Sins of the Past

by SiriuslyHooked

While searching for a way back to Storybrooke, Emma receives a mysterious note that only she can read and she is given the task of protecting someone special. Struggling with her role as the savior, she is unsure of how to protect Riley, a girl with many trust issues and secrets. Her secrets involve the town and her own past with its residents, including a handsome pirate captain.

4. Betrayals

Riley spent most of the night perfecting a way to leave Storybrooke without detection. It was far from her first attempt over the years and the council had wised up, prepared for many of her tricks. She remembered her first attempt at the age of eight when she cast a simple charm to make herself taller with waist-length blonde hair. It took less than a minute for the council to warn her protector, an elderly man with wrinkles on top of wrinkles and a tendency to pull his pants up too high, and for him to retrieve her at a diner just a mile down the road. With age came much more intelligent and well thought-out schemes and the council needed to adapt as well, having plans for any possible scenario. Her one advantage was that with Emma outside Storybrooke herself, the council would be unable to use her, through a worried voicemail or panicked pacing back and forth as she spoke to her parents, to find out that Riley left the town. The council would not be easily fooled by a cloaking spell or even her altering her appearance to resemble a completely different person. One of her ideas had been to take on the appearance of someone in the town but the fact that no one could pass the town line without losing their memories would only raise suspicion.

Sitting on her bed, an impression left in the mattress from the hours of flipping through her book, she waved both of her hands in tiny circles. A glowing ball of silver light appeared in front of her and slowly began to take shape, two beams of light shooting out from either side. The light grew brighter and brighter until it filled up the room. As it faded, an exact copy of her, down to the last detail, stood at the edge of her bed. She grabbed the double's hand and whispered a spell under her breath. Both of their hands glowed bright silver. Repeating the spell over and over again, Riley felt slightly weaker, the glow vanishing from her hand. A pink post-it note floated down from the ceiling and landed on her lap, the words Trouble. Sheriff's Station. Now in cursive.

"That should be enough," she said, releasing her grip on the double.

Crushing the post-it note into dust, she grabbed a black peacoat from her closet. A quick flick of her wrist sent her to the sheriff's station. At first glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, not even a sign of forced entry. Vivienne, in her raven form, was perched on the ledge.

"What's he done now? I told him to wait. Go back to keeping your cover. I'll handle it. Just be ready to hold up your end of the plan. No mistakes."

Expecting the worst, she walked into the station. Hook, a satisfied smirk on his face, was replacing the prosthetic hand with his signature hook, twisting it into place. She almost stepped onto an unconscious David's head, his body just inches away from her. The side of his head was bruised and it did not take much searching to find the culprit: a crowbar sticking out under a series of chairs. Hook's smirk faltered as he caught sight of Riley, her arms crossed.

"A crowbar? Really? You could have at least hit him from behind."

"Is this another magical ability of yours? Sensing what direction a man was struck?"

"No. I have so little hope in any intelligence you possess that I know you'd be dumb enough to hit him when he was looking at you and knew that you were the one who did it. How the hell have you survived this long?"

He shot her a harsh glare under furrowed brows. "I may have agreed to your assistance but it does not mean you can insult me freely."

"I'll insult you all I want, Captain Hobbles. Instead of waiting for me, like I said, you decided to go ahead and knock him out."

"I don't take orders from you, Renato."

"Well, you will if you finally want to end this revenge fantasy, Jones. Let's go before he wakes up…unless you want to get caught before we've even made it to your ship."

His hook grasped her wrist, preventing her from transporting them to the docks. "Let me make one thing quite clear, love. If you think of betraying me on this journey, you won't need to fear whoever intends to harm you. I will finish that job myself."

She shuddered. "Ooh, I'm shaking."

"I may only have one hand—"

"I wouldn't care if you were just a head rolling around the floor or you had a robot body that could shoot lasers. You don't scare me. Your threats just make me laugh. It's nothing against you. I've faced much worse than an arrogant pirate whose eyebrows move around so much that they might be two wiggly caterpillars."

Before he could strain himself to come up with an equally witty retort, she sent both of them to the deck of his ship. She lifted up a floorboard near the wheel, revealing a pile of maps. The maps depicted many lands, from Camelot to North America. She assumed that he stole the maps of places in this land from a book in the library. Digging through the massive pile, she picked up a detailed map of the Northeastern states and conjured a red pen to draw a path to New York. Hook was staring at her with a mixed expression of surprise and confusion.

"How did you know I hid the maps under that board?"

"You think this is my first pirate ship? They all hide them in the same kind of place," she replied with a shrug.

Beneath her careless tone, she knew that every word was a lie. She had not used magic to locate his stash of maps but immediately chose that floorboard. It was almost like an instinct thought she would never show any kind of weakness in front of him. Wanting to change the subject, she ran her finger along the drawn path.

"That's the quickest way to New York."

"Is this New York another town?" he asked, securing the sail with his one hand.

"It's a state. Think of it like it's own little land with villages. Manhattan is one of them," she explained, conjuring a tote bag with some of her belongings.

Hook sailed the cloaked ship out of the harbor, studying the map. True to its reputation, the ship was incredibly fast and at the rate it was moving, they would arrive in Manhattan within a couple hours. Riley leaned against the side, skimming a page in her book that was now the size of her hand. Vivienne had sent her a message that the second part of her plan was complete and David and Mary Margaret's sudden reactions sold the lie well enough that the council would never accuse Riley of leaving the town with ulterior motives.

"Not much longer now. Something the matter, love? Don't like being out on the water?"

"Nothing's wrong."

He nodded towards her wrist, which was sore and bright red. Without realizing it, she had been snapping her leather bracelet.

"Snap that any harder and that will be the second hand cut off on this ship."

"I'm fine. I'm just bored."

"What are you reading?"

"It's called a book. Ever seen one before?"

"I'm not an uneducated fool."

"Uneducated? Maybe not. Fool? That's debatable. So tell me, what is your grand plan?"

Reaching inside his coat, he showed her a vial of black liquid. The vial contained a concentrated dose of poison from a plant that grew exclusively in Neverland. He had made the poison during his years on the island.

"Dreamshade…interesting choice."

"You know of it?"

"I know it's a nasty poison that kills someone in days."

"This will kill the Dark One in a matter of hours."

"If you get close enough," she pointed out.

"Isn't that why I have you along for this venture?"

"Don't worry. I'm a girl of my word. I promised to help you get to him and I'll do that through Emma."

"From what I've seen, she doesn't trust you."

"Bad first impression."

"Murder tends to be, yes."

Her freshly manicured nails tore into a page on blood magic. Smoke rose from the book as it caught fire and she slammed it shut, extinguishing the flames. Though she acted as if she was not bothered by Emma and her parents constantly mentioning that day in the Enchanted Forest, it made her want to scream until her voice went hoarse. She was tired of them deciding that she was some bloody thirsty psychopath based on one incident that they knew nothing about, besides the fact that she murdered three men.

"Pot, meet kettle."

"What sort of gibberish is that?"

"You're a hypocrite like the rest of them. You see me do one thing and you judge me as some psycho who likes to kill people."

"I witnessed you murdering the shopkeeper as well…or at least leaving him to die."

"Because you're such a saint, pirate. Have you ever considered that I did those things for my own protection? Emma isn't my second guardian or even my tenth. I've had them come and go since I was seven. I didn't kill those men for some sadistic thrill. I did it because if they were alive, they could tell the person they work for where to find me and then I'd be dead. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's saving my own ass because when it comes down to it, I can only rely on myself."

"He must be quite powerful if you fear him."

Her right eye twitched. "I'm not scared of anyone or anything."

"And yet you've been hiding."

"Not by choice and if everything goes right, I'll never have to hide again."

"And what is your own grand plan? I suppose it has to do with your business in the Enchanted Forest."

"It's too complicated for someone like you to understand."

"Do tell. Someone like me?"

"An idiot with a death wish. A small part of you wants to fail because then the Dark One will seek his own revenge and end your long tale of sorrow but if killing him means you dying in the process, you won't mind that either."

Hook was silent, keeping his eyes on the open water. She flipped back to the page on blood magic.

"Hey, I get it. I've felt that way sometimes too."

"I doubt you've suffered as long as I have, Renato."

"You'd be surprised," she muttered.

"I've met others like you as well."

"Doubtful."

