The Heart of Everything: The Gold Chronicles: Book I

by CJ Moliere

Rumplestiltskin Strogoff-Gold and his cousins Azkadellia and Dorothia Ozopov, descendants of Greek and Ozian gods must reunite to defeat the darkness that has been trying to destroy their family for centuries. Crossover with Tin Man and Snapegirlkmf's Gold Standard series

15. The Winds of Change

Storybrooke, Maine

One month prior to the breaking of the Dark Curse

Two months prior to the double eclipse

Rumple looked through his ledger as he always did on collection day, a twisted smile forming on his lips as he read over the list of loans that were now past due and nothing pleased him more than seeing Belle's son of a bitch of a father at the top of the list. Even without magic he still had the means to make the bastard suffer for taking away his beloved Belle...by taking away his livelihood. Without a vehicle to make deliveries Moe wouldn't be able to pay the rent on Game of Thorns and Rumple would have the power to evict him. He would cast him out just as Moe cast Belle out. He made a quick phone call to Dove and the two of them walked down to Game of Thorns where Moe was loading up his van to make deliveries.

Not today, you bastard. Not ever again, he thought bitterly.

"Well this is just perfect. I've been looking for you, Mr. French," he said with a grin. Ah, Belle, if only you were here to see this.

"I'll have your money next week," Moe informed him.

"Terms of the loan were fairly specific. Take the van," he commanded Dove.

"Wait! No! Tomorrow's Valentine's Day! It's the biggest day of—I've got a grand in roses in the back!" Moe protested.

As if I give a damn about that blasted holiday. Perhaps I would have been able to celebrate it myself...with Belle but I will never have that chance...because of you!

"Stop! You've gotta let me sell them!" Moe cried as he stepped in front of the van. As much as he would have liked to see the bastard squashed under the tires of his own van, somehow he felt Belle wouldn't approve of that.

"I'm gonna leave you two to continue this conversation," he said as he walked away.

"Oh, this is no way to do business, Gold! You are the lowest! People aren't gonna put up with this!" Moe screamed as Dove drove the truck away.

Little they can do about it now can they, dearie, he thought enjoying this small victory. What started out as a lovely day was starting to turn into a terrible one when he saw Regina waiting for him on the sidewalk.

"Mr. Gold. That was quite a show back there."

Indeed it was.

"Well, Mr. French is just having a bad day, happens to the best of us," Rumple said smartly.

"I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Yeah, and the moment you have something I wanna discuss, we'll have that little chat," he said, not in the mood for the Evil Queen's little games.

"No, we're gonna do this now. I'll only take a moment," she insisted.

That's what you think, dearie. "Is there something eating you, dear? Something you need to get out in the open? 'Cause it's gonna have to wait, please." He smirked when he saw her dazed look and walked away. Now that he'd gotten that out of the way, all he wanted to do now was go home. For twenty-eight years this day was a painful reminder of the second worst mistake he'd ever made when he ordered the one woman who loved him even with his faults out of his life.

When he pulled into his driveway, his day seemed to have gotten worse when he limped up the front steps and saw his front door open. He took the Walther pistol out from its hiding place and stalked through the house in rage that someone would dare steal from him. He heard a noise behind him and turned to fire, pausing when he saw Emma Swan behind him, her own gun drawn.

"Sheriff Swan..."

"Your neighbors saw your front door open and they called it in," she explained.

"It appears that I've been robbed."

"Funny how that keeps happening to you."

"Yeah well, I'm a difficult man to love." he said as they lowered their guns.

You have no idea how difficult, he thought bitterly.

Emma started walking around the house, taking pictures on her phone. "Honestly Gold, how can you find anything around here? This place is packed floor to ceiling with junk. Maybe you ought to see Doctor Hopper about your major hoarding issue."

"I do not need to see that damned cricket about anything!" Rumple grumbled. "And this is not junk. If you knew exactly what it was or where it came from, you wouldn't be calling it junk. Do you hear me calling your things junk? I think not."

"Okay, okay, calm down." she said and started texting on her phone while Rumple went through the house, mentally taking inventory of what was missing. Most of the items were from his china closet, his heart skipping a beat when he saw the saucer that Belle's chipped cup belonged on, the precious cup itself missing.

You son of a bitch. You miserable lowlife son of a bitch. And you bitch...you jealous bitch! I'll make you both suffer for this.

"Sheriff Swan, you can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."

"No, you don't. This was a robbery, a public menace. And if you don't tell me what you know, I'l have to arrest you for obstruction of justice. I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."

"Indeed not."

Let's just say, dearie, my previous incarceration, courtesy of your parents was less than enjoyable even if it did serve its purpose.

"All right, his name is Moe French. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago we had a little disagreement over collateral."

"Okay. I'll go get him...check him out."

"I'm sure you will. Assuming, I don't find him..." He laughed. "Let's just say bad things tend to happen to bad people."

"Is that a threat?"

"Observation. Good luck."

He would let her retrieve his stolen items but that was as far as he was willing to go with her. He would dispense his own justice. He returned to the shop, keeping himself busy with his accounts. After seeing or hearing about the confrontation with the owner of Game of Thorns, people were flocking to his door to pay back their loans before he swooped in and took what they offered as collateral on them. Even some of his tenants were scurrying in to pay their rent before he started evicting them.

He'd just finished depositing all the cash and checks he'd gotten into his bank account when he heard the Rolling Stone's Sympathy for the Devil playing. He had to admit, his cursed self's musical tastes were interesting to say the least. The song was his phone's ringtone and a certain verse of it appealed to him.

Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name

But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game...

He picked up the phone pressed the send button.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Gold, would you mind coming down to the station?" Emma was asking.

"This had better be worth my time, dearie."

"It is."

When he arrived Emma was standing in front of her desk, covered with a sheet. She yanked it off to reveal the items stolen from his house. "You're welcome," she declared arrogantly. "You're right. Your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place," she went on and lounged in her chair, relishing her victory.

"And the man himself."

"Closing in on him."

He looked down at the items. All was accounted for except for one precious thing! "So...job well half done then."

"In less than a day I got everything back. Is something wrong?"

"You've recovered nothing! There's something missing!" he hissed.

"I'll get it when I find him!"

"Not if I find him first," he threatened.

But he had a few errands to run first.

It was very busy at the pharmacy, mostly men scrambling to find last minute gifts for their wives or lovers. He would've been one of them had it not been for the two people he wanted to stake to the ground and drive his car over...or if he had magic, rip their hearts out and crush them to dust. He still had his dark heart and it it had been crushed the day he learned his beloved Belle threw herself off the tower after being tortured...for loving him. And they called him a monster?! He took his place in the checkout line with his supplies in hand...duct tape and rope. He would have preferred a long set of chains and his dungeon to keep the bastard in while he made him see the error of his ways but alas, he was no longer in the Enchanted Forest and would have to make do with this world's tools...and interesting tools they were. While he was waiting Charming got in line behind him with two Valentine cards in his hand.

