Summary: Non-magical AU where Cora is Queen and Snow White is resisting her. When Archie is 'killed' by Cora, those close to him must deal with his death. Killian, Archie's interrogator, is also effected by this situation.
Author's Note: Snow won't be in this much, but she is leading the resistance from behind the scenes. Main focus will be on Regina, Killian, Henry, Emma, Archie, and Ruby. Will also heavily include Gold, Belle, Granny, and Cora. Many other characters will be in this as well. Also, this is not a Captain Swan story. Emma helps Killian become a better man, but it isn't romantic; at least, I don't think it will be. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.
The sun sparkled merrily in the sky, greeting everyone in the bustling city below. Dr. Hopper served as its translator, greeting friends and strangers on his way to the inn for lunch, umbrella tucked under his arm to ward off the non-existing clouds. People responded by joyfully returning his hello, staring at him as if he was daft, and everything in between, as typically happened. The pedestrians who normally traversed this street couldn't help but notice that Dr. Hopper seemed even happier than normal, and they chalked it up to the perfect day. This assessment was only partly true; Archie had a very good reason to be cheerful that day.
He entered the inn, which doubled as a diner, saying hello to everyone before taking a seat at the table next to the window, so he could continue to enjoy the day. He glanced over the menu that he knew by heart, from frequent visits to the joint, humming to himself.
"Well, you seem chipper today," Ruby, the waitress, commented, as she brought him his usual glass of water. "Anything special going on?"
"Well, you could say that," he said, grinning at her, and succeeding in turning her work smile into a genuine one.
"Are you going to tell me what's so exciting, or do I have to guess?"
"I'll tell you, if you come over to my office this afternoon." Ruby's smile slipped somewhat. For some reason, the psychiatrist seemed to believe that she was in desperate need of counsel. He'd invited her to his office at least once a week, usually more, for several months, and she'd refused every time. She didn't need his professional advice, like he seemed to think.
"Well, you know, I'm very busy." Archie was not going to let her reluctance ruin the day.
"I don't want to be your psychiatrist," he informed her, taking a more blunt approach than he'd dared to in the past. She studied him, trying to figure out why … no, wait, he couldn't have a crush on her, could he? "I just want to get to know you a little better. What do you say?"
Well, if he wasn't going to assess her mental health … "Ok, sure, but only for a few minutes. I have a date with Billy tonight." She didn't want him to get the wrong idea, and think she was in to him. He was just one of her favorite patrons, and she wanted to get to know him a little better as well.
Dr. Hopper's grin spread even wider than before, if that was possible. "A few minutes is all I need to tell you why I'm so happy."
"Alright then." Ruby walked off to get his Tuesday lunch, forgetting to ask him if he wanted to mix it up today, which didn't really matter because he never did. As she turned in the order, and went to go take the order of some of the other customers, her mind turned to her 'date' with Billy. At least, she hoped it wasn't a date. Not that she didn't want to date him, but she was almost sure Billy was a member of the resistance, which she'd wanted to join since she was a little girl. However, joining the resistance wasn't easy. They were super secretive, and to get in, you had to become trusted by a member. She was hoping that today was her lucky day, and she could finally start to fight against the Queen.
Archie was lost in thought as well, wondering how the day could get any better. Ruby was finally going to talk to him in private, after months of trying to get her alone. No, there was absolutely no way the day could get any better.
Apparently, however, it could get worse. Several of the Queen's soldiers stormed into the shop, with the furious-looking Evil Princess leading the way. Of course, no one called her evil to her face; it was a nickname said only behind her back.
"Welcome to Granny's," Ruby greeted through gritted teeth.
"Out of my way, girl," Princess Regina snapped, pushing past her and striding right to Dr. Hopper's table. "I trusted you!" the princess yelled, hurt and anger in her voice, which somehow didn't seem to faze Archie.
"I betrayed your trust?" he asked, puzzled. This earned him a slap across his face.
