He was about to do something bad. In fact, he was about to do something so bad that he was certain Belle might have fallen out of love with him if she had any inkling that he was about to do it. But what the fuck did he care about that. Belle was dead. That was the driving force behind his desire to do bad. The person who was responsible for her death was out walking around without a fucking care in the world that he'd killed his daughter. Moe French had taken one of the few things in the world that couldn't be replaced, the only thing in the world that he had from Belle. Her cup was still missing, still unaccounted for even if everything else was. And no one ever stole from the Dark One. No one conspired against him without him knowing it. So yes, he was about to do something very bad. Damn the consequences.

Actually, better yet, bring on the consequences! Because he was pretty sure that if who he thought was behind all this actually was, then there was a discussion they'd need to have in the future, a reminder about who was the teacher and who was the student. And if they were going to have that conversation, he would much rather it be on his terms rather than her own! He'd rather know than wonder, and he'd rather be sure about who Moe French was working for rather than uncertain, which was why he'd crafted his plan, to begin with. A plan that didn't feature his flunkies, but rather just him. Dove couldn't do this, lest he find out something he wasn't ready to know yet. And that left him, a short, disabled lawyer with a cane and a gun, against fat old Moe French. All things considered, he was pretty sure he'd be okay on his own. But there were some things he had to do first.

The first was to talk to Dove. He didn't have the Seer, but he knew enough that he had to think of his future and consider what to do should "the worst" happen. He put money in a particular account that Dove had access to and then instructed him to do whatever he needed to with those funds to ensure his safety and freedom in the next couple of days. To his pleasure, Dove didn't bat an eye. He understood perfectly well that the money was there for bribery if something should go wrong, and better yet, was there as hush money for his cronies if everything went right.

The second thing he needed to do was pick up a few things. He had no reason to go back to the shop or even his home, and he knew enough to know that he shouldn't, even if what he needed most was there. Because if things did go wrong and they could tie certain items to his properties, then that would be a very bad thing for him. So instead, thirty minutes before Moses was supposed to deliver the flower truck outside of Moe French's flower shop, he stopped into Dark Star Pharmacy.

Technically, he owned the pharmacy. Mr. Clark, formerly known as one of Snow White's Dwarves, though which one he couldn't find it in himself to care, only rented the property from him. And fortunately for him, Mr. Clark was not only too cheap to have security cameras, but he was a coward, like most dwarves. He knew that when push came to shove, he'd have Mr. Clark's discretion.

Of course…he couldn't be sure he could count on the discretion of one of the two other people in the pharmacy. David was there. He kept a sharp eye on the former False Prince as he gathered his own things, duct tape and rope, suitable for what he had in mind a little later. Mr. Clark wouldn't say anything if Emma asked questions, but David…David might say something. Or at least his former self might say something. This new version that couldn't tell one memory from another…he didn't know. He still had that look of innocence about him that suggested he might talk to Emma if he thought he knew something. But this was also the same man that was currently having an affair, albeit with the woman he was actually married to instead of the one he'd been engaged to and run away from, with her own blessings…nuance.

But fortunately for him, as he watched David pick one card out, then go to another rack and started perusing for another, he knew what he could do to ensure David's silence. Angry as he was, scared as he was, he couldn't help but snicker. If necessary, those cards could be his tickets to safety. After all, David needed to be more careful. He and Mary Margaret were not nearly as sneaky as they thought.

"Two valentines…" he commented as David fell into line behind him. "Sounds like a complicated life."

"Oh, no. I…I just couldn't decide," David stuttered, but hid it behind a soft chuckle that he was sure Snow White would have fallen head over heels for at one time.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead glanced behind at the two cards he'd chosen. One was formal and romantic, and the other comical but adorable. Couldn't decide his arse…they were each the definition of two women in his life. Which was exactly what he'd point out should something bad happen and David turn into a threat.

"These are both for the same woman?"

"Well, they're both so…us."

