Dreamcatcher

"You have got to be kidding me," Piper stated as she and Gold sat at the table of Emma's kitchen, sipping tea, Emma leaning on a small bar off to the side, eating toast, while August stood before them with the latest intel from town.

"A ball?" Emma repeated what August had informed them, "My parents are throwing a ball?"

"This surprises you?" Gold looked over at her, truly it was more shocking that it took them this long to throw one, it had only been a week since the 'animal' attacked and gave them time to speak with Henry.

"Well, I mean, I'm the Dark One, the big bad out to destroy the town," she rolled her eyes, "And instead of stopping me…they're throwing a ball?"

August snorted, "Sounds like heroes," he remarked, "They're all about hope, Emma," he reminded her, honestly not sure if she'd forgotten that with the Darkness in her or if she genuinely never noticed how the heroes chose to 'inspire' hope at times, "That's their way of reinvigorating it, if they can celebrate while there's a danger out there then the danger isn't so bad."

"Perhaps we should remind them of how 'dangerous' you are," Piper suggested, "Something to set the fire under them once more. Or you could 'pull a Regina' and crash it," she smirked at her, "I would suggest, if that is your wish, not to reveal our plans as Regina did."

Emma scoffed, glancing at Gold, "Is it a villain thing or a Dark One thing, advertising plans?"

He smiled, "My plans were always hidden, even if my reasons were not."

"Baelfire," Emma followed along, though her mind went to a few other instances, like with the Queens of Darkness, how they thought the ultimate goal was to turn the Savior dark when it had only been what they let the Queens assume and not the actual plan. Misdirection could be useful like that.

Which made her consider Piper's words even more. Perhaps she SHOULD crash it, make a big show, but instead of blurting out her entire plan, let enough slip where they could work it out...or think they had. It would be dangerous though, as much as she wanted the heroes to be out of their mind with worry over what she would do and what their plan was...it wouldn't be safe to do until they had Excalibur in their possession.

They needed Excalibur to cut the Darkness out of the Dark One, they HAD to have that in hand before they could get the heroes worked into a frenzy.

They couldn't risk them going on alert too soon, snooping where they shouldn't, realizing things too early. Once they had Excalibur, then she could really start to work on the heroes. And wouldn't it be that much more satisfying? For them to find themselves at the disadvantage of not even KNOWING there had been a weapon she was after until after she'd gotten it? If she showed up with Excalibur in hand they couldn't plan to 'stop her getting it' and they would realize she had the upper hand more so than her retaining her memories would. Let them be lulled into a false sense of security for now, let them think they could waste their time on a ball and not worry about what she was up to. It would only come back to bite them later, to realize they could have used that time trying to work out her plan.

"And then Pip," Gold nodded, pulling Emma from her thoughts as he looked over at Piper, "Finding him, protecting her."

"Only ever tell someone part of a plan," Piper sipped her tea, "Assumption and misdirection is a villain's best weapon," she glanced at them, a wink telling them both that, despite her words, they had been honest with them about all of their plans.

"So are we crashing the ball?" August grinned, rubbing his hands together, he'd always wanted to do a dramatic entrance.

"It is not like we shall ever be invited," Piper remarked, looking to Emma.

Emma rolled her eyes, "I'd rather let them use it as a distraction, go party while I plot or something, whatever it is Dark Ones do."

Piper turned her head to the side, a small frown on her face, "Henry?" she asked, hearing his song approaching the door a moment before he knocked on it.

"It's open, kid!" Emma called out to him, setting the toast aside as Henry entered the room.

"Hey," he smiled at them, "Snow White's…"

"Hosting a ball?" Emma asked, "Yeah, August told us."

"I um…" Henry shifted, "I wanted to ask your help about that. There's um…this girl," he began, blushing somewhat, "Violet. I…I want to ask her to the ball but her horse got loose and he's missing and she really loves it," he looked over at Emma and Piper, "Could you help me find him?"

"To be the hero who brings him back," August chuckled, patting Henry on the shoulder, "The knight on the quest to return something lost to his lady love…"

Henry rolled his eyes and shoved August's hand off his shoulder with a muttered 'shut up.'

He looked over at his mother and Aunt, "I just figured, with your magics," he looked between them, "You two would be the best ones to help track him down."

"We would be happy to help, Henry," Piper nodded.

"Gold and I have some research to do anyway," August agreed, leaning over to haul his pack off the floor and onto the table, a bunch of books Gold had listed from his shop that might help them crack the stone and get Excalibur out. They were going to sort through them, they didn't really need Emma and Piper there for all of it, there weren't that many books to begin with.

