Chapter 17
Storybrooke General Hospital 3:29 pm
Crammed into Room 304 are Bae, the Charmings, Henry, Mr. Dove, Marco, Sneezy Clark, Ruby, Granny, one of the nuns whose name he can't remember (something spacey, like her personality), a cub reporter from the Mirror (literally: in the Enchanted Forest, this guy was Baby Bear, crime victim of that porridge thief Goldilocks) and a bunch of people Gold barely recognizes. The hairs on the back of his neck rise as his magic reports the presence of another sorcerer, though she's come disguised as (appropriately) a mosquito. If he weren't so weak he'd conjure a fly swatter, but he has to settle for a growl. "Hello, Regina. Sorry to see me?"
The mosquito flies up his nose. He starts to smack himself in the snoot—a deviated septum would be worth it if he could get rid of her once and for all—but she flies back out again before his hand makes contact. She buzzes at him, "Excuse me, Rumple, got a quick errand, but I'll be back." And she flies away but remains in the room, flitting from David to Snow to Bae, making a nuisance of herself, he supposes.
"Welcome back—"
"Back on your feet in no—"
"So glad you're okay—"
"Hey, Mr. Gold, does this mean you won't be collecting rent this month?"
"Where's Belle?" Gold bellows over all the yakking.
"She's fine, Papa," Bae assures him. "Snow got a text just a few minutes ago. Whatshisname, the doctor—"
"Archie," Snow interrupts. "Archie's running a few tests on her here in the hospital. Just a precaution. He says she's fine, just a shaken up."
"We'll be taking her back to the inn with us as soon as Archie's done," Ruby says.
"Thank you. We can discuss the matter of payment tomorrow."
Granny starts to say something, but Ruby bumps her with an elbow. "No payment required. She's a friend."
Gold's eyes widen and shoot to Granny, who nods. "A friend."
Gold looks away quickly. His voice is so low they can hardly hear him. "Thank you."
"You should probably know." David shifts from foot to foot. "Cora, uh, she's in room 666."
"Alive then." No one can tell from his expression how Gold feels about that.
"Yeah, but she had a heart attack." David searches for words to explain the chaos that went on back at Sidney's. "Regina. . . Regina got a hold of her heart and shoved it back into her, and I guess her body couldn't take it. She collapsed."
"She's expected to recover," Bae says.
"Her heart," Gold echoes. "How did. . . Where's Emma?"
"She's out looking for Regina," Snow says. "To arrest her."
"If the dwarves can find some fairy dust," David adds.
"Never mind. She's here."
"What?"
Gold points to the speck of black sitting on Bae's shoulder. "There."
Bae tries to follow his father's line of sight, but comes up empty. "Sorry, Dad, I don't see anything."
"What was Emma thinking, taking a chance like that? I told her—"
Henry steps up to the bed. "She didn't. I did. I heard what you said. I took the heart, to make her stop."
Gold grasps Henry's wrist and a sparkle of yellow light bursts from the point at which they've connected. Gold releases Henry, studying him. "Your magic has manifested. And your voice hasn't even changed yet. Extraordinary."
Henry nods. "I can make myself go someplace by imagining it. Other things, too."
"We will talk about this later." Gold glares at him. "But Henry, don't you ever pull a stunt like that again. If I say a thing's unsafe to do—"
"But it wasn't. Not for me."
Gold falls back onto his pillow and groans. "A long talk. . . ." And then he sits bolt upright, the stitches in his chest pulling the skin, and a thin trail of blood leaks from the bandage and pools in his belly button. His face has turned white.
"That's right," a rich voice with a dark laugh running just beneath the surface pipes up, and every head in the room turns. "I have it." Regina emerges from behind Bae. The sea of humanity parts for her, except for Henry, who remains planted at Gold's bedside. Bae turns his hoodie pockets inside out, but it's too late, for Regina is a much better pickpocket than he ever was.
