A/N: So this is really really IMPORTANT so please read before you continue reading (that sounded better in my head!) So it's important to know that I'm basically ignoring the ENTIRE plot line of Greg/Tamara/Neal. Emma doesn't know that Neal is Rumple's son, she's never met Greg or Tamara. So they're new bad guys who have gone of on a tangent away from the secret service they work for. So as long as you bear this in mind then my story makes sense.

This chapter is a fair bit longer than my others, so have fun! And thank you SO much for Reviews/Favourites and Follows. All of them are really very encouraging!

Emma wakes in a panic when something that feels akin to electricity ricochets down her spine. She bolts upwards, hands clutching at the duvet and then Regina's hand, the woman having woken the same moment Emma had shot up.

'Hey,' Regina hushes her quietly, 'hey, what's wrong?'

Emma blows out a breath, embarrassed at having freaked out over nothing but a shiver but still she feels as if something's amiss, 'nothing. Just jittery I suppose'.

Regina smiles gently at her as she rubs her thumb along the blondes' knuckles, 'understandable. You did just bring a story to life'.

Emma smiles wanly, and Regina can see the unease in her eyes but knows that Emma won't talk about what's bothering her if she doesn't want to. Instead she lies down and gently eases Emma down next to her. The blonde settles so that her head lies atop of her chest, arm thrown over her waist and leg hooked over her thighs; something that further cements that something is bothering Emma. She's never particularly clingy in bed, only when she's spooked or upset, generally preferring to touch through the interlinking of their fingers or the press of breasts against back. Regina strokes her fingers through Emma's hair as they listen to the rain, which has seemingly come from nowhere, strike the window. She can't help but shiver herself despite Emma's comforting warmth pressed against her beneath the duvet, and she wonders if there's something more to it than the cold weather. Before she can take that thought any further, Emma begins tracing lazy circles against her side and within seconds she is pulled under into sleeps welcome embrace.

Emma doesn't sleep again that night. She stays tangled with Regina and watches the darkness dissipate to an almost equally murky morning, which is fitting really considering her own dismal mood. Yesterday's events play heavily on her mind, still reeling over the fact that her whole identity has been shifted yet another direction. How can so much responsibility fall on her shoulders? A woman who not ten years ago had to steal to stay alive, who let people down and could barely look after herself let alone another person. How was she supposed to be the Saviour whilst at the same time be wary of what she said just in case she bought aliens or the plague to Storybrooke? Fate must be laughing hard at the joke it'd made of her life.

She looks across to Regina, who even in the weak sunlight that is barely filtering through the window, looks despicably beautiful. For a moment she wishes that Regina was the one with this power, knowing that she could control it with an iron fist, but then regrets it. Magic is Regina's downfall, something that had almost completely conquered her. Emma will take this supposed 'gift' if it will save Regina from her power struggle, but she can't help but worry that her new power will hurt the brunette regardless.

Regina is her weakness, as is Henry, and if anything were to happen to them-

'It's too early for such concentration,' Regina mumbles against her shoulder as she brushes her lips against her skin in a sloppy kiss.

'Just thinking. I thought you'd be proud,' Emma jokes and Regina squeezes her waist lightly.

'If it weren't so early, I would be'.

Emma looks across to the alarm clock on the bedside table, 'five minutes before the alarm goes off'.

'Christ, really?' Regina growls in displeasure, burying her head further into Emma's neck as she tries to close her eyes and slip back to sleep. 'Can't we postpone Monday?'

'You're the Mayor, you can't bunk'.

'I'm the Mayor and that's exactly why I can bunk'.

Emma walks her fingers up Regina's body, spanning hip to neck and back again, 'I could wake you up, if you'd like,' she grins, brushing her chilled fingers across Regina's nipple. The brunette breathes out slowly in response, an odd growl in the back of her throat. Emma circles that same nipple slowly with her index finger, spiralling inward as it grows stiffer and rosy until she rolls it between finger and thumb.

Regina arches a little at that, her breath a little quicker before shuddering out to a complete stop as Emma envelops her nipple in her mouth-

The alarm clock starts violently and Regina lunges and smacks it off the table, before reaching for Emma once more. But the blonde is out of reach and grinning as she stretches, letting Regina admire the ripple of abdominal muscles and the gentle curves of her breasts.

'You did that deliberately,' Regina complains as she grabs her dressing gown from the end of the bed and slips it on. Emma flashes an impish smile, before climbing out of bed and heading for the shower.

