Solutions and answers, please?
It all happened very fast and he was not quite sure in which order it happened, or if it all happened at the same time. His ability to breathe returned. There were five glowing specks of light shining at the edges of the vortex above their heads. And the table shook, causing Mary Margaret to give a startled yelp and release both his and Hook's hand. The circle now broken, the vortex instantly vanished.
"Sorry, love", Hook apologized. "That was me; I crossed my legs and bumped the table."
He smiled sheepishly and Regina closed her eyes, disappointment etched upon her face. She then leaned forward and blew out the flames burning on the candle.
"Do we try it again?" Mary Margaret asked.
"No", Regina answered and sat back. "There's no point. It worked; the portal opened, but nothing came from it."
"That's the first time I've been reduced to nothing", a grumbling voice from the floor said, causing the five of them around the table to rise, startled. David's chair tipped backwards and nearly hit a very familiar, young woman, but she quickly moved away and stood.
"How did you all get here?" Regina asked, staring at the five newcomers in the room.
"I'm guessing we managed to link whatever magic we were all wielding together", Rachel said, massaging her throat. David frowned; were her bruises more apparent today than they had been the day before?
"What do you mean?" Regina asked, turning towards Arianne, who had appeared behind her. "What magic were you using?"
"We found something in Gold's shop that seemed to link our wands together", Arianne responded, "and when we did it... sort of sent the five of us here."
David turned and looked at the others who had appeared. Wolfgang was the one who had spoken first; he had appeared behind Hook. Catriona stood behind Mary Margaret and behind Emma stood Clarissa.
"What were you doing?" Clarissa now asked, frowning at the candle on the table.
"That's the candle you found at the shop, isn't it?" Catriona asked in return, looking at Regina. "It had something to do with your mother."
"Yes", Regina answered, "we tried to talk to her, tried to get her to tell us about Zelena. Only... she didn't want to talk to me."
She sighed and looked down.
"Guess whatever secrets lie in her past she wants to keep buried there."
"Well, maybe Belle will have more luck", Arianne said. "Last we saw her she was busy doing research in the shop regarding Zelena's possible curse."
"Exactly", David agreed as Regina moved to open the door, letting them out of the small library into the foyer. "There has to be something in those books that can help us."
"Right", Emma agreed and led the way out, "my magic gets stronger every day. By the time this all goes down, I'll be ready."
"Make... make sure you are", Regina said, another shadow of worry passing over her face.
"We'll all be", Clarissa assured. "This cowhide that we found at the shop proves that there is some really good reason for us being here to help you and maybe, with that to help us, we can figure out how to use the wands against Zelena."
Regina nodded slightly.
"Come on", Emma said and put on her black coat, "let's go."
She led the way to the door and David moved to link his arm with Mary Margaret's, but she just smiled and shook her head.
"Go ahead", she said. "I'm going to stay and talk to Regina. I'll help clean up."
"I'm not in the mood for a heart-to-heart", Regina responded.
"I'm not sure that's physically possible right now", Mary Margaret pointed out, causing the other woman to stop and turn towards her again. David watched as a small smile played on her red lips before she nodded.
"You can help with the teacups."
David met his wife's gaze one more time before walking out through the door, joining the others. Rachel just removed her phone from her ear.
"I've alerted the others of what happened", she said. "They're still in the clearing. Our wands went with us when we came here so the magic stopped when we disappeared."
"But why did we come here?" Catriona asked. "Why the five of us?"
"I think it has something to do with the symbols next to where we placed our wands", Rachel responded, glancing at David, Hook and Emma. "On the cowhide that Maryse and Cat found in the shop was a star with fifteen points, and each point pointed towards a symbol. There were also fresh burn marks matching the patterns on our individual wands. I'd say that the symbol means one person and the wand symbolizes another, while the star links them all together."
"So, why did we come here?" Wolfgang asked, frowning.
"Think about it", Rachel responded. "The five symbols next to our wands; after landing here they become awfully clear."
"Swan", Clarissa breathed, causing Emma to turn.
"Yes?"
"No, my symbol on the hide was a swan", Clarissa clarified, "and I landed... behind you."
"What were the other symbols?" David asked, turning towards Rachel.
"A snowflake", Catriona answered instead, "and I landed behind Mary Margaret."
"An apple", Arianne responded. David knew she had ended up behind Regina in the room and if there was one woman known to like that fruit, it was the Mayor.
"Water waves", Wolfgang grudgingly admitted, glaring at Hook.
"And yours?" David asked, turning towards Rachel again. She inhaled deeply before she answered.
"A horse", she eventually responded. He considered it for a while; it was not a clear connection to him, not as clear as the others had been, but he certainly felt at home with horses and something told him Rachel did as well.
By then they had reached Granny's Diner and he looked up at the neon sign.
"Anybody want something to drink?" he asked.
"Sure", Emma responded. "Anyone else."
The others quickly agreed and Arianne pulled out a phone, probably sending a text to their other friends about where they were. When he was about to head in, Rachel touched his arm.
"Hey, can we... talk for a minute?"
He glanced down at her hand and then nodded.
"You guys go ahead, we'll be right there", he said. Emma frowned at him momentarily before she nodded and walked in after Hook. Once the door had closed he crossed his arms over his chest, studying the woman in front of him.
"So, we can touch each other again?" he asked. "You've broken the spell?"
"I had no choice; you were choking because of it", Rachel remarked. He frowned.
"How did you know that?"
"I saw it", Rachel sighed and sat down on one of the chairs outside the diner. He followed.
"When the spell contained in that cowhide started to work I felt like I couldn't breathe", she clarified. "It was like I was back on that trail, with your twin shadow trying to choke me, and then something told me that the connection was being blocked and I saw you experiencing the same thing. I didn't really think; I just... I knew I had to save you, so I broke the spell."
He nodded, seeing the regret and shame on her face.
"I don't blame you for anything", he pointed out. "I got us into this situation in the first place."
"No, you didn't", she huffed. "The Witch did. You just happened to be the first to act on her spell."
"And you're not afraid she'll try the same thing again?" David asked. She turned to meet his gaze, a faint smile flickering on her lips.
"Well, I'll always be afraid", she responded, "but who isn't? It's just a matter of finding a way to overcome that fear."
He smiled and placed his arm around her shoulder, holding her to him.
"Never do something like that again", he sighed. "I refuse to lose you."
"Considering we belong in two different world, that might be a tad bit difficult in the end."
He loosened his grip slightly so that he could meet her gaze again.
"I meant what I said yesterday. You're part of my family, Rachel, and if there's one thing I do not give up on, it's family, and we face things together. Can you promise me that we will?"
"I would be honoured to stand by your side during the battles to come, Prince Charming", Rachel said with a teasing smile, "even if that just means making sure you don't faint while your wife is giving birth."
He groaned.
"You know, I might take you up on that promise."
Aw, bonding time!