Despite Regina and Belle's renewed joint effort, a partnership that was surprisingly tolerable especially when Alice popped in the join them, they were still at a loss on how to stop the witch and rescue Rumple.
The only progress Belle had made was in finding a separation spell for Bae and Rumple. But that was no good unless they could stop Bae DYING when they did separate. Not to mention as Nova had noted Rumple not being...all there did work to their favor for the moment.
Belle sat at the council table one day listening to the debate go round in circles. Regina had shockingly been the one to fight for her place on the council. The discussion had actually been rather amusing.
Flashback*
Belle stood outside a door listening to the rather loud conversation.
"I think the council has more than enough members Regina." said Charming.
"Please half of them don't know the first thing about strategy," scoffed Regina.
"And Belle does?" asked Snow.
"It's her DAMN husband on the line here of anyone she's probably one of the best equipped to deal with the Dark One. Not to mention I'd think you'd show Henry's grandmother and the woman whose husband saved your lives a bit more respect."
"We...well..." stuttered Charming.
"It's just I'm not sure if everyone will like having the wife of the Dark One on the council," said Snow.
"If they tolerate me on the council they can deal with the bookworm whose greatest crime was her choice in husbands," scoffed Regina.
Flashback end*
Belle honestly wondered if Regina was partially trying to make up for her actions against Belle by being in her corner now. And perhaps also treating her the way Henry would have wished. Whatever the reason she wouldn't complain.
"Dreamy, tell me, you found something." said Charming hopefully. The dwarf shook his head.
"Nova, Tink, all the fairies, they've been scouring the forest for a way to destroy her, but they got zilch. They say, she's just too powerful."
"Surely not. Everyone has a weakness of some sort," said Belle. Cora and Rumple both had them and surely, they were more powerful than this upstart.
"Anyone tried calling the bucket brigade yet?" asked the Huntsman to a few noises of amusement.
"It's happening again. I'm about to give birth and an evil sorceress is threatening the future of my child." said Snow.
"To be fair, the first time, I was threatening you. Everyone else just became collateral damage." Belle bit her lip to stop a sound of amusement escaping.
Personally, she felt the Charming had incredibly poor decision-making skills in terms of when they wanted to try for a child. After all, hadn't they ever heard of a contraceptive potion?
"Remind me again why we forgave her?" asked Dreamy.
"Because I'm helping." said Regina indignantly and Belle saw Robin herself also found the quip funny. "Frustrating as it is for me to remember, Snow, you had a head start to defeat me last time. How?" Belle answered for them as the two royals looked awkward.
"Rumplestiltskin. Piper convinced those two to come and consult with Rumple who knew how the curse needed to be broken."
"Maybe he can warn you again," suggested Regina. Belle raised an eyebrow it was a thought. A dangerous one but they didn't have time to play safe.
"Wait. You wanna sneak into Rumplestiltskin's Castle, where he's held captive by the Wicked Witch? Name is Dreamy, not Stupid." Belle chuckled.
"You're right it's stupid. But it's for our child," said Snow.
"And for that we'll do anything," said Charming.
"Any suggestions oh Dark Lady?" asked Red cheekily Belle rolled her eyes at the teasing moniker.
"Unfortunately, no. Rumple's wards died with him and Zelena will have put up new protections. Physically I know the ins and outs of the place but magically I would be wary. I'm not sure how to break in."
"Luckily, I do. I broke in there," said Robin.
"No offense but not very well," said Belle.
"Fair, my lady. But a break in nonetheless. I've plenty of experience in that area."
"Why are we even listening to him? He's a thief, which means he's not to be trusted. What are you even still doing here?" scoffed Regina.
"What I'm doing here, is saving your ass. If that witch is even close to being like Rumplestiltskin she'll have some deadly traps for us."
"Not more deadly than my magic," scoffed Regina.
"They are, if you don't see them coming."
"Maybe I'm okay with taking my chances." countered Regina and Belle found herself entertained by the arguing between the two. There was a clear chemistry there. She could sense it in the barbs thrown back and forth and the furtive looks sent when each wasn't staring at the other.
