Time to Go pt 4
David is still recuperating from his near-death experience. Mary-Margaret and Regina are having a shouting match, both accusing the other of Emma's downfall. Killian and August are smart to stay out of it and exchange a knowing glance—they have a feeling that Mary-Margaret is going to let Regina have it. Henry stays close to David, afraid that if Emma should return, she might do harm to him again. With him there, he hopes she will restrain herself. After nearly twenty minutes of yelling and saying this one is the bad guy and that one is the bad guy, August gets in between the two women.
"Look, we really need to stick together here. I didn't decide to put my life on the line to watch you two bicker. We need to get our heads wrapped around the situation. This is Emma's world. Now we all know Emma pretty well, so let's think about what we can expect, so we don't end up on someone's dinner plate."
Regina nods. Mary-Margaret relaxes her tense body. "August is right, Regina. It's this place," she looks around, "it's making us turn on each other. I am almost afraid to admit it, but I think Emma is enjoying this."
"She wants to see us tear each other apart?" Killian asks.
"It makes sense," David says, gripping his chest with phantom pains running crazy.
"We can't hurt her," Henry says, making sure that his full voice penetrates their weary minds.
"Henry, I don't have any way of keeping you safe. If Emma decides that she wants to…"
"Enough. You're scaring the lad. The last thing he needs is you crushing his hope." Killian motions for Henry to come over to him. As Henry walks over, he looks at Regina with a crushed heart. He smiles at Killian, proud and happy that his mother is with him. It only took how long?
Mary-Margaret looks David over carefully. "Are you sure you are all right?"
"I'm fine. Just a little heartburn."
"Well I guess we better find food. Who wants to come with me?" Regina says.
"I will. I am the most skilled at hunting," Mary-Margaret says.
"Good. Me and August are going to try and find some fresh water," David says, motioning for August to follow him in the opposite direction Regina and his wife went.
Henry sort of wanders around in a circle. "What are you doing, Henry?"
"I can feel her. It really scares me. But it also makes me happy that she's nearby."
Killian puts his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Why do you think August is so connected to Emma?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because he was there when she came through as a baby. Maybe it's because he is what sparked the possibility of magic inside her. Are you really jealous of August?"
Killian smirks, that undeniable flirtatious smirk he often gives women, but as of late he does it anytime he's around Emma or even thinks about her. "I just can't help wondering if Neal hadn't died, he and Emma might have reconciled. I know that'd make you happy. And I can't help but wonder that under different circumstances, she and August would have become something, because of the history they share."
"Look, Killian, my dad was a good man, but he hurt my mom deeply. She never forgave him. Yeah, she loved him, but it's different with you."
"How so? I have hurt your mother deeply too."
"For one thing, you have given up so much for her. Your ship, your wicked ways, and you've risked your life every second you've been around her. My dad could never forgive himself for what he had to do to my mom back then, and he knew that she had moved on. You sort of complete my mom better than he did. It's like she had to go through all this to meet you, to be with you."
Killian smiles. "You are starting to sound like Tinkerbell."
"Well, she was right about my other mom, wasn't she?"
"Regina, I need to sit down or something. I'm so tired." Mary-Margaret sits down against a tree and closes her eyes.
"Snow, you have to keep going. Come on." Regina tries to pull Mary-Margaret up but it's no use. She is fast asleep. "Great." Regina sits down next to her and closes her eyes. "I suppose a short nap won't hurt."
The forest around them becomes dark, like nightfall, but the sun is still shining. Well it could be the sun, but they aren't technically in a real world so the light could be coming from anything. Regina opens her eyes. They dart from side to side as she feels an eerie presence flowing in around her. "Emma?"
A floating orb full of red blinking lights floats over to her. She stands, ready for anything. "Don't be scared, Regina," Emma's voice echoes around her. The orb breaks apart and out pops Emma. At first there is a blinding white light around her, then the red light from inside the orb pulls together and forms a glamorous, twinkling, red ball gown. Her hair is done up in a bun with a red ribbon holding it together. She is absolutely stunning.
"Emma." She turns to Mary-Margaret but Emma pulls her around.
"Don't wake her. I want to talk to you."