"You believe you can read people like open books but no one can do the same to you. I disagree. A way to pass the time. For every correct assumption, you cannot insult me for that many minutes."

Riley agreed to the terms of the deal, doubting that Hook would know much about her beyond her being a girl with magic. Judging by their spot on the map, the ship was only ten minutes from its destination. She replied to a text from Henry before stashing her phone in her coat pocket.

"You're being protected from a man," said Hook, beginning the game.

"Cheap shot."

"Pirate. That's one minute."

"You get one free pass. If the otherrs are like that, I'll annoy you so much that you'll want to throw yourself to the sharks before we find Emma."

"You're an orphan."

"Wrong."

"I know that look well, Renato. I saw it during my time in Neverland and well before then."

"I'm not an orphan."

"Much worse then, isn't it? You have a family but it feels as if you've got no one. If you were on good terms, they would be the ones protecting you, not some stranger. We may not see eye to eye most of the time…"

"More like never."

"But we do share that in common."

"We are nothing alike. You don't know the first thing about me, Hook. I'm not helping you because I see you as kindred spirit or something lame like that. Like I told you before, you're not the only one with an interest in seeing the Dark One dead and if I'm part of that, there will be people lining up to make deals with me. It's always good to have connections."

He docked the ship at the harbor. The cloaking spell remained intact, no one having a clue that a large pirate ship was nestled between two tiny boats. Waiting for a group of teenagers on skateboards to pass, she sneaked off the ship with Hook and tapped his back. She cast a glamour spell over him to ensure that he blended in with the crowd. Though his appearance remained the same, everyone else, besides Riley, would see him as a regular guy in the city, not someone dressed in pirate attire. Instead of searching for Emma, she brought him into a nearby hotel. Hook was like a fish out of water, puzzled by something as simple as an elevator.

"Swan is here?"

"No. This is a hotel. You need to give me time to get on Emma's good side before you stab anyone. With her trust issues, that could take days."

"They may return to Storybrooke before then."

"He's not leaving without his son and according to Emma, it could take centuries to just repair their relationship. I already booked a room. You can stay there when I think it's too risky for you to be in public. Once Emma trusts me, you can go ahead with your plan. Stay here while I check in at the desk. Try to act normal."

"Normal?"

"I know that might be hard so to be safe, touch nothing."

Riley walked over to the front desk. The receptionist, a woman in her mid-thirties, greeted her kindly.

"Checking in?"

"Yes."

"I just need a form of ID and your reservation confirmation, please."

"Sure. It's right—"

Distracted by something behind Riley, the receptionist cocked her head to the side. Riley turned around to see Hook standing next to a fountain in the middle of the lobby. He passed his hand over one of the spouts, surprised each time when a jet of water shot into the air.

"Sorry about my brother. He's never traveled before so he's easily excited by things. Here you go," said Riley, handing the amused woman her ID and the reservation email.

As the receptionist passed the ID through a scanner, she smiled at Riley though the wide smile did not hide the worry in her eyes. Riley noticed that her fingers were fiddling with something under the desk.

"These computers…honestly, I think they're older than me. The screen's frozen so let me just get my supervisor to fix the problem. I apologize for the inconvenience. I'll be back in a moment."

The receptionist disappeared into a back room. Riley felt a shiver run down her spine and she waved her fingers inside her coat. A portrait of a beach on the wall was replaced with a mirror, showing a security guard advancing behind her. He pointed a gun at her back. Two other men by the front door, likely off duty cops, reached for their own guns. Other people in the lobby panicked, thinking that the hotel was under attack.

"Hands behind your back," said the guard in a gruff voice.

Riley kept her hands by her side. "Don't make me use force. Hands behind your back now."

"Renato?"

One of the off-duty cops pointed his gun in the direction of the fountain. "Put that down, boy."

"Boy?"

Rolling her eyes, she flicked her wrist. The entire lobby was frozen, except for Hook who had taken out his sword. She easily knocked the three men unconscious and erased their memories, doing the same to the receptionist. Hook's sword disappeared from his hand, landing in her own, and she stepped in front of him.

"I said to act normal. That doesn't mean you play with water fountains or take out swords."

"That man intended to harm you."

"Oh, I'm touched that you care."

"Don't flatter yourself, Renato. I only intended to fight these men because of our deal and I wanted to ensure that you live to keep up your end. My sword, if you please."

She shoved the sword back into its scabbard. "Don't do that again. I don't need anyone, especially someone like you, to help me in a fight."

"Why did that man point his pistol at you?"

"It was nothing. Wait by the stairs while I get the room key. You'd probably piss yourself if you take the elevator."

"Elewhat?"

"Wait by the stairs."

As he walked towards the staircase, muttering about not taking orders from a girl, she moved behind the desk. The computer displayed Security Alert in bright red letters over the picture from her ID. She cast a spell to return the computer to its usual screen.

"It won't be that easy."

Grabbing the room keys, she led Hook up to their room, a two bedroom suite, on the third floor. She tried to explain basic things around the room but he could hardly understand the bathroom sink.

"I'm going to meet Emma now. You stay here. This is an enchanted parchment. Just say whatever you want and I'll get the message on my own parchment. I'll tell you when you can leave."

"Or we don't bother with this impossible mission of Swan trusting you and simply kill the Dark One."

"I'm an amazing actress. To help with my performance, I need you to do something. I need you to stab me."

He chuckled. "Perhaps I heard you wrong."

"No. It's how I got out of Storybrooke without my every move being watched like a hawk. Emma is going to think that I was attacked in Storybrooke and I had no choice but to meet her here. I need a wound to show her and with the Dark One around, I can't risk him recognizing an injury created by magic. Right through the stomach."

"And what if you bleed to death before reaching her?"

"I won't. Do it already. If you're too scared—"

Riley was cut off by his hook piercing her stomach. She winced, briefly gripping his shoulder. Casting a spell, she stopped the bleeding and altered the deep wound to make it look not as fresh. She left the hotel, keeping one hand over her stomach…

~Emma~

It was supposed to be a simple favor: find Gold's son then return to Storybrooke. From the start, she thought the trip was strange. She did not bother questioning how Gold knew that his son would be alive, let alone remember him, after all these years. On their way to New York, she imagined that his son was some elderly man even older than him or a worst case scenario that he was already dead and buried in a local cemetery. The only upside to that one scenario was that Gold possessed no magical abilities outside Storybrooke so he could not take out his anger on them by turning her and Henry into slugs or worse. While she was comforted by that fact, she also knew that he was plenty capable of hurting someone, remembering his assault on Mr. French, the flower shop owner.

All the bad scenarios she imagined in her mind became a lot more appealing when she learned the truth. Gold's son was none other than Neal, her ex-boyfriend and Henry's father. Emma was not only panicking over seeing him for the first time in ten years, after he set her up to go to jail for stolen watches. She also worried about Henry's reaction if he discovered that his father was not a heroic firefighter who died in a terrible fire but a man who was alive and living in the city. While Mary Margaret encouraged her to be honest with Henry, Riley was no help whatsoever, hoping that Henry would turn on Emma for her own amusement. Just talking with Neal alone was difficult. When he told her the truth about the night of her arrest, how August confronted him and convinced him to leave Emma, it took every bit of restraint within her to control her emotions. She was unable to comprehend how the words of a former wooden puppet outweighed his supposed love for her. When the truth about Neal was revealed, in front of both Henry and Gold, Emma could hardly stand the hurt on Henry's face. Another punch in the gut was when he compared her to Regina.

Emma was sitting in Neal's cramped apartment, waiting for Henry to finish getting dressed in the bathroom. Neal, wanting to be a good father, offered to show them around the city, though he was less enthused about spending time with his own father. She did not need a genius level IQ to know that they had their own share of problems. Neal had practically begged her to lie that she was unable to find him as a way to avoid seeing his father in person. Pulling at a loose string on the couch, she glanced at the bathroom door. Henry had barely said two words to her the entire morning. She wanted to explain herself but at the same time, part of her wondered if it was better to give him space. Gold was leaning against the wall, gripping his cane. Since his conversation with Neal the day before, he was completely silent, which made her more uncomfortable. Neal left the bedroom, putting on his coat. The awkward tension, at least for Emma, skyrocketed about a million percent.

"Henry almost ready?"

"I uh think so."

"Look, I know this is a little awkward. I get why you didn't tell him about me but I want to make up for what I missed, Emma. I want to get to know him."

