Rumple meets an old acquaintance in Paris. Someone who's funeral he'd attended many years before. In New York, Snow comes out from under the anaesthetic. And Henry drives to see his sick grandmother after some revelations by the Mad Hatter.
[Ed Notes: It's been two months since the last chapter, so my apologies for the delay, caused by life in general. I had to redo this chapter as there were some glaring mistakes that needed fixing. I hope you enjoy and all comments and feedback (provided it's not nasty) are always welcome. I also hope to get the next chapter out before Christmas, but if I fail, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Love, Fiona xxx]
Paris
Rumple smiled back at the face of a woman he hadn't seen in decades. The last time they'd met was in Camelot, many years earlier. A very different world to this one.
The former Queen of Orkney, through her marriage to King Lot, Morgause was the only daughter of Uther Pendragon and Igraine; King Arthur's unknown half-sister, and mother to Gawain, Mordred and three more. And her past history of wickedness and bloody deeds could rival most villains. A gifted enchantress in her own right, she was finally killed by her son, Gaheris.
Yet here she was, standing in front of him, very much alive, in a world without magic, looking at least twenty years younger? And currently having breakfast in a five-star Parisian restaurant, being presented to him as an international lawyer, and potential work colleague.
"Mr Gold? It's a pleasure." Her crisp English accent seemed somehow out of sorts to where they were? She offered him her hand. "Celeste Moreau." She paused until the waiter had finally closed the door behind him on the way out. "Though of course, you may remember me by another name?"
"I never forget a face…" but he couldn't resist adding "…dearie!" Though he stared back at her, wide-eyed, pretending to be surprised, in last night's dream Baelfire had already tipped him off as to who would be there. "Though I have to say, I thought you'd been killed a very long time ago? Hello Morgause, it's nice to see you again."
"As you were meant to! Hello again Rumple." Her accent changed, switching from received English and becoming far more Highland Scottish as the once Queen of Orkney broke into a wide smile at his recognition. "It's been a while, hasn't it? I have to say, you're looking remarkably well?" She looked him up and down, admiring the new outfit, particularly the camel suede jacket over the white cashmere roll neck sweater he was wearing, all bought in London. Particularly the soft leather jacket. "In fact, I've never seen you look better? Clearly, time away from all that darkness suits you."
"I was thinking much the same of you, my dear. The years don't seem to have affected you in the slightest?" He kissed the back of her hand. She looked more beautiful then he remembered. and younger. The last time, when she'd asked The Dark One for a particularly virulent potion to finally kill off Arthur and help her half-sister, Morgana, ascend the throne. The plan had backfired spectacularly, and one of her sons had killed her in a public forum, when her scheme came to light. Or so he thought? "The night before your funeral, I saw you lying in your coffin, looking a good three decades older? I have to say, you do seem to have made a stunning recovery?"
She gave a low chuckle. "Yes. I'm afraid my death was all part of a rather elaborate, intricate plan devised by Merlin? He'd originally planned to kill me himself, after my last attempt on Arthur's life backfired, as so often. But his heart just wouldn't allow him to go through with it? He is a pure white sorcerer, after all. No, instead he offered me either eternal imprisonment, in a manner and realm of his choosing, or a chance for a new life elsewhere. He gave me a whole new identity, provided I left everything behind. And all so Camelot could be restored? Gaheris was seen to publicly kill my doppelgänger. Then I was smuggled out. I've been living in this world for twelve years, having left all trace of my existence behind. He also kindly 'de-aged' me before we left? He made me young enough to still bear children. I married eight years ago and joined Charles's firm a year later."
"I'm beginning to realise our Sorcerer's network extends far beyond anything I'd ever imagined." He looked over to at the young blonde girl, who'd already started filling up her plate from the buffet table "Your daughter, I presume?"
"Elouise Francesca..." She smiled back at the girl, clearly full of pride. "One of life's innocents, like her father. He died four years ago. A car accident."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Raising a child single-handed does pose difficulties, as I'm beginning to rediscover…" Gideon had already left his side to go over to the buffet, helping himself, next to the girl who'd already loaded her plate. "That's my boy, Gideon. He just turned four."
"Four? He seems older than his years. A handsome young man, indeed. Raising him single-handed you say? I was given by Merlin to understand you'd married your former maid? His mother?"
"Married and divorced. Very recently."
"So it appears we have even more in common? Two former villains, and single parents, assuming new identities and trying to leave our dark, murky pasts behind?"
"I gather we're not the first. I understand Merlin's already helped others over the years?"
