The Return
Deciding that it was time to meet the Storybrooke stranger Vena headed toward Gold's shop knowing that he would find himself there soon enough. Sneaking up behind the man as he waited for the small child to help him with his plan of making Emma believe in the curse of the town. "I'm Serafina." She said from behind him causing him to let out a jump as he looked at her from over his shoulder. "August." He replied before staring at the Pawn Brokers yet again.
Upon the arrival of the Saviour's son they all gathered in a line, looking at the opposing shop that held the most powerful man in all of Storybrooke. "It's almost nine. You all set? You know what to do?" August asked Henry as he finally gathered his courage. "Operation Cobra is always ready. I just…" Henry informed as Vena wondered what operation Cobra was. 'Maybe it could be what the boy is calling his plan to get his mother to believe in the curse' she thought to herself. "I don't understand what this has to do with getting Emma to believe." The boy finished as she smirked to herself at her correct assumption.
"Sometimes, other priorities assert themselves. Can you handle a little improvisation?" he asked looking at the child. "Yeah can you?" Henry questioned back feeling the need to prove that he could help break the curse. "We're a go." August said as Henry shot off into the shop where Mr Gold greeted him. As Vena followed after Henry at a slower pace she heard Gold greet him as the door shut behind her. Standing close to the door as she watched as Henry interacted with the broker as a distraction for August to slip into the backroom.
"I want to get a gift for Miss Blanchard." Henry told the man as he looked at some of the merchandise. "Oh, I see." Gold muttered. "Since, she didn't kill that woman." Henry continued not aware that he was rubbing it into the deal maker's pride. "Good thinking." Gold muttered not holding a grudge against the child that reminded him so much of his son. As Gold was distracted by the young boy Vena heard a door open and close around the back, before smirking to herself as she realised that this was their plan. The boy would distract the crocodile as August looked for what he wanted in the back. 'Not a very good plan to trick the man who specialises in making tricky deals.' She thought to herself as Henry queried about some bells.
"See anything you fancy?" The Broker questioned starting to become impatient with the child that looked at everything with what he assumed was no intention of actually purchasing any of the merchandise. Quickly losing interest with the preteen Gold quickly gave the boy a price and moved toward his office where he thought he had heard something. Realising that August was about to get caught no matter what Vena quickly called to Henry "Come on kid, I'll buy you something in Granny's" as she held the door open for him to exit before her. Meeting Gold's gaze briefly she nodded her head in the direction of the backroom before following after the boy, leaving a confused Gold to wonder if she still remembered her past.
{Enchanted Forest - Past}
In a small village the Faery Serafina sat on the ground wearing a dress that was more suited to the life of a spinners daughter turned Dark One (knee length and sleeves that still left her shoulders and top of her back bare) did not appear to have aged at all as she watched Rumpelstiltskin's son Baelfire playing with some of the village kids, kicking around a ball. She stood however when the ball rolled into the path of a donkey cart that was being driven by a rough man. As Baelfire went to retrieve the ball he tripped on hoi cloak and scraped his knee on the path of the cart.
"Hey. Hey! What are you doing in the middle of the road, boy?" the man asked as Bae rose to his feet muttering an apology as he saw his sister approach. "Hey, I know you. It's fine. It's fine. It was the donkeys fault. You want a chicken? Or some eggs?" the man asked as he spotted the ageless girl place a hand on the boys shoulder. "It's alright, no. I should probably just…" Bae trailed off as Rumpelstiltskin approached. "What's going on?" the now Dark One asked his female ward. "It's nothing. It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. But. He says he's fine!" the man cried trying not to anger the now powerful coward.
"He's fine, Papa. Really." Serafina spoke as she gestured for the small family of three to return home. "Are you sure, Bae?" he asked wanting to be clear that the thing he treasured most was not harmed in any way. "Yes. I'm fine." The young boy answered as he placed his hand over his sister's in reassurance he would try to keep their father from hurting the man. "Well, I suppose it won't happen again." Rumpel said as he gestured for his children to join him on the other side of the dirt road. "It won't." Bae and serafina confirmed at the same time as the man assured with a "No. no."
