Once Upon A Time: The Devil's New Road, Part Twenty-Five
By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki
(In the home stretch now and then onto Neverland!)
Emma, Henry, David and Mary-Margret ran into the mine, heading to where Emma had left Regina. She knew they had to try to get the trigger into the portal the bean would create but she could only hope the plan would work. She still wasn't sure but they had to try something that would save the whole town, just not those closest to them. They turned down the tunnel that led to Regina, Henry darting ahead to reach his mother first.
She looked pale and tired, sweat covering her face and a slight tremble evident. It was obvious she was giving everything she had to stop the trigger. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as magic traveled from the stone into her hands. She was doing her best to rob it of power but it only seemed to draw more from the ground beneath their feet.
Regina looked up, her eyes wide in surprise as she said, " What are you doing here? "
" You were willing to die to save us, " Henry said. " That makes you a hero... And now we're going to be heroes. "
Regina shook her head, " No... " She gasped.
" We're going to open up a portal, " David stepped forward. " Throw this thing into a void. "
Regina shook her head again, " No. You don't know that it'll work. "
" We have to try, " Mary-Margret replied.
David nodded at Emma and she got out Hook's pouch. " Everybody, step aside... " David put his arm around Henry and Mary-Margret, pulling them towards the wall of the mine. Emma moved back down the tunnel as she opened the pouch, sticking her fingers inside to get the bean. She gasped when she felt nothing inside. She felt again but still found nothing.
" Emma? " David asked.
She turned to face her parents and son, " It's empty. "
Everyone looked shocked, David's hands falling away from Mary-Margret and Henry. Cold dread filled Emma's veins, realizing they had been tricked. " Hook... " She muttered.
" That bastard! " David shouted.
" David! " Mary-Margret gasped, covering Henry's ears.
" I can't help it, " David looked at her. " I should have never trusted him. I should have just... "
" This isn't the time for 'should have', " Emma looked at him. " What are we going to do now? We don't have a way out now. "
David closed his eyes, " I know... Just let me think. "
Emma looked back at Regina. She was shaking a lot more and looked like she was weakening. She glanced up at David, her voice trembling as she said, " I can't contain this much longer. "
Emma looked at her, her hands shaking even more as she looked at them. Regina's power was fading quickly and Emma knew they had only a few minutes left at most. In that moment, she knew what she had to do. She walked over to Mary-Margret, David and Henry, her throat tight as the mine started to shake.
" Mom... Dad, " She said as she reached for them. They put their arms around her, hugging her tightly as she felt tears slide down her cheeks. David stroked the back of her head as he pulled Mary-Margret closer too.
They held each other for a moment before Henry slipped out of the embrace, probably moving towards Regina. Emma listened as she sobbed, " I love you, Henry... I only wish I was strong enough to stop all this... I'm just not. "
Her words made Emma realize that, on her own, Regina wasn't powerful enough to stop the trigger and needed help. She knew there were only two people powerful enough to provide her with the help she needed. Mr. Gold was crippled by his grief and too far away for them to reach in time though. That left only one person... Herself.
Emma released her parents and backed out of their embrace, knowing what she had to do in spite of her condition. They looked confused as she stared back at them. She looked at the trigger, noticing it was gathering more power as Regina weakened more. Regina looked at her as she walked towards her, " YOU may not be strong enough... But maybe WE are. "
Regina stared back at her, looking shocked that she had volunteered to help her. She gasped and Emma looked back at her family. Henry had gone back to Mary-Margret and David, all three of them staring at her with wide eyes. She gave them a look that they understood completely, taking off to a safer part of the mine.
Emma turned back to Regina, taking a deep breath to prepare herself for what she was about to do. Regina gave her a worried look and she furrowed her brow, " What? "
" The children... " Regina looked at her stomach.
" There won't be any if this thing detonates, " Emma replied. She lifted her hands, still not sure about what she was doing. She moved them closer to the trigger, clearing her mind and trying to feel the things she needed to feel to make her magic work. Slowly, the energy moved towards her and joined her to the stone, Regina smiling as the load was taken off of her.
Quickly, the energy filled her veins and she could feel her body drawing it out of the trigger. She shook terribly as more and more entered her body. Just when she thought she couldn't take any more, there was a huge pulse that sent her and Regina flying away from the stone. There was a huge boom then a clattering as the earth beneath her stilled.
Emma heard David groan, the shock wave obviously getting him, Henry and Mary-Margret as well. A second later, Emma heard him chuckle, " We're alive! "
Emma rolled onto her side, looking at her hands. She hurt from being slammed against the wall so hard but she otherwise felt okay, her power already working to heal her. " Emma! " Mary-Margret gasped as she and David ran to help her up. She looked her over, " Oh... "
Emma looked past her as Regina picked up the trigger. She hadn't seen her stand up but she seemed okay as well. " We did it, " She gasped.
