At the news of Snow's apparent overdose, David and henry rush to the hospital while Ruby's nowhere to be seen. Rumple does more digging into the past relationships of Ruby Lucas, while in Florida, Emma and Regina figure out what they need to do next to get home.

Storybrooke Hospital

Despite having crashed to the floor clutching his heart less than twenty minutes earlier, Charming burst through the hospital entrance like a man possessed; on a mission, his adult grandson trailing behind, having just driven him there and parked.

He'd collapsed in front of them, looking at all intents like he'd just had a heart attack. Yet hearing the news that his estranged ex-wife had been admitted earlier, suffering from a suspected overdose, he'd recovered remarkably quickly, insisting he needed to get over to her as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Dorothy stayed behind with Rumple, to continue their conversation.

Within a minute, they'd reached the relevant treatment room, about to go in when Victor Whale appeared, raising his hand, stopping him going any further.

"Out of my way, Whale! I need to see Snow."

"Hold your horses, Charming!" The medic was surprisingly abrupt, unusually, not cowered by the bigger man. "You can go in there in a minute, but only after the trauma team have finished."

Henry appeared alongside. "What's happened, Victor?"

"Hello Henry," He was relieved to see a friendlier face. Henry Mills was one of the few in those families who treated him with any respect, and often acted as a barrier between him and Henry's excitable mothers. "We received a call about an hour and a half ago, to say your grandmother was found lying unconscious in the kitchen at her old flat. An ambulance brought her back. They found an open bottle of sleeping pills, beside her."

"How is she?"

"Not great. We brought her in unconscious, and she still is, so we have no way of knowing how many she took, or how long ago. We started medicating just after she arrived, but her heart stopped about twenty minutes ago. We tried massage but the crash team had to defibrillate her, to restart it and bring her back."

Henry saw the look on David's face, not sure whether he understood. "It means they used an electric jolt on her heart, grandpa. To restart it."

"I know what a defibrillator is, Henry. I've been taught how to use one, myself. How is she now?"

"Still in a coma, stable, but weak. We've put her on an IV and oxygen, and we're using medication to pump whatever's left of whatever she took, out. So we'll have to see."

"You know she only has half a heart, right?"

"More than aware. You share the heart, don't you?" He nodded. "I remember it from her records when I delivered your son. Not something I'm likely to forget. How have you been feeling?"

"Fine till half an hour ago when I suddenly felt a huge pain in my chest! It took my legs from under me."

"Interesting. Half an hour ago, you say?" Whale started to put two and two together. "Sounds like it was around the time we defibrillated her. We'll make a note for the team not to use that except as a very last resort. Shouldn't be needed, though. Her heart's functioning okay now, even though it's very weak."

David nodded, understanding the medical team had done all they could. "Thank you. Who found her? Apart from you people, is she alone in there?"

"Ruby Lucas found her and called us." Whale already knew, like everyone else, about Hus wife's adultery, and their recent split. So he felt awkward even mentioning the wolf. "For the record, if she hadn't, or discovered her an hour later, she wouldn't still be with us."

"Is Ruby here?" Henry asked, thinking he should speak really to her himself.

"She was. But apparently just after one of the nurses told her Charming here was on the way over, she kinda freaked out, desperate to get away. Jackie said she was acting really odd, almost scared."

"Scared?"

David looked at his grandson, who was clearly puzzled as to why Ruby would suddenly abandon her new…girlfriend, right now, of all times. But he also remembered the wolf-god vow he'd forced her to take, with a gun at her throat. "I'll explain later, Henry. Now, can I see my wife?"

The Gold Mansion

"So you're asking me to use it to display your wife's movements prior to her recent involvement with Snow White?"

Rumple sucked air in through his closed teeth, causing a hissing sound which never failed to irritate his wife. "I have to dissapoint you. It would take an awful lot of hair and serum, which can only be made in limited batches, slowly. Plus, the amount of time taken to view a longer period in someone's life may make your task unrealistic."

"But you heard what she said? She admitted to having sex with other people, apart from Snow, after I married her!"

"Yes, I heard. But she also said on occasion, as I recall? The images you saw earlier were very specific and only covered time those two spent together. Now if you were able to narrow it down to when these other incidents occurred, or better still, with whom, we may be able to do something." As he spoke, he watched the brunette's reaction closely. "As I also recall, the princess referred to the unknown third person as 'her'? And the fact she currently has a husband. Do you have your own suspicions as to who it might be? If you do, we can find a way to acquire a lock of hair from the 'suspect', then use this with the wolf's, to run a similar search to what you just saw."

