"What did you do?"
David dared to slam Mr. Gold up against the wall with all of his might. He ignored the golden glint in the Dark One's eyes. He wasn't going to leave until he got answers.
"Marian's breakdown is your fault, isn't it?" He asked, "You did this, didn't you?"
Gold shrugged, his smile just as villainous as ever. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said.
David slammed the man into the wall again. "She's more powerful than you! If she's back, we need to know! What did you do?"
"I said her son's name," Gold replied.
David dropped the man at the wicked reminder. He felt nothing but a cold sweat envelop him. His hands shook as he slowly began to comprehend what was happening.
"He's dead," he gasped.
This time it was Gold's turn to sound absolutely surprised. In fact, he looked just as devastated as the rest of them. Guilt slowly began to seat itself in his features. He started shaking uncontrollably, rage taking him for a spin. He punched a hole in the wall before he even got to the important part of his tirade.
"What do you mean he's dead?" He asked, "He was just a boy, an innocent young boy. How could he possibly be dead?"
"He was with Nate," David replied, "He died of cancer seven years ago."
"Seven years?" Gold shrieked, "He must have been an amazing young man. He was only eight when his sister was born."
David stared at the man as if he had three heads. He must have because Gold was giving him a worried gaze. How could he have possibly forgotten about the girl? She was the brightest light in the kingdom the day she was born. He remembered that day. It was the day he finally got to meet the two people who helped Snow survive her stepmother's actions.
"They have no idea they have a daughter," he said.
"What do you mean they don't know?" Gold asked, "I remember the day… Sophie was single. But when she left there was no infant in her arms."
"She was only a year old when the curse was cast," David sighed, "Is it at all possible that she could have been put into the same situation as Emma?"
"More than possible," Gold nodded, "the girl was only a year older. With Marian's powers I could never truly see her future. I only saw her flying above the clouds like her brother."
David ignored the lie at the moment. He knew Rumpelstilskin had just figured out something highly important about Sophie Devereaux's children. He didn't understand what it was but he had other things to think about. Marian didn't remember that she had a daughter. He had to find the girl. That was the key to saving the grifter.
%%%%
Parker was confused. Too many emotions were filing through her head. She couldn't figure out which one she was feeling and which one she was supposed to ignore. The biggest one was anger. That much she could tell.
It was all Sophie's fault.
The grifter was supposed to help her figure out her own head. She was supposed to tell the young thief what her emotions meant. She was supposed to explain that everything would be alright; that it was perfectly naturally to hate the person in the hospital bed before her.
But it was Sophie in the bed.
That was what disturbed her most. The grifter didn't get hurt. That was a secret rule amongst them. The thief didn't fully understand how the mastermind's head worked, but she knew he never had a plan where Sophie was hurt. He cared for the grifter too much. That was why he stayed behind during that job gone wrong in Juan. Sophie was their grifter. She wasn't allowed to be hurt.
But she had cuts on her wrist and she caused them.
Why would Sophie cause them? She thought, why would she cut herself?
It didn't make any sense. Sophie was a good person, well sort of. Sure she used to con rich men but there was nothing in her past that had to be that awful. Parker did some pretty bad things in her past but she didn't cut her wrists. What could be so bad that Sophie would want to kill herself?
The entire room was in disarray, Parker.
Okay, that voice was definitely not her own. Her head sounded like Sophie and Nate. Sometimes Hardison and Eliot. This voice did not belong to any of them. This voice sounded like a child's. It felt like it was coming from somewhere deep inside of her.
The voice sounded comfortingly familiar.
She wasn't trying to cut herself, the voice said, she was trying not to see something.
That was odd. Where was this voice going? How could it possibly know what was driving the grifter to such a mess? It didn't know Sophie. She knew Sophie. How dare it even try to know Sophie?
The mirrors were smashed.
The voice had a point. Everything that could produce a reflective surface was demolished during the grifter's rampage. Whatever got under her skin definitely involved her reflection. Maybe she was afraid of a monster suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
No, the voice said. It sounded kind of upset with her train of thought. You really need to stop watching those movies with Hardison. It's giving you bad ideas, Parker. NO, she didn't like what she saw.
