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[unfairest_ofthemall]

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[onebadapple]

Alright, so then, wouldn't you have vanished the moment Raven said she didn't want to hurt you?

I... can't say this with any pride, but my stepmother never hesitated. Wouldn't that make your destinies different already? And yet you remained around, healthy and fine.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[She shakes her head.]

She still had time to come around. It doesn't matter when Raven poisoned me, although I would have preferred after graduation. The important thing was that she do it, and that it was Daring who woke me up.

[onebadapple]

Then let's skip ahead, Daring wasn't your true love's kiss, so who did wake you up?

[unfairest_ofthemall]

His sister, Darling Charming.

[onebadapple]

Oh! Then perhaps nothing is wrong!

[unfairest_ofthemall]

What? Of course it's still wrong! My destiny is to be woken up by Daring, not Darling! Switching siblings is a definite alteration!

[onebadapple]

Is it to be woken up by Daring, or is it to be woken up by your true love?

And before you say those are one and the same, think very carefully about the destiny in question.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[Trying not to side-eye, given what Future Mom says.]

So I'm not in love with him now, I could love him in the future. Besides, this was decided when we were born.

[onebadapple]

Ah ah ah ah. No avoiding the question.

Apple, what does your destiny say. Is it true love's kiss, or Daring's kiss?

[unfairest_ofthemall]

... My true love. But that is supposed to be Daring! And I do love him!

[... on some level.]

[onebadapple]

No, Apple. True Love, even by the decree of destiny, cannot be forced. I'm not saying you don't love him, Apple, and Im sure he loves you too.

But he isn't your true love, and trying to force him to be, trying to force yourself to make him be, will only hurt the both of you in the end. If you still wish to marry him, that is your choice, but you can't do it because you're pretending he's your true love.

True love can't lie, Apple. That's why it breaks every curse.

Even ones about destiny, those curses are broken too when it comes to True Love. That's why it's so feared, because it's just so powerful.

True Love cannot be forced and it cannot be misguided, by anything.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[She goes quiet, looking at the floor. She thinks of Ashlynn and Hunter, who refused to let their stories get in the way of their love.]

... I always assumed... love would just 'happen'. That I'd know when it would hit. Daring and I aren't even really dating... because we both just assumed we'd make up for it later, when we grew up and became adults.

[onebadapple]

[She pushed back some of Apple's hair from her face and smiled.]

True love can happen over time, love at first sight and true love are not always the same, mind you, but it's not something that can be forced or faked, and it certainly can't be stopped. True love can break any curse, Apple, even my stepmother's.

That doesn't mean you can't love Daring, if that's what you want, but you're both hurting yourselves trying to pretend that it's destiny making you be true loves.

It's alright if Daring didn't awaken you with true love's kiss, if your heart, not some plan about destiny, is why you want to marry him. [She knew something would get through to Apple, and thankfully it was true love.]

But if your heart doesn't love him like that now, Apple, marrying him now to love him later is the cruelest thing you can do to yourselves.

It's time to really think about what your heart says, not what destiny tells you.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

...

[Her hands clutch her dress, and her eyes close. But it doesn't stop what she'd been trying to hold back since day one. Snow White doesn't cry. Snow White doesn't let anything get to her. She doesn't make a fuss. She doesn't inconvenience people. She's perfect, and perfect girls don't cry.

Then it must mean Apple isn't perfect, because for all of her fighting, the tears come down her cheeks, hot and heavy, her body shaking hard.]

I'm so scared... I'm so scared, mom!

[onebadapple]

[Snow White doesn't cry because Snow White had no one to soothe her when she did. Snow White didn't make a fuss, because fusses did not get the castle clean and the chore list done, an incomplete chore list meant she didn't get to eat. Snow White couldn't inconvenience people because they pretended she didn't exist.

Snow White was not perfect.

She was unable to allow people to help her because for many years, so many didn't. She was always surprised when people never put a price tag to their own acts of kindness because while hers were free, people always came with a cost if they were kind at all. She didn't know how to even ask for help. She trusted animals more than she trusted people.

So no. She was not perfect.

Even now, she was at a real loss on how to be a mother and could only think of what she'd LIKE a mother to be.

But she did know one thing.

Apple White would not be forced to push down everything, to not cry, to always smile with her, because she had every intention of being there for Apple.

She moved quickly and gathered Apple up into her arms, hugging her tight and rubbing her back. Letting her cry, letting her shake, just holding her. She couldn't tell Apple it would be alright, because she didn't understand this whole "destiny" thing that Apple was so sure of. But, she did know she would speak with that headmaster if he ever showed up here.]

I know, I know... and you have every right to be scared when it's your very life and the life of everyone you love that you fear for.

[She pressed kisses to Apple's brow and cheeks.]

My poor Apple, you've been carrying this inside of you for who knows how long.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[With that physical comfort, Apple sobs into her mother's chest, shaking and and trying to stop but she can't. It's more than just the news she learned from Daring, it's everything she'd been holding back since she nearly drowned. So... this may go on for a while. She clings to Snow's dress, unable to get any words out, though she tries between gasping breaths.]

Augh... Ugh.... Mmm...

[onebadapple]

I've got you, and I'm not letting go.

[She rocks her back and forth, never once telling Apple that it would be alright, never once telling her to shush.]

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[After what feels like ever after, Apple finally calms down enough to get down to sniffles, and finds herself able to use words again.]

I'm... suh-suh-sorry, I didn't mean to...

[onebadapple]

There is nothing to apologize for. [She smiled, pulling one of the napkins from the tray and offering it to Apple.]

And it sounds like you needed it more than you know.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[She sniffles again, taking the napkin and lightly dabbing her face.]

... I don't feel happy, but... I think I do feel a little better.

[onebadapple]

Well, that's alright. Even if you didn't feel any better, that's alright too. Because I will be here for you no matter how you feel, good or bad.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

... I love you mom. I really do. Please... please don't ever go thinking I don't. You are a good mother.

[onebadapple]

I love you too.

I don't think you know just how truly and honestly happy I am to have family here, to have you be my family. [She held Apple's cheek and then pressed a kiss to her brow.]

And I'm glad to hear that you think I'm a good mother, because I'll be honest, I worry quite a bit that I'm doing something wrong and sometimes I'm just trying to think about what I would have wanted my mother to say and go by that.

But knowing I'm a good mother, that's the most important thing I've ever heard, and all I've wanted to hear.

[unfairest_ofthemall]

[Apple leans on her, sighing.]

You don't need to know what your mom did... That never mattered to me. I just want you to be proud of me... I love you, I really do.

[onebadapple]

How could I not be proud of you? [She smiled.] Simply because we don't always see eye-to-eye on matters doesn't mean I'm not proud of you, Apple. You're hardworking, honest, dedicated, kind, eager to help, always trying your very best, and incredibly smart.

I will always be proud of you, even if I may not always agree with you, I will always love you.