"What's the plan?"
Hardison was strictly business as he watched the mastermind and hitter emerge. He could tell something important happened. Nate didn't look happy. He looked panicked. The hitter looked no better. He was darting worried glances the mastermind's way while simultaneously looking guilty as hell. There was something wrong with that.
"Simple," Nate said, "Split up and look for Sophie."
"She's heading to the forest?" David asked. How he knew that Hardison couldn't tell?
"The fool thought it was safe there," Nate cursed, "She'll find it without the map. The magic alone will draw her."
"Was that the plan?" Eliot growled, "Did he plan it this way? If he did I'll…"
"No!" Regina shook her head, "He's evil but he would never jeopardize his own power this way."
"Your mother on the other hand."
Regina gasped and turned towards her brother-in-law in shock. Her brown eyes grew wide and she shook her head in disbelief. Her brown eyes filled with unshed tears. She turned towards Parker and sighed deeply.
"It does sound her style but she's dead," she said, "I had her killed a long time ago, before the curse was even cast."
"Of course," Hardison was at his wit's end at the moment. He couldn't help but be a bit rude. "Is there a relative you haven't completely screwed over?"
"Look, I did what was necessary," Regina said, "You would have done the same if our positions were crossed. Besides, what do you know? You're not from our world. You wouldn't understand!"
"I'm not the only normal one!" Hardison growled, "Eliot's just as normal! It's the rest of you who are weird! You're fairytale characters! Even Parker… Dammit, you… I hate you right now."
"Hardison, there will be time for that later." Nate sounded calm. That was a worrying thing and drew the hacker's attention immediately. The mastermind didn't look on the verge of a killing spree. He didn't even look as though he would take down a bad guy. He just looked worried. It was as if this was a con and not Sophie's life. "Right now we have to focus on a plan."
"Things just got more complicated," Eliot replied.
The hitter nodded his head in the direction of town. Two women were racing towards the group. There were dwarves and other people trailing them. Ruby and Granny were in the lead of this group. The two strange women were running faster as they came into focus. They both looked the same age, no older than Parker really. The first had short brown hair and wore a sweater that looked highly constricting. The other had curly blonde hair that fell past her shoulders. Both women appeared heavily out of breath Then David Nolan whooped in victory and raced towards them in turn.
"David!" The brunette screamed.
She collided with David in one swift movement. Their lips united in one passionate kiss. They twirled around in circles just as one would in a Disney movie. It became quite obvious who that woman with dark hair and snow white skin was.
"Snow White," Hardison guessed. Nate smiled and nodded. "What about the blonde?"
"Emma," Parker replied, "That's Emma Swan."
"You recognize her?" Eliot asked. He seemed as though he had an ulterior motive behind his words.
"Yeah," Parker shrugged, "We occasionally ran into each other before you guys came around. It wasn't anything major. I felt like robbing a jail and she was there. She was fatter then. Wouldn't let me break her out either."
Hardison turned towards the thief in horror. She was acting completely calm for somebody who just found she was a supposed fairytale character. She didn't even look disturbed by too new people appearing. How could she be so calm? Sophie was about to destroy the whole damn world.
"Robin?" Snow asked. She stood beside Nolan with a worried frown. It looked similar to the one Sophie always wore. It would have been amusing to the hacker in other situations.
"Snow," Nate said, "Glad to see you're alright. Marian's about to destroy the world. Mind helping?"
"It can't be Marian," Snow shook her head, "You must be mistaken."
"I killed Icarus," Regina huffed indignantly. She shrugged her shoulders and looked offended by Snow's hateful glare. "What? I've already tried apologizing. She's on a power high and searching out Rumpelstilskin's knife to gain power."
"That doesn't sound like Marian," Snow said.
"Sounds like Cora," Emma Swan gasped, "You don't think she followed us, do you?"
"It's perfectly possible," Snow shrugged, "That woman is horrible in every meaning of the word."
"Mother," Regina growled, "You think Mother might be the one behind this?"
"No," Nate shook his head.
"Okay, enough!" Hardison couldn't take this anymore. First they were telling him that Sophie was evil. Now they were saying she wasn't. Did this mean they were chasing the wrong bad guy? Maybe they were just confused. "What's going on? Whose Cora and why are you suddenly so sure it could be her and why is Nate the one siding against Sophie?"
"Cora wouldn't have let me kiss her," Nate replied, "She's always hated me because I've always sided with my wife even before we fell in love."
