They weren't kidding when they called him mad
OnceUponAChloe asked for a oneshot of the kidnapping with Jefferson in 1x17 as though the curse had already broken and Charming was with Emma. Set before Neal's birth.
"Emma." Emma heard someone whispering her name frantically, shaking her a little. "Emma, you need to wake up honey."
"What?" Emma said groggily. Her mouth was muffled. There was something in her mouth, why? Emma opened her eyes. She was in that house…oh shit. That's what had happened. That crazy bastard had drugged her and her dad whilst they were looking for her mom and left them here. He'd gagged her and had her arms tied around her back. Emma tried to sit up, and Charming helped her. He quickly helped Emma out of her bounds.
"I smashed the tea cup and got mine off a few minutes ago." He explained. "Come on, we need to get out of here…" Charming took Emma's wrist and they both crept over to the windows. They each checked one, but strangely found no seal. Emma saw a telescope and looked through it. She gasped.
"It's the station." She whispered to her dad. "He's been spying on us."
"We'll deal with that when we've found your mom. I'm prepared to bet she's in here somewhere." He said, going over to the door which was opened slightly, Emma was right behind him. He found it strange that he'd left the door unlocked, but perhaps he was stupid enough to think they wouldn't escape. He looked through the door and what he saw made his heart start pounding. He instinctively reached behind him and pushed Emma back slightly. Jefferson was standing in the opposite room sharpening a pair of scissors. They had to take their chances. Charming took Emma's wrist again and cocked his head out towards the corridor. Together, the pair crept along the hall as quietly as humanly possible. They went into the next room along.
"Emma!" Came a mumbled voice. "Charming!" The pair turned around and sure enough Snow was in the middle of the room tied to a chair.
"What is going on?!" Emma whispered, terrified, as Charming quickly released his wife from the chair.
"Charming thank God." Snow said with clear fear in her voice as he took off her gag.
"What are you doing here?" He asked her.
"I was just having a walk in the woods for a bit of fresh air when he appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me…wait, why are you both here?" Snow asked, worried.
"Trying to find you of course." Charming answered, kissing her on the cheek. "I knew something wasn't right when you weren't home and hadn't left a note. We can discuss this all later. We have to leave. Now." Charming said. Emma and Snow nodded, and they turned to leave the room. Emma peaked around the door towards the room they'd seen Jefferson in. When she didn't see him, Emma nodded to the others and they all tiptoed out into the hall. They heard a gun click and all their hearts sank.
"I see you've found your mom." He said, far too merrily. Charming reached for Emma to pull her behind them but Jefferson had the gun pointed directly at her. One wrong move and he'd shoot, Charming knew it. He would have to leave her there.
"We've already called for backup. They'll be here any second." Emma lied.
"You haven't called anybody." Jefferson said cockily. "You can't have. Your dad is the backup." He pointed out. Emma cursed herself for coming up with such a lame threat. "So now tie them back up." He said, looking briefly at her parents. Emma sighed, knowing she had no choice.
"No." Charming said firmly. "I'm not leaving you alone with her!" He said.
"Dad." Emma said calmly. "We don't exactly have much choice just now."
"I'm with your father." Snow said angrily. "I don't trust him-"
"So trust me." Emma said. "I'll be ok." Snow looked at the determination in Emma's eyes. She didn't want to leave her alone with Jefferson. She wanted to run in front of her and demand to be taken instead. But like Emma said, they didn't have a choice. So Charming and Snow went without a fight back into the room and allowed Emma to tie them back up.
"Emma." Snow said, just before Emma put the gag back on. The message clear without her having to say anything.
"It's going to be ok." Emma lied. She really wasn't sure. But still she put the gag back on her mother and stood back up. "Your telescope." Emma began. "You've been watching me, why?" Jefferson nodded, coming into the room now that Charming and Snow were safely tied up.
"I need you to do something." He said, grabbing Emma's arm and pulling her out. Charming made a low growl. He didn't like the way Jefferson manhandled his daughter. Jefferson seemed to simply ignore him. Charming couldn't wait to get his hands on that crazy son of a bitch.
"No!" Snow mumbled through her gag, suddenly unable to do this. "No! Don't hurt her!" She demanded. Jefferson just smiled, shutting the door and leaving her parents in darkness.
After what seemed like forever, Emma came bursting back into the room, Jefferson's gun in her hand.
"Emma." Charming mumbled, relieved to see that she looked ok.
"It's alright." Emma said, beginning to untie them both. "We're going to get out of here-"
"Emma look out!" Snow screamed, seeing Jefferson behind Emma. Emma turned around but there was nothing she could do. Jefferson charged at her and tackled her down, taking Snow with them.
"Hey!" Charming screamed, trying to undo his last bind. "Get your hands off of them!" A fight ensued between Emma and Jefferson. Charming was ready to kill him- nobody laid so much as a finger on his daughter. He had just got the bind off when Jefferson got hold of the gun and pointed it at Emma again.
"Off with his head." Jefferson panted. Snow and Charming now understood the craziness- he was the Mad Hatter. While he was distracted, Snow scrambled up and grabbed the nearest object to hand- a crochet bat. She quickly wacked him in the back of the head. Jefferson stumbled back, and Snow aimed a good hard kick at his middle, which sent him flying out the window.
"Nobody," Snow snarled as Charming got up and ran to Emma, checking her over. "Hurts my daughter." Snow turned to her husband and daughter. Charming nodded, letting her know Emma was ok. They all crossed the room and looked out the window. Jefferson was nowhere to be seen- just his hat.
"Come on." Charming said, taking one of Snow's hands and wrapping his other arm around Emma.
"We don't know where he is. We need to go." He said. He was quite tight with his grip on both Snow and Emma. He didn't want either of his girls out of his sight again.