Everything I Do, I Do It For You
Chapter Twenty-Five
When morning arose again, Emma gathered a number of people together inside the station to tell them all what she and Killian had discovered the night before about the Snow Queen having been one of her foster parents, for however long of a gap it had been that she couldn't remember. David was there with Mary Margaret, while Neal was being watched by Granny and Ruby at the diner. Elsa was also there, along with Henry, Regina and Robin, Belle and Gold, and Killian too while he stood back from everyone, though he listened to Emma talking to the others as they observed the video tape from Emma's old camera, and struggled to ignore the Crocodile standing a few feet away from him at all costs.
Just when the video was about over, Emma paused the tape and Mary Margaret turned towards her daughter worryingly upon seeing the Snow Queen appear onscreen as she whispered, "Emma… that's you. You must be…"
Emma finished for her saying sternly, "Thirteen. Maybe fourteen."
"Are you missing the part where she's with the Snow Queen?" Regina asked his stepdaughter in frustration, then looked towards the Savior as well. "Emma… you knew her before you came to Storybrooke?"
"Apparently my run in with her in town wasn't the only memory she erased," the Savior answered with concern in her voice. "All this time in this foster home, or whatever that place was… It's gone."
It was then that Belle responded, "Look, I... I just don't understand how she even ended up in this world."
Emma turned her upper body around in her chair so she could look back at Gold as he stood behind her and replied, "We were hoping Gold could tell us that. You spent more time trying to get here than anyone. How the hell did she do it?"
"Considering the time I spent on the same task, I'd love to know," he answered her truthfully, while everyone turned back around to look again at the TV screen.
"Does it really matter how she got to Emma?" David responded. "I mean… shouldn't we be more concerned about why?"
Regina continued, "Obviously, she needed her for something. But what?"
She then scoffed before she added snidely, "Well… that's our next problem."
"Well, we know she's hiding somewhere in the north woods," Charming replied as he spoke again. "We combed every inch of her shop. We tore apart her house. She must have cleared everything out days before."
"Which means she must be hiding something," Hook answered him from where he remained behind the others, as he continued to remain in the dark about knowing where the Snow Queen's lair was because she had stolen his memory of having been there nights ago.
Emma then questioned, "But where?"
Everyone suddenly turned to look back at Henry while he stood back with Gold, when he suggested, "What about her ice cream truck?"
"Whoa… Snow Queen has an ice cream truck?" his mother asked him, while she and everyone else looked at him with surprise.
"I'm a kid," he responded as he shrugged. "I notice these kind of things."
Emma smiled up at her son, then David replied, "Then we split up into groups. We search the town… the woods. Hook, Regina, Emma… you take the west. Gold… you're with me for the east."
However, Gold immediately disagreed with the Prince and objected, "I think we all know I work best alone."
"Well… no time to argue that," the sheriff alongside his daughter answered, while Killian glared over at his enemy as he suspected Gold was up to something. "Belle… how are you at tracking?"
"Uh… actually, I… I think I'll be more helpful at the library," the beauty nervously responded, as she too was keeping something from her friends, though mostly Elsa who was sitting in the chair right in front of where she'd been standing near her husband. "Maybe I can dig something up on the Snow Queen."
Elsa then stood up as she turned around to face Belle and replied, "I'd like to come with you, Belle. If that's okay. Maybe something about my sister will be there too. Unless you'd rather not have the company?"
Despite her qualms about having the Queen of Arendelle join with her, Belle kindly answered her, "No, n… not at all. I would love some."
"And I'll enlist the help of Little John and the rest of my men to help search the woods for this… ice cream truck as well," Robin responded. "The more of us who search, perhaps the quicker we'll be successful in finding it."
"Just… be careful," Regina worryingly replied to him, as she reached out to take the archer's hand before he leaned in to kiss her.
Robin then said softly, "You know I will."
At last, everyone parted from the station to do like they'd been asked to do, as most of them headed out into the woods to begin their search. Meanwhile, Gold returned to his shop and both Belle and Elsa headed off to the library so they could all do their own research. Little did anyone suspect that the Snow Queen was watching them all through her mirror until they parted ways.
