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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN
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THINGS WERE DOING PRETTY GOOD FOR THE ARCHER. Teresa had taken Emma's advice and had gotten herself a room at Granny's Inn, where, in return for her staying rent free, her and Granny made a deal; Teresa was to clean the floors of the diner before closing and locking up for night.
Many things had changed; from having been in the Enchanted Forest bleeding from an infected wound, to arriving in Storybrooke, then to Arendelle before back to Storybrooke, Teresa had to adapt to each of her living environments.
Like jeans and bras.
Yes, Teresa always worn trousers in the Enchanted Forest and Arendelle, plus her first arrival in Storybrooke, but now that she was a permanent resident, Snow thought it best she look the part. So her trousers, tunic and cloak were thrown out, much to her dismay, and she was shoved into brand new clothes. She found the clothes quite odd, but Hook ensured her that she would get used to them over time, much like he has.
Still, the archer missed her old clothes, for then she didn't have an article of clothing called a bra that always felt as if her breasts were being showed off as they were held in place. Then again, she was enjoying the feet wear called sneakers. They were quite comfortable and much easier to run in when she was hunting in the mornings.
Teresa had been taking the mornings for herself. Just because she was in Storybrooke now, that didn't mean she didn't want to be a have a normal life; she still wanted to be an archer. Hunting in the mornings reminded her of that, plus the woods were always a home for her. The soft breeze, lushish green colors and the woods smell always seemed to calm her. She would hunt for meat for herself, Granny, though mainly if Granny was in the mood for a stew, and Snow, but Snow seemed to enjoy grocery shopping and sometimes forced her to go so Teresa could enjoy and explore the new foods. Thanks to Henry, Teresa now in love with hot cocoa. She and Henry would have it on oscassion as he studied his given homework in Granny's Diner.
While Snow and Henry were at school, and David and Emma were at work, Teresa had become Neal's babysitter. Not that she minded though, since baby Neal was absolutely adorable and very easy to take care of.
Teresa and Henry had gotten pretty close; they spent a lot of time together. They would sit together at Granny's, or on the weekends, if Henry woke early enough, he would join her for her morning hunt. There were also the moments where they would go to Snow's apartment and play a game called Scrabble, which she quite enjoyed playing. She had to admit it was by far her favorite game she's ever played. And Henry was quite competitive, their minds seemed to be on the same level in the game. And as they played, they would talk and laugh and have a grand ole time. Sometimes Snow or Emma or even Regina would play. Though it was rare to get Regina to sit down and play when she was still sad over having to send Robin away. Still, she played. Which was something Teresa never imagined the Evil Queen to do.
As for their relationship, Teresa and Regina were beginning to tolerate one another. There was rarely an argument between them; she had even began to call her Regina instead of Your Majesty, which was what Teresa would call her in the Enchanted Forest. Teresa had to admit she was beginning to like Regina — something she never expected to happen. But, like Henry told her, people can change.
The sun was shining bright in the sky of Storybrooke as Teresa walked down the sidewalk pushing baby Neal in his stroller. She hated the contraption, she could never close the damn thing. She always left it open and in the middle of the apartment for David to close.
When she arrived at Granny's Teresa sat down at one of the outdoor tables and rolled baby Neal up to sit next to her. It wasn't until seconds later that Henry arrived.
"Hey," he greeted her as he pulled out one of the chairs. He sat down and placed his backpack onto the table.
"Hi," Teresa replied with a bright smile. "Watch Neal for a moment while I get us cocoa?"
Henry smiled. "Sure."
Teresa pushed back her chair and got up, heading inside the diner. As soon as she got inside she made her way to the counter.
Before she could order, Granny have her a smile. "Let me guess: two cocoas?"
Teresa smirked. "Please."
Granny nodded and began making the two hot beverages. After finishing them, she placed both to-go cups infront of Teresa, who gave her a smile.
"Thanks, Granny."
