Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Gods! Why is it so hot today?!” 

In fact, it was the hottest day of the summer here in Maine! 

Wiping the back of her neck, sitting at a red light, a curly blonde haired Emma Nolan, sporting a cute blue v top and a jean skirt, quickly picked her phone up to text her mother back.

Nice! I’m only like 15 mins away. SYS <3

Placing her phone back in the passenger seat, Emma sighed as she pressed the gas as the light turned green. Riding with one hand on the wheel and the other hanging out the window. She tapped along the hood of her truck to the beat of “I Wanna Feel” by Secondcity. 

She sighed driving down the long familiar dirt road, jamming along to whatever shuffled next in her playlist. The blonde couldn’t help but smile as the memories came rolling in, passing by certain points along the way to her grandfather’s house and farm. 

That huge rock that sat just near the cliff she and her brothers, Shane and Harper, would jump off of while riding their bikes. Mom hated that! The huge red oak tree that was sat in an open field, she and Uncle Daniel would race their horses too. They may or may not have carved some choice words into the root of said tree. She and her brothers spent so many summers out at the farm, helping their grandfather with his cattle. So many amazing memories were made on this land. 

But she hadn’t really been back in about 11 years. And it took her grandfather dying to finally get her back to this town. As soon as she turned 18, she left for college and never looked back! 

Pulling her truck up into the long driveway, Emma turned down the music as she slowly came to a stop and put the truck in park. Feeling the wind blow across her heated cheeks and over her shoulders she looked at the big lavender gone grey house in front of her. 

It was a Victorian style home, with a beautiful wraparound porch, painted white pillars and white windows all over it. 3 floors, 5 bedrooms and only 2 bathrooms. Big white fence, a big shed on the left side of the house that her grandfather built to match. 

She remembered being about 7 or 8, being outside early one breezy summer morning painting the shed with her dad, Uncle Daniel, and her grandfather. She could remember her Uncle picking her up and moving her around like a noodle before he placed her up on his shoulders to get her up higher to paint. 

She could remember her infectious laughter from feeling the cold paint brush the bottom of her foot from his paintbrush. The way she placed one hand right over his face for balance; and folded her leg up to put her purple painted foot right over the side of his face! 

“There Uncle Danny! Now you are a work of art!” 

She only had one front tooth, a speech  impediment that didn’t let her form her “R’s” all the time. And short blonde hair; because that was the same year Harper and Shane thought it’d be a good idea to play barber shop while mom was out shopping and Daddy was outback tending to the yard. 

“Oooh! I’m gonna get you little girl!” 

She remembered climbing down his long back like a monkey. Laughing and shrieking as she ran away, across the yard, leaving tiny spaced out purple foot prints. She looked back over her shoulder, her short blonde curls blowing in the breeze. She remembered his mischievous smile and deep blue eyes shining in the sunlight as he chased after her. 

She remembered…

“BAAM!” 

“Holy Shi-!” 

Quickly jerking to her right side, almost trying to climb out the seat. Emma yelped before she just as quickly realized it was just her idiot of an older brother. 

“Shane!” Emma growled and rolled her eyes as she finally started to get out of the truck. Quickly rolling the windows up and turning the engine off. 

“Oh my goodness! HAHAAA!” Shane clapped and laughed deep from his belly. “You should have seen your face little sister! Oh that was too good!” 

Taking a second to calm her heart, Emma sat in her seat watching him as he went on and on, she could still hear him even though the windows were up. Squinting her eyes at the over 6 foot fool, bending over on his knees because he found himself so funny. 

Emma sucked her teeth before she quickly swung the driver’s side door open purposely meaning to hit him in the head. 

“Ow! Hey!” 

Shane stumbled back but caught himself before straightening up his stance.

“Oh I’m sorry Shane.” Emma said insincerely as she shut the door. “I didn’t see your fat head right there. Let me see, you alright?” 

She touched his head but he quickly swatted her hands away when he saw she was just going to pull his ears. 

“Hey, hey! Back off woman I’m fine.” Shane huffed. 

“Big head you got there man. Almost put a dent in my door.” 

Emma turned to look at her driver’s side door and pretend to examine it for damage. 

“Oh ha ha. Very funny.” Shane rubbed his hand over dirty blonde curls. “That really hurt, Em.” 

“Oh the poor baby. Come here.” 

“You swung it open really hard!” Shane pouted.

“Oh I did not.” She definitely had. 

Emma went in to hug him and he accepted, wrapping one arm around her while the other still rubbed his head. She should’ve known it wasn’t a good idea to get close after taking a jibe at him. Next thing she knew she was wrestled to the ground!

“Shane! Shane don’t!” 

Shrieking and laughing as she hit the ground, Emma tried to wiggle her way out from under him. 

“Little sister! Oh I missed ya! So so so so much!” 

“Shane!” Emma laughed swatting her hands wherever they could reach. “Get your fat ass off of me right now!” 

“I take offense to that!” He gasped. “I’ve lost a few pounds!” 

Hearing foot steps rapidly approaching, Emma tried to hurry and maneuver out from under him. She knew what was coming next as the foot steps got closer and another hearty laugh filled the air. 

“Oh no! No! Shane seriously! Get off m-!” 

“Oh yeah! Duck Pile!” 

