Sins of the Past

by SiriuslyHooked

While searching for a way back to Storybrooke, Emma receives a mysterious note that only she can read and she is given the task of protecting someone special. Struggling with her role as the savior, she is unsure of how to protect Riley, a girl with many trust issues and secrets. Her secrets involve the town and her own past with its residents, including a handsome pirate captain.

6. A Peek into the Past

"What do you mean Belle's at The Rabbit Hole?"

"It's her but she looks like she's dressed for a rock concert."

Riley was leaving the inn with Ethan to meet with their friends for drinks at The Rabbit Hole. If she had her way, she would be staying in her room, preparing the last few ingredients needed for her plan. Her privacy had not gone unnoticed, leading to endless questions from her friends and David, though his questions were far more accusatory. David seemed to be under the impression that she was practicing dark magic in her room at the inn and made impromptu visits to the inn to catch her in the act. When his attempts failed miserably, he settled for using her friends, mainly his little knights, to do his dirty work by constantly inviting her out with them. She expected Emma to join him in his suspicions but she had been oddly quiet for the past few days.

When seeing Riley in person, she did not pester her about all the time spent in her room, instead just giving her a quick wave or asking her where she was going with her friends. Vivienne suggested that several things contributed to Emma's strange behavior, including the arrival of Tamara and her old friend August, also known as Pinocchio, being reverted to his seven year old self after being attacked by a mysterious woman. Riley would not be surprised if Emma was focusing all of her attention on finding his attacker, wanting to keep the town safe from any threats, but there was something else causing her to even look at Riley differently. Any other time, Riley would have relished the opportunity to peek inside her head to tease her but she was too busy with her own concerns.

Ethan was listening to her phone call from Vivienne. Waiting for them at The Rabbit Hole, she had spotted Belle, no longer in a hospital gown, at the bar though there was something off about her. Besides the differences in attire and personality, she also adopted a new name: Lacey. Their friends learned about the name change when Celeste questioned her about leaving the hospital.

"Was Lacey her Storybrooke name?" Riley asked Ethan, curiously.

He shrugged. "No idea. I know she was stuck in the hospital during the curse until she somehow got out but I never even thought that she could have cursed memories. Do you think it's something like amnesia and now she's just left with her Storybrooke self?"

"Memory spells are tricky."

"I just hope Gold doesn't go on a rampage."

"He won't. He's with her at the bar," said Vivienne.

"Doing what?"

"Laughing…drinking beers…it's weird."

As they arrived at The Rabbit Hole, they immediately looked towards a table by the door where Gold and Belle were having drinks. Riley had not known Belle that well before the accident but it did not take a genius to notice the obvious changes. Her outfit, like Vivienne described, was more suited to someone like Riley herself and her mannerisms were very flirtatious.

"Hi Mr. Gold. I didn't expect to see you in a place like this," said Riley, walking over to them with Ethan.

"Lacey suggested that we grab a couple drinks. I don't believe you've been properly introduced. Lacey, this is Riley and her friend Ethan. She helps me out in the shop sometimes."

"It's uh nice to meet you, B—Lacey. Riley, I'll get us some drinks " said Ethan, struggling to not sound awkward.

Offering to buy Lacey another tequila, Gold joined him at the bar. Riley sat down at the table and flicked her wrist. Belle blinked a few times then flashed her a smile.

"Riley, where have you been? You know I hate going out without my partner in crime."

"Sorry. I had to wait for Ethan. So you and Gold, huh? What's going on with you two?"

"I let him take me to Granny's because I felt a little bad. He kept thinking that I was this Belle girl and I got bored so I left but then he showed me this more interesting side to him and I decided to give him a chance. I know he's not my usual type but I'm all for new experiences. Don't judge."

"Oh, I won't. I'm actually glad that you're getting to know him. I need a little favor. I was a little behind on the rent this month and he took something from me as collateral. It's really important to me. I was hoping that maybe you could get it back."

"Of course. What is it?"

"A ring. I know he keeps all of that stuff in his bedroom, probably in a box," she said, showing a picture of the ring on her phone.

"Should be easy enough. This music is awful. I'm going to put some Van Halen on. Don't start drinking without me."

Taking the shot glass with her, Belle searched for a better song on the jukebox. Gold and Ethan returned with their drinks. Riley was suspicious when Gold quietly told her not to worry about learning her ancestors' language. He seemed unconcerned with bringing back Belle's true memories and though Ethan and her other friends were confused by his acceptance of her new personality, Riley soon understood his reasons. Belle, with her cursed memories, was accepting of his darker impulses and made no attempts to help him be a better man. Playing dumb, she agreed to take her time with translating the memory spell.

"I'm not the only one weirded out, right?" asked Alec, watching Belle and Gold leave the bar around ten o'clock.

"It's still Belle. She's just…a little different," said Celeste.

"A little? It's like a complete personality switch. Something isn't right. When Sneezy went over the line, he didn't have any amnesia. He just reverted back to being his Storybrooke self right away. What if something else made Belle…into that?"

"Like what?"

"Magic. Maybe Gold messed up trying to reverse her memories or Regina—"

"Can we not go down that road, please? Regina's been keeping her distance. She'll hardly let my father into her house to devise some scheme so I don't think she'd go after Belle," said Ethan.

"Always the one to defend her," he muttered, sipping his beer.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing."

"No, I think it does."

"Guys, don't start," said Vivienne, rolling her eyes.

Riley was distracted by her phone vibrating on her lap. There was a text message from Gale, displaying only three words: Problem. Call me. Pretending to be answering a call from Emma, she left the bar…

~Killian~

Several emotions swirled inside his stomach all at once, at the sight of the Dark One alive in Storybrooke. He was, of course, furious that he had not succumbed to the poison. Though he was aware of Riley's intent to cure him for her own purposes, a small part of him hoped that her magic would not save him from his grim fate. At the same time, he felt regret for not avenging Milah's death all those years ago, her life taken by the man she once called husband. The anger had been bubbling inside him since being left behind in that closet in New York and as soon as he managed to break free of his shackles, he planned to set sight on his new vengeance against that infuriating dark-haired vixen. What he did not expect was to be abducted again, this time by a woman and the man who hit him with his metal carriage.

The pair revealed to him that the Dark One remained among the living and was reunited with his dear Belle. In exchange for finding the whereabouts of his father, they would aid him in succeeding with his vengeance. His desperation outweighed his hesitation and he agreed to their assistance.

Leaving the clock tower, he listened to their plan while silently surveying his new partners. Tamara appeared to be the more cunning of the two, having purposely inserted herself into Baelfire's life and going so far as to become his fiancee. On the other hand, Greg was likely the more dangerous, with his obsession with finding his father and the lengths he would go to get the truth from Regina.

"Just gain her trust. It's important that you get her alone," explained Tamara.

"That should be quite easy."

Killian turned his head at the sound of a loud crash. Such a noise could be passed off as a few drunken fools stumbling around but a crack forming in the middle of the street was a strange sight. In the alley beside the bar, Riley was pacing back and forth, her phone pressed against her ear.

