Merlin attempts to save the life of Snow White. Meanwhile, The Dark One receives an unexpected visitor with a request.

LaGuardia Airport, New York – The following afternoon

Emma made the call the moment they'd come off the flight.

"Henry, how's my mum?" Short and to the point. She'd barely slept after hearing of Snow's overdose

"Hi ma. Still unconscious, I think. They won't tell me yet, though I've tried a few times. I'm at the hospital right now, picking up Neal from Blue."

"What do you mean - they won't tell you? Who's 'they'?"

The nurses. Grandpa David's in with them, and we're waiting outside in reception. They say Merlin and Whale are operating, but not much else!"

"Put one of the nurses on."

"Ma, I hardly think you bellowing at them is going to help? I just-"

"PUT THEM ON!" she demanded, earning a glare from several disembarking passengers, as Regina stood nearby.

"Nope, not when you take that tone, ma! Not anymore."

As she was about to say sorry, and that she was just worried for Snow, she heard a voice she recognised in the background. "I'm sorry Henry, but I'm just anxious, okay? Let me speak to Blue then?"

"Hang on, I'll ask…" She heard him say something incomprehensible to someone else before he came back on. "Yeah, she's here. Hold on…" A couple of other voices were heard in the background and the sound of the phone being passed over.

"Mrs. Jones?" Said a terse, clipped, woman's voice, clearly more than irritated. "Or am I now addressing Miss Emma Swan these days? Or even Mrs Swan-Mills? One can never be too sure."

Emma rolled her eyes, guessing this was most likely how she'd be treated by the whole town when she got back. "It's still Mrs. Swan-Jones thank you, unless you know otherwise. And yes Blue, I know I've fucked up badly, but only because I was poisoned by the Snow Queen ,while we were looking for another of you bloody fairies!" As she spoke louder than necessary, she could see several passengers with children looking annoyed at her cursing. Regina also looked irritated that she was mentioning fairy tale characters outside of the town. "But I'm coming back to sort my own mess out, okay? But I've more important things to worry about right now. How is my mum? Why won't they tell Henry what's going on? And what are you doing with my little brother?"

"The Sorcerer's operating on her, attempting to save a life. Your father's also in theatre with her. And as for your brother, I was taking care of him, as the Prince asked me. But as your son has appeared, henry can now take care of him while I find out more."

"Merlin's operating on her? Not Whale?"

"No, Merlin himself. There's a high degree of magic required, and your father is also unconscious and being operated on as we speak. Now, if you'll excuse me?" The Head Fairy passed the phone back to Henry before she could reply, leaving Emma standing silently, stunned, open-mouthed. Magic? Dad too? For a heart op? Henry came back on the line as she realised the implications. With a split heart between them, she could be about to lose both of them.

"Ma? You still there?"

"Yeah. Sorry Hen, can I speak to Neal?" Her voice now sounded more nervous.

A few moments later, the boy himself came online. "Emma? Is that you?"

"Yeah. Hi Neal. Look, I'm sorry I couldn't be there, but I'm trying to get back to you as soon as I can, okay? How are you feeling? Are you holding up?"

"It doesn't look good, Emma. The doctor said her heart's got worse. And I think I caused it when I was talking to her today while she was unconsc…asleep? I've got magic, like you now, so it's my fault! I'm sorry."

He sounded devastated, which somehow made Emma feel even worse.

"Now you listen to me, little bro! None of this is your fault, okay? I'm sure your new magic never did anything to hurt her. Mum got poisoned by something and it made her do some weird stuff. I got poisoned too and did some crazy things and hurt people. But I'm feeling better now, and I know mum be too." She could hear sniffles at the other end which made her feel helpless. "I love you Neal, but we need to hang in there, and be really brave for mum and dad right now, like they are for us!"

"But my magic, Emma? There were sparks coming out of my fingers! Mr. Merlin had to stop it!"

"That happened to me too. I was a lot older than you, but I was still frightened just like you. I can help you when I get back, okay? So can Regina. So I need you to sit tight till later. Be brave, kid. Just like papa!"

"Okay," he still didn't sound convinced. "Mr. Merlin said he'd help me too. Henry's taking me home soon. Emma, is it true you tried to kill Killian? His ship isn't there anymore."

Ouch! So everyone knows? "Yeah, I'm afraid so. But I didn't mean to! I wasn't in control of my head, which means I wasn't in control of my magic, if that makes any sense? But I love Killian, and Hope, and I need to find him and say sorry and hope they'll forgive me. But right now, we've bigger things to worry about. So I'll get there as soon as I can, okay?"