“Harper! No!” Emma shrieked before she let out a hefty “Ooph!” feeling the air leave her body as another over six foot oaf jumped onto Shane’s back. 

They wrestled on top of her, careful not to put too much weight on her. Engulfing her in a big bear hug until they finally settled in the grass. 

“Oh. My. God.” Emma huffed as her hair was just in her face. 

“Hey Em. How ya been?” Harper cheesed “Op! No you don’t.” He tightened his grip around his brothers shoulders as Emma started to wiggle again. 

“It’s too hot for this!” Emma shouted. 

“Your cool big brothers are here to help with that little sister.” Shane smiled.

“Oh god. I may actually vomit on you.” Emma cringed. 

“BOYS! Get your sister off the ground and come inside.” 

She heard her mother’s voice echoing through the yard. 

“Come on now. It’s too hot for all that! Help her up!” 

“Yes mama.” They both said in unison as the laughed trying to maneuver their big limbs over each other and over her. 

Remembering she had on a skirt Emma tried to keep her legs crossed. Sittting up in the grass she huffed again and fretted over her hair. 

“I can’t believe you two blundering baboons just did that to me. I just showe- Woah!” 

Emma yelped as she was suddenly pulled up from the ground and onto Harper back. 

“Harper!” Emma laughed and swatted at his butt as he started to walk away. 

“Shane grab her bags will ya?” Harper huffed as Emma wiggled and flailed over his shoulders. “God damn girl what’ve you been eating?” 

“Harper James Nolan, you put me down! MAMA!” 

“You had a long drive little sis. I gotcha!” Harper chuckled as he smacked her butt. 

Looking on from the porch, her mother could only laugh and shake her head before turning to go back inside as they followed. 

Eventually exhausted, Emma just let it happen. Thankful for the cool air touching her heated skin as Harper finally put her down. Slightly pushing him away as he chuckled lightly at her disheveled hair.

Oh. It was just…So so good to be back home. 

Summer 1988

“God it’s so hot today!”

Pushing a shovel into the dirt, ripping off one of his gloves and wiping the sweat from the back of his neck, an 18 year old Daniel White, winced at the burn he felt from reaching back to touch his skin. His shoulders turning a deep red. 

“Hurry up over there boy! I wanna have this tank out in and that hole dug by supper!” 

Just about twenty feet away was his father Leo White, moving chopped logs over to the bed of the pickup truck. Wearing a hat to keep him shaded and cool from the sun. 

“Yeah Pa! I’m doing it.” Daniel shouted over his shoulder.

This is how he was spending his summer, doing what he’d been doing his whole life. Working with his father. Instead of being off somewhere enjoying his new found freedom he was here. 

Daniel had just graduated from high school, class of 88’! The beginning of his adult life. He was a good kid growing up, stayed in school, played baseball and basketball. He was good too! Was tall as hell, smart as hell, a fine young man. But that all pretty much meant nothing. 

It all came down to money. Money for school. Money for the farm. Money for Mary and her competitions. Money for Mama and her medicines. They weren’t poor but they weren’t rich that’s for sure. He had a few scholarships roll in but it still wasn’t enough to get him where he wanted to go. His father owned the land thanks to his grandfather but that meant having something big to take care off. 

That meant hiring farmhands to help keep it up and running but that meant having to pay them and they didn’t have the money for that either. 

So that meant, he was here. Because his family needed him. He was here no matter how many times he and his father fought. No matter how many times he wanted to choke the old bastard. He was here.  

Taking a deep breath, Daniel inched the dirty glove back on his hand and picked up the shovel to get back to work. His father had decided today of all days that they needed a new spot to put the horses water tank. Which meant he had to dig out a spot in the brush. 

He thought he’d found a decent enough spot, wasn’t too far from the stable and just near a tree line so they could sit near the shade if they wanted. But one of the new foals, Boots, he likes to move the damn tanks. 

Mary had named him Boots, on account of as soon as he was was born it looked like he had a pair of boots on. It was cute. But as cute as he was Boots was growing up to be a little asshole. 

Which meant Daniel had to dig a hole that wasn’t too deep but just far enough that the little trouble maker couldn’t have the water spilling out of the tank before it was even lunch time. 

Digging the shovel down into the dirt, Daniel grunted as he pushed it in and down with his heavy boot. Pulling it out and shucking the dirt off to the side. Then he did it all over again and again and again and again and again and until he heard a hard:

*Clink* 

“Huh?” Breathing hard he grunted as his muscles strained against the force stopping his shovel. 

Stumbling back a step as he was thrown off his rhythm, Daniel’s breath was quick as he wiped his brow looking down at the ground. Squatting down he reached out and touched the spot again with his finger. Sure enough there was something there, some hard. 

Using his glove he went about dusting the dirt away as much as he could before he saw…

“Holy Shit.” Daniel awed as something gold twinkled in his eye. He started to laugh almost maniacally as he dug around the shape in the dirt only more gold starting to show from his efforts. 

He was laughing from glee at his discovery, throwing rocks over his shoulder and sending dirt flying. The object seemed to be ever ending, the dirt never ending until finally what looked like a handle started to show. 

“Come to Papa.” Daniel wrapped his fingers around the mysterious object and went to pull but it just wouldn’t budge. “Oh come on now.” 

