The Storybrooke hospital was preparing for siege. The news of Mary Margaret going into labour had spread to everyone in town like a bushfire and they were now placing out defences around her room. Everyone in the hospital who could be spared – which meant everyone except for Doctor Whale and two nurses – had been evacuated. The ground floor was patrolled by the dwarves, Robin Hood and the Merry Men; when the Witch came they would be the first line of defence. Belle held the stairs and elevator. Regina manned the upstairs corridor outside Mary Margaret's room, with Emma as back-up, and David was inside the room with his wife.
The fifteen Children of Magic, or the Admins as they still preferred to call themselves, had been told to choose for themselves where they believed they would be needed, which in turn had caused them to gather where they now were; in an empty hospital room across the hall from Mary Margaret's. Unlike the big one they had spent time with a week earlier this one only had a small window overlooking the corridor, enabling them to see Emma and Regina discuss how and where they would put up a shield using Emma's white magic.
"Our wands are useless against Zelena", Indira said. "If we're going to stick around here we need to figure out how to defend ourselves by some other means."
"Do you think we could use the hide?" Clarissa asked.
"At least last time she was unable to pass through it", Chris agreed. "If we place it so that it covers Mary Margaret she should be fine."
"Last time we used it, it wasn't a shield", Toby pointed out. "It became a kind of portal. And fitting all of us inside that room together with the Charmings, Doctor Whale and the nurses will not be easy."
"Can't we do it from outside the room?" Jade suggested. "There's a good space out there where Emma is right now."
"From what we saw last time it turned into a shield it's a perfect sphere", Ella said, "and it seemed to weaken the larger we made it, making it possible for Zelena to work against it. To avoid that we would have to place Mary Margaret as close to the sphere's centre as possible."
"Alright, so the hide is out", Wolfgang said. "What else have we got?"
"Not much", Rachel sighed and sat down on the only bed in the room. "Right now I think we have to rely on Emma's magic; we don't have time to figure out something else."
"Wait", Maryse said, "maybe we can't stop her, but we can hold her off for a while, just like everyone else is. She's said it herself; we're a distraction."
"What do you suggest?" Rowan asked.
"That we spread out along her predicted route through the hospital, the same that the others are guarding, and create obstacles for her", Maryse responded.
"If she has to face each and every one of us on the way that means at least fifteen extra obstacles", Arianne filled in, "and at least fifteen times she's had to use her magic before she even gets to Emma's shield, which might weaken her."
"It's probably our best chance", Miranda agreed, "but we can't rely on a predicted route. She might use another one as well."
"Well, I think we can say that from Regina's station to Mary Margaret she'll definitely appear at some point", Wolfgang said. "Other than that let's spread out and find good places for traps."
"I promised David I'd stay with him and Mary Margaret", Rachel said and rose from the bed. "I'll be the only one of us standing behind Emma's shield..."
She paused and considered her words, but the glances the others shared told her enough; they knew that if Zelena reached all the way to her, inside the protected room, then Emma's magic was not strong enough to beat the Witch. And if the Saviour's magic was not strong enough, their definitely was not either.
"How's the telepathy thing going, Toby?" Chris asked. Toby shook his head; since the Curse had been broken he had tried to connect with his strange telepathic powers again, but so far nothing had happened.
"I'm doing exactly what I did back then", he said, "but nothing happens. It's frustrating."
"Well, then we'll have to communicate the old-fashioned way", Jade said and waved her phone.
"Who should have them?" Tessa asked. "I mean, there's only seven."
"We'll divide them as we scout for good hiding places", Filipi decided. "Let's go."
They exited from the room and the majority of them moved towards the stairs, leaving Rachel standing by the door to Mary Margaret's room. Catriona and Wolfgang remained behind as well.
"We'll guard one entrance way each", Wolfgang said. "I'll do the main stairs, Catriona can do the emergency exit route."
"Alright", Catriona said with a small nod. Wolfgang and Rachel shared a brief glance, telling each other that they both hoped the youngest girl in the trio would not have to face Zelena at all, that she would be stopped on the way there.
Then Wolfgang's phone beeped.
"Jade and Indira are minding the entrance together with Robin", he said. "The moment the Witch is spotted outside by the lookouts they'll tell us."
"Good", Rachel said. "That hopefully gives us some time to prepare. Cat?"
The youngest girl woke up from her thoughts and nodded as Rachel signed for her to come along into the next room. Wolfgang promptly walked away from the door and sat down on one of the visitor's chairs in the small waiting area. Hook was standing by the window looking glum.
"Hey Captain", Wolfgang said, drawing his attention.
"So, are you talking to me again?" Hook asked with a hint of a smile.
"Let's just say I'm more aware of why you kept stuff from me now that the Curse is broken", Wolfgang responded. Hook nodded and sat down on the chair next to his.
"Well, that's something, I suppose."
"Why didn't you tell anyone about Zelena?" Wolfgang asked. "Look at the trouble we're in now; if you'd told..."
"If I'd told anyone about what she did to me, Henry would be dead", Hook bitterly responded. "I could not let that happen."
"You care for him that much?"
The pirate sighed and leaned back.
"He reminds me of both of them", he admitted. "Both Bae... Neal and Emma. He's a good lad."
