Dead Reckoning

Chapter Seventeen

On the day the Snow Queen cast the curse of shattered sight…

Hook stood within the harbor when Gold appeared and sat down beside him while the Captain looked through his spyglass for passage out of Storybrooke, seeing an ice wall growing up on the sea, then Hook spoke up saying, "No fleeing by boat then."

The Dark One stared out over the ocean as well while he answered, "This Snow Queen is good, isn't she?"

"Sit, lad," he continued as he looked up at his enemy and pat the bench, knowing that the pirate would be forced to obey him, then did the same with the satchel on the ground beside him to taunt him while Killian glared out in front of them. "Don't forget where your heart lies. Now I have a job for you. You remember how this works."

"The hat?" Killian questioned in confusion as Gold used his power to summon the Sorcerer's box until it suddenly dawned on him what he might be planning and immediately turned his head to face him. "Not Emma."

Mr. Gold chuckled at Hook's sudden distress and then responded smugly, "No, no. Not this time. I have a better plan. Granny's Diner is being converted into a temporary hive for the vilest of creatures… the pious little fleas."

Killian stated strangely, "Pious? The fairies?"

"Just like any flying pests, if you wanna eliminate the infestation, it's important to get them all," the villain replied. "Doing so will infuse this hat with enough power to allow me to cleave myself from the dagger and then leave this town with my powers intact, a suddenly urgent undertaking. Now will you assist me?"

"You have my heart," his enemy answered darkly as he turned away again. "You know I can't refuse."

Mr. Gold laughed once more and said, "Indeed. But here's the rub, dearie. My wife has just called to inform me that she intends to spend the day sequestered amongst said fleas. So I need you to stand by while I get her out of the way."

Hook worked his thoughts out in his mind as he spoke out loud saying, "The fairies are working to stop the spell."

"You're killing the cure?" Killian added sternly as he turned back to Gold while he sat up to face him. "You do this, you condemn the entire town, and even your own grandson, to whatever happens."

"No, I'm not leaving Henry," the Dark One responded. "I will take him and I will take Belle and I will leave this town to its fate."

The pirate Captain derided him as he replied, "But Emma and everyone else…"

Gold looked away as he sneered, "I don't have time for everyone else. And if I have to choose between everyone else and me… 'me' wins every time."

"You can clench your jaw… and flash your eyes all you wish, because it doesn't change the fact… that we're in this together," the Dark One uttered cruelly as he waved his dagger over the box to bring out the magic hat while Killian simply glared at the man he hated more than anyone else.

"Still thinking about what we were talking about earlier?" Rumplestiltskin asked as he appeared before Gold once again after having left him earlier that morning to think on the ultimatum he left him with. "Or a bit of what we spoke of anyway. You're considering you past relations with the pirate and trying to decide what's really more important to you. Your power and the pleasure choosing the darkness can bring you, or being a weak old man completely whipped by his loving wife and infant son? From the memory you're currently recalling, you're wondering if you can once again have both. Don't try to deny it. Believe me, I know."

"I told you, I am not going to be the man I was before," Gold answered curtly as he slammed the book in his hands down against the glass case in front of him. "Stop trying to tempt me back into the life that nearly destroyed everything I had with Belle, because I allowed myself to believe having both was possible. You recall how Belle forced me across the town line that very afternoon and I lost her for six weeks. I won't go through that again. Just leave me alone!"

It was then Belle walked into the main room from within the back of the shop, carrying their son in her arms after they had both taken a nap, and she asked tiredly, "Rumple, are you alright? Who are you arguing with?"

Gold turned and walked over to his wife as he shook his head and responded, "No one. I assure you, I'm fine. I suppose I'm just a little stressed is all."

"Is this still because of what happened this morning at Granny's between you and Killian?" she asked quietly. "I hope you know I'm not expecting you to change overnight, or even completely. And I wouldn't want you to. Today, you took the first step in making amends with the man who has been your enemy for far longer than any of the rest of us who have been alive. I'm proud of you for that. You and Killian won't ever be the best of friends. Just promise me you won't allow one defeat to stop you from continuing to try. I know that he's really trying too."

"I know it," the beauty's husband replied. "But it isn't just that. Listen, there's something you need to know. Something… I should have told you when it first began."

Belle looked at him worryingly as she asked, "What's wrong? Rumple, you can tell me anything."

Rumplestiltskin, still standing behind Gold laughed and then answered, "Yes. Go on and tell the true love of your life that you're seeing me, the devil over your shoulder and that I'm attempting to get you to choose our darkness over her and Gideon. She'll think you're either going mad, or she'll realize that you will never change and turn once again to the heroes to seek advice about leaving you all over again."

"It's just… I'm not sure exactly how to…" Gold began to explain until he was suddenly cut off as Emma, David, and a stranger to their town entered the shop.

"Gold… we're sorry for barging in here, but we need your help," Emma said urgently said as she rushed forward to stand before him and Belle. "Killian's been hurt and we think it's from something only found in Neverland. He was attacked earlier by a group of pirates who started with destroying the Jolly Roger. Killian's unconscious so we can't even ask him what happened. Will you come back with us to the hospital? Please."

Rumple turned his head as if to look at his demon for advice as the illusion from his mind simply smiled haughtily, then he turned back to the Savior and responded, "Of course. Lead the way, Miss. Swan. But uh… who's this stranger?"

Emma looked between the Dark One and Liam nervously until she replied, "This is Liam Jones, Killian's brother. Liam, this is Mr. Gold. Please, we need to help Killian first. We'll explain everything else later."