Chapter Text
New York, New York: 16/4/2013
A writer by name of August W. Booth limped out of his apartment building. He waved to the doorman, as always, and pulled a postcard out of his pocket. It had arrived mysteriously that morning. So mysteriously, it could very well have been magic.
He stared at the photo of a fairly generic clocktower and library. There was a slogan in the open sky reading 'Come visit Storybrooke' and when he flipped it over, the only thing that was written was 'Broken'.
His gaze shifted from the postcard to his wooden hand. It had been easy enough to realize that things were moving there when he'd started to change. He was connected to the magic there, after all. And now…that morning he'd barely been able to get out of bed, he was so stiff. And when he'd seen his reflection, he knew that the curse was broken.
He caught his reflection in a window as he passed and sighed heavily. Rather than the man that normal people here saw, he could see the truth of the matter.
The man in the reflection was nothing more than a marionette.
Storybrooke, Maine: 16/4/2013
After Henry got dressed, they went out into the waiting area, where all of Emma's friends were barely visible in the thick purple smoke. Neal waved a hand and some of the smoke cleared.
"So, this is what they were up to…," Neal mumbled. Emma frowned a little and hugged Henry close.
The smoke cleared as the group left the hospital. Mary Margaret looked at David and then at the town around them. They were still in Storybrooke, but how?
"What's happening?" she questioned. "Shouldn't…we have gone back?"
"That's not how the Dark Curse works," Neal sighed. She frowned and looked at him. "That's not how my father wrote the curse."
"Your father?" David echoed.
"What was that smoke, if not something to take us home?" Ruby asked.
"Magic," Neal said plainly.
"So that's what Lacey betrayed us for?" Emma groaned.
"What matters," Mary Margaret sighed, grabbing Emma's hand. To think she'd unknowingly become friends with her daughter this whole time. "Is that the curse is broken and we're all together."
"Right…," Emma sighed, blushing a little. "We should get to work," Emma shook her head and set her expression. "Neal, Ruby, go get the census records from the hall of records. I'll bet everyone's confused and some families might have been separated. So, we need to get everyone sorted. Figure out who they were and all that. Henry," she started and the boy perked up. "Go to the station and help Ashley with the phones. We're probably gonna be swamped."
Henry nodded and ran off. Mary Margaret couldn't help but smile. Emma was a natural with leadership. Just what she would have wanted from her daughter…her heir. David put his arm over her shoulder as Emma took charge. She glanced at him to see him looking just as proud as she felt.
"What are we going to do about the queen?" Mother Superior asked as she came out of the hospital behind them.
"I'll check on her," Emma growled. "If you want to be useful, help with setting up the plaza so we can get everyone organized and figured out."
"Emma…?" Mary Margaret started. "We need…we need to talk."
"Yeah…but it can wait," Emma sighed, not looking at her.
Lacey couldn't stop smirking even as the smoke cleared and Gold turned to face her.
"Are you all right, Lacey?" he questioned.
"Oh, I'm fine," she laughed. "I'm wonderful, in fact. But…why bring magic here?"
"Because magic is power. You know this…"
"I also know you," she reminded him and reached for his hand. "You have an ulterior motive with this."
"Mm, yes," he agreed.
"Revenge on Regina for lying to you?" she guessed. He hummed noncommittally and she frowned. "Rupert. For once, don't give in to the hate. Promise me you won't cause her death."
Emma was Lacey's friend and the blonde loved Regina. If Regina had succeeded in cursing herself, Lacey was certain that Emma and Regina had True Love, and it would have broken the curses all the same.
"Lacey, darling…I can't let this stand," he insisted.
"And I made a deal with her to get the curse broken!" she snapped. "Leave her be."
"Okay…I promise," he sighed.
"Thank you," she said, kissing him.
Emma sighed a little as she went towards Regina's house. Mary Margaret was close behind. She didn't want to deal with this just yet. The fact that Mary Margaret was her mother. Maybe they'd been subconsciously drawn to each other and that was why they'd become friends.
"Isn't there anything you want to ask us?" Mary Margaret spoke up. "I mean…you must have questions…"
"Oh, I have questions…but they can wait," Emma groaned. "For now…I'm more worried about Regina."
"I think we should really talk now," her former roommate insisted.
