Elsa and John wed in Arendelle, and the long European vacation finally comes to an abrupt end for Rumple. In Olympus, Zeus decides to send another former hero back among the living. But a very different type of welcoming committee awaits his father, the Dark One.
Arendelle, Norway – Wedding Day
"Come on, my beautiful swan, we need you up!"
Regina kissed the blonde's cheek, lightly rubbing her earlobe, which usually worked when rousing the Saviour. "Chief Bridesmaid? Wedding? Remember?"
"Eugh!" she groaned, wincing at the sunlight. "Just a few more minutes. Not awake yet…"
"Emma, it's seven thirty! The wedding's at eleven, so you can't lie in all morning. Come on now, up! Or I'll set Honour and Margot on you."
"Aw, enough already! That woman had us doing shots at midnight, ten hours before she's getting married! I'm out of practice, Gina. You should have been there to stop me!"
"No, because one of us had to stay sober, just in case you were like this. Now, if you don't want me to magic you into a cold bath to wake you up, I suggest you get up, and run a hot one yourself. Now!"
"Only if you get in with me? Anyway, where's Robin? At least he always brings me coffee and sympathy!"
"He stayed over with John, probably trying to stop him getting wasted too! Last I heard, a group of them headed off to a nightclub. I didn't even know they had them in Arendelle!"
"Yeah, they do. A couple of pretty good ones, actually. Me and the girls passed a strip joint that Elsa wanted to go into, but Ruby said she spotted Will and the boys in there. Pity, it looked like a good one. We found something else…"
"John spent his last night as a bachelor in a strip club?" Regina was horrified. "Was Robin there?"
"Well he is the Best Man! Anyway, me and the girls went to another club instead. Unfortunately, it was mainly geared for guys, with only chicks dancing, but I guess Dot and Rubes enjoyed it. Mind you, seeing us all pile in, Anna persuaded him, and one of the barmen got up and gave us a show. He was seriously ripped, so it was great!"
"So, my wife and our fiancé spent the evening watching girls and a boy take their clothes off? Two weeks before our own wedding? Hardly reassuring."
"It was funny! You know Rob and I would never do anything untoward. Hell, I didn't even have a lap dance. Elsa had three!" The blonde stripped before walking naked in to the bathroom. Even when annoyed with her, Regina couldn't help proudly admiring her wife's beautiful athletic body, bum cheeks and back. "C'mon Gina, join me? If you do, I'll spill the dirt on what the others got up to? And what I learnt about Princess Anna!"
Regina sighed. Even after three years of marriage, Regina still couldn't resist any chance to get naked with Emma. "Oh, very well. But you take the tap end this time!"
As Emma sank into the large slipper bath, her eyes widened as Regina let her dressing gown drop to the floor, revealing her own perfect body in all its glory.
"Ooh, very nice..." she moaned, admiringly. "Regina, you still look as ravishing as the first day I saw you naked!"
"Thank you, darling," she stepped up to the now half-filled bath, before climbing slowly in to slide down opposite Emma, moving her legs either side of her. "I can assure you I feel the same about yours. But now, tell me what happened last night?"
"Massage my feet and I'll tell you anything you want? Anything."
"Oh! Well, in that case…" With a twinkle in her eye, she picked up Emma's right foot from under the foam, resting it on her stomach to slow massage between her toes, something she always loved. "Tell me about you and Elsa. What did Robin mean, when he said you had 'snogged another girl' and he went on to name her?"
Damn you, Robin! "Oh, come on, that's not fair! I meant ask me something about last night, and you know it! I didn't…wait, hold on. I'll tell you everything, provided you tell me about you and Maleficent? You first…"
Regina sighed. Again. Well, I did bring it up, didn't I? "Emma, I never lied to you when I told you that I had never 'been with' another woman. I meant of course, that I had never had sex with another woman. I met Maleficent shortly after I was forced to marry Leopold. That bastard repeatedly raped me as you know, and I would escape to Mal's castle regularly. She showed me affection at a dark time in my life."
"By affection, you mean kissing and cuddling? Anything else? Fingering, perhaps?"
Hell, so blunt! Emma knew how to probe. And that damn superpower of hers could easily spot a lie. She winced, knowing she had no choice but to be completely honest. "Yes, there was an element of…masturbation, but nothing more! No actual penetration by either of us. It was mainly confined to kissing and hugging."