"Yes, I do have my suspicions…" Dorothy had to be careful how she answered, not wanting to make the Dark One angry, by naming his own wife. Knowing his fearsome reputation, it could cost her own life. And Ruby's. "But it's probably best I don't mention her name for the moment. Just until I have more evidence."

"As you wish. Well until that time, I'm afraid I can be of no further help."

Storybrooke Library

Belle had collected their son from school a little earlier, and was now sitting at her desk in the library, finishing off her work for the day, while Gideon sat on one of the nearby chairs, reading.

"Mamma, what does dis-in-gen-u-us, mean?"

"I'm sorry my love, what?" She lifted her eyes from the computer screen, moving across to see where he was pointing in the book. "Disingenuous? Ooh, that's a very good word! It means when you're not being honest or sincere. Like you're pretending that you know less about something, than you really do. Or avoiding something, by saying something different."

"Huh. So, like you're lying?"

"No, not quite. Lying is when you say something that you know is not true! It's more like you're avoiding or misleading someone, so not to get caught. What are you reading there, anyway?"

She looked at the book cover. It was a murder mystery by an English author, but one written for older children. Children twelve-year-old, and above! Even though he was only four, nearly five, Gideon had an extremely wide vocabulary for his age, and a love of reading. Plus a general intelligence far beyond his years. Rumple had always said his aptitude came from his super-bright mother, but Belle thought he was just flattering her. Rumple himself was extremely bright, and she sometimes wondered whether his magic played a part in their son being a prodigy. While it was nice to have an exceptionally gifted child, it didn't always make him popular around children his own age. So much so, he was more withdrawn and she often wondered whether home-schooling might be the best option for him.

"So was Aunty Ruby being…disingenuous…when she said she loved Aunty Dorothy?"

Oh, wow! How the hell can a four-year-old child be so wise beyond his years? Ruby was her closest friend in Storybrooke, and knowing the secret they held, the question shook her. They'd even had the Lucas pair to dinner a couple of times, and they'd returned the compliment.

"Well, that's a strange thing to say?" She deflected. "What on earth made you think of that?"

"Ruby left her, to live with Snow White, didn't she? I heard some of the other mums talking about it. But Aunty Dorothy thought she loved her! So Ruby was being…disingenuous?"

"I don't think it's the same. Sometimes, people fall out of love with those they thought they were in love with. They don't mean to. So it isn't being disingenuous."

Gideon looked up at her, starting to assimilate her answer, as he did. To Belle's relief, he stayed silent, looking back down at his book as she completed her work. She finally closed down the computer, yawning, ready to go home. That's when he struck again:

"Mamma, are you still in love with pappa?"

That threw Belle completely. "I'm sorry?"

"Pappa. Are you still in love with him?"

Coming so soon after his question about Ruby and Dorothy, she knew where his mind was going.

"Of course I love your pappa, my darling! I love him very much."

"Just like Ruby loved Dorothy?"

"No, because I would never willingly leave your pappa. Or you!"

He looked up at her, his eyes betraying nothing. God, he was like his father.

Miami, Florida

Once they realised they'd been manipulated, somehow, either by someone with magic or some sort of curse, Regina and Emma had managed to retrieve a glimmer of hope. A hope that, even if nobody in Storybrooke ever forgave them for what they'd done, at least there was a chance they could get answers. Answers to why anyone would want them to destroy their lives. And not just their own, but the lives of Emma's parents, Ruby and Dorothy.

Emma had suggested checking into separate rooms, although Regina persuaded her not to bother. They might be stuck there for a while, as they figured out what to do, so why add to the expense? Especially as, with no current income, they had to rely on money in their savings and current accounts.

As they sat eating breakfast in the hotel's dining room, they considered their options.

"I've been giving more thought to going back to Storybrooke. I think you're right. You'll probably be arrested as soon as we cross the town line. Whereas me, as I only threatened to kill Robin (even just saying it made her mouth dry) and the old wolf, I'll probably just be cautioned. If I can talk to Henry, I may be able to persuade him to get these damn bracelets off? I'll tell him I'd taken leave of his senses, assure him Robin will be perfectly safe, and apologise profusely to everyone affected. And hope to god one day Robin will forgive me."

