Something Must Be Done

D paced back and forth across August's room, with both August and Peter watching intently. The three of them had been at this ever since day broke, and her thoughts had throughout the session been consumed by Greg and Alice Mendell. She'd heard Gerhardt had been persuasive, but she knew Greg wasn't going to give up. Alice was from somewhere else and viewed marriage entirely differently than D ever did. There was no doubt in her mind that Alice would stand by her man. If he could be convinced to call her off, and that was a very big if, then she would definitely back down. Only problem was, Greg Mendell didn't know the meaning of 'back down'.

Drastic action had to be taken, and the entire town faced a very big decision: could they compromise their secret even if it meant allowing the one who could expose it to live?

Typically she had no heavy moral questions about her work. She knew helping refugees and exiles settle in on Earth or find other places to go was right, and she didn't care how many enemies she made in how many ruling governments. That was her job, plain and simple, and she would do it. Now, though, there was a serious problem. Here was a town that resembled a cage. Anyone could come and look, but the residents couldn't leave. They couldn't be kept here, on that she was certain.

The Barrier had to be broken, but how? Rumpelstiltskin said there was a way and implied that it would kill him. She turned to August and asked, "Where does Rumpelstiltskin get his power from?"

"Uh...the knife?" he asked in reply. "I think so, at least."

"Dammit. If he gets his power from the knife, and his power is how he created the curse, then if he breaks it to free the town, he really could die."

"Score one," Peter said.

"What're you talking about?"

"I was wondering when you'd figure that out."

"Coming from the eternal elfin boy who never had a problem like this in his entire life."

August held up his hands and said, "Enough. It's obvious we have a problem, so we have to stop picking fights and start dealing with it. Where are we on that?"

"All I know is that Gerhardt chased Mendell down and 'talked' to him," D replied. "Neither of us have any idea if it'll work."

"Who's Gerhardt?" he and Peter asked.

"The stitched-up dead guy."

"Oh," August said.

"What?" Peter asked.

"Long story," D replied. "I don't even know it, but I'm afraid I can guess, considering the world he comes from."

"What world is that?"

"A Land Without Color. Shitty name for it, I know, but that's what the higher-ups came up with."

"Wait, you actually take orders from people?"

"They're more like general guidelines, but basically."

"So Gerhardt talked to Greg and there's a chance he got him to agree to the terms?" August asked.

"Yes," D replied.

"And if he doesn't?"

"That's where I'm at, and that's the great moral quandary of the town. Do we let this guy live to tell their secret to God and the free world, or do we kill him? It's obvious that if word gets out, the town will be flooded with tourists and curiosity seekers, or buses of Fundies screaming at these people that they'll all go to hell, each and every one of them. Neither does wonders for morale. Throw into all of this our job, and you get a complete and utter mess that I can't make sense out of."

"Maybe he'll get himself into a fight or something and we'll have to kill him. Solves all of your problems," Peter said.

"You shut up," D snapped at him, gesturing with one of her crutches. She turned back to August and said, "Don't tell me you want to go with his solution."

"No," August said. "Of course not. It's too damned stupid, and we don't even know if it'll work. Fights are too unpredictable."

She exhaled and relaxed against her crutches. "You had me scared for a second." She shifted her position. "But we can't just sit back and do nothing. These people are trapped, and they need people like us. We have to do our jobs. We just need to figure out how."

"How about you take a break, get some rest. I'll get to work."

"Okay, but let me know if you come up with anything, or if anything goes wrong."

"I will."

OUAT

Morraine slid deftly from the rock she was perched on, and she stood in front of Bae. "It looks like it went better than last time," she said. He nodded. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he replied. "It's just...weird, considering...everything that's happened."

"Because you can feel magic?"

"And I've been in several fights, with magical opponents, and survived. This all happened because he wanted to protect me from going off to war, because he wanted to prove to me that he wasn't a coward, but he couldn't, because he was."

"Do you still think he is?"

"Too much has happened. I have no idea anymore."

"Gisborne is dead. Now we can start dealing with things like this. Tell me what you're feeling."

"I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm angry at my father, but at the same time, I'm glad he's starting over, using magic less. It doesn't change all the things he's done, but it's a start. I won't deny that."

"That's good. It's not the best, but it's good." He nodded, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I told you everything would work out, did I not?"

"I believe so."

"You see, things are looking up." She turned her gaze skyward, and he did the same. His breath caught. He wasn't sure if it was his sensitivity, amplified by his recent prolonged contact with Gerhardt, that was causing this, but he saw it nonetheless, and he suddenly realized exactly what was going on. There was a blue dome overhead. It swirled within itself and was for the most part was translucent, except the parts where it was almost solid blue.

"Are you seeing this?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not, but I'll take your word for it." She looked at him. "Is it bad?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, what is it?"

"It's what's keeping people here."

"What else is it? A Barrier?"

"Yes." He looked back at her. "It erases their memories if they try to cross, but outsiders can come and go as they choose."

"Can it be broken?"

"Yes, I think so, but...but it has to be Rumpelstiltskin, since he made this."

"Do you think he will?" Bae shrugged. "Alright, is there a way around it?"

"There'd be the tunnels, but those are too dangerous, especially if that woman's right and there is something in there that could be let loose on us at any moment."

"So our only safe option is to break it."

"Seems that way, yes."

"Then it looks like we need to be on hand while this unfolds. Someone, somewhere, will need soldiers." Bae nodded, and on a whim, he kissed her.

"Thank you," he whispered, "for everything."

"Anytime," she replied. "Let's go."