Graham reached down, hoisting a satchel over his shoulder. He looked at little Leo in Snow's arms.
"He's a fine boy, Snow." He smiled down at the baby. "There is a bit of a breeze outside - you might want another blanket for him."
"Good idea." Snow passed the baby over to Emma. "I'll just be a minute," She said brightly.
Emma tickled Leo under the chin as he grabbed a handful of her hair and attempted to gum it.
"So how are the beans coming along?"
"Anton says they should be ready soon." Graham looked at the doorway, then glanced around the hall, rocking back and forth on his heels.
"I know you need to get out of here. Sorry I kept you." Emma apologized.
"It's all right. I expect you were busy." He smiled widely. A little too widely. In fact, it sort of creeped Emma out.
"Yeah," She said, with an uncertain smile. She looked toward the stairwell. "I wonder if Mary Margaret needs some help."
"Perhaps she does." Graham said. "Do you want to go and check on her? I can hold the baby."
"No, that's okay, I'll take him with me." She hoisted Leo up onto her shoulder. "He probably should get a diaper change before he goes, anyway. Be right back."
Emma made it up the stairs and knocked on the door of her parent's suite. She waited a moment, but Snow didn't answer.
"Mary Margaret? You in there?" She carefully pushed open the door only to see Snow laying motionless on the floor. Emma rushed to her side. She was breathing, but unconscious.
"Mary Margaret!" She reached out to carefully place Leo on the floor, but as her arm extended it was suddenly yanked forward, throwing her badly off balance. Leo was pulled from her hands by Graham, who locked some sort of golden manacle around her wrists.
"Graham! What - " She didn't even get a chance to finish. Graham had dissolved before her eyes in a wash of green smoke, and Evanora the witch stood in his place, cradling Leo on her arms.
"There now, my pretty," She said with a wide smile. "Those cuffs will contain your magic, and allow me to direct you a little more easily." She pointed a finger at the wall and Emma found her pushed into it with enough force to rock her head on her shoulders. She was frozen against it, unable to move.
"What did you do to her?"
"Just a simple confinement spell." Evanora gave a delicate shrug. "It'll keep anything in this room. Any person. Any object. Any sound. And the enchantment won't break until I leave."
"You're not taking that baby," Emma said fiercely.
"Oh, but you're right, lovey. I won't need him anymore once I've drained him and stored his life force in this," She reached into her bag and pulled out a crystal ball.
"Regina's crystal ball," Emma said with dawning horror. "What did you do to her?"
"Regina's downfall always was a pretty face. When her former huntsman told her he was to bring you the crystal ball from her vault, she didn't question it - until it was too late." She rolled her eyes at the look on Emma's face. "Oh, she'll survive. A simple blow to the head is all. She can see magic coming, so I had to go a more traditional route."
Emma could hear shouting from below and she screamed at the top of her lungs "Here! We're in here!"
The witch merely smiled. "Scream all you like, my pretty. They can't hear you. The spell sees to that. I imagine they're all running for the orchards right now - and they are quite extensive. By the time they've searched there, I'll be done with him," She gestured to the baby. "And you and I will be on our way."
"I'm not going anywhere with you." Emma bit out.
"Yes, you are. I can make you." She pointed down at the manacles. "And your shackles will stay on until that baby of yours is born, an event I am looking forward to with great relish. As sweet as this baby is -" She took a deep sniff of Leo - "To compare him to your child is like comparing water to wine." Evanora walked over toward the bed, laying Leo carefully in the center. "The product of true love is a powerful thing, but the product of two generations of true love...mmmmmm." She inhaled deeply again. "That should sustain me indefinitely."
Emma took a deep, gulping breath. There was no way this witch was sucking the life out of Leo, and there was no way the bitch was getting her clammy green hands on her baby. She thought frantically, trying to come up with a way to stop her, pulling so hard on the manacles, she felt her flesh rip and the blood begin to trickle down her hands.
Evanora caressed the crystal ball with one bony hand, slowly extending the other toward Leo, who was oblivious and playing with his own toes in the middle of the bed.
"Noooooo!" Emma screamed, pulling again in a frenzy against her bonds.
"Grandpa?"
They both turned as the door opened suddenly and Henry entered the room.
"Henry! Duck!" Emma shouted, as the witch tossed a fireball in his direction. He ducked and rolled, coming up on the other side of a storage chest.
"You can't leave, Henry" Emma screamed. "It'll knock you out!"
"He's got nowhere to run," The witch said with a laugh. "Do you, pretty boy?" She lobbed another fireball in Henry's direction, closing in on him as Emma fought again to free herself. Suddenly, Henry made a dash for the corner of the room, and Emma realized what he was going for a second too late. She'd brought Excalibur to David for safekeeping, afraid that Henry would be tempted seeing it in her room. It was in its scabbard, propped in the corner, and Henry was reaching for it.
"Henry - NO!"
Evanora whirled and threw a fireball straight at Henry's back just as his hand closed over the hilt and pulled. Suddenly, the sword glowed with a brilliance that blinded everyone in the room. When the spots cleared from Emma's eyes, she saw Henry, standing with the sword raised in front of him, and it glowed like a supernova in his hand.
