A/N: Again, let me thank you all for your wonderful response to this fic. As you can see, I've been trying to post at least one new chapter per day, so that we can all cope with the week separating us from "Manhattan", lol. This particular chapter was a surprise, since it developed a life of its own and went down a road I was not expecting. It is chaotic, and maybe because of that, it was a lot of fun to write. However, I have to say that from now on things will get (slightly) more serious, so brace yourself for some angst especially after chapter 15!

Chapter 11: Sometimes you can't make it on your own

"We have to get in through the back door," hissed Mr. Gold, as he and the group spotted Regina and Cora standing in front of the pawn shop.

"Sounds great, but how?" asked Emma, as she sneaked a look over Gold's shoulder. "It's not as if they wouldn't notice half a dozen people crossing the street!"

"I can distract them," whispered David, glued to one of the walls of Purbeck Shoe Store.

"By getting killed?" said Tinkerbell, who was crouching next to Snow. "Too dramatic, don't you think?"

"Hey…" David responded, blushing slightly. "It wouldn't be the first time I faced Regina."

"Charming, she is right," said Snow. "It's different now. She is with Cora."

"Yes, Regina is with Cora. I'm glad we are all on the same page now!" Mr. Gold hissed again. He hated to admit that ever since the incident at the airport, he had been worried sick about how much venturing outside Storybrooke had affected his ability to perform magic, and a showdown with the two women was the last thing he needed.

"Can't you do something?" Charming asked Rumplestiltskin. "If you don't mind me saying that, right now would be as good a time as any to use magic."

The older man stared blankly into the street ahead. He could feel Baelfire's eyes on the back of his neck, and realized that the fear of embarrassing himself in front of everybody in case he failed to conjure a spell was actually the smallest of his concerns. If he failed, that was it. He would be over, and so would all of them.

"Just make sure you reach the back room and guard it with your life, otherwise…" he said at last, throwing Charming and the others a menacing look.

"How very uncivilized!" he yelled, as he approached Regina and Cora. "Trying to break into my shop at broad daylight."

"I'll handle him," Cora told Regina, with a sneer forming on her lips. "You keep going, darling."

"What is he doing?" asked Snow, as Rumplestiltskin limped towards the store.

"Giving us a chance," muttered Emma. "I wonder what it is he has in that damn store."

"I think I know," whispered Neal. 'Even mutes can draw a picture,' he heard in his head, and had to shake it before that nightmare engulfed him again. "Tell me, in a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being really evil, how bad are those two ladies?"

"I'd say 10, individually," answered Snow.

"Then we have to go in," he responded, drawing in a long breath as he prepared to run. "Wait… Where's Tinkerbell?" he asked, looking around.

The others did the same, and Emma was the only one who seemed positively happy.

"Well, now that's-" she started saying, with a triumphant look of disdain in her eyes, just to be interrupted by a blue Veracruz turning into the far end of the street and approaching the group.

"Get in and fasten your seatbelts, folks," whispered Tinkerbell, as she slowly pulled over. "You're in for a tough ride."

"Brilliant!" said Neal, with a fascinated smile splattered across his face as he took the passenger seat next to the driver. Emma, on the other hand, looked outraged as she silently got onto the backseat along with her parents.

"Are you sure this is g-"

Snow didn't have time to finish her sentence. The fairy had already smashed the gas pedal to the floor and was flying towards the entrance of the pawn shop.

"OH MY GOD!" screamed David, clutching the grab handle.

"Are you INSANE?" Emma yelled as well. "What the HELL are you DOING?"

In a matter of seconds, the three individuals who had engaged in a heated argument in front of the pawn shop had to jump to get out of the vehicle's way. When Rumplestiltskin finally managed to get to his feet again, words failed him as he saw the Veracruz parked in the middle of his store.

"What has just happened?" asked David, still clutching the grab handle and looking around the semi-destroyed pawn shop out of his window.

"I thought we were coming in through the back door," whispered Neal, as debris fell on top of the windshield.

"Change of plans," Tinkerbell said simply, jumping out of the vehicle and pulling out her sword. "I'm throwing my hat in that ring, ladies."