Just as his children started to walk to join their beloved yet now feared father, his voice made them stop. "What's that?" Rumpel's voice sounded as he looked at his son's knee. Taking a deep breath Serafina found a faint scent of Bae's blood floating in the air. Looking at her father she followed his gaze and found a little blood on Bae's knee. "It's nothing." Bae said as Serafina cried "He fell down, Papa!" knowing that the driver was about to die by their fathers hand. "Don't bother." Rumpel spoke as a cloud of purple smoke rose around the man.
"Bae run home and close the door. Don't look back." Sera whispered into the boy's ear as she knelt down to his level. As the boy took off away from the gathering crowd the purple smoke dissipated leaving a snail in the man's place. The Faery ran forward and grabbed at her saviours arm when she noticed him moving to crush the snail. "No, Papa. No. please, Papa, don't. No, Papa! Papa!" she begged as she tried to stop his feet from crushing the former man. Only to sigh in defeat at the crunch that came from under the boot as she fell to her knees, knowing that this would crush Bae just that bit more.
{Storybrooke}
Arriving at the door to an apartment that she knew belonged to Mary Margaret Blanchard, Vena took a deep breath as she checked her basket one last time for the treats she had baked Henry for inviting her to the party celebrating the woman's innocence. Deciding that it would be easier to sneak out should something happen, Vena just opened the door and headed straight over to her new friends, Henry and August, who were watching Gold from the side of the room. "How bad was it?" the child questioned looking at his current partner in crime.
"Getting caught in his office? Not bad. I played it off." He replied, trying to sound as though the Broker did not suspect him being up to mischief. "What were you looking for? Did you find it?" Henry asked as the thought of breaking the curse started to excite him. "Nope. But I have a feeling it's going to find me." August muttered as he spotted something over Vena's shoulder. Turning her head Vena saw that August was looking at Mary Margaret. "There she is. Why don't you give her your present?" He suggested to Henry, not wanting to elaborate on his mysterious object that he sought. Walking over to the teacher Henry handed her the card and gift he had been holding the entire time.
"Will you give this to Henry? I have to run." Vena asked handing August a brownie wrapped in grease proof paper. "You have somewhere more important to be?" he questioned wanting to know who the female truly was. "Jefferson wants me back early to help redecorate." She chuckled as she walked away knowing that there were more than two pairs of eyes watching her, wondering who she was.
{Enchanted forest – past}
Rumpelstiltskin and Serafina entered their home to see their maid cleaning up as Baelfire sat at the table hiding his head in his folded arms as she whispered mutterings about the man. "Thank you, Onora. You can fetch our supper now, dearie." Rumpel informed as a way of telling his son that they had returned.. "You killed that man." Bae stated leaning back against his chair knowing that was the reason his sister had sent him away. "Well, you were hurt. Speaking of which…" Rumpel replied, ignoring this wards sarcastic snort as he bent down to heal his sons injured knee with his magic, only for Bae to stop him. "No. I don't want magic. It's just a scrape."
"This will heal it." His father informed him not understanding why his son was so opposed to magic. "So will this." Serafina reasoned as she handed her carer the first aid kit she had retrieved from a cupboard. "As you wish." He sighed taking the kit and started to care for his son's wound as the winged girl took a seat. "You're different now. You see it, don't you? You hurt people all the time." Bae spoke starting a very dangerous conversation with his father as his sister ate her supper, a look of pity in her eyes as she knew exactly what magic can do to even the people of purest hearts.
"I created a truce in the Ogres War, Bae. I walked into the field of battle, and I made it stop. I led the children home. Surely, a man who's saved a thousand lives –" Rumpel started to try and explain to his son that he was protecting him, only to be interrupted by said son. "Is done. A man who's saved a thousand lives can be done with it. You can start doing things." He tried to reason with his father. "I can't. I need more power so I can protect you." He muttered as he turned to his son, no longer concerned with his supper. "I wouldn't need protecting if you didn't have power." Bae reasoned Bae reasoned causing Serafina to let out a loud sigh as she dropped her spoon and observed. "Well, I can't get rid of it." Rumpel muttered knowing he'd have to reveal hi one weakness to his son, "Have you tried?" his son argued back not knowing why his father was so reluctant. He looked at his sister, however, when she scrapped her chair across the floor as she rose to move to his side, and performed a rare sight of using her magic that was naturally inbreed into her by summoning a crooked dagger.
