𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

twenty one

21|rumpelstiltskin

Celeste sat in Granny's before the place had opened, tears running down her eyes as she allowed the news Snow had informed her to sink in. He could be alive. Emma knocked loudly, Granny quickly letting her in so the meeting could begin.

"If you want privacy, talk fast." Granny warned them. "We open in twenty, and no one gets between Leroy and his bacon."

"Is there any sign of our quarry?" Hook asked, sitting near Celeste as he kept an eye on the broken woman.

"I went all over that farmhouse and the land around it. Nothing." Emma answered him.

"Well, now that the sun's up and Celeste is here, we should hit every place Gold might go." Charming suggested as he leaned against the counter near his wife. "His house, shop, his cabin."

"'Cause dead men love vacation homes." The saviour stated sarcastically at her father. "Can someone explain to me how this is even possible? We all saw Gold. He-"

"Disappeared into nothingness. I know." Celeste finished for her, sensing Emma's hesitation with her in the room.

"I might have an inkling." Hook spoke up, glancing at Celeste. "When we went back to the Enchanted Forest, Neal was talking about the possibility of getting his father back. With Celeste's help."

"What? How? I know?" She rambled, trying to understand what she was missing.

"He didn't know how. He just, he missed his family." He sighed, not knowing how to explain it. "And he was desperate to find a way to return to this world. He believed that bringkng his father back was the key."

"Well, if that was his plan, then obviously something went wrong." Emma assessed, trying to figure out what happened. "Because, while Gold might be alive and kicking, Neal is, he's, we don't know what he is. We don't even know if he made it back to Storybrooke. No one's seen him since this new curse!"

"He's out there, somewhere." Charming reassured his daughter with her ramblings.

"With all due respect, we have bigger issues right now than who brought Gold back." Regina reminded them all seriously. "The fact that he was in the Wicked Witch's basement, for one. I want to know what the hell she was cooking up with him."

"Well, the best way to find that out would be to ask Gold, right?" Snow White suggested, glancing around the room.

"He could tell us who the witch is, maybe how to track her down." Charming agreed with her.

"I'm gonna head back to that farmhouse." Regina stated as she stood up, ready to leave. "It's possible this witch left behind some trace of potion or special ingredient."

"Have at it. Just be careful." Emma smiled at her.

"Well, she's the one who needs to be careful." She smirked to herself, fixing her gloves. "She invaded my space. And when I return the favour, I'm not pulling any punches."

"I remember." Celeste revealed, all eyes on her as she stopped Regina from leaving. "Well, sort of."

"What do you mean?" Regina questioned, growing impatient of her hesitation.

"I made a potion, it gave me back my memories of Rumpel." She explained, wiping away a tear. "But everything from the last year is gone. I think I can recreate the potion but I need time, and magic and so much more."

"That's close enough." Emma said, suddenly filled with determination.

"Not exactly." Celeste stopped her. "I used Rumpels DNA so I could remember him. If I use it on Henry to remember Regina, he won't remember everything, only Regina. And it could mess with him getting all his memories back. I wouldn't risk it."

"Can you keep working on it?" Snow White asked her, believing in her abilities.

"I can but first I am finding my husband." She breathed out slowly. "As someone who spends years looking for your soulmate, allow me to find mine."

"Of course." Emma nodded to her as Regina left Granny's, the older woman preparing to open her diner. "Out of everyone, you're the one who will know where he is and how to get through to him."

"He has a lot of explaining to do when this is over." Celeste chuckled darkly, standing up and leading everyone determinedly to his shop, seeing if there was anything that could help them find him.