A/N: Is this the end?
Chapter Fourteen
"How is she?" Snow asked as Emma and Bealifire came in the dining hall and Baelifre closed the doors. Snow White and Charming had brought Rose with them as they sat at the dining table and Roland was making faces to make Rose smile.
"She's sleeping," Bae said as he sat on the high back chair at the head of the table and sighed.
"Look, I didn't mean…," Regina said then stopped at the cold look Emma was giving her and sighed.
"Are we any closer in finding my papa?" Bae asked, looking at Charming.
"No," Charming sighed when the air in the room turned cold and they got up. The dining table and chairs vanished in green smoke as they gathered together and Regina held Roland in her arms. The green fog appeared when the Wicked Witch and the flying monkeys walked out of the green fog and the flying monkeys sat around her.
"Now those are ugly," Bae whispered and Emma nodded her head.
"Where is Rumplestiltskin?" she whispered while the Wicked Witch looked behind her and Rumplestiltskin appeared. He stood beside her with Bunfin on his left shoulder and Roland smiled.
"Mama, look," he whispered and she nodded her head.
"Well, I see we're all here," the Wicked Witch said as she looked at Regina and a cold look appeared on the Wicked Witch's face when she saw Robin, Henry and Roland. "Regina."
"Knock off the pleasantries. Let's get this over with," Regina said and the Wicked Witch arched her eyebrows up.
"If you insist," she said and Regina handed Roland to Robin. She walked toward the Wicked Witch then looked at Rumplestiltskin and he gave her a blank look. She could tell him wasn't well as she sighed and he titled his head to one side. He mouthed "Belle?" and she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.
"Why is she upstairs?" he thought.
"I knew you hadn't changed," Regina said then moved closer and stood face to face with him. "You're nothing, but a coward."
"Oh, she didn't just call him that," Henry whispered and Rumplestiltskin clenched his jaw.
"Watch your mouth, Dearie, or I'll remove your tongue," Rumplestiltskin growled.
"Are you sure you can trust him?" Regina asked, looking at the Wicked Witch.
"Yes, he will do whatever I tell him to," the Wicked Witch said with a grin and looked at him. "Kneel."
They watched as Rumplestiltskin slowly knelt down on his haunches and looked up at her. Bunfin had jumped off his shoulder and ran to Henry when Henry picked the small monkey up and held it in his arms.
"Stand up," the Wicked Witch said and Rumplestiltskin slowly stood up.
"That only proves he does what he's told," she said then smirked at Rumplestiltskin. "Good doggie."
"I'll "doggie" her," Bae whispered and Emma hushed him.
"Enough talk," the Wicked Witch said when she nodded her head and the flying monkeys ran to the others, surrounding them.
"What are you doing?" Regina asked with a worried look on her face.
"I'm just making sure we're not interrupted. One false move and they will kill them," the Wicked Witch said with a grin. She moved back when green light encircled her hands and Regina looked at Rumplestiltskin. With a little bow, he walked to the pedestal where the chipped, china cup sat and he picked the chipped, china cup off the pedestal. Regina stood back when a blue light encircled her hands and she locked eyes with the Wicked Witch and smiled.
"Whenever you're ready," Regina said with a nod of her head. The Wicked Witch growled when she lunched the green light and Regina waved her hands, making a light shield. The Wicked Witch growled when she launched some more green lights at her, but Regina vanished in black smoke. The green lights hit the wall as the wall exploded in wood and plaster and Robin covered Roland's head. Snow White turned Rose away as both Roland and Rose cried and Regina appeared behind the Wicked Witch. She tapped her and the Wicked Witch turned, looking into her angry eyes. Before she could move, Regina punched her in the mouth and snarled.
"That is for giving my son nightmares!" Regina shouted, but the Wicked Witch just wiped the blood away from her lips and green light floated around her hands.
Rumplestiltskin watched them fight when he placed the chipped, china cup on the pedestal, closed his eyes and opened his mind. He knew every inch of his castle and was amazed that all his magic items had come home with him. He searched the castle when he saw what he needed and cupped his left hand. A purple light sparkled in his palm when something appeared and Emma frowned after she saw what it was.
"Is that what I think it is?" she whispered when he looked over at his father and saw a small, black box sitting in Rumplestiltskin's left hand.
"It's Pandora's box," he whispered as Rumplestiltskin growled and looked at the Wicked Witch with pure hate in his eyes.
