Chapter 36: Nap Time
Emma, Henry, and Maddie walked through the door to the Charming apartment to see Hook, Snow, and David talking. "Hey, what's going on?" Emma questioned, waiting for the kids to come in before shutting the door behind them.
Maddie stood next to the Henry who had taken a seat at the table. She paid no attention to the others' sullen faces, for she was too upset about Regina. But Emma noticed, as did Henry. "Killian? What's wrong?" She asked.
"Before Ursula left, she told me what the villains had planned. In order for them to get their happy endings, they intend to darken your heart, love," Hook replied sadly. Maddie pushed down her feelings about Regina and listened to the current conversation for it seemed too important not too. "They are going to turn you into a villain so you'll no longer be the Savior," Hook finished.
Snow and David looked alarmed. They were worried that their secret regarding Maleficent's child would come up and Emma will turn dark anyhow.
"You can't just un-savior the Savior." Henry protested.
"Gold apparently has a way." Killian looked at Emma. "He's going to use the Author to do it."
Emma shook her head. "That's insane. If that's what their plan is, stop worrying. Author or no Author, I am not going dark."
"The darkness is a funny thing. It creeps up on you." Emma could see Killian was clearly worried about her. "Hey, not Rumpelstiltskin or some Author gets to decide who I am."
Maddie didn't like what was happening. Regina was near darkness, Emma was about to be corrupted to the darkness, and she still feels tainted with the darkness. It felt like her world was crashing down around her. Storybrooke had problems. A lot of problems for that matter. She knew she came back for Regina, but she didn't prepare herself to deal with all of this. She didn't know if she would be tempted with the darkness in the near future. It's always been in the back of her mind, but she had Regina to reign her in. And now? She felt like a lost, little puppy.
Snow suddenly rushed out of the apartment with a worried look on her face, making everyone tense up. "Don't worry. She'll be fine," David assured them before running after his wife.
Henry and Maddie exchanged concerned glances before looking at Emma. She knew this was getting to them. She wrapped her arm around Maddie and looked down at her son. "We're going to get through this, you guys."
"But what about the darkness?" Maddie questioned.
Emma shook her head. "No one is going dark. Got that?" Maddie looked away, unconvinced. Henry wasn't believing Emma either. "Are you hungry, Mads?" She nodded. "Let's go to Granny's."
Emma sighed as they exited the apartment. She was hoping they would relax a bit once Regina got back to them with some news.
Henry knew Maddie wasn't hungry but had to get out of there, so he took her to the Sorcerer's mansion. She had never been there before and he wanted to show her around while keeping the page safe. As he led her through rooms, she was looking around at the grand scale of the design. "Are you happy to be back?" He questioned leading her down the hallway towards the secret room.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I thought I would be but that was before I knew any of this stuff was going on." She admitted. "I just wanted to be with Regina…and you. You guys are all the family I have left."
Henry gave her a soft smile. "We're happy to have you back, Mads." He flipped the secret switch making the wall begin to spin, revealing the hidden room.
Maddie's jaw dropped as she stepped through the door. "Wow."
"Cool, huh?" Henry said closing the door behind them. He walked over to a table and set the book down, flipping to the page with the door on it. "We need to figure out a way to get the Author out of there."
Maddie walked up beside him and looked over the page. "Do you think there's a key somewhere?"
"Like a magic key?" Henry questioned looking at his cousin.
"Maybe." She nodded. "Or it could be a physical key. Although, it would have to be really tiny." They both began to laugh.
He looked back down at the page. "Where would someone hide a key?" He heard a thump. Henry turned to see Maddie lying on the floor as if she had passed out. He knelt down and began shaking her. "Mads? Mads, are you okay?"
No matter how hard he shook her, she was not budging. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Snow. "I'm at the Sorcerer's mansion. Maddie just collapsed and she won't wake up."
"It's okay, Henry." Snow promised. "It's just a sleeping curse. You, David, and I are immune since we've been under one before."
Henry let out a sigh of relief as he looked down at his sleeping cousin. "I need you to stay put, Henry," Snow told him. "As long as you have that page, you're in danger."