"So, I get charged, sentenced, and spend at least a year behind bars? Doesn't sound a great option for me, Regina, and I'll still be away from Hope and Killian. If they'll even have me! As for Henry, I'm not sure it'll be that easy for you, either. I remember the look on his face when I hit him. He's not going to forgive me for that, too easily."

"I agree, he's key to fixing this. I remember all too well how furious he looked when I used the silencing spell on him? Without him agreeing, we can't get the bracelets off. Without those off, we can't use magic to track down how we were manipulated, in the first place. No, I think it best if I go back first, then I can come get you, once I've managed to convince the Sheriff's Office that we were being controlled. Hank Morgan is a reasonable man, even if he is a bit dull."

"So you're suggesting I what, stay down here and just sit tight?"

"No. But I think you should stay out of town, until I've calmed things. Perhaps you could stay in Portland temporarily? It's only a short drive away. I'll explain to Morgan, and the new mayor, that we were cursed somehow, and I'm going to uncover how it happened. That even they must see that our behaviour was completely out of character. We need answers before you come back."

"And what if they don't accept that? What if Henry refuses to believe you?"

"Then that means Robin won't either. And if so, without magic, I'll have no future there. Same as now! I'll come back for you, either way." Regina noticed the crestfallen look, so she put her hand over the top of the younger woman's, interlocking their fingers, to give them an encouraging squeeze. "I mean it, Emma, we're in this, together. I'll come back for you as soon as I can, I swear."

Emma gave her a sad, appreciative, smile, as their hands stayed together.

Unfortunately, a new voice interrupted their moment. "Ooh, what lovely matching tattoos!"

A waitress had appeared beside them, carrying a tray to clear the dirty breakfast plates and glasses. She'd spotted the markings on their wrists. "I've never seen ones like that before! Gemstones on matching bracelets? They're very pretty!"

The moment Emma glanced up to see where she was looking, Regina pulled her hand away, now feeling awkward, and slightly embarrassed. The waitress picked up on it immediately.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, ladies…" It was the waitress's turn to feel awkward. "I was just admiring the designs? They're perfect. I do apologise if I embarrassed you. Would you like more coffee?"

Emma looked at the girl's blouse, and her silver name badge. "That's quite all right, Liz. Yes, more coffee, please. Both black. And more sugar?"

"Certainly, ladies, I'll bring another tray. Liz looked again at what she had before. "They are lovely though. It'd be nice to get something like that done for me, and my girlfriend? Whoever did them must be pretty skilled. Would you mind me asking where you went for them?"

Regina had heard enough and just wanted the girl gone. "They were done for us privately, by a family friend, to celebrate our engagement. Now, just the coffees please, miss?"

The chastened girl couldn't fail to notice her scowl. "Certainly madam. Right away!"

As she left with now loaded full tray, Emma couldn't help smirking at her departing figure. "Was that really necessary? She was only being nice. Besides…" she looked at the symbols all around her wrist. "They are pretty and they do look like matching tattoos. Something a couple might have done?"

"She was being nosey! Did you notice she was also looking at our hands? I took my wedding and engagement rings off two weeks ago, and left them at home. She clearly assumed we were married, or engaged, anyway."

"So what? So what if they all think we're a gay couple? Let's face it Regina, when we first checked in this place, we could hardly keep our hands off each other, could we? I'm sure enough people saw." Despite the seriousness of their current predicament, she couldn't prevent herself chuckling.

"Yes, well…" Even Regina also couldn't hide a smile. "We were cursed. Or spellbound, or whatever. Though I'll admit, we were both certainly…enthusiastic."

"Enthusiastic? That's putting it mildly. We hardly left the bed!"

"Do I really need reminding, Swan? We cheated on our husbands, remember? We committed adultery! There may have been a reason for it, but I'm not particularly proud of the fact."

"Yeah, me neither. Though what that girl said, and what she thought, got me thinking. About us."

"About you and me?"

"Yeah. We both admitted to each other, even yesterday, that we secretly had feelings for one another long before all the craziness. Even if we never acted on them. And there's my mum and Ruby? Until a few days ago, I never imagined her leaving dad. But after what you said, about them being together before? So if we agreed Gold must be behind this, he must have somehow picked up on our feelings for people outside our own marriages. Does that make sense?"

"For a man who has the power to steal thoughts? Definitely. I wouldn't put anything past that imp!"

An awkward silence followed, as they thought over the ramifications. Their relationship would never be the same again. They knew too much about each other now. But there was something nagging Regina, which she needed to clarify.

