4
~ I've Been Searchin' So Long ~
There's a strange new light in my eyes
Things I've never known
Changin' my life
Changin' me
I've been searchin'
So long
To find an answer
Now I know my life has meaning…
Chicago – I've Been Searchin So Long
Along with flashes of a shared past he didn't think he had with Marie, other memories came back to Archie in his dreams and not all of them were pleasant. That night he dreamed of the failed break in at Cora's vault.
Regina was seated at her vanity table. He stood on the table beside her while Jefferson leaned against the wall. A magical shield was also visible suggesting Regina cast it to prevent anyone from hearing what was being discussed.
"The vault has a blood lock...only my mother's blood can open it."
She glanced over at Jiminy. "Can you do it?"
"I can Your Majesty. I will just need a few seconds." He held up his umbrella with its pointed tip.
"Once you open the lock Jefferson and I will go in and look for Daniel's heart."
"I will need some way to alert you, Your Majesty if someone approaches."
Regina waved her hand over him. "I've made your voice louder...give three short whistles if you see someone."
"All right."
She stood up. "Let's go."
Jefferson went outside to wait for them and waved to them when the coast was clear. Jiminy flew down the hall to the Queen Mother's room. Cora's room was warded but with the help of one of her own spell books, Regina found a counter spell and cast it along with a sleeping spell and kept watch while Jiminy flew over to Cora's bed and poked her arm with the tip of his umbrella to coat it with her blood.
His task accomplished he flew back to Regina and the two of them teleported to where Jefferson waited. The portal jumper tossed his hat onto the ground and the portal opened. Regina tucked Jiminy into a little pouched she carried, grabbed Jefferson's hand and they jumped in.
The trio reappeared outside the vault. Jiminy emerged from his pouch and struck the lock with the blood coated tip of his umbrella. The lock glowed with a bright red light and the doors swung open.
"Good luck, Your Majesty." Outside Jiminy could see several guards approaching and whistled three times before he was struck by an energy blast that burned one of his wings.
Cora waved her hand and the cricket was drawn into it.
"Unless you want both of your wings singed, you'll stay right where you are!" she hissed.
Jiminy was in too much pain to even try.
Cora handed a bottle filled with black ink to one of the guards. "Use this for my daughter and bring them to me."
"You…you won't get away with this…!" Jiminy hissed.
"Who's going to stop me, cricket? You? I could just crush you right here!"
"Try it!" he challenged.
As her hand closed around him, something burned it. "Regina! Bring her…NOW!"
A few minutes later guards dragged her and Jefferson out of the vault. Regina had been immobilized by squid ink.
"How dare you defy me Regina!" Cora raged.
"I AM NOT going to let you live your life through me anymore, Mother!"
Cora turned her palm over and dropped Jiminy onto the ground
"My curses will be cast with or without you Regina. You have a choice...you can either have power or you can be on your knees like the rest of them!"
"Then I'll be on my knees."
Cora laughed harshly. "I think not. You'll soon see things my way." She waved her hand and Daniel's heart appeared in it. "All I have to do...is squeeze."
"No...please...don't!"
Cora's fingers tightened around the heart and Regina could hear an agonized scream in the distance.
"Daniel..." Regina sobbed.
"Take her back to the palace...and as for those two..." She snapped her fingers and Jefferson and the injured cricket were tossed into the middle of the forest.
"You okay, Jiminy?" Jefferson asked him.
"Hurts..." he moaned.
Jefferson scooped him up and placed him on his shoulder. "Gonna find someone to help you…"
The portal jumper tossed his hat, thankful the queen hadn't confiscated it and opened a portal to the Dark Castle.
"Why...we...here...Dark One!" Jiminy cried before he fainted.
"Because he's the only person I can trust to help me..." Jefferson muttered and pounded on the door. "Rumple, for the love of the gods OPEN UP! I need your help!" He took Jiminy off his shoulder and cupped him in his free hand. His wing was nearly burned off and there was a burn mark on his back. "It's gonna be okay little guy…oh she burned you bad…"
The doors opened and Rumple stood in the hallway. "Hatter, what's going on? Why are you shouting down my walls?"
Jefferson held Jiminy out. "Can you help him?"
Jiminy awoke and tried to fly away but he was in too much pain. He fell back into Jefferson's hand.
Rumple frowned. The cricket had been injured by a mage's energy blast. He could repair the wing but not completely. The cricket would be able to fly but not for long distances without having to stop and rest and the burn on his back would leave a scar he couldn't take away.
"This is Snow White's royal advisor. Why are you bringing him to me instead of the Blue Fairy? That's who they would want to take care of him, not the Dark One."
"Yeah well when it comes to a life or death situation I'll trust the Dark One over her!" Jefferson declared.
"Go ahead and bring him in."
"Where's Bae and that pretty girl you have living here."
"They went to the village. Upstairs to my lab."
Jefferson carefully set Jiminy down on Rumple's worktable. The cricket could barely move and his back felt like it was on fire.
"All right…Jiminy…I'm going to put you under a sleeping spell while I work on your wing. It'll be best…the healing process can sometimes be as painful as the injury itself." He waved his hand over the cricket.
"S'fine…" he mumbled and drifted off to sleep.
Archie sat up in bed, sweat dripping down his face. Pongo came over to him and licked his face. "I'm okay boy….it was just a nightmare."
"Woof?"
"Yes…about that again but I'm all right…" He reached for his glasses on the nightstand and put them on. "But I don't think I'll be going back to sleep any time soon." He put in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex hoping watching Errol Flynn and Bette Davis match wits as Elizabeth I and her famed lover would help him forget his nightmare for a while. Pongo rested his head on Archie's lap.