"I see," he smiled. He wasn't wrong. One relationship was romantic and deep, the stuff of legends that would stand the test of time. The other was…well…comical, but fun to watch from a distance, he supposed. Not nearly as fun as the irony around it all, however. Prince Charming having an affair while he pined for a woman who had died decades ago, and the Evil Queen was winning a battle against good. He would never have thought he'd live to see a day like this. "Well, you're fortunate you have someone that loves you."

"I really am," David agreed as the woman ahead of him in line finished up, and he walked forward to make his purchases, cash, of course. He needed to hurry this along. He had somewhere to be in ten minutes. And David…well…Marc would be watching, of course, but who knew where these next ten minutes would take him. Who knew where Belle's mind had gone in the last ten minutes of her life…

"Love…it's like a delicate flame, and once it's gone, it's gone forever," he whispered, managing to hold on to his smile even though his chest felt like it was going to burst open. He couldn't breathe. He had that feeling a lot when he thought about her even all these years later. If only things had been different. If only he'd been different.

Behind him, he heard the crinkle of a plastic bag and found one pushed in front of him with a ten-dollar bill, his change. "Best of luck to you," he muttered to David even as he smiled awkwardly at him.

He heard him whisper thanks, but he didn't turn to reciprocate, just made his way to the door and left. It was nearly eight, and with some useful information on David, a suspicion that could be drawn from an interaction for his own devices if necessary, he felt confident in the next step in his checklist.

Secure Moe French.

Dove informed him that he was still waiting in the shop, that he hadn't left, hadn't so much as set a foot outside. The lights in the store were off, the blinds pulled closed, but Dove said every now and then he could see French peek out the window to look down the street. That was good. He planned on using it.

He hid in the ally just beside Game of Thorns. It was cold out, and wet, and as he waited for the clock to strike eight, he didn't see a single person out on the streets. That was good. Very good. For himself, that was; for Moe French, it was rather unfortunate. He stayed quiet while he waited, shivering in the cold, wishing that he still had his magic. Magic would have made this really very easy and a lot more comfortable. But the cool air didn't scare him away. It didn't cool his anger or frustration; if anything, it just spurred him on. He imagined how cold Belle had been in her final days, wondered if she longed for the fireplaces of the Dark Castle. He thought of her every time his teeth chattered, and his body shook. The feeling of cold all around him was all he needed to remember why he was here, doing…this…

Right on time, Moses showed up. He watched as the van pulled up to Game of Thorns, listened as it groaned to a stop and the motor shut off. He heard a few bangs inside the metal giant, then finally, the back doors swung open. Moses jumped out and walked away down the street, unaware he was even there. Which was exactly what he wanted, especially when-

It was less than thirty seconds before he heard the door to Game of Thrones open. Suddenly, out on the sidewalk, Moe French appeared, staring stupidly up at his van as if it was an angel come to Earth instead of just a truck driven over from a storage lot. If only it was his angel…it might spare him. Moe went to the passenger door. He tugged on it but found it appropriately locked. Then he moved, predictably, to the back, where Moses had left the doors open. The second he was at the back, but hidden by the door, he moved behind him. He caught up his cane in his hand, and before even knew what was happening, he walloped him over the head with the handle.

Moe let out a noise, and with the help of a small push, fell into the back of his truck. Quickly, without thinking, he scooped up Moe's legs and shoved them into the back of the van. Then he climbed in after Moe, and after he confirmed the keys were waiting on the driver's side door as instructed, he moved to the back and closed the doors.


This chapter was originally meant to be two, but there was really not enough content for the second part, where Moe is captured, to make it its own chapter. It either had to go at the end of this chapter or the beginning of the next chapter. Obviously, I opted for the end of this chapter. I figured it sort of fit in well with the idea of his "to-do list".

Big thank yous going out to Alarda and Grace for always remembering to review the previous chapters. I do hope that you'll be okay with some of the assumptions I made in this chapter. It always bothered me how Moe got captured when he's so much bigger than Rumple. And yes, Rumple might have a gun on him, but I figured that to tie him up, at some point, he'd have to put the gun away and would be fairly easy to overpower, so how did he do it? This was what I worked with. I hope you'll find it acceptable. And I hope you'll join me tomorrow for the next chapter! It's a bit of a doozy! Peace and Happy Reading!