"Don't play dumb, Hopper! I trusted you to counsel my son. You've been treating him for years, and then I find out you work for the bloody resistance!"
The customers of the inn let out a collective gasp. There was no way that the friendly, mild-mannered psychiatrist would ever dare to resist the crown. Ruby was about to speak up, and tell the Evil Princess that, but Archie beat her to the retort.
"How can we be bloody when you don't even have us in your custody for five minutes?" She punched him hard, fist contacting with his lip. He yelped, and reached his hand up to feel the blood already trickling down his chin.
"That's how!" she yelled, and it was only then that most of the inn put together the conflicting pieces of information in their heads. Apparently, Dr. Hopper was a member of the resistance.
"That's a start, at least," he admitted. "But, from what I've heard, Snow White escaped the gallows relatively unscathed, so I'd still say we're less bloody than you think.
Murmurs swept through the entire inn, not even the fear of the Princess stopping them. The royalty had decided to try a private, rather than public, execution when they caught the resistance's most prominent leader, so no one would be able to save her. They had made it impossible, or so they'd said, for anyone to rescue the bandit, but if what Archie was saying was true, then they'd failed, yet again, to murder a member of the resistance.
Regina realized it was too late to salvage the concept that they'd succeeded in killing their enemy, so she chose instead to go with a threat. "Yes, she did, and how nice of her, too. Now the noose is all ready for your neck." Ruby couldn't possibly fathom how Archie kept the cocky grin on his face despite the threat. He was either the best actor in the world, or lacked even a hint of doubt in the resistance's rescue system. "Restrain him, now!" Regina barked, and two of the guards grabbed his arms, handcuffing them behind his back. Archie grimaced as Regina grabbed him by his hair once they were done. "You'll regret ever keeping secrets from me," she snarled, before shoving his head away from her and sweeping out of the inn, followed by her guards and their prisoner.
It only took a second after their departure for the restaurant to erupt in noise, everyone talking over either Snow's escape or Archie's involvement in the resistance. Ruby, however, didn't join in the discussion. She stood, staring at the door, wondering if he'd been about to offer her a position in the resistance later that day, and if by looking for a way into the group, she'd avoided the only way being offered.
…
One of the guards shoved him onto his knees into the throne room, forcing his head down to look at the ground. "Leave us until my mother gets here," Regina ordered, and the guards marched out, leaving him alone with the Evil Princess. "Seriously, Archie, what was that? Do you have a death wish or something?" she demanded.
"I wanted to make it blatantly obvious that you hate the resistance," he admitted, and she scowled at him.
"Well, it worked. Thanks for that," she spat.
"Don't blame yourself for this," he pleaded. He knew she hated hurting others, but she had to if she wanted to keep her cover, and he needed to help her remove some of the guilt she felt for this. "It's not your fault. Actually, I rather enjoy getting punched in the face."
A snort that was the best laugh he was going to get out of her that day escaped her lips. "Alright Archie, now we need to get you out."
"No, they'll realize," he asserted. "We can't afford to lose you. Wait until later to rescue me." She nodded, agreeing with his logic, but hating to see him in chains.
"So, if I can't bring the people I rescue to you for a little while, then who …"
"Actually, I've got the perfect temporary replacement. I've been meaning to tell you he was in for a while now, but I just never got the chance."
"Wait, I already know this person?" He nodded, and started to tell her just who she could deliver the prisoners she rescued to, when the door swung open, and the Queen of Hearts strode in.
Regina punched him, hard, to keep up appearances, and he jerked backward, making her heart twist in guilt. "Now answer me! Where is the secret base?" she yelled.
"Regina, honey, stop. You know we can never get the location out of them before they're rescued," Queen Cora interrupted, luckily before Regina would have had to strike her friend again.
"Well then, mother, what do you suggest?" she asked.
"Quite simple, dear. We can risk some of them escaping, but him? After he so effectively tricked you and Henry, I don't want to risk his rescue, and since our plan with Snow didn't work, there's only one other option." She pulled a knife out of a hidden fold in her dress, and plunged it straight into Archie's heart. His cry of pain was cut short, and he slumped to the floor, obviously dead.
