One Day (3/?)
Summary: By day, Emma is the beautiful swan gliding over the waters of Misthaven’s pond, but when night falls, the voice of the wolf the people living in the little town hear is Killian’s cry. The curse was meant to be forever, to keep them always together yet eternally apart. No force in Heaven would be able to break such spell, nor any force on Earth. Or so Emma and Killian thought.
A/N: BOOM BABY! I’m back! I love love loooooooooove how this chapter turned out! There are answers, more questions, flashbacks... a rollercoaster, basically. I love it so much!
A huge, mega iper thank you to @profdanglaisstuff and @sherlockianwhovian : you two are the best ♥
Thank you to all the ladies in the @cssns discord channel: you are all awesome and amazing and so supportive ♥
And now, buckle up and enjoy the ride hehe
(part 1) (part 2) (ao3)
Chapter 3
Mr. Gold stirred his tea, the milk swirling slowly as it created claw-like curls in the dark amber liquid, clearly unfazed by the boy looking at him from the other side of the tiny round table.
With controlled movements, Mr. Gold placed the teaspoon onto the saucer with a dull clatter. His well-manicured fingers curled around the handle, bringing the teacup to his thin lips. He sipped the tea, humming in delight.
If Henry was to find a flaw in the scene unfolding in front of him, would be the teacup itself: it was chipped.
Once said teacup was placed on the saucer once more, the man’s eyes bore into Henry’s. The boy felt his skin crawl.
«You need not be afraid, my boy. I can’t and won’t do anything to endanger you.» And yet, Henry still didn’t trust him. Mr. Gold smiled, nodding his head. «I see. Stubbornness, it runs deeply in both the Nolan and Jones clans. Which, in the situation we find ourselves now, is a good thing.»
Henry couldn’t help the surge of pride he felt in his heart.
Mr. Gold cocked his head to the side. «Tell me, boy: what do you know about your parents’ relationship with Regina?»
Henry scrunched up his nose. «There’s no such thing. My family kept its distance from Regina and that was it.» Henry Jones was a bright lad, he knew his family had a past with Regina, that much was clear, he’d been warned never to go near the woman for any reason. What had happened between her and his family, however, he did not know. There were things an eight-year-old shouldn’t know if he were to live his life as carefree as possible. Too bad that didn’t go as planned, did it?
Mr. Gold nodded his head. «Right you are. And I suppose you don’t happen to know why that is, am I wrong?»
Henry shook his head no.
«Then I guess it’s storytime.»
-/-
Storybrooke, eleven years ago
«I swear to God,» Emma growled low in her throat, «if she dares act all innocent over this, I’ll take Dad’s chainsaw and cut her fucking apple tree down.»
Warm hands settled on her shoulders, but she shrugged them off, too angry to get any comfort from her boyfriend’s touch. Besides, she was too occupied trying to get the rotten apple pulp out of her hair. The stuff stank, and she was on the point of throwing up already.
In the mirror she saw Killian purse his lips, eyes blazing with rage. It was one thing for Regina to verbally offend them, quite another to throw rotten apples at Emma. It’d been years, and yet the brunette had never stopped her bullying. In all honesty, neither of them knew why she was so obsessed with them; it was as if her mind had shut off and they’d become a red flag and she a bull.
Emma sighed. «Please tell me there’s a spell to get this all out, especially the smell.»
Knowing better than to joke, Killian waved his hand, red smoke enveloping Emma’s head for a moment before her signature golden curls fell neatly over her shoulders and the air was filled with the aromatic scent of oranges.
Emma inhaled deeply. «Much better,» she sighed, head tilting back to rest on Killian’s shoulder. He promptly dropped a kiss on her forehead, relishing in the soft sigh she made. «What are we gonna do with her? She won’t stop and nobody will ever step up. I’m so sick of enduring her bitchiness.»
Killian could relate.
Regina Mills was the epitome of spoiled brat. She lived in the fanciest house in Storybrooke, with the exception of the Apprentice’s, though no one actually lived there; her mother was the mayor and therefore whatever bad Regina did was mysteriously swept under the rug; of course, she had magic, and here was exactly where the problem lay. With her mother being a powerful witch herself, Regina was expected to have a great power. Truth was, she did not. Sure enough she was able to do tricks, but conjuring and more challenging spells, or even teleporting? The end result was always a surprise, and not always a good one.
On the other hand, Emma was powerful enough to cause a blackout of the whole town if she was upset over something at age eight. This was years ago, when there was little she could do to conceal her feelings, now she was better at controlling herself. Well, most of the time, if the flickering lights in the bathroom were any indication.
However, it didn’t stop Regina’s jealousy and bitterness from coming into play. As soon as she connected the blackouts with Emma, she tried to always push Emma, to make her look like the bad guy, turning her nasty feelings into a rabbit hole she didn’t want to crawl out of, falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.
