Chapter 38

2x16 The Millers Daughter

Fyi next update coming soon definitely before next monday, I have pneumonia so I haven't really been up to writing too much but enjoy and review ;)

"Wait but I don't understand how did this happen? How was he poisoned with magic if he wasn't even in Storybrooke?" I was sandwiched between David and Mary Margaret in the cab of the truck. We were on the way to the docks to pickup Henry, Emma, Neal and my father.

David sighed, "It was Hook, he made some sort of poison here and brought it with him. Gold is…" He exchanged a look with Mary Margaret that worried me to my core. It was a 'how do we break it to her look'. "He was gravely injured. Emma said the poison is racing towards his heart."

I slumped against the backseat of the truck and Snow put her arm around me, "But- but he's going to be okay right? Now that he's back he can be cured?" I asked David.

David kept his eyes firmly just above the steering wheel looking out the windshield, "I hope so." David pulled to a stop and turned to me and smiled, seeing my grim expression his face softened and he wrapped one arm around me and pulled me into him kissing the left side of my forehead, "He's the dark one, we'll figure something out."

"They're back!" Snow said excitedly causing both David and I to jump. We all leapt out of the car.

"Are you okay?" Snow yelled as we ran towards them. Ruby had gotten there before us and was helping half walk half carry my father to the truck with a man who I assumed was Neal, Emma was tying up the boat with Henry. As I ran towards them I could see my father was…weak and feeble. He couldn't stand on his own.

"Yeah. Yeah, we're alright." Emma said as she stood up.

Henry turned and saw me, "Lucy!" I smiled as Henry collided into me. "I drove a ship!"

I smiled as Henry released me and cast a worried glance at David who had taken Ruby's place and was helping my father walk to the car, "Did you now?" I was happy he was back but at the moment I was more worried about my father.

"Uh-huh! My dad showed me how." Henry said.

"That's me." The man aiding my father said quietly. I looked over at Baelfire who was Emma's age. It was weird to see him and quite odd circumstances to meet under.

"Thank you, thank you." My father said briskly.

"Is Cora trying to control you with the dagger?" David asked concerned as he and Neal set down my father on the bumper of the truck..

My father gasped as he repositioned himself on the bumper of the truck, "Well, you'd know if she was, cause most of you would be dead by now."

David pulled away Snow to have a private conversation about Snow's unrelenting urge to kill Cora, not that I blamed her for wanting that.

Good ol' dad with his sarcasm. I was shocked to admit I had actually kind of missed him. "Lucy? Where- where's Lucy?" He ask.

I was standing back with Henry and Emma so his view of me was blocked. He was leaning back with his eyes closed, gasping in pain when, smiling, I moved forward and grabbed his hand, "Dad, I'm right here." He opened his eyes slowly. And since I was close to him now I could see the blood soaked rag covering what I figured was the wound.

"Oh good," he panted, "You're- you're alright." I gave a small smile, "Neal, Neal." He called out. I looked back to see Neal had been talking to Emma but abruptly he cut off his conversation and came over.

Neil and I locked eyes briefly before he looked to our father. We knew who the other one was, but it didn't make it any less awkward, "Yeah what is it?" Neal said as he shoved both hands into his front pockets.

Our father took a couple of deep breaths before answering, "This is your sister. Lucy this is Baelfire, your brother." Neal gave me a shocked look. Oh… maybe he hadn't known who I was. Awkward. Before either of us had the chance to respond Emma came over.

"You okay?" She asked.

My father nodded, "Ah, I'm beginning to feel a bit stronger. Take me back to my shop. There's magic there that can protect us." At this David and Neal each grabbed one of my father's arms and helped him into the passenger side of the truck.

Henry and Ruby had come over, "Let me guess. Lucy and I get to go with Ruby." Henry asked.

Emma grimaced, "You got it kid."

Wait what? I wasn't going to go sit at Granny's while this unfolded, "I'm going with you." I informed Emma.

Emma shook her head, "No it's going to get too dangerous. You need to be safe."

I looked at Snow, I knew it was wrong what I was about to say but I was going to do it anyway, "No, he's my father and if he dies I should be there."

Snow looked away from me to Emma, "She's right, Emma."

Emma grimaced, "Okay fine. Now come on we have to go." I nodded solemnly but inside I was grinning triumphantly. I would finally get to be a part of the action. And I knew it was wrong to use the memory of Snow's dead mother to force them into letting me come, but I wasn't lying. It was true. He was my father and if he was dying I wanted to be there.

