Evermore ~ Rumplestiltskin

Chapter Thirty-Eight

We were currently discussing a way to break this new curse, or to at least prevent it. "You must destroy the scroll," Rumple said to Regina. "Both yours and his curses shall be ended, but know this—there will be a price; a steep one."

"W-what do you suggest?" Regina asked.

"Instead of going to him," started Rumple. "Bring him to us with a spell."
Regina gave him a confused look. "One that will return Pan and Henry to their own bodies."

"If I'm back in my own body," said Henry, as we stood outside the vault. "That means I'll have the scroll. I can bring it to you guys."

"Exactly right, Henry," said Rumple.

"Even you aren't powerful enough to cast such a spell," Regina said, looking at Rumple.

"Well, given the proper tool, I could be," he said. I bit my lip.

"The Black Fairy's wand," said Tink. "One of the most powerful fairies that ever existed. Well-versed in dark magic. The Blue Fairy exiled her, but before she did, she took her wand."

"I assume our dearly departed Mother Superior has it hidden in her residence," said Rumple.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked David. "Let's hit the convent."

"Can I come?" asked Tink. "I should pay my respects to Blue, after all." David nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled. The rest of us should get back to my shop and prepare Henry for the spell."

                                +++

"This mobile hung above your crib," said Mary Margaret to Emma. We were now back in the shop. Mary Margaret was admiring a beautiful mobile made out of glass unicorns.

"I like unicorns," said Emma. They both smiled.

"Giving you up when the curse hit was the hardest thing I ever had to do," said Mary Margaret.

"I know," said Emma.

I crept over to Rumple and placed my arms around his neck, giving him a back hug as he was looking through a spell book. "Every time I look at you, I wonder what would've happened if I hadn't had to," Mary Margaret continued.

"I do the same thing with Henry," Emma added.

"You were doing your best. You were giving him—"

"His best chance," Emma interrupted. She sighed. "Yeah. But still, things would have been different if I had kept him. We would have had a life together. A normal one. Back in Boston or someplace else. But I guess all that was just not meant to be." Emma smiled at Mary Margaret and walked over to Henry as I still held on to Rumple. Even though my mother was a monster at points in her life, I was glad she never gave me up. I don't know how I would have lived if not.

"You doing okay, kid?" Emma asked Henry.

Henry nodded. "Yeah. Just ready to be me again." Emma nodded.

"Not much longer now, Henry," said Rumple, still looking at the spell book. Rumple turned a page. I removed myself from him as he shut the book. "Once we have the wand, all will be assured." I smiled at Henry, giving him good luck. Though, it was still weird as hell speaking at Henry through Pan's body. I wonder how it feels.

                                +++

"She's back," I heard David say as the door to our shop closed, the bell ringing. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "The Blue Fairy. She gave us the wand."

"How did she survive?" I asked. "Actually, just tell me later."

Emma turned to Rumple. "Do we need anything else?"

"Only one more item," he said, going into the drawer and taking out a black leather bracelet.

"What is that?" Mary Margaret and I asked in union.

"This is one of the only useful things I managed to pilfer from Greg and Tamara before they left for Neverland. It renders anyone with magic utterly powerless.

"I haven't forgotten about all that by the way," Regina said with disdain.

"Let me see your wrist, Henry," said Rumple, placing the cuff on his arm. "I want to make sure when my dear old Dad awakes that he is weakened. This will lock his powers."

"So what happens now?" Henry asked, looking into Rumple's eyes as he sat on the bed. We were all in the back of the shop.

"I enact the spell, you fall into a deep sleep and when you awake, you're back in your own body," Rumple explained.

"Then you hang onto that scroll and come find us as soon as you can," Regina told him.

Neal gave the Black Fairy's wand to Rumple. Henry sighed. "I gave my heart to Pan. I thought I was being the hero. I'm sorry," said Henry. I frowned.

"You're not the one who needs to be sorry, Pan does," said David. I nodded in agreement.

"It's time," said Rumple, as Henry laid down on the bed. "Keep your eye on the wand," Rumple instructed.

I watched as Henry closed his eyes as Rumple cast the spell. The body of Pan then began to convulse. "What's happening?" Emma asked.

"I-I think Henry's soul is leaving Pan's body," I answered.

The body continued to shake and continued to shake until it finally stopped. "It worked," said Regina.

"Let's go find our son," said Emma.

Everyone started to leave the shop. But Neal and I stayed back when I realized Rumple hadn't gotten up. "Sweetheart," I spoke. Rumple looked up at me. "You're not coming?"

"No, no," he said. "I think not. My father and I, have uh, some unfinished family business.

"Do you want me or Neal to stay with you for when he wakes?" I asked.

Rumple shook his head. "This is something that I have to do alone."

I nodded in understanding. I then walked over to him and gave him a kiss. "I love you," I said, my lips separating from his.

"I love you too," he said, meeting my eyes. "Now go get Henry," he said, fleeing me and Neal away.

I smiled weakly at him before Neal and I exited the shop to go and find Henry.