She waves the kris dagger back and forth like a pendulum. "As our old friend would say, 'Tick tock, tick tock.' You're mine now." She brushes past Bae, deliberately bumping his shoulder, and she seats herself on Gold's bed. Her finger slides down the blade of the dagger, outlining the engraving that has reappeared there and causing Gold to shiver.
Silent as an assassin, Dove moves toward Regina, but her magic's on high alert and reacts even before she does, immobilizing him. She peers at him; it takes some seconds for her to recognize him. "Ah, Rumple's pet." With a dismissive gesture she turns him into a, well, dove.
"What shall I do with you first, Rumpie?" Regina aims the blade's point at his chest and runs it lightly from his collarbone to his belly. She's practically wriggling with pleasure. Finally, she's the one with the power around here, and best of all, she can force Rumplestiltskin to turn his own power against himself.
"Sorry to inform you, dearie, but there's not much I can do for you at the moment," Gold says between his teeth. "Doubt if I could conjure you anything more than a cup of coffee."
Regina purses her Vampire Kisses lips as if she's daydreaming. Her only regret is that Cora's not able to see her daughter's rise to true power. Delicious! Except. . . how come that voice in the back of her head won't go away? Poor little wee one.
An orderly pops his head in. "All right, folks, time to—" He doesn't get to finish his suggestion: Regina snaps her fingers and he becomes a potted cactus on the nightstand.
"Regina," Snow breaks in. "Think about what you're doing. You have a chance to make things right. Your mother is upstairs; she has her heart back; for the first time ever, you have a chance at a real relationship with her."
Regina ignores Snow. She holds out her free hand and the spiked "Rumpie" dog collar appears in it. "Ask me for permission to wear this."
"Regina, don't," Granny attempts.
"Oh, for hell's sake, go bake something." Regina glares, and Granny and Ruby suddenly vanish in a purple cloud. Regina repeats her command. "Ask me for permission to wear this."
The words are torn from Gold's lips. "Your Majesty, may I wear—"
"Regina!" David barks, reaching for the enchanted sword he's still wearing on his hip. "So help me, if you don't release that dagger—"
"Watch it, pony boy, or I'll sic my dog on you. He may be small, but he bites." She scratches Gold behind the ear.
David hesitates, his hand on the hilt, and then he stands down.
"—that collar, please?" Gold finishes, choking. He reaches trembling fingers toward her palm.
"Take it, my pet, and wear it with pride."
Something glitters in the corners of his eyes, and he's looking at his son, and they're both remembering Hordor. As Gold picks up the dog collar and fastens it around his neck, Bae whispers, "It's okay."
Bae is a man now; he understands; he will not allow his father's humiliation to lessen the respect he feels. For this day has changed their relationship, even against Bae's will; he has seen his father make the ultimate sacrifice for this community, choosing to die rather than to be made into an instrument of destruction, and it's Bae's fault that that sacrifice now means naught. Bae's carelessness has brought them to this downfall. "You're the bravest man I know," Bae says. "And I'm sorry."
"Now thank me nicely for my lovely gift to you," Regina demands.
Gold's body shudders as he tries to fight the compulsion, but he knows he's wasting the little strength he has left. He looks at Bae as he says it. "Thank you for this lovely gift."
Regina looks at him in surprise. "It sounds like you mean it. Very good, Rumpie." She pats Gold on the head. "We're going to have so much fun together, as soon as you're well enough to play. Now tell all these people to get lost or you'll rip their throats out, like a wolf to a pack of lambs."
"Flock," Gold corrects. He stares at his useless hands, clutching in his lap. "Get out before I rip your throats out."
"Mom!" Henry closes his hand over Regina's, the one that's holding the dagger. "What am I worth to you?"
"Let go of me, Henry."
"What am I worth to you?" he repeats. "My life, what's it worth? More than money?"
"What?" She tilts her head, perplexed.
"Would you give up all your money to save me?"
"Why are you asking me such a ridiculous—"
"Would you risk your life to save me?"