As soon as we entered the shop we started preparing for battle, "Lucy, get the glass jar on the third shelf of the bookcase." My father grunted as David and Neal laid him on his bed. The same bed where Henry had traveled in his dreams to try to bring Snow and Emma back when they were trapped in the Enchanted forest.

I nodded and scurried off, emerging after I had procured the jar. An empty jar to my surprise. "Lucy, did you find it?" He asked.

"Yeah, there's nothing in it." I said as I held it up to him. As I did I heard something rattling around. "What the-…." I stuck my hand in the jar and at first felt nothing but then felt a tiny powdery coated, hard object. I pulled it out but still couldn't see anything though I could feel it.

My father panted and I could tell he was getting weaker contrary to what he said earlier about feeling stronger, "Invisible chalk. Use it in the front doorway. Draw a line, Emma help her. The rest of you, you might want to prepare for battle."

I nodded and quickly ran to the front of the shop with Emma to draw the line. I kneeled down and started drawing it, when Neal came in.

"Missed a spot." Neal said smiling.

Emma threw a very irritated look over her shoulder, "You're hilarious."

"I didn't know you were magical. Either of you." He added.

"Oh, my." Emma smiled, "Are you getting judgey about this? Cause you're not allowed to have opinions about surprises, Mr. Son-of-Rumplestiltskin." Ouch, well I was a daughter of Rumplestiltskin…

Neal's face fell, "Oh…"

"What 'oh'?" Emma said.

Neal shifted awkwardly, "I didn't mean for Tamara to be a surprise." Neal replied.

Emma paused before answering, refusing to look at Neal, "You think I care that a guy I dated a decade ago is engaged?" Emma clapped the residual chalk off of her hands before standing up. But I saw the expression on her face. And by the look she had, she did care he was engaged, she cared a lot.

"You're not getting any better, are you?" Snow said as she looked at the doublesided candle and back to Rumplestiltskin.

Gold panted, "The candle can save me. There's nothing else."

Snow looked at him incredulous, "I wouldn't use this to save my own mother. What makes you think I would use it for you?"

Mr. Gold smiled, "Because you're all grown up now. And for once, our interests are aligned."

Snow nodded, "She dies instead of you."

"I know you can do this. I know you want to do this." Mr. Gold persuaded.

"There's no coming back from murder." Snow said.

"And there's no coming back from death, either." Gold snapped, "And that's what will happen to your loved ones."

Snow contemplated this, "Even if I were to do this… The candle only works if you whisper the victim's name over them."

"The heart will do." Mr. Gold encouraged..

Snow shook her head, "Cora's heart – it's not in her body."

Mr. Gold sighed, obviously annoyed, "Use the candle, curse the heart. And then… Here comes the tricky part."

"That's not the tricky part?" Snow asked incredulously.

Mr. Gold grimaced, "You have to put the heart back inside Cora's body. She will die, and I will live."

Snow nodded, "There's another way. I get Cora's heart, I control her and make her do the right thing, and I let you die. Takes care of two evils at once." She replied.

Gold chuckled, "I'm just imagining my poor Lucy's face when she finds out that you killed her Father."

Emma and I both entered and I could sense that we had clearly interrupted a conversation between Snow and my father, "We drew the invisible line. I…think. What now? You cast a protection spell?"

My father shook his head, "No, no. You guys are going to do that for me. I'm relying on you both."

Emma and I exchanged a look. "I can't cast a spell. I can spell 'spell'." Emma said. I could cast a protection spell, and I did, over the beanstalk plants.

My father who was now hunched over on the pillows nodded, "You can. It's in you."

Emma looked in fake awe, "How? Here? Like, from my brain?" She said sarcastically.

Mr. Gold sighed, "Just try. Lucy help her." He said. Emma closed her eyes and I assumed was trying to cast it. I watched her try, almost about to burst into laughter at her obviously unenthusiastic attempt attempt.

My father abruptly shot up, his voice raised, "Stop thinking! Conjuring magic is not intellectual endeavor. It's emotion. You must ask yourself, 'why am I doing this? Who am I protecting?' Feel it. You need to combine your powers to make the strongest protection enchantment you can." Emma nodded finally taking it seriously and turned to me.