'Would I do that to you?' she calls behind her as she goes.

'Of course you would, because you're an insufferable menace'.

Emma smiles widely at that, turning around as she reaches the bathroom door, 'you love it really,' she laughs before slipping inside.

Regina shakes her head as she heads in the opposite direction, searching for her morning coffee before going to wake Henry up, all the way contemplating how on earth she allowed herself to fall in love with someone as infuriating as Emma Swan.

Emma tugs on her boots before hurrying through to the kitchen where Henry sits shovelling cereal into his mouth. 'Where's your mom?' she asks as she kisses his head, and he points through to the study, bringing his hand up to his ear to show she's on her phone, whilst chewing on a mouthful of Fruit Loops.

'Cheers kid'.

He smiles at her before she dashes off again, aware that she's late as usual. She's supposed to be meeting her parents at Grannie's for breakfast at 8:15, something that they'd had planned for a week now, and she can't bail on them at the last minute, no matter how much she wants to.

She creeps into the study, but Regina is finished on the phone, her face creased in a frown. 'Bad news?'

'No, not bad just strange,' Regina pauses for a moment and Emma feels herself frown, worry beginning to niggle in her stomach, 'That was the Blue Fairy'.

Emma struggles to compute the fact, 'the same one that hates your guts, right?'

Regina glares at her. 'Yes, the one and only. She was reporting an odd fluctuation in magic'.

Emma blinks once again, 'hold up. You can monitor magic? How?'

'When magic first came to Storybrooke, it was through the well, so any magic used in town is technically drawn from there,' Emma cocks an eyebrow and Regina raises hers, 'I know it sounds odd, but listen. Apparently Blue has set up some sort of monitoring system around it with the fairy dust. The mixture of a particular spell and the dust, when exposed to high amounts of magic within a particular area, will explode like a firework, sending a signal to whoever is monitoring it. Last night it went off for the first time since the curse was broken'. Regina paces as she talks, something that Emma is very accustomed too, but it still makes her nervous.

'Was that my fault?' Emma asks and her voice is embarrassingly shy. She clears her throat and tries to sound more like the adult she is, 'did I set it off?'

'I'm not sure, you're the most obvious option but-'

'But what?'

'It's nothing but a possibility, but maybe it was something else. Something bigger. You're magic last night, and this is in no ways supposed to be demeaning,' Regina steps closer and links hands with her, 'it wasn't that powerful, certainly not as powerful as some of the spells Rumple has used, and even myself'.

'So it was Gold who set it off?' Emma questions, slightly confused. Regina squeezes her hand.

'That's the thing, Blue has already asked him and he denies it'.

'But come off it, Gold isn't exactly the most trustworthy person in town, is he?' Emma huffs in exasperation, thinking back to numerous occasions of the imps antics.

'But Belle is, and she vouched for him. She was,' Regina coughs embarrassedly, waggling her eyebrows and gesturing with her hands, 'you know, with him'.

'It's always the good girls,' Emma smirks and Regina tsks at her.

'Focus Miss Swan,' Regina snaps and Emma slides closer to her, drawn by the intoxicating authority in her voice. God, how many times had she gotten off on that sound.

'Don't Miss Swan me, you know what that does to me Madame Mayor,' Emma purrs lowly.

'Now is not the time for such lurid thoughts, Emma. This could be serious, a new source of magic'.

Emma stops at that, but draws the brunette closer suddenly very protective 'a threat?'

'I don't know, it's just an oddity at the moment. We'll have to keep an eye on it'. Regina reaches out and cups Emma's cheek, the silent I need to keep an eye on you too so please be careful loud and clear to them both. 'I'll do some enquiring myself today and see what else I can piece together. When we get home tonight, we'll talk more about it'.

Emma takes Regina's hand and kisses her palm, drawing in a deep breath as she prepares herself to go out, to leave Regina's side. Since last night all she wants to do is be near to the brunette, as if she can reassure herself that nothing has happened to her- that she has done nothing to her.

'Now I know you have breakfast plans with the two idiots, so go. I'll see you tonight,' Regina says as positively as she can, despite the fact that she holds tightly onto Emma, 'and remember, it's going to be ok. You're still Emma Swan'.

'Right, yeah,' Emma says with as much enthusiasm and confidence she can manage, 'I've got this'.