"Should we get started?" Emma looked at Henry who beamed and nodded, excited to, as August said, being the quest.

~8~

"So what do we know?" Emma asked as they wandered through the woods, heading for the center of it.

According to Piper, being in the middle would be easier for her song to reach in an equal distance, and she could play a tune meant to draw horses specifically to her. Henry was a bit hesitant to go that route though, not that he didn't want Piper to use her magic, it had been one reason he'd specifically wanted her and Emma...it was just he hoped to use it more as a last resort. HE wanted to be the one to find the horse on his own, but if it got to be too late in the day and he ran out of time, he would ask them to use it. He just really wanted to try first and spend some more time with them.

"His name is Nicodemus, and he loves pumpkin," Henry stated, frowning, "That's…really all I know. Violet's dad is out trying to lure it with some."

Emma snorted, "Back in my bail-bondsperson days, I caught a guy because he loved pizza, but I didn't walk around randomly holding a slice of pepperoni. There is a better way."

Henry glanced over at her, "You don't seem surprised."

"By what?"

"Violet. My other mom bugged me nonstop about her."

Piper smiled, "You have a crush on her here, Henry, what makes you think you did not in Camelot?"

Henry blushed, "So…we were dating there too?"

"You were very set on wooing her."

"It was sweet," Emma smiled, "Your first crush," she glanced at Piper a moment and then back at Henry, "You know it was you and Violet that helped us free Merlin."

"Really?" he smiled at the thought of the two of them being able to help like that.

"A lot of...really hard choices," Emma gave him an apologetic smile, "But it worked out in the end, for you and Violet, and Merlin."

"Well, that's good," Henry laughed, letting out a long breath, "I've missed this...us. Operation Cobra. Not that Operation Bluebird isn't cool…" he added to Piper who waved it off.

"Me too," Emma smiled at him, "So, tell us about you and Violet here in Storybrooke."

"She's cool," he shrugged, "We like some of the same stuff."

"Like what?"

"I played her some music, and she was into it."

"Hmm," Piper hummed, "Always my preferred method of getting through to others."

Emma and Henry both snorted, bursting into laughter at her phrasing, both knowing exactly the damage her music could do. Her version of 'getting through to others' was probably nothing like what most others would assume it was.

"What was the song?" Piper glanced over at him.

"Yaz," Henry answered.

Emma smiled at that, familiar with the artist, "What song?"

"'Only You.'"

Emma paused and blinked at him, "Did your dad teach you that move?" she was also very familiar with that song too.

"He said it always works," Henry shrugged.

Emma's smile grew soft and fond as she thought back on the man, "Did with me. He loved that song."

"It's a good song."

"Yeah, it is."

"Rummy loves music as well," Piper mused, "Especially songs I would compose for him."

"Yeah?" Emma looked over at her.

She nodded, "His favorite was…"

"One inspired by the screams in his dungeon?" Emma guessed, though there was more a teasing note in her voice, an acceptance of the odd way she and Gold expressed love.

She shook her head, "One inspired by Bae."

"But I thought you hadn't met him until New York?" Henry asked.

"Sometimes objects can hold traces of a person, something important to them becomes almost infused with their spirit," Piper explained, "Rummy had a room full of Bae's possessions and, sometimes, I would feel as though I could hear a faint melody just…the imaginings of a song, like when you might hear a concert from very, very far away. I played it for him once, what I heard, and he said it reminded him of Bae. Meeting him, I was very close to what his song sounded like."

"That's sweet," Emma smiled.

"He DID also enjoy the songs inspired by the screams from his dungeon though, yes."

"Not so sweet," Emma shook her head, before looking over at Henry, "Enough talk, time for action, let's get your girl's horse. I have a good idea where to start."

~8~

Gold and August looked up when a flash of magic rippled across the room he and August had moved to to get their work done, a small office near the back of the house. August tensed with what it could mean but Gold frowned, "Someone's trying to enter," Gold told him, recognizing the signs for what it was, "Emma placed a protection spell over the house that activates when she leaves the premises."

"I can get in," August frowned.

"So can Henry," he pointed out, "She trusts you."

"Then someone she doesn't trust is trying to break in," August noted, getting up, "I'll handle this," he told Gold, "You stay here."

"I may be human, boy, but I'm not defenseless," Gold stood as well, his hand clutching his cane in answer.

