In Oz, many years ago…
The fading light of the day streamed through the dark forest, as the man wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead that had begun to form. "Don't walk too far ahead!" The man called out, smiling at his young daughter, who was a few feet in front of him. She had been straying further and further from her father by the minute.
The young girl turned back to her father, waving her little hand. "Well, then catch up, slow poke!"
The man rolled his eyes, grinning. "Slow poke, eh? We'll see about that, Gerda." Michael started to jog towards his daughter, laughing.
Gerda giggled at her father, running ahead. "Try to catch me daddy!"
Michael ran after his daughter, heaving their picnic basket over his shoulder. "I'm going to get you!"
As he ran Gerda, Michael noticed that the light had faded completely from the forest, making it even darker. He could barely see Gerda now. "Gerda!" Michael called out. "Gerda, I need you to-" Michael felt a root cover his foot, causing him to trip. Michael fell on the hard earth, cutting his hand. Michael lifted his head, no longer able to see his daughter's small outline.
"Gerda! Gerda, come back!" Michael tried to rise, crying out in pain. His ankle throbbed, perhaps broken. Willing himself to rise, Michael brushed the dirt from the front of his shirt, looking around.
"Gerda!"
Gerda, not realising her father was no longer chasing her, giggled as she ran through the forest. "I'm winning daddy, I'm winning!"
When Gerda didn't hear a response from her father, she stopped, looking back. "Daddy?" She called out. When she couldn't hear or see her father, Gerda started to cry. "Daddy, where are you?" She called out. Gerda started to run back to see if she could find him, only to trip on a root and fall forward onto the hard earth.
"Daddy." Gerda whimpered, lifting herself up from the ground. She wiped her nose on her sleeve, looking around. She didn't know where she was, she didn't know where her father was, and now she was hearing things.
Gerda, trying to find the source of the noise, finally rested her eyes on a nearby bush, which was rustling with movement.
"Daddy, are you in there?" Gerda asked aloud. She walked over to the bush, reaching out her hand to the bush. As she parted some of the greenery, she didn't see her father, but something else. A clawed hand reached out of the foliage.
"Daddy!" Gerda cried out, moving away from the bush as a flying monkey jumped out, screeching at her. Gerda moved backwards in quick steps, putting as much distance as she could between her and the creature. Her back hit a tree, and she was trapped, paralyzed with fear.
The flying monkey drew closer to her, breathing in and out in slow breaths.
Gerda looked around, hoping someone would be nearby. Seeing no one, Gerda stooped down and grabbed a stick, holding it out in front of her. "Get away!" She demanded. He flying monkey screeched once more, and pounced on Gerda, its claws cutting her arm.
"Ahh!" Gerda dropped her stick, but not before managing to give the flying monkey a sharp jab to the ribs. The monkey moved back, giving Gerda enough space to move away from it. She looked down at her arm, seeing the blood stain her coat.
"Oh, I see you ran into my pet." Gerda looked up, noticing she and the monkey were no longer alone.
A beautiful woman with red hair and a black pointed hat stepped out from the shadow, holding a broomstick in her hand. Her eyes were a bright and rare blue, but that wasn't what caught Gerda's eyes. It was the green colour of the woman's skin.
The flying monkey, seeing its master, walked over to the Wicked Witch of the West, who patted his fur.
She smiled at the girl wickedly. "What is a small child doing in my forest?" She demanded.
Gerda didn't answer, merely sniffling. Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched her arm. "Please ma'am, I was just running with my dad…"
"Your father allowed you to run in this forest? My forest?" The Wicked Witch exclaimed. Gerda looked at the woman's free hand, noticing the fireball forming in it.
"No one trespasses through my forest and gets away with it!" The Wicked Witch spat. She lifted her hand, ready to strike. Gerda closed her eyes, prepared for what was coming next.
But nothing happened. Gerda opened her eyes slightly, surprised to see that the fireball had disappeared. The Wicked Witch of the West looked down at the girl.
"No, I will not use magic." She turned away from Gerda, looking at the flying monkey. "Kill her."
The flying monkey screeched, flying at Gerda.
"No!" Gerda cried out, holding her hands out in front of her defensively. Just as the flying monkey reached Gerda's small hand, a blast of magic shot out from Gerda's hand, hitting the monkey square in the chest. The flying monkey fell to the ground, but shaking off the pain, flew forward again.
"Leave me alone!" Gerda shouted, another bout of magic shooting from her hands. With the threat of the flying monkey, Gerda's magic only grew more powerful, filling the forest with bright blue light. Gerda closed her eyes.