We stood facing each other and held out our palms in front of us barely touching briefly before interlocking our fingers our palms touching, and closing our eyes focusing. I could feel Emma's magic radiating from my palm's through me and I'm sure she could sense mine. Feeding off of each other's powers, my head tipped back as I could feel a wave of magic forming over the entire shop.

"Oh, yeah. You feel it?" My father said. I looked back and I saw him smiling, a small smile, but still smiling.

"Yeah… I think I did." Emma said with delight as we unlocked our hands and broke apart.

"Good. Very good." My father replied.

Just then I felt the shop shake, like the earthquake when the Mines erupted. "They're Here." Emma said. She was referring to Regina and Cora. I just couldn't believe that my mother would do this, could do this.

"It's them. Regina and Cora. Come on we need to protect the front of the shop." David said as everyone followed him. I moved to follow when my dad grabbed my arm.

"Lucy, wait." He gasped, "Stay here, I don't want you to get hurt." I heard a loud bang and realized that they were inside the shop my face contorted with fear.

"Regina think about what you're doing." I heard Emma say.

"Don't talk to me." My mother snapped.

But my mother wouldn't hurt me. Would she? As the fighting grew louder I grasped my father's hand tightly and saw him smile out of the corner of my eye.

I heard Neal and Cora fighting over the dagger before I heard Emma scream, "Fall back to Gold! I have the chalk."

They came running into the back room and Emma drew a line in the doorway.

I was sitting on the floor criss-cross applesauce leaning up against the bed my father was resting on when they came in. "It's getting weaker." Neal said, his sword still poised at the door.

"She's going to get through." I said quietly.

"Maybe it's for the best. At least this cursed power will pass from this world." My father replied.

"No. No, you're not dying." Neal said with a hint of annoyance as he walked over to me and my father dropping his sword carelessly onto the table.

"I am dying. That much is certain." My father said, no fear or anger, just certainty layering his voice.

"Daddy." I murmured as I turned around and grabbed my father's hand. I kissed his hand softly before laying my head down gently, my chin resting on the back of his hand which was sprawled flat on the bed as I sat on my knees. I felt a tear slip out. A single tear, I wouldn't show the water works. But he was still my father, the only father I had ever known and I would be crushed if he died.

He finally opened his eyes looking at me. "Oh Lucy." He took the other hand I wasn't laying on and stroked my cheek. "Lucy, I need to talk to Belle. Please."

I nodded and pulled my cell phone out of my oversized coat pocket and dialed the number Belle had given me. Neal had taken a seat on a stool next to my father's head and after I had handed my father the phone I turned around and leaned against the bed again, my head near my father's knees.

"Who's Belle?" Neal asked. The question was asked without specification but was clearly meant for me as Neal was looking directly at me. I stared straight ahead afraid if I said who Belle was I would completely lose it. And I couldn't lose it. Not now.

"Your dad's girlfriend." Emma finally said, "And Lucy's mother." She added. Now I did turn to look at Neal who was no longer looking at me but was staring at my father his mouth agape. Emma had walked a couple feet away and with her back facing away she leaned against the table. Giving my father as much privacy as was allowed in the small back portion of the shop I guess.

I could only hear the conversation from my father's end, but what he said, nearly broke me. "I-I… I know. I know. It's just… Sweetheart, I… I'm dying. I know that you're…confused about who you are. So, I'm going to tell you. You are a hero, who helped your people. You're a beautiful woman, who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me. You find goodness in others. And when it's not there, you create it. You were…are an amazing mother. And you wanted our- our baby more than anything. You make me want to go back. Back, to the best version of me. And that never happened before. So, when you look in the mirror and you don't know who you are, that's who you are. Thank you… Belle…"

My father dropped his arm onto the bed after hanging up. I kept staring at a dent in the wood floor in front of me, afraid if I moved that tears would start streaming. I didn't want him to die. I didn't want him to leave me. Leave me alone to care for Belle who currently couldn't remember me. It was slightly awkward to invade that intimate moment for him with Neal and Emma. Neal cleared his throat breaking the awkward silence.

"Didn't know you had that in you." Neal said.

"Oh, I'm full of love. I've spent a lifetime looking for you. For a chance to say I love you. And I'm sorry." My father said. The look on Neal's face… well it didn't lie. He wanted to love Dad more than anything and he's waited a very long time to hear those words.