Huffing as he stood up to bend over and grab at the handle again, he tugged and tugged so hard he thought his fingers might lose their circulation. He hiked his foot up on the edge of the hole he’d been digging band pulled back hard again and again and again! 

Until it finally broke free.

”Oh shit!” Daniel tried to catch himself as he fell back but couldn’t catch himself in time. 

“Ouch.” 

Daniel winced as he fell back on some rocks but luckily hadn’t hit his head too hard. Breathing heavy as he sat up, he winced but opened his eyes to see gold in his right hand.

“What the hell?” Daniel whispered to himself as he examined none other than “A lamp?” 

A golden lamp. Shining bright as if it was just made and still completely intact. Turning it over in his gloved hands, Daniel examined it. 

“What were you doing buried all the way out here?” He whispered, looking into the hole to see if there was anything else. He gasped nearly dropping it as it started to shake in his grip. 

“Daniel! Boy! You better be nearly finished over there!” 

Quickly taking the flannel he had wrapped around his waist, he wrapped the lamp up and scurried out of the hole. 

“Yeah Pa! I’m just bout done!” He screamed back as he quickly straightened up and ran off toward the house. 

“Where are you going?” Leo yelled. 

“Uh I-“ Daniel stammered as he ran toward the back porch like his ass was on fire. “I gotta use the John! I’ll be right back.” 

Yanking his gloves off as he ran, he threw them down near the stairs on the back porch and took them two at a time. 

“Oh no! No! Dan your boots.” 

His mother Eva quickly stopped him at the screen door, as he tried to push through.

“Mama I gotta-“ 

“You are not dragging those filthy things through my clean house Daniel White!” 

Grunting as he quickly used one foot to shuck his boot off and then the other with his sock covered foot. He quickly placed the boots near the door and turned to show his mother he was dirt free. 

“Alright I’m good now! I’m good!” 

“What’s got you in such a hurry?” Eva questioned as she let him in. 

“I just have to use the bathroom!” He shouted as he ran through the house nearly knocking over his sister as he passed her on the stairs. 

“Do you want something to drink?” Eva said after him. “You’re all red. Your father needs to wrap it up.”

”No thank you! I’m fi-Oh!” Daniel caught the bundle in his arms as he stumbled.

“Daniel! Be careful!” 15 year old Mary-Margaret yelled to his back as he zoomed by almost knocking the laundry out of her arms.

“My bad!” He yelled back as he raced up the second stairs to the third floor to his room.

Quickly but softly shutting his door, Daniel placed the covered the lamp down on his bed before turning back to grab his desk chair and put it up against the door. Just in case. 

“Oh God.” 

Taking in his room, he folded over to brace himself on his knees as he took many quick breaths. Maybe he should’ve said yes to that drink his mother offered. Moving to the bathroom that connected to his room he quickly turned the faucet on and stuck his head under it. 

Sighing in relief as the cool liquid ran through the back of his hair, he let it run for a few seconds before turning his face up to take a drink and quench his thirst. Doing that until his started to cough, he turned the faucet off and grabbed the towel from the back of his door. 

Wiping his face and neck off, he moved back into his room looking down at the bundle on his bed. Stepping forward, he tossed the towel haphazardly near his pillow before turning to start slowly peeling back the flannel.

Just like outside the gold shined as he moved the shirt to reveal more of the lamp. The curtains on the window were pulled back, letting in some sunlight and the lamp nearly lit up his room in gold. 

Kneeling in front of his bed, Daniel took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves as he watched the patterns shine up onto his ceiling.

“Maybe I can sell it.” Daniel said to himself as he watched the sun reflecting off the lamp. “Gold is worth a lot…maybe to a museum in the city-Maybe there’s more down there!” 

He muttered as he reached out to touch it, quickly pulling his hand back as it started to shake again. And he shrieked just a tiny bit.

“A little critter probably made this their home. Duh Daniel.” He chided himself before grabbing an empty shoe box from under his bed and picking the lamp up. 

Turning it over so the spout was over the box he started to shake the lamp. He was hearing something clicking around inside but nothing fell out except a couple rocks and more dirt. He started to shake it harder and harder until he squealed this time, tossing it back onto his bed because he heard a voice-

“Please stop shaking me!” 

Staring wide eyed at the lamp, he quickly moved back a few feet. He looked around his room, there was no one there with him. He looked back down at the lamp as he inched his way toward the bed. Picking up a bat he had on the floor, that his mother has been yelling at him about to pick up. 

He held it up as he got closer, he was just two feet away when it started to shake again on its own. Letting out a tiny shriek again he stepped back. 

“Is anyone out there?” 

Daniel’s mouth fell open as he heard the squeaky voice again. 

“I-I’m h-“ at a loss for words Daniel just stared down at the object on his bed. 

“I would really appreciate it if you got me out of here!” The voice said again. 

Closing his mouth and walking back to the bed, he took a knee again in front of the lamp and arms length distance away. 

“Are you still there?” The tiny voice screamed out. “Sir?”

“I-“ Hearing the octave his voice was still at Daniel quickly cleared his throat to sound manly. “I’m still here.” 

“Oh thank the gods!” The tiny voice sounded relieved. “Listen can you get me out of here?”

