Disclaimer: Still don't own them.
A/N: Apologies for the HUGE delay but real life and Let Stars ... and Trauma Team and a host of other things conspired against this update. Mea culpa - I sincerely hope it doesn't happen again (and since the story is almost over, I feel quite confident in saying that).
A/N 2: Thanks to all of you who have been with this story from the beginning, and for all your support, messages and reviews. They've kept me going when I was close to giving up on this a month ago.
Nova's giggle died the second she and Tink rounded the corner and walked back into the sheriff's station.
"What?" Tink asked when Nova stopped abruptly.
Nova ignored her and moved carefully towards the cells instead. "Oh my," she breathed. "Tink, we need to get Regina and Emma here immediately!"
"Why, what's going on?" Tink still hadn't realized what had happened. She walked up to Blue's cell and saw her lying very still on her cot. "Is she …?"
"I think so," Nova nodded.
"And …" Tink pointed at Spencer's body.
Nova just nodded, fear tightening her throat.
"But how?" Tink looked around. "What happened? The cells are closed …"
With a heavy sigh, Nova pointed at the open leather pouch on the desk close to the cells. "It's my fault," she whispered. "I brought the ashes here. It's all my fault."
Tink whirled around. "You think the dark wand's ashes did this? How is that even possible?"
"I don't know," Nova admitted. "But Blue and Spencer are dead and the ashes are gone."
"You mean the ashes can actually kill people … and they are floating through Storybrooke as we speak?"
"Yes … I don't know … yes."
"We don't even know for sure they're dead," Tink hedged. "Maybe they're just unconscious?"
Nova gave her the most scathing look she was capable of. "Do you see them breathing?" She pointed at Blue. "Does she look alive to you?"
"No … but shouldn't we check to make sure?"
"For that we'd need to get into the cells, which you and Regina enchanted, which means …"
"We need Regina," Tink declared.
"That's what I said five minutes ago," Nova replied testily. "The mansion?"
Tink nodded, hoping that Regina would know what to do now.
o o o
Ruby looked up as a frazzled-looking Nova and Tink returned to the diner. "Back so soon?" she asked with a grin. "Enjoyed your tea so much you want seconds?"
"No," Tink panted. "No tea."
"Are you okay?" Ruby looked concerned. "Did you run all the way here?"
Nova also gulped for air. "From the station … to the mansion … and back here …"
"Why didn't you fly? Don't you guys have wings for that?" Ruby wasn't prepared for the dirty looks she received for her perfectly logical question.
"Because Green here doesn't have her full powers yet," Nova grumbled.
"My name is Tinkerbell. But yes, that's unfortunately true."
"Okay, so why all that running around all of a sudden? You were a lot more relaxed earlier …"
"That's probably because we didn't know about the two dead bodies in the cells back at the station then," Nova hissed.
"Dead bodies?" Ruby gasped.
"Nova!" Tink rolled her eyes. "Maybe we shouldn't spread that around the whole town."
"Thanks for that vote of confidence," Ruby snarled. "So I take it you're looking for Regina?"
"How did you know?"
Now it was Ruby's turn to roll her eyes. "Because you just said you went to the mansion," she pointed out."And now you're here because you think I might know where she is."
"Do you?" Tink asked hopefully.
Ruby looked around the diner and when she was certain nobody was paying them any attention, she nodded. There was no way she was giving away Regina's secret hideaway. "I can't take you there," she said quickly. "But I can get a message to her, and I'm sure she'll come."
"That's a relief," Nova breathed,
"Why can't you take us to her?" Tink whined suspiciously. "Where is she?"
"Frankly, that's none of your business," Ruby replied in a no-nonsense tone.
"But we're friends," Tink insisted.
"Really?" Ruby drawled. "Listen, you either let me get that message to her as soon as possible or you sit around and wait until she finds out about the dead people at the station all on her own, whenever that may be."
Nova nudged Tink who nodded grudgingly. "Please let her know that both Bl— … that both prisoners in the cells are dead … and we think the remains of the wand did it."
That got Ruby's attention. "The evil wand, the one that took over Snow? The one we burned last night?"
"That one, yes." Nova grimaced. "I put the ashes in a leather pouch this morning and took them to the station, so the Savior and Regina could decide what to do with them and …"
"And apparently the ashes got hungry?" Ruby shook her head. "Weird." She took off the small apron she was wearing and tossed it on the counter. "Let me just talk to Granny real quick, then I'm off to find Regina."