Belle had been sleeping when a loud explosion woke her and she felt the bed shaking. She knew she shouldn't get up as she moved the bedding back and got out of bed. She quickly got dressed then half ran to the doors and left the room. She was careful going down the stairs when she came to the doors to the dining hall and heard loud explosions coming from behind the doors. She opened one of the doors enough so she could see what was going on and her eyes widened when she saw Rumplestiltskin standing near the pedestal.
"Rumple," she whispered with a smile when he lifted his hands and she saw the small, black box. "What are you doing?"
Regina grunted when one of the green bolts hit her shield and she fell to the floor. Robin turned Roland's face away as the Wicked Witch walked to Regina and looked down at her.
"Finally," she snarled and Regina groaned. The Wicked Witch raised her hands while the green light shimmered when she heard giggling and she turned, looking at Rumplestiltskin.
"Oh dearie, dearie dear," he said with a grin.
"What are you laughing at?" the Wicked Witch demanded and he walked to her.
"I'm laughing at you, Dearie," he said as he walked between her and Regina and Regina saw the small, black box hidden behind his back. He dropped the small, black box onto her stomach as Regina smiled and held the small box in her hands. He wasn't the only one who knew the spell to make the box work as she looked up at him and wondered what he was up to.
"How dare you," the Wicked Witch growled and he gave her a smug look.
"Remember when I told you this was a trap for Regina?" he asked then went close enough so his lips touched her ear and he giggled. "I lied."
"I knew it!"
"One more thing, I don't like it when people threaten my family."
"Regina isn't a part of your family."
"No, but the adopted boy is," Rumplestiltskin said and her eyes widened.
"He's your son?"
"No, he's my grandson," he said and she glared at him.
"Kill them!" she shouted to the flying monkeys, but the flying monkeys didn't move and she looked from them to Rumplestiltskin. "What have you done?"
"I haven't done anything," he said as he walked around her then held his hand out and helped Regina to her feet.
"That was me," Regina said as she placed her hand on his shoulder and Rumplestiltskin smiled at her. The Wicked Witch roared when she charged at them and Rumplestiltskin pushed Regina behind him.
"The hell with the box," he thought and closed his eyes.
He opened his mind as large fireballs erupted in the palms of his hands and he launched the fireballs at the Wicked Witch. No one noticed the dagger sitting in the shoebox in the china cabinet. The silver blade was sparkling in a purple light and the scrolled lettering of his names rippled. Slowly the last five letters faded as the purple light vanished and gray smoke floated off the blade.
As soon as the fireballs hit the Wicked Witch, Rumplestiltskin's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open.
Everything slowed down.
It was like time was stopping and he felt the air catch in his lungs.
He could see the fireballs envelope the Wicked Witch as she screamed and crumbled into black ash.
He heard Bae shouting "Papa!" as he started to sink to the floor and felt someone catch him.
He could see Emma kneeling next to him and she was calling his name.
He was surprised when she leaned down to kiss him then realized she had titled his head back and was breathing into his mouth.
She then pressed down on his chest and repeated the process a few times.
He could see the tears in her eyes when she sat back on her legs and he was stunned when Emma called him a son of a bitch and slammed her fist on his chest.
He felt the air coming back to his lungs as he gasped and felt something thumping in his chest. The thumping grew stronger as he blinked his eyes a few times and she lifted him into her arms.
"That…hurt, Dearie," he whispered then closed his eyes and she laughed, gently rocking him.
"There we go," Belle said softly as she placed the wooden bowl on the night table and wiped his lips with a soft cloth. Rumplestiltskin was slightly sitting up with pillows behind his head and back and the bedding was tucked around him.
"That was disgusting," he grumbled while making a sour face after taking foul tasting medicine and she patted his hand. She picked up the other wooden bowl sitting on the night table when she picked up a wooden spoon and he looked at the clear broth in the wooden bowl. He couldn't tolerate much more than broth or soft food as she sat next to him then started feeding him and wiped his lips with the soft cloth.
Neither noticed that Bunfin was sitting on the headboard as it watched them and titled its head to one side.
Bunfin was right about Belle being nice and she had made Bunfin a bed of soft blankets in a basket near the fireplace.
Its nearly furless, tailless friend had scared Bunfin and the others when he didn't get up after the green, nearly furless, tailless one had vanished. It was the pretty, nearly furless, tailless one with yellow fur on her head who woke its friend up and the nearly furless, tailless one with the brown fur on his head had brought its friend up to this den.
Bunfin hopped off the headboard when it sat next to Rumplestiltskin as he looked at it and gently patted the small monkey's head.