" Yes we did, " Regina said as she closed her hand around the stone.
" You okay? " Mary-Margret asked Emma.
Emma nodded, " Just let me catch my breath. "
" Gotta hand it to Henry, " David said as Emma tried to get her breathing under control. " He's right about a lot things. "
" Yes he is, " Emma said. She looked behind her, " Isn't that right, kid? " Emma frowned when she found Henry wasn't where she thought he would be. " Henry? " She called.
She moved up the tunnel, calling him again with no answer. She got a bad feeling, wondering if he had taken off. She got out her flashlight as she quickened her pace. They made it halfway back to the entrance when the light caught on something.
Emma rushed forward to find it was his backpack. She knelt down to get a better look. " Emma! What is it? " Mary-Margret sounded frightened.
Emma found one of the straps was broken, like Henry had struggled against someone. As she held it, her mind suddenly seized up and filled with a vision. In it, she saw Henry fleeing for safety and right into Greg and Tamara's clutches. He fought against them but he was outnumbered, his backpack strap snapping as Greg and Tamara took him away.
The feeling passed and she got to her feet, " They took him, " She whispered. She wasn't sure what happened to make her able to see such a thing but she didn't have time to ponder it either.
She ran for the mine entrance, the others following her. " WHO took him? " David asked as they ran.
" Greg and Tamara, " Emma replied. " I... I just SAW it. "
" Saw it? " Regina questioned. " Like a vision? "
Emma glanced at her, " Yeah. "
" But why? " Mary-Margret sounded confused. " Did you see that? "
" No. Just that they took him, " Emma said. " We have to get him back... And we're going to need help. "
Mr. Gold stood on the sidewalk outside of the shop, watching as the vines and other foliage retreated back from the buildings. The trees that had sprung up shrank back into the broken pavement, leaving the pavement a mess. He could no longer sense the magic being drawn away. Something had stopped the trigger but he wasn't sure what.
His mind went to Emma, recalling how she had come to him not that long before. She said that she and her parents had a plan to stop the self-destruction of Storybrooke but she had not elaborated. His blood turned cold, wondering if she had done something to sacrifice herself. He didn't know if he could take it if he had lost her as well as Baelfire.
He closed his eyes, seeking her out. Relief spread through him as he felt her. She wasn't close but he could still sense her. She had not given her life to save Storybrooke as he feared. He concentrated harder, trying to connect with her mind.
~Emma... ~ He called. ~Emma... Can you hear me? ~
~Gold? ~ She replied.
The connection was weak, like she wasn't giving her full attention to it. He struggled to hold onto it, hoping he wouldn't lose her. ~Yes, ~ He said. ~What happened? ~
~ Regina and I stopped the trigger, ~ Emma said.
Mr. Gold wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. ~Regina... And you? ~
~Yeah... I'll explain later, ~ Emma sounded hurried. ~But we've got another problem. ~
~Another problem? ~ He asked.
~Tamara and Greg... They took Henry, ~ Emma said. ~And Hook has the last magic bean... I think it's the last one anyway. I'm not sure how many there were to start with. ~
~Magic beans? ~ Mr. Gold found himself struggling to keep up. ~There were beans here? In Storybrooke? ~
Emma gave an exasperated sigh, ~Look, I can't explain. I need to find Henry. I gotta go. ~
~Emma! ~ Mr. Gold said sharply but it was too late. She had severed the connection...
Emma raced towards the docks, another vision coming and going as quickly as the first. It had been another flash that cut her connection to Mr. Gold short. She didn't have time to talk to him anyway. She needed to find her son.
Things started to look familiar and she sped up, making the others run after her. " Emma! " Mary-Margret called. " You don't even know where you're going! "
" I had another vision, " Emma said. " I have a good idea. "
" It could be ANY of the docks, " Mary-Margret said.
" Doesn't matter, " Emma said sharply. " I have to find him. I'll track them down in Hell if I have to. "
They reached the docks, turning the corner of a fenced area in time to see Greg throw something into the water below the dock. There was an earth-shaking boom, one Emma recognized. " The last bean, " Regina gasped, probably recognizing it too. " They've opened up a portal. "
" HENRY! " Emma called as the sound of the swirling vortex filled the air. She ran towards Greg and Tamara, everyone else following her.
" HENRY! " David said as he ran next to her. They weren't fast enough though. They were only able to watch as Greg and Tamara jumped off the docks, taking Henry with them.
" NO! NO! NO! " Emma cried as they reached the edge of the dock. David grabbed her by the arm, keeping her from jumping into the vortex. She tried to pull away but David put his arms around her, holding her to his chest.
" We have to follow them! " She said as she fought his grip. " There has to be a way! "
" Not only do we not know where they went but Hook stole the last bean, " Regina looked at her.