Piper was right, he had not been that cowardly man in centuries, nor had he been under the impression that his magic was infallible even when he had it. He needed to know ways to protect himself if his magic failed and so he had taken to learning swordsmanship, for 300 years, had gone so far as to seek out the best swordsman of each generation to challenge them or make a deal to learn from them. His cane wasn't a sword but it was good enough to beat a man with. Piper had once claimed, when he had recounted some of his more cowardly past, that he would only ever act the role of coward now to lull an enemy into thinking him weak so he could strike back when the occasion arose. He would not have this man think him too weak to defend his mate.

August smirked, "I know," he told Gold, "But we need the others to think you're down for the count, like they have leverage or some sort of advantage."

Gold glowered at that, it was a good point. As far as the heroes knew, he was still trapped in his preservation spell and unconscious. They would think they could find a way to kidnap him or something, perhaps, or even that their small band was at a disadvantage without his mind to help them. It mattered little what the heroes actually planned, only that they thought him sleeping still. So he gave a sharp nod, especially when another flash of magical energy surged across the room, "Go," he urged, "They've broken through."

August nodded and moved out the room, being careful to shut the door quietly behind him, rolling his eyes at how completely inept the ones breaking in were. He could hear them talking, clearly thinking no one was there. He heard Regina's voice, Hook, Robin Hood, and Charming all speaking as they made their way through the halls. He frowned, hearing their footfalls stopping exactly where the door to the basement was.

"What's this?" Regina murmured.

"What the hell is that?" Robin Hood asked.

"It's a dreamcatcher," Charming explained.

"Aye," Hook agreed, "Baelfire gave her one similar to this a long time ago. But this, it's different."

"Be careful with that!" Regina snapped and there was a shuffle he could only take to mean Regina had snatched it from someone, "They can be more than just objects of folklore. When imbued with magic, they can be quite powerful."

"That's not why we're here," David cut in, "Come on, you said there was something in the basement…"

"I don't think so," August spoke as he moved to lean in the archway to the living room, startling the four away from where Regina was about to open the door to the basement, an old dreamcatcher in hand that he knew Emma hung up on the front door to help focus the protections.

"Pinocchio," Regina sneered at him, "Surprised to see you here."

"Really?" August scoffed, uncrossing his arms and stepping towards them, "I should be the one saying that to you. Breaking and entering, not very heroic is it?"

"I'd stay where you are, mate," Hook threatened, raising his sword at August, "There's four of us and one of you."

August smirked, one so like Piper's that the fact she had raised him was so much more apparent, "You're really stupid if you think that's a good idea," he stepped forward so the tip of Hook's sword was pressed to his chest, "Think, long and hard, about who and what my mother is," he looked between the four individuals, "And ask yourself if you're willing to risk the wrath of a Siren avenging her child. You hurt me, she won't just kill you, she'll rip you to shreds and you know it," he watched the threat sink in, before he stepped back and gestured to the front door, "Get out."

Robin Hood and Charming glanced at the others before turning to head for the door, not willing to harm a defenseless man just to see what MIGHT be in the basement. Hook glared at him before lowering his sword and stalking away. Regina, however, stepped closer, holding the dreamcatcher in his face as though to point at him with it, "This isn't over," she warned him, "Emma's hiding something down there and we WILL find out what it is."

"Good luck with that, your majesty," he gestured for the door, rolling his eyes once it was shut and the protection spell reactivated, "Were heroes always that annoying or is it only converted-villains?"

Gold scoffed as he entered the room, "It's the heroism. The self-righteousness is what brings it out," he moved to pull a phone from his pocket, preparing to call Piper and Emma to warn them.

He didn't think Henry had a hand in this, to lure the women away so the heroes could break in, at least not knowingly, but it was better for the boy to be aware of what his other mother and grandfather had tried to do.

~8~

"Mom, this is genius!" Henry beamed as they came across a stand near the edge of the town, Peter's Pumpkin Stand, which was set up with a number of pumpkins off to the side of it and a small patch of still growing ones behind the small shack.

"Yeah," Emma chuckled, ignoring Piper's sigh at how she wasn't going to be using her song to lure the beast to them now that they were surrounded by its favorite treat, "When the first curse ended, this Peter guy opened this place. I wouldn't have known about it, but it got so many noise complaints."

"Hmm, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater?" Piper guessed.

"Guy sure liked his parties," Emma nodded, "Hadn't thought of it till you mentioned the pumpkins, though."

