Rumple was taken to his shop after saying goodbye to Belle. It was painful as they both knew it could be the last time they saw each other.
Once he was laid down in the back, he instructed Emma to use invisible chalk to draw a protection barrier over the front door and instructed the others to prepare for battle.
"Wait Pip!" he called and the piper paused coming to sit on the edge of the cot.
"You aren't getting better, are you?" she said with a sigh.
"No, I'm not. And we don't have time to make an antidote."
"Then what do we do? Because I'm not letting you die Rum." Rumple gave a small smile.
"You know sometimes you do really remind me of Row."
"Caring about you must run in the family," replied the blond. "Now I repeat what's the plan? Because I KNOW you aren't just throwing in the towel."
"Go to that drawer over there," he pointed and Pip walked over taking out an intricate candle half black half white.
"The Lucerna Mortis."
"It's the only thing that can save me trading a life for a life." Pip shot him a smirk.
"You brilliant man. We save you, get rid of the person trying to kill everyone, and I get revenge on the woman who hurt Hattie, my family, and truth be told Gina."
"Then you know what to do. Cora's heart is in Regina's vault." Pip nodded. Emma returned from the front followed by Bae.
"I drew the invisible line. I think. What now? You cast a protection spell?" Rumple shook his head.
"No, no. You're going to do that for me. I'm relying on you." Emma scoffed.
"I can't cast a spell. I can spell "spell".
"You can. It's in you." Rumple told her firmly.
"How? Here? Like, from my brain?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Just try." He said leaning back. He could feel his strength leaving him. Emma sighed but scrunched her eyes closed in concentration. Rumple let out a sound of irritation.
"Stop thinking!" he told her sitting back up, his voice ragged with the strain of talking. "Conjuring magic is not an intellectual endeavor. It's emotion. You must ask yourself, "Why am I doing this? Who am I protecting? Feel it." Emma closed her eyes once more taking a deep breath moments later a slight wind blew and a wave of energy passed over as she performed the spell Emma's head tipped back a small smile on her face.
"You feel it?" asked Rumple. Emma nodded still with that small smile.
"Yeah, I think I did." Rumple leaned back once more closing his eyes.
"Good girl. Very good girl."
OUAT
Bae watched at his father guided Emma into casting a spell. It was strange listening to the way his father described it. "Who do you want to protect?" Was that what had been going through his father's mind when he took on the curse and first started using magic? The truth was much as he hated it he'd seen his father use it for good and bad...if primarily bad especially near the end.
Suddenly the floor began to rumble.
"Looks like Cora's here," said Emma.
"We got this," he told his father, for some reason determined to reassure him.
"I've always had faith in you," the man replied and Neal tried not to let it touch his heart. Then he followed Emma out to the main area of the shop. He noticed out of the corner of his eye Alice darting out the back door. He only hoped she was part of some secondary plan and not ducking out on them.
OUAT
Regina had spent however long she'd been trapped working to undo her mother's spell that kept her inside the mirror. It was a powerful one. But Regina remembered Rumple teaching her that most spells had loopholes. So she picked at this one until she finally found it and after a great deal of work, managed to get out falling face first on to the floor and barely catching herself.
Unfortunately, it was also right after her mother had declared she was going to Rumplestiltskin's shop to finish him off. Regina immediately poofed herself to the pawnshop in time to see Alice darting out the alley that led to the pawnshop back door and her mother entering the establishment.
"Where the hell are you going?" she asked the blond. "They need you!"
"To stop your psychotic hag of a mother," the woman replied not stopping in her walk.
"How?" asked Regina.
"I'm going to get her heart," replied Alice holding up a candle. Regina recognized it from a book she'd read long ago. In a split second she made a decision.
"You won't get in without me," said Regina. She flicked her hand and appeared herself and Alice in front of the monument, then whispered a spell that opened the doors of the monument. She knew in that moment that she would be helping kill her mother. But she also knew she had no choice. Cora would kill Henry if only for Regina's defiance and if it came down to a choice between the two she'd pick Henry every time.