Marie Bordreaux was having a difficult night herself. She was counting on having the next day off but Ashley Boyd was claiming to be too ill to do the afternoon show. Anymore she couldn't stand having to stand up on that stage while men ogled her like she was a piece of meat. And the night only got worse when she heard a knock on the door and a drunken voice calling her name, the same voice she heard in countless nightmares. She wanted to just stay in her room and ignore him hoping he would just go away but he wouldn't and she'd already gotten two noise complaints called in about her. Surprisingly he was less dangerous drunk than when he was sober.
"Marie! Know yer in there…lemme in!" Gaston yelled from the other side of the door, pounding on it with his fist. Gisella came out of her own room rubbing her own eyes and yawning.
"Mommy, what's he doin here?" she demanded.
"Sella, honey go to your room, please." Marie pleaded.
"Mommy, I don't want him here. Make him go 'way…"
"Marie, you open this door or I'll break it down!" he shouted.
"Honey, please…go to your room," she pleaded knowing Gaston would make good on his threat and terrify Gisella.
The little girl did as her mother requested but she grabbed the cordless phone and her mother's purse off the counter first. She sat on the floor beside her bed and searched through her mother's purse until she found the card Archie had given her mother the day before.
In the living room Marie opened the door and Gaston staggered in. "What t'hell took ya so long? You got company Marie?"
"Gaston, Gisella is asleep….can't we talk about whatever it is you want to talk about in the morning?" she pleaded.
"Who says I wanna talk?" he slurred and leered at her.
"I've told you before Gaston…never again!" she cried.
"Why not?" he asked and belched.
She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"You know why! Now get out of here. You're drunk."
"Who're you to tell me to do anything…bitch…" he sneered as he came towards her.
"Get out or I am calling the police!" she threatened.
"Go right ahead. Who're they gonna believe? Some second rate stripper whore or me. I think we both know the answer to that, don't we?"
"Get out…" she repeated and grabbed her cellphone off the coffee table. "All they need to do is smell your breath and you'll be in the drunk tank….won't look good for your clients, will it?"
"Bitch!" He lunged at her. She screamed and ran into the kitchen, grabbing one of the butcher knives out of the drawer and pointing it at him with one hand while her cell phone was in the other, ready to call the police.
"You try to touch me again and I'll kill you," she hissed.
He tried to reach for her again and fell to the floor, vomiting. "Fuck!" he groaned. He struggled to get to his feet and staggered out the door, slamming it behind him. Marie backed against the wall still holding the knife in her hand and burst into tears. She'd been lucky…this time.
In her room Gisella heard her mother crying and frantically dialed the number she found on the card in her purse. Marie taught the little girl how to use the phone herself in case of an emergency.
Archie had just fallen asleep when his cell phone rang. He knocked his drink off his nightstand reaching for it and brought it to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Archie…Mommy's really upset an scared…an I don't know what to do!" he heard a terrified Gisella cry on the other end.
"Gisella?" He sat up abruptly. "What happened? Is she hurt?"
"No….she's just scared an crying…"
"All right…are you with her?"
"No…m'in my room…she doesn't want me to come out when HE shows up."
"Gisella….I want you to listen to me: I'm coming over there and I want you to go to your mother until I do and lock the door. Understand?"
"Uh-huh."
"I'll see you soon." He hung up and jumped out of bed, grabbing some clothes out of the dresser. Pongo, sensing something was wrong raced to the door and pulled his lead down off the coat rack.
"Come on boy. Marie and Gisella need us. And if that bastard laid a hand on either of them I'm going to kill him!"
Pongo growled in agreement.
Normally the drive to Marie's apartment would've taken him fifteen minutes but he was there in half the time from breaking the speeding limits and running a red light or two, not as risky in a small town like Storybrooke and if Emma or Hatter would've dared to pull him over, he was going to give both of them an earful.
When he got to the apartment building he ran upstairs to the second floor and tapped on the door with his umbrella. "Marie, it's Archie…" he called softly.
"A…Archie….what…." Marie gasped.
"I called him Mommy," said Gisella. She was sitting on the floor with Marie with the phone in her hand. Her mother, still crying was having trouble breathing and she was shaking but when the little girl wanted to call an ambulance, her mother wouldn't let her, insisting she would be fine in a few minutes.
"Go…let him in….sweetie…."
Gisella ran to the door and yanked it open. Archie dropped his umbrella onto the floor and hurried to Marie's side, immediately recognizing the signs of an anxiety attack. "Marie….it's all right…Gisella…why don't you and Pongo go in your room while I talk to your mom?" he suggested.
"Kay. C'mon Pongo!" The Dalmatian made a mad dash for the child's room.
"Thank you…don't like…her seeing me…like this…"
Nor did he want anyone to see him in such a state when he recalled being attacked by Cora. It was only happening in his nightmares for now but back in their old world the memories sent him into an anxiety attack that Jeff or Snow usually talked him through. During the curse, the scar he had on his back was attributed to being burned with a hot object and he'd had that happen several times and many times Geppetto was the one to talk him through it. The rest of the time he utilized some of the techniques he learned through reading with Pongo at his side.
One of the most effective treatments he had for his own attacks was practicing deep breathing and muscle relaxation. He wasn't sure if either would work with her but he was willing to try it.
"Let's work on your breathing first."
"Okay…"
He grabbed a pillow off the sofa and placed it under her head as he helped her lie down on the floor, coaching her on her breathing until it returned to normal.
"That's better, Marie…much better."
Though she found the breathing technique relaxing, it was hearing his voice and having him at her side that had the most calming effect on her.
