A/N: Wow, ok so I honestly meant to finish this story like...6 months ago and just never got around to it. Truth is, I have completely lost interest in Once Upon a Time so I haven't been feeling particularly motivated. This is a shortened version of how it was supposed to go. Emma's section was going to be a lot longer and there was actually going to be a sequel (which is why I introduced Dracula in the first place) but I doubt that will ever happen. I left some stuff in that allude to the sequel in case I ever get around to it, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope. Sorry if it feels like the ending is a bit rushed, it was either this or I left the story unfinished forever. You can decide which would have been better. Thanks to everyone who said they enjoyed the story, sorry I lost motivation.

Emma's mouth being frozen was the only thing that kept her from releasing a long stream of expletives. The moment Whale disappeared with Jack she used every bit of magic she had left to free herself. She wasn't surprised to see that Ruby had been able to break the ice holding her. Emma rushed over to David and Killian, both men were completely encased in a thick layer of ice. She put her hands on Killian's chest and tried to unfreeze him.

"Damn it! Unfreeze! Unfreeze!"

"Yelling the words louder doesn't make the magic work honey." Regina moved next to Emma and put her hands on Killian's arm. Instantly the ice began to melt. Killian was shaking as the last of the ice turned into a puddle at his feet.

"What…the bloody…hell…is that…fiend? Where….is he?" Killian's teeth were chattering so loudly Emma tightened her own jaw in sympathy.

"He rushed off to find a new play toy, oh and he took Whale with him."

David had just been unfrozen as well.

"What? Why…Whale?"

"That…rapscallion won't succeed. Where…has he absconded off to…with the doctor?"

"Look why don't we wait until Regina has unfrozen everyone so I don't have to repeat myself. Regina, unfreeze Gold we need to figure out how we are going to go after them."

"Are you sure? Seems like we could just leave him like this. I have the perfect place in my garden for a new statue."

"Regina…"

"Fine. But the next time he hatches a nefarious plan, remember I wanted to leave him like this."

A few more moments and everyone was free from the ice.

"Gold, how do we…"

"Let me guess, you all want to go chasing after that frosty demon to retrieve the wayward doctor. Quite frankly, that is a remarkably bad plan."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Victor's done us all a favor. He has removed the threat of Jack, and of himself. The way I see it, Storybrooke is down two monsters. And yet you want to go and bring them both back? Have you people learned nothing?"

Ruby practically spat at Gold.

"Apparently not, seeing as we keep letting you live."

Gold gave a slight amused laugh.

"All I'm saying is, the crisis is over. The good guys won. You can all go home and forget this ever happened. Drink your hot chocolates by the fire and watch the snow melt."

Emma often wanted to punch Gold in the face. But at the moment she could tell she wasn't the only one.

"And when Jack comes back? Then what Gold?"

"You see dearie, I'm the only one here who has ever been to Victor's realm. And I can tell you, Jack Frost is nothing compared to the creatures that live there. Most likely they will both be killed and…"

"Enough. If Whale's realm is as bad as you say then there is no way we are leaving him there. So you had better get on board with the rescue plan, because Jack doesn't seem to like you very much and when they come back I'm sure he will be looking to target the man who tried to lock him up. Next time, Regina won't unfreeze you."

Regina looked immeasurably pleased by this prospect.

"Of course, anything for the Saviour." Gold spoke through gritted teeth. Emma knew she was going to pay some how for that concession, but at the moment she didn't care.

"Great. Ok, we need to work on how to go get Whale and how to trap Jack once they are back. Does anyone know of anyways that we could use to travel to Whale's realm?"

David stepped forward.

"I'll head over to Jefferson's, see if he knows of anything we could use."

"I also know someone who might be able to assist us in this manner." Robin's arm was still in a sling, but otherwise he was almost completely healed.

"Great, you guys and Regina work on that." Emma turned without waiting to hear what she assumed would have been protests from Regina. "Gold, why didn't the vase work?"

"I'm not sure. It had enough power to trap Elsa, but she was a human. Whatever this Jack creature is, he is decidedly not human. I might be able to boost the strength of it."

Emma turned to Elsa.

"You get with Mary-Margaret and Killian, see if you can think of anything that might help us try to fight against him. Any detail could help."

"Of course."