"Someone has been really worried about you," Belle said and Rumplestiltskin smiled. Her hand slid down to his chest as she could just feel his heart beating from under his nightshirt then kissed his lips and Bunfin covered its eyes. Rumplestiltskin looked at his little friend then giggled and held Belle's hand to his chest.
"Is it alright to come in?" Bae asked after he had opened the door and Rumplestiltskin looked at Belle.
"Of course," Belle said and Baelfire opened the door wider and he, Emma, Henry, Regina, Robin, Roland, Snow White, Charming and Rose came in the room. They walked to the bed as Belle placed the wooden bowl on the night table and sat closer to Rumplestiltskin.
"How are you feeling?" Emma asked as she sat on the edge of the bed.
"I'm not as tired as I was a few days ago," Rumplestiltskin said and Bunfin sat on his lap.
"You do look better," Snow said.
"Like I told you before, I'm a fast healer," he said with a small smile then saw the angry look on Roland's face. "What's with the face, Dearie?"
"I'm mad at you," Roland said and Rumplestiltskin gave him a shocked look, placing his hand on his chest.
"Why are you mad at me?" he asked and Regina placed Roland on the bed. Roland carefully crawled to him when he sat next between him and Belle and pouted.
"You fell down and didn't get up until Lady Emma hit you," Roland said and Rumplestiltskin sighed.
"I'm sorry," Rumplestiltskin said as he lowered his head and titled his head to one side. "Forgive me?"
Roland scooted closer when they hugged and Roland snuggled against him, placing his head on Rumplestiltskin's chest.
"Will you do me a favor?"
"What sort of favor?"
"Henry says you're his grandpa, but I don't have one. Mama says they're up in the sky with my other mama. Will you be my grandpa, too?" Roland asked quickly and Rumplestiltskin softly giggled.
"I would be honored," he said and kissed the top of his head. "So what happened to the Wicked Witch?"
"The pretty witch took her and the mean monkeys away," Roland said and Rumplestiltskin looked at Baelfire.
"After you passed out, the windows blew open and the room was filled with golden light. This woman appeared in the golden light and introduced herself as Glenda," Bae said and Rumplestiltskin thought for a few minutes.
"That is the Good Witch of the North," Emma said.
"She thanked us for getting rid of the Wicked Witch and gathered the ashes then placed the ashes in a bottle."
"Did she get all the ashes? If there are any left, the Wicked Witch can come back," Rumplestiltskin said.
"Yes, she got all of it," Regina said.
"Glenda knelt next to Emma and checked to see if you were alright," Belle said and Rumplestiltskin placed his head against her shoulder.
"After she told us you were going to be alright after care and rest, she waved her hand and the flying monkeys vanished," Bae said then looked at Bunfin. "Well, almost all of them."
"I guess she knew Bunfin would be better off with us," Belle said and patted the top of the small monkey's head.
"She also repaired your dining hall," Snow said.
"That's good," Rumplestiltskin said then yawned and shook his head.
"You need a nap," Roland said with a smile and Rumplestiltskin looked at him with wide eyes.
"I think he's right," Regina said then picked Roland up and held him in her arms. They headed for the door as Rumplestiltskin sighed and pressed his lips together.
"Regina?" he asked and she turned, looking at him. "Where is Pandoria's box?"
"Don't worry, Papa. I have it," Bae said and Regina smiled then left the room.
"Sure you do." Rumplestiltskin thought and frowned.
"Well, we've got to get going. See you tomorrow," Snow said as they headed for the door then left and Charming closed the door behind them.
"I still don't understand why I got so sick," Rumplestiltskin said. "It couldn't just have been because I used too much magic."
"All magic comes with a price, Papa," Bae said.
"Yes, but there has to be another reason."
"Um," Henry said when he placed the shoebox on the bed and Rumplestiltskin looked at the shoebox. "I think this might be the reason."
Rumplestiltskin reached into the shoebox when he picked up the silver blade dagger and looked at the light shimmering on the silver blade.
"My name's missing," he said.
"Regina said it disappeared because you were losing your power," Emma said.
"But that's not how it works. The only way it would vanish is if I was killed or…," Rumplestiltskin said then frowned. "The curse was broken."
"Uh-oh," Henry said then looked at Belle and Rumplestiltskin looked from one to the other.
"What?"
"Do you remember when you were lying on the ground after you killed your father?" Belle asked.
"Yes."
"Well, Henry told me to kiss you because Beauty kissed the Beast while he was dying."