"Emma, I need you to know that I'm still very much in love with Robin. Even if I have destroyed anything he once felt for me. So if you're thinking we could somehow…you know…together? I don't really think thats on the cards for us. I'm sorry."

"No need to be sorry, Gina!" Emma's sad smile returned, as she put her hand back on the other woman's. "I'm not upset. The same thing goes for me, too! I love Killian with all my heart. And knowing what I did to him, cursed or otherwise, is killing me inside even if I hide it, like I usually do! He's never going to forgive me, not after what I've done, but I have to at least try! For Hope's sake as much as my own. So I guess I'll have to somehow plead with him from a distance to let me see her outside the town. It's either that, or spending time in jail. If he won't agree, I don't know what I'll do, quite frankly. Maybe I should rent a place in Portland, like you suggested, and get a job there? It's a nice enough place. Besides, you could always come move in with me if things don't work out for you, too? Maybe we could raise the baby together?"

Regina thought about it, before finally nodding. "That kind of make sense. We did a pretty good job with Henry. And perhaps over time, if he eventually forgives us, at least we'll have our son back." She looked down at their entwined fingers, returning her smile. "Our own relationship has certainly experienced had some twists and turns, hasn't it, Swan?

"Enemies, to allies and co-parents; to friends; to temporary lovers; and back to friends again?"

"Best friends." Regina corrected her, squeezing her fingers sharing a knowing look.

The sadness returned to her smile. "You know, even if we somehow manage to get through all of this. Even if our husbands ever find it in their hearts to forgive us. The relationship between you and me, it's changed forever either way, hasn't it?"

Brown eyes stared into green. "It really has. But you'll always play an important part in my life, one way or another, Miss Swan."

The blonde leant forward, pressing her lips softly against the brunette's cheek. "Ditto".

Regina returned the kiss, without hesitation.

And as they separated, eyes never leaving one another, she knew Emma was probably thinking much the same thing. What might have been between them, had fate chosen a very different path? If they were forced to leave Storybrooke, could they have a life together?

The Gold Mansion – the following morning

Belle woke around six, the sun already beaming round the edge of the curtains.

As she yawned, finally opening her eyes, she noticed that, once again, Rumple's side of the bed was empty. She wasn't surprised. The Dark One didn't need sleep or rest, even though her husband's human body craved it. But at least two or three times a week she would wake up to find him not there. Turning to climb out of bed, she felt a small twinge in her left shoulder, pulling back the cotton vest to see a tiny mark there. A bruise? Not giving it any more thought, she got out of bed to relieve herself in the bathroom.

Not noticing the tiny, insignificant speck of blood on the bottom sheet

Half an hour later, washed and dressed, she appeared in the kitchen, to find that Rumple had already laid the table for breakfast. He wasn't there. Though he knew where he would be.

So, two hours later, having dropped their son off at the nursery for the morning, instead of heading for the library, she returned home, to find him, once again, working at his desk in the study.

"Morning! I've brought you some tea. Working through the night, yet again?"

"Belle?" He looked up at her. "Good morning to you, dearie."

"Rumple, we've talked about this. The Dark One doesn't need to sleep, but your body does. That's five nights in a row, now!"

"You may be right. However, I think I now have all the information I need, partly thanks to your excellent translation a few days ago, so this project is almost over. Is Gideon at the nursery?"

She nodded. "I've just dropped him off. The project's over? So, you found out everything you wanted?" She looked uncomfortably down at the little tray at the centre of the desk where, once again, there was a little folded loop of brown hair, sitting in the serum he'd developed. "About Ruby and Snow too?"

His attention turned to her, looking at her intently. "Yes, I had everything I needed."

But how? Surely without Ruby's hair he couldn't complete the serum?

"Good. So was it as you expected? Were all four of them under some sort of control by Ingrid, even though everyone thought she was dead? Did Ruby and Snow also visit that cottage?"

"They did. Only two hours before our former mayor and sheriff. We saw it all on the dreamcatcher yesterday. Looking at the residue left, it's now my firm belief that the potion was created quite by accident. A mistake in the mixture, with too much Bainberry. Left after the Ice Queen died, the mixture partly evaporated, which made a stronger, more potent mix. We witnessed the princess and the wolf inhaling it."

"So that mean everything they did after that, was due to the fact they were drugged? But I remember you saying that no spell, magic, or potion can make you fall in love. So how come?"

