𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

eighteen

18|con

"Hold me." Celeste cried as she burst into Regina's office, finding the woman sat behind her desk. "Something crazy is going on."

"Talk to me dear." Regina moved the woman to the sofa in her office, rubbing her shoulder sympathetically.

"I don't remember Rumpel." She sighed, pulling at her hair. "Why would they take away my memories of Rumpel? And Neal? And that rumbling trick? What happened in the year?"

"I don't know, Celeste." The older woman said sympathetically. The went quiet, both thinking about why Celeste was special. Why she had lost most of her memories. Emma burst into the room, startling the pair.

"I had to make a statement." Regina stated to Emma defensively. "So do you think they bought it?"

"Yeah, I think they did." Emma nodded in agreement.

"You scheming little witches." Celeste chuckled, wiping away the stray tears.

"Good." Regina smirked at her.

"Nice work." Emma complimented the Evil Queen. "Now let's figure out who really cursed this town. And why Celeste was targeted so much."

Emma left to check the area, make sure there were no spies while Regina and Celeste set up their potions equipment.

"How long do you think we have?" Regina asked as Emma re-entered the room.

"Until whoever cast this curse realises you're not actually on the run from me." Emma explained with a sigh. "But, till then, no one's gonna suspect we're working together. So Celeste, stay quiet."

"I'm the town freak right now, you're safe." Celeste reassured her with a smile.

"Let's see it." Regina stated, taking the vial out of Emma's hand.

"That enough?"

"To use? No." She exhaled sharply before turning hopeful. "But to replicate? I think so."

"I've never had to make one but I have read upon it." Celeste suggested her help with the potion.

"We can start waking people up." Emma said with hope. "And figure out who the hell sent everyone back here."

"And I can make Henry remember me." Regina added sadly, sighing in defeat over the fact her son has no idea who she is. "Thank you."

"For what?" She furrowed her brows with confusion. "I haven't done anything yet."

"You saw how quick this town was to blame me." The Evil Queen stated, her eyes revealing how hurt she really was. "You but, both of you, believe I didn't cast that curse. I know that wasn't easy for you, Emma."

"Sure it was." Emma smiled at her. "I knew you were telling the truth."

"Even though everything that has happened."

"Excuse me, I'll go get us some coffee from Granny's." Celeste excused herself, allowing the two women to talk.

As she ordered her three drinks, she noticed Snow White sat in a booth staring at a book with disgust. She wandered over, chuckling when she saw the cover.

"Enjoying the book?" She chuckled, kissing her friends head as she slid into the booth.

"It's horrible." Snow White grumbled, flicking another page. "I don't want a baby."

"A bit too late now." Celeste grinned, noticing Red wave at her, indicating her drinks were ready. "But if you don't want it, I'll take it."

"Very funny." She laughed as the woman waved good bye, taking her three coffees and walking back to the Mayor's Office.

"Thank you." The two women smiled as she entered the room, passing them out. Celeste sipped her own vanilla latte as she watched them work. She flicked through an old book she picked up from the library on the way, reading over the potions specialties.

"I feel like I'm in Breaking Bad." Celeste joked as she watched Regina work, Emma laughing at the reference.

"Did it work?" Emma asked as she noticed Regina finishing off the potion.

"There's only one way to find out." Regina swirled the potion and took a sip.

"Well, do you remember?" Instead of answering, Regina through the vial against a wall, the glass smashing. "Either that wall did something to you in the past year, or I'm gonna say it didn't work."

"I must have missed an ingredient." She sighed, staring over all the ingredients on the table.

"Can we try again?" Celeste wondered, comparing her notes to what Regina did.

"I already used up what was left of the potion Hook gave you." Regina snapped. "There's nothing left to replicate. I can't live in this town if Henry doesn't remember me. That's worse than any curse I ever could have cast."

"What if we can still find the person who cursed the town?" Emma suggested to them.

"Haven't you been paying attention?" The Evil Queen grumbled to her. "I can't make any more potion."

"You don't have to make anything." She explained her plan. "We can still catch the person."

"How?"

"We've been running a con by making this potion in secret." Emma continued to explain. "What if we're running the wrong con?"