Once Upon A Time: The Devil's Dilemma, Part One
By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki
(Picking up right after the end of 'The Devil Revealed', All the major players return to Storybrooke. This story will follow along with the current season just like the first five stories but with little tweaks and changes to go along with what I have already written. Enjoy!)
Belle stood in the back room of her father's flower shop, putting the finishing touches on the rose bouquet. It had been ordered the day before by a man saying he planned to propose to his girlfriend and he had even paid extra for the best roses in the shop. Belle and her father had come to the shop early to fulfill the order. She glanced up at the clock, anxious to leave on time to get to the site of the proposal.
Moe had left her in the back to do her work while he prepared the shop. He would not be able to go with her because of his court ordered house arrest. The terms of the sentence said he could be at home or at work and nowhere else. He couldn't even go to Granny's for a cup of coffee.
He had explained it to her that he had stolen something in order to keep the delivery van. He hadn't elaborated too much but he did say the man he had stolen from retaliated violently. He had been injured so she hadn't pressed for details. He hadn't asked her to help him because she was so busy caring for Gaston but then he was put under house arrest.
At that point, he had to finally swallow his pride and asked his daughter for help. She agreed to do so, Gaston agreeing to do what he could in spite of his disability. She still had never heard the entire story behind what had exactly happened but her father didn't seem willing to talk about it. She figured he would in time and decided not to hurry him.
She was enjoying the solitude though for it gave her time to think about how she would confront him about the lies he had been telling her for years. She had recently remembered her past, discovering the deception. She recalled being kidnapped by The Evil Queen after trying to return to Rumplestiltskin's castle. She was then kept in a dungeon and starved for several days before Regina sent a servant girl with food.
Belle had been amazed at how much the servant looked like her, the other woman also amazed. They had hit it off, talking like old friends. She had also noticed the poor girl looked like she was in need of a good meal so she offered some of the food to her. At first, the girl refused but finally accepted some leftovers once Belle said she couldn't eat another bite.
After that, she remembered nothing until she awoke at her father's castle. That was when the lies began although she was unaware at the time. When she posed questions about her past to her father, he told her things that seemed believable at the time and she accepted them. Since she remembered nothing, she trusted him and that he was telling the truth.
He lied to her that she had a fiancee that had went to war and disappeared but he returned. She took pity on Gaston, feeling bad for what had happened to him. She had been told he lost his legs in war but was questioning how true that was. She had surrounded by so many lies for so long, she was unsure if anything she knew was the truth.
She was starting to think it wasn't, her stomach knotting every time she thought of it. She would have to flat out ask her father when she returned, the need to know the truth threatening to overwhelm her. It was all she could do not to storm out to the shop and confront her father before she left. She kept telling herself she needed to get her thoughts straight before she did or nothing would get accomplished.
As she put the final touches on the bouquet, she heard the faint ringing of the shop phone. She found it odd that someone would be calling so early but then decided it had to be the man who wanted the flowers. It was too important of an occasion for there to be an error and she wouldn't put it past him to want it to be perfect. When she felt it was the best job she could do, she gathered up the flowers and walked out to the shop.
" Belle, " Moe looked at her then at the flowers and smiled. " That's simply beautiful. "
" I did my best, Papa, " Belle said. " Could you please hold it while I put on my jacket? "
Moe took the flowers gently, " That was Gaston on the phone. "
" Gaston? " Belle furrowed her brow. " Why would he be calling? He's not due in until later. "
" He wanted to know if you want him to come with you, " Moe explained. " He's afraid of you going so far out by yourself. "
Belle rolled her eyes, " I'll be fine. I just have to drop the flowers off and come back. "
Moe frowned, " I have to admit, I'm not comfortable with this either. Something about it seems... off. "
Belle slipped into her tweed coat, covering her plain white work shirt and dark blue jeans. It was her usual uniform for when she worked at the shop. " Oh Papa. It's just a simple delivery. I'll be back as soon as I'm finished. "
" Can you just please let Gaston go with you? " Moe pleaded again. " He can stay in the van. I just don't want you going alone. "
" If I take time to get him, I will be late. Papa, this is the most expensive order we've had in a long time. If my thinking is correct, we'll get a very large tip for it. We might lose that if I'm not on time, " Belle said.
