Once Upon A Time: The Devil's Journey, Part Thirty-Five

By Rebekkalee Mouri-Hibiki

Emma watched as Neal helped Mr. Gold to his feet. He was gasping in pain and his shirt had a large blood stain on it. He glanced at Baelfire as Neal punched the security code into the gate. Emma watched as Baelfire turned away, obviously not wanting to make eye contact with him.

Mr. Gold's face was twisted with painand he was sweating a little, something that seemed odd to Emma for only a stab wound. Emma watched Neal as he helped Mr. Gold through the gate then up the stairs. She wondered how Henry would react to the shock of seeing Mr. Gold in such a state, hoping it wouldn't frighten him too badly. The feeling she was being watched herself drew her attention to Baelfire.

His eyes were fixed on her, like he was studying her closely. He kept his gaze on her as he nodded towards Hook, " What are we going to do about him? "

" We need to lock him up somewhere, " Emma replied as she looked around the lobby. Baelfire's scrutiny was making her uneasy. He seemed very interested in her... Almost too interested. His brown eyes were so similar to Mr. Gold's, piercing and contemplating like he could right through her.

His unwavering gaze made her wonder just what was going on in his mind. She shifted her eyes to a narrow hallway that had a sign above it that read 'Tenant Storage'. " Let's go over there. "

" Looks like our best bet. " Baelfire said, taking his attention off of her. He stepped closer when she leaned down to pick Hook up, " Hey... Hey. Let me do that. You're in no condition... "

" No condition to do... " Emma frowned at him as she stood up. She realized what he was getting at and where Henry had got his loose lips from. " Oh crap. Neal told you, didn't he? "

Baelfire nodded once, " He mentioned it. Besides, you're a lady. You shouldn't have to carry him. He's probably pretty heavy. "

Emma snorted, " I'm stronger than I look. "

" Just let me do it, okay? We haven't got time to argue about this, " Baelfire replied sharply. " There's no telling how long he'll be out. "

" True. Can you manage him by yourself though? " Emma arched an eyebrow. She was doubtful, Baelfire's lithe physique making her question his ability. He was built like his fatherbut she knew Mr. Gold was stronger than he looked.

" Of course I can, " Baelfire replied and moved towards Hook. He knelt down and pulled the pirate into a sitting position before getting him over his shoulder. He slowly got to his feet, waiting for his balance to adjust. He looked at Emma, " Got him. "

Emma blinked, " You look like you've done that before. "

Baelfire looked at the floor, " A few times, yeah. He's not light so could we hurry this up? "

" Right, " Emma nodded and headed towards the storage area, Baelfire following her. They walked until they reached a door marked 'Storage' and stopped in front of it. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out Mr. Gold's lock picking tools. She had taken them at the hotel to keep him from using them again in case he decided to use them again.

Baelfire snorted, " Do you always carry those? "

" No, but your father does, " Emma said as she started working the lock. " Neal taught me how to do a few things. "

" Like pick locks? " Baelfire arched an eyebrow.

Emma nodded, " And pockets. "

Baelfire shook his head, " You're going to be in a lot of trouble when he finds out. He doesn't like people messing with his things. "

The lock clicked openand Emma glanced at him, " I really don't think he cares about that right now. Come on. Let's take care of Hook so we can go to your dad. "

Baelfire said nothing as he carried Hook into the room, Emma switching on a solitary light bulb overhead. The storage room was packed with boxes and odd pieces of this and that. Baelfire saw a chair towards the back of the room and carried Hook to it, setting him down on it. As he did, a folded paper fell out of Hook's coat.

Baelfire picked it upand he opened it up. He furrowed his brow, " It looks like a map. "

" Of what? " Emma walked over.

" I don't know but let's get him tied up then we can look at it, " Baelfire folded it up again and handed it to Emma.

Emma unfolded it, " Just give me a moment... "

Baelfire looked over her shoulder, " We haven't got time for this. "

" If he wakes up, I'll hit him again. Let me just look at this, " Emma looked at him.

Baelfire backed off, " Fine. Fine. "

Emma looked at the paper to find it was a map. Storybrooke was clearly marked as well as their location. " He sailed here... But how? "

" On his ship, " Baelfire said. " Come on. We need to hurry. "

" I guess that makes sense, " Emma folded the map and tucked it in her coat as she spotted an open box. She went to it with the hope there was something they could use.

" What are you doing? " He panted.

