10
Justice For All
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my awesome sister Angela (love is hope and we're all hoping for your recovery, thanks to everyone for prayers and good wishes) and to awesome Robert Carlyle, whose birthday is today! This is how I believe the Zelena storyline SHOULD end.
Snow cradled the baby in her arms, cooing softly to him, and saying to Charming, "Isn't he perfect? He's amazing!"
"Yes, he sure is," her husband agreed, beaming at the pair as they lay in the hospital bed.
Also visiting them were Emma, Belle, Regina, and Robin. They were gathered around the bed, smiling and joking about how much the baby looked like his father, but with Snow's dark hair and definitely her smile.
Until in a cloud of green smoke, Zelena appeared in the room, along with Rumple. "Well, if it isn't a bouncing baby boy!" the wicked witch cooed. "Mind if I hold him?"
"No!" Snow yelped, clutching the baby to her.
"Get away from my family!" Charming cried, standing up and looking like he was going to jump on Zelena.
"Back off, Cowardly Lion," Zelena snarled. "Scarecrow, restrain him."
Rumple obeyed, casting a freeze charm on David.
"Now . . .let's see your bundle of joy," Zelena smirked.
"Get away from her," Regina cried, and went to cast something at her sister.
Zelena spun on her. "You! You killed my beautiful one!" she growled. "And now you're gonna pay!" She touched her hat brim . . . and a bright violet light shot out and transformed Regina into a flying monkey. "How do ya like them apples, babycakes?"
"You still have to go through me!" Emma cried. Behind her, Robin pulled up the hood of his cloak and vanished.
"With pleasure . . . savior!" chuckled the witch, and she thrust out a hand and sent Emma slamming backwards into the wall. "Who's next? You, girl?" she glared at Belle.
"She's harmless, Mistress. Not even worth a thought," Rumple interceded quickly. "Remember what we came here for?"
"Right." Zelena turned her attention back to Snow and the baby. "Let me see the little nipper," she growled, and levitated the baby out of Snow's arms.
"No! Please . . . don't hurt my baby!" Snow sobbed, holding her arms out in a futile gesture.
"I'm afraid, dear . . . that I have to disappoint you," Zelena purred, holding the wailing baby close. "Because, you see . . . I need his heart!" Then she reached in and ripped out the baby's heart, holding it aloft in triumph a moment later. "I won! Wicked always wins!"
Her eyes glimmering with triumphant madness, she turned and shoved the baby back at Snow, who took the infant and wept. Then she stuck the heart in her pocket and grabbed Rumple by his jacket lapels. "Let's have ourselves a celebratory kiss, shall we?"
"Of course, darling," Rumple answered, then he kissed her hard, nipping her sharply with his teeth.
Zelena moaned against him, and he drew her close. Come on, Hood, what the hell are you waiting for?
Zelena was so caught up in the throes of victory that she never even felt the ghostly fingers at her belt, fingers that were there and gone again in mere seconds. She drew back, panting, her eyes shining in delight. "Now, I shall become immortal!"
She summoned a flask with a snap of her fingers, crushed the baby's heart, and poured it into the potion, then she drank.
Throwing back her head she laughed like a monkey on crack. "Now I shall rule the realms! I am like unto a goddess!" She grinned at Rumple. "And you, Rumplestiltskin, shall be my consort! Take my hand, love!"
But Rumple just looked at her, disgust written all over his features. "Sorry, dearie. But I'd sooner take the hand of a leper than yours."
Zelena stared at him. "W-What? But . . . but you have to! You have to obey me!" Her face scrunched up into a scowl that would have done a spoiled brat proud. "DO IT!"
"I have one word for you, dearie," Rumple said, smirking. "No."
Zelena drew the dagger from her belt. "You cannot disobey me! I have your dagger! I command you, Dark One!"
"Actually, no you don't. Not anymore!" Rumple sniffed. "Because that is not my dagger! It's a red herring!"
Belle patted her coat pocket and grinned.
"Of course this is your dagger!" Zelena blustered. "You're just playing with me, aren't you, Rumple?" She tittered softly. "Good joke!"
"The joke's on you, I'm afraid," Rumple sneered. "In every way, you green bitch! Not only do you not command me, you aren't immortal either, Zelena! Take a look!" He pointed at Snow, who should have been devastated over the loss of her baby, but was instead smirking and holding up . . . a doll that looked like a baby.
"Surprise! You're on Candid Camera!" she said brightly.
"What? But the heart . . . it came out of its chest . . ."
"Aye , it did, dearie, but you're sloppy. You never bothered to check what kind of heart it was. The heart of a pig looks just as good as the heart of a human, don't you know?" Rumple giggled. Then he glared at her. "Did you really think I'd stand there and let you harm a baby, Zelena? Did you? Then you don't know me as well as you think!" He waved a hand and her hat was blown off her head. A snap of his fingers released Charming from his freeze spell. "Emma, get the hat and transform Regina back," he ordered.
