A/N: Thank you very much, Gwenhyfer and xxxLeanniexxx, for your reviews and to everyone who has followed and favorited.

Derailed

Chapter 21: Comfort and Joy

~ Catspook

Emma called a bit before dinner (Rumplestiltskin only remembered that it was dinner time because he realized that they had left the diner without eating lunch and Bae and Belle must be hungry).

"What did she say?" he asked the Savior, dispensing with any greeting.

Emma, ever practical, did not seem to mind. "She kept making up things to explain how she survived. She doesn't know, Gold."

"… So someone intervened."

"That's what I'm thinking. Regina thinks she's after the Author, and I think she's right. Zelena's a part of this, Gold; whatever this thing is they're planning with the Author."

"A world written according to Zelena's specifications…" He didn't have words for how much that thought terrified him, but his curse had plenty to say. Kill her! Kill her before she unmakes all of you!

"Yeah, I know," Emma said grimly. "But why would the gods want that? It's Zelena; she doesn't share. Wait… could the Author do that? Can he re-write things for the gods?"

"I… don't know. According to Mr. Booth, the Author does not have to obey the laws of magic. The gods don't either."

"So if someone wanted to stage a coup, the Author might be able to pull it off."

"Perhaps."

"But where does Zelena come in?"

"I don't know." He truly didn't. It made no sense. Zelena was petty and small minded - a mortal in every way. The gods would have nothing but disdain for her. She'd even… wait. "Ask her about Hades."

"Hades - right. You said they had a run-in. But if they're on bad terms, why would Hades want her in charge?"

"Perhaps there is more to it than I realized. If Hades had truly been offended by her, she'd be dead; perhaps he let her live specifically because he planned to use her this way."

"Sounds like a lead to me. But there's one more thing I need to know."

"What is it?" he asked warily.

"When did you know Marion was Zelena? Have you been sitting on this like you did the Hat?"

"Do you really think I would have allowed Zelena to wander free and then pinned her in a diner? I did not know until today."

"OK. But you suspected; that's why you left the Sorcerer's mansion as soon as she showed up, isn't it?

"I did not-" She had no right to question you! Silence her! Make her fear you! "I do not need to explain myself to you, Miss Swan."

"… You thought you were imagining it. Shit, Gold, I'm sorry."

"I don't require your pity, Miss Swan."

"It's not pity to admit I screwed up. Look, I'd like to start up our lessons again if you're willing. Zelena got by me; I don't want that to ever happen again."

The Savior apologizing to the Dark One. He felt an almost hysterical urge to laugh. "… When you call back with the results of your interrogation, we can discuss it."

"OK, Gold. I'll let you know when I have something."

"Have a good evening, Emma."

"You too."

Too many surprises. Too many changes. The threads of fate now seemed as tangled up as the Gordian Knot, and each new revelation only seemed to add a new snarl to the mess. Perhaps that was the point; to drown them in twists and misdirections so they would not see the endgame until it was too late. He'd certainly done his share of that once upon a time. The only way to untangle such a knot was to cut through it. But how did one cut through this?

Belle smiled at him and asked kindly, "What did Emma say?"

"Zelena does not know how she survived Ingrid's attack. Most likely, it was due to the gods' intervention."

"And you suspect Hades."

"Perhaps. He has had contact with her; I know that. Emma will call back when she has learned more. Are either of you hungry?"

"Yes," Bae said immediately. Belle shrugged.

"I should have something."

That was worrying. Belle rarely lacked enthusiasm for meals, even when they'd spent last winter eating rations at Regina's castle. "What would you like? Name it," he said, trying to spark her interest.

She glanced at him, and her eyes very clearly said that what she would like was for him to partake of the meal, but she didn't say that. "Whatever you feel like making is fine."

He saw defeat in her posture and her tone, and he realized that she'd given up; she didn't expect that he could do it, and so had resigned herself. He'd hurt her - don't I always?

Love is weakness.

Fuck off.

"How about a stir fry?" he asked her.

"Sure." She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

He was tired. Tired of letting her down. Tired of feeling this way. Tired of the gods meddling in their lives as if they had the right. He didn't know how to stop it - how to cut the Gordian Knot - but he could at least honor her unspoken request. If he had to use magic to keep himself from being sick, he would choke down this meal for her sake.

