Ok so anyone reading my other fic "Sacrifice might be spoiled. So here's my take on what may or may not happen on 5b (and I think it won't but a girl can dream).
Chapter 2
He never thought he would willingly (and breathing) go back to the Underworld but there he was. He had seen Cora and Milah and Peter Pan went to see him in the copy of his shop. But they were more concerned in finding Hook who they managed to locate on the docks, living in his ship.
Rumplestiltskin should have thought of that. But now that the man was convinced of who they were and that they did have an escape plan, they all retreated to the Charmings' loft. Merlin had been found by Regina, Robin and Henry and Rumple was surprised by the sorcerer's appearance. Not because he looked young, but because he felt familiar.
"Your problem," he heard Cora begin to explain. "Is that if you want Killian Jones to leave the Underworld, a soul must take his place."
"Meaning," added Peter Pan. "One of your party must remain."
A silence fell on the loft and Rumplestiltskin knew everyone was thinking about him and just kicked the bucket. "I'm staying."
All eyes turned on him, Emma and Killian of course were glaring.
"What's the catch?" demanded Emma.
"No catch," replied Rumple. "I stay here. I am the Dark One of all Dark Ones. I can probably rule this place. Something, I've always wanted to do. Take your Captain and go back to the living world."
"Why should we even believe a thing you say?" hissed Killian. "You've manipulated things before just to betray us in the end."
"Because you all want me to stay," said Rumple plainly. "I know you're planning on sneaking up and getting a drop of my blood to open the portal. Here." He offered a vial of his blood to Hook who eyed it suspiciously. "Still, don't believe me?" He took the dagger then without hesitation cut his own palm and conjured a vial where he took some of his blood and handed the vial to Emma.
"There," said Rumple. "You have my blood. You all saw me take it. You can now go home and have your happy ending, no longer worrying about Rumplestiltskin and the Dark One."
Regina caught how he referred to himself and the Dark Ones as separate beings but just before she could point it out, Rumple disappeared in a wave of purple smoke.
"Gee," began Cora. "I wonder where he gets the attitude from."
Two voices replied at the same time.
"Probably his father."
"Probably his grandfather."
Milah groaned and turned to Cora. "You really had to bait them into an argument, Cora." Cora shrugged with a small smile as Merlin and Peter turned to each other.
"I'm pretty sure he inherited that from you," said Merlin, glaring at the younger man.
"Oh yeah maybe he did," replied Peter Pan sarcastically. "Because at least I was part of Rumple's life. Unlike someone who had the time to visit the Land Without Magic and talk to the Saviour as a girl but not to...oh you know check-up on his own grandson."
"I was a tree," argued Merlin. "What was your excuse? You abandoned your own son."
"That's because your true love placed a curse on me to despise my own son," answered Peter. "A tree? Yeah right. Yet you still had magic to travel through realms. I'm glad you had your priorities in check."
Milah groaned and glared at Cora who waved her hand. The arguments decreased in volume. They could still hear the two going at each other's throats but at least it wasn't in any decibels that would give them a headache.
"Merlin and Nimue had a child?" asked Emma as she turned from Milah to Cora. "Merlin never mentioned that before."
"Her name was Vivienna," said Milah.
"And Rumple doesn't know and he will not know until the time is right," added Cora.
"Why?" asked Regina. "If Rumplestiltskin is the grandson of Merlin, why wasn't he born with magic."
"Vivienne was an immortal. During that time a great war of magic was taking place between magic users. It was between human magic users and the fairies. Well the fairies who didn't like humans having power." explained Cora. "Vivienne was of course a great magic user because her parents were the two humans who drank from the Holy Grail, granting them power and immortality. Since Merlin turned the grail into Excalibur, no one was granted the same power."
"Then the war turned. A fairy on the side of the humans, the White Fairy was dying and the only one qualified to inherit her power was Vivienne but that would make her partially a fairy as well." continued Milah. "You would think that was ok. But she had already been a month pregnant with Rumple. When she had inherited the fairy's power, she used a lot of her own to protect the human baby growing inside her. Fairy magic was unpredictable, especially exposing such a young infant to it."