OUAT
Belle reached her house and opened the door to find Jefferson waiting with a sword. He lowered it when she came in with Henry.
"Oh, thank god it's you."
"Yes, it's me," said Belle striding in. Henry looked around.
"You have a nice house Grandma." Jefferson snickered at the name and Belle rolled her eyes in response before smiling down at her grandson.
"Thank you, Henry. Where's Grace Jefferson?"
"In the library. No windows and one defensible entrance."
"Good I'll be with you in a moment." Belle gestured for Henry to follow Jefferson. Belle then turned to the door frame of their house which was decorated with runes. She tapped several and a wave of energy passed over the house. Now the regular wards on the house had been enhanced.
Anyone trying to break in under normal circumstances would be incapacitated. Anyone who tried now would die. Only she or Rumple could activate the runes, she felt the small amount of power she'd gained when she'd bonded herself to Rumple flow out. There were similar runes at the shop but unfortunately, they were keyed to Rumple and she didn't think he had the power left to activate them.
Then she went to the library where Henry and Grace were both seated on the couch talking.
"Auntie Belle!" said Grace getting up and running to hug her.
"Hello Grace," she said.
"Henry says Uncle Rumple is dying!" she exclaimed.
"He's in trouble yes but Emma and the others are going to stop Cora and try to save him," said Belle. "In the meantime, does everyone have a teleportation potion on them?" Jefferson, Henry, and Grace all nodded.
"Good. Cora shouldn't be able to survive getting in. But if she does then we all need to use them to escape."
"I thought heroes fought?" asked Henry though he sounded more curious than defiant.
"None of us are going to be a match for Cora kid," said Jefferson.
"As your Grandfather David once said, sometimes being a hero is knowing when to run away from the fire. There's no point fighting when you know it will get you killed. Better to live another day and plan." Henry looked thoughtful over the advice.
"Hey why don't you kids pick a book to read?" suggested Jefferson clearly hoping to distract them. Grace sighed heavily.
"Ok." As the children went to the shelves Jefferson turned to Belle.
"I'm going to the front room to keep a watch." Belle nodded.
"Stay safe."
In the meantime, she paced trying to keep her mind from dissolving into complete panic over the thought of Rumple in mortal danger. He'd confided his plan of using a magic candle to her in private on the way over. Belle hadn't objected. It was necessary. Hell. She'd have done it if she had to. She supposed now it was all down to Alice.
Suddenly her phone went off. She saw the caller ID and answered immediately.
"Rumple." she said.
"Belle," she could tell he was breathing heavily. Not a good sign.
"What is it?" she asked fearfully.
"I needed to talk to you. Just. Just in case it is the last time."
"Don't talk like that," she whispered. Belle could feel the eyes of Henry and Grace on her so stepped out of the room into the hall.
"We never finished our discussion. You said you were nothing special. You wondered why I loved you. I'm going to tell you why. You are a hero who helped your people. You're a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me. You find goodness in others, and when it's not there, you create it. You make me wanna go back. Back to the best version of me. That never happened before. You say you aren't singular but in all my years I've never met another like you. And I am so grateful that I did. Thank you, Belle."
Belle felt tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much,' she said in a shaky voice.
"And I you sweetheart. Goodbye my darling Belle," she heard him whisper. The line disconnected and Belle covered her mouth to muffle her sob. The door to the library opened and she looked down to see Henry and Grace, who stared at her for a moment before both coming to wrap their arms around her. She returned the embrace praying to whatever deity existed that that hadn't truly been goodbye.
OUAT
Neal listened as his father talked to Belle. His words were tender and there were tears in his eyes. Unbidden Neal felt wetness pool in the corners of his own eyes. He'd been fighting ever since he'd seen his father again against the idea that his Papa might still have a heart. That some part of the man he'd once been was there. And yet those were not the words of the man who had let go of him. He wasn't exactly the same as he'd once been but he could now see the man that had taken on a curse to save his son.
His father hung up the phone and handed it back to Emma.
"Didn't know you had that in you," said Neal thickly.
"Oh, I am full of love. I've spent a lifetime looking for you. For a chance to say I love you. And I'm sorry."