"Look…I want to talk about it, but I'm not gonna be able to focus on anything until I know she's okay," she sighed. "She's suicidal, Mary Margaret. I'm worried. You'd feel the same if it was David or Ruby, right?"
"You're right…," Mary Margaret agreed. "But…"
"We can talk later," Emma promised. "With plenty of alcohol."
"Right…"
"Sheriff!" Archie shouted, running to them. "Dr Whale's whipped up a mob! They're heading for--" he started and Emma broke into a sprint before he could finish.
She knew exactly where they were going, and what they wanted to do. Regina was suicidal and wouldn't do anything to stop them.
Gold went to the shop with Lacey, still stewing over the fact that he'd been lied to. Yes, he had hoped that it had been a lie…but when he'd never managed to find even rumours of Belle, he feared the worst. He could let it go if Regina hadn't rubbed salt in the wound. But no, Regina had taken every opportunity to taunt him with his mistake and her lie.
He may have promised Lacey he wouldn't cause Regina's death, but what he planned wasn't to kill her. If Regina wanted to put herself under a Sleeping Curse, he'd give her something more permanent.
He went to the back of the shop and found a pair of leather gloves. Once he was properly protected, he fetched a golden container and opened it. He had a Wraith's Medallion on hand and it was perfect for this.
Regina sat in the foyer of her house, rotating the cursed turnover in her hands. She knew that a mob would be coming to kill her soon. She was just about to take a bite when a banging came at the door.
"Open up!" Whale shouted from the porch. Of course he would be the one to come after her first. "Open up, or we're coming in!" he continued, banging incessantly.
Regina stood and set the turnover on a table. She could deal with him first. So, she opened the door. A rather small crowd was gathered in her front yard.
"Can I help you?" she questioned.
"That smirk isn't going to last forever, Regina," Whale snapped. "You took everything from us, and now--"
"What?" she cut him off, trying to muster her previous demeanour. "Now you're gonna kill me?" she taunted.
"Eventually," he sneered. "But first, you need to suffer."
"Listening to you has been enough suffering for all of us," she snapped, pushing him back. "I'm going to ask you all nicely to get off of my lawn."
The crowd didn't move, only encouraged Whale to attack her. She lifted a hand instinctively to protect herself, envisioning a blast of magic sending Whale and everyone back. Nothing happened and Whale pushed her against a column.
"She's powerless!" someone shouted and there was a chorus of demands to get her and kill her. They demanded justice, but this wasn't it.
"Now…," Whale started, putting his hands to her throat. "Where were we?"
"Killing me isn't justice," she hissed.
"Maybe not, but it's deeply satisfying," he taunted, closing his hand around her neck and choking her.
A gunshot fired, startling Whale just enough for him to loosen his grip and let Regina breathe a little.
"Let her go!" Emma shouted, approaching and aiming her gun at anyone who blocked her path. "Out of the way!" she commanded. "Let. Her. Go!" Emma growled, aiming her gun at Whale's head.
"Why should I listen to you?" he growled.
"Because I am still the Sheriff," Emma snapped, cocking the gun. "And if you don't, I'll blow your brains out," she threatened. Whale released Regina and she gasped for air. Emma kept the gun trained on Whale even as she went to check on Regina. "You okay?"
"I'm fine…," she whispered. No one had ever threatened to kill for her before.
"No matter what Regina did," she heard Mary Margaret say as she and David pushed their way to the porch. "It does not justify this!"
"We're not murderers here," David added.
"Well, we're not from this world," Whale argued.
"Yeah? Well, you're in it now," Emma growled. "And if you think I'll hesitate, you're wrong."
David put himself between Emma and Whale and Mary Margaret gently pushed the weapon down.
"Okay, Whale. We're done here."
"Back off," the doctor snapped. "You're not my prince."
David blinked, really looking at Whale.
"Who are you, Whale?" he asked.
"That's my business," Whale sneered.
"Well, my business is making sure this town doesn't go to hell. So, whether or not I'm your prince isn't the issue," David growled.
"And Regina's death won't provide any answers," Mary Margaret added, facing the crowd. The defence lifted her spirits a little. "She needs to be locked up," she continued and Regina's heart sank. "For her safety, and more importantly, ours."
She didn't know what she expected. Whatever she had with Emma didn't matter in the face of Regina's crimes.
Emma shook her head a little and turned to Regina. There were already bruises forming on her neck from Whale's grip. Otherwise, she looked fine.