"Vivienne used all the magic she could muster to protect her own child as well as end the war between the fairies and humans," said Cora. "With her best friend's help, they imprisoned the fairies wishing to rid the world of humans. But then a bigger problem occurred. Vivienne's child would not survive birth because her magic would recognize her to be in danger and they would stop whatever it was that was harming her."
"Meaning Rumplestiltskin," answered Regina.
"Correct," said Milah. "Vivienne tried with all her will to control her magic and not harm her child and she succeeded. She managed to protect Rumple but it took a toll on her life."
"And Nimue blames her own grandson for the death of her daughter," said Merlin, finally looking up at the group. He and Peter Pan ended their argument and was now part of their discussion.
"She doesn't just blame Rumple," added Peter. "She blamed us both. She cursed me to not love my own son. She said that if her own daughter was not going to have a happy ending then the person who killed her won't have one as well."
"I tried to make her take it back," said Merlin.
"You could have done better if you had not tampered with Blue's memories," hissed Peter. "She could have helped us."
"And risk the chance of another war," argued Merlin. "I erased Blue's memories because it had to be done. She was going to have it back when the her sister broke the prison we sent her in."
"You did it because you knew she would take the first chance in helping her best friend's son," said Peter. "You erased her memories because you needed Rumple to bait Nimue and capture her. But you failed and it cost Rumple his life. His whole life has been one suffering after the other. You could have helped him. You could have taken the curse from me but you didn't."
"How dare you?" demanded Merlin. "Rumple is my grandson. I wanted nothing but what was best for him."
"Really?" said Peter, not backing down. "Your true love blamed Rumple for the death of your daughter. How do I know that you don't blame his as well?"
"We're not going to get anywhere with you two at each other's throats," said Milah and Killian was surprised at how level headed she was, especially concerning the man who had killed her. "What we need to do know is convinced Rumple to go back to the living world?"
"First we need to figure out where he went," said Cora.
Regina tried to comprehend everything she had just learned about her mentor. Sighing she thought about how different Rumplestiltskin has become since the first time Regina met him. But there was still something that defined the spinner, the Dark One and whoever he was now and Regina knew where he had gone.
"You planned this all along didn't you?"
Rumple sighed. He thought nobody would have possibly think about finding him at the well where he and Belle had married after he had given them their way out of the Underworld but of course his previous student wasn't going to let slip the last opportunity to push his buttons.
He remained quiet as he felt Regina stopped a few feet from him.
"When Emma and I went to your shop," continued Regina. "You planned this. I asked Emma to tell me what you told her that day. And you didn't do it for power. You did for one reason and one reason alone."
"And what reason would that be?" asked Rumple not looking back at her.
"You didn't want Henry to lose another parent."
There it was. It wasn't a specific mention but it was still there. Baelfire. Rumple could feel the pressure on his chest, the burden on his shoulders and the tears beginning to form in his eyes. Regina was of course right. Rumple didn't think Emma's plan would work but he had to be sure to save her...not for her sake but for Henry's sake. The boy had been through enough. Rumple was not going to stand by and watch Henry lose another parent.
"I wasn't sure it was going to work," admitted Rumple. "I enchanted the blade to suck all the Darkness, even from Emma and Killian and transfer it to me." He felt Regina finally stand by his side. "I guess it did transfer to me because I pulled Excalibur from the stone. All speculations but it's all I got."
"You hatched this plan to keep the other person in your life safe," continued Regina.
"The Darkness would destroy our world," said Rumple. "I had to make sure that they were trapped somewhere they could never hurt Belle."
"Rumple," began Regina. "You doing this will probably hurt her as well."
"Henry shouldn't have called her back," said Rumple. "She was going to leave Storybrooke and finally had the adventure she always wanted. She doesn't love me anymore."
"How can you say that?" asked Regina, her annoyance at how stubborn her mentor could be evident in her voice.
