Wonderland Present Day…
Killian, David, Snow, Leroy, Lilly, and Belle had been walking for quite some time now.
Cheshire Cat hissed and materialized before them. "No further. We must wait here." He turned, sat down and began grooming himself.
Leroy huffed. "Care to share what we need to wait for?"
Cheshire Cat turned and looked at Leroy as if he was a complete imbicile. "When the lines are blurred between time and cannot be manipulated, leaving Chronos powerless."
Lily crossed her arms as she approached the mangy feline. "And when exactly might that be?"
He stopped grooming himself, looked at her, then went back to what he was doing.
Regina stomped off.
Belle looked around at the group with concern. "It's when dusk sets upon the land."
Snow and David immediately perked up, full of hope and excitement. It was already late afternoon. Leroy wasn't so optimistic. "What's the catch sister?"
Belle took a deep breath. She hoped that they'd be able to do this. It was going to be difficult and there wasn't much time left to plan unless they wanted to wait another day and by the look on Hook and Lily's faces, it was doubtful that was an option. "The moment when the sun is passing from day to night is brief. It will only last a matter of seconds."
"How many seconds exactly?" Lily demanded with a low voice so chilling it was as if she was her mother in full force as the Mistress of Darkness.
"Three," Belle said so quietly it was a wonder anyone heard her.
Killian screamed and dug his hook into the closest tree. David came over and helped him pull it out when it was clearly stuck. Fortunately the act had calmed him down.
Everyone sat down in a circle to develop some sort of a plan. Belle pulled the Dormouse from her bag and place him next to her. She'd kept a close eye on him since she'd noticed Cheshire Cat eying him for a snack.
Suddenly Killian grabbed his chest and fell to the ground in agony. The world was black. He saw nothing, felt nothing. Nothing but the pain. His connection with Emma had left him feeling the fear and danger she was feeling, but he knew this pain. It wasn't good. He heard voices shouting at him but he couldn't understand what they were saying. Finally the pain subsided after what felt like an eternity. He slowly sat up and regained awareness of his surroundings and slowly drank the water Lily had offered him.
Belle looked concerned and with good reason. "What was that?"
Killian looked around the group, pausing at Emma's parents, then looking at Belle. "I've felt that before. When the Dark One held my heart before Milah came and stopped him. When he was squeezing my heart to crush it."
Snow gasped as her hands came to her mouth and David put his arms around her.
Belle sat down next to Killian, taking his hand in hers. "But you're alive. So she is too."
While certainly relieved Emma was still alive, she was sure no one else realized the implications this raised beyond Emma's certain torture. She had too much experience with Regina and Cora using the hearts of others. "If Emma comes, we don't trust her until we make sure her heart is in her body." She hesitated. "Hook should stay behind when we make our move."
Hook stood and stormed towards Snow stopping a mere half an inch from her face. "Not a chance in Hell, love."
"No. She's right." David said as she walked towards them. "You share a heart if Time or Chronos has her half…"
Killian hated it, but he was right. "So what am I supposed to do?"
Later a plan had been decided upon. Killian was angry at his role but knew there was no other choice. Everyone was trying to get some rest as they would need it but they were all too anxious.
Lily sat against a tree as Leroy walked over to hear and handed her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"Thanks." She smiled. What was it about this dwarf? He was very sweet to her which she hated and loved at the same time, but he was also very irritable and she loved that dichotomy. "So why did you come?"
Leroy took a big bite of his sandwich and spoke as he chewed. "Needed a distraction."
"From what?"
He stopped chewing and looked at Lily. "A woman. A fairy." After a long pause he continued. "Not sure this trip is really a distraction anymore though."
"Why's that?"
"Because now the mission is the only thing that matters." Leroy meant this with all his heart. He needed this mission to be a success so that Lily would have her parents back and be happy.
Lily smiled. She understood the meaning behind his words. She moved closer to him so that their shoulders were touching. That was about as much affection as she was willing to muster at the moment. Would she ever be one for sappy moments even in private?
