Family Visit

Chapter Seven

Rumple watched as the Gypsy and Hunchback walked down the street hand in hand chatting to Belle. The Hunchback couldn't seem to take his eyes off the Gypsy. He recalled when Belle used to look at him with such love in her eyes.

From where he had been watching his wife from the shadows, it appeared that she had not only struck up a friendship with the Pirate, but also a romance with Will Scarlett. Why did everyone leave him for someone so much less than he was?

Where was his happy ending? His partnership with the Queens of Darkness certainly hadn't found it for him. Nor had restoring August to an adult. The Pirate had not only found his happiness with Milah, but now he had found his happy ending with the Saviour and had befriended Belle. The corrupt Author was trapped back in the book and a search for the Author of Regina's story was on.

Taking on Hook's appearance he walked up to the trio. "Esmeralda, could I have a word?" He knew instantly that something was wrong. The Gypsy was watching him as though she had never seen anything as strange as him.

"You must be the Dark One." Esmeralda reached her free hand out to Belle. "How dare you take on my Brother's appearance." Her voice was icy cold. "You want your happy ending, but you want it at the expense of others."

"I can see why Milah left him for Killian. He's hideous." Quasi had hold of Esmeralda's other hand. "Is that why Baelfire left him as well?"

"No." Belle let go of Esmeralda's hand. "Rumple always chooses power over love. That's why he doesn't get his happy ending. It's because he keeps throwing it away." Belle was furious. She was just starting to get her life back on track and Rumple was still choosing power first.

Realising he had been busted, Rumple returned to his own image. Waving the dagger in the air, he attempted to draw on the Gypsy's power. But nothing happened. This should be working, but something was stopping him.

"Heard you were back, Gold." Emma stepped out of the shadows followed by Regina.

This time he directed the dagger at Emma. Still nothing happened. "This isn't possible."

"What's the matter Crocodile? Your dagger not doing it for you any longer?" Killian joined Emma, followed by Snow and Charming.

Rumple conjured up a fireball and threw it at the Pirate but it appeared to bounce off of something and came hurtling back at him. He found himself singed by his own fireball when he didn't move out of the way fast enough.

"Guess your power's not enough Rumple." Belle shook her head in disappointment. "You had your Son and lost him because you chose power. You lost Milah because you were a coward and thought that power was enough for her to go back to you but she chose Killian not for power but because he chose her for love. Now you've lost me because you keep making the same mistake. You never learn from your mistakes."

Raising the dagger up to attempt another strike at the Gypsy, Rumple was stunned when it went flying from his hand. Even more surprising was when it landed in Emma's hand. "I think I'll keep this safe."

Regina conjured up a few fireballs of her own which had the Dark One ducking and weaving to avoid them. Yet it was with a flick of Emma's wrist that had him flying backwards into the door of the pawn shop.

"What do you want to do with him?" Snow directed the question at Belle. After all, she was the one Rumple had hurt the most.

"We could send him over the town line again, but if he found his way back once before then he can do it again." Charming pointed out.

"Why don't we trap him in the book?" Henry just wanted everyone safe. At least that way his Grandfather couldn't hurt himself or anyone else. "I doubt the Author of my Mom's story is in there so we can still find her happy ending."

"That's a good idea Henry." Belle figured that she would at least know where he was. That way she wouldn't constantly be looking over her shoulder in case he was back in Storybrooke.

"Well, let's do this then." Emma gave a dramatic wave of the dagger. "I command you into the story book."

The wind outside of the shield picked up and spun Gold around as though he were caught in a tornado. And then in an instant he simply disappeared.

"Henry, check the book." Killian had no doubt that Emma had been successful, but it never hurt to check.

Sure enough, when Henry flicked to the end of the book there was a picture of Rumple trapped as though in a glass box. "It's okay. He's here."

"Well done." They all spun around to find themselves face to face with the Apprentice.

"Are you here to tell me Merlin has granted me an audience?" Regina doubted it but couldn't help asking.

"No. He has no need to. You already know how to get your happy ending. You just have to run to it not away from it." The Apprentice nodded to Esmeralda. "As for you young lady, Merlin asked me to tell you he will be visiting Paris soon."

"Well, that's cryptic as usual Mickey." Esmeralda smirked at the old man. "We'll be there."

"Wait a minute." Regina was getting exasperated. "What do you mean I already know how to get my happy ending? It's not as though I can just cross the town line and find Robin."

"Perhaps you can." Snow ever filled with hope, could see the possibilities to this idea. "Gold found his way back, so why can't you?"

"Snow's right." Charming chuckled. "Just mark the town line from the other side so that you can come back and go and find Robin."

"It can't be that simple." Regina couldn't believe it. If it was that simple she could have had her happy ending months ago.

"Why can't it?" Quasi felt as though he was missing something obvious. "If each of our stories are written by different Authors why can't you be the Author of your own story?"

The Hunchback had a point. Regina looked down at Henry. She didn't want to leave him. What if this didn't work? She might lose him as well.

"Go Mom. You'll only regret it if you don't try." Henry hugged her. "I'll still be here when you get back."

With her last excuse to stay gone, Regina turned to Emma. "Look after our son."

"You know I will. Come on, we'll give you a lift to the town line." Emma had a feeling that when she and Henry got back that Killian's Sister and her Hunchback would be gone too.

"It was nice meeting you." Esmeralda waved goodbye as the trio climbed into the bug and headed towards the town line. "Killian, we should be going as well." She saw that the Apprentice had already gone. Trust him to drop a cryptic bombshell and then disappear.

Killian had had a feeling they wouldn't be sticking around much longer. "It feels as though you just got here. Wish it could have been less dramatic."

"Have you met you Sister?" Quasi joked earning himself a thump in the chest. "Seriously though, you, Emma and Henry can visit us next time."

"You have yourself a deal Mate." Killian shook the Hunchback's hand and kissed his Sister's cheek. "Have a safe trip back."

"This time don't let go of my hand." Esmeralda scolded Quasi as she pulled the hat out of her bag. "I am not running around Paris looking for you." With a flick of her hand she spun the hat and stepped into the Portal.

"Well your Sister certainly knows how to make an exit." Belle stepped up to Killian's side. "It's a pity she couldn't stay longer."

"Yes, well Quasi isn't comfortable outside of Notre Dame for long. We were lucky they visited at all." Killian smiled sadly "How are you coping with the banishment of your husband? Again."

"Hoping its permanent this time." Belle smiled sadly at Killian. "For all our sakes. Good night Killian."

"Good night Belle." Killian headed home to wait for Emma and Henry to return. Would they ever get a long stretch of quiet again?

THE END