Once Upon a Supernatural

Chapter XXIV: Panic and Betrayal

"And yes, she was beyond hope; beyond saving. This was her end. When Prince Charming saw his beloved Snow White in her glass coffin, he knew all was left was to say good-bye," Mary Margaret said softly as she continued reading from Henry's storybook.

Ruby looked over at the sweet scene wondering where Emma, Dean, and Regina had gone. She looked at Henry's angelic face and a pang in her chest gripped at her heart for the poor child. Then she looked over at Sam, whose bed she was sitting over. She couldn't believe that this had not only happened once, but twice. Something wasn't right. She could smell something fowl.

"He had to give her one last kiss. And when he did, True Love proved more powerful than any curse. A pulse of pure love shuddered out and engulfed the land, waking up Snow White and bringing light to the darkness." Mary Margaret closed the book and reached for Henry's hand. As if instinct took over, Ruby reached over and grabbed Sam's. "Henry," her voice trembled as she began to speak, "when I gave you this book, it was because I knew... I know life doesn't always have a happy end. But I thought," her voice broke as Ruby saw the tears to all down.

Suddenly, both of the monitors that were connected to Henry and Sam began to beep louder and more rapid. Mary Margaret and Ruby looked over at the screens and then to each other, neither of them understood what exactly it meant; but they knew it wasn't good.

"What is that?" Mary Margaret panted as she began to rise up from the bed.

"Dr. Whale!" Ruby yelled out as she sprang up and ran towards the door. Dr. Whale rushed into the isolated room followed by a team of nurses.

"Dr. Whale, what is that?!" Mary Margaret said with a panic.

Dr. Whale first went over to Henry while another nurse checked on Sam. "What's wrong?" Ruby asked, just as panicked as Mary Margaret.

"Nurse, get them out of here now!" Dr. Whale commanded, pointing towards both Mary Margaret and Ruby.

Her heart beat was racing as she looked back at Sam one last time. She couldn't leave him; she couldn't. It was her fault he was like this! She had to stay!

Mary Margaret was fighting back the nurses trying to see whatever it is that Dr. Whale was doing, asking what was happening. "His heart rate's falling," Dr. Whale said as he went over to inspect Sam. "His too."

There was so much noise and so many people pushing each other to get into the room that Mary Margaret and Ruby were eventually pressed against the window on the other side of the wall, trying to hear and see what exactly was going on.

The nurses began to put a breathing mask on Henry as Dr. Whale pushed against his chest. A couple of nurses on the other side of the room began to mimic Dr. Whale's motion.

Ruby grabbed on to Mary Margaret's hand as they did the only thing they could: watch.

***

Dean and Emma made it back to the elevator, both had their swords in their hands while Emma clutched the egg.

"So," Dean broke the silence, "that's the magic?"

Emma looked down and began to evaluate the egg. "I don't know. It's not a real egg; that's for sure. Whatever it is, it better be able to help. Maybe it opens up someth-"

The elevator shook, causing Dean to grab on to Emma to support her. Then, it stopped.

"What the hell?" Emma asked, looking up to try to figure out what had happened. "Regina!"

"What the hell was that?" Dean called up.

"Regina!" Emma yelled.

"Ms. Swan?" A voice said from above. Dean didn't like who's voice it was. Why was he here? "You've got it?"

"Mr. Gold, what are you doing here?" Emma asked, just as confused as Dean.

Dean could only see the outline of the man's head, but his voice echoed throughout the shaft. "I've come to check on you. I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator."

"What? I'm coming up," Emma said as she began to find a way to climb up to the top of the elevator.

"Emma, wait," Dean whispered. "I don't like this. Why would Regina just abandon us?"

Emma scoffed, "You need a reason for the evil queen to do something nasty?"

"Yeah, but- it just doesn't make sense."

"I don't care, either way. I have to get up there; we have to save our family," and that was the last Emma had to say about that as she began to climb to the top of the elevator.

Dean, still uneasy about this whole thing, began to help her up as he followed suit. They exchanged the egg as each of them made it to the top.

"There's no time for this," Mr. Gold said. "You can't possible scale the wall and carry that," referring to the egg.

"Yeah? I can try," Emma retorted and Dean couldn't hold in the chuckle that left his lungs. Nothing was going to hold this fiery blonde back from something she wanted.

"No, you can't. Just- just toss it up," Mr. Gold suggested. Dean's entire body stiffened at the man's proposal. "Your boy's gonna be fine," he said, trying to reassure her.

"And Sam," Dean spoke up, tired of being ignored.

"And Sam," Mr. Gold repeated, less enthusiastically. "I promise. We're running out of time. Toss it up."

Dean could see it in Emma's eyes that she was losing faith in herself with each mention that they were running out of time. "Ok," she finally said, giving a small look to Dean, "You hold on to it. We'll be right up." With that she tossed the egg upward and right into Mr. Gold's arms. Dean watched as the man began to disappear from over the ledge.

"Gold?" Dean yelled, not wanting the man to leave his sight. He rushed to help Emma as she began to pull herself up using the cable.

"Gold!" Emma yelled as she finally made it to the top and pulled herself up. Dean followed, able to lift himself as he scaled the walls. "Dean!"

He rushed to get to the top as fast as he could. As he finally got to the ledge, he hard muffled cries.

"Regina," Emma said as she went over to kneel in front of a tied up and taped Regina.

What was going on? Dean thought, suddenly growing angry at Mr. Gold's betrayal.

Emma pulled off the duct tape over, freeing Regina's mouth. "He tricked you!" she yelled as Emma began to untie the rope from around her. "How could you give that?"

"Where is he?" Emma asked.

"Gone."

Dean ran out the door and looked on both sides of the library- no sign of him anywhere. He ran back inside as Regina was finally free.

"Gold," Regina said with rage, "He manipulated all of this."

"Come on, he can't be that far," Emma said as she looked back at Dean.

He nodded, "We'll have to split up. I didn't see which way he went. For a dude with a limp he sure can move fast."

Just as the words left his mouth, two sets of ringtones began to go off. Emma and Regina looked between each other before Emma finally spoke, looking at Dean with such a heartbreaking glance that Dean knew it wasn't good. "It's the hospital."