Interesting, the girl Eliot rescued in the hall of mirrors said the same thing. She didn't like looking at herself in the mirror. Nate said it was because she kept seeing her mother instead of herself. Her dad had that same problem too. Sophie told her it was the same reason Nate and Maggie got a divorce. They could only see Sam in each other.
"Oh!" Parker gasped, "She didn't like it because she reminds herself of someone she lost."
"What was that?"
The thief gasped and covered her mouth. She didn't mean to say that last bit out loud. She was only thinking. Now Eliot was looking at her as if she was going to have a mental breakdown at any moment. That wasn't fair. She wasn't going to break like Sophie.
That wasn't fair either, Parker.
Maybe she should tell Eliot about the voice in her head. Nate and Sophie told her once that it was a very bad thing if she could hear voices that nobody else could. They said that usually meant you were crazy. Then they asked her if she actually heard voices and she asked her if it counted that the voices sounded like them when she didn't have the coms in. Sophie got all teary-eyed and said that was something called a conscience. She didn't understand.
A conscience was a cricket, not a mastermind and grifter.
A conscience is a guide, Parker.
There was that voice again. It was really starting to get on her nerves. At first it was very helpful with telling her that Sophie didn't like her reflection. But now it was being highly annoying. She was going to have to get rid of it soon if it didn't start being helpful again.
"Parker?"
Eliot sounded worried now. His tone actually broke through the mastermind's fog too. Nate's attention was now fully focused on her. His bright blue eyes were tinged with red and puffy. But he looked worried too. It was almost as though he couldn't handle the possibility of her having problems as well.
She had to tell them something.
"I don't believe it," she said. The truth was always the best option to base your grift on. Sophie taught her that shortly after her betrayal. Use the truth against them and they would fall. "Sophie wouldn't cut herself."
She turned towards the grifter lying in the bed. That familiar twinge of something was tugging away at her heart. She was irrationally angry, in the mood for breaking something. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and it was all Sophie's fault.
It's called grief, Parker. There was that voice again. It's not a bad thing. You're afraid for her. That's nothing to be ashamed of.
Eliot just sighed in deep frustration and turned to her. "I know you want to believe that…"
"No!" Why was she getting so angry all the time? "Sophie didn't mean to cut herself. She didn't like her reflection."
Eliot somehow looked even more frustrated than before. His eyes closed and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Then he stomped his foot, his face turning purple. He cursed several people that didn't deserve to be cursed and stomped his foot again. But Nate put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him from saying whatever it was he meant to say.
"Did she tell you anything?" His voice was off. Nate sounded far too greedy, far too desperate. It was almost as though he was willing to cling onto any hope he could find. Instead he only had a thief who could barely remember her own name.
It's not like you use your real name anyway.
Parker ignored the voice and shook her head. She frowned and tried to focus on something that wasn't the glowing necklace around her neck. She lightly wrapped her fingers around it. For some reason she had the sneaking suspicion that it was the one talking to her. But necklaces didn't talk.
Sophie said so.
"No," she said, "She didn't say anything. It's just… everything that could produce a reflective surface was gone. Even the spilt water on the table. Did you notice how her blood was streaked in it? You could still see the ceiling but everything else was blurred."
Eliot stared at her in amazement. "That would explain why it was the top pane that was broken instead of the bottom one," he said.
"But what was she seeing?" Nate asked, "She's the most beautiful woman in the world. Why wouldn't she want to see that? What would make her hate herself that much?"
"Unless it wasn't herself she was trying not to see," Parker gasped.
She didn't have to elaborate on that insight. Both Eliot and Nate had people in their past they hated seeing when they looked in the mirror. Everybody knew about Sam, Nate's little boy who died far too young. Sophie kept saying that Eliot hinted at having buddies who haunted him as well. Parker, herself, had a brother she saw every time it was Halloween or his birthday.
Maybe being back in Storybrooke brought back somebody from the grifter's past.
"Did that case with the money have anything to do with a dead guy?" Parker asked, "Because that might explain why Sophie was going all Nate on us."
At least Eliot smiled at the little dig. It was a small fraction of a thing that cracked his lips. But it counted none the less. Nate was less amused. His eyebrows only rose and his eyes grew duller. He shot another worried look the grifter's way and breathed in deeply. When his eyes met hers again, they were a little more shiny than they had been before.
"Have Hardison check in on it," Nate replied, "Eliot, you go with her."