"There's more of us than you could possibly imagine, scattered all over the globe! I'm in touch with several of them myself. It's almost as though he's providing some sort of charity for reformed monsters like me? But now, managing to persuade The Dark One to come over and leave his great powers behind? Now that's a real feather in his cap!" She saw him frown. "But it'll all be worth it in the end Rumple, I promise you! If you're anything like me, you'll find that once you get used to not having magic, and stop spending your life trying to get it back, over the weeks and months to come, the world will become a much lighter, brighter place for you if you let it? Trust me, you can truly start to live again."
"Better start calling me Angus from now on, dearie?" He smiled at the size of Gideon's loaded plate, as he returned to the side table, remembering another young boy once with the same huge appetites. "There's someone who keeps appearing in my dreams, telling me much the same thing? I've even started believing him. Alas, one of the misfortunes of leaving my power behind is a long-forgotten need to eat and sleep. And now I find myself starving. Let's join the children, shall we?"
"By all means…Angus. We have much to discuss, you and I. Not least how we'll be setting things up for you within the partnership? And before you leave for the next leg of your trip, Rome I believe, why don't you join me for dinner tonight?"
"I have a son to consider, as you can see. Plus, we're on a vacation. Not sure I want to get into the habit of combining work and pleasure?"
"I have a live-in nanny at home, who I trust implicitly. And don't recall that being a problem for you in the past?" The former queen smiled, stepping closer, reaching up and sliding her fingers around a lapel of his soft suede sports jacket. "Besides, who said anything about work?
Mount Sinai Medical Centre, New York
More than a day after she'd been put under for the transplants, Snow White finally regained consciousness. Too washed out to speak, she silently watched as nurses and doctors buzzed around her, carrying things in and out, switching machines on, and doing god-knows-what. She drifted off again several times, and the next time she woke, it was to the sight of her daughter smiling down at her.
"Welcome back, sleepy head?"
Emma smiled down at her, worried, her eyes red as she stroked her smother's sweaty cheek. She'd clearly been crying. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been run over by your father's truck?" The words came out as almost a croak. Her throat, and everything else about her, sore as she reached for Emma's hand. "What time is it?"
"Just coming up to eight at night. Wednesday night." She saw her mother's wide-eyed reaction. "Yeah, you've been out quite a while."
Snow tried to sit up, but Emma instantly put her hand on her shoulder. "Uh-uh, no mum, don't even try? You've still got wires and tubes still coming out of you."
She slowly turned her head to her left, to find another accursed bleeping machine next to her, similar to the one in Storybrooke. The sight immediately deflated her. She'd stupidly thought she'd have no need after surgery.
"Where is everyone? Your brother? Your fath-"
"Killian and I took Neal back to the hotel yesterday, shortly after they put you under, and we took care of him, as Hope's with us anyway. Dad stayed here and sat outside in Reception all night. I got back an hour ago, as no one knew when you were going to come out from the anaesthetic? I kinda insisted dad go back to try and get a shower and sleep, because frankly, he looked exhausted."
"He stayed the whole night?" She may have still been in considerable pain, but Snow's lips broke into a smile. That must mean he still cares for me, surely?
"And most of today, without a break." Emma noticed how the news seemed to brighten her. "And I gotta tell you that those seats out there are terrible to sleep on! But yeah, he stayed. He said he saw Merlin come out, briefly, just after midnight when he spoke to him? Then they finally brought you out of the theatre around three or four this morning, but still didn't bring you back up here till a few hours later, as you were still too far under. That was one hell of a long op!" She pulled out her phone. "I'll let him know you're awake."
"No! No Emma, please don't?" With a feeble hand, although weak, she tried giving Emma's a squeeze. "Please just let him get some rest? I'm sure he'll come over with Neal later, when he's had a decent sleep. Just sit with me? I want to know what's been going on."
"Okay." She reached for a chair behind her, pulling it close. "What do you want to know?"
"Everything! Give me some good news for once? What about you and Killian? Is everything okay between you two now?"
Hell, where does she even start? Fortunately, they were interrupted by the recovery room door opening again, and a tall, slim blonde woman, wearing an open white coat appeared, looking right at her.
"Ah, Miss Blanchard, you're awake?" The woman had a clipped English accent. "Excellent. I was wondering when our VIP patient would join us? I'm afraid we had to use a lot more anaesthetic in theatre, because we had to keep you under for longer than expected." She gave her a warm smile as she came close, a younger nurse following in her wake, heading across to the bleeping machine.
Emma watched as the stranger, after saying something incomprehensible to the nurse, moved to the opposite side of the bed, closer to her mother's head. There seemed to be a natural sense of authority to her voice, and Emma was struck by how beautiful she seemed. With a slim face, perfect complexion and cheekbones to die for, she reminded her of Elsa. She was clearly someone senior.