"I'm sorry you had to deal with this…"
"Marie, I deal with things like this every day…even at home."
"You…have panic attacks? Why?"
"We'll talk about it later. Right now my main concern is you." He helped her to her feet and led her over to the sofa. Once she was comfortable he went to check on Gisella. She'd fallen back to sleep and Pongo lay by her feet, protecting her as he did Archie.
"Is Sella asleep?" Marie asked when he returned to the living room.
"Yes. Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"You know he's Gisella's father but….I don't love him…I never have."
"Wasn't he betrothed to Belle in our land?"
"Yes….until I told our father what he did to me…"
"Did he rape you?" he asked softly.
She nodded. "I was nineteen…every inch as headstrong as Belle but I was being courted by our father's scribe…Pierre. He was the gentlest soul I'd ever met but….he was also gravely ill…"
"Marie, I'm so sorry."
She didn't dare tell him her sweet Pierre met his end far sooner than to be expected and it hadn't been from the rheumatic fever but poison by Gaston so that he could try to get Marie to himself since Belle was keeping him at bay. She blamed Axelle Villette and her equally vile sister Antoinette for that. Both girls spread vicious lies about them, branding Belle and Marie lightskirts though both were still maidens at the time.
"After he died, Gaston started…pursing me a bit more forcefully and one night out in the stables he…he...you know the rest," she croaked.
"How did you explain what happened?"
"I lied….claimed it was some stable hand that took off afterwards…and Papa believed me. He's not my foster father as I've led everyone to believe….he's my real father…" she confessed. "You don't look surprised."
"I'm not," he admitted. "There is a bit of a resemblance between you and Belle…but she and Maurice aren't aware of the truth, are they?"
"No."
"You should tell them."
"Archie, Maurice was unfaithful to Belle's mother with mine for years and we're only ten months apart in age. How do you think that will make her feel?"
"If I know Belle like I think I do, it won't matter. You're her sister. And as for your father, he isn't ashamed of you obviously or he never would have legitimized you. You should tell them, Marie," he insisted.
"I will…I just don't feel comfortable doing it now…we've all just gotten our memories back…and some we still don't have…"
And some that made no sense.
"When you feel you're ready, we'll talk about it."
She chuckled. "You're sounding more like a therapist now, did you know that?"
"I've been one so long that I have a difficult time taking the hat off so to speak."
"I know you can't talk about your other patients…but I can see the difference in some of those kids…the gang ones. Especially Baelfire…Rumple's son."
"It still astounds me that children that young were killing each other with guns, grenades and knives…"
"This world is as violent as our old one…and worse given the technology it has….creates more dangerous weapons."
"What happened….was a brutal wakeup call…for all of us…and a reminder to not take our loved ones for granted…"
Marie glanced in the direction of her daughter's room. "I didn't plan on having her but I wouldn't give her up for anything. She's more like me than him and I'm grateful for that. After everything settles down with Regina I am going to see what Rumple can do for me about child support."
"I would also consider a restraining order Marie," he advised. "And you should've called the police about tonight."
She knew Gaston would find a way around it. He found a way around everything when it came to her.
"I know…"
"He's dangerous."
You have no idea just how dangerous, Archie and if you did…
She had to be careful. If Gaston suspected Archie was spending so much time with her, there was no telling what he would do. She didn't agree to meet with him unless she was certain Gaston was at work or doing something else.
"I'll take care of it…" she promised.
He wanted to believe her but there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind cautioning him that she was only telling him what he wanted to hear.
He stayed with her until just after midnight then returned home. He had several appointments that day, two of them with members of the Scorpions, one with a woman named Ursula Gordon and one with Regina. He was always uneasy during Ursula's sessions because she was starting to exhibit obsessive behavior and he was considering sending her to another therapist in Boston or somewhere closer. It was difficult not to be relieved when her time was up.
"Come on in Becky," he greeted the teenage Scorpion once known as Fury when he opened his door and saw her sitting patiently in the hall with her boyfriend Ewan. His appointment was after Becky's. "Would you like some tea?"
"C'mon Doc, I don't drink that crap."
"I'm sorry I forgot. " He handed her a bottle of water. "Now the last time we spoke you mentioned still having some issues at home."
"Yeah….the parasite slutbag bitch is still there."
"You're referring to your cousin, Kristine? And there's been no change?"
"Nope….I'm back to being invisible like I was before I took off."
"Did you speak to your parents about it like I suggested?"
"Doc, I tried, I really did but it's a waste of time. They don't give a shit about me…not when SHE's around….she's the queen of her own fuckin drama and a slut to boot and if she thinks I'm gonna lie for her like I did before she better think again."
"Lie for her about what?" Archie inquired softly.
"She's screwing an old married guy…bringing him to the house while Mom's at work…or meeting him somewhere…been doing that for years…married guys, losers, dirtballs…it has a dick, she goes after it," the teenager said bitterly. "And when I was a kid….I thought we were like sisters so I lied for her…but I'm tired of doing it Doc….she doesn't want to be my sister…she wants to take my place as my parents' daughter and I hate it. I HATE HER!"
"This Kristine is in her late twenties…is that right?"
"Yeah."
"Can she afford a place of her own?"
"She'd have to spend a lot of time on her back or knees to do that, Doc."
He sighed. "Becky, your parents aren't going to become aware of how this situation with your cousin is affecting you unless you sit them down and talk to them about it. Now, I can set up a session with all of you and…"
"NO WAY!"
"Becky…"
"You'd be wastin' your breath too."
"You're obviously not comfortable about confronting your parents about your cousin on your own which is why I think a family session is in order."
"That means SHE'LL have to be here. Oh greaaattt!"
