A/N: I think I've figured out how to intertwine the two stories with some brief flashbacks. They will not be parallel. I guess I'm a little overly worried about confusing anyone. In this chapter, I'd always figured that since the Evil Queen and the Queen of Hearts were rivals, then the Queen of Hearts might view anyone else with a claim to the throne as a rival as well. Got a bit of Latin in here as well as a brief flashback. All previous warnings apply.
He yanked the bag off the man's head and dragged him out of the car. The man gave a quick yelp as his shoulder made a rough contact with the pavement. Heavy cane clicking from the other side of the car, the man couldn't do anything but curl up into a defensive posture.
"What do you want!" the man stuttered.
Mr. Gold slowly angled himself around to the other side of the car. Nostrils flaring, he took a deep breath of the cool, night air into his lungs. They were on the toll bridge, so the air was slightly cooler over here. And most importantly, no one ever came out here.
"What do you want, what do you want?" the man on the ground moaned over and over.
"Pitiful" Mr. Gold sneered down at him, "Absolutely pitiful. All I want to do is make a deal, not steal your soul"
"I don't want any more deals with you" the man said, eyes growing wide as the gun came out of Mr. Gold's pocket again.
"Really? It would be in your best interest to agree" Mr. Gold gave a soft laugh as he then pointed the gun at the man, "It's simple, I just want two things; first, I want you to tell me where the girl is. Second, I want to know what he did to her. Do you understand?"
"But you were in on it! You agreed not to interfere. That was part of the deal-"
A loud shot rang through the night as the bullet made contact with the man's shin, splintering it completely. His prisoner tossed his back, but just as his scream was heard, the back of Mr. Gold's cane came into contact with his face, knocking out a back tooth. Blood pouring down the man's mouth, Mr. Gold yanked him to his feet by the jacket and dragged him to the edge of the bridge.
"I didn't ask for that all of that!" Gun now pointed directly between the man's eyes, he watched the sweat drip down his face, "Oh, and every time you scream, you will get another shot. Do you understand the rules?"
The man whimpered slightly, desperately biting his lips to prevent from screaming from the pain as several large tears dropped down his face. "If I tell you, will you let me go?"
Mr. Gold couldn't help but give a large grin. "You have my word. Give me what I want, and I'll let you go"
"Chess has her in a cabin on the other side of town. Just at the very end of the forest. The kid's been eating apples like crazy, the Queen's apples-"
"Yes, yes, I already know that!" Mr. Gold hissed as he gave the man a rough shake, pushing him even closer towards the edge of the bridge.
"They were laced with magic to keep her asleep" the man struggled, pain in his knee pulsing, "Chess hit her and knocked her unconscious. He's going to-"
"He's going to drag her into his world!" Mr. Gold's eyes widened, "If she goes down there, she'll never wake up. No amount of magic would bring her back"
"Let me go" spittle mixed with blood sprayed from the man's mouth, "I've told you what I know. You said you'd let me go"
"You're right, I did"
Hand releasing the jacket, Mr. Gold stepped back as he watched the man drop from the bridge, his wail cut short from the sickening crunch as his body landed amongst the larger rocks. Handkerchief in hand, Mr. Gold wiped the sprayed blood off his face and cane as he made his way back to his car.
"Emma" the name whispered all around me as I opened my eyes.
I am in a place that looks strangely familiar. The walls are painted an almost painfully bright gold, with splashes of blue and purple everywhere. Vines filled with red roses creep up the walls. One is dripping, almost as if it is bleeding, revealing the rose's true color underneath. White. Someone had painted the roses red. Looking down, I gasp when I realize I am in my old white dress again. The room is so large around me. Looking into a nearby mirror, I freeze when I realize I am a child again.
"Emma" I hear that strange whisper. It is coming from outside the room. "Emma, come"
Before I can even blink, I am suddenly in a large room. It must be some kind of a mask because there are people dancing everywhere. The women have bright blonde hair and red and black dresses. Or rather, their dresses are black with red hearts everywhere. Their eyes are covered by masks, leaving only their red painted lips and porcelain teeth to see. The men have slicked down black hair, black suits covered with red spades.
"Emma!" my name is whispered again.
Before I know what I'm doing, I am walking into the middle of the room, the dancers parting, giving me room to walk. They are all smiling down at me. One woman gives a little wave, her hands covered in black, elbow length gloves.