"I'm Doctor Sage, though please just call me Annabelle? I carried out part of your procedure yesterday, alongside Professor Sage."
"Sage?" Snow could see the connection. It was in the shape of the eyes. And the smile? "You're related to the Professor?"
"He's my father."
"I'm sorry, who?" Emma was starting to get confused.
But instead of answering, the stranger gave Emma a beaming smile, before turning to the nurse behind her. "Katie, I've rather stupidly gone and left my tablet with all my notes on it, in the scrubs room? Would you be a darling?"
"Of course Anna…sorry, Doctor," the young nurse looked up at her. "I'll go get it." Judging by the overkeen expression, Emma thought the young nurse may have some sort of girl-crush on the medic.
"Thank you, lovely. No need to rush back, as I need a few minutes to talk to Miss Blanchard in private? Can you give me ten, and tell the guys outside?"
The medic waited until the nurse shut the door behind her on the way out, before turning to face them.
"Sorry about that, but my father insists on keeping as much of this away from the staff, as necessary?" She now found she had their full attention. "Yes, to answer your question, I'm Annabelle Sage. I'm a trained surgeon, usually based in the UK, and yes, I'm also Merlin's daughter. It's lovely to finally meet you, Snow White."
"Merlin's daughter?" Emma was getting even more confused by the minute. "But I thought-"
"It's okay Emma," Snow interrupted, squeezing her hand. "Merlin already told me about this, though he didn't say his own daughter would be operating? I'll explain later." She studied the younger woman, giving her a tired smile. "Thank you, Annabelle, for everything you've done for me. Is your father around?"
"I doubt it. Not until tomorrow, I guess? He was working all day yesterday, and in theatre from the very start, right up until three this morning? So he's gone back to his flat to try to get some sleep. I'd already joined them around midnight to help concentrate on your kidneys. Then after the transplants, Mr. Lee came in to do his little bit of…what shall we say? Oriental magic?"
"Mr. Lee? You mean, The Dragon?"
"That's him! Do you know him, Miss…?"
"Swan-Jones. Emma Swan-Jones. I'm her daughter and yes, we saw him yesterday, briefly, when he came in with Mer…your father. They said something about him stopping her body from rejecting the new organs? I didn't say anything at the time, but I'd hardly call him a doctor?"
"He's a lot more than that! He's a powerful healer who my father meets regularly. There's very few gifted enough to be able to perform magic in these lands. Basically, if he's been successful, your mother won't need to take immunosuppressants for the rest of your life."
"Sorry, could we have that in English?"
The beautiful woman gave her another warm, almost disarming smile. And for a moment Emma imagined if she was still single, she'd probably want to ask her out on a date.
"Sure. Normally when anyone gets an organ transplant, they have to match the donor to the patient, so there's less chance of their body rejecting it? But it'll still try to, regardless, so you have to take powerful drugs for the rest of your life to stop it happening. These drugs we call immunosuppressants. And there's also a much greater risk of regular infection when you're on them, and whenever that happens you have to come back to hospital every time."
"Sounds grim! So, what did the Dragon do?"
"I watched him work and it was fascinating! He used a form of magic I'm unfamiliar with, plus herbs, and potion craft to make your mother's body accept the new liver and kidneys, fooling it into thinking they'd always been there? Now we have to wait and see if it's taken root."
"And if it hasn't? What happens next?"
"My father said we'd need to send you back to Storybrooke, the nearest place to here with magic, as soon as possible and he'll perform his own magic on you instead. But he was worried about your body being subjected to the long ambulance ride."
"Well we just have to wait, I guess?" Snow could see the worry in her daughter's eyes. "It's alright Emma. We just have to have a little hope, don't we?"
"Hope?" Emma gave her a sad smile. "That's a who'd I haven't heard you use for a while? I never thought I'd miss it so much!"
"I know it's a worrying time for you both; for all your family, but you should know both transplants went well. If you hadn't had them, it's unlikely you'd have seen out the end of the year. And, if we do need to take you back to Storybrooke, you should also know my father's healing magic is much more powerful than anyone's, including the Dragon's, once he's anywhere with magic. So let's keep our fingers crossed and hope it isn't necessary?"
Emma was more curious about the medic. "So Merlin's really your dad? Do you have magic, like him? Do you have brothers and sisters?"
"I do, and so do my brother and both my sisters, but we tend to stay away from places where we can use it? Not always, mind. Using it generally tends to make people lazy, or worse, start to control others? But it's still there..." She noticed the tattoo on Emma's wrist. "That's interesting? Still, must I must dash? More patients to see! As it's pretty late, I guess dad'll probably be in to check on you first thing tomorrow. You're his star patient here, after all?"