"We'll be there soon," David added.
Henry hung up and took a deep breath. He didn't know who would get to him first, the villains or his grandparents but he wasn't wasting any time. He began to search for a key that would unlock the door in the book.
He began to search through every drawer he could find, hoping some type of key would turn up. But there was no such luck. Henry accidently knocked the book off the table as he passed by. When he turned to pick it up, he noticed a bright yellow light shine from under the door. He followed the stream of light to where it appeared under the table. He knelt down and saw there were hidden drawers underneath. The light began to blink and he knew it was a sign. He pulled the drawer up and inside was a key. "No way." A smile spread across his face as he crawled out from underneath the table.
He wanted to tell Maddie that her key idea had been right, but she was sound asleep. He heard the secret door opening and thought it was his grandparents. "You'll never guess what I-" He stopped when he noticed it was Regina.
"What Henry?" She asked walking through the door.
His smile instantly faded. "Mom, what are you doing here?" He held the book a little tighter to his chest.
She saw Maddie lying on the floor and knew it was due to Maleficent's sleeping curse. "I'm sorry, I didn't want it to come to this."
"Looks like we're here just in time." Maleficent's voice echoed through the room as her and Cruella walked inside.
Regina gritted her teeth. "I told you I could handle this."
Cruella eyed Henry as she stopped next to Regina. "We're not sure you had it in you to be a true disciplinarian." She cocked a smile at Regina before turning her gaze back to Henry. "I'd say not to worry, darling, but I'd be lying."
"If you lay a hand on my son, I'll end you." Regina threatened.
"You won't have to do anything as long as he cooperates," Maleficent said calmly looking at Henry.
Regina turned back towards her son, knowing she had to act the part. "Henry, give me the page." Her face hardened as her voice became very serious.
"Mom." He couldn't believe she was asking him to do this. "No."
"Henry Daniel Mills!" She raised her voice to warn him that she meant business. They studied each other's facial expressions for a second, making sure they were on the same page. "You will do as I say."
Henry took a deep breath knowing he had to trust his mother. Okay." He slipped the loose page out of the book and handed it to Regina.
She looked to Maleficent and Cruella. "The page. As promised."
"Finally." Maleficent ripped the page from Regina's hand as Cruella took a few steps towards Maddie who was still asleep on the floor. "Is this the little brat that held you up earlier?"
"Yes. Now get away from my niece." Regina demanded. "You have the page. We can go."
Cruella ignored the angry brunette and knelt down to get a better look at Maddie. "She looks familiar."
Henry shifted on his feet a bit. "She said she knew you, but she didn't say how."
Regina looked from her son back to Cruella with a perplexed look on her face. "How the hell do you know my niece?"
Cruella coked her head to the side as she brushed the hair from Maddie's face to study it. "I'm not entirely sure, darling. Has she been to New York lately?"
Regina scoffed as she folded her arms. "The only way you would know her is if you've been to Oz."
Cruella looked from Regina back down to Madeleine with a crooked smile. "She's Zelena's daughter."
"You know my sister?" Regina squinted her eyes at the she-devil.
Cruella stood and put her hands on her hips. "I know Zelena, but not that she was your sister." She chuckled. "Small world, isn't it?"
Maleficent was not amused. "Indeed. Now let's find Gold and set this Author free," She said as she began walking towards the door, followed by Cruella.
Regina was going to figure out the extent of Cruella and Zelena's relationship one way or another, but right now she had to focus her attention on stopping them and getting the page back into the rightful hands of Henry.
Regina gave her son a sympathetic look and whispered, "She should be awake soon, Henry." She gave her son a nod and left. She was hoping she could still pull this plan off-whatever it was at this point. She was pretty much winging it.
Henry sat by Maddie's side as she slept, seeing there was nothing else to do but wait. Wait for her to wake up. Wait for Snow and Charming to arrive. He sighed. It's all I ever do is wait. He was itching to help get rid of these villains but he was always "too young" or "it wasn't safe". Nothing is safe, not in this town anyway.
He looked down at his sleeping cousin and began to poke her arm. "Wanna wake up anytime soon?" She didn't move. "I'll take that as a no." He let out a sigh.