"There he is!" Henry cheered, hearing a horse whinnying, and spotting a single one eating a pumpkin tipped on its side next to the shack, "Violet wasn't kidding."

Emma smiled at the sight, "Would you look at that. Come on," they headed over to the horse, which shied away with a snort the nearer they got.

"Horses, never much care for darkness, in any form," Piper murmured, leaning over to pull the pipe from her boot, "I can soothe him…"

"It's ok, Aunt P," Henry offered, "I got it," he sent them both a wink, waiting till they gestured him on with amusement before he stepped forward and cautiously approached the skittish horse, "It's ok, Nicodemus. Come here, boy. It's ok, Nicodemus. Come here, boy. Come here. Yeah. Here you go," he crouched down and scooped up a piece of pumpkin to hold out, luring the horse near enough that he could grab the reins with his other hand, "There we go," he beamed as soon as he got hold of it, turning to the two blonde women, "See? Told ya."

"You are spoiling my fun, Henry," Piper spoke, though she didn't sound angry about it at all.

Emma was smiling at him, "Now that you've got your girl's horse, don't you have a dance to get to?"

~8~

"Damn it!" August cursed.

"Language, Key," Piper countered dryly.

"Really, mom?" August sent her a look, "Really?"

He, Piper, Gold, and Emma had gathered before a mirror in Emma's home the moment the two had returned and been told about the heroes' attempted break in. Emma had wanted to see if they were discussing any further plans for another attempt, only to see Regina examining the dreamcatcher she had taken with her from the house. Which had led to August's outburst. He hadn't thought anything of it when Regina had been poking it in his face, taking it to be just her irritation and drama.

Apparently Regina had been using her magic to gather the surface memories that had come up when she'd mentioned finding out what was in the basement. She'd managed to gleam enough off of him that the catcher had gotten an image of the basement, of the sword stuck in the stone. It wasn't much, but it was enough for them to extrapolate at least part of the plan Piper and Emma had come up with. They knew they had something in mind for the sword, otherwise why would Emma be taking such care to hide it from them?

"Now we know why she didn't want you down there," Regina was saying in the mirror as she looked at Hook.

"Indeed," he sighed, "I don't think she wants anyone to see this, and I think I know the reason why. Take a gander," Hook used his hook to point at something just on the edge of the memory in the dreamcatcher, "Excalibur looks quite familiar."

"The Dagger," Regina realized, noting the curving of the blade, noting the edge of the design that was carved onto the Dark One's Dagger, "It's the same design, the same edges," she lowered the catcher, "What the hell does she want with this?"

"And with Rumpelstiltskin," Robin Hood agreed, for they all knew the Gold had been taken by them.

"That one's the fish," Hook nearly spat, "I would bet my ship on it. SHE'S the one who wanted the Crocodile, not Emma."

"What is she up to?" Regina huffed.

"Well, given our missing memories, I'd wager whatever it is, it's not good," Robin Hood remarked.

Emma waved her hand and the image faded back to their reflections.

"Shit, I'm so sorry," August looked at them, "I didn't know she was scanning me. I never would have thought of the basement if I had. Now they know we have the sword."

Emma was silent and torn. She had, just hours ago, been debating whether to give the heroes a little hint of the Darkness in her, something to worry them, to remind them how foolish they were to hold a ball while there was a threat looming over their town in her. She'd been leaning towards not revealing anything till it was too late for the heroes to do anything...but it appeared that had been decided for her now.

"It may not be a bad thing," Gold remarked, considering the situation carefully.

"They know we have the sword, but not why or what for," Piper reminded her of what the mirror had revealed, "It will take them time to work out what Excalibur can be used for. Perhaps it will work to our favor, they will fret longer, worry more, the tension would be extended. To have the threat of what it can do hanging over their heads..."

"Yeah, but what if they come after it?" Emma pointed out.

"We have options," Gold looked at them, "A duplicate stone and sword in the basement, moving the original to another room. Or we might do as the boy suggested, let them pull the sword and take it from them. They would have to come here, we can set traps and spells to ensure they cannot keep it."

Emma let out a sigh, "For now we'll do the duplicate," she decided, "Until we can come up with something else," she looked at August and Gold, "Did you find anything out."

"Two more ideas," August nodded.

"We have time," Piper reminded them, "The ball is tonight, the heroes would not risk returning so soon, not when they would know Key has told us they were here, and not while the entire town is gathered. Not being there would be noticed and draw suspicion that something may be wrong, it would ruin the image they wish to create."

