Rapunzel, Rapunzel: A Land Without Magic

by jazzywazzy08

When Bonnie discovers her real parents are in Storybrooke, Maine; she finds that in another world and another life her name was Rapunzel and she is the daughter of the Evil Queen Regina Mills.

7. Chapter Seven: The Wraith

Title: Rapunzel, Rapunzel: A Land Without Magic

Rating: M (For Later Chapters)

Fandom: Once Upon A Time/ The Vampire Dairies

Genre: AU/Crossover

Pairings: Bonnie (Rapunzel)/Killian Jones(Captain Hook), Bonnie (Rapunzel)/Sheriff Graham Humbert (The Huntsman), Mr. Gold (Rumplestiltskin)/Belle, Regina (Evil Queen)/ Klaus, Mary Margaret (Snow White)/ David Nolan (Prince "Charming" James), Tyler/Ruby (Red), Emma/Alaric (Baelfire), Emma/Sheriff Graham (The Huntsman), August (Pinocchio)/Caroline, Stefan/Elena, Stefan/Mulan, Elijah/Elena, Elijah/Mulan, Matt/Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Rebekah/Jefferson(The Mad Hatter), Henry/Gretel, Lucy/Lancelot. Abby/Sidney (The Genie of Agrabah/The Magic Mirror), mentions of Sidney (The Genie of Agrabah/The Magic Mirror)/Regina (Evil Queen), etc.

Summary: When Bonnie discovers her real parents are in Storybrooke, Maine; she finds that in another world and another life her name was Rapunzel and she is the daughter of the Evil Queen Regina Mills.

Warnings: Violence, Language, Mild-Moderate Sexual Content, Character Death, etc.

Chapter Seven: The Wraith

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

Rapunzel Mills sat on her grandfather's lap as he read her the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Her eyes widened as Prince Henry came to the part of the tale that told of the forbidden love between Arthur's wife Guinevere Leodegrance and his most trusted knight Lancelot du Lac.

"Must you read her that trash, father?" Regina said, as she entered Rapunzel's room through the large bay window of the girl's tower.

"But it isn't trash," Rapunzel defended, "It's a legendary tale of adventure and forbidden romance. There's knights, kings and queens, and magic."

Regina rolled her eyes. "We have those things right here in the Enchanted Forest," she shrugged.

Henry frowned at his daughter as Rapunzel left his lap. He closed the book and watched as his granddaughter went to sit down on the edge of her bed. "We might very well have those things Regina," he said, "But it is not as if the girl will ever be allowed to see them. If you must keep her locked here then at least let her have her stories."

Regina smiled at her daughter as she walked over to her. She knelt down in front of her and took her hands in hers. "Of course you may have your stories, my love," she said, her tone placating, "But you must remember that they're just that. Stories."

Rapunzel frowned. "But what if they aren't," she said, "Father says that there are many realms beyond this one. That some of my books are even from them. That some of the characters in them are real. Did you know that there is even a Wonderland? Or that there really is such a thing as Dr. Frankenstein? Lancelot could be real too. And if he is maybe I'll meet him someday. Could you imagine a real knight, mother?"

Regina sighed. She looked between her father and the Magic Mirror and frowned. "Must you two always fill her head with such nonsense," she muttered, "I have trouble with keeping her here as it is."

Rapunzel frowned, squeezing her mother's hands. "Don't blame them mother," she begged, "I just…I can never leave this place. I have accepted that. But….at least I have my imagination. Having adventures in the books is fine. If I have my books then I won't need to find adventure elsewhere."

Regina knew what she was saying. If she had her books then she would not want to leave her tower. That might have been true in that moment but would it be in an hour, or in a few days, or in a few weeks, or in a few months, or in a few years?

Regina didn't know. But she knew that if she discouraged Rapunzel from reading the books now then she would likely regret doing so later. "Well then," she said, "It's a good thing that I've brought a new tale for you isn't it? And this one has pirates."

Rapunzel's eyes widened. "Real pirates?" She exclaimed.

Regina glanced at her father and the mirror. Her father nodded his encouragement. "Yes, my love," Regina said, "Real pirates and lost boys, and fairies, and mermaids too."

"Will you read it to me?" Rapunzel asked.

Regina smiled. "Of course," she said, "But I thought that you preferred it when your grandfather read to you."

Rapunzel shook her head. "You just never have the time so I don't want to bother you," she said, "But I like it when you read to me the best. When I imagine all my adventures you're always with me."

"Is that so, my dear?" Regina asked. Rapunzel nodded, giggling lightly.

Regina let go her daughter's hands and walked over to the basket of things she had left on the window sill. She dug a book from out of the basket and waved it in the air. "Well," she said, "What do you say to a trip to Neverland?"

Regina waved her hand and Rapunzel found that her dress was transformed into clothing more befitting of pirate, complete with the hat and a wooden sword. Rapunzel cleared her throat and did her best pirate impersonation. "I say, let us away, milady," she said, giving Regina a bow.

As her mother and her grandfather laughed, Rapunzel wished that she had been telling the truth about her books being enough. While her mother would be happy if she never left her tower, deep down Rapunzel knew that she never would.

:::

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Caroline Forbes was annoyed. Damon had told her that he would call her the moment he saw Bonnie but he hadn't. She hadn't understood why she couldn't have gone with him but he had brought Stefan and Alaric of all people. He wouldn't even tell her where they were.

Caroline had been reduced to attempting to break into Alaric's apartment to find information. She had brought both Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood along with her just in case there was trouble. Things were still awkward between her and Matt, and she had Tyler had taken a break from each other due to his new hybrid status and the possibility that he was now sired to Klaus, but as soon as she had mentioned that Bonnie could be in trouble they had both agreed to help her.

"So," Matt said, as they stopped in front of Alaric's door, "Does anyone have a plan on how we're going to get in? I mean last time I checked none of us have a key."

"That's because we don't need one," Tyler said. He took a few steps back and then kicked the door in with his foot. It cracked a little as it swung inside. "That's what vampire super strength is for," Tyler said, "Or in my case, hybrid super strength."

"Would you two stop chatting," Caroline chastised as she walked into the apartment, "Let's look around and see what we can find."

Caroline wasn't really sure what would be left as most of Alaric's belongings had been moved over to the Gilberts as he had taken guardianship of them after their aunt had died. Still she figured that they had to start looking somewhere.

Matt and Tyler followed her inside and they all began to search around the living room and kitchenette when Caroline noticed one the windows in the living room was open. "Who leaves a window open when they go out of town?" Caroline asked no one in particular as she rolled her eyes.

Matt frowned as she walked over to close it. "Does it really matter if the window is open?" he asked, "I mean…Tyler just kicked open his door so…."

Caroline wasn't listening as she walked toward the window anyway. She noticed something sitting on the windowsill. "Is that a carrier pigeon?" She said aloud.

"Huh?" Tyler asked, walking up behind her.

They watched with interest as the bird stepped closer, a post card stuck to the bottom of its foot. As soon as it relieved its load, it flew away. Caroline reached out and picked the post card up. She read one word on the back of it, "Broken," it said. She flipped the card over and there was a picture of a clock tower with the words, "Welcome to Storybrooke" in yellow letters.

Tyler frowned as he looked over her shoulder, reading the post card as well. "Broken?" he asked, "What the hell does that mean?"

"I guess we're going to have to go to Storybrooke and find out," she said.

:::

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

Rapunzel had been right about Lancelot du Lac. He was as real as she was and he was even more pleasant to know in person. He was teaching her the art of fencing and swordsmanship. "Magic should never be your first weapon of choice," he always said.

Rapunzel sat down next to him as they took a break from the training for the day. "I know what the book says," Rapunzel said, "But what was the real story of you and Guinevere and how exactly did you come to be here?"

"My curious little one, always prying for secrets," Lancelot laughed, "I cannot tell you about Guinevere just yet, it is a sad tale and I am not sure that you are ready to hear it. As for how I came to be here. There is a cup in my land, it's known as The Holy Grail. It is said that those that drink from it are granted the gift of immortality. I found it, stole it, from the great sorcerer Merlin. I am not sure how it came to be in his possession but I thought that if Guinevere and I drank from it, that we could be together forever and as it would grant us immortality, I thought we wouldn't have to fear Arthur's wrath as were we to drink from it we would be unable to be killed."

"And did you drink from it?" Rapunzel asked, intrigued.

Lancelot nodded. "I drank of it first," he said, "It was the purest water I had ever tasted. It was just before battle. I told Guinevere to drink from it as well, but there were men coming to fetch me so that we could go off to fight and we were close to being seen together. She bid me to keep the cup with me, to keep it safe. And I did. Later on I used it as a trade with the Dark One. I gave him the Grail in exchange for passage into this land."

"But did it work," Rapunzel pressed, "Are you immortal?"

"That day in battle," Lancelot said, "A man ran his sword clean through my body. I fell to my death. I could smell the blood and as I closed my eyes I just knew I would not wake. But I did wake only a few moments later. There was no trace of the wound. It was as if no damage had ever been done."

"And you gave something so powerful to Rumple," Rapunzel said, shaking her head, "What did he even want with it? As the Dark One he is already immortal."

