Throw Down the Gauntlet

Piper stood before a cabinet in the Dark Castle's main room, eyeing the various objects stashed within it, curious. She had seen the Dark One using them in a variety of ways, but this was the first time she was looking at them all up close, being able to reach out and touch them, examine them. They were all rather lovely looking, all so tempting. She pulled a dagger out, not the Dark One's dagger no, that was stashed safely in her boot, but a rather ornate one, bejeweled handle, the blade very sharp…

"Don't cut yourself, dearie."

She didn't outwardly flinch at the voice of Rumpelstiltskin himself calling out behind her back, though her eyes did snap up from the dagger. She rather hated when he appeared via magic, it was harder to hear his song approaching. He did it on purpose, she knew, he loved surprising her, especially when she was on ladders or up higher than normal. He enjoyed startling her to see if she might fall off it so he could catch her. She wasn't sure if it was a small want of playing the hero in that way or if he just liked holding her in his arms but she wouldn't begrudge him it…she rather enjoyed the rush of falling and being proven over and over that he would always catch her, and being in his arms was rather nice.

"I do not see why you concern yourself with if I should cut myself or not," she murmured, continuing to examine the dagger though her interest in it had faded quickly with his return from his latest deal, "You would heal it regardless."

"I prefer to have my treasures unblemished."

She snorted at that, setting the knife down and turning to face him, "Then you had best stop calling me a treasure, I am as blemished and broken as possible."

"No," he shook his head, stepping closer to her, "You are perfection in all that you are."

She looked away at that, feeling a traitorous blush creeping up her face. She knew what his words were meant to mean, she was perfect as she was now. Whatever cracks existed in her, those were cracks of the person she used to be, not the person she was now. It was almost like…and she hated to use such a innocent comparison…a butterfly. A caterpillar that spun a cocoon, that hid from the world…and broke free when it was ready, becoming better than it was.

Rose Red had been the caterpillar, the Pied Piper was the butterfly...a dangerous, deadly, poisonous butterfly that would sooner gouge an eye out than land on a flower…but a butterfly nonetheless.

"You took quite a while," she remarked, changing the topic as she shut the cabinet door and stepped towards him, meeting him half way.

"Yes," he huffed, "It seems the good people of Camelot are quite stubborn," he hummed, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead, "I shall make it up to you for being so late in my return."

"You should have stayed later," she smirked, "I was examining your toys."

He giggled at her use of calling them toys. Anyone else would have said it to taunt him, to criticize him, to make it sound more like they were mere baubles and not as powerful as they were. But Piper called them that for the entertainment they could bring, the chaos they could cause. He rather liked the thought of her playing with his 'mere baubles,' just imaging what she could do with control of some of them sent a shiver down his spine.

"And how did you find them?"

"Interesting," she mused, "Some confusing, others dull."

He pouted childishly at the dull remark, "I shall have to remedy that then, ooh!" he pointed at the ceiling, "I believe I have," before flicking his wrist, causing an object to appear in his hand, what looked like a gauntlet from a suit of armor, older and more wore, made of a darker metal.

He held it out to her as though offering her a gift, complete with a teasing bow, which made her grin and reach out to take the metal hand, examining it, "This is what you went to Camelot for?"

"Mhmm," he hummed.

"Then it was a beneficial trip?"

"For me," he giggled, eyeing the gauntlet with glee, "Not so much for Camelot. A souvenir. Clean it for me, will you?" he gave her what she was sure was an attempt at a puppy dog's look with a pouting lip…

It just looked ridiculous on the Dark One though.

Still, she smiled, "But of course," she nodded, "Might I inquire what it does?"

"What makes you think it does anything, Pip?"

"You would not take a mere gauntlet," she reasoned, turning it over in her hand, "And as it lacks the arm it was attached to…I assume you only wanted the gauntlet."

"Too right you are Pip," he grinned, clapping his hands, "It's a magic gauntlet with a very specific power. It can locate anyone's greatest weakness. For almost everyone, that weakness is the thing they love most. That…" he tapped the gauntlet, "Will point me in the right direction."

"Hmm…" she hummed this time, raising her gaze to his, "May I?"

