Author's Notes: I do not own Once Upon A Time which is a show on ABC where they rip out your heart and next week roll it around in some glass. Thank you for the reads and reviews and faves and follows. I appreciate it! I haven't gotten back to you but I will. Thanks for your indulgence to the non-Whovians last chapter. Also, hello, lurkers. One note, I may have promised some Greg and Tamara interrogation this chapter. It didn't quite happen and I'm sorry. It will. Please let me know what you think and happy reading!


"No!," said Gold, tying his tie as he walked from the backroom to the main floor of the shop.

"Rumple, be reasonable..." said Belle.

"Oh, no, I don't think so. Is this the reason for the sudden midday picnic at the shop? To make me more likely to comply with such a request?"

"Actually, I like our midday picnics. I always have," said Belle. "I wanted to ask you when Beatrice wasn't around because I thought you might react badly."

"Oh, you think?"

Belle rolled her eyes. "It is two hours away once a week. She's driven that far before."

"It is outside Storybrooke, past the town line and if something were to happen to her, we can't help her without forgetting who she is."

"Even if that were to happen, Neal or Emma or Merlin or even Regina could go get her."

"Oh, good, let's send Regina," he snapped. "I don't even know why I worried."

"It's a PSAT study course," said Belle.

Gold shook his head. "And why is that significant?"

"So she can do well on the PSAT. So it can help her get into a good college."

"What happened to the SATs?"

"That's next year."

"There's an entrance exam for college before the entrance exam for college?"

"More or less," said Belle.

"So, I should let her go and leave me once a week so that she can leave me permanently?"

"So that's what this is really about," said Belle.

"I am concerned for her safety," said Gold.

"You're concerned that she's going to leave you and never come back," said Belle. "Rumple, Beatrice isn't like that."

The door opened. They looked up to see a man and a woman walking in. Suits, sunglasses, businesslike expressions. Gold and Belle exchanged glances.

"Are you Mr. Gold?," the woman asked, taking off her sunglasses. Her partner followed suit.

"Who's asking?"

They flashed gold badges. The woman spoke, introducing herself first. "Detective Barone, Detective Keller. NYPD."

"And what are two detectives from New York City doing in Maine in the middle of January?," asked Gold.

"We're investigating a missing person, Tamara Milton. Her employer reported her missing."

"We haven't seen her since well before Christmas," said Belle.

"And who are you?"

"Belle Gold."

"Do you know where we could find Neal Cassady?," asked Keller. "We have questions."

"Is he a suspect?," asked Gold.

"We're just asking questions," said Barone.

"Why don't you leave your number and I'll have him call you?," said Gold.

Keller gave Gold a business card. "We'll be in town a few days."

They left. Belle turned to Gold.

"Call Merlin. The plan needs to go into effect."


Merlin walked into the sheriff's station.

"What's up?," asked Emma.

"You know the visitors we've been expecting?"

"Oh, God," said Emma.

"I've hidden Greg and Tamara for now. Regina is playing host," said Merlin. He looked at Hook. "You. Play nice or I give you to Rumplestiltskin as a late Christmas present."

"What visitors?," asked Hook.

"Detectives." Merlin looked at Gaston as he stared blankly. "Do you think you can not say anything stupid? No, never mind."

Merlin waved his hand.

"What did you do?," asked Emma.

"Rendered him dumb," said Merlin. "Double meaning in that."

"I must say it's quite an improvement," said Hook.

"Well, that's done," said Merlin. "I'm off to get the knights in order."

"What does that mean?," asked Emma.

"You don't want to know," said Merlin.

As they looked up, Regina entered with the detectives.

"Ah, Sheriff Swan, these are Detectives Barone and Keller from New York City."

They exchanged greetings.

Keller eyed Merlin. "And you are?"

"Colin Avalon. Concerned citizen, I was just leaving."

"Yeah, I'll see you later... Colin," said Emma.

Merlin left. Emma turned back to the detectives. "What can I do for you?"

Barone spoke. "We're investigating the disappearance of a missing person, Tamara Milton. We'd appreciate your cooperation, Sheriff."

Emma shrugged. "Whatever I can do to help."

"Do you know Ms. Milton's fiance?"

Emma froze. Hook laughed as Regina shot him a look.

"Sheriff?," asked Keller.

"He's the father of my son."

"Our son," said Regina.

"Oh," said Barone, "you two are-"

"No," said Regina with contempt. "I adopted Henry."

"When did you last see her?," asked Keller.

"Tamara? Well, that must have been around when she left town," said Emma.

