A/N: Sorry for the delay; got caught up in psych homework. I hope every is enjoying the new season. As I said, this story is going to go very AU after this chapter. I'll leave the rating T for now and update as needed.

*SPOILER ALERT* If you haven't seen the premier yet, you might no want to read this chapter. While I changed the how it happened, the end result is still the same. I do not own OUAT or any of the characters. So, I hope you enjoy it! As always please review! :)


Gold stood before the full length mirror in his bedroom, focusing intently as he tied his burgundy tie. Even though he intended to take the day off, he couldn't stay in this house alone. The silence was overwhelming; the emptiness all-consuming; everywhere he looked was a memory. The curse of hope had gripped his heart; he had no right to hope that Emma could or would ever forgive him and yet he did. After a night of tossing and turning, Gold was more determined than ever to win Emma back; to somehow regain her trust. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was no less resolved in trying.

The smell of fresh coffee permeated throughout the house as Gold stepped out of his bedroom. An incessant knocking on his door startled and confused him; who would be bold enough to disturb him so early? For the briefest of moments, he hoped it was Emma, but she had a key and wouldn't knock. The next obvious choice was Regina seeking refuge from the masses, and if that was the case he would truly relish the task of feeding her to the wolves. The less obvious choice was Belle, but he never would have guessed who he found on his doorstep.

"Snow White and Prince Charming" he said, in his classic Rumple voice. They shared tense glances and forced smiles; he was surprised that they would show up on his doorstep so early.

"Rumplestiltskin…" the prince greeted stiffly. "We came to see Emma…" Mary said breathlessly, obviously still overjoyed at being reunited with her daughter. Gold kept his face impassive; he didn't want to hint that something had happened between them.

"Sorry, dearies, she left last night…something about needing time to process." He lied coolly. Given their already tumultuous history, the last thing Gold wanted to do was add fuel to the fire.

"Left; what do you mean she left? Where'd she go?" The prince was panic stricken, looking ready to track her down and drag her back in a burlap sack. Gold felt the first stirrings of guilt; deciding now was not the best time to taunt the new found parents.

"I imagine she's at Granny's…" he said, leaning against the door frame. Where else was there to stay in this town?

"Oh, so she's still in town?" Mary asked relieved.

"Indeed…" Gold said with a smile. Relief washed over their faces and they visibly relaxed.

"Did you two break up?" James asked hopefully, getting an instant elbow in the ribs from his true love. "Charming…" she chided sharply in hushed tones. Gold watched the exchange with an amused expression, but couldn't bring himself to say that it was over between them. He would allow Emma to make that announcement if that was what she wanted.

"Not that I'm aware of. She asked for time to come to terms with all this; I am simply honoring her wishes."

"Thank you, Mr. Gold…" Mary said as the pair quickly descended the stairs.

Gold closed the door and headed back to the kitchen for some much needed coffee. He knew if he wanted to be with Emma, he would have to make an effort to get along with her parents. He could see Snow White accepting him easier than her husband; Gold wondered if Charming would ever accept that he and Emma were dating. Well, at least theoretically…


Emma lay awake in bed, staring at the window; she had slept like a rock until 7am and has been wide awake since. She took a shower and changed, but even after she'd slept a solid seven hours, it wasn't near enough; she couldn't get out of bed. Her entire body ached as if she'd been in a car crash; there was a loud growling in her stomach that demanded satisfaction. She had no tears left to cry, but she was still in a world of pain. Emma felt lost and even worse, didn't know who to turn to. Her best friend was now her mother and Gold was out of the question.

Part of her wanted to stay in bed all day and avoid the battles that were set to begin. Eventually, she would have to face her parents, the 'final battle' with Regina as well as the battle to keep her son, and now the battle of what to do about Gold. She's forgiven him for a lot, but she's not sure how or why she could forgive him for this. There was a gentle knocking on the door and Emma was tempted to pretend she didn't hear it. She begrudgingly walked to the door; Emma smiled at Granny who held a tray full of food as if she'd read her mind.

"Good morning, dear…" Granny greeted cheerfully, "I decided to bring you your breakfast, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast and hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and cinnamon."

"Thank you so much…" Emma said taking the tray. Granny lingered a moment as if she wanted to say something more, but decided against it. With a smile and a nod, Granny left; as Emma closed the door, she caught sight of August's room across the hall. She contemplated checking on him but chose not to as she closed her door.

Emma ate ravenously having not eaten at all yesterday. Whether she liked it or not, she was still the Sherriff of this town and she couldn't lock herself away; as much as she'd like to. It was already 8am and Emma decided after breakfast she would head to the station; on today of all days, there was bound to be chaos. Another knock came at the door and Emma sighed in a huff of annoyance for the disturbance as she yanked the door open.

"Hello Emma…" James greeted with a hesitant smile. His arm was again draped tightly around Mary as if she were an anchor for him. The tears were already in Mary's eyes as she smiled at Emma.

"Hi…" Emma greeted breathlessly. Her parents were nothing if not persistent; she had hoped to put this off a little longer. But they were here now and there seemed little point in trying to send them away.