"Still we can't exactly rule out the possibility," Regina said, "For all we know Mother could have planned this from the very moment Sophie left. My sister might have tried to seek help from a friend and found Mother instead. She's always had a soft spot for bending and manipulating things to her will. Marian was always her favorite scratching post."
"How do we prove it isn't Sophie?" Parker asked. She was acting very excited all of a sudden. Her eyes were glowing with merriment. Hardison couldn't help but feel it as well. Sophie might have been taken over by her evil mother. As impossible as it sounded, the hacker was willing to cling to anything that would bring the grifter back to them.
"Right," David said, "Snow and I will go to Granny's to retrace Sophie's steps. See if we can find someplace Cora might have intercepted her."
"I'll go to the well and see if Cora followed us," Emma nodded.
"Regina, Eliot and I will cover the Forest," Nate said, "We'll make sure she doesn't find Rumpelstilskin's knife."
"What about us?" Parker asked.
"Take Henry and protect him," Nate ordered sternly, "Get in a car and get out. I don't want you guys anywhere near Cora, do you understand me?"
Hardison for one was not pleased. "You want us to leave you guys?" He asked, "Because some woman scares you all? No!"
"We're a family!" Parker hissed, "Blood or not we need to stick together."
"No, he's right," Emma said, "It's too dangerous, Parker."
"You're a year younger than me!" Parker hissed, "And you don't know danger!"
"Hey, I just fought trolls!"
"They're the only family I have left and they might be the family I've looked for my whole life!"
Hardison turned towards the thief in shock. He always assumed Parker didn't care about her parents. Every time he brought up the subject, she just turned away from him and shrugged. Now it made sense, the complete indifference. It was a defensive trick he'd forgotten long ago. Any time a kid would ask him about his parents, he just shrugged it off and said he didn't care. Parker was exactly like that. She cared but she didn't want to admit it to herself let alone others.
"I'm not abandoning them!" Parker hissed.
"Parker, please!" Nate looked thoroughly desperate now. He even reached out a hand to grab the thief's shoulder. It fell to his side before he could even get that far. "I've already lost two sons. I can't lose you too."
The thief turned to him with tears in her eyes. Hardison knew the feeling. He even understood why he was asked to go with the boy and thief as well. Nate needed somebody he could trust to take care of his whole family. His entire world now existed in Parker. It was an honor to be given so precious a gift.
"Come on, Parker," Hardison said, "We'll get Henry's things and take him to the big city. But we'll be back. We're not leaving them. We are coming back."
The thief looked betrayed, but she understood. This was something they weren't prepared for. They didn't know how to defeat an evil witch or defend themselves against magic. They weren't raised in that kind of world. They belonged to one in which they were thieves and only had to worry about outsmarting the police and taking down corrupt men. She nodded her head stiffly. The hacker pulled her into a warm embrace and grabbed the kid for good measure.
"If you die," he said. He kept both of his eyes firmly on Nate and Eliot for this last part. "I will never forgive you."
"Take care of them," Nate said.
The grown-ups left moments later. Snow and David went towards town and Granny's. Regina moved to the left of the forest. Eliot took the left and Nate took one longing look at Parker. He ran away at top speed, something he didn't do too long ago. Hardison waited for the other townspeople to disburse. He then grabbed the kid and Parker and started walking to his beloved van.
"So that's it?" Henry asked, "We're just giving up?"
"Nope," Hardison replied. He smiled at the shocked look on his thief's face. Then he winked at the kid and cracked his knuckles. "We're going to find Sophie."
"How?" Parker asked, "She could be anywhere by now."
"She's the Cheshire Cat," Henry agreed, "She can transport anywhere in the world and flashback whenever she wants. How could you possibly catch her?"
Hardison smiled at the boy and turned his laptop towards his captured audience. "She's still wearing her com."
Henry and Parker turned identical smiles towards each other. The thief started gathering her supplies while the boy sat back and relaxed.
"We need to stop at the nunnery," he said, "I need my book."
%%%%%%%%%%
Eliot didn't go to the forest as he was ordered. He knew Hardison and he definitely knew Parker. He didn't care how much they respected Nate. They weren't going to listen. If that kid had even an ounce of Snow in him, he would find his way into danger. It was best if all three at least stuck together. The others would find out the truth eventually. He had a limited amount of time left.
He found the perfect spot to hide in Rumpelstilskin's shop. The man hardly ever actually checked the back. He had no reason to. Most people feared the Dark One and they had their reasons. Eliot wasn't one of those people. He had his own score to settle with the man. Besides, Nate knew he was lied to just as much as the hitter. He needed to find answers and there was only one way to do that. He was just about to make his move when a woman appeared behind his target.