No longer hearing the flying monkey attack, Gerda risked letting her hands down as she opened her eyes. She saw the flying monkey lying on the ground, no longer breathing. Had she actually killed it?
"How did you do that?" Gerda saw the Wicked Witch step out from behind a tree. She looked down at the carcass of her now dead pet, and that was when Gerda noticed the scorch marks on the ground. What had she done?
The Wicked Witch of the West laughed wickedly, looking back at Gerda. "You are quite powerful for someone so young." She admitted, obviously impressed. But her tone became serious. "But I am afraid that I cannot allow someone so young and powerful to be a threat."
The Wicked Witch held up her hand, and a fireball began to form. She looked back at Gerda. "Goodbye, my pretty."
"Gerda!" Michael ran into the small patch where his daughter and the witch were standing, taking in his surroundings. He saw the dead flying monkey on the ground, his daughter holding her bleeding arm, and the Wicked Witch of the West aiming a fireball at his only family.
The Wicked Witch of the West looked at Michael, shocked. "Michael?" She questioned, the fireball still flaming in her hand.
"Daddy!" Gerda ran to her father, hugging his leg. The Wicked Witch of the West looked at the young girl. "It cannot be…" She stated, letting her hand drop.
Seizing the free moment, Michael scooped Gerda into his arms and took off running. He could hear the Wicked Witch screaming behind him, and saw fireballs firing through the trees. Gerda sobbed in her father's arms. "I'm scared, daddy."
"Everything will be alright, Gerda." Michael promised. "I will never let her hurt you again."
ONCE UPON A TIME FANFICTION: THE LAST STAND
Chapter One: The Plan, the Mirror, and the Necklace
Years later, in Storybrooke
Regina watched Robin cry over the spot in the pavement where the portal was only moments before. She watched as he slammed his fists against the concrete, again and again and again, as if something would happen. But nothing did. Gerda was gone.
Regina wanted to go to her true love, and tell him that everything was going to be alright, and that they would get Gerda back, but how could she confirm something she didn't know would happen? How could she give Robin false hope?
No, she couldn't tell Robin everything was going to be alright, but she could give him vengeance. She turned to Emma, who was standing only a foot away from her, and slammed her to the ground.
"Look what you've done!" Regina spat, trying to hit the Dark One. But Emma, whose ropes had fallen off, fought back, pushing Regina away.
"I didn't send her to Oz! She was pulled into the portal by someone else!"
"But you brought the portal here, and caused all of this, so you will be the one to pay." Regina stated, holding out her hand. A fireball formed in her palm. Regina looked up at Emma, smiling. "Seems like my magic has returned."
Emma sneered, forming a fireball in her hand as well. "Is this how it is going to end? You trying to kill me?"
Regina smiled wickedly. "Not trying. Succeeding." She reared back her hand, ready to hit the Dark One with all the magic she could muster.
"Stop!" Henry walked in between the two women, holding out his arms. "I won't let either of you do this!"
"Henry, move out of the way." Regina stated, staring past her son into the eyes of the Dark One. "She needs to pay for what she did to Gerda."
"Don't you remember how Emma was willing to kill you in order to see justice? Back when you were the Evil Queen?" Henry demanded. "She didn't kill you then, and I will not let you kill her now."
Henry stared at his adoptive mother, daring her to shoot her magic. Regina looked at her son, so determined to protect the Dark One. So determined to protect the woman that took his cousin away from him. Regina's niece.
Regina felt someone grab her wrist. Looking behind her shoulder, she saw Robin, tears glistening in his blue eyes. "Please Regina." He begged. "Don't do this."
Regina looked into his eyes, and feeling tears in her own eyes, nodded. She lowered her wrist, and glared at Emma. "I will not kill you." She spat.
Henry smiled at Regina and moved towards Emma. But to everyone's surprise, she didn't lower her hand. She tilted her head to the side. "But who said I wouldn't kill you?" Pushing Henry out of the way, Emma released her fireball.
Regina held up her arm in defense, too late to bring forth more magic. But Zelena wasn't. The Wicked Witch stood in front of her sister and countered the fireball. "You won't hurt my sister." She stated, staring down the Dark One.
By this time, David and Captain Hook had grabbed Emma's arms and forced her into a pair of handcuffs. As David hauled Emma off to the police car, Emma caught Henry's eye. He shook his head at her, and turned away, returning to Regina.