"I remember you kissing me and I kissed you back. I thought I was kissing you goodbye."
"Well, I think, by doing that, we broke the curse," Belle said and Rumplestiltskin pressed his lips together.
"Are you alright, Grandpa?" Henry asked.
"Yes, Henry, I'm fine," Rumplestiltskin said with a small smile and placed the dagger back in the shoebox. Henry picked up the shoebox then placed it on his lap and Rumplestiltskin yawned, rubbing his face with his hands.
"But why did the dagger still have your name on it when I had it?" Emma asked.
"I think it's because you left before Regina broke the Dark Curse."
"But that would mean two curses had been broken at the same time." Henry said. "Wouldn't they cancel each other out?"
"I think they would, Henry," Bae said then his eyes widened. "That's why you were attacked, Papa. The curses collided and you got caught in the crossfire."
"That does make sense," Rumplestiltskin said. "And I was still wearing the wristband."
"But you didn't have the dagger."
"Exactly," he said, nodding his head.
"So when we brought the dagger back, and you started using your magic, the dagger activated and you started losing your power," Emma said.
"Yes, but I didn't think it would kill me," he said then sighed.
"Then it's a good thing my mom knows CPR," Henry said and Emma nudged him.
"Yes, it is," Rumplestiltskin said and Emma moved closer, hugging him.
"Don't ever do that again," she said then moved back. "I'm the savior around here not you."
"I will remember that," he said and giggled.
"Um, Papa, are you sure you can't do magic?" Bae asked. "I mean all your magic couldn't have come from the dagger."
"Most of it did," Rumplestiltskin said. "The rest came from a lot of hard work and study."
"So you might have magic?" Emma asked and Rumplestiltskin lifted his right hand. Belle saw the look in his eyes when she took hold of his hand and wrapped her fingers around his fingers.
"Don't," she said with a stern look on her face and he blushed, making a soft giggle.
"Well, I guess we better get going so you can get some sleep," Bae said, but Rumplestiltskin shook his head.
"There's something we have to tell you first," he said and looked at Belle.
"What's wrong?" Bae asked.
"Nothing's wrong," Belle said and Rumplestiltskin nodded his head. "I'm pregnant."
"Whoa," Henry said, wide eyed.
"Yeah…whoa," Bae said, hugging Belle then his father and Emma smiled. "You knew, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Emma said.
"When are you due?" Bea asked, looking at Belle.
"In about four or five months," Belle said and blushed, rubbing her stomach.
"You are alright with it, aren't you, Baelfire?" Rumplestiltskin asked, giving his son a concerned look.
"Of course I am," Bae said.
"Good," he said and Bae laughed.
"Let's go," Emma said after she got up then they headed for the doors and left the room.
Belle helped Rumplestiltskin lie down when she snuggled next to him and he turned onto his left side, looking at her. Bunfin settled between them as Belle gently stroked the small monkey's back and Rumplestiltskin smiled, propping his head in his hand.
"It's funny," he said as she looked at him and he brushed some hair behind her ear. "With Regina becoming less evil and I'm semi-retired, there aren't any villains anymore."
"Oh, I'm sure there are more," she said as he placed his head on the pillow and yawned.
"Well, I hope we don't run into them for a very long time. I'm exhausted," he sighed then closed his eyes. She watched him drift off to sleep when she kissed the tip of his nose then got up, picked Bunfin off the bed and headed for the door. She turned to look at her husband when she smiled, left the room and closed the door behind her.
Neverland
Skull Island
The torches flickered on the walls as the sounds of voice chanting drifted up from outside the eye socket windows and bare feet moved across the stone floor. The skirt of the deer hide dress swirled around the tan legs and dark eyes shined in the torch light.
Tiger Lily was not only known as being the daughter of the chief of the Indians who lived in Neverland, but she was also a sorceress.
She was surprised when she found what was lying on the straw mat in the corner and she fought hard to heal him.
It was when the Shadow returned that she was able to reunite the two of them.
Doing so had cost her dearly, but she was able to save him.
The chanting grew louder as she walked to the straw mat then knelt down and picked up the wooden bowl.
"Are you awake?" she asked and a soft moan answered her. She carefully lifted the figure's head when she used the wooden bowl to part the figure's lips and the figure drank what was in the wooden bowl. She lowered the figure's head then stood up when she walked to the eye socket window and looked down at the small boats anchored around the island. Chants of "Pan" echoed up to her when Tiger Lily softly smiled then turned and walked away, knowing that Pan will rise again.