Next installment! They have a plan...

Chapter 9: The Plan

March 20th 2014

The man was tossing and turning in his bed but sleep would not come. He had a bad day. Not that he had had many good ones lately. He was angry, all the time. Any little irritation became a major pain, like his neighbor's dog barking.

He tried to ignore the animal. But he could not: each bark felt like a hammer inside his head. Angry, the man stood up abruptly and walked toward the cupboard where he was keeping his rifle. He loaded the weapon and still in his boxer in the cool March air of Maine, he walked toward the dog.

As soon as he saw the demon the man had become, the dog cowered in fear and whined softly. But the man did not care. He aimed his rifle at the animal's head and fired.

ECECEC

March 31st 2014

They were finally ready; at least on the magical side. Emma had learned to take a heart after a few sessions with Rumpelstiltskin. The Dark One was impressed by the Savior's magic and had insisted she took more lessons. Emma had vehemently refused and in order to save his relationship with his son after the fiasco with Belle, Gold had relented.

Blue was also satisfied with David's progress. He was now able to access his magic effortlessly and skilled at connecting with someone else's. They were almost ready to wake Regina up. The group -David, Whale, Archie, Blue, Gold, Belle, Emma, Neal, Sarah, and Granny- had gathered at the library to go over the details one last time before attempting it.

"Even though Regina won't be able to access her magic, you'll be able to reach out to her." Blue reminded David for the umpteenth time. "It's safer for all of us if she doesn't access any magic subconsciously."

David nodded. He did not like it but had been outvoted when he had suggested unbinding her magic. "And I think we should keep her restrained as well." Whale delivered the last blow.

"What?" David looked at his friend in both surprise and betrayal. "No! She hates being bound! How can we ask her to trust us and let us help her if we put her in that position?!" David looked toward Archie for help.

However, the psychiatrist agreed with his colleague's assessment. "She could really hurt herself, David. You won't be able to keep her from doing so and establish your bond."

"Dad, it won't be long. Once you've established the bond and we're sure she doesn't try to hurt herself, we'll free her." Emma reassured him. "And when you're both ready, I'll perform the hearts'… exchange." She could not think of a better word to describe the process.

"Remember that it may not be so easy, dearie." Rumple warned. "Both of their hearts will be protected by love, much like yours was when Cora tried to take it. The Prince, here, will be willing." Emma looked at her father. She had practiced on him several times already. "But Regina might not be so inclined."

"I know." Emma answered. "And it falls on David to talk her through it." Father and daughter nodded at each other.

"And then what?" Belle finally asked the question that had been on her mind ever since Blue had come to the mansion with this plan. "Regina is awake. How do we help her deal with everything she's been through with a pure heart?"

Everyone turned toward Archie, who blushed in embarrassment. "It's going to take her some time to process everything."

"Years of therapy, you mean?" Emma sighed. "Archie, there must be another way."

The man shook his head. "She needs to deal with her past in a healthy way."

David shook his head. "How can she deal with being abused, raped, and the murders she has committed in a healthy way, Archie?" He stood from his chair and paced the room. Everyone fell silent at once. Although they all knew about Regina's past - most of the people present had played a role in it, they had not been ready to hear the words from the Prince's mouth. "How can she deal with it when every single person in this town will remind her of the horrors she's committed?"

"Then maybe she shouldn't be in this town." Neal suggested. The astonished looks on the rest of the group prompted him to continue. "You said it yourself, David. Here, she'll be confronted with her past every time she leaves her house. But Regina can leave town."

"And do what?" David asked angrily. "We put her in an asylum with strangers and ask them to treat her as they would a normal patient? How can she get help if she can't even tell them what's wrong?"

"David, I know you're angry." Neal stated in a firm tone. "And I know you're tired. But Belle brought up a fair point. And Archie is right: Regina has to deal with everything she's done. She's killed and tortured a lot of people, David. You can't just walk away from that! She is paying the price to be able to start over again." He finally pronounced the words no one had the courage to even think.

