Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd and alerted and thanks to Forbidden Moons for reviewing. Seriously, though, I'd love it if a few more people would review *hinthint*

Something There

It felt a bit like melting when the paralyzing effect of the Squid Ink slowly wore off. First, I could move my fingers, then my hands, feet, legs and finally I could roll my shoulders.

As I could freely move again, I found that the effect was wearing off on the others as well. Baelfire was already able to move as I turned to him.

"We need to find my father," he said. "Who knows what Pan did to him."

I nodded quickly. "Look, I have a vague idea where he is, I'll just jump over there," I told him. "You wait for the others and follow."

"Be careful," Snow White said as I saw her fingers twitch.

I nodded again and then closed my eyes. As I opened them again, I was in the middle of the woods, right where I had last seen Rumple. Half a mile, Pan had said, meaning Rumple would have gone back in the direction of the shore.

"Rumple?" I called.

"Over here, dearie!"

I cried out in relief and rushed to follow the voice. Rumple, too, was paralyzed by the ink and stood frozen, merely able to wave his hand at me.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. He's got the vessel."

"I know."

"Why are you so glum?" I inquired as I set the tea tray down on the table in the library.

"Not glum."

"Yes, you are. You've been sulking all day, it's not like you." I filled a cup with tea and handed it to him. "Spill, love."

"It... it's my son's birthday."

"Oh," I whispered, sitting down in an armchair. "What happened to him? You never told me."

Rumple sighed heavily. "He... uh... he's fallen through a portal. Into another world. I've been trying to get to him ever since."

I straightened up. "But I can cross worlds. I'm sure I can find a way to take him with me. I'll just jump to that other realm and find him-"

"He's gone to a land without magic," Rumple said swiftly. "You could never return."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "A land without magic? Why would anyone go there?"

Again, he sighed. "Bae – that was his name, Baelfire – he, uh, he didn't like me being the Dark One. He thought it'd be the solution to just go to a land where magic wasn't an issue."

"And you didn't go with him?" I asked lightly.

He opened his mouth and closed it again without uttering a single sound.

"I see," I said quickly. "Maybe we can find a solution. If you were the one to cross the realm, it would solve the problem. You wouldn't have to return."

"But I'd have no magic."

"Well, but you'd have your son," I said, though I felt a pang in my chest at the thought of him leaving forever.

"Maybe," Rumple said. "You think you can dig something up?"

I leant back in my chair. "I could go searching the library," I told him. "But it'd come at a price."

He giggled. "You're learning."

"I've got an excellent teacher," I told him.

"Tell me then," he said gesturing for me to elaborate. "What do you want?"

"I don't know yet. Let's just say, one day, you have to do me a favour."

Rumple rubbed his shoulders as he sat down on a nearby stump. "Now that he's got the vessel, what does he need next?"

I sighed. "He needs someone to sacrifice," I reminded him.

Rumple pulled a face. "He'll want to use me."

I gave a dry laugh, but he did not seem amused. "You don't really think that, do you?"

"No, no, it makes sense – the prophecy, remember? The boy that brought me to Bae will be my undoing – Henry. I will die trying to save him."

"No," I told him. "He won't use you."

"Morgaine-"

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself. End of discussion. That's madness."

"It's the right thing to do," he bit back. "She would want me to."

I raised my eyebrows. "She? Belle? Tell me one reason why she would want you to die if she loves you."

"She wants me to be good."

"I bet she wants you to be alive, too," I told him, shaking my head.

"You don't understand-"

"You're right, I don't. I don't really know what caused this change of heart. You used to be all for self-preservation."

"It's been a nasty habit," he said darkly.

"It's been a very healthy habit."

He sighed heavily. "My son is right about me," he said gravely. "I'll go back to her – and I'll realize that the only thing standing between me and my happy ending is the boy-"

I smiled lightly as I sat down next to him. "Don't you know? You're the villain. Villain's don't get happy endings."

I would have sworn he almost smiled.

"I have something for you," I said, dropping a whole bundle of scrolls onto the table.

"So many?"

"Well, I wasn't so sure what exactly – so I kind of just brought everything that said something about crossing realms. Oh," I added. "And this one."

I fished out the most precious of the scrolls. Predicting the uproar I would cause if they found out, I had hid that one from the Elders when I took all the others with me.

"What's that?"

"An ancient ritual," I informed him. "With it, you can become purely magical. Like me. Only, it comes at a price."

"And what would that be?" he asked, reaching out to look at the scroll.

"Several people to sacrifice," I said, sinking to a chair at the table. "Including someone who bears the Heart of the Truest Believer, which, too, is nearly impossible to find."

He studied the scroll. "This still doesn't solve my problem about having magic."

"Well, it is a land without magic. Unless you manage to bring everything with you, all those items with magic of themselves..."

"They would still work?" he inquired.

"Aren't you the teacher?" I retorted but upon seeing the expression on his face, I relented. "Probably. Might not be as effective, but they probably wouldn't completely lose their magic. I can't be sure..."

"There must be a way to bring magic in that land."

"Rumple," I sighed.

"What?"

"You can't take magic with you," I said matter-of-factly. "It's not like you can bottle it up."

"What if I could?" he said, leaning forward.

"You can't. Pure magic – and that's what we're talking about here – is born out of true love. And you can't possibly bottle love. I'm telling you, it's impossible."

He leant back thoughtfully. "We will see."

"Papa?"

Rumple jolted to his feet as the group, led by a very worried Baelfire emerged from the woods and onto the clearing where we waited.

"Bae-"

"I'm glad you're okay." Baelfire rushed forward to hug his father.

I smirked but walked past them to join the rest of the group and give them their privacy. It was good to know that Baelfire did care for his father, after all.

Snow White was smiling softly while Regina seemed rather put off by the display.

"Is everyone all right?" I asked.

"All right?" Emma repeated. "Pan's got the vessel. He could do the ritual any minute-"

"You heard him. He still needs one of us to sacrifice and he's dragging it out for his own amusement. We still have a chance," I reassured her.

"How do you know that he's not going to use someone else?" David asked.

"Who would he use?" I challenged. "One of his boys? Never."

"Well, he is ruthless," Regina said darkly.

"Maybe, but he's not dumb," I told her. "He would lose all his authority, all the respect they have for him. He won't sacrifice one of his boys, no... He's going to make a display of catching one of us."

"Well, great," Regina snapped. "So we just wait until he does it, or what?"

I shook my head. "No, of course no. You forget, love, that we are in advantage. We know what he plans. We're going to be one step ahead."

"And how?"

"We're going to pay him a visit," I said.

"Do you mean what I think you mean?" Hook asked, excitement glimmering in his eyes.

"Oh yes," I said, grinning at the pirate. "And I'm going to need your help. We are going to steal the vessel back."