"What do we do while you're gone?" Nova asked timidly.
"You should go back to the station and make sure that nobody else stumbles upon Blue and Spencer," Ruby suggested, her former training as a deputy coming back to her. "Go inside, lock the door, let nobody in until Regina and Emma arrive, okay?" She paused. "I'll call David and tell him to keep an eye on Snow," she added, just loud enough for Tink and Nova to catch it.
The two fairies didn't look too happy about the prospect of spending time with the dead bodies, but they nodded and slowly turned to leave. As soon as they were gone, Ruby went into the kitchen to find Granny. "I have to—"
"I know," Granny said. "My ears still work fine. Go and get Regina …" She went back to the pie she was making, muttering under her breath. "Wherever that woman is hiding … don't know why she continues with that …"
"My guess is she did it to save Emma from having to talk to Snow," Ruby reminded her evenly. "You saw Snow, heard what she was saying earlier — she stormed to the mansion at ridiculous o'clock this morning and probably demanded to be let in. It was a good thing Emma wasn't home."
"Home, eh?" Granny looked thoughtful. "You may be right …"
Ruby cocked her head, expecting a follow-up from the tone her grandmother used. "I can hear the cogs clunking in your brain," she said when nothing else was forthcoming. "What are you thinking?"
"Nothing … I don't know …" Granny sighed. "I guess I'm wondering how much of Snow's recent behavior was influenced by the wand and not …" She shrugged.
"Not just Snow's deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings just set free?" Ruby suggested. "Yeah, I've been wondering that as well …"
"Nothing we can do about," Granny groused. "Maybe Regina has an answer."
"Maybe." Ruby couldn't quite manage to sound convincing. "I think I'm going to ask David what he thinks … he knows her best, and I know he was really shocked by Snow's behavior. But it also took him a damn long time to realize something was wrong …"
"So either Snow's a remarkable actress or David is the idiot Regina thinks he is or …"
"Or Snow isn't quite the good person we all thought she is," Ruby finished the thought. "Well, all of us except for Regina …"
"Speaking of her majesty," Granny said pointedly. "Weren't you on the way somewhere?" She shooed Ruby out the door. "Oh, by the way … those two meddling fairies are hiding behind the dumpster outside to follow you. I can hear their breathing and whispers from here …"
"Ungh, fairies … thanks, Granny. I might not be back for a while …" Ruby quickly hugged Granny and ran out the backdoor, although she waited to change into her wolf form until she was at the forest's edge. Then she was just a blur as she rushed through the trees, leaving the two nosy fairies behind in the dust.
o o o
Breakfast at the cabin was a joyful affair and Regina couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much or smiled so brightly that her face ached from it. Most of it was due to just being alive and happy and with the two people she loved more than anything else — but a lot also had to do with Emma's and Henry's pancake war and her son's vivid description of Granny and her skills with the skillet.
Now she and Emma were enjoying a quiet cup of coffee while Henry polished off the last pancake. He sat back in his chair with a slight groan and rubbed his stomach. "This was so good," he said, still swallowing the last bite. "This is so good."
Regina smiled. "Glad to hear my pancakes are still acceptable."
"Not the pancakes, Mom." Henry shook his head. "Well, those too … but this — having breakfast together as a family, the three of us together — this is awesome."
Emma smiled at Henry and Regina over the rim of her cup. "Couldn't agree more."
"I agree, Henry," Regina added, voice a little tight and eyes a little shiny. "This is most definitely awesome."
"So when's Emma moving into with us? Or are we going to stay here?"
If he expected a major reaction, his mothers disappointed him. They simply smiled at each other, Emma a tad more nervously than Regina maybe, before Regina addressed her son. "We can't stay here," she pointed out. "It's too far from your school and our work … and no, I won't poof you there every morning, she added when she saw Henry's hopeful grin. "We're going back to the house soon, no matter how much we'd all like to stay here in the woods. We'll just have to make sure to come back regularly."
"Like on weekends?" Henry perked up at the idea.
"On weekends," Regina promised. "We could have vacations here as well."