"We were just at Gold's; he told us you were here…" Mary informed her. Emma narrowed her eyes skeptically as she nodded. Somehow, she's not surprised that he knew where she'd be.

"So, did you two break up?" James asked hopefully in her silence. Mary elbowed him in the ribs, lecturing him to stop asking that. Emma had the feeling they asked Gold the same question and she wondered how he answered. Emma remembered Gold's words that her father hated him and would never approve of them dating. But as of now she didn't know what she was going to do about him, so she answered vaguely.

"Not exactly, I just need some time to wrap my head around all this."

"I know what you mean; the last time I saw you, you were an infant cradled in my arm. Now that we found you; you're my age and I am a grandparent at 30 yrs old. You're not the only one who has a lot deal with right now." James said as he stared at her wonder.

"I know; I keep forgetting I'm not the only one whose life was just turned upside down." Emma said sympathetically. "Where's Henry?"

"Oh, Red is watching him…" James answered.

"Who's Red?" Emma asked anxiously; sounds like a stripper name.

"Ruby…Red Riding Hood…" Mary said breathlessly as the pair of them stared expectantly at Emma from the hallway.

"Right..." This was going to take some getting used to. "I'm sorry, come in…" Emma said as she opened the door wider. They smiled in relief at the invitation as Emma sipped her hot chocolate.

"I'm just going to say this, Emma; we're here…" Mary began, motioning to herself and James. "And we're together now. But I get the sense that you aren't happy." Emma instantly chided herself for her callous behavior; both yesterday and this morning.

"Of course I'm happy, it's just," Emma paused as she tried to sort out her thoughts, she didn't want to burden them with her past, but she didn't want to make them feel guilty either.

"Look, you guys did what you did to save everyone and I'm not trying to make you feel guilty, but that doesn't change the fact that I have been alone for my entire life. I know now that you sent me away to protect me, I get it now; I believe. But keep in mind that I grew up in a world where fairy tales were just that and believing that they're real is considered crazy. I just found out that my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. I just realized that my son was adopted by the Evil Queen and that I'm dating Rumplestiltskin. You sent through a wardrobe with Pinnochio and –"

"Wait, what?" James interrupted angrily. Emma shrunk back at his sharp words; Mary Margaret looked equally confused and enraged.

"Yea, August, or Pinnochio said that Mary was supposed to go through while pregnant with me but that I came early. So he was sent ahead to take care of me." Emma could tell by the horrified expressions on their faces that they had no idea what she was talking about.

"She lied…" Mary whispered in shock as the tears filled her eyes; James was pacing the room looking ready to break everything in sight. Mary gripped James' hand tightly and stepped into his arms as he sighed heavily, trying to calm himself down. He closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Emma, I'm sorry. The Blue Fairy told us that only one could go through the wardrobe, had we known that two could go Snow would've gone with you. Pinnochio was only a child…" James explained breathlessly.

The same Blue Fairy that cost Gold his son? Emma wondered darkly; watching awkwardly as Mary clung to James. She felt relieved knowing that her parents didn't send her here with only a child to protect her, but it didn't undo all the damage that had already been done as a result.

"Emma, the reason we came here…after you left yesterday we haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Snow told me the little that she knew about your past…" he sighed again and Emma could see him struggling not to ask as fresh tears filled his eyes.

"I don't know where you've been or what you've been through, but Snow and I loved you and it was the hardest decision we ever had to make sending you away. You were our only hope. It might not be much, but we're here now…and we love you. You don't have to be alone anymore."

Emma didn't say anything as Mary stepped forward; she didn't pull away this time as Mary cradled Emma's face in her hands. Emma felt the tears rising as Mary hugged her, but as she felt James' hand on the back of her head, strong and tender; the tears streamed from Emma's eyes. While she couldn't say it; hearing her father say those words meant everything in the world to her. It was the culmination of a decade of searching; she was safe surrounded in their arms and she was loved.

Emma's phone rang, interrupting the family reunion as she fought to control her voice. "Sherriff Sw…whoa, Archie, slow down; what's wrong?"

"Dr. Whale is rallying everyone and they're going to Regina's to kill her…" Archie said panting for breath.

"I'll be right there." Emma hung up the phone, grabbing her keys and coat. "There's a mob heading to Regina's; Archie thinks they want to kill her." James and Snow were on her heels as they ran from Emma's room. Emma found herself grateful that Henry wouldn't be there to witness this; she hoped Ruby had him somewhere far away.


Gold sat in the back of the shop, spinning at the wheel. He had forgotten how soothing it could be, the way the spinning spokes seemed to hypnotize him into forgetting all that he had done wrong. It wasn't doing much to help him forget right now, but at least it was a distraction. Thoughts of Emma battled to the forefront of his mind as flashes of her smile filled his eyes. The sound of her laughter echoed in his ears; his skin tingled at the phantom feel of her fingertips ghosting over his skin. Memories of those precious few moments when she let her guard down and revealed the deepest parts of herself despite her obvious fear.

