The next morning everyone met in Granny's before opening, the smell of frying bacon filling the air. "If you want privacy, talk fast. We open in 20, and no one gets between Leroy and his bacon" Granny said.
Aurelia sat next to Mary Margaret. She hadn't so much as looked at Hook since their conversation the previous day.
"Is there any sign of our quarry?" Hook asked.
"I searched all over that farmhouse and the land around it. Nothing" Emma said.
"Well, now that the sun's up we should hit every place Gold might go. His house, shop, his cabin-"
"'Cause dead men love vaction homes?" Emma asked. "Can someone explain to me how this is even possible? We all saw Gold. He..."
"Disappeared into nothingness?" Aurelia said, wondering if Gold had ever even really died.
"I might have an inkling," Hook said. "When we went back to the enchanted forest, Neal was talking about the possibilty of getting his father back."
"What? How?" David asked. "He didn't know. He just...he missed his family. And he was desperate to find a way to return to this world. He believed that bringing his father back was the key" Hook said.
"Well if that was his plan then obviously something went wrong. Because, while Gold might be alive and kicking, Neal is...he's...we don't what he is. We don't even know if he made it back to Storybrooke. No one's seen him since the new curse" Emma said.
"He's out there, somewhere," Aurelia said, trying to make her feel better.
"With all due respect, we have bigger issues right now than who brought Gold back. The fact that he was in the Wicked Witch's basement, for one. I wanna know what the hell she was cooking up with him" Regina said.
"Well, the best way to find that out would be to ask Gold, right?" Mary Margaret asked. "He could tell us who the witch is, maybe how to track her down," David said.
"I'm gonna head back to that farmhouse. It's possible this witch left behind some trace of potion or special ingrediant" Regina said.
"Have at it. Just be careful" Emma told her. "Well, she's the one who needs to be careful. She invaded my space. And when I return the favor, I'm not pulling any punches" Regina said before she walked out.
"Why don't the rest of us go to his shop and talk to Belle. Maybe she can help" Emma said and everyone nodded as they made their way to Gold's shop.
As they walked Hook grabbed Aurelia's wrist hoping to talk to her.
"Is everything okay?" she asked, glancing back at everyone else who hadn't noticed they stopped.
"I wanted to apologize. For yesterday" Hook said.
"You don't have to apologize. I should apologize to you. I know I can a bit much and I shouldn't of pushed you if you didn't want to talk to me" she told him.
"No. I...I want to talk to you. More than I want to talk to most people honestly. I was just...it doesn't matter. I shouldn't have snapped at you. So I'm sorry" he sighed.
"Apology accepted" Aurelia smiled before looking back at the rest of their group.
"We should probably get going. I don't think David likes me spending so much time with you. Thinks you're a bad influence. Might rub off on me" she laughed.
"I think it's you who's rubbing off on me, Goldie," he said.
"Lia!" David shouted, waiting outside of Gold's shop.
"Told you," she said as the two of them jogged over. Hook didn't miss the glare David sent him as they walked in.
When they showed Belle the thin piece of gold they found, her heart soured with the hope that Gold might still be alive.
"So...so Rumple's alive?" she asked. "But how is that even possible?"
"We were hoping you might be able to tell us that," Emma said. "You know him and this shop better than anyone. If he's in Storybrooke, there has to be a clue in here about how he got back, or how we can find him, now that he is."
"Yeah, I'll uh, start looking right away," Belle said.
"Keep your eyes out for him too. If he comes into town, he'll-"
"He'll come to me. Yeah, I know" Belle smiled.
"Lia maybe you should stay here with Belle. Help her with the research" David said. "Yeah, of course," Aurelia nodded, not really wanting to go witch-hunting in the woods again, anyways.
"I'll stay too," Hook said. "I'm surprisingly good at research."
"You'll stay here with us?" Belle asked, unsure about her feelings toward Hook. "Yeah. I don't know if that's a good idea" David added.
"He can protect them if the witch comes," Emma said.
"You do know he tried to kill me?" Belle asked. "You tried to kill her?" Aurelia asked.
"Well, there were extenuating circumstances," Hook said.
"Twice?" Belle asked.
Hook just looked at her and shrugged. "Sorry."
"What he means to say," Aurelia said, sending Hook a look before looking at Bell "is that he deeply regrets his actions and wants to make it up to you. Right?"
Hook only nodded. "What she said."
"And I'll be here! To make sure there are so more...extenuating circumstances" Aurelia added.
"Fine" Belle huffed.
"Alright, we should really get out into the woods," Emma said.
"Maybe you should stay home," David said to Mary Margaret. "Me? I'm the best tracker here" Mary Margaret said.
"I know," David said. "But we'll manage. Remember what Zelena said. You need your rest."
Mary Margaret sighed but agreed to head home. "Belle" Emma said, before leaving. "Thank you for your help. And don't worry, we're gonna find him."
"Okay, thank you" Belle smiled, as they all left.
Aurelia, Hook, and Belle spilt up, combing through the different books in Gold's office one by one.
"So, how did Gold get all this stuff anyway?" Aurelia asked. "He probably stole it," Hook told her.
"He didn't steal them," Belle said. "During both curses, a lot of people's stuff ended up here."
"And he didn't give them back. Hence, stealing" Hook smirked. "He can't give them back if he doesn't know who they belong to," Belle said.
"So how long have you and Gold been together?" Aurelia said, sensing the tension and trying to change the subject.
"Well between the different curses, it's hard to know a specific date. But long enough for me to be sure that there is good in him" Belle said.
