𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

thirty six

36|celebrations pt.2

"Actually, I'd like to know what the pirate is talking about." Regina cut Celeste off before she could start talking about her past.

"It's nothing." Emma shook it off, quietly wanting to change the topic of conversation.

"Are you planning on going back to New York?" The Mayor quizzed her, Robin joining her side.

"Why would we go back to New York?" Henry questioned, glancing between his two mother's.

"You're not." Regina reassured her son before glancing at Emma. "Right, Ms. Swan?"

"Actually, it's complicated." Emma answered truthfully.

"Why would we leave? This is our home."

"Henry, this isn't the time or place." She sighed, desperately staring down at her son.

"I think it is." Regina said dryly, side glancing the blonde woman.

"No. It's not." Emma shot before walking out Granny's.

"I'll talk to her." Hook smiled at them, putting his cup down to follow after her.

"Wait. Take this." Henry handed him the book. "It might help her remember where she belongs."

"It's gonna be all right." Charming patted the boys shoulder reassuringly. "She's just stubborn. Like her, uh, like all of her family."

"Don't worry, Henry." Celeste smiled at the boy. "You definitely take after your father a lot."

"Uh, look." Henry pointed past the woman's shoulder, all eyes glancing out the woman at the strange light force in the sky. "What is that?"

"Did you?"

"That's not me." Rumpel whispered back to her, wrapping his arm around her protectively. "That is a problem." He said loudly for the group to hear. "That light is from Zelena's time portal. It's open."

"We're fucked." Celeste groaned in annoyance, resting her head on her husband's shoulder. "Excuse my French."

The group quickly drove to the police station, bursting into the building where Zelena was being kept.

"Zelena, she's gone." Charming sighed as he ran into the station first.

"No. She was here when I left her." Regina argued, looking around the room for any way her sister could have escaped.

"Well, if she escaped, that would explain the big light beam time portal." Celeste shrugged before rolling her eyes and raising an eyebrow at her husband, wondering if he did something.

"Impossible." The Evil Queen raked her brains for some explanation. "Without her pendant, she's powerless. How could she have escaped, let along open a time portal without magic?" She trailed off as she noticed the strange look on Rumpels face. "Unless you did something to her."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but no." Rumpel said before realising no one believed him. "Well, even if I wanted to, Celeste has my dagger. She would certainly curb any homicidal tendencies."

"Celeste almost destroyed Storybrooke." Regina reminded him. "Twice."

"Well, if she escaped, let's find out how." Charming began to create a plan, pacing the station as he thought. He went over to the old TV connected to the security cameras. Celeste waved her hand, messing up the video footage. "What?"

"What, was that? What just happened?" Regina questioned, staring at the fuzzy screen with confusion.

"Yeah. We could use an upgrade." He sighed, fiddling with the dials to try and bring the video back. "Stupid Betamax." The screen settled back on Zelena in her cage. "There we go."

Everyone watched as she turned herself into a porcelain doll and crumbled to the ground before turning into dust.

"Well, it seems her great escape was of a more permanent nature." Rumpel stated after the video. "I won't ask for an apology."

"She must've had just enough residual magic to do herself in." Regina concluded. "And when she did, when she was gone, the magic in her pendant had no tether. It was set free. Her last wish fulfilled."

"So how do we un-fulfil it?" Robin questioned, glancing around the room at the blank faces.

"Excellent question." Rumpel nodded to him. "But until we figure it out, no one should go near it. A trip to the past could have catastrophic repercussions."

Celeste and Rumpel left the station first, the woman pinning him against the wall with a pissed off expression.

"As much as I love when you take charge, don't you think this is too much of a public area." He teased her, stroking her hips.

"You dick." Celeste glared at him. "You gave me a fake dagger. Do you know all the sexual things I was going to make you do and let me do? But no, you're too much of a coward."

"Choose your words carefully, love." Rumpel warned her, tightening his grip. "When did you realise?"

"My magic is back." She revealed, leaning her head on his chest. "Regina tried to keep it down, you tried to steal it, but nothing works."

"I can look into it." He stroked her hair as he relaxed against the wall, holding his wife carefully in his arms.

"You're not a coward." She mumbled against his clothes. "I know you're not. I also know that you are unable to trust anyone with your life."

"Am I that easy to read, dearie?"

"Very." Celeste chuckled, looking up to kiss him. "I've also been around you for too long."

"Are you complaining?"

"I want more time."