" Looking for something to tie him up with, " Emma said. She found an extension cord and decided to use it. She really wanted to strangle Hook with it for what he had done but couldn't with Baelfire in the room. She closed her eyes and her hand around the bundle as she fought back a lump in her throat, the thought of life without Mr. Gold sending a cold, sad feeling through her.

" You okay? " Baelfire asked after she had been silent and still for a few moments.

She inhaled deeply to get herself together before she tossed the cord to him, " This is the best I can find. "

Baelfire unwound it, Emma turning back to the box to find a bundle of heavy zip ties as he started to tie Hook to the chair. " So you think this will be enough to hold him? "

" We just need him tied up long enough to come up with a plan, " Emma replied as she walked over. She went to the side of the chair and started to zip tie Hook's arms behind him. She paused, her eyes focusing on his bloody hook. Her stomach knotted at the sight of Mr. Gold's blood... The same blood that a smidgen of which ran through her veins.

" Is something wrong? " Baelfire asked, looking concerned.

She swallowed and nodded, " No... No. I was just noticing how much blood is on his hook. He stabbed your dad pretty deep. "

" Yeah. He did. Here, " Baelfire put his hand out. " Give me some ties. I'll do his legs. "

" Great, " Emma nodded as she handed him four ties. She watched as he knelt down, a question coming to her mind. She had been certain she would never see him again. " Why did you come back? Did you change your mind about talking to Gold? "

Baelfire blinked at the name Emma used for his father, like it confused him for a moment. He then frowned, " No. I came back to talk to you. "

" Me? " Emma looked confused. She couldn't think of a reason why unless he suspected something. She wasn't going to offer anything up though. " Why me? "

" Neal told me about you, " Baelfire said as he laced a zip tie around Hook's right leg and secured it to the leg of the chair. He glanced at her as he did put a second around it to be safe, " He said that you've made more than one deal with my father and... Well, that other thing. "

Emma nodded once, " Yeah. So? "

Baelfire secured the second zip tie and looked up at her, " Whatever those deals are for, you don't have to fulfill them. "

" How can you even say that when you don't know what those deals are? " Emma replied. She hadn't really told Neal what the deals were aboutand Henry didn't know either. She had promised to take care of herself, knowing the price she paid would be to herself more than it would be to him. The other deal was pretty much moot since they would not be able to spend time together once they returned to Storybrooke.

" I don't have to know what they're for. I know my father... He wants something precious, " Baelfire secured Hook's left leg as he spoke. He looked at her, " So, do YOU want to tell me what the deals are for? "

" It's none of your business, " Emma said. She was afraid if she did tell him anything, she would reveal more about her relationship with Mr. Gold than she wanted to at that moment. She wasn't certain if she could trust Baelfire so soon. " I think you care more about what he wants in return if I don't make good on them. "

Baelfire stood up, " Maybe I am. Look, I know my fatherand I've seen what he can do to people. He may not be able to do anything right now but once you go home and he has his magic back, he can destroy you if he doesn't get what he wants. I just wanted to ask him to release you from the deals before you do go home. "

" If he lives long enough, " Emma said. " What were you going to offer him in return? "

" That's MY business, " Baelfire replied. " Don't worry about it. "

Emma rolled her eyes, not pleased with his secrecy. It seemed like he didn't trust her too much either. " Look... We need to get out of here before Hook wakes up and we need to see how bad your dad's injuries are. If they're as bad as they look, you may have nothing to worry about. "

Baelfire took a step back, " True. Let's go check on him. "

Emma walked to the door, looking back at Hook. " That should hold him long enough for us to make a plan. "

" Hopefully, " Baelfire said. He then followed Emma out of the storage room, waiting as she closed the door behind her. They walked to the lobby, Emma frowning when they reached the security gate. " What's wrong? " He asked.

" I don't know the code, " Emma replied. She had been too concerned for Mr. Gold to watch Neal put it in and she wasn't about to jam down all the buttons like Mr. Gold had the day before.

Baelfire stepped up to the panel, " Here. I do. I'm over here a lot. Almost every day, if you must know. "

Emma picked up Mr. Gold's cane as he pushed the buttonsand the gate buzzed. She was certain he had been there the night Mr. Gold had used the globe after that comment. " So you and Neal are pretty good friends? "

" He's the only friend I have, " Baelfire said quietly as he opened the gate. He looked at Emma, " Ladies first. "

Emma nodded, heading for the stairs. They climbed them silently, reaching Neal's apartment quickly. She reached for the door, finding it unlocked. She pushed the door open to find Neal and Henry had barely got to the room themselves, Neal putting Mr. Gold down on his couch.