Storybrooke, earlier that day…
"Merlin?" Regina finally got an answer back around midday, having already left several anxious messages. "What took you so long? I did say it was urgent!"
The Sorcerer, under his medical persona in the land without magic, Professor Sir Merlyn Sage, had only risen from his bed half an hour earlier. Having trawled though numerous texts, he yawned loudly as he spoke.
"Good afternoon, Regina. Yes, I did get your messages, but having just spent most of yesterday and all night in theatre, I only got home just before four this morning? Plus, believe it or not, there's always others that need urgent attention. What can I do for you?"
Regina told him about what'd happened at the clinic, during her first scan, when the young doctor had implied that, judging by the foetus size, she wasn't seven weeks pregnant, but possibly less than four? In which case, Robin couldn't have been the father. Worse still, the doctor had said it in front of her husband. Merlin paused, considering what it could mean.
"All right Regina, let's get the obvious question out of the way? I take it you haven't been with any other man, apart from Robin, over the last two months?"
"Of course not! I'd never be unfaithful!" Before reluctantly adding. "Unless some damn stupid potion compelled me to be!"
"I see. And I presume the only other person you've had sex with, since Robin, was Emma?"
The line went quiet for a few seconds, as the uncomfortable truth was laid out so brutally.
"Obviously. You saw the dream catcher for yourself."
"I did. I assume you're now trying to ask me whether it's possible for Emma to have got you pregnant accidentally over the last month during your time together?"
"Until a few days ago I would've thought it impossible! But then you had to go and tell my son, and my husband, about another timeline completely, where it's supposed to have happened?"
"True. A timeline running in parallel to this one. A timeline in which that particular Regina and Emma fell in love within weeks of her arriving in Storybrooke, eventually marrying and conceiving five and six years later. You delivered a girl, Emma a boy a year later, so now they'd be around six and seven years old. Both carrying your, or I should say their, shared DNA."
"How? We're both women! We may have magic, but not the essentials! There's no seed for god's sake, so a donor must have been involved!"
"That's what I thought at first, and I could have been lied to, but I can usually tell and I still don't know to this day. I did ask them, repeatedly, how they did it, purely in the interest of magical knowledge and science? And to help women in similar need in the future. But they became red-faced and rather embarrassed. All that Regina would tell me is that she wasn't exactly sure herself, only that neither conception was planned, and there were no spells or magic cast whatsoever. And apparently no one else was involved either time. But they're very happy with the results and now have two beautiful children, plus Henry of course, who's now the same age as your own Henry. So I suspect that somewhere down the line, true love magic, combined with some sort of physical act, was involved."
Physical? She really didn't want to think of how that would've worked! " So how soon can I find out about my own baby's paternity? Do I have to wait till it's born?"
"Oddly enough, these days you can find out from about seven weeks after conception. The baby's DNA can be found in your own bloodstream, and it's a lot safer than it used to be, when it used to involve drawing off embryonic fluid. Just let your clinic take a blood sample and ask Robin to give a mouth swab, so they can compare DNA as usual. You might want Emma's while you're at it?"
"I don't want Storybrooke Hospital or anyone else here getting getting wind of this whatsoever! I don't trust Whale's team, and word would leak out like a sieve! Imagine that around here? It could cause a lot more complications, to put it mildly."
"Then leave town and do it? Go anywhere with a decent antenatal clinic, and they can do the rest. Or failing that, come to New York and I'll arrange it for you in private? Yes, it's a five-hour drive, but it'll guarantee confidentiality and you'll have the results back the same day. Plus, as Snow's going to be with us at least another week, I'm sure she'd love to see you?"
"Snow?" In all her time spent worrying about her own problems, Regina had all but forgotten that Henry's grandmother was undergoing life-saving surgery. "How is she?"
"Still in theatre when I left but she's in good hands. It was a very long procedure, but we're hopeful. Her family seems to be there, waiting for her to come round. Including Emma. In fact, you could get her DNA swab while you're here? It only takes a saliva sample with a cotton bud these days."
"I definitely don't want Emma knowing about this! At least, not yet, anyway. It's bad enough Robin knows!"
"How's he taken it? Knowing the child may not be his?"
"He's pretending it doesn't matter, and that he'll still be a father to it, regardless. He also told me he doesn't want to know the result of any test. But I can see it in his eyes. He's hurting."
"Can you blame him?" By the gasp at the other end of the line, he knew he'd probably gone too far. "Sorry, I shouldn't have. I apologise."
"It's no more than the truth, Merlin. I was just starting to believe we could save this marriage after everything, and then, this? It may have just pushed him beyond breaking point."