"Just before I dueled with Hook, I told her that if I did win that I would be waiting by the well where we were married and if that she showed up I knew she felt the same way about me," said Rumple. "Well I won, she showed up only to crush my heart." He turned to Regina and his tears were falling now. "If she didn't want to try and mend our relationship, she shouldn't have gone to the well. I would have understood if she hadn't but she went there and I thought we were going to have a chance."
"But she did come back," reasoned Regina.
"Because she thought I was a hero," hissed Rumple, his anger rising. "I'm just a man, a coward. Belle sees a hero but I'm not. The person she loves is the illusion of a hero underneath the coward. She doesn't truly love me." Rumple bowed his head and returned his gaze back to the trees surrounding them. "She never had."
"I told her I would change everything for her," said Rumple, barely above a whisper. "I tried and she still decided to leave. At least now, she's no longer tied to me. She's better off without me."
"What about Henry then?" demanded Regina. "You don't think he'll care about what happens to his grandfather? You're his last link to Neal."
"Emma is his link to Bae," argued Rumple and Regina wished she could smack the stubbornness out of him. "I mean nothing to Henry just as I mean nothing to anyone."
Rumple started to walk away. "Go, Regina. You have Robin and Henry. Leave the Underworld. It's not your time and you still have people who care about you. I don't and the worst part of it is I don't even care."
Regina made to reply but Rumple disappeared and Regina sighed in defeat. She needed reinforcement.
Rumple felt a little relieved that not one of the heroes made to see him again. Maybe they had already left and that would mean Henry, his last link to Bea, was safe and back home. He walked towards his shop when he was suddenly surrounded by white smoke and found himself standing near the lake where the portal to and from the Underworld was located. He turned to see all the heroes plus his father, his ex-wife, his first student and Merlin.
"What are you still doing here?" demanded Rumple advancing to the leader of the group, Emma. "You should leave before-"
"We're not going anywhere without you, Gold," came the stubborn reply accompanied with her glare.
"And like I told you," hissed Rumple. "You can't bring your boyfriend back from the Underworld unless another soul takes his place. You can't bring me along."
"You have other souls inside you," said Regina. "You have more than a dozen you can leave behind."
"No," came the short reply and he turned to walk away.
"Cut the act," shouted Emma and Rumple turned to her. Her expression softened. "I wasn't thinking straight that day but now I am. Looking back, I knew you were lying. I just chose not to see it. You didn't want the power. You did it for something else."
"He did it so he could go to the Underworld and stay here, trapping all the Darkness here forever," said Regina.
"Then we separate you from the Darkness," said Emma as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Hate to break it to you Ms Swan," said Rumple, trying to be as sarcastic as he could to piss her off. "But we don't have Excalibur anymore."
"We have the dagger," pointed Mary Margaret.
"Yeah and that won't cut it," snapped Rumple. summoning the dagger to his left hand and showing it to them. "I only have a quarter of the weapon. So no, I can't separate from the Darkness, meaning I cannot come with you so just go home."
"You pulled the sword from the stone," began Merlin. "It answers to you. Call it."
"I don't think it's that simple," said Rumple, his tone losing its strength. Why can't this people just drop it?
"I created the blade didn't I," said Merlin with a smug grin. "I think I know how it works."
"But I'm no longer the same man who pulled it from the stone," reasoned Rumple. 'I don't think it'll answer to me anymore."
"Rumple why aren't you fighting?" asked Milah, trying a different approach. "You should find a way back to Belle. She needs you. Your unborn child needs you."
Milah had told Rumple that Belle was with child but he had brushed it aside and didn't believe her.
"Why should I believe you?" demanded Rumple.
"Because it's true laddie," said Peter Pan and Cora added "Stop being stubborn and get back to her."
"Why should I believe any of you?" hissed Rumple. "You all abandoned me. Why should I believe anything you say?"
"Because it's the truth," said Milah. "You don't want to leave Belle and you don't want to abandon your unborn child. There's another way for you to leave the Underworld."
"There is no other way," said Rumple. "As for my child, then the Seer's prophecy about me will take place...I will leave my child fatherless."
