Chapter Nine

Plans Diverted

"Thanks for finally rescuing me!" Henry had said as he'd hopped in the back seat of his mother's polished black car. She and Snow White had driven him away from the crowd he'd stirred up on the street. Mostly middle aged women who wanted to be awarded something for their beauty or poise. He'd been getting some good practice flattering women-but he would rather join his mother, Robin Hood and Snow White on their secret mission to scope out the new Dark One.

"Wow, if I were them, I would be ...bored!" he said with a flip of his long brown bangs. "Everybody wants a contest, prizes, something to do!"

"And…? Anyone worthy of a prize there? Any cute girls, coming out of the woodwork?" Henry's adopted mother had teased him. He'd blushed and looked out the window. There had been a girl. Only one girl his age. Soft, long hair, dark eyes, creamy complexion. Leading a horse by the bridle, staring at him...

Henry had cautiously walked up to Captain Hook's new two-story house when they arrived-Robin Hood had been casing the place. David and the dwarves were poking around the Jolly Roger at the same time.

Robin had charted a wise route in through a cellar window- but Regina's instincts were followed instead. She figured they should just go in the front door, because the Dark One really had no reason to guard against the world at this point. There was still a protective spell to deal with, powerful enough to throw Regina backwards from the door handle. Robin caught her. Henry tried to be brave for them and tried the door next- it opened easily!

"I guess there's still some sentimental part of Hook, that would welcome me in," Henry had said. Snow White had cautioned him to stay on the front porch in case Hook came home, and he could distract him. He had pushed his way into the house anyway, curious and stubborn.

They had split up to search the house for clues, while their diversion held Hook's attention. They didn't know how long Arthur could do that- or if he'd even survive his part in all this.

"Hook may have magic, but he's no expert at safeguarding it! Not yet," Henry had said as he pulled out a large iron key ring from a junk drawer in the kitchen. "This is the same sort of keyring that came with the curse you created, mom. And I found that one too! See, I'm not just the lookout!"

Now, with all the adults gathering around, he was eager to try the keys on the only locked door found in their initial sweep- a wood paneled door with wrought iron lock and handle, under the staircase. Skeleton key after skeleton key didn't work.

"Running out of time! Let's try those keys on the shed, might have more luck!" Robin urged. The narrow metal shed out back didn't seem to have the same magical protection of the house. Henry found a stubby bronze key that looked like it would fit the padlock- they were in! They all entered slowly, eyes adjusting to the dark.

"This... is the sort of thing Emma used to recover memories from Pongo once!" Snow gasped. Dozens of handmade dream catchers hung from the ceiling. A small white dream catcher with downy feathers tied close, all around its hoop, stood out to Snow White. A roughly wrapped dream catcher of black branch and many black beads caught Regina's eye. Henry felt pulled towards a hoop wrapped in blue leather, with glistening blue glass beads in its sinewy strings and a whole robin's egg lodged between the hoop and outer strings. Robin gathered all the dangling dream catchers he could carry, and hurried out of the shed.

"This is something of the darkest magic, capturing people's memories and dreams," Regina said, "and we can't put it past Emma to have done this."

"Now we have the clues my mom left, to find out what happened to her! - And Hook," Henry said. Regina waved her hand before her dream catcher with the intention of recovering what was hers- just the salient points. She gasped as the dream catcher glowed and images shone in its center, moving images of herself creating spells alongside Emma- and a wizard emerging from a tree!

Robin pulled her arm- "There's no time for that now, Regina, we've got to get off the Dark One's property!"

Killian paced back and forth, batting away the visions of Dark Ones. Arthur crouched by Excalibur in the cold cave, brainstorming, deliberating, still unaware that he was at Killian's mercy. Zoso was there, stocky and intimidating- he folded his robed arms in front of him and spoke slowly to Killian, "Use him wisely… he wants to escape. He wants power… and he may have some power of his own, that you can take…"

Emma leaned casually against a cave wall, a drink in her hand, her long leather-clad legs swaying flirtatiously. "Don't feel bad about using Arthur," she said. "He totally deserves it."

Arthur jumped up suddenly and tried to frisk Killian. "Where's the dagger!?" he demanded. "Come on! This is bigger than just you or me!"

"That's none of your concern!" Killian shouted. He threw the eager, wild-eyed man down to the ground. "And we're not working on this together- not until you show me you have something to contribute!" Arthur and Zelena had found a way to tether Merlin's magic to Excalibur, after all- Arthur could come up with something to trade for his freedom.

