Henry had just come back from Regina's house. Holding a fuzzy purple blanket that belonged to Rose from her old room. Henry wanted her to be comfy and hoped it would help. David was long gone saying he was going to ask the Blue Fairy for help, which made Gold glare at him as he left.
Henry and Regina entered the backroom of Gold's shop. Their sleepy Rose was still asleep, but Gold was making a potion.
"What are you doing?" Henry curiously asked. He placed the blanket on Rose and took a seat on the empty chair beside her.
"Making another sleeping curse." Gold answered without taking his eyes off the viles.
"Don't you dare think Henry is going back there! Just to see-" He interrupted her.
"I am not making it for Henry. I'm making it for me." Gaining their attention, left them confused.
"I thought it was clear a simple sleeping cute has no effect on you."
"That's correct. Which is why I'm going to make as much as I can. Hopefully it will be just enough to for it to work for me.:
"Why waste time experimenting? Are you even sure that your 'love' as a father is actually true? Perhaps it failed." Regina's words were not just nasty to hear but also the worst thing to say to any parent. Gold was getting more and more irritated by the second. Henry noticed and could tell that the older man wanted her dead.
"Watch your tongue, dearie. In case you forgot already, even you and the boy tried waking her up. Nothing is working!" He threatened the witch. "Remember that I mentioned that the kiss did work, but something was blocking it from reaching her completely."
"So what's the plan?" Henry intervene. Hoping to gain the Dark One's attention before doing something to Regina. After all, Gold was a bit more nicer towards him.
"The plan is to make the potion strong enough to put me to sleep. It'll only be temporarily, but if all goes well, I'll find her and bring her back." Rumple explained.
"Sounds Easy." Henry said. Happy to hear a good plan.
"It does. The hard part is waiting. I need to estimate how much I will need and make a number of more potions. It will take time, but it's what needs to be done." Gold took a glance at his daughter. Still worried of what was going on within her.
"Don't worry Mr. Gold. Rose is strong. I'm sure she can handle herself until you save her." The boys words did comfort the old man. He rewarded Henry with a smile.
Rumpelstiltskin continued making the sleeping curse with Henry's help. As the two focused on their work, they had forgotten about a certain someone who had left the shop in discreet. The witch was making her own plans on how to handle the problem of stopping Cora of entering Storybrooke.
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Jim and Ruby were buying groceries for Granny. But Ruby got a call from Charming, informing them that there was an emergency at the mines. The two made it to the mines and were told by the Prince that he and Leroy needed Ruby to track someone.
"What's going on?" She asked confused. Last time she checked the mines were glowing with diamonds of fairy dust all over, not the cave was dark. Jim took around too and knew something was wrong.
" They're gone. All the diamonds are gone." Jim said. Ruby finally understood. They need to find the person responsible for this.
"Do you have something the person left behind so I can track them?" Charming wanted to hit himself as he groaned. He forgot that this was the only way for to find someone, but smelling something of theirs.
"It's obvious it had to be someone with magic." Jim reminded them. No one could take so much fairy dust so quickly without anyone seeing it.
"The Blue Fairy wouldn't do this. She would tell us first and why." Leroy said. Charming nodded agreeing.
"That leaves Regina and Gold."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gold was able to finish the last one. Mixing all the bottles into one large bowl, the two watched the once blue liquid turned into a black sparkling one. Indicating that the potion was more stronger and more powerful than it should be. A normal curse would would put the victim into a sleep of eternity. This one would however kill the person in their sleep. But this was the Dark One, luck was on his side if it worked. He would be able to sleep, just for a certain amount of time for him to travel to the other world.
Henry watched Gold take a seat next to Rose. Preparing himself to tick his finger on the needle, and used his magic to make the wheel spin on its own.
"Should I call for Belle or David to come?" Henry asked. He wasn't sure if he should be watching over them on his own.
"Call them if you want. I would prefer if Belle would stay out of this. She has suffered enough and I want her to enjoy this life with little worries." Gold knew deep down that Belle wouldn't mind to help. She loves him and he loves her back. But he also wanted her to be happy, starting with taking care of the town library he gave her.
"Your a brave and bright young boy Henry. You are a believer, and I believe in you so much. I know you will be able to take care of us and do the right thing if something were to happen," Hearing the Dark One sounding so honest and kind made Henry feel more confident and brave. He was probably not able to be a hero on sending the message, but he would do his best to keep the Golds safe.
Rumple ticked his finger. For a moment, nothing happened. Seconds passed, and still nothing. The two shared a look of fear, afraid it didn't work.
Then Rumple started to feel tired, seeing double of the boy. Henry's voice sounded like a distant echo. Rumple yawned which resulted him to close his eyes, and and leaning back on the chair. Finally asleep.