"How is that possible? She should've gone straight to—you're sure it was him? No, I'm not surprised. I know what he's doing. I don't need you there. Gale, don't be an idiot. If you come with me, it'll only look more suspicious. I can handle your uncle on my own…just act like everything's normal. Does he still run that shithole? It's not that far from here. Thanks for telling me."

Flicking her wrist, she conjured a duplicate of herself. Riley instructed the duplicate to return to the pub and occupy her friends. As it walked through the front door, her own metal carriage appeared beside her on the street.

"She's planning on leaving? I thought you couldn't leave Storybrooke without losing your memories?" said Tamara, confused.

"Those who were not part of the curse are immune to that side effect."

She looked at Killian. "She hasn't been here the entire time?"

"Arrived shortly after myself."

"We should follow her," said Greg.

"I'd advise against that, mate. If she catches you, you may end up dead."

"Get in the car or the deal's off, pirate."

Killian had not yet grown accustomed to these carriages. He shifted uncomfortably in the backseat and was thankful for the short trip, only a few hours. The trip provided him with several more reservations about working with these two outsiders, particularly when Greg was speaking of studying Riley like some an animal to better understand her magical abilities. She had stopped outside a disheveled building in Boston, Massachusetts. The building looked far from inhabitable, the roof partially crumbled and wooden boards covering the windows. They waited at least ten minutes before following her through the front door. At first glance, the building appeared to be empty but Tamara spotted a hidden staircase under a pile of rubble. Descending down the staircase, they discovered a trail of unconscious bodies, all leading to a single black door. A sign hung above the word, with Welcome to the Underworld written in red letters that dripped like blood. Instead of stepping inside, Greg slid a small circular device under the door.

"It's something from the home office. It'll allow us to see inside. We'll have audio and visual without anyone knowing that we're close by," he told Tamara.

"Good."

He tapped his phone twice, revealing an image of a pub similar to the one in Storybrooke but with a darker décor, including black walls, skulls hanging from the ceiling, and a throne made of bones at the far end of the room. Killian searched the room for any sign of Riley but another woman caught his eye, one who stood out among the patrons. Her cat-like blue eyes were quite striking but her attire was what drew attention. Unlike the other people in the pub, she was dressed as though she hailed from a land like the Enchanted Forest with her floor-length elegant black dress , the bodice embroidered with golden roses. The woman was also not very modest, her long brown hair hardly hiding the long slit down the front of her dress that stopped just above her bellybutton. He heard one of the men address her as Seffie, assuming it to be some sort of moniker. She applauded with the others when a girl in her twenties finished singing on a small stage.

As Riley jumped onto the stage, her smile faltered. "Wow. That was just—girl, seriously, you need to get to Hollywood. I mean, some might think it's cheating because you're a siren but hey, everyone there has some kind of help."

The woman disappeared from her spot by the bar, reappearing on the stage. "What are you doing?" she hissed, her eyes flashing golden.

Killian recalled how her friend in New York, supposedly a god, experienced the same change in eye color. It was far too alike to be mere coincidence.

"I just wanted to say a few words. How should I start? Oh, I've got it. Everyone, get the hell out before I rip out your spines and gouge out your eyes with a spoon. Was that not threatening enough? How about this? I will give you until the count of five to get out. If you don't, I will cut you up piece by piece, nerve by nerve, and just when you're about to die, I'll fix you up and go through the same thing again and again. Fair warning, my number system tends to leave out a few numbers. Does five come after one? Yea, I think so. One…"

To his surprise, the patrons had vanished in clouds of smoke. He wondered if they were all descendants of the covens hidden in this land or had arrived by another method of travel. The woman and a few burly men remained in the pub.

"Get out before I add you to my collection," said the woman, indicating the potted plants on each table.

"You know, Seffie, I prefer you the other six months of the year," replied Riley, sitting on the throne.

"You have the audacity to trespass and—"

"Darling, no need to be rude."

A very tall man, with slicked back golden blonde hair and pale blue eyes, walked into the pub through a side door. Like the woman, his attire seemed out of place in this land, a combination of its style and the typical attire in the Enchanted Forest. In a way, he was reminiscent of a king.

He pulled out a chair at a nearby table. "Wonderful to see you again, old friend, but I doubt you're here for some drinks at my club. Come, sit."

"I've already got a seat, friend."

"That is not yours," said the woman, gritting her teeth.

"Well, it is my money that paid for this place so in a way, it is…and I think it's a good reminder to the both of you."

"Of what, exactly?"

"Your place. I hear that a little mangy puppy has been staying with you. I can see the appeal for her. She always liked dirty, vile things. Just give me the mutt and I'll leave."

The man chuckled. "Quite a funny story about this mutt, as you call her. One of my men happened to find her on her way to a very dangerous mutual friend of ours. It appeared that she was compelled to tell him of her treachery. I took pity on her. What's your interest in the girl?"

"We have rules for a reason. She's my little mutt so hand her back and we won't have a problem. Do you honestly want to start a war over this?"

"War? She must be important if you care this much about getting her back. Is it because of her relationship to someone close to you? Perhaps she knows some secrets? The other day, she was telling me a fascinating story about a cemetery in New Orleans and something very dangerous locked up in one of its mausoleums. The locals call it le fantôme hurlant, the screaming ghost. Rumor has it that its screams can be heard all through the night. We both know what nasty things have traveled to this land. I'm very curious to find out just what is in that mausoleum."

"I've been there. It's just some annoying cat. Sorry to disappoint you. This is about respect, H. Hand her over."

"Persephone, darling, would you retrieve our guest?"

Throwing Riley a contemptuous look, she left through the side door. There was a quiet tension in the pub and though neither Riley nor the man said a word, their intense stares spoke for them. Minutes later, the woman returned with Elena, the little werewolf that Riley had been torturing in her room. Keeping her eyes on the floor, she walked over to the man. He gripped her shoulder lightly.

"No need to be frightened, little wolf. My friend here won't hurt you. Lift your head."

Elena glanced up at him. "Y—yes, sir."

"I know how much you enjoy staying here but I'm afraid that she feels…disrespected and she wishes to take you back with her. Would you like to say anything, Elena?"

"I never meant to disrespect you, Riley. I promise that whatever Seth told me will stay with me. I would never want to betray him or you," said Elena in an apologetic tone though her eyes flickered with mischief.

The man shrugged. "An apology sounds good enough, yes?"

Riley tapped her fingers on the throne. Her eyes had not left Elena since she entered the pub, a quiet resentment brewing behind her passive expression.

She giggled to herself. "You think I don't know what you're doing? This little coup of yours won't work."

"You're becoming as paranoid as him, dear."

"Enough with the pretenses. I'm not as easily fooled and I'd kill you right here but dealing with your brother is the last thing I want. Those lightning strikes are never enjoyable. Besides, I'll relish the opportunity to put you in your place and remind you who's on top."

"I highly doubt you'll get that chance. How many days do you have left this time? Eight? That day rarely ends well for you, especially now that you have to deal with that pesky merge. I can see it's beginning to affect you. Such a shame that you're hiding your eyes. I prefer them that way. They show your true nature."

