Wonderland was a Hell when you couldn't leave it. Well, anyway, for Jefferson, it always seemed like a real Hell. Even when he wasn't trapped in there, and that he could still go in there and leave.
But now... now, it was true, he just couldn't leave this terrible place, and his child was in another world, far from him, thinking that he abandoned her, and he was supposed to make a hat which would be able to make people travel to another world, while he himself had no magic !
It was absurd, and the most he was trying to do this, the most he was thinking that it was going to drive him crazy.
Maybe it was already too late.
Maybe he was already crazy.
He hoped he wasn't.
§§§§
In the three of them, Belle was the only one who never went to Wonderland. And she, unlike Regina and Will, looked truly amazed by it, and she was smiling, right now.
It was what she always wanted.
To see the world, to cross realms, it was just exactly what she ever wanted.
She wished Rumple could be here with her to see that, so they would share this moment together.
But he wasn't, as he himself had things to do.
(Yes, him, Belle and Regina talked together before they went to Wonderland, and the former queen gave him instructions about a little girl named Grace. A girl that he was supposed to find, and he was supposed to prepare her to her father's return.
He had to tell her that her father never abandoned her, and that he was soon going home.
But at first, he was going to a land called the Land without colors, in order to talk with a certain doctor, named Victor Frankenstein, if Belle goodly remembered the name.)
So, she just enjoyed the view in front of her, because, bloody hell, as Will would have said, it indeed was a beautiful place, and she felt lucky that Regina let her go in it.
She was going to enjoy the trip in this new world.
Even if it was a place full of dangers and all these things.
Well, talking about this...
When Will saw soldiers (who, obviously belonged to the Queen of Heart's army, for sure. And they were clearly hostile) coming – well running would be more appropriate – just in front of them, he then sighed.
"Can't we just be quiet and peaceful at least just for five minutes in this bloody land ?"
"I guess my mother definitely doesn't like intruders coming without invitation in her precious land", Regina answered, ready to use her magic on these soldiers, who seemed ready to attack them.
Will and Belle both prepared themselves. They both had swords in their hands, and were ready to fight these soldiers, and they knew what to do of them, that is to say, to send them right in the "walls" of Wonderland's labyrinth.
After the walls would have taken them, the only thing they would have to do would be to go in the throne's room, where Cora was standing.
And then, Regina would fight her.
The fight didn't last for a long time, as the soldiers weren't really able to resist against them, facing Regina's magic or Will's and Belle's ability to fight, with also the fact that Wonderland itself had to be fought, with its walls made of climber just around them, in which they could be taken so easily.
After it was done, the three intruders arrived in the room where Cora was, just as a lot f people, and Regina had a sad smile. The queen still had her mask on her face, but you could easily understand that her body was trembling.
And you could deduce too that, even though you couldn't see her emotions, hidden by the mask, she was for sure afraid by what was going to happen, even though, again, she was hiding it well. Or at least, she was surely not liking how things were unfolding.
The queen gave a look to her court, her "subjects", signifying to them to leave the place, right now. It was something that she had to take care about alone, with her daughter. As she was doing this, Regina looked at Will and Belle.
"You should go, she told them. Thanks for your help, but this is something I have to do alone. Go, and search for Anastasia. After I defeat her, I will join you, and we will search for Jefferson. Right ?"
The two other nodded their heads, and left, leaving the two witches and queens (present or former) alone and together, ready to fight.
"Mother, Regina saluted her, with a sarcastic smile. The displeasure is for me. You have no idea of how much I didn't want to see you again."
Cora put out her mask, and looked at her daughter with a disappointed air.
"Regina... What are you doing here ?"
The former queen answered nothing and just walked in her mother's direction, who stand up at this precise moment, looking at her daughter with wonder in her eyes, still not understanding why the hell her second daughter was here.
"I am here to stop you. To stop this madness you created here, in Wonderland. You're not a queen, mother, and you never deserved to be one."
Cora just had a smile, which showed that yes, she was not taking her daughter seriously, because it was Regina. The one who never stand against her (well, except when she banished her. Or, when she came there to get back her dad), who never dared doing it. And who surely wasn't powerful enough to defeat her in a fight.