David took a deep breath, trying to contain his own anger. Deep down, he knew Neal was right but it did not make the situation any less difficult. "I don't see a way Regina can get the help she needs outside of Storybrooke. She needs her family." David finally looked the man directly in the eyes. "And she might be able to leave Storybrooke and take Henry with her. But who is going to take care of her? I can't cross the townline without losing my memories!"

"Are you really that stupid?" Gold exclaimed. "You will be carrying Regina's heart. So in much the same way your bond will protect her from her painful memories, it will help keep yours intact." He smirked.

David decided to ignore the Dark One' insult and concentrate on his last statement. Neal was right: they needed to leave. Regina would never be able to heal in a town where she would be confronted with her past at every corner. "Where would we take her? And how can we help her once we're there?" He genuinely asked.

Archie was the first one to speak. "Although I agree she needs time with her family, she also needs counseling. And as you've mentioned before, she can't exactly walk into a psychiatrist's office and starts recounting her life story."

"How about using something like Skype?" Emma proposed. "She can have sessions with you on a regular basis without being physically in town."

"What's a… skype?" Archie asked in confusion.

Emma chuckled; she was still sometimes forgetting that most of the inhabitants in this town were stuck in the 80's. "It's a computer program. It allows you to talk to someone who is not in the same room."

"Like a phone?" Belle suggested.

Emma nodded. "Yeah. Except you can see the person through a web…" She stopped herself from using another technical term. "A video camera inserted in the computer."

Archie frowned, deciding on whether this would be a viable option for him and Regina. "I guess we can give it a try."

"That leaves only one question." David spoke more to himself than the group. "Where am I going to go with Regina?"

"We." Emma corrected. "I'm not letting you deal with this alone. We're a family." She looked toward Neal. "She needs to spend as much time with you and Henry as possible and that means you shouldn't have to deal with house chores."

David was about to protest but Granny interrupted him. "Emma is right. You can't take care of her and a house. You're going to need help and you're not alone in this."

David shook his head. "You can't leave. We're the only sheriffs in town and with Regina gone…"

"She's been gone for almost a month." Granny continued. "And neither of you have been at the sheriff's station much in the past month. I think we can manage a few more weeks without you." She asserted.

"Granny is right." Red began. "Grumpy and I can handle the sheriff's station."

"I can take over some of the mayor's duty." Archie offered.

"I'll help you." Belle added quickly.

"And I'll stay in town to ensure that our local deals are being honored and the town is not missing anything." Neal finished.

"What? No!" Emma was shocked by Neal's offer. "You're coming with us, as a family."

Neal reached for Emma's hand across the table. "I wish I could. But I'm the only one left who can cross the townline. I'm needed here."

David was touched by his family and friends' willingness to help with Regina. He wanted to thank each and every one of them but no words made it past his tight throat. The resulting awkward silence was broken by Sarah. "How about her physical needs?" She asked timidly.

"Sarah is right." Whale continued. "We've sedated her for the past month and I want her to spend some time at the hospital once we wake her up. To make sure she's fine and also make sure she's able to feed herself properly after spending a month on a feeding tube."

"We should also discuss some medication for anxiety and depression." Archie added. Before David could argue against it, the psychiatrist finished his point. "At the very least, you'll need to have sedatives on hand."

"Archie is right." Emma placed her hand on her father's arm. "I know you don't like it. But we may need them."

"Only if Regina agrees to the anxiety and depression medication." He despised the idea of forcing another treatment on her and refused to acknowledge the use of sedatives.

"I won't do anything without Regina's approval." The psychiatrist reassured David.

"David, you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that Regina might not be like the Regina you remember." Blue started.

"She won't have the Evil Queen inside her." David interrupted. "She'll be more like the Regina Snow had known in the Enchanted Forest."

"She won't be that girl, either." Blue stood up and approached David. "She will still have the memories and experiences of Regina. But…" She swallowed. "I want you to be open to the possibility that Regina may have changed… enough for your souls not to be able to recognize each other."

David stepped away from her, trying to contain his anger. "You told me this would work! That we could share our souls! That it would help Regina!"