"Oh, I'd worry about yourself. This is your last warning. Stand down. You've made this mistake before and it's the reason that you're currently calling this shithole your home. If you don't want to listen to me, that's your mistake. People have tried countless times to take me down but I always win. I am always ten steps ahead of everyone else."

"You two fight so much yet you're two sides of the same coin. You think you're invulnerable? Everyone has a weakness and I think yours is locked away in that cemetery. Do not underestimate me either."

Riley stepped down from the throne and stood in front of Elena. She grabbed her face roughly, digging her nails into her pale cheeks.

"And you…you little desperate, pathetic, mangy mutt. When I'm done with him…what I'm going to do to you? You'll wish that he never reversed the compulsion. Oh and I'm not sure if you heard the news. Your brother's dead. It was all so sudden. He was just inexplicably drained of all his blood and left for dead in the woods. So tragic. Seffie? I'd be sure that your little personality switch doesn't happen too soon. I'd prefer to deal with you as a cold ass bitch. You'll put up more of a fight."

Out of the corner of his eye, Killian noticed Tamara on her phone, writing a short message. He could only read the end of the message clearly: Go to New Orleans. Riley vanished from the pub in a cloud of silver smoke…

~Riley~

Riley's temper was hanging by the tiniest thread. One more incident could easily send her over the edge and into one of her dangerous tantrums. Many people learned the hard way that angering her was like a death wish. She had enough to deal with in her life besides pathetic gods attempting to regain their power. It was not just the dreariness of living among mortals that was causing their unrest but even though she had no interest in finding out what led to such a sudden change, she was aware that the fighting could have terrible consequences.

She left her bathroom, a small towel draped around her body. As she opened the top drawer of her dresser, she spotted a sword on the bed.

"Pick it up," she heard.

She leaned her head against the dresser. "Either I'm really hungover and hallucinating or you're honestly this stupid."

The mirror on the wall showed Hook sitting in the armchair, his own sword in his hand. She was not the least bit surprised that he managed to find his way back from New York. When she abandoned him, she expected that the chains would not hold him for very long, due to his pirate nature.

"I see you made it back here. Did you get Gale to cast a spell on you so that you wouldn't scare people off with the pirate get up?"

"I'm quite resourceful, love. Pick up the sword. I warned you not to betray me and yet you did…and now you'll pay the price. I could have simply stabbed you in the back by now but unlike you, I'll settle for a fair fight."

"So what, you fail at killing the Dark One and now you're trying to kill me? You've got it backwards. That's like trying to fight a dog and then deciding to fight a bear."

"Pick up the sword."

"I'm not in the mood for your man pain right now. I have places to be, Hob—oh, you look better. You need a new nickname. How about Captain Delusional?"

"Pick up the sword, Renato. I heard that you had lessons with the little knights. Surely you learned a few things."

Snapping her fingers, she changed out of the towel and into a different outfit. She grabbed the sword from the bed and sent the two of them out of her room. They landed in the clearing where the knights held their training sessions. Conjuring a jar, she placed her hand inside and whispered under her breath. Silver dust emitted from her finger, filling the jar to the very top.

"You wanted a fair fight, right? I know you'd say that it's not fair if I have my magic so I'll keep it in here for now."

"If you beg for mercy, I may reconsider."

"Nope. Let's do this."

"I have centuries of experience over you and you no longer have your magic to protect you."

"You know, for someone who wanted to get vengeance for me trapping him in a little closet, you're coming up with a lot of excuses."

"I have no intention of letting you leave here alive, Renato."

"Good luck with that."

While the boys usually went easy on her during their pretend fights, Hook was not as generous, showing little mercy. The fight was even more dangerous with them using actual swords instead of ones made of wood and it would just take the tiniest nick for either of them to suffer a fatal injury. She rammed her shoulder into his chest, knocking him to the ground.

"Apologies. Was that bad form?" she asked, imitating his accent.

Hook snarled, attacking her once more aggressively. Riley dodged each of his attacks and disarmed him with a quick twirl of her wrist. Instead of retrieving his sword, he settled for using his hook as a weapon, swiping at her. She was soon disarmed herself, though she was unsure how, and thinking on her feet, she threw dirt in his face. He tackled her roughly, causing both of them to roll down the nearby hill. She ended up on top of him, both breathing heavily with their faces just inches apart. Before he could raise his hook, she slid a knife out from her sleeve and used it to pin his sleeve to the ground.

"Looks like you're pinned, pirate."

"Or you simply fell for my ploy," she heard him say, his lips not moving.

Like her daydream, his face took on a more youthful appearance. There was something different about herself this time, the sleeves of her leather jacket replaced with the thin fabric of a dress.

"And what ploy is that, lieutenant?"

"To get you this close to allow me to do this."

Her eyes widened as he leaned closer and she quickly turned her head, letting his lips brush against her cheek. She waited for him to react angrily or even strike her across the face. To her confusion, he grinned.

"You aren't angry?"

"Why would I be angry with you?"

"I turned my head. Most men would—"

"I am not those men. They should consider themselves lucky for simply being in your presence. I cherish all of it. Making you smile…a kiss on the cheek…"

Riley snapped out of the daydream, finding herself still on top of Hook. He was staring at her with a similar expression of shock and confusion. Not saying a word, she transported herself back to her room. Vivienne was sitting on her bed, sifting through a small wooden chest. She snatched the wooden whistle from her and placed it back in the chest, throwing the chest in the hidden closet.

"Why were you touching that?"

"I was just looking at some old memories. I got the ring from Belle…well, Lacey but you know who I mean. You've got seven of them now. I didn't want to add it without you being here," she replied, handing her a silver ring with markings etched along the sides.

"It happened again."

"What?"

"The daydream. I was in the woods, fighting Hook. Before you freak out, I was just indulging him and his little revenge fantasy. It was nothing but it happened again. I had him pinned and then…he looked younger and I looked different this time too. We were just talking but it felt so real. When I snapped out of it, he had this look…it's like he saw the same thing. I've got my old spellbook back. Maybe I can use it to find out what's going on."

"Or we should just tell Gold so he can kill the stupid pirate. It shouldn't take much convincing. Just remind him that Hook shot Belle and almost killed him with that poison."

"I don't want Hook dead."

"Why not? You said he didn't matter to you," she said, sounding tense.

"That doesn't mean I want him dead. Most of the people in this town mean nothing to me but you don't see me wanting to wave their heads on a stick. What are you not telling me?"

"I—I don't know what you mean."

"Whenever I bring up these weird hallucinations or whatever they are, you get all nervous and tense. It's like you're hiding something. You work closely with Regina. Is she doing this?"

"Of course not. You really think—pfft, Regina has no reason to put weird dreams in your head."

"Then what do you know? Don't tell me nothing because I know that's a lie and don't think you can distract me by making those puppy dog eyes. If you don't want to be honest, fine…leave me alone."

