Gold

{61}

I stood outside Snow's apartment with Hook, Tinkerbell, Charming, Regina, Snow and Emma.

"So now that we know who we're dealing with, how do we find this Wicked Witch?" Charming asked.

"Might I suggest we start by asking, if anyone has seen a woman with green skin running around?" Hook asked.

"We're cursed in Storybrooke. She'll look like any one of us." Regina told him.

"Then we start somewhere we know she's been. Regina's office." Emma stated.

"Claire and I have been over it with a fine toothed comb. There's no trace." Regina told her.

"But you were combing for magic. Maybe there's physical evidence that you missed." Emma reminded us.

"Good idea. We'll track her." Charming stated.

"If you wanna waste our time playing Nancy Drew, be my guest, but we can't let Henry wander around alone with that witch and her flying monkeys out there." Regina told Emma.

"Especially since one of the flying monkeys could turn out to be his father." Tinkerbell stated.

"Still no sign of Bae?" I asked them.

"No."

"Point being, someone needs to protect Henry. He doesn't even know what's going on." Regina stated.

"And you're volunteering?" Emma asked her.

"If you find anything, call me." Regina said with a nod.

"I know it's hard, but just remember that Henry knows you as Madame Mayor. Don't let anything slip up." Emma told her. Regina nodded. "I'm well aware how Henry sees me. I won't slip up."

Regina walked off then.

"Time is wasting. There's something wicked in your town. What do you say we go find it?"

~~~~
I took a deep breath before unlocking the pawn shop and walking inside. I hadn't had the nerve to go in before. I barely had the nerve now.

I felt tears fill my eyes as I saw my teacup in a cabinet not far from me. I twisted my ring, and sighed. Why did Rumple have to leave me? We hadn't gotten our happy ending.

The bell on the door jingled and I jumped before turning around slowly. A red haired woman walked in, smiling at me.

Something about her instantly made me wary.

"Hello, can I help you?" I asked her, feeling weird the way she was just staring at me.

"You must be Mrs. Gold."

"Uh- no, I'm not, actually." I said sadly.

"Is Mr. Gold around?" The woman asked and I took a breath.

"No, he isn't. He died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you loss.."

She trailed off, waiting for my name.

"Claire."

"Claire. What a beautiful name. Oh, look I'm sorry to bother you, but I was hoping to buy a baby gift for a lovely woman I met at Granny's Diner. Maybe you know her. She goes by Mary Margaret here."

"She's my twin sister. You just met her today and are already buying a gift?" I asked her curiously.

"Well, I'm helping her with her pregnancy and.. Today's my first day on the job. You know, curse or no curse, a girls got to work."

"You know, I don't remember you from before, but you seem oddly familiar. What's your name again?" I asked her, feeling more suspicious by the second.

"Zelena."