Rumple turned to walk away again, fighting back his own emotions but Milah wouldn't have it. "Why are you fighting the chance Rumple?"
"Because you're giving me hope!" shouted Rumple and his tears fell from his eyes. "You're giving me hope that I can have a happy ending and that has happened so many times. Hope is the most dangerous thing for a man, they hope for something better only to have it crushed right in front of me."
"Rumple," began Regina, remembering their conversation by the well. "Belle-"
"Doesn't love me," said Rumple, defeated. "Don't give me hope that she does because she doesn't. When she came to the well that day...I thought we could start over...and then she took that hope and crushed it with my heart." The group remained quiet at the confession. "I deserve it. She deserves to be happy after everything I've put her through."
"But," began Henry stepping forward to stand in front of his grandfather. "She does love you. She came back." Rumple looked up at Henry. "Hope is a fragile thing on its own. But you have to fight for it, you have to believe in it." Henry paused to let his words sink in. "I believe in you, grandpa. I believe that you'll get your happy ending with Belle." He smiled hesitantly. "And that says a lot because I am the Truest Believer."
A small smile tugged at Rumple's lips and he could only nod at his grandson's reasoning.
"Trust me," said Merlin, walking forward. "Your Belle is a clever one. I'm pretty sure she's fighting for you. Trust me. Call Excalibur. Call it, not with your voice, or with your thoughts. Call it with your heart just as you pulled it from the stone."
Rumple studied Merlin then his right hand. He breathed in and closed his eyes. He pictured the sword and remembered the rush of magic as he touched it the first time and pulled it from the stone.
"Excalibur."
He felt weight on his hand that almost made him drop whatever it was that he was holding. He opened his eyes to see that he was holding Excalibur with his right hand. He looked up at everyone, all wearing smiles on their faces, even Killian looked pleased.
"We still need to put it together," said Rumple trying to be as pessimistic as possible but failing. Could he really find a way home? Could he really have a happy ending with Belle? "We don't have the flame."
"You don't need it," said Merlin. "Excalibur was made from the Grail that granted myself and Nimue power. When the blade was forged, it answered to two people. two different wills." He pointed to the dagger. "Now both blades answer to one man, one will." Rumple turned Excalibur over and found his own name on it. "Will it to be one blade and it will obey."
"I…" Rumple began then turned to study both blades in his hands. Was it really that simple? Would Excalibur really obey him? "I don't know if I can."
"I believe in you," said Henry, his eyes pleading with him just as Bae's were back in the day. "Please grandpa. Just try."
He looked at Henry, the boy he chose to do this for in the first place. The reason he enchanted Excalibur to transfer the Darkness to him. The boy wanted him to come home with them. He nodded towards Henry and brought the two blades together, crashing in a burst of white light. His arms felt heavy and he struggled to keep himself upright, the surge of power from the two blades too much. But just as Rumple felt his knees give out, the light faded and he kneeled with Excalibur in his hand, one sword, with only his name on it.
"Told you, you could trust me," said Merlin, walking over to help Rumple stand. "Gather the Darkness into the blade. That will give you enough time to join the others and leave the Underworld."
"We'll leave you to it," said Milah and the four of them disappeared, leaving the people those alive to head back to Storybrooke.
"I'll make a barrier to contain them in case," said Rumple as he walked a few steps away from them. "Regina, try to maintain an opening so I can quickly rush out."
"On it," said Regina readying herself as Rumple created a magical barrier. He held the sword in front of him and gathered all the Darkness from himself into it, screaming in pain as the Darkness tried desperately to cling to his soul. As he felt the last ounce of Darkness leave him, he plunged the sword down on the ground hard and ran towards the others. He closed the barrier with one hand and Henry came up and hugged him.
"No time to waste," said Robin, taking Regina's hand as David opened the vial of Rumple's blood and mixed it with the lake. The boatman arrived shortly and they started piling into the boat when Rumple felt it. He turned just in time to stop the attack meant for them. The Dark Ones were trying to break through the barrier he had created and they were slowly doing it, managing to send dark magic their way.