"And that was?"

"Neal's sister was in the hospital," said Regina. "We were all there. That's when we learned she was seeing another man. As you can imagine, she didn't stay long after that."

"Uh, yeah," said Emma.

"Neal's sister?," asked Barone.

"Beatrice. Mr. Gold's daughter from his second marriage," said Regina. "She was injured in the woods. She's completely recovered now."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Keller. "Did it seem like there were any problems between Tamara and Neal?"

"Other than the other guy?," asked Emma.

"How did Neal take that?"

"About as well as you would expect."

"Do you know where we could find him? We went by his father's shop."

"I'll tell him you need to speak with him," said Emma.


It was the third week of their summer tour of the kingdoms. They had gone from castle to castle and ball to ball. Reinette was glad to be out of Avonlea even if she knew that the intended purpose of their journey was superfluous at this point. They were taking a day to tour the gardens of a fine country house on the way to their next destination.

Belle toured the gardens eagerly with her grandfather and being led by the lord of the manor of himself, a kindly old gentleman obsessed with his flowers. Reinette found herself drawn to a particular group of roses and stared for a while.

"Reinette?," asked Catherine. "You seem distracted."

"Oh, I am sorry, Mama." She looked up. "Where did Papa and Belle go?"

"I sent them on. You've been staring at that same display for forty-five minutes," said Catherine. She motioned for Reinette to join her on a bench. "Out with it. What's wrong?"

"I don't know that I should tell you."

"Is it Maurice again?," asked Catherine, rolling her eyes. "I suppose he still wants you to return home."

"He does," said Reinette. "It's not Maurice, though. I've long since learned to ignore his dictates and commands."

"Then what?"

"It has to do with the reason for our summer sojourn," said Reinette.

"Belle's True Love?," asked Catherine. "Has she met him? I can't imagine she has. The girl puts her thoughts so plainly on her face."

"No, but I have," said Reinette. "Or at least I've seen him."

"What do you mean?"

"An old friend was kind enough to point him out to me."

"Oh and what do you make of him?"

"He is not a prince."

Catherine waved it off. "Oh, well, titles aren't everything."

"No, he has a title."

"Someone among the gentry, then?"

"Not quite."

"Civil servant?"

"He's the Dark One," Reinette said in exasperation. She immediately regretted her slip. She wondered if she could pass it off as some sort of joke. She was certain her mother would not see it as a very funny joke.

She turned to Catherine ready to make something up and instead found her mother sitting rather placidly.

"Ah, so does he have a large house or-"

"What sort of a question is that?!," Reinette shouted. "My daughter is tied to the most feared man in all the realms-"

"The most powerful man in all the realms," Catherine noted, throwing the prophecy back at her.

"How can I possibly be concerned with what a seer woman said when I have my daughter's welfare to think of? How can you just sit there? You're not even the tiniest bit shocked-" Reinette felt as if the breath had been sucked from her lungs. "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Did Merlin tell you? Did you know before I did?"

"Reinette, you know I have moments of prescience..."

"Yes, rather curious your moments of prescience as the Ice Princess has no powers of prescience! Did Merlin tell you?"

"Merlin told me nothing of it."

"Then who else knows about this?"

"Someone who ought to know."

Reinette leaned in. "I don't want word of this to spread. The Dark One has many enemies, not to mention the Clerics were they to hear-"

"Yes, I know all about that. The clerics. The fairies. I have been at this a while longer than you."

"And how long a while is that?"

"Longer than you and your brothers have been alive."

"And who told you?"

"As I said, someone who ought to know."

"Was it the Dark One? Does he know already? Is that how you stopped the Ogres in the Far North Kingdom?"

"Yes, instead of making a deal for my first-born child, I bargained him down to my third born granddaughter," Catherine said throwing her hands up. "It was not the Dark One, but as I say someone who ought to know."

"You are infuriating," said Reinette, standing up and straightening her skirt. "Everyone I know is infuriating."

"If you want my advice-"

"No, I do not. Thank you," said Reinette, walking off.


Beatrice entered the shop. Gold looked up.

"Why didn't you answer?," he asked. "There are detectives in town. They may have questions. Why didn't you answer?"

"I had my phone on silent. I was in school, remember? Texting forty times doesn't make me answer you any sooner."

"Oh, is this the level of cooperation I'm to expect if I allow you to take that class in Augusta?"

"I don't know. Are you going to text me forty times?"

"I will text you as much as I like on the phone I pay for."

"I told you. I was in class."

"Is that so?"