"Alright. You may be, but we're not. He's coming." said Snow firmly.
"Home again it is," murmured Belle.
OUAT
The party to breaking into the Dark Castle consisted of Belle, David, Snow White, Regina, Robin Hood, and to her great surprise Jefferson.
"Have you seriously thought this through?" she asked the man who was now dressed as he had been when she first met him in a long leather coat with his signature hat.
"Of course I am," he said.
"Have YOU seriously thought this through?" she then asked Alice who had come down with Grace to see them off.
"Well we flipped for it and he won," she replied.
"If one of you goes and something happens..." began Belle.
"We already discussed it," Jefferson interrupted.
"And we all agreed we couldn't let you go off without back up," finished Alice.
"My last back up fell prey to the Wicked Witch," argued Belle.
"That was before you knew what you were getting into," said Jefferson. "Now you do. It wouldn't feel right to let you go off facing that without family backing you."
"Not to mention we want to help Uncle Rumple and you, Mama, and Papa are the only ones who can be trusted to do that," added Grace.
"You aren't worried?" asked Belle. Grace raised her eyebrows looking a bit like Alice.
"Of course, I am. I don't want any of you in danger. But that isn't an option, is it?"
"From the mouths of babes eh?" said Alice as Belle stood speechless.
"Belle one way or another one of us is coming with you. That's nonnegotiable," said Jefferson. "Family doesn't just abandon each other to save their own neck."
Belle felt tears pricking the corner of her eyes though she refused to let them fall. She and Rumple had always referred to the Hatter's as family but times like this were when it was really shown.
"Alright. I see I don't have much of a choice in the matter," she replied at last.
"No you don't," said Alice as she pulled two transportation potions out of her pocket. "WITH that said. If the witch so much as shows a hint of her ugly green face you two use these to get back here ASAP. I don't care about the rest of the damn party. Skip being noble and survive. Are we clear?" she asked.
Belle and Jefferson both chuckled as they took the potions. Belle herself already had one along with a few other types of potion but it never hurt to have extra.
"Understood," said Jefferson with a mock salute before kissing his wife while Belle hugged Grace.
"I'll be back soon," she told the little girl.
"You'd better. And if you do see Uncle Rumple...try giving him this?" out of her pocket Grace pulled a tiny golden tulip just a little bigger than a charm for a charm bracelet. Yellow tulips symbolized hope. Belle then also realized that the gold the tulip was made from was similar to the kind Rumple would make sometimes spinning gold then magicking the thread into something solid.
"I certainly will," she promised tucking it in a pocket before giving Alice a farewell hug.
"Fairfarren to you both," said Alice waving as Jefferson and Belle approached the rest of the group.
"I'll drop us off a little way up the path to the Dark Castle," said Regina and with a wave of her hand they were surrounded in purple smoke appearing seconds later on the familiar path leading up to Belle's currently commandeered home.
"So, the plan is to just walk up to the front door and barge in?" asked Jefferson conversationally.
"It will be the easiest to retreat from," said Robin.
"And the easiest to be seen from," pointed out Belle. "Ought we not to try and make sure that the witch is actually out first?"
"Bookworm makes a good point," said Regina.
"I suppose I could send one of my birds to scout," suggested Snow after a moment.
They waited for the bird's return which confirmed that the witch was indeed currently gone.
"In that case we need to move out," said Charming firmly.
"Really Captain Obvious? Cause I was planning on taking a nap," said Jefferson with an eyeroll and brought a small smile to Belle's face. She was glad to have her friend with her. It made her feel better.
They finished their trek and reached the front doors Regina reached out to push them open,
"Your Majesty, I wouldn't." Called Robin fast as lightening nocking and arrow and aiming at the door he hit the target a little above Regina's head. A wave of fire pulsed over the door as the trap disarmed.
Belle jumped back into Jefferson.
"That arrow almost took off my head," snapped Regina.
"Well, that door almost took off your arm. Where I come from, a simple thank youwould suffice." scoffed Robin completely unintimidated.