"But I—please don't be mad at me. I swear that I don't…M—"

"I said leave me alone! Unless you want to be the first test subject for my little experiment…"

Near tears, Vivienne transfigured into a raven and flew out of the room. Riley stopped herself from going after her and opened the door to the hidden closet. The glittery black powder was pressing against the sides of the jar, creating tiny cracks in the glass. She dropped the ring into the jar and placed it on the floor. The jar began to shake violently, the powder swirling around like a miniature tornado. Remembering that she had her magic tucked away in another jar, she hid herself behind the bed and watched the jar shatter to pieces. She covered her ears to muffle the sounds of the explosion and returned her magic to her body. Peeking over the side of the bed, she saw a gigantic shadow creature in the shape of a wolf, nearly ten feet tall, by the closet. Its eyes glowed bright silver. Hearing a loud knock on the door, she flicked her wrist. Ruby was on the other side of the door, looking concerned.

"Riley, are you okay?"

"Yea, why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard an explosion and it sounded like it came from your room. Some of the neighbors were worried about it."

"I was just watching a movie on my laptop and I guess the volume was a little too loud. I'll turn it down."

She kept the door open with her foot. "You remember that David said no magic in the room, right?"

"I haven't been doing magic unless I'm with Mr. Gold for my lessons."

"Everything alright?"

Emma was walking down the hallway. Riley rolled her eyes as Ruby told her about the supposed explosion in the room. To prove that she was innocent, she let them inside the room for Ruby to use her werewolf senses to sniff out any signs of magic.

"Is your puppy nose picking anything up?"

Ruby glared slightly. "I'm a werewolf, not a dog."

"Don't see the difference. If the K-9 unit is done searching my room, I'd like some privacy."

"False alarm, Ruby. You can go ahead. Don't be late for your shift."

She jumped as a black cat jumped down from the dresser. "Where did that come from?"

"I found him last night. Are you judging my choice of pet now?"

"No one's judging—I wanted to talk to you about something. It's kind of important since it's my job to protect you. What would you think of a move?"

"To another town? Are you ditching your parents?"

"No. It's uh—maybe you should sit."

Emma explained that ever since Mary Margaret and David saved the giant, they had been conducting secret business in the fields. The giant was growing magic beans with the dwarves and their plan was to use the beans to return to the Enchanted Forest. Her odd behavior finally made sense since she was clearly struggling with the idea of living in an entirely different land.

"No."

"I didn't ask—"

"You want me to go there too. The answer is no. I'm not leaving here. I'll go to any other town but I am not living in the Enchanted Forest."

"Riley, relax. I never said that we—"

"There is no we. If you want to go, then go."

"Kind of can't because then it breaks that contract and I die. You need to stay with me, remember? I haven't made a definite decision yet. I just wanted to tell you about it. Why are you so against going back there? You were there before…and wouldn't it be easier?"

"Get out."

"Riley—"

"I am never going back there. I am staying here and like I said, if you want to go, then go. Your days were numbered anyway as soon as you got the job. I won't care if you're gone. Go off and live with your big happy family in your fancy castle. I don't need you, Emma. You're the worst guardian I've ever had and you don't deserve to be the savior. You can't do anything right. You're worthless and pathetic. I'll be glad when you're gone because then maybe I'll get someone who isn't completely useless."

Emma scoffed. "You know, I've tried really hard to get along with you, Riley, but it's impossible. I thought we'd connect because we have things in common. I was wrong. You clearly don't want my help so I'll just say that I'm your protector. I won't do the actual job. You can obviously protect yourself so what do you need me for, right? From now on, you can look out for yourself. Go blow up New York City…take over every single coven and become a dictatorship…I don't care. You're not my problem anymore."

She slammed the door behind her, muttering to herself. Riley flicked her wrist, changing the cat back to its original form.

"We have much to do but first, I need you to guard a little spot in New Orleans. No one gets in that mausoleum except me. Is that understood?"

The shadow inclined its head and began to alter its shape, turning into a hawk. It flew out the window, disappearing into the cloudy sky. Riley was barely hanging onto her sanity, between this magic bean nonsense and Vivienne lying to her. She kept an eye on the shadow through her mirror, watching it guard the mausoleum in the guise of a statue. The image in the mirror became distorted, shifting into a person. She hid herself behind the closet door.

"Riley? I know you're in there. I can feel your presence in the room. Please come out of hiding. I'm not Seth under some disguise. It's me. You don't need to be afraid. I've only come to ask you to meet with me. There are only seven days left and we must do all that we can to fight it. You know better than anyone how much I want us all to come out of it alive but that cannot happen if we are divided. I beg of you to let the protector bring you out of Storybrooke. We can meet wherever you wish…and I swear that Seth will not be there, unless you wish for him to join us. The choice is up to you."

Hearing another knock on the door, she stepped away from the closet. The mirror returned to normal, showing the other side of the room. Wiping away a single tear from her cheek, she opened the door. Greg was standing outside, his hands in his coat pockets.

"Hey. I was beginning to think you weren't here. How are—you okay? You look like you were crying."

"I was uh watching a sad movie. Did you want something?"

"I promised to cook for you one day, remember? Why not today? Unless this is a bad time…"

"No, that sounds great."

"Great. I uh already used the kitchen downstairs. I thought we could eat in my room."

Riley followed him over to his room. He had cooked an extensive meal and even bought an apple pie for dessert. As they talked, her mind was drifting back to what she heard from her mirror. She jumped when Greg snapped his fingers.

"You're a little out of it today."

"Sorry. I uh—I've got a lot on my mind."

"Well, you can always talk to me."

"It's complicated and probably better if you don't get roped into it," she said, pouring herself another glass of wine.

"Then let's talk about something else."

Her vision suddenly blurred and she felt very lightheaded. The last thing she remembered was Greg getting up from the table.

Riley's eyes popped open and she found herself strapped to a cold metal table. Her wrists and ankles were tied down with multiple restraints. She attempted to remove them with a spell but nothing worked, not even turning the restraints into rope. A black cuff was secured around her left wrist. She glanced around the room, smelling a fishy odor. Beside her was some kind of machine.

"I see you're finally awake, Riley. How are you feeling?"

Tamara walked into the room, Hook a few steps behind her. He seemed surprised to see Riley on the table.

"Hello Riley. I'm glad that you're finally awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, placing electrodes on both sides of her head.

"Like I was hit by a truck. You know, I had a feeling that you were into me but I don't usually get this kinky until at least the second date."

She was not amused by her joke. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're really here."

"As am I. This wasn't part of our deal," said Hook.

"Our deal still stands. This is other business. I have some questions for you, Riley. Why don't you tell me about these covens? I know you're descended from one of them. Where are they?"

"Bite me," replied Riley.

"Let me explain how this works. That cuff on your wrist restricts your magic. If you don't cooperate, I have to give you a little shock…but you can avoid any pain if you're simply honest with me."