Mr. Gold had seen what happened. He watched Emma rip Gerda's heart out of her chest, and saw the portal open. He saw Regina tackle Emma to the ground, and also witnessed a pair of hands grabbing Gerda and pulling her into the portal.
He did not stay to see Regina almost kill Emma, however. He knew Emma or Zelena would sell him out. He needed to hide.
Walking quickly to his shop, Mr. Gold locked the door tightly behind him, and walked to his back room.
However, there was something Mr. Gold had noticed that he assumed no one else had. And that was Gerda's necklace being pulled off of her neck when she was pulled through the portal. Mr. Gold saw it snag on a jagged piece of concrete that had surrounded the portal.
Closing his eyes, Mr. Gold imagined the necklace, and then imagined it in his hand. Opening his eyes, he chuckled lightly to himself, for the necklace had appeared in his hand, almost like…
"So, my magic has returned." He stated out loud, examining the piece of jewelry he now held.
"It's too bad this little piece didn't grab any of Gerda's magic. It would have been invaluable." Mr. Gold sighed, walking over to a nearby cabinet. He locked the necklace inside, and tucked away the key in his pocket.
As he paced his shop, checking to make sure nothing had changed in the weeks he had been away, Mr. Gold's mind wandered back to the mirror he found in Zelena's house, recalling what it had told him. As long as Gerda was part of Emma's plans, he would gain everything he ever wanted. But if Gerda wasn't, then he would gain nothing.
A cold chill ran down Mr. Gold's spine. What if he did something wrong? What if opening the portal wasn't enough? Did Emma's plan have to be seen through fully for him to gain from it? Did they have to end up back in the Enchanted Forest once more?
"I need to talk to that mirror."
Belle could have sworn she had seen him standing on the other side of the portal. But as she looked around, she couldn't see Mr. Gold anymore.
Mary Margaret walked up to her and patted Belle's shoulder. "Don't worry, Belle. We'll find him." Mary Margaret assured her. But Belle shook her head. "That isn't what I'm worried about." She admitted. "It's what I'll do when I find him."
Mary Margaret looked at Belle, confused. Belle turned to her friend, tears in her eyes. "I saw Mr. Gold point at Roland. He told Emma to use Roland as bait, knowing Gerda would risk her life for him."
Mary Margaret felt her stomach drop. "Do you think Mr. Gold was working with Emma?" She questioned.
"Of course he was." The two women turned around, seeing Zelena linger nearby. "He led Emma to where I was hiding Gerda in the forest when he told me what Emma planned on doing with her." Zelena admitted. "When he told me and gave me his car keys, I assumed he didn't want any harm to come to my daughter either. Guess I was wrong."
Belle sighed, wiping at her eyes. "After everything that has happened to him, how could he do this? What caused him to turn against us?" She questioned, burying her head into Mary Margaret's shoulder. Mary Margaret wrapped her arms around her, trying to soothe her.
"Most likely motivated by gain." Regina and Henry had wandered over to Zelena, Henry holding his mother's hand. "There had to be something to Gerda being sucked into a portal that helped Mr. Gold in some way." Regina stated. Mary Margaret nodded. "That does make sense, looking at his past." Belle said, her voice muffled.
"Well, whatever Mr. Gold has to gain from Gerda being sucked into the portal, it still doesn't give us any way of bringing her back, does it?" Robin questioned, standing behind Henry. Roland was right beside him, clutching his father's hand.
Regina placed her hand on Robin's shoulder, trying to think of something to say. But nothing came.
Henry looked at all the adults surrounding him, taking in their sad faces. "Wat's the matter with all of you?" He demanded, walking into the centre of the group. They all looked up at him, including Belle, who lifted her head from Mary Margaret's shoulder.
"Here we are, talking about what happened to Gerda, and not coming up with a plan to bring her back!" Henry stated, obviously annoyed with them. "We haven't given up before, and we are not giving up now."
He turned to Belle. "Belle, we need to make another portal. Have any ideas?" Henry asked.
Belle shook her head. "No, I don't." Seeing the look on Henry's face, she snapped out of her sorrow about Mr. Gold. "But I will look in the library. Emma said she had taken some books from the library, though. Maybe there's something at her house."
"I'll go with you and look." Mary Margaret offered, walking away with Belle. Henry smiled, and turned to the others. "Mom, maybe Mother Superior could give us some help." He suggested.
"I'll go over and see what I can find. I'll give Roland to Granny." Robin stated, walking off to Granny's diner. Henry looked at Regina and Zelena. "Now there's just the three of us."