" Forget the money, " Moe said. " We can make it up later. "
" No, " Belle said firmly. " We need it. "
Moe stared at her for a long moment then sighed, " Alright then. Deliver the flowers and come straight back. Understand? "
Belle nodded, " Yes, Papa. "
David stared out the window of the diner, looking at the street like Emma would appear any second. The dwarves had met up with him and Mary-Margret but the fairies insisted on keeping up their search for Emma. He had wanted everyone to take a rest before setting out again but he was getting nervous. He remembered that Mark, the sheriff's deputy, was still out looking for Emma as well.
He recalled how rough the man had been to Emma when he had arrested her and was afraid he would be again. Doctor Hargreaves had given his permission to use any means necessary to bring her in and Mark looked like the type to take those words to heart. He could hear the dwarves talking about places they hadn't searched for Emma but he was getting the feeling she wouldn't be found until she wanted to be. He furrowed his brow when the police cruiser pulled up to the diner, Mark getting out and looking tired.
He came into the diner and looked around. " Huh, " He said. " Looks like you all listened to Doctor Hargreaves after all. Good. "
Everyone remained silent as he walked to the counter, Granny walking over slowly. " What can I get you, deputy? "
Mark looked at the menu then sighed, " Three coffees and three breakfast plates to go. I have to check in with the sheriff then search some more. I still have a lot of ground to cover and I won't stop until I find Miss Swan. "
" Three? " Granny asked.
" One for dispatch, one for Doctor Hargreaves and one for me, " Mark said flatly. " Not that it should matter. "
" Of course it doesn't, " Granny frowned and looked towards Mary-Margret and David. Mary-Margret had told her about Emma's condition but no one else. Not even Ruby knew about the babies. She looked at Mark again, " Just bring her in safe, alright? "
" She should have thought about that before she ran, " Mark said. " Considering... "
Granny gave him a cold look that silenced him instantly, " Yes. Considering. "
Mark quirked his mouth, " My order if you don't mind. "
Granny wrote the order down and handed it to the cook, " It'll be about ten minutes. I have to brew some fresh coffee as well. "
The time passed excruciatingly slow, the diner falling into a tense silence as the deputy kept his eyes on everyone as he stood with his back to the bar. No one dared to breathe a word, probably to keep him from realizing that they had indeed been looking for Emma. Finally, the cook ran the bell on the counter and Granny got his order. She set it on the counter and poured him three large coffees before putting them in a cup caddy.
" Thank you, " Mark said as he took the caddy and the sack that held the to go containers.
" I'll put it on the tab for the police department. You just get back out there and look for Emma, " She said. She looked at Mary-Margret and David again. The look she gave them told them that she didn't mean it.
" Good. I was going to ask you to do that anyway, " Mark smirked. He walked to the door but stopped, scanning the small group once more. " You all stay put. I don't know if I can fit all of you in the jail if you decide to go looking for Emma. "
David and the others waited until Mark had walked out of the diner before breathing a collective sigh of relief. David turned his eyes back to the street, watching as Mark drove away. His attention was drawn to the booth across from him when Leroy sat down. " So what do we do now? "
David looked at the clock on the wall. It was nearing a quarter past eight, the time they had agreed to start their search again. He looked back at Leroy, " We keep looking. "
Emma stood in the bathroom at the police station. She had washed her face and brushed her hair, feeling a little more human. For the first time in awhile, her stomach wasn't in complete upheaval and she was grateful. She was still wondering what had become of Jefferson though.
Since she had woke up on the jail cot, she was pretty sure he had put her there. Why he had left her though was a mystery. Henry's story about the car speeding off led her to believe Jefferson had fled upon hearing the boy in the station. It was the only thing that made sense to her.
Once she decided she was presentable enough, she reached around to her back. She pulled her service revolver out of her waistband and checked it to make sure it was loaded. She had been surprised to find it in her desk. She had assumed Doctor Hargreaves had locked it away in the gun safe downstairs.
She quirked her mouth as she thought about the safe. She had locked up some things for Mr. Gold in it, the thought of him making her a little sad. She missed him terribly but she had no idea where to look for him. Her right hand strayed to her belly as she then thought about his children growing inside of her.
She wanted to see him again so bad that it hurt. She closed her eyes, almost able to smell his scent and feel his hand on her hip. She had always felt like he was breath's width away, feeling horribly cold and alone after he had been kidnapped. Her lips tingled with the memory of their last kiss, the one he had stolen in the kitchen.