But Daniel remained quiet for a few minute. 

”Hello?” 

“I-I don’t know how.” Daniel admitted as he stared down at the lamp. 

“What is your name, friend?” The voice was definitely coming from the lamp he couldn’t deny that. 

“Um. D-Daniel. My name is Daniel.” 

“Well Mister Daniel…What you have there is a lamp. And it is certainly a mess in here after the shaking you put me through in my home.” 

“I’m sorry, I-I didn’t know.” Daniel winced as his eyes focused in on the spout. 

“Oh it’s alright. But maybe…Mister Daniel?” 

“Yes?” He whispered back. 

“I’m just dying to get out of here…and to do that all you have to do is rub the lamp. Do you believe you can do that for me?” The voice asked. 

“Rub the lamp? That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“But…Why are you in there? W-Who put you in there?” Daniel asked as he picked it up.

“A sorcerer.” It replied 

“A sorcer-. Like magic?!” Daniel gaped. 

“Yes like magic. Magic has always existed for us this should not be a shock sir.” The voice laughed eagerly. “Now will you please get me out of here?!” 

“Hey!” Daniel quickly caught the lamp with his other hand. “Would you stop moving around so much.” 

“I would really like to get out of this lamp!” 

“Alright! Alright! But I don’t understand what rubbing it will do.”

“Rub the lamp sir!” 

The voice was bossy, Daniel rolled his eyes as he tried to pull the lid up off of the thing but it just wouldn’t budge. He felt his hands start to sweat from his efforts so he rubbed them on his pants before trying again. 

“But you’re in it! How the hell-“ Daniel grunted. “Do I get you out?! It won’t open-“ 

Maybe there’s another opening on the bottom. As he struggled, Daniel went to rub the side of the lamp wiping away the remaining dirt. 

“AH YESSS!” 

Daniel let the lamp fall to the bed as it began to shake more vigorously. He watched as a deep purple light started moving around in the lamp really fast. Around and out the spout until a big purple ball came shooting out of it. It traveled all around his room so fast he barely had a chance to stop it. 

Moving quick on his feet, Daniel scooped up the sheet from his bed and jumped up to catch the ball before it caused anymore damage to his room. 

Falling back in the bed, Daniel felt the air leave his chest as a weight fell down on top of him. 

“Daniel Solomon White! What’re you doing up there?!” Eva looked up at the ceiling from her reading on the couch. “You better not be playing ball in your room again!” 

“Nothing Mama!” Daniel yelled. “I’m fine!” 

Feeling the weight lift off his chest but settle in his lap, Daniel caught his breath and watched as the sheet slowly fell from over someone else’s head. It was like he was watching it all in slow motion. 

A hand came up, sporting a thick gold cuff at the wrist to move a head full of brown locks back from over their face. 

“Wow. You’re a girl.” Daniel said out loud. 

The girl, the voice, just laughed and smiled back at him. The most beautiful smile he had ever seen in his life. Her lips were painted pink. She looked no older than he was. 

“Thank you for releasing me from the lamp.”The voice it wasn’t squeaky anymore, but sultry and soft with a little rasp to it. “A thousand years spent in there can really bring you down.”  

”Y-you’re welcome.” Daniel gulped watching as she stretched out her neck and shoulders. “Wait a thousand years?! What-what even are you?!” 

She smirked at him.

“I…am. A woman. A man. Whatever you wish for me to be. I can be.” 

Her eyes. A fiery amber brown were racking over him and his deep ocean blue eyes did the same. She was still in his lap. Wearing a nearly sheer black dress that dipped very low and gold jewelry. She has markings, tattoos, all over her arms and torso. 

“Whatever I wish?” He kept his hands to himself but dammit she was still in his lap! He looked up and he could have sworn he saw her eyes glow purple. 

She was still in his lap. The girl. The woman. She leaned over him, the hair she just swooped back falling down around them as she spoke to him again. 

“Daniel, right?” 

“Y-yes?” 

“Well. Master Daniel.” She sang. Incredibly close to him now breathing in the same breath. As her fiery eyes mapped out his face. 

“What will your pleasure be?” 

Even though they were both 32 years old with girlfriends and Harper was engaged and Shane had a baby on the way; and she was 29 with a thriving career as a travel journalist and her own responsibilities. 

A familiar rhythm they spent over 18 years perfecting. It was easy to fall back into it. 

“This is nice huh?” Mary-Margaret smiled watching her three children sit in their seats moving cups around, passing the pitchers of juice and water. 

“It most certainly is.” David kissed her cheek before going to sit down at the opposite end of the table. “This all looks wonderful, honey. Thank you.” 

“Yeah Thanks mom.” Emma said.

“Thank you Mama.” Harper smiled. 

“Pfhanss Ma.” Shane chimed in with a piece a bacon already sliding past his lips. 

Both Emma and Harper rolled their eyes, because Shane knew Mom would makes them say grace before digging in. 

“You’re very welcome my loves.” 

Like clockwork Mary had them all bow their heads and say grace quickly but thoroughly. Once they were done they dug in. 

It’s been years since they had all been at this table in this house. But only had been about four years since they were all together under one roof physically. Eating a meal at the same table. The last time had to have been four years ago when both Harper and Emma were both graduating from Grad School.