"Let's get this crowd cleared," she sighed. Ruby arrived with her grandmother and the two of them helped to clear the crowd. Emma gently took Regina inside. "Regina, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine…really…," she answered and Emma frowned. She knew a lie when she heard one, after all.
"Talk to me, Regina," she encouraged.
"I'm not hurt," Regina insisted. That was the truth, at least. "There's magic but…"
"Oh…you can't use magic now?" she questioned. Regina nodded. "Can't or won't?"
"Can't."
"Okay, that's fine," Emma told her, taking both of her hands in hers. "We can figure that out. For now--" Emma broke off, noticing the cursed turnover on the nearby table. "Regina…you still want to curse yourself?" she questioned. Regina looked away from her. "Even if you did, I'd wake you up," she promised. "I love you, Regina."
"And I love you," Regina mumbled. "But…after everything I've done…"
Emma sighed and gently touched her cheek.
"I don't care what you've done," she insisted. "And cursing yourself…giving up isn't going to show anyone else that you've changed."
Regina opened her mouth to say something when a soft knock came at the door.
"They're gone!" Mary Margaret called from the porch.
"Promise me you won't do anything to yourself," she whispered. "If not for me…for Henry."
Regina nodded a little and Emma squeezed her hand a little.
"I promise…," Regina mumbled.
Mary Margaret and David barged into the house and Emma sighed heavily.
"We're not locking Regina up," she bit.
"It's fine Emma…," Regina sighed, smiling weakly at her. "I'm a criminal, after all."
"Fine…," Emma sighed after a moment. "But I don't like this…"
They went to the station and she locked Regina in a cell.
"Ma? What's going on?" Henry gasped.
Emma sighed heavily and took him to her office.
"After everything she did, your grandparents think Regina should be locked up," she told him.
"Well, yeah," he agreed. "But…she came willingly? And you agreed?"
"I don't agree to this," she groaned. "And she…insisted…"
"So…you really expect her to stay in there? With magic in town…"
"Henry…don't tell anyone else this, but…she can't use magic anymore…," Emma sighed.
"She was probably lying."
"Henry, I can tell when someone's lying…," she told him. "And she was telling the truth."
"Are you sure you don't believe her because she was telling you what you want to hear?"
"I'm sure," she insisted. "Because I want her to be able to defend herself…I was worried that she was letting--" she broke off. "Henry…she's suicidal, do you understand?" she whispered. His eyes went wide and he nodded a little. "When I got to the house, there was a crowd and Whale was strangling her. I thought that she was just letting him do that because…"
"But if she can't use magic, she didn't have a way to decide how she dies…," Henry finished. Emma nodded a little. "So…what's the plan?"
"For now…keep her here…," she decided. "It's the safest place right now…hopefully Leroy will come in for his shift…and I need to find Lacey and talk to her…"
"I can stay and help," Henry offered. "The phones haven't been all that busy…but…"
"That could change," she sighed. "Okay. But I'm going to see if Leon can come keep watch."
Henry nodded and they left the office. Henry went back to the desk he'd been using to monitor the phones. Mary Margaret and David had left, leaving Ruby behind.
"I figured I could take first watch," Ruby explained.
"Great," Emma sighed. "Radio me if something happens and I'll be right here."
"Got it."
She cast a concerned smile at Regina and left the station. There was a lot to do…
Regina sighed tiredly and looked around the sheriff's station. Nothing had happened so far. Nothing more than a shift change and Henry going home for the day. But just when Leroy went to the bathroom, there was movement in the room.
"Magic is different here, dearie," Gold chuckled, stepping out of the shadows. So different, but he'd mastered it so easily.
"I noticed," she snapped. "I assume this is your doing…"
"Most things are," he ceded.
"Get to it, Rumple," she growled as he approached the cell. "You don't have long before Leroy comes back. Are you here to finish the job?"
"No, no, no," he sighed. "You're safe from me."
"I feel so relieved," she bit, turning away from him. "So, what? You came to watch me suffer?"
"I made a promise that I wouldn't cause your death," he sneered, and an all too familiar feeling of magic dragging her into the air hit Regina.
It reminded her a little too much of her mother, and she couldn't even struggle. Her breath came in short gasps and suddenly she was a teenager again. Helplessly under her mother's control…she could almost feel the branches and vines twisting around her body and then her throat.