"You're back! How wonderful," Zelena said. Emma didn't believe in starving prisoners, so she'd been given a dinner from Granny's while Emma called Gold then conferred with Regina and David. The two of them had been trading off the role of Emma's interrogation partner (Regina would shape up to be a hell of a bad cop if she could manage to keep her temper), but Emma persuaded them to let her go in alone this time. The room was bugged, so they could hear what was said.

"How was the lasagna?"

Zelena wrinkled her nose in what she probably thought was a royal affectation. She could never do royal like Regina. "Greasy," she said.

"I'll pass that along to Granny," Emma said dryly, taking a seat. "So… Hades."

Zelena froze. "What about him?"

"Gold says you had a run-in with him at some point."

Her smile twitched. "Did he?"

"Yup. He's got a theory; want to hear it?"

"Why not? It's getting a bit boring trapped in this room."

"He thinks Hades let you live for a reason; that's he's using you. What do you think about that?"

Zelena let out two fierce breaths, like a bull preparing to charge. "I knew it!"

"You want to tell me about it?"

She glared, the look in her eyes unhinged. "It's none of your concern."

Emma leaned back casually; people like Zelena always started losing it when they didn't think they were being taken seriously. "Actually, it is. You see, we've known for a while that the gods have been messing with us. They've got some big plan for all us mere mortals, and we're not too happy about that. Sounds like Hades has something similar in store for you."

"Something in store… and what does dear Rumple believe that is?"

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us."

"Oh! You need me! How wonderful. I'll tell you what; I'll tell you what Hades is planning, if you take this cuff off."

"So you know what it is, then?"

"Of course," she said cheerfully, but she knew she'd been caught out.

"You're lying."

Pouting, she slammed her hand on the tabletop. "I can help you."

"How?"

She smiled, and it would have been charming if her eyes weren't so brittle underneath. "I'll tell you everything I know."

Emma crossed her arms and shook her head. "No, no you won't."

Zelena huffed, pouting like a child. "Fine. If you can't trust me, then clearly we're done here. I'd like to go back to my cell please."

She was telling the truth about that; Zelena had no intention of cooperating. Fortunately, they still had their plan to bug the hospital, and Zelena now had a lot to think (and hopefully talk) about. Emma got up. "All right, then. On your feet."

Zelena smiled demurely. "You could ask nicely."

"Sure could, but I won't. Do you want to get up, or do you want me to call Regina back in here? She'd love another crack at you."

Pure hatred - Zelena's glare was pure hatred. Emma had seen evil, and she had seen petty, but she'd never seen such a potent combination of both before. It was almost cartoonish. Slowly, petulantly, Zelena stood up. Emma roughly cuffed her hand behind her back. "If you change your mind about helping us - really helping us - you know where I am."

"I'll keep it in mind," Zelena said with false cheer. As expected, she was lying.

There was nothing to do about Zelena except wait. Emma and Regina had come talk to Papa about their plan to bug the hospital, and he had agreed it was the best solution they had.

So they waited.

Christmas came.

The oversized tree, decorations throughout the house, and elaborate meal Bae knew Papa had planned should all have been clues, but neither Bae nor Belle were prepared for the sight of the living room on Christmas morning.

"Papa…" The room was filled with presents. Bae didn't even know how Papa had acquired and wrapped them all without tipping them off. He'd asked Bae's help ordering a laptop for Belle, and Bae had also expected there would be jewelry and books involved, but this…

"You're not happy," Papa said sadly. He didn't even sound surprised, like he'd expected Bae to be mad but had hoped…

Bae hugged him. "I'm happy. We're all here. I'm happy."

Papa sniffed loudly and clung. He'd been clingy, and Bae couldn't blame him in the least, but it hurt to see him like this day after day. Bae didn't know the details of what Zelena had done, but he knew enough. It had been better when they'd thought she was dead. He wanted her dead. He didn't tell his father that.

They pulled apart, and Belle stepped up for a hug of her own, smiling, giggling, and kissing Papa briefly. She was overselling it and they all knew it, but Papa did the same when he tried to pretend he had an appetite. In the end, the fact that they both tried so hard was probably what mattered the most.

Bae decided to do the same, and he set up the record player with the album Papa had played for him their first Christmas together. Papa had already made coffee and tea and set out pastries from the bakery. All three of them dug in before attacking the mountain of presents.