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," he gestured for her to go on.

Piper slipped the gauntlet onto her hand, willing it to show her the Dark One's greatest weakness…and immediately her hand was yanked down to her boot, pulling the dagger free and holding it before her.

Rumpelstiltskin was silent, watching her, waiting for her reaction to that given what he'd just told her about weaknesses.

"Well," she huffed, "That was rather anticlimactic. Show me what I already know."

His eyes narrowed at her a moment, "You're not…upset? That it is not you?"

"Should I be?" she countered, pulling the gauntlet off and returning the dagger to her boot, "The Dagger IS your weakness," she reasoned, "It controls you, it limits you," she tilted her head a moment, "Did you think I would believe the Dagger was what you 'loved most' merely because that is what weakens most people?" she tsked him teasingly, "Shame on you Dark One, to think that I would ever consider you to be 'almost everyone' in your words."

He shook his head at her, impressed, "I love you Pip."

She smirked at that, "And I you," she returned, before waving the gauntlet in front of him, "Care to find out my own?"

He shook his head, though he took the gauntlet back, "I already know yours," he glanced at her, "Your cousin."

She nodded at that, in that instance she supposed she was like everyone else, her love for her cousin was her greatest weakness. She would do anything to keep Snow White safe, up to and including killing the man in front of her with his own Dagger, assuming the power and prison that was the Dark One, if he dared become a threat to her cousin.

And he knew it too.

She eyed the gauntlet in his hands, "I hope you shall forgive if I take care with the gauntlet later in the day?"

"Oh?" he looked up at her, tilting his head at question of why she wouldn't clean it now.

"I grew remiss in examining your toys," she explained, "I do believe the clothes I washed should be dry by now. I should collect them."

"Yes," he nodded, "Of course, clean clothing would be needed after the trip I had."

Piper waited till he turned, likely to bathe, before calling out, "Of course, if you wished to go without, I would not speak against it," she nearly laughed when she saw him stop dead at her words, "I would not mind, not at all. It would, in fact, be a sight I would most enjoy…though your clients would be rather startled."

He turned to her, his eyes narrowed as he caught her playful taunt, "Ooh but it would be quite unfair for myself to be so freed and not yourself," he eyed her, "And I would have no clients if that were to happen."

"Oh?" she mimicked.

"They would be dead for just glancing at you," he told her, the threat ringing true in his words.

She smirked, "Well, then, I should get those clothes, should I not?"

He chuckled at that, "Allow me to assist…" he flicked his hand and she disappeared in a swirl of red smoke, appearing just outside the castle, in a small courtyard near the woods where her lines of clothing had been strung up.

"My many thanks," she murmured to the wind, knowing he was listening. She shook her head and turned, moving to the clothing lines and began to pull the garments off.

She had gotten halfway done when she heard a small noise at the other end of the courtyard, near the forest, a barking noise. She frowned and made her way to it to see a small Dalmatian puppy sitting there, staring at her.

Her eyes narrowed, "Get yourself gone," she shooed the puppy away. But it just whined and barked, lifting its hand to her, "Go!" she gestured to the woods, but it still wouldn't budge, "Off with you."

When it still refused to move she turned and picked up a stick, waving it in front of the puppy before throwing it towards the woods, the little dog turning and rushing off after it. She shook her head at that and turned, to go back to her tending…

Only to gasp as tentacles encircled her waist, wrapping around her, right up to her mouth, covering it as she was yanked back and into the forest…

~8~

Rumpelstiltskin frowned as he made his way into the courtyard of his castle, calling out for Piper. It was late, the sun was starting to set and, no matter how distracted or 'remiss' she might have gotten in her caretaking duties, he knew it wouldn't take her as long as it had been to finish gathering the clothes.

"Pip?" he called, pausing at the edge of the yard when he saw that the clothing was still there, wafting in the breeze, "Pip?" he stepped closer to the clothing, reaching out to one to keep it out of his sight, looking around for her, "Piper?"

He tensed more and more with each step across the courtyard, knowing in his heart that Piper wouldn't have run away. She had seemed happy there, with him, as Mistress of his castle instead of the caretaker even though she insisted on keeping those duties to tend to as part of their deal. She was happy there, she was, he gave her all the freedom she wanted, he protected her, so there was no reason for her to run off.