"Well, you shouldn't give up hope just yet. Those machines at the smaller hospitals only base the age of the foetus on scanned measurements and are notoriously inaccurate. We have much more advanced equipment in New York. Come down and we'll run the tests?"
Merlin's Apartment, New York
Almost the moment Merlin ended his call with Regina, it rang once again. This time, from an international number.
"Mr. Gold? How's the holiday going? How are you doing over there?"
"Never mind all that. We need to talk! Now!"
"About?"
"The fact you're setting me up! Playing me!"
Oh dear, this is going to take a while!
Meanwhile…
"HOLY SHIT!"
Henry dragged the wheel to the left, just missing the other car in front by inches! It was his own stupid fault entirely, his mind elsewhere. Mainly, it was on the conversation he'd had with Jefferson Hatter before he'd left for New York.
Storybrooke. Earlier…
"Henry, I can sympathise, I really can! But I won't help you go back in time, no matter how often you ask! Time travel uses very dark magic, and the harm that can come from it, even the tiniest slip, would be catastrophic."
"But you can do it?"
"Yes, but I won't. Don't even ask!"
"But- "
"Think what you're asking me? In the world without magic, imagine I went back to a time when Hitler hadn't been born, and I did something to stop it happening? Logically there'd be no huge world war; no holocausts; and millions of lives saved. Sounds great, doesn't it? But then, because everyone would be in a different place in a different time, millions upon millions of people currently living, and their parents and children, would never have been born, would they? Including you! Maybe a completely different, more competent dictator would rise in his place? Because your father fell into this world, at a particular time and place, it eventually resulted in him meeting one Emma Swan. Different day, different hour, different minute, and everything changes! He wouldn't have met your mum at exactly the right time, and as a result you wouldn't be here. The chances of you being born were trillions upon trillions to one against! But you were."
"Yeah, I get that…" He knew the man was only speaking the truth. "But after what Merlin told me, about my dad being alive in Tallahassee? He said him and Emma were-"
"Henry, I'd love nothing more than to see my Priscilla, Grace's mother again!" He cut him off. "I'd love to go back to Wonderland and stop that arrow that killed her. But if I did that, it's incredibly complicated, very old dark magic, and time would unravel. And as a result, you and your mum probably wouldn't be alive now if I succeeded. Think about it? Your own mum bringing back from the past the woman they thought was Marian Locksley, resulted in Zelena getting back, and your own dad's death! It's stupidly complicated."
"Merlin said he's seen four versions of me, in different timelines. And they're still not in the past, they're still alive, now."
"Different timelines, yes! That's just basically realm-jumping. But that's very different from time-jumping. Do you see?"
"I get it. So, it's a bit like what Killian did with the magic beans to get to Neverland and back?"
"Pretty much. Though beans only work when you're travelling between realms that have magic in them. Outside, you need either a hat tied to the owner, like me, or a particularly powerful wand. My hats aren't all that reliable these days, not since…well, never mind."
"And who has these wands? Is there like some sort of Ollivander's shop, like in Harry Potter?"
"Ha! A nice idea, but no. Not quite sure where they come from, quite frankly. I've only ever seen two of them. I know Merlin used to have one."
"And the other?"
"That used to belong to someone thoroughly evil, now dead, thank goodness! It's probably best you speak to the man who killed her."
"And who might that be?"
"Your grandfather, Rumple. The Black Fairy was his mother and he killed her with her own wand. She was your paternal great grandmother."
Merlin's apartment
His long call with Rumple had left him worried that his carefully developed plans could unravel. Realising the risk of failure was just too great, the man who everyone in the magical world knew as The Sorcerer, decided he needed help. Help from someone with far more magical power than even he possessed.
As he rested the now-empty Midazolam syringe back on his bedside table, he eased himself back on his bed, plumping up a pillow behind him, and waited for the sleeping drug to take effect. It wouldn't take long. He'd used it more often than usual recently, so he knew the small quantity that he'd just injected should be sufficient to knock him out for at least an hour.
~oOo~
In another dimension entirely...
It didn't take long after he'd drifted off into the arms of Morpheus, for the usual thick white clouds to engulf him, giving him that feeling of floating on air, lifting him ever higher, as though he was in some sort of invisible lift. It all looked and felt realistic, but was what real, when you knew your body was currently lying on a bed somewhere else. However he'd done this often enough, and wasnt surprised when the clouds thinned into mist, eventually dispersing entirely to leave him facing The Supreme Being.
[Third time in five Earth days, Merlin? This is getting to be a habit!]