But other than that someone was either always traveling for work or sick or on vacation with friends or visiting a significant others family. No matter how many times they tried to make everyone’s schedules align it never worked out. 

Until, well this. 

The death of Leopold Vincent White, her grandfather. He lived till he was 73 years old. It was strange to Emma how sudden his death had been. Because he was 73 he didn’t look like a man in his seventies, no he looked younger like he was forty something. Which means he should have been healthy right?

Just under 2 weeks ago, Emma had got the call. Her mother staying strong but also holding back tears as she tried to speak about what had happened that day at the mental institution he was in. The doctors said it was a stroke that did it. A healthy thriving man in his seventies taken out by a stroke.

Emma gaped at the piles of boxes stacked down in the basement, as she descended the steps. Pulling down on a string that was swinging in front of her, she heard as the light switched on. 

“Damn. What could he possibly have in all these boxes?” 

The blonde walked around what areas had space, dragging her finger along the top of a box collecting dust. Stopping at a random stack, Emma pulled the flaps back on the top box coughing as dust flew into the air. 

“Just junk. Junk and…more junk apparently.” Emma muttered as she rummaged through the box finding nothing. 

She tossed that box to the ground as she started on another box, figuring she’d just make a pile of what what deemed trash and what was good enough to be put up for donations. But 13 years, probably longer for some of this stuff, was a long time to just be sitting down in the basement unused. 

After Daniel’s murder, Leo’s bail had been posted, and he was basically put on house arrest awaiting trial. Which took nearly two years. His lawyer had managed to convince the judge and court that he was mentally unstable. That he was “unaware” of what he had done, suffering from blackouts and should instead be admitted into an intensive psychiatric institution. 

So for 13 years no one had really lived in this house. Mary-Margaret had been coming back at first, the property still belonged to her family but she couldn’t help the pain she felt every time she did. So she simply hired some people to take care of the land.

There were a few summers they’d brought the kids back, but that was only after they’d all gone through major therapy sessions to work up the confidence to. 

Emma had been done there for about two hours before hearing boots on the steps, Emma looked up from her position on the floor to see her mother walking down carrying a tray of lemonade, cheese, and crackers. 

“How’s it going down here princess?” Mary asked as she set the tray down on a nearby stool. 

“Pretty good. But Leo was definitely a hoarder.” Emma said looking down at the box she was currently digging through with nothing but old magazines in it. 

“I agree. Actually, a lot of this stuff is actually your Uncle Daniel’s. Some boxes are mine, some are your grandmother’s.”

Emma saw her mother moving around in her peripheral vision, moving over to the windows slightly above their heads. 

“You should’ve opened a window baby. Can’t be good breathing in all this dust.” Mary grunted as she turned a handle to crank the windows open letting in the fresh air. 

“Oh yeah. That completely slipped my mind.” Emma sighed as she shielded her eyes from the light. “How’re things looking up there?” 

Mary handed her some wipes for her hands and moved boxes aside, beckoning her over to take a break.

”Well.” Mary sighed handing Emma a cup. “Harp is just about done taking photos of all the furniture and posting them on the town’s facebook page and a few other sites for selling. A couple of people have already started putting in bids. Shane and your father are hauling everything down to the living room for now. I haven’t touched the attic yet I only just managed to get everything out of the cabinets.” 

Emma nodded along chewing on a block of cheese, smiling appreciatively as Mary reached out and tucked some of her curls behind her ear. She couldn’t help herself if she tried. They both sighed and sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, Mary walking over to the large junk pile of boxes. 

“Looks like you’re making some progress down here.” Mary smiled as she scanned the boxes. 

“Yeah I am. I mean it’s crazy a lot of it I didn’t know what to do with, when did Leopold even have time to get all of this stuff? What did he do with it all? I thought he like never went further than the town line.” Emma walked over popping a cracker in her mouth. “A lot of this stuff looks either expensive or exotic.” We 

Emma reached into one of the boxes on the donate side and pulled out a pendant looking thing. It looked ancient, like something you’d find on a Viking ship. 

“Like I have no idea what this is.” She twirled it around between her fingers before flipping it back into the box. “But maybe someone else will know what to do with it.” 

“Yeah I couldn’t give you a certain answer, my love. My father spent his whole life on this farm…”Mary sighed picking up an old book from the box. “It wasn’t until a few years after Daniel and I left the house did he start getting into his “hobbies” or, whatever this was.”

”What did he do with it all?” Emma asked.

”I think he sold and traded it, started a little side business, made investments. I always wondered how he came into his fortune…it was very sudden.” Mary reasoned.

“I guess you can say he got lucky?” Emma walked over to some more boxes. 

“Till eventually that luck ran out.” Mary mumbled.

”Some of this stuff does actually look cool though.” The blonde admitted, going into a box and pulling out an old walkman. “Like come on this! This is a classic, talk about a blast from the past. Ooh there’s still headphones and everything.” 

Mary looked up and grinned immediately recognizing the device. “I remember this old thing, it belonged to your Uncle Daniel. But I would swipe it whenever I could.” She chuckled. 

“This must be his box then.” Emma grinned handing over the Walkman as she started to dig through it some more. “Oh woah.” 