"So how long have you been playing Neal? I'm curious. Did your home office ask you to hook up with him as some convoluted way of finding Storybrooke? Do you actually like him or are you just that good of an actress? Maybe he's just that gullible because to be honest, you and your buddy Greg have shady written all over you. I get the appeal with Neal but Greg? He's such a nerd. How do you not fall asleep when he's talking about pictures of some stupid bird?"

"Tell me about the covens."

"Not much to tell."

Tamara switched on the machine and pressed a red button. Seconds later, an electrical current flowed through her body. Hook took one step towards the table before stepping back and standing by the doorway. Riley tensed up then burst into a fit of laughter.

"Are you sure this isn't a date? You need to do a lot better than that. Considering what I grew up with, that's hardly torture. I don't need magic to know that you don't care about the covens. What's your boss really interested in?"

"Your little secret in New Orleans. See, the three of us followed you to that club in New Orleans. We heard that entire conversation. What could be so fearsome that even someone as powerful as a god would want it?"

"Are you going to tell Neal the real reason why you're leaving or will you just use a work excuse?"

"I have no intention of leaving yet."

She pouted. "But don't you want to go to the funeral for your friends? The ones you sent to New Orleans to find out what's supposedly there? People like you are so predictable. You don't even know that you sent them to their deaths. Do you honestly think a bunch of idiots could break in there? By now, I expect that pieces of them are being discovered around the city."

"If it's that well-guarded, you must not want it getting out either. Hook, why don't you keep her company for awhile? I'll be back."

As Tamara left the room, Hook began to loosen the restraints. Riley stayed on the table, staring up at the ceiling. He insisted that she needed to leave before Tamara returned with another method of torture. There was little chance of Riley escaping unless she answered all of their questions and even then, there was a likely possibility that they would kill her.

"You know you're enjoying this. You wanted me to suffer, right?"

"Contrary to what you believe, I do not want you dead."

"And yet just this morning, you wanted to drive a sword through my stomach."

"Oh, I still have that desire and I am fighting it with every ounce of restraint in my body. What changed?"

"I told you that the Dark One was more useful alive."

"Not that. It could take centuries before I understand your motivation for keeping the crocodile alive. What I do not understand is why that meant I needed to be left behind in that closet. Surely you could have cast some spell to prevent me from harming him again. Why did you leave me in New York?"

"Are you ever going to let that go? I didn't want to leave you there but I did. Let me guess. You're going to say that you wouldn't do the same. Then that makes you a better person than me."

Hook stopped loosening the restraint around her wrist, a softened expression in his eyes. Tamara returned to the room, telling him that she wanted to interrogate Riley alone. He left the room, glancing back at Riley for a brief second.

"Shall we try this again, Riley?"

"I already told you that a little shock isn't going to make me talk."

"You're tough, I'll give you that, but I know some things about you. Things that no one else in this town does…"

"Oh, do tell."

"You're twenty, aren't you? The home office does know a few things about those covens. Some of their traditions sound scary. I learned about that one…that uh merging ritual? That's all you magical people care about, isn't it? Being so powerful? Correct me if I'm wrong but it happens between twins when they're seven."

"That's right. The covens have always hated twins because together, they're incredibly powerful. When they're seven, they're forced to fight each other until one is the winner. The other one dies and their magic gets absorbed by the victorious twin. Why do you care about that? Does your office want you to slaughter every set of magical twins?"

Tamara chuckled. "No, but there's more to the ritual, isn't there? According to my bosses, some families don't just force the twins into the ritual…it's all the siblings and if it's not done by the time the youngest is twenty one, it's bad."

"Why are we talking about this? I have no family. It's just me."

"See, I would believe that but I've noticed a few things like the nosebleeds. I've studied enough to know that it's a sign of your magic losing control. Are wearing contacts to hide your eyes changing color another sign? I'm guessing it's because you're almost twenty one and your merge still hasn't been completed. What happens if you don't?"

"Like you said, it's bad. I'd explain it but it's much too complicated. Are we done with the questions?"

"Of course not. We're just getting started," she said, turning towards the machine.

Riley managed to move her wrist under the restraint. One of the windows opened halfway and the lamp above her flickered repeatedly. She lowered her wrist as Tamara looked at her and braced herself for the interrogation…

~Killian~

Killian was having an internal battle of conscience within himself. After Greg and Tamara activated a trigger that could cause the destruction of Storybrooke, he realized that he was not willing to die for his revenge. In the past, he would have gladly accepted such a fate but something changed his mind, perhaps just that he wanted to keep his life. He sought out Swan and her parents to warn them about the impending danger and offered to help them stop the trigger. They were all hesitant to trust him, for admittedly good reasons, but were in no state to refuse any assistance in saving their little town. The prince devised a plan to use the magic beans, stolen by Tamara from Regina's office, to create a portal and bring the entire town back to the Enchanted Forest.

Swan was attempting to call Riley on her phone. Though she passed it off as wanting to protect everyone in Storybrooke, there was a hint of concern in her tone, suggesting that she honestly cared about her well-being. He struggled with telling them the truth of her whereabouts, conflicted between letting her go through a bit of pain or rescuing her from a possibly grim fate. Deep down, he knew that he did not want her dead, no matter how she infuriated him, and even their sword fight in the woods was merely a way for him to vent his anger. When he challenged her, he expected to knock her down quickly and get her to beg for mercy but she, surprisingly, held her own in the fight, using tricks that seemed familiar yet impossible for her to know unless she traveled back in time.

"She's still not answering."

"Sounds typical to me," said David.

"No, she'd at least answer with some sarcastic remark."

"Maybe she found out about the trigger and left town. I wouldn't put it past her to save herself."

"She hasn't left town," muttered Killian.

Swan looked at him. "How would you know?"

He sighed. "Because she was a hostage, along with her majesty. She was being held in a different part of the building."

"What? Why? What did Greg and Tamara want with her?"

"She was asking her questions about the covens. I suppose whoever they worked for intends for them to be the next targets."

"I've been calling her for ten minutes and now you say something? We're going to her apartment. Maybe there's some magical thing we can use to find them…or even to help us stop the trigger."

"I already told you that it can't be stopped," said Regina.

"As far as you know. It's worth a try. Besides, maybe Riley managed to escape and she'll go back there."

Swan led them to her room at the inn. He was torn between wanting to find Riley in her room, unharmed, and wanting her to remain a hostage. Vivienne, Ethan, and Alec were standing outside her door and judging by Vivienne's harsh glare, they were in some sort of argument.

"Shut up, Alec," she said, pounding on the door.

He crossed his arms. "I'm just saying that it looks a little desperate. What's next, laying naked on the bed?"

"I said shut up!"

"Guys, stop. This isn't the time to fight," insisted Ethan.

"What are you three doing?" asked Swan, curiously.

"Viv is trying a little too hard and Ethan and I were just offering her some advice. We were looking for Riley because we weren't sure if she knew about the impending destruction brought on by a deranged royal."

Regina snarled and stepped towards him but was kept back by Snow, who held one arm in front of her. Swan walked into the room, followed by the others. Vivienne blocked his path, a very cold gleam in her eyes.

"You're not allowed in here."

"I did not realize that you had that authority, love."