Gold released a heavy sigh as he spun; he was relieved that they were still in Storybrooke; it meant if Bae was still out there that he could still return here. This may not all have been in vain. He was nothing if not patient; he would give Emma as long as she needed to forgive him; even if that meant starting from scratch and pursuing her all over again…

"Rumplestiltskin…" the sound of her voice behind him startled him; he didn't have to turn around to know it was Belle. Gold leaned on his cane as he rose and turned to face her. She wore black jeans and a white shirt beneath a baby blue jacket, forever trying to hide the scars that marred her fair skin. Her eyes were wet with tears; a mix of hope, hurt, fear and anger as she stood smiling hopefully at him.

"Hello Belle…" he said hoarsely. Gold tried to smile, but in light of all that had happened, of what was happening; it somehow seemed wrong. This was the moment he had been dreading; he knew the day would come when Belle regained her memories. Gold had practiced this speech a thousand times but he was still unprepared. What could he possibly say that would make up for what happened to her? What would she say when he told her that despite her hopes, they can't be together?

"I remember." She said with a trembling voice as she stepped towards him. Gold smiled as he nodded in response. It was awkward as the pair stood facing each other; Gold stared at the hope in her eyes and found himself unable to speak. Belle shifted nervously as he stared at her in silence; he didn't want to hurt her and inevitably he would.

"I don't suppose if I tell you I love you, that it would make a difference." She said sadly.

"I am so sorry, Belle, about everything –" he said quickly as if suddenly woken from a trance.

"Do you love her?" Belle asked, cutting him off.

"I do…" Gold answered sincerely. There was no point in lying or sending her mixed signals; his mind was made up – he wanted Emma. He only hoped that Belle could let him go.

"And what about me?" she asked as tears trailed down her cheeks.

"I thought you were dead, Belle. By the time I discovered you were alive, I was already with Emma…"

"Why didn't you just explain that we were in love?" she demanded as if it were that simple.

"Because Emma had done absolutely nothing to deserve that kind of treatment; I couldn't just toss her aside as if she meant nothing to me."

"But you can toss me aside?" Belle countered bitterly. Gold inhaled deeply as his eyes fell; this conversation had been so much easier in his mind when he wasn't looking at the pain he was causing her. He was struggling to find the words that would convey that he still loved her, but that is wasn't in love with her.

"Rumple, you kept this?" she asked astonished. Gold watched as she walked to the shelf that held their trinket; giggling as she lifted the porcelain cup into her hands.

"My chipped cup…" Her eyes watered as Belle lifted her gaze to meet his, as the smile fell from her face. "How can you say you don't love me if you kept this all these years?"

"Oh, my beautiful Belle…I never said I don't love you. You will always be in my heart and I will always care about you..."

"Then why can't we be together?" Gold was trying not to be harsh in his words, but if it would help her see that they couldn't be together then he would be cruel if only to help her in the long run.

"Do you remember the last thing you said to me?" he asked softly. Belle's face fell as she looked away; Gold knew that she remembered. "You said that I had made my choice and that I would regret it forever; that all I would have was an empty heart and a chipped cup. And for over thirty years that is exactly what I had." Gold kept his voice calm so she didn't think he was angry at her. How could he be? It was his fault for taking her in the first place.

"Yes, I kept the cup as a memory of you, it was the only thing I had; but it was also a daily reminder of my guilt. I've regretted sending you away, but most of all I've regretted taking you in the first place. I never should have made you my price for that deal, Belle; you never stood a chance for a happy ending."

"You don't know that, I –"

"Don't I? Tell me Belle, even if I had let you stay after that kiss, does it follow that you would've been happy?" He challenged. Belle swallowed hard as the tears fell freely from her eyes.

"I could've broken –"

"Yes, you nearly broke my curse," he interrupted sharply; that was what caused this whole mess to begin with "…unfortunately, you failed to anticipate that I didn't want it broken. I needed my magic for a very specific purpose which is why I reacted so violently. Could you have loved me, Belle, if I remained the monster?" Belle opened her mouth to respond but Gold continued before she could.

"Our relationship would have been forever damaged and you would've gone back to being treated like a servant in my home without any rights or the comforts I had given you. Would that have made you happy?"

Belle pressed her lips in a tight line as she released a trembling breath; Gold had a feeling the answer to that question was no. Had her answer been yes, he would have been seriously concerned. Belle always saw him with rose-colored glasses; she needed to be reminded of who he was. He thought she had betrayed him; that Belle was working for Regina; kindness was something he would not have shown her.

"How was your reunion with your father, Belle? Were you relieved to see him? Did he hold you so tight that you couldn't breathe?" Belle furrowed her brows in confusion as she nodded numbly. "You never would have seen him again had you stayed."

Her bright blue eyes seemed even bluer as they glistened with tears; Belle lowered her gaze and Gold could see his words were sinking in. Sadly, he wasn't lying. It hurt him to hurt her; after everything she had been through, Belle above all deserved a happy ending. Something she would never find with him. Gold softened at the sadness that filled her eyes as she avoided his gaze.