"Perhaps," Lancelot said, "But Belle…she was not. And he loved her did he not? He likely wanted to do the same thing that I had planned. But with Belle, the goblin was afraid of that love and by the time he remembered he had the means to keep her forever, he was too late and she was gone."

"What about you?" Rapunzel said, "Were you too late for Guinevere? I know that you and James are going to set out to see her."

"Which means," Lancelot said, "That, that is a story for another time, little one. Now let's get back to work."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Sidney Glass saw his daughter come to view just as the smoke cleared. She had grown so much, gotten so big, and so beautiful. He resented Regina even more when he realized how much he had missed thanks to her curse. But his resentment faded as his daughter looked at him and smiled. He realized then, that he was not trapped inside of a mirror in this land, that if he wanted to hug his daughter that he could. And so as she raced toward him and wrapped her arms around him, he did.

He held her close to him, squeezing tightly, grateful that he hadn't returned to the Enchanted Forest and his imprisoned state, even if he didn't understand why. It was clear the curse had been broken, but they should have returned home. That on top of the fact that he was certain that magic had somehow been brought into their new land gave Sidney more questions than answers.

"Father," Bonnie said, as she pulled away from him, "Its Rumple. He's brought magic here. We must warn the others. We might have a fight on our hands. Your powers are they restored to you….do you have them. Can you feel them?"

Sidney nodded. "Yes, princess," he said, "If it is evil that Gold is up to then I might very well need them." He looked over Rapunzel's shoulder and nodded at Graham. "Huntsman," he greeted. He looked toward the unfamiliar face standing beside him. "And who might you be?"

Bonnie looked toward Damon and she just knew there was a sarcastic answer on the tip of his tongue. "He's a friend of Rumple's son Baelfire," Bonnie answered, before Damon could speak, "He was just about to go get him and warn him of what has happened. About the magic."

Damon raised a brow at her. "Was I now?" He asked.

Bonnie sighed. "Yes," she said, glaring at him, "You were. With everything that is going on I don't need to have to explain the presence of some stranger following me around. Go and get Ric and Stefan. Explain to them about the curse, the magic, and Henry. I'll meet you guys at Gold's shop as soon as I find Snow and the others and make sure no one decides to go after my mother. With magic returning, it won't end well for them if they do."

Damon didn't take well to her calling him some stranger, but he nodded just the same. "Fine witchy," he said, "But if you're not at Gold's in a half an hour I'm coming after you myself."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him. "Fine," she said, "Whatever." She watched as Damon disappeared, walking in the direction of the bed and breakfast. She was about to grab her father's hand when suddenly she felt as if her hair was being pulled. "What's happening?" She said, her tone frantic.

"It's alright, dear," Sidney said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "It's your powers. They're returning."

She looked down at herself and realized that her hair hadn't been being pulled but rather it had grown. She sighed in relief as the loose curls stopped mid-thigh. She could remember it growing down to the floor and wrapping around her legs as a child and she couldn't exactly deal with that in this world without drawing attention to herself. The hair wasn't heavy, it never had been. The magic took most of the strain off of it. Still she didn't want to have to run around town with it flying out behind her.

Her father snapped his fingers and suddenly her hair was pulled up into a loose braided bun, though given the length it was still messy and hung rather low. However, it was at the very least, out of the way. "There you are, sweetheart," Sidney smiled.

Bonnie stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, father," she beamed.

She turned to Graham and smiled. "Let's go find the others," she said. He nodded and Bonnie took her father's hand and the three headed in the direction of the sound of voices.

They rounded the corner just in time to see the reunions end and the questions begin. They were all there, Snow, James, Red, Granny, the dwarves, Emma, and Henry. Just as they watched the Blue Fairy join them in front of Granny's diner, Bonnie stopped her steps.

Sidney turned to her and frowned at the same time that Graham did. "What is it Rapunzel?" Graham asked, "What wrong?"

"The last time they saw me," Bonnie said, "And really knew who I was, I was a twelve year old little girl in a coma."

"Which is even more of a reason that they would want to see you now," Sidney said.

"But they have Emma back," Bonnie said, "I was just the practice daughter. Besides, they're all going to want to go after mother and I have to protect her. And when I do…they'll probably resent me for it."

"They won't," Graham said, "They love you."

Before Bonnie could answer him. Henry spotted her and began to wave. "Bonnie," he called, "Over here!"

Bonnie smiled at him and stepped forward. "Hey kid," she said, as she walked up to him, unable to look at the others just yet. She was surprised when Henry ran up to her and hugged her, wrapping his arms around her stomach. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered.

Henry smiled as he let her go. "Come on," he said, "You have to tell the others it's really you. They won't believe me." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the small crowd. They stopped in front of David and Mary Margaret. Even knowing who they were it was hard for Bonnie to refer to them as their real names when they hadn't gone back to their real world.

Bonnie looked at Snow and smiled hesitantly. "Hi Snow," she said.

Snow stepped forward and took Bonnie's face in her hands and her eyes met hers, searching. "It is you isn't it," Snow smiled, "I didn't think you would make it through the curse alive. I was so scared but you're here. And you're so big." Bonnie laughed, as Snow hugged her, and she did her best not to cry.

Almost as soon as Snow let her go, Bonnie found herself getting hugged by Snow's husband. "Hi, James," she whispered, as she hugged him back.

"Hello, Rapunzel," he said, "I've missed you little one."

"I don't think you can call her that anymore," she heard Red say, as she pulled away from him, "She's all grown up now. Even if she is still short."

Bonnie laughed, shaking her head. She let go of David in favor of hugging Red and Granny both a once. As she pulled away from them she turned to the dwarves.

"Princess," Grumpy said, and they all bowed. Bonnie grinned. It had been a while since anyone had bowed to her. "I suppose you're too old and too big now for piggy back rides," Grumpy smirked.

Bonnie nodded. "Maybe," she said, "But I'm not too big for hugs." She giggled as they all stepped forward at once and they shared a group hug.

"Rapunzel," Snow said, regaining her attention as she pulled away from them.

"Yes," she said, turning toward her.

"The Blue Fairy says that magic has come to Storybrooke," she said, "With your hair growing longer I suppose that it's true." Bonnie nodded. "We want to talk to your mother," she said, "Ask her why she brought it. I think you should go with us, to make sure it goes smoothly."

Bonnie shook her head. "But mother isn't the one who brought magic here," she said, "Rumple did."

:::

Gold turned to Belle as the purple smoke finally cleared. He took her hands in his and looked at her imploringly. "My darling Belle," he said, "You must tell me what happened to you."

The last he had heard, she was dead. While he knew that Regina had somehow imprisoned her in this world, he had no idea what had become of her after she had left him in the Enchanted Forest.

"I was abducted," Belle informed him.

He scowled. "Regina," he said. The name left his lips as if it were something foul and he berated himself for believing that Belle had died when Regina had told him. He should have looked harder for her. He should have never given up.

Belle nodded. "She locked me away until her curse," she said, "I've been in the asylum ever since."

"For twenty eight years," Gold spat, "All this time you've been here. Alive."

She was familiar with his expression. With his anger. She could easily guess the train of his thoughts. Belle shook her head. "Is that why you did this?" she asked, "Why you brought magic here? For revenge?"

"No," he denied quickly, "No, no." He knew how she felt about magic. More particularly about the monster that magic turned him into. Still he couldn't help himself as he thought of all Regina had taken, from him, from Belle, and from Rapunzel. "But it might come in handy," he nodded.

"No," Belle said, her tone pleading.

"I cannot let this stand, Belle," he shouted, "I will not let this stand. After everything that she's done. She told me you were dead. All these years, Belle."

Belle took his hands in hers once more. "Promise me you won't give in to your hate," she said, "Promise me you won't kill her." He shook his head, his mind swimming with thoughts of revenge. "Promise me," Belle persisted, "And we can be together."

Gold touched her face and nodded. He promised her aloud as well. And as he kissed her, he knew that even now he was lying to her in a way. Though he would not be the one to kill Regina as he had said. He had other ways in which to do that.

:::

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

James and Lancelot were back from their quest to search for Guinevere but neither of them looked particularly happy. James in fact looked devastated and Lancelot looked remorseful.

Rapunzel followed Lancelot to the palace stables where he was putting away his horse after the journey. "You didn't find her did you?" Rapunzel said.

Lancelot turned away from his stallion and smiled sadly at Rapunzel. "She was never lost to me," he said, "Not in the way that you think. You see, I misled James. We didn't go back to Camelot so that I could find Guinevere. We went back so that I could say goodbye to her."

"Goodbye?" Rapunzel frowned, "But what happened? Did she choose Arthur?"

Lancelot shook his head. "Are you ready to hear the story, little one?" he asked, "The real story of what became of my Guinevere?"

Rapunzel wasn't sure that she was but she nodded just the same.

Lancelot leaned against the wall of the stables and looked off into the distance. "I told you that I drank from the Grail before the battle that lost Arthur his kingdom," he said, "But I did not tell you what happened to Guinevere while I was away. You see…in my absence, proof was found of her adultery. Letters that the two of us had written to one another. It was treason, what we had done. And since I fled after I discovered my immortality, not wanting the other knights to find out and take the Grail from me for their own use before I got it to Guinevere, Arthur thought that I had been slain in battle. She was the only target that he had left and instead of killing her out right he did something much worse."

