Chapter 47: Declaration

Robert Gold can't believe what he's seeing. The image of his wife flashes on the screen, declaring her dangerous and that she's killed somebody. He can't believe that… he doesn't believe that. Belle would never harm anyone unless it was done in self-defence. The news is saying that she is mentally unstable and killed an orderly at the hospital. It also claims that she'd been at the hospital for years…

Gold is unsure of what to think about this. How… how was she back in town?! Had she been here all this time? The news is claiming that this is so… were those the years that she'd supposedly left them to see the world, she'd been right under their noses. All those years being told that she was fine and enjoying herself… She'd been trapped, probably pleading for his help and he'd been played for a fool by his own mother… he'd believed her the entire time and Belle paid the price for it.

For a moment, his mind flashes and he sees himself standing in front of his mother, but she was dressed differently… all in feathers and there were these big shapes coming out of her back, making her look like an angel or a… fairy. He hates fairies, they are like fleas and one could never get rid of them…

Robert brings himself back to reality. Fairies?! He truly was losing his mind, as if for a second he believed that his own mother was a fairy, or that fairies were even real.

He scoffs at the thought and focuses on what is important. He clenches his teeth as anger begins to rise inside his body. His whole physical being shakes with this dark and intoxicating energy. It feels good and… familiar? He manages to say one word with tears filling his eyes. He grips his cane so tightly that the crystal skull on the end shatters, the shards falling to the hardwood floor. This shocks both him and his son. Evidently, he didn't know his own strength when he was fuming.

"Belle!"

"Why is Mama on the news?" Gideon asks. He's just as confused as his father, but nowhere near as angry. He wanted answers as to why his mother was being accused of such horrible things, or that she'd been in the city all along.

"I believe we have some things to discuss with your grandmother," Robert hisses. He storms towards the door of his penthouse, grabbing a replacement cane on his way.

"This is extremely weird," Henry says, blowing his dyed bangs out of his face.

Both he and Crystal walk along the streets of the city now disguised in weird outfits to prevent themselves from being recognized.

Henry wears a Metallica t-shirt under a black leather jacket, very similar to the ones Killian would wear. He has shredded black jeans with chains hanging from one hip and thick combat boots that pound the pavement with every step. He feels weighed down by the boots, slowing his ability to walk significantly. He wears two leather bands with spikes on his left wrist and a set of rings on the other. His hair is now black in colour, heavily gelled and spiked in some areas, with his bangs hanging down in front of his face, dyed a crimson red colour. He'd catch glimpses of himself in the reflections of shop, bar, or casino windows, and it was a stranger staring back at him. It takes a lot of strength for him not to start laughing

"If my either of my moms saw me like this, they'd freak out and send me to military school," he smirks.

"At least you're not vaping," Crystal says, brushing some of her blonde locks from her face.

She wears a halter top tied around the back of her neck under a torn jean jacket, still wanting to keep some of her own personal style in the disguise. She walks around in a small leather skirt with fishnet stockings and motorcycle boots. Her ears have several piercings in each lobe as well as a stud on her nose (All of which is fake for the sake of the disguise) She has studded black half-gloves and several types of bracelets over each wrist. She tosses her blonde curly hair out of her face, fiddling a few times with the dyed turquoise tips.

"We look like freakshows, but it's honestly not that different from other people in this place," she smirks.

"Agreed," Henry nods. "Now let's get to Grandpa's shop so we can find Hook."

Fiona inhales sharply, knowing what was coming. She was prepared for this, though she hoped it would never happen. That is until someone came a meddled in her plans. The fairy knew that once the Saviour left the former town of Storybrooke, the curse would become a permanent fixture and those cursed memories would remain in everyone, including her son and grandson. No one would remember who they were… except for herself and evidently Henry, though he seemed rather resigned to his fate at this point, acting obediently. It wasn't the Saviour's son who was interfering because she'd had eyes on him nearly twenty-four-seven since he'd last tried to run away. She couldn't understand who had the capability and the magic to bust Belle out of her cell, which has led to this citywide manhunt and now the inevitable confrontation with her son. Was it someone who had been living outside Storybrooke but was originally from the Enchanted Forest? The only ones she could think of were Pinocchio, the Dragon, and her grandson Baelfire. It didn't make any sense, but hopefully, her question would soon be answered.