"You really think that you're powerful enough to fight me, and win ? Really Regina ?" Her mother asked her, laughing at her daughter's face.
Regina thought about Daniel, his crushed heart, she thought about what she did to Snow, who was innocent about all of these crazy things, and her anger just grew up.
She smiled, with no joy, but just determination.
"I am sure I can. I know it, mother."
"You know, we never fought against each other before, I mean, with magic, except when you banished me, but I am still sure that you're not brave enough to defy me."
"You think so mother ?"
Then, even before waiting for her mother to reply, she began the fight.
With magic, of course.
This time, for Regina, their fight was more complicated, as she was against an enemy who was, at least, as powerful as she was, and who may be even more than her, in fact.
It lasted some minutes, and it was hard for Regina, to succeed to face her mother. It was the first time she was doing it, even though her training with Rumplestiltskin and Maleficent (well, as she was thinking about it, yes, she really should check her friend, just to know if she was okay now) did train her well.
But it really was the first moment in her entire life that she was standing against her mother so directly. Before the wedding, it had been more chance than something else, and Rumple did help her at that time.
Now, it was something she was supposed to do on herself, and, as the fight more and more continued, Cora began to be less self confident, and a look of fear appeared in her eyes, as she saw that her daughter seemed really determined to fight against her, and to defeat her.
It was her personal revenge for what she did to Daniel.
It was the less she could do, to help Wonderland's people and free them.
§§§§
She was loosing.
She couldn't believe that she was loosing against her own daughter.
Though, a part of her was really proud of Regina's skills, even if they were used against her, and even though they were going to be her undoing, not in a long time.
And, in the end, her daughter sent her on the ground, defeated, vanquished, powerless.
Even before Cora was able to stand up again, Regain approached her, and put on her arm a bracelet, the one stopping the one wearing it to use magic, and yes, of course, it was the one that had been used on her.
Cora looked at the object with a stupefied look, understanding rapidly what was happening to her (she was a clever woman, don't forget it), and she looked at her daughter with both pride and anger.
But Regina wasn't falling into her tricks and her games anymore.
"I'm afraid you lost, mother, she whispered to the loser, before taking her hand and bringing her mother in a cellar."
After the witch was locked up in a cellar, Regina succeeded to breathe more easily.
§§§§
During all this time, Will and Belle were on their own mission, both searching for Anastasia.
In fact, it didn't take that much time, as Will already knew in which cellar his girlfriend was supposed to be.
And then, when they arrived in front of her cellar, Belle looked at Will's face, and, for the first time since she met him, she saw a real smile on his face.
He still had not his heart at its right place, but the thing is that she could tell it : he was happy.
The Red Queen (former, of course, she wasn't a queen anymore, not after she realized who Cora really was. Not after the things the Queen of Hearts did to her, no, no) looked up, and she then saw her lover just in front of her, and she blinked two or three times, not really sure that what she was seeing was real.
Then, she stand up, and went just next to the bars, her smile growing more and more.
"Will ? She asked, still wanting to be sure of it, not wanting it to be a lie, something fake, just a cruel and twisted game coming from Cora (and knowing her, it wouldn't have been that surprising), but Will just smiled to her, and he interlaced their fingers, and Anastasia felt her heart beat as it never did before.
Too moved to be able to talk, Will just nodded his head, tears forming in his eyes, as in hers too. A silence appeared between the three of them, but it wasn't an awkward silence, just something peaceful and quiet (everything Wonderland wasn't, in fact). And Belle began to smile too, happy to see her new friend being reunited with his True Love.
In order to stop the silence, Belle asked them :
"Since how many times are you separated ?"
Anastasia smiled, a smile which was both full of joy and sadness.
"Five years. It had been since five years."
"Wait... Will, you're living without your heart since five years ? And, Anastasia, you're in jail since that time ?"
Ana looked at Will with both surprise and horror.
"She... she took your heart ? But, why..."
"I asked her to, Will answered. I still thought at that time that you betrayed me, but now, I know you didn't. She lied to me, and she manipulated me. And I had been such a fool Ana, I am sorry..."