"As long as we keep the location secret and the shield up," Emma interjected. "Otherwise Snow will show up here every day …"
"We can do that." The smile she gave Emma was understanding but also challenging, and Emma knew that Regina wouldn't give up in trying to get her to talk to Snow. Soon … just not right now. The thought must have shown in her eyes because Regina nodded once and rested her hand on Emma's, her thumb softly stroking the backs of her fingers. "As for when Emma moves into the house," Regina continued, turning back to Henry. "That's entirely up to your other mother, dear."
"But you want her to move in?"
Regina locked eyes with Emma and smiled. "Yes," she whispered. "But it might be too soon …"
"Why?" Henry thought that was a stupid thought. "You have true love, you can skip ahead a little."
Emma hadn't taken her eyes off Regina's face the whole time. "He's right, you know?" she now murmured. "I told you I wasn't going to let you out of my sight after this, at least not if I don't have to … and besides, who knows what shenanigans our magic would come up with to get us to be in the same place?" Her face said she was joking but her eyes told Regina that there was a kernel of truth in her reply.
"Awesome!" Henry shouted. "So we're just going to pick up your stuff once we decide to go back. This is going to be so great!"
"Absolutely," Emma agreed.
"Indee—" Regina started but then flinched and shook herself.
"Are you okay?" Emma asked worriedly. "Regina?"
"I'm fine," Regina said immediately. "Seems we have a visitor."
"You mean you can feel when there's someone out there at the border?" Henry asked. "But that looked so far away last night."
"It's a bit of a walk from here," Regina confirmed. "But I can feel the magic reacting if someone touches it."
"Has to be Ruby," Emma surmised. "She's the only one who knows how to find us and I doubt she told Snow."
"I agree," Regina said as she stood. "So let's go see what Miss Lucas wants, shall we?"
"And if it's not Ruby?" Henry piped up.
"Then we'll come right back here." Emma shrugged. "They can't see or hear us until we leave the bubble, kid."
"It's actually more of a dome," Regina corrected.
"Dome, kid … you heard it."
"There's a difference?" Henry scratched his head.
"No."
"Yes."
"Whatever," Henry muttered under his breath.
o o o
Ruby tried not to jump when Regina and Emma showed up out of nowhere in front of her as they stepped through the barrier, Henry in tow, but to her embarrassment — and the Swan-Mills family's delight — she squeaked girlishly.
"Ruby," Regina greeted around a small grin. "What a lovely surprise." Then she saw the look in Ruby's eyes and the grimace on her face. "Did something happen?"
Ruby looked at Henry, then at Regina and Emma. Well, the kid was going to hear about it sooner or later anyway … and, knowing him, it would be sooner. "Yes, something did happen," she started quietly. "At the sheriff's station, sometime this morning."
Something in the younger woman's eyes alerted both Emma and Regina that whatever happened had to be serious, so Regina uncharacteristically touched Ruby's arm to stop her in an effort to shield Henry from whatever it was for at least a while longer. "And you need us to come take a look?" she offered, mostly rhetorically.
Ruby nodded gratefully. "That would be good, yeah," she said. "If you want, I can stay here with Henry … I've been meaning to sneak a look at your little cabin in the woods anyway."
Regina gave her a smile at the veiled hint that whatever they would be seeing in town would not be for Henry's eyes. "Oh, you think you can snoop around my cabin while we're gone, Ms. Lucas?" she asked with an edge in her voice that was in no way reflected on her face which couldn't be seen by Henry. She knew he would jump in to defend Ruby.
"Oh, Mom," Henry complained at her tone. "Don't be like that … I won't let Ruby do anything. I promise."
Regina winked at Ruby, and filed away the fact that Henry seemed quite eager to spend time with Ruby alone. Mission accomplished. "All right then … I guess, I'm outnumbered."
"Er, Mom," Henry piped up. "Will Ruby even be able to … you know?"
Regina nodded and focused on her magic for a moment. She touched the barrier, allowing the others to see it shimmer and move under the force of Regina's magic changes. "Now she will," she told Henry who beamed at her. "But, Ruby," she turned back to the other woman, "you're still going to feel the barrier, and it's not going to be fun."
"It's not that bad, Ruby," Henry said. "You'll get used to it."
Ruby nodded. "Thanks, Henry," she said but her eyes didn't leave Regina's. "Oh, before I forget," she added, facing Emma who had come to stand by Regina's side, her hand resting lightly in the small of her love's back. "Snow came to the diner this morning—"
Emma groaned. "Let me guess, looking for me?"