"Yea…"

Henry hurried out of the bathroom and opened the window. For a moment, she thought Gold snarled at him but she was distracted by Henry waving outside.

"Kid, what are you doing? Waving at a pigeon?" she joked.

"No. It's Riley."

Those three words wiped the grin from her face. "Who's Riley? Does he have a twin?" asked Neal, curiously.

Ignoring him, she questioned Henry about Riley's sudden appearance. Emma had tried everything from ordering her to asking politely that Riley join their trip. Being just as stubborn as Emma, she refused, deciding that it was safer to remain in Storybrooke. He admitted that he had been texting Riley all morning. She was attacked at the town line by a man while hanging out with Vivienne, Regina's assistant, and recognized the man as a lackey of whoever was attempting to find her. Managing to fight the attacker off, she found David and Mary Margaret, who both agreed that it was best for Riley to find Emma in New York. Henry offered to bring her up to the apartment and walked out the door.

"Riley. The young charge you claim ventured through the portal with your and your mother, I assume," said Gold.

"Which you obviously know is a lie."

"I'm not as easily fooled as most people, dearie."

"Fine. We didn't rescue her from the Enchanted Forest. She…I got a note that only I could read and it said that it was my job to protect her."

"From what?" asked Neal.

"No idea. First, she drives past the town line, which I didn't think was possible but I guess it is now because the curse is broken or whatever. Then, she—well, she doesn't tell me anything. I'm pretty sure she only speaks in snark and she's not exactly little miss innocent. Let's just say when I got that note, I expected some helpless little girl, not…her. I saw her in the Enchanted Forest when we were trying to find a way back. She was captured by these men and then she got free and killed them all by herself."

"And how did she arrive in this land?" asked Gold, clearly suspicious.

"No idea. Maybe she had a magic bean or something. You seem to know everyone, Gold. Maybe you know her because all of the backgrounds checks David and I did came up with nothing. She's like a ghost."

Emma was dreading not just seeing Riley again, but her meeting Neal. For someone who never lived in Storybrooke, she knew far too much about the town and its curse. It made David and Mary Margaret both suspicious and anxious. David was less willing to trust a single word out of Riley's mouth. At first, Emma had given her the benefit of the doubt, thinking that her previous guardian told her about the town, but it was impossible for her to have any knowledge of Emma's past. Henry returned to the apartment with Riley, looking the happiest since he learned that Neal was his father. He was the only one who believed that she was a good person under all the snark and insults. The first thing Emma noticed was that the bottom of Riley's blouse was coated in dried blood.

"You were attacked?"

"Didn't you get David's message?" asked Riley, wincing as she sat down on the couch.

"No. My battery's dead. I thought you fixed the barrier at the town line. How did this guy hurt you?"

"I was being stupid. Vivienne and I were just joking around. I wasn't affected the curse so I could pass the line without losing my memories. He came out of nowhere. I only got away because I crossed back over the line," she said, showing the cut across her stomach.

"You don't want that to get infected. I've got a first aid kit."

Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Neal. She had no doubt that if Riley was a guy the same age, Neal would not show that much concern. He was like the boys at Mary Margaret's apartment, the supposedly brave knights who turned into puppies around her. She watched Neal wipe away the dried blood with a wet rag.

"Henry, can you give us a minute? I wanted to talk to Riley about what happened."

"I can—"

"Go on, kid. You're not old enough to hear this kind of stuff."

He shut the door to Neal's bedroom. "So where did you bury this one? Or did you tear him apart and then bury his pieces in different spots?"

To her surprise, Riley's eyes brimmed with tears. "I let him go. He couldn't come after me past the town line so why would I hurt him? You're never going to let that go, are you? I really don't appreciate you and your parents bringing it up all the time. I know I act like it doesn't bother me but it does and I don't need to be reminded of that day over and over again. I know you think I'm such a monster."

"No one said that," said Neal, shaking his head.

"I can see it by how you look at me, Emma. You're judging me because of one thing. How is that fair?"

"Riley, I—"

"You said that I didn't need to do what I did but did you ever think that maybe it was my only option? It's all I've ever known. I've never known another way to deal with it. If I let them live, they could've told—there's a reason that you're protecting me. I'm supposed to stay hidden. It's not like I enjoyed what happened that day. I just did what I thought was necessary. I know I haven't been really open with you but it's just because…if I get too close with my guardians, it hurts more when they're gone."

Emma checked for any sign that Riley was telling a lie. No matter how much she wanted to believe it was all a ruse, she could not deny the tears in Riley's eyes or the tremble in her voice. She knew what it was like to be judged by one's past and it was unfair to judge a complete stranger based on one incident. In a way, Emma saw herself in Riley: a girl with a mountain of trust issues who closed herself off to block out the pain. Gold was not as swayed by her emotional honesty. He interrogated her with question after question, from Where are you from? to Where did you learn magic?, and Riley never seemed so tense. She was even too frightened to look Gold in the eye, let alone answer his questions.

"Hey, that's enough. She just got attacked. She doesn't have to answer any questions."

"I disagree, Bae."

"Well, it's not up to you. Do you like pizza, Riley?"

"Yea."

"I was going to get Henry a slice. You can come too. This city has the best pizza."

Emma did not seem to be part of this invitation. When they arrived at the pizzeria, she and Gold were left outside on the street. Gold requested that as another favor, she needed to convince Neal to join them in Storybrooke. He attempted emotional blackmail, claiming that Henry would run away to be with his father like he had done to find her. She was at a loss for words when he also made the assumption that her insistence that Neal would eventually disappoint Henry was more about her, due to some lingering feelings.

"What makes you think that?"

"The look on your face," he said, smirking.

"You have no idea what—"

Gold's smirk faded into a slight frown, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. She was taken aback by two teenagers, the girl not much older than Henry, appearing behind him. More people, ranging from their teens to early forties, followed, surrounding them in a circle. Their wrists bore a marking of a snake eating its own tail though some of them had other unique tattoos.

"Can we help you?"

Not one person spoke, simply staring at her and Gold. "Heh, that's a cool…dragon tattoo," she said to the guy in his early twenties on her left, pointing at the tattoo along his arm.

If their silence was not unsettling enough, the anxious gleam in Gold's eyes was like a giant warning sign for trouble. The only time she had seen him this nervous was when he was face to face with Neal in his apartment.

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise."

The small circle broke apart as a man in his early forties walked towards them. His well-coiffed ebony hair and crisp suit gave off an aura of someone who was very wealthy and powerful. She was confused why the people bowed towards him, refusing to make the tiniest bit of eye contact. The man's dark eyes, somehow both cold and warm at the same time, rested on Gold. Emma could not shake the feeling that he was oddly familiar.

"It's been quite some time, Rumplestiltskin."

"A little over thirty one years. You've certainly grown since our last encounter, Marcus. I'm curious how you traveled to this land."

"Just like you, I have my secrets."

He turned towards Emma. "Apologies if they frightened you, Emma."

"I'm not—how did you know my name?"

Instead of answering her, he flashed her a wolfish smile. She glanced over at Gold, expecting some intimidating threat from him, but he remained silent, his eyes narrowed at the mysterious man. The man handed him a sealed envelope.

"I'm throwing a little charity event tonight. You should attend so we can catch up…reminisce about old times. Your son can come as well, if he's willing to stay in the same room as you for more than a few minutes. I hope you'll be there, Emma. My parties are always entertaining."

The group followed him down the street like little ducklings. As he entered a nearby bakery, she grabbed the envelope from Gold and skimmed over the invitation.

Grand Charity Ball

To be held on Friday, 8 October 2012 at 8 PM at Le Paradis

Her eyes widened when the writing about the charity was erased, replaced with the words I hope you'll save me a dance, Emma. She showed the altered invitation to Gold.

"How the hell—unless I'm hallucinating, this message changed by itself. How is that possible?"

"It seems we'll be attending a ball tonight, Miss Swan. I'm afraid you'll need to retire the leather jackets and jeans for the event."

"I'm not going anywhere near this place."

"Are you telling me that you're not the least bit curious how he knew your name? Whatever secrets he holds concerns me as well as you."

"Guessing you want to know how he got to this land."

"That is at the bottom of my list of concerns."

