Chapter Twenty-Three.

"You not talking to me, kid?" Emma asked as she stepped into pace with her son. He'd been walking as much by himself as he could, head down, and thoroughly put out by the fact that he hadn't found a way to convince David and Mary Margaret that they were making a mistake by leaving. Not that she blamed him. She was pissed at Gold, but Neal had told her what he'd said to David when he'd dropped the verdict on him, and he wasn't wrong. He and Regina were the go-to people when something less than savoury needed to happen, and while the blonde didn't agree with the route he'd taken, she knew a lie when she heard one and didn't doubt the truthfulness of his explanation. Nothing about it had set her natural warnings off quite like Blue had.

The fairy had somehow managed to avoid Emma like she was a plague carrier. Funny. Did she think she'd take the next blow? It was certainly tempting. Blue had managed to bring all the right people in to 'help' that turned the tide against Rumplestiltskin. Oh, nobody was happy with him, that was certain, but there was a very definite line between not-happy and the venom that some of these people spoke with. They all still referred to him as the Dark One, bringing up things he'd done to them and to their families - supposedly - for centuries. Gold hadn't been in there to say if those were true or not, but it didn't really matter. Many statements were decades old, stretching back well before the Dark Curse had carried them away to Storybrooke and some of them were even statements about Storybrooke grievances that they had against him. It was absurd and while it seemed to have little to do with the conversation at hand, people did have a way of riling others up and it snowballed from there. They'd know who Gold was going into this and they'd looked past it for his help because they needed him and he'd proven that when his interests aligned with theirs that he could be trusted. Mostly.

Above all, though, she knew they needed him to defeat Pan. The demon child hadn't shown his face as readily as Zelena, and it was like the others had simply forgotten him because of that. Emma hadn't. She hadn't forgotten what he did to Henry, either.

Her son gave a shrug, but didn't answer. Neal chuckled from her right. "Don't be offended, he's not talking to anyone."

Emma grimaced. "You get a chance to talk to my dad?"

"I think I just fell a few notches in his book."

She rolled her eyes and gave him a shove. David was torn, she knew. Mary Margaret wanted to go home and she'd never liked being played like Gold had played them to get what he wanted, even if what he'd wanted had kept them from getting killed. Emma had thought that Neal's attempts to talk to her dad were never going to make it there, but she hadn't said anything then and she didn't plan to get on with the I told you so's now. "Doubt that."

"I think Blue's gotten into more people's heads than we knew. They're really putting pressure on him for this."

"Yeah, even Philip called it at the end. She's putting pressure on everyone." Emma quirked an eyebrow and a smirk followed. "Am I a terrible person that I think we should find a fly swatter for her?"

Neal choked on a laugh. "She does keep screwing over people in her attempt for the Greater Good, huh?"

Emma could hear the capitalisation in the phrase and Neal's expression did nothing to ease the sarcastic way in which it had been delivered. "She's the one that sent you to our world, right? The Land Without Magic."

"Yeah, but I don't know if I've just spent a lot of time around my dad recently or if I'm older and wiser, but I have trouble believing she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart. I think she was just trying to get rid of him and I was an easy way to do that."

"Don't let Mary Margaret hear you say that. She's stuck on her. Patron fairy of her family or some crap."

Neal snorted. "She's just as manipulative as my dad is, but Pop fesses up to it readily. At least he's honest about what he is."

The fact that he was ready to jump to defend Gold was taking some getting used to. She remembered one of the very first conversations that they'd had was about his family life that had once been so good and had turned so very, very sour. He'd been so angry that three hundred years after his dad abandoned him he'd sprinted down the street in Manhattan just to get away from him and then begged her not to tell him where he was. Now, though, the two had put that aside and they were both working towards something that probably wasn't anything like it had been, but was better at least. Emma couldn't find it in her to complain. Henry had two grandfather's and a dad in his life now when all he'd wanted was family. Well, he would have them both in his life once they'd dealt with all of this.

Emma opened her mouth to toss out another well-deserved barb about the Blue Fairy but stopped, feeling a violent chill make its way up her spine. A warning, she realized, as dangerous power ripped through their traveling party, throwing them from their feet. Her ears were ringing as she pulled herself to her knees and saw that Neal had covered Henry from the blast.

"She's after Henry!" she called over the ringing, realizing after the words left her mouth how useless they'd really been. Of course she was there for Henry. What had possibly possessed them to think otherwise?