Emma got used to it, had to, because the last thing she wanted was for her parents to be thrown out of town because she dared go against the mayor’s daughter.
Then Killian and his family arrived in Storybrooke, and things changed for the better. She wasn’t the only one to stick up for herself against Regina’s bullying, and Killian was way better at controlling his own magic, which helped when sometimes it all became too much and they needed an escape from reality. It also helped when Regina’s spells were predictable, which wasn’t as often as they wished, and therefore they were able to counter them.
One would think Regina would put it all behind her after so many years, but with nobody stopping her, her hunger for whatever power she could get her hands on grew, and so did Killian and Emma’s misery.
But two weeks ago, the two of them sitting on the floor of his bathroom and a stick sporting two pink lines in hand, things had changed.
If they weren’t able to protect themselves from Regina’s viciousness, how were they supposed to protect their child from it?
Emma sighed, dropping her head, hair falling like a curtain around her face.
Sensing her distress and needing to take it equally as a burden, Killian gathered the thick strands, pushing them over her shoulder. «One day, my love, we will find that happiness that two people always dream of. One day, we will get rid of Regina for good.» He buried his face in her neck, nuzzling the tender skin below her jaw. When he pressed a kiss there, he felt her pulse quicken. «Until then, we will ignore her and we'll raise our child as best as we can, teaching them to use their magic for good.»
Emma breathed in a shaky breath, her shoulder tense. «I'm scared.» Her voice sounded small as she spoke, inching slightly back to burrow her small frame into Killian's chest.
«I am, too,» the boy confessed, tightening his arms around her, just below her breasts.
She fell silent for a while, simply taking in their reflection. «Do you really think they'll have magic?»
A smile tipped the corners of his lips upwards, the movement branding her skin. «Call it a hunch.»
It was Emma's turn to smile fondly, one hand covering Killian's and the other threading through his wild locks. «One day,» she vowed, to herself, to him, to them, to their child.
A soft kiss against her neck. Killian's eyes met hers in the mirror.
«One day.»
-/-
The hot chocolate had gone stone cold in the mug, but he felt compelled to take a sip nonetheless, the rich taste bursting in his mouth.
No ten-year-old should've been enlightened about their parent's past that way, if at all. Alas, he'd wanted answers, and the truth about what his parents had to go through because of the woman who claimed to unconditionally love him was utterly disgusting. Henry Jones hated bullies, and Regina Mills won the title of worst bully ever.
"Life ruiner" is more appropriate, he thought, nodding slightly to himself.
Still, he didn't understand. «This curse isn't just the act of a bully, is it? There's too much thought behind this.»
The reptilian smile Mr. Gold gave him made Henry shiver. He tightened the grip around his mug, gritting his teeth slightly.
Gold nodded, taking another sip of his tea. «Regina's reason to hate your parents, Mrs. Jones, mainly, was fuelled by her own mother's desire for her to be perfect, powerful and beautiful, a perfect carbon copy of Cora.» A quirk of his thin lips. «You are very lucky not to have met her.»
A shiver ran down Henry's spine; if Regina was anything like her mother, he sure as hell was lucky. Two of them, ruling over Storybrooke? It probably would've felt like those nightmares in which you woke up and thought you were awake only to discover it was a new one and so on.
His brows pinched together. «But Regina wasn't, was she? She wasn't as powerful as my mom.»
«She was not, and she isn't still. There's a reason why Regina sent your parents away, a legend, so to speak, about this curse being breakable by a Savior. Now, this Savior is not anyone, it's the person wielding the purest, most powerful magic of all.»
Henry's eyes widened. «The product of True Love!»
Mr. Gold blinked in surprise, the only demonstration of shock he'd allowed himself. «Precisely.»
The young boy’s frown deepened. «Grandma Mary Margaret once said my parents are True Love as well. If that were true, what would that make me? Is that why I didn’t fall under the curse?»
«As interesting as your theory is, alas, that’s not the reason. Your parents decided to cast a spell to protect you when you were still an infant.» For the fraction of a moment, a small, sad smile tipped the corners of his lips upwards, only to disappear in a blink. «The knowledge was mine to give, but they cast the spell. In retrospect, their decision was the right one, for it might save us all.»
Henry listened, rapt, as the man very few seemed to trust spun the tale of his parents as if he was the weaver of their lives. But Henry knew Mr. Gold had never been one for favors, only offering deals in which he either had the upper hand or found a loophole.
«What did you ask them in return?»
Mr. Gold smiled again, slightly nodding his head as if assessing Henry’s intelligence. «I asked them for a favor.»
-/-
Storybrooke, three years ago
«You want me to find him?»
Clearly irritated, Mr. Gold gritted his teeth, bony fingers tightening around the handle of his cane. «Yes, Mrs. Jones. This is my price for helping you all these years ago with your boy.» The man knew better than to threaten the child, nor did he want to, especially as he was trying to demonstrate he could be a better man, worthy of love.