"Well, mostly complaining that she couldn't find you." Ruby grinned. "She had an interesting little run-in with Neal …" She saw the same scowl on the three faces in front of her. "No, really, it was interesting … it's not like I'm the guy's biggest fan, especially not since I heard he tried to take Henry away from you—"
"Who told you that?" Emma interrupted.
"He did," Ruby explained, "this morning. Well, he told Snow and David and I was just sort of there, listening." She paused because it really hadn't been her plan to speak nicely of Neal but now that the opportunity presented itself, it seemed wrong not to. "Listen, he basically told Snow to own up to what she did, wand or not, and to not pester you for forgiveness, and David agreed with him."
Regina and Emma shared a look, eyebrows raised at that information. Ruby sighed. "Yeah, surprised the hell out of me too, let me tell you."
"Well, well … sounds like there might be some sense left in Mr. Cassidy," Regina commented softly.
Emma hummed. "About time," she grumbled. "After the number he pulled."
"He also asked me to tell you that he was planning to stay in town," Ruby added. "Take care of his father's shop, do what needs to be done there."
"That's good," Regina stated, pleased that Neal had taken her suggestion to heart. "There are too many dangerous magical artifacts in that shop to just be sitting there."
"Are you going to help my dad with that, Mom?"
"If he wants my help, I will."
"I'm still kinda mad at him but with everything that happened, I guess I'm glad that dad is going to stay." Henry looked uncertain at his own thoughts.
"Oh, Henry, it's perfectly all right to be happy that your father wants to be a part of your life," Regina reassured him.
"And he really wants to be, he said," Ruby offered. "He told me he wants to prove to all three of you that he can be a good friend. He's accepted that you two are in love."
"Really?" Emma snorted.
"Really," Ruby confirmed. "In fact, he told Snow that the three of you are a family and that she shouldn't come between you or face the consequences."
"Let's hope he doesn't forget that once things have calmed down." Emma still didn't sound convinced. "Let's get going," she added to Regina. "Kid, be good for Ruby, 'kay?"
"Yeah, yeah," Henry replied easily
Emma and Regina looked at Ruby who held up her phone. "Just going to let Granny know, then I'll take Henry back inside your—
"Bubble."
"Dome."
"Whatever."
Ruby could hear Regina's sigh even as the couple disappeared in a plume of purple smoke.
o o o
"What happened?" Emma asked immediately when she and Regina appeared outside the station only to run into a timid-looking Tink and Nova just outside the door. "What are you doing out here?"
"Ruby didn't tell you?"
"She thought it was more important that we get here quickly," Regina said impatiently. "So, what happened?"
"We found Blue and Spencer dead this morning after we had some tea at the diner." Nova pointed inside the building. "I think … We think it was the remains of the ashes." She explained everything she knew in a breathless rush. "See for yourselves."
Regina and Tink lifted the spell on the cells before the two fairies ran off to be as far away from the scene of the crime as possible, leaving Emma and Regina to check out the bodies.
"Well, one thing's for sure," Emma said. "They're definitely both dead, and there's no visible cause of death."
Regina looked up from where she was bent over the leather pouch, poking it with a pen. "Magic doesn't leave trace evidence," she muttered. "Unless it's supposed to."
"So you really think the ashes of a burnt piece of wood did this?"
"No, I think the magic that took hold of the wand simply used whatever it had available once the wand was destroyed, and it will do so until it finds a better … host." Regina walked into the cell and crouched down next to Blue, touching her neck and chest. "I don't know exactly how they died but if I had to venture a guess I'd say the magic simply took their life force or choked them to death."
Emma nodded as she took in the information and the scene. "So this thing is what …? Pure dark magic?" She really was trying to understand but found it difficult even after a couple of years in a place with magic.
"Dark magic, dark energy," Regina said slowly. "Whatever you want to call it, this magic is very, very old and much more powerful than we all thought. The wand we burned … that was a magical object that had turned into a myth a long, long time ago … it was one of the oldest magical objects I've ever even heard about. And I think this magic just used it as a powerful body, which means it's probably even older." She sighed. "I'm not thinking that often, but I wish Rumpel were still with us, so I could discuss this with him. He knew more about the old magics than anybody else living or dead."
"Maybe there's something in one of his books," Emma said. "Or Belle knows something."
"Maybe …"
"So where is it now?" Emma asked. "Do you think it's gone? Dissipated or something?"