"Two Valentines. Sounds like a complicated life."

"Oh, no...I just...couldn't decide," Charming said nervously.

"These are both for the same woman?" And I have a donkey's tail. Who does he think he's fooling?

"Well, they're both so...us."

"I see. Well you're fortunate you have someone who loves you."

"I really am."

"Love...it's like a delicate flame and once its gone...it's gone forever," he said as he placed his supplies on the counter along with some money. "Best of luck to you," he added, picking up the bag with his items and leaving the store. Gone, like my Belle.

When he returned to his shop, Dove was waiting for him. "We've had a bit of trouble, Mr. Gold."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Mr. French came over to try to reclaim his van."

Rumple tossed him the bag. "Put him in the van when you're done. We're going to go for a ride and have a little chat." Dove smiled and hurried off while Rumple went back into the shop to retrieve the gun he kept under the counter. Once Moe was loaded into the van, Rumple got in and started the engine, heading toward a cabin he owned but rarely used in the woods.

"Walk!" he demanded when he opened the back doors to the van and pointed the gun at Moe. Inside the cabin he pulled back the trigger. "Now, you see, here's the thing: I don't normally let people get away. Sit your ass down in that chair!" As soon as French was sitting Rumple yanked the tape off.

"Let me explain…okay?" Moe asked fearfully. "Let me explain..."

Rumple grabbed another chair and sat it down, straddling the back of it. "Oh, that is...fascinating...truly fascinating." He shoved the tip of his cane into the other man's throat. "I'm gonna let you breathe in a second and then you're gonna say two sentences. The first is gonna tell me where it is. The second is gonna tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Let's begin."

"I needed that van."

"Ah, ta, ta, ta, ta. Now, you see, that is not a good first sentence!" He brought the cane down delivering a painful blow as the other man begged him to listen. "Tell me where it is!" he demanded, delivering another blow. "Tell me where it is!" he yelled again when Moe pleaded with him to stop.

"It wasn't my fault."

"'My fault' what are you talking about 'my fault?' You shut her out. You had her love and you shut her out!" Rumple cried, lashing out again. "She's gone! She's gone forever! She's not coming back and it's your fault. Your fault! Not mine. You are her father! Yours! It's yours! You let them hurt her...you let them violate her you bastard! She was innocent and you punished her...it's your fault!" He kept swinging, all the heartache and rage he felt unleashed after so many years as her beautiful face appeared in his mind. He was ready to deliver another blow when someone grabbed his hand.

"Stop!" Emma cried.

"This does not concern you!"

"The hell it doesn't! I knew you were up to something. Outside! Now!" she barked and took out her phone to call an ambulance. Rumple glared at her as he walked outside. This wasn't over. Not by a longshot. He waited by her squad car while the paramedics she called tended to Moe.

"So I hear you managed not break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold," Emma said as she approached him.

"You got a funny definition of lucky."

"You have a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?"

"He stole."

"That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt 'her', what happened to 'her'? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can help."

No one can help.

"No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."

"You really don't wanna cooperate."

"Look, we're done here," he said and started to walk away. She grabbed his arm.

"Actually... No, we're not. You're under arrest." she pronounced and cuffed him.

"Aren't you going to read me my rights? After all, dearie, that is how it's done," he quipped.

"All right smartass: you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney...but since I hear you are one; I don't think I need to go on about the court finding you one if you can't afford one. Now watch your head," she said, helping him into the back of her car. "Looks like you'll be spending the night in a jail cell after all."

"I won't be there long, dearie."

"Don't count on it, Gold. You nearly beat that man half to death and you're not a very popular guy in this town so I'm pretty sure no one will be willing to let you off with just a slap on the wrist. I for one am not."

"Oh...now isn't this the pot calling the kettle black? Now that you have a badge you seem to have forgotten your own...unsavory past Ms. Swan. A badge that you never would've gotten without my help."

"At least I haven't beaten people half to death and tried to torch them," she pointed out. "Come on, Gold. Tell me: what did he really do and who is this woman you were talking about? Was she your girlfriend...wife?"

"It's none of your damned business!" he growled and turned his head to look out the window.

He was once again locked in a cell only this one was a bit more comfortable than his last and he had as much trouble sleeping in it as he had in the other one, his dreams haunted by the son he'd abandoned and the woman he tossed aside.

The next morning found him sitting up in his cell while Emma was at her desk eating a sandwich.

"Pastrami. You want half? You know, I still owe you that favor. Nice fatty pastrami. Delicious way to clear the books." she tempted.

Did she honestly think he would make it that easy? Oh no. Not at all.

"Well, I don't need a reminder that you owe me a favor. And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwich," he cautioned, not surprised a bit when Regina showed up with Henry in tow. Emma however, was shocked.

"Sheriff Swan? I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry. Take him out, buy him ice cream," Regina ordered.

"You want me to leave you alone with a prisoner?" Emma asked, finding it odd that Regina would want to be alone with this particular prisoner. What was it with them anyway?

"Twenty-nine and a half minutes."

"Hi Emma," Henry greeted his other parent.

"Hey."

"Bring me back a cone?" Rumple asked softly.

"Just this once. Come on, let's go!"

"Well... You really wanted that little chat, didn't you?" Rumple asked Regina once they were alone. She smirked as she approached the cell.

"Apparently, this is the only way I could do it."

"Please, sit. Now when two people want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?" he asked her.

"Yes," she replied with a smile.

"So you did put him up to it, then."

"I merely suggested that... strong men take what they need."

"Oh yeah, and you told him just what to take, didn't you?"

"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold. Has it really come down to this?"

"It seems it has, yeah. But you know what I want. What is it you want?"

"I want you to answer one question. And answer it simply. What's your name?"

"It's Mr. Gold."

"Your real name," she ordered sternly.

"Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."

"But what about moments spent elsewhere?"

"What are you asking me?"

"I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name."

"Rumplestiltskin," he replied with a laugh and gripped the cell bars. The gloves were off now. "Now give me what I want!"

"Such hostility."

"Oh yeah."

"Over this?" Regina taunted when she removed Belle's cup from her purse, moving it around while he tried to reach for it. Such a...sentimental little keepsake." He snatched the cup from her.

"Thank you... your Majesty. So... now that we're being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm gonna be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change!"

"We shall see," Regina taunted, standing up and gripping the cell bars herself while he sat with the cup in his hands. She walked away. He stood up, clutching Belle's precious cup in his hand, glaring after her retreating form.

The little door to the cell opened and Lacey gasped in horror, recognizing the face of the woman who came to visit her, always taunting her about things she didn't understand.