The former queen didn't let him finish his sentence, and she then brought him into a passionate kiss, not even caring about the bars between them.
"It doesn't matter, she told him. She manipulated me too, and Will, I missed you so much..."
"I missed you too, Ana, Will told her, before kissing her again."
Then, they began to talk together again, and while they were doing it, Belle kept looking for the key of the cellar (in fact, Ana was the only prisoner in Cora's prison. Except Jefferson too, but he was in another room, trying to make a non-magical hat work, and at this thought, Belle felt her heart break), and she finally found it, after some seconds of researches.
"Yes !" She whispered to herself, not wanting to bother the couple just next to her, rising her fist into the air with pride, as an air of victory was now on her face.
She looked at the two lovers, who just seemed to forget all the world around them, and she smiled softly.
She cleared her throat, and opened the door of the prison, and smiled again as she saw Anastasia immediately run in Will's arms.
They did it.
At least, they succeeded to reunite two people who were separated from each other since a too long time.
Now, they just had to find the Mad Hatter, and everything would be alright.
§§§§
When she entered in her mother's vault, the one where she once found her father, in a box, and where all "her" hearts were, Regina shivered. This time, she realized, as she checked for Will's heart, Cora hadn't used powerful magic, just blood magic.
Maybe it was because she was so damn sure that her daughter wasn't going to come back anymore, after she got her father back.
Well, she had been pretty wrong.
After she cast a location spell (as Cora's magic was nowhere to be found in this place, not after after Regina put her hand on the vault's door) she found it extremely rapidly, and she used her magic too, in order to make it get back in Will's chest, where it belonged.
The young man felt it immediately, and for the first time since what seemed like centuries, he really felt something, it wasn't what he was used to before, he didn't "feel" numb anymore.
He was feeling things now, and he was feeling like he was truly alive.
He took a deep breath, and smiled.
"Belle ? You will thank your friend for me, right ?"
The young woman smiled and nodded, just before leaving.
He was staying just there. He had found his True Love, got his heart back, and everything was right now. Anastasia indicated to the Sorcerer's wife where Jefferson was, just before Regina gave back his heart to the Knave, so now Belle could leave just after.
The two lovers smiled to each other.
Now, they were going to take back Wonderland.
§§§§
The place where Jefferson was locked up was everything but good.
It wasn't an awful place, don't get me wrong, but... there were hats.
Ton of hats, and when, they both understood what it must mean (oh by the magic, there were like what, thousands of them ? And yes, surely Jefferson was a good Hatter, but... since how many time was he forced to do it ? Belle asked herself. Too many time, of course.) they both froze with horror, and Regina felt again the guilt invade her.
It was her fault.
The Queen of Hearts may forced him to do these hearts, but she was the one who sent him into this hell first. It was her job to fix it.
This place, where he was, it was a fucking prison.
And she was going to get him out of it, she swore.
The two women approached the man. This one, too focused on his work, didn't even hear them enter. And then, they heard a sentence, a terrible sentence, which terrified them, and made them understand what this man had suffered all this time.
"Get it to work. Get it to work. Get it to work."
The Hatter may not be entirely mad, but he was surely going to became crazy, if someone didn't save him.
There was such a supplication in his voice, that both Regina and Belle felt tears rolling on their cheeks.
It was the voice of a desperate man, the one trying to do everything to escape, and to get back to his daughter, and who was failing, miserably.
And Regina realized what a monster she had been, to do it, and she asked herself, if one day, she would be able to fix what she damaged in Jefferson.
Probably not.
"Jefferson, she then told him, it's time to go, now."
He didn't hear her.
She tried to talk to him again, before she felt Belle's hand on her arm, who was right now turning her head in disapproval.
The young woman rapidly take away the former queen from him, so he wouldn't hear them talking (but, lost in his own mind and thoughts, could he still do it ?).
"Regina, she whispered to her, this is not the way we have to do it."
"Do you really have a better idea right now Belle ?"
"You're the one who sent him here, you made him a prisoner, you're the one who broke him. I'm sure as hell that he hates you right now, and he is right. I know you're here to make amend, but he is not going to listen to you. You asked me to come here, because you think I am good with people. So now, please Regina, let me help him, and stay away from him as far as you can."