"Where you come from, people bathe in the river and use pine cones for money." said Regina scornfully. They entered the castle very slowly as they passed through the doors the Hatter muttered to Belle.
"Talk about hot new security systems."
"Are you just along for the quips?" asked Belle dryly. The Hatter raised his eyebrow.
"We're on a quest to get information from, rather than probably rescue my best friend whose being held hostage by a Wicked Witch. It's called a coping mechanism."
"Fair enough," said Belle. As they entered into the halls what seemed to be dust fell on them.
"Couldn't the woman bother to clean," coughed Regina however her words started to slur a little near the end. The Hatter however yanked Belle and Robin the other nearest both out.
"Get back out now!" he ordered loudly the strength of his yell jarring the others who managed to pull themselves together enough to stumble back out the doorway into the nippy mountain air.
"What was that?" asked Charming.
"Poppy dust," coughed Jefferson. "I encountered it once before. Puts you to sleep. Give us another ten seconds in there and we'd all have been out like babies."
"Thank goodness you recognized it," said Belle taking deep breaths of the fresh air.
"Then how do we get through?" asked Charming.
"Well, I can test the inner door with an arrow to see if there are any traps," suggested Robin.
"And then to actually get through just cover our mouths and noses," said Belle. Sometimes the simplest plan worked best. Robin shot an arrow towards the inner door. It stuck there with no problem.
"Looks like greenie assumed fire and poppies were all she needed," said Regina. In honor of their new found alliance Belle decided against pointing out that Regina had nearly been taken out by both precautions.
They all took out pieces of cloth or handkerchiefs then covering any way of inhaling the poppy dust the six hurried across the hall pushing through the doors and closing them on the hall of falling poppy dust. Belle couldn't help the feeling of utter violation at the way the woman was twisting her home.
The Great Hall was changed as well. The dining table and chairs where many a happy memory had been made, had vanished. In its place was a cage. And in that cage, was Rumple. Belle felt her stomach twist in revulsion. The cage itself was just big enough to hold Rumple and the spinning wheel he sat at. He didn't look like he's slept or washed in days. His hair and reptilian eyes were wild and he was muttering to himself as he spun feverishly.
Belle felt the Hatter squeeze her shoulder comfortingly. Looking up at him he appeared as disgusted and pained by the image as she. The only ones who didn't seem all that perturbed were Snow White and Charming. Then again, they had been willing to lock him up once upon a time so perhaps it wasn't strange.
"Rumplestiltskin?" asked Snow White. Rumple giggled.
"Rumple, Bumple isn't here. Rumple, Bumple gone, my dear."
"He really is back from the dead," said Regina. "Hearing it's one thing, seeing it's another."
"Dead. Dead. So much better. Dead." said Rumple pausing his spinning on the last word he sounded tortured. Belle covered her mouth to keep back a dry sob. She needed to keep it together. Yet seeing Rumple humiliated like that...it nearly broke her.
"He's lost his mind," said Charming.
"On the contrary. Now I have two. Two minds. Mining time. Digging deeper in the grime." Rumple began to spin again even faster.
"Oh god," whispered Belle. "The two of them stuck together it's driving him mad."
"Rumplestiltskin, we need your help! How do we stop Zelena?" said Snow.
"Round and round, the circle of time, racing towards the finish line."
"This is pointless," said Regina. Belle stood wondering how to approach the situation. However, Jefferson was the one to speak up.
"It might not be. Even madness has a certain...logic to it as strange as it may sound. There are bits of sense mixed in there. Two minds mean his and Baelfire's mind's. And well...I don't doubt the morbid ruminations are somewhat genuine. He needs something to focus him and keep him on track enough so he can gather his thoughts."
At the strange looks from a few people not including Belle the man shrugged.
"They don't call me the MAD Hatter for no reason. Belle, I think this is where you come in. Try and anchor him." Belle nodded what Jefferson said made sense. Slowly she approached the cage.
"Hey, Rumple...Rumple..." he ignored her at first so she removed the glove on the hand with her wedding ring and reached through the bars capturing his hand and stopping his spinning.