"Of course I would. You shouldn't have to ask, Henry. You know I love you."
"More than magic?" Sparks fly from the kid's stubby fingers. "Is my life worth more to you than his magic?" One of the sparks catches on her sleeve and a flame flares. "My life for his magic, Mom?" Their hands are engulfed in fire.
"Life?!" Regina echoes. "What are you talking about?"
"Henry!" Snow gasps, starting forward, but David pulls her back. "Regina, stop this! He's going to be burned!"
"Mom! Will you give up his magic for me?"
"Gold, can't you do something?" David implores.
Gold's hand rises and shakes, but he can't summon his magic. "The dagger," he says helplessly. He clenches a fist.
David draws his sword and lifts it above Regina's arm. "Let Henry go or I'll cut your arm off."
"I'm not holding him," Regina protests. She wrenches her wrist, trying to pull away, but Henry's magic holds her firm.
"My life or his magic," Henry insists. "Because if you make him kill people, me and Emma will have to fight him—"
"You can't," Regina interrupts. "It's not your fight. You're just a boy."
"Me and Emma will have to fight him, 'cause we're the only ones who can."
"No! He's the Dark One. His power—Emma and Henry won't have a chance against him," David intercedes. "Regina, you have to stop this."
"He'll kill me, Mom."
"Kill you? What are you saying? I wouldn't let him hurt you, sweetie; don't you know that?" Regina urges.
"If they come at me, I'll slaughter them. The magic will leave me no choice. And they won't have a choice but to defend anyone I'm compelled to attack. It's their inheritance as children of heroes," Gold says quietly.
"What do you want, Regina?" Snow tries. "What'll you take for the dagger? Me? Will you take me in trade for the dagger?"
The fireball burns brighter. "Me and Emma are the only ones with magic. If I have to fight, I can fight."
Bae and Gold exchange a horrified look, remembering. Bae quotes his father from long ago: "'That's not battle; that's sacrifice, son.'"
Henry's voice drops. "I don't want to die, Mom."
"Henry. . . ." Regina's voice shakes and the fireball sputters and burns out.
"Think it through carefully, Regina," David advises. "You can rule the world, but what good will it do when the people you love are dead?"
Regina opens her hand and the dagger falls. Henry catches it. He hugs Regina, holding the dagger as far away from their bodies as his arm can reach. "Thank you, Mom."
"Come with me, please," she urges, kissing his cheek.
"No. But I'll come to see you tonight."
"I'll be waiting," she promises, and with a last kiss, she vanishes. The dove and the cactus become men again—Dove moving beside Gold to check on him, the intern hastily backing out of the room.
Henry sits down on the bed, balancing the dagger in both hands. His face mixes fascination with revulsion.
David steps forward. "Give it to me." He holds out his hand. "To make us all safe."
"Break it," the nun suggests. "You can use your magic to snap it in two. Then he'll be free of the dark curse."
Gold takes off the dog collar and throws it across the room, then lies back in peace, waiting for Henry's decision.
Henry looks to his father. "What should I do, Dad?"
Bae takes an involuntary step backwards, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. He shakes his head slowly, then looks to his own father.
"I'm tired. I'm ready to let go, Bae," Gold answers.
"We've had our day; we have to think about the next generation now. There's a reason Henry has magic, a destiny waiting for him," Bae says thoughtfully. "Maybe you're part of that destiny. Who will teach Henry, if not you?"
"I made you a deal, a long time ago. It's time I made good on my word."
Bae understands what Gold is really asking. "I'm not going anywhere, Papa. Magic or no magic."
"Then do what you think is right, son."
Bae comes forward and grips his father's hand between his two strong ones. "Henry, it's time this family made a new deal." He reaches out, and Henry slips his hand into Bae's, linking the three generations. "Operation: Stand and Fight. No more running. We're all here for the duration. Deal?"
Henry passes the dagger into Gold's free hand. "Deal."