As far as he knew, her cousin was still in the middle of her honeymoon, she was safe. So there was no threat that would draw her away, there was no one that knew her true identity besides himself.

His jaw tensed as he realized what had to have happened, someone had stolen her from him.

NOT the wisest thing a person could do.

The nearer he got to the edge of the yard, the more he began to sense a familiar magic lingering just at the edge, two sets of magic actually.

Ursula, the sea witch, and Cruella de Vil, he would recognize their magical marks no how vague they were. He looked up, hearing a bird cawing in the trees and spotted a black one watching him, and there was Maleficent's little spy as well.

He reached the end of the yard and looked down, seeing a sand dollar lying in the dirt. He kicked it away, waving his hand as it rolled off, until a small image of Piper appeared from it, in the glow the dollar was now giving off. He could make out the top half of her body, her hands bound before her, though she didn't appear injured.

If anything, she seemed furious…and her voice in the message that came after it strengthened that notion.

"Rumpelstiltskin," Piper began, her voice low and hard, the barest hint of a tremble in it though he knew, where most would mistake it as fear, it was restrained fury, "I have been requested to demand of you the gauntlet of Camelot in exchange for my life," her lips pursed at that and he could see the distaste in her eyes from there, she hated being a bargaining chip, being bait, being leverage, it had been her entire reason for coming to him for protection from Regina, she hadn't wanted to let herself become just that against her cousin and now she'd been taken as one for him, "If you wish to see me alive again," he almost smirked at the roll of her eyes she gave at that rather generic threat, "Then bring the gauntlet to the base of Demon's Bluff at midnight."

He would have laughed at the expression on her face the moment before the magic on the sand dollar wore off, she was livid…murderous even…oh it would be such fun to watch her take her own revenge against the women that had taken her. He would have laughed…had HE not been equally as furious.

"You!" he pointed up at the trees, at the bird watching him, "I know where you came from! Tell your master I know who she is and she's just crossed a line!"

He glared at the bird as it cawed and flew into the air before he disappeared in a swirl of red smoke.

~8~

Rumpelstiltskin stormed across a small bluff, the moon high behind him, the gauntlet clenched tightly in his hands. The expression on his face would have been enough to send anyone scurrying…or fleeing…away from him he appeared on such a warpath. But he knew that it was exactly the reaction the trio of women would want. And he was too angry to care if his reaction was playing into their plans or not.

"I have what you want, dearie," he called out, holding the gauntlet above his head, hearing the black birds cawing in the distance, "Now show yourself!"

It was silent for a moment before someone was shoved out from behind a rock, Piper, glaring behind her at whoever it might have been that had pushed her, before her gaze landed on him, "Rummy," she breathed, "If you would be so kind," she held up her bound hands, seeming completely at ease even with her apparent kidnapping.

He glared at the rope wrapped around her hands, snapping his fingers and fraying them till they fell off.

"Many thanks," Piper rubbed her wrists as they were freed.

"Ooh why Rumple, have you gone soft?" a voice echoed above them as a series of birds flew at them, swirling near the ground and forming into Maleficent, the woman grinning at them with her magical staff clenched firmly in her hand, "That was quite kind of you," she taunted.

"Maleficent," Rumpelstiltskin sneered, "Oh, I am impressed. Didn't think you had it in you."

"I'm not here for your praise," Maleficent shook her head, pointing her staff at Piper before she could move to Rumpelstiltskin's side, a threatening move though Piper merely seemed to raise an eyebrow at it. She would give it to the Dark One, this new maid of his was quite the brave little girl, brave or stupid, she wasn't sure yet, to stand there looking more bored than frightened, she had to be stupid, "Give me the gauntlet and you can have your wench back."

Rumpelstiltskin chuckled at that, "Seeing as how you asked so nicely…" he reached out with his free hand, curling it into a fist that sent Maleficent flying into the air, dangling there by her neck as he choked her with his magic, causing her to drop her staff, "You think you can steal from the Dark One and live?" he scoffed, his voice deep and dark, the power radiating off him as he tried to strangle her with his magic, "Fatal mistake, dearie! Any last words?"