She pulls the potion she'd prepared from her purse. Gray smoke swirls ominously inside the vial; if this person was using magic to hide, this would literally smoke them out. It would make any and all magic being used in the city null and void. It would not be permanent, but she could control it when it came back to deal with the meddlers.

Hurried footsteps come up the hallway and Fiona hides the vial in her desk, ready for this confrontation.

Gold hobbles into the room followed closely by Gideon. Neither looked very happy, in fact, Rumpelstiltskin looks prepared to strangle his mother.

"You!" he snarls pointing angrily at her. Tears are pouring down his face and he grips the top of his cane so tightly that it was moments away from breaking again. "You… you lied to us!"

"Robert please calm yourself, you're completely hysterical," the fairy says calmly.

But the unknowing imp isn't going to stop. He uses his cane to throw everything from his mother's desk smashing to the floor. He then uses the end of the staff to pin the woman's shoulder against her chair, so she won't move during this confrontation.

"Robert, how dare you…"

"HOW DARE ME?!" he shouts. "HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO US ABOUT BELLE! SHE'S BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG AND YOUR SAID NOTHING! AND YOU LOCKED HER IN THE HOSPITAL AND CALLED HER INSANE!"

"Robert, she needed to be in the hospital, she's very ill." Fiona attempts to stand, but her son's cane keeps her pinned there, rather painfully as he begins to apply even more pressure to it.

"SHE IS NOT!" he snarls. "SHE IS NOT SICK AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO KEEP THIS FROM US AND KEEP MY SON FROM HIS MOTHER!"

"I did it to protect both of you."

"From my own mother?!" Gideon says tears in his eyes. He's in shock rather than anger but also feels great guilt that he'd rejected his mother for so long, believing the lies that had been told to him and that she didn't love him anymore. All this deceit had caused him to push both his parents away and feel alone in the world.

"If you could please stop hurting me and allow me to explain…" she says, attempting to push the cane that was digging deeply into her shoulder, to the point where it will most likely break the skin if pressed any harder.

"NO!" Rumple roars. "YOU DON'T GET TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING, YOU'VE KEPT MY WIFE FROM ME LONG ENOUGH!"

"Robert, Gideon, try to understand. Belle did come back from her travels, but she wasn't right in the head. She told me so herself that she needed help immediately. I did what I had to do to get her the help she needed, but I didn't want to worry you, so I kept it a secret."

"You're lying!" Gideon says. "Even if Mama was sick, she'd still want us to help her."

"She's not sick Gideon," Rumple says, staring bloody murder at his mother. "And all these lies you've set up with the media, claiming that she's dangerous and that she killed someone… I am guessing she broke out trying to find us and you wanted her back to keep us from finding out."

"Robert, what I gave to the media was the truth. Everything that you've heard on TV is the truth. There was a dead body in the basement of the hospital. The body of an orderly and Belle was missing."

"YOU CALLED HER A MURDERER! BELLE WOULD NEVER HURT ANYONE!"

"Well, the evidence tells a different story. Now I'm not saying that Belle killed the man per se, but I do believe that she did have help breaking out. It is possible that her accomplices murdered the orderly. I only reported the facts that I had. I'm… sorry that I called her that."

"I… I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Gold says, his eyes narrowing even further. "Everything that you've told me is a lie and I am not going to believe it anymore. I'm going to find Belle and when I do, I will make your life a living hell."

"Are you threatening me?" Fiona gasps in disbelief.

"I certainly am," he snarls. "You will live to regret everything mother… or should I say, Ms. Blackwell."

"Rump… Robert please," the fairy says. Her black heart was aching slightly with this new hatred that her son has. It's not what she wanted. The fact that he no longer refuses to acknowledge her as his mother stings and makes her feel sad… as much as a dark-hearted demon could feel sorrow.