Passing the crooked blade to the boy to examine she started to explain that their fathers magic was truly a curse. "If someone kills Papa with this, then they gain the power. It is a curse, Bae." She gently stated as he ran his fingers over his father's name on the side of the dagger. "That's not what I want. I just think there might be other ways to get rid of the power." He said to his sister. "Have you looked for…" he started to question his father before seeing the maid return and stopping. "Well, you look for other ways, Bae. But don't get your hopes up." She answered placing a loving kiss onto his forehead before sitting at the opposite side of the table. "Papa… if I find a way for you to get rid of the power… a way that doesn't kill you or hurt me… would you do it?" Bae questioned a s serafina kissed her Papa good night before heading to bed, listening as father and son struck a deal.
{Storybrooke}
Vena sat at the breakfast barn of Granny's nursing a hot chocolate in her arms as she thought of things she could do to break Jefferson from his depression and out of the house when her thoughts were interrupted by Emma placing a wiretap in front of the reporter a few seats down from where she sat. "Oh, for gods sakes, Sidney. Drop it. You fooled me, you spied on me, and you reported it all back to that sick, crazy woman. I can't even imagine what she has on you, but it must be huge." Emma told him as she had enough of being lied to. "Maybe he's in love with her." Vena chuckled load enough for the arguing pair to hear. "She's a good mayor." He quickly defended himself shooting a frown at the mystery girl. "She tried to get Mary Margaret convicted of a murder that didn't even happen. You're in a lot of trouble. There is DNA in a basement of some house out there, and I'm going to find it. And she's going to go away." She threatened knowing that he was a loyal dog to Regina. "Maybe. But, I wouldn't bet against her. She's an amazing woman." He half told half muttered to the blonde as Vena snorted while rolling her yes. "Do you… are you in love with her? Emma questioned remembering Vena's comment. "Fine. Whatever. Here's the thing – before you know it, I will have that evidence. And you need to think long and hard. You can either help, and help yourself, or you're going to go down with her, too." He said hoping to break his loyalty to the woman.
{Enchanted Forest – Past}
The family of three walked through the woods before coming across several children play duelling with wooden swords. "Hey, why don't you join in, Bae? I have some business nearby that would bore you." Rumpelstiltskin suggested to his son not wanting him to know what his business actually was. "Alright." The boy replied tugging Serafina with him towards the other children as his father headed towards the house that was atop hill. As he approached however all of the children scattered, leaving Bae and his sister to sit on a log by themselves. Until one of Bae's friends joined them, smiling at the child the winged being flew up into the tree and perched where she could see and hear the young couples conversation.
"Careful, Morriane. You don't want to be seen with me. I'm dangerous." He muttered hating that he no longer had friends. "They're just sacred of your Papa. But I'm not. You won't let him hurt me. I don't think he's so bad anyway. I saw him on the battlefield when he stopped the fighting. It was a miracle." Morriane replied causing Serafina to release a small smile.. "Now, he's getting worse every day. But he said he'll change back if I find a way. I just don't know where to look." He muttered to himself. "Reul Ghorm." The girl muttered as the faery flinched at the name.
"What?" Bae asked not expecting a suggestion from his only friend. "I heard about it when I was in the trenches. The other soldiers talked about it. Reul Ghorm is an ancient being that rules the night. The original power." She said as Serafina floated down mumbling to herself about the lies around Reul Ghorm. "Bigger than Papa, or worse than Papa?" he questioned as his sister landed next to him. "Bigger in power and ego joined. She likes to believe that she is the original power even though she knows that she is not." Serafina ranted knowing that the children were listening and so did not hear the crack coming from behind them. "He's coming back." She told them wanting to see if the girl would stay or run. No surprise, she ran after wishing Bae luck.
"Your friend didn't want to say hello?" their Papa questioned as he came into view questioned as he came into view. "You frighten them." Frighten them." Serafina told their father as Bae have him a once over looking for any changes as he replied to his ward. "What is there to be frightened of, little one? They'll get over that in time over that in time." He reasoned ignorant of his over use of magic, of magic being frightening. "You have stains on your boots." Bae pointed out in a small voice, knowing by the look on his sisters face that it was blood. "Oh, yes, that. Uh, we need a new maid." Rumpel muttered awkwardly knowing that both of his children disagreed with of his children disagreed with his methods of keeping him safe. "She heard us talking about the knife." He tried to reason as Bae expressed his disbelief. "She was a mute, Papa. She couldn't tell anyone." Serafina argued throwing her hands into the air of her father's reply. "Even mutes can draw a picture."