"Stop…," she gasped, fighting tears. "Please…"
The magic forced her arm forward.
"Do you know what this is?" he questioned. Regina blinked back tears and tried to focus on the medallion he was showing her. Some part of her recognized it, but a large part of her didn't even feel like she was in a holding cell in Storybrooke. No, everything in her screamed that she was still stuck with her mother, being punished for something as minor as tardiness.
"No…please, I'll be good…," she sobbed raggedly.
"It's a little late for that," Gold snapped, pressing the medallion to her hand. "You want to suffer a fate worse than death? I'll happily grant you that."
He disappeared and so did the force holding Regina aloft. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing.
"Whoa, are you okay?" Leroy gasped as he came back to his desk and saw her.
Regina shook her head and tried to bring herself back to the present. But she still felt as if she was surrounded by vines and branches that couldn't be there.
Lacey had gone to the library. She had a feeling that Gold was up to something that involved breaking his promise. He probably thought there was a thin loophole in their promise. And there would be, if she hadn't taken into account his methods. He was a devious sort, who often preferred to keep his hands figuratively clean. But he couldn't simply summon a creature to do the deed without ensuring that Regina would be in the path of the creature. And he wouldn't rely on the anger of the people, not when the people listened to a couple with more compassion than was good for them.
The only thing he could do was suggest someone act on their rage and hope they were successful. But she knew that he wouldn't leave anything to chance.
Gold went to a clearing with the dagger in hand. He never thought he'd use it again. He swore that when he found his son, he'd be done with it. That once he'd reunited with Bae at last, he'd live as long as this Realm Without Magic would allow as a normal human with his son. He'd often imagined reuniting with Belle and, if she accepted his hand, searching for Baelfire alongside her. But Neal had come to him. And Lacey was…Lacey.
He could employ his powers one last time. Yes, he'd made a promise, and he knew that Lacey knew him. That's why she worded things the way she did. The only way he could truly keep his promise was to leave Regina's demise to chance. And he'd already set things into motion. He had to see this through.
So, he put the Wraith's Medallion on the ground and stabbed the ground beside it before stepping back.
"The Dark One summons thee," he said solemnly. The creature rose from the centre of the medallion and he watched as it flew away, seeking its prey.
Regina gasped awake and sat in her cot. Leroy looked over from his desk.
"Are you okay?" he asked as the lights flickered. "What the hell was that?"
"You…should leave," she mumbled, looking at her palm. Her hand shook as a mark seared into her hand.
"I have a job to do. I told Emma I'd keep you safe."
"And I appreciate it," Regina sighed. "But what's coming…you won't be able to fight…you should get out of here while you have the chance. And…tell Emma that I'm sorry."
He paused, but left.
Emma sighed tiredly as she dropped Henry off at the apartment.
"Stay here. I'll be back in a while," she promised before heading back to her car. Mary Margaret and David were waiting for her.
"We need to talk," Mary Margaret insisted.
"I…well, I don't…," she sighed. "Not right now…I just…"
"Well, I do, okay?" the other insisted. "Gold can wait. Lacey can wait. I can't. You're my daughter…and…I wanna talk to you. I know that we have talked, but we didn't know that we were talking. We've talked about things that we probably shouldn't have talked about…"
"Yeah, and we were friends first," Emma groaned. "And this…just makes it weird. You're making it weird. Yes, we talked about the kind of shit that adults talk about with their friends. Like one-night stands and all that. But--"
"One-night stands?" David interrupted.
"Whale," Mary Margaret answered, nonchalant.
"Whale?!" he echoed.
"We warned her," Emma groaned.
"You did…," her mother sighed. "And David, we were cursed. You don't see me getting upset about you and Kathryn. But now that you bring it up. Emma…what's going on with you and Regina?"
"I'm sorry, what?" David gasped. Emma looked away from her parents, blushing. The curse made everything even weirder.
"It's…complicated. And I'd like to clear everything up with her before I talk about it with you guys…," she mumbled. "And I need time to process everything, Mary Margaret. Think about it. No matter what the circumstances--and I get it--I was alone for sixteen years. My whole life, the only thing I knew about my family was that my parents sent me away."
"We did that to give you your best chance," Mary Margaret defended.
"I know. It's the same reason I gave up Henry," she continued. "So, I get it. But…you also did it for everyone else. Because that's who you are. Leaders…heroes…princes and princesses…and that's great…and amazing…and…wonderful…," she trailed off, actually a little bitter about part of it. "But it doesn't change the fact that for my entire life I was alone."