"Belle, you've paid too high a price for crimes that were never your own, I never should have taken you. Even though I hurt you in the process I thought I was doing you a favor by sending you away. Never did I imagine Regina would've abducted you to use against me and I have carried that weight with me every day in your absence. I should've taken you home myself; made sure you got there safely. I should never have believed Regina when she told me you were dead."

"That wasn't your fault…you didn't know." Belle's voice barely registered as a whisper. Gold raised an eyebrow and scoffed at the absurdity of that statement; whether or not he knew, it was most certainly his fault.

"Regardless of fault, Belle, I've never once allowed myself to be happy. Not after all that I had lost; of all that I had done to you. I didn't deserve a happy ending; I didn't even allow myself to hope that I'd find love..." A small smile formed on his face as he remembered the beginning of their relationship.

"…and then Emma came along and she breathed life into me. We didn't intend to fall in love it just happened, and I don't regret that. I won't lie; Emma and I have a complicated relationship, but regardless of that I love her and I will not abandon her simply because you want me to. If I left her now, you would forever wonder if it was truly because I loved you or simply because I felt guilty over what happened to you and didn't want to hurt you more."

Silence settled over them again and Gold was growing worried in her prolonged silence. Knowing Belle, he was expecting her to make at the least a passionate plea for true love. He feared that she would be stubborn and tell him that she simply wouldn't give him up. Instead, she was silent, her facial expression unreadable as she stared at the teacup in her hands.

"Belle, when I found out you were in the asylum, my only desire was to give you your life back. I wanted to give you the chance to see the world, to fall in love with someone you chose; to live out the dreams you had before I stole your life from you. That hasn't changed…"

"I chose you, Rumplestiltskin." She said tearfully. Gold smiled sympathetically as he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"No, you didn't Belle; you were a deal I made; you were a captive…forever. You would do well not to convince yourself otherwise. I was the only man you were going to see for the rest of your life; of course you chose me. There was no other choice."

"That's not how I choose to look at it." She whispered hoarsely.

"Well you should; it's the way it was dearie. I can't change or undo what happened then, but I can control what happens now. May I see your scars, Belle?" he asked hesitantly. Belle leveled him with a hard incredulous stare as she stepped back.

"Why?"

"Just let me see them."

Belle removed her hoodie, revealing the white shirt beneath it to be a tank top. Gold clenched his jaw and tightened his fists; he could feel the blood boiling as it flushed his face. To see the deep, angry gashes and burns made his stomach turn; a fresh rage coursed through him at the thought of what Regina had done. He wanted to ask her but he couldn't; he couldn't imagine his sweet, innocent Belle being violated so viciously. At least in this matter, Gold decided ignorance was best.

Gently, he rested Belle's wrist in his palm as he moved his other hand up the length of her arm. Belle's eyes widened as the skin mended and the ugly scars disappeared before her eyes. Gold moved behind her and gathered her hair, pushing it over her shoulder. He could feel her body quivering as his hand slipped beneath the fabric of her shirt as he continued to move his hands over the myriad of lashes on her back.

"Anywhere else, dearie?" he asked, choking on his tears. "No," Belle whispered as she studied her arms in amazement.

"Just like that; as if it never happened." Belle glared at him as she slipped her arms through the sleeves of her jacket. Belle turned to go and Gold followed her through the curtain, stopping beside the counter as he stared at her.

"We'll always remember it happened, Belle; but now you don't have to hide yourself or worry about explaining those scars to anyone." Gold was saddened by his own words; he was able to heal her physical scars, but he feared there were mental scars that would never fade.

"Well, thank you…" Belle said, smiling through her tears.

"You're welcome; it's the least I could do. Would you, um, would you allow me the honor of escorting you home?" he asked softly. It was a simple gesture, but it was what gave Regina her chance to take Belle; he wouldn't make that mistake again. Belle's smile widened as she nodded in agreement.

"I'd like that." Gold locked up the shop and walked Belle to his car. She thanked him as he held the door for her, limping around the front to the driver side.

"I want you to promise me something Belle," Gold began as he inserted the key into the ignition. "If you ever have need of anything, if Regina ever threatens you or even looks at you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, you must come to me."

"I promise…" she said dryly as she buckled her seatbelt. As Gold started the car, she handed him the teacup. "Sorry, I forgot I had this."

"You hold on to it, dearie; you're alive and I no longer need it to remember you by."

"I don't want it…" she said pointedly; Gold took the cup and put it inside his suit pocket. With that, Gold drove Belle home back to her father; he wondered if the old man even knew who he truly was. Part of him feared that this wasn't over, that Belle was simply in shock from all that had happened. All he could do was wait and see…


Emma tightened her grip on the wheel as she sped to Regina's. It was unbelievable to her that she was in fact racing to save the life of the woman who tried to kill her and ultimately almost killed her son. Part of her felt Regina deserved it after all she'd done, but Emma jumped from the car as they arrived; she had hoped Archie was overreacting. Emma fought her way through the rioting crowd trying to be heard over their screams and shouts as she shouted at Dr. Whale; watching as he wrapped his hands around Regina's throat.