"Gold!"
"Go," said Rumple, moving a step forward to the Dark Ones, trying desperately to subdue their attack. "Get away now!"
"Not without you," shouted Regina, but she and Robin were already on the boat and couldn't get off. Emma ran to stand by his side and help with her magic.
"Emma, go," said Rumple with an effort. The magic was too strong. He couldn't hold them off for much longer. "Get out of here!"
"No!" said Emma defiantly. "We're not leaving you."
"It's not your choice!" with the wave of his other hand, he teleported both Emma and Killian near the edge of the lake. "Go!"
With that distraction, Rumple fell to his knees as dark magic surrounded him, sucking the life out of him and then he too was thrown back.
"You really do have a death wish don't you laddie."
Rumple looked up and saw his father where he stood moments before, his own magic holding off the Dark Ones.
"Wonder where he gets that from," said Merlin, as he stood by Peter Pan, white magic surrounding them and keeping the Dark Ones at bay.
"Don't even start," reprimanded Cora, beside Merlin. "I don't need your bickering. This is hard enough as it is."
"Rumple, you need to move," said Milah as she kneeled beside him. She then shot forward and stood beside Peter Pan. Rumple knew she didn't have any magic but there she was, holding off the Darkness with the rest.
"You protect him after what he did," hissed Nimue and Rumple's eyes widened as Nimue led the attack from the Dark Ones. "He killed her!"
"Rumple didn't kill her, Nimue," replied Merlin as he pushed back with his magic. "Vivienne died protecting her son. Our daughter sacrificed her life for her son's."
Rumple's eyes widened. No, it didn't mean anything. It was impossible. He couldn't be...he just…
"I'm sorry I was never a grandfather to you, Rumple," said Merlin, eyes focusing on Nimue in front of him. "I'm sorry that like everyone else in your life, I abandoned you. But this time, I'm making things right."
"We all are," added Peter Pan. "Rumple, I love you. Always had. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to fight the curse your grandmother put me under." He risked a glance at his son. "I need you to know how sorry I am for what I did. I know it's no excuse and I should have fought. Well, I'm fighting now!"
He sent a burst of magic through the barrier that hit Nimue square in the chest. "That's for cursing me to hate my own son."
Nimue fought back and magic hit all four of them and even got through the barrier and headed for Rumple who was frozen on his spot on the ground but just as the spell hit, it was deflected by somebody else and Rumple looked up to see a tall young woman with long brown hair standing in front of him.
"You will not harm my son, mother," said the woman and she sent a wave of white magic towards the Dark Ones, shattering their attack and pushing them back a little. She turned to kneel in front of Rumple and his eyes went wide as he found the same pair of brown eyes looking back. She touched his cheek and gave him a warm smile. "Go Rumple."
Rumple reached forward and Vivienne took his hand and kissed his fingers. "Go my son." With one quick motion, she turned and stood to join the fight against the Dark Ones.
Rumple made to come after her but Killian and Emma took him by the arms and dragged him to the boat.
"No...mother!" screamed Rumple, tears falling from his eyes. "Please!"
"I am always with you, Rumple," he heard her say but her focus was on the Dark Ones trying to escape their fate. "Always."
"We did it." whispered Emma as they all step foot on the solid ground of Storybrooke. The ferryman rowed back to his destination and they all stood watching him go. They were back and they were complete. She turned to Rumple who still had a faraway look in his eyes. "You're free."
Rumple stood and watched until the boat was no longer in site and let the breathe he was holding go. Emma was right. "No, Ms. Swan. We are free." He emphasized the pronoun and gave her a genuine smile. "You've lived up to your title as always, Saviour."
"Someone had to," grinned Emma. "The hero I turned was ready to sacrifice himself. Pure as he was, he was also stupid."
Rumple shook his head as that day in Emma's basement came into memory. She said she'd turn him into the purest hero that's ever lived. Had she truly succeeded?
"Rumple?"