"Riley wouldn't want a stupid pirate in her room."

"Is that so? I've been in here quite a few times before so I suppose she has no objections. Kindly get out of my way."

"I'm only going to say this once. Stay the hell away from her or you'll deal with me. I might not look like much but I promise you that I'll have you wishing that the Dark One killed you the day he took your hand."

He was confused by her obvious threat, sensing that it was more than just her helping a friend. Turning around, she smacked him in the face with her long, dark hair. He followed her into the room, which was completely empty. Swan searched through the closet for any magical items or potions.

Regina was staring at the wall. "There's something here."

"It's a wall," said Ethan.

As Regina flicked her wrist, another door appeared on the wall. Inside was a room filled with magical objects and spellbooks. It seemed that Riley had cast a cloaking spell over the door. Vivienne warned them against touching anything in the closet, claiming that the objects could contain dangerous magic. Her odd behavior did not go unnoticed by Killian, who was now suspicious that she had previous knowledge of this hidden closet. Ethan picked up one of the spellbooks, the writing was merely crudely drawn symbols.

"How do you even read these?"

"Riley can do it. It's another language. Mr. Gold gave her the book for her lessons," said Henry.

David glanced at the spellbook. "You saw her reading this, Henry?"

"Yea, at the diner. She said that she could teach me to read it too."

"Gold said that he gave her that book to figure out how to get Belle's memory back. He had called her before we went to The Rabbit Hole to find Lacey and she said that she could barely translate more than three words," he told Swan.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would she lie?"

"Because she was up to something."

"Maybe she could only read some of the spells. It doesn't mean she was lying," suggested Ethan.

"Ethan, she clearly lied about not knowing this language."

"Riley never even met Belle. She has no reason to keep her stuck with her cursed memories. If she could translate the memory spell, she would've told Gold."

"Unless she had something to gain from it. I know you've gotten close but the fact is—what's going on?"

All of them were bathed in a golden glow. Henry had opened another book, this one much smaller with blank pages. Before Vivienne could grab the book, their surroundings began to change, the confined space of the closet disappearing before their eyes and replaced with a forest.

"What happened? Where are we?" asked Snow.

"Henry opened a memory journal. It's an object used to store memories. It's not common for someone young to use one…usually it's for someone who has lived a very long life and finds their mind cluttered. When he opened the journal, we were sucked into one of the memories," said Regina.

"Riley's memories? How do we get out?"

"It happens randomly unless another spell sucks you out first," explained Vivienne.

Two black blurs rushed past them, followed by a loud giggle. Killian watched a boy and girl, possibly no older than six, running through the woods. He was sure that the girl was a younger Riley since the journal was an account of her own memories. The boy looked very similar to her though his eyes were emerald green.

"You can't catch us," teased the boy.

"You may have gotten faster but you're not fast enough," shouted a voice in the distance.

Together, they climbed up a nearby tree, hiding among the highest branches. Another boy, not much older than them, and dressed much more sophisticated,in dark trousers and a buttoned down shirt, appeared by the tree and circled it several times. As he pressed his hand against the trunk, the tree shook slightly and both Riley and the young boy fell from their hiding spot. Riley frantically waved her hands like a bird flapping its wings. Instead of crashing into the ground, they landed softly on their feet though the boy lost his balance and fell onto his knees.

"No fair. You used magic. That's cheating."

"Then perhaps next time, you need a better hiding place."

"One more time. You won't find us again," said the boy.

"Seth, we don't have time for—"

"Please, Bash?" they chorused.

"You have lessons."

"We hate them. He's always mean to Seth and it's just an excuse for him to…he's not nice," said Riley, snapping her familiar leather bracelet against her wrist.

"Hey, you're safe as long as I'm here. You know I wouldn't let him hurt you."

"Just one more game?"

He grinned. "One more but if I find you in less than five minutes, you have to do the dishes. I'll give you a ten second head start. Ready? One—"

The boy was knocked violently into the ground by an invisible force. Killian's eyes widened as another boy, in his early twenties, appeared by the tree. Swan shared his shocked expression, instantly recognizing the boy as a younger Marcus, the leader of the coven in New York. Similar to the present day, he had his hair slicked back and was wearing a dark suit. Killian was aware that he and Riley shared a past but he never thought she knew him as a child. Riley helped the boy up from the ground while the younger boy glared at Marcus.

"Emma? What's wrong?" asked David.

"I know him. He was in New York...the guy who attacked us. Riley talked to him at the charity ball but it was like they never met before."

"They clearly have," said Regina.

"You two should be at your lessons, not playing silly little games. Stop encouraging them, Sebastian."

"We were having fun. Maybe if you took the stick out of your butt, you'd know what that is," said Riley, rudely.

"Oh, were you having fun? Enjoying your last few months together before the merge happens and only one of you gets to live? The coven's already got bets on who will win. I personally think that you'll both end up dead because neither of you deserves to win and keep your magic, especially a little monster like him," he replied, his eyes on Seth.

For a moment, the veins under the boy's eyes became more pronounced and his eyes shifted between green and pitch black. Riley squeezed his hand, keeping him calm. She glared at Marcus.

"Don't talk to him like that. If you call him that again, I'll beat you up."

He sniggered. "Will you? What's stopping you now?"

"Stop it. No one's fighting," said Sebastian, standing between them.

"I wasn't aware that your lessons involved standing around, doing nothing," he heard.

A tall dark-haired man walked into the clearing. Marcus seemed to be modeling himself after him, both wearing dark suits and even styling his hair in a similar manner. The man's dark brown eyes were like two black holes of emptiness. Riley and the two boys lowered their heads, looking afraid to even make eye contact with him.

"I suppose we shall start with you fighting Marcus," he said to Riley.

"I—I didn't mean…I was just…"

"The intent was quite clear in your voice. Are you paralyzed from the neck down?"

"N—no, but…I can't—he's a lot older and—"

"Enough. It's a shame we can't feed on cowardice and pathetic excuses. Yours alone would keep us full for months. If you don't wish to fight, it's your choice. Perhaps you'll prefer time in your little box. No mercy, either of you."

Marcus wasted no time, nearly singeing her face with a ball of fire. Riley continuously avoided his attacks by quickly popping up in different spots of the clearing. Considering she was much younger than him, it was understandable that she feared this fight. It was unlikely that she was as skilled as him in magic and only pure luck would help her. Sebastian begged the man to stop the fight, worried that Marcus would honestly kill her and call it an accident. Riley's hand was struck by a jet of red light but she was uninjured, the spell being absorbed under her skin. A ball of light, twice its size, emerged from the palm of her hand and hit Marcus in the face, sending him flying back at least ten feet. Riley stared at her hand, surprised, while Seth cheered loudly.

"In your face, Marc."

Marcus snarled and was prepared to cast another spell until the man held up his hand. That simple gesture stopped the enraged Marcus in his tracks. It was reminiscent of when Marcus himself used that same gesture to halt his followers in New York. Seth was attempting to mimic what she had done moments ago but it merely resulted in him burning his hand. As she healed his wound, a jet of green light struck her back. Riley was slammed roughly into the ground. She winced, rubbing her cheek, and looked at the man, fear in her eyes.