"No problem, Teresa."
Teresa walked put of Granny's and when she got outside, she found Henry already diving into his homework.
She sat down, placing the hot cocoa infront of him. Now knowing how to properly drink a hot cocoa, Teresa placed hers on the table so it could cool down some.
"So what was today about?" Teresa asked in curiosity. She was faciniated with a handful of some of this realms teaching lessons.
"Birds was the main topic in science," Henry replied.
Teresa watched as his brown eyes danced across the sheet of paper, his hand moving to write the answer of a question he was provided with.
"Birds?" She hummed a laugh. "Well being Snow White's grandson, you should know plenty about them. It was always her favorite animal; she'd always whistle to them."
Henry chuckled.
➳
So apparently Hook and Belle finally found a way to free the fairies that Hook trapped inside the magical hat. Teresa had learned that the night Hook and her were trapped to the fence that Gold had taken his heart and had erased her mind of this so she couldn't tell anyone the Dark One had Hook's heart. Teresa was pissed and vowed to pick his ass until she learned Belle sent him over the town line.
After Regina set the fairies free, Granny threw a welcome back party for them at the diner. Teresa and Henry sat together looking at the storybook at one of the tables.
As Henry turned the page, Teresa grinned. "Woah, thats me!" Henry laughed at her reaction. "It's the moment we're about to the Prince — I mean David. Boy it's still so weird that she married him..."
Teresa then spotted the other book Henry had in his backpack and grew curious. "What's in that one?"
Henry pulled the other from his bag with a smile. He opened it, revealing blank pages. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"Ummm, it's blank?"
"We found it at that mansion by the lake. There was a library full of them," Henry explained. "We think it's — "
"Excuse me." Both teenagers looked up as Regina walked over, wearing a nervous look.
"Hey mom."
"Hi, Henry," Regina have her son a nervous smile before gesturing to the blank book. "Mind if I borrow that?"
Henry perked up. "You have a lead?"
Regina frowned. "Unfortuantly I don't, but I was hoping Mother Superior could help..."
"A lead to what?" Teresa asked in confusion.
"Operation Mongoose."
"Operation — what?"
"We're trying to find the author of the book so he can write my mom the happy ending she deserves," Henry explained.
"Oh," Teresa gave Regina a smile. "Well then...mind if I assist?"
Regina's eyes widened at the blonde. "You...want to help me?"
"Everyone deserves their happy ending," Teresa said. "Hopefully one day I'll receive mine."
"Alright, let's go ask her," Henry said. Regina smiled and took the book from her son's outstretched hands.
Henry and Teresa slid out of the booth and began to follow her toward where the Blue Fairy — or as she's called in the Storybrooke: Mother Superior — sat.
Regina paused in her step, nervously biting her lip.
"Go on, mom," Henry said encouragingly. "Ask."
Regina took a deep breath before stepping up to the booth as the Blue Fairy sipped her tea. "Excuse me. May I ask you something?"
"What can I do for you?" she asked with a smile.
Regina placed the blank storybook on the table, "Do you know what this is?"
Mother Superior opened the book in shock. "Where did you get this?"
"The sorcerer's mansion," Emma replied, walking over. "Henry found dozens of these blank books there."
"The sorcerer is here?" Teresa noted how worried Mother Superior looked by this news. It made her wonder what kind of man this sorcerer was.
"Well, his house is, but we haven't found him yet," Henry replied.
"You're looking for him?" she asked.
Regina shifted on her feet. "Well, I was hoping he could...write me a happy ending. But that book seems to have great power."
"Oh, it does."
"So I thought if he rewrote it..." Regina sighed. "I know it sounds crazy."
"It's not crazy at all," Mother Superior reassured her. "But you're looking for the wrong person. Although the sorcerer is a very powerful wizard, you should be looking for the author."
"Aren't they the same person?" Emma asked.
"Why would the sorcerer have the author's books?" Regina asked.