Rapunzel frowned. "What did he do?" She asked.

"The magician in his service," he said, "Merlin. He had access to both good magic and very dark magic. He had Guinevere marked by a dark creature. A Wraith."

"A Wraith?" Rapunzel asked.

"A soul-sucker," Lancelot said, "Once a person is marked by one there is no escaping their fate. It removes the victim's soul and damns them for all eternity. That is what happened to her. She was laid to rest, but I never got to see her before I was forced to flee to this land. I….that's where I took James. To her grave, so that I could say goodbye."

Rapunzel felt the tears stinging her eyes, before they fell. "I am so sorry Lance," she said, "So sorry."

"That's why you musn't abuse your powers young one," Lancelot said, "They can be used for good and evil but it's a slippery slope. Merlin was thought to be good but everything he did was not so. Your mother is thought to be evil but she was once good. Magic has the power to send you down many roads. You just have to be careful which ones you take."

Rapunzel nodded. "I will," she said, "I promise."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Damon burst into the room that they had rented at the bed and breakfast that Granny owned just as Alaric had been about to call him.

"Where the hell have you been?" Alaric asked, as Damon shut the door behind him.

Damon shook his head. He had a lot of explaining to do and not much time to do it in. "Bonnie arrested me and then we spent the night at the hospital together," Damon said.

Stefan who had been looking out the window and watching the cloud of smoke pass over the town, turned to him. "What?" he asked.

"No time to explain," Damon said, "We have to go to Gold's shop. Look Ric, I know you're not in the mood for a reunion with your dear old dad right now but we don't have a choice. Emma broke the curse but no one went back and no one knows why. And apparently your creepy dad brought magic to Storybrooke which was why that weird purple cloud just ran through town. Bonnie is really Rapunzel, the Evil Queen's daughter or something. Oh and you kind of have a kid."

"What?" Both Alaric and Stefan said at the same time. And then Stefan gave Damon an assessing look. "Are you sure you haven't been drinking, brother?" He asked.

"No," Damon sighed, "Look, I'll explain on the way. But I promised Bonnie or Rapunzel…whatever….. Judgy told me to meet her at Gold's so that's what we're doing."

"Where's Bonnie now?" Alaric asked.

"She went with her father who is apparently the Genie from Aladdin or maybe a Magic Mirror or both I don't remember," Damon frowned, there was no way he was going to be able to come to terms with all of this once the adrenaline wore off, "Anyway they went to find Snow White and Prince Charming so they can stop the rest of the fairytale cult from trying to kill her mom."

Stefan blinked at him and then turned to Alaric. "Please tell me that you followed that," he said, "Because I have no idea what the hell he's talking about."

Alaric shrugged. "I got most of it," he said, "I think. Look let's just go. We'll talk on the way."

:::

Bonnie Glass and Emma Swan led the crowd that was heading toward Gold's shop. Graham and Sidney had joined their group and David and Mary Margaret were doing their best to get Emma to talk to them.

Bonnie understood. Emma was their daughter after all. However, she was pretty sure Emma was freaked out, which she had every right to be as her parents were fairytale characters that were physically the same age as her and she was a part of a mini-crowd off to confront Rumplestiltskin about bringing magic to their town and why the Dark Curse had not taken them home once broken.

Even without the weirdness, meeting your parents for the first time in twenty eight years was not exactly something that was sunshine and rainbows. But Snow and James were thinking with their fairytale minds, their happily ever after minds. They thought that everything would just fall into place and they could all just be one big happy family, but Bonnie knew that wasn't going to happen.

Emma was telling them as much, that she just needed a little time to process things when James saw a crowd of people heading toward the mayor's house and they were looking anything but friendly. "Snow," he said, "Rapunzel."

They watched as Archie Hopper ran toward them and as he spoke Bonnie recognized his voice. It was an odd thing seeing Jiminy Cricket as a human, even if she had always known he hadn't been a cricket his whole life. "There you are," Archie said, "Come with me. I need your help. Dr. Whale has whipped everyone into a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house. They're going to kill her."

Bonnie sighed. She had known that this would happen. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped as Grumpy spoke. "Great," he said, not sounding at all alarmed, "Let's watch." Bonnie rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew that being in the middle of the villains and the good guys would likely come back to bite her in the ass one of these days.

"No," Archie said, panicking, "We cannot stoop to her level. No matter who she is or what she's done killing her is wrong."

"He's right," Henry chimed in, "Please. She's still my mom."

"And mine," Bonnie said, gaining everyone's attention, "Which is why we're going to help her. And by 'we', I mean all of us."

Emma looked at Henry and then the others. Seeing the panic on her son's face made her choice for her. "We have to stop them," she said.

No one seemed to be willing and finally David spoke. "If Rapunzel and the Blue Fairy are right and magic is back," he said, "Regina could have her powers. They could be marching into a slaughter. We can't just sit here and watch."

Everyone nodded and moved forward, the potential of the other townspeople being in danger enough to get them to take action.

"Wait," Bonnie said, stopping them, "My father and I should be in the front. If mother has her powers back, we're the best chance in fighting her if she goes off the rails."

Sidney moved through the crowd and joined her at her side. They all moved as a unit over to Regina's house, running to catch up to the crowd.

They reached Regina's house just as the woman had tried to use magic and failed. While the others had their powers returned to them, Regina's had not.

Bonnie raced through the crowd, Sidney and Emma on her trail, just as the Dr. Whale pinned Regina against her front door.

"Let her go," Bonnie said, as Emma moved forward and pulled Whale away from Regina.

Dr. Whale turned on them. "Why should I listen to you?" He spat.

"Because I'm still the deputy," Bonnie said. She would have added that she would set him on fire if he didn't get the hell away from her mother, but she doubted that that would do anything to help the situation.

"Because Emma saved you," David said, stepping forward, "All of you."

"And because no matter what Regina did," Mary Margaret said, bringing Henry forward and holding back the crowd, "It does not justify this."

"We are not murders here," Emma said.

Whale looked at them unimpressed. He continued to protest, which only led to a confrontation with David. Bonnie sighed. She didn't have time for them to have some sort of pissing contest. They needed to get her mother out of there.

She frowned when Mary Margaret moved forward and suggested that Regina be locked up for her own safety and for the town's. Bonnie didn't exactly like the idea but it was a compromise much more amiable than the thought of Regina's death, and so she was relieved when the others agreed.

:::

Gold appeared before Regina soon after she was locked inside of a holding cell at the Sheriff's Station and left there alone. Emma, Snow, James, Henry, Graham, Sidney, and Deputy Glass had all gone to find him ironically.

They had asked Regina why they hadn't gone back to their land after the curse had broken and she had told them that it was because they had nothing to go back to. That the land was gone. But seeing the sudden heartbreak on Deputy Glass' face at the news had made her regret her words. Still she hadn't taken them back. And now she was left alone with only Gold for company.

"Magic is different here, dearie," he said, having caught Regina attempting to use her power in order to escape her cage.

"I noticed," Regina said, "I assume that this is all your doing."

He nodded as he used his cane to make his way toward her cell. "Most things are," he said with a grin.

"Get to it Rumple," Regina said, "What do you want?" Even as a prisoner she refused to appear weak. Especially in front of the likes of him. "Are you here to finish the job?"

"No, no, no," he said, looking out the window and watching as the others hurried off toward his shop, "You're safe from me."

"Well," Regina said, "I'm relieved." However, she wasn't, not really. She could tell that he was playing some sort of game.

"I made a promise to someone that I wouldn't kill you," he said.

"Who could elicit that from you?" Regina laughed, her tone clearly skeptical.

"Belle," he answered.

Regina attempted to look surprised to hear the name but was sure that she had failed. "Oh," she said, feigning shock, "She's alive."

Gold's face went from passive, to lethal in seconds. "You are a dreadful liar," he told her.

Regina grabbed the bars of the cell and met his eyes head on. "I could have killed her," she said, her tone calm, rational, "But I didn't."

"No," Gold said, walking closer to the bars, "You did much worse than that. You locked her away. Not in a tower like your first prisoner no, but a cell and then an asylum." He knew that she didn't fully understand him. Didn't understand what he was referring to in referencing both Belle and Rapunzel. Because she didn't know Rapunzel and if it was up to him she never would. The more he thought about it the more he was convinced that she had kept Rapunzel locked away so that no one would ever know of her existence. The curse had needed her to make a sacrifice, to kill the person that she had loved the most, and that would have been her daughter. If he hadn't saved Rapunzel the girl would be dead even now instead of Regina's father who had been sacrificed in her place once Regina forgot who she was.

And no one would've been aware of just how monstrous the woman was, willing to kill her only child on her quest for revenge. "But you're good at that aren't you. Locking people up. Taking away their freedom, their fight. Controlling every aspect of their existence. Making them your prisoner to do with what you please. You kept her alive so that you could kill her when it suited you. A fate worse than death. Which incidentally is what I have in store for you."

He pulled the medallion he had taken from his shop from his pocket with gloved hands and grabbed Regina's arm. He pressed it into her palm. The mark of the Wraith was seared into Regina's flesh a moment later. "Is that?" Regina asked, her eyes wide with fear.