"But, if we hadn't sent you away, you would've been cursed, too," her mother argued, reaching for her hand. Emma pulled away.
"We would've been together," she bit. "But you put the kingdom first," she reminded. "Which curse is worse?"
She barely looked at them as she got in her car and drove to the station.
Gold went back to the shop, planning to finish things for the day, even though he'd had the shop closed because of the curse breaking. This was also an excuse to put off admitting he'd broken another promise. Surely Lacey would understand if he explained why he did it.
The door opened, pulling him from his thoughts. He almost reminded whoever intruded that an unlocked door did not mean the shop was open, but Mary Margaret and David were entering. Of course they would disregard propriety in favour of interrogating him.
"What can I do for you?" he asked them, hoping to get this over with as quickly as possible.
"What did you do?" Mary Margaret demanded.
"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "You'll have to be a little more specific."
"You know damn well what we're talking about," David snapped.
"You double-crossed Emma," Mary Magaret bit. "You took your…uh…potion from her!"
"If I may?" he sighed. "It was Lacey who delivered the potion to me. I had almost nothing to do with the betrayal."
"You did who knows what to this town!" David added.
"And worst of all, you risked Henry's life!"
"Well, that is quite a litany of grievances now, isn't it?" he questioned. "But, as a counter argument: Henry's life was never in danger. Emma just needed a push to use her own magic," he told them. "And I'm sure you already know what 'I did' to the town. You're in close cahoots with the fairies, after all."
"Magic…," Mary Margaret whispered. "Why?"
"Not telling," he answered. Mary Margaret started to say something when the building shook. Car alarms started going off.
"What was that?" David gasped.
"That is my gift to you," he said lightly. "That is gonna take care of Regina."
Mary Margaret's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.
"David, we have to help her," she gasped before dragging him out of the shop.
"A Wraith? Really?" Lacey groaned behind him. "Of all the creatures or spells you could summon, that's the best you could do?"
Gold turned to her, half expecting her to be furious. But she only looked amused.
"Lacey, I--"
"Oh, I knew you'd break the promise we made," she sighed. "I'm just disappointed that you weren't more creative with this."
"You know why I had to."
"She lied to you and taunted you about my supposed death," she drawled. "Salt in the wound. I'm interested to see how they get out of this, but really…," she shook her head a little. "Come to the library in fifteen minutes."
"Oh? You presume--"
"You broke a deal with me," Lacey interrupted. She stepped forward and grabbed his shirt front, pulling him close. "You know I'm not the nice girl I pretend to be. Fifteen minutes."
"Y-yes ma'am," he mumbled and she sauntered out of the shop.
Regina stood as the lights began to flicker in the building. She held her marked hand, shaking. A wailing sound came from outside the building and she yelped. A car alarm went off just outside.
"H-help…," she whispered, trying not to cry. "Please…"
A creature appeared in the room, forming from the shadows as a cloaked figure with no face. Regina backed up against the wall, trembling in fear. There was no coming back from this creature…
The door to her cell was thrown from the hinges and into a far wall. Regina wasn't sure if she couldn't breathe because of her panic or the creature.
It lifted a hand and she was dragged into the air, gasping.
Emma ran into the station. She'd bumped into Leroy on the way and he had her worried. Something that he couldn't fight. Regina insisted that he leave for his own safety…
She saw the creature holding Regina aloft. Whatever it was doing to her was draining even the colour from her skin. Emma grabbed the nearest thing she could, a chair, and threw it as hard as she could at the creature.
"Leave her alone!" she shouted at it. The chair shattered against the creature and the pieces flew across the room.
"Emma!" David shouted and she looked to see her parents run inside, both with weapons. David had a sword and Mary Margaret had what looked like a flame thrower. David went on the attack and the creature seemed distracted by him.
Emma ran forward and caught Regina as she slumped to the ground, coughing raggedly. She heard a crash and looked to see David being thrown back and barricaded in the hall.
"Over here!" Mary Margaret shouted, getting ready. The door of the other cell was ripped off the hinges and Mary Margaret barely managed to dodge.
The creature turned its attention back to Regina and Emma put herself in front of her. A bright light seemed to come from her palms and the creature fled with a piercing shriek. Emma blinked in shock.