"I didn't think you would go back on our deal." Neal practically mumbled, sounding more like a hurt toddler than a grown man with a son.

"I just made the wrong choice." Our father said sincerely, "May I?" Dad held out his hand to Neal.

"I'm still angry." Neal said not yet taking the offering.

"I know…" My father said. Neal looked back the grabbed my father's hand roughly, pressing his forehead into our dad's. I turned back to look and smiled, glad that the two men in my family had reconciled. My father opened his eyes and saw me, watching. "Lucy" He whispered. I knew I should join in on this moment, but I hadn't wanted to interrupt. I turned around and got on my knees as my father grabbed my hand. Neal still hadn't moved yet letting me in. But after a minute he let go with one hand of my father and wrapped his arm around me pulling me into his chest. And there we stayed my father holding mine and Neal's hands and Neal crushing me to his chest while I wet his shirt with my now fresh tears.

"Neal." My father finally said. "I need you to do something. I know you're angry with me but please. I need you to protect Lucy. If not for me, than for her, she's your sister and one of the most important things to me. I need to know that she'll be okay, after I'm gone."

Without hesitation, Neal pulled me in just a little bit tighter, surprising me, "Papa I promise. I'll take care of her."

I probably would have cried more and mumbled a thanks but just then Cora finally broke the invisibility chalk in the doorway and Neal, Emma and I jumped up with Neal's sword already pointed at the door. All of us standing protectively in front of my father's bed.

Cora emerged and saw us all standing there, "You three – out of the way." Cora flicked her wrist and after a cloud of purple smoke cleared we were standing in the forest. Probably miles away from where the pawnshop was.

"No...no." I said looking around. We were in the forest. Far away from my father. He had no one to protect him. "We have to go back! We have to go save him."

Emma looked at me saddened with Neal. Neal walked forward and put one hand on my shoulder, "Luc I don't think we'll make it in time. He was too sick and Cora," He let go of me and looked at his feet, "I- I don't think she'd hesitate before she..."

"Before she killed him?" I finished. I turned facing away from him as a sob escaped my throat.

"And we don't know if there's something going on right now. You're father loved you Lucy. He wouldn't want you to risk getting hurt." Emma said.

"It's not me we even need to worry about! I'm fine." I almost yelled, "He need's help, we have to go help him." I turned to Neal, "Neal please, he's our dad, we at least have to go try."

Neal had still been looking at the ground but now looked at me. "You're right, come on, let's go." He grabbed my hand as and took off running.

As we ran out of the woods and around the edge of town towards the store I flung open the backdoor to the pawnshop. My jaw dropped in disbelief, "It- He's gone. Where is he?" The bed was empty. Nobody was there anymore. I turned to Neal who looked just as confused as I felt. "Neal what happened to him!" Emma's face did that thing when all the hope left her eyes and she was pitying whoever it was. And right now it was me. Or us, me and Neal.

He was really gone. He was just- gone. Not even a final goodbye. Cora took that from me. I wanted to kill her myself. She killed Snow's mom, she killed my father, she ruined my mother Regina, she was pure evil. I was drowning in my conniving thoughts when Emma broke the silence. "Lucy, we- we should go check on Henry. Go get him. Tell him what happened."

I nodded wiping the tears off of my face. My brother needed me. And I wanted him to comfort me. I had just lost my father, I needed comforting. Emma walked into the front of the shop and out the front door, while I followed with Neal dragging behind us.

Just as we exited I heard Emma suck in deeply and she paused on the stairs. "Lucy." She said.

I furrowed my brow, "What?" That was when I saw. Down the street my father was walking towards us. Slowly but it was definitely him. He was leaning heavily on his Cane and his limp was strong. My jaw dropped, "Dad?" I practically whispered. He smiled only about 20 feet away now. "Dad!" I yelled. I pushed past Emma and collided into my father crying without shame as he squeezed me tight. "I thought you were dead." I said through my tears as I surely suffocated him with my squeezing. Suddenly I felt someone pressing up against me from the back. It was Neal. I was sandwiched in a tight hug between my father and brother.

My father chuckled, "I'm the dark one remember. Nobody kills me."

"Papa." Neal said. "I really thought you were gone."

My father stroke Neal's cheek over my head, "I'm here now. And I won't leave you. Either of you." I could practically hear him smile. "I promise."