"Thank you for finally admitting it. As for me and Elsa, it was when she arrived in Storybrooke. We'd just defeated Ingrid and her magic was out of control, like mine. We had a couple of moments when we were alone. It was just kissing rather passionately. It could have gone further, but Killian almost walked in on us."
"And are you still attracted to her? I saw the way she looked at you."
"Not in that way! I just see her as a close friend now. What about you and Maleficent?"
"Pretty much the same. I do still care about her, though. Robin was right. Whilst I know Mal got pregnant and gave birth, I'd always assumed her proclivities lay solely with women, rather than men. Before I knew her, she had a rather torrid affair with Aurora's mother, Briar Rose, right under the nose of her husband, King Stefan! They eventually fell out, and she put her under a sleeping curse from which she escaped, much like her own daughter did. Mal has been a tortured soul for a very long time, and losing her child just made it worse. Hopefully Lilith, the Sorcerer and his family can bring some light into her life."
"Certainly Elsa is now blissfully happy with John. She's just worried about him, and all the fuss over being a royal. She told me that if he asked her, she'd abdicate and hand over the throne to Anna tomorrow."
"I can understand that. I didn't want it either. Which leads us on to Princess Anna! What did you find out? About her and Snow?" Unfortunately, before she could answer, the slamming of the bedroom door outside made them both jolt up in shock.
"What the hell?" Without hesitation, Emma turned swiftly in the bath, leaning her back against Regina's chest, attempting to shield her from the intruder, as foamy water shot over the edge onto the surrounding floor. Regina, her arms now around the Saviour, formed a fireball in her hand, ready for them, should they enter.
"Emma? Gina? Are you in there?" Robin yelled from the other side of the door.
"Robin, you scared the crap out of me!" the blonde yelled back, calming as Regina extinguished the flame. "We're having a bath. Come in!"
The archer opened the door and the first thing that caught his eye was all the water on the floor. "Holy hell What the-" but stopped the moment he saw his two lovers staring straight back at him from inside the bath, Emma leaning back into Regina's chest. "Having some fun?" He smirked at the stunning couple. Just seeing them together like this always turned him on.
"Getting clean, actually." Regina countered.
"So I see. Well, seeing you both there, how about getting dirty, instead?"
That earned a laugh from Emma. "You're way too perky, considering you lot got back after we did?"
"Ah, that's what comes from taking Merlin with you on a boys' night out! He showed me a couple of new spells to get rid of the alcohol in the blood, and freshen up! I used it on John just before I left him."
"A pre-hangover, hangover cure? Well come here and use one of them on me. I could do with waking up!" Emma begged, sliding under the bubbles and dragging Regina down behind her.
"Certainly, ladies. But first, perhaps a good morning kiss?"
"I wouldn't, I haven't brushed my teeth yet. I…mmppff!-" she stopped, as Robin sealed his mouth over hers regardless. What the fuck? she thought, as, without permission, his tongue slid into her mouth. However, a moment later, she felt a light, airy buzz from within as a sudden tingling sensation spread from inside her mouth up through the back of her head. Weird! However, as the sensation eased off, her head felt so much lighter. And no longer sleepy!
"I hope that's not the way Merlin taught you?" Emma sniggered. "That felt seriously weird! What did you just do?"
"Gave you a kind of alcohol detox and a happy pill. If I did it right, you'll feel great the rest of the day…"
Regina pulled herself above the foam. "Well you'd better give me a little of what you gave her, then? I may not be hung over, but I sure as hell didn't get much sleep last night."
So, Robin repeated what he'd done to Emma, sealing the brunette's mouth with a kiss and introducing his new spell into her.
"You have so got to teach me that spell - I'm buzzing! Anything else he taught you? Like how to get sleep while looking after five kids without child minders and babysitters?"
"Nothing quite as useful as that but, oddly enough, yes. Merlin had a few drinks with us last night, and I think he may have been a bit drunk himself towards the end. It could have been that, plus the fact his romantic life may have picked up recently, but he took me aside from the rest of them and gave me a mind link with a couple of particularly useful 'happy wife, happy marriage' spells to us to try?"