'Of course you do, dear. Unfortunately for you, you're a Charming. It runs in your blood to have the ability to handle any situation,' Regina lets go of Emma with a final squeeze of her hand. 'Wish Snow a fruitful week from me, won't you?' Regina says with a sly smile.

'You're so bad,' Emma drawls amusedly, before kissing the brunette once more and heading for the door.

Emma arrives ten minutes late to breakfast, which isn't really that bad considering her previous records. She steps through the door, running a hand through her still tangled hair, and looks around for her parents. It doesn't take long to find them, considering they're the only ones in the room who are looking up at her with stupid grins on their faces as if she's just cured Leroy of his alcohol issues (god knows she wishes she could).

'Morning guys,' Emma says lamely, still having issues at calling them anything else but Snow and David. She thinks that's pretty good in light of all things, and knows that they won't push her for anything more in case she runs away. She's not entirely sure if she should class that as a good thing or not, but it's a thing that prevents her from going through any awkward moments which she's eternally grateful for.

'Good morning sweetheart,' Snow is quick to remark and David, much to Emma's amusement, rolls his eyes at his wife's lack of subtlety.

Emma slides into the empty side of the booth, glad that the two of them hadn't split so she'd be forced to sit with one of them. She picks up the menu out of habit, but already knows what she's ordering, coffee with milk and two sugar and a bear claw. Regina isn't around to berate her and she'll be damned if she's missing out on the opportunity.

'Sorry I was late,' Emma offers up as Ruby comes over. Emma orders and Ruby smiles before gliding off without even a hint of more conversation and Emma wonders if Snow had paid the waitress to not talk to her just so she wouldn't be distracted from them both.

'You're here honey, and that's all we care about. Right Charming?'

'Right,' David agrees, catching Emma's eye and giving her an apologetic smile at Snow's overbearing sweetness.

'How're things at Henry's?' Snow asks once Ruby has deposited Emma's breakfast.

'It's Regina's house, Snow. It's my home'.

Snow looks ready to protest but David pats her hand consolingly, 'we know Emma. How is our Grandson?'

'Probably traumatised,' she says before she can stop herself. She claps a hand over her mouth, but the cat is out of the proverbial bag and she's barely had a sip of her coffee. Damn.

'What do you mean?' Snow asks immediately, looking at Emma with such concern that the blonde feels like she's suffocating.

'Nothing, I- I don't mean anything. Burbling. Yep that's what's happening. I've had no coffee and I'm burbling,' Emma rambles quickly, hastily picking up her coffee and taking a scalding sip. 'Ow,' she murmurs to herself as her tongue burns.

'Something's happened, hasn't it? Something bad? Oh God, Emma. What's Regina done?'

Emma forces herself not to growl as she tries not to throw her mug at Snow. 'Regina's done nothing, it was me. I-' she stops herself as if realising where she is. She looks around but sees no one but Ruby behind the counter and Granny in the kitchen. She leans forward and the pair in front of her do too. 'I discovered I have a pretty new, rare magical talent'.

'Oh this sounds foreboding,' David mutters, and Snow elbows him in the ribs.

'I can bring stories to life. Regina called me a Wordsmith, that I'm a-'

'Storyteller. Christ, you're A Storyteller,' Snow whispers panicked, as if Cora had just walked through the door with half a dozen poisoned apples in her hands.

David shushes Snow as he looks at his daughter, 'but something else happened, didn't it? What aren't you telling us?'

Emma swallows, impressed that he can read her quite so well in a short amount of time. 'I didn't know I was one until last night. I read Henry a story, one I'd written when I was younger, and the bad things kind of, you know, popped out and sorta just a little bit stabbed me in the chest,' she finishes quickly, like ripping of a band aid.

The pair of them look at her for a long moment, their mouths agape, before Snow pushes David out of the way, scrambling across him as if she's a cat before launching herself at her daughter. Her hands fly everywhere, and Emma is frozen for a moment at Snow's tenacity before she still's the woman's hands with her own.

'Oh my god, are you ok? What- how – are you dying? Will you die? I can't lose you!'

'Woah, Snow! Jesus, chill out for a second ok?' She brings the woman's hand to feel the pulse at her wrist, 'I'm ok, see? Regina fixed me'.

Snow melts against her side, breathing out easily once more. 'Oh thank goodness, I was so worried'.

'Really Snow? You didn't come across bothered at all,' David sighs from behind his wife, before peering over her shoulder to look at Emma. 'You're definitely ok though, yes?'