As Emma did so, his eyes narrowed and he said grimly, "Once you wanted me for a tutor, Zelena. Well, here's my first and final lesson—payback's a bitch, dearie!"
Then he lunged at her and ripped the emerald away from her.
"Belle, now!"
Belle drew out a Nerf Super Soaker, which she had concealed beneath her coat, and fired several bursts at the witch, who was reeling from Rumple's sudden defection and treachery.
Zelena shrieked and cowered as the water hit her, burning her like acid. "No-o-o! I hate water!"
She made as if to transport away, but Rumple waved his hand and her spell failed.
"No, you don't. You're going to stay and face the just punishment you've earned," he intoned coldly.
"You helped me!" she spat. "You're as much to blame!"
"You forced me into being your pawn, I never helped you willingly! And everything I did, Zelena, was done to bring you down! I never cared for you, never enjoyed your little advances, they were worse than a dog licking me. It was all I could do not to throw up when you kissed me! And now . . . now Little Miss Wicked—your debt has come due!"
"What debt? What are you talking about?"
"The one you owe the gods of night and shadow for tricking them with Neal's sacrifice!" Emma snarled. "That debt!" Then she marched up and punched Zelena right in the jaw . . . and at the same time smearing her with squid ink. "And that's for Neal and Rumple, you wicked bitch!"
Zelena staggered, only to be sent reeling from a second punch, this time from Regina. "And that's for getting in my face!"
Rumple gestured and the stiffened Zelena was jerked upright. "Last but not least—this is how the dark gods shall get their just sacrifice, since you denied them their due!" He held his hands above her head. "By darkness and light, by moonlight and shadow, I, Rumplestiltkin, cast a retributive sacrifice upon thee, Zelena, and in so doing, restore my son to me!"
Purple magic streamed down upon the witch, making her writhe and squirm even through the squid ink. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out because she was frozen, yet the agony on her face was palpable.
"Oh, and I forgot to mention one little thing. It'll HURT . . . a lot!"
Zelena thrashed and bucked like a hooked fish, but it mattered not. Rumple poured all of his anger and anguish from being her slave into the spell he had cast and let her have that too. The retribution sucked her life and soul out of her, since the gods demanded such a thing in return for what she had done. One hand thrust out, and suddenly the triangle within a circle sigil blazed upon her hand, engraved upon her palm.
Down in the basement of Gold's shop, the sigil vanished from the hand of a certain man who sometimes went by Neal Cassidy and other times Baelfire. And then he opened his eyes.
As the others watched in grim satisfaction, the wicked witch withered and faded into a dry husk, a shell of her former self.
Rumple lowered his hands. "Like I always say—all magic comes with a price."
"You can say that again," Robin nodded, reappearing as he removed the hood from his head.
Rumple looked at him. "Thank you for your assistance."
Robin shrugged. "Hey, nobody deserved what she did to you. Happy to be of service." He made as if to give the cloak back, but Rumple stopped him.
"Keep it. Consider it a bonus-for a job well done," the sorcerer said with a small smile. He looked at Regina. "And you can have her hat and her pendant."
"Thanks. Now I can re-transform all of the people who were flying monkeys, like Little John," Regina said happily, and picked up the hat and the pendant from the ground.
"Rumple, here's your dagger," Belle said, and came and offered it to him.
As he took the dagger in his hand, there came a flicker of bright light and someone else appeared in the room.
"Papa?"
"Bae!" Rumple cried, and moved to take his son in his arms. "Oh, Bae! You're alive!"
Bae hugged his father tightly. "And so are you!"
They clung to each other, weeping silent unashamed tears, each celebrating the fact that the other was still there to hold and to love.
"Are you okay?" Rumple asked once he could speak again.
"I'm fine. You?"
"Wonderful now that Zelena is dead and you're back where you belong," Rumple answered. Then he stepped back and indicated Emma. "And I think someone else wants to say welcome home, Bae."
Neal turned . . . and saw Emma standing there, her hair a little windblown, her eyes glimmering with tears. "Emma? You know . . . I thought I was dreaming . . . but I think I remember . . . you kissing me . . ." He approached, somewhat hesitantly.
"Well, maybe this will jog your memory, Neal," she replied, then she was in his arms and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.
And as she did so, a golden glow spread from her and Neal and washed over the room . . . and all of Storybrooke.
Everyone gasped as their memories were restored, for True Love's Kiss breaks all curses.
In the diner, Henry was having chocolate milk and a cinnamon bun with Hook when the glowing light washed over him.