Emma’s eyes flashed at the mention of Henry, nails digging into her palms, her magic swirling inside her, ready to fight. After a deep breath, understanding the man - man, wizard, whatever Mr. Gold was up to these days - was no threat, the woman relaxed slightly in her chair.
She licked her lips, looking down at the photo on the table in front of her.
Baelfire Gold.
She’d never actually known him, not personally, only crossing his path from time to time but never engaging in a conversation that involved anything more than pleasantries.
Her husband was a better source of information about the man, but she would fill Killian in later. Killian didn’t trust the man much - rightly so - but Emma had never pried, all she knew was that, once upon a time, someone had warned him about Mr. Gold. Perhaps now was the time to have a talk with Killian about that.
«I suppose conventional and even more less conventional ways to locate him didn’t work.»
«You assume correctly, Mrs. Jones.»
She smiled coldly: Emma didn’t hate the surname she’d chosen, it was her name, but the way he pronounced it, made it sound like an insult. Alas, she couldn’t just punch the man in the face. «I doubt he’s kept his name.» Especially since it’s terribly uncommon and horrible. «His mother’s name was...»
«Milah Cassidy,» Mr. Gold said through gritted teeth, as if spitting poison instead of words. «She left many years ago, and was found dead at sea when Bae was just a lad.»
Emma nodded slowly, not entirely trusting him, but he wasn’t lying about his ex-wife being dead. «I’ll need to have a look through your son’s belongings, see if there’s something I can use to track him down.» At the look of indignation on the man’s face, she added: «Look, you came to me because you couldn’t find him, and the fact that he must’ve taken precautions so someone as powerful as you wouldn’t do exactly that means your son doesn’t want to be found. I won’t ask what you did, to him or in front of him or whatever happened between the two of you, that’s for you to work through. But I don’t know Baelfire, and only looking through what he left behind might give me a hint about where he went. I might be good at finding people, Mr. Gold, but I’m not a miracle worker.»
After a few, stunned moments, Mr. Gold nodded. «Of course, Mrs. Jones. My boy’s room has been left untouched since he departed. Feel free to come by and have a look. I hope you’ll be able to find what I failed to see all these years.»
And then, Mr. Gold left the police station, walking away from Emma like a broken man.
***
It was pizza night in the Jones household, and on pizza night, Killian cooked. Truth to be told, he cooked most of the time, not because Emma burned everything - she’d come a long way since high school - but because he loved it. He also did a lot of stress baking, which was heavenly for Emma’s tastebuds but sin for her hips - not that Killian would complain if she were to gain a few pounds. Though he found his wife beautiful, any change her body might undergo wouldn’t make his love for her disappear.
As per usual, the smell in the kitchen made Emma’s mouth water as soon as she walked in.
Killian was humming to one of those 80s songs he loved so much, though Emma had no doubt in mind that he’d heard her enter the house as he seemed to have a wolf’s hearing; that, and he was listening for any strange noise coming from the living room where Henry was curled on the couch, nose between the pages of the latest book he’d obsessed over and dressed in his favourite pyjamas, the Star Wars ones.
She made a beeline for her husband, sneaking her arms around his waist and inhaling his scent as well as the pizza’s. Good God, she was starving.
«Good evening to you too,» Killian joked, throwing her a glance from over his shoulder. «Have you had a nice day at work?»
Nestling her head between his shoulder blades, Emma grunted. «Interesting is a better adjective.» She chuckled, ducking her head under his arm and studying the pizza he was preparing, squinting at the toppings before stealing a slice of pepperoni dripping in tomato sauce. «I would’ve given anything to have you there today.»
Turning around in her arms, Killian quirked his eyebrow. «Really, now?»
Strong fingers encircled her wrist just as she moved to steal another slice. She pouted, but was rewarded with a kiss. Even though she’d been with him for almost a decade, Emma had never gotten used to Killian’s kisses, his mouth always making her knees go weak and numbing her mind.
«Mhm,» she hummed against his lips, tring to plug her brain in once more. «Really.» Killian stole another kiss before having mercy on her. «Gold came to visit.»
And with those words, the magical atmosphere shattered in a million little pieces.
Killian’s face darkened visibly, and the muscle in his jaw started pulsing. «He wanted to cash in his favour, didn’t he?»
Slowly, Emma nodded. «He wants me to find his son.»
Suddenly, Killian stiffened, causing Emma to worry. Only one other person could make Killian react that way, and they were most definitely not talking about her.
After a few moments of complete silence, his eyes trained on the wall that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house, approximately right where the couch was positioned in the living room, Killian finally spoke. «I don’t like this.»
«We knew he could ask for pretty much anything in return when we made the deal with him. This sounds… acceptable.» Even Emma knew there was more to Gold’s wish to reunite with his son than basic human feelings, the man never did anything if it didn’t benefit him. Yet, as ridiculous as it sounded, she could understand him. She, too, would do anything to find any member of her family if they went missing.