Regina did her best to resist the urge to attack her mother, or start crying. Instead, she did the last thing she wanted to. "I suppose you're right."
"I knew you'd see it my way," Cora grinned. "I'm sorry for his betrayal, but I'm sure we can find Henry another psychiatrist."
Not one that I'd let my son anywhere near. "Of course, mother." That was, unfortunately, when Henry decided to walk into the room. He froze, shock forming on his face, as he stared at the dead body of his friend.
"What did you do?" he accused, looking right at Regina, before dashing over to the man's side.
"Henry, he was in the resistance," Cora informed him, and the boy stiffened, even though tears continued to fall from his cheeks onto Archie's suit. Regina didn't even process what her mother said; still in too much shock after what Henry said. He blamed her for this, and wasn't it her fault? That idiotic resistance member, Sidney, had decided to switch onto the side of the crown because of his infatuation with her. Archie would still be alive if it hadn't been for that, and surely she could have found a way to warn him, or rescue him. Instead, she'd failed him, her son, and the entire resistance, and she wasn't even permitted to cry about it.
Finally, Henry gathered his composure. "Couldn't you have convinced him to join your side?" he asked, at least blaming Cora this time. "Why did you have to kill him?"
"Henry, he was just too dangerous," the Queen explained.
"You could have found another way!" he yelled, refusing to accept his grandmother's answer.
"Look, Henry," Cora tried to soothe him.
"I hate you! You're evil, and I hate you! Do you want to know why the people call you the Queen of Hearts? It's because you've stopped so many from beating, but you still don't have one of your own!" He turned away from her and almost ran into his mother. "I hate you, too!" he yelled when she tried to hug him, and he dashed out of the room, away from the entire scene.
"I'm sure he didn't mean that," Regina said, partly to stop her heart from crumbling into tiny pieces, and partly so Cora wouldn't try to punish him.
"I hope he did, dear. Now that he is capable of hate, we just have to direct it toward the right people."
"I don't think that's how it works." Regina knew her mother was cruel, but this concept seemed over the top, even for her. No wonder the people thought she was heartless.
"It worked with you." The Princess froze, not ready for that response. "That's why I killed Daniel and your father, to make you hate me. Then, I redirected that hatred toward the resistance, and you've been fighting them ever since."
Regina fought back the strong urge to hurt her mother. She'd known Cora had killed those closest to her, of course, but she'd never before realized that it had been simply to help her experience hate. "Perhaps you're right, mother," she said, pretending to agree with the Queen for the second time that day. "Hopefully, Henry will turn out exactly like me."
…
Captain Hook walked into the throne room, surprised to find that the Queen was completely alone. Well, lacking her guards, anyway. There was another person in the room, but the pirate seriously doubted the red-headed corpse would help in any way with the meeting.
"Your Majesty," he greeted, bowing slightly. "You said you needed my assistance?"
"Yes, thank you for coming on such short notice, Captain." She got off her throne, and walked over to the body, before motioning for the pirate to follow her. "I need you to torture him for information."
"I highly doubt he'll tell me much of anything."
"He's not dead, he just looks like he is. The resistance can't rescue someone they don't know is alive."
"Ah, very clever, Your Majesty. And, may I ask, what do I get out of this arrangement?" Hook, as a rule, never did anything unless he could clearly benefit from it, and while he was itching to interrogate someone again, he wanted to get as much out of this as he could.
"Everything currently belonging to a member of the resistance." He raised his eyebrow. That should be enough to set him and his crew for life, especially considering that many of the members were noblemen who'd successfully tied up their money before running of to fight the Queen.
"Done," he agreed, before bending down and picking up his latest prisoner. "Oh, wait, are you going to want him back?"
A malicious grin spread across Cora's face. "No, Captain. You have permission to do whatever it takes to get the information out of him." Hook found himself smiling as well. This was going to be fun!