Evermore ~ Rumplestiltskin

Chapter Forty-Six [Edited]

PRESENT DAY.
Liana's POV.

"Liana?" I heard a voice question, as I was shifting through one of the shelves in the shop.

I looked up, my eyes widened as I saw it was Ariel, besides Hook and Belle. "Ariel!" I said with excitement. "Where have you been? I was worried I'd never see you again!"

I approached Ariel and hugged her. "I've been looking for Eric," Ariel started as I removed myself from her. "He's been missing since we've all returned."

I frowned. "That's not a good sign, now is it?" Ariel shook her head in agreement.

"Yeah, so, um, we were hoping we could find something of his here," said Belle. "You and Rumple always seemed to have an array of strange things here."

I chuckled. "Yes. Of course... to see if he's still in StoryBrooke?"

"Precisely," said Hook. "Why else would we come here?"

I rolled my eyes at Hook's comment. It was strange seeing Hook working with both Ariel and Belle. "Have you seen anything of his?" Ariel asked, glancing around the shop.

"I only have just started to sort through things," I replied. "But we can definitely start looking."

"Okay," said Ariel.

I direct Ariel and Belle to look through the shelves whilst I follow Hook to the back of the room. I notice that he finds a telescope. "I've been wondering where you've went," he said.

"You're talking to me?" I asked.

"No, my telescope," he replied, stretching it out and looking through it.

"So that's your telescope?" I asked.

"Yes. Can I have it back?"

"If it's yours, yes. I'm not as strict as Rumple is when it comes to making deals," I replied.

"Good thing," he replied. Hook then turned his head, to see a cloak.

Ariel and Belle come into the back room. "That's Eric's," said Ariel. "How'd you know that was his?" she asked him.

"I wasn't sure," Hook replied. "I saw the sea-creature clasp and remembered that he was from a maritime kingdom."

"He is," said Ariel. "He was. And now he's here."

Belle and I exchanged a glance of surprise as Ariel hugged Hook.

I then went to get a small bottle filled with a clear liquid. I pour the potion over the cloak. "This is a locator spell," I started to explain, remembering what Rumple taught me. "So, whatever object it's poured on becomes Enchanted and returns it's self to its rightful owner."

"Thank you, Liana," said Ariel. "I know that you've been busy trying to find a way to break your Mr. Gold out of the witch's control. You didn't have to do this."

"No, I did," I smiled. "I'm always willing to help someone in need. And besides, perhaps a little good news around here would be contagious."

The cloak then starts to float in the air, and it begins to fly away. "Let's go!" said Ariel, as Hook and Belle followed her. I smiled. It felt good to help a friend. Now, back to finding a way to help Rumple.

+++

I go into the back room and look for something that could help me with Rumple. I see the same leather book that I found the information in on Neal's scar.

I sit down on the bed and start reading through it again. This book was all about the dark one, so there had to be something useful in here.

After a few minutes of reading, I started to hear clattering. I narrowed my eyebrows. Was someone here? I didn't hear the door jingle.

I placed down the book and came out into the main room. My eyes widened when I saw Regina rummaging through a bunch of Rumple's things. "This is all useless crap!" Regina yelled.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop! Stop it! What—what are you looking for?"

"I need to destroy my sister," Regina replied, gritting her teeth. "She has my heart."

"Oh...." I stated.

"Relax Liana, she can't control me with it," Regina replied. "I protected it from that. The problem is, I don't know what she's planning on using it for, which is why I need to take her out! That's why I need your help. What do you have here?"

"Excuse me? What do I have here? Self respect, Regina. Why on Earth or any realm would I help you? The woman who kept me away from the one person I cared about and loved by erasing my memories! Oh and then there was that time where—after I remembered everything— took away my memories yet again, creating me into Lacey! All you've done is mentally and physically tortured me ever since we've known each other!"

"Huh," she said, smirking. "Bookworm's got teeth."

"I'm not just a bookworm," I snapped. "Get out."

Regina sighed and I crossed my arms. "Yes. I did all of those horrible things... in the past. But right now I need something to defeat the woman who's puppet-mastering your lover. She has your Rumple. And unless you help me, you may never see him again. I'm sorry Liana, I really am."

I sighed. I could never forgive her for what she's done for me, but in her eyes I could see how sorry she really was. Regina has changed. I might as well let her help me get Rumple back.

"So," I started. "I've been trying to match the ingredients that Zelena's been collecting to whatever spell she intends to cast. It would really help if I knew what was so special about your heart. Does she just want it because you're sisters or..."

"I have no idea," Regina stated.

"Well, that helps, thanks so much Regina," I said sarcastically. Regina rolled her eyes. But then it was like a lightbulb switched in her head. I narrowed my eyes. "The candle. Where's the candle?"

I picked up one of the candles close by. "Here?"

"Not that that. Liberace. The two-sides candle Snow used to kill my mother. Where's that?"

"Oh, um," I started, turning around to face a cabinet. "I believe it's in here." I open the cabinet. I was right. The candle was there. I take the candle out. "It's power is gone now though. It's just a relic."

Regina takes the candle from my hands. "Yes. That's it. This isn't about how my mother died. This is about how she lived." I narrowed my eyes as I watched her leave the shop. What on earth did she mean by that?