Regina sits home, elbows propped on the kitchen counter, her hands sunk into fistfuls of hair. Of course she is thinking about Emma. That's all she's been thinking about. She is thinking how this woman didn't even turn around when she called out to her. Regina was still upset with Kristoff for his interference, when all she wanted was just a minute to talk to Emma. Just a single friggin' minute. She had no idea that she would have bumped into the blonde, that was and was not, her Emma. Even though they had only spent a few brief moments together, Regina knew there was much more to be discovered between the two of them. She just needed time.

Selene tossed a bag of blood on the counter. Regina cut her a sideways glance, fangs showing. "I thought you were leaving town." Selene walked up behind Regina, resting her head against the woman's back and wrapping her arms around her. Regina worked her fingers free of her hair, allowing her arms to rest against, and match Selene's hold on her.

"So did I. But you need to feed, and feed properly. You look like shit." She could feel Regina tense beneath her. "And, you still need to leave this current debacle to me." Regina closed her eyes. She hated hearing anything remotely that sounded like logic. Yes her emotions were clouded, no she wasn't thinking clearly, blah, blah, blah. She was thankful that Selene didn't repeat the same conversation that they had been having for the past two weeks.

"I've been doing some digging. It would seem that Gold has been amassing some hard to find relics, some mystical, some not so much." Selene took a deep breath and continued. "And anyone who is less than compliant, well, they aren't around to talk too much about it." Selene tightened her embrace on Regina as the woman's head fell forward. Her body shuddering as small sobs strained for release.

X

Madeline sat quietly at Belle's feet, her legs tucked neatly beneath the light green dressing gown she wore, looking all the world like a dutiful child. Her head rested easily in Belle's lap, along with her left arm that hung casually across the woman's knees. Madeline stopped short of purring, her eyes closed as Belle stroked an idle hand across her head. Truthfully, she thought, this was the thing she longed for, to be doted on, resting like a babe in arms. Madeline breathed in deeply, easing out a sigh of contentment, relishing the feel of living a divine life, no matter how brief it would be. She rolled her head deep against the palm of Belle's hand, who tucked a few loose strands of blonde hair behind the girl's ear. Belle leaned forward and kissed the crest of Madeline's ear. This time the girl released the tiniest of hums as she exhaled.

"You are an adorable lovely one." Belle's breath caught in the grooves of her ear and Madeline shivered. She allowed herself a thin smile to press out the corners of her mouth, and she hugged Belle about the legs. "I think perhaps you are better company than Emma Swan." Madeline remained still. "Gold might as well be using her as a personal valet they are gone so often now." Serves her right, though. "I hate clubbing alone." Belle continued petting Madeline. The girl smiled quietly to herself.

X

Emma Swan held the door open for Gold as they entered the corner office at the end of the corridor. Archibald Hopper rose from his desk pressing wire rimmed glasses further up onto the bridge of his nose. He extended his hand to Gold, smiling all the while. He cast a brief and wary glance in Emma's direction as she closed the door to his office, where she remained standing to just one side.

"Mr. Gold, please, have a seat." Gold ignored the man's handshake.

"Good to see you again, Archie. You don't mind if I call you Archie?" Archie replaced his smile with a smirk and dropped back into his seat. All pretense of civility, fading.

"What is it Gold?" Archie reclined back in his chair, propping his feet onto the blotter of his mahogany desk. "I already told you I don't have what you want. And if I did, I am in no way inclined to do business with you." Gold studied the Mother of Pearl inlay of the collar of his cane, as if it was of a keen interest.

"Oh you misunderstand me Archie." Gold leaned forward, turning around the brass picture frame on Archie's desk. A blond haired woman holding a young boy with light colored red hair and hazel eyes, in her lap, both smiling for all the world. "I have no intention of doing business with you." Gold positioned the picture frame facing Archie, who was visibly disturbed. "That's a good looking boy you have there. Pretty wife."

Archie rubbed his thumb against the right edge of the picture frame, smiling to himself mostly, lost momentarily in a memory. He folded the picture frame down, resting the palm of his hand on it. His smile fading, Archie dropped his feet to the floor, bringing his other arm to rest on his desk. Lifting up the left corner of the blotter he slid a business card out. He found his voice and gritted out. "Go to the address here, there'll be no problems."

Emma watched the events before her unfold. She could have easily done it with her eyes closed, as she could hear Archibald Hopper's voice was just a tic out of sync from the moment they arrived. She had to give the man credit, though. His bravado, however false and misplaced, was almost good enough to fool her. Almost. But she had smelled his fear the minute he looked at her. He knew who she was. Word had been getting around about the blond woman that was almost always in the company of Gold, and people were afraid. Consequently, Emma had grown to dislike the smell of fear. Something about it, the smell of fear, that always made her think that death was the next door that would open. And some days she was a death dealer in the worst possible ways. But she felt a bit of admiration for him, as he was one of the few people she had encountered that was not immediately intimidated by Gold. But his love of family was a weakness for him, and it was sad how he folded before her eyes.

Gold rose slowly and she held the door for him again. He paused next to her before leaving. "Kill him." Emma nodded. "Kill them all. There is no reason for them to suffer the other's absence." Emma closed the door as Gold left. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The stench of fear threatening to overwhelm her senses. She really wanted to throw up, but business first.

"Mr. Hopper, you know who I am?" Emma watched his demeanor change. She was suddenly looking at a man who would acknowledge that the inevitable had been laid at his feet, and he was willing to accept the outcome. Archie nodded.

"Mr. Hopper, I am going to tell you something and you are going to do exactly as you are told. Do you understand me?" Emma removed her sunglasses, and squinted against the office lights. Archie nodded, again. She spoke quietly, watching as all expression faded from his face. She sat on the edge of the desk and handed the picture frame to Archie who silently clutched it in his left hand, pressing it against his chest.

"Mr Hopper you are going to go home tonight. You are to pack a single bag each for you and your family, and you are going to leave town. Do you understand?" Archie nodded. "One day I am going to come for you." A frowned creased the man's face, but Emma continued. "You are going to do me a favor one day, Mr. Hopper. Do you understand?" Emma slipped her sunglasses back into place, pressing the heel of her right hand against the headache she had. "Good night Mr. Hopper."