"Hey I know you're in there. It's me Belle. Your wife. Remember?" Rumple's erratic gaze focused on her.
"Belle..."
"Yes. Now how do we stop Zelena so I can save you." There was a pause then Rumple whispered.
"Light."
"Light?" asked Belle.
"Light magic. The Good Witch of the South." Belle's eyes widened she's at least read of the witches of Oz.
"Glinda? But where?"
"Banished. Here. The Good Witch of the South was banished north. North of the Dark Forest." He let go of her hand starting to spin again.
"How do we find her? Rumplestiltskin. In the Dark Forest, how do we find her?" demanded Snow.
"Through the door step inside, if pure of heart, then she won't hide."
"We got what we need. Let's go," said Charming.
"One minute," said Belle shakily against her will a tear slid down her cheek she closed her eyes steeling herself to walk away when she felt a thumb gently brushing away the tear. Belle opened her eyes to see that Rumple had once more paused his spinning and had reached through the bars and placed a hand on her cheek.
"What about you and Bae?" she asked softly. She could see in his eyes that he was as lost as she on how to save Bae once their bodies were parted. She sighed.
"I'm not leaving for good," she told him. One way or another I'll break you free of her. I will save you Rumple you and our son. Don't give up hope. Our whole family is fighting for you." She took his hand and pressed Grace's charm into it. He looked down at their joined hands.
"Hope. Hope sent the witch down the slope." Belle smiled slightly she heard Jefferson approach from behind once more placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I hate to agree with the others but we gotta go," he whispered before speaking to Rumple.
"Belle's right old friend. We'll be back. And in the meantime, don't worry about your wife. She's not alone." Then with Jefferson's arm wrapped about her shoulders they departed the Dark Castle Belle's heart feeling like she was leaving a part of it back in that cage.
OUAT
Rumple's mind was something of a mess. Now not only did his head contain his own memories but also those of Bae's. Which was a whole separate issue in itself. He knew it must be the same for Bae. One body was not meant for two minds.
Of course, he was still aware of what was going on around him. It was his body and thus he remained technically the dominant one between the pair but it was still exceptionally difficult to concentrate and do even simple things like express himself in a normal manner. His words came out in riddles.
Which was fine by him for the most part considering who had his dagger and he was certainly determined to be as unhelpful as possible.
Zelena was frustrated by his lack of usefulness at the moment but still making some progress. He was at least sure Belle and the Hatter's were safe. Zelena would have been taunting him about their deaths if they weren't.
And then there came a day in his months of imprisonment when Zelena was out and the castle doors opened to reveal a party of people. Ones he knew but he couldn't quite focus on and so he answered in riddle's. At least until his wife grasped her hand in his. He could feel her wedding ring. Squeezing it Rumple did his best to focus and push back Bae's mind as he stared into her blue eyes.
"Hey I know you're in there. It's me Belle. Your wife. Remember?" How could he ever forget even in madness? She begged him for answers on how to stop Zelena to save him. Her words gentle unlike the demands of the royals.
Pulling himself together Rumple told her what he could the only thing he could really imagine would help them at this point. To save him Zelena would need to be defeated by one with light magic.
Belle started to cry which almost broke Rumple's heart. He could feel himself slipping a little but reached through the bars to brush away her tear.
"What about you and Bae?" Rumple gave her a sad little smile shaking his head. He knew how to bind Bae too him and how to separate but saving Bae's life permanently. That was something beyond his knowledge. He could tell Belle understood from her sigh. She pledged to come back and save him pressing a small item into his hand. It was a charm made from spun gold. Grace's work. His goddaughter's attempt at a message of hope.
"Hope. Hope sent the witch down the slope." Indeed Zelena was on top now. But she underestimated her opponents and with any luck that would be her downfall. He saw Jefferson approach urging Belle to leave but not before addressing him.
"Belle's right old friend. We'll be back. And in the meantime, don't worry about your wife. She's not alone," Rumple felt a rush of gratitude not solely his own towards the Hatter. It was a relief to know that his Belle had friends looking out for her. He watched her retreat his mind returning to its jumbled state.