"You know better than to turn your back on an enemy."

"Maybe you should find this guy, Regina. You two would get along really well," said Alec.

Vivienne smacked him upside the head. "Shut up."

The man advanced towards her, his fingers emitting golden sparks. "If you can handle yourself in a fight with your brother, surely you can fight me."

Learning that Riley and Marcus were siblings, the similarities between them became quite clear. Killian assumed that the other boys were her brothers as well but the way they supported her made him even more curious why she considered herself without a family. He understood why she would disregard both Marcus and the man who was obviously her father but she seemed particularly close with Sebastian and Seth. Their surroundings changed, the forest fading, as Riley was struck with another spell by her father. The forest scenery soon turned into the inside of an ornate pub. Riley was nowhere to be seen, though it was admittedly difficult to spot her in such a large crowd. Swan noted that something was off about the memory, indicating the attire and the music.

"They're dressed like—it doesn't make sense. It's like the eighties or something. Maybe it's a theme night. I don't see her. If this is her memory, she should be here, right? I don't get—what the hell?"

Following Swan's gaze, Killian saw Ethan standing by the bar. "Ethan?" said David.

"T—that can't be me. I was stuck under the curse like everyone else. This isn't in Storybrooke. H—how am I here?"

"Maybe you have a twin brother that somehow got sent to this land before you," suggested Alec.

Though the Ethan at the bar looked exactly like the one standing beside Vivienne, there were a few differences in his mannerisms. "Doppelganger."

David looked at Killian, confused. "What?"

"He's a doppelganger. It's a sort of magical twin. They can be born centuries or a few decades apart, sharing the same bloodline."

"I would know if I have a magical twin," said Ethan.

"Not likely. Doppelgangers rarely meet. If they somehow do, it never ends well. I've heard stories of doppelgangers tearing each other apart and in the end, only one remains. They're quite valuable, particularly their blood. Many powerful, ancient spells require doppelganger blood for their completion."

Listening to his conversation with his friends, they learned that the boy's name was Vince. He kept staring at a young blonde girl sitting at the other end of the bar. Killian was shocked to see Gale, Riley's supposedly godlike acquaintance, behind the bar, handing out drinks. He handed a drink to Vince, nodding over towards the girl.

"It's from her?"

"Looks like she's got her eyes on you, kid. I'd be careful though. You never knew who you'll meet in these places."

He laughed. "Lighten up, man. I doubt she's a serial killer or something."

Vince walked over to the girl. Shaking his hand, she introduced herself as Rebecca. Hearing him offer to show her a magic trick, it seemed likely that he was a descendant of one of the covens.

"Are you a magician or something?"

"Much better. Trust me, those losers in Vegas have nothing on me."

"Vince!"

His friends were moving through the crowd. "Sorry about my friends. They like to ruin any chance of me talking to a pretty girl."

To their confusion, the boys passed by them, continuing to call out of his name. "They're really drunk. Ignore them."

"Maybe but it's probably the cloaking spell."

"Did you say—are you like me?"

She smiled. "Oh, there's no one like me. I'm one of a kind…sort of like you. Doppelgangers are just so rare but useful. I guess that's why you need to hide so well but between you and me, you're doing a bad job."

"H—how could you know that I'm a doppelganger?" he asked, sounding nervous.

"Because I'm the one who told you that you are, silly."

Her short blonde hair, turning ebony, lengthened past her shoulders and she grew a few inches in height. Within seconds, Riley had taken her place. Killian remembered her using a similar trick in the Enchanted Forest when she posed as one of her captors. All the color drained from his face and he looked like he was in front of a fearsome dragon.

"N—no, you can't—the—you—the explosion…the—that's not poss—you can't be here."

He stumbled, leaning against the counter. "I think those pills Gale put in your drink are staring to work."

As he pulled a knife from his coat pocket, she smashed a glass in his face, knocking him unconscious. Their surroundings changed once more to a cemetery at night. Vince was standing at the entrance with another boy, with short dark brown hair and some stubble, and as the boy moved his hand towards the gate, an invisible shield repelled him. Riley walked out of a nearby mausoleum, wearing a short, sleeveless black dress and heels.

"I'll admit it was a clever idea. Casting a barrier spell that lasts until the sun comes up and doing it right before the blood moon takes away your magic. It's the first time that I thought you actually have a brain. What wasn't so smart was keeping yourselves stuck in here too."

Vince glared at her. "We're fine as long as the spell keeps you trapped. We might reconsider letting you out of here alive if you tell us where you hid the emerald."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Try to sound threatening. You're terrible at it. You can say that you'll kill me a million times but you don't have the guts to do it. You're too much of a coward. Perseus wasn't like that. He was your other doppelganger, much more handsome and so brave. Fighting gorgons and sea monsters…they've even written stories about him. Can you top that? Probably not. You don't even care that your precious girlfriend has been trying to call you for the past hour. I bet it's because she started bleeding out of nowhere. Do you think it's because someone cast a linking spell so that anything happening to them would happen to her?"

"What did you do?"

"Have you gotten dumber with age? I just told you. I'm sure she'll live but what a nasty shock. She doesn't even know about magic, right? How are you going to explain that to her?"

"Leave Olivia alone. She has nothing to do with this."

"No, but it's fun to see that panic in your eyes."

"Don't let her get to you," whispered the boy.

"Why do you want that emerald, Jack? I'm curious. You can barely levitate a feather so there's no way you can handle all that power. Are you getting it for him? Not a good idea. I'm guessing that he promised to help you take back control of your coven in New Orleans but he'll just betray you."

"Maybe he'll hold up his end if I bring him your dead body, Alice."

"You really have no idea what it's all about, do you? He wants me very much alive. We have our little spats every now and then but in the end, he's never been able to hurt me with his own two hands. He always sends someone else to do the job."

Killian assumed that the him in the conversation was referring to whoever was searching for her. While these memories should have explained more about Riley, it only led to more questions. Vince seemed equally confused by her suggestion that this man did not want her dead. Riley had spent years hiding from him and it was strange that she was avoiding someone who had no intention of harming her. He questioned her own interest in the emerald.

"I remember you trading it with the Salem coven. It wasn't yours at all, was it? You stole it from someone else and traded it to fake your death in that fire."

"There's the smart little Collins I remember. It was a perfect plan except I forgot just how powerful one's obsession can be sometimes. If it wasn't for you, I would've gotten away with no problem."

"You gave it away but now you want it back. Why? To get rid of him for good?"

"Have I mentioned how glad I am that you've realized that you have no chance and you moved on? Maybe if you were like this back then, it would've worked out in your favor. Don't be embarassed. You're not the first or the worst to get obsessed over me."

"If he doesn't want to kill you, why do you keep running from him?"

"What do you care?" asked Jack, throwing pebbles at the invisible barrier.

"He was in Salem that night in 1910. There were rumors that he was heading that way and then suddenly, he was seen in London. You came up with that elaborate ruse to fake your death just to get him off your trail."