" I'll go get the first aid kit, " Baelfire said as he walked past her. He did not look at his father as he headed for the bathroom.

" I found a storage room and locked our stab-happy pirate in there. He won't cause anyone else any problems, " Emma said as she turned her attention to Neal. She reached into her coat and pulled out the map, " And get this. He had a map on him. It looks like he sailed his ship here. "

" How did he get a pirate ship into New York? " Neal asked.

" It's cloaked, " Emma said as she moved towards Henry. He was peeking around the corner, standing back in Neal's bedroom and looking frightened. She handed him Mr. Gold's cane. " Henry... He's not going to hurt any of us. "

" But is Mr. Gold going to be okay? " Henry asked as he took it. He looked genuinely scared for him, like he had completely forgotten he was angry with them.

Neal looked at him, " Henry... He's going to be fine. "

Baelfire returned, handing the first aid kit to Neal before walking to the window and leaning against it. Baelfire kept his distance, watching as Neal tended to his father. It was like he only wanted to observe and not get involved as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Emma could tell he was a little frightened as well.

" I'm going to boil some water, " Neal motioned to the stove.

Emma watched as Neal stripped off his coat as Mr. Gold continued to open his shirt, his hands trembling as he did. " I'll get some towels, " She said as she headed for the bathroom and Henry walked out into the room.

She took off her coat and laid it on the bed. She reached for her cell phone to find it was dead, realizing she had forgotten to charge it after calling Mary-Margret the night before. She rolled her eyes then froze when she heard Henry as he said, " Mr. Gold... Are you alright? "

" You stay away from me, " She heard Mr. Gold hiss. " You caused this. You brought us back here. You did it. "

" Leave him alone! " Baelfire said sharply. " Don't blame the kid! "

" Don't tell me what to do! " Mr. Gold growled in return. " If we had only left last night... "

" This still would have happened! " Baelfire cut him off. " Hook's been after you for a long time. Neal's kid has nothing to do with any of it! "

Emma rushed back to the living room to see what was happening. She could tell Mr. Gold was mad and wanted to stop him before he took his anger out on her son or his own. He was not happy about staying an extra dayand she could see how he would blame Henry and Baelfire. She walked to Henry as she held out her cell phone, " Hey kid... The battery's dead. Go in the other room and see if you can find a charger. "

" O-okay, " Henry said, his voice trembling a little. He was already scaredbut Mr. Gold's outburst had frightened him more.

Neal went back to Mr. Gold, a wet rag in his hand. He wiped at the wound and frowned, " We have to get him to an ER fast. "

Emma knew that wasn't going to fly. Mr. Gold hated hospitalsand she knew the nurses would probably call the cops. She really was in no mood to explain how Mr. Gold had been stabbed by a pirate because of a centuries old vendetta. Such a story would have her in a padded cell by nightfall while Henry was taken into protective custody or given to Neal.

Emma moved closer, noticing the wound had a strange green foam around it. Mr. Gold touched it and brought his fingers up to get a closer look. " It's pointless, " He gasped.

" What the Hell is that? " Emma stared at the foam. She had never seen anything like it in her life. She felt a presence at her back, knowing Baelfire had moved closer to see it himself.

" It's poison, " Mr. Gold gasped. " It's one of Hook's own making. There's no antidote in this world. It's not from here. "

Mr. Gold lay his head against the couch, looking like he was about to resign himself to dying. " Hey, hey, " Neal reached for him. " There's got to be some way we can save you. "

Emma was surprised that Neal was so concerned. Just the day before, he had been calling Mr. Gold evil and wanted her to get away from him. Mr. Gold gasped, " There isn't. "

Emma knew of one way they could save himbut it wasn't in New York. She took a deep breath, " Storybrooke. There's magic there now. We gotta get him back. "

" Wait, " Baelfire stepped around Emma and turned to her. " You can't go back there. "

" We have to, " Emma glared at him. " He'll die if we don't. "

Baelfire frowned, " Maybe that's what's supposed to happen. Maybe he's supposed to die and take his curse with him. "

Emma narrowed her eyes. He had almost looked like he had cared when he had found out he had been hurtbut he was back to being cold towards his father. " It's not. I... I need him! "

" Why? " Baelfire asked.