Maleficent gasped, struggling to breath, struggling to get just three words out between her whimpers, "I'm…not…alone…"

A sharp inhale of breath from Piper was all he needed to look over, seeing that tentacles had shot out from the shadows of a set of stones, a black woman with light hair stepping out from the darkness, a smirk on her face as she made her way closer to Piper, her tentacles wrapping around the girl's waist and upper shoulders, Piper's hands coming up to grab at the tentacle.

He nearly frowned at that, at seeing a half-smirk on her face, but instead focused on the woman holding her captive, "The sea witch."

"Such a pretty thing," Ursula laughed, moving right beside Piper and looking her up and down, "Seems a shame I'll have to crack her pipes," she moved her upper tentacle to Piper's neck.

"Harm one hair on her head…" Rumpelstiltskin threatened, "Maleficent burns."

"And Ursula will kill your maid," a third voice, the voice he had been wondering where they were hiding, spoke, "And where will that leave us?"

He looked over to see a woman with far too much make up and black-and-white hair step out from behind a large rock, likely the same one that had shoved Piper out to begin with, "Cruella! Thought I caught a whiff of desperation and gin. I must say," he eyed the women, "I'm surprised to see you all here. Last time we crossed, it looked like things weren't going your way," he gaze flicked to Piper, the woman still unnaturally calm despite having tentacles wrapped around her. He could see an odd sparkle in her eyes, he would almost say she was planning something, but he wasn't willing to find out, was even less willing to see how far the three women would take this when it came to her life being on the line which it very much was, "And unless you hand back my maid," he went along with their belief that that was all she was to him, "They won't be this time, either."

"Shall I get you a stepstool so you can look in my eyes when you threaten me?" Cruella glared at him.

"I don't need to threaten you, dearie," he sneered, "It took three of you to get this far, and I promise it isn't far enough."

"Have it your way," Cruella shrugged, "Ursula, darling, crush the maid's heart."

Rumpelstiltskin's grip on the gauntlet tightened, as did Ursula's hold on Piper, the half-siren really seeming to be struggling to breathe now as Ursula's tentacles squeezed and squeezed her body…

He let out a frustrated groan and threw the gauntlet at Maleficent's feet, dropping the woman from his hold at the same time, letting her fall unceremoniously to the ground with an 'oomph.'

"Now release her," Rumpelstiltskin glared at them.

Maleficent gave Ursula a nod, the sea witch loosening her tentacled grip on Piper.

Piper winced, a hand coming to her neck as she turned to look at the three women, "Many thanks," she stated…

Before reaching out quickly, and shoving her hand right into Urusla's chest, ripping her heart out with a grin so dark it would have done the Dark One proud.

And indeed it did for Rumpelstiltskin giggled most delightedly when he saw Ursula dropping to her knees from Piper squeezing the heart.

"Let her go!" Maleficent shouted, echoing Rumpelstiltskin's words.

"Hmm…" Piper hummed as though considering it, "No," she gave Maleficent a mocking apologetic smile before turning, "A gift," and tossing the heart to Rumpelstiltskin himself.

The man held it up before him, squeezing it harder, not enough to crush it, but enough for Ursula to cry out in agony at the pain rippling through her.

"This," he looked at the three women, "Is gonna be fun," he brought the heart to his mouth, whispering instructions to it and Piper quickly stepped back to avoid the tentacles that shot out of Ursula's waist, grabbing Cruella and Maleficent in as tight a hold as they had had on her.

She smirked, watching it all happen, backing up a few steps till she was right beside the Dark One, "I suppose you did not see this coming?" she mused, eyeing the women, clearly enjoying what she was seeing.

"How did…" Maleficent began, but Ursula's tentacle squeezed her into silence.

"You really think I wouldn't teach her a few little tricks for just such an occasion?" Rumpelstiltskin mocked, "In case you didn't realize dearie, she's not just my maid, she's my business partner."

"The Pied Piper," Piper smirked, seeing their eyes widen, nearly laughing at how they hadn't even bothered to learn more about her, "At your service," she gave a mocking bow.