Regina's arched a brow. "And by that you mean…
Robin nodded, a salacious grin on his face, and a rather obvious bulge in his trousers, noticed by both of them.
"Stop talking, strip and get in!"
Later...
The scale of the Arendelle wedding itself was tremendous. Full royal pomp and pageantry, with soldiers, resplendent in their uniforms and brasses, lining the route. Everyone in the city seemed to have turned out to witness the marriage of their magical queen to a gentle giant from Sherwood.
Robin had taken his Best Man role seriously, ensuring his friend was delivered to the church on time, fresh as a daisy, partly thanks to the Sorcerer's gifts. And now, his Bride stood nervously at the back of the church, her hands trembling with anxiety, waiting for the music to strike up and make her way towards her future.
"You okay, Els?" Her Chief Bridesmaid took her hand, squeezing it to try and calm her. "You can do this. Provided you're absolutely sure?"
"About marrying him? I'm sure. It's just…look at all of this, Emma?" they scanned over the hundreds of people in the pews, all waiting patiently. "I'm terrified!"
"Yeah, I hear you. But, put all that stuff aside and just focus on John! He's there, Els, waiting for his bride. You look amazingly beautiful right now, better than I've ever seen you, and I just know he's going to be swept away. You think you're nervous? Well think about him. He's never even been in a place like this before!"
"I am! He never wanted to be a king, Em. John hates all the fuss, all the protocol. He just wants…"
"He just wants to be with you, and that's all that matters! Make everything else invisible and concentrate on him, that lovely thief of yours. Soon he'll be a royal thief!"
The queen sniggered, nervously. "Thanks. Funny, you'll be doing this with your own thief in two weeks' time."
"Yeah. I'm already married, but I'll still be shitting myself! So, I'll need my friend there, to calm me down too." Emma gave her a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug. "Now let's get out there and go get your husband?"
~oOo~
The rest of the service proceeded smoothly. As they made their vows, even the most hard-hearted found themselves teary-eyed, as the bride and groom pledged undying love and devotion.
When the Bishop finally declared them husband and wife, another smaller ceremony had to take place. Namely the crowning of John Little as King John of Arendelle. Although he hated any form of public speaking, John nonetheless, under Robin's previous coaching, delivered his acceptance vows of office perfectly, swearing undying loyalty and devotion to his queen. Elsa herself finally placing a crown upon his head.
Finally, with the services and formalities now over, the newly married couple could relax, making their way back to the banqueting hall. However, Will and some of the Merry Men couldn't resist giving the pair a low bow to their friends as they entered, prompting the entire hall to follow, with the men bowing and all the women curtseying grandly. Even the four queens, Snow, Regina, Emma and Anastasia followed suit.
"My liege!" Yelled Will, bowing even lower than the rest, a smirk on his face. "We are honoured and unworthy," earning a chuckle from Elsa, a glower from John and a smack on the arm from Anastasia.
"Well you certainly are, Scarlet!" growled John. "Okay you lot, enough's enough. No more bowin' and scrapin' to me! Elsa's the queen here. You can do it to her, cos she's my lady, but the first person to call me 'King John', goes home with no lunch an' a doggy bag!"
One week later – Boston Logan Airport
As the trio left entered the public Arrivals area after their long flight, Rumpelstiltskin was more than surprised to find the Sorcerer waiting for them in the line of people waiting to greet their friends and loved ones.
"Professor? I don't recall arranging for you to come and meet us?"
"You didn't. But I thought it best to catch you here, before you all head back to Storybrooke. Forgive me ladies, but would you allow me to speak with Mister Gold in private, just for a minute or two?"
"What, now?" Belle frowned. "We've just come off a long flight! Couldn't you let us freshen up at the hotel first?"
Rumple realised it must have been something important for the most powerful sorcerer of all time to meet him. "Belle, let me speak to the Sorce…to Professor Sage, for a few minutes? If the two of you head over to that coffee lounge over there, I'll be with you as soon as I can? Leave one of the trolleys. I'll bring it over…"
~oOo~
A minute later, they were out of earshot. "Well?"
"Forgive me, Rumple, but I needed to speak to you with some urgency. Before you left for Europe, you met me outside the Storybrooke town line and told me that the Dark One seemed to be much weakened, possibly even dying. You asked for my assistance?"