"Sounds like you really love him" Aurelia smiled. "I do" Belle smiled. "What about you? Have you ever been in love?"
Hook looked up from his book, only now paying attention to their conversation.
Aurelia shook her head, a shy smile on her face. "Between Tinkerbell, and the Lost Boys there wasn't really a huge pool to choose from on Neverland" she laughed.
"Well, what about before? There must've been someone?" Belle asked. Again, Aurelia shook her head.
"I've never even kissed anyone, let alone loved them," she said.
Before Belle could reply, a banging sound came from the front of the store.
The three of them glanced at each other before they heard it again. "It's him," Belle said. "It's Rumple."
They ran out to the front to find someone banging on the side door that was blocked by boxes.
Hook took out his sword and aimed it at the door in case it was someone or something else entirely. But soon the door swung open and the person that fell inside definitely wasn't Gold.
It was Neal.
Aurelia ran toward him, turning him over on his back. "Neal?" she called, trying to shake him awake.
"Is he hurt? Is he okay?" Belle asked.
Aurelia grabbed his arm, not feeling any sort of injury or illness coming from him. "No, I don't think he's injured. Just passed out. Maybe we should take him to the hospital" she said.
With Hook's help, the three of them got Neal into Belle's car so they could drive him to the hospital. When they got there Belle called Emma to tell her the news.
"You can really sense if someone's injured?" Hook asked as they waited for her to show up. "Sometimes. If it's something my power can heal then I can usually sense it" she told him.
By the time Neal and David arrived, Neal was already starting to wake up.
"Neal!" Emma shouted as she ran in. "You're here. What happened?"
"I...I don't know" he stuttered. "I remember seeing the yellow bug cross the town line, and next thing I know, I'm running around a forest back in Storybrooke, where, apparently there's been a whole lot going on," he said.
"Are you gonna tell him, or shall I?" Hook asked.
"Tell me what?" Neal asked.
"Neal, we think your dads back," David said.
"Back? I just watched him die. What do you mean, he's back?!" Neal asked.
"Take it easy," Emma said, glancing at his hand. Grabbing it she looked at the strange marking burned into his skin.
"What the hell is that?" she asked. "I have no idea. It was there when I woke up" Neal said.
"Belle, can you do some more research?" Emma asked. "Yeah, sure. Absolutely" Belle nodded.
"Hey, guys. Can we have a minute?" Neal asked, wanting to talk to Emma alone. "Yeah, of course," David said as they all piled out of the room.
"We should probably go help Belle," Aurelia said to Hook. Nodding, he followed her out as they made it back to the shop.
When they got back, Belle made her way to a small old bookcase in the back of his shop that had locked cabinet doors.
"What is that?" Aurelia asked. "Something I forgot about. Rumple told me these books are special. Information on the Dark One and the power of the dagger that could be used agasint him" she said, pulling out a key from her purse.
"Would it have information on the marking on Neal's hand?" Aurelia asked. "If the marking has anything to do with brining him back it should," Belle said, pulling out the biggest book that was sitting in the middle, and flicking through the pages.
Eventually, she came across a page that held a drawing of the marking. "What language is that?" Hook asked.
"Ancient Elvish," Belle said, skimming the page. "Can you read it?" he asked.
"I can read it," Belle said, trying to figure out exactly what the marking represented.
"Oh my god," she mumbled. "What? What is it?" Aurelia asked. "I need to call Emma," Belle said, pulling out her phone.
"Why? What's wrong?" Hook asked.
"Neal's in trouble," she said before Emma answered. When she did, Belle didn't waste time on hello's.
"I figured out what the symbol on Neal's hand is. It's from an ancient talisman. A key that opens the vault to the Dark One. Neal must've used it in the enchanted forest to bring him back" Belle said.
"Wait, so he brought Gold back?" Emma asked.
"I think. But bringing the Dark One back has rules. The vault will only restore him in exhange for another life" Belle said.
"Whoa! Hang on a minute, what?" Emma said.
"It's a trade. If Neal used that key, which it looks like he did, he should be dead right now" Belle said.
Suddenly Neal's screaming could be heard on the other end. "Emma! Emma!" Belle shouted as the line went dead.
"I have to go find him," Aurelia said, ready to rush out before Hook stopped her. "You don't even know where they are," he said.
"It doesn't matter! Neal could be dying! I can try and heal him" she exclaimed. "Lia, if what Belle said is true..." Hook trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence but she knew what he meant.
If what she said is true then Neal was already dying. "We can't know for sure," he said. "We won't know anything until Emma gets back."
Aurelia nodded trying to be optimistic but they all knew the truth. Those screams they heard plus the price of bringing Gold back couldn't be denied.
But it wasn't Emma who showed up. It was David and Mary Margaret. And judging by the solemn looks on their faces, they knew it wasn't good.
"Where is he?" Belle asked.
"He's gone," Mary Margaret said. "I'm so sorry."
Aurelia was stunned. The man she had just seen, moments ago, was dead. And there was nothing she could've done to help him. She looked up at Hook who had a solemn look on his face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, feeling like it was a ridiculous question but didn't know what else to say. She knew he knew Neal as a boy and was probably heartbroken over his loss.
"I'm fine," he said, not one to talk about his feelings.
"Did you...did you see Rumple?" Belle asked.
"We did. But the witch has his dagger and is using it to control him" David said.
"Did he manage to tell you who she is?" Hook asked. "Yeah. It's Zelena" David said.
"Zelena?" Aurelia asked, wondering why that name felt so familiar.
Mary Margaret nodded as she clutched her stomach.
"Our midwife."