Emma nods with a grateful smile, glad she's inherited his level headedness. 'I'm fine, just a little weirded out I suppose'.

Snow nods in sympathy before pushing Emma along the booth so she can slide in next to her. Emma bites the inside of her cheek to stop herself from pushing Snow right back until she's on the floor. 'Perhaps Mr Gold has a cure, or at least something that could help you-'

'No!' Emma barks and Snow jumps at the sudden roughness. Ruby looks over at them with an inquisitive expression, but otherwise goes about her work. 'Nobody else is to know about this, do you understand? Especially not Mr Gold. I told you this in complete secrecy, ok?'

'Yes of course, Emma. We understand,' David says as he observes the panicked shake of his daughters shoulders, 'don't we Snow?' The woman nods as she takes Emma's hand.

'Good. I just need time to figure things out, ok? Because from what Regina says, I'm now pretty powerful and if certain people find out,' Emma trails off, scenarios playing in her head in quick motion pictures.

'It would be bad, for you and your family,' David says gently, and Emma really really wants to climb across the table and hug him for his understanding. Instead she nods and throws him a watery smile.

'We'll make sure that this stays between us; we'll make sure you're safe'. Emma can hear a version of we'll always find you in there somewhere and smiles warmly for once, rather than cringing.

Looking at the man in front of her, she suddenly realises how vastly she trusts him, despite his tendency to go into hero mode with a little too much vigour. She knows in that very moment that she can trust him with what Regina had told her earlier. Snow on the other hand, whilst loving and adorable and so very very protective would most likely freak out before she got to the point.

With an 'accidental' knock of her wrist, her mostly empty and entirely cold cup of coffee flies over Snow's garish pink trousers. 'Oh my god, I'm so sorry Snow!' she exclaims as she hastily picks up the cup and sets it back on the table.

'It's fine, Emma, just an accident. No harm done,' she smiles at her, even as the coffee spreads to make an unfortunate looking stain in the crotch of her trousers, 'I'm just going to pop to the bathroom and try and clean myself up. Back in mo!'

As soon as the woman disappears behind the bathroom door, Emma leans across to David. 'Something else has happened,' she says lowly, and the man looks at her knowingly.

'I guessed as much when you deliberately knocked your coffee over your mother,' David says, sounding as if he's trying not to laugh.

Emma looks taken aback, 'what? That was an accident!' She insists.

'No it wasn't, you just needed to get rid of Snow in the nicest way possible,' David smiles kindly at her to show he understands, 'don't worry, I won't tell'.

Emma concedes to the fact that David knows her better than she thought. 'It's just that she'll freak out and probably stalk me for the rest of the year, and I really don't want her to do that especially with me and Regina-'

David holds up his hand and she stops, her cheeks burning red. 'I don't need to hear the rest, but I get it. What do you need to tell me?'

'Blue phoned Regina this morning,' David raises his eyebrows in surprise and Emma nods, 'I know, I was surprised too. But anyhow, she says that there was an odd fluctuation in magic last night, that something or someone powerful did magic of some sort. Something big'.

'Gold?'

'No, Belle was with him all night. And apparently the magic I used last night wouldn't warrant for that kind of fluctuation, which means-'

David straightens up, suddenly very serious. 'Somebody else is here that can use magic'.

'It's not definite, but that's what it looks like. And if they can set of this magical monitoring system then it means that they're the big guns,' Emma thinks it funny how young she sounds, and how she isn't quite so bothered by it because she's talking to David.

'Right, I'll go with you to the station today, see if we can maybe make up a two man patrol?'

Emma squishes her face up as she considers it, 'I think it would be better if you were to go around town with Snow, just looking for anything out of the ordinary, and if you find anything then we can convene and go from there?'

'Are you sure?'

Emma smiles at his concern, 'yeah I'll be fine. Besides I'm pretty sure Snow would be suspicious if you stayed with me at the Station from now on'.

'Point,' David concedes, before rolling into father mode, 'but if you find anything, or something happens at the station, ring me for back up?'

Emma huffs, but gives in at the look that he gives her, sort of pleading and puppyish, 'sure. I will'.

At that moment Snow appears, smiling and miraculously free of coffee, something that makes Emma think she isn't the only one in the family that can use magic. 'There, good as new'. Much to Emma's relief the woman slides in next to her husband, leaving her to eat the remaining half of her breakfast without clashing elbows with the brunette.