"I don't recall any meeting! My memory is usually more than excellent…"
"That's because you took a forgetting potion immediately after. You didn't want the Dark One reading your mind when you returned." He watched Rumple's mind working overtime. "Have you seen him since you left?"
"I visited three magical towns. He appeared to me twice. Yes, he was substantially weakened. A pale grey colour and very tired. What did I ask you to do at this supposed meeting?"
"Are you ready to have the darkness removed from you forever? Even if it meant a possibility of death?"
Rumple looked deep into the other man's eyes, trying to detect any deception. If anybody had suggested any such thing to him in the past, the darkness within him would have ended them! But now?
"I think…I am. Over the last six weeks, for the first time in centuries, I've discovered a world without that malevolent force looming over me. I would be more than happy to stay away from it forever, but I don't want to leave my son behind as a result. I've done that once before! Nor do I want him parted from his mother and…anyone who loves him. He needs both of us. What do you have in mind?"
"Forcefully removing it from you the moment you cross the town line." Merlin answered, without hesitation.
"That's been tried before. It cost your apprentice his life!"
"It did, but I wasn't there to control the process. However now, there are other powerful practitioners on hand to assist me. I believe we can finally wrest it from you."
"But you can't actually kill it, can you? Last time, it took control of the Saviour when it left me. It'll find someone else! Anyone. Some poor soul will suffer, and what then? No, it took me centuries to only partially control it!"
"I agree. That is why we need to remove it. Not just from you, but from any realm."
"But it has to go somewhere. Who will do it? How will you do it?"
Merlin seemed guarded. "I would rather not say precisely how, or who, in case the darkness gets the information from your mind the moment you enter a magical place! That is why I prepared this!" He pulled a small green bottle from his coat pocket. "It's a memory potion which will only erase memories of our meeting and conversation from your mind. Everything else will be unaffected."
"You seem to have prepared for this. What do you need me to do?"
"Sign this letter, which will confirm our conversation and your agreement. Take the potion before you cross the town line. That is VERY important! I will return your memories to you, as soon as we know the Darkness has been removed from the realm!"
Rumple looked at the text, his mind going back to the few words he'd written after Merlin had given, and erased, his memories previously. Pulling out his wallet, he extracted the message he'd written last year:
Trust Merlin – Completely!
"Very well. I'm in your hands. However, I'm taking two days here to visit a friend and take my…wife and friend, sightseeing. I shall arrive Monday afternoon. I'll phone you and confirm when we're close to Storybrooke?"
Mount Olympus
In another world, another dimension entirely, the deity stood around the thoroughly bewildered former living human.
"So, you're really saying I can go back? Live again?"
Neal couldn't believe his ears. "I don't understand! Not that I'm not grateful but, why? Why now?"
[I'M GIVING YOU THE CHOICE, BAELFIRE. YOU'VE PROVED YOURSELF PARTICULARLY WORTHY SINCE YOUR PASSING. WHILST YOU COULD HAVE CHOSEN TO MOVE ON, YOU STAYED AND BATTLED AGAINST MY BROTHER'S ALLIE S IN SEVERAL UNDERWORLD REALMS. YOU'VE RELEASED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SOULS FOR JUDGMENT BY THE COURT. DESPITE THAT, IT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION, BUT..."] The lord of the gods looked across at the four goddesses who stood nearby. [I'VE BEEN PERSUADED THAT, GIVEN YOUR SON IS OF A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AGE, THERE IS EVEN MORE REASON TO OFFER YOU THIS GIFT.]
"Critically important age? Is Henry in trouble?"
[NO. THOUGH WITHOUT GUIDANCE, HE IS LIKELY TO BE IN THE FUTURE. HENRY MILLS HAS A GREAT DESTINY AHEAD OF HIM, WHICH I CANNOT REVEAL TO YOU, LEST YOU CHANGE THE COURSE OF MANY DESTINIES. A GREAT MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU DEPARTED THE LIVING...]
"I know about Emma already. I saw through Persephone's looking glass." The goddess of the Underworld winked at him as he gave her a wry smile. "She fell in love, and married Regina, Henry's other mother. I understand they're raising Robin Hood's daughter together, as well as his son. They moved on, as they should, and I have no problem with that. Though Henry leaving for university must have been hard for them."