"Now," Rumpelstiltskin looked over at Maleficent, "I find it interesting that you three would risk my wrath just to gain possession of a little gauntlet…" he turned to Ursula, holding up her heart, "So tell me, what caused you to take full leave of your minds?"

Ursula grunted, fighting not to tell him, not wanting him to know how desperate they had been, "Oh, the risk was worth it," she admitted, "For too long we've lived in a world where the heroes always win."

"And the gauntlet will reveal our enemies' weaknesses," Cruella added, not seeing the point in keeping that hidden any longer, Ursula would have just blurted it out anyway, she winced as the tentacles tightened around her, "And we will be the victors."

Rumpelstiltskin snorted at that, "And you thought the best way to get that from me," he nodded at the gauntlet still in Maleficent's hand, "Was to seize my partner from under me and hold her hostage? See if I would pay the ransom?" he tsked, "There may yet come a day when the students surpass the master. But today is not that day, and demanding a ransom of ME?" he shook his head, "Well, that is most certainly a…" he hummed, considering the word and looked at Piper, "Pip?"

"Death wish," she supplied, "Oh do so hope it is a death wish."

He grinned at that, the three women exchanging looks while his attention was on her, all three realizing that they had likely selected the absolute worst person to try and barter the gauntlet for. Not only was she the Pied Piper, but his partner…and just as dark and twisted as Rumpelstiltskin was. She had proved that in ripping out a heart without flinching.

"Yes," Rumpelstiltskin nodded, turning his attention back to the three women, "A death wish, and a fool's errand" he held out his hand, grinning, "I want my gauntlet."

"You could just…" Maleficent winced, the tentacle digging into her side, "Take it from me!"

It wasn't like she could magically transport herself away, not with Ursula's tentacles holding her down, nor would Ursula be able to let them go while the Dark One controlled her. So whey didn't he just take the gauntlet? He controlled the sea witch, she had more than just two tentacles…

"Oh I could," he nodded, "But I want you to give it to me," his hand curled around Ursula's heart once more, "I want you to trade me the gauntlet, for her life," he nodded at the woman on her knees, growing weaker by the moment yet her hold on the two women tightened, "I want you to relinquish it. To know you failed. To know YOU had to give up. It's so much more satisfying to be given something another values above all else than to take it."

Maleficent glared at him, but winced as Ursula let out another agonized wail. She tried to close her eyes to it, tried to deafen herself to the sounds, to the cries of pain from the woman…but it was getting to be too much for her and…perhaps she was a little softer now, more emotional, than she should have been for before she realized it she had shouted out, "Fine! Here!" and tossed the gauntlet at the Dark One's feet.

"Pip, if you would be so kind?" Rumpelstiltskin echoed her words, Piper moving forward to pick up the gauntlet, "Well then," he eyed the women, lowering his hand and releasing his tight grip on Ursula's heart, "It seems we're done here."

He threw the heart to the sea witch, Ursula scrambling forward to catch it so it wouldn't fall on the ground, her own hold on the two other women loosening as well, dropping them to their knees, gasping and wincing at the pain of it all.

"Whatever you're up to," Cruella panted, seeing Rumpelstiltskin take the gauntlet from Piper, "It'll never work. The game is rigged. The villains never win."

"Why don't you join us?" Maleficent gasped, pushing herself to her feet once more though she was leaning heavily on her staff, "Perhaps we can change the game together."

"You severely underestimate me, dearie," Rumpelstiltskin shook his head at them, "I already have a partner," he gestured at Piper who gave a mocking wave to them, "I don't have need for any others. Especially none as incompetent and weak as you three…Queens of Darkness," he taunted the name they had given themselves.

Piper nodded, "The Dark One always wins. Which, I suppose means…" she thought on that, smirking at them, "That you shall always lose."

The three women glared at her for that but disappeared moments later in a swirl of black smoke, leaving Rumpelstiltskin and Piper alone on the bluff.

"Well," Piper sighed, "That was rather anticlimactic of a kidnapping. I have had better events of capture in the past."