Emma delegated other tasks out, cleaning up the damage, checking to make sure no one was injured, until it was just her, Ruby, and Archie left standing outside of Granny's.

"Ruby, look, when we go get Whale…"

"I shouldn't go."

Emma was surprised. If Killian had been pulled away to another land, she would be the first in line to head after him. She had understood the connection between the doctor and the werewolf, understood that they were both outsiders in more ways than one. But maybe she had overestimated that connection. Maybe the two were just friends.

"Ok…I just thought that since you two were…." Emma tried not cringe at the awkward hand guesture she had just made. Heroes weren't supposed to be so ineloquent.

"I…care about Victor, more than I let on. Maybe even to him. With our pasts, we are both leery of anything good being able to last. Our experiences have taught us that happiness…just leads to more pain. And it has caused us both to hold back when all I want to do is jump in. We are reserved when we should be…The point is, I understand Victor. And I know exactly what he will think if I show up in his realm. If I show up in his world and tell him to come back, he will think that I'm the only one that wants it. He will think the rest of the town would be more than happy to leave him stranded in another realm. Especially his own. And then his guilt over what happened will overcome what little common sense he has.

And sometimes he just needs someone to tell him the hard truth. Otherwise he gets…lost in his own mind. Starts thinking too much. Which is saying something considering he's a genius. What he needs is someone who he thinks would have no reason to lie to him. I think you should go Archie."

"Me?"

"I understand if you don't…"

"No Ruby it's not that, I just…I know how much you care about him. I'm honored you trust me enough to talk to him."

"Well…you might have to literally slap some sense into him. He can be deliberately obtuse about these things. Plus Victor told me his realm has its own species of werewolf, and they would most likely be able to sense me. Last thing we need is to be hunted by a pack while we are searching for Victor."

"Ok, if you're sure."

"I am. Trust me Emma, Victor will listen to you and Archie. He trusts both of you. Besides, if I went, I would just rip Jack's throat out. Which probably wouldn't make a great impression on the locals."

Ruby said it with a smile, but Emma had no doubts that she was completely serious.

"Ok, we will try to keep this rescue party small then. Hopefully that will keep us from drawing any attention from werewolves or mummies. Which I have to assume are real, because why wouldn't they be at this point." Emma rubbed her eyes. She didn't imagine that anything about this rescue attempt was going to be easy.

Several days passed trying to find a way to get to Victor's realm. Jefferson had tried to be helpful but his knowledge of travel between realms was regulated strictly to hats. Which was out of the question at this point, since Emma had no desire to try and figure out how to imbue a hat with magical properties. She knew that Regina and Gold had trouble performing the feat themselves. Although looking at their solution now, perhaps she should have tried harder.

"So…we are going to travel to another realm…with…that?"

"It's more stable than it looks. Saved me life from a pinch or two." Emma had no idea where this Will Scarlet had come from, or even how long he had been in Storybrooke, but Robin had said the thief was trustworthy.

Actually his words might have been closer to "I trust that he wouldn't deliberately kill you all", which at this point was going to have to be good enough. They had already wasted too much time trying to get it to work. Gold had managed to find something in his shop from Victor's realm, a strange key of some sort. And Scarlet had provided what looked like a hollowed out gourd with strange symbols carved into it.

"The key will focus the portal, so that you end up in the realm you are aiming for. Otherwise it might spit you out in the middle of a volcano on the wrong world."

"How does the key keep us from being put in a volcano on Whale's world?"

Scarlett sort of waved the question away with his hand.

"Now, now, I was just asked to provide a means of transportation, the safety of which was not expressly covered in that agreement. So it's this, or you can find your own bloody way."

Emma wasn't excited by that explanation. But they had to go soon. They had no way of knowing how long Whale could distract Jack.

"Fine. So Gold will provide the magical energy necessary to power the portal and the key will focus it."

"Correct. But from what the esteemed Mr. Gold has said, the doctor's realm doesn't have a large amount of magic. So this will lock on to wherever the highest concentration exists and hold there."

"Which hopefully isn't in the middle of an active volcano."

"See princess, you're a natural. You'll only have 48 hours before the link between the two breaks. So best be quick about finding your wayward physician."

"Why so short?"

"I don't make the bloody rules." Emma put up a hand to forestall the rant she could see forming.

"Ok. It's fine. We will make due. Hopefully Whale is close enough to where ever we end up. We are bound to get lucky at some point."