Beatrice threw her hands up. "Where else would I go? In case you haven't noticed, I don't exactly have a crazy social life."

"Is that your real motivation behind this request?"

"You don't exactly meet the most sociable people at a PSAT study course on Saturday mornings."

"Is that so?"

"No, you only meet other losers who don't have anything better to do on the weekend," said Beatrice. "So, yeah, I would be hanging around all Saturday morning with a room full of people like me or worse. What do you think we're going to do? Rob a convenience store?"

"I don't appreciate that tone."

"I don't appreciate your tone."

"Watch it," Gold warned.

"I'm going to the library," said Beatrice.


Reinette had never wished more that she didn't have such a talkative set of parents than on the carriage ride to the next ball.

"Prince Eric is his name, I think," said the Duke. "He's far more interested in exploration than anything else, I think."

"Really?," asked Belle.

"Yes, he's always planning expeditions. If you don't want to hear about nautical knots, don't strike up a conversation with him."

Belle giggled. "I think I would like exploring."

"I've no doubt you would make an excellent explorer," said the Duke. "Though I think you might be bored. You've already read it all in your books."

"If she even gets the chance to explore," muttered Reinette.

Catherine shot Reinette a glare. "I am certain Belle will have many opportunities."

"Are you now?"

"Yes, I am," said Catherine.

"What are we talking about?," asked Belle.

"Only your prospects," said Reinette.

"I fear I may have missed a step in the conversation as well," said the Duke. "It's taken on a flavor of adversity."

"Shall I tell him, Mama?," asked Reinette.

"Do you suppose you may yet shock him?," asked Catherine.

Reinette narrowed her eyes at her mother. "Does he know as well?"

"Do I know what?," he asked.

"You know," said Catherine.

"I don't know," said Belle.

The Duke banged on the roof of the carriage. "Coachman! We shall stop at the next village!"


Beatrice stomped into the library past the circulation desk. Belle and Merlin watched as she walked to one of the tables, put her messenger bag down and took out her Macbook.

"Beatrice?," asked Belle. "I thought you were spending the afternoon with Papa."

"That guy is crazy," said Beatrice.

Merlin snorted. "Did you just notice?"

Belle shot Merlin a look as she approached Beatrice. "What happened?"

"I didn't answer his forty text messages because I was in class and he went ballistic and now he thinks- you know, I don't know what he thinks because he is crazy."

"Did you talk about the PSAT course?"

"The cover for my crime spree, you mean?"

Belle looked at Merlin. "Would you handle her?"

Belle walked the couple of blocks to the shop. It was their first fight. She thought it must have meant something that Beatrice was now comfortable enough to fight with him, but she didn't like Rumple behaving in such a way. "Rumple!"

"I'm in the back."

Belle went past the curtain to find him spinning gold. "I thought you weren't supposed to be doing any magic while the detectives are here."

"Your daughter is a madwoman. Disrespectful."

Belle pulled up a chair. "Stop spinning."

Gold stopped. He turned to Belle with his arms crossed.

"I am upset," said Belle. "She came to you-"

"Came to you."

"With a reasonable request and you turned it into something it wasn't. You have missed so much together, I can't believe you want to waste any of the time you have arguing."

"Oh, you mean the two and a half years more I'm getting?"

"Rumple, this is no way to keep her. All you'll do is drive her away."

"I found the list."

"What list?"

"The college list." He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Belle.

"And why do you have this? It was in her journal."

"Well, I'm the one expected to pay for this, am I not?"

"Her guidance counselor at her old school asked her to put this together last year. It's not even that serious."

"Stanford!"

"She doesn't have to go to Stanford."

"Yes, there's also UCLA or perhaps the University of California at Berkeley. Or perhaps I'll get lucky and she'll choose NYU. What is that? Eight hours by car?"

"Boston is four hours," said Belle. "She made this last year. She changes her life plans every other week, not to mention they get changed for her. Even if I thought that this list was accurate, Beatrice is not the type to go off to college and never see her family again."

"Right because no eighteen year old girl in her right mind would go off and never see her family again," he said looking pointedly at Belle.

"There were some ogres involved," said Belle. She took his hands in his. "When I was fourteen, my father arranged my betrothal to Gaston."

Gold shook his head. "Nobles..."

"He wouldn't let me accept any invitations or go anywhere. My mother was the only reason that I got to see my first season and that was my only season because she died not long after. My father kept me closed off from the world until I met you."

"So what? I was the better option?"

"I'm saying that locking her up will only drive her away, but if we help her to pursue things she won't shut us out."

