A/N: Back again! I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE! I got busy with work, and things just got away from me. And when I came back, I was experiencing a bit of writer's block.

I'm excited to announce that after this story, there will be a mini story after it. But I can't expound on it until this story is finished, or it would ruin everything. Seeing as this is chapter 14, and we only have ONE MORE TO GO, I know you'll be as excited as I am.

Thanks for all the reviews, love and support for this story. It has been my most successful yet-and not because of the follows or reviews (because, really-there aren't that many reviews) but because of the encouragement I've received through its entirety.

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time

Apologies for any mistakes wherein.

Chapter XIV: Cursed

"Somebody start talking-NOW." Killian barked at the group.

Needless to say, the town had run off to safety, leaving the aftermath for the cavalry. All that remained were the Sheriffs, Madame Mayor and her boyfriend, Emma's son, and the short little imp with his lady.

"It's complicated." David told him.

"Then make it simple." Derek's cold, enraged eyes made Snow take step back.

"I think it's about time he knew." Jack claimed coming forward. He had seen the whole thing partially sober with Tink, only half believing it himself.

Regina threw her hands up. "Your real name is Killian Jones. Your Emma's true love, and you died. She went to the Underworld to get back your soul. And she just paid the price."

Derek raised a brow at her, wondering if she were drunk. "Now isn't the time for games Madame Mayor."

"It's true." Henry finally spoke up, wiping away tears. "You were never Derek Norrington. We all just pretended not to know you because my mom said the truth would freak you out."

Derek blinked once, absorbing the information. His gaze wondered to the small mismatched group that Emma seemed close to. He asked Jack, "Is the whole town high?"

Jack exhaled. "You just saw two people disappear in a haze of black smoke. Is it really that hard to believe mate?"

"I believe something is going on here, but it's nothing as far-fetched as magic and mythology." Derek told them. He didn't spare them another moment of his time as he headed towards the exit.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Regina snapped.

"To find Emma, and get her the hell out of this town!" Derek vowed, heading for the woods.

Snow turned to Robin. "Follow him. Emma will never forgive us if he dies twice."

"On it." Robin confirmed, grabbing his arrows on the way out. Snow then gave Jack a sword from the armored statues. "Watch the docks."

Jack nodded with a small smirk. "Aye your majesty." Tink fell in step with him. "I'll come with you. You could use a little magic."

David sighed, knowing his wife was in full momma bear mode. He grabbed Henry by the shoulder. "Come on. We should alert the town."

"I think they already know Gramps." Henry reasoned.

David sighed. "Discretion is the better part of valor, kid. We have to stop them from going into blind panic and forming angry mobs. All parts of ruling a kingdom."

Henry nodded, and headed out with him.

Snow turned to the Golds'. Belle gave an encouraging smile. "I'll see what I can dig up in the library. And Rumple can look for something in his shop."

Rumple rolled his eyes but remained quiet. He had to endure the helpful, selfless hero act in his wife's eyes. Truthfully, he wanted nothing to do with the Shadow Man or Emma.

Snow waited for him to object, but he simply gave a small nod of agreement and let Belle drag him away to do research.

Regina didn't wait for instructions as Snow turned to her. "We need to get to my vault. I have a feeling, we're not going to get much of anywhere with Gold."

Snow agreed. "Yeah, but while he's pretending to be Mr. Nice guy, we can milk him for information."

Regina shook her head. "There's a reason Rumple didn't challenge the Shadow Man, and a reason he came to me and Emma for help."

"He's scared…." Snow realized.

"And if Rumple is scared," Regina sighed, staring into the spot where Emma's body had once lay unconscious, "… then we all should be."

"Mate, hold on a second, you're going to wear yourself out!" Robin warned, as Derek stumbled through the unfamiliar terrain of the woods.

"Look, I don't need a babysitter, I can handle myself." Derek scolded, sword out in his hand.

"I know all of this is a lot to take in."

"The only thing that's hard to take in, is how a whole town is disillusioned into believing parlor tricks!" He snapped.

"Killian," Robin started. Derek cut him a glare, and he corrected himself. "Derek, sorry. Don't you find it hard to remember why this place is so familiar to you? Or how your life in New York didn't seem like a life at all?"

Derek paused, taking a deep breath. He couldn't deny that a part of him felt empty in New York, or that this place…it was….special. But only because it reminded him of Emma.

"The only thing I know, is that Emma isn't safe here. So when I kill Facilier, I'm taking her with me, and no one better get in my way." He told the Mayor's boyfriend.

Robin just prayed Regina found a way to restore his memories. Because if she couldn't, then he had a feeling, they would never see Emma again-whether by the Shadow Man or Derek.

"Her family is here. She wouldn't leave them." He told Killian.