Emma flipped the note over, checking for any weird computer chip that could be altering the message. Coming up with all kinds of theories, she refused to accept the one idea nagging her in the back of her mind: that he was capable of using magic outside Storybrooke…

~Riley~

A monkey would have been harder to trick than Emma and her ex-boyfriend/the Dark One's son. All it took was a few forced tears and a sob story to convince Emma that she was some poor lost girl who was desperate to stay alive and truly regretted killing those men in the Enchanted Forest. Henry seemd to inherit his easily trusting nature from his father, who immediately offered to treat her wound and take her out for pizza. Riley continued to play up her act, pretending to be paranoid of someone just looking in her direction. Handing her a slice of pizza, Neal assured her that she was safe in New York.

He grabbed napkins from the counter. "You don't have to keep looking over your shoulder. No one's going to hurt you, Riley."

"That attack just made me a little paranoid."

Riley followed him and Henry out of the pizzeria. Emma was shaking a piece of paper as if expecting something to fall onto the ground. Henry wanted to return to the apartment for his camera after Neal suggested a visit to some museums. Feeling Gold's eyes on her, she stared at her boots though on the inside, she was smirking to herself.

"You like the New York pizza?" Emma asked Henry with a grin.

"Yea. It's delicious, cheesy, and doesn't lie."

Riley stifled a laugh. Heading back to the apartment, she was a silent observer to the awkwardness between Emma and Neal. She doubted that Emma was asking him to join them in Storybrooke out of any desire for Henry to know his father. Gold stopped him from opening the door to the apartment building.

"There's something that needs to be discussed before we plan any museum trips."

"Kid, why don't you go up to the room and find that camera?" said Emma.

Henry shook his head. "No. Something's wrong. I can tell by the look on your face. Did something bad happen in Storybrooke?"

"Everything's fine there. There was um…well…not sure how to explain it."

"I had a run-in with an old friend from our home."

Neal looked at him, confused. "Our home? Do you mean—how is that possible? The only people from back there are in Storybrooke."

Emma explained that they had been surrounded by a group of people while waiting outside the pizzeria and this 'old friend' had given Gold an invitation to a charity ball later that night. When she had read the invitation, the message suddenly changed to something much more personal. Riley let out a tiny giggle, texting Ethan. Emma snatched the phone from her.

"Hey!"

"What do you know? I'm barely trusting you as it is so if you know something, tell me. You're not giggling over Ethan telling you that his dad grounded him for hanging out with Alec."

"I just think it's ironic that Neal chose to live here."

"Why?" asked Neal.

"Well, you ran away to be as far as possible from magic and you picked this city. You've lived here for awhile and you never noticed it?"

"Stop with the teasing. Whatever you know, you better start talking," said Emma in a stern tone.

"I'll let you hold my hand like a small child and walk you through it. Storybrooke isn't the only place with magic. You all just think it is because that town is your little bubble. This so-called old friend…he wasn't born in the Enchanted Forest. He traveled there."

"How is that possible? Any of it?"

"He's not the only one. There are covens all over this world and while they have different rules, they do have one thing in common. All of them were born with their magic…descendants of magical bloodlines that began centuries ago. His ancestors crossed over here way before Regina cast her curse. The covens used to be in all sorts of magical lands…Enchanted Forest, Wonderland, Oz…"

Neal chuckled. "No, you're wrong. I was a little boy when those covens were still…they were extinguished."

"Extinguished?" asked Emma.

"When they were around in the Enchanted Forest, they were the biggest rulers with their own kingdoms but some misused their magic and it led to a lot of bloodshed. When I was maybe eight, these uprisings began against them with the help of the fairies, the ones who gave those bloodlines their abilities for their ancestors' good deeds. The covens realized that they were being plotted against so they joined forces and one day, there was this huge battle. I only heard stories about it but in the end, all of them were killed…even the kids were slaughtered to prevent a continuation of any bloodline."

"Mostly true but what no one realized is that they never killed a single person in that slaughter. All of the covens just used their own magic to send themselves to another land…a different one to conquer and they landed here. It's the perfect place for their kind. People in this land think of magic as just in books and movies so when they see something out of the ordinary, they pass it off as a hallucination. Once they landed here, the covens split off into their own territories. Over the years, some covens have joined together, whether willingly or by force, and New York has the worst of them all. I know what you're thinking, Emma. How could they possibly keep their magic if someone like Regina couldn't when she cast her curse? They used special protection charms to ensure that their magic was safe and each little generation born in this land has that same charm, allowing them to use magic anywhere."

All four of them had different reactions. Henry, being the most naïve, was excited by the story, his eyes lighting up at the idea that there were cities filled with magic. Neal seemed doubtful while Emma was struggling to understand just how no one ever noticed any magic in this land. Gold, his knuckles turning white from gripping his cane, looked furious. He had spent centuries attempting to travel to this land and while he was powerless outside the small town of Storybrooke, others were able to retain their abilities.

"You should be glad that you can't use magic here. It's banned in the city and punishable by death," she said to Gold, feigning concern.

"But if they have magic, why can't they use it?" asked Henry, wanting to know more about these covens.

"Control. Only those in the inner circle are allowed to cast any spells without permission."

Emma was still unconvinced. "Let's say I believe this crazy story. How does that explain him knowing my name?"

"The same reason I know about Storybrooke. If you want to find out, that museum trip has to wait."

"You know quite a lot about their history. Are you a descendant of one of these covens?" asked Gold, suspiciously, as they walked across the street.

Riley shrugged. "No idea. I only heard the stories from my parents. They were more like independent spirits."

She led them over to Bacchanal, a local bar and grill. It was packed from wall to wall with people drinking and grinding on the dance floor. Emma was not amused by her joke that the bar was known as a popular spot for terrible hangovers, alcohol poisoning, and unexpected pregnancies. She kept Henry away from a couple that was practically having sex against the wall. Spotting a young, dark-skinned boy, around her age, behind the bar counter, she told them to wait by the door. She picked up an empty glass and sat down at the bar. The boy was cleaning a mug with a rag, his eyes, half dark brown and half golden, reflected in the glass.

"I need a refill."

He closed his eyes tightly. "Go away."

"Is that any way to treat a customer?"

"You took that drink from an empty table and I won't serve you so technically, you don't count as a customer."

Her fingers brushed against his muscular arm, which was decorated with a heavily detailed tattoo sleeve. "Why are you being mean to me, Gale? I'm just visiting my favorite person in this city."

Hook sat on the other side of her. "And my second least favorite. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm tired of waiting, Renato. That parchment led me to you. Quit dawdling."

Gale eyed him distrustfully. "Why is a pirate in my bar?"

"Has your spell worn off already?" Hook asked her.

"Gods aren't fooled by this petty magic. Glamour spells…why not just throw a paper bag over his head?"

Riley scoffed. "You're really clinging to this god thing, aren't you? I bet that gets you laid a lot since the girls and boys don't realize that you're one for parties and wine. Well, a former god who's now stuck as a bartender. What a way to fall…"

He gripped the mug, the glass cracking under his fingers. Refusing to speak to her, he turned his back, arranging a series of bottles on the shelf. He watched a video on his phone as he picked up a bottle of tequila. Hook was glancing over Gale's, in his mind, strange attire of a muscle tee and jeans.

"He's a god?" he whispered.

"This isn't the time to gossip like schoolgirls. Don't mention it. It's a sore subject. Go back to the hotel now."

"Is your powerless friend going to make me?"

Gale turned around, his eyes turning fully golden. "I am not powerless, you dirty little pirate. Both of you, leave. Whatever mess you've gotten yourselves into, I'm not getting you out of it."

"I just want a drink," she said, innocently.

"I'm not stupid and you know my policy. I don't serve minors, especially stubborn, bratty little girls who don't know when it's best to quit instead of getting themselves into more trouble," he replied, his eyes returning to normal.

She swirled the ice in the empty glass. "You know, everytime you insult me, it just makes me want you more."

"And there's another problem to add to a very long list…thanks to your family issues, no doubt."

"Don't act like you've never thought about it. Instead of watching that weird gaelic movie, why don't we go in the back room and make our own little video?"

He looked at her, shocked. "How did you know that it was…you understand it?"

"Eye contact. Good start."

"If you tell me what's happening in this video, I'll do whatever you want. Just leave right after so I don't get a visit from you know who."

In the video, Gale was making out with a blonde-haired girl in his bed. The image scrambled for a couple seconds before switching to him sitting up in his bed, speaking in gaelic. His eyes flickered between golden and pitch black. The end of the video showed a silvery mist emitting from his mouth. Gale was clueless about how the video was made on his phone.