"I didn't think you would go back on our deal."
"I just made the wrong choice." Well at least he admitted it. His father stretched out a hand. "May I?"
"I'm still angry," said Neal his voice coming out almost childish.
"I know," his father whispered. Any remaining resistance fell away Neal took the outstretched hand kneeling next to his papa and pressing his forehead to their joined hands as tears started to form. He felt a hand gently comb through his hair just as his father had when he was a child scared from a nightmare.
"I don't want to lose you." And he didn't. Maybe he wasn't ready for forgiveness yet but he didn't want to lose his papa. Didn't want to lose the opportunity to maybe, just maybe get him back.
"Or I you." his father replied. They stayed like that for a moment. But Neal knew it couldn't last. Cora was going to break through. He squeezed his father's hand and then stood picking up a sword readying himself to defend his Papa. Emma too was armed they shared a glance. Together. Just like old times.
OUAT
Rumple clutched his son's hand relishing the feeling of it. His son may not have forgiven him...but he didn't hate him. If he died now at least he could be content in that knowledge. The knowledge that a part of Bae still loved him.
He'd been trying to gather some remnant of power ever since the docks unfortunately he'd not attained enough by the time they reached the shop to activate the runes but now as Cora was about to break through he knew he had just enough for one minor spell.
The fact was his son and Emma had no chance at stopping Cora, and he feared what she would do if she got her hands on them. One small spell might not be enough to work against Cora but it could save his son and the mother of his grandchild.
Cora broke through the barrier with a crashing sound and as Emma and Bae moved forward Rumple twisted his hand. the pair were both surrounded in crimson smoke and disappeared.
Cora looked at him in surprise.
"Well, I expected more of a fight than that."
"I won't let you hurt my son," he said.
"You won't have much of a say soon," responded Cora stalking forward. Rumple knew he needed to buy time either so that Pip could get here or so he could die before Cora realized the dagger was a fake.
"I always told you love was a weakness," she said.
"We'll have to agree to disagree," quipped Rumple.
"Well, you're lying here dying and I'm about to become the most powerful being in the realms. I'd say that's definitive proof," said Cora standing over him.
"And yet you live a life of loneliness. In the end your power's brought you nothing more than an empty heart. I might be dying but at least I'll die happy."
"Sentimental nonsense," scoffed Cora. "Besides, Regina will join me eventually." Rumple sincerely doubted that. Not as long as Cora was a threat to Henry.
"A vision told me about you. Told me this day would come. But it didn't tell me everything. Didn't tell me what I really wanted to know." Alright now he was just spinning for time he cared nothing for Cora.
"And what's that?" asked Cora.
"Did you ever love me?" Cora looked hurt though he knew it was feigned. She leaned down.
"Why do you think I had to rip my own heart out? You were my weakness. You were the only man I ever truly loved." Rumple saw a flash of blond behind Cora. He smirked.
"What a pity dearie, cause I never loved you, and Belle is twice the woman you'll ever be." Fury twisted Cora's face but she was distracted by a voice.
"I agree," Cora twisted round and Rumple was able to catch the sight of Pip shoving a red heart back into the woman's chest. Cora gasped stumbling against a cabinet.
"That's for my family and my husband," snarled Pip as Cora collapsed. Rumple could suddenly feel the strength returning to him he looked down at the wound to see it had healed over. He was saved.
OUAT
Regina watched her mother collapse after Regina's once best friend shoved the heart back inside the woman.
"Regina!" gasped her mother and tentatively Regina approached dropping to the ground. There was an almost loving look on her mother's face.
"This, would have been enough. YOU would have been enough." Her eyes fell shut and against all logic Regina felt a tear fall down her cheek her heart aching.
She looked up to see Rumplestiltskin standing tall once more.
"Don't rub it in," she said coldly before disappearing herself and her mother to the vault.
OUAT
Neal let out a cry as he and Emma appeared on Hook's ship.
"What the hell was that?" asked Emma.
"I think that was my Papa's magic," sighed Neal. He'd recognized the colored smoke.