She stayed on the phone with her brother for a couple more minutes, trying to reassure him while he told her a little more about what had happened.. Then Henry came back and gave her a quick update, having finally managed to grab one of the passing nurses. But seeing Regina get increasingly agitated after everyone else had left the flight to go to the baggage area, Emma finally finished the call and walked over to join her.

And from the look on the blonde's face, Regina could tell the news wasn't going to be great.

"So how's Snow?"

"No change. Merlin's in theatre with her now."

"Merlin? Not Whale? Why him, he's not a surgeon. Is he?"

"Never can tell with that guy. It's got something to do with their shared heart. Dad's in there too, but as a patient! Henry said he's working on both of them."

"So why wouldn't Merlin just use magic to take it out quickly rather than operate on her? And if he does, would it make any difference? After all, if he's trying to join the two halves of the heart, one of them's going to-" but she stopped herself, seeing Emma drawn face, as the blonde nodded, clearly reaching the same conclusion. He was probably doing it to prevent both dying at the same time, and as a result only one of them would be saved. "Emma, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, sucks right? With a five hour drive in front of us, it doesn't look like I'm going to get back in time, does it?"

Seeing her friend clearly about to break, she took her in their arms and they hugged, as she somehow managed to hold back her tears. Things were just going from bad to worse!

"Let's get the car, and get you back home."

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke…

"So let me see if I've got this right. You're going to use some sort of magic to freeze the bodies, take the two split halves of their heart out, bind them together somehow, and then 'duplicate' them? Then put both back?"

"That's a rather simple explanation for complex, ancient magic, but yes. Then I'll seek to repair the worst of the damage to the queen's liver and kidneys, if I can. That will depend on their state."

"Do you mind if I stay and watch? I'm a surgeon not a magician, so this is all…unreal for me."

"I don't mind, Doctor Whale, but I must ask you to remain silent during the casting, if you don't mind?"

"Of course. But one last question before you start, if I may?" Merlin finally looked up at him, nodding. "Why are you operating on them like this? Gold and Regina used to just rip the hearts straight out with magic. You can do that too, right?"

"Of course I can, but nobody ever should, even for a good cause. Your operating theatre gets disinfected at the end of every shift, and all the equipment and clothing sterilized, right?" Whale nodded. "And you all wear scrubs, masks and gloves throughout?" Another nod. "It's a little-known fact that a great many of The Dark One and Evil Queen's torture victims who survived, then subsequently died from infection caused by contamination. Infection and basic hygiene still applies, doctor, even in the magical world. Now, I'm scrubbed. So if you'll excuse me?"

Turning away form him to face the two bodies on the operating tables either side. Victor Whale watched in awe as the Sorcerer raised his arms to summon the required magic. A thin silvery shimmering light, like an opaque blanket, appeared to float down and over the two patients, then wrap itself around the bodies separately. "There. All life is suspended. We have an hour at most."

"Why an hour? What happens if you take more?"

Merlin looked up, irritated at having his concentration disturbed yet again. "Then you'll have just witnessed the last hour in the life of Snow White and Prince Charming. Now, may I be allowed to continue?"

~oOo~

"So? How did it go?"

It was just over an hour later when Merlin reappeared in the little waiting room outside the operating theatre. Henry and Neal had waited patiently throughout, despite Blue repeatedly trying to persuade him to take the boy home.

"Hello again, Henry." Merlin smiled at the young man, who seemed to be at least a foot taller than when he last saw him, three years ago. Then he looked down at the worried face of the eight-year-old beside him. "Neal, I'm sorry you've had a difficult wait out here. I'm pleased to tell you both that your mother and father's operations went as well as could be expected. And I left your father awake and asking for you."

"Is mum awake too?"

"No, she's still unconscious, as we expected. Though her body is now able to repair itself. Judging by the monitors, her coma is now not so deep. "

"Any idea when she might wake?" Henry asked.

"It's impossible to say." He looked down at the boy. "Though I was given to understand that this young man's voice had a dramatic effect on her brain activity earlier? Perhaps you might like to try talking to her like that again, Neal? Only this time, she shouldn't have any heart problems."

"Hear that, Neal? Maybe you might be able to wake her up with a kiss this time? After all, it worked for me when I did it twice, to mum and ma."

Merlin gave him a sad smile. "Unfortunately Henry, I believe you're thinking of sleeping curses. Sadly, that doesn't apply this time. Although I'm sure your grandmother would always welcome a kiss from her favourite boys."