Although it sounded like a rebuke, the Lord of the Gods had a benevolent, kindly look in his eye. The human standing before him had undertaken many difficult tasks on his behalf over several Earth millennia, without complaint. He'd become almost his proxy among the living. And in return, in addition to the powers he'd gifted him, he'd allowed him unique access to all his past loved ones in the Better Place, or as some humans called it, Heaven. Because he trusted him like no other human and would never be anything less than candid. But more recently, the Sorcerer had come to him with a unique request, based on a slim chance of removing one of the most powerful dark forces ever created. By Lucifer himself.
"My apologies and thank you for seeing me again. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think it necessary."
[What's the problem? I'm assuming this is about The Dark One?]
"Indeed. I've spoken to Rumpelstiltskin, its current host. He believes we're setting him up."
[HA!] Zeus's deep laugh seemed to make the floor beneath him shake. [Isn't that precisely what we are doing?]
"Only in a noble cause, my Lord! If we're successful, we'll be saving many thousands, possibly millions, of future lives!"
[I know, I know, you don't have to remind me…] But the god's eyes still twinkled. [So what's happened now? You asked me to allow his son to contact and persuade him, didn't you?]
"You did, and it's worked. So far! Baelfire's been in touch with his father several times and persuaded him it's in everyone's interest that he stay away from any magical lands. I believe without his help, we wouldn't have got this far."
[So what's the problem?]
"Despite Baelfire's recent efforts, he currently believes he's being…railroaded? That we may be deliberately hastening the point at which he'll die, and that his prospects then are…not good? A part of him believes his son was actually me in disguise, masquerading as Baelfire, or Neal Cassidy in their world, to persuade him. I'm concerned if he loses faith in me completely, or disbelieves what he's being told, he may take matters into his own hands and return to Storybrooke. I'm sure I don't need to explain the implications?"
[Countless more lives wasted unnecessarily, for centuries to come. Yes, I see the problem. But if even his own son can't persuade him to stay away, live comfortably and die of old age eventually, what do you suggest?]
"Even with the powers you granted me, I suggest something only you can do? I think it may be the only way to guarantee The Dark One remains neutered, once and for all."
[What, again?]The supreme god let out a loud sigh, rolling his electric-blue eyes, exasperated. He'd clearly guessed what he wanted. Merlin just about managed to stop himself from laughing. [Satan's going to have a field day when he finds out! He's still sore about those humans ending Hades' existence, even before he found out I returned the pirate to you!]
"Which ultimately restored the Underworld to the purgatory you'd always intended! As a place of repentance, rather than punishment? There's enough of that in Hell, surely?"
The Lord of the Gods drummed the fingers of one hand against the knuckles of the other, as he considered the request. Merlin rarely asked for favours, and when he did it was usually in a good cause, never for himself. And as he remained lost in thought, the Sorcerer considered him. Like most of the gods, Zeus was tall, muscular, and handsome. His shoulder-length dark brown hair seemed to shine sunlight as he now stroked the neatly trimmed grey beard. Everything about him seemed to give off energy and infinite wisdom? Even the blue and white robes with their threads of gold beamed.
[Oh very well, I'll have him brought to me.]
"A wise decision, my Lord," He smiled back. "Only to be expected of someone with your wisdom and foresight."
[Merlin, to use an expression borrowed from the last human I let you have - Don't take the piss?]
Mount Sinai Medical Center
It was late when Snow woke again. She'd drifted off with Emma holding her hand, two hours earlier. And now someone else had taken her place, looking down over her, and smiling.
"Ruby?" Her voice sounded a little stronger this time, as she gave her a weak smile. "Not that it isn't lovely to see you, but where's Emma?"
"Hi, babe!" She bent over, kissing her best friend's sweaty brow. "I saw her just before she left an hour ago, after you fell asleep. The duty nurse, Cathy, told her you'd almost certainly be out for the night because of the meds you're on, and she should go get some sleep herself. She's gone back to her hotel."
Snow gave a sleepy nod, "Good, she needs her rest, and to spend more time with Killian and Hope." She tilted her head to look out the window, at the dark sky, then the little clock on the wall. "God, it's nearly midnight? How long have you been here?"
"In the hospital? About five hours now. I stayed downstairs in the café on the first floor, waiting till everyone had left." Everyone, but David in particular. "I thought it best not to get in the way when you've got family around. Cathy kept updating me as to who was here, and told me your transplants went well, and now everyone just has to sit and wait? She also told me David's not due back till early tomorrow morning, so I decided to come up. I've been here beside you, since Emma left."
"Five hours? Goodness me. Where's Belle?"
"Back in our room at our hotel…" She bent over, picking up Snow's right hand, squeezing it. "As your family was here and we didn't want to intrude, we did a bit of sightseeing, while you were under."
