At the Beginning With You

Chapter Five

Back in Storybrooke…

Mary Margaret and David walked down the street toward Granny's while pushing Neal in the stroller, but before they arrived, the Charmings ran into Archie, who was also out walking Pongo, and he was the first to speak up saying, "Good evening, Mary Margaret, David, and of course Neal. And where are we off to?"

David reached out to shake the psychiatrist's hand in greeting as he replied, "Where do you think? Granny's of course. Would you like to join us for dinner?"

"I would like that, but first I need to bring Pongo back home," he responded, then looked in the direction of the diner a short distance away. "You know Granny's rules, no dogs are allowed. By the way, were Emma and Killian able to get off for their honeymoon all right?"

"Yes finally," Snow answered happily. "As much as I love having my daughter around, I was beginning to wonder if she would ever leave. I mean, they married months ago and we kept trying to convince her it was okay to leave for awhile, especially so that Hook can have time to away where he can continue to recover better than if he were to remain here where there's been so much trouble lately. She just kept on making excuses not to go."

Her husband added, "She's just stubborn like that. Emma wanted to make sure we were doing okay too. She knows that we've all been struggling since our trip down to the Underworld."

Archie nodded and looked between them again as he stated, "Yes of course. And how do you feel Hook… I mean Killian, is doing?"

"We should really be asking you that," David replied worryingly. "He hasn't really talked to us much. He tries to act like himself, but he flinches at loud noises and sights of fire, he's quieter, and not nearly as cocky as he used to be. The only time he acts like a pirate is when he's fighting alongside us and even then it's clear he's holding back a little."

"It's also clear that he still blames himself for all of his regrets, especially of the things he did while he was a Dark One," Mary Margaret responded sadly. "We've been trying to reassure him that we've forgiven him, but…"

The man of conscience spoke again after she cut herself off as he answered, "But he doesn't seem to accept your kindness. Believe me, I've seen it as well. Killian is making progress. It's slow going, but little by little he's begun to open up. One thing that I've noticed though, is that there is something that happened to him down there, something that pains him far deeper than anything that he's ever done to hurt anyone, or anything that's ever been done to hurt him. If he is going to have any chance of becoming the man he is again, then eventually that will have to make itself known."

Charming was about to reply when Mary Margaret placed a hand on David's chest as she stared up into the sky at something small flying toward her until it finally landed in her hand, then David asked, "What is that?"

"It's a handkerchief folded into the shape of a crane," his wife responded as she placed their baby into David's hands, then quickly unfold the cloth to read whatever message might be written on it, only to find that it was blank. "There's nothing on it. I don't understand. Why would Emma send us a piece of cloth?"

"How do you know it's from Emma?" Archie asked in confusion as he looked between the Princess and Prince.

David answered, "Because, before they left we were talking about sending each other a message if any of us were to run into any trouble, by way of magic, or bird."

Regina walked over as she replied, "And it appears she did both. Perhaps if you want to read what's on that piece of cloth, it needs a touch of your blood. Emma must have used a blood magic spell to write the message."

"They have run into trouble," Snow said again after using a pin from Regina's hair, which the Queen had offered her, to prick her finger so that the message would reveal itself to them, then read what her daughter wrote to them. "Blackbeard's taken us captive and is taking us through a portal to Arendelle. Get Gold to open the door again in the apprentice's manor and come right away. They're looking to raise someone else from the Underworld and are going to use Hook to do it. Please hurry!"

"My God, as if Hook hasn't been through enough," Regina spoke again nervously when her friend finished. "If they succeed and take him back there…"

David finished for her, "Even if we followed after them to bring Hook back again, there's no way he'd come back from it a second time. He's barely recovered now as it is. No, we can't let these other pirates get that far. If they do, we will lose Emma too. We have to get ourselves to Arendelle as soon as possible."

Mary Margaret looked at her husband nervously as she responded, "But in order to do that, we need to convince Rumpelstiltskin to help us reopen the portal into Arendelle and we all know that he won't do anything to help us rescue Hook, especially after keeping him locked up in that cage all this time."

"Perhaps he will if we bring Belle along with us," Archie answered as everyone turned to look at him. "If he'll listen to anyone…"

"You might be right," Regina replied curtly. "But, he's all Dark One with all the other Dark Ones inside of him now. I doubt any love for Belle remains within him anymore."

Charming looked between them and responded, "It doesn't matter. We need to get to Arendelle as soon as possible. And Rumpelstiltskin is our best chance to do it."

Outside of the Dark One's prison…

Gold turned his head toward his visitors as they approached, but didn't stand from the spot on the ground where he was sitting, then stated, "Well, this is an unpleasant surprise. What is it that you want?"

"We need your help to relocate and open the door in the old manor that leads to Arendelle," Mary Margaret answered sternly. "Emma and Hook are in danger."

"I know, which is why I must tell you no," the villain inside the cage replied smugly. "I helped you rescue that pirate enough. Any trouble he's in this time, it will be up to himself and his new wife to get him out of it."

Belle stepped forward and uttered softly, "Please Rumple, if you have any love left for me at all, I ask you to please help us."

He laughed and then asked, "And what is it that you are willing to do for me in return? I don't believe anything short of being set free again, will ever get me to help any of you ever again, including you, dearie."

"What if we were to put you back inside Pandora's Box?" Regina retorted cruelly. "I have no problem with putting you back in place where you'll suffer for the rest of eternity. No problem at all."

"But I do," Belle responded as she pulled out the box from inside her coat, then glared at the man she once loved. "Either do as we ask, Rumple, or I will put you back inside the box long enough to get us to the manor where you will open the portal, then I release you back into your cell when you're finished. What do you say?"

The monster finally stood and answered, "Very well. I still can't say no to a plea from the woman I still love, despite her shortcomings. I will help you get yourselves to Arendelle, but know that once you're there, it will be up to you to get back. The portal doesn't stay open for long."

Mary Margaret spoke up again saying confidently, "We will find a way back. Elsa and Anna live there. Surely they can help us like we did for them. Regina, you need to stay here with Belle to help her make sure that Rumpelstiltskin can't get away. Me and David will go and help our daughter and Killian."

"You will most likely need a bit more help than that," Archie called out from behind them, having followed them after being with them during their earlier conversation. "I may not be much of a fighter, but it's time I do something other than just be everyone's consciences. I hope I'm wrong, but you might need me."

"Thank you, Archie," David said respectfully as he reached out his hand to shake the brave cricket's. "It will certainly be an honor to have you join us."