Derek shrugged. "She told me her family abandoned her when she was young. Her ties to them aren't that strong. And we'll take Henry with us."

"Like hell!" Robin blurted in outrage.

Derek raised a brow, clearly confused. Robin rolled his eyes. He forgot that no one had bothered to clue him in on Emma and Regina's history.

"Emma gave Henry up for adoption when she was 18. Regina adopted him." Robin explained.

"The mayor adopted Emma's kid?" Derek scoffed at the absurdity of it all.

Robin nodded. "I know, it's a crazy story, but Regina won't let Henry leave this town, and neither will I."

"It's not up to you, mate." Derek mocked.

Robin took an invading step towards him, his voice low and calm. "I'm not asking mate. If you want any future with Emma, I wouldn't slim your chances by trying to separate her from her family. But Henry isn't going anywhere."

Derek frowned, not backing down. "We'll see about that."

"Okay, so I hope like hell this works." Regina told Snow as they added the last ingredient.

"It's a locator potion. What makes you think it wouldn't?" She asked, reading the books again.

Regina felt guilty even thinking about it. "….Because a locator potion doesn't work if a person is…."

"She isn't!" Snow protested. "I refuse to believe that!"

"I'm not saying she's dead, but in another realm, is a strong possibility." Regina reasoned.

"One way to find out." Snow handed over Emma's baby blanket and Regina poured the potion. The blanket started to glow a soft white light.

"She's alive!" Snow whispered, tears falling.

"Come on. We gotta follow the light." Regina said, heading out of the vault.

They searched for what seemed like hours before ending up at the same lake. The lake Archeron. "It stops here." Regina said, looking around for Emma.

Snow did the same. "I don't see anything. Did we take a wrong turn?"

"No." Gold called, with Belle in tow. "It seems we had the same idea."

"You're not the only one." Robin called from the clearing from the woods. "We searched all over, no sign over her."

Derek appeared to be pissed. "We need to stop wasting time and search the town. I…" He stopped when something caught his eye in the mist. Something was floating on the water.

"What the hell…?" he squinted, trying to see through the fog. "Is that a duck?"

"No…" Snow gasped, realizing what it was. "It's a swan." Taking out her cellphone, she pressed her husband's speed-dial. "David, we found her. Bring Blue."

"Emma…" David breathed as everyone watched in utter shock, not believing what he was witnessing.

Regina mumbled. "The Shadow Man turned her into a bird?"

"Swan, actually." Robin added, to be technical.

"How does this even make sense?" Belle objected. "Emma Swan is a…a SWAN."

Snow studied her daughter for a while, remembering what the crooked dealer said. "He said, ' The swan is mine...'"

"Shit." David cursed. "He cursed her. We thought she'd have to be his servant, not his pet."

Snow turned to Blue. "You can change her back though right?"

Blue shook her head, apologetically. "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do."

"When I was a bug in the enchanted forest, you turned me back!" She remembered using the dark fairy dust on herself.

Blue calmly explained, "That was dark magic. The Shadow Man's power is the source of black magic-completely different, and infinitely more dangerous."

"Blue, if anyone can reverse the spell, it's you!" David encouraged.

"You think I don't want to?!" Blue snapped suddenly.

When everyone's surprised expressions of alarm showed, she tried to take a breath. "I've dealt with this kind of magic before. The Shadow Man was given powers that can only be obtained by Gods. My power, cannot match it. I'm truly sorry."

"When did you go up against black magic?" Regina wanted to know.

Blue seemed forlorn as she simply answered. "Many years ago. When I first became a fairy."

Snow eyed her closely, seeing the tale-tale memory of pain in Blue's eyes. "What happened?" she asked softly.

Blue met the princess's genuine concern. "I lost." She didn't elaborate as she turned to leave.

"So, wait, that's it?!" Derek called to her. "You just walk away?"

Blue appeared weary. "Godly magic did this, and only godly magic can undo it. So I suggest use your aggression to find the Shadow Man." She left the heroes in the woods, to tend to the young children.

Derek turned to the group, running his hands through his hair. "Okay, so what's the bloody plan? You guys got what, voodoo dolls or rabbit's foot?"

"Now's not the time to be cynical." Gold glowered.

"I'm not." Derek snapped. "Clearly, you're all under some illusion that this has to do with witchcraft, and seeing as how no one is coming to their senses, what choice do I have?"

"About time." Jack sauntered over with Tink. "Bloody hell, is that a swan on the lake? It's a little cold for them this time of year."

"No, apparently, that's Emma." Tink analyzed the situation. "Cursed by the shadow man."

Derek noticed his friend's arm was draped lazily over the girl in green's shoulder. Huh…was all he thought. Clearly they were not looking out for him.

Regina raised a brow at their presence. "What the hell, I thought you were watching the docks!"

