Gold stood at the entrance to Regina's house. He surveyed the damage to the yard, making small grunts and shaking his head, "This is more than I expected, that's for sure."
Regina's stomach twisted. She hated being seen at her lowest, and this felt like rock bottom's basement. "Couldn't we just get on with it?" She straightened her stance and walked towards the gate.
Gold tapped his cane lightly against her arm, a knowing smirk curling his lips. "And that, dearie, is why you have no magic. Impatience never did suit you."
Regina narrowed her eyes, her lips curling into a tight, humorless smile, "Forgive me, dear, for not savoring the moment while standing in the ruins of my dignity." She stepped closer, voice laced with venom, "But unlike you, I don't find joy in dragging things out just to hear myself gloat."
She flicked her gaze down at the cane, then back up at Gold, "Now, either move it, or I will. Magic or not."
Gold chuckled, knowing she couldn't do anything, but he set it onto the ground again. "You rushed into your house after seeing the disaster out here," he used his stick to point around the front yard, "Did you notice the glimmer on the doorway?"
He watched as the realization hit Regina.
Regina's jaw tightened as she turned her gaze toward the doorway, eyes narrowing. How could she have missed it? She prided herself on noticing the smallest details, yet in her haste, she'd overlooked something so obvious.
Her voice was cold when she spoke, "What did you do?"
Gold smirked, "Me? Oh, nothing, dearie. But someone—someone—wanted to make sure you stepped right into their little trap."
Regina exhaled sharply, schooling her expression back into something unreadable. She couldn't afford to look shaken, not in front of him.
Regina stepped away from the property.
"Whoever did this to you put a protection spell on the house, ultimately affecting your magic once you entered. Easy fix, disarm the house and you'll have your magic back." He turned to leave.
xxx
Back at the shop, Emma and Belle sat across from each other. Emma tapped her foot impatiently, "What's taking them so long?"
"It's barely been a half hour. They should be back soon. Tea while we wait?" Belle offered.
Emma shook her head, "I have David working through the school, we need to find out who supplied Henry."
Belle was silent for a moment, taking the time to switch the kettle on.
Emma frowned, "Belle, if you know something—"
Belle exhaled and set down her cup, "I wasn't sure it meant anything, but… Rodney Fickle. I saw him with Henry yesterday."
"Wait, what?"
"Maybe he can help? I don't want to assume he supplied Henry, but my guess is that he knows something."
Emma flinched then stood, running her hand through her hair, "Let me get this straight. You knew about a kid that could possibly be the answer to everything...but you kept that piece of information to yourself? Thanks, Belle. Real helpful." She walked out of the backroom.
"Emma, wait," Belle followed her.
Gold appeared from smoke a second later, seeing an upset Emma, "What's with woman and haste, nowadays?"
"Where's Regina?" She asked, looking over her shoulder but still walking to the door. She pushed the door open and looked at Gold for a response.
"She took the scenic route." He smirked, looking at Emma from head to toe.
All he heard next was a door slam. Emma was out.
She crossed the street and walked to the corner, internally hoping that Regina took the west of Main Street.
The wind picked up, an unnatural hush falling over the street. Emma squinted against the swirling dust, and then—a sleek black Rolls-Royce purred to a stop beside her.
"No bug?" A voice called out to her from the driver's side.
Emma hunched down slightly to view the driver. It wasn't someone she knew from Storybrooke.
"Dr. Facilier. I can help with your little..." he trailed, pausing for a word, "Problem."
Emma felt a chill creep down her spine, not from the wind, but from the voice. Smooth, rich, and laced with amusement, like he already knew the answer to a question she hadn't asked.
Her eyes narrowed as she took in the man behind the wheel.
Dr. Facilier was effortlessly put together, dressed in a deep charcoal suit that fit him too perfectly to be anything off a rack. A blood-red pocket square added a touch of flare, matching the faint sheen of his polished black nails. His dark skin seemed to absorb the dim streetlight, making the gold rings on his fingers gleam even brighter as he drummed them lazily against the steering wheel.