Baelfire moved toward a deserted area of the woods and sat down as he attempted to summon Reul Ghorm, not noticing his sister come up behind him. "She'll only appear if you ask nicely" she whispered his ear, making him jump. "Reul Ghorm? Are you there? If you can help me, please make yourself known to us." He asked the air in front of them taking his sisters advice.
Seeing a blue light appear he asked the one thing he wanted in the world. "Can you help me?" Serafina looked at him with pity in her eyes as she knew how bias this particular fairy was. "I can help." She confirmed. "How do I know I can trust you?" he questioned knowing to always be cautious of magic users. "Because there is good magic and dark magic, and I'm on the right side." She told the boy ignoring the Faery's snort and shake of her head, overall she just ignored her completely as she hated to admit that she was jealous of how Faeries could change size unlike fairies. "You're a fairy." Bae observed he noticed how she ignored his sister remembering her story of the fairies jealousy of the Neverland Faeries. "Oh. And you're not untouched by magic, are you, child? There's something dark in your life." She replied flying closer to his face.
"My father. He is the Dark One." Baelfire informed guessing he was what she was referring to as the dark in his life. "Oh. I cannot make him the man he was before, but I can send him some place where he won't be able to use his powers." She told him in a somewhat sympathetic tone. "Not a jail. I want to be with him. Like it used to be." Bae quickly told her fearing that harm may befall his beloved father.. "Not a jail, young one, just a place without magic." She told him with a gentle smile at his compassion for the dark being. "But magic is everywhere." Bae stated as a question.
"In this world, Bae. You see, what ails papa is specific to this realm. His powers are a curse that you must leave to be free." Serafina told him as she gathered him into her arms from behind. "Go? We have to leave?" he questioned his sister, as he felt her nod it was the blue fairy that explained. "Yes. It is the only way. Can you do it? Can you leave everything here behind for the unknown?" she questioned already knowing the answer. "If it means I get my father back, then yes." He confirmed with determination clear in both his tone and expression. "You are a very good son, Baelfire. You are the part of him that keeps him human. That little light inside of him that glows. It's his love for you. Hold out his hand." Doing so she tossed a transparent bean into his palm before disappearing, knowing that Serafina would answer his questions. "What is it?" he asked after a couple of seconds. "A magic bean. The very last one that is known to their kind. You just use it wisely to their kind. You just use it wisely, and follow wherever it leads you." She muttered into his hair knowing that this was not going to end well.
When Bae and serafina returned home they found Rumpelstiltskin at his wheel spinning straw. "Papa! Papa. I found it. I – I found a way for things to be like they were. I want you to come with me. I can make things right. Have you heard the Reul Ghorm?" Baelfire asked in excitement. "The Blue star. The blue fairy? Oh, son, please tell me you didn't. Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I am." Rumpel asked in fear of what might happen. "But you promised. She can help us. To take us to a place without magic." Bae replied losing his excitement at the thought of his father breaking his promise. "A place without magic? I'd be powerless. Weak." He muttered to himself thinking about only the cons. Would his little one be able to survive in a land like that?
"Like everyone else. It wouldn't matter. We'd be happy." Bae reasoned not realising what Rumpel was most concerned about. "We could be happy be happy here." His father bartered as he did not want to risk losing the girl he had come to think of as a daughter. "Papa, please. You're getting worse. And you promised. This can work. It can. You made a deal with Baelfire. Are you backing out?" said daughter questioned not moving from her spot of leaning against the door frame, knowing what her father was thinking. "No." he replied looking his son was thinking. He replied looking his son in the eye.
{Storybrooke}
As , Mr gold left Archie the towns psychiatrist office, Vena was wondering through the street debating on what to do. Until she saw Gold rush off so determined, that is. There was really no choice but to follow after him.
For a man that required a stick to walk he was quick. Vena thought to herself as she observed gold watch August, roam around outside of the wooden cabin hidden in the woods, before stepping forward and confronting the wondering man. "I know who you are. And I know what you are looking for." Gold told him as they stared as each other. "Well, then… I guess all the lying can stop… Papa." August replied causing vena to bang her head against the tree with a groan.