Persephone stepped in front of him. "In the world of the living, two earth years have passed since then. Your son has magic now, Baelfire. Powerful magic. He needs guidance…"
"Henry has magic? But how? If he has, that would mean that Emma and I were…"
"True love? Yes, that's correct. Or at least it was when you were living. Your son is taking guidance from your own father."
"My papa's helping Henry? I can't believe it!"
[IT'S TRUE] added Zeus. [THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHANGES. I ALSO RETURNED ROBIN OF LOCKSLEY TO HIS FAMILY. GO WITH HERA AND MNEMOSYNE. THEY WILL BRING YOU UP TO DATE WITH ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED, SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. I'M ALSO GIVING YOU SOME ADDITIONAL TALENTS FOR YOUR RETURN; POWERS TO BETTER PROTECT YOU THIS TIME. WHEN YOU'RE THERE, SEEK OUT MERLIN AND LOCKSLEY. THEY WILL GUIDE YOU IN THEIR USE.]
"Robin Hood? He was a good guy and I liked him, but I don't recall him having magic!"
Themis stepped in. "Well he does now, and he's a major presence in the lives of the Saviour and the former queen as they raise their children together. Come now, my wives and I will prepare you for what you will face?"
[ONE FINAL THING...] Zeus stared almost through him. [I HAVE A SMALL TASK, A FAVOUR I MUST ASK IN RETURN.] Neal knew the Lord of the God's 'favours' were never favours but commands. [THE YOUNG DUNBROCH QUEEN HAS SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH MAGICAL BEINGS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OVER HER RATHER PEACEABLE KINGDOM. IT IS AN UNEVEN FIGHT, CAUSED YET AGAIN BY ALLIES OF MY DEPARTED BROTHER. I NEED SOMEONE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD, SO SHE MAY AT LEAST HAVE A CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. I OWE HER FATHER THAT MUCH. KING FERGUS WAS AN HONOURABLE MAN.]
The following Monday – Mifflin Street
"Okay, I understand. I'll see you at twelve." Robin pressed the end call button on his phone.
"Problem?" Regina could see how twitchy he was. "You look worried…"
"It's this business with Rumpelstiltskin. He arrives back in town today. Merlin still wants us to intercept him the second he comes over the town line…"
"You're still going through with that? Robin, this is dangerous! You remember what happened to Emma last time? Somebody could die! Certainly, the imp could."
"It is dangerous, but it's different this time. Merlin's there, Jefferson will capture the darkness, and I gather his son Charles will be doing something too, but I don't know what. There'll be a few of us. It should be okay."
"Should be? That's hardly comforting Robin. I'm serious! The Dark One is a powerful malevolent force, that can't be killed! If this goes wrong…" He saw she was starting to become tearful. "I lost you once. I couldn't bear to do it again."
"And you won't, Regina." He moved swiftly to wrap his arms around her. "I trust him to do what's right. Rumple has agreed to us doing this. I'm also doing it for his son."
"Gold knows? But he could die! Why would he agree to this?"
"Because it's a curse he's carried for too long. With no magic, he's free. He doesn't want to be cursed forever. Gina, I made a promise to Merlin that I would help."
Regina's tears turned to anger in a matter of moments. "And you'd risk your life, again, for him? You're getting married next week, or had you forgotten!" her voice kept getting louder and angrier. "You have children, Robin! Five children! And they need their father, not just some stories in a book about a dead hero. THEY NEED YOU, DAMMIT! Don't do this! Just…don't!"
"You know I have to. You'd do the same. When you were the only two with magic, you and Emma did…"
"At least let me do this with you? I have powerful magic too, unless you've forgotten! Or are you damn men too chauvinistic to admit a mere woman could help!"
He stayed silent, knowing her anger was based on fear. Fear of losing him. "You are powerful, Regina. But we have been given specific tasks to capture it. We trained for this eventuality…"
"You trained? That just makes it worse! Why didn't Merlin ask me? Or Emma?"
"Because you've both had the darkness take you over in the past. That's why he didn't ask Maleficent. Or Lily. You would be the first target once it's released, apparently. Regina, he didn't avoid talking to you about it for nothing. It's just that your past leaves you even more vulnerable, should it escape."
She tried to suppress her anger. Knowing he had a point. "How're you even going to do it? Last time, the imp's heart stopped. You'd either have to capture it…or kill him!"