'I'd better go,' Emma says as she finishes off the last bite of her Bear Claw.

'Oh,' Snow says rather dejectedly, 'so soon?'

'I've got to work, crime never sleeps,' Emma shoots over her shoulder as she lays down a few bills on the counter.

'But it's morning Emma, crime would surely be having breakfast.

Emma physically stops at that, turning on her boot in a slow circle to look at Snow, trying to keep her mouth closed to stop the scoff that is aching to come out. 'Was that meant to be funny?'

Snow grins sheepishly at her, 'Um, no?'

'Good god, I'm glad I didn't inherit your humour,' Emma says and watches at the woman's face lights up, as if Emma just recognising that they're related is the best thing in the world.

'Have a wonderful day sweetheart,' Snow gushes, and David nods and waves as she leaves.

The door's only just shut when Emma opens it again and sticks her head back through, grinning. 'Oh and Snow? Regina says hi'.

Gold doesn't look up as the bell above the door rings.

'I don't open for another half hour,' he says as he continues tinkering with a potion vile.

'Oh I know, that's exactly why I'm here,' Tamara smiles languidly as she advances through the shop slowly, pausing to look at the different objects that hang from each corner of the room.

Gold looks up at that, looking at the woman inquisitively as he realises he has never seen her before. 'New in town are we dearie?'

Tamara smiles. 'Quite, just got here last night in fact. An awfully difficult place to find'.

'Well, you're here now. What can I do for you?' He walks out from behind the counter, his stick tapping rhythmically on the floor as he goes. The woman meets him halfway, observing him casually as if sizing him up.

'I was wondering if you'd like to do,' Tamara ponders for a little, humming as she does so before snapping her fingers, 'a deal with me?'

Gold is immediately wary at that, drawing forward a little with a sneer as he feels the magic at his fingertips. 'And what kind of deal would that be?'

'You tell me where Emma Swan is, and I won't kill you'.

He laughs, walking away from her as he does so, 'well as tempting as that sounds, I'll have to decline. Good day'.

Tamara follows him until she is pressed against the counter, 'are you sure?'

He's about to laugh when footsteps run up behind him, and before he can turn, before he can blow them backwards something is attached to his wrist. It's cold against his skin, gives off an odd vibration but he ignores it and instead spins to his assailant, clicking his fingers to summon a fireball and –

Nothing. He tries again, then tries harder but nothing works. His magic's failed him, his power gone. For the first time since he'd become The Dark One, he's helpless.

Greg joins Tamara and they watch as Gold sneers at them, before striking out with his cane. Greg grabs it mid swing and pulls it toward him, chuckling as Gold overbalances and falls to the floor at their feet.

'I'll give you a moment to think about our little deal, shall I Mr Gold? Or should I say Rumplestiltskin?' Tamara says as she crouches down next to him. The old man glares hatefully up at her, and she smiles innocently. 'Tell me where I can find Emma Swan'.

'Why would you need to find Miss Swan?'

'She's a pretty vital part of this project we have up and running. She's the missing piece, you could say. Tracked her here all the way from New York with our very own,' she laughs and he doesn't understand, 'sniffer dog. Now tell me where she is'.

Gold sneers, 'I don't think so dearie'.

Tamara pulls out her gun with a sigh, signalling for Greg to do the same. 'I'm beginning to get a little bored of this. Tell me where she is, and I won't put a bullet through your head'.

He is suddenly faced with the first moral conundrum of his magical life, for once thinking of someone else before himself. If these people wanted Emma, then they proved an immediate threat to Henry; the young boy who was his grandson and his undoing. Gold is about to shake his head once more, before the bell rings once more, and all three look over to the door.

'Rumple?' Belle questions, her face the picture of confusion and innocence, and if his heart hadn't been removed long ago, it would've stopped.

'Belle! Run!' Gold roars, but she doesn't and instead moves towards them, seemingly unwilling to leave him behind. He curses her good nature, curses just for a moment her loyalty to him.

'Oh, now this is good,' Greg laughs, grabbing roughly onto Belle's arm and dragging her to his side. 'Your girlfriend, old man?' He tilts Belle's chin from side to side before exposing the pale fragile skin of her neck.

'You let her go!' he roars again, spittle coming from his mouth as he lunges for him, but Tamara kicks him down.

'How about you tell us where Emma Swan is and I won't blow your girlfriends head off?' Tamara says slowly as she places the muzzle of the gun to Belle's temple.