"Yes dearie," he said, "The one thing that no one can escape. Destiny. And I promise, yours is particularly unpleasant."

:::

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

Rapunzel sat in front of the cell that housed Rumplestiltskin and frowned. She had brought her book with her and she had the page open to the section that held information about the Wraith. She leaned back against the bars facing the opposite direction of the cell, as she was in deep thought.

"Destiny," she said, "That's what they call it. Being marked by a Wraith. But is it really? How could it be when it can be controlled by another? One can summon a Wraith just as easily as it can appear on its own. How can someone's destiny be controlled by another person?"

"Very easily my dear," Rumple said as he crept up behind her, "Even now if I reached out through these bars and chose to cause you harm, your fate, your life would be in my hands."

"It shouldn't be that simple," Rapunzel said, "To take away someone's life, someone's choice, someone's freedom. But it is, I've seen it done so many times. Lance said that magic can be both good and evil. But I think he's wrong. It isn't magic that is good or evil, its people that change on a whim. Magic doesn't know right from wrong, but people do. Magic I think, depends on the intention of the user. That's why with mother you couldn't just teach her certain spells to make her do bad things, you had to change who she was as a person. You had to create the evil within her, because you knew magic alone could not do it."

"Precisely," he nodded.

"Is that what you want with me?" she asked, turning to face him slightly, "To make me evil? To make me like her?"

He shook his head, "You're much too strong for that so I wouldn't dare try," he said, "No one will ever control your destiny but you."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Gold dropped the golden medallion on the forest floor. He lifted his dagger into the air and looked upward.

"The Dark One," he said, "Summons thee."

Stabbing the dagger into the ground he watched with satisfaction as the dark cloaked figure immerged from the medallion in a black swirling cloud.

He could feel the moment that Regina roused in her cell. The moment that that she looked at her hand and saw that ugly mark burned into the palm of her flesh. The moment that she knew that her destiny was coming for her.

He watched as the Wraith flew out toward the town, its thin arms reaching and its red eyes glowing. He had kept his promise, he wouldn't kill Regina. He wouldn't have to.

:::

Bonnie stood next to Snow and James as they watched Emma say goodbye to Henry. She had sent him off with Red, Sidney, and Graham, knowing that their business with Gold couldn't be taken care of with a child present. But they figured with Sidney having his powers restored, whatever happened, the others would remain protected.

Bonnie waved as they drove off and she could tell from the look on Snow's face that she was going to try to get through to Emma again, but now was not the time. Especially as they were still waiting for Damon, Stefan, and Alaric. And Bonnie still hadn't told Emma that Alaric was even in town yet.

"Don't push it Snow," James said shaking his head.

"I'm with him on this one," Bonnie agreed, "We have enough to deal with right now. She said she needed time so give her time."

Emma turned to them and looked at them expectantly. "You guys ready?" She asked.

"We need to talk," Snow said. Bonnie sighed at the same time that Emma rolled her eyes. She understood Snow's need to reach out to her daughter, she really did. But there was no time for this. They had to figure out why they hadn't gone home and what it meant that Gold brought magic to Storybrooke. Besides Emma was doing her damndest to avoid talking about the situation at all cost and both Bonnie and James could see that.

"I don't want to talk," Emma said looking away.

"Well I do," Snow protested, "Okay. Gold can wait I can't. Besides we have to wait for Rapunzel's friends to get here anyway."

"They're not my friends," Bonnie chimed.

Snow glared at her and she shrugged. "Whatever," she said, turning back to Emma, "You're my daughter and I want to talk to you. I know that we have talked but we didn't know that we were talking. We talked about things we probably shouldn't have talked about. One night stands and the like."

"One night stands?" James asked.

Snow refused to look at him, her eyes remained on Emma. "Whale," she supplied as an answer to his question.

"Whale?!" James exclaimed at the same time Bonnie said, "No Snow, anyone but Whale."

She glanced at them both waving her hands dismissively. "We were cursed," she said, "That is neither here nor there." Both Bonnie and James moved to speak but Snow ignored them and turned back to Emma. "The point is," she said, "We did not know that we were mother and daughter and now we do. And so please let's talk."

"Okay," Emma sighed, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well," Snow smiled, "We're together. Finally. And I can't help but think that you're not happy about it."

Emma seemed to waiver slightly at Snow's earnest expression. "I am," Emma said, shaking her head, "But…see here's the thing. No matter what the circumstances, for twenty-eight years I only knew one thing…that my parents sent me away."

"We did that," Snow beamed, "To give you your best chance."

"You did that for everyone," Emma said, "Because that's who you are….leaders… heroes, princes and princesses. And that's great and amazing and wonderful. But it doesn't change the fact that for my entire life…I've been alone."

"But if we hadn't sent you away," Snow pointed out, "You would've been cursed too."

"But we would've been together," Emma said, "Which curse is worse?" Snow's face fell and Emma frowned. "Come on," she said, "Let's just go find Gold."
She moved to walk around them and Bonnie turned to walk in the same direction and froze when she saw Alaric and the Salvatore brothers walking toward them. "This is really bad timing," Bonnie said, more to herself than anyone else.

James frowned and he looked down at Bonnie as he took Snow's hand, "Isn't that the guy you arrested last night?"
Bonnie nodded. "Yup," she said, "And his brother, and…."

"Ric!" Emma exclaimed as the three stopped in front of them.

"Henry's father," Bonnie finished, her voice a whisper as she leaned toward James. Snow and James looked at Bonnie in surprise and then back at Emma.

"Hello Emma," Alaric said, attempting to smile, even though she looked less than happy to see him and he was still processing the information that he had a son and she hadn't told him.

Emma shook her head. "I can't deal with this right now," she said, moving to walk around him.

He grabbed her by the arm to stop her. "Look," he said, "I know you and I have some issues to deal with but for right now we're here to help you. These are my friends Damon and Stefan Salvatore. We know Bonnie from Virginia. We're going to help you figure out why the curse breaking didn't send everyone home."

Emma shook her arm out of his hold. "How the hell do you know about the curse?" She asked.

"It's a long story," Alaric said, "But before you were….sent to prison I met a man named August W. Booth. He told me about the curse and you and your destiny. He told me that I was keeping you from it, so I let you go so that you could save your family."

Emma blinked at him. "So you're saying that you left me and got me put in jail because Pinocchio told you to?" Emma spat.

Alaric opened his mouth but Bonnie held up her hand. "Okay, Ric," Bonnie said, "Your foot is already in your mouth. Time to stop talking or Emma is going to kill you and I'm going to let her."

Emma moved to walk around him but Alaric stepped in front of her. "Why didn't you tell me that I had a son?" Bonnie rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't listen to her. No one from Mystic Falls ever did. He was wearing such a holier than thou expression that she hoped that Emma would punch it off his face.

Emma laughed out loud and shook her head. "I don't know, Ric," she said, "Maybe because you're married. Maybe because you not only left me to go back to your wife but you let me get sent to prison. I could go on. Do you need any other reasons?"

Before Alaric could say anything else Damon stepped in front of him. They didn't need to get into the fact that Alaric's wife was dead. That would make this conversation even more drawn out than necessary. "Okay," he said, "This is getting really heavy really quickly so how about we just take a break from the soap opera drama here and maybe figure out why the creepy old pawn shop guy wants to magic up the town shall we?"

"Actually," James said stepping forward, "We don't really need your help and I still don't get who any of you even are or why you're here."

"Well Ric is here because he has a history with your daughter. Obviously," Damon said, "And my brother Stefan and I are here because we're team Bonnie. Or team Rapunzel. By the way Bonbon I am loving the locks. Did your hair grow because the curse broke? How long is it now anyway?"

"Okay," Bonnie sighed, "Stop talking Damon or I'm going to kill you. I really don't know why I didn't just send you back to Mystic Falls but whatever. You're here now so we are going to forget all of the history between everyone here for now and stop having conversations that would be better saved for another time and we are going to go talk to Rumple and no one is going to discuss anything outside of magic, the curse, and why the hell we haven't been sent home until we figure this out. Alright?" Everyone nodded and Bonnie smiled. "Good," she said.

"Way to go Princess Bonnie," Stefan grinned, his tone sarcastic, "You really know how to take charge."

Bonnie sighed. She had forgotten his emotions were still turned off. "Damon," she said, "Shut your brother up or I will."

"Whatever you say witchy," Damon said, and then he turned toward Stefan, "No talking back to fairy tale royalty or you'll have to wait outside, little brother."

Bonnie shook her head at their antics. Oddly enough their stupidity was almost comforting. Still they had business to take care over. With that in mind she moved toward Gold's shop.

"Bonnie wait," Alaric said.

Bonnie frowned and turned toward him. She had had enough interruptions. She didn't understand how the reemergence of the Dark One wasn't being taken more seriously. "What?" She said.

"Don't tell him who I am," Alaric said, "At least not yet. I don't want him to know right now."

Bonnie nodded stiffly. Turning back toward the shop Bonnie walked toward the door and opened it walking inside, the others close behind her.

When Gold came out from the back of the shop his eyes landed on Emma and her parents first. He didn't bother to hide his agitation as he continued the task of making tea for himself and Belle, without paying his intruders much attention. "What can I do for you?" He asked, resting his hands on the counter.