"That is necessary, yes."
"Well you better wear some kind of slut repellant Doc because the parasite would probably try to hit on you."
She's not my type, he thought. "I think I can handle it. If I set up this session, will you be here?"
"Yeah….I just don't know if I can say…"
He took her hand in his and patted it gently. "I'll be right here with you. You need to do this, Becky. After what you've been through…you need your family probably more than they realize."
"Okay….if you think it'll do any good…"
He smiled. "I'll do everything I can to make sure everything goes well."
"Mommy, are we gonna see Archie today?" Gisella demanded of her mother that morning at breakfast.
"I don't know honey. He might…be busy…."
Gisella scowled and stabbed at her pancake with her fork. When she took a bite out of it, she threw her fork back down. "Mommy, not again!" She picked the pancake up with her fingers and ran to the window, opening it and tossing it out. It landed on the road. "Get your roadkill!" she shouted. Several people on the street looked up and shook their heads.
"Gisella," Marie groaned and rolled her eyes.
"How come you burned my pancakes? You didn't do it 'fore!?"
Because my mind was on something else other than the stove…no…someone…
"I'm sorry sweetie. I just have a lot on my mind," she said.
"You're gonna havta take more cooking lessons with Archie if you keep making roadkill," her daughter said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Now why does that idea sound so appealing?
"Come on, honey. I have to drop you off at Julie's early today."
"Okay," Gisella sighed. She was going to have a miserable day if she couldn't see Archie and Pongo and Mission: Replace Bad Daddy would have a slight delay.
Marie decided to make a pit stop to Belle's before the afternoon show at the club. When she opened the door she found her sister dumping an ice bucket on herself while she was talking on the phone.
"What has you hot and bothered?" she asked with a smirk. Belle blushed.
"Rumple? Are you still there?" Belle was asking him
"Probably needed some ice himself," Marie giggled.
"Oh, go in the other room til I'm done or call your own boyfriend!" Belle cried.
"He's not my boyfriend Belle!" Marie protested.
You might want to think about that one a bit, Marie.
"Don't care...GIT! Yes...by a certain nosy lady in waiting who needs to go talk to her own boyfriend," Belle was saying to Rumple.
"Well if you two are going to make out on the phone...I'll just go in the living room and watch TV..." Marie joked.
"Til next time darling..." Belle crooned.
As Marie was debating whether to call Archie, his number flashed across her phone.
"Hello Marie."
"Hello."
"You didn't have any more problems last night, did you?"
"No...everything was fine..."
"Marie, I have to go downtown to the courthouse," Belle said to her when she came into the room.
"Hold on a moment…okay?" Marie asked Archie. "For what?"
"I'm on the jury for Regina's trial."
Marie frowned. "I think some people will have a problem with that."
"You're right, they would." Archie said.
"Why? Midas chose me."
"Yes but you're dating the defense attorney..."
"That's their problem, not mine," Belle said.
"You know the harpies in this town...you have to keep things a secret to get them to leave you alone."
Like the fact that the town's kindest man is friends with an exotic dancer…
Belle groaned. "People always talk, Marie. Let them. I'm not going to let some narrow minded bigoted harpies tell me what to do."
"And they'll think he'll influence you..."
"He won't. I have more integrity than that . . and so does he."
"Even if they do find her not guilty, who's to say that mob won't attack again?"
"I'm sure they won't. Once they see some kind of justice being done . . . they'll stop going crazy. Unless they want to face the wrath of the Dark One."
"Once all this blows over...we need to have a girls day...you, me, and Sella."
"Yeah at the spa . . .I'll need one then," Belle laughed.
"You need to get married first...all that waiting..."
"I know . . .and we will . . . when it's time . . .in a few months . . .we're not quite ready yet, Marie."
"After what I saw? I doubt that. You want to make love to him so badly you could burn down this apartment!"
"Marie!" Archie screeched over the phone. "Good gods woman!"
"It's not just about me . . .people need to see us as a couple . . . we need to keep down the gossip . . .in a few months we'll marry."
"If you can hold off that long," Marie teased.
"I can . . .it'll be hard but . .. I'll manage."
"I do not need to hear this…" Archie muttered.
"Even back in our world you two had something amazing...I'll never know what that's like..."
Yes you will…if you would give me a chance…Archie was thinking as he held the phone to his ear, loving the sound of her voice even if some of the things she was saying were making him blush.
"Yes, you will. You just have to believe . . ."
Easier said than done Belle, they were both thinking.
Marie looked down at her phone. "Shit...I'm going to be late...damned afternoon show...should just tell them I'm sick!" She jumped up. "I'll see you when things settle down Belle and when you two finally go out...details!"
"Okay . . . you'll be the first to know . . .now I gotta get down to the courthouse before I get arrested or whatever . . ."
Marie laughed.
"See you later Belle."
"Give Sella a hug and a kiss from me," Belle said and hugged her.
"I will," Marie said and hurried off. "Archie, I'm sorry I left you hanging like that…" she said once she was outside.
"Tell them you are sick, Marie. I only have four appointments scheduled today and my last one leaves at two so I have the rest of the day to myself…and I don't want to spend it in my apartment watching movies…"
Hopper, you sound desperate….now cut it out!
"I would, Archie, I really would but Sly would fire me in a heartbeat."
"For being sick?" he asked angrily.
"That's how he is."
She heard a beeping indicating one of them was getting another call. "Who's phone is that? Yours or mine?"
"Mine. It's Rumple. I guess we'll talk later then?"
"Yes. Goodbye, Archie."
"Goodbye, Marie." He switched to Rumple. "I was on another call. What can I do for you?"