The woman had long dark hair but it was held up with a bun at the top of her head. Her face was etched to the brim with wrinkles. Her smile was a cruel scowl permanently on her face. She wore a long dark cloak that only hid so much of her giant green dress. The only thing that looked even remotely familiar was her big black eyes.
"Why are you after my dagger, Cora?" Rumpelstilskin asked the woman behind him. He moved to the center of the room and turned to face her. The two were doing nothing but emanating darkness.
"Insurance," Cora replied.
"And why exactly would you need insurance?" Rumpelstilskin asked, "In case you've forgotten I have no reason to attack you anymore."
"Oh master," Cora laughed, "How little you pay attention? You've gone soft I'm afraid. Don't you understand? I have plans, big plans, and I don't need you interfering."
"I won't." The Dark One bowed elegantly, "You have my word."
"Your word?" she chuckled darkly. She started playing with his lapels. Eliot had the feeling the Dark One was actually afraid of her. He could understand why. "No, that won't do. I know what your word can do."
"You're going to kill your own daughter!" Rumpelstilskin hissed, "Don't you understand that? The very moment she touches it…"
"She'll absorb your power and become the Dark One as she has always destined to be," Cora shrugged, "You shouldn't worry one bit, master. You won't feel a thing."
Rumpelstilskin grabbed her roughly. He latched onto her shoulders and pulled her so they were nose to nose. He was spitting his reaction was so violent. "She won't make it that long!" He growled, "The magic you poisoned her with is almost spent. It will take its energy from her!"
"And completely deposit itself into your knife," Cora nodded, "And we both know what that will do."
"Why?" The Dark One asked.
"It's simple, Master," she said, "You'll just have to figure it out."
She left with nothing more than a puff of smoke. It wasn't nearly as elegant as Sophie's exit. The air was thick and clogged. It wasn't a soft slide into the beyond. The woman just disappeared in smoke. The smell of fire lingered in the air as well. Eliot used the distraction to his advantage.
He slammed the Dark One into the wall the exact way Nate had. He used his shoulder to wind the man while he switched to extend his arm put the man in the air. Like the mastermind, he enjoyed the feel of the man's veins popping beneath his fingertips.
"Give me one reason not to kill you right now, Dark One," the hitter said.
Rumpelstilskin didn't even try to use his magic. He knew it was futile. Eliot was well-protected. Only one woman could truly hurt him. They both knew it. He was stuck.
"You forget, boy," Rumpelstilskin said, "I can see the future."
Eliot rolled his eyes. "In patches yes," he said. He slammed the Dark One for good measure, "but not the whole story."
"I've seen her future," Rumpel said, "and her past. Her husband will find her as he always has. It's up to you to make certain he lives long enough to see the ending out."
"How?" Eliot hissed.
"By using the spell I helped your mother cast!" The Dark One replied.
Eliot dropped the older man immediately.
%%%%%%%%%%
"David, where are we going?"
David turned towards his wife and smiled politely. He wondered how long it would be before she asked. They weren't going to Granny's. She knew that when they turned left instead of right. He could only imagine what was going on in her mind. He knew she trusted him and likewise he couldn't help but depend on her. It was time to share a little secret.
"If Cora really is back," he said, "Which I don't really doubt. We're going to need to come up with something to keep her contained."
"Contained?" Snow gasped, "How do you keep someone as wicked as her contained?"
"With a magical jar," David replied.
He knew Snow was looking at him as if he had three heads. He knew his wife well-enough to know her facial expressions even when he wasn't looking. It was sad they hadn't had much time together. If the curse had never been cast, they would be as old as Robin and Marian were now. Emma would have never been raised alone. Icarus would still be alive. Emma would be best friends with Parker. She and Icarus probably would have been together and started a family. Henry wouldn't have existed though. He wouldn't trade his grandson for the world.
"How do you plan on obtaining this jar?" Snow asked. There was a cheeky smile on her face and a glint in her eye. Anybody would have known who raised her from that one look alone.
"We're going to have to steal it from the mine that Henry and Archie were trapped in not too long ago." He replied.
He knew the very moment his wife made her decision. He could tell by the way she breathed sharply for a moment and released it softly. He even knew when that familiar smile appeared on her features, the one who could never get out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. He never really tried all too hard either.
"We're going to need some rope."
%%%%%%%%%%
Emma knew something was wrong. She couldn't exactly put her finger on it. She just knew something wasn't quite right. It was a gut instinct really. The closer she came to the well, the more things changed. The air itself was electrified.