Much to everyone's surprise, it didn't take the heroes long to find the Snow Queen's ice cream truck within the woods no more than a mile away from the merry men's camp, after Ingrid had parked it there herself so that they would. It should have crossed their minds that the villainess wanted them to find it, but because the truck had been covered well with tree branches and fallen leaves, it never did.
And then, what they discovered inside of it surprised them even further. Emma and Killian searched inside of it with Regina, then after the pirate broke the lock on the truck's freezer, they found files filled with paperwork from when Emma had been in school back in the time she couldn't remember, as well as a news clipping from when she had been found as a baby just outside of Storybrooke by Pinocchio, and what appeared to be an ancient scroll written in a language unknown to any of them.
Not too far away, the Snow Queen roamed the woods while the heroes discovered all that she wanted them to, until she sensed she was soon about to be interrupted and immediately hid herself behind one of the taller of the trees nearby. However, she was surprised to find it was the Dark One, when he left the confines of his shop to come and speak with her.
When he didn't see the villainess straightaway where he suspected she was hiding from him, Rumplestiltskin at last called out to her, "You can show yourself, dearie. I'm not the one you're hiding from."
"No… you're not," Ingrid then answered him, as she stepped out to face him. "To what do I owe this intrusion?"
"A warning," he haughtily responded, then turned around to look into the face of the woman he had come out to see. "Emma Swan is onto you. She knows your history began long before you came to Storybrooke."
The Snow Queen replied plainly, "I'm aware. Do you really think she would have discovered that if I hadn't wanted her to? It's all part of my plan… A plan you thankfully know little about."
The Dark One curiously stated, "You're being awfully secretive."
"You didn't come to warn me," she continued more coldly, as she began to circle around him. "You came to find out my secrets."
"Or offer up a deal," he sternly answered her again. "Whatever suits you best. But if you decline, I'd be careful."
Ingrid finally stopped circling him and turned to look at him again as she responded snidely, "There it is. There's the warning. You want something out of me? Why don't you just ask for it?"
Mr. Gold replied, "If I wanted something out of you, dearie… believe me, I'd take it."
"But you can't, can you?" the Snow Queen retorted when she glared at him. "Otherwise you would. You and I both know… To get what you want, you need one thing that I have and you're sorely lacking… Leverage. And until you get that… I have a warning for you. Stay out of my way."
A few hours later back in town, within the library…
Belle and Elsa were still busy searching the books for anything that might help them to learn who this Snow Queen was, or how she might have gotten to Storybrooke, or even to the Land Without Magic where she had watched over Emma while she grew up in the foster care system.
The women's search was slow going and increasingly becoming more and more frustrating, especially for Elsa. And when the Queen of Arendelle at last slammed one of the books she had been looking in closed, Belle knew her worries were more about her sister, than they were of figuring out the Snow Queen's plans.
So, at last the beauty finally confessed to Elsa what she'd been afraid to tell her. That she had met Anna many years ago, and made a mistake that had nearly cost the Princess her life, then got her captured, which is why she feared Elsa couldn't find Anna now. Because she was still being held prisoner by the Snow Queen somewhere in Arendelle.
"Thank you," Elsa at last spoke to her new friend, as she laid her hand over one of Belle's by way of showing her she wasn't angry with her for what happened all those years ago. "For telling me the truth. I know that couldn't have been easy for you and I know now why you've been feeling a little uncomfortable around me. But I understand, and I'm not angry. We heard Anna's heartbeat within Bo Peep's crook. Which means that Anna's alive somewhere. I don't know how, but we'll find her. And thanks to you, Belle… I finally fully believe that and have hope."
"You're welcome," Belle answered her with a smile. "Now… let's keep looking. Surely there's something in here that will give us some answers we seek. There's always something in this library to help us. It's like… magic."
And just like the beauty said, a book at last revealed itself to the women hours later after they continued on with their search while the day passed by. And once they did, they were anxious to find Emma so they could explain to the Savior what they soon discovered within the book's pages.
They left the library and headed to the sheriff's station, after Belle called Emma to ask her where she was so that they could talk with her about what they found. When they walked inside the building, they found the Savior with Killian at her desk closest to the cells, as the two of them had been busy studying the information they had come across that afternoon as well.