"Emma!" the voice is no longer a whisper as I look up to see Chess approaching me, smile wide as he clasps his hands together. "How good of you to join us again! Please, may I have this dance?"
Without waiting for a response, he gently leans over and grabs my hands, dragging me towards him. Lifting me up slightly, I stand on his blue shoes. He still has on his sequined blue jacket and the sequins dig into my skin slightly. I had forgotten how small I used to be as he holds my shoulders and begins to move. Closing my eyes, I feel myself growing until I am back at my present size.
"Where am I?" I whisper.
"Shush, my dear, you're safe" Chess coos in my ear as he lifts my hands and encircles them around his shoulders, "You don't need to worry about anything every again"
"This is just a dream" I can help but hear the despair in my voice. Eyes burning with unshed tears, I lean into him, my head resting on his shoulder.
"You tried so hard, I know" Chess's voice is filled a with sympathy that I know he doesn't feel, "And the answers were all right there in front of you. You never have to worry about them again. Here, I'll give you any dream you desire"
"I don't want this dream" I can feel myself becoming lightheaded as the room spins around me. The people everywhere are laughing. Some are sipping drinks with cloves in the glass's.
"You don't have a choice" Chess whispered as the music begins to drone into a weird lullaby.
"Why me" I close my eyes as the tears still refuse to come out.
"You're special, that's why" Chess nuzzled my ear, hot breath down my neck, "Your destiny is to fight evil, but it wasn't clear if you'd win. However, I want to protect you from getting hurt. If I keep you here, you won't be hurt. Did that imp ever tell you how I lost you in the first place?"
I shake my head as the memory of a man hiding in the bushes comes to my mind. I had been trying to reach a rose in Rumpelstilskin's garden, but I was too small. Then Chess came along and plucked it for me.
"I couldn't guess your name. You said your name was Jenna" Chess giggled in my ear, as we continued to twirl around the room, "You trusted that twisted imp when he told you not give out your true name. He wanted you to fight, possibly die even. He didn't care about you. But I, knowing who your father was, wanted to take an adventure. You would've become so magnificent"
"Who is my father?" I asked quietly as he begins twirling me towards the end of the room. There is a woman sitting there with a veil covering her face. Unlike every other person in the room, she is dressed all in white.
"Prince Charming" Chess said with another giggle, "You come from a Royal Family; Snow White is your mother. You've met her before"
"Mary Margaret" the name just rolled off my tongue. It all makes so much sense now. How had I been so blind?
"Yeeeesssss!" he hisses in my ear, "I paid a big price to buy you back from that imp. It was quite simple actually" He shrugs slightly.
So, Rumpelstilskin, or Mr. Gold, traded me with this mad man. I can feel fresh tears coming into my eyes as my heart breaks in a way I'd never felt before.
"Oh, don't cry now" Chess pats my cheek "You'll ruin my jacket. Besides, he was never really your friend in the first place. He always referred to you as his 'tool', rather than the rightful princess you are. And now, I'd like to present you to the true Queen. The Queen of Hearts"
He stops moving once we reach the lady in white. So has everyone else in the room. In fact, they have all gathered around me and Chess holds me closer to him. Their smiles have become hideously insane. My limbs have become so heavy that Chess has to support me. Everything around me is moving so fast that I almost don't register the Queen's barely audible whisper.
"Off with her head" her voice sounds as soft as the wind.
"No!" I shriek, forcing my limbs to move, striking Chess in the face. With a loud yelp, he is on the floor in a heartbeat.
There are several gasps as I burst through the door, forcing my arms to pump faster and faster. Thankfully, everyone else in the room gives startled yips and press away from me, giving me wide open space to run.
"Emma!" I hear Chess shrieking behind me.
I run through the golden hallway. I have been here before. I have been here before! Images begin running through my mind from the day when I first met Chess. He hadn't wanted me to tell anyone I had met him. How could I have forgotten him?
"Pssssst!" he had whispered from inside the bushes. One hand had extended from the bush and motioned for me to come closer.
"Who is it?" I remembered asking in my little girl voice. Oh how I wished I had turned and ran.
"Are you good with secrets?" I remembered Chess asking as he stepped out the bushes.
"Why does it need to be a secret?" I had asked him as I clutched the white rose to myself.
"A lot of people aren't nice to me" he had almost sounded sincere that day, "I don't want anyone else to know I am here because I don't want them to make fun of me"
"Wake up! Wake up!" I scream as I hear Chess giggling all around me. There is no one else in the hallway. I have to get out of here. I have to wake up!