Emma made her way in front of Bonnie, putting the girl out of Gold's line of vision. "What you can do is tell us what you did," Emma said, her tone and her stance intimidating.

However, Gold looked back at her unfazed. "I'm sorry," he said, "But you'll have to be more specific." Alaric watched him, once again thinking to himself that this was who his father was now, cold, calculated, uncooperative, and manipulative.

"You know damn well what we're talking about?" David said.

Still as Mary Margaret began to list things off Gold didn't look at all remorseful. However, his expression changed when he was accused to putting Henry's life at risk. Gold opened his mouth to speak but Bonnie stepped forward and gently moved Emma to the side. "He would never put Henry at risk," Bonnie said, "He knew Emma could save him I'm sure of that. He just happened to find a way to manipulate you into giving him what he wanted which was that potion, which is likely how he brought magic here in the first place. Isn't it Rumple?"

Alaric frowned as he noted Gold's immediate change in demeanor. His eyes softened and his posture became less defensive. As he looked at Bonnie he seemed almost proud. "I knew you would be able to work it out before anyone else, Rapunzel, love," Gold smiled, "You always knew me best." Alaric watched his frown deepening as Gold reached across the counter and wrapped a strand of Bonnie's hair that had come out of the bun around his finger. "Are you really asking me about the magic, dearie," he said, "You already know that it's here. You can feel it and your hair is proof. What do you really want to know?"

Bonnie watched as he walked out from behind the counter and stood in front of her. She wanted to ask after their land. She wanted to ask after Killian. But she knew that she could do neither with an audience. "I would ask you why you brought magic here but I know that with all these people that you won't tell me," she said, "So would it be alright if I talked to you alone?"
Gold eyed her companions for the first time and raised his eyebrow at the unfamiliar faces. Alaric looked away from him when his eyes landed on him. "Certainly, my dear," he said, placing a hand on Bonnie's arm, "Clearly there is much to discuss."

Before he could lead Bonnie away there was noise coming from outside, the skies darkened and the ground began to shake beneath their feet as the wind blew and car alarms began to sound.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asked.

"That," Gold said, "Is my gift to you. That is going to take care of Regina."

Bonnie stepped away from him, her eyes narrowing. "You mean my mother," she said, "What did you do Rumple?"

Gold looked down and then back up again. "I simply took control over her fate, love," he said.

Bonnie frowned, her mind trying to search for the answers about his meaning. She froze when she realized what he was saying. "A Wraith?" she spat, "You summoned a Wraith for my mother?"

"It's no worse than anything that she has done to you or to me," Gold said, "I found Belle."

"What?" Bonnie asked, her mind still racing about the fact that there was a giant soul sucking monster about to come after her mother, "But she's dead."

"Oh no," Gold said shaking his head, "She's very much alive and she has been locked away for the past twenty eight years."

"Mother," Bonnie whispered.

Again he nodded. "Yes," he said, "Regina."

"She was wrong," Bonnie nodded, "But that doesn't excuse this. That thing is going to come for her and it isn't going to stop until she's dead."

"And what do you think would have been Belle's fate had I not found her?" Gold spat, "Or yours if I had not rescued you. Do you know the reason why she locked you up in that tower? The reason why she kept your existence from the world?"

"She was trying to protect me," Bonnie said.

Gold shook his head. "She was protecting herself," he said, "So that no one would know what monster she truly was. The curse had a price Rapunzel. She would have had to kill the thing that she loved the most. The closest thing to her. The one person that she could still love and who was that person?"

"Me," Bonnie said. Bonnie shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense," she said, "If she had to do that then how could she have completed the curse without me there. Without me there was no one left. No one except…" Her mine raced to the night she had brought Graham back from the dead. To the tomb. The casket she had seen there and the grief that she hadn't been able to place until now. "No….no…she wouldn't. Not him."
"Yes," Gold nodded, "Your grandfather. And she killed Graham after him and were it not for you being here now she would have had your father locked up to protect her own neck. Every one you have ever loved has been hurt by her."

Bonnie felt the tears forming in her eyes at the loss of her grandfather and the truth in Gold's words. "I could say the same about you, Rumple," she said, "You didn't have to do this. You can be better than this but you refuse to. Just like her."

He grabbed her arm as she moved to walk away. "I cannot lose you," he said, "I need you to forgive me."

She could not refuse the request even if she wanted to. She had made promise to him long ago. One that could not be broken. Bonnie felt her anger rise and before she could stop herself she slapped him across the face. Everyone looked stunned and Alaric just knew that she would be getting his father's wrath. However, the man looked more hurt than angered. "I forgive you," Bonnie said, just the same, "It's not like I didn't expect something like this from you anyway. But I need you to do something for me."

"Anything," Gold said, straightening his stance.

"I want you to make her remember," Bonnie said, stiffly, "I'm going to try to help her but that doesn't mean…she doesn't deserve to die. But her actions have consequences and I want her to know that. I want her to know exactly who I am. I want her to know that I left her and why. I want her to see how far away she pushed the one person who has ever loved her unconditionally. Then I'm going to try and save her and if I can it will be the last thing I ever do for her before I let go of her for good." She was tired of trying to reach her mother through all of the darkness and being caught in the middle as she continuously lost the people that she loved at her mother's hand.

"I will do this," Gold said, "For you. But I must know. When you walk away from her, are you walking away from all of us?"

Bonnie looked around toward Snow and James and knew they were asking the same question though they were silent. Bonnie shook her head. "No," she said, "I still have Snow, and James, and Red, and Graham, and my father, and…you." She turned back to Gold and narrowed her eyes. "Just promise me you won't summon anymore soul sucking monsters okay," she said, "Just be with Belle. Be happy."

Gold leaned down and kissed her forehead. "We have a deal," he whispered.

:::

Alaric Saltzman pulled Bonnie aside just as they and the others entered the sheriff's station. He knew this was likely not the time to be asking these questions given what was going on with her mother but he had to know. "What was that back there?" He asked, "With you and my father?"

"What do you mean?" Bonnie sighed. She was getting tired of everyone wanting to talk at the most inopportune times.

Alaric raised a brow at her. "You seemed," he said, "I don't know friendly and you forgave him so easily."
"Because he is my friend," Bonnie said, "And I do know him. I know him very well. All of his faults, all of his history, and all of his shortcomings. He even told me about you and you might not want to hear this but he regrets his choice in letting you go. The whole point of this curse was to find you, which is why even though it's caused so much harm I can understand why he created it. And I love him and he loves me, which is why even though he has caused so much harm I can forgive him. You don't know him as well as even I do and your experiences with him are different than mine so I don't expect you to be able to do the same."

Alaric studied her a moment before he asked the next question. "If you can forgive him then why can't you forgive your mother?"
"It's different with her," Bonnie said, "Not just because I expect more but because while Rumple might be selfish a part of the reason he is doing all of this is for the people that he loves. For you, for Belle, and in some twisted way he thought that getting rid of my mother would help me. Mother isn't the same. This curse was so that she could get her happy ending. It was a purely selfish quest for revenge from start to finish. She killed my grandfather who she loved out of selfishness. She locked me away for the same reason that she wanted to keep Henry away from Emma, she sees us as her property, she loves us but there are limits. If we cross her we have to be put back in line. That's why she killed Graham, for control. If my mother could do one thing, just one thing that was completely selfless maybe I could forgive her. But until then I will have to let her go."

"And yet you are still willing to try and save her life?" Alaric asked.

Bonnie shrugged. "She's still my mother," she said.

Deciding to change the subject Alaric asked her something else that he was wondering about. "By the way," he said, "Who is Belle?"

"Well," Bonnie said, "she's the same Belle from Beauty and the Beast I guess. And well…she's kind of your dad's girlfriend." Alaric raised an eyebrow at her. Bonnie almost laughed at the array of emotions that seemed to pass over Alaric's face. "I haven't actually met her but he loves her a lot."

Alaric opened his mouth to respond but stopped as Damon rounded the corner and came up to them. "Hey witchy," he said, "You might want to get in there. Whatever the hell that monster is, it's in there and it's going after Mommy Dearest. The others are trying to fight it off but we're having no luck."

"What do we do?" Alaric asked, "I don't know anything about this thing."

"I do," Bonnie said, "It fears light, that's why the skies have darkened. We need fire, it'll buy us some time."

"So," Damon said, "Does anyone happen to have a lighter?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him. "We don't need a lighter, you idiot," she said, "You're dealing with a witch here. Remember?" They watched as Bonnie spread her arms apart and her eyes flashed purple. A large ball of fire manifested in between her hands. "Let's go," she said.

She walked around them and Damon looked at Ric. "I've seen her do tricks with fire before," he said, "But never anything like that."

"We told you," Alaric said, "The magic is our world is different. And it may not be as strong here but Bonnie is the daughter or a witch powerful enough to take control of a whole kingdom and a genie. She's probably the most powerful creature in this town right now."

They followed Bonnie coming upon the scene in time to see her throwing the ball of fire at the creature. It screeched cowering away from the flames and shot out of the window, breaking the glass as it went.

Regina was on the floor of her cell gasping for air. When she finally managed to stand up straight and leaned against the now opened door to her cage, she screamed and began to hold her head.