"Why the hell would he send us out of there? That means he's alone and defenseless against that witch!" exclaimed Emma. Neal sighed.
"I have a theory but I'll save yelling at him for it until we get back and see if he's alive." They began hurrying back towards the shop though it was quite a walk from the docks to the pawnshop. A few minutes in Emma's phone chirped and she checked it.
"Well that solves that," she said.
"What?" asked Neal
"Apparently your dad is cured and Cora is dead."
"How?" Neal supposed it could only be down to some form of magic.
"He doesn't say."
"I'm gonna guess it has something to do with Alice ducking out before Cora got in," said Neal.
"Probably. But that's that problem solved," replied Emma and Neal had to agree. However, it was done he wasn't going to complain about the result. Not when his father and more importantly his son had been in danger. Neal paused. Was that how his father had been thinking all those years ago?
"I guess you're happy?" asked Emma. Neal nodded.
"I guess so. Though my dad sure as hell still has a long way to go before everything is ok."
"He said something similar," said Emma.
"I didn't realize you two were so close," he said. Emma snorted.
"We aren't. He annoys the hell out of me but...he's reliable. And I DO like Belle. I'd hate to see her lose him given how much he means to her."
"You got that much right," said Neal. "She'll be relieved he's alive. They really do love each other."
"Tell me about it. Right after the curse broke I walked in on the pair of them going at it like a pair of teens."
"JESUS Em," said Neal cringing and slipping back into his old nickname. "I did NOT need that visual."
"Consider it payback for jail," scoffed Emma and he chuckled. She was very much still the woman he'd fallen in love with if more guarded, which he knew was thanks to him. It also made things with Tamara more complicated. Because he also cared for her.
But that was something he could worry about later. They made it back to the shop and Bae pushed open the door to find his father behind the counter dressed in a new shirt and talking on the phone. Alice sat on top of said counter with one leg crossed over the other polishing a pipe.
"Yes, sweetheart I'm fine...No. There's no need for you to come back to the shop I'll come home. I just need a word with Bae...Alright...love you too. Bye." His father shut the phone.
"What happened to Cora?" asked Emma.
"All you need to know Sheriff is that she's dead. Regina's taken the body presumably for burial," said his father.
"If I were her, I'd set that thing on fire and make sure the witch can never come back," scoffed Alice.
"Yes, that might be considered advisable. But Regina did love her mother so I think burying in the family tomb will have to work."
"So everyone's safe now and we aren't in danger of someone using the dagger to control you?" asked Neal. His father nodded.
"Yes. I just got off the phone with Belle. Henry is safe if you want to retrieve him."
"I'll do it," said Emma.
"I'll come too!" said Alice hopping off the counter. "I need to pick up Grace and Hattie." Neal paused a part of him considered going to see Henry but he also didn't want to overstep. This whole co-parenting thing was a new ballpark.
"Tell Henry I'd like to see him again and that I'm glad he's safe," said Neal at last. Emma nodded.
"I will." The two women left leaving Neal alone with his Papa. An awkward silence fell between them. At last, he said.
"What the hell were you thinking sending me away like that you were alone with that woman!" his father sighed.
"I lost you once and it was my fault. I wasn't going to let it be so again. I would not have you die trying to save me." Neal felt a lump in his throat.
"I can't forgive you yet. But I'm glad you're not dead."
"Thank you," said his father softly. Unsure of what to do next and not trusting himself to keep it together Neal turned around and left the shop.
Author's Note: Ding dong Cora's dead! I hope you all enjoyed the alterations. Pip's revenge is going to make even more sense once I've done the Jefferson x Piper story but needless to say Jefferson isn't the first person dear to her Cora hurt. Lucerna Mortis is Latin for Candle of Death but I figured it sounded cooler in Latin and we never get a proper name for the candle. I always found it oddly merciful of Cora to just toss Bae and Emma aside so I decided to have Rumple get them out of the way. I still find that phone call scene one of the most heartbreaking. I do hope you all enjoyed the additional dialogue as well. If you like the story please leave your thoughts below in the comments they really do mean the world! Thanks to all my lovely readers and commenters. Until next time!