"That is a quite perplexing question. And I'm afraid I do not know. But I do know that they are two very different people."
The way she spoke it made it sound as if she knew them, making Regina all giddy inside. Regina slid into the booth opposite of her with a smile on her face. "So...You know who the author is."
"No." Regina's face fell. "But I do know he exists. I mean, if he is a He. I've never actually seen him. In fact, no one has. Not for many years."
Regina exhaled. "So this is where hope has gotten me?"
"We'll find him, Regina," Emma reassured her, though it seemed Regina was quickly losing hope. "It's not like he just vanished. Blue, do you have any idea why he might've disappeared?"
"Sadly, no," Mother Superior replied. "But there are whispers that he left hidden clues in some of his works."
"You mean, works like Henry's book?" Teresa asked.
She opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly the entire diner began to shake and the lights began to flicker as the roar of some sort of creature could be heard.
"What the hell was that?" Teresa breathed after the diner stopped shaking, and lights stopped flickering.
"I suppose we should go out and see what's killing property values this time," Regina said in annoyance. "Henry, stay here, okay?"
Teresa, Emma, Regina, Hook, Snow and Belle all ran outside; they stopped in the street as their eyes widened. Ahead of them, on top of the library, sat a large black shadowy monster. The creature had red beaty eyes, wings and horns.
"Holy shit," Teresa muttered. "What is that thing?"
The residents of Storybrooke began to run around in panic as the creature rose from where it was. It let out a growl as it flew towards them.
Teresa's eyes widened and she and the group bolted out of the way as it swept down over them, it's tail scraping the cement.
They got up from next to the car they hid behind and Teresa ran after Regina as the former Evil Queen ran for an alley so they could conjure up a plan.
"Did that thing come out of the hat?! I thought the spell was only supposed to release the fairies."
"Well, maybe it is some kind of fairy," Teresa said.
"Why don't we just put it back in the hat and figure out the rest later?" Emma suggested.
"Because we can't," Belle voice. "Once something's freed, it can never be retrapped."
"Well isn't that great," Teresa muttered.
"So our best defense against magical beasts follows the same rules as chicken pox?"
"Surely the savior and evil queen can defeat a simple hell beast," Hook said.
"Can we drop the E word already?" Regina grumbled. She and Emma then moved out the alley and into the street.
Teresa went to follow, but Snow pulled her back. "They can handle it, Teri," Snow muttered.
Teresa rolled her eyes. "I'm not a child, Snow. And I've got magic too, remember?"
"Now isn't the time for your stubbornness," Snow sighed.
"I'm not being stubborn, I was trying to be helpful. I can handle myself — believe me, I can. You don't know what I'm capable of with my new magic." With that, Teresa walked out from the alley, but before she could assist Regina and Emma, the beast flew away.
"Well, that was easy," Emma muttered.
"Don't get excited. We only stunned it. And a blast like that should've destroyed it."
Emma sighed. "I was just getting used to things being relaxing around here." She then turned on her feet to assign jobs. "Belle..."
"I'll see if I can find anything about this thing in the library."
"Thanks. And, Mary Margaret — "
"I'll get everyone to safety. I'm on that," Snow said.
Emma raised a brow, "Wow. You guys really have this down."
"Well, this isn't our first monster bash," Hook commented.
Teresa snorted. "Got that right."
Hook and Belle left, heading for the library as Snow ran off to get the residents to safety. This left Teresa with Emma and Regina.
Teresa clapped her hands together with a smirk. "Well, now that that's settled, what say we figure out a way to clip this beasts wings before it comes back?"
"Woah, kid, I think Regina and I can handle this."
"You mean like you just handled it a minute ago?" Teresa crossed her arms over her chest. "Believe it or not Emma, but you guys could use my magic. Yours is dark, yours is light, but mine is cold."
"Alright, fine, let's go defeat the hell bat," Emma muttered.