Emma had fallen through her share of portals, but this was by far one of the roughest landings. Every other time she had fallen onto semi-bouncy grass or dirt. Concrete was not so forgiving. She felt the inside of her mouth with her tongue, yea she had definitely bit that pretty good. She looked over to the others, Archie was in a bit of a daze. This might be his first time to another realm…one that wasn't the enchanted forest or Storybrooke of course. A curse must have a softer landing than a portal. David was shaking his hand, a few drops of blood on his hands. Only Gold seemed to be completely unaffected.

Figures.

David offered her a hand and pulled her up.

"Thanks. So…this place is super creepy."

David smiled and looked around carefully.

"A castle of some sort. Looks like no one has lived here in years."

"I wouldn't make that proclamation too loudly dearie. In this realm, being alive isn't necessarily a requirement for occupying a place."

Emma wanted to roll her eyes, but there was just something…off about the castle. She felt like she was being watched by the walls themselves. The black and white of the world was unnerving as well. Thankfully Archie commented on it before she did.

"I know Dr. Whale had told us about his realm…but it is so strange to actually see it for yourself. It's almost…"

"Incredibly creepy? Yea, you don't have to tell us."

"No. It's more than that. It's like…like there is something missing from this world. More than just the color I mean."

"Well, whatever this realm's issues, we don't have time to waste. Gold, you said you could track Whale. Is he nearby?"

"That would be an extremely fortuitous stroke of luck wouldn't it? I sincerely doubt that the portal we were able to string together mostly on your hopes and dreams would be so accommodating. No matter."

Gold pulled out Victor's tie and poured some sort of liquid on it. The tie hovered in the air for a few moments, then started to move on its own.

The small group followed the floating tie out of the decrepit castle. Emma expected the uneasiness to leave as they got farther from the castle. But as they walked slowly through the darkened forest, she found it only increased. Granny had told them what Victor had said about his realm. How you always felt like there was something just outside of your vision, waiting for you to let your guard down. She didn't know how the people of this realm could live with that every day. Only a few hours and she was already feeling uncomfortable in her own skin. She didn't know why, but she had a strange thought. They had been safer in that castle than they were out here.

Emma could tell David and Archie were feeling the same unease. Gold looked completely unaffected. Emma narrowed her eyes at the wizard. There was something she was missing. He had agreed to come along on this journey too quickly. If the rumors she heard were true, Belle had left him. Maybe for good this time. So why had he been so quick to help rescue the man he no doubt blamed for this change in his marital status. It was no secret that Whale and Gold didn't get along. A man of science and a man of magic were hardly going to have a lot to talk about, let alone agree on. She would have to make sure that Gold didn't try anything to hurt Whale.

And if that wasn't the reason…

Gold waved his hand and the tie came to a halt.

"We should stop here for the night."

"We should keep moving, the faster we find Whale…" David took a step towards Gold.

"The doctor has been on his own for several days now I doubt that…"

Emma was already suspicious of the man's motives, but warning bells were going off in her head now.

"Look whatever reason you want us to stop now, we aren't going to. Alright? We will keep going until we find Whale. If you're trying to slow us down for some reason, or if Jack kills Whale before we get to him because of some grudge, I can assure you Gold, you won't be coming back to Storybrooke with us. We will leave you here."

"Good to know where I stand with you. I assure you Ms. Swan, I have nothing but the good of the group in mind. The way ahead is dangerous, this entire realm is populated by monsters, wandering through the woods at night might be safe in Storybrooke or the Enchanted forest, but here, it's a death sentence. We don't want to get eaten before we can reach Victor."

He always had an excuse. There was always a reasonable explanation. Emma was done listening to it. Victor had said the true monsters of his realm where the ones that looked human. Emma was beginning to see the truth in that.

"Unpause the tie. We are going to keep moving."

Gold had a small smile on his face. But there had been a flash of anger in his eyes he hadn't been completely able to mask.

"Of course. Your highness. This way."

The tie continued on its path. Gold marching slowly behind it. Archie and David came up to stand beside her. Archie spoke first.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? We know nothing about these woods, if we keep moving…"

"I can create a light to guide us if Gold won't…."

"Which will bring a lot of attention to us. Victor hasn't been back to his own realm in 30 years. Its possible things have changed since he was here. Ruby didn't come because she was worried about werewolves coming after her."