"Archie, I just talked with Regina and Hatter and both reminded me of an incident that I didn't remember until now that will help Regina's case. You were attacked by Cora that day you tried to break into her vault?"
"Yes…and Hatter brought me to you to try to heal me."
"I know this may sound a bit morbid but is it possible you still have that scar on your back that you had as a cricket."
"Yes I still have it…" he murmured.
"Would you feel comfortable showing it to the jury?"
He wasn't really but he would do so if it would help Regina.
"I suppose I could…"
"Good. Are you able to come to the police station so we can discuss some details?"
"Yes, I'll be there."
When he arrived at the station, Rumple was scolding Jefferson.
"Why didn't you tell me when you brought him to me to heal that was WHY he was attacked?" Rumple demanded of Jeff.
"I wasn't thinking, okay!"
"Jefferson...had we gotten hold of that umbrella she never would've been able to cast the curse," Regina said.
"Why would taking my item back make the difference?" asked Archie, recalling the older witch taking his umbrella away from him.
"Because the spell wouldn't be complete...She already had the other two items mixed into the potion..."
"Oh...I see..."
"And without it she couldn't have cast the curse," Rumple told him.
"Regina sighed. "Trying to get that back...and Daniel's heart...again...was what Jiminy wanted to do before both curses were cast."
"Then I'll make sure to bring that up during the trial," the attorney said. "As well as another thing. Jeff, what can you tell me about the Wonderland rescue attempt? I know it failed, but how did you ever get the idea to do so . . . and what happened to prevent you from getting Prince Henry back?
"It was my fault...I asked him to." Regina lowered her head.
"When did you learn where Cora was keeping your father?" Rumple queried gently. "Was it before or after your arranged marriage to Leopold?"
"After...she made a deal with the White King to keep my father in exchange for training the woman he wanted to marry in magic."
"And who was this woman he wished to become his wife?"
"Anastasia Tremaine... Cinderella's stepsister."
Rumple's eyebrows went up. "So your mother was not only teaching you but another apprentice? In her palace? Or did she go to Wonderland?"
"She went to Wonderland...used looking glasses as portals."
"And this Anastasia . . .did she eventually become the White King's bride?"
"No...Cora killed the White King and took Wonderland after Regina exiled her. She also prevented Anna from rebelling against her by taking her lover's heart."
"Typical Cora. Stealing hearts for hostages is what she does best." Rumple sneered. "What happened with the attempt, Jeff? What went wrong?"
"Cora had the hearts of the entire army and a tracking spell on Regina and me that traced us to the vault where Henry was being kept...shrunken with a mushroom. As soon as Regina touched the drawer where her father was, she was frozen. Cora had it coated with squid ink."
"I had gloves on but the lock required me to touch it with my bare hand to try to open it," Regina added.
"One of these days I'm going to have to invent a potion to counter that damned ink," Rumple scowled. "There must be one, since the ink occurs naturally in the giant squids deep in the ocean."
"Every attempt I made to stop the curse...that was what she had to immobilize me," Regina said ruefully.
"Of course, dearie. It's the one substance known to immobilize mages without fail. But she must have had a great supply of it to have it on hand all the time."
"She did...I saw for myself when I was studying the layout of the palace for an attack by Snow's army," said Archie. He usually conducted his scouting missions at night after everyone else was asleep and discovered where Cora's lab was and in it were thousands of vials of squid ink.
"Hmm . . . wonder if she made a deal with Ursula or something?" Rumple mused.
"You're lucky you weren't burned during those little late night spy flights Archie!" Jeff exclaimed.
"You forget what I was raised by. They taught me more than just running cons and picking pockets."
He was taught to study his marks carefully before he hit them. Not that I'm proud of it mind you, he thought bitterly.
"I do recall Mother making many visits near Atlantica..." Regina murmured.
"If we could somehow get Anastasia to tell us what she knows...it could help!" Jeff exclaimed.
"Cora has Will Scarlet's heart...she won't take the risk."
"What if there was a way to speak with her without Cora knowing?" Rumple said thoughtfully.
"I know Anna...sometimes uses a looking glass to speak to Will," said Jeff. "Girl's not stupid. She paid attention to Cora's lessons but she also learned things on her own. I know that for a fact because she tried to release me."
"Then perhaps I can contact her on my mirror . . which is warded from any attempts by Cora to listen in on it," Rumple suggested.
"That's good but we need some way to record what she says, Rumplestiltskin. The jury will not go by our word alone," Archie pointed out.
"I believe I have an enchanted sand dollar in my shop that will do that. I received it in payment for helping Ariel to gain her legs so she could be with Eric."
"Call her, Rumple," Regina said softly. "And if we can...tell her we'll try to help her."
"All right, dearie." He summoned the sand dollar to him and then the mirror. "This mirror I made myself, spent a month doing so, but it's the only one I could be sure of that didn't bear any remnants of glass or sand from other mirrors Cora had collected that could be used to track me."
It was a large standing full length mirror, with a gilded frame with climbing roses and fanciful beasts on it. The glass was a smooth beveled oval shape.
"Now what do we do?"
Rumple shook his head ruefully. "Oh the time I had getting the glass to set right. Sometimes it would blister for no reason. And I nearly skinned Bae for running all over the castle and making the floor shake."
Rumple made a come hither gesture with a hand and the mirror swirled with gray smoke.
A blond haired woman in a red dress appeared. "Who summons me?"
"I do, dearie. Rumplestiltskin, once known as the Dark One."
"You risk much...Cora would have your heart."
The other woman scanned the room on the other side of the glass pleased when she saw a familiar face. "Hatter...hello."