"Let her go," she screamed again as she reached him, grabbing his arm and pushing him back.

"Why should I listen to you?" Whale challenged.

"Because I am still the Sherriff of this town -"

"And because she saved you; all of you…" James yelled behind her as he emerged through the crowd.

"And because no matter what Regina did, it does not justify this." Mary said emphatically behind him.

"We are not murderers here…" Emma said, staring him down.

"Well, we're not from this world." Whale said, obviously still intent on killing Regina.

"Yeah, well, you're in it now, and I can still arrest you." Emma replied threateningly.

"Ok, Whale, we're done with this." James said, standing between Emma and the Dr.

"Back off," Whale said, slapping his hand away. "You're not my prince."

"Who are you Whale?" James demanded curiously, only inches from the Dr.'s face. Emma watched as the two men stared each other down. It was strange to see David, who was weak and cowardly suddenly so strong and fearless. She never liked Whale and she suspected that whoever he was, he wasn't good as a fairy tale character either.

"Who I am is my business."

"Well, my business is making sure this town doesn't go to hell; so whether or not I'm your prince is irrelevant. We have a lot to figure out and this isn't the way to do it." James said. Mary stepped beside Regina and faced the crowd.

"And killing Regina will not get us any answers. She needs to be locked up for her safety and more importantly for ours…" James and Whale shared one last menacing glare before Whale turned and left with the crowd.

Emma handcuffed Regina while the mob dissipated; she waited until the crowd cleared to get Regina to the car. Since Emma never made it to the station, she only had her yellow bug. James and Mary squished into the back so that Emma could keep an eye on Regina in the front. The air was thickening with the tension of unspoken words and rage. Emma knew Regina blamed Mary for her lover's death, and now James and Mary knew that Regina stole everything from them along with everyone else. She knew things would get ugly, but she had no idea it escalate to attempted murder right off the bat. Emma feared this would be the first of many attempts on Regina's life.

"Well isn't this cozy…the Royal family and the step-grandmother..." Regina said disdainfully.

"Shut up, Regina; you should be thanking me for saving your life. God knows I could've let them do it." Emma spat viciously as she started the car. It took a moment to register that Regina just said she was the step-grandmother. Emma's head spun as she then realized that made her Henry's step-great-grandmother; she shook her head in confusion as she tried to comprehend this mess. As Emma drove, everyone in the car was silent; Emma glanced at Regina and she could swear the woman was on the verge of tears. It's not surprising, she did just lose Henry, the curse was broken, and she was apparently powerless and heading to jail. For a moment, Emma felt compassion for her; then she remembered that Regina's need for revenge brought this misery upon herself.


Gold had dropped Belle off at home and he now sat at Emma's desk, writing her letter. He knew she didn't want to see him, but he wanted to leave her this one token. He didn't think it would magically make her forgive him, but he hoped it would at least make her think twice before she made that decision. The doors were locked when he arrived; Emma obviously hasn't been to the station yet. He used a less than legal way to get inside and he hoped that she wouldn't arrest him on principal if she caught him.

He folded the letter and sealed the envelope, writing her name on the front in elegant script. Gold placed the envelope on Emma's chair with the trinket on top; hopefully she'd see it before she sat down. As he limped from her office, he heard the sound of the door opening and several voices. He moved quickly to a darkened corridor, hiding as he listened as the cell door was slammed.

"So I'm a prisoner now…" Regina said, fighting her tears. Gold was more than surprised to hear Regina's voice. What crime had her majesty been arrested for? he wondered darkly with a smile.

"If the curse is broken why didn't we go back?" James demanded.

"Because there is nothing to go back to…that land is gone." James and Mary looked devastated while Emma had to hide the fact that she was relieved. While she wasn't always a fan of this world, it was the only home she had ever known. It wasn't like they were picking up and moving to a different state or even a new country; she would be going to a world full of magic. Where ogres and fairies and any number of enchanted creatures lived; Emma simply wasn't ready to deal with all that and being a princess on top of it.

"Listen, I have to go do something; I want you guys to go make sure Henry is ok." Emma said as she began to leave.

"Emma, he's with Red, I'm sure he's fine. Plus, Regina is behind bars…" Mary said, confused why Emma was again rushing to get away.

"I know, but it would just make me feel better."

"Where are you going?" James asked.

"To set an innocent man free…" At that Emma turned to go, and James and Mary followed. Once she was alone, Regina again tried to use her magic to open the cell door. Gold watched amused from the darkness; so the witch was powerless.

"Magic is different here, dearie." He said as he stepped into the station. Regina turned at the sound of his voice; he smirked cruelly at the obvious fear on her face.

"I assume this is all your doing…" she said with a trembling voice.

"Most things are…" he said as he stood before the bars. "You lied to them. You and I both know that that world still exists."