"It's already weakened. We're going to capture it. Blue and the fairies have been drafted in too, to help with the containment. There's no way it should leak out into Storybrooke. You know how Merlin plans things, Gina. He'll make it as safe as he can. I trust him."
"If you get killed, I'll be going down to the Underworld…to murder you myself!"
Meanwhile...
"He's been as good as gold!. I'm just glad he's over the teething!" Belle placed the blanket back over Gideon as he lay sound asleep in the car seat in the back.
In front of her, Ariel checked the map, trying to identify roughly where the hidden town of Storybrooke was. "I think we've got about an hour to run. Angus, what do you think?"
Rumple held the steering wheel tightly, his mind totally distracted. As his lovers called to him, he finally snapped out of his thoughts. "Um…sorry…what?"
"Angus, have you even been with us? You seem miles away! Something on your mind?"
"Sorry. Yes, there's a few things but…nothing to worry about. How's Gideon doing back there?"
That made the two women guffaw, with a hint of ridicule.
"Rumple, we've been talking about him for the last ten minutes! You really weren't with us, were you? I just gave him a bottle and he's gone back down to sleep. He'll be fine, at least for a couple of hours. Ariel asked you how far away we really were? As it's not on any map…"
"Sorry. I reckon from here, we have about sixty miles to go."
"Well, clearly you didn't hear what I said earlier? Angus, I was telling Belle that the last few weeks, this whole trip with you, has been the best thing I've ever done in my entire life! I absolutely loved it. I got to tour a continent, and we wouldn't have done any of it, if it hadn't been for you. I've seen so much, and I've even gained a lover! Two, which seems awfully greedy..." She reached over to kiss his cheek lightly.
"She's right, it was wonderful. Thank you so much for this Rumple. For everything." Belle smiled at him through the rear-view mirror. "Though you do seem very distracted. Is your leg bothering you?"
"No, it's fine Belle. A little tender, but it's fine."
"Will you be okay for the wedding next weekend? Henry's anxious that you go."
"Probably. I spoke to him yesterday. I don't really want to, but the bugger said he'll get a wheelchair and push me around, if need be! He doesn't want me getting out of it."
Ariel sniggered. "He knows you too well! Should be a good party afterwards, though. I'm surprised I got an invitation to join you. I hardly know them."
"That'll be Robin's doing," said Belle. "He said before we left that he wants his godson there. Nice of him, I thought."
"Yeah. But I don't think that's what's bothering you Angus, is it? I think I know what it is. You're worried about the return of the Dark One when you go over the town line, aren't you?" Ariel put a sympathetic hand on his arm. "We're here for you now, you know that?"
"You're very perceptive, my dear." But he said no more, clearly not wishing to discuss it further. He had thought of saying something about his impending fate at the hands of the Sorcerer, but decided it was best to say nothing. When he'd met Merlin at the airport, he'd signed a short letter which explained his consent to whatever was about to happen. But now? Now he was just nervous. Very nervous.
Ariel and Belle didn't pursue the matter further, and the sedan continued the drive towards the hidden town. However, Belle was more than surprised when, only a mile or two from where Rumple had told them Storybrooke lay, he pulled off the road into a small lay by.
"What's happened? Why are we stopping?"
"Just something I need to do, before we enter, my dear. Nothing to worry about..." He reached into the dashboard storage box on his side door, retrieving what looked like a small dark blue bottle, with a little piece of note paper around it. Without any hesitation, he pulled out the small cork stopper, putting the bottle to his lips. "Rumple?" Belle, recognising that colour! "Is that some sort of memory potion?"
But it was too late to stop him swallowing the entire contents in one go.
"Angus, what's going on? What was that?" asked a very worried Ariel. Their lover seemed surprised himself, discovering he was now still sitting at the wheel of his car with a small empty bottle in his hand, but no idea why he'd taken it. "Erm…I'm not entirely sure. I feel okay, though! He opened up the small note surrounding the bottle, to read the little message, written in his own handwriting:
Trust Merlin – Completely!
Belle looked over his shoulder. "That's your handwriting! Rumple, what's going on?"
"I don't know exactly, but I took this for a reason!" He searched his mind. "Tell me a few things about the last two weeks? I suspect I wanted to block out a memory or two. Tell me what we did."