"1910? What the hell is he talking about? Riley's only twenty," said Swan.

"Something's not right about these memories," said David.

Light shined on one side of the mausoleum. Riley twisted her hand, pointing it towards the red tinted moon, and as it slowly faded away, the sun rose into the sky. She transported herself outside the cemetery and the moon reappeared, covering the cemetery in darkness. Vince attempted to leave the cemetery but was knocked back by the invisible barrier.

"These blood moons have no effect on me. I was only pretending to get exactly what I wanted."

"W—what are you talking about?" asked Vince.

"I don't give a damn about that emerald. It's not the right time yet. All that time spent interrogating me and you never realized that I was poking around inside your heads. Now I get why you're so protective of that girl. Don't worry. I won't kill her but she might not have much of a voice left when you see her again. Have fun being stuck here for another five hours."

As the memory ended, they were brought back to her room. Killian glanced at the collection of jars in the closet. One of them contained two strands of skin, golden in color. Swan and her father were arguing over the most puzzling thing in the memories: the mention of Riley being alive for decades. She adamantly denied that Riley was alive for that many years, suggesting that they misheard the date or Riley purposely altered the memories in case someone opened the journal. Though it was not too unlikely that Riley would cast such a spell as a joke, to mess with their heads, David believed that she was older than she appeared, keeping herself young with magic. His theory was not unheard of, considering there were known spells to delay aging or places like Neverland where time was frozen. Their argument was cut short by the room shaking, an effect of the activated trigger.

Killian left the room with David to retrieve the magic beans. Getting in a metal carriage, they headed over to the cannery, Greg and Tamara's hideout. After a short fight with Greg, he managed to grab one of the beans.

"We need to get back to the diner. We don't have much time," said David, stowing his pistol in his back pocket.

Killian felt something soft under the heel of his boot as they left the cannery. Glancing down, he spotted Riley's leather bracelet, which he had never seen her without since he first met her. He picked up the bracelet, noticing a slight tear in the leather.

"Renato was here. They must've taken her somewhere else."

"Maybe she already escaped and she's at the diner."

His tone was quite apathetic. Killian opened the door to the metal carriage.

"You don't seem very concerned, mate."

"That girl is nothing but secrets on top of secrets. I don't trust her at all. For all I know, she planned for Emma to be her so-called protector for her own reasons. What I saw in those memories just confirm my thoughts about her."

Most of the town was gathered inside the diner, prepared to leave for the Enchanted Forest. There was no sign of Riley, meaning that she was either on her own or still a captive. Regina remained down in the mines, suppressing the trigger with her magic and willing to let herself die in order for the rest of them to escape safely. Killian silently scoffed at their foolish plan to throw the trigger into the portal, using the only bean left and risking their lives on an idea that had a high chance of failure. He hid the bean in the pocket of his coat and pretended to be swayed by Swan's speech. His feigned empathy nearly became real when he learned that Baelfire, who had been shot by Tamara and fell through another portal earlier that day, was Henry's father.

"If you see Riley, tell her to meet us in the mines. I'll keep calling her."

Handing her the empty pouch, he left the diner and headed for his ship. If they wanted to die, it was not his concern. He began to sail away from the docks, his eyes drifting to a scratched out etching by the wheel that he once used to teach Baelfire. Instead of thinking of his next adventure in the Enchanted Forest, his mind was cluttered with old memories of their short time together before he was handed over to the Lost Boys. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the bean and accidentally also grabbed the leather bracelet. He thought back to the last time he saw her at the cannery. She had admitted to not wanting to leave him behind in New York and even claimed that he was a better person than her.

"Bloody hell," he muttered.

Turning the wheel, he sailed back towards the town…

~Emma~

Emma was down in the mines, combining her magic with Regina's to stop the trigger. It was their only shot at saving the town since Hook disappeared with the magic bean. She hoped that Riley would show up at the last minute to destroy the trigger completely but there was still no sign of her. Henry kept calling her on his phone in the hopes that she escaped from wherever Greg and Tamara were holding her hostage. A short blast from the diamond sent her and Regina flying in opposite directions. David and Mary Margaret helped her up while Regina grabbed the deactivated trigger.

"We did it."

"Yes, we did," said Regina, relieved.

David smiled. "I have to give it to Henry. He's right about a lot of things."

As Emma turned around, she realized that Henry was not in the mines, his backpack on the ground. They hurried over to the cannery and spotted Henry by the docks with Greg and Tamara. An unconscious Riley was slung over Greg's shoulder, a black cuff clasped around her wrist. It was the same cuff used to restrict Regina's magic. A portal was swirling in the water and before they could stop them, the four of them disappeared through the portal. David stopped her from jumping into the water after them. Regina pointed out that Hook had stolen the last bean, their only way to create a portal. Gold and Belle, with her memories returned, arrived at the docks. Despite being the all-powerful Dark One, he was unable to create another portal to rescue Henry.

"What is that?" asked Belle.

Emma was surprised to see Hook's ship sailing towards the town. He handed her a black pouch.

"I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself."

"Maybe I just needed reminding that I could."

The magic bean fell into her hand. She told Hook about Henry and Riley being taken through the portal. For a moment, she thought he looked concerned when she mentioned Riley. She doubted that their rescue mission would end well after Gold insisted on accompanying them through the portal, thanks to his rivalry with Hook. Though they put aside their differences for the mission, it did not erase the heavy tension between them. As they boarded the ship, Gold conjured a globe and pricked his finger on the needle on the top. A drop of blood dripped onto the globe and differently shaped lands appeared in the form of dark red mist. Hook and Gold shared a similar grim expression.

"Where is that? Where did they take Henry?" asked Regina.

"Neverland," said Hook.

"Well, let's not waste the time. The longer we wait, the—"

A snowy owl perched itself on top of the globe, its yellow eyes on Emma. It stuck out its leg, an envelope tied around it with red ribbon.

"I believe that's for you, Swan."

Reluctantly, she opened the envelope and jumped as it floated in mid-air, taking the form of a man's face.

"Miss Swan, you have failed in your duties as a guardian," said the same booming voice that had once filled Riley's room.

She looked at David and Snow, who were both dumbfounded. "Your parents cannot help you in this matter."

"You can see—this isn't weird at all. She's not dead. Riley's just…somewhere else."

"She is not meant to be on that island. The council has taken many precautions to prevent her from traveling there."

"It's not Emma's fault. She—"

"Silence, shepherd. This matter does not concern you," he said to David.

"Look, I'll get her back. We're heading there now. She'll be fine. You don't have to worry," assured Emma.

"If you do not return her within six days, it will not only be your life at its end but this town many consider their home."

"Whoa, wait a minute. You don't have to destroy an entire town because—"

The letter exploded in a cloud of silver dust. Emma was unsure why they needed to return Riley to Storybrooke within six days but she knew that if the council was willing to destroy a town, it meant something bad. As they prepared to sail to Neverland, she wondered if the person that Riley was hiding from all these years was another inhabitant on that island…