"What the hell was that thing…?" she questioned, catching her breath and turning to check on Regina. The colour was slowly returning to the woman's skin.
"A Wraith…," Regina answered. "A soul sucker…"
"Did I…? How did I…?"
"It's regenerating," Regina sighed. "It'll be back…it doesn't stop until it devours its prey…," she mumbled, holding her hand. Emma could see a brand seared into her palm. "Me…"
"So, how do we kill it?" she pressed.
"There's no way…you can't kill something that's already dead."
"Then we have a problem," she bit, taking Regina's hands in hers.
"No," David snapped. "We don't. Regina does."
"You want to let her die?" Emma growled.
"Why not? If it goes away, then we're safe," he defended. "And after what she did--"
"And that's an excuse to kill her?" Emma interrupted. "An execution won't fix anything!"
"Emma…," Regina whispered. "He's right."
"No!" she snapped. "I can't lose you."
"Okay," Mary Margaret sighed, touching David's shoulder. "So, if the Wraith can't be killed, what do we do to stop it?"
"Banish it…," Regina mumbled. "We need to talk to the LeFayes."
"I know where their house is. Let's go," Mary Margaret said urgently. Emma nodded and they all followed Mary Margaret to a nice house at the edge of town.
"Why the LeFayes?" Emma asked idly as they walked.
"The gypsies--" Regina broke off and cleared her throat. "I mean--"
"They're the travelling trio?" Mary Margaret gasped, cutting her off.
"The travelling trio?" Emma echoed. "Oh! I saw mention of them in the book. A group of travelling sorceresses that helped imprison the Dark One."
"Well, they'll have a solution," Regina sighed.
"Why would they help you?" David asked. Emma frowned.
"They're not like the fairies," Mary Margaret pointed out.
"Very true," someone said behind them. All four of them jolted. Emma turned to see Emery standing there. She blinked in surprise. She'd only met her once, but she thought that the lawyer had a different accent. "What brings you all by? Not the Wraith?"
"Actually, that's exactly the problem…," Emma spoke up. "It's after Regina, and…"
"Well, come inside," Emery encouraged, gesturing towards the house. They all started for the door. "No, just Emma and Regina," she chuckled. Mary Margaret stopped, shocked.
Emma snorted a laugh. They probably weren't used to being left out. She and Regina went into the house with Emery and she took them to the kitchen.
"Oh, hello," Marlo greeted them, bustling over the stove. "Come for a solution to the first magical dilemma in Storybrooke?"
"Advice about it," Emma corrected.
"Well, resources are limited here," Marlo pointed out. "If we had access to the right materials, I'd teach you how to destroy it. As for banishing it…I doubt you can convince the one who summoned it to call it off. Leaving the only option as opening a portal to another realm and send the Wraith through. Without a mark, it would retreat into the Medallion."
"But we'd be making it someone else's problem…," Emma griped.
"There's no choice," Marlo sighed. "Trust me when I say that I'd much rather simply destroy it. Purposeless creatures like this one upset the balance of nature."
"So, what can we do?" Regina sighed, taking Emma's hand.
"Do you still have the hat?"
"Hat?" Emma echoed.
"But I haven't figured out how to use magic again…," Regina mumbled.
"You've changed to your very core. That affects your abilities. However, you don't have time to truly meditate and figure out the changes," Marlo said solemnly. Then, she looked at Emma. "You, however, have untapped power. Your love and desire to protect have already manifested."
"Me…?" Emma gasped.
"Yes. With training, you'll be capable of great magic. For now, simply focusing on your love and protective desires will do. Get the hat, lure the Wraith to it, open the portal and send the Wraith through," Marlo encouraged. "However, exercise caution in the confrontation."
"What hat?"
"I'll show you," Regina sighed. "Thank you for the guidance," she added, practically bowing to Marlo.
"You're very welcome. You may have harmed us, but I am a fan of True Love."
Emma blinked and almost questioned her before Regina gently pulled her from the house.
"What did she mean…?"
Regina paused, looking away from her. Emma squeezed Regina's hand.
"She's…probably mistaken," Regina mumbled. "Come on…the hat is in my house."
Emma nodded slowly and went with Regina to the mansion.
"So, what's the plan?" Mary Margaret asked, catching up with them.
"You don't have to get involved…," Regina sighed.