"He remembers now, dear...but not you. And you never will. But not to worry. It's better this way. I told you before, that monster you call a lover is beyond saving. If you did remember, you'd be thanking me. As long as he holds on to his memories of you, I can weaken him. Love is weakness!"

"Go away!" Lacey screamed. "No...no...please...not again!" she begged when the door opened and the orderlies came in along with the nurse, her screams echoing through the basement of the hospital. The sounds were like music to Regina's ears. He may have the cup, but she had her and could kill her whenever she pleased. It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment to present itself.

Regina was getting careless...and desperate. The shepherd prince and her hated stepdaughter were taking some initiative and now their secret was out, tossing, yet another wrench into her plans only she wasn't willing to surrender yet. And Rumple wasn't willing to spend what time remained of her curse trapped in a jail cell. It was time to strike another deal and he had the perfect bargaining chip.

He found her at her window, her late fiance's ring in her hand.

"Remembrance of things past?" he asked her.

"What do you want?"

"I need a favor."

"You need a favor from me?" she scoffed and turned to face him.

"Well, as you know, there are battery charges against me pending. I really don't relish the thought of spending any more time locked up in a cage. Now...someone with your influence could make the D.A. suddenly realize what a flimsy case they have." he said as he stood in front of the table. "Isn't that right... Your Majesty?" He grabbed one of the apples.

"What do I get out of it?"

"Help with your Mary Margaret problem," he proposed with a smirk. "You see, I've noticed that no matter how hard you seem to try to stop them, she and her charming friend just keep finding ways to be together."

"What are you suggesting?" she asked, sitting down.

"If you want to inflict pain..." Rumple began, setting the apple down, "then you must inflict pain. If something tragic... were to happen to David's wife, and if Mary Margaret should take the blame..."

"She'd be ruined."

"And you'd have your victory, at last."

"A trial could be very messy."

"A trial? Now who said anything about a trial? No, once Miss Blanchard has been incarcerated, you can plant one of your lovely skeleton keys in her cell. And once she tries to leave Storybrooke, well... we all know what happens to people who attempt to leave town...bad things..."

"Give me one good reason why I should trust you."

"Because I always honor my agreements. Do we have a deal?" he asked, tossing the apple at her.

"Deal!" she said sweetly and bit into the apple.

He put in a call to Dove, giving him specific instructions as to what was to be done regarding Kathryn Nolan. He made it quite clear she was not to be harmed in any way and taken directly to the cabin. He would see to it that her confinement was somewhat comfortable for her until the right moment to release her presented itself. Two days later he walked out of the courtroom a free man and Albert Spencer was ready to spit nails. Even back in the Enchanted Forest the poor excuse for a king had no power over him...what made him think a little curse would change that? They'd all forgotten whom they were dealing with. Soon the time would come to remind them. Until then he would remind them the best way he could...with past due rent notices and his commanding presence. Now it was time to put a certain Blue Fairy in her place. The rent was due on the convent and nothing would please him more than to toss that jellyfish's arse out on the street for taking his son away from him but he'd underestimated Snow White. Even with a reputation as a homewrecker hovering over her, she managed to raise enough money selling candles to keep the convent running with a little sabotage of course by that dwarf Grumpy. Clever, very clever.

Adding to the queen's anxiety was David's determination to locate his missing wife but with the curse still active he was prone to having convenient blackouts and sent to Dr. Hopper for a psychological evaluation. Knowing Regina as well as he did, Rumple suspected the curse would only make Charming recall events from his past that would be damning to Mary Margaret rather than helpful but the heart she planted in the forest would make the outlaw princess look like the ultimate jealous lover and the murder weapon in her apartment would put the nails in her coffin and this time no true love's kiss was getting her out of it.

Meanwhile he would have to play his part in the game. He entered the police station as Emma was questioning the former princess about finding crucial evidence in the heating vent.

"Okay, what are you saying?" Mary was asking.

"I'm saying you should think about hiring a lawyer."

"An excellent idea," he said.

"Mr. Gold. What are you doing here?"

"Offering my legal services."

Emma eyed him suspiciously. "You're a lawyer?"

"Ever wondered why I'm so adept at contracts? I've been following the details of your case Miss Blanchard and I think you'd be well advised to bring me on as your counsel."

The former princess was hesitant as he suspected she would be until she thought about it. No one else was powerful enough to defend her except Mr. Gold.

"I can't pay you."

"I didn't ask for money."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Let's just say I'm invested in your future."

Again.

Archie didn't want to believe Mary Margaret was guilty of such atrocities but the evidence was undeniable. He'd heard through the grapevine, namely the miners that the heart found the schoolteacher's jewelry box did indeed belong to Kathryn Nolan. He was also shocked when he opened his office door and found her widower standing on the other side.

"David? What can I do for you?"

"Dr. Hopper, I need your help."

"Okay, what is it?"

"I've been having these blackouts and I need to remember what happened during them."

"Why?"

"I think I might know something that can help Mary Margaret."

"All right, let's see what I can do."

When Emma returned to Mary's apartment she was shocked to find Henry waiting for her.

"Mom framed Mary Margaret. I have proof." He held up a set of skeleton keys he'd stolen from the house earlier. "This is how my mom got in your apartment. This is how she framed Miss Blanchard."

Henry attempted to demonstrate by using one of the keys to open the door but it did not work. Just as he was about to give up he saw an apple shaped ornament on one of the keys. His mother had given Snow White a poisoned apple…that one had to be it. He tried it in the lock and successfully opened the door.

"Do you believe now?"

Not in the magical nonsense but now it seemed Madam Mayor had a few things to answer for.

Back at his office, Archie made David lie down on the couch and placed him under hypnosis.

"David, listen very closely. Can you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Good. I want you to go back in your memory, back to the last time you and Kathryn spoke. The last thing you remember. Tell me, where are you."

"In my bedroom."

"When?"

"The night she left."

"And what were you doing?"

"I called her on her cell."

"What did you talk about?"

"She said she'd realized she needed to start a new life without me. She thought Mary Margaret and I should be together."

"And how did that conversation end?"

"She said she was hurt but she wanted me to be happy."

"Do you remember anything after that?"

"Yes. I saw Mary Margaret in the woods."

Archie tensed. The box with the heart in it had been discovered in the woods.

"What was she doing there?"

For several minutes he didn't answer and there was a terrified expression on his face. Archie tried calling his name several times. "David! David!"

His eyes flew open. "What happened?"

"I had to wake you up. You went too deep into hypnosis and something was disturbing you. What did you see?"

"It was…" He stopped.

"What? Tell me David. I can help you."

The younger man jumped off the sofa toward the door, Archie meeting him before he had a chance to leave. "David, tell me. What did you see? I can help you," he insisted.

