condition, we don't know. As such, it's important we take precautions. We have to consider the possibility that, when that portal opens, it won't be his family that comes through, it'll be Cora."

Clara huffed, "You know that won't happen. Mary Margaret and Emma are heroes, they always win. It's their thing. Now, I assume this Aurora girl is with them for a reason, so she's good too. I know I sound like Henry, but good always wins."

"Clara, you know who my mother is." Regina responded, "One step too close and she'll rip their hearts out without remorse."

Clara shook her head in denial, "No. That won't happen. Especially Emma... she's special. She's the Savior, and I'm quite sure if she can break the curse she can stop Cora... I need to pick up Henry from school. You both better not do anything stupid, like you always do."

_____

When Clara arrived at the school, Henry was already waiting for her, "Hey. Is gramps awake yet?"

"Afraid not." Clara answered as they walked back to the Shop together, "Gold and Regina were thinking of a plan to help Emma and Mary Margaret from over here, but I'm not sure what they're going to do."

Henry smiled up at Clara, "I'll talk with my mom about it. If she has really changed, I know she will help Mary Margaret and Emma."

When they arrived at the Shop, Henry and Regina talked meanwhile Clara was in front of the Shop. Gold was already gone, somewhere no one knew where. Clara heard Henry reading from his storybook to David, until she got a message from Ruby.

Ruby texted her that all the magic is gone from the mines, and not long after the message Leroy stormed in the Shop with the dwarves. "Where are Regina and Gold?"

Henry walked to the front when he heard the door slam, "What's going on?"

"All the magic has been drained from the mines. Ruby just texted me." Clara explained, and Henry was confused, "They stole it?"

"They snuck in after our shift and took everything." Leroy answered, "Nobody steals from a dwarf!"

"Except the Queen." Doc spoke up, and Happy nodded, "And Rumplestiltskin."

"And me." Clara answered with a chuckle, before she saw the serious looks on the dwarves' faces, "Damn. I only stole a couple of diamonds. I needed them for Christmas preparations."

The dwarves all looked done with her, but Henry was sad as he realised what happened, "If they're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret, that means my mom lied to me."

"I'm sorry, Henry." Clara said as she gave him a hug, and Henry sighed, "We need to find her. We need to stop them. We need to help Emma and Mary Margaret."

_____

Henry, Clara and also Ruby (whom Clara had called to help) had gone over to the place where magic started in Storybrooke; the well.

A strange light came from the well, and Regina and Gold were standing in front of it. Henry looked upset as he saw his mother and Gold, "Mom? You aren't helping Emma and Mary Margaret, are you?"

"I'm helping you, Henry." Regina responded, and Clara scoffed, "Are you?"

Ruby walked over to the well, "You're gonna kill them!" Before she could come closer, Gold blasted her away with his magic and she got knocked out.

"Ruby!" Clara shouted as she headed over to the unconscious girl. Meanwhile, Henry and Regina kept on arguing about who would arrive through the portal. Eventually, Regina stood in front of the well and started to absorb the magic inside of it.

"Regina!" Gold warned, but Regina continued to absorb the magic until it was gone and she fell on the ground in weakness. Henry kept looking at the well in anticipation, but nothing happened, "No..."

Regina looked up at her son with remorse, "I'm sorry, Henry. I'm sorry."

The group then heard grunting from the well, and they saw Emma climbing out of the well. With Mary Margaret following her. Henry immediately ran over to his mother, while Mary Margaret looked confused at what she was seeing, "What's going on? What happened?"

Henry pointed at Regina, "She saved you. She saved both of you."

"Thank you." Emma told Regina, who just gave a nod as she stood up from the ground, "You're welcome."

Ruby then became conscious again, and Clara helped her stand up, "You sure you're okay?" Ruby nodded, "I think so. Thank you for helping me."

Mary Margaret then gasped, "Where's my husband? I need to find him!"

"I'll take you to the Shop. Come on, the dwarves are looking over him right now." Clara said as she quickly made her way to the Shop with Mary Margaret. When they entered, she immediately ran over to her husband.

When she kneeled next to him, she kissed him and a magical eruption bursted from them. David then woke up with a gasp and looked at Mary Margaret, "You... you did it."

"Did you ever doubt I would?" Mary Margaret asked with a laugh as she hugged him. David laughed too, "No. Though... the burning red room did give me pause."

Emma, Regina and Henry entered the room too, and saw David was finally awake. Henry smiled up at Regina, "I was right. You really have changed. Thank you."

"How about dinner at Granny's?" Ruby proposed, "On me."

"As long as it's not chimera, I'm in." Emma answered, and everyone laughed. She looked at Henry, "Hey, kid, you hungry?" Henry nodded, "Yeah." He then looked over to Regina, "I'll see you later."

"Come on, Clara!" Henry said as he grabbed her hand, and together they all had a celebration dinner at Granny's.

Everyone, except for Gold and Regina.