"Ooh, not good. Someone's trying to steal your magic…whatever's left of it. I'm sure you can guess who would cast that kind of spell."

"That's impossible. He's nowhere near here."

"But his lackeys are everywhere. You hung out with this girl all night?"

"Most of it, yes."

"And I bet you were really drunk. What's the last thing you remember before you passed out?"

"She was singing along to a song on the radio."

Riley waved her hand over his phone, fixing the scrambled parts. As the blonde-haired girl sang, Gale's eyes drooped and he fell unconscious, his head hitting the pillow. The girl straddled him, her eyes turning from emerald green to scarlet red. Her teeth elongated into sharp fangs and with a savage growl, she bit into his neck. Riley stopped the video and handed the phone to Gale, who shared Hook's horrified expression.

"You got tricked by a siren. So much for being an all mighty god, buddy. She bit you so he had an entry point for the spell. It's usually done by inserting a little something under your skin."

"And how do I stop it?"

"Tell me where to find Cassie and I might consider helping you. I'm not too sure. I'll think about it while I talk to her."

"She's in the back, trying to save up enough to pay back her debt."

"Go back to the hotel unless I tell you otherwise. This plan has to be done right or it'll fail miserably," she said to Hook.

Waving Emma and the others over, she brought them into the back of the opened up the last door on the left, letting out a big cloud of smoke. The room smelled like a drug den, the musty odor burning her eyes. In the center of the room, a middle-aged woman was sitting at a small circular table, her hands passing over a crystal ball. Her ethereal beauty was hidden beneath a heavy shawl, tangled chestnut brown hair, bright blue eyeshadow, and dark red lipstick. Beside the crystal ball was an overflowing ash tray. She gave fortunes to a group of teenagers, who looked very skeptical. In all honesty, it was her appearance, reminiscent of a 'crazy cat lady', that worked against her.

"What a bunch of crap. You don't even look like a psychic," said one of the boys.

The woman slammed her hands on the table. "I am the real thing, my dear…unlike those frauds you see on your televisions. Mark my words. You will suffer great tragedy tomorrow night at your dance."

"I'm sure. We're taking our money back."

"Payment can't be refunded simply because you dislike your fortune."

"But it can be when you're a fake, you old hag," he said, taking a pile of money from the table and storming out of the room with his friends.

She muttered under her breath about nasty children while lighting a cigarette. Seeing Riley, she jumped up and embraced her, planting a wet kiss on her cheek and slipping her hand into her coat pocket. Emma took a couple steps back, keeping Henry behind her.

"I thought I'd be seeing you soon…and you brought friends."

"Friends is a loose term. Cassie's a real seer."

"A real one, huh?" said Emma.

"Yes, of course. I'm never wrong."

She grabbed Emma's hand. "Oh, the savior. Such a honor to meet a girl with a bright future ahead of her…though I would cherish this time with your son."

"What?"

"You will lose him soon due to an unforeseen enemy and—oh, don't listen to me. It's not like you people listen to my warnings. No one ever believes Cassandra. They all think I'm some batty woman who needs a good shock treatment in a mental institution."

"Can't imagine why. Riley, is there a reason that we're here?"

"You came to find out why Marcus knew your name. I'm afraid that's my fault. You see—"

Cassandra bristled at the sight of Gold near the door. Her expression turned quite harsh and she hugged her shawl closer to her body.

"Rumple."

"Cassandra, it's been awhile. Last I remember, you were holed up in some cave, muttering prophecies to yourself."

"Yes and now only one of us can use magic outside of your little town. As I was saying, it's my doing that he knew about you, Emma Swan."

"How?" asked Neal.

"I don't control my visions but they are useful. Marcus uses me as a personal spy on his enemies. By a mere touch, I can see into someone's future. He tends to only believe my visions when they concern him. On the day that the queen cast her curse, I had a vision of Storybrooke arriving in this land. It sent the covens into quite the panic."

"But it's been frozen for twenty eight years. Why were they worried?" said Emma.

"Because of you and your role in breaking the curse. Marcus forced me to tell him what I saw in my vision and he spearheaded a movement to keep an eye on the town and anyone connected to it, including you, Neal, and your son. Some of your own foster parents were working for him and purposely sending you back each time, hoping it would delay the inevitable. He even managed to lower the barrier long enough to allow his spies into Storybrooke. For twenty eight years, they gave very few reports. Nothing ever changed until you arrived there and when you did, the reports were far more detailed. He's kept a particularly close eye on you because of your role as the savior. Marcus values control and Storybrooke is a wildcard. Up until he met you and Rumplestiltskin in person, he wasn't sure if its residents were capable of magic outside the town."

"Well, Gold's not so it's not a problem."

"Don't be fooled by his arrogant attitude. Underneath all that bravado, he's very paranoid. Keep your distance from him."

Returning to Neal's apartment, she sensed unease from the three adults, though for different reasons. Emma was unnerved that some of her foster families were wizards and witches in disguise, only taking her in to spy on her for their power hungry, arrogant leader. Neal had thought that this land would be an escape from magic but he had settled down in a city where magic was rampant. Gold did not voice his concerns aloud but they were written all over his face and were the reason why he wanted to attend the ball at Le Paradis. Despite Emma's objections, he suggested that if they refused the invitation, it would be suspicious to Marcus and the other members of his coven. Riley was not fooled by his concern that Marcus could harm all of them, including Henry, in retaliation, thinking that he had some underhanded scheme up his sleeve. Henry asked her countless questions about the history of the covens, from their beginnings in the Enchanted Forest to their journey to this land. The enchanted parchment burned in her coat pocket. She peeked at the words scribbled on the parchment: Enough waiting. The time is now.

"Uh Henry, I think I left my town back at the bar. I'll be right back."

"I can go with you."

"No, it's okay. You get that camera and I can meet all of you at the museum. I shouldn't take too l—"

"What was that?" said Neal, hearing a loud commotion downstairs.

"I don't know," she lied, knowing exactly what made that noise.

"Henry, stay in the apartment. Riley and I are going to make sure everything's okay."

Running down the staircase, they found Emma kneeling in front of Gold, who was clutching his chest. Hook was laying on the floor, unconscious. Neal seemed to recognize him but focused on checking on his father. Gold's fingers were coated in blood. Slinging his arm over his shoulder, Neal helped him up the staircase while Riley and Emma carried Hook into a supply closet. The tip of his hook was covered in a mixture of blood and dreamshade. Emma tied him to a radiator and retrieved the map from his coat. Entering Neal's apartment, they saw Gold laying on the couch, breathing heavily.

"Get this. He had a map on him," said Emma, showing the map to Neal.

"How do you get a pirate ship into New York?"

"It's cloaked. Riley, can you go wet a towel?"

"Sure."

Riley grabbed a towel from the kitchen counter and turned on the sink. As she held the towel under the water, she noticed Gold grab Henry roughly out of the corner of her eye. She flicked her wrist, casting a spell to enhance her hearing.

"You caused this. You brought us back here. You did this!" he hissed, scaring Henry.

Emma sent Henry into the bedroom to charge her phone. "Thanks Riley," said Neal, taking the towel.

The dreamshade already began to spread, making pus seep from the chest wound. Gold knew that the poison was one of Hook's creations and only magic would be able to save him. Hearing them plan to take his ship back to Storybrooke before the poison killed Gold, Riley imagined all the ways to torture Hook for his foolish mistake.

"You know how to sail a pirate ship?" Emma asked Neal, dumbfounded.

"Yea, I do."

"I can heal you, Mr. Gold."

Three pairs of eyes fell on her. "Riley, what do you mean?"

"I don't need to go back to Storybrooke to use my magic. I can try to…well, I can't guarantee that it'll get rid of all the poison. I've never tried the spell before though."

"I know you can do it. If it can keep Gold alive even a day longer, that helps."

Taking a deep breath, she bent down beside Gold and placed her hands over the wound. Her palms glowed bright silver. He groaned in pain and after a few minute, she moved her hands. His chest was bare, showing no trace of an injury.

"You did it," said Henry, happily.

"I can't tell if it worked perfectly. There might be some poison left."

"Hey, he's not dead so I'd say that's a win. See, you don't have to only use your magic to hurt people. It can save them too. There's always another way, Riley."

"I can go check on Hook…to make sure he hasn't escaped that closet."

"Just be careful."