She reached out a gentle hand. Her eyes were peeled for danger of any kind. She had no sword. She silently cursed herself for such a simple mistake. She should have made a trip to the nunnery beforehand. A weapon definitely would have made her feel safer.
"Relax, Emma. I'm not here to cause you any harm."
She twisted around with her hand extended anyway. She didn't have much, not even her gun. It was just a letter opener. But she could make such a simple thing a threat against Jefferson. The Mad Hatter wasn't exactly on the top of her list of friendlies in Storybrooke. But since the curse was lifted, she understood his insanity. Regina had been cruel with him when she cast the curse.
"Jefferson," she growled, "I'm not in the mood with whatever weirdness you're looking for today. I've got more important stuff to do."
"I know," the hatter replied. He stepped forward slowly, cautiously. Emma wasn't too sure if he really was trying to be friendly. She used her letter opener to the best of its abilities. If she could distract him enough, she could reach for the dagger in her boot and this would all be over.
"I come in peace, Emma," he said.
Emma stared at him, unsure of herself. Her superpower had always been to see the truth. Sometimes it ended up hurting her, but this was different. She could tell he was sincere. He didn't mean her any harm. That didn't mean she was willing to believe him. He tried to kill her and Mary-Margaret the last time they met.
"I've come to make amends," Jefferson said. He reached for something in his pocket. Emma brandished her letter opener. She knew it looked stupid. But she wasn't nearly as unarmed as he thought. Besides, she didn't see his magical hat anywhere close. "It's not a weapon, Emma. I swear. It will help you."
"Okay but slowly!" Emma kept her eyes on him just in case. She couldn't help the curiosity in her voice. She blamed it on the fact that she had only just escaped The Enchanted Forest. Even the scary stuff was pretty cool.
The hatter obliged her every step of the way. He carefully opened his jacket to show the inside pocket. Then he carefully put two fingers into it. He made certain to show each of his fingers as they dipped into the crevice. Soon his entire hand was enveloped into the pocket. Emma could even tell there was no weapon within. He wouldn't be reaching so far if there was. His hand withdrew seconds later. His fingers uncurled and revealed a small black bug.
"Do you know what this is?" He asked.
"It's a scarab," she said. "The Ancient Egyptians used to hold them with a special honor."
"Do you know why?" He asked.
"They had magical abilities," she shrugged, "They were thought to-"
"They absorb magic both good and evil and keep it within their bodies," Jefferson nodded, "I'm impressed the Savior would know something as remarkable as that and still not believe. Really, Emma? After everything you've seen?"
"Yeah well I've been a little preoccupied," she growled, "Now, how is that supposed to help me?"
"Marian is absorbing magic," Jefferson shrugged, "Can't you think of a reason why you would want a scarab? Scarabs absorb magic. They feed off of it. Marian is currently dying because she is absorbing too much magic."
"Put that on her and let it do the rest." She removed the letter opener and stepped forward. She hesitated right before she could take it. "How does it work?"
"It will bite her," Jefferson shrugged, "She won't even feel it. The magic will be taken away in minutes flat."
"Will it kill her?"
Jefferson had the nerve to look angry at her question. She couldn't understand why. It wasn't her fault. She didn't know magic. She wasn't raised in it like everybody else. She didn't even know it existed until a year ago. What was she supposed to do? Magic always came with a price.
"Of course not," he said, "It's a scarab. Its special property is that it feeds off of magic that isn't supposed to be there. It will drain her of the excess. It does have a stopping limit though. Marian will be able to focus enough to deposit the rest."
"One more question," Emma asked, "Why should I trust you? The last time we met you tried to kill me."
"I owe Marian a great debt that can never truly be repaid," Jefferson replied, "This is only a small token."
He threw his hat and jumped into the portal before she could even ask for an explanation. She shrugged her shoulders and nodded. She would trust the hatter this time. The scarab wasn't giving off that evil vibe. It even cuddled into her hand affectionately. It was kind of cute.
"You're not nearly as scary as they made you out to be on The Mummy," she said.
She was just about to head towards Mother Superior to get her dad's sword. She even stepped in that direction to do just that. A giant sound erupted from the forest, interrupting her thoughts immediately. She turned around, afraid of what she would find. That vile feeling in the air had subsided. She could almost feel the static of magic on her arms. She looked all around for some sign of what was going on. She found it in the small patch of blue at the top of the forest. The sky was thick with smoke.
"Oh no," she said, "Well, little guy. You better work cuz you're all we've got."
She ran as fast as her feet could carry her.