"I'm afraid that's not true, Henry." Regina stated, turning to Zelena. She grabbed her sister's wrist, and waving her hand over it, magically produced a leather cuff. She put it on her sister's wrist, preventing Zelena's magic.
"Just to be safe." Regina stated. "Now, we are going back to the hospital, and you will stay in your cell."
Zelena stared at her sister, flabbergasted. "After everything that just happened, you want me to go back to my cell? I just saved your life!"
"Yes, and put Gerda's life at risk!" Regina countered. "You kidnapped my niece, knocked out my son, and endangered not only yourself but also your unborn child, who just so happens to be Robin's baby as well." Regina finished, breathing heavily. Neither of the sister spoke for several moments.
Finally, Zelena broke the ice. "She asked if I wanted her back. Emma." Zelena admitted, looking at the shackle on her wrist. Regina looked at her, confused. "Emma asked if you wanted Gerda back? Why?"
"So she could use me. Use both of us." Zelena explained. "Look, I'm not proud of what I did, kidnapping her and all, but I had no choice. I couldn't see her otherwise." Zelena looked down for a moment, and when she looked back up, Regina could see tears in her sister's eyes.
"But when Mr. Gold told me about what Emma wanted to do to Gerda, I knew I had been betrayed. I couldn't let Emma hurt Gerda, so I took Mr. Gold's car and drove her into the woods. I told her to run when I heard Mr. Gold and Emma nearby. And I shook my head when Emma asked Gerda to choose between herself and Roland." Zelena admitted, expecting Regina to get angry.
But Regina didn't. She could understand why Zelena wouldn't want Gerda choosing Roland over herself. She would have done the same thing if Henry were in that situation. "This whole time, you wanted her back? Then why did you abandon her as a baby?" Regina questioned, her voice softer and more sympathetic.
Zelena sighed, looking at the ground. "I had no choice."
Mr. Gold pulled the mirror out of the chest, and waving his hand, magically hung it on the wall. He then walked up to the mirror, and placed his hand on the glass surface. "We need to talk." He stated out loud.
He waited, and a few moments later, saw the black and grey void of the mirror twist, the clouds reforming and moving around. He saw no face, but heard that familiar voice.
"You have done well, Rumpelstiltskin." The voice merely stated.
Mr. Gold removed his hand, looking into the void. "Does this mean I have succeeded? Will I now gain everything I could ever want?"
He waited a moment, before the mirror replied. "No."
He moved back, surprised by the answer. "But you said, if Gerda was a part of Emma's plan, I would gain everything I could ever want! She fell through the portal, what more could be asked for?" He demanded.
"Yes, the girl did fall through the portal, and is now in our land." The voice admitted. "However, she is not where she should be. Instead of coming through the portal into the Emerald City, Gerda fell through somewhere else, now lost in our land. This was something I did not suspect. Your help is still required."
"Oh is it now?" Mr. Gold stated, his teeth bared in anger. "I did what I was supposed to, and now, it is your turn to hold up the other end of the deal. I want what I earned."
"YET YOU DESERVE IT NOT!" The mirror bellowed, the void inside it now a mix of different reds. "THE GIRL IS THE FINAL PIECE TO MY PLANS, YET I STILL DO NOT HAVE HER. YOU HAVE DONE WELL TO GET HER THIS FAR, BUT YOU MUST FINISH THE JOB." The mirror commanded. Mr. Gold felt himself shake a little. He tried to stifle his fear. "What do I need to do?" He asked.
The void in the mirror paused, returning to its original shades of black and grey. "The mirror you are speaking to is from the land of Oz, found inside a chest that belongs to the Wicked Witch of the West, Zelena. Inside the chest is also an emerald necklace. Find a way to send this necklace to the girl, for the moment she puts it on, she will be transported to the Emerald City."
Mr. Gold rifled through the chest, finally finding the necklace the mirror described at the bottom. "How will this get Gerda into the city? Mr. Gold questioned, finding it curious how a necklace could transport someone from one place to another.
"The emerald inside the necklace is a piece of the emerald held in the heart of the city, right outside the palace." The mirror answered. "It has magical properties that allows someone to return to the city wherever they are in Oz. It was given to Zelena as a gift from Glinda."
Mr. Gold nodded, but remembering the woman couldn't see him, agreed." Alright. I will find a way to send this to her."
"Do not fail me, Rumpelstiltskin." The mirror warned. "If you do, you will suffer the consequences."