Emma stammered, thinking of a reason besides the children and her own needs. She thought of her fledgling powers and how no one else could help her with them." Without him, I can't... I can't reach my full potential. He's supposed to help me with my magic. "

" You don't need him! " Baelfire glared back at her. " He's going to trick you! He tricks everyone! He'll twist you and use you for his own evil purposes! "

Emma stared back but said nothing. She knew she couldn't say anything else without having to reveal details she preferred not to divulge to Baelfire or Neal. She wanted to tell them on different terms, not under duress. She had almost figured out how she would tell Neal when Hook appeared and ruined everything.

" Stop fighting, " Mr. Gold gasped. " It's not worth it. You could be putting the children in danger. "

" What do you care about her kids anyway? " Baelfire looked at him. " Are you going to take them from her if she doesn't make good on her deals? "

Mr. Gold stared at Baelfire then panted, " Bae... I can't take what is already mine. "

" Gold! " Emma looked at him. She had wanted to wait and tell him once the danger had passed. " Why did you... "

" What? " Neal said as he looked at Emma, confusion on his face.

Baelfire gasped, " The... The babies you're carrying are HIS? "

Emma exhaled, knowing she couldn't deny it since Mr. Gold had said it. She nodded, " Yeah. "

" When were you going to tell me? " Neal asked.

" When the time was right, " Emma looked at him then Baelfire. " Same with you. "

Baelfire turned his back to Emma, " Oh my God. I can't believe this crap. "

" We have to get you home, " Neal put the cloth over the wound and jumped to his feet. He looked more relieved than shocked as the revelation sank in, which puzzled Emma. He pulled out his cell phone, " I'll get a car. I'll take us. "

" No, no, no, " Mr. Gold said. " We need something faster. The captain's ship. "

Emma looked at him, still shocked he had revealed their secret. She wondered if the poison was affecting his ability to think straight. " The Jolly Roger instead of a car? "

" It's the fastest in all the realms, " Mr. Gold acted like he was trying to get upbut he was too weak.

" Well that's great but who's going to captain it since the only guy qualified wants you dead? " Emma asked.

Neal turned to Baelfire, " You sailed with Hook for a while. Can you do it? "

Baelfire looked at Neal like he had asked him to cut off his own arm. " What? "

" Can you sail Hook's ship? " Emma asked him.

Baelfire looked between them at Mr. Gold, " I'm not helping him. "

" Bae, " Mr. Gold reached for him weakly.

Baelfire turned away, " I need some air. "

Emma watched as Baelfire walked to the window, opened it and climbed out on the fire escape. She frowned as he then climbed down the ladder that led to the street below...

Mary-Margret waited anxiously as David drove out to the convent. They were running out of options for finding Rumplestiltskin's daggerbut they knew they had to before Regina and Cora did. The truck had barely stopped when Mary-Margret opened her door and jumped out, Mother Superior darting down the steps as David got out on his side. Mary-Margret moved towards her, " Mother Superior... We need your help. "

" I know. Something's wrong. I sense a great deal of dark magic has been expelled, " Mother Superior looked and sounded shaken.

" That's why we're here, " David said. " Cora and Regina are trying to find Gold's dagger. "

Mother Superior gasped, " So they can control The Dark One? "

" We're hoping your magic can find the dagger first, " Mary-Margret said. She was hopeful though she had seen his magic repel fairy magic before. The tiny bit of it that resided in Emma did not react well whenever they were close to the convent, the last time rendering Emma unable to even stand on the porch. " Please, Mother Superior. You're our only hope. "

Mother Superior nodded, " I'll see what I can do. "

Emma sat down across from Mr. Gold as he struggled to sit up. She reached for himbut he halted her with a glance. He panted, " Don't touch me. The poison... If you accidentally touch my wound... It could go through your skinand you'll be doomed too. "

" Sorry, " Emma pulled her hands back. " I was just trying to help. "

Neal was still on the phone, cursing under his breath as he dialednumber after number without answer. Emma looked at him, " What are you doing? "

" Still trying to get us a car. I don't know many people with one and the ones I do know aren't answering their phones, " Neal replied.

" We have a ship, " Emma said. " Why do we need a car? "

" We still have to get our asses to the ship, " Neal replied as he glanced at Mr. Gold. " And then I have to figure out how to sail the damn thing since Baelfire bailed on us. "

Emma returned her attention to find he had fallen against the back of the couch. He clutched the cloth to his wound with his left handand his right shook as he gasped for air and shook with chills. It made her heart hurt to see him in such shapeand it hurt even worse to know she could do nothing to help him. She turned back to Neal, " So how do you know Hook? "

" It's a long story, " Neal replied. " The short version is I rescued Baelfire from him. That's how I recognized him. Baelfire spent more time with him than me though. He was taken captive after he was abandoned on his ship. "

" So you were both in Neverland? " Emma arched an eyebrow.