And then there were his eyes—intense, knowing, as if they could peel back every layer of her soul with a single glance.
Emma swallowed. He doesn't belong here.
"Problem?" she repeated, forcing her tone into something casual, something unimpressed, "That's funny. I don't remember sending out a distress signal."
Dr. Facilier chuckled, slow and indulgent, like he was savoring a joke she wasn't in on, "Oh, you didn't, chère." He leaned slightly toward her, resting his elbow on his rolled down window, "But when someone like her loses something so precious… well, that sends ripples."
Emma's jaw tightened. She didn't need to ask who he meant.
He smiled wider, white teeth flashing in the dark, "So what'll it be, Sheriff? Want to take a ride and hear my offer?"
Everything in Emma screamed don't get in that car. But damn it, she needed answers.
xxx
Not more than five minutes later, Regina shut her engine off outside Gold's shop.
"You don't get to poof away, Gold. You were supposed to help me," she said as she barged in.
Unfazed by her outburst, Gold merely shrugged, "You asked me for help with finding the issue. Not fixing it. That's on you."
"Emma, we're leaving." She called out to the back room.
Belle walked out immediately, "Emma left to find you when Rumple got in."
Regina's pulse quickened. Damn it, Emma.
She barely registered Gold's smug expression as he leaned lazily against the counter, watching her with that knowing glint in his eye.
"She left to find me?" Regina demanded; her tone sharp as she stepped forward. "And you just let her go? Knowing that someone's out to get us?"
Gold smirked, "Contrary to popular belief, dearie, I don't keep your beloved on a leash. She's quite capable of making her own decisions."
Seeing the look on Regina's face was enough for Gold to continue, "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure Samedi will be most hospitable. After all… he's been waiting for her."
Regina froze.
Her stomach twisted, and for a split second, she could swear the room itself felt smaller, the air heavier. She turned on Gold, her voice dangerously low, "What did you just say?"
Gold's smirk deepened, "Don't tell me you didn't know?" He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Baron Samedi's been back for quite some time now."
Regina's fingers curled into fists at her sides. No. That wasn't possible. She would have known. She would have felt it.
That shimmer on her doorway? The spell that stole her magic? It all made sense now.
Her heart pounded. Emma walked right to him - unarmed.
Regina pulled out her phone. She tapped on Emma's numbed and hit dial. After a couple of rings, she had given up. Of course, the woman wouldn't answer.
"Straight to voicemail. Locator spell, Now!" She stepped closer to Gold, gritting her teeth to make sure he knew that she was serious.
Gold, amused as always, spun on his heel, "You really should keep better track of your exes, dearie."
xxx
Emma sat nervously in the passenger seat of Dr. Facilier's car. She took in the scent of the musky man, trying to join the dots of recognition in her brain. She tried to familiarize herself with the route he was taking, attempting to figure out where they were going. But as he drove, the streets became unrecognizable.
"I won't bite," he gave her a devilish grin.
"Who are you?"
"Isn't it strange? You don't know who I am, yet you took me up on the offer to enlighten you on the Queens situation," he gave her a once over, observing her nervousness, "I take it that people still fear her here as much as in the other realm."
"I'm not afraid of her," Emma felt the strength of their relationship, "I just want to figure out how I can help."
"You're not afraid of her?" He raised a questioning eyebrow, "You either have her heart or she has yours. It's Regina we're talking about here."
"I'm gonna cut straight to it, Dr. Facilier–"
"Miss Swan, what do you think of me?" His car came to a halt.
Emma blinked, unsure of why he'd ask that. Not intending to offend him in any way, she offered up an apology, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you in any way. I'm just not sure what to call you."
"That's not the issue here."
"Then? What is?"
"Come with me." He stepped out of the car, and like the gentleman he is, he walked around to Emma's side and opened the door.