Instinctively, she tightened her hand around Killian’s. Sensing her distress, he brought their joined hands to his lips, kissing her every knuckle.
«It is, it’s just… bloody hell,» Killian cursed under his breath as his free hand made a mess of his hair, ruffling it and spreading a dusting of flour on the inky locks. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and gathering his thoughts. «Do you remember when I told you about my trip to Tintagel all those years ago?»
How could she forget? That story sounded even more crazy than the world they lived in. That he was- For fuck’s sake, she couldn’t even think about that. It was too ridiculous and… too freaking possible. Besides, there was proof enough of that reality far too close for her liking.
In response, she nodded, biting her lower lip.
«Well, aside from what that man told me, he also said I should be wary of the gold spinner, “for he’ll be your ultimate downfall”.» Killian gulped, his head bent in clear shame, shame of not telling Emma that particular detail sooner. «I’m sorry, Emma, I should’ve-»
She interrupted him with a kiss, her free arm hooking around his neck to bring him closer. Sure, he should’ve told her, but he’d not done that because he didn’t trust her, he’d stayed quiet about it because he didn’t want her to worry. Stupid, heroic, and just like the man she’d fallen in love with all those years ago.
Killian lost himself in the kiss, taking in her forgiveness and love, hoarding that strength she was giving him with her acceptance.
Muttered words broke the tense silence they’d fallen into. «That’s not all, right?»
He took a deep breath, gently resting his forehead against Emma’s before pulling away, and what Emma saw in Killian’s haunted blue eyes nearly broke her heart.
«He told me not to blame him.»
-/-
«Did Mom ever find your son?»
After a few moments of silence, which he spent slowly sipping his tea, Mr. Gold nodded. «Your mother is very determined, as is your entire family. A good characteristic in times like this.» He let out a long exhale. «To answer your question, lad, she did, but Regina cast her curse before I had the chance to even reach out to Bae.»
There was pain in his voice, a pain Henry could understand very well. No matter the reason, to be separated by your relatives hurt, and hurt deeply.
Yet, not even Mr. Gold’s feelings were enough to stop him to satisfy his curiosity, especially not when the man in front of him had all the answers.
«Why did Regina cast it in the first place? And how did she put her hands on it? If she’s not powerful enough to cast simple spells, she surely couldn’t create a curse on her own, could she?»
«Ah, you have your parents’ perspicacity,» the man said, smiling with his signature reptilian grin.
Under other circumstances, Henry would’ve probably run away as fast as he could. Right now, he needed to hear what Gold had to say. Besides, he believed the pawnshopper needed him as well.
Henry raised his chin, silently waiting for a reply. Though he was putting on a brave front, he still feared this meeting could lead nowhere.
Amused by the boy’s display, Gold tapped his forefinger against the chipped rim of the cup, assessing the young man in front of him, the perfect mix of his parents. As frustrating as it was, that was what a parent wanted for their child, to be the best part of them and their partner.
«Regina’s motive is simple to explain: she wanted revenge. Alas, she wouldn’t only target the person who was the sole reason for her pain.»
Henry sucked in a breath. «Her mother.»
«Cora,» Mr. Gold confirmed, his voice disdainful. He’d made the mistake of falling for that woman’s charms in more ways than one, and there wasn’t a day that passed in which he didn’t regret his choices. This, the boy with hazel eyes and cunning attitude sitting in front of him, could be the key to redeeming him and setting him free.
«What happened to her?» Henry asked cautiously, looking at the man from beneath his long, dark lashes, a gift from his father’s genes.
Mr. Gold’s smile had the same effect as a bucket of icy water thrown unexpectedly, chilling the blood in Henry’s veins.
«Regina killed her.»
-/-
Storybrooke, eight years ago
«Stop, stop, stop! Killian!»
Emma shrieked, holding her arms tighter around her husband’s waist, probably cutting out his air supply.
Serves him right.
Not listening to her, Killian kept going, using his magic to speed up the bike and laughing his heart out.
Deep inside, buried beneath the scare of going a bit too fast for her own liking and the desire to kill him, Emma’s heart melted.
She loved seeing her husband like that, happy and carefree - though she also loved seeing him with their son. That did things to her.
Today was no different, but now they were on a date, one that had been a long time coming, and she had every intention of enjoying herself, even if it meant letting Killian take her on a ride to a new spot he’d found in Storybrooke and he was now racing faster than a car through the trails at the edges of Storybrooke Heritage Park.
She was so going to kill him.
Knowing that Killian would never let anything happen to her, Emma tried to loosen up a bit, relaxing her shoulders and posture but not the grip around his torso.
Had she not been scared to death of slamming into a tree, she would’ve enjoyed the way the wind messed her hair up or even the not quite clear landscape around her, too blurry for her to truly recognize.
