Swan Song ❂ Killian Jones [1]

63

"Mother!" Regina called out to Cora, a stunned look on her face as she watched the woman actually debate the choice. And it only grew when, instead of freeing her daughter, Cora used her magic to summon the dagger to her hand.

In the same moment, Emma pushed Regina into her mother, sending the two women flying to the side and giving them enough of a distraction. "Fall back to Gold. I have the chalk." She called out to Neal and Odette. "Get the necklace." Emma added, pointing to the object close to Neal which he easily swept up as he ran for the door while Odette flew, somewhat awkwardly and unevenly. Injured arm equals injured wing, good to know.

"How do I..." Neal looked to Emma as she started to draw a line with the chalk. Only when she was done did Emma take the necklace from his hand and place it back around Odette's neck.

"You good?" Emma questioned.

"No flying for a while it would seem." Odette groaned out, clutching her wrist to her chest as the pain continued to spread through it. "But that's the least of my worries." She added, watching through the blurry barrier Emma had created.

"Come on." Neal motioned them forward as they made their way back into the back room where Gold lay on the bed, looking weaker than he had before. Odette safely assumed he'd lied when he said he was healing.

The sound of Emma's phone ringing had the blonde quickly reaching for it. "David?" She answered, making Odette send her a curious look, wondering if he was safe. "For now. I've got the spell up in the back room. You?" Emma answered whatever question he posed before giving one of his own. After a few moments, she nodded at Odette, silently telling her he was fine too.

Although soon after, there was more reason to worry as Odette caught the change in Emma's face and tone as she spoke again. "She's not with you?" Looking around, Odette easily gathered who they were talking about. Mary Margaret was the only person missing from the group in the back room. And if she wasn't with David, then where the hell could she be? "Call me when you do." Emma finally said, hanging up the call soon after.

"It's getting weaker. She's gonna get through." Neal announced from where he stood, watching the barrier's light dim with each attempt Cora made at penetrating it.

"Maybe it's for the best." Mr Gold breathed out from where he lay, finally ready to admit the truth of what was happening to him. "At least this cursed power will pass from this world." He announced.

And while Neal protested the idea of his father dying, Odette couldn't help but wonder if his claims were right. She remembered her own research on the Dark One. And she remembered many names coming before that of Rumplestiltskin. Somehow, she doubted that that amount of dark power, that amount of magic, could just... disappear.

"I need to talk to Belle. Odette, please." Gold looked to her, weakly extending his hand. And despite her hatred for the man, Odette didn't hesitate in reaching for her phone and dialling the number he needed before handing it to him.

"Who's Belle?" Neal asked in a confused manner from where he sat by his father's side.

"Your dad's girlfriend." Emma revealed honestly before stepping away, she and Odette moving to the other side of the room in an attempt to give Gold some semblance of privacy as he started to talk on the phone.

"I... I... I know, I know. It's just, uh... Sweetheart, I am dying." He said, his breathing growing heavier, but it didn't stop him from continuing. "I know that you're confused about who you are. So, I'm going to tell you. You are a hero who helped your people. You're a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me. You find goodness in others, and when it's not there, you create it. You make me wanna go back. Back to the best version of me. That never happened before. So, when you look in the mirror and you don't know who you are... That's who you are. Thank you, Belle."

Even if they had stepped away, it was impossible to ignore the conversation going on behind them. And not even Odette could keep herself from growing sad as she listened to the teary goodbye. Not because she felt for the dying man. But rather because she felt for Belle.

Even if she didn't remember him now, there would come a time when her memories returned. And then she'd be left with the knowledge that he'd died and she wasn't even there. It was a feeling Odette knew very well as it was the same thing she went through when she discovered the news of her father's death.

As the phone call finished, there was yet another goodbye to be had. Because their situation had become clear. Even if they could stop Cora, even if they beat her, they could do nothing about the poison slowly killing the man. "Didn't know you had that in you." Neal said to his father.

"Oh, I am full of love. I've spent a lifetime looking for you. For a chance to say I love you." The Dark One spoke in a voice so full of emotion, Odette had to resist turning around to make sure it was still him lying in that bed. "And I'm sorry."

"I didn't think you would go back on our deal." Neal whispered out.

"I just made the wrong choice." Gold spoke in a sad voice but owned up to what he'd done before extending his hand to his son. "May I?"

"I'm still angry." Neal tried to resist but hearing the crack in his voice which was overpowered by emotion it came as no surprise as he turned around and grabbed his father's hand, leaning close as the two cried together.

No matter her own feelings towards the Dark One, Odette couldn't deny that the scene tugged at something even within her. All the times she'd thought of the Dark One dying before, she never gave much thought to the people who may be left in his wake. To the people who may feel the pain of his death and grieve him. Neal and Belle who were entirely innocent in the grand scheme of things. And her heart went out to them.

The father and son duo were forced to part as another rumble shook the back room, forcing them all to look back at the barrier only to realize it was gone as Cora stepped through the door. Odette and Neal grabbed their swords, standing in front of the Dark one alongside Emma, ready to stop the woman from reaching him.

However, unlike last time, Cora didn't have time for them to put up a fight against her. "You three, out of the way." She muttered in distaste, and the last thing any of them could see was her waving her hand before the entire room around them disappeared. Replaced by purple smoke it wasn't long before the ground beneath their feet shifted and what was once solid wood became a woodland path.

Looking around, Odette now realized they were in the woods. She'd poofed them out of there. For a moment, Odette let herself think about that. She'd always wondered what it might feel like to teleport. And while she had that curiosity now satiated, a part of her wished she hadn't. Because there was no way to get back to the shop in time. They'd left Gold at Cora's mercy. And Odette feared what they may find once they returned.