Neal was hauling their son to his feet and as he did he shoved something into his hand. Emma watched Neal's lips move, Henry's eyes grow wide, and then magic swirled around him and he was gone. She stood staring at the place that he'd been and turned her increasingly terrified gaze on Neal.

Her son's father, though, was staring down the Wicked Witch, drawing his sword.

"Where did you send him?" Zelena snarled.

"Out of your reach."

Emma reached out, magic racing to her command, but Zelena must have felt it as well because she lashed out first. The witch's own fine tuned skills aided her in pushing back on the light magic, physically sending Emma skidding back across dirt and snow. Her boots slid and her hands burned as she tried to return the push and failed. She held out for a moment, though, before Zelena's spell hit and everything went black.

Zelena's attack had come out of nowhere and Henry hadn't even felt it coming. His dad couldn't have shielded him like he did if he hadn't been directly beside him and when they'd made it back to their feet he had shoved a necklace into his hands. Henry recognized it. It was the swan pendant that his mom used to wear when he'd first met her. He couldn't pinpoint when she'd stopped wearing it, but the fact that Neal had it probably meant that it was linked to him in some way. "We love you, Henry," was all that he heard as magic pulled him from the sudden battlefield.

It was a rough ride, nothing like being teleported by Regina or Grandpa Gold. He swayed when he landed, feeling his knees hit the floor hard and had to blink several times before his vision cleared to see that he was in the Dark Castle again. It was quiet and empty without the others moving about and Henry felt his chest tighten. Everyone was fighting Zelena. He had to find his grandpa so that he could go help them.

"Grandpa Gold!" he called out as loudly as he could, pulling himself to his feet and darting out of the foyer that he'd landed in. "Grandpa!"

Henry tore through into the Great Hall, shouting and pulling doors open to look inside. What if they weren't here? What if he and Belle had gone off to do something now that everyone was gone and they weren't even in the castle? Should he try calling his name, hoping that that could summon him or at least catch his attention?

"Henry?"

The boy spun, nearly toppling off his feet. Belle stood on the stairs and he stopped his wild search, frozen as he'd pulled a door open. "Belle!" He was almost thirteen, and almost-thirteen-year-olds did not cry, but there might have been a tear or two as he launched himself at her and she readily wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"What happened?"

"Zelena showed up and Dad handed me Mom's necklace and it took me here," he said in a rush, showing her the pendant. "I need to find my grandpa. He's got to save them, Belle! He's got to-"

"Okay, okay," she said and gave him a quick squeeze before releasing him. "He's upstairs. We'll let him know and he'll take care of everything."

Henry felt a rush of relief. Everything was going to be okay. Grandpa Gold would make sure of it. He loved Neal more than anyone else in the world and so he'd rescue everyone because of it. The former Dark One might not be willing to stick his neck out for just anyone out of the group that had left his castle - his grandson was no fool, he knew that Rumplestiltskin could hold a grudge with the best of them - but when it came down to his Baelfire, nothing could stand in the way.

"Rumple?" Belle called as she pushed the door to their bedroom open.

It was empty. Utterly empty. The doors that led out to the balcony were open, a breeze making its way in and swirling through the room. Belle looked just as shocked as Henry felt as she ghosted through, aimed directly for the open doors and walked through them. She looked over the banister first and he tried to push down the sinking feeling as he followed her. There was blood on the stones. Not a lot, but enough to show there'd been a scuffle, and all the boy could think of was that Zelena or Pan had gotten to his grandpa first. He couldn't imagine them getting the upper hand on him. No one ever did, but if they had and they'd hurt him…

Belle moved past him, eyes fixated on the bed. There was a note there, scrawled in familiar handwriting and she frowned.

"What does it say?" Henry asked when she didn't say anything right away.

She continued to stare for a moment, as if she were making sure she was reading the words correctly. Henry inched closer, taking in the perfect little loops if the letters and it did nothing to ease his mind.

Bae's in trouble.

"He didn't even have time to write it," Belle whispered, holding the parchment delicately in her fingers.

It was only then that Henry could feel it. It was a similar sensation that he felt when he walked through one of his grandfather's wards or unraveled some of his magic he'd given to him to practice with. It was Rumplestiltskin's magic radiating from the page. He'd left so quickly he hadn't taken the time to dip a quill in ink. "You think he Saw something?" Henry asked at last.

"His visions haven't been working properly, so if he did, it would have been sudden."

"We have to help him."