Emma nodded, "Ok, what have we got?" she turned to August and Gold for their latest ideas.

~8~

It was truly something, how little the heroes noticed when they thought they were safe. Piper smirked to herself as she walked through the crowd gathered for the 'ball' that was being thrown, wearing her shadow-made cloak to keep her unnoticed as she went. Emma and the boys were attempting one of their ideas and, according to August, if it didn't work right, there could be an intense magical backlash, with her being pregnant, they hadn't wanted her near the house, for her own safety. She had agreed to go on one condition, that she 'crash' the ball as they had joked, listen in, see if the heroes had any plans she could gleam while the others were occupied. And, she told Emma, she did not want to miss Henry's grand gesture in returning the horse to Violet, a memory for her to look upon later. None of them were pleased with the idea, but she had promised to stay to the shadows, under her cloak, and only observe.

It was, she felt, a good thing she had or else she would not have come across a rather interesting conversation between the heroes, Hook, and King Arthur.

"She had Excalibur?" Arthur appeared greatly startled and yet relieved as well to finally know where his sword had been deposited.

Piper smirked to herself as she stood mere feet away, her hood drawn up tight, none of the heroes able to see her or sense her so close yet in the shadows.

"Trapped in a stone in her basement," Hook nodded.

"Well, then we need to get it back at once!" Arthur declared, "It would be disastrous if the Dark One took possession of it."

Hook eyed the man suspiciously, "That have anything to do with its striking resemblance to the Dark One Dagger?"

Arthur seemed startled, "How do you know about the Dagger?"

Piper had to roll her eyes, truly how had the heroes not realized Arthur had other motives and a more nefarious plot in the Forest, he was not an exceptional actor.

"I've spent a lifetime trying to end the Dark One's existence," Hook explained, "I know much about the Dagger. What I don't know about is your blade. Care to enlighten us?"

Piper grew serious at his proclamation, after all that happened in Camelot, after how he reacted to Emma now without his memories of all that occurred, she would have to be on guard if he saw Emma as truly the Dark One to be ended. She knew his ire would soon turn to Gold himself, not Emma, she would need to keep closer to him to protect him from Hook should the man discover the truth that he was awake. Hook would be quite surprised if he tried to lock blades with Gold now, the man had far more tricks up his sleeve after 300 years working on his sword arm, but if he learned all of what happened in Camelot, only magic would keep her mate safe.

"Yes," Arthur sighed, pulling her attention back, "There's a reason they resemble each other. They were forged as one weapon and then broken in two. I've spent years trying to reunite them."

"That's why you were so interested in the Dagger when you arrived," Mary Margaret realized.

"I apologize for not telling you sooner, but I had to make sure I could trust you. The restored weapon has great power. It can eradicate all dark magic forever."

David grinned at that, relieved, "That's a good thing."

"Of course. But in the wrong hands, it can also destroy all light magic."

It was no surprise to Piper that Hook immediately latched onto that and declared, "That's her plan! To snuff out the Light forever!"

She shook her head, observing them, assumption, a villain's greatest weapon. Had any of them even a single braincell to share between them, they would have noticed Emma had been relatively tame here. They had jumped straight to her trying to destroy all light magic.

Which, to be fair, was exactly what they wanted the heroes to think of their plan.

It was so simple, so easy to gain Emma and Henry's agreement to that part of it. And she had Arthur to thank for it. As soon as the heroes learned what a whole Excalibur could do, if they could just get the sword into Emma's possession as the Dark One, they would think it that. Emma would not even have to DO anything for them to assume that was the plan. They wouldn't have paid any attention to all HER remarks about how one could not simply destroy one side of magic, they would believe what they wish. Emma could literally stand there with the sword in hand and, so long as the heroes knew it could destroy the light 'in the wrong hands,' they would fear that was her plan.

It just so happened that they now needed Excalibur whole to cut the Darkness out of someone at the same time, it had ended up working out perfectly for them. The thing that would allow their plan to come to fruition was the same thing the heroes would assume the worst on.

And that was the whole plan, that was what Emma had wanted from the beginning, a way to show the heroes their own hypocrisy and double standard, their own worst thoughts and beliefs, how their view of good and evil colored their view and warped their thoughts. She wanted a way to punish them for all of it, all that they could get away with that villains would suffer for.

When all was said and done she had no doubt the heroes would be forced to face their shortcomings, and it would leave plenty of room for chaos and other dark acts in the meanwhile.