The sheer amount was indulgent and absurd, but after Belle gasped in genuine delight at the first unwrapped book (probably some rare first edition, knowing his father), Papa's answering smile was also sincere and uncomplicated for the first time in… Bae didn't know. Bae smiled too, diving into the presents with more vigor, determined to enjoy them for his father's sake. Somewhere between the PlayStation and The Absolute League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, he realized they were all actually having fun.

His gift to his father was another drawing, a family portrait of the three of them. Papa cried when he opened it, but not from sadness (although Bae had panicked for a instant, afraid he'd undone all the progress they'd fought so hard for). Instead, he beamed through his tears, joyful, and Bae started to wonder if all the movies were right, and there really was something magical about Christmas.

The presents, the decorations, the food - Rumple had put so much of himself into this holiday, and Belle drifted through it as if it were a dream, unwilling to break the spell Rumple had somehow woven.

But eventually, it got late. Despite herself, she began to nod off as they reached the ending of It's a Wonderful Life. It was a sweet, charming story, brimming with the hope and positivity they all sorely needed, but she was tired. They were all tired. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly eleven.

"I think it's time for bed," Rumple said, almost sadly. She imagined he'd been living the day the same way that she had, refusing to think of everything that waited for them outside the pink house. She wished she could make the dream last a little longer.

"You're probably right," she admitted.

Bae got up, nodding and yawning widely. He hugged and thanked them both. "Merry Christmas, Papa. Merry Christmas, Belle."

"Merry Christmas, Bae. Sleep well."

"You too." And he stumbled out of the den and up the stairs.

Rumple looked at her expectantly. She smiled sleepily and took his hand, leading him towards their room. "How did you manage all those presents?" she asked him coyly.

"I had them shipped to Mr. Dove. I…may have used magic to transport them here last night," he admitted hesitantly.

They'd reached the second story landing, and she turned around to face him. He looked nervous, like he expected a scolding, and she realized that for all her efforts to support him, there was one thing about him that she had never truly embraced. "Rumple…" He still didn't like it when she touched his face, so she took his hands instead. "It's all right to use magic. I'm sorry if I made you feel that it wasn't. The darkness of your curse worries me, but not the magic. It's a part of you, as much as spinning is a part of you." He hadn't touched his wheel since he'd been freed. That worried her.

"The darkness is a part of me too," he said quietly.

Her first instinct was to unilaterally deny it, but she'd learned in their sessions with Archie that that was not helpful. "You have darkness," she admitted, "We all do, but you've said yourself that your curse has a separate consciousness."

He nodded, conceding, and it killed her that she could not protect him from it. She'd asked him more than once to let her try to break it, but he'd decided that it was too dangerous, and she was sure that discovering that Zelena was alive had not changed his opinion.

She thought of the Hat and what a perfect trap it had been. From what they knew (or thought they knew), it would solve this problem, leaving Rumple his power without the evil voices of his curse. She was proud of Rumple for resisting it. Sometimes, she found herself considering it, and trying to think of a way to use it without killing anyone (Mary Margaret had found a way to cast the Dark Curse, after all), but what then? Did the Hat even do what they thought it did? Would the gods appear and demand that Rumple fight for them?

Unwilling to follow that line of thought any further tonight, she kissed him and said, "I hope you told Dove what a lovely job he did wrapping."

"Oh… I did the wrapping. Last night… while you were asleep."

"More magic?" she asked impishly.

He shrugged. "Some."

He was admitting something to her without admitting it. "It must have taken you hours."

He shrugged again, nodding slightly. "A few."

She squeezed his hands. "Do you do that often? Get up during the night?" He'd done it at least once before, she knew, when he'd tested the Hat. And he didn't sleep. He had to find some way to fill those hours, didn't he?"

"No."

"No? Don't you get bored, watching me sleep?"

He smiled shyly. "Never."

She smiled back, but asked her real concern. "Do you get lonely?"

Hours. For hours every night, he lay awake with no companion except the voices of his curse. She didn't know how he could possibly stand it. His throat bobbed as she swallowed. "That's why I don't get up. You're there."

He wasn't trying to be cute or romantic. There was something desperate and raw in the way he said it, begging her to understand. She did. "Oh, Rumple." She embraced him, kissing him fiercely and then resting her head on his shoulder. "I will always be there."