She then recalled the dream she had about going to the summer house and finding the secret passage in the library. It was a good idea but she hadn't been able to follow up on it because of Jefferson. Going out there still seemed like a good idea but she had to get Henry back to safety first. She didn't want to take him out there in case something went awry.
There was a knock at the door, startling her from her thoughts though she knew Henry was out in the hallway. " Emma, " He called through the door. " I think I just heard someone come into the station. "
Emma froze. She had totally forgot about Doctor Hargreaves' deputy and there was a pretty good chance it was him coming in. She knew she had to get out of the station quickly or she could still be caught and locked up. She went to the door and opened it, looking at Henry.
" How long ago did you hear them come in? " She asked.
" Just now, " Henry said. " I heard the bell on the door ring and footsteps but they stopped. "
" We got to go, kid, " She said. " We can't get caught. "
" Okay but which way? " Henry asked.
Emma had to think. If he was coming in, he would most likely be heading for the office. The problem with that was the back exit she and Jefferson had used was too close to there and her chances of being seen would be high. She quirked her mouth, deciding on using the front door instead since it was closer.
" Which way? " Henry asked again. He looked a little anxious and scared.
" The front, " Emma said. " He's probably going to go check in with Doctor Hargreaves. "
Henry frowned, " But he's gone. You fried him. "
" He doesn't know that yet though, " Emma whispered. " We have to move quickly. "
Henry nodded, " Got it. "
Emma walked out of the bathroom and looked around before motioning for Henry to follow her. She led him down the hall, pausing when she heard voices coming from the dispatcher's office. It sounded like Mark had stopped in there first. From the sound, he was trying to flirt with the dispatcher and not really doing a good job of it.
The smell of hot food and coffee reached Emma's nose, telling her he had been to Granny's. A plan started to come together in her mind, one that involved going to the diner. If Granny and Ruby were there, she had some place safe to leave Henry.
She then wondered about where Mary-Margret and David were, a question soon answered by Mark himself. " It was like Charming and Snow White were holding some kind of royal meeting down there. The royal guard was there and everyone. "
The dispatcher snorted, " Probably waiting for word on Sheriff Swan. "
" She's not the sheriff anymore, " Mark said flatly. " Not after what she did. "
" You know that isn't official, " The dispatcher replied just as flatly. " It's only until her case is sorted out. I'm sure she had her reasons. "
" There's no excuse for an unprovoked attack, " Mark said. " You better get used to calling Doctor Hargreaves sheriff because Miss Swan is going to jail. "
Emma leaned forward just enough to see inside as the conversation continued. Mark had his back to the door and he blocked the dispatcher's view. She ducked down, Henry following her lead. They hustled past the doorway and towards the front, opening the front door of the station slowly when she reached it.
She pushed on the door that didn't have the bell tied to it, the one that could not be opened from outside. She opened it carefully, making no noise as she did. she held her breath as she ushered Henry out before following him and closing the door behind them. They were about halfway across the parking lot when she remembered to breathe.
Emma grabbed Henry's hand and they ran to a bank of hedges. Emma ducked behind them, letting go of Henry's hand when they were safely concealed. She took a few deep breaths, her heart pounding in her head. Her hands shook from the adrenaline and the lack of food.
" So now where? " Henry asked.
Emma opened her eyes and looked down at her son, " Granny's. "
" So what now, boss? " Frederick glanced at Mr. Gold using the rear view mirror. He had just put the car into park several yards from the wishing well. The car was hidden behind a bank of trees. Their branches tangled so tightly, it made a virtual wall.
Mr. Gold reached into his waist coat pocket and pulled out his watch. It was five minutes until the delivery was to be made. " leave the car here and find some place to hide close to the well. she'll be here any moment. "
" What then? " Frederick asked.
Mr. Gold quirked his mouth, " I'll see just who this woman is. If she IS the one who fooled me last month, I shall take care of her and you will clean it up. "
" And if she is the real Belle? " Frederick arched an eyebrow.