This was going far faster than she had hoped it would, but, for now, it was still going to plan.

She shook her head, focusing back on the heroes, because a declaration like that, if she knew the heroes as well as she felt, would mean that any moment...

"What happened in Camelot? How did Emma fall so far?"

Any moment Snow White would along with it and believe it, believe the worst in her daughter instead of having faith in her, instead of denying that that couldn't be what she was planning, that they had to be wrong because Emma wouldn't.

A part of her was pleased, for it meant the plan she and Emma had implemented was working if the heroes were truly convinced that Emma had gone dark. Another part of her was angry that Snow White would give up so easily, that she wouldn't fight for her daughter.

SHE was a lost cause, she knew that, she had been born the way she was and no amount of trying would change the way her mind and body worked. Emma was still a good person, despite the Darkness, and Snow White was giving up on her.

She took a breath, shaking her head, focusing on the conversation she had just overheard, now that Arthur knew where the sword was, they would have to be even more on guard to ensure that it remained safe in their possession. If the most recent ideas to free the sword did not work, they might not have time to think of more, they would need to ask Henry for help.

She nearly turned to leave, when a horse whinnied at the edge of the gathering. She made her way through the crowd under the cover of her cloak, and smiled, seeing Henry riding Nicodemus up to the crowd, a young girl, Violet, rushing forwards, her eyes wide, positively beaming at the sight.

"Henry!" Violet cheered, "Henry, you did it!"

"Well done, lad," Sir Morgan, Violet's father, patted him on the back as Henry dismounted, "Well done."

"Henry, this is my father, Sir Morgan," Violet introduced, "Father, this is Henry."

Morgan smiled down at him, "You've made my daughter very happy. We owe you a great deal of thanks."

Henry shook his head, "It was nothing, sir."

Morgan chuckled, "Heroic and humble. You're a good man, Henry. You'll make a fine knight someday."

Henry beamed at that, at the approval the man was giving him, "Thank you, sir."

"Now, you two..." Morgan looked between his daughter and Henry, "Enjoy the festivities."

Violet waited just long enough for her father to turn away before she threw herself into Henry's arms, hugging him tightly, "Thank you, Henry."

Piper smiled softly, pleased to see Henry so happy with the girl who was looking at him as though he hung the moon and stars, as though he was her hero.

"What's this?" she heard another voice speak, low and quiet.

Piper turned to see Regina had gone over to admire the horse as Morgan led him away, pausing when something fell out of the saddle bag when one of the other knights moved to help pull it off for Morgan…

A dreamcatcher.

Piper cursed under her breath and whispered Emma's name under her breath, the woman hearing her call and a swirl of black surrounded her, transporting her back to the house, "We have a problem," she warned them.

"What happened?" Emma tensed.

Piper looked over at her, grim and serious, "Regina found Violet's dreamcatcher."

Emma's eyes widened, "Shit."

August huffed, "Sure, don't tell HER to watch her language," he muttered.

~8~

It hadn't been anything worth thinking of, worth trying to take back, the dreamcatcher kept with Violet. There had been no reason to need it, not when there was no reason for anyone to notice it or even to think anything of it if they did. It was just one dream catcher out there in the town, compared to the shed full of dreamcatchers Emma had hidden in the backyard. They had thought it would be safe with the girl, just a random token that appeared in the stables. And they had promised Henry it would be given back to Violet in Camelot, neither of them would break that promise to the boy.

They hadn't anticipated Regina catching sight of the dreamcatcher in the house or thinking to use it to examine memories.

Now she had it in her possession and she would surely see the memory that had been taken from Violet in Camelot.

They knew exactly how it would look to the heroes, the parts kept in that catcher, they would jump to conclusions, not knowing there was a second dream catcher with another side of the story on it.

It would work right into their plans, only emphasize what they wanted to use against the heroes, in the end. It would only push them further into the belief that Emma was lost to them, if she could do what the dreamcatcher encapsulated. And they would be reasonably pleased to have that push, in any other instance but this. Because this was likely the only thing the heroes might come up with that had the possibility to sway the boy and cause him to distrust and doubt their word.

What was on the dreamcatcher, without context, would HURT him.

"It may work out for the best, dearie," Gold offered as Emma paced across the house, August having headed back to his house to nurse the headache he had from how he'd been thrown back by the feared magical blast and hit the wall. Emma had healed him, but he was still sore.