She gave him a questioning look, not moving from her seat.
"I think it's a bit late for doubt." He locked eyes with her.
Emma got out of the vehicle, "Where are we?" She scanned her surroundings. They were in the middle of a dark alley. As the Sherrif and Saviour, Emma was sure that she's covered every square meter of Storybrooke.
"Does it matter?" He asked, fishing a key out of his pocket and opening a door nearby.
Emma gave him a hesitant look, "It does. I'm no fool, Dr. Facilier. I'm not about to walk into an apartment with a guy I don't know."
"Wouldn't be the first time," he eyed her again. When he saw that Emma was not budging, he spoke again, "This is my apartment."
"No shit."
"You can stand out here and never get the answers you want-" he made a thinking face, looking up towards the top of the building, "Or you could come in and help get Regina's magic back."
On the way up, Emma had more questions. "How do you even know about the magic situation?"
He pushed open the door to his apartment, "I know everything."
"Cocky much?"
Facilier smirked, stepping closer, "Confident, chère. And confidence gets results. Shall we?"
Emma heard a car screeching to a halt. Her gut told her not to go in, not to trust Facilier. But her mind told her that he knew the answers, he can solve their biggest issue.
Before she could cross the threshold, Emma heard her name.
"Emma." Regina yelled.
She looked at the man in front of her, noticing how his smile never faded. She turned on her heel and walked downstairs.
"Gina," she said once she saw the woman.
"Emma?" Regina looked around. She could hear Emma but couldn't see her.
"What're you doing here? Gold fix your magic?" Emma stood beside her.
Regina's eyes began to tear. "Emma, I can't see you."
Emma's eyes shot to Dr. Facilier, standing in the doorway. "Why can't she see me?"
"Masking spell," he shrugged.
Emma's stomach dropped. That's why nothing looked familiar—he'd masked the route, the location, everything.
"Baron Samedi. What did you do?"
"Baron Samedi? As in, Princess and the Frog?" Emma's eyebrows knitted together.
He ignored her, "I'm here to help, Regina. I mean no harm."
"Afraid I might steal your heart and crush it? Remove the mask." Regina asked, staring into nothing but following the voice.
"My lady. My beautiful lady. I'm afraid you've already stolen my heart," he stepped in front of her.
She could feel his presence and it sent another chill down her spine.
"Gina? What's he talking about?" Emma asked, trying to push herself between Samedi and Regina.
Samedi eyed the two. Realization washed over him, "You have the Sheriff's heart, don't you?" He stepped back.
Regina looked down to the ground and nodded slightly, "Yes."
Emma flinched. "Regina? You stole my heart?"
"Figuratively, yes."
Samedi nodded and removed the mask. Regina was face to face with Emma, she wrapped her arms around her and kissed her hair, "Don't run off with strangers, dear. I was worried sick."
The look on Samedi's face was close to that of one who was about to throw up. "Her? Of all people? I came back for you."
Regina held Emma close, still in an embrace, "And kidnapping my girlfriend was the best way to get my attention? What happened to knocking?"
"I tried. You weren't home, some kids showed up a while later and I didn't know what to do."
Regina gently pulled Emma out of her embrace and slid in front of her protectively, "You took our magic."
For the first time this evening, Samedi felt uneasy.
"I love you, Regina. What was I supposed to do? It's the only way I knew for sure that I could get to see you."
Regina's eyes dropped to the ground again. Flashbacks of the Enchanted Forest played in her mind. She could still feel his touch, his body pressed against hers - his mouth trailing along her thighs.
"Samedi, I have moved on. And I think it's time you do just that." She squeezed Emma's hand to assure her that she's present and loves her.
His jaw clenched, the warmth in his eyes turning cold. "So that's it? All this time, and you choose… this?" He exhaled sharply, his expression hardening. "Fine. Take your magic. Take your pathetic excuse of a partner. And get out of my sight."