"You said it yourself, when you first did the book translation, Belle. It was meant as merely a bonding potion, to gain trust. This stronger mix makes everything, all feelings, more intense. But you're right in as far as you cannot create love. There has to be a spark of love interest, or even lust, to begin with. In the case of Emma and Regina, I could see the signs long before this happened. Even though they never acted on it."

Belle thought about it. There was always a certain chemistry between Emma and Regina, despite their regular squabbling. And she had noticed the sometimes flirtatious looks the women gave each other. "Well I can believe that! They were always a bit odd around each other. It didn't seem to bother Robin, but I know it annoyed Killian sometimes. But Snow and Ruby?"

Rumple gave her his usual annoying, knowing grin. "One of Misthaven's most closely guarded secrets, dearie. The pair were together frequently before first Charming appeared on the scene. It may have only been a dalliance, but it was definitely physical, and emotional."

"Snow White? I can't believe it!"

"Perfectly true, I assure you. In fact, in the dreamcatcher, she referred to that time, as did Ruby Lucas. it was actually a lot more informative than her own daughter's viewing. Charming and Dorothy Gale watched it with me. In fact, it confirmed Mrs Nolan's, or perhaps I should now say, Miss Gale's, worst suspicions."

"Suspicions?"

"That her wife was being regularly unfaithful to their marriage, with someone other than Snow White, for some time before she was affected by the potion."

Belle felt her throat suddenly dry, an icy chill running down her back. And she noticed he was staring back even harder. Does he know? "Really?"

"Really. She even admitted it on the dreamcatcher. Said she needed to regularly 'scratch an itch'. Poor Dorothy. Terrible thing, isn't it, Belle, being cheated on?"

"Erm. I guess."

"After we saw her admitting her past infidelities, it got me wondering. How would you react if you knew I'd done something like that? If I'd cheated on you?"

Was he playing her? "Well…I don't honestly know. I've never really thought about it."

"Nor me. Although I remember years ago when that Nottingham insect mauled you outside. Though as I recall, you were under the mistaken belief you were someone else. Lacey? I beat him to within an inch of his life, regardless."

"Rumple. Why are you saying all this?"

"No particular reason. Still, you're here at a very opportune time, Belle. Overnight, I've been watching more secrets. It was most interesting." His voice now seemed to acquire a coldness she hadn't heard for a long time. The calculating voice of the Dark One. "Would you like to see?"

"Er, no thanks. Not particularly." She stood. "I already saw enough last time, what with Emma and Regina carrying on. Contrary to the modern male perspective Rumple, most women don't like watching other women having sex with each other, whether they're straight or gay!"

"Oh, but this is very different, Belle! It isn't of Snow and Ruby, my dear. This is…I new pair, and I'm quite sure Ingrid's rather destructive potion wasn't involved. I'm sure you'll want to see this?"

"No thanks," she turned away, heading towards the door. "I'll leave you to it. I'll-"

Belle stopped talking the moment she felt her entire lower body stiffen, almost freezing up, but without any coldness. She felt herself being slowly lifted off the floor by an invisible force!

"What the hell?"

She couldn't move a muscle, apart from her head and eyes. She was moved back to where she'd been standing before, right beside him, facing the dreamcatcher.

"Rumple! What the hell are you doing?"

"Sorry, Belle, but I'm afraid I must insist!"

Now she felt genuine fear. He knew everything!

The Nolan Farm

"Dorothy, what's going on? I know you're hiding something, so why don't you just tell me?"

The hero of Oz, a hero to so many in a very different realm, had just put the phone down after talking to Charming. In front of her stood his son, clearly worried.

"I'm sorry, Neal. That was your father I was talking to just now. You're right, I should have said something earlier, but I honestly didn't know what to tell you. I picked you up from school because he had to go to the hospital. It's something to do with your mum, apparently. She's poorly."

"Mum?" Neal had tried to block out all thoughts about his mother recently, after all the emotional pain she'd inflicted on him nearly two weeks ago, by telling him, in front of all his friends, that she'd left his father and moved in with Ruby. And ignored his birthday completely. But knowing she was ill?

"Hospital? Why, what's happened?"

"They found her in her loft, unconscious. But she's now safe and resting. She's in good hands."

"Then I need to go there!"

"Your dad asked that you stay here for the moment. Until he has some news."

"But I need to go there! She's my mum!"