"And the two of you? You and Belle. Are you together now, as a couple?"
"No, not like that." Ruby gave her a sad look, shaking her head. "You know what I'm like? Haven't I've proved enough times already, that I'm not exactly 'partner material'? Me and monogamy don't seem to sit too well together. I've already screwed up Dorothy's life. I don't want to do the same thing to Belle. Mind you, saying that, haven't I done the same thing to her already?"
"I'm sorry, Ruby. I just want to see you happy."
"I guess I am in my own way, but do you know something? Despite all the lovers and great sex I've had over the years, in all that time there's only been three people I can honestly say I've been in love with. You remember Peter?"
Snow nodded, grimacing, recalling that poor unfortunate boy they all thought was a werewolf and chained him to a tree to save the village. Under the full moon the werewolf turned out to be Ruby and she unfortunately slaughtered him while he was still defenceless.
"You didn't know what you were at the time, Ruby. You couldn't help herself."
"Maybe, but I still ate him, didn't I? I think it was partly what happened to Peter that made me turn more towards other women? After so many one-night stands later, I really fell in love with Dorothy. But despite that, I still managed to destroy her life."
"David told me she's been living at the farm. I gather she's also struck up quite a close friendship with Maleficent's daughter."
"Good! Like you said about me, I just want her to be happy? I'd love to go back and apologise properly, not that it'd help. No, Dot's wonderful and needs someone who can treat her the way she deserves. Turns out that isn't me."
"So, who was your third? Until you just said, I thought you and Belle had become close?" The Dark One nearly killed her for sleeping with his wife, for god's sake!
"You, Snow White, of all people, really need to ask me that?" She looked down at her, shaking her head, incredulous. "The first woman I ever fell in love was the only one who ever really understood the werewolf side of me. But she loved me regardless and never judged me. The one who, underneath it all, I'm still in love with and probably always will be. It's you, silly! It's always been you."
"Ruby, I…" But how could she answer? When they'd been together before she'd even met Charming, Snow and Red (as she was known in the old world) had had a passionate, even romantic relationship. Yes, she loved her, and her she-wolf had helped build her confidence in her own ability to surmount any difficulty. But she always knew Red would always feel boxed in by any sort of monogamous relationship. Yes, the physical side of their year and a half together was great beyond belief. But any deeper intimacy between them; any thought of building a life together, was always unlikely due to her genetically promiscuous nature. "I'm not sure what to say? I'm very flatt-"
"Don't! It's okay, you don't need to say anything! I always knew I couldn't give you what you wanted. What you needed. And the moment you met David and I saw you together, I always knew he was the one for you. Hell, I fancied him myself! I would've seduced him on the spot if you hadn't wanted him! But I love you and want the best for you. That's why I found it so easy to move on."
"I'm sorry. I just don't want you to be alone?"
"I'm not. Although after saying all that, I might be changing my...nature?"
"What do you mean?"
"I've been away from Storybrooke for two weeks now, and it's the first time I've ever been away from anywhere with magic. I've sat outside under two full moons, without my cloak, since we left and it hasn't affected me, not even a little bit? It's like the werewolf side of me has gone?"
"And that's a good thing?"
"I don't know, but it's like I feel…lighter? I can control myself much better out here, if that makes any sense? My smell sense definitely isn't what it was, and everything tastes…different? But I like it. It's just another reason why I'm not going back. After everything, I'm actually much happier out here? And as for being alone, I've got Belle around, and together we've made some really great friends." Her mouth broke into a broad grin. "And the sex has been brilliant!"
"The sex?" Snow almost chuckled. She sounded more like the old naughty side of Ruby she'd missed. When they used to sit in the corner of her grandmother's café and gossip about everyone including some indiscretions about her local lovers, both male and female. They were good times, looking back.
"Yeah. For god's sake don't tell Belle I told you this, because she'd have a blue fit if she knew you knew? But…I've had more sex in the last week, and more variety, than I've had in the last six months? I'm talking threesomes? Foursomes? Even Belle's been involved, and I'll tell you, there's little of that shy librarian you'd recognise!"
"Really?" The rightful queen of Misthaven's free hand came to her open mouth, looking more than surprised. "I want all the details! Come sit closer?" She patted the bed beside her. "Tell me everything!"
Mifflin Street, Storybrooke - The following morning
"So, you're really going to drive all the way to New York this morning?" The news came as a surprise to Robin. "It's all a bit…sudden?"