"Whatever has to be done, I will do. Whatever it takes to get you back to your family I will help make it happen."
"Oh, I wish it were that simple. See, I am happy here. I have no rules, no boundaries, and no one to tell me that I need to save them and bring them a happy ending. Here, only my happiness matters."
"But Emma, your happiness is with your family, with Henry, and… Hook."
Emma smiles but it's not a pleasant, friendly smile. It's a wicked one. "Oh, I have plans for them. They really shouldn't have come here."
"Emma… leave Henry alone. Please. He's done nothing wrong."
"If I let you leave with him, will you swear to me that you will destroy that snowglobe?"
"There is a way out of here?" Regina is on pins and needles. It can't be true."
"I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone." Regina nods. Emma leans in and whispers into Regina's ear. Regina's eyes light up with shock and amazement, then she frowns, knowing how much this secret is going to upset so many people.
David slows down as they approach a river. August looks around for something to fill the water up in. "I thought you guys always came prepared."
"Do you feel tired?"
"Nope. Here we go." August picks up a hollowed out rock and scoops water up into it. He takes a sip. "Here, you want some?" As he turns around, David is asleep on the ground. August walks over and is about to sprinkle some water onto him when Emma appears. "Emma."
"I have you to thank for so much. I want to repay the favor that you gave me."
"Emma, what is this place?"
"I'll tell you, if you promise me something."
"Okay."
"How do you know about the snowglobe?"
"I found it, a long time ago. I wanted to give it to you when I met up with you the first time I arrived in Storybrooke, but things got out of hand and my main objective was getting you to believe in magic. The snowglobe has an interesting connection to you." Emma moves in closer to August. He becomes a little hesitant about continuing, until he remembers that Emma could crush him right now if he displeases her. "The fake flakes inside it became real snow the day you were born. The magic they hold became stronger the day your magic was embraced. And they've taken on strange magical properties as your magic grows. When your magic reaches its peak, the connection to the snowglobe will be complete. It's your light side, Emma. Your purity, your selflessness, your love, that's what powers it. But as your darkness grows, the connection will take a turn to the dark side. When that happens, it's going to explode, like a bomb. The darkness is going to swim through you into it and into Storybrooke, and then wherever it wants to."
She actually looks scared, or she's pretending to be, since she is the Dark One. "I don't want to see Henry get hurt. Even Rumpelstiltskin still loved as the Dark One. But I can't forgive some people for what they've done."
"Emma, what have they done? You did this to yourself."
"No. I found out something along the way that no one knows of, not even Merlin."
August leans in close to Emma. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure I can trust you. So you've given me no choice."
August backs away, not ready for whatever dark thing she's going to do but he hasn't got a choice. He can't run, he can't hide. She steps closer to him. She puts her hand against his face and rubs gently. "Shh… stop your heart from quivering." Suddenly, her eyes turn black, her dress turns black, lace and silk and leather all combined into one. A black cape behind her that wraps around August's body like a seductive creature of the night. Her complexion changes from normal to pale as snow. Her lips turn blood-red. Her hair falls out of the bun and blows around her face. She parts her lips and kisses August on the mouth. As she pulls away, his face is full of pain. He lurches forward with his hand against his chest. Emma has something in her hand. He can't see it right away, until she brings it around from underneath. His heart. She waves her free hand over it and it turns to wood. It continues to beat. She whispers over it then plunges it back into his chest. His body turns to wood then turns back to flesh.
He falls to his knees. "What have you done, Emma?"
"I've given myself some insurance that I won't have to worry about you screwing things up."
He looks on confused. "Did you curse me?"
"Anytime I feel that you are a threat to me, you're going to turn to wood and won't be able to speak or act. You will stand there like a tree.
"What are you going to do to your parents, to Killian, to everyone else?"
"I am sending you back, along with Regina and Henry. I have a little snack for them when they return to the real section of the Enchanted Forest. As for my parents and Killian, they are going to see what this Dark One is capable of. If they thought Rumpelstiltskin was insurmountable, they haven't seen true darkness yet."
August starts panting and sweat pours down his forehead. "The real section of the Enchanted Forest?" he says.
"On your feet, slave."
August stands up and awaits Emma's next action.