He'd know that call anywhere and they all turned to see Belle and the rest of the inhabitants of Storybrooke coming to them. She smiled as she saw him and Rumple felt his heart leaped at the site of her. She as there. She hadn't left and she was running towards him.
Rumple took one step forward but then a sudden sensation of terror and dread washed over him. he turned his head sharply and was able to get everyone else out of the way as Darkness slammed into him, tendrils of Darkness immobilizing him. The Darkness took shape and he felt Nimue's breathe on his neck.
"Your family may have subdued the other Dark Ones," hissed Nimue to his ear. "But I was the first and most powerful Dark One that has ever lived."
Rumple struggled to free himself as Emma and Regina moved closer to them only to be thrown back by Nimue's magic.
"I am going to consume your soul, Rumplestiltskin," taunted Nimue. "And with your last conscious thought, I am going to kill every single one of your family with your face. The last thing they will see is you crushing their heart. And just as you breathe your last, I'm going to show you their bodies, their lifeless eyes looking at you, telling you it's all your fault."
Rumple frantically pulled on the Darkness that was holding him in place as Nimue laughed. "There's nothing you can do Rumplestiltskin. Do you know why? Because you don't have the Darkness anymore. And without the power, you, Rumplestiltskin, are nothing."
Rumple gritted his teeth as he looked at Belle's scared face. "I am not nothing. My name is Rumplestiltskin. I am a grandfather. I am a father. I am a husband." He looked at Belle, brown eyes met blue ones. "I was never nothing. Excalibur!"
The sword appeared on his hand and he drove it through him, piercing Nimue's chest as well. "If I have to kill myself to protect the people I love, then so be it!" He twisted the blade in his chest and Nimue's scream pierced the night of Storybrooke. White and dark magic surrounded the pair, dissolving in an explosion of pure white light and what remained was Rumplestiltskin, his arm still holding Excalibur through his chest. With an effort, he removed the sword and staggered back, falling to the lake before Emma or Regina could catch him with their magic.
Emma made to jump to the lake and fish him out but Regina held her back. She used her magic to find him and slowly brought him to the surface, Excalibur still clutched in his hand. Regina gently put him down and Belle knelt beside him.
"Rumple," said Belle, choking back her own sobs. She took his friend hand and brought it to her face. "Rumple, please…"
Rumple blinked, but his eyes were growing heavy. "Belle...love...you."
"I love you too," whispered Belle through her tears. "Please don't…"
Rumple closed his eyes and let out a breathe, everyone knowing that it was his last and Belle took him into her arms and sobbed.
"Can't we heal him?" pleaded Emma with Regina as the former Evil Queen shook her head.
"You remember what Merlin said," began Regina, her voice cracking with emotion. "A wound from Excalibur cannot be healed."
"Unless it chooses to be."
They all turned towards the lake and saw Merlin standing there with Peter Pan, Cora and Milah. They all walked over to where Rumple and Belle were. Merlin gave Belle a reassuring smile and Belle gently placed Rumple back on the ground.
"Excalibur chooses its own miracles," said Merlin, as he placed a hand over the wound on Rumple's chest. It glowed white and Peter Pan joined in, as well as Milah and Cora. Emma and Regina shared a look and both kneeled down beside Rumple and stretched out their own hands. The wound was healing, slowly, but it was healing.
"It needs a push," said Merlin all of a sudden as he turned his attention from his grandson towards Belle. "You need to help us with that, clever one."
"How-" began Belle but suddenly knew what he had wanted her to do. She looked at Rumple and gathered up her courage. This had to work. He had no right to come back only to for him to die in her arms. She was going to fight for him, no matter what. She leaned forward and kissed him, putting all her faith and love for Rumplestiltskin in the kiss and those healing Rumple felt the surge of power and with their combined effort, managed to heal the wound.
"Why isn't he waking?" asked Henry, as he clung to his other grandfather.
"He needs the rest," explained Merlin. He waved his hand over his grandson. "I'm sorry to do this to you again, Belle. But I've put him under a stasis spell. He needs to gather his strength, and learn to harness his power."
He turned to the group. "With this new development, a far greater threat is looming over you all now. Something that Nimue and I fought together because it concerned all humanity."