Riley walked into the supply closet. Hook, already awake from being hit over the head by Emma, was using his hook to remove the rope around his wrist. She cast a spell to turn the ropes into shackles, wrapping them around his wrists and ankles.

"I know partnership might be hard for you to understand but when I say not to do anything until I tell you to, it means don't do it until I tell you to…can't get much clearer than that. How did you reverse the glamour spell?"

"Your friend at the pub. You aren't the only one who's witnessed such magic before, Renato. I encountered it myself long ago when I was a boy. A sorcerer had cursed a friend of mine and I helped to heal her."

"Her? A girl could stand you long enough to be your friend? I'm shocked."

"When I told him of the cure, a very simple one that did not need your assistance, he offered to reverse your spell so I could have the satisfaction of the Dark One's face when he realized that I had won."

"You didn't win yet."

"He'll succumb to the poison within the hour."

"Except that I healed him. Before you start shouting, I did it for a reason. I told you that I had a very specific plan and now I have to change it because you got too impatient. You need to be blameless for his death so I healed him…for now. He'll die but not by your hand. By tomorrow morning, the Dark One will be gone. I'll remove the shackles but you're staying under that glamour spell until the job is done. I don't need you making any more mistakes. We're in this together until the end."

Riley removed the shackles and recast the glamour spell over him. "Now I have a party to get ready for so be a good little pirate."

Taking her time to return to the apartment, she peeked at the note hidden in her coat pocket…

~Killian~

As much as he would despise to admit it, Renato was not a terrible partner. She tended to be very meticulous, planning several steps ahead and refusing to allow even the tiniest mistake. He had grown impatient with waiting for her to gain Swan's trust and decided to take matters into his own hands. If he was reluctant to trust that he would bring her to the same place as the Dark One, he was far more hesitant that she would guarantee his death, after saving his life from the poison. She seemed to keep her promises yet he honestly knew very little about her. At most, he was aware that someone was attempting to harm her and she was a gifted witch. Their time together on the Jolly Roger revealed that they shared a common past, both having no family. Though she claimed to not be an orphan, he recognized the look in her eyes from the mere mention of family, having it himself when he lost his father and again when he lost Liam.

Killian had just entered Le Paradis, a very extravagant home the size of a small castle. He learned of its origins from the boy at the pub. It was the home of the leader of the most powerful coven in this land, explaining how many covens from the Enchanted Forest had fled to this land during the uprisings. Most would have been surprised to learn that they escaped their own slaughter, putting doubles in their place, but Killian always had a strange feeling that some members survived the attacks. The boy told him how the covens split off into their own 'kingdoms', each taking a specific territory in the land without magic. In Manhattan was a coven three times the size of the rest, due to its leader usurping the power of other covens. Killian theorized that Riley was a member of one of these covens and was proven right when he learned that she healed the Dark One herself, despite not being in Storybrooke. Though she freed him, he decided to attend the ball, wanting to be sure that she was not betraying him. The ball was very similar to ones held in the Enchanted Forest.

He leaned against a pillar, watching Swan with her son, Baelfire, and the Dark One. She held her phone against her ear.

"I want Riley here before we bump into any…unique people. She'd be useful in case they try something against us. You heard that seer. I know she seemed a little…"

"Crazy?"

"But I don't want to take chances."

She jumped as a man in his early forties appeared beside her. "And here I was expecting you to be in a leather jacket. You clean up nicely, Emma."

"Heh, you just use magic in front of all these people. They can't all be in your coven."

He grinned. "I see someone's done their research. I did hear that you paid a visit to Cassandra this afternoon. No, they're not. Some people in this city are aware of magic and they keep it quiet, thanks to my charitable donations and my generous offers."

"Offers?" asked Baelfire.

"To be gifted. How do you think my empire's grown so much? You may have rejected magic, Baelfire—"

"It's Neal."

"Yes, so I've heard. Others aren't as closeminded as you. In this land, they think magic is impossible. They'll do anything to have such unique talents. Emma, would you like to dance?"

"Me? I'm uh—you know, I'm not much of a dancer."

"I insist."

"Yes, Miss Swan, it's only a dance. Go on. It would be rude to refuse Marcus as he is the host of this wonderful party," said the Dark One, his tone sounding more like an order than a suggestion.

With a forced smile, she joined him on the dance floor. Killian was able to overhear bits of their conversation. Due to the glamour spell, he blended in with the crowd, seemingly wearing the same attire. Marcus, who he assumed to be the leader of the coven, kept her very close.

"For someone isn't much of a dancer, you're very good."

"Um thanks. Not sure why you'd want to dance with me when all these women look ready to jump you in bed any second."

"You're the guest of honor tonight. It's not every day that the savior shows up in my city."

"Is that all you know me as, the savior?"

"No. I know very much about you...even things you don't remember. Since you had that visit with Cassandra, I assume she told you that I know about Storybrooke as well. I can tell it bothers you but see it from my point of view. A town pops out of nowhere. I wanted to make sure that you all stay put."

"What does that mean?"

"We've had order for centuries. The queen's curse could've thrown it off balance."

"Or maybe you're just afraid of Gold."

Marcus laughed. "You think I'm afraid of a powerless man with a limp?"

"Why else would you show off so much? If he had his magic, it'd be a different story. I don't think you'd be so quick to meet him in person."

"I've nothing to prove…unlike you. You're the savior. It's quite a title to live up to, Emma, and now that the barrier over the town line is broken, who knows who could show up in your little town? From what I hear, you recently discovered your abilities. You're not much good in a fight yet."

Swan shrugged. "I don't need magic for a fight."

"So confident and yet so naïve at the same time. You've been living in a different world all these years. You just didn't realize it until Henry brought you to Storybrooke. A gun won't stop many. I always find it better to be cautious. It's why I've been in charge all these years."

"And here I thought it was because no one's been able to kill you."

"That as well but I am always ten steps ahead of everyone else. Nothing will ever catch me off guard."

The music changed abruptly from a waltz to a sort of lullaby. A softspoken woman's voice rang through the ballroom.

Sleep, my little angels

Let your dreams carry you

To somewhere with

A wondrous view

Don't be afraid, my brave little ones

Mother is always around

To chase away the monsters

I'll keep you safe and sound

Swan commented on the odd change in music. Killian was distracted from the soft melody by Marcus's own reaction. He seemed to be in a state of shock, his face paler than a ghost and his hand gripping Swan's very tightly.

"Hey, are you…okay? Oh, there's Riley."

He snapped out of his daze. "Who?"

"This girl I'm taking care of for awhile. She's really sweet. Well, not right away but just give her time."

As the sweet lullaby continued, clearly affecting him, Killian followed Swan's gaze. His heart seemed to leap from his chest. Riley was standing at the top of the staircase, dressed in an elegant, floor-length dress with a plunging neckline. The dress shimmered in the light as if the entire dress was made of crystals. Her long, ebony hair was swept to one side, held together by a silver dove clip. For a moment, the walls behind her changed, becoming golden in color with the tapestries of the kingdom he used to serve with his brother after the loss of their father. Her dress was different as well, reflecting the attire in the Enchanted Forest with the dress, now dark green, having a much fuller skirt and long sleeves. He blinked several times when Liam, dressed in his naval uniform, stood at her side. Linking their arms, they descended down the staircase.

"Have you forgotten to tell me something, brother?" he asked, though he did not open his mouth.

Liam feigned a smile. "No. Your friend has decided to blackmail me as a way of attending the party, little brother. She's under the delusion that I was flirting with the prince's fiancee when I was simply helping her off her horse."

"You need a better story than that, captain. Perhaps I am wrong but if I did mention what I saw to the prince, I think he would believe me over you. He may be betrothed but like any man, he's easily swayed by a beautiful face," said Riley.

"Don't bother fighting with her, Liam. She always wins," said Killian.

His older brother sighed. "Yes, I'm well aware of that. You can stay for no more than five minutes. No stealing from the castle. If you excuse me, I need to speak with the king about an impending journey."

Alone with Riley, as his brother spoke with the king privately, he felt a tight knot in the pit of his stomach. "Ask me."

"S—sorry?"

"To dance, lieutenant. If you stare any harder, you may burn a hole through my head. Ask me before someone else does or you may never have a good excuse to hold me."

"You know my name. When will you call me by it instead of lieutenant?"

"When you have earned it," she said with a mischievous smile.