"You can't," David declared grimly and left the therapist standing there stunned.

Rumple was at his shop working on his inventory when Emma arrived.

"What can I do for you Miss Swan? Any developments on the case I should be aware of?" Other than the obvious which I hope by now you have enough intelligence to have figured out.

"Yes. Regina set her up."

Bingo, dearie!

"And that surprises you? Show me your evidence and we will get this over with immediately."

"That's the thing. There isn't any. Anything that's court worthy but I know it now."

"Look who's suddenly become a woman of faith. Why are you here Miss Swan? To spin conspiracy theories?"

"I need help."

"From me?"

"Every time I've gone up against Regina I've lost. Except for once, when I became Sheriff. When you helped."

"As I recall you don't exactly approve of my methods."

"I approve of your results. And this time I have something more important than a job. I need to save my friend."

"And you're willing to go as far as it takes?"

"Farther."

He grinned and nodded. "Now we're talking. Fear not Miss Swan. Regina may be powerful but something tells me you may be more powerful than you know."

And according to plan Mary Margaret had discovered one of Regina's keys in her cell but not according to plan; Jefferson kidnapped her to stop her from leaving town and Emma along with her so that she could fix his silly hat. He knew very well she couldn't, not without magic in this land. Soon, very soon the magic he'd bottled for a rainy day would at last be put to use.

Ah, but it was a pleasure to see the look on Regina's face when her nemesis was found in her cell safe and sound. His next course of action was to have her talk to Albert Spencer, formerly known as King George who had his own reasons to hate Snow White though he didn't remember them….which worked in her favor but Regina wasn't quite ready to give up yet.

He put in a call to Dove after Regina managed to make the evidence proving she buried the heart in the woods to vanish.

"Release her," he said.

"Right away sir."

"You broke our deal," Regina accused when she stormed into the shop the next day.

"I broke one deal in my life and sadly….it wasn't this one."

"Kathryn was supposed to die and Mary Margaret was to get the blame."

Murder for pleasure may be one of your vices, dearie, but not mine.

"Yeah, murder seems so much worse here though, doesn't it? You can't just turn someone into a snail and step on them, can you? You didn't say 'kill her'. We agreed that something tragic should happen to her and abduction is tragic."

"The intent was perfectly clear."

"Oh let's not talk about intent. Intent is meaningless."

"Intent is everything."

"Please."

"This is going to raise all kinds of questions about where she was and how the test results were faked."

"Oh yes, and who put the key in her cell?"

"It's all gonna lead to me, isn't it? You bastard! This isn't making any sense. You and I…we've been in this together…from the start!"

"Have we?"

"You created the curse for me. The curse that brought us all here and built all this."

"Yes. The one time you said thank you."

"Why did you do it?"

"Well you're a smart woman, Your Majesty. Figure it out."

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"And that's your problem dearie. Not mine."

She growled and stormed out of the shop.

It's almost over Bae. Almost over.

Now all he had to do was sit back and watch Regina's scheme unravel, not knowing that his own past was about to come back to haunt him.

There was a stranger in town, a writer named August Wayne Booth, a phony name if Rumple had ever heard one and the man seemed a little too interested in him for his liking but it wasn't until he followed him to the convent and threatened the Blue Fairy into telling him what she knew of the stranger that his hopes and his fears came back to the surface. His Bae! Here in Storybrooke! He was elated…and terrified at the same time. What if he wanted to use the dagger to kill him?

He drove over to Dr. Hopper's office hoping the cricket would have some advice for him. He knocked once, his courage faltering. He wasn't comfortable talking with anyone about his personal life. He didn't trust them. The only other person he had trusted was lost to him forever. As he was about to leave the door opened.

"Mr. Gold? Are you here for the rent?" Archie asked him.

"Why does everyone ask me that?" Rumple asked, frustrated.

"Oh, because you…never mind." His landlord seemed distraught, not like himself at all. "Would you like to talk?" he offered gently.

"I don't know."

"If you'd like to get something off your chest, please come in."

Rumple sighed and stepped into the office. Archie sat in his chair and made Rumple sit on the sofa. The older man sat there for a few minutes before he finally began to speak.

"I have a son…." he began. "And I may have found him…"

"A son? I didn't know you had a son. How old is he?" Archie inquired, shocked. He was getting quite a few surprises from his new patients as of late. David thought he might have seen Mary burying a heart that didn't even belong to his wife and now Mr. Gold had a son.

"Let's start with something easier."

"What do you mean to say that you may have found him?"

"Let's just say there's someone acting like I would expect him to act."

"So, you recognize him?"

"Maybe." He shook his head. "Perhaps I'm just seeing what I wanna see. I don't know."

"Wouldn't he recognize you?"

"There was conflict. I'm not sure he's ready for a tear soaked reunion."

"So he sought you out and he's hanging back? Maybe he's watching to see if he's welcome. Looking for a sign that all is forgiven."

"No, no, no. He's not that one that needs to be…" He sighed. "I think he might still be very angry."

"Anger between parent and a child is the most natural thing in the world."

"I think he might be here to kill me."

Archie was taken aback. "Ah, right. That…that's not."

What did you do to him that makes him want to kill you?

"I let him go. I've spent my entire life trying to fix it and now he's finally here. And I just don't know what to do."

"Be honest. Just tell him what you've told me and ask him for forgiveness. And when you're face to face, you'll know what to do."

"Honesty has never been the best color of me."

"There's no other way. Tell me, why did you let him go? Were you too young when he was born, terrified of being a father? Was there a financial hardship and you placed him up for adoption to give him a good home? What about his mother?"

"She's dead," Rumple said bitterly.

"I take it your marriage…it was a marriage, correct? Your marriage was not a good one?"

"Before our son was born it was….but Milah….spent most of her time at bars…with other men. I was basically raising our boy by myself and we had very little money…but that wasn't why…"

"What was it?"

"I was a coward," he said angrily. "I made a deal with the devil and the price I paid was losing my son because when I had the choice to go with him or stay….I wasn't strong enough to go…and I lost him…He's not gonna care one iota that I didn't want to let him go. He's believed all these years that my power meant more to me than he did but it's not true. He was EVERYTHING TO ME! He IS everything to me."

"Then you need to tell him that. There was no way you could get him back?"

"I didn't remember…something happened that my memory…is not as good as it used to be."

"I see. Mr. Gold, I honestly believe if the two of you sat down and talked things out he would be able to forgive you and my door is always open if you want to come in and talk with me too."

"I want to make things right, Doctor Hopper. My son…he was the only person in this world who truly loved me. There was another…but I lost her too…I drive away everyone I love because all my life I've believed no one could ever love me."

Archie leaned forward. "Did someone make you feel that way…a parent perhaps?"