"Coming after her, she never said to attack her. She just didn't want us to get slowed down, that's it."

David put a hand on her shoulder.

"You sure about this honey?"

Emma looked around them. At the shadows that seemed to move in closer with every step. It was hard enough to see in this realm now. When night came, she was sure the darkness would become suffocating. Would her resolve to keep moving hold then?

"Look, maybe in an hour we stop and we take a break. But I'll be damned if I'm going to let Gold determine where we stop. There is something he isn't saying, something he wants here."

"Ok. We are with you Emma, we will keep an eye on Gold."

Luckily, they found Whale before the darkness or Gold became a problem.

One would think Prince Charming and Count Dracula wouldn't have anything to talk about. That the two would spend the entirety of their time together glaring at one another. Their disparities in world view causing them to do little more than hope death upon the other. They definitely shouldn't be talking in the corner of a dungeon like old friends. Victor kept his eyes on them as Emma approached.

'Ok, so that's…weird right?"

"Precisely what I was thinking. I assumed they would try to kill one another. Or Prince Charming would at least I don't know…."

"Take more than a minute to become friends with Dracula?

"Yes. Do you ever think about how odd some our conversations are?"

"Constantly."

"So should we…"

"Gold said it will take a few more minutes, might as well just let them keep bonding."

Victor didn't like that idea. He couldn't really explain why. Emma left to go check on Archie and Victor tried to be discreet in his observance of David and Vladimir.

After a few more moments the two princes broke up their congenial meeting. Vladimir headed towards Victor.

"These people are unlike the ones of our realm."

"I am aware of that…look Vlad…

"There is no need to apologize for anything. You chose well in finding a new family. One should not be regretful of their choice to leave sorrow behind. And sorrow is all you ever found here."

"Seems to be the same for you my friend."

Vladimir smiled slightly.

"Yes, although I am more adept at bearing it than some one of your…limited lifespan."

"You shouldn't have to…"

"David told me about what happened back in their realm."

Victor closed his mouth. This is exactly what he didn't want. He knew Vladimir's propensity for uncovering the truth men tried to hide. Victor wasn't entirely convinced the rumors of telepathy weren't actually true.

"I see."

"I know it is something you have always feared."

"It was nothing…"

"You are have not changed a bit my friend."

Victor found that incredibly difficult to believe. He had spent 30 years living as someone else, he noticed he still had many of Whale's mannerisms. No matter how hard he tried to suppress them.

"I sincerely doubt that."

"Still holding back. Still trying to remain distant. Although it would appear you have surrounded yourself by those unwilling to let you do so."

Victor looked towards David and Archie.

"It wasn't a conscious decision."

"No. I would suspect it wasn't. Your best decisions were often the ones you didn't take the time to think all the way through."

Vladimir smirked. Victor tried to resist the small smile that crept onto his face as well. No doubt both men recalling the same memory.

"I'm surprised Mina still married you after that."

"She was an eternally forgiving woman."

Both men stood silently a few more moments. Both recalling the woman that had been so brutally taken.

"Why do you continue to hold back?"

Victor wanted to write off Vladimir's question, wanted to say the man was just imagining things. But Victor had enough trouble lying to mortals. The vampire was exceedingly more likely to see through any falsehoods.

"The…incident a few weeks ago. That part of me that I have always feared…took over. I hurt people. People who trusted me. I'm afraid that someday it will happen again. Only next time it won't be because of some spell or outside influence. And there won't be a way to stop me. I can't trust myself Vladimir, how could I expect them to ever fully trust me. To not fear me?"

Confessing your deepest fears really wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. He didn't throw up or run away crying so that was something.

"I see."

Victor snorted.

"I knew you would."

"I am not one of your new compatriots. I do not view the darkest parts of a man's soul as something of which he should be ashamed. If this part could aid him in a fight, then he should use it."

"You and Regina would get along very well."

"However. I am aware that you are ashamed of it. That you see it not as a weakness, but a strength you never wish to use. I understand that as well. There were parts of myself that I kept hidden from even Mina. Do you fear me?"

"No."

"Even though you have seen what I am capable of?"

