But his desire to break the Queen would only be so helpful if he didn't discuss things with the Doctor or Jefferson first. The plan had changed in his mind. It had originally been something half-formed, something that involved him learning the craft to bring her dearly departed fiancé back from the dead and turn him into an evil raging monster like Frankenstein couldn't possibly imagine. Now it was something different. It was something a little less messy…or at least it would be a bit less messy in their world. In the Land Without Color, if he was successful, well…Frankenstein wouldn't be his problem after their involvement was done. But he did need to return, to prepare the doctor for this new plan, a plan that simultaneously would get Regina to control a heart and lose hope at the same time. A plan that would promise to deliver the doctor what he needed, even if he didn't know it. A plan that clearly had Jefferson in a panic.
"You know he hasn't succeeded yet!" the boy complained breathlessly as he made his way back to the Doctor's laboratory. "You were listening when I told you that, weren't you?"
"Yes, yes, you've told me! And that's why we rushed right over! If he's as far away from it as you say, then I need a new plan, and I have one."
"Which is…"
"Magic."
"Yeah…care to elaborate because I don't think this guy is gonna go for that!"
"You'll find out the details all in good time. Until then…" he held out his hand to silence Jefferson as he watched the one called Igor leave the premises, lifting his cloak over his head to shield him from the storm. Honestly, did this realm ever stop raining? He couldn't imagine a more drab existence, and he was the Dark One. "Wait here for me!" he commanded, sensing only one life inside the laboratory now that the assistant had gone.
"Why can't I-"
He didn't stay to listen to the boy whine; just used magic to take himself inside. He was certain to wear the clothes he'd worn the first time he'd met the doctor, but that was about all that was similar about their last encounter. The room was different from when he'd last been there. Fuller, more lived-in and lively…which was odd considering the dead body floating in a tank of some liquid or other from the ceiling. If the stories Jefferson told him were true, and he had no reason to doubt they weren't, then the body belonged to that of his brother. He certainly hadn't been here the last time he had. Of course, the last time he'd been here, he'd also been packing up, and now, as he spied him working by a microscope of some kind, he was obviously working. And if Jefferson was to be believed then work he must unless he was willing to use a bit of magic.
"Did it work?" he questioned, appearing behind him and looking at all the instruments he had laid out. The doctor didn't turn around, merely hunched his shoulders forward with disappointment. He knew the stance of a man who wanted to be left alone. "No?" he pressed further, purposefully annoying him.
"There was a little problem with what the heart could withstand," he finally admitted. Yes, that was just as Jefferson had said. And it was perfect.
"Ah! Problems of the heart," he commented as if he was only just hearing it for the first time. "Isn't that always the way?"
"Could you get out of my light! Please?"
He laughed. The "please" was an afterthought. He was testy, wanting to be left alone, and yet the good doctor had the manners to know he shouldn't be overly rude to someone who had given as much to his cause as he had. In a land where magic was suspect, it was nice to know money still had power.
"You know," he stated, moving out of the way as the Doctor wanted, "where I come from, there are hearts that can withstand anything because of magic." Well, nearly anything but that wasn't for him to know. Not as the Doctor was following his steps around the laboratory as if he was a puppy who had just been offered a treat.
"You have hearts?" the Doctor questioned. He smiled, this was how fishing worked.
"I'll tell you what. I'm going to bring you a friend…a master of the hat! He shall take you to a young woman who has exactly what you need!" Or at least exactly what was needed for him. "You put on a little show for her, and then you walk away with all your prayers answered. A heart for your brother," he pretended to be uninterested, uncaring of the result of this little temptation and held the magnifying glass up to his eye. He didn't need it; however, to see the small little reactions the Doctor was giving him. He was interested.
"And who is this woman?"
"Her name…is Regina."
Interested he was, but not quite hooked yet. There was something there still in his mind, something that kept him from surrendering and letting himself be caught. He was ready to fight, as most fish were when they were caught up in something they didn't understand.
"Why me?" he questioned. "What is it you need from me? What's the cost? I'm already in debt to you."
Ah, yes…that little detail. "Oh, about that…do this, and I'm willing to…alter the debt."
"Altering a bargain? You can't do that!"
"Ah, yes I can, I can do whatever I want, 'tis my bargain after all."
"Yes, but it is my debt!"
"Then I suppose I'd best make it worth your while."
"I'm listening."
"I want you to work your little experiment in the Enchanted Forest on a former lover of the Queen."
"The Queen?"
"Regina. Did I not mention she was the Queen?" he asked with a smile and small laugh. "I was sure I had."
"Queen or not," Victor shook his head. "I've told you, it's not ready yet, if I try now, I'm sure to fail."
"Well, that's perfect…because that's exactly what I want you to do. That is exactly the kind of show I want you to give her?"
"You want me to fail? You paid all that money so I would fail? Why?"