Under a few old yearbooks and medals, Emma’s fingers wrapped around the sleeve of a jacket. She moved everything aside ensure it wouldn’t fall to the ground as she pulled out a purple varsity letterman jacket with patches sown onto the sleeves. The name ‘White’ spelled out in gold cursive letters at the very top on the back, along with ‘Storybrooke Bison.’ Daniel’s name in small gold cursive and ‘#37’ stitched in on the right side. The jacket looked like it was for basketball and baseball combined, a patch for the year 1988 stitched on the upper sleeve too. 

“Now that…is definitely a blast from the past.” Mary said adoringly as she watched Emma touch it carefully before handing it over to her mother. Mary ran her fingers over the 

Emma smiled gently at her mother before looking into the box again to pull out his old baseball glove, ridged and folded in. She listened to the leather stretch after not being used in so long. 

“Driver Dan, right?” Emma asked as she looked up to her mother. 

Mary chuckled as her eyes started to water, “Yeah.” She sniffed. “Yuup, that’s what they called him every single time he went up to bat…”Send em’ home Dan!”.” 

The brunette tried to imitate what everyone used to say at his games, the way his coach used to scream it. But her tears took the enthusiasm away from it.

”I guess my father must’ve put his things down here because I surely did not.” Mary rummaged around the box. “How in the hell…” 

Emma looked up from the ball and glove confused as to why her mother stopped. “What is it?” 

Mary didn’t answer her, just stood there gaping into the box for a minute before she quickly shut the flaps and picked the box up. 

“Woah hey- Mom?” Emma watched her take the box over to the steps but quickly grabbed her arm. “Mom.” 

“This damned thing! I never wanted to see it again! I don’t know how-!” 

“Mom!” 

“What?!” Mary snapped but quickly recovered as Emma stopped her. “I’m sorry! Emma, it’s-it’s nothing sweetie. I just…You don’t have to worry about this box ok. I will take care of it.” 

“Wha-? But where are you going with it? Don’t tell me you’re just going to throw it out?” Emma looked at her incredulously. 

Mary had a haunted look in her eye but kept a straight face. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.” 

The older woman stated as she shook Emma’s hand off before ascending the stairs. 

“Mom, I don’t understand! Why? What did you see?!” Emma stopped her again. 

“Don’t question it Emma, just finish with the other boxes. Supper will be ready in a few.” 

Emma watched in a stupor at the bottom of the stairs as her mother disappeared through the door with the box. She scuffed as she threw her hands up. 

“Unbelievable!” She huffed. “She just had to come down here.” 

Seriously she was about to be thirty years old, there was no way her mother was still trying to hide juicy adult secrets away from her. At her big age! 

Emma walked over to the remaining blocks of cheese on the tray and plopped one in her mouth. 

“What could she possibly have seen?” Speaking to herself, she plopped another block into her mouth aggressively. 

The young blonde chewed determinedly as she thought of all the possibilities. 

Playboys?

Nah. 

Sex tapes? Ooh maybe DVDs? 

No no. When would he have had the time? 

Gay porno magazines? 

“No! Emma, seriously!” She chastised herself before looking back towards the stairs. “Gah!” 

This is without a doubt going to bother her all through dinner, hell even for the rest of the week! She was beginning to want to pull her hair out! Because what?! What could it possibly be?! 

Some letters? Maybe a diary…Dirt on Leo? Maybe about why he wanted him dead so badly…

No…No right?

“Gah! I’ve gotta see what’s in that box!

From the living room window, Emma watched her mother standing there with the box before she turned around, headed back towards the house. Emma quickly went back down to hide in the stairwell going down to the basement. Her head peeking around the corner, as she watched her mother go up the stairs and stop in the middle of the hall. Emma watched her pull the ladder down to go up to the attic…with the box.

Emma made mental note of it being put up there and made her way back down to the basement. She worked for another 2 and a half hours, going through nicknacks until the sun started to set. The floors painted in red and orange, Emma looked over the room. It looked like she had barely scratched the surface.

Hearing footsteps coming down the stairs again, Emma wiped her hands on her pants and looked up to see who it was. 

“Emma. Princess, we’re gonna run the market before they close. I only have soft tacos and your brothers are adamant that hard shells are what they need.” Mary rolled her eyes as she walked down the steps with her purse. 

“Would you like to tag along?” 

Emma immediately thought of the attic. The box…but also a shower! She had been down in this basement for hours and she felt crummy. 

“It’s ok mom, I think I just really want a shower right now to be honest.” Emma played it cool, not too eager o be left alone. 

“Would you like anything from the store?” Mary nodded as she scanned the room, watching Emma close the windows. 

“Ooh you know if Granny’s is still buzzing could you get me a bear claw?” Emma cheesed and turned around. 

“You need dinner Em, not sweets.” Mary tutted. “And that’s out of the way of the market.” 

Yeah that means you away from the house longer…

“Oh come on I haven’t been back in a long long time and those things are the best! I’ve got a craving all of sudden.” Emma put on her best show.

“I’ll see what your father says.” Mary snickered. 

Emma already knew that meant yes, as cocky as it was to think. She followed her mother up and out of the basement and up to the stairs to her room. Laughing as she heard her father smacking one of her brother’s in the back of the head and telling him to come on. She heard her mother yell that they’d be back in an hour tops. 