Jack threw her a skeptical brow, before his dry remark. "Well he clearly wasn't there, was he your majesty?"

"That's not important, you're here now." Snow interjected, bringing them back to focus.

"Indeed." Gold chimed in. "Derek gave the medallion to Facilier, which gives him Godly power. Unrestricted power. He no longer has to do Hades' bidding."

"But his magic is tied to voodoo." Regina told him.

"True." Gold admitted. "He's going to try to do what I tried with the dagger. Use the medallion to sever his soul from the voodoo, but keep the power."

"Well, what if we take his voodoo away?" Derek asked. Everyone paused, staring back at him in surprise. But he was willing to do anything to find Emma. Even if that meant going along with this ridiculous charade.

Jack took another sip of his drink. "Makes sense. He needs magic to use the medallion because without it, the medallion is useless."

"But Blue said dark magic and black magic is different." Robin recalled. " How are we supposed to take away his power and we can't even fight him?"

"Anyone else know voodoo?" Derek looked around, and the group shook their heads. He glared. "Typical."

"Actually, I might know someone." Tink stepped up. "But it's a risk."

"One I'm willing to take." Derek told her with a sigh. "Let's have it."

"A long time ago, there was a witch." Tink started, and Derek rolled his eyes. "Of course there was."

Jack shushed him. "Quiet, I wanna here the story." But he did hand him some of the Rum. Derek took a healthy swig.

"Anyway, the witch was banished to a realm with no magic. According to legend, she was the original creator of voodoo." Tink finished.

"Of course!" Regina realized. "I've read about her in my mother's book. The witch-doctor!"

"As in ting, tang, walla-walla bing bang?" Derek scoffed.

David smirked. "You'll find everything is connected to some form of magic."

"Alright, where the bloody hell is she?" Jason asked.

"Well, we have to get lost." Tink told them. "In order for us to find her, we have to be lost."

"Wait," David furrowed his brow. "The only way to find her is to get lost ourselves? That makes no sense."

"Actually," Belle thought out loud. "It does. If she was banished, then she would be considered, lost. Like a lost soul maybe?"

"Great! So back to the Underworld?" Regina shrieked.

"Not necessarily." Gold said. "We don't need to actually go to the underworld. We can summon her."

"Like we did with Cora." Snow added. "Let's do it. What do we need?"

Jack indicated to the swan. "Well first, I'd say we put the blonde somewhere safe."

"Like where?" Robin asked.

Henry came riding up on a horse. "I know a perfect place."

"Let me guess-Violet's horse?" Regina asked him as he dismounted. Henry didn't say anything, trying to hide a small blush.

David smiled. "Okay Henry, where are we going?"

"To the zoo." Henry announced.

Everyone watched in amazement as the now captured bird floated gracefully along the water.

Jack had proven to be quite the expert at catching live prey, sporting a black eye for his efforts. In the End, it was Snow who managed to lure it in with bread.

Regina put up a barrier spell around the lagoon. It was amazing. From the distance, you could see the harbor and Killian's boat. The stars were bright. Very romantic, if they weren't in the middle of a crisis.

"Okay," Regina announced, "That should hold her until we can change her back."

Derek eyed the ground, looking for signs of a barrier. "I don't see anything."

"Magic is a bit tricky here in Storybrooke." Robin offered as an explanation.

"When did we have a zoo?" Belle asked Gold. Gold glanced at the queen. "You're asking the wrong one love."

Regina made a disgusted scrunch of the face. "I detest animals."

"It came from me." Snow spoke up. "When I brought everyone back from Pan's curse, I envisioned this place, attached to the aviary."

"Like the one in the Enchanted forest." David remembered, putting an arm around his wife. He'd forgotten how much she used to love the exotic animals, and the birds they'd had.

Snow nodded sadly. "Of course, I didn't expect that it would show up."

"Well that's how the curse works. It puts your desires into effect." Gold said with a slight frown. "Now, let's find this witch-doctor, before I die of sheer impatience."

"Tink, what do we need to summon the witch-doctor?" Regina asked. "We don't have a murder weapon or her murderer?"

"Who said she was dead?" Tink replied. "I said she was banished."

"She's still alive?" Robin wondered. "How is that possible?"

Tink shrugged not really knowing the answer.

Gold rolled his eyes. "If she was banished to a place without time, then she wouldn't age, therefore she wouldn't die."

"We still need a way to summon her." Regina told him. "A conduit."

"Not if we have the person who banished her in the first place." Tink said. "Mother Superior."

A/n: I had to leave you on a cliffy! Sorry for the wait, I know no one is reading this any more! BUT- I'm going to finish the story because I love it. Next chapter ending-plus epilogue- so 2 chapters.

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-R.