OUAT
Neal's mind was in chaos as it competed for room with his father's. It didn't help he was getting an influx of hundreds of years of memories. He was just as aware as his father of what was going on but unlike his father he didn't have much room for vocalization. Not that his father was particularly coherent when he did speak.
Neal rather lost track of the days but one day Belle and several others came asking for help. He was only able to register her face coming closer for a brief period before he was completely shut out of what was happening unable to tell what was going on.
When next he came to slow awareness he caught the final words of Belle claiming she'd be back for them and Jefferson promising to look after her. Neal could feel his father's relief over that fact and indeed felt some of his own. He worried for Belle who he was coming to see as...well he couldn't quite say yet but she was important to him. And the witch clearly had it out for her as well as Regina.
Neal only hoped that in his moment of coherence when he'd shut Neal out his father had been able to lend Belle and the others assistance in stopping Zelena.
OUAT
Belle walked through the forest side by side with Jefferson they were at the back of the party and had both been largely silent since the castle.
"Was that what it was like for you?" asked Belle.
"You mean when I was driven to the brink of madness by trying to make portal hats home and Cora beheading me every time I failed?" asked Jefferson. Belle winced. It had been insensitive to ask.
"I'm sorry I..."
"It's fine Belle," said Jefferson gently. "In answer to your question. I think so. It's different for everyone. Rumple's certainly gone round the twist a bit at the moment but it's magic induced not something that's actually formed by emotions. That can all be undone once we work out how to solve the whole Baelfire thing and rescue them."
Belle nodded she supposed that much was true and something of a comfort.
"It was so..." she couldn't find the right word
"Horrific, atrocious, abominable?" listed off Jefferson a distasteful look upon his face.
"Nauseating," said Belle. "To see him humiliated and caged like an animal. My poor Rumple."
"I quite agree," said Jefferson. "I never thought I'd see my best friend in that position. I'd have found a way to break him out if it would have done any good."
"The Charmings don't care," muttered Belle. "He's Henry's grandfather and they don't care. I mean I understand urgency but...they didn't even show an ounce of disgust or sympathy for his plight!" at least Robin had offered his sympathies upon their exit.
"No man deserves that kind of treatment." He'd told her. Which given his fraught past with Rumple said a lot.
"I know. But what do you expect from them?" Jefferson asked her.
"I suppose my hope in humanity was too high," said Belle. "I swear if I get my hands on that witch..."
"I promise to make sure you get first dibs," chuckled Jefferson. "At least as long as you allow Alice and I to get a few blows in."
"I think that can be arranged," replied Belle.
The party stopped as Charming handed a snowbell to his wife. Belle heard Regina say.
"I don't care if they're dancing daffodils!"
"Nah those aren't dancing daffodils. Wrong climate," said Jefferson.
"Wonderland?" asked Belle. The man nodded.
"If it's weird it's probably Wonderlandian."
"Well that explains Alice."
A door suddenly appeared in the middle of the forest. Belle hurried forward as the Charmings disappeared through no way was she letting them be the only ones to get information. She looked back at Jefferson.
"Coming?" He gave her a crooked smile.
"I'm many things but pure of heart is not among them." Belle nodded and hurried though to find herself in a pocket dimension full of snow. A blond woman in a white dress was speaking with the Charmings.
"Glinda I presume?" asked Belle.
"Yes and you must be Belle," said Glinda. "Wife of the Dark One."
"Well, I didn't realize word travelled so easily to pocket dimensions," said Belle who any other time would have started asking a million questions about how Glinda handled living here.
"I may be isolated but I have my ways of getting news no matter how much one tries to keep it quiet," said Glinda with a slight smile. "I was just telling your friends here that sadly I don't have the power to stop Zelena. It will take one with stronger light magic."
"Emma our daughter has light magic," said David.
"She doesn't know how to wield it," said Belle.