The vision of Emma whispered hastily, "Hook! Honey, something's wrong- the shed!"

He vanished, leaving Arthur imprisoned with his treasure, and finding the metal shed closed, locked -but emptied of all the decorative hoops that Emma had worked so hard on! The dream catchers, the dreams and memories of all questers and all Camelot-gone! And his cover was surely blown. He blamed the cowardly Crocodile.

Henry Mills was in awe of all the knowledge and memories at his fingertips. Handcrafted dream catchers were scattered on his dining room table, each of them waiting to be activated by magic- waiting to reveal missing memories, and potentially solve all their problems! So much had changed in the last day. His adopted mother's boyfriend, Robin, had been spared an untimely death- and his birth mother's boyfriend, Captain Hook, had let an enormous secret slip. He was the Dark One and had been hiding it well. Before him was the information about what had really caused his birth mother's death-somewhere in these stolen thoughts!

Mom Mills wouldn't show him what his own dream catcher stored-not until she had screened it, for parental guidance! But he so wanted to know- presently, she was locked in her study to view the stored memories in the adults' dream catchers one by one, with Snow White and Robin Hood taking notes.

He put a note on the fridge, saying he would be at the stables. When there was no one he could talk to, he talked to his horse. In the two years he'd known him, his strong spotted steed hadn't seemed to communicate anything in return- but he hoped that soon enough they'd understand each other. And then he might let Henry ride him.

He was surprised to find he wasn't alone at the stables- that girl was there, brushing her auburn quarter horse! "Oh hi- were you listening to me…?"

The girl smiled-with her gentle eyes and with her soft pink lips. "Couldn't help overhearing- I tell my horse all my troubles, too." Henry went over to pat her horse's nose- he calmly looked the boy in the eye. Didn't roll his eyes or whip his tail forward dismissively, as Henry's horse so often did! "I'm Violet, and this is Nicodemus…. So you really found the missing memories?" she asked.

"Yeah! I can get you yours!" Henry said, sounding way too excited. "Um- what's your family name? And your favorite color? What foods do you like?"

She locked her horse's stall and said, "Really? Do you need all that? Can I just come with you and pick out my own memories?"

He was filled with hope -hope for the two of them! She would come to his house! And he would give her one of the greatest gifts- showing someone a part of themselves, that was the gift of true friendship.

Belle quietly slipped away from her hiding spot on the hill, taking shaky, measured breaths to stay her crying. Her lonely husband couldn't know she had been there, watching him at the well. She felt like a creepy mean -spirited voyeur! She had hurt Rumpelstiltskin's newly rejuvenated heart as soon as he'd given her the chance! She told herself sternly that this was for the best, this new man had just fought for his life and now he had to be able to fight for the kind of life he would live. Maybe they would rendezvous at the next holiday and he would have a new job, new friends, and new ambitions - and maybe so would she. Then they'd really have to communicate, and not fall into bad habits again. They could remind each other who they really were. That was one of the gifts of intimacy- showing someone who they are, reflected in your eyes.

Belle left the car at the trailhead for him with the keys under the seat. She would walk from now on- it was part of feeling his pain. Even though the wind kicked up and storm clouds gathered, she walked on. Into the forest, to avoid Rumpel seeing her from the road. To the town line, where a redheaded woman in rags was working her way out of ropes and ties. She wanted to know this woman and what she'd done to Rumpel. It was part of knowing him.

"Stay where yeh stand!" the woman yelled.

"I'm here to help," Belle said, hands open before her. "I don't blame you for attacking me." She opened her coat, turned out her pockets. "Look. I have nothing. You have nothing. Can I untie you -and we could get someplace warm?"

"That don't make us friends!" Merida said, allowing herself to be freed. She didn't have nothing- her horse ambled up from a ditch where he had been grazing. She shook off the pain and exhaustion and hopped on his back.

Belle didn't exactly have nothing either. "You don't really want to go after Rumpelstiltskin- you want to find your family. That's what everyone here wants," she said. "And I am good at finding things out."

Merida pulled Belle up onto Angus' back to ride behind her. "You know about magic, lass! That's what you're going to find for me!" They rode off to town.