"Hello, Anna. We need to ask you a few questions. Regina is on trial for casting the Dark Curse and we need you to help us with the case to prove her innocence," Jeff said. "We're gonna, uh, record your conversation with Rumple so others can see how Cora blackmailed her into casting it by keeping her father in Wonderland . . .and how she later had him killed."
Anna's lower lip trembled. "I am guilty of your father's death, Regina."
"Now, I need you to tell me, concisely and truthfully what happened," Rumple said. "I need facts, no exaggeration, speculation, or embellishments. This is a court of law, not a minstrel convention."
He waved a hand and activated the sand dollar.
"I am aware of that! Shortly before that curse was cast, Regina and Jefferson came to Wonderland. I was training with Cora in the Hearts palace when she sensed intruders near her vault there."
"She ordered me to come with her so that I could learn how to properly punish those who would defy me when I became queen."
"When we arrived, Regina was immobilized by squid ink and Jefferson in custody by the White and Heart armies. Cora instructed me to remove Jefferson's heart."
The young woman flinched. "I'd...never taken a heart before...and I was terrified. "I told her I couldn't...then she summoned Will's...the man I love...and started to squeeze it…I could hear him SCREAMING!"
Attack what you love the most; Cora was good at that as Archie had seen during their own unsuccessful attempt at the vault.
"Then...suddenly...oddly…she had a change of heart and decided he was more useful alive."
"And then what happened?" Rumple encouraged.
"She took him and his hat into custody and warned me to keep him locked up until she needed him to cross realms."
Archie glanced over at Regina, a suspicion they both had confirmed. Cora had a backup plan in case her daughter attempted to double cross her.
"And Regina? What did she do with her?" he queried.
"She sent her back told me she had other ways of keeping her daughter in line rather than just killing her. I know what it was...all too well."
"Yes. She held the man Regina loved's heart too," Rumple said. "How did Jeff get free and why did you kill Henry, Anna?"
"Will helped him get his hat back but then Cora confiscated it. It was Percy who helped him escape. And...I didn't kill Henry by choice...it was either I crushed his heart...or she would crush Will's..."
"Why would she use you and not do it herself? She was certainly capable of it," Rumple asked then.
"She wanted to show me that for me to be the queen I wanted to be...I could not have any weakness and my love for Will was my weakness. He begged me to let her kill him."
"Evil bitch!" Jeff swore. "Maybe we could...try again to free you Anna."
"The only way to free me...and yourselves from Cora is breaking the second curse."
"Why do you say that, dearie?" Rumple asked. "What is the price of breaking the Curse of the Broken Hearted?"
"The life of the caster," explained Anna. "You must find out who the final primary target was...only that person can break the curse."
"It could be any one of us," Archie said.
"Yes...and to find out you must know the order in which the objects used to cast it were taken. Cora is not a fool...she would not let anyone know what the proper order was. And your curse breaker...will have one unique quality but I do not remember what it was."
"Nor do I, my memories were tampered with because of it," Rumple sighed. "But that is a puzzle we must solve another time," the sorcerer said regretfully. "For now it is enough that you have given testimony to support the fact that Regina did indeed try and prevent the curse from being cast. Thank you for doing so."
"You're welcome. I need to go before she suspects something...break the curse and free us all!"
"Easier said than done when we don't know who the hell is supposed to do it!" Jeff grumbled.
"We can concentrate on that some other time. Right now we have a case to win," Rumple told him. He picked up the sand dollar and spun it on Emma's desk. It sparkled and glowed and when it fell on its side, Anastasia's form was projected to that all could see and hear her speaking and you could also see and hear Mr. Gold.
"There! A magical video," the pawnbroker chuckled, and he waved a hand and the sand dollar went dark. He picked it up and put it in his pocket.
"Regina, hold up a moment…you said we made a second attempt to recover Daniel's heart? I don't remember that. When did this happen?" Archie asked her.
"It was just before Maurice Bordreaux's ball," Regina answered. "But I didn't want you to get hurt again…so I banished you to the Infinite Forest."
He suspected there was more to the story judging by the pained expression on her face.
"What are you leaving out, Regina?" he demanded.
"Nothing. I just…didn't like doing that to you but I felt it was the only way I could protect you."
"I didn't care about myself Regina. You knew that. I would have died to keep that curse from being cast, from both of those curses being cast."
"Any one of us would have, dearie," Rumple said. "The only thing we can do now is repair the damage they've caused. It won't happen overnight but we have plenty of time to work on it."
And they would start at the trial.
Archie sat among the spectators while he waited to be called to the stand. He was expecting to be called by Rumple but when Spencer called his name he was uneasy. He sat down in the witness box and smiled though inside he was seething. What was that viper up to?
"Now...our land you were once known as Jiminy Cricket, former advisor to Snow White, correct?"
"That is correct."
"And in this land, you are a psychologist?"
"Yes." Don't even think about it you poor excuse for a…
"Now...did Regina Mills bring her son Henry to you for treatment?"
"She did."
"What issues did she claim the boy was having?"
"Mr. Spencer, I'm afraid I cannot answer that question because I would be in violation of my oath to maintain doctor-patient confidentiality," Archie stated firmly. The attorney glared at him. Archie glared back.
"I'll ask you AGAIN Doctor Hopper...what issues did Regina claim the boy was having? It was because he was getting close to the truth about the curse, wasn't it?"
"Objection! Badgering the witness!" Rumple shouted and rose to his feet.
"Overruled. The witness will answer."
"What?!" Archie exclaimed and gaped at the judge. Was the man insane? Stupid? Blind?
"Your Honor, the witness cannot answer the question as it is phrased. It presents a conflict of interest with his confidentiality oath." Rumple protested.