Killian found himself back in the ballroom in New York. Instead of standing beside him, Riley was walking over to Swan. He wondered if some foolish child cast a spell in the air to cause strange hallucinations.

"Riley, this is Marcus. He owns this place so be nice."

"Always am. It's such a honor to meet you in person. I've heard so many stories," said Riley.

"I'm sure you have. So glad you could attend," he replied in a stilted tone, shaking her hand.

"You know, Riley can use magic too. I think that she's from one of those covens," said Swan.

"How intriguing. I need to attend some business. Thank you for the dance, Emma. Lovely to meet you…Riley."

Marcus vanished from the dance floor. "I'm the only one who flinches at that, aren't I?"

"You'll get used to it. I'm starving so I'm going to look for some shrimp puffs. I could eat those for hours."

Riley wandered over to a table filled with food. Marcus reappeared at her side and whispered in her ear, seizing her wrist roughly. He forced her down a side corridor. Killian stayed two steps behind and hid behind the door of the empty room they chose for their conversation.

"What are you doing here?" asked Marcus, losing all politeness in his voice.

"I came here with Emma. Did your spies not know that she's my newest guardian? Oh right, I altered their memories so they don't recognize me. Don't look so scared. I'm only here for this fancy party."

"Do not think I won't watch your every move."

"I wouldn't expect anything less. Make sure you don't stare at my ass too long, no matter how tempting. It would be even creepier now that I'm older."

He glared, his eyes gleaming with anger. "I won't have you destroying everything I've built."

"I see you haven't changed. Still playing the victim. What exactly did I do to you that was so horrible? I'm curious to hear your latest rewrite of history. What would you call what you did to me?"

"You brought that on yourself for listening to that beast and Sebastian instead of me. Your problems are your own doing."

"You think you're so smart but you're as transparent as ever. You think I don't know why you're being so nice to the savior? I know what you've been doing to Gale for him but sadly, that plan's been ruined and you can't use him again. The savior's your backup plan and it would've been the Dark One too but his magic doesn't work out here so it's pointless. We both know how powerful true love magic is…and she's the perfect choice for your gift to him."

"A quick snap of my fingers and I'd summon him right to this room. I'd love to see how confident you are then."

"Go ahead but you won't because deep down, you're nothing more than a little puppy with his tail between his legs that's too scared to upset his daddy who will never appreciate him and just use him to kiss his ass and—"

Her harsh words were silenced by a loud slap. "You'll do well to remember to show me respect. You mean nothing to me and even less to him. I told you to choose the right side and instead, you defied me. I see you're still taking on the names of your fallen protectors, Riley. He was so good to you, wasn't he? A shame he had to die for such a worthless cause. Would it hurt you more to know that his last memory was of you? I suppose after tonight, I can call you Emma…or have you not grown attached to this one yet?"

As he vanished from the room, she conjured a handkerchief. It trembled in her hand, the encounter leaving her quite shaken. Killian left his hiding spot.

"Renato."

"Are you—what the hell are you doing here?"

"Ensuring that you hold up your end of our deal. I overheard that conversation. Here," he said, reaching for the handkerchief.

"I don't need—"

"You can hardly hold it yourself. Let me."

He tilted her chin up, seeing a shallow cut across her cheek. Her eyes were squeezed so tightly shut that they could possibly disappear under her skin but that did not hide the single tear trickling down her cheek. He wiped away the blood with the handkerchief.

"Was that true? You take the names of your protectors when they're gone?"

"No. Riley's my name."

"Seems you two share a past. A bit of advice? You may need some sort of gag in your mouth to stop you from insulting people too much."

"Shut up."

"It was a joke, love…though it wouldn't hurt to be more careful with your words. You're lucky it was only a slap. Judging by his anger—"

Riley shoved him to the floor. "Shut up! Just stop talking! He's stupid! You're stupid! Everyone's stupid!"

"Renato—"

Her eyes turned pitch black and the veins underneath became much more pronounced. "Stop acting like you know anything about me! You're just a stupid pirate with a stupid death wish! If you tell anyone what you saw, I'll kill you myself!"

Catching her appearance in a mirror above the fireplace, she rushed out of the room…

~Riley~

"I'm not like him."

Riley repeated the same words over and over again as she hurried down the corridor. Stopping in front of a mirror, she checked her face. Her eyes returned to their usual color. She flicked her wrist, casting a spell to heal the cut on her cheek. Entering the ballroom, she spotted Marcus at the top of the staircase with his inner circle, a group of followers that were closest to him. His mere presence made the room go silent, every face looking up at him with either admiration, awe, or fear.

"I want to thank all of you for attending tonight. As you know, I have a tradition of providing only the best entertainment and this evening will be no different. I happen to have a few guests of honor in my home."

A spotlight shined down on Emma, Henry, Neal, and Gold by the drinks table. "The lovely woman before us happens to be someone very special…the savior. For those of you who do not know the meaning that title holds, Emma is the reason that a curse was broken over a small town in Maine and the reason why one of my old friends could attend tonight. Now I'm sure you've heard the stories of the imp Rumplestiltskin but those stories do not do the man justice. Despite his silly appearance in the stories, he's actually quite fearsome but you wouldn't know it by looking at him."

His followers in the crowd sniggered. Riley felt someone move behind her. Hook was by her side, his eyes on the four 'honored guests'.

"What is he doing?"

"What he always does…putting on a show."

"He came all the way here to be reunited with his long lost son. Isn't that sweet? Who knew that his son would get a little shock himself from this reunion when he met his own son, one who has the savior and Dark One's blood running through his veins? They'll be our entertainment for this evening."

"What?" said Emma as people step towards them from the crowd.

"Do you remember what I told you during our dance, Emma? Now is the time to prove yourself. My guests are here for a fight. If you win, you can leave here with no repercussions. If you lose, it will cost you your life. Would you like to say any last words to your son? I can't guarantee that he'll make it out alive."

"None of us can use magic. How is that fair?"

"It isn't but it does make this a thousand times more entertaining."

"You're a monster."

"I promise to make your death quick. Ladies and gentlemen, let us begin. Fair warning. This will be a short duel so you won't want to miss it."

He snapped his fingers. More of his followers stepped out of the crowd for the fight, some of them looking very bloodthirsty. Henry cowered behind Emma and while Neal searched for a way out of the room, she smashed a champagne bottle on the table to use as a weapon. One of the women sent a spell towards Emma. The marble floor rose up like a wall, deflecting the spell. Riley transported herself in front of them. Marcus fingers dug into the polished railing, angered by her interference and the stunned whispers from the crowd.

"You want a show, right? You won't get one with them. No offense but I'm pretty sure a toddler could kick his ass," she said, nodding back towards Gold.

She removed the dove-shaped clip from her hair, letting her hair fall, and placed it on the floor. "This is your last chance. If anyone wants to pick up that clip, go ahead and I won't beat you senseless."

"Riley, don't. It's not a fair fight," said Neal.

"It's the fairest you'll get."

Not one of his followers picked up the clip, instead getting in their fighting stances. She shrugged and tied her hair up in a ponytail.

"It's your funeral. Who's going to be the brave one and take the first shot?"

His followers were far more disappointing than she imagined, barely able to handle themselves in a fight. She deflected each attack with ease and knocked them out with a single move. As one of the men set his entire hand on fire, he threw a punch at her. She grabbed his hand, extinguishing the flame, and drew an invisible X on the back of his hand. Elbowing the man in the face, she knocked him unconscious and several seconds later, the rest of his followers suffered the same fate.

"Is this the best you've got? I've seen scarier rabbits. Why isn't the ringleader of this pathetic circus in this fight? Oh right, because he's a little chicken shit."

Marcus snarled. "I am not a coward."

"Past experience says different but whatever story you want to make up in your head is fine with me."

He held up his hand and his remaining followers immediately looked to him, stepping back into the crowd. Not saying a word, he jumped down to the floor.

"It won't be as easy with me. Do you honestly want to risk drawing attention? You've done so well hiding all these years."

"Kicking your ass would be worth it. He's really rewarded you for your loyalty. Look at you now…prince of a rat infested shithole of a city."

"I'M THE KING!"

His booming voice echoed throughout the room. She gave a mock cursty.

"Apologies. King of a rat infested shithole of a city. It's a very important difference."

"Riley, stop provoking him. Just poof us back to Storybrooke. You don't need to fight him," pleaded Emma.