She waited on the steps until she heard the four truck doors slam, waited until she heard the engine crank and still even as she heard the wheels peel off on top of the gravel. Moving like someone lit a fire under her ass, Emma quickly rushed up the rest of the steps and jumped up to get the string to pull the ladder down. Extending it fully, Emma squeaked as she almost missed a step but climbed the ladder quickly. 

Her head popped up first and she quickly scanned around for the box. Peeping the only white box with a blue “DW” written on the front, Emma rushed over to it. Pulling the flaps back she saw everything she had seen earlier. She was still completely confused about what could’ve made her Mother react that way. She pulled back the magazines and the letters, a few loose photos until she found something. 

Something different. 

Emma’s brows furrowed as she sat down, pulling a shiny gold lamp with purple jewels and a twisty handle from under everything else in the box. It was unlike anything else inside the box and it didn’t really scream Daniel…but it did scream Leopold. So this had to be what set Mary off earlier…Right? 

“Gotcha.” 

Putting everything back the way it was inside the box, Emma pushed it back into its hiding corner and made her way back down the steps. 

>>>

Freshly showered and in her PJ’s for the night, Emma was sat on the couch when the rest of her family walked back in. Her mother rushing in past everyone to get the stove cranking, muttering on about how she was late getting dinner started because of the boys. 

Harper and Shane both walking in carrying a few bags and David coming up the rear, holding a greasy white bag with a G on the front. Emma smirked up at him from her place on the couch. 

“Granny says you have to come down and see her before you go.” David dangled the bag just out of reach. 

“You know I fully intended to.” Emma grinned making grabby hands toward the bag and just as it was almost in her clutches, David snatched it back. 

“Ruby too.” David raised his brow. 

“Now that is a completely different story.” Emma winced but still quickly reached for the bag, looking at the contents inside. 

“You never did really tell us, well me, what happened between you two.” David hinted as he sat down across from her pulling her feet into his lap. 

“That’s because it wasn’t worth mentioning.” She shrugged. 

“You two were thick as thieves growing up though.” 

“Yeah well…that was a long time ago, Dad.” 

That was a can of worms Emma didn’t want to get into, despite how many years it had been the subject always left her a little angry inside.

Everybody migrates to the living room, Shane helping his mother out in the kitchen where she needed it. If it was one thing the boys were better at than Emma, the one and only thing, it was cooking. She couldn’t cook to save her own life. 

“Emma, Harper. Could you set the table for us loves?”

The two younger Swan siblings did as they were asked with no fuss and Mary carried over a toppings tray, while Shane carried over the steaming skillet of assorted meats. They all gathered at the table, Mary swatting Shane’s hand away as he tried to sneak some cheese in before they said grace. David blessed the food, the hands that prepared it, asked for blessings and joy over the family before they all said Amen. 

Everyone was quiet at first, asking lightly to pass the sauce or handing over the tongs. That’s how you know the food was good though and everyone had really been working all day. But 11 years since they’d had a family dinner in this house, Emma was the last to leave the nest and she stayed gone.

“Emma you were just in Europe right?” Shane spoke up, his cup in hand and chewing the lasts of his bite. 

Emma zoned in and nodded swallowing her bites of taco. 

“I was yup. France for a few weeks; I had already been there before a few times. Then I was off to Spain for about a month.” She smiled and recalled. “Before that I was in Africa for a bit. I have a contract to go to Asia next but they allowed me to push the trip back for this.” 

“Oh I don’t know you were missing work Em.” Mary fussed but Emma brushed her off. 

“It’s fine really.” Emma sipped her drink. “I mean a death in the family. Not everyday you get to use that one to get time off.” 

Emma chuckled to herself and Harper did a bit to, Mary smiled only a little as she twirled her fork in her hand. It didn’t reach her eyes at all. 

“I’m sorry.” Emma winced. 

Mary shook her head and laughed it off, “It’s alright. You do have a point. Two weeks is a long time though, let alone a few days. The faster we get his house cleared out the better.” 

“Oh absolutely.”

“This place kinda gives me the creeps.” 

“You’re a grown man.” 

“Shut up.” 

The boys chimed in. 

“All the funeral preparations have been made. Everything is paid for and all we have to do is show up.” Mary sighed and David smiled at her. 

“Or not.” Emma muttered but Mary still heard her. 

For Mary it had been a long long healing journey to be able to even go and visit her father in the psych ward. But at the end of the day he was her father and she loved him, and apart of her really wanted to believe that the man was just flat out crazy. But she blatantly told him it would take a lot for her to even begin to want to forgive him. Daniel may not have been blood but he was still her big brother, the only one she had ever had. But that is what therapy is for, for herself and for her children. For Emma, for many years, all through high school. Seeing your favorite uncle gunned down at 14 years old is not a core memory one hopes for but all of Leopold’s craziness paid for those therapy sessions and sleep away camp in the summer. 

“Whatever you decide to do Princess,” Mary looked at her understandingly. “I appreciate you taking the time to come and help me. I know coming back here isn’t easy.” 

Wanting to move on to something lighter, David brought his hands together and smiled. 

“On a lighter note! Shane! How’s my soon to be grandbaby doing over there in Springfield?” 