"I want to help," she insisted. "Regina…there was a time when we were close friends…I don't see why we can't try and be friends again."
"Well…okay. We're getting something from my house and then…we can lure the Wraith to Town Hall."
"I noticed that it messed with the electricity," Mary Margaret said. "I'll go get some stuff to keep the meeting hall lit so we can drive it into whatever trap you guys are setting up."
Regina was surprised to see Ruby at Town Hall with Mary Margaret when she and Emma got there with the hat. They all went to the meeting hall and got set up. Mary Margaret and Ruby doused the rail with lighter fluid, and they had torches. Regina set up the hat on the stage with Emma.
"What now?" Emma whispered. Regina took a deep breath.
"Remember what Marlo said…you can do this, Emma…just focus on the hat…we can send the Wraith anywhere…but you have to guide the portal," she told her.
Emma nodded a little and the lights flickered. The Wraith appeared and the battle started. Mary Margaret and Ruby lit the torches and the rail, drawing the Wraith's attention. Emma looked at the hat and scrunched her face in concentration. She manually turned the hat, but nothing happened.
"I can't…," Emma mumbled and jerked her head to look at Mary Margaret when the woman cried out.
"Any time now!" Ruby called out. Regina put her hands over Emma's.
"Hey…look at me. Focus on your feelings," she encouraged.
"I'm scared…," Emma admitted.
"So am I. But I know you can do this," she pressed. "Why are you scared? I know I'm scared because I don't want this to be how I die…and I hate that I can't help…"
"I'm scared of losing you," the blonde whispered. "I just want to protect you…and everyone. But mostly you and Henry…and I-I can't!"
But a soft glow came from Emma's hands and the hat began spinning. Regina grinned. Emma was doing it!
"Guide the hat," she encouraged. She hated that they were having to make the Wraith someone else's problem, but they had no choice. A portal formed over the hat as Ruby shouted in pain.
She looked back to see Red on the ground near the wall. Mary Margaret was helping her to her feet. They seemed unhurt, or at least not seriously hurt. The Wraith started flying straight at her and Regina gasped. Then, she was shoved to the ground.
She slid a bit away from the hat with Emma holding her down.
"Stay down," Emma hissed. Regina nodded dumbly and looked as the Wraith flew too close to the portal and was sucked in.
And then, things happened so fast she wasn't sure how they went the way they did. Emma started to get up, but screamed as something pulled her towards the portal. Regina tried to hold her hands to fight against the pull. Then her hands slipped out of Regina's and both she and Mary Margaret made a mad dash to either pull Emma out of the portal or follow her.
What she knew for sure was that Mary Margaret got there first and the portal vanished before Regina could do anything. She fell forward where the portal used to be, crushing the hat under her weight.
Regina scrambled to her feet, staring at the ruined hat. She had no idea where Emma guided the hat…if they went to the Enchanted Forest…what waited for them there? There were three or four small kingdoms in Storybrooke.
"Where are they?" Ruby asked, picking up the hat.
"I don't know…," she admitted. "Emma was controlling the hat…"
"Can we follow them?"
"No…the hat was the only way…," her voice cracked.
"Okay…so we find a way to get them back," Ruby decided.
"It's not going to be easy. It took a curse to get to this world…," she mumbled.
Ruby nodded slowly. The door opened and they looked to see Henry and David rushing in. Regina glanced at Ruby.
"This isn't your fault," Ruby whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"What happened? Where are Emma and Mary Margaret?" David demanded. Ruby walked over to them and pulled David aside while Henry ran to Regina.
"Mom?" he asked, kneeling by her. "Are you okay? You're crying…"
"I-I'm…okay," she mumbled, wiping her face.
"Where's Ma?" he whispered. Regina looked at him and he seemed so hurt and worried. The sobs she'd been holding back wracked her and she doubled over. "Mom?!"
How could she explain to him? In the end this was her fault. And she didn't even know where they were or if she could get them back to Storybrooke. A hand connected with her shoulder and Regina tried to stop crying.
"Regina?" Ruby asked gently. She shook her head and sobbed. "Okay…Henry, we need to give her some space."
And then they were gone. Regina hugged her arms around herself and tried to calm down.
"I knew we should have just let it kill you," David groused.
Lacey stepped out of the library refreshed. She couldn't sense the creature when she mentally searched for it, so either it had done its task and disappeared…or Regina and Emma had managed to get rid of it. She pulled out her phone to call Emma and make sure they were okay, but she saw a text from Ruby.