Once they had begun, as Elsa opened up the book they found to show her the pages revealing the Queen's family tree, Killian and Emma both looked at her in disbelief as the Savior questioned, "The Snow Queen is your aunt?"
Elsa looked at her worryingly as she turned the book around facing her friends so that they could see the pages more clearly, then she responded, "According to this heraldry book I found in the library. Her name is Ingrid. I didn't even know my mother had any sisters. I'm as surprised as you are."
"Well, spend a little more time in this town, love… you'll realize just about everyone's related," Hook sarcastically replied, as he stepped towards the other desk a few feet away to pick up some more of the papers he and Emma had found hidden within the ice cream truck with Regina, then set them down again beside the woman he loved, while she smiled up at him.
"This book traces the lineage in Arendelle for generations," the Queen continued, as she brought her friends' attentions to the images showing her mother and the two aunts she had never known, including the Snow Queen they found whose name to be Ingrid, pointing each one of them out as she did so. "That's Gerda, my mother. And this is Helga… my other aunt."
Upon seeing something in the image of Helga, just how much it was she resembled Emma, Hook looked at his love as he reached down to point it out to her and the others as well while he exclaimed, "Bloody hell. Look at this one… She looks just like you. Maybe that's why she was so obsessed with you. Why she kept all those relics from your childhood."
As Elsa then noticed the scroll her friends had found on top of some of the other papers and reached out to open it further so she could read it, Emma looked at Elsa and Belle strangely as she asked, "She came to this world looking for blondes? There's a lot more than just me."
"Don't I know it," Killian smugly teased her and smiled, as she smiled up at him again while he remained standing beside her.
"She wasn't looking for a blonde," the Queen of Arendelle answered after she let out a sigh of relief upon discovering one of the truths they've all been seeking since the trouble with the Snow Queen had begun. "She was looking for the Savior."
Emma stared up at her in shock as she uttered, "What?"
Elsa looked between her friends in concern while she immediately continued, "This scroll… The writing is runic. It's a prophecy. It says, 'the name of the Savior is Emma."
"She knew?" the Savior asked in frustration, keeping her eyes on Elsa.
She nodded and responded, "Before you even did. She knew you were powerful."
Emma turned her head to look over at Killian in worry and he at her, while she questioned again, "But why?"
"It says it right here…" the Queen replied, while she continued to read the rest of the scroll. "And the Savior shall become Ingrid's sister."
"What the hell does that mean?" the sheriff curtly asked.
Elsa looked between them all again as he answered, "Well… my mother died, and her other sister… She's not around anymore. I think Ingrid believes in this prophecy. I think she's looking to replace them."
Belle at last cut in while she responded, "That would explain why this Snow Queen's been so obsessed with the two of you. Why she's been watching and following you everywhere."
"Well… if this is all true, then the Snow Queen has another thing coming to her," Emma angrily retorted. "It's never going to happen. I don't care who she supposedly might have been to me when I knew her in the time I can't remember. I will never become a sister to her. She's hurt too many people I care about. She's another villain, who has to be stopped. Plain and simple."
"I agree with you, love," Killian nervously replied to her, then reached out to take her hand into his own. "And I'll be right here with you while we continue to fight her."
Emma moved in closer to him as she reached out to caress his cheek and smiled at him sadly, then she whispered, "I know you will. I'm just afraid that so long as you do, something terrible is going to happen to you. To everyone I care about."
Killian then pulled her into his arms to hold her and to comfort her as he answered, "We have fought many a villain, Swan. And yet… we have always defeated them. This Snow Queen no different. Believe in yourself. Because I most certainly do."
"I hope you're right," she worryingly responded again. "Somehow… this all feels different."
"I know," Hook sternly replied, as he understood Emma more than she even knew.
Meanwhile, inside the Snow Queen's lair once more…
Gold returned to have another talk with the Snow Queen, after she had left him standing alone in the woods earlier that afternoon, especially after he had decided to do a little more research on the newest threat to their town. And when he walked inside, he moved to stand in front of her mirror, then carefully began to study its craftsmanship without saying a word to woman sitting once again on her throne.