The boy blinked and put a hand to his head. A second later he took it away and said, "Hey, Killian, I remember everything now! And I need you to take me over to the hospital. I want to see my dad."
Killian looked startled.
"Then I guess the curse broke. Your mom must have done it."
"Yup. She always does," Henry smiled.
"Okay, kid. Then let's go," and the pirate threw down some bills and rose to his feet, following an eager Henry out the door.
Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Emma continued kissing Neal, unable to get enough of him. His lean arms held her tight and she melted into his embrace, for a single instant letting go of everything except the feel of his arms about her, holding her like she was the most precious thing on earth. And she in turn held him fiercely like she never wanted to let him go.
Until a familiar voice said, "Oh my God, Mom! Let Dad breathe!"
They drew apart, to turn and see their son standing in the doorway, and Hook behind him.
"Henry!" Emma exclaimed, reaching out to hug her son. "You remember!"
"Yeah, because the curse was broken," he said, then he ran and hugged her and Neal. "Hey, Dad."
"Hey, tiger," Neal said, and grabbed his son in a hug that picked him off the ground. "God, I missed you and your mom!"
Emma smiled at her two boys, then her gaze was drawn to Hook. She looked over at him and nodded.
Hook nodded back. Then he gave a rueful grin and departed, understanding that Emma was not for him, and never had been. But there were plenty of other fish in the sea.
After Neal finished hugging Henry, Belle hugged him next, and so did David, Robin, and Regina.
Snow started to get out of the bed to do so also, but felt a sudden sharp contraction in her lower back. "Oh, damn!"
"Honey, what's the matter?" asked Charming.
"David . . . I think I'm in labor," Snow declared.
Her husband went pale as a sheet.
Rumple poked him. "Don't faint now, Charming! She needs you."
"Uh . . . right . . . let me go call the doctor, honey!" Charming bolted from the room.
"Mom, Grammy's having her baby now?" Henry gaped at Snow.
"Yup. Now let's go down and get an ice cream to celebrate," Neal said, and steered Henry from the room.
"I think I'll go join him. Coming, Regina?" asked Robin.
"Yes," Regina followed them from the room.
"I'm staying, Mom," Emma reassured her. She held out a hand for Snow to squeeze.
"Thanks, Emma. Oooh, that was a big one!" Snow groaned.
"Breathe, dearie," Rumple instructed softly. He took Snow's other hand. "Now . . . I'm going to numb you a wee bit. Ready?" He concentrated and a golden glow washed over the laboring woman.
"Ahh . . . that feels so much better, Rumple!" Snow sighed gratefully. "How come you can heal with your magic and you're . . . err . . . the Dark One?"
Before Rumple could try and answer her, someone else did.
"It's because he's not just the Dark One, Snow White . . . not any longer. He's the Mage of Light and Shadow," answered a deep bass voice.
They all looked up to see a tall man with hair black as a moonless night with sharp angular features and pointed ears standing there. He was dressed all in black, black leather pants, billowing shirt, and long shadowy black cloak, but around his neck sparkled a brilliant moonstone pendant. He was pale as parchment and his huge eyes were cat-like green. Upon his high brow was a tattoo—in blue woad of a crescent moon with three stars upon a midnight circle.
Snow, Belle, and Rumple goggled at him, wide-eyed.
Then Rumple stepped forward and knelt at the stranger's feet, holding the dagger out on his palms. "Abraxus Nightlord, god of moonlight and shadows, I greet thee."
Abraxus' lips twitched in a sly smirk. "Is all this bowing and scraping really necessary, Rumple? I'm not Zelena, you know." He took Rumple gently by the arm and raised him to his feet. "That gets kind of old after the first two centuries. So please, don't do it. And don't apologize either, I already can sense you're sorry."
Rumple swallowed what he had been about to say.
Abraxus turned to Snow. "Sorry, my timing's atrocious, as my mother would say, but I had to come here now." He waved a hand. "There! Your labor's been put off for a bit, so I can talk. First off, I'd like to congratulate you all on working together to bring Zelena to justice. That's what we want to see—cooperation, even if you hate your neighbor. Because there has to be a balance of Light and Dark in all things. It's the Law of Creation. The Law that Zelena conveniently forgot . . . or thought she could ignore. But you can't, for all magic comes with a price, and bringing back the dead carries the greatest price of all . . . which is why it's forbidden save in special cases." Abraxus frowned. "But she'll learn the error of her ways . . . if it takes all of eternity, which it very well might." He shrugged. "But then, you cross us at your own peril, as she discovered . . . and will keep on discovering."
There was a dark grim note in his voice now, and everyone in the room shivered upon hearing it.