Gold can hear the rush of his blood in his ears as he looks at the woman who loves him even when he's a monster, who let him feel love for the first time since he'd lost Bae. He can't lose her, no matter if he's betraying family.

'I'll tell you, just let her go'.

'Rumple don't,' Belle exclaims as she watches him get to his feet. He looks her in the eye, reaches a hand forward to cup her cheek.

'I won't lose you again'.

Their tender moment is ruined when Greg throws Belle to the floor, her head bouncing painfully off of the wooden floor, and Gold growls before rushing forward only to be thrown backwards once more.

'Belle?!'

But the librarian is unconscious, blood trickling from a wound that is tangled in her hairline.

'Belle?!' he shouts again, even as Tamara shoves a canvas bag over his head, before dragging him towards the back to where their van is parked.

'Belle?!'

His cry is swallowed by the forceful bang of the vans doors shutting, and what little light had filtered through the canvas bag disappears. Gold struggles to push himself into a sitting position, but as he does so he hears the engine start and the scrape of a hatch being pulled open.

'Where's Emma?'

It's Tamara and if he had magic he would blow her into pieces. But he doesn't. 'At the Sheriff station,' he pauses for a moment, guilt running through him like poison, 'She's the Sheriff'.

The day seems boringly slow compared to last night. She knows it's macabre but she feels the need to do something dangerous, even if it is just chasing down the local teenagers for their ever growing stash of pot. The clock ticks past half eleven and she sighs heavily once more before she rolls up some waste paper into a ball and aims it at the bin. That's when the phone rings. She fist pumps the air, takes the shot and scores before hurrying to the phone.

'Sherriff Swan speaking,' she answers.

'Emma?' a woman sobs down the phone, sounding dazed and more than a little frightened. Emma's heart skips a beat as she recognises who it is.

'Belle? What's wrong?'

The woman catches her breath as she tries to explain, 'I went to Rumples shop this morning, and people were there. They had guns and they,' she hiccups before continuing, 'they took him! They've taken him and I don't what to do!'

'I need you to calm down Belle, and tell me where you are and if you're hurt?'

'I'm at the Pawn Shop, I- I just have a cut on my head. But Emma, please hurry. I – don't want to lose him'. Belle starts sobbing afresh and Emma's heart goes out to her, imagining being in the same position. Her stomach coils at the idea of Regina being taken.

'I'll be two minutes, ok Belle? Just stay there. I'm coming'.

Hanging up the phone she grabs her jacket and slides her gun into her pocket before running for the door, knowing without a doubt that this is linked to what happened with the magic last night. It's not lost on her how the person she'd been most worried about finding out her new power has been kidnapped, and the whole idea of who and who not to trust swims in her head.

As she starts up the car, she phones David. Sliding the car into drive she pulls away from the station, tyres squealing as she waits for the man to pick up the phone. Her brain is falling over all her different thoughts as she tries to think who would have the ability to take Gold. The man has serious magic-

'Emma?'

'David, something's happened at Gold's shop. He's been taken by someone, and Belle witnessed it. I'm on my way. Where are you?' She gushes as she takes a hairpin bend at ridiculous speeds.

'Main Street, about thirty seconds away. Meet you there?'

'Yep'. Emma hangs up and considers phoning Regina to let her know what's happened, but she decides against it as she see's Main Street come into view. She can see Snow and David heading over to the shop and she pushes down on the gas to catch up to them.

Squealing to a stop she bursts from the car and heads into Gold's shop.

Belle is leant against the fair wall, holding a wad of tissue to her head whilst tears continually slip down her face. She looks up, obviously startled by Emma's abrupt entrance but then her face crumbles in relief to see it's only her.

'Belle, Christ,' Emma exclaims as she gets closer, seeing the blood soak through the tissue, 'you need to see Dr Whale. That's pretty bad'.

'No, need to find Rumple,' she says faintly, though there is some steel to her voice.

Emma rests her hand on the woman's trembling shoulder, 'right, ok. First I need you to tell me what happened'. She's aware of Snow and David checking around the shop, looking for any signs that the perpetrators were still about, or had left any clues.

'I only went out for ten minutes, just to open the Library up, and then I came back and he was on the floor,' she breathes out raggedly and Emma looks around for a chair for the woman to sit on, but there isn't one, 'there were two people. A man and a woman and they had guns'. Belle's breath becomes raspy as she begins to panic and Emma loops her arm around the woman's waist just in case.

