Crocodile's Daughter - Back to Their True Selves

15 - Quiet Minds

He was screaming, holding his head. I heard people coming towards us, and I ran. "Gold! You all right?" Emma asked, crouching next to him. "No. No, no, no, not all right! Not all right! It's--I can't quiet the voices," He yelled. "We know that you were held captive by the witch. Do you know where she is?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. She's--aah! There's no room! No room! There's too many voices! Too many voices!" He said. "We got to get him out of here," David said, starting to come towards him. A monkey flew towards us, screeching, and Emma cocked her gun. David managed to knock it out of the air with his sword. "Gold!" Emma yelled as he started crawling away while David attacked the monkey.

"He's getting away! I'll hold it off! Go!" David said, and Emma chased after him. "Gold?" Emma asked, and Neal came around the corner. "Emma!" Neal yelled, going over. "Neal, what the hell are you doing here?" Emma asked. "You expect me to stay in bed while you're looking for my dad and sister?" Neal asked.

"Right. I forgot who I was dealing with," Emma said. "You got a bead on them?" Neal asked. "David and I just saw Gold, but he took off again. Reagen, we haven't seen," Emma said. "So it's true--they're alive?" Neal asked. "Yeah. They are," Emma said.

"How'd he seem?" Neal asked. "Uh, I don't know what that witch did to him, but he seems a little crazy. When I asked him about her, it was like he wanted to tell me, but he couldn't," Emma said. "Well, he can't be far. Come on. You want to waste time dragging me back to the hospital? 'Cause that's the only way you'll get me there," Neal said. "Fine. Let's go," Emma said, and they started walking. I heard their voices and tried to head towards them.

I heard a shout and started running towards them. "Neal? Neal! Neal, what did you do? I think -- I think Gold is inside you. I think that's how you're still alive," Emma said. "I heard my father's voice in my head. He's in there. He's in me," Neal said, his voice strained. I ran out of the woods to see Neal on the ground, Emma beside him. "He said there was no room. He meant you," Emma said.

"I need you to help me, Emma. Use your magic. Separate me and my father," Neal said. "Then you'll die," Emma said. "I know, but you need my dad more than me to figure out who the witch is...to save the town. You need to do this," Neal said. "I've never done anything like that before--not that big," Emma said. "Do it to save you and Henry. Do it. Please," Neal begged.

There was a flash of light and my father was where Neal was, and Neal was thrown to the ground. "Neal! Neal, are you okay?" Emma asked, crawling over as I ran to Neal's side. "What have you done?" He asked. "It's okay, Papa. I told her to," Neal said. "But why?" He asked.

"So you can tell her who the witch is so you can defeat her," Neal said. "Zelena," He said. "What?" Emma asked. "Zelena," He repeated. "She's the witch? What does she want?" Emma asked.

"What she doesn't have," He said. "There has to be some way you can save him, right? Reagen?" Emma asked, looking at us, and he stood up. "It's too late, Emma," Neal said. "Just hang in there, please. You never had a chance to see Henry--for him to remember you," Emma said, her voice breaking. "It's okay. He doesn't need to. He just needs to know that, in the end, I was a good father. I saved this for you to give to you again. Take it. Go find Tallahassee...even if it's without me," Neal said, giving her a swan keychain.

"Neal," Emma said. "Hey. I'll be watching over you guys from somewhere. Promise me--just prom--promise me you'll all be happy," Neal said. "I promise. I promise," Emma said. "No. No, no, no. I can fix this," Papa said, coming over and crouching next to us. "No, you can't. You can't. Thank you, Papa, for showing me what it is to make a true sacrifice. It's about saving the ones you love," Neal said.

"No," Papa said. "It's my turn now," Neal said. "No," Papa said, grabbing his hand. "I don't want to let you go," He said. "I need you to. Rae, don't let your kid grow up not knowing who I am. Please. Let go," Neal said, and Papa placed a hand on his cheek.

"I love you, son," He said, tears streaming down our faces. "I-I love you, Papa, Rae," He said. Then he passed. Emma looked at us, horrified, tears staining her face. Papa gently kissed his hand.

Then he reached out and closed his eyes, letting go of his hand. We sat next to his body, looking at it. "That was rather ill-timed--your son coming to the surface and staging that little escape. I can see he'll no longer be a problem," Zelena said, coming over. "My son may be gone, but he gave his life so I could tell the Savior...who you really are, Zelena. And now it's only a matter of time before she and the others find you...and kill you. Unless, of course, I manage it first," Papa said, getting up. "Please. You can't hurt me, either of you, but you're more than welcome to try. I do so enjoy watching futility wreck a man's will. There. Much better. Now that your head is no longer cluttered, everything's working properly. And it's so much more entertaining," Zelena sneered.

"You may control us, but it's over, Zelena. They know who you are. You'll never get close to Snow White's baby now--to any of them--to whatever your unholy desires are," He said. "They may know who I am now, but it no longer matters, not when I have you, Rumplestiltskin--not when I have your beautiful brain. And your grandchild as a backup. So be a good little Dark One and Nightingale and get back in your cages," She sneered, pressing the dagger against his face. We staggered back to the farmhouse, down into the cellar, and into our cages. "Oh, Bae," Papa whispered.