She had managed to work it out, how they'd gotten her without her hearing. Ursula, being of the sea, her song was more muted to her ears, she hadn't heard the tune till it was too late. They shouldn't have been able to get her in the first place, the Dark One did have some measure of protection set up around his castle, but the women were magical. The puppy had been a distraction, no doubt they'd hoped she would fawn over it and follow it but she was not that moved by puppy's as to do such a thing. So when she'd thrown the stick, past the small magical protection wards around the castle, it had carried just enough of a trace of herself, of her own immunity to the wards for them to use to get closer to her, close enough to grab her.

She had been hoping, if she was ever captured from under the Dark One's nose, that it would have been a bit more dramatic than being yanked into the woods and transported.

She looked over at Rumpelstiltskin, frowning when she saw a more…thoughtful, yet tense expression on his face, "Rummy?"

"You had your song," Rumpelstiltskin turned to her, "Your mouth wasn't gagged. You had full use of your voice, you could have had them all driven to their knees, dead before I even set foot here," he eyed her, "Why didn't you fight back Pip?"

She smirked, "I thought you would rather enjoy defeating them more," she stepped closer, a finger trailing down the line of his vest, "You do get so cross when others touch your treasures," she looked up at him through her eyelashes, "It was only right that I allow you the chance to seek reparations for the theft."

"You are not an object, Pip," he shook his head, for all that he called her a treasure, it was more her value to him than that he thought her some sort of possession to be hidden away in his vault, "I do not want you in danger."

"Ooh but you are quite…heroic, when I am," she grinned at him, teasing him with that word, stepping even closer to him, resting her hand on his heart as she spoke, "I do so love seeing you like that Rummy, my black knight," she murmured, "So dark, and dangerous, so powerful, in your element, wielding your magic to your will," she leaned in, "Defending me, wanting to protect me…" her lips brushed over his, "It is very appealing to see you radiating and reveling in your darkness, Dark One."

His breath came short at her words, at how she drew nearer and nearer to him, and he couldn't hold back any longer but to lean in and press a bruising kiss to her lips.

She had tricked him, he realized, though it wasn't quite a trick per say but more a twist in a plot already devised to anger him, a twist to give him more freedom. She had known, the moment she was taken, that even if she was returned or found her way back to him, he would still seek vengeance against the Queens of Darkness…and she had wanted to witness it. She had let him come to them, get them all in one place, so he could deal with them at once. She had wanted to see him, watch him use his magic, use his darkness, in her defense. He supposed he understood, he very much enjoyed when she would use her magic to torture others that would attempt to harm him. Even if she knew he couldn't be harmed by anything save his dagger, it was the sentiment, it was watching the instinct to protect play out that was so…appealing.

He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her at the high that came with using his magic as he had, with knowing that doing so had affected her as well, and, with his last coherent thought, a swirl of red smoke rose around them, taking them back to his castle.

And if the clean clothes remained outside for another few hours…well, it wasn't 'the maid's' fault this time.

A/N: I sort of see this moment with the Queens being just shortly before they confront Snow and Charming, like they went to the Dark One, another 'villain' first before having to go to their last resort of dealing with heroes. So, in the timeline of the story, Piper has already been with the Dark One for a while and they've already established a relationship, so I felt that this flashback would work even if it was Belle in the show ;) Though I couldn't quite see Piper just standing there begging for help but sort of taking time to plot and think. She's been captured before, so she's had some experience with what her captors might do or how they might react so she had a little bit of an edge over Belle in that sense ;)

Lol, I just realized that, after the last chapter, chapter 22, the story has 222 reviews :) I found that amusing :)

Some notes on reviews...