Neal nodded, " This world wasn't Baelfire's first stop. He'll have to tell you the whole story. If it had been, we'd both be a couple of hundred years old by now. "

Emma turned away and sighed. She knew that in itself would be a mind blowing story. Neal's phone rang, Emma turned back to him as he got it back out, " That should be our ride. Hang tight. "

Emma rubbed her forehead, feeling like a headache was coming on. She hated getting them since she couldn't take anything for them. She would just have to suffer through it. She heard footsteps from the bedroom, looking up to find Henry was coming towards her with her phone in his hand.

" You need to see this, " He said, his eyes wide with panic.

" What is it, kid? " Emma looked down at the phone.

" It's a text from David and Mary-Margret, " Henry handed her the phone. " You need to read it... Now. "

Emma looked at the phone, reading the message to herself. She sighed and looked at Mr. Gold, " Bad news, Gold. "

" What? " He kept his eyes closed. " Worse than incurable poison? "

Emma took a deep breath as she put her left hand on her left hip, " I don't know. You tell me. Do you have a dagger hidden somewhere in Storybrooke that's the source of all your power? "

" You know I do, " Mr. Gold hissed as he cracked his eyes open. " Get to your point. "

" Cora's after it. The only way for me to stop her is to have David and Mary-Margret get to it first, " Emma said firmly. She knew about the daggerbut she had never really seen it up close, unless seeing it through a magic mirror counted as up close. Perdita had stolen it and used it to take Mr. Gold straight to Regina.

She had watched the events unfold as she was being held by Jefferson in the mausoleum. All she really knew for sure was it had found its way back into Mr. Gold possessionand he had re-hidden it after escaping from Regina. Mr. Gold cracked a painful smile, " Let Cora try. "

" You can't be seriously willing to risk this, " Emma was shocked that he wasn't more eager to stop the witch. " Not when we're so close to going back to Storybrooke. "

" Listen, Emma... That dagger has not left my possession for centuries, " Mr. Gold replied.

Emma snorted, " Except for a few hours. "

" TWO hours, " Mr. Gold firmly intoned. " I quickly retrieved itand I have held onto it since. It's not about to leave my possession now. "

Emma looked at Henry, not sure of Mr. Gold's words. He wasn't there so he couldn't know that for sure. She looked at him again before getting up and sitting down next to him on the couch. She looked into his half-open eyes, " Here's the thing. You're dying. "

Mr. Gold turned his head away and closed his eyes like he didn't want to hear it. Emma continued, " And right now, we are your best hope. You've always wanted me to trust you. Well, now it's your turn to trust me. "

Mr. Gold let out a hard sigh, " But this is... "

" This is something we're going to do together, " Emma cut him off. She glanced at Henry before she looked at him again, her voice trembling as she said, " As a family. "

David, Mary-Margret and Mother Superior stood outside the pawn shop. He frowned and looked at Mother Superior then Mary-Margret, " Do you think he would really keep it in such an obvious place? "

" It is where he keeps all his magical artifacts, " Mother Superior replied.

Mary-Margret returned his expression, " Where else could he hide it? "

David shook his head, " I don't know. "

" So let's try here, " Mary-Margret said. She waved to the door, " Try it. "

" I don't think he would have left it unlocked, " David said.

" Then break a window and open it from the inside, " Mary-Margret offered. " We have to find that dagger or we're all going to be in trouble. "

" More than you can imagine, " Mother Superior added.

" Fine. I'll break in, " David sighed. He went to the truck and got out a hammer from the cab. He walked back to the shop, eying the door carefully. He was about to move closer so he could break one of door windows out when Mother Superior gasped. He turned to her, " What? "

" It's protected by magic, " She said. " You won't be able to get close to it with that. It will bounce right off. "

" Then what can we do? " David asked.

Mother Superior pulled out her magic wand from her cloak, " Use magic against it. "

David looked at Mary-Margretand she nodded, " Okay. Let's do it. "

Mother Superior concentrated as she pointed her wand at the shop. A gust of wind rose up, blowing some dead leaves around as the wand sparkled with magic. Her grip on the wand tightened before there was an intense crackle of magic. She gasped in pain, releasing her grip and sending the wand clattering to the ground.

