It could have been hours that she was in that mine and since she couldn't feel his magic anymore, Amber felt that it was safe to come out of hiding. She stood and looked up to try and find the best way out. She suddenly realized that she was so busy finding a good place to hide, she didn't think about the exit route. Deciding not to panic she figured she could just use her magic to teleport herself out. Before she even began she could hear her father's voice. "All magic comes with a price." She didn't care. She never really cared about the price and perhaps that was because she couldn't do much with her magic for nature to even consider a price. Gathering the magic inside her, she closed her eyes and concentrated on appearing outside of the mines, just like she was taught. She took a breath.

She opened her eyes.

Rocks. No trees or grass. She was still in the mines. She closed her eyes again and took another deep breath.

Rocks.

She tried again. Rocks.

Three more times. The mines.

She was stuck.


Regina was staring at Gold as if he had grown three heads. "You can't be serious?!"

"I'm not really sure of anything right now."

"You? It's not possible. You might be a villain but you would never-"

"Who else would?" Gold asked the mayor.

Regina continued to stare at Rumple. He was crazy to think that, he had to be. He would never. Before she could scold him for something he should already know, her phone rang.

Gold watched her as she talked on the phone. As quick as she answered she hung up and looked at him.

"No one can find her." Before he could get angry enough to throw some magic she quickly added, "but the mermaid came to the diner and has some news for everyone. We need to go."

At the same time Regina and Gold were informed of Ariel, so was Neal and Belle. Neither wanted to go for their own reasons. If it was what he thought he wasn't ready to face anyone, especially his father. Belle was too numb from shock to even move. The only thing that did make them go to the diner was that if there was any hope to change the future, they had to do something. They just weren't sure what exactly.


Luckily it wasn't as crowded at the diner as it was in the town hall when Neal first arrived but it was clear to see who was all there. Regina and Gold was already there when Neal and Belle walked in. The Charmings and their hero group was here. Obviously Ariel and her prince, the gossip duo, and a few other royalties such as Cinderella and Aurora.

Neal never felt like a coward in his life. Never felt like running away and hiding in a corner, but he felt it when he entered the diner and everyone's eyes, even his father's, were on him. And he knew why.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Rumple asked in a threaten voice.

"Rumple-" Belle began.

"No!" He yelled. Before he could continue to scold Bae, he noticed the redness and tears in both his wife's and son's eyes. His breath got caught.

"You knew?"

"Know what?" David asked.

"What happened?" Neal asked. Suddenly everyone began asking questions but before things could get out of hand, it was Grumpy who yelled for everyone to simple shut up.

"I believe the mermaid had some news for us." He said. They all looked at Ariel and Belle felt like going to her friend and giving her a big hug, but she was still too numb.

"It was him but somehow, it wasn't him either." She said. She pointed at Gold. Learning that their enemy was Gold himself from the future, they were surprised to see Ariel still alive considering that the future Gold had already killed Jefferson and his young daughter.

"What do you mean by that?" Emma asked.

"He seemed...hurt." The mermaid said. "He said he had a message to give to everyone."

"What was it?" Regina asked.

Ariel took a breath. "It's going to be either Amber or everyone."

No one said a word for what might have been a few minutes. Suddenly Emma took a step forward and looked straight at Neal.

"Alright Neal. It's time for you tell us everything."

He knew she was right. He looked at Belle who looked as if she was ready to faint. "Belle, maybe you should sit down this time." He didn't smile. He looked at everyone and began the tale.


Yep, I'm leaving you there. :)