"Would you have told your mother you had fallen in love with a monster?"

Belle smiled. "My mother was the first person I wanted to tell and it hurt that I couldn't."

"And what would she have said?"

"My mother wanted me to have True Love."

He sighed. "I suppose that this is the woman who saw something in Merlin..."

Belle shot him a scolding look. He softened.

"Then again, she did give birth to you so how can I argue with her?"

"Much better," said Belle.


They stopped at the village. The Duke quickly dispatched Belle to a bookshop with a small purse and went back to his wife and daughter.

He sat down across from them at some benches arranged around the fountain in the town square. "Now, that was enough coin to buy us three hours. Catherine, Reinette, what exactly is the problem?"

They scowled at each other.

Catherine looked to her husband. "Alec, do you remember a long time ago in the Far North Kingdom we entertained a visitor before we married?"

"A visitor? Which visitor?"

Catherine rolled her eyes. "The visitor."

"Oh," said Alec. "The visitor."

"And who was this visitor?," Reinette demanded.

"Reinette has just discovered the role that the you know is to play in Belle's life."

"Oh, yes, the you know," said Alec.

"Must you two speak entirely in riddles?!," Reinette asked.

"There are spies everywhere. We dare not speak his name, especially you," said the Duke.

"Of course," said Reinette. "I ought to have known you two would be in on this conspiracy to tie my only child to a monster together."

"You seem to be ignoring one particular point in favor of your anger," said Catherine. "It's not a conspiracy, it's True Love."

"Is that what your visitor said?"

"Yes," said the Duke. "She most certainly did."

"And why do you believe her?," asked Reinette. "Who is she? How can I speak to her?"

The Duke and Catherine exchanged looks.

"Speaking to her at this point in time would present great difficulty," said the Duke. "Some impossibility."

"And why is that?"

"Oh, you know, it's a bit wibbly wobbly timey wimey," he answered.

"What does that even mean?," asked Reinette.

The Duke shook his head at Reinette. "Never mind that, you also seem to be ignoring the prospect of your daughter's happiness."

"I have to protect her."

"Yes, of course, you must, but you must also learn to tell the difference between protecting her and driving her away. The prophecy leads us to a child, your granddaughter. Belle's daughter. If you come out against that child's father, if you call him names like monster, you will create a chasm between you and them that will not soon be mended. Would you have yourself cut off from Belle when she will need her mother's guidance the most? Would you never meet your granddaughter?"

Reinette shook her head. "No, of course not, Papa."

"Then take the future as it comes to you. Don't decide against it because that is a losing proposition."

Reinette nodded. "And what do I do about Maurice?"

"Oh, sod Maurice..." said Catherine.

"Mama..." moaned Reinette.

"I fear Maurice may not see the sense in this course of action," said the Duke. "Best to not advise him of it."

"The clerics? The fairies?"

"She can be protected from them," said Catherine.

"This can all be resolved agreeably if you keep your head," said the Duke. "Don't make an enemy of her. You might win but it will be a bitter victory."


Gold and Belle entered the house. Music permeated every wall.

"What is that?," Gold asked distastefully.

"That is the Original Cast Recording of Wicked," said Belle. Gold looked at her in concern. "It's her angry music."

"Wicked?"

"Yeah, it was this book, then this musical about the Wicked Witch of the West-"

"I've heard enough," said Gold quickly. "I'll go apologize."

"Okay..." said Belle as he began climbing the stairs. "That was easy."

Gold knocked on the door to Beatrice's room and opened the door to find the music assaulting him more as he did.

"Okay, that's enough," he said, going towards the speaker and fumbling for the power button.

"Now I can't listen to music."

"I think we should probably revisit anything involving the Wicked Witch of the West."

"Oh, God, she's real, isn't she?," asked Beatrice.

"Let's not discuss her. I am here to apologize."

"You are?"

"It was unfair of me to cast undeserved aspersions at you when you just want to attend a class. I should be encouraging you."

"Well, I'm sorry. I was sort of..."

"You were sort of like me."

"Oh, God," said Beatrice.

"Yeah, sorry," said Gold.

"It's just... I have missed so much of my children's lives, I am being very protective of what I do have."

"Miserly."

He frowned at her.

"Sorry, it's this PSAT study guide."

"It's accurate. Keep up the good work. This class. When does it begin?"

"Two weeks from Saturday."

"And I take it there's a fee."

"Twelve hundred dollars."

"Really?" He shook his head. "No matter."

"So, who was the Wicked Witch of the West?"

Gold shook his head. "We are really not discussing her."

