Far Longer Than Forever

18

"It never misses its target," Mr. Gold remembered. "And I've just changed the target. If I drop my finger..."

"No!" The other Merry Men attempted to come forward, only for Mr. Gold to freeze them into place. "Wait! Wait." Robin Hood walked up to a tree and took out a small pouch containing Regina's heart.

"Thank you. And I am sorry." He sent the arrow flying until it was inches from Roland before it dropped. Mr. Gold disappeared. Robin Hood approached Roland, and father and son embraced.

"It's okay," Robin Hood reassured. "It's okay, boy. You're safe." Regina entered. "Go to Friar Tuck." Roland obeyed and Regina approached Robin Hood.

"What happened?" Regina asked.

"I'm sorry. It's gone."

"Was anyone hurt?" Robin Hood glanced in the direction of his son, playing with Friar Tuck, then turned back to respond to Regina.

"Luckily, no. Again, I must apologize. You trusted me, and I let you down."

"No, you didn't. Nothing's worth the loss of a child. But now we have a problem. I'm alive."

"I don't follow."

"She has my heart. Gold's taken it for her, and since she hasn't crushed it and killed me, that means she needs it for something far worse."

"Worse than murder? What is she planning?"

"It doesn't matter. Because I'm going to stop her."

MR. GOLD'S SHOP

Regina was rummaging through the items, looking for something to help her with the situation. "This is all useless crap!" Belle heard the clattering and entered.

"Hey!" Belle cried. "Hey, hey! Stop! Stop it! What—what are you looking for?"

"I need to destroy my sister. She has my heart." Belle's expression became nervous. "Oh, relax. She can't control me with it. I protected it from that. The problem is, I don't know what she's planning on using it for, which is why I need to take her out!" She came to a realization. "That's why I need your help. What do you have here?"

Belle angrily repeated, ""What do I have here"? Self-respect. Why on Earth or any realm would I help you? The woman who imprisoned me in a tower in her castle, then put me in an asylum for twenty-eight years, who's done nothing but mentally and physically torture me ever since we've known each other!"

"Huh. Bookworm's got teeth."

"Get out."

Regina sighed. "Yes. I did all those horrible things... in the past. But right now, I need something to defeat the woman who's puppet-mastering your boyfriend. She has your Rumple, and unless you help me, you may never see him again. I'm sorry, Belle. I really, really am."

Belle sighed and her anger quelled. "So, I've been trying to match the ingredients that Zelena's been collecting to whatever spell she intends to cast. It would really help if I knew what it so special about your heart. Does she just want it because you're sisters, or..."

"I have no idea." She came to another realization. "The candle. Where's the candle?"

Belle picked up a candelabra. "Here?"

"Not that that, Liberace. The two-sided candle Snow used to kill my mother. Where's that?"

Belle opened a cabinet, revealing the Enchanted Candle. "Its power's gone now. It's just a relic."

Regina took the candle. "Yes. That's it. This isn't about how my mother died. This is about how she lived."

ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST - TAVERN