Two Minutes to Midnight

Chapter Twenty-One

After leaving the shop, the heroes all returned to Emma's and Killian's home along with Regina, Ruby, and Mulan and once they were settled into the living room again, Snow sat on the couch beside her daughter, David on the other side, while he spoke to his daughter worryingly about the vision she had seen within the crystal saying, "Just slow down and breathe. I know you're scared for Hook. We all are. But talk to us. What did you mean when you told me you were right?"

Emma herself thought back to the moment when she passed through the magic doorway to find the man she loved as he was about to be burned at a stake by the Lost Boys and then struggled to push the though aside as she finally answered despondently, "I was right to believe that she ordered him to come to her so she could hurt him. The Black Fairy is probably torturing Killian now. When I found him in Neverland, the Lost Boys were about to burn him alive while he was bound to a stake. If I had gotten there even a minute later, Killian might have already been dead. She must have seen the memory in his mind and knew how scared he was. Now, she and Gideon plan to do the same thing. Except that they're going to manipulate the flames so that they won't kill him. I don't know why, I didn't see much. But it looks like they're somewhere within the mines. I just couldn't tell where. Or if that's actually where they are."

"She's going to follow through with her threat to severe our true love, whether we give her back the wand half or not," Emma continued after she paused a moment to try to push down her emotions so that her family and friends wouldn't see her so vulnerable. "We'll never find him until the Black Fairy wants us to. Not until tonight, at midnight."

"Killian's going to be alright until we can get him back," Snow replied as she pulled her daughter into her arms and held her. "He's been through worse, or at least he's suffered like this before and he is always okay. He's a survivor, Emma. You have to believe that."

The Savior scoffed, then she stood as she responded, "Of course I know that. But he's being tortured and there's nothing I can do to help him right now. I can't just sit here and wait until we confront them. There has to be some way of helping him now."

Regina suddenly smiled as she answered, "Actually, there just might be something you can do for Hook. We may not be able to save him, or know where he's being held prisoner, but there may be a way to reassure him that everything's going to be all right."

"I'm afraid there's no magic either of you possess that will ever get past my mother's magical security she's put in place to protect herself and to keep your pirate as her slave," Gold replied coolly as he suddenly appeared before the heroes after he transported himself inside.

"I didn't think you would actually show up," Emma retorted coldly as she immediately stood up to face him, hands raised and ready in case he attempted to attack them. "What the hell are you talking about? What do you know about her protections?"

Gold smiled at the Savior snidely as he responded, "I do suggest that you put your hands down, Miss. Swan. From the message you left with my wife to give to me, I understood it as an invitation. As for her magical protections around where she's holed up, trust me when I say I know the kind of power she has. You can't help Hook now no matter what you try."

David stood up beside Emma as she finally did lower her hands, then he asked, "Exactly whose side are you on, Gold? She may be your mother, but she's also holding your son as her prisoner and has manipulated him into becoming a murderer just like her and you. Surely even you wouldn't want that for him."

"I didn't come here to speak about Gideon," the Dark One answered. "You wanted to know where I stand with my mother. Let me just tell you that our relationship is anything, but civil. She may think she's doing some of this for me, so that I will side with her when the final battle comes. But really the only one her plans will benefit is herself. Until they don't any longer."

"You may be telling the truth about how you feel about her, but a part of you is also flattered that she imitated you and stole Killian's heart so she can force him to turn against us like you did," Emma curtly replied. "You wanted to use him and then kill him so that you could sever yourself from your dagger. Other than to torture him for the fun of it, what good is he to her before the fight coming up tonight? Why not just leave him be until then?"

He smiled again as he responded, "I believe you already know the answer to that question, dearie. You believe she's hurting your boyfriend as a show of good faith, so that I would be grateful to her and want to be a part of her plans. Honestly, I believe you're right. But stealing Hook's heart, was a long time ago. Not forgotten, but no longer pertinent. I couldn't care less if she tried to please me by destroying all of my enemies for me. I've agreed to come talk to you because Belle asked me to come. She wanted me to help you help Hook if I can. However, I am afraid doing so would be beyond my abilities as well."

Snow glared at him as she retorted, "You're the Dark One and even more powerful now than you ever were before. Surely there's something you can do."

"Sorry, but I can't," Gold answered coldly.

"You only say that because you still want to see Killian dead once and for all," the Savior angrily replied. "You've been unable to do it all these years. Why not give the Black Fairy the opportunity to do it for you? You're very protective of your wife and son, which is why you ought to understand this. Killian isn't just my boyfriend anymore. He's about to become my husband. So let me tell you something right now… if he does die again, I swear I will blame you as well as your mother. I'll help you save Gideon. Because it's what's right and because Belle is our friend too. But trust me, we will make sure you pay for Killian's death should it happen, one way or another."

He glared at Emma as he was about to disappear the same way that he entered until he stated, "You of all people understand it isn't wise to threaten a Dark One. Your fiancé is as good as dead, Miss. Swan. And I'm not sorry in the least. In fact, I'm looking forward to tonight's battle."

She responded, "This is far from over."