Not a second later, the sound of the doors were slammed opened. Startling the kid and out of reflex, grabbed Gold's cane to use as a weapon. The sound of multiple feet were getting closer, and he got into a fighting pose. The curtains were pushed aside and to Henry's relief, it was David with company.
Ruby and Jim were surprised of seeing the Golds sleeping.
"What's going on?" Ruby asked what they were all thinking.
"Rose is stuck in a sleeping curse. Gold tried to wake her, even I tried! But nothing is working. He said that something was stopping it in the Netherworld. So Gold found a way to fall into the curse for a short time so he can save Rose." Henry explained to them. Ruby and Jim still had no idea about why this happened in the first place.
David understood, which meant that it was Regina who stole at the mines. "We've got to find Regina!"
Ruby agreed with the prince, but Jim wasn't sure.
"What about Gold? He might have used the magic for some twisted reason to get to Rose." Jim pointed out.
"Used what?" Henry asked. They did come here for a reason.
"All the magic at the mines has been drained out." Ruby told him.
"Only someone magical could have done it so quickly. The Blue Fairy didn't do it, and the Dark One is right here." Charming mentioned.
"And Gold has been here the whole time I know because I've been here with him." Henry added to defend the man.
"Which leaves Regina." Hearing that shocked Henry. He didn't think that Regina would do such a thing. She promised she wouldn't. He thought she just went out for fresh air or to find another way to help Rose.
"She stole it?" He sadly asked.
"She must've stolen a wand from a fairy and sneaked into the mines after the dwarfs were gone to take everything." David said. Henry felt really hurt. He could really use Rose's hug right now. If Regina did steal so much fairy dust, it was not going to be for good reason.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Rose woke up and was catching her breath. She felt cold. She looked up and found herself in a dark room filled with fog here and there. Making it harder to see the place clearly. She was shivering and scared. She also smelled smoke, but she didn't see any fire in sight. Was something once burning?
She couldn't even remember where she was or how she got here. She didn't even know who she was.
"Hello?" She shouted but no one responded. She could only hear her echo. She started to run around for a bit, hoping to find and exit or something. Bit there was nothing.
She was feeling more sadder and weaker. As if something was sucking the life out of her.
"Where am I? Where am I?" She repeatedly asked to no one. It felt like hours of screaming, crying, and silence. She fell down on her knees, giving up. Tears were dripping on her face as she held her head in her hands.
"Please someone…. help me…" She whispered.
"Rosemary!" A voice was heard. She felt inside her mind that she recognized that voice. She had a deep feeling that this was her name.
"Rosemary!" She heard it again. Shadows began to appear out of nowhere. They were all wearing cloaks that were of different shapes and beings. One she noticed had a very sparkling dark green scale skin covering the whole face, it was a woman. Another was a man, fatter and more pale skin. She honestly felt like she met that man before. But all the figures would just flew pass her, never stopping. There were hundreds of them, and some were wearing masks.
"What are they?" She panicked.
"They are my pasts. My ghosts." The voice answered her. A thunder was heard and there was a strong shake from the ground.
"What's happening?"
"My power is too strong! It's collapsing this place. It's trying to force me out."
"Well get out then!" She wasn't sure why but she didn't want whoever it was to risk his life for her.
"Not until I got you." She shook her head. Why save an unknown girl.
"I don't even know who I am. Why save me?" She cried.
"You are my flower. My Rose, my daughter." She was taken by surprise by his words. She was his daughter? She saw a floating object falling gently towards her. "Hold this. It will take you home."
She caught the object and saw it was an old and small stuffed bunny. There were patches it some areas to keep it from ripping.
Screams were heard as the lightning and thunder got louder and harder. She finally got a balance on her feet. Holding tight the rabbit to her chest, waiting for it all to be over.
She was frozen in place.
"Rosemary! Rose over, here! Look over here!" The voice was closer than before. She slowly turned around, hearing the voice instructing her to come closer.
"She obeyed and stumbled in her steps. But she knew she could trust him. As she walked closer she was able to see a man in a black suit and pants. He looked older.
"A-Are you real?" She asked. Now hoping her mind wasn't just playing tricks on her.
"Yes I am real. Keep coming. Just a few steps more." He said with his arms wide open for her to reach. She had only a couple more, she took the chance to run up to him.
She hugged him so tight, Rumple felt himself stumble back when a type of force blew past them. Fire began to light up around the closed room. And Rose pulled away to look at her savior.
"Papa?" She remembered. The reunion must've lifted the magic that was surrounding her. Reminding her who she was. This meant that her love for her father returned.
Rumple couldn't help but smile and shed a tear. He found his daughter and gave her forehead a kiss.
