Swan Song ❂ Killian Jones [1]

38

"You've gone absolutely mad. Lost your mind. Certifiably insane!" Odette paced the length of the shop, moving between display cases and rambling on while David simply stood by one of the cases and waited. "Instead of putting you under a sleeping curse, I should be checking you into a mental institution. Sleeping curse for goodness' sake!"

"Odette!" David called out over her as she walked by him, his hands grabbing hold of her shoulders and forcing her to stop the pacing so she'd look at him and the amusement on his face that rose while he was watching her. "I'll be fine. Snow will wake me up."

"Yes, yes, right. Snow White, your true love." Odette said, her tone quieter as she nodded her head, seeming to accept his words of reassurment. At least until her face returned back to its unamused expression and voice rose again. "The one who is currently stuck in a completely different realm!"

"I'll see her soon enough." David reminded her that he didn't have to wait for Snow to come back to see her. He'd see her in the fire room. The bloody damn netherworld of harmful inferno!

"Right, that is if everything goes perfectly fine an well and as planned." Odette pointed out the possibility of it all turning out riddled with problems. They had no idea how this curse worked. They'd never experienced it or cast it. And if Regina's reactions to Henry's consequences were anything to go by, she didn't understand it too well either. Only Gold did. And Odette didn't trust Gold.

"Are you doubting my ability to find my way to Snow?" David asked his blonde friend jokingly. She didn't find it amusing, if the unamused glare on her face was anything to go by. "Do you have any other ideas?" David asked. He could understand why she wasn't too keen on the plan, but they had no other.

"Send someone else!" Odette offered carelessly, even though she herself knew it wasn't really an option. "Belle's right here to wake up Rumplestiltskin. Fall asleep, wake up, go to the room without having to search for it. Voila!" She still suggested.

"Do you really think he'll be willing to render himself defenceless like that?" David pointed out, keeping in his laugh as he listened to Odette give out an annoyed groan. "We can't send Henry back in. And neither Regina nor you have..." David didn't finish what he was saying but it was clear what he meant. They didn't have anyone who could wake them up.

"I hate this plan." Odette grumbled, but it was obvious she knew there was no other way to do what had to be done. They couldn't just curse a random stranger on the street. Well, she was sure Rumplestiltskin would have no issue with it.

"It's ready." Regina's voice made both Odette and David turn to look at the door to the back room where the other three members of their group had remained while Regina prepared the sleeping curse.

With a final look shared between the two friends, David put his hand on Odette's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze before they walked back to join the rest. Odette's eyes looked around at all the equipment set up around the room, remnants of Regina's process to create the curse.

"You are about to join a quite distinguished club, Mr. Nolan." Mr Gold began to speak once they were all gathered together again. "Before such innovations as the apple, back when the Sleeping Curse first came to be, a more direct method was required: through blood. By pricking one's finger on the needle of a spinning wheel, one falls under the spell." He explained the process before turning to look at Regina as he held up the needle. "Your Majesty, you did his wife - I'm sure you'd like the honour."

Odette couldn't help but roll her eyes at the Dark One's need for poetic theatricality. She remained standing by Henry's side as Regina stepped forward and away from the two of them, starting to prepare the needle. Odette watched as she dipped it into some kind of liquid before securing it to the spinning wheel. "It's all yours." She announced once the task was done, stepping away and back to the other side of Henry who then stepped forward.

The boy went to his grandfather, throwing his arms around his waist as he pulled David into a hug. "Good luck."

David hugged him back as he spoke. "It's gonna be alright." He said in a reassuring tone.

"How do you know?" Henry questioned as the two pulled away, Odette wondering much the same thing but not saying it out loud. Because they couldn't know. There was no possible way to know what would happen next.

"Well how did you know Emma would save you after you ate the turnover?" David questioned, obviously wanting to draw a parallel of some kind in an attempt to ease Henry's mind as he sat down.

"I believed in her." Henry said simply.

"The way Snow and I believed she'd come back to break the Curse. That's the kind of faith that runs in our family." David told Henry with a smile on his face, sounding like he believed every word that came out of his mouth and wasn't solely saying them to reassure the boy.

Regina and Odette couldn't help but share a look between themselves, their thoughts clear from the expressions on their faces. That faith could be nauseating. Especially when, like the two of them, you were the kind of person who could see the thousands of ways in which all of this could go wrong.

"This helps control the flames in the room. It'll keep you safe." Henry spoke again, making them look back to see him placing his amulet around David's neck; the one that Mr Gold had given him. One meant to control the dream.

"I will guard it with my life." David promised firmly, sending Henry one last smile before turning to look at Mr Gold who stood by the spinning wheel set up beside the bed. "I'm ready." He announced.

Henry walked back, stepping in front of his mother again and Regina was quick to place her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to keep him calm and feeling confident. She may have her doubts, but she didn't want Henry to be fearful or worried. They watched as Mr Gold started to spin the wheel, David's hand reaching up, finger ready to touch the needle until he stopped before he got too close.

"When I awake, I'll be in that fiery room?" He questioned, wanting to get the last details that he needed before it was too late.

"Not exactly." Gold's announcement had Odette's glare returning as she stared at the side of his face. "That room is where those who've already awoken from the curse return. You, however, are being put under for the first time."

"Then how will I know where to go? How the hell am I supposed to find a room with no door?" David questioned impatiently, relieved that he'd asked the question in time instead of just blindly jumping in.

"And that, dearie, is the conundrum we're all depending on you solving." Odette felt the need to smack him. She really, really, really, wanted to smack the Dark One. And, noticing the glare on Odette's face, one of Regina's hands left Henry's shoulders and gave Odette's arm a small squeeze. Not as tender as she was with her son, but still, a small attempt at reassurance or comfort. "Now I say this with the utmost sincerity: good luck."

For a few more moments, David seemed to stare at the needle. But there was no doubt in his eyes that would suggest he was having second thoughts because of the new information. Rather, he looked thoughtful and determined, as if he was trying to come up with a plan before going to sleep. And then he did it.

He brought his finger to the needle and pressed against it. A small trickle of blood appeared as it pierced the skin. David, pulling away his hand, turned it so he could look at the finger. And if a stranger had been observing the scene without knowing what was happening, it would have looked like David was scared of blood. Because a mere second after looking at it, the prince was out like a light, his head falling down until it hit the pillow. And then he was asleep. And all the rest of them could do was simply wait.