"Get to the point Rumple, what do you want? Are you here to finish the job?"

"If I wanted you dead, Regina, you would be. I didn't even know you had been arrested. I'm glad I was here though; seeing you behind bars just made my day. How does it feel, Regina; to be caged like an animal?" he asked, obviously pleased with her circumstances.

"You should know; it was you in this cell not too long ago."

"And my, my how the tables have turned. I seem to remember telling you that I was the one with the power here, and you challenged me. Now, you're the one behind bars powerless and alone. I could kill you now and no one would ever know because no one would ever find your body."

"Then what are you waiting for?" she challenged through the bars. Gold studied her eyes as she stared at him spitefully. She looked ready to break down crying; a cruel smile formed on his lips as he leaned against the bars.

"I think you want me to kill you; you don't want to live in world where everyone gets their happily ever after except you – again." Regina's eyes fell as Gold taunted her.

"No, letting you live will be a far worse punishment for you. You're safe from me…for now. If any harm comes to Belle, Emma, or the people they love; there will be no place for you to hide from me. Never forget, your majesty, that you only draw breath because I choose to allow it." he growled menacingly. Regina shrunk back, knowing that she didn't have the power to stand up to him. Gold turned and limped away, smiling with grim satisfaction. He could get used to living in a world where he was the only one with the power; bringing magic back might have its share of advantages.


The hospital seemed to be completely abandoned; most of the staff followed Whale to murder Regina. It was an incredibly eerie feeling as she made her way to the psych ward; this town was bursting at the seams and she was the only law enforcement. To Emma's utter surprise and fear, the door to the psych ward was wide open. Emma pulled her gun just in case, fearing that a bunch of mentally unstable people just hit the streets of Storybrooke. No one sat at the desk at the bottom of the cement staircase and Emma went behind the desk and grabbed the key to Sydney's cell.

She walked carefully through the stone corridors, trying to remember the way to Belle's cell. Sydney was in the cell right next to her, and Emma wasn't sure what she was about to find. The silence was overwhelming as she turned down a corridor and came to Sydney's door. She lifted open the door slot and peered inside, seeing Sydney curled up on his bed. Either he was drugged out of his mind, or he had been uselessly screaming for help and wore himself out. Emma unlocked the door, and keeping her hand on her gun behind her, she stepped inside.

"Sydney…" she said gently, afraid to touch him or startle him. He made no moves, gave no indication that he'd heard her. "Sydney…" she said again, shaking him lightly. He groaned softly, shaking himself awake. His eyes suddenly went wide as he caught sight of her, shooting up on his bed.

"Emma thank God…I thought I was going to die down here." He said frantically. "I haven't eaten for what seems like days; no one's been here with my meds. It's like everyone just left…" Emma smiled sympathetically as she nodded; he looked terrible. His hair had gotten grayer and his eyes were worn and sunken in; one of her biggest regrets is that she allowed Regina to lock him up down here. True, he wasn't entirely innocent, but he didn't deserve this.

"Yea, I came to release you; you don't belong here. But before I do you have to promise me something…"

"Name it…" he said excitedly.

"Stay away from Regina, she –"

"No worries; this is the second time she's used me for her own purposes. Trust me, I've learned my lesson." Emma smiled as she nodded, motioning for Sydney to exit the cell first. Emma kept her hand on her gun ready for anything as they walked briskly through the hallways.

"So who were you?" she asked curiously, falling in step beside him. Sydney looked at her surprised; he probably feared Emma would call him crazy if he told her that he had regained his memories.

"Originally, I was the genie of the lamp. King Leopold; that's Snow White's father, picked me up and used his wish to set me free. Through a series of unfortunate events; I became the Evil Queen's magic mirror…" Emma raised a curious eyebrow; she always thought the fairy tales were separate from each other. But the more she hears, the more it seems they all overlapped and connected.

"It's a long story and not one I wish to retell."

"Fair enough…" Emma said as she followed him up the staircase. Emma smiled as they stepped outside, watching as Sydney closed his eyes and lifted his face to the sun.

"Now that is a beautiful sight…" he said, basking in the warmth of the sun. Emma felt her heart constrict; it was a small victory, but at least one injustice had been set right. "Thank you, Emma."

"You're welcome." She said smiling brightly. "Can I give you a ride anywhere?"

"You know I don't live that far; I think I'd like to walk…get some fresh air." He said gratefully.

"Good luck Sydney…"

"You too, Emma, and thank you again." Emma nodded in response as they parted ways. Emma walked back to her car in a hurry; hoping this wouldn't end with Sydney going off the deep end. Regina was behind bars, though not for the crimes she should be. She was arrested for her safety and to prevent her from hurting anyone else. Emma only wishes she could prove it was Regina who framed Mary Margaret and Regina who set up Kathryn Nolan to die.

She slammed the car door and took a deep breath; it wasn't even noon yet and she was already exhausted. Emma couldn't stop her thoughts from going to Gold; she missed him, but she didn't care. If only on principle she would make him suffer at least a little while to teach him a lesson; even though he didn't put Henry in danger directly, he still risked his life by not telling Emma how to save him. In an effort to drown out the silence and her thoughts, Emma switched on the radio.