The trio began to walk as Teresa threw Emma a look, "Oh, and don't call me kid."
➳
Inside Regina's office, the trio were thinking of a plan. So far, nothing yet.
Suddenly, Regina's phone rang. She looked down and rolled her eyes as she seen it was Gold. But as she answered it, she was certainly not expecting her voice.
"Regina, who is it?" Emma asked.
Regina smirked. "The sea bitch."
Teresa and Emma looked at each other in confusion, Teresa mouthing, "The sea bitch?"
Emma shrugged in response, have no idea who the Sea Bitch was.
"Mostly wondering how a plate of undercooked calamari ended up with the Dark One's cell phone."
"Regina," Emma whispered.
Regina nodded and put her cell phone on speaker so both Teresa and Emma could hear. The three of them sat down as Regina placed her phone on the center of the table. "And where is he now?"
"If we're lucky, probably passed out at the dive bar where Cruella and I left him."
Regina's eyes widened. "Cruella?"
"Yes, we're back together. Rumple found us in New York, said he needed some old friends. Told us a tearful tale about how he was living in a quaint town until he ruined everything. But he said it was a special place where villains could find redemption. Regina, Rumplestiltskin told us how you've changed, and we've changed, too. We've learned our lessons, and we'd like a chance to prove it to you. Please. Let us in."
"Sorry, dears, but...we have enough problems without inviting two — " Regina was cut off as the monster let out a roar from outside.
"Is one of those problems a hell-bat with beady eyes and devil horns?"
Teresa's widened, and she exchanged glances with both Regina and Emma, who's eyes were the same as hers.
"How did you know that?" Regina asked.
"Because that's the exact same sound it made before it tried to kill me."
"Oh, so you've faced this creature before?"
"Yes, and I can tell you exactly what it wants."
"How convenient," Teresa muttered. Regina hummed in agreement.
Emma reached forward and placed her hand oved the phone. "They've been living in a land without magic. How could they do it?" Emma's eyes then widened in realization. "It's the hat."
"I know," Regina told the blonde savior. Emma removed her hand from the phone as Regina began speaking to this Sea Bitch again. "Fine. Tell us what it wants."
"And then you'll let us in?"
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't.
"Well, then I guess you're on your own."
Regina went to end the call when Emma reached forward and covered the phone again so she could talk. "Wait. The Snow Queen's scroll let her into Storybrooke once. Maybe it'll work for them."
Emma pulled her hand away as Regina said, "All right, Squid. If your information pans out, we'll consider letting you in. Those are my terms."
"You've got a deal."
➳
"Regina, I'm not sure it's after you," Emma said.
"Of course it's after me. Ursula said it devours the heart with the darkest potential. And now that Gold's gone, well, who else could that be?" Regina said. "I mean, is there a dwarf named evil-y? It's me."
"We're not gonna just sacrifice you," Teresa said.
"I'm not sure we have much of a choice."
"That thing's magical, right?" Emma asked.
Teresa nodded. "I would say magical is a pretty good guess."
"So if it's magic, what happens if it leaves town for a world with no magic?"
"No magic, no beast," Teresa said in realization. "That could work. So all we have to do is lead it over the town line."
"The Chernabog withstood both of our powers combined. Even if I poof myself to the town line, the second I'm out in the open, it'll crush me like a bug."
"Not if you've got some help. Teresa and I will be there to back you up. Trust us."
➳
Teresa sat in the back of Emma's car, staring out the back of the window at the approaching beast.
"What made you choose yellow?" Regina suddenly asked.
"What?"
"Your bug...Yellow? Bold choice."
"I like yellow," Emma replied. She then sighed. "I stole it. Is this really the time to question my taste?"
"Sorry, I'm just trying not to think about being some demon's lunch."
"You're not going to be," Teresa voiced from the backseat.
"I'm glad you're confident."
Suddenly, the beast landed on the roof of Emma's car. "What, is this thing made of tin?"