"You are no longer my mother or my family," he hisses. Finally, he removes his cane and hobbles towards the door. "Come, Gideon, let's go find your mother."

"Giddy," Fiona says, using her favoured term of endearment. She's trying to manipulate him to her side, reminding him that she'd been more of a mother to him than Belle had. It's a ploy, of course, she needs an ally since her son has now declared war on her. There's too much good in Rumpelstiltskin now, love has made him too soft and sentimental. Whoever threw the wrench into her plans is no doubt a hero or heroine working for happy endings, but she still doubts that her son would seek out said "good doers," she knows he usually has his own agenda. But Gideon was still hers, she still had his heart deep in her Dark Realm vault. He'd never betray her.

"Gideon…" Robert says, gazing at his son. He glares at his mother who's trying to get his flesh and blood to turn against him. Another one of her manipulations to work against him. "Son please, let's find your real mother."

"Your real mother is right here Gideon; I've watched you grow and I cannot be prouder of what you've accomplished. I've seen it all and I've always bee here for you when you needed me."

"Belle should have watched you grow if Ms. Blackwell was not holding her hostage. She would never abandon you, son, she loves you and would do anything to protect you."

"She left you first to pursue her dreams."

"You're lying!" he hisses.

"Who will he believe?" she says.

"Gideon please…" he pleads.

"Gideon please…" she begs.

The young man looks utterly torn, he looks between his father and his grandmother. Tears are in his eyes, he's so confused that he just turns and rushes out the door to get away from it all. He couldn't decide, in fact, he didn't want to take sides at all. He just wanted his mother back and for all of this to be over with. Why does his life have to be so complicated and dark? Why did this evil plague their family so much?

Gold turns to his mother and points his cane at her. "Do not go near Gideon. If you turn my son against me, I will hunt you down and end you."

"I don't need to do anything Robert; you've done a fine job of pushing him away all by yourself. The boy will come to his senses and realize who's been there for him all his life. You are hardly father of the year and you'll end up choosing power over him like you did your other children…"

"How dare you bring up…" But the mention of children makes him pause. He only had Neal and Gideon; he had no other children?!

For a moment, a flash of bright blue eyes enters his mind. The face of a girl with his hair colour, but a smile all her own can be seen. It's painful for his brain as if something is fighting to get to the surface, but suddenly a female voice enters his head.

"I love you Dad, no matter what's happened."

Neither Gideon nor Neal ever called him Dad. The voice sounds familiar, but he cannot place it. He leans against his cane in anguish, unable to comprehend what's transpired. It was like that shockwave from before… coming from another life.

"You… will regret everything," he manages to say before stumbling out, trying to remain menacing despite the pain.

Once her door is slammed shut, Fiona immediately removes the hidden vial from her desk drawer. She opens the office window and pops the cork. With a wave of her hand, she causes the cloud of gray smoke to expand and become bigger. She didn't care if people could see it. If it was a war that those fools wanted, it's a war they would get.

Meanwhile, both Crystal and Henry are walking down a back street to go towards the Storybrooke part of the city when chaos erupts around them. People scream and cars honk their horns. Both heroes turn to see a cloud of gray smoke that was menacing-looking coming towards them.

The two quickly try to run, but it sweeps over them almost instantly.

A chill goes up Crystal's spine and she can feel the sinister energy within the cloud of smoke. Her hands begin to sting and shake in reaction.

When the cloud finally dissipates, the two look at each other.

"What was that?" Henry asks.

"Magic," Crystal answers. "Very dark and very strong magic."

"Oh, Crap!" Henry gasps, realizing that their magical disguises are gone and they're still in the middle of the city. "Quick turn us back!"

Crystal flicks her wrist, trying to restore her glamour spell, but nothing happens. She tries again.

Instead, the purple light in her hands seems to sputter and then vanish.

"Oh no…" she says.

"W-What?" the author asks.

"The Black Fairy's made her move. She's cancelled all magic!"

A/N: Please follow and review.