"And I'm NOT answering it no matter how he phrases it!" Archie said angrily.
"Your Honor, the defendant's son as we all know obtained knowledge of the curse and the queen's involvement prior to it being broken and the boy was being treated by Doctor Hopper."
"The rules are different here, gentlemen...Doctor Hopper is not bound by his oath."
"E...Excuse me..." Archie said through gritted teeth. Since when, you ignorant jackass? He glared at Thomas now. "Are you honestly telling me that because we're not from this land medical ethics doesn't apply?"
"Watch yourself, Doctor Hopper."
"Oh go to hell! I am NOT going to violate my oath just because we're not from here. Are you insane?" he demanded.
"One more outburst and you'll find yourself in contempt, Doctor Hopper with a thousand dollar fine and three days in jail!"
"This is RIDICULOUS!" he yelled. "I am NOT answering his question so if you want to throw me in jail, throw me in jail!"
"Very well...bailiff, take Doctor Hopper into custody!"
"Your Honor, might I ask why medical confidentiality is suddenly declared inadmissible?" Rumple was asking while the bailiff approached the witness box escort Archie out of the courtroom.
"Isn't it obvious, Gold...he clearly has evidence pointing to Regina's guilt. Now if he refuses to answer, we'll put the boy on the stand."
"No you won't!" shouted Archie as he was being led away. He looked right at the jury. "How the hell is THIS a fair trial I ask you?"
"Get him out of here and if you keep it up it'll be five thousand dollars and five days in jail!" Thomas threatened.
"Ignorant asshole!"
"That's it Hopper, I warned you!"
"Warn me all you want…you KNOW this is wrong. What the hell has gotten into you?! This is a damned farce…you put Henry on that stand Spencer and you're going to see it blow up in your face…AND I WISH I COULD SEE IT, YOU STUPID BASTARD!" he screamed while he was being led away.
"Come on, Doctor Hopper."
"Jimmy, I know you're just doing your job but this is insane!"
"Off the record Doc, I agree with you but I gotta do what the judge says."
"I'll take it from here," said Deputy Arthur Pendragon outside. "Watch your head Doc," he advised as he put Archie in the back of his squad car. "You know cricket, you've got big ones…mouthing off to the judge like that."
"People have a tendency to underestimate me," Archie murmured. "My conscience took a backseat during the curse and I've just started listening to it again."
"Think we all need to do that," agreed the deputy.
"….I can't believe they did that!" hissed Arista to Marie while they were sitting in the back of the courtroom, having managed to wheedle Sly into giving them the day off so that they could attend, not surprised when Zelena didn't go to support her sister.
"I know and he's right….he CAN'T tell them anything nor would he. He's not that kind of man," Marie said softly.
"He's gonna be in there till Gold bails him out I guess."
"Oh no, he's not! Come on. We're going back to my place."
"Marie, you were saving that money to buy a car!"
"I know but he shouldn't spend another minute in jail than he has to."
"Now tell me you're not in love with him," Arista challenged.
"We're just friends!"
"Keep telling yourself that."
When they got back to Marie's apartment she unlocked the small safe in her bedroom and took out the five thousand dollars, her entire savings and tucked it into an envelope. Then she called the police station.
"I'd like to pay Doctor Hopper's bail," she said.
"You know it's five grand, right?' Emma asked.
"Yes I know Sheriff and I have it…in cash. I have only one stipulation….neither he nor anyone else in town is to know who paid it….do you understand?"
He'll be furious with me if he finds out…
"Okay….your secret's safe with me."
"I'll be down shortly."
Emma met her outside the station and Marie handed her the envelope. Emma counted it and tucked it into her jacket pocket. "This isn't usually how I do this. Why the cloak and dagger?"
"I just didn't feel he belonged in there for standing up for Regina and your son's rights."
"Neither did I."
"I have your word you won't tell him?"
"How can I when I don't know who you are?"
"I'm going to hold you to that sheriff," Marie said and walked away.
Archie wasn't a stupid man. He was going to find out sooner or later and be upset.
He lay on the cot in his cell glaring up at the ceiling. Deputy Pendragon graciously allowed him to call Geppetto and ask him to take care of Pongo for a few days and even bring the Dalmatian to the station to see him if he was allowed to because if Spencer had his way, Archie would spend all five days in jail.
"Hopper! Your bail's been posted," Emma said when she approached the cell and unlocked it.
"What? By Rumple?"
"No…some woman…wouldn't give her name. You have a secret admirer?"
She didn't…!
"I…no, no I don't," he said quickly. "Is she still here?"
"No, she left."
"Thank you Sheriff. He grabbed his coat and umbrella and raced out of the station. A few minutes later the phone rang in the sheriff's station. It was Rumple calling also inquiring about Archie's bail but he was already on his way to Marie's apartment.
She and Gisella were on their way home from the park. Gisella was upset, having heard Archie was in jail from Jason. His mother was laughing about it when Marie arrived to take Gisella home.
"Of course you would think it's funny Zelena since your little gravy train was the one who put him there when he refused to stoop to his level and violate his confidentiality oath!" Marie yelled.
"Regina is going to burn at the stake and there's nothing you, Rumple or your shrink lover can do about it!" Zelena taunted.
Gisella opened her water bottle and tossed some of it onto the former witch. "Why don't you melt you mean ole witch?" she complained.
"You throw water on me again you little brat and I'll make you bald!"
"Lay a hand on my daughter and you'll lose it, Zelena!" Marie snarled. "Come on, Sella."
"Bye Sella!" Jason called after her.