The two women recounted their last six weeks, with Rumple asking them to move on when he remembered the same events. It was only when they covered the arrival in New York that his brow raised in surprise. One thing in particular stood out.
"So, Merlin met us all at the airport? You're sure?"
"I'm certain! He spent twenty minutes with you on your own. You asked us to go and have a coffee, and we waited till you'd finished. He left straight after."
"Interesting. Oh well, I dare say we'll find out what happened soon enough. Let's go." He eased the car back onto the road to complete their drive. No more was said, until the car approached the town line.
As they turned the final bend, before heading over where he knew the border to be, Rumple was met with the sight of three men standing in the middle of the highway, not moving as the car approached and slowed.
"What the hell's going on?" gasped Belle. "And what's Merlin doing standing there?"
"Waiting for me, it would seem. I suspect this is something to do with the forgetting potion I took back there." He brought the car to a stop. "Ladies, would you kindly stay with Gideon, while I find out what this is about?"
"No chance! I'm coming with you! Ariel, please mind Gideon?" Belle stepped out the rear door at the same time Rumple left on his side. She was more than surprised to see that Merlin, the Sorcerer, was now flanked either side by Robin Locksley and a younger, dark haired man, who she vaguely recalled was Merlin's own son.
"My apologies for the nature of the welcoming committee, Rumple, but it was planned this way, by both you and I, several days ago."
"So this is why I took the forgetting potion? If so, I…" but before he could continue, Robin and Charlie Sage had grabbed his hands firmly. As he looked down, they both slapped something around each wrist. "A magic controlling bracelet? Is this really necessary?" He started to panic, realising the seriousness of the situation.
"ROBIN, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Belle was now seriously annoyed at his mistreatment.
"I'm sorry Belle! Welcome back, by the way. You'll see shortly…" was his only reply, as Merlin turned toward the open road and the site of the town line. "Shall we?"
Rumple sighed in resignation, now starting to walk towards whatever reception they had planned. As he stepped forward, he felt a rush of energy enter his entire body. His magic had returned! The power! The Dark One was back! He felt both giddy with excitement, and sad at its arrival.
As they moved forward over the town line, he expected to see more road, but with first sight of the magical town in the distance. However, what he didn't expect to see was a larger welcoming committee!
Directly in front of him stood Jefferson, his trusted friend, holding a large, new-looking top hat, embroidered with dark red lace. To the man's sides stood nuns from the convent. Fairies. Roughly a dozen of them, with Reul Ghorm on the left, directing them. Each fairy had their wand raised in the air, as though forming an arch.
And now, after many weeks absence, the creature, only visible to him, finally appeared.
"They've come to kill you, dearie!" Screeched the Dark One. "You're a stupid fool! They've come to kill you! So, you know what you have to do – end them now! Start with the most powerful. End the Sorcerer! Now!"
Rumple couldn't resist its pull. Despite the joys he'd experienced over the last weeks, the pull of the Dark One, despite his weakness, was just too great! He felt the old powers well up as he prepared his death spell in his mind. "Time to kill! Take out the Sorcerer and the Outlaw first!"
But as he raised his hands, he spotted the magic-binding bracelets on his arms. "Damn it!"
Robin and Merlin stood before him, hands raised and firing some sort of spell at him. It blasted him back, but not down. However the energy surrounding him was astonishing! To his right, he saw the young man, Merlin's son, powering a blast into his side that made him spin and fall back. In a daze, he vaguely heard the horrified screams of Belle some way behind as he tried to stand
"Sorry dearie!" The voice within him chirruped in its annoying cackle. "But I'm afraid this is where I love you and leave you! You've been a wonderful host, longer than most, but I think I may have overstayed my welcome? You'll be dead very soon, as I'm pretty sure you won't survive another blow like that. So do give my regards to all the souls you and I have sent to the Underworld? So long!"
With that, Rumple felt a tremendous pain from within his chest as a dark translucent mass seemed to leave his body. His legs now collapsing underneath him, as the light started to fade from his eyes, he heard his lover, still screaming, racing over to him. But he barely noticed her being restrained from getting any closer, by another magical force.
The last words he heard were Merlin's: "CHARLIE? NOW!"
~oOo~