{Enchanted Forest – Past}
Once again in the matter of twenty four hours the family of three trekked through the forest to a clearing, all through the forest to a clearing, all the while Rumpelstiltskin would question this land. "Where are we going, boy? What kind of world is this this we are going to? What kind of world is without magic?" to which Baelfire would always reply a better one." Not having the courage to tell her surrogate family that she would not be joining, Serafina just kissed his head one last time as she handed him the bean that would take them to this new world.
Focusing his mind on a land without magic the boy threw the bean to the floor where a green vortex formed in the ground. "My gods, boy! It's like a tornado!" Rumpel cried out in shock at such power to travel between worlds. "We have to go through it." Bae told his father as he grabbed his hand and led him closer to the vortex. "No, no! I don't think I can!" his father cried in fear the closer they got. "We must! It's the only way!" he shouted back to be heard over the suction that was created by the portal. "No, no, no, no, no, no! It's a trick! It'll tear us apart!" Rumpel tried to convince his son knowing that his little one, his little Serafina was not going to join them at all. "It's not! It'll be okay! I promise!" Bae argued back before being pulled into the vortex by the suction as his father held onto, by stabbing the dagger into the earth. "Papa! We have to go through! What are you doing? Papa! It won't stay open long! Let go! Bae begged trying to convince his father to release to release his hold on the Dark One's dagger that he clung to muttering "I can't!" to both himself and Bae repeatedly.
As the father and son argued back and forth about cowardice of not going through with his promise Serafina noticed that the suction was getting stronger, meaning the vortex was about to close. Knowing that Rumpel would not be strong enough to hold onto his son until the vortex closed she looked away from the scene as tears spilled from her fiery eyes, only turning when she hears him calling out for his beloved son to see the sight of him digging in the earth as he screamed that he wanted to go with him.
{Storybrooke}
"You were right, Bae. You were always right. I was a coward, and I never should've let you go. I know its little consolation, but… I just want you to know, that ever since you left, ever since you crossed the barriers of time and space, in every waking moment… I've been looking for you. And now that I've finally found you… I know I can't make up for the past, for the lost time. All I can do, is to ask you to do, is to ask you to do what you've always done. And that to be the bigger man… and forgive me. I'm so sorry, son. I'm so sorry, my Bae." Gold begged as a tear fell from his eyes while Vena hugged herself at the sincerity of Gold's plea. After a second she heard Gold's voice once again, "Oh, my boy. My beautiful boy. Can you truly, truly forgive me?"
Raising her head Vena looked to see August stepping away from Gold, meaning that other had just shared and embrace. "I forgive you, papa." August said trying to sound as Bae once had. "You were looking for the knife." Gold said, curious as to why his son was seeking the object that could kill him. "I thought that if you still had it, it would mean that you hadn't changed." August explained leaving the hidden girl to wonder how he knew the information as the pair walked further into the woods to retrieve said knife.
Following after them, Vena once again hid away amongst the shadows cast by the trees as she saw August start to dig. "I buried it here shortly after Emma came to town. Things were changing. Didn't want to take the chance of Regina finding it." Gold or Rumpelstiltskin told him as he kept digging. "It should be right about here, son. Here. Look, look." He continued as he bent down and retrieved the cloth wrapped dagger from the hole, before unwrapping it and holding it out to August. "I want you to take it. Destroy it, the way I know you always wanted to I found you, and I don't need it anymore. I chose it once. Now I chose you." He continued as he placed the crooked blade's handle into August's hand. "It's remarkable." He muttered as he examined the powerful relic before raising it above his head. "By the power of darkness, I command thee… Dark One." He called pointing the end of the blade at Gold. "You're trying to control me?" Gold questioned in surprise, taking a step away from the armed man. "I command thee, Dark One!" august continued not knowing why the dagger would not work. "You're not my son. You're not Baelfire." Gold realised as Vena fell against a tree letting out a sob. "Papa, why would you say that? I'm just trying to use your power to help us." August continued in an attempt from being murdered by the Dark One as h noticed Vena enter the clearing.