At last, Ingrid turned her head to look at the Dark One again as she asked coldly, "I thought we had finished our conversation in the woods, Rumplestiltskin. So, what brings you back again? I doubt it was to admire my mirror, that I know you took the time to admire a little the other day too."
He turned away from the mirror to face her again as well and answered, "Actually… it turns out that I've discovered myself a very interesting book since this afternoon. One that speaks of an old King growing more and miserable with each passing day after the death of his beloved daughter, until one day he wished for his subjects to come to feel his pain the same as he did. So… he cast a spell upon his mirror after spending years harnessing dark magic, until he had just enough for this curse he cast over his entire Kingdom, making them all to see the worst in those they loved. Soon, they turned on one another and at last destroyed themselves until they were no more."
"And your point is?" she responded to him in frustration.
"I admire your plan," the Dark One replied. "I should very much like that you succeed in it. If you'll let me, I can even help you just as I offered earlier. Which is why I brought you a gift."
Gold then summoned a wooden box into his hands and opened its lid to reveal three yellow ribbons inside, which he had taken from Ingrid and her two sisters many years ago, as he continued, "Your ribbons back. So you can use them to help you claim your new sisters. You see, I've learned much about you, dearie. As I'm sure you have about me as well. So, if you want them, then you must give me some information in return. Something potentially of equal worth in return."
The Snow Queen gasped upon seeing hers and her sisters' ribbons again after all these years, as she sat forward upon her throne before she stood up to walk towards him and then she finally spoke again anxiously saying, "You still need one more thing to cleave yourself from that dagger."
"And how do you know about that?" he darkly asked her, curious how she had come to know of his own plans.
"I had that hat longer than you," Ingrid answered him, as she attempted to reach out to touch one of the ribbons until he closed the lid once again. "I learned many things. Among them… the missing piece of your puzzle. Give me my ribbons. And I'll tell you what it is. You see… I've figured out your plan. Storybrooke… is a small town. Too small for someone as powerful as the Dark One to be content."
He retorted snidely, "Well… they did close down that ice cream parlor I was so fond of."
The Snow Queen shook her head and then responded softly, "You want to cleave yourself from the dagger, so you can venture outside Storybrooke without losing your power or your precious Belle. You want, in short… what all villains want."
"And what's that?" Gold questioned her, as he looked deep into her eyes as he sought for any hint of deception within them.
"Everything," she eagerly replied, "And I want to give it to you."
The Dark One then asked her again, "What makes you so generous?"
Ingrid answered him coldly, "What you want is out there. And everything that I want is in here. Do what you want with the rest of the world. Storybrooke will be mine. Do you want your answer?"
"You know I do," he responded.
"Then we have a deal," she replied in sincerity.
Mr. Gold uttered sternly, "You first. Tell me what I require."
The Snow Queen then leaned in close to him and whispered into his ear while she answered, "All you need… is the heart of someone who knew you, before you ever became the Dark One. I didn't ever fully understand what that meant. But I've been watching over those in this town carefully and I've learned one very important fact. That this pirate in love with Emma… has been your enemy since way back before you became the man standing before me now. And you hate him with every fiber of your being. If you get rid of him for me, Captain Hook will no longer be in the way of my plans for Emma. I've tried, but my efforts have been in vain. He's far too stubborn to know when he's been defeated. Hook… can't remind her of just how powerful and beautiful she truly is. That is my job. Simply… crush his heart. Just in the right moment."
"Not only can I do that…" the Dark One cruelly responded with glee. "But I shall do it with great pleasure."
"I hoped you would," Ingrid replied as she smiled at him, then held out her arms to him so he could give the wooden box over to her. "Thank you."
Once she had hers and her sisters' ribbons securely in her hands, the Snow Queen bowed her head to show him her gratitude more than simply by uttering the words. And without another word, he turned and walked out of the villainess' lair so he could return to his shop to begin to plan how he might go through with stealing Hook's heart. Little did he know that the plan would soon enough present itself to him again, when Killian would come fighting to protect Emma Swan.