"My father…" he croaked. "He let me go…just like I let my boy go….I'm just like him…"

He didn't know why he trusted the former cricket with some of his darkest secrets but once the dam burst there was nothing holding him back. For so many years he'd buried his pain deep within his soul.

"Did your father every try to come back for you?"

"No! The bastard left me with two spinsters he knew and they raised me. He never came back for me. He didn't give a damn. All he cared about was his youth…and I was robbing him of it."

"That's what makes you different from your father. You loved your son enough that you at least made an attempt to try to find him until you started having memory issues. Does he know…what happened with your father?"

"I never told him. And he's gonna think the same thing I do…I'm just like that son of a bitch."

"I think not."

"Then you're in the minority, Doctor."

"Talk to him, tell him everything you've just told me and I'm certain you'll be able to work things out between you. If you love your son as much as you say you do and truly want him to be a part of your life, you'll find the courage to do what you need to do to keep him in it."

Rumple stood up, feeling more confident than he had in centuries. "What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. However, I would like to see you and your son out and about sometime…and happy."

"No, no…I do owe you and I always repay my debts. Consider your rent waived for a year."

Archie's mouth dropped open. Had he heard the man right?

"Mr…Mr. Gold…I can't possibly…"

"I insist, Doctor."

"T..Thank you…but I…"

"No buts. This is the most confident I've felt since…since my son and I…never mind. Thank you again, Doctor Hopper."

Rumple left the office with a smile on his face. I can do this. I can get my boy back.

Unfortunately for Rumple, the boy that he was hoping was his son was only Pinocchio, the puppet turned son of Doctor Hopper's friend Geppetto. They now stood out in the woods, Pinocchio holding the dagger and attempting to control him. Rumple laughed bitterly.

"My curse isn't active now, dearie!" he said menacingly. "My Bae would have known that. It was the reason why he wanted to come here. Now, the question is: what shall I do with you?"

"I'm already dying without magic." He lifted his pant leg to reveal the evidence, instead of a human limb; he now had the wooden legs of the puppet he used to be.

"Magic comes with a price dearie and you're paying yours from living a decadent lifestyle, aren't you?"

"Please…you have to help me…"

"Why should I? You pretended to be my son, got my hopes up and then….then you tried to use my dagger to control me. I owe you nothing boy! You're damned lucky I don't have my magic or so help me I would blast you into oblivion! But since you're going to die anyway, there's no sense in me wasting my energy on it. Go."

The terrified young man ran out of the woods and hopped onto his bike, riding hell for leather back into town. Rumple walked back to his own car smiling.

"That certainly lit a fire under his arse! Maybe now he'll work a bit harder on getting the Savior to do her damned job!"

Despite his best efforts, Emma still refused to believe and Regina grew even more desperate. She summoned Jefferson to her, wanting him to use his hat one last time but it would not work without magic.

Emma was not having a good day herself. She asked Archie to lunch to discuss taking custody of Henry and his opinion was not the one she was expecting to hear.

"Emma, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you don't have any case for custody!"

"Even after everything she's done?"

"Which you can't prove! Why don't I ask you a question: with this war raging on, who do you think's really getting hurt?"

"I know. Henry! But don't you think it's a good thing he's spending time with me? I'm his mother!"

"Yes, you are. And so is Regina. And…well, look, the court is gonna come in and look at him and see how he's been since you've come into his life."

"And he's been happier, right?"

"M... maybe? Uhh. He skips school, he's stolen a credit card, he's run off, he-he's endangered himself, repeatedly, and so in the eyes of the law it's not so…"

"What about in your eyes? What do you think?"

"I mean, a while ago, I told you to engage him in his fantasy life, and…perhaps I was wrong. Because he's only retreated further into it."

"You think he's better off with her?"

"I've never said that."

"Do you think that she would ever hurt him?"

"No. Never. Everyone else, but not him. Look, right or wrong, her actions have all been defensive. I'm not judging, but…" He sighed deeply. "In many ways, your rival has woken a sleeping dragon."

"Tell me honestly. Has he been better off since I got here?"

"Oh. That's not a matter of better off. It's a matter of "this war has to end." If you two are going to be in his life, you have to figure out the best way to do that."

"Why do I get the feeling I'll only be part of his life over her dead body…or mine…?" Emma mused aloud. Both of them shivered.

"This is all the magic I saved from our world," Regina said as she and Jefferson kneeled on the marble floor in her vault, holding the ring Daniel had given her, kissing it and dropping it into the hat. It spun and a small portal between the worlds opened.

"It's not enough for us to go through, but large enough to retrieve something," he said.

She smiled deviously, knowing just what she wanted to retrieve. She directed the portal to the place where she and Snow had their final encounter before her nemesis fell victim to the sleeping curse. The apple with one bite rolled down the hill, through the portal and into Regina's outstretched hand. She returned home with her prize in hand confident that she now had the means to take care of her Emma Swan problem once and for all. She couldn't kill her because it meant the curse would be broken…but…putting her in an enchanted sleep would do.

Emma arrived at the house a short time later.

"We need to talk," she said firmly.

"Yes, I imagine we do. I was just about to call you. Come right in. Do what you're so skilled at and make yourself at home. I believe you came to see me."

"Look. This isn't easy. I think that this…whatever it is between us—needs to end."

"At last, something we can agree on."

"I wanna make a deal with you about Henry."

"I'm not making any deals with you."

"I'm leaving town," Emma announced.

"What?" The former queen was not certain whether she was disappointed or overjoyed.

"This—what we're doing is a problem. And I'm gonna go. But I have conditions. I still get to see Henry, I get to visit, and spend time, whatever."

"And you get to see him; you're still in his life."

"In any deal both parties are a little unhappy. But let's be honest: we both know a world where I'm not in his life no longer exists and there's no one who can do anything about that."

The oven beeped in the kitchen.

"You're right. Would you mind following me for a moment?" Regina led the younger woman into the kitchen, donned her over mitts and pulled the tray with the turnover out of the oven. "So, what are you proposing?"

"I don't know. Just—figure it out as we go."

"But he's my son."

"Yeah."

Emma started to leave.

"Oh, Miss Swan. Maybe a little something for the road?" Regina called out.

"Thanks."

Regina placed the turnover into a Rubbermaid container.

"If we're going to be in each other's lives, it's time we start being cordial. My famous turnovers. Old recipe. But delicious." Regina handed the box with the turnover to Emma.

"Thank you."

"I do hope you like apples."

Once Emma left, Regina drove over to the pawn shop.

"I hope you bought travel insurance. Because no one's going anywhere," she taunted.

"Oh really. And why's that?"

"Because I found the solution to my Emma Swan problem."

"Oh, yes."

"An old, reliable solution."