Mr. Gold frowned, " If she is then I will find out what happened and who is responsible. Once I do, I will do what is necessary. "
Frederick nodded, " Understood. "
Mr. Gold put his pocket watch back and reached for the door handle, " It's time to go. "
David stood up from the booth and cleared his throat. The dwarves stopped talking and looked at him. He looked at them for a moment then said, " I want everyone to be ready to go in five minutes. "
The dwarves nodded, preparing to leave. Mary-Margret stood up and got right next to David, " So where are we going? "
" I don't know, " David looked at her. " But we need to find Emma soon. She might be trying to find Rumplestiltskin on her own. "
Mary-Margret blinked, " Oh. I didn't even think of that. "
" I know, " David looked around the diner again then back at Mary-Margret. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, " We need to talk outside for a minute. "
" Okay, " Mary-Margret looked confused. " About what? "
" I'll tell you when we get out there, " David replied. He took her by the hand and led her out the front door. They walked out to the middle of the street before he spoke again. " I think we should keep Emma from telling Rumplestiltskin about the babies. "
" David, " Mary-Margret blinked. " Why? "
" Just until we know what his plans are for them, " David replied. " I want to know they will be safe. "
" But what if we can's stop Emma from telling him? She wants him to know, " Mary-Margret said.
" We have to, " David said firmly. He still hadn't told her about the protection spell from The Blue Fairy and felt it was better kept a secret. " I just want to make sure they aren't of some bigger plan. "
"Why do you think he has a plan for them? " Mary-Margret said.
David frowned, " He's Rumplestiltskin. He's always got a plan. "
" But what if he gets angry that we kept it from him? " Mary-Margret asked.
David shrugged, " Then we deal with it. "
" And if he already knows? " Mary-Margret crossed her arms over her chest.
" Then we'll protect Emma and the babies until we know what his intentions are, " David said. He looked towards the diner. " We'll talk about it more later. The dwarves are coming. "
The dwarves came out of the diner as if on cue, walking up to David and Mary-Margret. Leroy spoke first, " So... which way? "
" Let's go search by the mines next I guess, " David began but got cut off.
" Look! Here she comes now! " Bashful said, pointing down the street. " It's Emma! "
Everyone looked, finding it was true. Emma was walking right down the middle of the street, Henry in tow. She looked no worse for wear and had on her regular clothes. David wondered for a moment how she had gotten her brown leather jacket, jeans, boots and black tank top but only for a moment. It was soon overshadowed by the relief that she was seemingly alright and not on her way to find the imp.
Mary-Margret let out a gasp, David looking at her to find she was smiling and tears of joy had come to her eyes. " She's alright, " She whispered.
Emma saw everyone and started to walk a little faster. David started to walk towards her, speeding up when Mary-Margret practically ran past him. She seized Emma in a tight hug, Emma being stunned by the action. " Uh, hey... " She said.
" Oh my God, Emma! " Mary-Margret's voice was slightly muffled by her shoulder. " Where have you been? "
Emma hesitated, looking unsure of how to answer. She frowned, " It's a long story. "
" We were so worried, " Mary-Margret sobbed. " After finding out that Doctor Hargreaves was working for Regina, I was sure he had something to do with you disappearing. "
" It wasn't him, " Emma replied. Again, she looked unsure then said, " I slipped away in the confusion after the fire alarm went off. "
Mary-Margret pulled back, furrowing her brow. " Why did you run? "
Emma looked down at the ground, " I got scared that the fire was a distraction for him to do something to me. "
David stepped forward, " How did you get your clothes? "
Emma looked at him and blinked, the question catching her by surprise. She was silent for a long moment, " I had some at the police station. "
David gasped, " You went to the police station? Do you know how dangerous that was? "
Emma sighed, " Yes but I had to see if I could find something that would lead me to Regina. She's out there plotting and I can't let her do it. "
" And did you find anything? " Mary-Margret asked.
Henry stepped forward, " This was on the floor but it's broken. "
David looked down at the back of what appeared to be a mirror. The glass was mostly gone, the shards that remained were black as coal. He then realized that Henry had been at the police station as well. He frowned deeply, " What were you thinking running away like that? "
" I was worried about my mom and I wanted to help, " Henry looked scared. " Please don't be mad, grandpa. I found her. "
" That doesn't excuse what you did to Granny and Red. You could have permanently damaged their noses with that trick you pulled, " David said sternly. " You're going to... "
Mary-Margret cut him off with a dirty look, " We can talk to him about that later. What's important is he's back and so is Emma. "
" But he needs to be punished for pulling such a dirty trick on his friends and running off, " David said.
Mary-Margret frowned, "And I said we'd deal with that later. Emma's back and safe. That's important right now. "
David closed his eyes, knowing if he continued to pres the issue, he and Mary-Margret would get into an argument. He was glad the dwarves had hung back a bit and silently hoped they hadn't heard the conversation. He sighed, " Fine. "
Suddenly, the was the sound of a crowd approaching and they didn't sound happy. They soon became visible at the next cross street, Archie visible on the outer edge of the crowd. He broke away when he saw Emma, Mary-Margret and David.