The day had been… good. Yes, Regina would say it had been good. Henry had wanted everyone together for Christmas, and Robin had agreed that the crowd would be a good way to keep Roland's mind off the fact that he'd essentially lost his mother for the second time. The Golds had declined, instead arranging a visit for Boxing Day, which was just fine as far as Regina was concerned. Henry and Roland had had fun, and Regina… she'd been happy. She'd belonged. Even Emma had pulled her aside for a minute to officially bury the hatchet. She'd finally admitted that she'd screwed up, and suddenly the resentment Regina had been harboring had faded away.

Besides, they had bigger fish to fry. Regina never forgot that her happy ending could be taken away at any time, and with the gods, the Sorcerer, and the Author meddling in things, it was likely to happen sooner rather that later. Restless, Regina left Robin asleep in bed (he and Roland had moved in with her, the cabin containing too many memories of the false Marion), eventually ending up at the prison.

The giant had picked up a couple of shifts as a guard there. Regina had known this because he was now apparently dating Little John, and Robin was happy that his friend had found love after waiting many years for the right woman (or man, apparently). "Merry Christmas," he said brightly. Maybe it was because he'd never been involved in her war, but he was more accepting of her than most. He didn't blame her for tricking him, instead putting it all on her mother. She'd never bothered to correct him.

"Merry Christmas, although it's not technically Christmas anymore." She nodded to the clock on the wall. It was past midnight.

"I guess not! Did you need to see the prisoners… your sister?" he asked sympathetically.

"Just making sure she's where she's supposed to me. She's slippery."

"I did a check at eleven, but we can do another one."

She shook her head. "Don't get up; I can handle it."

"You're sure?"

She nodded.

Zelena had been put in Belle's old cell. Rumple would probably appreciate the irony if he knew. It was late, but the snow magnified the moonlight, and when Regina lifted the hatch, she could clearly see Zelena sitting on the bed, gazing up at the window. Her head snapped around when she heard the door squeak.

"You're not… Regina? So you came to gloat. And in the middle of the night too; well, that's not suspicious or anything."

It probably wasn't wise, but Regina teleported into the room. "Merry Christmas, Sis."

"Oh, I see. You had a happy, little holiday, but something was missing. Come to complete the celebration? Face it, Regina, you're not one of them, and you never will be. You're a villain, and that's what you will always be."

Disgusted, Regina shook her head. "No. People can change, you just keep telling yourself they can't so you won't be responsible. You could change if you wanted to, you just don't want to. Well, I do. I did."

Zelena laughed. "Is this what heroes do? Break into their prisoners' cells late at night to finish them off?"

"I'm not here to finish you off."

"Then why are you here? To gloat? Hardly heroic."

Truthfully, Regina didn't know why she was here. She deflected, shrugging. "Maybe I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to my big sister."

"Oh, please. There's no one to impress here, Regina, you don't have to pretend."

"I'm not pretending." And she wasn't. It made no sense. Zelena had threatened Henry, had come close to killing him, killing all of them. She'd tried to take Robin from her, and let him believe a terrible lie about his deceased wife - had actually killed her to do it. Regina should want her dead. But she didn't. Maybe she was just tired. The puppet had been right about one thing: rage was exhausting.

Zelena sneered. "Oh. Oh, I see. Redemption, is that it? You're going to redeem me? And then I'll be ever so grateful to my little sister-"

"Shut up."

"Why? Afraid to face the truth?"

"No. I think you are."

"Oh? I'm in a cell. I'm powerless. What truth do you think I'm not facing?"

"That you're the reason you're here. Not me, not mother, you. You had just as much of a chance as anyone-"

"What chance did I have?! You have no idea! Mother loved you!"

"Mother didn't love anyone! She took out her own heart so she wouldn't have to!" Silence. Regina had never admitted that before. She'd always blamed everyone else for Mother's failings. Xavier. Snow. Rumple. But Cora had made her own choices. Cora had hurt her in a way no parent should ever hurt their child. And maybe that was why Regina was here; she'd done it to Zelena too.

"You should be grateful," Regina said. "You're alive. You have a chance to be better."

More broken laugher. "From a cell?"

"Yes, from a cell. I was in a cell. It gave me time to think, reflect. Maybe you should do the same."

"You've been in a couple of cells," Zelena sneered. "The first few didn't take."

"That's true. And that's how I know it's never too late, not if you really want it."

"And if I don't?"

Regina smiled wryly. "Then you'll still have a lot of time to think." Zelena glared at her, for once out of words. "Good night, Sis. Merry Christmas." She left.