"I do understand, really. But I'll tell you what. I'll call him back and ask him if you can go over?"

He grumbled, clearly unconvinced, muttering something to himself, until "Does Emma know?"

"I don't know, Neal."

He looked up, staring hard at her. "You're lying!"

"What? No, I'm not! I really don't know." Did he even know his big sister had fled town with the former mayor? Did he even know she was in a relationship with Regina? "I haven't seen Emma in weeks. Not since…" She stopped herself. This was territory David should be dealing with.

"Since what? What's going on, Dot? What are you not telling me? Where's my sister?"

Dorothy remembered Ruby telling her about Emma's ability to detect any lie or evasion, and last week, over dinner, David told her that Merlin had claimed Neal had magic too, which would come out one day. Magic, apparently, as powerful as his big sister's.

"I wasn't lying, Neal. Though it's unlikely Emma knows about your mother. You need to speak to your dad about this, because he's the one that needs to tell you."

Storybrooke Hospital

David had been at the hospital for four hours. There'd been no change. Snow was still in a coma, the IV was still in her arm, and an oxygen mask lay draped over her face. Nurses had come in regularly to check her over, and apart from the regular beeping and whooshing sounds coming from the machines helping her breath and monitoring her heart, everything was still.

He hadn't left the room since he'd arrived. And as he looked her over from the chair next to the bed, he held her hand throughout.

"Well, I'd never imagined us ever being in a situation like this, Snow. Until two weeks ago, I never imagined us apart. I thought we'd be there for each other forever. Death do us part. But well, life's a strange thing, isn't it?" He spoke softly, as though she could hear him, though she never moved a muscle. "I know you've moved on from me, whether it was because of a potion, like Henry and Gold insist, or not. And I certainly had no idea you were in something with Ruby before we met, or even had those sorts of feelings for her? I wish you'd told me, Snow. But…despite everything, I want you to know that I hooe you to wind up happy, even if it's not with me." He squeezed her fingers, and never noticed the silent jump in the graph detecting her brain patterns. "Neal needs you back. So does Emma, though she has enough of her own problems, right now. And I hope-" he stopped talking the moment the door opened. A nurse appeared, a tablet in her hand, followed by Victor Whale. As the nurse adjusted her drip and set about checking her temperature, the doctor came around to his side of the bed.

"Mr. Nolan, I just thought I'd pop in again and check in on her before I headed off home."

"You're going home?" David seemed irritated, but the nurse now looked back at him, cross.

"Doctor Whale's been on duty for twelve hours straight, Mr. Nolan! He needs his sleep, just like the rest of us." She answered, sternly. "Your wife is in the best of hands, and Doctor Stephenson will be in shortly to check on her shortly!"

"Thank you, Bridget," Victor answered for him. "It's quite alright. Mr. Nolan is just worried for his…wife. These are difficult days times for his family."

The severe nurse silently nodded, going back to her work. David realised he may have been too curt with his tongue. "I'm…I'm sorry Whale. Victor. I know you're all doing your best." He looked down at the patient. "But, about Snow? She will be okay…won't she?"

"To be honest with you, it's too early to tell. Overdose patients often need long-term care after, and there's a likely chance of kidney damage, and possible future liver failure. Again, until we've examined what she's taken, we don't know for sure. But at least her heart's beating stronger, so that's one less thing to worry about. But again, she will need long-term care. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless there's a chance that magic might help us? It's beyond my expertise certainly, but I did discuss Snow's case with Reul Ghorm, when she was here earlier. She said her own magic wasn't powerful enough but that she'd contact someone to see if they could come."

"You mean Emma, or Regina? You know they've left the town, don't you? We don't know where they've gone."

"No, she said someone with even more powerful healing magic than them. Merlin."

"Merlin's here? I thought he left a year ago?"

"Part of him did. I don't really understand it, but basically, he splits himself up into several people at once. One of them has medical expertise. And magic, obviously. Blue said she'll contact him. That seems the only way to avoid long-term care."

Without warning, the door burst open, making them all look up to see an agitated Henry Mills. it was the second time today he'd made a dramatic entry.

"Henry? What is it? What's happened?"

"Sorry. It's Neal! Dorothy just rang me from the farm. He's…he's vanished."

"Vanished? What do you mean, vanished? He's run away?"

"No. She said he did right in front of her! He disapparated, just like my mums and grandpa Gold!"

Oh hell! Merlin warned them about this. But could his magic come in already?

~oOo~