Visitors
D leaned against the pillows of his bed and watched August walk into the room. "They have him here," she said. "The townsfolk are wondering if he should live or not. He saw magic, and I told someone here he's a witch hunter, which he is, if only for money. They also know he's a civilian married to a jumper."
"That all they know about him?" he asked.
"Unless they ask me more questions, and I'll tell them whatever truthful information I know just to make sure he doesn't get out. If they think he's bad, they haven't met his wife."
"What about this attempted murder I heard about?"
"Did you see me kiss that guy Hook?"
"Yeah."
"That was me making sure it stayed attempted."
"And then you got hit by a car."
"He got shot in the shoulder, though he was aiming at another civilian."
"I thought you didn't use your power."
"I had to. This is what I do."
"Protect so-called civilians?" Rumpelstiltskin asked from the doorway.
"Protect everyone from themselves and each other," D and August replied simultaneously.
"It's part of the job description," August added.
"I see." He turned to D. "I wanted to thank you for saving Belle."
"As he said, it's what we do."
"If you need anything-"
"You're an imp. You deal in favors, and you can't accept a gift."
"I just wanted to-"
"Please, just shut up. I know what we're dealing with. Do you?"
"Excuse me."
"You're a moron, magic man. When I say hold off, that means hold off, because what you did was exactly what he wanted. He said he'd see something no one would believe, and guess what. Because of you, he did, and while you chew on that little nugget, your girlfriend came in earlier and told me exactly how magic-obsessed you are. No surprise there, imp, because look at the mess you've gotten this town into. It's your chief responsibility to fix it, got it?" Both August and Rumpelstiltskin stared at her. She looked at August and said, "Unless you're a party to this, don't say anything." August stepped back, and D looked at Rumpelstiltskin. "Good luck," she said simply. "You're gonna need it."
"Thank you for your...encouraging words." He turned and walked out without another word.
"Wow," August said. "I never saw anyone tear into him like that."
"He's an imp."
"He's the most powerful being in the Enchanted Forest."
"There were others, and there always will be, that are more powerful, and more corrupt. If what you said is true, then I fear Pan's traveling companions fell victim to at least one of them."
"So what do we do about it?"
"For one, hope they survived. If they did, we hope we can open a trod to get them back. If we can't then we have to find another way, and that probably means we have to consult the idiot imp, and you know as well as he does how I feel about him."
"I think half the town knows. They're all gathered around the hospital waiting for news on anyone and everyone."
"Damn, can't get out of here. Where's the boy? Can we get him in here?"
"Should be able to. He's back at my place, or he should be." D nodded. "I'll be right back."
"Thanks, August."
"Sure thing." He walked out of the room.
Not ten minutes later, Dr. Whale walked in to check her chart and make a note, or whatever doctors did. "You're not from a land with magic, are you," she said.
"No, no, I'm not," he replied. "It was a weird feeling to get used to at first."
"I understand. For a farm girl from Kansas, Oz was a head trip and a half." He laughed. "Heard you disappeared for a while."
"I had to sort a few things out, but they're in order now."
"That's good." She paused. "Greg, is he..."
"Mr. Mendel is perfectly fine."
"Did he make any attempt to reach anyone by the name of Alice?"
"Not to my knowledge, but my job is to make sure my patients stay alive, not to monitor whom they contact."
"Thanks, doctor."
"Of course."
As D watched him leave, she couldn't help but wonder whether she should be relieved or not.
OUAT
"You're D?" Peter asked when he walked into the hospital room.
"What were you expecting?" the woman on the bed replied.
"I dunno, someone..."
"Cooler?" Peter shrugged and nodded. D shifted into more of a sitting position. "I help make sure the portal jumpers do what they're supposed to."
"Which is what?"
"Get wanderers and refugees from other realms where they need to be."
"What if they don't?"
D shrugged. "That's their problem. I have enough to deal with with the ones that do do their jobs, and I don't watch the others."
"Others?"
"Whoever watches the jumpers in the other realms." Peter nodded. "August told me you lost your traveling companions on the way here."
"Yeah."
"Any idea where you lost them?"
"Somewhere in the tunnel."
"What tunnel?"
"The one I made to get here. There was something evil that tried to take us from it. I think that's what took them."
"Who are they?"
"I called them Weirdo and the Seer. They wanted to come to this town, but they wouldn't say why." D nodded. "Do you think you can find them?"
"Do either of them have special powers?"
"Weirdo can feel magic."
"Are you talking about finding that kid?" Emma asked, leaning against the door frame with her arms folded across her chest.
"Yeah," D replied. Several questions slipped into her guarded look.
"I think I can help with that."