The water sloshes in the can as Emma runs full pelt yet again back through the forest, David is to the front of her, the merry man to the front, rear and to the side.
Mary Margaret runs behind at a slower pace, Emma worries for her health, it can't be good all this jigging around so soon after giving birth. One of the merry man keeps pace with her and Emma is grateful to him, to all of Robin's men, who had raced ahead to the well, filled the cans, giving them time to think.
Neither Belle nor Gold were answering their phones, her mind is going a mile a minute wondering what this means, whirling faster than her legs which is good as she needs the distraction from the muscles which are beginning to burn with fatigue.
The nature trail gives way to concrete and the soles of her feet protest against the unforgiving ground.
StoryBrooke is coming into view and Emma still has no clue what to do, they have the water but she still has no magic. It seems whatever curse Zelena cast upon Killian's lips will not be undone by a magical book or Killian's kisses, she pushes away the lonely voice that whispers the truths of curses and true loves kisses, but not her curse or their kisses, so maybe it's not true love? Unlike Regina, Emma has no proof of true love, for all the good it did her, Emma thinks but the thought of it lingers, picks at the stitches of her own broken heart, she thinks of his sacrifice and the doubt is subdued a little.
The merry man leading the group have stopped running, stand catching their breath, Tink stands in the semi circle of men. She is breathless, she holds up one small pouch of fairy dust to them, all that's left at the covent she puffs out.
"We have a problem" she gasps, eyes frightened "Regina..." Emma cuts her short "we know, full Evil Queen mode".
Tink immediately repeats Robin's words of earlier "it's not her, it's her heart".
Emma thinks as she has done before and surely will do again, it's not just Regina that feels deeply, that the fairy tale folk cast into this realm, all her family, their friends, share this trait, they go above and beyond for their beliefs. It's just what they do, who they are, her mother has THE purest heart, her father THE strongest courage, her son THE heart of the truest believer, the list goes on and on, no one ever does anything by halves, no middle ground, it's their all, every single time. They live and die for their beliefs, she cannot imagine anyone outside this little corner of Maine holding so true to the essence of themselves.
Her essence is that of the saviour, the thought warms her and strengthens her, she is grateful for the rush of certainty that runs through her, that stays with her, even as her mouth gapes open and eyes widen as she stares breathless at the corner of the main street.
The town is devastation, a war zone, the same spot not so long ago chosen as showdown between wicked and evil, now plays host to another battle, that puts the former to shame.
Magic whips across the snow and ice on the ground, causes it to rise and swirl, it spins, this magic heavy with snow and ice, slams through the debris on the street, falls upon upturned cars, bent streetlights, fallen billboards, remnants of what once stood, now destroyed.
In the centre of the storm, two players spit magic at each other, deflecting curses. Fire, magic and smoke, bouncing off their intended targets, protected in their shields, rebounds through the streets, brusing and cracking.
The Queen's magic is pure black, can only been seen shooting across the whitest of ground snow, she is screaming lost in bloodlust.
Emma cannot make out what she says, the magic is loud, deafening.
Rumple is silent, menacing in his stillness, his magic a reddish purple bubble surrounding him, protection from the Queen's onslaught of black. Only his hands move shooting and curling the red flow, one hand holds his dagger and Emma is relieved and frightened all at once. Rumple is not under the Queen 's control but he is not holding back, he will kill her.
The magic is so loud, booms and cracks, never has she seen this, this power, it chills her to the bone, this is what she invited back into her body? Is she capable of such rage, the air is thick with it, she can taste the rage on her lips, it tastes metallic, like rust and blood.
Mary Margaret is shouting, pointing to the buildings, the people, the people she cries.
The building's inhabitants, frozen unable to run away, are trapped. Emma pictures shards of magic piercing windows, smashing through walls, finding targets and shattering the frozen, who fall to pieces, never to be put together again.
David grabs her arm, pushes her down behind two cars on their sides, smashed together, a perfect barrier, they huddle and shake together.
Emma stares into her parents eyes sees the fear there, she knows they see the same in hers.
"Resources'? she asks more to herself but David answers immediately, fairy dust, small amount, well water, capacity unknown, merry men, nods at Robin. Emma darts her eyes to the left and right, the men have spread themselves down the street, taken positions behind whatever they can find, eyes on their leader, eyes on the fight.
Robin nods, "My arrow will shoot through magical barriers, theirs" he nods at the men, "will not but I can only aim at one".
