OUAT FanFiction:
The Light of the Darkness
Ch. 1: The Aftermath
No one knew what to so-Emma was gone and she also the new Dark One. Mary Margaret picked up the dagger and called for her daughter. Nothing happened. She called again, tears streaming down her face, both hands on the dagger while the others looked on.
"Snow…honey, please stop" begged David. "We'll find a way."
Regina's sobs were muffled by Robin as he took her away from this scene. Regina was too upset to talk to Snow as Emma did save her from being the Dark One.
"She's gone…my daughter" cried Snow. "After everything we've done to prevent this-to protect her."
David held her close and let Snow cry. He rubbed her back, murmuring softly words of comfort and hope until the crying became sobs, the sobs became soft breaths, and the breaths became silence. Then, it seemed as if a light switched on in Snow's mind-she stiffened and pulled away from David to look him in the eye and uttered one word-"Gold."
Mr. Gold was miserable-nope, he was depressed. Correction, he was miserably depressed. He laid in a private room at the Storybrooke Hospital curled up on his side, away from the door. He felt empty and alone. Belle had just left the room to get some coffee (if you could really call the sludge that came out of the hospital vending machines as "coffee") and would be back shortly. Gold kept thinking about his life. His memories flickered in his mind as images and thoughts streamed in and out like waves lapping on a stretch of beach.
He thought of Bae and how he hobbled himself so he could be with his boy. How he became the Dark One for Bae and other children, and some of the awful things he did during his time. But, not all thoughts were sad as he thought about how he found his son, Bae, again and learned he was a grandfather to Henry. Silent tears streamed down as he recalled how Bae sacrificed himself to bring him back and how his son died a hero-something he could never be. Gold cried these silent tears for Baelfire, for all the terrible things he had done, and lastly, for himself. He now saw himself as a crippled old man with no one alive in the world who loves him. Tears flowed freely, soaking the coarse fabric of the hospital pillow as Gold shuddered as he held himself in a tiny ball.
"Mr. Gold?" Henry softly said, lightly touching the shoulder of Gold. Startled, Gold whipped around to stare into the eyes of his grandson. How it hurt to look at Henry and see Baelfire-no, Neil, he corrected himself-staring back at him. Meeting Henry's eyes with his own, he realized that the child was also crying and was seeking comfort. With a strong pull, Gold pulled his grandson to him as they each wept their own sorrows. Stroking Henry's head, he kept saying "Forgive me, forgive me….I'm sorry. I'll be better. I promise." Henry squeezed his arms around Gold and then stepped away.
"Mom's gone….she took your curse."
Gold was shocked-he had no recollection after he passed out from the curse killing what was left of him. He learned that the Apprentice took the Dark One from his heart and placed it into Merlin's Hat, and placing Gold in a state of preservation. Belle called Dr. Whaler and after the Dark One escaped the hat, they were able to get Gold breathing again. The Apprentice didn't make it, though Whaler did try to bring him back. Spying the generic tissue box that is de rigueur for hospitals, Gold pulled out a few at once, drying his eyes and those of Henry as well before the commotion began.
Bursting into the room with Prince Neil in her arms, Snow came in, followed by a silent David, Belle sans coffee and Blue.
"Rumpelstiltskin, you have to help us!" Snow cried. "Emma's gone!"
He sighed and sitting up in a more comfortable position, he motioned for Henry to sit beside him on the bed. He was just thankful that it was only his shirt that was replaced with the obligatory hospital gown-his pants were still in place.
"Please, everyone, sit down and I'll try to help you if you tell me what happened" Gold stated, trying to project a sense of calm that no one was truly feeling at the moment.
Blue, after giving Snow a look that said "I'll handle this" laid it all out for Gold. "After the Dark One escaped the hat and killed the Apprentice, Emma seemed to realize that it needed to be tied to a human. It went for Regina and while she was trying to prevent it from bonding to her, Emma took it to save Regina from becoming evil again. She's still a little upset and shaken by the experience."
"Well, that's all interesting dearie, but I'm not sure how I can help-I have no powers, no magic and I only know that the only way to remove the Dark One from Emma is to kill her."
"We know that Rumpelstiltskin, "Blue stated "but if the hat worked once, is it possible that it could work again?"
"I suppose so," Gold replied "but there's that little problem of binding it to a person. Have you tried called her to see if the binding even worked?"
With a nod from David, Blue pulled out a very familiar looking dagger and handed it over to Gold. With shaking hands, he took it. Once his eyes took in what was written on the blade, he shuddered. Turning to Henry, Gold placed an arm around the boy as he laid the dagger in his lap-Emma Swan was written on the dagger.
"Gold, I know that we haven't really gotten along, but we are family," David stated. "If we can remove the Dark One from Emma, would you be willing to take it back?"
"No, he won't," Belle harshly said, standing up and glaring at David and Mary Margaret. "His curse is finally broken and now he can become the man I know he could be. He's finally given up his True Love-his power-and we can finally be together. We can finally have our happy ending."
"I'm afraid that isn't your decision," Mary Margaret hotly replied.
"Agreed," said a voice none had heard before. Standing in the doorway was a woman who was a stranger to them all. She was dressed in a knee-length flowered skirt, red heels, white lacey top and a pale green cardigan.
"And who do you think youare," Belle shouted.
The woman smiled and came into the room. With a snap of her fingers, the door closed.
"I'm the Light of the Dark One."