I can say that we'll see a moment of Piper holding Neal...how others might react to that moment in the story well...not saying }:)

Snow was definitely shortsighted there. I think a part of her conflict comes with really struggling to fully accept that the version of her cousin that she has now is more Siren than she has ever been growing up. She's gotten better at accepting it, but there are moments where she doesn't think or realize how Piper will take something because she's thinking more 'Rose Red' than 'the Piper' and it will come back to bite her later ;)

Lol, I sort of see the Author doing something like that as all of it's happening, just watching from where he's trapped and commenting to himself about the events even though he can't write them down any longer :)

She could be pregnant...or she could not be }:) We'll definitely find out before the story's over ;)

I think Snow will want to believe that Piper won't turn that much against them, but she'll be dealt a hard reminder of exactly what Sirens need to do to heal from betrayals :( It makes somewhat sense for a hero, though I think Henry brings up a good point in that Gold had all the power to do what he wanted before but chose not to, so it really didn't make much sense to banish him in that case. Though I can say Piper isn't quite overreacting about Emma's darkness being removed, what Snow did with Emma and Lily actually DOES have to do with Piper so her being upset about it will be very much justified later ;) She has a guess and a suspicion why Snow did what she did, but it'll be up to Snow to reveal if Piper's guess is right or not, but with how well she knows her cousin...Piper might just be spot on :( Piper definitely lacks regret from her Siren-half, to her she only regrets what she does if her family is hurt and no one else. Regina's come far in regretting that her actions hurt other people and apologizing for them, but Piper won't ever reach that point unless she suddenly becomes fully human. I think Emma's potential is sort of like there's 0 darkness in her heart, so something that wants it to be dark would be drawn to it, would want to corrupt it. Emma has no darkness inside her, but others could push darkness towards her or push her to do dark deeds that would cause a darkness to form (or at least that's what I'm getting from how freaked out Snow was by some things Emma did, like if the darkness was gone completely she shouldn't have even been worried Emma could go dark later). So it could just be that the darkness is drawn to her in a 'here is a pure heart to corrupt' sort of way, I think, lol :) I'm on the fence about what Hook was, we see so little of him in flashbacks from his 300 years as a pirate that it's hard to know if he was a vigilante type or true villain though he had to have done some pretty bad things to have considered himself to be one and for every other person to think him to be one too I think. I feel like, from some of his innuendo that he said to Emma in Season 2, it could be implied that he did rape at some point in his 300 years though :( As a pirate, I feel like pillaging would likely be covered under that title too. I sort of wish they would do a flashback episode, maybe in Season 5 with how Emma is now 'dark' to show Hook at his absolute worst/darkest, like maybe if Emma tries to tempt him to be dark again we get to see him when he really was the darkest he could be for a reference or something :)

I Piper not mentioning what happened in New York to snow has a little to do with the fact that, if Gold died but came back or if she was the one suffering it, it would be admitting to her 'enemies' that Gold is now weaker or that she is weaker having suffered that, it's revealing that they're not as strong at the moment and something she doesn't doubt Charming, at least, will use against them later. Like a 'now's the time to attack!' thing :( If she said that Gold was dead, trying to keep it secret that he was actually alive, being half-siren, Snow might be suspicious why she seems relatively healthy and strong if her true love did die, so Piper's definitely keeping certain things very close to her chest when it comes to Snow ;) But that's awesome! My dad actually wants to see the Minion movie and he's not big on many movies in general lol, we're trying to find a day where everyone's off to see it as a family :)

I think Hook is sort of doing what Snowing is, but on a more selfish level. Like Snowing want Emma to think that what Snow did was for the greater good and not blame them, Hook is sort of trying to get her to think of Piper as a villain to almost make himself look better, like 'I didn't do all those things' even though he probably did some bad stuff in his past she doesn't know about. They'll definitely be getting a harder wake up call about consequences of their actions yup ;) Lol, I could actually see David wanting to believe they wouldn't lie to Henry, but everyone sort of knows that they'd give him the biased version of events, how Piper and Gold were plotting to do something very terrible, something that put the town in true danger, that they had to be stopped and the only way was blah blah blah :( I'm blanking at the moment, but I feel like they did something similar when Snow, in the show, got Regina to murder her own mother. Henry barely seemed to react or think badly of Snow after that episode that he found out about it. They gave him such a watered down version to not make Snow look bad :( Piper will definitely be asking Snow and David about their complete lack of concern about Neal going dark in the future yup, their answer might cause some tension for a few people }:)

I'm so glad that you're enjoying Piper! And I'm very touched to hear that she inspires you a little, that means so much to me :') I'm very much looking forward to their bonding with Piper too ;)