"What about you?" Eliot sounded like he had an idea. His voice was rough and sounded as though he was going to kill someone. Maybe that was why he sounded so quiet.
"I'm going to pay a visit to Sophie's friend Jefferson." The mastermind started walking in the direction of the good doctor's office. But he did leave a few words of advice. "Make certain Hardison keeps his eyes on Sophie at all times. I have a feeling her loving sister Regina is going to pay her a visit sometime soon. I want to know the very moment that happens."
Then he was gone, disappeared to do something they were probably going to regret later. Eliot and Parker shared a worried look. This was bad even for him.
"Should we go after him?"
Eliot looked at the tiny thief for a moment and gave considerate thought to her question. His blue eyes fell on hers, and she knew he was just as scared as she was. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze, just like Sophie did when she was explaining something sad about the thief's past. He pulled her towards him and had their foreheads touching.
"He'll be fine, Parker," he promised, "We all will."
"You didn't answer my question."
He smiled sadly at her and shook his head.
"Following him would only cause more harm than good," he said, "we have to let him figure this out on his own. Pushing him right now isn't a good idea."
"He's going to get worse, isn't he?" she asked. She could tell just by looking that the hitter already knew she would ask that question. He looked on the verge of slamming his fists into the walls. They were all a little on edge after all.
"He'll be fine Parker," he lied, "It's Sophie I'm worried about."
That was enough for now.
%%%%
Regina snuck into the hospital when it was completely empty. She knew Robin would have his hacker watching the security cameras. She had very little time to get what she came for.
She opened the grifter's door and slid in without any complications. She even managed to have enough time to allow her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. She stepped forward cautiously, aware of the camera that was moving left to right and tracking movement for any danger. It was then that her eyes finally fell on the person in the bed. She realized Sophie was awake and staring at her.
"Hi," she coughed. She wasn't exactly sure what else to say. Her baby sister was staring at her with those big, brown doe eyes of hers. It was like that moment when they were young and Marian was begging to go for a ride on the horses even though Mother threatened both of their hides to ride so late at night. But this time Marian's little wrists were much bigger and tied to the bed. Even her ankles were strapped in restraints. A machine puffed and announced fresh medicine was being administered into her veins.
She was nothing but a shell of the woman Regina used to know.
"I just came to say I'm sorry," she continued as if it was her right or something, "and I hope you feel better."
Marian made no move to speak. She let her eyes do all the talking. Those big brown eyes were watching her like a hawk, waiting for her to do something. For a moment she imagined they flashed with anger when she placed a vase of fresh flowers on the bedside table. That moment was gone in a flash. Those eyes were only filled with loathing and disgust. There was no warmness, no light. They were giant black holes, a void of empty space.
She looked absolutely miserable.
"Alright," she shrugged. What else could she do? Her sister still knew her best of all. "You've got me. I came here for something else too."
That got a reaction. Those brown eyes actually moved to the side. Her head soon pulled away with them. Sophie was staring out of the window, completely ignoring her visitor. Then the camera made a noise and it attracted her attention. Regina thought she actually heard a little sniffle because of it.
"Look at me," she begged.
Marian refused. It was quite typical of her. A simple task asked and still she refused to partake in it. No, she was too busy hiding her tears and staring out of the window. She shook her head and pretended her visitor didn't exist. Anybody else would have thought that unfair.
But Regina wasn't normal.
"Sissy, please."
That got her attention. The younger woman turned and allowed her emotions to show. A trail of tears contoured her cheeks and shined in the moonlight. Her chest moved up and down with the hum of the machines. She looked so tired, so old, older than her years. Her fingers were moving, grasping at a way out of her bindings. She wanted to escape.
Who could blame her?
"I have to ask," Regina said. She felt the need to restore the brave façade she initially began with. It was the look she wore whenever her enemies were near. Now it was just a way to deal with the pain and betrayal of her past. And her baby sister wouldn't accept anything else.
"What is your name?"
The brown eyes looked at her blankly. They showed no sign of recognition. They didn't even seem to register the importance of her question. They just kept flowing tears and staring at her blankly. It was almost as though her sister was dead and in her place was a zombie.
Regina stepped closer and repeated herself in a much firmer voice than before.
"What is your name?" She asked.