As his voice echoed through the dimly lit alley, a heavy silence followed. Regina didn't flinch, not outwardly anyway, but Emma could feel the way her grip on her hand tightened, just slightly.
For a moment, neither woman spoke. Then Regina exhaled, a slow, measured breath as she straightened her posture, carefully schooling her expression back to the cold, composed exterior she wore so well.
"You always did have a flair for dramatics, Samedi," Regina stated, her emotions controlled.
Samedi gave a humorless laugh, but the bitterness in his eyes betrayed him.
Emma was not feeling the sense of control.
"Excuse me, 'pathetic excuse of a partner'?" she snapped, stepping forward, "Let's get something straight, Baron, I don't need your approval. Regina doesn't need your approval. So whatever game you think you're playing? It's over."
Samedi's gaze flickered toward Emma, his mask of indifference cracked.
"Oh, ma chère, you think this is over?" He leaned in just slightly, voice soft, but there was an edge to it—something unsettling. "You don't even know what game you're playing yet."
Regina had heard enough, "We're leaving," she announced, turning on her heel and pulling Emma with her.
Samedi didn't stop them.
But as they walked away, Emma cast one last glance over her shoulder.
He was still standing there, watching.
And he was smiling.
xxx
"How could you possibly think that going with a stranger was the best idea?" Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma, who sat in the passenger seat of her car.
"Why didn't you tell me about Samedi? I know about Daniel, why not him?" Emma asked.
Regina knew the question was coming, but she didn't know it would be so soon. "Samedi is part of the Evil Queen Era. I prefer not to divulge that information; it's like reliving the horrors."
"I get that," Emma said, her voice softer now. "But Regina, if people from your past are going to show up and pull things like this, I need to know. We need to be on the same page."
Regina tightened her grip on the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road ahead. "I know," she admitted after a moment. "I should have told you. But I didn't want to give him any more space in my life than he already took."
Emma exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, well… he took up a hell of a lot of space tonight."
Silence filled the car for a beat before Regina's lips quirked up slightly. "You know, you did look rather heroic, charging in to save my magic."
Emma smirked, "Well, someone had to, since your exes have a bad habit of causing problems."
Regina let out a small chuckle, shaking her head, "You're insufferable."
Emma grinned, "You love it."
Regina rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she reached over, lacing their fingers together briefly before focusing back on the road.
Emma tapped her fingers on her thigh, debating how to bring it up, "By the way," she started, turning to Regina, "Do you know a kid named Rodney Fickle?"
Regina's brows furrowed, "Fickle?" She shook her head. "Not personally. His family moved here after the first curse broke. Why?"
Emma hesitated, then decided there was no point in sugarcoating it, "Belle saw him with Henry yesterday. And since we know Henry didn't just stumble into trouble on his own…" She trailed off, giving Regina a pointed look.
Regina exhaled sharply "You think this Fickle boy supplied him with whatever got him involved in all this?"
Emma shrugged, "I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out. I'll get David to check the school tomorrow, but I want to talk to the kid myself."
Regina's grip on the wheel tightened, "If he had anything to do with this, I want to be there when you do."
Emma smirked, "Didn't think you'd let me have all the fun on my own."
Regina shot her a dry look, "When it comes to my son? Never."
xxx
David leaned against the counter in the principal's office, flipping through student records while glancing up every so often. The halls of the high-school were unusually quiet for mid-morning, and something about that put him on edge.
"Nothing yet?" Snow asked, stepping inside, but still keeping an eye out.
David sighed, "Nothing concrete. But I did find out Rodney Fickle has had a few detentions. Nothing major, but he's definitely been in the wrong place at the wrong time more than once."
Snow frowned, "Do you think he's the one who got Henry involved?"
David shook his head, "Don't know yet. Emma and Regina are handling the interrogation."
Snow raised an eyebrow, "Without his parents?"