"Now, Rumple, I didn't know you were going to bring the circus with you," said Regina, as she saw the Charmings get out of the vehicle. She cast a dirty look upon the redhead who now moved towards her, and prepared to attack. "Though I probably should thank you for making our lives easier, stranger."

"Stranger?" the fairy repeated, rolling her sword, defiantly. "Oh, Regina. Ignorance is such a blessing."

The other woman quickly responded to that taunt by conjuring a ball of fire, which was deflected by the fairy with a swift movement of the blade.

"Come on," Neal said to the rest of the group, as soon as he realized the two intruders were now engaged in battle.

"Come on where?" asked Emma, as she searched around for something that could be used as a weapon. "What are we looking for?"

"A dagger," he whispered. "Try looking behind paintings, under rugs, inside statues, whatever. It must be somewhere hard to find."

"Wait," said Snow. "If Rumplestiltskin really doesn't want it to be found, then it must be protected by magic, right?"

Her words were followed by the most excruciating silence.

"Maybe not," Emma answered. "Maybe he used some kind of code… Password, I don't know. Maybe we can figure it out!"

"I take it you're looking for this?"

They all turned around at the same time to look at Hook, who was holding the Dark One's Dagger and eyeing it with a concocted casual expression.

Neal got the feeling his face was familiar, but he was sure he would remember a man with a hook for a hand if he had ever met one before... Still, he couldn't get past the impression that man meant trouble on a whole different level. The fact he could now control the Dark One added to it.

"You!" exclaimed Emma, as she gazed at the other man in disbelief. "How?"

"I used the back door, sweetheart. Now tell me…" Hook said as he approached her, using the dagger to bring a strand of her hair close to his lips. "Did you miss me, Swan? Don't lie…" he whispered in her ear, holding her waist from behind. "I know you did."

Before he knew exactly what he was doing, Neal had pulled the sword from Charming's belt and now had its tip pressed against Hook's throat.

"Stay the hell away from her," he hissed. His whole body irradiated waves of the deepest fury.

"Oh, someone is feeling brave," answered Hook, sniggering. "You must be the Crocodile's son. Do you happen to forget that I can get your father to kill everyone in this room with a simple word?"

"You can't if you're dead," Neal replied. He had never been that serious in his entire life.

"If you think you can actually kill me, you're welcome to try," the other man answered, pushing Emma out of the way and pulling out his own sword after sheathing the dagger.

As the two men engaged in battle, Emma couldn't help but notice Neal was a hell of a swordsman. Where exactly in Manhattan he had developed such skills was still a mystery to her.

"Emma, watch out!" Snow screamed, as a blinding jet of light had been conjured towards her daughter. Tinkerbell was now helping Rumplestiltskin fight Cora, which meant Regina was free to pursue other contenders.

"Regina!" Emma screamed, after ducking her curse by an inch. "What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me, Ms Swan, is you!" the woman yelled back. "You and your whole stupid family!"

Neal looked at the two of them for a moment, and that was all Hook needed to send his sword flying in the air. After dodging a couple of blows, Neal was able to throw the other man to the ground, but in an unlucky turn of events, ended up pinned against the floor, with Hook's delusional laughter hovering an inch above his face.

"Looks like this game is over, Bae" Hook said, raising his hook for a final and fatal attack.

"No, it's not."

As Hook turned around to see whose voice was that, he was greeted with the impact of a crystal ball smashing against his face.

"Never actually thought those things worked", said Tinkerbell, as she wiped the dust from her hands. "Now I see I was wrong."

She outstretched her hand to help Neal stand up. When he did, he looked around and saw his father breathing deeply sitting next to David at a corner of the store, and Mary Margaret helping her daughter get back to her feet. All of them had cuts and bruises and were covered in dust and pieces of cement and wood.

"Where did they go?" he asked, nearly tripping over Hook's limp body.

"No idea," Tinkerbell answered. "For now, let's say they're gone."

"Where is the dagger?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

"You mean this one?" Neal said, as he let the knife slide down his sleeve.

She let out a sigh and had to struggle not to smile. If there was a thing that she knew, and so did he, was that there are things you learn as a thief that you never actually forget.