'All by myself; don't wanna be –'

"No," Emma said aloud, changing the station. 'I somehow find you and I collide…'

"Oh, come on, really?" 'Oh, I don't love you, but I always will…'

Emma switched off the radio, forcing herself not to put a bullet in it. She sighed heavily as she ran her hand through her hair. Of all the times for Gold to betray her, he had to choose the time when she needed him most. It's almost as if she hated him more for that fact alone than what almost happened to her son, and that thought frightened her more than anything. Emma swore to herself that she wouldn't allow any man to come before her son.

Emma stormed into the station, sighing in relief when she saw Regina still behind bars. Given everything going on she was afraid Regina would've somehow just vanished. She stepped into her office without a second glance, determined to ignore Regina's disdainful scowl for as long as possible. Emma paused as she pulled her seat out from the desk, furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion. There, perched on top of an envelope was the chipped teacup that had meant so much to Gold.

She lifted the cup and envelope and sat down, setting the cup on her thighs. Emma's breathing intensified as she stared intently at the envelope; it seemed she couldn't escape him today. Emma took her mail opener and slid it across the top, unfolding the sheet of copier paper.

Emma –

I know that you have no desire to see me and I cannot blame you, it's why I delivered this here while you were away. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, nor will I ask for it in this letter. I simply wished to tell you that every day I had with you, every moment that you were in my arms have been the happiest of my life. You were a gift that I never expected and that I will forever cherish. I now have three mistakes that I regret, and I am truly sorry that I have broken your trust.

I'm sure it's odd to you that I have given you a trinket that reminds me of another woman. It's more of a symbolic gesture to convey, now that I am able to do so, that my heart is wholly yours. If you choose to forgive me, know that I will spend the rest of our lives making it up to you; I will protect you and your son with my very life. If not, I will watch and guard you from a distance as I've always done, wishing you every happiness. You've given me a gift I never expected to receive: the gift of your love and trust. I will forever cherish every memory we made together and I sincerely thank you for them all.

Yours always and in all ways,

Gold

Emma reread the letter several times, fighting the tears that filled her eyes. She couldn't forgive him, not yet and certainly not because he wrote her a sappy letter…a beautifully written heartfelt apology. She shook her head, not allowing herself to fall victim to this master manipulation. She rolled the teacup in the letter and again stormed out of the station. She sent Mary a text, asking that she and James return to the station to watch Regina.


Gold was again spinning at the wheel, trying to occupy the endless hours as the bell rang over his door. Before he even had the chance to stand, Emma was in his office, clenching the letter and teacup in her shaking fist. Her eyes burned yet were wet with tears as she glared murderously at him. Gold remained by the wheel so as not to provoke her rage.

"What is this?" she asked holding up her clenched fist.

"Exactly what the letter says…" Gold replied simply, smiling inwardly that his plan worked.

"If you knew I didn't want to see you, why did you give it to me?" Emma demanded incredulously.

"I left it at the station so you wouldn't have to see me; you're the one who showed up here…" Gold had hoped the letter might provoke her into coming to see him, he only wished it wasn't in rage.

"Oh give me a break, you knew exactly what you were doing when you left this there…" she said in a huff of aggravation.

"You're right, I knew I was apologizing and expressing my thanks. I didn't think you'd ever hear it otherwise." It wasn't a lie; he was afraid that Emma would never forgive him; would never see him again and that she would never know how much she truly meant to him. Emma took a deep breath, trying to get her emotions under control. She tapped her finger against the cup repeatedly; she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was telling the truth.

"I take this means that you saw Belle?" Emma asked as she held up the teacup.

"I did, this morning; she showed up here…" Gold replied, watching Emma's expression closely. Emma opened her mouth and closed it as she shook her head.

"What did you tell her?" she asked finally trying to sound nonchalant. Gold smiled inwardly; that reaction alone was enough to give him hope that it wasn't over. Emma wouldn't be so interested about what happened with Belle if she didn't still want him.

"I told her that I was sorry and that I would always care for her, but that my heart belongs to someone else." Emma's eyes widened in surprise; for some reason she expected that Gold would've jumped at the chance to be with Belle. That in her absence, he would seek comfort with his old flame.

"And she just accepted that?" Emma asked in disbelief. Gold shrugged his shoulders as he shook his head, still unsure himself of how Belle truly felt.

"Well, that remains to be seen; but she didn't put up much of a fight." Emma glared at him as she nodded in understanding.

"This doesn't fix anything Gold…" Emma said, again holding up the letter.

"I wasn't expecting it to, I really just wanted you to know that and I was afraid you'd never let me say it otherwise."

"But why give me the teacup?" she asked confused.

"Belle didn't want it and I don't need it anymore. I told you, it was a symbolic gesture that my heart is wholly yours now." Emma sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion. She hated that she loved him; she hated that him telling Belle his heart belonged to her made her happy. But most of all she hated that didn't hate him; she wanted to forgive him this instant and step into his arms and let him hold her. But before she could do or say anything, her phone rang.