"You saw a fraction of what I was capable of during the war. I did things…"

"The war was the war Victor. No man walks away from war without marks upon his soul. From the highest general to a lowly surgeon, each of us made choices that no good man during a time of peace would ever consider. I am not talking about the war Victor, I am talking about what we do when we still have a choice. Those men in the dungeon, I didn't have to kill them. But I did, and I will never regret it. I might even forget it before too long. And yet you say you do not fear me."

"You have a code you…."

"As do you. One you may, stray from occasionally but never abandon. As much as I have enjoyed seeing you again, it is time for you to return home."

"Vladimir…"

"Whale, Gold's got the portal working. We have to hurry."

"You never belonged here. This realm always belonged to the most monstrous of humans, and you never had a place amongst them."

Vladimir put a hand on Victor's shoulder.

Victor wanted to stay. Wanted to keep talking to a man who truly knew every part of Victor. Who had seen the worst parts of Victor and had never once shown fear, or disgust.

"Storybrooke."

Vladimir raised an elegant eyebrow.

"That's the name of the town. I'm not foolish enough to think that you need something as pedestrian as a portal to travel between realms. If you ever feel like leaving this place…Storybrooke, Maine is where I will be."

"Perhaps I will have to visit this…Storybrooke."

"Visit…stay forever. You know, whatever you feel comfortable with. It would be nice to have someone else from our realm around."

"I will consider it Victor."

The two men embraced. Victor perhaps held the hug a moment longer than was strictly proper for two men of their stature, but Victor felt he needed it. And just as suddenly as he had been thrust back into a world he thought he would never see again, he was pulled away once more. He felt on the smallest twinge of regret as he moved through the portal.

If Victor had his choice he would only jump through portals that Jefferson said were safe from now on. The impact on the cement left his whole jaw vibrating.

"Ow."

"Yea sorry, forgot to warn you about that." Emma offered Victor a hand. He watched as the others came into view.

The welcome party did little more than make sure they were all in one piece before they were scattering again. They were positioning themselves around town. Barricading homes. Waiting for Jack to return in what would not doubt be another disastrous encounter.

They expected Jack to follow immediately behind them. To realize that Victor wasn't where he left him and come running after the man who had lead him astray. Which was ridiculous when you thought about it. Jack could have flown for days. Hell he might have even forgotten where he left Victor in the first place. It couldn't all be constant fighting with magical enemies. There had to be a few moments of peace.

The first day they waited in tense silence. The second day the tension was still present, but somewhat muted. By the 10th day, people were beginning to return to their normal routines. Waiting for whatever the next violent interruption of their lives might be. Victor was sitting at Grannys when Killian entered.

"Still no sign?"

"Aye. It would appear that Jack has forgotten about us for the time being."

Victor tried not to think too much about what Jack could be doing to his home realm. The people there weren't as skilled in dealing with magic. Especially if Van Helsing was king. He would have tried to burn magic from the land years ago. How many people were dead because Victor had lead a monster into their midst?

Again.

"Everything all right mate?"

Victor looked at the pirate.

"…Are you wearing a sweater?"

"Yea, Emma gave it to me said…"

"We just went through what can only be described as the coldest weather ever recorded, during which you wore that ridiculous leather jacket the entire time. Through freezing wind and rain. Through snow piled higher than the tallest man. And now that it's starting to warm up you switch over to reasonable, modern clothes?"

"My jacket is not ridiculous."

"Maybe it wasn't 500 years ago."

"Oi, I'll have you know it was…"

The ringing of the doorbell turned Victor's attention slightly. He saw as Archie entered the diner.

"Doctor, Captain….am I interrupting something."

"Of course not, what do you need Archie?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could speak with you alone for a moment?"

A strange feeling flared up in Victor. One he had trusted many times before. It was telling him to run away from Archie, to not be left alone with him. Victor sighed, he was certain Archie meant well. The doctor had been hovering around Victor a bit since they had returned. Trying to get Victor to open up more about his brush with evil. It was just Victor's entrenched paranoia coming back into play. He couldn't give into that anymore. He pushed the feeling away.

"Sure. If you'll excuse us Captain."

Killian pointed at Victor.

"This conversation isn't over."

"The sweater really takes away from the menace."

Killian shook his head and walked over to a booth nearby.

"You wanted…."

"How about we go for a little walk Doctor?"

Great. When Archie meant alone, he really meant alone. Definitely not going to be a fun conversation.

"Of course."