Then Abraxus continued. "But that isn't why I'm here, for you don't need me to tell you things you already figured out. I'm here to thank you personally, Rumplestiltskin, for being the avatar of our justice, and to give to you a blessing for your service. We do not forget our debts, magic's child."
"Thank you, my lord."
Abraxus smiled. "You are most welcome. Now what would you like?"
"Just one thing. I would like this . . . curse taken off of me. I would like to . . . give back the power of the dagger, for I no longer need or want it. It is a burden I can do without," Rumple replied, looking right into the god's eyes.
"You are certain?"
"Yes, my lord. Take it away . . .please. If I must choose between power and being ordinary, then I choose to be ordinary. It is enough and more than enough."
Abraxus chuckled. "Well done, Rumple! You have passed my test . . . as I had hoped. The others swore no mortal ever would, yet you have done it. . . finally!"
"Test?"
Abraxus smirked in glee. "Yes. You see when we, the gods of Light and Shadow, created the Dark One and the dagger all those centuries ago, it was a test of mortal fortitude and integrity and courage. We wanted to see what would happen if we gave a man everything he could ever desire in the form of magical power . . .but made the cost that he would in turn lose what made him most human . . . his heart. Down through the centuries, we watched the Dark Ones come and go . . . and we saw, to our sorrow, that each one was greedy, selfish, and cruel, and the power warped them and made them tyrants. Not one in all those centuries proved able to see past power's lure and recognize magic's truth—that everything has a price, and you need both light and dark in order to be in Balance. Until you. You alone were the only Dark One to ever seize the power of the dagger, not for yourself, but for your son and those children dying in a fool's hopeless war. You gave up your heart, not for yourself, but for others, and in so doing proved that even a so-called coward could be a savior, and a Beast still keep a spark of goodness in his black heart. Because of that, the Dark One curse did not destroy your humanity, and it is that which your True Love, Belle, saw within you. Though the burden of the curse forced you to do horrible things, those deeds were balanced by the good you did—in saving the children, in helping Snow White and Prince Charming, putting a loophole in the Dark Curse, reminding Regina of her own humanity, sparing the life of a rogue, loving Belle, loving Baelfire, helping Emma awaken to her true potential, saving Henry, sacrificing your life for everyone to stop a true monster, and bringing Zelena to a final judgment. The scales balance. No day without night, no night without stars. And by willingly giving up the dagger, you have learned our most important lesson—that true power lies, not in magic, but in love."
He laid a hand upon Rumple's brow. "And now, I give thee the reward you have earned, Rumplestiltskin, my son."
Then he kissed the sorcerer on the forehead.
There was brief flash of light.
And the dagger in Rumple's grip flickered.
When he looked down again, dizzy, Rumple saw his name had been erased completely.
Abraxus gently plucked the dagger from his grasp. "'Tis done. No more Dark One, Rumple. Instead there is only the Mage of Light and Shadow, forevermore."
"Then . . . I still have magic?" repeated Rumple, dazed.
"But of course! Your magic has always been there, we just suppressed it. But our experiment is over and now you can be as you were born to be, and like all who bear magic's Gift, to choose what you shall do with it. But remember—all magic comes with a price. Choose wisely." Then Abraxus placed a black cord about his Chosen's neck, with a medallion bearing his sigil upon it. "Fare thee well, Rumplestiltskin!"
Then Abraxus vanished as swiftly as he had come, taking the dagger with him, and the gods lifted their onus from Storybrooke, and all was as it had been once more.
Belle came and hugged her beloved, their mouths meeting in a breath stealing kiss that should have set the room on fire.
Until Snow interrupted with a snarled, "Where the hell is my husband? What'd he do—take a detour to Oz? He'd better be back before this baby gets born, or else he can go live at the animal shelter!"
Belle and Rumple broke off their kiss, giving Snow a slightly guilty look. "Sorry, maybe we should do this another time," Belle said contritely.
"Like outside in the hallway," Rumple murmured, and started to drag her into the hall.
Just as Charming, Whale, and some nurses burst into the room.
"Sorry, I'm late, honey," Charming panted. "I took a wrong turn at the café and ended up in Radiology."
Snow rolled her eyes. "Figures!"
"Okay, people, I need everybody out except the papa-to-be and—" began Whale.
"Don't even think about ordering me away," Emma stated firmly.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Whale chuckled. "But Gold and Belle—out!" He turned to shoo them from the room, only to find they were already gone.
Down the hall, in an alcove, Rumple proceeded to kiss Belle senseless, making up for lost time, in the best way possible.
A/N: Stay tuned, dearies, there's still more to come! Hope you all liked the way I killed off Zelena the Witchy-Bitch from hell. Thanks as well to Jamie for her help and input on this story! Next up-Swanfire and Rumbelle family bonding, yay!