"A sleeping curse. Might I ask how you managed to obtain one here in Storybrooke?" Rumple inquired curiously.

"By sacrificing the last bit of magic I had left."

"So you made magic from magic. Well, I'm sure I don't have to remind you that uh... all magic comes with a price."

Regina leaned forward on the counter and glared at him. "Then you can pay it. Because now? The curse is gonna be stronger than ever and you will be right here, where you belong!"

Tired of listening to her mad ravings, Rumple started to walk away.

"Don't you understand? I won! So whatever plan you had, whatever reason you wanted the curse broken... too bad. Because it's never going to happen!" Regina walked toward the door, spinning the globe as she left.

"That's what you think dearie," Rumple hissed, glaring at the closed door. "Whatever malice you've done will be returned threefold," he predicted.

He had no way of knowing just how right he was.

Henry was distraught. Now he was the only one left who believed in the curse. Pinocchio had given up, Archie refused to believe him and now they were about to lose the Savior. He couldn't let it happen. He wouldn't let it happen. He snatched the turnover and held it up.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this. You may not believe in the curse or me. But I believe in you." He raised the turnover to his lips and took a bite.

"See. You want some ice cream with that."

The young boy's eyes closed and he collapsed to the floor as his mother looked on in horror.

"Henry. HENRY!"

Terrified, she raced to the phone and called the ambulance, trying to keep herself calm while she explained to the dispatchers what happened and gave them the address of Mary's loft. Many times during the ride to the hospital and once they arrived she pleaded desperately with her son to open his eyes to no avail and Doctor Whale was at a loss to figure out what was going on.

Emma grabbed the storybook. It began to glow in her hands and she could hear her son's voice along with images of David holding a baby in his arms and placing her in a wardrobe, pleading with her to find them. She could see a blanket with the name Emma embroidered into it.

She lowered the book, her eyes blazing with anger, accepting at last who she was: the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming…and now she would be the Savior…for her son. She could hear Regina in the room and turned to her in a rage.

"You did this!" she snarled, grabbing her and dragging her into a supply closet, shoving her against a shelf.

"No!"

"You did this!" Emma insisted.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop this….my son…"

"He's sick because of you! That apple turnover you gave me. HE ATE IT!"

"It was meant for you!" Regina cried.

"It's true isn't it? All of it?"

"Yes," the former queen admitted brokenly.

All magic comes with a price…

"I was leaving town, why couldn't you just leave things alone?"

"Because as long as you're alive, Henry will never be mine."

"He will never be anyone's unless you fix this. You wake him up!"

"I can't!"

"Don't you have magic?"

"That was the last of it. It was supposed to put you to sleep!"

"What's it gonna do to him?"

"I don't know. Magic here is unpredictable."

"So... so he could..."

"Yes."

"So what do we do?"

"We need help. There's one other person in town who knows about this. Knows about magic."

"Mr. Gold..."

"Actually, he goes by Rumplestiltskin."

News traveled fast in town and no news travelled faster than bad news. The moment Rumple was informed of Henry's condition, he went to the backroom to retrieve Charming's sword. The Savior was going to need it if she was going to get the true love potion back from Maleficent. He knew Henry would be fine until her task was finished, the two women would not. He didn't enjoy lying to Miss Swan whom he was beginning to respect but she had to have the well being of her son in her mind as she fought the dragon. It would give Emma focus and the strength she needed to defeat her.

The two women walked into the shop a few minutes later.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the look of a believer?" he asked Emma.

"We need your help."

"Indeed you do. It seems quite the tragic ailment has befallen our young friend. I told you magic comes with a price," he chastised Regina

"Henry shouldn't have to pay it," she said sadly.

"No, you should, but alas, we are where we are."

Just like your mother. Have to learn your lessons the hard way.

"Can you help us?"

"Of course. True love, Miss Swan—the only magic strong enough to transcend realms and break any curse. Luckily for you, I happen to have bottled some."

"You did?" Regina inquired, stunned.

"Oh yes. From strands of her parents' hair, I made the most powerful potion in all the realm. So powerful, that, when I created the Dark Curse, I placed a single drop on the parchment. Just a little safety valve."

"That's why I'm the savior, that's why I can break the curse," Emma said softly.

"Now you're getting it."

"I don't care about breaking the curse. All I care about is saving Henry."

"Which is why it's your lucky day. I didn't use all the potion. I saved some. For a rainy day."

"Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?"

"Where it is, isn't the problem. Getting it is what should worry you."

Regina was becoming irritated. "Enough riddles. What do we do?"

"You do nothing. It has to be Miss Swan."

"He's my son. It should be me."

"All due respect, but it's her son. And it has to be her. She's the product of the magic. She must be the one to find it."

"I can do it," Emma insisted.

"Don't trust him."

"What choice do we have?"

"That's right dearie, What choice do you have?"

"Where is this magic?"

"Tell me, your Majesty, is our friend still in the basement?"

"Oh, you twisted little imp. You hid it with her?"

"Oh no no no, not with her. In her. I knew you couldn't resist bringing her over."

"Who is 'her'?"

"Someone you should be prepared for. Where you're going, you're gonna need this. " He opened the case.

"What is that?"

"Your father's sword."

"A sword? You've got to be kidding me! I don't know how to use one."

"You'll have to learn quickly, won't you?"

The two of them drove back to the hospital to see Henry for a few minutes, agreeing to meet up at the library. Jefferson stopped Regina as she was leaving to remind her of their deal; a deal she never intended to keep. The portal jumper watched her leave, his eyes narrowed to slits. Now he was going to play his trump card and the Evil Queen would need to start running. Once Rumplestiltskin discovered his precious Belle was alive, Regina was going to be roasted on a spit and Jefferson would enjoy watching the show.

Emma felt as if she'd walked onto the set of a fantasy movie. Hidden in the basement of the library was none other than a dragon. She drew her gun, firing several shots at the dragon. The creature howled and sent a blast of fire at the terrified sheriff. Emma ducked behind a rock and fired again.

I gotta do this…for Henry!

She threw the gun down and picked up the sword, hurling it at the dragon. The blade buried itself in the best's belly, the dragon shattering to pieces leaving only a golden egg. Emma picked it up and ran to the elevator, expecting to find Regina there but it was Rumple. He'd already taken care of the queen, tying her up in the lobby.

"Mr. Gold? What are you doing here?"

"I've come to check on you. I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator," he lied smoothly while Regina protested as loudly as she could through her gag only Emma was too far down in the shaft to hear her.

"What? I'm coming up!"

"No there's- there's no time for this. You can't possibly scale the wall and carry that."

"Yeah? Well I can try."

"No you can't, just toss it up. Your boy's gonna be fine. I promise. We're running out of time, toss it up."

