Family Visit

Chapter Five

Taking down Rumple was easier said than done. First of all, they were only guessing that the Dark One wanted Esmeralda's powers. Second of all Esmeralda's powers were instinctive. Most of the time she seemed unaware she was doing anything out of the ordinary. Possibly because this was ordinary for her.

"Perhaps we need to wait for the Crocodile to attack and somehow turn his own powers on him." Not that Killian was happy with his Sister being bait. He had been away from her for too long and he was getting used to be able to see her, be it by travelling by portal.

"I've seen Esmeralda stop weapons hitting her but from behind a weapon can be activated in retaliation." Quasi figured everyone would be safe if they stayed either behind or beside Esmeralda. "She's completely safe behind her shield."

"So your magic defends you and those you wish to protect, but those behind the shield can fight back while you can still protect them." Emma had a plan but it was a big ask of Esmeralda.

"It appears so. I've never really noticed, but Quasi does. If he says that's what I do then that's what I do." Somehow Esmeralda was managing to stay unphased by her part in this plan. Or she was at least doing a good impression of it.

Esmeralda had seen her Brother with Milah and he had been happy and in love. Yet there had also been a hint of guilt with it. She had told Emma once that when Killian loved, he loved with his whole heart. But with Milah he hadn't been able to do that because she was another man's wife and a child was involved. He had always felt it wasn't right to be with her even though he never said it out loud.

With Emma, Killian didn't have the guilt holding him back. He treated Henry as though he was his own son. So if she could help keep her Brother's love safe, she was willing to help in any way she could.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Belle felt a little guilty asking so much of someone she had just met especially considering she had Killian were getting along quite well at the moment. If anything happened to his Sister, that might not last.

"I think the question is can she do it?" Regina wasn't convinced. Plus she was a little bitter about having to wait to meet with Merlin. Perhaps if they had time to work out the extent of the Gypsy's magic it would be different. But time was not a factor in this plan.

"I'm with Belle." Snow had been eager to meet her possible future son-in-law's sister and now they were asking her to take on Rumplestiltskin. That hardly seemed fair. "This is a big ask."

"Killian and I can back up Emma and Regina with our swords but they won't be much of a defence against Rumplestiltskin's magic." Charming was willing to help if he could, but he agreed with his wife and Belle. It was a lot to ask.

"Es, you don't have to do this. We can find another way." Killian realised just how the Charmings had embraced him as part of the family and now they were doing the same for his Sister. As comforting as that was, it was still his Sister who was putting herself in the line of fire.

Quasi looked down at Esmeralda and tightened his hold on her. He knew better than anyone that she would never forgive herself if anything happened to her Brother or those he cared about. "I know you can do this. I've seen you do it before. How will we know when he will attack though?" It wasn't as if they could just sit around and hope that Esmeralda got the shield up in time.

"We don't." Emma felt guilty asking Esmeralda to save the town. She knew how it felt to be constantly expected to save the day by risking her own life. "That's why we need to take the fight to him. Not wait on tender hooks for him to make his move."

"Great. How do we do that? Dangle Belle in the middle of the street and wait for him to try and make his wife go back to him." Although he hadn't from what she had heard tried very hard to get his last wife to go back to him. He had ripped out her heart and crushed it instead. Regina wasn't exactly best buddies with Belle, but she didn't think that Rumple was going to be too thrilled that his second wife had moved on with another man. After all Hook was living proof of how he reacted when his wife left him.

"That might work." Although the idea didn't really appeal to Belle. She was trying to move on from her failed marriage. She had heard from Killian what had happened when Milah had moved on.

"When did we start using our friends as bait to save the town?" Snow couldn't believe they were even discussing this. It was bad enough that they had waited 28 years for their daughter to save them. In the process Snow had lost precious years with her daughter and it had taken a long time to win her daughter's trust.

Charming squeezed his wife's hand. "Regina was joking." At least he was pretty sure the former Evil Queen had been joking. "If we can think of another way to draw Rumple out into the open then we can keep Belle out of this."

"I can keep you shielded if that's what we decide to do." Esmeralda could tell this plan was Belle's best hope to be rid of her estranged husband. Her aura was shaded in some places, but she was mostly a good person. Besides, Esmeralda still owed the evil imp for the loss of her Brother's hand.

"Why would you do that for me?" It had been a while since anyone had done something for her without there being a string attached. She had almost forgotten that some people would help you for no other reason than they were good people.

"Why wouldn't I? From what I hear you've done nothing wrong." Esmeralda smiled at the young woman. What a trial her marriage must of been if she was surprised at a stranger's kindness.

"Well, it appears we have a plan." Killian glanced at Emma. Sure, they had a plan, but it was one which no one was happy with that had a large margin for error. It had better work.