The storm gathered power for a good two hours before it let loose lightning and torrential rain on the Storybrookes. Frozen lasagna was heated and set out on the counter for a late dinner at the Mills household. It was quiet; the adults were still in the study. Roland and Neal had been tucked in for a little sleepover in the den; they snoozed in a car seat and on a couch. Violet and Henry managed to quickly eat and look over the magical dream catchers. "Fly paper for bad dreams," Henry explained, quoting what he'd heard his father had said. One wrapped hoop decorated with broken shells stood out to her. She concentrated as she held it- all Henry could say was that they had to wait for magic to activate it. His mother was busy, as she had been most of his life, really. Violet paced about his house as the storm shook it, offering a smile now and then. She looked cute and sweet in a tan riding outfit and boots, her dark hair braided atop her head. Henry wondered what his cool mom would do-if she were alive. Maybe she would just let them cruise around in her yellow VW bug with her. She would break the ice. "So, Violet, what's your story?" Maybe she would let them squeeze in the squad car on a police ride-along, giving Henry a chance to show his bravery and resourcefulness.

"Morgan." she said. "That's my family name. White- that's actually my favorite color." She blushed. "You seemed to want to know…"

"Yeah- cool! Uh, my aunt's a witch." he blurted out. "Uh… but we probably shouldn't ask her help, she's... ah, insane."

Violet grimaced.

"I happen to be welcome at the Dark One's house, and he has magic." Henry said. "So that means-"

" What? I've heard stories about the Dark One -he's here, and you know him?" Violet gulped.

"Sadly, yes…" Henry got two raincoats and large umbrellas from the front closet. "He dated my mom, he would never hurt me. You really want your memories?" She let him drape a coat on her. She seemed excited by the eagerness in his eyes. "Well- it's just a short way to the Dark One bait."

Henry glanced back at the note on the fridge - it would do. He didn't want his family to worry, knowing where he really was headed.

They ran through the bitter cold rain to Main Street, to Emma's abandoned car. Henry and Violet huddled in the back seat, with only flashes of lightning to provide visibility. He wanted to do something for warmth - but was hesitant, not wanting her to smell him or see his blemishes, or to seem presumptive.

The driver's door opened and Hook got in, shaking off his wet black hair as he turned to glare at them with tired, thickly lined eyes.

"Hook! Glad you made it. We need a ride."

"You shouldn't be here," he growled.

"'Kay. Can we go to your house then? Things are pretty crazy at my house. All hands on deck, you could say." Henry thought his mom would have appreciated the pun.

"You- you're the Dark One? You took our memories?" Violet asked. This was the man who had been so welcoming to her father, the other knights, and her king!

Killian felt Emma s presence in the front passenger seat. "Why not show him our house?" she asked. "Didn't Henry help you pick out the house listing, back in Camelot?"

Killian reluctantly conjured up a key and drove them through the gusty storm to East Shore Street. He offered them hot cocoa, which they tasted once and then politely ignored. Once, Killian and Henry had actually been close. He would have told him what was wrong with his cocoa. They'd gone sailing together. They'd even discussed how Killian might take the next steps in his relationship with Emma, and what those steps were.

Now Emma sat on a bar stool next to the two teens, smiling and observing. Because of her, Killian's magic would always be weakened- just enough to let her son in.

"How about letting us see our memories?" Henry asked, taking his dream catcher out of his inner coat pocket. "Or, at least Violet's? I think. ... you have some kind of plan. That's what you're hiding. But can't she see the memories that don't have to do with your plan?"

Killian looked between the two of them. Friendship. Trust. Young love? He would never have those things again. The camaraderie of a ship's' crew-he had missed it so much, and almost had it again with Arthur's men. But now- he was surely hated. He couldn't go out with the newcomers ever again.

Guilt bore down on him. "Tell me, Henry, if I help the young miss, will you-" He couldn't bring himself to bargain for some company. "Ah, just tell your grandparents that I'm not all bad, will ya?"

Henry nodded somberly. His cell phone buzzed and rang- he ignored it for now. Violet held up her dream catcher. With Killian's concentration there was a yellow glow in the center-then images- of riding horseback through her village. Meeting Henry at a ball in Camelot. Teaching Henry to ride. Being confronted by Emma Swan! The woman with stringy blonde hair and sickly complexion, in a tattered white robe- she was the Dark One, and she was rattling Violets body with the force of a blow to the chest! Violet's heart was being pulled out and magically controlled, before her!

The two teenagers covered their mouths, unable to look away. Killian cringed as well. He had already watched every movie of memories in every dream catcher, when he couldn't sleep. Some were still unnerving. They heard Emma speak to the heart faintly, in the memory, "You go to Henry… you don't love him. You won't ever love him…"

"The Dark One huh?" Merida asked. "No wonder he didn't keep his promise. Maybe he was never going to tell me what happened to my young brothers, in the missing memories. But he did show me some mercy." She and Belle had taken shelter from the storm in the library, where Belle could show her the clues she'd found in literature about the clans of Dun'Broch. Merida covered her heart. "He gave me heart back."