"Okay. You hold on to it, I'll be right up." She tossed him the egg. He turned and walked out of the library, pausing by Regina's chair. "Now who won, dearie!" he sneered at her.

"Mr. Gold? Gold!' Emma yelled from inside the shaft and climbed back. She hurried back to the lobby and found Regina tied to a chair. She pulled the gag from the other woman's mouth "Regina?"

"He tricked you! How could you give him that?"

"Where is he?"

"Gone. Gold. He manipulated all of this," Regina said angrily as Emma untied her bonds.

"Come on, he can't be that far!" Suddenly both of their cell phones started to ring. "It's the hospital," Emma declared worriedly.

Paradise

The Ozian Heaven Realm

Henry was walking down a long corridor into a dimly lit room where a woman with silvery blond hair with wings awaited him. She smiled.

"Hello Henry," she greeted softly.

"Who are you?"

"I am known by many names but my true name is Ozmalita."

"Are you an angel?"

"I am the servant angel to our world's goddess, Lurline."

"Am I …dead?"

"Oh no dear child but you are standing on the barrier between the living world and the immortal one. It was your destiny." With a flourish a silver staff with a dragon's head appeared before him. "You are the east guardian, the staff that summons the winds of change."

"I don't understand….I'm…what?"

"It does not surprise me you are not aware of your special heritage. Unfortunately once you awaken your memories of it and your time here must be cloaked again until the time is right for the truth to be revealed to those who must hear it."

"What am I?" he asked again.

"You are the son of Baelfire, grandson of Rumplestiltskin."

"Wh…what? Mr. Gold's my grandfather?!"

"He is, little one. He is also the West Guardian, holder of the blade, wielder of fire." A circle appeared on the floor at their feet. She moved him into position on the east side and a shadow of Rumple appeared in the west position along with the images of two women in the north and south. "You are the Strogoff, the most powerful of the circle. The women who stand at the north and south are the Ozopov. Like your grandfather, Azkadellia Ozopov's soul is in the grip of darkness. It must be freed."

"How?"

"Soon their trials will come. Azkadellia will face hers first and then it will be Rumplestiltskin's time. You are the key to freeing him, Henry."

"Me? How?"

"Accept the gift that he sends to you and return to him a part of yourself as your gift and the darkness will surrender its hold on his heart and soul."

"My mom…she said my father was dead."

"Your father lives, Henry. And you must lead your grandfather back to him."

"If Grandpa has my dad back….what will that do?"

"The Alemedia Demonia's hold on your grandfather's heart is only strong when he has no one to anchor him to his humanity. Reunite him with the three that are his sources of strength. You are one of those three. Your father is the second and the fourth is his bondmate."

"Belle," Henry whispered. "She's here in Storybrooke, isn't she?"

Adora nodded. "Soon she will be freed and her search for her bondmate will begin. If Azkadellia succeeds in freeing herself, she must be reunited with her bondmate as well." She smiled. "And you have done well with him."

"I have?"

"The North Guardian is the stone of the land and the voice of logic and reason. Whom among you has this same trait now when the curse deprived him of it?"

Henry gasped. "Archie?"

"Yes. Now the time has come for you to go. I shall see you again very soon dear."

With his treasure in his hands, Rumple raced back to the shop to retrieve its key from the cabinet where he kept some of his most prized items. Just a little while longer, Bae, he thought while he unlocked the egg with the key, extracted the true love potion and tucked it into his pocket. He put the egg back in its box when he heard the doorbell tinkle. Dammit, didn't anyone in this town know how to read?!

"Excuse me...are you Mr. Gold?" he heard a woman's voice call out.

"Yes, I am but I'm afraid the shop is closed," he said with his back to her. When he spun around the sight before his eyes left him breathless.

It can't be...I'm imagining this...or I am dreaming...

Her hair was disheveled, her skin pale, and she was wearing the most awful clothes yet it was still the same beautiful face he'd seen in thousands of dreams...the same blue eyes.

"I…I was told to find you and tell you that Regina locked me up. Does that mean anything to you?" she asked him.

He approached her slowly, terrified that if he touched her she would vanish before his eyes leaving only another painful memory. "You're real...you're alive..." he whispered, and reached out to touch her shoulder, his heart nearly bursting when he discovered she was not a ghost at all but living and breathing. "She did this to you..."

"I was told you'd protect me..."

"Oh yes..." he sobbed, pulling her into his arms. "Yes, I'll protect you!"

"I'm sorry...do I know you?"

"No," he croaked. "But you will."

"I don't understand."

"It's all right. You don't have to right now," he said softly. "There's someplace I have to go." He took her hand and led her outside to his car. His Belle...alive! Along with joy there was also anger not at her but Regina.

She was going to use her against me. Keep her alive so that she could kill her when it suited her...a fate worse than death. Well, dearie...that is exactly what I have in store for you when I get my hands on you!

He knew he would have to get in line, however, because once the savior actually did her damned job, the whole town was going to want Regina's head on a pike, however the final punishment would be his alone to deliver. He drove them out to the wishing well.

"Mr. Gold...ummm...where are you taking me?"

"There's just somewhere I have to be right now. You'll understand...soon enough I hope."

Don't disappoint me now Emma. Although he had the true love potion, it was not strong enough to break the curse. That had to be done by the product of the magic that created the tiny drop he'd placed on the parchment. They got out of the car and made the trek up the hill, a difficult one with his disabled leg.

As Regina sobbed by the door, Emma approached the bed of the son she barely knew, silent tears falling down her cheeks. The medical staff had tried desperately to save him but it had been too late.

This is your fault, she thought sadly. Had you believed, believed in him he never would have eaten that turnover. He knew what it would do to him. You, like everyone else in this town just chalked it up to an overactive imagination.

Oh Henry, it wasn't supposed to be like this. When I gave you up I said I couldn't be a mother. Now all I want is another chance to make things right, to be the mother you need. But it's too late. I am not a savior. I am a failure.

She bent over and kissed his forehead…his so cold forehead. "I love you Henry," she whispered through her tears.

The moment her lips touched his cold flesh Henry gasped and his eyes opened.

"Henry!" Emma cried.

"You did it!" Regina whispered.

A wave of golden light swept through the town and memories of a past forgotten returned to its residents.

Archie Hopper was walking down Main Street when he was nearly knocked over by a strange light.

My God! Henry was right…..I am Jiminy Cricket! he thought.

But along with pleasant memories of their pasts, painful ones also returned and he was reminded of his past with his con artist parents including the one incident he would have given his very soul to take back….taking away Geppetto's parents. Now that his old friend remembered who he was, he feared Geppetto's anger would return as it had shortly before the curse was cast. As he continued walking, another set of memories returned.

It was time to free his wife.