"David, I told you this was your best chance! I don't know what will happen once we wake her. But you have to believe that love will be stronger in the end."

"As much as I hate to admit it, the moth is right." Rumple commented. "There is no way to put the darkness back into her heart. This is the only chance she's got."

David shook his head, already defeated. Not being able to feel Regina's love through their bond over the past month had also taken its toll on him. "Then back to my original question. Where will we go with Regina?"

"I think I may have an idea." Emma thought out loud. "Just give me a couple days."

ECECEC

April 3rd, 2013

"If it's only two hours away, Dad can come visit on the weekend! And we could even visit Storybrooke once Mom is feeling better!" Henry was studying the map carefully as Emma was driving toward a small town down the coast to meet Max - the man who had trained Emma in the bail bonds business - at the house he had been able to secure for operation Phoenix.

The blonde sheriff smiled at her son, who was growing more and more excited at the prospect of talking to his adoptive mother soon. That is, if everything went according to plan. While David, Blue, Archie, and Whale ironed out the last details of Regina's treatment, she and Henry were driving toward the beach house that would become their home for the foreseeable future. Max had assured her she would have access to the house as long as she needed.

"And we're closer to Boston if we want to go for a visit! Do you think Mom would like that?" Henry continued with the same contagious excitement.

"We'll see, kid." She ruffled his hair. "But your mom definitely enjoyed the weekend we spent there so I'm sure she'll be up for another visit." Emma did not want to tell her son that their plan may not work. But it was a definite possibility and she wanted to prepare him.

Emma glanced at her phone. According to her GPS, they should arrive at their destination in less than ten minutes. "Henry,..." She began.

"Mom, look!" Henry interrupted, pointing to the small little town in the distance. The road's higher ground provided them with a view of the entire town from the houses on the hill in the distance -their final destination-, to a small harbor, and what Emma guessed would be Main Street. After another seven minutes of driving along the sinuous road that afforded them spectacular views of the town and the ocean, the GPS finally proclaimed that they had arrived at their destination. Henry gasped as soon as he saw the house. "Wow!"

The two-story house extended on at least two acres of land and had definitely been built within the last ten years. Everything about it was modern: from the sharp neat lines to the large windows that afforded beautiful views of the nature surrounding them.

Emma parked the yellow bug into the driveway leading to a three-car garage. Henry was the first one out of the car, already running up the stone steps leading to the front door. The door opened abruptly to reveal Max. "Hey, kid! You must be Henry. I'm Max!"

"Nice to meet you." Henry was grinning from ear to ear.

"Why don't you go inside? I brought some bagels from New York for you and your mom!"

The kid did not have to be told twice. At the mention of food, he dashed past the former policeman. "Henry!" Emma started but she soon shook her head. Henry was probably already out of earshot. She walked up the stairs and greeted her former mentor. "Max!" They hugged briefly. "Thank you for finding us this home so quickly. It's gorgeous."

"Anything for you, Princess." He smiled. After helping Emma with the Blaze's epidemic a few months ago, they had made an effort to stay in touch. Emma was the daughter Max never had and as far as Emma was concerned, Max represented the only constant father figure she ever had. Although she and David were trying, the relationship would never be the same as the one she had with her mentor. He motioned for her to follow him inside. Emma gasped as soon as she got a glimpse of the expensive home.

The entryway was elevated, affording a view of the living room below. Max motioned to the corridor on her left. "Let me give you a short tour." He directed her toward the back of the house above the three-car garage. "Two bedrooms and one bathroom back there as well as a private gym." Both bedrooms were about 12'x12' and tastefully decorated. The bathroom was bigger than the loft's living area and had a shower and a jacuzzi, no doubt to help relax the sore muscles after half an hour in the well-equipped gym. "This is the guest area", Max explained, "It was added to the house about three years ago and completely redecorated last year."

