As I stayed in the room with Henry, I overheard a conversation between Rumple and Regina. "Any change?" he asked.
"No, he's not improving. He needs true loves kiss. He won't wake up until Mary Margaret comes back."
"Until? Well, that's rather optimistic, isn't it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"They're up against your mother. The only chance Snow and Emma have of defending her is with the squid ink."
"Which is why you sent the message through David."
"Which would be beneficial if we knew that message was delivered. But alas, given the prince's condition. We don't know. As such, it's important we take precautions. We have to consider the possibility that when that portal opens, it won't be his family that comes through. It'll be Cora."
"And neither one of us wants that."
"We have to find where they're coming through," said Rumple. "And destroy that portal." I frowned.
"But whoever comes through would die," said Regina.
"Exactly," said Rumple. "But I'm confident between the two of us, we can summon up enough magic to complete the task."
"Well, what if we're wrong? What if that portal opens up and it's not my mother? What if Mary Margaret and Emma do defeat Cora and go through it?"
"Well, I believe that in this world they would call it a win-win."
"How exactly is that?"
"If we stop Cora, you are protected against your mother's wrath. If on the other hand, we stop Emma and Mary Margaret, well," he chuckles. "You become the only mother in your son's life, now, don't you? Look, magic is unpredictable in this world. If something unfortunate were to happen, while you were attempting to help," he scoffed. "Henry could hardly blame you for that."
"No. I can't lie to him. I am trying to be a better mother."
"You won't be able to be a better anything if Cora comes through. And if she does, she will be a threat to everyone, including your son. So, if you truly want to be a good mother to Henry, to protect him... If you want to be better... prove it. Help me stop the portal. I am not letting your mother through, not when there's a chance she'll hurt Liana."
Regina scoffed. "You just want to protect your little girlfriend," she said.
"Of course I do," he said. I blushed. "What did you think? That I actually care about you?"
There was a pause. I didn't hear anything until I heard footsteps coming back into the room. I then continued to listen to Henry who was telling a story to the Prince. "With one kiss, true love's power made everything right again. But this was not the end of their story." I smiled sadly at Henry. "It was just the beginning."
I looked up. Regina came in. "I think this time it'll happen the other way around."
"You think so?" asked Henry, looking up at his mother.
She bent over, almost knocking into me, saying, "I do." She then looked at me. "Sorry Liana." I just shrugged as she then bent down completely to meet Henry's eyes. "Which is why I need you to stay here with Liana and watch David for a little while." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Where are you going?" asked Henry.
Regina briefly looked at David. "Mr. Gold and I need to prepare for Emma and Mary Margaret's return." Henry smiled. I knew for a fact that is not what they were planning. "Coming through the portal won't be easy. We need to make sure everything's in place."
"Really? You're really gonna help them?" Henry asked excitedly.
"I promised you I was going to do better, to be better. So, yes. I'm going to do everything in my power to see that they come home safely."
"Wow," said Henry. My heart broke. "You really have changed. I'll be back as soon as I can. Liana, I hope you don't mind watching Henry for me?" she asked, getting up and looking at me.
"Of course not," I said. "It will be fun."
"Thank you," said Regina before walking out.
+++
Henry continued to read to David.
"And yes, she was beyond hope, beyond saving," said Henry. "This was her end."
I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard the door jingle. Ruby and the dwarves came in. "Where are they?" asked Ruby. "Regina and Gold?"
"What's going on?" asked Henry.
"All the magic has been drained from the mines," said Ruby.
"They stole it?" asked Henry.
"They snuck in after our shift and took everything," said Grumpy.
My stomach churned.
"Liana," said Ruby, looking at me.
"Please tell me you didn't know about this."
My stomach churned again. "I overheard their conversation earlier. Look, no matter what, they both have good intentions. They want to protect the town from Cora," I argued.
Grumpy smirked. "Yeah, no. Nobody steals from a dwarf."
"Except the Queen," said another.
"And Rumplestiltskin," said another.
"If they're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret, that means my mom lied to me. That means that you lied to me, Liana," said Henry looking at me.
I wanted to bury my face in my hands and cry. "I'm sorry. I didn't necessarily agree with what they're doing but from what I heard and know Cora is dangerous."
"Okay, then," said Henry. "Help us if you don't agree with them." I sighed.
"We need to find her. We need to stop them. We need to help Emma and Mary Margaret. Are you with us or not, Liana?"
"I'm with you," I said.
"Good," Henry smiled.
+++
We soon found Regina and Rumple by the wishing well, in which Rumple brought magic to Storybrooke. It was the only place that I could think of where they would be. "Mom?" Henry asked, as we made our way into the forest, approaching them at the well.
"Rumple," I said, shaking my head at him.
"You're not helping Emma and Mary Margaret, are you?" Henry asked Regina.
"I'm helping you, Henry," said Regina.
"What are you talking about?" Henry asked.
"You're gonna kill them," said Ruby.
"Sorry dearie," said Rumple, using his magic to push her aside.
At this point, I knew I had to use my magic.
"Mom, what are you doing?" asked Henry.
"Rumple," I started. He didn't look me in the eyes like I wanted him to. I had an icicle appear in the palm of my hand. "Do not make me fight you. I do not want to fight you."
"Then don't sweetheart," he said. "I'm doing this to protect you," he said.
"I can protect myself," I said. "You're just doing this for your own personal gain."