Bonnie ran toward her as the others gathered themselves and crowded around her. Bonnie knelt down and helped Regina to her feet. She looked at the woman and realized the moment that recognition hit her. Her memories had been returned to her in a rather painful way. "Rapunzel?" Regina asked, her voice full of disbelief.

"Hello mother," Bonnie said, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Regina said, shaking her head, "No I'm not fine. Where were you? Where have you been? Why didn't I remember you? Why weren't you here after the curse? I don't understand."

Bonnie sighed. "I left you mother," she said, "I wanted my freedom and I made a deal with Rumplestiltskin and he gave it to me and stripped you of any memories of me. I went to live with Snow White. I was happy, until before the curse hit. I was injured just before, and when we were sent here I was in a coma. When I awoke. Rumple had me adopted and I left Storybrooke."

"You went to live with Snow White," Regina said, shooting a glare at the woman as she did so, "But why? I loved you. I gave you everything that you could ask for." Snow had already taken the only man that Regina had ever loved. Now she had taken her daughter as well.

"You kept me prisoner and you took away my freedom," Bonnie said, "And my choice. And had I remained with you then you would have taken my life." She was done allowing her mother to romanticize her imprisonment. She had lost too much. Her grandfather. Graham would still be dead had she not brought him back. Then there was Killian whose fate she still didn't know.

Regina frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked, "I understand that it was hard for you in the tower, but I never would have hurt you."

"But you did," Bonnie said, "Over and over you hurt me by keeping me trapped. And it was clear to me even as a child that I was not enough for you. Still you wanted revenge. The curse, the one Rumple created for you, the curse that now traps us in this world, did it or did it not require a sacrifice."

"Rapunzel," Regina began shaking her head, "You must understand…."

But she didn't understand. Her grandfather had been loving and kind. He had wanted Regina's happiness and Rapunzel's. His only sin was being too complacent and that had gotten him killed. But he along with her father had always been Rapunzel's saving grace. He had been Regina's as well and so Bonnie couldn't fathom how she could ever take his life. "Did you or did you not murder my grandfather?" Bonnie continued, "And if it had not been him then would it have been me?"

"Rapunzel, please." Regina knew that he sins would catch up to her but this was all too much. She was just now remembering her daughter existed and there would be no touching reunion. There would be nothing but her trying to defend the unforgiveable.

Bonnie shook her head, letting out a hollow laugh. "You cannot tell me that you would have chosen me over your curse and so how can you blame me for choosing my freedom over you," Bonnie said.

"I see they have turned you against me," Regina said, laughing bitterly. She had to blame everyone else. She couldn't take the thought that it was she that was responsible for her father's death, for her daughter's pain.

"No one had to mother," Bonnie said, "You did a good job of that all on your own." She wasn't surprised that even now Regina was playing the victim. She had done so all of her life. But even as a child Bonnie had been able to see things from the point of view of others. She had an empathy and understanding of people that Regina lacked. But even so she couldn't forgive her mother, even if she knew her motives.

"And Gold," Regina grinned, "He kept my daughter from me and yet he can still say that I owe him some sort of remorse for keeping him from his precious Belle."

"What you did was malicious. You wanted him to suffer. In the beginning he had other motives but in the end he wasn't thinking of himself but of me. He was protecting me from you," Bonnie said, "That's why he had me leave Storybrooke. Because he knew you still didn't know me and my powers would have been considered a threat to you and you would have gotten rid of me. Don't deny it. Even now you are more focused on the fact that you have been wronged than the fact that I am here in front of you alive and well. You are plotting your revenge even as we speak. You are the most selfish person I have ever known."

"Then why are you here?" Regina asked, letting her anger mask the pain that she felt at her daughter's words. It was not that she was not grateful to see her. That she did not want to embrace her, it was that she was being once again rejected by someone that she loved and she could feel herself shutting down. After rejection, anger was all that Regina would have left. After loss there was only revenge.

"Because," Bonnie said, "We promised Henry that we would protect you. Because in spite of everything I do not wish you any harm or want to see you dead. And because even now, you are my mother and I love you. So if you will allow it I would like to save your life."

Bonnie watched as the tears began to form in her mother's eyes and then a moment later she stood stiffly as Regina wrapped her arms around her. "No matter what you think I have always loved you, Rapunzel," she whispered, "You were more than I ever dreamed of. The true love of my life. I just did not know how to be happy. How to accept such a blessing. If you cannot forgive me that's fine but never doubt that I love you."

Bonnie stepped away from her, not ready to hear the words or believe them. She chose to ignore them and face the matter at hand instead. "We can't kill the Wraith," Bonnie said, "it's already dead. So we better figure out some kind of plan before it regenerates. What do you suggest we do?"

Regina knew what Bonnie was doing. She was shutting her out. She had done so many times with her own mother when she was a young girl. There would be no getting to Rapunzel now so Regina would have to follow suite. "Simple," Regina said, wiping her face and shutting herself down again, "We send it somewhere that it can't hurt anyone."

:::

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Caroline frowned as she scanned the map in front of her. "It isn't that far away," she said, "But what if when we get there we figure out we shouldn't have come. Maybe no one has called because Bonnie is okay."

"Or maybe no one has called because she isn't okay and they don't have time to tell us that," Matt said.

Tyler nodded as he sat down next to Caroline on her couch. "Matt is right," he said, "Besides we've come too far to back out now. We broke into Alaric's apartment for God's sake. We have to see this through."

Caroline nodded, though she still had her doubts. She didn't want to interrupt Bonnie's search for her family. If her friend had left then Caroline felt that she should respect her choice and leave her be, but still her worry was overwhelming her. "I just don't want to disrupt her life," she said.

Tyler shrugged. "It's kind of too late for that isn't it?" he asked, "I mean Alaric and the Salvatores are already down there. The disrupting is kind of going without saying. Besides I'm pretty sure she'll be much happier to see you than she was to see them."

Matt nodded in agreement. "So are we going or what?"

"What about Elena?" Caroline frowned.

Matt shrugged. "She has Abby and Lucy here," Matt said, "They said that they would help to protect her and so far that's what they're doing. Besides Klaus has been pretty quiet since they let his mom out of the coffin. He has what he wants. His family is whole again. And hopefully everything is okay, and we won't be gone long."

"What if it's not okay?" Caroline asked.

"Then we should be leaving sooner rather than later," Tyler said, "If we keep talking about this by the time we get there it might be too late."

"Alright," Caroline agreed, "Let's go."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Bonnie watched as Regina placed a hat box on the top of her desk. Emma stood on the other side of desk her eyes glued on the hat as Regina took it out of the box. Damon stood behind her and Bonnie wondered where Ric, Stefan, Snow, and James had gone.

"The hat," Emma said, "You had it all along." Regina looked at her frowning. "That's Jefferson's hat."

Regina took a moment to wonder how Emma knew about the hat but decided it didn't matter. "Who's Jefferson?" Regina asked deciding to play dumb.

Emma rolled her eyes. Before she could speak, Bonnie beat her to it. "The Mad Hatter," Bonnie supplied, "And yeah, that is his hat. You don't have to play dumb mother."

Regina turned to her with a raised eyebrow. While she could dismiss Emma's knowledge, her daughter was another story. "How do you know about Jefferson," she asked, "And the hat?"

"Because I broke into your palace and tried to steal it from you," Bonnie said, "But Graham caught me before I could get too far."

"Graham?" Regina asked, "He knew about you?"

Bonnie nodded. She was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable with where the questioning was going.

Before Regina could demand that she elaborate, the others returned to the room carrying brooms. "Torches," James explained, "For when it comes back. I know its old fashioned but so am I."

Regina brushed him off. She had no time for his childish attempt at humor. "How long has Graham known about you?" she asked.

Bonnie sighed. She knew that her mother wouldn't relent until she got her answers. She felt like a child again under that intense stare. "Since I left the tower," Bonnie said, "Not that it matters right now."

"She and Graham have kind of a thing," James supplied. Bonnie glared at him. He never had known when to keep his mouth shut. Regina and Emma looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Not a big thing," he said, "They're close."

"How close?" Regina asked. The thought of she and her daughter possibly sharing the same bed partner made her cringe.

"Mother," Bonnie sighed, "Can we not?" Regina gave her a look and she suddenly felt like a she was going to be locked up somewhere again away from civilization. Still Bonnie didn't want to get into anything with her mother right now. Especially since she had heard from Red that Regina and Graham had been sleeping together prior to Graham's death, and since Bonnie knew that Emma had some unresolved feelings for Graham as well. Graham was a bad topic. Messy at best.

"You brought him back to life didn't you?" Regina said, "But how? I crushed his heart. Don't tell me it was true love's kiss."

"No." Bonnie frowned, not wanting to think about the image that Regina crushing Graham's heart made. "I put it back together," Bonnie said, "With magic. I don't know how. Rumple said that it shouldn't have been possible but I did it."

Regina seemed to consider this, her gaze calculating for a moment. "I've always known you would be powerful," she said, seeming almost proud. Bonnie smiled slightly. "Why did you break into my palace?" Regina asked, remembering what they were talking about initially, "Not only did I not raise you to commit such an act but there was a chance I would have found you. Why risk it?" Regina turned to James and Snow. "And you," she said, "Why would you allow it?"