Come to the station ASAP, it read.
"Odd…," she mumbled.
"What's odd?" Gold asked, stepping out behind her. "The Wraith is gone, I see…"
"Yes, it is," she sighed. "And now Ruby's asking everyone to the station."
"I wonder what's the matter," Gold shrugged.
Lacey kissed his cheek and started for the station.
"I'll find out. See you later," she promised.
When Lacey got to the station, the entire staff was there. Except for Emma. Neal looked crestfallen and Ruby was looking down as well.
"Good…everyone's here," Ruby sighed.
"Where's Emma?" Lacey asked. "What's going on?"
"That's the thing," Ruby groaned. "We don't know where they are. She was pulled into the portal after the Wraith and Mary Margaret followed. The portal closed before Regina and I could help…and Regina accidentally destroyed the hat," she explained.
"Well, I can try and see where they are," Lacey offered. "I know a scrying spell that can reach across worlds."
"That would require a group…," Neal argued.
"Hah," she scoffed. "You forget who you're talking to."
"You're not the Dark One or a fairy," he snapped.
"No…I just need a few things from my workshop," she chuckled and went to her desk.
"Uh…Lacey?" Leroy groaned. "That's your desk."
"I know. The first thing I did when Rupert brought Magic was to connect one of my drawers to the workshop," she informed, opening a drawer. "Now…I just need…a mirror, a little bit of Pixie Dust, and…," she pulled the things out of the drawer, finally pulling out her poison dragon liver.
"The poison dragon's liver?" Neal muttered. "What do you need that for?"
"Tsk, tsk, and I thought you'd studied," she scolded playfully. "The poison the liver is soaked in, is a mix from as many different realms as I could get ingredients from."
She hummed a little as she put on a glove and opened the jar. Everyone in the room cried out in disgust at the smell. Lacey dipped her fingers into the jar and pulled out the liver. Ruby gagged and fled the room.
"That is so gross…," Leroy griped.
"Sometimes magic is gross," she defended, using the liver to paint the fluid on the mirror before putting it away. She waved a hand to clear the smell. "Now…a little Pixie Dust…," she mumbled, sprinkling the sparkling green powder over the mirror. "Now…Show me Emma and Mary Margaret," she instructed the mirror.
The reflection wavered and finally showed the two women unconscious in a ruined courtyard.
"Well, they're alive at least," Ruby sighed in relief, coming back. "But where are they?"
"Show me their location," she commanded and the reflection wavered again to show more of the ruined courtyard and a very familiar warrior. "Mulan! They're in the Enchanted Forest."
"I've seen that princess," Neal mumbled. "Princess Aurora…she was put under a Sleeping Curse by Maleficent…by the look of her dress, oh a hundred years ago?"
"By now, yes, it would have been a hundred years," Lacey agreed. "So, they're in the Enchanted Forest, just outside the radius of the Dark Curse. Now, we just need to figure up a portal to get them back here," she decided. "In the meanwhile, I suppose in absence of the sheriff, as deputy, that makes me acting sheriff. We have a lot of work to do between keeping the town in order and getting Mary Margaret and Emma back. But first…," she looked around the mess that was the station. "We should clean this up."
She waved a hand and magic swirled around the station.
Henry went to David's house after they got some things from Emma's apartment. He had a lot to think about. David was blaming his mom for what happened, but Henry felt like she wouldn't have been so upset if she'd hurt them on purpose. Ruby said it was an accident, and he believed her.
But where were Emma and Mary Margaret?
He spotted a picture on the wall and frowned. It was a shot of Emma, Mary Margaret, and Ruby, sitting at a table in the pub.
Where did Ruby fit in? And Neal…he'd said that his father wrote the curse…but Regina had cast it, so she made it, right? He also said that his father brought the magic…but Lacey had betrayed Emma? It was all so confusing.
"Henry…," David said, touching his shoulder and cutting through his spiral of thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"Don't worry," he told him. Henry looked at his grandfather, still a little star-struck that he'd actually been right about everything. His grandparents really were Snow White and Prince Charming! "Emma and Mary Margaret…they're alive."
"How do you know?" Henry sighed.
"I have faith."
"Why?"
"Henry," David said firmly, kneeling to his level and turning Henry to look at him. "Henry, I will find them. I will always find them."