Regina, a little mortified, but understanding Belle's logic, nodded her head.
"You're right Belle, she muttered. I'm sorry, I guess I just wanted to be the one who would save and help him, as I am the one who began all of this, but... yes, this is certainly not going to work."
"Fine, you finally returned to senses ! Joked Belle with a smile. That's a good thing, I was going to be desperate... Then, being more serious, she added : Now, please, just listen, and don't act or interfere, okay ? I don't even know myself if I really can do it."
"Well, you will still be better than me..."
Belle just sat down in front of the hatter, and looked at him, and she started when she saw a gigantic scar that he was harboring, which was just on his neck, and she had a sigh of horror. She remembered what Will told her about Cora, before they went to Wonderland and just after Will said goodbye to all the Merry Men.
And she remembered what Cora used to do, sometimes, and to order, too.
"Get off his head, she whispered, horrified."
At this moment, as woken up by the sentence, the Mad Hatter looked up and saw her. He had a move full of fear and surprise (luckily, he still hadn't seen Regina at this moment.)
"Who... who are you ? He asked. Why are you here ?"
"My name is Belle, I am here to rescue you."
"Why would you do this ?"
"Because it had been too long Jefferson. Now, you need to leave this world, and to come back to your home. Your daughter needs you."
The shadow of a smile passed through Jefferson's face, and this time, it was really hard for Belle to contain her tears.
"Grace, he whispered, before his face became full of regrets and remorse. I let her alone, I abandoned her."
This time, Belle contained her anger with difficulty. Regina was the one who did this, Regina acted like a monster, and even though she was changing, she was the one who did the crimes, so why on hell Jefferson, one of her victims, was feeling guilty ?
It was absurd !
She did the first thing she thought about to comfort him. She took from his hands what he was still handing (what he needed to make hats), and then, she took his hands in hers, and she smiled to him in a gentle way.
"No, you didn't ! Regina forced you to come here, and you did it because you wanted your daughter to be safe, and happy. Like every good parent does. You made a mistake, for sure. But Regina was the villain at this time. Not you."
The Hatter nodded his head, but it was as if he didn't really believe it.
When he looked somewhere else, he saw Regina, and anger crossed his face.
He stand up, and for a second, Belle really feared that he would be ready to try to kill Regina.
But he didn't.
"You... he said in a low but also terribly hurt and angry voice. What are you doing here ?"
"I came here to apologize. And don't worry, after this day, after we leave this place, I am not going to bother you anymore."
"You separated me from my daughter !"
"You're not the only who was tricked Jefferson ! You did it too ! To me. You and Frankenstein – and Rumplestiltskin, I am sure he was in it – you made me believe you could bring back Daniel from the dead ! And I believed you, because I was a naive young girl. I know that what I did to you is far worse, but I thought that you did deserve it. I thought it, at this time."
"What about Grace ? He demanded, still furious. I know I may be deserve to be punished for what I did to you, but Grace is innocent. She has nothing to do with this."
"I know ! I wanted my father back, but I wanted you to suffer too. And even though it changes nothing, your daughter is safe now. I promised you she would lack of nothing, I did it."
Jefferson snorted.
"Nothing but her father, he muttered."
"Oh, and well, when you will come back, you will lack of nothing too, and you will finally be able to give your daughter everything she ever wanted. Including you. I know it doesn't the fact you were separated, but trust me, I am trying to fix what I did to you."
The Hatter raised an eyebrow, half convinced by her speech.
"Why are you so kind toward me ? What happened to you ?"
"Well, believe it or not, but it happened thanks to Rumplestiltskin. The Dark One himself, well, former Dark One now... He talked to me, one day, about the fact that I shouldn't purchase my revenge anymore. It took time, but I finally realized he had been right, and I understood how wrong I was toward you, and me and Belle, we decided to rescue you !"
Jefferson nodded his head, understanding.
"Oh, and I put my mother in prison too. Just hope she will not be frightening anyone in Wonderland."
This time, Jefferson had a real smile.
"By the way, before we leave, I have to talk with her..."