Archie was waiting for them outside their apartment building. Gisella ran up to him and hugged his legs. "You're outta jail!" she cried.
"Yes I am," he said and glanced at Marie. "We need to talk."
"Archie…not out here…"
Marie sent Gisella to her room to color once they were inside though the little girl wasn't happy about it.
"Archie, I know you're upset…" Marie began while he was pacing the room.
"You didn't have to do that. You needed that money for yourself and Gisella and I'm paying you back every penny as soon as the bank opens tomorrow!"
"You didn't belong in there. What the hell were Spencer and Thomas thinking!?"
"I don't know what Thomas was thinking but Spencer is a snake and I'm not shocked he was bold enough to try that but I'm not telling them a damned thing." He sat down and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes. "It's only going to get worse I'm afraid."
She sat beside him. "Regina is lucky to have you supporting her. You know she wouldn't stand a chance without all of you helping her."
"Most of you have only seen what she was like as the Evil Queen but there's still good in her. I just hope when Rumple calls me back up there I can make everyone see everything the way I did."
She reached across the sofa and patted his hand. "I'm sure you will."
"Mommy, what're we havin for dinner?" Gisella asked.
"I don't know yet. Maybe I'll just order a pizza."
"Yeah cause I don't wanna eat roadkill again today!"
Archie chuckled. "Marie, what did you do to get your cooking declared roadkill again?"
"She burned my pancakes!" Giselle tattled. "Can't you cook something?"
"Honey, it's a bit late. I'll tell you what: why don't I go down to Granny's and get us dinner? What do you want?" he asked.
"You don't have to do that!" Marie protested.
"You just spent five thousand dollars to bail me out of jail and you don't want me to buy you dinner? It's the least I can do."
"Oh, all right. I'll have a hamburger and fries. Sella?"
"I want chicken nuggets and onion rings."
Archie smiled. "Dinner is coming m'ladies."
Unfortunately the dinner was busy that night. He'd been waiting almost half an hour for his order when Rumple arrived with Belle and suddenly all attention was on them as he suspected it would be since she was on the jury. He didn't know the school teacher that well but she was more than capable of judging Regina's case without any interference.
"Jury tampering if I ever saw it!"
Archie groaned and looked over to see Keith Nottingham approaching the couple and leering at Belle. His hand gripped the handle of his umbrella, ready to knock some sense into the lout, not that he needed to when Rumple could handle it quite well on his own.
"No need to visit the graveyard for a man, honey."
"He's more of a man than YOU are!" Belle retorted.
"It still work, Gold, or do you need Viagra?"
"He's talking himself into an early grave..." whispered Grumpy.
"Keep shooting your mouth off, dearie, and you're going to need a replacement one . . .with batteries. Because I'm going to break it."
"Don't wanna go to jail...or do you...have a little threesome with her and the mayor?"
"You...PIG!" Belle hissed.
"Granny better call Swan n' Hatter to come get a body!"
"Take it outside, Rumple!" ordered Granny.
"I never should have given you your tongue back, you foul-mouthed piece of shit." Rumple grabbed his cane and poked it into Keith's chest. "Come outside and we'll finish this, you drunken ape! And I can break both YOUR legs and put you in the hospital! Or I can just magic your ass into roadkill right here! Choose!"
"Darling, he's not worth it..."
"Kick his ass, Dark One!"
Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything. You know that more than most of us, Rumplestiltskin, Archie thought with a frown. He had an idea Rumple was trying to fight off the dagger curse and giving into his anger would let the entity inside him take control and destroy what was left of his humanity.
Rumple poked his cane again into the other's chest and snarled, "C'mon, you baby raping piece of trash!"
"Hold it back Rumple, " Archie mumbled.
"Rumple...hold it back..." he heard Belle pleading and she stood up to take his hand. Archie breathed a sigh of relief. She would keep him anchored to his humanity.
"The ONLY reason why you're still breathing . . .Keith .. . is because of HER!" He Rumple jerked his head at Belle. "Otherwise your guts would be decorating the wall right now!"
"You . . you need anger management classes!" Keith slurred.
"No, I don't," Rumple retorted. "YOU need shut the fuck up classes!"
"Oh my gods!" Archie laughed hysterically, nearly dropping his bags of takeout.
"You need AMED Doctor Hopper?" one of the waitresses asked him after the scum that was Keith Nottingham finally realized he was fighting a losing battle and hightailed it.
"No…but that was a good one!"
"Doc, those onion rings are about done."
"Okay."
"Whew…." The waitress exclaimed and fanned herself.
"What now?" He turned around and saw Rumple and Belle feeding each other fries, the looks they were giving each other hot enough to light the room on fire.
Gods, what I wouldn't give to have Marie look at ME like that…!
Keep dreaming, Hopper. It's never going to happen.
Then the couple kissed. He could almost imagine how it would feel to finally kiss Marie….somewhere other than in dreams.
"Your onion rings are ready, Doc."
Archie grabbed the bag from the waitress's hand, picked up the rest of his takeout and ran out the door, whistling Along Comes a Woman.
Marie looked up at the clock wondering what was taking Archie so long and making matters worse Gisella was starting to get cranky as she always did when she was hungry. Archie came in a few minutes later out of breath.
"What did you do….run all the way back here?"
"Yes…" he gasped. "And let's not talk about how out of shape I am."
The three of them sat at the table in the kitchen eating their take out, acting very much like a family even though they were not and every day it was getting more and more difficult for him to say goodbye though he would most likely see them sometime the next day. It just wasn't enough anymore. The trouble was, every time he thought about asking Marie if they could see each other openly he lost his nerve, fearing she would say no. He hoped things would change after Regina's trial was over.
