Jefferson opened up the cupboard, looking over the potion list before searching the shelves. They were filled with all sorts of ingredients, and it took some time for him to find the necessary items amongst the various vials, bottles and boxes. Gathering what he needed, Jefferson went back to his bench, aware he was being watched by Regina. She was also developing her potions, although her skills were not as advanced as his. Keeping his eyes trained to the instructions, Jefferson prised a unicorn hair from its container, adding two drops of the ogre blood. He knew well that this potion required concentration, yet Jefferson couldn't focus, which he put down to the fact that Regina's eyes were boring into his back, rather than admit that his thoughts were straying to someone else.
"Unless you want to be the Count's next beverage…" Shaking his head, Jefferson ignored Elizabeth's voice.
It was vital that he made the potion successfully: an invisibility potion was difficult to master but Jefferson knew that it would come in handy. He was about to add the final ingredient, the hardest part of all, when a loud crash startled him. Jefferson turned to see a smashed bottle on the floor, a transparent liquid seeping out. Regina had knelt down and tried to pick up the shards, crying out in pain. With a flick of his wrist, the glass and its contents vanished. Regina looked up in surprise.
"You can do magic too?"
Jefferson gave a nonchalant shrug, frowning as a putrid smell wafted over from the direction of Regina's bench.
"No, no, don't do that!" Regina cried, hurrying back to her potion, which had turned a sludge colour and was producing green smoke. The girl was panicking, wafting at the smoke in desperation.
"How much knotweed did you add?" Jefferson choked out, pressing a hand over his mouth as he moved to Regina's bench.
"I don't know!" Regina replied, flicking through her potions book for a remedy.
Jefferson grabbed a vial Regina had left on her table, pouring half of it into the potion. It cleared into the intended blue colour, the fumes stopping.
"Thank you," Regina said, pushing open the window, "you won't tell Rumplestiltskin, will you? About this, or me breaking that bottle?"
Jefferson looked at her, noticing the stray hair that had slipped out of her braid. His eyes strayed down to Regina's chest. Her corset was done so tight; Jefferson found it hard not to stare.
"Of course not," he said.
Regina sighed with relief, slipping back into her seat.
"I can't even do a simple potion!" She said despairingly, "l'll never master potions or magic like you."
"That's not true," Jefferson sat down beside her, gently peeling the hair from her forehead and tucking it behind her ear, "I made plenty of mistakes when I first started. Just ask Rumplestiltskin."
Regina laughed softly, and Jefferson whispered in her ear: "Now do you want me to run through the potion with you?"
Jefferson hadn't realised just how much time he'd spent helping Regina until he heard the sound of the doors flying open, announcing the return of Rumplestiltskin. Both he and Regina looked up at him rather guiltily as he stood at the doorway. Jefferson suddenly becoming aware that his hand was resting on top of hers, and quickly moved it away, before going back over to his bench.
"I think I can do the potion now, thanks," Regina said, adding a few drops of the knotweed liked he had shown her. She cast a grateful glance at Jefferson as her potion remained blue.
"Excellent Regina, you are improving," Rumplestiltskin commented, walking past them both to close the potions cupboard, before turning his attention to Jefferson's abandoned potion.
"Finish yours Jefferson," He instructed, leaning in slightly before coldly whispering to him, "and don't help Regina again."
Jefferson nodded, feeling both Regina and his business partner's gaze on him as he moved his hand, a small blaze of magic forming inside the bottle. The magic faded away, leaving the potion a silver colour. Regina mouth dropped slightly in amazement, but it was the imp's grin that sent a shiver down Jefferson's spine.
"Very good, very good indeed," Rumplestiltskin said approvingly, "Regina, take your books back to the library and get back to that castle of your husband's."
Regina frowned at the mention of the King, but did as the imp ordered, gathering her books and leaving the potions room.
"Your magic is coming along nicely," Rumplestiltskin continued, "perhaps you'll finally be able to rip out a heart?"
Jefferson didn't answer, shuddering at the thought as Rumplestiltskin began rummaging through the potions cupboard.
"Where is the water from the mermaid cove?" He asked.
"Oh, I knocked it over," Jefferson lied, "I'll go and collect some more if you like?"
"Indeed you will. Take the invisibility potion with you: it's yours to keep."
Jefferson pocketed the invisibility, taking his hat off the hook by the door. He placed it on the floor, twisting it with his wrist before leaping through.