She panted, David looking over to see her palm looked like it had been burned. She shook her hand as she said, " He's cast a very powerful protection spell... One that repels fairy magic. "

" Well, " Mary-Margret stammered. " We need to try something equally powerful. "

David stared at the shop, thinking. There had to be something important in the shop for Mr. Gold to use such a powerful spell to protect it. He looked at Mother Superior, " Dark magic? "

Mother Superior scoffed, " Dear... You don't know what you're saying. "

" Cora can't get that dagger, " Mary-Margret shook her head. " If dark magic is the only thing that can break that spell, we need to make an exception and use it... Just like you told me once before. "

Mother Superior looked at Mary-Margret, confused by her words. She shook her head as she said, " I never told you any such thing. "

Mary-Margret glanced at David and leaned closer to Mother Superior. She spoke quietlybut David heard every word. She sighed, " Look... I kept your secret. "

Mother Superior still looked confused and appalled by the suggestion that she had ever said such a thing. David's cell phone rang, interrupting the women. " Everybody hold on, " David said as he pulled his phone out. He flipped it open and answered after looking at the caller ID.

" Emma? " He said.

" Yeah, " Emma replied. " I got your message and... Well, he told me where to find the dagger. "

David plugged his right ear to cut down the street noises. He wanted to be able to hear Emma clearly. " He told you where it is? "

" He did, " Emma said firmly. " When he came back to town from being away, he needed some place new to hide it. David, he hid it in the clock tower. It's tied to one of the clock hands. "

David blinked and turned to look down the street, " Did he say which one? "

" The minute hand, " Emma said. " Hey look. We've got problems of our own on this end so I'm going to have to let you go. "

" Problems? " David furrowed his brow. " What kind of problems? "

" Too much to talk about right now, " Emma said.

" Is Henry okay? " David asked.

" Yeah and the twins are too, " Emma replied. " We can talk about it when we get home. "

" When ARE you coming home? " David really wanted to know. There was only so much they could do without Emma... Or Mr. Gold as much as he hated to admit it.

" Soon, " Emma said. " Soon. I got to go. "

" Emma? " David said, but it was too late. She had hung up. He snapped his phone closed and looked at Mary-Margret.

She reached for him, " What did she say? "

David looked around to make sure no one was around. He then leaned closer to Mary-Margret, " The dagger is in the clock tower. "

Mary-Margret gasped, " Did he say where? "

" Tied to the minute hand, " David nodded. He looked at Mother Superior, " Can you hang around and give us a hand? "

Mother Superior stepped back, " I would not be able to get close to such an artifact. I'm sorry. "

David sighed, " It's okay. We'll let you know when we have it. "

" Please do, " Mother Superior said. " Now, I have to go. There are preparations that need to be made incase it falls into the wrong hands. "

David quirked his mouth, " We'll do our best to keep it from doing that. "

" Then good luck, " Mother Superior said. " You better hurry. "

David nodded and took Mary-Margret by the hand. The tower was close enough they could get to it on foot. They walked quickly, stopping after they crossed the street and reached the front doors of the library. David pulled on one to find it was locked.

Mary-Margret let out a distressed noise, " How do we get inside? "

David motioned around the corner, " There's a door in the back. I took Ruby through it when the townspeople were hunting her. "

" Do you think it will be open? " Mary-Margret ask as he tugged her along.

" If not, I can break it down. It would be better to break in there instead of the front, " David said. They ran down the side of the building, turning when they reached the corner. David let go of Mary-Margret's hand when they reached the back door.

She held her breath as he tried the knob, whining when it was locked. " Now what? "

" I told you, " David replied. He backed up and took a running start. He slammed his shoulder into the door as hard as he could, the flimsy lock giving way almost instantly. He sighed as he rubbed his shoulder, " Well... That was easier than I thought it would be. "

" Are you okay? " Mary-Margret reached for him.

He nodded, " Yeah. It'll just hurt for a couple of days. Let's worry about the dagger for now. "

" Right, " Mary-Margret nodded and ducked inside.

David followed her, flipping on the lights as the door closed. He got ahead of Mary-Margret as he looked for a way to the tower. He hadn't been inside the building that many times so he had to guess. He saw a door marked 'Stairs' and pointed to it.

" Do you think it's those stairs? " Mary-Margret asked.

" We won't know until we look, " David said. He went to the door and opened it. He felt around for a light switch, finding one. He silently climbed the stairs two at a time as Mary-Margret followed. He waited her to catch up when they reached a door.