"I know it's very short notice, and I'm sorry. But I spoke to Merlin last night, and he told me Snow's operation was yesterday, and she's not out of the woods yet. He said there's still a chance she may not pull through?" Technically, that wasn't a lie. "So I feel honour-bound to go see her, just in case. Whatever I may have thought of her in the past, she's still my stepdaughter. Henry should be down there, already."
"I understand…" The former outlaw pulled her into a gentle hug, mindful of her condition, even though there were still no outward signs she was pregnant. "If she's awake, give her my best? Normally I'd be happy to go with you, but unfortunately we're short staffed and I'm needed at the inn this week."
"It's okay, Roland still needs to go to school! It's fine Robin, I'm quite sure Snow will understand. I'll probably be back in a couple of days, but I'll be keeping in touch. I'll call you by the hour if you want me too?"
Regina felt dreadful for lying to the man she loved about the real reason for the trip. Especially after everything she'd put him through! To see Merlin determine the paternity of her unborn child. She also felt ashamed for using Snow's misfortune to her advantage, and not for the first time in the woman's life. She stood on her toes to kiss him on the lips, but surprisingly, he pulled his head back.
"Don't kiss me, I haven't brushed my teeth! My breath must stink! That new toothbrush you handed me last night? The red one? I used it once before I came to bed, but now I can't seem to find it anywhere? Nor my old one, for that matter."
"Just use mine. After all it's not like we don't share everything? I'll buy acouple more while I'm out."
Unknown to Robin, the moment he'd finished in the bathroom last night, she'd carefully collected his still wet toothbrush and put it carefully in a little fridge stay-fresh bag, along with his old one, plus several cotton buds she'd used to swipe around his used teacup, and a water glass that had sat by his bedside table. And just to be certain, she'd taken a risk of waking him by quickly swiping another bud across the inside of his mouth while he was sleeping, pulling back the moment he twitched. It would have been so much easier with her magic, when she could have knocked him about for a few minutes.
"Thanks. So, this hospital Snow's in? I gather David's taken their lad there?"
"I believe so."
"Will Emma be there? Have you spoken to her since the court case?" The look he gave her was familiar to Regina. He used it often enough on Scarlet, when he thought he might be hiding something. And it made her distinctly uncomfortable.
"Yes. She's at the hospital with Charming, and she's taken Killian and Hope. I asked her where Henry was but she wasn't sure. Why?"
"I just wondered. I know we haven't really spoken about it since the scan, but are you going to tell her about the baby? About how far along you might really be?"
"No! And I'd prefer her not to know, quite frankly! Robin this is your baby I'm carrying! I'm certain of it."
Aubusson Hotel, Paris – The following morning
"Papa? What's wrong?"
Father and son were sitting in the interior restaurant patio of the hotel, having breakfast. Rumple had been more convinced than ever that he was being set up by Merlin, to remove The Dark One. The wizard had even supposedly used his first son, his decade long dead first son, he convince him to stay away from the source of its power. And he'd gone along with it so far. But something didn't seem quite right? While his motives may have been good, Rumple reflected on the likely outlook for him. It all seemed too easy? But the higher voice beside him pulled him out of dark thoughts.
"I'm sorry, my boy? What did you say?"
"What's wrong? You've been kinda acting weird? Like I'm not here?"
"I'm sorry, Gideon, I've just had a lot on my mind."
"Is it something to do with what you and that lady, Celeste, were talking about?"
"In a way, yes. But nothing you need worry about."
"I like her! She was funny. You seem to smile and laugh a lot when you were with her? Was she an old girlfriend? I heard you talking about going out to dinner with her tonight? Are you still going?"
"I'm not sure yet, my love. I've been having some doubts about a few things. Besides, I shouldn't be taking time away from you while we're on vacation. I-"
"Excusez-moi, monsieur?" They were rudely interrupted by a tall man in uniform. A man he recognised as the concierge who'd organised his taxis for him. "Monsieur Gold?" Rumple nodded. "My apologies for the interruption, but I wanted to let you know there is an American gentleman waiting in the lobby? He asked to see you. And when I told him you were unavailable and I'd pass on a message he said he would wait as long as required, though stressed it was a matter of some urgency."
"Dammit, I'm trying to have my breakfast with my son! He'll just have to wait!" He turned to refill his cup from the percolator. "Did he even give you his name?"
"I did ask, but he told me you'd recognise him monsieur. He seemed rather…insistent?"
"Look, just tell him I'm busy, take his number and I'll call him back? I'm-" But he stopped talking the moment he spotted a man standing by the entrance to the dining room. A medium-sized man of average build, wearing a dark business suit, and a disarming grin he'd know anywhere, now looking directly at him and walking over to his table.
If this was yet another dream, this one was bloody realistic!
~oOo~