Alice and Regina watched helplessly as Chronos pulled Emma's half heart from her chest. Emma looked in horror at the half heart that he held before her. She hadn't actually seen it since learning about what had happened when she sacrificed herself to save Killian and the town.
Time didn't know what to think. A weird half golden heart in his hand. Well a heart was a heart. He squeezed it and smiled at the pained it caused her.
Alice and Regina squirmed in an attempt to stop him but they were trapped by his magic.
What fools these girls were. Thinking they could come in and free the two who had done him the greatest wrong possible? Not a chance. Then he had an idea. He could use Emma's heart to his advantage. He released the squeeze on her heart a hair of a second before it would have turned to dust and released Emma from the magic that bound her and raised the heart to his lips and whispered, "kill Alice."
Emma didn't move but looked at him in disbelief. He tried again with no reaction. Then he commanded her to kill Regina and to speak all manner of horrific things to her companions. Still no reaction.
Frustrated he stormed off. Why didn't it work? What was this? He'd learned from the Queen of Hearts herself. He'd done it before! Then it dawned on him. It was only half a heart. Perhaps the heart needed to be whole to work. Well, if her heart was in two pieces that meant she must have given the other half to someone. He'd find that loved one and then he could really use her to his advantage, or both of them.
He went to his private chambers and carefully placed the heart in a box and stored is safely in a drawer.
He'd considered taking Regina's heart but she probably had taken precautions again it. Alice, well Alice deserved a far worse fate.
The three women sat in shock on their cell floor.
Emma desperate for information and understanding the consequences of her shared heart asked Regina, "What's going on? Why couldn't he make me do anything?"
Regina wasn't sure. There were too many possibilities. "Well it could be a whole heart is needed, but could also be the reason your heart is golden, or could be the fact that you are the savior. You said my mother wasn't able to take your heart when she and Hook were trying to find a way to Storybrooke as were you and Snow. Regardless of what or what…if you are alive then so is he. We just need to get that heart back into your chest."
Alice shook her head in confusion. "Wait what? The fact that your heart was gold isn't normal?"
Regina and Emma began to tell Alice the whole story.
Alice understood. She would go to the ends of the earth for Cyrus. In fact she had. Many years ago. But now she was stuck in Wonderland while he was at home with their newborn. Perhaps he wasn't quite so young anymore. She hoped against hope that the arrival of Regina, Emma, and their friends would fulfill her quest and she could go home.
Emma broke from her deep thought. "Perhaps we should find some spell to protect my heart and Killian's when this is all over." Regina nodded at her. Emma only thought of this now because the effects of Killian should something happen to her were too unspeakable to even imagine. She only hoped that he had not felt her heart being crushed.
Storybrooke Present Day
It was late and dark, but the light of the full moon was bright enough to see by. Gold found himself face to face with furious teeth and a large furry snout that snapped and barked at him.
"Ruby! It's okay." A voice shouted. The wolf was then covered by a red cloak and she transformed back into her human self.
Gold's heart that had stopped suddenly came back to life beating a thousand beats per minute.
Gold turned hearing the familiar voice of his optimistic grandson. "Well that's good luck! Ruby leading us right to our escaped prisoner."
Ruby blushed as she stood up. "Sorry. I'd forgotten to take it to Dr. Whale's tonight. Love, am I right? Makes you do dumb things."
Robin smiled and helped Ruby up. "I know that all too well. But perhaps it worked out for the best."
Robin walked to Gold and pulled him to his feet. "Breaking and entering? Huh? Well I'm sure Mother Superior would be willing to press charges. Back to the station you go." He handcuffed Gold.
Back at the station before putting Gold back in his cell he had Henry check for any tools he may have used to escape and Henry found the key. Robin called Blue who came to enchant the lock so ensure no matter what, Gold would not escape again.
After they left. Rumple sat conflicted. He wanted his power and was furious he was so close to having it only to be taken from him yet again. However, there was also Belle. What would she think of him? No way they would not tell her about this upon her return. He hoped she was safe. He wanted to be there badly to protect her. She'd been gone so long. He was beginning to worry.