"Sherriff Swan…she's what?" Emma listened horrified as Mary explained that Regina had escaped. Her first though was Sydney; that he was taking revenge for her betrayals in both of his lives. "Meet me at her office…"

"What's wrong, love?" Gold asked concerned as Emma hung up the phone, stuffing the teacup and letter in her jacket pocket.

"Regina's escaped from jail…" she said as she stormed through the curtain heading for the door.

"What?" Gold asked incredulously after her.

"I have to go…and stay here!" Emma called over her shoulder as she slammed the door behind her. Gold wanted to chase after her; if only to make sure Regina didn't somehow regain her powers. Against his own wishes, Gold stayed put; if was to win her back he had to respect her wishes in all things. With a small smile, Gold returned to his spinning wheel with a renewed sense of hope.


Mary, James, and Emma arrived at Regina's office at the same time; Emma wasn't sure why this seemed the more logical place for Regina to go. She was mobbed at her home this morning and Henry was no longer there; Regina would be looking to get Henry back. Emma pulled her gun as they entered the front door; James was right behind Emma with Mary on his heels. She heard raised voices above them and Emma ran up the stairs; she'd know that voice anywhere. As she opened the door, there she saw Jefferson with a gun aimed at Regina, who was crouched on the ground toying with something that Emma couldn't see.

"You've betrayed me for the last time, you are going to open that portal and send me and my Grace home…" he yelled angrily.

"There is nothing to go back to!" Regina cried tearfully; truly unable to guard herself against Jefferson. James and Mary stayed close behind Emma, as she approached the pair slowly.

"You're lying! I know it's still there, now stop stalling and open the portal."

"Jefferson…" Emma said calmly, stepping closer. "Put the gun down." Jefferson stared at her desperately, his eyes rimmed with tears and hopelessness.

"No, she's going through the portal to make sure it's safe to return and when she comes back, Grace and I will go. If not, at least we'll be rid of the evil queen." He said maniacally, keeping his gun aimed at Regina's head.

"Jefferson, if there was a land to go back to, we would have. You finally have the chance to reunite with your daughter…just take it. Even if we are stuck here, at least you'll be together again." Emma pleaded, not wanting to hurt him. She lowered her gun and tucked it away, keeping her hands outstretched as she approached them. Jefferson kept his eyes locked on her as she bent down, grabbing Regina by the arm to help her up. Emma no sooner touched Regina that the hat spun wildly, opening a portal to an unknown world. Regina jumped back to clear its vortex, accidentally tripping Emma in the process. Mary and James screamed in horror as they watched their daughter disappear.

"I'm not losing her again…" Mary shouted as she jumped in after Emma. "Neither am I…" As James jumped the small fence that separated them, the portal closed and James was lying face first on cold tile. He took a moment to catch his breath, pushing himself up on his hands and knees as he scratched frantically at the solid floor that just ripped his family from him again. Jefferson had run off in the commotion, leaving Regina and James alone in the empty town hall. The tears were filling his eyes as he rose to his feet, charging towards her.

"Where are they?" he growled, ready to kill her himself.

"I have no idea." She said flatly.

"Are they dead?" he demanded.

"The curse destroyed all the lands…"

"Are they dead?!" he yelled as the tears fell from his eyes.

"I don't know." James clenched his fists as if they were around Regina's throat.

"I should've killed you myself."

"Well then what's stopping you?" Regina asked, magically forcing him against the wall. The trees that were decorations only a moment ago wrapped tightly around him; choking him slowly.

"You think you're some heroic prince?" Regina asked as James struggled to breath. "Please…you're nothing but the son of a shepherd. I should've killed you when –"

"What's going on?" Henry asked fearfully as he and Red entered the room. James scrambled to his feet rushing to his Grandson's side. Regina left Charming against the wall and walked to Henry. Red rushed to his side as the branches released him; James fell to the floor gasping for breath.

"Where are my mom and Mary Margaret?" Henry asked anxiously, looking between James and Regina.

"They're gone, Henry…I'm so sorry…" she said, cupping his face in her hands.

"No you're not; you really are the evil queen. I don't want to see you again until you bring my mom and Mary Margaret back. Until then leave me; leave everyone alone." Henry said as he pulled away from Regina. Red helped James to his feet and he grabbed the ruined hat; hopefully it could still work and open another portal.

"Where will you go?" Regina asked through her tears.

"With me…" Charming said firmly behind her, wrapping his arm around Henry's shoulders. Regina straightened and watched in silence as her son was led away from her. James fought his tears as they stepped outside; he had just gotten his daughter back yesterday and today he lost her again and her mother. He tossed the torn and destroyed hat between his hands, trying to think of what to do.

"So how do we get them back?" Henry asked, clutching his grandfather's hand. "I'm not entirely sure, but I think I know someone who does. Don't worry, Henry, we'll get them back…"


Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think.