It wasn't marked but David tried it anyway. He reached for the knob, turning it and pushing the door open. He blinked when he saw the room looked like an empty version of Mr. Gold's shop. It looked like it had been abandoned for years, the display cases that were there covered in dust, the carpet ridged and faded with age.

Mary-Margret gasped, " Oh my God... "

" What? " David turned to her.

" This is where Emma fell, " Mary-Margret moved past him.

" Fell? " David was confused. " When did she fall? "

Mary-Margret waved her hand, " A long time ago. When she was investigating those robberies. "

" Oh, " David remembered something about the Clarissa Clairemont case but he had been with Kathryn at the time and only knew the details that had been printed in 'The Daily Mirror'. " Mary-Margret, we have to find the dagger. "

" I know, " Mary-Margret scanned the room then pointed to a door across from them. " Let's see if that door leads to more stairs. "

David nodded, " Right. "

They walked across the room carefully, avoiding the ridges in the carpet. They reachedthe door and David opened it. Mary-Margret put her hand up, " Listen. "

David held his breath, the uniform sound of gears working reaching his ears. " Bingo, " He muttered. He looked at Mary-Margret, " We found it. "

Mary-Margret reached out and touched his arm, " Wait. "

David turned back to her, " What do you mean wait? We haven't got time. "

" I know we don't but I was just thinking... When we get the dagger... " Mary-Margret looked like she was having a hard time saying the words.

" What? " David replied.

Mary-Margret took a deep breath then whispered, " Do you think we should use it to... To make Rumplestiltskin agree to give up any ideas he has about taking the babies? "

David gasped, " You mean use it to control him? "

" Just where Emma's concerned, " Mary-Margret replied. " Please... You said it yourself. You think he's going to take the babies. "

David frowned, remembering how he had found the nursery earlier in the day. " Yeah... I did. Let's worry about that after they get home, okay? We need to keep the dagger from Cora first. "

Mary-Margret nodded once, " Oh... Okay. "

David turned his attention back to the stairs in front of them and started to climb. Through a narrow passageway, he could see the inner workings of the clock tower. He moved faster, knowing Mary-Margret would catch up. He entered the room, heading for a narrow set of metal stairs that led to the clock face.

His eyes focused on the minute hand as it clicked into place, the back of it obscured by the frosted glass. He carefully lifted the piece out to reveal the dagger was just where Mr. Gold had told Emma it was. He glanced over his shoulder to Mary-Margret, " It's here. "

She let out a sigh of relief as he released it from the clock hand. He scoffed lightly, " A clever hiding place for a very clever man. "

He pulled it loose and turned to Mary-Margret, handing her the dagger. She stared at it in awe as he moved to look at it as well. " We did it, " She said.

" The Dark One can finally be controlled, " David said. Though the temptation was great, he knew they would have to use such power wisely. They could make Mr. Gold use his magic for good and stop hurting people. His mind went to the words Mary-Margret had said on the stairs, knowing even that was possible with the dagger in their possession.

He knew it would an awful thing to force him to love theirdaughter but it wouldn't be so bad to make him keep the promise he had made. He said he would care for the twins regardless of how things were between them and he was going to hold him to that. Even if he was with Belle, he had a responsibility to Emma and the children he had made with her. David was determined to hold him to it and dagger meant Mr. Gold could not argue.

" Indeed he can be, " Cora's voice startled him and Mary-Margret both. They looked to find her and Regina were standing across from them, purple smoke dissipating from around them. It appeared they had been looking for them as well. She smiled smugly, " But by whom? "

" Cora, " Mary-Margret whispered. She glanced at David and he knew she had the same question on her mind that he had on his. She didn't have to speak, the flickering worry on her face telling him she wondered if the witch had heard them talking about the babies.

David stepped forward, " You're too late. "

" Actually, it seems we found you just in time, " Cora continued to smile.

Mary-Margret looked at Regina, " I told you to pick your side carefully. Good has won... Just as it always does. "

Cora laughed, " I think the day had finally come, my darling Snow, for you to learn a long overdue lesson. "

Cora lifted her hand and cloud of purple smoke rose up behind her. When it cleared, it revealed Johanna. She startled like she was surprised to find herself in the tower, like Cora had snatched her up from her home. Mary-Margret gasped, shocked to see her old friend.

" Johanna! " She exclaimed. Johanna looked around like she was still confused by her surroundings.

Cora smiled again, " You see, in the end it isn't good or evil that wins... Butpower. "

Regina turned to Johanna, plunging her hand into her chest and ripping out her heart. She turned to Mary-Margret and David, smirking. " Your choice, " She said.