"Are you saying that the war that happened all those centuries ago will happen again?" asked David. "The one between humans and fairies?"
"The war never ended," explained Merlin. "It was just put on hold as the fairies wanting to turn humans into their slaves were imprisoned. But they won't stay there forever. Rumple needs to learn to use his power before the day they escape comes."
They remained silent as Belle clung to Rumple. She had placed a hand over his chest, his heartbeat reassuring her that everything will be ok.
"We have to go back," said Peter Pan.
"Understood," said Merlin and three slowly disappeared, Milah looking at Rumple and Belle and Cora smiling at her daughter.
"What do we need to do?" asked Emma.
"For now?" said Merlin as he studied his grandson. "Get him to the hospital. I'm sure his magic is healing him still but your world's wonders can help. Although, I'm sure that Victor might rub it in my grandson's face that he had science for help."
A small smile found its way on Belle's face. Yes, her husband would probably groan in frustration at the thought of needing to be in the hospital. But Merlin himself had suggested it...wait did he say grandson? "Did you say-"
"Yes," said Merlin with a smile. "Rumpelstiltskin is my grandson."
Regina cleared her throat and Belle turned to her. "It'd be easy to magic him to the hospital." Belle nodded.
"I'll leave you to it." said Merlin. "I have a few things that need my attention before heading back to the Underworld."
With a nod to them, Merlin disappeared in array of white smoke.
The whispers stopped. The young man and woman in the make-shift room turned towards the opening of the cave they were in.
"You don't hear anything too?" asked the man, he was about in his late twenties, early thirties and his companion was around her late teens. The girl nodded and they slowly made their way out.
"Brother," she began. "I'm scared."
"I am too," said the man as she placed a protective arm around her shoulders. "I'm here."
They ventured out of the place they've considered their home for who knows how long. Light only coming from lit lanterns that lined up the wall. Movement from the corner of her eye, the girl turned and with her startled gasp the man wheeled around.
"Merlin!"
The sorcerer smiled up at them. "He's done it."
The man and woman exchanged a wide smile and both turned to Merlin but both their faces fell when the man shook his head. "It'll be some time. He's currently under a stasis spell. Nimue managed to escape the Underworld and Rumple had to stab himself with Excalibur."
"But he's alive?" asked the man, his voice cracking with uncertainty. I won't lose him again.
"He is," said Merlin. "But we have a long way to go before he can get you out of here. And you have a long way to go before you reach the opening. But I suggest you start. This Vault is a maze that is physically, mentally and emotionally challenging. Not to mention all the magic that surrounds it."
The duo nodded. "Good luck."
"Thanks gramps," replied the man as Merlin disappeared. "Come on Emily. You heard our grandfather. We have to move."
"Bae?"
Neal "Baelfire" Cassidy turned to his younger half-sister. "We're going to get out of here, Em. And we're going to help Papa fight those fairies."
Emily swallowed her brother with a hug. "We're going to see him again."
"We are," assured Neal. "Now come on. Let's find our way out of this Vault."
Mother Superior ran outside as the pained scream of Nimue pierced through the night. As she gazed out a flood of memories rushed through her mind.
"Vivienne," the Blue Fairy whispered and she dropped to her knees, crying. "Rumplestiltskin...oh what have I done?" She continued to cry as memories if a time forgotten flooded her mind.
"Blue! Blue!" came the call from the other fairies.
"Blue!" said Astrid. "The black candle! It's emitting a low flame."
No…
Astrid stopped dead when she saw Blue on her knees crying. "Blue what's wrong?"
"Dark times are ahead," said Blue as she wiped the tears from her face.
"You are not wrong, old friend," came a voice she thought she would never hear again but then as she turned her feelings transformed into hatred.
"If you will excuse us," said Blue to the other fairies. "Merlin and I have things to discuss."
I intentionally did not describe if Belle is very pregnant in this or not. It depends on the readers on what they want to see. Next chapter, we see what happens in Storybrooke as the others are in the Underworld.