Belle turned, her blue eyes landing on the boy so suddenly that he couldn't help but feel the strength behind them. She wielded her own brand of something just as strong if not stronger than his grandpa's magic in the form of her courage. "Your father sent you here to keep you safe," she said, even if he could hear the strain behind the words. "Rumple would never forgive me if anything happened to you. I could never live with myself."

Henry studied her carefully, weighing his options. He'd recognize the increasingly familiar tingle of blood magic in the transportation charm his dad had made him use. It would listen to him if he willed it. He could go back. "Then you better come with me," he said after a moment, and even in the stress of the moment he could feel his lips quirk at the edges.

Belle seemed to understand the situation immediately and grabbed for her sword that was propped up by the bed. She strapped it to her waist and glared at him. "You're not going anywhere without me," she declared. "And when we get there, you won't question what I say."

"Deal."

Rumplestiltskin landed in the heat if the battle in a swirl of dark red magic and death surrounded him. He'd warned them of this. It didn't take the ability to see the future to use a little common sense. They'd put Henry in the open and doing so would now lead to his son's death if he didn't stop it. The former Dark One's gaze swept the impromptu battlefield. Zelena's magic ripped through people that could never have been ready to defend against it, and he pushed down a flicker of satisfaction. It did him no good that these people that had been so determined to hate him were paying the price right now, and their precious Blue Fairy was nowhere to be seen.

He didn't see his grandson amongst the crowd, but he did see Bae. His sword was drawn and he was squaring off with Zelena, eyes dark with anger. She looked like she was ready to tear the worlds apart, or at least the forest, and power radiated from her. Bae didn't show any fear as he stood against her. Instead he seemed resolute, and Rumplestiltskin felt something truly powerful begin to build around his former student. The vision pulled at his mind again and he focused on Bae.

Rumple teleported without even thinking. He didn't have time to think, or even to shield himself against the powerful attack. Not that it would have helped. He was too close and it was coming too fast. It hit almost as soon as he reappeared, slamming hard into his chest and all the breath in his lungs simply disappeared. He stumbled back, the momentum of the spell nearly throwing him off his feet, but hand steadied him, easing him down to the ground in a controlled fashion rather than the freefall that was threatening.

"Papa?" Bae's stained voice sounded in his ears.

Rumplestiltskin tried to answer, but found he couldn't as the curse coursed through him, spreading out through his body and eating at him. It felt like someone was forcing fire through his veins, followed immediately by ice that turned sharp and ripped him open. He felt arms tighten around him and he realized he was in his son's lap, Bae holding onto him as if both their lives depended on it.

"Papa," he whispered again. "What-"

He'd managed to settle the terrible convulsions the pain brought on for at least half a moment, but another one ripped through him and he felt like he was drowning. He could hear Bae calling out again and again, his voice terrified as Rumple coughed and choked, tasting blood. "I... couldn't let her hurt you, Bae," he managed to wheeze out after a moment.

"That didn't mean you had to take it yourself, Papa," Bae murmured. "Are you... Are you going to be okay?"

Dark eyes slid closed as he tried to control another wave pushing through his system. The sounds of the battle had faded and he didn't know if it was because his body was shutting down or the fact that Zelena seemed to be frozen, staring in shock at the scene. At least she had been. Maybe she'd gone by now. He couldn't seem to focus enough to be sure.

"Papa?"

"No, Bae, I'm not. I..." The statement was cut off as a terrible sound reached his ears and it took a moment for him to realize that it was him. He was trembling uncontrollably again. He hadn't felt this terrible even when Hook's poison had raced through him and he'd known he was dying. Then, while it was painful and uncomfortable, he likely would have slipped off to sleep and simply faded, but this... No, this curse racing through him provided no such comfort. The pain wouldn't stop until he drew his last choking breath.

Finally it eased though, if only enough that he could grip his son's hand and focus on Bae's worried face. "Henry?" he breathed.

"I sent him home. To the Dark Castle."

Rumple breathed out a sigh. Home. It was so strange to have Bae refer to it as home. "Good. He's safe."

"What can I do, Papa?"

"Nothing to be done."

Bae froze where he sat and his grip tightened. "No. You're not dying. Your magic can heal you, right? Just-"

"No." Rumple tightened his grip as much as he could, pushing back against the agony to focus. He had to tell him. He had to make sure Bae knew that this was okay. If it was for him, he'd give up anything, and it was becoming clearer to him as the world faded around him: the seer had said that the fact that he'd lived at the point that the Dark Curse had been reversed was what had thrown everything. If he died here - if he sacrificed himself here - it would set things straight. His son would be safe and he'd be happy. He could have his Happy Ending even if his father couldn't. That was enough. It had to be. He just hated doing it to Belle. He wouldn't even get to say goodbye.