"I wish," Regina replied as she looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the ventilation slits and she nudged Emma, pointing them out. "I think it's out there."
"This is worse than The Fog," Emma muttered under her breath. "We can't just let that dark thing fly around Storybrooke like a low-hanging dark cloud or something." She gave Regina a look. "What do we do?"
Regina almost smiled at Emma's mention of the old horror movie, which was one of her own favorites. "Theres nothing much we can do, unfortunately," she replied evenly. "The magic is probably looking for a new host, a new magical object to live in as we speak."
Emma bit her lower lip. "What if it, you know … chooses a person? A magic user … or a magical being? What if it's out there just waiting for someone like …"
"Like me?"
"Or me."
"You're not nearly dark enough," Regina muttered.
"Then neither are you."
"Thank you for that lovely thought, but we both know that's not true," Regina said, and before Emma could say anything else, she stopped her with a raised hand. "Besides, I think if it could choose people, it could have just used Blue without any of us noticing it."
"That's true," Emma agreed grimly. "Plenty of darkness there for the magic to tune into or whatever."
"Maybe the magic doesn't necessarily need something that's already dark," Regina mused. "It has enough darkness to overpower even the most benign object or intent, I think. It'll look for something close to the wand in power maybe, or at least in age."
"And then what … it just goes to sleep for a century or two? Getting right back to work?"
"Either option is equally possible," Regina replied with a shrug. "Emma, I don't know."
Emma stared at a spot in the far distance, not really seeing anything. "Do you really think the magic doesn't care about darkness that's already there?"
Regina stepped close to Emma, concerned at the suddenly hollow tone, and rested a hand on her shoulder. "What are you thinking, my love?"
"I don't know …" Emma leaned into Regina. "I just can't help wondering if it was the wand or the magic that made Snow evil …" She swallowed audibly. "Or if it just reacted to something already there … only took out the veneer of politeness and pretense and goodness, and brought out Snow's real feelings … allowed them to act on them." Emma turned fully in Regina's arms and the older woman instantly pulled her into a tight hug. "I just don't know if I could deal with that … and what would Henry think if Snow White suddenly turned out not to be one of the good guys?"
Regina pressed her lips against the side of Emma's head and soothingly rubbed her back and shoulders. "I'm the first person to tell you that Snow White is a self-righteous, self-absorbed, selfish brat who thinks she can't do anything wrong, Emma," she murmured intently. "But even I don't think she's some kind of deep, dark evil."
"All those things she said and did," Emma sighed. "Before any of us even realized that she had changed … I wasn't even surprised at some of the things she said."
"Darling, there's not much I can say to you that will make this better," Regina tried to calm Emma. "But unless you talk to Snow, you will never know." She paused. "For what it's worth, I think it was the wand, not your mother … but that doesn't mean she didn't say things she might repeat now." She pointedly cleared her throat.
Emma looked up at Regina. "You mean about us? Being together?"
Regina nodded. "I'm frankly still surprised that your father accepted it as fast as he did …"
Emma snorted. "Took him long enough," she groused. "They should be happy that I found my true love."
"And they would be ecstatic if your true love weren't their former arch-enemy … I'm quite convinced they's have an easier time accepting Leroy actually."
Emma exhaled slowly. "You think I should talk to Snow, huh?"
"Yes … whenever you feel ready for it."
"I'm not ready yet," Emma immediately replied.
"You will be."
Emma slowly pulled back from Regina. "So there's really nothing we can do? About the magic?"
Regina blinked at the sudden change in direction. "We can keep an eye on things," she said. "On magical objects and the like … but not much else …"
Suddenly Emma's eyes widened. "Oh my God," she breathed.
"What?" Regina exclaimed, turning around wildly to see if there was someone — or something — in the station with them, but there was nothing there. "Emma, what is it?"
Emma pulled completely out of Regina's arms, suddenly filled with a strange restlessness. "I just … I had a thought …"
"Goddammit, Emma, what?"
"What's the most logical place for that magic to go to find a new host?" Emma asked rapidly. "If it's drawn to old magic crap like you think, then the best place to find those would be …"
"Gold's shop," Regina finished the thought, wanting to smack herself for missing that. "Why didn't I think of that immediately? All the magical objects in there would be like …"
"The ultimate lure." Emma moved quickly for the door. "And if what Ruby said was right, there's a very good chance Neal is in that shop right now with no idea what's going on."