Gold

{31}

"The curse! It's here!" I heard Grumpy yell from the distance. I felt my heart sink as I realized I was about to be cursed without Rumple by my side. Would we find each other in this new world? I could only pray our love would make it through this.

I heard a scream and recognized it as my sister's. I rushed to the nursery and saw my sister holding Emma. Snow looked up and saw me and waved me over. "Claire, do you want to meet your niece?" She asked me, handing me Emma. I took baby Emma in my arms and found myself smiling down at her. She was beautiful.

I heard my sister's stifled cries and looked at her in confusion. Why was she so upset? Her and Emma would make it out of this. "Snow?" I asked her and she sighed. "The wardrobe. It only takes one." She explained and I stiffened. "But who will help Emma? Who will protect her?" I asked Snow, who sobbed.

"I don't know, Claire. But we must save her so she can save us." Snow said, looking over at David who was holding her hand and crying silently. "It's time." She told him.

David held out his hands for Emma and I placed her in them. I turned to my sister. "Snow-" I started, but she shook her head. "I love you Claire. Now please help him protect her." Snow pleaded and I grasped her hand for a moment before following David.

We both grabbed a sword and wandered into the palace halls. I heard rapid footsteps and looked behind me to see Regina's guards rushing towards us.

David and I both managed to fight them off and reach the wardrobe. David placed baby Emma in the wardrobe and closed the door, turning the key. I sighed in relief as I felt magic fill the room. Emma was safe.

That relief didn't last long, however as I heard a pained grunt and saw one of Regina's guards stab David. "No!" I yelled, rushing to help him, but the guard there threw me back. I hit the hard floor with a groan.

The guards eyed me. "What do we do with her?" One asked and before the other could answer I heard a familiar voice. "Nothing. She's mine." Regina said as she walked into the room.

The guards left the room then and I stood up watching Regina cautiously. "I'm not going to hurt you, Claire." She said, but I didn't let my guard down. "Then what do you want with me?" I asked her and she chuckled.

"Actually, I want nothing with you. This punishment is more for your fiance." Regina said and I tensed. "What did you do to him?" I asked her angrily and she smirked. "I've done nothing to him. He's locked away, and is no threat to me. But in this new land, he could be. Especially if he was happy. And I know you would make him happy." Regina explained and I stared at her. "Where are you going with all this?" I snapped and she smiled.

"As you know, in this new land, I will be the only one happy. Which means, you can't be. Neither can Rumplestiltskin. If I send you to the same place as him, you two will find each other and fall in love again. So I'm sending you someplace else." Regina said and I felt myself sink to the floor. Regina was going to make sure I never saw my true love again.

"Why?" I asked her weakly. "Because he doesn't deserve to be happy. Really, I'm doing you a favor." Regina told me, just as the room began to be enveloped by the purple mist. I saw Regina raise her hand towards me and felt my eyes begin to close against my will. I hit the hard tile and I was gone.

I stiffened in Rumple's arms as the memory came back. Regina had sent me to Boston to keep me from Rumple? He noticed the change in my expression and grabbed my hand. "What's wrong, dearie?" He asked me and I sighed. "I just remembered what happened to me. Why I wasn't sent here like everyone else. It was Regina." I told him and watched as his face morphed into anger.