"How?" Emma looked at him, "There's no way Regina won't tell Henry what's on there or he won't see it himself when she suddenly decides he can't be around me or that he won't go looking for it when Regina tries to hide it from him. Henry's going to think I ripped that girl's heart out."

"You did."

"Not like that!" she defended, "But Henry doesn't know that!"

"Neither do the heroes," Piper pointed out calmly, "We can still tell Henry the truth about what happened with Violet. But we should let the heroes think the worst."

"You wanted them to know you've fully become the Dark One," Gold remarked, "Nothing says Dark One like ripping out hearts and causing pain to others."

Emma moved over to the couch and slouched down on it, burying her face in her hands, "I'm starting to think I should have 'lost' something else of Violet's instead of the damned horse. If I knew she'd put the dreamcatcher in the saddlebag…"

Piper reached out to pat her back, it had been their plan to release the horse when they noticed Henry and Violet growing closer in this world, a way to help them become an 'item' sooner than in the Forest and without the disapproval Morgan had had for Henry at first. Find a way for him to be the hero he was and for Morgan to see it, and the man would be signing his praises and giving Henry his blessing to court his daughter. With everything happening in Camelot, and Morgan's disapproval, the two had had a strained time, but there was something there that anyone could see.

This was their way of trying to make up for certain events, removing those obstacles and initial flubs, to make a better first impression and have less holding them back.

"All we can do is wait for Henry to seek us out," Piper told her.

"You really think he's going to want anything to do with me after this?" Emma scoffed.

"You became the Dark One and told him it was for Operation Bluebird," Piper recited, "You offered him answers to any questions he had, honest answers. I think he is more mature than you give him credit for. He will seek you out, if for nothing else than answers for WHY it happened. And you can give him those memories back, so he knows the truth of it all."

No sooner had she spoken, there was a thunderous knock on the door before it was shoved open and Henry stormed in, frowning at Emma as she leapt to her feet, "What did you do to Violet?" he demanded without preamble.

"Henry!" Emma exclaimed, jumping to her feet, "I didn't…" she winced, "It wasn't what it looked like, I swear!"

"Mom," Henry cut in, "It looked like you ripped her heart out and told her to break mine. I want to know why!"

Piper reached out a hand to Emma's arm, standing and turning to pick up a small dreamcatcher resting on the coffee table, a simple brown ring with white cord, a few black splotches staining the string, "We mentioned you and Violet helped us free Merlin," Piper reminded him, "This is how."

Emma took the catcher from her and turned to hold it out to Henry, "This will show you what you want to know."

Henry hesitated for a moment, glancing at Piper as though he almost didn't trust Emma, before he took the catcher and held it before him, watching the memory that played out intently while Emma watched on with baited breath.

Gold and Piper would move to another room to give Emma privacy when she broke down in tears as Henry lunged forward to hug her tightly the moment the memory was finished.

A/N: What's on the dreamcatcher? Hmmm...we'll find out soon }:)

So now we have a more complete look at what the plan is for Storybrooke. Part if it is Emma embracing her darkness, that not-caring aspect, that doing what she wants when she wants, that being devious, that aspect of being able to take her revenge without worrying about whether it'll 'hurt' someone. It's her siding with Villains, with having a plan, with making a stand against the heroes.

Another part of it is misdirection, it's psychological warfare, it's forcing the heroes to face their worst qualities. Not their darkest qualities, but their worst parts, their hypocrisy, their double standards, their assumptions. Because they see everything Emma does, and it's NOT actually that bad, compared to what other villains have done in the past. But THEY are the ones building it up, they are the ones paranoid about it, they are the ones making more out of it than there is and assuming the worst about their once-Savior.

That was something very big for Emma, that she was starting to see how they did bad things and weren't punished, that they gave certain villains a chance but not others, that they trusted one villain with something but not another with the exact same thing even when that villain did nothing to warrant distrust in that area. She wants to give them their worst fears, her Dark, but she also wants to point out, to their face, in a way they can't deny or defend, how self-righteous they make themselves out to be.

They think they've worked out Piper and Emma's plan, destroy the Light. Emma and Piper were intending to make them think that anyway, that that's how far Emma has fallen to the Dark that she would destroy the light. It's what the Dark Ones in her head want her to do so she 'goes along with it' so they give her the information she needs. The heroes will now fully see Emma as the enemy, without even having confirmation about what Emma actually plans to do, they will think they worst, they will try to stop her, they will go to extremes...

