Once Upon a Dream:

Page 1: "You Used to Be Heroes":

*A Few Minutes Later*

Dream was up in her room, trying to wrap her head around what she had just witnessed. Could she see the future? Was it actually possible that she could end up with Hook? Out of all people... She sighed when she kept looking at her bracelet that Cora enchanted, showing the memory of when she kissed Hook. She moved her finger up her lips, but her thoughts were interrupted by a harsh and loud knock at the front door.

"She was still in the vault when I went home." Dream said, standing in the living room as Gold, Emma, and David were around the room. 

"Did she say anything? Mention what her plans were?" Emma asked, when Dream sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why so you can lock her up again? Or kill her with another magical creature?" Dream scoffed at them when the other three sighed.

"We just want to protect Mary Margaret... We don't plan on doing anything but just to stop Regina." David said when he stopped up from the couch, making Dream sigh to herself. "You promise?" She asked him when he nodded. He seemed to be the only one of the three that she trusted. "I promise, Dream." He said when she sighed, looking at him, then Gold and Emma.

"All right... We might need to check her vault." Dream said, moving to grab her bag.

David headed down, shining his flashlight, while Gold and Dream followed behind him. They stopped when they found all of Cora's trunks and the mess Regina left. "Well, it appears we just missed our dear queen." Gold said when he started to walk into the room. "What is this?" David asked Gold and Dream.

"These are Cora's belongings..." Dream said as Gold used his cane to move to check the blue dress on the floor, while David moved to open one of the chests. 

"Looks like Regina's planning to use one of her spells on Mary Margaret." Gold said when he moved to see a potions box. He picked it up, moving it onto one of the trunks. David and Dream noticed when they raised their brows at what he was doing. "Dad?" Dream asked, raising her brow when she noticed that he was concerned. "Something's missing. Chimera blood... and viper's eye." Gold sighed when he pointed to the missing spots.

"And what kind of curse do you need those for?" David asked him.

"It's the Curse of the Empty-Hearted." Gold said to them before they headed back to Mary Margaret's apartment.

*Mary Margaret's Apartment*

"What does that do?" Emma asked him when David, Dream, and Gold returned from the vault. "In theory, it has the power to make someone love you." Gold sighed, briefly explaining what the curse does. "Doesn't that break magic laws?" Emma asked him, trying to remember the lamp rules in Aladdin. "You can't bring someone back to life. You can't force someone to love you..." She continued.

"Yeah, but this particular spell can make someone think that they love you. And if you're as desperate for love as Regina appears, you might just believe it." Gold sighed, glancing at Dream, who was by the door, looking down to the floor.

"She's gonna use it on Dream and me, isn't she?" 

The four of them looked up to see Henry coming down the stairs when he moved over to Dream's side when she hugged him. "Hey, buddy, why don't you go back upstairs? Dream can even go with you..." David said, walking over to them when Dream just looked down at her little brother. "Let us handle this," David said, putting his hand on Henry's shoulder.

"No!" Henry scoffed, pushing past David and Dream over to Emma. "Emma, you said you were gonna be honest with me... Now, why is Regina using this curse?" Henry asked all of them.

"Because it's the only way she can get everything she wants, that she can get you... and your sister." Gold said, looking at Henry, who looked confused. "But if all she wants is me--" Henry went to say, but Gold stopped him. "Your mother is a complicated woman. She wants your love, of course. But she also wants vengeance on Mary Margaret." Gold sighed, turning to look at Mary Margaret, who was lying on the bed silently.

"How does the curse give her both?" Dream asked, speaking up for the first time since they got back. "Because the last ingredient she needs to enact the curse... is the heart of the person she hates the most." Gold explained when Dream sighed, looking at Henry.

"You have to stop her," Emma spoke up.

"No, I don't have to do anything." Gold said, making the others sigh at him. "On the contrary, I believe warning you fulfill my debt." He said, looking at Emma and David. 

"Not even close. This is my wife's life we're talking about!" David yelled at him, scoffing at Gold's comment.

"Not to mention your daughter's and grandson's." Emma scoffed at Gold.

"Yeah, well, wars have costs." Gold sighed, looking at Henry when Dream scoffed at his reply. "Nice." Emma scoffed when she looked at Gold. "Well, this is a blood feud, dearie... One that goes back a very, very long time. And one that seems to be continuing..." Gold said, looking between Emma and Dream. "And the only way you can end a blood feud is by spilling of more blood. That is the only way I know to eliminate your Regina problem." Gold said when Dream sighed as she looked at her heartless father.

"By what? Killing her?" David asked, rubbing his temples.

"Is there no other option?" Emma asked Gold while Henry and Dream looked between the three of them. "I'm afraid not." Gold sighed, looking at her.

"Stop!" Henry spoke up, standing in between them. "Listen to yourselves! You're talking about killing my mom." Henry sighed, making Emma and David feel guilty.

"You used to be heroes... What happened to you?" Dream spoke up, scoffing at them.

Henry sighed when he walked past all of them, grabbing his scarf and coat before leaving. "Henry..." Emma sighed, going to go after him, but Dream stopped him. "No... You've done enough. I'm going after my little brother." Dream sighed when she grabbed her bag and coat, following Henry.

The door closed when Emma opened it, grabbed her own coat, turning to look at David and Gold. "No matter how this plays out, we need to keep both of them as far away from it as possible." Emma sighed before closing the door behind her.

"She's right." Gold sighed, making David turn back to look at him. "Cora was dangerous because she didn't have a heart. Regina's even more dangerous because she does." He sighed when David just sighed to himself.

~season 2, episode 17: "Welcome to Storybrooke"~

~1125 words~