"I'm sure Regina could teach her," said Snow. Belle tilted her head in acknowledgement. It was certainly a thought if they got to Emma. Though a fully trained witch against a novice wasn't exactly the best odds. Then again, they didn't have much other choice.
"Zelena also wears a pendant that is the source of her power. Defeat her and remove it and she will be powerless," said Glinda.
"I don't know a mind like hers I wouldn't say that," murmured Belle who felt that was overly optimistic. No magic didn't equate to no power. "But it's a step in the right direction. However, we've still got the problem of how on earth we're supposed to get to Emma. She's in another realm with a wiped memory."
Charming paused.
"There is a way."
"No, you can't mean..." began Snow
"We've no choice," said Charming. "We've got to enact the Dark Curse."
OUAT
Regina returned them to the council chamber of the Queen's or was it the Charming's now? castle, at which point an argument ensued.
"Are you out of your minds? Even, if I believe this Glinda, which I don't, to cast the Dark Curse I'd have to destroy the heart of the thing I love most, which - for me - is Henry."
"There has to be another way to enact it," said Snow. She looked towards Belle hopefully. "Rumplestiltskin made it surely he knew of another way."
"You think my husband just left Regina alive after all she'd done to us for fun?" scoffed Belle. "He only left her alive because he knew she was the one capable of doing the only thing necessary to enact the curse. If there was another way, he'd have done it himself not waste 28 years being cursed."
"First of all seriously?" asked Regina. "And secondly," she turned back to the Charming's "If there were, another way do you think I would have killed my father?"
"What about a magic bean?" suggested Charming. "If we had one, we could open a portal. Or your hat Jefferson?" Jefferson raised an eyebrow and spoke as if explaining to a child.
"Did you miss the little event where Hook burnt the crop of beans? And as for my hat do you honestly think in all my years of partnering with Rumplestiltskin he wouldn't have used it to get to the Land Without Magic if he could? The Hat doesn't go there."
Charming looked offended so Belle jumped in.
"What he means is there are no more portals."
"The bookworm is right. Not for us. Not for anyone the curse brought back. I undid the first curse to escape to bring us here, it divided our realms. It placed a wall between them."
"The Dark Curse is the only way," said Charming Belle actually was impressed Charming was willing to delve that far into dark magic.
"Haven't you been listening? I can't cast it." said Regina.
"But someone else can," said Charming.
"Who?" asked Snow.
"You," said Charming crouching beside her. "It's the only way. You can use my heart to cast the curse. We have to think of our child."
"Our child needs you. I need you. We'll find another way. We always find another way." said Snow.
"I do hate to put a damper on your hope," said Belle. "But we don't have time for "another way," said Belle. "We've spent the majority of your pregnancy looking for other options with no luck. It's time for the drastic. This is the best chance we have. At least unless you fancy Zelena stealing your baby."
"Easy for you to say you aren't the one sacrificing your true love," snapped Snow. Belle stood up sharply from the table.
"You foolish woman. That's exactly what I did. So make up your mind. Can you make that same sacrifice?" with those words she turned on her heel and stormed out.
OUAT
The morning after their return Belle ran into Grace in the hallway on her way to Regina's workroom, she wanted to check some of the spell books in there.
"Hello Auntie Belle," said Grace with a smile.
"Hello Grace," she said embracing the girl.
"I'm glad you and papa are back safe. I'm sorry to hear about Uncle Rumple though. So are the King and Queen truly going to cast the dark curse?"
As often happened the girl's mouth was running a mile a minute.
"Your parents told you all that?" asked Belle. Grace looked sheepish.
"Well...I may have overheard some of the more...specific details when I shouldn't have."
Belle chuckled.
"So like your parents."
"AH hemm." someone cleared a voice behind them. They turned to see Regina. Belle felt Grace stiffen a little next to her but otherwise didn't seem to irked by the former Evil Queen. It seemed in various ways the woman was slowly earning Grace's forgiveness. Though she would undoubtedly never forget the woman's actions.
"Belle, Miss Hatter."
"Regina," said Belle. "Have they come to a decision?"