The two men exited the diner. Victor took a moment to appreciate how the town looked when it wasn't covered in mounds of snow. The sun was shining. Nothing to indicate anything terrible had ever happened here.

They walked in silence for a few moments. Victor barely looked up from his feet. Archie was leading them towards the docks.

Victor took a breath then glanced over at his companion. Whatever comment Victor was going to make died in his throat. Archie wasn't looking at him. His eyes seemed completely focused on the path in front of them. And there was…a hardness in Archie's eyes. It looked unnatural, wrong on the face of the normally congenial man.

Victor came to a stop. Archie took a few more steps, then stopped and turned.

"You're not Archie."

"What? Victor we talked about this, about not letting your paranoia get to you. You are still suffering after effects of the shards."

"We did. And I don't know how you know that. But you aren't him. Did Jack send you?"

Not-Archie smiled. The smile looked so wrong on Archie's face. It was amused. It was vindictive.

"No. No, Jack didn't send me."

Shit.

"You can shape shift?"

"No no no. Shape shift? How messy. How painful. This is a trick, a new trick but an old trick. A fun one, don't you think? I don't remember where I learned it from. It's all about manipulating the air, water in everything you know, in the eyes, making illusions from nothing. Tricking the mind of your enemy."

Not-Archie sort of shimmered in the sunlight, and suddenly Jack was standing in front of him.

"So we are enemies now?"

"We have always been enemies. But now I have proof that you are their enemy too."

Jack pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket. It was old, browning in places. Jack unfolded it slowly.

He cleared his throat and began to read.

"WANTED: Victor Frankenstein. For crimes against the people of his Majesty's realm. The crimes described herein are usual and heinous in their extremes. Victor Frankenstein…that's you….is wanted for desecration of graves, grave robbing, unnatural experimentation, unethical treatment of patients…all normal things people would expect of you, but these next few…these are my favorites….treason, sedition, betraying his own soldiers in a time of war, aiding the enemy, using biological warfare to kill innocent civilians, and the murder of the son of the king, as well as many other crimes too numerous to list. This man is an enemy of the realm and shall be put to death for his crimes. Signed King Abraham Van Helsing. The people of Storybrooke, they know you now…but if they had known you then…."

"Those crimes were fabricated. I didn't…"

"Doesn't really matter does it…." The paper flew from Jack's hands and breezed past Victor's head.

"I've stuck up dozens of them throughout the town. The royalty might try to deny it, but how can they? How will they calm the people when they have all seen what you are capable of? When now they know your story is much worse than they ever could have imagined. Van Helsing is the hero. I'm the hero for trying to stop you. You're the villain."

"Why…why are you so insistent on being the hero?"

"Because…no one wants to be on the losing side. And since the villains always lose, I've decided I have to be the hero. I always win. I always have and I always will."

Victor had to give it to Jack. He did have an impressive array of talents. The man, boy, demon, whatever he was, seemed almost unstoppable. Victor supposed that following that logic, Jack might very well be the hero of the story. Especially if he killed anyone who would be able to say otherwise.

"What did you do in my realm?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Just a little fun. I met the King. He's the one who gave me these. Seemed very interested to know you were still alive. Very interested. He told me he would help me with my games…"

"Jack, whatever Van Helsing told you…"

"He's going to write stories about me. Entire novels! Maybe even a few songs in my honor. He said, once I dealt with you and I got bored of Storybrooke, that I could come back. That there were all types of monsters that I could destroy for him. I would be a Knight! I would be seen for the hero I truly was."

For not the first time, Victor truly regretted not killing Van Helsing when he had the chance. The man could manipulate any situation to his advantage. He had been able to figure out what Jack wanted within no time and had figured out how to use it. It was how the man had risen to power in the first place. How he was no doubt maintaining that power now.

"And what happens when you get bored of the games you play with Van Helsing? What happens when you get tired of following his orders?"

"He isn't going to order me. He isn't my King. He's just A King. They come and go so fast, I probably won't even notice when I've started talking to the next one. They all tend to look the same after awhile."

"I suppose that's true. So…I assume he told you to kill me."

"Nope! That's the best part, the funnest part. I'm not supposed to touch you at all. He said I should probably freeze you to keep you from interfering but not to kill you. He's going to have a big trial for you when I take you back. Everyone will see you for the monster and me for the hero. I'm going to get a medal. A title."