"It's like fighting a one-legged blind puppy."

"He's right. Using too much magic will draw attention. You told me that was bad. For once, listen to me."

Marcus unbuttoned his suit jacket, tossing it aside. "I'm sorry it's come to this."

"Wow. That almost sounded convincing," said Riley.

A stream of fire, large enough to disintegrate half the crowd, shot out from his right hand. She deflected it by creating a shield from the floor then sent her own fireball, made of bright blue flame, towards him. Unlike the previous fight, Riley needed to put in some effort. Marcus was much quicker and calculated with his moves, meaning she needed to think on her feet. Their attacks, becoming more brutal, had destroyed parts of the manor, from the walls to the ceiling. Most of the crowd, mainly those without magic, had hidden themselves in the corridors to avoid being struck by a spell. Twisting her hand, she levitated him into the air.

"Someone hasn't been watching their iron intake. Good for me, bad for you."

Riley slammed him against all four walls before dropping him onto the floor. He breathed heavily, laying on his back. She wiped a spot of blood from her lip.

"Don't make me finish this the real way. Give up. You're not going to win this one, Marc. You never have before and now, I'm even stronger. Call off your stupid plan and—"

A jet of blue light struck her face, knocking into the drinks table. He stood up weakly, blood dripping from the side of his head. Their fight had left his suit torn to shreds and his hair a disheveled mess. Letting out a low growl, it soon turned into a booming roar and a giant flame emerged from his mouth, taking the shape of a dragon. He cackled like a madman, scaring some of his followers.

"You did call me a monster, Emma. I suppose I hide it well. It seems that you won't have much to protect anymore."

The dragon descended upon Riley, spinning in rapid circles. Ice emanated from her hands, freezing over the flames. As the ice shattered on the floor, she protected herself with an invisible shield. His followers were gathered in a circle, their hands touching in the middle. Chanting quietly, they created a giant ball of golden light that hurtled towards Emma and the others. Riley quickly jumped in front of them and held out her hands. An invisible dome formed around them and she struggled to deflect the blast. The blast was absorbed through her fingers. Traveling all over her body, it illuminated her like a human-sized night light. Redirecting the blast, she created a ball of light twice the size. Marcus stepped back, warily. The ball of light became smaller and smaller until it vanished into nothing. She stamped on her foot, trapping Marcus and his followers in a shell from the neck down, made from the marble floor.

"You've gotten weak."

"This isn't being weak."

She looked at Emma. "There's just always another way."

Neal ushered the silent, terrified crowd out of the manor. Only Marcus and his followers were left inside, struggling against their marble prisons. Henry's arms wrapped around her waist.

"That was awesome!"

Riley tensed up when Emma embraced her with her own one-armed hug. "Pretty awesome but don't ever do this again. I'm too young to die from a heart attack."

"I'll take care of them. I'll put them somewhere that they can't hurt anyone ever again."

Flicking her wrist, she transported herself from the manor. She landed outside of an underground cavern. Mason, freed from the marble, was laying on the ground. He attempted to escape from the cavern but was knocked back by an invisible shield.

"Where are we?"

"You don't recognize your own prison? This is where you send your disloyal followers. The ones at the party are all free and back in their homes."

"Is this for the savior? I'm sure she believed every second of that performance. The Dark One isn't as easily fooled."

"Don't care about him."

"So this is your plan? Leave me in my own prison to rot? I'll find a way to break the enchantment and escape."

"Emma probably thinks it's best to keep you trapped down here…give you time to think about your actions. We both know that you'll never follow me to Storybrooke. You're too much of a coward to face an empowered Dark One. I decided to go with a more lenient approach."

"You being lenient? I'd never believe it."

His eyes widened with fear as she conjured a thin black dagger. It was one of the daggers that she kept hidden in her room at the inn. As moonlight streamed through the cracks, it struck the blade, making it shine like a bright diamond. His breathing became shaky.

"You look nervous, Marcus. I can imagine why."

"You've forgiven Seth?"

"No. This isn't one of his little baby ones. It's the real thing. You're so afraid of his so just think of how painful this one must feel."

"Where did you get it?"

"With the help of my recently deceased friend...the one who gave up his job to the savior. A better question is where did I get them?"

She stepped through the invisible barrier. "You're not like him. You won't use it on us."

"Maybe not on Seth or Bash but you? Leaning towards a giant yes. You know, I almost decided not to but that slap brought up some painful memories. It proved to me that you haven't changed a bit."

"You won't. I know we've had our quarrels over the years—"

"Quarrels? Such a cute way of describing them. You should be happy, Marc. I finally came home and you're actually useful beyond being an annoying sycophant."

"You need me."

"Not at all. Try again. If you make me sympathize with you, that will be a feat in itself and I'll let you go."

He nearly tripped over a giant boulder. For the first time since she showed the dagger, he looked into her eyes.

"Family above all, little sister."

She plunged the dagger into his chest. He cried out in pain, his face turning grey and gaunt like a corpse. The effects spread all over his skin and he reached for her neck.

"You were really desperate to use that…something you spit on all those years ago when you chose his side. I'd say that I'll miss you but seeing you like this, there is no greater pleasure. Don't worry. I did learn a few things from Seth. I'll keep you cozy. If it makes you feel any better, you're going to be such a huge help. I couldn't do anything without you, brother."

She conjured a red silk coffin and placed him inside, pecking his forehead. The coffin vanished from the cavern and she returned to Neal's apartment. Emma was straining to get an excited Henry to bed but he was too busy reenacting the fight from the manor. Neal managed to grab him from the couch and carried him into the bedroom, slung over his shoulder. Gold was inspecting the contents of the kitchen cabinet.

"Ah, Miss Renato, back from taking care of that nasty business?"

"Yea. He won't get free anytime soon."

"Good. I wanted to express my gratitude. You were quite impressive."

"Thanks but I wasn't that great. I think I got lucky."

"No, you were smart. It's important to be smart in a fight. When we return to Storybrooke, how would you like to receive some lessons from me?"

"W—what?"

"Well, you did save my life twice today…from Hook's poison and that coven. You're gifted and you may have learned many things from your coven but imagine what you could learn from the most powerful man in all the realms."

"That's…you're serious? That would be amazing."

"I think you'll be my best pupil yet."

The inside of her clutch purse felt very warm. "I'm going to check on the closet. It's probably best if Hook isn't running around the city."

Leaving the apartment, she opened her purse. The enchanted parchment had a new message: Downstairs. Hook was waiting by the supply closet. She waved her hand, removing the glamour spell.

"No point in keeping you disguised. By tomorrow morning, that poison will come back and he'll be dead. I'll blame it on Marcus poisoning his drink or something."

"After what you did tonight, Swan would believe anything you say."

"You're right. I just feel bad that you won't get to see the Dark One dead."

An invisible force sent him flying into the closet and the shackles reappeared around his wrists and ankles. She leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. He struggled against the shackles.

"What is this?"

"Plans change, Hook. I decided that it's not good for the Dark One to die just yet."

"We had a deal! You said you would keep your word!"

"And I did. I said that I'd help you get to him. You got close enough to stab him so that counts."

"Release me or—"

"Or what? You can't hurt me."

"I'll tell Swan that this is all a ruse. You didn't save them tonight out of any nobility, Renato. It was to get Swan to trust you. If the Dark One learns of your part in my vengeance, it won't end well. You could hardly stand the attack of a few amateurs."

"Are you sure? Consider this, Captain Hobbles. Maybe, as part of my act, I only pretended to have trouble with deflecting their attack. Also consider that I was holding back tonight. You think what I did at the manor was impressive? It was child's play."

"You can't just leave me here. We had a deal, Renato!"

"You won't be trapped forever. I'm sure someone will find you. The only problem is finding a way back to Storybrooke without your ship. A handsome face like yours shouldn't have trouble with hitching a ride but I think the pirate outfit will make people think you're a little sketchy. I told you that we were in this together until the end. This is the end."

Riley found herself having trouble with shutting the door. "Renato!"

She closed the door, tuning out his enraged shouting. Opening her purse, she pulled out the note from Cassandra given to her during her visit. The note read Gold is the key to your success. If you want to be one step closer to completing your plan, leave your partner behind.

"These shackles won't hold me for long! When I get free, I'll—Renato! Do you hear me?!"

She cast a silencing spell over the door and walked up the staircase, tossing the torn up pieces of the note into a trash bin…