" I don't care! " Emma spat as she still fought with David.
Regina looked down at the water, " Without it, there's no way to follow. "
" There has to be! " Emma refused to believe it. She knew there had to be some way to go after Greg and Tamara. She tried to thrash harder as she said, " We can't just let them take Henry! "
" No, we can't, " Mr. Gold's voice made her still. She looked past Regina to see him approaching. " But... "
" You're The Dark One. Do something, " David cut him off.
" Gold... Help us, " Emma said.
" There's no way, " Mr. Gold replied, scoffing slightly. " I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal. "
" So that's it? " Regina moved towards him, her voice trembling with anger. " He's gone forever? "
Mr. Gold did not reply, the look on his face saying what he was obviously scared to. Regina turned to the water then looked at him again, " I refused to believe that. "
Emma turned to look at the water again, hoping to see some sign that the portal had not closed yet but something else caught her eye. On the horizon, she could make out a form but it was still too far to be sure. After she looked for a bit longer, she realized what she was staring at. " Hook, " She whispered.
She watched as the ship quickly came closer, Hook at the helm and maneuvering to the dock. It didn't take long, the magical speed of the ship unhindered in Storybrooke. She recalled how fast it had moved once they had crossed into the town back when She, Baelfire, Neal and Henry had brought Mr. Gold back. She waited for him to drop anchor and move away from the helm before she approached it.
" What the Hell are you doing here? " She asked when he came down the gangplank.
He looked at her then looked away, " Helping. "
" Well, you're too late, " Emma moved faster to meet him at the base of the ramp.
He arched an eyebrow, reaching for his belt as he said, " Am I? "
" I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself, " Emma narrowed her eyes at him as he detached a pouch from his waist.
He held the pouch out to her, " Maybe I just needed reminding that I could. "
Emma took the pouch and looked at him before dumping the contents into her hand. She was surprised to see the last bean. She looked at him but didn't get the chance to say anything. Regina stepped up, " Enough waiting around. Let's go. "
Hook looked at her, " Go? Where? I thought we were saving the town. "
" We already did, " David said.
Emma looked at the bean then at Hook again, " We need to get to Henry. Greg and Tamara took him through a portal. "
Hook sighed, " Well, I offer my ship and my services to help follow them. "
" Well that's great, Hook, " Regina sounded skeptical. " But how are we going to track them? "
" Leave that to me, " Mr. Gold stepped forward. Emma was amazed that he had stayed so calm in his enemy's presence. " I can get us where we need to go. "
Mary-Margret sighed, " Then let's do it. "
Hook turned and walked back onto the ship, his body posture telling Emma it took a lot for him to control himself in his presence. Regina followed him onto the ship then Emma got on the gangplank as well. Mary-Margret, and David brought up the rear.
They got onto the deck but Emma looked to find Mr. Gold had paused on the ramp. She sensed another person and found Belle standing on the dock, staring back at him. Mr. Gold looked at Emma, " Please, excuse me. "
Emma said nothing as he walked back down the ramp as Belle came closer. David walked down, " What's going on? "
" Belle's here, " Emma waved him off as Mr. Gold walked down the ramp and to Belle. She had changed, now wearing a dress and a blue coat suited for the cold, damp weather.
David gave Emma a worried look then moved past them, going to the rope that held the ship to the dock. He kept an eye on Mr. Gold though, looking suspicious as Belle got closer. When she was right next to the ship, she glanced up at Emma for a moment before then looked at Mr. Gold. " I'm... I'm glad I caught you. "
" Belle, " Mr. Gold said quietly.
Emma turned away, walking across the deck of the ship as confusion filled her mind. The way Belle had spoke to her in the street made her wonder if Mr. Gold had finally broke it off with Belle. Her presence made her question that assumption. As she walked, she passed Hook.
" Is something wrong, Swan? " He said quietly and she looked to find he was reaching for her with his good hand.
She stepped out of his reach, " I'm just worried about Henry. "
He nodded, " As are we all... So why is The Dark One taking so long to board? "
He shifted his gaze to the dock side of the ship and Emma followed it. She looked at the deck, " He's saying goodbye to Belle. "
Hook nodded, " I see. His woman has come to bid him farewell. How touching. "
It hurt to hear Hook call Belle Mr. Gold's woman but she had to keep the truth to herself. She knew emotions would be high having Hook and Mr. Gold on the same ship, something that would only get more complicated if Hook knew of her condition. " She better not take too long, " Hook added. " We're almost ready to set sail. "
" Good, " Emma nodded.
" Emma, " David rushed up to her. " We need to talk. "
Emma looked at him, the look in her eyes telling her it was important. " Okay, " She said.
