Emma When she arrives at the loft, her mom is plying Regina with tea and biscuits, David is telling Ruby for the twenty time that baby Neal likes to be held when he wakes up, just so, he is swinging his arms to demonstrate, Ruby is smiling patiently, glancing at the sleeping child unfazed.
Henry shoots her a hopeful grin, he wants to come on the heart hunt as he calls it, she shakes her head, not a chance.
Regina sighs wearily and tells him, no he needs to stay here with Ruby and help her with his uncle, which just sounds weird. Henry complains it's not fair and he can help, starts listing all the times he has helped before, he is getting no where fast, Regina tells him she needs him to stay here where he is safe and she doesn't have to worry about him, the battle is won, Henry is staying.
After what seems forever, she manages to get out everyone out of the loft, practically dragging David and Mary Margaret away from the baby, Regina is getting impatient, has suggested her and Emma go alone but her mom is adamant they are all going, she says brightly, grinning away like this is some family day out.
Killian is outside, he has the motor running on her bug, incase the potion takes them all over town, he insists that driving is like sailing, Emma shakes her head, she will be driving if needed. He hops out the car, nods at the others, gives her arm a little squeeze, his patience amazes her, she's barely seen him since that night in the diner, as it is collectively known, but he hasn't complained. She smiles at him, hoping to convey all her emotions to him, it is a shakier smile than she had been aiming for.
The locator potion needs to be taken by the person emotionally invested then that person should be led to the missing item, Gold thought it would work for a heart and added a drop of Regina's blood that he somehow creepily, just happened to have in his shop. Emma is fully expecting Regina to disappear into a puff of smoke after she takes the potion, David standing behind her, arms at the ready, he is expecting her to faint, remembering she suspects the curse parchment effect on her.
She does neither, just blinks a few times and tilts her head to the side, listening, this way she says and starts walking at brisk pace, they follow leaving the car behind, engine still running.
They follow Regina to the woods, the opposite direction of Robin's camp but the man must have some kind of sixth sense as he appears not long after they step off the main nature trail path, following the line of the woods that ultimately leads to the lake.
Robin is out of breath, he carries his bow on his back and a torch in his hand, which is a good thing Emma thinks as no one else had thought to bring one. He says he wanted to come, could be of help indicates his bow, looks at Regina who is shaking her head, starting to walk away, back straight, head held high. David nods at him and agrees Robin might be useful, he pats his sword hung around his waist, Emma catches Killian's eye and they share a smile. Robin is telling them, he has left Little John in charge at the camp and that they have set up traps, humane he says, just incase anyone stops by the clearing, took longer than he thought, he went to the loft and Ruby told him which direction they had headed so he followed until he caught up with them. David is nodding again and the two of them begin to discuss the clearing, and the snow and ice there.
Emma looks ahead, Mary Margaret is walking with Regina, they stop and Regina turns, going deeper into the woods. They are parallel to the main road, by turning, Regina's path will take them closer to the lake, if they keep going, they will eventually end up back on road, a back road which leads to private land, land that Emma has been to before, land that belongs to Mr Gold.
Quickening her pace, Emma catches up with Regina and her mom, speaks her theory.
Regina says nothing, face blank, keeps walking, her mom looks sceptical, why would Gold give us the potion if he was involved? she reasons. Emma shrugs double bluff? Doesn't care if they find it? Who knows what Gold does she thinks.
Regina is rushing forward as soon as her heels touch the solid ground that is the concrete path leading to Gold's cabin, waves her magic at the door and enters. The magic is a mix of white and purple Emma notices.
Robin and David rush ahead, she hears Robin call Gold a bastard as he sweeps by, both men have hands on their weapons. Someone has been in the cabin recently, remains of a fire in the grate, Robin has his hands hovering over it checking for warmth.
There is a throw on the floor, tangled and messy, cushions piled head height on the couch, empty beaker on its side, dark stain on the carpet, it's remains.
Regina is at the back of the cabin, searching through cupboards, it's here, it's here she is muttering.