"There has to be something, Papa. You're the king of loopholes. What can we do? I'll do whatever you say. Whatever it takes."

Rumplestiltskin reached a trembling hand to his son's face. He was crying for him. "I love you, Bae," he managed, feeling another wave building. He wouldn't last through this one. "I love you, son. I'm so sorry. I-"

"I love you too," Bae choked out. "I just got you back. You can't go."

Another apology bubbled in his chest, but it was washed away in the pain and Rumplestiltskin struggled to pull in the breath for it, but then went suddenly still, the world slipping away from him.

Pan hadn't expected Rumple to be able to lash out at him like he had, much less to do so. He made it a habit never to overestimate his son and always hated to be impressed with anything he did manage to deal out, as usually that left him entirely unimpressed at the next round if the game. He just lacked the imagination needed to really keep things interesting. It was a shame, really, because life could have been much simpler if he would just open his mind up a little. His silly affection for Baelfire and Henry were weighing him down and it was bordering on the pathetic.

No, Pan decided, he was actually rather irked with Rumple at the moment. His tied-down nature was enough to ruin the game at points and there was no reason to get his hopes up just because he'd surprised him this once. That, and the wound dealt by the former Dark One stung like hell.

Long fingers pulled back green fabric and he winced at the way the blood had already dried it to his skin, tugging and pulling at it. A short breath escaped him as it finally pulled free, the wound breaking open again to reveal a nasty gash left by dark magic, full of hate and anger brought on by the betrayal his son thought he was so entitled to feel.

The telltale feel of magic swept through the remains of what might have been quite a grand castle before the Dark Curse ripped it apart. They'd agreed to meet there with Henry once Zelena had him. The fact that she'd returned so quickly did not bode well.

Zelena appeared, her face pale, making her already green skin sickly looking and she actually stumbled when she landed, her blue eyes wide. Great. She was becoming less entertaining than Rumple. "You're missing the point of your little trip."

She whirled in him, blinking as if she'd come out of a trance. "He's dead."

Pan's mind began to whirl. That arrogant bunch of fools would have given their lives for Henry. How could she have possibly botched it up that badly? "Well that's just great. You needed Henry alive for your little spell, but I guess now you-"

"Henry?" she asked dully. "No... I was trying to kill that idiot Baelfire. He'd sent the boy back to the Dark Castle. The whole point of driving them out of it was to get the child. I was so angry I just... Then Rumple got in the way."

"Rumple was there?" Pan asked, his voice hollow.

"The curse meant for Baelfire hit Rumple. He died in his son's arms."

Pan stared at her, the words slowly making their way into his ears and swirling around his brain. He'd never bothered to think of Rumple actually dying. There'd been no point with him becoming the Dark One, and that had been the first time since he'd left the little runt behind that he'd given half a damn to even acknowledge him at all. "You killed him?" he asked, his lips surprisingly numb as the words left him.

"I didn't mean to," she answered in a small voice.

He didn't give himself permission to move. Why should he have? Rumple was another play thing, even if he was one that he preferred over others. Felix had been too and he'd let him go easily enough. He'd hardly missed him. Toys were easily replaced.

That's why he was a little surprised at his own actions when he buried the dagger he kept on him deep in Zelena's chest, shoving her fully against the crumbling wall. She was just as shocked, eyes wide with something akin to betrayal. Why she hadn't thought he would eventually betray him, he had no idea. She was a fool to trust him, but most adults were.

"What do you care?" she gasped out. "You hated him."

"No," Pan answered softly, "I never hated Rumple."

"But you never loved him," she sneered, her face a strange combination of disgust and pain.

He tilted his head to the side to study her. "And you did? Don't be absurd, Zelena. Love is overrated. Rumple was simply one of my favourite toys, and if anyone was going to break him, it was going to be me." He twisted the knife and she let out a small cry before her knees gave way and he let her drop, feeling a little more satisfied than he had a moment before. It looked like he'd have to get Henry himself.

Notes: Happy Independence Day everyone! I wanted to go ahead and get this up early so that I wouldn't forget. I hope you have a great and safe holiday. :)

If everything works out as planned, this will wrap up on Wednesday of next week and I'll start in on my new story Courage of the Stars. Depending on how much of that I get writing on this weekend, the prologue may even go up on Wednesday along with the last chapter of Whatever it Takes.

Next time - Word of Zelena's death spread and preparations are made to fight Pan.