David took her by the hand, pulling her along. He paused for a moment, shooting a dirty glare over her shoulder. " I need to talk to her alone, Hook. This is family business. "
Emma turned to find he had followed them the few steps they had taken. She wondered if he was being nosy of just following her. Hook put his hand and hook up, " Understood. "
David led Emma to the door that led below decks, opening it and pulling her into the stairwell. " What's so important? " Emma asked after he shut the door.
" I overheard some of the conversation between Gold and Belle, " David said. " He said Storybrooke isn't safe. "
" Greg and Tamara proved that since they were able to come in, " Emma said.
" Yeah well he said that they probably weren't working alone and more will probably come, " David replied.
Emma blinked, " So are you saying some of us have to stay? "
David shook his head, " No. He... He gave Belle a cloaking spell to use after we leave. He said that she was the only person he could trust to cast it. "
Emma almost wanted to be saddened by the news but she stopped herself, the plan making sense once she thought about it. Out of everyone in Storybrooke, Belle knew Mr. Gold as well as she did. " What's wrong? " Emma asked when she noticed David looked really worried.
He shook his head, " I'm not sure. From the conversation, I think he broke up with her. "
" He did, " Emma said. " I think he did anyway. I ran into her on the street and she yelled at me about ruining him. It happened pretty quick and we didn't have time to talk about it. "
" So do you think she will? " David asked. " Cast the spell, I mean. "
" Probably, " Emma said. " It will be for the greater good... The same reason she went with him in the first place way back then. "
David thought it over and sighed, " I guess you're right. We'll have to trust her as well. "
" Come on, " Emma motioned to the door. " We better go back out. "
David nodded and opened the door, looking puzzled to find Mary-Margret standing there. " What's going on? "
" I'll explain later, " David looked past her. Emma looked past her too to see Mr. Gold approaching Hook slowly. He had a stone cold look on his face that chilled Emma to the bone.
" So are you done trying to kill me? " Mr. Gold asked lowly. He looked like he was on his guard, like he expected Hook to lunge at him any second
Hook moved towards him like he had no such idea in mind, " I believe so. "
" Excellent, " Mr. Gold looked like he did not believe him. He gave him a cold smile, " Then you can live. "
Emma, David and Mary-Margret moved towards them as Regina approached from Mr. Gold's left hand side. He waved his hand without taking his eyes off of Hook, a cloud of purple smoke appearing next to him. When it cleared, a blank frosted glass globe appeared on the barrel to his left.
Emma took a step forward, " The globe... The one that helped you find Baelfire. "
" Yes and it will help you find Henry, " Mr. Gold nodded. He looked at her, " Come closer. "
" How does it work? " Emma asked as she walked up to the barrel. He had only told her about it, nothing more.
" Give me your hand, " Mr. Gold held his left hand out to her. " I'll show you. "
Emma lifted her hand slowly, " Tell me. Walk me through it. I don't want to mess up. "
" You can't mess it up, " Mr. Gold grabbed her hand by the index finger and pricked it on the tip of the globe's spindle, quickly squeezing a large drop of blood from it as she jerked her hand away.
Emma blinked in surprise, " What the HELL, Gold? "
" Your blood will locate Henry. Watch, " He said and pointed to the globe. Her blood seeped into it, making a map appear on the frosted glass surface.
Regina leaned forward to look at the map then looked at Hook, " Where is that? Where did they take Henry? "
Hook looked grim as he frowned and looked at her, " Neverland. "
Emma looked at Mr. Gold,who looked just as grim. She didn't understand why they both looked so apprehensive. According to all the stories she had read, Neverland was supposed to be a happy place for children. By the looks on their faces, she could tell she had thought wrong.
" To the helm, " Hook moved towards the wheel. Emma and the others followed, his urgency scaring her. He looked at Emma, " We must hurry, Swan. Give me the bean. "
Emma got it out of the pouch and handed it to him. Hook took it and threw it into the bay, a portal opening up. He moved to the helm, steering the ship quickly towards the glowing vortex in the water. Emma grabbed onto a nearby mast to keep her footing because the ship lurched so hard.
Regina grabbed a nearby rope as David, Mr. Gold and Mary-Margret grabbed what they could to stay upright. " So who are we up against? " David shouted of the deafening swirling of the portal. He looked at Mr. Gold, " Who are Greg and Tamara? "
" They're merely pawns, " Mr. Gold replied as he tightened his grip on the ropes he had grabbed onto. " Manipulated by forces far greater than they can conceive. They have no idea who they're truly working for. "
" And who's that? " Emma yelled. She didn't like how vague Mr. Gold was being.
" Someone we all should fear, " Mr. Gold replied.
The roar of the vortex grew louder, making any more talk impossible as everyone strengthened their grip on what they held. Hook clung to the wheel as he steered the ship into the swirling waters that soon swallowed the Jolly Roger...
To Be Continued...