" Come quick! " He said hurriedly. " Regina's back and Doctor Whale saw her. He gathered up an angry mob and they're heading for her house! They're going to kill her! "
" Good. Let's go watch. " Leroy said. The dwarves had walked closer, probably when they saw Archie and the mob.
Henry looked at Emma, Mary-Margret and David, looking even more scared than before. " We have to stop them! She's still my mom and I don't want them to hurt her! "
David looked at the dwarves, " Come on. You heard him. Let's go. "
" I say we let them, " Leroy said. " We deserve justice for what she did! "
David put his hand up, " But we don't know how powerful she is now. Those people may be walking into a slaughter. We have to stop them. "
" You're right, " Emma said. " Let's go! "
Mr. Gold stood at the wishing well, listening for the sound of the delivery van. His mind was occupied with other things though. It had strayed to Emma and her well-being. He regretted not letting her know he was unharmed but he could not contact her.
He was cautious, afraid that Regina would either find him or try to harm her if he did. He wanted to keep her safe for he was still unsure of just how much power Regina had regained. She seemed able to do a few things in the dungeon but he hadn't hung around to see what other things she could do. The magic seemed to be changing somehow and if it were for better or worse was yet to be seen.
He had felt it begin to shift while he was in hiding, ebbing and flowing around the town as if it were in turmoil. Magic did not belong in this world for it had been a land without it so he wasn't surprised. It seemed to be growing stronger, like it was concentrating around Storybrooke and those who could use it.
He hoped that it would not go to the fairies for they would most likely stand in his way if they regained their powers. He couldn't have that. He still had things he needed to do and he didn't want any interference.
His thoughts paused when he heard a vehicle approaching. He glanced at Frederick, giving him a nod to let him know to be on his guard. The man nodded back before backing up into the bushes so he was hidden. He then moved out of sight, keeping the road in his view.
The white van came down the path, stopping several yards away from the well. He could see Belle behind the wheel, the sight of her making mixed emotions well up inside of him. He remembered the betrayal he felt when he thought she had given him to Regina. He also recalled the overwhelming sadness he felt when he thought she had died in his arms.
But there she was, alive and well. This confused him for he had witnessed her last breath as Regina smashed her heart into dust. He could still feel her body going limp in his arms, helplessness like he never felt welling up inside of him as life faded from her eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply as he tried to compose himself.
He opened his eyes to see Belle as she stood up and walked into the back of the van. She reappeared a moment later with the bouquet of roses. They were fine ones, expertly arranged and he expected nothing less. She had often brightened his large estate with beautiful arrangements as a way to entertain herself when she didn't feel like reading.
He tightened his grip on his cane as she slid open the door, gracefully stepping out and walking out in front of the van. She held the roses close and looked around. She looked puzzled then called out, " Hello? "
Her voice sent a shiver down his spine. The last time he heard it, she telling him to run. He hadn't, the anguish he felt over her passing making him start to turn back into his true form. The effect had lingered for a few days before fading, his form returning to the one he had for so many years.
He managed to get it under control even though he had been quite sad over her death for the entire time he had been in hiding. He knew that she wouldn't want his anger to get the best of him and that thought alone helped quell the raging emotions that had filled him. He still wanted to kill Regina for what she did but he put that on the back burner while he tried to figure out how the new magic worked. He had just started understanding it when it began to change but he felt he knew how it worked.
" Hello? " Belle called out again. " Is there anyone here? I brought your roses. I'm so sorry I was late... "
" You're right on time, " Mr. Gold stepped forward. He quirked his mouth, " Dearie. "
Belle took a sharp breath, the roses falling to the ground as she dropped the and covered her mouth with her hands. " You... you're here! You... you're the one who's getting engaged. "
" If I were, I would be very upset right now. You dropped the roses, " Mr. Gold said as he moved closer. He looked her over. He noted no fear in her, something he had expected after what had happened between them.
Belle blinked, " So there's no engagement? "
Mr. Gold shook his head, " No. Merely a simple ruse to get you to come to me. "
Belle's hands fell away from her mouth, her lips turning down into a frown. " So you lied? But why? "
" I had to make sure it was you, " Mr. Gold stopped about a foot away from her.
Belle sighed, " I am me, Rumplestiltskin... and I have a story to tell you. "