David smirked, "You think they were going to wait for permission?"
xxx
Rodney Fickle slouched in the booth at Granny's, arms crossed, looking from Regina to Emma and back again, "So, let me get this straight," he drawled, "You pulled me out of class and brought me here? Without my parents?"
Regina, sitting across from him with a sharp gaze, leaned forward, "Do you really think I care?"
Rodney's mouth twitched, but he didn't respond.
Emma sat next to Regina, arms resting on the table, "We're not interested in your attitude, Rodney. We just want to know what you were doing with Henry yesterday."
Rodney scoffed, "Hanging out. Is that illegal now?"
Regina's jaw clenched, "What were you doing?"
Rodney leaned back, looking bored, "Talking. Walking. Existing."
Emma sighed, rubbing her temples, "Rodney, let's make this simple. Henry got involved in something dangerous. And Belle saw you with him right before it happened."
Rodney's confidence wavered just a fraction, "So? That doesn't mean I did anything."
Regina tilted her head, "Then why do you look so nervous?"
Rodney tensed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat, "I don't."
Regina smiled, but there was no warmth in it, "Rodney, let me give you a little advice. If you're lying to me, I will find out."
Emma leaned in, "And trust me, you don't want her to have to work for it."
Rodney swallowed hard. He glanced at the door, as if calculating his chances of escape.
Regina caught the look, "Go ahead," she said, her voice calm but laced with warning. "Run. See how far you get."
Rodney exhaled sharply, tapping his fingers against the table, "Fine," he muttered. "Henry asked me to get him something."
Knowing the answer, Emma asked anyway, "Something like...?"
Rodney hesitated.
Regina's patience snapped, "Rodney. Now."
Rodney exhaled, eyes darting to the window like he was checking for eavesdroppers. Then, in a hushed voice, he muttered, "Drugs."
The tension at Granny's thickened as Emma, Regina, and Rodney tried to piece together what had happened. But before any real progress could be made, the bell above the door clanged violently.
Rodney barely had time to react before his parents stormed in, their faces twisted with fury and fear.
"There you are!" his mother snapped, grabbing his arm, "We're leaving."
Rodney's face paled, "Mom—"
"No," his father cut in, his voice cold and final, "You're done talking. Let's go."
Rodney shot Emma and Regina a desperate glance, but before either woman could intervene, he was yanked toward the exit. He didn't resist. He didn't argue. He just… went.
The door slammed behind them, leaving behind a silence that was heavier than before.
Emma exhaled, "Well, that was subtle."
Regina, her fingers clenched around the coffee cup, was already rising from the booth, "We're wasting time. Let's go see Henry."
xxx
The beeping of the monitors was slow, rhythmic, and utterly agonizing. Henry lay motionless in the hospital bed, his skin unnaturally pale.
Regina stood beside him, gripping his hand, as if sheer willpower could force him awake. Emma stood close, arms crossed, her expression hard but her eyes filled with worry.
The doctor's update had been grim. Henry's condition was worsening. His body wasn't responding to treatment the way they had hoped.
Regina squeezed her eyes shut, "Who did this to you, Henry?" she whispered.
Emma stepped closer, "We're going to find out," she vowed.
But so far, they had nothing. No leads, no answers. Just a coma and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Regina closed her eyes, concentrating on the cold hands in her own.
"My magic isn't saving him," a tear slipped.
xxx
Hours later, back at the mansion, Emma and Regina had each taken a room to fix.
Once done, Emma met Regina in the parlor then took the decanter to pour a drink for herself and Regina.
"We're missing something," Regina muttered, taking the glass from Emma, "Someone wanted this to happen. Someone wanted to hurt—"
She froze.
Emma frowned, "Gina?"
Regina turned, her face ashen, her breath catching in her throat.
Because she had just felt it. A presence. Familiar. Cold.
"Did you really think I'd let you be happy?"
Emma saw the way Regina's expression shifted and tensed immediately, "What is it?"
Regina's lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper, "…Daniel."
The room seemed to darken around them.