And it will blow up in their faces at one point or another, because if that's NOT actually what she wants to do or plans to do, then they've let their worst parts to the surface. They will have to confront how they treat villains, how they think of them, how easily they turn on them, and how little they actually understand them. And, even then, Emma will not be kind to them, she will not be willing to accept their apologies, because this was her point. They can't keep doing this.

That's not to say Emma isn't going dark, that there aren't some things she's going to do that are truly what a villain would do. I can say there is a sacrifice she is willing to make that shock the heroes to the core, because even knowing there are plans within plans, that she would allow this event to happen startles their poor pure hearts }:) And that's also not to say that Emma won't have many bottled up thoughts and anger towards the heroes that will come spilling out at one point or another }:) She's going to care less about hurting her parents, and many things will come to light ;)

There are still parts of the plan still to unfold, still quite a few dark acts and psychological tactics left to go, but I wanted to give another tiny glimpse into some more of the plan. I hope it's not a let down that Emma isn't just 110 percent Dark One, but I felt like a good portion of the plan was created while she was still 'Emma' and not 'Dark Swan' so there was still that level of restraint without that influence of the Darkness in her.

The plan, though, isn't going to be a straight line. We've seen it already, they initially planned for the Apprentice to help them, but he died, and they had to adapt the plan. The more the plan changes, the more things that come up that throw the plan off path, the more opportunity there is for Emma and her new-found Darkness to offer some suggestions how to adapt ;)

On a lighter note, Henry! :D He and Violet were adorable and then his reaction at the end. I really do feel like (or at least I tried to build it up to) Henry is more mature in this story. He's had influence from both heroes and villains, he's thought about more than just one side of a story, he's learned not to judge and not to jump to assumptions. I felt like, even if he's angry, he would at least go to Emma's to demand an answer rather than just say 'she's not my mother' and cast her off like in the episode. He KNOWS there's a plan, he knows something's going on, he knows there's more that happened in Camelot than he knows or even ASKED about. I feel like he'd be willing to give Emma at least one chance to explain ;)

And August :) (language!) Being Piper's son, I couldn't see him just disappearing from the story just because he wasn't in the show as much. He would be there, through all of this. And with how much time he spent in Gold's store, watching him and researching, I felt like it would make sense for the two to 'bond' in some small way, trying to find a way to free the sword without needing a hero. I think Gold, in the Forest, if he had any plans to get the sword out, would have just thought he'd trick a hero into doing it, so he wouldn't have looked into other options. And August, I hope you liked the confrontation with the heroes, he is his mother's son lol :) He would defend Gold, but also threaten the heroes/villains and I couldn't see him being afraid of them. His mother is the Pied Piper, her true love is the Dark One, I think, as a kid, he would have gotten to a point of 'nothing is scarier than my mom protecting me' and been like 'try me, bro' :)

Some notes on reviews...

Lancelot and Gwen always bothered me :/ You would think Snow, after the first curse, with what she and David went through, and how Katherine reacted when they all thought the marriage was real, would have made her more respectful of marriage :/ I'm so sorry that happened to you, my brother is now divorced because his wife did that to him...not even 5 months into the marriage. And his current girlfriend is also a divorcee for the same reason :( They were able to find happiness with each other after, I hope you have found or will find that happiness :)

We got a bit of a look into it here, that yup Emma ripped her heart out }:) There may be a spin on it though, but we'll see what very soon ;) He had the forethought to ask them WHY and he's seen something about all of it that seems to have reassured him ;) As for Nimueh, we'll have to wait and see if Piper will be there when that meeting goes down };) I've actually got 2 of the 3 on my list of upcoming stories ;) An Oliver/OC and a Barry/OC :) I'm actually a bit of a Kara/Mon-El fan so I don't have any OCs in mind for her, but I hope you'll like the other two, it'll just take a bit longer to get to them ;)

I hope it was spam too :( Lol, I feel like Piper's sandwich moment was also partly her going 'well I know heroes aren't particularly bright, let's see if they fall for this' and then they do and she's just like 'I knew it.' :) Oh she's very angry about how many people were at the Vault, so far though, I think it's only Arthur who didn't know where it was. I think Lancelot had found it with Gwen at one point, and I think Snow and Charming knew where it was at one point or another, but she's definitely not happy that they just wandered in :/ It's only her needing to know Arthur's plan so she can keep Emma safe that keeps her trying to rip their heads off lol. I think, sadly, by that point she just sort of has hit a point of 'how can Snow betray me today?' :( She's going to have a lot of trust issues that Snow is going to have to make up for :(