"You did it. You saved me!" Henry declared happily and several people came into the room, one of them the Blue Fairy.

"What's going on?" Emma asked her son.

"The curse…I think you broke it."

"That was true love's kiss," Blue confirmed.

"No…no!" Regina gasped knowing well what it meant for her. The nightmare she had about the people in town wanting her head was about to become very real.

"If I were you, Your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide," Blue suggested.

Regina hurried over to the bed and glanced down at her son. "No matter what happens, no matter what they tell you…I still love you," she said softly and fled the room.

Up on the hill Belle recoiled with shock as her own memories returned; the months she'd spent in captivity in Regina's castle, being assaulted by a hook wielding pirate when she refused to tell him anything about Rumple…..the clerics….and finally Rumple, who looked different in this world but still the man she loved, the one she would never stop fighting for.

"Wait!" she cried out.

"No, no, we're very close."

"Rumplestiltskin...wait."

He paused. Had she just...?"

She hurried to him. "I remember...I love you!" she declared. He threw his arms around her and held her tightly.

At last, she thought.

"Yes! And I love you too. But hey...there'll be time for that. There'll be time for everything but first there is something I must do." He released her and continued up the hill to the wishing well.

"What is this?"

"This is a very special place, Belle. That waters that run below are said to have the power to return that which one has lost." He retrieved the true love potion from his coat pocket, removed the stopper and dropped it into the well. A thick cloud of purple smoke drifted out of it.

"I don't understand..."

"We live in a land without magic Belle...and I'm bringing it. Magic...is coming."

"But why?"

"Because magic is power..." he murmured, feeling all of his powers returning to him...and it felt wonderful. He could now be certain no one would ever be able to hurt Belle or his son again...once he found him. "And it is one way I can certain no one EVER harms you again. You have to tell me what happened," he said softly.

"I was abducted."

"By Regina!" he hissed.

"She locked me away until she cast her curse and I've been the asylum ever since."

"All these years…you've been here? Alive?"

She nodded. "She wanted to use me as leverage against you."

"I cannot let this stand Belle! I will not let this stand! She is not going to get the satisfaction and when we get back to town she is going to get a very unpleasant reminder of why she should never cross me," he growled.

"As much as I would like to see her punished for what she's done Rumple, you have just given this town magic….and that means she will have hers too and she will fight you!" Belle cried worriedly.

He took her into his arms. "Let me worry about that, sweetheart. Your safety is the only thing that matters to me right now. What did happen after you left…?"

"I traveled a bit….and met a nice young woman named Mulan and defeated a creature called the Yaoguai. He was cursed like you were but I found a way to break it. It was then that I realized what a fool I was for leaving. When you love someone, truly love someone, you never give up on them." She gazed into his eyes. "And I am never going to stop fighting for you!"

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer as she kissed him back with all the love she felt in her heart, praying this time she would be successful in breaking his curse. For several moments nothing else existed but the two of them. He reluctantly detached himself from her embrace and stepped back.

"I'm still cursed Belle," he said sadly.

"But…I thought….true love broke all curses…"

"This is more than a curse, Belle. You are an intelligent woman, well read. Surely you know who the Alemedia Demonia is."

She gasped. "Oh, Rumple!"

Tears brimmed in the corners of his eyes. "I gave my soul to the devil herself, Belle…for my son and I lost him because of it too," he croaked. "When you first kissed me….you started bringing me back to the man I was but this curse, it will take more than a kiss to break…and without it how can I protect you?"

"You don't need magic to protect me, Rumple though I have a suspicion that you'll retain your magic even without being under the influence of Alemedia Demonia," she said confidently.

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because, my love, I am, as you've said well read and one of the things I've discovered about magic is that you are either born with it…or you learn it. You've spent centuries learning it so now it has become part of you…or you may have been born with it and not even known it." She took his hand and led him over to a fallen tree trunk to sit down. "I thought you might want to rest." She glanced down at his leg. "Your old injury returned while you were cursed."

He nodded. "I briefly mentioned my son back in my castle. Now it's time I told you the truth."

Belle listened attentively as Rumple opened up to her in a way he never had before and she loved him all the more for it. There was no doubt in her mind that he regretted losing the child he loved so much, even forsaking her so that he could devote his time to finding his beloved Bae. "I chose to stay cursed for Bae; Belle though hearing that you were dead shattered my heart as much as when I lost my boy."

"Regina lied to you."

"How much of what I was told was a lie, sweetheart? Did your father send in the clerics?"

"Yes," she croaked. "It…it was horrible! My own father…violating me….without even having to touch me….." She buried her head in his shoulder. "I…I knew I had to escape and then I met Mulan. I was on my way back to you when Regina took me. She would come to my cell and taunt me while I was in the asylum."

"She will not come near you again. I will see to it."

Belle smiled through her tears. "And now that the curse is broken…we can find your son."

"You…you'll go with me?"

She took his hand in hers and kissed it. "I'll go anywhere with you. Nothing can keep us apart now."

Not even his silly former apprentice. She was going to have her own problems once the townspeople recovered their memories. He smiled devilishly as he imagined a mob bearing torches and pitchforks running after her. Unfortunately, they would be heading into a slaughter if she had her magic and there were still a few of them he didn't want to see get themselves killed over the likes of her.

"Come on, sweetheart. We'll go back to my shop and find you some decent clothes to wear." He put his arm around her waist and led her back to the car.

Her cursed memories had educated her on this world and its advantages over the one they left behind and she was not as frightened of them as she should have been. Nor would she ever fear anything knowing he would be at her side. They could be strong when apart but together they would be formidable.

Nothing can hurt us if we stay together, she thought.

Ephesis

The Realm of the Forgotten

"…And now it begins…" Aramon murmured. He and Adora were gazing into a small pond he often used as a Seeing portal, watching the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place.

"You must prepare yourself my child. The double eclipse is coming."

"The prison will not hold with only bonded guardian to open it," she reminded him.

"It will hold long enough for two of the bonds to be consummated but Rumplestiltskin is not ready to divide his heart. Not yet."

"But will the bond still be strong enough without the heart being divided."

"Oh yes. It will weaken Alemedia's hold on him dramatically to the point where she will not be able to take control at all. And then he will banish her."

"Still the prison will not be strong enough. Dorothea's bond will have to be consummated."

Aramon frowned. "And that one will be the hardest to complete but it must be done. Pride comes before the fall …her folly will damn them all..."

The scene shifted to one that could have been taken from every disaster movie, volcanos exploding, hot lava flowing down the mountains, tsunamis, earthquakes and the screams of millions as they fled their homes and towns only there was no safe place to go. The only escape routes to their world would be sealed off and the people of the OZ would perish.

This shall not come to pass, Adora thought determinedly. I will unite the Guardians and they will save our people.