~oOo~

Unbeknown to Henry and David's son, while they were talking to Merlin outside, Charming was already changing out of his theatre gown and into the clothes he'd arrived in. Minutes ago, he'd woken up, in a different room, dry-mouthed from Merlin's 'operation'. Could it even be called an operation? After all, he had no drips or leads coming out of him. And lifting up the gown, there were no scars, other than the battle scars he'd gained decades ago. Had he even had his heart removed?

But looking to his left, the first thing he spotted was Snow, on a trolley bed next to his. She still had a drip in her arm, two wires attached to her head and chest, and some sort of grey tube coming out from lower down. But the oxygen mask had gone, and her face was now fully exposed. Very pale, but it was unmistakeably Snow!

Climbing off the bed, he'd dressed as quickly as he could. He felt a little tired. Drained. Perhaps that was the anaesthetic? Had Merlin even used anaesthetic, or was it all done with magic. With his boots on, he stepped over to his wife's (or ex-wife's, as the divorce papers had been signed) body.

Even with all the punishment her body had taken over the last few days, she was still a beautiful woman. If not the fairest of them all, to him she still looked bloody close.

"God Snow, I hope whatever he's done has worked? We may not be together anymore, but I hope to hell you get to hug Neal, and Emma again. They need you."

Her face showed no movement, not even under the eyelids. But as he glanced at the little green trace line on the EEG, it now seemed to be fluctuating much more wildly than it had before the operation. Did that mean she was coming out of it?"

"Neal's waiting outside. Waiting for you to recover. Snow, he needs his mama back, safe and sound. I know it's been a few difficult weeks for us, but I want you to know that, despite everything that's happened-" David stopped talking when his mind went back to a dark day, decades ago, when he'd discovered her lying under a crystal coffin. And how he'd woken her up. Could it work again?

He moved closer, avoiding the drip and wires, before leaning over the bed and cautiously lowering his lips onto hers, for a few seconds. Like the very first last time he did it, the sensation was warm, but still. However, after waiting a good half minute, Snow didn't wake, and the monitor didn't change.

Nothing.

"Well, I guess that only works with sleeping curses, right? I'm sorry Snow." But as David sat upright, the door suddenly opened, and in walked Neal and Henry, followed closely by Blue.

"Mum?" Seeing his father to the right, the eight-year-old quickly stepped around to the opposite side of his mother's bed. "At least they've taken that funny mask off your face?" He collected his mother's warm but lifeless hand in his own, gazing down at the still figure, who seemed to have almost shrunk since he'd last seen her, at the school, when she told him she'd left his father.

But Henry's eyes were on David. "For a guy who's just had some sort of heart transplant, you're up and about pretty quick grandpa?"

"I only woke up a few minutes ago, Henry." He lifted the tail of his still shirt up, showing his chest. "See, no scar? Power of magic I guess?"

"Ah, you're awake! "A fourth visitor, Doctor Whale, had just walked in, surprised to see Charming on his feet. "Thank heavens for Merlin. If we'd had to use anaesthetic, you'd be asleep another couple of hours yet. How are you feeling?"

"Like someone rolled over me with a truck, but otherwise, fine. I see Snow's still asleep? How did her part of the operation go?"

"As well as could be expected, given the circumstances. As he used magic I'm not qualified to judge, but he's repaired a lot of the liver and kidney damage. We'll have to see."

"And her heart?"

"That was the most fascinating to watch! He froze you both, opened you up in turn using only his hands, brought out the two halves of the heart then there was a big burst of light when he reconnected them. Apparently, that was the hardest bit! Then he laid them out on a tray, there was more light, almost blinding this time, and the next thing you know there were two hearts side-by-side! If I ever told what I saw to the Medical Counsel in New York, they wouldn't just revoke my medical license, they'd probably commit me to an asylum!"

"All very interesting Doctor Whale, but did it work?"

"Well…as you can see, she's now breathing without assistance, which gives her a much greater chance of recovery. Also, on the coma scale, she appears to be responding to sounds, at least judging from the EEG. It's a good start."

"So you're saying she'll wake up eventually, even if you don't know when?"

"Not quite, Henry. But I'm saying her chances of doing so have improved dramatically."

"I know she's gonna wake up eventually!" Neal said firmly. He was now sitting on the edge of the bed, by the side of his mother, looking over her. "I know she did some bad stuff, just like Emma did, but she won't leave me forever. Will you mum?"