"Enough! It's over booth. Or whoever you are. My son would never try to use me. And he would know, that this knife cannot harness any magic in this world, because there is no because there is no magic in this world. That's why he chose this place. He didn't want me…," Gold broke off as he grabbed the dagger form August's grasp. "Dabbling." He finished not noticing Vena slowly coming up behind him. "So, why bury a useless knife?" August questioned. "Oh, I wouldn't say it was useless. It still cuts through flesh rather nicely. It's about time you start answering some questions, sunshine. Why the theatrics? Why didn't you just come to me?" Gold questioned as Vena came to a stop a few feet behind him. "I needed you to work for it. I needed you to want it so bad; you would ignore what your eyes were saying. Do I even look like him at all?" August taunted knowing that he would be dead soon either way. "How do you know about this knife?" Gold questioned wanting to know who he had to kill. "I hear things." He evaded before being backed up into a tree at knife point.
"No one here knows about this knife." Gold stated fishing for clues from the man who had managed to trick him. "No one remember." He corrected trying not to think about the blade that was held a few feet away from him. "And, yet, you do. You're from there aren't you? From my world." Gold questioned. "The fact that you're asking that question means you know the answer." August stated knowing that he was about to die. "Well, now that that's settled…" Gold muttered before lunging at the man and pinning him back to the tree with the dagger held at his throat. "Papa!" Vena screamed as she ran at him, he only looked at her before turning back to August. "How about another question? Who told you about me and the knife?" he questioned again pressing the dagger closer to August's throat, ignoring the girl who clung to his arm desperately. At the look that Vena shot him August opened his mouth to gasp out "A little fairy." Before he was asked a different question.
"Why did you want it? If you know who I am, than you know who I am. The chances of you surviving this little encounter are pretty slim. So, why take the risk?" Gold questioned looking the fake son in the eye. "Because I'll die anyway." August answered with a defeated sigh. "What?" Vena questioned loosening her grip on Gold's arm that was wielding the dagger. "I'm sick. I'm sick, and I need magic. I was going to get the saviour to believe. But that woman… I don't think I'm going to make it long enough to see that happen." He answered the female that was trying, in vein, to save his pathetic life, only to be surprised as Gold removed the dagger and took a step back. "She trusts you – it might be enough. Try again."
He muttered grabbing Vena's arm and pulling her back to him. "You going to let me live?" August asked in disbelief as he looked between the Dark One and the mystery woman. "You're going to die either way. This way, at least I might get something out of it." Gold replied hugging Vena to him before walking off with her safely tucked onto his side.
{Enchanted Forest – Past}
Rumpelstiltskin stood in a clearing as Serafina sat at his feet wearing the dress that Rumpel had first found her in, once again. "Reul Ghorm! Show yourself!" he called searching the skies for the being that had cost him his son. It was the girl that spotted her first however and so pointed her put to her papa. "How do I follow him?" he asked as soon as the fairy got within ear shot. "You had the way, you didn't take it. And there are no more magic beans." She told him. "That's a lie." He interrupted her final word not willing to admit that he had forever lost his son. "We don't do that." She told him. To which he called "A lie!" once again knowing that it was only the Fae that could not lie and Faeries that could bend the truth to lie without lying. "You will never make it to that world." She informed with monotone not wanting to rub salt into his wounds, so to speak. "Oh, I'll find a way. There must be other path. A realm jumper?" he questioned trying to get the supposed good fairy to make a mistake. "No." she replied to everything but with a delayed response when he asked if a curse would work.
"Ah! So, it is a curse." He cried in triumph at her delayed response. "Of course you would think of a cure instead of a blessing. Your magic is limited by its own rotten core, Rumpelstiltskin. Anyway, it can't be done. Not without a great price." She told him not understanding how far he would go to find his son. "I've already paid a great price." He muttered down to Serafina who let out a small smirk at his taunt. "So, you'd be willing to sacrifice this world for the next? Because that how great the price is." Reul Ghorm huffed at the infuriating imp. "Well, what do you think?" Serafina snapped at the biased blue star. "Well, then I'll comfort myself knowing that such a curse is beyond his abilities." She replied huffing at the girl who questioned her power as the blue fairy. "Oh, for now. But I've got all the time in the world. I will do nothing else, I will love nothing else. I will find a way. You took my son, but I will get him back." Rumpelstiltskin vowed.
