Once upon a time: The Snow Queen Survives

Chapter One: A Second Chance

Emma's POV

I watched in horror as Ingrid was enveloped by tiny shards of glass. She was clearly in pain and moments away from death. "No Ingrid there has to be another way. You'll die!" Elsa cried out. She looked so sad now that she could remember her aunt. I couldn't just let this happen so I did the only thing I could think of. I reached both hands out and shot a blast of magic at the glass and it started glowing white. After a few seconds it shot out creating an explosion. It sent Elsa, Anna and myself flying in all different directions.

I groaned in pain but managed to lift my head enough to see Ingrid fall to the ground gasping for air. I slowly got up and approached her, kneeling down so we were at the same height. "Why Emma? Why would you save me after everything I did?" She asked in total shock. "You made a mistake but you didn't deserve to die for it. You deserve a second chance" I said with a small smile. She smiled back and we both got to our feet.

Ingrid's POV

As we rose to our feet I could tell something was off about Emma but before I could give it any real thought she lost her balance. I managed to catch her in my arms as she fell and saw a streak of white hair appear. "What's happening?" Elsa asked rushing over to us. "She must have absorbed too much of my magic when she stopped the spell." I felt my throat go dry and tears started falling down my face. This is exactly how it felt when I first realised I could really hurt someone with my powers.

Before Elsa or Anna could say anything more I teleported home with Emma. She was now in my guest bed and had fallen unconscious during the ordeal. I had to find a way to save her.

Her lips were turning blue and she was shivering in her sleep.I quickly used a preservation spell to stop her from deteriorating but I knew it would only last a few hours.  I only knew one person who could help me now. "Rumplestiltskin!" I yelled, hoping he'd show himself. "What is it?" He asked impatiently. He had appeared behind me but I couldn't take my eyes off Emma as I spoke. "I- I don't know what to do she's freezing. I need your help." I stuttered. I couldn't help crying again, this felt too much like what had happened to Helga and it was all my fault. "I have no interest in helping you dearie, because your spell failed it has jeopardized my plans to leave Storybrooke." He said bluntly.

Before I got the chance to try and convince him to help there was a loud knock at the front door. I walked to the entryway hoping to see Elsa. I opened the door to be faced with her and Anna who looked very worried. "Where's Emma?" Elsa asked. "She's resting, I've put her under a preservation spell but I don't know how to cure her. This is all my fault if I had stopped the spell. None of this would be happening."

"That might be true but she wasn't about to let you sacrifice yourself. Besides I know we'll find a way to help her but-" Elsa drifted off and looked down nervously. "We need your help." Anna finished much to my surprise. "Hans has taken over Arrendale and I'm scared of what he's doing while we're gone." Else added. I hesitated. I couldn't leave Emma to get worse if I was gone too long but I knew that she'd want me to help. "Okay, follow me." I said quietly. They walked behind me and we all entered the middle of the street out the front of the house. I waved my hand and the scroll that I used to enter Storybrooke appeared in it.

As I unraveled the paper, the door leading back to Arrendale appeared out of nowhere. "Thank you! Anna exclaimed, she was jumping up and down like a small child. Elsa looked at me seriously and intertwined her fingers with mine "Ingrid...I might not be your sister but you are family. Even though things have been difficult I'm so grateful I found you in that urn. If it wasn't for you teaching me, I would never have gotten my powers under control." I smiled widely and looked at both of my nieces proudly. "Thank you Elsa You can't even imagine how much that means to me." I stuttered, trying to hold tears back.

I looked over at Anna and felt a wave of guilt wash over me for all of the horrible things I did to her. "Anna I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. You didn't deserve any of it and I hope one day I can make it up to you." She smiled widely and shrugged it off like it was nothing. " It's not a problem, I'm just glad it's all over with. Now let's go kick Hans off that throne" she announced. She was very determined. Anna and Elsa both reached out their hands to take mine almost as a way to prove they were happy that we were now a reunited family. But I shook my head solemnly. " I can't go with you. I need to stay here for Emma.... I'm not ready to return to Arrendale, I might never be. There are too many painful memories for me there." I admitted. Anna frowned and Elsa pulled me into a tight hug. "Thank you again. Now that I remember everything you did to help me I'm really going to miss you. I love you Ingrid." I was left speechless by that but felt so happy to know that I had what I had been missing for all these years. A family who loves me.