"I'm sure your mother will return to you, Neal!" Reul Ghorm had stood quietly by the wall, watching them, having remained silent since she'd walked back in. But she was the only one who'd noticed a change in that strange spiky green line on the brain monitor. "You just carry on talking to her, like you did before? Merlin did tell you it'd be okay now, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did." Neal didn't look up, instead just staring at the unconscious woman's face. "Mum, you always told me and Em that we should always have hope that things would get better, didn't you? Well I'm trying mum, I really am, cos lots of things are really bad right now! but I need you to hurry up and wake up now? Please? Cos I miss you." He leant right over her, trying to avoid the strange wires on her head and the tube. "And I love you." Then he kissed the centre of her brow.

Whale spotted the dramatic change in the signals on the EEG monitor!

"Charming?" He pointed to it. "Look!"

Five pairs of eyes now turned to look at the little screen, the green line wildly fluctuating up and down, as a loud beeping noise suddenly rang out from it. Whale walked over to it to turn the signal volume down.

"Look!" yelled Neal.

"I am, Neal, I am. I'm just recalibrating-"

"NO, LOOK!" All eyes turned to see Neal was no longer looking at the monitor.

Snow White's eyes were open!

Gold's Pawnbroker Shop

Whenever Rumpelstiltskin encountered times of great stress, there was only one way he knew of handling it. Work. The Dark One never needed sleep. Never needed rest, even though Rumple's aged bones of Rumpelstiltskin surely did. At his great age, the former spinner often wondered what would happen if the malevolent dark force was forcibly removed from him. His body would no doubt collapse entirely and perish within minutes. So the symbiotic relationship became entrenched, neither benefitting from the other's demise, even though The Dark One would no doubt find a suitable alternate host in the years to come. He was as old as Merlin, after all.

So, following one of the worst days of his life, the day he found out he'd been betrayed by one of the few living mortals he trusted, he shrank in on himself. His beloved grandson Henry had been the only comfort last night. But once the young man, who reminded him so much of his own lamented son, had left with Gideon to drop him off at school, he'd hidden in the back of his shop, wrapped his arms around his ancient spinning wheel, and started to spin gold. Gold he would no doubt add to his already considerable wealth. Gold which he'd already sold to invest in numerous ventures outside of Storybrooke. And gold which he'd sold to put by a considerable endowment for Henry. The boy should never have to suffer for want of funds, like Bae had!

Unfortunately, the loud rapping of the knocker on the shop door broke him from his thoughts.

"GO AWAY – WE'RE CLOSED!" He bellowed.

But the rapping continued.

"DO YOU REALLY WANT TO TEST THE PATIENCE OF THE DARK ONE? I SAID WE'RE CLOSED!"

The rapping ceased, but next he felt a powerful warm wave sweep over him. Magic! And he also recognised the signature of that magic, and its owner.

"Maleficent?" The self-named Mistress of All Evil appeared in the doorway. "I'm neither open nor dealing with other people's problems right now! You'd best leave."

"Now is that any way to greet an old friend, Dark One?" The tall, lean blonde looked down at him, the dragon-in-human-form smirking. "Good morning Rumple. I had a feeling you'd be here."

"Come here to gloat, dragon?" Tired eyes looked up at her. Instead of her usual black attire, the woman was now dressed in a surprisingly elegant, modern, tightly fitting, dark blue knee-length summer dress, which showed her calves, and her entire body, perfectly. And her hair, clearly restyled and shining, swept over one shoulder. She looked surprisingly good for a creature centuries older than him, he thought.

"On the contrary. I came to see how you were. I had heard about the bookworm. You threw her over the town line, along with her paramour, I gather? I'm impressed!"

"News seems to travel fast. You're impressed I banished them?"

"No, I'm impressed you decided not to just kill them and have done! I know you and your temper, Rumple, from long before you even met the woman. Personally, I always found it rather stimulating. I'm surprised you have so much self-control these days."

"The spinner side of me does show its head from time to time. So why are you really here?"

"I need something." Her expression turned serious. "I want to make a deal."

"You want to make a deal?" Hearing the word that guaranteed the interest of his dark side, Mal noticed how his expression, and his voice, changed. A smirk appeared on his lips and she could swear his pupils had grown noticeably larger. "Well that is a surprise! What do you think I could possibly want from you, dearie?"

Mal eyed his coolly. To her, black magic was always an aphrodisiac and seeing him when he was at his worst was always far more interesting than his attempts at suppressing his darkness for a woman who never understood him. "I have something, an object, that you want. Something that you have coveted for a very long time. I would be willing to exchange it for the safe return of my daughter, Lilith, to Storybrooke. She's currently in a hospital in New York, undergoing chemotherapy, though the diagnosis isn't good. As you well know, as a dragon I cannot travel over the town line and into a land without magic without being immediately obliterated. So, I want you to get her back here and for you to cure her with the necessary dark magic. Light will not be enough, given her nature."