"So you freeze me, until you've gotten bored with Storybrooke and then you will take me back to my realm."

"Yea. Though, I'm thinking I might already be bored with Storybrooke. Nowhere near as fun as your realm. You lied when you said there weren't any good monsters there! I will fit right in with the heroes."

Victor thought about the "heroes" of his realm. Van Helsing was a genocidal maniac who killed more innocent people than any villain, Harker killed his own daughter because she fell in love with a "monster" he didn't approve of, the list went on and on. Victor looked at Jack. At the manic gleam in his eyes at the thought of being able to kill monsters. Yes, Jack would fit right in.

"So why bring me out here to the docks. You could have just grabbed me at the diner and taken us back from there. Or you could have waited until I was alone. Why the subterfuge."

"Because….I'm going to kill Archie and I wanted the last person he was seen with to be you. They will think you've gone mad again. They wouldn't dare try to follow after you again."

"Right."

"You're very calm about all this." Jack was looking closely at Victor, scrutinizing his every move.

"Sorry. It's been a rough month for me. I went insane and tried to kill everyone I care about, a frost demon started a personal vendetta against me, I was kidnapped back to my home realm, held hostage and then ran smack into an army controlled by my worst enemy, then I was pulled back here only to be confronted with yet another death threat. You'll forgive me, but I'm afraid I've rather gotten used to the constant state of despair that has plagued me as of late."

"Well that won't do. I know! I'll go get Elsa and then she can shove some more of those shards into your heart. That will make you perfect. I should have done that first."

Victor tried not to show how much that affected him. His heart had begun to race the moment Jack mentioned the shards. Focus. Remain calm. Almost there.

"I suppose that would make sense. But if you do that, won't they then be able to say it was the shards that caused my actions? You want them to think it was me, not magic, that killed people right?"

Jack seemed to be contemplating the idea.

"You're right. There can't be any doubt about what you are."

"Now that those posters are out, I doubt there will be."

"You are being very helpful doctor." Jack flew into Victors face. His eyes narrowed. "Too helpful. As helpful as you were in the Black Forest. You are hiding something and…"

Victor held up his hands.

"Alright, alright. You got me. I…I do have an ulterior motive."

"I knew it! I knew you were trying to trick me! What did you think you were going to do? You don't even have magic!"

"You're absolutely right. But they do."

Jack barely turned his head before he was being encompassed by several magical forces. White and black and purple magic swirled around him, snaking around his arms and legs. Holding him in place.

"What? How did…."

"I was just distracting you, so they could sneak up behind you."

"You can't trap me, I'm too strong for your pathetic little vase."

Emma stepped forward. Victor could see Elsa, Rumplestiltskin, the Blue Fairy, and Regina behind her. They moved slowly forward, forming a circle around Jack.

"First of all, it's an urn not a vase. And we've made a few improvements. Gold!"

Gold placed the urn a few feet from where Jack was held tight.

"You can't stop me. I will break free in…"

"A matter of hours? Yes, probably. But you see, a few hours is all we need. You see dearie, we have found a perfect little realm for you. I don't know its name because no one lives there anymore. Mainly because all the water dried up thousands of years ago. And the surface of the realm is so hot and dry…well let's just say you won't be able to create more than a single drop of water let alone any snow or ice."

"I will just…."

"Jump realms? Yes we thought of that too. You see this? It's a simple thing, looks like nothing more than a black leather cuff. But it is in reality powerful magic, that can neutralize the magic of any one who wears it. We figured between that and the desert realm, well we won't be hearing any more of you." Gold made a wave of his hand and the cuff was on Jack's wrist.

Victor would be glad to be rid of Jack. But even he found Gold's pleasure in sentencing Jack Frost to a realm without water, a little distasteful. It was one thing to beat your enemy. It was another to take joy in watching them suffer.

"You can't do this. You don't know what I am. What I can do!"

"Don't know, don't care." Emma motioned to the others. The magic surrounding Jack was almost blinding. Victor could see Jack's face as he was pulled into the urn. He saw no more bravado, no more glee. All he saw in Jack's eyes, was fear.

The urn closed with a small clank. It immediately began to freeze, the ice starting to spread to the ground. Gold stepped forward and picked it up.

"No you don't dearie. I will take this to our good friend Will Scarlet. Get rid of this nuisance once and for all."

