Chapter 2- Mission Impossible

Ariel dove deeper and deeper underwater until she got to the kingdom of the merpeople. It was the only magical thing left in Storybrooke along with the merpeople themselves. No one was really sure why Regina hadn't changed them with everything else. Triton had this theory that magic doesn't effect water creatures unless it is used specifically on them. No one wanted to argue with the king so they quietly agreed. She snuck into the palace but was stopped on the way to her room "Ariel!" Triton called.

Ariel went into the throne room where her father was waiting. "Yes, Father?" she asked

"Where were you?" he asked

"I just went up to the surface. He was out there again." Said Ariel

"I told you I don't want you on the surface especially in a non-magical land it could be very dangerous. I'd thought you'd learn after last time." Said Triton

"He's my husband and he's fool hardily risking his life out there. Someone has to protect him. I'm not losing him again." Said Ariel

"He doesn't remember you. It seems to me you already lost him." Said Triton

"Part of him does remember me. He wouldn't be doing this if he didn't. Every year he goes out fishing in a horrible storm and every year he doesn't even attempt to catch anything. Why would he do that if part of him wasn't looking for me. I risked too much to let him go again." Said Ariel "So, I'll go to the surface a thousand times if I have to."

"No daughter of mine is going to get herself killed over a man." Said Triton

"Because, you nearly got yourself killed over mom." Said Ariel

"That's right. I did. " said Triton "So, I know how hard it is to let a loved one go but you have to let him go."

"I'm sorry but I can't…" said Ariel

(***)

Ariel was laying on the beach with Eric's lifeless body on the sand. "Eric, don't leave me. There has to be something I can do to get you back or someone I could talk to. The only real problem would be having to pay a price like last time. " Ariel sighs "But it's for Eric. I got to do this for Eric."

Ariel dove into the water and swam for days and days until she got to a dark castle she had heard about. She came up in the moat. She looked at the castle and started to get frightened. She had heard of the master and the unspeakable things he could do and the horrible deals he had made. The last was when he used magic to protect a town from a ogre war in exchange for a princess. She would be more than willing to make that exchange. She swam under the moat and ended up inside where she was greeted by a demon "Hello, Dearie. I've been expecting you." Said Rumple.

"You're the dark one they speak of?" asked Ariel

"Yes, dearie. And who are you?" he asked

"I'm Ariel. Daughter of King Triton of the merpeople. I need your help." Said Ariel

"Of course you do. You wouldn't be here if you didn't need my help, dearie. That's just logic you see." Said Rumple

"Of course." Said Ariel

"The real question is are you willing to pay?" asked Rumple

"Anything you want. " said Ariel "It's for my true love. He was killed and all I want is for him to come back."

"Resurrecting the dead. I don't think I can help you. Unfortunately, no amount of magic can bring a loved one back." Said Rumple. "I myself was in love and have tried many times to bring her back. "

"There has to be something you can do. I've come all this way." Said Ariel "PLEASE! I'll do anything… I'll pay anything …just bring him back to me!"

"There may be one potion that could work. If very complicated to make. Just getting the ingredients will require you to risk your own life. " said Rumple

"What do we need?" asked Ariel.

"Blood from your true love, blood from the one who killed him, a drop of true love potion (fortunately I have some of that), and waters from Perditus. " said Rumple

"Perditus? As in the cavern of the lost?" asked Ariel "No one's ever gone in there."

"If you aren't willing to get the ingredients that you shouldn't be willing to bargain with me, Dearie." Said Rumple

"I'll do it." Said Ariel

"Then you better start your tasks." Said Rumple

Ariel swam back under the moat.

(***)

Patrick and his friend walked into Granny's and sat at the bar next to Henry and Emma who were eating breakfast together before Henry went off to school. "Hey, Ruby, two coffees black and some ham and eggs from my friend here!" said Patrick's friend who happened to be a burly middle aged fisherman.

"Sure thing, Jack." Said Ruby who put the order in.

"You guys, catch anything out there?" Ruby asked

"Not with the big storm that was brewing." Said Jack

"Storm? Not again. Where did he land this time?" asked Ruby

"The beach thank goodness." Said Jack then he leaned in to Ruby "He said a beautiful girl saved him."

"O." said Ruby concerned

"I'm thinking of taking him to see, Dr. Hopper." Said Jack

" I can hear everything you're saying so I'd thank you not to talk about me as if I weren't here!" yelled Patrick

"We're just worried about you, Patrick, you shouldn't be going out in those storms. It's very dangerous." Said Ruby

" It's my life ,isn't it? And by the way, I'm not seeing Hopper. I'm not crazy. I saw her. I saw the girl from my dreams and I'm going to find her and thank her for saving my life. Now, if you would like to talk about me as if I weren't here then I might as well not be here. Excuse me." Said Patrick as he got up and walked out of Granny.

"Patrick… Patrick, wait…." Said Ruby as he walked out the door

"What was that about?" asked Emma

" Patrick gets emotional sometimes." Said Ruby"O, Jack Fisher have you met Emma Swan?" asked Ruby introducing them

"No, I don't believe I've had the pleasure. It's nice to meet you officer Swan. " said Jack

"Jack is one of the local fishermen along with Patrick Prince the young man who was just here and also happens to be an ex of mine. He's nice enough but he's a big daredevil always has been. He goes out in the most dangerous weather conditions. His daredevil nature is what actually attracted me to him at first but then the first time he nearly downed I realized that I couldn't be the type of girl that stayed up worrying about whether or not her guy was still alive. So, I didn't want to do it but I left him and told him to get professional help." Said Ruby

"I'll take it he hasn't gotten any." Said Emma

"He refuses to talk to Dr. Hopper." Said Jack " And now, he's talking about how a girl he manufactured in a dream saved his life."

Henry's eyes get big with excitement. He whispers in Emma's ear "It's Prince Eric from 'the Little Mermaid'. The only thing to figure out now is who Ariel is then we can help him find her."

"Henry, he doesn't need to find a girl he needs professional help." Said Emma

"No. I know this has something to do with the curse. The question is… what?" asked Henry

(***)

Ariel starts packing all things she would need for her journey. When her father floated in "Ariel, what are doing?"

"Father. I'm packing." Said Ariel

"I see that. Why?" asked Triton

"I have to go on a very dangerous mission." Said Ariel

"A dangerous mission to do what exactly?" asked Triton

"Save Eric. I have to get him back. If I don't make it… I love you, father." Said Ariel hugging her father

"Not make it? No, you don't! I am not going to lose you the way I lost your mother! " Triton yelled

"If I don't Rumplestilskine can't help me." Said Ariel

"Rumplestilskine?! What did you promise him? What did you promise him?!" demanded Triton

"Anything he wanted. I just don't know what he wants yet." Said Ariel

"You foolish girl, how could you do that?" asked Triton

"I did it for Eric. " said Ariel "I love him and I'm going to do whatever I can to save him."

"I'm going with you. I'm not letting you deal with this alone." Said Triton

"Thank you, Father. I love you." Said Ariel

"Just tell me what we need to do." Said Triton