Mary-Margret gasped in horror at the sight of her friend's heart, David shocked to see such a thing. " Do not harm her! She has nothing to do with this! " Mary-Margret pleaded.

" Of course she does, " Cora said, a hint of amusement to her voice.

" Never give up, Snow! Don't give it to them! " Johanna panted like she was in pain.

" QUIET HANDMAID! " Cora barked.

David had enough. He reached for his gun, drawing it and aiming it at Cora's head. " Mother! Watch out! " Regina said.

Cora lifted her hand and used magic to fling the gun away. Regina then gave Johanna's heart a squeeze, making her cry out in pain. " Enough of this, " Cora said with a slight flourish of her hands. " Surrender the dagger. We all know you'll follow your mother's example no matter the cost. All she ever wanted was for you to be good. "

Mary-Margret froze, her gaze locked on Cora. " Those words... Where did you hear those words? "

Cora stared back coldly, " Where do you think? "

" The Blue Fairy made me swear to never speak of that candle again, " Mary-Margret said evenly as she looked like connections were being made in her mind. " Not because it was a secret... Because it wasn't her. "

Cora put her hand out, " The dagger dear. "

" She didn't give me that candle, " Mary-Margret's voice trembled. " You did. "

Cora just stared, a hint of a teasing smile on her lips. Mary-Margret gasped, " My mother wasn't sick at all, was she? "

Cora chuckled, " Oh, she was quite sick. "

" You didn't! " Mary-Margret said. She made a choked sobbing noise as she stammered, " You killed my mother! "

Cora pointed at her, " Actually, the candle would have worked. You could have saved her. "

" But you knew I wouldn't! " Mary-Margret's voice cracked like she was fighting back tears. " Why? Why did you take her from me? "

Cora shook her head like Mary-Margret had said something absurd, " To make my daughter the queen. "

Regina turned and looked at Cora, shocked by her mother's words just as much as Mary-Margret was. She turned to Mary-Margret, glaring at her as she said, " Hand her the dagger. "

" No! No! " Mary-Margret said sharply. " I will not let you win! Not again! "

Cora remained eerily calm, " You've already lost your mother. How many connections to her do you have left? " She motioned to Johanna. " Not many, I wager. "

David grabbed her left arm. He knew they had an advantage over Cora but that was only if she had not heard them talking about the babies. There was a slim chance that Mr. Gold's love for his children could overpower anything Cora commanded him to do. " Give her the dagger. We can still win. "

" No, Snow! It's alright! " Johanna gasped then cried out when Regina gave her heart another hard squeeze. She doubled over in pain, wailing in agony.

Cora looked at Mary-Margret, ' What would she say if she could see you now? If she wasn't dead? "

David could see Cora's words were affecting Mary-Margret, her eyes filled with tears. Cora put her hand out to her again, " Dagger dear. "

She looked like she was having a hard time deciding what to do as her friend suffered. She dropped to her knees, throwing the dagger down as she cried out. David felt his heart sink, disappointed Mary-Margret had given in. He looked at Regina and Cora, wishing he could do more.

Cora waved her hand and pulled the dagger up into it with magic. She looked at it closely, admiring it for a second before looking down at Mary-Margret. " Such a good girl, " She purred.

Mary-Margret stared up at her, her eyes going to Johanna for a moment before returning to Cora. " You have what you came for. "

Cora looked at Regina and Regina smiled in return before she put Johanna's heart back in her chest. Johanna cried out again and Mary-Margret stood to move towards her as David moved towards her too. Johanna stumbled into their outstretchedarms but Cora looked at the little scene with disdain. " Not quite everything, " Cora said and waved her arm.

Mary-Margret cried out as David and her could do nothing but watch Johanna fly towards the clock face, shattering the glass. They moved to it as she fell, looking out to find she had landed in a twisted heap to the sidewalk below. Even from so far away, David could tell the fall had been fatal. Mary-Margret gasped silently, the sight rendering her unable to make any noise at all.

She covered her mouth as tears poured from her eyes, David closing his own as he tried to figure out how everything had went so wrong. He opened them as Mary-Margret's knees gave way, grabbing her around the waist to keep her from falling. He pulled her away from the broken clock face, holding her shaking body close to his. " Well there you go, " Regina said coldly.

David looked at her as she continued, " See where good gets you? "

David stared atthem but they vanished before he could say anything in return. He held Mary-Margret tighter as hard sobs started to wrack her body...