"They have," said Regina. "They plan to tell the main members of the council and rulers today. Snow thinks it's best to warn people."
"Fair enough."
"I was wondering if you could assist me. The work will go quicker with two." Belle nodded.
"I can certainly lend some aid. Grace why don't you go tell your parents..." but the girl had already run off calling.
"Already ahead of you!" Belle smiled shaking her head fondly.
OUAT
Brewing the dark curse was actually not as hard as Belle expected the trickiest bit had been locks of hair from the evilest of souls. They'd had to send out the huntsman and some dwarves to retrieve those but the venture was successful. Otherwise much of it was like making a potion.
Alongside the curse however, Belle also brewed a memory potion. It had been Alice who'd brought the fact that Emma currently lacked her memories back to their attention.
"She's the ultimate skeptic and we've not got several months plus a sleeping curse to remedy that," the woman had said. Belle quite agreed. She liked Emma but the woman rarely took things on faith alone.
"Hair," said Regina and Belle passed it they were standing over a large cauldron in the center courtyard. They dropped it in causing some sparks to rise. The Charmings stood nearby. They turned towards the couple.
"It's ready." said Regina.
"No. There has to be another way to get to Emma," said Snow desperately.
"There isn't. You know if there were, I'd have gone back to Henry," said Regina.
"This is it. This sacrifice is the only chance we or your child have," said Belle before stepping slightly away her part was mostly done and the moment seemed a bit intimate. She watched distantly as Snow crushed Charming's heart sobbing as she did so.
Despite her dislike of the pair Belle did feel sympathy for them. Losing your true love was not a fate she'd wish upon any let alone being forced to play a part in their death noble cause or no.
"This won't be in vain. We will get back to Storybrooke. We will defeat..." Regina began however her words were cut off by a cackle as Zelena zoomed down from overhead on her broom and dropped a green potion into the cauldron. Belle's eyes widened in horror.
"Did you really think you could enact Rumple's Dark Curse and I wouldn't know about it?" sneered the witch.
"No, but I didn't really care? You're too late." snarked Regina.
"Actually, I'm not." said Zelena smugly. "I'm afraid you sacrificed your charming husband for nothing." Snow looked distraught.
"Regina, he can't die in vain."
"She's bluffing. Once the curse is enacted it can't be stopped."
"What did you do?" demanded Belle. Zelena grinned.
"I may not be able to stop it, but that doesn't mean I can't spice it up a bit. How does a forgetting potion sound?" They looked over as the cloud began to expand from the cauldron. "Mm, sorry. Did you need your memories in the new land? Were you planning to stop me? Or, for that matter recognize me."
"We'll find a way," said Snow
"Without knowing any of this? I doubt it. You'll be too busy looking for your husband. You won't even know about his sacrifice. Just endlessly wondering where he could be, always fearing the worst. Pay attention, sis. This is how you take away a happy ending."
As she made to zoom away she circled down so that she clipped Belle and sent her stumbling the memory potions for Emma and Henry tumbled from her pocket and broke on the pavement. Belle scrambled running to get away from the expanding cloud. She pelted from the courtyard and into a side room where she grabbed a sheaf of paper and quill. The curse washed over her just as she completed writing Zelena! and pressed the paper to her chest willing with all her might that it would cross over with them.
OUAT
Neal didn't know what the others had planned but he did know that he absolutely needed to make sure that Emma remembered. So when Zelena gave his father the potion he used all his might to force his way into taking control of the body for the first time. Zelena had left the cage open so he stumbled over to a desk and grabbing a quill wrote a message on a scrap of cloth ripped from his sleeve.
A message sent to the only person in the realms capable of escaping this curse. He only hoped that Captain Hook's crush on Emma would serve to save them.
Author's Note: So a few changes to the visit to Rumple and we get inside his head a bit. Belle helps out with the curse and brews a way to get Emma's memory back, the reason I had her originally make memory potions is because I never understood HOW THE HELL they figured they would get Emma to break the curse without memories. That said we still need some aspects of canon to happen sooo the thought was actually made this time round it just doesn't work out.