Then, Jefferson reacted very rapidly.
"Wait... this is not how the hat works ! He exclaimed. Two people go in, and two other leave. And I am not going to let you abandon someone else here."
Regina smiled to him.
"You don't have to worry Jefferson... There was a third person, with us, that you know. Will Scarlet. When he heard about our project to come here, he came with us. He is staying here, and we can, the three of us, just leave, without anyone being stuck here. Okay ?"
The Hatter's breathe became more normal, and he nodded.
"Okay", he said.
§§§§
Regina allowed herself to just breathe when she saw her mother locked up in this cellar.
She looked at the woman locked up – that she locked up, who couldn't hurt her anymore, from whom she didn't have to be scared of – and she smiled. She still didn't make peace with herself, for what she did, but, at least, her mother wouldn't be able to hurt anyone now.
"Why did you do this to me Regina ? The fallen queen asked her."
Regina ironically chuckled.
"You must be kidding me, right ? I told you. You're a bad queen, just as I am. You clearly deserved it. Just as I did."
Cora started, surprised.
"What do you mean ?"
Her daughter had a devilish smile.
"Oh... you didn't hear the news ? I have been defeated by Snow White and her prince. And you know what ? I don't care about it. I am lucky that I finally had the chance to see how wrong I was. I am no queen anymore, mother, despite what you did."
"You have no idea of how much you're disappointing me, Regina."
The witch just laughed, and Cora frowned. She clearly didn't recognize her daughter, she was so... different from the person she used to be. She wasn't obeying to her anymore, and this time, Cora was the one who was powerless, not Regina.
It felt so strange.
"And what ? You know, mother, this time, when you patronized me, controlled me and everything in my life, it's over ! I am free now, and living on my own, without you. And yes, I am not a queen, and it's perfectly fine for me. I lost, and maybe that, in a way, I won. And I am grateful for that, you know why mother ?"
"Of course no."
"Because now, I know it. I will never be like you. You see, I may be not happy right now, because I am still a pariah, feared by many people – even if I am working on it, she added – but, at least, yeah. I am trying to become a better person, and maybe that, one day, I can become someone else. Someone like Snow. A true hero."
"You're not serious. You, become a hero ?"
"I wasn't made for darkness. I chose it, in the end, because you manipulated me. You are the one who killed Daniel and you made me hate an innocent little girl that had nothing to do with all of this and that you manipulated too."
She then stopped, taking a deep breath.
"I hate you, mother. You killed the man I loved, and you did it because you wanted to force me to have the life you would have wanted for yourself."
Cora just sighed.
"Do you intend to kill me ?"
"No. For two reasons. First, because, as I told you, I am not like you. I am not going to kill you, but I will let you here. The second reason is this : this is my revenge against you. For what you did to me. I am going to let you rot in there, being powerless and without being able to do anything. You will stay here, forever, with no power. Because you destroyed my life, and so much other. And I am not even talking about Zelena."
Cora immediately paled.
"What ?"
"Yes, mother. I even know about this, thanks to Rumplestiltskin. He gave me my memories back, and I found my sister back. I reconciled with her, and now, I have a real family besides me. My father, who let me down just when I went too far, but who never stopped loving me, and who forgave me, just as Snow did. Now, I have my father, my former step-daughter, and my sister with me. And you're not going to take them from me. Never."
Facing Cora's silence, and feeling like she had said everything she had to say, Regina smiled, and left, leaving her mother in her cellar.
She did what she had to do...
Now, she just had to make Jefferson get out of here.
§§§§
Rumplestiltskin clearly didn't like the World without colors. It was just so... well, colorless.
And dull, too.
There was a reason to the fact that he never went into this world, except at the time where he needed Frankenstein' help.
But, this time, he wasn't there for that.
Since Henry sent him back in his world, he never stopped trying to fulfill the task the Emma and the Regina of the other world gave to him : to help some people who needed help to get their happy ending.
Now, he had a certain doctor to help, and he had a non-easy task to do.
To convince him to stop his quest to bring back the dead, and to convince him to go to the Enchanted Forest.
Rumplestiltskin sighed.
It was going to be a long, long discussion, he thought.