I then overheard Regina saying something similar to Henry, "We can't let Cora come through the portal. You have no idea what she would do to us."
"Emma and Mary Margaret are going to defeat her," said Henry. "They're the ones who are gonna come through."
"Henry," said Rumple. "Your mother is right, it's gonna be Cora."
"No," said Henry, looking at Rumple.
"It won't. Good always defeats Evil." Henry then turned to Regina. "You should know that more than anyone."
Regina then got closer to Henry.
"What I know is that my mother will destroy everything I love. And that means you. And I can't let that happen." My hand gripped on my icicle which was starting to melt.
"You can't! Stop!" Henry yelled as Regina was restraining him.
This was it. I was going to fight Rumple. I couldn't let him do this.
"Please don't make me do this Rumple," I said.
He then turned to face me. "I have to. If I want to protect you."
I gritted my teeth and ran at him, pushing him to the ground. "I don't understand, why aren't you fighting me back?" I asked, placing the icicle against his neck.
"I don't want to hurt you," he said. My heart warmed.
I know that this man loves me, and that he wants to protect me with everything that he has but I also know that killing Emma and Mary Margaret isn't right. "If you don't want to hurt me, Rumple, then turn it off," I said. "Or... I... I'll..."
"What dearie? Kill me?" I gulped. "I don't think you can."
I pressed the icicle further into his neck.
I then watched as Henry escaped Regina's grasps and ran up to the portal. Regina yelled at Henry, before Henry finally convinced her to turn it off. Regina then made her way over to the wishing well and used all of her strength to get rid of the magic that was going to kill Emma and Mary Margaret. A tear then ran down my cheek and I lifted my icicle from Rumple's neck. "You're right. I can't kill you because I love you," I said. Rumple's eyes softened. "I'm sorry," I said, crying into his chest as we both lay on the ground while Regina took a chance.
"It's alright dearie," he said, rubbing my back. "I should have listened to you. Regina is making the right choice."
I then stopped crying and I helped him up. The two of us then went over to help Regina unlift the portal so it was not too much on Regina. Once the portal was lifted, there was no sign of life. "No!" Henry screamed. "No!"
"I'm sorry Henry," said Regina as she leaned against the tree. "I'm sorry."
I grabbed a hold of Rumple's hand and he squeezed mine. But then there was a sign of life. There was a hand. I furrowed my eyebrows and then looked at Rumple before looking back at the well. It was Emma and Mary Margaret. "Mom?" Henry questioned.
"Henry!" Emma said with excitement. Henry ran up to Emma to give her a hug. I smiled at the sight.
"Mom!"
"I missed you," said Emma.
"I missed you, too."
"I missed you so much."
And then Mary Margaret joined in on the hug.
"What's going on? What happened?" asked Mary Margaret.
Ruby was now finally unconscious.
"They saved you. They saved all of
you!"
"Thank you," said Emma, looking at Regina, Rumple and I.
"You're welcome," said Regina.
I briefly nodded my head and then Rumple and I walked away.
+++
Whilst Mary Margaret went to give David's true love kiss, I was in the front of the shop with Rumple. "I'm sorry," I said.
"For what dearie?" he asked.
"For almost killing you," I said. "For wanting to kill you. Well, I didn't want to kill you, but-"
"Dearie, you don't have to apologize," said Rumple, coming closer to me.
"You just did what you thought was right. And I know that you could never kill me. Not when what we have together is so dear to the both of us." He looked into my eyes. "I should be the one to apologize. I should not have pressured Regina to help me close off the portal. I did not want to kill Emma and Mary Margaret, truthfully. But, I know how dangerous Cora is, and I wanted to protect you. But I should have realized that yes... I can protect you, but you can protect yourself too."
"Thank you for apologizing, Rumple, that means so much to me," I said. "You have no idea-"
I stopped my sentence short when I saw Emma coming towards us. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something important?"
"Oh, no," I chuckled. "Nothing important."
Rumple and I both turned towards her. "Okay, cool. We need to talk."
"Yeah. I believe apologizes are in order," said Rumple.
"No. No apology is necessary. I understand why you wanted to keep Cora out of here."
"Just remind me to never bet against you in the future, Miss Swan."
"It's not really a bet when the game is rigged, is it?" asked Emma. I tilted my head to the side.
"To what exactly are you referring?" asked Rumple.
"Your scroll," said Emma. "I saw it in yours and Liana's cell. You wrote my name again, and again, and again."
"I just wanted to make sure it would stick," said Rumple.
"The ink," said Emma. "It was there all the time. You two could have gotten out."
"Liana and I were exactly where we wanted to be," Rumple replied. "You needed to find that. So all this could occur."
"You created the curse, Gold," said Emma. "You made me the savior. So, everything I've ever done, it's exactly what you wanted me to do."
"I created the curse, dearie," said Rumple. "But I didn't make you. I merely took advantage of what you are. The product of true love." Emma then looked at me before looking back at Rumple. "That's why you're powerful. And everything you've done, you've done yourself."
"So, you two don't know," said Emma.
"Know what?" I asked.
Emma walked up to us and placed a hand on her chest. "Cora," she whispered. "Tried to rip out my heart, but she couldn't. She was blasted back by something inside of me. By... By..."
Emma looked down for a second before looking back at Rumple. "By magic," Rumple replied. "Whatever that was, I didn't do that. You did."
And that was when I discovered why Emma Swan was truly the savior.