"Get away from my family!" He shouted. The witch threw another fireball, and he deflected it easily, backing over toward Emma.
"Silly boy," Evanora said, eyeing the blade nervously. "So you've been found worthy. That hardly means you can wield a sword." She flung her arm out, channeling what looked like electricity bolts straight at him in rapid succession. Once again, Henry parried each one, the blade seeming to sing in his hand, moving impossibly fast. Emma couldn't believe what she was seeing - she'd held that sword. She knew how heavy it was. Henry used the blade like it was an extension of his body, moving, slashing, shifting. all while positioning himself in front of Emma.
"Enough!" The witch said, angrily. "I don't have time for this! You're not who I came for!"
She turned toward the bed throwing everything she had at the now-crying baby upon it, and a split-second later, Henry was between her and Leo, swinging Excalibur in an arc that captured her power, then he thrust the blade back at her, redirecting it all and slamming her into the wall with the force of it. She hit the ground and then sprang up, grabbing the crystal ball and running for the broom that was propped against the balcony door. She was through it a second later.
Henry gave chase, but she leaped off the balcony and onto the broom, cradling the crystal ball to her chest. "I'll be back for her! I'll be back for them both!" She screamed at Henry.
"Emma!" Hook's voice echoed from down below the balcony. He and David had been on their way into the castle, after searching the orchard in vain.
The witch looked down at the two of them, laughing madly. "And you, my pretty one -" She called down to Hook. "You can hide her like her mother in a dog-infested hole, but I'll find her. I'll find them both." She caressed the crystal ball. "I can find them anywhere now!" She turned to fly off, but swooped down badly, before righting herself and flying out across the parapets. She must have been drained by the battle, because she wasn't traveling very fast and was wobbling because of it.
"She's getting away!" Hook shouted, running into the castle. David was right behind him.
A few moments later, they were both through the doorway. David scooped Leo up off the bed, soothing him as he knelt next to Snow, who was groaning and showing signs of coming around. Hook made his way over to Emma.
"Are you all right," He asked, running his hand up and down her arm before pulling against the manacles. "They won't budge."
"They're enchanted," Emma said, finally able to get away from the wall. She looked over toward the balcony.
"Henry!"
He stepped into the room, Excalibur at his side, grinning widely. David glanced away from Snow, staring at his grandson with his mouth wide open.
"You're holding Excalibur!" He sputtered.
"Yeah!" Said Henry.
"It's glowing!"
"Yeah! Isn't it cool!" Henry swung it a couple of times, and it still looked like it was effortless to him. Emma motioned him over with her bound wrists.
"Henry, do you think you can break these?"
Hook's hand shot out, covering hers. "Are you mad? He'll cut your hands off."
"No, he won't. You didn't see what I just saw." She looked up at Hook. "Trust me."
She held her hands out to Henry, and he pulled Excalibur back, bringing it down hard on the exact center of the manacles. They exploded off Emma's wrists, practically disintegrating.
"Easy as pie!" He swung the sword again. "I'm going to go show Granny!" Henry took off out the doorway at a dead run, whirling the blade around him.
David helped Snow sit up, leaning her head against his shoulder while Hook examined Emma's bloody wrists.
"We have to stop her!" Emma said to Hook. "She wants the baby."
"Leo's safe," David told her, holding his son tight to his body. "She can't take him now."
"She'll come back. And it's not just Leo she wants." She looked up at Hook with frightened eyes. "She wants our baby, Killian."
"What?" His eyes went wide, filled with an impossible dread.
"She wants our baby even more than Leo, and she won't stop until she gets her."
Hook's jaw tightened, and he looked out the balcony doors.
"Stay with your father," He said, and then he kissed her, hard. He turned and ran for the door.
"Wait!" She looked at David. "Where's he going?"
"I don't know," David responded. "Can you help me?" He held Leo out to her. "I need to get her to the bed."
Emma rushed over, taking Leo in her arms and kissing his head again and again. "It's okay. We're okay. We're gonna be okay."
"Emma." Snow's voice was weak, but clear. "The baby..."
"Leo's fine. I've got him. The witch is on the run." Emma reassured her.
"You just rest," David said.
"You found us," Snow smiled.
David shook his head. "Nope. This time the honor goes to Henry, who, it turns out, can swing Excalibur like a badass."
"Leo.." Snow reached out, and Emma carefully placed the baby in her arms and turned to David.
"We need to find Regina. The witch knocked her out somewhere inside her vault." She headed for the door and was just through it when Henry intersected her.
"Mom! You have to stop him!"
Emma didn't have to ask who. "Where is he, Henry?"
"He's running toward the dock. He says he's going to chase her in his ship."
"He can't do that!" David shouted.
"He says it's the fastest thing in all the realms. The only way to catch her."
"What the hell is he thinking?" Emma said frantically. "He can't get on that ship!" She took off running.
"Henry, stay with your Grandmother," David was right behind her.
Emma ran with everything she had, but it was no good. They'd just cleared the edge of the market when she saw him running up the dock, carrying his satchel.
"Killian! NO!"
Her screams didn't even slow him as he ran up the gangplank and leaped onto his ship.