Emma frowned at the statement. She had contacted Max because of his need for hideouts for his work but the man seemed to know a lot more about this particular house. Besides, it looked nothing like the homes he usually chose to hide key witnesses that had suddenly turned against their bosses in a deal with the D.A. to reduce their sentences. In her own experience, these clients were the highest flight risk and it was usual practice for the bail bondsman to stay with the witness until trial. Emma herself had spent days hiding with clients, albeit not in this type of home. "It's gorgeous, Max. How..."

"Let me show you the main area." He interrupted her. "You'll have the entire home for yourself." They walked back toward the entryway and climbed down the wide stairs leading to the living room. As everything else in this home, the furniture looked new and untouched. It was arranged as to fully take advantage of the direct sunlight from the bay windows making up the entire back wall and leading to the deck, equipped with a barbecue area and chaise-longues.

"The master bedroom and bath are this way." Without waiting for Emma, Max walked toward an open door at the end of the living room. The master bedroom was about 15ftx20ft, with its own private deck. "It was redone last year." Max continued. "And here is the bathroom." It was about the same size as the other with its own shower/bathtub combination and jacuzzi.

The arrangement would be perfect for Regina and David, Emma thought. They could have the much needed private time here, while she and Henry stayed in the guest wing. Besides, the house was fit for a Queen so Regina should feel right at home. "Thank you, Max. This is perfect."

"This is the only thing I could do on such short notice. I just hope it meets your needs."

Emma nodded. "I don't need an isolation room. This is perfect." Or so she hoped. The 'isolation room' was a code between her and her former mentor for a room that could be locked from the outside and stripped down to the bare minimum - a mattress really - to avoid a potential suicide from the witness. "Are you sure the owner won't want to use this house for the summer?" She did not know how long they would have to stay here but July and August were a definite possibility.

"How about you ask him yourself?" The look of confusion on Emma's face drew a soft chuckle from the usually reserved man. Max walked out the bedroom toward the other side of the living room. A few more steps led to an open plan kitchen and dining area.

"Hey, Mom! Look what Peter brought!" The kid was pointing toward the box of New York bagels.

"Hi, Emma." The man was leaning against the bar separating the kitchen and dining area.

The blonde's jaw dropped open in shock. She would have never thought she would see Peter ever again after he had helped her break into KFTech and interrogate Mendell. "Peter? This is… this is your house?"

The man nodded, locking eyes with Max. The bondsman tapped Henry on the back, understanding the request. "Henry, how about I show you the private beach?"

The kid's eyes widened in excitement. "The private beach?"

"Yeah. This way." Max led Henry toward the back door.

As soon as Emma heard Henry playing on the beach with Max, she turned back toward Peter. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Max said it was important for you to have a safe place to stay away from home. It's not like this house is getting much use anyway."

Emma gave him a soft smile. "Are you sure we're not imposing? It looks like you've just remodeled and redecorated."

Peter nodded. "You can stay here as long as you want." He took a deep breath. "I bought this house ten years ago. I had finished grad school in the mid-90's and after a postdoc at John Hopkins, I was hired by one of the biotech companies in Massachusetts."

Emma gasped in understanding. The end of the 90's had seen an expansion in biotechnologies, with a company opening up every week in the area. The researchers' salary were close to a million dollars a year for the luckiest. Clearly, Peter had been in this category. Peter's association with the industry also explained his familiarity with the KFtech layout.

"Everything was going according to plan and my wife and I decided to start a family." Peter continued, a flash of hurt in his hazel eyes at the mention of a family. "We were blessed with a boy. My company grew as we became the only manufacturers of a very expensive and very successful chemotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer. A few years later, I became a partner and was given my own research group. We were working on an alternative chemotherapy treatment for all forms of cancer." He snorted. "How naive we were at the time."

Emma shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Peter was not talking to her anymore, he was just telling the story to himself. However, she did not dare interrupt him.

"When my son was seven, we bought this house in the hopes of escaping the city on the weekend." He laughed. "It was perfect for a kid who likes to run. You know how boys are."

Emma nodded; she had spent enough time in orphanages with boys this age to know that they cannot stay in place for more than five minutes.