"Because I want her broken, and this is the way I have to do it. I want you to grant her wish. I want you to examine him, take his body, put it through your procedure…but fail."
"That is all…valuable information, but you still haven't answered my question, why would you want such a thing for your Queen?"
"Well, she's not my Queen! I've my own village to care for. But the answer to your question…that's my business."
"Why not just do it yourself if all you want is to pretend, I can loan you the equipment."
"Because I need it to look believable. Under no circumstances is the woman supposed to know that I've told you to fail."
"And if I don't agree to the terms of this new agreement?"
"Well then…" The Doctor's lack of knowledge about magic was a valuable thing. Without that knowledge, he didn't know he had anything to fear when the Dark One stepped so close that his heart was in reach. In one swift movement, he plunged his hand into the Doctor's chest and pulled free the beating heart. How interesting…the Doctor's heart glowed red instead of gray. Though he wouldn't have been surprised to find it was black, if he was honest.
"I'll have to make you!" The Doctor was not so impressed as he was by his discovery. Instead, he stared wide-eyed, in fear of him, as he watched him hold the organ in his hand. "And if I have to make you, it's hardly a bargain you'll benefit from."
"How…how did you do that?" he gasped, pressing a hand over his own chest and glancing down to see no hole in his clothes or chest, not even a single drop of blood.
"Magic!" he answered. Suddenly the Doctor reached his hand out toward the red he held in his hand, but he was quick to yank it away. The Doctor's motion hadn't been fast, it had been timid and gentle, more likely he'd simply been trying to touch it rather than take it back, but he wasn't one to be fooled around with. "Not so fast dearie. You see…Magic can do a great many things. A heart like this one is something you need to make your brother breathe on his own again, and yet it's not. This will be the kind of heart Regina brings you, she won't know that it can't just be any old heart. Not even an ordinary enchanted one will do, but I can't have you telling Regina that."
"I don't understand. You said she'd give me exactly what I needed."
"And I meant it! She'll give you what you need to fail, and in return, I'll give you the kind you need to succeed." He wagged his eyebrows at him in mock temptation. Finally, the Doctor sighed and then swallowed so hard he could see the poor man's throat bob even against whatever that terrible jacket he was wearing was supposed to be.
"I'm listening," he finally confirmed. And at that word, he quickly moved the Doctor's heart back into his chest.
"You are to tell her you need a heart!" he explained over the noise of his shock and patting down his chest once more, checking for imaginary damage. "Encourage her to get one for you."
"Even though I know it won't work?!" he questioned still hunched over with his hand over his heart.
"Especially because you know it can't work! Because what you do know is that I can get you precisely the heart you'll need to withstand your procedure. You'll have fame, riches…and the love of your father for returning your brother to life."
Suddenly he had the Doctor's full attention.
"How do you know about…have you been watching me?!"
"Had to make sure my investment didn't go to waste!" he smiled. "Now I know it's not. At least so long as you don't turn down this deal."
"A deal? That's what this is?" he questioned incredulously.
"Well, that's what people tend to call it when you get one thing for another. When the time is right, let my associate take you to the Queen, hear her out, hold her hand, examine the body, give her hope that everything she wants is within her grasp, and then…crush it...for good." A well-timed flash of lightning lit up the room as thunder rolled overhead. He'd never hoped that it could be a sign more in his life. "Do all this without a whisper of my name, and you'll go home with a heart guaranteed to withstand a bolt of lightning!"
Another roll and flash. A heartbeat later, he saw the smallest hint of unhappy defeat in the doctor's shoulders and knew that he had him.
"Fine."
"Wonderful!" he declared. "Be ready Doctor. I'll send my associate for you when the time is right. You'll recognize him by his coloring," he smiled, tapping his own cheek. "We'll meet in the woods when it's finished. Once I'm sure the job has been done to my satisfaction, you'll get your heart."
"What a joy to be working with you," he answered sarcastically.
This whole plot was super convoluted when you get right down to it. I know it seems like I'm tweaking it to make it crazier, but I promise I'm not. When you really break down the scenes and then study them in a bigger picture you start to realize that a lot of these things you hadn't thought about needed to be explained or altered to make the entire thing work. Sorry if it seems like a lot of back and forth, I promise it'll pay off in the end.
Thank you MerlockVonBaron, Grace5231973, Jennifer Baratta, and Alarda for your reviews on the previous chapter. And really thank you so much for sticking with me on this one. I remember that writing Regina's section was difficult because it just felt like it went on forever. You don't realize it until you sit down and sort it all out but a lot of the Regina-centric episodes have the exact same plot. Regina is unsure about what she's doing, something happens, suddenly she's sure again. And that would ordinarily be fine, but not when you have about seven episodes like that back to back to back. But rest assured, we'll be into a different section before you know it. Peace and Happy Reading!