Again, nothing. Her reaction was exactly the same; blank. Her fingers just kept twisting and twirling. Her arms were struggling for freedom. She showed no sign of hearing her sister's words. She only wanted out, nothing more.
"What is your name, Sophie?"
This time the woman laughed. It was a small, vicious sound. It was maniacal really. There was no music to the tone. It was nothing but a quick cackling of air, cracking firewood in the middle of the night. Her teeth peaked out and her eyes filled with mirthless hate. There was madness in that laugh, madness… and sorrow.
"You want to know my name," she said, "but you've already said it."
"What's your name?" Ignoring the laughter was proving mighty difficult. She wanted to use her magic to stop the noise. It was like a spoon in a blender. Pretty soon she wouldn't be able to keep herself from stopping it. It was so painful.
"You know who I am," the woman responded, "You wouldn't be asking if you didn't."
"Please," Regina begged, "Just tell me what your name is."
"I'm Sophie Devereaux." The answer was almost too quick. It was as though she wanted that answer to draw some confusion. That maniacal laugh of hers definitely wasn't fading. If anything it was only getting stronger with every breath. Something was wrong.
"Yep, I'm Sophie Devereaux, grifter extraordinaire. I'm wanted all across Europe. I've got a lovely addiction to shoes. I'm currently involved with Nathan Ford. I am Sophie Devereaux."
Regina was almost satisfied with the answer. She smiled towards her sister. Gave her a curt, "good." Then she turned around and headed to the door. She didn't even look back. She just put her hand on the handled and twisted it slightly.
"At least that's what they call me here."
Her heart stopped at those words. Her cheeks began to pale and her whole world turned on its axis. She turned around slowly, like one does in a horror movie right before they're eaten. She backed into the door and took a deep breath. It did nothing to restore the courage she once had.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
Sophie smiled evilly. Her teeth looked razor sharp. Her eyebrows arched knowingly. Even her eyes widened and glowed with the evil contained inside.
"I know who you are, big sister," she said, "and I will have my revenge."
Regina almost couldn't stomach what would come next. Bile rose to her throat and she had to do everything in her power to keep it down. Fear was clawing through her heart, making her cold as ice. She was trapped there was nowhere for her to go. Everything she hated most was about to be revealed.
"I remember everything," Marian whispered.
Regina probably would have screamed if Dr. Wales hadn't picked that moment to enter the room. He pushed Regina out of the way and stared at her in outrage. He grabbed her by the arm and led her out as if she were a ragdoll. He even shook her like one. It took her minutes before she realized he was scolding her for her actions.
"I know things were different in your world but this is ridiculous!" He said, "Ms. Devereaux's condition is vulnerable as it is. We're doing everything we can to keep her sane and you just waltz in there like you still own the place. You do not!"
"I was just trying to see if she remembered me." The truth was the only answer she had. She was still in shock of the conversation. Her heart was still lodged within her stomach after all.
"Look," Dr. Wales actually sounded like he cared about her. That was obviously false. Nobody cared about her, not anymore. That was just the beginning of her problems. "I know you care deeply for your sister but exposure to her rightful world is lethal right now. She's already under tremendous stress and pressure from being in Storybrooke. The last thing we need is you waltzing in there and spurring another memory."
"So she does remember who she is?" That was valuable information. "She knows she's my sister Marian?"
Dr. Wales sighed and shook his head. "It's a bit more complicated than that," he said, "She's been switching between Sophie and Marian all night. Sometimes she'll remember bits and pieces and then she'll be perfectly normal. I think it's related to her injuries though."
"So it's not permanent." There was hope for her yet, Regina was sure of it.
"We won't know until the medicine kicks in," Wales replied, "The blood loss caused hallucinations. What we think is memories could just be symptoms of that. The real Sophie Devereaux could be leaking through or it could just be interfering with things in her cursed mind to appear as true. We won't be able to tell until she starts talking in complete and clear sentences. All we have right now are ramblings."
"But she will be okay?" That was important. If her sister died, Regina wasn't quite sure what she would do. Probably blow up the whole town in her misery, Marian was all she had left.
"She'll survive if that is what you're asking," he sounded so broken hearted about it, "but she will never be okay again. Her mind very well may be damaged beyond repair. She may always be Marian and Sophie together forever. There will be no middle ground. Two minds in one, cursed twice beyond repair."
Just like Jefferson, Regina thought.
