The door bell jingled as David and Mary-Margaret entered Gold's shop.
"Sorry to interrupt the party" David said sarcastically
"Well, I certainly don't remember inviting you two" Gold shot back "We're closed"
Lacey almost choked on her inhale of drink from where she sat on Gold's work desk as Mary-Margaret answered with 'Not to us'
"We need your help. Regina's missing and we think she might be in danger"
"Just the way I like her and if you happen to find my apprentice, tell her she no longer is. Now, if you'll excuse me..."
"I don't think so" said David "Whatever your feelings are about Regina, you still owe me a favour"
Gold sent him a smile that read 'I'm imagining your dead body on my floor right now' and chose to ignore the confused look Lacey sent him.
"Lacey, if you could excuse us, I have some business to attend to" he asked of her as he offered out a hand to her, which she took almost disbelievingly.
"Make it quick" she stated as she took it and slid off the desk, taking her drink with her and sending the others a look as she sidled out to the front area of the shop.
Gold turned away to a cupboard behind him "I'm sure I can whip up something to find Regina"
"What did you mean by 'And if you happen to find my apprentice'?" Mary-Margaret asked "Haven't you seen her today?"
"No I haven't" said Gold turning back to them "And because of her lack of obvious interest, and because she was obviously wasting my time, she now no longer will be and if I see her anytime soon I'll make sure she knows it!"
"She wasted her own time if anything trying to get you to teach her! Watcher wouldn't just leave that to hang! No, there's something wrong" Mary-Margaret turned to David "We thought only Regina was missing what if it's not just her"
"You think Watcher might be missing too?" David questioned
"Well, Emma did say something about her this morning and Ruby asked me if she'd seen her because they were suppose to meet up at the diner but she didn't"
"So both Mills sisters are gone. You're right, that can't just be a coincidence"
"Well, I can only help with one of the sisters" Gold put in, becoming thoroughly annoyed with time wasters "So which shall it be?"
The Charmings looked to one another.
"Watcher..." Mary-Margret started quietly
"Can take care of herself. She's been trained remember" David reassured her.
"That doesn't stop me worrying about her. You didn't see her after that fight with Regina and Cora!"
"I saw she had a scythe at your throat" David reminded her
"That may be, but you didn't see what I did!"
David gripped her by her shoulders "We're here because of Regina. Watcher can take care of herself. She'll be fine. There is no doubt in my mind that she'll come to us"
He looked towards Gold as conformation that this was the decision.
"Alright then, but tell me, why do the Charmings want to help the Evil Queen?"
"Because I owe her. After what I did to Cora" Mary-Margaret said quietly.
Gold gave a mocking exhale "Never underestimate the power of a guilty conscience" he said as he opened a small box and lifted out a small vial.
"What is that?" Mary-Margaret asked him.
"This is one of Regina's tears" he stated as he opened the vial.
"Why do you have one of Regina's tears?" she queried
'And more importantly do you have one of Watcher's?'
He lifted the vial, looked at it and then at her "Because I do" he said with a smile
He limped towards her "This spell, however, requires two tears"
Mary-Margaret looked at him skeptically "You want one from me?"
"Well, just think of a dark moment, dearie. Something bleak and hopeless. I know you have a few"
She stared at him incredulously, but thought for a moment.
He was right. There was a whole life's worth of 'Bleak and Hopeless' to choose from;
Her mother's death
Loosing Emma
Watching Johanna die
Watching Johanna die...Watching...
Watcher.
She didn't know why, but, the girl was always a second thought for everyone else in the Town.
But to her...
Ever since that moment after battle against Regina...those eyes had haunted her dreams.
Those eyes that suggested that Watcher was one unconscious step away from falling into an insanity that she would never be pulled out of.
Those eyes that said she'd seen too much and lost so much more.
The girl was always her first thought of a morning and her last thought at night.
Something about those eyes told that she needed to be protected, no matter how strong she may seem.
They told her that she'd been strong for far too long and that she was losing control.
She remembered how close Watcher had crawled to her when they lay in bed days after Cora's death.
She remembered her eyes begging for forgiveness, but she didn't understand why.
She remembered watching her cry in her sleep and how she had to hold her close to stop her from reacting to her nightmares.
She wanted to know what was going on inside Watchers mind. Why she was the way she was.
But the thought of those eyes...those pleading eyes...brought her to tears.
Gold moved forward to catch one of the tears that fell, Regina's tears glowing white when her own tear entered the small bottle.
"Perfect" whispered Gold and he sloshed the contents around to make sure it was fully mixed
He moved back and put the lid of the vial on.
"Now, when you drop this into your eye, you will be connected with Regina, wherever she is. Whatever she sees, you'll see. Whatever she feels, you'll feel"
Mary-Margaret nodded silently.
"How long does the spell last?" David asked.
"Long enough to lead you to her" Gold replied handing over the vial.
"And with that, I've fulfilled my end of the bargain. Goodbye"
He gave them a sarcastic wave just to prove his point.
"Always a pleasure" David shot back sardonically and chasing after his wife who all but shot out of there and onto the street like a bullet.
He finally grabbed her by her elbow.
"Hey, hey. Are you alright?"
She turned to him, more salty tears spilling from her eyes.
"Does it look like I am!" she snapped
"I know it was pretty intense in there, but there's no need to bite my head off" he said gently. He sighed.
"What did you think about that's got you this upset?" he ventured
Her voice croaked as more tears slid down her cheeks "Watcher"
He looked at her confused and a little disapprovingly
She went on quickly "I know you said she can take care of herself, but I don't think she can! You haven't seen what I've seen when it comes to her! You haven't been with her enough! Something really terrible has happened to her and now she's a broken little girl crying out for help! She needs help!"
David sighed again and pulled her into a hug and started to guide her back to the Loft
"We'll figure out Watcher when it comes to it, right now we need to find Regina"
Watcher kicked at a fire exit, but it was so rusted over it wouldn't budge.
"Damn it all to heck! Someone's watching over me, laughing!"
David reluctantly cradled Mary-Margaret's head, poising to place the tear drops in her eye.
Mary-Margaret blinked a few times and sat up straight again, after a few moments shaking her head to say that nothing had happened.
Almost immediately after that she gasped and twisted in pain, her eyes wide and tearing up all over again.
The jolts of...something, made her twinge and her skin prickle like her whole body was on fire...quite literally.
Flashes of Regina flew before her eyes and she could've sworn she saw Watcher just for a second.
There was a smell that hung in her nostrils that she couldn't quite pin point.
She grunted in pain again as the jolts returned making her spine curve back and her body convulse.
There were more flashes of Regina.
She didn't even register that David was calling to her before she blacked out