Mary Margaret shrieks a little when they find it, wrapped in a cloth underneath the couch.
Emma blinks at the heart Mary Margaret is holding in her trembling hands, Regina is standing stock still, hand on her chest. No one speaks as they stare open mouthed at the heart.
Killian breaks the silence "is it supposed to look like that?" He asks.
Regina reaches for her heart "no it is not" she stammers.
"What the hell?" Emma voices her thoughts, it's clear to her that Gold did not hide the heart here, under the couch, the hiding was sloppy, she suspects the hiding was a panicked one, "some one was here with the heart, sat here the couch, they were disturbed and hide it underneath" she reasons.
"That maybe" Robin agrees "but what have they done to it?" His voice is shocked, his eyes on Regina, she looks up at him, unable to hide her expression and it us of fear, Robin walks towards her, running his hand up her arm, leaning him into her, she doesn't move but doesn't shake him off either, her gaze flicks back to her heart "I don't know".
"We need to speak to Gold or the fairies, maybe they will know". Mary Margaret says, the other side of Regina hand at her elbow, eyes wide with shock.
"Whatever's happened to it, I wouldn't suggest sticking it back in your chest your majesty" it's Killian speaking.
"Obviously" Regina snaps at him she shakes off Robin and Mary Margaret's hands, moves away from them, staring at Killian, anger marring her features. "I will speak to Gold". "Wait, can we try to heal it" the last thing we need is Regina storming over to Gold in fury Emma thinks "I brought this", Emma pulls out of her back pocket, the book that Gold gave her, the one to help her get her magic back.
"Where did you get that"? Regina is furious "Gold gave it to me"
"That's my book, my mother's, it was in my house, he gave it you? She is almost shrieking now, breathing heavily. "Why do you have it?" "I thought I should get my magic back, it would help with what every is going on here and in the future" probably she shrugs.
"Because you're the saviour?, it's that it Miss Swan, you think you going to get your magic back, sweep in here, solve the problems, be the hero, is that it?" She repeats, sweeping towards Emma, all up in her personal space. Yes that's what I thought without the hero part, Emma thinks but says nothing, not understanding the sudden anger being directed at her, whatever she says now Regina will twist ans she hasn't seen this version of the woman since they stopped fighting over Henry a year ago. Mary Margaret is speaking, Regina turns her terrible gaze at her "Regina calm down, we are just to help" she implores her.
"Help that's rich, this is your fault" she rounds on the group "all of you, with your good intentions and your heroics" she sneers "look at my heart, it's even more worthless than before".
Then she is gone in a puff of purple smoke.
Emma is pulling out her cell, dialing Gold, with not so steady hands, she needs to warn him, hopes that he won't rise to whatever Regina throws at him, she asks. Gold's voice is flat on the phone, gives nothing away, "she's not here, he tells her, "I'll let you know if she comes" he hangs up.
Regina A rage is upon her, she cannot think straight, the rage feels familiar and different at the same time, she hasn't felt its heat for a long time, but this rage is cold.
As cold as the ice that has consumed her heart, her black heart with barely a hint of red and it was redder before surely, when Robin held it in his hands not four days ago, it had been brighter but now it is black and shrivelled as never before and cold, oh so cold in her hands, the ice burns through the cloth, scolds her plans but the rage is all consuming. She cannot breath, it burns her as it rushes through her veins, awakening dormant horrors, rattling loose pain and old fears.
Her heart is thumping in her hands mocking her, a voice is screaming at her to push it back in, take the darkness, another voice urges her to crush it, crush it to dust and be done with it all.
She is in her vault, didn't think to come here but here she is, standing in the secret room. The mirrors are playing tricks on her, she can see the evil queen, hair pinned high on her head, dressed in black leather and feathers, the evil queen sneers at her, all red lips, she beckons and laughs and laughs, Regina twists her head away, shuts her eyes tight, when she opens them, the image is gone and she sees herself broken, staring into the mirror, lost and pale, there's no choice she thinks no choice.