"A defensive shot" Emma says, they all know it has to be the Queen.
"I won't miss" he says quietly, face tight.
Mary Margaret is frowning, it won't be enough, will only distract her, maybe turn her rage to us.
"What choice do we have?" and truly she would love another choice, "maybe it will be enough for Rumple to"...she trails off, kill her she thinks.
David is chewing his lip, "maybe the fairy dust, can you coat your arrow Robin, in the dust? hell let's chuck in the well water as well"
"Yes" the archer replies.
"The dust didn't work the first time, why would it work now?" She hates to be the voice of doom but it is the truth.
They fall silent, Emma looks back at the battle, it shows no sign of abating, if anything, the air grows darker and thicker, the black and red magic curdle the air, choking them.
She stares at Regina, would it be a mercy? She knows as she watches the women throwing magic all malicious intent, hell bent on winning, that is not Regina, not even the Evil Queen she saw strutting through the forest, callous and gleeful with her future lovers wife, her prisoner but something else, something dark and beyond hope and love, does she owe it to her? to put her out of her misery? can she do it?
A loud crack pulls her from her thoughts, the clock tower has been stuck and the clock face is falling to the ground, breaking apart instantly on contact, glass shards fly in all directions, both the Dark One and Queen stop distracted by the impact.
Robin is up, running towards the Queen, bow ready, he takes the shot and rolls out of the way as the black streak from the Queen rushes towards him. The arrow passes through her black swirling protection spell and she cries out, the arrow shaft embedded in her chest, where her heart should be but isn't. The Queen laughs, with two hands she pulls it free, flings the arrow to the ground.
Robin curls into a ball on the ground, his hand clutching at his chest.
Rumple strikes and the Queen is down,unmoving.
Emma is running, running towards Regina, shouting at Rumple. "Is she dead?".
The man is gasping for breath, his face covered with sweat, he looks exhausted and the Queen looks no better, her painted face a wreck of black streaks, all ruined make up, red lips curled in a silent snarl.
Emma reaches for her neck, searching for her pulse.
Belle Her phone is ringing, the shrill sound startles the young woman in front of her, she scuttles as far back as her chains will allow her.
Belle switches the phone off, holds her hands up to the girl, "I won't hurt you" she says softly.
The girl just stares at her, her face a mask but Belle sees the mistrust and doubt there.
"My name's Belle, what's yours?"
The girl does not answer.
Belle is unsure what to do, the girl asked for help, is chained the floor, which is frozen, she clearly is the cause of the town's ice problem, uncontrolled elementary magic.
Rumple has chained her here, clearly thinks and quite rightly she is dangerous but the chains have restrained her physically but not the magic. Belle makes her choice.
"I will help you, I will free you but in return you have to help undo what you have done to this town" The girl laughs "I can not", she clicks her tongue looks away.
"Well then" Belle says chin held high "we have a problem".
The girl gives her a baleful eye and shrugs as much as the chains will allow.
Belle sits on the wooden stairs, regrets it immediately as the stair is freezing cold but she tugs her coat further down her thighs, bunches as much material there as possible to protect against the sharp cold.
"Have you heard of StoryBrooke?" The girl shakes a disinterested head.
Belle swallows, pictures in her minds eye, a leather bound book, takes a breath and starts the tale.
"Once upon a time, in the Enchanted Forest, there was a evil queen who longed to leave her realm behind and start afresh, so with the aid of the Dark One, a powerful wizard but a good man really", she smiles, then stops smile as frozen as the town, as the pain of betrayal rushes through her.
Sobering she continues "The Queen cast a powerful curse and brought the people to this land, a land without magic". Belle continues the tale, weaving in the details oft forgotten and the mundane, she makes sure to humanize the main players, tells of Rumple's quest to find his beloved son, speaks of true love between the Prince and Princess, softens Regina's rough edges, speaks of Henry. Neither hero nor villain she paints of any of them, the truth is more complicated she knows and wants this girl to know.
She has the girls attention she can tell,watches her face react with every twist and turn of her tale. She skips the story forward, the Queen's redemption, her love for her son, the new Prince, Rumple's price and sorrow, she finishes the tale with hope and reassurance that StoryBrooke is home, family and love.
She waits for the girl, watches her eyes, sees the unshed tears, stands slowly, legs stiff, walks quietly to the girl, hand gentle on her arm. "Will you help us?" she asks.
THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS. I LOVE MORE, GOOD AND BAD...