"They didn't know," Bonnie cut in before they could speak, "And I had to do it. I was trying to break Rumple out of the dungeons. I thought I could use it to send him somewhere safe. It didn't work anyway. Because I never got that far and even if I had his cell blocked out all magic so I had to take another route. I ended up having to rob Hook to get some lock picks but then Snow caught me with them…."

Regina was about to ask her daughter just how close her relationship with Gold was and what made her think that robbing a pirate, and a captain no less, was a good idea but one of the interlopers whom she had yet to identify interrupted her.

"Wait a minute," Alaric said, "You robbed a pirate. A captain. The Captain Hook. The same Hook that was a notorious villain known for showing no mercy."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at the description. Killian had never caused her any harm but she knew that his reputation had come from somewhere. Still it was hard for her to imagine. "I was trying to help my friend," Bonnie said, with a shrug, "Besides, Killian is harmless. To me at least. Why are we talking about this? And how exactly do you know Hook?"

Alaric accepted the explanation right off. His father was Bonnie's friend. Bonnie would do anything for her friends. Her stay in Mystic Falls was proof enough of that in regards to not just the Gilberts but her other friends as well. He opened his mouth to explain his history with Hook when something hit him. One of the stories the man had told him coming to the forefront of his mind. "Wait a minute," Alaric said, "Why didn't I see it before? You're her aren't you? Killian's troublemaker."

"How did you-" Bonnie began to ask but she was cut off by Regina.

"You're what?" Regina asked. She frowned and her mind began to race. "You were the girl with the necklace who I thought was lost in the woods on my birthday," she said, "And you were the one that the pirate was trying to save. The one that I summoned to get him to agree to…." She turned to James and Snow her eyes lethal. "You allowed my daughter to fall in love with a pirate?"

Snow opened her mouth to likely assassinate Regina's parenting skills but Bonnie held up her hand. "Mother," she said, "Can we please discuss this later. If you die we won't be able to discuss this at all. Now, how exactly does the hat work?"

Regina frowned but she knew that Rapunzel was right. "Right," Regina said, clearing her throat, "I'll open a portal to our land. All we have to do is send it in there."

"I don't understand," Snow said, "I thought you said out land was gone."

"It is," Regina said, "And banishing it to a place that doesn't exist will be the same thing as banishing it into oblivion."

:::

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

Rapunzel was sure that Snow would be more angry after catching her with Rumple in the dungeons but the princess was so preoccupied with her pregnancy and the curse, she had let her off with a warning and nothing more.

She sat in Snow's chamber watching as the woman stared out of the large bay windows. "I was thinking," she said, not sure if Snow was listening, "That everything here is up in the air. Love, fate, destiny. I wonder if it's like that in other worlds too. I think it is, I mean Lancelot lost his true love just as easily as Rumple lost his. And my father though he is from Agrabah lost control of his fate at the hands of the evil queen much in the same way that Graham did. Rumple thinks I will have control over my own destiny but what if he is wrong. What if I am not in control of anything? What if I put my faith and my trust in the wrong people?"

Snow looked at her and smiled. "You are young yet Rapunzel," she said, "There is plenty of time to figure out your destiny. And even so you are very rarely wrong."

"How do you know that?" Rapunzel said, "I could be wrong even now. About Rumple or Killian."

"I hate to admit this," Snow said, "but you're not wrong about them. At least not in terms of their love for you. You are the easiest person in the world to love because you see the good in everyone, even in those who seem not to have any good to be found. And when you see the good in them they always want to show it, in order to prove you are right to put your faith in them. That is your gift Rapunzel. And perhaps that is what the Dark One meant by you having control over your destiny, even when it seems as if something or someone wishes to act against you, you overcome it, be it by facing your fears head on or by making your foes fall in love with you in one way or another. Think about it. You know all the Dark One's secrets and yet he makes no moves against you. And Hook has killed many a man for less than the trouble you bring him. The kingdom sees James and I as heroes but it's you Rapunzel that has true power over the villains of this world."

Rapunzel thought of her mother, Hook, and Rumple. "Perhaps," she said, "You're right, Snow."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Bonnie looked up as Stefan Salvatore walked up to her and leaned against the wall next to where she was standing. She raised an eyebrow at him as he looked at her inquiringly. "So," he said, "How are you holding up? I mean…really."

Bonnie blinked at him. "Why do you care?" she asked, "I don't even know why you and Damon are still here. I mean I get Ric. He has Rumple and he just found out he has a son. But you two…I mean….if you think I was joking about not being able to help you then you were wrong. You need a Bennett and I'm not a Bennett. And even if I was I wouldn't help you. I belong here and this is where the people I care about are."

Stefan decided not to tell her that the coffin was already open and that they had come because Damon was worried about her, even if his brother wouldn't admit it. "You cared about the people in Mystic Falls once upon a time too," Stefan said.

"And look at where that got me," Bonnie said, "Look, there isn't anything here for you or Damon so you should just go home. These aren't your people and this isn't your fight."

"Maybe not," Stefan conceded, "But we owe you. After everything you done for us and lost because of us. I get that now. And maybe we're not friends but we could've been once and if anyone deserves to not go through something alone it's you."

Bonnie frowned. "I thought you turned off your emotions," she said.

"I did," Stefan laughed, "You just kind of seem to have this sort of effect on people. I noticed it before and even though I don't know anyone here I can still see it with these people too."

"Noticed what?" Bonnie asked.

"You see the good in people," Stefan said, "Even people that don't seem to have any good left in them. So when they're around you, the good just kind of comes out."

Bonnie frowned as she remembered when Snow had told her the same thing as a child. She opened her mouth to respond to him but stopped then Damon walked up to them. "Everything is ready," Damon said, "How you holding up, witchy?"

Bonnie glanced at Stefan who shrugged and then back at Damon. "I'm fine," she said, looking at him as if he had grown a second head, "Thanks for asking…I guess."

"Not that you're worried," Damon said, "But in case you are, you shouldn't be. This will work. Things usually do when you're involved. Your mom is going to be okay, you know aside from the whole being evil part."

Bonnie didn't really know what to say. She was stunned that he was actually trying to be of some comfort to her and seemed genuinely concerned about her wellbeing. Still, she was sure it was some kind of ploy on his part. "Uh," she muttered, "That's weird coming from you but, um, thanks."

Damon nodded and turned back the way he came.

"See," Stefan leaned down and whispered into Bonnie's ear, "I told you so." Choosing to ignore him Bonnie followed silently behind Damon and Stefan followed behind her.

:::

Enchanted Forest, Before the Dark Curse

Regina Mills stood next to her daughter as they stared out of the window of the tower in which the girl was kept. She could sense the girl's longing for the outside world even as she became more determined to keep her from it.

"What are you thinking of Rapunzel, my love?"

Rapunzel frowned slightly as she turned to her mother. "Why do you call me that?" She asked, her tone more curious than anything else.

"Call you what?" Regina asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked down at her daughter.

"My love," Rapunzel replied, "It doesn't make sense. In books it always means something romantic and well…grandfather says that you lost your true love a long time ago."

Regina's face looked shadowed for a moment and Rapunzel thought that she had overstepped her mother's boundaries. However, a moment later Regina's face had cleared and she was smiling again. "There are more than one ways in which to love Rapunzel," she said, "And when you are much older then you will understand that." Regina knelt down until she was at eye level with the girl. "But know this, my love," she said, "I may have lost others before but you are and always will be the greatest love of my life. I could not bear it if I were ever to lose you."
Rapunzel stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. "You won't," she promised, "Not ever."

:::

Storybrooke, Maine

Bonnie knelt down beside her mother and frowned as the hat that had once belonged to the Mad Hatter remained still and unresponsive as she tried to use it to activate the portal to their world. Bonnie was afraid that the hat being unresponsive meant that what her mother had said was true and that the Enchanted Forest no longer existed and if that was true that meant that Killian no longer existed and the mere thought of that possibility made Bonnie wish that she had been the one who had been marked by the Wraith and not her mother.

"Why isn't it working?" Bonnie asked, as Emma knelt down on the other side of her, mother.

This was no time for their plan to fall apart. The Wraith was looming over them and the only thing that was keeping the monster at bay were the flaming brooms that Snow, James, Alaric, Damon, and Stefan were waving in its direction. But it had come for Regina's soul and it would have it if they didn't send it away and soon.

"I'm trying," Regina said. She spun the hat and there was once again no response.

"Try harder," Emma pressed, as she looked over her shoulder at her parents attempting to hold the Wraith off.

"It's not working," Regina sighed, and Bonnie could tell from the slump of her shoulders that she had given up, "Magic…it's different here."

Emma touched Regina's shoulder as she tried spinning the hat to open the portal once more. The hat surged to life beginning to omit purple smoke only to die down again a moment later as if nothing had happened. "What's wrong?" Emma asked, "It was working wasn't it? Why'd it stop?"

Regina shook her head, scared and unsure. She turned to look toward the Wraith and as Bonnie watched the expression's play upon her face she knew that Regina was accepting her fate. Regina turned to Bonnie and forced a smile. "There's something I have to say before the Wraith takes my soul," she said.

Bonnie shook her head. "It's isn't going to take you," Bonnie said, "We still have time."