Shane smiled at the bright new topic of his baby on the way. Only about three more months and his girlfriend Leah was due to give birth, David was beyond excited. They were keeping the gender until the very end but David and Harper had a bet going on what the baby will be. 

Chat around the dinner table stayed light and they thanked Mary for dinner. Harper losing to a game of rock, paper, scissors with Emma on who was going to wash the dishes. Emma stuck her tongue out at him and basked in her victory, calling him a sucker before bidding everyone a good night. 

Racing up the stairs to her room, Emma gently shut the door, entering her slightly messy room and her eyes immediately turned to her bed. There under her makeshift pile of clothes, hiding a secret like she was 9 years old again, was the lamp…

Emma reached back with her hands on the door and quietly turned the lock. Stopping at her backpack to grab her MacBook, Emma plopped down on her old bed and fired it up. Reaching into the pile, she threw the clothes off the side of her bed into her suitcase. Emma sat crisscrossed on top of the sheets and watched her computer screen shine along the sides of the lamp. 

Holding it carefully between her fingertips, Emma twisted it and turned it around to study the intricacies of the patterns along the sides of it. Where the jewels were placed on top of it almost looked like stars, and there was some type of writing on the bottom of it that Emma hadn’t noticed earlier but in a language she didn’t know. 

“Hmm.” Balancing the lamp on the sheets next to her computer, Emma laid on her stomach and quickly checked and responded to a few emails. Double checked her schedule, made sure her flight was still in order, her eyes flickered over to the lamp a few times. 

Opening up a new tab, Emma searched up middle eastern folklore and Arabic mythology, looking for anything that could translate the writings. Somehow falling down a rabbit hole of Dungeons and Dragons for almost 30 minutes until she rubbed at her eyes and laid her head down on top of her arms; staring over at the lamp.

Uncle Danny, do you believe in magic? 

…Magic is…it’s all around us Emma.

Even here? 

Especially here. 

“I wish…” Emma sighed, flashes of her time with her Uncle coming to mind. She reached out her hand, and gently rubbed her thumb across the side of the lamp her eyes growing heavy. “This isn’t a Disney movie Emma.” 

“…Here we go again.”

A voice called out and Emma’s eyes were squinting open, her brow scrunched up as she looked around and then back at the computer. No video was playing, but she definitely heard a voice…All of a sudden the lamp started to glow and tipped over on the bed, Emma gasped and shot up out of the bed and quickly grabbed a hard boot for whatever critter was about to come out of the old lamp. 

“What the hell?!” Emma whispered harshly, dropping the boot. “Uncle Dan if this is one of your pranks I swear…”

It started to shake on top of the sheets and this bright purple light started to zoom and zip and tink around inside of the lamp. Then Emma’s eyes got super wide as the thing started to float up in the air, shining bright still until the light shot out started to zoom around the room now. 

“Shit!” 

Crashing into the wall by her door and then up near the headboard of her bed. Emma ducked as it suds came her way. 

“Emma! You okay in there?!” 

Emma quickly looked back at her locked door, and then back at the zooming light. Hurriedly she looked around for something to catch it with. 

“Yeah! I-I’m good! Just- trying to catch a fly!- woah!” 

The blonde did not sound convincing at all, quickly picking up her throw blanket off the bed. Emma spread it out in her arms and tracked the ball of light with her eyes. Quickly jumping up off of the side of the bed, she fell down to the floor on top of the cover. The small thing carried more force than she would’ve ever thought! She came down a little hard. Her suitcase flew across the room and scattered her clothes out on the floor. 

Emma had no time to catch her breath, feeling a heavy weight settle on her chest, her eyes got wide as she could tell it was a person suddenly underneath her but a knock at the door made her jump. 

“Emma! Girl, what’re you doing in there?” Harper’s voice traveled under the door. 

“I’m good! Sorry! Sorry.” She tried to catch her breath swiping her hair back wildly, “Thought I saw a spider had gotten into my suitcase.” Emma quickly lied knowing Harper was deathly afraid of them and wouldn’t come in. “Thought I saw like a gallion baby ones on its back.”

Outside the door, Harper immediately took a step back, all concern thrown out the window. His face was turned down in disgust and he started wiggling his fingers as his imagination already started to run wild with that image. 

“If you need help, shout for Shane. Or Pops.” Harper walked away across to his room shaking his head, “Anybody but me…And keep it down!”

It definitely felt like a body was underneath her now, Emma was halfway straddling them with her kneeling on the ground. She backed up as the person sat up and pulled the covers up and over their head. 

Glowing purple smoky eyes peered out behind long wavy brown locks, her clothes a mix of intricate robes with white, purple and gold. The v cut so deep in the front, Emma could see way down to the tip of her navel. Her skin looked like it was glowing too, her wrists were encased in these shimmering twirly large gold cuffs. 

Emma’s green eyes snapped back up and she found the woman staring right back at her with a shy but sly smile on her lips.

She knew those green eyes, they weren’t his but she knew them. 

“…It’s you.” the mysterious woman spoke after a beat, her voice small but regardful. Emma clearly didn’t recognize her at all, but why would she.

Emma would certainly remember someone like her…something? She was just a ball of light for crying out loud. Emma had no idea what to say to this…beautiful woman…person that just appeared out of then air in her room…

“Um…hi.”