'It's ok Belle, you're doing great,' she encourages.

'The man, he grabbed me and then the woman threatened Rumple that she'd kill me if he didn't,' Belle stops abruptly and looks at Emma as if suddenly realising who she is.

'If he didn't what, Belle? What did she say!?'

'She'd kill me if Rumple didn't tell her where you were,' she whispers apologetically.

Emma takes a step back. 'What?'

Belle starts crying again, 'she wanted to know where you were but I don't know why'.

Now it's Emma's turn to panic. Someone was ready to kill just to find out where she was?

'David, Snow I need you to take Belle to the hospital for me,' she says with a faked smile as she helps the still bleeding brunette into Snow's arms.

'Emma, are you sure you don't want us here?' Snow asks even as she guides Belle to the door.

'No, it's fine. I need to start a search plan, try to think about this rationally. It'll be fine, see you later'. She knows she's talking too fast but she hopes the pair will pass it off as nerves about finding Gold. They look at her once more, frowns on both their faces before leaving.

As soon as the door shuts, Emma strikes out at the wall, fist aching as she draws it back. 'Fuck. Fuck!' Someone was searching for her and it can't be a coincidence that just the day before she'd come into a new magical ability. They have to be after that, though why they need Mr Gold, she isn't sure. She's itching to phone Regina but she knows the brunette will drop everything to be with her, and doing that probably isn't the best way to stay inconspicuous about the whole situation. No, she'll head to the station herself, and if someone's waiting for her there, then god help them because she's pissed off. And she's pissed off bad. Gold's words come back to her, 'magic is about emotion. You have to ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Who am I protecting?'

Straightening up she runs for the door, a mantra circling her head.

Protect my family.

The van stops and in seconds the doors are thrown open and he is dragged out, his feet stumbling on the floor as his legs try desperately to support himself.

He's led through winding pathways, his head forced down on several occasions to duck under things. His foot catches on something hard and cylindrical and he nearly falls but is hauled up again, 'you know this would be easier for all parties involved if I could see where I was going,' he comments, but his words are unheard and muffled, so he stays quiet for the rest of the journey. Eventually they come to a stop, and the bag on his head is ripped off. He expects the need to blink at the new light, but the room is almost as dark as the bag had been .

'Hospitable aren't we? Nice place, a little on the dark side,' he comments and laughs happily at his own joke.

'You always thought you were so funny. The almighty Dark One,' a disembodied voice comes from across the room, and Gold peers into the darkness even as Tamara secures him to a metal chair before leaving.

'I see my reputation precedes me,' Gold chortles.

'Oh yes, I know all about you'.

'And yet I know nothing about you. Seems a little unfair, doesn't it?'

A light is snapped on overhead and this time Gold blinks, his eyes watering as the white light burns his irises. When his eyes finally clear he looks up to a man who is entirely new to him and obviously the owner of the taunting voice.

'You're right, how rude of me,' the tall man before him says, before crouching down so they are at the same height. Gold looks him in the eye, something deep within him stirring as he continually looks at him.

'Have we met before?' he asks curiously, continuing to assess the man in front of him.

'You could say that. But let's not get into our pasts, shall we? Instead I'm going to tell you what you're going to do for me, ok?'

Gold sighs dramatically, slouching in his chair, 'very well, what do you want?'

The man laughs cruelly and yet again Gold feels something in him react to this man, something that he can't quite put his finger on, 'your magic. I want every drop of your magic without The Dark One's curse'.

Gold laughs in his face, laughing and laughing until his sides hurt. 'And I'd like to rule the universe dearie, but these things are impossible. You can't take my magic without killing me and taking the curse for yourself'.

The man in front of him straightens. 'That is where you're wrong. That band around your wrist,' he points to Gold's left wrist, the one that is tied uncomfortably at the back of the chair, 'can be linked up to a machine. Your magic can be drawn from you like venom from a snake'. The man paces in front of him and Gold shifts in his chair, listening to his words carefully, 'though your right, in some ways. Not just anyone can take your magic this way. You've got to be special'.

'And you're special. The Chosen One?' Gold questions jeeringly.

The man stops and looks at him with piercing eyes, his expression familiar in an aching way to Gold. For a moment he's unsure, but then the man comes closer and he looks, really looks.

'No,' Gold breathes, 'no. You can't be'.

The man laughs.

'Surprise'.