"Hang on. We're almost there."
Regina shook her head. "It's too late." I'm not gonna let all of us die in this metal coffin on wheels. Thanks for trying, Miss Swan, Teresa."
"Regina!" Teresa shouted, but it as too late. She waved her hands and disappeared in purple smoke. Teresa groaned, "Damn it!"
The beast, however, remained on the car. It wasn't leaving them alone. The car swerved as the Chernbog thrust it's hand through the windshield to get a Emma.
"Hold on back there!" Emma shouted as she kicked her car into high gear.
As the car approached the town line, Emma could be seen, as well as a car that two women were leaning against.
"Hey!" Regina shouted as she waved her arms to gain the beasts attention.
Emma suddenly hit the break, sending the beast flying toward Regina, who sucked as it flew over her. The best collided with the town line and was destroyed.
Teresa let out a breath. "God, I'm so glad that worked."
"Me too," Emma muttered.
The two exited the car and shared relieved smiles with Regina. Before they could send Ingrid's scrolls through the town line, a car rolled up, and Snow and David jumped out.
"Emma! Teresa!"
"Are you all right?"
"Yes."
"We're fine."
"So Cruella and Ursula were telling the truth," Snow said.
"It would appear so."
Emma turned to throw in the scrolls, but Snow stopped her. "No, wait. Emma, I... I think this is a bad idea. Look, they may have told the truth this time. That doesn't mean they can be trusted."
Emma furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at her mother. "Mom, this doesn't sound like you. You always believe the best in everyone."
"I'm also a realist."
"Emma, she's right. Things were just starting to get back to normal in Storybrooke," David said.
"You, too?"
"Look, we don't know anything about these two. They could be looking for redemption, but they also could be as evil as Mr. Gold or Zelena or worse."
"That could be, but they just helped us, and we made a deal," Emma said.
Snow shook her head. "Doesn't matter. It's a bad idea. They're villains."
"You're right. They are," Regina said. "They're horrible...but not as horrible as I was once. And if I deserve a second chance, so do they. How can I sit here, looking for my happiness, and deny two others a chance at theirs?"
"I'm with Regina. We let them in," Teresa piped in.
Regina took the scrolls from Emma and tossed them over the town line, gaining their attention.
The one dressed in black and white walked over and picked up the scroll. She then made her way back over the other woman, and stepped inside her car. The car rolled over the town line, and she smiled at Regina.
"Welcome to Storybrooke," Regina told them.
"Thank you, Regina. You won't regret it."
"I better not."
➳
That night, Emma and Hook sat at a table in Granny's Diner, watching as Henry and Teresa stared at the pages of the storybook in search of a clue for the author.
"What do you suppose the boy is up to now?" Hook asked.
Emma smiled. "Being Henry. If anyone's gonna get that author out of the book, it's him."
"You've become quite the optimist, Swan."
"Have I? Guess I...couldn't really help it, between him and my parents."
"That reminds me. Aren't they supposed to be here?" Hook asked in confusion.
"You're right." Emma reached for her phone. "I wonder what's keeping them."
Emma hummed after a moment. "Strange, she didn't answer."
"Perhaps they've turned in early?" Hook suggested.
Emma bit her lip in worry. "I hope so..."
Laughter emitted from the two teenagers, drawing Emma and Hook's attnetion. Hook smirked. "Is it just me or do the young ones seemed quite attached to one another?"
Emma's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
"You're telling me that I'm the only one who notices where one is the other is soon to follow?"
"I guess I never thought about that," Emma confessed. "I mean, I know they're friends, and I'm so glad Henry has someone his age to talk to that he actually likes, but dating?" Emma chuckled. "I doubt it."
"I never said they were together, I was simply stating there is definietly something there as they're always spending time with one another."
Emma turned her attention over to where the two teenagers were sat talking together with smiles were on their faces. It made Emma wonder if Hook was right.
Does Henry have his first crush?