"Listen to me, Rapunzel," Regina said, "Please." At her stiff nod, Regina continued. "I know you won't believe this but I love you. If I had remembered and I had had to choose you or the curse it would have been you." Regina took Bonnie's face in her hands, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "You are the greatest love of my life, remember?" she said, "I couldn't bear it if I lost you."

Bonnie felt her own tears form even as a plan began to form in her mind. Rumple's words replayed in her head. "The power is in your blood, in your breath, in your essence, in every strand of hair on your little head. Magic. Is. Power." Bonnie smiled at her mother and nodded to herself. She was still angry and disappointed and a part of her hated her mother but a larger part still loved her. "I love you," she whispered, as she made her decision, "You won't lose me. Not ever."

Before Regina could respond Bonnie concentrated her powers and suddenly her mother fell over into unconsciousness. Emma's mouth opened as watched Regina's comatose body hit the floor of the office. "What are you doing?" Emma demanded.

"What I have to," Bonnie said, looking down at the hat, "She'll be fine. She'll wake up in a few minutes. We don't have much time. The hat needs magic to work, strong magic, and I have it."

Emma blinked at her. "What does that mean?" she asked, "What are you going to do?"

Bonnie looked over her shoulder as the wind that the Wraith brought began to put the fire out in the brooms that the others were using to hold the soul sucker back. "Damon!" she called.

Damon turned immediately dropping the broom in his hand and running over to Bonnie's side. "We can't hold this thing off much longer witchy," he said, "What's the plan?"

Bonnie turned to toward him her face and eyes serious. "I need you to bite me," she said.

"What?" Both Emma and Damon said at the same time but for different reasons.

"Just enough to make me bleed," Bonnie pressed, ignoring Emma's questions from the other side of her, her attention solely on Damon, "The hat needs magic to work. There's magic in my blood." She held out her wrist to him. "Do it," she ordered, "We don't have time."

Damon glanced at Emma a moment before he wrapped his hand around Bonnie's wrist and brought it up to his mouth. He felt Emma's eyes on him as his face distorted, black veins pulsed beneath his eyes, and his fangs descended. "What the hell?" Emma said in a horrified whisper as Damon bit into Bonnie's wrist.

As the first drops of blood began to fall, Damon let go of Bonnie's hand. Bonnie held her wrist over the hat allowing a few drops of blood to fall into it before she used her magic to heal herself. Taking a deep breath she spun the hat again and this time it immediately surged to life, purple smoke spinning out from the inside as the portal to their world opened.

"It worked!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Her relief only lasted a moment as James shouted out a warning as the Wraith came speeding toward them. Bonnie's eyes flew to her mother's unconscious body and she reached out a hand to send it sliding across the floor and out of harm's way as the Wraith made to grab for Regina and got caught in the portal instead.

"Shit!" Damon screamed, drawing Bonnie's attention. Bonnie's eyes widened as she turned and saw that though the Wraith had gotten caught in the portal it had grabbed Damon in the process and was pulling him in with it.

"Damon!" Bonnie exclaimed at the same time that Stefan did but as she was closer she was the one that got to him first.

He reached out the hand that the Wraith hadn't grabbed to her and she took it pulling from her end to no avail. She felt Emma grab her around the waist a moment later pulling as well but that only lead to all three of them getting sucked into the portal along with the Wraith and disappearing.

"Emma!" Snow screamed, shooting forward, "Rapunzel!" She launched herself at the portal hoping to make it before it closed. "I won't lose them again," she shouted, as she allowed herself to be sucked inside.

Both James and Stefan moved to jump in after them but it was too late, the portal had already closed as James landed on the hat crushing it in the process. "No," he said as he knelt over the hat.

He heard Regina stir and looked over at the woman as she came back to herself. He stood and walked over to her, both Stefan and Alaric on his tail. Regina looked around as the three men loomed over her. "What happened?" she asked, "Where's Rapunzel?"

"The portal opened," James said, his tone empty, "It sucked the Wraith in and it took my wife, my daughter, and your daughter with it."
"And my brother," Stefan said, taking a step forward.

Regina didn't care about some stranger's brother, her daughter was trapped in a land that no longer existed, if she had even survived.

"Where are they?" Alaric demanded, "You said that the Enchanted Forest no longer existed. Does that mean that they're dead?"

"I don't know," Regina said, shaking her head.

"Well here's what's going to happen?" Stefan said, kneeling down in front of Regina, "You are going to figure it out and you are going to help us get them back."

Regina blinked at him, not taking well to his threats. "Or you'll what?"

Stefan allowed his face to distort and his fangs descend and James took a step back. "What the hell are you?" he asked.

"Something very bad," Stefan said, "And the evil queen here is about to find out just how bad."

Regina scoffed as she felt some of the power that she had been trying to regenerate surface. She lifted her hand and sent Stefan flying until he was pinned against the far wall. The vines that decorated the wall paper wrapped around Stefan's body and then his throat choking him.

Both Alaric and James stepped away from Regina as she walked up to where she had Stefan trapped. "I don't care what the hell you are or where the hell you're from," Regina said, "You will not threaten me. Here's what's going to happen. I am going to get my daughter back and if you want to live then you are going to stay the hell out of my way."

She let Stefan go, watching as he fell to the ground before she turned to James. "I am sure you will still attempt to save them from your end," she said, "being the heroic prince and all that. Just make sure that you take care of Henry in the meantime."

Regina knew that Henry was the only thing she had left but in giving him over to his grandfather she would be able to concentrate on getting her daughter back.

"And what will you be doing?" He asked.

"I have to go tell my daughter's father that she's missing," Regina said, "And then I have a goblin to guilt trip into giving me his assistance. Let's just hope that Rumple is as close to my daughter as she thinks he is."

James almost felt better knowing that The Dark One and Regina would be involved in the quest to bring the others home. Though they were both evil and selfish and would likely prioritize Rapunzel over Snow and Emma, they were also powerful and they got results. There was enough power and determination between himself, Regina, Rumple, and the Genie to get the job done. "If you have any leads," James said.

Regina nodded at him reluctantly. "You will be the first to know," she said.

She left a moment later and James, Alaric, and Stefan watched her go. Once she was gone Alaric turned to James. "I just lost my best friend and the mother of my child to who knows what and now they're who knows where," he said, "I know you don't know me but I'd like to help you find them. Damon is the only friend I have, Bonnie is my student, and Emma…she matters to me. If they're alive then we have to find them."

"They are alive," James said, "I can feel it. I have faith. And you don't have to worry I will always find them."

Alaric blinked at the declaration and shrugged. "Well," he said, "In the meantime, I would like to see my son."

James hesitated a moment before he nodded. "That's fine," he said, "It will be easier to tell him what happened if I don't have to do it alone and since his mother, his grandmother, and his aunt are gone at least for now, he should be with the family that he has left." He glanced warily toward Stefan. "Just make sure your other friend behaves himself. I don't care what he is. If he hurts any townspeople I'll get Regina to kill him myself."

:::

Enchanted Forest, After the Dark Curse

Mulan and Aurora laid Prince Philip to rest in the castle that he had shared with the princess prior to the Dark Curse. He had been marked by the Wraith that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and the demon had taken his soul.

While Aurora had loved him as the prince and Mulan had loved him as the comrade in arms, they both felt the loss of him equally. Mulan believed that when he had said his last, "I love you," he had been speaking to them both. And they both returned his love which was the reason she knew that they would honor his wishes and take care of each other even if the strain of them both being in love with the same man had caused tension between them at first, now that Phillip was gone their love for him united them together.

Mulan frowned turning from where Aurora was saying her last goodbyes as she heard movement. Taking out her sword she looked toward the pile of rubble that sat in the middle of the palace ballroom from which the Wraith had appeared, that they now had used as a resting place for Phillip's body, laying him on the same bed that Aurora had been cursed to sleep away for eternity by Maleficent prior to the Dark Curse taking hold.

It had been twenty eight years since the Dark Curse had taken majority of the Enchanted Forest's citizens to an unknown land. During that time, time had stood still and though those left had found refuge, the land still held dangers and no one had solved the mystery as to why some of them had remained as of yet.

Mulan walked toward the sound and Aurora followed close behind her. They stopped in front of the rubble and Mulan reached down to clear some of the fallen wreckage stopping and frowning once she discovered where the sound had come from. "What is that?" Aurora asked.

"That is what brought the Wraith here," Mulan said, "That is what killed our prince."

Four strangers in even stranger clothes lay among the wreckage and Mulan was sure they had been responsible for the Wraith. The male among them stirred first and groaned. He held his head and his blue eyes were sharp and perceptive as he looked up at them.

Mulan pointed her sword in his direction. "Who are you?" she asked, "Why did you bring the Wraith here?"

Instead of answering the man moved in front of one of his female companions. Her dark waist length curls had come undone and her hair was full of dust and rubble. He brushed some of it away as wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her toward him as if to shield her.

Mulan frowned pointing the sword at the female instead. "Answer my question," she demanded.

The man's eyes suddenly grew lethal and dark veins began to pulse beneath them. Mulan watched in horror as the man grew fangs. "Get that thing away from her or I swear I will rip your heart out of your chest," he spat.

Mulan felt her fear rise and for the first time since she had picked it up to fight her first battle, her sword fell from her hands.