Chapter Nine: The Search for Baelfire part two

"Bae!" Rumpelstiltskin called into the air.

"Baelfire!" The rest of the search party was under way, but they were having no luck.

After a few hours of nothing, Archie had to quit, as did many others due to scheduling and their regular days. But Belle, Rumpel, Charming, and Emma still searched. Ruby couldn't even come because her grandmother forbid her to, which Emma thought was unfair. With Bae's cloak in his hand, Rumpelstiltskin never felt so helpless in his entire life. All the magic in the world, and he couldn't find his son because Regina was out there too, probably hoarding him amongst the flushed greenery.

They'd for surely get into something awful, but Rumpel used his magic for small purposes that morning.

Baelfire kept on running, hoping never to hear her voice, but then, more random pains kept shooting up his body. They came consistently now, then they would stop. Baelfire had no idea what was going on. He knew it was early morning, so he decided to rest near a large tree.

He hoped to run into his father soon, or Belle, or anyone except this Evil Queen. When he placed a hand on a branch to get back up after several pains had passed, something inside the tree shifted, and Bae heard a loud THUD come inside the trunk. This was no ordinary tree...

Bae found a hole around the other side of the tree, and after looking around to make sure no one was watching, he reached in, pulling out a large book. By the cover, Bae had seen one of these before. It was a spell book, and it was marked on a page.

Setting the book down and clearing the ancient dust, he flipped to the marked page. Reading as much as he could remember, he was able to make out the words "spell," "severe," "death by overuse," "magic," and "life energy". Although he didn't know what that meant, he studied the pictures for a few moments, seeing the ingredients were for a synthesis spell, so Bae knew it involved at least two people, usually more. Perhaps he had picked up a thing or two since his father took up the practice of magic. Piecing more words together, Bae also found the numbers one and two in the spell. Only two people were affected by this.

Then he realized it! Each time someone used magic, Bae was getting weaker! His life was literally being taken from him...and he knew exactly who she attached him to.

His father, Rumpelstiltskin. Oh, how clever that was of her, and since magic was back in town, Bae didn't think anymore of the circumstances. He had to warn his father. Bae had no idea how to break this; he was too preoccupied with what could happen to him if he read the first part of it right. Well, with what he knew anyway.

Something choked him from behind.

"Not so fast," it was her voice again. She'd caught him. "What are you doing young man?" She walked over to him, picked up her spell book, then shaking Bae with her magic, wondering if he could even read any of it. The boy pretended not to know what the book said, so he remained quiet and just forged his own struggling with her.

"Didn't Rumpel teach you any manners?" the Evil Queen asked, bring him in close to her face so she could whisper in his ear. "Come on brat." Bae dangled magically in the air, finding resistance was for the most part, futile.

Belle and Rumpel were getting famished, so they decided to go back and grab a quick bite to eat. Rumpel suggested Granny's for something, and they walked into the restaurant, ordering breakfast.

"Any luck?" Ruby asked.

"Nothing," Belle replied, knowing Rumpel wasn't going to say anything.

"Hope you find the kid soon. He's working at your shop right?" Red asked.

"Yes, yes he is," Rumpel replied. It was then the two of them realized that that's all anyone knew about Bae, was that he was working for Mr. Gold, not that he was his son or anything.

It was then Mr. Gold felt ashamed, for his son couldn't even identify his own father in the town to the others. Either Bae was too ashamed of it himself or he just didn't want people to know. Either way, it hurt him a little inside, knowing that the boy was not comfortable revealing his roots in magic.

Rumpel ate rather quickly compared to Belle, but he wasn't going to rush her.

"Are you sure you won't get sick?" Belle asked. "You ate that pretty fast."

"I'm just a little nervous," he admitted in a whisper to her. She nodded, taking her time to finish her meal, taking a hold of Rumpel's hand every now and again in an attempt to comfort him.

"PAPA!" The word was faint, but it was clear as to what word it was. Rumpelstiltskin stopped cold, shushing everyone around him and Belle.

"PAPA!"

That was Bae!

"Bae," he said quickly, springing from his seat, leaving Belle behind, but she followed soon after, dropping the food.

Everyone poured out of Granny's and all around to see the sight before them on the streets of Storybrooke.

It was Regina, and held above her head by a magical force, was Baelfire. Mr. Gold gave Regina a cold gaze filled with a void: darkness, anger, and devotion. Three deadly combinations in the world of magic, especially by the Dark One.

"Put him down!" he demanded, stepping forward as no one else moved from their spots on the street.

"Try and stop me," Regina taunted, swinging the boy back and forth.

"No Papa don't it's-" Regina silenced the boy by choking him again, and that's when Rumpelstiltskin's final nerve snapped right in two.

The final battle had begun!