He heard the secret door opening and perked up a bit. "Henry!" David yelled.
Henry stood with a disappointed look on his face.
"Come on, the villains have to be on their way," Snow said motioning him towards the door as David began lifting Maddie off the ground.
"You're too late." Henry crossed his arms. "They came. They saw. They took."
"They took the page?" David questioned.
Henry smirked. "They think they did. All, except my mom of course."
Both of his grandparents began to smile when they realized what he did. "You gave them the forged page Emma made." Snow was so proud of her grandson.
Henry nodded as he walked over to the book shelf and pulled out the book that contained the real page. "Great job." David congratulated, taking the book from him. "Snow and I will keep this safe."
"I also found this." Henry pulled out the little key he had found earlier. "We can free the Author now." He was about to put the key into the door on the page, but David yanked the book away from him. "Henry, wait!"
"What are you doing?" He asked confused.
"We don't know what's going to happen once you unlock it. It could be a trap or something." David explained. "We should just wait until the others wake up. We'll handle things for now."
"But I found the key and-"
"Henry, it's too dangerous. Go!" David yelled which made both Snow and Henry flinch. Henry most certainly wasn't expecting to be yelled at and Snow knew David had crossed the line, but she didn't say anything.
His yell also aroused Maddie a bit. Although she was unable to wake herself up from the deep sleep, she could hear almost everything that was being said.
"What about Maddie?"
"We'll take care of her, Henry." Snow promised. Henry reluctantly handed over the key and left.
Snow took a deep breath before turning towards her husband. "Now we're lying to Henry. If we keep this up, we're no different than Gold."
David knew she was right. "We need to end this." He walked over towards the fireplace, page in hand, and knelt down. "You know we have to do this."
Snow watched as David held the page slightly over the fire. "What are we going to tell Henry and the others?" She asked.
He shook his head and stood. "That the key was wrong, or the page incinerated. We will figure something out and worry about it later."
"More lies." Snow shut her eyes as she sighed. David knew what was going through his wife's mind. "I can't do this." She finally said. "I gave Henry that book to give him hope and now we're going to take that away? And Regina. She's finally becoming a friend. I went to her for help bout Emma. With our secret. She's kept it. She's risk her life for us and we're going to destroy her chances at a happy ending."
He knew this was a guilt trip. Snow was good at that. "Maybe there's another way."
"No David!" She yelled, then composed herself. "When Regina took out my heart and showed it to me after I killed Cora. That darkness didn't just appear, it started long ago," Snow said realizing there had been darkness inside of her for a very long time. "We have to tell Emma the truth because Heroes tell the truth. Not take the easy way out."
David put his head down knowing she was right. "Okay. We'll do it your way."
She smiled then looked behind her. "We should get her back to the apartment."
Everyone had been out searching for the Author that had escaped after they released him from the book. It was an eventful night, full of secrets being reveled, betrayals from loved ones, and escaped prisoners. Emma was angry with her parents for putting the darkness into Maleficent's child and sending her away.
Maddie had just woken up when she heard Emma, Snow, Hook, and David come through the front door. She peered over the side, debating if she wanted to go down or not. "I'm sorry but if it were up to me, I wouldn't harm a defenseless person!" Emma yelled.
That would be a no. She decided. She continued to listen in though, just hidden from view. They went back and forth a few times before Maddie heard the door open. She didn't want to look for fear she would be caught.
"Regina, where have you been?" Maddie heard Emma ask, making her sit up a little straighter. She was happy her aunt was okay.
"In the middle of a very bad day." Regina sighed as she took off her black gloves. "I'll tell you the whole story after I rescue Robin Hood."
Hearing Robin Hood was in trouble made Maddie sneak a glance down below.
"Robin Hood? What the hell are you talking about?" Emma asked the question Maddie wanted too.
"I called that number you gave me," Regina began to explain, "but Marian answered the phone. Only I discovered she's not really Marian at all."
They waited with baited breath but Regina didn't say anymore. "Well who is she?" David asked.
"Where are the kids?" Regina countered.