"Did she sing at least?"

"I'm making dinner," Gold said, turning around.

"So, if you care to find me look to the western sky..." Beatrice sang.

Gold spun back around. "What?"

"It's in the musical. The Wicked Witch sings it. I was just making sure it didn't sound familiar."

He exhaled. "Really, Beatrice, don't."


Belle came into Reinette's room at the palace. The Under the Sea ball was that night and many people from all the kingdoms had arrived. Prince Eric had nearly drowned that morning and it was also serving as a celebration.

"Oh, Belle, you look lovely," she said.

Belle looked down at the short skirt that puffed around the bottom of the pale yellow gown like a cloud. "I feel embarrassed. I've never had this much of my legs showing."

"Well, it's what they wear in this kingdom."

"Why can't I just wear one of my other gowns?"

"Belle, you don't want to stick out or be mistaken for a matron."

"Right because we couldn't have my True Love think that..."

Reinette scoffed. "I doubt he would care."

"What?"

"You know what?," asked Reinette, shaking it off. "From now on, I don't think you need to look upon these balls as a place to meet your True Love."

"Then why am I going?"

"To have fun. To meet people. To see other lands. To let everyone see how wonderful you are."

"I don't see that I'm all that wonderful," said Belle. "Or if I am at least no one will ever see it."

"I know it to be true and I am certain someday your True Love will."

Belle sat down next to Reinette on the chaise lounge. "Do you suppose if I did meet my True Love Papa would call off my marriage to Gaston?"

"I don't know that he would have a choice."

"Do you think Papa would be angry with me?"

"He might," said Reinette, running her fingers through Belle's hair. "I won't be, though. I want you to have True Love and when you have questions, I want to be there to answer them and help you."

"Oh, not questions..." said Belle. "One talk was enough on that topic."

"Not just that," said Reinette. "There are consequences to the topic of that particular talk. Pregnancy, childbirth, you know I spent two days in labor with you."

"Mama..." moaned Belle.

"Everyone tries to scare you with the labor and that's just the tip of the iceberg really. Yes, pushing another human being out of your body is painful, but it would be such a simple thing if that's all there was to it. There's morning sickness, the weight gain, the swelling. My fingers were the size of sausages."

"Is it time for the ball yet?"

"Suddenly she wants to dance..." Reinette teased. "I am your mother and I must tell you about these things before you find out on your own. As I will be there for you."

The gong went.

"And now you are spared from further discussions," said Reinette. "Go to your ball."

Belle smiled and kissed her mother on the cheek. She left and Catherine entered.

"Will you be joining us?," asked Catherine.

"Momentarily," said Reinette. "I was just thinking about our earlier discussion."

Catherine entered and shut the door. "Were you?"

"I was thinking that Maurice will not take the news well when the..."

"The you know?"

"Yes, when he enters our lives. I was thinking perhaps it might be prudent that I come home for a while. Or I could take up residence in the Dower Summer House, it's not so far from the home of the you know."

Catherine smiled. "Yes, I think that would be a good plan."

Neither woman noticed the blue light not far off.


"Merlin," said Emma, storming into the library. "We need to talk."

"I know, Savior," said Merlin, putting down a book as he sat behind the circulation desk. "Henry's books are a week overdue. Belle thought I ought to cut him some slack, but spoil them now and who knows what will happen?"

"Where's Mother Superior?"

"I thought it would raise too many questions were two New York City detectives to find a nun in an abandoned corner of the municipal building behind enchanted bars."

"We agreed to hide Greg and Tamara in the mines."

"Then I had a discussion with myself and I agreed that it would be better if Mother Superior were hidden as well."

"Is she alive? She's not there."

"What sort of question is that? If she were dead, I couldn't get what I needed from her."

"Then what are you planning?"

"And if you knew how could you stop me?"

"She was my responsibility."

"And she's my problem. Don't worry. She's safe. I have someone coming to pass judgment on her."

"And who is qualified to pass judgment on the Blue Fairy?"

"That, Savior, is a surprise for another day. Now, do you mind? I need to close the library. Top Gear is coming on."

Emma rolled her eyes as Merlin began shutting off lights.

"We're not done."

"Oh, yes we are. I've chosen my moment. You can't do anything until those detectives have been persuaded that Neal hasn't killed Tamara and left her in a ditch somewhere. Then what can you do to me? Do you think Regina or Gold will lift a finger to help you? They are much more likely to help me hang her. Lose no sleep over it. No harm will come to her. Yet." Before Emma knew it she was out the door. "Good night."