«Come on, love, isn’t it fun?»
In response, she pinched him on the side, making him squeal and jump on the bike, which swerved slightly before Killian regained control of it.
«Sometimes I hate you!» she yelled in his ear, purposely. A wince followed, and the speed slowed down to an acceptable one, Killian’s mind clearly not on the spell anymore.
He slowed down until they stopped moving altogether in the very middle of the forest, or so it seemed. There wasn’t a soul to be seen, and it was strangely quiet, clearly too far away to hear any kind of car.
Emma cocked an eyebrow, amused. «Did you bring me here to kill me and bury my body where no one can find it?»
Killian turned around with a mocking gasp, palm flat on his heaving chest, but it was his eyes, sparkling with mischief, that made Emma swoon.
Damn you, Jones, she mused, leaning forward to plant a kiss on his smiling lips.
Instinctively, Killian wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He loved making her smile, and even if he risked being yelled at, he would never stop trying to do exactly that.
Emma hummed into the kiss, fingernails scratching the stubble he’d started to sport about a year ago, when puberty was left behind and the man was born - or so she joked. Her husband was a fine man, and she was very excited to see how the years would treat him. If his brother was to be considered, she was in for a daily catfight or two in order to keep the women - and men - away from her Killian.
With a smile and one last peck on her lips, he pulled away. «We’re almost there.»
«There, where?»
Killian looked at her from over his shoulder. «You’ll see.»
Blowing her cheeks like a little girl, Emma even crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearly stating her disagreement. It wasn’t that she hated surprises, she just… didn’t like being kept in the dark.
Reaching out with one arm, Killian pinched her side, making her jump and squeal in surprise. «Aw, love, I know you’ll love it. Do you trust me?»
Emma huffed, pinching him in retaliation. «I don’t know why, but yes,» she grumbled, slowly dragging her hands around his torso, leaning forward to place her chin over his shoulder. «Lead the way, Captain.»
His chuckle filled her ears and heart; perhaps this outing hadn’t been such a bad idea, after all.
As peace fell upon her, Emma conceded to close her eyes and breathe what perfumes nature had to offer, along with Killian’s scent. All she wanted to do was spend a quiet day with him, nothing to worry about - even though they would always worry about their kid, even if he was in the safety of their family’s care - and nothing between them as well, namely clothes. She really hoped he’d lead her to a very much secluded corner, a barn away from the world or something like that. Her cheeks tinged a deep red at the memory of what had gone down in the last barn they’d visited.
She was completely lost to the world, so deep in her imagination that it took her a few moments to actually hear the screeching of the tires as the bike pulled to an abrupt stop.
Killian cursed under his breath, shoulders slumping in clear defeat. Someone else was already occupying what indeed was a barn, an old one made of stones with deep green ivy running up one of the sides up to the roof.
It would’ve been the perfect refuge from everyone’s prying eyes had it not been for the two horses browsing right in front of it. Someone else was here, and since nobody lived there, it only meant someone else had decided to spend the day as far away from Storybrooke as possible.
«I’m sorry, love, I-»
Emma cut Killian off by jumping off the bike, her ass slightly sore from the ride on the luggage rack, and held her finger up.
Like the dork he was, he mimed the movement of zipping his mouth and throwing away the key. She had to stifle a laugh at his antics.
Careful not to draw attention to herself - and trusting the horses not to alert whoever was inside since it was a thing and she might have read too many fantasy books - Emma made her way to one of the windows, crouching down windowsill-level. Killian followed her, his steps inexplicably lighter than hers, and squatted down.
The lace drapes granted them very little insight on what was happening inside the barn, but they could make out the furniture. The room they were looking at was a kitchen which opened onto another room, one they could just assume was some living room of sorts.
A movement inside caught their attention.
Emma squinted, inching closer until her nose brushed against the stony windowsill. Not wanting to use her magic in case whoever was inside could sense her, she simply relied on the contacts she was wearing.
Killian’s sharp intake of breath told her he was seeing exactly what she was, something Emma would’ve never have believed to be true unless she saw it with her own eyes.
And see it with her own two eyes she did.
An involuntary gasp left her lips as realization hit her, but it wasn’t her surprised noise that made the woman inside snap her head towards the window.
«Fucking birds,» Emma muttered, backing away from the barn so rapidly she fell on her ass, her hand falling right on one of the sharp edges of the rocks there, cutting into her palm with a blinding pain.
Vermilion smoke surrounded her and suddenly she found herself outside Granny’s diner, her eyes level with a chair. Strangely enough, given the sunny day, it was empty.
Lucky us, Emma thought, her mind still trying to process what she’d seen.
Warm hands helped her to get on her feet, brushing away some dust from her knees and the stinging pain on her palm was gone. When she looked up, she was met with Killian’s concerned eyes, even if even his gaze wasn’t quite focused on her.
«Did you see-»
«Was that-»
They spoke in unison, startling one another.
