Chapter Seven~

When David ran in with Darcy in his arms into the hospital Dr. Whale instantly called a few nurses to assist along with a stretcher. As they laid her down onto it and started rushing her into the back Emma and Mary appeared with Emma shouting,

"Darcy!" only she could barely make out who was calling her name let alone where the hell she was as they rushed her behind the Emergency doors leaving the three staring at them.

"She said it was Regina," David said in a hushed tone to the two women making Mary gasp and Emma growl out,

"The bitch." before she stormed over to the wall and kicked it with all her might making a hole in the wall so she could shriek and pant out her anger. Running a hand through her hair, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see it was Mary who told her softly,

"It's ok dear, she'll be fine—I know it." Emma tried her best to smile but couldn't as she choked out,

"If Regina hurt her too bad—"

"She couldn't have, the Curse has just been Broken and she wouldn't be foolish enough to use her Power to harm anyone just yet. Even if they are a newcomer, she's not that stupid." David tried to soothe but Emma laughed bitterly saying,

"Yeah well she is the Evil Queen right? And Darcy does have a way with words when cornered alone with someone she thinks is a threat. Guys, she's my best friend and even if you are my parents I'm NOT about to let her—" but she couldn't even let the last word come out of her mouth because they heard the doors open and turned to find Mr. Gold limping in casually and upon seeing him Emma saw red and stormed over to him snarling,

"What do you know?!"

"Me?" he asked innocently but she grabbed his jacket and snarled into his face,

"If you had anything to do with this I'll toss you into a cell and let you rot for eternity." Mr. Gold only smiled calmly saying,

"Following in your parent's footsteps I see, how very noble of you. Well I can assure you I had nothing to do with this."

"He's actually right Emma, he was coming out of his shop when I found Darcy on the ground—she was already hurt when he appeared." David said and turning to him, Emma turned back to Mr. Gold and seethed,

"Stay away from Darcy."

"Or what dear Sheriff Swan? You know same as your parents here that if Regina is behind this that you'll need someone with Magic to help protect her now. And who else has that besides me?" Mr. Gold said all too calmly removing himself from her hold but Mary said,

"There's always the Good Fairy."

"Ah yes, but what good was she when the Wardrobe failed?" that made any hope on Mary's face pale just as the doors behind them open and Dr. Whale appear looking winded as they all turned to see him.

"Well?" Emma all but snapped putting her hands on her hips as to not fidget with them as he exhaled saying,

"She's fine, a bit of internal bruising and a minor fracture on her skull but otherwise she'll be just fine in a week or so. Then I'll have her released but until then I want her here to make sure she's stable, bleeding from the mouth was a major concern as you might guess so we just want to be thorough." they all nodded as Emma asked,

"Can I see her?" Dr. Whale nodded and moved away so she could and to the surprise of everyone Emma took Mary's hand in a sign of support and the two woman went in together, but David stood outside with Mr. Gold saying,

"I don't want you in there with them."

"Fine, but remember what I said Charming." Mr. Gold told him before watching the man disappear behind the doors leaving him to watch them swing shut and feel, a strange sort of loss at the fact he couldn't make sure she was safe. It didn't matter though, he'd come back when they weren't here to make sure and persuade dear Dr. Whale to allow him a visit. Meanwhile in Darcy's hospital room Emma was hesitantly entering with Mary holding her hand to find her best friend lying with eyes closed.

"Darcy?" she called softly so that she fluttered her eyes and moved her head towards the voice and smiled upon seeing Emma.

"Hey," she said softly in a raspy voice so that Emma was by her side in a heartbeat in the chair taking her chair and dropping Mary's hand for Darcy's.

"This is all my fault." Emma said softly looking at her friends pale face with a bruise forming where no doubt the fracture was underneath.

"Heh, I've had worse." Darcy said making Emma smile despite the tears threatening to fall which she was fighting to hide. Mary stood there just within the doorway as David stepped up behind her to put a hand on her shoulder.

"Look at our daughter Charming," Mary said slipping into Snow White for a moment and turning to see him before adding,

"This girl really is a part of her family too." David—Charming?—stood and looked up to see his daughter fighting back tears over the bedside of this person who may or may not be from the Enchanted Forest and realized Mary—Snow?—was right.

"Guys? Aren't you coming in?" they both heard so that they snapped out of their thoughts to see Emma looking at them and even Darcy, now propped up on pillows. Smiling, they stepped in and Mary took the extra seat with David standing by the doorway.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Emma said finally composed enough to get down to business so that Darcy nodded and began,

"I was walking on back to your place Mary when Regina stopped me. She said it was stupid to try and make allies here in this town and she'd figure out who I really am—whatever that means. Anyway, she—she hit me with some lightning bolt type thing that made me go flying and next thing I know I'm waking up here. She all but threatens me and she's the Mayor of the town? Who the hell voted for that snarky ass stuck up she-bat?" seeing her attitude coming back, Emma chuckled before it was David who asked,

"Where were you before then?" here Darcy grew quiet and said playing with a bit of her hair,

"Mr. Gold's Pawn shop, it looked interesting so I went inside to see what it was like."

"Darcy!" Emma snapped realizing two things; one, she was lying and two, that's why Regina had made the threat. Darcy was about to defend herself when into the room a head popped in and a voice asked,

"Can I come in?" turning to see who it was, it was Henry of course and without waiting for an answer he stepped in and shut the door before closing the blinds to make sure no one would see.

"Henry if this is about Regina," Mary began but he stopped her with,

"It is, I came as soon as I found out." then he turned to Darcy and asked in a worried voice that sounded genuinely concerned,

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll survive and I will hold my head up high." Darcy told him with a grin causing him to smile though he removed it when he said,

"They're getting closer to figuring out who she really is guys; Sidney's already gathering birth records from Boston that match information about Darcy that would match up with when the Curse was enacted."

"How much time do you think we have then?" Emma asked turning to her son who looked at her and pulled out a folder that was the size of at least twenty thick magazines.

"This is a copy of all the same records they have, if we can figure it out before they do, we'll have the upper hand. If not—we'll be waiting for their next move." he said in an eerily grim note.