Emma crossed her arms. "Maddie is still asleep upstairs, and Henry ran down to Granny's to pick up some food. Who is she?"
Regina took a deep breath. "Zelena."
Maddie gasped, as did the rest of them.
"The Wicked Witch?" David asked trying to comprehend what Regina had just told them.
Regina shook her head. "I don't know how it's possible, but my sister has been masquerading as her this entire time. And she's in league with Gold. Robin's in danger so I'm going to New York to stop her."
As the adults continued to talk, Maddie sat on the floor as her world began crumbling from right beneath her. This can't be happening. She died. We watched her die on that video thing. She was dead.
Maddie sat there thinking over every encounter with Marian that she had. She knew there was something off about the woman, but she never thought she had been Zelena. Her mother still managed to ruin her life, but also Regina's. She didn't know how much more she could take.
Maddie didn't know when the tears started, but when Regina knelt down in front of her, she figured her aunt had heard her sobbing. "Madeleine," Regina said softly as she gave her niece a sympathetic look.
"How can she be alive?" Maddie cried looking at her aunt through blurry, teary eyes.
Regina shook her head and pulled her niece close. "I'm not sure, sweetheart."
She never wanted Maddie to find out about her mother like this. Regina had planned to tell her gently, one on one. But nothing ever really goes according to plan in Storybrooke.
Regina sat with Madeleine for quite some time, trying to calm her down. "She was supposed to be dead." Maddie cried. "I mourned her. I don't understand."
"Shh, darling." Regina cooed. She knew it would be hard for Maddie to deal with this news, but she was hoping they could deal with this together, as a family.
"I'm going with you." Regina heard Maddie whisper from beneath her.
"No, you're not." Regina knew she was referring to New York. She looked at her niece seriously. "Let me deal with this."
Maddie completely pulled away from Regina with an annoyed look on her face as the tears still lightly flowed. Regina knew the upset phase had passed and now came the angry one. "She's ruining my life, Regina! I can't keep doing this!"
"I know!" Regina shouted over Maddie, who quieted down a bit. "I know," Regina said more calmly. She gripped Maddie's shoulders. "We're going to figure this out, Madeleine. I promise."
Maddie had her doubts, but she just nodded.
There was something else Regina wanted to talk to Maddie about. She knew there would never be a good time to bring it up. "We also need to talk about your leaving a few weeks ago."
Maddie was already angry, but this topic made it worse. "I already told you why I left," She said sharply.
"But why didn't you trust me enough to come to me and tell me what was going on?" Regina asked.
"Because you kicked me out!" Maddie shot back, though her tone was more aggressive then she meant it to be. Maddie wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks.
Regina flinched. She had forgotten about that. "I'm sorry, Madeleine. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"Yea, I know." Maddie folded her arms trying to calm down but finding it very hard to do.
Regina couldn't tell if her niece was angry at her or Zelena. She figured it was both. "I shouldn't have done that to you or Henry."
"No, you shouldn't have. But you did." Maddie refused to look at her aunt.
"If you're still angry with me, then why did you come back from Oz?" Regina was trying to get to the root of Madeleine's feelings. She was a complicated girl, but Regina wasn't backing down so easily. "You wouldn't have to deal with all of this."
Madeleine gave an aggravated sigh before mumbling, "Because I missed you."
A smile began to creep onto Regina's face. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you, dear."
"I missed you." Maddie repeated though it was still an angry mumble.
"Still not able to hear you, darling."
Maddie knew what her aunt was doing. She turned to Regina. "You heard me." Regina chuckled, cracking Maddie's serious face and forcing a small laugh to escape her lips.
"You did that on purpose."
Regina's eyes lit up. "You have no proof." She leaned in to give Maddie a kiss on her forehead.
Maddie knew she couldn't stay mad at her aunt forever. "You're the only family I have left and I didn't want to spend the rest of my life a world away from you. I had to come back."
Regina held Maddie's face in her hands. "I'm so glad you did, darling." And with another kiss to her niece's forehead, they were ready for what came next.
Thank you all for the continued support. I truly appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this chapter-I don't know when the next one will come because school has me quite busy. But I will try my best!