"No you don't" a sparkly blue covered arm shoots out of nowhere, knocking me straight in the face. Back on the ground, Chess's insane face is in front of me again, "You are staying right here"
"Wake up, wake up!" I shout, feeling panic blossoming in my chest.
"That's right, that's right!" Chess applauds above me, "Screeaaam, little princess!" His voice drops into a deep growl, his amber eye sparkling wildly. "Scream princess. Fear has such a delicious flavor to it"
"Wake up!" I shouted, hot tears pouring down my face to match the blood from my bitten tongue. A sudden thought comes to my mind. "Excito sursum!"
Chess cocks his head to the right, a look of annoyance flooding over him. "Clever girl" his voice becomes distance as my entire world goes blurry.
"Oh!" I sit up with a shout, my head screaming in agony as I look around the room. I'm back! I am in an unfamiliar place, but I'm back!
"You little bitch!" I hear Chess hiss behind me.
Crouching down like a cat, he moves to pounce on me. In a flash, I spin around. He is almost on top of me when I move to kick him. With one foot in his face, he goes flying against the wall. With a low groan, he slumps over. Panting heavily, I wait for him to get back up, but he doesn't. Looking around the room, I try to find his companion, but he isn't here. I have a chance! Pulling myself to my feet, I grasp onto a nearby counter, the pain in the side of my head momentarily unbearable. Stumbling forward, I force myself to remain conscious.
Heading straight for the door, I walk outside into the forest. It is still night out. I can't stop tripping over myself. Blood is now seeping freely from my mouth and the side of my head again. I know I won't get too far before Chess wakes up. I don't even know how to find the main road from where I am. There is a strange purple smoke around my feet and I look to the side.
For a brief moment, I see a castle in the fog. Next to it is a huge lake. Home. This is my home. I can feel it in my heart. This is the place I have been searching for my entire life. Mary Margaret's face comes into view, only she has much longer hair, and she is dressed in rich, beautiful clothing. One hand extended forward, she beckons me to her, a warm smile on her face, eyes bright with tears.
"Mom" I hear the strangled cry in my throat. A desperate longing fills me and I take a step forward. My foot catches on a tree root and I stumble. I am on the edge of a hill, and I stumble down it.
"Ah!" I gasp in pain as my head reels again.
The purple smoke is gone. Perhaps it had been my imagination only. Slamming my hand down, it comes into contact with something cold. I have found the main road. Pulling myself back to my feet, I briefly see dots flash before my eyes.
"Priiiinnnnccccessssss!" I hear Chess crooning behind me, and I laugh slightly. He has managed to catch up with me already.
I force myself to walk forward as I hear Chess's giggling become closer and closer. It won't be long now and I give a crazed smile. I trudge forward on the road. Squinting, I see a black car in the distance with a figure in front of it. Feeling myself growing wild, I run forward, waving for help. I can feel myself stumbling in different directions. The figure does nothing but stand there. Getting closer, I feel my heart sink when Mr. Gold comes into view, trade mark grin in place. And he has a gun in his hand. Extending it forward, he points it right at me.
"You again?" I stop in front of him. I can't wipe the smile off my face. It's over. And I had come so close. I don't care anymore. He does nothing but grin at me.
"Oh there you are princess!" I hear Chess closing in behind me. I am trapped between them. "I thought I'd lost you for a second"
The gun in Mr. Gold's hand clicks, and I squeeze my eyes shut as he pulls the trigger. A loud ring passes next to my ear, the wind knocking me right over. Body colliding with the cement, I hear Chess shriek as he falls to the ground. Mr. Gold is nearly on top of him now.
"We had a deal! We had a deal!" Chess is wailing wildly, drool dripping from his face as he clutches his side, the dark circle spreading over his clothes.
He desperately claws at the ground in an attempt to pull himself away, but it is all to no avail. With one more shot between the eyes, Chess's wails become silent. Wiping the gun off with his handkerchief, Mr. Gold turns around to face me. The blood from my head is now dripping down my eyes and I blink. I feel myself begin to panic as I see Rumpelstilskin approaching me, green skin and all.
'Stay back!" I want to yell, but my voice only comes out in unintelligible gurgles.
I blink again, and now, he is back as Mr. Gold. Kneeling down over my fallen body, he gives me a small smile.
"Little dearie, what have you gotten yourself into?"