"The summer after we bought the house, my son and I were playing on the beach." His words caught in his throat as Peter was fighting back the tears. "It wasn't a bad fall but he broke his arm. We went to the ER." Peter faced Emma again as he delivered the last words. "Bone cancer. Stage IV."

Emma closed her eyes, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. She already knew what had happened to the boy. "Peter, I'm sorry."

The man shook his head violently. "There wasn't much the doctors could do. They tried all of the conventional chemo and radiation treatments but nothing worked."

"So you decided to use the treatment you were developing." Emma finished for him.

"Yes." Peter confirmed. "And I wish we never had. The drug didn't work… his last days were excruciating and it was all my fault. We hid here until the end. My… ex-wife swore to never put another foot in this home. She wanted to sell. But I just couldn't. This is my penance… a reminder of the crime I've committed. I killed my son."

"You were trying to save him!" Emma retorted.

"That's what the judge concluded too. But the company fired me and I lost my license."

As Emma was about to express her condolences one more time, Henry bounced inside the house. "Mom is going to love it here!" Emma smiled at her son and hugged him tightly.

ECECEC

Enchanted Forest, 21-year-old Regina

The Queen was brushing her long raven hair, trying to settle her stomach. The King had summoned her into his bedchambers and Regina was preparing herself for the pain that was about to come. The purple smoke announcing her mentor's arrival in her mirror made her jump. "Rumpelstiltskin!"

"Hello, dearie!" The man giggled and raised his index finger. "Are you ready for another lesson?"

Regina sighed and placed the brush on her knees. "Now is not a good time." She had stopped her lessons with the creature a few months back. She was turning into her mother and she had convinced herself that magic was the cause. She would not be taking any more lessons. She had sworn it to Daniel last time she had visited him.

"It's always a good time to learn to control one's magic." Rumple retorted.

She finally turned around in her chair to face him. "The King is waiting for me."

Rumple smirked. "And you're resigning yourself to perform your duties." Regina did not honor his comment with a reply of her own. Instead, she stood up with all the grace she could muster and walked past him. Rumple immediately placed his hand over her abdomen. "Not so fast dearie." A small smile graced his lips as he felt Regina tense. With one sweep motion, he plunged his hand into her chest and removed her heart. The organ was almost pure, with only a hint of darkness. But he would change that. Rumpelstiltskin was a patient man. His visions had shown him the role Regina would play in reuniting him with his son. He just needed to turn her, one dark spot at a time.

Regina gasped in shock and tried to reach for her heart. Rumple immediately moved it out of her reach before poofing himself to the other side of the room. He placed the organ near his lips. "Kneel!" He ordered.

Regina felt the compulsion. Despite herself, she kneeled on the floor, tears of humiliation in her eyes.

"Lesson number one: never say no when I offer to teach you a new trick." His statement was punctuated by other giggle. "Today, I will show you the power you can gain by taking someone's heart."

"No..." Regina began.

"Silence." Rumple ordered and Regina fell silent immediately, her eyes ablaze with the unbridled anger Rumple was looking for.

Rumpelstiltskin circled around his protegee like an eagle around its prey. "You can have all the control with this simple act." He assured the woman. "Lie on your bed." He saw the flash of fear in her eyes, which made his victory even sweeter. One murder was all it would take to force Regina in the darkness permanently. Regina was trembling in front of him as she was once again compulsed to listen to him. He smirked. "Part your thighs." A whimper made it past of her tight throat, prompting a smile on his lips. He slowly raised the nightgown she had selected for the King and ran his fingertips along her inner thighs. Regina was breathing hard on the bed, terrified by what the beast might do to her. "I can get you to do anything I want, Regina. But I won't." He removed his fingers and plunged his hand back into her chest, putting her heart back in its rightful place. "I want to teach you to take your control back. If interested, meet me at our usual place tomorrow at noon." He disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, leaving a broken young Queen crying on her bed.

As Rumpelstiltskin had expected, Regina met him in the woods the following day, ready for her lesson. He noticed the slight discoloration on her cheek and the limp in her step. The human part of him wanted to help her but the Dark One won: he needed to harness her anger. And Regina was definitely angry.