𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹𝒀𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑰 𝑾𝑨𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑫 - Rumplestiltskin [3]

THREE

3|ESCAPE

Celeste hummed an old tune her mother taught her, sad eyes staring aimlessly at the unconscious man laying beside her. She swallowed back her tears, fighting the urge to fully break down. Her hand gently stroked her husband's head, pushing his hair away from his face as she waited patiently for him to awaken.

"My father passed away last night." She mumbled, hoping he could hear her, hear how much she needed him. "I spoke to him before he died. I think I forgive him. At least enough to not feel any unresolved emotions. Please, Rumple. Please wake up. I need you."

"Bella?" The Blue Fairy cleared her throat, gaining the woman's attention. Celeste quickly sat up straight, wiping away the tears from her cheeks. "You should go and help them with Emma. You're resourceful. They could use you, even if they don't know it yet."

"I'm scared to leave him." Celeste admitted honestly. "What if something happens to him when I'm not here?"

The Blue Fairy waved her wand over her open palm, a beautiful rose in a glass case appeared in her hand.

"The rose is now linked to your beast, Bella." She stated, gifting the rose to Celeste. "As long as it has petals, he lives. Now go."

"Thank you." Celeste breathed out, glancing at her husband one last time before leaving the store reluctantly, trying to find the rest of the group.

Her phone pressed against her ear, Mary Margaret quickly answering on the other end. She explained her willingness to help the group, wondering where they all were. Dashing through the streets, Celeste burst into Regina's office, holding her chest as she tired to catch her breath.

"Hi, sorry I'm late." She apologised, sitting down on the sofa and greeting everyone.

"Cel, are you sure you want to be here?" Regina quickly approached the woman, wrapping an arm around her friend.

"I need a distraction, I can't keep sitting around crying." Celeste sighed, rubbing her swollen pregnant stomach. "So please, let me help."

Their heads spun around to the office door opening, Hook and Henry sauntering inside with defeated looks. Hook quickly admitting to his mistakes, silencing the whole room momentarily as they let his words sink in.

"You let her out?" Regina snapped at him, trying to hold back from taking his other hand.

"Technically, I let her escape." Hook corrected the Evil Queen.

"Moron!"

"Watch it, Your Majesty." He argued back to her. "At least I'm doing something to save Emma."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, maybe you like being with Henry alone." Hook accused her. "Maybe you like not having Emma around."

"Maybe you like having a hook." Regina threatened back. "Maybe you'd like another."

"Enough!" Snow interrupted the pair, sick of their bickering. "Zelenas out. That is what matters, but not as much as Emma. Emma kept us united, and that is exactly how we are going to remain. Come hell or high water, we are going to put our nonsense aside and find my daughter, okay? Now, where would Zelena go first?"

"I know exactly where." Regina sighed with defeat, turning to face the grieving mother. "Or more accurately, who she's after."

The group rushed through town, finding Zelena holding Robin Hood captive by the clock tower. Celeste wrapped an arm around Henry, worried he was going to get caught in the cross fire.

"Hello sis." Zelena greeted them, an evil smile on her lips. "I see you've fixed the clock. It would be a shame to break it again. Although, it might be fun to see Robin fly like one of his arrows."

"You lay another finger on him-" Regina tried to threaten before she was cut off by her sister.

"Oh, I'm not here to hurt Robin." She reassured her. "I'm here to trade him for the apprentice's wand."

"What the hell do you want with this?"

"I am tired of losing to you!" Zelena cried out. "You continue to get everything! But now, now I have someone to love me and only me. See, this is my future, and I am not letting anyone take it from me or turn it against me. So I am going as far away from you and Robin as possible. Over the rainbow, where you can't follow."

"Back to Oz?"

"I may have been feared and despised there, but at least I was free." She continued to explain. "At least I was in control. So if you want your forest-smelling boyfriend to live through the day, you will give me that wand."

"Don't even think about it." Hook warned Regina, refusing to lose his only chance of getting Emma home.

"You can't, Regina. Please." Charming added, trying to reason with the Evil Queen.

"I have to." Regina handed her sister the wand, helping Robin in return.

"Lovely! Now, all it needs is a little direction." Zelena stated cheerfully, grabbing a necklace from her pocket and holding it up. "A trinket from home. Now see me do what you weren't powerful enough to do yourself."

Zelenas spell quickly backfired giving Regina the opportunity to cuff her sister, removing her ability to use her magic. Charming grabbed the witch and held her in place while Regina grabbed the wand back.

"I'm so confused." Celeste mumbled to the boy beside her, still holding a protective arm around him.

"Same."

"What the hell happened?" Hook questioned loudly.

"What happened is I'm not stupid." Regina smirked. "I knew you could open that portal, but I also knew it would weaken you. See, there's one thing our family does well, and that's exploit pain. Now we're gonna take your portal, but we're not taking it to Oz. We're taking it to Emma."