"Gold wait…."

Gold disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Emma looked annoyed by the man's disappearance.

"I'm guessing that wasn't part of the plan."

"No. We were supposed to go with him, make sure he did what he said he was going to do."

"You think he would be foolish enough to try and keep some of Jack's power."

"I think Gold would pull the sun from the sky if he thought it would bring him more power."

"Is there something I should…"

"No…no it's probably nothing. Oh, and what the hell man." Emma punched Victor in the arm.

"Ow. What?"

"You walked off with him."

"He looked like Archie at the time. And I pushed my little panic button immediately."

Victor had been slightly insulted when David had first handed it to him. Mainly because it was one of those buttons old people wore for when they fell down and couldn't get up.

"I'm not an invalid."

"No, but in the last month you have been kidnapped and attacked more times than anyone in this town combined."

Victor had thought about arguing that last point. But thought bringing up the sheer number of times Henry had been in danger was most likely not the right play. David had barreled on.

"Plus, we know that Jack knows what cell phones are and you wouldn't likely be able to call us if he attacks you outright."

"Don't think this panic button will work if he sweeps me off to another realm."

"Just. Just wear it? Please."

"Not often that a Prince begs me for something…"

"Whale…"

"Alright, alright. I'll wear the ridiculous thing."

Victor chose not to admit that he had almost left it on his bedside table this morning. And that he technically wasn't wearing it, so much as he had stuffed it in his pocket at the last minute as he was leaving for work.

Details.

"Yea. Pretty sure you have to wear that thing from now on."

"What? Jack's gone and…."

The posters.

"…the posters." Victor put a hand to his face. "I can explain…most of it."

"Whale you don't…"

Regina walked over.

"I think he does. He shouldn't get off the hook that easy. I for one am curious as to what crimes 'so heinous and cruel' could possibly entail. What do you think doctor, you and I could compare notes over drinks."

Victor looked at Regina. Even being a genius it took a moment for his mind to process. She…she was joking with him. Victor cast a doubtful eye towards Emma.

"Is…is she messing with me?"

"I think she is. Look at you Regina. Making friends."

Regina rolled her eyes and brushed past the two of them. Victor could swear he heard her mutter "idiots" under her breath.

"So the posters…"

"Are like, 35 years old. No one is going to hold any of these supposed crimes against you. Everyone will see them for the bullshit they are."

"You ripped them all down before anyone could see them didn't you."

"You pushed your panic button and two seconds later David saw one on the side of hospital. Him, Killian, and Robin ran around town ripping them down. Ruby distracted everyone by raising the alarm that Jack was attacking. So all the townspeople were too busy running for their lives to pay any attention to some scraps of paper."

"Emma…thank you."

"Of course."

"There is…one thing though."

"Whatever you…."

"Can we not call it my 'panic button', I was hardly panicking. I thought I did quite well, I stayed completely calm." Victor was examining the small piece of plastic. "And why would I still need to wear it?"

"I don't know, just call us a little paranoid ok? Just wear it for a few more days…or weeks…you know until everything settles."

"You honestly believe Storybrooke will go a few weeks without any other major catastrophes? Oh Emma, I didn't think you could still be so naïve."

"Ok, watch it Doctor. Or I will tell Ruby you weren't wearing your panic button."

"I was so."

"So it wasn't stuffed in your pocket just now."

"It was…safer there."

"Mhmm"

"I had it one my person. That qualifies."

"We will see if she agree."

"Fine."

Victor looped the cord over his head. Emma gave him a smirk and continued walking towards the town.

Victor looked again at the small piece of plastic. At how odd it was. Such a small thing, and yet it kept Victor from being frozen. From having to watch Storybrooke be lost, from having to be brought before Van Helsing to be executed. Victor knew what his mind was doing. Focusing on the tangible object, the thing he could touch. It was easier to process than the intangible. The representation of the button. That all he had to do was push, and there would be a group of people willing to fight for him, follow after him, pull down wanted posters for him. Such things were so much harder to grasp, to hold on to.

"Whale. Hurry up. Granny said she was going to pull out all the stops."

"What does that mean?"

"I have no idea. You coming?"

"Of course."

Victor let the button hang from his neck. Perhaps he could wear it for just a bit longer. Just to let the others have their peace of mind. A few more days, a week or so at most.

Just until everything was finally settled.