"Get her back, and cure her? That's two tasks dearie!" The rubbed his chin, considering his options. "I'd want two in return. You know how this works."

"Then in addition to what I possess, I will be in your debt, won't I?"

"I see." A powerful magical being, owing a debt to The Dark One was no minor issue. He could use it in so many ways in the future. "And what is the object in question."

She waited till he looked her fully in the eye. "Why, the Truth Stone, of course."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "You truly have it in your possession to give?" She nodded, slowly. "I was given to understand it had disappeared centuries ago."

"And it was important you made that assumption. But I would never trade it for anything but the life of my daughter. So, do we have a deal?"

"Hmm. An interesting proposition. Normally I would demand a second debt for the remedy, but in your case, as you know, I've always had a soft spot when it comes to our children…" The smirk he gave even her a cold shiver. "I'll do it, in exchange for the stone, and a lock of your hair, instead of owing me a debt I will accept truthful answers to five questions. But I must stress, one lie breaks the deal."

Maleficent frowned. She knew something of how the mind of Dark Ones worked, from many years before Rumpelstiltskin became the host of the entity. And how it, because it wasn't truly a he or a she, could use dragon hair for all manner of magic. But at the same time, as the Mistress of All Evil, she always found the darkness irresistible. An aphrodisiac in this tedious world. "Very well, he have a deal."

"Hee hee hee!" he squeaked his familiar high-pitched voice, giving a little jump on the spot and clapping his hands. "Very well! I shall arrange the recovery of your daughter and bring her back here. The fix her malady. So, my questions…"

To magical beings, especially ones possessing dark magic, this was a binding contract, it's default or deception often punished by death. She sighed. "Go ahead. Ask."

"Your daughter, Lilith. Despite what you've implied in the past, is her father still alive?"

"I…" The question took her completely by surprise. Why bring him up? It was a secret she'd long kept to herself. "He is."

"Excellent! Well that rules out two of my former hosts, with whom I believe you had…relationships? Gorgon and Whiro were the most likely candidates, I thought."

"How the hell did you-" Mal stopped herself, realising she was talking to a man who held all the memories, and powers, of all past Dark Ones. So he would know about every intimate detail. Every encounter. "No, neither of them fathered Lilith. Why would you ask?"

"Uh-uh-uh! I'm the one asking the questions, dearie! My, you are one for the darker side, it would seem. Is that why you turned to women instead? Lots more choice of darkness there, I believe."

"Far from it, but when it comes to humans, apart from some notable exceptions, I often find the male of the species somewhat lacking for my baser needs." She decided to fight back, remembering his current situation with his wife. "I tend to find other females can be so much more…enthusiastic and inventive between the sheets. Lots of women would tend to agree with me, Rumple." She knew she was taking a risk by teasing him, but once he made a deal?" And that was your second question answered. Your third?"

Despite his irritation at being ridiculed for Belle's adultery, he smiled back. He secretly loved the way she always toyed with him. She was always so brazen; never one to be easily intimidated. But that only piqued his curiosity, not his anger. After all, the librarian was the spinner's former love, not his. "Speaking of Belle, how long have you been aware of my wife's infidelity with the wolf?"

"Ruby Lucas? Long enough." She saw from his glare that it wasn't a suitable answer, and it would be more than stupid to get on the wrong side of him when she needed him. After all, she may be immortal, but he could still turn her to ashes for someone else to resurrect, possibly centuries later. So, she decided this time to elaborate. "Nearly three years. I attended one of their tedious 'girls' evenings' with Regina Mills and her gaggling hoard. I saw something about their nature towards one another that had me curious. So, as it was your wife, I used my own methods to find out more. Ruby Lucas has always been remarkably libidinous for a wolf. And generous, in her favours."

"Generous? So you were also in some sort of relationship with her?"

"If you regard merely having sex with someone as a 'relationship' Rumple, then yes. Otherwise, no. When it came to that sort of thing, she was always rather voracious. You know, Belle, Snow White and I weren't the only women in the group to discover that? She was surprisingly popular. I pity that poor Oz girl."

She deliberately answered in a way that was guaranteed to lead to him wanting to uncover the names of the others involved, using his fifth, and final, question. Then, apart from the lock of hair, she would have paid for her part of the deal. What she wasn't expecting was the question that came next.

"So who's Lilith's father? And I suggest you answer honestly, Maleficent. As I recall, your daughter possesses some white magic within her. His blood may hold the very key to your daughter's survival."

~oOo~