Killian licked his lips, sitting down on the closest chair and dragging Emma with him. She adjusted on his lap before talking again.
«I thought that she was in college somewhere fancy, Ivy League or stuff like that.» The kind of shit your mother pays for you to get admitted to, you know. It only took Emma a quick glance to communicate her thoughts to Killian, who instantly replied with a goofy, small grin.
Then he sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder. «I hoped she’d stay as far away as possible.»
Emma grunted her agreement, unable to let go of what she’d seen. Sure, she expected to see someone inside, a couple, of course, but seeing Regina all these years after graduation had brought back all the insults and bad things she said and did to them. One couldn’t just forget what their bully did to them, it was just not possible. And the whole “turning the other cheek” or forgiveness shit was just that: pure, awful shit.
Trying not to let the control on her magic slip away, Emma inhaled deeply, fingers digging into Killian’s shoulder; knowing that he was near was comforting enough that it calmed her magic instantly.
«Do you think she’s here to stay?»
Killian’s cautious words almost sent her into a state of panic, which he must’ve sensed because he tightened his arm around her waist.
«I hope not,» she bit out, curling her hands into tight fists. But Regina being back in Storybrooke didn’t just reopen barely healed scars, it brought in a new wave of fear. What if she’d had enough time to plan something evil to throw at them? What if she was back to wreak more havoc? What about Henry? Was he in danger, somehow?
And then, there was the other reason for their surprise, because never, not even in a thousand years, would they have thought they’d see Regina Mills with a man like Daniel Colter.
The guy wasn’t bad looking at all, and while he was slightly older, that wasn’t the reason why Emma and Killian wore disbelieving expressions on their faces. In Regina’s mind, a man like Daniel would’ve been considered less than scum and would’ve been treated as such, just like they had been.
«Poor Daniel,» Emma heard herself mutter before glancing down at Killian. «Do you think she’s playing with him?»
That could’ve been one reason. Regina on a quest to ruin someone else’s life once again? Nothing simpler.
Killian exhaled slowly. «She could be. Making him fall in love with her and then making him look like an idiot in front of the whole town?»
Emma nodded, biting her lip. «But he does know who she is and how she is.»
With Regina’s upbringing, as if she was some kind of royalty, she’d been taught to ride a horse and she’d won several competitions as well, and with Daniel working at the only stables in Storybrooke, she was very hard to miss. And if someone ever dared ignore her, she would make her presence known.
«There could always be the ridiculous possibility that time away from her mother might have softened her up.»
At that, Emma laughed.
That was ridiculous, and she didn’t even want to contemplate it because of how stupid it sounded.
Shaking her head, she let out a sigh, head falling on Killian’s shoulder. She was just so goddamn tired of Regina and her hold on them; all Emma wanted was to spend a nice day with Killian.
«You know what? Fuck Regina-»
«Thank you, but no thank you.»
«Idiot.»
«Ah, but I’m your idiot.»
Emma snorted. «Whatever. Listen to me: now, you’re going to search that mind of yours for a quiet place where we can spend the rest of this day and forget all about the girl who ruined high school for us. Daniel is an adult and vaccinated, he’ll be able to handle her. And if he can’t, if she ruins love for him, then we’ll lend a shoulder to lean on. But in no case, right now, will we interrupt whatever was going on in that barn or barge into their relationship. I don’t want a fucking target on my back. So yeah, fuck Regina, she has no power over us anymore.»
Killian was looking at her with utter wonder and love in his eyes. He was about to open his mouth to agree when the bell over the diner’s door dinged. They both looked up at the same time, freezing in their seat.
«Ah, Mr. Jones, Mrs. Jones, good morning. Such a nice day, isn’t it?»
Cora Mills stepped down the few steps in her high heels, blood red lips pulled back in a courteous smile that only managed to send more chills down the young couple’s spines.
Killian recovered first, managing a charming smile. «It surely is, Mrs. Mills. A pity that we don't get much sun in Storybrooke this time of year.»
The woman’s eyes looked at the sky, nodding. «Very true, Mr. Jones. I suggest you make the most of it until it lasts.» Another look at them, another gentle smile. «Have a nice day.»
She didn’t even wait for their muttered farewells, walking away as if she’d never even stopped.
As if she wasn’t heading deep into the woods to kill someone.
-/-
«Mr. Colter was reported dead the same day.»
Henry’s jaw was hanging open in shock. It was very difficult to wrap his head around what Mr. Gold had told him.
He stayed silent for a few minutes, processing the information that had been dropped over him like a bag of bricks despite the man’s attempt to carefully uncover more truths. Henry really did appreciate the effort.
After a while, he lifted his head. «So Regina killed her own mother out of revenge. Why didn’t she stop, then? Why did she persecute my parents? They never told Cora anything!»