Wolfgang nodded.
"Look, I'm not an expert on girls, mate", he said, "but you should tell Emma that you did this to keep Henry safe. Might sooth her bitterness."
"You know, I don't think it will", Hook sighed, "but I will try my best."
"It's going to be okay", David said, forcing his voice to remain calm and steady. He was holding onto Mary Margaret's left hand, or maybe she was the one holding on to him, while she went through another contraction. Her face was contorted with pain.
"Is it?" she managed to ask, her voice trembling.
"Our baby's going to be fine", David promised. "It's never going to leave your arms; I don't care who's out there."
"That's what we thought last time", Mary Margaret responded as the pain slowly subsided. David looked up at Catriona, who stood on the opposite side of the bed. She did not meet his gaze; she was completely focused on comforting Mary Margaret.
"I know", he said as he turned his head to look at his sister. Rachel was looking out through the window into the small lobby. Wolfgang and Hook sat on two of the chairs at the far end, while Emma stood closer to the room. The air around her hands shimmered as she got to work with the shield.
"This time we have somebody else on our side", David continued, turning back to smile reassuringly towards Mary Margaret. She slowly let go of his hand, allowing him to walk over to Rachel and look out through the window.
"Alright?" he asked her, keeping his voice as quiet as possible.
"I've put up a Muffliato-charm around us", Rachel responded. "If you've got something to say that you don't want Mary Margaret to hear you're free to say it."
David nodded.
"We won't leave, if that's what you're going to ask", Rachel pointed out.
"I think I've learned by now that I can't stop you from doing things", he replied with a small smile. She glanced up at him and returned it.
"She won't get here", she promised while Regina joined Emma outside the window. The shield they had put up had blended into the air and was neigh on invisible; only a slight shimmer, like that above a fire, was visible to the naked eye. Regina then walked away, aiming for the bathroom. At that point Hook rose from his chair and walked up towards Emma.
"He didn't betray you, you know", Rachel said. "Whatever Zelena did to him he tried to fight against it, I'm sure of it."
"I'm not", David replied. He could see Rachel's reflection in the glass roll her eyes at him.
"What is it with you fairytale heroes and not trusting fairytale villains?" she asked. "Everything's not black and white, you know, and Hook's done nothing to keep us from destroying Zelena. He's loyal to Emma and therefore loyal to everyone else here."
David considered her words while watching the muted conversation outside the window. Emma had their back towards them, but her posture told him that she was still angry with the pirate. Hook's posture, on the other hand, was submissive and pleading.
"You're right", he said with a nod. "He's proven himself to be a good man. Zelena must have backed him into a corner and he saw no other way out but to keep it a secret."
Rachel looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you saying that because you want me to stop buggering you about it or are you genuine?"
"Hook and I have a few things in common", he replied and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. "You'd better lift that charm."
With those words he aimed for the door and emerged into the corridor just as Emma stomped past.
"Emma, wait."
His daughter stopped and turned as he shut the door behind him.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm taking the fight to Zelena", Emma responded. David nodded; his suspicions had been confirmed. Emma was too much like himself and Mary Margaret to allow her enemy to chose the battlefield.
"Well", he said and stuck his hands into his pockets, "you don't have to do that alone."
"Yeah, I do", Emma protested. "You need to stay with Mary Margaret."
"Yeah, I know", David replied, "but you need help. Take Hook."
Emma's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Are you insane?"
"He's going with you", David said, hoping that he sounded like this was the end of the discussion. He then turned back towards Hook, who looked just as surprised.
"You're going with her", he ordered.
"I thought you didn't trust me, mate", Hook said and walked closer.
"Zelena backed you into a corner", David replied, "and you did the best you could."
He turned back towards his daughter, who narrowed her eyes in suspicion at him.
"See?" Hook said behind his back. "Even your father gets it."
"Yeah, because he knows about keeping secrets from loved ones", Emma spat out.
"Hey!" David exclaimed.
"I'm sorry, but I'm doing this alone", Emma said and crossed her arms over her chest.
"No, you're not! This isn't about you; it's about all of us."
"What is he going to do?" Emma exclaimed in frustration. "I have magic, he's got one hand!"
"You know I'm good in a fight", Hook muttered.
"At the very least he can draw fire", David replied. Even though he was not looking at Hook he could feel how offended the pirate was by that statement.
"What, now I'm cannon fodder?"
"You all stop arguing right now", Rachel said emerging through the door. "Emma, listen to your father. We don't have much time and if you're going to stop Zelena before she gets here you have to leave now. And don't give me some sort of I-am-older-than-you-so-you-cannot-tell-me-what-to-do-argument because those do not work on me. Understood?"
David stared at her before turning back towards Emma, who looked just as stunned.
"Fine", she eventually groaned. "He can come."
David let out a relieved breath and walked back inside the room, followed by Rachel.
"Were you eavesdropping?" he asked as the door closed behind them.
"We'll talk about that later", Rachel replied. "Right now we've got some other things that we have to attend."
In response Mary Margaret uttered a painful scream as another contraction hit her. David quickly moved over to her side, grabbing her hand again. He glanced up to see Rachel and Catriona hug one another near the door before Catriona walked out into the corridor; they were taking up their positions.