"Some mercy, yes- he wanted to duel my husband! To the death! " Belle said. "But my husband must have shown weakness, groveled or bargained- and the Dark One let him live!"

"So much for all I taught him," Merida grumbled. They stared into the flame of a scented candle on the counter. "Now I may be forced to train him again, so he can fight the pirate all the better."

"Unless… we can figure out a protection spell. For your heart, and as a matter of fact, mine!" Belle said. They retired to the bed and sofa in Belle's old apartment. In the next day, they would get the ingredients and the help they'd need for that spell, for a spell for finding Merida's brothers who had been captured by the other clans of Dun'Broch, last she knew- and for finding out who had killed her father, in her youth. Belle had suffered amnesia enough times in her life, that she just wanted to help one other person with it- maybe that was her calling, and not just this library.

Regina Mills had left message after threatening message on her son's cell phone. She, Robin Hood, Snow White, and Charming were nearing exhaustion- but realizing Henry was not at home and not at the stables woke them up. Snow, his maternal grandmother, tried leaving him a message with the hope of a project they could do together, instead of threats. She had been his favorite teacher- and a co conspirator against many a villain. She tried to lure him back home, saying, "Henry, I know it's late, but I was thinking! You were right, earlier, when you said the people from Camelot must be bored… and that they all want a contest of some kind… Well, since we ought to make them feel welcome, we ought to show them that they're under our protection from - you know who- I am putting you in charge of organizing a town fair!"

Regina rolled her eyes. Snow wrapped up. "So Henry I can't wait to talk to you about it! Call me back! As soon as you get this!" Snow White affirmed she was serious about this town fair idea with a look to her tired husband. It would give the two small towns a chance to meet up, relax, and find reasons to hope.

Robin squeezed Regina's shoulders. "Hey, it could work," he said. "The lad just wants to feel included." They had already ruled out a kidnapping because Henry had left a dish in the sink, in his usual way, after eating more of the pan of lasagna than they'd expected- and a quick magical transport to the stables and back showed no sign of a struggle there.

"He just keeps on running away from me…" Regina said to herself morosely. Their evening of research hadn't been what they'd hoped, either. There was nothing unusual about Hook's ship or house, and his memories were not amid these dream catchers. They had nothing to go on, because no one else's memories included the truth of Emma Swan's death, or anything about the Dark One dagger being given to or stolen by Hook. They were memories of dancing, questing with King Arthur- being betrayed by him too. Finding Merlin in a tree, freeing him, freeing prisoners from Arthur's dungeon- no details about what happened to Merlin as the Dark Curse rolled in. The end of their stay in Camelot was all a blur. They had hoped to communicate with Merlin using a spell with a rare mushroom- which explained some notes Regina had found in a reference book she brought with her from that land. But once they freed Merlin from his willowy form, and found out that Arthur actually wanted to control or kill him- then what had happened? They still didn't know if Merlin had stayed back in the Enchanted Forest somehow, or come with them in a way that was yet again hidden or transformed!

Finally Henry picked up the phone- for his grandfather, David. He was crying. There was a girl crying in the background. "Can you pick us up from - from the marina?"

Before David could answer, Henry and a girl his age appeared on the couch in a swirl of sorcerer's smoke. They told Henry's family everything- how Hook openly used magic but wouldn't say how he got it. How he revealed memories of Emma controlling Violet, but not her motives. How the two had begged the Captain to explain why Emma wanted to turn Violet into someone who would break Henry's heart- and to explain how Emma had later died. But Hook's heart seemed to be broken as well, and he just looked off to the side sadly, saying, "Those are questions for your mother." Then they were sent off with magic.

Violet wanted to leave, embarrassed to cry in front of strangers- but she had a favor to ask of Regina… "Show me my heart," she asked.

Henry wished he had just a bit of magic so that he could show her the heart that beat inside her chest-or find it for her, wherever it was! Of course she had to know if dark magic had stolen it from her forever.

Cautiously, his adopted mom reached for the heart of his crush. Her hand could pass through matter- the heart was there, still beating though separate- and it was pink and red and glowing. Spotless, beautiful, pure. "It's been returned to you, then. The Dark One had mercy," Regina said, and slowly pushed it back into her body.