Mr. Gold’s sympathetic smile only served to infuriate him even more. «True, they never did, but you see, Regina’s reasoning has never mirrored reality. While yes, she’d been raised with strict rules, those rules didn’t apply to the mistakes she made whenever her mother wasn’t around to tell her so, giving her free rein. That freedom was what allowed her to be the bully she was to your parents and allowed her to blame whoever she picked as victim every time she did something wrong.»
«It was never her fault, and she was the innocent victim of the injustices of life.»
It was a pattern Henry knew from books and school, but one he had recognized earlier, when Mr. Gold was talking of his parents’ teenage years.
«As impulsive as she sounds, remember: Regina is anything but. If there’s one thing her mother ever taught her, was never to act out of any sentiment she might feel. I made the mistake of teaching Cora the same, and with her knowledge she raised a weapon. Her thirst for power was her demise.» Mr. Gold’s voice was emotionless as he spoke of Cora; there really had been no love lost between the two of them. «Regina inherited her mother’s sick pleasure in torturing people, one I can’t say I never took part in, but-»
«But since it’s now affecting you, you feel free to condemn it.»
For the first time during their tea party, Mr. Gold laughed, a full, belly laugh that startled Henry.
«Oh, you do have your mother’s bluntness, lad, but that spite I just heard in your voice, that’s your father’s.»
Henry tilted his head, squinting at the man. «My dad warned me to stay away, but there’s more to it, isn’t it? There is a reason why he despises you.»
Mr. Gold waved his hand, dismissing Henry’s accusation. «Your father has been wary of me since we first met, but that’s because prophecies just have to be delivered in such archaic ways...» He tutted, muttering something about clairvoyance Henry couldn’t quite catch before clearing his voice. «Whether he’d have hated me more or less than he did, he couldn’t have prevented all of this from happening.»
Under Henry’s curious and confused eyes, he stood, heavily leaning on his cane to walk the short distance to the library there. From one of the shelves, he pulled a leather bound tome he then placed on the round table.
Still standing, Mr. Gold opened it with a wave of his hand, the old pages turning so fast strands of Henry’s hair fluttered. When they stopped, it showed the faded drawing of a scroll written in an ancient language that resembled English but not quite.
«The Dark Curse,» Mr. Gold translated for him, «a curse brewed by the Black Fairy, also known as my mother.»
Henry gasped, looking up at him, but the man wasn’t looking at him and kept talking.
«More than a pawnshopper, I am a collector of magical artifacts, boy. Everything in this room and the other has magical properties, but this curse, this is the one I should’ve protected with my own life. Another mistake I made was underestimating Regina and her thirst for revenge and the lengths she would go to make your parents suffer.»
«She stole the curse from you?» Henry asked, brows knitted together. How could that have happened? If Regina wasn’t that powerful, and Mr. Gold clearly was, how had Regina managed to put her hands on the curse and even cast it? Had Mr. Gold intentionally left those questions unanswered so he could give him an answer now?
«I’d hoped nobody would find about the curse being in my possession, but Regina did her research, and not only did she find out about my peculiar lineage, she found a way to compromise with the Coven of the Eight, if you can call compromise killing off one of its members to become one.» Again, he waved his comment away, turning serious all of a sudden. His eyes locked with Henry’s, a warning in them. «Be wary of the Coven, young boy, they are not to be trifled with, their power is strong enough to break blood magic.»
Those words felt like a blow to his stomach. Blood magic was one of the most powerful magics of all, the kind that really was unbreakable… or not, apparently.
After letting his words seep in, Mr. Gold continued: «The Coven helped Regina cast the curse, and I’m sure you’ve recognized the consequences.»
Like the good scholar he was, Henry nodded. «Memory alteration, as well as time standing still, apparently. We can’t leave Storybrooke, and even if we tried… bad things would happen.»
«Part of that alteration is the total lack of magic. Whilst Regina and the Coven didn’t have the power to strip every magical being of their powers, they simply altered their memories so they wouldn’t remember they had them. Time standing still helps and stops Ms. Lucas from turning into a werewolf since there’s no full moon.»
Henry tilted his head, the thought hitting him suddenly. «Why do you remember everything?» He couldn’t possibly be working with - or worse, for - Regina, could he?
«Before you reach the wrong conclusions, I’ll reassure you: I am not conspiring with that witch any more than you are. However, while studying the curse, I ran into the legend of the Savior and, knowing I would never be the one to cast it, I found a loophole and wrote myself into the curse, thanks to Mother dearest’s blood coursing through my veins. When you pronounced your mother’s name earlier, you woke me up, so to speak.»
«My mom’s name was all it took?»
Mr. Gold chuckled softly. «One does not need the most intricate spell to succeed in a mission.» Bending his head over the book, the man tapped a bony finger above a line Henry couldn’t read. «You, lad, had impeccable timing. The Savior will arrive on her twenty-eighth birthday.»
Henry gasped. That means-
«Mom’s birthday is tomorrow!»
