SunFlower | K. Jones

049

Wrapping an arm around her, he tried to assure her that everything was okay. That they weren't staring at her because they thought she was a murderer.

"It's okay. See, the whole family's here. Even Regina" he said, leading her over to the table.

When she sat down, David was the first to speak.

"Lia, how are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine" she mumbled, not looking at him as she fiddled the salt shakers in front of her.

"Hot chocolate and lasagna. Just how you like it" Granny said as she walked over, setting the food down in front of her.

"Thank you" Aurelia mumbled but didn't move to eat.

"Are you not hungry?" Regina asked with a small smile.

"Not really," she said, pushing the food around with a fork.

"Love, you really should eat some-"

"I want to go after Gold" Aurelia blurted, catching everyone off guard. "He did this. He made me do this. I can't let him get away with it."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Killian said.

"Hooks right. He wants you angry" David said.

"Well I'm past angry!" she exclaimed, causing a few patrons to look over at their table. "I know what he wants and I'm not going dark. I've just...I've been a pawn in Gold's game since before I was born and I'm sick of it."

"Look, right now we have to focus on one thing," Emma said. "How to keep Gold and the author from causing any more damage."

"I might be able to help with that," Maleficent said as she walked in. "It now appears we have a common foe, Rumplestilskin."

"He resurrected you," David said, wondering why she'd want to switch sides.

"To help himself, not me. Cruella's death only confirmed that" she said.

"Oh, now you want to turn on him before he turns on you," Killian said.

"I knew Gold couldn't keep the dragon on her leash for long" Regina smirked.

"What do you want?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Nothing from you. But your daughter, I hear, has a talent for finding people" Maleficent said.

"Yeah, I do. Who do you want found?" Emma asked.

"My daughter," she said, piquing the interest of everyone at the table.

"She's alive?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Yes. She survived the journey to this land, the journey you sent her on. You want to prevent Rumplestilskin from achieving whatever he wants, what better way than by leaving this town and helping me?"

"We're not running away from Gold," Emma said.

"It's not running from him. It's hindering him" Maleficent said.

"Emma, we should help her," Aurelia said.

"But she's-"

"A villain?" Aurelia asked, cutting David off. "You cursed her child and I've killed someone. The lines are a little blurry right now, David."

No one said anything, shocked by how cold she sounded.

Emma turned to Maleficent and nodded. "What do you know about her?" she asked

"Just what the Dark One showed me. That she was banished to this world 30 years ago to a place called Minnesota, where she was adopted by a couple. And they named her Lilith" Maleficent said.