«That it is,» Mr. Gold confirmed, caution in his voice, «but there is another problem, I’m afraid.» With another wave of his hand, the pages started to turn again, brushing Henry’s nose.
Once the pages stilled once more, Henry was faced with intricate designs and perfectly detailed representations of a man and a woman and the cycle of the sun and the moon and… was that a hawk? And a wolf?
Before he could even think what to ask the man, Mr. Gold began to explain: «What you’re looking at is a transfiguration spell, one way more complicated than just turning yourself into a cat for a couple of hours. More than a spell, this is a curse. A bishop in Italy once cast it after making a deal with the devil, or so he thought. That was the dark wizard Zoso. Nasty man, nasty appearance as well. But, the actual end of this curse is separating two lovers.»
Henry’s eyes widened. Not only had Regina sent away his parents, but she’d cast this curse as well, meaning that-
«She turned them into hawks or wolves? Forever?»
«No, no, here,» Mr. Gold pointed to the sun. «By day, your mother takes the form of a hawk, and by night...»
«My dad turns into a wolf.»
A grim expression fell on the man’s face. «Poor dumb creatures, with no memory of the half-life of their human existence, never touching in the flesh. Only the anguish of a split second at sunrise and sunset when they can almost touch, but not.»
«Always together, eternally apart.»
«As long as the sun rises and sets, as long as there is day and night and for as long as they both shall live.»
Silence fell between them as Henry slowly took in everything Mr. Gold had told him.
It all was falling into place, every piece of the puzzle had found its spot, yet it didn’t fill Henry with glee, discovering what had happened in the past wouldn’t help break the curse on the town and the one on his parents.
He was the one who had to find a way; he only hoped he was strong enough to do so.
With his jaw set and determination in his eyes, Henry asked, «How do we break these curses?»
Hiding his pleased smile, Mr. Gold indicated the bottom of the page, where a paragraph had been added in fine handwriting, but the drawing there was clear enough.
«A night without a day and a day without a night.»
«An eclipse? It can’t be that simple.» Of course tinkering with a curse was simpler than breaking one. Henry almost rolled his eyes.
«In this case, it is not. Regina made sure the two requirements to break your parent’s curse could never be met. Even if out of the confines of Storybrooke there was an eclipse, the curse wouldn’t be broken because both your parents and Regina must be in the same room at the same time during a full eclipse. Regina took care of that by sending your parents away, but she also ensured that time would stand still, never allowing an eclipse to happen. As for the Dark Curse… that requires the most powerful magic of all.»
«True Love’s Kiss.»
«True Love’s Kiss,» Mr. Gold echoed with a nod. «As we know, your grandparents are True Love, but it is not their kiss that’s required. Your parents, on the other hand, have the power to stop the curse. Take them away and...»
«And the curse can never be broken.»
The book closed with a loud thud, putting an end to the magic lesson, but that couldn’t take away all the questions swirling in his mind.
But before he could even ask what they could do about it, what the plan was - because Henry was sure Mr. Gold had a plan - the man placed a hand on his shoulder in a strangely comforting way.
«It is time for you to head back to the house, lad. We’ll talk more tomorrow.»
A quick glance at the grandfather clock made Henry jump off the chair. He was late, and he had very little time to make up a believable excuse for Regina about his whereabouts.
He’d almost ducked beneath the curtain before he turned around to face Mr. Gold. «Tomorrow is-»
«Tomorrow.»
Henry couldn’t help the grin that bloomed on his face, just as he couldn’t stop his heart from beating faster in excitement as he ran towards his own prison.
But, for the first time in almost two years, he was excited about waking up to a brand new day.
-/-
There was darkness at the edge of the town, one that had nothing to do with the starless night: it was the town line itself, the invisible barrier that rose from it now wrapped in the clutches of the curse.
Emma was almost tempted to reach out a hand to touch the dark tendrils. A low growl was all she needed to step back.
«Yeah, yeah, let’s put this show on the road,» she muttered, narrowing her eyes at the huge wolf next to her.
She could see trepidation in his eyes, a feeling she shared. She needed to be careful, all she wanted to do was to find her son. God, how she missed him.
Killian’s wet nose rubbed against her fisted hand. He, too, only wanted to be reunited with Henry as soon as possible.
Engulfed in her husband’s black leather jacket, something she’d started to wear to feel him somehow closer, Emma took out the scroll Sarah - Ingrid - had given them. She’d offered to go with them to help, but they’d been adamant. It was their responsibility to break the curse and save their son.
«Here goes nothing,» she muttered, unravelling the scroll and taking a deep breath. The hand at her side fisted in Killian’s inky fur, and she felt peace envelop her.
Together, they stepped over the town line.
The only difference they could see were the stars adorning the sky, clearly an effect of the curse.
Looking down, Emma locked eyes with Killian, and smiled.
«Welcome home, my love. Now, let’s get our son back.»
